EXCELLENT BOOK (both for interest and research)-- Reading this book by Richard Hughes, you can feel the decades that the author spent both in the field at mine sites and in the lab (Hughes was head of AIGS in Bangkok) researching this monograph. Some of the chapters bring the gem business to life, especially the chapter on Burma. The photos are accurate, dramatic or beautiful and go well with the written text. The maps are good, some being quite rare. Perhaps the greatest research went into the extensive bibliography (over 2500 entries!). As president of Pala international, an import-export firm dealing in colored stones for over 30 years, I would rate this book as one of the very best in the gemological field!

This is the most comprensive book ever writtten on rubies and sapphires. It will answer any question you might have about sources, treatments, history, great specimens, cuts, and colors. Seldom can one say that the definitive book has been written on any subject. This one is.

Wow. What a sparkling mix of erudition and irreverence. Everything you might even begin to wonder about ruby and sapphire is here, in detail, packed with fact, lusciously illustrated, spiced with attitude and wickedly opinionated in the manner that only the truly expert can properly carry off. What's even better, the man can write! Consequently, the knottiest technical subjects are lucidly laid out, while the history, the legends, the myths and the gossip are offered up with all their zest and spice intact. We're talking "encyclopedic," here - but encyclopedic in the 18th Century French Enlightenment sense, before the Germans came along and dried us all up with their only-the-facts-ma'am pedantry. Hughes is omniverously curious about his beloved gems and unashamedly passionate in his devotion to them. Thus, nothing is beyond the scope of his interest or scholarship, from the hardest of hard science to the most romantic of Arabian Nights-type legends. And in the unlikely event that there might be something he's left out, [Hughes] supplies bibliographies of altogether stupefying dimensions, and in several languages to boot. Diderot would approve. There are all sorts of ways to read this book, each of them satisfying. You can of course dutifully do what the White King told Alice: begin at the beginning, continue until you get to the end, then stop. This means commencing with the chapter on History, working your way through the dense scientific chapters (e.g., Chemistry & Crystallography, Inclusions, Treatments, Geology, etc.), and concluding with Hughes' world tour of every known source of ruby and sapphire on the planet, its history, detailed characteristics of its gems, and oh yes, a huge bibliography specific to each one. That is what I did and it is undeniably satisfying. But it is by no means the only available way to enjoy this Gargantuan feast. You could also just cruise your way through the dozens of intriguing, sometimes quirky and often gleefully opinionated sidebars, and you will have a splendid time at that, too. Or you could just page through, looking at the pictures, because the illustrations alone are an education. In addition to everything else, this book is a wonderful history lesson and so, in addition to the dozens of luscious photos of glorious gems you would expect, there are scores of fascinating pictures and photos of long-lost mines, legendary personalities, gem cutters past and present, and my absolute favorite, a be-turbaned, leather-skinned old Burmese gal with a twenty megawatt smile, chomping on a mammoth cigar. Then, again, if you absolutely do not wish to indulge your sense of fun, curiosity and wonder, you can simply station the book on your essential reference shelf and refer to it only when you need a detailed rundown on, say, typical inclusions in rubies of the Thai/Cambodian border. Many of the sidebars are in the form of detailed tables summarizing the facts in the text (example: 'Fluorescent Reactions of Untreated Corundums') so if you're in a hurry, you can use the book as a technical handbook without searching through the text for the information you want. I'd say that was rather like eating all the spinach at the buffet and passing up the chocolate eclairs, but there's no accounting for taste. Particularly when you open the book more of less expecting a dry-as-dust, edited-to-death textbook, encountering Hughes' damn-the-torpedoes attitude is gorgeously refreshing. Incidentally, be ready for Hughes' ardent, peppery opinions on the issue of treated vs. untreated gems. He has no objection to heat treating otherwise dim or badly included gems to bring out their potential beauties, but he absolutely and positively insists that such gems are not - repeat not! - to be considered the equal of their natural, untreated sisters. Whether you agree or not, it's hard to resist the verve with which Hughes states his conviction. Indeed, for this reviewer, the book's unapologetic opinionatedness was one of its major delights. So whether you need a complete reference guide, a stroll through history with a lively, expert guide, a survey of sources and markets, or a guide to everything that would ever seem to have been written about either of these two lovely gems, this is your book.

Brenda Forman, GIA Alumni Association, Washington, DC Chapter

This is the best book available right now for learning general theory of subsurface fishing. Hughes codifies all the previous knowledge and techniques of famous fly-fishers of the past and compiles all of this into a book that is informative and very easy to read. The discussion of the patterns is worth the price alone. The techniques for fishing the patterns could be put in another book and would be a bargin itself. And his personal knowledge and friendship with Nemes, Hidy, and Rosenberg is demonstrated in stories of fishing with them. Really, this book is good read at any time of the year, not just the winter. Get it, read it, use it.

This is THE essential book on soft hackled, wet and nymph flies for fishing. If you go after fish by fishing flies below the surface, this is THE reference book to have. Good instructions and photographs throughout with color plates of the flies covered in the book.

This is an excellent accompaniment for Nemes and Liesenring readers...Dave Hughes is an excellent writer and educator!...The stories are entertaining and the message is clear...If you're a dryfly flyfisherman, you should read this book...It will change the way you look at your favorite hobby...

I knew the General. In addition to his achievements in WW II, he devoloped the concept of an airport where incoming and out going passengers moved on separate floors (Dulles)With David Rockefeller they created the magnificent L'Enfant Plaza in Wash.D.C. His stories of growing up in Washington could be another book, not to mention his civilian achievements in Washington. The story of his flying Ike behind German lines after the D day invasion in a 2 seat P 51 to prove his point over German positions (much to the chagrin of Gen. Bradley) is one of my favorites. He had a picture in his office of he and Tooey Spaatz from their early days in "Jennies" with oil all over their faces except where their goggles were. Right out of "Dawn Patrol". This book is long over due.

This book is easy to get into and very informative. The story of Gen. Pete Quesada and the tactical air arm in the European Theater of Operations in WW II is something that anyone interested in military history should read. This aspect of the war is often overlooked, which should not be the case. The working together of ground and tactical air assets should be a top priority for military planners as well as anyone connected with the ground troops.

Best book I have on fishing for trout in all situations. Fairly detailed, well-written (not overbearing at all). As far as flyfishing "coaching" books, this is it. It is intended for people who have some experience and want to learn more (no how to tie a surgeon's knot, etc. here) - rather it is about how to fish; reading water, using the right tackle for the job, etc.

One of the best fly-fishing books I've read. Goes beyond the usual casting mechanics and knots directly to solving the puzzles we face when on the water: how do I catch fish today? Covers tactics in general, plus specific techniques for fishing dries, nymphs, wets, and streamers. Well-written; author has clear, simple, very readable style. His only semi-flaw: he has a slight bias toward the bigger waters of the west. He has written at least 3 other books -- on hatches, reading the water, and tackle -- and they are next on my reading list. You'll want to re-read this book the night before every fishing trip -- and you probably should. I know I will

This writer should be in politics with his knack for making bad news enjoyable. The book is entertaining, educational, packed with information and evocative of Michael Moore's enthusiasm, even in the face of adversity. His chapter ending safety asides are sometimes side splitting - no injury pun intended! I'd recommend this book to anyone with a sociological curiosity or an industrial safety career or interest. You're bound to learn something new that makes the price of the book worth it!

this guy gets it... John hughs was perhaps the smartest irish-american ever.

his love of 2 countries is un presidented

Coming out of RazorBlade Press, Hideous Progeny is one monstrously beautiful anthology that explores the world as it would have been if Dr. Victor Frankenstein's gruesome experiments had not gone awry. Writers such as Tim Lebbon, Peter Crowther, Steven Volk, Steve Rasnic Tem, and Rhys Hughes (to name just a few) each donate a small literary organ to the mix, and everything is skilfully stitched together into a marvellous book by first-time editor Brian Willis.

Cosmetically, the book is a two-face: while cover design by Chris Nurse is nothing short of outstanding, the internal layout is not without blemish. For example, outside margins are too wide, story titles are not always at the same height in the page, and the author's name is italicised in some but not all of the instances. Another gripe I have is that page numbers on the right-hand pages are left-aligned; plus, headers have no indication about the stories presented below them: these will give you a bad time if you want to riffle through the book to look up a specific something. There are a few extra typesetting warts and moles as well, as I noticed some characters showing up in a different size than the rest of the text, uneven spacing between words, typos derived from bad OCR, and so on. I sincerely encourage RazorBlade Press to pay more attention to internal design in the future, and run a few spell checks as well. Still, don't let appearances fool you, because the writing on these pages is top-notch.

In the whole, I was not in the least disappointed by Hideous Progeny while expecting quality work. Many short stories surprised me by their original angles, and all are very well written. The subjects are quite varied too, although some do overlap a little - it seems inevitable given the limitations inherent to their collective premise. I have my favourites, of course: Peter Crowther's piece is shocking yet touching at the same time, and the idea behind "Mad Jack" is a simple but nevertheless brilliant one. "The Banker of Ingolstadt" is perhaps the funniest in the book, and I found Steven Volk's "Blitzenstein" to rank among the best.

Whatever shortcomings the book has, they're quickly overwhelmed by the superb fiction it it, not to mention a downright gorgeous cover. For £6.99, it's well worth getting Hideous Progeny: not only will you be adding a fine specimen of a book to your library, you'll also be helping small press business to thrive. Because I want to see more from RazorBlade Press. Oh yeah.

This book is a balm for the Christian who struggles to reconcile the uniqueness of Christ and the need for honest dialog with other faiths. Hughes shows how the Christian message supports openness and honest exchange. Christianity teaches humility (all have sinned...), the value of paradox (Christ as God and human at the same time), and love for others, including really listening to the others' point of view. The book is a gentle treatment of the subject, modeling the kindness and humility that Hughes promotes.

Mr. Maheu shares his amazing life story with the world. He does a wonderful job describing the likes of Howard Hughes and his dark past.

This book was a favorite of mine in my childhood, and, when I returned as an adult to re-read it to my own daughter, I discovered it all over again.

This is a story about a different kind of princess than one might imagine; a princess that is an orphan - lonely, cold, hungry and abused. Sara Crewe begins life as the beloved, pampered daughter of a rich man. When he dies a pauper, she is thrown on the non-existent mercy of her small-minded, mercenary boarding school mistress. Stripped of all her belongings but for one set of clothes and a doll, Sara becomes a servant of the household. Hated by the schoolmistress for her independent spirit, Sara becomes a pariah in the household, with only a few secretly loyal friends. But through her inner integrity and strength of will, Sara Crewe maintains the deportment, inner nobility and generous spirit of a "real" princess.

It is a fabulous story of the triumph of human will, and good over evil.

This story is a real classic, and needs no re-writing to be as enjoyable and readable today as it ever was. Ask my 8-year-old daughter, who has already re-read it twice. Accept no substitutes, re-writes, abridgements or copies! This is a work of art, and should not be tampered with.

The appeal of "A Little Princess" is only partly due to its plot. What child could resist the almost fairytale-like rags-to-riches, riches-to-rags twists in this novel? It has all the elements needed to be a "growing up book" read over and over by children and remembered fondly by adults.

At the beginning, Sara Crewe is a little girl so rich that she has her own French maid, a pony, and a rug that was once a live tiger (yes, the head is still on), all while attending boarding school. This school is run by Miss Minchin, one of the nastiest, yet still realistic, adult characters in children's fiction. While Sara is still rich, Miss Minchin is nothing but nice to her. After Sara loses her money, however, Miss Minchin shows her true colors and makes Sara work as a scullery maid in the school. To come through unhardened, Sara turns to faithful friends, to hope, and to her imagination.

Another reason that this novel is so well loved is simply Sara's character. Pardon this sweeping generalization, but I think that there isn't a girl alive who doesn't wish to be like Sara, if only a teeny, tiny bit. Sara is beautiful, intelligent, and so imaginative that she can make an entire schoolroom listen breathlessly to one of her yarns. She doesn't climb trees or skip stones . . . but no character is perfect.

A word of warning: Don't expect boarding school sketches worthy of "What Katy Did at School" by Susan Coolidge, "Little Men" by Louisa May Alcott, or even "And Both Were Young" by Madeleine L'Engle. Practically the entire story takes place in Sara's mind and she seems to block out the less rosy aspects of her environment. (Despite what anyone says, I'll warrant that she's a bit self-centered, too.) In the same way, Burnett refuses to let anything into this fictional world that hasn't been romanticized or idealized first. One thing this book has taught me is that there is actually such a thing as "too much imagination." If children become too dreamy-eyed after reading this book, get them into sports immediately.

Yet not even I can disparage the loving attention to detail by a writer who, very much like her protagonist, delighted in imagining the most romantic things and revealing them to an enraptured audience. Naturally, my favorite descriptions are those of Sara's pretty things. Even as a child, I could envision everything that Frances Hogdson Burnett described: streetlights shining through heavy London fog, a doll with a miniature opera glass, child-sized hats with ostrich plumes, golden sunsets seen from attic windows, furniture come all the way from India . . .

"A Little Princess" truly is a gateway to a whole other world. A few dips into it now and then ought to be fine.

If you remember seeing Shirley Temple in the 1939 "The Little Princess," this is the same basic plot with a wonderful new twist. The story is based on the beloved classic by the same author of The Secret Garden.

The movie opens with some stunningly beautiful scenes from India and all too suddenly Sara Crewe must leave with her father who is being called away for military duties. Sara has to go live in a New York boarding school. Through her experiences she learns to survive in the world and takes each day as it comes. Her vivid imagination is a pure delight and when she tells her magical stories, they are played out in a fairy tale like way onscreen. This contrasts with her real life at the school.

Sara's fun-loving spirit does get her into trouble from time to time. Overall, she is just used to living with her father and being free to do mostly what she likes. In her new school she has to follow many rules. She draws strength from her father's words to help her believe in herself. He tells her that she will always be his little princess.

A wonderful movie which shows that if we make the best of our circumstances, we will be blessed in the end. Five stars for storytelling magic!