I thought this was a terrific introduction to the neotropics. The chapter on aquatic life was weak, and the author lowered himself to some unfortunate puns (he should have skipped the topic completely). The early chapters were the best.

I've had to choose between 3 and 4 stars, but I'll stick to 4 stars.
It's really a good introduction to the natural history of the Neotropics. Yet, I've got the feeling that Mr. Kricher wants to tell us about too many things in too few space, thus leaving much things for further explanation. Of course, it's a heavy task to pack such a diversity in so small a book. The general introduction is thorough, but in the group description some groups remain heavily underexposed.
He shouldn't be playing on words this much only to let every pun be followed by a hypocritical "no pun intendeed". There's nothing against making puns, though.
The colour pictures do not add much to the book. I think he'd better have fewer and larger pictures than this stamp collection that give a somewhat disorderly impression.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it, making me wish to return to the neotropical rainforests.

Kricher's prose is easily read and digested with fascinating details of the workings in a tropical forest. A delightful read for both the student wishing to understand tropical ecology and the traveler who wishes to get a better feel for the environment in South America. Highly recommened.

Someone is kidnapping negro women in 1871 Philadelphia. Wilton McCleary is assigned to find out what's going on. He uncovers layer after layer of corruption in the police, government and elsewhere. He falls in love with a beautiful woman of color, a medical student. Is she involved with the disappeared?

This was an engrossing novel. A little gorey but it seems historically accurate. Very fast read.

The books in this series (The Killing Breed, The Resurrectionist, and The Black Maria) are fantastic. When do we get to hear more tales of Wilton McCleary? Hello?

I read the first book in this series some time ago, and anxiously awaited the follow-up. This book does not disappoint. The way Mark Graham melds actual history with a deep mystery is superb. This book is not for the faint of heart. If you really don't want to know what life was like in the late 1800's in Philedelphia, don't read this book. If you can't face the racism and rampant corruption in civic positions that occurred then, also don't read this book. This book is meant to make us feel uncomfortable in our complacency. This book has it all, racial tension, corruption, murder, phsycotic criminals, and even a little love mixed in. McCleary is a tough, but honest cop with a uniquely human and vulnerable side. He has to face his own demons as he deals with real-life ones. This is a great series.
Some of the grammar and English is not of the highest order, but I found that I did not mind and the story helped me overlook this.

I have to write something after reading all the rave reviews about this book. I've nursed my feelings about this book, hoping that someone would write an honest review and spare me this uncomfortable task.

But here goes.

The story is disjointed. It erratically jumps in time. After a while, it didn't really matter at what point the story picks up from the previous chapter because there was little to no build-up in the plot. It just stagnated like a dead corpse.

The characters are meatless. Patrick, the protagonist, moves from an existence as a smelly drunk to a non-existence as a gloomy vampire. Lori, Patrick's love interest, literally jumps into hopelessness and took me with her, agonizing with every meaningless expression along the way. I couldn't feel anything for Lori or for Patrick. Their love affair was as dry as their souls.

Only Pink, a vile haunting demon, managed to stir something within me, complete disgust, which represents the only emotion I felt for the book, otherwise the book would have earned one star.

The book was also full of errors. Frustrating, pull-your-hair-out types of errors become noticeable only when they are as numerous as they are in this book. I found myself asking what the author really meant to say through too many incorrect sentences. This was a frustrating effort when all I wanted to do was read a good story, as the many good reviews led me to expect.

I was very disappointed, and I'm not sure if the disgust I felt while reading the book was due to its dismal quality or due to its only memorable character, the demon, Pink. Mark Dirschel's noteworthy achievement with this work is to create a totally disgusting character, something that even overshadowed the bad grammar, and that character is Pink.

Mark really goes over the top and nails this one. You might want to buy some garlic and wooden stakes before you read this book.

I cannot wait to get me hands on his other books.

"The vividness of this initial memory threatens to open my emotional reservoir and spill tears of misery down my cheeks but of course, I will not allow that. If I had passed out before my eyes fell upon her, perhaps her beauty never would have taken me in and things would be different now. I would not have to undergo this pathetic soul searching just to set myself free. Alas, what's done is done and I believe the ability to cry has been dead inside me even longer than my cold and rotten heart. Violent anger, white-hot and seething in its intensity has replaced it. Pardon me while I take another drink so that I can continue."

Simplicity is a visually poignant view of a man's struggle to maintain his eternal soul. His story is one of powerful emotions tempered with a desperate need to survive under the considerable forces of evil that surrounds him. Patrick is an unforgettable character with a life force that permeates through the reader's mind and heart making him impossible to ignore.
Dirschel's use of first person throughout this novel created the images and the character development that very few writers ever achieve. It constantly reminded me of reading Poe. I felt Patrick's frustrations. I heard his screams. I lived in his world of both dark and light. This novel left me spellbound. I can hardly wait to read his next one.

I'll keep this short , i agree it a good book, but it been edited, so parts were cut out, for ex if you see inferno, it around 190 pages in this book, but other it ranges from 430 pages. I don't believe they could fit 400 pages of text in 191 pages.If you want to read the COMPELTE Divine Comedy without editing don't read this book. For me I think this book is too small to fit all 3 Comedys and include Vita Nuova.

Take it from somebody who has three translations of the Divine Comedy. This translation is the best.

With every translation, something is lost (as Dante himself states in his Convivio, book 1), but very little seems to be lost in this one. Mark Musa has preserved the form, the vivid imagery, and the beautiful truths of the Divine Comedy in this translation to English. However, I can't say for certain, because I can't read Italian, much less medieval Tuscan-Italian.

I choose to focus on the translation instead of the work itself since the Divine Comedy is one of the unquesitoned great works of world literature.

In addition to that great work, Dante's other well-known work is his La Vita Nuova (The New Life). Want to have some chills? Finish "Paradise," then dive straight in to La Vita Nuova, and read it as fast as possible. You'll see what I mean.

Also included is a nice biography on Dante and a nice treatment and explanation of Dante's writing. This book is a must own for anybody.

Dante's "Divine Comedy" has been something I wanted to read for a very long time, but never quite got around to until recently. I haven't yet compiled anything like a Top Ten list of favorite books, but if I did, the Comedy would surely find a place on the list. Dante's vision of the ethereal, and his vivid descriptions of the travels he supposedly undertook were stunning and tremendously descriptive. I've read that many of Dante's contemporaries fully believed, after reading his accounts, that he did indeed travel to Hell, Purgatory and Paradise (indeed, some of Dante's contemporaries swear that he had singe marks on his face as a result of his travels in Hell). I'm not surprised--the story is told with such a painstaking attention to detail that it is hard to believe it could have been imagined.

The overarching message of the Comedy appealed to me--in order to overcome sin and evil, man must first encounter and understand it fully. This Dante does, traveling through Hell and Purgatory to intellectually comprehend the various and manifold degrees of sin and fault. Through the patience and teaching of his guides: Virgil, Beatrice and finally St. Bernard, Dante is exposed to sin and accounts of human frailty, without actually succumbing to that frailty himself. It is, in many ways, the best of both worlds. And with each lesson--and the corresponding conquest of sinful desire associated with the lesson--Dante further prepares himself for his ascent to Paradise, and for his glimpse into the Mind of God, whom Dante, in the last canto of "Il Paradiso," unforgettably portrays as an Unmoved Mover of the sun and the stars. Dante's exploration of the ethereal--and his corresponding self-exploration--is profoundly intellectual in nature, and yet, it captures very effectively the full range of emotions a pilgrim would feel if he undertook the extraordinary journey that Dante purports to have taken--emotions which include shock, horror, terror, pity, sadness, and ultimately ecstatic joy.

Of course, there are a large number of political motivations behind the writing of "The Divine Comedy." It seems that just about every canto has at least one character condemning--often in violent terms--the state of the Catholic Church in Dante's time. As an opponent of the Church at the time of the writing of the Comedy, Dante likely benefited from employing this argument in his work. Dante also has an interesting habit of placing the souls of friends, comrades and family members in Paradise, or at least Purgatory where they have a chance for redemption--while Dante's enemies find themselves in Hell. Additionally, Dante ensures that characters in the Comedy make very self-serving statements about the conflict between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines--a conflict which caused Dante, as a White Guelph, to be exiled from his beloved city of Florence. I was amused at the fact that many of the characters--indeed, a vast majority of them--were of Italian origin (at times, one cannot help but wonder whether Hell, Purgatory or Paradise are in any way multicultural melting pots). And while individual Jewish figures of great import--such as the prophets--are treated well in the Comedy, at times, Dante makes disturbing statements about how Jews were supposedly responsible for the death of Jesus (though to be fair, this was not an uncommon sentiment in the early 14th century).

However, the self-serving aspects of the Comedy aside, it is a wonderful and fascinating read--one that engenders a large number of emotions. At times, one cannot help but laugh out loud at some of the more hilarious descriptions in the story (whether those descriptions involve a sinner in Hell literally giving the finger to God in the Italian fashion by placing his thumb in between his forefinger and middle finger, or whether they involve the . . . um . . . gaseous emissions of a demon from an orifice that is not his mouth). Others are quite horrifying and disgusting in their gruesome nature--causing me either to turn away momentarily in slight disgust, or to worry about my own fate in some vague and uncertain way. And then, of course, there are images of surpassing beauty described in the Comedy; the radiant beauty of Beatrice, the awesome nature of Paradise, its many spheres, and the characters found there, the complex intellectual design of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, and the carefully constructed explanations for various physical and spiritual phenomena. "The Divine Comedy" succeeds not only as an epic tale, it succeeds as well as a lucid and serious philosophical text. Indeed, it is one of the best works of literature I have come across in its ability to combine philosophical pedagogy with the clever and compelling relation of an epic tale.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I imagine that I will return to the Comedy for re-readings many a time in the future. And I hope and expect to delight in the story just as much, if not more than I did the first time I read it.

The book was well written, but the premise of the book was flaky.

We are already seeing signs of the Y2K bug invading our business and personal lives. Now is the time for families and individuals to prepare for what difficulties and setbacks the Y2K crisis might bring. Y2K-It's Not Too Late: Complete Preparedness Guide is the ultimate step-by-step manual on how to plan for the unknown catastrophes which might accompany the Y2K bug.

Pooling their unique experiences, skills, interests and concerns for the future, the authors create a concise guide as a result of their months of research on Y2K preparedness. A thorough, yet concise, overview of Y2K planning.

Topics covered by the authors of Y2K-It's Not Too Late range from basic needs-food, water and shelter-to more specific topics such as AC vs. DC power supplies. The rollover to double zero is nearing.

I have read a number of Y2K-related books. "Y2K: It's Not Too Late" is by far the most accessible and well written book on Y2K preparations that I have seen. It helped our family put together a practical program for what may lie ahead at the turn of the century.

This book is wonderful is you wish to disparage and ridicule marian apparitions; indeed, Mr. Garvey takes you on a tour of all the bogus, sad, uninspired and demented "appartion" sites in America. What he fails to do is show Church-approved, or even Church-approvable apparition sites, such as Medjugorje in the former Yugoslavia. True, he is working in the American apparition milieu where Church-approved apparition sites are few and far between; but reading this book, one might come away with the impression that Marian Apparitions are laughable, at best. For a more counterbalanced look at the phenomena, I recommend "The Day Will Come" by Michael H. Brown. For the truly skeptical, I recommend "Encountering Mary" by Sandra L. Zimdars-Swartz, a remarkable book which both believers and skeptics can appreciate. However, the book in question delivers nothing but snide commentary at a phenomena which has brought countless millions to a life of greater holiness.

Garvey's book was very enjoyable and provided a vivid glimpse of a very interesting religious subculture. For the most part, I got a kick out of Garvey's humorous observations regarding his interactions with the individuals who flock to these apparition sites; however, sometimes his comments were inappropriately demeaning in my opinion. Nonetheless, I gained much from reading this book and would recommend it to others.

I recommend this book to everyone interested in Marian apparitions (not only apparitions in the US but Marian apparitions in general). The end of the book is dark but powerful. This book is one of a kind. No one has ever attempted a book of this sort. The author tries to be humorous throughout the book (some of his jokes might slightly offence people that believe in those alleged apparitions). He attempts to be impartial but by the end of the book, Garvey clearly becomes skeptical. This book illustrates what might have happened in previous Marian apparitions (Lourdes, Fatima, Garabandal, etc), i.e., the general setting of those events, as well as the mental approach of the people that came to witness those alleged apparitions. It should also be noted that this is book is not as skeptical as, say, "Looking for a miracle", by Joe Nickell, so believers should also be able to enjoy reading this book. But for people looking for a truly scholarly book on Marian apparitions, "Encountering Mary" by Sandra L. Zimdars-Swartz is the book I would read.

I was so ezxcited to read this book but very quickly disappointed. it was a very over charged account of something less nobler.

better watch the film 'holy smoke' and atleast get more action out of that.. this is a overly hyped book about nothing.

...For about two weeks my head was buried in this book. I've always had a curious fascination with art, with sex and with the meaning of life. (Haven't we all?) Well... This book made sense of a few things for me.

I remember being stood, crammed onto the subway with a 1000 other "suits" in my face. Me standing in my jeans and trainers... Trying to hold back the tears from reading this book.

It will always stay with me. I maybe don't read as much as I should but I must say that one of the reasons I do not is because it is very rare that I'll find a book which will touch me in a way that this one did!

Fabulous...5 STARZ and then some.

I didn't want to like this book. I didn't want to like a guy who had such low sexual morals and I sure didn't want to like a guy who would re-tell those sexual encounters so graphically. But like Mark I do. This is a really moving book with profound insights. I've read two of his books now and each one has left a quote on my refrigerator. This book put "Whatever it takes to break your heart and wake you up is grace". Wow! I read that and had to put the book down. What an interesting way to look at heartbreak and despair. This book is inspirational but probably too far out there for most people to "get".

As an avid baseball fan but a first-time baseball novel reader, I was disappointed with Southpaw. I didn't think twice about when the book was written (50 years ago) when I bought it. As I read through, the age of the book was obvious; not because of the style of baseball described, but because of the laughable simplicity of the characters. Some will rejoice that this book takes us "back to the good old days", but if you're looking for a more realistic novel of the game with thrilling twists and turns of a drive for the pennant, this book is not for you.

Also, if you know little about baseball, the book will be hard to follow when it describes game action.

Mark Harris' first installment in the Henry Wiggen series (there are four books total) is one of the finest baseball novels written. "The Southpaw" is the story of left-handed pitching phenom Henry Wiggen and his early career as a professional baseball star.

The novel is told in the form of Henry Wiggen's diary and the writing does take some getting used to as Henry's prose isn't particularly high caliber. It is, however, very real and its simplicity adds to the novel's sense of realism. Henry begins by talking about his father's (also a pitcher) career and then proceeds to discuss (briefly) his own high school career, his brief minor league career, and finally (in much more detail) his first season as a major leaguer.

The novel takes place in the early 1950s and as you read Henry's account you will be transported back in time to when ball players' contracts were in the $1K range and pitchers pitched 16-inning ball games and pitched on two-days rest. It's a great baseball book in that it gives some insight into the art of pitching and being a ballplayer in general, but it's much more than that. And those without an extensive knowledge of the wonderful game of baseball won't be lost or confused in reading it (it's not overly technical). Henry's essentially a young adult (early twenties at the end of the novel) and his growth experiences are listed (by Henry) right alongside his baseball experiences. "The Southpaw" is a fascinating read and provides a nice glimpse into baseball life (and life in general) in early 1950s America.

A great book and highly recommended reading--particularly for fans of baseball.

Mark Harris wrote perhaps the finest baseball novel ever with "The Southpaw." The book portrays the coming of age of a young left-handed pitching prodigy, Henry Wiggen, as he tries to make his mark in the majors in the 1950s. The book is written as a memoir by Wiggen himself after his rookie season with the New York Mammoths. The Mammoths are chasing a pennant and Wiggen is seeking to become "an immortal" and a man. Laconic, wry, amusing and gripping all at the same time, Wiggen's memoir slowly but surely draws in the reader. I had to get up at 5 in the morning to finish the last 100 pages to find out what happened to Henry and the Mammoths. Truly a "perfect game" for Harris.

I would like to know if the author is the same Mark Baugh, that was working for San Diego Hospice....If he is ,,,,,I would like to congratulate him on this book..

A wonderful and extensive collection, on a wealth of topics relating to personal nutrition, and fitness. What I liked most about this book, is the wonderful layout, it has diagrams, pictures, boarders, and so much more! Dr. Baugh has obviously done extensive research into sports nutrition, and this is a book EVERYONE should have. There is nothing being sold, no off the wall ideas, Its just a book of information that can help even the most seasoned body builder.

A Wonderful book, superbly written, and easy to understand.

I have the honor of knowing this author. Keep up the good work.

I have spent hours pouring over business texts as part of my studies and it is only recently that it occured to me that a pre-condition for business writing is verbosity. Where one word will do it seems that the norm is to write 10! I wouldn't mind if they were wise, witty or otherwise held my interest but for the most part seem to fit the catageory of "padding".

Value Drivers suited me very well because it seeme to highlight the pertinent issues quickly and accurately without going into unnecessary detail. The models introduced have been relevant to a number of the modules on my course including marketing and finance as well as strategy. Since I am interested in marketing then the case study examples given have also been relevant.

In a nutshell a fine example of brevity, clarity and precision. One small niggle. More illustrations, please. Pictures paint etc. My course load would reduce if more books were written in this way!

Whether looking in from the outside or evaluating an internal business unit, it is easy to forget that a business is a holistic undertaking made of many parts. From manufacturing to marketing, these parts impact each other and are neglected at the manager's peril. Mr. Scott's presentation takes the full view into account and provides a vauable framework for evaluating the elements and the role they play.

As a general manager, I found Mr. Scott's work excellent. In a clear and comprehensive manner, he gets at the essence of value creation. His work is a good read for any manager looking to step back from the daily urgency of his operations and regain a perspective on the big picture issues that drive strategy.