Simply put, this is a story that needs to be heard by everyone. This book was recommended to me by a few friends and I must say it did not disappoint.

Terry's struggle is one that most people have never had to endure. Faced with the challenge of a disfiguring cancer during his college years, Terry dealt with more adversity than most of us would face in 10 lifetimes. His story in poignant and moving. But most importantly it reinforces the power a positive attitude can have on us as humans.

The book tests your ability to handle emotion. Meanwhile you realize that each emotion you experience is one that Terry felt more deeply than could possibly be imagined. You'll get angry, you'll be sad, you'll feel nervous, and sometimes you'll even laugh. By the end, you'll posses a unique outlook on life as this book transcends its own story and provides needed perspective and afterthought that all of us could use as we're faced with our own challenges.

Once finished, I felt an inner strength that made me almost wish I had gone through something similar. Just to develop the same power and endurance that Terry has created for his own life.

Truly an inspiring book.

Terry Healey's story of surviving a rare form of facial cancer and living with the disfigurement that it caused him is inspiring and compelling. Even after numerous recontructive surgeries, Terry's face was never the same. Terry attributes his recovery from cancer to a number of factors - the wonderful medical care that he received, the power of positive thinking and the love and support that he received from his family and friends. It's a testament to the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in the recovery process.

It is refreshing to hear about how Terry grows spiritually and emotionally from his disfigurement. As a society, we place so much emphasis on physical appearance that we lose sight of what is important. Terry learns through his disfigurement that how he feels about himself is ultimately far more important than how he looks - a lesson that we can all benefit from. At a time when we are all seeking ways to improve our faces and look younger, Terry is here to tell us that this can only get us so far. What really matters is friends, family, love and self-confidence.

I highly recommend this book. It's honest, compassionate and inspiring.

I couldn't put this book down, and literally read it in an afternoon. Because I knew Terry at college, I was particularly fascinated to buy and read his book. I knew a little about his story, but the way he wrote about his initial symptoms and diagnosis, then subsequent recurrence was very compelling. This is a story for everyone to read, not just those of us who went to Cal in the 1980s. Terry's forthrightness about his feelings and fears is so real and easy to relate to; I felt nervous while reading that he was waiting to hear from the doctor with the biopsy results. I was curious to find out what he saw in the mirror after his surgery. I felt positive when he felt positive (which was often) and I felt desperate and afraid when he did. Because I knew the outcome (thankfully, Terry beat his cancer), I knew there would be a happy ending. And it's even a happier ending knowing that the Terry who wrote this book is a little bit different person after his ordeal, probably a stronger and more spiritual person, but always the positive, upbeat young man we meet in the beginning of the book. All in all, this is an upbeat, inspiring human interest story. I highly recommend it!

Terri Crisp will carry one through every emotion imaginable as she tells of her many courageous rescues of animals during both nature and man-made disasters. There are numerous inspiring stories, but the most heartbreaking and disturbing are the ones which tell of owners leaving their pets behind - treating their pets as disposable items.

Ms. Crisp explains the tragic consequences of not being prepared for a disaster throughout the entire book. She also includes invaluable pet disaster kits and other information in order to prepare for a disaster.

This is one book that I could not put down until the last page was read. It's one that will be read and re-read.

If you care about companion animals, please please read. The content made me more aware of Animal needs during a disaster, and has inspired me to take a UAN/EARS training course that certifies a volunteer to help in the rescue effort of animals when disaster strikes (tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, etc.). This book reads like fiction and I could not put it down. I am buying several to give as gifts, as this book moved me beyond belief. I hope Ms. Crisp writes more books on Animal Rescue in natural disasters, her personal experiences, and how crucial volunteers are. Ms. Crisp focuses on the positive side of Emergency Animal Rescue for the animals that were left behind to fend for themselves. Great reading and extremely uplifting.

I had the privilege of working as a volunteer with Terri Crisp during flooding in our area in 1997, getting to see first-hand her compassion and ability to inspire others. This book will inspire you, too. She has been instrumental in setting up a nationwide volunteer organization that has branches all over the country, whom she often personally trains through workshops. Whenever a new disaster strikes, be it hurricane, fire, flood or earthquake, I am comforted in knowing that the Emergency Animal Rescue Service is there helping stranded and abandoned animals and reuniting many of them with their owners. You will read some truly amazing accounts in her book and will take away from it the knowledge that there are quiet heroes loving and caring for animals on a daily basis and working constantly to make a safer and better place for animals in the midst of disasters. Each chapter is heart-wrenching, triumphant, filled with miracles. Whenever and wherever Mother Nature strikes, Terri Crisp and her volunteers are there to meet the challenge. Read about them and think about what you, too, can do.

Written in the early twentieth century, this indigenous Japanese novel recounts the life and times of old Japan's greatest swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi -- a man who began life as an over-eager and rather brutish young lout but who, through the discipline of Japan's "way of the sword," turned himself into a master of his chosen weapon. But this tale is not only about a life spent in training to perfect the art of killing with a sharpened piece of steel. In the venerable Japanese tradition, it is also about a man's search to conquer himself, to become a better person. The Buddhist view cultivated by the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody enterprise of warfare and killing. And it is this aspect of his training that consumes Musashi, to the detriment of the people he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him. Unable to settle down in the ordinary way, or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord, Musashi embarks on the life of a ronin (masterless samurai) as he wends his way through the feudal world of medieval Japan in his seemingly endless search for perfection. In the process he finds a young woman who loves him and many enemies who seek his destruction, at least in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest. He also crosses swords with many other experts in Japan's martial arts, but it is his early encounter with a Buddhist priest that puts him on the path which will forever after guide his life. Musashi ultimately finds his grail in a duel to the death with a man called Kojiro, who will become his greatest opponent, a sword master famous for his "swallow cut" -- a stroke so fast and deadly that it can slice a swooping, looping bird out of the air in mid-flight. This alone is a challenge worthy of the master which Musashi has become -- and a match which even he may not be up to, for this opponent is surely the finest technician in his art in all Japan. But there is more to swordsmanship than technical skill, as Musashi has learned, and there is more to living one's life than merely preserving it. Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparation for his climactic bout, for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut, while applying all the strategy he has learned throughout his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppose him. In the end Musashi became a legend to his countrymen, composing the famous Book of Five Rings -- his contribution to the art of strategy. But what he and Kojiro must do when they finally face each other is a tale in itself -- and a denoument towards which everything else in this book ultimately leads.

Books numbering to nearly 1000 pages daunt me-- as you can tell, I don't read very much, even though I should. Of course, knowing vaguely of the legend of Musashi prompted me to pick up this book-- and I haven't regretted it. I am only 60% done with it, but just for that first 60% I'd still give it a five-star rating. Not only was it true to Japanese culture, it was entertaining. (Shogun, the film, was true to form but not very entertaining for me.) What is very fun about the book is the way that Yoshikawa uses characters who existed at that time, and events that took place at that time (mostly the duels), and swirled them into a semi-fiction novel. The character personalities are simply intriguing. For vernacular purposes, "cool" describes many of the ronin portrayed in the book. I enjoy the mixture of arrogance, honor and skill that characterize the samurai-- especially Sasaki Kojiro Ganryu's references to his thirsty Drying Pole.

As a last note, the translation was exemplary. Not only was it technically correct, but Terry managed to transfer Yoshikawa's humor into English so that it was understood, and generally captured Yoshikawa's intentions throughout the book-- it seemed that things which are easy to describe in Japanese, yet having no literal translation in English, were recognized by Terry and converted into understandable English.

After I finish the book, chances are that Amazon.com had better establish a 6 star rating.

Written in the early twentieth century, this indigenous Japanese novel recounts the life & times of old Japan's greatest swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi -- a man who began life as an over-eager and rather brutish young lout but who, through the discipline of Japan's "way of the sword," turned himself into a master of his chosen weapon. But this tale is not only one of a life spent in training to perfect the art of killing with a sharpened piece of steel. In the venerable Japanese tradition, it is also about a man's search to conquer himself, to become a better man. The Buddhist view cultivated by the Japanese warrior class allowed for a spiritual dimension to their very bloody enterprise of warfare and killing. And it is this aspect of his training that consumes Musashi, to the detriment of the people he encounters and who seek to attach themselves to him. Unable to settle down in the ordinary way, or to simply join a particular clan as a retainer to some noble lord, Musashi embarks on the life of a ronin (masterless samurai) as he wends his way through the feudal world of medieval Japan in his seemingly endless search for perfection. In the process he finds a young woman who loves him and many enemies who seek his destruction, at least in part in repayment for the damage he does them while on his quest. He also crosses swords with many other experts in Japan's martial arts, but it is his encounter with a Buddhist priest, early on,that ultimately puts him on the right path. In the end Musashi finds his grail in a duel to the death with his greatest opponent, the sword master, Kojiro, famous for his "swallow cut" -- a stroke so fast and deadly that it can slice a swooping, looping bird out of the air in mid-flight. This alone is a challenge worthy of the master which Musashi has become -- and a match which even he may not be up to, for this opponent is surely the finest technician in his art in all Japan. But there is more to swordsmanship than technical skill, as Musashi has learned, and more to living one's life than merely following rules. Musashi attains a sort of peace in preparation for his climactic bout, for he is willing to risk all and even die in order to win against the master of the swallow cut, while applying all the strategy he has learned throughout his tumultuous career to unsettle the man who will oppose him. In the end Musashi lived to a fairly ripe old age and, unlike many of his contemporaries, died in his bed after composing the famous Book of Five Rings -- his own contribution to the art of strategy. I had originally rated this book at four stars only but on re-thinking it I find it continues to live vividly in my mind so that, alone, suggests it had a more powerful resonance than I originally gave it credit for. Certainly there are many levels in any continuum of ranking and many ways of placing anything ranked on that continuum. But in one very serious way, this book deserves a five star ranking, not a four so I am correcting for this now.

To everybody...DRAMA

Can it really get any better? Thos book made me feel very sane, and I am glad there are more of us out there. I view death differently now, and I truly wish I was a wizard so that this figure could come for me in person when I die. How Mr.Pratchett can come up with caracters like DEATH, one man buckett(and his brother), the lads at Unseen University, and that incredibly funny Librarian...just read and get on with it...It wil for sure make you want to read other discnovels. Now I wished our own planet was flat.

As you can see, I have become a great fan of this world, and the Reaper Man made it that way...the best Discworld novel I`ve read so far.

I love the Discworld, but I have to say, that though the series was amusing to me, it was not something I felt everyone needed to read. Then I read Reaper Man. I felt Mr. Pratchett's writing bloomed in this book, and following books have proved that Reaper Man was no accident. The two stories with a similar theme, Death finally experiencing what life is about and a Grand Wizard realizing he had never really lived until after he died are wonderful. Though Mr. Pratchett has written, and hopefully will continue to write more, Reaper Man is still my favorite.

Reaper Man, the eleventh book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, is probably the most moving and serious book I've read from Pratchett. It's also one of his funniest, which is definitely a good combination. It is a classic, and one of Pratchett's best. It's a moving story about Death (our good friend with the scythe), with a subplot that's almost as good but adds a lot to the humour and has a little something to say of its own.

It's a relatively short book (285 pages), considering what all is going on in it. Death's story has a poignancy that doesn't happen very often in Pratchett's books. He usually has some good social commentary, but not this sort of character deepness. The relationship that develops between Mrs. Flitworth and him is very reminiscent of some western movies. She's the homesteader and he's the hired hand. She's initially suspicious of him, but she needs the help. As time goes by, she becomes more and more trusting, letting him stay in the house during the evening (though he still must sleep in the barn!). Death, of course, is wonderful with a scythe, which is an immense help during the harvest. I enjoyed this story immensely, with Death (or Bill Door, as he calls himself) learning to how to fit in with the locals and generally learning what it is to be human. The ending of this particular storyline is wonderfully moving, with Death showing just how much he has learned (and yet, how much he still has to learn). It's almost enough to bring a tear to your eye.

Almost as moving is the story of Windle Poons. After fifty years of being an invalid, he's finally able to live again. Windle is an irascible, yet still very endearing, figure. It's interesting to see the life that flows back into his body even though he's dead. He joins a group called the Fresh Starters, which is a group that's fighting for the rights of the undead. While he doesn't really believe this is necessary, this is a group of people who fully accept him, which he hasn't had for awhile.

Windle's story provides the majority of the humour in this novel, and it does it very well. While Death's story has it's funny moments, they are more amusing then laugh-out-loud funny. Windle's story, however, has the sequence where the other wizards try to "help" Windle with his problem (the problem being that he's no longer dead). They even go so far as to try to bury him at a crossroads in Ankh-Morpork (at rush hour, even). The antics of the wizards are just hilarious. Once the life force problem presents itself, with killer trolleys running rampant through the city, the wizards decide that only they can stop it. Thus ensue many action movie parodies, including a wonderful riff on Aliens. There has never been so much testosterone evident at the wizards' university. They obviously don't know what they're doing, but the characters are so well drawn and so funny that it makes for great reading.

Pratchett's wonderful characters are the other highlight of the book. I've already mentioned the wizards. The great thing about the wizards in this book, as opposed to Moving Pictures, is that they are actually central to the plot. The other characters are equally wonderful. The Fresh Starters was started by Reg Shoe, a zombie who discovered that the recently dead were not being treated very well by society. Also included as members are: a shy boogeyman, a banshee with a speech impediment (so she slides a piece of paper saying "ooooooweeehooooooo" under the door), two vampires and a wolf who becomes a werewolf every full moon. These characters go great together, and when they try to pitch in and help Windle solve the trolley problem, the events add to the fun. This has to be the best bunch of characters that Pratchett has created.

There are only two niggling things about this book, however. The first is that the two stories don't really mesh that well. Sure, Death's story causes the other, but when the book bounces back and forth between the two stories, it gets a very disjointed feel that's a bit annoying. Secondly, the climax of the Death story is a bit rushed. Similar to Mort, it seems to happen too fast with not enough set up. I think it would have benefited from a few extra pages.

Still, the pluses of this book far outweigh the minuses. This book is classic Pratchett, and should be read as soon as possible. Make this your first Discworld book, if you can. It's that good.

I read this book as a fellow sufferer of Cystic Fibrosis. I began it thinking it would be another sad story, full of emotion and bad news. Not so. The Detrich's are people that have been in the thick of it, and are still there, even as I write this. I had thought that my living in the UK might provide not only a language barrier, but differences in our thoughts about CF. Instead, I found many of my own thoughts shining back at me from the pages. The book helped me to understand the thoughts and worries of my own family, and gave me an insider's look at another family affected as mine is, without being sentimental or sensationalist about it. It is easy to read, and full of thought provoking material, and has left me with a real wish to get on and live my life!

This book provides an inspirational look into the lives of a family who has had every rotten thing in the world thrown at them. Yet, through it all, they have persevered and grown stronger. My eyes were opened (and not very dry) when I read the older sisters' view of a day in the life of a CF patient. I can't imagine any reader coming away from this book dry-eyed or un-inspired.

Sometimes it seems so unusual to hear about anyone rejoicing about all that life has to offer, let alone a family with a burden such as cystic fibrosis. I've read it more than once and each time I take away something special... knowing that I have the choice to make the most of every minute my life has to offer. You can't help but love this book and this family and be inspired by them both!

This book, long out of print, introduces Pratchett's best heroes, Sam Vimes and Carrot, and sets up the adventures to come. To my surprise, the plot in here holds its own against those in later Vimes novels, and the large space given to the supporting cast is a delight to those who know Colon and Knobby, Vimes' deputies, from later books where they share the guardhouse with a much larger cast. I read the Guards book out of order, and now feel like I should re-read them in order. The whole subseries, even the anticlimactic "Fifth Elephant," stand out from the rest of the Discworld books. Discworld is almost always good. Vimes is even better.

I remember the first time I read this book. My friend lent it to me going on about how amazing it was. He was right. Terry Pratchett's discworld series is probably the most succesful series of comedy novels ever in the U.K./Ireland/ Australia. They are kind of like Monty Python mixed with Tolkien. They are classified as fantasy but don't let that scare you away. They are just piss takes on modern society and damn it they are funny! I have lent Guards! Guards! to around 12 people. All of them loved it. All of them ran out and borrowed/bought the rest of the discworld series. They are all just so good! I'll tell you how universal they are; My grandmother even likes Discworld novels. Guards! Guards! is about a dwarf who finds out that the reason he is six feet tall is because is human. His name is carrot(because of the shape of his body not the colour of his hair). He joins the Night Watch in Ankh-Morpork. A city where even the thieves have a guild(they give you a reciept). The watch is led my Captain Vimes. A man who drinks to forget about his drinking problem. His fellow guards; Nobby(disqualified from the human race for shoving), and Colon. At the start their only problems are trying to stop Carrot arresting thieves and assasins, and trying to stay upright. But then a dragon comes along and spoils everything... I suggest very strongly you read this book. Then it's sequel Men at Arms. Then ALL the other Discworld novels. You will never look back.

This is a review of the entire "Watch" series, not just GUARDS! GUARDS!, which is the first novel of the series and the first Pratchett book I ever read. In the first two, GUARDS! GUARDS! and MEN AT ARMS, Sam Vimes meets and marries the Dragon Lady, Sibyl Ramkin, and we get the most loving satire of a formidable upper-class old maid that I've ever read. Their romance is as unlikely and as touching as the one between Death and Miss Flitworth in REAPER MAN.

I loved the affirmative action developments in the second book, though the dragon plot in the first one seems almost superfluous compared to the evolution of Vimes' character from the time we meet him drunk in the gutter to the changes Sybil helps bring about -- and we read the subsequent Watch novels in wonder as Sam goes on to become a reluctant knight, then a duke and an expectant dad. Equally fascinating are Angua the werewolf and Cheery Littlebottom the dwarf, two of the new "men" at arms whom we get to know better in each book. Even Carrot, who is usually too good to be interesting, starts to develop some fascinating flaws in THE FIFTH ELEPHANT.

That's the joy of the Watch novels, as well as the Witch and Death ones, and a few one-shot protagonists like Teppic in PYRAMIDS. Here are people who change and evolve, in other words, people who come alive. (Even Death does -- wonderfully.) Although the password scene at the beginning of GUARDS! GUARDS! is one of Pratchett's funniest, there is none of the sneering and lampooning that make the Rincewind stories tedious. I am ever so glad that this was the first Pratchett book I read; had it been one of the Rincewind stories, chances are I'd never have gone back to the PRA's on the bookstore shelves.

This book is a detailed analysis of how effective change in society can really be implemented. How? By changing the only thing we have the most control over - ourselves. Author Terry Warner exposes the deceptions that we, ourselves, create to keep us from the truth. The book reveals our true nature and offers a way to fill our lives to the abundundant light and truth that permeates the universe.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I have read this book and applied the principles in my own life. The small amount of courage that it took to face the truth about myself was rewarded ten times over by the happiness and love that filled my soul. It is on my "top ten" list of best books ever read.

If you have any emotional pain in your life because of poisonous relationships, you need this book to heal. It is not just a covering up of the sympoms, but a complete eradication of the source of the pain.

This book is, with out a doubt, the singular most important book to be read, studied and applied to one's life there is available in the wide market of "self-help" books. I have a very much used and cherished copy of his manuscript that this book was based on and Terry has delivered so much more with this book than was even promised in "Bonds of Anguish, Bonds of Love". Buy it, read it and share it. There are but a few moments in life as precious and sacred as those where what we read moves us to the next level of understanding, wholeness, connectedness and love. This book has brought several of these moments to me.

As a student of philosophy I have become aware of the various implications and often unstated underpinnings of self-help theories. I have never come across a philosophy that so clearly and thoroughly outlines the steps to completely healthy relationships as is contained in Dr. Warner's book. The depth and truth contained in this work is amazing and, in my opinion, it sits among the great works that humanity has produced. I recommend this book to everyone as a must read. You may never again encounter such depth in a book that is so easy to read and understand. It is nothing short of life-changing.

I loved this book! Men at Arms is the second Pratchett Novel I have read the first being Feet of Clay. I found everything in this book to be creative and hilarious the dog talking dog Gaspode especially. Prattchett and his wonderful creation discworld teach people that a story can be entertaing without dirty words and sex.

O.K., some of the discworld novels are better than others, and I can't write a review on every single one. This one is my favourite Discworld novel. I loved the way the whole thing got something of a mystery novel, (naturally in this point Feet of Clay is more rewarding). I don't know why, but only Terry Pratchett seems to be able to manage this kind of fantasy. The few other examples of funny fantasy I tried weren't hardly very funny at all. Other authors just steal from Tolkien, or (directly or via Tolkien) from some mythology. Well, Pratchett also does, the world being carried on the back of a turtle isn't his very own idea, but his way of using other sources is far more elegant than those of any other author I've ever read (except Tolkien perhaps, but you hardly can really compare other authors with Tolkien). Other authors steal, Pratchett hints. And within all the books there's a vast amount of moral, sometimes more, sometimes less, that would be boring with any other author, but with Pratchett it's just more fun. If the man's been able to write about 20 novels in the last years, that are that good, I'm quite confident, that he'll manage this some more years, and I'm always eagerly awaiting the next one. Yes, naturally, close up to Men at Arms there is Guards! Guards! on my favourite list.

Unlike the Hitchhiker's Trilogy from the late Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett's Discworld books have managed to stay fresh and original through not a mere five, but 27 installments. The reason for this, I think, is that Pratchett uses the format to its fullest potential, creating several groups of characters that he visits time and again, never having any single group act as the star of the entire series, and using it to tackle diverse subjects without ever repeating himself.

"Men at Arms" is the second Discworld book to focus on Captain Vimes and the men -- um... humans... er... beings -- of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch (the first being "Guards! Guards!") and it has firmly cemented these characters as my favorite recurring heroes in the Discworld universe.

Time is running out for Captain Sam Vimes -- because he's getting married. Furthermore, his beloved night watch is being tampered with by higher-ups calling for "greater diversity" in the hirings, forcing him to welcome trolls, dwarfs and women into the group. To make matters worse, someone has stolen a strange new weapon from the assassin's guild and is using it to kill people. Vimes, Carrot, Nobby and the gang have to find the murderer and save the day.

Funny, yes, but also particularly poignant in light of recent events in the Washington D.C. area. I read this book a few months ago, before the unpleasantness began... this may be just the thing to help you cope.

This amazing book is an absolute must-have for the hardcore fan of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine... if you are like me and savored every episode over all seven seasons, you will appreciate the author's in-depth coverage, behind-the-scenes info on every episode, and his obvious affection for the show. This book is over 700 pages and filled with new photos & illustrations I have never seen anywhere else, including really nifty things like production drawings, some hilarious props, and even a map of Bajor. The many interviews with the cast & creators alone are worth the price. If hearing "The Way You Look Tonight" makes you misty, buy this book!

I'm an avid fan of the "Star Trek The Next Generation Companion," and this all-new volume examining what is arguably the best (certainly the most controversial) Trek series is must reading for anyone intrigued by the creation, scriptwriting and production of the series.

Each and every episode is covered in depth with a plot summary and detailed history "behind the scenes" of the episode's creation, writing, and filming. One of the reasons I enjoyed DS9 so much is the involved storyline of the series--the Dominion War--and having each of the episodes laid out in chronological order, with extensive detail on the structure of the storyline and subplots, helped me appreciate even more what Berman and Piller and company set out to do. It's filled with entertaining stories and nuggets of background information--how did they do they, where did they get the idea for that, what worked (and didn't)...it's ideal for the Star Trek fan as well as anyone interested in television writing and production.

I don't entirely agree with some of the previous review comments: understand that a book like this takes time to write and create, not to mention publish, have sales reps advance into bookstores, and print and ship. I work in publishing, and with very few exceptions, publishing books takes a *long* lead time. There's no way this could have been ready (or as complete) if it were issued last year. I'd also say, again as someone working inside publishing, that adding color photographs and a hardback binding, while nice, would dramatically increase the price of the book, probably to forty dollars or above.

The very best compliment I can give a book like is that it makes me want to go back to the original source again. If you're a Trek fan, I dare you to pick this up and not get totally involved in it, and *then* want to dig out your tapes and rewatch all your favorite episodes...and even a few that this book will give you a brand new appreciation for.

The official guide to Star Trek Deep Space 9 is without question the best campanion to any of the Trek series wriitten to date. The fact that author Terry J. Erdmann was given the task of putting the book together as the series began. through to its conclusion, gives him unique perspectives that no one else had. This in turn, makes for a more in depth look at how the show worked. Usually most "official" books written about the Trek franchise, barely touch on any of the backstage stuff that goes on, as the recently updated TNG guide illustrates. Have no fear though, the text is not presented in a "gossipy" fashion. The feelings expressed in the interviews, by those involved, merely give readers a true sense of what it takes to make a show like DS9. The book gives very detailed information on the creation of the series, an overview of each season, and episode synopses and trivia Erdmann was helped along by Paula M. Block, who aided in the organization of all the information. The book covers all aspects of the show. I would guess that, no staffer working on those stages from 93-99 wasn't at some point, interviewed for the book.

Aside from reading about my favorite episodes, the other highlights of the book include: The events surrounding the addition of Michael Dorn (Worf from TNG) to the cast, the departure of actress Terry Farrell after year 6, and the emotional last day of filmming, to name a few. Everything comes together nicely and no stone is left unturned There are also dozens and dozens of black and white photos peppered thoughout. In the end the book is a treat for both fan/non fan alike. It is well researched, and written in such a way, so that even folks who missed out initially on the series can enjoy it. I just wish that the latest edition of the TNG Companion, had as much care put into it, as this book did. This highly recommended book has 725 pages and includes an apendix/index

This is one of the first Faery books i ever owned. I did not buy from here, but bought it in a used book store. Let me tell you, if you are a believer in faeries, this is a MUST-HAVE. "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book" is a delightful story of one Angelica Cottington who recives a blank book from her aunt, which was made for pressing flowers. But instead, she presses Fairies in them! The Fairies get their revenge and make Angelica flee to Italy. The images done but the talented Mr. Brian Froud are incrediable, as are all of his works. This really isnt a book for little children, because some of the images are quiet explicit, but i do recommend to get it for them when they reach an apporprite age.

Brian Froud is my favorite fantasy illustrator to start with. I fell in love with his book 'Faeries' back in the 70's...I am very fond of the work of his co-illustrator on that project, Alan Lee, as well. But pair Brian's brilliant art with the writing of ex Monty Pythoner Terry Jones and the result is a hilarious book that actually had me laughing out loud. Brian's lovely watercolors of shocked looking faeries (I was lucky enough to see some of his original work for the following book "Strange Stains and Mysterious Smells" this summer) pressed between the pages of the spirited Miss Cottington's journal like hapless wildflowers is just too much...and the Lady's description of the events leading up to each...er...pressing make for a thoroughly enjoyable romp. While definately not for small kids, I recommend it to anyone with a slightly grim sense of humor and a love of fantasy.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What appears to be a picture book turns out to be a witty, entertaining view of the life of Lady Cottington through handwritten diary entries that begin in childhood, when she "presses" her first fairy. The reader follows her life, as she slaps the pages shut on unwitting fairies, pressing them forever between the pages of her pressed fairy book (originally intended for pressing flowers). The authors, in a footnote, assure us that the squished fairies are only psychic impressions, since fairies cannot be killed. At the end of this two-hour, entertaining read, it is clear that Lady Cottington's 103 years have more meaning than pictures of flattened fairies and a lifetime of refusing vulgar suitors. A subtle picture of an interesting woman has been drawn, and many re-readings will be necessary to find the nuances. The book has the appearance of a coffee-table book, the illustrations of a fine picture book, and much! more subtlety of meaning than such a book ought to have.