H Books

Vitalism is a profoundly science-ejected concept, though many CAM or 'natural health' cabals falsely claim that vitalism survives scientific scrutiny.

Some favorite quotes:

"for a long time people thought there must be a special 'life force' which distinguishes living things from nonliving things. This notion that the behavior of living things cannot, even in principle, be understood by ordinary processes of physics and chemistry goes by the name of vitalism. Modern biology has completely discredited vitalism. It is extremely regrettable that vitalistic notions can still be found in many unenlightened regions of this world. To cite a refuge often adopted by vitalists, consider the thermodynamics of living things growing in an organized way [...] it might be thought that living things violate the second law of thermodynamics. This is, however, false [...because] living things are 'open systems' [...] a living thing gains internal order only by introducing more disorder into its surroundings [...] living things do not, in fact, violate the second law. The persistent vitalist might argue that even the gaining of local order at the expense of introducing general disorder seems to require something special. And so it does; it requires an input of free energy [...] living things cannot be regarded as unique in their ability to produce circumstances which violate thermodynamic intuition [p.498...] for some years, vitalists maintained that organic molecules could be made only inside a living organism, i.e., that a 'vital force' made organic chemistry made organic chemistry intrinsically different from inorganic chemistry. This myth received a crushing blow in 1828 [p.512...] in chapter 19 we saw that life, once started, could sustain and naturally gain in complexity without the intervention of vitlaism [p.528]."

-r.c.

This was a superb textbook when it appeared over twenty years ago. It begins with some introductory material about microscopic and macroscopic laws of physics. After that, we learn about stars and their evolution. And binary stars. Next are galaxies and galactic clusters. And cosmology and the hot big bang. Then our planetary system. And we finish with life and intelligence in the universe.

I read this book when it first came out and truly enjoyed it. But I do want to warn folks that it is getting a little out-of-date and definitely needs a new edition. In the past twenty years, we have made plenty of new discoveries. Topics such as dark energy, the accelerating expansion of the universe, cosmic microwave background anisotropies, gamma-ray bursters and soft gamma repeaters, supernova 1987A, ultraluminous infrared galaxies, extrasolar planets and planetary migration, the Big Splat theory of the origin of the Moon, and inflationary models of the big bang are too new to be in this book. Plenty of work on formation of galaxies is too new as well. Descriptions of and recent results from deep space probes and telescopes are not included. That leaves us with much less to discuss about Uranus or Neptune, not to mention recent in situ observations of Mars or questions about water under the icy surface of Europa. And even topics such as artificial intelligence are discussed without the benefit of the past twenty years of perspective.

I still recommend the book. But I wouldn't be able to teach a class on astronomy or astrophysics from this text without supplementing it with a substantial amount of extra material.

Yes, I nicknamed that book like the well-known The Feynman Lectures on Physics. With regard to Feynman, I have no doubt that if Richard Feynman himself is to write a book and give lectures on Astrophysics, he will end up wrote a book similar to this book.

I am a graduate physics student working in experimental high energy physics, but I have always found myself curious about astrophysics. Back in my home country, the literature on astronomy is so rare that I only can manage to borrow and read an old edition of Abell's Exploration of the Universe. It was a good book, but I need more physics to cater my curiosity in astrophysics.

I've heard about this book quite some time, but not until I arrived in USA that I can buy this book through Amazon and start to read it. With my background in graduate level physics, this book is quite an easy read for me.

The book was written with multiple audience in mind: humanities and liberal arts majors who are interested in astrophysics but don't want to use too much mathematics; freshman students with great curiosity but not much mathematical skills; biology, life-science, and pre-med students with interest in astrobiology and the origin of life; general science and engineering students with strong math and physics background but have no intention to have a career in science; and ultimately to those thoughtful, astronomers-astrophysicist-physicist-wanna-be students. Perhaps those are exactly the same kind of audience Shu ever has in Berkeley: Berkeley is famous for diversity.

The book is self-contained, in the sense that (almost) all the necessary scientific concepts and backgrounds are explained: mechanics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, microbiology, genetics, even there are some discussions in supersymmetry and grand unification. There are some parts and problems that requires calculus and advanced undergraduate physics but the reader doesn't have to read those part to understand the results. I was lucky to have all the necessary physics to fully understand the book, but this should not stop laymen and common people to read this book.

The book is divided into four parts.

Part I (Chapter 1-4). Basic Principles.

This part explains the origin and history of astronomy and astrophysics, and the basic physical principles behind astrophysics: mechanics, relativity, optics, telescopes, quantum mechanics, atomic theory, and thermodynamics.

Part II (Chapter 5 - 10). Stars.

This part discuss stars as a basic constituents of our universe. Starting with the Sun as an example, the book goes with the energy generations and physical mechanism behind stars, birth, life, and death of stars, star classifications, stellar clusters, and binary stars.

Part III (Chapter 11 - 16). Galaxies and Cosmology.

This part starts with discussing materials between stars in our Galaxy, then our own Galaxy the Milky Way, further galaxies outside Milky Way, an introduction to Einstein's concepts of gravitation, cosmology, and ends with the Big Bang theory as the current Standard Model of Cosmology.

Part IV (Chapter 17 - 20). The Solar System and Life.

This part discuss the Solar System and the Planets, origins of the Solar System, and finally: the origin of life on Earth, and later the Life and Intelligence in our Universe. In my opinion, not much astronomy/astrophysics book discuss this subject, and in this sense this book make itself clearly stands out among the other.

Although it's 20 years now after the original publication, about 90% of the material are still relevant and interesting.
I personally suggest that Shu take a thorough revision and include some latest results on astrophysics in his book:
the dark energy and cosmic expansion, cosmic microwave background anisotropy, quark stars, extrasolar planets, large extra-dimensional particle theory, genetic engineering etc.
This would certainly bring the book back up-to-date for the 21st century.

I, without doubt, heartily recommend this book for all of you who are interested in astronomy and astrophysics, whatever background you have. A special recommendation is for physics student who wants to do astronomy in grad school but never take any astronomy/astrophysics courses. By buying, reading, and studying this book alone, combined with a mastery of upper-level undergraduate physics (analytical mechanics, thermodynamics & stat phys, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and math methods), I believe you will be ready for your grad-level astrophysics courses and even may have some advantages due to your physics background.

This book should be titled "Introduction to the physics of astrophysics". As such it is excellent. I used it for many years in an intermediate astrophysics course. The only problem with it is that it is dated in parts (no mention of helio-and astro-seismology for instance), though it is current well into 1982.

It would be of great benefit to physics education and to astrophysics education at the intermediate level if Prof. Shu would bring out an updated edition!

I have owned The Physical Universe for 10 years. While the book is out of date in many ways, it still serves as an excellent overview of many of the basic concepts that astronomers need to learn at the undergraduate level.

The book starts with a basic introduction to physical concepts such as dynamics, thermodynamics, and relativity, then proceeds to overview many of the fundamental concepts about stars, the interstellar medium, galaxies, cosmology, planets, and life in that order. At some times, the book's organization seems a bit eccentric, especially with the last chapters, which stray away from astronomy too much to be used in an astronomy undergraduate class. The book was written so that it could be used with students at various educational levels, so the book uses both written descriptions and mathematics to explain various astronomical concepts. Unfortunately, students without a strong background in mathematics will not benefit from the book as much. The problems, distributed throughout the text of the chapters, are very good at walking students through deriving mathematical equations; I myself consider problem sets I wrote for these problems to be reference material that is as important as the text itself.

The Physical Universe is good for understanding many of the basic concepts of astronomy. I still use this book to look up simple equations, such as magnitude and redshift equations. Nonetheless, the book is out of date. Important new science, especially many space-based observations by IRAS, Hubble, Chandra, ROSAT, and COBE, are missing. New fields of study, such as extrasolar planets, deep-field cosmology, and ultraluminous and luminous infrared galaxies, are unmentioned. The eccentric structure of this book also makes it a bit odd to learn out of or to find information in. Nonetheless, the book is a standard textbook in undergraduate astronomy education, and the structure and material in other books often follows the structure Shu has laid out in this book. I therefore rate this book highly for astronomy undergraduate students (as well as for astronomy graduate students and professionals), but I also recommend considering alternative introductory textbooks as well.

I highly recommend this book to ANY combat veteran's wife and family. It should be required reading for any wife of a combat veteran even if her husband has not been diagnosed with PTSD.
I have been with my wife for ten years. Last year she took our children and left me becuase she thought that she was going to lose her mind. She always thought that if she could do better then I would be OK. It didn't work and I blamed her for everything.
When she left, I promised her that I would get counseling. I did and was diagnosed with PTSD. I've had it for twenty years and never knew. After three months, she returned home and began to study this book. She totally understands now and we are healing together. We are both amazed at how accurately this book portrays our own life.
She is now my BEST FRIEND and only support system (nobody else understands). We finally have a real relationship.
My wife gets frustrated when she re-calls all of the people who told her to leave me. If it wasn't for this book she may have. Thanks Ms. Mason for opening your life to help others. You have blessed another family.

This book was so helpful to me... I keep buying it and giving it away! It is the best book I have read on coping with PTSD, and I have read them all. It tells you what to expect and why. Who to contact in the VA for help. What forms will need to be filled out and how to deal with all the government agencies. Also lists several self-help groups. Everything from A to Z. It will give you a whole new understanding of your father, brother, husband, or significant other.

Patience has been able to visualize and understand the realities of what has happened to the Vets who served in Vietnam, either directly or indirectly. She will cause you to remember those things which were long forgotten, or filed away deep in your mind. I want to read this book again and again, to help bring my life back out of the dark. THANK YOU Patience

This book has been one of the most treasured, comforting and hope-giving literary works for me and many other women and families. Whenever I have mentioned this book to women who have been struggling with dealing with a loved one suffering with PTSD, they have described it as 'a manual' It is so filled with pratical information and real life experiences, that you feel compelled to read and reread every word. I checked it out at the public library and didn't want to return it, because I wanted to always have it on hand. But alas, I am aware that it would benefit so many others if I returned it. I have borrowed it again and again. I have been unable to find it,available in a bookstore, because the title has been changed and I was not aware of that. I am so very happy to find it available again, and the price is so reasonable, that I know I will be able to tell others and they too will want to purchase. Actually, I was given the job of tracking this book down, so that it might be purchased by the women in my spousal support group, and also by the facilitator. They will all be happy that I was successful in locating this book. Already I have three people committed to purchasing it. Thank you Patience Mason, for having the insight to write this book and to share it with all of us. I have also read Chickenhawk by Patience Masons' husband. It was a very powerful book also, but more difficult to read, for me. The events were so vivid, and the emotions so filled with pain , it helped to understand better the conflicts experienced and also the repercussions to the continuing lives of the Vet and their families.

This book is an excellent counseling tool for the spouses of combat veterans who live with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have given this book the many spouses. Many say that the greatest thing the book does for them is help to show that they are not alone in their experience with the veteran PTSD sufferer. Patience Mason gives the spouse an understanding of what is going on that leads to a sense of comfort and the courage to continue the battle. The battle, is to find a way to stay with their vet and at the same time preserve their own sanity. This is the best book out there for contents and ease of reading!

"Ours is the signal honor of being the nation's bulwark. One day we must prove ourselves worthy."

Requiem for Battleship Yamato is about sacrifice-immolation on the altar of national survival. It was written not to needlessly lionize the wanton sacrifice of combatants in order to bring to an end what one historian called "a war to establish and revive the stature of man." Instead, it was written, and properly so, as catharsis: Yoshida Mitsuru, as a 20-year old ensign on the bridge of the Yamato during its final voyage, had witnessed War, and thus wished that future generations would no longer be called upon to "prove themselves worthy," and to bear the burden of armed conflict.

Yoshida's prose satisfactorily captures the spirit on board the Yamato prior to its climactic encounter. Yet there is no way to adequately describe what the men of the Yamato went through during the ship's final hours. One author called it "a glorious way to die." Alternatively, the battle could be described as a nautical siege, a maritime battle of Troy. There is no apotheosis in death; death is merely a release from duty. During the battle, one man struggles to keep the deck clean by throwing overboard limbs severed by bomb shrapnel or machine-gun fire. Below decks, men grapple with the bodies of their comrades; once-inviting hot tubs (the Yamato has several of them, we are told) are filled to the brim with the ranks of the dead. In the bridge, officers are mowed down by machine-gun bullets. There is no sanctuary aboard the most massive dreadnought ever constructed.

This is a highly readable book, redolent with poignant memories, written by a man who had the courage to confront his phantoms. Through Yoshida's book, many souls who fought during the Pacific War found a voice.

"Three thousand corpses, still entombed today. What were their thoughts as they died?"

In the 1950's and 60's, Japanese memoirs of the Pacific War flooded forth from the publishers. Saburo Sakai's "Samurai", Hara's "Japanese Destroyer Captain," Mochitsura Hashimoto's "Sunk!" are just the tip of the spear. But Yoshida's "Requiem for Battleship Yamato" is simply in a class by itself. The youngest officer on board the mighty battleship, he was present when the giant was ordered on her suicide sortie. Escorted by the anti-aircraft cruiser Yahagi and numerous destroyers in April 1945, Yamato's mission was sublimely ridiculous: sail down toward the Ryuku Islands (where a massive American task force was staging the invasion of Okinawa), attack the landing force, beach itself, expend all weapons and ammunition, then the surviving crew members would join the garrison in Okinawa's defense. It was no surprise that the force didn't even make it halfway before being annihilated by U.S. planes. Yoshida's book is poetic and is beautifully translated by Richard Minnear who also provides a superb introduction as well. Yoshida's account of the American air attacks which inevitably shattered the Yamato, the Yahagi and most of the escorting destroyers come off as not combat, but high slaughter. Veterans who survived idiotic orders and suicide charges will find a spiritual brother in Yoshida. Don't be surprised if you have a tear in your eye for the brave crews of these ships as you close this book for the last time.

Written as a tribute to his shipmates, "Requiem" is also a powerful anti-war book.

young, naive and inexperienced the author chronicles his one and only combat mission. relating his service on the japanese battleship 'yamato' author mitsuru gives perspective not only on what he does but on what he feels. fortunately for the reader mitsuru is an articulate writer who has had the opportunity to rewrite his recollections numerous times over the years before settling on this 'definitive' edition. the book runs as a subtle parallel of stories between the events happening around the author during war and what he thinks and feels as he faces his own mortality. an excellent perspective of man in conflict.
also worth noting is the outstanding translation and introduction by richard minear.

Although perhaps unsurprising given the scale of Japan's losses and the bitterness of defeat, the fact remains that there are relatively few accounts of the war by those who fought with the Imperial Forces, and even fewer available in English.

For this reason alone `Requiem for Battleship Yamato' would command attention even if it were only an average work. But it is not an average work; it is a classic in the truest sense of this much abused word, which must be placed alongside books such as `The Last Enemy' by Richard Hillary.

Written in a spare, almost poetic style, `Requiem' tells the story of the Yamato's last doomed sortie from the viewpoint of one of her junior officers. Alongside glimpses of life on board the great battleship, we gain an insight into the thoughts and personal lives of her crew as they prepare for what most realise will be a mission from which there will be no return.

As the tension mounts and enemy forces close in for the inevitable kill, Yoshida provides a moving commentary on the Yamato's last days and hours, with poignant vignettes of such figures as the force commander Vice Admiral Ito, who had correctly appreciated the futility of the mission yet carried out his task with calm resolution.

With the Yamato entering her final death agony, Yoshida gives us harrowing descriptions of the effects of explosives and steel on human flesh - a timely reminder in this age of glossy propaganda of the true face of battle. Then there is the homecoming, with Yoshida's personal struggle to come to terms with the meaning of his survival while so many of his comrades are dead.

No review of this book would be complete without acknowledging the outstanding work of its translator, Richard Minear, who has also provided an excellent introduction. Thanks to his efforts, this work will not only be read with profit by the military historian, but anyone who seeks to broaden his understanding of the human condition.

This book is not for readers searching for details of battle, or apologies for participating in the miltary adventure against the US. Yoshida Mitsuru was an unlikely survivor of a suicide mission.

Some of the reviewers have found this book morbid, and focused on death. Mitsuru attempts to describe his feelings and unaswered question that haunted him for the rest of his life. Why was he saved, when so many other died? Was there a purpose to his life, and the life of his dead shipmates. These are questions that all men ask to some extent, but for those caught in a war, life and death are close and constant companions.

The normal thoughts of young men towards life and the future are put aside as their ship plows forward on a suicide mission.

Do not buy or read this book if you are not prepared to think about the personal cost of war. Some have described this as an anti-war book. I do not believe that is a correct description. This book is written by someone whose education and social standing required him to enter the Navy, and go to war. I view this work as a refection of an eyewitness and wounded survivor. Such an experience at such a young age makes one an expert on the war experience, not the root causes of war or their justifications.

Most men who shared Mitsuru's experience do not write, or even disuss their experiences. For some, just the thoughts of their experience is unbearable and the reason some end their days in mental hospitals.

When Mitsuru wrote the first draft of this book, it fell under the authority and censorship of the American Occupation, which did not approve of the text.

Which brings up the question not posed directly by this book. What "truths" were censored during the official investigations surrounding Pearl Harbor, the Bataan Death March, and other matters that impacted on the ledgends and careers of Americans of that time?

Excellent book. One of the few that focus on the non-financial aspects of retirement. Because the authors base their recommendations on the extensive research they have done, it adds to the credibility of their recommendations. This book is a must read for anyone beginning to plan for retirement, who just retired or have already entered retirement. They include a great tool (retirement quiz) that provides a way to monitor how effectively you are adjusting to and enjoying this phase in your life.

As I read Retirement RX, I learned more about my own strengths and weaknesses in creating the retirement adventure I began 2 and a half years ago. The basic research by Drs. Fritz and Jim gives rich, rock solid evidence of how important the 8 traits to a highly successful retirement are andhow they work to create the life we desire. I enjoyed the "test" and felt pleased with scores that make me know I'm headed in the right direction. Having read and enjoyed the book so much, I intend to use it as a reference and guide to keep my priorities where I want them to be. I strongly recommend reading it for those getting ready to retire and those already on the path. I have given copies to friends to help them enjoy a "happy, rest of their lives." Thanks docs, its a winner.

This is a great primer on retirement, though retirement is truly a misnomer as the authors indicate. This period of life is less about leaving a career behind and more about transitioning to a new phase in life. The two Dr's view retirement as a "second career" and should be viewed as the "business of living well". This period of life demands just as much planning, forethought and implementation as your first career. The 8 Traits of Successful Retirement help articulate the process and enables one to develop their own plan for the golden years. The book is realistic and looks at the 4 phases of retirement. As you age and your health and abilities diminish, your attitude needs not when you have a plan and purpose. I really appreciated the emphasis on engaging your spouse in the process and tackling the future as a team. A great book, well researched, insightful anecdotes and helpful in creating a game plan for the 2nd half of life.

I read this book with new thoughts on looking at our retirement objectives. It gave me new ideas on how we could use our time but more important it was very emotionally supportive to enjoying life. It also reduced my fear of facing our older years especially fear of getting ill. THEN- using our strengths to fight illness and possible disabilities.

Excellent book. Very wise; filled with excellent advice and opportunties to self-assess preparedness for retirement.

Here is the clarion call to a true life that
glorifies God. Put the lies of culture aside
and learn the real truth.. and live it!!

If you're looking for a challenge in your spiritual walk - this is the book for you. Law's classic book was the transforming resource in the lives of the Wesley brothers as well as abolitionist William Wilberforce - just as it changed their lives, this book will not leave you the same!

I've read an abridged and edited version for the modern reader by John Meister (158 pages) - but it wasn't enough - I had to order the small type 317 page version! This is not an easy read - on the difficulty scale of 1 - 10, this would be a solid 9. I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone in high school or even college - Law deals with real world issues and a little seasoning in life is necessary to get the full effect of his challenge. This is a perfect book for the Christian man who wants more than a Purpose Driven Life, the man looking for a profound, insightful, and challenging read that will deeply impact the core of his being!

You can find these books online. The longer version is a Vintage Spiritual Classics edition and retails for around $13.00. Rare will be the person that will want this book - but if you're the one, don't pass this one up! I give this my highest endorsement and recommendation.

Law deals directly with the concept of devotion to God - and asks some difficult questions about where man places his true devotion in life - in the things of this world, or in the Kingdom of Heaven? Law argues that a wise and reasonable man will wholly devote himself to the things of the Lord for they are far superior to the temporal and worthless things of this world. In fact, Law says that a lack of this devotion is a clear indicator of gross ignorance! The book gives several practical elements necessary for a devoted life including prayer, study, humility and confession. But it is not the elements about which Law writes, it is the manner in which he presents them to the reader that makes this book so exceptional - Law raises the bar and challenges the follower of Christ to live an exemplary life, a life worthy of their calling, a life comparable to the great saints who have walked before us or even to angels who minister above us!

This book should be read by every Christian that can get it. It was a tremendously insightful and humbling book that opened my eyes to the hypocrisy in my own life as well as the church in general. The Christian church in America and I am guessing much of the Industrialized and wealthy west[yes, I am a member of that group] have fallen so far from the devotion and holiness that God requires that it is a shock to see what was the actual New Testament norm just 270+ years ago, let alone at the time of the writing of the New Testament. This was a very easy to read book, compared to say Spurgeon or Calvin. Extremely convicting personally. Would recc. to anyone who see themselves as sinners and wants to know what they should do. Includes excellent examples and is written as a practical guide, though not a how-to book[remember, was written over 270+ yrs. ago, before self-help books where invented;)]Found out about this book from a Word Pictures Program on the subject at their video's are also highly recc. for those seeking to glorify God and enjoy him for eternity[mans chief end]
Sincerely,
Wayne Borngesser

wow - what an inspirational, hard-hitting, right on read this has been. I'm still in the process of reading it but I already love it. This should be required reading for all Christians. Then perhaps the church would live differently than the world and perhaps we'd have less scandal.

So far I can see that there needs to be a balance. One could easily tend towards legalism and a justification by self-works type of mentality. Perhaps he'll cover in later chapters how it's the Spirit of God that now creates the will to do differently and also empowers us to do so as we allow him to lead us in all areas of our lives.

But as long as one is aware of this work of the Spirit in a believer's life, then this book can do nothing but stimulate one to self-reflection and love and good works.

The fact Pastor John Piper in some of his books, "Don't Waste Your Life" and "A Hunger for God" quoted Law in this book several times intrigued me to read it personally. As I went through the chapters, however, it is clear to me and will become clear to the readers as well that Law sounds eerily close to a Roman Catholic minus the devotions to the rituals. Despite many deep, excellent, stinging, uncomfortable, soul-searching reflections and illustrations on the Christian life contrasted against the futility of a self-centered life that I believe are profitable for Christians, particularly to defy the preaching of prosperity gospel that seems to "prosper" more than the true gospel, sadly Law embraces the fatally erroneous doctrine of justification by works. In his view, Christians need to practice the principles of piety, self-denial, generosity, meekness, simplicity of life and all the Bible, particularly the New Testament teaches, the best they can in order to be saved that sounds all too familiarly popish. What he mostly brings up from the Bible is the wonderful teachings of Christ. There is no mention of poverty of spirit, dependence on God's grace to live a sanctified life or to desire to live for him to begin with, let alone the cross, justification by faith, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and perseverance of the saints.

Well, the immediate questions that arise are of course, aren't Christians saved already, and that they are saved by grace on the basis of the finished atoning death and resurrection of Christ on the cross, and not by works? How does one know that he has done his best? What is the standard? Whose standard is it to use to determine whether one has done his best, man's or God's? If it is man's standard, which one? The Pope's? How can we be so sure if it is his standard to be used, not someone else's? If it is God's, where is it in the Bible that says God commands us to do the best we can and not rely on him for everything without excluding our responsibilities? Where is it in the Bible that God's standard says we are saved as long as we do the best we can? This is unquestionably deadly because in the end, it points to the perfectionist demand of the law where no one can meet, which is warned against by the Apostle Paul in his epistles, particularly to the Romans and Galatians. The meat of what Law talks about is all about doing and there is no mention of child-like dependence and trusting on God's grace in Christ through the Holy Spirit to enable us to follow what Law, in some cases, biblically and exquisitely exhorts to embrace and practice. To properly describe what Law offers here is a mixture of rich food and poison. The rich food is his biblical heart-piercing warnings, rebukes, reflections, illustrations and encouragements, specifically about prayer, fasting, simplicity, modesty, generosity, humility and self-denial that I must admit are too good, too important, and too bitter-sweet, eye-opening of an exposure and remedy to my own weaknesses to be overlooked as well as too precious to be neglected in practice. The poison is his constant insistence of justification by works. For the fullest benefit to be reaped, enjoy the rich food. Let it purify our souls and reform our lives, but spit the poison out. Instead, embrace and enjoy the even richer food of justification in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, and to the glory of God alone for these are the fountain that enables all true piety.

This book will provide multiple and in-depth frameworks for thinking about and managing services and services marketing. Adding to the frameworks are real-world examples from leading edge companies. The authors' depth of knowledge shines through in fitting these examples within the frames giving the reader insight as to how to apply each to their own particular scenario.

A very informative book, however it is easy to see that it was written by professors. The book does make basic business subjects more complex than needed.

With its comprehensive content, the book gives a fantastic overview of the important issues in services marketing today. There are many interesting and practical examples demonstrating the learning points. Well-balanced perspective. Besides giving readers the foundations of concepts and tools to use as services marketing managers, it also gives readers interesting tips on how to get around or leverage on current services strategies used by companies as customers.

As Services industries continue to become a larger and larger share of our global economy, the importance of Services Marketing can only grow. Wirtz and Lovelock have written an excellent book for understanding Services Marketing and backing it up with numerous excellent real world case examples. I have been in the Services industry for 21 years, but still learned a tremendous amount from the book and cases. The book makes it easy to grasp the key concepts and has a logical, smooth flow. If after reading this book and exploring the accompanying cases, you still don't have a thorough knowledge of Services Marketing, it is YOUR fault! I highly recommend this book and think it should be part of every MBA program.

This is such a well-written and well-organized book that you can simply read from cover-to-cover or jump into your interested chapters right away.

Not only does the authors present you with their in-depth coverage of the various services related topics, supplementary materials (papers, cases) from other excellent sources/authors make this an absolute encyclopedia of services marketing and a coherent contemporary literature for both novices and seasoned practitioners.

This is THE book for this very under-written and immensely critical topic of services marketing and an essential reading for the 60-80% of the workforce who are involved in the ever growing services sector.

Holly Hollenbeck reminds us to put our spouse and our relationship at the top of our "To Do" list. I love her opening chapter -- you might see yourself!

With so many of us making New Year's resolutions, I know I need to resolve to keep my marriage strong and reignite the passion. I'd recommend this book for a book club (don't forget the chocolate martinis!), a gift for a new (or not so new) bride or any gal pal.

With managing a home with five (yes, five)kids and trying to maintain sane, I know this book was a good one for me to read.

Sex Lives of Wives is a entertaining and informative book on how to maintain the passion in marriage. Holly Hollenbeck writes with a down to earth real world style. She writes from the perspective of a fellow traveler on the journey to greater marital passion. As a wife and mother from the mid-west she is easy to identify with as a reader. Wives and Husbands should read this book together and then begin a passion quest together.

Sex Lives of Wives is an entertaining and fun read. Additionally, it provides you with practical advice on how to keep the passion alive in your marriage--something very worthwhile. Buy this book, you won't regret it and neither will your spouse!

Written for married women in their thirties, forties, and fifties who feel trapped in passionless marriages, "Sex Lives of Wives" offers ways for these women to rediscover the passion within themselves. Although Hollenbeck describes experiences by married women (from her Passion Seekers support group and from online research) who participated in extra-marital affairs, swinging, and alternative sexual practices to reignite their passion, the book's theme always returns to the spouse.

Using the metaphor of "passion quest," Hollenbeck describes most of her ideas in figurative terms such as taking emotional and sexual journeys to new places, and occasionally in literal terms including actually traveling to a couple's only resort and visiting a nude beach. This book offers many different ways of reigniting the passion in marriage, and concludes with a glossary of passionate terms, a guide to sexy entertainment, resources on human sexuality, and Passion Seekers coupons. "Sex Lives of Wives" is an informative and entertaining book.

Leslie Halpern, author of Reel Romance: The Lovers' Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies and Dreams on Film: The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science.

Holly Hollenbeck is a marvelous storyteller. She brings the stories of married women to life with respect for the complexities of modern day wife-hood, and a challenge to women to get back in touch with the passion that day-to-day life sometimes robs us of. Holly has brought together important research and common sense ideas to help women form a new way of thinking about how to connect with their husbands.
I was concerned about the chapters that discuss alternative lifestyles, including swinging and affairs. I'm not a big fan of partner swapping, and I abhor infidelity, so I was interested in seeing where this would go. I think the basic message that came out here--even though it made me uneasy--was that the power of connecting with your partner trumps the immediate gratification of having a fling with others.
Ultimately the book challenges women (and men) to think differently about how to get passion in their lives. And I'm all for that!

Stink and the Incredible Shrinking Kid is about a boy that keeps shrinking and he's making comics about it. His sister Judy measures him every morning and that's when he finds out that he's shrinking. If you like Judy Moody books, you will like Stink. If you like fiction, this will be a good book for you.

Hi I'm Connor. Do you like Stink Moody? If you do you'll love this book. It is about a kid who is shrinking when he is at school. But I'm not going to tell you anything else, not one little bit not even half. But I can tell you this It is great for grades 2 and 3 and your kids will love it. So go buy it.

My review is for the book stink. It is written by Megan Mc Donald Illustrated
by Peter H. Reynolds. The Genre of this book is Adventure.
Stink is a short guy. Stink writes a report about the 6th president ,James Madison .He writes it because Madison was the shortest president. Stink wants Madison on the State Quarter. Will they give it to him? Read the book and see!
The Author's message is if you short you can grow to be tall. Don't be
afraid or feel bad about yourself. Our class picked it because it is funny.
Its great because it has comic in side.

I have been looking for a book my 7 year old would want to read on his own - and this is it! The chapters are short, the words are not too small and well spaced. There is also a comic by Stink at the end of each chapter that my sons loves to read. My son read it all on his own, even without me there! I am thrilled to have found a book about a 2nd grade boy that my son can relate to!

I am a big fan of the Jody Moody series, so I was thrilled when I heard they were coming out with a series about Joudy's little brother Stink! This book is well written and easy for young and old readers to understand. It is a very funny and enjoyable book! I totally recommend it to anyone who likes comedy.

As a previous student of Dr. Konner and a student of Neuroscience and Psychology, I must say that over the years I have read many, many books on human behavior and this is the absolute best by far. There is no book that is comprable to The Tangled Wing in it's thoroughness and it's readability. I have read this book cover to cover twice and use it for reference often. His research in the field is extensive. Dr. Konner is a marvelous speaker and his writings are equally captivating. New research in the field is developed upon the information contained in this book. Anyone interested in not only neuroscience, but how people are and why they are that way should read this book. It is very enjoyable and opens your eyes to seeing the world through a whole new perspective.

My second favorite book is "Childhood" by Dr. Konner. It's a must read for anyone interested in understanding children.

If you read only one book about human behavior, this should be it. If you read many books about human behavior, this should be one of them. Prof. Konner is wise, he is erudite, he is literate, and he is humane. Rather than take one-sided positions or air only politically correct view, Konner synthesizes a huge amount of information and comes to sensible conclusions. I cannot recommend this book highly enough

I don't know how I managed to miss this one for so long (there was an earlier edition from the 1980's; this one is completely updated). Konner is a physician and anthropologist. He wrote this as an attempt "to show what an integration (of evolutionary psychology into the whole of social and behavioral sciences) might look like." It consists of an in-depth survey of the literature on the "science of human nature," and research into the biology of human "frailties" such as fear, lust, and love. He provides a very useful perspective as a cultural (?) anthropologist with great knowledge of the hunter-gatherer way of life and an understanding of the varieties of cultural expression. He frequently waxes poetic and uses substantial references to literature and the arts, of which I sometimes missed the point and which was prone to cause me to become distracted from the primary narrative as well. But give him credit for trying. Also, many chapters seemed to have no internal structure and felt like a random list of findings relevant to a subject. But I was extremely impressed with the impeccable referencing (accessed online), especially his personal recommendations for further reading.

What piqued me the most was his conclusion and final...tirade? His penultimate chapter starts with a tour of the dazzling new world created by the sequencing of the human genome but suddenly veers into a thorough and absolutely fact-based litany of why we are headed toward a Malthusian disaster if business continues as usual. He even updates Barrington Moore, Jr.'s targeting of "the attractive upper middle class mother, driving a station wagon full of happy sunburned children" (now it's an SUV and the kids are sunscreened) as the ultimate culprit in causing human misery. Several months ago I would have huzzah-ed him on and said "amen!" Now I'm not so sure of the utility of this exercise. I was actually personally offended by his statement that, "the deepest circle of hell certainly must be reserved for...'techno-optimists'." Such fools (as I) only have such hope because our homes are not yet "overwhelmed by floods, squatter populations, mafias, food shortages, electric grid failures, or epidemics."

For all the clear exposition of the causes of our potential annihilation he leaves a very scant image of our route toward salvation. Has he no imagination? Or is it just non-"academic" or Pollyanna-ish to try to envision how a successful human world might look? He only says, "It's a no-brainer: reduce population, reduce consumption, reduce pollution. That's it. Difficult? Too bad. Be grateful it's still possible. Ayres call it `God's last offer.' Take it or leave it." I think one could write a whole book in response to that....

If I were asked to recommend only one book for everyone in the world to read, this would be the one.
It is a book about ourselves, written with compassion, humor, and great erudition in the sciences and the arts. Not light reading by any means, but infinitely worth the effort.

This is probably the most complete book I've read regarding the biology of behavior. It is well updated on its previous foundation. At times it is very drawn out, but for true students of behavior it is indispensable. My one real complaint with MK's prose is his at times reliance on this concept of "spirit" as if he is trying for the old Gould tactic of appealing to the "non-overlapping magisteria" style of writing about science and "spirituality". It really, for me, takes away from the key points at times in this book. His further acceptance of the "religion is ok by me" stance in later debates is really an example of the backwards thinking of certain scientists when religion is given its pedastool on which to guard it from the taboo criticism of truly progressive thinkers (Dawkins et al) Good book anyway.

My son is 4 1/2 and has just discovered graphic novels, starting with W.I.T.C.H., book 2. We're on to book 1 and ready to start looking for #3 and beyond. He loves these books, surprisingly to me, and I love them as well. He's been watching Studio Gibli movies since he was little, so it makes sense to me that he would like the manga style. Now, we just have to get our library to stock all of the series!

Will,Irma,Taranee,Cornelia,and Hay Lin are 5 ordinary friends with an extraordinary secret.They have been
chosen as 5 guardians of the Veil.They have power over Phobos. Will is the leader of the group.She has red
hair. I like her the most. I read this book about 15 times. This review is written by Nalanda

I live in Sweden, where the W.I.T.C.H. magazine is published. You should all know that the comic came FIRST, before the novelisations and the show. Where else would the comic inserts have come from?

Also, I like the comic much more than the show because it has a nicer style and of course it's the original.

This is an excellent story about five girls who discover they're more than just a face in the crowd.

This book was AWESOME!!!!I own this book. Will,Irma,Taranee,Cornelia,and Hay-Lin learn about the magic of friendship and thier powers in this book. But anyway,if you like W.I.T.C.H., You'll LOVE this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like this book for a couple different reasons: one is the drawings, another is it kinda reminds me of well, Sailor Moon and Winx. Even though winx is a few years old,(like, 2002 maybe?) and Sailor Moon's from the '90's, I think in a way it went like this: Sailor Moon went on to Winx Club and Winx club went on to W.I.T.C.H.,maybe? Anyway, back to the review..... another reason I like this book is because it puts you in different moods, like, funny, happy, and a I-wonder-what's-gonna-happen- next-mood.Well I better not tell ya about the story if ya hadn't read the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Don't wanna get the story spoiled, do ya?! And plus, I'll give ya some advice: Don't AND I MEAN DON'T try to read like the end, cause that will spoil it baaaaaad!