Reminiscent of The Great Gatsby yet 100% original at the same time, this novel has all the makings of a classic of American literature. This is a novel of epic proportions, packed into less than 150 pages. It spans three decades and traverses three continents. It is beautifully paced, at times flowing like a gentle stream, offering nuanced, elegant prose and character development, then switching purposefully and gracefully into much broader brush strokes to account for the passage of time. This is the book for which Begley will be remembered several generations from now.

As with the great first-person narrators in classics like Brideshead Revisited and Fifth Business, Max Strong is a keen yet passive observer, comfortable enough blending into the scenery so as not to obstruct the reader's view of the novels fascinating characters. Charlie, the brilliant, extravagant architect with an ego to match his talent, bobs in and out of Max's life, first appearing at an Italian villa where he and Max have been invited as guests, then in Beijing where Max has offered his legal expertise while on sabbatical from Harvard Law School, then again in Cambridge, MA and the Berkshires where Max works and vacations respectively. Their relationship is both antagonistic and co-dependent, as Max serves as conscience and confessor for Charlie in regard to the latter's romantic involvement with Toby, the young, attractive, and troubled youth that Charlie takes under his wing. And yet, while Max rarely asserts himself as anything more than an astute narrator, the book is just as much about him as it is about those that he observes.

It is a remarkable accomplishment that Begley has expressed so much beauty in so few pages. His settings and his characters sing with authenticity, and his prose offers the perfect current to carry his flawlessly-crafted story.

I enjoyed the old fashioned tone of this novel. The main character, Max, is a kind of "fifth business," telling the story and having things happen to him without his really being involved. His friendship with Charlie deepens over the course of the book, effecting him in ways he never would have imagined. The writing and langauge are exceptional in a modern author. The characters in this short but intense book (145 pages) have a lot in common with those that appear in the Schmidt books where they are further fleshed out. I recommend all of Begley's books: I've read four this year.

If you are an average student and really want to pass the test, USE THIS BOOK! It gives a basic review of math, grammar and language usage that is essential for doing well on the test. Also, there are 2 full practice exams as well as many practices tests throughout each section. After reviewing this book, you will understand the format of the test. You will know that you should ANSWER EACH QUESTION even if you guess. Just knowing this should help you because guess what--most students don't bother with even a basic review before the test. This test is graded on a percentile basis, so your score will depend on how well you do in relation to the other test takers. My son, an average student, studied this book, made a composite score of 89, and was accepted to his school. His two best friends, who are at his level in school, didn't study and weren't accepted. This book made all the difference.

This book was a big help because it had alot of practice tests for me to do. The tests also showed me what my weaknesses were. I am taking a coop class and this book in really helpful.

This book provides an excellent overview of the the Battle of Britain. One gets the impression that this book was intended to be the pictorial compliment to the author's more in depth account of the battle 'Fighter'. Included are many photographs, drawings, charts and maps which help explain the battle on a day by day basis. The book also looks at air power and technology from 1918-1939, the rise of the Luftwaffe, aircraft designs and radar and some of the personalities involved with the battle. Included are many personal accounts from the combatants themselves that along with the pictorial content bring the battle to life. Some brief analysis is provided on where the RAF got it right and where the Luftwaffe got it wrong. Overall a delightful book which is an easy read and an excellent starting point of reference.

This is a great first book on the Battle of Britain. I have enjoyed many Max Hastings and Len Deighton history books because of their ability to make these subjects very readable. The book includes sections on the equipment of both sides of the Battle and keeps the book personal and interesting. The die hard history buffs will probably not care for this book as much as some because it lacks the thoroughness of an in-depth account. This book is excellent as an introduction to the Battle or military history in general.

This book is an excellent discussion of applied grammer. But the reader must already know how to decline nouns and conjugate verbs, and know which cases go with which prepositions. A thoughtful textual study. This book has been chosen by professors at CTS in Ft. Wayne, which is a recommendation all by itself.

This very slim book has extremely clear, simple explanations. Better yet, it is keyed to a verse-by-verse grammatical analysis which tells you exactly which article to turn to in the grammar when you are looking at a difficult construction in the Bible. Highly recommended. Maximillian Zerwick originally wrote this in Latin, but Joseph Smith translated it into English for those of us who couldn't imagine learning Latin to read a book on Greek. For more reviews on grammars, lexicons, textbooks, and other Greek resources, see "http://www.mindspring.com/~jwrobie/littleGreek.html".

Our son adores this book. He knows it by heart and wants to read it again and again. The moving "pop-up" parts are manageable for someone with typical 3-year old fine motor skills.

i got this book for my nephew and he loved it! He loves to pretend that he is in the space shuttle.....he has me read it over and over.....the best part about the book is that it is interactive and that children can make up their own stories when playing with it.....it's great for the imagination.....the authors' other books are just as good:)

Most of the Nate Heller books are good. This one is very good. I enjoy the characters and the ties to history. Basically, a Forrest Gump/Spencer type of read.

It was an excellent book. A little bit too much language. It got crazy on pg. 140 (read that page). It had a whole bunch of explosive sex. And a whole lot of bloodshed.

California's El Camino Real is the first book to document the growth of El Camino Real and the bells which have marked it for almost a century. Collections strong in California history won't want to miss this coverage: it includes numerous vintage black and white photos, maps, and a smooth coverage of the bells and the El Camino's changing history.

I've always loved el camino since I was a kid so I wasn't sure I had anything to learn about it--boy was I wrong! There is such a wealth of history that I knew nothing about, and this book has it all! Now I can appreciate the road's famous marker bells so much more, knowing how much hard work went into them. I bet a lot of hard work went into this book too, and I am grateful to Mr Kurillo and Ms Tuttle.

If you do, READ THIS BOOK! A friend of mine who hasfibromyalgia introduced me to Dr. Gerson's book. I also havefibromyalgia. Ten months ago, I thought I was going to die. I was sosick that I couldn't work, I could barely take care of myself and Ihad to give away most of my possessions to move half way across thecountry to stay with family. Now, I'm feeling much better and my lifehas improved dramatically. Much of my progress stems from the thingsI learned from this book as well as my WILLINGNESS to implement them.I highly recommend this book!...

Dr. Gerson's book is a must-read for anyone with cancer (particularly if you've been given a "hopeless" prognosis). It proves once and for all that there IS and HAS BEEN a cure for cancer in America for many, many years.

An excellent historical mystery, with Collin's Nate Heller filling the role of an real-life private detective who investigated the murder of Sir Harry Oaks.

Look for the reference to Dick Tracy that Collins ames at the end: "It hurts."

A fitional novel about an actual event that held my interest better than any other non-fiction books on the Death of Sir Harry Oakes

In this well-written and important book, Hilbert demonstrates how key themes in classical social theory were lost or 'inverted' by Talcott Parsons. Hilbert goes on to show how Garfinkel's 'Studies in Ethnomethodology' (1967), and related work by other early ethnomethodologists generated a body of knowledge regarding actual social practices that stood Parsons on his head, thereby unintentionally 'recovering' some of the key insights lost to American Sociology through Parson's interpretation of Durkheim and Weber. A thought-provoking book whose insights can fuel further empirical work explicating the actual processes of the social world.

In this well-written and important book, Hilbert demonstrates how key themes in classical social theory were lost or 'inverted' by Talcott Parsons. Hilbert goes on to show how Garfinkel's 'Studies in Ethnomethodology' (1967), and related work by other early ethnomethodologists generated a body of knowledge regarding actual social practices that stood Parsons on his head, thereby unintentionally 'recovering' some of the key insights lost to American Sociology through Parson's interpretation of Durkheim and Weber. A thought-provoking book whose insights can fuel further empirical work explicating the actual processes of the social world.