I found this book to be one of the more poorly written works detailing the warrior genius, Stonewall Jackson. Bowers seems confused throughout the entirity of his writing and never settles on a tone or a rhythm. The result is a book that wanders quite aimlessly at times, spouting off tidbits of information at irregular intervals.

This biography is a quick overview of Stonewall Jackson's life and is written more as a historical sequence of events rather than a revealing depiction of the man's character.

John Bowers' interpatation of the life of Stonewall Jackson is well researched and has a very interesting narative style. The license he takes with his descriptions I found novel and enjoyable, particularly his takes on Stonewall's early life and his time at VMI prior to the war. Coupeling imagination with history Bowers has produced a Shelby Footesque story about one of the most famous American military men. I highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys the stories of the Civil War.

What a disappointment! This book was hardly a "complete manual" of anything - it was small, poorly written and had no original ideas. This guy is no Heyduke.

This bokk will get you immagination to run wild. This stuff is so much fun! You've gotta get this one!

These were a series of stories that not only saw the return of Jean Grey but also the birth of the Goverment backed-mutant team X-FACTOR. The manner which Jea is brought back is about as far fetched as anything the X-Men comics have ever attempted and the formation of X-Factor was just a marketig attempt to get a new mutant title going, as if we need anymore.

You know, Jean Grey was never MEANT to die. The X-Men's editor at the time insisted Phoenix die for her actions as Dark Phoenix. This story, in a way, sets things right by bringing her back in a way much less contrived than many superhero resurrections. Far-fetched, yes, for the real world; but let's face it, these are comic book superheroes we're dealing with.

This collection features the (almost too) dramatic reunion of the original X-Men from X-Factor #1, as well as guest appearances by the Fantastic Four and Avengers. It sets up many more great moments later down the road (in X-Men: Inferno for instance), not to mention all the year of stories featuring Jean Grey since then. That alone makes me excited about it. A great follow-up to the Dark Phoenix Saga and From the Ashes.

Almost every chapter in AGES is duplicated in Jackson's more voluminous "Man God and Civilization", but AGES is still an excellent dissertation on ancient civilizations, especially for those who may not have time to read MG&C.

Starting with the "Early Stages of the World," Jackson visits Egyptian, Chinese, Greek and Roman societies, among others, to dissect events that contributed to their respective risings and fallings. Islam and Christianity are also looked at for their roles in developing societies. (He pulls no punches -- Jackson is a proud atheist.)

Persons interested in African contributions to modern society should consider this a must read. I'd give it five stars if, again, most of the info wasn't already in the other book.

This memoir is disappointing in two ways: first, it doesn't tell the reader much about what a courier did, and second, it doesn't give much information about how the author felt about events. It has the disjointed quality of many Civil War memoirs. Gill, who started out in the First Maryland Infantry, then transferred to the cavalry and became a courier, gives a decent description of First Manassas and of various cavalry fights. He was involved in the Valley Campaigns of '62 and '64, among other important actions. Aside from some vivid moments, though, his account doesn't give the reader much idea of what his experiences were like. I wouldn't really recommend seeking this one out.

On the whole, Mr. Jackson has written a balanced account of the enigmatic financier of the Gilded Age, but several glaring errors jump out at the reader and leaves one wondering just how reliable the author's research. He mentions in his discussion of the sinking of the Titanic for example, that Captain Edward Smith escaped drowning by paddling away in the same lifeboat as Bruce Ismay, chief executive officer of the White Star Line. Captain Smith, as the most casual observer of history now knows, went down with the great liner. This kind of slip-shod reporting completely destroys an author's credibility, especially when discussing a well-documented and important historical event such as the Titanic sinking. There are other errors of ommission and commission that riddle the text. To his credit, Mr. Jackson presents an evenly balanced account of Morgan, based (I would guess) on previously published books, though some of the personal insights into Morgan's private life are missing. This is not a definitive biography - far from it. It seems that Mr. Jackson put the volume together in great haste, when in fact a definitive study of the life of Morgan, and the House of Morgan, would require years, if not decades to complete.

John Dewey and the Lessons of Art by Philip W. Jackson:
Jackson argues that Dewey may never really have enjoyed art for arts sake but dealt with art as something to explore how his philosophical principles should be applied to it. Among the interesting themes in this book concern the laboratory school's growth out of Dewey's goal to increase the attraction of education to more students. Most young people wanted to get to making and doing and work and did not have the interest in more abstract learning. The laboratory school was an attempt to get students to "make and do" but focus on abstract learning doing it. Jackson examines the dilemma this causes in that teachers tend to do less abstract learning and overall learning declines as a result, and that Dewey tried to work with this dilemma but didn't quite get the message out. It sounds a lot like the issues educators face today. If you keep the students interested will they be learning what they need to? Art is one way to make and do in the class room but does it achieve what classical education about art does?

I read this book because it won a Pulitzer Prize, and because I so greatly enjoyed the biographies of Keats by Aileen Ward and by Robert Gittings. But I found much of this book tough going. The study of some of the longer poems simply did not interest me. But the account of Keats' last year is very well-done and absorbing.

Published in England. Nicely done. Lots of illustrations. Text is very interesting. The only problem is: it is too short. You can read it completely in under 10 minutes. They should have included more kings and queens and more detail on the ones they did include. Its billed as being a children's book, but the names of some of the kings and queens were difficult for me and I have a master's degree.

Pokemon is not bad I'm telling you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People
say this book is good. I don't think so.........................
If I could choose I would give 0 and I mean 0 stars... Do not by this book. Pokemon are never bad and going to live.

If it were up to me, I wouldn't have given it a star at all. Where is there evil in Pokemon? Can someone tell me?

Each episode of the television show has a message, Ash has a dream to strive to be the best in what he loves to do. That's a positive message if I've ever heard one.

Take for instance, this one episode which showed that everybody in the "pokemon" universe were being watched by the three legendary Pokemon for when humans and Pokemon. Humans and Animals, work and co-exist as one, if that isn't a good thing or a positive message, then I don't know what is.

You tell us to open our eyes ... well open yours.

( Little edit: LILO AND STITCH?! ... Geez. You people. Attack something that deserves it. )

As an architect with 6 years of graduate education, I have spent years studying the symbols created in the things we design, write and discuss. John Paul Jackson has exposed the demonic rituals that far eastern (and American!) cultures have allowed into our everyday life. Hollywood is also packaging this myth that is so bad for our children (and our adults!) I am ordering 25 copies of this book for all of my friends with children, because it is one of the ten best books I have ever read on how to discern what our children are being fed by society! The people who don't like this book need to open their eyes! Very well written and documented.