I consider myself a quasi back pain expert. I had two herinated discs removed 10 years ago and believed that would be the end of my trouble; it was only the beginning. I have have 4 MRIs, five physical thearpy experiences, have seen othropedic surgeons, neurolists, and a pain specialist for cortezone shots. I currently have another herinated disc and a miscellaneous bulge at the site of the prior two surgeries. This book have provided me more knowledge of how to solve my problems than all the rest combined -- however, having all that experience makes me confident this book has the solution. Many of the exercises I was familar with from physical thearpy over the years. And yes, they told me I'd likely have to do exercises for the rest of my life. And that's what makes this book so handy, you don't have a thearpist with you day in and out, this book is very specific on how to do the exercises, how to progress, and what not to do. The advice is practical and well researched, and very much consistent with everything all the specialists have told me during my decade and a half of back problems. And now the REALLY GOOD News. I noticed improvement within a couple of days of starting the exercises. I have found I have to exercise both morning and night, but I am virtually pain free. I was at a point when I purchased this book, that I woke up every morning with some pain and much activity-limiting stiffness -- and periodically my back would "go out" and I'd spend a couple days in bed recuperating. Now I wake pain free; am able to start my day immediately. I remain careful about how I treat my back throughout the day, but I'm very confident my bed rest days are behind me! And I'm more limber, my balance has improved, as has my flexibility. I recommed this book highly!! The section on how to "find time" was very much appreciated and accurate, there are numerous opportunties throughout the day to do many of the exercises. Do heed what the authors say: PAIN is NO GAIN -- so start slow, be gentle, and don't push, this is not a race, for me - it was about getting my life back. Good luck to all, I can't tell you how thankful I am I found this book, I hope it brings you the same kind of improvement it did me.

I have struggled for years with acute back pain. Reading Sobel & Klein's book gave me the answers I was looking for. After getting X-Rays and an MRI revealing that 4 of my discs were herniated from one degree to another. I made an appointment with a trained physical therapist and we set to work on a plan of stretching & strengthening the key muscles. Bingo! I have never felt better. M.D., Mary Pullig Schatz's "Back Care Basics" is excellent as well with an emphasis on Yoga the mental approach for successful rehabilitation.

I have recommend these exercises to patients, but more importantly, they can benefit anyone who doesn't want to develop back pain in the future. Unfortunately our medical model is one of treatment and not prevention. I agree with another reviewer that consultation with a qualified physician is recommended for any type of chronic severe back pain, but there are very few cases I have seen, including patients who have failed surgical treatment, who have not been helped by some way in using moderate regular exercise. These are great exercises to reverse the effects that our sedentary working society foists upon us. I recommend this book strongly but emphasize the importance of dispensing with the "pain-gain" concept and embracing the a-little-bit-every-day-in-a-consistent-manner-without-pushing-to-discomfort paradigm. Kudos to Dava Sobel and colleagues for an excellent write...May I recommend "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain" as a companion book for helping deal the distress, depression, and other cerebral manifestations that accompany chronic pain...All the best!! Kenneth Giuffre MD, author, "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain"

Overall this was a pretty good book. Though it seemed a little disjointed at times, it was interesting reading about some Oklahoma history that usually isn't addressed.

The book discusses some of the most notorious black and Indian outlaws (and lawmen) of the Indian (and then Oklahoma) territory. I must admit that I had not heard of most of the names. I was surprised to read of how many black men had served as deputy United States Marshals in this region before statehood.

The author seems to have done extensive research on the subjet, and quotes regularly from newspaper articles and other writings from the late 1800's and early 1900's.

To Whom It May Concern:

Your book must be great, but since it happens to be about my DIRECT grandparents, could you please send a courtesy copy to me. I tried ordering thru you and never rec'd the book. I have had excerpts read to me by other members of family that found the book & I must say I'm shocked. I feel I deserve the right to have a courtesy copy. Any and all of the part of S. P. Brassfield, Abner Brassfield and Abner Jr. you sure hit home. Thank you for your time, I will be anxious to hear from you.

I consider a "must have" for your own personal library

This book was about how King Arthur's life supposedly was. He was born after King Uther tricked an enemy duke's wife into thinking that Uther was her husband. That child was given to Merlin, and he was un-christened, and was given to Sir Ector. He became a squire at his new home and had a bigger stepbrother to help. When the sword in the stone appeared, all the knights and noblemen around England appeared to try and pull it out, since the person who pulls out the sword in the stone is supposedly the king of all England. Throughout his life he encountered many people like Sir Lancelot of the Lake, who fell in love with his beloved wife, Guinevere, and also gave birth to a child with his half-sister when she disguised herself. He would later become a legend for all the things he had done during his life.

I read this book because I watched the movie from Disney called "The Sword in the Stone." It sparked my interest of knights and I was fascinated with the Middle Ages ever since. Then when I went to the library, this book was the only one about King Arthur that wasn't checked out, so I read this wonderful recount of the amazing life of Arthur.

I recommend this book to everyone above the age of 9. There are some "not so good for children parts" in this book. If you are a child who wants to read about King Arthur, then you should choose this book. If you want something that is easier, I suggest you not to select this book since it is kind of a hard book.

This book is a bargain, but make sure your reader is ready for it. Its style is rather "olde englishe biblical" -- not obsolete spelling, but somewhat difficult language for modern readers. If your reader is in the mood for thee-thou-mayhap-hath-milady, then go for it!

Who hasn't heard of King Arthur and the knights of his Round Table? In this book you meet them all ' including the magician Merlin, and the brave knights Sir Lancelot, Sir Gareth, Sir Tristam, Sir Bors, Sir Key, and Sir Galahad. All the old favorites are included ' Arthur drawing the sword out of the stone, Arthur receiving the sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, Arthur becoming emperor, and Arthur's marriage to Guinevere. These events are recounted with surprising little drama. But don't give up too soon ' the best comes with all the quests and adventures of the knights that follow, including the Quest for the Holy Grail. This book is chock-full of entertaining adventures involving knights in shining armour, damsels in distress, fierce jousting and sword fights to the death, battles against hoards of enemies and giants, tournaments and miracles. Accompanying the text of this hard-cover, are ornate black and white pictures and images that contribute splendidly to the atmosphere evoked by the text.

The medieval setting is painted in a rather idealized fashion, limited to the nobility and figures of the court, who embrace all that is beautiful, brave and noble. These virtues are sometimes portrayed rather simplistically, as unknown knights engage in mortal combat, and only after they have virtually killed each other do the introductions begin: 'What is your name?' Behind this medieval mayhem is a heightened sense of chivalry more reflective of legend than fact, where knights battle to the death for the sake of a woman - even one they have only just met. But isn't that what the Arthurian legends are all about? Nobody is under the illusion that they are to be taken too seriously. Journeying to Arthur's Camelot is a form of escapism - suspend your sense of disbelief, watch the flashing swords and fearful battles, and enjoy.

That's not to say that the Arthurian tales do not reflect any reality. Arthur's world is in many respects a real medieval world. Medieval beliefs in paganism and Christianity are evident throughout. Witchcraft and enchantment is presented as alive and deadly, and conversely the true religion ' in this case the beliefs of the medieval Catholic church ' is evident throughout as knights commend themselves to God in prayer, thank him for his help, and even repent from their sins. The whole notion of the Holy Grail is of course a very Christian tradition ' although a tradition that represents more fiction than fact. And the moral virtues of justice, truth and right for which the honorable knights fight are still noble ideals of virtue today. Arthur's kingdom is presented as a kingdom blessed by the grace of God, a beacon of light symbolizing all that is good and true and right, and a worthy model for kingdoms in today's world because it revolves around timeless virtues. Tales that promote dignity, courtesy, courage, respect for right, respect for female dignity and purity are as ennobling as they are entertaining.

How much truth there is behind the Arthurian tales will always be the subject of debate. The fact remains that there is an extensive and confusing body of legend to wade through. In this 1923 work, Knowles has essentially followed Malory's fifteenth century classic 'Morte d'Arthur.' Even his language is antiquated and tedious, but persevere because you will soon find that this an enjoyable and essential addition that heightens the heroic atmosphere of the story and gives the legend a fittingly majestic touch. But it is doubtful that Malory or Knowles have been successful in making a great deal of sense out of the confusing mass of legend, because it is not unified in a plausible manner. Those looking for a more readable or easier introduction to king Arthur would be better served by the works by Roger Lancelyn Green or Howard Pyle.

In the end these tales of King Arthur and his knights remains a hodgepodge of anecdotes with different styles that is sometimes hard to wade through. But that doesn't matter. This collection is primarily of historical value, in giving a true picture of the original legends as they have been transmitted across hundreds of years. Even if it's not always easy to read, it cannot be denied that Knowles has produced a very comprehensive collection of the Arthurian tales, and the unbelievable exploits of knights in shining armour will continue to entertain in the future just as they have done in the past. Along with the tales of Robin Hood, the tales of King Arthur are the most exciting tales that British history has produced. This is the stuff of legend, and it's worth a read.

This book is a study of the names of God. However, I found some of the commentary and discussion points a stretch - discussing sexual abuse when studying the account of Hagar.

Studying the names of God is a great way to increase your love and devotion to Him, and this easy workbook will help you. Kay style of teaching allows you to discover the truth from Scripture for yourself instead of taking her word for it. The result is an exciting, multi-week focus on the God who gives us life and peace. He is worth knowing intimately!

There's also a beautiful coffee table version of this book, re-edited for crisper text and illustrated by Timothy Botts. If it's still in print, it's worth seeking out.

I would recommend this study for a Christian of any level. In the western world, names are not as significant as they are in the middle eastern culture. Consequently, names don't mean as much to us as they possibly should.

This study takes you through, not only the names that God has been given by Himself and others, but WHY those particular names are used. Kay Arthur's books do not just tell you why, she has questions that are designed for you to go and learn for yourself. This is a great study method for both individual and group study. This way the knowledge actually becomes part of you. For the beginning Christian, this study helps you to learn more of God, His faithfulness, His characteristics, and such. This makes your personal relationship with Him all the richer. This also holds true for the more mature Christian. This is a study that does take some time, thought, research, and reading. But the most important part of this study (and any study that a Christian does) is prayer. Then you are inviting God to make Himself better known to you.

This study does take a commitment of time and energy. If you are looking for a study that makes you dig into your Bible in a deeper manner, get this one. You will be richly rewarded for the effort that you put into it. By the time that you are prayerfully done, God will be even more personal to you. Christ's words of John 15:15, "...I call you friends." will be even more of a reality of your life with Him.

..not at all bad. SECRET WATER finds our heroes & heroines very much in the process of Growing Up, with the inevitable tensions that late adolescence brings. Here we find the Swallows grimly determined to carry out a mapping task that their father has set them, and confronting the Amazons, who would rather ally themselves with local children who have their own "game" of tribal warfare among the marshes of the East Coast. There is a lot of good stuff here & some high adventure, and the book reads very "true" to the series. My daughter Clare regards it as one of the best, and I doubt that anyone will be disappointed with either the plot or the outcome.

Secret Water is a great book!!! I'm a 10 year old boy and I love it. My favorite part is when they gather with their savage friends and have a big feast. Anybody would like it just as much as I did.

After the excitement of "We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea", Arthur Ransome's eighth story in the Swallows and Amazons series returns to more comfortable and comforting territory. Set very shortly after the children's ordeal at sea in the previous volume, "Secret Water" finds the Walker children "marooned" on an island in the tidal area of Hamford Water, Essex. Here they spend a week or so, camping and surveying the low-lying islands, tortuous channels and tidal flats, whilst also having to deal with the quandary of whether to make friends with (or wage war upon) the local savage tribesmen. Once, of course, the small matter of one of their number being taken for a human sacrifice has been resolved!

This story is something of an attempt to return to the simple style of tale that worked so well with both "Swallows and Amazons" and "Swallowdale": a tale of children building a world of their own creation and at the same time learning to deal successfully with the real world in which they find themselves. After some of the more exciting later volumes in the S&A series, though, some readers may find the results just a little flat.

As always, though, Ransome weaves his tale through the deftest handling of prose and most adults at least should find this tale as charming as any the others in the series. It is nice, too, to see that the young Bridget is now able to start participating in the activities of her siblings.

Capek was a genius and an all-around literateur, succeeding with fairytales, novels, plays, and sketches. He could even draw. (and he liked cats, which endears him to me).

A Czech friend first got me interested in Capek, and made me read WAR OF THE NEWTS, one of his novels, which I adored. WAR OF THE NEWTS is part of this series.

This reader is certainly a good addition to any library, particularly for anyone interested in Capek's work or Czech writing in the Golden Age (the first Republic, before Chamberlain's bargain with Hitler carved up the new state of Czechoslovakia).

However, the translations here do not do Capek justice. While e the translation of the play R.U.R. (a play which introduced the word "robot" to the English language, and which was once more heavily anthologized and taught in America than O'Neill)does include scenes that were cut from the Broadway productions of 1921 and 1945, scenes never before available in Englishl, the translator also takes idiomatic Czech and makes it oddly formal, stilted. "To staci" for example is translated as "That will suffice," which is literally the meaning, but doesn't capture the informality of the phrase. "That's enough" would have been more speakable. If you're a director, use this text only for research but don't give it to your actors-- it will bore an audience, and lacks Capek's humor and zest. And some of the translation, according to native speakers, is simply inaccurate (a word that can mean "scissors" in context was translated as "provisions.") Just as poetry should really only be translated by a poet, plays should really only be translated by playwrights (working with native speakers if necessary). Too much is lost.

Still, the book does put in English, however flawed, much that had been long out of print, and all of it is worth reading.

This book is a compillation of some of the greatest works by the brilliant Czech writer Karel Capek. Here there are some of his best-known plays and a selection of tales which can be found entirely and unabridged in "Crossroads" and "Tales from Two Pockets". The plays included are "RUR" (Rossum's Universal Robots), "The Makropulos Secret", Act II of "The Insect Play" and "The Mother".
"RUR" is a comical though moving to thought play about the limits of technology from a social and moral point of view, and how men playing God can lead humankind to a complete disaster. However, the play has a happy and very funny end.
"The Makropulos Secret" is a sort of Faustian comedy which leads to discussion upon immortality and the final conclusion that it's better to remain mortals because nobody could bear immortality's boredom.
"The Insect Play" (better read it complete) depicts the insects' world as a microcosmos which reproduces human behaviour, greed, powerlust, war, shallowness, every human vice incarnated in insects.
"The Mother" is related to Capek's increasing worry about war and the rising of totalitarianism.

One of the best qualities about Capek, apart from his obvious wit, is that he never moralizes, he takes things from the side of the "ridicule" rather than from a sort of preacher's view. His works are very funny, but no less deep. His sense of humour never conceals the depth of his thought, and humour thus makes things even more serious.

Outside his native Czechoslovakia the author Karel Capek (to be pronounced as: Chah-pek) is not as well known as he would merit. In fact, he is one of the 20th century's greatest authors, with a masterful talent for sharp observation and profound reflexion. This collection - 'Towards the radical center' - contains, inter alia, his two most famous theater plays:
1. 'Rossums Universal Robots', which was written in 1920, introduced the word 'Robot' (Czech for the forced labour of serfs) into practically all modern languages, in the sense of an automaton that without protest performs all the chores humans themselves are loath to do themselves. In his play Capek underlines that the process of creating a class of intelligent servile automatons inevitably leads to cruelty. In the end the robots revolt against human oppression.
2. 'The Makropoulos Affair'. A central theme in this theater play is that of a youth elixir that provides eternal life. It turns out that, in the very long run, this is more a curse than a blessing.

Apart from these two famous plays, the selection contains a number of essays and short stories which, without exception, are very whitty and profound. Every cat lover should read his brilliant one page essay 'From the point of view of a cat'.

In 1936, appalled by the threat of expanding Nazism, Capek elaborated the main theme of 'Rossums Universal Robots' in an even grander way in his novel 'War with the Newts'. This novel - which is not included within this selection but separately available on Amazon - is an anti-utopian ('dystopian') novel at least as unsettling as Orwell's '1984" or Huxley's 'Brave New World'.
Not having read Capek means missing a vital part of 20th century world literature.
Capek died soon after the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938.

Lord Russell sets the indicative tone for this collection of mostly polemical essays in his Preface, when he explains his choice of the adjective "Unpopular" in his title. "...There are several sentences in the present volume which some unusually stupid children of ten might find a little puzzling. On this ground I do not claim that the essays are popular; and if not popular, then 'unpopular.'" Russell says exactly what he thinks, has no patience for fools and does not hesitate to ridicule muddled thinking and wrong-headed beliefs wherever he may find them.

This work contains 10 essays written between 1935 and 1950, with the common theme being the pernicious impact of dogmatic, unsupportable beliefs. By and large, Russell is highly effective in making his case across a broad range of topics, from the debunking of philosophy's giants such as Plato ("That Plato's Republic should have been admired, on its political side, by decent people is perhaps the most astonishing example of literary snobbery in all history."), Aristotle ("Aristotle, in spite of his reputation, is full of absurdities.") and Hegel ("To anyone who still cherishes the hope that man is a more or less rational animal, the success of this farrago of nonsense must be astonishing.") to the fallacies of discrimination against women, xenophobia and our modern public education system.

His sharpest attacks are reserved for Man's superstitions and particularly for those of the religious variety. Russell is a well-known rationalist thinker and atheist and his views are driven by the common sense dictum that one should only believe that which has sufficient supporting, scientific evidence. This leads to the view that deism is unlikely and that modern revealed religions are pure folly. He convincingly notes the common drivers of these fatuous beliefs across epochs to be fear, a need for self-importance, ignorance and socialization.

My primary issue with Russell is that, while he ostensibly ascribes to a "Liberal" worldview (i.e. a scientific perspective on facts and opinions that holds positions tentatively with a "consciousness that new evidence may at any moment lead to their abandonment.") and excoriates dogmatic beliefs, he can be, in fact, highly dogmatic in the presentation of his views. This is particularly disturbing when he ventures into areas he clearly does not fully grasp, such as economics. In "The Future of Mankind" (far and away the weakest of the 10 essays), he makes the highly naïve, silly statement that "Unless we can cope with the problem of abolishing war, there is no reason whatever to rejoice in labor-saving techniques, but quite the reverse." His point is that higher labor productivity leads to a lower labor requirement to generate life's necessities, thereby freeing up more people for war. Refuting this nonsense hardly seems necessary, but it should be clear that labor does not automatically flow from food production to war production and that more evolved economies do not automatically lead to more war mongering.

Notwithstanding these occasional pratfalls from the platform of reason, Russell is for the most part extremely lucid in his analyses and views. He is also sharp-witted and entertaining in his gleeful exposition of folly. All of this results in prose which is remarkably easy to read while provoking rational thought and leads to my 4-star rating.

I had never read anything by Bertrand Russell before. I thought he would be difficult, but these essays were lucid and humorous. He manages to demolish the theories of almost every great philosopher of the past. His predictions for the future, either chaos or world government, haven't materialized yet, but either is still a possibility.

Here is a short and easy way of capturing the sparkle and pixie wit of Lord Russell. It is also a good way to keep yourself laughing continuously in impish delight for several hours as Russell skewers dogma after dogma. One is reminded of nothing so much as a lightweight master of the epee skipping through an army of Goliaths armed with heavy truncheons and running his sword through them, one after another, before they know what has happened.-Just one example, the philosophic Goliath known as Aristotle: "Aristotle, in spite of his reputation, is full of absurdities. He says that children should be conceived in the winter, when the wind is in the north, and that if people marry too young the children will be female. He tells us that the blood of the female is blacker than that of males...that women have fewer teeth than men and so on. Nevertheless, he is considered by the great majority of philosophers a paragon of wisdom." So much for Aristotle. He also never tires of skewering the clergy in general and their obscurantism. One of the most amusing sections is his account of the clergy's reaction to the invention of the lighning-rod: "When Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning-rod, the clergy, both in England and America, with the enthusiastic support of George III, condemned it as an impious attempt to defeat the will of God. For, as all right-thinking people were aware, lightning is sent by God to punish impiety or some other grave sin-the virtuous are never struck by lightning. Therefore if God wants to strike anyone, Benjamin ought not to defeat His design..." Finally, he wasn't above a little irony in his self-penned obituary by an imaginary Obit. writer, "...His life, for all its waywardness, had a certain anachronistic consistency, reminiscent of the aristocratic rebels of the early nineteenth century. His principles were curious, but, such as they were, they governed his actions. In private life he showed none of the acerbity that marred his writings, but was a genial conversationalist and not devoid of human sympathy..."-Nobody with even the slightest mote of skepticism toward all the nonsense that's passed for wisdom and deep philosophy in ages heretofore and with a spark of life and sense of humor can leave this book without a lighter heart than when he or she first picked it up.-I can't think of any higher praise for a book.

If survival stories are your favorite, Avalanche, by Arthur Roth, is for you. It is a survival story about a boy named Chris Palmer, who gets trapped in an avalanche. There are many problems in Chris's family; Chris and his older brother Terry are always trying to outdo each other. Terry seems to be better than Chris is many things, so Chris gets tired of being Number 2. When he decides to show off by shooting a coyote, his gun shot sets off an avalanche. Chris's mind starts to be affected by the cold and he begins to have hallucinations. Will Chris survive under the snow with limited movement and little food? If you are in grades 5 or 6, Avalanche is quite interesting and will capture your attention.

David Cohen
Akeem Hamilton
Steven Pichardo

The book Avalanche made me feel like I was part of it. I just couldn't put it down. It had excellent details and told you everthing you needed to know without making it overwhelming. It was a great book and I'd recomend it to anyone who was looking for adventure.

This was a great adventure book about Chris Palmer who was huntig/skiing when he shot his .22 and set off an avalanche, he gets trapped under the snow. Will he survive?

This is the history that France would rather forget, despite claims that the account was part fictionalised it nonetheless reveals disturbing tendencies in pre-German invasion France that were to aid the Nazi occupation and also create the Vichy regime. Anti-Communist and anti-Jewish tendencies, he claims were spreading through France at the time, and leading some people there to believe that German occupation may have been a necessary evil to purge France of left wing and Jewish elements. Koestler also documents the xenophobia spreading through the country...

Koestler and others were put into camps by the French. Koestler himself was partly a refugee fleeing the Nazis who killed other parts of his family in Hungary and Austria. Being an ex-Communist, led him into suspicion both by the French authorities and the Communists themselves. Koestler was to experience other traumas after this, notably being imprisoned in Franco's Spain (documented in his book "Spanish Testament"). "The Homeless Mind" is the only modern biography of Koestler I'm aware of and should be available from this stockist... and talks of this fascinating and intelligent but sometimes stupid and brutal man.

Arthur Koestler's memoir about his experiences during the beginning of the Second World War is interesting from a historical standpoint. Koestler finds himself all over Europe, in and out of internment camps, encountering people from all over of all classes. Koestler's experience is interesting because the way he was treated was not the norm, it was the product of his unique background and situation, but it still represents the wide range of possible experiences during this historically uncertain time. The level that it succeeds on most, however, is a personal one. Koestler is a damn witty, talented author, who knows how to tell a story. Despite the subject matter he finds much work with. One can't help but smile at he way he describes the inbreed locals of a small village or the way he personifies his car. As interesting as the historical and stylistic elements is his description of himself (clearly a flawed man with a drinking problem) and his unlikely relationship with a younger woman he wasn't meant to end up with. It may be a comparatively obscure piece of literature, but it's certainly one worth reading.

The book itself is interseting, beceause it describes how many situations a man can experience during wartime. How the idyllic countryside life changes into the terror of a concentration camp, and then into a desperate fight against the bureacracy. I am pleased to recommend this book to everybody, who is not only interested in cheap thrillers.......

I had never heard this legend before I found this book at the library. I was glad I read it. The story is nice and the pictures are great! ( kind of gory). This an easy read, and a cute book.

Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady is a superb book. The story is for young and old, and definitely for those who are romantics at heart. I have used it many times as a gift for those who are newly married or engaged to be married. Since it's out of print, I need to locate some copies for the future!

This is a terrific book for young teen girls. They really get the message that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". They also love the answer to the riddle. ( I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't read it yet!) I am a therapist who works with emotionally disturbed youth and it is one of my favorite books to share with clients or in teen girl groups. The illustrations are wonderful. I actually think it is not for young children, but more for teens and adults! It is one of my favorites. I am really disappointed that it is out of stock currently. I wanted to buy another copy for a library for foster youth.