Because of its diverse bouquet of erotic undercurrents, BTL: Fantasy is especially adept with wry, bittersweet fantasies - not the swords-and-sorcery type, but touching tales with a modern-supernatural slant. There are all sorts of uplifting motifs here - getting over midlife crises (Antieau's "Desire"), revisiting childhood places ( Thrower's "The Home Town Boy"), dealing with the deaths of friends (Shepherd's "Gary, in the Shadows") and loved ones (Silverthrorne's "The Sound of Angels"), release and spiritual freedom (What's "Beside the Well"), turning back the clock on painful memories (Verona's "Mahu"), and so on.

As far as the subgenres represented in this volume, you'll find very few traditional hack-and-slash stories ("The Stars Are Tears," "Magicked Tricks," and "In Mysterious Ways" being the only three, and they're all comedic). Especially numerous are gritty-dark-urban-modern fantasies along the lines of Don Bassingthwaite's "In Memory of," a tale of two vengeful dragon-brothers vying for fragile human lovers in a city setting. Also numerous are fringe stories that don't quite belong to any single genre because they have so few fictional elements - Matter's "Water Snakes" is an example.

Unfortunately, the settings aren't a very original lot: many stories are set in generic urban environments; there are a couple bare-bones Oriental stories; even the purely imaginary settings (such as the one in Sherman and Kushner's "The Fall of Kings") didn't strike me as especially original.

The writing, however, is uniformly good, if totally unexceptional, fitting well with the characters that behave interestingly but almost never transcend their two-dimensionality. The sexual elements hardly ever seem over the top (though Sheppard's "There Are Things Hidden from the Eyes of the Everyday" is just too much), even if most stories do seem identical from this perspective.

Together with its science fiction counterpart, I consider BTL: Fantasy a quintessential resource for alternative genre fiction.

Sigh. There are so few fantasy novels and stories with interesting gay and lesbian characters (especially lesbian). In a perfect world, this volume of short stories might only be mediocre, but because it's one of the only anthologies of its kind, it's downright wonderful!

There's a wide variety of stories here; my only complaint is that there are really no "classic" fantasies, by which is mean epic, Tolkienesque, etc. This volume was followed by science fiction and horror volumes, and frankly, I think that several of the stories in "Bending the Landscape: Fantasy" should have been included in either sci-fi or horror. There were too many stories which took place in the present day and merely had supernatural elements; some of these were quite good (especially "Water Snakes" by Holly Wade Matter), but they weren't what I expected from a collection labeled "Fantasy."

One great aspect of the collection is the diversity of writers: there are gay men writing about gay men characters, lesbians on lesbians, lesbians on gay men, and straight men and women writing about both gay men and lesbians. It just goes to show that any author can play with gender to create rich, interesting characters and plots.

My personal favorite in the collection was Tanya Huff's "In Mysterious Ways." This and her other stories about the theif Terizan are also collected in "Stealing Magic," another difficult to find item. But if you're looking for a light, fun story, you just can't beat Tanya Huff. "The Fall of the Kings" by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman" also stands out. The authors have recently lengthened it into a novel by the same name. It's a male-male love story set against a backdrop of a Renaissance-like university. "Beside the Well" by Leslie What (which is illustrated on the cover) was another favorite. It is set in ancient China and has a very mythological feel to it. The protagonist takes a stand against her evil mother-in-law and horrible husband by passionately allying herself with the spirit of her husband's first wife. "In Memory Of" by Don Bassingthwaite is my final favorite. It moves easily between the present and past, chronicalling the loves and jealosies of two strangely long-lived brothers. To say anything more would spoil the great suprise ending.

So, if you're gay, lesbian, bi, trans, or just a straight person looking for something different and you ever see this book for a reasonable price, don't hesitate to buy. It is by far one of the most original fantasy anthologies I've read. I just hope that we'll someday see more explorations of diverse sexualities in fantasy literature.

As a writer and a long-time fan of fantasy literature, I was thrilled to see this collection. Overall, the quality is good. This is a solid, entertaining read. But more, it is a ray of hope for an under- and often mis-represented group of people in genre literature. Hopefully, with the publication of this collection, and it's companion science fiction anthology, we will be seeing more gay and lesbian representation in the "mainstream" markets.

The book is a good look at Boeing's aircraft, from 1916 to present --- you see the 707 for the first time 43 percent through the book. Lots of color photos. Photos of older aircraft are mostly recent photos of restored planes.

I recommend it if you're into climb rates, engine model numbers, service ceilings, and other minutiae. If you're interested in the company and the people in it, its struggles and triumphs, you'll get very little of that here.

As a former US Air Force weather officer, the above quote was one I heard Boeing B-52 bomber crews often say half-jokingly when flying combat missions in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. They flew through all sorts of high-level and low-level turbulence, sandstorms, dust, active thunderstorms, low level wind shear, anti-aircraft flak, and guided surface-to-air missiles in their trusty 32 year old Boeing heavy bombers and swore allegiance to them like they had been hearing the sounds of Orpheus. The same rabid fidelity is heard from Boeing airliner pilots often and, we all have heard of the legendary Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress' rugged durability in battle during World War II. Aircraft made by Boeing have had and continue to have a remarkable mystique about them. This book does a great job explaining that mystique and is just plain fun to look at and read!

The book totals 192 pages and is oddly sized on 10½ by 10½ inch paper. The whole story of Boeing from it's early days during World War I up through 1998 are told in very readable text. A generous amount of high quality pictures are used to illustrate each development. Chapters cover the floatplanes and fighters of the early days, pre-WWII development of airliners, the Boeing bomber heritage, the classic early jetliners, medium range airliners, the 747, the 757 and 767, and next generation aircraft including the 777. A useful appendix is included listing each Boeing "Model number" with the type of aircraft it is better known as, how many were built, and when they were produced.

This is a very enjoyable coffee-table book for all people both young and old interested in aircraft. Kids will love looking at the pictures, average adults will greatly enjoy the clearly explained history and development, and even Boeing veterans will probably learn a few things! I feel safe to say that this is a book you will have in use on your bookshelf for a long, long time. It should be best for kids as they will likely grow in understanding of airplanes as time goes on and interest in the field continues beyond just pictures. It's a great buy for anyone! Go for it!

Being an aviation buff, I did buy this book for me, but intending to show it sometimes to my 2yr'old kid. As it turned out, the kid got absolutely fascinated by it, much more than by his other board books, and much more than by other adult aviation books. Don't know what it has to be so special to him, but I know of no other book that has been enjoyed so much.

Massa's catchy title made this book appealing to me at first, and he takes a pretty thorough look at the overwhelming changes in the American Church during the Cold War years and how those changes paralleled the transformation of American Catholics from a closed society with its own schools, social institutions, etc., to a mainstream American religion and more importantly, a mainstream American social group (Massa refers to the assimilated Catholic as part of an "ethnic group" in America).

I found the first half of each chapter quite fascinating, as Massa describes the days of Thomas Merton, Notre Dame's rise to academic excellence under Rev. Ted Hesburgh, the first Sunday of Advent, 1964 (the first week when the Vatican II Mass was conducted in churches across the US), and more.

Unfortunately, Massa would fill up the second half of each chapter with analysis from (what he called) "famous" sociologists. I haven't taken sociology since my undergrad days, so other than Andrew Greeley and Max Weber, I heard of none of these "famous" people. Massa's lapse into dry academic language each chapter slowed down the book considerably, and I found myself skimming over those sections after reading a few chapters. At times, his book read like a sociology textbook.

Charles Morris' _ American Catholic : The Saints and Sinners Who Built America's Most Powerful Church_ makes similar assertions as Massa's book, but it is far more readable and deals heavily with 19th century America more than the Cold War. However, it eventually is Massa who makes a more forceful argument and deals more in detail with the transformation of the American Church after World War II (_American Catholic_ goes into very little detail about these changes, oddly enough).

All in all, an uneven but promising work better suited for a sociology class than for a general reader. If you read it, I recommend Morris' book as a worthy complement.

Utilizing irony, humor, and a breadth of knowledge, Dr. Massa's latest opus is excellent from cover to cover. And though his academic credentials may seem daunting, Massa writes with an easy lucidity that makes his subject matter interesting and enjoyable. As a non-Catholic who had no prior knowledge of what "BVMs in a bathtub" were, I nonetheless was able to relate to the uncomfortable assimilation process experienced by his second and third generation American Catholics.

Massa's interdisciplinary approach expands this work beyond mere religious or cultural history. The chapter on JFK ranks with some of the best political writing I've seen, and the section on the results of Vatican II contains superb theological analysis. The truths revealed in this chapter alone have serious implications for Christians of all traditions.

A must-read for all those interested in American culture during the latter half of the twentieth century.

Great book from a terrific teacher (seriously), although my sense is that all the reviewers here have taken Fr. Massa's Religion and the American Self and/or Catholics and American Culture class at Fordham. Still, worth its weight in gold.

I loved this book. Mr. Buchanan's writing style makes this book an easy read as well as very uplifting. I have read some other Christian books that read too much like a how-to instruction manual. This book, although, basicly a how-to, is different. Mr. Buchanan explains why we fall in a spritual rut. It will be almost like he is speaking directly about you! After he takes the time to explain our rut, he gives us sound advice to get back out of it.

We have a tendency to place God in an area where he is safe for us. If we let God have power over our lives we might get scared to find out His plan. I read this book and opened myself up to God's direction. I didn't keep Him in the closet, only to get Him out when I needed Him, anymore. I listened to God because of this book.

Glory to God. Listen to Him! If you need help, purchase this book!

Mark Buchanan is surely among the finest Christian writers of our day. His scriptural insights, lucid illustrations, and moving anecdotes ring true and speak profoundly to the modern Christian reader. Buchanan delves deeply into the realities of spiritual struggle and discouragement; of joy and discipline. I remember turning to a friend once and crying out, "How hard is this (Christianity) supposed to be?!" Buchanon answers that question, and others, with eloquence I have rarely seen matched. I'm on my second reading of the book and have bought twelve copies to give to friends. Of the two young pastors I have given copies to, both have passed additional copies along to others, and have raved about it. Read it!

There are things in Scripture that I have a hard time dealing with. It's not that I don't believe them, but I lean toward wanting to rewrite some things to make God fit in the box of my own making. For example, God hardening Pharoah's heart in Exodus, or the whole book of Job. In this book, "Your God is Too Safe" for the first time some of the things God did, or does,
is not candy-coated. Mr. Buchanan brought me to realize that I don't need to explain God's actions, I just got to accept it all, trust in Him, and remember "God is good."

The theme of nearly all of the "stories" relvolve about death (someone else's) which leaves the survivor as the victor or sometimes just the survivor. Sounds like bad medicine to me. The smarmy introductions provided by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen set the scene for real tear jerkers with no moral to the whole sad production. Don't waste your money and postage on this. I'm requesting a refund. Alex Ryan

I have several of the Chicken Soup books, I would love to have them all! I can sit for hours and read the short stories over and over. I've noticed that my pastor uses alot of them in his sermons also. It just warms my heart when I read the touching stories about struggles and triumphs in the lives of others. Some say that the series is depressing but I find that when I'm in a dark moment I can read or recall some of the stories I've read and I feel better. They just help shed new light on certain situations. Great gifts also. I've given them to friends and family members on different occasions. They loved them.

My beloved friend gave me this book for a gift. This is the most wonderful book I've read recently. It reminded me how we were when we were young and naive. If you are wondering what to get for friend who you love, this is it.

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.

This audio course, produced by Language Dynamics, consists of
8 cassettes and a brief learning guide/tapescript. Each cassette, one hour in length, features an American instructor
speaking a word, phrase, or short sentence. After each utterance, the Spanish equivalent is provided by a native speaker.

Unfortunately, the American instructor spends too much time
speaking in English, and explaining common grammar rules that
could be easily studied from a manual. He elaborates on Spanish

customs and cuisine which, however interesting, takes up too much recording time. His own diction and grammar falters on
occasion ("gonna" and real good"). The Spanish teacher mis-pronounces the Spanish "v" many times, and at one point, exclaims
"You betcha!" I expect instructors in any language field to exercise proper diction and grammar at all times.

The listener, on the other hand, is asked too frequently merely
to repeat vocabulary words: days of the week, months of the year, hours of the day, numbers, names of countries, verb infinitives, etc. and sometimes sentences such as "I'm hungry"
"It's raining" etc. Much of the same material is reviewed in
subsequent tapes, too.

As a result, at the end of eight hours, an insufficient amount of
Spanish has been taught, limited mostly to the topics mentioned
above, which, by the way, is normally covered in the first chapter of any college textbook. Fast and easy, yes. But, this
is not my idea of a basic/intermediate course.

The program may possibly appeal to those who wish to flirt with
Spanish for a bit, before taking up some other pastime and relegating the tapes to the next yard sale.

Serious students of Spanish, however, will not benefit from this
course.

I LOVE Audio Fluency Spanish because offers clear and concise instruction in Spanish in a way that teaches you to actually 'speak' the language naturally, not just 'parrot' a few stock words and phrases.
Immediate English translations and explanations follow all Spanish on the tapes so I never had to guess with frustration.
A great learning guide came with the course which enhanced my learning experience, provided me with a complete tapescript and written exercises. This course is a must for the someone who is serious about learning to speak and even read and write Spanish fast and easy.

It would be a lie to say that one Spanish course made me totally fluent in Spanish. I can say however that Language
Dynamic's Audio Fluency Spanish made me 'functionally'
fluent. I must take credit for having the persistence to follow the course instructions and to practice almost daily, but my progress in Spanish has been nothing less of totally amazing.
Nobody where I work (and I mean NOBODY) can believe that I am walking around speaking to the Spanish speaking
employees like I was born speaking this language.
I thank the experts at Language Dynamics for providing such an easy, fast, and enjoyable way to learn Spanish, and most of all, a method that really works FAST.

While not completely awful, BANANA SHOUT seems limited. The author began his personal Jamaican experience in 1973, but the book reads like his first-hand experience comes from T.V. sitcoms of an era or place, not from actual living experience! His presentation of the time is summed up by the words "heavy," "man," "groovy," "bumbo," and "spliff".(The STAR WARS references, 5 years before the movie was released, annoyed me.)It seems Conklin is relying on hazy memory to recreate his story rather than a diary or journal, and the situations the hero finds himself in are not that interesting. The 'Quadrille dance", a chance to offer the reader a look at authentic, Jamaican hidden ritual is reduced to "..better than Woodstock! Far out!" I guess I want characters with more color and I want them in more interesting situations. Too many people lay around stoned and I am finding this unsatisfying. I'm only on page 200 but I'll keep plodding on.When I'm finished, I'll probably re-read DON'T STOP THE CARNIVAL for a dose of sunshine.

I really loved this book and have read it twice. First bought it to read on the beach in Negril and devoured it in a day! My only complaint about this book is that it contains tons of misspelled words (Jimmy Hendrix?!?) and other grammatical errors. While not a big deal, this can be somewhat distracting.

I bought this book while in Negril to read on the beach. I found I couldn't put it down. Knowing the area, but not the local people well, I was able to imagine being Tavos, the main character, who was dumped into Jamaica, a country alien to him, and barely able to communicate with the Negrilians speaking their patois. His adventures, being actual events encountered by the author, made this read all the more exciting. Since I'm a Jamerican now, I'm ready for the sequel.

If you like gadgets, and brewing, this book could prove dangerous. I couldn't stop drooling over the possibilities of building my own temperature controlled fermentation room with tons of neat little tricks. Good book for the brewer that likes to play with building things, or just wants to spend tons of money on equipment. Conversely, it provides many of the cheapest solutions to brewing equipment I've seen yet.

If you like to use your hands, build or modify things to suit your needs, and you're a homebrewer, this book is from God. Now, my Gadgetude Quotient is pretty high, so I love just about everything in this book, but Brew Ware has a little somehting for you, no matter how much you like to tinker.

This is a book about brewing equipment, nothing more, nothing less. It goes into great detail on how to build your own brewing equipment or where to buy prefabricated set-ups, such as; 3 tier used keg or cooler lauter tun systems, false bottom bucket lauter tuns, immersion wort chillers, dual immersion wort chillers, counter flow wort chillers, sparging equipment, filtration equipment, and much, much more.

I really liked the attention to detail, right down to the type of plastics and PVC to use or not to use, what type of solder to use or not to use for soldering.

Lutzen even goes into great detail when comparing various systems, giving his non biased opinion on many of the systems you can either buy or build. This is probably the most helpful part of the book, in my opinion. It's good to know that you can successfully accomplish what you're trying to do without spending top dollar for the equipment.