This is a superb book on a little-told aspect of World War II espionage -- the infiltration of OSS spies into Nazi Germany, and their tales of survival (or capture) while trying to collect intelligence, and send it to the Allies, from inside one of the most repressive police states during wartime. This book is FULL of fascinating tales and insights, providing enough detail to be rich, but not enough to be stilted. The book reads like a good spy novel, except fiction is bounded by realm of the possible, and these are real people.
This book goes well beyond "this happened, and then that happened." The author explains the relevant history and structure of Nazi Germany, and examines the political and psychological pressures on the various countries, spy organizations, and on the agents themselves. Worker activists and communists were helpful to the Allies as spies during the war, but dumped soon afterward.
One tale is of "Cicero," the Albanian valet to the British ambassador to Ankara, who stole volumes of critical information from the ambassador's safe and sold it to the Germans, including the "Overlord" code name of the Normandy invasion. Even after being warned, the British allowed Cicero to stay in his position for months. Yet another twist happens as conflicts and jealousies within German intelligence led the Germans to discount the actual intelligence Cicero provided. And as the final twist, the £300,000 paid by the Germans to Cicero was all counterfeit money.
One of the most fascinating stories is how the Germans came to build their "last stand" National Redoubt in Austria. It started as a wholly mistaken OSS intelligence rumor -- the Germans had no such plan. But when the Germans intercepted the American radio report of such "German plans," the National Redoubt idea was sent to Hitler and implemented. A lot of our scarce espionage capabilities were misdirected to examining enemy plans in the "National Redoubt" area during the war. American troops at the end of the European war left Berlin to the Russians, and turned to Austria to vanquish the very same almost-empty "National Redoubt" chimera we'd created.
One helpful insight of the book was on the issue of whether the majority of ordinary Germans knew the purpose of the concentration camps. One capable spy, doing his best to make observations, with an anti-Nazi bias (both characteristics unlike most Germans), reported that the only information most Germans had of the purpose of the concentration camps came from what they may have heard from American propaganda, which they dismissed, because Allied anti-German propaganda in World War I had been so exaggerated. The majority of Germans, if they knew of the camps, assumed they were places of confinement and not extermination. This did not apply, of course, to the minority of Germans involved with the camps, and perhaps those living near the camps.
The author goes into the psychology of what makes a good spy, in a very paranoid "papers, please" regime, who is always pushing the envelope, always at the the risk of capture and torture and perhaps execution, but yet must survive in order to pass his/her information back to the Allies. What was the right type of man or woman to send into Nazi Germany with an important and delicate mission? (One description: "The ideal candidate was honest and devious, inconspicuous and audacious, quick and prudent, zealous and cool.") Should the OSS recruit ordinary captured German soldiers? Was it ethical to make promises to potential spies which couldn't be kept? How could the OSS tell who was telling the truth, and who had contrary motives -- or determine who had the character to perform well in extreme circumstances?
I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in politics, history, or espionage.

This is the true story of America's first espionage service the OSS. This book contains story of adenture and heroism. For anybody that likes adventure and spies this book is for you. ONe of the truely great spy books of the century

This is the amazing story the the O.S.S america's first true intelligence service. This is the dazaling story of the 200 O.S.S agents that risked their life and pierced the German 3rd reich. it will compell you with it's stories of heroism and danger. This is truly one of the greatest spy books ever written and if you don't read you miss a part of America's classic spy history.

The author has a unique ability to explain PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) in a way that is detailed and clear. PKI is a very complex topic and requires a knowledge of many other fieds including technology and security to even begin. It is beyond the grasp of the average Internet user today. After reading many other PKI books and doing hours of research on the Internet regarding PKI, I had been able to piece together the processes and basics on PKI. But after only reading the first 2 chapters of this book, I felt I understood concepts better than any other source.

The only criticism I have is that the author uses too much levity in explaining his points. The jokes are not that funny but unfortunately they keep coming.

This is a great book for those fairly new to PKI. I needed to find out about PKI quickly, and this book explained it in clear terms. It begins by explaining encryption techniques and algorithms, and you don't have to have PhD in mathematics to understand it. Then it introduces PKI in logical pieces and concepts. Each chapter builds on the previous chapter, so it is really easy to understand. It shows how various applications can use PKI (SSL, SMIME, etc) as well as how a PKI can be implemented.

If you are new to PKI and need to get a handle on it quickly, then I highly recommend reading this book. It is well worth the money.

I've read quite a few books on PKI now, one of the best being Schneier's Secrets and Lies, which is fairly negative on the technology over all, and appropriately so.

This book is a good deal more positive on the technology, but is not pollyanna. I think that Schneier realizes that the technology is a helpful tool, though it does not solve the human engineering problems that need o be solved to implement "real" security. This book helps you understand how to do that, and gives you a feel for where the bodies are buried.

The biggest skeleton in PKI's closed has always been authentication, which PKI does not solve, but vendors would have you believe it does. This is the first book by from a PKI house that lays those cards on the table. OF course, RSA *does* make most of its dough from selling securIDs...

But I think this one is a keeper.

This was a really good book. It shows the life Jillian lived from since she was a little girl and how God intervened in her life. Her book is really good. Must read it. I was really Teary eyed upon reading this book.

In Please Somebody Love Me,you will read of the ultimate test of forgiveness. As a child Jillian suffered severe abuse,and neglect, which made her unsure when at eight she found that family who truly loved her, and wanted her,a family who she could call her own,and who loved her, they wanted her,but she wouldn't let herself get to close,because she was afraid of neglect, of rejection,and that fear led her down a dark path once gain. As she grew in to hher teenage and young adult years she made many poor deccissions, decissions that nearly made her take her own life, but her parents were there for her,and eventually she gave her life to the Lord,and after a while, she was able to give her life to the Lord, and forgive those who did those terrible things to her, because Jesus had died for her sins, she could forgive those wwhohurt her. This is a story I would definetly reccomend to anyone who suffered in anyway, because it is truly inspiring.

I thought the book was relly good and it kept me awake at night cause I was interested in the story she was telling. Books that talk about peoples lives who have been abused or been in foster homes interest me because I like to know that they have overcome their past!

This well-researched and elegantly crafted book provides a fascinating insight into how we came to be the most punitive society in the industrialized world . It's politics, stupid ..

A great piece of work. Insightful commentary, exhaustive research and timely topics make this book a must read for anyone interested in state politics and/or the politics of prison building.

This book should be read by everyone who wonders why the U.S. has expanded imprisonment at five times the rate of Western European nations.

Clif Cormier's humble beginnings in Cajun country provide the launching of a young man who became a career Marine as well as a career newspaperman. He fought in WWII and Korea, led his men through dangers, and lived to write about his experiences with great clarity and vivid details. When he retired from the military, Cormier attended and graduated from the University of Florida and became a news reporter and later a city editor of a major newspaper. His story gives people insight into perseverance and adherance to values. He describes his travels in both the Pacific and later throughout the world. Cormier's writing makes this book a must for people who want to read about US Marine Corp life as well as life after the military. Excellent book that holds reader's interest! Semper Fi!

I read this book in one night--A very interesting look into the life of a military man during World War II, and also the typical life for a boy growing up in Louisiana during the Depression. It is well written, and has a very informative prologue. Highly enjoyable; at times sad, and at times very funny.
He has led a very interesting life; I have recommended this book to a number of people, and will continue to do so.

Captain Clif Cormier was my Battery Commander, at Hotel Battery 3rd. Battalion 10th Marines when I was a young 2nd Lt. in 1959. I found him to be an outstanding leader, firm but fair with those who served under him.

I was fortunate to recieve one of his books directly from Captain Cormier and am ordering 2 more for my children to read. It is a story of what it was like growing up in the depression and being a Marine through World War II, Korea, the peacetime Marines and what opportunities retirement can bring.

When Captain Cormier retired, his officers pooled their money (which we didn't have much of) and bought him a second hand typerwriter. We knew he would be as good a journalist as he was a Marine and we wanted to show our respect for him.

I recommend this book for all who have served in the Military,
those who love history, and those who just like a good story about a real life hero.

This is a very useful reference to have if you work extensively on HPLC. I find its of more use to understand concepts ...there is a lot of information here.

Which means - if you are looking for a solution to a problem and you want to research separation theory - a great book.

If your looking for a quick fix to an HPLC problem - not as good. This is a detailed, extensive and well written text on HPLC Method development - wish there was more on validation here though.

Rational Method development for HPLC is resented. Instruction of rational development of 3-solvent separation system is excellent. This book also has useful know-hows and tools in practical laboratory experiments, such as strength of hydrogen bonding of base silica and nomograph for estimation of "solvent strength" for reversed phase HPLC.

The book is useful for gerenal operator who are both novice and expert. It do is pratice. It's better give another chapter for troubleshooting and maintence.

I had been searching for all kinds of resources, and each one gave me just enough information; but no real umph. This book, though, is spot on. It really is true that by preaching without notes I connected with the congregation 100 times more than I had before; and by following the suggested week long study habits, the Word penetrated my heart in a way I haven't felt in a long time. It's a blessing of a book.

This book was recommended to me by a seminary professor in homiletics. It provides a feasible and helpful proposal for how to prepare a sermon without notes OR an outline. Preaching without notes is a fear of mine. This book has changed my attitude and has empowered me to begin preparing my sermons without a manuscript. Webb not only informs about how to prepare, but he also provides mind-boggling facts about memory retention that everyone should know. It's worth reading and is a quick read (130 pgs.)

This book outlines how to prepare sermons with a very simple technique. There are no short cuts or tricks; it simply approaches sermon preparation from a different angle. The main thesis of the book is that you should never use written notes when delivering your sermon. Dr. Webb explains in full why this is necessary, but basically you communicate better with people when you are looking at them (which is impossible to do completely when you are referring to notes).

Since you wonÕt be using written notes in the pulpit, you need to deliver a different kind of sermon. There shouldnÕt be (cannot be) a complicated outline or a manuscript with finely crafted paragraphs. Instead you will simply talk with your congregation, relating a series of stories, events, ideas. Preparing a sermon that you can remember is a wonderfully liberating experience.

I took a class from Dr. Webb at the Northwest House of Theological Studies in Salem, Oregon while he was a faculty member at Claremont School of Theology. That has forever changed the way I preach, and the people in my church react well to the new kind of sermon. There is still a lot of preparation, but now you can be more effective.

A wonderful little book that is a must for any preacher. Give it a try.

In the sixteen years since the appearance of the first edition of Lakowicz's Principles of Fluorescence Spectroscopy, the use of fluorescence as an analytical tool has grown remarkably, especially in instrumentation, available fluorophores, and practical applications. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that the second edition of the work has more than doubled in size.

The approach is the same as that in the first edition: fluorescence spectroscopy from the viewpoint of a biophysical chemist. Explanations are clear. References are profuse; they now number well over a thousand and include an additional appendix that cites many books and review articles for additional reading. Figures are also plentiful; no fancy color diagrams a la contemporary biochemistry texts, but basic line drawings, primarily adapted from journal articles.

The first three chapters ("Introduction to Fluorescence", "Instrumentation for Fluorescence Spectroscopy", and "Fluorophores") are an excellent brief (93-page) introduction to the whole field. Most of the remaining 19 chapters are organized around the kinds of photophysical processes and spectroscopic quantities that are relevant to fluorescence. These include very thorough treatments of fluorescence lifetimes, quenching, anisotropy, and energy transfer. There are many examples drawn from journal articles. In addition, the work now covers more of the technological applications of fluorescence, especially in chapters on "Fluorescence Sensing" and "DNA Technology". These give a sense of the great contributions that fluorescence has made to biotechnology.

My own work involves varied applications of fluorescence to biotechnology, and the second edition of Lakowicz is my reference book of choice. It would also be an excellent text for a graduate course on fluorescence in a chemistry or biochemistry department. All in all, this is a most worth successor to the first edition.

Joe Lakowicz has just finished a thorough revision of this classic work, which should be coming out soon. Highly recommended.

Introduces the reader to the basic physics and physical chemistry of fluorescence phenomena, fluorometry techniques and covers advanced topics as well. An excellent textbook.

Los Angeles poerty maven Carlye Archibeque of Indepedent Review Service writes: This is the fourth book of poetry by Joseph Hutchison and the first time I have come in contact with his work.So poetry goes.THE RAIN AT MIDNIGHT is organized into five sections. The poetry in each section is excellent but I favor the first two sections: "St. Failure's Hospital" and "The Oldest Fear" and the last, "Brightness and Shadow", for their straight forward approach to telling a story. The piece I keep returning to is in the first section and is titled "Daffodils"."Let's speak of anguish at the root / of daffodils..." the poet begins, and falls hopelessly into the most spectacular diatribe about hopelessness. "Let's talk about how sick we've become / of breath....Let's lie down in the dirt and blossom in silence." Everything in Hutchison's world is alive with longing and regret, especially the writer. In "The One Armed Boy", the protagonist lies almost asleep and "the arm / that never was reaches out, / touches something even the boy / can't name. Like rain at midnight / falling into a field of poppies, it / gently bathes his non-existent hand." His is the language of bones, flesh and blood caught up in a world that feels cruel, but may just be unconcerned. His work also reflects a sense of humor of the sort that has made bitterness bearable in the work of better known writers like Billy Collins or Tony Hoagland. In "Sandman", the writer tries to coax the saint of insomniacs into a drunken sleep so that he too may sleep, but finds, "He's taken a powder...and wants to talk, / talk, talk about his sleepless life. Well, / what can I do? I hug him like a brother. / I let him cry on my shoulder till dawn." I could go on for a while about Hutchison's way with words, but it would be much better if you took them out for a spin for yourself.

The poetry of Joseph Hutchison showcased in The Rain At Midnight is almost physical in its impact on the mind, erotic in its effect on the imagination, and lyrical in its framing. Punishment: Two lovers with no future/going at it: the bed's headboard/bumps the wall, hung upon which/Van Gogh's manic Irises knocks//gently; nails sunk into studs/and plaster grow a little looser./Such punishment is why the house/will collapse someday, the world//being what it is: a planet/full of lovers with no future--/only now, now--and that famous "it" all of them keep going at.

I have read two of Mr. Huchison's books, "The Rain at Midnight" and his chapbook, "The Heart Within the Heart." "Rain" is a collection of observations about life, choices, reality and changes. I found it deeply satisfying. Several of the poems in "Rain" struck me with the pointed force that comes only with the truth. I feel that Mr. Hutchison has a unique talent for using imagry to convey an idea or a progression of ideas. "Heart" is particularly good at illustrating moods, philosophies, thoughts and a progression of ideas. Mr. Huchison is succint and graphic in a way that creates an image in my mind, then the complete thought emerges. This poetry is very accessible and I recommend it to everyone, expecially people new to poetry.

This book is writen by my dad, and he is an amazing guy. He is a very, very smart person, and i know this book is a GREAT book!

I have used only part of the book. Most of the book is explained using the 'muddy children' example, which also serves to illustrate the complexities in automating a trivial puzzle for humans. The book also contains accessible coverage of Kripke structures and Aumann diagrams. This is quite a accessible introduction to a fairly complex subject.

This book is by my brother in law, who is a great guy and a wonderful dad, but makes his children eat fruit after every meal.