Word for word, the best book ever. I loved the ending: "I will never pinch you or crawl in you ear. So, let's be pals." I believed him when he said that. This book is appropriate for all ages. Did you know that earwigs have wings, but prefer not to fly? If you didn't, you need this book. Ten pages.

The media tends to distort the information. Many people cannot tell what is true and what is not. Many Arabs and Jews ask questions about how the state of Israel was created. They ask questions about who supported its creation, the role of the US, UK, and what the Arabs did to resist. They also ask about what happened in Palestine before and after 1948.

This book was written by two British men back in 1975, a journalist and a British MP, describe what happened behind closed doors before and after 1948 in the British Labour Party and parliment, role of the media, the US, and the Arab involvement. They expose hidden pacts, secrets, media bias, and much more.

This book is an excellent history book. If you have a strong desire to learn the history of the Israeli-Arab conflict, then read this book. Hard to find, therefore, you have to buy it used. But it is worth buying it in any condition you find it in.

This book compares five major groups of texts of the same pseudepigraphal book. This book is not appropriate for someone who has not read previous works containing or discussing the Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament.

This book does not contain any discussion of the textual problems with the work or discussion of how the work fits into Jewish or Christian literature. This book is purely intended to be source material, from which the reader can choose to draw his or her own conclusions about the work. This synopsis contains Greek, Latin, Armenian, Georgian, and Slavonic manuscripts of the book. There are major textual differences between these, coming from the book having passed through many hands, many of which had their own ideas to share. Additionally, there are differences within each group; the Latin texts are in four subgroups, and differences among them are marked in the book.

The Greek and Latin texts are presented in the original tounge; the Armenian in an English translation; the Georgian in a French translation; and the Slavonic in a German translation. The commentary is entirely in English. Yes, if you do not have a reading knowledge of Fr., Ger., Lat., or Gr., then you miss some of the variant texts. This fact means that this synopsis is not for the casual reader.

It was fascinating, however, to see the problems that a serious scholar of ancient texts must face. It gave me a new understanding of the little footnotes on textual differences that one finds in a modern Bible.

This book successfully does what it sets out to do (give the naked texts with bibliographic references to other studies that do analysis). The fact that this was not what I had expected when I bought it is not the author's fault. I did find that the notations used in the text -- to show differences within a particular language group of texts -- were not always clear and not fully explained. It may well be that they would have been clear for the scholars who are this book's intended audience.

this is a great book. i had to do a presuasive speach and essay on smoking and your health and this book was my best resource. it is chalked full of helpful stats, nasty but true facts and great views on the matter. combine with its slight sarcastic humor and accurate stats this is a must have for anyone looking for info on this topic

If you are writing software which must be internationalized, then there is no question that you need this book and you need Unicode. What ASCII is for the United States, Unicode is for the rest of the world. In this world (particularly this software world) of pontificating know-it-alls-who-don't, it is getting rarer and rarer to find complete compendiums of an entire domain of knowledge which can serve as the seminal reference for all successive work. This book is one of those rare seminal references which has in it the greatest quantity and greatest quality of wisdom and knowledge on the alphabets of the world for use in computer software.

From the perspective of domestic software developers within the United States, Unicode is essentially 7-bit ASCII in a 16-bit unsigned integer. In the immensely popular C and C++ languages Unicode strings behave like ASCII strings:
. Unicode 0/null terminates C/C++ strings, just like ASCII 0/null.
. Unicode has a type in ANSI Standard C and ISO Standard C++ (and ARM-defined C++): wchar_t. For C/C++ programmers, char=ASCII wchar_t=Unicode.
. Unicode has a plethora of standard string manipulation functions already standardized in ANSI Standard C and ISO Standard C++, usually substitute the str with wcs (e.g., strcpy=wcscpy, strcmp=wcscmp, strcat=wcscat) and substitute the char parameters with wchar_t parameters. Abracadabra, your software is well on its way to being able to have strings in any foreign language as well as English.
. Unicode characters are all the same size (16-bit), just like ASCII (8-bit).
. Unicode's first 127 values are essentially 7-bit ASCII values.
. Unicode completely eliminates all that darned "code page" baloney.
. Unicode completely solves all that "How do we stuff that odd foreign character into the printable characters on screen/paper?" problem.
. Unicode is an ISO standard which came from a defacto United States computer industry standard. It is not ivory tower; it is in common use.
. Unicode was developed with you the software engineer and programmer in mind from day one. Unicode was developed with C++'s/C's wchar_t in mind from day one. It all fits together with Unicode.
. Unicode is used as a supported string technology (or the only string technology) in: Java, C++, C, Windows NT, Novell Netware, Solaris, and numerous other computing environments.
. Unicode supports all alphabets in use in the world today, plus alphabet-less languages such as Chinese, as well as languages whose alphabets are still being formalized.
. Because Unicode characters are all the same size, Unicode characters are random-access in that one can access any character (pick a card, any card) and know by looking at its value what that character is. Other multi-byte character sets must be parsed sequentially from the beginning of the string to assure that one has detected what mode some escape sequence has shifted that portion of the string into.
. Unicode seeks to solve every defect of previous multi-byte character sets. Unicode is the fittest to survive. All other multi-byte character sets should be (and will be) abandoned.
. Unicode = exportable software world wide in the global economy. ASCII = limiting your market to the English-speaking minority of the world.
. Unicode = supporting the information systems of all of the foreign branch offices of your company. ASCII = crippling your information system so that it supports nothing more than the English-only offices.
. ASCII = string equivalent of the Year 2000 Problem. Unicode = the fix to language-crippled software.

(And we won't even discuss the obvious and total superiority of Unicode over EBCDIC!)

In short Unicode is good for the software industry. This book is the official reference for Unicode from the inventor of Unicode: The Unicode Consortium.

The views contained within this feedback is in no way associated with my employer nor any other organization.

Mortimore, a British geographer with 28 years of residence in northern Nigeria and several books to his name, is an adept and rigorous practitioner of local-level cultural ecology. Bill Adams began his career examining the fate of Northern Nigeria's large irrigation schemes, and has since written extensively on conservation and sustainability questions. Working the Sahel emerged from a five year British-funded investigation into patterns of agricultural intensification and labor use in four sub-locations located on a transect of varying population density between Kano and the Nigeria-Niger border. This book subsumes some of Mortimore's long term datasets and archival material, permitting longitudinal evaluations.

Working the Sahel is a tightly focused research monograph. The key question it poses is how individual skills are exercised in "strategic and tactical" ways by households in Northern Nigeria, and how resource endowments are managed under varying population densities. The starting point is that constraints on farming activities can be distilled into four categories; rainfall, bioproductivity of plants and soil, labor, and the availability of capital. Labor constraints in Nigeria and elsewhere have been generally been relaxed as population densities rise, permitting some combination of intensification of agricultural production in-situ, economic diversification out of agriculture, and circular migration. Adaptation - a term much critiqued by anthropologists - is used quite sensibly here to describe the reflexive, longer term restructuring of Sahelian rural systems in the response to these four constraints. Both flexibility and adaptability are demanded of Sahelian farmers.

The core of the book concerns the day to day management of labor. In the four villages, high frequency time-budget observations by local researchers took place over four years, initially with the men, women and children of around 45 households. The study found that some labor inefficiencies are inevitable in dryland farming systems. Short cropping seasons in the drier villages concentrate labor demand; but since crop growth is dependent on rainfall, drought years can actually provoke labor surpluses. To maintain flexibility, therefore, labor is matched to resource endowments, and by switching between livelihood activities. Women and children make significant contributions to agricultural labor, that are greater in the drier and more extensive farming systems where Islamic seclusion is more relaxed.

A picture emerges of biodiversity maintained by cultivation practices, and only localized episodes of degradation, largely driven by precipitation fluctuations. In their view, "Nothing could be further from the scenario of reckless resource degradation which has been put about by some academics and development agencies" (p193). The book also argues farmers have already developed pathways to "indigenous intensification" (p97) in the drylands, where denied access to fertilizer.

Adaptive responses in the four villages include significant non-farm activities, since as Mortimore and Adams are at pains to stress, risk is spread through diversification. Impelled by economic factors, such as the instabilities generated by Nigeria's commodity booms and busts, and the recognition that animals offer investment opportunities, a pattern has emerged of "the more crops produced, the more livestock kept" (p132), in mixed farming systems. Private accumulation through petty trading in rural periodic markets is just part of a widely developed trading system, and markets also provide a wide range of social functions. Long distance migration, described much too briefly in the book, articulates with broader economic opportunity in regional hinterlands, and nationally.

The authors personalize some of these labor tradeoffs and decision-making processes by profiling six farmers, by means of activity charts and brief personal histories. These profiles highlight how and when households deploy their labor. The book concludes by stressing that agricultural development initiatives in the Sahel fail when they are reductionist, and ignore diversity and variability. There is a dig here at farming systems research, which has underpinned agronomic development programs in the Sahel, for its focus on efficiency criteria. Dryland farmers are not profit or efficiency maximizers, since "..'efficiency' would leave no room for flexible maneuver" (p192). The message for future development interventions is a simple one; big schemes won't work, and "the most impressive stories of development are those where a need for multiple choices, to suit a range of smallholder families, has been met, implicitly or explicitly, in the type of interventions and opportunities affecting rural households." (p191).

Politics receives too little discussion in the book, and is missing from the conceptual model used: it is only discussed as a starting point for the analysis of local farmer responses. Social and political conflict is downplayed, and not much is said about struggle and open resistance - and why such struggles (often gendered, or to do with resource access issues) might be necessary.
Nonetheless the insistence on rigorous comparative fieldwork in Working the Sahel is salutary. The authors remind us that smallholder agriculture is potentially productive, and environmentally benign, in parts of the world where the presence of globalized agricultural knowledge, pervasive development discourses, and far-reaching commodity markets is still fragmentary. To do this, the authors afford equal analytical weight to natural environments and to human activities. The book shows the real contribution that committed geographers can make to African agrarian and development studies.

One of the best places on earth photographed by the best in the business. These stunning pictures will take your breath away. One sometimes wishes for larger pictures.

I highly recommend Up Your Score for students trying to improve their SAT scores. It is very easy to read and extremely informative. The authors write it from a student's perspective, and include some humorous and light-hearted comments. Excellent strategies are included for sentence completions, analogies, and critical reading sections. There is also an exhaustive vocabulary list for those students willing to increase their vocabulary. The math sections are also worthwhile. Unlike other SAT prep books, this book is readable and not formidable like many other huge SAT prep books that weigh a ton! Great job done by these authors!

There's one thing that separates this book from all the other SAT books -- it's written BY students FOR students. That, and you actually WANT to keep reading it. There's nothing dry and boring about this book. It's funny, it's helpful, and I give it more credit for helping me raise my Verbal & Math scores than any of the other books that I bought. I believe that the only books you really need to prepare for the SAT I are "Up Your Score" for insight on the test, tips on how to master the different types of problems, and a no-fail vocabulary builder, and "10 Real SAT's" for the practice tests. I've recommended "Up Your Score" to all my friends-- it's the only SAT book I've read that was fun to read & helpful at the same time.

Glancing around your local bookstore, you won't find many entertaining sat prep books. "Up Your Score," was recommended by a teacher at my high school and I have to say that I loved it. The writers keep you awake and interested with witty remarks and making fun of the SAT in general. If you don't want to study a whole lot for the test, just read this book and you will be ready. If you are planning on studying majorly, read this before the test and it will relax you and give you helpful hints.

Threat Vector is the latest riveting underseas adventure from ex-submariner Michael DiMercurio. Particularly interesting is the fact that Dimercurio can so seamlessly weave submarine warfare with science fiction to deliver such an entertaining tale.

As far as the plot goes, 'Threat Vector' is too similar to some of his other books to garner 5 stars. Despite his fantastic way of involving the reader with the characters and warfare, I'm getting tired of his standard plot, ie., a new super weapon/sub appears and takes out all the enemy except for great super weapon sub that eventually triumphs. I think Mr. DeMercurio you can mix it up a bit more in future books.

I also read somewhere from some reader that all the warfare lends these books a bit unfocused, and I sort of agree with that. Perhaps a central story without so many mass deaths from book to book would make the story tighter.

Nevertheless I was totally entertained by 'Threat Vector' and look forward to anything from DiMercurio in the future.

Well, Michael DiMercurio has done it again! Not only that, he topped his last achievement (PIRANHA FIRING POINT) with THREAT VECTOR, a novel that shows that DiMercurio can keep a series alive, fresh and full of new ideas. In addition, it could almost be said that THREAT VECTOR is the "logical" extension of PIRANHA FIRING POINT, especially when it becomes known to the reader early on, that the President has appointed Patch Pacino as CNO (Chief of Naval Operations).

This novel also has some bittersweet elements as well. When the Ukrainians sink an American cruise ship carrying the Navy's senior officers, many characters we know from previous installments become casualties. I was sorry to read that many of the characters I liked were gone. About 1/3 of the way through, DiMercurio shows that he also has a sense of humor, too. He has named one of the escorting destroyers the TOM CLANCY; read the novel and find out what he does with this ship.

Another thoroughly enjoyable aspect of this book was the way in which Michael DiMercurio combines plausible future developments with what we know is possible today. The explanations and descriptions of future technological advancements are masterful in their simplicity. The "Devilfish" as a weapons platform is something that may not be available right now, but given the dramatic technological leaps being made every day, it is not difficult to conceive its existence 18-20 years from now.

Michael DiMercurio also pays a subtle tribute to the naval traditions of the past. If I didn't read incorrectly, he re-introduces an officer uniform that the Navy did away with in the early 1970s. I'm speaking specifically of the service dress khaki officer uniform. It had a khaki coat and instead of the officer insignia on the sleeve cuff, the rank was carried on shoulder boards. I always thought that was a sharp uniform and it was a nice tribute to the USN of the past. That was a nice segue, Michael and I liked the sneaky little way you brought the uniform back.

To be sure, this is a submarine story but it also has all the elements of really good science fiction, too. With much of the technology future based, the reader is catapulted into a world that isn't here yet, but could very well be in the near future. Another aspect is that the author has left certain little clues as to where he might go with the next installment in this series. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say, that the reader will still have questions when he finishes with this story. They are good questions, though and the kind that will leave the reader waiting to read TERMINAL RUN (which is the working title of the next book in this series).

As I have said in my reviews of previous DiMercurio novels, this author is the master of this genre. If anyone cares to debate it, I'll meet them anytime, anywhere. Tom Clancy's "Hunt for Red October" was written by a lucky and gifted amateur. The Michael DiMercurio novels are thrillers but they're also a tibute to the men of the Silent Service, the same men that DiMercurio served with from 1980-88. Tom Clancy can't make that claim, because he never served in ANY of the armed forces.

There is an injustice associated with Micahel DiMercurio's books, however and it is not the author's fault. I really believe that if Penguin Putnam marketed these books differently (starting with hardcover and a much bigger advertising budget) that Michael DiMercurio could have been (and still could be) as big as Clancy or any of the other popular and best selling authors. There is no reason for this and in fact, more than one of the DiMercurio novels should have ben made into a movie. After all, if CRIMSON TIDE, a movie that came out 4-5 years ago could be a hit, ALL of DiMercurio's books should have been considered for production. IF the rest are still ignored, Hollywood should not ignore THREAT VECTOR. The plot premises are plausible and foreseeable and the storyline would adapt well to the screen if for no other reason than there would be a lot of action with believeable and likeable characters.

One other thing readers may find interesting about this book. The antagonists do some despicable things but by themselves, they are not all that despicable as people. The reader will find himself feeling a certain amount of sympathy for the Ukrainian sub captain. To me, he was a worthy opponent for both Karen Petri and later, Kelly McKee. He was a captain placed in an extrememly awkward and delicate position by an unscrupulous President. How he leads his men, fights his ship and makes his decisions all contribute to the make-up of a fascinating character. And once again, the critics are wrong; Michael DiMercurio writes action filled sub stories but he also gives his readers well developed characters.

I apologize to the critics for my comments. I really do. I just can't find anything NOT TO LIKE about this series and the writer who created it. If Michael DiMercurio is guilty of anything, stories and hours of reading enjoyment.

BZ Michael, you've done it again! I'm looking forward to TERMINAL RUN and to your mainstream fiction when that hits the bookstores. Thanks for another great read!

Having read most every other sub author out there I highly recommend you read this and all of DiMercurio's books. His knowledge of subs and the USN are real, having been a serving officer, and elevate his writings well beyond those of his competitors. His technical experience on boats is obvious from DEVILFISH throughout all his books and authenticate the realism of his stories. His writing style is gripping, the plots easily believable, and the primary characters are developed to where "you know these guys". Micheal DiMercurio, in my opinion, is the new master. The King is dead. Long live the King!

Many of those who have disliked Conquest appear to have concluded that because characters from the Young Jedi Knight and Junior Jedi Knight series are in it, this book, too, must be for "young readers." Not so! Keyes has presented us with an epic tale of a young hero who must confront his own inner demons as well as monstrous foes in a quest to redeem himself. Conquest is, as another reviewer has observed, a classic "hero quest," and as such is a welcome return to the mythological underpinning of the entire Star Wars saga.

Keyes' style is both fluid and engrossing. The characters imported from Junior Jedi Knights are fully fleshed out and much more enjoyable than in their original venue. We are caught up in Anakin Solo's adventure, truly experiencing what he experiences and caring deeply about those things that matter to him. The story has its twists and turns, always leaving us on the edge of the seat. Even the Yuuzhan Vong are made interesting, as we see sides to their culture only hinted at in other works; we are finally given, as Anakin himself observes, Yuuzhan Vong who are not *enemies* but *people.* Keyes brings a new perspective to the New Jedi Order series, a much welcome one.

What prevents Conquest from receiving a five star rating is that its ending is too pat. Anakin's friend Tahiri undergoes an experience that cries out for an in-depth treatment (an experience that Jack Chalker's characters inevitably go through), but the potential is not followed up on. I cannot say more without completely spoiling the end, unfortunately.

Fans of adventure stories, as well as fans of Star Wars, should enjoy this one, even those who have not been following along with the rest of the series.

I have been reading the New Jedi Order books with trepidation. Every time I read one I find I am so drawn into the books that I feel the same horror as the characters as they see the destruction the Yuuzhan Vong evoke as they take over the Star Wars Galaxy. This book was no exception. I bought it when it first came out and couldn't bring myself to read it until recently. I kept looking at the book and saying "I can't read that - I don't want to know what happens next..." It was very hard to approach this book since I had read the Jr. Jedi Knights series and remembered the characters Tahiri, Tionne and others. Needless to say, this was the first book that gave me hope as well as more insight into the Yuuzhan Vong and the characters of Anakin Solo and Tahiri. If you are looking for the "tried and true" characters, Luke, Mara Jade, Han and Leia - this is not the place to find them. It's a new galaxy ...

Conquest is an excellent addition to the New Jedi Order series. Just when it seemed that the books were going to get predictable, Keyes takes the story in a different direction. This story is not as dark as some of the books in this series, most notably Star by Star which is very dark. Keyes captured the well-known characters perfectly. Although I was unfamiliar with many of the younger characters in this book, Keyes does an excellent job introducing them and integrating them into the older, more mature Star Wars books. Some people have complained about the length of the story, while it is shorter than some Star Wars books, but that doesn't detract from the excellent story at all. Some books just keep going, taking forever to get to the point. Conquest does not do this. As for the story focussing more on Anakin, it was really his turn. The first 3 NJO books focused on the Jedi as a whole, while the second 2 focussed on Han Solo. The book directly before conquest focussed on the twins more, so it was really Anakin's time. The casting of the Vong as different castes and in a more sympathetic light was a stroke of genius. The only reason this book has 4 stars instead of 5 is because as good as it is, Rebirth is better.