As an FAA'er for 33 years, 8 of them at O'Hare, TRACON is first rate in depicting ATC, and much of FAA, as it really is. While reading it, I was in the driver's seat, seeing clearly the activities and events as they were unfolding, realizing every bit of it could be (or occasionally has been) absolutly true. For you aviators and other controllers out there, this is a must read. For you non-aviation experienced readers it is as equally outstanding as a fictional thriller. The characters are strong and relationships real. You will finish the book not only having been totally entertained, but also having been treated to a very accurate look at the very unfamilar, and frequently very misrepresented, world of air traffic control.

Not only was this book the best I have read in a long time, but the friend who recommended it to me is a air traffic controller at Rockford, IL. airport and is going to O'Hare this month. She told me Mr. McElroy researched this book for 6 years, and that everything about the controllers is very accurate. Even when the book gets to the end you are still chilled and thrilled. Don't waste any time buy it now and enter a wonderful, exciting world. You won't be able to put it down.

As an air traffic controller who has worked in a Tracon for the last 12 years I find this book to be the most realistic portrayal of the business that I have ever read. This man has done his homework!! I could not find a single fault in his technological account of ATC! Reading the book during my breaks at work was like being in two dimensions. It was as if he was sitting in the room with me as I worked. He got it right from the inane comments to the adrenaline rush of an arrival push!!

I'll be pushing this book on all my family and friends who just can't seem to understand what it is that I do all day. This book put the movie "Pushing Tin" to shame!!

This is a solid, traditional biography that well chronicles the life and times of John Paul II. The work is rich in detail and, on the whole, sound in its analysis of the significance of John Paul's Pontificate. The author does an excellent job, moreover, of describing the theological ideas and works of Karol Wojtyla pre-1978. The work has two relatively minor flaws. First, there are places where catalogues of information -- e.g., the topics of each of Karol Wojtyla's addresses on Vatican radio during the early 1960s, a list of the subjects of each of series of seminars given by Fr. Wojtyla during a certain period -- are inartfully inserted into the text. This leaves one with the impression that the author felt compelled to include all information discovered even when it did not contribute to the portrait being painted. The second is a lack of spiritual depth and sensitivity. Decisions and actions that are essentially religious in nature are analyzed primarily for their worldly consequences and/or presentation. The discussions of "Humanae Vitae" and "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis," for example, are the standard secular analyses one would read from the likes of a Michael Novak. This leaves the reader feeling that the portrait of the man fails to reveal his full spiritual dimension. Overall, however, this is an excellent work of historical biography and Mr. Weigel is to be highly commended.

This is has got to be the most in depth analysis of one of the most complex spiritual and political pontificates. The truly remarkable thing you discover when you read this book is just how long John Paul has been around. Elected to the papacy in October 1978 Jimmy Carter was still president Breshnev was president of the USSR and the specter of nuclear confrontation over Europe was the principle issue taxing the minds of foreign policy makers on both sides of the Atlantic.

The author clearly demonstrates that John Paul is a product of a lifetime's experience. He lived through the Holocaust and saw the worst excesses of human behavior. From that experience as well as the soviet communist domination over his native Poland the reader understands John Paul's strong views on the sanctity of life having lived in societies where the value of human life was reduced to nothing more than a functional entity.

There are some really good philosophical understandings in terms of what drives this Pope now in his eighty first year. The author also looks at issues like the Popes Health and how growing infirmities have frustrated a man who was very physically active prior to the assassination attempt in 1981.

If you buy this book you will go back to it again and again it is not just a biography its an excellent reference of where the catholic church has been in world affairs for the last quarter century.

This is a comprehensive biography of Pope John Paul II, based on extensive interviews and a thorough study of writings by the Pope covering more than 50 years. Despite the size of the book, it is very readable. The author places emphasis on the significance of John Paul's contributions to philosophy, theology, evangelism, and the Catholic Church over the long run. Hence the book is more than journalism, a common fault of most treatments of the life of this Pope. While the author has made a strong case elsewhere (in the magazine First Things) for Pope John Paul II as the most important person of the 20th century, this book leaves one with the clear impression that of all the leaders of the 20th century, John Paul is the most likely to have the greatest influence on the course of the 21st century. I cannot think of a better book to read as the new millenium approaches.

The Sacred Circle Tarot is designed to be used by Celtic Pagans, and has a very British-Wicca feel. Franklin and Mason have tossed aside all the Cabalistic and Golden Dawn symbolism you're used to; all of the symbolism you'll see here is derived from Celtic folklore. There is a lot of attention to detail--the cards are replete with Celtic sacred sites, animals, and plants. Everything you'll see is very thought-out and well-researched.

The cards are done using modern computer-imaging techniques. Many of them are stunningly beautiful (the High Priestess, which could be an alternate cover for Mists of Avalon), many are very evocative of their meaning (Initiation, which is represented by a labyrinth leading to the Cauldron of Ceridwen). The Majors, for the most part, are great. Getting into the Minors, the Cups are especially gorgeous, while the Discs occasionally leave me cold. Some of the cards aren't very intuitive, but that's not a big deal since this is one of the decks that provides a little one-word caption on the card to help you out. All in all, a solid and beautiful deck.

The Sacred Circle tarot is a lovely deck with beautiful, rich colours and a decidedly British Neo-Pagan slant. I would not recommend it for beginners, either beginning Tarot readers or those just starting on a Pagan path.

Five stars for the Major Arcana! There has been some re-ordering with which I do not necessarily agree, and some of the image substitution is difficult to integrate, but generally these cards are easy to understand and welcoming as well as beautiful. Easy to understand, that is, if you've been a practicing pagan for a while and have a good grounding in the underlying mythology. Oherwise you might have trouble.

The minor arcana is not so well done. Although they purport to show full images, many of the numbered suit cards are little better than pip cards and very hard to read. There are little one-word definitions on each card, but I find this annoying rather than helpful. There are inconsistencies in the imagery -- e.g., wands might appear as spears or arrows or wands depending on the card. Sometmes this is explained in the book, but I'm a firm believer in internal card logic, so I found the necessity of explanation irritating.

Throughout the deck the imagery and symbology is extremely personal to the makers. In most cases their actualy interpretations haven't changed so, once again, an experienced reader will be able to get it fairly easily but a beginner may not get the connections. There are also places where the main symbol of the card is either practically invisible or pretty much unintelligible without recourse to the book. This is something I really don't like. You can read these cards intuitively, but it takes some doing.

The book is a thick one and it gives detailed descriptions of every card, as well as an overview of the fool's journey and several new spreads you might want to try.

I probably would not have bought these cards if I had been able to examine a full deck in advance, but they are turning out to be quite popular with clients. Readings with them so far have stressed personal responsibility and introspection rather than outward action, and they tend to have a gentler feel than readings with some other decks. This is a good addition to a Pagan reader's toolkit -- not a starting point, but a deck with which to explore a particular focus more deeply.

It is a visually beautiful, even stunning deck, yet without undue extravagance. It is obviously the end product of a great amount of work and artistry. While the Major Arcana has had some changes in name and order, it still retains pretty much the traditional meanings, with a few subtle differences. The minor arcana, done in pip fashion, has had a lot of changes to the meanings. On top of each card there is a one-word descriptive meaning of each card. I personally find this annoying, but extend the charge to all decks which have such descriptions. First of all, it doesn't describe or allow for the change in meaning that inevitably occurs depending on the position and surrounding cards in the spread. Secondly, I and presumably many others do not use some of the meanings given. I felt so strongly about it that I took a black, magic marker and blacked out all the meanings. My readings are much better now. I prefer not to think of it as defacing tarot cards, but personalizing them! Despite this criticism, I am now using the deck to great advantage, and heartily recommend the deck to others.

I picked this book up while on vacation a few years ago. I had never heard of Nora Roberts and was not a romance fan. This story introduced me to Roberts and romance.

The plot revolves around Dora Conroy, a quirky proprietor of a small antique shop, who inadvertently interferes with the illegal shipment of some smuggled artwork and becomes the target of a ruthless and deadly businessman. Her new tenant Jed Skimmerhorn, an ex detective with the Philadelphia PD, is reluctantly attracted to Dora and feels obligated to protect her when the bad guys break into her apartment and threaten her. Add Dora's spirited family of actors and their bizarre show biz friends into the mix and you have the recipe for fun.

The story is at times humorous, often suspenseful, very romantic and always a great read. You won't want to miss this one.

Hidden Riches, whose setting is in the city of brotherly love, brings together Jed Skimmerhorn, a dislusioned police captain, and Dora Conway, an antique dealer. Jed, who is from a disfunctional rich family, has had it with life. He abandons the life style that has brought him nothing but heartache to move into a sparse apartment owed by Dora Conway. Though Jed fights against the physcial and mental pull toward Dora and the loving, overwhelming Conway family, he is pulled to them when Dora unwittingly stumbles into the evil world of smuggling valuable antiquties, and is noe threatening her very exsistance. Hidden Riches is a story that will draw you into the characters lifes. The hero is a strong, brooding charcter that has the good sense to admire and be drawn to a heroine who is also a strong witty character. They never let you down by acting wimpy or stupid even when danger is near and the heroine will try to get herself out of danger rather than wimp out, Bravo Nora Roberts, another excellent novel.

Hidden Riches, set in modern-day Philadelphia, brings together Jed Skimmerhorn, a discontented police captain and Dora Conway, an antiques dealer. Captain Skimmerhorn is the new tenant in the apartment located above Dora's antique shop and across from her own living quarters. No doubt that their feeling definite attraction toward each other, Skimmerhorn fights against his feelings for Dora and the loving, overwhelming Conway family. Forces change however when he is pulled in by Dora, who unwittingly stumbles into the evil world of art and antique smuggling valuable and finds her very existence threatened. Hidden Riches is quite a suspenseful story with a love story happening along the way. Skimmerhorn, a strong, brooding man has that some demons from his past to conquer. Dora is a strong character-a woman who is independent, intelligent, beautiful, and determined. Drawn together by forces greater than themselves, they are forced to face his past and the future neither had planned for. This book is one of my favorite that Ms. Roberts' has written - strong characters, excellent setting. One of Nora Roberts' greatest stories!

-This book covers all the basics you need for writing online; the how to's of query letters, electronic rights, pay rates, contracts, and more. It's informative, well presented, and enjoyable to read. In addition, the authors even have a sense of humor. I've ordered other books on the subject and "Online Markets for Writers" is clearly the best.

-MUCHO THANKS TO THE AUTHORS FOR MAKING THIS INFO AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE!

Best Regards--Dan Murphy

I've been a full-time freelance writer for five years, and this is the best market guide for writers I've ever seen. It's full of very specific, inside info on pay rates and how to deal with specific publications.

The section on contracts, electronic rights, and negotiating with editors is illuminating and applies to both online publications and print. It teaches writers how to conduct themselves professionally and to ask for better pay and better treatment.

The book is also funny. From the introduction: "I know, I know. The Internet is basically a big hype sandwich."

The short profiles of 25 writers and editors will also give you lots of ideas about how to make a living as a freelance writer.

I hope they write a follow-on book about writing for print.

This book is an excellent resource for writers. It's worth buying just for the chapter on online markets. Two hundred paying markets are profiled in detail, often with helpful comments from other freelancers. The rest of the book, written in a humorous style, provides useful information on copyright and other online writing issues.

Several years ago, Richard Paul Evans became known for his book The Christmas Box. In this short novel we are presented with the story of an elderly woman and her devotion to her family. Shortly thereafter, Evans followed this book with two ore about this woman and family in Timepiece and The Letter. Again readers were regaled the spirit of loyal relationships and caring individuals.

Through the years and in future books, these values would become the benchmark of an Evans novel as they became a recurring theme. And this is certainly true of hsi most recent book, The Carousel. In this book we, as readers, learn more about Faye Morrow and Micheal Keddington whom we first met in The Locket. While The Carousel deals with loyalty, sacrifice, salvation and ultimately redemption, it is also a beautiful story of a great and abiding love between two people during a diffciult time. And while the storyline borders on sappy at times, the reader comes to love the characters of Michael, Faye, their friend Hallie and Sarah so much that even the predictable ending is overlooked.

I do suggest that others read and take to heart Evans's words and views especailly when they think life has little left to offer them.

And while it might be too late to purhcase this for the holdiay season of 2000, be sure and put it on your list for reader's for next year. It is perfect for the spirit of the holidays as are most of Richard Paul Evan's' books.

This book is hardly predictable. I have wondered if other authors or publishers, jealous of a book's success, ever logged on and left nasty comments. Now I know. There's a reason Evans has sold millions of copies of his books and The Carousel is a good example. The writing is beautiful. But, more than that, I found great hope and inspiration in this book's message. Anyone who has faced depression, in themselves or in loved ones, will take a great deal of comfort from this book. I also enjoyed the book's surprising ending. I have friends who have read this book two or three times already. A good love story, well written, with a good moral, is hard to come by. Thank you, Mr. Evans, for giving us something worth reading.

This is the first book I have read by Richard Evans (aside from the children's book "The Dance"). I was not disappointed. While usually a reader of non-fiction, I am very "picky" when it comes to novels and work of fiction. This story was extremely satisfying. This book read very well, the story flowed nicely, the characters were well-defined, and everything happened for a reason. While some people may call this a "sappy love story", I choose to look at it as a painful, but must-have lesson about life and love. Growing up and coming of age - you know - the twenty-something years where you are no longer a child, but not yet a "real" grown-up. I will definitely go back and read some of Mr. Evans' other pieces - beginning with the prequel to this story. I highly recommend!!!

I HAVE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS. THIS IS TRULY THE MOST AUTHENTIC READ I'VE EVER SEEN. GROWING UP HEARING THE STORIES OF WWII, THIS BRINGS HOME WHAT AMERICA TRULY STANDS FOR, AND REALISTICLY BLENDS FACT WITH FICTION. I'VE ENJOYED ALL OF THE BOOKS IN EACH SERIES, "THE BROTHERHOOD OF WAR". "THE CORP", AND "BADGE OF HONOR". I'VE READ AND REREAD THESE BOOKS UNTIL THE COVERS ARE ALMOST GONE AND ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT OF IT. I ANXIOUSLY AWAIT EACH NEW BOOK, AND HAVE NEVER BEEN LET DOWN. GRIFFIN CAPTURES THE REAL, HARD TO VERBALIZE FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS THAT RUN THROUGH THE MINDS OF THOSE OF US WHO DO THIS EVERYDAY. PLEASE KEEP ON WRITING.

Although this book is now several years old I felt it was worth the time to comment on it since WEB just had another installment of The Brotherhood of War published. The new book had it's usual effect on me and I went into a "Griffin feeding frenzy" and re-read the last two books in The Corps" series.

I rated this book "5-Stars" solely on the basis of the main plot--the support of guerrilla warfare activities in the Phillippines and the story of Wendell Fertig. I happen to like Ken McCoy and Ernie Zimmerman as central characters in all of The Corps novels. It is too bad that Griffin has elevated Fleming Pickering to such prominence in the more recent episodes;I prefer a more action-dominated story line and some of the "fluff" involving the O.S.S. involvement leaves me cold. My biggest criticism of the book is the relatively slow pace of the action. Too much time spent on wrangles with Bill Donovan and the O.S.S. hierarchy and Fleming Pickering swilling scotch. Some of these other criticisms might make the book less compelling for other readers,but I decided to overlook a few warts in my rating. I am tired of only one book in The Corps every 2-3 years. It is by FAR the best series the author has going. I can't abide the Cop series and I am thoroughly tired of Argentina. Stick to the Marines--forget the rest.

I am a tremendous fan of W.E. B. Griffin's work. I have read the Brotherhood of War series, the Corps series, the Badge of Honor series and many of his other books. This book is another in a long line of great action adventure books that you can not put down until you have read the entire book. You find yourself reading and re-reading this book over the passing months. It's just a phenomenal tale.

Nose pressed against your life? Not getting out enough, smelling American sights and sounds beyond the new mall? Is your current prose reading as soggy as 2% milk on cornflakes left overnight? Might I suggest a romp through past and present, 'burb and 'hood, white and black, in Paul Beatty's White Boy Shuffle. Unlike a lot of "the silent tragedy of my pathetic life" novels, White Boy Shuffle plays for high stakes and generally wins all bets. As a suburban kid myself, I can attest to the sharpness of Beatty's eyes and ears in his depictions of that flat landscape. Every other area gazed upon, inner-city LA, academic life, pseudo radicals, receive the same treatment of the right detail, the cutting insight and the exploding humor. It's all over the top, as black suburban skateboarder finds the inner city, get stomped on, plays ball, writes poetry, is wooed by academia only to become black messiah preaching suicide. It works most of the time and even when Beatty can't pull everything off, your left with the talent of a man who knows how to make a paragraph sing. In an age when social satire is bad manners, the ambition to take it all in and give it back to us, mean and beautiful, has to be appreciated.

as a semi-mulatto (no one would call me on it racially but culturally i feel it) i found solace in beatty's satire. no one is safe: latinos, blacks, whites, japanese, intellectuals, athletes, gang bangers. the characters are vivid, the idosyncracies of each group captured with amazing precision. even beatty's acronyms can't be beat: NAPPY, a group of high yellow negros who walk around fist pumping and diashiki wearing, calling out white people when they're at least 50% white...etc. beatty's hilarious, and he breaks down, with humor, what goes on with black folks everyday (witness protagonist gunnar's athletic scholarship to a prestigious college, where the coaches see him as points to be scored, but gunnar knows he's holding the cards); being too intellectual to run with the gang bangers, but running the risk of being gang banged if you show your book smarts to anyone.

i thought this book was hiloarious, although i'm still rumminating on the ending, which i won't give away here!

enjoy...you will definitely laugh out loud. i wonder what spike lee thinks of this book. i'm sure he's read it.

At first glance, The White Boy Shuffle is just another book about growing up in the hood. We know the story and we know the ending, but this is how the book surprises you! It is wonderfully written, incredibly descriptive, hilarious, and surpisingly insightful. The brutal honesty doesn't make you cringe, but laugh out loud and then quietly understand. The words are simply terrific. Paul Beatty uses slang without sounding like a parody, and makes references to Japanese and Greek literature without going over your head. I could go on and on, but I won't. Just read it for yourself.

Although the book has not yet been released on the shelves, the Reader's Digest condensed version provides an early glimpse of what will prove to be one of the definitive books on fighting fire in a major metropolitan city.

Certainly, the perspective of one of the most hazardous jobs in the country from a women's view is worth noting as well.
Caroline Paul reveals to us that first impressions are many times wrong, and is bold enough to share with the reader her experiences while learning this lesson.

As a firefighter with over 25 years on the job, I would highly recommend this book to firefighters and non-firefighters alike.

This is one of the better books to read for anyone interested in what it is like to be a firefighter. Ms. Paul takes the reader on an experience that makes you laugh and cry at times. The reader gets to see the "real" fire service and how the men and women interact with one another. It reminded me of my first years in the service with it's accuracy. I highly recommend this book.

I did not expect to like this book but it was thrust into my hands by a friend who demanded: Read this. I dreaded a long technical discourse on fire trucks and the mechanics of fire but i instead got an eminently readable book about how a young woman matures under trying but exciting circumstances. Caroline Paul is in the beginning a likeable but arrogant, affluent preppie who, fearing the inevitable "trajectory" her life is taking towards a corporate desk job, falls into the blue collar world of firefighting. There she learns that life is much more complicated - and more poignant - than she had ever imagined. We follow her as she sees her first dead body, understands for the first time in her life what it is to be an "outsider" (and rather philosophically claims that it is good for her!), and goes into the deep, hot, black of a fire building. I cried when the babies died, laughed as the firehouse culture leapt from the page, and in the end rooted for the narrator to come to terms with herself. I stayed up all night reading it and I recommend it (with a loud guffaw and a hearty slap on the back)to all non-firefighters!

Johnson has done it again - another one volume, readable tome that both enlightens and entertains, all from his perspective as an English Catholic. I see some have complaints: he is biased (who isn't?), Palestinians are short changed, only Western Jews were present, the book is too entertaining, too dense, etc. Hopefully, the rest of us will concentrate on the theme - that Judaism is unique and its influence on the modern world is staggering.

Johnson has given excellent treatment to both the secular and religious aspects of the history. While his Bibical renditions may strike some as simplistic, they are integrated with the story. We are told about the "hidden years" - the time before 1100 AD. The author introduces us to a variety of Jewish thinkers in the political, artisitic, scientific and above all, social realm. Judaism has always been a religion of works and deeds instead of abstract theology.

This is a story of perseverance, tragedy and hope. The horrors committed on this people are unbelievable yet they persevered. Their story is particularly apt for our time with the sharp rise of anti-semitism among leftists in both Europe and on American college campuses. Jews are being savaged because for their pro-Western orientation thus proving their incalcuble contribution to modern society.

As a Catholic tragically aware of what he owes to the people of the Bible, I have been reading Jewish authors over the last twenty years, developing my own ghetto within my religious family and becoming extremely sensitive to gentile - not so gentle - oversimplifications concerning the Jews. Reading Paul Johnson was a permanent pleasure, if not bliss. From the standpoint of ethical monotheism, which he rightly so attributes to the Jews, he offers a thrilling travelogue across 4,000 years of human history, being honest enough to Christianity and Islam as Jewish sects which finally found a life of their own. Much before reaching his chapter on the Holocaust, his presentation on the seeds of antisemitism are extremely enlightening. This book is one of the best presents one can imagine for those who are prepared to suffer and rejoice with a people that cannot renounce to be God's elect.

Paul Johnson does the impossible, and he has done it twice. He makes history eminently readable and most enjoyable. Johnson's book on the story of Jews throughout the ages is told in a style, that I personally find satisfying. He has taken this story of five millenia and has made it flow, much like his book "Modern Times".

Johnson does focus considerably on the history of the past few hundred years, but considering what is known and unknown it does not distract from his work. The book is not merely a focus on struggles, he speaks of Zionism but also speaks of philosophy, he speaks of great men but also of scroundrels. He shows all the ages of anti-semitism, but explains many links between the people who hate and the people they hate, you learn that only slight degrees separate all of us, or at least I did. As an aside it shows how racial theories are hogwash, proven also by the book "Hitler's Jewish Soldiers", everybody...anybody could be considered in one racial group or another, Johnson doesn't make this a point, but it is evidenced through the many and unfortunate diasporas of the Jewish people.

Johnson is also not afraid to pull his punches. The people he writes about are portrayed as one may feel they should be, he tells of Heinrich Heine as he was, the same with Theodor Herzl, who were just mere mortals who did astonishing things, Heine thought he should be supported by his relatives while mocking them at the same time for their continuing practice of religion.

I recommend this book highly, it will give you a lot interesting information that you may not have grasped before. It will provide an understanding and hopefully will wash away the stereotypes you may have had or more correctly misconceptions.