Mark Heller's treatment of the Sorites Paradox in the Ontology of Physical Objects is the most cogent and useful treatment on the subject this year. His ontology of objects as four-dimensional with a temporal element as opposed to three-dimensional and enduring although alluring, begs previous sympathy towards that orientation. Heller's work with Carl Matheson seems to have corrupted his work in metaphysics in a creative although ultimately useless manner.

This wonderful book is full of many beautiful and inspiring images. Paintings, drawings, lithographs, silkscreen, photographs, among other mediums hold the thoughts of artists such as Pollock, Warhol, Matisse and others. A truly wonderful little collection of ideas.

Superbly edited by Mark Radice, Opera In Context is an impressive compendium of essays by a variety of experts that examines representative operatic productions from diverse national schools and periods. These informative and original essays document the history of operatic staging using the words of the composers and their contemporaries as revealed in their diaries, letters, and writings. Other issues and topics covered include historical performance practice, elements of operatic stage craft, scenery, costumes, and lighting. Opera In Context is enthusiastically recommended reading for students of operatic history, as well as producers, directors, set designers, conductors, and performers.

The authors have used real-world measures of quality (=dependability) to define a strategy for improving the TRUE QUALITY of manufacturing output for electronic products and sub-assemblies. If you're involved in electronic design and manufacturing (as I am), chances are your present employer is doing many costly things in the name of Quality that you KNOW are counterproductive. This gem of a book points out a lot of these practices, and provides OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE about how they're bad and why we do them anyway. And if you're like me, this book will also point out a few things you DIDN'T KNOW where counterproductive, too. Reading and studying this book has made me DETERMINED to fight the forces of pseudo-quality that are a growing menace within the company I work for. Wish me luck!

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent. Could use more photos, but great in every other way

Ordinary Lives is a masterful collection of writing in which the author transforms each of the characters into extraordinary people. Through the author's all-seeing eyes, the reader quickly comes to know these people, and aches for them in their times of all-too-human dilemmas and sorrows. Each of the people and the circumstances described in these writings merits at least several moments of personal reflection. It's well written and enjoyable to read. The characters and their tales in Ordinary Lives generally elicit an aching-heart type of sigh from the reader.

The author has really hit upon something with Organizational Acupuncture. What a refreshing alternative to typical western thinking or the misapplied "Art of War" as a tool for better executive leadership and business management. Having spent the last three years traveling throughout Asia, absorbing much of the culture and combined with my own studies of eastern philosophies, it's clear that Mr. Clemente is on the right track with his analogy of "body and business." He addresses this quite well in his introduction, then provides his personal experiences to make the analogy even more compelling and accessible. Current b-school practices are failing (for a combination of reasons), and we must seek new ways to look at things ... even if they are based on the 5,000 year old practices of traditional Chinese medicine. Organizational Acupuncture may just be what today's leaders and managers need to get businesses functioning and healthy. Highly recommended!

If you walk into most elementary schools these days what you see is distressing. The number of overweight, out of shape, lethargic children is mind boggling. The simple concepts in this book can be understood by any elementary age student. The younger we teach these concepts to our children the better chance they will continue to be healthy, active adults. The organ wise guys should be part of every school's curriculm if we are truly interested in raising a healthier generation of kids who assume responsibility for their own health.

As a Chinese Medicine practitioner with a background in Taoism, I'm constantly on the look out for interesting books. Some books - most Chinese medicine books for example - are rich in textual content, but do little to nourish the eye or other senses. Some 'coffee table' books are a delight to hold and look at, but poor to read. It is rare, especially in the field of traditional medicine, to find one book that succeeds brilliantly in both departments, but here is one. Even if you never read a word (which would be a tragedy) this is a delight - full of the most beautiful colour illustrations and photographs. It is divided into three main parts, covering the worlds of Indian, Tibetan and Chinese medicine. It should be said that as far as illustrations are concerned, the section on Tibetan medicine is the most wondrous: "The concern for precision which characterises all his medical works, led the Regent [Sangye Gyamtso 1653-1705] to the conception and creation of a series of 79 paintings on canvas (thangka) illustrating the entire contents of his commentary: embryology, anatomy, physiology, materia medica, methods of diagnosis, therapy etc.". Included in the riches of Tibetan medicine, is a discussion of the production of detoxified mercury - a oral tradition handed down from one master-physician to another. The process, which has been revived by Khenpo Troru Tsenam, requires a hundred people working for a month and uses iron, copper, silver and hundreds of grams of gold. Once detoxified, the mercury is used in the production of various 'precious pills' incorporating precious metals and stones.

As far as Chinese medicine is concerned, whilst some of what is presented will be familiar, the historical account - and especially its Taoist influences - is scholarly and fascinating (and of course well illustrated), as are the sections on current practice in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea and Japan.

If you love beautiful and rare books, buy this one.

Phillip Porter is a recognized expert on the Jaguar XK series. His book, suplemented by excellent photos, details each version of the car with text and photos. For anyone restoring an XK series Jaguar, the photos are a rich source of originality information highlighting differences between the various models. This book is well worth purchasing.