Intellectuals have long had a fascination with boxing, an athletic contest reduced to its very essence-two semi-naked men trying to kill each other for the enjoyment of a crowd. That's about as stark as it gets. A long and varied list of literary heavyweights have fallen under boxing's spell-Hemingway, Mailer, Oates, Earley, etc., etc., etc. Ralph Wiley belongs up there with the best of them. The ideas he expresses in "Serenity" are meaty and delivered in a style that is both clear and artistic. Mr. Wiley can flat-out write and my goodness does he have an eye for detail and an ear for dialogue. His descriptions of knockout blows are downright poetic; one fighter "... went out like a broken light bulb"; another was struck so hard that the blow "... sent his eyes into the top of his head like snapped windowshades". The sights and sounds and smells of the gym all ring true in "Serenity", from the lowliest trainer ("...with a trainwreck of a yellowing smile") to the beatific Ali.

Mr. Wiley defines serenity as "...the inner peace which comes from doing something well enough to understand it". Boxers, per Wiley, can only acheive pugilistic serenity after they understand that pain, and maybe death, are part of the equation. Pain can not be avoided, no matter how skilled the fighter. So why do so many of them continue on, or return for more once they retire, even (or, perhaps, especially) the successful ones? Larry Holmes, one of the best, (whose latest comeback, at age 50, was against a 300 pound sideshow attraction named "Butterbean") is quoted that a fighter has "... gotta enjoy the ones you take just like the ones you give". Sugar Ray Leonard, like Holmes a wealthy man, made more comebacks than Marley's ghost and risked permanent blindness in the process. Bobby Chacon, another champion, "...smiles at the sight of his own blood". The title of a Gerald Earley essay-"I Only Like It Better When The Pain Comes"-is a direct quote from an early '80's crowd-pleasing Philadelphia middleweight Frank "The Animal" Fletcher. (Aside-Frank "The Animal" once fought James "Hard Rock" Green in a brutal, blood-gushing bout, a great nickname bout, where Mr. Fletcher's mother spurred her son on by leading the crowd in chants of "AN-I-MAL, AN-I-MAL, AN-I-MAL".) Do these otherwise intelligent men actually enjoy getting hit? Hardly. Mr. Wiley has delved deeply into the psyches of men who fight for pay searching for motive, for purpose, and he has succeeded. This is good stuff. "Serenity", like Evander Holyfield, is the Real Deal.

Serenity, as Ralph Wiley tells it, is a state of mind that all fighters try to find. It's not easy, but then, writing a book about the most personal side of boxing - the fighters - isn't easy, either. Especially a good one. But Wiley has done that here. He includes himself a bit, which works, and uses a sharp, witty style that brings the fighters he writes about to life. Best are the chapters on Larry Holmes, and also a letter he writes to his son, Cole. Wiley is enormously gifted, and he will definitely be a writer to watch in the future.

not merely a statement on being a black man in america, but on being a man period. ellison is not a militant negro nor is he a white man's negro. he is a free spirit who keeps his mind open to art , music, and life. i loved all the essays. he had cosmopolitan background growing up in oklahoma city, the product of middle-class parents. he read all types of literature, not just one kind and became a writer, simply by accident. his true love was his music. the middle third of this book proves this is the essays he wrote about jazz and opera, especially his loving tributes to milton's playhouse and charlie parker. he was a true renaissance man, who never lost the common touch. conquering any challenge that came his way...

Ralph Ellison, the musician and the author of the extrememly well-conceieved and paced novel "Invisible Man" (a rare instance wherein the plotting falls perfectly in sync with the decsriptive; falling, as with the eloquence and precision of the inernal mechanics into the ornate casing of a timepiece; a statement as much as a parody concering perceptions), here provides many surprises, all attesting to the immensity of his talents and array of his interests: There are articles on Jazz, BeBop, and some of best first-hand renderings upon the scene as it had developed at a period between literal non-accepatnce to a greater receptability; Eliot, as in the author's pechant and interest for the motifs, messages and stylistic of "The Wasteland"; Faulkner and the South; Historic American literary recurrances involving language, rythmic and individual, and some very valuable and erudite selections whose range -both autobiographic and literary- are as indispensable as they are of true merit and eloquence. This edition (and it is a shame there had not been more!), legitimizes the talents and perspectives of a gifted author whose legacy -although saddly never fully realized- shall always stand above any field of the discordant (as in the Wasteland), ringing more true than any pause between a jazz riff's sometimes-disquieting
strains.

I am a graduate student and I obtained this book one week before my final exam for a one-semester course on signal transduction. The concise text and clear layout of this book helped me a great deal in reviewing the key concepts of this enormous research field. THis book is an excellent guide for students as well as for those aiming for advanced learning.

This book is a comprehensive guide to signal transduction. It provides an in depth overview of all the major mechanisms, with tips for further reading. This is an invaluable aid to all studying at advanced Degree level, or higher (Ph.D).

For Arlo Wells and Dallas Holt if they did not have bad luck they would not have any luck at all. They are ex-cowpunchers looking for the goose who layed the golden egg. They deliver a wagon load of whiskey to the owner of a saloon, but he dies before he pays them, so they take over the saloon for payment, but it burns down after a bar brawl.
An old friend sends them half a map to a gold mine bonanza and asks them to share it with his nieces. However the girls miserable stepfather has the other half of the map and the girls and he doesn't want to share. The bad luck just continues all the way to the end.

I thought the book had a very good tale. At verious spots in this book one might think that they have it figgured out, all of the sudden another twist pops up, and you are off again. The two mex guides keep you guessing where and when they will pop up, and with who. You have a laid back sheriff, helpfull town folk, many bad guys, good guys ect... What I thought was the clincher was DAVIS, who would of thought he would come out of the caves? more or less the way he did. Then the ending, wow. I have read all but three of the books listed on this site, and I think this one was by far the best. Not to say I did not like the others, I still do.

Dalton's poetry is intense, and exudes revolution in every verse. Knowing a history of the poet's life and struggle, you get a greater feel and appreciation for all his work. His pain, love, and hate all mixed together delivers the most powerful poetry I've ever read. I enjoyed this book immensely, and recommend it to all of those that are a rebel at heart.

In Dalton's words you can hear his pain, loss and anger; but it's his love and romantic vision that you take away. I tresure this book and it stands as my most read book.

As a collector of American Folk Art I always wondered what guided my purchases. Only now do I understand, through the collector's and the author's eyes, that I too have focused on the Spiritually Moving. Anyone who would like to view one of the finest private collections would appreciate adding this table top book to his/ her library.

Spritually Moving, a Collection of American Folk Sculpture, produced by Harvey Kahn and Tom Geismar accomplishes in one book what decades of collecting often never achieves. To blur the line between American Folk Art, Contemporary and Fine Art is the ultimate lesson.

What a great, fast paced, old fashioned sci-fi story! This would be GREAT on the screen- it reads like a really cool movie. Very visual and entertaining. Great action; something for everyone- lots of fun. TWO THUMBS UP!!!

I didn't know what to expect from this writer and I was not disappointed. From the first chapter to the last the pace runs full petal to the metal. The author stumbles from time to time and the prose is not always silky smooth but he more than makes up for it in the action sequences and reader interest.

If you are looking for light sci-fi fare to read on an airplane in less than six hours this is it. At once I was reminded of pulp sci-fi of the 40s and 50s. Be warned! There are no complex subplots and no gratuitous sex and language. What you get is an old-fashioned good guys vs bad guys action book that might look more at home in a comic book.

Take a chance. I did and I wasn't disappointed.

Myrna Stahman did a wonderful job with her research and planning for working a Faroese-Shaped Shawl from the neck down. Her information was detailed, informative, and creative. Her many hours of work have made my job so much easier! It does take some concentration to pursue these patterns. The end results are worth the challenge. Myrna Stahman has taken much of the frustration out of Faroese shawls. Her work allows you to pursue your own pattern designs with style and confident results.

I have knitted one shawl as presented in the book (Catharina), and one that I designed using Stahman's design guidelines. In addition, I have also made several Seaman's Scarves following her "Matthew" pattern (dedicated to the memory of Matthew Shepard). In all cases I used my own handspun yarns. While it took some concentration to adapt a totally different lace design to the Faroese shaping, I couldn't have done it without Stahman's many hours of planning and designing. I'm indebted to this book, and recommend it to adventurous novices or experienced knitters alike. [....]

I beleive that anyone looking for an automobile that could have been made in the US, will find it in this book. Very well written and informative.

The Author's of this book have done a fantastic job of researching and documenting the early history of the American automobile. I have found this book to be an invaluable reference in researching the history of the automobile stock and bond certificates which I collect.

Even the most obscure and low-key manufacturer is covered. This book is well worth it's price and my only criticism would be...if all other readers used it as much as I do...please publish the next edition in hardcover!!

I've been a fan of Ralph McQuarrie's Star Wars art for years, and when I came across this at Amazon, I had to get it. The artwork is awesome! If you're trying to buy a gift for the Star Wars Fan, get this!

Now that Everyone can make Star Wars Graphics using computer software such as Bryce 3d, Its nice to know that someone is out there with REAL talent in conceptualising imaginary worlds and has the great gift of bringing it to life.....LA LALAL LALALALALA