Dusk of Demons is a definite winner for anyone who seeks adventure, suspense, or action. One thing that made this book so enjoyable to read was the character development. The main character of the book was a teenaged boy named Robert. Robert had sandy hair and light eyes. He was by no means large, however, he was strong. Robert didn1t strike me as particularly bright, but he held his own. His best friend and non-biological sister, Paddy, was quite different. Paddy had darker hair and darker eyes. She was athletic and keen in thought. A stubborn nature was her main flaw, but she had a tendency to win her way. Paddy was the most fearless character in the book and, because of this quality, she had no problem taking risks. Yet another important character was Mother Ryan. Mother Ryan had no biological ties to Robert, but she did care for him as a mother. Mother Ryan was in many ways similar to her daughter Paddy. She was stout and strict, but at the same time extremely caring and loving. Together, these three, whether they liked it or not, embarked on a journey facing nasty country people, misunderstood gypsies, and a countless terrifying demons. From my first impressions, I thought this book took place on an archipelago off the European coast back in the seventeen or eighteen hundreds. This seemed so because of the fact that there were no automobiles, no stoves or appliances, and electricity was unknown as well. However, I soon learned that it actually took place in the distant future. The past had been erased from all people1s memories and was labeled, 3The time of madness.2 They lived in a society where no building could tower more than six times the height of a man, and no tools from the past could be used. It was as if time started over and stagnated. The beings to blame for this time lapse were demons who were controlled by a god called the Dark One, and who, in turn, controlled the inhabitants of Earth.

Because of a fire that the demons inflicted, Robert, Paddy, and Mother Ryan were forced to seek refuge on the mainland. There they learned the true meaning of demons and the Dark One and were haunted to the point of near demise. Not only did the troubles caused by the demons plague them, the people were out to deport them once again, and deporting was not an option for these three. The bleak and scary towns that they were forced to flee to were inhabited by people who were manipulated as if they were puppets by the Dark One. Paddy1s stubbornness put her at the mercy of the demons, and it was up to Robert to save her.

This book moved slowly at first, but once the plot began to thicken, it was filled with one thrill or suspenseful moment after another. It was not incredibly beautiful writing, but it was easy going. The plot was extremely creative and mixed science fiction with fantasy. I would suggest this book to anyone looking for an easy reader page turner.

Once again Christopher transports us into the future where civilization has disintegrated- probably our own fault....The hero is a 14-year-old boy named Ben who witnesses the terrifying destruction of his home. Worse still, he gradually learns more about his origins origins, but is determined to reunite his foster family. Yet another hero who embarks on a personal odyssey for truth, knowledge and spiritual coming-of-age.

This book promises an exciting trilogy if the author continues his three-in-one trend. Not just action, but self-discovery; just how much power should the son of THE MASTER wield? What caused the Madness which destroyed the old civilization? Why is there such suspicion and prejudice against the Sea People, Gypsies and Landsmen? Who is this evil, mysterious Dark One universally feared? Why do his agents, the Summoners, hold such puitannical, religious powers? Can a mere teenage boy discover/challenge the beliefs of his elders in his quest for Truth?

This book is my favorite book in the entire world. I think there should be a sequel (or something like it)

Quite honestly dessert recipes from the people at Cooks Illustrated are my flat out favorite. What ever they do, I believe they are some of the best that you will try. Their chocolate chip cookies are delicious and about as close as to a wonderful bakery as you are going to get. This series of books disappoints me. Think the size of a large postcard, that is going to be the size of this book, its not thick either. The Dessert Bible would be a better choice many more recipes than what this has at not a great increse in price. I am disappointed at the lack of content in this boo. Great recipes, but not a great price.

If you love peanut butter cookies and want to make them, then buy this book for that recipe alone -- they are heavenly. I plan to bake my way through this little book over the next few months. As usual the Cook's Illustrated team provides excellent recipes and explain the how's and why
s of their testing in order to achieve this excellence. My one disappointment is the brevity of the book, but I would still recommend it because the recipes are wonderful.

When I was growing up, my mom made the BEST chocolate chip cookies. Yes, every adult thinks that his mom's recipe was the best, but I've now found a recipe that tops even my mom's. I loved hers because they came out really thick and chewy. I'm not a fan of the traditional tollhouse cookies which I find are too flat and boring. Mom said she makes hers with vegetable shortening because butter spreads too much. But butter DOES taste better, and in this book is a recipe that uses butter AND results in a thick, chewy, gorgeous cookie. Sorry Ma, but they got you beat! The book is worth it for this recipe alone. But the Sugar Cookie recipe is also a winner. I ate half the batch as soon as they were cool. YUM! My one criticism is rather ungenerous number of recipes. But I'll take quality over quantity any day.

This books was a major disappointment. The ideas seem pretty solid, but the book no longer matches the code that is available online. The downloads are a mess. The book says to install slither using the instructions in the download, but there are no instructions in the download. Two users posted requests over a year ago for these instructions and the requests were totally ignored. In fact not much has happened over the past year. It really seems as if the authors have moved on. Slither seems to be dead.

On another note - this book is very academic. For example, there is a couple of pages of discussion about the different theorectical ways to design databases. But my needs are so simple, that I already knew I was going to use MySQL, so I just did not care about this discussion. Unfortunately there are lots of discussions like that in this book. So if you just wanna get something done fast, this might not be the book for you.

This book is surprising in its breadth of coverage (Python basics,
Python advanced topics, MySQL, Apache/CGI and net infrastructure) and
the depth of coverage of each. It is a great single reference for
coming up to speed on each aspect such that you could actually
implement a medium-sized web application based largely on
just what is in the book. For those that are already familiar with
any of these topics, that chapter can easily be skipped. This book
is not for the complete beginner though as it would be impossible
to cover so much ground if it were written with the Dummies mindset.
Overall, it does a very good job explaining subtle points that an
experienced programmer would want to know as they attempted to
implement a first application with these technologies. Good job.

One of the best books around on web programming. A must-read for any programmer trying to build e-commerce applications.

This is a really excellent book! I love it for the first reading, and I love it more at the second! Everyone who wants to think about the mankind, the history, the politics or the arts must read it.

The borders of the past and the present do not count any more. Fiction and reality take place in same time. To read this poetic and beautiful but dark lines, to imagine how Ovids exile at the Black Sea passed by, to get to know the old and strange stories of roman and greek mythologie, ... It is not at all amazing that Ransmayr got the highest european literature price for the Last World in 1992. How actual his story is shows the example of Romania of 1989 where the publication of the Last World was forbidden.

This novel has a very Eastern European flavor, with attitudes about power and empire that recall another Austrian, Robert Musil. Ransmayr's writing is beautiful and he has an excellent voice. I found it to be difficult, but very rewarding in the end.

This is overly simplistic, leftist, academic tripe with the following bottom line premise: men are miserable, depressed, violent creatures because our parents raised us up to be ... well, men.

Call me cynical, but I'm suspicious of authors who use a Preface to essentially disavow any resposibility or even legitimacy for the treacle they are about to set forth. I guess it is important to know though that the book is based on a lot of their personal experiences and that writing it was a marvelous bonding experience for them.

Having established their loophole and "sensitivity credentials" the authors proceed to parrot the feminist agenda. It soon occurs to the reader that, from the authors' perspective, the Charlton Heston's and John Wayne's of the world are inherently depressed beyond belief while the Woody Allen's are almost manic.

My bottom line: if you're a man this book is a waste of time.

I have recommended this book to many friends and clients, and it has been very helpful to them. In the process of ordering another copy, I just read a review that refers to it as "a waste of time" for men. I disagree! But then again, no book is a one-size fits all...

This book is a better fit for men who have been depressed in an atypical way and who need a different perspective to understand themselves and get better. (The current working model of depression reflects culturally "feminine" traits.) When a man abuses alcohol or drugs, becomes aggressive after a loss, or intimidates others with his 'bad moods', it is easy to overlook the vulnerable emotions behind such masks. The core value of this book is to suggest we look beneath the mask. Written more as a self-help book than a textbook, it is short on theory and research, but long on case studies and practical suggestions that the author's have successfully used in clinical practice.

By the way, the concept of "masculine" depression isn't restricted just to men. Many women experience and express their depression in masculine ways.

Simply put, this book has been needed for quite a while. But it may not fit everyone in the same way.

an informative read into male depression. there are a lot of books out there on this subject matter. this one is written with an ease to understand and with a flow that keeps it smooth

A 'ripping good yarn' are the best words I can think of to describe this story. It is simply a tremendously thrilling and entertaining adventure. It is fun, involving, and easily read in just a few sittings. Buchan's classic tale takes the reader on an escapade beginning in London and continuing as the hero, Richard Hannay, dashes across the Scottish Highlands in his frantic attempt to elude the police. The little insights into Hannay's random thoughts during the early scenes of the book are fantastically witty, and those familiar with Hitchcock's film version will not be able to avoid hearing the voice of Robert Donat coming through. Similarly, some of the oddball characters and amusing situations Hannay finds himself in throughout the course of the novel provide light relief to a story of espionage, murder and political intrigue (to coin an old cliche). Read it. It'll tickle you.

Richard Hannay's boring stay in London quickly turns in to an adventurous run for his life and a quest for the ultimate survival of England. A story that is compact and to the point, a credit to the writing of John Buchan.

Set in the 1940's, A Separate Peace takes the reader into the world of Devon, a boarding school on the East Coast, and into a world where the reality of war is imminent. The book itself has nothing to do with that war, and yet everything to do with it. From the first page on, Knowles presents a realistic story (perhaps even a sad one) with hints and moments of hindsight, as a thirty-some year-old Gene, who attended the school in his youth, tells the story. And while the narrative never quite takes us to the war itself, the entire theme that Knowles presents is intertwined with the very being of World War II.

Furthermore, while that conflict rages on around the world, back at Devon, a teenage Gene and his "best friend" Phineas are struggling with their own battle: Human nature. Phineas, himself, learns personally that the truth hurts, but how far does it go?

A Separate Peace is chalk-full of life-long lessons and a truth that runs deeper than we might want it to. John Knowles is a terrific author and this book is proof.

A Separate Peace provided great reading pleasure. It provided insight into the 40's, and also showed the pain of growing up during a war. I featured was, however, lacking strong female characters, nor did it give any true insights into the charactor's emotions

In light of recent documentary discoveries in a number of European archives, I had high hopes that this volume would further the body of research into the Rosicrucian movement. Ultimately, it did, but in ways I did not anticipate.

There are some essential works here (Joscelyn Godwin's excellent meditation on Michael Maier and Rafael T. Prinke's article on Michael Sendivogius immediately spring to mind: both of which demonstrate the varities of meaning Rosicrucianism took on to those who sought to perpetuate the movement in different contexts) but also much filler. Too many of the contributions collected in this volume re-state a body of knowledge familiar to all students of the subject. Due to the original format of these contributions (i.e., speeches) this knowledge is -understandably- not communicated in a particularly useful fashion.

Having said that, this volume is worth its price of entry. However the content is certainly a mixed bag.
Lastly, the translations of the Rosicrucian manifestos contained in this volume are those of Thomas Vaughan's mid 17th century edition of the Fama and Confessio .

Before the 'New Age' there was the "Rosicrucian Enlightenment". At the beginning of the 17th century, a new awakening was heralded throughout Europe, announcing the universal reform of all known areas of human activity - religion, science, art, and society were to become one being. The chief proponents of this great awakening were the mysterious "Rosicrucians". Nearly 400 years after the first seeds of this movement were planted, over 100 students, authors, and scholars of traditional Western esotericism, of which Rosicrucianism is the foremost exponent, gathered in the medieval town of Czesky Krumolv in the Czech Republic, to discuss, explore, and in someway, reopen the 'Vault of Christian Rosencreutz' once again.

"The Rosicrucian Enlightenment Revisited" contains nine essays on the early Rosicrucian movement presented at this landmark conference sponsored in part by The New York Open Center, and copies of the first two Rosicrucian Manifestoes, the "Fama" and the "Confessio". It is a great read and ideal for anyone interested in what is truly the heart and soul of Western esotericism - the Rosicrucian Enlightenment.

This book purports to be a 20th century analog of War & Peace. Unfortunately the author transposes entire scenes from Tolstoy's novel. Characters are one-dimensional, wearing labels such as "Decent Citizen Doctor," "Starry-Eyed Young Jewish Communist" or "Cynical Careerist".
The translation is goofy. No doubt jocular or slang terms for any manner of things sound just fine in the Russian, but using slang for the same word in English often sounds risible. Thus food is usually referred to as "grub," clothes as "duds," and so on.
Then there are the downright errors. Polish names for example are grossly misspelled; names of major streets in Warsaw are chewed up and spit out as names for non-existent neighborhoods.
Stalin and Beria were bad men and their purges were terrible events. That doesn't mean you've got to write bad books about them.

"Generations of Winter" is an interesting history of the early Stalinist period in Russia. While using the vehicle of the well-to-do, privileged Gradov family to describe the era, the book is, however, nothing but a fictionalized tale of the history of those tumultuous times in Russia. Author Vassily Aksyonov does write in an engrossing style which enables the reader to have feeling and empathy for the Gradov family members during their trials (rarely do they have triumphs). The reader will want to finish the book to see how everything is resolved.

The interesting, but unrealistic, fact that the extended Gradov family was personally involved in every significant historical happening of this period will provide the casual reader with an insight into the times, but it merely whets the appetite of those desiring a complete picture. To cite examples: - father Dr. Boris resolves the well-known crisis of Stalin's "constipation"; - daughter Nina participates in pro-Trotsky, anti-Stalinist demonstrations when Stalin was consolidating his power (but, curiously, never is arrested for this); - son Kirill, the doctrinaire Marxist, is arrested and sent to the gulag during the Terror; - son Nikita rises in the military, is arrested during the purge of the military, and then is rehabilitated during World War II and rises to become a Marshall of the Army; - nephew Nuygar, a Georgian thug, becomes a Major General and right-hand man to Lavrenty Beria, the head of what has become the KGB; - son Kirill and daughter-in-law Celia first meet in rural Russia during the de-kulakization of the countryside; - adopted grandson Mitya is drafted into the Soviet Army, is captured by the Germans, and joins the Russian Army of Liberation to assist the Nazis in their attack on Russia; - daughter-in-law Veronika emigrates to the United States; - etc., etc., etc.

As such, then, there is no real plot as we would normally think of a fictional plot, but rather a set of seemingly unrelated vignettes revolving around the history of Russia which become related only because of the omipotent Gradov family and their incredible impact upon Russia's history.

Mr. Aksyonov periodically resorts to a "cutsy" technique of interjecting into the text parenthetical sentences to seque into the vignettes, such as "How did it happen that Mitya Sapunov, who in July 1943 had joined the Dnepr partisan detachment, again found himself in a group of "traitors to the Motherland".....? This technique appears to be necessary because the vignettes are rather unrelated, except for the family connections.

Mr. Aksyonov also periodically includes anthropomorphic "Intermissions" where various things such as the Gradov family dog, a squirrel, and an oak tree provide us with, so Mr. Aksyonov must believe, some intellectual insight into something. These Intermissions add nothing whatsoever to the novel. Perhaps, as another Amazon reviewer noted, these are a holdover from Mr. Aksynovov's attempts in the past to confuse the Russian censors who might actually read them and try to determine what is being said.

All-in-all, "Generations of Winter" left this reader interested in the Gradov family and wanting to read the follow-on novel "The Winter's Hero" depicting the end of the Stalinist era to see if anything really positive could happen to the family during that time. However, readers will be left with an empty feeling if they are looking for a sweeping view of Russia during the Stalinist period. Each of the vignettes of history depicted in this novel deserve a separate detailed study.

Yes, it helps if you've read "War & Peace", but even if you don't know your Rostovs from your Raskolnikovs, "Gens. of Winter" is a must. Funny, wrenching, profound, and above all totally original, "Gens." is a masterpiece I have been reading and rereading for five years. Aksyonov alternates a straightforward, gripping, family-history narrative, full of densely layered, palpably real characters, with quotations-- many of them hysterical -- from magazines like 'Time' and 'Pravda', as well as occasional short chapters from the point of view of a squirrel, a dove, a houseplant, and of course a dog. Far from being bewildering or pretentious, however, this point-of-view smorgasbord coalesces into one vision of startling clarity. This book won't please the fundamentalist or the PC (lots of drinking, smoking, sexual activity), not to mention apologists for Stalin if there are any still alive. If, however, you crave exciting, challenging, world-expanding fiction, with a compelling story line and dialogue so real, you're practically wiping the characters' spit off your face -- if you like the idea of historical fiction but can't bear ponderous, talentless bores like James Michener -- if you've ever wondered what was going on in Russia during all those curtained years, put "Generations of Winter" in your shopping cart and click CHECK OUT. The book is long, the print is small, and the experience can't be surpassed. One of the formative books of my life -- and, could be, yours!

This book argues that just because the European conquerers did "bad" things, that doesn't mean they weren't good Christians. The author never gets specific about the atrocities committed by the conquering Christians (enslavement, rape, torture, murder); he only vaguely, infrequently, and euphemistically refers to them as "sins" and "errors." The author writes as if all Christians during the time of Columbus thought and felt the same way about the methods and goals of missionary work, thus rationalizing Columbus and other conquerers as simply "normal" for the time period in which they lived. This just isn't so; not all Christian Europeans felt the same about the Inquisition or the Crusades in the Middle Ages, and not all Christian Americans felt the same about black slavery in the 1800's, and not all Christian Germans felt the same about Jews in the 1930's. Here is a short summary of the author's perspective on Columbus: 1) Columbus was not obsessed with gold; he just had a natural and healthy desire for wealth. Besides, Columbus needed some capital to finance his exploratory voyages, so his need for gold can be compared to a modern academic needing a research grant. 2) Columbus didn't steal land from Native Americans because they didn't have any real (i.e. European) concept of ownership. 3) Columbus made slaves of free people, but that was okay because slavery was widespread in the world, and besides, Christians could enslave other people as long as they weren't Christians. 4) It is true that Columbus forced Christianity and western culture on Native Americans, but as a result, millions of people are in heaven. Need I say more?

Eidsmoe gives a refreshing perspective on Columbus. He does NOT defend slavery, but points out that slavery had been virtually universal for thousands of years, yet it was the Christians who eventually put an end to the very institution of slavery. Eidsmoe rejects the common relativistic idea that all value systems are equally good. He argues, for instance, that the Caribs were better off even if Christianity had been imposed on them than they had been earlier (when they engaged in cannibalism). Eidsmoe also shows that Columbus and Cortez cannot be blamed for bringing smallpox to the Indians, because the spread of disease was not understood at the time. Finally, it is interesting to note that, contrary to the portrayal of the European explorers as incurable racists who could never imagine Native Americans their equals, some Aztecs eventually married into the Spanish royal family (p. 269).

Dr. John Eidsmoe's treatment of Columbus' career (and character) is refreshingly grounded in real history, based upon diligent usage of the primary sources, as opposed to trite, dime-a-dozen journalist-"impressionism" that all-too-frequently foists socio-political opinions and judgmental dribble as substitutes for the hard work of actually digging out and reconstructing WHAT really hapened in world history, and WHY. Cortez defeated the 16th century Aztecs with an army of 99+% Native Americans (i.e., less than 1% of his soldiers were Europeans)! Why? And why is this unusual fact of history a "secret"? Dr. Eidsmoe, who teaches legal history, evidence rules re admissibility, and the like (at an East Coast law school), & has served as an international lecturer on 16th century Meso-American political history; Eidsmoe is over-qualified to screen the chaff from the mines of Euro-American history, and he does so like a judge who insists on discarding unreliable hearsay -- as he weighs the best evidence of what happened in the lives and documented exploits of Columbus, Cortez, and their contemporaries. [BTW: disregard the reviewer who ignores Eidsmoe's treatment of the Vikings and CORTEZ; -- that reviewer apparently skimmed some of the book's Columbus section, found historical info not to his liking, & rushed to (unscholarly) "judgment".] FYI, I have taught political history and international studies at local colleges since 1991, and I routinely use Dr. Eidsmoe's journal articles and his books as the definitive word on topics he has taken the unrushed time, scholarly accuracy, & insightful expertise to cover. Anyone who is especially interested in military issues will be delighted; Dr. Eidsmoe's military background comes through in his analysis and insights into how and why Cortez (and Columbus) achieved what they did. Also, Dr. Eidsmoe's generous inclusion of many extended quotations from 16th century diaries (of soldiers & other eye-witnesses) allows you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions about the trans-Atlantic adventures of Columbus & Cortez. Beware, tho'! Reading eye-witness quotations from the historical record for yourself may jolt a few preconceived impressions and/or grade school-learned stereotypes! ><> JJSJ
(a college professor, part-time judge, & internat'l lecurer)