I have just finished reading the falcons malteser. It was so good. I normally don't like reading...actually I hate it but this was an aception. You just have to read it!

This book is one of the few i have read which has a decent plot in it. You dont know who did what, who is who and what does what until the final showdown at the end.I was pleased to hear that it has 2 sequels and has been made in to a film. Anyone who doesn't like it must be out of their mind!!!!!

This is a fantastic read for kids (and adults) from about 9 up. The plot is full of fast, far-fetched action, jokes and surprises. The style is based on the thirties/forties style American gangster, detective movies, so a complete appreciation of the themes and puns will be understood by those who are familiar with this. It is one of those books that you can't put down, good for sheer fun, escape and relaxation. A pity it is out of print.

The 'xxx for beginners' are marvellous not just because they give you a valuable grounding in forbidding subjects, allowing you to approach primary texts with more confidence, but because they are so entertaining, even in subjects you have little interest in. Though this book is a much-needed introduction to and exposition of Freud's basic theories, making you feel clever as you join the dots you always knew were there but for the intimidating jargon, the real joy is in the irreverent presentation, especially the illustrations. These are full of in-jokes about Freud's life and times which are not always treated explicitely in the text, as well as being technically expert, imaginative and, sometimes, bracingly shocking. So while it is pleasing, in these anti-Freudian times, to be reminded of the man's incalculable importance and influence, the illustrations offer an in-built critique that puts everything in perspective. Great fun.

This book is just a book, but a better book than its successor of the same title by Richard Osborne. Mostly because it does not hang onto the relationship between Jung and Freud as long and focuses more on the theories of Freud. In fact, what I really enjoyed about this book is that gave a good round about summary of most of Freuds theories inside each book. Certainly acts a good stepping stone for those who need to know Freud in a hurry and wants the gist of his work. Richard Appignanesi displays good understanding of Freuds work and summarizes it well and concise. Reccomended for the prodigal psychologist.

(See page 79 for explanation and a very funny illustration of the second stage of psychosexual development). This book, in addition to being very informative, is also incredibly funny. Very well written and drawn; though in the form of a comic book, it is nevertheless a splendid introduction to Freud's life and work. The author and illustrator are quite witty as well as knowledgeable, and in this book they have succeeded at what should be the goal of all beginners' book writers: piqued my interest in the subject and made me want to learn more. Would be a great supplementary text in a course on Freud or on psychology/psychoanalysis in general. Highly recommended!

The book is excellent especially since it starts with Hannibal at Cannae. It must have been difficult to choose battles and the ones covered were great. However, some changes and updates are in order:

Sea battles and air campaigns were completely ignored. The battle of Brittain should have been included as well as some ancient sea battles, especially between the Greeks and Persians.

Other interesting points:

Where are the african battles before the 19th century?

The book was a little too Europe centered.

Why no battles of Midway, Coral Sea or Pearl Harbor.

Kohima could have been left out.

Too much was written about Arnhem.

Why was Stalingrad left out.

The diagrams were superb.

The Falklands should be included in a new edition.

Warfare in Asia was amost completely ignored except for Port Arthur, especially the Mongols in China.

All in all a SUPERB book.

This book is the best! They go through about 25 different battles with great pictures of the whole battle. Using little troops and vechiles so you can see the battle from a sky perspective. Along with the pictures it gives you a huge amount of imformation on every battle in there. Some famous ones it covers are: Waterloo, Iwo Jima, Gettysburg.... If you like this, check out GREAT BATTLES OF WW2, GREAT BATTLEFEILDS OF THE CIVIL WAR

This book uses great computer-generated battlefeild layouts and descriptions on each battlefeild to help the reader understand the tactics and politics of the battle and the weaponary used in the battle from B.C. to the Korean War

As a former criminal trial attorney, I loved this little novel about the chronical of a very colorful American family, and about the real courtroom wars in our criminal justice system. But I thought the novel was also the story of a "great one" coming into his own, unadorned, straight at you. Refreshing and funny...often spellbinding. I loved the apparently direct-from-the-courtroom arguments. The author's own voice adds a wonderfully real edge. Listen to this one, you'll love it. We need another soon.

Hal Dockins Jackson MS.

Buddy Lemann's description of Louisiana law couldn't have been any more acurate! His descriptions of past cases were wonderfully worded. He did an excellent job of presenting the legal world in layman's language. I truly enjoyed learning the deepest secrets of his clients and stratagies! I can't wait for the next book!

Any lawyer tired of tomes and in need of some comic relief will enjoy Arthur "Buddy" Lemann's "Hail to the Dragon Slayer", a memoir of selected cases handled by the successful New Orleans criminal defense lawyer over several decades.

Criminal defense lawyers all have survival mechanisms and strategies to contend with the stress which results from being responsible for protecting clients' liberty and from engaging in that particular kind of battle known as the trial. Buddy tells us about his--mythmaking and humor. The delusions of gradeur need a framework--the defense lawyer as Ivanhoe is a good one, especially for the Southern lawyer. We still look for damsels in distress. (Lawyers I know west of the Mississippi seem to prefer the cowboy archetype. You've all seen the "Gunfighters Don't Charge By The Bullet" poster.) But while what we do requires the energy of myths, at the end of the day we need a good laugh to bring us back to ear! th.

The Carlos Marcello (local allged mafioso) and the Dino Cincel (alleged pedophile priest) are the most famous of the cases. Buddy tells good stories, succinctly, unabashedly, and always with that twinkle in his eye. While weaving his knight theme though his trial tales, he also reveals some things about himself which certainly have some bearing on his skill as a trial lawyer. He admits to (or boasts about) being a sinner, which gives him something in common with both defendants and jurors. Let the judge and the prosecutor be holier than thou.

The dragons Buddy tells of fighting and sometimes slaying are the ones criminal lawyers have a license to duel--the king, the church, all authority. Years of such combat spawn a virulent form of cynicsm. Buddy reminds us that a good laugh is the antidote, and that the justice system must have some redeeming qualities, or dragons would never get slain.

His childhood adversary was that bastion of authoritarianism, the Catho! lic Church. The early duelling prepares him for his career! . He writes:

"I still remember the great agony of trying to make it from Friday's confession to Sunday's communion. But I soon learned how to beat the system. By confessing on Friday to uncommitted sins and throwing in one whopper to cover the scam, I could march up to the rail on Sunday mornings under the watchful eye of parents and priests with a clear conscience. Again, I sided with the sinners. It was also my first lesson in imunity."

Irreverent and sometimes politically incorrect, Dragon Slayer is a hoot. War stories were always my favorite part of CLE anyway.

Patricia Anthony is underrated in general, but this is her most overlooked book. Too bad, because it's THAT GOOD. Although the premise is a simple twist on an old ghost town of sorts, it is sci-fi/specu-fic at its best.

I just discovered Patricia Anthony and boy am I glad! Great characterization and dialogue. Great style that keeps you turning the pages. I hated time away from this book! Then hated that I finished it. The alien Torkus are so deliciously creepy and philosphical. I am so glad I found Happy Policeman. I looked foward to reading Brother Termite and Cold Allies.

It's a locked-room mystery, folks, with all the action taking place inside "the line." Who killed the pink lady? Pastor Jimmy? Foster, the dope-smoking banker? Billy, Loretta's estranged husband? Or maybe she was murdered by the aliens in the UPS truck. The Happy Policeman is the story of police chief DeWitt Dawson's struggle with duty and rebellion, responsibility and truth. Oh yeah . . . and adultry.

One of Anthony's best.

For many people, Trollope is a writer to stay away from. They assume he wrote terribly twee novels about vicars and tea cosies (which is half true). But anyone who has read "He Knew Was Right" will know just how progressive and real Trollope is. This incredibly insightful study of a marriage reveals a great deal not only about Victorian society but about the eternal struggles between men and women. It's a mystery to me why this book is not better known.

In his autobiography, Trollope zips past this story. I couldn't put it down, and read the last 40 moving and exhausting pages aloud to my wife. The Pallisers can get a bit wearying at times, though I love them all. But there is nothing tiresome in here; this book roars with its two intersecting plots and the relatively unique idea of making a sympathetic character, one whom you truly care for and about, a complete, irredeemable fool.

Several strong secondary characters, all just a little more complex than they seem, combine with a knock-out plot and vivid main characters, to make this my favorite Trollope novel. The man who will not accept the good around him but prefers to see the bad...? How's that for an eternal theme?

The Penguin Classic edition of He Knew He Was Right has a wonderful introduction. Frank Kermode provides a fascinating explanation of how the constraints of Victorian society limited the ways in which Trollope could write about "sexual jealousy," and how a relatively mild (by today's standards) incident (here, calling a woman by her "Christian" (first) name) could be the basis for suspicion of "infidelity." Kermode also provides an illuminating discussion comparing hero Louis Treveylan's obsession and jealousy with that of Othello. Finally, Kermode relates the novel to others of the period, both those by Trollope and those of his contemporaries.

While the focus of the novel is the main character's mental deterioration resulting from his unreasonable jealousy and increasing isolation, both from society and reality, Trollope also provides a cast of interesting women faced with possible marriage partners. At a time when a woman's only "career" opportunity was to make a successful marriage, the women in He Knew He Was Right each react differently to the male "opportunities" that come their way. Kermode notes that Trollope was not a supporter of the rights of women, yet he manages to describe the unreasonable limitations on, and expectations of, women in a sympathetic light.

The "main story," of Trevelyan and his wife, is actually one of the least compelling of the man-woman pairings in the novel. What I mean is that while their story IS compelling, the others are substantially more so. This is a wonderful book. And, personally I'd like to note that I laughed out loud while reading it. This was on a cross-country airplane flight, and I got some strange looks for laughing at what appeared to be a thick "serious" novel.

This is a wonderful book and, in my humble opinion, a better book for most users than the big textbook edition "History of Art". The only complaint I have about this edition is its name; I feel it should be titled "History of Art: Concise Edition" as "History of Art for Young People" makes it sound too much like a children's book. While certainly suitable for an intelligent child, it is a superb art overview and reference for all people.

If you desire a general art reference you won't go wrong with this gem and you'll not find anything better. I have the 3rd edition also and it is excellent but this 6th one is greatly expanded (e.g., lots more photos and color) while retaining the user-friendly nature of the earlier editions. The text is clear and interesting, not written in the dry, boring style of a textbook. The printing and reproductions are top-quality. This art book is truly itself a masterpiece!

I needed to find a few good sources for an art history report and was lucky enough to pluck this book off the shelf at my local library. I ended up finding most everything I needed just in this book and was amazed at the detailed coverage of the history of each induvidual peice. I loved it so much that I bought it for myself, and it has probably been the best purchase I've ever made. The writing is excellent, the coloured pictures make it easy to distinguish certain important aspects of the art, and the background history on the artists, the impact of music, philosophies, or simply the work makes it the best all-around book on art history (especially for students) that I've ever read. It helps the reader to understand how the other influences of trade, literature etc. helped form periods in art history so that they may have a better understanding of the work in general. I would highly recommend this book to anyone in an art history class or any fellow art lover, it's wonderful.

As an art student in college, I slogged my way through several art history volumes, including Jansen's History of Art.Twenty years later, when attempting to revise an art enrichment program in my children's school, I was fortunate to come across Jansen's History of Art for Young People. Don't mistake the title as a reference to chronological age, but rather as aimed at anyone in an early (young) stage of fine art study. The book begins in prehistory and travels through to post-modernism, covering not only the art and artists, but the historical events that influenced the way the art developed. The text is very readable, with lots of key definitions, tables and line-illustrations right in the margins.There are four date based charts that organize the key achievements in Religion, Politics Science, Architecture and Art, emphasizing that art does not develop in a vacuum. Illustrations are well chosen with a fair number of color plates and sharp black and white pictures. Every page has some sort of visual aid, which makes it a pretty pleasant read for students. I highly recomend this book whether as a reference for learning about a particular artist or style, or as a foundation for designing an educational program. Jensen helps one turn the bits and pieces of art data that we all accumulate into a comprehensive sense of the breadth and influence of art in civilization. The depth of information is deep, but not so overwhelming as to drown the reader. If I were to make any criticism of this book, it would be only that it doesn't title itself as a history of WESTERN Art, which leaves an even larger portion of the world still unexplored.

Our full-term (37wk) son was in the NICU due to a birth defect. This method was explained to us as we started to be able to hold him and I was trying to teach him to nurse. All I can say is IT WORKS. He was able to go home at 6 wks when we were told he would probably be in for than 3 mos. min. When you think about it it makes sense...this baby was inside you and close to you for however many months you carried him/her. Don't you think dropping the child in a "box" with no human contact would be a shock to the system? I think that "normal" babies could probably benefit from this too. Lord willing, I'll get a chance to prove my theory. :-)

Three years ago, our 4th child - our tiny son - was born at 28 weeks. This book was loaned to me by the lactation consultant at my hospital while he was in Neonatal-ICU. It showed me that there really was a LOT I could do to help my child, and I wasted no time at all following the suggestions and advice in the book. The nurses caring for my son were very supportive when they found out I wanted to do this! Basically, the technique involves cuddling your naked baby on your bare chest - between the breasts is fine for mom, or in a "nursing" position. Whenever I held my baby with this skin-to-skin contact, tears of happiness and contentment would stream down my cheeks for several minutes. These were wonderful moments during terrifying times (we were not sure he'd live). And this is a wonderful book - worth it's weight in solid gold! I'm buying a copy to keep on hand in case any friends or relatives deliver a premie.

P.S. My son was able to leave the hospital at only 35 weeks post-conception (6 weeks earlier than the doctors estimated!) Today, he's a happy healthy 3-yr old.

My daughter was born ten weeks premature and weighed 1270 grams. A wonderful social worker at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York gave me this out-of-print book to encourage my husband and me to do kangaroo care with our little girl. It was an amazing success! We placed our tiny baby over our hearts, skin to skin, for significant periods of time. Not all nurses were familiar with it, but were encouraging once they understood what we were doing. This book gave us the courage, information and confidence to perform what we believe was a critical aspect of her healthy development; not only in the neonatal unit, but until she was big enough to sit up. The book is helpful in explaining the background and theories underlying kangaroo care and describes how parents and health care providers can perform it with care. Our daughter is now a normal, 1 1/2 year old, healthy little girl. Our best wishes to parents of all preemies.

Now the theory is behind you and you are into Physical exams and History taking and diagnostics. This book is a must for you. In 397 Chapters it tells you about almost all human illnesses. Each chapter starts with theory (physiology), History taking, continues with Diagnosis and Treatment, it even tell you how to approach the patient what to look and what to disregard. Almost 2600 pages, takes two to carry, requires own stand in your home like Webster's dictionary but have more information compared to other 2600 page books due to fine print and unfortunately very minimal pictures or diagrams. You might want to get complete with pocket book edition for handiness when you need it. This book will not help in your diagnosis but when you think you had diagnosed than you can refer to this to see to confirm or rethink.

This is Harrison's textbook of medicine, known , read and loved the world over. Who really needs an introduction to this Medical Bible?

Harrison's is probably the best medical reference for medical professionals there is. As expected, the 14th edition of this authoritative reference lives up to its name. This book is not meant to be used as a textbook by medical students (or anyone for that matter). For those looking for a textbook, I suggest "Cecil's textbook of medicine", which does a beautiful job in that area. However, when you need to know the last say on any topic in Internal Medicine, your best bet remains Harrison's.

Hi, I am a student of Medical Science. And I need to know when the latest edition of Harrison's Principal of Internal Medicine will issued. Please let me inform to my mail address vsh12@hotmail.com. Thank you

Miss the Mark

All these other reviews all sound so...professionally done.

All I can say is I like to read, and I read 50 books a year. This one just didn't make the grade. While the point of view flip-flops from one main character to the other, the entire book is written in a passive voice that almost hypnotizes the reader every time she's forced into reading "was" after "was" after "was" after "was." Even the climax occurs off-stage.

What "was" the point of that?

Mr. Anthony's freshman effort is a pale comparison of the same old stuff that didn't work in the 90's.

Half a star out of five-and I'm not one of these "5-Star Ringers."

At eighty-three, Mickey Sienna lives alone in his New Jersey home ever since his beloved wife Dorothy died a few years ago. Mickey's four children worry about his living alone at his age, but do nothing until he doses off while making fried eggs, setting his kitchen on fire. The siblings discuss what to do. The three oldest want to move dad into assisted living while the youngest by twelve years Jesse wants his father to move in with him.

When threatened with the home, Mickey leaps at moving in with Jesse. The two men walk gingerly on eggshells as they struggle to find a middle ground and avoid a generation war. Mickey forces Jesse to bring his girlfriend Marina to him so he can meet her. He quickly realizes these two have a rare chance for a once in a lifetime love, but his son is a moron who thinks love eventually dies. Mickey relates the story of his one true love, not his spouse of fifty years though he loved her too. Will Jesse understand what he has before he loses it or is fatherly advice too late for a grown up son?

THE FOREVER YEARS is a delightful family relationship drama with a wonderful romantic subplot. The story line is amusing yet poignant as Mickey struggles with his decreasing capacity and his adult children tussle with what is best for their beloved dad. Jesse is an enjoyable individual who is a mocking cynical Metro New Yorker (oxymoron?) as well as a nurturing person. Though Marina seems too perfect to be real, fans will appreciate Ronald Anthony's enchanting and beautiful modern day novel.

Harriet Klausner

After spending thirty-two years as an outsider in a family of overachievers, Jesse Sienna has decided to try to forge a more meaningful relationship with his father, Mickey. Eighty-three but as proudly independent as ever, the elder Sienna is outraged to learn his older children are prepared to move him into an assisted living facility. The kitchen fire was an aberration, a fluke, but try telling that to Matthew, Darlene or Denise.

Jesse has offered to share his home, however, and Mickey has reluctantly agreed to move in with his son: Letting go of the past will be difficult, but adjusting to his new living situation will be even more arduous. At first, father and son share awkward silences and hostile conversations. They gradually settle into a routine, though, and their disagreements become less frequent. Jesse is even beginning to feel like he has gained ground with his father and earned his esteem, when a philosophical difference once again introduces tension into their relationship.

Instead of cherishing what he has, you see, Jesse is taking an exceptional woman for granted and being very guarded with his emotions. He's convinced that his love for Marina will eventually burn itself out, that their relationship will inevitably falter, but Mickey is wiser in the ways of love -- and is compelled to tell his youngest son about a very private heartache. One that he has never before shared with any of his other children...

Whatever you're expecting to glean from the pages of Ronald Anthony's debut novel, The Forever Year, know this: There's unexpected depth and dimension -- and warmth and wit -- to this eloquently stated story encapsulating a father and son's relationship, and their disparate experiences with love. The impact of Mr. Anthony's prose is really quite remarkable and will evoke a profound response from readers.

It doesn't matter how often this story has been told and retold through the ages, or how predictably allegorical its message is. In the hands of a gifted storyteller, the plot is renewed, revived and refreshed, and presented in such a way that every nuance is exquisitely captivating. Bold words, I know, but I've never been a very big fan of mainstream fiction, finding it too dark and oppressive, too pessimistic in the face of love and all its realities. Not so in The Forever Year, a gourmet delight to a reviewer starving for a rare, exotic delicacy -- as rare and exotic as a long-term, committed relationship in a commitment-phobic world, that is.

Love is fleeting and burns out quickly, after all, so why expend a lot of energy on a relationship doomed to wither and ultimately fail? Mickey Sienna is appalled by his son's cavalier treatment of his girlfriend, Marina, however, and sets out to teach Jesse a valuable lesson by relating his own story of love and loss. And what a beautifully haunting story it is. Jesse had hoped to finally establish a bond with his father, but he is quite unprepared to hear about the Great Love of Mickey's life. Admittedly, he romanticized what it would be like to have his father living with him, but he never thought he'd be privy to such intimate details.

And where is all of this leading, anyway? Why, to a gratifying conclusion, of course, though there will be a few tears along the way. Told from the first and third person perspectives, The Forever Year is both a family drama filled with endearingly familiar characters, and a tender love story graced with uncommon beauty, wry humor and an abundance of wisdom. If you're a purist who refuses to cross over into mainstream fiction, you're letting a good thing pass you by. I've rarely enjoyed a novel this much (outside of the romance genre) and so relished its every word.