I have read all but the first Brian McKenna Book by Dan Mahoney. This was the only disappointment. It was good enough to finish, but was slow going.

Most of Dan Mahoney's books are well written, and drag you in, even if it is not a subject you are particularly interested in, but this one missed the boat.

I give it three stars because I finished it.

Books by the author have never let me down. Mr. Mahoneys insight on the NYPD is second to none. He combines made-up characters with real people to form a great plot. This story piting McKenna Verses a Doctor/Killer is truly engaging. Not as much behind the scene stuff with McKenna and family. I kind of liked it that way. More of this good murder/mystery came about. Interesting characters, whose careers you can follow by reading the whole series. All in all a great act. I look forward to Edge of the City(the only one of the series I haven't read) and all new works by the author. Thanks to my friend that lent me my 1st Mahoney.

HYDE really hits the spot as police procedures are represented in its rarest form. Believable plot and characters is what makes this book work. Having spent time in the same neighborhood that the story takes plaace only added to my appreciation of this book. Mahoney in New York is what Connelly is in Los Angeles. These guys should team up one day.

I bought this after reading the NYT book reviewer's
praise for it, and I've made several of the recipes.
The hands down winner is the Wild Mushroom Fricassee,
which is that rare combo, exotic seeming but easy
to make.

My only criticism so far would be the production
values -- it's not a visually appealing book.
Otherwise, go for it.

2002 12 31 Update: this continues to be a high favorite among my cook books. After dining at Rialto, my opinion of Adams has only risen. Really, buy it.

This beautifully illustrated and well-written new cookbook is a great antidote to the usual fare. Many cookbooks are either 'do-it-quick' manuals or make you feel inadequate with impossibly complex restaurant presentations. This book takes a third approach, which the authors call artisanal home cooking, but I call 'take the time to really cook things worth eating and worth cooking.'
Jody Adams is the chef at Rialto, a magnificent restaurant in Cambridge, MA, which is the place my wife and I always go for special occassions. The cookbook includes some of their best signature dishes, like soupe de poisson, but mostly it is a guide to Jody's philosophy of home cooking. She takes the reader on a tour of what she calls 'the kitchen in her head,' so that other people can see what it means to cook (and shop and plan menus and entertain) like a chef.
Ken Rivard, the co-author of this book, is a writer and a home cook, and the crisp and lively writing is what really makes this book stand out from the crowd. Many cookbooks have great recipes but are duds to read--this one is informative and entertaining, and strikes just the right balance of explaining techniques without insulting the intelligence of the reader.
I plan to 'cook my way' through this book, something I have never had the desire to do with a cookbook before. I started last night with Oliver's Chicken Stew, which was delicious. The book is designed to provide outstanding recipes, but also to teach a whole new approach to cooking, one that is intended to help people want to spend more time in the kitchen. I am usually intimidated by complex recipes and gorgeous cookbook photos--I know that mine will never look like that--but In the Hands of a Chef inspires confidence that a home cook can move from ordinary to out of the ordinary.

There are some real gems in this colleciton of recipes. They are unique, not that hard to duplicate and are outstanding.

So far, one is truly a standout in my collection: Fresh Tomato Soup with Seared Eggplant Sandwiches. Other recipes that have caught my attention and palate are: Fingerling Potato, Fig and Tarragon Salad, Winter Vegetable Gratin wiht Cranberries and Chestnuts, Fazzoletti with Lemon Cream, Pistachios, Spinach, and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Seared Quail Stuffed with Mascarpone and Green Peppercorns, and Sweet and Sour Braised Rabbit with Chocolate.

The instructions are thorough and easy to follow. As well, helpful sidebar discussions are provided on certain ingredients and preparation techniques.

All in all, a unique, classy, flavorful cookbook to use and enjoy.

Robert Remini's brief study of John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) is part of the American Presidency Series edited by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. The series has the commendable aim of introducing the reader to each of the Presidents in a volume of short scope. The broader aim, I think, is to reawaken an appreciation of the history of our country and to stimulate reflection on the American experience. Thus, each volume tries to present a story of a life and also to explain briefly what is unique about each President and makes him worthy to be remembered.

Remini gives an excellent discussion of John Quincy Adams's service to the United States, both during his Presidency and before and after it. The aspect of JQA's public service that stands out, both in his Presidency and outside it, is his commitment to American Nationalism. By this I mean a devotion to creating a strong, united nation for all the people to promote the public welfare. JQA worked diligently to advance the interests of the entire American people, as he saw these interests, rather than to be a tool of any faction or party or momentary passion. Much of the time, he succeeded.

As President, JQA advocated the creation of public works and improvements to link the country together. He was a strong supporter of education, scientific advancement, and learning. He wanted the Federal government to play an active role in supporting these ends and worked towards the creation of an American university. (After his Presidency he was a strong advocate for the creation of the Smithsonian Institution.)

Before he assumed the Presidency, Adams served as the Secretary of State under James Monroe. He worked for the goal of American Nationalism by expanding the boundaries of the United States through a skillful exercise of diplomacy until they extended to the Pacific Ocean. JQA also was instrumental in the formulation of the Monroe Doctrine.

Following his presidency. JQA served as a Congressman from Massachusetts. He distinguished himself in working for the anti-slavery cause and, specifically, by his tireless opposition to the "gag rule" which aimed to prevent critical discussion of slavery-related issues in the halls of Congress.

Remini presents his material in a way that focuses on this theme of JQA's public service and on its nationalistic aspirations . He also points out how and why JQA failed to realize many of his goals, particularly during his term as the sixth President (1825-1828) Adams was named President by the House of Representatives in a highly contested election. It was alleged that he struck a "corrupt bargain" with Henry Clay, who became Adams's Secretary of State. This "corrupt bargain" doomed the Adams Presidency and tarnished both Adams's and Clay's careers.

Adams was also highly opinionated and stuffy and gave the impression of aloofness. He was not a good politician and lacked a certain ability to compromise or to work cooperatively with others. At one point Remini writes (p. 110): "It is really impossible to think of any other president quite like John Quincy Adams. He seemed intent on destroying himself and his administration. By the same token, it is difficult to think of a president with greater personal integrity." JQA was defeated for a second term by Andrew Jackson in a bitterly fought campaign. Among other things, Jackson possessed abundant popular appeal and charisma, in sharp contrast to JQA's aloof, intellectual character.

While Adams's Presidency failed, his goals and ideals were good. They lived on and deserve studying and remembering.

Remini also gives a good summary of Adams's personal life, adopting some of the psychohistory of JQa's recent biographers. He points out the stresses that Adams endured from his famous father and mother and the pressures placed upon him and his brothers for high achievement. JQA also imposed these pressures and expectations, alas, on his own children. There is a good discussion of Adams's failed love affair as a young man --probably the one passion of his life -- and of his subsequent marriage to Louisa Johnson. Remini describes JQAs extensive intellectual interests, his tendencies to anger and to depression and he links these traits in a sensible way to the failings of Adams's Presidency.

This is an excellent study of JQA which captures in short compass the essence and character of his contribution to the United States. Readers who want to learn more about JQA -- with a focus on his service as Secretary of State and as Congressman from Massachusetts may wish to read the two-volume study by Samuel Flagg Bemis: "Joh Quincy Adams and the Foundations of American Foreign Policy" (1949) and "John Quincy Adams and the Union" (1956).

John Quincy Adams was the first son of a President to become President himself. Although his family connections didn't hurt, they also weren't overly helpful; his break from his father's Federalist connections means that JQA had to attain the nation's highest office based primarily on his own resume, not his father's.

Ironically, Adam's tenure as President was in some ways, the low point in his career of public service. Prior to then, he was one of the best foreign relations people in American history, one of the primary authors of the Treaty of Ghent and the Monroe Doctrine. In his post-Presidential life, he was a prominent Congressman noted for his anti-slavery work (including his winning defense in the Amistad case) and his part in founding the Smithsonian Institute. As a President, however, he was at best mediocre and ineffective, his four years marred from the start by his controversial election and his unwise appointment of Henry Clay as Secretary of State (for Clay, it was equally unwise to have accepted the position).

Having read Remini's three volume biography of Jackson, it was interesting to read his depiction of one of Jackson's principal political enemies. Remini does a good job, but this is not as strong an effort as his other biographical works. The brevity of the book (which I believe was imposed by the American Presidents Series editors) makes this book more of an overview than a full biography. Remini does cover most of the major points, however, and does deal with Adams's personal life as well.

As stated before, John Quincy Adams was not a very significant President, but he is an important part of early U.S. history. This book is a good introduction to the man often recognized as the best Secretary of State ever. For a more detailed biography, however, Paul Nagel's recent work is a worthwhile read.

John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States, but much less well known than his father John Adams, the second President of the USA.

In this splendid biography, Robert Remini has provided us with a concise volume detailing the life of John Quincy Adams. Within this book, it is easily seen why JQA is rated as "below average" as a President, but highly regarded as an international diplomat.

Remini has done a spectactular job in describing the whole life of John Quincy Adams, and helps us to understand why Adams' life is being reclassified as more successful than previously recognized, despite the fact that his Presidency was a failure.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a basic understanding of Adams the man, not just as the President.

If you are in the process of meeting the love of your life, or if you have already met somebody, this is an excellent book to help you make the right choice or to find out if the man you are dating is the one and how to keep him.

I am on a friends computor. I really enjoyed the book I am single and live in Southern Australia , I appreciate books that teach how best we can live for our Lord Jesus Christ...... Don Birch
PS AS I said before please note this is a friends e-mail address

I found this book to be both practical and grounded in Biblical truth. The fact of the matter is that the Bible does not advocate a specific method of spouse-hunting (there is not a single example of courtship anywhere in Scripture, it didn't even occur until the 1400's. The rule of Biblical times was arranged marriage, which obviously doesn't apply very easily to modern times). Before you kiss dating goodbye, I suggest reading this book (and The Bible, of course, as the ultimate authority).

This book reads like a fifth grader wrote it. The author is no more clairovoyant than my dog. Dull, boring and too much description on small things. Author goes way to far into detail obviously to disguise the absence of a plot. She obviously wrote her own reviews. SAVE YOUR MONEY!

I am not the author or a friend or family member of the author, and I thought the book was really good. While it's true the author is no Shakespeare, it is worth reading for the scary, intriguing story alone.

This is a great summer beach read!

I was throughly hooked by the first page of "Scenting Evil" and could hardly put it down. The Characters are so real you feel like you know them and feel their pain. A must read for anybody who loves a good mistrey.

I cannot believe some of these journalist! Using monsters like Bin Laden to claim their fifteen minutes of fame! As well, I cannot not believe there are...like us out there buying trash like this to help them achieve it! What a sad lot of humans we have all become!

In this book, author Adam Robinson spends considerable time developing family background, particularly the details of Osama's well-known father, Mohammed Bin Laden. The story of Osama's father is a bootstrap tale, a rags to riches story that results in Osama being born into one of the wealthiest families in the world. A common laborer, Mohammed Bin Laden moves to Arabia to find work at manual labor. Over time, Mohammed makes himself indispensable to the Saudi kings and princes who need his growing expertise in construction. Around this period, the Kingdom finds itself awash in oil money and embarks on a large-scale building campaign of roads, palaces, mosques and public facilities. Mohammed Bin Laden gets the construction contracts. He becomes the confidante of the kings and princes of the Saudi Empire. He grows in both wealth and wives and political power to the degree that he acquires a vast fortune, many wives and about fifty children, Osama being the last.
Osama's Syrian mother, Hamida, too assertive for Mohammed's taste is more or less banished to a faraway household where she will not cause Mohammed to lose face among his fellows. The author develops a psychological profile of a sad youngster, Osama, growing up under this cloud of subtle rejection. Osama's sometimes ridiculed by some of his fifty or so other siblings. The picture emerges of a poor little rich schoolboy vying for his father's attention by excelling in Islamic teachings. But when Osama is aged ten, his successful father is killed in a Texas helicopter crash.
Whatever excellence in Islam Osama possesses is only skin deep, and Osama becomes the complete un-Islamic libertine while he continues his education at an exclusive university in Lebanon. Osama is depicted as a guided missile of lust in his pursuit of prostitutes and women in general; he's also something of a boozehound as he breaks every rule of Islamic law in his pursuit of earthly pleasures. Osama's an uglier American than anyone America has to offer, squiring his cronies and conquests about in a fleet of Mercedes, complete with driver-servants. On Osama's tab, he and his cronies eat in the finest restaurants, enjoy the casino gambling which is forbidden in their home country, and pickle themselves in the finest whiskies. Not surprisingly, Osama's behavior embarrasses his more orthodox family and he is summoned home by an angry family
A turning point is reached when a sympathetic half-brother tries to help Osama by taking him on the obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca. Osama finally sees the light, a light further amplified when the Soviets enter Afghanistan to help the struggling communist regime in power there. Osama decides to use his fortune to fight the "infidels" and leaves his family to join the struggle. While little is known of Osama's actual military service against the Soviets, the Afghani mujahadeen are impressed with this person of privilege fighting alongside them, even if Osama's real contribution to the anti-Soviet war lay more in the areas of financing, organization, and propaganda than in actual combat. The author describes Osama as something of an actor, posturing for the media and for his constituents. Osama's desperate need for attention and penchant for playing a part on the world stage is frequently mentioned during the other phases in Bin Laden's progression from schoolboy to master-terrorist.
After the Soviets withdraw from Afghanistan, Osama is disillusioned with the factional fighting of the mujahadeen warlords. The country is not the Islamic utopia that he imagines; it is a country savaged by civil war and bitter infighting. In desperation, Osama returns to the family fold where he makes an attempt at being the business executive and entrepreneur he was groomed to be. Growing quickly bored, Osama longs for action and a place on the world stage. Action finally does come in the form of Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, something Osama considered to be a great challenge for Islam. Osama has what amounts to a psychotic break when his offer to bring his Afghani-Arabs to protect the Saudi kingdom and to repel Saddam's army is rejected out of hand. He is outraged that the Saudis and the Kuwaitis invited the infidel Americans and other coalition members into the region. The infidels put their ugly feet on precious Muslim soil. Osama feels betrayed and wants to exact vengeance.
That's basically the premise that the book offers for Osama's embrace of terrorism. The rest of the book describes Bin Laden's attempt to unite various Islamic fundamentalist groups under one umbrella, a sort of Terror, Inc. There is mention of Osama's relationships with his various mentors: Turabi of Sudan, Mullah Omar of Kandahar, and Dr. Ayman Zawahiri, the chief terror operative who accompanied Bin Laden everywhere to the degree that the author suggests a possible "homoerotic" relationship. Other innuendo is attributed to Zawahiri and to what prompted him to leave his comfortable life of privilege as an Egyptian pediatrician to join Osama in his terrorist escapades. Author Robinson states that Dr. Zawahiri wished to escape charges against him in Egypt that he was a pedophile.
I enjoyed this book though it held some small disappointments for me. One criticism I would make is that there is no bibliography to be found and very little mention of the sources from which the information was derived. I think also that the author should have refrained from his pedantic musings about the Middle East in general, meaning Israel and the West Bank territories. Robinson occasionally runs off the Bin Laden track, opining like he's got a prepared script, full of cliches, making a quick bow to political correctness. Other than these small complaints, this book is good general reading for those who want a medium-speed profile of the world's currently best-known (and possibly deceased) terrorist.

Osma Bin Laden presented himself as a freedom fighter taking on the giant power of the U.S., and representing the causes of Muslims everywhere; but this new biography of Osma Bin Laden charts his infamous progress from a rich kid into a terrorist determined to bring jihad to the U.S. Members of his family contributed information and rounded out Robinson's independent research, resulting an a biography which examines the making of the man and his network. A lively, intriguing coverage.

Rick Hanson did a good job with this one although it lacks the suspense of his other ones. Mortal Remains is a unoriginal plot, but theres a couple twists in the story. For fans of murder mystery's this is a fun book, but for anyone else I don't recommend it.

I had never heard of Rich Hanson before I "Mortal Remains." I was looking for a fairly quick read that was sure to entertain. Can't go wrong with a cover like this one, right?

It was definitely fun for the first 200 pages. I laughed out loud which rarely happens when I read. I would compare the characters to those you might find in Gregory MacDonald's "Fletch" mysteries. I was also drawn into the plot. Characters I would not have expected find themselves six feet under by the end of this book.

However, I cannot believe the author planned out an ending for this book. It was like hanging up the phone without saying "goodbye." Did the publisher say, "OK, you've had enough time. Wrap it up?" A real letdown.

In addition, the author has a sex scene that seems totally out of place right smack in the middle of the book. Something dirty had to be going through his mind at the time.

All in all, I would read another book by Hanson. He definitely shows promise.

i just thought it was odd that i was telling my boss about the book mortal remains and how it happend in my back yard on 187 narrow ave witch was the road in westport that the lane whent down to the murder site and wanted her to read it and it came out that her husbands nameis rick hanson id like to get a copy but i dont have a credit card could you send me more information on getting a copy thankyou sheila thstin eard

I welcome this new book by professor Adams. While he draws from his previously published "The Five Ages of the Universe", cosmology material is upgraded, and at the same time, book contains refreshing chapter about origins of life (RNA, mutations, transfer from physics to biology, metabolism/replication, etc.) Are we alone in our region of observable Universe? - the author, who expands on Drake's Equation and adds speculations about digital and analog life forms, nicely analyzes this question.

Density of information compares to heavy core of a massive star. Text is packed with knowledge and requires reader to concentrate on every sentence.
Repetitions are present, but I found them helpful in memorizing what I have digested.

I appreciated a very innovative logarithmic energy scale developed to compare terrestrial events and used throughout the whole book, as well as other numerical comparisons and tables.
Generally author avoids mathematical equations. Exception can be found on page 194 (bottom) but formula is not explained.
I would consider this expression as Friedmann's Equation for Universe evolution.
Illustrations could be less artistic and more "scientific", but this is subject of individual taste.
"Origins of Existence" are in full agreement with currently published WMAP satellite findings (confirmations); therefore it is a valuable position for every cosmology enthusiast.

Timely and fascinating, Adams' second book examines emergence theory...sort of. Emergence theory is usually the realm of biologists--Adams is an astrophysicist. He explores the roles played by astronomical structures and physical laws in the origin of life. "Origins of Existence" is energetic and thoughtful. Its detailed and thorough explanations engage the reader: catalyzing questions, rather than offering simple answers. Final chapter is especially challenging and wonderful. I loved enough to read it twice.

I teach introductory astronomy to liberal arts majors, and I
have been strongly recommending this book to students seeking a better
understanding of cosmology, planet formation, the prospects
for life elsewhere, and all the viscerally exciting topics that
I touch but do not elaborate on in class.

Indeed, Origins of Existence is a book of astounding scope. It
seeks (and succeeds) to explain on every level how things came
to be, tracing the arc of development from quantum fluctuations
in the Big Bang through the emergence of life and intelligence.
Adams proceeds with accuracy, clarity, and occasional dry humor.
Unlike many popular science books written by Big Picture
Theorists, this text is correct down to the carefully researched
detail. Adams is never out of his depth, and is equally at home
with String Theory or Evolutionary Biology. I have not seen
this scope of subject mastery in any other comparable book.

Origins of Existence is accessible to anyone with interest, but
Adams' respect for the subject matter steers him from easily
digestible generalizations, necessarily keeping the book from
being an `easy' read. Having finished it, however, I found that
the reward of a deeper grasp of this material is absolutely worth
the effort. Five stars without hesitation!

HPL died in 1937. This book was published last year. He did NOT edit it. If he did, the contents would have been much better than the tripe contained therein.

Lovecraft may be dead for sometime now but he manages to live on through other authors who have taken his work to a whole other level. I had purchased this book as I had others just knowing that I would enjoy it. I certainly did and the stories relate in one way or another to Lovecrafts works. Sometimes you have to know what Lovecraft wrote about,others you do not so it can be for a Lovecraft fan or a horror fan. There are a few that have nothing to do with Lovecrafts work but I wont hold it against them. Ultamitly it is up to you to decide if you really like or dislike the scary, strange world that Lovecraft has opened up for us all to see.

This new anthology is one of the best of recent Cthulhu Mythos literature, 21 exceptional stories that are fresh, imaginative and most of them quite witty. These are not run of the mill pastiches. The writers attempt to provide a different approach to the material, and for the most part are quite successful. Among the best ones are: "The Cabin in the Woods" by Richard Laymon, "Sour Places" by Mark Chadbourn, "The Firebrand Symphony" by Brian Hodge, "Princpals and Parameters" by Meredith L. Patterson and (if you like a good "joke" story) "Are you Loathsome Tonight?" by Poppy Z. Brite. The last one is an Elvis Presley Mythos tale. The recent, exceptionasl new book "The Complete H. P. Lovecraft Filmography" has a chapter on mythos tales that could be successfully adapted to the screen. Well some of the tales in this new anthology could also apply to this category as well. "Children of Cthulhu" clearly shows that the Cthulhu Mythos is not moribund, but is continuing to grow in new directions. Recommended!

This is an unsatisfactory book, mean-spirited and inaccurate. The authors reduce the homophile (pre-Stonewall) movement, the Gay Liberation Front, and the Gay Activists Alliance to a series of petty squabbles. They utterly fail to appreciate the courage and magnanimity of the pioneers in the struggle for gay rights. They fail to convey the radical vision of GLF or the political savvy of GAA. The most important publications, activities and demonstrations are not even mentioned. People who willingly sacrificed their careers for the movement are denigrated in crass physical terms -- as "roly poly" or looking like a "string bean" or a "turtle", or having a "nasal" voice, or sounding like a "foghorn", or being "tight little-old-mannish". There are dozens and dozens of mistakes. The authors seem unaware that Morty Manford was a President of GAA. They don't know the year of the GAA fire (1974), or that GAA continued on a smaller scale for a number of years after that. Above all, the book is BORING. And whatever else you can say about the gay liberation movement of the '70s, it was not boring.

The stories and the narrative here are great and well-explained. True, the authors don't explain much about where the characters come from and just tell us that the characters are there and deal with it. Another fault here is that the authors don't really try to carry themes through the book or explain anything within a broader picture. The entire book is in the here and now and there is no big-picture thought. It's good at what it is but I wish the authors had tried to do more. Or maybe they'll write another book...

And as always, the role of San Francisco in the GLBT movement gets short shrift. In the book's foreward the authors say that's because SF has been so well-documented. Hogwash. I can name a dozen books that have beat the NYC GLBT movement to death and only a couple about SF (most by one man).

Last comment: the authors again ignored the contributions of the various subsets of GLBT culture. In particular the authors never mention the leather community nor the drag community except in passing and as kind of footnotes to what everyone else did. That's revisionist history and gives short shrift to some of the hardest-workers in the movement. Come on guys, a leatherman started the Advocate and the first GLBT community center, for example, yet neither is mentioned in those terms.

This is far from a dry, boring history. It is full of colorful stories that keep you reading through the night while informing you of the real struggle of real people. This book really helps you to know how far we've come and how much further we really have to go.... BRAVO on a very well written book!