Campbell Books

This book is a valuable addition to the popular psychology books on narcissism. Its tone is trenchant yet compassionate and there is surprising humor in it, too. This book was written by a man who is educated and qualified to speak knowledgeably on the subject, yet who writes in accessible prose and doesn't condescend to women at all; rather he respects the difficulty of finding oneself involved in a one-way relationship with a narcissist and gives women information they can really use to improve their awareness of their situation and make the best decisions for their own lives. I read several other books on the subject before this one; I wished I had read this one first. It was very informative as well as comforting and empowering.

I have read everything I could get my hands on on the subject of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), and this book is very disappointing. While the author comes across as a nice guy who means well, I don't think he has the background necessary to write authoritatively on this subject. It would appear it was a subject he stumbled on in grad school, found mildly interesting and decided to publish his research.

The best books on this subject are written by those who have had close encounters with individuals with NPD, either in personal relationships, or by treating them or their victims. Mr. Campbell appears to have been spared the up close and personal school of narcissism (lucky for him), but as a result, he doesn't have much to say that is helpful to those of us who are trying to heal from one of these nightmares.

Some of the things he says are inconsistent with current research on the subject. For example, he believes that narcissism is a choice. Much current research points to its cause lying in the genes and/or early childhood trauma (probably before age 8). This is not a choice, but the damage done is also not curable or amenable to improvement from therapy or medication.

Mr. Campbell does not seem to grasp the depth of depravity that many narcissists sink to in tormenting their significant others, or the terrible emotional devastation they leave in their wake. This is not a matter of dating a man who preens and wants to talk mostly about himself. This is about having one's whole life high jacked by an unfeeling monster who pretends to be the love of your life before ripping your heart out and stomping on it.

If you are a victim of someone with NPD, two much better entry level books are Lundy Bancroft's book, "Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men" and Carter and Sokol's "Help! I'm in Love with a Narcissist".

I read a lot of books of this type, and I have to say, I really think THIS one is the best. It can be incredibly baffling and frustrating ( as well of often heartbreaking) to deal with a person or partner with NPD...but, with a book like this ( which I heavily underlined!!) I didn't feel so alone. VERY well written. GET THIS BOOK and stop tearing your hair out over 'your' NPD'er ..and it's nice to know we can quit blaming ourselves!

I bought this book due to the great reviews and found myself disappointed.

It is a good book although rather simplistic and a little sexist. Dr. Campbell bases almost all of his research (I believe, from what I can find on Google regarding his Bibliography) on college students. He misses or dismisses any male narcissist over 35 (my guess here) and hardly mentions female narcissists.

If you are a woman in college or in your twenties and thirties and are still single, you will probably find this book valuable. It's all about how to date "nice men" and how to recognize and stay away from Narcissist playboys.

If you are married to or divorced from a narcissist, not so much. He completely misses what happens to us once we are sucked into the narcissist's vortex. He only hints that it is much harder to leave if you have time invested (investments) and counsels women to think about this as well as the other factors from research of a Professor Rusbult.

In my experience it's a whole lot harder. Especially if you have been traumatized by a narcissist. If you have spent any amount of time living with one, you probably have been traumatized. Dr. Campbell misses the boat by not stating this clearly.

I also found the comments from Dr. Campbell that narcissists grow out of their narcissism as they age due to reduction in testosterone ridiculous. He should meet my ex husband. He should talk to women in domestic violence support groups. He should talk to Lundy Bancroft or Patricia Evans. He should talk to men who are married to narcissist abusers.

If you think you are dating a narcissist or have dated one, or want to know how not to make the same mistake and end up married to one - again, then buy this book. I give it 3 stars instead of 2 because his dating advice is pretty good.

If you are married to one or divorced from one and are trying to heal - look elsewhere.

After a 10 year relationship (with a 2 year marriage), my husband without warning changed his mind about me. Suddenly, I was wrong in every way for him. His inability to understand how his sudden change of feelings, hurtful words, inexcusable actions, lack of empathy towards me were puzzling to say the least. He could not admit what he had done was wrong, he never apologized (until I demanded it), never seemed to feel true remorse. His lack of ethics came as a shock. I rationalized everything before, but could not this time. Thanks to Dr. Campbell, I now understand so much about him and what I can do to avoid the likes of him. However, he did not touch on the fact that some people are able to cope with and perhaps are attracted to narcissists because of a narcissistic parent, which is the case with me. Run out and buy this book if you are puzzling over previous or current relationships. I feel myself coming out of my depression, and am really looking towards my future again.

This is my all time favorite book. It is an anthology of several stories written by Ramsey Campbell from the sixties up to 1991. All of the stories are good but ones like Down There, Just Waiting, The Voice of the Beach, The Scar, and The Brood are truly brilliant. Mr. Campbell writes with a very surrealistic dream-like quality that is unique and compelling. There are Lovecraftian tales, ghost stories, and many that can't be put into any category but there own. Ramsey Campbell should be considered amoung the all time greats in horror fiction history, along with the likes of M.R. James, H.P. Lovecraft and Algernon Blackwood. You can't go wrong with this book if you like horror.

Ramsey Campbell has produced some of the greatest short horror stories ever written. Most of them are in this volumn.
Mostly Campbell is influenced by H P Lovecraft rather than explicit gore or gratuitous violence - although there are always exceptions! So his writing style is completely different from say Stephen King, but both are masters of short horror fiction in their different ways.

The stories within are as scary as horror fiction can get. Amongst my favourites are "In the Bag", and perhaps best of all "The Companion". You know how with some novels (King on occasions is an example) after reading through hundreds of pages you get to the end and think - is that it? I.e. the ending never quite leaves you satisfied despite the brilliance of the story telling before (again King). Well you won't get this with Campbell's short stories, his end with a punch, metaphorically a knock-out one to your head...

Another splendid volumn to get if this one becomes unavailable is Dark Companions which contains many of the same stories. You'll probably only get this 2nd hand but its worth searching out.

A lot of stories in here for a collection, 39 all told. When it says it is a collection of his short fiction, they really mean it. Most of the tales here are of around the ten page variety. The majority are done in a similar style and structure, barring his Mythos story to start.

He definitely goes in for succinct titles.

A lot of school stories and book industry related, as well, so obviously that is on his mind a lot. Apparently we can thank the horrors of those toffy pommie schools for some of this stuff.

Alone with the Horrors : The Room In the Castle - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Cold Print - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Scar - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Interloper - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Guy - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The End of a Summer's Day - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Man in the Underpass - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Companion - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Call First - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Heading Home - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : In the Bag - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Baby - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Chimney - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Stages - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Brood - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Loveman's Comeback - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Gap - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Voice of the Beach - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Out of Copyright - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Above the World - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Mackintosh Willy - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Show Goes On - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Ferries - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Midnight Hobo - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Depths - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Down There - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Fit - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Hearing Is Believing - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Hands - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Again - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Just Waiting - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Seeing the World - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Old Clothes - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Apples - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : The Other Side - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Where the Heart Is - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Boiled Alive - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : Another World - Ramsey Campbell
Alone with the Horrors : End of the Line - Ramsey Campbell


Byatis is bloody big.

3.5 out of 5


Whacker Revelations.

4 out of 5


Bricked.

3 out of 5


Poetry boy punishment.

3.5 out of 5


That's no dummy?

4 out of 5


Lost hubbie.

3.5 out of 5


Mouse sacrifice.

3.5 out of 5


Ghost train surprise.

3.5 out of 5


Skeletal nailer woman.

3 out of 5


Where's me noggin, then?

4 out of 5


Plastic stranger.

3.5 out of 5


Pram devil.

3 out of 5


Santa scare.

3.5 out of 5


It's a trip to not do it by myself.

3.5 out of 5


Moth problem.

3.5 out of 5


S3xual summoning.

4 out of 5


Blind alley.

3 out of 5


Transformation not looked forward to.

3.5 out of 5


Editorial summoning.

4 out of 5


Prefer indoors.

3 out of 5


No shelter left.

3.5 out of 5


Own advice no use.

3.5 out of 5


Very wet message in a bottle.

4 out of 5


Radio echo.

3 out of 5


True crime.

3 out of 5


Rattypuffs.

3.5 out of 5


Nekkid aunt will put you off for life.

3.5 out of 5


Greek daydream scare.

2.5 out of 5


Nun not handy.

3 out of 5


Flyblown Bungalow punishment.

4 out of 5


Wish the olds were gone.

3.5 out of 5


Sunken entertainment.

3 out of 5


Get jewellery with no appendages.

3.5 out of 5


Bobbing with the wrong crowd.

3.5 out of 5


Clown double axed.

4 out of 5


Home memories.

3 out of 5


Movie phone number pain.

3 out of 5


No Kingdom of God.

3 out of 5


Many voices.

2.5 out of 5




3.5 out of 5

I love these types of horrors, this book is wonderfully written and provides page after page of chilling accounts. a horror I could really get into from first page to the last. I found to be very chilling and creepy and in likness to "12345 Are You Dead Or Still Alive?"

I bought this book on a whim, never having read anything by Ramsey Campbell before, and I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY with his writing style.

Campbell has a way of penning each of his stories in such a way that you literally feel like you're trapped in the story--trapped in a terrible nightmare that you can't wake up from! There is not a bad story in this book, and I soon found that I preferred Campbell over King and other hack-and-slash writers for two reasons: 1) There is not a lot of blood-and-guts gore in any of these stories, in most cases none at all, and 2) Campbell does not use a lot of four-letter words in his writings, something I found very appealing and refreshing. And yet every story is absolutely terrifying!

This collection is an absolute must for any serious horror fan. I highly recommend it to anyone who has never read Campbell before.

Not just psychobabble and a soapbox for the writer, which a lot of these type books are--- a very enlightening read for anyone--- from teenagers up.

I cannot speak to how this book will impact others but for myself I found that with each passing chapter I found MYSELF in those pages. I kept thinking over past relationships and how I had done almost every single thing WRONG. This book does not come off as some "new agey" kind of "I'm OK, you're OK" cra*. It just asks you to look at yourself; Look at how you are relating to the world and then suggests a different way of relating.

Ask yourself, "Am I happy with my life, my relationships?" If the answer is no I think this book is worth a read. It gets especially useful if you can get family and friends to participate. That can really help you get through barriers you thought were sealed for life.

After reading Radical Honesty I quite accidentally came across this book in the library! And while I found Radical Honesty compelling and challenging, I also felt uncertain of my ability to truly practice the skills Brad Blantoon proposed.
Susan Campbell presents many of the same challenges to her readers, but gives such powerful concrete examples that I found it easier to understand and begin to apply in my own life.
The Truth Skills are clear, very comprehendable, and while simple in that way, for me living them will be a challenge.
I scored high on all of her self-assessment quizzes - and yet I did not read the book and come away feeling like I am some sort of failure as a person, just that I am indeed like most of the people roaming this earth. What makes me different is my desire to change and grow. Where I see myself failing most significantly in my life is in the area of communicating and relating in healthy ways. Learning to live in "what IS" and not what I imagine, learning to relate and not control, and to listen closely to my self-talk, to feel free to communicate and to be ABLE to communicate and to be real, for example, for me will be life changing.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

Getting Real is an honest and straightforward book about freedom. Many of us, perhaps most of us, learn from early childhood experiences that it's not safe to be ourselves. We take on false beliefs that become part of our adult lives. This book shows us, step by step, how to free ourselves from the need to control how others view us and find the
freedom that comes from "relating" as opposed to "controlling."

The book is organized around 10 truth skills that help us learn to communicate authentically and discover that "we are most loveable when we are most transparent." When we speak from our own experience instead of from our judments and interpretations, we enter the realm of the here-and-now. We learn to communicate our honesty with presence and compassion, instead of trying to prove ourselves right.

Dr. Campbell, a corporate consultant and seminar leader, has found that when people practice these skills, their fear of speaking honestly dissolves. They develop an unshakeable sense of inner safety and security, so they no longer need to control other peoples' opinions or reactions.

Indeed, Getting Real teaches us everything from how to experience reality and how to be transparent (feeling good about revealing your true self) to how to assert your wants and how to embrace silence in a relationship. Dr. Campbell writes, "Profound things happen when two people sit face-to-face and openly explore their feelings toward each other in the present." Susan Campbell, Ph.D. has, in this reviewer's opinion, given us the ability to see and appreciate our true selves!

This is an excellent and very practical book on authentic and effective communication. It is written in a very readable style and presented in a way that is logical, coherent and easy to assimilate. Many of the ideas put forth in this book are not the standard fare ones sees within this genre. When the ideas are what you may have encountered in other readings, they are presented in a fresh light. The one minor criticism I have is that I found the book a bit heavy on case histories or stories. For me, this is somewhat of a weakness, but I know for others this can be a strength. If they had a 4.5 star category, I might lower my rating a bit because of this. Two books that I have found complimentary to this one are Crucial Conversations and Difficult Conversations. I would consider both of these to be excellent books for dealing with family or relationship conflict and they build on the philosophy and concepts presented in this book. This book is more heart centered than the other two and go more deeply into specific conflict resolution concepts. All of them, however, assume a principled, authentic and heart-centered approach to dealing with others.

This is simply a case where the best-kept secret is one that can and must be told. Robert Adam's has the good fortune of having a wily grandfather disguised as half-baked old man and parents who full well understand the importance of allowing their son to suffer through the unknown as he comes to terms with life's complexities and learns to listen to the only real truth--that which comes from within. 'The Sun Singer' by Malcolm Campbell is the Hero's Journey par Excellence! Grandfather unexpectedly passes away, leaving Robert Adams holding a bagful of mystery. Mom and Dad have answers, but they know it will mean nothing until Robert comes to terms with this mystery on his own, as we all must do at different times in our lives. This magical coming-of-age tale takes the reader through a labyrinth as a teenage boy/man sets off into the cosmic dimensions of the unknown to redeem his grandfather's kingdom and rightfully claim his position in life as a true leader. What I'd give to have Malcolm Campbell's imagination, wisdom, wit, and mastery of the written word. Buy it, steal it, borrow it from your local library--one way or another, get hold of 'The Sun Singer' and tell your friends.

The Sun Singer is a book of calculated splintered realities. The line between the real and the metaphysical is blurred through the eyes of a coming-of-age teenager whose psychic ability mirrors that of his precious grandfather. His grandfather holds the secrets of a world that co-exists with and within us here on earth. The plot of the book is revealed shortly after he is informed of a family trip to Glacier National Park for reasons that have been unclear to his parents, but because of the grandfather's "gifts" no one questions this apparent pilgrimage and they faithfully bring the teenage boy to meet his destiny.

Mr. Campbell's prose is burgeoning with all manner of intricate facts providing a most accurate description to the background through which the characters are exposed. It is obvious the author is an outdoorsman and his ornithological knowledge is deep and concise with each description of any winged creature that he brings to the forefront.

Each character that our unintentional hero meets places another piece of the mystery into play ever so much as to beg to want to ask even more questions. We breathe along with the main character, we feel his confusion and innocent bravery as he takes on a medieval persona fighting soldiers and conjuring power from a magical wooden staff that has been given to him, another legacy of his grandfather. The maze of tunnels seem to be a metaphor for the possibilities or alternate paths that one can choose, having to take the responsibilities for choosing such paths. If Faulkner wrote science fiction I would envision it would read much like this novel. I could easily envision a screenplay that would surpass "The Golden Compass" in scope and imagination. The only criticism that I can offer is that the language of this teenage boy seems a bit seasoned and older than his years, but I've been critiqued for the same reasons myself in my first novel.

I found myself running to Google latin words and phrases and noticed a few new words being added to the English language such as clairaudiently that means the hearing of things metaphysically through different realities. Mr. Campbell also employed the use of split columns that expressed the separate lines of Sonny's or Osprey's or Robert's (the same boy depending on what universe and who he was with) thinking at the same time, again the constant alluding to parallel posturing within the writing itself. Are you intrigued yet? The road to and from the magical universe that Osprey's (I like that name it was my college's mascot) is loaded with surprises and revelation. There are a cast of characters that have distinct and immediate personality and the rapid movement of the plot requires one's concentration to keep it all in order. This is not fluffy pulp fiction. The subject matter is fantasy but it's presentation is far from it. It is a very structured intelligent novel, each word placed exactly where the author intends and this author intends to stretch the rules, so stay strapped in and bring along your bookmarker-it is not a book to be read quickly.

Robert Adams has come home. Or has he?

In the Worlds of Multiple Dimensions, just where is home? On a journey into destiny, is 'home' the beginning or the end of the journey? Or does 'home' usurp such limiting boundries as time and space?
Whatever is the Ultimate Reality, traveling the journey with Robert has opened new horizons of possibility and wonderment for me regardless the answer.
The Worlds of The Sun Singer give credence to the eloquent words of Richard Bach in "Illusions" . . . "Magic is only magic until we understand it."
I will take more journeys with Robert Adams as he has now taken residence in my imagination. The Sun Singer isn't just a book, it's an enlightening. It's a pass to worlds beyond the mundane of closed thought and mediocrity. Perhaps 'home' is in the unopened doors of imagination after all.

Kudos to Mr. Campbell for daring to go through the doors found at the outer reaches of the mind and the Universe.

Susan Haley, Author

"Rainy Day People"
"Fibers In The Web"

The plotline of Malcolm R. Campbell's book is a cross between the movies, Back to the Future and Dragonslayer. If you enjoyed those two classics, you will like The Sun Singer. Robert Adams is a teenager with a mission. He has spent the first fifteen years of his life having strange dreams, living with the nickname, The Soothsayer of West Wood Street, and reveling in the fantastic tales of heroism and adventure told by his grandfather. When his grandfather passes away, Robert's family takes a vacation to the mountains of the Western U.S., and the dreams come to life. Robert's grandfather had been traveling back in time, entering through a portal in a secluded cabin high up in the mountains. The story concerns Robert's adventures when he steps through the portal. As in Back to the Future, Robert's actions in an earlier time can affect events in the present time. The previous era transforms Robert into a young hero called Osprey who battles unknown entities in a primitive setting much like that in Dragonslayer.

This is a fine effort for a first novel. Mr. Campbell has captured the essence of the fantasy genre for young adults and older adults, too. As in most successful modes of entertainment, the author borrows a few details and adds many original ones of his own. The heady brew offers a fantastic tale with believable characters. You will be particularly impressed with the way the story flashes in and out of the two time zones. This concept makes the story seem more real to grownups. Unlike many stories of this type, you don't have to be a teenager obsessed with the fantasy genre to enjoy this book. It has just enough character development and plot conceits grounded in present-time reality to satisfy many ages and types of readers. The only element limiting a five-star status is the book's copyediting: the inconsequential typos are a little too numerous. Malcolm R. Campbell has introduced characters worth visiting again. All you fantasy readers out there will be salivating for a sequel!

I met Malcolm over myspace, got to know him personally through many long e-mails, and finally read his fine novel. Reading The Sun Singer brought me back to my childhood days, when I enjoyed reading C.S Lewis and The Neverending Story. Malcolm has a fine eye for detail, colors and sounds, which allows for a very visceral experience of Robert's adventures through parallel universes. His attentive research of birds, animals, science, and many other things gives his book a realistic balance. I wouldn't be surprised if one day this lovely first book turns into a wonderful magical movie in the genre of Harry Potter. Great read!

I am finding this book very useful for a rounded guide to technical theatre for those of us who are 'Jacks of all Trades'. I am a solo technician in a Performing arts college in the UK and find it a useful recourse as I have to don many hats and it makes a good refresher or guide for the less experienced.
It is well written and I find it honest and light and gives a good bit of detail about specific technicalities without the really mind boggling stuff that I guess 'non technical people' would get someone in for anyway.
Every director should have a copy, or anyone who has to work with technicians as it is a great overview of different roles and the work that different departments put in.
Have a go. It's worth the money in my humble opinion.

Campbell is a consummate technician, with experience in all areas of entertainment. He certainly knows his stuff and has made it accessible to anyone interested (even casually) in theater and how to make it happen. I interviewed Campbell for my own book, Careers in Technical Theater, and he is included in the chapter detailing technical directors, where he makes clear just how much there is to know about tech theater. Technical Theater for Nontechnical People helps bridge the gap between folks as experienced and knowledgeable as Campbell, and those just trying to put on a show who may lack even the basics. Highly recommended.

Very informative book, does what its says it will do, easy to understand.

I found this to be an excellent treatise on what it takes from a tecnical standpoint to mount a successful show. I've been involved with Community Theater for over 40 years and I learned a few new tricks of the trade.
The community theater company I'm involved with now has recently merged with a local art gallery to create a center for the arts. The paid staff has little to no theatrical experience yet has to interact with not only our local members but potential touring groups, local bands, etc. I am recommending to the executive director that the entire staff be required to read the book as part of their asscending the learning curve related to theatrical productions.

This is a wonderful book, but did you know there's a revised 2004 edition available? Click on "Paperback (2nd)" so you can get the most updated information on this subject.

Everyone knows Asimov was "the man" of Physics and other hard sciences but what makes him stand out to me is that he can communicate in plain english. Lots of people can understand quantum mechanics, very few can explain them in language every man can understand.

This book does just that. I used it as a supplement to all Physics text books in college, when I was unable to catch on to what the book was trying to explain. Asimov has yet to let me down, and though Physics class is long gone, I still refer to and enjoy reading this book.

These three volumes in one are an easy-reading, chatty introduction to the world of physics. Asimov's inclusion of the historical background along with the development of specific concepts contributes to its readability. Asimov also keeps scientific jargon and mathematical equations to a minimum. I can't speculate on the value of "Understanding Physics" to the serious student of physics, but for a dabbler who wants to know more about how things work, or to have a handy reference, it is ideal.

Although I took a full year of physics in college, I learned most of my physics from the three books in the Understanding Physics series by Isaac Asimov. As proof, I offer the fact that I scored a respectable 8 on the physics section of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) that I took before starting the college physics class. My study of physics in preparation for the test began when I purchased and read the three books in the series. When I was in the physics class, I understood all of the ideas; the only part that presented any difficulty was applying calculus to the problems.
Asimov has a knack for writing about science in a way that allows for the rapid and complete learning of the concepts. This book covers the basics of classical physics, as relativity is only mentioned in footnotes. Unlike many other authors, Asimov does not hesitate to use equations in his explanations. I commend him for this, as you cannot learn physics without equations and the temptation to avoid them was no doubt strong. If you want to learn the fundamentals of physics, the three-volume Understanding Physics series by Asimov is the best place to start.

Once you learn how to read deeply (and maybe a few years after freshman physics), this is THE book to read. Asimov has a science-type Ph.D. from Columbia (the Ivy league one) and he is a wonderful story teller. Still, I tried to read this book in high school and it meant nearly nothing to me then. But I tried again in graduate school (after completing ABET ECE degree) and was rewarded. Each and every page gave me just what my mind and heart desired. It was a heavenly experience to have even a synthetic relationship/conversation with Asimov and his mid-20th century Columbia Univeristy physics department. By the way, I'm pretty sure L. Ron Hubard's cult and its followers ripped off MEST (Mass, Energy, Time, and Space) from this book.

Although I took a full year of physics in college, I learned most of my physics from the three books in the Understanding Physics series by Isaac Asimov. As proof, I offer the fact that I scored a respectable 8 on the physics section of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) that I took before starting the college physics class. My study of physics in preparation for the test began when I purchased and read the three books in the series. When I was in the physics class, I understood all of the ideas; the only part that presented any difficulty was applying calculus to the problems.
Asimov has a knack for writing about science in a way that allows for the rapid and complete learning of the concepts. This book covers the basics of the fundamental particles that make up atoms, how they interact with each other and their basic properties. Unlike many other authors, Asimov does not hesitate to use equations in his explanations. I commend him for this, as you cannot learn physics without equations and the temptation to avoid them was no doubt strong. If you want to learn the fundamentals of physics, the three-volume Understanding Physics series by Asimov is the best place to start.

Joseph Campbell has been my mentor for years. He brings our consciousness to another level with this one!!!

I know, I know, everyone will point to Campbell's astonishing Hero with a Thousand Faces, and his 4-part book series on different traditions, but I love this book. I think it's because it is Campbell in his later years, synthesizing all he has learned over decades of study, and applying it to the future. It also is one of the more accessible Campbell books in terms of folks who don't usually read high-end academic works being able to follow it without re-reading every other paragraph. (That is NOT a criticism -- Joseph Campbell packed a lot into each of his brilliant thoughts). Another book I'd recommend is the biography on him, "Fire in the Mind."

Reading Campbells' work can indeed be an enlightening experience and "The Inner Reaches of Outer Space" is no exception...mostly. The book however strays dangerously close to the "New Age" in several places. In an early chapter he presents Kants' idea of a priori knowlage as proven fact (it is far from proven). In another chapter he lapses into a discussion that sounds suspiciously like numerology (Mr. Campbell, someone as smart as you should know that there is no connection between the number of bumps on a golf ball and hindu mythology.) These minor flaws aside, it is a brilliant book and a great summation of Campbells work.

In THE INNER REACHES OF OUTER SPACE Joseph Campbell repeats some of the familiar observations of his earlier works in which he shows how certain mythic motifs can be found buried in all of the world's religious traditions. The similarities may not be easily recognized because the same motifs are usually understood and developed in different ways because of cultural differences. These repetitive motifs are called elementary ideas and in the local forms where they appear in various religions they are known as ethnic or folk ideas. As examples of elementary ideas Campbell offers the concepts of the Promised Land and the Virgin Birth. In writing about the similarities of symbols found in ancient civilizations, Campbell mentions discoveries among such diverse societies as those that existed in the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and Ireland.

Because of the great advances in learning which have become accelerated and dramatized by space exploration, Campbell points out that our old gods are either already dead or dying. The big question now is what new mythology will emerge from a modern understanding of a unified planet amidst a vast universe.

The creation of any new mythology will certainly depend in part on the contributions of art because artists will be the ones who will produce the images of the future. Those images will come from our knowledge of a constantly changing and expanding universe. Campbell writes about the connection between art and mythology with conviction, no doubt due to the long-standing influence of his wife, Jean Erdman, a well-known dancer and choreographer.

The most remarkable feature evident in THE INNER REACHES OF OUTER SPACE is the breadth and depth of the author's knowledge and understanding of mythology. Joseph Campbell led an enviable life driven by a singular passion and his writings are the best reflection of that life.

Joseph Campbell introduces us to the world of mythology and reality making the case that for most of human history, they are one in the same.

I give this book 5 stars because it is the best presentation of this type of information for laymen I have found.

His writings have brought up the argument that what is lacking in America today is an education in mythology. This is something that would not only enhance an individuals life by adding value to our culture which is in my opinion too often dismissed as empty, but also would enhance our connection with our past and our future.

Joseph Campbell has influenced many people and many creative efforts. George Lucas credits Mr Campbell with making StarWars a better movie. In fact Mr Campbell's interviews with Bill Moyers (on many PBS stations) was taped at Skywalker Ranch. I found this link indranet.com/welcometoearth having searched for information about Mr Campbell.

In addition to those seeking anthropological or spiritual information, if you enjoy magical stories like Harry Potter or science fiction stories then you will enjoy The Inner Reaches of Outer Space.

I never read this book as a child. I only read it when I was buying the Trixie Belden books for my daughter, thinking she would enjoy them. Wrong! But I enjoyed this one. I loved the character of Mary Smith, the farmer's wife. I could read the parts about her over and over. Definitely worth the price of the book! Of course, this is from an adult perspective. Still, I think kids will love her, too. Everyone has a female friend and/or relative just like her--fat and cuddly and verrry talkative!

People don't get half a million dollars everyday, and respond by running away from it. Trixie's friend Jim did just that. His step father had been very cruel to him, so Jim ran away. Just after his house that he was to inherit burnt to the ground leaving him with $500,000. Everyone thought he burnt down with the house, but only Trixie and her friend Honey knew he was alive. So she and Honey set out in their trailer to the place Jim allways talked of going to find a summer job. On the way there they heard word about a missing trailer. Their suspicions arose when a family camping next to them had the exact trailer! As they travel to the area to find Jim they pick up clues on where he'd been. When they finally wind down the case they find Jim working for a farmer along with the Father who stole the trailer. Who was actually only borrowing it from his nieghbor without him knowing. When the nieghbor heard this, he told them that he would be happy to give them the trialer (He was rich). This book was interesting and cliff hanging, that anyone could read.

Even though this book was good, I found it to be a little predictable. There were other trailer thefts going on at the time which Trixie and Honey just happened to be involved with. When they found the thefts hide out (an old barn) they took too much time in their and BINGO the men show up. Trixie and Honey climb into the loft to wait the two men out. The men, like most other thiefs are stupid and don't notice anything. And like most other partners in crime, get into fights all the time. After ten minutes of fighting Honey just happens to sneeze. But just before the men carry the girls off the police pop in (surprise, surprise). And quincidentally that all happened in the same chapter.

This book was also a little unrealistic. The farmer who Jim worked for had a wife that was very, very fat (Named Mary). Mary owned a locket that had all of her children's pictures were in. The farmer had adopted a crow long ago that he found sick and dying. So they took him in, nursed him, and soon he was well. The crow stuck around and even built a nest near to the house. As you might have already guessed the crow stole the locket. Imagine a crow flying out of a house that out of all things, even food, carrying a locket. In the story there was the family who borrowed the trailer who had a little girl about 4 years old. That family had just had a little black dog that passed away, so the little girl calls any little black dog that roams the earth, hers. Honey has a little black dog, and of course the little girl calls it hers. Near the end of the story Honey gives the girl the dog! It's generous but a little unreal.

Even though this book had it's downs it was still a very interesting book. It was fun to read about all the characters and how much they differ. Like the Farmer's wife and Trixie. Trixe hates keeping the trailer clean and cooking. However that's all the farmer's wife does. Or Honey and the little girl that kept Honey's dog. Honey is kind and generous who would allways help someone. But the little girl on the other hand, is greedy and would rather do anything but help someone else.

This book was a joy to read and all in all adventurous. I had a great time reading it, and I know many others will too. The book had it's ups and downs, but it was still really good. Now it's your turn to pick it up and read it!
A. Lindemann

I recommend this book series of Trixie Belden: The Red Trailer Mystery. It's a story of Trixie Belden and her new best friend Honey Wheeler who just moved up the street from Trixie house.This story is about their friend Jim who ran away, but through the process of this mystery these two run into many different problems.
This story takes place on a farm, but then they have to go to save Jim who ran away.While they are on their rescue trip to save Jim they meet a girl their age, who also runs away because of her parents. So now they have to find two people to find. But one of the problems on this trip is that when they try to solve one problem, they just run into another.
I highly recommend this book to everyone because it has great mysteries to be solved. So if you like great mystery books then I would recommend you buy this book series of Trixie Belden.

I recommend this book series of Trixie Belden: The Red Trailer Mystery. It's a story of Trixie Belden and her new best friend Honey Wheeler who just moved up the street from Trixie house.This story is about their friend Jim who ran away, but through the process of this mystery these two run into many different problems.
This story takes place on a farm, but then they have to go to save Jim who ran away.While they are on their rescue trip to save Jim they meet a girl their age, who also runs away because of her parents. So now they have to find two people to find. But one of the problems on this trip is that when they try to solve one problem, they just run into another.
I highly recommend this book to everyone because it has great mysteries to be solved. So if you like great mystery books then I would recommend you buy this book series of Trixie Belden.

Thirteen-year-old Trixie Belden, and her best friend, Honey Wheeler, couldn't have been more upset when their new acquaintance, Jim Frayne, ran away from Sleepyside, in the hopes that he would not be caught by his abusive stepfather. Unfortunately, Jim took off right before Trixie had the chance to tell him that he was the heir to a huge fortune. Now Trixie and Honey, along with Honey's Governess, are on a trailer trip through upstate New York to locate Jim. However, during their trip they meet up with a family in a red trailer, who couldn't look more upset, and when their eleven-year-old daughter runs off through the woods, Trixie and Honey decide to try and find her as well. But when the two girls meet up with a couple of trailer thieves, they have to try and save themselves, protect all trailer owners, get the trailer thieves arrested, and find Jim and the lost little girl before it's too late. If only the two girls had known that their little trailer trip would turn out to be so full of surprises.

I am a longtime reader of the NANCY DREW series, so when I stumbled across the TRIXIE BELDEN series, I knew that I had to give it a try. I read the first book in the series a few months ago, and loved it, so I decided to get the second book in the series. To my surprise, I loved it even more than the first. Julie Campbell is a marvelous storyteller, whose characters couldn't be more fun and exciting to read about. Trixie is an upbeat girl, who is always getting into trouble; while Honey is more shy, but at the same time loves a good mystery. Fans of mysteries will adore Trixie Belden, and find themselves grappling to read the next book in the series.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

This book is EXCELLENT. It is so good in fact that it showed me why a retreat is not for us. Instead, I am using the activities it describes to create a series of training sessions for our senior and middle managers, or what you might call a series of mini-retreats, a couple of hours each once a week over several weeks. The activities contained in this book are intelligent and fun, unlike several others I've read. I highly recommend this book for the activities section alone -- and if you do want to do a full retreat, it will prove even more valuable. Also, the sections on pre-interviewing participants and retreat design components were very helpful, and I am putting them to good use.

I also like "101 Games for Trainers" by Bob Pike, and "Games That Teach Teams" by Steve Sugar. I think these three books together are the best place to start -- there are a lot of other titles out there that are, in a word, garbage, and should be avoided.

This book gives examples of various kinds of retreats and includes sample exercises for each that are simple, creative, and effective with no hint of the flaky factor that makes some retreats go offtrack. In fact, I'd say that the section on "Reasons NOT to hold a retreat" was alone worth the price of this book for its value in clarifying what a retreat can and cannot do.

As a communications trainer with my own non-profit board to deal with, I was most impressed by the fact that the chapter on non-profits identifies as a "most common concern" exactly the thing that causes my board trouble -- complaints of micromanaging on details while sidestepping needs for fundraising. The insight that this is a structural problem rather than a personality issue has been extremely helpful to me -- even without a retreat -- and convinced me these authors must know what they're talking about.

Retreats that Work (Jossey Bass, 2003) is highly readable and valuable resource is a comprehensive guide to retreat planning. Authors Sheila Campbell and Merianne Liteman address medium- to larger-sized organizations in the for-profit, nonprofit and government fields. Campbell and Liteman offer both a "how to" for planning and conducting a retreat and a fine sampling of facilitated group activities for different kinds of retreats.

The overall message is that the top decisionmaker should hold a retreat only for important purposes, he or she must be truly ready to hear divergent views and to be open to real change, including change not anticipated by the decisionmaker. CEOs, boards, division directors and other "head honchos" that are not ready to share control need not apply. For instance, Campbell and Liteman recommend confidential pre-retreat interviews conducted by the facilitator. One of their retreat design principles is that at least some of the participants should contribute to formulating the goals of the retreat. To do so, they believe it is essential for employees to feel safe to share their views in planning the retreat as well as at retreat. Thus, Campbell and Liteman call for anonymity and non-attribution of pre-retreat views and assurance of no negative actions for expressing views candidly during the retreat.

A key strength of the book is the attention to pre-retreat and post-retreat concerns. Pre-retreat matters extend well beyond choosing the meeting facility and menu [although their retreat logistics chapter is first rate] to the more important question: "Why have a retreat?" Campbell and Liteman specify nine reasons to hold a retreat and ten reasons not to hold a retreat. Both lists are enlightening and are foundational to further pre-retreat work.

A retreat is not a conference and not a regular meeting. Campbell and Liteman believe a retreat is best served "off-site," that is, at a location away from the workplace. They do cover the challenges of time and money in choosing an appropriate facility, and the discussion reinforces two more of their principles of retreat planning - designing a retreat to result in action for change and ensuring whatever happens at the retreat relates to the day-to-day work of the organization.

Other pre-retreat elements are: setting the goals, deciding on the format, and inviting people; defining the roles of convener, facilitator, administrator, participants (and non-participants); and a review of fixed-format retreat designs (such as Future Search, Ropes courses, and Appreciative Inquiry). Campbell and Liteman do a fine job discussing the tension between having a small enough group for good interaction and the group being large enough to be inclusive of the key players. In particular, they offer eight common criteria for how to choose participants. I think the criteria are especially helpful as an organization thinks of board-staff concerns, clients or customer involvement in a retreat, and inter-organizational issues.

A logical, but often overlooked, planning proviso is to design the retreat backwards-What is the outcome you seek? Instead of holding a retreat because its done annually, or because someone likes a particular format, or to "boost morale," Campbell and Liteman forcefully highlight the need to have retreats only for special purposes, and to work from the question "How will the day-to-day workplace be different following the retreat?"

The structure of the book opens with coverage of the why, goal-setting, logistics planning and role of leaders at the broadest view of a retreat. From there, most of the guide is devoted to facilitator assistance. Campbell and Liteman cover design issues ranging from pre-retreat work for participants to having "unprogrammed time" as an essential part of a successful retreat. They offer tips on ground rules, giving feedback to the group, and decisionmaking. For in-retreat concerns, general facilitator principles are leavened with brief guidance on how to respond to over a dozen glitches (such as repetitive discussions, disruption by a participant, a participant walking out, or a senior manager violating the ground rules).

A large section of the book identifies activities appropriate for four kinds of retreats: a) strategic planning, b) culture change, c) relationship-building and teamwork, and d) creativity and innovation. Each activity offers a clear description, steps and facilitator notes. Equally valuable are accompanying sidebar notes on the experiential elements, set-up, special supplies and degree of facilitator experience to conduct the activity effectively (easy, moderately easy, or only for experienced/specialized training). While retreat facilitators will probably eat up this part of the book, I hope they don't overlook the earlier "menu-setting" essentials of effective retreats.

Campbell and Liteman know that typically the worst part of a retreat is....after the retreat. Does the great thinking from the retreat get lost in the daily grind or new crises? Do non-participants not support the outcome? While a retreat's impact depends on organizational norms outside of any retreat's reach, Campbell and Liteman nicely select a few post-retreat points. In brief: announce the outcomes to everyone affected, not just the participants; move briskly into the actions steps identified at the retreat; and avoid a letdown by offering a memento, having periodic updates, or celebrating milestones. They highlight "critical leadership actions" for retreat follow-up.

Campbell and Liteman know that retreats have a purpose within the larger context of an organization. They provide a fine guide the knits together the earliest hints of whether to hold a retreat to effective planning to post-retreat steps to offer the best possible assurance that the change initiated by the retreat is converted into a better organization. The book is a must-have for both the senior management and for internal and external facilitators. (...)

This is a terrific handbook for anyone who wants to (or has been assigned to) organize or lead a retreat for their company or non-profit organization. The authors describe the guiding principles for designing a retreat, they outline the logistics in detail, and they provide all kinds of good advice about how planners and facilitators should work together to get the most out of an offsite meeting. The checklists alone are worth the price of the book, and the activities sections are priceless!

"Retreats That Work" could be subtitled "Everything you ever wanted to know about retreats." Just a look at the table of contents told me that there was going to be an answer to any question I might have -- from the basic who, what, when, where and why, to the types of specialized retreats.

I am in a related, but quite different, field. As a qualitative research moderator, I am often asked to facilitate meetings or retreats by clients who are unaware of the differences -- hence, my interest in this book. But, whether you are working for a small or large company and want to hold a retreat, or you are someone needing to actually facilitate such an event, this book is a wealth of information. And for anyone thinking of facilitating a retreat or just understanding what a facilitator must be able to do, they would be advised to read the "definition" or role of the facilitator on page 116!

I found this book very well-written, easy to read and follow. It's filled with lots of practical information and tips, valuable time estimates for the various activities, and additional resources given.

The creative thinking section was particularly interesting to me. As a "left brain" person, I am usually skeptical of these kinds of activities. But the authors' examples and explanations of each exercise gave me a new appreciation for the value of this type of retreat.

I also visited the authors' or book web site, which is a nice accompaniment to the book, including additional resources.

Excellent book, good pictures. I like the grouping by body part and specific classifications of dermatologic disorders.

Fantastic book, I absolutely love it. Lots of nice pictures,the book was much better than I had expected - a great buy!

The pictures were excellent, each disease also had a differential and there were small bonuses regarding pediatric patients. Book is well organized and easy to read. Perfect for a med student, and even for residents

Delivery was fast, and the book was in excellent condition. It was a very good purchase, I was very pleased.

This is an excellent book! I'm using it in NP school. It provides a 1-2 page explanation of the skin disorder along with pictures.
thanks