This book is fantastic. I don't often actually buy non-fiction because I usually don't plan to re-read it. This is a rare exception. Quinones is 1st & foremost a great storyteller. You'd hardly notice that it's all true if it weren't for the fact that these tales are simply too good to be fiction. Quinones has a knack for noticing the seemingly invisible. The best example being the tale of Chalino Sanchez (who graces the cover). How could someone who completely misses the U.S. radar of popular culture become a folk hero and single-handedly create a musical genre selling millions of copies of albums in the process & then having at least 1,500 songs written about him? Quinones manages to make it sound perfectly believable. If you're anything like me you'll be mesmerized by these essays.

"This beautifully written collection of essays is a wonder and a delight. . . . Quinones has succeeded in finding 'another Mexico'. Intimately tied to the United States, it is at times far from God, but as this splendid book shows, it is also in the midst of a transformation."-Wilson Quarterly

Quinones' reporting gives you the best of both worlds--the clear-eyed objectivity and perspective of an extremely knowledgeable news reporter, with a feature writer's ability to dig into revealing street-level stories. Quinones belongs to the rare breed of reporter who can tell a compelling human-interest story without getting all weepy and sentimental about the people he's profiling. And he can keep a popular perspective while writing about the people pulling the levers of power, never mimicking their bureaucratic jargon or relying too much on dubious statistics. If everyone could combine the best qualities of news and feature reporting the way Quinones does, American journalism would be in much better shape.

The only time I sense him getting too close to a source is in his "Popsicle Kings of Tocumbo" where he misses the obvious parallels between the ice-cream vendors and Amway salesmen. (Maybe Amway would be more successful if it followed the popsicle kings' example and actually sold products people wanted at reasonable prices.) On the whole, however, he does a fantastic job, doing some especially intriguing fact-finding in the "Lynching In Huejutla" chapter.

i love the precious moments bible. it is so cute. it has wonderfully illistrated pictures that go along with the bible's teachings. the age level says 4-8, but i am 13, and i still use this bible, it is a lot easier to understand! i would suggest it to any child!

I have had many bibles through the years but none have compared to this one! This bible is easy to read, easy to understand, and a pure joy to read. The comentary on the verses is beautifully blended with the art work of Precious Moments, and the full color pages of Precious moments art with scriptures is absolutely beautiful, and inspirational. i recommend it for anyone!

Sams' argument has not been accepted by the 'academic establishment', but in my opinion the case which he makes in this book that "Edmund Ironside" is an early Shakespeare play, is very strong.

The idea that the author of the Shakespeare-folio suddenly started writing masterworks is at last proven to be nonsense. Eric Sams makes the case for Edmund Ironside being an early Shakespeare-play so masterly, that only the very stubborn (& the very stupid) can harbour any doubt after reading "Shakespeare's Lost Play". All the same, "Edmund Ironside" stinks, and should (I hope) never be performed on stage. But this monstrosity is fascinating reading-matter, written by a very young and unexperienced bard, who started, just like any other normal being, his professional career not simply by being the best, but at the bottom, by trying - and failing many times. It makes the author of Shakespeares works almost human! This book shouldn't be missed by any serious Shakespeare-student; Eric Sams shows how authorship can and should be proven - and how opponents should be silenced. That Sams apparently completed this study without the benefit of a computer opens new horizons for humanity!

The main characters, Harold and Billy, really show what true friendship means. The opening scene when Harold and his mother look at the old blue photo album shows what it means to remember great times in the past. Then the book moves into the prsent where Harold starts running track and Billy wants to be just like his friend. After much training and practice, Biully makes it to the Special Olympics in Louisiana. When the big day comes, his dream is crushed by a series of injuries. This shows the progress and then relaps. I felt very moved when I read this book. I still get emotional whenever I think of it.

This book is a delightful edition to it's already popular series.It teaches great values and appreciation for all that God has given us,and enables children to understand it's teachings because it is written in simple language.This book would be an asset to any child's book shelf.This book teaches our children that God is around us everywhere,even when we make mistakes,God always loves us:It gives children a sense of security and reassurance to know that God loves them.It also tells that everything that God has given us is a gift,and that we need to care for the earth and all it's creatures.

Princess Chamomile may be a princess but she doesn't mind getting dirty! Princess Chamomile and Milchoir (the gardener) plant a garden designed by the Princess. It takes a long time to create the garden - but it is worth the wait. This book is great for readers from 7 years and up and is a great book for all people interested in gardens and princesses! My favorite part of the story is when Princess Chamomile admits that she didn't play the piano well because she was day-dreaming. Knowing that someone else feels that way may let kids understand that a little whimsey instead of perfection is perfectly okay. It is also a good story to teach patience - and that good things take a while to come true. The illustrations are perky and fit the charm of the story. This is a delightful book and a good way to get students back into the swing of reading for this school year.

Pendragon is great. This book contains detailed data, written in a clear way, about life in Arthur's age, beginning in the year 510 after CHrist. THe only flaw is the combat system, which is too violent. Of course, a battle till death is a violent event, but after loosing so much time developing your character, you discover how easy is to be killed using this combat system. ANyway, the authors give you a perfect set-up to go aboard a journey of history, not only a journey of killing, earning gold or casting spells,like AD&D does, for exxample.

Now, part of the review guidelines for this forum is that one should not simply praise without giving good reason why: however, in this case there are so many good reasons for praise that i am overwhelmed.
So, to keep it simple: this is the Arthurian roleplaying game. You play a knight, or maybe a clecrk or lady, or maybe even (though i would not reccomend it) a magician.
Yes, that is about it for "character classes". You see, the game depends a lot more on your characters background and personality than his "powers". Do not worry though, there will be lots of fights anyway.
If you like medival stuff (but not so much that you let facts get inthe way of fun, wich the medivals themselves would find silly) you will like this game.
A lot.
The not - so - simple, pretentious version...
I suppose one way to start would be its base material, the most splendid cycle of legend in Britain, the chronicle of King Arthur Pendragon. Sadly, the legend in our time has been tainted by superficial sentimentality, dried out by cheap attempts at making it historical (often just an excuse to make it but another version of poor conan the barbarian), and mocked by new - age foolishness. The wonder of this game is that it takes all these limited approaches and simply lets them be absorbed by the origional noble medival tales, creating a setting of vibrant richness.
Another important point: this is a game that is much larger on the inside than the outside. There are mysteries in it that simply never will be solved, even though one feels a hint of their massive importance. But building on them is a clear, if complex, world of heroism and everyday responsibillities. But even if you try to stick to "normal" knightly deeds, you can still get caught up in the labyrinths of politics and romance.
Last but not least, this game does exactly what it was intended to: rules, mood, and setting are in perfect symbiosis. This becomes painfully clear when talented but lesser designers try to muck about with the basics: just look at fourth editions pathetic magic system. Still, at least they had the good sense to make it optional.
This is the best role - playing game in the world. Try to be worthy of it.

It's been a whlie since I've played this, or any other game.

This game lives up to it's title. While, perhaps, a bit more gritty than the "Once and Future King" stories, the rules do an excellent job of re-creating the world of King Arthur. I've been Role Playing for quite a while now... 14 years? And this is one of the best games out there, and a very refreshing change from the Monty Haul-ism of D&D and the like.

The emphasis here is on ROLE PLAYING. The rules focus on attempting to become a perfect knight, a paragon of virtue, and a knight of renoun. Unlike other games, this game incorporates a "winter season" that assumes downtime, and allows your character to age. Yes, aging is a part of this game, and perhaps your character's children will get to adventure as well.

The Traits operate on a balance scale of 20 points - The total of these two attributes add up to 20. So you have, perhaps, Merciful 17 - Cruel 3. Passions are things you feel strongly about, your Lord, hate of the Saxons, etc.

This is a sample of the way the rules are designed to help you Role Play rather than Roll Play.

Combat and Magic are taken much more seriously than in D&D. Your character's hit pionts are derived from their stats, and stay that way for the rest of the game (more or less). The most hit points you can have is 39. Armor absorbs damage. Now, what's the most damage our 39 hit point character can do with his sword? 7D6 - that's up to 42 points, with an average of 24/25.

Combat is to be taken seriously!

As for Magic, well. This isn't D&D. There's none of the flash-bang Magic that there is in D&D. In fact, Merlin would be impressed by the magic a 2nd level D&D wizard could do. Spells take a long time to cast. Holy Ground, High Holidays, group ceremonies, etc. have a great effect on the outcome of spells. This is a game where players will spend weeks or months preparing spells, to be cast in holy places, on high holy days. Then spending time resting and recuperating after spells have been cast.

I don't know how supplements handle magic, Faerie, etc. Notice again that the emphasis here is on Role Playing, Storytelling, not FLASH-BANG effects. This game gives you opportunities to describe events, tournaments, adventures, celebrations, not just hack-and-slash fighting.

This game isn't for everyone, even those who it is for may take a while to acclimate. Like Castle Falkenstein, and Amber, this game is designed to help you tell a story. The rules add to the drama, they aren't just a collection of rules on how to create powerful characters and how to fight with them. Role Playing came out of Wargaming, and it shows. This is one of the few games that elevates Role Playing to the status of art. This is a game that returns to us the lost art of Story Telling.

This is quick read, but well worth it. On occasion the editor lacks detail, but the content is very useful for anyone seeking a greater grasp of life as an Oglalas Sioux.

The story of the rediscovery of The Autobiography Of Red Cloud is told in the introduction. Though much edited, the narrative derives from talks between Red Cloud and Samuel Deon, an old trader friend, recounted to Charles Allen, contemporary postmaster at Pine Ridge. The Autobiography Of Red Cloud spans the life experiences of Red Cloud up to 1865-66, the time when the Oglala chose the war path against whites. Written in the third person and otherwise heavily edited, The Autobiography Of Red Cloud tells much of Oglala life and war practices prior to 1865. These reminiscences detail Red Cloud's experience in war with his Tribe's traditional enemies - Shoshones, Pawnees, Arikaras, Arapaho, and Crow. A vivid picture of Lakota plains life at the height of glory days emerges. The high regard for honorable battle with a worthy adversary, the daily and seasonal patterns and activities of the tribe and many daring exploits establish the foundation for Red Cloud's well deserved reputation as war leader. A picture of a shrewd, astute man with uncanny timing emerges. Also delineated like a war bonnet is the habit of command, not always easily held among the Lakota. Another of Red Cloud's demonstrated skills is the ability to analyze a natural setting and then use it to tactical advantage, as well as to predict the plans and moves of his enemy. The sometimes close relationship between enemy tribes is richly described or inferred. To read The Autobiography Of Red Cloud is to have some experience of that 200 plus year old life of the Plains Indians - hunting buffalo, riding and stealing horses, following the game in season, etc. that so briefly held full flower before white settlement took over. In the aftermath even today, it will be a valuable mirror to the world of the culture, the nation, and the man.

Nancy Lorraine Reviewer

This book is clearly written, and covers many of the fundamental ideas behind successfully launching an attack against an enemy king. The Author has selected many classic games that do a good job of illustrating the basic principles that set an attack up for success instead of failure (how to open up the center to get at un uncastled king, sacrificing plays to open up a castled king with few or poor defenders, etc...).

At just over 200 pages, using reasonably large font, this book is a managable size for someone seeking an introduction to the mysteries of systematically attacking the king. The drawback to this is that, while the games often beautifully illustrate the ideas and principles for conducting an attack, this book really is an introduction. For the best treatment of attacking the king, ART OF ATTACK by Vladimir Vulkovic (everyman chess publishing) it the undisputed source for becoming a master of the kingside attack. As it is much larger, it more thouroughly covers what THE KING IN JEOPARDY does, and touches on many additional, important issues. However, THE KING IN JEOPARDY is a fine book to jump in with and start adding some really exciting battles to your chess game. Last thought: Both these books require a good introductory knowledge of tactics in order to reap their rewards. If you are new to tactics in chess then I would suggest either CHESS TACTICS FOR THE TOURNAMENT PLAYER (same author) or WINNING CHESS TACTICS by Yasser Sierrawan, before launching into this book.

I love this whole series. (I ignore the first two books of the series, which are for rank beginners to learn the moves. Start with the Tactics book, then Attacking the King, then Chess Strategy, and Endgame Facts.) A simple four volume course to play chess at the expert (1700) level. Listen, I am not the most talented chess player, and was 1100 on the ICC for months, losing to my friends. I decided to study or to stop playing. I read Silman, Nimzovitch, others and none helped; it was too hard for a dummy like me. This was my last-ditch effort (I figured it worked for school kids in Russia, and I was OK at homework.) It worked. By the time I was through volume 2, I was 1600+. I am in volume 3, so the full impact should go to 1700, as promised in the ads :) A simple effective chess intro. This, and Fred Reinfeld's combo books for practice are all you need to get pretty good at chess, then move on to other skills -- leaving a good chess game in your back pocket for fun now and then :) I only gave this book 4 stars because, of the series, its the most dull, and kind of meanders on the point sometimes. Less like a scheduled lesson, and more like a collage of king-attack examples. I found myself drifting off at times. But its an invaluable part of a GREAT course.

My original review above was too hasty as the layout of this book differed from the previous books in this series. Upon further reflection I cannot recommend a better book than this for improving your play once you have already mastered elementary tactical techniques. There are 45 game examples clearly explained with words and sentences, not just symbols, and this makes the book very readable. Yes, the chosen examples are old, but these are the positions you need to master before going on to study more advanced strategical concepts. There are also 36 test problems to solve. This book is the best of the Lev Alburt series.

this book is the opposite number of 1984. a swedish book it looks at a horror world of capitalism unfettered as opposed to socialism unfettered, as in 1984. I found it a good read. If you liked 1984, you'll probably like this one. Oddly, both Orwell and the author of this book were socialists.