I don't often re-read a book in the same decade, but after recently re-reading K-9 Sodiers, Vietnam and After, I learned over the "NET", that Suzie's story is to be aired on Discovery Channel early next year. I think this is SUPER, giving our four-footed heroes some much deserved recognition. ... For readers who haven't read K-9 Soldiers, you really should. It's the kind of book you won't put down until you have reached the back cover. ... For those of us, who have read it, I heartly recommend Paul Morgan's barely fictionalized account of behind the lines action around the Cambodian border, entitled "The Parrot's Beak". This is another slam 'em, bam 'em, damned good read. You can taste the smoke of battle and feel the humidity and tension ... go now ... read "K-9 Soldiers", read "The Parrot's Beak" ... Look for Suzie's story, it's to be featured on Animal X, Discovery Channel in 2001 .... AND K-9 officers attention ... "K-9 Soldier's" is a must read for you, I understand some K-9 units consider it to be one of their manuals!

We are, all of us, veterans or civilians alike, aware of the tragic proportions of the Vietnam conflict. However, even many veterans are unaware of the crucial role played by the heroic K-9s. These four-footed soldiers were responsible for saving many lives in the steaming jungles and the fetid rice paddies of Vietnam.
Maj. Paul Morgan's book, K-9 Soldiers, Vietnam and After, illustrates with striking clarity the bravery, skill and boundless heart displayed time and time again by the faithful K-9s of Vietnam.
As a Vietnam veteran I never had the opportunity to work with a K-9 unit but Mr. Morgan's book impressed me with its stirring first person accounts of the true-life actions of these courageous dogs and their handlers. Mr. Morgan's book formed the basis for a widely acclaimed TV movie that is also heart wrenching in its depiction of the K-9 units' daily struggles. Any reader with an interest in history and certainly any animal lovers will be captivated by these accounts.
As a combat Marine infantryman I can attest that this chronicle rings true. Mr. Morgan has been there and back and has rendered these stories with an experienced eye and ear.
Mr. Morgan is the founder of the effort to create a war dog memorial in his home town of Suffolk County, New York. His efforts have suceeded with a projected unveiling of the memorial within the next year.
Mr. Morgan has been honored numerous times for his heroic work at the WTC on September12, 2001 along with his Search and Rescue dog Cody Bear. Mr. Morgan has been a life-long dog handler and his rich experience informs the reader on each page of this gripping work

Thumbs up for K-9 Soldiers. Paul Morgan Shares his wartime and civilian experiences with his K-9 partners.Dog lovers, history buffs and anyone in between will find this book to be a fascinating and very enjoyable read.

At last, a book that gives us permission to dream and a guide on how to bring those dreams to fruition. Only Paul and Sarah could have written such a book. So often others tell us to forget our dreams and merely live as the rest of the world. But in "The Practical Dreamers Handbook" we're told it's all right to have these dreams and to act on them. I've noticed a different writing style from Paul & Sarah..one of peace and tranquility. Thank you Paul and Sarah for this book.

Psychotherapist, radio show host and coauthor with husband, Paul, of several books on home-based businesses, Sarah Edwards tells, along with Paul, the story of their move from harried, successful lives in Los Angeles to happy,successful lives in bucolic Pine Mountain, CA. The many setbacks and obstacles they overcame on this journey could provide enough encouragement to jump-start timid dreamers, but the Edwardses don't stop there. Recounting stories of Pine Mountain neighbors who also left the beaten path of overwork and unhappi-ness, the authors lead the way through desire and action to satisfaction. The Edwardses provide many surprisingly fresh and memorable, "Try This" exercises and "Remember This" summaries to get readers moving in the right direction.

Their' forte is fusing the practical and imaginative, while recognizing the many roadblocks on the way. What makes this encouraging and helpful manual different from other "follow your bliss" guides is its fresh mix of clear, workable advice, realistic portrayals of just how long and challenging the road to fulfillment may actually be, and abundant examples of success. Rejecting both the traditional model of working hard for decades so that you can retire and then do what you want, as well as the prevailing model of goal setting and minute-by-minute day planning,the authors provide a truly original outline for "creating a simpler, more balanced life" that is not predicated on giving up money, comfort or anything one's heart desires. (Sept.)

This book was (for me) just the right mix of motivation for following your dreams and practical advice. The book is nicely divided into three sections - 1) Desire-Awakening the Dream, 2)Action-Building the New Reality, and 3)Satisfaction-Enjoying yourself. This is an uplifting, can-do type of book that celebrates your dreams and ambitions, which is nice in the face of all of the nay-sayers. If you don't have a dream yet but want one, _The Practical Dreamer's Handbook_ might just help get your juices flowing again!

This book is as fun to read as it is to cook from. Dragonwagon has a nice colloquial writing style and gives a lot of background on where each recipe comes from, trivia about the Ozarks and the inn she ran with her husband for many years.

Although this book does have a few pages focusing on breads and salads, the soup recipes (which make up about 75% of the book) are truly the shining stars here. The recipes are divided into chapters on chicken soups, fish soups, vegetable soups, bean soups, dairy soups, nut soups, and fruit/dessert soups. There is also a chapter devoted entirely to making the ultimate gumbo, and one on a very versatile "diet" soup. The majority of recipes fall into the vegetable/dairy/and bean soup categories - making this book quite suitable for vegetarians or people interested in cutting back on the amount of meat in their diets. She doesn't eat red meat, and you won't find any recipes that call for beef, pork, or lamb... although there are a couple of exceptions.

As other reviewers have mentioned, these recipes are all easily adaptable to what vegetables you already have in your refrigerator, though you will probably need to make regular trips to the store to stock up on fresh veggies if you intend to use this book often. The recipes call for lots of ingredients, but you can easily leave some out and still have a great tasting finished product. Many variations are given for each soup and some have ideas for using leftovers. Although she doesn't recommend it, bouillon cubes or canned stock could easily be substituted if you're short on time. However, if you ever wanted to learn how to make a great homemade stock, this is the place for it.

The recipes themselves are excellent and I have had fabulous results and many compliments when serving these soups to others. I highly recommend the Mexican-Style The Soup, Greek Navy Bean Soup, and Pea Soup Caraway Adelle. These soups are a wonderful way to save money and eat healthy while still pleasing your tastebuds.

The book has a nice design, but if you're looking for fancy photographs or art, you won't find them here.

Although the focus is Soup here, I began using the baking section first. I found definitive buttermilk cornbread, biscuts and muffins, although I have been a good baker for a long time, these were truly the "best in class" and are the standard for my kitchen. I have some favorites now among the extensive soup section but still need to supplement with other cookbooks when I want a meat recipe since the focus here is chicken, fish, vegetable or legumes based. I found the book gives a blueprint that allows me to make some kind of soup out of what is on hand. I also found the "Sandy's Great Lentil Soup with Greens and Garlic" to be a completely fresh, nutritious take on lentils and simple to boot. The small section on Salads is invaluable. I use the Curried Vinaigrette (for the Curried Lentil Salad with Vegetables) on sandwiches as a spread since it keeps forever. The Mexican Corn and Avocado Salad with the Cilantro Vinaigrette gets raves every time and satisfies my Avocado cravings. I couldn't do without this one. It's a good read too with lots of stories and info imbeded in the text.

This book not only contains wonderful, usuable recipes, but it also tries to show you how to cook. It gives you the frame for any recipe, and then with what you have on hand you can feel confident to vary, vary, vary to your heart's content. This is the basis of good cooking, not whether or not you can follow a complicated "conde nast" recipe. In rural Japan it is very difficult to get so many ingrediants people take for granted (fresh dill? out of the question) so this flexibility is very important.

COLEGAS ( soy médico )que duermen una horra menos que yo y salen de jogging como perros perseguidos por el antirábico...mientras que yo TENGO MEJOR CONDICION FÍSICA, MUSCULATURA Y APARIENCIA QUE ELLOS...
Se mueren por saber como le hago..pero es secretito: Hago mis ejercicios mientras voy en el coche rumbo al consultorio, cuando esoty viendo a un paciente y hasta hablando por teléfono !
Este libro ES LA BENDICION FÍSICA MAS GRANDE QUE EXISTE !

VIVO ATADO A UN ESCRITORIO. DE AHI, AL COCHE. DE AHI, A LA MESA. DE AHI, A PLATICAR Y COMPARTIR CON LA ESPOSA Y LOS HIJOS...
Como la mayorìa de los hombres, no me queda ni tiempo ni humor para andar por ahi corriendo como loquito ni haciendo lagartijas o push ups... PERO ESTOS EJERCICIOS, NO SE COMEN MI TIEMPO... TODO LO QUE SE HAN "COMIDO " ES MI BARRIGA DE CERVECERO !

GENIAAAALES !

SENTADA, porque tengo un servicio de proveeduria para el que hago y vendo sandwiches ( muy ricos,eh?), pero estos ejercicios han sido mi salvacion, ya que antes era deportista y cuanod deje el deporte por el trabajo, me comencé a engordar la barriga...

Pues se acabó la barriga, Y NO ME FATIGO !
Vi el resultado en 4 SEMANAS

Everyone uses voicemail, but few actually use it effectively. This book tells how to use voice mail productively and how to avoid pitfalls.

I've been in business 35 years and thought I knew all the communication techniques. Boy was I wrong! This is a fast read and when I was finished I couldn't wait to try improving my voicemail communications. Of course in today's environment of Voicemail Hell that is easy to do. I left detailed, upbeat messages and I got informative and friendly responses. I'm ordering the book for two sons who are business owners. I know it will help them. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who runs a business, sells for a living, or has a family on the go. It will be the best few dollars you spend. P.S. I wish I had written the book!

"Paul LeBon has his fingers on the pulse of modern business. "VoicemailHell" goes beyond the mechanics of flow charts and phone systems to the real power of voicemail. It provides simple solutions-human impact solutions-that will help you improve communications with employees, strengthen business relationships with clients, and effectively manage your time. Not since the "One Minute Manager" has a business book packed such a punch!"

I love it and every body should read it.

As a fantasy author, this is the type of book I would love to write- I have read it at least four or five times, and it never gets old. Mus is an endearing character, as well as the others- Miriam, Torscha, Willy, Frielle, Opal, everyone!- and it has all of the elements of a genuine *good story*. I only wish Mr. Kidd knew what a gem he wrote, and would write more like it!

This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. To the casual observer it looks like just another fantasy, but once you begin to read it, the nuances of the plot become clear. It's a wonderful story of love, war, treachery, and politics, with a very intricate plotline. Romantic, but not sappy; contains all the elements of war, but not gory; and has deep political complexities, but not overly confusing. Just take your time and enjoy this one. ;) The ending is excellent, and very touching.

Unless a person has been isolated in Siberia I think everyone has heard of the Mel Brooks hit musical "The Producers". Written by Brooks and Thomas Meehan it is probably the biggest hit on Broadway in the past 50 years. Tickets are unavailable until July 2002 and "prime" seats are fetching $480. Is the show worth it? You bet and so is the book. And it is only ...
The book is a wonderful coffee table volume full of wonderful photographs from the production, rehearsal, casting and out of town tryout. There are stories from the stellar cast such as Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Roger Bart, Gary Beach, Brad Oscar and Cady Huffman. Madeleine Doherty relates her hilarious audition as a little "old lady" and Brad Oscar's rise from a swing/understudy to the permanent part of Franz Liebking when another actor was injured.
All of the lyrics and most of the book are included Act by Act. The lyrics for some of the songs that were deleted are hilarious. With Mel Brooks heavily involved in the book, we get to know how this valentine to Broadway was created and how the original 1968 film came to be.
Miramax Books is to be given a standing ovation for the gorgeous design on this publication.
If you have seen "The Producers" in New York as I did one month ago, this book is a wonderful souvenir and a necessary addition to your bookshelf. If you haven't seen it yet, it is still a wonderfully enjoyable volume. Anyone interested in Broadway or musical theatre will pore over the pages for hours.
I highly recommend it and it would make a great gift.

As I've written elsewhere, if you can't get a ticket to this, the greatest Broadway show of all time, here's what you should do, courtesy of Amazon.com.

1. BUY THIS BOOK. It contains all of the lyrics, super pictures, and more important, not only the entire script, but the entire chronology, from its inception as a movie to creating the stage story to slapping together the first few songs to nervously hosting the first previews in Chicago to its blockbuster grand opening at the St. James Theater in New York! It doesn't get more comprehensive than this!

2. BUY THE ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM ON CD. This contains every song, from start to finish, sung by the award winning cast. The lyrics are here too.

3. BUY THE DVD/VIDEO, "Recording The 'Producers' - A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks." This is the closest you can get to seeing the musical, albeit not on stage. And don't be fooled by the liner notes. This isn't ONLY the 85 minute version that aired on PBS, it has extra footage that clocks the package at around 1 hour and 40 minutes!

I saw the show in October and I'm going back to New York to see it again in March. I've NEVER been this INSANE about any entertainment product (books, films, music, staged theater) in my LIFE.

With all three items -- the book, the CD and the DVD/video -- you get a pretty good idea of what makes "The Producers," with its spectacular mix of merriment and mirth, mayhem and satire, so great! It deserves all of its hype. You can't oversell it!

Every song is a show-stopper, a throwback to the riffs that feel like a "best hits" package from the greatest musicals ever made. A little bit of Cole Porter, Gershwin, vaudeville and classic dance melodies reminiscent of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly (e.g., "Gotta Sing-Sing!" -- as in prison!), with lyrics that are so happily vulgar and irreverent that you're lucky you're not more doubled-over in pain from laughing so hard if you could only see the girls wearing pretzels on their heads and others doing the swastika "circle" march (visible via a tilted mirror toward the audience), done in Busby Berkeley style! Heck, there's even a bit of an homage to the Andrew Sisters (e.g., "He's a Hot-sie-tot-sie Nazi! Woo-woo, he's a hot-sie-tot-sie Nazi! Woo-woo! The Fuhrer...is in a FUROR!")...

Sadly, this original cast won't be together much longer, but the traveling show officially begins next year (it'll be in San Diego from December 2002 to January 2003)! So the wait won't be as long as we thought!

To recap -- get the CD, the DVD/Video and THIS BOOK! Then you'll save some big-time $$$ until the show arrives in your backyard! Whatta deal!

Caution: This book contains vulgar three and four letter words in the libretto and lyrics of The Producers. The intent behind the use of these words is humor, rather than prurience.

The Producers is by far the best book I have ever read about the development and staging of a Broadway show. Anyone who likes Broadway, comedy, or Mr. Mel Books will find this book to be irresistible! For those who cannot get tickets to The Producers (or have tickets for 2003), this book is your best bet to enjoy this marvelous musical in the near future. I strongly recommend this book as a gift item for those who don't mind some salty language and references.

This book contains reminiscences of the show's development from the first contact by Mr. David Geffen to Mr. Mel Brooks to encourage Mr. Brooks to create a Broadway musical version of the 1968 motion picture of The Producers by Mr. Brooks. Each personal statement is accompanied by beautiful, lighthearted candid photographs of the people involved. One of the most touching sections involves how Ms. Susan Stroman was chosen to direct and choreograph the show after her talented husband and artistic partner, Mike Ockrent died, and Ms. Stroman was still in mourning. The stories about the first reading for producers will leave you with a tingle of excitement. After the first act was read, Mr. Rocco Landesman offered the St. James Theatre. Fourteen producers present eventually invested in the show, after Mr. Geffen had to bail out due to other commitments. The accounts are full of one-liners to keep you laughing as you learn. For example, turning a movie with two songs into a musical with 16 more is described as being "not unlike trying to translate it from English into Serbo-Croatian."

Although the feedback was good all along, everyone kept waiting for something to go wrong. But it never did. The most negative thing anyone said about the show was Mr. Brooks. "It's not funnier than Blazing Saddles." When the New York Times Review came in, it was an amazing rave that began with "How do you single out highlights in a bonfire?" You then get some background on sets, costumes, and winning 12 Tony awards.

From there, the book presents the libretto of the show and the lyrics of the songs. The only thing that's missing is the musical score. But you can sing to yourself, and enjoy the many wonderful photographs of the 22 person cast (featuring Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock and Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom -- with full allusions to Ulysses intended). This is an annotated version, so it includes notes about what the draft versions had called for and the reasons why certain changes were made. Having seen the changes, I must agree that the decisions were unerringly improvements. Some of the false starts are pretty funny, too, such as the planned beginning with a "Hey, Nebraska" spoof of a well-known Broadway musical.

If you are one of the few people who doesn't know the story line, let me give you a brief summary without spoiling it for you. Max has just had a flop ("Funny Boy" based on Hamlet). Accountant Leo notices that Max made a small profit and speculates that a lot of money could be made by over raising money for a flop on which little was spent. Max falls in love with the idea, and draws Leo into a plot to do this. They find a story called "Springtime for Hitler" which they feel will offend practically everybody, and hire a director to make an outrageous version. Max raises the money by romancing elderly female investors. The rest of the story takes a number of unexpected twists that will delight and entertain you. One of my favorite lines from the show comes in Act 1, Scene 1 when Max comments that "the reviews come out a lot faster when the critics leave at intermission."

The appeal of the story is that it ultimately upholds positive values while poking good-natured fun at everyone involved in the Broadway community. Since no one is spared by the satirical spear, no one can be terribly offended. There's a lot of cross-dressing to spread out the small cast that gives the show some of the sophomoric appeal of a Hasty Pudding theatrical, which is well captured in the photographs.

Creativity experts say that you can find improved solutions by trying to do the opposite of what you've been trying to do. So the notion of trying to make something bad . . . to find something good . . . is a well established one. Turning something from one form into another one is also advised. So you can learn new ways to solve old problems, even from Broadway musicals!

I rarely read a food-related book, skimming instead for any nuggets of wisdom, or a select recipe or two. But few such books are as well-written as Braiden Rex-Johnson's "Inside the Pike Place Market." I opened to the first paragraph and just couldn't put it down. Part history, part travelogue, part cookbook, and lavishly illustrated with Paul Souders' photographs, this is indeed a book to savor from beginning to end.

Author Braiden Rex-Johnson is a neighbor of mine, a fellow writer whose previous cookbooks inspired by Seattle's Pike Place Market have led to many a lovely meal in my home. Since I, like Braiden, shop in the Market on almost a daily basis, I smugly thought she wouldn't have much to teach me with her new book, a departure devoted less to recipes than to the Market itself. Wrong! "Inside the Pike Place Market" has so enriched my experience of the marvelous variety of people, food, and wares to be found within the Market's alleys, corridors, and stalls that I recommend it for everyone -- Seattle natives, past visitors to the Market, and those who are planning to come in the future. Part of my motivation is selfish. If more tourists would read Braiden's wonderful book, fewer of them would be wandering aimlessly about the Market wondering where to go next, getting in my way as I scoot about on my daily rounds. More importantly, they'll have heaps more fun.

For anyone who has ever visited Seattle's famous Pike Place Market, the book is a joy. It captures the hustle, bustle and charm of the market. Braiden Rex-Johnson has culled stories that make the market come alive in words as well as the wonderful pictures of Paul Souders. The 20 recipes spice up the text and serve to bring home the variety and texture of the market. Congratulations to both Braiden and Paul!

John Redman teaches the golf swing in its purest form. His method has been popularized by golf greats Bobby Jones, Percy Boomer and Tommy Armour. His swing is sometimes called the "older" or "drag back" method because it concentrates on the passive use of the hands and arms. According to Redman the power of the golf swing takes place with the lower body, mainly a natural single axis swing around the spine with all of the power being generated by a level hip and shoulder turn. (Remember Percy Boomer's famous axiom about "turning in a barrel?") In contradistinction to this method most modern tour players and teachers teach a two axis turn. This is often characterized by the Jimmy Ballard lateral move. Unfortunately, this is much harder to perfect and physically coordinate than Redmans method. Subsequently, according to Redman many amateurs come outside the line and "over the top." Slice... slice... slice! Redmans prize student is the famous golf pro and major tournament winner Paul Azinger. Many illustrations of Paul's swing are included in the book. If you are looking for an easier more relaxed way to create club head speed and a golf swing that you can use for a lifetime, then you should order this book before your next round.

I've played for over 15 years and read at least 15 golf books. I understand kinesiology and I thought I understood the golf swing until I read this book. Redman, along with one of my alltime favorite golfers, Paul Azinger, simply explains a much better way to hit a golf ball. His method produces a much better chance for a square club face at impact and also produces plenty of club head speed. When I relaized how easy the swing really is, I was amazed. I had tried to coordinate swinging arms with turning hips and rolling forearms and that's just too difficult for most people to accomplish. I also purchased "The Azinger Way" video tape and it's a nice compliment to the book because you can see how repeatable Paul's swing is with all clubs. Buy this book, learn the system, enjoy it, and never read another quick fix tip again. I don't know why more teachers don't use this model; it's much easier to teach and easier to learn! By the way, Azinger's putting tips in the book and video are also excellent.

IF I HAD RED THIS BOOK AND FOLLOWED IT 30 YEARS AGO,I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE HAD A LOT MORE ENJOYMENT PLAYING GOLF.THE BASIC TECHNIQUE THAT JOHN REDMAN TEACHES IS SO SIMPLE,THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REMEMBER IT WHEN YOU SWING THE GOLF CLUB.I HAVE DROPPED 12 STROKES OFF MY SCORE!!!!

There are dozens of programming texts that I recommend to people who want to understand various topics. There are only a small handful that I recommend to programmers who aren't using the tool or language that the book covers. This is one of those books. It requires a prior knowledge of Lisp, but not expert knowledge. Paul Graham rewards his readers with a much deeper understanding of the merits of Lisp and how to take advantage of the power it provides.

Paul Graham has commented on his web site ..., "It seems to me that there have been two really clean, consistent models of programming so far: the C model and the Lisp model. These two seem points of high ground, with swampy lowlands between them. As computers have grown more powerful, the new languages being developed have been moving steadily toward the Lisp model." I read that comment before I read On Lisp. It was fresh in my mind at the time, and I saw some of the features of Lisp in C++ and Java. Graham cites runtime type checking and garbage collection, but there are subtler features that appear in the C++ STL. When he described using macros to create functions as needed, his examples immediately brought to mind some of the templates for various "helper" classes; pair, for example. But he could equally well be talking about some of the classes in the Java runtime that are designed to be derived from. The bottom line is that this book is an excellent tutorial on good library design. It teaches by example the philosophy behind creating libraries that extend your language, either in general ways or specifically for the problem domain.

Paul Graham handles Lisp lovingly as an expert craftsman. An observant reader can learn a great deal about craftsmanship from his book. Eric Raymond stated in his essay How To Become A Hacker, "LISP is worth learning for a different reason - the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it. That experience will make you a better programmer for the rest of your days, even if you never actually use LISP itself a lot." Mr. Graham has commented about this specific quote wondering why anyone would learn about a great tool and then not use it. Lisp in general and this book specifically are an answer to that question. Lisp is not a single language. It is a family of languages that share a common philosophy and a core. Once you learn what gives Lisp its power, you can choose to enhance any tools you use with some measure of that power.

This is the only technical book I've read cover-to-cover *twice*. As others have noted, the author treats macros in *far* greater detail than any other books on Lisp. Furthermore, I thought his example code was more easily understood than most programming books.

The only caveat: this book *is not* for people beginning lisp. Given it's title, this obviously doesn't reflect poorly on the book.

Finally I found out why people like Stallman consider Lisp the most 'powerful' language in existence. This book does a very good job explaining the mode of thinking that lisp programmers use; in other words, it's a very introspective book.

It is aimed at people who know how to use the language already; for an intro, you may wish to look at his book _ANSI Common Lisp_.

About macros: It is an important feature of the language. If you eventually decide that macros are harmful, it is best to been shown macros' full strength so you can make such an informed decision.

If you don't know what macros are, they're just sort of a shorthand you define, that gets expanded to its full form. It may be a bad idea to use often in normal programming for languages like C or Java, but Lisp is sufficiently different that macros may be very useful in making code that generates more code.