My dad had it on his desk so I saw it and read cause
I like angels. At first I didnt get it but then I
did. It was like reading a story from the bible and
the angels win

Donna

I received the book as a gift, and just left it there for nearly a year, I didn't want to unwrap it. Well, last week I did, I got curious. The cover is mystic. Black and white, I wondered why the author or publisher chose this platform for angels. Now I think I know why. I am not a writer, but, the colors are neutral.

Sometimes I feel like Nathan, not a split personality or anything, just always wondering why things fall like they do, and when it's time for me to come up to bat, for some reason I do it. The neutral stuff, what seems to get past us, because it has no color, what we don't believe is, or could be real. I said I am not a writer.

When we wonder so much where we came from, and how we got here, and why things are so mixed up, ARCANGEL (or Archangel, I believe) is so right on time. In awe, absolutely. We are blessed. I haven't cried in a long time; my father brought us up that men suck it up. The story is moving. Man! I read all these reviews, and some really get it, but it's unspeakable. This is a man, with morals that are unheard of today. Thank God for the author, he's puttin it down. And, I mean it.

My Dad and I don't ever see eye to eye, I don't have a real review, but, you brought us closer together with this stuff, and I know it is fiction, but I got the feeling that something great was behind the story, and that's what I see. Thanks again.

Peace,
Matt

I'm not one to read battle stories,but as I continued to read past this battle, I saw its purpose become crystal clear as the story developed. I loved how the relationship between Nathan and Samantha unfolded, while the specifics from the beginning battle clarified the momentum as it began building into the climax of the novel. I felt literally glued to this book! I also looked forward to reading when I had complete peace and quiet in order to savor the unfolding of the various charater's views about life. It caused me to reflect on how my life situations arise and how always there is a very good purpose to our lives in this particular dimension.

It's difficult to get interesting
literature related to this theme.

On the one hand there are some books written for managers, on the other hand there are some pretty mathematical books for academics. But this book is the best mix. You get an introduction to data mining and learn step by step from the basics up to the hard algorithm stuff with nice examples.
There is a clear theme structure, and the deep technical sections are marked, so you can read what you are most interested in. The book describes not only one algorithm, but a lot of them and discusses plusses and minuses. Where it's necessary it uses simple diagrams to illustrate something, not so much that it looks like they want to fill the pages, like in other books. Best of all, the algorithms are implemented as an
open source java software named "weka". This is my state of the art data mining tool.
You can see the algorithms working and use the implementations for your ideas (like me). If you are hungry to learn more
about one or the other thing, the book provides a literature list.

For me this book was one of the best books in the last years, because it provides the best mix and gives you a fast but deep view in this theme.

This book is THE best book I have read about data mining. And I have read most of them (see ISBNs: 0070057796, 0471253847, 0262560976, 0201403803, 0471179809, 013743980, 0137564120, 1558605290, 1558604030). It is fresh, clear, well balanced. If your native language is not English, then you should definetly read THIS book first.

The feature that is the most important for me is "just enough statistics". That is, you can understand the processes & descriptions even if you have not wasted your life and youth studying statistics; what is needed of it to understand is given shortly and very well. Many other books are too deep or too shallow (like Berry's, which is a good introduction, but nothing more than that).

If the rating was scaled 1-6 stars, I'd give this book a 10.

Broad coverage, including hot new topics: SVM, boosting and bagging, modern evaluation methods (ROC and lift curves). Well grounded in practical data mining applications, talks about DM issues outside model building, which are rarely discussed: feature engineering, data cleaning, etc. Clear and well written: illustrative examples help the presentation a lot. Describes in detail decision trees and rule learners, instance-based learning, and numerical prediction. Accompanied by the WEKA system, implementing in Java many of the methods discussed in the book, and available for download for free. An excellent hands-on textbook for an applied Machine Learening/DM class, or recommended reading for ayone who wants to understand DM. Good next step for those that have whetted their appetite with Berry and Linof's book.

The Patchwork Girl of Oz is by far L.Frank Baum's best book! I like the Glass Cat. My favorite Oz book! L. Frank Baum is brillant!

Have fun following Ojo the Unlucky, Bungles the Glass Cat, and Scraps the Patchwork Girl on their quest, in which they make some unusual aquaintances! See Ojo look for ingredients to bring Unc Nunkie back to life! And, on the way, see him try to get rif of the "Un" in "Unlucky," so he can be Ojo the Lucky! This book will tickle your funnybone!

Recognizing the increasing danger from lands beyond, at the end of 1910's The Emerald City Of Oz, child ruler Ozma and sorceress Glinda decided to magically close Oz off from the outside world forever. In reality, Baum was tired of Oz and wanted to develop other ideas and projects. But hounded by young fans to provide more stories of the utopist fairyland, in 1913 Baum again took up his pen as Royal Historian. Explaining to readers that he had begun receiving new tales from the Shaggy Man via a wireless telegraph in Oz, the fruit of this partnership was The Patchwork Girl Of Oz, probably the general favorite of Baum's novels among dedicated Oz enthusiasts. In fact, the Patchwork Girl Of Oz is the book appreciated even by those who dislike the Oz series as a whole.

In poetry - spouting Scraps the Patchwork Girl, Baum introduced a vibrant, riveting figure to his fairyland, one equal to earlier classic creations the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Jack Pumpkinhead, the Wooglebug, and the Gnome King. Rowdy, grotesque Scraps was perhaps Baum's last great character; indefatigable and indomitable, Scraps was also Baum's most original and fully realized female character, whether human, fairy, sorceress, or otherwise. A winning combination of common sense and nonsense, Scraps, a kind of nightmare version of Raggedy Ann, is pleasantly naive, utterly free, tactless, curious, and enthusiastic about all facets of life, including romance. Though stuffed with cotton, Scraps finds the straw - packed Scarecrow a perfect dreamboat, and finds twig - bodied Jack Pumpkinhead attractive as well. John R. Neill's illustrations of the Scraps and the Scarecrow's ' hearts aflutter ' first meeting is hilarious. A reconfiguration of the happy peasant figure who blissfully notices that the emperor is naked and doesn't hesitate to say so, Scraps, though not an outright trickster figure, approaches trickster status.

The Patchwork Girl Of Oz is Baum's most fluid, well rounded, and detailed children's novel. Unlike some of the other titles in the series that have a predominantly sketchy narrative, the Patchwork Girl Of Oz is composed of enthusiastic, rollicking prose that allows the reader to happily suspend disbelief. All Oz titles have filler chapters that pad the books and add little to their forward motion, and the Patchwork Girl Of Oz has its share. However, the filler chapters here -- 'The Troublesome Phonograph' and 'The Foolish Owl and the Wise Donkey' -- don't irritate or distract from the story's forward motion as much as they might.

Far from being finished with Oz, in 1913 Baum was still working out the magical laws that would govern his fairyland kingdom; readers will note that those laws applied here differ somewhat from those provided in 1918's The Tin Woodman Of Oz. Most noticeably, young Ojo the Unlucky is described as a growing boy; in the later books, all characters would be permanently fixed in their ages and physical growth or decline would become impossible. The Patchwork Girl Of Oz is almost free of the occasionally unsettling, cruel, or bizarre elements that Baum unconsciously allowed to mar his books; there is a brief explanation of how "meat" beings, if chopped into pieces, would continue to live, if not thrive, in their newly minced state. Unlike some of the other books in the series, the natural world in the Patchwork Girl Of Oz is lushly underscored and doesn't seem to be a brittle facsimile of the natural world known to readers. There is a loving description of Jack Pumpkinhead's pumpkin patch home, of the Munchkin gardens of "blue flowers, blue cabbages, blue carrots, and blue lettuce," and a defense of country living by the itinerant Shaggy Man.

A classic of children's literature, the Patchwork Girl Of Oz is Baum's best, and a far better book than its more famous antecedent, the Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. Highly recommended.

the knitter's handbook is a great reference for both beginners and more advanced knitters. i learned so many new techniques for every phase of the knitting process, i can't believe i got along without this book before. if you are interested in learning something new, look here. the only complaint is that some of the instructions leave you to goof around to understand them; they could be a little more clear. in general, i love this book and would recommend it to other knitters.

This book covers everything, and I do mean everything, about knitting - from every kind of cast-on imaginable, to any finishing technique you might think of employing (and several you probably wouldn't). Most techniques are illustrated, and the illustrations are very clear and helpful. The notations regarding which situations are appropriate for which technique are particularly useful. For instance she shows several different cast-ons for one particular fabric, with discussion of why some are better or worse - for that particular pattern. It had never occured to me before then to learn several different cast-ons for different applications. The historical and specialty knitting techinique instructions are also fascinating, and not something I've seen elsewhere. A better index might help the book to be even more useful, but the set up and table of contents are logical enough that I've never actually had a problem finding what I'm looking for. It's right on my shelf next to Vogue Knitting, and frankly I tend to use this one more.

I have been knitting for over 35 years and believe that this is the best primer for knitters which I have read in the English language. The picture instructions are excellent. It is also an excellent reference for advanced knitters. The section on finishing has taught me many clean and professional techniques.

A good basic intro that, while sometimes rather boring, covers the history, traditions and overall theology of the Episcopal Church in one book. The Dean of our Cathedral uses it as a know-thy-Church textbook in his confirmation/reception classes, so I'll trust his judgement. While it's not perfect it's the best book out there for discovering the Episcopal tradition.

Very informative!! Main complaint is that it reads like a textbook. If the book is a "welcome", it should have more spark. However, information within the book is well organized and presented . Having become a member of the Episcopal Church some 30 years ago as a teenager I found the book very interesting and informative. Would recommend it to both church members and non-church members.

In response to jmark2001, I am a fifth generation Episcopalian who has moved many times during my life and belonged to many Episcopal churches, both High and Low traditions. I can, therefore, say, with some authority, that his comments on the Episcopal Church are sheer rubbish. This book is an excellent explanation of the traditions, beliefs, and practices of the Episcopal Church!

Most people interested or experiencing coronary heart disease will probably find this book useful. It is well and lively written, easy to follow and full of very practical self-tested and perhaps life-saving guidelines. One big plus of this book is that the author is not afraid of questioning the established medical dogmas, and at the same time is also able to see some merit in it as well, without thrashing it out altogether. My other comment is that it would benefit to have more thoroughly quoted scientific references, the way for example Atkins has done; for example in the chapter where the author strongly criticizes dr.Ornish' diet for failing or being outright harmful in large fraction of cardiac cases (quotes 5,15-30 or even 41%) due to genetic factors, the scientific reference is provided (LBL, U of Ca, page 59) but is unfortunately untraceable. This is quite important as the author's statement is in strong contradiction to Ornish's own claim of his diet being good for almost everybody. There are several inaccuracies in this book. For example, the author has correctly noticed that a diet high in fats is known to improve the lipid panel in almost all cases, especially by increasing HDL and reducing supposedly harmful LDL-B, unfortunately on page 60 while recommending unsaturated fats he at the same time suggests to avoid saturated fat without providing any scientific evidence backing such a claim (which of course there exist none but it is another story...). The author does not mention that not only there is no evidence to support the notion that natural saturated fats are supposed to be bad, at the same time there is no mention of studies pointing to possible health hazards (e.g. cancer, blood clotting alteration) from eating the very fat that he recommends - polyunsaturated vegetable oils. In terms of dietary recommendation as per title of the book, that is to eat fat, it stops at 30% calories, which is sort of half-way through and falls short of what other non-conventional doctors advocate as a true high fat diet. In fact at 30% it should still be classified as a high carb low fat diet, since human metabolism switches to the true high fat regime only after exceeding 50% (optimum is 60-80%) by calories. This might perhaps explain why the author had to resort to using drugs to further improve his lipid profile. This book raises also more questions than answers, which is good! For example: it is still unclear whether the lipid anomalies are the causes or the symptoms (caused by some unknown factor), some studies indicate one some other the second possibility. Also it is highly unlikely, contrary to the author's suggestion, that a genetic defect which kills men in their 40-ties would have persisted in the population in such a high percentage as 1 out of 4 or so. It is probably more likely that the real cause is in food or environmental while genetics may be simply making those people more susceptible to the real (as yet unknown) agent of the disease. In spite of the above comments I would recommend this book. Last but not least, I firmly believe that the book would have been hugely enhanced had the author expanded upon the statement on page 87 ("I _choose_ to come back here.").

I've worked ER and the idea that someone could survive seventy-two defibrillations was (pardon the pun) a shocking thought. The author is a miracle man indeed! I've never seen anyone brought back from cardiac arrest that many times, or even close to it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this man's sense of humor. He truly captured the sometimes circus-like atmosphere of a hospital. And his interactions with the nurses ring true. I laughed out loud at a couple of places where his wit rightly lances some pompous and absurd aspects of our medical system.

His explanations of the science behind how cholesterol is formed and how it functions in the body are simple, to the point, and very understandable. This is the best explanation of how our bodies manage fat that I have ever read. I wish doctors could be this clear to their patients.

Mr. Bayan has uncovered a truly dangerous disease and has unflinchingly told his story, even though I am sure it was difficult to do. I hope his book is successful in reaching the millions of people who unknowingly carry this dangerous affliction. This book could save many lives.

I read this book after I had a heart attack. Like the author, my first heart attack was ignored by the hospital doctor and I was sent home. It was only after the third one that I was referred to a cardiologist, who had me flown to a hospital by air ambulance for angioplasty, which opened up the 90% clogged right main artery.

You need to read this book if you have any family history of heart disease, stroke or diabetes, even if you follow a healthy lifestyle, exercise and watch your diet. This book is not about eating fat, its about newer, more accurate blood tests that can find risk factors that standard tests do not.

Since reading and following this book, I have dropped my triglycerides from 700 to 66 and my cholesterol from 230 to 146. My waist has gone from 38 to 34. I still need to raise my HDL from 35 and lower my lipoprotein (a), which I will do with niacin and more exercise.

The air ambulance cost me $9500, the angioplasty $17,000 and the emergency room, hospital stays and rehab another $10,000. I still get angina from time to time. I will always face the prospect of restenosis. It will be cheaper for you if you buy the book.

This book is listed as 368 pages. Thankfully there were only 349. I thought I was reading a novel. Each chapter began with a verbose, and usually self backpatting, 4-5 page introduction of the authors personal conquest while fly fishing. It took me so long to read, that I was out of time to return it. I sincerely believe the "meat" of this book could have been communicated in less than 200 pages, and probably less than 100 if color photos(other than the 10 pages in the center of the book that were of no benefit) were used. Actually, few photos of the "how to" were shown,the sketches carried most of the weight. Most of the black-and-white photos were of an already caught fish that bolstered the authors standing with his audience. L.L.Beans books are done and offer more info. Let's cut to the chase so that we can get back on the water. I would not recommend to beginner of advanced fishermen. I think that any book that includes fly tying or pictures of fishing flies commands color photos. How many fishing lures have you ever bought from a black-and-white catalog?

just a quick word about this wonderful book: within two months of reading it, and having never fly-fished a day in my life, i took 23 creel-size trout in two days from Helton Creek, North Carolina. this book guided me throug the purchase of all my equipment, and instructed me on all the techniques in using it. in the nine months since i first read this book i have caught all three species of trout, countless pan fish, crappies, small- and large-mouth bass, and one baracudda. i highly recomend it to anyone interested in fly-fishing.

I'm reading this book right now and I love it! I used to read his articles years ago in Field and Stream and Outdoor Life and Sports Afield and I'd forgotten what a fine writer he was. I like the way he tells good stories while he's taking fishing and even though I can't yet get to some of the places he's writing about, he sure makes me want to be there. This is the sort of book that a book lover will enjoy and a book lover who is also a fly fisher will especially enjoy every bit of it! My husband, Tom, who is a writer himself, also has read it and is every bit as keen on it as I.

I was quite impressed with the first half of this book, the first I've read by Mosher. Each early chapter stands almost as a self-contained short story about colorful, but well-developed characters in a small Vermont-Canadian border town, mid-20th century. Some outstanding writing, with quirky details about family histories done especially well. Unfortunately, as the connections between the stories get developed, you can see from a mile away where the main story is going, and after all the characters are introduced you focus more on the dialogue, which isn't quite as well-written. Still, the strengths of this book encouraged me to read more Mosher. Stranger in the Kingdom was a huge disappointment--trite, predictable, and with nothing new to say. But I'm still going to read at least one more Mosher.

The Fall of the Year is a wonderful book, especially for dedicated Mosher Fans. I'd like to point out to first-time readers of his novels that his masterpiece is A Stranger in the Kingdom and I strongly recommend reading that first. Most of the people in the town and county where his books are set are featured in considerable detail in that book. That is the place to really get to know them, so that when you pick up one of his other books, you recognize the person being written about and have a better understanding of his/her character. Also, don't be surprised that he sprinkles many of his books with touches of the surreal or supernatural. You wont get a concrete explanantion of some of these phenomena, but it's obvious that Kingdom County (real life Orleans County, Vermont) is a magic place for him and he makes both wonderful and terrible things happen there. I'm proud to own every one of his books, I was hooked after A Stranger in the Kingdom and even led my book discussion group in it a few years ago. You can re-enter a time and place that is fast disappearing from this country; many things about the way of life he describes are already gone for good. But dont pass up Mosher, whatever you do. If you read this book and felt you didnt get much out of it, read Stranger in the Kingdom and then come back. All his books run through the whole history of the area and are worth having as collectors items.

Mr. Mosher has a great love of time and place, and this love shows quite clearly in his series of novels about the fictional Kingdom County, Vermont, in the mid part of this century. I've read several of his works, and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. When I began this latest one, I had assumed, because of its structure, that it was simply a series of short stories. Eventually I realized that it was, indeed, a novel, and a wonderful one at that! I loved the characters and the often bizarre situations in which they found themselves. Readers will, I'm sure, be way ahead of the narrator in discovering what is going on around him, but the charm of the writing, and the pure beauty of the story (and its perhaps too-sentimental ending) will enchant you. If you yearn for things the way they used to be, when life just seemed to be simpler and more fulfilling, you'll enjoy reading this book.

I read this book about 18 years ago after my pastor recommended it to me. I was in my early 20's and had been experiencing recurring depresssions since my middle teens. I had been suicidal numerous time (e.g., sitting on edge of cliff more than once). I read this book along with my wife and for the first time in my life realized that I was making choices that brought my depression and that I could make other choices that would lead to happiness. I began making those choices and I haven't suffered from a prolonged severe depression since that time. I have now found out that my entire family for 4 generations suffers from depression. This book helped break this in me and I will share it with other members of my family. I recommend it to anyone suffering from depression and or living with anybody who is.

When I was told to purchase this book, I thought 'Happiness is a Choice' ... yeah right, like I CHOOSE to be depressed, I don't think soooo! I didn't think the book would be worth while at all. In fact, I thought it might try to brainwash or something. But that is not how it works. It gives you insight into depression. It gave me so much to think about. It gave me CONTROL over my depression for the first time. It didn't happen overnight, in fact it didn't happen until about a month after I finished reading the book. But the concepts put forth in this book were so profound, that I was able to say NO to depression for the first time, and after many many years of therapy and medication.

I have been suffering from depression and anxiety for many years and am on medication. This book has helped me understand some of the aspects of what triggers anxiety and the choice I can make to control my responses. A person of faith will highly regard this book. The applications can be useful for every day stress that causes anxiety and mild depresseion that everyone is subject to.

Geisler and Turek attempt to justify Christian elitism, arguing for a paternalistic government (pgs. 35-6 and 208 mirror the government's societal role with that of a parent) that enforces a supposedly objective 'Moral Law.' The authors begin by defending the 'right' of governments to promote religion with taxpayer funds and resources, arguing that it's constitutional for government to promote religion, just not any particular denomination (of Christianity). One must wonder if this applies to Hindu or Buddhism, or whether the authors would be comfortable with school-led Muslim prayers (myself a Christian, I would not) so long as 'the schools did not compel students who objected to join in the prayer (p.88).' The authors fail to draw a key distinction: there is nothing wrong with religious activity, but there is something terribly wrong with forcing others to support that activity.

When, in ch.8, the authors finally explain how the 'Moral Law' determines right or wrong, it turns out the 'objective' Moral Law works on an 'I know it when I see it (p.121)' basis. The authors concede that there is no test to determine whether something is right or wrong, but that each of us has a 'factory-installed Baloney Meter' that conclusively tells us what is right. Not only is this standard not objective, it could not be more subjective since reality presents us with a world in which reasonable people disagree and individuals, even in Christian circles, often have widely differing interpretations of conventional morality. Armed with this 'Moral Law,' a purely subjective point of reference, government should have free reign to do whatever it feels is 'good' for society. Once this has begun, there is no stopping point: should government force people to eat healthy and exercise? Outlaw contact sports such as football and boxing because it is merely consensual assault? Censor ideas and opinions because they set off somebody's 'baloney meter?' Out the window goes our freedom, in comes the totalitarian regime of the Christian elite (or whoever else gains power) (the authors do warn against 'over legislating' morality, but just as the 'Moral Law,' such extremes are not defined by any objective standard).

Free countries govern themselves by enforcing and protecting private property rights and recognizing the fundamental principle of self-ownership: this is the objective standard by which we should determine whether the use of force is justified. If somebody is offended by the church I attend, the fast food I eat, or the excessive hours I work, tough. Nobody has a right not to be offended. Murder, rape, child abuse, and the other violent crimes mentioned in this book (including abortion), however, involve someone violating the individual rights of another, and the distinction is painfully clear. Why? Because there is a truly objective standard, a standard apart from ourselves and our opinions, by which to judge: private property rights.

The often frustrating reality of freedom is that some people may choose to do things with their freedom to which I am opposed, things that I firmly believe are immoral and even harmful to the individual. But nobody has the right to initiate force against someone else, including me. In Geisler and Turek's world, there is no room for saying 'I disagree with what you're doing, but I respect your right to do it.' Many Christians, as evidenced by this book, are unable to accept this necessary condition of freedom.

Although many today espouse a relativistic approach to moral values in society, Turek and Geisler do a marvelous job of showing how this is not only irrational but idealistic in a world in which governments have legislated some form of moralty since the dawn of civilization. When civilations strayed from such laws, they soon reached an anticlimatic ending. Objective moralty is not only rational, but a pragmatic must for society to exist. If you do not or cannot understand why, read this book.

I find it interesting that several critics chastise the authors for using discredited or uncredited "pseudo-science". It seems a consistent tactic by left wing sketptics to point fingers at such oversights, but then use even less credited sources (or plain dogma and no sources) to argue their position. I refer to the criticism of the authors to use Cameron's questionable work, these same left wing critics continue to refer to totally discredited research and researchers such as Dean Hamer and Simon LeVay. They even use a self-annointed jounalist cum-scientist named Chandler Burr as representing science when he has done nothing but espouse an unfounded opinion.

Let's focus on the work itself and not the tidbits that we find offensive. And, in that sense, this truly a great read for anyone confused by the self-defeating philosophy of relativism.

Those who have insisted that morality can not and should not be written into the laws of nations, that, "you can't legislate morality", have had their argument thoroughly debunked by Geisler and Turek. This seminal work will no doubt become the standard for all those who argue that absolute moral laws are the logical and necessary outworking of any social order which hopes to maintain justice and equity as its most cherished value.

With airtight reasoning, the authors have shredded the popular myth that says, in effect, that all laws are neutral with respect to moral content. Any arguments to the contrary invariably wind up to be circular and cannot avoid resulting in a purley subjective, relativistic position.

I strongly commend this book to anyone who is serious about trying to make sense out of contempory culture's bent toward emasculating the essence of legislative action and substituting in its place utopian schemes based on the fatal conceit of homo mensura.