This book contains many practical stress management methods as well as a theosophical style inspirational message. Reccomended for anyone searching for the answer to that age old question of what brings happiness. Great effort seems to have been made to maintain a strictly non denominational tone and with success. This book will appeal equally to a wide variety of religious backgrounds. It is written for people.

first published in 1898 this wonderful little book has all the truths you need in this lifetime. reading in an old style is always refreshing to me. interesting how thoughts of character,self reliance and what is truly of value to a human being have never really changed since 1898. one of those insiteful books that you can go back to again and again.

this book is full of truth and analysis of living greatly. you will become a better person if you use the intelligence contained here. i promise you these principles will contribute to your happiness and understanding of life.

If you want instruction on defensive revolver techniques, this is the book for you. No nonsense, no fluff, just good hard information on how to do it. Not for pistol owners, this book applies to revolvers. Methods in this book are used and referred to by instructors at a well-known firearms academy in Paulden, Arizona.

This book is extremely informative and extremely well written. The fast draw photo sequencing is invaluable. Despite being written some 40 years ago, it is NOT outdated, even in reference to the equipment used. This book is worth every penny.

I love this book because i am a revolver aficianado (probably rare for a 27 year old today) with a CCW who has an affinity for the "men's guns". ie- no nonsense, get the job done workhorses. This description aptly fits Jordan's writing style as well. I like it and wish all instructional books were this well written. He even interjects exciting and humorous anecdotes (although not quite "PC") about his career as a lawman with the Border Patrol and otherwise. This is a forum from a Type-A who has been there and done that in an *** kicking manner, and is a good read for any sports enthusiast needing the perspective of a never-say-die fighter. One quote stands out clearly, and that is, "with enough determination you can win even when you appear to be losing--just keep shooting!" I could not have said it better! Enjoy this book if you can find it--- I special ordered my copy at Batnes & Noble.

Despite the title which implies a cast of thousands, this story revolves around the intense relationship betweent two fifth-grade girls, both seeking to be Needed. Black Jennifer is a loner of a character, while white Elizabeth is new to the neighborhood. The author refers to Hecate, the head witch in MACBETH, which may stimulate some discussion of Shakespeare's plays.

On Halloween day Elizabeth is walking through a park, when she spies an old-fashoined shoe dangling from a tree--a shoe on the foot of a self-proclaimed junior witch. Jennifer never smiles or laughts; in fact this curious girl walks with her head skyward--never at the ground. Her abrupt manner lacks social skills, but immediately fascinates the impressionable Elizabeth. Unique and possessive, Jennifer decies to make the girl her Apprentice--without even asking if she'd like this honor! Suddenly Elizabeth must eat certain foods and refrain from eathing others, while leaving food "offerings" for her mentor. Is this a clever scam or a serious attempt to achieve supernatural power; they both start collecting odd ingredients to compound a Flying Ointment. How far will this Game be taken?

Totally dominated by Jennifer's will Elizabeth starts acting strangely both at home and in school. Alas, she learns more than witchcraft when she is promoted to Journeyman witch, but must she sacrifice everything that normal girls enjoy, just to win Jennifer's occult favor? Is it friendship or something more sinister which she seeks? What is the attraction of Power over others? She actually discovers that she enjoys being Different from other girls; that it is exhilarating to behave in a difficult manner, which puzzles concerned adutls. What kind of underground game has their social symbiosis become, if she has to sneak, lie, dissemble and deny her own personality? Elizabeth is convinced that Jennifer's esteem is worth it all. It takes a special toad (as in TUCK EVERLASTING) to teach her an important life lesson: that no joy comes from wishing ill on others. Elementary girls will enjoy this cute BOO! read.

This novel could be described as "Beverly Cleary plus Zilpha Keatley Snyder, with a touch of Carolyn Keene." In other words, it has friendship elements, almost-magical elements, and some mystery elements, all at the same time.

This story is told in first person by Elizabeth, the new girl in town. With the perspicacity of a Ramona Quimby or a Harriet M. Welsch, she makes wonderfully droll observations about people she meets and things she does. (This makes it a little hard to believe that she's just ten years old--but the narration is so nice that this flaw is easily overlooked.) Her cleverness and wry humor fail her, however, when it comes to Jennifer, the first real friend she makes, who is unlike anyone she has ever met before.

On their first meeting, Jennifer cooly reveals that she is a witch and performs a number of seemingly magical feats to prove it. Before long, she starts to train Elizabeth to be a witch, too. Yet despite all the "bonding" they do, as Jennifer prepares rituals, rules, spells and surprises for her willing friend, their relationship remains slightly stiff. I am certain that readers won't mind, at first: Jennifer is too fascinating and her ideas are too imaginative and funny for anyone to complain about any lack of warmth. Besides, anyone is better than Cynthia, who lives one floor up from Elizabeth and is exactly what Angelica Pickles of "Rugrats" will be like in a few years.

Come the end, readers will have read a rollickingly good yarn sprinkled with practical lessons about friendship--so there really is nothing to mind about this novel. I recommend it for young girls who have liked "Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh.

This is a great book, about two fifth-grade girls who have the same need. The need for a friend. Elizabeth, the narrator of the story (I, me, myself) doesn't have any friends until Jennifer comes along. Well, actually, Jennifer and Elizabeth aren't really friends---but Elizabeth carries on the job of a witch's apprentice. That's what Jennifer is-a witch! They meet on Halloween, but they only see each other again on Saturdays, when they go to the library and the park to read books on witchcraft. Their goal is to make a flying ointment, but it is here that trouble starts. This book is great, and at the end, there is a great surprise that Elizabeth realizes. This book was a 1968 Newbery Honor Book, a runner-up to From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, also by E.L. Konigsburg

Reading this collection of articles gave me a better understanding of the people and ideas that helped shape computer-based communication. The contributors are for the most part well chosen; a few that I might well have done without, I must admit -- but far more excellent choices than "questionable" ones. The organization of the book is interesting as well. I was reminded of the magazine "Mondo 2000" that I subscribed to in the early '90's (multimedia/geek chic).

This book is a must read for anyone interested in modern art and culture, and where its going. The companion web site on www.artmuseum.net is a brilliant compliment to the book, with 50 video clips, rare photos and other treats. Finally, a publishing project that "gets it" how to use the web + printed book in a way where the sum is greater than the parts. Its amazing to see how long artists and scientists have been working (alone, and in some cases together) towards this goal. Prehaps the following decade will witness a true "waking up" by the mass culture to this new syntax, new reading-practice, of multi-media hyper-texted information. This book may mark a point in time where we started acknowledging the depth and extent of our post-Guttenburg world. Bravo to Randall Packer and Ken Jordon for pulling this project off.

The title of the book says it all: this book treats the expertise of immunology at the cellular and molecular level. It approaches the subject through a collection of explanations of experimental observations. Neither am I a physician nor a medical student, I find this book very comprehensible and helpful in explaining the principles of molecular biology/biochemistry [along with my expertise in chemistry] pertinent to the HIV virus. The book is abound with illustrations and pictorials though the authors at times drag on repeating concepts. The section on effector mechanisms of the immune responses is done in excellent gory details. Tons of illustrations, graphics making understanding of biochemical and immunological mechanisms a less strenuous task. For example, the HIV virus, the book will cover the abnormal events that occur at the first contact of the HIV virus. Then it talks about the virus mechanisms and the effect on the immune response. This 5th edition has been revised and now includes new info and materials about the lymphoid organs and innate immunity mechanism. I recommend it to medical students, pre-meds, and all health care professionals. 4.0 stars.

I first read an earlier edition of the book in 1993, during my first graduate level Biology class, under the same title as the book. Since then, some important strides have been made in the field of Immunology, and the book has grown about 50% thicker. However, many themes are repeated too often in the book. 1/2 of a sentence is OK to stress repetition in learning concepts, but often they repeat entire paragraphs 4 or 5 times to strike home a point. If they were to get rid of all those redundant paragraphs, the book would be leaner and meaner and less boring to read. One of the most interesting concepts in the book deals with the Th1/Th2 immune switch, which occurs in allergic patients. The authors classically define this switch simply as going from microbial immunity to allergen immunity. But in my opinion, Th1 to Th2 switches do much more than that. They can affect whether an allergic person is more or less immune to microbes, whether they are differentially immune (ex. more immune to viruses, less to bacteria), and also may significantly affect the person's behavior. Behavior, you ask? What does the immune system have to do with behavior? A lot! Histamine is released during the Th1 to Th2 switch, and Histamine is a neurotransmitter. Also, Serotonin is usually released along with Histamine, and you should know that Serotonin is a key neurotransmitter. The immune system affects the central nervous system much more than many researchers understand. For a more elaborate review of this phenomenon, you can read the book The Failures of American Medicine.

Target audience: Any undergrad or grad student in life sciences. Little background needed beyond the basics of genetics, what is a cell etc. A bit too much for the typical MD course; try Abbas's Basic Immuno. It is a reference for basic immuno concepts, not a reference for every last detail in modern immunology (for that try Paul's Immuno).

What Abbas does: After reading this book (or at least skimming the pictures) you will be able to read the abstracts for immuno journals; you'll be able to say "I vaguely understand why the heck this journal article is important/furthers knowledge of immunology".

Pros: The most up-to-date (more recent than Janeway). A proven favorite of grad students. The pictures are easy-to-follow and demostrate all the main points. In fact, it may be better not to read much of the detail filled text, if you just want general knowledge. Little text boxes that highlight a technique, a historical development (e.g. how they cloned T Cell receptor). Nice section in the back on common lab techniques. Nice chapters on clinical correlates (human disease).

Cons: It is not comprehensive (like Paul's Immunology) nor is it meant to be comprehensive. The signal transduction is hopelessly out of date (all textbooks will fall behind rapid developments in sig transduction).

Geeky immuno nit-picking: Some controversial topics are presented as gospel (for example, anergy and the 2-signal hypothesis, which has not been convincingly demonstrated in vivo "natural system"; if you don't know what i'm talking about, don't worry about it).

First things first- I don't read this type of book. Ever. As a die-hard Stephen King fan, I bought the book for the new "Dark Tower" story. That said, I must admit- his story, "The Little Sisters of Eluria", was one of the lesser stories in this wonderful book. First off, this is a BEAUTIFUL book, with great illustrations, helpful maps, and story-so-far recaps for the uninitiated (Like ME! ). Storywise, the only dud in the bunch (11 stories in all) is the last one- "New Spring", a "Wheel of Time" story by Robert Jordan- this story was virtually incomprehensible and impenetrable to me, and represented all of the reasons why I don't like fantasy books. On the plus side are "The Hedge Knight", which had me on the edge of my seat, and "Runner of Pern", one of the most lyrically beautiful stories I've ever read. Will I follow these authors back to their respective fantasy worlds? Probably not...but it was nice to visit them for a while. OH YEAH! The Dark Tower story was nice, too.....

Robert Silverberg's idea to collect short stories and novellas from some of this era's most notable and talented Fantasy authors is pure cream-filled joy for fans of the Genre. Despite having read the pertinent series by Stephen King, Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, Terry Goodkind, and Orson Scott Card, this book opened up new worlds to explore and new chapters in some of my favorite series.

My favorites were the ones by King, Williams, Silverberg, Feist, and McCaffrey. I have lost all interest in Terry Goodkind mostly because I find his characters to be wooden and uninteresting, and this story was no more compelling than the last book of his that I read. Goodkind also has a penchant for the "gotcha" ending, something that is frustrating to any reader who struggles to find logical connections between events and character motivation.

The best of this book, however, is The Hedge Knight by George R. R. Martin. I had never heard of Martin when I picked up Legends, and the first thing I did after finishing The Hedge Knight was to go pick up his novel "A Game of Thrones." Thanks to this book, I am now a fan of what may be the best epic fantasy series ever written, and yes, that includes Tolkien, Goodkind, and Jordan. The Hedge Knight is a simple tale of a young man recently knighted trying to make a name for himself in a tournament. The plain and honest style of Martin's prose hooks you in, and suddenly you care very deeply about this hedge knight, Dunk, and what is to become of him as he runs afoul of a vain and dangerous prince. Set approximately 100 years prior to the events that begin in "A Game of Thrones," this tale is a wonderful introduction to Martin's Westeros and the rich mythology and history he has built into it.

I was also intrigued by Feist's The Wood Boy, a tale that, for all it's positioning and setting as a chapter in a tale of strange alien invaders, is about nothing more complex than human nature and the compulsions that make us what we are as a species. Silverberg's Majipoor is also a very intriguing world, and I will be investigating it in the future.

Terry Pratchett's entry is also a key one, showing that not all fantasy need to be deadly serious or take itself very seriously at all. Pratchett almost recalls Douglas Adams' contributions to Science Fiction.

I think most Fantasy fans will be very happy with this book, largely becuase it is not a one-trick pony. There's something in here for every fan of the genre. Are you into fantastic worlds of extremes and mythology? Try Majipoor. Do you like to read tales that chill you and freeze your blood? The little sisters of Eluria are your ticket. Curious about an America that might have been? Orson Scott Card is yor man. Into knights and jousting, intrigue and politics? Martin and Jordan are for you. You can hardly go wrong buying this book, because if even one of the stories catches your interest, there's a new author for you to love. Thank you, Robert Silverberg.

If you're at all a fan of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga (and how could you not be!) then this book is worth the buy for that story alone. It details how Lan and Moiraine first met...awesome. The story is incredibly detailed and the plot doesn't stop twisting until the final sentence is read. Jordan is truly a modern master.
I haven't even read any of the other stories yet but it's got Terry Goodkind, Anne McCaffrey and Stephen King as well as about NINE others. After finishing the Robert Jordan story I immediately hoped on Amazon and bought the other two editions and can't wait to read those!

William Chester Jordan is one of America's most prominent medieval historians. He heads the program in Medieval Studies at Princeton. His previous book, THE GREAT FAMINE, won the Haskins Medal in 2000. He has edited a multi-volume medieval history, written a medieval history for young people, as well as influential articles about France's expulsion of the Jews and about credit and women in medieval society. Jordan is a frequent speaker at symposia and conferences both in the United States and Europe. Small wonder that David Cannadine tapped him to contribute a book to Penguin's History of Europe series. Given his credentials, EUROPE IN THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES ought to be better than it is.

The organization and writing is workmanlike. Jordan's schema divides the period first by century and then by region. This inevitably leads to repetition when the same event impacts dfferent regions and when Jordan backtracks or foreshadows events from other centuries in order to establish context. It is impossible to create a smooth narrative in such a rigid framework. The organization lends itself to spot referencing rather than reading cover to cover. Jordan may not be a prose stylist, but his writing is clear and concise.

There are no footnotes nor endnotes. The "References" section is a scant four pages long and is made up mostly of secondary sources. Jordan makes an occasional historiological feint, but without any real substance. One is left feeling the book is neither fish (a serious academic history) nor fowl (a popular history for the general public).

The most glaring defect in the book, for this reader, is its treatment, or rather non-treatment, of Muslim rule in Iberia and Sicily. Jordan finds time to tell us the sad story of Isaac, a Christian hermit, who persisted in reviling Muhammad in the streets of Cordoba in 852 and was executed after being warned to desist. Yet there is no mention of the Ummayad dynasty that had unified the Iberian peninsula into the Caliphate of Al Anadluz, whose officials put Isaac to death! At the beginning of the 11th Century Al Andaluz may have been the richest, was probably the most tolerant, and was certainly the most cultured region of Europe. Jordan devotes far more space to the "Reconquest" than he does to the Arabic culture and language that dominated the peninsula throughout the period covered in his book. The library at Cordoba contained 400,000 books and manuscripts at a time when the largest libary in Europe north of the Pyrenees had less than 500. Jordan begins his chapter, "The World of Learning" by connecting the start of "...a long period of renewal and creativity in Europe" to the First Crusade. In fact, the translations of classic Greek works of philosphy and science he says fueled the development of the schools of Paris and other universities came from Arabic texts translated by Muslims and Jews in Toledo at the behest of Abbot Hugh of Cluny. More than a page in the chapter on vernacular literature is devoted to the Song of Roland without noting that the chanson commemorates the retreat of Charlemagne before the armies of the first Ummayad Caliph Abd al Rahman. Jordan writes of the freebooter El Cid and "...his struggles with the Muslims", failing to mention that El Cid fought for Muslim rulers as well against them. In the extensive genealogical tables at the end of the book one finds lists of every Christian dynasty from Byzantium to Norway, but no mention of any Muslim dynasty. The first "King" of Portugal listed is Afonso I who ruled midway through the period with which the book is concerned. No earlier Muslim ruler is listed. The same thing is true of the rulers of Spain, Sicily, Tripoli, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Christian rulers of the period are listed, but nary a Muslim monarch. Jordan seems to have gone out of his way to render Muslim participation in and contribution to Europe's high middle ages invisible.

Europe's High Middle Ages period spanned the Crusades and the events of Dante's classic writings and Thomas Aquinas: this paints a vivid picture of this lost age, surveying the great popes who revived the power of the church, the thinkers who ruled their times, and the social and religious philosophy of the era. In-depth and complex, yet with a most readable tone, this is a recommended pick.

This is the tenth book in the Georgian saga series of books by Jean Plaidy, also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt. This is an entertaining work of historical fiction replete with many period details. Well written, it is a look into the life of stage actress, musical star, and comedienne Dorothy Jordan. A shining star of Richard Sheridan's Drury Lane Theatre, Ms. Jordan was to capture the hearts of theatre lovers, as well as the heart of the third son of King George III, William, the seafaring Duke of Clarence.

From poverty in Ireland to fame and notoriety in London, England, the multi-talented Dorothy Jordan would have many admirers. A one man woman, however, she was devoted to hearth and family. Her intimate relationship with the Duke of Clarence would span twenty years and ten children. They would live in connubial bliss as a family, though he could not, for reasons of state, marry her, being third in the line of succession to the throne of England. With William, Ms. Jordan was to know great joy and great sorrow.

William's penchant for living beyond his means, however, ensured that Ms. Jordan would continue working in the footlights of the theatre, as her income was a necessity to maintain their high standard of living. This would prove to be a sore point between them, as Dorothy wanted nothing more than to leave the paintpots of the theatre and live the life of full-time wife and mother. William's profligate spending would ensure that her dream would never come to fruition.

Eventually, William would have a mid-life crisis and their twenty years of family life would come to an abrupt end, as William would ostensibly seek to meet his obligation to the state. Dorothy Jordan, now an ill woman in her fifties, abandoned by her long time lover and husband in all but name, ignored by the very children to whom she had been so devoted, would live the lonely life of an expatriate in France, living out her remaining years virtually alone and friendless.

This is an engaging work of historical fiction, providing many glimspes into the lives of members of the royal family and all their contretemps. It provides a peek into the madness of King George III, the various relationships of George, the Prince of Wales, including that with his long time mistress, Maria Fitzherbert, and that with his much disdained wife, Caroline. All these personages and their lives provide a backdrop for William's and Dorothy's relationship, making for a three dimensional, well told tale that all those who love historical fiction will enjoy.

Dorothy Jordan has claimed her part in history in two ways: her talent as a stage actress and her connection with Prince William, the future king of England. Looking back, it is hard to say which gave her higher notoriety, or which lead to her fame. This is a sympathetic but realistic potrayal of this very interesting woman. She is presented as a real person as opposed to a legend, with the shortcomings and endearing qualities of a real individual. The character comes through as being ahead of her time, a financially independent, talented, ambitious, yet compassionate, loyal and honest woman who loved her children, and the men in her life. For those who want to find out more about Mrs Jordan, this book is for you...

I've known Bill for a number of years and we've usually talked about insects and politics (no further comment).

At a party a couple of years age, Bill started talking about his cats and how he'd discovered the emotional depth and intelligence of cats that was beyond anything he had imagined. I had recently had a similar experience and we spent the whole evening in cat talk.

I've been waiting for this book since that evening and I wasn't disappointed! I wasn't able to put it down!

Bill's writing is a pleasure to read and the book is a love story with all of the joy and pain that comes with an emotional commitment to another creature - human or otherwise. If you're already an animal lover, this story will bring you smiles and tears. If you've never had a deep emotional attachment to an animal, Darwin's story will bring you a understanding of how such a relationship can develop in human terms and, perhaps, encourage you to explore...

About life and acceptance as much as it is about Darwin, the cat who became the author's authentic companion, Jordan's book offers so much that cannot be found in any "cat book." Jordan's memoir is an exploration of life and mortality, personal and scientific, intelligently emotional.
As Jordan and Darwin become real friends, Jordan explores the intellectual richness of this intimacy. In a tale of friendship and heartbreak, the author is instructive in his asides on biology and metaphysics--not asides at all, we find, but central to experiencing this love.
The prose is elegant yet direct. Jordan's admissions of his own past transgressions and ongoing errors are disarmingly frank, but always germane. For me this story gave not only insights into the possibilities for closeness with other creatures, but also great solace. I recently lost my littlest cat, in circumstances painfully similar to those Jordan recounts: confusion and focus; hope and despair, everyday togetherness punctured by urgent scramblings to the vet; human anguish and denial, the cat's courage and acceptance. This little book has been a real comfort in my grief.
Ultimately Jordan illuminates our amazing opportunities to achieve with our fellow mortal creatures not only intelligent communication, but kind communion. I feel consoled by and grateful to Jordan, and inevitably fond of Darwin, a warm and intelligent guide to the pure grace of friendship.

While I would recommend this book to anyone, I think it'll hit home most closely with those who have ever owned, and perhaps even loved, a cat.

In this book Jordan retells the memory of meeting and accepting Darwin into his home, albeit often in a technical "scientific method" writing style at first. But as the story progresses, you see this colder side melt away, both from the character and the writing, and are left with the tenderness and emotion this man learned to feel for this cat.

There are moments that may be hard to read, as there a scenes involving the veterinary hospital and, as another reader pointed out, a moment where Jordan is mad at another cat for attacking Darwin when he was trying to get them to coexist in his home, as well as reflections of Jordan's youth when he was less concerned for animals. But these scenes help to show just how strong an effect Darwin had on this man's life, and how drastically he has changed. While I am no fan of animal abuse in any form, these scenes had a reason to be included.

The last few chapters had me in tears. As a whole, this is very touching and beautiful book. I bought it out of sheer curiosity at the mention of the title and having finished it...I have no regrets with my purchase.