One-fifth of the way through reading "Four-Fifths" and I was hooked! I read the entrire book on a flight from New York to Tokyo. Just could not put it down as your see how the author pulls the individual stories together into a whole---a very purposeful whole. The characters are well-thought out, believable and so genuinely reflective of aspects within us all that it imperceptibly draws the reader into their lives and search for love amd meaning. You are absorbed by the events shaping their lives and really end of feeling deeply for these people.

I found this story creatively crafted and skillfully enticing. A good, solid read from cover to cover. Highly recommendable.

The other reviews said it well. I only wish to add that the first chapter was most unusual and I had to know what it meant for surely it had meaning, and boy did it. Wonderfully done I might add in terms of deep ties to emotion and the very purpose of life. In all honesty I can tell you that I have not read a book that pulled emotions out of me like this one did. Not just once, but at least 6 or so times. One or two would have been nice, but 6 or 8, well, that's incredible as far as I'm concerned. I shed some very real tears reading this book and that is saying a whole lot for me. I can't wait for the next novel. I must know what happens.
This novel is truly worth getting and reading more than once. You can't find many like it out there. It's just full of emotions, most wonderful, and some painful, but boy do you feel this story. I wish there were a way to tell everyone about this book.

As he follows his usual morning routine, Dr. Kyle Ellis happens to catch a guest artist and photographer on a morning news program. Although he would never meet her, Jade Marshal would change his life. Her description of fleeing the life as human sardine to a cabin's isolation in update New York made Kyle examine his own life. Being packed in with people on the freeway in his Mercedes and working as President of a company on the thirty-fifth floor suddenly feels confined and narrow. In an unrehearsed speech before his staff, he announces an extended leave. That leave will take him to the shores of a lake where he'll meet the woman who transforms his life.

Angela Collins unknowingly enters Thorton Millshire's office with a script in one hand and the missing four-fifths of his life in the other. When his wife died many years before in childbirth, she had taken that part of him with her. She left him with a son, but that son is sadly lacking, and conceals a cruel, malicious streak. An emotional freedom and merges their souls, allowing them to become best friends, advisors, and confidants to each other. Unfortunately, a thirty-five year gap exists between Angela and Thorton. While the age difference doesn't matter to Angela, it matters very much to Thorton. When tragedy strikes, taking Thorton from her, Angela feels like she's lost four-fifths of her soul. She leaves for a place a friend described once on a lake, and meets Kyle.

Not an ordinary love story, FOUR-FIFTHS will leave the reader breathless with the depths of passion and the darkness of pain it presents. At times shocking, always riveting, FOUR-FIFTHS brings together a powerful cast of characters from the ordinary to the extraordinary, from good to evil. Thorton is every woman's dream, but a generation away from sharing a life time with the woman he loves. Angela is wounded, damaged by an act of cruelty beyond measure, finding healing in the midst of agony. Kyle learns the lessons of loving selflessly, and the joy of connection. Minor characters likewise make a memorable impact, as FOUR-FIFTHS explores the pain of loss and joy of living. Winner of the WordWeaving Award of Excellence.

While written as a textbook, this is a good guidebook for the person who needs an introduction to western political thought. It is a most effective tool if you actually have access to the writings of the philosophers discussed in the book. I followed the footnotes to the original writings, and it helped me understand the topic more thoroughly. For someone who lacks a formal education in philosophy or political science, this book offers such a strong foundation that a thorough "self-education" is quite possible.

I red this book following the advice of a friend who was a philosophy major. My interest in politics and in the formation of the political ideas in the ancient and in the medieval world led me to this book. I think that the chapters on Aristotle and Plato are excellent. I am sure that we can't substitute or even avoid reading the original works (in the original language or in the best possible translations) but this book can help introduce and clarify some parts of the most important works. For the person who wants to read about a larger number of thinkers this is not the book. But for the person who wants to follow a tested textbook and it's basic material it is very good.

This is the source. Strauss and Cropsey certainly have compiled the authoritative reference for political philosophy. This is great for beginners and also seasoned scholars. There is a chapter on just about any philosopher you could imagine in here. Clearly-written essays provide for a greater understanding of each one.

The story is about two young boys : Joe and Maurice, they are French and Jews, it's in Paris during world War 2. So they must avoid. they went to the south, near the Italian border.
The story is touching and well writing, but sometimes it's very boring, because there isn't a lot of action.

Kudos to the translator for keeping the author's words & spirit in tact in this heroic and moving testimonial about what it took to survive the Holocaust & what we all must do to keep other holocausts from happening again. In his own words, "be brave, know how to take care of yourself, don't rely on others, don't let your emotions get the better of you, take responsibility." Clearly, this title is a story that will encourage & remind young readers to always remember and to take responsibility.

This is a beautiful book that tells the true story of two young Jewish boys on the run from the Gestapo in war-torn France. The author, Joseph Joffo is never nostalgic about the ordeal he and his brother went through in their bid to escape the Death Camps of Nazi Germany. He writes from the heart but he writes with purpose. His story is a warning to future generations never to take their lives for granted. A Bag of Marbles is a fantastic book that should be on the shelves of every school in the world, just to remind future generations that life is not always a bed of roses...

A friend and I took this guide and some others on the L&C trail last summer. This is a good guide and it has fantastic information on camping as well as very good maps. I agree with others who have criticized the ads- I bought mine in 2001 and also found ads. Additionally, the binding in my copy was weak and pages frequently fell out. If you are getting a number of guides, I recommend getting this one. However, if you're looking for only one guidebook, I found Julie Fanselow's book more helpful than this one.

Nightguy is right--the book shouldn't have ads. And, coming out next year, the 2nd edition WON'T have them. Also, Joseph Mussulman has been updating maps, Vicky Soderberg the touring information, and I've been fixing historical boo-boos. Glad to say there aren't too many, but our 2nd edition will be sharper. We will say again, right up in the front matter, that the maps and text are intended to be used with STATE HIGHWAY MAPS that give the detail we unfortunately don't have room for.

We just finished our trip using this book as a guide. Most of the book was very helpful. The maps were good, but we were misled a few times because roads were either marked improperly on the maps or not shown on the maps at all. If you do plan on using this book as a guide for your adventure, and I recommend that you do, be careful to check maps. For instance, Spirit Mound is on Highway 19, but the book's map said Highway 12. And we never did find the Gass Election site. The only directions given in the book were "about one mile south of town." We spent about 2 hours trying to find it. With all that said, we still had a great time!

Dorothy is an amazing person but I think the book wasn't exactly fulfilling. It was alright but it was missing something. The stories could have been touching but she didn't really write them meaningfully. The stories weren't really touching even though you knew they were actually. She almost wrote without putting the full spirit of each story into them. She wrote although she were talking, not as a formal piece of writing, which was refreshing, but not totally appropriate.

I really liked this book. I knew Dorothy Edererfrom her work at a local parish years past. So when I heard she had written a book , I knew I had to get it. I found the personal stories very moving--I laughed and cried. The chapter lead-in prayers are wonderful, and I have already shared them with friends. The faith the author expresses is an inspiration. I have most of my Christmas shopping done thanks to this book--I have gotten copies for family and friends. A book that made me feel, think, and want to share--what more can you ask for in a book?

An excellent collection of short episodes that depict the Spirit of God working in people in enery day life. The gift of love and joy that people can give to one another even in times of hardship is the rainbow of life. It is the Spirit of God working in and through people giving and receiving random acts of kindness.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Harsh for several years after taking a class on the Civil War with him at George Mason University.

This book came out of the seperation into three books of a manuscript he wrote on Gen. Lee and the campaign just prior to the Maryland campaign and then the Maryland campaign itself. This book is immensely readable and quite detailed. Dr. Harsh is quite blunt when there is a lack of clear evidence on a subject and the reasons for his judgment are well reasoned and sound. My opinion of Confederate strategy and the role of Jefferson Davis in the formation of that strategy changed a great deal after reading Confederate Tide Rising. While he is not the subject of this book, my view of Gen. Jackson also changed as the result of reading this book. Due to his performance in many of the battles and lead up to the battles discussed in this book, it's obvious to me that Jackson has been overrated by historians and could have been much more criticized by Gen. Lee than he was. That he did not do so postwar and only midly criticized Jackson in the action discussed in this book says a lot about Gen. Lee the man.

There are only a few drawbacks to this book. The first is that Dr. Harsh sometimes I think assumes knowledge of minor engagements and also political developments which were important but not directly germaine to his discussion that the reader may not possess. He would have been better served to not just mention these engagements and political developments and leave the reader wondering but to further discuss these developments and their importance, such as the Trent affair which he mentions twice before discussing what it was.
My second gripe with this book has been noted by a previous reviewer. There is a woeful lack of maps, which I think is simply unforgivable in any military history book. As Dr. Harsh clearly demonstrates, terrain and locations are particularly important in civil war battles and helped determine the tactics and strategy employed by Gen. Lee, Gen. McClellan and Gen. Pope. I have a working knowledge of some of the places discussed in the book because I live near many of them, however many readers in other parts of the country who do not have an extensive knowledge of the Civil War yet, may not. The lack of maps would really hamper their understanding of Dr. Harsh's points.

However, one thing that helps this book despite all that is Dr. Harsh's discussion of several terms and their uses in books on the the Civil War as well as how the Civil War generals themselves would have understood those terms such as strategy and tactics. This sort of a discussion is absent in most works on the war and I believe really hampers the understanding of many who look to gain knowledge on the war.

Overall, this book is essential for any Civil War bookshelf and should be accompanied by Dr. Harsh's other two books, Taken at the Flood and Sounding the Shallows.

An overview of the war to the summer of 62. The ideas presented are well grounded and provoke real thought. Not a book that will sit well with many readers but a worthwhile addition to any Civil War Library. Read this and than read "Taken at the Flood".

Joseph Harsh, the author, analyzes Confederate war strategy from Fort Sumter through the Battle of Second Manassas stating that it was not true that the all the South wanted was "to be left alone." Declaring independence did not guarantee independence, and the author states the South thus "pursued three closely related but distinct war aims: independence, territorial integrity and the union of all the slave states."

The text notes that statistically the South could not win. To overcome the odds, the Confederacy needed to conserve its resources while inflicting unacceptable casualties on the North. The text explains the doctrines of the Swiss military theorist Jomini, the probable basis for Jefferson Davis's doctrine of the "offensive-defense." Davis's doctrine provided a firm strategic framework within which Confederate generals in the field could work. By October 1861, pursuing the offensive-defense considerable progress toward achieving Confederate war aims was made; followed next by reversals of Southern fortunes resulting in part from the failure to continue the policies/strategies that yielded early successes.

On June 1, 1862 Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia, when Joseph Johnson was wounded. The offensive-defensive policy was already in practice and was not initiated by Lee as some contend. By "late May 1862, the South had nearly lost the war. Lee knew that Jefferson Davis expected him to go on the offensive to save Richmond and to reclaim Virginia. Harsh also notes "Lee chose the offensive because he wanted to win the war, and he thought it offered the only chance. He believed the defensive was the sure path to defeat." His first response was the Seven Days Battle, whose strategy/execution contained errors, but nevertheless relieved the pressure on Richmond.

The author gives an excellent account of the strategic/tactical problems during the Seven Days Campaign and the events leading to the Battle of Second Manassas. Richmond was a major railroad center, banking center, manufacturing center, milling center and its lost would have been serious. It was important that the city is not captured and that Virginia is reclaimed. After the Seven Days Campaign Lee lost the initiative and was in a strategic stalemate that didn't end until Union General McClellan's Army of the Potomac was ordered back to Washington thereby ending the threat to Richmond.

The text gives an excellent account of the development of Lee's field strategies before and throughout the Battle of Second Manassas. The author notes as the battle neared its climax "Lee desperately wanted to finish the task at hand by destroying the army of.... Pope." However a frontal assault was the only option; and Lee couldn't afford the losses a frontal assault would incur. Nonetheless the author notes following the Second Manassas "Through chance, risk and much bloodshed, he and the Army of Northern Virginia were cobbling together the series of rapid victories that might lead to Northern demoralization and Confederate independence." The text ends with the Battle of Second Manassas and closes with six appendixes that discuss strategy questions.

While this an excellent work, my major criticism is an almost total lack of suitable maps. I read the chapters on the Battle of Second Manassas with a copy of Hennessy's book on Second Manassas at hand for its maps. While much can be gained from this book without prior study of the first eighteen months of the Civil War, prior reading of history about the period covered by this book will greatly aid the reader in comprehending Harsh's text.

Apparently this book got rave reviews. So how come I hadn't heard of it? When I saw it on the bookshelf a couple of years ago I picked it up with great anticipation. The idea of getting the current best ideas for the top management thinkers of the last 20 years sounded great. As I skimmed through, it was well organized and the topics relevant. I decided to spend my money and buy it. You have to understand that I have been successfully cutting back on all of the professional books that I buy.

It was an easy read and some of the synthesis was very good. I can even see how I might reference the book occasionally. Never the less, this is the first time I have rated a book so low. As an individual in the field of organizational development and management change, it wasn't as comprehensive as I would have liked. For the lay person, I am not sure that it is helpful enough. The material on high performance teams was useful. Other than this chapter, it is not clear to me what a manager would get out of this other than more theory.

I was glad to see most of my favourites: Chris Argyris, Charles Handy, Henry Mintzberg, Edgar Schein, Margaret Wheatley, Marv Weisbord. But where is Rosabeth Moss Kanter and why does Michael Porter get 15 pages - more than Warren Bennis? John Kotter is referenced a couple of times but not enough on his work regarding leadership. For that matter, the work that James Kouzes and Barry Posner have done beginning with The Leadership Challenge and followed up by Encouraging the Heart: A Leader's Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others isn't even alluded to in the book. This is a grave oversight.

This is a great text. It lists a variety of topics that span I/O Psychology. As I began writing summaries for 360 feedback submissions, I was at a loss in suggesting methods for individuals to improve upon their weak areas in management. This text was suggested as a resource. After reading this text, I gained much insight into different areas for clients to explore. This is a great read if you want straight to the point information.

This is truly great reading! Top management thinkers' ideas arranged according to topic (as opposed to more "intuitive" organization by date/period or by author/thinker).

How I wish I'd come across this book during my graduate school days at the Asian Institute of Management. Truly unfortunate I think, that many MBA's will receive their degrees after having read only a handful of the great thinkers' works (depending on who's ideas are perhaps being pushed or espoused by the business school in question). "The Guru Guide" is essential reading ESPECIALLY for the MBA/MBA wannabe since it not only presents and summarizes lead management gurus' ideas but provides an excellent and convenient forum for juxtaposition and critique as well. For instance, how Michael Porter's ideas (highlighted by masteral degree programs at AIM) on competitive strategy were later disputed by Mintzberg, then by Hamel and Prahalad, who later received the same from Treacy and Wearsema, and so forth.

I recommend this book for MBA's and non-MBA's alike, anyone interested in management concepts. Key insight? With every idea, there's always a counter idea ... with every "best way", there's always an equally valid "other way"...

A nice collection of artists, with some great examples of what they can do. But....
Paper stock is poor and some prints are a bit blurry.

This is a great artbook, featuring many famous furry artists. I love the art, and look at it regularly. If you're a fan of Michele Light, I recommend it.

This book started my physical collection of furry publishings, and still remains the best singal pice I have. Not only is it perfectaly published, but contains excellent examples of anthropomorphic artwork. Its my personal bible.

Although I am sure a lot of time and research went into this book, the statistics listed and projected in no way relate to real life baseball numbers. I guess if you want to transplant Chipper Jones into Fenway Park or the Astrodome you can make somewhat of a comparision, if that is what you are into- but this in NO WAY relates to real life baseball as we know it. In fact it is only the author's opinion regarding his concocted logic and values that measures different leagues, stadium effects, etc.

Does this help the fantasy league player? It might- but who knows since I am not involved in these leagues. I bought the book on a friends advice that it was an interesting and fine resource book. I tossed it into the trash after studying and reading thru it once. What a mistake and waste of 20 bucks. It seems that one man's opinions and outlook on what skills/statistics are important to rate players on dominates his projections and conclusions. This book may be "the berries" for some of you but it was NOT for me.

Baseball Prospectus is the probably the best of the yearly annuals. With the addition of Pitcher Abuse Points to their excellent roster of stats and reports on minor leaguers, it's a book that's a useful companion for the year ahead.

But Baseball Prospectus has two problems: first, the statistics contained aren't real. If you quote a batter's statistics to someone in an argument over a player's worthlessness, you can get caught making stuff up. The statistics for players are translated to park-neutral etc. While this is fine and good, in one sense, in another, I'd like to know what a player's K/BB ratio was for real, not what it should have been.

The other problem is that Baseball Prospectus does a lot of hedging in comments (I think so that each year they can say "Correctly forecasted the rise/decline of Player X"). Too many players have comments like "If healthy, look for him to have a great year. Otherwise, expect a steep decline." For a book with such a strong sense of its own place and an original perspective, it's disappointing they'd stoop to this in order to make good quotes for the next year's back cover.

That aside, Baseball Prospectus offers great information unavailable anywhere else. Get it first, then complain.

I have often admired those who can spout names and numbers, ERAs, and any other fact you might want to know about baseball. Now I know what the fact finders do when there is no night baseball! Any fan, parent or relative of a fan now has the perfect gift to give. BASEBALL PROSPECTUS 1999 is a book a baseball fan cannot put down, "literally or figuratively". As a bonus, it is enjoyable and light reading. This book gets us from first to second to third base and home again. And between games, you should also read THE 2,000 PERCENT SOLUTION, by Mitchell, Coles and Metz which will get you from first base - you have a problem, to second base - identifying why you are stalled, to third base - learn ways to develop many solutions to "help you hit the ball twenty times as often or twenty times as well" , and take you home again to begin perfecting the process. Because each time you run the bases, you will get better at it and find more ways to succeed. If you are a baseball fan, you will score by reading both of these books.

This book is far from complete. It has some very basic information about creating a business plan, asks you pertinent questions regarding creating your plan, and has 11 pretty poor examples.

I originally bought the book for a Business Plan Writing Class. It was a new book for the instructor and he abandon using it after the second week. It does not provide details in any area of business planning, and though it asks you questions to get you thinking in the correct way, does not provide guidance on how to answer the questions or what areas are important for different types of plans. Furthermore, the questions are not structured in a way that actually helps you formulate a useable business plan. The “101 questions” remind me to a employment application or high school written exam.

One of the reasons the instructor selected the book was for the examples. Upon closer examination however, they are really bad business plans that do not provide the depth required in the "real world." The plans are very simplistic. They might pass for someone getting an SBA loan or for internal management use, but a VC or other sophisticated financier would immediately throw any of these plans away. Even the formatting of the plans are bad; they look like they were written on a typewriter twenty years ago!

The book offers little to no advice on how to write your plan for different target audiences, what elements are important for different types of businesses, and because its examples are so incomplete, they give someone without prior exposure to business plans a false idea of what your financier is really looking for. ...

It has been a life saviour and taught me to write a Business Plan in a very easy and lucid manner.

I am an intellectual property attorney and law professor. I frequently have the opportunity to talk to entrepreneurs and individuals interested in start up advise. I ALWAYS recommend this book to people who are new to business plans. The book has some sample business plans in the back. Truthfully these sample plans are not all that good, but do provide some idea of the proper layout and format of a business plan. The reason I like this book so much is because of the detailed questions it forces readers to ask themselves. The majority of the book is set up like a workbook, and asks highly detailed questions that must be answered before writing can begin. These questions will also force the would be entrepreneur to think of and address a series of questions that many first timers would forget or not even know to ask or consider. This book is probably not for people who have been through the process, but for those who are doing it themselves and/or doing it for the first time buying this book is money well spent!