This is an excellent collection of essays by the greatest preachers in the Reformed tradition today. Some of the topics include The Primacy of Preaching (Mohler), The Teaching Pastor (Sproul), Evangelistic Preaching (Alexander), and The Foolishness of Preaching (Boice). John Piper's essay on Preaching to Suffering People is one of the best things he has ever written and by itself is worth the price of the book ten times over. Derek Thomas' essay on Expository Preaching is full of very good instruction. Joel Beakes' contribution on Experimental Preaching is also excellent. I highly recommend this book for pastors. If you are not a pastor, consider purchasing it for your pastor as a gift. He will be appreciative.

The Fact that this book is excellent should be no surprise, merely take a glance at the authors. This book will probably offend pastors who are in to the modern pop pyschology, but then they probably wouldn't be reading it anyway. Granted, that was probably unfair but...
Naturally some chapters are better than others, here are a few:

"The Lasting Effect of Experimental Preaching"--the essay on spiritual formation--worth the price of the book.

"The Primacy of Preaching"--by Albert Mohler--very good, a wake up call to the church.

"Expository Preaching"--good and bad examples of expository preaching, very fun chapter.

"Preaching to Suffering People"--by John Piper. It is by Piper, enough said.

"A reminder to Shepherds"--By John Macarthur, a fitting close to a fine book.

Absolutely essential reading for upcomming (as well as seasoned) preachers. A true gem, very informative, and a must for all who proclaim God's Word.

I saw this play in person, and just finished the book. Nothing better than great poetry made for our time. Highly recomend for those who who've seen it, or heard a review. Some of the plays are musical so they don't translate well to paper. One drawback.

Love's Fire embodies our perception of language. The spoken and unspoken voices of God, Love, Nature, and Humanity become the essential elements in this collection of one acts. Riveting and powerful, Love's Fire demands to be performed. Not only is the language spoken by the actors and heard by the audience, but the language of our contemporary masters blends with the master of language himself, William Shakespeare. As Love's Fire reinvigorates our grasp of language we come to an understanding that poems, sonnets, books, plays, spiritual songs, or body movements fuel the fire of love. An excellent piece of work by 7 masters who dedicated the collection to the Bard.

Shakespeare's inspired words talk to today's audience through the intriguing interpretations of master American playrights. Especially fascinating is John Guare's "The General of Hot Desire". These original works defy description...so read them...or better yet...perform them...and appreciate these unique literary gems in all their splendor.

This is an excellent quick reference book for the practicing neonatologist, fellow or resident in training. Nicely organized, clinically relevant. Definitely a book to have when you want a quick reference on how to respond to a clinical situation.

Hello; Can you please send me a facture for your book titeled :"Manual of Neonatal Care" edited by John P. Cloherty, because I don't have a card and I want to receive this book by mailing to Tunisia. This is my mail address: Dr Abderraouf CHABCHOUB Centre de maternité et de Néonatologie de Tunis 1007, Tunisia.

CHAPTERS ARE CONCISE.LOADED WITH RELEVENT INFORMATION.YOU WILL WISH TO KEEP IT WITH YOU ALWAYS FOR QUICK REFERENCE.

This is the standard text and facsimile on the Dresden. Thompson was one of the greatest experts on the Maya and for the time, did an excellent job. However as we can now read the glyphs with greater reliability, some of the interpretations are out of date. This should be part of any serious student of Maya Codices, but reference should be made to other more up-to-date titles. Although this is out of print, The Fondo de Cultura Economica (FCE) is due to re-publish soon an updated version with a new commentary.

This commentary is required reading for any student of the Maya codices. It was the best available resource at the time of publication. Even the ideas that are out of fashion by present thinking are worth considering. The facsimile is a full-color reproduction, based off the Förstemann edition, but re-colored by Thompson.

This is not quite as good as 1 or 2, but it is still excellent! Shakespeare grabs us with the dispute between Henry VI and York. While it seems to end peacefully it does not, and the war goes on! York's death in 1.4 is another landmark in Shakespeare's writing. The scene (2.5) where Henry finds true terror is horror, sorrow, and yet beauty and yet another moving part of the play. (The son that hath killed his father and the father that hath killed his son.) The war pauses in disaster for Henry and some comic relief is offered. But the horror starts all over again when Edward IV and Warwick have a falling out. The war starts over again, and the King of France gets involved! The scene where King Henry VI is reinstated is a scene of beauty and hope. While all of this is happening, Shakespeare carefully prepares the monstrously satanic character of Richard III. From here, the play just gets more and more bloody. A final moment of horror is offered when the eventual Richard III proudly compares himself to the one who betrayed Christ. In part 4 "Richard III," the real terror begins!

This was one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. (possibly his third) Yet, there is nothing to indicate he was only starting out. Right away he grabs our attention with the funeral of King Henry V. Henry V's brothers Bedford and Gloucester help us to see the virtues and strengths of the deceased king. The Bishop of Winchester is well drawn as a comical villain who plots and plans, but never succeeds in doing any real damage. (Not until the next play anyway.) Talbot is memorable as the selfless hero of the play. York is memorable as the hero who defeats Joan of Arc. King Henry VI himself is interesting. First we see him as a helpless infant. By the third act, we see that he has both strengths and weaknesses. He makes the mistake of dividing the command between the rivals Somerset and York. But also, we see that he does not tolerate treason or neglect of duty. There are also many memorable scenes. The garden scene that foreshadows the War of the Roses is well drawn. The scene where York comforts his dying uncle is tragic beauty. Bedford's death in 3.2 has almost a divine tone. The death of Talbot and his son is very lamentable. York's sudden rise to power is captivating. Perhaps Shakespeare's greatest achievement in this play is that he simultaneously shows us England's war with France and the dissension with England itself.

Full of good stuff that one normally has to research in half a dozen different places and media. Ruley has a very good grip of how to build Windows NT into an enterprise, particularly when using TCP/IP. I recommend it

This is a very pragmatic book on NT Networks. It discusses real life situations and has product recommendations. It will serve useful for most of the implentation specifics of NT Server both in a small LAN and an enterprise domain

Eric Temple Bell, (1883-1960), was the first person to truly popularize mathematics with his classic 1937 book, "Men of Mathematics". Many mathematicians, including Reid's own sister Julia Robinson, later to become famous as one of the finest early women mathematicians, cite this book as the reason why they turned to a career in mathematics.

But his early life was rather a mystery, and when Albers and Alexanderson, two mathematicians who were attempting to profile Bell, talked to Reid, she became intrigued by the contradictory statements and minimal evidence about where he lived up until the early 1920's. He'd always claimed to be Scottish--but was he born in Aberdeen or Peterhead? He said he'd traveled around the world as a teenager--but never said exactly when or how. He claimed to have been at the University of London, which didn't fit with what else was known about his education. Reid talked to Bell's son Taine, and soon decided that she had a mystery to unravel. Initially she agreed only to write the story of his early life, but eventually wrote a full biography.

The book is told in the present tense, as Reid walks us through her early discoveries. This is a device that works well in the early chapters, when she is talking to folks in Peterhead and San Jose, trying to find clues; but it palls later. By the twenties Bell's career was enough in the public record that it would have been pointless for him to lie about it, and from that point on Reid's occasional interjections in the present tense, as she relates a discovery or inconsistency, are a little jarring.

That's a minor point though. The book is fascinating, both in its portrait of Bell, who was multi-faceted--a distinguished mathematician, a prolific sf author, and a top-flight popular mathematics writer--and in the story of the detective work Reid had to do. Eventually Reid does uncover almost everything one could hope for, though Bell's motivation for lying about his past will probably never be known. It becomes apparent by late in the book that Bell never even told his wife the truth about his first years.

His mathematical career is covered in reasonable detail, with some input from Lincoln Durst, who has spent much time studying Bell's papers. It's clear that Bell was original and influential, though oddly it appears that the gift of smooth exposition so in evidence in his popular work was sometimes missing from his mathematical papers. Apparently there have been many instances when later mathematicians have rediscovered results originally due to Bell, mainly because his papers were often obscure or poorly written.

The only real criticism I have is the lack of a bibliography. Even a list of twenty or so important papers would have sufficed for the mathematics, but for the books I think it is a real omission. Other than that, however, this is a great biography and a fascinating read. Recommended.

Disingenuous about his past and occasionally a rubber sheet geometrist in his writings, Eric Temple Bell was a most complicated person. However, his writings on the history of mathematics are examples of extremely effective prose and are a joy to read. Many people have testified to the fact that his books led them to pursue a career in mathematics. Constance Reid captures all of this, in a book that at times is more of a detective story than a biography. She captures the soul of the man so well that immediately after reading the book, this reviewer went back and reread Bell's book, Men of Mathematics. And that is the highest compliment that a biography can receive.
Exactly where Bell was and what he was doing in his early years had never been conclusively determined and his statements were false and contradictory. With amazing perseverance, Reid manages to answer most of the questions, in a fascinating account of searching the most mundane of records. One is truly astonished at the thoroughness of human record-keeping back into the middle of the nineteenth century. Why Bell chose to make the claims that he did about his past is something that will never be known.
Of course, Bell was also an extremely prolific author of mathematical papers and a writer of science fiction under the pen name of John Taine. It is unfortunate that his talent for fiction crept into his other work. As is mentioned in the book, some of Bell's historical writings were false, and there is little doubt that he knew it. Just another twist in his complicated persona.
A fascinating, thorough account of a legend who deserves the pedestal, this work captures all of the man - the good, the bad and the confusing.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

This is a pleasant collection of travel-related visual bric-a-brac, mostly from the teens, twenties, and thirties, presented without much comment or context. The material speaks for itself, and is worthy of collection, but a few better-focused volumes would serve this subject matter better.

Another reviewer has suggested that the brochure covers in this book are examples of good design, as a designer I can say that most of them are mediocre, though some of the illustrations are excellent. However, collect two hundred and put them in a well laid out book and they become fascinating and informative. Who can remember that in 1950 Liberal, Kansas was the 'Pancake hub of the Universe!

Authors Margolies and Baker write an interesting short history of these brochures and their choice of material is comprehensive. A bibliography is provided and a very detailed source list. If you have travelled around the country in the early part of the last century and like to look at printed Americana this book is certainly well worth having.

Travel literature used to be stunningly beautiful, and See the USA captures the best of the best in a very hip layout. Cowgirls, Southern belles, beach babes promoting tourist Meccas all look luscious and inviting. This book ought to be required reading for any student of the graphic arts. Check it out!

Celebrating the 100th Birthday of the National Wildlife Refuges, this book is a revealing and oft inspiring account of the history of the refuges and the closely allied conservation movement. Accompanying the text are stunning photographs of the wildlife and lands they have preserved.

The story begins with a heartbreaking description of the wanton destruction of wildlife from the time the colonists arrived through the 19th Century. Some species were driven to extinction and many more were threatened by that fate. In the latter half of the 19th century, individuals and groups struggled to stem this desecration of our heritage to little avail.

Many argued that only Federal government action could protect wildlife from the excesses of a market driven economy. While there were some steps in that direction during the late 1800's, the seminal event came in 1903 when Teddy Roosevelt established Pelican Island in Florida as the first National Wildlife Refuge.

In the century since, the refuge system has steadily grown to its current count of 538 refuges in all 50 states. Throughout this history, there have been continual battles with those who sought to use the refuges for activities detrimental to wildlife. Finally, in 1997 the dominant purpose of the refuges to protect wildlife was made the law of the land.

Unfortunately, there is one crucial exception. A political compromise at the time of its creation left the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- also known as the "American Serengeti" -- vulnerable to devastating oil development. The author chronicles the origin of that controversy and its evolution to the present time. Given his strong advocacy for wildlife and the refuges in this book, his treatment of the protagonists in the ANWR controversy is remarkably even handed. By contrast, the writers in Subhankar Banerjee's "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land" are unabashedly on the side of preserving the Coastal Plain. I think they got it right.

The final section of the book contains profiles of eight of the refuges selected for their beauty and diversity.

In his introduction, Eric Dolin writes -- "The refuge system is a priceless gift. It reflects the great diversity of the tapestry of life and commitment of the United States to wildlife conservation." His book demonstrates the truth of these assertions and provides many reasons to hope that our nation's commitment will only grow stronger.

Reasons for Hope

Celebrating the 100th Birthday of the National Wildlife Refuges, this book is a revealing and oft inspiring account of the history of the refuges and the closely allied conservation movement. Accompanying the text are stunning photographs of the wildlife and lands they have preserved.

The story begins with a heartbreaking description of the wanton destruction of wildlife from the time the colonists arrived through the 19th Century. Some species were driven to extinction and many more were threatened by that fate. In the latter half of the 19th century, individuals and groups struggled to stem this desecration of our heritage to little avail.

Many argued that only Federal government action could protect wildlife from the excesses of a market driven economy. While there were some steps in that direction during the late 1800's, the seminal event came in 1903 when Teddy Roosevelt established Pelican Island in Florida as the first National Wildlife Refuge.

In the century since, the refuge system has steadily grown to its current count of 538 refuges in all 50 states. Throughout this history, there have been continual battles with those who sought to use the refuges for activities detrimental to wildlife. Finally, in 1977 the dominant purpose of the refuges to protect wildlife was made the law of the land.

Unfortunately, there is one crucial exception. A political compromise at the time of its creation left the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- also known as the "American Serengeti" -- vulnerable to devastating oil development. The author chronicles the origin of that controversy and its evolution to the present time.

The final section of the book contains profiles of eight of the refuges selected for their beauty and diversity.

In his introduction, Eric Dolin writes -- "The refuge system is a priceless gift. It reflects the great diversity of the tapestry of life and commitment of the United States to wildlife conservation." His book demonstrates the truth of these assertions and provides many reasons to hope that our nation's commitment will only grow stronger.

Accessibly written and superbly organized by Eric Jay Dolin, Smithsonian Book Of National Wildlife Refuges is a most engaging history of the system of 538 wildlife refuges that exist among all fifty of the United States. The intricate text discusses the travails, conservation efforts, ecology and more of America's wildlife refuges while gorgeous full-color natural photographs by John and Karen Hollingsworth of wilderness and wildlife add a special, vivid touch. A highly recommended giftbook for nature lovers, the Smithsonian Book Of National Wildlife Refuges would make an excellent Memorial Fund acquisition for either academic or community library collections.

The best Prey novels are the whodunit's, and this is clearly not one of them. The only possible mysteries, a police leak, and the hit-woman's bosses, are never named. There are also a couple of times where you wonder if a character will be killed, but other than that, it's just straight-forward story-telling.

There's a few absurdly ludicrous events here. A man's wife is shot five times in the head, he knows he is the main suspect, he is allegedly a lawyer, but before her funeral has even happened, he is having sex with his attorney, and being seen kissing in public with her? Huh?

It's also a little difficult to believe how easily ths previously non-violent woman decides that killing people, and drilling holes in kneecaps and heels is an effective way to get what she wants.

But the dialog is funny, Davenport does some really smart detective work (but just once, can't one of the cops other than Davenport EVER pick up on a clue?) and there is some good wholesome blood-letting throughout the story.

But let's hope there is some mystery in his next Prey book (other than the mystery of what happened to Weather, and why things didn't work out with Sherrill, the perfect woman for him).

This is the first John Sandford book I have read, actually listened to on audiobook, and was surprised to find that I really enjoyed it and will look for the other books in the prey series. I'm not usually a fan of the "murder, mystery, cop" genre, but this was very entertaining. The two women in the story, one a professional hitwoman and the other a lawyer, meet as the result of the lawyer wanting the wife of her "boyfriend" out of the way. Things don't go quite as planned, and the two end up killing anyone that threatens to expose them. Along the way they get to be good friends, and neither seems to have any qualms about killing people. The lawyer, Carmel, even finds it satisfying and commits a few murders of her own. (The knee-drilling scenes were very graphic...ouch!!!!) Surprisingly, the reader starts to root for them, at least I did. The police detective manages to right on their tails which makes for a great, fast paced story.

This is the 10th installment of John Sandford's Prey series with his protagonist Minneapolis police detective Lucas Davenport.

Lucas Davenport confronts a new kind of adversary this time, a woman named Clara Rinker, and she is the best-hit woman in the business. Attorney Carmel Loan hires Clara Rinker when she wants barrister Hale Allen all to herself and wants Allen's wife out of the picture. This time things go wrong for Rinker. She leaves a witness who happens to be a cop. Carmel and Rinker team up together to clean up the loose ends, including Davenport.

This book is filled with brilliant characters and is an exceptional thriller. Sandford keeps the level of suspense at a fevered pitch as he shifts viewpoints between the women and Davenport. It is a very well written and fast-paced book. This book is not for the faint of heart; it has a lot of gore, sex and to many bodies to keep track of, but even with that this is one great book to read.