I started listening to the audio tape some time ago in the car, and was initially somewhat ambivalent about the program. However, within fifteen minutes, I was thoroughly engaged, and fifteen minutes after that, wiping held-back tears from the corners of my eyes, wondering if "Nathaniel" (as in Hale) would be a good name for my future son.

Our forefathers, with courage and genius, created the most immitated society the world has ever known. How proud and fortunate this audio book makes one feel. I'm committed to listening to it with my teenage nieces and nephews on a "captive" drive sometime. It'll be a great topic for discussion.

This book was a gift from my uncle, and one that I was thrilled to receive. I have a passion for learning about the Founders and the War that defined the way we live today. The author brings out the best quotes, poems, and letters from the most influential men in American history. Their level of devotion is unparalleled throughout the world. I find it most admirable that these men relied on God for their wisdom and through prayer and faith they pledged their "sacred honor" to the cause. I am only a high school student, but I understand that these values apply to everyone in every class. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for God or guidance.

Our form of government has been the most lasting, widespread innovation in modern history. As wonderful as that is, in many ways it is even more wonderful to return to the frame of mind and the values that engendered this invention.

Although (as Bill Bennett rightly points out) our founding Fathers (and Mothers) often fell far short of their own ideals and were profoundly skeptical about the potential of people to do the right thing, they also aspired to a kind of virtue on Earth that combined true nobility of spirit and deed with good relations towards others.

Bennett has put these ideals into the following categories: patriotism and courage; love and courtship; civility and friendship; education of the head and heart; industry and frugality; justice; and piety. You can dip your inquisitive toe into any of these, whenever you want. .... I suggest that in addition to buying a copy for yourself, that you plan to give this book as a gift to your children and grandchildren as they reach the age when they will begin to make important moral choices for themselves. .... In most cases, I felt like the material here was stating timeless principles that do apply today ....

Bennett does a nice job as editor in explaining the context of each passage. His love of these people, these ideals, and these words is obvious. It will move you. And hopefully inspire you to follow the good advice in those words.

Nicely done, Bill Bennett! This is a good use of history . . . to help us learn not to repeat the mistakes of the past needlessly.

Good work and a must have for people dealing with networks daily.

I totally agree with the other reviewers. Reading this book is an enjoyment.

Better yet, this book has both to-the-point explaination _and_ example on all topics.

I would say, if you wanted to learn tricks to doing things, this is for you. Don't forget this book concludes with full examples/templates showing how people configure their ISP core and edge routers/switches.

Written especially for network engineers by Cisco experts Barry Raveendran Greene and Philip Smith, Cisco ISP Essentials is a 428-page, matter-of-fact, "access friendly" guide to the many versions of Cisco IOS Software, and cogently explains how to ensure the best configurations that provide Internet access, as well as having a reasonable expectation of security. Offering a wealth of detailed technical information at the expert level, configuration diagrams, examples, and much, much, more, Cisco ISP Essentials is an indispensable and recommended guide, serving the Cisco using community as a much-needed supplement to the often confusing documentation of the Cisco IOS Software itself.

Philip Von Borries's Racelines is an anthology of 42-horseracing-related stories written from 1979 through 1998. In his introduction Von Borries calls them stories once and articles twice, and his sports-journalism and folksy writing make both designations accurate. Most of his stories are tributes to horseracing's racers, riders, and trainers, but he also includes one for a longtime horseracing photographer and another for a Civil War General. Imbedded within some essays are added tributes to owners and grooms, but, while tributes supply the majority of Von Borries's stories, there is much variety in this anthology.

Some of Von Borries's stories are not stories. Instead, one is a list of humorous horseracing expressions and another a two-page glossary of horseracing terms. Yet another is a catalog of 100 horseracing films, including Von Borries's top ten and ten more given honorable mention, and another is a list of black horsemen and the Triple-Crown races they have won as either jockeys or trainers. In several tributes, Von Borries introduces his protagonist with background data before getting to his horseracing feats. For example, in "The Wizard of Orleans," about horseracing photographer Louis Nevin Hodges, Sr., Von Borries tells us early that Hodges, age 70, is mild mannered, represents goodness, but is not ordinary. Further, he tempts us when he tells of his visit to Hodges's den, "lined with pictures of the most famous racehorses in American racing history, a mere sample of what passed through his lens from the late 1940s to the early 1980s" (44). By the time Von Borries finishes his pre-story buildup, we want to know how Hodges achieved horseracing fame between the late 1940s and early 1980s, and the author does not disappoint. But don't expect detail. Von Borries's short stories provide only biographical sketches with the brunt of his coverage related to his subject's major achievements in the world of horseracing. Background buildup is a strategy employed often and successfully by Von Borries.

Another strategy Von Borries employs, even if unwittingly, is to explore the variety of horseracing history. His essay, "War and Peace," is about how Civil War Union General Philip Henry Sheridan, the first president of old Washington Park Racetrack in Chicago, helped limit the devastating Chicago fire of 1871 with fire breaks. The horse industry's tribute was to name a race, the Sheridan Stakes, after the general in 1884. The race has been an annual event since. Von Borries also includes several biographical sketches of black horsemen prominent in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. "Cruising Past 7,000 and Climbing" furnishes biographical sketches of eleven trainers with 3,000 or more wins to their credit, and "Giant: Cigar's Win streak" includes capsule histories of the 23 American thoroughbreds with the longest winning streaks dating back to the 18th century. If there is a weakness in Von Borries's enjoyable writing, it lies in the sameness and overzealous nature of his tributes. For example, when the standardbred, Niatross, broke the one mile pacing record in October 1980, Von Borries wrote, "Niatross appealed to all that is good and noble and decent in life itself. In an age of antiheroes, he had resurrected the rare personage of a true hero who could endure and overcome all challenges," and later, "He had reaffirmed basic human values, exalted the beat of life, and sanctified the pursuit of excellence. Freed temporarily from our natural reserve, we dared to live and dream" (193). There are similar overblown tributes to racers Holy Bull and Dr. Fager. Too much personification of horses deserving credit as fast runners, but not as miracle rainbow makers representing all that is right and good and almost Godly in humanity. Moreover, he does the same with his human protagonists, often making them almost cherubic. The world, its people, and its horses are just not that glowing. A little more realism, a little more reality in his humanoid horses and his human heroes would serve well.

Still, Von Borries's stories are easy and enjoyable reads. Most represent an enjoyable trip into horseracing history from more than a century past to the present.

Philip Von Borries's Racelines is an anthology of 42-horseracing-related stories written from 1979 through 1998. In his introduction Von Borries calls them stories once and articles twice, and his sports-journalism and folksy writing make both designations accurate. Most of his stories are tributes to horseracing's racers, riders, and trainers, but he also includes one for a longtime horseracing photographer and another for a Civil War General. Imbedded within some essays are added tributes to owners and grooms, but, while tributes supply the majority of Von Borries's stories, there is much variety in this anthology.

Some of Von Borries's stories are not stories. Instead, one is a list of humorous horseracing expressions and another a two-page glossary of horseracing terms. Yet another is a catalog of 100 horseracing films, including Von Borries's top ten and ten more given honorable mention, and another is a list of black horsemen and the Triple-Crown races they have won as either jockeys or trainers. In several tributes, Von Borries introduces his protagonist with background data before getting to his horseracing feats. For example, in "The Wizard of Orleans," about horseracing photographer Louis Nevin Hodges, Sr., Von Borries tells us early that Hodges, age 70, is mild mannered, represents goodness, but is not ordinary. Further, he tempts us when he tells of his visit to Hodges's den, "lined with pictures of the most famous racehorses in American racing history, a mere sample of what passed through his lens from the late 1940s to the early 1980s" (44). By the time Von Borries finishes his pre-story buildup, we want to know how Hodges achieved horseracing fame between the late 1940s and early 1980s, and the author does not disappoint. But don't expect detail. Von Borries's short stories provide only biographical sketches with the brunt of his coverage related to his subject's major achievements in the world of horseracing. Background buildup is a strategy employed often and successfully by Von Borries.

Another strategy Von Borries employs, even if unwittingly, is to explore the variety of horseracing history. His essay, "War and Peace," is about how Civil War Union General Philip Henry Sheridan, the first president of old Washington Park Racetrack in Chicago, helped limit the devastating Chicago fire of 1871 with fire breaks. The horse industry's tribute was to name a race, the Sheridan Stakes, after the general in 1884. The race has been an annual event since. Von Borries also includes several biographical sketches of black horsemen prominent in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. "Cruising Past 7,000 and Climbing" furnishes biographical sketches of eleven trainers with 3,000 or more wins to their credit, and "Giant: Cigar's Win streak" includes capsule histories of the 23 American thoroughbreds with the longest winning streaks dating back to the 18th century.

If there is a weakness in Von Borries's enjoyable writing, it lies in the sameness and overzealous nature of his tributes. For example, when the standardbred, Niatross, broke the one mile pacing record in October 1980, Von Borries wrote, "Niatross appealed to all that is good and noble and decent in life itself. In an age of antiheroes, he had resurrected the rare personage of a true hero who could endure and overcome all challenges," and later, "He had reaffirmed basic human values, exalted the beat of life, and sanctified the pursuit of excellence. Freed temporarily from our natural reserve, we dared to live and dream" (193). There are similar overblown tributes to racers Holy Bull and Dr. Fager. Too much personification of horses deserving credit as fast runners, but not as miracle rainbow makers representing all that is right and good and almost Godly in humanity. Moreover, he does the same with his human protagonists, often making them almost cherubic. The world, its people, and its horses are just not that glowing. A little more realism, a little more reality in his humanoid horses and his human heroes would serve well.

Still, Von Borries's stories are easy and enjoyable reads. Most represent an enjoyable trip into horseracing history from more than a century past to the present.

THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ!! EVERYONE MUST READ THIS!!

Cogito's Elctronic Companion to Genetics is an excellent tool for anyone involved with, or just intereseted in, the field of Genetics. The illustrations are very clear and understandable, and the sections on mitosis, meiosis, and recombination are vividly animated, facilitating understanding of these processes. And Cogito makes all of the material interesting and enjoyable to learn.

Philip Heseltine. taking on many pseudonyms in his short life but better known as Peter Warlock, was editor of "The Sackbut", a publication that took a long time to materialize but was short lived. Generally controversial, the Sackbut was highly regarded by many and especially those who wished to see the "establishment" in the field of British music taken to task. It was Heseltine's pleasure to be one of, if not THE most vociferous critics of his time and history shows that his eloquent and learned use of the English language was used to its fullest degree.

This special paragraph

" . . music is neither old nor modern: it is either good or bad music, and the date at which it was written has no significance whatever. Dates and periods are of interest only to the student of musical history. . . . All old music was modern once, and much more of the music of yesterday already sounds more old-fashioned than works which were written three centuries ago. All good music, whatever its date, is ageless -- as alive and significant today as it was when it was written . . ."

can also be found on page 197 of Barry Smith's highly acclaimed book as titled above. Published in 1994, the centenary of Heseltine's birth, this book is perhaps only the second major and authoritative work on the subject of a controversial figure such as Heseltine. The first one by Warlock's friend and some time companion Cecil Gray, has been out of print for many years.

Published by Oxford University Press, this is an extremely well researched and written work. Warlock scholars are recommended to add this book to their small but unique collection of literature pertaining a figure (in the musical sense) of inimitable quality. Hardback and Paperback now available.

Richard Valentine

Years before computers could create virtual realities by dozens, Philip K. Dick, by the sole power of his words, was describing books after books virtual mental universes that were a lot more frightful than those our beloved techno-directors try vainly to shape nowadays. Among the four novels he published in 1964, MARTIAN TIME-SLIP and CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON were treating this Dickian theme by essence.

After an interstellar war that ended 15 years ago, the world has forgotten this alphane moon and its inhabitants. Alpha III was considered as a giant hospital for mentally ill people by the Earth; now maniaco-depressives, schizophrenics and obsessive have founded cities and try to leave peacefully. But Alphans and Earth want to retake possession of this forgotten moon for obscure political reasons.

If you liked EYE IN THE SKY, a novel published 7 years before by PKD, you will appreciate CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON and its numerous points of views. The same events are described and analyzed by the different characters and one is lead to understand very soon that there is no objectiveness in Reality and that the actions of so-called sane people often obey to rather perverse motivations. Anyway, if you're a Philip K. Dick fan, you already know by now that there is no such thing as Reality !

A book to discover if you are lucky enough to find it.

Philip K. Dick had an on-again off-again relationship with the physchological crowd, and this absurdist novel sends up all the seriousness and pseudo science. Characters get trapped in their self-defined neuroses and adapt their traits to the rigors of interplanetary colonization. After reading it, ask yourself how these characters would do empaneled on Oprah. Only remember, the book was written in the fifties! PKD sure saw victim culture coming! It's a terrific book. Buy it

CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON has so many hysterical, sarcastic and insightful passages you'll want to memorize most of the book. It's a wild, weird, quick read that is a great introduction to Philip K. Dick for someone who wants to jump into the fanaticism headfirst. Those not quite ready for complete immersion in the reality shattering world of Philip K. Dick should look at "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" or "Time Out Of Joint" and then read "Clans", but don't skip this one. It's a real joy to read. Philip K. Dick's death is our loss!

Picking up this book, I expected it to contain an edition of Van Buskirk's diaries. Instead, it contains the events within them paraphrased and summarized by the editor. I'm not sure what the purpose was of presenting the texts in this way.

"Erotic", in the subtitle, is a misnomer. Van Buskirk was a pedophile, though he seems not to have acted much on his desires. He was attracted, according to his diaries, to both young boys and girls. At least based on what we're given by the editor, he gives little description of any sexual encounter.

This book is fascinating in that it gives us a portrait of a disturbed individual. Despite the author's inexplicable attempts to portray Van Buskirk as normal, the diarist was not simply a product of his time. He was unable to keep a job and, on several occasions, absconded with others' money and possessions; when he joined the Confederate army, he deserted. He was obsessive, emotionally immature, and had sexual problems -- pedophilia, compulsive obsession and nocturnal emissions into his 30's. He was unable to maintain a meaningful relationship with any of the subjects of his quasi-sexual obsessions. Few memoirs give us such a window into the mind of a messed-up person.

Van Buskirk's diaries also provide information on life aboard US Navy ships in the mid-19th century, which was apparently characterized by frequent homoerotic behavior (which the obsessive Van Buskirk disapproved of but was fascinated with).

Book stores are full of works that view history through the eyes of rich, famous people. But many times the unknowns have had front row seats, too, and their insights are fresh, new, and honest. Burg's Van Buskirk is perhaps the most quirky voice from history since Samuel Pepys. And Burg's witty, clean writing and meticulous attention to detail make him real -- and relavent. This book chronicles a fascinating time in history, and exposes an interesting bit-player, warts and all. The price probably means that only those interested in maritime, history, or gay-studies will end up stumbling across this book, but it is worthy of a wider audience. A fascinating read.