F Books

Expertly co-authored by Hermann Simon (Founder and Chariman of Simon-Kucher and Partners Strategy and Marketing Consultants, Germany), and SKP partners of Boston's division, Frank F. Bilstein and Frank Luby, Manage For Profit Not For Market Share: A Guide To Greater Profits In Highly Contested Markets is an important and timely study of the issues concerning adoptive profit versus market share in today's volatile stock market. Introducing readers to investment management, marketing, and providing a clearly presented and accessible explanation a complex monetary subject, Manage For Profit Not For Market Share provides a clear and applicable guide for understanding the differentiation between mature products, as well as addressing such issues as effective price increases, new orders to segmenting customers, proper timing to various activities, and the effect of consumer preferences. Manage For Profit Not For Market Share is very strongly recommended and profitable reading for investors, account managers, brokerage executives, and consultants for all formats of corporate or business sales as an exclusive and expansive interpretation of competitive profit sales, marketing, and innovative, practical guidance through modern business progress.

The authors have addressed the biggest mistake that large corporations make in using the classic BCG growth-cash quadrant that was popularized by Bruce Henderson in the 60's that lead to the fad for the market share as the key to success, in fact Henderson was very clear that market share in itself could never be the root to free cash flow. Today One Big Idea Consulting International is a modern disciple of Henderson and all Marketing Strategists should revisit Henderson before reading this book.

More profit obviously means more money for a company's stakeholders, so why do companies continue to insist that market share is the top organizational priority? The case for changing minds over to a profit-centralized viewpoint is clear. This is the mission authors Simon, Bilstein, and Luby undertake in this book and succeed gracefully at. Such ideas as understanding your company's comparative advantages, improving salesperson performance by removing the emphasis on sales volume, raising prices and optimizing marketing are all covered. Such topics as decreasing costs are not considered, as this book takes a very customer-centric view of profit and leaves the topic of cost alone as it is covered quite extensively in many other publications. The range of tools the authors provide is excellent and not overwrought with dense explanations. Experienced managers can effectively improve their companies' bottom lines by reading the ideas and example applications and then customizing the information to fit their organizations. Companies and their shareholders all stand to profit from the information in this book, so I cannot recommend it highly enough to managers at all levels of all organizations.

Many executives, especially those running large companies, get easily pulled away from increasing profits to an almost ego-driven pursuit of market share.

This book explores nicely the origins of how market share became king, why it is a problem, and how companies could and should become profit-focused. The authors have presented a large set of case studies to support their argument and to help others bring about change in their companies. There are powerful yet simple examples of successes from grass roots efforts within companies that chose the path of profit and also of colossal mistakes that must be avoided.

Manage for Profit Not for Market Share could help conscientious executives to reflect upon how to right the wrongs by changing company practices and provides managers the material to build their roadmap for profit leadership. MBA students should also read the book not to just unlearn something that was perhaps perpetuated by B-schools but also to chart their careers. For a pricing professional like me, this book is a great ally in making and reiterating the case for profit.

Expertly co-authored by Hermann Simon (Founder and Chariman of Simon-Kucher and Partners Strategy and Marketing Consultants, Germany), and SKP partners of Boston's division, Frank F. Bilstein and Frank Luby, Manage For Profit Not For Market Share: A Guide To Greater Profits In Highly Contested Markets is an important and timely study of the issues concerning adoptive profit versus market share in today's volatile stock market. Introducing readers to investment management, marketing, and providing a clearly presented and accessible explanation a complex monetary subject, Manage For Profit Not For Market Share provides a clear and applicable guide for understanding the differentiation between mature products, as well as addressing such issues as effective price increases, new orders to segmenting customers, proper timing to various activities, and the effect of consumer preferences. Manage For Profit Not For Market Share is very strongly recommended and profitable reading for investors, account managers, brokerage executives, and consultants for all formats of corporate or business sales as an exclusive and expansive interpretation of competitive profit sales, marketing, and innovative, practical guidance through modern business progress.

This book is a breezy meditation on the creative process in writing. It sprang out of a series of lectures the author gave on fiction writing as a form of mental mapmaking. While this could have been dreadfully pretentious, Turchi writes deftly and never pushes his "extended metaphor" beyond the limits of plausibility. He even thanks us (readers, colleagues, and students) for indulging him in it. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I still browse through it from time to time for inspiration. Highly recommended.

Be warned. This book compares the craft of writing, particularly fiction writing, to mapmaking and other forms of graphic representation. It is not a book about imaginary maps that do or could appear in fiction. This book does refer briefly to a few books containing such maps: Absalom, Absalom!; Watership Down; Lord of the Rings; Treasure Island; etc. But imaginary maps in fiction are not this book's subject.

The book tries to be for fiction writers and poets what Tufte's Visual Display of Quantitative Information might be for a statistician. For fiction writers and some readers, this book is probably helpful and interesting. It is well-written, contains many illustrations, and makes some valuable points about perspective, metaphor, and details. But the illustrations often don't match up to the text. And one won't learn much about mapmaking or visual representation here. For that sort of thing, time with books by Edward Tufte or Mark Monmonier would be time better spent.

I'd still like to see the book I thought I was buying. What might a map of Combray (In Search of Lost Time) look like? How about the map that Le Grand Meaulnes made? Turchi lives in Asheville, North Carolina. What might a map of Altamont (Look Homeward, Angel) depict? The list could go on.

What a terrific book! I read this around the same time I undertook Cowan's Mapmaker's Dream (which I have also reviewed on Amazon), and the two books -- ostensibly on similar subjects -- could not be more different!

Turchi's book is a genuine treasure! His prose is wonderful, full of rich images and musical language throughout. It could easily serve (and probably has done) as the text for a creative writing course, and there are thought-provoking passages on just about every page. The illustrations, too, as a prior reviewer has noted, are beautiful and fascinating. Turchi has unearthed kinds of maps I'd never conceived of before, placing them alongside medieval mappaemundi, early political maps, upside-down maps, maps drawn by children, maps drawn from memory -- you name it! Throughout the book, Turchi reinforces the point that cartography is an excellent metaphor for the way writers think, write, and revise. And as obvious a metaphor as you might be tempted to think that is, Turchi continues to surprise and delight with his imaginative insights, page after page.

The book, too, is an absolute jewel (I'm speaking of the first edition hardcover here). The perfect weight, with heavy boards bound in cloth and a sewn binding; the perfect paper weight, highly readable type, and excellent use of color throughout. This is how all books should be made.

I can't rave enough about it. Check it out for yourself, and I don't see how you could be disappointed. The only real disappointment comes when you turn the last page and find no others to follow it.

I'm not a writer, not in any meaningful sense. I am a reader, and I deeply admire writers who can immerse me in their story.

I received this book as a gift from someone who I respect. It seemed an odd gift, but now I understand it. This is one of the best non-fiction books that I've read in quite a long time. In this book, Turchi gives us a fascinating and engaging extended essay about writing. He compares it to the art and science of cartography, pointing out the myriad and unexpected ways in which cartography and writing are similar.

While the idea is an interesting one, Turchi makes it all the more approachable through the examples and quotes that he sprinkles liberally throughout the book. This is possibly the only book that references both the storytelling of "Lolita" as well as that found within the Road Runner cartoons that I grew up with. I found myself constantly writing down more books, stories, and poems that I needed to read, based on how they were discussed herein. Many of them are books that I've been meaning to read, such as "Treasure Island", others are authors that I've heard discussed before but never in a way that made me want to rush out and read them.

The book is full of maps, ranging from early maps of the world to a map drawn by the author's son showing locations in town for street luge. These maps serve as a reminder of one of the central points of the book: cartography and writing both choose what to illuminate and what to ignore. I remember annotating a map with landmarks that I found useful, which tells you just as much about what I found useful at the time as it tells you about what I didn't find useful at the time.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. I feel like I need to send a copy of it to every writer I know.

Cartography is an analytical science ... mathematical, temporal, evolving. Novels are literal explorations. Perceiving a common link between the technical cartography and the creative novel becomes a fascinating common ground. Ever wonder how a left brainer thinks? Turchi gives us a hint.

Turchi makes a living from his application of the understanding of the technical structure of novels ... cartography is his hobby. Right brainers make a living from the technical ... novels are the hobby.

The subtleties and enjoyable descriptions of the structure and theory of great novels are merged with the structure and theory of great maps. How we use language and data to convey structural information is common ground in Turchi's premise.

For this reviewer, a great map improves efficiency in getting from "A" to "B". Turchi is revealing in his observation that humans use maps to reduce an anxious uncertainty of the unknown. As one of those 'if I'm lost, get loster' types, I suppose I do enjoy the ' ... get loster' adventure. The same is true in enjoying the unexpected adventures in the great novel. Turchi's insight into natural human motivation to seek a clearing of the veil of uncertainty left me thinking down a whole other set of rabbit holes.

This book is a box of chocolates.

Having read this book, the author has put a great deal of effort in researching many individuals who have experienced several life changes and the way they have coped and responded
to different circumstances.

I was surprised to learn of the different ways men and women handle situations.

I did come across familiar episodes which have proved that many of all react in the same fashion.

I have enjoyed reading this book and have been enlightened by it. It has helped me look at life in a whole new way.

This is a refreshing new view on relationships and helped me look at men and relationships in a differnt way! Men Head East, Women Turn Right takes a look at how the two sexes approach life. The idea that men and women see things in different ways is not new, but the authors present it in a stimulating way. This book helped me look at the men in my life with a more productive framework.

This easy-to-read manual on how differently men and women approach change helped me refresh my life. I now give it to friends who are in the midst of change, and I use it often in my executive coaching practice.

A MUST FOR ANYONE WANTING TO CHANGE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. Every woman I know puzzles about how men are so hard to predict. Men Head East, Women Turn Right has helped me create new ways to approach the search for finding interesting men... and it's working! I've been giving it out to all of my friends...Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this!!!!

Wow! "Men Head East, Women Turn Right" provides great insight into how men and women cope with change. Plus, it offers guidance and practical steps that each of us can use when facing change. With examples of how others have successfully dealt with change -- as everday as a new bus schedule for a child or as life-altering as retirement or the death of a spouse -- authors Sabra Brock and Joseph Dooley give us all hope that we can successfully transition the changes in our lives as well. The Brock Method for increasing your change skills provides a valuable framework for addressing life's challenges. The practical examples give that framework reality. Friends have asked to borrow my copy. I won't let it go; I'm ordering additional copies to share.

Bob Cassaro is my father.
My name is bret branon.
b@westparkfoundries.com
Yesterday was fathers day, and we didnt talk.
Sometimes I wish things were different.

An absolute must read for anyone interested in Viet Nam War History, flying and adrenaline. First hand stories from the pilots who flew recon and rescue missions in Nam. Repetitive? Absolutely not as each person tells his story, as it happened to him. You get a well rounded view of each mission. I couldn't put it down. It is an adrenaline rush just to read. Bess Carnahan

This book is, in my view, a companion to another book entitled "Bury Us Upside Down: The Misty Pilots and the Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail." That book took a slice in time through the "Misty" mission and discussed the actions of a narrow group of flyers, apparently those with whom the author served and with whom he was most familiar. This book takes a broader view and essentially presents the complete history of "Commando Sabre," termed "Misty," as told by many of the men who flew in that top secret unit during the Vietnam War. As such, it is a valuable piece of military history and well worth reading.

The book did, however, come across as a little repetitive, but in all probability that couldn't be helped. For many of the stories were written in 1970, seemingly for some other purpose, while others were written in response to solicitations by the author/editor, apparently without specific guidelines (e.g., Don't tell us how the unit was formed or why, how many missions you had to fly in the back seat to qualify, etc.). Furthermore, since "Mistys" flew in pairs and when in heavy action were often supported or replaced by other Mistys, more than one story author often wrote about the same event from his own perspective.

Nevertheless, this is a great read, particularly for those interested in military history or the Vietnam War. For all others, I would suggest that you at least check this book out of the library and read the following excerpts: "A Trip to North Vietnam," by Don Jones (pgs. 162-170); "Combat Photographer," by Wells Jackson (pgs. 240-252); "Rescue in POL Valley," by Steve Amdor (pgs. 280-283); "What Was That?," by Bob Bryan (pgs. 306-309); "Tidbits," by Bob Cassaro (pgs. 314-319); "Gutsy Gunner," by Tony McPeak (pgs. 338-341); "War," by E. Lynn Farnsworth (pgs. 411-419); "The POWs" (pgs. 435-477); and "Then and Now," by P. K. Robinson (pgs. 523-537) These are the best written stories, and most are told in an entertaining way. They will give you the flavor of Misty and tell you much about the brave men who flew in the Vietnam War, in general, and those who flew in this top secret unit, in particular.

This is the companion book to "Bury me Upside Down". Any complaints that you might have about that book not staying on message are immediately dispelled in the more than 600 pages and 81 personal "stories" by the Misty pilots. The stories would seem fantastic if fictional, but these are real life stories. From the training in the US to the POW camps in Hanoi, from the multiple ejections to the "Mig sweeps" at the officer clubs, you will be fascinated by each person's stories. The references in the back are beyond useful. I found myself constantly flipping back to see what this pilot was doing today or who the other pilots were in his "generation" at Phu Cat.

And the ultimate farce of war is also present. Joseph Heller did not even com,e close to the truth in "Catch 22". When Colonels from Saigon would complain about the FACS getting their F-100 "damaged" by ground fire and write up the pilots and maintenance people for not taking better care of the US Government equipment, you had to wonder how we ever made any progress in that war.

If you want a read on what the "real" war was like for the US Air Force in Vietnam get this book and read it. You will not be disappointed.

This book is terrific, plain and simple. Any person interested in the courage and bravado of true fighter pilot heros in the VietNam War will be well-served reading this work.....you'll be glad you did!

Mrs. Muddle celebrates more then holidays- community, diversity, and acceptance abound in this well written, charmingly illustrated book. Not only do I love the story, but even my 3 year old and 18 month old appreciate the fun, colorful watercolors that guide us through the adventures of Mrs. Muddle.

My family just loves Mrs. Muddle's Holidays, and our children ask us to read it to them again and again. We have even read it to their elementary school classes. The writing is wonderful and the illustrations are delightful. We highly recommend this book for all ages. This feel good story encouraged us to look for any reason to celebrate life. Mrs. Muddle is the best neighbor, and we wish she lived on our street!

Every child should have a Mrs. Muddle in their lives. She is the grandmother, teacher and friend they need. Beautiful story; beautiful illustrations.

This is a heartwarming story with vibrant illustrations. My children have enjoyed listening to it again and again.

I've loved reading and rereading "Mrs. Muddle's Holidays." It celebrates the diversity of people and customs, and encourages each person to make discoveries and celebrations of their own. The writing is perfect for a read-aloud, and the illustrations enhance the text with beautiful splashes of color and warm-hearted appeal. This is a wonderful "holiday" book that is perfect all year round.

Aquellos que les guste un poco de historia es un buen libro para conocer más alrededor de Napoleon Bonaparte

Delerfield's engaging history of the men who led Napoleon's armies across Europe is essential for anyone who is interested in this period of history. While not an in-depth study, the author did an excellent job of bringing the marshals to life, especially the larger-than-life Ney and Murat. These men made their imprint upon Europe as no one before or since. The reader practically becomes a part of the great campaigns of the Grand Armee across Europe and the torment of the Peninsula War.

While this book is not exceptionally well written it is very readable and keeps the reader engrossed in the events of the time. Even for any accomplished student of the Napoleonic Wars this is a must read.

My only gripe is that it wasn't 2000 pages so it could have really covered all of the ground. As it was the book offers lots of good insights into many of the lesser known Marshals like Suchet and Davout, two fighting marshals who were sorely missed at Waterloo.

Buy and read this book.

You will give Delderfield credit for his vision, his ambition and his broad coverage to the Age of Napoleon. This book is a synthesis of the age and a complement to all your other Napoleonic reading. It is an enjoyable book which weaves back and forth and round and round as the author tells about the personalities of and interrelationships among the 26 men who became Marshals of France.

There are many reasons I like Delderfield himself. The leading reason is that he values selflessness, effort, merit and ability. Though British, he could have hardly been more American in that respect. He was not the often encountered British snob who promotes the view that Napoleon was an ogre.

I share Delderfield's view, unabashedly, because I am a Son of the American Revolution and I hope also a true Patriot. While we owe our cultural heritige to the English in very large measure, I believe we owe our freedoms mostly to the French.

Delderfield is critical about the 26 men and their Emperor when needed, but he understands the great achievements of the time. He appreciates the blows that the French made and took in the name of liberty and progress.

I thought I was buying a book biographical portraits like Aubrey's Brief Lives, Seutonius' Twelve Caesars or Plutach's Lives. But, what I got was the whole story of the Age of Napoleon retold in a dramatic serial fashion (it would be a great HBO story) and in the action story form of Delderfield's own fiction Seven Men of Gascony.

The book organized according the normal conventions around the coalitions and campaigns. The story line begins at the end of the Age of Frederick the Great in order to bring the early lives of the oldest Marshals, such as Augereau, into focus. The story finally ends about 70 years later with the Funeral of Napoleon led by Marshal Soult to the tomb in the Invalides.

The story revolves around the twelve or so basic campaigns and the role of the respective Marshals. The book is fresh and it does not repeat known erroneous myths or trite cliches.

From this book we get insights into the interacting character of the 27 men (Napoleon included and chief among them). Very few of the faults of the Marshals are left unexposed by the end of the story. Those who achieve the highest place in Delderfield's pantheon and remain relatively unscathed are Davout the Iron Marshal; Ney, the Bravest of the Brave, Lannes, the Roland of France; and Poniatowski, Prince of Poland.

The other Marshals are treated well and complimented for their roles and abilities -- though depreciated for their weaknesses and vanities. They are put on a lesser shelf revealing more than anything the values of the author. I happen to agree with Delderfield that adherence to duty, bravery and loyalty are the three highest standards to judge these men.

All of the Marshals have an interesting personal story. We have to give all of them credit for ability and bravery beyond the common varieties. None of them became Marshals of France because they were incompetents or cowards. The abiding values of the Napoleonic Creed were merit and joie de virve or elan. The Marshals, on the whole, personified these values.

The Emperor could forgive vanity as in Murat; disloyalty as in Bernadotte and greed, as in Messena. He forgave them all, and many times, in the name of merit (also probably in the name of necessity which is often a reflection of the same thing).

I recommend this book for three reasons. First, it is organized. It gives a compact lucid picture of the chessboard of the age. It tells us a about how the campaigns and politics were structured. Second, it is complementary to other work such as Gallo, Tolstoy, Chandler and so on. It provides an additive perspective on the events which can enhance and enrich your reading of all the other literature on Napoleon. Third, it is literate and enjoyable. As I have already said, I share strongly the values and sensibilities expressed by Delderfield.

I suspect Delderfiled's perspectives on the French and Americans were shaped by interactions in World War II and World War I. The 20th Century Delderfeld, if placed in the 18th Century, would have been a political sympathizer in the American Revolution and he might have crossed the Channel to march with Davout, Lanne, Bessieres, Oudinot or Ney.

I don't mean to say he would be a traitor to England, I do not wish to dishonor him that way. What I mean is, from the benefit of perfect hindshight, he would have seen the vision of marking men by ability. He he would have marched off of the old Road to Serfdom, as Hayek called it, and onto the new Road to Freedom which was then being beaten across Europe by the French.

As will all books about this age the principal subject is Napoleon himself, who by any objective standard was the greatest leader of men in battle the world has evern known. As is usually the case with a leader, you will see in this book that any given leader cannot do everything in a complex enterprise and so must organize around himself a way that expresses his own goals, interests and competencies.

By examining the complexities of the individual Marhals and their interactions, you will be looking into the heart and mind of the Emperor himself. You will see why at Waterloo Napoleon was no longer himself. He was no longer able to articulate his visions without his Marshals of years gone by. You can speculate, for example, that if Berthier was present at Waterloo, the calvary would have stayed in reserve for the coup de grace and that Grouchy would have not been lost, hence blocking Blucher from the field, while Napoleon finished Wellington -- who was at the time already beaten on the hillsides of Waterloo.

While Richard the III would have given his kingdom for a horse, Napoleon lost his Empire for want of his Marshals.

I flew through this book. The narrative style of writing lent itself to a quick and enjoyable read. I came away with a better overall picture of those who were surrounding Napoleon.

Although the subject is broad in the sense that the author tackles so many people. He none-the-less does an excelent job of rounding out a solid picture of Naploeon's marshals, their personalites, their ambitons...flaws and credits.

There are several marshals that I would like to read more about based on the information gleaned from within these pages. Understandably the author could not devote as much time as he may have liked to each and every member of this group. He did, however achieve the goal of introducing us to all of them and more than just a basic glossing over.

What I liked most is that the author took the events and let time itself introduce and develop the marshals rather than simply lining each one up and giving the reader an encyclopedia type synopsis of each individual. This really brought each marshal into better focus in terms of what was going on at the time and why they entered the picture whent hey did, as well as what they were doing prior to entering into the service of the Empire.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Napoleon and also intersted in getting a better feel for those around him and what drove them to thier positions.

The Seth material is an indivisible whole. It is so difficult to grasp in its implications that I feel quite accomplished to have a fingernail- hold on some small part of it. The Nature of the Psyche posts some indespensible chapters. Chapter nine, "Characteristics of Pure Energy" is so clear about the nature of creativity and dreaming that readers will never again be able to think of these matters in their old way. It's that good. It really is. Of course, if you're a reader of Jane roberts you already know this. Do you not agree that Jane Roberts is one of the bravest people of our modern age?

Among other things this book proffers a very touching, and original, view on love--in its various manifestations. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

This book could be called the psychology of Seth. Where his other books are geared toward describing non-physical reality and it's relation to physical reality. This book describes from Seths' unique higher perspective human psychology and is truly outstanding even among Seth books. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It ranks as high as the Eva Pierrakos channeled works from a human psychology perspective.

How we create our reality, psyche, sexuality, dreams, simultaneous time, dimensions, love, and our past are some of the more in-depth points in this Seth book. Although this is just the beginning.

In beginning, my view, this book explains the "nature of sexuality" more completely than any before. I am euphoric Seth shared his opinion because it is a very important subject. Many, many people may be shocked at Seth's view of sexuality, homosexuality, or lesbianism. Seth helped me understand this hot topic much better. Anyone interested in this area should read. This is but a small portion of this book.

Some of Seth's explanations do seem repeated from previous material, however there is much new material. The way in which Seth explains the subjects in new wording tones and sentences are far enlightening. I find there is some great info regarding dreams. In my opinion, Seth has always been outspoken on the importance of dreams. What I exuberantly enjoy about Seth are his explanations of dreams and the dream reality, this is how I correlated Seth's information into my belief of Seth. By having a foothold of my own dream experiences I have correlated them with Seth's view of the dream world.

In addition, Seth can explain how we create our reality like no one else.

Something beyond the words, and the symbols of this book. A feeling, tone, or a transcendence sense that I come away with Seth's spoken, then written words. This perception been commented on many of times within Seth groups, and as I look back and write about this sense, it still feels strange and unknown. Any person having a fond love for a book will understand.

The Nature of the Psyche is not as detailed or long as "The Nature of Personal Reality" but amazingly to the point, the chapters are shorter and gave me an excellent explanation of the topics presented. I like the fact that it is shorter.

I left much out of this review but I do believe this book would be a good starter for beginners interested in Seth's concepts. A+ material thanks Rob, Jane and Seth.

I love most of the Seth books, and this one was not too bad, its a shame tho, alot of it, just seemed to be repeated over and over again, till you kinda lose interest. Of course its interesting and has alot of good points, but takes a turn with the constant repeating of the same thing. If your an avid Seth reader, then its okay, but you may be lost if your not.

This was fantastic and everything I expected. I was familiar with Pekar from his appearances on Letterman in the 80s and could not locate the graphic novellas at that time. When the movie came out, I began my search again and someone informed me the collections were on Amazon.

If you can't love Harvey Pekar, you can't love anyone. He is a lovely man, with as many neuroses as the rest of us, who listens and watches and reports on the people and world around him. His kindness and caring for the people who populate his world - these are real stories with real people Harvey knows, including his family- is obvious and makes reading his work a delight. I found the Pekar books to be like peanuts - I kept wanting more and more and hate to finish one - unless I have another ready to read. Harvey's 'comics" are the first graphic novels I've spent time reading, and I am hooked. The drawings add immeasurably to the story - a format I would like to see developed further in the future.

This is the second American Splendor Anthology. It features material that was written after the first Anthology came out, plus some older stuff that was left out of the first book. If you like Harvey Pekar's stuff, you will love this book. For people who became interested in Harvey because of the movie based on his life, you will be interested to find the comics based on his David Letterman appearances here. Also, Toby and the "Revenge of the Nerds" story is featured here. For Harvey's hardcore fans, there are some rarities here, such as pre-American Splendor comics from the early '70s, and Harvey's Forwards to other people's books. Buy this book, Harvey can use the money.

This new collection of Harvey Pekar's quotidian American Splendor comic is not only an excellent introduction for those new to his work; it's also a great anthology for those of us who have read and loved him for years (especially since, toward the end of the volume, some of his very early stuff is collected).

Some of the most gemutliche, warmest pieces in the collection feature characters from Pekar's VA hospital days. Toby is present several times, but my personal favorite of all the VA panels is "Walkin' an' Talkin," where in just two pages Pekar captures the warmth, humor, and generosity of his co-workers. Three stories beautifully speak to Pekar's paranoia and his obsessive-compulsiveness: "Hysteria," "Lost and Found" (a story which introduced me to the novelist Italo Svevo, whom I've since come to really love), and "Time Flies...Time Drags." Three more stories speak to Pekar's painful history with David Letterman, including a documentary on his final appearance on the Letterman Show in which he tried to let the world know that GE, ABC's owner, engaged in morally dubious practices. (If you get the chance to watch any of the Letterman/Pekar exchanges, it's a real experience. Letterman comes across as such a smarmy yuppie, who really seems to delight in trying to humiliate Pekar.)

Also included in the volume is one of the delightful oral histories of Cleveland's Jewish life in the early twentieth century, illustrated by R. Crumb, and three single page stories illustrated in Drew Friedman's wonderful faux-photographic style.

But there are also a couple of disconcerting stories: "Broken Window" and "Festering." Both of them suggest that Harvey was attacked on at least a couple of occasions by an out-of-control father. Could this be true? Just a couple of years ago in a radio interview, Harvey described his father in quite different terms.

A great collection from a guy who walks an' talks the ordinary life.

Seinfeld, a show about nothing? Pbbbb. Never thought it was that special. Heard about this guy named Harvey Pekar who writes comics about well, nothing. Not nothing really but ordinary, mundane everyday things. Saw the movie, liked it, picked up the Anthology at the library. Hooked. Want more. More. The first friggin' page had me hooked, the old fella telling Harvey about the rag peddlers cry. 'PAAAY-PER REGGS'. The thing is I don't think Harvey needs every dollar now. Between the movie and his work being reissued and the new found interest in him and his comics, he's probably laughing, or brooding, all the way to the bank. Good for you Harvey Pekar!

I found Path Crossing a very delightful and insightful book to read. In many ways I had to go back and search myself for answers regarding the people that I came across, and if took the time to tell them about Christ. This book allowed me to see that people cross our paths for reasons, and not by chance. I am reminded after reading this book that being a christian is not just being a chrisian on Sunday's, but that everyone that I come in contact with, I should tell them about christ. I will truly view all of my encounters differently from this day forward. Thank you Dr. Horstemeyer

If you want to read an encouraging book, that reveals the true value of those chance encounters you had; at the store, at work, at a business meeting, at school or on vacation, then this book is a must. It's a quick read.

i read this book a few years ago and still remember the scenarios that Mark Horstemeyer experienced and wrote about. it has had a lasting effect on me.
i found his view of loving people encouraging. he didnt just package it as 'telling everyone you know about God so you win big up in heaven', he put love back where it belonged and has been missing.
his writing was clear also. at the age that i read it at i was not reading very many books, but this book met me where i was at and encouraged me to move forward.
this is most likely a book that a will read a couple of times over.

Path Crossings is a wonderful journey that I did not want to end. It chronicles some of the most interesting chance meetings, or encounters that the author has had in his travels and how God used him in a powerful way in these circumstances. The cast of characters is compelling and very diverse. The author Dr. Mark was A good and kind listener and would offer a gentle word of encouragement, but would also sternly and intelligently defend and evangelize his Christian faith when necessary. If you believe in God and his passion for our lives, you will quickly see that these many "Path Crossings" we have all experienced are not by random chance. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have and that you'll look at your next "Path crossing" as an opportunity to plant productive seeds of hope in the lives of spiritually tired and weary travelers. I highly recommend this book to all Christians and those who have a heart to be a blessing to others. Well Done.

I found this book to be a quick read that challenged me to think differently about daily situations. I am now looking at each encounter with other people as an opportunity to touch a life, to share God's love or the truth of his word. I found this book stimulating and thought provoking.

I guess the main idea here is whether or not the soul is immortal.

Does the soul exist outside of this physical, earthly experience ?

I've only begun reading Plato after years of reading a lot of other new age type books such as the Edgar Cayce material and Dr. Brian Weiss.

Plato is often consistent with those new age ideas but he expresses his thoughts in a more poetic way.

Plato and those others believed in reincarnation and even being reborn as an animal.

A new age theory about this is that if you go back to 10,500 BC and beyond you had a lot of people running around with for example the body of a human being but the head of a horse, tree branches for arms, etc..

Most people had tails back then.

This was a result of people projecting themselves into this physical dimension and getting entangled in the animal and plant worlds. As they did this across multiple incarnations they started to develop those animal appendages in their physical bodies.

It was in ancient Egypt around 10,500 BC that the priest Ra Ta and other Atlanteans helped these "things" to rid themselves of these animal characteristics.

That "mystery of mysteries" the sphinx is a creature that is part human and part lion. Don't think this doesn't have some very deep and hidden meaning.

Another key point in the book is the death of Socrates. He dies like a true philosopher, not in fear, but calmly.

At one point Socrates actually proves that one plus one is not equal to two. That's power.

Jeff Marzano

Same Soul, Many Bodies: Discover the Healing Power of Future Lives through Progression Therapy

Lives of the Master: The Rest of the Jesus Story

The Lives of Edgar Cayce

Edgar Cayce's Egypt: Psychic Revelations on the Most Fascinating Civilization Ever Known

.
What happens at death? Is the soul immortal? Why does the philosopher seek death but avoid suicide? What is so attractive about death to Socrates?

This is a masterpiece of a book. While Socrates does not prove the immortality of the soul, his arguments for such, as in the "law of opposites," the "theory of recollection" and the combination of the two, make way for a very interesting and mind enhancing read and is a hell of lot more valid, intelligible and religiously inclusive than any of the biblical literalist's security hold in fallacious illusion, or was Socrates and Plato infallibly inspired? Was Homer infallibly inspired? Of course not. In turn, Socrates is counter-argued with the "theory of attunement" and subsequently argues back for the immortality of the soul.

His thoughts which entail the body as the inhibitor of obtaining true wisdom, that philosophy aids a man to go beyond his body, so that at death he can be released from the body and use his wisdom to achieve a higher realm of true wisdom, as the body acts as a place of desires that prevents men from perceiving the world of ideas apart from the world of appearances. The death of the body is the release of the soul and the condition of the soul, either that controlled by desires or that of philosophy that has brought it to a higher realm, will determine where the soul travels to after death.

Socrates further gives us a description of the round, spherical earth. This exposes the fallacy of biblical literalists who attempt to prove biblical divinity by quoting Job 40:22 and Isaiah for the spherical earth, or does that make Socrates inspired? His further description of the earth's hollows by water and the place called Tartarus brings us to the identical words of St. Paul, who certainly was influenced by many non-Christian teachings, which permeated his entire belief system. Also Socrates gets Eastern in the reincarnation of the soul back to the world of desires, including that of animals and insects, which makes this book a fascinating read to say the least. This book is a gem and great masterpiece to contemplate on. I love Plato - and Socrates too.

I will not quote myself, but I'll evoke the words that I have written here before in the review of Krishnamurti's book. Since you're reading this I guess you're interested in Plato's philosophy and this work in particular. I'll just say few words and then will let you to dive into the book and find the meaning for yourself.
This is the book that belong to Plato's later works, and debate continues whether Socrates in this book is historical Socrates or just voice of Plato. If you take into consideration few Aristotelian lines than first option would be the true one. But, no matter which one is right, Socrates here is presented as few characters of world literature are. I can not speak about philosophy here, so I shall speak about style. Bearing the posture of romantic poets, and if you picture ancient greek dungeon as some reneiscance castle dungeon, you'll have the setting. And tht's it. No quarells, no fightning and vicious murdering, just one of the most beautifull speeches conserning human soul, and only one, diginified, death.
Books like these give me hope that there is still a chance for a world to become the better place.

If it was up to me to preserve just one of the dialogues of Plato for posterity it would be the Phaedo. That is because this is the metaphysical core of the teachings of Socrates (the main character) as told by Plato. As is emphasized in the text, death is the main topic of concern for the true philosopher- and that is what is covered here. However, there is nothing morbid about it. This is a message of hope, for Socrates establishes the divinity and immortality of the soul. The good man, he who has purified himself through the love of wisdom (Philosophy) goes to a higher, purer realm to be with like-minded souls and the gods themselves. The bad man also goes to his just reward with those of like character.

If I was to abstract the core truth here it would be that the true philosopher is always trying to free his soul from the body- for only then is the soul free of the distractions and distortions that can corrupt it and keep it from direct perception of the Ideals (Absolute Truth, Good, Beauty, and Justice.)

You easily see where the Church borrowed so much of its basic theological underpinnings. In fact, reading this work abolishes forever in your mind the idea that the pre-Christian pagans were in anyway necessarily savage or barbaric in their deepest spiritual beliefs. This is spirituality more pure than anything preached by the Church- and it is supported by reasoned argument and not appeal to empty faith and authority.

The closing of the dialog is probably the finest depiction in Western literature of the death of a great and good man. You truly concur that Socrates was indeed the wisest and justest and best of all men.

Socrates is unique among philosophers, not just for his place among the early Greek philosophers, but also for the fact that he is the most famous philosopher to never write his own books. What we know of Socrates comes from contemporary accounts and students, most particularly Plato.

Set in 399 BCE, the Phaedo is a reconstruction of Socrates final conversations with friends on the day he died. We do not know when this dialogue was written, but it was probably before The Republic (Plato's most famous work, also featuring the figure of Socrates). Like The Republic, this dialogue features a well developed theory of Forms -- these are introduced gradually here, slowly filling out the details of each step. This develops the story of the caves idea from Plato's earlier work in epistemological, metaphysical, moral, and semantic terms. Plato also advances the 'imperfection argument' here -- the idea that when we sense something, it is never perfectly the thing we are thinking of, and that idea or standard to which we relate what we see, hear, feel, etc. is tying into a more perfect Form.

However, the idea of the soul is rather less developed here than in The Republic. The soul is simply mind, or intellect - all emotions are here placed as bodily aspects. This is rather Pythagorean in a fashion, that only the soul grasps the perfect Forms, and so should consist of nothing but reasoning ability, for emotions distort and cloud the perceptions and judgments.

In the end of the Phaedo, we witness Socrates drink the hemlock, without fear or trembling, as a philosopher should know the value of life and welcome death with a firm hope. The story is almost religious in nature here.

David Gallop's translation is good and true to the original (in as much as I can tell from my small Greek learning). It is somewhat tending toward the formal side. This is serious stuff, but in a small number of pages manages to capture much, and this makes it all the more relevant.