Very superficial: a good book if you like superficiality.

Though Strand has been widely regarded as a notable poet for over thirty years, this book--which comes hot on the heels of his Pulitzer Prize in poetry--is his first collection of essays. Actually, there are other kinds of prose here as well, including two prose poems on the topics of translation and narrative poetry (reprinted from his 1990 book THE CONTINUOUS LIFE) and a story revolving around the conflicts between public life and poetic sensibility. All three are humorous, as are several of the essays: Strand has always oscillated between pure gravitas and a kind of serious humor. Like the best such collections, THE WEATHER OF WORDS not only illuminates Strand's own poetic practice, but also offers insights into poetry that readers unfamiliar with his work will find valuable. An example is his discussion of the villanelle form--how it turns out to be the "safest" kind of poem in which to talk about loss. Particular standouts here are "A Poet's Alphabet," which opens the book, and Strand's introduction to THE BEST AMERICAN POETRY 1991.

this book is a great picture of poetry by one of america's best living poets. funny, touching, and above all, poetic, strand's new book is definitely worthwhile to anyone interested in poetry.

Well, it's January and nothing happened. I bet all those who bought these types of y2k books are still putting them to good use... you know: under uneven table legs, as substitute wood for the winter fireplace... except for MINOR glitches and a potential for trouble that was taken care of responsibly by almost all involved this y2k hoopla was overrated from day one.

Let me first say I have read over 2 dozen Y2K books. Most of them are either end of civilization books, pushing a specific philosophy, or are ponderous reference guides on how to build your own solar house out of mud and make gourmet dinners out of moss while generating nuclear energy from old milk jugs. This book falls into none of the above catagories. After a brief introduction, this book goes over possible scenarios and gives you the facts so you can draw some of your own conclusions. They then offer several recommendations for addressing each scenario. One of the things I really liked was that you were given hot tips on how to easily cope with many problems, and as questions were raised they were answered. You do not have to go out and buy another book to tell you what to do after you read this book! This book is written in an easy to understand non-technical manner, but it is not short on technical advice, it just does not bludgeon you over the head with it. One of the most useful parts is a Y2K resource guide on where to find whatever you're looking for that is Y2K related, as well as additional information on that particular topic. The best testimony I can give is that my wife, who at first thought I was a little off base, read this book and hasn't given it back since. She has been explaining Y2K to all friends, and they now think she's some sort of an expert on it. I may have to get another copy! The bottom line is that this book is user friendly and packed with the kind of information you need, for Y2K or any other natural or man made disaster. Most other Y2K books don't even devote a chapter to any really practical advice, this is a whole book of it! Complaint, the book is organized well, but I wish it had an index, it has so much information, that would really enhance it. Also, I wish I had bought this book first, It would have saved me alot of time and money. It didn't come out till the second half of this year, but maybe that's why it's so up-to-date.

I Have worked in the computer world for over 40 years with such major companies as IBM and AT&T. I have first hand experience with many of the old programs that are time bombs waiting to go off on January 1,2000! No one really knows how severe the Y2K problem is, but the potential for catastophe is certainly there.

This book is filled with practical, easy to use ideas for preparing yourself, your home and your business for coping with disaster. And, it is not just Y2K that threatens us, but any number of life threatening events from ice storms to a global shutdown caused by militant terrorists! This book, better than any other, shows the average person how to prepare for almost every kind of major crisis.

Because the book is a recent release, it has accurate information on where to purchase some hard to find survival items. It also has late breaking news stories on where Y2K problems are most likely to occur in the USA. About the only thing I would like to have added to this book is an index, although it's compact size and table of contents make it fairly easy to find the information you need.

This book is a must reference book for anyone who believes in buying insurance or preparing for the unexpected. You may never need it, but if you do, you will not trade anything for it. Remember, Y2K can be more then an annoyance! It can be a life threatening event! The small amount of money this book costs is insignificant compared to the value it represents if you or your family are faced with some of the life threatening situations that can come from Y2K and many other disasters. If you have a second home, buy two of these. Its the kind of reference book you need wherever you may be when disaster strikes.

This book is an attempt by Mark Bishop to do a complete history of Te and weapons martial arts in Okinawa. He goes into archeological evidence of early stone weapons in the early parts of this book and then proceeds through generations of royalty and the modern folk tales of weapons and Te experts from the turn of the century.

Unfortunatly, there just isn't a lot to talk about concerning these subjects. Much of the information, especially 100+ years ago is difficult if not impossible to substanciate. I thought that this was going to be another book like his first where he got stories concerning Te and Kobudo and tried to sort through them by comparisons between different masters. This isn't what the book is.

I felt that there wasn't much substance to the book and I was much better off with the Kobudo and Te section from his last book where he wandered from dojo to dojo talking to masters about their styles. Certainly, that section in "Okinawan Karate" was probably larger and certainly meatier than this entire book, which was much too small and unsatisfying.

This is for a die-hard amateur karate historians only. There are some facts (not really fully referenced unfortunately) that aren't available elsewhere that are worth looking at, but they could fit on just a couple of pages.

Mark Bishop writes well, and does so again here. With the title I was expecting more. Like his first book, stories about weapons and the Master's who used them. Instead what we have is a history of weapons. He goes from the stone age through the Okinawan weaponary.

The very first section does a great job of cataloging the various types of weapons practiced with in Okinawa, including the umbrella.... I feel this. like all of Mr. Bishops book should ne in your Martial Arts library.

Mark Bishop; the next Donn Draeger of this century ! Mr. Bishop with all his usual depth and research plumbs what assuredly is "obscure" to even those who MAY perhaps fathom it. To those of us who ARE fellow practitioners of a given ~martial path~ this work's purpose is somewhat obscure. The intended message is somewhat clouded.... regretably. Perhaps the next time round...

This book is a pretty good way to introduce yourself to many of the most influential thinkers and doers of the Christian tradition. It's easy to nibble at this salad bar of biographies, and it's easy to become addicted to nibbling.

I have two gripes. First, a predictable complaint about the choices. Only two scientists are included (plus Pascal, as an apologist) -- but not Neuton, Kepler, Faraday, Kelvin, or Lister. At the same time, a few minor characters like William Miller and Aimee McPherson are, apparently to pad the "denominational founders" number. It is also hard to understand why no Latin Americans, black Africans, Indians, or Chinese (Watchman Nee? Wang Ming Dao?) made the grade. Isn't one purpose of this book is to help us Anglo-Saxon Christians become less parochial?

My other complaint is that the authors, or editors, talk down to their readers. The back cover of the book opens, "If you think history is boring. . . " Well if I thought that, I wouldn't buy the book. The authors give less than a page and a half to Francis Bacon, clutter that little space up with irrelevent biographical detail (no doubt to make the story "interesting"), and never get around to telling us why he is worth knowing or what he achieved.

Perhaps at times the problem is they lack the necessary breadth of knowledge to tackle some of their subjects. They give the usual caricature of Pascal as promoting "faith" rather than "reason," in lieu of the more complex truth, that he wrote of both brilliantly, and did not agree to the conflict that we moderns read into the relationship between the two. They claim that G. K. Chesterton had no masterpieces -- which made me wonder if they read or understood Everlasting Man.

The authors present Harriet Beecher Stowe as "the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin," which they describe as "contrived, unreal," and "romanticized." They fail to mention that the woman did have some real talent; perhaps they didn't notice it. They also skipped over one of the most attractive qualities of her story, the mutual loyalties between herself, her famous father and brother, and her husband, and how out of the matrix of such personal support that Stowe began to develop, in later life, a Christian feminism rooted in respect between the sexes, that contrasted with the radical feminism of George Elliot, for example. All that could have been fitted into the white space at the end of Stowe's third page, and made the story much richer.

This is a pretty good introductory reference or self-education book for a church or personal library, or as a text for homeschooling. I did learn a little about a lot of people I wanted to know more of. But I wish Christian editors would stop dumbing down their books. What would have been helpful is a bibliography, so readers who catch the passion for history the authors want to promote, could go further with it. I guess they don't want to tax their readers.

Author, Jesus and the Religions of Man

The good, the bad, and the ugly, they're all here: Preachers, theologians, scientists, philosophers, writers, artists, musicians, martyrs, mystics, 131 Christians (or people who have identified themselves as Christians) in all who have impacted history. And believe me, calling some of these people Christians is a stretch. (Will I see King Henry VIII in heaven when I get there? I guess its not for me to judge, but...) Indeed, not all of these people would be considered saints as some would define sainthood, but there is a certain comfort one can take in the flaws found in many of these individuals. And, of course, many are saints in every sense of the word. In reading about these people one cannot avoid becoming acquainted with the great events of Christian history and the history of the world. But history is about people, and that's where this book shines. Of course, there are some omissions (the omission of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. borders on inexcusable), but for a good reference on figures you've heard about but didn't know very well if at all, this book is hard to beat.

Mark Collantes 'The Academy' paints an interesting picture of the effects military structure and discipline can have on the minds of young men and women. The story portrays one Asian American's struggle to utilize the sometime painful lessons that he's learned during the long summers at The Academy.

The morally ambiguous ending allows readers to decide whether the protagonist actually managed to rise above the military perspective or if he reacts to crisis in the only way he's been taught.

I found Mark Collantes' The Academy to be an excellent work of fiction. I have a very hectic schedule, and knew it was a great novel when I couldn't put it down. His characters are well developed and dynamic. They evoke passion from the reader as you find yourself rooting for cerain ones and loathing others. The plot pulls you in, but the characters make you stay. Overall, a great find!

The Activity Based Costing Methodology showed in this book, by itself, doesn't provide full answers to the challenges Financial Institutions have been facing.

Of course, some simple and commom questions are addressed, adapted from manufacturing knowledge, but complex ones aren't.

For example, the question "how can I compute IT costs to products, services, customers, distribution chanells?" can be answered in a correct way.

As a "growing high tech consumer", financial services industry needs valuable answers to these questions.

Since 1994, we've performing projects related to implementation of Advanced Cost and Budget Systems using ABC Costing. Recently, we've perfomed projects in 2 global Banks (top 10, assets), where we can focus in answer in a correct way these complex questions.

However, I think the book is usefull for starting discussion about the theme in the financial institutions environment.

Thank you.

Christiano Mendonca, Brasil

Activity-Based Costing and management information in financial institutions is an area I have been interested in for many years. It is difficult in one book to provide answers to every eventuality, but I have enjoyed the opportunity to provide some insights from my (and my colleagues) that may suggest ideas to others facing similar problems. I have included a basic methodology and guidance that we have found useful, but as with all MIS projects these tools do need to be tailored for each individual organisation. I hope you find it useful and I look forward to reading your reviews in the future.

i did not like the book adventures of tom sawyer because i thought the book was to slow. they would carry on and on about things that were not that important. in my opinion i think that junior high kids should read this book. i thought that the book was like a roller coaster because one chapter you start getting to the climax and it just turns on you and goes to something differnt that is not even involved in thier adventure.

This is the first novel that I ever remember reading and thank the lord for Mark Twain and what he did for me. I was amazed, as a young boy of eight, that a book could bring me so much pleasure. I loved the adventure and romance of Twain's world and thirty years later remember the adventures he took me on and the charachters he introduced me to. True, this is not the depth of James Fenimore Cooper, the detail of Clancy, the clarity of thought of Dostoyevsky or even the shock of Steven King, but it is classic American literature and had it not been for Tom and Huck, I may have never learned to love to read as I do. This book should be read by every young person.

As a huge fan of sports from the 60s and 70s I had very high hopes for this book but was disappointed. The content is very superficial with much much more focus on Chief's trivia than the Chief's history. Their are numerous interesting pictures but the only color one is the one on the cover. Finally, I found the layout of the book awkward to look up the answers to the triva questions. There are tens of pages of trivia with the answers all in the back of the book without the questions repeated; you will spend the majority of your time flipping back and forth trying to match answers with questions.

Want to stump the knower of all Chiefs trivia? This is the book for you! I married a Chiefs fanatic and now I hold the upper hand regarding info. on the greatest team! Make a game of it! Thank you for the fun book Mark! We're all eagerly waiting for your next two!

I recommend this book for anyone who has only a few minutes of reading time at different intervals. I enjoy reading these short, but very informative pieces, sometimes I only have a few minutes while waiting for an appointment and these seems to fill the void instead of starting another novel i know I will never have time to finish. I also find them good conversation starters and have encouraged others to read these pieces for a good friendly debate. My favorite piece is "Who shot Johnny?". This tragic, yet familiar story of a loss of innocence by a woman author who has overcome multiple odds against her really pulls at a readers heart strings and makes all Americans feel the problems which face inner city youth. The topics are very diverse and I think you will find something you like. I am buying the second volume and hope it will be as great as the first.

These articles are great to use in the classroom, to spark discussions about current issues.

Tired of seeing terrorism "experts" on TV? It seems like every guy that ever put on a military uniform is now somehow a terrorism expert. If you are an EOD specialist in the Deltas, how does that qualify you as a terrorism expert? This is another example of guys making a meal out of their military careers, and just spewing out a laundry list of security items.

I wasted money on this book, which makes it seems like the odds of getting kidnapped or killed by terrorists while on travel 1 in 3. I've seen this Ishimoto character on TV and all he does is speak in generalities like he knows some super-secret info about Bin Laden when in actuality, he has be driving a desk for the last 10 years.

Save your money.

What Your Travel Agent Won't Tell You

Perhaps never before have Americans placed a higher priority on increasing their safety while traveling outside the U.S.

Bold terrorist attacks on eastern cities in 2001 heightened concerns. This timely book shows Americans how to protect themselves against a variety of dangers, including terrorists, kidnappers, thieves, pirates, and even industrial spies.

The authors, who include two former Navy Seals, intersperse thought-provoking text with detailed security checklists. Their goal? Provide a blueprint for making decisions that create a security "structure" for the American traveler. To build that structure, the writers describe tactics, techniques, and procedures to follow. Among the treasures in their security toolbox: common sense advice, and uncommon insight.

Some examples:
- Make sure you get the right kind of Visa before going abroad. Some countries arrest tourists who engage in unexpected business while using a tourist Visa to vacation.
- Assure that you have a sufficient credit line on the credit card you plan to use while traveling. In some countries, exceeding the card's credit limit can be construed as fraud.
-Book non-stop, or one-stop flights. Doing so reduces the threat of the takeover of an airplane.
- Keep a small, powerful flashlight with you at all times while traveling. Among other things, it's handy when you find yourself in a dark place.
- To be more secure in a foreign hotel room, carry one or two door wedges. They provide a cheap, albeit low-tech means of keeping intruders out.
- Find out whether your health plan covers treatment overseas.
- Ask whether your health plan covers for medical evacuation from a remote region of a country.
- When placing valuables in a hotel safe, double wrap items, jot down your signature on seams of the envelopes. Tape all seams and edges.
- As a precaution, make a tape of your voice and leave it behind. If a kidnapping occurs, the tape can be compared to any recording a kidnapper might provide.

Such intriguing suggestions come from a series of special checklists broken out by topic. Via these checklists, the authors show the would-be traveler how to employ their new security toolkit. In chapter after chapter, the writers challenge readers to reconsider how they travel. Their exhaustive body of data suggests that detailed planning and careful thinking can increase the traveler's index of safety.

Sixty pages into the book's text, the reader longs to hire a security expert to pump up the safety index on foreign travel. But that isn't the overall goal of the writers, one of whom (Monday) spent 30 years gathering and analyzing data on terrorism, and another (Ishimoto) who taught members of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, CIA employees, and at both Army and Air Force special operations schools. Stubblefield served as commander of US Navy Seal Team Three. Steward, also a former Seal officer, formerly supported U.S. Department of Energy non-proliferation programs in Russia.

These security experts want to make Americans safer travelers by teaching them some of the tricks of the security craft. One section of their book tells what to do if a captured traveler finds him or herself in the middle of a hostage rescue operation. Avoiding one possible response seems critical: it carries with it a 95 percent chance of being shot. (Perhaps it is worth the price of the book to discover the dread response.)

Other chapters explain what to do when driving, riding a taxi, or staying in a hotel in a foreign country. Others give advice on traveling via ship, flight safety, and what to do if you're arrested overseas.

The book provides such rich detail, the relatives of an endangered traveler can find out how to begin to assist. Authors show how to start gathering information about the plight of their loved one. Among other things, the names of possibly helpful government agencies are given for such relatives.

Still more information is provided, including website addresses. Using those, readers can access travel advisories from the U.S. State Department, and data on foreign health issues compiled by the renowned Centers for Disease Control, and other data.

"What Your Travel Agent Won't Tell You" will haunt you. It tempts the reader to slide a small, high intensity flashlight into the carrying case for a cell phone, even for a trip across town. It reminds one that being observant about one's surroundings is valuable even when tooling about the local neighborhood on innocuous errands. Security, it suggests, is, among other things, a function of an alert state of mind.

Travel sseems to be getting more difficult and dangerous as time progresses. The writers of this book seem to have made it safer for me and other travelers. I like their checklist format since that makes it easier to remember "the little things" that add up to safety. As a woman who sometimes likes to travel alone, I found this book to be invaluable.