Great book. It covers 14 Catholic classics including St Francis, St Augustine, St John of the Cross, St Teresa of Avila, .......and gives about an 8 page summary of each. I can then go and read the full classic after knowing what I am in for so to speak. I find that some books that are good for some are not good for you and though I am positive that we all need to read these classics at some stage in our lives - spiritually we need to be ready for them, and by reading the summaries it has helped me to see which is speaking to my soul.

The book is divided into two parts corresponding roughly to undergraduate material and graduate. The selection of topics is robust; the writing is clear and consise. The level is senior and above. The reader should have some knowledge of advanced math such as group theory, and analysis of algorithms. Great book! One of the best ever!

This is an insightful, but ultimately sad, true story of modern Australian culture. It is set in a most bizarre university college in Australia in the 1990s. The story is one of reckless youth, trust, power structures, farce and betrayal. In it Dr Cameron has captured something quintessentially Australian and contemporary.

It is the story of an exceptionally gifted man, holding an important and ultimately symbolic position, over a period of five years as the Principle of an apparently unremarkable university college in Sydney. But the reader, like the author, is soon exposed to a rather alarming expose of modern youth culture. The casual, somewhat inauspicious beginning soon develops into an embroiling series of events; heated debates,'carpark conspiracies', the recklessness and idealism of youth, and the like; laced with side excursions, charming anecdotes, and insightful caricatures. But I can't find the words to properly convey my feeling of this books intensity, diversity, and worth, or the overall respect that I have for the author himself.

Dr Camerons charming style and eloquence speaks volumes over those with whom he had cause for argument, and whom ultimaltey caused his sad and ultimately 'resignation'. This is a story with deserves to be told, and it is told by someone with an extraordinary gift for the telling. Not for the faint of heart or mind, but a truly great and timely book nonetheless.

Fun spooky stories and a built-in flashlight. Just add the blanket to hide under, and you're ready to go.

Peter J. Cameron's "Introduction to Algebra" is exactly that, an introduction to algebra and a good one at that. I must confess that before reading this book had a very limited knowledge of abstract algebra however with a little bit of time and effort I am now quite comfertable with the subject thanks to this book.

"Algebra" is divided into a 8 sections:
1) Set Theory and Relation Theory
2) Ring Theory
3) Group Theory
4) Vector Spaces
5) Modules
6) Numbers
7) More Rings and Groups
8) Galois theory and coding theory

This book succeeds by having an interesting writing style, not being dry, and at the same time being very rigorous. The rigor is always present and all proofs are carefully developed however the "feel" of the subject is never lost as Cameron strives to help the reader grasp the "shape" of the algebraic structures that he introduces.

This book has a slightly wider scope than many introductory algebra books however it succeeds in covering all of its topics well although the sections on category theory and algebraic geometry are only a page or two long and thus are only present to whet the reader's interest. In addition, Cameron motivates the discussions by drawing the topics together in the end in the applications chapter. This chapter covers the basics of the commonly known Galois theory and the less covered Coding theory which is one of the backbones of the internet.

Final: Buy this book for a good introduction. I have borrowed a number of other introductory books from the university up the hill but this one was the clearest for me.

"I am the way, the truth and the life," Jesus says in John 14:6. That is what I expect to find in any Catholic catechism: the way - the how of being Catholic, the truth - the set of beliefs that the catechumen or candidate will ascribe to, the life - the promises that will belong to the baptized person as a result of belief and practice. And I am not disappointed in finding it in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What the surprise is in the Catechism is that Jesus shows us the love of God. How reassuring to read the focus of the Catechism as "love that never ends."

However, though the Catechism begins with that statement in #25, it is easy to overlook it in the press of understanding the doctrines and the rules and the rituals. An interested non-Christian, concerned with the infrastructure of the church where he or she is considering membership, might easily miss the centrality to everything Catholic of the love that God has for His creatures. Most non-Christian religions do not have this emphasis or focus of love. Even the table of contents and titles of the sections of the Catechism itself move quickly to the creed, cult, and codes of Catholicism.

A catechist, instructing other Christians in the differences and similarities between Catholicism and various Protestant creeds and practices, might easily state this fundamental truth of God's love and then move quickly into the teaching of the faith, the handing down of specifically Catholic theology, practice, information, etc. A focus or emphasis on the personal love that God has for each of us is important and needs to be maintained in the presentation of all doctrine, all aspects of the Catholic practice. And that is what this little book reminds its reader.

It is pleasant, reassuring and uplifting to read on the dust cover of this book "The key to the Catechism is the mystery of the triune God - 'the love that never ends.'" As a focused and well-prepared instructor, even as a prayer warrior concerned about my students, interested in providing the right environment and content for conversion, I find it tempting to divert from catechesis on God's love in each of the pillars of the Catechism. Will the baptism or profession of faith of the new Catholic-to-be be properly supported by understanding of doctrine and rituals; will there be enough practice in prayer, sufficient support by intercessor and sponsor and godparent? However, it is not this re-presentation of the catechetical truths and codes that will save, nor even the support the faith of, the potential Catholic.

This book reminded me of the great need to echo the voice of Christ as He has spoken to His Church. The inner comparison, taking place within the inquirer, between Christ's voice and grace within himself or herself and the catechesis of Christ's voice within the setting of the Church, is the process of conversion. Recognizing the Shepherd's voice as the voice of love as well as way-truth-life will empower the inquirer toward conversion and prepare the soul for the joy of communion.

What indeed can a catechism offer for Catholics if not the universality of love of God? Surely, other creeds are easier to live, there are less codes to follow, less difficulties in being what that church might call "holy." The very love of God in calling us to live His very life is distinct and different from every other faith. It is, after all, union with Christ in His Church, in a common union with all the holy human saints of history, that is being offered in a Catholic conversion. Not a lifestyle, not a set of beliefs, not a set of practices. Nothing less than union in love with Love itself. That changes the focus of presenting Catholicism to an inquirer to "courting the catechumen" - we are proposing a marriage to the inquirer, through the truth, the way and the life outlined in the Catechism. That reminder throughout the book is what moved me as I read it.

Although I prefer Peter Cameron's novels (Leap Year, The Weekend, Andorra, The City of Your Final Destination), he first made a name for himself in the mid-1980s with wistful short stories. All but two of the stories in this collection were in his first collection (One Way or Another). The additional stories focus on gay characters with a background of AIDS death and were first published in the_ Yale Review_. "Deparing" is the mbryo of his novel _The Weekend_ and one of three stories in the collection ("Homework" and "Excerpt from Swan Lake" are the other two) that were selected for O. Henry Awards.

Seven of the seventeen stories were first published in the _New Yorker_. Somewhat offbeat children and young adults of both sex experience the oddness of adults and the complicated relations among the adults they observe who are dying or have survived divorce, or are thinking about getting married. Not much happens and (as with many contemporary literary stories) the stories tend tostop rather than be wrapped up. Life and its uncertainties will go on for the somewhat perplexed, somewhat perplexing and never-fulfilled characters.

Almost every story has an observation or dialogue that makes me laugh out loud. My favorites are two stories about young New Yorkers visiting relatives in Maine with a possible marriage partner ("Fast Forward" and "Nuptials and Heathens," the latter with the best absurd line in the book) and one about a young woman who has to pass calculus to begin Columbia MBA program in the fall ("Fear of Math"), though I was not sorry to have read any of the fourteen stories.

Peter Cameron is a superb novelist. If you want proof, read "The Weekend" or his fantasia on love life in New York City called "Leap Year." The short stories collected in "The Half You Don't Know" are the first stories of his that I've read. And now I plan to buy his other two collections. What a wonderful writer. His characters are so full and rich, even when Cameron tells you very little about them. He is especially good with young people like the boy in 'Homework' whose dog, Keds, "got smashed by some kid pushing a shopping cart;" or Julie in 'Fear of Math' who begins a casual affair with her summer school calculus professor in order to pass the course; or Mark in 'What Do People Do All Day' who brags that his monogram is MTV, or Patrick in 'Fast Forward' who agrees to accompany his friend, Alison, to Maine where Patrick will pretend to be her fiance, so that, supposedly, Alison's mother can die happily.

Comparisons are odious, but I have not found so much delight in discovering a writer since I first read the stories and novels of David Leavitt. Cameron and Leavitt are not at all alike in their writing styles but they both do have such a warm, loving compassion for all of their characters, especially the ones who do not know how to solve their problems, but nevertheless, keep trying to find a way out.

I especially treasure a story called 'Slowly' in which a young widow and her late groom's brother try to move on with their lives, to comfort one another and to complete the grieving process.

Cameron always leaves the 'half you don't know' as a mystery. He refuses to fill in all the blanks with his characters. They are our relatives and friends. They are us. We laugh with them and when they are in trouble, as they often are, we empathize greatly with them. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The collection includes some of Cameron's finest short stories: "The Secret Dog," "Slowly," "Jump or Dive," and others. The collection also includes the short story he eventually turned into the novel "The Weekend."

Cameron has an eye for details, dialogue and simple and original descriptions that make you say, yeah, that's exactly how it is, how come I never thought of it that way before?

I did find, however, that the stories are best read during separate sittings. Otherwise, the similarity in tone and characterizations begins to wear a little bit thin; and the sweet, poignant, almost hapless characters start to seem kind of passive-aggressive.

My girlfriend at College used to have a big crush on Cameron back when he was wowing the campus with his poetry in the school literary magazine. I was jealous of him then. Now I'm just jealous of his ability to write such great short stories.

There are a select few authors that I look forward to reading. Peter Cameron is within that group. The anticipation of picking up one of his books is exciting, because I know I will be in for a very good read. And this latest book is no exception.

Reading this book, I had no idea where Mr. Cameron was going to take me. The characters are rich and the plot absorbing. And half-way through this read, I thought that wherever he would leave me really didn't matter. While the destination was awesome, my journey was equally satisfying.

I highly recommend this book (and any of Mr. Cameron's other ones as well). He writes so well. Using a minimum of words, he is able to tell the story so vividly, far better than a lot of other authors who use paragraphs upon paragraphs to describe a scene. There are writers who write stories, and then there are authors, such as Mr. Cameron, who write literature.

Don't miss this one!

I just read Peter Cameron's new novel after reading its glowing review in the New York Times. I'd read and enjoyed his other novels and short stories, and so I was happy to see that he had a new novel out. This one is more light-hearted than his other books but doesn't sacrifice any of the elements that made the other books satisfying to me. His elegant writing and almost uncanny way with dialogue is still on display. Most important for me, though, is the way Cameron manages to convey so much about his characters in such few words. Each of the characters is interesting and unique. It's a really fine book.

After reading his prior novels (particularly "The Weekend" and "Andorra"), I've come to expect that Peter Cameron's novels will be beautifully crafted and full of rich, human dialogue and insight. Peter Cameron's new novel, "The City of Your Final Destination," met my expectations and then some. Like his other works, "City" is full with wonderful yet unassuming prose and dialogue, and intelligent observations on modern life. What makes "City" really special, though, is its generosity towards its characters and their fortunes. The novel recounts, without any of that easy cynicism, but with lots of humor, an exiled and splintered family's coming to terms with a beguiling offer from a young graduate student who descends upon them unannounced. Never syruppy or sentimental, Cameron warmly shows us what it's like today to try, all at once, to do the right thing by all, the best thing for yourself and, in the process, manage to carve out a little love and happiness. Not an easy task, but when rendered with heart and pluck by Peter Cameron, it makes for great, rewarding reading. Enjoy.

Leap Year is an amusement designed to be entertaining, and it most definitely is. It is a warm, occasionally funny book. While it makes use of plot contrivances and some stock characters, its main players stay in character, and transcend the "amusement" genre to some extent.

I wanted to read the book a chapter at a time, the way it originally appeared, but I could not. I gulped it all down in two sittings. (It's not my fault: it's not only wise and funny but definitely a "page-turner.") Most of the characters ultimately prove to be better than they seemed. As in his later books, Cameron creates a range of interesting characters (female and male, gay and straight). That he can make New Yorkers sympathetic shows either great imagination or great skill! I even felt some sympathy for the unredeemed villainess and the two weak men she used in nefarious plots.

Like Armistead Maupin's tales of an interlinked but diverse cast of mostly young San Franciscans a decade earlier, Cameron's tales of New Yorkers in their early 30s are not sexually graphic. There are a few hints, but mostly it is relationships and love, not sex, that is his subject. Drugs are also invisible.

A lot happens to Cameron's characters and I was sorry to leave them behind when I reached the end.

A new (yet old) book by Peter Cameron! What a pleasant surprise. He wrote Leap Year in the 1980's for the short-lived NYC weekly "7-days." The novel reads quickly but has all the compassion and intelligence of his other works. These are characters that you will not soon forget.

This is a very strange, quiet and unsettling book that I would recommend reading. It's like reading a foreign film: minimal plot, GREAT character development and lines that seem to jump off the page at you. And, after it's all said and done, you kinda feel like hugging the book. A definite read!

i bought this little hardback at an australian gay book store 3 years ago cos it was discounted and i liked the cover. having just finished it this weekend, i have to say i am glad i did buy and not read it then. it is a simple worded story. no obvious pompous imagery or over the top philosophy (though i did cringe a little during the dinner exchange, which bordered on the preachy). yet under the uncluttered language hides a tumultuous cast of characters with an equally tumultuous sense of self. they all present that sturdy, friendly, "oh, i like you" facade in front of strangers, only to crumble when confronted by themselves and, unwittingly, others.

what is absolutely wonderful is the handling of the idea of truth (absolute and relative, pun intended) and the sense of your place in the world. in trying to figure out who you are, where you are and how you are doing in this thing we call "life", peter cameron has shown us a few different, very disparate examples. they are for us to look at, laugh at, identify with or mistake, like for chaikan@hotmail.com, where looking at it as explicitly gay literature has made him/her miss the point totally, and which depth was never insisted, but loomed very darkly over all that seemed frivilous and flippant.

I just saw the movie adaptation of this novel and it was everything I hoped it would be. This was one of the first gay-themed novels I read after coming out and I will always remember the sharp dialogue and spare prose. The funny thing is it is unfair to label this "gay" fiction because it is such an incredible character study of many different types of people. Read the book, then hope you get a chance to see the movie with great performances by Gena Rowlands, Brooke Shields, and David Conrad.