For anyone interested in UFO phenomena this is an excellent treatise by a professional aeronautical engineer. Perhaps the best available at the moment (better than any I've seen). Better ones will probably only appear after various governments of the world decide to end over 50 years of UFO pseudo-denial.

He takes one event at a time, and examining the reports and hard evidence where it exists, eliminates various suggested explanations if they don't fit. He doesn't answer all the possible questions that one can pose, but he does conclude that nothing the objects do violates any of our accepted scientific principles or the laws of physics. The propulsion system that he says fills the bill is a "focused force field". Although we admittedly haven't the foggiest notion of how to develop a focused force field, the scientific principle is sound. Gravity is a force field. We have electrical and magnetic force fields.

Hill also delves into advanced--but accepted--theoretical physics to explain how interstellar travel would be possible without exceeding the speed of light. The bulk of the book is written for a lay audience. Any normally intelligent, reasonably well educated person can follow it. He includes several appendices, however, which are crammed with mathematics far too arcane for me to digest.

It's a fascinating book, light enough to be enjoyed, but too heavy to skim. In the way that some people go to church "just in case", this work should be read, "just in case". I heartily recommend it.

Cramer focuses on George Bush and Bob Dole on the Republican side and Gary Hart, Joe Biden, Dick Gephardt and Michael Dukakis on the Democratic side. Instead of giving us a campaign diary or obsessing over the minutiae of the candidates strategies, he provides virtual biographies of each man & an intimate portrait of why each of them wants to be, and is in position to be, President of the United States.

As one of the other reviewers said, if every American voter had read this book, Bob Dole would be President now, following the second Bush term.

More's the pity...

It is hard to describe Cramer's writing style. He seems to have an uncanny knack for getting into his subject's mind and giving you a vision of the world from their perspective. He seems to find what makes his subject unique and showcase it to the world. His Sports Illustrated piece on Cal Ripken, Jr.'s consecutive games streak in September of 1995 remains the finest article I have ever read in SI since I began subscribing back in 1989. Cramer's style of writing is a joy to read. You simply never want him to stop writing, even if it is about something as mundane as observing Bush traveling to a speech.

Needless to say Bob Dole emerges as the hero of Cramer's work. (During the '96 campaign Cramer later released a separate book with just the Dole chapters.) The wounded veteran comes across as a man of stunning drive, courage and loneliness. You can't help but think of the horrific pain and suffering he endured during those years rehabilitating himself and attending law school. The Dole of Cramer's book is easy to admire and quite likeable, despite his gruff demeanor and occasionally cold treatment of people around him.

Gary Hart, in contrast, comes across poorly. (Surprise, surprise.) So much of his portion of the book is devoted to attacking the media and refuting his public persona as either an odd loner or a serial adulterer. Hart's hardscrabble life in rural Oklahoma and journey to Yale divinity school gets pushed aside. There seems to be a huge gap between Hart leaving divinity school for politics in 1960 and his role as George McGovern's campaign manager in 1972 that Cramer doesn't explain.

George Bush takes it on the chin too. Our 41st President and the winner of the 1988 contest was probably the least qualified of the six to run. Bush comes across as a likeable guy (and a hero during World War II), but no leader. While Dole is tested on the campaign trail and works hard to master the machinery of the U.S. Senate, while Dukakis is weathering fierce political storms patching together Massachusetts runaway budget, while Biden loses his wife in a car accident and nearly dies of a brain aneurysm, Bush seems to sail through adversity by relying on his resume to get plum jobs (CIA director, chairman of the RNC, ambassador to the UN and to China). Bush's charmed life and patrician view of the world hurt his reelection campaign four years later when he didn't appreciate the suffering his citizens were enduring during the recession the way a Bob Dole would have. Dole seems to have learned, through his experiences, that life is hard and people need a helping hand. Bush, in contrast, seems to have learned from his life that a smile, a handshake, a spiffy resume and knowing the CEO of a Fortune 500 company will get you far.

What of Biden, Dukakis and Gephardt? Joe Biden, the Senator from Delaware, comes across as a real leader. Elected in an upset at the age of 29, the Senator suffered terrible heartache losing his wife in a car accident after the election. You cannot help but sympathize and feel for him as he struggled to put his family together again and to take responsibility for the poor choices he made as a law student at Syracuse University in the 1960s. After Dole, I found Biden's story to be the most compelling.

Dukakis? Gephardt? I think both men come across the same, as smart, driven, intelligent guys. The theme of Gephardt's chapters is that he has been and always will be an Eagle Scout: smart, popular with his peers and elders, a success in everything. In other words, Gephardt was the guy from from school your parents wanted you to be like in middle school. Dukakis comes across as even more flawless, more driven and more sure of himself. Dukakis, in other words, was the guy from high school that graduated with a 3.9 and still thought he could do better. Both men had to tough out difficult obstacles in their lives, however.

In the final analysis, this is a book you simply do not want to end. Cramer plays no favorites and gives all six men resolutely fair treatment. This is easily one of the three greatest books I have read in my life. (Along with "Thank You For Smoking" by Christopher Buckley and "Truman" by David McCullough). This book is the literary equivalent of desert.

Essentially, one of these men will be the most powerful man in the world, and have a chance at shaping history. This book answers the questions "why" and "how."

Cramer understands his subjects, and the profiles of each candidate would be excellent stand-alone biographies. Extremely readable and well written, without sacrificing substance.

A truly unique and indespensible work. To find out what it takes, read this book.

The princess won't use any of the special royal potties until she is tempted by a pair of pantalettes. Maybe that's a good reminder to us parents to be patient, but it doesn't encourage potty usage for my child.

The book discusses using the potty in very generic terms, nothing specific. No potty words (like pee or poop) are used. I view it as another book in the bookcase, which is OK.

My daughter likes for me to read this book to her, and enjoys calling her diaper "the royal diaper". Sometimes she likes to discuss pantalettes, but she has not expressed any interest in using the "royal potty".

I prefer "The Potty Book For Girls" as a potty-learning tool.

1. The story is funny and engaging for the average 2-3 year old (the target audience) and relates the story of the princess' potty training in language and a style that the kids can understand.

2. It also reminds parents that potty training is on the child's schedule, and cannot be rushed.

In the tale, the princess is too busy doing other things to be interested in any of the plethora of potties that the king and queen have gotten for her. She continues to wear her diaper through glow in the dark potties and musical potties, etc. Even the efforts of the king and his court cannot change her mind. Finally, the princess decides that she likes the queen's pantalettes and wants a pair for herself. This is the impetus for her to master potty training.

Any parents who have been thru the process realize it is never simple or straightforward regardless of the 24 hour or weekend "solutions". The child will do this on their own schedule, but this book provides humour and a light-hearted look at the challenges.

My only complaint (despite the fact that I have two daughters) is that there isn't a version for boys.

But, it took about 2 months to digest the full impact of Richard's new book for me. I learned what "affiliate" marketing is and have now become an affiliate for many companies.... I now can "refer" others to buy Wave 4 (and other books) via my web site and I get a 15% commission.... Cool! In visiting Richard's Wave 4 web site , you'll see he is doing the same thing.

He (and I) don't have to handle the inventory, manage the sale, ship the books, or anything else. Yet as a reward for "referring" others, we get a 15% commission.... Isn't that what networking is all about, referring others to products and services and getting paid to do that?!

So opening my eyes to this form of network marketing has been very revealing. I now share with others the many types of networking (affiliate, mlm) available to anyone who has access to the Internet.

I have also realized what a "Wave 4" network marketing company is and I am glad that my choice in mlm is now a Wave 4 company. Passive income, here I come!

The Book is a collaboration of several writers who do a superb job of unraveling the web that is the learning organization. At times, it may seem to the reader that the book is a labyrinth of disjointed concepts and ideas. However, if you have read 'The Fifth Discipline' you will find no problems following the concepts introduced. In fact, you will even understand why the writers have chosen to introduce them in that fashion. If you have not read "The Fifth Discipline', do not despair, it will take a little longer to get 'the whole picture'.
The Book is divided into 8 main sections:

1) Getting Started addresses the basic concepts and ideas of the Learning Organization.
2) Systems Thinking (the fifth discipline) - Many people have argued that Senge should have delegated the fifth discipline until the end, however, without Systems Thinking, your vision is disjointed and incomplete.
3) Personal Mastery covers the area of individual development and learning. The chapters here are among the most valuable in the area of self-growth and self-improvement.
4) Mental Models - These are the pictures that you have in your head which represent reality.
5) Shared Vision - You've seen the whole picture, you've developed and you understand how you see the world. Now you need to find a common cause with the rest of the people in your organization, something that you all work for.
6) Team Learning - As you work with other people in teams or groups, you need to pass the stuff that you have learnt and the wisdom you've acquired to others. At this stage, the learning is no longer that of the individual, but the group.
7) Arenas of Practice - (Self explanatory)
8) Frontiers - Where do we go from here.

If you are interested in development, learning, growth, leadership, gaining a competitive edge whether at an organizational or personal level, then this book is for you. In fact, I'd venture to say that this is book is for everyone.

In fact, these physical details model the whole point of the book--that learning is essential for sustainable growth, for organizational and personal development.

This book is great for getting your toddler interested in books. My two year old daughter loves reading her "Lellow Book" at bedtime every night, and I look forward to it as much as she does. (If I had the proverbial dime for every time I've read "Chipmunk's Birthday" I'd be richer than Jeff Bezos!)

The only complaint I have is that we've had to glue the spine to the pages several times. I suppose frequent use is a contributing factor, but other reviewers have noted similar binding problems from this publisher. If not for this one drawback, I would have rated this book 6 out of 5.

We start off in the mind of a killer who has subtly plotted revenge for an event that occurred on Halloween night, 1978. From there we're taken through the methodical killings of all those involved in the event. Nicholas Stella, a freelance writer, thinks he's stumbled onto a story of the week, when one of those killed is a priest he knew personally. Little does he know how deeply he will become involved.

This book is a must read for anyone who enjoys thrillers. With the wonderful pacing and believable characters, the reader will be hooked from the moment they read the first page.

The only problem is...now I can hardly wait for the next Montanari thriller!

Tina Hilmas

Three years ago I read Richard Montanari's first novel DEVIANT WAY and made a prediction that he would be the next big thing in the thriller genre. The book was a heart-pounding, baffling, pyschosexual whodunnit of the first order, one of those that keeps you guessing, literally, until the very last word on the very last page.

When I didn't see a new book from him a year after that, or even a year after that, I figured he was another one-book wonder. THE VIOLET HOUR has proven me wonderfully wrong. It truly was worth the wait.

The plot of THE VIOLET HOUR is so full of surprises that it is impossible to talk about it without spoiling something. Loosely, the story is about a group of snobby college students in 1978 who call themselves The AdVerse Society - they like to trash the greats in modern poetry, drink Algonquin Roundtable cocktails and practice suburban hedonism. The society has a Halloween party that year, a costumed soiree that turns into a demented, drug-crazed orgy. And something tragic happens.

Twenty years later, people who attended that party start dying in grisly ways. Doctors, lawyers, priests. No one responsible is safe. Nor are their loved ones.

Unlike DEVIANT WAY, there is no cop on the trail of the killer this time. Instead, there is a down on his luck freelance writer named Nicholas Stella, and a suburban housewife named Amelia Saintsbury. Amelia lives inside the mystery with her innocent little girl. Nicky Stella has to get there to save them.

At least five times during the reading of the advance copy of this book I had to rethink everything about which I thought I had been certain. Plus, the surprise ending nearly broke my heart.

The bad news, for me, is that I've already read THE VIOLET HOUR and it isn't even out yet. I hope I don't have to wait another three years.

-- Miranda Cielo

Three years ago I read Richard Montanari's first novel DEVIANT WAY and made a prediction that he would be the next big thing in the thriller genre. The book was a heart-pounding, baffling, psychosexual whodunnit of the first order, one of those that keeps you guessing, literally, until the very last word on the very last page.

When I didn't see a new book from him a year after that, or even a year after that, I figured he was another one-book wonder. THE VIOLET HOUR has proven me wonderfully wrong. It truly was worth the wait.

The plot of THE VIOLET HOUR is so full of surprises that it is impossible to talk about it without spoiling something. Loosely, the story is about a group of snobby college students in 1978 who call themselves The AdVerse Society - they like to trash the greats in modern poetry, drink Algonquin Roundtable cocktails and practice suburban hedonism. The society has a Halloween party that year, a costumed soiree that turns into a demented, drug-crazed orgy. And something tragic happens.

Twenty years later, people who attended that party start dying in grisly ways. Doctors, lawyers, priests. No one responsible is safe. Nor are their loved ones.

Unlike DEVIANT WAY, there is no cop on the trail of the killer this time. Instead, there is a down on his luck freelance writer named Nicholas Stella, and a suburban housewife named Amelia Saintsbury. Amelia lives inside the mystery with her innocent little girl. Nicky Stella has to get there to save them.

At least five times during the reading of the advance copy of this book I had to rethink everything about which I thought I had been certain. Plus, the surprise ending nearly broke my heart.

The bad news, for me, is that I've already read THE VIOLET HOUR and it isn't even out yet. I hope I don't have to wait another three years.

-- Miranda Cielo