This book would be very good for a beginning to intermediate practitioner who would like to gain an introduction to the therapeutic effects of qigong. The surface information is adequate, gives an insight (nothing more) into qigong but it fails to motivate the knowledgeable practitioner who is looking for MD level insight.
The honorable doctor, when talking about his master, mentions and impresses us with his somewhat skill but does not elaborate on the process of training, or give details of the environment for training. Many things were missing and they are as follows:
a. What was the name of the qigong method trained in?
b. How long did the actual training take place?
c. Is the training longer for an MD vis a vis one who has trained as a qigong practitioner?
d. Other than the master being from Heaven teaching a special technique, does he have other disciples that can elaborate on the skills necessary for the healing art of qigong.

Albeit, beginners will enjoy the book and perhaps be aware of the shadow world of qigong, meaning if more exposure is needed to make citizens aware of this potential healing method, more information has to be forthcoming to propel this from romanticism to real world results and not feel good new age bedtime stories.

I did feel good after reading the testimonials from the people mentioned so this is a good start.

Dr. Liu explicates the healing aspects of qi gong, including a basic program of exercises and specific expercises for a variety of ailments. Using his background as a medical doctor and cancer specialist, with an impressive array of successful cases, Dr. Liu guides the reader in traditional herbal, exercise and meditation practices of qi gong to correct energetic imbalance and achieve optimum health.

I am a certified Medical Qi Gong Practioner, currently attending studies to be a Medical Qi Gong Therapist. I feel I have to address what one customer reviewer felt were inaccuracies in the book. I believe there are differences between Reiki and Traditional Chinese Medicine when it comes to the meridians. In TCM, there is no "left" or "right." For example, the kidney and bladder meridians are exactly the same on both legs and feet. In TCM there is indeed a San Jiao meridian - otherwise known as the Triple Burner. If you look at an acupuncture doll or chart, you will see that it runs up the arm from the ring finger. Also, do not be confused by what may be small errors in translation. This is not unusual in books written primarily by people whose first language is not English. Sometimes you have to figure out what they meant, not what they said. Mr. Perry is only writing down what Master Hong Liu said. It is not particularly unusual to read that some one used "Qi Gong" to heal. Medical Qi Gong is the art and science of healing with Qi. That said, if you are interested in TCM and self healing, this is a very good read. The self healing exercises are easy to understand. Most of them are simplified versions of more complex patterns taught by Qi Gong Masters.

Here in America we say that books are Eurocentric. We have no name for a phenomenon that is useful to our cultural life, and "American-centric" is therefore my term of art for books that narrate culture and technology as if no interesting developments happen beyond our shores. The consequences of this ignorance, as we have seen, can be deadly, for one of the reasons for non-Western extremism is our instinct to treat non-Western participation in our culture and technology with disdain.

Thus, as Ceruzzi fails to narrate, Algol is really the only common ancestor of usable programming languages, yet Ceruzzi dismisses Algol because it was not a commercial success. Algol was not a commercial success because IBM failed to support it in the decade from 1954 to 1964, and then attempted to usurp it with vaporware PL/I, for which IBM's programmers failed to develop an adequate compiler until the mid-1970s. Nonetheless, the block structure of Algol was found to be the only rational way of thinking about program structure as opposed to Fortran.

But Ceruzzi not only naturalizes American technical praxis along the dimensions of geography, he also naturalizes it along a temporal axis in which the mainframe era was a failed try at modern praxis.

Thus the "colorful" Herb Grosch does get his picture in Ceruzzi's book...and with his goatee poor Herb looks slightly fraudulent.

Grosch's law was so obviously self-serving from the standpoint of Herb's employer IBM; it was that the larger the computer, the power delivered increases exponentially. Herb left IBM in the late 1960s, and the history of how men like Herb were compromised (by the occlusion of their feelings and thoughts with corporate goals) is unwritten.

Herb's law was falsified by the discovery in the late 1960s that large computers (such as MIT's Multics) required such complex software that their promise could not be delivered, and today's law is Moore's law, which declares that microchip power will instead exponentially increase as the micros get smaller.

Common to both "laws" is the naturalizing error of neoclassical economics, which acts as if history does not exist. While it does appear today that Moore's law is still true as chip designs deliver what is miscalled computer "power" (the "power" to deliver wrong answers at high speed should be deconstructed) and is actually mere clock speed at an exponentially increasing rate, an historical perspective should remind us that this too, shall pass.

Making smaller chips is a labor process which has damaged the water-table of places like Silicon Valley and which represents the personal choices of venture capitalists to fund, entrepreneurs to entrep, and employees to choose to work in moon suits that are damned itchy at the end of the day.

Moore's law, like so many "laws" of neoclassical economics, declares that in 1971 we stumbled upon a fact of nature, like Parson Malthus observing the lads cavorting with milkmaids. It is secretly normative (like so many laws of the dismal science) in that it commands us to conform to this fact of nature as a ticket to adulthood.

Perhaps "computers are takin' over." But a critical history of technology, which to me is the only study worthy of the name of history, would read against the grain. It would narrate world praxis in hardware and in software as did a 1999 IEEE Transactions (in the History of Computers) which showed how the Swedes got by in the 1960s without IBM mainframes. It would narrate victim history, including the very interesting history of computer programmers who, it seems, have been an invisible class because they represent, all the way down, a counter-narrative to the dominant narrative of an autonomous technology to which we have to conform (for example, the biography of computer pioneer Ted Nelson is more interesting than that of John von Neumann.)

A very useful result of such a history would be applied, retro computing, for while mainstream historians like Ceruzzi are laying the past to rest, libraries, universities and other institutions are losing data through losing the software that formats and reads older data files. The XML (eXtended Markup Language) notation tries to address this problem as did Ted Nelson's Xanadu system but technical innovations, useful as they are, by definition do not address existing Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets (or the moldering Algol compiler I discovered at Princeton.)

I look to a book and software system on CD-ROM that would preserve, not the physical realization of outdated systems like the IBM 7090 or TRS-80, but their important features, which was the "architecture" they presented to their actual programmers. While building a retro computer encyclopaedia would be a formidable task, it would be made easier by describing the architectural interface of the computer in a form that a modern system can "compile" to a program that simulates the old computer, thereby presenting the user of the encyclopaedia with actual running examples of old software.

To modern-day crowds, trooping through the Smithsonian, computers are physical objects. But actual programmers know that computers are ideas in the mind, and a retro encyclopaedia would be a fascinating narrative of how Turing's idea created the postmodern era. It would also make clear that the old fraud, Marx, was right, for the value computers has created for society consists in a deep labor of understanding architectures enough to craft problem instructions, including the most despised yet most valuable instruction: "computer, here is a language in which I shall speak, and here is how you shall translate that language."

This is a grand yet critical narrative, for it shows that Leibniz was wrong. Let us not calculate (sir) let us communicate. I probably expect too much of poor Mr Ceruzzi, who appears to be of the tribe of people with which I made acquaintance at Princeton; the humanists who honestly apply their narrative skills to technology. But it appears that in America, no-one has answered Derrida's 1978 call for a critical reading of technology.

Very informative and exciting.
Ceruzzi made it simple for all to understand how computers came about from 1940s untill today.

Paul E. Ceruzzi, curator of the National Air and Space Museum, describes the development of computing, starting with its earliest history. He examines the beginnings of commercial computing from 1945 to 1956 and traces the history of computer hardware and software, dividing these developments into five- to 10-year time periods. His book emphasizes technical development, rather than personalities or business dynamics, a focus that contributes to its fairly dry, academic style. With this caveat, we [...] recommend the book primarily to those with a technological bent, such as professionals in operations and computer sciences, and academics in the field. However, if you are interested in the subject, you'll love this. Ceruzzi provides an informative and comprehensive saga including extensive footnotes and a bibliography that runs about 80 pages.

This book discourages me. I wept through the entire book. The idea is that women are the fault of "godly" men who fall prey to their seduction. Men can't be seduced unless they are open to be seduced. There are many strong and dedicated women who function in the ministry without having to control every issue. But unfortunately, most people believe the worst in every case. I didn't like this book.

Do we not study for ourselves? Because if we did we would know that the Jezebel spirit is a spirit of control. Not so much of red fingernail polish and seduction. Control. It is a shame that we do not study for ourselves. Women have been labeled "Jezebel" for too long.

People assume too much. The Spirit of Jezebel works in both MEN and WOMEN. Geesh, people need to calm down.

While I appreciate the polemic against Wilson's claim that Paul and not Jesus founded Christianity, I found Wright's redefinition of "righteousness" unconvincing. Perhaps he will more adequately explore this idea in one of his later volumes of Christian Origins.

Ok, I admit my review title is silly but that is one thing this book is not. It is a compelling and brief introduction to the apostle Paul and his teaching from a modified new perspective.
One may not always agree with Wright but he always raises important questions, interacts with the most important literature, and engages in profound and deep biblical exegesis.
I eagerly look forward to Wright's tome on this topic in the "Christian origins" series.
The other reviews were pretty fair. As for the fellow who only gave him one star, come on cake-walker... I'm a conservative, reformed evangelical too but "you gots to give Wright his props".
Please don't dismiss Wright because he doesn't tow the party line! He's one of the handful of scholars that I believe people will still be paying apt attention to 50 years or more from now.

Excellent, no other author could write such a witty, intelligent, and apologetic piece on Paul. It thoroughly debunks the theories put forward by Hyram McCobby and others who put together sloppy scholarship, a grudge against Christianity, and the want for a 'sensational' work to their name so they can rake in money from incorrect and highly unstable views. A must read for any scholar; Jew, Christian, Muslim, or secularist.

Although Mr. Sery starts with extremely good intentions, this book was so poorly proofed that it is worse than no help at all. One can find serious typographical errors on almost any page, ranging from misspelled keywords, to sentences that just end in the middle of a thought. Often the text instructs you to do one thing, but the representative screen shot shows completely different information. The only way I would recommend this book would be for students of typesetting to study as an excellent example of how not to practice their art. Based on this one experience, I have no plans to ever buy another book from the publisher, IDG Books, nor the author.

Patrick Krepps

I agree with the reviewer that stated that this book was poorly proofed - if at all. The format of the book is very good, but it is so riddled with errors that you end up going in circles trying to figure out what the author is trying to tell you to do. I ended up using this book as my primary source for getting my Samba network up and running, but only because I couldn't find a better reference. I hope that a revised edition will be coming out for Red Hat Linux 7.0/7.1, and I hope that the myriad errors in the current edition will be addressed.

This book goes from the simple to the complex. It helped me to get started and advance on to more complicated stuff. It's really helped me to create a Linux network.

This book is one of those that you buy and shelve due to lack of samples and references.. If you already know VB then this might help you. However, I find the ASP books by "Wrox" to be a better investment for my money, in addition they also have a website and a message board that provides you with ongoing support. It's not one of those I got your money and run situation. We're not asking for the history of the Internet.. but some decent samples and explanations would be nice..The author of this book should ask himself one question..why would someone buy a computer related "How to book"..

I found the book useful when I started in writing ASP, however, after I got through the book, I found it lacking as a reference and choose a more detailed reference to keep on the shelf.

This book is the greatest ASP book of all time (in my opinion). Many people have seen my copy and bought their own due to its excellent content. It is a great book for VB developers to start out with ASPs. The only negative point is that interdev 1.0 is used in the examples instead of 6.0. It is better to understand the code though.

I'd give this book -2 stars if I could. This is a very poor book written with the author's biased view of Mormonism. If you're looking for an accurate and factual book on Mormonism, I suggest you not waste your money (and time) on this book.

I was looking for a book that would give me an insight into mormonism - this is just not that - it is just a sad persons view
that tries to dismantle something the author simply does not understand. I suggest that this is not the book you are looking for.

The grand drawn-out scale to Herbert's novels are daunting. New civilizations take birth that challenge us and our definitions of absolutes. The engine of his novels is a network of politics for a power struggle. In the Godmakers a man is pushed to his limits and forced to take a larger part into something he knew nothing about. In most of his novels religion is used as a toy to manipulate (or subue) a race or class of people. But religion is also a connector to the feats of human possiblity which Herbert dreampt up. The book is not as damanding for our attention as the Dune series. It is a more casual and relaxed Herbert telling a simpler and tight story.

While I accept the theories presented in the book I think Pearsall worked so hard to appear completely scientific that the book became incrediblely boring. He repeated himself in an effort to appear seriously scientific and lost the humaness of his story.

Dr. Pearsall has hit a home run in a ballpark unfamiliar to most ordinary people who still think that the brain in your head is the mastermind of thought and behavior. What Pearsall has contributed, especially in terms of learning, creativity and memory is to reshape our foundations of perception that "love, dignity, relationships and integrity" might, after all, be the driving forces of human progress. Even if one considers "The Heart's Code" as a mere metaphor for our consciousness, without the empirical evidence of the role of the heart in human thought, Dr. Pearsall moves us closer to an integration of body, mind and spirit in a pracitical way, empowered by the heart.

For my entire life i have felt what the heart's code is finnaly scientifically explaining to me. People believe that it is their conscious' telling them what is going on, but i belive that it is your heart and your brain conflicting between your two options. i have felt my heart telling me what i need and i have felt my brain telling me the same and i have always followed my heart. i believe that the knowledge your brain carries will never overpower the capability of your heart. thank you for finally explaining what i have been feeling my entire life.

We used Lonely Planets for holiday travel in southern France for the first (and possible last) time. The recommended restaurant of Peter Mayle fame, Gu et Fils, on Frederick Mistral in Aix was either a typo or non-existent as we located the street but no restaurant to be found. Restaurant Le Merou Bleu of Marsailles was a mediocre tourist trap with despicable service. The impersonal nature of the LP recommendations for hotels merely define the facilities, but do not say enough about the character or level of cleanliness. We checked in (and out of) one of Lonely Planet's recommended two star hotels in Avignon and for about five euros more per night, found a potential three star hotel that was much better siutated, cleaner, bigger and quieter.

Boy was this book a disappointment. Other LP guides weren't this bad. It seems this book only tries to get you to those places every other tourist is at, and only by public transportation. It skips out-of-the-way places that locals know and love, chooses hotels in noisy central sections of larger towns only. Worse, my 2002 edition still didn't give costs in Euro! Thanks to friends living in various areas of France, I was able to visit wonderful places that aren't even mentioned in the book. Restaurants were poorly chosen, and almost always tourist traps. If you rented a car (which is a really smart way as a group) you won't find any info in this book about getting around, or doing such duh! activities as wine-tasting routes, swimming holes, you-pick farms, sound-and-light shows. LP, if you're reading this: ever heard of the Puy-du-Fou? Everyone in Europe seems to have been there!

I expect to use a book like this to help me plan a trip. It should be organized by region so I can decide among things that are close by. And I need the kind of information that goes beyond just listing the sites: is it crowded, charming, dangerous, special?

This book tries to answer these questions with a personal tone. As I read it I start to get a sense of the writers personalities and tastes, so that I can gauge my agreement with their opinions.

I wish the hotel and restaurant reviews shaded towards the high end a bit more. But I haven't found a series (I also have their guides to Europe and Mexico) that I can trust as well as this one.

This is volume one of a series, and perhaps should be read first to obtain the background for the other volumes. The author has trouble completing scenarios he creates. In some instances, the writing is clumsy. I have previously noted in reviews of books by other publishers that publishers should employ readers (people knowledgeable of the subject). This is another example of a book rushed into print without adequate proofing.

The book is three separate related novelettes. The first story features Isaac Biggs, captain of the foretop on the merchant bark Anne in 1810. It covers a time period of several days and deals with the problems and seamanship aboard the bark. There is a thieving third mate who intends to kill or injure Isaac. Having created this problem, the author extracts Isaac by having him pressed into service aboard an English frigate. No more is heard of the Anne or how the problems aboard were resolved. An additional chapter could have closed out this tale.

The second part of the book is a story about service aboard the British frigate Orpheus from 1810 to 1812. Isaac Biggs is a maintopman and plays a supporting role. The action skips forward rather quickly from 1810 to 1812 when the Orpheus leads a small squadron against a French convoy. Here the writing goes off track. The Orpheus is attacking a French brig, almost wrecking it completely with a couple of broadsides; then the brig is fighting like a frigate; then they board the brig; then they take off the captured officers who seem to be the complement from a frigate, etc. The author seems to lose track of where he is in the storyline, and seemed to forget that a brig was a lieutenant's command with perhaps 40 to 50 in the crew, no significant number of marines, and perhaps 12 four-pounder popguns for its armament (the light structure of a brig could not take the recoil of heavy guns). The story of the action against the French convoy is never completed, and the tale skips forward to a scene in a tavern in Nassau.

The third part of the book is about an American privateer commanded by Captain Smalley, formerly captain of the bark Anne. Isaac Biggs joins the tale at the midway point. Eventually Isaac is able to return to the United States. By placing three stories in the same book, the action becomes superficial at some points, jumping between points where action is very detailed. The repeated nautical commands for sail handling can get a bit tedious.

Part of my disappointment in this book stems from the fact that I am naval historical fiction nut and have been really looking forward to something other than a British hero. As an American, I've alway thought that the War of 1812 would provide the perfect fodder for an American Hornblower. Unfortunately, that is not what we get here.
Clearly the author, Mr. White, knows his ships and his sailing. But that's like the special effects in a sci-fi movie, you have to care about the characters or else it's just a bunch of flashing lights. The author shows some potential as a writer, but it all reads a bit too amatureish -- like a first submission to a creative writing course. There are are way too many point of view shifts, so it can become difficult to remember who is who. Perhaps it was an intentional attempt at subtle parody, but I found it annoying to have very similar personality types in the role of junior officers on the the American Anne and the British Orpheus. And then, the story final seems to get going with a privateering raid -- and then they go home. Yes, it's the first book in a triology, but the story just stops -- it does not end.
I've also got to get this off my chest. The forward was written by someone who is supposed to be a professor of history at the Naval War College, yet his historical facts are wrong! James Barron, captain of the Cheasapeake during the Cheasapeake/Leopard affair was not killed in that action. He was courtmartialed and temporarily suspended from duty in the navy as a result of his role in the affair. His other claim to fame is that he was the one who killed Stephen Decatur several years later. Of course, none of this really matters since the none of the provocations for war (other than pressing sailors) was even mentioned in the novel --wasn't there something about "orders in council?"
Anyway, I don't recommend this book. I do not plan to purchase or read books two and three.

Generally, I am not an avid reader of historical fiction, but I read this book on a recommendation from a freind. I truly enjoyed White's work, so much so, that I found myself participating in the action, rather than reading it. I could feel the salt spray in my face and the boom of the cannon against my chest. Truly a wonderful read!