As a business administration student who is still learning the basics of a complex U.S. economy, and how it operates, Capitalism and Commerce provides an excellent insight on the moral values, limited government, and contractual agreements that Younkins claims are the foundations to a Capitalistic society.
Dr. Younkins is brilliant in his explanation of capitalism, and presents arguments that are routed in morals and individual choices. He supports these arguments with the writings of philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, and others that offer an insight that is both radical and logical in it's dealings. Dr. Younkins assumes a liberal stance as he explains free markets, negative freedoms, and government controls. He argues against "obstacles to a free society", that prevent one from having individual responsibility, and having the freedom to make individual choices. The book covers all the main issues as it supports the argument for a capitalistic society and true individual freedom, and examines the flaws of a liberal point of view. It is written without emotion, and offers a philosophical point of view that any person can appreciate.
Any student that is a business major should read Capitalism and Commerce. The book has opened my eyes to our economic system that we call Capitalism for better or worse. It shows one that people are human in nature, and that there must be more to a capitalistic economy than just a free market. This book should be part of every business curriculum in the United States, and will offer International students a raw look at Capitalism. Dr. Younkins offers an excellent point of view that is eye opening for anyone interested in business or the economy.

This excellent work makes the case that capitalism is the only moral social system because it protects a man's mind, his primary means of survival and flourishing. Younkins emphasizes that only a free society is compatible with the true nature of man and the world. This extremely readable and well organized book is about freedom and the type of society men require in order to engage in their own happiness-pursuing activities. CAPITALISM AND COMMERCE is a tolerant, nonparochial, and inclusive work that expounds fundamental principles that will be widely supported by readers from journals as diverse as REASON, THE CATO JOURNAL, NAVIGATOR, THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW, JOURNAL OF MARKETS AND MORALITY, IDEAS ON LIBERTY, JOURNAL OF LIBERTARIAN STUDIES, LIBERTY, THE FREE RADICAL, CRITICAL REVIEW, FREEDOM DAILY, HUMANE STUDIES REVIEW, MISES DAILY, IMPRIMIS, REGULATION, HOOVER DIGEST, and POLICY REVIEW. This book is a tour de force presentation of the moral and philosophical case for freedom!

In Capitalism and Commerce, the fundamental concepts of a free-market economy are thoroughly discussed and extensively examined. The book is written in a manner that is easily understood, yet remains extremely thought provoking through the presentation of its content. While seemingly written as a philosophy book, Capitalism and Commerce offers much more. Through commentary on morality, law, justice, the common good, work, and personal flourishing and happiness, Dr. Younkins creates a work that brilliantly articulates what many people have a difficult time explaining when it comes to the roots of capitalism. Each chapter builds upon the last; yet, Dr. Younkins has also cunningly written each chapter as an end in itself. Other works are referenced throughout the text, giving the reader a more concise description of the instruments found in capitalism. Also, at the end of each chapter the reader is greeted with a list of recommended readings, serving as a wonderful segway for further reference and/or enjoyment. Upon completion of Capitalism and Commerce, any person will have a clear and definite understanding of what it means to live in a capitalistic society; this, in itself, is priceless.

These are the fictional memoirs of Ebenezer Le Page, who writes about his life from the time he is a young boy to present, possibly till the day before he died. At a first glance, he led a very uneventful life, in that he never left his island, and was a simple farmer and fisherman. However, this is an example of how human nature is endlessly fascinating: the little and big fights between the members of his family, his observations, in retrospect, about what went wrong with this and that other person, the what ifs, his love life, his mom, his devoted sister, the horrible German occupation of Guernsey, and finally his decision over who would be the heir of his money and land. This is one of the best books i've read this year. There is so much history, insight, wisdom and humor in these pages that makes this one of those must-read-at-all-costs books. I would love to go to Guernsey and visit the sights.

It was like a book that, at first, I'd never heard of, and I was destined to read. I was on a sales trip, visiting the Channel Islands on a whistle stop tour, but still wanted to take my family with me to share the sights of Guernsey. We were waiting to catch the ferry home, having lunch in a pub in the centre of town and for some reason or other, I got talking to a gent who was visiting the Island, simply to put a place to the names described in a book he had just read. The Book of Ebenezer Le Page. He assured me that if I ever came upon this book and read it, I would love it. The following weeks, back on 'the mainland', during other sales trips, covering all other towns, I would just pop into second hand book stores to see (even though I had no idea what the book looked like.) I was in Lyme Regis, again I went into a book store and I felt compelled to ask them if they had a copy of the book. It only turned out that this particular book store specialised in books by John Fowles, The writer of the forword. The particular book was out of print, but YES they had copies. "Hard back or paper back", they offered. Well, needless to say, I have just finished the book and I am now left with a sadness at almost having left a friend behind. At least I had the fortune to share a piece of Ebenezer Le Page's life.

I loved this book, me!

I grew up on that little island, barely 5 miles long and 4 miles wide, but a whole country unto itself! The place defies the physics of Geography! It's tiny, but it's vast too. Like the story of our friend Mr. Ebenezer Le Page, the simplicity of the lives of the inter connected characters, colourful and quirky, defies the closeness of the shores.

GB Edwards' posthumous writings capture the essence of the folk and the place as well, possibly better, than any book about anybody, anywhere. I highly encourage anyone who reads this story to find out as much about Guernsey as possible, perhaps even go there (visit Victor Hugo's house), then read it again for the first time.

Utterly enchanting! Haunting! Simply brilliant!

Although I have struggled with alcohol, other addictions, and depression for years, I had always previously burned through it (largely - my thanks to JTK, DSH, Electro, who I have called at 2AM) alone. I quit smoking cold turkey, and have been free some 2 years, though it took me five years of starts and stops before I could do those 2 years. Alcohol was the next drug, and I found it to be bigger than me.

This book has its basis on the AA 12 step program. I read it in four nights because I couldn't fit into three. The book is not about alcohol. It is about life, and how we fit into it, and although Mr. Bear may make suggestions, he largely allows the reader to draw his (her) own conclusions.

A note of caution, though: If you read this book, and I mean really read it, not just run your eyes over the assembled letters, you will face some difficult issues and make some hard discoveries about who you are. Is it worth it? You bet it is. There is only one person you go to bed with every night, and wake up to every morning: you. Might as well be the best you possible.

I started this book not sure if I am an alcoholic, not sure of anything. The help and hope and LIFE giving forces that come tumbling out of these pages have less to do with alcohol than you may think. As Tyler says, "alcohol is a neutral substance - it is like Pepsi, Gatorade...." It isn't about the drink. It is about the soul.
I have read it 5 times. I have bought 4 copies and given them to the people in my life that I really do love. I will re-read this book countless times for the rest of my life and along with my Thanks be to God, will be Thanks be to Tyler.

What a surprise, a book dealing with recovering one's true identity and direction that is well written, incredibly insightful and has wit and humor to boot!

We all wrestle with problems of dysfunction and despair on some level and this small volume provides us with enlightening questions and answers- also on a number of levels.

Who, pray tell, knew there was so much wisdon in the Bird Sutra (the what? Don't worry, all is made clear as you read)?

You will find THE DARK NIGHT OF RECOVERY easy to read. You will delight in sign posts along the path from such esoteric sources as Kabir and Rumi and Hector the Mendicant to the AA Big Book, Winnie the Pooh, the Velveteen Rabbit, Yoda and Luke Skywalker.

Ignore the dreadful cover and buy this book anyway. Then tell your friends to buy their own. You'll want to re-read this...often.

May The Force and The Great Pumpkin be with you, or, as is said in Alice in Wonderland "...then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance."

This was the second book I've purchased as I was recommended by various hobbyist whom I have lots of respect for. When I started reading this book, first thing I told myself "Wow, how little I knew". I would highly recommend anybody who is getting started with Reef Hobby. This book shows step by step on how to setup your first aquarium. Even as little detail as how to setup the Live Rock, how can you create tunnel with PVC pipe, setup equipment chart and so on. I say, this is a must have book

This is the best of several beginner books I've read on keeping a Marine Aquarium. It favors live rock for biological filtration (discovered fairly recently) that is much more natural and maintainable instead of keeping old style mechanical filtration. If you have just started doing your homework, and someone somewhere has recommended an "under gravel" filtration method to get you started, read this book first... let's just say you don't want to get too attached to your fish using the old mechanical methods. This book is not the end-all of aquarium keeping, just an excellent place to start.

This is a well-done book providing plenty of information about marine aquarium setup and maintenance. My mother's a librarian so I've read several books on this subject all of which seemed too trivial and uninformative or written for the professional reef tank hobbyist but this book seemed like the perfect fit for me. The author takes the reader step-by-step through the process of identifying and purchasing the necessary equipment to seting up the tank and equipment to choosing and introducing fish to the tank and of course, maintaining the aquarium. The book is very informative and should bolster confidence in a beginner looking to setup a small to midsize tank. The author pariticularly covers filtration methodologies very well focusing primarily on the highly regarded "Berlin" method. A must have for beginners and intermediate fishkeepers looking to setup a marine tank. I would recommend a more detailed book for specifically covering choosing and caring for different types of marine fish, corals, invertebrates, etc., but this is otherwise a great book.

It was upon having a conversation at school five years ago, that a friend suggested Robert Frost to help (form the basis) of one of my assignments. When I asked how he knew of him, my friend replied; "oh.., he's often quoted on TV" and I believed him (to this day I've never heard him mentioned). So I've come to guess that my old friend uses Frost as I occasionally do. To relax.

For it was upon going through a rough time that I again borrowed the complete works of Frost and a few other poets to get me through. And so inspired I was that I began trying to write some of my own. But as Frost had initially drawn me in with his simple, eaasily understood verses, he just as quickly lost me out the other side. But why I write this review is because I admired Frost's ability to start writing so descriptively so late in life, about man, life, decisions, the enviroment and even a wall! (ha! ha!).

So if you have never read poetry before, or you just wan't some new material. Buy Frost's complete collection. Oh and buy it from Amazon.com!

Robert Frost was and is America's greatest poet. Excepting, perhaps, W. B. Yeats, he may be the greatest poet to write English in the twentieth century. (To me, it's a toss-up.) To read this volume systematically or desultorily is to become convinced of that. But Frost is, above all, accessible, so the casual reader may not appreciate the difficulty of what he does. Like much of the greatest art his looks easy, even inevitable.

All of Frost's poems are here, plus his two dramatic Masques. When this book first appeared (in 1969) it caused a furor: the editor, it was angrily asserted, presumed too much. He dared to clarify - inserting a hyphen here, excising a comma there. That furor has since died down, as people realize that he did not do away with the sacred texts (any emendation was noted), but simply performed his job as editor. He regularized spelling and the use of single and double quotes (though not Capitalization, which can legitimately be thought of as integral to the poet's expression (think of e.e. cummings!)), and corrected other obvious errors. The notes give the published variants for each poem, so if you wish you may make your own call on some of these finicky issues.

The paperback and hardcover editions are identical, except for the covers, of course. I would, however, buy the hardcover. After all, you will be reading this book for the rest of your life. It is a beautifully-built volume, of an easy size and heft for use, with understated appealing typefaces and an exemplary design. Put out by Frost's long-time publisher, this is one of the few essential books of American literature.

After reading the first few poems, I am very glad that I took the time to order this book. It is a collection of many beautiful and intriguing poems that were written by one of the most famous poets of all time. Frost paints a picture of a certain nature scene in each poem that he writes. He displays nature and the earth as beautiful places that are filled with purity and gifts of creation. If you have a great respect and an obsession with nature's great beauty, this anthology of the writings of Robert Frost will give you a deeper meaning and understanding of the world around us. This book will explain what nature really is and how nature should be percieved by all. I highly suggest this book!!

The Washington Post calls this book the bible for bread baking, and they are right on. This book is the best bread baking book I've come across. It gives techniques on actually making and baking a wide variety of breads. If you're looking for a way to make bread that comes out crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside, this book will help you. It's even beyond a bread baking book because it includes 118 recipes-everything from breads and rolls to pastries, muffins, and desserts. The recipes are easy to follow and ingredients are available at grocery stores-perfect for the at-home cook. The whole wheat pancake recipe is one of the many stand outs- absolutely mouth watering. If you're interested in baking breads among many, many other bread related recipes, I highly recommend this book.

My current copy of the Tassajara Bread Book is a 1970 edition, and it is still my favorite (along with Tassajara Cooking, which unfortunately doesn't seem to be available). It has stood the test of time over the years, too many great recipes to just single out one. The Whole Wheat Pancakes, with some fresh blueberries added, is my favorite way to spoil guests. The best thing about the Tassajara books is that they indeed show you a method for cooking or baking, not just recipes to be followed.

Oil stains, flour stains, unidentifiable traces of the years, I don't think I'll ever part with my original copy, but with binding paste falling out now each time I open it and the cover unattached, I think it's time to get an updated copy. You won't go wrong with this book!

Mr. Brown writes from the perspective of starting as a cook's helper, learning cooking by trail-and-error, and graduating to head cook of a monastery kitchen. His writing also reflects a Zen monk's reverence for food and the ritual of cooking.

The Tassajara Basic Yeasted Bread is discussed in detail. Chapters on yeasted bread, yeasted pastry, unyeasted bread, sourdough, pancakes, muffins and quickbreads, and desserts follow. Recipes stress the use of natural foods and grains. Most recipes include alternate ingredient suggestions.

I first used this cookbook to make the Tassajara Basic Yeasted Bread. I never before had made bread. The whole wheat dough was stiff. Mixing the dough was extremely hard work. Kneading the dough was agony. Making this bread taught me respect both for bread and for anyone who makes bread.

I recently rediscovered this cookbook while seeking a cornbread/muffin recipe that did not use shortening. I made muffins substituting molasses for honey and adding marjoram. My muffins were excellent both alone and with bean dishes.

Cooking is vastly underrated. One who cooks economically and maintains a clean, safe household is free to "Be All That You Can Be", an accomplishment that would make an Army drill sergeant or a Zen master proud. Mr. Brown's writing reflects that pride.

Alex "Skinnybones" Frankovitch is a memerable character from one of my favorite books as a young adult. Barbra Park delivers a story about a young boy who feels out of place and uses humor as a defense. This book still makes me laugh out loud, and I think children of all ages can relate to Alex because he is the underdog that always see to get himself into some kind of trouble. I am studying to be an elementary teacher and I planning on reading this book to my class because I know I will enjoy it as much as they will!

This book was great! Everybody should read this book. My teacher read it to me in third grade. The whole class always laughed and always wanted the teacher to read more. The book is about a boy named Alex. He always lies, is a terrible baseball player, and always gets himself into terrible messes. Then, there is the jerk, T.J. who is a great baseball player. Everybody thinks he is all that and he is always picking on Alex about his size and what a bad baseball player he is. Read this book! I would reccomend it to anyone!

I throughly enjoyed reading this book to my class this year. I laughed the entire time, so did they! It's great for any age, I've used it in both fourth and second grades and it's always a bit hit! This book takes a look at the lighter side of being the underdog as a kid. Skinnybones/Alex is a thrill a minute and Park uses everyday words and phrases that keep everyone rolling! This makes it REAL easy to "get into character" while reading, that's part of why it's so well liked, kids love watching adults act like nuts every once in a while. I highly recommend this one!

It was about time I read "Tom Jones." Fielding's 1749 novel gives us a panoramic view of 18th century British life. Its titular hero journeys among the low- and high-born trying to find his way in a world in which he occupies a precarious position. Fielding uses the sprawl of 800 pages to explore a multitude of social, political, and literary issues, gluing them together with an exquisitely outlandish, fully embodied sense of humour.

The action of the novel begins with a view of the Allworthy family, a landed gentleman, Thomas Allworthy and his sister, Bridget. Into this family is dropped an orphan, a foundling - a child, if you will, of questionable parentage. This child, Tom Jones, is raised alongside Bridget's child, Blifil, as relative equals. Both are tutored by two ideologues, the philosopher Square and the theologian Thwackum. Jones is a precocious, free-spirited youngster, spoiled by Allworthy while Blifil, the heir apparent to the estate, becomes the favourite pupil and spoiled accordingly by his mother. As the two youths age, Tom develops a fondness for the neighbour's daughter, Sophia Western.

Tom's sexual development begins to get him in trouble, as it tends to throughout the novel, and as a result of one such incident, coupled with the goading jealousy of Blifil, Tom is driven out of the Allworthy home, left to seek his fortunes in the world. Meeting his supposed father, Partridge, on the road, the two begin a quixotic ramble across England. Sophia, meanwhile, pressured into marrying Blifil, runs away from home, beginning her own voyage of discovery.

"Tom Jones" begins with the narrator likening literature to a meal, in which the paying customer comes expecting to be entertained and satisfied. All 18 books of "Tom Jones" start out with such authorial intrusions, each cluing us into the writer's craft, his interactions with his public, and various other topics. This voice is actually sustained throughout the novel, providing a supposedly impartial centre of moral value judgments - each of which seems to tend toward enforce Fielding's project of a realistic, and yet, didactic portrayal of a world full of flawed characters.

Some of the issues the novel deals most extensively with are modes of exchange, anxieties over female agency, and the power of rumour and reputation. Exchange and the ways in which value is figured include a wide range of goods - money, bodies, food, and stories - and are integral to the story. The treatment of women is a great concern in "Tom Jones": from Partridge's perpetual fear of witchcraft to the raging arguments between Squire Western and his sister over how Sophia should be treated, to general concerns about sexuality and virtue. A novel that can be in turns hilarious, disturbing, and provoking, "Tom Jones" is never dull. Despite its size, the pace of the novel is extremely fast and lively. So, get thee to a superstore and obtain thyself a copy of this excellent and highly entertaining novel.

Journey with a guy with much testosterone, but a HUGE heart. I was not looking forward to reading this book for my 18th Century British novel class, but upon starting to read I found it to be a pleasurable story. This piqaresque novel has a humor that I have seldom encountered in other narratives. What is ironic is that Fielding wrote this piece during one of the most traumatic periods of his life. His wife just passed away, his daughter was dying, and he was inflicted with the gout. One would never think it from the clever way the book is written. The point of view gives us an in so that we feel as if we ourselves have roles in the storyline. Rooting all the way for Tom despite his flaws, we find out more about human nature along the way. A good read, light a candle and sit down with some wine like they would've and enjoy this classic comical delight.

I first picked up Tom Jones because to put it bluntly I am a bibliophile and it was a cheap book. However, I was suprised at how engaging and hilarious the story was despite the claims on the back cover, which are often far off. To tell the truth I did not expect to make it through this extremely lengthy tome, I only wanted to satisfy my curiousity.

Although I am a fan of Jane Austen I was shocked by the freshness and wit that Fielding's writing still retains. Every book in the novel begins with an essay by the author. Do not skip these, they are one of the best features of the book. My favorite is the essay before the ninth book which explains the purpose of these introductory chapters. What a riot!

The story of big hearted and big appetited Tom Jones and his adventures and misadventures is one long satirical gem. Fielding's interpretation of morals, piousness, love, and high society is still as hilarious and relevant as it was in the 18th century. For anyone who appreciates wit and history, this is a must read.

This is a beautiful novel. It is about a street waif named Jewel, who gets mixed up into some kind of scheme concocted by a rich dying man to make trouble for his wealthy family. She meets Sebastian, the wealthy relative, and he decides to turn her into a lady to spite his evil mother. Over the course of their relationship, in which Sebastian trys to turn Julia (her new name) into a lady (reminisant of My Fair Lady), he falls in love with the stunning beauty she becomes. There are many entertaining plots that occur throughout, just as there are heartwrenching ones. I throughly enjoyed this book. The characters and plots are extremely well written, Ms. Robards has outdone herself with this one. If you love passionate love stories that will make you laugh and cry, then this one is for you!

If you've seen and loved My Fair Lady and Gigi, you'll love this book. I read it twice (from the library) and cried each time, returned it, forgot the title/author and now have been searching for months to find it again- This is my lucky day! You feel so close to the characters and journey with them as Sebastian learns to "live" and love, to step out of the cold, emotionless lord and overcome social class barriers. And there's a tender twist where we learn just why Sebastian can't believe in love, that anyone would love him for himself and not for his social standing and wealth (hint: has to do with his parents, specifically his mother). Then with Jewel/Julia, you feel with her the frustration of loving, what you will do or compromise for love, and its heartbreaking price. Above all, the final message is that you don't know how precious that one special love is until you lose that person forever.

This is my first Karen Robards book, but it won't be my last. Sebastian was a great hero. He was strict (not abusive) but caring. Julia was innocent yet mature, not the "smart and witty heroine because she does what she pleases and doesn't care about anyone else, so therefore she is strong." I truly loved this book. The only problem I had with this book is that it seemed to have finished too quick.

Renato's Luck, from the first word to the last visual, is the perfect read for anyone seeking a renewed taste for life. Jeff Shapiro has taken the Italian culture and woven a tale of hope, faith, and new-found happiness throughout his characters. Renato, in particular, becomes the small town hero of a delightful Tuscan town. Every character that Renato encounters shares a unique tale, simple yet so very Italian. Amazing for an American expat living in Tuscany. The visuals in this book are so precise that anyone who has visited Siena, Montalcino, or anywhere in Tuscany for that matter will no doubt be transported back to the tranquility of the Italian countryside. I loved the Italian phrases throughout the book, including their incredible translations! Bravo, Jeff Shapiro. Bravo, indeed. A must read for all!

Having returned from a few months in Italy, I have wanted to stay in touch with all the "life" that Italia offers ... this book is a wonderful way to recapture the experience. The way Shapiro builds his characters and their dilemma, he really wraps the reader into Sant'Angelo. Che bello ... bravo Shapiro!

I highly reccommend Renato's Luck to anyone who enjoys a chraacter driven novel full of interesting yet familiar characters. I found Renato and his fellow Tuscan villagers to have sharp insight into the absurdities and joys present in everyday life. Renato confronts the fears and challenges we all face as we get older and begin to question the choices we have made in life. The answers that Renato finds to these questions point to important truths that are present in our own lives.