As a professional programmer who works primarily with Access and VB I am always looking for any additional help with advanced programming concepts and techniques. And over the last 4 years I have purchased this book for Access versions 2.0, 95 and 97.

The reasons are very simple, number one the authors of this book are renowned and respected leaders in the Access developer community. A lot of this book is obviously information gleaned from many hours of hard-core coding sessions.

Number two is the code and techniques found in this book are PRACTICAL and USEFUL. The CD is great source of generic reusable procedures.

Number three is the authors do NOT glaze over topics or leave out details. In fact, what I like about this book is the amount of expert RESEARCHED information about the product they present. This detail is useful because it allows you to take advantage of certain behaviors of Access or avoid programming pitfalls.

I firmly believe this book is an absolute must for anybody who needs advanced and detailed information about Microsoft Access

If you have ever searched in a bookstore or online for computer support books, you know how easy it is to become overwhelmed by the number of choices available. Let me help you simplify your search. Buy this book. Well, if you are not a beginner buy this book; it is not for the novice. And that is why it is so valuable. There is no shortage of intro books on the market, and many of the works aimed at "advanced" users still spend have the book telling you what a database is and how a relational database differs from previous types and so on. In this book, you do not get cheated. I work on a team of three database consultants and we are constantly stealing this book from one another. I have found it useful for troubleshooting existing databases, but it really shines as a wealth of new ideas and possibilities. I have added things from this book to many projects. It is rich is code samples and the cd that comes with it is a treasure trove of functions and files. You'll find things here that you never knew Access could do, which allows you to create richer, more powerful applications. Well worth the investment!

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A great book for an intermediate or advanced database programmer.

If your goal is to get really good at MS Access this is the book for you. It is an outstanding reference for specific information on whatever topic you are interested in. If you only find one or two interesting chapters below, you may want to pass on this one.

Not the kind of book you can master overnight. Remember how to eat an Elephant-one bite at a time. This book is too complex to digest except in small bites. I strongly recommend that if you are into databases and want to master this material, that you open this book every day (or as often as possible), and highlight a new topic and put some effort into using it. A good second reference is Microsoft's "Jet Database Engine Programmer's Guide."

Index:

1. What's New in Access 97

2. The Access Event Model

3. Using VBA Class Modules

4. Database Design

5. Access SQL

6. Using Data Access Objects

7. Controlling Controls

8. Topics in Form Design and Usage

9. Topics in Form Report Design

10. Controlling Your Printer

11. Shared Office Programmability

12. Developing Multiuser Applications

13. Master Replication

14. Securing Your Application

15. Developing Client-Server Applications

16. Error Handling and Debugging

17. Application Optimization

18. Accessing DLLs and the Windows API

19. Harnessing Wizard Magic

20. Using Access as an Automation Client

21. Controlling Access as an Automation Server

22. Building Add-Ins

23. Web-Enabling Your Applications

24. Using Source Code Control

Appendix A: The Reddick VBA Naming Conventions, Ver. 4.0

Appendix B: Startup and Global Options

This book is sort of the Arabian Nights + Princess Bride, with a little Alice in Wonderland thrown into the mix. When Rashid, a storyteller known as the Shah of Blah, loses the ability to tell stories, his son Haroun sets out to find out what has happened. With the help of Iff the Water Genie and a cast of colorful characters he finds out that forces of Darkness are polluting the Sea of Stories.

It's all a thinly veiled allegory for Islam trying to silence the author after his Satanic Verses was published, but it's deftly handled & often quite amusing. Rushdie does an especially nice job with word plays & puns & the book requires rereading & reading aloud to catch them all, which makes it a perfect book for adults to read to older kids.

GRADE: B

The book I read was Haroun and the Sea of Stories. It was written by Salman Rushidie. The main characters in the book were Rashid Khalif(The Shaw of Blaw), Haroun Khalif, Iff, Butt the Hoope, Khattam Shud, Mali the Gardener, Bagha and Goody the Plentimaw fish, Prince Bob, Princess Batcheat, The Chupwalas and Blabbermouth. The book was very simple and I like Rushdie's style of writing. It flowed very smoothly. What I found quite appealing was how sometimes the sentences would rhyme, for example "All this bad taste! Too much dirt! Swimming in the ocean starts to hurt! Call me Bagha, this is Goopy, excuse our rudeness we feel rather droopy. Eyes fell rheumy! Throat feels sore! When were better, we'll talk some more. (Pg. 85) The use of humor, allusions, and satire throughout the book kept my attention for instances. "In it was a young woman with long, long hair with a circlet of gold and singing, please excuse, the ugliest soundest singing I have ever heard. In addition her teeth her nose..." (Pg. 102) I assume he was implying that her singing was as ugly she was .
In my opinion the theme of the book is "Stand up for what you believe in no matter what it takes." Ever since Haroun found out that his dad had lost his story telling powers, he never gave up on finding ways to make him get his powers back. He used extreme measures to retrieve the story telling powers for his father, like fighting a war for people he had just met because the Chupwalas were the ones who were polluting the sea of stories. He also fought this war so Iff the Water Jeannie would turn back on the story telling water and Rashid could tell his stories once again. Being a person who believes in the principle of chasing after your dreams and what you believe in, applaud Haroun for his actions. I think the author did an excellent job in portraying the theme of this book. I could relate and identify with Haroun because I would have done the same thing and would have made some of the same choices. Such as the choice to split up, Haroun took the shadow Khattam Shud and Rashid took the real one.
I would undoubtedly recommend this book. This charming masterpiece has the potential to be a timeless classic. It's a book for anyone who loves a good story. From the very beginning it pulls the reader in and engages them in the story. There is never a dull spot in this story it's funny and there's a battle between good and evil. What more could a reader want. I would recommend this book to readers from ages 14 and up, it's written in such simple terms anyone would understand it.

What a story ! It certainly came from a vivid, colorful, and lively exhilarating Ocean of Streams of Stories. That Haroun, what courage, what cunning, what vision ! And his father, Rashid, the Shah of Blah, owner of a ocean-wide knowledge, who always repeated at him, "There's more to you, young Haroun Khalifa, than meets the blinking eye". By the way, talking about oceans and stories, there's nothing like the story-moon Kahani, where fantastically carismatic creatures live. Like Iff, The Water Genie, with his blue beard; the silent and tough Mali; the fast and sensitive Butt The Hoopoe; Prince Bolo ans his dashing, foolish ways; even prince Batcheat, her strumming voice, that teeth, that nose... but no need to go into that.

When beginning to read the book I felt like flapping the pages of some storybook for childs, that ones printed in huge type and with lots of illustrations. The language is simple, altough clean and carefully crafted, the story is pretty straightforward and addictive; even the metaphores and allegories are just as simple and just as rich, adding to the feeling that this book can be read by simply anyone, despite the age. At some point the fantastical elements appeared with color, a flash, and a loud, rumbling chit-chat noise. I really liked the analogy real world-storyworld (similar to "The Wizard of Oz"), and the abundance of weird, beautiful, colorful, delightful, fantastical elements (which made me remember "Alice In Wonderland"). Most of all, I laughed almost all the time.

At some level, that's exactly what the story is all about: fantasy, excitement, suspense, drama, adventure, imagination. But there's more to it, more than meets the blinking eye. The whole book is a funny metaphor about the art of storytelling, the flow of stories from the mouths or pens through our eyes or ears and our minds; the telling, and retelling, of the old tales that shaped mankind since the beginning; and the process of transformation and mixture of the old stories that give birth to new ones. It also can be viewed as a flagship in the conflict between Rashid, the storyteller, the Ocean of Notions, the personification of the art of telling stories, against Kattham-Shud, the anti-climax itself, the silence, the fanaticism and opression; by this point of view, the book shows Salman Rushdie's own voice, announcing to the world that his sea of stories cannot be stopped.

Recommended to anyone that can take great pleasure from a great story.

This is a great book for youngsters. It is a classic adventure story. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote a great tale of adventure. I read this book in junior high school and then again in high school. I recently reread it again now in my thirties. It is still a compelling read. One grows to care for Tarzan of the Apes. The movies do not do it justice. The original is the best. A lot of the subsequent Tarzan novels do not measure up to this one. It is a bona fide classic of adventure fiction. It deserves a place next to works by Rider Haggard and Zane Grey. I find myself waxing nostalgic for youth gone by and Tarzan of the Apes is right there. A fun read at any age.

I have had this book for years and never thought I would like it because of the Tarzan portrayals in the movies. But I was pleasantly surprised by the well written adventures of the jungle lord. Rice Burroughs has fully captured the essence of a man who comes to see civilization with the eyes of a child but the heart of a warrior. His great love for Kala the apemother and Jane his future mate were written beautifully. I recently saw Disneys Tarzan and the Chris Lambert film Greystoke the Legend of Tarzan and they both capture the story of Tarzan as Burroughs envisioned it. I truly enjoyed the book and recommend it highly. I cant wait to read more of the books in the series.

Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic - "Tarzan of the Apes" - is the first in the series of Tarzan books, and is a quite entertaining novel. This first book relates some classic events in the Tarzan saga - how Tarzan's parents were killed and he came to be raised by the apes, how he learned to communicate with animals of the jungle as well as educate himself in the ways of man, his meeting Jane, and his eventual journey to the world of civilization and man. The story was originally published in 'pulp-style' magazines, (as was most fantasy and sci-fi of Burroughs' day); however, this represents some of the great stories that were produced from that style of fiction.

Virtually all of the events related in the novel are interesting and handled intelligently. Readers who have certain expectations of the story based on the cartoons and movies ' such as "Greystoke: the Legend of Tarzan" - may be somewhat surprised by the content of the story. I personally liked how the author didn't spend too much time on any one aspect of the story, but rather, moved somewhat swiftly through the various events of story (those who like a quicker paced novel should enjoy it). Some readers may find Burroughs' depictions of the animals and natives who lived in the jungle to be a bit clichéd; however, while they certainly seem to be a product of his time (this book was originally published in 1914), I found his portrait of the jungle, and the "civilized" humans represented, to be somewhat quaint, but quite enjoyable.

Overall, 'Tarzan' is a well written story and one which can be enjoyed by today's standards. Those expecting a somewhat one-dimensional story or "super-hero" type Tarzan from the cartoons (and some of the book covers for that matter) should be pleasantly surprised. While this book may be most appropriate to read for adolescents through young adults, I'd recommend it for kids of all ages ' I'm 29 and enjoyed it, and plan to read others in the series!

L. Frank Baum's enduring story is wonderfully presented in this elegant edition and the Washington Post called Lisbeth's The Wizard of Oz "the loveliest edition imaginable."

However, the assessment of the local kids is the drawings are "weird." Perhaps intended for a more adult audience, the illustrations are beautiful--I enjoyed them--but their idiosyncratic style may not appeal to the younger set.

The characters pictured in the illustrations are dramatcially reinterpreted by the artist, however this may disappoint some viewers. The Scarecrow will look nothing like any scarecrow you've imagined. The Witch of the North is difficult to identify. This fresh point of view will be enjoyed by some but is sure to disappoint others.

I also felt the illustrations don't tell the story as well as the edition by Michael Hague or the original edition with W. W. Dinslow. (This is more important to the younger, read-to crowd, than the older, I can read it myself crowd.)

My daughter asked that we return the book and get a different edition for her. I would urge you to carefully consider the sample pages, except the sample pages don't cover a broad range of the illustrations included with this edition. The sample pages do include an image of the dramatic and striking cover. Unfortunately, in the judgement of several reviewers from 4 to 40, the other illustrations were noticably more "weird" than the cover and I don't think the sample pages represent the overall reading/viewing experience scrupulously.

The Wizard of Oz is about a girl named Dorothy who is a farm girl from Kansas. One day Dorothy is carried away by a cyclone to a magical land called Oz. While she is there she meets a tlaking scarecrow, a man made of tin, and a cowardly lion afraid of his own shadow. Dorothy and her friends follow a yellow brick road to the Emerald City where they hope to find the famous wizard that can grant each of their wishes. But the wicked witch keeps trying to ruin their trip to the Emerald City.
The setting of the book is in a magicla land full of little people called Munchkins, flying monkeys, and a wicked witch that will melt if touched with water. The characters have their separate reasons for wanting to see the wizard. As the story goes on, the reader can not help but fall in love with them.
The text gives great detail as to what everything looks like and with those details the whole world of Oz can come to life in the readers imagination.

The Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum is a wonderful book about a young girl who goes on an adventure full of excitement and fun. Dorothy the main character lives on a small country farm in Kansas with her Aunt, Uncle, and small dog, Toto. One day a twister comes over their country farm and whisks Dorothy along with her little dog away to a make believe land called Oz. There she is greeted by the people who live there. She asks them how she can get home to Kansas. They tell her that the Great Oz will help get her home. But before she heads on her way to Oz the Good Witch of the North kisses her on the forehead and says that with that kiss no one can harm her. So she and Toto head on their way to Oz. On her way she meets The Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Woodman made of tin who wants a heart and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. These four new friends eimbark on an adventure to the great city of Oz. Will they all get their wishes? Find out when you read the Wizard of Oz. I loved this book because not only did it have fantasy but it is a great book for all ages. I recomend it to anyone who loved being a child.

Some people are blessed with the ability to become true-believers without a day of doubt. Others are blessed with the peace of being atheist. Stephen Dubner's parents fell into the former camp. When Stephen Dubner wrote an article on how he grew up devoutly Catholic, discovered that both his parents were converts from Judaism, and then he returned to his family's Jewish roots, it became The Times's most talked about article of 1996. After the Sunday magazine article appeared, he was deluged by letters and calls either inviting him to temples and Sabbath dinners, or criticizing him for returning to the mythology and opiate oppression of religion. Now Stephen has expanded on his article by recounting his deeply personal journey from Catholicism to Judaism. It is about religion, spirituality, hidden family histories, confusion, parents, siblings, as well as the tension, comic errors, and confusion his search and return created. Broken into three sections, Dubner begins by focusing on the paths his mother (Florence Greenglass / Veronica) and father (Sol Dubner/ Paul) independently took to Catholicism, their Jewish roots, the reactions of their parents and siblings (sitting shiva), their marriage, and early wedded life. Section Two begins with the birth of Veronica and Paul's eighth child, Stephen J. (all the kids got a first or middle name of either Joseph or Mary), and his life in rural New York, a life of limited money that rotated around Mass, doing rosaries on the front lawn, being a good altar boy, the Catholic feasts, and catechism. Section Three focuses on Stephen's increased interest in Judaism, how his stories for an earlier job at New York Magazine drew him into a world of New York Jewish personalities, his search for Jewish relatives in Brooklyn, his quest to learn more about his father (who died suddenly after giving a speech at a charismatic-Catholic prayer meeting when Stephen was a boy), his trip back to Judaism, and his reconciliation with his devoutly Catholic mother (with some advice from Cardinal O'Connor). Basically, a poignant memoir and a must read.

Stephen Dubner, a former New York Times writer and editor, has written a deeply moving, heartfelt memoir of the struggles of two generations to find a religious home. His parents, both raised in Jewish homes (one devoutly orthodox and the other largely secular) by first-generation immigrants from Russia and Poland, reach adulthood during the turbulent years of World War II. Both his father and his mother grapple with their Jewish tradition and their personal religious beliefs and, ultimately, become converts to Roman Catholicism. Like many converts, the decision by Stephen's parents to adopt a new religion is not made lightly and results in a deeply didactic religious practice. Stephen grows up in a home where devout Catholic religious practice is the norm and where little is ever mentioned about the Jewish tradition his parents have rejected. As an adult, Stephen embarks on his own religious search, inheriting the same "turbulent soul" that had so deeply marked his parents' lives. Dubner aptly quotes John Henry Newman, the famous Anglican cardinal who converted to Roman Catholicism, who says, "who can know himself and the multitude of subtle influences which act upon him." He then explores, in wonderfully clear and readable prose, the many subtle influences which marked his parents' soul-searching religious struggles, as well as his own. Dubner's exploration leads him to learn more about his parents and their lives, the history of his family and its Eastern European Jewish roots, and, ultimately, to an understanding and reconciliation with his mother, who maintains her firm Catholic convictions to the end, even as Dubner returns to the Jewish faith of his grandparents. Ultimately, Dubner's memoir has an important message--that every individual who has a "turbulent soul" and seeks religious faith must be accorded the respect and autonomy of his or her beliefs. It is a message for parents, for children, and for members of all faiths: do not become so certain of your own religious "truth" that you alienate and reject the sincere, but different, beliefs of others. As Dubner says at the end of his narration of the struggle of three turbulen souls, "[i]f I am sure of one thing about God, it is that our most brilliant ideas about Him are sheer guesswork."

Stephen Dubner, a former New York Times writer and editor, has written a deeply moving, heartfelt memoir of the struggles of two generations to find a religious home. His parents, both raised in Jewish homes (one devoutly orthodox and the other largely secular) by first-generation immigrants from Russia and Poland, reach adulthood during the turbulent years of World War II. Both his father and his mother grapple with their Jewish tradition and their personal religious beliefs and, ultimately, become converts to Roman Catholicism. Like many converts, the decision by Stephen's parents to adopt a new religion is not made lightly and results in a deeply didactic religious practice. Stephen grows up in a home where devout Catholic religious practice is the norm and where little is ever mentioned about the Jewish tradition his parents have rejected. As an adult, Stephen embarks on his own religious search, inheriting the same "turbulent soul" that had so deeply marked his parents' lives. Dubner aptly quotes John Henry Newman, the famous Anglican cardinal who converted to Roman Catholicism, who says, "who can know himself and the multitude of subtle influences which act upon him." He then explores, in wonderfully clear and readable prose, the many subtle influences which marked his parents' soul-searching religious struggles, as well as his own. Dubner's exploration leads him to learn more about his parents and their lives, the history of his family and its Eastern European Jewish roots, and, ultimately, to an understanding and reconciliation with his mother, who maintains her firm Catholic convictions to the end, even as Dubner returns to the Jewish faith of his grandparents. Ultimately, Dubner's memoir has an important message--that every individual who has a "turbulent soul" and seeks religious faith must be accorded the respect and autonomy of his or her beliefs. It is a message for parents, for children, and for members of all faiths: do not become so certain of your own religious "truth" that you alienate and reject the sincere, but different, beliefs of others. As Dubner says at the end of his narration of the struggle of three turbulen souls, "[i]f I am sure of one thing about God, it is that our most brilliant ideas about Him are sheer guesswork."

The book begins in a rundown hotel on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. Port Moresby, an American and a self defined "traveler" as opposed to tourist, experiences a prophetic and metaphorical dream. Port has traveled to North Africa with his wife Kit and friend Tunner to experience new adventures and try to reestablish the emotional bond between himself and Kit. Finding themselves in a harsh and hostile environment, the trio must battle not only their situation but also conflicts within themselves. As the story draws to a close, one does not survive and one emerges forever changed by the brutal desert. The third, who did not venture into the Sahara, remains unchanged.

The author has done an excellent job creating a Saharan setting throughout the book. Descriptions are rich and vivid. The story is both dramatic and suspenseful. My complaint of the story, however, is that I thought far too little was done with the Lyles, a supposed mother-son duo engulfed in suspicion. Had these characters been allowed to develop and their motives made more clear, I believe that it could have become a very interesting sub-plot.

This book is an enjoyable and entertaining read about people in search of themselves and seeking to reconnect. Their journeys and struggles will remain etched in my memory for many years to come.

Besides being a really great read in its own right, The Sheltering Sky inspired great discussion in our reading group... more opinionated response than anything we've read in the previous twelve months.
Part of the reason for this is surely the depth with which Paul Bowles exposes the psyche of his two principle characters, Port and Kit Moresby. Yet the brilliance of his writing is that much is left hidden from view, there is almost infinite speculation (interpretation) as to the motives and inner thoughts of his characters. This American husband and wife, together with their friend Tunner, set off on the ultimate existentialist journey through post World War II Morocco. Individually, it will change, ruin, and even kill them. They experience the harshness of the Sahara desert, and a clash with Arab culture that goes beyond anything they were expecting.
It is Port's vision that initially spurs them on, a vision borne of his desire for "solitude and the proximity to infinite things" and a disdain for Western culture. But soon Kit and Tunner are forced to endure the uncaring Sahara on their own, and the novel focuses in on Kit's own spiritual disintegration. Her understandable inability to cope with a profound crisis and loss.
The fullness of awayness.
Adriftness.
Lostness... in a sea of sand and unfamiliarity.
These three well-intentioned though hapless expatriates find themselves propelled out into a very real world where romantic ideas perish, and where, if the sky is your only shelter, you may well be burnt to a crisp by the unrelenting sun.
Highly recommended as a reading-group selection.

One of the most neglected masters of words this century has seen, Paul Bowles takes the reader on a journey to North Africa during the post war years. But what seems to be a fairly ordinary story at first develops into something absolutely special and unique. The main characters are Kit and Port Moresby who set out from America to travel through Africa accompanied by a "friend" called Tunner. It is not only a journey into another world but also a story about life in general, about love, existing and self-realization. To say more about the plot would be sacrilege What adds to the value of the novel is the language the author uses which is apt, clever and stylistically witty. If you read this book you will become instantly hooked on Paul Bowles' work. And there is certainly more where this novel came from

From the early 1980s, I've read both the first and second editions over 3 times and the heuristics they use remain second to none, 11 year later. This is THE book of Electronics for non-engineers, if more math is needed, Numbers.

With technology moving at a logarithmic phase, its a tribute to their presentation that AoE continues to be sold without a recent update and their keen circuit sense shows that many of the technologies the focused on remain available today.

Since the second edition cheap computer circuit simulators, I use Electronics Workbench but many are available, can help clarify areas were H&H may leap and bound when discussing circuits [ explanations can still be found by cross references the book via the index.] Design software makes breadboarding less necessary for testing concepts. Choice of software depends on cost and the sophistication of your design.

This book is not for the casual tinkerer, kit assembler, or an extended version of '1001 electronic circuits.' It turns astute readers into circuit designers, not everyone is cut out for that field. Its been a while since I read Steve Ciarcia in Byte, thought of Heathkit, saw an issue of Radio or Popular Electronics, but DigiKey remains a key supplier, Radio Shack remains the 'quick fix' and H&H lives on.

I rarely have time to build circuits on custom PC boards these days, but AoE has given me a cognitive lifetime warranty on all devices I've opened that screwed tightly shut said " ... VOID IF REMOVED."

For the next edition, could authors PLEASE beg the publishers to print the book on acid free paper? My copy is terribly jaundiced.

Encyclopedic in scope, this is a good reference for many electrical engineering topics, including aspects of both analog and digital design. It has a lot of pictures and examples, and often fills in the gaps of theory to tell how designs are typically made.

Even after getting an electrical engineering degree, I keep a copy of the Art of Electronics on my shelf for quick refreshers on long-forgotten (or never-learned) topics. There are usually comprehensive introductions to general topics followed by between a few paragraphs and a few pages on more specific topics and an example circuit or two.

I find that the text is very well balanced. There is usually just enough information to get the point across: no more, no less. For a thorough theoretical treatment of electronics design, you'll have to look elsewhere, but to just understand common topics, H&H is very good.

On another note, this book hasn't been updated since 1989, and the information on microcomputers and digital logic is reflective of that. This chapter begs for a new edition including FPGAs, VHDL, etc., which just didn't exist in 1989, so don't buy it thinking it will help you in implementing your college digital design project. You may want to buy it, though, when you're trying to figure out why your design that worked in simulation doesn't work in hardware (yes, even digital logic is built from analog components).

I'm an undergraduate student in physics and electronic engineering. Although it hasn't been used as a textbook in my engineering course, it was used as the textbook for both second and third year electronics courses in my physics course. At any rate, it is regarded as the "Bible" of reference texts. Be aware that it is in reality a reference - although it can be used to learn electronics, there are other books that are probably more appropriate. However, for anyone between decent electronics enthusiast and professional electronic engineer, this is an indispensable tool, and I recommend it to anyone who considers themselves in this category. It has proved its worth over and over again (I purchased my copy in 1992, and despite its 10 year age, it is still highly relevant and useful). I anticipate the next version (should there be one) with great eagerness. This is one book that I couldn't be apathetic about reviewing. BUY IT!

This is the best book on freethinking that has walked the face of the earth. Many religious people say his arguments can be figured out by a three year old. Well, I have a rebuttal: Do we need to read the bible to know we shouldn't kill others? The more ironic thing, is that the religious conservatives know they have they basis for their claims, and when someone uses facts to prove them wrong, they can't handle it.

Paine points out that the Catholic religion was more cruel than the Greek religions. The reason is because in Greek times, religious people welcomed philsophers and scientists. In the days of Christianity, the free thinkers and scientists were burned at the stake. The Age of Reason means you think outside of oppressive thinking, which generally happens to be religion. Sorry, that's a fact and you can read history to see that more people have had their lives and freedom taken away in the name of God than anything else. It still goes on today.

Thank you Thomas Paine. A rare work....from a rare frame of mind.

Not many people ever move past the "church" phase of life. While reading the new testament I found many errors. Apparently Mr. Paine found many more.

I ask, as he does, if Jesus were a god, and god is all-powerful, then where is the sacrifice in Jesus committing himself to the cross? God (jesus) could return an infinite number of times to display this vainglory....which means nothing to a rational person; a human who has reached "the age of REASON."

This book clearly refutes the bible. People seem to be afraid of challenging its content...why is that? Is it because they will be shunned like Mr. Paine was? His contemporaries were too lazy to confront a work that obviously gave them the strongest influence on the citizens of their time.

"To be great is to be misunderstood." Another great writer wrote these words just after the time of Thomas Paine. His name: Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Mr. Paine: I understand you.

Your most humble and obedient servant, Jason Blanton

When reading the Bible, read it in a literal and logical manner. Taking each sentence of the word of God to be gospel and you will probably come to the same questions and conclusions that Thomas Paine, the author did in 1794.

Make no mistake, this book will not be enjoyed by many. It is an attack on Christianity and the Bible but not an attack on God, which the author professes a belief in.

Chapter after chapter breaks down the different books of the Bible and disects their words. How do they contradict themselves and each other? Can we prove or disprove that the books of the Bible were written by those who they are attributed? Read this book to find out.

This book is for the person who can think for themselves and not accept everything that is spoon fed to them. I highly recommend it for those that can stomach a thought that might be different from what the masses believe. For those who like to analize and ponder. For those who have questions on religion and not faith. Read this book and enjoy it.

The first thing to remember when reading Johnson is to forget about meaningless ideological terms like "conservative" and "liberal" (especially when used by Americans they come to mean the opposites they originally meant). The one thing that Johnston makes clear in his book is that ideology has been the bane of minkind in the 20th Cen. and the major cause of most man-made calamities. As such Johnson is asking us to return to a non-ideological world bounded by reason and common sense.

The book however is not narrative history writ large; it is more a moral history of the 20th Century with several leading theses which Johnston returns to with ever increasing import and relevance. The greatest of these is that ideology has been the waster of mankind and the destoyer of moral integrity.

The greatest challenge he sets up for those who see the world in ideological opposites is the notion that there is really no functional and moral difference between Fascist, Nazi and Communist regimes (at least in what kinds of states they produce) --- all of them in practise have lead to dictatorship, a loss of basic freedoms, and, in their most striking characteristic, mass murder perpetrated by the state. He is most likely right in this assertion and no doubt historians looking back within the next 20 years will probably see the advent of ideological states of the extreme left and right as a symtomatic of the 20th century and make no real distinction between them, functionally they are the same (much in the same way as we now make little distinction between individual barbarian tribes who attacked Rome).

That these ideological excesses were perpetrated by the state because of some notion that the developments in science imbued, coloured these ideologies with the notion of the attainability of absolute truth once the underlying truths of "history" were found, that is another question. It is also one that Johnston comes most close to proving, since it is clear that ideologues with no understanding of such concepts such as natural selection --- Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin --- really believed that there were such things as "superior" forms of government and "superior" races of people. A conclusion that could not be reached by anyone with even rudimentary understanding of Darwin's tracts and the elementary genetic theory only then emerging.

So there is at least as much worship of anti-rationalism in the thought of Stalin (class enemies are everywhere), and Hitler (man finds his ultimate expression only when he submerges himself in the mass of the State) as there is in the notion that the world can be understood in terms of scientific determinism.

The one really strange (frankly wierd in my estimation) is the sometimes emergent thesis that the power of the state to kill and take away rights has been a function of the growth of science and ideology which "disregards the traditional Judeao-Christian notion of individual responsibility."

Although Johnston asserts this from time to time he never really goes beyond to prove it. Among other things he never defines what this notion of "personal responsibility" is, where it comes from and how it manifests itself. If we do not know what it is, it is difficult to know if we have lost it. Also how does it explain the excesses of China and Japan in the 20th Century, two states with no Judeo-Christian tradition (or have they always been barbarian states?). The power of the state to wield total power has been greatly enhanced in the 20th Century, and therefore its power to kill, horrendous societies and mass killings have however been with us before the 20th Century: how would one explain such horrors as the slaughter of the Cathars, of the Crusades, the Mongol invasions, the horrible excesses of the Hundred Years War and the slaughters in Chin Dynasty China? They have also been with us in the present where as in Bosnia and Kosovo individuals from two Judeo-Christian faiths receive absolution of personal responsibility directly from their respective Judeo-Christian faiths!

In all of the cases above, horror and state enforced mayhem either existed in Judeo-Christian societies or existed in areas where Judeo-Christianity never reached. That Johnston does not deal with these issues is I think, an even deeper knowledge that Johnston knows this point, although interesting, is ultimately nothing more than conjecture.

The true brilliance of Johnston is really in the details. His ability to look at different issues in a new light is really amazing. His style is novel, quirky, and always refreshing to read. Whether you agree with him or not he forces you to think: "there is no moral difference between murdering a person because of their class or because of their race" --- statements like this strongly underline his main idea that Racist ideologies of Hitler and Mussolini are really even more disfunctional varients of communism.

After reading Johnston one realises that notions of mutually exclusive ideologies contain within then an underlying logic of increasing state power beyond the reasonable limitations of Parliamentary Democracy -- as such Naziism and Communism are both sides of the same coin --- Jonstone does us a favour by pointing this out for us in cogent, intellectual, and ripping read.

Paul Johnson provides a sweeping, 19th century liberal view of the 20th century, and does it with style. His most compelling theme is that of the awfulness which has afflicted our century as rigid moral codes decay. His detestation of "moral relativism" is clear, and he convincing shows how, when people perceive the end as justifying the means - that the moral value of their actions is relative to the assessed worth of their ends - then there is no logical limit to what can happen. The communist revolutions of the century had a noble end in the minds of the revolutionaries themselves, certainly this was true in China. Yet, as each event in those revolutions presented itself, actions of great horror were done to protect the revolution. There are other, less dramatic examples.

Johnson clearly argues from his traditional, Catholic, vantage point, and this must be kept in mind. For all that, his book is a very readable work of literature. I recommend it highly.

I believe Paul Johnson is one of the great historians of our time. He offers a refreshing narrative history of the ups and downs of the 20th century. He covers everything from the tumultuous ravages inflicted on humanity by totalitarianism and collectivist ideology to man's greatest hour of scientific discovery and technological feats.

What one considers objective in regard to history, particularly contemporary history - is what one typically what one has an ideological bias for. Having said that, it is understood that most historians are "liberal," so Paul Johnson offers a refreshingly different perspective on contemporary history that challenges the prevailing leftist culture that passes their revisonist version of history as objective. He doesn't play apologist to any totalitarian regimes like the leftists do with communism. Modern Times is well documented and easy to read. Is it any wonder that his books are so widely disseminated by conservatives and libertarians alike.

Johnson is unapologetically biased against collectivist ideology. Is it any wonder that his books are so widely disseminated by conservatives and libertarians alike.

I also recommend other books by Paul Johnson and Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quigley.

I have trouble reading classic literature. I am an avid reader and I want to enjoy the classics, but just find it difficult to understand the meaning in some of the writing.

This, however, was a pleasant surprise. Although written in the early 1700s, the story itself was fairly easy to follow. Even towards the end, I began to see the underlying theme of the satire that Swift has been praised for in this work.

Being someone who reads primarily science fiction and fantasy novels, I thought this might be an opportunity to culture myself while also enjoying a good story. I was correct in my thinking. Even if you can't pick up on the satire, there is still a good classic fantasy story.

Essentially, the book details the travels of Lemuel Gulliver, who by several misfortunes, visits remote and unheard of lands. In each, Gulliver spends enough time to understand the language and culture of each of these land's inhabitants. He also details the difference in culture of his native England to the highest rulers of the visted nations. In his writing of these differences, he is able to show his dislike with the system of government of England. He does this by simply stating how things are in England and then uses the reaction of the strangers as outsiders looking in, showing their lack of respect for what Gulliver describes.

I found it very interesting to see that even as early as the 1700s there was a general dislike of government as well as lawyers.

I would recommend this book to anyone who reads the fantasy genre. Obviously, it's not an epic saga like so many most fantasy readers enjoy, but it's a nice break. I would also recommend this to high school students who are asked to pick a classic piece for a book report. It reads relatively quick and isn't as difficult to read as some of the others that I've tried to read.

It's amazing how our perspective changes as we age. What we thought was important as children may now seem completely insignificant, replaced by entirely new priorities, priorities children wouldn't even understand. At the same time, things we used to take for granted, like having dinner on the table, being taken care of when we're ill, or getting toys fixed when they are broken, have become items on adult worry lists.

Your perspective on literature can change, too. Reading a story for a second time can give you a completely different view of it. "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, which I enjoyed as a sort of an adventure story when I was a kid, now reads as a harsh criticism of society in general and the institution of slavery in particular.

The same thing is true of "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift. The first thing I realized upon opening the cover of this book as a college student was that I probably had never really read it before.

I knew the basic plot of Lemuel Gulliver's first two voyages to Lilliput and Brobdingnag, home of the tiny and giant people, respectively, but he had two other voyages of which I was not even aware: to a land of philosophers who are so lost in thought they can't see the simplest practical details, Laputa, and to a land ruled by wise and gentle horses or Houyhnhnms and peopled by wild, beastly human-like creatures called Yahoos.

While this book has become famous and even beloved by children, Jonathan Swift was certainly not trying to write a children's book.

Swift was well known for his sharp, biting wit, and his bitter criticism of 18th century England and all her ills. This is the man who, to point out how ridiculous English prejudices had become, wrote "A Modest Proposal" which suggested that the Irish raise their children as cattle, to be eaten as meat, and thereby solve the problems of poverty and starvation faced in that country. As horrible as that proposal is, it was only an extension of the kinds of solutions being proposed at the time.

So, although "Gulliver's Travels" is entertaining, entertainment was not Swift's primary purpose. Swift used this tale of a guillable traveler exploring strange lands to point out some of the inane and ridiculous elements of his own society.

For example, in describing the government of Lilliput, Swift explains that officials are selected based on how well they can play two games, Rope-Dancing and Leaping and Creeping. These two games required great skill in balance, entertained the watching public, and placed the politicians in rather ridiculous positions, perhaps not so differently from elections of leaders in the 18th century and even in modern times.

Give this book a look again, or for the first time. Even in cases in which the exact object of Swift's satire has been forgotten, his sweeping social commentary still rings true. Sometimes it really does seem that we are all a bunch of Yahoos.

Swift's classic satire of English and European governments, societies, and cultures should be required reading of every college student. (Except for those who appear to be in law school as is the earlier reviewer who referred to Swift as being an "18th century Unabomber." Swift may have been conservative in his beliefs and not cared much for individuals such as Robert Boyle, who is satirized in the book, but he was not violent. Perhaps our "law student/reviewer" is offended by Swift's biting satire of lawyers and politicians in part four.) The version I read was an annotated edition by Isaac Asimov and contained many passages that had been deleted by previous publishers. Asimov's comments enable the reader to more fully appreciate Swift's satire. In part one of the novel, a ship's surgeon, Lemuel Gulliver, is shipwreaked and finds himself on the island of Lilliput, the inhabitants all being only six inches high. This section is great satire of English politics and wars. Royal ponp, feuds amongst the populace, and wars are made to look rediculous. In the second part, Gulliver finds himself in Brobdingnag in which he is only six "inches" tall (relatively speaking). This part forms another satire of European governments. In part three, Gulliver visits the flying island of Laputa where shades of ancient scholars can be called up. This section is a satire on philosophers and scientists. Scientists are portrayed as men so wrapped up intheir speculations as to be totally useless in practical affairs. Absurd experiments are described (for example, extracting sunlight from cucumbers (but, extracting energy from cucumbers and other plants is no longer so absurd Jonathan)). Also described in this third part are the Struldbergs, men and women who are immortal but who turn out to be miserable and pitiable. In part four, Gulliver travels to the Land of the Houyhnhnms, horses with intelligence but who have no passion or emotion. The word "Yahoo" originates in this part. READ IT!