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"Grant Moves South" by Bruce Catton covers US Grant's career from the opening of the Civil War in 1861 to the surrender of Vicksburg in July 1863. In between are the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, and other engagements that Grant was either directly or indirectly involved.

The narrative flows freely and smoothly only like Catton could. Too bad there aren't too many authors of his caliber today. Catton is fair and objective in his analysis in the capabilities of commanders, North and South.

The only complaint I have is the maps - too few and not detailed enough. Complaint aside, Grant Moves South is still a great read.

Highly recommended!

Was Ulysses S. Grant a drunk? Did he win the Civil War simply by burying Robert E. Lee under a wave of superior manpower and resources? Bruce Catton addresses these questions, and many others, in GRANT MOVES SOUTH and its companion volume, GRANT TAKES COMMAND. Taken together, the two books chronicle Grant's Civil War experience.

I've read a lot of history, but I confess to being relatively ignorant about the American Civil War except in a very general sense. I've always been interested, I just never got very far into it. These two books are my first real foray into the subject. Both are very well researched and documented, while at the same time being very readable. Catton demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the facts as well as a genuine insight into Grant's character. The result, for me, was an experience that was at once informative and enjoyable.

What does Catton have to say about Grant's alleged drunkeness? Clearly, Catton is an admirer of Grant, but it's an admiration born of respect for the man as revealed in his personal records and actions, as well as in the record left by people who knew him. To get his take on this and other criticisms of Grant, read these books.

Conventional wisdom has it that GRANT MOVES SOUTH and GRANT TAKES COMMAND are definitive works on the subject of U. S. Grant's Civil War career. I certainly won't argue with that perception. If you have a deep interest in Grant or in the Civil War in general, they are "must haves". Beyond that, though, if you have just a casual interest, this is still great reading material. I highly recommend it.

In "Grant Moves South" Bruce Catton picks up the story of Ulysses S. Grant as he returns to the U.S. Army at the start of the Civil War. This is the second volume of a trilogy on Grant begun by Lloyd Lewis and completed by Catton, but the volume can be enjoyed on its own. Catton, with Shelby Foote a superb narrative historian of the Civil War, is in excellent form in this extremely well-written biography of Grant's progression from Colonel of Illinois volunteers to victor at Vicksburg.

As General William Sherman acknowledged, Grant was something of a mystery to everyone, perhaps even himself. This man, a failure at everything except his marriage and working as a clerk in his father's tannery in 1861, leverages his West Point education and some political connections into a commission as a regimental commander and never looks back.

The Grant portrayed by Catton is like many officers at the beginning of the Civil War in that he was learning his trade as he went along. But Grant is different from most of his contemporaries, many of whom had far better reputations in the peacetime army. First, Grant has a remarkable ability to make sound commom sense judgements under stress. Second, Grant married his decision-making ability to an utter determination to see a project through. Third, Grant was a man seemingly without illusions; his ability to correct characterize the task in front of him in order to attack it is rare among his contemporaries. These characteristics carried Grant through his apprenticeship as a regimental commander of volunteers, his successful campaign to secure middle Tennessee through victories at Forts Henry and Donelson, and finally his tenacious campaign to reduce the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg. Grant's ability to understand and lead volunteers was a key underpinning of his success throughout the war.

Catton does not sugarcoat Grant's record. Grant was not above politicking for jobs or assignments. He was badly surprised by the Confederates at Shiloh and avoided being beaten by to some degree refusing to admit defeat and retreat. His pre-war problems with alcohol pursued him into the service, including an apparently memorable bender during the Siege of Vicksburg that Catton unflinchingly documents. The Vicksburg campaign was marked by costly trial and error. Grant, to his credit, persisted, finally rolling the dice by crossing the Mississippi and boldly placing his army between two Confederate forces while temporarily cutting loose from his own lines of communication.

This book was first published in 1960. Details and interpretations of events have evolved, but Catton's superb prose stands the test of time as a wonderful reading experience. This book is highly recommended to the general reader with some knowledge of the Civil War and to the student of the Civil War looking for the broad sweep of history not found in highly specialized studies.

Bruce Catton's eloquent and enjoyable book summarizes Ulysses S. Grant early on: "[H]is deepest instinct as a soldier was to keep a beaten foe off balance. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only Union officer . . . who possessed that instinct." Sherman and Sheridan notwithstanding, justly said.

The volume of Civil War books these days is staggering. They range from reconsiderations of great battles to studies of events once thought inconsequential. Contemporary historians have done a great service for all in picking apart and analyzing those four crucial years in America's history.

Given the bumper crop of Civil War titles, what place does Bruce Catton occupy? The answer: at a prominent place on your bookshelf. Catton's literary skill, balanced judgment, and appreciation of the anecdote have not diminished over the 45 years since "Grant Moves South" was first published. This book remains the classic account of Grant's life starting from his re-entry into the U.S. Army at the outbreak of war in 1861, through his first campaigns, and ending with Lincoln's congratulatory letter after the victory at Vicksburg.

Catton places Grant in the all-important context of his army of volunteer soldiers. This cannot be emphasized enough. Grant, like Lincoln, had a cooly disinterested understanding of how the North must win the war. But Grant had also mustered in his men as raw recruits; he knew what they were capable of, and what they wouldn't do. And so, like the expert horseman he was, Grant spurred on, reigned in, and allowed rest time in the corral -- all the while keeping the goal of a reunified United States fixed resolutely in his mind.

Catton has a magical ability to make the reader feel as if he standing alongside Grant as events unfold. Thus, the reader is a witness to Grant's struggles with bureaucracy, encounters with colorful characters of both the Union and Confederate variety, and considerations of tactics and strategy.

In this reader's opinion, Catton understood Grant better than anyone before or since, with the exception of Julia Dent Grant and John Rawlins. Josiah Bunting, in his excellent one-volume biography just published by Times Books, is a close second. At any rate, perhaps it is a shared Midwestern heritage that makes Catton the first-rate biographer of the Union's greatest commander.

Bruce Catton's books are always part of the mandatory reading material for anyone who wish to understand anything about the Civil War. Grant Moves South is a classical textbook example on how Civil War history books should be written for the masses. Easy to read, well researched and above all, easy to understand. Details military information was not Catton's style. He writes in broad strokes and in a matter where its easy to consumed the informtion and understand the situations. I first read this book in Middle School and still reread it to this date. The book remains just as strong back then as it does today. No one can go wrong reading this book.

This book should be used a text for all MBA classes that look at international strategy. I really enjoyed the illustrations and examples.

It' s a very valuable work and push to think (or rethink)strategy and approach for doing business in emerging markets ; as the best travel guides , it treats the subject with insight and a lived knowledge: It is a very useful travel plan to develop business in emerging countries .

It' s a very valuable work and push to think (or rethink)strategy and approach for doing business in emerging markets ; as the best travel guides , it treats the subject with insight and a lived knowledge: It is a very useful travel plan to develop business in emerging countries .

The raw emotion and insight into emerging markets contained in this book clearly illustrates the importance and means of establishing long term global relationships, on an equal footing basis, combined with proven business tools for the development of long term profitable business within the world's emerging markets. An essential read for those serious in establishing long term profitable global business.

This book should be read by any executive planning to enter emerging markets, or by those already operating in them. It covers all aspects to a depth rarely found in business books. It is not just a superb read, it is also a guide and reference source full of "how to". We will use it in our organization as a "must" training material.

This book is a great resource tool for anyone interested in starting their own business on items they hand craft. There are a lot of great reference resources and Brabec really knows her stuff! Great buy!

I didn't hear about this book since long, but beleived at once it was the book of an experienced author.IT JUST WAS WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT : very clear,logically constructed,giving a lot of links and the best last observed trends about selling crafts.
It has to be read in the order offered at first,then it's going to help really accuratly following needs : I didn't see more complete a book about its subject .A book we can be confident with, truly !

This book is wonderful!!! I don't even usually read but I've gotten halfway through in about 2 weeks. It's so great! I thought I couldn't really learn anything, but I was amazed at the helpful info in here. Now I am totally in love the Barbara Brabec!! I'm about to order 2 more books now! and I already got Creative Cash too. She is wonderful! The book is so well written and informative!! More then worth the money it cost. It should be on artist/crafters bookself.

This book is great. It is easy to read. This is one to keep for reference. It was extremely helpful for me regarding finding a niche for my work. I highly recommend this book!

This book has been a wealth of knowledge for me. I have just started selling my craft and had very little experience with a business of my own. While some of the information is less technical or web savvy the general ideas and business structure information is well presented in a human and positive way.
This book is easy to read cover to cover (minus a few typos) or to jump into a specific section. Barbara Brabec seems to have done some really useful research with this book.

I read this book when it first came out some years ago. It was a watershed event in my understanding of Hitler's rise to power (and of history generally). I'd read many accounts before, and have read many since, of Hitler's rise to power. But this book put paid to much sociological claptrap about "impersonal forces" and showed the tremendous contingency in Hitler's rise to power. Not only wasn't it inevitable, it wasn't even remotely probable -- until it happened. It took many circumstances and events with which Hitler had little or nothing to do, and numerous actions by people who were contemptuous of Hitler, who had no intention of helping him, and who lacked any inkling of the ferocity and speed with which Hitler and the Nazis would act upon obtaining power, to put him there. The fact that many small and seemingly inconsequential decisions resulted in one of the great catastrophes of history is a far more chilling and disheartening story than the notion that it was the inevitable product of historical forces.

This is a well-written and extensive explanation on the behind the scenes machinations, impelled by personal foibles and vendettas, that led to Hitler's being awarded the Chancellorship of Germany despite his party's never achieving a majority in or at the polls.

The book sets to rest many myths about how German industrialists finagled Hitler's ascension to power and exposes the inner workings and interactions of the multiple parties, politicians, and political hacks that actually, and often inadvertently, coalesced to create the power vacuum which Hitler filled. The book also explains why the Nazis were so interested in obtaining control of Prussia and its security forces. (The reason is that although there were 19 separate federal political entities in the Weimar Republic, by far the strongest political entity was Prussia, which contained 60% of both the total population and land in the country. In addition, the federal government's security forces were almost non-existent but Prussia had a force of some 50,000 men [half the size of the 100,000 man German army] that came under the control of whoever became the Ministry of the Interior in Prussia [who turned out to be Hermann Goering when Hitler gained power]. Not only that but Goering, as Ministry of the Interior of Prussia, then had the authority to deputize tens of thousands of Nazis as auxiliary police to carry out Hitler's goals.)

Perhaps the only real drawback to the book is that the introductory material on the Weimar Republic and its political processes is incomplete, making the transition to the core of the book a bit harsh.

In the book Hitler's Thirty Days to Power, Henry A. Turner argues that Adolf Hitler's rise to power is most evidently illustrated by examining the last thirty days before his appointment to chancellor of Germany in January 1933. Prior to reading Hitler's Thirty Days to Power I had been under the impression that Hitler had a much more active role in securing his position as chancellor of Germany before ascending to Fuhrer. Turner by taking the microscopic approach of only analyzing these thirty days clearly demonstrated that this was not the case. According to the author, Hitler's rise to power was the result of luck, the egos of other political figures, as well as the belief that he could be used simply as a pawn to gain favor of his dwindling amount of supporters. Had any one of these differentiate Hitler would not have been successful in securing the position as chancellor. Turner substantiates his claims through a variety of resources ranging from personal memoirs and newspaper articles from the period to journal publications of modern historians. The information he presented was mostly-well known to the scholarly world, however, the manner in which it manifested was innovative. By using a magnifying glass-like method to examine the month leading up to Hitler's establishment in power rather than the all encompassing approach, Turner gives the generally educated reader, such as me, a better insight to the schematics of Hitler's rise.

Furthermore, the individuals of the text come to life through an intense focus on what propelled them to reach conclusions that allowed Hitler power. The personalities of people like Franz von Papen and Paul von Hindenburg are revealed through these decisions. Turner does not simple state the events that occurred, but rather allowed his reader to envision internal turmoil that was suffered by these individuals in coming to their resolutions. An example of this would be the German President Paul von Hindenburg. Originally he vowed that Hitler would never gain the position of chancellorship. However, numerous overtures made by Papen, a good friend and former chancellor under Hindenburg, combined with the encouragement by his son Otto the President was convinced to allow Hitler the position he so coveted. Turner illustrates throughout the book the difficultly Hindenburg faced in reaching this conclusion. The narration permits the book a novel-like reading often reserved for fiction rather than history. Many other texts compel the audience to feel as if they had read solely the outcome of the events leading up to January 1933 instead of getting a vivid understanding of its cause. Hitler's Thirty Days to Power answers the problem of how Hitler came to power in a compelling and easy read. The narrative and the individuals engage the audience regardless of any negative or positive connotations surrounding them.

The only major flaw that I see with Hitler's Thirty Days to Power is the last chapter of the text. This chapter, "Determinacy, Contingency, and Responsibility," attempts mainly to answer two questions: Should anyone, other than Hitler, be held accountable for the atrocities of his reign because of their involvement in his rise to power and what would have happened had Hitler's reign not existed? The author answers the first charge with the assertion that "although impersonal forces may make events possible, people make events happen." Unforeseeable events might have occurred, but it is individuals like Papen and Hindenburg who are ultimately responsible for Hitler's reign regardless of their original intent. Although others like Hindenburg's son Otto might played a lesser role they still had a significant part therefore they are also to blame. I agree with these assertions, however, I they led me to disagree with Turner's assessment of the public. Turner sees the German public only at fault because of their lack of understand of the importance of their ability to replace their government figures. After WWI, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated the throne at the demand and revolt by the general public. At this moment the power the people held was not failed to be recognized. I have a difficult time believing that less than twenty years later this power had all but been forgotten. Instead after reading Turner's text I have come to the conclusion that much like Hindenburg and Papen, the German public underestimated Hitler. Turner asserts that responsibility for Hitler's reign rests on those like Hindenburg and Papen for their underestimation of Hitler, than the general German public should also share the blame.

In addition, Turner's answering the question of what would have happened had Hitler not come to power seems unreasonable. The author suggests that had Hitler not come to power a military coup would have overtaken the government and the atrocities of WWII would have been avoided. It is difficult to make assumptions of what might had happened if Hindenburg or other resisted Hitler's rise to power. No one can say for certain the fate of the government at the end of the Weimer Republic had alternate approaches been taken. In addition, it is difficult to say that the atrocities of WWII would have been completely avoided. There had been for some time a growing resentment for both communism and the Jews. Perhaps, these crimes might have been on a lesser scale in which all of Europe was not involved. However, these atrocities regardless of their extent seemed destined to be committed because of the complacency of the German republic (refer to the book "The Butcher's Tale").

Overall Henry Ashby Tuner's Hitler's Thirty Days to Power was an excellent text. It provided a microscopic look into the last thirty days before Hitler obtained chancellorship which eventually led to his dictatorship. This approach was helpful in understanding how Hitler's rise to power. It allowed his audience to witness the key figures involved and their reasoning for being a part of the scheme. In addition, the reader also is provided with the sense that there were several opportunities to prevent Hitler's reign yet they were pushed aside. Furthermore, Turner showed the audience that although Hitler took advantage of the conflict between several key figures in government, it is these individuals like Papen and Hindenburg that are responsible for Hitler. They underestimated Hitler and their large egos led them to believe that they could ultimately control him. Turner's text is valuable to not only the study of history but also as a study for the future. The book teaches the world's governments that we should not underestimate those seeking or holding power. Most importantly, when an individual claims or even more brazenly writes a book on their political goals, like Hitler did with [...], perhaps we should see these claims or writings as absolute truths. Goals which people like Hitler intend to reach.

This well written book is a case study of how luck, personalities, and even simple spite can have major effects. At the end of 1932, the Nazi party seemed to be on the threshold of decline. Its fraction of the electorate was slipping, its finances were in disarray, and there was considerable dissent from both rank and file and leaders of the party. Many were dissatisfied with Hitler's strategy of pursuing supremacy through electoral politics. Some sectors of the party wanted to pursue revolutionary violence, others, like the influential organizer Gregor Strasser, thought that Hitler was throwing away great opportunities by insisting on the Chancellorship instead of accepting important cabinet posts in right wing coalition governments. At the end of January, 1933, Hitler was ensconced as Chancellor, some of his loyal lieutenants, like Goring, occupied crucial cabinet posts, and Hitler was able to initiate the 'back door' revolution that resulted in the Nazi domination of Germany.
Hitler obtained the Chancellorship, in part, because of his obdurate refusal to accept anything less as the price of participation in a governing coalition, a product of his messianic self-confidence. Turner shows well that Hitler was handed the Chancellorship as a result of a series of backstairs plotting involving former Chancellor Papen and members of President Hindenberg's circle, notably his son Oskar. Hitler was greatly underestimated by these individuals, and was underestimated just as greatly by the then Chancellor, General von Schleicher. Hitler does deserve credit for his persistence and his ability to hold his party together but as Turner shows very well, he was phenomenally fortunate and was gifted the Chancellorship because of court politics motivated to a great extent by spite and petty jealousy.
Turner concludes with a nice and concise discussion of a counterfactual alternative to Hitler's ascent to power. As Turner points out, when democracy failed in the inter-war period, and it did so frequently, the usual result was an authoritarian state dominated by traditional conservatives and the military. Fascist movements were present in some of these countries and were incorporated into these regimes as traditional conservatives sought to draw on the popular support mobilized by fascist movements, but in Hungary, Romania, and Spain, the more traditional right/military remained in control. With more capable right wing leadership in Germany, this would have been the probable outcome. The result would have been an authoritarian but not totalitarian state, one that was anti-Semitic but not genocidal. The German state would certainly have rearmed and Turner suggests that the most likely outcome would have been a more limited war with Poland. His speculations are reasonable.

Most people who have some knowledge of the climb to power of the Nazis think Hitler enjoyed an unbroken rise from the Beer Hall Putsch to the Chancellorship.

While true in the main, author Henry Turner in "Thirty Days, January 1933" describes how Hitler's party was waning in Germany and widely believed to have peaked with the last most recent elections in 1932. A good case can be made that it was ready to fall dramatically in terms of popular support and strength in the Reichstag if another election had been called to again try and form a workable governing coalition in Germany at the end of 1932. The Nazi Party's finances were in disarray. They had been seen as a protest vote by significant numbers in the July 1932 election and things had not gotten better under their expanding influence. In the November 1932 election, they lost 32 seats. Local Nazi organizations were in disarray, dispirited and some in rebellion over Hitler's refusal to participate in the government in any role except that of Chancellor. Dues were not coming in and the party could not have afforded another national election. In addition, there was a split at the top of the Nazi Party between Hitler and the administrative head, Gregor Starssor.

Germany was chaotic. No elected chancellor could govern with a majority in the Reichstag. The government was placed in the hands of a presidentially appointed chancellor (Kurt Schleicher) by President Hindenburg. The author compellingly chronicles the thirty day period in which Hitler and the Nazi's political fortunes were saved by: 1. the ineptness of Chancellor Schleicher; 2. the scheming of recent Chancellor Franz von Pappen; and, 3. The age and weakness of national figure President Paul von Hindenburg. Aiding the Nazi's also was Hitler's single-minded pursuit of the top spot of chancellor as well as a fortuitous minor state election which the Nazi's went all out for and were able to spin as an electoral comeback.

The bottom line is that an incredible line-up of weak politicians and unbelievable luck paved the way for Hitler to be named Chancellor by Hindenburg at the end of January, 1933. It is tragic to comprehend how Hitler could have been prevented; arguably should have been prevented by the operation of any kind of normal political environment. That he was able to ride incredible good luck and the stupid machinations of a handful of top politicians who thought they could control Hitler and bend him to their purposes is an interesting story.

This book is likely to appeal students of the Nazi period and will probably not interest the general reader. It literally focuses on the thirty day period with only a general overview of the growth of the Nazi Party in the 1920's and early 30's and a brief "what happened to the players after" section (most murdered by the Nazi state). Still, if you are interested in the subject, this book is pretty good.

If you're ready to make each word and sentence shine in your picture book this is an invaluable resource.

Eve Heidi Bine-Stock's HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK (VOLUMES I, II and III)is a constant companion and rich resource in the planning and revision of picture books. The deconstruction of picture books, and the detailed classification of crucial characteristics - using classic picture books to illustrate each detailed point - make these books invaluable. Although I particularly use Volume I and II in the planning stage of a new manuscript, all three volumes are again by my side during each revision, and each step of each revision. There is no question in my mind that these books are the biggest resource in pushing my writing to the next level. The volumes are not read-once-and-put-aside books; they are books you will want on your writing desk for constant reference.

I was having trouble with rhythm and beats in my picture book writing. This book really helped me learn the beat structure in picture book writing and how they create rhythm. My picture book writing seemed flat and lifeless and now, thanks to this book, it has the rhythm it was lacking. I would also suggest Volumes I and III for other parts of picture book writing. Definitely a must have for those writing picture books and those needing to learn the structure, rhythm and specific language used in those types of books.

The book takes popular children's book and breaks apart the beginning, middle and ending so that you get a very clear picture of how your story should progess. An excellent resource.

I have at least a dozen books on writing for children and I especially like this one. Not only does it focus exclusively on picture books, which few others do, it provides solid, concrete information that you can apply directly to your own writing. Too many other books offer vague tips that may be helpful in polishing an existing manuscript, but don't help with building your story from the ground up. I've been trying (sporadically) to sell picture book manuscripts for several years now, and I believe that what I've learned from this book will help get me closer to my goal of being a published author. Volumes II and III are on their way to me now and I can't wait to see what they have to offer!

Jane, thanks for writing the best book on the market and helping me gain the best-paying position I've ever had! Thanks for teaching me not only what a pharmaceutical sales rep does but for teaching me how to think and respond like a rep! That made the difference for me during my interviews.

I was surprised that the pharmaceutical company who hired me would ask so many questions that relate directly to what a pharmaceutical sales representative does, but they did just that. When I read all the questions and answers in the "Insider's Guide..." I thought that surely no one could be expected to know this much information about the pharmaceutical sales industry, but they do expect you to know the information. Fortunately for me, I was prepared!

The Insider's Guide was by far the most comprehensive guide that I purchased and contained the most relevant information for passing the interviews. To all of the aspiring pharmaceutical sales reps, my advice is to purchase this guide and then follow Jane's instructions to the letter. Even if you have a degree in English like me, you too could beat out the competition and win the pharmaceutical sales position!

This is one of the best books that I have read on this subject. It gives a list of typical interview questions with answers, teaches networking skills to get an interview, and overviews a number of companies. It is well organized and easy to read.

Didn't want to wait for nine other people to buy any of these that came available so, on a hunch, I typed in www.PrinciplePublications.com and VOILA! You can buy this book direct from the publisher. Costs are comparable. Just trying to help others who don't want to or can't afford to wait!

The Insider's Guide was right on target! Jane Williams has written such an excellent guide on networking and passing the challenging interviews for gaining a pharmaceutical sales position.

I purchased the Insider's Guide after months of frustration and failure to even get a pharmaceutical sales interview. I simply did not know what I was doing! After reading the Insider Guide to Pharmaceutical Sales and following the instructions on networking and passing interviews, I gained a position with a pharmaceutical company within 6 weeks! It took three weeks to get through my interviews. Jane certainly knows the industry! Most of the questions from the guide were covered during my interviews. The in-depth pharmaceutical sales questions and answers from the guide were extremely helpful! All of the questions and answers are specific for the pharmaceutical sales industry. Without the detailed answers and examples that this guide provided, I doubt that I could have successfully "sold" the product during the interview.

Thanks so much Jane for delivering exactly what you promised!

Wow! What a great book! I have landed a fantastic pharmaceutical sales job with one of the top five companies thanks to the "Insider's Guide" and the coaching I received from Jane and staff at Principle Publications.

I couldn't have made it through the tough interviews without the guide. All of the questions and answers about how to handle the physicians who turn you down during a sales call, to why they should hire you over someone with sales experience, to how to "sell the product", etc. were all covered in detail in the book with examples! This "saved" me during my interviews, especially during the last and most difficult interview. I feel like I was asked most of the 78 questions and answers covered by the book during my five interviews.

Without my career comparison document and sales binder that I prepared by using the Insider's Guide I am certain that I could not have passed the interviews. Jane deserves a medal for writing this book! I choose this book because it is the #1 selling book in its class on Amazon.com. There's a reason why it's #1...it's the best book on the market!

The author ties together interesting ideas from quantum mechanics, neurology, and historic anecdotes of psychics and seers to draw some startling and provocative conclusions. Whether or not you buy the endpoint, I liked the journey, and found it a well-explained and fun brain-twisty.

Besides being an innovative and fascinating work on human consciousness after death, Peake's text is delightful to read for its many parallels to existential thought and phenomenology. I for one was less interested in the quantum physics and cognitive science (although I certainly did take these sections of the book very seriously and learned much from them) than those parts which examined the contents of our consciousness. In his eidolon/daemon dyad and its concept of a second, higher Self, Peake mirrors so many thinkers (James, Emerson, Fechner, Heidegger, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Jaspers and Jung to name only a few) and manages to elegantly tie together key concepts which are essential to deeper comprehension of human existence. The theory of eternal recurrence obtains from Peake's theorizing an aspect of realness and validity for perhaps the first time. I highly recommend his book for anyone interested in the depth of our human existence, in life and at the point of death.

In order to argue his theory that such phenomena as deja vu, near death experiences and precognition can all be explained by understanding that anyone who has had such experiences is reliving their entire life in the last few seconds of their previous one, Peake brings together a mishmash of quantum theory, neuroscience, personal accounts of paranormal experiences and bad logic. He has the usual crank theorist characteristics of jumping to unwarranted conclusions and being highly selective about evidence. Examples: Many people who experience NDE's report journeying to a paradisical place - Peake ignores this because it doesn't fit in with his theory. He quotes from a Gnostic gospel to suggest that the Gnostics believed in "eternal return" - the quotation doesn't in fact support this, and even if it did, it wouldn't count as evidence. He misconstrues scientific theories and facts... For instance, he says that a radioactive half life implies that there will always be a quantity of a given radioactive substance - not so, a billion atoms of cobalt 60 will eventually be reduced to one, and then none. I could go on and on.

Nevertheless, his theory (which might be better argued), is intriguing and disturbing. If nothing else it will have me thinking hard for ways to refute it.

The only bad thing about this book is its title, which gives the impression you'll read about mediumship or psychical research. You won't. This work is soundly based on the latest findings of Quantum Physics and, in a stroke that amounts almost to genius, elects to take their implications seriously. The result is a book that should be required reading in every school in the country. This is reality not as we experience it, but as it must be. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone concerned with the big questions in life. (Including whether there is life after death, but, oddly, that's the least important question.)

It's a rare thing for me to rave about a book. I love to read and consequently, I read a lot of books and am often disappointed. Not so with "Is There Life after Death" by Anthony Peake. In fact, this was a book that I couldn't and didn't want to put down and yet had to just to think about its content. It's well researched, well written and frankly well published in the sense that it's a quality book too for the price. Peake has a slightly humorous writing style yet delivers on content and punch.
So what is the book about? Well, it's really not about life after death and to some extent the title seems an odd choice. Peake lucidly explores quantum physics, medicine, psychology, certain aspects of occult thinking, gnosis, history and more besides, too progressively and comprehensively builds a picture that supports his thesis. It's a book that needed writing because, as I have noted many times, many disciplines are coming together to point to some startling conclusions about reality and Peake manages to communicate the complex with simplicity.

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Bond. James Bond. This book is an instant classic. This is exactly how Ian Fleming created it. In this book, James must deal with saboteurs, women, and international conspiracy. As a three part book, this novel requires a decent chunk of time to complete, but is worth every minute! It includes the classic stories: From Russia with Love (in which James must escape from Russia with a dangerous Russian organization desperate to prevent him from ever escaping alive), Doctor No (A man with robotic hands is plotting something against the United States. Can James stop him, and escape his deadly obstacle course with his life still intact?), and Goldfinger (Someone is smuggling gold out of banks, and may be connected with Bond's long-time friends in Russia. Can James uncover this plot? And is something even bigger at stake?) As a long time fan of James, I highly recommend this book. Some scenes are quite descriptive as of Bond's relationship with the women he sleeps with, s this book is mostly suited to anyone over the age of 14.

This great collection of Ian Fleming's three James Bond thriller novels, From Russia, With Love, Doctor No, and Goldfinger is the best deal anywhere if you're looking for cheap classics. Even though it's not avaliable anymore, ... so if you get an oppurtunity buy it instantly.

From Russia, With Love is about a Soviet conspiracy involving a code machine called the Spektor, a lovely Russian female named Tatiania Romanova, and a professional killer who is affected by the moon. The girl sends for Bond, pledging her love and at the same time luring him into a trap that would seriously damage the Service's image. Great read and the best Cold War thriller out there.

In Doctor No, James Bond is sent to investigate two agents who have disappeared in Jamaica. He soon discovers the clues linking him to Doctor No, a Chinese/German doctor who has an island base in Jamaica, where he disrupts U.S. missile firing. James endures through his toughest physcial test of his career, and some consider Dr. No to be the best 007 novel ever written.

Goldfinger is in my opinion the best 007 novel of all. While investigating a cheat at cards by the name of Auric Goldfinger, James is informed that he is also involved in smuggling Great Britain's gold reserves to India, where the Russians wait for it. As James is captured, he discovers Goldfinger's master plan--to raid Fort Knox itself! With the smartest villian, the toughest henchman, and the most thrilling climax of all the James Bonds, Goldfinger is the by far the best masterpiece ever to come from the desk of Ian Fleming.

This wonderful trilogy is an enthralling epic of the Cold War, and I recommend it to anyone who has either read Ian Fleming before, or is thinking of starting very soon.

I am a fan of the James Bond movies but the recent ones have let me down. So instead of giving up on Bond, I have taken to reading the stories and they are far better than I had imagined. Almost every one is better then the film that it spawned. Ian Fleming's Bond is far superior to the Bond that Hollywood is sticking us with. Bond does not spout off one liners, shoot everything in sight, or have an obligatory load up on spy gadgets scene in Ian Fleming's books. This book is just great.

This is a great book, and after reading this I watched all the movies again, and they can't even compare. If you enjoy James Bnd you will enoy this, I mean I am only eleven and I couldn't tare my eyes away. I enjoyed the action, suspense, romance, and even the detail, Iam Flemming is truly a master writer, and can only portay James Bond. The movies are nothing comapred to this, this is a must get.

These three books together are, in some ways, the epitome of James Bond. However, I must correct one of the reviews. These books *are* sequential. These books are 5, 6, and 7 in the order that Fleming published them. The 8th was The Spy Who Loved Me and the 9th was Thunderball, the first book in the Blofeld trilogy. Aside from the 10th book, For Your Eyes Only (a collection of short stories), the story picks up in On Her Majesty's Secret Service and ends with You Only Live Twice. These three Blofeld books are available in the James Bond Omnibus, volume 2.

I have very high standards when it comes to idols (at least by my warped definition). Mrs. Lynn managed to be both an idol and hero to me. She is a strong out spoken female that refuses to compromise her beliefs to fit into a cookie cutter/hollywood type image. The best day of my life was getting to visit her ranch and pose for a photo on her steps. I love both of her books although Still Woman Enough is my favorite as she is completely relaxed in being herself. Loretta Lynn is an inspritation for all women young and old that have had to overcome hard challenges in life.

I have been completely in love with Loretta Lynn ever since I saw "Coal Miner's Daughter." I didn't even know who she was til I watched the movie at age 14, then I read the book and became hooked on her music. She is an amazing woman. Her life has been hard, and she doesn't take any of her success for granted. She is who she is. What you see is what you get with her. I don't know if anyone who reads her book could relate to half of what she has experienced, but it makes for interesting reading. I was lucky enough to see her live in concert a month ago, and when she walked out on that stage, I was brought literally to tears. I just couldn't believe this woman I admire so highly was actually standing in front of me. I'll never forget that night. And I will never stop loving Loretta Lynn. Read BOTH of her autobiographies. Both are excellent.

This is one of the greatest books that has ever been written. My father was a coal miner until he got hurt. I sing my self and loretta is just so good. Being from the same state she is i guess the reason she has such a influenece on my life. If you read this book you will love it.

A grandmother at 28? Wow! I learned a lot of interesting things about 1) the country music star, and 2) about coming up hard and making it work out.

This book is Loretta Lynn's tale of her childhood in Butcher Holler with her poor but pround parents. Her parents allow her to be married off to a man she barely knows when she is 13. Amazingly, she remains married to this man for the rest of his life.

Anyway, the husband encourages Loretta to sing publicly because he thinks she has a great voice. And I don't need to tell you how the career goes, because that's pretty popular knowledge.

All in all, this was a great book. Very well developed and informative, whether you're a country music fan or not.

Very interesting. This woman has led a very difficult life, but she never seems to lose her spirit.

Fun way to introduce our little one to the wonder of the Human Body. Great starter book!

My son read this book to me for reading but it can just as easily be read for health or science. He really likes these books while he does not care for the shows much. In this one they take a trip through Ralph's body and learn about the main systems - digestion, circulatory, nervous... Recommended for ages 6-9 years and 3rd grade reading level.

My daughter has been reading Magic School Bus books in school and we bought this one for her this past Christmas. She probably enjoys this one more than any other so far. It is well written and very educational with great illustrations. If your young reader likes science, then this is definitely a great choice!

This book is really out of this world. I have been hooked on the magic school bus series. I can't wait to read more books in the series. The inside the human body book is full with very interesting facts and I learned so much from reading it. Arnold doesn't know where the bus is and is trying to find it. He doesn't even know that it is actually inside him. Then Arnold sneezes and finds the bus right next to him. He doesn't understand how he didn't see it before.

Ms. Frizzle is taking her class on a memorable field trip through the human body in this entertaining book featuring the beloved eccentric teacher and her curious class. My only complaint is that the pages are so busy with information that it's impossible to sit and really read the whole book, but perhaps it's best to let a child's curiosity guide you through a number of readings rather than trying to get everything in at one sitting. Concepts are expressed clearly and with humor. Justly popular with young students.