I have no doubt that the Holocaust occurred or that Sherman & Grobman provide a useful compendium with which to answer those who say that it didn't. But the authors are naively confident about both the nature of "historical science" and the motivations of Holocaust deniers. "Real revision" and "dogmatic denial" are not necessarily opposites; they may be points on a sliding scale. The authors' discussion of Derek Freeman's critique of Margaret Mead (247-48) reveals what a weak reed peer review can be, and that six of the fifteen attendees at the Wannsee Conference held doctorates in law ought suggest the limitations of entrusting the search for truth to professional elites. Despite the their attempts at evenhandedness, Sherman and Grobman promote their own ideologies as much as Holocaust deniers do. Biases drive their conclusions as well. Sherman and Grobman are right about the Holocaust, less so in regard to the nature of history or the nature of man.

Passions tend to boil with the subject of Holocaust denial, so one would expect, when reading this book, to see some rather heated language. However it does not happen; Shermer and Grobman are cool and methodical as they tackle this thorny subject.

This is as valuable a source on historical methodology as I have seen in quite some time. The authors could simply have dealt with the issue of Holocaust denial, but they choose also to discuss the very nature of the science of history, and how proper historical methodology must be adhered to if the past is to be protected from distortion. The authors draw clear boundaries between legitimate revision and deceptive denial posing as revision. "It is not enough for deniers to concoct an alternative explanation that amounts to nothing more than denying each piece of free-standing evidence. They must proffer a theory that not only explains all of the evidence but does so in a manner superior to the present theory. This they have not done." (p. 172) That is as concise an explanation of what defines true revision as you will find.

The authors methodically confront each of the deniers' contentions, and refute them one by one. The deniers' sloppy methodology (deliberate or otherwise), inconsistent standards regarding evidence, or simple distortion of the historical record are exposed for all to see. The authors accomplish this without resorting to any name-calling. They let the evidence (or lack thereof) speak for itself.

The authors also examine the background of the deniers, showing that the deniers are far from being simple seekers of truth. A clear agenda is at work, and the deniers' claims that they are simple students of history, trying to clarify the historical record, simply doesn't wash.

There have criticisms in other reviews that the authors do not discuss the millions of other victims of the Holocaust, but this is hardly the point of the book. The authors make it clear and explicit that they are dealing with the issue of Holocaust denial and the distortion of history, and are not embarking on an extended discussion of the nature of the Holocaust itself.

It is evident to me that the importance of the sanctity of history, and protecting it from distortion for ideological purposes, is as important to the authors as the specific subject of Holocaust denial. The final chapter, "The Rape of History," mentions the Holocaust only at the end of a lengthy discussion of revision versus denial. The conclusion of this chapter reads, "Whatever else it might be, history is the primary story of the storytelling animal, the narrative of our past that offers meaning to our present and, ultimately, our future." (p. 256) Distorting that past robs us of our meaning today.

No matter your field of interest, if you are a student of history you will find this book invaluable.

The most qualified people tend to underestimate the most ridiculous arguments, because they have a good handle on why they're ridiculous, and ignore them. That gives the ridiculous arguments a chance to catch hold in the minds of those susceptible to the emotions those arguments are designed to serve. I got Denying History so I would have ammunition the next time I ran into a Holocaust denier, and the book delivered. The authors are meticulous and authoritative, and their tone is even -- passionate in places without being hysterical or angry.

What I did not expect from Denying History was the way the final chapter shows us how the tools we use to determine the Holocaust occurred and that its denial is more pathology than history can also be used to determine the same about other historical (or pseudohistorical) movements. By selecting an example that, despite its usefulness, is also an easy and noncontroversial target, Shermer and Grobman are able to teach us the tools we will need to challenge beliefs that may be closer to our hearts, without the resistance we might feel if the authors took a straight run at our own personal sacred calves.

That's the surprise ending of Denying History. I thought I was getting an excellent education on a single pseudohistorical issue, Holocaust denial. Instead, almost by stealth, I was getting an excellent education on all of them.

I've been catching up on Wells' work lately, and up to this point, I've been fairly impressed. His best work, written at the turn of the century, holds up fairly well: it's entertaining and thought-provoking (The Time Machine, War of the Worlds).

I wasn't very impressed with this book, however. It doesn't read like his other works. The story probably could have been told in 20 or so pages, definitely a short-story candidate. I was amazed that Wells stretched this out to its present length, as the middle 40-odd pages were quite dull and really didn't go anywhere.

The science behind the story (while iffy, of course), is fascinating. Griffin is a great character, but more could have been done with him, besides his spending so much time having to convince people that he IS, in fact, invisible ("I am invisible. I really am an invisible man", etc, etc). It gets mind-numbing after a while. I guess the biggest let-down of the book is the fact that the title gives everything away. Once you've seen the cover, you pretty much have it; no real surprises. Yep, he's invisible, and there ya go.

What a great idea to assemble scifi icons from Star Trek to perform various H.G. Wells's classics! Of the works they've performed are: The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, The First Men in the Moon, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

This audio recording of The Invisible Man was easy listening, and fun too. It's definitely worth a listen. I'm going to have to check out the others!

One side note, obviously the original work was abridged and adapted for audio drama. You'll still want to read the classic.

Okay, so Wells didn't load the book with the violence seen in the recent movie Hollow Man. Consider when the book was written, and what was comparable at the time. I, for one, was engrossed in the book and read it in about three sittings.

Wells excellently portrayed Griffin (Invisible Man) as a man crossing back and forth from sanity to madness. You may catch yourself considering how you would overcome his difficulties, or how you might abuse his power.

What really stood out for me was the tongue-in-cheek undertones Wells incorporated into the story, such as the cockney dialect and rustic behavior of the people of Iping. Also, consider Wells' narration during intense moments, such as the fight between Griffin and the people of Iping...
"...[Huxter's] shin was caught in some mysterious fashion, and he was no longer running, but flying with inconceivable rapidity through the air. He saw the ground suddenly close to his face. The world seemed to splash into a million whirling specks of light, and subsequent proceedings interested him no more."
Later elaboration of the events included the terrifying realization that Griffin was "smiting and overthrowing, for the mere satisfaction of hurting."

If you find the book difficult to follow, try the version adapted by Malvina Vogel, complete with illustrations by Pablo Marcos. It's not as powerful, but easier to understand.

I am a medical student at Texas A&M USHSC COM. Moore's is an excellent text for basic anatomy. They have included excellent drawings and the content is complete. Added bonuses to the text include insightful clinical correlation and appropriate embryological try-ins. The text appears wordy and most medical students will try to use a review book in its stead. This would be a mistake. Students who read Moore will retain more anatomy all the way into clinicals and will be ahead of their peers who did not. Overall this is a very fine text: best used in conjunction with Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy and Langman's Medical Embryology. *I will mention here, in fact, that the embryo text by Moore (The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology) does not meet the same high standard and is wrought with errors.

I thoroughly enjoyed studying anatomy with the Moore's book. The illustrations are great--I especially found the individual drawings of the leg and arm muscles helpful, and the 3-D drawings of the pelvic region helped me to better visualize this complex area. I was able to study most of the time from Moore and only had to use the Color Atlas of Anatomy as a reference.

The text was clearly written and very detailed. At times, it was more detailed than my first year anatomy class, but I was able to skip or skim these sections. I don't think I ever found Moore to be lacking in information.

I found the boxes highlighting attachments, function, or distribution for nerves, vessels, and muscles to be very helpful. They proved to be a quick reference.

Finally, the blue boxes with clinical information made anatomy so much more interesting. I learned many relevant facts and applied, clinical anatomy.

I am a first year medical student in San Salvador, El Salvador. I recently finished my course in gross anatomy, using the text by K. Moore. I found the orientation and discussion of the different chapters fascinating. He Illustrates exacly what we will see in cadaver, pinpointing everything down to the last details. I remember searching for the craneal pairs in a variety of different books, and never finding them explained as specifically and accurately as K. Moore does. Also, the illustrations in the book are so precise and artistically made, there was no need for an atlas to study. I think this is a book medical students should know more about, since it covers practically every single detail in gross anatomy. Guillermo García Mayorga, San Salvador, El Salvador

Reading a book by James Van Praagh is like sitting down with your best friend for coffee. He is down to earth yet knowledgeable in addition to being kind and sympathetic. "Healing Grief" is an important book not only for those suffering a recent loss but also for those of us who have not properly grieved a loss from the past. As I read the book, I was immediately taken back to my grief over the loss of a very important relationship in my life. I still grieve this loss after five years because I have not properly dealt with the attending emotions. Going through James' checklists and steps for dealing with grief helped a great deal. I'm better prepared now to deal with loss in the future. I will read this book over and over again and purchase more copies for friends and loved ones when they experience a loss.

"Healing Grief" is the most important book written so far by James Van Praagh, because grief is such a devastating emotion. We cannot imagine our life without our loved one who has been taken and nothing will bring him or her back. In my homeland, Estonia, at the end of WWII, in the fall of 1944, when the Germans retreated and the Russians advanced toward Berlin, my father, who served in the Red Army, visited with us briefly. He had been mobilized four years before, and we hadn't heard of him in all those years, and now he was with us. The hope that one day we will be all together was revived... Two days passed quickly and he went back to war. Two weeks after he left, we received the official announcement that he was killed in battle. I was 10 years old. I wore my heart on my sleeve and declared my personal war against God. Of course, I never won it, but my anger, bitterness and vulnerability almost ruined my life. And in a materialist society it took decades until the idea of the eternal life of the soul reached my consciousness and started slow but steady healing.

Read James Van Praagh's "Healing Grief." This book will teach you not to harm yourself or the soul of your loved one in its transition. Over and over again this book will prove that the soul lives on and one day you will meet your loved one again. "Healing Grief" will remind you that you are not alone, it will help you let your pain and anger go, move on with your life and get in touch with your wisdom -- it is there, in your heart, buried under the pain, its voice can be heard, if you only try... END

The skeptics and fundamentalists can say whatever they want. There is no doubt in my mind that James Van Praagh is a talented medium as well as a sincere, compassionate person. I've read all three of his books and give them all five stars. I don't see any point in doing a review unless I can give it five stars. This books combines very good advice on dealing with grief -- from death, divorce, and other stressful events during our lifetime, but what really made the book for me were the very interesting, intriguing, and inspirational stories he mixed in about grieving people who have had sittings with him. Loved ones on the other side would come through and provide clear-cut, evidential information that helped the grieving ones overcome their grief. Some of them are real tearjerkers. Once a person can overcome his or her fear of death, once that person can embrace death, life becomes more meaningful, less stressful, and much more enjoyable. Thank God for James Van Praagh.

As many may know, All My Sons was Miller's first play. In it he supplies enough drama to leave you in tears. The struggle of a family to pull back together after a great crime has been comitted is at the heart of the matter. Joe Keller chooses to ignore his responsibility to the loss of 121 American pilots in WWII, seeing as to how he approved the shipping of deffective plane engine cylinders. After what seems to everyone else as pulling a fast one, Joe basically gets away with murder and tries to pretend it never happened. His neighbors know, his old business partners know, and more importantly, his family knows. The question to ask yourself when you read this magnificent play is: Who would I relate to? Would I try to ignore my responsibilities like Joe? Or would I struggle to confront my father like Chris? If you've read other reviews about this play and you haven't read it yet, I do apologize for others giving away the ending. In case this is the only review you've read, I'll tell you this: Read the play already and don't read any reviews after this one. It's not that they are bad; it's just that you run the risk of the end being revealed, and then what would be the point? The end is what will captivate your heart.

This play is magnificient. I won't tell you the plot, because you really need to read it for yourself. If you enjoyed The Crucible and Death of a Salesman, this should be the next Miller book to your library. A great play to put on also.

A driving piece of work that sets up Miller's continual theme of personal versus business ethics.

When I first opened the book and read the first few lines, it was easy to tell that this book was going to be easy to read. But aside from that, All My Sons is filled with much symbolism, foreshadowing, and just a great plot.

The story is unique, the conflicts are twisting, and the ending is shocking. I've yet to read many novels or plays that contained all of these features.

I think what makes this play great is that it is written so a child can read it, yet the theme can relate to anyone young or old.

This book, from the beginning was a bit scary. I say scary in the fact that it is a very thick book. I did not let that stop me, and a beautiful story unfolded before me. It is true that this story has a slow beginning, but if you hang in there you won't want to put the book down. The setting, the characters, the whole meat of this book is will draw you the reader so into the book that you will find it hard to put the book down. I personally love fantasy books. If you don't, after this one maybe you'll reconsider. Basically we get to watch how merlin handles the task of raising the soon to be king Arthur. There are many tasks and obstacles that merlin and his apprentice must overcome. It comes to an action-packed conclusion that you should not miss. Take my word for it and read thisa book. Like I said, it starts off slow but it will go 90mph as soon as you reach the second part of the book.

Merlinus Ambrosius, gifted physician and enchanter is vividly brought to life in this historical fiction by Mary Stewart. The gift of this book is how Stewart "humanizes" all of the characters, she literally brings them to life right before our eyes and the results are unforgettable.

This is a painstakingly detailed account of the pre Camelot legend from Merlin's prospective. There is no better telling of the rise of King Arthur, and you will have chills when you read Stewart's account of the how he pulled the sword from the stone. It's as if you are right there in the midst of the action. The entire book is mesmerizing!

Every page is drenched in imagery and descriptive detail. Mary Stewart has a very sharp pen, and a strong command of the english language. She tells a fascinating and beautiful tale. Don't miss this one.

Four stars because it moves slow, but is well worth your time.

Cris

I started this book with the expectation that it would be equal to it's mediocre prequel. I soon found, however, that Mary Stewart's book "The Hollow Hills" far outdoes "The Crystal Cave". Though both books follow the legend of Arthur fairly well "The Hollow Hills" has more action and the ending is much more satisfying. "The Hollow Hills" continues right from where "The Crystal Cave" leaves off. The main character is the powerful and wise sorcerer, Merlin. The book follows his struggle raising the young Arthur and helping Arthur rise to the position of High King of all Britain. All throughout this there are spies and bounty hunters hired to kill Arthur before he reaches the age he can claim the crown. This book shows a unique view on the Arthurian legends. Instead of following a knight of the round table or the king himself, as in many of the books about King Arthur, it follows a character who appears in most every legend about the infamous King. This book gives Merlin's perspective on all of the events that made King Arthur's life into legend. The book follows Arthurian legend well. Of course, there can be no story that perfectly follows the legend because there are thousands and thousands of legends pertaining to King Arthur. Even though they cannot be all represented in a single interpretation, "The Hollow Hills" follows as many of them as possible without contradicting itself. I does, however, go against some of the more well known legends such as the origin of Excalibur. Mary Stewart is an incredible writer. She describes everything very well without becoming annoyingly detailed. The world that she creates for this book is beautifully sculpted with her masterfully chosen words. All of her characters come alive when reading the book. Unfortunately, the beautiful setting which Mary Stewart uses for this book is not a very realistic representation of Medieval ages. The threat of starvation and disease that ran rampant in those times isn't very well represented. Though the book starts off a little bit slow, after it catches the reader up with the events from the first book, "The Crystal Cave", it quickly speeds up. Mary Stewart uses suspense to keep her readers interested. The suspense also makes the book hard to put down, which is a good attribute for a book. I picked up this book and read through all 436 pages in less than a week. There are simply no good places to put the book down at. The ending leaves the reader satisfied but still wanting to read more. Mary Stewart leaves it so that there can be a sequel but can be read as an individual book and still be appreciated for its full value. The reader looses very little by not reading the other books but still gains very much by reading the others. "The Hollow Hills" is an excellent book about a very interesting time in history. It's a fast paced book and is full of action and suspense. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in King Arthur. I can't wait to read the other two books in the series.

Bobby's first hand account of the Cuban missile crisis was obviously written with an eye toward his 1968 presidential bid. In fact he was assassinated before compelling it, although the complete story is told. Not surprisingly he pays tribute to his mattered brother and if anything downplays his own role. Quite an interesting device, presenting the author as humble as well as battle hardened. The interpretation it presents, with both Khrushchev and JFK portrayed as being eager for a face saving piece is quite familiar (an easy position to take since Khrushchev was out of power and thus not a potential threat). It is other unnamed powers in Russia that are blamed for the hard line position of the USSR. Interesting to note the demand of the Russians that the US remove the missiles in Turkey and Kennedy's claim that his brother had already ordered it and the order was not carried out to a bureaucratic snafu Well written and easy reading, 13 Days is a quickie, a bit of historical candy for junkies. Highly recommended for its insight into the events, as well as the intentions of one of America's best-loved martyrs.

While I was not yet born when RFK and JFK were alive, I would have to say they are two of the greatest men in American history. Robert Kennedy brings his readers closer to a situtation that is almost beyond the scope of the human mind. His account of the Cuban Missile Crisis makes us realize how close we have come to the end and absolutely shows us that it is only because of great men we are here. This book reminds us how close we came to the end and the critical role Jack and Bobby played in bringing us back. I only hope that current and future leaders of the world read this account and understand what they understood...we are all mortal and we all love our children. Those are the things that will save us, Jack and Bobby knew that and it is obvious in this extrodrinary book.

"Thirteen Days", a memoir by Robert Kennedy has become one of the most insightful and behind-the-scenes accounts of one of the most studied military confrontations in history. It was a time in which the world looked nuclear annihilation directly in the eyes over the course of 13 dramatic days in October of 1962.

RFK, an intricate player throughout the process, lays out in chilling recollection the Cuban Missile Crisis and how close we actually came to that fateful day when the world's superpowers would square off with nuclear weapons. RFK's first-hand account articulately provides a perspective on what was going on in the minds of the players involved. It allows the reader to understand the enormous weight their decisions carried, as well as all of the pressures that affected each of them.

While a generation remembers a stoic President Kennedy giving his on-air address condemning the soviet supply of offensive weapons into Cuba, "13 Days" brings into account all of the human factors that affected these men as they sought to do what they felt was right.

This was a time in our nation's history when leadership was most needed. With the encouragement of the President, these individuals sought to learn from the mistakes of the past while also sympathizing with the Soviets who were also thrust into this position. The Soviets would not let a military attack go unwarranted, but at the same time had families of their own and ultimately wanted the same outcome from this standoff; a peaceful conclusion.

The decisions that were made by the ExComm would impact the history of the world and all of its inhabitants. It was a trying time that tested the souls of the leaders of the world and proved to be a turning point in world events. As JFK security advisor McGeorge Bundy aptly put it, "Having come so close to the edge, we must make it our business not to pass this way again." President Kennedy did his best to put it all in perspective; "For in the final analysis, our most basic link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

"13 Days" lays out the sequence of events that brought us all to this realization. It is a historical account that also touches upon the fragility of human nature and teaches us all a valuable lesson about our own mortality.

The most horrific thing about this book is its title. My assumption in reading the reviews for this book (and reading its title) was that it would tell how some regular guys built the Home Depot from scratch, starting with an idea and building it into an empire.

Instead what you get is the CEO and CFO of another home improvement company starting Home Depot along with an investment banking friend that lands them in front of a potential investor that happens to be a billionaire (Ross Perot). Somehow they don't seem like just regular guys anymore.

The information in the book is okay, but it was really hard for me to get past this outrageous title that is nothing more than a lie. There are better business books out there on how to start a successful company from scratch. Try Sandra Kurtzig's CEO: How to Build a $200 Million Company from the Ground Up.

The story of The Home Depot is one of the greatest success stories of our time. Finally, we can all learn the keys to this success from the two great leaders who built it. This engaging book gives us the inside story. One great lesson is the importance of values for success in business and life. The book gives us a clear sense of the values that drive The Home Depot and its exemplary leaders. Co-founders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank show by this book another key tool to their success -- read this book and you will see that great leaders can and should be great communicators.

I just finsihed reading this book and it is undoubtedly high quality material. Anyone reading this book gets a very informative history of the Home Depot and the two owners behind it. You also get a clear picture of the management style of the company as well as what their priorities are. I am not a do it yourself person when it comes to home maintenance so last wekend I decided to view the experience from the inside of one of Home Depot's stores. Not expecting to buy anything, I left with four items that I could use for my apartment. Let me tell you, the associates are all fairly nice people and the shelves are stacked up high. Was everything perfect in the store, no, but we all could improve ourselves in someway. Anyway, as a shareholder in the company, I am proud to say that this is a company that is going to be around for a long time. And this book truly depicts the Home Depot environment very well as it focuses on a very large audience.

Yes, some people get upset because Randi uses a sarcastic tone in his writing. But that is just part of the fun of reading his books. This Encyclopedia is an excellent book for starters in critical thinking. By explaining how crop circles are made, the secrets of Uri Geller, the Bermuda Triangle "phenomena" and other supernatural claims, you will be in touch with the information deprived from us by the media (just look how many times Fox-TV transmitted the "Alien autopsy", but they only transmitted once the program about how the hoax was made). Excellent reading. Highly recommended.

James Randi's encyclopedia is a fun, fun read. It's virtually a history of superstitious beliefs, as well as an overview of conjuring ("the art of seeming to perform genuine magic") and the basics of applying logic to illogical claims. The entries range from "Nessie" to "crop circles" to "thoughtography," and they are often peppered with hilarious asides. The entry on "om," for example, cites the Hindu notion that "whoever knows this syllable obtains whatever he wishes." "Well, now YOU know it, too," writes Randi. "Good luck." To be sure, the volume gets a bit tedious at times, but this has much more to do with the silly and unsubstantial nature of the subject matter than with Randi. In fact, it's almost a miracle that anyone can so entertainingly present material so inherently dry and silly. I say "almost" because, of course, miracles don't really exist. Oh, and Randi provides the best explanation of "parsimony" I have ever read. This perpetually maligned concept, better known as "Occam's razor," is here defined with clarity and completeness. Those who take this concept to mind and heart will have a kind of real-life talisman against irrational nonsense. The concept describes precisely what credulous believers in the occult do NOT do.

Rest assured that James Randi's curmudgeon persona is purely an act. A couple years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting this charming and gracious man in person, and I'm happy to say that a good amount of that charm finds its way into the entries. Very highly recommended!

James Randi is one of the most respected writers giving a skeptical view of claims of the paranormal. In this book, he covers a huge range of topics and hence cannot do any in detail. But there's enough on each topic so you have a single reference where you can do a quick check and then go to more detailed books (like some of Randi's others) for the topics about which you want more. This knowledge needs to get out - or people will go on believing the pseudoscience because there is a lack of alternative explanations. I hope Randi keeps writing and making a noise around the world on this crucial topic.

Not a bad idea, but poorly executed.

This books is incredibly dry - full of scientific facts and future history that reads exactly like a history text book. We are only introduced to one character, and even then we only get brief vingettes of his life that do little to get us involved. In the end I just couldn't care if he lived or died or if the Earth was destroyed. Who cares?

Don't waste your time.

Just to declare my interest up-front, I'm a professional astronomer who observers comets and asteroids and has observed quite a few asteroids of the type that could impact the Earth. That's why I bought this book!

I've read a number of books that use well-aimed comets and asteroids to bring universal doom - it's a subject which has been well-exploited in the last few years. Some books, like "Lucifer's Hammer" (by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle) are far superior in detail, although set in the present, rather than Clarke's far future. Compared to some of the books that I have read, the Hammer of God was disappointly light-weight.

What I will acknowledge it the future setting which Arthur C. Clarke invents and which is far more interesting and realistic in many senses than the Earth-impact part of the plot.

I'd settle for Rendezvous with Rama over this book any time. I enjoyed the read, but as light entertainment. It isn't one of Arthur C. Clarke's great books, but it's fun if you don't take it too seriously. Frankly though, I don't understand the multiple 5-star reviews that appear above.

Clarke's use of short chapters adds to the breakneck pace of this book. Clarke's use of genuine science has always struck a chord with me. As a result, I read his books not only for recreation, but for the learning experience which usually accompanies them. The subject matter has received recent exposure with a pair of films regarding the approach of an asteroid, so it's interesting to see how Clarke handles it. The only negative? I thought the characters were a bit flat. Otherwise, if you like Clarke, give this one a look.