I have purchased several hundred dollars worth of books over the years for required reading in classes I have taken. I would have to say that this book is the "most for the money". It will be an excellent resource for me in the future. I plan to keep it as a reference in school-related matters. I only wish that I had had access to this material when I was first starting out as a teacher. The chapters are very well organized, and the visual aids (graphs, charts, pictures) were well selected and beneficial - the benchmark timelines helped to summarize several important events. The "Voices" sections in each chapter, featuring different viewpoints from real people on topics related to the chapter gave the somewhat lenthy, arduous chapters life and vitality. The inside cover of the book included educational issues included in the book. I found myself several times scanning through the list, thinking of my position on the matter. If there would be any fault of the book, I would have to say that the chapters could have been a little shorter. It seemed like a great deal of information to absorb. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in all aspects of education.

This textbook is a clear, straightforward, and practical look at the principals of teaching today. I would highly recommend this text for any undergraduate working toward a degree in education or any professor looking for a new text for their Introduction to Education course. This is an excellent starting point for those who wish to learn more about the history of teaching as well as more current issues such as parental involvement or diversity in education. The authors have presented this information in a reader-friendly style with many helpful Web site addresses and personal narratives from experienced teachers in the field. Attractive charts and graphs presented throughout each chapter are also quite helpful in relating difficult concepts. Overall, this is a high quality undergraduate textbook for anyone wishing to enter the field of teaching.

Foundations of Education - The Challenge of Professional Practice by Robert F. McNergney and Joanne M. Herbert is, in my opinion, a very well written text book to be used in an "Introduction to Education" class. The book is very easy to read, with each chapter following the same user friendly outline. The book makes excellent use of data presented in various chart and graph form. The "Voices" section in each chapter gives the reader personal glimpses of people in the teaching profession - presenting both present day and historical view points. The "Benchmark" pages at the end of each of the chapters help summarize the information from the chapter in chronological order, and even the chapter summaries help guide your study while reading the text. The "Online Activity" following each chapter serves as an excellent additional resource for the reader. The topics covered in the book are relevant to today's teaching profession, and give the reader an up-to-date view of what being a teacher involves. The book is definitely written for a person who does not have a prior educational background, who may be considering entering the field of teaching.

Sandra Bernhard stands on her own. She is different, outspoken, and unafraid to be that way. That's why I love her.

This book is like an edgy "Chicken Soup for the soul" by Sandra. Some parts are hilarious--her incident with Oprah; some are touching--her views on love.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a laugh and a unique perspective.

Sandra Bernhard doesn't have that good a reputation in the real world (by the "real world" I mean the world outside my own), but I swear to God that this pretty lady is smart--very smart. "May I Kiss You on the Lips Miss Sandra" is proof. It is well written and very, very funny. It is the kind of book you don't want to read in public because you will laugh out loud and look like a total nimrod. Sandra writes like she performs: with energy, style and the ability to choose the perfect word that will leave you laughing for days.

Head for the couch and relax; make a big mug of any tisane or coffee; put on some wallpaper CD and get ready to laugh and to cry and yes! purge your emotions. Sandra Bernhard has once again taken an honest look at the world and embraced what is really cool and really good, and damned to hell what is really bad and itchy. Her book is like a stream of conciousness that just doesn't let up. Each time I finish something by her; be it a book; or a CD; a movie; and especially a date with her at the theatre ... I leave saying: "Now why can't I have friends like that in my world?" "Am I the only one who pays attention anymore?" All the best Miss Sandra; I wish you were one of my best friends. Bravo Dahhhling!

The writings themselves are excellent. The print is often hard to read and the typeface varies from section to section. The introductions and footnotes show the editors biases and are best skipped -- let the writings speak for themselves.

This 10-volume set is a treasure trove of the writings of the early church translated into English, from the Apostolic Fathers to the Nicene Council. The problem with it is that it is only a reprint of a collection originally published in 1885. Because of this it carries over many of the pruderies Alexandria's Miscellanies (in volume 2 of this set) is printed only in enters upon the refutation of the false-Gnostics and their licentious tenets. Professing a stricter rule to begin with, and despising the ordinances of the Creator, their result was the grossest immorality in practice. The melancholy consequences of an enforced celibacy are, here, all forseen and foreshown; and this Book, though necessarily offensive to our Christian tastes, is most useful as a commentary upon the history of monasticism, and the celibacy of priests, in the Western churches. The resolution of the Edinburgh editors to give this Book to scholars _only_, in the Latin, is probably wise." In other words, because it may corrupt our Christian morals, we won't print it in the venacular, but instead keep it only in the hands of professors. This editorial decision was disgustingly illiberal; a scholar should make all information accessible. Besides, Clement of Alexandria isn't considered a heretic; he's one of the official Church Fathers. Now a decision like that may have been acceptable in 1885, but it can scarcely be defended today. I do not see what could have kept this set's reprinters from providing a translation of Book III, if only as an appendix. I have not noticed any other example of suppression in these volumes, although the fact that there is even one instance is disturbing. This only serves to convince me that a new, fresh edition of these writers is needed. Many new writings have been discovered in the century since, including complete books by Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Melito of Sardis - this alone makes a new collection desirable. In the late nineteenth century all kinds of collections of these early writers were being published - why not now?

This is the (basically) complete set of the Early church writings up until 325 A.D. These 10 volumes contain quite a lot of material. Volume 10 is actually an index of all of the earlier books. The complete works of Justin, Clement, Athenagoras, Ignatius, etc are found within. I agree with the other poster that there are some problems. The issue of new texts discovered is a big one. Since the time this series was published many new texts have been found, such as the Gospel of Thomas and 2 works by Origen. So that is an issue. Also the way they put Clement of Alexandria's third book in Latin is silly today. Luckily I managed to find another translation that had it. The third problem is the English is pretty stagnant at times. Its very stiff and complex at times, but I actually have come to like it (don't ask me why!). But I am still giving this 5 stars because the set is fairly affordable, and there is a lot of great stuff in here for the price. Virtually every pre-Nicene writing, from the Didache to Alexander of Alexandria's letters to Arius, is in here. I would never be without this set.

On sunny afternoon towards the end of June 96 I met a famous Austrian-American psychoanalyst in a bookstore near St Stephan's Dome in Vieanna. I am almost a fan of this analyst/author,after introducing myself (a psychiatrist attending an international conference where he was lecturing),he asked me what I was reading from Austrian authors and I mentioned the only name I knew -Arthur Schnitzler, a contemporary of Sigmund Freud. He said it was OK but had I heard about Thomas Bernhard ? That was the beginning of my relationship with T.B.. The only English title from T.B.'s works was "On the Mountain"; I bought a copy and as soon as I started reading I was in touch with a conglomerate of emotions- anger,"boredom", pain, sorrow, "emptiness" and a very skillfull reflection of probing the realm of self and others in terms of various levels of self representations. As for W.'s Nephew, I should admit it is rather an easy reading title amongst T.B.'s works. Here we have the extremes; body and psyche, mental "disorder" vs medical disease, living upto all or none... W.'s Nephew tries to undo wrongs by helping paupers to the extent of becoming peniless himself (which leads to another episode of "institutionalization" with his relatives' more than willing consent) or is able to mark an opera work with his applause (or silence) as fabulous (or kill it) at the end of a premier. While W.'s Nephew might be perceived as pure emotionality the protagonist represents the "rational mind". Their relationship is based on a very true friendship and conveyed on a stage of Vieennese cafes (Sacher, Havelka..), suburbs and hospitals. I recommenf this book for those who are interested in reading about human relations in a cotext of self and others during post modernity.

Upon doing some background research on William Gaddis, while reading his Recognitions, I came across a number of sources describing Willy's appreciation for the work of Thomas Bernhard. Thus I decided to reacquaint myself with this Austrian writer after more than a decade.

Just like Borges and Natsume, Thomas Bernhard was a taste that I acquired due to Glenn Gould mania. Still in Holland Cornelis Hofman, then head of the Glenn Gould Society, offered Bernhard's Untergeher, the Loser, to the fans of the "oracle of Toronto". Hooked on Bernhard from page one, I next read alte Meister and Holzfallen, old masters and woodcutters, resp.

Thomas Bernhard was a person who often came close to the level of misanthropy. Yet, this writer followed in a line of the likes of Shopenhauer, Strindberg and Celine, who led the readers into the darkest recesses of the tunnel never to forget the pay off by the light at their metaphorical ends. Bernhard will always be defined for me by one short moment in a rare television interview. Bored by the interviewer he walked over to his record player and started a recording of Bach's 2nd Brandenburg Concerto. After the music had played for a while he asked his interviewing victim "Do you know what is happening here?" The victim remained mute, invoking a look from Bernhard that was a mixture of disbelief and disgust to the nth degree. After some more music, while shaking his head answered himself with "everything".

Wittgenstein's Nephew is an archetypical Bernhard novella, both in content and style. The book contains a detailed analysis of the relationship between the writer and his best (and only true friend) Paul Wittgenstein, nephew of the famed philosopher. The first part of the book focuses on Paul and the friendship, while Bernhard uses these ingredients in the final part of the book as a "mirror" for self reflection/analysis. The book begins when both Bernhard and Paul are treated, for cancer and depression resp., at separate but close institutions. At the climax of this part, the writer who was so much looking forward to meeting Paul, finally meets what is left of his friend, and is devastated. Next, Bernhard looks back at the history of their friendship and pays special attention to the support Paul gave him on the occasion of receiving two literary prices and the premiere of one of his plays. In the end, Thomas, gives a brutally honest description of him avoiding Paul around the end of the latter's life and not attending the funeral of the very person who was so important for Bernhard to overcome a longtime suicidal depression. In the act, Bernhard leaves a wide array of casualties: the charlatans of the medical profession, the Austrian press/government/writers/actors and last but not least himself.

The prose is of the vintage Bernhard style that is easily identifiable after the very first sentence. Especially at the start, there is the favorite technique of providing a statement that is cut to the "philosophical bone" to later become the vehicle of a spiral thought of "evolution". Later on the style becomes more linear, without losing any of its poignancy.
While I read the original version, get it at the German Amazon site, I did compare it with this translated version. I would give the translator a 7 on a scale of 10. David McLintock has chosen textual accuracy over a translation that puts more emphasis on delivering the same type of "punch" as the original. You could say he prefers the letter to the spirit of the law. While the resulting translation is precise and careful, it is definitely "Bernhard Lite". Thinking in musical terms, you get Weber instead of the original Wagner.

As a novice to Bernhard reading this review, you may wonder whether the late Thomas would really be your cup of tea. All his anger, gloom, doom and hatred. Yet, Bernhard's dark vitriolic virtuosity gives the short intermittent moments of happiness a striking serene beauty, not unlike like the little flower in Picasso's Guernica.

It has been said that Gaddis' Recognitions is a more mature version of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. Extending this metaphor, this as many of Bernhard's books represents a version of Holden, who while severely doubting the sense of the act, still hasn't given up on catching all together.

I am once again reading _Wittgenstein's Nephew,_ after having read it ten or so years ago. Now, years later, this slim book offers an even richer experience. I started it tonight and regret that I didn't begin it earlier in the day. It's short enough to be read in a rainy afternoon, yet its brevity belies writing that is simply astounding and straightforward in its honesty and beauty. (By "honesty," I don't mean the cesspool of lurid detail that many of today's writers wallow in and which I find totally repugnant. Bernhard had too much class for that.)

Truth be told, the reader has to like Bernhard's style to get far with him. Bernhard's rephrasing of mundane thoughts and incidents may seem tedious at first to the uninitiated, but he turns the same phrases over and over as if assessing their content and structure. Is it better to write the thought *this* way? That way? Both? Neither? All? How many writers do *that*!?

Bernhard had a genuine love of words (which I share), phrases, sentences and the way they all form an imposing BLOCK that fills the pages (no paragraph breaks). It doesn't seem to matter much that his topics are mundane: I sense he knew that, despite the adventures most of us have, a large part of life is spent alone with our thoughts. Who was it that said, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." Bernhard expands upon this bleak thought and comes up with art of very high order, indeed.

I have read all of Bernhard's work that has been translated into English, and I can recommend them all with 5 stars. I think this book (or perhaps _Concrete_) is the best starting point for those unfamiliar with this author. I especially love this book because the topic - friendship - is so touching and sensitively handled. Not a word seems wasted.

This book about heaven and hell written by Emanuel Swedenborg is one of the 3 books I have read by Swedenborg. I like this book because of the short passages which I can take in and think about in small doses. Also the hope and beauty of the afterlife presented in this book touched me deeply. I WANT to believe the beautiful teachings here. The messages make sense to me about the journey to either place being totally up to me and how I live my life. I hope I can hang onto the pictures given me by this book so I can make those choices with the end in mind of what the Lord may offer me if I live my life in a loving way. I hope others can hang in through the sometimes awkward style to get the ideals. Happy reading.

The most remarkable thing about this book, is that its focus is on Heaven and Hell and yet it is primarily useful now...in this world! Swedenborg writes: "we have presented these matters to let people know that a heaven-bound life is not a life withdrawn from the world but a life involved in the world" (p443). Swedenborg talks about the qualities of Heaven, how we are connected to Heaven, the fact that anyone (of any religion) can lead a life to Heaven, marriage in Heaven, the wisdom of angels and so much more. This book and others by Swedenborg have had a profound impact on my life.

Swedenborg, who saw into the heavens and hells when the Lord opened his spiritual sight, describes the life of heaven and the life of hell in this book (one of more than 30 books he wrote under the Lord's direct guidance). When one dies, he or she lives to eternity in the place that best matches the loves he or she has fostered in his or her heart and mind while on earth. This book describes the places and the people! In heaven, people are married, go to work (work that they love), play (have recreation) and worship the Lord. They have spiritual bodies in the same form as earthly bodies, except there is no illness of any kind. Read this book (and other books penned by Emanuel Swedenborg) if you want a new perspective on God, life, faith and good works.

This was reccomended to me by a local bookstore and my first time to read Bernhardt. Wonderful. I am going to be a big fan. Ben Kincaid is some kind of attorney. I went out yesterday and bought his first book, Primary Justice, and finished it today. Unbelievably good for a first book. I found several of his books in Amazon and will try to find all of his books to read in the order they were written.

William Bernhardt has written another good book. I really wish the world had a lot of Ben Kincaids in it, but I doubt it does. Ben is defending an retarted man who is accused of killing a woman ten years ago. The story also includes another man who is taking young boys and making them do sexual things before he kills them. How do these two things connect?? Have to read to find out but you will. Ben, Mike Morelli, Christina McCall, Jones and Loving are all involved. The story will hold your attention from beginning to end. The court room drama is very good. Morelli is, as usual, a very good detective. The ending will surprise you, or it did me, anyway. Ben even gets closer to his Mother in this one. This is book five, would suggest reading them in order, if possible, they will make a better connection.

This was one of the most gripping and interesting stories I have ever read. It was riveting and never boring. This was the first Berhardt book I have read and I now am looking for all the rest. I am in the service, presently in Kuwait. I found this book in the PX. Much to my disappointment, it was the only William Berhardt book they had. I WILL read the whole series and anything else William Berhardt ever writes. Keep them coming

There is simply no credible plot in this already very thin story. There are occasional glimpses of humor and interesting content, but as a whole the books falls flat because it is just too lacking in plot and character development. It reminds me of the books for teenagers that I used to read as a youngster. The plots were often marked by facile manipulation, but I read them with fascination because every development was interesting. Grown-up readers should expect a lot more from a lawyer-thriller.

What a great book. No, it is not scary, no it does not use a lot of ugly, ugly words, no it will not keep you up at night from being scared. It is a really good mystery that will hold your attention and make you want to skip pages to find out how it will end. Ben is a good attorney that has people on his mind and not money. Christina is a good character. I liked her and Jones and Loving. I really hope these four form a group, "family" if you please, that will be in book three. Ben is not afraid to fight the people in charge, he will tangle with any one and sometimes in very funny ways. Who else would let chickens stay in his office for a while? Can't wait to read the next one.

Logically the second in this series, this is the book in which Ben Kinkaid's staff joins him. At the beginning he has only Jones, then Loving joins his staff, and finally (after Ben proves her innocent of a murder charge) Christina. The plot is well constructed, and Ben and Christina make a great pair.

i find it funny that a reviewer below has an affection for wittgenstein but a dislike for bernhard, claiming bernhard is more difficult. that gives you some idea of how bernhard is; his difficulty is that of a philosophical treatise, and not as of tiny little aphorisms. but both writers, thinkers, deserve the same amount of intense thinking and mulling over. this book is something you cannot read for hours on end, if simply because looking at no paragraph breaks hurts the eyes. but if one has read philosophical treatises before then this work should be easy to handle. orther than that, namely, considering the content of the work it is masterful. not only that, bernhard presents his unique ideas in a masterful way. when i first read this book i found it annoying and difficult, much the same way i thought of ulysses when i first read it, but after reading bernhard's other works i was free to consider it a masterpeice. something that deserves work and is rewarding. one of my all time favorites.

Bernhard's novel "Correction" tells us the story of two friends. The main character, Roithamer, commit suicide (as we know from the first page of the book) and his friend (the person who tells the story) take charge of his legacy: A huge mass of calculations and thinkings about the construction of a Cone (in the center of a forest called Kobernauss) for the "supreme happiness" of Roithamer' sister (who is expected to dwell in it). Following this main idea Bernhard writes a superb novel dealing with the loneliness of an exceptional man in a stupid, brutal and destructive society that consider mad to those people with true artistic and intellectual interests. Strong thoughts and strong beauty are the main virtues of this book. I have read almost all the works by Thomas Bernhard and this one, I think, is the kernel of all his production. It is, maybe, his greatest masterpiece (in narrative) besides his five-volume autobiography. We encounter, here, for example, that wild irony and humour of his plays for the scene and all his personal universe and obsessions.
I will say nothing of Mdme.Wilkins translation as I think that there is no alternative for reading this novel in English. Translating Bernhard is very difficult. Long sentences, with periodic and obsessive motives which repeat and repeat producing an amazing and incredible effect. Bernhard is a master of rhythm and precision and his style is a musical one.

This novel is essentially about a man (two men, really, in sequence although at times it feels like the narrator is of one piece) in a little dark room who cannot turn his brain off and has an incessant need to share it with you (the reader). I found the passage about the stuffing of the big black bird to be incredibly hilarious. People who aspire to be well-read must put Thomas Bernhard on the top of their reading list. Adjectives like obsession and neurotic don't do this particular book justice. I've read most of Bernhard's books (as translated in English) and this is certainly one of his strongest. I recommend this book to everyone -- graduate students, widows, orphans, the mentally ill, little children. Five stars absolutely.

For those who've seen my other reviews, this may seem a rather odd item to rate so highly. However, I think that, having seen sevral other books on men's fashion and having worked at Canada's most luxurious retailer (P/T), I feel very confident in recommending this as the ultimate men's grooming and fashion guide. It's a very tastefully presented and photographed volume with well organized sections on suits, jackets, pants, shirts and so on. While it does recommend expensive brands, it also shows how to match/mix designs while stimulating indiviadual dressing creativity. this book is in facy very useful for those who want to experiment with various combinations and who are tired of the usual basic suit standards. It promotes British, Italian and American high-end tailoring like teh Savile Row tailors, Kiton, Brioni, Brooks Brothers. in addition to all the information, the book offers timeless advice and that's it's best quality. A gentleman possesses timeless elegance. i recommend this book far more than anything by Flusser and more than the Clotehrs and the Man, or dress for Success (very boring). So be creative.

Bernhard Roetzel's "Gentleman" is one of two definitive works on classic style for men. The other book is Flusser's "Dressing the Man." While Flusser's work is primarily concerned with developing a classic style for business dress, Roetzel's "Gentleman" is about creating a classic, elegant life style. Following Mr. Retzel's philosophy, style is not something we do for others. The pursuit of style is for one's own personal satisfaction. Therefore, Mr. Roetzel focuses on an understated, conservative elegance, with an acknowledgment of the importance of details, even if no one else notices. Roetzel's book focuses on mens fashion, with a bias toward tailored English clothing, but he goes beyond business clothing, to address casual, sport, and home style. In addition to the obligatory chapters on suits, shoes, and casual dress, there are sections on grooming and fragrance, hairstyles, wristwatches, and how to enjoy an elegant, relaxing breakfast at home. This book is a treatise on gracious living, and he introduces his readers to many of the small luxuries which no one should miss out on: the experience of a traditional shave from a good English barber; a pair of shell cordovan shoes; a bespoke suit; a comfortable and beautiful dressing robe. His philosophy is best exemplified by the section on eating breakfast, where he exhorts one to begin the day with a leisurely elegant ritual including "perfectly toasted bread." Personally, I barely ever eat breakfast, but the call to slow down and take the time to enjoy life's small pleasures resounds loudly none the less.
The book is not perfect, and Mr. Roetzel has some rather quaint and outdated ideas (such as the kind of clothes worn by students at Ivy League universities.) Overall, however, the book is an excellent roadmap for those who wish to live a cut above the norm in this too-fast, hyper-casual, overly-efficient, mass-produced, machine-made, often-shoddy world.

Alan Flusser's "Dressing the Man" is about developing a classic business style of dress. Roetzel's "Gentleman" is about developing a classic life style. This book covers all aspects of one's appearance, and addresses grooming, hairstyles, formal dress, business dress, and sport. Although it has an English bias, it does a good job of incorporating classic American style and products such as Brooks Brothers shirts and Alden shoes.
More than just a book on how to dress, however, this book provides an introduction to some of the finer things in life that might otherwise go untried: The experience of a traditional shave at a good English barbor; the satisfaction of a bespoke suit, the beauty of a pair of shell cordovan shoes; Acqua di Parma; a James Smith umbrella. There is a section on "Breakfast with Style" which neatly encapsulates the author's philosophy that true style is not an act which you put on for others, it is an understated, elegant way of living which is undertaken for one's own satisfaction. It extends beyond clothing and appearance into all aspects of one's life.
The book is not perfect, and Mr. Roetzel has some rather quaint views on certain subjects. (For example, he has a somewhat antiquated and idealized view regarding how students at Ivy League schools dress.) It is not the best "how-to" book on selecting a classic business wardrobe (choose Dressing the Man for that purpose.) But as a book for those who wish to elevate their life style, Gentleman has no equal. For those who are looking for a roadmap to take them beyond the mass-production, slovenly, hyper-casual, impolite, and haphazard style which is becoming increasingly the norm, look no further than this book.

Bernhard Schlink's FLIGHTS OF LOVE is a curious, uneven, confounding and sometimes brave assemblage of stories, none of which has anything whatsoever to do with actual "flights" of our most treasured and elusive emotion. DIVES OF LOVE would have been considerably more accurate. But that's not a criticism. Schlink delivers some fine swans and at least one Triple-Lindy. My favorite has to be the opener, GIRL WITH LIZARD. There is a strange redemptive quality here, and, as with all of Schlink's fiction, a definite chill in the air. He is playing to his strength when he maintains a good distance from his characters, revealing slowly all the hidden gross machinery that drives them to do what he has them do. When Schlink fails, he does so just as grandly, God bless his Nordic soul. Best example of that, I think, has to be THE CIRCUMCISION, a miserable, too-long, improbable, atmospheric polemic about cold-blooded posturing, hair-trigger sensibilities, and not much else. When Schlink attempts a much warmer author/character relationship, the results are strained, frozen, and never very good. Stories like GIRL WITH LIZARD, SUGAR PEAS, and THE OTHER MAN really go a long way toward saving FLIGHTS OF LOVE from becoming one of the sloppiest diving teams anyone ever saw.

When I finished THE READER, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I was convinced that the book was autobiogrpahical and that Bernhard Schlink had done what may writers do; tell the one story they have to tell and write several poorly done works hoping to capitalize on the success of their first book. So it was with spepticism that I began FLIGHTS OF LOVE. I was delighted to find that I was wrong, at least on the second point.

Schlink has compiled a wonderful selection of short stories with ironic twists and surprise endings. As he does in THE READER, he deals with relationships and the web people spin for themseles in dealing with lovers and spouses. I felt the strongest of the stories were THE OTHER MAN and THE CIRCUMCISION. In THE CIRCUMCISION and THE GIRL AND THE LIZARD, Schlink revisits the theme of THE READER in terms of deling with Germany's past and the acceptance of it by contemporary Germans. The conflicts between the characters in THE CIRCUMCISION, while specifically dealing with German/Jewish relations are universal and could involve interracial couples as well as couples from different cultures. In THE OTHER MAN Schlink marverls the reader with his incites into the life of a grieving widower and the fact that his wife has had an affair yet maintained a healthy relationship with him.

I felt that THE SON was the weakest of the stories and seemed to have been drawn on themes more common to V.S. Naipaul. I suspect that some of these stories will show up in the movies some day, especially THE OTHER MAN. All in all the stores are well done, provacative and readable. I only look forward to Schlink's next work.

Bernhard Schlink created a devoted following with the translation of his first novel THE READER. Opinion was divided among critics and readers as to whether or not this author was playing on simplistic heart-string tuggings or whether he really had somthing new to say and an equal talent to say it. Being part of the camp of readers who were caught up in the story of 'The Reader' and waited eagerly to see just where this writer would/could go, I am happy to say that FLIGHTS OF LOVE is substantial proof that Schlink is a very fine storyteller. This book of seven short stories, while a bit uneven, at least shows that the author can relate tales of interest, of introspection, of intrique, and in general can keep his reader flowing with his thoughts to the somewhat open-ended conclusions. "The Other Man" is deftly told and has much more of a universal appeal than the isolated story would indicate. 'Girl with Lizard' is a mesmerizing tale based on a man's relationship to a painting! One of the unifying elements in Schlink's creative mind is examining how internalized perceptions, when maintained in the prison of an individual's mind, can alter the manner in which we live through relationships, ways that could have been more constructive had communication of these altered perceptions occurred. Sounds simple, but the way Schlink uses this tool to alter his characters reaction to not only each other but to everyone and everything in their lives is touching and rings true. If at times his writing seems detached or cold, I wonder how much of that is due to the fact that we are reading translations. Despite any of the negative points mentioned, here is a collection of short stories that merit attention and make us eager for the next full scale novel to come along.