This book was the easiest of all of the many popularizaitons of quantum theory for me to understand. Nick presents the material clearly, yet without "dumbing down" the physics.

He shows how the strangeness of the quantum world is implicit in the ordinary experiments of physicists. (what he calls the "Cinderalla Effect.") The best thing about this book is that the main thrust of the book is speculation on the nature of deep reality, without it being a "New Age" treatment like the "Tao of Physics" and other books. Yes, reality may be affected by consciousness, he says, but only in certain contexts and only for dynamic attributes of particles.

The book ends with a discussion with Bell's theorem that reality itself is nonlocal (unmediated, unmitigated, and immediate action-at-a-distance forces acting upon objects.) He explains that this nonlocality exists even if quantum theory eventually turns out to be false.

The quantum world is strange and mysterious enough without "New Age" explanations added unto it, as you will discover when you read this book.

If your aiming to simply understand as much as possible about quantum theory by reading one popular science book, then look no further. This book deals with all important theories and experiments in a clear way, without omitting the more difficult stuff. I have also read "taking the quantum leap" by Fred Alan Wolf but find it incredibly unclear because of its reluctance to show real physics. Talking about quantum physics without getting into too much detail for the coffee table reader makes it fragmented and obscure. Wolf favors vague talks of wonders over the step by step explanation of experiments that lead you to the heart of the problem. Herbert made me understand quantum reality as much as possible by using clear text with clear diagrams, explaining enough physical detail for me to appreciate the wonders of quantum reality. And yes... I'm still wondering. Enjoy!

Herbert objectively discusses quantum 'reality', and does not bog the reader down with attempts to link quantum theory to religion or new-age science; rather the focus is first on discussing how some actual experiments simply defy explanation via classical physics; and secondly on explaining the new thinking that some physicists have utilized in their attempts to make sense out of these experimental results. This book gives you 'quantum weirdness' without the fluff: the lay reader will learn more about quantum theory from this book than from any other single book out there.

It was a dog's life for Fluke the puppy until the images that had been haunting his canine mind came into sharp focus - he wasn't supposed to be a dog, he was actually a MAN! How had he ended up in this furry body? What of his wife, his child? What of HIM? Soon, though, the truth came - he the man had died, and had been reincartnated as a dog. And the visions hinted that he had been murdered! This begins a quest as Fluke sets out to his old town, determined to deliver out justice to whoever murdered him...An excellent book and a personal favorite of mine. But the best part of all was Fluke. He remained at all times a dog, even though he had human intelligence and memories, rather than some bizarre mix of human and animal that all too many books have. Fluke's friend Rumbo is also an enjoyable character, even if he did have a passion for crime. One of the best, well-written and beautiful stories I have ever read.

This is a surprise. With Herbert, you usually got a gore-fest, and when I started reading this book about a man who finds himself in a dog's body, I imagined there would be lurid descriptions of dogs ripping apart other living things, probably humans. Far from it. This book is as cleverly written and as skilfully told as anything by Richard Matheson or Jonathan Aycliffe, and I do not make such comparisons lightly. 'Fluke' describes the dog's (told in the first person-or should that be in the first dog?) quest to discover his previous humanness. It is a journey both of discovery and self-awareness. Herbert vividly describes what it (probably) feels like to be a dog, capturing the world of smells and canine desires; and the lingering sense of his previous humanity that propels him to discover who he was before he became a dog. The ending is moving without being sentimental. An unusual and satisfying book and one that I can fully recommend.

Fluke tells the tale of an abandoned dog named Fluke that has past life memories of being a man, a man that was evidently murdered. Fluke then goes on an odyssey to find his home, his family, and his killer. Getting there alternates between funny and frightening. Herbert shows genuine skill as a fantasist here and I wish it was a talent that he tried explore more often, as this is his best novel.

Loved this book from the first time we read it with my boys...and that was 5 years ago. We all know all the words and love the simple story with its full range of emotions.
This one's a keeper, and I know my kids will one day enjoy reading it to theirs.

Wow, when I bought "Fireman Small" last year for my 5 year old, I knew it would be a hit with him (something about small boys and fire trucks...), and indeed it was. But I was completely unprepared for the ferocity with which his 19-month old sister loves this book as well. We read "Small" (her word for it) several times a day. The beautifully-rhymed text holds her attention and we have a great time chanting it all together. I think she is particularly pleased at the end when poor Fireman Small finally gets his well-deserved rest after a busy day of rescuing cats from trees, baby bunnies from wells, and putting out an actual fire. My 5 year old knows the words by heart, and we often sing a snatch or two of the refrain at odd times during the day (which, of course, prompts the little one to get the book and demand a complete reading). Warning -- this book will get into your skull too! I am looking for more books by Wong Herbert Yee, and I expect them to be just as charming and wonderful.

That's how many times we've read "Fireman Small," and we simply LOVE it. We first read it in 1996 to our oldest son, now 7, and he reads it to his little brother, now age 2. It's a wonderful, lively story about brave little Fireman Small, which also teaches cooperation, compassion and frienship. What an excellent book!

I read this book while on a boat. I could not sleep until I read the last page. The Countess wrote a vivid account of her activities which drew me into the pages and in every place she was during this period of her life. It was exciting and sometimes breath taking because of how she would place herself in danger to do the best job she could, and she WAS GOOD!! I also had the privlege of seeing her on a "Talk Show" in Seattle, Wa. USA. What a charming lady she is. Would like to read it again but my book sank with the boat. Long after I was off the boat. P.S. No one got hurt. Would like loaner. cptnRmateD@valleyint.com

I have never read a book twice, but I read this one twice. The first time I read this book was in 1987. I later read "The Spy Wore Silk" and "The Spy Went Dancing". I loved them all, but The Spy Wore Red is my favorite. I just recently read this book again (May 2002), and really enjoyed it more the second time around. The book is fast paced, never boring, and a real page turner. It is hard to believe this is a true story. I would love to meet the Countess of Romanones Aline. She has to be one of the most fascinating women in history. I highly suggest reading it - you will not be disappointed.

I've been a fanatical lover of mysteries, detective novels, and spy novels since I was a child. The Spy Wore Red is one of the best and most exciting books that I have ever read. What makes it even more exciting is that it's a true story. I couldn't get a hold of the Countess' second book: The Spy Went Dancing fast enough!

I've read all the stories in this book at least 3 times. Most of the times I skip around, but twice I've read straight through -- the stories are so consistently good, and, though wide ranging, complement each other so well. These are NOT horror stories. Horror (to me, at least) implies not only more explicit violence, but also an attitude that reality is, at core, physically and morally chaotic. "Dark Descent" is a horror anthology -- "Great Tales" is for the most part (although "The Great God Pan" and H.P. Lovecraft's 2 stories provide some exception) more old-fashioned "ghost stories," and what mystery genre critics would categorize as "English cozy": pleasant characters, warm surroundings introduced all the better to scare you with later on. The evil is seen through a hole in the curtain, so to speak, and never engulfs. The first group of stories ("Tale of Terror") are not exactly supernatural, but extremely suspenseful, with wonderful denouements. Poe's "The Facts in the Strange Case of M. Valdemar" is wonderfully horrible - a dying man is hypnotised to keep him alive (it turns out to be a mistake, of course). "Suspicion" by Dorothy Sayers is NOT a murder mystery, but a perfectly built-up tale of suspense. I've read it a dozen times and the pace of the story still catches me. "Home for Christmas," in which a nice doctor kills his bossy wife before leaving on vacation, would make a great Hitchcock movie. "Moonlight Sonata" is the short but shocking story of a man who stays overnight at a friend's house and awakens to an unpleasant visitor (not a ghost, but worse). Despite the emphasis on surprise endings, all of these stories have such great style and atmosphere that they are often, if anything, better the 2nd or 3rd time around. The second group, "Tales of the Supernatural," have all the qualities mentioned above but are more wide ranging in terms of imaginativeness. My Man M.R. James fits right in here, of course, and 2 of his best tales - "Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad" and "Casting the Runes" - are featured. Also Guy de Maupassant ("Was It a Dream?", in which a young lover spends the night mourning the death of his mistress in a cemetery, is fabulous). Also Rudyard Kipling; E.F. Benson; Algernon Blackwood ("Ancient Sorceries" features a mild-mannered Englishman oddly drawn to a small French village with a history of witchcraft); and such great titles as "The Screaming Skull" and "The Haunters and the Haunted or The House and the Brain" which, despite the campy names, will leave you far from laughing. There are stories in this section, also, that would better be categorized as fantasy ("The Celestial Omnibus" and "Adam and Eve and Pinch-me"). I liked them a lot even though I don't usually read fantasy. The majority are SCARY, though, and all are well-written by any standard (Henry James gives us "Sir Edmund Orme" and Ernest Hemingway tells of "The Killers"). If you like a more modern style, more explicit sex and violence, less atmosphere and more cut-to-the-chase, this book probably isn't for you. But if you like good, old-fashioned, solid, subtle, clever writing, with lots of atmosphere as well as great plotting (and you like to be scared), then this is a must-have.

Though I agree with the others who have reviewed this book that it does not feature much of the explicit violence that has come to typify late twentieth century horror, I consider this anthology an invaluable addition to the library of anyone interested in the genre's roots. This anthology spans the time period from roughly 1800 to the 1930s--from Poe to Lovecraft, in other words. The chills in these tales tend more toward the atmospheric than toward the gross-out, but chills they are nonetheless. There is not a bad story in the collection, and it provides a fascinating sample of the breadth and diversity of the horror genre. Also, for readers wondering how these stories have aged, I teach several stories from this anthology in a course on horror literature, and I can tell you that they clearly retain their power and effectiveness with an 18-year-old audience. Even better, these stories force them to reconsider modern horror and evaluate authors such as Stephen King within a much deeper tradition.

Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural is just that, a collection of some of the GREATEST tales of terror and the supernatural ever written. This book contains a breath snatching list of both classic tales (Poe's The Black Cat, Faulkner's A Rose for Emily, Lovecraft's The Rats in the Walls and The Dunwich Horror, as well as James's Casting the Runes) with some lesser known jewels, my favorite being H.G. Wells sea monster yarn The Sea Raiders. This collection is an essential in any well rounded library, even if you are not typically a horror or ghost story fan.

I am absolutely delighted with the Iron Disorders Institute
"Guide to Hemochromatosis"!

It has been three years since our family first heard the word
"hemochromatosis", and in that time I have searched public
and hospital libraries as well as the Internet in an attempt to
find factual, non-partisan, current information; comprehendible
by a layperson. I have sifted through clinical information beyond my level of understanding, as well as reams of half-truths, non-truths and sheer conjecture.

What an education, at such an affordable price! I sincerely
appreciate the fact that the Iron DisorderS Institute has offered
the knowledge that there are MANY disorders of iron metabolism,
not ONLY the one that genetically affects our family. They
have offered education in the form of charts, diet and nutritional information; COMPLETE understandable clinical information.

The CDC tells us "Approximately one of every 200 to 400 people
is affected, while one in 10 is a carrier making this one of the most common of the known genetic disorders in the United States". Sadly, it is one of the most MISSED diagnoses. With educational materials like this book offered by experts in the field, I feel hope and confidence that my husband will successfully deal with his diagnosis; our daughters will never experience what their dad has because of their KNOWLEDGE; and for our grandchildren, iron overload will be something they deal with through lifestyle choices and yearly monitoring - it will never hurt them. Perhaps most important, what a gift to an unsuspecting public, so many of whom carry this genetic mutation, and have yet to find that illusive, lifesaving diagnosis!

My most sincere thanks!
Cheryl Mellan,

The Iron Disorders Institute "Guide to Hemochromatosis" is a cogent book. The cover gets ones attention immediately, as it lists the symptoms on the cover. When my daddy died on July 4, 2000, I had never heard of Hemochromatosis, I am 57. He was diagnosed, too late, on July 1, 2000. After a zillion hours of searching the Internet about Hemochromatosis, I came away very angry about this "most common genetic disorder, because it is basically unknown by the layman and underdiagnosed by the medical profession, 1/250 have it and don't know it, and 1/10 carry the gene," per the CDC. (Many professionals still call it a "rare old man's disease.") Excuse me, but women have Hemochromatosis also. All that was needed was for my daddy to have had an early diagnosis, and give blood to reduce his iron level. This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date information that the layman can read about Hemochromatosis. And the layman had better read it, because their doctors don't know about its prevelence, and many don't know to test for it. Instead the doctors continue to "well-meaningly" treat the patient's symptoms. Simple blood tests that are described in the book, can diagnose Hemochromatosis. The individual must arm themselves with this book's information and help educate their doctor. In fact, I have bought "Guide to Hemochromatosis" for a few doctors.

This is the first and only text containing a complete and understandable body of knowledge on the disorder known as hemochromatosis. Thanks to this book our entire family has been able to efficiently and correctly diagnose this metabolic disorder. We were amazed to discover that the general population of physicians responded with skepticism and used outdated information. Some were reluctant to order the basic blood tests necessary to detect iron buildups. Not only does the book provide an excellent guide to detection and treatment, but more importantly it ameliorates the mental and emotional stress that comes from lack of knowledge and concern for your loved ones. It should be required continuing education reading for all medical practitioners.

Impressionism is my favorite style of painting so I was really enchanted with this biography. Written by Renoir's middle son, Jean, Renoir, My Father not only gives us an intimate look at the life of Auguste Renoir, it gives us an intimate look at the Paris of Renoir's day as well.

As we get to know Renoir we get to know his contemporaries, too. Jean Renoir writes about Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Sisley and many other great artists. We learn many "little known" facts, such as Monet's penchant for lace and his "artful" way with the ladies.

Paris really comes alive in this book. Many of the places Renoir writes about still exist and can be visited today. This book makes any art lover's trip to Paris more meaningful whether he's a Renoir fan or not.

When reading this book, one must remember that this is not a "run of the mill" biography. This is a son writing about the father he adored. The portrait we are given is very intimate, detailed and loving. It's obvious that Jean Renoir adored his father, just as Auguste Renoir adored his family.

Ultimately, this book is a beautiful tribute from a loving son to a father who was one of history's consummate artists. If you have any interest at all in art, this is one book you simply must not pass up. The last page alone will break your heart.

Renoir was far more than one of the world's greatest artists. He was an adventurer, a family man, a man who held interesting views on just about every subject under the sun, and finally, in his later years, a martyr to life. Although this book was written by Renoir's middle son, Jean, it is as vibrant and alive as if Renoir, himself, had just written the words in his own hand. Through this book we learn how the Renoir family left its roots in Limoges and moved to Paris. We read of Renoir's early years as a painter of porcelain and how and why he became an artist, more specifically, an Impressionist. We learn of Renoir's marriage to Aline Charigot of Essoyes, the birth of his three sons and his move to the south of France. Some of the most interesting sections of the book deal with Renoir's feelings about the effect of light on a painting and why he needed to paint in a "natural" setting. Also, most interesting are the chapters on the birth of Impressionism and Renoir's relationships with the other artists of the time, such as Monet, Manet, Sisley and Cezanne, just to name a few. Lovingly and charmingly written, this book truly brings Renoir to life and makes him accessible to all. Absolutely a must for anyone with even a passing interest in art or artists!

Not only is this a book about Renoir, whose tableaux peer out of every other art store on every mall in North America (what a curious fate!), it is also a book about Paris. Born in 1841, Renoir was older than most of the other Impressionists with whom he grew friendly later. He also had the chance to see Paris as it was before the Commune and the war of 1870. He lived a good part of his life on the Butte in Montmartre and it is hard now to recapture the atmosphere up there among the hordes of tourists. Yet early on Sunday mornings with a light rain playing on the umbrellas of the artist's stands in the Place du Tertre, you can wander freely among the memories of the rue Lepic and elsewhere, and catch glimpses of Renoir (and others) as you pass through the old streets. Reading this book first will help.

Jean Renoir is a very famous artist in his own right, having made numerous films and become one of the most acclaimed directors in French cinema history. Here he has taken great pains to paint a fine portrait of his renowned father, this time with a pen. He has succeeded admirably.

Interesting and entertaining. I love this book, it is so beautiful! I am not kidding - serious it is so beautiful that you would like to frame it. You will have a ball reading through this great BOOK, exploring and creating your own surrounding To me, that what cooking should be - entertaining and sharing your food, ! Great work Chef !

This cookbook is special for many reason,It's presents a great Cookbook, It reflects's the author's charm,personality,generosity and humor. Rudi a tutor to many of cooks and today's Excutive Chef's around the world and a companion in my life as the former Excutive Chef onboard QE2. Neverteless, I have great confidence you all love this book, a treasure! as this book is not just a book of recipes , it is a book of love & passion,a book about Aphrodisiac, its food the very art of living, of which Rudi is a master.

This cookbook is it.!turn off the TV, and read this cookbook. I am so happy I got this book, I never knew about aphrodisiacs, I like the sense of humor in the well writen conversation sidebars. Oh' - I love it!

I first read the book when I was 14. The only reason I read it was that I was bored out of my mind at summer camp. I know its cheesy but this book changed my life.. Not so much because of its content but because it was the first book I ever liked. Now I own a small used bookstore outside of Atlanta and Dark Horse was the book that got me started.

this si an amazing book. if you like a bit of war, an amazing storyline a just a tiny bit of romance, you'll liove it. Unforunetly it is out of print now, but perhaps it can be reprinted for the next generation, I know it's worth it.

Dark Horse is on par with early Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey stories, and contains many of the elemtnts that made both the Valdemar and Pern series popular. Magical black horses choose and accompany "good" mages, protecting them from evil magic and acting as advisor and friend.

Dark Horse is the story of a young girl who is orphaned when her entire tribe is killed by a rival tribe that is led by an evil mage. She rescues and is rescued by a Hunnuli, a giant protector-horse, and is adopted by another tribe. When she learns that she, too is a mage (though a good one) she risks losing her life and her love because of the gifts she was born with...

I am disappointed that after only five books that this series has come to an early and undeserved demise.

This is a helpful instructional book that could easily be bundled with Hogan's Five Lessons. Where Hogan's text is meticulously precise in its depiction of the mechanics of the golf swing, Armour's offering delves into the mental arena and probes the mindset behind the various aspects of the game. Copywrite 1953, its year of publication even mirrors that of Hogan's, but beyond that the contrasts are striking [granted Hogan's text started out as a series of SI articles]. Having worked through some personal golf issues with Hogan's book and after writing a review for that, I noticed Armour's under the 'if you liked this book' link. I purchased it on a lark being obliquely familiar with Armour's professional and teaching career, and seeing the quote by Harvey Pennick on the cover. Armour's tone versus his contemporary is quite authoritative and at times almost condescending in his depiction of the 'average' golfer and his urging to play within their limitations. He models the early chapters after a visit to his golf clinic in Florida, speaking always as the teacher and never a peer. It was his stated intention to produce a thin volume of the absolute minimized, efficient teachings about golf. This I believe he accomplished. The instruction would be good for a beginning golfer, there were a few tips scattered throughout for the long time player. Unfortunately, I didn't see too much new and fresh that I could take with me onto the course, perhaps because his themes have long been drilled into our heads by modern pros. The illustrations are nowhere near the quality and detail of the Hogan book. Ultimately I did get more out of the Hogan text, but Armour's was very interesting to 'hear' his teaching methodology and his numerous references to players and tournaments of the 30's and 40's. Punctuating this timelessness, when I was talking to my father the other night I mentioned to him this was the latest golf book I was reading, to which he replied, "Yep, that's what I learned with 40 years ago." Recommended to be read along with Ben Hogan's 'Five Lessons'.

Bear in mind that this is a book originally published in the 1950s. It's widely regarded as an all-time classic, but it's now very dated. Armour was an excellent player (one of the great iron players of all time) and a superb teacher, but some of his theories are no longer in vogue. I can tell you that way back in the early 1960s this book, through Armour's focus on the hip turn, transformed me literally overnight from a beginner who sliced the ball to someone who has fought a hook for the last 40 years. I bought this updated edition strictly for its sentimental value, and I wouldn't foist it on someone who was serious about achieving his or maximum potential because a GREAT deal has been learned about the golf swing since this was written (and today's equipment demands a different sort of swing anyway). However, if you've played for awhile and just can't seem to get the hang of the golf swing, this book is so straightforward that it may be just what you need. You'll end up looking like Julius Boros rather than Tiger Woods, but odds are that'll be a major improvement if you're now shooting over 85. Armour was a transplanted Scot who was very eloquent, and this book is a pleasure to read for that reason alone. Some of his most basic wisdom ("THINK WHAT TO DO -- that's concentration in golf") still sticks with me every time I play. A ROUND OF GOLF WITH TOMMY ARMOUR, in which he steers his 90-shooting friend around the course in 79 by making him play within his limitations, is also excellent.

This book is an excellent follow-up to Ben Hogan's Five Lessons. Hogan covering the backround theory in more detail and Armour emphasizing the practical application.

There are differences opinion: Hogan wants the hands to act as a unit while Armour says to whack the ball with your right hand. But they agree on much more than they disagree, and Armour explains how, through basic footwork and other simple measures, you can be sure you are swinging correctly. Armour also goes into more detail about specific shots such as chipping, pitching or driving.

Theory, then applcation. You can't go wrong if you read Hogan and Armour back to back, in that order.

Hit 'em straight.