I read Linzey's book, "Animal Gospel," in which he laid a good theological basis for humane care of animals and the practice of vegetarianism. However, he did not adequately address certain issues which were pressing to me. These included God giving Noah permission to eat meat, God providing a garment of skin for Adam and Eve, the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, Jesus eating meat and Paul's arguments against vegetarianism. Richard Young does and excellent job addressing all of these and other issues. He approaches each issue and question with straight forward honesty. Frequently, I felt as if he brought up an issue with which there was not good vegetarian response. However, he would address how it is normally read, frequently in complete agreement with the traditional reading of the passage, but then very gently present a fresh perspective.

Some Christian vegetarian groups use dubious historical documents to "prove" that Jesus and/or his disciples were vegetarian. Young does nothing of the kind, in fact, he debunks those attempts. He is very honest and straightforward in presenting his case.

I would strongly recommend this book for the Christian who is struggling with animal rights and vegetarianism from a Biblical perspective. If a Christian is not struggling with these issues, perhaps they should and this book would be a good place to start.

Dr. Young is much more than a relevant contemporary Christian, he is also an exceptional theologian, scholar/teacher of the Greek New Testament, and lives very much what he teaches. He was my Greek professor nearly 20 years ago and I must say his literary work has taken on a distilled wisdom. Best wishes to all who read his work.

M. Williams

One of the most important things about this book is that it does NOT, I repeat NOT, try to reinvent Jesus as a vegetarian. There have been some attempts to try to "prove" Jesus was vegetarian, but the author finds the evidence for such reinventions to not be compelling. The author basically concludes that some consumption of meat is biblically acceptable, so long as the animal has been treated with care and compassion during its life. On the other hand, the author also concludes that vegetarian is preferred, and factory farming would have to be contemptable in God's eyes. By the way, I'm personally an agnostic, and one of the reasons why I have turned away from Christianity is that the Christian church, in general, does not see the obvious truth to the immorality of factory farming. This book is must reading.

I originally bought the book in paperback years ago with the idea that it would be a good, quick, trashy read when I was in that kind of mood. Wow! Was I caught off-guard on this one. This book put me through an emotional wringer. When I put the book down, I was shaking--I couldn't get over it and I thought about it for quite awhile. Its been out of print for awhile, but if you find a used copy or can get it at your library, its worth the effort. Just be prepared for an incredibly intense experience.

A young babysitter, Barbara, wakes up one morning to find that she's tied spreadeagled to her bed. The kids have complete control of her now, and free rein over the house, and there's no-one within half a mile to interfere - and their parents are not due back for a whole week. What might possibly happen within that week? Barbara is helpless, and fearful of what might be in store for her.

And that is only the beginning: there are many interesting things to try out on her, many interesting ways of tying her up; a week is a very long time... a mini-eternity....

This book is one of the most terrifying and claustrophobic novels I have ever read, and leaves you wrung out and shaking. For once, the cover blurb is no idle boast. ("A novel more terrifying than LORD OF THE FLIES & THE EXORCIST combined!" "A horror tale that will harrow you and haunt you long after you have finished it.")

This is the ultimate book about the effects - physical, mental, and emotional - of long-term, close confinement. It is the last word about what it is like to be tied up helplessly; after this, every other book I have read in which someone is bound is, with but one exception, shallow and unconvincing by comparison in its depiction of being bound. This novel should be read by any fiction writer who wishes to convincingly portray what it is like to be tied up for prolonged periods: the terror, the helplessness, the gibbering mind, the internal dialogues, the physical restlessness which itself torments. Just *reading* it makes you feel the agony of all this yourself. The challenge for authors would be to write about confinement just as well as this novel, but without copying it.

Perhaps the only comparable novel I know of is Stephen King's "Gerald's Game", probably the ultimate handcuff novel, which is, however, completely different - but just as effective.

It is regrettable that Mendal Johnson never published any novels other than this. This was his only novel - his only published one, at least - and at the time of his death in 1976 he was working on three other novels.

But writing of such searing, burning intensity lifts it above the commonplace and speaks of a substantial writing talent. It also leaves you wondering whether the author was simply writing a novel, or whether he was expressing something deep inside him that demanded expression, perhaps born of profound fears, or some personal experience.

The psychology of the vicious kids is chillingly portrayed, and Barbara's terror is heart-wrenching. Mendal Johnson should have had a meteoric rise in a career as a highly skilled writer of psychologically-oriented horror, yet he remains obscure. Possibly the darkness of his story prevented it from becoming more popular on the mass market. His meagre output, itself puzzling in the light of his great writing skill and perceptiveness, might have also counted against his becoming better-known.

It is interesting to observe that Steve Vance's horror novel "The Abyss" undoubtedly refers to Johnson's novel at great length (without resorting to plagiarism). Johnson's novel is mentioned in "The Abyss" as a novel some of Vance's characters had read, and this inspired the actions of some of them. However, "Let's Go Play at the Adams'" is not mentioned by name, just alluded to, and the author's first name is changed from Mendal to Martin, and his surname not mentioned at all. I can only presume this was for legal reasons, although there is no reason to think there would be legal problems anyway with simply alluding to another novel; but the plot referred to is so similar that it cannot be coincidence.

And it is interesting that, towards the end, Vance's novel includes a drug-induced vision one his characters has in which she actually visits Martin's (Mendal's) widow and learns more about him and the circumstances in which he died. However, although this information given by Vance about Martin roughly corresponds with Mendal Johnson's life with regard to time of death and the like, it should be noted that the detailed circumstances around Martin's death as described in "The Abyss" are fictional only, and do not correspond to any known facts about Mendal Johnson.

The details of Johnson's life and career still seem a little hazy, although my thanks go to Ray Girvan, Barry Schneebeli (who both reviewed the novel on this page), and Steve Vance for various pieces of information which helped me sketch out a few facts about Johnson here. If anyone who reads this review knows more about Johnson or his work, I'd love to hear from you.

It is interesting also that Barry Schneebeli has written a so-far unpublished sequel to this novel, called "Game's End", which explores the aftermath of the events related by Johnson.

--- NOTE: --- My second review of this book on this page is posted with Amazon's permission. My original review here, posted a year ago, unfortunately got damaged somewhere along the line, and when I wrote to Amazon about this, they suggested that it be removed, and that I repost it. Accordingly, I was glad to bring it up to date and to be able to answer some of the questions about Johnson that I posed in the original version.

I found my copy of the book in my wardrobe at home, and as soon as I looked at the cover of it (a severed doll's head, and the tag-line "a novel more terrifying than 'The Exorcist' and 'The Lord Of The Flies' combined) I was intrigued. I started to read it, and right away I was captivated. The serene opening scenes painted a beautiful picture of how I have been led to believe 1970's small town America was. It was also brilliant as a prelude to the nastiness that follows, and the contrast between the two is great. When the children have got Barbara completely in their hands, having set up the rules and everything, that is when the novel becomes totally engrossing. The tension builds as Bobby starts to question if what they are doing is really as much fun as they think, as John gives in to his animal instincts, as Paul becomes increasingly unhinged, as Cindy begins to enjoy the freedom a bit too much, and as Dianne is just Dianne. In some of the scenes, my heart was either beating like a sledgehammer, or still as if waiting for the worst (which of course comes). The only other time I had been affected in that way by a novel before, was with the hedge animal bits in Stephen King's 'The Shining', but this was the first time an ENTIRE novel had made me feel like that. I have read 'Let's Go Play At The Adams'' about five times in total, as I haven't been able to find another novel as awe-inspiring, or that satisfies my literary needs anywhere near as well. The only novel that come close to the amazing level of this, is Terry Southern's 'Flash And Filigrie', btu that is a completely different style of novel altogether. Basically 'Let's Go Play...' is the best novel I have ever read, and since it is out of print, I hope my tattered old copy lasts a few more years!

If everone could see the world as Douglas Adams did, we'd all be better off. Mix dry British humor with a group of idiosyncratic characters, drop them into the space-time continium and you get non-stop laughs. At times I often found myself with a grin from ear to ear! Sometimes laughing out-loud!! Even a die hard science fiction fan needs a little bit of humor to keep a perspective.

This collection of sharp, witty, and observant books merits a space on every bookshelf. I am VERY disappointed to find that it
is out of print, as the copy I have is a beautiful black cushioned-leather covered, bible-page style with gold page edges.
Needless to say, I'm preserving it as much as I can! Douglas Adams is one of my favorite authors, with his ability to make
human existance seem so amusing, and yet so futile at the same time. He takes life, gives it a large drink, spins it around a few
times, and watches what happens. Adams is not above self-humiliation either:

"The idea for the title first cropped up when I was lying drunk in a field in Innsbruck, Austria. Well, not really drunk, just the
kind of drunk you get from having a couple of stiff Gossers after not having eaten for two days straight on account of being a
penniless hitchhiker. We are talking of a mild inability to stand up."

I THOROUGHLY recommend this book to ANYONE with a sense of humor, a mind for Sci-Fi, or an adequately functioning
brain. Actually, all carbon-based life-forms should be exposed to this book at some point or another...

Enjoy... I know I did!

This collection of sharp, witty, and observant books merits a space on every bookshelf. I am VERY disappointed to find that it is out of print, as the copy I have is a beautiful black cushioned-leather covered, bible-page style with gold page edges. Needless to say, I'm preserving it as much as I can! Douglas Adams is one of my favorite authors, with his ability to make human existance seem so amusing, and yet so futile at the same time. He takes life, gives it a large drink, spins it around a few times, and watches what happens. Adams is not above self-humiliation either:

"The idea for the title first cropped up when I was lying drunk in a field in Innsbruck, Austria. Well, not really drunk, just the kind of drunk you get from having a couple of stiff Gossers after not having eaten for two days straight on account of being a penniless hitchhiker. We are talking of a mild inability to stand up."

I THOROUGHLY recommend this book to ANYONE with a sense of humor, a mind for Sci-Fi, or an adequately functioning brain. Actually, all carbon-based life-forms should be exposed to this book at some point or another...

Enjoy... I know I did!

Absolutely right, Quiller is one of the best literary characters & the only espionage character who didn't end up totally ridiculous or pathetic or just plain unreal. Quiller though, with his meticulous task solving a cerebral activity together with his ability in close combat ooze reality. This one has a special twist to it: from the very beginning we sense (through Quiller's thoughts) that there's something wrong with this mission & not because of the usual danger attached to such things. Just sit back & follow him in the maze of dnager while he unravels step by step the mystery & realizes how those who he should be able to trust betrayed him. (And then check out Quiller's Run for the immediate follow-up: Hall hardly does this, but he must have thought that this issue needed to be resolved.)

I don't know about making it a movie though. It's the reading & Quiller's inner thoughts that make it such a perfect read. Trabslated to action it may lose part of it's appeal - &who's going to get all that karate right without turning it into Crouching Tiger or something?

I have never read such an action packed book. Nor has my heart raced this much. This is an excellent spy book. I love that Adam hall chose first persson for this book. It gives you a better understanding of the character. And Quiller is an unforgetable character who uses his wits to get out of tight situations. Without that you know this character could not have survived in the depths of Russia. A good read, definetly reccommed it. And yes it is hard to find in the bookstores. Can't understand why this work of art isn't being ordered.

Quiller is a spy who uses his wits. His body and mind are his weapons. The stories are seen through Quiller's eyes. If you like tense spy dramas, the Quiller books are the best and Adam Hall is a master. We want more!

All diehard Formula One fans can increase their knowledge of this wonderful sport by reading this book. The CD is fantastic,all of the engine sounds brings back fond memories. The Pop Ups especially the Ferrari instrument panel and the F1 with pit crew is great. All graphics, photographs are 5 star quality. A must book for the F1 fanatic's library.

The CD has fantastic sounds-- BRM car brings back fond memories. The Pop Ups especially the Ferrari instrument panel and the F1 with pit crew is great. All graphics, photographs are 5 star quality. This is a must book for the F1 fanatic.

I purchased this book for my husband, who has just become interested in Formula One racing. The whole family enjoyed reading and interacting with this informative book. We learned more about Formula One than we ever expected...this book has to be the best book I've purchased in years! HURRY - BUY THIS BOOK!!! Excellent, excellent, excellent!!!

Everything the earlier revieiwers have said is true. This book inspired me to live my life more fully. You do not need to be a cancer survivor to be touched by these stories. They are stories about being human, and being ALIVE.

What characterizes this book is its intellectual and emotional honesty, and in that spirit, this reviewer acknowledges he knows one of the authors.

The book tells the stories of 38 cancer survivors-38 very different individuals with very different stories to tell about how they first learned of their cancer, how they coped with it, how it changed their lives, how they face the world now.

There is no false sentimentality, there's no polyanna, no posing. This is truth, not always pretty, but real. The two authors, themselves cancer survivors, have produced something that is greater than the sum of its 38 brief narratives. There is a powerful cumulative impact on the reader that lingers.

What I was left with was a recognition that all of the very intense personal experiences these people had, making each one of them so very special, ultimately makes them very ordinary, just like you and me. And the scary, diagnostic names of their cancers also become strangely ordinary in their hideousness.

These survivors tell us about themselves very simply; they demystify themselves. And they demystify the pathology of cancer. Ultimately the reader gets to see beyond the emotional fall-out of confronting cancer--the fears, the feelings of hurt and unfairness, of rejection, of loneliness, and so many more.

This is a fine book. I'm sure it will have special meaning for both cancer survivors and cancer victims alike. But just as importantly, for many of us who are neither of these, it also helps us better understand ourselves. "The proper study of mankind is man," said Alexander Pope. You might adapt that truism to the study of mankind through this book.

This book is a collection of uplifting stories about the strength of the human spirit. From the introduction to the last account, I couldn't put the book down--it's something that has to be read in one sitting. And, I am not a cancer survivor, just someone who enjoys good writing and thought-provoking subjects. This book will make you think and stay with you for a long time.

The photography, as well, is incredibly good.

Read it and pass it on to everyone you know!

The scary thing about Dilbert, I've just realized, is not so much that it resembles the company I work for so many times, but the fact that it must resemble more than just my company alone to account for its growing appeal. I guess in my heart of hearts I was hoping that if I ever moved to another company, I could leave the Dilbertisms behind--fat chance, it seems.

Dilbert is well on its way to becoming a classic comic strip. Like the ones canonized before it, it has been able to take a segment of our society (Doonesbury) or life (Calvin and Hobbes) and relieve our tension. Adams is the one writer who can actually answer the question, "Where do your ideas come from?" because he often receives what becomes next week's strip from a reader email. As long as there are companies searching for answers in a changing marketplace, Adams will likely have material. Me, I'm just glad someone is enjoying the situation.

Most comic books, to me, are funny. But I can't really tell any difference from book to book. For some reason, this book strikes me as the funniest in my collection of about 5 Dilbert books. While Dilbert isn't my most favorite cartoon (probably because I'm not an adult), but its the one that I can laugh the most at particular outrageous strips. Want 476 good laughs for twelve bucks??? Buy it Now!!!

This is the first large Dilbert book in which we are given color Sunday strips in addition to the regular black-and-white regular strips. This book covers strips from May 19, 1991 to December 13, 1992. The Boss begins to take the form we are familar with (the pointy hair starts) and Wally comes into existance. Alice also begins to take form in this book. One of my favorite characters (and one whom Scott Adams has used rarely) is Zimbu the monkey and he shows up here as well. The strip continues to improve in the pages of this book. Great for light reading or a good laugh.

I am a DBA and wanted to work on building a warehouse for PeopleSoft HRMS along with generating reports for the client. This book really helped me and my team to understand the hr/payroll concepts quickly. If you are a DBA/developer working in Peoplesoft environment, good to have this book in your library.

This book is a treasure for anyone who needs to get quickly up-to-speed on the PeopleSoft HRMS data architecture and the most common tables against which queries and reports are executed. This alone would make the book invaluable because of the confusing PeopleSoft documentation and the thousands of tables. However, the author goes well beyond by breaking down the most important tables, grouped by function, into attributes and explaining how to create highly useful business reports from them.

In addition to the thorough coverage of the data architecture, the book also provides an excellent compendium of information and tips for using SQR to its fullest potential. Although my main interest is in the tables, I considered material on SQR to be a bonus and learned a great deal from this section.

If you are working with PeopleSoft on either the technical or functional side this book will probably be your most used reference. The author deserves the highest accolades for clear writing, technical knowledge and the ability to distill the essentials into one of the best references and tutorials I've read in a long time.

I have been working with Peoplesoft product since last five years,I have seen may books in the market but this is the only book I have seen which has very usefull information which helps the begenners a lot to understand main tables and also gives overview of HRMS functionality.

I strongly recommend this book for Begenners and is useful as a reference book for any one.

Truly, an amazing book. The author is a genius at developing every character and leaving no one out. In this book, I truly enjoyed his portrayal of Electro and Pity's relationship. As you know, none of my reviews are very long, so I'll end there. Amazing!

This was a great book The author did a great job of describing the characters and setting. The vision you get when you read it is great and the fighting makes you feel like your right next to Spider-Man fighting along with him. This is a great book for anyone. But would mosly be liked by Spidey fans and comic lovers. And...thats it!:-)

I believe that Mr. Castro has brought to paper one of the better tales of our world-famous wallcrawler. And to boot Parker has his hands full with family issues, major ones that he didn't even know existed, until now. Toss in Parker's deadliest and most methodical miscreants, (okay except for Venom), and you have a sure winner.

Reprinted in a new Millennium Edition, Michael Minns' The Underground Lawyer is comprehensive, highly detailed introduction to the American legal system, written specifically to be understood by lay people. The next best thing to a law school education, The Underground Lawyer covers everything from criminal law to bankruptcy. A must for anyone with immediate need to quickly learn more about criminal or civil law, the judicial system, the role of the attorney, constitutional rights, bankruptcy, wills, or any other aspect of American jurisprudence.

Twenty years ago, I lost my husband in a crash. I was a widow at 25 and I wish I had had the underground lawyer then. This book is a real lifesaver when there's legal trouble around.

As a litigator myself, I understand the overall complexities of "the law". However, I can't know everything about every aspect of law, so I refer lots of friends and clients to the Underground Lawyer to answer the questions I can't