I am an adult distance runner with a high school son (15) who runs cross country. I ordered this book for myself and he grabbed it the minute it arrived. He read it in a week, which is an amazing thing for my computer-oriented son who generally avoids reading for pleasure. I just finished the book and believe it is an outstanding account of the rewards and heartbreaks of top-level collegiate running. I could not put this down. I cried at the tragedy this team endured and rejoiced at the successes. I believe this book is a true gift to my son and any young runner who aspires to greatness. I now know why a poster of Adam Goucher is on my son's wall. Chris Lear conveys the patience that is required by runners who, after being high school stars, might have to train through long periods (even years) of no improvement, injuries and crushing disappointments. He also conveys the impact a coach such as Mark Wetmore can have on a young runner's growth as a person and an athlete. You probably have to have more than a casual interest in running to really appreciate this book, but I believe it will touch and motivate both competitive and recreational runners. If I were a high school or college coach, every one of my runners would read this book!

If you have ever run competitively at any level or have had a son or daughter who has run, and you enjoy learning more about this much-neglected sport, this book is a must read. The author takes the reader along, almost day-by-day, through a whole season with the Colorado cross-country team, a Division I powerhouse.

The book does keep the reader in suspense about how the Colorado cross country team will do at the National meet and whether Adam Goucher will finally finish first, after coming so close several times, at the National meet, but the main story line nearly takes a back seat to the fascinating details as to what it takes to be a top flight Division I cross country runner. Seeing how these athletes push the envelope in training and performance, and how they constantly dance with injury is eye-opening.

If you like times, paces, and mileage, this book will satisfy you. Newspaper reporting on track and cross-country tends to be scarce and certainly with few details. This book will not leave you wondering about the runners performance at meets or at practices.

People generally read books about running because they truly love running itself. But only a few such books provide even a fraction of the enjoyment of a simple run. The classic, Once A Runner by John L. Parker, comes to mind, but there aren't many others.

You can add Running With the Buffaloes to the short list. Lear was shrewd, talented and lucky in writing this book: shrewd because his main subject is Olympian Adam Goucher, the strongest and boldest American distance runner since Bob Kennedy; talented because he has a clear, interesting, energized writing style; and lucky because his nonfiction, real life drama has a happy ending after an all-out struggle.

The core of the book is a daily description of cross country practice at the University of Colorado in the fall of 1998. For most people, reading about cross country practice would seem to fall somewhere between drudgery and torture, but Running With the Buffaloes is actually thrilling. Goucher's intensity, his coach's counsel and depth, his opponents' strengths and abilities and his teammates' successes and failures all weave together in a completely gripping tale. Lear keeps his chapters short, resulting in a pace that moves urgently. He assumes a level of awareness about running that is refreshing. For once, reading about running is like talking to someone who cares as much as you do, someone who is excited and knowledgeable.

When the Colorado team returned to campus for fall classes in 1998, they had two goals: win the NCAA championship and have Goucher win the individual title. Championships are built deliberately, with passion and anxiety. Goucher faces this with more than a little Prefontaine running through his veins. Describing him and his teammates, the Colorado coach observes:

"In football, you might get your bell rung, but you go in with the expectation that you might get hurt, and you hope to win and come out unscathed. As a distance runner, you know you're going to get your bell rung. Distance runners are experts at pain, discomfort, and fear. You're not coming away feeling good. It's a matter of how much pain you can deal with on those days. It's not a strategy. It's just a callusing of the mind and body to deal with discomfort. Any serious runner bounces back. That's the nature of their game. Taking pain."

In Running With the Buffaloes, Lear makes this wonderful, alive and memorable. Reading it, you are actually a part of every step, every run, every test and every triumph.

I have been brewing beer for 9 years and this book has been by far the most helpful. The beer I brew now is better than anything I've made before.The recipes are easy to follow and Mark and Tess are very helpful with providing the required ingredients. I have tried at least 6 different recipes and the results have been excellent. If you are a beginner and want to learn how to brew good beer fast I would definately recommend buying this book. Try the Bass Ale, it's simple and you will be amazed at how similar it tastes to the real thing. Thanks, Mark and Tess for broadening my homebrewing experiences.

I found this book to be a "must have" in my homebrew library. The book begins with interesting and useful information about homebrewing...clearly showing the authors' knowledge about and love for beer making. The bulk of the book however, and probably why you would wind up buying it, is the recipe section. You will find recipes for making some of the world's finest beers. I have made a number of interesting and excellent beers following the recipes they include. They come out very, very close to the original. And because you made them, you might even enjoy these "clones" more than the original. The recipes themselves are clearly written and easy to follow. Homebrewers should really enjoy this book.

I have been getting my homebrew supplies from Mark & Tess' homebrew shop (Maltose Express, in Monroe CT.) for several years now & thus have had ample opportunity to try their recipes & get their advice on how to achieve a certain style in a homebrew. With this book, those homebrewers not fortunate enough to live nearby now have access to Mark & Tess' expertise. A big question often asked of homebrewers is whether or not they can make a beer like Heineken, Guinness, Bass,etc., etc. Now with this book a brewer can approximate the taste of his or her favorite beer at home. Thus far I've brewed nothing but good batches w/Mark & Tess' recipes. (Those who can ought to try their "Never Fail Pale Ale" in the June 1997 of "Brew Your Own" magazine.) Homebrewers can either follow the recipes in this book exactly, or experiment around some (at the very worst, you still have beer). Another item unique to this homebrew book, is that each recipe includes extract, mini-mash, or all-grain versions. That way, regrdless of which level you brew, from novice to all grain, you can pick up this book a start right away on any recipe. I also know that a great deal of reseach went into finding these recipes. For example, for Elm City Connecticut Ale, Mark & Tess spoke to two former brewers of the New Haven Brewery, as well as the man who created the recipe. I highly recommend trying this book and enjoying a fine clonebrew.

You need to read the first two books if you want to understand the third book. If you don't read the first two books you will be lost, and won't even understand the story's plot. You could read it through for about five chapters, and you will start understanding what is going on. It would be better if you read the first two books because it would make more sense to you. This book is about a thrilling science fictional story of people living in the parallel worlds. In the third book three old friends unite. Their names are: Colene, a young girl from earth who is dealing with terrible suicidal depressions, Darius, from a planet who also won Colene's love, and Seqiro a telepathic horse. Some parts of this book drags on. But it's worth reading through because the action parts are so unbelievable it will blow away your mind! The author, Piers Anthony, writes every chapter with such suspense that it tempts you to read the next chapter. Once you start reading this book you can't put it down till you finish it.

Hey, I love the Mode series books, if you haven't read this book yet you might not want to read further-- I'm going to mention things you might not want to know. First off, congrats to Darian and Colene, but also, I give my regards (trying to not spoil here). Although I like these books, I'm kinda wishing Anthony would get them to Darian's world already, but between that they sure do have hectic tavelings! Okay, listen up, anyone who knows when the 4 Mode book is coming out, and possibly what it's about, can you please write to me? Thanks!! --Jessica

I am person who finds it difficult to read books. It takes me months to read a book, even though I am glued to the story-line. The "Mode Series Books" have been the most amazing books I have ever read. I love the research that Piers does to bring his books alive. I really felt sorry in a way for Coline but I was happy to see her find a love, and excitement in her life. I also loved Marsey Doats and Seqiro who were true friends for Coline. Can't wait for the next book in the series, hurry up Piers Anthony.

A master storyteller tells the tale of one of the most remarkable persons in known history. How a young, illiterate farm girl became commander-in-chief of France's armed forces at the age of 17; leading her army, which had become accustomed to defeat, to victory after victory, putting a reluctant king on his thrown and in the process, for a brief time, becoming the living embodiment of France to its people.

It is a story of Joan's courage, intelligence and most of all her unswerving faith in her destiny and in her God, and how in the last year of her brief life she stood totally alone against her persecutors, whose sole objective was to have her die by fire.

Twain's admiration for her shines through every page, and the more I learn about Joan of Arc, the more I share his admiration.

This is a great book, and a must read for anyone interested in Joan of Arc.

..............the captivating story of Joan of Arc come to life through the writing of Mark Twain! This work is remarkable not only due to Twain's writing ability, which thoroughly conveys the moving and powerful story of a heroine and martyr, but because we are aware of the twelve years of research he did before embarking upon putting it in writing. We trust and become enthralled over the story he presents. This is a story I want my future children to read.

Twain, through a ficitional narrator takes us through the story of Joan's simple and modest upbringing to her response to God's command that she save France from the English. We follow her into battle, see her become the teenage commander-in-chief of an army, win victories, struggle with a weak French king, and finally fall victim to the leadership in Burgundy and the corruption within the church. Twain brings us through her entire trial, where we see young Joan withstand grueling questioning and physical and psychological torture for months on end. Through it all she never falls victim to traps deliberately set for her that are solely designed to prove her an idolater, sorcerer and heretic. Ultimately, we walk with her as she takes the last journey of her life, to the stake to die by fire.

This work is based on well preserved information about the experiences of Joan of Arc. Twain makes a point of telling us that "The Official Record of the Trials and Rehabilitation of Joan of Arc is the most remarkable history that exists in any language; A deeply fascinating story.............found in its entirety in the Official Trials and Rehabilitation". We therefore know that his sources are well researched and ones we ourselves can access. Twain beautifully reconstructs Joan's early life based on this information, doing her great honor throughout the novel. We realize, too, that as the story progresses, we are presented her trials in their full, true detail. Twain also tells us that Joan's story was almost one that was lost, having not been very well known for approximately four hundred years after it occurred.

Reading this book is truly to experience the incredible life and achievements of Joan of Arc. I highly recommend it.

Mark Twain astounded me with this account of St. Jeanne d'Arc's life and death. His twelve years of research are clearly evident in the meticulous detail and quotations taken directly from the French National Archive. Told from the point of view of Louis de Conte, it is an exciting narrative of the battles that won France its freedom and the amazing girl who made it all possible. I truly believed I was reading the memoirs of a man who had known her personally! Twain's idolization of Joan is prominant in each chapter. While this does taint his descriptions of the English and Charles VII, it is this adoration that makes this book so endearing. The reader gets pulled into fifteenth century France, cheering Joan's victories and mourning her injustices. For Twain, this must have been a labor of love, and I am grateful for his devotion to her tale. The footnotes add amusing and sometimes heartbreaking side information. Those who speak French will enjoy the portions written in that language. Those who don't, fear not! Being unable to read it will not ruin the story. While this is a serious novel, Twain's famous sense of irony manages to find a place amongst the legend. I suggest that everyone, particularly avid readers of Mark Twain or of historical figures, read this book. While some may not enjoy it as much as others, it is a history that needs to be kept alive.

I've always liked 'Chicken Soup' books, and this one is one of my favorites. There are many stories in the book, each written by a different author sharing his or her own inspirational experience. Because each story is written by a different author, they each have their own distinct characteristics. I really enjoyed the story about an elderly lady who lost her husband and received long-stemmed roses from him for Valentine's Day after his passing. That story, along with many others in this collection, will help to ease any doubt for those who may believe true love is out of reach. I also highly recommend 'Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Little Book of Wisdom' by Taro Gold.

I read Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul. This is the book you want to read if you are looking to cry, laugh, and a lot of comfort and reassurance. If you are a real romantic like me I would definitly recommend reading this book. It tells stories about new beggings, old lovers, love that last forever, fate, destiny, and more. Some of my favorite love stories are the ones that last forever. It kind of gives me hope that I will find the right man some day and I will have the same kind of love that they talk about. Every story in the book touched my heart, whether it was a death story, lost love, or a reunion, I cried. Many people have read these books and have loved them. So if you have not discovered the Chicken Soup books, I recommend reading one. The thing that I love the most is that they have many different sayings that really make you think about things. One that is my favorite is from 1Cor. 13:2 - I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets, I may have all the faith needed to move mountians - but if I have no love, I am nothing. I think this has a lot of truth to it because nobody ever feels whole unless they are truly loved. This book is for anyone who's ever been in love, is in love now, or hopes to be in love in t the future. So if you want a good book to read with real stories, read Chicken soup for the Couple's Soul.

I've always been in love with the Chicken Soup books, and Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul is my absolute favorite. Each story in the book is written by a different author, each sharing his or her own unique inspirational experience. And because each story is written by a different author, they each have their own distinct characteristics. The stories are separated into several categories, just like in the previous Chicken Soup books. Each section offers many stories, and each story is inspiring. In particular, I really enjoyed the story written about the elderly lady who lost her husband and received yellow, long-stemmed roses from him for Valentine's Day after his death. This story, along with the many others in this collection, will surely erase any doubt in those whose belief in true love has weakened. It is not just the content of this book that will keep readers from putting this book down, it is the feeling that one will attain from the stories. It's not all about love and romance, and that is why this book is also well-rounded (although the stories are limited to relationship-related issues). I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend that everyone gives it a try.

I enjoyed this book in part because it provided an interweaving of two of my favorite topics: Buddhist spirituality and psychology. In first couple of chapters Mr. Epstein makes some interesting comparisons between modern psychology and Buddhist mediation. It further aligns some strengths of psychology with Buddhist teachings and insights gained through mediation practice.

As the book went on, however, it became apparent that the author sought to write about Buddhist practice, sprinkled here and there with thoughts about psychology. Not that writing about Buddhism is a bad thing its just not a new thing. And for my money, Mr. Epstein did a more than admirable job of writing about Buddhism in his first book, "Thoughts Without a Thinker." I wanted more of a balance between western psychology and Buddhist practice, not more of the same. I was also a little lost by the excerpts taken from D.W. Winnicott and how they related to the points being made in the text.

Altogether not a bad read, just not a great one either.

I really enjoyed reading this insightful articulation of the ongoing practice of meditation and therapy. The relating of personal and professional experience with these two forms of inquiry into the nature of mind/life was very well done. I noticed at the completion of this book what a delightful read it was and how spiritually nourished I felt.

In Mark Epstein's second book, he looks at the Western psychological approach to emptiness, as a dis-ease that needs to be cured, and questions whether we can ever find wholeness along that path. By exploring his meditational training in Buddhism, he argues that by engaging our emptiness and coming to terms with it, we can achieve a unity of being and well being.

Eddie Ball has always been good at basketball, but he could never seem to be able to do well under pressure. Eddie is an only child,who is 11 years old , and lives with his mom in a trailer park. His dad died two years ago. One day after school Eddie goes to shoot some hoops when he sees a girl who just moved into the neighborhood. Her name is Annie, and she is pretty good at basketball. After a few weeks they become best friends. Eddie's mom gets fired from her job and now they're out of money. Then Eddie finds out that he just won a poetry contest and now has a chance to make a million dollars. All he has to do is make one free throw.....during half time of the NBA finals in front of a whole stadium of people, and many people watching it on TV across the country . Eddie practices shooting free throws with Annie every day, but when it comes down to the big shot, can Eddie make it under the pressure? This book was very good and interesting. It wasn't that exciting but it was never boring. Sometimes the book repeats itself, but you almost always want to read more.

I think you should read the Million Dollar Shot. It is interesting because it is a dream of any kids to shoot a shot for 1 million dollars. In the beginning Eddie Ball lives in a trailer park. His mom works for Frinkle Foods. When Eddie's mom gets fired he enters the poetry contest. If you got one chance to get back at the person who was firing everybody in town. Would you take it. Eddie won the contest and someone doesn't want Eddie to make the shot. Eddie is at the foul line. He closes his eyes and shoots. If you want to know what happens read the book.

Are you looking for a wonderous book too read? You should read "The Million Dollar Shot". The book is about a boy who shoots a basket for a Million Dollars. During the story he meets a girl that looks like a boy. The girl and Eddie would meet together at a basketball hoop close to their houses. They would talk and play H-O-R-S-E. When he hears that there was a shot for a million dollars he wrote a poem and sent it in. When he got a letter in the mail he was amased he had won the contest. I think the book was amasing. It had a lot of detail. If you like sports and you like basketball. You'll like this book. If you want to find out if he made the shot or not read this book and find out. It is a mystery.

I was very disappointed with how simple and basic this book is. I am even more disappointed with all the high marks the other reviewers gave this book. It briefly describes many aspects and Unix services, but does little to teach the user on how to configure any of them. I would only recommend this book to those users who are very new to IP Networking and Operating Systems in general. Even if you are new to Unix/Linux, this book does not do much to advance your skills. I am by no means an Unix expert. I am pretty advanced with Windows NT Administration (2 Years), but have only been using Redhat Linux for the passed six months. This book does not offer me anything that I can't figure out on my own about the Solaris Enviornment, and definately nothing to offer about the Unix enviornment in general. You may want to buy another Solaris/Unix book.

This is a thick book (1.5 inches), and it covers a lot of ground, starting with very basic Unix commands (not Solaris specific) and progressing through shell programming and onto Solaris specific system administrative tasks. For example, I liked the section describing the 'mystery files' needed to configure Solaris networking. It is hard to find this information in one place.

Another example would be the description of /home and how the automounter manages it. This topic generates frequent questions on the Solaris newsgroups.

As you work your way into the book, Sobell explains things like the Solaris performance tools sar, mpstat, etc. as well as the boot process on both Sparc and Intel based systems.

The second half of the book is versions of the most common manual pages but Sobell includes *examples*.

All in all, this book is good for the beginner, and the advanced user will find it a useful reference, especially in the later chapters.

This is probably one of the best books to start learning about shell scripting and Unix. If you are looking for Solaris-specific skills, this might not be the best choice, but it sure will teach you the fundaments of shellscripts and Unix. Actually, even though I am rather experienced, I find myself returning to Sobell's book, because it's rather comprehensive.

The book is clear and well organized. I think it's a good thing to have even for an oldfart Unix admin like yours truly. Just don't expect it to be the best reference for Solaris.

Written by a lot of the top professionals in the industry, each section in this book is like sitting in on a roundtable session at the Game Developers Conference. The contributors here are not giving you just theory that you can think about... they are providing TOOLS that they use in a manner that makes it easy for YOU to use in YOUR code.

The only drawback is that there is so much covered in so many different disciplines. You are buying the graphics and networking sections even if you aren't doing graphics and networking. The only way around this would have been to split the books by area... such as Charles River Media did with the "AI Wisdom" book. However, if you cover a lot of areas in your game programming, this book will touch on all of them!

I am personally using the "State Machine Language" by Steve Rabin (Nintendo of America), the gem on implementing a simple singleton class, and will be doing a variant on Steve Woodcock's "flocking" gem. Could I have done these myself? Possibly. However, by using the code on the CD and dropping it into my game project, I have recouped the purchase price of the book at least 1000:1! That's not a bad ROI.

If you are a game programmer, the book will be of value to you. Should you but it? Ask yourself how much YOUR time is worth... if you can save yourself hundreds of hours for ~70 bucks why even hesitate?

This book is a collection of articles with game programming as the common theme. It does not cover game design so don't get disappointed about this. The articles cover many of the subjects concerned in game programming and are divided into the following categories: General Programming, math, AI, Geometry and Pixel Effects.

Some articles are introductory articles in their field and some are true gems that actually give information that cannot be found anywhere else. The introductory articles are good for those who don't know a field and allows an easy way to learn about it - one that gave me real new insight is Pete Isensee's introductory article about metaprogramming. Of course, if you already are an expert in the discussed field then the article will not bring anything new.

The articles are of highly varying quality. Some are excellently written and some not worth the paper they are written on - but all in all this book is a must-have for any game programmer.

The articles are also targeted and different reader groups. Some are pretty and easy to understand while others require advanced college math and physics to follow. To beauty of this is that beginners can grow with the book and understand more and more of it as they learn more - while getting an idea of what the field of game programming has to offer.

This book cannot be recommended as a book for beginning programmers or people new to game programming. They should read other books first. However, for the serious game programmer it can be highly recommended.

If the book only contained its good articles I would have given it 5 stars, but as it stands now it can only get 4.

Jacob Marner, M.Sc.
Console Programmer, R&D
Deadline Games

Wonderful adaptation of the popular Graphics Gems series - every chapter in this book leaves me wanting to whip up some code to test out what is taught. Very technical subject matter that spans a wide variety of topics from AI to 3D to physics. Most highly recommended game programming book I've yet seen -- I'm already waiting anxiously for GPG II, III, and IV :).

AN ARROW'S FLIGHT offers wit, humor, suspense, thrills and a compelling plot. Probably the most original and intriguing aspect of this beautifully written novel lies not in its gay main character--but the way the book playfully undermines the kind of societal values we expect in a war novel, without being esoteric, obscure, or unpatriotic.

The premise is this: during the time the Athenians and Trojans were fighting back in several hundred B.C., Greeks enjoyed a 20th/21st Century standard of technology. They believed in a Pantheon of gods--the devout ones, anyway--but had cars, computers, battleships, gentrification, TV: all the accoutrements of modern life.

The plot is fascinating, yet timeless, and it was derived from the Greek history and mythology that Merlis so obviously well knows. A young (gay) man who lives a rather insipid life finds himself--for reasons best left to the novel--a naval commander with a ship, a crew, and significant tactical authority. While he doesn't rise to the command magnificently, he copes--this is not a Jerry Lewis-type fish-out-of-water farce. Along the way the ship calls at a small vacation island (complete with T-shirt shops, lesbians on motorcycles and frozen yogurt) and something unfortunate and life-threatening happens to him.

It's impossible to write off AN ARROW'S FLIGHT as merely a "one-joke" book like "Egalia's Daughter" or the masterful "Being There." Just as soon as you've adjusted your mindset to accommodate this mind-blowing premise, something will come along to amuse, beguile or extend the anthropological implications of Merlis' world. (The book drew a lot of "Hmmm, I guess it would work that way" reactions from me.) The premise is fantastic, but Merlis' great storytelling gifts and understanding of the Ancient World make the novel as realistic as any other war novel. And despite my awkward theorizing, it is not a difficult read.

While Athens had a commercialized gay life not unlike, say, San Francisco or New York, Merlis subtly demonstrates the differences in a culture that has not been reared on Judeo-Christian values, including sexual shame and guilt. Do gay men and lesbians run wild? No--the matter of their being tolerated or accepted is different--but by no means a Gay Liberationist's dream. In this and other subtle and quite believable ways, Merlis shows how different a world Athens was, even with today's high-tech toys. He does this without lecturing or grandstanding, but simply by having enough faith in his readers to know and appreciate these differences when they arise in the context of the plot. It takes real talent to create such a credible fictive world.

It's hard to recommend this book too much. Get it. Unless you simply cannot tolerate a novel with a gay protagonist, I bet you'll like AN ARROW'S FLIGHT too.

I haven't been this impressed with a work of fiction in quite some time. Mark Merlis sets himself up to fail, with his idea of semi-updating the Trojan war, and then succeeds so wondrously. He catches the reader quickly with opening chapters that are funny, engaging, swift-moving (any man or woman who was ever young and confused will identify, but gay men in particular will laugh out loud) then deftly begins weaving in deeper themes. In some ways, his subject is the same as Homer's (or Shakespeare's, or just about any great writer's): what does it mean to be a man? His answer is slowly and beautifully revealed to the reader, as it is to his protagonist. The surprising ending (always the toughest part of a novel, especially for one this original) is so well done I turned the last pages in amazement. And heartbreak. Ignore this book at your peril. You won't make a better purchase this year.

"How did he do that!?" That's the thought that kept popping up in my head as I read this wonderful wonderful book.

The anachronisms are brilliantly funny & clever; Merlis is a pure genius & has written a perfect piece of literature. I highly recommend anyone to read this novel; particularly if you enjoy Greek mythology as I do... Merlis succeeds in humanizing these bigger-than-life characters...

A definite must-read!