I first read this book when I was 7 years old in the 1970s. I still love it to this day. The characters jump off the page and take you back to the 1940s, a different time and world.

I read this book the first time back in the mid-80's in high school. I had a burgeoning love of baseball and fell deeply in love with Tunis' works. The point I got from this story is that there is always another door to get to your dream.

When I was in junior high, I was addicted to reading juvenile sports fiction. Shortly after beginning seventh grade, I went to the alphabetical beginning of the fiction section in the school library and began moving down the alphabet. As I went, I examined the books and read all that were sports related. In a little over two years, I had read every sports fiction book in the collection. Of all those books, the Kid From Tomkinsville was one of the most memorable.
While the background of the 1940's made the presentation difficult for someone in their early teens in the 1960’s, the descriptions of baseball more than made up for it. Roy Tucker is the title character and an excellent pitcher. However, immediately after one of his best games, he slips and cracks his pitching elbow. This finishes him as a pitcher and the main theme becomes his quest to come back as an outfielder.
He is initially very effective and believes success is assured. However, he soon begins to struggle and doubts creep in. The description of all of this is a combination of one of the best baseball stories as well as one of triumph as a combination of talent, hard work and persistence lead to his success. I still remember the scene where his manager comes to his room and tells him the problem is that he is playing for himself and not for his team.
John Tunis is one of the best writers of sports fiction that has ever lived. He makes baseball exciting, even when all the action is taking place off the field. While our society has moved on to a point quite different from the time period of the story, baseball is still a game where strategy, preparation and dedication can triumph over athletic ability. That has not changed, and the descriptions in this book will continue to keep the attention of baseball fans for decades to come.

"The human race, without intending anything of the sort, has undertaken a gigantic uncontrolled experiment on the earth. In time, I think, this will appear as the most important aspect of twentieth-century history, more so than World War II, the communist enterprise, the rise of mass literacy, the spread of democracy, or the growing emancipation of women." (J. R. McNeill)

Over the past few years there have been a spate of histories of the 20th century. Most of them have been written from traditional, often Eurocentric, historical perspectives that focus upon political history set in the context of socioeconomic development and ideological and military conflict. J. R. McNeill's *Something New Under the Sun* replaces the political narrative, usually found at the center of histories, with an environmental one. It invites readers to reevaluate the legacy of the 20th century.

By any measure, the 20th century is, as McNeill characterizes it, "a prodigal century." In terms of growth of population, economic development, and energy production and consumption, it is a case of 'quantity having a quality of its own.' On the one hand, it is a triumph of the human species. (McNeill suggests readers consider that over the past 4 billion years of human history, 20% of all human life-years took place in the 20th century.) On the other hand, this prodigal century - this triumph of human ingenuity - has also exacted an unprecedented environmental cost. It is this trade-off that McNeill's book explores.

McNeill's approach is interdisciplinary, and the book is divided into two sections. The first section is organized around transformations to the lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere, and the resulting pollution and resource depletion. Each topic includes a (very) brief conceptual introduction, case studies from around the world, (black and white) photos, maps, and tables. This section also includes the best example of unintentional environmental consequences. McNeill introduces Thomas Midgely, the inventor of leaded gasoline and Freon, "[who] had more impact on the atmosphere than any other organism in earth history."

In the second section, McNeill introduces the 'engines of change" - 1) population growth, migration, and urbanization, 2) energy, technology, and economic growth, and 3) politics and environmental awareness. The pulses of 'coketowns' and 'motowns' take place amidst the tumultuous social, economic, and political events of the 20th century. Environmental awareness doesn't take root until the 70's - a critical period for women as well. (His examples of Rachel Carson and Wangari Maathai were well chosen - and gendered.) In his epilogue (So What?), McNeill's history portends an environmental crunch, a change of circumstances - a dilemma unlike the world has witnessed so far.

"With our new powers we banished some historical constraints on health and population, food production, energy use, and consumption generally. Few who know anything about life with these constraints regret their passing. But in banishing them we invited other constraints in the form of the planet's capacity to absorb wastes, by-products, and impacts of our actions. The latter constraints had pinched occasionally in the past, but only locally. By the end of the twentieth century, they seemed to restrict our options globally. Our negotiations with these constraints will shape the future as our struggles against them shaped our past." (J. R. McNeill)

*Something New Under The Sun* is written in a popular style well suited to both non-fiction readers and students. Readers of environmental historians like William Cronon, William McNeill, or Alfred Crosby will certainly find McNeill's book interesting. Personally I think that McNeill's global perspective of the 20th century will stand the test of time.

McNeill's basic thesis is that in environmental terms, the 20th century has been unprecedented in human history and planetary history in general. He points out that the impact of humankind's breathtaking technological advancements in the last 100 or so years can be likened to a major cataclysm, like an asteroid hitting the planet. The book provides a wealth of background information on a number of major technical/technological developments, and how they have improved the lives of many people but also damaged or imperiled the air, water and soil that sustain all life. McNeill is hardly a Luddite or a primitivist, but he does make some reasonable calls for restraint and, perhaps, a worldwide assessment of where human economic/industrial/technological activities are taking the planet. Interesting in this vein is his consideration, toward the end of the book, of how the economic thought of the last century, with its adherence to the concept of unlimited growth, has played a key role in preventing such an assessment. As he points out, overcoming this way of thinking represents a daunting task, since these (Anglo-American) economic doctrines have assumed the status of irrefutable dogma - like any system of religious beliefs.

For a throughly researched, densly written , book of facts to be readable is almost a contradiction. Yet this is exactly what J.R. McNeill has accomplished. He is a Historian, most interested in change, objective in his assesment of those changes (Who and What benefits, Who and What doesn't), anthropocentric(a viewpoint too often missing in environmental studies), and broad-minded concerning possible approaches to problems (the shark has done very well for a very long time).

What makes this such an important book aside from its readability and penetrating analysis, is perspective. J.R. McNeill considers history without consideration of the life-support system of Earth or ecology that neglects social forces, incomplete and capable of leading to dangerous conclusions. Further, "Both history and ecology are, as fields of knowledge go, supremely integrative. They merely need to integrate with one another."

Having grown up in Pittsburgh, Pa., I can attest to the author's history of Pittsburgh and to his grasp of the complexity of problems there (for instance: Andrew Carnegie found the level of pollution intolerable, later some unions fought smoke-control). In today's world, no matter where we live or what work we do,environmental issues will arise.

This book by elucidating the processes and trends that underly today's world, gives us a foundation on which to base our opinions and choices, working toward the day when we , in the author's words, "Make our own luck, rather than trusting to luck..."

If you are currently collecting or playing Magic cards, I suggest buying this book if you dont have it NOW! It is filled w/ information, fully illustrated cards, interesting facts, playing tips, etc. Also, buy the Magic Encyclopedia Volume 1.

Richard Garfield is the creator of Magic The Gathering card game. This book gives the reader an in-depth look into the game and shows the beautiful illustration that each card contains. This is a must have for all players and collectors of the card game.

Great book of pictures of Mirage, Visions, 5th Edition, Weatherlight & Portal. Helps alot with viewing the cards for collecting.

The weirdest thing about this book is that the beginning is so true-to-life. The book was written several years ago, but the story is very much in sync with what is going on in the world today. This is my fifth Marcinko book and it's one of his best. It's his second fiction work, a follow up to Rouge Warrior: Red Cell, which is the main reason I didn't give it five stars. The action scenes in Green Team are much more exciting than Red Cell, but the plot just doesn't stand up to the latter. It develops at a break neck speed, but its quality fluctuates right up to the end. First time Marcinko readers will probably get hooked, just like I did with Rogue Warrior: Task Force Blue, only to be more pleased with the discovery of his first and second books. Marcinko's crossing of the thin line between reality and fiction might annoy some readers who are not used to his style, but I think it's a very original welcomed breather from the "2+2=4" formulas of other action books. Marcinko is not the writer Tom Clancy is, but then again, Tom Clancy is not the warrior Marcinko is.

Marcinko lives large and plays hard. This book, along with the rest of the Rogue Warrior Series, is hard hitting and action packed. This dude does it all, says it all, and doesn't take crap from no one. Execellent reading for someone whose tired of the slow moving far fetched action of most fiction books out there. I read Red Cell just three months ago, and I've read almost all his books to date. It's KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) read the book and get hooked!!! Anyone for a Bombay?

I'll admit to this guilty pleasure: I love the Rogue Warrior books. Not because they're great literature, but because they're just plain fun. I'm a Marine combat vet, so I can usually detect the (very) fuzzy line between military fact and fiction, but with Marcinko's books I throw up my hands in the amphibious salute and just go with it. Demo Dick's literary swagger is intoxicating, and his larger than life character is THE male archetype. All of us guys want to pump iron at Rogue Manor, throw down the double Bombays, and go shooting and looting with the SEALs' best.

It's not "the best book I've ever read," nor is it the SPECWAR primer that Rogue Warrior is. But for some unadulterated macho fun, Green Team (like the others in the series) can't be beat.

Karol Wojtyla's insight into human love is simply amazing. The book is VERY in-depth, so it may not be appropriate for readers who are looking for light reading material. If you do take the time to read the book, you will simply be amazed. As you read each paragraph, you can't help but think, "That is so true!" The book really makes you want to be better person by embracing LOVE as the purpose for our existence!

you don't have to be a catholic to read this. This was written for anyone. It will give you philosophical answers to questions on us(persons) and our sexual role(its meaning and purpose.
highly recommended for any human being.

Cardinal Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) gives us a wonderful blessing with "Love and Responsibility." His in depth philospohical analysis of human love and sexuality stems from his philosophy of "personalism". Persons are self-determining creatures and should never be treated as mere objects. This is a fantastic book that beautifully displays Wojtyla's view of the dignity of the human person and the sacredness of the sexual act.

Worthy of special mention is Wotyla's metaphysical analysis of "love". This is a deep look into the nature of true love, how the sexual urge is the starting point, a good thing that encourages us to look deeper and to love the person as a whole. When this urge is abused by treating the person as a mere sex object, the fruits of the sexual urge are squandered. When used properly, the sexual urge is fuel to deepen our interests in another, to develop a friendship, goodwill, and if there is reciprocity from the other person, the highest stage is attained - betrothed love - the lifelong comittment of marriage.

This is a book that is sorely needed by our society today. There is much here - Wojtyla's thought is rich and deep. You will not get the grasp of his point with one reading, rather it will take multiple readings of this book for its flavor to sink in. Personally I have read this book three times and can testify how it has enriched my life. I think it will do the same for you.

Yes, this is an odd book. Some of the entries were very funny, some very odd, and some were really quite disturbing. However, despite being put off by some of the stories, I did thoroughly enjoy the way Lennon wrote. The play on words were especially humurous if very hard to interpret at times.

This book may not be for those who enjoy traditional comedy, but it's certainly worth a read if you're looking for something new. The complete randomness and, well, weirdness of Lennon's style (and, perhaps, mind) are very intriguing, whether you find it funny or not.

The introduction by Yoko Ono is also worth a look at (it's a little suprising, but oddly thought-provoking).

I love The Beatles and I love nonsense so this was a perfect match. When you feel you've been thinking too much for one day this is the book to read it is just pure fun. The little short stories just make you giggle even if you're one of those people who never laughs when reading. This book also makes John Lennon seem more human since he has become this legend you get to see this silly but still genius side to him. Just a warning don't try making sense of this book it will just give you a headache just read it for kicks. To quote dear Mr.Lennon "this correction of short writty is the most wonderfoul larf I've ever ready."

I read and bought this when I was a kid when it first came out . It stayed with me all my life. His humor was cynical and dry,: but asolutely right on target with the times that past and the times to come. Hilarious and not so funny but completely understood. A book that I would love to repurchase when I return back to work and have an income again. To pass on to my kids and my grandkids. A shame to have lost such a vibrant,intelligent and loving man. He gave me the will to survive a very dysfunctional life. His music and his write may they live forever.

Over the last 15 years I have been involved with organizations undergoing major change. For all of those years I have tried to discover why change, that appears so essential to these companies, fails most of the time. I have searched for years for a logical answer.

I happend to notice the title of this book at a donated book sale at our local library.... I picked it and others up and proceeded to add it to the pile of books I would some day scan. On a long business flight I started to read this book.

I could not stop. As the authors laid out their ideas I covered the pages with notes.

Finaly a logical explanation of why change, even obviously necessary change, fails. Even more the begining of a method on how to make it work.

Knowing the difference between first-order change, and second-order change can change your life! See if you can figure this out: "It obviously makes as difference whether we consider ourselves as pawns in a game whose rules we call reality or as players of the game who know that rules are 'real' only to the extent that we have created or accepted them, and that we can change them." This is pretty much what this book is about. And this, "When a person enters therapy, he is fully entrenched in a dilemma: what he wishes to attain has become all the more important and urgent ... and because of this urgency it is all the more important that no risk of falure be involved in the eventual action." Complex stuff. I read it once, and now I'm back to read it again. It's hard to absorb it all the first time even though you know you're reading some pretty radical stuff that you probably ought to be acting upon!

This is a great book on the mind. It shows us that we don't really need to know the mechanisms of things to make it work. Just like we don't have to know how a car works in order to drive it. The mind is the same way. Never mind the mechanisms it involves but if you do this and this, a person will do this and this. And surprisingly, although most of the suggestions are counterintuitive, most of the things discussed in the book actually work when we try it out on others. Try it and you will see! If you want to know why these things work, I'd suggest you read "Rhythm, Relationships, and Transcendence" by Toru Sato. It is a very insightful book about relationships and consciousness. If you get the message, you will know why the things suggested in Watzlawick's books actually work. Happy reading!

I've played for over 15 years and read at least 15 golf books. I understand kinesiology and I thought I understood the golf swing until I read this book. Redman, along with one of my alltime favorite golfers, Paul Azinger, simply explains a much better way to hit a golf ball. His method produces a much better chance for a square club face at impact and also produces plenty of club head speed. When I relaized how easy the swing really is, I was amazed. I had tried to coordinate swinging arms with turning hips and rolling forearms and that's just too difficult for most people to accomplish. I also purchased "The Azinger Way" video tape and it's a nice compliment to the book because you can see how repeatable Paul's swing is with all clubs. Buy this book, learn the system, enjoy it, and never read another quick fix tip again. I don't know why more teachers don't use this model; it's much easier to teach and easier to learn! By the way, Azinger's putting tips in the book and video are also excellent.

IF I HAD RED THIS BOOK AND FOLLOWED IT 30 YEARS AGO,I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE HAD A LOT MORE ENJOYMENT PLAYING GOLF.THE BASIC TECHNIQUE THAT JOHN REDMAN TEACHES IS SO SIMPLE,THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REMEMBER IT WHEN YOU SWING THE GOLF CLUB.I HAVE DROPPED 12 STROKES OFF MY SCORE!!!!

John Redman teaches the golf swing in its purest form. His method has been popularized by golf greats Bobby Jones, Percy Boomer and Tommy Armour. His swing is sometimes called the "older" or "drag back" method because it concentrates on the passive use of the hands and arms. According to Redman the power of the golf swing takes place with the lower body, mainly a natural single axis swing around the spine with all of the power being generated by a level hip and shoulder turn. (Remember Percy Boomer's famous axiom about "turning in a barrel?") In contradistinction to this method most modern tour players and teachers teach a two axis turn. This is often characterized by the Jimmy Ballard lateral move. Unfortunately, this is much harder to perfect and physically coordinate than Redmans method. Subsequently, according to Redman many amateurs come outside the line and "over the top." Slice... slice... slice! Redmans prize student is the famous golf pro and major tournament winner Paul Azinger. Many illustrations of Paul's swing are included in the book. If you are looking for an easier more relaxed way to create club head speed and a golf swing that you can use for a lifetime, then you should order this book before your next round.

So very many books were written about the Beatles, and so many TV documentries were made about them. Anthology is definitely the best one yet, and I don't think there will ever be another book as complete and sincere as it. For the first time the Beatles tell their own story (yes, even John - material from old intreviews with him are beautifuly collected and edited into the book), along with some help from George Martin, Derek Taylor and Neil Aspinall and some old quotes from Brian Epstein, Mel Evans, Pete Best and others, and that makes Anthology a truly unique experience. The story is told from such a personal viewpoint that you will feel like you're part of the band. George, Ringo, Paul and John will become your closest friends for the period of reading the book.

Anthology covers every (well, probably almost every) aspect of the Beatles' life and musical career. It starts as four seperate stories as every band member describes his childhood, then melds into the story of the band. All the interviews from the wonderful Anthology TV series are in the book, but so are many more. There are far more details - especially about the music itself, which was neglected in the series. While in the series some albums were hardly mentioned, in the book the Beatles refer to almost every song, telling a thing or two about its background. Also, more touchy subjects which were avoided in the series appear here - such as, the (phony) death of Paul McCartney, the (real) death of Stuart Sutcliffe, the unfortunate Hell's Angels incident and the terrible case of Charles Manson and his connection to the White Album. The photographs and documents shown in the book are facsinating as well.

And no, it's NOT too long. The only problem with the book is its weight, which makes it quite uncomfortable to read. Anthology is a superb book, which reminded me why I used to love the Beatles so much and got me to hear all their albums again - twice.

So very many books were written about the Beatles, and so many TV documentries were made about them. Anthology is definitely the best one yet, and I don't think there will ever be another book as complete and sincere as it. For the first time the Beatles tell their own story (yes, even John - material from old intreviews with him are beautifuly collected and edited into the book), along with some help from George Martin, Derek Taylor and Neil Aspinall and some old quotes from Brian Epstein, Mel Evans, Pete Best and others, and that makes Anthology a truly unique experience. The story is told from such a personal viewpoint that you will feel like you're part of the band. George, Ringo, Paul and John will become your closest friends for the period of reading the book.

Anthology covers every (well, probably almost every) aspect of the Beatles' life and musical career. It starts as four seperate stories as every band member describes his childhood, then melds into the story of the band. All the interviews from the wonderful Anthology TV series are in the book, but so are many more. There are far more details - especially about the music itself, which was neglected in the series. While in the series some albums were hardly mentioned, in the book the Beatles refer to almost every song, telling a thing or two about its background. Also, more touchy subjects which were avoided in the series appear here - such as, the (phony) death of Paul McCartney, the (real) death of Stuart Sutcliffe, the unfortunate Hell's Angels incident and the terrible case of Charles Manson and his connection to the White Album. The photographs and documents shown in the book are facsinating as well.

And no, it's NOT too long. The only problem with the book is its weight, which makes it quite uncomfortable to read. Anthology is a superb book, which reminded me why I used to love the Beatles so much and got me to hear all their albums again - twice.

The Beatles story is an incredibly fascinating one. In so many ways their history is not merely of a musical group, even a great one. The Beatles transcended mere music. From 1962-1970, the entire period of their recording career, the Beatles recorded hundreds ofbrilliant songs, groundbreaking albums and lived enough advenutre to fill a lifetime. When this book was published, the three surviving Beatles had lived more than twice as many years since the breakup as the entire time the group was together. It is really remarkable to read (or see in the video) McCartney, Starr and Harrison talking about the Beatle's times from the perspective of late middle age. The story itself will be familiar to any Beatle's fan. The early days in Britain, the crazy days of Beatle mania, the acid drenched mid-sixties when the times began to influence the Beatle's sound and the Beatle's music so headily influenced the times. The flirtation with Indian religion, the death of Brian Epstein, Yoko Ono, the slowly growing rigt and finally the acrimonious breakup. All in an incredible 8 years. What makes this book unique, even from earlier books that quote the Beatles is the perspective of time which has clearly mellowed the three surviviors. Lennon's quote's are necessarily taken from before his death in 1980 and it is interesting to see how his failure to reach middle age lends a different perspective to his memories of the Beatles, in his case memories less than fifteen years old. How fascinating to hear Paul and George discussing the making of "Let it Be" where the bitterness was clear. Paul essentially apologizes and it is nice to know he and George settled their differences before Harrison's death late last year. Not only do I recommend this book, it cannot be missed by anyone interested in the Beatle's history in their own words. No other auto-biography will be as comprehensive for one reason. It will require much of the book to focus on pre and post Beatles years. As I stated, the Beatles recording career lasted 8 years. Today a top band would record at most three albums in that time. Don't miss the book or the video collection

That's what the sticker says on my jacket cover, quoting Iris Johansen, who is another of my favorites. And, wow, has she nailed it with just those eight words. My only complaint with Bannerman's Ghosts is that I waited too long for it and devoured it too quickly. I can't remember when I felt so many emotions in the course of reading a single book. It had me laughing out loud and then crying real tears, sometimes within the same page. It had me horrified, scared and wanting to cheer. It made me fall in love with three different characters.

I hesitate, in fact, to refer to them as characters because they seem so utterly real and so human. It had me in awe of the research that Maxim must have done and wondering how he got his sources to talk to him. It made me wonder how Maxim knows Bannerman and his people so well. Especially Carla and Elizabeth Stride and my personal favorite, John Waldo. So, you know what I think? I think they are real. And I think that Maxim must be one of them.

What a great read. If you are a fan of John R. Maxim's work you will love this book. Great Character development, Great Dialouge and written in a style that keeps you glued to the pages. The best Bannerman book yet. This book brings out many characters and storylines from past books. This story has the Whistler's Angel story running in the background and makes for some interesting reading. I have read all his books and this 1 rates in the top 3. (Haven and Shadowbox recommended reads) I can't wait for the next Maxim book.

The definition of "neighborhood watch" takes on an entirely new meaning in this latest Bannerman thriller by John R. Maxim IV. Long time fans and first time readers will be pleased to see favorite characters from his early novels and those from recent endeavors gather together to wreck havoc and just a touch of personal vengeance on the villains so aptly created by Maxim.

As with other Bannerman novels, GHOSTS is impossible to lay aside until the highly emotional final chapter and epilogue leaves you wishfully hoping Bannerman's Prophecy is already on its way to the publisher.

A recommendation for Hollywood: Beat a path to John Maxim's door for the Bannerman movie rights!