Reading the book does not require prior knowledge and training in linguistics or social theory because the book was written at the really introductory level. The author has intentionally stayed away from using too many technical jargons and dumping too many names on his readers. Thus, it is actually a very good introduction for students who haven't had prior experiences of reading linguistic stuffs. While the book does not deal with discourse analysis deeply, it certainly can provide an entry point for people who would like to know more about discourse analysis.

Professor Gee is easily one of the most exciting literacy/language/education/discourse thinkers of our time. This book is perfect for those thinking of researching the ways that language/talk/discourse reflect cultural/political/societal models. Gee is always on the cutting edge of this kind of research, and if you want to know how he does it, buy this book!

This is a memoir with chapters written in and after the 1880's.

An interesting positivist take on the war--also interesting how politically conscious Kidd appears to have been. My general observation is that the Northern accounts seem to be more politicized, more likely to talk about politicians and political beliefs, than Southern.

Kidd started the war as captain of Troop E, 6th Michigan Cavalry, and ended up in command of the regiment. He spends a lot of time discussing recruiting and training, details fighting at Gettysburg and Williamsport, Trevilian Station, Third Winchester, et cetera. Kidd's admiration for Custer, his brigadier, is clear.

A useful account, but not an especially anecdotal or vivid one.

This reprint of the classic "Recollections of a Cavalryman" is a valuable addition to the military history of the nation. It also offers a view of Custer by someone who actually served with him in combat -- extensive combat. The view of Custer that emerges is not that penned by a fawning subordinate; Colonel Kidd simply recounts the battles and activities of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade in a straightforward manner. His later controversy notwithstanding, Custer was an exemplary cavalry commander and arguably the most successful and brilliant cavalry officer on either side in the conflict. This book opens a window on the past and is an excellently written account of the brutal battles fought by our ancestors. The book also offers an unintentional balance to Custer's historical legacy. It's unintentional because at the time it was written, Custer was still considered a national hero. This book explains why he was. Read it.

Toscano makes a good case for the sacred nature of dissent, and he is qualified to say something about it...his dissent cost him his membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Many is the member of that Church and countless others whose own spiritual experience and insight differs from that of the accepted dogma, or worse, the acknowledged leadership. Should they keep their mouths faithfully shut, or do they have a sacred obligation to disagree? The principles of synergy and diversity are aligned with Toscano's position, though one has to be prepared for the inevitable fire-storm of criticism that will come from those faithful who disagree with you!

In this period of fanaticism and fundamentalism (Christian, Muslim, Jewish, doesn't matter...) Toscano's message is timely. Failing to dissent is often giving way to much deference, and ultimately power, to a handful of men (they are almost ALWAYS men...) who are notoriously irresponsible with that much power. His arguments are convincing, his insight often piercing, and his motive *appears* to be wholesome. This is a book that can be enjoyed by readers of many faiths, not just Mormons, as his argument is broadly applicable. As I write this, the Catholic Church is being rocked by the scandal of priests engaging in sexual molestation of young boys. If dissenters of the Catholic Church had not been burned at the stake historically, perhaps we might never have gotten here. If the Taliban had been willing to listen to alternate opinions, perhaps Afghanistan would not be the war-ravaged nation that it is. And if the Mormon church were tolerant of diologue and introspection, perhaps its brightest minds wouldn't being leaving the fold, either voluntarily, or in Toscano's case, involuntarily.

Paul James Toscano's The Sanctity of Dissent should have a space on every bookshelf. Although Toscano writes within a Mormon context, his ideas and arguments can apply to any institution or organization. You don't need to understand Mormonism or be a Mormon to appreciate these essays.

Toscano discusses a wide range of ideas, including spiritual abuse, overemphasis on the rights of authority figures, sexism, and abuse of authority within a religious context. He calls for leaders to be responsible and accountable and for members to hold their leaders accountable. The title essay presents the central concept of the book - that dissent is a sanctified act, that Jesus was a dissenter, and that dissent is the obligation of members of any organization. We must dissent when we see an organization to which we belong making mistakes or its leaders abusing their power; this is especially essential in something as important as our faith.

Toscano doesn't validate dissent for its own sake; he calls us to dissent when reform is needed, when abuses must be resisted and corrected. As members of any organization or church, we have a moral obligation to dissent to abuses. As dissenters we must be "the loyal opposition" - faithful to the organization, its success and survival. Dissent can be an attempt to reform abuses, mistakes and missteps of an organization.

Toscano's challenges his readers to rethink their views and values and to be prepared to pay the price. He knows first hand the cost of challenging orthodoxy; in 1993 he was excommunicated from the Mormon Church. Toscano was excommunicated because of the ideas in this book but is loyal to the Mormon Church. The conflict between individual conscience and institutional demands for obedience drives Toscano's book. Readers are challenged to ask themselves difficult questions: Can I be loyal to an organization (church, nation, company, school) but not its current leaders? And if I can, how do I then negotiate the difficult path between faithful dissent and outright rebellion? Toscano believes both are possible and worthwhile no matter how difficult. After reading this book, you will agree with him and you may even be compelled to start asking your own questions.

A book worth reading and rereading.

i have to admit,james robinson really won me out on this one.this is his storytelling before his ideas started to grow a little stale,lately.it's an easy and fun read,is the best i can,or anyone else,can put it.it has a nice sense of fantasy and the mystery of unexplored places. chance falcon,a pre-adolescent school girl is trying to win her father out into the next "falcon",the title of a wizard passed down generations except the only catch to it is yo gotta be a son.and it's too dangerous for her anyway,but she proves her dad and all of us she take take the most dangerous of adventures and come out true.it's got suspense and adventure and paul smith's artwork fits in this series like a glove.it's simple yet gorgeous.kinda how jeff smith's artwork fits into bone,smith's illustration belongs in leave it to chance. read this book to go through a wonderful romp of adventure.

This graphic novel (originally published in 4 comic books) introduces Chance Falconer who lives in a modern world where magic exists. Chance is the daughter of the great Lucas Falconer whose family has protected the city from supernatural threats for generations. As Chance tries to prove to her father that she's ready to be trained in the "family business" a mystery is uncovered and a great adventure ensues.

I LOVE this book and the rest of the series. The artwork and the writing work perfectly together - telling a complex and intelligent story without losing the sense of innocence and fun that is at its heart.

I've given copies of the book to adult friends of mine, children, and early teens and all of them have enjoyed it.

I won't buy a book for a kid or teen unless I've read it and liked it. I've had a hard time finding adventure books about girls (there are so few) that fit this bill. But "Leave it to Chance" is a winner.

A great song, a great painting, an inventive way of putting them together. All of Dylan's greatest songs should be given this kind of treatment.

A thoroughly original concept brilliantly executed. Ensor and Dylan might seem like an odd pairing, but by the time one has finished enjoying this book, s/he will have gained insights into both of the artists and the works that probably could not have been conveyed in any other way. A pleasant surprise from a museum not known for originality or creativity. The Getty should publish more titles as memorable as this one.

I have read a lot of business books about leadership. While most of them have been interesting, they have also been a little dry because the references to real people have only been used by way of example. Therefore, I liked this book because it allowed me to spend a liitle time with 50 people that one has to respect and acknowledge for their accomplishments. They have had to do something right in order to achieve what they have. But, then the book takes these 50 real life experiences and distills it down into a framework and a few basic lessons that helps all these individual experiences make sense within the larger scheme of things. People might say that there is nothing new here, only common sense notions, yet until one sees things within a larger picture or framework that ties things together, these are just disjointed ideas with little context, synergy or power to change. I can apply these lessons for the top to my own life situation and career and that makes the book work for me.

Unlike most business books, Lessons from the Top is fun to read AND offers practical, insightful, thoughts on great leadership. It draws powerful stories from great leaders but unlike many anecdotal business books, Neff and Citrin collect their stories from a group that they have not picked at random, but based on an analytical framework.

Each of the chapters is like sipping coffee with a business leader for a few hours- each page a glimpse of which paths these leaders have taken and the combination of personality skills that have contributed to their tremendous success.

After all of these great insights, Neff and Citrin then outline the lessons they learned (and the reader does too!) in a powerful way, delineating many of the traits these leaders have in common. Some of these findings be quite surprising!

In sum, this book is fantastic. You won't put it down until you have finished it and when you do, you will feel like you could call any of the leaders by their first name AND use the "lessons learned" to practically aspire to join this list!

I have seen an early edition of "Lessons From the Top". Remarkably, "Lessons From the Top" brings America's Corporate Board Room to the rest of America. As a former Assistant Corporate Secretary for what was at the time, America's largest outside Board of Directors, I had the unique opportunity to participate in strategy sessions and become acquanted with captains of US business.

Now, I am happy to say, the rest of America is provided this special opportunity with a glimpse into some of the country's finest corporate leaders. "Lessons from the Top" takes a look at what makes these 50 industry leaders tick and how their actions and skills have contributed to their leadership success.

The access afforded these authors is impressive, as is the statistical selection process utilized to select the participants.

The book is clearly organized and valuable lessons may be learned as we take this book with us on our business travels.

I recommend it for everyone who is interested further insights into leadership skills for work and extra-curricular activities.

James W. Huston has garnered a bunch of fans with his debut novel. Along with Rush Limbaugh and the thousands of others who have read this interesting story of a constitutional crisis between a dovish President as Commander in Chief and a hawkish Speaker of the House, I found myself liking this book.

Huston does some interesting things with his characters. His fictional President, like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has no military experience. His Speaker of the House, unlike his real life model, Newt Gingrich, is a former naval officer who saw combat in Vietnam as a brown water sailor in the navy's riverine forces. As a veteran, I found both the President and the Speaker unlikable. The President was an un- realistic idealist and the Speaker a jingoistic opportunist. Mr. Huston did a good job of developing both of these figures well enough to make me dislike them and in that, I felt he did a creditable job.

Perhaps the most valuable lessons learned from this book, especially to the unitiated, were the descriptions of the workings of the various branches of the federal government. Despite the fact that the book is a novel, I think it could be used as a primer on federalism for high school students. If used at the college level, I would recommend that it be used in political science courses covering both the Presidency and the Congress.

Mr. Huston's credentials as an F-14 NFO and Intelligence Officer shines through. His training as a lawyer shines through as well when he discusses the various constitutional issues that develop as a result of his plot. I would like to correct some of the other critics who wrote here on a point of fact. Mr. Huston was not an F-14 pilot. The dust jacket points out that he was an F-14 NFO (Naval Flight Officer). That's the Guy In Back. Remember Goose in TOP GUN? Needless to say, while he may not have actually flown them, he was trained to fight in them and that background lends him a credibility not available with other authors.

Mr. Huston, like a lot of lawyers has taken to writing and I think his debut novel was a fine first effort. I look forward to his next effort because this one reminds me of the early Tom Clancy. I just hope that he doesn't run out of steam (or plausible story lines) like Tom Clancy seems to have done of late. While Mr. Clancy seems to have invented the techno-thriller as a genre, there have been many who followed his example and provided the reading public with hours of reading entertainment.

I wish Mr. Huston good fortune in his writing career. He may well be Tom Clancy's heir in the political-military thriller arena.

What if the President of the United States is unwilling to use the military to protect U.S. citizens, and defend the nation 's rights and ideals from attack? What if Congress used a hidden clause in the Constitution to authorize military action without the President's approval? That's the spectacular theme of Balance Of Power, the thrilling debut novel from James W. Huston.

For me, Balance Of Power's unique blend of the fascinating world of today's military technology with the intricacies of high-octane politics and legal maneuvering, makes it a new kind of intellectually-challenging, can't-put-it-down thriller. If you like military/political/adventure thrillers, you won't want to miss this book! It's like Tom Clancy and Stephen Coonts meet John Grisham on Patrick O'Brian's high seas. Balance Of Power's only flaw, albeit a minor one, is that it does not develop well enough the character of the bad guy, George Washington.

Huston has the potential to be a new master in this genre. I can't wait to read The Price Of Power,the sequel to Balance Of Power, to see if Huston can deliver a solid "one-two punch." Look over your shoulders Clancy, Coonts and Grisham-- there's a new player in town!

Truly fantastic political and military thriller, one of my favorite works of fiction I have read the last few years. Author James W. Huston, drawing skillfully both upon his military background as an F-14 fighter pilot in the US Navy and his legal background as a lawyer, has crafted a tightly woven yarn about terrorism in the South Pacific - Indonesia to be exact - and what the President and the US Congress do about it.

When terrorists capture the US flagged merchant ship Pacific Flyer, kill most of the crew, kidnap the captain, and then booby-trap the ship to kill potential rescuers, the world is stunned. Though the world expects President Manchester (a fictional president who serves after the President Clinton of this novel's timeline), to react, he does not order a military strike, instead announcing he is against continuing the "cycle of violence" and that while he will order a carrier battle fleet to help find the terrorist's island hideout, will not act militarily, instead seeing it as an internal Indonesian police matter.

Many are outraged as his reaction, none more so than Speaker of the House John Stanbridge. Furous over what he sees as a failure to act and accusing the President of pacifism, he tries to get around the President's orders regarding the terrorists, hidden on a foritified island which the battle group centered around the carrier USS Constitution under Admrial Billings locates.

Brash and brilliant aide to Standbridge, Jim Dillon, comes up with a little known provision in the US Constituion in Article I, Secton 8, relating to the power of the Congress to issues Letters of Marque and Reprisal. Researching it, he finds that the power was formerly used to grant legal authority to armed merchantmen in times of war, authorizing private ships to act as war ships. Instead, with Standbrige's support, it is proposed, voted on, and passed, the Letter instead issued to the Constitution battle group!

I won't comment much more on the course of the novel, other than to say it is great political thriller to see the constitutional crisis that comes to embroil all three branches of the federal government, and the struggle of Congress and the President to get the battle group to act how they see fit. It is also a great military thriller, to see a US carrier battle group, with fighters, attack craft, helicopters, and Marines operating against terrorists, a true joy to read particularly in the wake of the tragic and horrid attacks of September 11, 2001.

Highly recommend this work to all fans of military fiction, technothrillers, political thrillers, and fans of Tom Clancy. Pay close attention to the events in the novel, as there is truly excellent follow up in the riveting sequel, The Price of Power.

Thus might Grace Flint, possibly one of the most intriguing heroes of recent thriller fiction, be characterized.

Grace is Detective Inspector Flint of Scotland Yard, assigned to the Major Crimes unit as an undercover operative. Three years previous, she got caught in a sting gone awry, during which her partner was killed and her face stomped to a pulp. Now, after extensive reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation, she's back on the job. While on assignment to America, she stumbles across the trail of the man, Frank Harling, who ordered her beating. It's becomes evident that Frank is now involved in an international blackmail and money laundering scheme masterminded by highly placed individuals in the West's intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Not knowing whom to trust, even within her own service, Flint goes underground to track Harling down.

There's actually a second protagonist in this plot, Harry Cohen, who's on an almost equal footing with Flint. Harry, a solicitor by profession, was once MI5's chief legal counsel, but was sacked after recommending against too many operations of dubious legality. Now, Grace's friends bring Cohen back to find Flint before she runs afoul of either Harling again or the criminal schemers within the Establishment that want her investigation stopped. But, are Grace's "friends" really her friends, or are they the Bad Guys?

Flint is fascinating because of the heavy load of emotional and psychological baggage she carries. There are, obviously, the aftereffects of her physical trauma manifested by her obsession with Harling. But also, as the storyline reveals, Grace's mother vanished one day when her daughter was but a young girl, apparently to foul play since the family dog was severely and deliberately injured in the same event. The woman was never found, not even her body. For a period during her adolescence, Grace actually thought that her veterinarian father had committed the murder, and had him investigated by the police - an investigation that discovered nothing. Because of all this, Flint is extremely vulnerable. Yet she remains smart, highly motivated, and terribly good at what she does for the London Metropolitan Police, i.e. being an undercover agent that can completely take on whatever role of the moment she needs to play. In that sense, she's a chameleon, both to her quarry and the reader.

As much as I enjoyed FLINT, I'm only awarding 4 stars because of a major loose end not tidied up at the conclusion - the question of her mother's disappearance. Perhaps the author means to return to the mystery in a sequel. Perhaps not. It seems too curious a thread to leave hanging, and I shall be sorely vexed if a following volume doesn't revisit the incident.

A foul windy and wet day and 700 odd miles before me was not conducive to a happy day. So I put the first Flint cassette in to the car player. The day took on a new meaning. I was gripped by this extraordinary exciting story. I had already read the book it made no difference to the excitement.The miles fell away even idiot drivers were an irrelevance as I became immersed in the world of Grace Flint, a British under cover detective inspector, who is so real but goes through the kind of reality no one in their right mind would want to experience. It is a very special story and the plot is cunningly crafted by Paul Eddy. I thought ahead but each time the story proved me wrong as I was lead from one direction to another. The story has pathos and incites rage(not traffic) then laughter then satisfaction. It is a very stimulating story with a heroine of courage and beauty, the latter from the delicate hands of a plastic surgeon's scapel as a result of a savage beating. One word -terrific.

...as in a razor-sharp arrowhead. The character of Grace Flint is given a sharp edge by what she has endured. The writing of Paul Eddy is incisive and well-aimed.

I picked up a copy of the UK paperback version of this book here in Tokyo, in spite of the cover line comparing Grace Flint to Clarice Starling. The comparison is off the mark, and suggests that Eddy's novel is somehow derivative of the work of Thomas Harris.

It is more true to say that Paul Eddy is writing in the tradition of John Le Carre. Good character development, excellent plotting, an insider's knowledge of organizations and locales. I particularly enjoyed the confrontation with the President of the Northern Turkish Republic of Cyprus; Eddy shows a keen insight into international affairs, and takes us to a place not often visited in novels.

This book is very difficult to put down; I resented every minute that I was obliged to do something else. I look forward to Eddy's next book.

As a big fan of Begala and Carville as talented, intelligent political insiders (although definitely not of their political persuasions), I read this book knowing that it would be more than the standard "be-confident-never-give-up-learn-how-to-spin" self-help book that the title suggests. I was not disappointed.

What makes the book better than the rest are the great anecdotes that Carville and Begala have acquired in their many years of successful campaigning and dealing with the media.

Frankly, I feel bad for anyone who would buy this book hoping to learn the secret to winning elections. The advice itself is the standard stuff you'd hear from any political insider or honest politician. It's the way in which it's told that makes this book an interesting collection of creative one-liners and entertaining stories.

I definitely recommend this book - just don't take it too seriously.

This extremely fast moving and entertaining book (you will laugh out loud) will energize your approach towards achieving your own life goals by helping you develop a game plan. It is loaded with terrific anecdotes and lessons from real-life political and business situations which serve to illustrate how others have endured extreme hardships and overcome them to acheive great accomplishments. Paul Begala and James Carville bring razor-like clarity to the importance of focusing on the big picture, aligning daily actions towards the end-game and developing strategies and tactics to overcome the inevitable travails along the way. There are very many take-away jewels in this book and if you take the time to read it - it just may make a difference in your life. I highly recommend it to anyone who has a dream and needs a roadmap to show them the way.

This book is a practical guide to winning the "battle", whether that's a political campaign, a business, or anything.

The advice is organized into simplistic chapters, such as "Kiss Ass", "Kick Ass" and "Frame the Debate". The chapters use interesting and humorous anecdotes to explain the ideas. This is roll up the sleeves advice for how to make things happen. The context is political, the application much more universal.

As one might imagine, the book has strong liberal pro-Clinton leanings. YOU don't need to be card carrying democrat to get a lot from the book. If you're a Carville fan, you'll appreciate the editiorial comments more. If you're a die hard Republican, learn from these guys and get the last laugh. Read a chapter a day and you'll be better for it.

p.s. The chuckle from the name alone should be worth a few stars!

Robert Eisenman looks at Christianity from a detailed historical perspective, and concludes that James of the early Church in Jerusalem was meant to be the spiritual heir to Jesus' ministry and life. For those Christians with sincere doctrinal disputes with St. Paul, this is compelling reading.

Unfortunately in a book whose entire premise relies on the interpretation of ancient manuscripts, Mr. Eiseman does not seem to have a grasp of language. His early and continued misuse of the word "decimate" grates, and made me reconsider how much I could trust any of the more critical interpretations he offered.

Although I am well read in this area, I found the constant going back and forth between my reference books, the text and the detailed footnotes exhausting.

I believe this is a great coffee table book and conversation starter, but offers little in the way of solid historical authenticity.

I have found Prof. Eisenman's work extremely valuable. His critics are right when they point out that the book is long, repetitious, and difficult. This is why I consider the book falls a star short of a 5 star winner. But perhaps the detail of the book is necessary. In Prof. Eisenman's profession "proofs" do not exist. Only interpretations. The more detail you have, perhaps the better the interpretation. I am not sure Eisenman is always right, but he is, nevertheless, enlightening. And he, trying to recover the true story of early christianity, is closer to the truth than those who look for "Jesus, the son of God" rather than "the historical Jesus". For many, the mere fact that Jesus had a brother will be a revelation. But it is equally valuable to consider that the "Ecclesia" James (and, by extension, Jesus) had in mind was a nationalistic, apocalyptic, fanatic movement against the Empire of the time. Paul, being accomodatitious with power, rejecting the local aspects of early Christianity, and transforming Jesus into a supernatural figure, made Him universal. No mean feat, but is chilling to consider that that was not the original intention. Serious work, made by an open mind. You will require one too to painfully read it. But, when you are in pain, you must remember that the author took greater pains to write it: he had to argue against orthodoxy, even Divinity, and he was mostly successful.

After devoting considerable time reading and re- reading Dr.Eisenman's book, I must say that it's about time a blast of common sense refreshes the rarified and stuffy air of Biblical scholarship.Eisenman's appreciation for the people of the history and their motivations, shed much light where there has been mostly shadow. His original and common sense based speculations and intuitive knowledge of human nature make James..a must read. despite the challenge to Christianity implicit in this book, Eisenman steps on as many Jewish toes as Christian, and he never foregoes an opportunity to tweak the noses of the Rabbinic Jews, by daring to question the doings of their putative leaders. As the tireless Eisenman untangles the spaghhetti of rewrites and wipes and emmendations that give us our warped view of Jesus and the Jews and the threat they represented to the established order, the Pax Romana of the first century ce. . One has only to look at the Polemics of Qumram and those of Paul to see the trail of influence. Eisenman need not be correct about every particular to have given us a brand new view of history that resonates like no other.Having been to the Dead Sea and Qumram and slept out on the plain of Moab facing the ruined escarpment of Sodom and Gomorah, and knowing the harsh necessities such conditions enforced on those who lived there- it becomes very clear that such a world was very small- the so called Essenes ( zealots/ Sicarii) were not an isolated bunch of pacifists or dropped out hermits despite the irrational insistence of the NT and the Christian fathers who claim such influential characters as John the Essene aka John the Baptist could possibly be separate from the Yahad,'the community of the righteous'. The eschatological hard rain promised at Qumram does not come with a turning of one's cheek, but with a sword and this sword pointed at Rome. One of the most important points that Eisenman makes is with regard to the family of Jesus, called the Desposyni. He shows the calculated will behind the stealing of Jesus' identity by Paul who created Christ Jesus. This happened to Jesus and his family in spades over the course of the few hundred years following.. We see the NT and many later Christian texts, remove Jesus from his family, his nation and his people, isolating him, removing him from his patrimony, setting the stage for the Church's historical crimes against the Jews. If Eisenman did nothing else but force us to to see the man behind the mask of Saul/Paul, that would make the whole course of study required well worth the trip, but indeed there is much more. If one reads Tacitus and Acts, it is easy to see how Rome's most determined enemy became by proxy the enemy of much of the world and we know the sad truth of that, the holocaust is only the most recent and severe exponent of this. It is important to think about why the Roman's 'turned' a number of the most important actors of this messianic tableaux into collaborators. Eisenman's James, the Brother of Jesus creates a tapestry, but not out of whole cloth, but rather by untangling threads and brushing away the historical detritus, the fictions and slanders that have become orthodoxy. The dogmatic slumber which the mainstream academics and Dead Sea scroll scholars have sentenced us to is over. The echoes of Eisenman will shake the crockery and destroy some illusions, but such an affect is desirable at this point. From the throne mysticism of Ezekiel and the such 'hidden ones' as Honi the Circle Drawer to the messianic exegetes of Qumram, to Mani and Mohammed, influnced by Sabaean followers of the Desposyni(family of Jesus) to the Kabbalah and Sufism in Spain in the 13th century which led to the Rennaisance, the trail of esoteric knowledge points out the direction of history, the cyclicity of history, and the potency of uncovering the truth, even at this late date, will no doubt have a salutary effect on future generations. I can hardly wait to see the promised second volume of Eisenman's paradigm breaking history.