Rules for Bus. Writers is an excellent quick reference to keep handy at your desk. Plenty of material for beginners as well as advanced writers. I liked the quick tips and good resources. I'd rate it "concise and helpful plus very easy to use" - it's a short and to the point guide. You don't have to wade through long passages of chitchat and padding to get the help you need. Highly recommend it!

I first purchased this book for a Freshman College writing course. My copy is circa 1993, and I still use it to this day for personal and business use. The information is easy to reference and understand. It covers everything from spelling, when a colon or hyphen is appropriate, verbs and sentence structure, to how to write research paper beginning to end. I highly recommend it for students and professionals alike!

The book without technical detail, but have solid information that is short and good enough to have good studies of the Bible in today. That is full of Evangelical point of view. This concise not like other is very fragment, but it is fully readable. That is always kept the whole story in mind. The best introduction section explains how to solve diversity and unity nature of the Bible and point out the most common errors of the bible reading. Above all, that is a good book both for beginner and intermediate level.

Franz Auerbach, though well known in circles where figurative painting is important, has never pulled the attention of the art world in the way he should. Robert Hughes tends to that oversight in his definitive monograph on this puzzling artist. With insight and a true sense of kinship with the work, Hughes explains and then illustrates why Auerbach is worthy of admiration. Few artists can pull the figure onto the canvas surface the way Auerbach can, using what seems to be the crude pushing of pigment with palette knife and heavy brush. But these expressionistic faces groan with angst or shout their heroic stature powerfully. This is in every way a fine book dealing with a superb artist.

If you are used to having to decode the gnostic and layered texts of typical academic writing on art, this book will be a refreshing change. Hughes writes clearly, yet is not afraid to handle complex and challenging ideas. The book does an excellent job of giving you an understanding of the development of Auerbach's work, from the somewhat turgid work of the 50's to the dynamic paintings of the 1980's. I was especially interested in Hughes' analysis of these later paintings, which emphasizes their relationship to the real world of volume and movement. While their surfaces resemble the fevered paint of neo-expressionism, these are fundamentally pictures in which the artist is not just expressing himself, but is reacting to the "resistant" and complex world. Drawing and painting are unified; form is followed "around the back and out the other side." There are many fascinating quotes from Auerbach himself (for example, an observation that Matisse's cut-outs are such strong shapes because they proceed from an understanding of volume.) The color plates are plentiful and excellent. Careful marginal notes make it easy to refer to the reproductions while reading. This is a book you can actually read and enjoy.

Frank Auerbach's paintings are known for their expressive quality and graphic directness. This handsome monograph (the first of its kind) on the artist is a quality introduction to the reclusive British artist. Robert Hughes places the Berlin-born painter within the context of the "British School" and within the artist's personal tradition with the old masters. Auerbach's dedication to painting is evidently shown through the text and copious illustrations, including 80 in full color. The first chapter is especially interesting, offering a rare glimpse into the artist's studio which he has kept for over forty five years. This is a seminal work on a major contemprary painter.

Planet Earth is a breath-taking collection of photos of Earth taken by satellites. Some are straight-on photos nad others have filters to bring out particular details. Either way, you will be spellbound as you page through the book.

The printing and paper are of the highest quality, adding to the experience.

One problem: the captions for the photos are in an appendix of the book, and it's annoying to flip back and forth to learn what you are looking at.

Top quality photos make this coffee table book a great gift. Extraordinary images of earth taken from satelites. Some difficult to determine, but the index in the back gives you a complete explanation of each amazing page.

This is an amazing book. The photos are incredible and since they have no captions you enter into a great process of trying to figure out what each photo is. You can then check the back of the book.

Langston Hughes, one of our greatest writers and poets, was also a jazz fan. In this slim book , he traces the development of jazz, hitting all the basic elements: African polyrhythmic drumming transported to Congo Square in New Orleans, work songs and slave songs, homemade instruments, spirituals, the blues, ragtime, minstrel shows, improvisation, the spread of jazz to New York and Chicago and the regional bands, the influence of Louis Armstrong.

Sound familiar? It's the first eight hours or so of the Ken Burns' documentary "Jazz," only much briefer and written for youngsters ranging from around ages 4 to 9 or so. Although he ignores all the contributions of early women jazz artists (singers are paid scant attention here), his tone is proudly inclusive ("Of course, people were making music in other parts of our country in early times, too--not just in New Orleans. In New England, settlers were singing their hymns. In Virginia and Kentucky, the newcomers were singing their ballads. In the Far West, the Indians were playing on their drums, African slaves in Georgia, the Carolinas, and other parts of the South, who did not always have drums on which to play, were making up songs to chop cotton to, load the river boats, or build the levees.") and emphasizes the joy of performance and improvisation ("That is how the music called jazz began--with people playing for fun.").

The straightforward narrative, although lacking the "poetic" imagery one might expect, is clear and joyful. This is a excellent introduction for young readers. It is obviously not intended as an jazz encyclopedia, and jazz fans will have to ignore a few of its inherent limitations: The above-mentioned oversight of singers and of women (other than one list of pianists that includes Marion McPartland), the over-generalized portrayal of early jazz musicians as untrained, and limited descriptions of Ellingtonto Jazz, swing, and bebop. (Although, for a book written in 1955 by a non-musician, Hughes mentions Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Max Roach, Charlie Parker, and Lester Young). The book includes fun drawings by Cliff Roberts, a brief discography (apparently updated to include Coltrane, Mingus, and Ornette Coleman--but no Miles), a three-page definiton of terms, Hughes' list of his 100 favorite jazz recordings, and a list of "famous jazz musicians" by instrument.

I read this book transrated in Japanese. I could enjoy the rhythm and phrases even in Japanese. I would like to read it in English now.

The reason I rated this book highly is that the information contained is down-to-earth, usuable, easily understood AND it's fun to read. If your life could use a little smoothing out, a slightly different perspective, a nudge onto a comfortable path..... give this a try. I have and it's made a difference!

My interest in self help and finding comfortable but workable ways to pull my own strings brought me to Roberts' book. His readable, non-sectarian, practical style kept me turning pages, learning, and smiling. _How_ drove home sophisticated and far-reaching wisdom and helped me start using it.

I don't understand why no one has reviewed this book. It has more insight into Howard Hughes's dealings with TWA than any other book on the market.
Instead of the scandals, we get the Genius of Hughes.

... In fact, it is a most insightful, clearly written and detailed account of the development of aircraft for TWA... Rummel is always pleasant and cooperative to an extent that surprised us all. I have truly enjoyed reading his account of these times.

"How can you print a piece of your own soul," Dickinson, p. 51

This is the 2nd in the Krull and Hewitt's "Lives of ..." series. The book contains 19 chapters on 20 writers in birth order: Murasaki Shikibu (973?-1025?), Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Jane Austen (1775-1817), Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), Charles Dickens (1812-1870), Charlotte & Emily Bronte (1816-1855 & 1818-1848), Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), Mark Twain (1835-1910), Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924), Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), Jack London (1876-1916), Carl Sandburg (1878-1967), E. B. White (1899-1985), Zora Neale Hurston (1901?-1960), Langston Hughes (1902-1967), Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991)

This is a perfect book for young adolescents and pre-teens who as they grow and mature frequently feel awkward. Krull introduces us to the idiosyncrasies of the literary. Some of the authors were loners, eccentric, a wee bit peculiar. Michael Jackson's behaviors might seem normal when held in comparison. Some retreated into themselves. Some sought out adventures. Some as adults were unsuccessful at the ordinary.

Some worked at a young age to support the family. Some took daily walks, very long daily walks. Some were not healthy and therefore wrote in bed. There were some similarities and some differences, but they all shared a singular conviction to write and write they each did well.

Hewitt's delightful portraits of the writers are precious. My favorite portrait is of Frances Hodgson Burnett of "The Secret Garden" fame. Her hat is the secret garden.

Given the high price of the book, I was surprised that Krull did not include a list of the authors' books and/or poems and the publication years. END

This book is a fun and informative book. The pictures are filled with humorous meanings and hidden information. The book keeps the reader's attention by keeping the included information short and simple, but also makes sure that the reader gets as much possible about the author. This book is great for kids and students to use as a report source as it is filled with great information. Kids would rather use this book as an information source rather than an encylopedia since the information is easy to understand. Authors in there are some you may not know, ( Murasaki Shikibu) and some well know ones ( Charles Dickens). I am glad I purchsed this book. I really liked the pictures which are so vibrant with color. This would make a great buy.

Hughes has done the nearly impossible-written a page turner of a social history. Roughly the first third of the book is in fact mostly about Georgian England and the "Hogarthian" conditions that led to the system of transprtation, the "First Fleet" and the founding of Australia.

He amply demonstrates one of his basic theses: Australia conclusively disproves the genetic theory of transmission of criminal behavior: the continent was first populated by 160,000 theives, burglars, pickpockets & etc., and eventually became one of the most respectable, law abiding societies on earth.

His other pregnant conclusion, that the Australian sublimation of the "convict stain" of their past kept Austrailians from coming to terms with their convict origins until the last 20-30 years seems spot on.

The book is full of colorful characters, glorious detail and paints a panorama of a system and a period in the history of two societies that deserves a careful read from anyone even vaguely interested in either country, penology or just cracking good social history.

I loved it!

At this time of focused international interest in Australia, it is incumbent upon any thoughtful reader to view this diverse and exciting continent through the lense of Hughes' profound history of the nation's founding. I have never been to Australia, but have known several individuals who came to America for education and career reasons. At first blush, it might seem to an American that Australia shares much common experience with our own: British colonial origins, settlement of a vast western frontier, the oppression of an indigenous people, strong Judeo-Christian traditions, etc. These factors are all present. However, understanding the differences between the Australian and American experiences must start with an appreciation of the role that the English "transportation" system played in shaping Australia. There is no better treatment of this subject than "The Fatal Shore." It is truly a great cultural history of Australia's beginning.

As luck would have it, I recently had the opportunity to make a brief business trip to Australia. I knew very little about Australia and thought the best way to get some brief but non-superficial background would be to learn something of its history. I opted to read Robert Hughes's book which tells the story of Australia's founding and of its convict past. The book is lengthy, even too lengthy to complete on the 14 hour flights from the West Coast of the United States to Sydney and back. But the story was fascinating, and the book was well worth the attention and effort.

Hughes tells the story of the discovery of Australia, the decision of Great Britain to "transport" its convicted to the continent, the various kinds of lives the convicts found there, the aboriginal settlers and their treatment by the newcomers, and the ultimate creation of a new society. There are harrowing accounts of the passage from Britain to Australia in the convict ships, and still shocking accounts of the secondary places of punishment created in Australia for repeat offenders -- places such as Norfolk Island, Port Aurthur, and Macquarrie Bay. Hughes describes these nineteenth century camps as precursors of the Gulag in our own time, and I am afraid he is correct. They reminded me to of Andersonville Prison in our own Civil War but on a much broader, more wicked scale. The description of the prisons and barbaric punishments were to me the most vivid portions of the book.

Besides the horror stories, there is a great deal of nuanced, thoughtful writing in the book about the settlement and building of Australia and of the dangers of facile over-generalization about how the convicts fared, or about virtually any other historical subject. Some were able to serve out their sentences and rise to prosperity and a new life. Others were shamefully abused. The history of the aboriginal peoples too is described and it is an unhappy subject, alas.

Hughes begins with the early days of the transport and concludes when the system was finally abolished in the 1850's as a result of protests and of the Australian gold rush.

After reading this book, I thought I had realized my goal of learning something of Australia. More importantly, I felt part of the land even though I hadn't seen it before and will likely never see it again. Places that I read about and that were only names took on character and importance.

I have read a substantial amount of United States history but hadn't read about Australia before. This book is well-documented, eloquently written and has a feel for the pulse of its subject. It is an outstanding work of history and is sure to broaden the human perspective of the reader.