The maps of this book are too difficult to read, and while there are numerous references to specific Pennsylvania counties, there is no map of the counties for which to refer. The subtitle, "and the Northeast" seems to have been an afterthought. Little attention is given to the region outside of Pennsylvania. Most disappointing are glaring omissions, such as the absence of the Tiger Salamander from the key to salamander larvae. The formatting of the text is unfriendly and it is difficult to quickly flip to a species account, as the headings are of the same font and set off very little from the rest of the text. The original morphometric data in the appendix is one nice feature of the book.

The Book is very good for identifing PA species. It contains a good set of color plates, a identication key and text describing the species. The text describing reproduction and habitat is also quite good. The downside of the book is the range maps. Inside of PA the author uses dots at specific locations, outside of Pa the author shades the area that the species occurs in. The specific location dots in PA are not complete. Overall I would recomend this book for people who wish to learn about and identify Pennsylvania's Reptiles and Amphibians.

The rest of you may like this, but I just personally don't. It just has a boring plot, finding the Popular Girl magazine and just taking that popularity test. So if I were you I wonldn't read this boring book.

I have mostly all the Arthur chapter books, and this is almost at the top of the list. I liked this book because Sue Ellen and Fern want to find out what their "friendship rating" is. But since the magazine with the test is for teenagers, it wasn't a good test for them. Read the book to find out why!

Arthur C. Clarke is most well-known for writing 2001: A Space Odyssey; Lord Dunsany for his fantastic The King of Elfland's Daughter and serving as a primary influence for H.P. Lovecraft. For such gifted writers, this correspondance is remarkably dull - mostly an eager, young, as-yet-unpublished Clarke fawning to his hero, who seems grateful for the attention. This collection is well-meaning but almost completely meritless.

Fenbug needs to get hir facts straight. Arthur C. Clarke was already a published author when he began to correspond with Lord Dunsany in 1944, and by 1956 -- the last year of their correspondence -- Clarke had published some of his best classic fiction, most notably Childhood's End (1953).

If engaging in reasoned dialogue on topics as fascinating as space exploration and imaginative literature is "fawning," then so be it.

This book is a valuable resource for literary scholars, fans of Clarke and/or Dunsany, and anyone with an interest in the early years of the Space Age. Keith Allen Daniels is to be commended for his editorial and publishing acumen, and for his understanding of the importance of these letters.

Although there are interesting facts about life in the Sixteenth Century, they are few and far between in this book. Probably a good doctorial thesis, this is a tedious, at times redundant, read

Readers should understand that this is not a historical novel, but a detailed narrative about Europe during a period of great religious, political, social and cultural upheaval. Tracing the lives of the Platter men, Thomas and his two sons, Felix and Thomas, Jr., the author reveals a society often overlooked by modern readers. While most historians deal with the political side only, LaDurie focuses on the religious turbulence that ultimately resulted in a new Europe. The fact that Thomas Platter, Sr., an illiterate peasant, was able to rise to a position of respected teacher and publisher, one who was a contemporary of Calvin, and published his Institutes, tells us much about the opportunities for social advancement during the period. Felix's experiences in southern France and his relationships with Spanish Jews sheds a great deal of light on another portion of "hidden history." The influence of the "New World" is also beginning to be felt across! the continent at this time. For any student of social geography or religious history, this book is an absolute treasure chest.

The Stories taken from the "Tales of Terror and Mystery"tion are good but the others are quite horrible. Also the version I have has 1 story missing "The Confession" and a fantastic tale from "T&M" is not part of this collection. Production values average. Buy that collection instead. A much better deal.

Writing in the early part of this century, Doyle (best known for creating Sherlock Holmes) created a series of horror stories with a bent towards spiritualism and mystery. The selection is a good range of work with some very strong entries. "The Case of Lady Sannox" and "The Leather Funnel" are particular stand-outs. Some of Doyle's is more dated than others, but still definitely worth a read.

I'm not sorry I bought this book, although it does have its weak spots. Basically this volume pulls together material from a small set of 19th century sources and presents the modern reader with a full set of information about the loss of HMS Captain and the controversy surrounding the reason for the loss - certainly a very specialized subject. This obscure event is important because historically the construction of wooden warships had been largely a matter of following time-honored rules of thumb, but with the advent of iron warships and new types of armament in the 1860s, it was not fully appreciated how these rules needed to be changed to avoid tragedies such as that described in this book. That the design of the Captain was fatally flawed due to the lack of understanding of technology changes at the time is a case perhaps similar to that of the British Comet airliner, which failed because its design occurred during a time of significant technology change (to pressurized jets), but its designers failed to realize fully the consequences of that change.

Besides filling in this little piece of naval history, another good part of the book was the author's semi-technical explanation of some of the basics of naval architecture, such as metacentric height and what it means in terms of a ship's stability and suitability as a gun platform. I've never come across a book which described this so well.

Apart from this, the book had its lesser moments as well. I suspect that these all derive from the author's attempt to fill a certain number of pages with material related to the main subject (because a 50-page book would have been a waste of time). The lengthy passages recounting or quoting from the court martial and exchanges of official communication following the loss are difficult to plow through, especially since they are written in the stilted and convoluted version of English used by upper-class Britons of the 19th century. And I suspect that the complaints voiced by another reviewer also are a result of the author's desire to fill pages, while almost entirely relying upon source material published over a century ago.

I know more now that before I read the book, so in the end, it was a worthwhile read for me.

The book seems at first glance well researched, and it reads well, although the writing style seems a tad tabloidish. I was quite impressed, and would have given this 5 stars, but for for two sections in the chapter, "Why Didn't They Ask Kernan?". This chapter almost seems to be trying to make a mountainous mystery out of a very small puzzle (how did the ship's boat float away so readily?), as if trying to make a big headline to attract more passersby. Then the coup de grace -- he throws in some psychic premonitions, taken with as much gullibility as the rest of the book demands hard evidence, even going so far as to claim that a few kinfolk back in England were disturbed in their sleep that very night. Out of 470 or so crew, this is hardly amazing, and the lack of anything more than second or third hand story telling is in stark contrast to the rest of the book.

I began to read with a much more critical eye after that. I have no doubt as to his general conclusions being correct, but I wonder how much of his evidence is hand picked out of context merely to support a conclusion reached before he began his book.

I still recommend reading this book, but I would suggest from a library before buying. It's not the kind of book I will go back to for good analysis, but only for the odd facts.

Thinkers like George Marsden have suggested that American higher education is without heart, its soul has been lost. While many universities once proudly sported a Christian identity, this distinctiveness has been lost in a sea of relativism and scientism. In Building the Christian Academy Holmes seeks to relocate the university's soul by tracing a set of themes consistently present throughout the history of Christian education. With his historically grounded argument, he shows that liberal learning can exist within a confessional context. His vision is for cross-disciplinary integration saturated in mentoring relationships. Holmes states his case strongest when he sagely observes,
"The unity of knowledge is at best an ideal, and integration an unending task, but it is nonetheless implicit in the theological conviction that truth is one coherent whole in the omniscient mind of God" (115).

The author finds four "recurring emphasis" that form the core of Christian education (2). These are:
1. The usefulness of liberal arts as preparation for service both to church and society.
2. The unity of truth.
3. Contemplative (or doxological) learning.
4. The care of the soul (what we call moral and spiritual formation).
In the contributions of the Alexandrian school, Augustine, Monastery and Cathedral schools, the Scholastic university, the Reformation, Francis Bacon, and Cardinal John Henry Newman the author finds precedence for these foci.

While this aim sounds compelling, Holmes' book is nevertheless in search of an identity. Building the Christian Academy dabbles in history and philosophy, especially church history and educational philosophy, and yet one particular focus in never established. The author spends most of his time rehashing the ideas other thinkers have had, rarely drawing his own conclusions or making an explicit case for the four themes he sees as central to higher education. To Holmes' credit he informs readers of the themes from the outset, however as one continues to read the proposed argument fails to find systematic treatment. This sporadic coverage is most unfortunate as the themes he suggests appear promising. Holmes seems more intent on referencing each theme than in the careful development of one. He seems impatient and hurried, leaving the reader to miss the import of what are possibly quite significant ideas. In addition, the paucity of primary sources and historical consciousness leaves us hungry for more refined scholarship. If anything the feeble heart of the book implicitly makes the case for specialization in academia (as opposed to eager generalists who are a "jack of all trades").

If the book were expanded significantly beyond its cursory 122 pages, or perhaps even extended into a four-volume series, a significant contribution would have been made to the history of Christian education. As it stands however, the book seems to be something of an afterthought, the result of an editor's deadlines and a professor's desire to publish, rather than the culmination of thoughtful reflection and careful historical contemplation. The choppy, erratic writing is unfortunate as the four themes he identifies appear to have promise in revitalizing Christian higher education. Building the Christian Academy starts with high aims but quickly settles for surface-level thought making it an unworthy read for those serious about the history of Christian education.

Dr. F. R. Bosch an apologist, researcher, and lecturer who integrates [Biblical] faith and knowledge, is a full-time university professor in Southern California, U.S.A.

Prof. Arthur F. Holmes is to be commended for undertaking this immense project, and being able to narrow it down to nine chapters, and one-hundred and nineteen pages. That is a feat in itself. Considering the breadth of the subject, this is a good abridged and succinct overview of the unfolding historical, philosophical and environmental events of the western Christian Academies. The book focuses on the earlier historical evolution of higher education, while briefly addressing contemporary discussions, practices, and the state of present Christian Academies (colleges/universities).

Holmes' book stimulates interactive reading. It perhaps generates more questions than there are answers. This being the case, some may think that the book fails to discuss the pertinent areas fully. Others, may believe that the subject is dealt with from a too narrow perspective, or perhaps the topic could have been addressed from several Christian traditions, allowing the reader to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject.

In the next to last page, Prof. Holmes advises that Christian Academies "must return to the liberal arts" in an effort to educate and prepare the whole person. To accomplish this "Christian scholarship must be cultivated, and we must focus on the theological foundations of learning." This sounds good. However, if the "right combination" of what is being proposed could have been found and applied in the earlier Christian Academies, we would have the near-perfect combination today or its derivation. Instead, today's Christian Academies (colleges/universities) are trying to figure out the right combination.

It seems that Christian Academies need to reevaluate and revisit their original reason for being. That is, their commission statements, their vision statements, and their mission statements. There may be a need to find understanding of what it means to be in the world, yet not being worldly. It would also seem prudent to consider what it means that our thoughts are not God's, thus our ways are not His. As an ancient wise man said - We can prove all things, but is the Lord convinced?

The connotation of "building" in the title of the book conveys the thought that there is a [lasting] foundation that weathers the ideological and theological storms of time. The proposal of the Liberal Arts being the means to offer a "rounded" preparation - an education that ultimately leads students to become God-cognizant and make God-connections seems idealistic. Liberal Arts education alone is not going to cause students to make a God-connection. The history of Christian and non-Christian liberal arts colleges and universities have sufficiently demonstrated this.

It seems more prudent and realistic to advocate that a Liberal Arts education that takes place in the Christian context, where the foundational Biblical absolutes are taught is more likely to stimulate God-connections. However, the history of Christian institutions of higher learning seems to confirm that in their attempt to "adjust" to the times, they have compromised, and, sometimes, even rescinded their principal reason for being. Advocating what worked in the past and simply updating through accommodation will fall short of being successful.

It may be the "high-noon" for Christianity to recapture the Spirit of early-Christianity that led the Church and its early-academies. It caused them to rise not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of revelation and use the tools of the times to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ. Twenty-first century Christianity must express the Biblical Absolutes in contemporary terms. It must rediscover how to communicate and apply its absolutes - Truth, while divorcing itself from the outdated tools of the past. If this is not possible, then it must cease to promote its Biblical teachings as infinite and absolute. This may sound brash, albeit, it is the stark reality. Either God is true and His Word is absolute or not. Christian Academies need to equip themselves to communicate a message that has not changed from a God that changes not, or they are fooling themselves.

Perhaps Christian Academies also need gifted "prophets" to proclaim God's pertinent words of how Christian Academies can make a paradigm shift to relate to the twenty-first century while retaining and embracing the distinctive absolutes of the Christian faith without watering them down, compromising, or allowing them to be regarded as outdated and no longer relevant to post-modernism, or what some are beginning to call post-Christian.

In my humble opinion: Despite the claim about being #1 (actually, the Capstone game at ... is far more popular as well as more complete), this product is from the technological dark ages. From what I can see, it was designed as a DOS-based, off-line product, that has been shoehorned onto the Internet, and shows it. I believe the teacher training is minimal; the technical support is deficient; and the product itself lacks the sophistication one would expect from a university text.

I have used The Business Strategy Game (BSG) for almost ten years and have seen its technical aspects improve in very significant ways. As far as I am concerned, BSG is quite good technically. The main reason for using this game is to teach strategy, not computer gamesmanship. BSG serves that purpose very well. It is complex in terms of the number and types of decisions to be made, but has a simple product (athletic shoes) that students can relate to and understand. (I have evaluated Capstone and believe that it is unnecessarily complex for my needs.) I use BSG as a supplement to an undergraduate Strategic Management course, so I want something that teaches strategy and the implications of one's strategic decisions, without having too much complexity that can get in the way. BSG does that very well. I think it deserves its position as the #1 strategy computer simulation.

Does no one notice that there is no reason to return to this play for the second act?

Camelot has to be one of the best plays I've ever read. It has such in depth characters and their personality's just pour out of the book. I would definitely suggest to read this book, it was amazing.

While the book's premise is excellent and the use of eye-witness accounts laudable, the numerous typos, inconsistencies and errors make one feel unable to trust the information presented. (On page 9, we "learn" that the battle of Vitoria occurred in 1815!) The typos are truly jolting: "filed" for field; "Moor" for Moore; "form" for from, "Sit" for Sir. And that's just in the first three pages. The author states that this is book doesn't claim to be an "academic or definitive work," but it's unusual for a work on this subject (and at this price! - $35 at the bookstore) to be so poorly presented. There's good stuff in it, but who knows what's accurate and what isn't? A real disappointment.

While the book does contain spelling errors and in general suffers from poor editing, the orders of battle are very precise, and a must for wargamers. The maps and battle descriptions are also excellent. I'd recommend this book to any wargamer or history buff interested in the peninsular war.

Amin