Finally after 91 years of "scholarly" and mediocre translations of The Agricola by self appointed "learned academics" A. R. Birley has produced a work that demonstrates why Tacitus has been regarded as among the best historians and rhetoricians of antiquity. The beauty and the elegance of the original is apparent in this translation, that has been lacking since the translation of W. H. Fyfe in 1908. The love and the sense of loss that Tacitus had for his father in law is still apparent to us, who live two thousand years after them.

To illustrate the superiority of this translation a few examples follow:

The first example is the translation of the term "divus" as in "divus Augustus" or "divus Claudius". Fyfe translated this term as sainted, and Birley as deified. Both of these seem to be adequate renditions of the term. However the Leob Classical Library's translation, by M. Hutton, translates the term as "of happy memory." This is curious because in their edition they compare the original Latin on the left with the English on the right. One would think that one of Leob's editors would have just looked at the Latin to see if it at least resembled the English. But this is even preferable to the Penguin translation, by H. Mattingly revised by S. A. Handford, wherein they just dropped the term altogether. Apparently Messrs. Mattingly, Handford, and Hutton felt that we the reading public wouldn't understand roman titles of respect and sought to protect us from this pagan ritualism.

A second example occurs near the end of the third chapter when Tacitus laments the passage of fifteen years due to the tyranny of Domitian. Birley's (and Fyfe's was similar) translation reads; "So many years have been stolen from the middle of our lives, years in which those of us who were youths have become old men and the old men have reached almost the end of their allotted span - in silence." The Penguin translation reads; "since so many of our best years have been taken from us - years in which men in their prime have aged and old men have reached the extreme limit of mortality, without ever uttering a word." The Leob translation has, "for out of our prime have been blotted fifteen years, during which young men reached old age and old men the very bounds almost of decrepitude, and all without opening their lips." Apparently the Leob and Penguin translators wanted us (the reading public) to understand that the young are now old and the old almost dead, but in their haste to "dumb-down" the original they sacrificed the beauty, the brevity and the profound nature of Tacitus. Furthermore the Leob and Penguin translators apparently didn't realize that it was "us" that had aged and not other "young men" who had aged.

The final example is from the last paragraph of the Agricola. Birley's translation reads; "Many of the men of old will be buried in oblivion, inglorious and unknown. Agricola's story has been told for posterity and he will survive." The Penguin translation is close and reads; "With many it will be as with men who had no name or fame: they will be buried in oblivion. But Agricola's story is set on record for posterity, and he will live." But the Leob translation gives us; "Many of the ancients will forgetfulness engulf as though neither fame nor name were theirs. Agricola, whose story here is told, will outlive death, to be our children's heritage." The remarkable thing about the Leob translation is that it doesn't even resemble the Latin original with spurious details about children's heritage and engulfing forgetfulness. That is bad but Penguin is worse because the editors added a note that this last passage is "strange". They didn't realize that Tacitus had lifted a line from Horace. One must wonder why these "scholars" learned Latin in the first place if they weren't going read and study the classics. Maybe Penguin's editors simply thought we, the public, would be oblivious to other classical writers and would learn to hate the Romans as they so obviously do.

There are many other examples in both the Agricola and the Germania that I could quote however; that would serve no purpose. In conclusion this translation of the Agricola reminds me of why I admire and respect the writers of antiquity. Perhaps the reason that the ancients are no longer esteemed isn't because they are no longer relevant to our age but because of the miserable quality of recent translations.

This book contains a pair of early works by the great Roman historian Tacitus. Agricola is an homage to the historian's father-in-law, a Roman governor in Britain during the 1st century A.D. Germania describes the German people and their culture during the same period.

The author's admiration for his late father-in-law is manifest in Agricola. Sometimes his admiration comes across as tender, sometimes as fawning. Tacitus writes near the crest of Roman world-domination (Americans take note). He frequently adopts the tone of a tourist in a third-world country -- sometimes looking down his nose at local customs, sometimes in fascination at a primitive culture that compares favorably to a Roman empire suffering decay and corruption. He is a loyal Roman and an educated man. As such, he can glorify Rome and, in the same breath, criticize Rome's tyranny and empathize with the empire's victims. Tacitus lends an eloquent voice to Rome's enemies and those facing enslavement. The speech (probably apocryphal) of Caledonian warlord Calgacus before the climactic battle of the Graupian mountain may be the best section of either book. Backed up to the northern tip of modern Scotland, Calgacus tries to rally his men before battle. "Now there is no people beyond us," he says, "nothing but tides and rocks and, more deadly than these, the Romans ... They have pillaged the world ... They plunder, they butcher, they ravage, and call it by the lying name of empire. They make a desert and call it peace."

Tacitus has no personal connection to any person in the second book, Germania. His writing is more sterile here, but he provides a captivating description that seems part based on observation and part on rumor.

Tacitus is a pithy writer, given to understatement and the wry aside. The translator does a tremendous job of carrying these qualities across in English. Important books both, Agricola and Germania provide some of our only glimpses of the early ancestors of the English people, the Anglo-Saxons and the Britons.

Tacitus' opens up a lost world before the Christians in what was, for many of us, our mother countries - Britian and Germany. The book is divided in two; the first piece `Agricola' (farmer)is named after the father-in-law of Tacitus. Tacitus gives us part biography and part eulogy in order to confer immortality on Agricola's memory at the edge of Empire among the barbarians. Agricola was loved and honoured by Tacitus, and Tacitus gives an account of his military and political triumphs before being called to Rome. For anyone interested in early British history, warfare or pagan themes observed first hand, this is a must have.

The second part is an amazing series of geograpgical, religious, and general cultural observations among the Germans. In this age of political correctness, Tacitus' observations are a delicious treat of unfettered notation of racial difference and character that still ring guiltily true about the Germans (good and bad), especially in the first half of the last century. "Their holy places are the woods and groves, and they call by the name of god that hidden presence which is seen only by the eye of reverence." ... "They count, not like us, by days, but by nights." ... "No form of approval can carry more honour than praise expressed by arms."

Great stuff. Short, entertaining and informative of another time and place.

Prepare to use your noodle as you enter the many rooms of Mr. Cooper! A deeply philosophical and intense study of nuerotic/erotic/psychotic animal man. While perusing this fine novel, I couldn't help but feel like I was being used, fooled into the hijinx of the main character. If you have ever questioned the correlation between family and fate, I urge you to find this book!

Like a rotted tooth or a troubling sore I return to this book. Scrape aside the scab of human suffering and Cooper finds the sore beneath. Enigmatic and esoteric, he delivers the knock out punch when least expected. As a long time fan of Eco and Borges, I appreciated Cooper's craft and touch upon his work when I get a chance. This is not an exit.

I read this book about two years ago and was utterly facinated with the books premise and characterization. The mood is evocative, anything seems possible, if not likely. A fantastic Canadian writer, an iconoclast with dark vision.

This book tells a great, fun story! I'm not even in the position to join the military but I started to read this book and found a great story. I highly recommend this book to anyone, not just people who want to join the military. If you know anyone who has gone through this training, this is invaluable to understand what they have gone through.

I'm a Physical Education teacher who is getting ready for Basic Training. As part of my students exercise routine we use the program in this book. Talk about a pump! The boys love it, and the girls love the ab work. On days when we can't get into the weight room we do the workout from this book. Nothing fancy just good push ups and sit up. What a workout, try it and you'll see.

I found this book to be right on the money. I have spoken to Drill Sergeants during my pre basic training and they have been amazed at how much I already knew. This book covers it all. The workouts for the PT test are very good. I scored 235 on my first test and 270 on my most recent. All by following the workout tips. Read this book and learn before you go.

Though hailed as a primer for "people who have never prayed before", this book, written by Archbishop Anthony Bloom, is nothing short of spectacular. The book's orinigal title, "School of Prayer" is more appropiate because this book should be utilized by all Christians.

In the last few years, a resurgence of prayer books liek the "Prayer of Jabex" by Wilkinson and "Prayer of Jesus" and "The Covering" by Hannagraff are selling of the charts, this book by Bloom is far more superior than their text. Though only about 144 pages, there is much wisdom and the book should be read slowly after much spiritual contemplation.

It is easy to read, yet it contains so much theological depth that it is truly amazing. The first 20 pages are average as it has an interview with Bloom. The real meat begins in chapter one title "The Absence of God" where Bloom writes, "If you look at the relationship (us and God) in terms of mutual relationship, you would see that God could complain about us a great deal more thann we about Him. We complain that He does make Himself present to us for a few minutes we reserve for Him, but what about the twenty-three and half hours during which God may be knocking at our door and we answer 'I am busy..."

This is just a taste - buy the book for a deep look at prayer. You will forever be thankful.

This book is a very short and easy 114 pages.

In it, Metropolitan Anthony manages to produce not only an amazingly clear exposition of Orthodox prayer life, a semi-autobiographical memoir, the beginnings of a modern Christian existential philosophy, and an excellent response to some of the more childish criticisms of religious belief - but, on the whole he produces an excellent piece of literature; full of charming motifs, impassioned narratives, icy-cold journalism, etymologies in partial jest, and mythologies in half seriousness -- All of this emeshed in tentacles of surrealist imagery.

Whether you are an open-minded atheist, a growing Christian looking for practical advice from an elder at prayer, or a thoughtful and critical reader, dissatisfied with two-dimensional dogmatic answers and impatient with ethereal theological theories and jargon, here is an introduction to real Christianity from someone who is not full of it. Rather, he is quite full of humility. (You'll have to read the book to get the joke).

peace, Didymous

I found this book to be helpful with the basics in anyone's prayer life. From the beginner to the most advanced this book thru prayer will strengthen your relationship with God. I also think this book is very well written, the author uses great analogies from life and applies them to biblical stories. This book is for you if you are looking to deepen your prayer life.

I have the hard-cover of this book, and it is permanently opened on my kitchen counter. I started baking breads about 5 years ago, and i've had a hard time finding books that don't over-simplfy or over-complicate the process. i love the illustration showing how your bread will look when brushed with egg, milk, oil, etc. i enjoy seeing bakers from around the world proudly displaying their favorite loaves. unlike a lot of bread books, this one does not attempt to trump up ordinary loaves with pricey ingredients. so put away your saffron and sun-dried tomatoes, and get ready to bake some fantastic loaves for which you'd pay an arm and a leg at the bakery.

This book is the best I've seen and has been highly recommended by the college that I attend for all students to purchase it, the rercipes are easy to follow and the picture refererences really help me to create the doughs. Only good things have been said about the products we have created from this book.

I found this book in my library, tried 2 recipes the went on-line and have ordered it from Amazon. The first recipe I tried was the Bagel one. They came out perfect. Everyone who got one loved it. A winner. Using lukewarm water with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to activate the yeast creates a wonderful taste in the breads, they are no longer yeasty tasting. Yesterday I made the Croissant recipe. The instructions were simple and the results were just great. My 10 year old son has now decided he wants to make breads. Linda Collister has included a brief and entertaining history of each of her breads, where they originate from, which chef worked or shared the recipe and photo's of each bread with detailed pictures of the procedures in the more commplex recipes ie. Croissants. Included are Flat breads, Quick breads, Savory,Rye, Sourdough, Fruit & Nut, Celebration Breads, & Enriched Doughs like Danish Pastries. Thank you Linda.

The Jameson family is on their way back to Earth from a vacation on M Colony when they run out of fuel. They make an emergency landing on what they think is a desolate planet. But then a horrid sound starts coming out of their robot, Danny. He jumps out of the spaceship to save them, only to be taken below ground by a group of rocks. Naturally, this confuses his parents and brother Jack. What's going on? When Jack follows him below ground, he is shocked to discover what this planet's secret is.

I remembered these books fondly from childhood, and was thrilled to discover they hold the same interest for me now. The sci-fi storyline still holds up today, over 20 years after it was first written, and is interesting enough to keep kids reading. The characters are well crafted, and it's easy to care for Danny, Jack, and even Anne Two. Plus the story provides some interesting things to think about worthy of the best of Star Trek that I had completely forgotten were in this book.

This fun kid's book is well worth the effort to track down. Hopefully, someone will decide to republish it soon so another generation of kids can enjoy it.

C.O.L.A.R. is a magnificent book! I wasn't really into reading science fiction books, but when I read C.O.L.A.R. by Alfred Slote, I just had to read his other books.

So, to all of you out there who doesn't like reading science fiction books, read C.O.L.A.R. Once you start reading it, you wouldn't be able to put it down.

I read this book 16 years ago and remember every part of it. It was huge in third grade. Everyone wanted to read it and there was a long waiting list at the school library just to check it out.

This book goes into great detail in describing some of Calatrava's greatest architectural pieces. There are photographs (night and day shots) accompanying the CAD plans. It a great book to look through and learn from.

One of the best books in the market describing some of Calatrava's work in detail. A book worth its price.

Surely human architecture in outer space will quote Calatrava

Did you ever think about having an alien in your classroom? Alien in the Classroom from the Nancy Drew Notebooks series is written by Carolyn Keene. Alien in the Classroom is about a girl named Nancy Drew who has to figure out if their substitute teacher is an alien. If she doesn't, Brenda, another girl in her class is going to put the story about an alien in the school newspaper! Can Nancy find out if Ms. Zagon is an alien? Read Alien in the Classroom to find out.
I liked this book because it has a very good ending. It is also a good mystery to solve. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this book a 9.
I think Carolyn Keene wrote this book to tell kids not to be afraid of aliens.

I love Nancy Drew Books.I think that they are good books for 8-12.I read the ones for older girls and these are just as good.I liked this one espescially,because it is a very hard mystery.It is Great.If you want a good book,get this book.It is the perfect book!

I am 9 years old. I would reccomend it for ages 8-11. If you are a VERY good reader you can try it at 7. If you are very good at remembering things, at the end of the book there is still something that I couldn't figure out. Try it!

This book is amazing. It includes backround drawings and doodlings of such great Magic artists as Mark Tedin and Pete Ventres. One of the most interesting parts of the book was the inards of the Weatherlight and the Predator, showing engine rooms and cabins. Also, main characters and races have backround stories explained in detail.

I double highly recommend this book, it's fantastic, even if your not an artist or a Magic fan.

I got this book not too long ago and I've gotta say, this is one for the records. It centers all around the great and wonderful art of Magic: The Gathering: The Rath Cycle. I got this book because the Rath Cycle is my #1 favorite add-on for Magic, and I love the art. It tells you behind the scenes stuff about all the different characters and places in the Rath Cycle. Now, don't get this book thinking that you're gonna get every picture in the set. They have alot of the art, but not all of it. I thought that, but I was still amazed when I got it. I use the book to help me sketch out the stuff I couldn't on the cards, they were too small. But they blow them up for the book. It's a great book, a must-have for everyone who appreciates the art and magic of Magic: The Gathering.

The Art of Magic represents the visual glories of the Rath Cycle: a set of three expansions named Tempest, Stronghold, and Exodus that depict the adventures of Gerrard Capashen and the crew of the Weatherlight as they seek to liberate the kidnapped Sisay and unravel the evil mystery that lies behind the universe of Rath.

The book is filled with the lavish illustrations that have made Magic: the Gathering among the most aesthetically pleasing card games in history. Famous artists such as Pete Venters, Quentin Hoover, Donato Giancola, John Avon, and Terese Nielsen create a stormy world wracked with strife and death. We see the legendary paintings, sketches, and drawings that breathe life into such places as the Stronghold, the Skyshroud Forest, and the Dream Halls. And vivid characters are represented with handfuls of card arts, style guides, and behind the scenes sketches. This book lays out the story, environment, and aura of the Rath Cycle experience in a conscientious, experienced form which shows meticulous preparation and a beautiful final product. Who can forget the legendary Vanguard painting of the Dark Angel Selenia, poised to strike at the onlooker? Or Donato Giancola's Havoc, showing Orim attracting the fury of the Furnace of Rath around her? Or even the paintings of the mischievous Squee, a goblin with a heart and intelligence far beyond his peers. And for a look to the dark side, the City of Traitors, huddled around the gigantic Furnace of Rath.

The Weatherlight, its crew, and every inch of the worlds of the Rath Cycle are detailed beautifully. One will want to look through the glistening pages many times-everything holds a meaning just waiting to be unlocked. Even the title page for each chapter invokes curiosities: we see a depiction of the Null Moon, Dominaria's artificial moon (and possibly something of ill meaning from the Phyrexians?) and an added oval with each chapter's progression.

The Art of Magic: the Gathering is without a doubt among the best books to come out of Wizards of the Coast and TSR for a long time. A must buy worth every cent.

I'll be brief. This book is for readers interested in a good, relatively short, readable and useful book on the basics of Indian-tradition buddhism, which also touches on the confluence of Buddhism and Western philosophy. That said, it is an introductory work, and so it cannot cover everything.

Paul Williams is one of the finest writers on Buddhism and philosophy, and here he has written a wide-ranging book that -- while being devoted to doctrinal and practical and historical matters -- also touches on philosophy. The book is informed by his learning, and that of his co-author too (Tribe is responsible for just the one chapter.) I recommend it, and encourage readers to have a glance at Paul Williams' other books, and those of David Harvey as well.

Incidentally, the best short-and-sweet introduction to Buddhism must surely be Damien Keown's little book entitled Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. And should the reader want to move to the other extreme and tackle philosophically weightier, cutting-edge topics, he or she should pick up works by Jay Garfield or (especially) George Dreyfus.

I've only read chapter seven of Williams' "Buddhist Thought," which was actually written by Anthony Tribe. However, on the strength of this one chapter alone, I feel moved to recommend this book. Put simply, chapter seven is the single best brief introductory overview of tantric Buddhism that I have ever encountered. I was stunned by the amount of useful, intelligent, accurate information that was provided in such a short space, especially since this is one of the most misunderstood topics in all of Buddhist Studies. Bravo to Tribe; this chapter alone is probably worth the price of the book, and if the rest of the book is up to this standard, this is a volume of rare excellence indeed.

Williams trumps his masterful classic "Mahayana Buddhism" with an even better book. This is vastly superior to any previous effort (David Kalupahana, eat your heart out!). Williams has a superb talent for explicating difficulty ideas with clarity and simplicity, and his prose has a pleasant and inviting tone. He is also completely up to date on the state of current specialized scholarship, so even those readers already endowed with a good grasp of the development of Buddhist philosophy will find an abundance of interesting material here. This book is destined to be a classic.