If you are the least bit interested in fishing for stripers, this is a must-read book. There is no substitute for experience, and Mr. Bruce relates his knowledge in clear and concise language. This "mini-book" covers everything from tackle selection to environmental factors, including sections on fly tying and proper presentation to make the fly come alive in the water. If you are new to saltwater fly fishing you will learn how to get started without spending a fortune on new tackle. More advanced fly fishers will learn how to take advantage of tide and structure, fishing from surface to bottom. This is one fly fishing book that is not full of pretty prose, poetry, or fish stories; simply the unembellished facts you need for finding stripers. Al Hafne

If you read between the lines of this juvenile biography of "Thomas Paine: Political Writer," then you will learn not only that his pamphlet "Common Sense" was the spark that propelled the declaration of American independence, but that throughout his life his writing made a lot of people very angry. Bruce and Becky Durost Fish fill in a lot of the gaps in the life of young Thomas Paine with suppositions about what it was like growing up in England at that time. We really do not get a sense for how Paine became the man he did, capable of writing the single most important pamphlet in American History. I am not sure if this is because of the delicacy of the subject matter or because they writing level on this particular book is geared lower than others in this series. There is certainly something to the idea that Paine was light the nova of the time, who suddenly burst on the scene with the words that swung the momentum irrevocably towards independence and separation from Great Britain. Young readers will learn about the ups and downs on Paine's life, which at one point saw him flee from political foes in the United States, charged with treason by the British government, and imprisoned by the fanatical leaders of the French Revolution. It is rather astounding that Paine would end up dying an old man in his bed given the antagonism he provoked in so many people.

I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Paine's writing actually make it into this book; his rhetoric is usually reduced to a few choice sentences, as it is here. Even when the famous opening of "The American Crisis" is quoted, we get only the first clause and not even the entire sentence. This matters because with Thomas Paine what he wrote was so much more important than anything else he ever did in his life. Of course, like the Declaration of Independence, "Common Sense" and "The American Crisis" are honored today with very few people ever bothering to read them in their entirety. This book is illustrated with historic paintings and engravings, some of which are of Paine, as well as a reproduction of the frontispiece of "Common Sense." Other titles in the Revolutionary War Leaders series include Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, and George Washington. While Benjamin Franklin is included in the related Colonial Leaders series, I want to note that John Adams is regrettably missing from both.

From the Upper Staff of 197

One on the most factual books ever written about camp days. A must read. A++

This book is a wonderful example of creating fiction from an actual experience. I had the pleasure of being with the author at the real camp he aludes to, and enjoyed the excitement, spirit, and even the drama of working at a unique summer camp. I applaud Bruce on doing what others at the camp always talked about. For anyone growing up at summer camps, they should enjoy the memories that are triggered as you read. As a member of the upper staff of 1976 I thank Bruce for bringing back the memories and sharing with others what we all experienced.

I was very disappointed with this audio cassette. The one-hour cassette has limited information and is not worth the money. I have a library of audio tapes filled with great information. This is not one of them. I found the narrator voice very annoying to listen to. The tape reminded me of a college professor lecture. I will never buy another tape without checking your reader reviews. I want my money back!

I guess I was expecting more than a single tape for my $10. I think there is probably a lot of good information in the book, but it's hard to tell from a single hour of talk on a single tape. I recommend getting the book and forgetting the tape for this one.

Roger Fisher and William Ury, of the Harvard Negotiation Project, brought together all the strategies of negotiation and explain how to use them and why they work. Many of the strategies seem like common sense, but the authors give concrete examples to help the reader become more aware of the good methods.

At first, I thought this would be another book which simply gave pointers on good negotiation. The writers go a step further and discuss what to do when faced with a party which uses unfair negotiation tactics (like threats or good guy/bad guy). Invaluable.

This is all written in an easy-to-read format and well worth the time to read.