Good, but I had trouble keeping up with the names of the white guys. Seems like someone is always leaving and someone is always arriving, the pictures only confuses me more, because I would try in vain to match up the name with a picture.

Russia's Lake Baikal is the largest, deepest, oldest, and cleanest freshwater lake in the world. It's size is greater than all of five of the North American Great Lakes combined and home to more than 1,500 species of life known nowhere else in the world. Bartle Bull led the first expedition to ever circumnavigate Lake Baikal. While on this epic sojourn, he and his team mapped the devastating impact of human development and industry on this wild and pristine ecosystem. Around The Sacred Sea: Mongolia And Lake Baikal on Horseback is the incredible and riveting story of this valiant trek, an exploration of Baikal's history, ecology, and culture, and well as an informative and engaging survey of incredible and unique plant and animal life. Beautifully written, funny, occasionally suspenseful, Around The Sacred Sea is a unique, engaging, informative, exciting, page-turner of an uncommon, true-life adventure story, ideal reading for the armchair traveler and inspiring for the globe trotter set.

Around The Sacred Sea tells of the author's extrodinary feat of riding horseback completely around Lake Baikal.The book draws you in right from the prologue. Bartle Bull is an excellent writer, who not only describes in beautiful detail the sights, sounds, people and animals he and his friends encounter during the expedition, through his words he brings the reader along with him. I have never been even near Lake Baikal, but I feel like I have. There were moments of danger that had me flipping ahead in the book to make sure everything turned out alright. There were sad moments and there were drunk moments and there were irate moments and there were happy moments. And I felt every single one of them. The book is also illustrated with beautiful photographs taken during the adventure. I loved this book. This book is a must have for people anxious to take their own adventures, people who have any interest in Russia and Lake Baikal and for people who want to have adventures while they are safe and secure at home.

Written for the 9 to 12 year old, this 100 page book is a lovely overview to the major issues of the Renaissance. The title hints at whats to come -- rats (method of transmission for the Plague), bulls (the Martin Luther kind), and flying machines (Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance man). Making cameo appearances: the Medici, Machiavelli, the Borgias, Castiglione, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Van Eyck, Shakespeare, Durer, Bruegel, Cervantes, Gutenberg, Henry VIII, St. Ignatius Loyola, and Galileo. Also discussed is the Reformation, although somewhat limited in scope. Beautiful color pictures. The only real complaint that I have is that the book is too brief, but an excellent start for youngsters discovering the Renaissance.

This book is great, it is full of colorful pictures and stories that make history not only exciting for students, but also teachers.

Ms. Prum's clever review of the Renaissance is full of wit, humor, and unlike many children's history books, information. Her book provides a teacher or parent with simple, interesting facts about this exciting period of history. I recommend it for all teachers and parents who want to avoid the dreary world of text book history.

This is the first serious novel I ever read. (Before that I was only reading Doctor Who tie-in's.) After seeing the BBC adaptation on TV I wanted to read this book. I got it when I was 11 and have cherished it ever since. This was the book that made John Wyndham famous: the overnight destruction of civilization by "comet debris", the world overrun by flesh-eating plants called triffids.

One could look at this book as a war between man and nature on a grand scale. When mankind was the species that dominated all others, nature was driven back, "suppressed", or killed in the name of progress. When the tables are suddenly turned, it looks as if mankind is in decline. As the years pass, dead cities are slowly disappearing, turning into jungles as nature takes hold. In a matter of time nature will take over completely and the triffids will be the new inheritors. Unless the human race can fight back and reassert itself.

I have lost count of how many times I have read this book. I am 23 and the story is just as effective now as it was when I first read it. I like seeing all the different cover artwork that people have done for this book. The fact that it's been reprinted so many times is proof that this novel shows no sign of losing its popularity.

I've obtained that book from my father. I've thought it's an ordinary book as many others as I've taken it in my hands, but it was a mistake...When I've opened it and begun to read, I wasn't able to stop. I hadn't to eat or drink - a reading was all that I've needed. I was taken into the story I was in the book, my world obtained a new dimension. It was wonderful...What everything would happen, when something " in the sky " will destroy. A few lights, a few beautifull lights on the sky and - all men are blind. Almost all... Some of them survived wihout a damege of eyes, because they didn't see that strange light - stroke of luck. One of them is our hero. He was at the hospital in sake of his eyes at that time. Once, when he wake up, he found out that something is wrong, something about the people all around him. - People gone blind ! - In this way begins his story..., he goes throgh the city and he see a lot of unhappy blind people, which try to get somewhere, which try to do something. A new world begins... A world with only one right - the right of the stranger. A blind people will die and all of them who are alive wants only one - to stay alive another day. It's bad, a many people are bad, at's stange. In this time we can see who is who - everything best and worst will rise up from deep inside of human. It's interesting to see it. And that is not all - a special kind of living form, something between a plant and animal, which is able to kill - such a creature begines to go among the people and it kills them. People which stayed alive and want to stay alive have to be together. They are able to resist only in this way and it's hard. A many different people with various kind of behavour and the alliens - the Triffids -. /.../ This book is not serious only, it's humorous too. You have to read it, because it's not possible to write as good this book really is. You will see, you haven't feel such intensive experience anytime before...

John Wyndham was the pseudonym of John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris (1903-1969). This novel is regarded as one of the classics of science fiction literature and was made into a film in 1963 (poorly made). The book was runnerup for the 1952 International Fantasy Award. It is one of the classic examples of the "disaster novel;" or, more specifically, the sub-genre referred to as the "cozy catastrophe" in which a world-wide disaster is depicted in such a manner that the reader doesn't feel too upset and roots for the main character to overcome all odds. This novel set the pattern for many later novels of other authors: a disaster occurs, a large city is depopulated, panic develops, bravery is seen in the main characters, and a small core of individuals strive to build a foundation from which mankind can reestablish his position. (The synopsis given above with the publisher's comments is wrong. Wyndham is not the father of the disaster nove. There were several prior to 1951.) In this particular story, a series of green showers from a comet's tail (we are later told that this may have been a weapon in orbit that had been accidentally set off by an Earth government) cause most of Earth's inhabitants to become blind. Only the few who didn't see the showers (such as the main character Bill Mason who was in a hospital) can see. Later, a plague (possibly originating from a biological weapon) kills many survivors. But, the main malevolent force in the novel are the triffids: carniverous plants that can walk. Bill Mason believes these plants to have been genetically engineered by the Soviet Union and were accidentally released. Now that mankind is blind, the triffids "day" has come. The word "triffid," first used in this novel, has even gotten into the English language as a term describing any malevolent or obnoxious plant.

Our family likes to get Hank the Cowdog audiotapes from the library. This one is one of my favorites, probably due to the trouble Little Alfred and Hank get themselves into. My kids (ages 4, 6, 7 and 11) all enjoyed this tape tremendously. (I only gave it 4 stars because it doesn't have great educational or moral value--but it sure is hilarious!)

I love this book it uses exteremly rich and colorful language. J. R. Erickson is the funniest childrens writer that I know of. I suggest to anyone of anyage to try one of these books from his series. Excellent! I can't say that enough.

A well-written book examining the controversial gay movement and subsequent religious right movement in the 90s. The authors write in an anthropological style, representing both sides without displaying their personal disposition. This style of writing is very helpful when trying to establish a position on this controversial issue, or when examining the stance opposing your own position. For a novice in the issue of the religious right versus the gay movement this would be a wonderful starting point. A reader that has an established position on the issue, they may like a more pro-stance work.

A good book that does its best to be objective when dealing with an issue that is most decidedly subjective. The book is a careful examination of the political situations surrounding the gay and evangelical communities and their similarities and differences. The authors don't hold back from pointing out the missteps and faults of both movements, and ends with a plea for less fiery rhetoric and a call for civil discussion and compromise. A must read for anyone on either side of this debate

Irrespective of the reader's own personal politics, the highly charged political nature of GLBT rights means finding 'balanced' academic works is incredibly difficult. Most titles either soley focus on the glbt OR far right without attempting some sort of journalistic mediary between the two.

As a diehard liberal, my politics personally go with the former group, but my need for balance in classroom assigments (which included a mock curricula)left me in a quandry. How would I teach about a social group I inately despised (the religious right) while giving my potential students the required information they would need to discern a broader picture?

Looking through the right's own books seemed boring and actual field interviews also seemed dangerous because of the unknown communication problems I was potentially setting myself up for in the arrangement (people spamming me with information after the fact, attempting to change my own politics and/or harrassing me).

Thus, I was personally relieved to make Mr. Bull's concise book an addition to my library. The 1990's were both a time of great political gains and setbacks for the GLBT community, and understanding past policy battles in Oregon and Colorado (among other profiles) helps today's activists prepare counter-response to simmilar campaigns in their own muncipaties.

Also helpful is the book's immediate practicality to intended communities. Even if I can decipher advanced queer political theory with my previously aquired political training, such barriers could inadvertently reduce the numbers of movement allies when the need is most critical. Bull's plainspeak language is intentionally utilized to neither speak over or down to his readers, they instantly know they CAN be part of the solution to every identified policy problem.

Perhaps the publisher or Peter Maas was trying to do something new to appeal to the public. By selectively editing interviews this book is written in the prose of Sammy the Bull's slang and jargon, fragmented sentences, non-sequiturs, and poor train of thought. I didn't finish the book. To all others, in my humble opinion it's not worth starting.

Many reviewers have compared this work to Nicholas Pileggi's fine book "Wiseguy" (which was the basis for the movie "GoodFellas"). And rightfully so. "Wiseguy" concerned real life crime figure Henry Hill and how he eventually turned government informant against the mob. "Underboss" likewise tells the tale of a mobster turned informant, except this time the stool pigeon, Sammy Gravano, is a capo (and later a consigliere) in the Gambino crime family, and the mafioso he fingers is none other than John Gotti himself.

As you might expect, "Underboss" is a fascinating read. (Author Peter Maas previously wrote the books "Serpico" and "The Valachi Papers", among others, so he knows how to tell a good crime story). Gravano does not portray himself as a saint. He candidly reveals in horrifying (though not gory) detail crimes he committed in the mob, including some nineteen murders and literally hundreds of burglaries, armed robberies, and kickback/extortion plots. All the major New York crime bosses of the time (Carlo Gambino, Joe Columbo, Paul Castellano, Vincent Gigante, and of course Gotti) figure in the proceedings, as Gavano had dealings with them and others, as well.

Unlike some true crime books where you end up skipping chapters to get to the "good stuff", this book was gripping every step of the way. So much so that I ended reading it cover to cover, all 301 pages, in less than a week. If you're looking for a good insider's book on the Mafia, this is it.

I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look into one of the largest New York crime families that this book gave! The most difficult part about the book is trying to distinguish between fact and Sammy Gravan's version of things. He is thought of as a heartless thug. In the book he seems to be a fairly likable guy who took advantage of the glamourous life of a mobster.

I understand he is now out of the witness-protection program. Don't know how he is still around.

This is a very handy guide, simply and clearly laid out, it includes sections for the non-ornathologist (like myslef) with titles like "red birds" and "small brown birds". It contains hints on attracting birds to your yard and feeder, and it has a wealth of clear colored illustrations. Being a "Teal" myself I appreciate this. My aunt gave me this book,then she wanted to get it's name again later, so I am returning the favor and ordering one for her:)

Excellent publication for anyone interested in learning about how the wonderfull world of electronics got started. This publication goes through the who, how and why we have computers and electronic devices in our world today. I have used this publication as an "educational gift" for many of my customers. It will never go out of date!

When Lord Strutt suddenly dies, a falsified will makes Philip Baboon the new Lord Strutt. Backing the rival claims of Esquire South, John Bull and Nicholas Frog begin court action against Lewis Baboon, the father of Philip Baboon. Though Humphrey Hocus, a brilliant attorney, wins case after case, the court action drags on interminably. As the court action drags on, Hocus assures Bull that Lewis Baboon is nearly finished and the next case must surely finish him. And worse, having been brought to the edge of bankruptcy, Bull discovers that Frog, et al, are ensuring that Bull pays far more than his fair share. Finally, when Bull decides to put an end to it, he discovers the depth of his fellows' dishonesty.

Now, swap Charles II of Spain for the late Lord Strutt, Philip of Anjou for Philip Baboon, Charles of Austria for Esquire South, the English people for John Bull, the Dutch people for Nicholas Frog, Louis XIV for Lewis Baboon, the Duke of Marlborough for Humphrey Hocus, war for court action, battles for cases, general for attorney [pant, pant, pant], and you have the War of the Spanish Succession! (At least as seen through Tory eyes.)

This series of five pamphlets were published in 1712 as an allegory of the War of the Spanish Succession. They have biting satire in them (Marlborough, and quite a few others are roasted quite thoroughly), and make an enjoyable read. I must state, though, that unlike some satires, these pamphlets will not prove terribly entertaining if you get an edition that does not include a good background, footnotes, and a cast of characters (i.e., it is a so-so story on its own, but a wonderful satire).

It is not necessary to know much about the War, so long as you are interested in the subject, and are willing to periodically flip back to the notes (as was the case with me). I would say that this book is an interesting historical artifact, and an excellent piece of literature. By the way, these pamphlets are the source of the character John Bull.

As it just seems, reading the Chrysalids is part of the school curriculum. Honestly, if it wasn't for that fact I probably would have never picked up this book. When it comes to highschool reading, it's not about enjoying the book so much as "learning" or "realizing" stuff about our lives.
I personally enjoyed the book after reading a chapter, I became hooked and had to finish it as soon as possible. The only problem came when I had to "discuss" the story, the inner message of the book was that the book lost its appeal to me.
If you just want to enjoy some science fiction read it and if you find something that relates to our lives, that's great. If you want to learn about the author's opinion on our world, read it. If you want to read it and do both things, this book is for you.

This was a novel study in our English class. The first day I got it... i thought, "it's probably another boring classic book" but i read the first chapter and i couldn't stop. i read it for one whole day! it was so interesting. it's one of the best novel i've read. i even borrowed some books by John Wyndham the "Chocky" and "The Day of The Triffids." But nothing could beat the "Chrysalids." I can't believe some grade nine students who reviewed this book found it horrible and boring. i feel that their entitled to their opinions but i still think they should read it again when they've matured enough. I'm sure they will change their minds.

This book is like a child's question, so seemingly simple and innocent. Why? says the child, Why? Why? Why? The answers to many children's questions are dangerous and upsetting, as are the ideas in this book.

On the face of it this is a simple science fiction story. It is skillfully and simply told; a quick and enjoyable read. On the face of it there is an unremarkable little adventure story here which earns the genre of science fiction by dealing with telepathy in a post acpocalytic world. The pacing and dynamics of the book hold the reader and the story moves itself. This, however, is not a simple tale of or for children, and there is almost no way in which it can be read as such by anyone with average intelligence.

This is a devastating critique of religious zeal and blind faith of any kind. It is a horror tale of intolerance of the worst kind. Here is a society in which parents will kill their own children to maintain the purity of an ideal based on only a few words passed down through the generations.

This is an equally devastating critique of hidebound adherence to the rule of law. Here is a society which enforces law without regard to the temperance justice, mercy or common sense can bring.

A child can read this book and feel the injustice revealed page by page. A sensitive child can find assurance in the ending that somewhere out there are others like him or her who will be welcoming of their "differences". An adult can read the book and be given the gift of a clear eyed look at rigid ideology.

Published also as "Rebirth" this book was seen in the 50's as a condemnation of Communism. It is a condemnation of Communism in so far as Communism is a blind faith commitment. Today the universal quality of the critique behind the book is more clear.

What is amazing is the ease with which this little story inspires the reader to question the validity of social forms and values, perhaps it does so because it is so simple and clear and fast to read.

I am not surprised some reviewers don't like the book. This book challenges the very heart of literal beliefs whether they be religious, scientific, legal or moral. It is a text that such bigots have reason to fear. All the more reason for the rest of us to read it and wonder at their existence. "Why?".