This is a superb book for any practitioner working in primary care. It covers all important subjects completely and concisely. I used it to review for my boards with the review book that goes with it and I was very prepared. I highly recommend this text.

I found this review book an excellent source of knowledge and simple to understand. This book by passes all the intricate biochemical details and present the meat and potatoes so to speak. The wisdom of the pearls make this book unique. I recommend this book to any professional in a primary care setting.

This is the most comprehensive and concise medical text that I have ever used....so reader friendly. It has over 70 contributors from all over the country.

Mr.Harrison (the author) has a brilliant talent for writing. His descriptions are perfect, lingering in the mind. His characters are well-defined so you can picture them in your mind. The plot is rather unlikely, with everyone meeting up every so often in the most unlikely places in a James Bond fashion. The book is rather like a Bond book, Fleming-style. It's highly original, and is almost space-opera at points. It's quite negative with a baffling ending, but comes highly recommended.

I found this book astonishing - completely unlike anything I had ever read before. Harrison has a remarkable, truly unique way of touching and revolting you at once - a very, very good book.

This book shows the realistic dirty underside of the space opera story, written from the point of view of the disposessed of all history. One of the most powerful novels I've ever read - its images live on in the mind, and you can almost smell the reality of the future the author creates. Whilst the narrative is gripping, the underlying themes are attention-grabbing and, to put it mildly, the author's vision does not exactly see the world through rose-tinted glasses. It's a refugee's statement, and highly recommended.

Very informative book. Well organized.

Being a huge fan of dictionaries and encyclopedias; I simply had to examine The Kentucky Encyclopedia by John E. Kleber(Editor), et al. Whilst, I am not a resident of the state of Kentucky ( I live in Atlanta, GA), I have a neverending thirst for knowledge and therefore I thought that it would be pertient for a person of my taste to read and furthermore examine the mentioned item. It starts out with a beatifully detailed map of the state with all the counties; it follows up with a list of all the people whom contributed to this grand project which was printed by the venerable University Press OF Kentucky. The editorial staff section is also a nice touch and shows how much work that is required to produce on of these encyclopedias. The table of contents is also well developed with the following sections: Foreward, Preface, Kentucky: A Historical Overview by Thomas D. Clark, The guide for readers, The kentucky Encyclopedia, Biblographic essay and finally the index. The The first three sections, i.e., the Foreward, the Preface, and the longer article, Kentucky: A Historical Overview by Thomas D. Clark, are all written in a scholarly tone without being stuffy or pretentious. Especially the Clarke article is fascinating in its coverage of the founding of the State of Kentucky. The guide to readers is also helpful for people that are not accustoimed to using encyclopedias. The entries themselves are well written and the font chosen does not detract from the information. For instance if one wants to know whom Charles P. Farnsley was then one should rread p.309 and realize that amongst many things he was the major of Luisville 1948-1953 and that he received his bar in 1930. The index is also a blessing in its ease of use and makes the searching experience very enjoyable. Overall, this is the encyclopedia to get if one is remotely interested in the state of Kentucky and I would definetely recommend it.

If you buy only one book about Kentucky, this is the book to buy. Every aspect of Kentucky history is covered in detail. This is a compilation of articles submitted by over 500 people on various topics ranging from prehistoric Kentucky to modern times. Each one is a facinating description of Kentucky history that reads like a short story. I never tire of reading this book! Is is a must read for anyone who has ever been to or lived in Kentucky.

I don't have much to say about this collection that the previous two reviewers haven't said, but I'd like to recommend a book from the same author if you enjoyed Viriconium Nights: A Storm of Wings. It's out of print but you should be able to find a used copy from amazon or elsewhere.

M John Harrison cut his teeth on these haunting pieces, travelogue of a city which is never the same place twice. The ultimate fantasy and the end of fantasy, for me. After walking these strange, shifting streets and eavesdropping on their hyper-realistic but completely unreal denizens, I could never take Tolkien or Tad Williams seriously again. I read it in the UK edition "Viriconium", which also contains "In Viriconium", a novel set in the same world, with an introduction by Iain Banks. Brilliant stuff--but Harrison's last two novels, "Signs of Life" and "The Course of the Heart" are even better. How a writer of this stature could have remained "unknown" for so long amazes me.

M.John Harrison is often lumped together with fantasy/sci-fi writers. However, he draws together many genres, particularly in these short stories. While reading this book I drifted in and out of stories which, as in real life itself, have no conclusion, but have the most exquisite way imaginable of reaching their non-conclusion. He tells tales of a city Viriconium (sometimes Uroconium, somtimes Vriko) which doesn't seem to exist in any discernable time or place. The names of streets sound vaguely familiar - smatterings of French and German, the inhabitants perform bizarre and meaningless rituals that show traces of the English countryside traditions of Harrison's own youth. For the most part, you feel that you are in a fantasy setting - characters include warriors, a dwarf, and the Mammy Vooley - the thousand-year old queen of Viriconium, a living mummy who dribbles into her dust-filled lap as her bearers carry her in procession through the streets, but then someone goes into their house and switches on an electric light and you think "hey?". The book ends with a story of two old men in present day England, who have heard and read much of Viriconium, and who spend their time visiting the bookshops of Huddersfield, because they have heard a rumor the at the back of a cafe in one of these bookshops is a toilet whose mirror is the gateway to Uroconium. Some of the stories also have an aspect of horror, the same sense of urgency and terror as a good H.P.Lovecraft or Edgar Allan Poe.

As the reviewer from Time Out said "An evening's read, and at least a fortnight's dreams". I never return to books after reading them - I have far too many unread books to make time for that, but this is a book which I have gone back to again and again just to drink in the atmosphere of Viriconium.

'Medea' by Euripedes is a classic and powerful Greek tragedy that broke all the rules of that time period. Euripedes takes two great figures in Medea and Jason, and uses Iconoclastic techniques brilliantly to make Jason seem stupid and Medea seem like a murderer. It is especially interesting because of the story that you need to understand outside of the play. You will need to know who the gods are and how Medea and Jason got together. Medea is a powerful sorceress, which is a major point in this play. The imagery of the death scenes were VIVIDLY scripted and the gods, who are supposed to represent all that is good and rightous, are also mocked and bashed by Euripedes. Overall, Euripedes defied all and created a tragic masterpiece, I will definately recommend you to read this. Thank you.

Medea, as our heroine, is the true definition of a woman scorned. Not only does Medea leave her homeland to follow her one and only love, but she sacrifices her whole life to him. What happens in the book when she finds out Jason wants to take on another wife after Medea has scrificed everything for him...? Well, I'll leave that to you to find out. I'll simply say that Medea is, suprisingly, very imaginiative - at the time of it's writing, it broke all the barriers that surrounded around Greek tradedies. I must also say that Medea is in somewhat of the same arena as "The Odyssey" - it's incredibly descriptive, even with the language used that is so different from our own, Euripides genuinely "takes the reader there." All in all, a wonderful, very readable play. And remember, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! A great commentary, if a little extreme, but still wonderful, enchanting - you WILL be pulled into the action! 5 stars!

This is one of those remarkable plays that feels like it was written just last week. Medea is the daughter of the evil King Aeetes in Colchis -- on the remote, eastern side of the Black Sea. She assists Jason in slaying the serpent that guarded the golden fleece, and fell deeply in love with him. (See Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica for a fuller treatment of the love episode at Colchis). She even killed her brother, Absrytus, on their way back to Greece.

Medea has one problem, however. Aside from the fact she is a witch, she is a barbarian, a non-Greek. The Greeks used the word "barbaros" to refer to all people who weren't Greek, because if they didn't speak Greek, it just sounded like "bar bar bar" to the Greeks.

So after Jason and Medea settle in together back in Greece, his homeland, he decides that his interests (and Medea's) are better served if he marries the daughter of King Creon of Corinth. Medea gets jealous, poisons the woman, and then kills her two children in revenge.

Medea is an absolutely riveting character, whose tragic problems are those of all woman who have left their homes and families to follow men to foreign lands, only to be scorned by them in the end. The speeches of Jason and Medea are remarkable point-counterpoint presentations which reflect the deep influence of the sophists of Euripides' day. Medea sounds, at times, like a proto-feminist. She is one of the most enduring dramatic creations of all times, revealing with each line the remarkable genius of Euripides, the most modern of the three great Greek tragedians

In preparing our list of Christmas books to share with others, we had to search far and wide on amazon to find this particular book, a paperback edition of the classic Night Before Christmas.

This is the book I've used for years when reading this story to my own children, passing on Tasha Tudor and other illustrators. Why?

Although we can find the same poem and pay a lot more, with award winning illustrators, the illustrations provided by Douglas Gorsline are surely the best. They are quite colorful, and offer details little children love looking into...cats lie sleepily on the window sill, we see an overview of the town, the presents spilling from the open sack are intriguing and plentiful, and Jolly St. Nick is -- well, quite Jolly (as you can see by looking at the cover!)

The story is an "abridged version" - I'm not sure about other parents, but we read this on Christmas Eve, and we only have so much time and energy. Everything we remember from the classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore is in this version.

(From "'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse" to "He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!" In between we have everything, from the names of the eight tiny reindeer, to a belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly, including dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky".

In other words, don't be scared off by 'abridged'!)

Perhaps a hardcover edition might be more appropriate if you're giving a gift (unless you're giving to more than one child), but this book is one of the best offers we've found!

A classic done simply and inexpensively!

I discovered this book 31 years ago, for my daughter and it is still loved by all the family. The illustrations are wonderful, warm, charming and delightful and bring a special meaning to the story. We still read it to all the young children on Christmas Eve and for adults we read the story and pass a grab bag gift every time the word THE is mentioned. It would not be Christmas without this book. It is magical.

We have an inexpensive paperback version (see our reviews) of this classic poem, and we said that's enough for us. That was before we looked through this beautifully illustrated (by Bruce Whatley) edition of The Night Before Christmas.

The lyrics are the same, from book to book, but the fanciful illustrations in this one are enough to engage adults and children as they read this book together.

The perfect gift for any family whose Christmas tradition includes reading this classic!

Shef is now co-king of england, and has brought peace and prosperity to his land. He is summoned to go north, and to make a great journey around the northlands. The plot thickens in this book, and builds on the first. The charachters develop even more in this book, and continue to do so in the final book of the trilogy.

I love this trilogy, from the start of book one to the end of book three, the historical aspects are pointed out in a way that fits as part of the story and they don't overthrow the plot, lending the books a very authoritative tone. The Characters are great, (Brand is one of my favorites) and there's plenty of action. What I like best about these books is that Harrison really makes you feel inside the story, the way he handles the characters attitudes towards each other and their surroundings really makes you feel like you're right with them weather it's Anglo-Saxon England, Scandinavia, The Frankish Empire, Muslum Spain or what's left of Rome. As for character development, Harrison has a great way of using the third-person point of view in a way that can convey things unknown to the characters yet at the same time the tone of the narrative is flavored with the particular character's personality, culture and view of their surroundings, helping the reader understand more fully the motives and inhibitions of the people he describes. I read these back in high school and loved them then as much I still do now.

I am not usually interested in alternate-history stories, but this one intrigued me -- and paid off. This looks at the efforts of Shef, who has risen from slave-status to become one of the two most powerful kings in England (and an ally of the other). What does a driven man do when he reaches the top? Shef builds a mighty fleet and goes after his enemies abroad. Without intending to, he completes the legendary circuit of the Norse lands and establishes himself, after tremendous adventures and battles, as the King of the North. A new factor is introduced along the way, as the Holy Roman Church establishes an order of knights on a quest for the spear of Longinus that bears the Blood of Christ. Who has it? Shef, by accident of destiny. This makes him an enemy of the knights and their fearsome Germanic leader, Bruno.

The "alternate" factor thrown in to the mix is a new religion, called "The Way", which is a more civilized version of Norse mythology. As in standard Norse mythology, there is a set of gods, with each representing different aspects of life and with internal strife between the gods. What "The Way" adds is the idea that Man's role in life is to find his greatest talents and to dedicate himself to his patron god by mastering the talent that god represents, adding something to it, and teaching others. This new religion also does not see itself as being necessarily in conflict with any other religion, and follows a belief in freedom of choice. Shef follows a little-known god, who is the patron of knowledge and invention.

All of this might sound somewhat dry and esoteric to some. However, the religious factors is woven into a rousing, well-written adventure tale featuring lots of battles, alliances, treachery, a little romance, and very interesting settings. I have read this book several times, and expect to read it again.

The truth is, I was skeptical about the book when I first heard about it. "How could one build a business around selling a computer mouse shaped like a golf driver?"

But after hearing rave reviews from my friend I decided to give it a try, as a bedtime reading ;) Gosh! was that a bad idea, I couldn't put down the book until 3am in the morning!

In this world of multi-million hi-tech startup, it is amazing to see how John & Kyle build a viable business around a product and making money out of it! Having worked with a couple of multi-million failed startup, I am especially intrigued by their "Art of low-financing". Not a day goes by after reading their book that I don't think about quitting my job and starting a small business :)

This book is as close as you can get to feeling the pain and reward of starting a business without actually doing it!

About John Lusk & Kyle Harrison, two Wharton MBA graduates who eschewed the siren call of the dot coms to start their own business selling computer mice shaped like the head of a golf club. A real page turner, this book originally started out as a series of e-mail newsletters that the authors wrote to keep their friends and family apprised of how their company was doing. I found the writing style honest and realistic, yet humorous. Must read material for anybody who has ever thought about starting a company, or who worked in the computer industry during the dot-com era and ever thought about joining a startup.

When I first saw this book, my heart did not exactly skip a beat. Another book about (and worse, BY!) 2 American entrepreneurs selling computer mice? Haven't publishers had enough of all these human interest business stories that all share the same beginnings and endings?

I decided to give the book a go anyway since it was a gift from a friend. Surprisingly, I was unable to put it down. Even though I am an Asian doing my MBA in Europe, I believe the experiences of the authors hold true for all aspiring entrepreneurs.

And what experiences! I won't give the story away (go to mousedriver.com and look at their Insider newsletter for a summary of some of their tales),but DO consider this book to get an idea of what it means to passionately believe in a product, get that product to the market -- and how to deal with all the obstacles in the way while preserving your sanity and bank balances.

If, like me, you have thoughts about being an entrepreneur but are not sure of what to start being passionate about, read this book and "Just Drive It" ! The marketing slogan for the MouseDriver (that's what these guys are trying to sell, a mouse that is shaped like a golf club) is certainly effective shorthand for all those who have always THOUGHT about being their own boss but have have not dared to fall out of their 8 to 8 routines (Worry about the landing later:-)

MouseDriver Chronicles is a true, compelling story that deserves a wider audience. I now understand why my friend (who gave me the book) actually went on to help publish it. Happy AND educational endings, anyone?

This is the book we have all waited for. For almost 30 years we have waited; and MAN!!! Was it ever worth the wait. This book is at first glance; one of the most beautiful books I've ever held in my hands. The paper used is thick, heavy, and smooth as silk. It's a rather large book, which gives the photographs an impact few books have offered before. Even the shots I've seen before are striking. This is by far the most comprehensive document ever published on the "Fab Four". So many surprises, so many "little" details that only the boys could know. Everything about the "Anthology" project has been done with such loving care, and this book is no exception. The beatles have given the world so much over the past four decades; and now, with this rich impressive chronicle, they give us their own personal recollections of a time when the world was just beginning to learn how to ROCK!!! Thank you, John, Paul, George, Ringo, George Martin, Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans, Derek Taylor, Klas Voorman, and Yoko Ono. This is without doubt; the "Ultimate" book on "The Beatles". Still the most influential band in the history of Rock n' Roll.

From "Love Me Do" to "The Long and Winding Road", the Beatles were always viewed by everyon as a phenomenon. I was born five years after the death of John Lennon, fifteen years after the band broke up, and yet, somehow, I've become an avid fan. Looking at the so-called 'authorized biographies' and such, I thought that this would be some kind of touchy-feely novelistic biography.

Boy, was I wrong!

From the minute I opened it in the bookstore to a random page, I was thrilled. Gung-ho pictures, poignant comments from the four and their closest friends and co-workers(like George Martin). Reading John Lennon's autobiography was a particularly moving moment, seeing the disillusioned Beatle's take on his own hard life. The whole book is not to be read start to finish, in my opinion. Open it to a page and start. I guarentee that you won't put it down until they prise your fingers from the book.

Don't Pass this one By. Get Back online and BUY THIS BOOK!

The Beatles story is an incredibly fascinating one. In so many ways their history is not merely of a musical group, even a great one. The Beatles transcended mere music. From 1962-1970, the entire period of their recording career, the Beatles recorded hundreds ofbrilliant songs, groundbreaking albums and lived enough advenutre to fill a lifetime. When this book was published, the three surviving Beatles had lived more than twice as many years since the breakup as the entire time the group was together. It is really remarkable to read (or see in the video) McCartney, Starr and Harrison talking about the Beatle's times from the perspective of late middle age. The story itself will be familiar to any Beatle's fan. The early days in Britain, the crazy days of Beatle mania, the acid drenched mid-sixties when the times began to influence the Beatle's sound and the Beatle's music so headily influenced the times. The flirtation with Indian religion, the death of Brian Epstein, Yoko Ono, the slowly growing rigt and finally the acrimonious breakup. All in an incredible 8 years. What makes this book unique, even from earlier books that quote the Beatles is the perspective of time which has clearly mellowed the three surviviors. Lennon's quote's are necessarily taken from before his death in 1980 and it is interesting to see how his failure to reach middle age lends a different perspective to his memories of the Beatles, in his case memories less than fifteen years old. How fascinating to hear Paul and George discussing the making of "Let it Be" where the bitterness was clear. Paul essentially apologizes and it is nice to know he and George settled their differences before Harrison's death late last year. Not only do I recommend this book, it cannot be missed by anyone interested in the Beatle's history in their own words. No other auto-biography will be as comprehensive for one reason. It will require much of the book to focus on pre and post Beatles years. As I stated, the Beatles recording career lasted 8 years. Today a top band would record at most three albums in that time. Don't miss the book or the video collection

Excellent book focused on the Longitude act's of the 1700's. The primary emphasis is on the two technologies Lunar-distance and chonometer for determining longitude with a precision under 1 degree. The relative percentages are: 50% chonometer, 30% lunar distance, 10% Jupiter's moons, 10% general history pre-1600's. I gave it four stars instead of 5 because I thought the book was going to be a balanced discussion ( i.e. equal time)encompassing all methods of determining longitude irrespective of a 1 degree precision. All that said, I would still recommend the book to anyone interested in the topic.

This beautifully presented large hardback is actually a series of essays covering the story of the search for Longitude from the 16th century to the 19th. The essays deal with a range of subjects from the mathematical to the absurd, from astronomy to cartography and has 4 excellent appendices. The book is well laid out with both black&white and color photography in a manner that means you don't need to be a student of the sea of chronology to understand it. A good book to have on the shelf.

This review is top notch and comprehensive. It's the book of choice to cover the background and the technology. I'm not a watch or clock fanatic, but I slam dunked this whole book in just a couple days; a 15 hour Qantas flight kept me captive. I wish there was more discussion on the nature of astronomy and how the clocks were calibrated. I want to read up on octants, sextants and basic navigation now. This book deserves five stars. The A&E four hour documentary, "Longitude", this month also deserves high marks. If someone knows of a good read on navigating with astronomy that's more layman oriented, please email me (thanks).