same old pattern and lacks indepth knowledge and descriptions.Pj Kumar is easy to read,contains current and up-to-date info and correlates Disease process,diagnoses and management.

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THIS IS BAR NONE THE BEST INTERNAL MEDICINE TEXT YOU CAN GET.

Easy to read, chock full of photos, color pictures, graphs, tables, and beautifully illustrated diagrams. even the most difficult concept can be grasped with ease.

ACHILLES HEEL - the spine - do not lay completely flat during the first week or so of use or when it is cold; it will pop.
I am on my third copy(despite the annoyance I keep going back b/c this book is so completely superior).

This last copy has lasted w/o problem for over a year so maybe the glue issue has been fixed.

Also -- british spelling -- a minor issue.
Hope the come out with an international ed.

having read a multitude of medical textbooks including harrison's, current medical diagnosis and treatment, cecil essentials i can honestly say that this is perhaps the BEST clinical textbook i have seen so far in my experience!

the book is a beautiful one to behold, complete with EXCELLENT diagrams of the clinical presentations of many diseases and fantastic charts of differentials as well as evidence-based medicine all in COLOR!!! i can't tell you how much easier this is on the eyes than slogging through page after page of grey text!

every chapter is organized in a similar fashion with the first two pages going over all the relevant parts of an exam in a specific specialty like cardiology, gastroenterology, etc. davidson's reviews some basic pathophysiology, pertinent studies within the field before launching into the various disease entities.

although the book is not nearly as comprehensive as harrison's principles of internal medicine, it's structured much better for those with limited amounts of reading time (i.e. medical students cramming for the next shelf exam, residents trying to catch up on their sleep, and even newly dubbed attendings who are expecting children!!!).

this book will SURELY help you prepare for those annoying attending stumper questions like: who can tell me all the extra-pulmonary manifestations of sarcoid? what are the exam findings in a dialysis patient?

no respectable internal medicine library should lack this book!

When I first started this, I liked it. The more I read, the less I liked it, and when I finished the book, I realized I didn't like it at all. Too many characters, too much symbolism, and an overly elaborate storyline that was like a jigsaw puzzle... and as passionate. Oh, and why in the world were there vampires in it?! This type of story demands a lighter touch. A book with similar themes (loss, love, fate), Four Letters of Love by Niall Williams, is a good example. When I was about a quarter of the way through this book, I ordered another of Christopher's books called Veronica. Can't say I'm too excited about reading it now.

Magic realism that's truly magic. Nicholas Christopher's stunning novel has none of the overweening cuteness that is often found in this genre. Instead, you'll encounter in "A Trip to the Stars" a lush, shimmering novel--its prose hypnotic, its characters and settings unforgettable--that you won't want to come to an end. It's the story of Alma and Loren, separated by a kidnapping at a planetarium in New York, who become Enzo and Mala and spend 15 years wondering what happened to each other--she needs an island, he thrives in deserts--all the while having adventures and meeting interesting people (among them an eight-fingered piano-playing arachnophile, a woman who turns into a vampire, and a wheelchair-bound pool hustler).

And the tale is instructional too: you'll learn something about the habits of spiders, go behind the scenes at a mentalists' act, and you'll also be presented with two differing theories on the fate of Atlantis.

The tale is told in first-person narratives by Enzo and Mala, in alternating chapters (plus an epistolary interlude that evokes Conrad). The two are writing at some unspecified time in the future of events that take place between 1965 and 1980. A few of the characters turn up in both Enzo's and Mala's narratives, which helps unify the tale.

It's a long trip, but it's one that charms as it thrills, and you'll not quickly forget it. And of course if you find that you are forgetting parts, you can always read it again. So the advice here would be: do _not_ loan this book to anyone who isn't likely to return it.

Notes and asides: the sun _does_ shine on the dark side of the moon (it's the earth that doesn't); Alfred Hitchcock's wife was named Alma Reville; there was never a planetarium at Manhattan's northern end. Best read outdoors as spring turns into summer, with Heather Nova's "Oyster" on your portable CD player.

This beautiful, powerful book, is certainly a masterpiece in adult fictional literature. Every person in my family (ranging in ages from 13 to 47) read it for themselves, and found it simply delicious. Christopher litters the page with exquisite, well-placed words, and plot twists that blew my mind. Though the fantastical aspect of the novel may seem a bit too accentuated (and un-believable) for some adult readers, one can overlook that fact by falling head over heels into the plot-line. Christopher maintains an ambiance throughout the book that is so palpable, I nearly salivated over his wonderful words. He portrays the longing of the main characters Enzo, Mala, and Cassiel, with a reality that tugged at my heart and mind. I thought the book the best adult fictional literature that I have ever read, thanks to its beautiful description, thought-provoking ideas, and real emotions that emanated from the book.

A Christmas present from my girlfriend (who, coincidently, is named Veronica), I read it this past February around the same time Leo meets the title character in the book. Despite my efforts to slow down my reading pace, I absorbed the novel as quickly as I would respond to the rhythm of a good song. And like a song, with its lyrical writing style, Veronica is a novel I will return to again, and undoubtedly find something new each time I read it. It's a book filled with spiritualism, magic, and hope which turned New York City into a magical kingdom of dreams. I've read numerous books in the fantasy genre, but this is the first book I've read in a long time which created (at least for me) a whole new plateau worth exploring. It's also interesting to note that after I finished the novel, I realized that the author hadn't used a single profanity. That's rare in today's mass market fiction. I look forward reading more of his work.

Veronica is more than a book - it's an experience! It is quite evident that Mr Christopher is a poet - this is one of the most visual books I have ever read. I "saw" this book in glorious technicolor! From the moment Leo meets Veronica by accident (or IS it by accident?) at the spot where Waverly Place intersects with Waverly Place in Manhattan, as she is looking for the keys she dropped in the snow, I was hooked - and you will be too! Leo's openness and sense of adventure make him the ideal person to help Veronica to get her father back. Dad is a famous magician who disappeared during a magic trick due to dastardly sabotage by a rival magician. I loved the feel of this quiet, empty New York, in parallel with the "real" noisy, crowded one! I found the feel of this book to be palpable. I inhabited the story while it was happening. There are things in it which will stay with me - for instance, the image, both visual and olfactory, of black tea seasoned with butter and salt. Such an exotic concept - for me, though probably not for a Tibetan! I tried it myself and found it to be quite tolerable, not at all the ghastly taste I was expecting! I loved the fact that Leo drinks endless cups of it during the time he has lost Veronica. Mr Christopher makes everything to do with Veronica seem cool, as viewed through Leo's eyes - the jazz combo she performs with, the clove cigarettes she smokes, the dress with "black holes" in it that she wears. The scenes with Keko are wonderful and the symbolism of the Empire State Building is perfect - what a great choice for "The Big Battle" between good and evil. Then there are the Elizabethan scenes, complete with tulpas with "eyeless eyes" and golden wings. (What a brilliant concept: that in a parallel world the "people" would be blurred and their voices muffled.) There are photographs that come to life and tricks that are not illusion but are on the level! Then there is the Tibetan connecti! on, including upside down triangular mirrors which reflect rooms other than the room one is in! I could go on and on (and have!!!) If you are looking for a book that will change your life (or, at least, the way you look at it) this may be the one! I also recommend highly Mr Christopher's poetry - 5 Degrees and Other Poems and In the Year of the Comet are both dazzling and mind-expanding!

this is an exhilirating, phantasmogorical novel that falls more into the "urban fantasy" genre than anything else, with a dash of magical realism thrown in, but it is really unique. nicholas christopher is obviously very erudite about Tibetan lore, history of alchemy and magic, and thus he imbues his wild inventiveness with acute historical detail which makes the fantastical world he creates in the surreal New York, from the starting point of the book, at the place in downtown where Waverly Place intersects itself to the spectacular climax battle atop the Empire State Building, seem weirdly real--not like you are transplanted into another world, as often happens with fantasy books, but as if this world he describes exists just around the corner from where you live, you just need to go to the right jazz club, or order from the right Tibetan restaurant. The plot involves the photographer Leo helping mysterious Veronica on a quest to find her father, a magician trapped in time by his former student/current nemesis; the book is endlessly entertaining, but at the same time bittersweet, and has one of the most satisfying endings i have ever had the pleasure to read.
note: i am currently reading christopher's next book called "a trip to the stars" which confirms for me that he is the umberto eco of fantasy--that should be a good indicator of his level of erudition, and the degree to which he uses history and cultural mythology to add dimensions to his books.

Atomic Field: Two Poems is an epic adventure into the childhood of Nicholas Christopher. Each extended poem is made up of forty-five parts and each part describes events within a particular year. The first poem is look at the experiences of a young boy growing up in 1962. Christopher succeeds in presenting several images that are vivid, surreal and truly capture the mind of a child. The second poem is a success as well, delving into different adolescent experiences a decade later in 1972. As in Christophers previous poetry the images are crisp, and he achieves a very authentic voice. This entire collections reads in a dream-like manner so successfully woven together one can hardly put it down.

This book was recommended to me by an elder actor I respect some years ago. I found it a hilarious read, a very dry send-up of pretentious theatrical "how-to"s/biographies. He later revealed to me that this book is a barometer of actors he works with. If you get it, you'll actually learn a lot from it, if not - you'll wonder how this absolutely awful human being Nicholas Craig ever was asked to write a book on acting.

Because make no mistake, Nicholas Craig is the hallmark of narcissitic actors. The actor that looks down his nose at the technical staff with whimsical faux-respect; who cannot fully appreciate the work of any peer without self-comparison. The actor who simply knows he is too good to have a film career.

THERE ARE SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD, DON'T GO ON IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THEM!

There is no wink to the audience here, no hint of the satire being put across. This book became the inspiration for a BBC tv series entitled "The Naked Actor." Craig discusses his own career, acting concepts like "Truthpumping","Actoplasm", and gives a handy chart for ad libs in different situations.

I can't recommend this book highly enough to anyone in the theatre. Since I got it as a gift several years ago, I've given many copies as gifts myself. It's a great, great read and a must for any actor you respect. It's one of the funniest things I've ever read.

This book is great for any child who is interested in reptiles, or nature in general. It's easy to read and fun.

Especially in the early going, the book suffers from cloyingly pretentious prose and laborious plot summary, but eventually Christopher gets around to saying some interesting things about the genre. The book is a perfectly imperfect illustration of the difficulty in finding a middle ground between academic and popular writing. Still, worth having if only for the extensive filmography.

This isn't the perfect book on film noir, but it is very interesting because Christopher touches on films that don't get discussed in a lot of books on film noir.

Chief among these are two Val Lewton horror films, Cat People and The Seventh Victim. It is nice to see someone discussing Lewton from a film noir perspective. Also, Christopher left me burning to see Breakdown, a 1965 film dealing with a scientist's mental crisis that he makes sound fascinating.

He also does a good job talking about more famous noirs, particularly Criss Cross, which he examines from the Dan Dureyea character's perspective. That brings a fresh approach to his discussion of this classic film noir.

This should not be anyone's first book on film noir, but it takes interesting positions and makes the reader look at things differently. Recommended for the person deeply into noir.

While at first drawn into the lush visual imagery, I eventually found the poems, and long journal in the back, strikingly empty. Christopher seems to be a showman, constantly performing for the reader with too many sleights of hand and verbal somersaults. The basic premise of the journal is interesting, but Christopher takes the rumination of life and death to a cloyingly predictable, pretensious degree. The Dcotor, the driver are one dimensional figures trapped in Christopher's invention. The overall effect is a kind of patronizing and inaccessible work, where Christopher's characters are walking blindly through a universe of chaos, where the poet seems to mourn their darkness yet fail to illuminate much for the reader. A depressing combination, in part because the poet obviously spent a good deal of energy performing for the reader during what's essentially an empty journey.

To preface, I'm no great fan of poetry. I don't read the stuff often but I was interested in this collection after I read Christopher's novel Veronica. While the poetry is good, its the imagery that makes this collection. Christopher is undoubtedly one of the most creative and imaginative writers working today. I would highly recommend Veronica but this collection will give readers some insight into the mind of a visionary.

Nicholas Christopher's latest book of poems features some trademarks of his, including noir-ish portraits of cities, and a long poem (in 35 entries this time) that interweaves several characters and different events in unexpected ways. Though he's done this kind of thing before (5 Degrees, Desperate Characters, On Tour With Rita) this time it's more coherent and immediately accessible than those earlier works. It still takes a minute to bend your mind around some of the concepts he uses, but it's more immediately to your advantage this time around. A good read for those unfamiliar with his work, but offers extra goodies for those who know his poetry beforehand.

I had purchased this version of Marlowe's work because it was convenient at the time. While I thought it was a good story, it was also heavily edited. It did spur my desier to find the original A and B texts of the play, and now that I have read the more complete version I feel that this particular revision actually cheats the reader of the true depth of the play and the fall of Faustus. Many scenes from the original, such as the knight's plot of revenge, were removed. The author claimed such cuts were made for the sake of a more 'performable' play, which may be true, but in this, and other instances, I felt the material cut was crucial to filling out the plot and improving character develop throughout the story. I read both versions with a directors eye, and I would urge anyone considering this purchase to look for 'The Complete Plays' instead.

Well, this is a 300 page book, and I've read so far only about 130 -- so you can ignore this review if you want because it might be completely wrong. But it's not likely. I found this book in my school library because I read Nicholas Christopher's "Veronica," and like many others, simply adored that book. Unfortunately, so far this is NOTHING like "Veronica." This is bad. I mean, really reeeeally bad. Boring characters, has practically no plot (none that I can detect anyway), extremely annoying style, all in all reads like a soap opera -- actually, probably most soap opera are better than this. Time and time again I find it hard to believe that this was written by the same man who wrote "Veronica." But sadly it's true. So far all we know is this piano soloist's romantic conquests -- he just goes through his list of ex-wives and ex-lovers one by one for us. Oh and his family too -- father, mother, sister, uncle, therapist ... Worse than even your average laundry list. Almost none of them interesting, none of them has any story to tell -- it's the same boring format every time: "now I remember how I met Greta/Sarah/etc." Flat and uninteresting beyond belief. So far (almost half of the book) I can see no discernable trace of a plot (unlike in Veronica where the readers are plunged right into the middle of a fantastic world right along with the narrator), just this one guy goes on and on about his life. The only remotely interesting character is his first wife Orana who is dying of a mysterious disease -- but he only gives the reader altogether about 10 pages about her.

I seriously doubt if I have the courage to continue reading. What a disappointment. Ughh.