This was a brilliant work from days gone past. Oddly, the story could happen as easily today as it did when written, the only difference being that the censored content of yesterday would be praiseworthy subtlty today.

As the backcover quotation reads, it made William S. Boroughs "want to be a writer." It made me wonder why I can't find his second book. It should be noted that the illustrations by Art Spielgelman clearly add to the aura of the consuming experiece.

I highly recommend this book that can be read in under an hour. Give it to poetry haters. They can access the work thouugh the tough sexy voice and may enjoy poetry as might have been impossible before.

A brilliant piece of writing. I truly enjoyed this book.March has created a vivid world with a minimal amount of words and a very interesting style of poetry. I don't know that I've ever read an extended poem (for lack of a better word, it doesn't really qualify as an epic) that had me so involved and so interested in the story being told. The illustrations are amazing in this edition of the book as well. Highly recommended!

The wild party is a brilliant poem that pre-empts the beats' sense of rhythm and love for the low-down and dirty elements of modern life. Even though it was written six decades ago, it is fantastically modern. With a pulsuating, driving style that includes violence, humour and excitement, The Wild Party grips the reader from beginning to end. Spielgelman's illustrations, although nice and evocative, do not match the pure intensity of the writing. Well done to Spielgelman for finding this 'lost classic' and re-publishing it (although on the spine his name gets top billing which seem a little self-centred seeing as the books power lies entirely in the words, not the pictures. Indeed the writing is so bitingly vivid that the pictures are unneeded). I have read this book over a hundred times and it never fails to quicken my pulse and ressurect my love for poetry.

Written by A. Frank Steward (ha, ha), this volume is a little bit of memoir, a little bit of advice by a seasoned veteran of the skies, but mostly a collection of stories about the life of a flight attendant. Tales of hijacking are conspicuous by their absence and security procedures are dealt with in bland admonishments to remember that it's for the traveler's good, thus instantly dating this book as pre-9/11. Talking about coach-class meal service is another dead giveaway.

It was probably funnier before last fall to read about people on planes who get sick, drunk, loopy enough to take off all their clothes in the john, or who get stuck there. Still, amid the tiresome dross (there is WAY too much vomit flying around) there are scattered gems. I was moved, for example, by the tale of a double amputee determined to see the world, and the flight attendant who quit the business but could never find his place in life. Since the book has no plot or organization it's easy to skip over the lesser parts, at least. I'd say this one is a reasonably good way to pass the time on an economy class flight.

I am a frequent business traveler and have read all three flight attendant books out there now. This one is the best by far! I totally recommend this book for it's all around human touch. The other ones are good, but similar to a joke book. Frank Steward gives great advice, a clear in-flight perspective and an inside look into the people behind the carts. I am surprised that this book hasn't been in the media much more! Rating: Great book

This wonderfully written book was a lucky find. I had seen a couple of people on a recent flight reading this book and they never put it down. I asked both of them if they would recommend it, and they said absolutely!
I had never heard of the author A. Frank Steward before, but that was because it is a pen name for an honest flight attendant, who tells it like it is.
Full of fascinating airline stories (funny and sad), helpful traveling and inflight advice, and insights on the traveling public from a flight attendant's view.
It's the perfect book to read on a flight or at the airport, but the only problem was that I couldn't put it down at home and finished it before my next flight. If you are feeling a bit apprehensive about flying, especially these days, I would recommend this for your next flight. A healing period is needed for the air travel industry and this is the perfect start.
My only critiscism is that it didn't come out earlier, there is an insightful chapter that outlines the desparate need for change in security at America's airports.
Great book for all.
JM

Obviously, by the title, prison inmate Eduard Delacroix is electrocuted in this book. Unfortunately, it's at the hand of Percy Wetmore, the prison guard who's been bullying Eduard from the beginning. He's the one who sabotages the execution, giving Eduard a painfully long-drawn-out death. This scene is rather gruesome and will remind readers that this is still Stephen King writing, even though The Green Mile isn't King's usual horror fare.

While Eduard dies, though, Mr. Jingles is "resurrected" by John Coffey, after Percy had stepped on him in the previous book, "Coffey's Hands." Like the sudden endings in most of these books, this one has another good cliffhanger, in regards to Coffey's innocence. These sudden endings can be aggravating, but they were a very good marketing technique at the time of publishing--to keep the loyal reader addicted for the next installment, especially for the following two: "Night Journey" (#5) and "Coffey on the Mile" (#6). However, since the complete serial novel has since been published, I'd recommend getting that one instead.

As the series keep floating along, as does the tension in the room where I read these books. This time Percy, the wicked guard, goes a little too far. Probably even farther than he ever thought he could get away with. John Coffey still remains in the prison, and his guilt is beginning to be questioned by the guards. Could someone so gentle kill so easily

If Sean Penn read this book before walking his last "mile" in Dead Man Walking, he wouldn't have been so brave! Of course, Stephen King ain't exactly Susan Sarandon, either!!
The reader not only is walking with Eduard Delacroix as he approaches his fate, he IS Delacroix. The smells are pungent, the sight is vivid, and the end is horrific.
More questions arise, however. What about the mysterious powers of John Coffey? Or the secret plan of the guards? Well, it just so happens...DARN! Have to wait for the next installment to come out for those answers

I picked up this book on my recent travels here to the United States. I was particularly drawn to comments on the back of the book; advance praise from three well-known Celtic writers and others of note. I have just finished reading it and must say that I enjoyed it thoroughly. I completely concur with the other reviewers who have given this book high marks. The Mist-Filled Path was a joy to read. It combines a number of features in a masterful way, including personal and historical storytelling, pre-Christian Celtic ideas and neo-Platonist concepts, and the account of Frank's personal journey of rediscovering his Celtic roots is a wonderful and inspiring example of someone becoming steeped in the Celtic spirit today... This book clearly expresses the best of the Celtic soul, not only of its antecedent forms, but also proposing a much needed ethic for today. Certainly this is not a book for strident Celtic scholars or tight-laced historians, nor does Mr. MacEowen make such grandiose claims. To the contrary, he declares humbly in the pages of this book that it is a spiritual reflection for the here and now, one which I was deeply served by.

I was immediately drawn to this book from its beautful cover. It is a book whose cover and title lives up to its contents. What a powerful, honest, gripping, adventurous, and stirring book. I felt blessed to read it. It brings together the best of the Celtic spirit, both in ancient and new ways that are relevant to us all, whoever we are. The Mist-Filled Path offers a helpful way of thinking and spiritual practice to anyone, whatever their culture might be, because the vision of the book is of an enlightened society where everyone can be truly and fully themselves. This book is a combination of Celtic sacred teachings and teaching stories, with a real call to action for each of us to investigate our lives in a new and fresh way. I was left with such a feeling of empowerment and hope in my life from Frank's words.

The Mist-Filled Path is a book that truly conveys the essence of the human spiritual search in action from a Celtic perspective. What I liked about it so much was how human the author is. We are really brought along on his journey and I felt changed because of it. At every turn MacEowen offers us an inside view of the inner landscape of someone who has authentically been called to the shaman's path in modern life, and who lives life according to the shaman's heart. Such a book is able to see the interconnections between cultures, peoples, religions, in way that re-sanctifies the human condition of all people--whatever ethnicity or culture. In The Mist-Filled Path the reader will learn about the various expressions of the Celtic spirit--the pagan, druid, shamanistic, and the Celtic-Christian. The reader will also be given various meditations and exercises that aid in developing an expanded sense of consciousness about a number of topics: the elements, the sacred flow of time, working with nature as a healing guide, etc. This is not a textbook. The Mist-Filled Path is a living spirit; a truly relevant and timely message, expressed as a collection of teachings and ideas in the true Celtic storytelling style. MacEowen's harrowing experiences of near-death, his experiences doing a traditional Sun Dance with the Lakota Sioux people, and rediscovering the living wisdom of his Irish and Scottish ancestors makes for a powerful reading experience. The Mist-Filled Path left me with a greater understanding of why the various expressions of the Celtic traditions were pushed down (or "eclipsed" as MacEowen says), and why they are re-emerging today. A remarkable and fascinating book.

a good read, but can be confusing for kids. It takes a while to comprehend all of the Shakespearian langauge, but is very interesting. It is boring at parts.

The Winter's Tale is a lot of things: heart-breaking, exhilerating, funny, beautiful, romantic, profound, etc. Yeah, it's all here. This is one of the bard's best plays, and I can't believe they don't teach this in schools. Of course, the ones they teach are excellent, but I can see high school kids enjoying this one a lot more than some of those others (Othello, King Lear).

The story is, of course, brilliant. King Leontes goes into a jealous rage at the beginning against his wife Hermione. Leontes is very mistaken in his actions, and the result is tragic. Shakespeare picks the story back up sixteen years later with the children, and the story works to a really, really surprising end of bittersweet redemption.

This is one of Shakespeare's bests. The first half is a penetrating and devestating, but the second half shows a capacity for salvation from the depths of despair. Also, this being Shakespeare, the blank verse is gorgeous and the characters are well drawn, and the ending is a surprise unparalleled in the rest of his plays. The Winter's Tale is a truly profound and entertaining read.

The Winter's Tale contains some of the most technically difficult solutions to telling a story that have ever appeared in a play. If you think you know all about how a play must be constructed, read The Winter's Tale. It will greatly expand your mind.

The play opens near the end of a long visit by Polixenes, the king of Bohemia, to the court of his childhood friend, Leontes, the king of Sicily. Leontes wants his friend to stay one more day. His friend declines. Leontes prevails upon his wife, Hermione, to persuade Polixenes. Hermione does her husband's bidding, having been silent before then. Rather than be pleased that she has succeeded, Leontes goes into a jealous rage in which he doubts her faithfulness. As his jealousy grows, he takes actions to defend his misconceptions of his "abused" honor that in fact abuse all those who have loved him. Unable to control himself, Leontes continues to pursue his folly even when evidence grows that he is wrong. To his great regret, these impulsive acts cost him dearly.

Three particular aspects of the play deserve special mention. The first is the way that Shakespeare ties together actions set 16 years apart in time. Although that sounds like crossing the Grand Canyon in a motorcycle jump, Shakespeare pulls off the jump rather well so that it is not so big a leap. The second is that Shakespeare captures entirely different moods from hilarious good humor to deep depression and remorse closely adjacent to one another. As a result, the audience is able to experience many more emotions than normally are evoked in a single play. Third, the play's final scene is as remarkable a bit of writing as you can imagine. Read it, and marvel!

After you finish reading this play, think about where your own loss of temper has had bad consequences. How can you give yourself time to get under control before acting rashly? How can you learn to be more open to positive interpretations of events, rather than dark and disturbing ones?

Love first, second, and always!

The Door in the Dragon's Throat was so powerful and exciting. I could have read it all in two minutes, it was so good. Frank Peretti has always been my favorite author because sometimes, I like to read 100 pages or so of how powerful God really is compared to Satan. I thought it was very thrilling and it kept my heart pounding the whole time I read it because it is reality. Here is another 5 star comment on this wonderful book. Don't listen to that 1 star comment because they don't know what they talking about! They are crazy to think an excellent Christian book showing how God is so powerful is bad for their children! It is definately a must for all young Christian readers.

When I sat down to read this book, I didn't quite know what to expect. I had read Mr. Perettis' larger novels (The Darkness Series, Prophet, Tilly, and The Oath). I thought to myself, "Well, this is just a kids book, something to pass the time away". Boy was I wrong. This book 'blessed my socks off'. It was like watching a saved Indiana Jones. This book set the stage for the entire Cooper Kids Adventure Series (of which I am a dedicated fan, thanks to this opening story). Mr. Peretti stayed true to his writing stlye and I enjoyed the story line from beginning to end. Bravo for Mr. Peretti taking time out to write for kids and still reach adults at the same time.

An exciting adventure for ages 10-14 (and adults, too). A powerful reminder of how great God is and what an awesome adventure it is to walk with Him. This book gives a neat peak at an end times prophesy without being preachy. I recommend it to ANYONE who enjoys good family values, action-packed Bible stories, and Peretti's riveting keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat style! You won't be able to put it down until you've finished it!

Frank Abagnale gained notoriety in his youth as a master forger and imposter. He passed over two million dollars of phony checks and he pretended to be a doctor, a lawyer and an airline pilot during his successful crime spree. Abagnale described his misdeeds in his first book, "Catch Me If You Can." After years on the run, Abagnale was finally caught and he served prison time. Finally, he decided to give up his criminal ways and he is now making more money than he ever did as a criminal. For twenty-five years, Abagnale has been a "fraud prevention specialist." He helps businesses to recognize and prevent common types of fraud.

In his new book, "The Art of the Steal," Abagnale explains that fraud is big business and everyone is affected by it. The billions lost by businesses as a result of fraud are partially recovered by raising consumer prices. Fraud is more common today than ever before, with the growth of the Internet and other forms of modern technology. Today, it is easier than ever to print checks that look like the real thing and to create false identity papers. In addition to counterfeit money, counterfeit goods (including medicines and baby formulas) flood the market. Ponzi and pyramid schemes and other investment scams are still going strong.

Why is "The Art of the Steal" an important book for consumers and businessmen? Unfortunately, most people are complacent about security issues, and we don't take even the most obvious steps to protect ourselves from frauds and scams. Abagnale encourages us to be more careful about giving away important personal information over the Internet or the telephone. He warns us to shred personal papers before throwing them in the trash, and to be aware that if an offer appears too good to be true, that it probably is a scam. He also explains how businesses can avoid becoming the victims of embezzlers. Statistics show that embezzlers steal over $100 billion dollars a year from their employers.

The only negative I have about "The Art of the Steal" is that it is written in a dry and pedestrian manner, with a number of grammatical mistakes that the editor did not catch. However, the quality of the writing aside, "The Art of the Steal" is a worthwhile book. Considering the necessity of protecting ourselves from the myriad types of fraud and scams that are out there today, it is important for all of us to be more knowledgeable and circumspect about security issues.

I typically read and review books on digital security. I bought "The Art of the Steal" (TAOTS) after being captivated by "Catch Me If You Can." TAOTS is an incredible book, but not because it is a masterpiece of English literature. Rather, TAOTS is an amazing and personalized tour of a seedy underworld where ingenuity serves evil purposes. In this dark economy, criminals prey on the ignorance, greed, or benevolence of their victims. It's worth taking the time to read TAOTS, because it can help prevent you becoming a victim.

I simply couldn't imagine some of the scams Abagnale explains. The audacity of the criminal mind cannot be underestimated. The author's discussions of check fraud, embezzlement, and creative ways to cheat retailers astounded me. His explanation of counterfeiting currency was especially prescient, as this week the US Treasury announced multicolor $20 bills. I wonder if Abagnale was consulted?

Although I really enjoyed the book, I gave it four stars. Abagnale should have included citations for his fraud stories. Otherwise, how can one be sure the tales are fact and not fiction? I would have also like a "lessons learned" or "best practices" summary at the end of each chapter. Nevertheless, I echo Tom Hank's recommend that everyone who has money should read TAOTS.

Very good book. Anyone in sales, especially management, should read it. It contains very helpful information on how to detect possible counterfeits, cons, and scams. This guy knows what he's talking about.

This book has useful (though not terribly complete) introductions to each of the plays, focusing mainly on comparing various Folio and Quarto editions of the plays. It also contains some nice pictures, though I wish the Latin in them were translated or shown at a legible size. It has very nice appendicies nothing the first appearances of all the characters in the plays, and a timeline showing what historical events were occuring in relation to works written by Shakespeare and events in his life, as well as to plays by other playwrights and other literature produced at that time. The pages are relatively thin and the print small. However (this referes to the '74 edition, maybe they have changed it since then) the plays are a royal pain to read. The pages are about a foot high and the notes are at the bottom. There is no marking to indicate whether a line has a note, so the reader must read a line or two, glance down at the notes, read another few lines, look at the notes again, and so on. Were it not for this major annoyance, this would be a very good (and very complete) edition of Shakespeare's works.

While I sympathize somewhat with the review below -- the introductions do quibble a bit over the differences between Folio and Quarto versions, the exact source material etc. -- I found this to be an excellent version of the complete works. The essay before each play is very helpful toward understanding the literary context of the play--they _do_ talk about the characters and the action of the play, in a way that nicely complements the text. The illustrations (some black and white, some color) are also interesting and helpful. The book contains both a general introduction, which is accessible, if slightly daunting, to a reader who might not be intimately familiar with all of the plays, serving to excite interest at least. It also contains an essay on 20th century Shakespeare criticism, which introduces many of the newer movements in Shakespeare criticism that are not included in the general introduction (which focuses more on the Elizabethan historical period, and more immediate reactions to the plays). The footnotes, while they are not indicated on the line itself, are located on the same page. In looking at several other editions, I found that footnotes were sometimes actually endnotes--i.e. located in one section at the end of the play, which would be very disruptive to reading. Happily, this is not the case in this edition.

The book, as the title claims, includes all of Shakespeare's plays, Sonnets, and poems. The appendices include many other interesting tidbits that help shine some light on old Billy's life, including his will, in which he enigmatically bequeathed a "second-best bed" to his wife. Other documents are included, often with explanations to help the reader to understand (as the documents are printed verbatim, the Elizabethan spelling and punctuation is a slight impediment).

Overall, I found this to be the best of the paperback and hardcover editions I examined.

This one-volume edition of Shakespeare's works is the most complete I found on the market: it includes "The Two Noble Kinsmen", Shakespeare's addition to "Sir Thomas More" (with photographical reproduction of the pages believed to be in his handwrite), the currently hot debated poem "A Funeral Elegy by W. S." and, above all, "The Reign of King Edward III", a new play recently accepted in the canon by many authoritative editors (Arden, Cambridge, Oxford). The text of each work is carefully edited and accompanied by helpful glossarial notes, a textual discussion with short bibliography, and an impressive collation which allows the reader to find variant readings and emendations. An exhaustive critical introduction precedes each play and poem, dealing with authorship, date, sources, textual differences between quarto and folio texts, and of course the principal thematic issues. What makes this a superb edition - and indeed a real "companion" to Shakespeare studies! - is the great amount of subsidiary material, including a general introduction - focusing on Shakespeare's life, art, language, style, and on the Elizabethan historical and theatrical background - and a series of useful essays on various themes: critical approaches to the plays and poems, philological issues, history of the plays on the stage, television and cinema. There are also many interesting documents, synoptic tables, glossaries, indexes, illustrated tables (both coloured and b&w) , the reproduction of the introductory pages of the First Folio of 1623, and a rich bibliography. I personally consider this book a must have for every teacher, scholar, or simply amateur of the greatest of all poets. Buy it!

Despite the thinness of the book, there was a great deal of information packed in to it, unfortunately mostly in the form of lists and correspondences.

It was effective as a reiki handbook in that it went over the 10 basic hand positions, talked about the history of reiki and the like, but I too found it short on practical information.

Each time I think of it, I remember the picture of the patient sticking her tongue out and the reiki master with his (or her) finger in the patient's mouth!!! Blech!! While i understand that energy does travel quite quickly through the tongue in to the body, I don't think it very hygenic or safe to do that with a client. I would also balk if another master were to attempt such a maneuver on me.

All in all, this does cover the basics well despite the barrage of lists. It also covers the "crede", which you don't see on a lot of web sites, books, etc...it was nice to have it in full detail. It was also nice to see it written out in Japanese, as the symbols were very beautiful and graceful and made me feel more connected with it.

I can't give it four stars because after I read it originally I never took it off the shelf again. It isn't one that I turn to time and again for reference. In fact, I've been contemplating giving it to a friend who was curious, since I no longer have use for it. Still, in the very basic areas it does suffice, so I must give it a 3.

As a Reiki master, I am very interested in any new materials or information that is written about Reiki. Having read all of Mr. Petter's books on the subject, I am very pleased with this one!

The color photographs of the many hand positions are wonderful! He has made the information easy to understand and the techniques are all explained simply and thoroughly. I highly recommend this book to all of my Reiki students and anyone who is a practitioner.

I do agree with some reviewers who seem to feel that all of the information would be nice in one volume, rather than the 3 other earlier books that Mr. Petter has written on the subject.

I remember anxiously awaiting his earlier works after hearing about them and being a bit disappointed in their lack of information. It seemed that he was making the information available to the world in bits and pieces. Nevertheless, I appreciate his dedication to Reiki and making this information available to all of us! Thank you Mr. Petter! Bravo! This latest book is a great contribution to the Reiki community! I look forward to reading your next one, as well!

The translation of Dr. Usui's Reiki handbook is a a very significant development for the Reiki community. At last we have proof that Reiki is not an oral tradition and that Dr. Usui gave out written material to all his students. I find the exercises to be useful and that my Reiki healing abilities have increased. The explainations and the insights about the origins of Reiki are also helpful. The color pictures of the hand positions Dr. Usui rcommends for various illnesses and conditions are wonderful. I have tried some of them and found them to work. I am very pleased that we now have such detailed information from the founder of the Usui system to use in our Reiki practices. Thank you Arjava and Chetna for taking the time to write this very important book.

I appaulad Gaston for collaborating with so many collectors. Gaston wrote the foreword for Dubay's book ANTIQUE LIMOGES AT HOME and I thank her for inspiring such a wonderful new author. Gaston is the expert, but the photography in this book is poor.

Mary Frank Gaston is the leading expert! This book is a must for the library. I found Limoges Antiques Shop through this book. Highly recommend DuBay's book LIVING WITH LIMOGES to complement Gaston's encyclopedia -- then Limoges collectors have it all!!

I really enjoy this book. I think that it is a valuable guide to those interesting in collecting or learning more about Limoges porcelain. Covers so many different porcelain pieces! Wonderful color pictures. Full index of Makers marks. Very useful. Easy price reference. One of my best collectors books yet.