As Bradley's _Principles of Logic_ and _Appearance And Reality_ are out of print and likely to remain so (except as portions of expensive "collected works" sets), Allard and Stock deserve thunderous applause for making this collection of well-chosen excerpts available.

Bradley and Idealism generally have been too much neglected during most of this century as speculative metaphysics has fallen out of fashion. But the heart of Idealism is simply, as Bradley once put it, that what satisfies the intellect is both true and real. In this sense, Idealism is as old as Parmenides and need not commit one to the belief that reality itself is basically mental (though Bradley himself thought so). What it really requires is that there be no artificial divorce between the knowing mind and the reality it is seeking to know: the real is ultimately intelligible, and what is ultimately intelligible is real.

Bradley was a seminal thinker in this tradition, and his insights are very often duplicated by later thinkers who do not know how much ground he had already broken. In this volume, key excerpts from all of Bradley's writings on logic and metaphysics are assembled and introduced.

Also of interest to readers of this volume will be the works of British Idealist Bernard Bosanquet and American rationalist Brand Blanshard. Search Amazon for their names as well.

F.H. Bradley was one of the most influential thinkers of the late-nineteenth century, yet his work has been largely ignored during this century (a shame, as his metaphysics should be of interest to anyone coming to grips with quantum physics). Allard and Stock have done an excellent job of knitting together the most important sections of Bradley's key writings. They add their own commentary only when necessary to bring ideas together and clarify certain difficult points. The result is everything you need to get a firm grasp of the philosophy of this important thinker.

Whereas, Alexis de Tocqueville offers his perspective on America as an outside observer, the literary genius James Fenimore Cooper offers his assessment of culture, politics and society in 19th century America. He doesn't hold democracy to be sacrosanct like we do today, but rather like any other system of government with its advantages and disadvantages. His look at the nature of liberty and its relation with equality is particularly intriguing.

He is cognizant of the dangers posed to American self-government, which values legal equality. Equality, is a virtue, only insofar as it pertains to equal rights and equality before the law. Any effort at establishing equality of outcome is tantamount to tyranny and opposed to liberty. Cooper illustrates the precarious relationship between liberty and equality. Unless, tradition, custom, the rule of law and the Constitution are revered and upheld- the American Polity could easily collapse into majoritarian tyranny under a demagogue.

One gains an appreciation of the system of government established by the American founding fathers after reading this book... They established a constitutionally-limited federal republic, with limits not only on the power of government, but with limits placed on the power of majority rule, so as to limit the fundamental role of government to protecting the rights of its citizens. This constitutional republic sought to balance out monarchial, democratic, and aristocratic elements...

from the reviews ofHENRY JAMES AND HOMO-EROTIC DESIREEdited by John R. BradleyBradley declares at the outset that the contributors to Henry James and Homo-Erotic Desire make no attempt to identify James as a gay novelist, much less claim him as a gay icon for our time. Rather, they attempt to explore homo-eroticism in both his life and works as a legitimate area of inquiry, one that has not yet been sufficiently examined by Jamesean critics . . . . Certainly the book appears at a time when the image of James as a repressed, asexual author living only for his art seems untenable, and a new image is taking its place . . . . These essays mark an important paradigm shift in James studies and reveal a rich dimension to James¹s life and writing that has too long been ignored.Mark Eaton, THE BOSTON BOOK REVIEW (12/98)Until recently, Henry James's homo-eroticism was regarded as mainly a fantasy ideal ­ nothing nastily physical to disturb the dignity of literature. In reaction, queer critics have tended to presume the obverse of that: James was tormented and therefore secretive about a love which he couldn¹t properly express, in his life or his writing. John R. Bradley, introducing Henry James and Homo-Erotic Desire, proposes a third account: James loved boys sexually and sometimes physically, but, like any conservative Victorian gentleman, believed it was not the kind of thing one talked about. . . . For Bradley, this amounts to a welcome opportunity to retrieve James¹s self-composure, together with scholarship and common sense. For myself, I¹ve always found James¹s fastidious prose hard to get on with: this book makes him more approachable and engaging.Alan Sinfield, GAY TIMES (4/99)Bradley is right to sacrifice consistency to variety, to allow each argument to stand or fall on the merits . . . . The contributors to Henry James and Homo-Erotic Desireopt . . . for conservative methods, relying on biography, homosexual codes and common good sense to substantiate James¹s same-sex yearnings.Wendy Graham, THE HENRY JAMES REVIEW (3/99)Few writers have put the closet to better literary uses than Henry James. . . . The contributors to the volume agree that James¹s writing is premised on the rejection of compulsory heterosexuality. They observe that James also attempts to define lesbianism and male homosexuality as minority sexual identities ­ a process ongoing through the course of his career.Richard Dellamora, 19TH-CENTURY LITERATURE (3/99)

In his introduction, Pinar suggests younger people working in the field of curriculum probably need this introduction to the work of Macdonald, which he claims anticipated or coincided with major shifts in curriculum theorizing in the decade of the eighties. If I am any representative of those "younger scholars," nobody needs to be told how important the work of Macdonald is or has been. Instead, I would suspect there are a lot of people celebrating the advent of this monograph, because Bradley has done a great job selecting some of the key essays of his father, and we now have at our fingertips some of the most unfluential and significant theoretical work in curriculum of the century. It is remarkable to note how Macdonald did the Foucault thing to the field before most of us (including perhaps Macdonald) knew of Foucault (See "The School as a Double Agent," 1971). And it is inspiring to see that our current work has the history it does. We all should rejoice that we can now quote and reference Macdonald that much more easily, and that we can have a nice collection all in one volume. I especially recommend we all re-read his article, "A Transcendental Developmental Ideology of Education," originally published in Heightened Consciousness, Cultural Revolution, and Curriculum Theory, W. Pinar, ed. (Berkeley: McCutchan), 1974. Pinar recently wrote that that title now makes him wince. But the Macdonald chapter and others still merit reading, either in the original volume or in a new compendium. Interested in multicultural education? You will enjoy "Living Democratically in Schools: Cultural Pluralism," (1977). Cultural Studies? Reflect on "The Quality of Everyday Life in Schools," (1975). Lesson Planning? Try "A Vision of a Humane School," (1971) (I shared this one with my methods class today.) I had to rethink a conference paper after reconsidering "Theory, Practice and the Hermeneutic Circle," (1981). They're all here, and more. "Hurry! Hurry! that train's a-comin'," to quote Ellington. You'll want to board this book.

Flags of Our Fathers is a grand book by James Bradley. It is about the small island of Iwo Jima is in the pacific region. It is a Japanese controlled airstrip close to the country of Japan. The Americans wanted to take control of this very small island because it is a prime place to re-fuel and land aircraft on, the island before they go to attack Japan. This book is about six men and the rest of the Marines and Navy that all go to the island to take control of it.

Those six men fought on that island and they raised the flag on top of Mount Suribachi. They started the famous image taken by Mr. Rosenthal.

This in my view is the greatest book in world. It is a very touching and emotional book. It was sad and really spoke to me. It is hard to believe that these men were just doing their duty.
I recommend this splendid book to anybody that wants to read a very touching book about the heros of Iwo Jima.

This book was the complete package! It gave a backround of each man on Iowa Gima that raised the flag. Then went into each mans way of getting to Mount Sirabachi. Then in the end of the book went into what each one did when they came back from the war. Couldn't put it down and have read it three times since I recieved it. You will not regret buying this book.

This is an awesome book. It had me glued from page one. If you don't read any other book this year, make sure that this is the one. I can only hope that a movie will follow for these amazing men and all of the other people that fought and died for our country. We owe them and this book is a fitting tribute to them. I only wish that this would have been written earlier. KUDO's to you.

This book is easily one of the best books I ever read. I especially recommend it to anyone who is interested in wars and the men who fight them. Bradley's personal and passionate account of arguably the toughest, bloodiest, and most highly decorated battle our nation ever fought is simply remarkable.

By the end of the book you will long remember and appreciate the sacrifice and significance of the U.S. Marines' WWII Battle of Iwo Jima and the lives and deaths of the six flag raisers (Harlon Block, John Bradley, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, Franklin Sousley, and Mike Strank) forever immortalized in Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal's prize-winning photo atop Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945, and in the world's largest bronze statue, the United States Marine Corps War Memorial.

Shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, an e-mail I will never forget arrived at my work computer. Attached to the e-mail was an image, actually two images side-by-side. No words were needed. On one side was the Rosenthal Iwo Jima flag-raising picture, and next to it was the New York City firemen flag-raising at "Ground Zero" picture. Reading this book helped me to fully understand the old adage, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

On Parris Island I was made to memorize the words of Admiral C.P. Nimitz in reference to the Marines on Iwo Jima...."Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue". Having served in the Marine Corps I have visited and stood in awe of the Iwo Jima memorial. Having worked in and around Johnstown Pennsylvania for four years, I drove past the boyhood home of Seargent Mike Strank at least twice a weak and heard his name in reference to the historic flag raising. Having read this book I will never see them or think of them the same way again.

James Bradley tells the tale of his father, Navy Corpsman John Bradley and the five Marines that helped him raise the flag during the battle for a slab of volcanic rock and sand during the island hopping campaign in the second World War. With integrity mixed with a flair for story telling, Bradley details the lives of these six men before, during, and after this historic event. He shows the ordinary men they were and the warriors they became.

What's more impressive is that he chronicles how America made them heroes and simultaneously how the surviving men in large avoided the spotlight. He shows the humility that exists in all great men. Bradley's in depth research brings the battle alive and even manages to stir emotion 55 years after the event.

The book is brilliantly written. Its historical value is only outmatched by the tales of humanity that accompany it. It passes along a moment of American pride to generations that had yet to been born. It enthralled me from the moment I picked it up and did what I once thought to be impossible. It made me even prouder to have served with The United States Marine Corps. Semper Fi.

As a baby-boomer, I'd certainly heard of Iwo Jima. I was familiar with the famous photograph of the flag-raisers on Mt. Suribachi. But I had no idea what the battle represented, why it was perhaps the most vicious fight of the entire war and had no clue as to the incredible selflessness of the Marines and Corpsmen who fought, killed and died on an obscure spot of volcanic ash in the Pacific.

Bradley was inspired to research and to write about his father, one of the pictured flag-raisers. The inspiration came, primarily, because of his Father's very reluctance to speak of what occurred on Iwo. The experiences were so painful, so vivid, that his father spoke but a few words to his son on the subject during his entire lifetime. Bradley responded to the mystery by researching the lives of all of the flag-raisers, speaking with their families and their comrades-in-arms.

The book is excellent because it relies heavily on graphic descriptions of the events by veterans. The island represented the first piece of territorial Japan to be invaded by the Americans and it was a veritable underground fortress. It was so heavily fortified that Bradley tells us the final Japanese defenders did not surrender until 1949 - and they emerged from the depths of the island well-fed and -clothed. The chaotic invasion, the deadly crossfires, the taking of Suribachi and the final sweep across the entire island are brilliantly described by Bradley and the veterans.

Iwo served as a air corridor gatekeeper on the way to Tokyo. The book tells us of the casualty projections that Allied planners arrived at as they drew up the tactics for conquering Japan. Countless millions of lives on both sides were saved by the A-bombs as Japan had steadfastly refused to surrender and had promised terrible, Iwo-like battles at every turn.

In describing the awful nature of battle and the lives of those who fought it, Bradley has performed a service for all of us. It is an outstanding tribute to all veterans and especially his father.

This is an excellent guide to traditional Western church history, but it is a pity that it did not avoid implicitly consigning the rest of the world to either mission history or insignificance. This needs to be corrected.

This book began as a Ph.D. and Th.M. research and writing methods course at Fuller Theological Seminary. From there it has grown into a valuable resource for serious graduate (post-graduate) students of church history. Clearly written and distilling the insights of the authors' many years of research, writing and teaching in the field, no serious student of church history should be without it. Acknowledging the separate though inter-related issues of personal commitment and academic rigor, the authors discuss the relation of faith to critical scholarship. This personal aspect of academic work is often left out of many books, and the authors' opening of the conversation is a needed starting point in the consideration of ones' commitment to academic life.

The opening chapter is an introduction to church history as a specific historical discipline. Historiography - the writing of history - is explored with further references for a more in depth study of this rapidly changing field. Particular historians noted for their scholarship include Johann Lorenz von Mosheim (1694-1755), August Neander (1789-1850), and Philip Schaff (1819-1893). Specific era's that influence historiography include the Enlightenment and the Romantic periods.

The second chapter focuses on perspective and meaning in history. What is the difference between church history and secular history? What is the difference between a Christian doing history and a non-Christian doing history? What is truth and can it be historically determined? In asking whether objectivity is possible, the authors draw the student into one of the most important questions of modern history writing. These questions are explored and suggestions are offered with sources given for further reference.

A consideration of reference and bibliographic sources as one begins historical research is the burden of the third chapter. This is the beginning of research itself. It is here that the authors' practical experience in teaching this subject shows so well. The questions discussed in the book are the questions every student beginning historical investigation is familiar with. Sources referred to are ones that are essential beginning points.

Important primary resources are the subject of the fourth chapter, and the reader is alerted to works that must be consulted in any topic. Computerized records have made many primary materials more accessible and the growing importance of computers is noted. Perhaps the weakest point of this work deals with the details of computing. A necessary fault due to the revolutionary advances in computing, this area is one that can become outdated almost by the time of publication. Since the writing of this book, software programs have become much more powerful and information much more accessible. The internet has transformed communication (and also mis-communication) in ways not available when this book was published. It is hoped that further updated editions will address this valuable research tool. It must be noted, though, that specialist information is still often available only on location and to those who personally and patiently search through many languishing records.

All research is still-born if it is not written up. How to go about this important aspect of writing is the topic of the fifth chapter. Specific help offered by computers is noted, and though progress has marched on well beyond what is described in the pages of this book, one very important point is noted that becomes more important as computers are relied on more and more. It is now possible like never before to access information and put it into research form without actually assimilating it. Bibliographic references and quoted material can be downloaded and passed into research papers without the information ever passing through the researchers' mind. It is easier than ever before to substitute quantity for quality. The potential for this situation to exist can only grow with the rapid advances in information technology and the expanding possibility for the mis-use of technology is not passed over in this thorough introduction.

The final chapter deals with the preparation of lecture notes and writing for publication. A practical chapter indeed, this is one area that gets very little mention in most academic settings. A further 64 pages offer bibliographic resources and avenues for further investigation of the many areas covered in this book.

The authors have done the field of church history a great service by their careful and detailed work. While general enough to cover the field broadly, the extensive bibliography points the way for an in-depth coverage of the various topics not otherwise available in a book this size. This is a valuable work for students as well as teachers engaged in the serious study of church history, and who want to keep their methodology up-to-date.

If you want to study the history of christianity in a serious way, you will experience that this book gives you not only the most recent, but also the best available introduction into the most important matters of the field. Highly recommended

This is a compilation of many of the best articles published in the Motor Boating & Sailing rag this loveable, yet curmudgeonly, old chap wrote. He and his lovely wife Dory lived a varied life aboard more vessels (excluding multi-hulls -- you don't want to know what he thinks of them, or their owners) (insert knowing grin HERE) and they had lots of life experiences of a nautical flair.

The articles he wrote detail wonderful experiences he shared. The thing I like about Mr. Bradley is that he is not a chap who willingly does without the necessities of life in order to be aboard a boat. He has his toys, and enjoys them too.

This book is for the more mature boater, who will recognize the many truths he writes about in this gem. His wife added much to his happiness aboard, and he tells exactly how that was achieved. (Men, especially those with reluctant wives, should Take Notes)

Anyway, I enjoyed the articles. Not a lot of storm-tossed sea-stories here -- this is life aboard a boat, written by a couple who did it for decades.

The illustrations are just wonderful too.... James Mitchell captured the Bradley we knew and loved. And the neighbors too, even those flaky ones are almost recognizable.

So, buy the book, and enjoy your moments aboard the Simba. Dory's pouring, and if you're lucky, it'll be a fresh pina colada from Dick's blender -- which, incidentally, is a NECESSITY aboard.

Thank you.

This book is one of the best of the whole West Point series. The authors have found a way to describe an analyse historical events in detail and in a very serious way, yet the book is never boring nor exceedingly academic. The readers feels like a junior officer in a staff HQ and witnesses key decisions being made. A brilliant and innovative book, maybe a little too centered on the role of the United States. The Atlas is a useful complement, and reading the two in parallel is invaluable. Probably one of the best tools to understand WWII ever designed.

I read this book on the recommendation of a neighbor, and while it did not enchant me like The Mists of Avalon, I still loved it. It is in no way light or joy-filled, but its very darkness is what makes The Fall of Atlantis so compelling. Bradley's characters suffer deeply, and the reader suffers along beside them. Even their final triumph is so tinged with sorrow, that it is impossible to say whether this book ends happily or not. The Fall of Atlantis is a novel of depth, of humanity's weaknesses. In reading it, we are shown that light is forever twined with darkness; the one is just a shade of the other.

I am loath to give any of MZB's books less than five stars. Yet something in Fall of Atlantis disturbs me...there were quite a few times when I was very tempted to throw up. It is a dark and stormy book, a maelstrom of death and evil magic and concealed betrayals, oh, and it does NOT have a happy ending. It doesn't even have a MZB-esque cryptic-semi-happy ending. As for the characters...Domaris (Isarma) and Micon to me were rather simple, existing only for the making of their son, who had a minor role as well. Rajasta and the other priests are just too...GOOD and one-sided to be interesting. However, Deoris (Adsartha) was who really made the book worthwhile for me. She was in many ways a hypocrite, and was often unjustified, but above all was decidedly human. Unlike the "good" and law-abiding Domaris, Deoris risked everything she had to support those she loved (namely Riveda) yet was not just a "giver" - she herself possessed real, dangerous power that she was not afraid to use. About Riveda...the book doesn't really cast him in a complementary light. It doesn't cast him in any sort of light, really. He's mysterious, even his origins are unknown, and he commits heresies so great that the Fall of Atlantis is brought about from his meddling. Nonetheless, he has real emotions, and to his credit, he does love Deoris, insofar as he can love anybody. I can't condemn him or pardon him, and I think it would be hard for anybody to...
In short, The Fall of Atlantis is a book filled with corrupted people trying to cling to their long-lost innocence, and failing. Read it and take it as you will; I recommend it for those with strong stomachs.

I think "The Fall of Atlantis" was a very dramatic, emotional book. The first pages seem very good yet not superb, while at the end, you cannot put this book down. Marion Zimmer Bradley's imagination in this book is captivating. The world she created impressed me because it was so much like fantasy (with all the Magicians, Adepts, and Laws), yet so realistic. Domaris and Deoris are two excellent characters; they captured my attention from the start. The other main characters in the book also impressed me, especially Rajasta, Riveda, and Micon. When I put this book down, I thought: "Another one of Zimmer Bradley's excellent works!"