It is difficult to write a book that could come close to the magnificence of the GREATEST HORSE to ever race. Raymond Woolfe has come as close as is possible with his writing and beautiful photographs of Secretariat. For the Secretarian, you will re-live Big Red in all of his glory, and weep for the loss that will forever be felt. For the horse racing fan in general, it is a great recap of the life and career of most spectacular horse of racing's glory days. After reading the book, you will know, without a doubt, that Secretariat was one of a kind. His world record for the mile-and-a-half on dirt still stands today, as does his Kentucky Derby record. Enjoy the read!

This big beautiful book brings back the magnificence of Big Red like no other. Crammed with photos of everything form his Jockey Club ID photo as a foal (adorable) to workouts and races, grooming and bathing, and of the people around him - Penny (Tweedy) Chenery, Lucian Lauren, Eddie Sweat, Ron Turcotte and others - these alone are worth the price of admission. The photo of him and Turcotte taking off in the Preakness is as close to a flying horse as you'll ever see. The text is an engaging biography of Secretariat's earliest days at Meadow Farm, to his record shattering, history making races, ending with his retirement and success in the breeding barn - including photos and deeds of a few of his most accomplished get. It concludes with his untimely death at only 19 years. This book is also full of the history of, and interviews with, those who surrounded this awesome horse, and well known racing people who witnessed him run. As a horse loving 12 year old I watched history being made in 1973 - though it was only on TV - as Secretariat galloped seemingly effortlessly into history with those three races. I knew even in my youth and naivete that I would never see a feat that magnificent again. It's been 30 years now, and I haven't been wrong yet. This book is a must for those who love, and still love, this horse and racing. And for those who doubt - read the book. You will doubt no more.

SECRETARIAT was first published in 1974 by Raymond Woolfe and immediately sold out. For years the book was out of print, except for a limited edition book published in around 1991. Thank goodness it is now back in print and is available to all fans of the great horse.

Woolfe seemed to have had unlimited access to Secretariat's connections. He traces the horse's life from the time he was foaled in 1970 until his death in 1989. Furthermore, the book is jam-packed with photographs by the author, the most famous being the "takeoff" shot of Secretariat about to make his first turn sweep of the field in the 1973 Preakness. The book truly gives the reader a feel of what this horse was like, especially those readers who were not lucky enough to have seen him in person.

SECRETARIAT is for all lovers of horse racing, and it is the perfect companion to Bill Nack's classic biography, SECRETARIAT: THE MAKING OF A CHAMPION.

Nobel Laureate Saul Bellow said, regarding this book, "There is nothing superfluous here; everything this book contains is essential. It is wonderfully pure and beautifully translated."

Since I read this book in the original Italian, I cannot attest to the beauty of the translation. However, I would agree with Bellow that the book is wonderfully pure and lacking in the superfluous.

The Periodic Table, Primo Levi's fantasy regarding chemical elements and written in his elegant, spare style, is filled with images that animate the chemist's world. To a trained chemist, as Levi was, the molecular world is very real, and the its underlying events do not go unnoticed. This is the world that exists beneath the one we usually see; the world that gives matter its colors, tastes, smells, shapes and capacities. Levi's desire for a more complete understanding of the chemical world parallels his desire for a more complete understanding of the spiritual world of mankind.

In this book, Levi tells us, in part, of his years as a teenager and of his experiences with another young man named Enrico. Both boys wanted to become chemists, but for very different reasons. Enrico thought that chemistry would be the key to a more secure life. Levi, however, looked at chemistry as a way to understand and make sense of the universe. He says, "Chemistry represented an indefinite cloud of future potentialities which enveloped my life to come in black evolutes torn by fiery flashes." He goes on to describe his burning desire to find the truths hidden in chemistry by telling us that he would have grabbed Proteus, himself, by the throat and forced him to speak, so great was his hunger.

Levi's burning desire for a deeper understanding of the universe and all it contains is not new. The ancients, such as Aristotle, and later, Newton, also searched for the key to the mysteries of life. But Levi's desire was perhaps more pure, more essential. He writes, "Conquering matter is to understand it, and understanding matter is necessary to understanding the universe and ourselves."

Although chiefly a Holocaust memoir, the book is not without its lighter moments. In school, Levi had decided that chemistry alone could no longer fulfill his needs and he resolved to pursue physics. As an assistant, he was called upon to prepare pure dry benzene for an experiment by distilling the solvent over sodium. However, using potassium instead of sodium, Levi caused a laboratory fire.

The quest for knowledge of the universe is ongoing. Levi, however, sadly found himself spurred on by the prejudices that only man can inflict on man.

This is the first book by Primo Levi that I've read. The man was a brilliant author.

"The Periodic Table" cleverly takes the elements that are part of our everyday lives and uses each to illustrate a story, most of which are his view point of 1940s Italy, before or after he was sent to Auschwitz. (Very little of this book has to do with the actual death camp, though its impressions are evident.) Levi, a chemist, tells autobiographical tales of his desire to make people see in the logical way that chemists see the world.

The way that Levi weaves words might be more expected from a poet than from a scientist. Above all, however, Levi was an observer of both elements and of human nature. I'm only sorry that I discovered him after he died; I might have written to tell him how much I enjoyed his book. My mother, a scientist, is emotionally unable to read any more books about the Holocaust; but as this book doesn't talk about the horrors of the camps but about the era, why, I think I'll lend it to her.

(amazon.com wishlist purchase)

Frankly, the problem with most great writers is this: outside of their craft, they don't have a life. They look down their noses at us and treat us like pathetic ants, often with no insight into our lives and our work. Here then is Primo Levi, on one hand, an accomplished chemist, on the other, someone who lived to speak of the Death Camps. This experience allows him to write the twenty one gems in "Periodic Table". Each one of these stories crystallizes around a seed element. The seeds form the basis for a detective story into the chemical mystery of a failed paint, an ancient plumber's life ruined by lead, and work in a chemistry lab inside Auschewitz. Levi has a dramatic literary style built for the short story. His writing is pithy and to the point. He builds the stories to encapsulate and expose a single core idea. Each one is about something, entering into the experience of one of the millions of people who lead lives worthy of examination.

Hey look, I'll help Amazon sell a book here, how much does it say you'll pay for it, $9.00 maybe? If you have a scientific bent, you'll surely find the stories here entertaining and interesting. Primo Levi was a unique person and that, coupled to his excellent style, makes this book a very good read.

This book & Bob Rotella's "Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect" should be required reading for anyone serious about improving their game. His ideas on strategy, how to handle bad shots, & how to prepare yourself mentally are extremely helpful. This book has helped me improve more than any instructional book or lesson ever did. This is not an "instructional" book filled w/pics...this is a glimpse into the mind of a scorer. Highly recommended.

Ray Floyd is one of the finest golfers of the past 30 years, and is regarded as one of the best short game players of his generation. This book does not disappoint-- it is a valuable addition to any avid golfer's reference library. Rather than merely focus on swing mechanics, Mr. Floyd provides valuable insights regarding the golfer's mental approach to the game, course management and the scoring shots which comprise the short game. Especially helpful is his analysis of the ten mistakes amateurs make that pros never do. While Ray Floyd has an impressive professional resume, he does not dwell unnecessarily on his many personal accomplishments (unlike, for example, Hale Irwin's Smart Golf), but focuses on the task at hand. Clearly written and well-edited, this book is a keeper-- a future classic.

This is not a book for the beginner but if you have reasonable shotmaking skills this book can help you take the next important step. Until reading this book I had never broken 90 even though I was always shooting in the low 90's. After reading and digesting its contents I not only broke 90 but shot an 84. You see this book doesn't tell you how to swing a golf club, it points you toward strategies for scoring the best with what you've got.

Floyd explains crucial things like focusing only on the shot at hand, making sure you get your tee shot in play, never getting mad or steamed (it only clouds your thinking for the next shot), how the short putt is the most important shot in golf.

If you read this book and think hard on what he is saying this book will lower your score and make golf even more enjoyable.

This is one of the most moving books I've ever read on the subject of nuclear warfare, and the story is told in comic book format. Simply but beautifully illustrated, the story is touching, funny, and horrifying at the same time. It humanizes a very inhuman concept.

This book makes a strong political statement that everyone needs to hear. This is what will happen if we continue to believe everything the government tells us and we stop thinking for ourselves. Who wants to survive the nuclear holocaust if we are doomed to die slowly on a poisoned planet earth? If you love this book like I do, you may want to find a copy of the video/movie to rent. It is just as compelling to watch as it is to read. Any Pink Floyd fan will want to hear the music by Roger Waters which never made it to an album.

If you want to read another story about post-nuclear war, try On the Beach by Nevil Shute.

Raymond Briggs here presents us with a disarmingly gentle, warm, humorous graphic novel, about a regular blue collar couple trying to understand, and to prepare for, the ultimate catastrophe.

This touching little book came out in the early 80s, when there was a sharp spike in international public awareness of the dangers of nuclear warfare. Due largely to Ronald Reagan's hawkish presidency, people were much more fearful of this looming prospect -- and, of course, rightly so. Reading this reminds me of 1981, when I was in eighth grade, and tensions over Poland were so severe that I recall becoming a regular fixture at our local library, reading and reading, trying helplessly to understand all the forces which, it seemed, were conspiring to destroy us all.

The really touching thing, about the couple portrayed in this book, is that they are normal people. Almost completely uninformed about the world, their mental picture of the world is shaped by a haze of half-remembered patriotic propaganda that is decades out of date, and was heavily distorted to begin with. Their efforts to prepare for a nuclear attack are so pathetic that you would laugh, if you weren't already busy crying.

Those weapons are still out there. This book is important. Everyone should read it. If you half-suspect that you yourself might be slightly un-informed about nuclear war issues, I would like to recommend that you seek out "The New Nuclear Danger," by Dr. Helen Caldicott. It just came out in 2002, and includes a fantastic bibliography which could help you understand nuclear winter, medical effects of fallout, and current weapon stockpiles. There is also a great collection of relevant websites, which we should all be a lot more familiar with.... if you'd like to communicate you concern to your kids with another illustrated book, aimed at a younger audience, I would like to recommend "Hiroshima No Pika," by Toshi Maruki.

You may also like to seek out "Threads," a tremendous docudrama on nuclear war done in consultation with Carl Sagan, in 1984. "Threads" is out of print, except in the UK, but you can find it on the largest online auction houses if you put the terms "threads" and "nuclear" in the search field.

So, if you know anyone who actually went out and bought duct tape in February, 2003, I would like to recommend that you sit down with them, and spend an hour leafing through this horrifying book. Two miserable thumbs way, way, way up.

I really love this book,I keep it by my bed at night.This book has more information on Vlad & vampires than most I have read. More than half the vampire books I have just barely graze Vlad (Dracula)& his history.This book contains a real detailed look into Vlad's life & Stoker's monster.

A nice blend of scholarship with fascination, this is the first book to look for the truth behind the fiction. Does a nice job not only of explaining where Bram Stoker got the bits and pieces he picked up to turn Vlad the Impaler into Count Dracula, but also puts the Wallachian Prince in historical perspective. There are more detailed biographies of Vlad out there, but this is really the book that opened the door and its writers are paricularly well suited to the task. If you only want to read one book about the real Dracula and his transformation into one of the major fictional characters of all time, this would be that book.

If you were ever curious as to how and where the vampire stories began and how Bram Stoker conceived the idea for his book this is a must have. It depicts the events in the life of Vlad Teppes (Dracula), the son of Dracul and notorious leader of Transylvania and the bloodthirsty Eizabeth Bathory of a Hungarian aristrocratic family.

After struggling with my own writing endeavours for two years now, I've found a refreshing guide to the world of fiction. The sections in the book are clearly listed, which enables me to find examples quickly for the problems that I'm experiencing in the moment. The examples are clearly articlulated and address almost all of my writing porblems and short-comings (and I hear there are a lot!) This book's largest contribution to my writing is it's motivational quality. Along with all of the examples and introductions to new techniques, I've found the student references a source for insparation, and in a world where insparation doesn't fall through the ceiling, I'll take it where ever I can get it. And for me, these pages are plentiful. This is a soid buy, the kind that will keep you up late scratching yourself in front of a blank screen until it's fills.

In lucid, easy-reading language, Obstfeld tells you everything you ever needed to know about writing scenes but couldn't find anywhere else. Just his chapter on openings alone, is well worth the price of the book. But there's so much more. His explanations of promise and pay-off are more instructive than anything else I've read, and Obstfeld has better guidelines for writing action/suspense scenes than other books I've read devoted to the genre. Obstfeld writes both genre and literary fiction, and is patronizing about neither one. The examples he uses are outstanding. I can't imagine anyone reading this book and not emerging a better writer because of it. It's that good.

It is difficult to imagine a more helpful and concise book for writers than Obstfeld's "The Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes". As part of a series from Writers's Digest, this book covers the critical component of any novel: writing encounters, chapters, and scenes that have the ability to grip the reader and keep them turning pages.

Though the book is trade paper sized and only 211 pages, it is simply jammed with helpful ideas. Each chapter covers an essential aspect of writing scenes expertly. There is information on:

* Beginning a Scene
* Length
* Point of View
* Setting
* Ending a Scene
* Character, Plot, & Theme Development
* Writing the Payoff
* Character Meetings
* Finales
* Structure
* Revising

Plus there are chapters that discuss how to write genre-specific scenes (sci-fi, romance, etc.) that are also compelling.

A typical chapter within the book starts with quotes from others on the art of writing. Obstfeld then lays out general concepts and cites examples from novels and movies that support his chapter topic. Excerpts from several award-winning novels raises the quality of the book as it lets beginning writers see how the "pros" do it. Some chapters include workbook-like assignments to help readers flesh out their scenes.

While all the chapters are developed well, the one covering character, plot, and theme development is particularly enlightening. The author elects to write an encounter scene with an emphasis on each aspect. It is amazing to see how a scene can change as it is written to the characters rather than plot and vice versa.

Obstfeld has taught writing professionally in addition to having published more than two dozen novels and it shows in his style. He can quickly and directly address a topic and elucidate it easily. As a result, writers of all varieties and levels of talent can benefit from "Crafting Scenes".

Highly recommended to all writers and truly worthy of a five star rating.

This book is a wonderful piece of historical analysis into one of the most fascinating industrial dynasties ever to exist - the Krupp family. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in German history. Das Buch is sehr gut.

William Manchester is by far one of the finest historians of his generation and this work, along with Death of a President and American Caesar have rightly made him famous. The Arms of Krupps joins this pantheon of great works by doing what few historical works of the post war generation even attempt: provide judgement. Too often modern historians confuse moral and intellectual ambiguity with objectivity. Part of any good work of history is the author saying what he thinks, given what he has presented, about the men, women and events covered in the work. This does not mean hiding or distorting facts but presenting all the relevant information, making a case for a particular point, and letting the reader make up his, or her, own mind. Manchester does this, to cite one example, by demonstrating that contrary to popular opinion Alfried Krupp was indeed responsible for war crimes committed at Krupp works throught out Germany, and the occupied territories, during WWII. What is equally impressive is the sheer volume of facts the author summons to defend his positions, the Nuremberg Trial of Alfried Krupp alone comprises some 100 pages of this nearly thousand page work. Yet despite the sheer volume of information presented The Arms of Krupp is never boring. Manchester possess an almost magical ability to make even the dullest events seem interesting all the while weaving together people, events and anectdotes to give the reader a remarable perspective. In one memorable, and ironical incident, a concentration camp survivor finds herself working as a concierge at the occupied Krupp mansion in late 1945 and early 1946.

Now in the twilight of his years Manchester has revealed he lacks the mental focus necessary to complete his trilogy on the life of Winston Churchill (while heroically fending off his publisher's suggestion that he graft on a co-author to complete it). In its zeal to conjure some way to make more money off the Manchester name, is it perhaps time for this publisher to ponder why one of the greatest biographers and historians in memory can only be read by combing the bins of used bookstalls or grasping the dog-eared library tome?

The Arms of Krupp (out of print), and many others of the canon are seminal works with a devoted readership. Perhaps the right marketing opportunity simply has yet to strike. Making a movie (and a bad one at that) about Pearl Harbor popped even the questionable Gordon Prange back into prominence. Clearly, in these days when book publishers are conveniently tied into the entertainment world as a matter of corporate domain, the lonely vigil of the Manchester devotee must await the serendipity of Hollywood. Until then, Mr. Manchester I laud you with the words of one still in print:

"To me fair friend you can never be old,
For as you were when first your eye I eyed,
Such seems your beauty still."

This is a fascinating look at a poorly-understood phenomenon. the author tries to give an abstract model of the accounts of many people who have come close to death or who have been "clinically" dead for some time. He mentions the characteristics that any NDE's tend to be a subset of: Out-of-body experiences, going through the tunnel, meeting beings of life, seeing dead relatives, the loud ringing sound, and so on. Very little speculation is done here (and I think that is for the better), but rather the existential aspects are emphasised. Rather than impressing me with the possibility of life after death, the book seemed to mark upon me the untapped potantials of the human mind, which are just beginning to be learned about. the book will do little to convince any serious-minded reader of the actuality of life after death, which is a good thing, I think . . . when dealing with such matters, I do not think one should rely on a book, but on direct experience. So I do not believe that the reality of "only life" can ever be scientifically proven. Nevertheless, a study of such matters may provide a valuable psychological asset in the study of human beings. For a more detailed and scientific look, please refer to Ian Richardson's and Kenneth Ring's research.

I had a NDE in 1981. At the time I thought I was just hallucinating. I never mentioned it to anybody for fear of ridicule. After reading Dr. Moody's book, I was astounded at the exact experience that these other people had that was just like mine. I learned that the purpose of life is to experience and pass on to others, God's great love for each one of us. I think this is clear from the interviews in this book. It is also in a video that you can rent at the videostore. Don't worry...be happy! Smile, God does love each one of us just the way we are.

Jeff Sears

In September last year my darling mum died. She had cancer but died a peaceful and almost painless death. Mum had no fear of death or dying. But from the moment she died, I have desperately wanted to know where she went. I do not believe that a human being's life is completely snuffed out upon death. Reading Raymond Moody's book confirmed my belief. I no longer wonder what happened to Mum, where she went or even where she is now - I am at peace about all that. All my life I have deeply feared the inevitability of my own death. Now, when I think of death, I am no longer anxious and afraid. Again, I feel peace. Dr Moody's research has given me an intelligent, substantiated answer to what I once believed was an unanswerable question about the unknown. His book went straight to the heart of my need. If you fear death, or have lost someone you love, read Life after Life. It will answer many of your questions, diminish your fear and relieve some of your pain.

As a therapist, I found this book to offer useful information and practical support to men and their partners on how to maintain a healthy & satisfying sex life. It is filled with up to date information from the medical side. But it also treats the emotional issues as well. Women will find new ways to understand why & how men experience sexual response. Read it to great benefit. It's an excellent resource.

I found Milsten and Slowinski's THE SEXUAL MALE very complete, scientifically grounded, and yet wonderfully readable. As a psychologist and sexual therapist, I myself have professionally worked with men and couples with sexual problems for more than 20 yeaars, and find this book to be currently the most useful in addressing erection concerns. I especially value that it is realistic, honest, and positive -- avoiding the "hype" that often accompanies books on sexuality. Excellent book!

As a young single male, I found this book to be very informative and educational. This book focuses not only on the treatment, but also on the prevention of sexual problems. Drs. Milsten and Slowinski have truly written a guide to maintaining sexual health. I found that the emphasis placed on the maintenance of a healthy relationship with one's partner as a means to enjoying life-long sexual potency as being particularly helpful. This book is a must read for men of all ages!

Not just another weight-loss diet guide, NeanderThin presents a rational case for how humankind's digestive genetics have not caught up with the radical changes in diet since the start of the Neolithic era (10-20 thousand years ago). A clear, well-stated argument is made for elimination of modern foods that need to be cooked or processed to be edible, or which couldn't be obtained by a hunter-gatherer on the savanna, 'naked with only a sharp stick.' Well done, and totally workable recommendations without demanding too much in the way of dietary sacrifice or lifestyle change. It works!

After having suffered with migraines since the age of 14, they have finally ceased. I read the book at the suggestion of a fried and decided after everything else I had gone through to get rid of these headaches this diet couldn't be any worse. It was like a miracle. The book presents a number of interesting theories as to why it works the way it does, but to me it was the results that mattered. I would recommend it to anyone who has ever been concerned about the chemicals we put into our body because they have been labeled as food.

Neander-thin makes sense. Most other books and theories on nutrition take a more high-tech approach and get really bogged down with "scientific" details, making them extremely tedious and boring. This book is a pleasure to read. I especially like the excellant narrative at the beginning about the history of dieting and how we have come to wrongly believe that complex carbohydrates are healthy. Since first reading this book over a year ago, I have never been sick. Not once. I've had no colds, no flu, virtually no allergy symptoms and no more arthritis. I believe that if everyone read this book, there would be a lot of doctors out of work.