If you need to laugh, and who doesn't(?) get these tapes! They are too funny to describe here - just trust me on this. You'll feel better in the morning if you take two of these before bed!

This stuff is hilarious! I don't know how they do it. John Pinette at the buffet and his hottest day of the year in the amusement and water park are some of the funniest things I've ever heard, and each tape is somehow better than the previous one, Brian Regan, Pablo Francisco, Richard Jeni - just thinking of them makes me want to listen again. I laughed so hard I cried. I needed that. Don't miss this set. Beg, borrow, (well, don't steal), but get them.

This a is a wonderfully succinct book which sets forth the history, essence, and methodology of homeopathy. It is a very well written book, a delight to read. The book is well organized in 5 major sections. There is a very thorough overview of the precepts and tenets of the practice, its historical origins, a detailed and well covered biography of Samuel Hahnemann and a review of the politics of allopathy v. homeopathy. It is further embellished with copious annotations, an appendix with an actual case history and a very fine reference for homeopathic resources such as organizations, suppliers and other texts covering a variety of related topics. Call it a perfect Homeopathy 101 text if you will, the author makes a very even handed presentation of the material, including the politics of medicine as they have evolved in the USA over the past century. Any one who has a chronically sick friend or relative should read this book.

I used this book to as a background for a two week unit on Latin American Culture in the United States to a fourth grade class. My students were intrigued and began to think about new issues of justice. The book is artfully written so that even an adult can gain valuable insight. Ceasar Chavez' story is inspiring and challenges all to question the status quo. One chapter may be a little graphic for some young children, I skipped it in class. But overall, tremendous, and one of my Hispanic-American students said it is one of the best books ever read to them.

This is the most comprehensive look at marijuana and drug prohibition available! It was written by members of Nixons very own committee delegated to the task of researching marijuana, it's history, effects, and whether the drug policy at the time was a sensible one. They found that it was not, and suggested a serious rethinking of marijuana laws. However, instead of listening to his own research committee Nixon decided to start the now infamous war on drugs! Though this book only follows prohibition up to the early 70s, as that's when it was published, it contains the essential history of marijuana prohibition which most people are not familiar with. It discusses the general atmosphere of prohibition that hovered over the early 20th century, and how that affected marijuanas legal status. It also discusses the mutation by law makers of the word "narcotic," the inconsistent stances of Drug Czar Anslinger, and the horribly racist tactics used to criminalize marijuana (As well as the horribly racist reasons!)! This book is a must read for EveryOne!

I know many people cringe at the thought of reading a narrative that seems to greatly resemble Moby Dick, but I tell you this better than Moby Dick and easy makes it into my top ten books I have ever read! Occassionally the text bogs down in obscure sailing terms, but that is an exception and not a rule, otherwise, it is sheer poetry and lights the fire of wonder of exploration, and makes a sea voyage from almost 200 years ago spring to life. I give you my favorite short little passage, which explains it so much better.

"So quiet too, was the sea, and so steady the breeze, that if the sails had been sculptured marble they could not have been more motionless. Not a ripple upon the surface of the canvas; not even a quivering of the extreme edges of the sail, so perfectly were they distended by the breeze. I was so lost in the sight that I forgot the presence of the man who came out with me, until he said, 'How quietly they do their work!'"

Dana so perfectly described sea life you will be a part of the crew, you will feel his fear, his wonder, his joy and his awe.

You will not regret reading this, philosophy disguised as a travelogue, a must-read!

Richard Henry Dana suffered from measles while a student at Harvard in 1834. Rather than suffer a slow recovery from weakened eyesight, he shipped out as a common sailor, rather than as a passenger, on a long sea voyage. After becoming a lawyer, he published his recollection of his voyage in 1840; it was an immediate success. He became an active member of the Free Soil Party, and represented fugitive slaves. This first and greatest book shows his sympathy for the suffering and the oppressed, and his courage, unselfishness, and fair-mindedness that characterized his life. This important book describes California before statehood and the gold rush, and life in those times. RHD hoped this book would promote religion and moral improvement for seamen, and diminish their hardships.

Chapter IV tells of being chased by a black hulled ship that flew no colors. They were able to outrun this ship, then lost it in the dark. Chapter V tells of the bad weather while rounding Cape Horn. They passed a whaler from Poughkeepsie NY. Chapter XIII gives his impressions of the Californians. RHD knew that local officials were appointed from the capital, but didn't ask if they controlled the local economy as a colony: produce raw material, buy finished goods. Chapter XVII tells how their captain, known for his flogging, could not hire any new seamen. Chapter XVIII tells of Easter celebration in California. The crews of Catholic vessels get about three more weeks of vacation in a year, and "Yankees don't keep Christmas". Chapter XXI tells more about California politics. Since the independence of Mexico the missions and their lands became the prey of administradores, and became diminished and decayed. RHD describes the lack of common law, and the private morality. It was a rich country waiting to be exploited.

Chapter XXIII tells of the advantages of a bigger ship over a smaller ship: more hands make lighter work. But a smaller lighter ship can catch a slight breeze that becalms a bigger ship. Chapter XXV tells how the heavy import taxes of Mexico are handled. A vessel puts in to declare a moderate cargo, then sells a large part. It then sails to another port; but on the way it gets other goods to replenish its cargo. RHD describes his visit to a whaleship, whose crew resembled fishermen and farmers. [Whalers got a share of the profits, not a wage.] The chapter ends with a description of a 3-day gale. Chapter XXIX tells of preparations to sail home: ballast is dumped, the ship sealed and fumigated to kill vermin. Then the hides are loaded, then steeved to pack in more. This hard work was fueled by a constant diet of fresh beef. Chapter XXX tells of the return trip by a shorthanded and inexperienced crew; they would round Cape Horn in the dead of winter, the worst possible time. Chapter XXXI tells of the sailor's need for rum or hot coffee in wintertime; and what it is like to have a tooth-ache at sea. Chapter XXXII describes the terrible times in the iceberg fields. Chapter XXXV tells of the haste to get home by keeping sails aloft. Scurvy had broken out on the ship due to no fresh provisions. They met a brig and got potatoes and onions for a cure.

The Concluding Chapter tells that drudgery and hardship is a sailor's life, not romantic fantasies. The captain must control everything, and be responsible for everything (mistreatment of seamen). Passengers on board (independent witnesses) result in better treatment of seamen. The lives of merchant seamen are shortened by a lack of sleep. RHD would not abolish flogging: most seamen are foreigners, the cast-offs of war vessels, and unknown to the captains. Force is needed to control them. Gradual improvement will correct this, he claims. RHD strongly objects to the practice of granting leniency to a convicted captain or officer because of previous good character, or a family to support. First, they don't know what it was like there, and this excuse is never granted to seamen! It is just a reward for class differences. Moral improvement is the seamen's best friend. RHD visited California 24 years later and writes about this in the last chapter.

After finishing this book, I am amazed that this book is not more prominent in famous literature. Much of US and Sailing history can be learned through this true firsthand account of a Harvard student gone temporary salty dog. I am not from California or even the west coast but still found the stories contained throughout the book fascinating. Dana did an excellent job of describing the life at sea in the early 1800's without a moment of boring reading. I would recommend (and have been recommending) this book to anyone and everyone.

I really enjoyed his perspective on this voyage - the things he notices and comments upon to us, his readers. He offers us a marvelous view of a land that no longer exists. An intimate view of a sailor's life in its exciting - and mundane - details. I read it as an adult and/but I think this is the book they should give kids to read in high school literature classes. A book that shows life for the adventure that it can be. Not always easy, of course, but always an adventure. I recommend that you relax with it, take you time, go there. You can trust Richard Henry Dana. He tells a good story.

Final Affair was not like anything I've ever read before. It's the story of a detective who opens the Overton 'cold case file'. There are a lot of people against him, people who don't think that a woman's death was suspicious. Slowly he unravels various clues that were missed before. It's shocking to see just how far one man will go. This was a great book, and a really quick read.

against all odds; picking up a cold case of a woman who appeared
to die of natural causes; going against even his peers who he worked with who hadn't done any investigation into this case; Well written, to the point and no sensationalism. I love true crime stories like this; it demonstrates what intelligence, caring and tenacity can accomplish. And pity Janet Overton's killer husband who always believed (wrongly I might add), that only a superior intellect mattered in life. I guess I was a little surprised that the first trial ended in mistrial- there was so much evidence-- oh well, in the end, Richard Overton went to jail for his act of murder.

GREAT BOOK, I LIVE IN AREA SO I REMEMBER THE CASE COULD'T PUT IT DOWN/HOPING FOR ANOTHER CASE TO BE WRITTEN/

Do not confuse this Monacelli Press book with the latest Rizzoli book by the same name. This one is an "artsy cofee table book" with slightly out-of-focus artsy black and white photos of a limited selection of his projects, including some of his earlier houses as well as some of his latest works. Large two page photographs are shown, together with 3 or 4 smaller ones per project, in lieu of a more comprehensive exposition of their work. If you are looking for information on their current work or design ideas check out the Rizzoli books instead.

To those very few of us who are in architectural circles, Richard Meier is a common name. I know that I quickly bought the first two volumes of his books upon entering Architecture School, and put my name on a waiting list for 3 months to get the third volume. When the book arived, I was a little disappointed at the haste in which the book was put together. It seemed to me that they were in such a rush to put out another volume of his work, that the quality of it suffered. Many of the projects shown in this book, are just completed versions of what was in the planning phases in his second book. Another disappointing feature of this book is that almost one quarter of it is dedicated to the Getty Center. I guess the reason that it seemed so spurious to me is that I had volume two AND a book on the Getty Center before purchasing this third volume, so there wasn't much new information to sink my teeth into. My recomendation is this: If you have the first two volumes- Don't be in any hurry to buy this book. It's already familiar to you, and you'll be let down.

If you don't have the first two volumes, or are new to architecture: Go and buy this book immedeately! This is a great book for you to become familiar with one of the masters of modern architecture. You'll like what you see

This 3rd in a series monograph by Rizzoli is a must-have addition to any serious architectural book library or to fans of Richard Meiers work. The numerous color photos are top rate, and together with a large number of drawings give a thorough overview of one of the top designers of today. The many photos in particular attest as to the successful completion of previously anticipated projects which have been in the pipeline, while new drawings herald new masterpieces to come.

As a professional geologist, I use this reference often but I have found numerous errors. An example is that the mineral Pentlandite, an important ore of nickel, is not listed in the index. A German website is compiling an errata list on this book and it is many pages long of spelling, locality, formulae and indices errors. Other complaints are: The information concerning the economic use of the minerals is too sketchy and incomplete; and the page paper is too thin and fragile.

I can't believe that John Wiley & Sons (the publisher) actually tries to sell this book as "compact". It's 1100 pages! The Peterson Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals is a much better "compact" guide. This thing should really be on CD-ROM.

I use the book almost daily while working on a large mineral collection. It is up to date and comprehensive with valuable references to localities. The book is fragile with thin pages so must be used with care. It should be published as a CD ROM.

Overpriced for what you get and only valuable to the firms designing highrise and industrial complexes. Find a copy and review for yourself before you buy.

The AIA should be embarrased by their publishing this "book". At less than forty pages of information it hardly qualifies as a book. Note that the information it does contain is fine but it certainly does not deliver good value for the money. The price is outrageous especially when you add amazon.com's fair shipping and handling costs. I expected more from an professional organization like the AIA. Note in the above description it doesn't identify how many pages the book contains as do most amazon.com descriptions (I get junk-mail thicker than this one). I understand that books like this have a limited audience and that the costs of production and distribution are correspondingly high. That being understood, a price under $5.00 would be more appropriate. I regret to say I will be weary of any other publications of the AIA Press.

As a CAD instructor and design professional I've been using the Master CAD Layer Guidelines since 1998. I find it to be a very effective tool for teaching beginning and intermediate CAD users the proper way to use layers for industry. In that regard it is invaluable. However, I am embarrassed by the exorbitant cost of the publication. Originally, I purchased this "pamplet"--which would be a more apt classification at a mere 40 pages--for $19. Over the years little information has changed, but the cost has skyrocketed. I can't imagine why. Excellent resource, terrible value for the money. I recommend an office buying one copy and passing it around, rather than supply everyone a copy. That's what I am reduced to do for my students. I thought AIA promoted well-educated, knowledgeable professionals, but is that at a cost that only the elite can afford? Come on, guys, get with the program.