The other reviewers commented on the main subject of this book - the question of inheritance. However, the Appendix has a fascinating account of Kammerer's work on serial coincidence, of "like and like" happening together. Kammerer spent long walks observing people and things, and determined that similar events happen together. For example, in one of his files he notes, two soldiers, both 19 years old, both born in Silesia, both volunteers in the transport corps, both admitted to the same hospital in 1915, both victims of pneumonia, and both named Franz Richter. He found lots of these coincidences, and claimed that this is the way the world is structured. In fact, these are not coincidences, but evidence of "The Law of the Series." Sounds weird, but he took this seriously. The Appendix in The Case of the Mid Wife Toad gives an account of this bizarre research project of Paul Kammerer.

Arthur Koestler has distinguished himself with this fine work, which recounts the scientific research of Paul Kammerer on evolution and its impact on the scientific community of the time. Kammerer's laboratory experiments appeared to reinforce the discredited Lamarckian theory which preceded Darwin's. This book provides fascinating insights into the politics of science, and the consequences of challenging scientific orthodoxy. Koestler paints a poignant yet uncommitted picture of the consequences Kammerer's experiments had on his professional and personal life.

This little gem by well-known novelist Arthur Koestler is a biography of a biologist who claims to have produced evidence that acquired characteristics can be inherited. The story is well written, and leaves the reader enough leeway to form their own opinion on the validity of the science involved. The claims of inheritance are as heretical to biologists as the claims of Robert Gentry in his book _Creation's Tiny Mystery_ are to geologists. I would strongly recommend both books to anyone interested in the way scientists interact with each other, and with the political forces which influence their funding and publication.

It was a pretty good book. It made me realize what life was like back in dickens' time. The industrial revolution was going on... It started off pretty slow than got exciting as I read on. I encourage young readers to think about reading this book.

Hard Times depicts the lives of ordinary people during the industrial revolution in England. Dickens brings several characters to life and weaves an interesting story about their interactions with each other. Most of these characters are poor and they live in a pollution ridden town where the economy is based on coal production. Dickens's description of their lives is excellent. The only reason for the four stars is that one or two secret matters are alluded to near the beginning, but they are never revealed, leaving the reader a little disappointed. Overall, Hard Times is very good book.

Hard times lyrically explains life in the early 1800's while captivating its readers and showing that hard times hits people of all eras, decades, and even surpasses those of 1800's to the 1990's. However, what is most intriguing is the fact that Charles Dickens in some aspects suggest that sometimes hard times are circumstances that we subject ourselves and others to and whether is under ones own volition or under false pretenses. Hard Times is indeed a knowledgeable novel that teaches a lesson and shows one of many Dickens attributes. This review is from Merci McKinley who is 16 years old from Potomac High School in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

The title sounds very promising but the text does not deliver.

The first two chapter are just a general introduction.

The actual comparisons are not in depth and the biggest surprise - Oracle gets just one mention!

Good for novices and seasoned geeks alike, the author deals with the potentially tricky subject matter in a clear, thorough and authoritative way. Starting from first principles of database design, SQL etc, the focus soon moves on to detailed reviews of a number of the most popular tools and technologies available.

The book also has a companion website which is intended to keep the content up to date - a great idea but regrettably does not deliver on this promise.

All in all a worthwhile book and very valuable first resource for anyone needing direction in adding database functionality to their websites. Well worth the time and money.

This book does an excellent job of comparing and contrasting a number of inexpensive or moderately priced web database tools. It also provides a great overview of web databases and web-db technology.

The best part is that the author builds the same two projects in every tool covered in the book (Filemaker, ASP, ColdFusion) to provide a good comparison for how the individual tools work.

Mendy Thompson, a very brave 12 year old girl, who has two sisters and four brothers, is forced to stay home by her mother over the summer of 1958 with her little brother. She amuses herself by going to visit her favorite place; her Taj Majal, which is a clearing in the woods she is not allowed to go to. Because she is black, and her best friend Jeffrey is white they are no longer allowed to see each other. When Mendy realizes tesspassers are coming to the Taj Mahal, she sets a trap to try to stop them. She and Jeffrey meet each other secretly, and she tells him about the tresspassers. Jeffrey says it is the Klu Klux Klan, a group who does not like people who are different from them, anyone who is not white or Christian, which makes Mendy very scared. Together, they must figure out who is in the KKK before the group destroys an event Mendy has really been looking forward to.
I liked Aunt Sis, an elderly black woman, because she was so loving towards Mendy like when she would welcome her into her house and listen to her problems.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes exciting books. It was suspensful like when Mendy and Jeffrey saw the KKK meeting in her Taj Mahal.

Mendy is a twelve-year-old African American girl living in rural Tennessee in the late 1950's. She is an admirer of Eleanor Roosevelt and is thrilled when her father tells her that Mrs. Roosevelt is coming to visit the Highlander School, which is located only a few miles away. Soon, however, she discovers that the men that have been meeting in her favorite clearing in the nearby woods belong to the Ku Klux Klan and are planning an attack on Mrs. Roosevelt when she appears at Highlander. Mendy feels she must do something to prevent the attack, but what can she do? Will she get herself in danger?

This story is based on a real incident and conveys a small taste of the violence, hatred and fear inspired by the KKK. As a piece of literature, it is not quite up to the standard set by such things as the Harry Potter books. Nevertheless, this book gives young readers experience of a genuine American historical setting while also providing a positive role model and some insight into the evils of bigotry and racial discrimination. It is another solid entry in the "History Mystery" series and my daughter and I both enjoyed it together. We recommend it.

The History Mystery Circle of Fire, takes place in 1950?s Tennessee, during the times of segregation when great changes for African Americans. The central character in the story is a twelve-year-old African American girl named Mendy, who has discovered a secret clearing she had named, the Tahj Mahal after a beautiful place in India. But one day, she discovers her secret clearing, littered with beer bottle, cigars and cigarette butts. She is convinced that they are trespassers. Mendy is determined to find out who the trespassers are and how to scare them off, so she sets a trap and uses her bowie knife lure them into her trap. Unfortunate the trespassers knew it was a trap and they killed her tamed rabbit, Mr. Hare. Strangely, the trespassers left her rabbit in a bundle with a strange red symbol on it. She asks her Aunt Sis is she had seen anything strange occurring in the woods. Fortunately, Aunt Sis informs Mendy that a group of hateful men called the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) are planning to bomb the Highlander School where Eleanor Roosevelt, Mendy?s role model, will be reciting a speech. Mendy?s mother forbids her to ever go to the Highlander school because she feels that some dangerous and racist events take place, which is true, but Mendy is looking forward to hearing Mrs. Roosevelt?s speech, and does everything she can to stop the Klan.

The reason why the KKK is planning on bombing the Highlander School is because a friend of Mendy?s father who is white owns it. He allows blacks and whites to swim together, eat together, and do other things in the same place. Mendy is determined to find out that is in the KKK, with the help of her best friend Jeffery. Mendy?s mother forbids her to spend time with Jeffery, but they secretly spy on the Klan and try to find out what their plan is. She is strong-minded to warn Mrs. Roosevelt. When the police found out about the Klan?s horrendous plot, they foiled the plot and disrupted Mrs. Roosevelt?s visit. I liked this story very much. I liked how most of the events were based on true incidents. I learned a lot about the racist and prejudice activity that occurred for African Americans during the 1950?s. This book was exciting, historical, thrilling, and adventurous. As I read, this story gave me some information about what the times were like for African Americans in the 1950?s.

It did take me a couple tries to get through this book, but it was worth it. This commentary has everything I looked for. It explained the book in its historical context as well as its spiritual and contemporary importance. Some of the writing is a bit bombastic and difficult to wade through, but I learned a lot from it.

Hubbard's commentary is in-depth and accurate. He quotes the New King James Version but corrects mistakes such as Proverbs 30.1 where he correctly states that "Ithiel and Ucal" should be tranlated as phrases rather than names. Amazon's catalog lists the release date as January 1991 but the copyright in the book is 1989 (it came out initially as paperback which is now out of print). Biblical archaelogy and scholarship has made significant progress in the last 10 years. For a more up-to-date in-depth commentary on Proverbs read THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE BOOK OF PROVERBS by Cody Jones. It features numerous drawings and photos which give the reader a sense of the culture of the time. Six translations in parallel aid understanding of more difficult passages. Jones reveals for the first time in any commentary the secret identity of the overall editor of King Solomon's wise and witty sayings.

It gives a good grasp on the old testament period between the first deportation and the second deportation of Isreal to Babylon. It gives a good understanding of the people and culture at that time.

When I first got this book, I took a few cursory glances at it, crunched a few buttons and made mistakes (and, blamed it on the book). However, I decided to buck up and pour myself into this tome just like I would a college text and start at the beginning. Yes I knew a lot of the basics, but wanted to give the book the benefit of the doubt. What I found out was (duh!), was that once I committed myself to actually learning from Mr. Mcfredries, read and follow along, I'm getting stuff done the right way. I am impressed with the no-nonsense, sometimes humorous stylings of this book. As I progress through, I feel I am having more control over my Operating System , rather than being intimidated by it. This is a valuable resource to any newcomer to the world of Windows, or to those who upgraded to ME.

I picked this book up just to understand the differences between '98 and ME. It's worked great! Mcfedries basically tells the newbies where to start, and the rest of us can just get crackin' on the changes!

There is still a lot of basic information, but it's still good to review these things when you keep changing operating systems!

This is a pretty good guide to Window's ME, I'd say for this price, you probably won't find a better introduction!

This is not a book for those with a previous relationship with Windows. It is written at a level where someone with little or no experience with Windows can use it. Everything is presented in a small step-by-step manner with few assumptions concerning knowledge of how you interact with Windows. If you are someone just starting a relationship with Windows, then this is the book for you. However, if you have used it before, then you will have to read a lot to learn very little. I can't help wondering how big that market really is.
All of the fundamentals such as creating, saving, moving and deleting files are covered, as well as e-mail and basic customization features. Networking features and the use of specialized hardware such as scanners are explained in great detail.
Boring if you are experienced, an effective guidebook if you are a newbie, this is a book with little middle ground. Simply put you, either you need it or you don't.

I strongly believe that this book could easily create misunderstandings to a student of Harmony. i found this book almost chaotic when I studied it as a Harmony sudent. In comparison to Walter Piston's Harmony this book has not a straight and organised method of teaching and I only recommend it for advanced students.

In this book Hindemith first refers to the core of the classical harmony (I, IV, V chords) and then expands them to the a whole body of amazing possibilities (chord inversions, dominant chord, alteration, modulation , ...). The approach is very interesting and practical and the book provides lots of exercises for hard working readers. Hindemith showed me the right approach to the harmony without memorizing the rules and a way to writing harmony with the minimum material! It is of course for patient and hard working people and you have to feel comfortable with the basic theory to enjoy this book. It is a shame that the book has been out of print for such a long time!

Lots of exercises for the budding composer. Those who wish to write the great art music of the 21st century should try to get a copy. By the end of the book, all the classic rules of harmony are repealed, because one has learned when to break them, and when to follow.

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This is an excellent book. It is a MUST-READ for any serious composer...however, it reflects a rather narrow-minded viewpoint. In order to get the true meaning out of this book, one needs to take all the theoretical knowledge and apply it in a more open-minded manner. For many though, this book will provide a very different, and useful way of looking at music and harmony.

Paul Hindemith was a master of all aspects of music, including composition. In his three-volume set of compositional theory and exercises, he shows how the "old" music really works, and how modern practices don't disregard harmony, but how they simply expound on it. His other books of exercises are a must for any serious student of composition, or for anyone trying to see what makes Hindemith's works tick.

Richard Paul and Linda Elder are affiliated with the Center for Critical Thinking, which I discovered several years ago when it was operating under the auspices of Sonoma State University. I first encountered Dr. Paul's writing through several fine pieces on the CCT web site, and they established my expectations for this book.

I should mention my misgivings about the phrase 'critical thinking.' It has critical mass as a buzz-phrase, and is susceptible to all of the risks that go with that--chiefly the risk that an assortment of people advocating widely different intellectual practices all find it advantageous to paste that popular name on their disparate wares. Even worse, I have encountered people to whom 'critical thinking' turns on the sense of 'critical' that means captious or disputatious, and who think of it as something nice people don't do; another entire camp seems to maintain that 'critical thinking' is achieved by nothing more than disparagement of reason and an inclination to question and deconstruct everything in sight. Taken far enough, these divergent uses of any 'in' buzzword can threaten to strip it completely of meaning; one cannot be grateful enough that the Center for Critical Thinking is still around and pushing the real deal: rigorous intellectual standards, commitment to clarity and reason and fairmindedness, with all that commitment demands.

But this book makes a disappointing vehicle. Contributing not least to the disappointment are lapses of editing and proofreading that should never be seen in a finished book. Perhaps embarrassments of grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not count directly against the book's intellectual content--but they could lead many readers to underestimate what the book has to offer. That's too bad.

A more serious weakness is the want of exercises that genuinely test the reader's thinking. If learning to think critically is replacing comfortable modes of thought with modes that can be evaluated to standards, an important motivator may be to bump against those standards regularly. But many of the exercises are of the "write down something you think about X" variety notable for not having wrong answers. The questions are often good ones and the exercises are not all busy work, but neither are they as demanding as they could be, and some readers may find them condescending.

An extreme example is found in Chapter 7--The Standards for Thinking--with respect to the standard of 'logicalness,' which gets a treatment of barely one page. A space not much larger could present some rudiments of logic, but this treatment offers only a vague, intuitive appeal and an exercise to identify decisions "based on illogical thinking--thinking that didn't make sense to you." A reader's familiar, and possibly unexamined, judgments about what is "logical" will not necessarily be refined by this approach.

The whole of Chapter 14--The Power and Limits of Professional Knowledge--is likewise disappointing. It seems to promise a disciplined approach to the decision of how much deference is due the pronouncements of professionals on different occasions and topics but, beyond outlining general reasons for skepticism, it doesn't deliver. It offers little insight into how that skepticism should be sensibly qualified, and is a little incautious with some of its own claims: I was surprised to read (p. 260) in a 2002 book that "the medical field is highly resistant" to the role of viruses and bacteria in heart disease and cancer.

I am especially troubled by the Chapter 14 discussion of mathematics (and ought to reveal here that it was my undergraduate major). Here the authors seem to lose sight of their objective and, instead of addressing how mathematical 'expert opinion' should be received, treat instead the value of math education. They suggest that because (a) many are traumatized by doing poorly in math and (b) many who do well still do not cultivate the habit of applying mathematical insight in everyday life, perhaps curricula beyond basic arithmetic should not be mandatory. This despite the number of pressing issues that demand critical thought and require a mathematical understanding. In this one section the authors seem to verge on one of the debased senses of 'critical thinking.' I would go to the mat with them on this one, but there are more comments to make.

A near-disastrous feature of the book is the use made of charged, controversial issues. This is tricky business: of course the very point of critical thinking is to apply it to important issues, and without them the teaching would not be engaging or effective. The authors do well when they present a hot issue as the explicit focus of an exercise, asking the reader to think fairmindedly through all sides; "Thinking Broadly" on p. 105 is a good example. The "Reading Backwards" list is conscientiously selected and balanced. But controversial positions also appear in passing as examples of good or poor thinking, where the focus is elsewhere and a point of view is implicit. My point is not that I disagree with these positions: the authors' politics and mine might be largely compatible. But by failing to decide whether they are writing a book on critical thinking or a book of issue advocacy, the authors undermine their credibility and furnish a ready excuse for half the people who should read this book to dismiss it out of hand.

I would have loved to see Edward Tufte's books on clear and appropriate visual presentation included in the reading list. Regrettably, this book demonstrates many of the pitfalls Tufte identifies in "business graphics": elaborate, busy designs that exaggerate the depth of what is presented. This may be a house style of the publisher, Financial Times.

There is a genuine core of critical thinking instruction contained (sometimes concealed) in this book--perhaps enough to reward the effort of digging it out. Better books of this sort are urgently needed, and Paul and Elder should be able to write them. I hope they will.

This is a book for business people, for people in a profession, and for people in any arena who simply want to learn how to live their lives in a more rational and ultimately more fulfilling way. In the authors' recurrent phrase, it contains abundant tools for taking charge of one's life. As such, it not only contains good business sense, it contains good sense for living a better life as well.

It's a crisp, clear, useful book. The authors consistently address the heart of each essential aspect of critical thinking in multiple domains. They explain each aspect clearly, trace out its implications, offer effective advice on how to deal with it both as an individual and as a professional. They even supply activities and questions-in inserts labeled "Test the Idea"-for applying that aspect of critical thinking to the reader's own unique circumstances.

The book combines strategic thinking, self-knowledge, fairness toward others, and a down-to-earth, usable ideal of justice. It shows not only how to advance in each, but how those qualities fit together with and further one another. So there is a sense in which the book is essentially about human fulfillment (though that isn't explicitly addressed as a main topic)-fulfillment for myself through understanding, honest self-assessment, and taking control of my life; fulfillment for others in ideals of fairmindedness and justice; fulfillment for the planet as a whole in how the qualities combine.

One of the most invigorating features of Critical Thinking is the way the book covers a whole range of topics clearly and explicitly. The coverage is brief and to the point, but it allows for a wealth of further application for those readers who are willing to incorporate the authors' guidelines into their day-to-day life.

For example, Paul and Elder devote only two pages to a clear, succinct discussion of understanding implications (one of the key elements of reasoning). Then there is a quick "Test the Idea" box. It asks the reader to describe a problem he or she is facing, to formulate alternative decisions to address that problem, and finally to think out the logical implications of each alternative decision. Notice two features of this that seem to go in almost opposite directions: first, how simple the activity is, how do-able, and second how life-transforming it would be if I consistently thought through my potential decisions in terms of a range of alternatives and a conscious awareness of the implications of each. The book consistently offers the same clarity coupled with profundity for each topic covered.

The actual topics covered in the book are just the ones people need to address to take charge of their lives:

-How to think realistically in a world full of change and danger.
-How to evaluate my own thinking across a range of dimensions:
* my skills and abilities
* my self-understanding
* my overall stage as a thinker
-How to improve my thinking-again in a range of dimensions, including:
* the parts of thinking
* the standards of good thinking
* making intelligent decisions
* thinking within corporate life
* increasing the level of my strategic thinking.
-How to deal with egocentrism and sociocentrism.
-How to think reasonably about and within the ethical dimension of our lives.

The book goes deep into the way our unconscious or barely conscious processes rule so much of our conscious thinking. It provides practical strategies for unveiling and confronting our irrational tendencies. Surprisingly in an age of extended therapies, the strategies are often simple and direct-and eminently useful. For example a "Test the Idea" section on "Unearthing Dysfunctional Egocentric Thinking" directs you to "think of a time when your desire to selfishly get what you wanted failed because of your egocentric behavior." It then asks you to describe the situation, to describe your resulting thoughts, wants and behavior, and then to describe a more rational way to think and behave in that situation.

This approach is related to Cognitive Therapy, except that the approach Paul and Elder take is more thorough-going and founded in a deeper and more robust conception of what healthy, reasonable thinking is. It is also a simple "visualization" technique, of the kind that is so effective in altering people's behavior. Only, instead of merely visualizing a healthier way to behave in a situation, I am directed now to use my whole mind (not just my visual imagination).

Another bright feature of the book is that the ethical dimension is covered so well. This is usually neglected in business-oriented books and even in personal-health books. The authors discuss and give "Test the Idea" activities in key aspects of ethical thought and action. The conception they teach is a profound one: being ethical is far different from simply accepting rules imposed on us from outside; it is also different from merely adhering to "codes of ethics" adopted by many professions. The authors' approach also shows what is wrong with simply looking inward to "find my values": "looking inward" is also guided by egocentric tendencies. It is very easy to consult my conscience and find there a justification for the actions that suit my self-interest: why it's all right to take out my anger at others; why my wants are ultimately more important than yours; why I seem so justified in feeling myself a victim of your actions. Paul and Elder consistently dispel such facile reasoning; they supply activities and thought experiments to guide the reader along, and they also provide numerous insights all along the way.

In sum, this is just the kind of book readers have come to expect from Paul and Elder, both of whom have worked for so long and in so many aspects of Critical Thinking. It contains the clear, distilled essence of the critical thinking concepts and tools for taking charge of one's life, professional and personal. The tools and concepts are presented always with an overview to keep the parts in context, full of lucid examples, references to more extended sources, and an abundance of applications.

Paul and Elder's "Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Personal and Professional Life" provides the key to developing ones mind as an active tool for quality thinking and ultimately better decision-making in professional and personal life. This book explicates the difference between quality thinking in professional practice and flawed thinking. The authors challenge a personal self-examination of the quality of the reader's thinking with activities that are insightful, cognitively interesting and structured so each component of thinking is enhanced. The approach is practical, and meaningful for the reader interested in developing as a critical thinker. Paul and Elder's expertise in dealing with the complexity of thinking needed to survive in society today is illuminating.

As a nurse leader working in a chaotic health care system subject to constant change and revision: critical thinking is the answer to implementing an improvement in health care delivery. The authors have unlocked the mystery of improving my thinking for quality decision-making in my nursing practice. The more I work with these ideas for improving the quality of my critical thinking and decision-making in nursing practice the more empowered I am as a person and professional nurse.

Penelope Heaslip RN

I was very much looking forward to reading a book about my fathers DePasquale side of the family in Abruzzo, Italy. However, much to my dismay, Mr. Poalicelli seemed to skim over or dismiss the rich history of the DePasquale's and the town of Gamberale where our ancestors came from. For example, although politically connected to the South in the past, the town Gamberale, in the provence of Chieti in Abruzzo is in the Central region of Italy, not the South. This town was not just inhabited by the Lombards or Longobards (a Germanic tribe) as they where also refered to, but also it is believed the town was inhabited by the Franks and French normans after the tenth century. Also, many of the surnames Mr. Paolcelli's mentions on the DePasquale side of his family are incorrectly spelled. Although I give Mr. Paolocelli credit for taking the time to want to write about his family, I wished he had contacted and interviewed many more family members on the DePasqaule side of the family to get a more accuate and historical perspectiveas to who and where the DePasquales came from both historically and geographically. If, so he would had a more insightful and meaningful book for both family members an general readers.

It amazes me that some of the reviews were critical. I wonder if any of the critics have attempted to write a book and have been published.

First, I envy Paul that he had the guts to set out on the adventure that would change his life. Don't we all wish we could do that.

I started to read this book and couldn't put it down; I read it in one day. It is a travel book, a mystery book, a history book and an Italian philosophy book all rolled into one.

Join the author on his quest to understand his Italian heritage and discover fascinating characters who help him find the true meaning of life. His relatives who came to America are wonderful too, especially Uncle Al.
It's true what they say "There's something about Italians!"

My relatives and friends are getting copies for Christmas presents.

To Paul Paolicelli "Grazie, ti voglio bene."

Gloria Valentino

This book touched major chords with me. The author
lucidly tells the tail of searching for family and family history in Italy,with both stark self examination and great observations of the people around him.
His portrayal of the good and the bad, and the uncertainity
involved in being in a foreign country and trying to speak
their language; Italy, specifically,
are excellent.

I recommend this book to people planning a trip to Italy, specifically southern Italy, but I think it would be great
reading for anyone who loves things Italian or is a genealogist.