Novelists have always loved artists, and artists have always loved novelists. They love and admire the other's talent, but--most important--they are not competitors. Crichton's love of Johns' work certainly comes forth, and Johns' seemed flattered that a best-selling novelist, and not an art professor, wanted to do a book on him. That mutual admiration underlies why this is such a solid book.

The author well restrained himself from "digging into the painful childhood" that produced such an unusually remote "negator of impulses." He brought out the positive aspects of Johns personality--his ability to laugh at himself and not always to take himself too seriously. "His work is a constant negation of impulses" said the critic..."wouldn't you say so Jasper?" "NO" says Jasper, laughing. Jasper can laugh. That is nice. The author respected his need for privacy in his personal life. He presented a very difficult, complex personality with dignity, humor, and good taste.

Jasper Johns is a very large, and expensive book. It has many illestrations, and lots of commentary. This is a Crichton that has faded into the background, and in some cases can be very hard to find.

A marvel in comparison to the many contemporary metaphysics books that are still so influenced by modernism, positivism and postmodernism. The book covers all issues dealt with by positivist books, but also traditional metaphysical trancendentals (truth, goodness, beauty), linking them to the ultimate Being. The author is not afraid of political correctness, arguing that metaphsics is a scientific discipline, and apologetically interacts with many recent philosophical developments, showing their inadequacy. The book is thick, exhaustive and with a good academic level. The author seems to be influenced by Gilson.

Fr. Sweeney was surprised when I referred to his book as a "metaphysicial primer". I meant it as a compliment. This is a lively yet scholarly introduction to metaphysics. It is equally valuable to advanced students and career academics.

As a teenager in London in the late 1960s I remember the daily ritual of nipping in to Joe Lyons Corner House to sneak a cup of tea and a last cigarette before going to school. Little did I (or any other customer) know what had been going on behind the scenes. This book lets us in on the secret.

It tells how a UK catering company, J. Lyons and Co, got involved in the design, development and building of an electronic computer initially for their own use but subsequently for other customers. Written and edited by many of the people involved, the book is a mix of personal recollection and documentation from the period. It is the story of an extraordinary innovation, conceived and developed by a group of talented and incredibly hard-working people, made possible by the vision of the senior management who in 1949 "resolved to introduce, before anyone else in the world, what it called an 'automatic calculator'"

The book has four parts. Part I, by David Caminer gives a brief description of the successful running on a stored program electronic computer of the world's first regular routine office job in November 1951, and some background on Lyons. The rest of Part I charts the history of the development and use of the Leo computer and its derivatives from its conception in the late 1940s up to the demise of the Leo computers in 1968 by which time some 82 Leo systems had been installed. The last few, located at the Post Office, continued in service until 1981.

The rest of the book consists of personal contributions from many of the individuals who worked for Leo Computers. Part 2 provides an insight into the early task of programming - a non-trivial task in the days before computer languages had been developed. It includes reminiscences of many of the early applications that ran on LEO computers. Part 3 provides some more detailed recollections by those involved of working for specific customers. Part 4 documents the export efforts of LEO computers and later English Electric to gain a foothold in South Africa and the Iron Curtain and ends with an evaluation of the approach behind LEO by John Aris. A small number of appendices provide extra details to events depicted elsewhere in the book.

As well as being a fascinating piece of historical writing the book provides food for thought in the supposedly computer literate world of the 21st Century. Spectacular computer disasters such as the London Stock Exchange's Taurus system have left us with rather jaundiced perceptions about computer projects . Why were Lyons better at implementing computer systems?

One major factor was that before automating business processes the Lyons team ensured that they were well understood and ready for computerisation. Long before the prospect of computers came along, Lyons had established a systems research office with the brief to constantly search out how improvements might be made to the business by changing processes. Consequently, Lyons was more aware of the possible uses of computers and also that the large costs of development could be recouped. Lyons only computerised applications where it could see a clear business benefit. In contrast to much of the rest of the computer industry LEO's sales were based on an application-led approach rather than a technology-led approach. This was partly because LEO could not compete head to head in terms of technology but largely reflected the history of Lyons own innovative approach to business processes. It is clear from the book that Lyons consultants had a harder task implementing systems in their customers businesses than they did with their in-house applications.

Also the standards for good practice set by the management were extremely high. The "six articles of faith" documented in John Aris's evaluation of the LEO approach, which became embedded in the way the LEO teams went about their computerisation projects are another major factor. These can be summarised as follows: 1. The computer system should be thorough and radical. Understand the system as a whole. Re-think the processes rather than simply automate the existing ones. Make the system produce management information as well as transactions. Do a proper job. 2. Check everything. Program errors are a deadly sin, to be eliminated come what may. 3. Design of input and output documents is critical. 4. Detailed systems specifications must be written, agreed and frozen before any programming can begin. 5. Computer time is expensive, programmer time is cheap. Using a lot of human effort and ingenuity to minimise run times is an excellent bargain. 6. Before a computer can be configured enough work has to be done on both specification and detailed design to ensure it will be powerful enough.

While it may no longer be true that programmers are cheaper than run time, it seems that many of the problems related to software development even now might benefit from a stricter following of the other five articles of faith.

Of course the kinds of applications that LEO was devoted to might be considered routine today and the expectations of what can be done with computers are far greater. As long ago as 1972, Edgar Dikstra, a pioneer of computer science, recognised the problem that this expectation created when he wrote:

"as the power of the available machines grew by a factor or more of a thousand, society's ambition to apply these machines grew in proportion............ [t]he increased power of the hardware, together with the perhaps even more dramatic increase in its reliability, made solutions feasible that a programmer had not dared to dream about a few years before. And now, a few years later he had to dream about them and, even worse, he had to transform such dreams into reality!"

Most people would have thought that the people from Lyons who considered developing an electronic computer in 1947 were dreaming. This book is a fitting tribute to all those involved in daring to bring this particular dream to reality.

Amazon Review 21 January 2000

Professor Dick Nolan of the Harvard University Business School writes in his introduction to the book:

"This story has the best qualities of a Harvard Business School case study: it is an important event in the history of the business.

It is a study about extraordinary people ... As confident executives they look outside their company, in other countries, at universities to discover new ways of doing things and fresh ideas. In their bold actions, trust shows through as a foundation in implementing their vision. Young people are given free reign and do not disappoint. A resulting exiting, challenging 'can-do' culture is heard in the words of the people who were there."

From Dr Terry Gourvish, Director Business History Unit, LSE, in Business History Newssheet,

"This is a major contribution to the history of computing and computers in the UK. A full scale case study of LEO computers, written by members of the team who experienced all its trials and tribulations, it provides a fascinating insight into the development by J. Lyons & Co. of the first business computer in the UK."

From Neil Fitzgerald, editor of CA magazine, in The Scotsman, Business section. .

"Can-do culture, empowerment, user-driven innovation, business process re-engineering, flat organisations, quality, short lines of communications and decision making. We are led to believe that these are radical, modern ideas. However, a book that has come into my hands shows that they were being successfully harnesses almost half a century ago, to create the most significant event ever in business management.

The editors ... tell the story of how they and others built and put to work the world's first business computer. This did not happen in California's Silicon Valley, but at Cadby Hall, the ... west London premises of Lyons.

An important facet was that they felt they should always take a strategic view of the whole function to be computerised and make recommendations for improvements before going to work."

From Dr John Pinkerton, review in ICL Technical Journal

"Telling the story of how the foundations of data processing were laid from 1949 onwards has evidently been a labour of love.

This is a work of scholarship but eminently readable nevertheless. It will be seen as a major contribution to the history of business computing; it is strongly recommended for anyone already working in or studying to enter the field of IT."

From Michael Braithwaite, Deloitte, Touche, European Journal of Information Systems.

"I commend this book to a wide audience. To the general reader it stands as a very well written and exciting account of technological innovation. To the business school student it presents a remarkable story of technological success that, as a commercial venture was flawed, perhaps by factors beyond the control of the players."

From Professor George Mitchell, review published Journal of Operational Research Society..

"This fascinating book tells the life story of LEO. Rather over a third of the book is the historical record, carefully researched and engagingly written up by Caminer. The rest is largely personal memoirs of those involved in the early days, including accounts of several innovative applications. The whole is rounded off by an evaluation by Aris. The book's value is enhanced by the style of writing. Those who worked in LEO, especially in its earlier days, including many of the book's authors, exercised an influence on the development of business computing in the UK quite disproportionate to their numbers.

I found this book a good read and one which exited several strands of thought. Although its main market will be among scholars and students of IT and business studies, it deserves a wide readership in the OR community."

From John Perkins, National Computer Centre Newsletter,

"The book, ...., is a fascinating adventure story in which the dynamics of an extraordinary group of people made the seemingly impossible happen."

From Professor John Ward in the Journal of Strategic Information Systems.

"The story of that first business computer: Leo - Lyons Electronic Office - is told in this book. Whilst it is history, reflection on what was achieved and not achieved and why still has many lessons of relevance to the successful use of IT today - we seem to be learning painfully and slowly!.

.... a review by John Aris of what of what he calls the 'LEO approach' - an integrated combination of technology innovation, application and consultancy designed to enable significant business improvements from computer use in a range of situation. Many of these applications would be called 'business process redesign' in the 1990s!

The wide range of contributors provide many different perspectives on what happened and views on why things evolved the way they did. It is a set of memoirs - often very personal ones - of a time when Britain could be said to have led the world in the application of this new technology.

... it is a book that we should all be grateful the authors took the time and trouble to get together and write. It is a story of extraordinary achievements , by a talented team..."

From I. A. Lovelock in Management Accounting.

"This book is a first-hand account of how this astounding innovation came about. It is a flesh and blood, warts and all story related by the participants, brimming over with the same enthusiasm that enabled the unlikeliest of organisations to lead the way into the future that we are all familiar with today.

It concludes with different strands coming together to provide the essence of the LEO credo of comprehensive, integrated, secure, action stimulated implementations.

a very easy to carry around book of great works by tolstoy

A one in all book to read- I recommend it!!

This is a beautiful book about an amazing human being. Although we all know the name Roger Tory Peterson, this is the first time I was able to learn about the man and his remarkable life and dedication to his work. Multi-talented, Mr. Petersons art is shown here in his paintings and photography...as my kids said " Awsome!"

I really enjoyed this coffee-table sized book about the late Roger Tory Peterson, the father of birdwatching. The book is a great resource on Peterson, and includes a biography of him sprinkled with his own words. There are hundreds of brilliant photographs and illustrations by this birding master, and anyone that has ever been interested in birds will enjoy it. Peterson's field guide from the 30s made it easy for anyone to observe birds without having to shoot them. This book is hard to find, but buying a used copy would be a good choice. Enjoy!

This winter break I went on a Shakespeare buying spree, and this book is one of the fine gems I found. A large, but fascinating book, this work of great scholarship and excitement takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of Shakespeare, even into rather obscure corners of his works (Trollius and Cressida, Timon of Athens). This book is a must read for any would be deep thinker about Shakespeare.

Shakespeare as Political Thinker is a must for everyone interested in the political thought of William Shakespeare. This reprint will finally allow new comers to become familair with a commonsensical approach to Shakespeare's plays. The introductory chapter by John Alvis is worth the price. Perhaps the best Shakespearean critic alive, Alvis has an uncanny ability to show Shakespeare's moral seriousness without making the bard an unquestioning adherent to any political school or theological creed. Many of the essays that follow are also well done: Jaffa's chapter on Shakespeare's entire corpus, Laurence Berns' meditation on Lear etc.

The second printing of Shakespeare as Political Thinker gives hope to those interested in relearning ancient wisdom and pays tribute to its inspiration, Shakespeare's Politics (Allan Bloom).

John Carroll and Virginia Rainy have done a marvelous job on the California the Beautiful Cookbook. The book is an excellent addition to anyone's coffee-table collection, as well as an inspiring work for the moderately experienced cook. John has spent years as a personal chef in California - his experience, excellent taste, and personal warmth are infused in this wonderful cookbook. His recipes are practical and incredibly delicious. My personal favorite is the crab-salad sandwich on sourdough, I've served it to many guests and always with rave reviews. This cookbook is divided into regions of California. In becoming acquainted with the book you are becoming acquainted with the culinary traditions of a myriad of cultures and flavors. This is a must-have cookbook for the serious collector - I can't believe it's out of print - do yourself a favor and find a used copy of California the Beautiful, a cookbook you will use and enjoy over and over again!

This is a really handsome book and with it's companion (vol. 2) makes a great addition to world lit. on your bookshelf. Some stories are novellas and some are only a page or two long but they're all artfully written and come from old established translations from late 19th century/early 20th. For anyone who wants to tackle WAR AND PEACE or ANNA KARENINA they should read a little of Tolstoy's more accessible short works and they can't go wrong here. My only complaint (and this goes for all Everyman series books) is that the text printed on the other side is annoyingly visible making reading a bit of a chore. This is a major blunder for any series of books purporting to capture the world's best literature but if you can ignore this (or at least get used to it) this would be a smart purchase because the price is right (if you buy it here).

If you're not sure that "polygamophile" is a word, don't worry - neither am I. Miller seems to invent this word to describe John Milton, and puts his favourable views on polygamy and divorce down to unhappy experiences of marriage. Milton, of course, would probably put them down to an unbiased search for truth. Miller does an excellent job of tracking down Milton's views on polygamy in his mainstream work. This takes some doing, as they were not generally known about until his treatise on Christian Doctrine was unearthed 150 years after his death, but about half this book is made up of endnotes - it does not lack evidence for its comments. Milton is not the only person seen to have an interested in polygamy, but you'll have to search out a copy of the book to find the rest. Even for the material on Milton alone, it will be worth it.

This novel, which was very successful when first published, is certainly one of perutz's most interesting. the story of austrian officer victorin, traumatised by by his russian captivity and unable to get on with his life, is very thrilling to read. as always with this author he hides his literary intentions behind a story which can easily be read as entertainement only, while his writing is far more subtle and the solution very interesting. perutz has not jet reached the literary acclaim he should have but is certainly one of the most interesting figures in austrian literature.