By the relentless pursuit of this question, "Who Am I?" Maharshi believes the ego can break through to the Self. And if anyone should know it is he.
Ramana Maharshi is one of the great Hindu saints and certainly the most authentic of the last century. Many gurus have come and gone with mixed messages, one of them being that a guru should live lavishly (cf. the experience of the Beatles). Maharshi served no one, not even himself. He was as truly detached as it seems a human being can get. In contrast to so many teachers, he didn't even prattle on about the universe, the soul, and Brahman. If he did speak to issues it was usually in pithy responses to well-formed questions. And, almost always, he ended by encouraging the seeker to follow the question above. In short, his message was simple.
So why did he get it and we don't? Maharshi taught the quintessence of Vedanta. Like a powerful acid he burned down to the bedrock of Hindu thought-the teaching of nonduality. For Maharshi, as for the Hindu sages throughout time, all was Maya-illusion-including the self itself. The core mythology is this: Brahman-the All-plays a game, the Cosmic hide-and-seek. By forgetting itself, Brahman can come to rediscovery and delight, just like a child at play. One of the many obfuscations in this game is the ego. Question it, ask oneself again and again, "Who Am I," and the ego will, like a cornered child in the game of tag, eventually relent. Underneath all the vestiges of ego, as one undresses it with the question, lies Brahman smiling.
The philosophy is lucid, elegant, and incredibly simple-typical characteristics of the Truth-but I find it elusive still. So must most seekers because though they ask the question, they do not end up like the Bhagavan, Maharshi.
Maharshi, after his realization at the age of 16, made his way to the sacred mountain of Arunachala and never left its shadow. His life was simple and devoid of any attention-seeking behaviors, though a great flock settled around him. He participated in the daily round of food preparation, sweeping, etc. and lived an austere life. Eventually, as his reputation spread, people came to visit from all parts, first Indians and then cosmopolitans. Among others, W. Somerset Maugham visited. He was not quite so struck as others by the Bhagavan's presence but still retained him as the prototype for the guru in The Razor's Edge.
Though he avoided speaking much, the many who visited professed a very powerful influence by witnessing the man's gentle radiance. With a look into Maharshi's eyes, most peoples' questions would resolve themselves. He eventually died from a cancer and yet his reputation remains.
Such a being kindles mystery but is not a great teacher unless one, presumably, is a great student.

This book is a bio of a being who never claimed to be the body. It is written for beings who still think they are their bodies. The majority of the book is about Ramana and his life around the ashram with devotees and interactions with visitors and even the local wildlife. Most books about Ramana are question and answer format so this one shows how an enlightened being interacts with life and people in everyday situations.
One of the most amazing parts was when Ramana was dying. The doctors knew he would die before the day was done and so did all the devotees. They sang songs outside his room. Even though he said he was not the body but the SELF, the ONE SELF in all of us, the drama was being played out on the physical plane. As the devotees sang, Ramana had tears in his eyes and then he just stopped breathing. I had tears in my eyes too, just reading about those last moments.

when it comes to indian holy men , its often hard to separate the dross from the sublime . books on indian mystics abound , most just end up stretching credulity . its not uncommon to come across a book which portrays some indian "saint" that leaves me shaking my head in an almost visceral disgust .

it therefore comes as a relief ( especially to my viscera ) when you read a neatly written book about an indian saint . i'm sure its next to impossible to please everyone when it comes to writing about someone no less a phenomena than ramana maharishi , but messrs osborne seems to have done a commendable job of it . i know he's done just such a commendable job of it because the book left me wanting to know more about the maharishi . not many books do that .

i can therefore , unreservedly , recommend this book .

I only have the fifth edition of this book, but it is probably similar to this edition. I used this book, when I was teaching statistics many years ago. The book is very clear and it explains each statistical concept very thoroughly.

As an online statistics tutor, I find myself referring to it all the time. It has all of the topics that are normally covered in a first course in statistics. It also has some very good chapters on elective topics such as nonparametrics, sample surveys, and quality control. I took many courses in these subjects in undergraduate and graduate school, and I find that this book is a good review for some of the things I've forgotten.

I have many statistics books both elementary and advanced. This is one of only two elementary books that I would purchase again (my teacher's edition is losing the binding!).

It is probably the most complete book on statistics that I have ever read at this level. I would certainly recommend this book to anybody who is taking statistics for the first time. I would also recommend this book to statistics majors who plan to go into teaching and need a good review text.

This is a definately worthwhile learning tool which can aid anyone who is attempting to tackle statistics for the first time. The methods and theories are concise, direct, and most of all, clearly stated. The authors bring you step by step through each procedure and then offer exercises to demonstrate the process while giving you the confidence to go on.

This book was puchased midway through the semester. At that time I was struggling to maintain a C average. With the help of this book I was able to close the semester with an 89% average.

After taking this course for the second time, I found that this book really explained concepts well. I had trouble learning statistics the first time, but this book adds real-life applications making it easy to learn why it works the way it does. If you are hesitant or jittery about this class...relax. This book will make your life easier.

This is only a partial reference book for fans of myth. For some myth it is hard to keep all the names and relationships in order and this book does a nice of that. Nice graphics and logical flow. The only issue I have is that this book tip toes around the christian, jewish, and islamic myths without proper recognition of the characters and events. Maybe the authors assumed readers would already be familiar with the characters in the bible and koran or the publisher wanted to save paper. In any case it would have been a nice addition making this truely a complete encyclopedia of mythology.

This is one of the best sources on mythology I've found. While it may not go into depth on the myths surrounding each of the gods, it gives a nice detailed summary of who the diety was, what they stood for and the major myths surrounding them. In addition it mentions dieties you don't normally hear about, such as those originating with the Canaanites. The pictures are gorgeous, the family trees are very helpful for keeping track of whose who.

If you have any interest in mythology, I'd highly reccomend picking this up.

A hardcover book of over 500 pages FULL of information about legends and tales from the ancient world. Over 1,000 images, most in color covering fifteen centuries of art. Data on mythical figures, mythical themes, symbols central to the culture. The book ITSELF is beautiful and has a easy to use index. There is even Family Trees in the back, so you can figure out who is related to who (a must for the Greek Gods- you know Zeus). If you can get a used copy, go for it!

The best art history tells us not only about the painter and the paint, but the surrounding events of life and the world as well. Since so little is known of Vermeer himself, the city of Delft, on which this book focuses so much attention, truly becomes the central character. We cannot know Vermeer, but we can know his daily life. This is a marvelously researched if somewhat dryly presented history that should set a bench mark for the popular study of popular artists.

The print quality though not a perfect color match in the paintings, is better than most. I've yet to find a Veermeer book that closely matches Vermeer's vivid use of color while at the same time closely matching the original colors. It's a well made book, amazing considering the low price.
The writing is rather dry and unemotionally scholarly albeit comprehensive, and can be somewhat boring. I would rather read a more thorough analysis of what each painting was intended to say and how it was made and composed, written with less emotional detachment. At the price though, it's a pretty good book.

I saw and was transformed by the Vermeer exhibit in Washington, D.C. a few years ago. I bought this book along with Girl in Hyacinth Blue. While the print edition cannot begin to reproduce the "light" of his paintings, this excellent production brought back a flood of feelings and remembrances from show.

This is one of the most important books written on the Shoah.
To reply to the reviewer who wanted to know what America could have done I dont know maybe excepted boats of Jews when they tried to come to America instead of refusing to and sending them back to their eventual slaughter. Thats just one of many.

I have written my review in the form of a poem.I dedicate this poem to Arthur D. Morse:

I am Liberty. I am Columbia. I am the Mother of Exiles!

Never again will my head be bowed down in tears, My torch held low and dim. Shame on you Franklin Roosevelt for the Bloody stain on my gown, which shall Never wash off.

I am the Mother of Exiles! Suffer my children unto me and I will protect thee. Woe be unto those who commit murder and mayhem upon thee! For I will step down from my pedestal, Not with books in my hand but with a flaming sword, And my shining torch. And lead my children to freedom and safety!

Heed my words, those who choose to destroy freedom. For I am Liberty. I am Columbia. I am America!

This was a book that changed my life. It's fast and spell binding reading. An amazing drama that's only too real.

The ten items listed as the dumbest mistakes were interesting as was the discussion as to how the authors chose those particular mistakes and why. The primary value to the book is if you find one or two of the mistakes that you make on a regular basis. Unfortunately they are then followed by several paragraphs of how to deal with that problem. There are several full length books available on how to deal with just one of these problems. It appears that these authors think that in a few paragraphs they can resolve problems that others take a whole book to deal with. That being said, this book does have a value. I don't think that I would recommend it to someone who makes one or more of these mistakes on a regular basis and wishes to do something about it. For them I would suggest a book that deals more directly with their problem. However, it is an enlightening book for people who might read through it and find something that describes them. That information and the techniques described to help with the situation might be just what they need to go further and seek more thorough help. It is a good book to help you more clearly define a problem so that you can seek out other appropriate book to treat the problem.

This book has helped me in many ways. I highly reccomend it to anyone who suffers from anxiety. The techniques are practical and easily applied. The book is easy to read and understand. You may also use it as a reference to make sure you are using the techniques properly.

This is one of the most helpful books I have ever read. It lets you recognise patterns of thinking that leads to unhappiness and lost potential. It then gives simple and practical techniques to alternative ways of thinking that will greatly improve the quality of your life.From the way it is written , it shows that the authors have a lot of experience .Most people will have at least one of these mistakes, and I'm sure this book will be a turning point in their lifes.Very highly recommended.

I think it's the flying. It took us by surprise when, after checking it out from the library, it was suddenly his new favorite book. He was into the typical boy stuff: trucks, trains, front-loaders, rocket ships. Then all of a sudden, all he wants us to read is Abuela. It's a nice blending of fantasy and reality, with strong family relationships, and lots of fun, colorful pictures. He's moved on to other favorite stories now, but he always seems to enjoy this one. The sequel (Isla) is also good. A nice way to learn a few new Spanish words. There's even a glossary in the back with a guide to correct pronunciation. Just make sure you get the English with Spanish phrases, if that's what you're looking for. There is also a version that is completely in Spanish.

Our class of 20 latino students appreciates having books with characters that are like them. We liked to read this story on our own and in groups.

This book provides a wonderful introduction to a Hispanic-American child's way of life. Rosalba portrays the typical immigrant child without stereotyping. The author uses the Spanish language to lend authenticity to his story, and really gives the readers a chance to experience the fantasies of a child living in New York City.

One of the better Tarkington tales I've read. An upbeat and at times humorous story about a middle class family and their two early 20-year-old children ( one boy and one girl ). The girl, Alice Adams, is the focus of the story, as she struggles to be liked by the town's society folks. She doesn't have the social prestige nor the money to attract many beaus.

This leads to turmoil, and Mrs. Adams tells her husband to leave the mediocre paying job he's had all his life to start his own company so they can be rich and pay their children "advantages". He does this, after many trepidations, but the basis of his newfound business is a stolen glue formula from his previous employer. This ultimately leads to his demise.

There is a bit more to this story, but all in all, it is a story of class envy, snobbery, and greed. Tarkington's main point, however, seems to be that every dark tunnel of life ultimately has some other exit that inevatibly lead to light -- as even in the Adams's darkest hour their was hope yet.

Alice Adams was funny and definitely some good quality writing. At first I thought it might be too old-fashioned since it was written in the early 1900's, but when I read it I was able to compare Alice's desire to be popular to teenage girls today. My only negative thought about this book is that some characters especially the mother, repeated things a lot. The mother had several lines that she said at least 5 times throughout the book, and that was somewhat annoying. Otherwise the book was great!

Booth Tarkington is one of my favorite authors. Noone captures the spirit of the person better than he does. The way he makes Alice Adams come alive makes me want to be there and meet this wonderful young lady. If an author can make me want to do that, he is excellent in my book.
The movie ending is the opposite of the book ending, which disappointed me, because I wanted it to be true to the book. Nevertheless, I also wanted Alice to have her dreams come true. If you really absorb yourself in the book, however, you will see that her dream DOES come true, just not necessarily the way you want it to.
There is also the beautiful way he paints the whole family into the book. I won't give it away, but you will see the intricacies woven in.
I found myself totally absorbed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.
Please read this book! You will love it!

After having read 'Timebends,' I can only say that I am grateful that Miller decided on drama rather than the novel as a form of expression. While this autobiography does give us glimpses into a very interesting life, the author, without warning, often abandons his discussion and jumps into some other person he has bumped into along the way. Meanwhile, his family, his wives and children remain shadowy figures at best. At any given point in the book it is anyone's guess to whom Miller is married. I would gladly have exchanged much of the anecdotal material, some of which seems to drag on endlessley, for the more important influences in his life, specifically the women. Only Marilyn Monroe gets the thorough treatment, although I suspect strongly that the mother and the wives were more than simply 'props' in this colorful career. Only toward the end does the mother appear more sharply defined but, sadly, it is at the moment of her passing. I found a great deal of trivial detail which I would have exchanged gladly for insights about the impact of having a family and familial responsibilities while trying to be a writer. The treatment of his marriage to Monroe and his insights into her personality are very worthwhile, as are the discussions of his plays, particularly "Salesman." However, the reader could easily have been spared much of the tedious detail that dominates much of this great tome.

In an interview conducted before he wrote this book, Miller said, "I think memoirs, autobiography...can help to translate chaos into something that is a useable past. Give an image where there was only a blur." He suggests the kind of autobiography he would be interested in writing would be more about the time he was living rather than his life, so a reader would "come away from it somehow a little heavier than he went into it." In all of this, TIMEBENDS succeeds wonderfully. I learned a great deal more about the textures, realities and signficance of the 1930s, 40s and 50s through his observations and images than through any linear professional histories. A bonus for those who enjoy seeing and reading Miller's plays is his deliberate selection of significant events and people in his life that show up in the plays in one way or another. And he does have great stories and observations about famous people--Olivier, Clark Gable, etc.-- that are the more conventional pleasures of show biz autobios. Even if he wasn't among the most important American dramatists of our time--perhaps the most important--this book would be a significant literary accomplishment. Miller is a careful writer, so readers perhaps unused to tact and understatement in memoirs are advised to look beyond their expectations to what he actually says. Yet his chapters on Marilyn Monroe were vivid and gave me more of an impression of her as a person than anything else I've read. Miller's voice brings all of this varied material together, and so the reader might approach this book as if listening to a great storyteller. This is a book full of heart, humor, wisdom and perspectives not found elsewhere. It is a treasure and a gift.

This autobiography, written by Miller at age 72, strikes the reader immediately with his wonderful writing style. He does not march year by year through his life but bobs and weaves subtly bending time with his abundant dramatic talent. It is a pleasure to read. But so much in his life! It does go on and on. It is a book for leisure, not speed, reading. He brings to live the Depression Age, insight into our real life in World War II, the ugliness of the House un-American Activities Committee and McCarthyism (he was convicted of contempt for Congress for refusal to name names though the conviction was later overturned upon appeal), and of course he writes on his successes of his plays All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, the Crucible and of many others as well as his failures. All this with Marilyn Monroe yet to come! He seems continually embroiled in injustice and wrenching emotional turmoil. With his third wife, in his 40s, he gets his emotional life together but still pursues freedom for writers as a president of PEN. Miller, now 85, still writes and has recently published 60 years of collected essays entitled as Echoes Down the Corridor. Some of the material covers the events covered in TimeBends, but TimeBends is much more interesting.

By the title itself 'Using...', simply means HOW to use Visual Foxpro? It is the best guide for developers who are new and for some who wanted to learn Visual Foxpro as a database development tool. For sure, the learning curve of a newbie VFP developer will be shortened when using this book.

I have numerous VFP books and am firmly a VFP 6.0 user. I have found this book to be awesome for beginner to advanced. Very, very well written.

I've actually found it more usable than the subsequent Que title "Using Visual FoxPro 6" - which has different authors and different approach. Que should have simply upgraded their 5.0 title.

You won't be sorry with this one.

bigchip@aol.com

Simply the best book for learning Foxpro. Mr. Antonovich's style makes it easy to grasp all the new concepts that have come along with Foxpro's adoption of OOP model. Also an outstanding Foxpro and database reference.