The scenes taking place in a far future Eurodisney basically made the book for me, McAuley's vision of a rundown and ramshackle former childrens paradise being changed into a place of forboding evil is probably one of the strongest SF images of the last five years or so . . . and the best part is that the book is about much more than that. McAuley is one of those rare writers that refuses to do the same trick over and over again (much like the highly recommended Ian Banks), and this book is no exception. In a not too distant future, McAuley imagines a gritty world with tons of throwaway details and some extrapolation of technology, one of those being "dolls" basically soulless little people. When a maker of designer drugs gets involved with a young girl who wishes to give the dolls sentience, he succeeds but the results aren't quite what anyone expected. McAuley's writing is densely descriptive and has an urgency that fits the story well, the plot moves forward steadily and with increasing interest as events start to pile on each others. He has this habit of starting a section by introducing people who are completely new to the story and then going with them for a bit, while this serves to give us other views of the situation, it also has the effect of sometimes slowing the plot down for a bit while you try to process everything. Still, his world is beautifully rendered with plenty to keep even casual readers interested and lots of other ideas and extras that serve to enhance his reputation as one of the more fascinating SF new writers to come along the pipeline in a while.

I felt compelled to write this after reading the reviews of this novel (the exception being the bloke from Newcastle).

What drew me into this novel is not just the Bladerunner meets Ribofunk imagery, but the almost travelogue quality of the narrative. From the tropical 21st century London, the slums in the shadows Eurodisney and the Parisian arcologies, and the still war torn Balkans, Fairyland reads like Robert Kaplan's travelogue _The Ends of the Earth_ thrown 50 years into the future. Also, this is science fiction that isn't fixated on an extrapolation of science (though McAuley does an excellent job with biotech and a disturbing view of biological AI), but also provides a realistic, if disturbing view of society and politics (the Serbian conflict fought with smart bullets and polymers, the Second American Civil War initiated by fundamentalists, and those are just the throwaway asides). For those interested in hard science fiction that is interested in more than just technology and testosterone, go buy this book. Also, if you enjoyed Greg Bear's _Queen of Angels_, you will definitely enjoy this novel.

i found the book hilarious. the author writes, "Milena walked over to the table." Ha ha ha ha ha. thats just one example of the comedy weaved into this witty, witty book.

I found this to be an excellent book about the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bosnia-Hercegovina. It gave me a concise history and a good summary of the messages given to the children. I also enjoyed the wonderful pictures and the useful bibliography. I recommend it to anyone devoted to Mary and interested in Marian apparitions.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. John Paul Noel has written an inspiring and uplifting account of his pilgrimages to Medjugorje.He puts across in an unpretentious fashion a very readable reporting of the struggles, the hardships and the eventual joy of his and his family's travels to Medjugorje. There is a very definite sense of spiritual growth.

A worthwhile book for those interested in Marian spirituality, would-be pilgrims, and those who just want to know more about the miraculous events in Medjugorje. Great gift for friends and family. Wonderful photographs. I enjoyed reading the book and highly recommend it.

I loved this book because I like reading about people and animals long ago.I liked how it told that if your pony loves you it will rescue you even if it's injured.I enjoyed this book and I hope you will too. Have fun reading!

When Anna,Pam,and Lulu dig at Ridley Farm they find a horseshoeand hear a whinney but there are no ponies but their own. Is there aghost of Ridley Farm?

The ghost pony was great!It was kind of scary and sad.Emilysounds like a true friend.Angle sounds very brave and really nice.Icried when Angle fell and when Emily fell.Glad Angle was there.She risked her life for Emily!Could you belive that?Poor Emily was very sad.It made me cry!It's so sad!The pony pals Lulu, Pam; Anna were crying to!They were sad to, really sad. But as people say; Mooris Town is still haunted by ghosts. END

As you might expect from such a great person, the Pope's book provides few insights into the Pope himself. He does show how our own lives can influence others, especially in a cumulative way, as the he tells of all of those who influenced his entering the priesthood. He cites the religiosity of his father; the holiness of Jan Tyranowski; the writings of St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Louis Marie de Montfort; the devotions in his parish, to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and of the brown scapular. The reader can't help but wonder if there is a link between the lack of devotions today and the lack of vocations today.

A priest's life is challenging. He must be attentive and sympathetic; critical and watchful with regard to historical developments; a giver of Christ; a spiritual father -- especially in the Confessional; holy; constantly training, studying and updating; promoting the family; defending mankind; in dialog with the youth; in dialog with the culture; intellectual and scholarly; and living the Gospel.

But a priest's life is most rewarding. The priest is "a steward of the mysteries of God." An essential part of his mission is fulfilled in the Confessional. The priest is an essential being in the only suitable offering that man can make to God, the offering of God-made-man, an offering made at every Mass. The priest is so united to Christ at Mass that he is "in the person of Christ." What a beautiful reflection on the Mass is offered by the Pope!

The challenge of the priesthood seems overwhelming. It would be without God. It is "a mystery of divine election."

Every parent of a potential priest should read this book.

'Gift and Mystery' is indeed an affectionate gift from Pope John Paul II to all those who pursue a priestly vocation. It is the story of his own priestly call which is a Divine gift as well as a great mystery. On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his priestly ordination, the Pope reflects on his own growth in his vocation to priesthood and his ministry as 'a shepherd of God's mysteries'. We follow him through his college studies, his job in the stone quarry, his love for the theater and his theological studies to his ordination to priesthood. His deep faith and reliance on God, his gratefulness and kindness towards others, his devotion and dedication to the priestly commitment are all laid out before us with clarity and love. As he himself says, what is related here belongs to his "deepest being" and "innermost experience". Every priest and seminarian should read this and draw energy and inspiration from this 'Holy Father' and spiritual giant of our day.

Pope John Paul II is an intellectual giant, capable of holding his own with any great thinker. However, JP2 has been blessed with an ability to relate his innermost longings and ideas to even children. Gift and Mystery is a recollection that can hold the interest of any scholar while making a schoolboy smile. The pope methodically retells his soul's desire to be united to God and to follow His will as a young boy, employing a most vulnerable state of being to the reader. We follow the pope through his college and seminary days with delight until that wonderful day this man was ordained a priest of the Lord. With clarity and love, JP2 gives us a taste of the power of the Holy Spirit transforming him into the glorious leader he is today. At the same time, it gives us a hope and a vision of what God can also do in our own lives. A true masterpiece!

I bought a copy of this book yesterday and read through it last night. It's a beautiful book of high quality and a lot of work obviously went into its graphic design.

The book is primarily a visual album of a ham's QSL card collection that one of the authors found in a binder at a swap-meet and bought apparently because it looked interesting, even though at the time he had no idea what a QSL card was. The authors have tracked down information about the hams who were on the other end of the contacts represented by the cards and include these notes along with the card images.

As far as other content goes, it's mostly just a few pages of fluff about ham radio, some of it done in the style of a first-grade reading primer ("this is a ham radio" etc.).

I think a serious biography of the radio life of just about any long-time ham could be an interesting topic for a book, especially when played out against the background of actual QSL cards involved, but this book fails to provide that level of depth and in the end becomes just a collage of images and typography. Very "art" but very little ham radio of interest either to an experienced ham or the curious layperson.

I also see that the authors have seen fit to review their own book and assign themselves five stars, which I don't think is a fair use of the review mechanism.

But it's not a very expensive book, and the high production values and the QSL images make it at least an interesting browse.

Gavin Scott
AE6AM

With the rise of "personal" electronics--think Internet, tiny cell phones & other wireless connection tools--the world of ham radio seems to have been passed by, forgotten, or otherwise relegated to the basement, or worse. But this hobby holds on, fascinating & attracting those wanting more, some means of talking, chatting, meeting & interacting with the world at-large. Who want something besides giant corporations (ultimately concerned only with P&L)& sometime silly can-you-hear-me-now keyboard manipulations. Something beyond the anonymous nature of what we call commercial radio.

Hams, by & large, remain a curious lot--curious about how & why radio works. And curious because how is it possible to sit in your room & talk with someone else halfway around the world, without wires or other connections? Curious about the nature of communication itself, about who might be on "the other end" of that circuit. And curious about who & what they might be & do. The process occurs thousands of times, day & night, spanning everything, from continents to cultures to countries to crazy dreams & ideas. There's a romance to it, listening to signals that are all around us, unseen or felt, until we hook up a radio & detect them. Ham radio lets you put your own message out there, into that vast ethereal space, seeking something only you know about, something only you want.

"Hello World" introduces readers to some of that romance, to some of what kept Jerry Powell (whose collection of QSL cards form the basis of the work) doing it for 70 years. To some of what fascinated him, & continues to fascinate millions of others around the world. It's a graphical treat, & a rare look into radio from the amateur's point of view. Hopefully, some youngster, somewhere, will see it, & want to learn more--about radio, the world, & communicating with it via radio.

And Jerry Powell's legacy will live on...and on....

First of all, if you're a radio amateur already:

RUN, don't WALK, to your nearest bookseller, and BUY THIS BOOK! (In fact, I got mine from AMAZON!)

If you're not, it's OK to walk to your bookseller and BUY THIS BOOK!

In truth, I have only begun to read the book -- an effort that will take me "forever" because of the richness of the fabric these guys have woven. It's fun, it's educational, and truly beautiful; in short, it's a work of art! I agree with the reader/reviewer who suggested a "true" coffee table edition in hardback! I'd certainly get in line to buy one....

It's loaded with wonderful touches: the timeline at the bottom of each page that puts the reader in touch with world events while following, chronologically, Jerry's life; the colorful glossary of ham radio jargon/terminology; the wonderful fold-out centerfold map that shows the location of each person whose postcard (QSL) is depicted; and the complete listing of all 369 cards on the back inside cover pages. You can tell a graphic designer played a key role in this project!

With a built-in audience of at least 2.5 million radio amateur aficionados world-wide (how 'bout a Japanese translation for the 1 million + hams in JA-land?!) this book ought to be a hit. Hey, I can think of at least 675,000 coffee tables in America where "Hello World" should be displayed and loved.

Dan and Paul: thanks for creating this...and for joining us in "the greatest hobby on earth that almost no one knows about!" Best 73,

GJ
P.S. We've added Jerry and the authors to our Famous Hams web site. All three of these guys are welcome additions!

Much of the material is basic and some facts should be well known to serious enthusiasts of Fender guitars. Still, this is a basic reference on the Fender empire. This revised edition has some great added photos. This book would be especially appropriate for the young serious student of the guitar or to accompany the purchase of a Strat or Tele, by a parent. I have purchased a second copy of this as a gift. You might also want to review The Stratocaster

Richly illustrated pages strewn between the tale of Leo Fender's company. At least it was his company in the beginning until it was purchased by Columbia Broadcasting System in 1965. Then in 1985, CBS offered the management of Fender to buy out the company for an amount that was just over liquidation. If that had not happened, there would have been a much shorter version of this book because Fender would have been disolved.

Fender went on to recapture its earlier successes by reissuing copies of its classic statocasters and the rest is history as they say. It was amusing to read about how Fender had to go searching for vintage Fender guitars around the country so they could purchase them and take them back to the factory to copy them. They had to buy their own manufactured guitars at steep vintage market prices so they could mass produce the copies.

The whole story is facinating and makes for interesting reading about a remarkable company that stayed in business dispite some of the mistakes of its owners and operators over the years.

This is a must read for any Fender owner or would be purchaser.

Even though I've only owned a couple of Fender guitars, I couldn't resist this book when I saw it at my local bookstore (I own the orginal 96 page edition). Although it may not have the most minute detail (even though I was able to find within in its pages the answers to some questions posed by a somewhat more critical customer reviewer), there is a great deal to recommend this book.

The first thing you will notice is the remarkable photography. It is absolutely top-notch, and is in keeping with other books of this "series", such as "The Ultimate Guitar Book". The detail is remarkable. Some of the photographed instruments may be fairly common, but there are also plenty of historically significant and/or rare intstruments included as well. Even commercially unsuccessful instruments are here in all their dubious glory (when was the last time anyone's seen a Montego II or Swinger?). The photographs are arranged well, and are mixed with a great selection of past advertisements and company photos. The text is well written and easy to follow. If anything, it gives a Fender a little TOO much credit for some offbeat ideas (some found the colorful Wildwood finish more ugly than "striking"). While the text may not always provide the obsessive detail that some may desire, there IS a fine reference section that includes a great deal of model-by-model information on such things as pickguard changes and neck-bolt configuration.

A look at the bibliography does two things. It shows that the author did his homework and sought out as many experts as possible and a fantastic array of intruments to photograph. It also gives the reader a list of printed resources for additional research.

I'm not sure if ANY book will please everybody. If, however, you're any kind of a fan of Fender guitars (or even just a fan of electric guitars in general), this book should please you (and as they say on TV, it makes a perfect gift!).

Awesome.. Scarey... Disturbing...

John Paul Allen takes you through 7 decades, many
lives And one very evil soul!!

Not for the squimish this book is scarey and
disturbing.

You will never let you kids out of your site again.

Like an approaching creature, "Gifted Trust" will circle you and then move in for the kill. John Paul Allen brings to you a novel like no other. When I read "Gifted Trust" an overwhelming fear took hold over me and pulled me deeper within the pages of this dark tale. I can't recall ever reading a book in my life that made my skin crawl until "Gifted Trust" knocked on my door. His words will amaze you and his thoughts will haunt you. He is the Father of Nightmares.

-Kingdom of Shadows Review

Wow! This story is definately scary! I thought I was beyond being scared, but this author really pushes the line and keeps pushing...It makes Hannible look like a character from Sesame St.
I would recomend this book to anyone that likes horror!!
He's got a website that I checked out, and it's great.

As a designer and printer at Hatch Show Print, this book makes me very proud. Our beloved Jim Sherraden, along with Elek and Paul did an absolutely amazing job collecting, archiving and compiling 123 years worth of incredible letterpress poster history. The images are simply stunning and the stories are engaging. This is a coffee table book that will spend more time in your hands than on your coffee table.
Buy the book and then stop by the shop located in historic downtown Nashville. Get a tour of the shop, see the posters, and have Jim autograph your book!

Hatch Show Print: History of an American Print Shop is a pleasurable read of over a century's worth of poster design, but the accompanying images are what make this book. Chronicle Books has done an incredible job of reproducing this letterpress artwork while retaining all of the charms and details of this unique process. Definitely one of those books you can pick up dozens of time and find something with each new look. There is rumor of an expanded version to come in the future, unfolding more of this shop's extensive history and possibly a new chapter chronicling the more recent designs. I definitely look forward to that!

I haven't received the book yet, but I can tell you that the work done at Hatch, both historically and today, is a piece of Americana rarely equalled. Author Jim Sherraden is an amazing artist and craftsman... and, I might add, an extraordinarily nice guy. He's printed several jobs for me and even let me hang around the shop on a couple of trips to Nashville. His personal paintings based on Hatch posters are nothing short of breathtaking. Buy the book and, if you get a chance, stop by the shop in Nashville. These guys are the real deal.

If Plague Time can be considered to be "Evolutionary Epidemiology for Dummies", then Evolution of Infectious Disease is the technical foundation behind the ideas presented in that other work. Ewald builds this foundation by showing that evolutionary causes are behind many diseases plaguing mankind today. He also takes great care in pointing out how crafting treatment programs with evolutionary factors in mind would likely control these scourges. By presenting the information in this manner, Ewald gives his audience with a workable plan to control disease that bypasses many of the shortfalls associated with conventional medicine.

Evolution of Infectious Disease has already been called a milestone in the history of epidemiology. It is easy to understand why. The ideas presented in the book are revolutionary; the level of research to support them is impeccable; and they are conveyed in a manner which is both accessible and applicable. Given these qualities, it is no surprise that Evolution of Infectious Disease is now recognized as an essential text for understanding and combating disease.

Paul W. Ewald is a professor of biology at Amherst College. He was the first recipient of the George E. Burch Fellowship in Theoretic Medicine and Affiliated Sciences. He conceived a new discipline called 'evolutionary epidemiology,' and "Evolution of Infectious Disease (1994)" is widely acknowledged as the watershed event for the emergence of this discipline, although I haven't yet seen many references to it ("Parasite Rex" by Carl Zimmer is an exception). This is a shame, because "Evolution of Infectious Disease" explains many medical mysteries, such as why people with multiple sex partners tend to harbor a more virulent version of AIDS, and why the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918 killed so many people (20 to 100 million).

'Darwinian medicine' is the science of trying to find evolutionary explanations for vulnerabilities to disease. A pathogen can survive in a population, explains Ewald, only if it can easily transmit its progeny from one host to another. One way to do this is to take a long time to disable a host, giving him plenty of time to come into contact with other potential victims. This would cause selection for a beneficial form of the disease. If the disease can pass quickly from one host to another, it will select for virulence in order to infect more hosts. Therefore if host-to-host passage can be delayed (by screened windows in the case of malaria), the disease will select for longevity---it makes no evolutionary sense to kill a host before the disease can be passed on.

Some diseases such as Ebola Fever kill the host too quickly, which is why Ewald believes this particular infection will not become pandemic. On the other hand the HTLV (human T Cell leukemia/lymphoma) viruses might very well increase in virulence and cause another pandemic like AIDS, since they are hosted and transmitted very much like AIDS. Ewald turns many of my preconceptions about disease upside down in this book, which is one reason why it is so fascinating.

If you have any interest at all in epidemiology or any concern about our 'once and future' plagues, read this book!

This author has also written "Plague Time: How Stealth Infections Cause Cancers, Heart Disease, and Other Deadly Ailments."

This was one of the most intellectually exciting books I have read in a long time. Ewald covers biochemistry, history, social policy, medicine, and academic research in a wonderfully thoughtful, logical, innovative and exciting 'new' way of looking at germ theory.

I wholeheartedly and unreservedly recommend this book as an excellent contribution to scientific literacy, intelligent conversation, and global health policy. (...)

Happy Reading!

This is one of the worst "books" I have ever encountered. In the traditional sense, it is not a book at all, in that there is no publisher and thus, no editor. As John Paul explains, he started with an outline and "worked on each section depending on my mood." He must have, or as he would say, "must of," been in a very sour mood during the entire process. This book reads like a high schooler's English paper where the procrastinating student tried his best to meet the minimum word requirement. The repition is tedious. The excess verbiage is smothering, and consists of distracting personal rememberances, unqualified assertions ("most people don't have the metabolism to have this sort of body {6' 200 lbs.} at a young age {21}"), the obvious ("most {legitimate} massage therapists will not discuss penis size"), and the really obvious ("Hair color tends to come in blonde, light or dark brunette, black, and red"). Mr. Paul needs to learn that being able to type is not the same as being able to write, and having a good word processor is not the same as having a good publisher. Any competant undergraduate journalism major could have taken what is obviously thoroughly researched and fascinating material and produced a better product. In its current form, it is essentially unreadable.

This book is one of hope and inspiration for all children of the world. It consists of passages taken directly from speeches given by Pope John Paul the II to children and youth groups around the world. The book is geared toward elementary school children of the Catholic faith, but the words will speak to any heart. Each page has a heading, such as "Peace," "Love," "Family," "Faith," and an excerpt from one of the Pope's speeches. There is also an accompanying photo of young children (often depicted with the Pope himself or in the midst of typical religious activities). This is a book that is meant to be read aloud to your child and shared together, as you talk about the meaning of the words within. I find "For the Children" to be especially apt today, in light of the unfortunate tragedies that have befallen our nation and world. One of my favorite passages states: "I say to you, with all the love I have for you,...do not listen to voices which speak the language of hatred, revenge, retaliation....Love life, respect life in yourself and others...do not think that courage and strength are proved by killing and destruction...true courage lies in working for peace." The book also talks about the unconditional love that God has for everyone, about hope for the future, and about praying for peace and harmony in our world. Pope John Paul II is a very wise man, one of the biggest peacemakers of our time. I have a lot of respect for him as a person.I would encourage any parent to buy this book to share with their family and share the message of love and peace found therein.

This book has excerts of Pope John Paul II's speeches which have been directed to Catholic children. These words of our Pope, however, have significance even to those over the age of 10. I highly recommend this book for First Communicants and for all other Catholic children, because had I had this book when I was younger, I would probably not have fallen into as many traps as I did.