What remains in my mind after reading Meadow Boy to our children is the light in John Roberts' illustrations. They radiate with a magic and meaning that need no words. The brief text, written on two levels (you must read one or the other to fully appreciate its flow), is delightful in its own way. But the illustrtations remain after the book is closed. We would love to mount them on the walls of our children's rooms as lullabies for the eyes.

I can't give you a wordy, erudite critique of this book. I just know what I like. This is it! The pictures are beautiful to look at. And, if you want enjoyable reading for a child, or an adult for that matter, that doesn't 'talk down' to them, get this book.

Meadow Boy once again revs up the promise for family books that fall outside the cookie cutter standards of big publishing houses. This first offering from Pentultimate Publishing neither panders to kids' cartoon mentality nor to adults' harried expectations. Author Reed Parsley and illustrator John Roberts defy conventional children's book wisdom on many levels. Parsley's text is divided on each page into poetic headlines that flow naturally from page one to conclusion. And beside each of the illustrations, narrative poems ease you into the soul of the artwork, which by any measure, is wonderful. For a quick bedtime read, the headlines take you from the kernel of a daydream to its fully popped possiblities within us all. For those joyous, pokey family interludes, the poems both stand alone and add layers to the rapturous artwork. The illustrations offer an art gallery-like opportunity for your children to experience provocative art. Nature as story teller, messenger of beauty, background comfort, psychic shelter and pre-eminent friend, Roberts' pictures transport on many different levels. Overall, Meadow Boy is tinged with a sense of pervading melancholy, perhaps for the time we no longer have to savor such published beauty as evidenced here.

I am a Junior/Senior in Chemical Engineering, and I can't say enough about this set I recently purchased. My husband is a Graduate student in Chemical Engineering and he told me to hold off, that he never used his copy (1991 version), and never needed it in college. I use the electronic book all the time on my laptop. It's a great resource, and so EASY to use. I even caught my husband using my Perry's on more than one occasion, and he finally admitted my version was much better and easier to use than his! He went out and bought his OWN copy! I pretty much only use the electronic book, but it's nice to know if my laptop crashed, I have a hardcopy to go to. With the active 8, you can get the variables from a z-Compressibility Chart without having to take out the magnifying lens and ruler. Just slide your mouse and a red bordered legend tells you the Tr Pr and z simultaneously until you reach your desired measurements. Printing is a cinch, and it looks like the hardcopy except on 1 page! As I said, I use this book about every day, and I am sure this is what I'll bring to the office when I'm done with school. This would have been sweet during my Material/Energy Balance class as a sophomore, too. If you're a student you already spend $500+ on textbooks a term anyway, you might as well buy a book that has the information of every book you will buy in college in one resource for a little extra money, I put my name on it. You won't regret it if you're serious about your major.

I am a chemical engineering student at Kansas University, where Don Green teaches. I just hope that when I take my econ. class from him next semester, that his class is as easy as this book is easy to use.....a must for students, not only professionals

I used the early editions of Perry before, but this 7th edition is the most comprehensive one ever. All you need from steam tables to equations & formulae are all included in the CD ROM. I recommend it to every professional engineer in power plant and/or process industries. It's a must-have reference.

Hadi Kazwini Plant Performance Engineer ALSTOM POWER LTD Australia

I was very pleased by the large number of high-quality reproductions. Still, as far as I'm concerned there should have been *more*. The book contains (a rough count) about 280 pages containing text or mostly text, out of about 630 total pages. However, I'm very happy with the book.

Best book, I have ever bought

The problem with art books is that they go out of print too quickly. This is a beautifully presented book on Rauschenberg that was released with the big retrospective at the Guggenheim in 97/98. Barnes and Noble still had copies avaiable as of Sept. 99, so check there -- they were even discounted!

Although most Ryan devotees focus on his more famous "film noir" vehicles as evidence of his skill, Jarlett illuminates his performances in scores of less known films. In Horizons West, Ryan's interpretation of a disgruntled ex-Confederate major achieves more in his portrait than the sum of the film's parts.
Return of the Badmen also featured Ryan's grim portrait of a cold-blooded bank robber that elevates an otherwise pedestrian horse opera to something nearly sublime. Other choice Ryan vignettes can be found in such early Ryan enterprises like Marine Raiders. Made in 1944 when America was fighting the Japanese, Ryan gives a stout performance that achieves real range, again raising a programmer to cult status. The author provides detailed film critiques from major publications (Time, The New York Times, Variety, etc.), providing readers with a glimpse at what critics of those time periods said about Ryan. I was pleased to note upon reading critical reviews of Ryan's character in Marine Raiders that film critic Manny Farber of Nation magazine compared Ryan with Gary Cooper, though in all honesty, Ryan easily outclassed Cooper as an actor. Perhaps Farber was referring to Ryan's quiet magnetism.
Jarlett addresses the question of Ryan's status as the cinema's epitome of the "noir" protagonist, noting his contributions in such "noir" gems as The Racket, Act of Violence, The Woman on the Beach, Beware, My Lovely, Caught, On Dangerous Ground (John Houseman lauded his portrayal of a disillusioned cop as a "disturbing mixture of anger and sadness"). I cannot think of another actor who deserved a book devoted to his life and works besides Ryan. Kudos to Franklin Jarlett for giving us his gift.
Jarlett illuminates the off-screen actor's life, noting that the actor and his wife founded the Oakwood School in California, which stills remains viable today as a solid, academically oriented institution of higher learning.
Besides the fifty or so movie stills, Jarlett's book features interviews with those closest to Ryan, and a glowing preface by John Houseman, who worked closely with Ryan on various stage productions before they became a fad.

When I saw this book at a local book store, I was ecstatic. I had long hoped that someone would write a biography on Ryan, and wondered why this amazingly talented actor never was recognized for his range, versatility, and talent. The picture on the book's cover grabbed my attention immediately: it was none other than Ryan's psychopathic Montgomery from the film noir gem, Crossfire. Oh great!!! I thought; someone finally decided to take on the task of researching material for a book about Ryan.

After purchasing the book, I rushed home to read it, along the way quickly perusing the scores of stills the author included. I was in my glory, since Ryan was my favorite actor growing up. The book is a fully researched tome that seems to have gotten to the heart of the matter. Yes, the book depicts a man whose performances seemed to exemplify the "art" of film-making, rather than the glitz of fame. Herein one can find definitive examples of Ryan's "art". Read Jarlett's reviews of early Ryan gem performances to understand just how great he was: Act of Violence, The Woman On The Beach, Caught, Beware, My Lovely were just a few examples of film as art, and the author seems to understand the ethos that drove Ryan.

I marveled at the author's ability to write with the same sort of artistic merit that Ryan endorsed: the book contains reviews culled from scores of cinema retrospectives on Ryan's films, including Cahiers Du Cinema, Films in Review, and so on. Jarlett's sources of information were first-rate. Who can deny the opinion of John Houseman, whose preface lauds Jarlett's acumen in discerning Ryan's talents?

I agree with one amazon reviewer who noticed Ryan's subtle touches of brilliance in The Racket, a film which portrayed him as a ruthless racketeer who nevertheless garners a degree of pity. The scene where Ryan's Nick Scanlon jauntily munches on an apple while trading words with Robert Mitchum's stalwart cop was a sublime melding of actor and prop.

But The Racket is just one of countless films in which Ryan lent his talents to make good films better. I wondered why Ryan never went after the blockbuster roles that contemporaries landed. Jarlett clarifies this point: Ryan simply didn't care about them, instead searching for artistic expression. The book discusses the great Hollywood directors with whom he worked, in classics such as House of Bamboo, The Naked Spur, On Dangerous Ground, Lonelyhearts, Odds Against Tomorrow, Billy Budd, The Wild Bunch, and his last most trenchant portrait in The Iceman Cometh. Who else but Ryan could have been better as Eugene O'Neill's anarchist Larry Slade?

The book is a one-of-a-kind, definitive exposition of Ryan's life and films, and I applaud Jarlett's commitment to finally bring the actor's life to the forefront. My only regret is that Ryan was not alive to have placed his imprimatur on Jarlett's superb biography.

Having seen most of Ryan's films when I was a child, I was again drawn to seeing them after purchasing Franklin Jarlett's authorized biography. I saw the book at a local book store, attracted by the book cover featuring the familiar scowling features of Ryan from 1947's "Crossfire", which earned him an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor that year. Before purchasing the book, I perused the fifty or so stills from his films, and the detailed filmography, which convinced me that I had made a smart buy. I can happily report that the book is an inspired piece of writing: Jarlett's literary skills make one want to read more. He obviously has gotten to the quick of the man, drawing from scores of film critiques from Cahiers Du Cinema and other esteemed cinema circles.
I read Jarlett's book with fascination after many years of waiting for someone to write a book about Ryan, who was one of the most undervalued talents in Hollywood. I always found it curious that although Ryan came up through the ranks at RKO as one of its contract players from the forties, along with Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster and Robert Mitchum, he never garnered the stardom that they achieved, as least with mainstream audiences. Jarlett amply elucidated the reasons for this phenomenon: Ryan simply didn't care that much about fame; he would rather appear in a film for artistic merit instead of for box office success. I only needed to look at Ryan's films from the forties, which Jarlett reviews in detail, to see what an amazing list of films there were. He obviously spent long hours researching the book, which contains behind-the-scenes stories that Jarlett elicited from Ryan's close circle of friends (John Houseman, John Frankenheimer, Lamont Johnson, Robert Wallsten, Arvin Brown and Millard Lampell).
I noted one Amazon reviewer to remark that the author captured the actor's essence in such performances as the racketeer in The Racket. I was likewise mesmerized by Ryan's quirky interpretation of the psychopathic ex-G.I. in Crossfire. I especially liked Jarlett's analyses of Ryan's other unsung gems, such as in House of Bamboo when Ryan says to his friend after killing him, "Why did you tip the cops, Griff?", or Beware, My Lovely, Act of Violence, The Naked Spur, to name a few. Another interesting fact that Jarlett brought out was that Ryan was the "film noir" king, with fourteen trenchant portraits in that genre over the years. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to delve underneath the surface of Ryan's screen presence since in real life he was the opposite of what he portrayed on the screen.

If there was ever an American original, it's Jim Thompson. His dark and deranged world-view, expressed in a series of cheap paperbacks in the fifties and sixties, revels in the that part of the American psyche that we ignore and are afraid to look at. Polito's detailed bio explains where Thompson came from, and the events that molded him into the premier writer of American noir. Even if you aren't interested in Thompson and his work, this is an exquisite biography.

I didn't think it was possible to write a full-scale biography of Thompson because of his scattered, secret life. But Polito has pulled off the seemingly impossible. He gathers together unexpected facts from obscure sources in places all over the country. He combines this with excellent, insightful analysis of this tortured writer's work. When I first read Thompson's novels back in the mid-'80's, it felt like my brain was being turned inside out. I was so astonished I went out and bought every one. Now thanks to Polito we can begin to understand the sources of the horror and the humanity of his novels.

My only complaint about this honest and thorough bio is that Thompson was a lazy crybaby. His writing was inconsistent, as was his character. I loved every minute of this great life story.

Mr. Dollar does a great job tracing the lineage, training, and technique of this powerful but little known school of Okinawan karate. The flow is good and steady and the material found in here is first-rate. Investigate and documented by a real practioner trained by the real masters this book is worth every penny, so check it out!

Uechi-ryu is not a well know style in many parts of the country. As such if you looking for a book that covers not only the history of the style but also the some of the history of the island that developed it, and does so in depth, this is the book for you. Its a huge book and its packed full of info both on Okinawa and on the history and development of Uechi-ryu.

If you study Uechi-Ryu this book is a must for you.
The Incredable lenghts that Sensei Dollar went to give us this
History should not be taken Lightly. The great way that he
gives the acuurate details without takeing sides on any fractions
of the Art are to be admired. This is a must have Book.

This book it is exactly what it says it is. Easy tips that can help you to run your restaurant and improve the service you offer to your customers. It is more for the owner or the manager but it can be usefull to everybody who is working there even the barmen. I recomend it because of the easy language it uses and because it offers practical solutions to everyday problems.

My manager recommended this book to me. I started using the tips inside before I even finished the book. I saw a difference in my wallet immediately! This book makes your job as a waiter/waitress easier and more profitable. It pays for itself in the first night. I recommend it to all our new hires.

The best buy I have done since long time.. a hands on tool for hospitality and restaurant professionals.. Packed of tips, hints and the Truth.. I have started using some examples while still reading this book. I think a must for every manager and boss in this industry.. I learned a lot and opened my eyes again, remembered things forgotten and implemented tricks from the book.. this book is every cent worth spent.. And fun reading too.

I have owned "Silent Films, 1877-1996" for two years, and use it as a constant reference. (If you are a fan of TCM "Silent Sunday" or are a fan of silent movies and would like a guide to watching or purchasing silent film, this is the first reference to which I turn.) This does not cover absolutely every silent film, but there have been very few which I did not find information upon here. "Silent Films" also covers actors, directors, and other cinematographical information. The price tag is high, but for the silent movie buff it is indeed worth the price. I journal my silent movie viewings on its pages to keep a record. "Silent Films, 1877-1996" has gone from investment to treasure.

Robert Klepper has a remarkable love and knowledge of silent film. His understanding of the historical place of any movie he reviews is impressive and thoughtful. The book is a standing resource for any film enthusiast. In watching these films some of our favorite practices are to look for scenes that more modern films either steal (or pay omage to - depending on your thinking) and to pay attention to stunts that no actor or actress will ever have to duplicate in a more advanced film age. These are things that Robert Klepper also makes notice of and shares with his readers. I find his rating system to be reliable to my own standards and his humor to be very welcome - though I think some readers might miss some of it.

I do cherish this particular book and guard it heavily - no one is permited to borrow it. (I am usually pretty generous with my shelves.)

I assure you that the book is well worth the price -it is an excellent resource to the novice or the expert.

J

This is the best index of silent film that I've ever seen. The reviews are bold independent and informative, if not always completely objective, Mr. Klepper is not afraid to have an opinion. This is a reference that I keep going back to.

I was very pleased with this book and read it from cover to cover.Besides having a fascinating text it's loaded with beautiful pictures, including a set of pictures of Anne Rice doing a publicity shoot in one of New Orleans's cemeteries.I really wasn't that familiar with the history of the burial grounds in New Orleans and I learned a LOT from this book. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who's into cemeteries, funeral history, and Anne Rice!

I would never have went to New Orleans without visiting at least one of the famous above ground cemeteries - I was not disappointed! The history behind them is fascinating. They're built above ground, so that when there is any kind of flooding, the bodies don't float away since New Orleans is 700?ft below sea level. What was really neat to me though, is that one tomb, could and would be used for many generations of the same family. I thought it was a comforting thought to know that you wouldn't be burried alone, but in the exact same place as your ancestors. I think New Orleans people celebrate death, not that they're glad someone is gone, but that they're glad they had the chance to live and love them! There is just a kind of magic about the cemeteries, especially St. Louis #1, the oldest cemetery in the area. The photo's in this book capture that magic! Unfortunately, the section on #1 is small. This book includes many of the cemeteries including St. Louis 2 and 3, and Metairie, which is one of the nicest and most [costly] ones. I highly recommend this book for it's information and photography! If you go to see #1, it is in a not-so-good crime area that is improving, but make sure you go with a tour! The tour guides always have some interesting extra info!

We travel to and through Louisiana quite a bit. Because of this, I tend to pick up books about Louisiana, particularly Louisiana history. I bought this book because I liked the pictures. However, once I began reading this book, I realized that there was much more to the cemeteries than interesting statues. I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading this book and found it as informative as it was interesting.

This book begins with an introduction about cemeteries in Louisiana and then covers different cemeteries in Louisiana. Generally there is a history of the cemetery, an accounting of some of the more famous people buried in each cemetery and a lot of information.

For someone visiting Louisiana, particularly someone who is considering a tour of the cemeteries, this book is a must.

When I bought this book I only expected to get a smattering of OE. but was delightfully surprised to find that this text, in conjunction with Robinson's Old English and its Closest Relatives (which you should read first if you're a monolingual English speaker)brings the world of old Germanic language and culture into a sharper focus. After reading some texts in Old English, I started to branch out into Old Icelandic and even Gothic (truly Exciting!). I feel that Old English is an essential study for anyone interested in Germanic language. It serves as a good, solid base by which languages like Gothic and Old Norse are more easily and quickly understood.

This is the only book for Anglo-Saxon that I know of, besides some editions of Beowulf, which has PARALLEL TEXTS for all of the readings. This is a huge help and will save you a whole lotta knock-shloggin' (looking words up), so you can study Old English kicked back with your feet up. Plus, the translations are nice and literal, and where they can't be literal, the translator gives the word-for-word meaning in parentheses.

Another nice thing is that, unlike most all other Old English readers, none of the selections here are translations of Latin works (and so not influenced by annoying Latin syntax), but all original Anglo-Saxon compositions, including some of the most important works: Caedmon's Hymn, The Battle of Brunanburg, The Battle of Maldon, The Dream of the Rood, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Wife's Lament, The Whale, selections from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Alfred vs. the Vikings--hooray!), and others.

Mr. Diamond says that this book "is intended to make learning Old English as easy as possible", and he does a great service by publishing it. True, there are no lessons or exercises, but if you've been studying your German or your Icelandic then you'll have no problem with the very to-the-point treatments of grammar, Umlaut, metrics, etc. (If, on the other hand, you haven't been working on your modern German, then what the heck are you already jumping to Old English for?!)

This book, good also for review, will get you reading Anglo-Saxon texts very soon if not immediately, and the mix in them of a hardy Germanic character and a very familiar Englishness is pure pleasure.

(P.S. If you want a really helpful edition of Beowulf, get George Jack's (OUP), and if you want a nice overview of all Old Germanic, try Robinson's Old English and its Closest Relatives.)

Excelent reader. A very complete grammar. However, unless you have another book to get exercises you won't be able to use this as self-study material.