Here is my first impression of the book: Wow! I can see how some people got the idea that this book was an update of Burl's 1976 'Stone Circles of the British Isles'. It covers seventy sites in 230 pages and it's no coffee table book. Each circle has an outline plan and most sites have three or four photos giving Milligan the chance to pick interesting angles and individual stones. This is a philosophy I have tried to follow on the web where photos are almost free, but your average book shows one rather boring overall view of each site if you're lucky.

This, and things like the super-strokeable front and end-papers are why this book costs what it does. Milligan is described as one of Britain's most exciting new photographers, and he tackles the subject with energy. Commendably, he uses no ghastly graduated filters or other such fiddles. It hardly needs saying that Burl's lucid text and pithy wit are a pleasure, as always. There's even a 'carved head' from the Ring of Brodgar (frost action says Aubrey).

It's unusual in that there are no maps, and the circles are in order of date and name. Perhaps it's trying to steer away from being thought of as a guide book. Stirring the sites together like this makes for a fresh approach, and gives me the urge to reach again into the sack of reviewer's clichés and use the word juxtaposition. Apparently Circles of Stone was delayed three months from a July launch because the photography didn't come out 100% first time. This fanatic attention to quality is apparent throughout, and is doubtless why the Dr Burl was approached to write the text. Step aside Julian Cope, suddenly your holiday snaps look rather sad. I've run out of stars: 5/5!

For anyone whose knowledge of stone circles is limited to Stonehenge, this book is a revelation. Aubrey Burl's essay dispels some of the myths that have arisen concerning these monuments, while at the same time stimulating the reader's imagination. The photographs by Max Milligan are evocative and mesmerizing, revealing the subtle elegance of the stones and their relationship to the landscape around them. The book is a beautiful interplay between image and text... a treat for the mind and the eyes!

This volume covers the top 70 prehistoric monuments like Stonehenge all over the british isles. It has been photographed in every season, time of day and weather and is simply glorious. The text by prof burl is informative but easy to read and explains most of the so called mysteries about these places. They are the oldest buildings on the planet, some 5500 years old, and put into perspective all this fuss about the millennium. What of our achievements will last that long? Bravo Milligan, Burl and Harvill Press!

Max Lucado presents a lovely gift-sized book of The Cross. The book is filled with inspiring and beautifully photographed crosses that grace the pages. my favorite is the two branches naturally conjuctioned by nature in the form of the Cross. It reminds me that in God's wonderful creation tells us-He gave His Son, Jesus' Life for us. It's echoes everlasting in all living things. It celebrates the ancient sign of salvation and hope. Each picture is supported with an inspirational thought that comes from Lucado's books realting to Jesus' crucifixion, including 'And the Angels Were Silent,' 'God Came Near,' 'Six Hours on Friday,' and 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior.' This would make a beautiful Easter (Resurrection Day) gift for anyone who has a love for crosses or wanting inspiring words to comfort the soul and a remembrance of Jesus' Love gift for us.

The greatest lesson I learned from this book is that God did not hestitate when Adam and Eve sinned, he was rushing to save us just as a Father would dive into a lake to save a drowning child. The Cross was not the mark of a failed Christ, rather the symbol of freedom for all that choose to follow him.

Mr Lucado writings and the illustrations bring into view the extravagant price that Jesus paid for my sins. Mr Lucado's writings ,as usual,are able to draw you into the circumstances he is describing as though you had colored photographs expressing emotionals and thought provoking scenarios. . Never before have I been given this sharp and clear view of the cross that our Lord and Savior willing died upon. The pictures, illustrations and paintings are not just window dressing - they literally engage you.

This is an object that will, as Mr Lucado wrote, "bring you face to feet" with the One who proclaimed to be able to save us from our sins.

I was given this book as a gift after my daughter became seriously ill. At 6 weeks, my daughter (also named Zoe) was hospitalized for heart failure. While she wasn't premature I could totally relate to what the author was feeling and thinking during those trying times. I'm not even completely finished with the book yet and already I find myself inspired by it.

True, this book is initially about the birth of a premature grandchild, but it is about so much more. It is about the preciousness of life, no matter how short or long it is. It is an affirmation of life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to look at life thoughtfully and honestly. Mr. DePree writes with painstaking honesty and heartfelt thoughts on prayer, life, death and God. Go out and read the book today!

If you have ever had a premature baby or know someone who has, or are just curious about the world behind the plastic walls, this book is a must read. Told from a grandfather's perspective, it is a beautiful account of the passion of a parent to a child and then to her child. A great, hopeful story.

This book is as real to life as possible in its discription of the events from Windover to Tinian and on to History. My grandfather served under Tibits and is pictured and mentioned several times in this book. As I turned the pages I was reading what I had heard first hand for several years from my grandfather spelled out across the pages. The attention to detail and recreation of the stories, events, and emotions capture the readers attention and draw you in. The various perspectives of the events also allows the reader to understand the magnitude of the bombings and the enourmous undertakingas that transpired prior to the event.

This is a must read for those who are interested in WWII History. I will pass this book along through the generations as the most accurate account of what transpired for my Grandfather and the men who served along side him.

I read the authors Voyage of the Damned a long time ago and really enjoyed it. So when I found this book I had expectations. And they were easily met.

The authors take you along with Col. Tibbets and the rest of his squadron - through training, hellraising and more. The book reads like a novel even if it is based on well documented facts. They also cover both sides of the story including the experiences of Hiroshima survivors.

All in all a good and enjoyable read.

From the very beginning this narrative grabs your attention. It wasn't until one hour away from Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, that Enola Gay's pilot, Paul W. Tibbets turned around and announced to his crew that they were about to drop the world's first atom bomb.

The crew was handpicked by Tibbets. Their training was so secret and compartmentalized that they didn't even discuss it among themselves. They all "knew", but they didn't "know" until they were told. Survivors of "Little Boy" were also interviewed for this story.

Another book recommend is Flight of the Enola Gay written by her pilot, Gen. Paul W. Tibbets. This is the story from his perspective. Excellent.

Michelle deBreuil Farrell - Military Aviation Photojournalist.

Tony Blair says that his programme of making New Labour a "party of business" is the modern form of socialism, or, at least, "social-ism". The Chinese Communist Party says that fierce repression of workers' rights, together with fast and furious cutting of deals with capitalist multinationals and the open and avid pursuit of individual profit for the privileged, is socialism in a form suitable to China today. For others, socialism is what used to exist in the USSR and is now - to the sorrow of some, the joy of others - off the agenda. What is socialism? Even 150 years ago, in the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels marked off their working-class socialism sharply from a wide range of other socialisms, which they called reactionary socialism, bourgeois socialism, petty-bourgeois socialism, and utopian socialism. They had already criticised what they called the "crude communism" of levelling-down to equally shared poverty. Early radical socialists in Britain, people like William Morris, argued against anarchists but also saw a huge gulf between their own working-class politics and "state socialism", which they regarded as no better, or worse, than capitalism. Yet the accomplished fact often weighs heavier than a thousand good theories. The fact that state-owned industry gave the Stalinist USSR something approximately socialist in common with the heroic years of the revolutionary Russian workers' state after 1917 convinced many that there must be some real continuity. The USSR must, at the very least, be a distorted version of a system moving towards socialism, if not actually reaching it, and therefore deserved the loyalty of the labour movement. The events of 1989-91 put an end to all such hopes, and compelled many socialists to rethink. This book will be an immensely valuable contribution to that rethinking. It presents, with clear and informative commentary, the key "lost texts of critical Marxism" from a long-dispersed, long-marginalised, but brilliant, group of radical thinkers who demonstrated the fundamental conflict between working-class socialism and bureaucratic statism in the era when the USSR was at the peak of its political influence.

Well I've read this book and quite frankly, I wasn't particulary impressed. But you have to hand it to Mr Matgamna, he sure does know how to write an introduction! In many ways, the intro is more useful, though I would wholeheartedly disagree with many of the points made, than much of the "critical texts" included thereafter.

The fact is, Shachtman went over to the right wing at the end of his life afterleading the SWP for many years. I blame his views on the USSR and one notices how many ex-trots do this. Obviously their views on the USSR have a lot of factual basis to them , but it was the best we had and therefore worth defending to the hilt and fighting for. Stalinism was "actually exisiting socialism" and anyone who denys this, contradicts the actually existing state of play at the time up until the end of the Cold War, and in particular, up to the mid 1960s.

Any socialist who wants to be educated should read this book, and then argue with it!

The Fate of the Russian Revolution Lost Texts of Critical Marxism Vol.1 Edited by Sean Matgamna. Published by Phoenix Press London ISBN 0-9531864-0-7

This book opens with a quotation from Albert Einstein, stating the case for socialism. Einstein, like almost every great mind of the 20th century who concerned himself or herself with the welfare of the working people, wanted common ownership and a democratic planned economy. But Einstein was stumped by the enigma of the USSR. He saw that there "the planned economy" was "accompanied by the complete enslavement of the individual" and so was "not yet socialism". It seemed to represent, on the one hand, a step in the right direction, because of the planned economy, but on the other hand, not a step that Einstein wanted to take.

Very few thinkers got anywhere near resolving the paradox. The greatest was Leon Trotsky. But Trotsky got no further than assessments of the USSR which he himself described as provisional and needing review if the system proved to have some solidity and viability, rather than being only a freak concatenation of counter posed forces.

When the Stalinist USSR showed that it did have that viability - by becoming the world's second superpower, in the 1940s - the task of reworking Trotsky's analysis had to be undertaken, not by well-provided professors in famous research institutes, but by tiny groups of Marxists harassed by the exigencies of day-to-day political activity in hostile circumstances. They have not become as famous as Einstein, or Trotsky. Their names - Max Shachtman, Joseph Carter, Hal Draper, C L R James - are largely unknown.

But the "lost texts" of those "critical Marxists" - here unearthed for the first time from dusty archives, and well-presented with a substantial introduction - are a central part of the intellectual history of the 20th century. Every educated person needs to know about them, just as much as he or she needs to know about Einstein's theory of relativity.

Bravo! Unique, Captivating, and Exciting --

"From Blood to Water" is not only a brilliant collection of short stories, crafted with fascinating twists, turns, and surprises, but one that romances the senses as well as the intellect. The dark and seductive nightlife of "Addict," the CD's first selection, becomes an enchanting and sensual journey when accompanied by a backdrop of the sounds, music, and visual effects of it's city streets. Each work in this collection is a gem that holds a titillating surprise for the reader. Extremely well written. Highly recommended.

I've always shied away from reading books on CD, but this collection has changed my mind about the possibilities of the medium. The eerie, edgy stories accompanied by amazing graphics made for a gripping read. I especially enjoyed the fresh take on the Titanic tragedy in "And the Band Played On." The stories are original, unpredictable and impossible to put down once you start reading. Here is something that hasn't been seen before!

This is quite an interesting short story collection. Filer is a very creative and skilled writer. Most of the stories are kinda dark and/or mysterious, but they are all creative and fun to read. No Elvis fan should go without reading "1(900)THE-KING". My fave is "And The Band Played On", it is an epic tale set aboard the doomed ship Titanic. I was skeptical at first, but the multimedia aspect of the CD-ROM works really well. The artwork is very cool and the writing is laid out so it's easy to follow. Check it out!

INCREDIBLE! As a relatively new fan to NASCAR I feel like I have been brought up to speed! This book is a must buy. I love the stories. They made me laugh and get a little choked up at times. It's a very easy read and the cd that comes with it is amazing. Dale Jr.'s tribute to his dad is incredible and the Petty's are amazing. I want more!

This book is great and the CD on the Petty's is just awesome. It will make you cry all the way through it. I loved it and would recommend it to all. God Bless the Petty family and Adam.

This is an excellent book, with stories from various drivers, fans, writers, and other motorsports personalities! Many will make you think, laugh, or even cry. Inspiring images of faith along with a true look at the NASCAR personalities you thought you knew, make this a must-buy!

I needed a book about the Beverly Hillbillies and this cookbook exceeded my wishes! Not only did it have great receipes with a "Hillbilly" flair but the pictures throughout the book were wonderful! My girlfriend who won it can't wait to show all her friends and the receipes are fantastic and easy!

Win I seen this here book in the liebarry I just bout falled oer backards. I luv possum pi an collerd greenz like granee usta fix fore she was runned oer by mister drizdales kar. now I kan kook my favrites bi miself.

Not many things are better than spending time with an old friend, especially one who makes you laugh. This cookbook provides lots of chuckles, good recipes, and great pictures. It is almost like looking at an old photo album, recognizing the unique expressions and almost hearing the familiar voices spout the delightful quotes which are sprinkled throughout the book. It is not only a cookbook but is a book to just look through and enjoy as well. Anyone who watched the Beverly Hillbillies would enjoy reminiscing through the pages. The recipes are a nice mix of true Granny style cooking, such as Granny's Groundhog, as well as some very delicious recipes, more appetizing to city folk. The recipes are not difficult and there are some to satisfy even the hungriest Jethro in any family. The descriptions of the cast and the history of the show are fun to read. It is a wonderful mix of quotes, trivia, recipes and pictures. If you have to spend time in the kitchen, you might as well do it with Granny!

This book is a powerful reflection upon the circumstances & events surrounding Christ's birth. Within each of the (6) author's section, there are a multitude of heart provoking directions for the Holy Spirit to take you. It has touched me deeply, and also touched the life of a friend I gave a copy to for Christmas. I highly recommend this for personal reading and gift-giving.

The collection of sermons in this book provided a springboard of ideas for themes to preach this Christmas season. Max Lacado's sermon provided the background for our Christmas program this year.

"The Heart of Christmas" employs the writing talents of six inspirational authors, with the message they would most like people to learn and see at Christmastime. John Maxwell relates the wise men following the star and finding a lowly stable, to our search for greatness and finding instead disappointment, in our lives. He allows us to understand that we can find God even in our lowest moments. Bill Hybels challenges us to really look at the nativity, and God's purpose for choosing the location of the Christ-child, this season. Hybels parallels the nativity to our relationship with God. Max Lucado ponders what Joseph's thoughts were on that wonderful night and how we oft-times questions God ourselves. David Jeremiah writes about the name and significance of Jesus, the reasons God may have chosen to give his only son that common, yet most revered name. Rick Warren encourages us to seek that which we want to find this year. He gives us special insight and tells us what we should really be seeking for. Jack Hayford examines the Mary Miracle, as he calls it. He shows us how God is still "birthing" his holy word in us, today. If you are like me, growing weary with all the hype and stress of Christmas as society defines it, year after un-inspirational year, this is a book that will offer you a new vision and understanding of this wonderful holiday. It will put Christmas back into your heart so that it may shine forth, just like the star that marked Jesus' birth.

With more than three hundred photographs, Herbert List: The Monograph documents for the first time all phases of List's creativity: the Fotografia Metafisica (as List's early work, with its affinity with the work of de Chirico and Magritte, has come to be known); his photographs of Classical Greek ruins and postwar Munich; his sensitive homoerotic photographs; the artist portraits spanning the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s; and his subtle and touching human-interest photo-essays. Authoritative texts by noted critics and scholars provide historical contexts and influences and detail the development of List's oeuvre. A selection of List's own writings, a comprehensive chronology, a bibliography, and records of exhibitions, collections, and published photographs and essays complete the book. The photographs and essays collected in this volume comprise the definitive presentation of this modern master.

Herbert List is one of the most impressive photographers of the 20th century. This book is a masterpiece and offers a wonderful overview of List's work. It gives the opportunity to discover a classical and refreshing approach of the world-which escapes however from classicism.

Herbert List belongs to the most impressive photographers of the 20th century, showing a simple but wonderful vision of the world while escaping from classicism... A wonderful publication for "amateurs" and a masterpiece in arts book!