Mr. Speaker: The Biography Of Tom Murphy is the story of the man who was Speaker of the House longer than anyone in Georgia's political history. Murphy was powerful, controversial, enigmatic, effective, influential, and a consummate politician complete with a front-page image and political bravado. Georgia Journalist Richard Hyatt has applied all of his investigative and research skills to provide the reader with an engaging, informative, and insightful portrait of a legislator who was intimately involved in the political affairs of his state for decades. Mr. Speaker is highly recommended reading for students of political science and Georgia history.

Where do we end the story of the Civil War? With the assassination of Abraham Lincoln? The surrender of the last Confederate troops? The Grand Review of the Union armies at Washington, D.C.? Because the Time-Life series on the Civil War was able to devote over two-dozen volumes to the subject, "The Nation Reunited: War's Aftermath" is able to end with the death of the last Confederate soldier in 1959. This has a certain resonance for me, because I live in the city where the last Union soldier died in 1956 and often see his statue down in Canal Park.

Richard W. Murphy divides the Civil War's aftermath into five chapters after a prologue of "An Unforgettable Last Hurrah," when President Andrews Johnson ordered the Union armies to stage a grand review on May 23-24, 1865. "The North Divided" deals with the political turmoil over how the rebellious Southern states should be dealt with now that the war was over. In addition to covering the efforts of the Radical Republicans and those who wanted to follow Lincoln's example, the chapter has sidebars on the fate of Jefferson Davis, the trial of the commandant of Andersonville Prison Captain Henry Wirz, and how the former slaves were "Free--but Far from Equal." "The Radicals Ascendant" deals with the impeachment trial of President Johnson with a sidebar on the final years of Robert E. Lee. "A Wild Rush for Riches" covers the great migration that followed the Civil War as the West opened up, looking at what "Soldering on the Frontier" meant for the veterans from both sides who continued to fight.

"A Presidency Scarred by Scandal" looks at the troubles of the two administration of President Grant, with over a dozen wonderful Thomas Nast cartoons. "Retreat from Reconstruction" concludes the tale with President Hayes keeping to his promise to remove all troops from the South and how the dead and living veterans of the war came to be honored no matter which side they fought upon during the Civil War. The epilogue to "The Nation Reunited" is a pictorial on the "Twilight for the Blue of Gray," which covers the thousands of monuments honoring wartime deeds of valor, the formalization of Memorial Day in 1868 to honor those who fell in battle, the Soldier's Homes built to take care of elderly and infirmed veterans, and the reunions held at old battlefield, including the 7th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1938. The book's final photograph are survivors of the Philadelphia Brigade and Pickett's division shaking hands across teh stone wall on Cemetery Ridge. Certainly there could have been no more poignant or fitting final image for this epic series of volumes on the great American tragedy of the Civil War.

I am a starving college student at UCLA, so of course I don't have the [amount of money] for this book, but Professor Thomas is very articulate and intelligent. I'm in his seminar about Africa in a global context and his classes have been extremely relevant and inspiring. Buy his book!

Having been born with eczema, and now at 36, I thought I'd gained all the knowledge there was about this challenging skin problem. There is so much information in this book that I'd never seen before, I am thrilled to have learned several alternative ways to combat my frustrating battle with eczema. My allergies and reactions have changed over the years, and this book guided me through everything I've lived with, making me feel a lot less isolated in the world of chronic medical conditions. Thanks to this book, I have hope, which I had lost long ago. Many, many thanks, Sheena Meredith!

John Hume is a virtually unknown figure in the United States, but he has been steadily gaining recognition due to his work in the Northern Irish peace agreement. This recognition is overdue and much deserved. This monumental book outlines Hume's political philosophy - a philosophy which seeks to brush aside the vengefulness and intransigence of Northern Ireland's past, searching instead for reconciliation through justice for all. Hume is heavily influenced by Matin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy, and quotes from these two figures flavor Hume's text. Hume's themes may seem repetitive, and his ideas seem to be based on the shakey foundation of human progress, but this work demonstrates that he is a champion for for a true peace in Northern Ireland - a peace that is just for all.

The Rabbi's words left me in tears. From his sole jerling prayes of peantice to his longing for Jresulm. It dosnt read like a 12 centery work eather- for the most part it's comptly undsatadable.

The only draw back is that seavel of his reluouse pomes are a bit esotric- as would be exaped by a 12 centery Spaish Rabbi, and as far as I can tell this coltaion is a enligh tranlation of a Greaman coppay from the Orailal Hebrew. (I think the oranail was in hebrew). Some of the vearse - line ogantion seems a bit odd;and some pomes are better then others.

But even with this factored in it's a encadable coations from one of Jewdism most skilled poets/rabbi/phlospers. Every bit as relvent now as they were 800 years ago. Very few books out there can tuch your sole like R. Halevi's poetery.Secntly very few are as humaman.

One finle note however- becaful looking for the or any other book by him.Both Yahudau and Halevi are very coman names amongew the Jewish commity- and there's no standerized speeling. (Not in Enlisgh anyway.) The Librayain only found this book after much seacrching and cross reffranceing. To make matters worce one of the founding members of the fraild of Modern Anthopgy caryies the same name.

In addtion some of the publishers footnotes were quite helpful.

I have used this book through my entire med school years and is still a good reference source beyond med school. Contains very concise and detailed information from all the territories of the medicine. I would definitely recommend this to any professional and future professional in the medical field.

Yes, there is an "ordinary" path to holiness for all of us. God intended the children He created in His Image and Likeness to grow daily more to resemble Him. Dr. Richard's book is a gem. He shows the reader the traditional way of spirituality and prayer meant for everyone.

Especially good for the Catholic lay person, the book will also be appreciated by those not belonging to the Catholic Church, but who are sincerely seeking to live a holy life. Most compelling, for me, is the way the author shows through scripture how Jesus formed his disciples in holiness. I also appreciated quotations from the saints.

This was a gift I gladly gave to people for Christmas and continue to give as birthday presents. Don't miss it for yourself, and don't hesitiate to give it to anyone you know. Just be careful if you let someone borrow your copy. You may not get it back in a hurry!

Very often the way to best care for the patient with heart disease leads through the department of cardiac surgery. It is obvious that a good understanding of the surgical possibilities, the surgical indications and contraindications is mandatory to the cardiologist. This "Overview" paves the way for such an understanding. Important general issues are addressed like anaestesia for cardiac surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass, and myocardial protection. Special areas such as CABG, HOCM, the valves (native and prostetic), pericardium, congenital heart disease, transplantation, complications of acute myocardial infarction, endocarditis, and reoperation. The book however does not go into other important aspects of the relation between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons such as "what does the cardiac surgeon need to know in details from the TEE" and "what insight in surgical technic is necessary for the cardiologist to have when attending the patient with postoperative complications". The goal of the book however "is to help nonsurgeons answer their own questions about common cardiac procedures, and to help prepare these physicians to address the questions raised by their patients". It is very well-written and very easily read. It is a little dated though and a new edition should be very appropriate.

This two volume text is an essential reference and mandatory reading for any Neurology resident or Staff Physician. I had the opportunity to train under the instruction of many of the contributors to this text. I found it to be rich in detail and clinical expertise. I refer to it often in my practice. It is concise and easily understood.