School and Society: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives by Tozer, Violas and Senese provided me with a broad viewpoint of the relationship of education in America between the school and society. I found the content to be comprehensive, accurate and current. The material presented proved to be developmentally appropriate for the targeted population of students. The text read easily. Reference aids in the text were found to be valuable learning tools that facilitated student learning. The end of each chapter contains a concluding remark section, which highlights information that was meant to be conveyed. It also provides a primary resource section at the end of each chapter, which provides further information. Questions presented correlates with the material being taught and encourage critical thinking and reflection of each chapter. The Tozer, Violas, and Senese text proves to be more than satisfactory.

School and Society by Steven E. Tozer et al was a well-written text that was easy to read. I found the text very applicable to my class assignments because it provided very helpful information. It covered such topics as understanding school & society; liberty & literacy: the Jeffersonian Era; the common-school era; social diversity & differentiated schooling; diversity and equity; schooling & African-Americans; schooling & American Indians; national school reform; liberty & literacy today; the professionalization movement; vocational & liberal ideals; the post-cold war era; and school & contemporary society. If you need information on historical and contemporary perspectives on educational issues, then this book will be a great asset!

School and Society: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives by Tozer, et al. was a wonderful account of the history of American education. What the book lacked in visual stimulation, it made up for in the intimate details of the struggle for educational equity. The book was well organized and each chapter gave an in-depth look at the way public education has evolved in American society. Especially helpful were the concluding remarks, which seemed to summarize and pull together the ideas of the chapter. The primary source readings at the end of the chapter were also enlightening. They allowed the reader to hear other voices besides the authors' own. Overall, the book was an interesting and thought-provoking story of American schools.

While obviously well-researched and crafted, I found this book to be rather dry and dull. The characters and landscape are almost too robotic to be believable and they left no impression on me after I finished. I may give the sequel a chance when I have some time, but I don't feel any compulsion to rush out and buy it.

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed Kathleen O'Neal and W. Michael Gear's First North Americans series and I can concede that their writing style may have affected my perception and enjoyment of Beyond the Sea of Ice. That said, I would highly recommend the Gears' People of the Wolf as a compliment to anyone who enjoys this book.

I'm a little suprised at the one very negative review posted, as I prefer Sarabande's sagas to Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear series (I bought Auel's first book and never wanted to read another), but that just goes to show how opinions differ. Like another reviewer, I have eclectic taste and enjoy thriller, mystery, sci-fi and fantasy genres, but after giving this book a read, I liked it enough to run out and purchase several more. I think some are better than others and haven't tried to read them all. They do go on forever! But if you peruse the back cover copy you can select the storylines and timeframes that most appeal to you.

Since Beyond the Sea of Ice begins the saga of Man leaving Siberia and entering the Americas via a land bridge, it's a good place to begin. I found the main characters simple, but compelling. It seems to me that each represents a role within prehistoric society: the hunter, the wife/mother, the elder, etc. They are developed as individuals, but they also serve to highlight the author's painstaking and detailed research. The author (actually a woman writing under a pseudonym) has a dramatic, very visual style. I think she does an excellent job of bringing the prehistoric world--in this case the windswept Siberian and Alaskan tundra--to life All the details of daily life are here--how camps were set up, clothes and weapons made, game stalked, wounds dressed; how men, women, children, and the elderly may have interacted in prehistoric hunting/gathering society. These theories are NOT presented in a boring way, but they are a big part of the story. So if you're looking for pure action, this is not the book for you.

The story begins when an insane mammoth attacks some hunters, then follows their trail back to the main group's encampment where it wreaks havoc on the inhabitants. The sole survivors, the young hunter Torka, the strange "round-eyed" girl Lonit, and Torka's grandfather and spirit master Umak begin an epic trek across the Bering Strait. Along the way they encounter caribou, dire wolves, a great cave bear, and Galeena, the wily leader of another small band decimated by the same malevolent mammoth. Galeena competes fiercely with Torka for leadership once the two bands unite. The outcome of their struggle will determine the band's future and survival.

And always far behind them follows the mammoth. Thunder Speaker. World Shaker. The Destroyer: "Torka paused, his eyes inextricably drawn back across the way they had come. The plain lay far below. The miles seemed to tremble in a glaring haze born of distance. And in that haze, upon the far horizon, he could just make out a dark form following . . . its back as high as the distant hills, its tusks glinting in the sun, its color as red as dried blood."

This is the best book in the series, in my opinion. It is interesting, spellbounding, and crammed-packed with detail. The author has a great knowledge of prehistoric man and this book starts a great series that details the coming of Man into America. I read this right after I read the Earth's Children Series by Jean Auel. Read that series after this one, you will love them both. Before I read these books, I had no interest in prehistoric man, but now I plan to read all books on this topic. Maybe it will happen to you too!

Someone gave me this book alonf with Michael Cunningham's THE HOURS, telling me that both were part of a group of talented young writers. Let me tell you, Paul Auster couldn't be Michael Cunningham's copy editor. There are more cliches in the first 5 pages of this book than you could find in a dime store mystery novel. The characters are flat, the story ludicrous. It tries hard to be some kind of masonic allegory but is so obvious it becomes aggravating. I read the NY Times review that praises the book for it's series of "ricocheting" coincidences, and I kept waiting for that to happen. IN fact, nothing ricochets. Everything thuds. IF you are a lover of language, don't bother with Auster.

I don't know if I necessarily enjoyed this book (or any Paul Auster book, for that matter). The enjoyment comes from the questions I ask myself after I've put the book down. It is not an enjoyable reading experience, but rather a contemplative one. In that regard, it is a highly successful piece of art.

The story appears to be relatively simple. One man goes driving. He meets another man on the road. The two of them meet some eccentric millionaires. The four men play poker. Then two men build a wall. It is almost nonsensical now that I look back on it. But the story's not really the thing (it never is in an Auster book). So don't go looking for closure, and don't expect easy answers. It's all just an excuse for some finely written meditations on the nature of fate and the restrictions of freedom.

Auster's writing style is enigmatic. There is a faux-coldness to it, appearing at first glance distant and reserved. Closer inspection, however, reveals much humanity and passion in his prose. I've always had suspicions that his surname is really an ingeniously calculated pseudonym, for any austerity in the writing is both sincere and ironic. That's a neat trick to pull off, and, to my mind, his greatest strength as a writer. In this example from his oeuvre, he gets the balance just right.

Auster has a way with a certain type of character-one who is both on the fringe of both society and sanity both. They are not often very likeable or sympathetic characters, but they always are engrossing characters.

Jim Nash's veneer of sanity breaks when an unexpected windfall from the father he hates kicks out what little emotional support kept him on the straight and narrow and converts him into a wandering, nomadic drifter with his own transportation. In the midst of his journeys he meets Jack Pozzi, also a wanderer-sans transportation. Pozzi suckers Nash into an questionable gambling adventure that backfires, leaving them with a debt that leaves then essentially in a state of indentured servitude. The bulk of the story centers on how they cope with that condition.

The fundamentals of the story, as is so often the case with Auster, are , on reflection, faintly ridiculous. However, it is mood, character and fate that concern Auster, and his-and our-immersion into those topics render the absurdities of the actual story irrelevant.

I've read several Auster books and can't really say I've like any of them particularly, but they do fascinate me. I keep going back for more. The bottom line is what Auster does is ask questions about life and fate-in such a way that you are forced to think about them in your own terms. Auster does not supply answers-heck, not one of his books I've read can really be said to have an ending or resolution of any meaningful sort-but the way the questions are posed will haunt you-and keep you coming back for more.

Lawnboy was definitely easy summer reading. I enjoyed it while I was basking in the sun, book in hand. The book is fundamentally broken down into three sections: (1) the main character living at home with his parents before coming out, (2) living with his older and first boyfriend, shunned by his parents and many others, including the person who's supposed to be in love with him, and (3) post-romance, coming to grips with independence and himself, and starting over. In fact, the book has a strong "starting over" theme prevalent throughout. With each step in the narrator's life, he starts over and grows a little bit each time he does. It's a good coming of age story, even though the characters could have been a little more interesting, and we could have gotten to know them a little better. Having read Paul Lisicky for the first time, I thought his writing and ideas definitely stand out from a lot of the gay fiction that's out there, but I just wanted more development.

This book was a great surprise! I found it difficult to put down! I enjoyed watching Evan learn about himself and deal with the twists and turns in his life. I was eager to see how it all would turn out! All the main characters are extremely well written and believable - Evan, his mom, his brother and Hector. I was particularly fascinated and touched by Evan's brother Peter, and the contrasts in their own self-understandings and self-acceptance. I would certainly enjoy reading a sequel. This is a good novel on learning to accept yourself for who you are, and finding understanding for others who cannot accept themselves or others due to ignorance or fear. I recommend this book and intend to read more from this author.

Lawnboy is a beautifully realised, erotic and at times wonderfully sexy read from first time author Paul Lisicky. The characterisations are spot on and the story of a young gay guy's emotional and spiritual growth is quite riveting. This is a remarkably bittersweet tale which effectively portrays the "topographical" emotional growth of Evan a seventeen year old "gay everyman" Lisicky sets his novel against the decaying suburban world of South Florida and uses this to symbolically portray the ever existing dysfunctionalilties that can exist in contemporary families. Evan nurtures a private world which is full of sexual and emotional longing and Lisicky effectively juxtaposes this with the indiscriminate ugliness of the landscapes he walks in. Adolescent confusion, the first gay sexual passion, sexuality in the age of AIDS, sibling and parental relationships and the transience of everyday life are all addressed with startling alacrity in this book. There is a genuine compassion evident in Evan's journey through adolescence - witness his first relationship with the older and world weary Willam and its subsequent disintegraton. There is compassion evident in his strained relationship with his overbearing father, ineffectual mother and his sexually ambivalent brother. The passion is evident in his affair with Hector, the sexy urbanite. This leads to ultimate fulfillment in the arms of the affable and altuistic Perry. This is an incedibly naturalistic and gritty piece of work and Lisicky never "sugar coats" or compromises Evan's circumstances and his desperation to be loved. Evan moves on in life and at the end of the novel we hopefully see him grow up. Lawnboy is a wonderful examination of the growth of the young gay male psyche and this is something that I think people whether gay or straight can at some point in their lives relate to.

Michael Leonard

There are things that have been taught by established religions, which, over time, have been known to conflict with the findings of scientists. Is there some common ground where the two can meet? In "The Mind of God", Paul Davies makes an honest attempt to examine both and see where the road leads.

As the questions arise, Davies shows us how certain religious teachings cannot be currently reconciled with today's science, yet, science stills leads us to the logical conclusion that God must exist. Of course, since Davies is more of a scientist than a religious expert, my copy is full of notes with Bible verses which match up with his conclusions - so, just maybe the two "universes" can get along.

For those who are interested in both areas of life, this book is a MUST read.

I read this book while going through a period of atheistic thought which at the time I believed was the only viewpoint consistent with reality.

The main virtue of this book for me was to make me understand that believing in a rational universe that is describable by physical "laws" does not necessarily preclude the existence of some form of god and that the scientific culture of atheism is just that: a culture. Although some individual mythologies of various religions such as the garden of eden or the trillion year long universal cycles of hinduism may be put in question by scientific discoveries, the concept of an intelligent creation is consistent with science and even supported by some of science's more recent discoveries.

I emphasise that this book is not an attempt to prove the existance of god or a religious book by conventional standards. It is however an ideal cure for depressing atheistic philosophy and provides some great comebacks to loud,groovy existentialist, smarty pants at parties. It is a bit of a heavy going read (it took me a couple of reads to really understand it) but stick with it, it is worth it.

With lucidity and wit, prolific writer Paul Davies, aprofessor of mathematical physics, surveys the history of science, philosophy and mathematics to try to answer the human race's deepest questions. While acknowlegingthe possibility that the universe might be a meaningless fluke, Davies convincingly argues that the existence of consciousness in the universe cannot be "a byproduct of mindless, purposeless forces." Though he is not religious in a conventional sense, Davies believes that the rationality of the universe, the fact thathumans can understand how the universe works, is evidence ofpurpose and meaning. Particularly fascinating is Davies' meditations on mathematics. Davies points out that the fact that the universe's deepest laws can beexpressed mathematically strongly suggests that thereis more to our world than meets the eye.Anyone who has ever looked at the night sky and wondered if our lives have a purpose should read this book. Thoughtrained as a scientist, Daviesis as familiar with Leibnitz, Kant, and Aquinas as he is with the latest developments in quantum physics. He also provides a fun and thought-provoking chapter on Virtual Worlds and Real Worlds. Truly a delight to read.

This play can be read as anti-semitic. In fact, it's pretty hard to defend it from such charges. Shylock is a pretty rotten character and the fact that he is jewish is difficult to overlook (particularly since the other characters mention it on pretty much EVERY page). However, I think it is important to mention that the "heroes" of this play do not necessarily have to be interpreted as heroes. They are by no means perfect and there are many subtle (and some not-so-subtle) instances within the text in which their biases against ANYONE unlike them is illustrated. If one reads the play this way, then Shylock becomes more of a tragic figure rather than an absolutely heartless villain. I don't know. My feelings about this are mixed. There are a few funny parts of this play and the language is, as always, beautiful. The theme of putting a price on human beings is one which has been explored numerous times since. Overall, it is enjoyable, but perhaps not so much so as some of the other comedies. Do not read this play without having read a few others by Shakespeare first. It is an excellent play, but not his best and not his most enjoyable either.

This is a wonderful play - and unless you have seen it or read it you don't know it at all. That's because everything the popular culture tells us about this play is false (for example; how many of you think this play is about a merchant named Shylock? ;-)

The Merchant of Venice is a lively and happy morality tale. Good triumphs over bad - charity over greed - love over hate.
There is fine comedy. Portia is one of Shakespeare's greatest women (and he ennobled women more than any playwright in history). There are moments of empathy and pain with all the major characters. There is great humanity and earthiness in this play. These things are what elevate Shakespeare over any other playwright in English history.

Plays should be seen - not read. I recommend you see this play (if you can find a theater with the courage and skill to do it). But if it is not playing in your area this season - buy the book and read it.

After reading most of the other reviews here, I am fully aware that most of the reviewers didn't read carefully enough (or watch carefully enough if they saw the play.) Now, I'm not saying its not open for different interpretations, but there is one thing I would really like to get straight.

I read MoV for a Bar Mitzvah project on Anti-Semitism. Naturally, my sympathies went to Shylock. However, even if i were Christian, i still would've favored Shylock. What many people believe is that Shylock is a cold hearted ruthless person and only wanted to get back at Antonio because Antonio was a Christian.

Not true. Shylock specifically says something along the lines off, "Why should I lend money to you? You spit on me, and call me a Jewish dog!" I'm not saying that Shylock was a good guy, but I am saying that he is not the villain.

In fact, the "Merchant of Venice," in this story is actually Shylock, not Antonio, contrary to popular belief. My thoughts on the story was that Shylock requested a pound of Antonio's flesh because he did not trust Antonio. Who would trust someone that spat on him? The fact is, Antonio doesn't pay him back in the end.

Now, there's always something else we have to put into consideration. Would the judge had given the "spill one ounce of Christian blood" verdict at the end if Shylock were not a Jew?

This is the mark of a great play. A play that really gets you thinking. But I encourage you, I beg of you, that when you read it or see it, please do not hold Shylock up to being a cold hearted villain. Hold Antonio up to that image. (joking, of course, Antonio's not a bad guy, he's just not a good guy.)

I was told that I could enjoy this book without any prior knowledge of the 'Stormwatch' series that preceded it. Well, that series must have been extremely confusing, because this first collection of 'The Authority' had me scratching my head.

First off, there is absolutely no introduction to any of the characters. They just appear and start bashing in bad guys heads. It's obvious that, disregarding what others have said, one should be familiar with 'Stormwatch' before attempting to read this. Otherwise, I am left to assume that readers are meant to just take these characters at face-value and understand why they are fighting a questionable villain.

The entire point of the story is lost in ambiguity as well. What are these people doing? Who are the villians? It's all pretty silly and the plot is brought together by the loosest of reasons.

I'm sure fans of 'Stormwatch' will have a ball with this comic. The fight scenes, however inexplicable, are still exciting, and the art is beautiful. The characters do have promise as well... if only we as readers had some idea of who the are.

The Authority is a secret global-protection group ('superheroes') who protects the earth from things 'normal' human agencies can't handle. Things that aren't known to the general public. With a wide variety of superpowered 'humans' they are pretty well equiped in every situation.
Although this series spawned off the earlier 'Stormwatch' title, you needn't be too familiair with it. Knowledge about what happened in Stormwatch is a pre, not a must. It's not like you'll miss out on anytthing vital in here if you haven't read it, only you'll know some more on the back-ground of SOME characters if you have (not all).
This first collection collects #1-8 of the series, which are basically divided in two four-part sub-plots (the complete Warren Ellis run/storyline goes on for another four issues in the second volume, along with the first four Mark Millar-written issues).

Storywise intro:
The first sub-arc is called "The Circle". A dictator/tyrant ruler of the island called 'Gamorra' is trying to put his mark on the rest of the world in a rather brutal, unconventional way. It's up to the top-secret global defensive group "Authority" to put him to a stop. In this arc the group is forming and deciding who it's members are gonna be. It's mostly used as an explanation to the reader who the characters, led by Jenny Sparks, are and what they are about (powers, a little background and such).
The second story-arc is called "Shiftships". Earth is under attack by creatures from an alternative earth. Jenny Sparks knows these creatures (half humans) from her past, but she was convinced they were long dead. The question is how to stop them, but luckily Jenny has an ace up her sleeve which should give her group a fair chance. The intentions of the invaders get revealed to be even worse than first pressumed though.
In here you learn more about the ways of the Authority. It's wise to pay good attention here on subjects as 'the bleed' (in which they travel) because it is pretty vague at first but important in the long haul.

Overall my conclussion is that this is a pretty nice title. It's not ALL that but it's certainly above average and won't be a waste of your money (which is a good thing in this day and age of comicdom). Compared to the other Warren Ellis Wildstorm title (Planetary) this one is artwise a little better. Having said that I'll be quick to add that storywise Planetary is better by far. The biggest problem with Authority is lack of debt character-wise. These people do the things they do but miss an explained motivation. Were Planetary is very slow in revealing it's characters fully, it has a certain thing that makes you curious about them, making every revelation anticipated and welcome. It keeps you wanting to read on. That doesn't happen at all here and curiousness isn't sparked. That's a shame because otherwise it could have been great I think. But still, worthy of 4 outta 5 stars.

In the '70's comic book writers began to add greater depth of characterization and take on adult themes, and for the most part this was a welcome change. Books like Alan Moore's Miracleman and V for Vendetta; Los Bros Hernandez' Love & Rockets; Garth Ennis work on Hellblazer and Preacher; (and so many others) did more than entertain, they actually enriched my life. It was (and still is) a great time to be reading comics.

Yet the attempt to add meaning can become portentious or simply pretentious. Over-complex characterization can result in intermindable soap operas that go nowhere. And sometimes, you just want to "kick it" (in both senses of the phrase). In this sense, Warren Ellis & Bryan Hitch's twelve issue run on The Authority (the first 8 of which are reprinted here) represents a breath of fresh air. Yes, it helps to have read Stormwatch, but then it helps to have read Batman before reading JLA. Ellis does introduce interesting ideas & character development; but he does so in a piecemeal fashion the better to keep the emphasis on the action. And for once it's worth it.

People called The Authority, "the JLA (or the Avengers) finally done right," and I have to agree. Ellis & Hitch do it so well! Realistic cinematic art with a touch of grandeur, incredible world-shattering threats, Jenny Sparks "appallingly bad attitude," and a group willing and able to force change on a global scale, not just to neutralize the enemy but to build "a finer world" whatever the vested interests arrayed against them. It's been a wild ride and great fun to boot: the comic book equivalent of a really well made summer blockbuster action movie. Turn off your brain and give it a try. (Again) for once, it's worth it.

I have been wanting to read an intimate biography of Linda McCartney for some time now, so I was anxious to read this book. Written by her long-time close friend, Danny Fields, I would have expected a bit more. Even though the book delves deeper into Linda than any book on the Beatles has been able to, it still wasn't quite enough. A lot of what Fields says about her childhood and teen years, before he met her, is conjecture. There is very little detail about that period of her life. Fields knew her best in the mid-sixties when, as a single mother in New York City, Linda entered the then embryonic world of rock photography. There really was no rock press at the time, and Linda got in on the ground floor, and was able to be a part of a scene that very few people could imagine today.

While Fields vacillates from defending Linda to criticizing her, he is more than fair in his assesment, and, at times, a bit overboard in his praise of her. Although I didn't feel I knew Linda much better after reading the book, one point in Linda's favor became very clear. She was a very strong woman, with self-confidence and a deep, abiding love for her husband and children. She weathered storms I cannot imagine most women being able to handle. And, when the slings and arrows were aimed solely at her, instead of wallowing in self-pity, she felt instead a sense of pain for what the embarrassment caused Paul and her children to suffer.

This book doesn't shed a tremendous amount of light on Linda Eastman McCartney, but it is still valuable for the brief glimpse into the woman before Paul.

Band on the Run was made famous by Paul McCartney and Wings, one of the members of the band was Paul's wife Linda. This book is a deep look into her life and what she gave not only to Paul, but the Beatles, Wings and Paul himself.

Fields writes a book that almost brings Linda alive and gave this reader a real sense of the person that the media had only a glimpse of. Fields delves into Linda's relationship with the Beatles and you get to decide of she had anything to do with the break up.

The book has some pictures, I think there should have been a few more, spanning Linda's career and they are all black and white. Again the pictures could have been in color, but this small drawback will not in anyway detract from the excellent read of the book.

The book follows Linda from singer in Wings to animal rights activist and everything in between. Throughout the entire book you are treated to many first time stories from friends and family. One other thing I really liked was the way the author shows Paul's emotions without going to far overboard. Overall and excellent read.

To anyone with enough genuine interest in the story of Linda McCartney--if you've read this far down the webpage, you deserve to hear the truth. And not the truth as seen by a stuffy, clueless professional reviewer who can sense an easy-target book to slam a mile away. I have read over 30 books about the rock scene in the 60's and this one told me details I'd never ever heard. I rank it as extremely well-written and the author names names because there are so many great ones to choose from! This book is as much about the beatles and the stones and Warhol's bunch as it is about Linda. You feel like you are PART of the story because Danny Fields certainly was her very good friend. And he can write and involve you in a book you just can't put down...

I find no more important topic than that which is tackled in "The Living Energy Universe" - the nature of the universe, God and survival of consciousness after death. Since fear and anxiety are ultimately linked to the fear of death, the "self" cannot find true peace in a universe where annihilation is always an eye blink away. Without the resolution of this existential anxiety, our entire psychology, lifestyles, attitudes and behaviors are affected (whether we know it or not). Generally, there are two places from which answers to this dilemma arise: Religion and science. Typically, they do not agree. Has this now changed?

University of Arizona scientists Drs. Schwartz's and Russek's new book brings to us an amazing melding of science and spiritual insight and answers our most fundamental questions about the essential nature of life, death, consciousness and "who we are." And, it answers us in a way that has been much needed by those who consider themselves rational, logical thinkers, respectful of evidence and scientific inquiry. In doing this, Drs. Schwartz and Russek appeal to both our hearts and our minds. I appreciated the many examples, books, journals, names of other researchers and sources given for further reading and investigation.

The theories, facts and conclusions posited by Drs. Schwartz and Russek have the potential to revolutionize our world from medicine to politics. Of course, they are not alone in this kind of research, but have put together a unique, well-conceived theoretical treatise worthy of rigorous scrutiny and serious contemplation. Their book is a must read for any thinking person desiring to be on the cutting edge of what is perhaps "the final debate" on the fundamental nature of no less than "all that exists."

I highly recommend this book (though sometimes a challenge to understand) because it offers the real hope of being able to come home again to a universe that is not only logical, but benevolent, purposeful and yes, even loving and eternal. And if the Schwarz/Russek paradigm is accepted, the next question becomes, "What do we do with this information?" If the good news be true, what difference does it now make to our everyday lives? What will people be like in a universe where they are eternally accountable, personally responsible for the fate and well-being of themselves and each other, and profoundly connected in the most personal ways to life and all that exists? Can we go home again and do we have the stomach for it?

And, finally, we find "The Living Energy Universe" to be... a love story. But "love" in its most challenging, profound and far-reaching sense. A love that is unexpectedly built upon science, logic and heart in the most literal as well as poetic manner. "The Living Energy Universe" not only makes us smile, but brings a tear to our eye in the ultimate comfort that it offers. And that may be a problem. "Comfort" can feel threatening when it offers hope... a hope long abandoned by those who have felt betrayed by parents, religion and government. Cynicism dies hard. And so it should. It was born of passionate expectations thrown asunder and replaced by a cold, hard foundation of complexly conceived, well-documented... bias. But, as a philosopher once asked, "Is it okay having stumbled over the truth, to then pick ourselves up and proceed on as if nothing happened?" This book will challenge you... wonderfully so. And comfort you down to your existential toes! - C. Paul Wanio, Ph.D., LMFT, LMHC, MFCC.

How wonderful for two dedicated scientists to let us listen in on their thoughts as they ponder creation and survival of consciousness after death, giving us the readers the potential to envision all the levels of life as we explore this book and the systemic memory process.

On this journey to remember who we are,they take us on interesting paths suggesting different possibilities to awaken us.

University of Arizona scientists Dr Gary Schwartz and Dr Linda Russek are to be congratulated on being able to successfully integrate huge scientific theory,(understandable to non-scientists as well), with hopeful spiritual ideas and concepts for us to ponder...asking what if everything remembered?

Reading this gives hope to all of us who have lost loved ones that we cherish! As Linda's heart asks Gary's mind an important question..."Is my father Henry still alive?" Gary's response has to be "Yes" and I know how to prove it.

Now thirteen years later, the time is ripe for Gary's "overdeveloped sense of wonder" and his gift from his parents... "the passion for possibilities" to astonish us with the proof! Gary... the Linda's of the world are counting on you!

Gary E. R. Schwartz, Ph.D. and Linda G. S. Russek, Ph.D. say they know "scientifically that everything is eternal, alive, and evolving." Their book, The Living Energy Universe, details their theory about "universal living memory" and how they developed it.

Schwartz is a professor of psychology, medicine, neurology, and psychiatry; and has taught at both Harvard and Yale, as well as held various directorships. Russek is a professor of medicine and directs several health-related organizations. Both are trained scientists dedicated to the search for truth.

They first became interested in the question of whether life exists after physical death after Russek's father died. They investigated phenomena as diverse as homeopathy and organ transplants, and concluded that everything in the universe has a memory. Everything that is living retains a memory of all that's gone before it.

Schwartz and Russek cite several cases of organ transplant recipients who have memories that belong to the organ donor. The organ cells have retained the memories of the body they originated in. The doctors also discuss homeopathy, where a remedy can be very powerful although the solution is so diluted that it may not contain even one molecule of the healing substance added to the water. The water has retained the memory of the substance.

They speculate that not only are beings living on Earth continually evolving, perhaps there is a cosmic consciousness that is also evolving, noting that evolution cannot take place without memory, and offering evidence that memory survives death.

The doctors finish with a chapter listing ways in which their theory could be wrong, and their responses to those arguments.

The Living Energy Universe elegantly explains Schwartz and Russek's hypothesis "that the whole universe is a living, remembering, self-revising process . . . and, therefore, in a deep sense, all things--great and small, visible and invisible, material and spiritual, past and future--are in an energetic state of 'becoming'." Readers will find themselves fascinated and comforted as the doctors explain how this means there is no true death.

Surely, many readers were drawn in by the fact that this series was conceived and designed by Alex Ross, but his golden touch does not extend to the story. Jim Krueger's plot is so unfocused and meandering, it's hard to zero in on what's really going on. The very end of the book is actually pretty good, and the revelation about the true purpose of the Earth and its heroes is very imaginative, but the build-up could have been more direct. The first 8 parts of the story were quite irritating, as they consisted of not much more than condescending banter between Uatu and X-51, the narrators, with abrupt clips of the future players in the Marvel Universe. It seems like the objective is not to tell a story, but to squeeze as many Marvel characters into the book as possible. Of course, it was nice to see so much art by John Paul Leon, but it got to where I was concentrating more on the art and less on the story. Surely it wasn't necessary to draw this series out over 12 issues to make the final point! And what's up with the chapter appendices? If an author has to provide 3-4 pages of text at the end of each chapter to explain what it was you just read, something is wrong. An overblown and half-baked project, but I will give it 3 stars (not a passing grade, mind you) for the art/design, as well as the development of certain characters (namely, Tony Stark and Reed Richards. Captain America, who is actually a major player in the story, is just as cardboard here as he's always been).

I was a bit put off when i learend that Alex Ross didn't paint the interior art of this tpb, but i was pleasently surprised by the quality of the art by John Paul Leon.

The interior art is nothing short than breathtaking. Gritty and with a newspaper-picture feel to it, it makes reading the story a pleasure and a unique experience. Oh, and the story itself is great, especially if you are an enemy of loose-ends, since this book is nothing less than an attempt to explain the whole Marvel universe, with origins of key figures and races aplenty.

All in all, I heartely recommend it.

I wasn't sure what to make of the series because of the familiar yet altered characters on the cover of the trade, but read it and was very pleasantly surprised. The story takes place in the future of the Marvel Universe where old heroes have aged and some heroes have been replaced by their children or other people with similar powers.
It isn't just a story about the Avengers or X-Men, it's about how the Marvel Universe is all tied together. I thought that the writer did a great job taking events that happened as far back as the Kirby era and making them work in the story. The story is told in a way that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. I think this is a great read. The only thing that could have made this trade better is interior art by Alex Ross.