This is one of the most informative books available for someone wanting to know about the waterfalls of the Smokies. It breaks down each waterfall by location. It has detailed maps and what to expect on the trail. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys waterfalls.

Henry Morris makes a number of valid points in this book - but then again, Jack T. Chick makes a lot of valid points in his viotrolic fundamentalist cartoon tracks. The real question is: is it worthwhile to shift the wheat from the chaffe in Morris's work?

The answer is no. Henry Morris's "flood geology" or "young earth creationism" has been rejected by every - read that again, literally - EVERY Christian who has seriously studied science with an open mind. (If you think that I - a card-carrying, evangelical Southern Baptist - am implying that all young earth creationists are deluded, YOU'RE RIGHT!) The Biblical evidence and the scientific evidence simply isn't there to support the assertion that the earth is merely 6,000 years old. If Morris had simply made a mistake in handling the Word, he could be forgiven. But Morris has been a vociferious advocate of the Young Earth position for more than 50 years! He continues to use arguments, such as the moon's dust or the earth's magnetic field, that sound good to laypeople, but which have been definitively rebuked by scientists. This is BEARING FALSE WITNESS, people! To make matters worse, Morris and his disciples have been at the forefront of slandering true scientists with a heart for God (e.g., Hugh Ross, who has probably endured more unjust slander from so-called "Christians" than any man since Luther).

Morris has good points to make about evolution, but none about the age of the earth. Consider this: Darwinian evolution is such a sham that even growing numbers of non-Christian scientists from every discipline from biochemistry to neuroscience (e.g., Michael Behe, Robert Jastrow, John Polkinghorne, and Jeffrey M. Schwartz) have denied Darwinism's validity. But NO SCIENTIST, NONE, EVER has EVER EVER EVER EVER disputed the ancient age of the earth based on scientific data alone. And if the Bible is so clear that the earth is 6,000 years old, why do so many arch-conservative Christian leaders (e.g., Norman Geisler, James Dobson, Gleason Archer, Chuck Colson, to name but a few) believe that the earth is old?

Morris is bad news. The good things he has to say are overwhelmed by the falsehoods and misconceptions.

Morris' book is arranged in a reverse chronology, discussing the role/effects of evolutionary thought from the present into the past. Morris does make some good points, and at least presents some of the currently fashionable ideas in the world. The book is fairly well-documented and reasonably thorough, but has some problems. Having read a fair amount of modern creation literature over the past year, I've noticed that the key arguments in favor of the position tend to be trumpeted ad nauseum. That is not to say they're wrong, but personally, I'm suspicious of anything recited in a manner resembling a slogan. I say all this because the many contra-evolution arguments made by Morris are approaching slogan status. He's not alone, because many proponents of evolution state their views in a similar manner. The problem in both cases, is that the points of issue become analyzed and discussed in a decreasingly thorough and critical way. The result is an "I'm right...no, I'M right..." dialogue that is both wearisome and unhelpful. At any rate, here are my problems with the book: #1 (closely related to my previous point) The scientific points interspersed within the book are stated in a very "now of course you know this as obvious" manner. As I discussed earlier, this isn't helpful. These points must be covered in more depth. If the publisher won't allow another 100 pages, then don't publish it. #2 Despite the thoroughness with which Morris discusses the more recent socio-political roles of evolutionary thought, the book becomes progressively more speculative. The further into the past Morris travels, the more elucidation of brain children we find. We all speculate. We take things for granted and make assumptions all the time, rarely giving them much thought. However, speculating on the quality of hamburger McDonald's is going to sell you is a far cry from speculating on the primeval, Satanic conjuration of the idea of evolution. This leads right to #3...In addition to Morris' speculation noted above, he has a certain fondness for numerology and the "gospel in the stars" idea. Biblical support for these ideas is ambiguous at best (fully lacking at worst), yielding interpretation that's inconclusive. More recently, I've been getting my feet wet in genuine biblical scholarship: original languages, literary-cultural-historical context, etc. Though a profound neophyte in this area, I've become very suspicious of SOME, not all, of the exegesis performed by the writers of creation literature. What biblical research is performed by these writers seems very narrow, focusing almost solely on creation support. That borders on eisegesis, i.e. reading INTO the text your own ideas. This is not to suggest the bible doesn't indicate creation. That actually IS fairly obvious. However, there appears to be a tendency to strengthen the creation argument by seeking to impose creationary support on biblical passages that have nothing to do with creation. The bible is a collection of 66 books written (**with a specific intent**) by many men over many miles over many years, and within many literary, cultural, and historical contexts. In light of that, the interpretational method employed by many of the creation writers is highly questionable. Are they wrong? I don't know (yet - smile), but given the magnitude of the bible's implications (if true), surely greater care in it's study is warranted. Morris is almost deified in some Christian/creation circles. Though his prolonged vocal stance on this issue is admirable, I've grown to mistrust him. To Morris' disciples who may be preparing an effigy for me now - I'm being honest, and as fair as possible. The truth is no small matter, and that's what I seek. This book is not recommended.

Creationism is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. To be Christian you cannot at all be an evolutionist, despite what some people say. To say that you are a Christian and a believer in evolution is to just spit in the face of Christ as He was crucified and as He rose from the dead. To say that you are a Christian and a believer in evolution is to spit in the face of God the Father, Son, Holy Ghost because you are believing in something that says there is no need for salvation, that there is no personal relationship with God from the beginning. You cannot be both, like a man riding on two horses...one foot on each...sooner or later you will have to choose which horse you'll ride on...and usually believers in evolution and Christianity usually turn into unbelievers in the end...

Time and time again, Creationism shows that the apostles behind evolution created this "scientific religion of evolution" to try to destroy Christianity. These apostles of evolution themselves say there is no firm facts or reliability behind evolution, but they cannot believe in creationism because...for one thing...that means they would have to face their sins before the judgment of the holy loving God.

Henry Morris' book shows the terrible impact and war between the truth of Creationism and the satanic lies of evolution. The more Christians don't stand up to the evils of the world (like evolutionists) the less holiness and love and hope in the world. I directly blame the taking away of Christianity's morality and truths in our governments, in our schools, to school shootings date rapes and drugs in our children's hands.

Like Henry Morris' book shows, we as Christians must stand up to the evils of the world, fight back with Christian facts and truths. It is all a part of the great commision the Lord Jesus gave to us who believes that He and only He (as the Son of God the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Soulwinner) is the way, the truth, and the light.

In this self-important, boringly long, intellectually dishonest solipistic monologue, Morris manages to parade a litany of postmodern politically correct sacred cows. However, his central thesis that western medicine distinguishes disease as objective and illness as subjective is patently wrong as recourse to any medical dictionary will reveal. This is just the first of his outright disinformation, exaggerations, and many false strawmen that he creates in nothing less than a frontal assault on western medicine that is full of ill-will and a transparent invitation for postmodern gurus to take over as self-appointed high priests of a deconstructed medicine. Morris kindly allows a small role for a properly humbled and subservient science and the remaining carcass of medicine as we know it. this is an anti-science, anti-medicine, anti-western, anit-rational diatribe that is supposedly an argument for a new biocultural theory to supplant western medicine. It is rambling, tangential, and plays fast and loose with facts. It is another chapter in the effort of postmodernists to constuct a worldview in which the mantra is "culture uber alles," not by any radional argument but by simple repetitive assertion intermixed with false strawmen in and effort to deceptively prop up their nihilism while viciously deconstructing anything that gets in the way of their imperialistic jihad against anything that is western or caucasian (or at least male caucasian). This book confirms my worst fears about postmodernism. It will appeal to that cadre of perpetual toddlers who masquerade as quasi-intellectuals but are intent on destroying culture by declaring everything as culture and political, and thus returning us to the primeval jungle. Unfortunately it may appeal also to those who are vulnerable to the chic attack of postmodernists. However, any informed critique will reveal that debunking Morris is so easy that it is not even sport. It is like shooting fish in a barrel -- red herrings to be exact. If anyone buys this book they should carefully examine the facts and argument that Morris makes, but I would not recommend that anyone buy it.

Illness and Culture in the Postmodern Age
Reviewer: Veronica S. Albin from Houston, TX USA
I used Illness and Culture in the Postmodern Age for the first time this semester as a text book for Spanish 307 (The Language and Culture of Medicine and Health Care) at Rice University in Houston, TX. Most of the students enrolled in this advanced Spanish course are juniors and seniors headed for the top medical schools in the country.
My students' response to the book was overwhelmingly positive. Their one complaint about it was that sometimes Morris required pages and pages to make a point and that by the time the point was made, the reader was fairly tired. Nonetheless, they unanimously labeled it as one of the most provocative books they had ever read, and that by having read it, they were now able to see the negative side of the biomedical model and the positive side of a biocultural model.
Illness and Culture proved to be so rich in topics that all 35 students found not one but several topics that were of personal interest to them. Student athletes, for example, most of them headed to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, or to Sports Medicine, found the section on how the American fixation on sports and exercise backfired and instead of improving health, brought more medical problems to our society (ACL tears, stress fractures, tennis elbow, heat stroke, etc.) Students who have an interest in art were fascinated by the connections Morris establishes to the experience of illness. Those interested in literature found the sections on narrative outstanding. The chapter on suffering truly moved students in light of the recent events of September 11 and got them thinking about the suffering of others, not just our own. Students interested in linguistics and neuroscience were fascinated by Morris' chapter on the obscene and Tourette's syndrome. And, of course, the threat of bioterrorism was in everyone's mind and Morris' treatment of the subject proved to be highly stimulating.
I start the course by telling my students that they need to write smart and different med school application essays in order to stand out. When I first ask them what they are going to write about, their answers are thoroughly predictable: they love medicine, love humankind, they believe in altruism, they want to study medicine because as good Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc., they want to relieve suffering.
After reading Illness and Culture, my students no longer have good answers to my "what are you going to write about" question, for they realize that there are very few answers to most of Morris' provocative questions... and perhaps there are none. Instead they have a myriad intriguing thoughts and questions buzzing through their minds. And intriguing thoughts, without a doubt, are much better stimulants than boilerplate answers for writing intelligent med school application essays. Questions, in fact, make us better thinkers, they make us participate in human affairs. Questions stop us from being mere bystanders in this difficult postmodern world of ours. Trying to solve what seem to be paradoxes, dilemmas, inconsistencies is, after all, what makes us human.
In short, David B. Morris has helped open the eyes of 35 extremely bright students at one of our country's top universities this term, and I plan to keep on using his book in the years to come.
Vero Albin
Hispanic and Classical Studies
Rice University

The authors of The Carbohydrate Economy present us with an interesting premise. Their basic argument, the use of lignocellulosic materials for the production of a variety of commodity and specialty chemicals that we frequently use, is very attractive from both an environmental and an economic standpoint. Bio-based chemicals have the potential to be far easier on the environment, and the use of municipal, industrial and agricultural organic waste for chemicals production could potentially provide new revenue streams for agriculture and industry. Yet, their premise falls short, as much of it is sadly promise and 'potential'.

Unfortunately, as much as we would like to replace petrochemicals with bio-based products, the fact remains that cellulose is highly recalcitrant to conversion. This is in turn makes it difficult and costly to make value added products in sufficient quantities to turn a profit.

In their defense, Morris and Ahmed have demonstrated how America and the industrialized world have evolved from bio-centric chemicals production into coal based chemicals production and finally to the modern petrochemicals production methods. Morris and Ahmed also give a couple of examples in their groundbreaking text of bio-based chemicals that have made inroads into the heavily dominated petrochemicals markets. While it may be possible to replace some of the petrochemicals we use frequently today with bio-based chemicals, the grim reality is that unless industrialized nations adopt a radically different lifestyle, the legacy of the petrochemicals age will haunt us well into the future.

Although much has been done to make the 'Carbohydrate Economy' a reality, we are unfortunately a long way from the goal of establishing a strong economy based upon renewable and sustainable agricultural methods. However, all hope is not lost- current research into bio-based chemicals production is gaining ground, albeit very slowly, and we may yet see in the not-too-distant future low cost, environmentaly friendly alternatives for some of the petrochemical products that we use today.

With this seminal work, Morris and Ahmed have given us a glimpse of the possible. All that remains now is the path to profitability.

At the time of publishing this book was excellant. But it is out of date for most new processes. If you want to use this book for researching the processes that you have, for safety, or for basic laser knowledge, then this book would be excellant for your needs. The writing is a bit tough to get through at first, but once you pick up most of the jargon it is becomes much easier to read. Once you get what you need from this book you will most likely have to get another that deals strictly to your process.

I am very fond of this series, particularly the books with a strong Cherryh influence. This is an anthology of short stories set in the Hell universe.

Among the elements of Cherryh's writing I enjoy is her mastery of the classical history and her understanding of the Roman and Greek characters she brings to the mix. This, to me, is the series' greatest strength.

Though this volume did contain a story by Cherryh and one by solid writer George Foy, it also contained a story--the first one, by Chris Morris--which offended me so utterly that rather than sell this book to the used book store, I will be tossing it in the recycling bin. Morris has chosen to represent historical characters by substituting insulting, juvenile, false, repulsive slander for actual research. It speaks badly for this anthology that the story was accepted at all. This writer had better get his mind out of the gutter and into some historical scholarship if he wants to continue to write historically based fiction.

Just a little obscure...but this book in the series was actually readable! Still pretty incoherent, but i think thats mainly due to the setting.

The idea of this book was good, the execution poor. The information contained in the book is not always correct. As someone who works in technology, the descriptions are sometimes incorrect or misrepresented. If you are looking for a general (high level) overview then this will suffice but a defintional work with solid descriptions, I would look elsewhere.