I am quite sure it was the film "Gandhi" that had me thinking Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971) was essentially a portrait photographer, but this impressive collection of her life's work amply proves otherwise. Bourke-White was originally an industrial photographer, who was hired by Henry Robinson Luce to do assignments for his new magazine "Fortune," for which she did extensive photographic essays on everything from meat packing plants in Chicago and glass blowers in upstate New York to workers in Indiana quarries and the steel industry in Germany's Ruhr valley.

On her first trip to Russia in 1930 she photographed not only the industrial expansion of the Soviet Union but the lifestyle of the people and it is from this point in her career that she made the clear shift to being a photo journalist. During the Great Depression she documented the plight of migrant farm workers and sharecroppers. When Luce launched "Life" in 1936 Bourke-White formed the magazine's original photographic staff (along with Alfred Eisenstaedt, Peter Stackpole, and Thomas McAvoy) and her photo of the construction of Fort Peck Dam in Montana was the cover and lead article in the first issue. During World War II Bourke-White covered everything from the German attack on Moscow to Patton's push into Germany to the horrors of Buchenwald.

Bourke-White's work represents the height of the era in which photography was a recognized art form, by which I mean a time when photographs were hung on walls in the same manner as paintings. Her work, like the best of that period by her contemporaries, has a poster-like design. It is fascinating to read how her use of multiple flashbulbs helped her create a more realistic effect. "Margaret Bourke-White, Photographer" lays out her career in clear stages, telling us not only about what she was doing but the hows and whys as well. Whether you consider yourself an aspiring photographic artist or are simply an interested neophyte such as myself, you will have a greater appreciation for both the artist and her art after devouring this book, which contains 160 pages of superb reproductions of her best and most famous monochrome images (some of which are from her personal archives).

I did not buy this book because MBW was an inspirational female or other, but because her photos are simply superb. They capture a feeling, a time and space with a clarity that is both sparse and yet detailed. This is a book to savour and reflect on.

This book illustrates why Margaret Bourke-White should be recognized as one of the 20th century's top photographers. Her ability to capture a moment during war and destruction or an enternity in marble and stone, is awe inspiring. She was not limited by her feminity. She moved easily into the world of machines and factories, capturing molten metal and shiny blades. Again and again, I return to the book and study all aspects of her photographs. The depth of field, the rhythm, the harmony and the life seen in all her photos takes my breath away. Within a few days of purchasing the book, I had the joy of visiting the National Art Gallery of Canada in Ottawa where there are two Margaret Bourke-White photos in their collection. The soft creamy paper used in these pictures counters the hard metal of the image itself. These are the third and fourth Margaret Bourke-White's I have had the pleasure to see in person. The other two was a copy of the original cover for LIFE magazine and a single rose bud. Both of these photos are owned by Margaret Bourke-White's sorority and are featured in their archival collection. The photographic reproductions in this book, although lacking the soft creams of the Art Gallery's copies, do capture the integrity of her photos. I will treasure this book.

I picked this book up because I live in Bay Area and I was interested in reading a Bay Area author. This book is truly a find. The characters are fully realized and the writing is quite beautiful. I have to admit, I did find the first section (the first reunion of the comet) to be a little hard to get into, but I plowed forward, and now I am entirely wrapped up in the narrative. There are lines in this that sparkle--the kind you write down to remember long after you have put down the book. Further, the way time works in this novel is quite astonishing--you believe you're on this linear path where you're marching through the years. However, the narrative keeps circling around these moments. While on some levels this isn't Virginia Woolf (and I am also reading MRS DALLOWAY at the same time), I do find that both Greer and Woolf are interested in the "moment" and the ways in which a moment can resonate but not actually change a life--these moments are not Joycian epiphanies that become public acknowledgments of change. Instead these are touchstones in our lives that we return to again and again and ponder. A great book.

This novel is a remarkable find. Beautifully written, with many highly individualized characters, described with sharp and subtle insight. They interact through a cyclical plot that documents the effects of time on ambition (declining)and compassion (increasing). Never predictable, it is always intelligent and profoundly sympathetic to the human condition. The story moves with Comet Swift, from its discovery through two orbits (24 years),with periodic reunions at aphelion and perihelion. The second comet is discovered along the way by the protagonists, the reluctant lovers whose sad and joyous affair is the backbone of the narrative. One of the best I've read in recent years.

"The Path of Minor Planets" is a reader's delight. Complex. Character-driven. Agile. Beautiful. It's a magnificent, mature work, amazing for a first novelist.

Written in what critics now like to call "psycho-narrative," Greer's book displays a third-person omniscient narrative that bores into its characters heads. It's a risky style: after all, Greer has to populate his characters with enough detail and freshness so that they feel real. And that he does it, not through action or scene or dialog, but for the most part through the subtler, richer stuff of the human brain and its wandering eye. Like "The Waves," "Path..." brings us about as close to our essential humanity as a book can.

"Path..." ostensibly is about a group of astronomers who meet once every six years to celebrate a minor comet discovered by their own academic star, Professor Swift. Their first meeting to witness the comet's passing from a lightless and distant Pacific isle is interrupted by an accident involving the death of a child. Subsequent chapters track characters who were present at the scene through their lives, failed marriages, and stormy careers.

But "Path..." reveals much more. "Path..." shows us the effect of inhabiting different heads, of the space separating human objects in their orbits around one another, of the physical and emotional laws tying us together.

It's unfortunate that Greer's book has thus far been under-appreciated. However, with the talent available to the author, I have no doubt as to his future successes.

Rubenstein seeks out the Scottish course that he enjoyed 25 years past, and discovers much more than he bargained for.

This eminent, wordcrafter contributes a delightful tale of golf, not "cart-ball" as the game as become on the NA contienent. Here, it's not booming drives and high stick shots, but more the relaxation and wide open spaces with the tranquility and sereneness the game has had in these Highlands.

One gets somewhat the feel that golfers rave about in Scotland, and this fine book helps those of us who have never been closer than say London in my case to get a taste of what it's like to be near the sea in sand formed links.

Golfers will reverberate to his find wordsmithing such as: "Golf, not marriage, is the triumph of hope over experience. I don't konow why I shuld feel hopeful after playing dreadfully for thirteen holes and now facing the most comfounding hole on the course. That's golf. That's a golfer."

Such charming writing about what every golfer that I know has ever played speaks of Dornoch, it is the essence of Donald Ross and links golf and everything the game is about.

What the season life at Dornoch gives Rubenstein he also passes on, the Clearances and the plight of this people of pipes and drams and links and books. Sounds like the perfect village life many of us dream of living in.

I bought this book for my husband. We loved Scotland and he loves golf so I thought this was the perfect book. It took us back to our time in Scotland and Denny's first view of St. Andrews. I recomment this book for any avid golfer. It was a hit at my house.

Lorne Rubenstein has scored a literary "Hole in One" with this book. How so? - He has successfully tackled that most difficult of subjects - a community and its local characters, as seen by an outsider (or "incomer" as known locally in the Highlands) who is living slap bang in the middle of town. Not only this, but the landscape and its people are seen in an historical context that is dominated by land ownership and the forced clearances of tenants.
Pretty heavy stuff, you might protest, but no - a charming, light hearted insight into Dornoch life that really tells you something about the Highlands of Scotland, its history, its romance, its golf.....and Madonna! Lorne does this by getting seriously involved in the heart of things - he doesn't sit around on the sidelines and ponder - He gets his boots muddy by psyching himself up & competing in the Carnegie Shield golf championships at Dornoch; sharing the excitement of playing the ancient, traditional links of nearby Brora & Golspie; tramping & cycling around the countryside and most of all by meeting as many local folk as possible, downing a dram and recording their philosophy of life, love & the golfing universe.
We also learn something about Lorne & his wife Nell, a partnership which has true romance peeking out between the pages.
If you have ever dreamed of spending a summer in the Highlands of Scotland, read this book - Rubenstein has got it spot on .. an Ace in all respects.

Snow Inside the House is a whimsical, wonderful romp through a child's imagination. The rhymes are effortless, clever, and witty...the illustrations are fanciful...the book is great. As fun as, well, as having snow inside your house!

My five year old loves Snow Inside The House - for that matter, so do I. Wouldn't you want to skate with a penguin in the tub or sled down the stairs? Diviny and Rocco are a great team - Keep your finger's crossed that we'll see more from this imaginative pair.

Since television, computer and video games have become the overwhelming medium in our society. The book, Snow Inside the House, clearly suggest that kids can still and continue to have their imaginative power. Mr. Diviny, and his beautifully rhymed text, clearly suggest that he still has the grasp on what it's like being a child. I congratulate Mr. Diviny for his achievement.

This is truly a step by step approach. It starts with the fundamentals. The progression from basics to advanced is very orderly. I have used this book to learn AutoCAD 2000 and now I highly recommend it as a text or a reference. I reach for this book when I need information or help with a command or sequence of commands that I have forgotten. The examples and exercises develop real understanding.

This book is excellent! The step by step procedure, clear detailed graphics and the multimedia CD are all linked to each other which allow reader of any level to understand AutoCAD without any difficulty.

For a student this book is the best. The step by step approach is excellent. I like the graphics and the pictures of what the screen looks like when I do the commands. Easy to follow and Sykes takes a difficult lesson and make it easy to understand.

Be The Ball presents the author's experiences as a weekend golfer who tries to improve his own game and bring the practice rang swing to the golf course. Relaxation, visualization and auditory cues are used in this audio to help guide listeners to pre-shot skills which will lead to improved scores. An intriguing application for meditation and learning.

BE THE BALL is worth keeping!

This 40-minute cassette recording is the perfect gift for all interested golfers.

The author Sean Ryan is an avid golfer and often can be found at the practice range near his New Jersey home.

Improve your skills by learning how to visualize the ball by listening to Mr. Ryan's auditory cues. This cassette is full of helpful techniques, which he cleverly transmits in a to the point and easy to understand manner.

Whether you are a weekend golfer, or an every day on your lunchtime break golfer--I'm positive that you will find this audio recording helpful, fun and just the right thing to help you relax, swing and get your first "hole in one!"

My husband, who is an avid golfer, and I, as a weekend golfer, found Mr. Ryan's cassette recording extremely rewarding. Clear your mind, learn to relax before each shot, develop a routine to get you in the "groove" so you can easily determine the speed of each putt, swing freely, and learn pre-shot skills resulting in an improvement of your game score.

I highly recommend this clever audio recorording..........

I listened to it and knocked 5 strokes off my score the next day. The tape suggests subliminal keys to trigger positive thoughts or should I say eliminate negative thoughts. As a 9 handicap, I think it it's well worth trying.

If you haven't read this book.......DO SO!!!!! As each chapter ends you are determined to keep reading to find out the many twists and turns that are about to occur......The way one was glued to the "Survivor" series is the way you will be glued to this exciting book....You almost believe that what Sean has written is true....that's the brillance of him......

This book has a fascinating collection of truly complex characters and represents the struggle of man and woman living in New York City but truly throughout the world. A wonderfully rich story full of eccentric detail and some valiant vocabulary. If there is a sequel or subsequent novel by Doctor Sean Kenniff, I will certainly recommend it to my students.

You won't be able to put this book down once you get started. The story gets you hooked from the get go, and never slows down! Still can't believe that this is the author's first novel! Amazing. I can't wait for the sequel!

THIS BOOK WAS GREAT! THE WHOLE SERIES OF "THE CALIFORNIANS", IS,IN MY OPINION THE BEST SERIES THAT LORI WICK HAS WRITTEN. I ESPECIALY LIKE THE WAY HER BOOKS TALK ABOUT SALVATION,AND THE BIBLE.I THINK THE BOOK COULD USE MORE THAN 5 STARS!I HOPE MRS. WICK WRITES MANY MORE BOOKS.

Here is a really great book!! I have read it sooo many times. If you enjoy THE PRINCESS, this book is a great selection to read. :-)

I especially like "Donovan's Daughter," the second book included in this compilation. "Sean Donovan" was also good, but I appreciated how Lori Wick developed Marcail's character in her book. These books provide a great conclusion to "The Californians" series.

I found a lot of infomation in this book useful. Some of the infomation in the book is hard for me to understand. I do recommend this book to anyone who want to learn the different Catholic Prayers

As the Disabilities Host on BellaOnline, I believe you would like this book. I have many prayer books,but this book has everything for every occassion. It's a comforting book with lots of power.

I own quite a good collection of Catholic prayer books for the last ten years, but none of them has ever been compiled the way this is done. Imagine you have a comprehensive liturgy of the hours which is formal prayers found in the same volume with other classic and yet, contemporary prayers from the heart. The rosary devotion prayer is what I like best. I contemplated the Glorious Mysteries just last week while I was in church with thism prayer book. I experienced a sense of deep peace that I rarely felt before as I contemplated on the msyteries. It has all to do with the fine writing of Father Finnegan. Thank you Father, for giving us such a beautiful collection of prayers. I intend to lug it wherever I go, in fact I am lugging it along to my office already. The hardcover version is a bit bulky anyway, the publisher should consider publishing softcover versions.

I am an avid fan of crime story related books, this one rates up there with the best of them. The authors ability to set up a crime, from the background, to the crime itself and then to the afterfall is fantastic. I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it in a heartbeat.

While I'm not an avid reader of Boston crime narratives, I am a fan of this particular writer. His ability to capture the quotidian details of the city's d.a. office and make them compelling to me is a rare mark of intelligence and good writing.

In speaking to another reviewer's point, I don't believe the goal of this book was to present a biography of Ralph Martin. I also don't believe it does a disservice to the d.a.'s office of Boston. I believe, instead, that it sheds light on many of the most important cases and issues faced by the city's law enforcement officials. The writing manages to make the kind of grisly details we see on the nightly news interesting and informative without being pedantic.

I think the book rises to the top of its genre with a bullet, although I'm not sure that the distinction of bullets is really the point.

I have lived in Boston all my life and this book gave me new insights and insider information on some of the most well publicized crimes in the city over the past 10 years.It reads like a thriller and reminds me somewhat of an Ann Rule book. Flynn does a good job in his characterization of Ralph Martin, a popular DA, and possible mayoral candidate in the future. Mr. Martin is a black Republican who has managed to thrive in a white, Democratic City. this is a must read for anybody interested in the psychological, sociological, political and criminal interactions in a major urban area.