I used "An Invitation to Chess" when I taught a grade school course in chess fundamentals. Of all the chess books I have seen geared purely toward the beginner, I found this to be the clearest, best organized, and, just as the subtitle claims, it is "A Picture Guide to The Royal Game."

Lots of pictures help explain the moves and motions of a piece in the context of a larger strategy. Chernev and Harkness used photos of the board as well as standard board drawings. They require modernized, as the photos are a bit blurry, and the drawings have an old newspaper keyline look. The copy is succinct, but not dry. As a reader, I found it less clinical than many of the chess books with dozens of lines per opening.

This is a long way from anything Lasker or Fischer wrote, but the audience intended here is looking to play the game effectively, unworried about becoming a grandmaster. At least, not yet.

The content list breaks things down to subsections like "How the King Moves and Captures," and "How the Pawn Captures 'en passant.''" They provide a special section cautioning the new player of common mistakes, like "Premature Attacks," and "Pawn Grabbing with the Queen." This is invaluable because young players routinely shoot for point control over game control.

I fully recommend "An Invitation to Chess" by Irving Chernev and Kenneth Harkness. Use this to teach your children, or use it to study up when they start to beat you.

Anthony Trendl

Though this book is getting a bit old, a better beginners book has yet to be written. Getting into the habit of asking yourself "what does he threaten?" is crucial to the beginning player. They really should update it to algebraic.

When I first learned the rules of the game, I found this book to be of great value, if only for the simple advice of "always ask yourself why your opponent played a certain move. What does he attack?" and "before your make your move, ask yourself what your opponent's best reply would be." You can find more comprehensive books, but this is my choice for a useful, friendly, quick guide to better chess. I'd buy this for a younger player or newcomer in a heartbeat. Why intimidate someone with a huge tome when you can painlessly improve with this volume?

If you have a college degree, good income, own a home, and prefer a do-it-yourself explanation, this is the book for you. It is written by laywers and describes partnership situations in detail with legal/financial tools to apply. In some cases, it gets down to state by state specifics (Vermont's same-sex law, Hawaii's beneficiary law, etc). It deals with houses & other property, stocks & bank accounts, wills & inheritance, children, prior marriages, and even breaking up.

If you are still 'building your credit history' or want to learn about 'life insurance policies', then buy one of the simpler books. If you are an educated anal-rententive meticulously detail-oriented gay adult, then this is the book for you. You can skip the others.

This guide has been highly resourceful in the lives of my partner and I. There is not a day that goes by that we do not reference it. It is written in a very easy to understand format and contains several templates for "Durable Power of Attorneys", etc. I highly recommend this book. Anyone interested in emailing me.

This guide has been highly resourceful in the lives of my partner and I. There is not a day that goes by that we do not reference it. It is written in a very easy to understand format and contains several templates for "Durable Power of Attorney"s, etc. I highly recommend this book. Anyone interested in emailing me, just remove "no-spam" from my address.

Teachers and history buffs will love this thrilling recount of the settling of California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. From the sleepy times of Californios to the non-stop action of the gold rush, this book brings to life the rich history of the Wild West. I have used this book as a basis for many social study lesson plans, and the kids are amazed by the colorful and interesting stories.

From the forts and settlements along the Missouri River to the loss of most of the Donners going into California, Men to Match My Mountains captivates the heart and brings you along as a partaker in an experience never to happen again.

Irvine Stone has created in this book an intriguing look into the discovery, exploration and settlement of California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. He colorfully introduces you to the people, events and geography that affected the development of these states. It is well-documented and sourced, and provides a great list of other, similar works.

This book offers a provocative reVision of the Torah, from a refreshingly humanist, feminist perspective. For readers who are turned off as soon as they see the word 'feminist', I say, please give this book a chance: you may be pleasantly surprised.The central theme of the book is rooted in Genesis 1: 26-27, the biblical passage which presents the first creation myth (prior to the Adam and Eve story). In this account, God created a male and a female being, in God's image. It is Rabbi Goldstein's conviction that Genesis: Chapter 1, in which, she argues, the intrinsic dignities of infinite value, equality and uniqueness are bestowed on men and women alike, describes the ideal world that God intends to create. In contrast, Chapter 2-4 reveal that this is not the real world that human beings inhabit: our world is one of institutionalized inequality between men and women, in which men rule. The author's goal is to present a reVision of the Torah which expresses the original intention of the One God.On the other hand, both as an anthropologist and a human rights activist, I applaud Rabbi Goldstein's humanist, feminist stance which projects a reVision of Judaism that harmonizes maleness and femaleness in an integrated conception of the One God. This reVision sees maleness and femaleness as different, but equivalent and complementary components of Judaism and Jewish life. Rabbi Elyse Goldstein's book is a truly pioneering effort, offering a insightful, feminist reVision of Torah interpretation which can open up new avenues of understanding of both Judaism and feminism for a wide audience of readers. The book makes fascinating reading, and I strongly recommend it.

In ReVisions: Seeing Torah Through a Feminist Lens, the reader joins Rabbi Elyse Goldstein in an engaging, accessible study of the treatment of women in the Bible, a topic that has enormously influenced not only religion in the West but also Western society in general. Rabbi Goldstein is a highly skilled teacher and guide. The reader feels instantly that s/he is in competent hands and wise company. People of all religious traditions (as well as those who are not affiliated with any tradition at all) will find this book a concise, persuasive, and occasionally moving resource as they attempt to understand the history of the treatment of women by religion and as they attempt a feminist retrieval and reconstruction of so much that have been lost to us.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down. Rabbi Goldstein deals fairly with subjects relating to women's issues and lives. She also approaches female characters and their treatment in the Bible and tradition from a new angle. She is not radical in her feminist approach, though she is innovative. Recognizing that she uses a unique approach, Rabbi Goldstein eases the reader in to her technique, allowing the reader to adjust to a new way of approaching the Bible and tradition. This book will challenge and move you to rethink the way in which you view the Bible, women, tradition, and nature. It is a stimulating educational read. I recommend it highly.

I am the guy Pat talks about at the beginning of "Outdoor Burnout" At the time I wrote to him I was sick of the outdoors and nature in general, Pat put it all into perspective for me. Now when I get fed up with bad weather, balky lanterns, leaky tents, and all the other hazards of the great outdoors, I stop and think, "Pat could make a great story out of this".

If by chance you haven't read any of Pat McManus' books yet, I might suggest you start with this one to insure you get hooked for life. If you didn't think that life in the panhandle of Idaho could be funny, your in for a real treat. Here's to you Miss Deets.

Did you know that wolves hoot? Did you know that the deadliest weapon a fisherman can have is a banana? Did you know that unfileted bluegills multiply as the night wears on? Did you know that the best way to avoid a whipping is with a bouquet of buttercups? Did you know that a car roof is the black hole of fishing? Did you know that you can get out of a reckless driving charge if you're stuffing pigs in a sack? It's all true, and if you don't believe it, read this book and see for yourself!

I think this book is much more enjoyable if you read it after you have visited the Alhambra; two Moorish palaces that sit on top of a mountain in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountain range of Spain, palaces of incredible architecture and setting, the last outpost of the Moors in Spain. Christopher Columbus waited for 6 years before Queen Isabell would give him ships, she made him wait until the Moors were driven out of Spain. When the Alhambra finally falls, Coloumbus is given permission and ships for his quest a few days later, and the next year the Spanish Inquisition starts.
All of this comes to you if you visit the very romantic/historic city of Granada and the Alhambra, and after seeing the Alhambra restored, having walked its rooms and grounds, having listened to the fountains, letting your immagination run, then read this book, after you return home. Washington Irving's stunt of taking up residence in the rundown, forgotten Alhambra of his time seems even more fantastic. In fact, if you are going to Spain, buy a copy of this book in Granada; they are sold everywhere in different languages, and have pictures of paintings done in the period around Irving's stay. If you haven't been to the Alhambra, you should go.

"Tales of the Alhambra" is must-reading for the traveler in Spain. Irving is best remembered in this country for his collections of American folklore, like the stories of Rip Van Winkle and the Headless Horseman, but in Spain they remember him for the Alhambra stories -- in fact, there's a hotel named in his honor in Granada. Irving lived in that beautiful old Moorish palace at a time when it was a neglected ruin, and his wonderful descriptions, interspersed with the folk-tales that he collected from the people of Granada, helped to spark interest in repairing and restoring the monument. The folk tales, told in Irving's inimitable, witty style, usually deal with romantic elopements, or buried treasure, or both. My personal favorite is the story of the young prince living in the Generalife (the beautiful summer palace) who learned the language of the birds. That one is fantasy, but it's true that there was hidden treasure in the Alhambra: the palace itself, its architecture and decoration, and we have Irving to thank for rediscovering it.

A great book to read while traveling in spain. If you are going to Alhambra, read this book! It will bring the palace alive for you. The writing is very accessable, and easy to follow for having been written so long ago.

This book made me understand the real struggles all impressionist artists had to live with to have their work accepted by the people, and how much they helped each other in their time of need. The author has brought real-life meaning to a story told many times! Brilliantly written. I enjoyed once again his hard facts and real characters. Irving Stone definitely is a master.

A fascinating portrayal of Camille Pissarro. I knew little about this genius before reading this book and afterwords I felt as though I were an expert in impressionism. One of the best books Ive ever read!

Of the three books about artists by Irving Stone, this was my favorite (and Pissaro is my favorite artist as well). Stone kept me interested through-out.

I should give this book 5 full stars as it really is one of the best endgame book available. At our local chess club the Masters give lectures on Thursday nights. During their endgame series of lectures I was able to find every example they used in this book. The master's lecture concept was that rather than building up an opening repetiore, the beginning player would do better to build up an ending repetiore. By studying the endgame you learn how to attack and you learn the purpose of the middle game. And, since the end game occurs when you're usually in time trouble, the ability to play the endgame like a machine while your opponent must calculate every move is a great advantage.

However, I do have a few small gripes about this book.
1. I have found perhaps half a dozen endgames where I've come up with alternative lines where a win is not forced. Chernev does give variations on how to win many variations, but there are times when it appears that the opponent is not playing the best possible line.

2. Endgames often center around a theme or technique. Chernev gives you several endgames which demonstrate a technique, but he never specifically says "This position contains these key points which will lead us to use this particular technique". It is left up to the reader to figure out what the actual techniques used in the examples are. More importantly, it's left up to the reader to determine what factors require which techniques.

3. Occasionaly a term is used without explaination. For example: "1. K-B6 and the white king is said to have the opposition". But what is "opposition?" It is not explained. As in point #2 this is left for the reader to figure out. (By the way, there is an excellent description of Opposition in Jeremy Silman's book "How To Reassess Your Chess")

However, even with these faults, this is still one of the best endgame books available. Study the pawn endings until you can do them in your sleep, and then study the Rook endings. Then follow up with the rest of the book. This is the book you use to build up your "endgame repetiore".

This book is another great Chernev classic, at the affordable Dover price.

You are basically given a winning position and then Chernev outlines how to win with the position.

--It starts off with the basic endings, and then gets more complex as the book continues. I would recommend setting up the board and practicing these endings with your chess buddy. Your endings will improve tremendously.

Though it does have the ditraction of being written in descriptive notation (i.e. P-K4), this is compensated by the instruction given wonderful endgames, particularly for beginners. With sections on pawns and combined piece play, this is a wonderful beginning or compendium towards the study of the endgame.

This was my first textbook on logic and it has a warm place in my heart. It is not very current or modern, and it's probably not appropriate for teaching logic in the math or computer science departments, but otherwise, it's a lovely book. The two nicest features of this book are the wealth of interesting exercises and the emphasis on language: The correspondence between sentences in English and propositions in logic.

Re the logical structure of English sentences, I would like to note that I used many of the exercises from this book in a logic class I taught a few years ago, and was stunned to see the difficulties students were having: Difficulties in comprehending the logical structure of a sentence in English and then expressing this structure using Boolean connectives and quantifiers. I found this discovery both alarming and curious.

I thourougly enjoyed learning from this book, and it became the foundation of my analytic philosophy knowledge.

That said, I do not recommend this book as a text for those attempting to learn logic today. The symbolic language that is used and the mode of problem-solving demonstrated by Copi in this work is long since outdated and using this text will only confuse a logic amateur when they move on to more current and complicated logic.

This was the book I used when I took symbolic logic in college. Very self explanitory - the book can be used to learn symbolic logic on your own. Why? Simply because it's fun!

When writting this book, Dr. Rouse put a lifetime of research and studies on the Indians of the Caribbean into one work.
Since Rouse is considered the "Dean of Caribbean Archaeology", this book is a "must have" for anyone interested in the region and its native inhabitants.
Very few people have worked for so long, in so many locations and with such dedication as Dr. Rouse.

This book is great. Very informative and well written. I learned a great deal about my cultue, heritage and ancestry. It left me with a thirst for more.

There were so many things of the Taino Indians I didn't know about and this book gives such a wonderful view of their lives and heritage you think they were your neighbors next door! This book makes you realize how important it is to keep your heritage alive.