No matter your philosophy on the feelings and intellect of animals, this book will change it. I believe that animals have emotions and cognitive skills, but this book really enhanced and helped direct my own personal creed.
The book tells story of a young grad student who falls into a cross-fostering experiment with a young chimpanzee named Washoe. Two professors are raising her as a human child and teaching her sign language. Fouts ends up as Washoe's lifelong caretaker and friend, traveling with her as she is moved from university to university, trying to protect her against a system that views her as an unfeeling piece of property. Along the way other chimpanzees join him and Washoe, until he has a small family of chimps, all capable of sign language, to care for.
The book is remarkable for many reasons. The narrative is interesting, clearly explained, and easy to read, even when Fouts discusses the physiology of language and evolution. The story is fascinating, the antics of the chimps are hilarious and eye-opening, and Fouts' journey to find Washoe and her family a good home (from Reno to Oklahoma to Washington) is determined and inspiring. The subject matter is phenomenal. Reading about Washoe's son, Loulis, learning sign language from her (the first animal to be taught a human language by another animal), the interactions between the chimps and humans (Lucy, who brews tea and serves it to Fouts every morning) and the brief legal history of the chimpanzees as research subjects, is incredible.
Read this book with an open mind. It will change you.

As a former student of Dr. Fouts' many of the stories and concepts in "Next of Kin" were familiar to me, but it was such a fascinating book that I had difficulty putting it down.

One of the concepts in the book is that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," the idea that an individual may typify in its own life the evolutionary development of its species. Learning about individual chimpanzees educated Dr. Fouts not only about the development of chimpanzee society, but also more about the possible origins of human language and culture.

His longstanding friendship with Washoe, the oldest of the chimpanzees he observed, also taught him that it isn't necessary to be human to be a person worthy of respect.

"Next of Kin" is a book that will change the way its readers feel about the other creatures who share our planet. They may be stirred to action, or at least to feel compassion and understanding.

After reading Fout's Next Of Kin I was speechless. I can express how wonderful it is to learn from an indivdual whose humility, concern for life and compassion is his life work. I simply could not put the book down! It was one of the most thoughtful, eye-opening, and educated books that I have ever read. Having the opportunity to listen to Roger Fouts speak on booktour, my heart opened to his message of compassion; his willingness to express his feelings and experiences to a group of strangers further enhanced my view of this incredible individual. A book that will change your life and the way you see our next of kin and the fellow animals of this world.

I have fallen hard for this series! King is a master. His use of bits and pieces of "our" world provides a chilling touch. I know a lot of people did not like the "Wizard of Oz" touch, but I found it to add to the mystic that can only be Stephen King. He takes something that we are all familiar with, then twists it, gives it new dimension and makes it his own. I reread the first 3 books and then read this one all in a matter of 4 days. I can hardly wait for the next book! (although my family probably hopes it won't be out for a while yet) Please, Stephen, publish the next one! We're dying out here! Your writing is superb and makes me want to be a part of Roland's Ka-tet! Onward to the Dark Tower Mr. King! Onward! (very soon!)

Stephen King may not be the most profound writer of our time, but I believe this series of books will be the ones that he is remembered for. He takes us on a journy with the last Gunslinger, Roland of Gilead, who is in search for the Dark Tower. The Dark Tower is the center of time and space...mayber even a doorway to other worlds. Roland has plowed West across Mid-World in search for the Dark Tower, set on saving his dying land. Will Roland ever find the fabled Dark Tower? We all hope so as we journy with him and his ka-tet. Another great thing about this series is how King has started to tie in his other novels with Roland's world. This a must read for any King fan... and even the people that don't like King. JUST GET IT.

The Dark Tower Series is the best thing that Stephen King has every written. If you love King's work you'll love this, if you hate his work you'll love this. For King to be able to keep his story together so well over the time span in which he has thus far written it is truly amazing. Roland is the best character I've ever read, except, possibly Rett Butler its really a toss up. The first time I read the series I couldn't put it down and once I finished I swear I had withdrawls. I am just begining to read them again and every day that goes by that I have to wait to find out what happen to Roland and his band of Crusaders is one day to many. All I can say is Stephen King please hurry and fishish book 5 and don't you dare die before you finish this series. If you havn't read these books don't waste another second and read them.

Let's start off by saying that this book is not for everyone. This is, however, a beautifully written book that should be read by anyone that intends to go into relativity physics.

Professor Thorne wonderfully combined the history development of Black Holes, along with enough ancedotes to satisfy science seekers. There are tons of diagrams, background stories, and enough to keep the reader going.

However, it may be too complex of a book for the layman. It is very hardcore, and may be a little slow for casual readers, with enough details to confuse a reader the first time through.

The book also demonstrates the futuristic predictions and applications of Black Holes, from being a power plant, to wormholes in space. It was easily understood.

Bottom Line: If you're into physics, or have a lot of time, go out and buy this book, because it's worth every penny. This gives a good background history on the slow progress of Black Holes, and includes ancedotes from Hawkings to Landau. It is highly recommended if you want to learn more than just "What is a Black Hole?" As others have suggested, "Gravitation" by Thorne, Wheeler and Misner would be a more complex book if you have the background for it.

The true secrets of universe can only be understood by a deep understanding of highly complicated mathematical and physical concepts. For mere mortals like me, books like these offer a good taste of such pleasures. Kip Thorne, a relativist of very high caliber (coauthor of the classic textbook "Gravitation"), takes the reader through a exciting journey through the history of modern cosmology starting with Einstein's Field Equation.

Unlike most popular physics books dealing with such a topic, he actually spends (relatively) little time dwelling on Einstein's work itself (just a couple of chapters) -- there are several books that deal with relativity itself (I'm talking books for the layperson). Instead he quickly starts talking about the "Legacy" of Einstein's great theory. We are led through drama of 20th century cosmology as different solutions were found for the Field Equations which challenged human reason and intuition, ultimately leading to the great crisis: the black hole.

As the author himself is a very active and very highly respected member of the scientic community, the book is full of very interesting (and sometime illuminating) anecdotes about various luminories (I love the one about his bet with Stephen Hawking about the existence of Cygnus X-1 black hole).

If you are a layperson (as far as modern astrophysics is concerned, probably most are lay people) interested in science in general and astronomy in particular, I'd strongly recommend this book (heck, I'd recommend it for any one who's even mildly curious). This is one of the best books in its field (if not the best) that caters to the lay readers (not unlike Richard Dawkins's "Blind Watch Maker" for evolution).

I thought not. I was wrong. The reason: Kip Thorne. I really enjoyed the reading of this book because it offers the theoretical face of the so-called "Black Holes Mechanics" and a very important and delightful part, the history behind the theorems. The book begins with several chapters dedicated almost exclusively to the bases of the Special Theory of Relativity and the General Theory of Relativity, which describes the gravitation field in almost any place of our universe (if you get the book you will see why I say "almost"). Thereafter, the text covers the most important aspects of stellar implosion, which, in fact, brings Black Holes into existence. Once you are immersed in the very topic of the holes, the author studied profoundly their properties with informative boxes, spacetime diagrams, lots of references about discoveries, people and, the great difference with others books, an outstanding and thorough historical background. By the end, the author presents the most excitement predictions about the future use of Black Holes and the yet ill-understood Quantum Gravity Theory (predictions like backward time travel and wormholes). Finally, Kip Thorne closed the book with an excellent glossary of exotic terms and a list of principal characters that appeared throughout the text. I can say, without any doubt, that this is one of the most illustrative and complete books I have ever read, and in my opinion, is a book that every "Black Hole serious student" might have in his/her shelve. If you are looking for a less technical book, I suggest you "Black Holes: A Traveler's Guide" by Clifford Pickover. Nevertheless, if you want a higher challenge, get the book "Gravitation" by Thorne, Wheeler and Misner.

Stephen Hunter has become one of my favorite fictional authors. While there may be a few technical shortsights, he convinces me that he likes the subject matter and enjoys what he is writing. THIS IS THE BEST NOVEL OF ITS KIND I HAVE EVER READ. I read it over three years ago, then again last year, and I may read it again. Bob Lee Swagger is an interesting character and is actually believable. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys really good action-adventure novels with some real meat in them. I sincerely hope Mr. Hunter turns out some more like this trilogy. This is definitely, "the right stuff".

Stephen Hunter must have been a gun in a previous life. He knows shooting. I was hooked after the first couple of pages, and couldn't put this one down. I have since read the book 3 times. If you like guns in any small way, or just plain like a good thriller, it doesn't get any better than this. Hunter builds the main character in a way that you can see every hard line of his face, the way he walks, and the sound of his voice. If I were casting a movie of this book, I'd put Ed Harris in the role. The story is full of interesting and unpredictable plot twists, gun lore, action and revenge. It won't let you down. Hunter's sequels to this book don't hold up as well; Dirty White Boys is a bit too harsh, and Black Light moves too slowly. But Point of Impact is a stroke of genius.

Wow, this book is amazing! Well written and technically pretty good. Bob "the Nailer" is not one of those annoyingly perfect good guys that don't really exist. He has his share of problems, which are explained in the book but not dwelled on for long.

There are some pretty good reviews here that sum up the story pretty well, so I'm going to skip that. I will say that I normally read only sci-fi/fantasy and had long ago grown weary of these type of books. But the way Hunter combines the convoluted plot twists that Ludlum loves so much with the attention to detail that Clancy is so known for and then adds his own ability to tell a story in an interesting way really hooked me.

You just may find yourself shopping for a Winchester mdl 70 or a Remington 700 (in .308, of course) before the end of this one!

"One shot, one kill"

I, Claudius is perhaps the best work of historical fiction that I've ever read. Robert Graves couldn't have pick a better topic for a story. The book is so filled with political intrigue that it's very difficult to put down. Told from the Claudius' perspective, the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula come alive in a way that no historical tome can ever get across. Graves takes the existing accounts of this time period and adds meat to it. While some of the occurances in the novel can be called into question (as historians often debate on what really happened), Graves writes in such an engrossing way that those questionable items seem forgivable. Also, it is apparent that Graves has studied, in detail, the facts concerning these emporers, and any inaccuracies (or accuracies) are the results of decisions he's made concerning the truth of the facts available. In that sense, this is a very admirable book.

Don't let all this discussion of history fool you into thinking this a dull book. It's not. The characters are so well developed, and involved in so much political intrigue (and violence), that it is quite a page turner. Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this book. I'd recommend it to anybody whose interested in in Rome, historical fiction, or simply good fiction. I have a hard time imagining someone coming away from this one displeased. Enjoy!

"I Claudius." The name conjurs intrigue, violence, good emperors, evil emperors, and above them all an individual who rose to become emperor of Rome in spite of physical handicaps and prejudices. Robert Graves' classic is an insight into the history of the Claudian family and in particular Claudius, the despised idiot and stutterer who outlives all of his relatives to ascend to the throne, a position which he assumes with reluctance.

If you thought classical history is dull, read this book and find out that the ancients were just as corrupt and venal as our modern day politicians. I suppose the movie Gladiator will rekindle some interest in Rome. Read I Claudius and forget Gladiator. The book is historically accurate, well written (I am of the opinion that Robert Graves is the only decent modern English writer-why did he never win the Nobel in literature?) and despite its length, is a pretty quick lead. Take your time though, and savor the characters: Claudius' brother Germanicus, a brilliant general and noble spirit who probably would have been an emperor the equal of Augustus had he lived, Agrippa Posthumous, Augustus' grandson who was another possible pretender to the throne (who Graves portrays in a positive light- Suetonius and other Roman writers considered Posthumous a boor), the Emperor Tiberius, who was both ruthless and capable, and Livia, Augustus' wife and the true power behind the throne. Livia is the glue which holds the story together and conjures up images of powerful women who are the real powers (and this book was written in the 1930s!). Marie Antoinette, Imelda Marcos, and the present First Lady couldn't compare with Livia, who is self assured, ruthless, calculating and cared only for the survival of Rome and the Imperial succession. Sort of an ancient Catherine the Great. And finally, who can forget Caligula, that insane, perverted maniac who did nasty things to others and attempted to make his horse First Consul of Rome. With a cast like that, who needs soap operas or the WWF?

Roman history, with its conquests, technical advancements, and impact on our modern world can be one of the most facinating subjects known to man. Roman politics, however, is usually one of the most boring. What Graves does with "I, Claudius" is present all the complex political intrigues of the early empire and make them not only bearable, but extremely involving.

Told through the eyes of Tiberius Claudius, the intellectually gifted but physically deformed relation to a series of emperors, the book winds from the last half of Augustus' (the first emperor after Julius Caesar) reign through the notorious times of Caligula, all the while keeping the reader enthralled.

The most remarkable thing about this book is simply that so much HAPPENS. Unlike most works of fiction, Graves' work does not busy itself with flowing descriptions of scenery, beautiful women, or romantic philosophy. Instead, the plot moves from event to event in a fast-paced but still rich combination of history and literary skill. Graves is able to strike an impressive balance between massive amounts of raw information (the history part) and uniquely adept storytelling prowess. Never have I read a book so full of historical fact and yet so utterly enjoyable.

You need NO prior knowledge of Roman history to appreciate this novel. Highly recommended.

Touching and beautiful writing. It's the only King book a cried during. A wonderful, compelling and funny story. You get addicted to the characters and can't let go! I was so disappointed after I finished the series. But the last line of the last book was worth it, one of Stephen King's greatest! I want so much to write it but don't want to give it away. Can't wait for the movie except if they cast Tom Hanks as Paul--please, I may throw up (James Caan might make a good Paul though, he was great playing that other King "Paul"). And for the 12-year-old from Canada who wrote about some guy's face melting off by a laundry machine, what are you talking about? Are you sure this is the same book? What ever.

When I first saw this book my dad was reading it...and I was sooo anxious to read it (being stepehn king) that I took it with out his permission up to QLD with me. It grabs you right from the beginning and it never let's you put it down. I'm now doing an english essay on the book and I'm up to the part where I have to rewrite the plot summary...but where do you start? HOw many plot's are there in this book.... Should I write about the bad death of eduard delacroix or the night journey to wraden mooore's house....or the healing hands of John Coffey. I have to say that Stephen King is a LEGEND and I love his works dearly! Well done!! From a huge fan Bonnie

When i read King's works that have nothing to do do with vampires , monsters or such kind forms of evil(despite how much i love some of books like these -"The Shining" and "Salem's Lot"), i keep wondering why does the man keep writing books such as "The Tommyknockers" or "Desperation"and "Regulators". He can be sooo good when he writes a whole book refearing to terror in our real life ,"monsters" in our neighbourhood or hell places on "our world ",but also to humanity, magic, hope, frienship and salvation."The Green Mile" as well as his novels from "Four Seasons" ("Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption", "Apt Pupil" or "The Body"- his masterpieces- for instance) are some of his works i am refering to. Read the Green Mile immediatelly!!! And as you turn the last page with tears in your eyes and John Coffey in your mind you will have understood some things about Life, True Values in it , and how your day ( week?- month?-year?...) can be coloured just by reading a book...

P.S.1: Stephen keep up the good work!!! P.S.2: Frank (Darabond) offer the book a movie it deserves...

As Hawking mentions in his introduction, both he and his editor have taken great pains to ensure that the level of intricacy of some of the more technical issues do not escape the layman reader -- and he has been largely successful. Concepts are presented clearly and concisely, and Hawking has a wonderful way with simile that provides the reader with wonderful everyday analogies to complex theoretical phenomena.

The reader will be surprised to find that Hawking has a wonderful sense of humor, bringing to the reader his own sense of the comical and the ironic. More surprising, however, is the humility of the man recognized world over as the universal laureate of astrophysics. Hawking frankly and unabashedly admits his own errors. The book, in addition, is liberally sprinkled with the names of so many others - Nobel laureates, scientists, engineers - who have made great contributions to the field. The book is not in any way a vehicle for self-accolade.

The read! er finishes the book with an understanding not only of the scheme of the universe in the eyes of the scientist, but of Hawking the human being as well.

Professor Stephen H. Hawking has done an excellent job in describing in a very basic way potentially complex scientific theories. He takes us to the beginning of time-just after the big bang- and expertly leads us through singularities, string theory to an expanding (and infinite?) universe. That and more! His ability to explain complex theory is dazzling. I was a student of physics up to university entrance level, but reading this book was not a journey down memory lane, it gave me another wonderful perspective to a lot of the physics concepts therein. Professor Hawking neatly documents the evolution of time from a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. He very neatly demystifies the idea that time continues backward forever. he demonstrates that time is a property of the universe that it did not exist before the universe came into existence. Finally, it was a wonderful relief to learn that the Big Bang theory is not inconsistent with the existence of God. I also found string theory very cogent, and I did not get enough of it!. Thank you, Prof. Hawking!

I'm a student of Physics and Astronomy, and when I first read this book, I decided that I want to become a theoratical physicist, as it was so extremely fascinating. The second time I read the book, I again made a decision. Since then, I study Astronomy.

In short, Mr. Hawking perfectly knows how to wake everyone's interest for the fundamentals of the universe. And moreover, he explains the most difficult theories of our days in a style so that everyone can grasp the basic ideas.

This is such an awesome book with quite an extraordinary plot. It's rare that I've read books this long--even for my classes in school. There's so much drama, so much suspense, so much awe, mystery and sophistication in detail that makes this book a true masterpiece, indeed! I couldn't put the book down and finished it all in a few days.

I really don't want to ruin the plot for anyone, so i'm not going to go into any details. It's just amazing how a character can be at a new climax in life, fall to great depths, and then rise again.

There will always be parts of the book where you might say or think things should have been different. But that's what happens when you watch almost any drama movie, for sometimes we don't want any sadness directed towards characters we grow to love. But sometimes that makes you appreciate the plot even more.

Believe me, you really will love some of the characters in this book. Just give it a chance.

I have to admit that I read the ... edition of this book, and I'm not sure if it is a different translator or if it is abridged to a different degree. I looked up the translator, but the book didn't say, and it's not for sale here on Amazon[.com], which is why I'm reviewing this book.

Sometimes it's hard to pick out the right edition for a translated book. But I've asked so many people about this book, and all that I've known to read it have unanimously praised it. I don't think you can go wrong, but make sure you do the research before picking one specific book.

And finally, I'd say don't pick a book with an ugly picture of the Count on the front. He's supposed to be a relatively good-looking guy, and an ugly picture on the cover can psychologically influence a partial opinion towards him contrary to the descriptions of the text. ;)

Do not short change yourself by watching a movie version of this classic,you'll miss too much! I really liked this book about a man wrongly accused and imprisoned. Edmond Dantes is sent to prison and there he meets his benefactor, a man many believe is crazy. This so called crazy man teaches Edmond everything from foreign languages to science, these will come in handy once Edmond is able to put into action his plans for revenge on those who are responsible for his stay in prison. Edmond is finally able to escape from prison after many years (I can't tell you how, read the book!) and is now able to seek revenge on those who have wronged him in the past. Now the fun part starts as Edmond begins to piece by piece ruin the lives of his enemies who have long forgotten that Edmond might still exist. I can't tell you what the Count of Monte Cristo has in store for these people you will have to find out for yourself and you're sure not to be dissappointed!

If you enjoy literature, then you must read The Count of Monte Cristo. In this book, a young sailor named Edmond Dantès is arrested on false charges of treason. He spends the next fourteen years in prison trying to figure out how to exact complete revenge on his enemies. Once he gets out of prison he begins his quest for vengeance. The author, Alexandre Dumas, portrays this struggle for vengeance by mixing action and serenity together. By using both, Dumas makes the character seem like a real person. Throughout the entire book I felt like I knew Edmond Dantès feelings. Dumas' writing style made Edmond Dantès come alive. Instead of being on the outside watching in, I felt like I was in the middle of all the action. By making the reader feel like a part of the book, Dumas gets the reader involved in the plot; this makes the reader not want to stop reading. The Count of Monte Cristo continually makes you think about the characters and the plot. As the reader, I observed a great battle of intellect between the main characters, and this strife makes the book enjoyable to read. You constantly wonder who will get the upper hand. This book, with its many levels, will make a reader lose him or her self in the book. I read the abridged edition, which sometimes made me feel like I had missed an important detail or event. Other than this small drawback, I enjoyed the book thoroughly. I recommend The Count of Monte Cristo to anyone who enjoys reading books with an entertaining story and believable plot.

De Tocqueville is every bit as brilliant and insightful as he has been said to be. The book is as relevant now as when written and is a must read for every american who is serious about understanding his country. What one realizes in reading the book is how novel and radical was the american experiment in creating a state that was both a republic and a democracy. De Toqueville's research was amazing, as well, he read the laws and constitutions of the various states, he didn't just observe the manifestation of american government and society. His assessments of the plusses and minuses of our government forms was incredibly astute and it is interesting to reflect on the changes that took place in the government after his time and how accurately he foresaw the advantages and disadvantages of those changes, as well. Given the short period of time that he spent in this country and the distances that he travelled one stands in awe of his work. His writing style is, of course, dated but one gets accustomed to it and learns to follow the rhythm.

De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy. From reading the book I deduced that De Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx! He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America. He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe. He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America. He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks". De Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government. He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

De Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union. He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government. He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government. He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into 2 or 3 countries because of regional interests and differences. This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong. Despite some of his misgivings, De Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world. The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater than most people realized. He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

De Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together. I am convinced that De Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science. As a retired Army officer and political philosopher, I found this book to be a must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.

De Tocqueville was an amazing man who posessed amazing insight into the workings (and not-workings) of American society. One only laments the fact that he was not a middle caste American politician arguing amongst great minds during the Constitutional conventions. Then again, we are equally lucky of the fact that he was a curious Frenchman of the leisure class who happened to be passing through. This is what gives de Tocqueville the ability to refrain from emotionalism and give us an outsiders view of what makes America good, bad and just plain different.

See, de tocqueville recognizes, as did our founders, that liberty and democracy are key ingredients to a healthy society. On the other hand, he points out that too much freedom or democracy lead to lazy, public-opinion driven conformity, over-emphasis on materialism and restlessness. Another contradiction de tocqueville points out is that although self-government is generally a good idea, there are times when an all powerful aristocracy is just more efficient. He can see all sides.
The best part then is that de Tocqueville doesn't come to any final conclusion. He just observes and reports on America's inner workings as seen by an aristocratic Frenchman.

A few reccomendations to the de tocqueville virgins. First, as this is the unabridged, it may be advised to read the first book, pause to read something else, then read the second book. I read it straight through and found that not only would I have benefited from reflection, but much of the second book is a rehash the first. Second, keep in mind during the second book that the word 'democracy' is also de tocqueville's word for 'capitalism'. The word 'capitalism' would be introduced only years later by one Karl Marx. So when de tocqueville says that democracy increases industriousness, what the reader should hear is that capitalism increases industriousness. This in itself is a brilliant observation by de tocqueville. Democracy and capitalism really are the same thing, different scale. The producer, like the political candidate, cater to the consumer or the voter. Both systems allow the individual to choose the goods and services he wants and reject those he doesn't. This is why one may also want to read 'Wealth of Nations' with this book.

The only other thing I can tell the reader before he or she embarks on a fascinating reading adventure is to keep in mind why de tocqueville wrote the book. He intended it to be read by the french who were not familiar with or had misconceptions about America. Of course, it provides contemporary America with an amazing historical survey. Like the introductory exclamation to MTV's 'Diary' show says, "You think you know, but you have no idea".

My old, marked-up Thompson Bible is the "Olde Reliable" that I keep coming back to. I have been using it for over thirty years and find it invaluable to "quick find" verses on nearly evey imaginable topic.

On the plus side, are the MANY chain referrences with marginal "PILOT" numbers and brief word discriptions which also serve as mini-commentary on the verses. While the chains may not contain all the referrences a particular denomination may wish to emphasize, it more than make up for it with an ABUNDANCE of referrences most scholars whould never even think to look up! The handy exhaustive indexes, concordance, cross-references and helps enable the user to find nearly every subject in the Bible.

On the minus side, 1.) the text is rather small and 2.) it would be benificial if the bold-face marginal headings were included in the OT as well as the New.

Overall rating:FIVE-STAR EXCELLENT!!! It is a lifetime of research and study marvelously condensed into a handy-sized volume for both home study and portibility. I heartily recommend it for new Christians as well as those who "think they know it all". As advertised, it is a Bible that will SURPRISE you. Get it!

I use the Thompson NASB and it is great. I will just echo other sentiments that the layout of this Bible is great. This Bibles greatest strength is that it uses Scripture to teach Scripture. There are no notes on the page. If one wants to dig into a specific passage or specific book the references will take the student into the Bible as deep and as far as they want to go. This is my main Bible, along with the Dickson New Analytical KJV, to read and study God's words. There are too many specialty and study Bibles on the market. All the major publishers bring them out each year like boxed cereal. I too own and use some specialty study Bibles for specific purposes. These are great if you want to study from a specific point of view, like Dispensational or Charismatic, or understand what an interesting teacher of the Word may have to say like Tim LaHaye, John MacArthur, RC Sproul, or Henry Blackaby. But on a daily basis the Thompson Chain Reference is the one that can bring the best out of the student of the Word.

I purchased my first Thompson Chain Reference Bible as a new believer back in the 70's. It was and continues to be the best study Bible for those who desire to search out the Word for themselves and compare scripture with scripture. And, the extensive Bible study helps in the back of the Bible do add a rich dimension in addition to the topical chain references.

I was a little concerned about the "new" TCR's as several reviewers mentioned degradations in quality and I certainly didn't like the thin glossy paper I saw in the hardbacks in the bookstore. I was delighted today when I received my large print deluxe leather edition Bible.

The Bible I received has excellent flat, opaque Bible paper perfect for note-taking. And, the binding appears to have stitching in addition to the glue, so I'd say the quality of the binding is fine and should serve one well for years.

One caveat in regard to the large print edition--It is LARGE! Not the print (it's 9 point instead of the regular 8), but the Bible itself. It's not so unwieldy that I would think twice about using it, but if size is an issue for you, check the dimensions and choose accordingly.

I can't say enough good things about this Bible. It has my highest recommendation; you won't be sorry in choosing this Bible.