Clive Cussler uses his imagination and combines it with actual events to produce a great novel. In most of his stories, Cussler writes with one main character. That characters name is Dirk Pitt and he is the epitome of a hero. Pitt is a Special Projects Director for the NUMA organization yet seems to get involved in the wildest adventures. Pitt uses common sense, sarcasm, and his intellect to solve the hardest of mysteries. In the novel, Raise the Titanic, Pitt starts out trying to find missing byzanium. According to the last report, the byzanium went down with Titanic when it sank. Pitt and NUMA decide to raise Titanic in order to find this byzanium for it is the main ingredient in the making of a defense weapon. Cussler uses factual information concerning the shipwreck and writes the most compelling story. Cussler is a native of Colorado and in this book, Pitt visits CO. Another interesting point is Cussler's fascination with vintage automobiles. In every one of Cusslers books, Pitt owns or drives a car that Cussler has in real life. Following the idea of past history, the novel Treasure also written by Cussler begins with a fight with the Romans in the time of the Roman Empire. This novel goes on about a lost treasure that is priceless. Pitt must find the treasure but no maps were ever found, only directions on tablets. It turns out that the boat with the treasure sailed up the Rio Grande and ended its journey in Texas. Pitt faces deadly adversaries in this book like all others. Pitt is able to overcome high obstacles with the help of his superior, Admiral James Sandecker and his friends Al Giordino and Rudi Gunn. These three characters are in most of Cussler's stories and the team of Gunn, Giordino and Pitt is unstoppable. They have been shot and hurt numerous times but refuse to be beaten. The attitudes of these men are what make heroes. The novel that is most powerful is Sahara for it seems so real yet so unbelievable. The beginnings of all Cussler's novel begin hundreds of years ago to tell a brief story and then it jumps to the present day. What is amazing about Cussler is that is writing technique allows him to relate the original excerpt with the whole book to make complete sense. In Sahara, the story is about Pitt discovering a highly poisonous toxin. Pitt and Giordino are then captured and put in a pit with others digging for diamonds in Africa. They manage to escape, steal a car and race into the Sahara desert. They come across a downed aircraft flown by a young woman nearly forty years ago. They take her diary and continue on their journey. Near death they come across an intercoastal highway like the one in Alaska. They are rescued and after recovering, they go back and save the other prisoners. Pitt is intrigued by the young woman's diary and discovers that she found a ship when she crashed. Pitt launches a recovery operation that leads them to a confederate ship from the United States with Abe Lincoln's remains on board. Cussler is able to use actual events and then put his own twist on it. A habit of Clive Cussler's is to put himself in the story he's writing. Its always a small part though. For instance, in Sahara Pitt and Giordino come across an old drifter in the desert who guides them in their journey. At the end of their conversation the drifter identifies himself as Clive Cussler. Cussler has a unique writing style that distinguishes himself from other authors. He leads readers to places they have not gone to before and the reader has a sense of experiencing these events for themselves. Cussler always rearches information so false events is unlikely and it is obvious that Cussler has a passion for water and land adventures which mirrors in his Dirk Pitt character.

Clive Cussler uses his imagination and combines it with actual events to produce a great novel. In most of his stories, Cussler writes with one main character. That characters name is Dirk Pitt and he is the epitome of a hero. Pitt is a Special Projects Director for the NUMA organization yet seems to get involved in the wildest adventures. Pitt uses common sense, sarcasm, and his intellect to solve the hardest of mysteries. In the novel, Raise the Titanic, Pitt starts out trying to find missing byzanium. According to the last report, the byzanium went down with Titanic when it sank. Pitt and NUMA decide to raise Titanic in order to find this byzanium for it is the main ingredient in the making of a defense weapon. Cussler uses factual information concerning the shipwreck and writes the most compelling story. Cussler is a native of Colorado and in this book, Pitt visits CO. Another interesting point is Cussler's fascination with vintage automobiles. In every one of Cusslers books, Pitt owns or drives a car that Cussler has in real life. Following the idea of past history, the novel Treasure also written by Cussler begins with a fight with the Romans in the time of the Roman Empire. This novel goes on about a lost treasure that is priceless. Pitt must find the treasure but no maps were ever found, only directions on tablets. It turns out that the boat with the treasure sailed up the Rio Grande and ended its journey in Texas. Pitt faces deadly adversaries in this book like all others. Pitt is able to overcome high obstacles with the help of his superior, Admiral James Sandecker and his friends Al Giordino and Rudi Gunn. These three characters are in most of Cussler's stories and the team of Gunn, Giordino and Pitt is unstoppable. They have been shot and hurt numerous times but refuse to be beaten. The attitudes of these men are what make heroes. The novel that is most powerful is Sahara for it seems so real yet so unbelievable. The beginnings of all Cussler's novel begin hundreds of years ago to tell a brief story and then it jumps to the present day. What is amazing about Cussler is that is writing technique allows him to relate the original excerpt with the whole book to make complete sense. In Sahara, the story is about Pitt discovering a highly poisonous toxin. Pitt and Giordino are then captured and put in a pit with others digging for diamonds in Africa. They manage to escape, steal a car and race into the Sahara desert. They come across a downed aircraft flown by a young woman nearly forty years ago. They take her diary and continue on their journey. Near death they come across an intercoastal highway like the one in Alaska. They are rescued and after recovering, they go back and save the other prisoners. Pitt is intrigued by the young woman's diary and discovers that she found a ship when she crashed. Pitt launches a recovery operation that leads them to a confederate ship from the United States with Abe Lincoln's remains on board. Cussler is able to use actual events and then put his own twist on it. A habit of Clive Cussler's is to put himself in the story he's writing. Its always a small part though. For instance, in Sahara Pitt and Giordino come across an old drifter in the desert who guides them in their journey. At the end of their conversation the drifter identifies himself as Clive Cussler. Cussler has a unique writing style that distinguishes himself from other authors. He leads readers to places they have not gone to before and the reader has a sense of experiencing these events for themselves. Cussler always rearches information so false events is unlikely and it is obvious that Cussler has a passion for water and land adventures which mirrors in his Dirk Pitt character.

I'm really amazed at how good a writer Clive Cussler is. I think he ranks up there with Stephen King and Tom Clancy in keeping the pages turning. Every book reads like a James Bond novel and Dirk Pitt is a worthy James Bond. It's pretty cool (a little silly sometimes, but still cool) that Pitt & his comrades use a famous historical object in each novel to assist them in their mission. Obviously in this one they use the Titanic to try to recover this rare chemical element buried in its vault to build a missle defense system. That idea doesn't sound too original today, but consider that this book was published in 1976, before the Titanic was found (Cussler includes a well-written forward about this) and before a missle defense system was discussed regularly by the government. The point I'm trying to make is that the book deserves praise not only for a well written, adventurous story, but also for its originality.

Good read but Nothing New except excelleent writing and organization of material by the Author. Had I not read every other book in this genre, I would have liked this book a lot better. If you haven't bought a general review of UFOs, Alien Contact, and Secret Government Conspiracy, then I'd say buy it. However, Dr. Paul Hill's Unconvential Flying Objects has lenghty details about the crafts and sightings that will please both the novice and scientist. Brad Steiger's Alien Rapture is in a category all by itself in combining an exciting novel with newly released documents and detailed description of the flying triangle as well as why the government(s) have kept the secret and what is at stake. I've read all three of these selections from Amazon and read all the reviews before buying. For the first timer, this is an excellent general guide to read.

Excellent reading with some really new information. The research, writing and organization of material by the Author is way above average. If you haven't bought a general review of UFOs, Alien Contact, and Secret Government Conspiracy, then I'd say this is a 'must read.' Also, Dr. Paul Hill's Unconvential Flying Objects has lenghty details about the crafts and sightings that will please both the novice and scientist.

And of course Brad Steiger's Alien Rapture is in a category all by itself in combining an exciting novel with newly released documents and detailed description of the flying triangle as well as why the government(s) have kept the secret and what is at stake. I've read all three of these selections from Amazon and I suggest you read all the reviews before buying. For the first timer, this is an excellent general guide to read.

I highly recommend you check out all of Jim Marrs books on Amazon. This is just one example of his amazing writing and research.

This book by far exceeds others in clarity, honesty, and breath. The book lays its position on the line to let us know just where it stands, namely, skeptical of official, establishment answers to the ufo dilemma. Yet the book does not present a hardcore conspiracy theory. It's commentary is historically informed, smart, and subtle. Time and again, when you think all has been said about crop-circles, cattle mutilation, Billy Miers, etc., this book goes beyond simple, black-and-white analysis to reveal the true complexity of the ufo matter. What this all means, of course, is that as Marrs says toward the end of the book, ufologically speaking things have come to a head. Indeed, this is the one shortcoming of this type of book: there would seem to be no way forward after ufos have subsumed so many mysteries from bridges on the moon to animal multilations in Montana. What's left to the agenda? The book doesn't ask this question explicitly but unlike so many other ufo books, it brings us to the edge where this question must now be asked.

And Roquentin, the main character, is unable to do so. This novel is in the form of a diary, which tells the thoughts, emotions and everyday experiences of the lonely Roquentin in the town of Bouville, and in his visit to Paris to see ex-girlfriend Anny, when he tries to recover his past. It is a novel about existence and the conscience about existence. Roquentin can not find any meaning to life: the hollowness, emptiness, meaninglessness of life nauseate him. Every other moment, for example when he's contemplating a tree, Roquentin suddenly feels the utter futility of life and this gives him a big nausea: the nausea, the horror of existing in the abstract. It is about existence as a pure, absolut experience.

Although the subject of this novel is eternal, deep and real, I was unsatisfied with the book as a literary work. At some point, you just want to tell Roquentin: "You see, doing nothing all day, other than exploring yourself and thinking about how hollow life is, will not give much meaning to your life. So stop gazing at your navel and do something. Maybe then you'll feel life is not necessarily that horrible".

I read "Nausea" wanting to see Sarte's other work besides his plays and philosophy. This Novel is both challenging but doesn't quit hit the bulls eye and has a poor ending for the point Sarte's trying to get across.

"Nausea" is about a writer Antoine Roquentin who keeps a diary of his day to day life and catalouges his emotions and explores them deeply. In the beginning of the novel, Roquentin throws a rock into a river and feels something extreme but doesn't know what it is. From there he explores his own existence and soul. Later on he finds powerful truths about life and existence.

One problem I had with this book is that the main charector is so empty and lonely to begin with, I knew he would be horrifed with his own existence and gives us no hope. However I loved this novel for Sarte's ideas on existence, life, people, art, innocence, loneliness etc... and its worth reading for this factor even if there are some flaws and the ending isn't really awarding.

I read one reviewer's comment on this book on Amazon( Sorry I don't have the reviewer's name) which I really felt true, which meant something like 'If Existence is meaningless why didn't Sarte kill himself?'. Existentialism is some of the most true writing in the world but you can't believe it to an extreme. If existence is meaningless then you've just wasted life in vain of others. However I'll spare you my philosophy and conclude this review by saying this novel is very much worth reading but is not an existentialist classic. Check out Camu's "The Stranger" and Sarte's "No Exit" for classic existentialist works.

When I bought this book I could not put it down. The emotions and thoughts that Antoine has very much mirrored the way I felt about life and existence. As a few of the reviewers have pointed out, the whole story is depressing and grim. This is the whole point of the story!!! Life and existence, as the books name suggests, is nauseating and disgusting.

The writing style of Jean Paul Sartre is nothing less than breath taking. The anger, the depression, and the fear of existing is captured beautifully in Sartre's writing. Highly recommended if you want to learn and get a feel of the main ideas of existentialism.

By the way, as to the question of "If existence is meaningless, why not just kill yourself?" Well, why do people climb mountains if they are just going to come back down? Some people create their own personal purpose and give meaning to their lives through some medium. So, why not kill myself? I suppose it's the same reason Bertrand Russel didn't kill himself: I wish to learn more Mathematics.

Anyways, Albert Camus answers this very question with lucid prose in his book "The Myth of Sisyphus."

I read this book a few months ago and I agree that it is a good book. The adventure and depiction of the characters is excellent. You feel as if you are watching the scenes come to life right in front of you. I feel the title of the book is not a good one though. "Phillipe", for one, is the "Man In the Iron Mask", but, he isn't a main character at all. He also never becomes one. I had watched the movie and now own it, so I assumed that it would follow the book. It doesn't at all. It's totally a different story from the book. I loved the movie, don't get me wrong. But if you've watched the movie and now want to read the book, expect something totally different. This book should be titled "The Last of the Muskateers", because that's what it's really about. How all of the muskateers are in their prime and how they slowly but bravely die off. Until there's only one left. I don't know if Mr. Dumas wanted to suprise people or if he thought that he had the appropriate title, but it really doesn't fit the book. The outcome of "Phillipe" is extremely different from the movie and the "Queen Mother" isn't so kind. The movie was appropriatley titled, not the book. Both good stories, two different depictions.

I read Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo when I was a freshman and fell totally in love with his writing and the story. Surprising then, that I didn't pick up more of his books till three years later, after seeing The Man in the Iron Mask the movie. Guess what, the book and the movie are nothing alike, (what a shocker) but the book is better in all ways. Only Dumas can capture the sense of history and timelessness that is in his novels. I admit that the beginning of The Man in the Iron Mask is confusing for those who haven't read the previous four books(it was for me) yet the story is a wonderful one, richly told and full of the adventure and excitement that Dumas puts into all his works. Within pages I was hooked on the book and found myself totally engrossed with characters I had never met before. It has all the qualities of a first-class adventure story: bravery, friendship, love, death, and an indefinable longing for the world to be somewhat better than it truly is. The plot has little to do with Philippe (The man in the iron mask) and deals with the last adventures of Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan, and the ties of friendship which bind them together. I cried throughout the last fifty pages of the book. After finishing it, I immediately read the rest of the Musketeer series and have become a life-long fan. I recommend this book to anyone who has a sense a romance and adventure.

I admit, I read this book because I saw the movie and wanted to expand my knowledge of the plot. Don't be fooled by the title. The character in the iron mask is merely a subplot. In fact, The Man in the Iron Mask was not the original title for this book. However, it was magnificintly wonderful. I couldn't put it down. It is filled with adventure, romance, and the undying friendship between Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan. I also admit to shedding a tear at the end. This is a wonderful book and I recommend it to anyone who loves adventure with a little history mixed in. If you saw the movie, don't be fooled. The book and the film are nothing alike. Thank goodness for literary genuises like Dumas.

"Sahara" was about the seventh Dirk Pitt book I have read and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed any of the other ones. The plot is formulaic (but I like the formula) and the adventure was top notch. My favorite part of Cussler's work is reading the historic vingette at the beginning of the novel and then waiting to see how it relates to the outcome. This was an interesting adventure for Dirk Pitt in the aspect that other than the exporatory work on the Nile and the journey up the Niger River to locate the source of pollution, the entire story takes place on the most inhospitable land imaginable, the Sahara Desert. I heartily recommend this book to the seasoned Cussler reader or to someone whom has never read a Dirk Pitt adventure. The author's cameo was one of his better ones and my favorite character, St. Julien Perlmutter, is featured prominently. Yves Massarde was one of my favorite villians. I think I'll read "Treasure" next due to the references to it in this story. The other Dirk Pitts I have read are: "Atlantis Found," "Vahalla Rising," "The Mediterrianean Caper," "Pacific Vortex," "Inca Gold" and "Iceberg." I can't get enough of these great stories. The only downside I had was that I read the paperback, so the drawings of the vehicles and maps in the book were limited and I wonder if the hardcover copy had a some more. I would have especially liked to have seen the Luxury Yaht and Land Yaht. I am currently reading Sea Hunters II. Clive Cussler has overtaken Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, John Grisham, Ken Follet and Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston as my favorite all time author.

From two unlikely historical prologues which seem to be unrelated, through Egypt and a red tide of death . . .Dirk Pitt and friends are back once again! This is a book that I would recommend to any thriller fan, be they a diehard Cussler fan like myself or totally unfamiliar. Prepare for impact as Dirk and co. combat a ruthless French industrialist who has done a total jerry-built job of a toxic waste disposal plant in the Malian Sahara and is using people presumed dead as slaves in a mine which makes the Unit 731 WW2 experiments look like a pinprick! How Dirk and Al manage to be in the right place at the right time, and meet their creator in an amusing cameo role . . . I don`t know! The best is yet to come but I won`t give away the ending, which does get you thinking . Overall, one which is impossible to put down! Another classic Cussler treat, and one of his best. Lunacy, action, great `set pieces` and `imaginative effects` - this would make a superb movie actually!

How much action can you take? If your answer is "a lot," then read this book. When Earth's oceans are threatened with ecological disaster, it's up to Dirk Pitt and his NUMA crew to save the day. Cussler does a fantastic job blending an assortment of interesting characters into one incredible plot that takes our heroes on a harrowing journey across the most unforgiving patch on land on Earth. The action scenes are top notch. And the main villians, General Kazim and Yves Massarde, will make you hiss with delight. Definately one of Cussler's best works.

For the younger reader exploring Charles Dickens, this abridged version will not be intimidating. It'll help open the door to classic literature, and challenging ideas.

"Oliver Twist" is a complex story about the English welfare system for orphans, overlayed by a story of love, family, and the pursuit of each.

What is missing from this version is Dickens' long descriptions and thorough presentations of a situation. What makes Dickens great, in part, is his multi-woven characters, filled with color and excitement. Some of that is lost here.

That said, this is an excellent choice for an older child having trouble reading, or the younger, aggressive reader. The story about Oliver Twist is strong enough to endure an adaptation, but, later on, it is a thrill to read the original version.

I fully recommend "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens.

Anthony Trendl

Like so many of Dickens' novels, Oliver Twist is a fantastically crafted and engrossing novel. Dickens follows the life of a young orphan boy, Oliver, who grows up amidst desperate poverty in London in the early 19th Century. Dickens leads the reader on a delightful and engaging romp, as Oliver escapes his orphanage, gets mixed up in the wrong crowd, and ultimately comes out on top.

The story within Oliver Twist is very engrossing, replete with many twists, turns and surprises that are occasionally tragic but more often witty or flat out hilarious. The characters are all superbly developed, and the multiple story lines are intricately and cleverly woven together. Oliver Twist is an excellent introduction to Dickens, and patient readers will find this novel accessible. The intricate plotline does require some concentration, while some readers may be annoyed by Dickens' notoriously lengthy sentences.

This is an important book to read for it is heavily engrained in Anglo-American culture and most first-time readers will recognize many of the names (Fagin, Artful Dodger) and scenes from previous cultural references. While clearly enjoyable at the superficial level, the novel also makes a powerful statement about poverty and the power of the human spirit in the face of depravity.

This book surprised me, not by the quality of its writing, which one can expect from Charles Dickens, but by the violent, lusty primal quality of the story. This is no dry musty tome, but a vital novel that arouses both passion and intellect. A literal page turner, I found myself having more than one sleepless night when I just couldn't put it down.

Inside are some of the major characters in the realm of fiction; Fagin and his gang of child thieves, including the Artful Dodger. Nancy, the proverbial hooker with a heart of gold. Master Charles Bates (was this a pun even then?) Bad Bill Sikes, who shows the darker edge to all of this dangerous fun, and the innocent, pure Oliver Twist, who is the very definition of nature over nurture.

A great book, and one that I am glad to have finally read.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a personality test based on Jungian theory. In a nutshell, it states that every person falls into one of sixteen categories, and each one of these categories or "Types" has distinct needs, ways of interacting with others, manners of processing information, etc.

"Do What You Are" attempts to help individuals plot their own careers based on their own Myers Briggs "Type." Before finding this book, the only other career-related thing I had read was "What Colour is your Parachute," which was terrific. But I loved "Do What you Are" because it stated something that is so rarely said today... that you should find a job and career that suits who you really are. I passed this book around to all my friends and family, and most (but not all) loved it, too.

Something I found particularly delightful was that it affirmed a lot of things I had been thinkingabout my own situation, but had considered "unimportant." My type is "ENFP" (I know it might sound like jibberish to you now, but it will make sense if you read the book). This is a type that thrives on creativity, feels confined by rigid rules, and needs lots of friendly social interaction on the job. But, since I have a high IQ and did well at school, others have constantly tried to push me into "status" fields like medecine and litigation. In my heart, I had always felt those kinds of careers would kill me, but I couldn't really articulate why. After reading "Do What you Are," I was better able to accept my instincts and explored PR, fundraising, and finally settled on a job in publishing. I LOVE my job, and although I think I would have arrived here eventually, I do think that it would have taken me twice as long to arrive had I not read this book.

The Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is obviously a more involved personality test than the introduction this book provides. 'Do What You Are' however, may be enough for most of us.I have no training in career guidance, nor was I familiar with any of the 'types' or terminology before reading this book. It gave me a good appreciation for the 16 different personality types and provided a simple step method to help me identify my personality type. For me that was sufficient, especially as along the way I have gotten insight into why certain aspects of my current job are pleasing and why others are...well, less than that. For persons contemplating or just starting their careers, the book would be very helpful. For others a little further along and not necessarily able to do a sudden career shift, or in a rut, it can be of significant use in helping adjust attitude and approaches to your job. I think the book opens up a world of possible alternative careers for all of us, you could say were hidden because we didn't know our 'type'. It's just left for us to find and seize the opportunity.

This is quite possible the best, most detailed book on Type available. It is a must read for anyone interested in Typology. These descriptions of the 16 types are the most detailed I've ever read. Even better, they then take the descriptions, and use them to give the reader tips on job search strategies that will be the most likely to suit their style. I certainly agreed with the information on my type, INFJ.

I really liked the vignettes and the way the authors found the common threads on these stories. I also liked the way Part 2, on Career Satisfaction, was tied into Part 3, which was the section with the chapters for each type. The authors list the things that are most likely to give the reader career satisfaction, based on their type. These excellent chapters also include suggested careers, divided into fields/career areas (very detailed). The last section gives you worksheets to plan your job search.

In short, an excellent book that anyone who does career counselling or who is looking for work needs in their personal library!

Paul Erdos, a giant of twnetieth century mathematics, takes center stage in this biography which discusses the extent of both his brilliance and eccentricities. This is a man who made up his own language, roamed the world to discuss mathematical theory, befriended and frustrated his hosts and collabortators, and in is universally remembered as a loving genius. The book itself is a series of vignettes about Erdos's life woven together with explanations of numberous mathematical problems and theories, as well as stories of other math legends. It is very inclusive of the Erdos's predecessors as well as contemporaries, and shows the evolution of mathematics, within the larger context of a biography.

I loved this book, mainly because of Erdos, who was a wonderful character. I was a poor math student in school, but Hoffman's descriptions made these incredibly complex ideas that Erdos played with understandable and interesting. Also, I learned a lot about the field of mathematics, mathematicians, and about passion. These men and women devote their lives to theorems that may never have any real appication, but they do it because of a love for the subject. It was facsinating and inspiring throughout, and a wonderful book for those who want a good story, great characters, and an understandable lesson in math.

This book is tremendous fun to read. It's not very well organized, it jumps around a lot, it gets lost in tangents - but it manages to capture that pure, fresh, clear and utterly exciting atmosphere of mathematical creativity to which Paul Erdos devoted his life. His genius lay in number theory, which is a part of mathematics that's peculiarly open to child prodigies. Erdos was a true child prodidy, and essentially retained his childlike openness and enthusiasm to the end of his long life. The book does a marvellous job in giving us a beautifully integrated picture of Erdos, showing him embedded in his very special world of math, talking about math, cooperating, publishing together, living in other mathematicians' houses and driving them crazy with his ridiculous antics. For Erdos, math was an almost entirely social activity, depending on constant exchange and unceasing discussion. The book describes one of the most peculiar minds and lives I have ever encountered. It's perhaps because Erdos was so genuinely odd that the book's unconventional approach works so well. Avoiding all sentimentality or glorification of its subject, this is a deeply moving biography of a beautiful mind.

Being something of a 'lapsed' mathematician (long ago math major, long unused), I'm always interested in books that involve numbers and people who love numbers. I'm usually not fond of biographies, but I'd heard good things about this one and decided to give it a try. To my surprise and joy, it turned out to be more about numbers and math in general, than about those irritating details of a person's life that usually get in the way of a good read. I agree with one of the earlier reviews here that trying to write an entire book devoted just to Paul Erdos would probably have been futile -- his entire life was numbers. This book opens doors for people who aren't familiar with the various theories and offers some 'math surprises' for those of us who were familiar with math in a former life. I'm still puzzling over the tiling result. (Sorry, you'll have to read the book to find out what it was.) Loved it. Highly recommend it. Have so far purchased two copies as gifts and will likely purchase at least two more (I have a lot of math-oriented friends).

One has to read this slowly and carefully to not succumb to the buttons Huson seeks to push. He wrote this long before Wicca became trendy, after all. His caveats regards what are clearly questionable workings by today's standards are understated, but they are there.

The good news is that he is honest and doesn't whitewash magic. Magic is only energy, turned one way or another with will. It is refreshing to read something that doesn't do the moral decision making for you. I laughed through the parts about saying the Lord's Prayer backwards. I think some of this book was written tongue-in-cheek, but then at the time of writing, that might have been a good idea. The world was different, after all. I have a 1971 edition. Many practitioners weren't even born then, and all I can say is it =was= a different world.

His was one of the first of its kind, remember, so even if he comes on a bit high and mighty, well, in that time he was not part of an alternative mainstream.

Still, there are pieces in this book I use, pieces that are good reference, and some that challenge me. That is not a bad thing at all!

B*B
~P

This is without doubt the best book I have read on witchcraft to date. Paul Huson has removed the phoney saccharine covering that so many modern day practitioners have encased their practices in. He gives an open and honest account of witchcraft, (not to be mistaken for goddess worship), provides information ranging from initiation through to forming a coven, and gives many examples of spells and rituals. He has avoided the "donkey chasing the carrot" techniques used by so many writers, and simply tells it as it is, thus refraining from alluding to "the mysteries" and then suggesting you go find it within yourself. Most refreshing!

This book is a must for the solitary practitioner who is practicing witchcraft as a craft and not as goddess worship. Those who wish to blend witchcraft with their religion, whatever it may be, will also benefit from this book, provided they can for a while, put aside any dogma and restrictions that their faith may impose.

I really liked this book and I've noticed the people who didn't seem to like it tended towards the White Light Wiccan mode of thought. Firstly, this book is *not* about Satanism and it is not about Wicca. And it is not about some ancient celtic/nature religion. It is about Traditional Witchcraft as practiced in Europe in the Middle Ages. It doesn't claim to be ethnically pure or correct. Yes, it mixes ceremonial magick, etc. Research your Middle Ages Witchcraft and you'll find a lot of the pomp and circumstance that is found in this book. It is not a fluffy bunny white light book, don't kid yourself into believing Witchcraft was politically correct in that day and age.

In my opinion (and this is all just that) the contents of this book is the closest thing I've seen to Witchcraft as presented in the Middle Ages, a time when they had less knowledge of the spiritual paths of indegenous peoples then we do today. Take for example the origins of the Black Mass. A Black Mass was originally a mass given by a Catholic priest for someone who had died. It was perverted by priests and performed against another priest who was alive and well (some kind of political enemy) in the belief that working the Black Mass for a living being would result in their death. Purely Witchcraft, and definitely not White Light or fraught with concern for the Law of Return.

I don't take it all seriously, and I think those that do are making a huge mistake. I particularly love the History of Witchcraft that he gives us though I don't take it as gospel. (It seems a bit hard to swallow). But in spite of that, and maybe because of it, I found this book to be a nice change from the norm and as such a really good read.

With the publication of "Critical Mass," Steve Martini joins the ranks of other authors, who have built up a solid following and then has dissapointed all or most of them by publishing a type of novel that he does not have nearly enough expertize in to have it turn out to be a good read. Kurt Vonnegut was the first to do this, followed by Stephen King, Grisham and most recently (and sadly) Dean Koontz. Just because they can have anything (even their grocery list) published on the strength of their name on the front cover, these authors have abandonned the type of writing that brought them fame, and decided to publish "the kind of story they always wanted to do (but cannot do well)." Critical Mass lacks the keen insight Martini has into the legal process, and though one of the protagonists *is* a lawyer, we only get to see her doing battle with the legal system for a few pages. Then she becomes another Clancy-esqe character. Please don't try to be Tom Clancy, Steve; just be Steve Martini. You do that wonderfully.

Once again Steve Martini brings out the best in lawyers. Now, now, no snickering! In "Critical Mass", we meet Joss, someone we can all relate to. She wants to leave the hustle bustle of this whacky wired world. She starts her own law office in a supposedly quiet area.

Add a mysterious illness among the local fishermen, a wealthy but possibly lethal client, a dab of government hanky panky...and we get a twisting energetic legal thriller from Martini.

I enjoyed this book. I finished it & then promptly handed it to my husband. He already likes it. And he is usally not one for female heroines. But, he is hooked on this one.

if you find my comments interesting, please click the *yes*--thanks--CDS

~Joss Cole is happy to have left the rat race as a Los Angeles public defender for the serene Puget Sound area. Her cases are no brainers until a group of local fishermen come down with a strange illness that Joss feels is industrial related.