One of the great things about the Narnia series is how each individual book stands alone! I mean, while it may be necessary to read them in order to better understand what's going on, each book has a certain charm unique in itself. And while I may like ALL of the volumes, I believe the BEST books are those in the middle, particularly "The Horse and his Boy", "The Magician's Nephew", and "THE SILVER CHAIR". These are the books in which C.S. Lewis really shines!

In this particular volume involving cousin Eustace and his classmate Jill Pole, Lewis hits hard at the British school system (I dread to think how he'd view America's public school system today!) The bullying that Eustace & Jill face is what launches their adventure into Narnia, and what an exciting adventure it turns out to be! Puddleglum is an excellently crafted character who accompanies them on their journey into the wild north, where they encounter a beautiful witch and a dangerous race of intelligent giants. It's a well-done piece of storytelling, worth reading a second time!

The Silver Chair, in my opinion, is the best book (albeit the darkest) in the Narnia series. The story is as follows: two schoolchildren, Eustace and Jill, are whisked away to the magical land of Narnia to locate Prince Rilian, who has long been missing (or captive, take your pick). To find this young man, they set out with their pessimistic marsh-creature guide Puddleglum and must journey far to the north of Narnia and follow a set of signs that Aslan has laid out for them in order. As I have said before, this book (in my opinion) is the darkest of the series. Lewis writes amazingly, giving us vivid pictures of the dangerous expedition. If one fault can be found, it is the shortness and lack of attention given to the smaller things in this world. But still, this amazing story is a keeper.

In this book, we meet new characters and reunite with the old ones. Jill Pole and Eustace Scrubb open a usually locked door and find themselves being blown into... Narnia. Aslan has a task for the children: they must rescue Prince Rilian, King Caspian's only son from the evil witch. So they embark on a perilous journey through the Wild Waste Lands of the North with their marshwiggle guide, Puddlegum. I particularly enjoyed the part where they befriend the giants. This is a must-read to all Narnia lovers.

I've read the book untill appr. page 400, then I just couldn't stomach it anymore. You can just hear Mulisch brag thrue every sentence. The sentences he makes are art, but to fill a book with good sentences does not necessairily make it a good book. It realy annoyed me that all the men in the book are intelligent and all the woman are stupid and die quickly. When you know a littlebit more about Harry Mulisch you just know that the author is speaking here. The book is very discriminating for women! Never the less, I did like "de aanslag" and "de elementen" (the elements?) written by Mulisch. The elements is a relative short novel, with a lot of philosophy and a great plot. But if he would have lengthened this book by adding another 700 pages, the result would probably have been like 'the discovery of heaven.' Not a sympathetic book!

The Discovery of Heaven is indeed one of the best works of fiction I have ever read, with an intricately fashioned plot, and characters that come to life, making you wish that you could share in the friendship that exists between Max Delius and Onno Quist. The story guides you on a quest throughout Europe, eventually leading you to one of the greatest treasures mankind will ever know. It presents scenarios that inspire love, hate, sorrow, joy, and a multitude of others that draw you in from page one! Being a theologian, it was difficult, if not angersome, to come to terms with several of the religious aspects of the novel, but that's what great literature does--it inspires emotion. This book exceeds that goal. After reading this novel--and I hope you do lest you miss out on one of the greatest masterpieces of the century--you will have found that The Discovery of Heaven is truly the discovery of a lifetime.

This is one of the most extraordinary books I have ever read. Though I don't necessarily agree with all the views expressed in this philosophical novel, it must be said that Mulisch has a wide variety of interests, ranging from the development of the arts over the centuries to the changes the Enlightment and Scientific Revolution brang. Mulisch scetches a epic tale of two young men, destined to be pieces on God's chessboard in His plan for mankind. Though the actual setting of the story is not highly likely, credit must be given to the way in which Mulisch develops his plot; he goes out of his way to illuminate multiple coincedents (that in the end don't seem like coincedents anymore) and their part in God's plan. A lot of these things seemed so unlikely in the book itself, until I recognized that a lot in the world does indeed work that way. Though I don't agree with the way Mulisch portrays God, I sure found it a fascinating approach to how God implements His plans in the world!

This story is about a father too smart and presumptions for his own good., and the growing rebellion of the eldest son seeing the ugly side of his father. Allie Fox, a self-anointed inventor has a knack for inventing different odds and ends that will purportedly aid humankind. However, Allie's distrust and revulsion for modern day society (e.g. TV dinners, television, public school, brand names, etc.) is commanding. He believes humans can make themselves a better world, but illogically he seems to feel that the world can only be better if he invents it.

Fed up with American life, Allie moves himself and his wife and four children to one of the remotest parts of Honduras to live a simple and dignified life. What's ironical is that Allie is trying to escape the excesses of America, yet in Honduras he builds a gigantic and totally unnecessary ice machine. Charlie, his eldest son, soon recognizes the ego and omnipotent attitude his father attains while in Honduras. This eventually leads from an idyllic situation in a small Honduran settlement to a complete disaster when Allie tries to demonstrate human prowess and ability to a native Indian population. Charlie is torn between devotion toward his omnipotent father, and the irrational evil that his father is becoming.

Theroux is a fine writer, and illustrates an adventurous and tumultuous time in the modern-day dysfunctional Swiss Family Robinson.

Paul Theroux's THE MOSQUITO COAST is a simply entertaining story that appeals to a very diverse audience. This narrative follows the life of a New England farm family as their father, Allie Fox, leads them away from the comforts of life in America, and into the primitive jungles of Honduras, where they will rely upon their wits alone for survival. Charlie, Allie's eldest son, narrates the story. This book is a very enjoyable read. Theroux is able to display his humorous side in the sometimes laughable antics of Allie Fox. Theroux also displays his talent as a writer of unique and memorable characters. In fact, the character of Allie, who is outrageously eccentric and cynical, is one of Theroux's finer acomplishments in this novel. Allie, a genius who at first decides only to lead a simpler life, eventually takes his faimly to the brink of an obscure death in the jungle. At certain points during the story, Allie begins to evoke a genuine hatred in the reader's mind, which requires a quality of writing that not many author's can create. Theroux's only major shortcoming in this book is his prolonged descriptions of some of the Fox's adventures in the jungle. Although exciting at first, it would take a most attentive reader to stay focused during several of Theroux's tangents midway through the novel. THE MOSQUITO COAST is a good book, but it might have been a great one if it were 100 pages shorter.

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a novel with unique characters and an unpredictable plot. This story is told from the point of view of Charlie Fox, son of Allie Fox. Allie is a selfish man who is fed up with American society. He improves upon the "imperfections" of the world with his ingenious inventions. He moves his family to the South American jungle to escape the defective society and create a suitable town of his own. Charlie relates his father's actions through admiring eyes at first, but he soon sees the flaws in his father's civilization. The family suffers many losses and eventually realizes that Allie is not saving them from a faulty society, but he is squelching them from thriving. This is a very well written, detailed novel that has a great deal of suspense. While the story is unique, all can relate to the feelings and thoughts of the characters in this exciting, thought-provoking novel.

I picked this up again on a second-hand book shelf in a local hospital having read it when it first came out. Fourteen years later it hasn't lost any of its appeal. Brilliantly narrated with quick precise action, the James Bond-esqe 'joie de vivre' and panache of Dirk Pitt means he is the modern Indiana Jones. The plot weaves as intricately as ever from the Roman galleys in Tunisia to modern day Mexico without any let up. The formula is the same as ever, the results we already know but it's how Cussler delivers his hero's victory against the odds with his faithful sidekick and NUMA friends that makes these still readable after all this time

Having recently started reading Dirk Pitt and his Numa Gang, I read this book for the first time and it introduced me to Dirk Pitt and his friends at Numa. As I have read this book twice already I have enjoyed every aspect of it especially with a new twist to fans of Indiana Jones and James Bond. Clive Cussler has really caught my attention after reading his novel Treasure which discusses Dirk Pitt and Numa's hunt for the Lost Library of Alexandria. In it Clive Cussler catches all us fans of modern day adventure and action which involves the fight of counter-terrorism with one of the main villains being kinda like the terrorist assasin known as the Jackal.
In the way the James Bond and Indiana Jones brought the thrill of Saturday Movies back Cussler keeps the reader moving and continually wanting to read more of his book. I especially love the way Cussler brings the final showdown of this book in an unexpecting area where people would not find the legendary Library of Alexandria. Cussler even adds the famous James Bond comical wit and finesse in his book between Dirk Pitt and his partner in crime Al Giordino and the other characters within this book. It always make you laugh and smile once the finesse and wit are done throughout the book. At times when the story can be serious in his writing.
Treasure has really opened my enjoyment and interests in Clive
Cussler and his hero Dirk Pitt and Numa gang. To the new reader of this book it will make you enjoy Clive Cussler as one of our best action adventure writers in the 20th and 21st Century. Thanks so much Clive for the enjoyment of reading your hero and his exploits.

as usual my favorite heros Dirk, and Al have taken us around the world and have saved the day. this book was quite the page turner. I could barely put it down ( i did get a sunburn from forgetting to turn over while reading this book):o)

Kudos to Cussler!

"It doesn't have to be this way..."

For too long, our western industrial culture has equated sheer numbers, whether dollars, cans of soda or tons of trash, with growth. The concept of growth based only on labor productivity and dollars moved has lead us to our current degraded environmental and social conditions. The perverse accounting behind this scheme allows the government to actually subsidize wasteful practices and encourages industries to turn their backs on innovation and improvement.

The authors offer here an alternative that is at once eminently practical and thoroughly visionary. However, this work does not make the liberal's usual cry for increased command and control regulation by government. Rather, it argues for decreased regulation, the elimination of the above-mentioned subsidies and an honest accounting of the true costs of production that include the value of degraded natural and social systems. Such new practices, which are oriented toward a truly free market, would force producers to increase resource, rather than labor, efficiency, which would, in turn, result in increased employment, greater innovation and healthier ecosystems.

Should the reader be overly skeptical, the authors share many examples of companies who are "doing well by doing good," that is, being commercially successful while at the same time improving the quality of life for all natural systems, both human and non-human.

This, along with Hawken's earlier The Ecology of Commerce, as well as Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth by Lester R. Brown are highly recommended as primers on a new vision for the future.

This was one of those books that took me weeks to read simply because of the fact that it was so disturbingly real and struck home so well that when read before bed there was no sleeping to be had. I had the honor of seeing Paul Hawkin speak in person at the Oregon Sustainability Forum this month in downtown Portland. It is obvious how moving Paul finds the issues confronted in this book, that are faced by every member of the human race, and every other race, on the planet today. The authors of Natural Capitalism bring heartening, encouraging, and inspiring tales of communities that are successfully implementing the concepts presented here as well as the grim facts associated with current capitalist, industrialist society. If you are at all interested in the future of business, your community, and the planet I highly recomment this book.

Here are some favorite passages:

This section relating directly to my life in a cubicle company :o) :"People are not simple uniform entities that thrive in a box. They are, rather, complex living organisms that evolved in and still function best in a dynamic and divers environment."..."People are happier, healthier, and more alert unders subtly dynamic than under constant conditions."..."Buildings that are alternately a solar oven or a walk-in refrigerator, with discomfort and energy bills to match, are coming to be seen as unacceptable. In the rapidly arriving era of green design, buildings that cost more than they should to construct and run and that work worse, look worse, and make informed customers feel worse than they demand will simply stand empty. - P 88

"At first, Winston Churchill said, we shape our buildings, and then our buildings shape our lives. This high purpose requires designs that celebrate life over sterility, restraint over extravagance, beauty over tawdriness. Green buildings do not poison the air with fumes nor the soul with artificiality Instead, they create delight when entered, serenity and health when occupied, and regret when departed. They grow organically in and from their place, integrating people within the rest of the natural world; do no harm to their occupants or to the earth; foster more diverse and abundant life than they borrow; take less than they give back. Achieving all this hand in hand with functionality and profitability requires a level of design integration that is not merely a technical task but an asthetic and spiritual challenge. - P 110

"In the face of this relentless loss of living systems, fractious political conflicts over laws, regulations, and business economics appear petty and small. It is not that these issues are unimportant, but that they ignore the larger context. Are we or are we not systematically reducing life and the capacity to re-create order on earth? This is the level on which our discource should take place, for it is there that a framework for both understanding and action can be formulated. In spite of what such signals as the GDP and the Dow Jones Industrial Average indicate, it is ultimately the capacity of the photosynthetic world and its nutrient flows that determine the quality of life on earth." - P 149

In the summer of 1999, the Harvard Business Review treated the business community to a glimpse of a bold new model for business and industry in the 21st century. The HBR has been filling requests ever since for the article by Amory Lovins, L. Hunter Lovins and Paul Hawken titled "A Road Map for Natural Capitalism." The article described how businesses could profit by employing strategies built around a more productive use of natural resources. The authors explained in a very practical, yet compelling manner how these strategies could go a long way toward solving many current environmental problems.

Business readers and anyone concerned about the changing global economy and its impact on the ecosystem will want more than copies of the HBR article once they realize it was actually a tantalizing synopsis of the authors' new book, "Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution" (Little, Brown, 1999). This important book can take its place alongside such touchstone volumes as "Future Shock," "Megatrends " and "The New New." The authors describe in vivid detail how business and industry can gain competitive advantage through a new business model based on doing much more with much less.

The authors set out to prove that changing realities of the information economy and global competitiveness are already transforming industry and commerce in ways unforeseen even a few years ago. The new business model takes into account the values of all forms of "capital" including human, manufactured, financial, and natural. "Natural Capitalism" starts with an elegantly simple premise: economies need no longer be based on the idea that human capital is finite and natural resources are infinitely abundant when the obvious truth of the 21st Century is exactly the opposite.

With mounting confidence, Lovins, Lovins and Hawken predict that the latest industrial revolution will create "a vital economy that uses radically less material and energy." Businesses that recognize the trend toward this new type of industrialism will gain advantage over their less alert competitors. Those that postpone this shift will be left behind and will eventually, make themselves irrelevant in the new economy.

Theirs is not merely a detailed updating of Buckminster Fuller's "small is beautiful" thesis. Rather, the authors describe a step-by-step process of business restructuring that should result in more efficiency at the corporate, national and global level. Such a process, if carried out across several industries simultaneously, would make it much easier for governments to promote social equity and conserve or even restore the natural ecosystems reaching across traditional borders.

This next stage of industrialism, the authors' "natural capitalism," is founded on four core business strategies already being adopted by the most innovative corporations across the globe. The strategies suggest that companies need to:

1) employ technology and design innovations to use resources much more productively. This results, of course, in companies using fewer resources, reducing pollution, and setting the stage to create more jobs;

2) practice "biomimicry" by redesigning industrial systems to be more like biological systems, leading to an elimination of even the concept of waste;

3) shift from an economy based on goods and purchases to an economy based on service and flow. This concept leads to a quantum shift in how manufacturing companies service their clients, especially in terms of inventories, sales strategies, etc; and

4) reinvest in "natural capital" to sustain, restore and expand the resources on which industry, and ultimately all life, and therefore all livelihood, depends.

"Natural Capitalism" is not a "gloom and doom, industry vs. the environment" anti-consumerism rant. Neither do the authors fall into the trap of proposing a Pollyanna hypothesis that begins with "if only we could change our basic cultural values." Lovins, Lovins and Hawken make elegant use of facts and examples from several industrial sectors and actual case histories of large and small companies based in the US and overseas.

Consider the "Hypercar," a synthesis of emerging automobile technologies developed in 1991 by the Rocky Mountain Institute, the think tank founded by Amory and Hunter Lovins. Imagine "a family sedan, sport-utility, or pickup truck that combines Lexus comfort and refinement, Mercedes stiffness, Volvo safety, BMW acceleration, Taurus price, four-to eightfold improved fuel economy (that is, 80 to 200 miles per gallon), a 600 to 800 mile range between refuelings, and ZERO emissions."

If such technological innovations sound like eco-friendly pipe dreams, think again. Today, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and others are actively competing to bring this revolutionary vehicle to the market within the next few years.

As global a corporate presence as DuPont is already feeling (and no doubt, influencing) a sea change in manufacturing philosophy. The Delaware-based chemical giant is on record in favor of "comprehensive resource productivity". In DuPont's words, "sustainable growth has to be focused on a functionality, not a product. The next major step toward sustainable growth is to improve the value of our products and services per unit of natural resources employed." To that end, DuPont is "down-gauging" its polyester film, making it thinner, stronger and more valuable so that it may sell less material at a higher price.

What the Lovins and Hawken have given us with "Natural Capitalism" is nothing less than an up-to-date business manual for the next century, complete with clear explanations and solid, real world examples. Their thinking finds common ground between business and environmental interests and makes the common sense case for how the two outlooks are merging into a new, practical, eco-friendly approach to making a profit.

Just as business and civic leaders in Atlanta and elsewhere are redefining how sprawling cities should grow, "Natural Capitalism" redefines how businesses and ultimately the entire planet should grow to sustain a prosperous and equitable quality of life for the indefinite future.

This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. So why only 4 stars? Because it's not consistantly funny. The problem seems to be that Jerome started to write a travel story, with some serious thought on history and life, and added a few humorous bits as he went along. His editor got him to tone down the history and emphasize the humor, but we, the readers, are still stuck with some dreary Victorian romantic musings.
But then there are the funny bits. And there are a lot of them. I'd say 80% of this book is funny, and a good 10% is hysterically funny. Well worth the dull patches.
WARNING: Do not read this in a public place. You WILL embarrass yourself by laughing out loud. The pages on cheese are especially deadly. I still giggle uncontrolably each time I re-read them.

I was given a copy of this book about 12 years ago. It has turned out to be one the best gifts I've ever received. Jerome's witty ramblings are the funniest I've ever read. Mark Twain, who I also love to read, comes close to Jerome's style but, in my opinion, is a poor second. Jerome finds humor in the commonplace and the every day occurrences which all of us, even a good 100 years later, can identify with. Starting with his self-diagnosis of every ailment, excepting house-maid's knee, to his singular insights into his friends, self, and surroundings; I never tire of rereading this book. It becomes clear quickly that the dog, Montmorency, is the only one with any sense. Three Men and a Boat always cheers me after a cold, bleak winter. It's the best Spring tonic--I highly recommend an annual dose. I shop now for gifts to give to friends so they can share my enjoyment in this wonderfully humorous and offbeat book. Read, enjoy, and laugh often.

Like other reviewers, I first heard of this book after reading the wonderful novel by Connie Willis, To Say Nothing of the Dog. That wonderful book inspired me to read Three Men in a Boat. A simple story set in Victorian England of three young men taking a boat ride down the Thames, and yet I laughed so hard and so often that I actually had to stop reading to catch my breathe. The writing is wonderful, with characters that everybody can identify with. The story of uncle Podger hanging the picture is priceless.

I can't believe that this book was written over one hundred years ago. The story is timeless. But the humor is such that few readers will be able to come away without loving this book. Already, I am trying to get hold of the author's other books. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Whatever you do, READ THIS BOOK! If not, you are truly missing one of life's greatest pleasures!

In some ways, this is my favourite Archer novel -- the plot and the characters are wonderful.

The book suffers from his lack of experience (it was his first published novel). The story is slow to get started (considering the length of the novel) and the ending is more contrived than the endings of his later books. Occasionally, the dialogue is stilted, and there are viewpoint shifts that happen without notice.

However, Archer is a great storyteller, and this story just keeps moving. Essentially, this is a revenge tale, in which four men swindled by a master con-artist decide to get back exactly what he stole from them. They embark on a series of scams in order to extract the money from the miscreant. The scams are just barely believable, and one of the strengths of the book is the way that the author drags you in and gets you to believe that these exotic plots can work.

This is an excellent short novel, with lots of light suspense and much to admire. It is well worth the time it takes to read.

Having read a wide variety of authors, I can say that I truly enjoy Archer's entertaining writing, with his abundant humorous and/or dramatic turns. This book is no exception. An American businessman has bilked four different men with an intricate scheme to the tune of $1,000,000. But one of the men is determined to get his money back.

Gathering the victims together, the four men develop individually elaborate plans to recoup their losses from the infamous Mr. Harvey. Each plan is exceptionally creative, daring, and very entertaining as they get all of their money back, not a penny more, not a penny less.

Archer's style creates a very reader-friendly text, with good pace. And the ending is outlandishly funny. A great read.

Couldn't wait to read this each day and was sorry when I finished it because I didn't have the pleasure of anticipation the next day. Jeffrey Archer has woven a thoroughly enjoyable tale of a scoundral - Harvey - who cheats anyone anyway he can. Through an innocent third party, he manages to dupe four men out of a total of $1,000,000. One of these, a university professor, determines to follow his father's motto: don't get angry, get even. The professor puts together a dossier on Harvey and contacts the three other men and convinces them to come up with a way to get the money they lost back. (They had all invested in north sea oil shares that turned out to be worthless.) The schemes they develop and carry out are not only brilliant, but also very humorous reading. The delightful twist at the end had me laughing all through the last chapter. This book is skillfully written and sure to be enjoyed by Archer fans. Anyone who has not read his books, would surely become a fan after reading "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less".

Dr. Maier's book is a very thought provoking story about what it would be like if something were uncovered that might possibly signal the end of Christianity. A word of caution to Christians reading this book. At the outset the book seems heretical in its subject matter, however, have no fear the author is Christian and makes all right in the end, once again proving that God can take evil intent and turn it to his bidding. The only problem I had with this book was a small amount of sexual content. I only bring this up because my twelve year old son wanted to read it and I had to tell him it was a little above him. I realize Dr. Maier wrote this for adults and not children. However, I feel a Christian writing a book about Christianity, albeit the subject matter ficticious, still has responsibilities to his fellow Christians. Having to explain to my son that he cannot read this book because of a minor amount of PG-13 material was a bit difficult, since it was written by a Christain. Otherwise the book was very good. It's a mysterical pager turner in the classic sense, and for Christians especially, it will be impossible to put down.

While I do agree with other reviewers that the archaeological techno-babble got a bit tedious at times, I can't help but give the book five stars. I guess it's because I'm a wanna-be archaeologist, who knows.

Anyway, onto my review... When I first heard about this book, it was because my Grandmother was a subscriber to the Guideposts condensed books, and this happened to be in a volume. Well, I had read another book in the volume, and decided this one looked interesting -- since I was a fan of archaeology anyway -- and I decided to read it.

My, what a surprise it was. You really don't know quite what to expect when you get into a book that handles such a controversial topic, but the author did it beautifully.

I could scarcely put the book down, and when I was able to find the full version, I bought it immediately and read it from cover-to-cover in a day.

Even if you're not a fan of Christian fiction, I must highly recommend this book. Even if your knowledge of archaeology comes from seeing a single Indiana Jones movie. I think if you give it a try, you'll really like it.

I have been working on my Master's degree at Western Michigan University where Dr. Paul Maier serves as a highly esteemed professor of ancient history. I had the thrill to take his class on Biblical Archaeology and History and he is a natural story teller. Besides being an award winning teacher and author, he is also a Lutheran minister who was able to share his faith in class while doing a professional job of maintaining objectivity while discussing biblical history.I've read "Skeleton In God's Closet" and found it to be a gripping story that displays Maier's extensive knowledge of archaeology and of Israel. My wife and other friends have read it and gave it very positive reviews. All of them remarked how it gave a positive view of Christianity without trying to slam it down your throat. Anyone who thinks Maier had a devious motive by suggesting that Christ was not resurrected have either not read the book or are too shallow to get it. I also recommend his novels "Flames of Rome" and "Pontius Pilate", they are historical fiction that are more historically accurate than any other novels of its kind. His translation of the writings of "Josephus" is also excellent, surpassing any of the other antiquated translations because it is very easy to read while maintaining scholarly excellence.

Despite the simple models taught in Econ 101, our real economic system is extremely complex and intertwined, with a multitude of players of diverse self-interests. It is no surprise then that sometimes this system does not deliver what it promises--better material condition for everyone. System failures in large scale--from currency crisis in emerging markets to stagnation of the huge Japanese economy--are explained in plain English in this book.

Krugman has the great ability in using simple parables and models to help readers (and I suspect, he himself too) understand complex situations. Japan's troubles can be understood when we think about the vastly simpler economy of Baby's coop (which members exchange baby-sittings using coupons), for example. Any model is an abstraction and inaccurate representation of the reality. The key to successful modeling is to use the model that captures the salient features of reality which we most concern with. And that's what Krugman excels at.

In this book, Krugman does deliver his points that the problems facing Japan, Asian countries with emerging economies, and Brazil can be greatly mitigated with the right monetary policy. My complaint is that he virtually ignores other developmental issues facing many developing economies--education, healthcare, and governance. It's true that those are not the points of this book, but helping the reader step back and get a glimpse of these complex facets of the world will certainly make the book a more accurate representation of reality.

Overall, a good and eye-opening read. It gives you a nice description of "one" aspect of the complex socio-economic landscape that affects our lives.

From the July/August 1999 issue of FOREIGN AFFAIRS: A sober -- and sobering -- appraisal of the past two years of financial history. The book covers the unstable dynamics of financial crises, highly leveraged hedge funds, Japan's deflation and liquidity trap, and other economic pathologies. Krugman argues that deficient demand, which has not appeared on such a global scale since the 1930s, is again a potential problem. When appropriate, countries should pursue an expansionary monetary and fiscal policy -- to revive the "Keynesian compact," whereby they maintain free markets but provide government-assured adequate aggregate demand. Krugman also usefully reminds us that economics is a set of analytical tools applicable to diverse situations, not a rigid set of universal principles. He concludes that the Japanese government should generate inflationary expectations so that the real interest rate can decline further -- an unorthodox conclusion carefully derived from straightforward economic analysis. He tells his story in clear prose, without the diagrams economists love. Masterful at presenting complex ideas in simple and sometimes whimsical parables and analogies, Krugman makes serious analysis fun to read.

Written with clarity, Paul Krugman shows how the economics textbooks went right out the window as soon as the crisis hit Asia. He also describes how any countries may be vulnerable to what economists call "self-fulfilling speculative attacks". Most of all, Paul Krugman makes the topics under discussion accessible even for college student like me.
Any economic student that wants to learn more about international financial crises should own this book.

I just finished reading this book, and I must say that it was extremely interesting. The author, Dannion Brinkley, gets struck by lightning while talking on the telephone and is clinically dead for 28 minutes! His account of what follows his "death" is absolutely amazing. It is the most detailed near death experience account that I have read, and even Dr. Raymond Moody, a Ph.D & M.D. and authority on the subject, says the same.

This book is very insightful if you are interested in studying accounts of near death experiences (NDEs). Brinkley's vivid retelling of what he witnessed is astounding -- detailed "interactions" with "beings of light" (as detailed as I've read, anyway), a visit to a crystal city of light, revelations he received about the future that really occurred (Gulf War, fall of USSR...), and much more...He even tells of "psychic powers" he had upon his return, which are very interesting. I'm not into psychics and all, but this stuff he can do is supposedly documented and "verifiable". Nevertheless, what he claims is very interesting and he seems to be truthful.

All in all, a very interesting, detailed, and compelling account of a NDE. Brinkley's relationship with Dr. Moody lends a great deal of credence to a fantastic, almost unbelieveable story.

Definitely worth reading, but for those of you who have not read about NDEs prior to stumbling upon this book, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING DR. RAYMOND MOODY'S STUDIES FIRST, which are very scientific and objective studies of NDEs (esp. "Life After Life" and "Reflections on Life After Life", etc). This book makes a good case study after you have read Moody's works...

Through a profound spiritual experience during the Easter season of 1996, God used Dannion Brinkley's book, "Saved by the Light", to save my family and bring us to Christ. In preparation for our family vacation that year from our western NY state home to Panama City,Florida,I went to my local drugstore to fill some presciptions that we would be needing. I rarely bought books, but that day while waiting in line,I found myself looking at the paperback rack near the register. "Saved by the Light" stood out from all the rest and I heard a small voice from within tell me to buy the book and read it out loud to my family as we traveled to Florida. I was also compelled to bring our Bible, a newly given gift that I had not read much,yet. As our trip began, I told my family I was going to read to them to help pass the time. As Dannion's story unfolded, my husband and children listened intently. Each time I offered to stop to give them a break, they insisted that I continue to read his story. His words and experiences captivated us and we were filled with great emotion. When we were in Tennessee,I heard the voice again and this time I was told to read the account of the Easter story from our Bible. Just as I finished reading,the children began to squeal in delight. "Look mommy, Jesus is with us!", they pointed to a car that came out of nowhere from several lanes of crowded traffic that came right up close behind us and the license plate read, JESUS. Suddenly, everywhere we looked we saw graffiti about Jesus, all of them full of reverence and love. We were truely awed. The children then begged me to read the rest of Dannion's book. I read to them for hours without ever looking up to see where we were. As I finished the ending, where he reveals God's plan to him in Alabama (I won't spoil the plot)my husband said, "Laurie, look where we are." I looked up and looked around. We were in Alabama! We looked at each other and I said, "Truely, this is an act of God." A few days later was Easter and we went to church. There, we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our lives have never been the same. I loaned out our copy of Brinkley's book to a Christian in our bible study group who was struggling with her faith. I asked her to pass it on to another if she felt it helped her and told her to ask that person to do the same. If it didn't help,I asked her to return it to me. It has been 4 years and the book has not been returned. As I write my testimony, which credits Brinkley's story of faith and obedience to God, as the turning point in our walk with Jesus, I've decided to read it again. Thanks to this site,where I came to buy his book again,I am able to tout his book to others. I pray it speaks to you as it did to this broken family four years ago, revealing God to you and His promise of life after death with Him, if you only except Him into your life as your Lord and Savior... Thankyou Dannion, may God's blessings continue to fall upon you in great abundance! The Buzzard Family

This book, as well as Brinkley's second, was a true gift of peace and hope to me and I would recommend it to anyone. I believe its message is also one of responsibility. He says that if we don't wake up and create peace and love, then we are destroying ourselves. We are co-creators. Each of us is here to realize that we are a child and servant of God, which is love, and we are here to demonstrate it. If you get a chance to look at this man's life, he really fulfills that. He has done numerous projects such as Compassion in Action designed for hospice work. His work has impacted me tremendously. He shows too that God's love is truly unconditional and not just meant for any particular persons- not just for Christians or what have you. He humorously points out that he was the most godawful person you can imagine and God loved him. God showed him what kind of person he was and Mr. Brinkley did a complete 180 degree turnaround. I've wondered what the world would be liked if that happened to everyone. So read this book- it's short, enlightening, and charming!