This riveting book chronicles and analyzes the amazing Branion murder case in which Dr. John Branion was arrested, tried, and convicted for the December 1967 murder of his wife, Donna. This was a case that caught the imagination of the public, at the time, as the Branions were a prominent family within the African American community in Chicago. I remember seeing a recap of this case on "Unsolved Mysteries" many years later and thinking that it was just about impossible for the doctor to have committed this crime, unless he could have been in two places at once.

The evidence that led to Dr. Branion's arrest was virtually non-existent and wholly circumstantial, fueled by conjecture and speculation. The police work was shoddy, at best, bolstered by faulty memories and a desire to close the case. Dr. Branion was tried in the then notoriously corrupt criminal justice system of Chicago, Illinois. The defense team was spearheaded by an attorney who was astonishingly inept. The prosecution was led by a veteran prosecutor who evidently left his ethics at home everyday before heading off to work. Many years later, the lead prosecutor acknowledged that he knew that Dr. Branion himself could not have committed the murder but prosecuted him any way, as he believed that Br. Branion had paid someone to kill his wife, despite lacking a scintilla of evidence to support such a theory. To compound this travesty of justice further, the trial was presided over by a corrupt judge who took a payoff and who, many years later, was convicted of taking bribes. Need one say more?

The murder of his wife Donna was to begin an undreamt of odyssey for Dr. Branion. After his conviction, he was permitted to be out on bail while pending appeal. For nearly three years, he waited in limbo, until his appeals were exhausted. When his appeals failed, he was sentenced to a minimum of twenty years in prison. He then did the only thing that he felt an innocent man could do, when faced with the prospect of a twenty year sentence for a crime he did not commit. He fled the jurisdiction, a move that would find him spending the next twelve years on the run in Africa until his eventual capture and return to the United States in 1983. He would then spend the next seven years in prison awaiting justice. When it finally came, it was too little, too late.

The author, who together with her husband, a law professor, tirelessly worked pro bono on Dr. Branion's appeals upon his return to the United States, puts together a well researched and persuasive chronicle of Dr. Branion's tragic saga. Well written and comprehensive, this compelling narrative will keep the reader riveted to its pages. It is with good reason that the author was the recipient of the Anthony and Agatha Awards for Best True Crime. Those who enjoy the true crime genre, as well as those who enjoy mysteries, will find the story contained within the pages of this book fascinating. Bravo!

It's axiomatic in the publishing business that books with black protagonists will never crack a bestseller list. Thus with "The Doctor, the Murder, the Mystery." Too bad. Barbara D'Amato has written a stunning and terrifying study of our injustice system and its built-in bias toward black defendants, no matter how accomplished or brilliant they may be. It took this superb writer five years to research and write, and no wonder. In any list of the best works of crime journalism, this book must stand near the top. Warning: it will move you to tears. And rage. And maybe make you lose your last vestige of respect for a "justice system" that long ago stopped providing equal justice under law.

This is an outstanding account of a remarkable real life search which proved the innocence of Dr. John M. Branion, convicted in a court of law of the murder of his first wife, Donna. Please note the misspelling of the family name; it is NOT Banion, at least not on my two copies of the book!! The dedication of the writer and her attorney husband toward the solution of false conviction and false imprisonment, but not the crime itself, is an example of welcome dedication to the best of human interest and the never ending search for justice. One should not overlook the severe failings of the judicial system in this case and this book should be read by everyone interested in competent courts and officials, honesty in their dealings, and in protection of the rights of persons accused of a major crime. If only! The case became celebrated long after the crime; TV show "Unsolved Mysteries" has treated this fairly (their first 30 minute piece) and, I am told, it still runs occasionally.

This is a superb book for any practitioner working in primary care. It covers all important subjects completely and concisely. I used it to review for my boards with the review book that goes with it and I was very prepared. I highly recommend this text.

I found this review book an excellent source of knowledge and simple to understand. This book by passes all the intricate biochemical details and present the meat and potatoes so to speak. The wisdom of the pearls make this book unique. I recommend this book to any professional in a primary care setting.

This is the most comprehensive and concise medical text that I have ever used....so reader friendly. It has over 70 contributors from all over the country.

I recently re-read Case's Open-Book Management: The Coming Business Revolution (1996) and then this book (1999). Both are even more important now than when originally published. In this volume, Case develops his key ideas in much greater depth while examining more than 100 companies which -- to varying extent -- have implemented open-book principles. Perhaps without intending to, some reviewers have incorrectly suggested that these principles have relevance only to publicly-traded companies. In fact, I think they can also be of substantial value to non-profits as well as to privately-owned companies. Consider the over-used phrase "taking ownership" in the context of assuming responsibility for helping to reduce costs by completing more and better work in less time or in the context of assuming responsibility for making certain that a customer's problem has been solved. Heaven knows, what Case advocates will increase "business literacy" among everyone involved in a given enterprise but it can and should accomplish more, much more.

For example, effective application of open-book principles will create a "transparent" organization. That is, one in which everyone is kept fully informed of what is most important to the success of that enterprise. Such knowledge includes but is by no means is limited to financial information which explains, for example, how much it costs to open the door each business day or how much money is spent on training, overtime, postage, shipping, etc. According to Case, "Really the only way for a company to boost performance consistently over the long terms is to have employees who work enthusiastically and effectively and who take responsibility for their own work. Good systems -- meaning good procedures and equipment -- are indispensable. But what makes the difference in the end is whether the employees doing the job think about doing it just a little bit better and care whether they do or don't." At a time when competition is more ferocious than ever before, "battles" will be won or lost within what Case characterizes as "the human dimension of business -- the wanting, the caring, the enthusiasm, the problem solving and initiative taking." Open-book principles offer a new approach to management, one which starts from scratch with a new set of assumptions "about how people in an organization work together." In this volume, citing countless real-world applications of those principles, Case explains HOW...and, of equal importance, WHY.

If possible, read Open-Book Management first. You may also wish to check out Kaplan and Norton's The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action and then its sequel, The Strategy-Focused Organization: How Balanced Scorecard Companies Thrive in the New Business Environment. Perhaps the Lone Ranger could prevail armed only with a silver bullet but the rest of us need a full arsenal of weapons. Many of them are provided by Case, Kaplan, and Norton.

One of the best books yet on Open Book Management. Full of practical advice for anyone trying to use Open Book Management in their business. As anyone involved in implementing OBM will tell you, you need all the help you can get. This book has given us a host of new ideas and lots of hands on stuff to help us to make OBM a reality in our business. We hope the next book isn't far away.

Opening and reading this book is extremely worthwhile. It is a practical guide showing how to IMPLEMENT the open-book philosophy.

This work provides a new model of business management that bridges the people- versus profit-orientation approaches. Discusses and presents features of ten open-book bonus plans. Some key topics are participation, communication, and empowerment. Filled with lots of detailed information and insights. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

Great book for school counselor training programs. It offers a realistic, practical theory to complement other teaching. It also provides good examples. I highly recommend it!!

As the only counselor in a middle school of 400 students, I had been searching for a book to help me address the needs of my students. Somehow, perhaps by 'divine intervention' I happened onto Dr. Murphy's book, "Solution-Focused Counseling in Middle and High Schools". It has become my bible. It is something that works in an environment of limited time and unlimited student needs. IT WORKS! It is so rare to find information that is road-tested and really works for those of us who spend our day in the real world of middle and high schools. Thanks to Dr. Murphy for his insight and wisdom. I feel like a very competent counselor and this book is a big reason for that confidence.

These days lots of schools are worried about how to work with "problem kids." The problem with that, as John Murphy explains in his great book "Solution-Focused Counseling...," is that we focus too much on what's wrong with kids and not enough on their strengths. Murphy's belief in the power of young people to solve their own problems with the right guidance shines through. A clear, entertaining read on a terribly important subject.

For readers of any age the Hank The Cow Dog series is one of the best. It will hold the attention of older struggling readers with lower abilities. Parents reading to their children will enjoy the books as much as the kids do. With wit and humor the adventures of Hank keep us turing the pages. I have not read every book in the series but I will.

Amazon should make a complete set of these available.

Hank the cow dog is an amazingly funny book at first I thought that it was a really bad book but after a few minutes it turned into the best book i've ever read!
It's a really witty book and a very exciting one at that.A great Texan adventure about a dog and his amazingly funny ,exciting adventures. Definetly a book which is hard to put down! A rolercoaster which never ends. (...)

In this book Hank goes to his sister's house in town. A dog named Rambo in town is bullying his sister. Hank helps fight Rambo off once but Rambo comes again and Hank runs away. Hank has an idea to get his friend dog-pound Ralph to help him stop Rambo. Hank and Ralph run to town with the dog-catcher after them. If you want to find out what Hank's idea is and if it works read the story.

I have been a fan of Jack Olsen for years, starting way back when he wrote brilliant pieces for "Sports Illustrated." He has the gift of taking non-fiction and bringing it to life on the printed page. I am convinced he could write about an old grocery list and make it interesting.

Lovell, WY, a small insular, highly religious farm community was ripped apart when one of the leading citizens, Dr. John Story, was accused of sexual harassment and rape going back twenty years. He was a general practitioner with OB/GYN a large part of his practice. By the time he came to trial, more than 100 former patients admitted they felt they had been mistreated or raped under the guise of a pelvic examination.

My first thought was how could this have been so widespread and gone on for so long without anyone knowing, complaining, or accusing? The answer is the nature of Lovell itself. The majority of the citizenry belonged to the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) or to a very strict fundamentalist church of which Dr. Story was a founding member. Particularly with the LDS women, there is a strong bias in favor of male superiority. They are taught that men (and only men) can become priests of their church and give absolution; rarely is male authority questioned. Along with this background is an incredible innocence and ignorance about sexual functions. It wasn't until a leading church member started asking hard questions after her more enlightened daughters complained to her, that the scope of this crime emerged. The women thought two to three hour examinations were normal and all had taken for granted these examinations took place without the presence of a nurse.

It made very painful reading to see how difficult it was for these women to be taken seriously. The Medical Registry of Wyoming was hostile toward their efforts, but finally gave them a hearing. The leaders of the church, who did not want the church to formally be involved in the issue, did not support them. It took the dedication and incredible hard work of a local sheriff and District Attorney for the county to finally bring Dr. Story to trial. The town split in two along religious lines. The fundamentalist group said it was a "Mormon conspiracy." People who had been friends and neighbors for years were now bitter enemies.

Mr. Olsen has created a page-turner with his balanced narrative that includes many direct interviews with the leading participants. I felt pity for Dr. Story's devoted wife and for many of his well-meaning followers and patients. However, what stands out most in my mind is the bravery and endurance shown by his victims and their willingness to stand by their beliefs and principles.

Another dangerous sexual predator is free, practically in my own community. I don't live in Lovell, but I live in the Big Horn Basin. As a kid when this happened, I never really had a grasp of the depth of John Story's deviant acts until I read this book! This is not about the Mormon church versus the rest of the world as some people in Lovell still argue to anyone who will listen to this day; no, this is about a man who took advantage of his power and position as a trusted family doctor as an opportunity to rape women. This is about woman who, for whatever reasons, were conditioned as children to serve their fathers and to respect males. Young newlywed women who automatically knew to obey their husbands and believed they were nothing without their men. Women who never questioned a male's right to absolute authority. Sadly, these are also woman who never knew the extent of their own ignorance until it was too late.

The events were shocking in the 1980's when they ripped apart Lovell to the point that the wound still has not healed 20 years later. But it was the release on parole of a monster, of the so-called "doctor," that prompted me to finally read this book.

I now know and work with the attorneys in this book which made reading it all that much more exciting--the Honorable Gary Hartman, Scott Kath, the late Honorable John Dixon, Charles Kepler, and William Simpson and I know of Loretta Kepler, Kathy Karpan, and Terry Tharp. The author took some liberties with a few things; for example, Mr. Kepler is not a burly man nor is he a large man, Ms. Kepler is a charming and beautiful woman despite the plain-jane description to the contrary, Judge Hartman did not have a pistol under his robe when the jury verdict was delivered, and, really, Scott Kath is a much more interesting character than Olsen makes him out to be in the book. Furthermore, some of the nasty and degrading descriptions of town people were gross overstatements whereas some of the nicer descriptions were clever understatements of the true problems in Lovell--domestic abuse, alcohol, and to this day men with multiple "wives" and dozens of children.

However, having said that, those did not detract from this very well written book.

As a closing note for those who have read this, remember the exam table? Last year John Story's wife, Marilyn, picked up the "table" from the evidence room at the Big Horn County Courthouse. The table was a key factor in facilitating John Story's rape of literally hundreds of women during so called pelvic examinations. However, John Story no longer has a medical license nor can he ever hold a medical license again as a convicted felon. What does this man, who will surely be classified as a high risk registered sex offender, need with a fancy examination table when he does not have a medical license? Does he think he can sell it on eBay? Or is he starting a home based business?

I guess, this may only be the first story in a series of events yet to happen.......

I read this book back in 1990 but let someone borrow it and never got it back. It is an awesome story. I could not believe that people would let religion lead them to believe everything a doctor tells them. This book keeps your attention and I believe every woman should read it so that they might not get caught up in something like this.

This book describes the way creationists approach evolution. If they can find just one thing that evolutionary biologists have yet to explain, they figure that one thing is enough to throw the whole thing out. Such a view is just wrong, and shows an abysmal understanding - or abuse - of science. There are more than enough transitional fossils to convince a fair minded skeptic, but no creationist would ever agree to classify anything as a transitional fossil. Not Archeoptryx, not Acanthostega (sp?), not the mammal-like reptiles. The beautiful documention of the evolution of the mammalian jaw from the reptilian jaw should convince anybody, but it will never convince a creationist.

Of course, there is a lot that scientists don't know about evolution. But there is a lot that we DO know, and there is just too much evidence to simply toss out evolution. This is a theory that will not go away, although I wouldn't be surprised to see it change as we learn more about genetics.

This book is not written for creationists, but for people who might be sympathetic to their cause. If people would learn more about the nature of science, they would be offended by the utter dishonesty and lack of integrity you find in scientific creationism.

FGTG is a 200-page overview of the 2300-year history of the development of the E/C dispute. As an overview, it has the typical advantages and disadvantages of that genre, being written in very simple language, with only a minimum of technical detail. It would be a good introduction to the subject for someone with little prior knowledge of the history of the dispute, but it might not be very satisfying for people looking for a discussion of the most up-to-date, scientific analysis.

The Preface states that science rests on two principles: (1) scientists must base their analysis about how the world operates, not on idiosyncratic, a priori beliefs, but on empirical data; and (2) scientists must subject their analysis to testing and confirmation by others. In this two-step process, scientists failing to follow step 1, would be caught and exposed by other scientists in step 2. The self-correcting nature of the scientific enterprise is perhaps its most important feature. Any human enterprise is subject to error, so having a built-in, error-correction mechanism is essential.

FGTG describes young-Earth creationist organizations, like the Institute for Creation Research, that do not follow the error-correction methods of traditional science. The logical conclusion from that is inescapable.

FGTG analogizes the E/C dispute to the on-going dispute over the 9,000-year-old Kennewick Man skeleton found in Washington. Scientists want to use traditional scientific methods to identify the remains, but local Indian tribes insist that such tests are unnecessary, because their ancient, tribal, religious beliefs have already led them to conclude that the skeleton is the remains of one of their ancestors; and conducting any scientific tests at all would violate the Indians' religious beliefs. The point here is clear: injecting religion into a debate brings science to a halt.

FGTG reviews some of the differences between religion and science as knowledge systems. Beliefs based on religious considerations have a very strong emotional basis and may produce strong feelings of personal satisfaction. Beliefs based on scientific considerations tend to have a much weaker emotional impact. Scientific beliefs, by their very nature, are tentative, because all such beliefs are based only on the evidence acquired to date, and that evidence is ALWAYS incomplete. No matter how much data has been acquired to date in support of Theory X and no matter how compelling the inferences from that data may be, it is ALWAYS the case that evidence discovered next week may totally invalidate today's "unassailable" theory. Ptolemy gave way to Copernicus, Copernicus gave way to Newton, and Newton to Einstein. Science marches on, and that may be threatening to people craving certainty in their lives. For such people, unchanging, superstitious explanations may be more satisfying emotionally than any rational analysis, no matter how brilliant it may be.

FGTG sketches the development of biological explanations, both supernatural and scientific, from ancient Greece to the present. One interesting tidbit reported that religious groups sometimes incorporated scientific work into their religious beliefs. Galen's scientific studies on anatomy and Ptolemy's on astronomy were incorporated into the religious doctrines of some Christian denominations (Protestant and Catholic), changing their character from tentative statements about science into unchallengeable religious doctrines. So when Michael Servetus, a Spanish physician, pointed out mistakes in Galen's anatomical descriptions, the Catholic Church burned him at the stake in 1553. Giordano Bruno met the same fate in 1600 for preferring Copernican over Ptolemaic astronomy. So empirical data and analysis can be incorporated into religious systems, but the data and analysis are then no longer open to question, which violates the second characteristic of genuine science as described in the beginning of the book.

Another interesting chapter compared the dramatically different versions of creation given in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. If creationists believe that the Bible is inerrant in all its parts, then it is difficult to reconcile the fact that these two chapters are diametrically opposed to each other.

FGTG also points out that none of the original Biblical manuscripts survive and that the copies that do survive are significantly different from each other in many aspects. In the story about Noah's Flood, another key, creationist concept, one version says that only man, land animals, and birds will be destroyed, while another version says that all animals, apparently including even whales and fishes, will be destroyed. Again, if the Bible is supposed to be error free, it is difficult to explain why the Bible contradicts itself.

The history of the study of fossils and early attempts to reconcile them with the Bible was also interesting. The idea that a species could ever go extinct challenged belief in God's "perfect" creation as described in Eccl. 4:14.

FGTG reviews the early history of evolutionary theories, and very briefly reviews the data that evolution explains: sequential order of fossils (including Precambrian organisms); classification of organisms into nested categories (based on both gross anatomy and genetic data); data related to embryonic development (specifically recapitulating the embryonic evolution of the mammalian ear from its reptilian predecessor, and the vertebrate kidney); numerous intermediate forms (especially Archaeopteryx and horses); and radioactive dating.

The last quarter of the book reviews some of the major court battles over evolution education, especially the Scopes and McLean cases. One of the editorial reviewers complained about Moore's presenting evolutionists as "fearless truth seekers," but the sad fact of the matter is that evolutionists really have had to be fearless in opposing the religious bigotry that kept legitimate science from being taught. Michael Servetus, Giordano Bruno, John Scopes, and Bill McLean were indeed demonstrating fearlessness in opposing the religious bigots of their day.

The book's conclusion that both religion and science have a place in human affairs, but that the place of religion is not in a science classroom will come as no surprise. What may be surprising is the list of religious groups that agree with that conclusion, including Presbyterian, Jewish, Episcopal, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Unitarian, and Methodist organizations.

Very interesting book, easy to read, and full of worthwhile insights. I recommend it!

What a breadth of knowledge this man has! What humanity! What generousity of spirit! I read it in one sitting because I found it so fascinating. It was worth sacrificing a weekend.

There is a lot of excellent information in this book for anyone who has been in a cult, certainly. I bought it for a slightly different reason: I wanted to hear how Peter McWilliams explained to himself the incredible stupidity of being sucked into such a bag of lies. I am satisfied with his descriptions, and the book is cheerful, and upbeat! Well worth the purchase price, and I am lucky to have stumbled upon it.

Like Peter, I consider myself to be reasonably intelligent, etc., and yet had been married to a person for 20 years (and tied up in court battles with him for the next 7) who was recently diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. He was punitive, abusive, and selfish. I wondered if reading Peter's account of having made a similar series of terrible choices would help me in my recovery.

It did, and I highly recommend this book, and would love to thank Peter in person, if I could find an address for him. Also, like Peter, I was depressed in this negative relationship, so in 1992 I bought his book You can't afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought. Again, paralleling the author, as soon as my depression lifted, I was able to "get out" of the problem relationship. How interesting, then, that as the saga of disengaging reaches it's completion, Peter has again left me some "bread crumbs" to find my way home again.

This book is extremely valuable for anyone finding themselves in the unpleasant situation of feeling ridiculous for having succumbed to a bad relationship.

That MSIA now owns the copyright to "Life 102" is a telling admission that John-Roger wanted this embarrassing book killed and sent to hell. The book is an astonishing expose from Peter Mc Williams, a MSIA insider. While the book dishes the dirt on
J-R, the real untold story is still out there: How did MSIA get the copyright? Did Peter McWilliams sell the copyright because he is sick with cancer and needed the money? Did MSIA prevail in court in a legal fight? I have not been able to find out on the internet. Search engines are all linked to MSIA. This reeks of a MSIA tactic to control search engines -- something easy to do if you have enough of the faithful's tithes to spend on endarkenment.

J-R is rotten to the core if we are to believe Mc Williams' story. Yet Mc Williams comes across as being no better than J-R when all is said and done. Mc Williams plays the victim and J-R the bully. The two deserved each as we read of their sick and twisted karmic drama being played out in the pages of Life 102.
I would like to see J-R write "Life 103: What To Do When Your Devotee Writes a Sensationalized Expose On You."

The book is well worth reading and should belong in the library of anyone interested in the history of the New Age movement in America. Personally, the book did its job insofar as it convinced me to stay away from John-Roger and MSIA. I am of the opinion that MSIA has survived David McLane, the L.A. Times, and Mc WIlliams not because of its spirituality, but rather because of the power of its lawyers, a war chest full of money, a PR firm, and the ability to maintain a legal war against to grind its enemies to powder and outlast the interest of the critics.

Peter McWilliams has done the world a great service by writing this book. If only one person avoids the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness because of his efforts, his time and trouble (and he's had a lot!) will not have been in vain. His skewering of Arianna Huffington is particularly delicious.

McDowell and Spitz give an incredibly thorough, yet succinct overview of the field of substance abuse. The book is informative, well written, and an interesting read. It will be of great interest to all clinicians who work with substance abuse patients. I personally recommend it to anyone who encounters the problem of addiction, whether it be in a personal or professional realm.

I found this book to be an excellent introduction to the field of substance abuse. It is informative without getting bogged down in too much detail, and makes for interesting reading. The volume is also peppered with fascinating historical tidbits.

Doctors Mc Dowell and Spitz aught to be applauded for their innovative presentation. It should be a permanent fixture in the offices of every therapist as a research guide, and on the bookshelves of patients. It is a wellspring of information for both the layman and the pro. Thank you both.

Let me start out by assuring you that I'm not spoiling this story for you. The facts I mention are in the opening pages of the book . . . thereafter, you are on your own.

Who would deliberately poison a group of school children? This is the larger framework of the novel.

The main story takes place in a sprawling rather Victorian mansion-- all Carr's repertory of atmospheric effects.

Again, there's an inexplicable crime -- only a motive is missing. How could anyone profit from these crimes? There's also a person accused who's possibly innocent.

Carr not only presents the conventional mystery, with a number of suspects and -- initially -- no clue to the enraveling. He takes the reader on a tour of the murderer's mind. Carr discusses through the voices of his characters some of England's most diabolical murderers. Through the voice of his chosen detective, the obese and eccentric Dr. Gideon Fell, an exploration is made of at least six infamous poisoners. What motivated them? Can it apply to the present case?

As other reviewers have stated, the plotting is meticulous. Every detail is considered. The conclusion is very consistent with the presentation.

I will say this-- the book proceeds slowly. There's limited action. The book seems designed for readers with an analytic turn of mind.

As I recall, the novel was written in 1941. It is definitely an "old classic."

Personally, I thought it was well worth the price.

Sub-titled "Being the Psychologist's Murder Case" (and with good reason), THE PROBLEM OF THE GREEN CAPSULE is truly one of Carr's many masterpieces. As adroitly plotted and atmospheric as THE THREE COFFINS and THE JUDAS WINDOW, this novel introduces us to not another locked-room murder but an impossible crime that is just as baffling. The clues are there as plain as day, but it takes a truly nimble mind to put them together. I could not believe how I could have missed the solution. Another subtle and brilliant piece of ingenuity, masterfully written by John Dickson Carr.

One of my favorites from one of my favorite authors. Carr's mysteries can be clever and interesting, or contrived and tedious. This one is in the first category. The murder takes place during a staged performance to prove the unrealiability of witnesses. And of course, everyone sees things differently. It's one of those mysteries where you'll be flipping back through it to see how you could possibly have missed the obvious clues.