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Book reviews for "Krafsur,_Richard_Paul" sorted by average review score:

Lonely Planet Eastern Europe (5th Ed)
Published in Paperback by Lonely Planet (1999)
Authors: Krzysztof Dydynski, Steve Fallon, Kate Galbraith, Paul Hellander, Rosemary Klaskin, Jon Murray, Richard Nebesky, Jeanne Oliver, and David Stanley
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Good but a little abbreviated
I'm going to be a first-time Eastern Europe traveler this summer. However, I have travelled extensively and one of the first things I look for in a travel book is a book that offers information on all aspects of a country. For example, I felt the information on countries like Yugoslavia and Macedonia was a little abbreviated. There are some people out there who would actually like to do an "off-the-beaten-path" trip in those countries and Lonely Planet wasn't able to help me plan for this. The information on Greece was definitely helpful, but for those who plan to travel on their islands, I'd recommend Lonely Planet's Greek Islands which had exactly the right amount of information I needed to make my travels there worthwhile!

Abbreviated, but good.
We purchased this book before going to three of the countries covered, because there are so few books that cover Eastern Europe as a whole.

Although the information was limited, we found it helpful in general terms. It also whetted my appetite for going to the other countries in the book!

Indispensable book for a beautiful region
I can only speak for the Yugoslav section in this book, since it is the country I am most acquainted with.
Generally speaking, the LP team did an excellent job researching Beograd, but information on the rest of the country is poor. They don't mention a thing about Serbian institutions like Studenica monastery; they omit everything about the Fruska Gora and there's not even a word on the charming town of Sremski Karlovci.
I wonder whether the information on the other countries is equally poor. If that is the case, I'd rather tour the region on my own without any book at all.
However, one improvement with respect to the previous edition is they are now including Kotor (But Ulcinj is not so much recommended as before, which I don't know why since the beaches are much better than in Budva).
With regards to Novi Sad, their suggestions are very poor, even in what concerns to lodging. My recommendations are: add the Fruska Gora, Srem Karlovci, Raska and probably Nis.


Sex and Murder.Com
Published in Hardcover by St. Martin's Minotaur (2001)
Author: Mark Richard Zubro
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Good Read, Bad Mystery.
The book was a compelling read for chapter to chapter, but at the end you feel cheated. While it makes an interesting Fiction, it did not have the makings of a good Mystery. The solution was rushed in the last two chapters of the book.

Nowhere were clues during the read that could lead even a careful, experienced Mystery reader to try and even speculate on who did it. For me, half the fun is trying to deduce the murderer(s) before the author reveals it.

There are clues dropped as to why it happened, but you'll just flat be told who it is at the end. You just sort of plod along, hoping to find something to bite on and BAM the author spills his guts in the last chapters. The author did a great job running a second plot along; although it suffered the same clueless, fast wrap up.

The characters that did do it were really underdeveloped. If they were better developed, and some clues dropped along the way, this would be an amazing Mystery book.

It is, however, a damn good book for specifically [weak] content. A good book, not a good Mystery.

Another great Zubro Mystery
Great Mystery....Mark Zubro has done it again! Paul Ben his 2 children Mrs. Talucci even his partner all came to life again in another ongoing Turner mystery...thank-you Mr. Zubro for continuing this series

Kept me rivited to my seat!!!
This was an very well written mystery novel! I fully enjoyed the suspense that was driven into this book. Being in the technology industry myself the references to computers and technology was great! It fully added to the suspense!

The gist of the book is Chicago homicide detectives Paul Turner (who is gay) and Buck Fenwick (who is straight), in their investigation into murder of Internet tycoon Craig Lenzati, stabbed over hundreds of times in his security-laden apartment. When Lenzati's partner Brooks Werberg is killed and parts of his place smashed into smithereens, the pressure is put on from the Mayor's office.

But these dot-com boys' nack for putting aggressive little startup companies into trouble, and possibly even bankruptcy by stealing their ideas had won them a great deal of enemies.

What could possibly make this story even better? How about a secret storehouse of theirs filled with names, addresses, and tapes of the boys' sexual misconduct? In fact as it turns out, Lenzati and Werberg had enjoyed an ongoing sexual-conquest game, their preferred prey heterosexual couples, including a pair who'd been suing them and another pair who'd been working for them. A freelance "cracker" (a computer whiz who breaks into and paralyzes systems) employed by the boys will die, and Paul will receive boxes of chocolates and scary e-mail from a serial killer targeting police detectives all along Interstate 90.

Before Chicago finally settles down and Paul can reassure his son Brian of his safety and fall into the arms of his lover Ben. Brittle but funny dialogue between Paul and Buck; tender moments between Paul and Brian; sentimental relationship shows between Paul and Ben.

I personally would have liked a bit more drama at the point of the different confessions, but it did not distract from this book in any way.

You need to read this book... !!!


Javascript Unleashed
Published in Paperback by Sams (1900)
Authors: Richard Wagner and Paul Colton
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A Very strong title for Developers
As a web developer, I found this book invaluable. The author covers such topics as interbrowser compatibility, the document object model, LiveWire and more. It is divided into well defined chapters with clear and easy to follow examples. This is NOT a book for persons looking for "I don't care how it works, gimme code I can slap on my web site". It is geared towards developers entering into web based development.

Review: JavaScript Unleashed - Second Edition
This has to be the best JavaScript refrence available. All the JavaScript is compatiable with version 3.x browsers to help you learn how to write for all web browsers. Also the Electronic library that is included with this title is very helpful. Recomended to ALL web developers who are using JavaScript.

Great book for heavy duty programmers!
Unlike the first 3 reviewers, I am a software engineer who LIKES TO PROGRAM. My complaint with other Javascript books is that they are too lightweight and there is not enough information besides how to make cute web pages. I consulted this book frequently during the development of a large project, and it never let me down. There was information on every topic I needed, and examples with enough substance that I could take it from there. This book spans the simple to the complicated, so you get a lot of value out of this book - this book will remain useful as your skills grow.


Drop Dead: A Paul Turner Mystery
Published in Hardcover by St. Martin's Press (1999)
Author: Mark Richard Zubro
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Good premise, but tedious execution
As usual, this Zubro mystery is well plotted. Also as usual, it is rather tediously written. It would seem the author was always instructed to give details, to carefully note the appearance of each character. What he comes up with is a detailed description of apparel for each character, from the top down: hair, shirt, trousers (or skirt), shoes. Colors, patterns, and fabrics are always noted. All very good, if or when these are noteworthy. But usually folks are wearing denim and cotton and etc., and giving these details imparts nothing to the reader.

This is just a warning--I shall probably continue to read Zubro's books. But I only WISH he wrote a bit better!

Zubro at his best
I've read most of Mark Zubro's work, and I think that "Drop Dead" is his best effort yet! A mystery that kept me interested and guessing, good descriptions of places in and around Chicago, likeable hero, and a keen, yet dry sense of humor.

Like snappy dialog? You'll love "Drop Dead"!
"Drop Dead" features deliciously snappy dialog, along with Zubro's realistically drawn characters and well-paced action. In this latest addition to the Paul Turner mystery series, Zubro gets the balance just right. Read it!


Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War: Civil War Poems (Literary Classics)
Published in Paperback by Prometheus Books (2001)
Authors: Herman Melville, Richard H. Cox, Paul M. Dowling, James M. McPherson, and Helen Hennessy Vendler
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Interesting But Not Memorable
These days it seems like only English professors and their students are reading Melville's poetry. MOBY DICK, and other works undoubtedly proved that he was a master of prose, but the critics weren't so convinced about his poetry, instead giving it lukewarm reviews at best, and calling it amateurish. For this reason we find Melville's prose in the literary canon while his poetry remains on the periphery of obscurity and limbo.

The poems are dense and full of Civil War references, so it would behoove the reader to brush up on his history. Likewise, the reader will quickly realize why Melville's poetry didn't receive the critics' acclaim. They are melodramatic, with an overemphasis on composing within the traditional (some would say archaic) rules of poetry: rhythm, rhyme scheme, etc., which does not translate well into our time and makes it not the most entertaining style to read...

These are interesting poems, but seem to have more historic value (U.S. history and the history/development American poetry) than poetic.

My personal favorites include: "The Stone Fleet," where Melville experiences romance for the whaling ships sailing out of harbor and which, consequently, he never sailed on; and, "The House Top," from where he overlooks the New York enlistment riots, where he implies that those who don't fight for our country aren't for God.
--ross saciuk

What The Library Journal Does Not Know.
I am one of the editors of the Prometheus Books edition of Melville's superb book on the Civil War. Alas, the Library Journal review, posted for the volume, is pathetic: two sentences, only one on Melville's poems, and that one half wrong, for Melville had NO direct experience of actual fighting in the war. What is more, there is no reference to the extensive supplementary material in our volume--including fine essays by Helen Vendler and Rosanna Warren. Caveat emptor regarding any such "review" of the "critics."

Poetic Prose, but not Prosaic Verse
It has been said of Herman Melville that his prose is poetic, but his poetry is not. In his time, in fact, his poetry was little-read and quite unpopular. Of course, _Moby Dick_ received only a lukewarm reception back then. Now, his poetry deserves a reassessment.

First, _Battle-Pieces_ should be credited as artistic, sometimes beautiful, poetry. Some of the poems are somewhat doggeral, and would be much improved by a few less forced rhymes. Others, however, are truly moving.

In these latter poems, Melville conveys the horrors of the war--and occasionally the humanity that shone through, uniting the brothers across the battlefield. Few men or women of the time had the experience (he participated in a chase of a Southern soldier) and writing ability to show us this time so effectively. As a result, he produced what, in my opinion, is a book at least as good as his most well-known novel.

At the end of the book he includes an essay on Reconstruction, in which he pleads for an easy reconciliation with the conquered South, more along the lines with Lincoln and Johnson's plans than the Radicals'. While somewhat disappointing (we'd like the man who created QueeQueg to support Southern blacks' rights a little more), the essay is well-written, and allows us to read the nonfictional beliefs of a man we usually associate with fiction--just as the poems let us read the verse of a writer of prose.


Brassai: The Eye of Paris
Published in Hardcover by Harry N Abrams (1999)
Authors: Richard Howard, Avis Berman, Anne Wilkes Tucker, Brassai, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, J. Paul Getty Museum, National Gallery of Art (U.S.), and Peter C. Marzio
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A long-awaited but disappointing retrospective
For lovers of great photography, one of the real gaps for a long time has been a monograph on this master of Euorpean street photography, whose images of Paris in the 30's in particular are among the greatest of their kind. Since the unfortuante deletion of the magnificent mid-80's reissue of PARIS BY NIGHT there has literally been nothing available except an over-priced paperback from Germany (I beleive) that has made its way to US museum bookshops and the like. What great news it was that Abrams, who are one of the best houses for this sort of thing, was publishing a major catalogue to accompany the travelling exhibit now at the National Gallery in Washington. The book was delayed several times earlier this year (no doubt to the chagrin of the museums the exhibit has already passed through) and has finally arrived in time for Christmas.

It is sad indeed to report that the book is a total disappointment- at least so far as the images themselves are concerned:

One: The source material and printing of the picutres are truly second-rate - without richness, luster, or dimension. Many look like photocopies from magazines or other books. They are oddly glossy but flat. Compare these to the incredible matte reproductions in PARIS BY NIGHT and the contrast between what can be done with with what is here is nearly heartbreaking.

Second: What is with the recent tendency to print photographs in an oversized, right-to-the-edges format with no sense of border or space to let the composition breathe and no sense of frame lines. The bleed-over simply kills the impact of many of these photogrpahs. It's a ruinous way to present great imagery. (It afflicts Abrams' new Bill Brandt book as well but to a lesser extent because the printing of that book is so much better.)

Third: There is very little that is new here. For such a major undertaking it comes across as a routine collection of well-known images, a greatest hits, that ends up delivering little emotional punch or insight into this great artist. Compare this to Abrams' own exhaustive works like Walker Evans: The Hungry Eye and you'll see what I mean.

With so many great photographers receiving deluxe treatment in the past few years from Abrams' W. Eugene Smith book last year to Bulfinch's Lartigue mongraph, it is a real shame that someone as seminal but poorly represented in print as Brassai should receive such a well-intentioned but unsatisfactory tribute. PLEASE BRING BACK PARIS BY NIGHT!

Please
I am surprised that this book has gotten such mixed reviews here -- it is the definitive book on the subject. The essays are full of new information and elegantly presented. The design of the book, bleeds and all, remind me of the particular way Brassai made his books (which is why we care about Brassai today). The reproductions look like the original prints! The book is smart and real.

An Exhibition Book That Does Justice to the Exhibition
I saw this exhibition at the National Gallery of Art and bought the book. The exhibition blew me away and so did the book! It is the best exhibition book on photography I have seen. The print quality of the photographs is superb and the text is excellent. This book is a lesson in photography, political science, and sociology.


Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life
Published in Hardcover by Financial Times Prentice Hall (13 June, 2002)
Authors: Linda Elder, Richard Q. Paul, and Richard W. Paul
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Great expectations disappointed
Richard Paul and Linda Elder are affiliated with the Center for Critical Thinking, which I discovered several years ago when it was operating under the auspices of Sonoma State University. I first encountered Dr. Paul's writing through several fine pieces on the CCT web site, and they established my expectations for this book.

I should mention my misgivings about the phrase 'critical thinking.' It has critical mass as a buzz-phrase, and is susceptible to all of the risks that go with that--chiefly the risk that an assortment of people advocating widely different intellectual practices all find it advantageous to paste that popular name on their disparate wares. Even worse, I have encountered people to whom 'critical thinking' turns on the sense of 'critical' that means captious or disputatious, and who think of it as something nice people don't do; another entire camp seems to maintain that 'critical thinking' is achieved by nothing more than disparagement of reason and an inclination to question and deconstruct everything in sight. Taken far enough, these divergent uses of any 'in' buzzword can threaten to strip it completely of meaning; one cannot be grateful enough that the Center for Critical Thinking is still around and pushing the real deal: rigorous intellectual standards, commitment to clarity and reason and fairmindedness, with all that commitment demands.

But this book makes a disappointing vehicle. Contributing not least to the disappointment are lapses of editing and proofreading that should never be seen in a finished book. Perhaps embarrassments of grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not count directly against the book's intellectual content--but they could lead many readers to underestimate what the book has to offer. That's too bad.

A more serious weakness is the want of exercises that genuinely test the reader's thinking. If learning to think critically is replacing comfortable modes of thought with modes that can be evaluated to standards, an important motivator may be to bump against those standards regularly. But many of the exercises are of the "write down something you think about X" variety notable for not having wrong answers. The questions are often good ones and the exercises are not all busy work, but neither are they as demanding as they could be, and some readers may find them condescending.

An extreme example is found in Chapter 7--The Standards for Thinking--with respect to the standard of 'logicalness,' which gets a treatment of barely one page. A space not much larger could present some rudiments of logic, but this treatment offers only a vague, intuitive appeal and an exercise to identify decisions "based on illogical thinking--thinking that didn't make sense to you." A reader's familiar, and possibly unexamined, judgments about what is "logical" will not necessarily be refined by this approach.

The whole of Chapter 14--The Power and Limits of Professional Knowledge--is likewise disappointing. It seems to promise a disciplined approach to the decision of how much deference is due the pronouncements of professionals on different occasions and topics but, beyond outlining general reasons for skepticism, it doesn't deliver. It offers little insight into how that skepticism should be sensibly qualified, and is a little incautious with some of its own claims: I was surprised to read (p. 260) in a 2002 book that "the medical field is highly resistant" to the role of viruses and bacteria in heart disease and cancer.

I am especially troubled by the Chapter 14 discussion of mathematics (and ought to reveal here that it was my undergraduate major). Here the authors seem to lose sight of their objective and, instead of addressing how mathematical 'expert opinion' should be received, treat instead the value of math education. They suggest that because (a) many are traumatized by doing poorly in math and (b) many who do well still do not cultivate the habit of applying mathematical insight in everyday life, perhaps curricula beyond basic arithmetic should not be mandatory. This despite the number of pressing issues that demand critical thought and require a mathematical understanding. In this one section the authors seem to verge on one of the debased senses of 'critical thinking.' I would go to the mat with them on this one, but there are more comments to make.

A near-disastrous feature of the book is the use made of charged, controversial issues. This is tricky business: of course the very point of critical thinking is to apply it to important issues, and without them the teaching would not be engaging or effective. The authors do well when they present a hot issue as the explicit focus of an exercise, asking the reader to think fairmindedly through all sides; "Thinking Broadly" on p. 105 is a good example. The "Reading Backwards" list is conscientiously selected and balanced. But controversial positions also appear in passing as examples of good or poor thinking, where the focus is elsewhere and a point of view is implicit. My point is not that I disagree with these positions: the authors' politics and mine might be largely compatible. But by failing to decide whether they are writing a book on critical thinking or a book of issue advocacy, the authors undermine their credibility and furnish a ready excuse for half the people who should read this book to dismiss it out of hand.

I would have loved to see Edward Tufte's books on clear and appropriate visual presentation included in the reading list. Regrettably, this book demonstrates many of the pitfalls Tufte identifies in "business graphics": elaborate, busy designs that exaggerate the depth of what is presented. This may be a house style of the publisher, Financial Times.

There is a genuine core of critical thinking instruction contained (sometimes concealed) in this book--perhaps enough to reward the effort of digging it out. Better books of this sort are urgently needed, and Paul and Elder should be able to write them. I hope they will.

Tools & Concepts for Critical Thinking
This is a book for business people, for people in a profession, and for people in any arena who simply want to learn how to live their lives in a more rational and ultimately more fulfilling way. In the authors' recurrent phrase, it contains abundant tools for taking charge of one's life. As such, it not only contains good business sense, it contains good sense for living a better life as well.

It's a crisp, clear, useful book. The authors consistently address the heart of each essential aspect of critical thinking in multiple domains. They explain each aspect clearly, trace out its implications, offer effective advice on how to deal with it both as an individual and as a professional. They even supply activities and questions-in inserts labeled "Test the Idea"-for applying that aspect of critical thinking to the reader's own unique circumstances.

The book combines strategic thinking, self-knowledge, fairness toward others, and a down-to-earth, usable ideal of justice. It shows not only how to advance in each, but how those qualities fit together with and further one another. So there is a sense in which the book is essentially about human fulfillment (though that isn't explicitly addressed as a main topic)-fulfillment for myself through understanding, honest self-assessment, and taking control of my life; fulfillment for others in ideals of fairmindedness and justice; fulfillment for the planet as a whole in how the qualities combine.

One of the most invigorating features of Critical Thinking is the way the book covers a whole range of topics clearly and explicitly. The coverage is brief and to the point, but it allows for a wealth of further application for those readers who are willing to incorporate the authors' guidelines into their day-to-day life.

For example, Paul and Elder devote only two pages to a clear, succinct discussion of understanding implications (one of the key elements of reasoning). Then there is a quick "Test the Idea" box. It asks the reader to describe a problem he or she is facing, to formulate alternative decisions to address that problem, and finally to think out the logical implications of each alternative decision. Notice two features of this that seem to go in almost opposite directions: first, how simple the activity is, how do-able, and second how life-transforming it would be if I consistently thought through my potential decisions in terms of a range of alternatives and a conscious awareness of the implications of each. The book consistently offers the same clarity coupled with profundity for each topic covered.

The actual topics covered in the book are just the ones people need to address to take charge of their lives:

-How to think realistically in a world full of change and danger.
-How to evaluate my own thinking across a range of dimensions:
* my skills and abilities
* my self-understanding
* my overall stage as a thinker
-How to improve my thinking-again in a range of dimensions, including:
* the parts of thinking
* the standards of good thinking
* making intelligent decisions
* thinking within corporate life
* increasing the level of my strategic thinking.
-How to deal with egocentrism and sociocentrism.
-How to think reasonably about and within the ethical dimension of our lives.

The book goes deep into the way our unconscious or barely conscious processes rule so much of our conscious thinking. It provides practical strategies for unveiling and confronting our irrational tendencies. Surprisingly in an age of extended therapies, the strategies are often simple and direct-and eminently useful. For example a "Test the Idea" section on "Unearthing Dysfunctional Egocentric Thinking" directs you to "think of a time when your desire to selfishly get what you wanted failed because of your egocentric behavior." It then asks you to describe the situation, to describe your resulting thoughts, wants and behavior, and then to describe a more rational way to think and behave in that situation.

This approach is related to Cognitive Therapy, except that the approach Paul and Elder take is more thorough-going and founded in a deeper and more robust conception of what healthy, reasonable thinking is. It is also a simple "visualization" technique, of the kind that is so effective in altering people's behavior. Only, instead of merely visualizing a healthier way to behave in a situation, I am directed now to use my whole mind (not just my visual imagination).

Another bright feature of the book is that the ethical dimension is covered so well. This is usually neglected in business-oriented books and even in personal-health books. The authors discuss and give "Test the Idea" activities in key aspects of ethical thought and action. The conception they teach is a profound one: being ethical is far different from simply accepting rules imposed on us from outside; it is also different from merely adhering to "codes of ethics" adopted by many professions. The authors' approach also shows what is wrong with simply looking inward to "find my values": "looking inward" is also guided by egocentric tendencies. It is very easy to consult my conscience and find there a justification for the actions that suit my self-interest: why it's all right to take out my anger at others; why my wants are ultimately more important than yours; why I seem so justified in feeling myself a victim of your actions. Paul and Elder consistently dispel such facile reasoning; they supply activities and thought experiments to guide the reader along, and they also provide numerous insights all along the way.

In sum, this is just the kind of book readers have come to expect from Paul and Elder, both of whom have worked for so long and in so many aspects of Critical Thinking. It contains the clear, distilled essence of the critical thinking concepts and tools for taking charge of one's life, professional and personal. The tools and concepts are presented always with an overview to keep the parts in context, full of lucid examples, references to more extended sources, and an abundance of applications.

Empowered Thinking
Paul and Elder's "Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Personal and Professional Life" provides the key to developing ones mind as an active tool for quality thinking and ultimately better decision-making in professional and personal life. This book explicates the difference between quality thinking in professional practice and flawed thinking. The authors challenge a personal self-examination of the quality of the reader's thinking with activities that are insightful, cognitively interesting and structured so each component of thinking is enhanced. The approach is practical, and meaningful for the reader interested in developing as a critical thinker. Paul and Elder's expertise in dealing with the complexity of thinking needed to survive in society today is illuminating.

As a nurse leader working in a chaotic health care system subject to constant change and revision: critical thinking is the answer to implementing an improvement in health care delivery. The authors have unlocked the mystery of improving my thinking for quality decision-making in my nursing practice. The more I work with these ideas for improving the quality of my critical thinking and decision-making in nursing practice the more empowered I am as a person and professional nurse.

Penelope Heaslip RN


I Love Paul Revere, Whether He Rode or Not
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The Facts Behind the Good Stories
Richard Shenkman reviews the facts behind the legends of American History. He researched various books to present a new look at old history. Where could these mistakes come from? Perhaps it comes from the official history books selected by the Boards of Education. Some from entertainments passed off as history. There is always the need to present old history to "prove" the correctness of current politics. If reading opposing viewpoints educates you, read this entertaining book and become a little wiser.

Chapter 1 is on 'Patriotism'. Our national flag was rarely in use until after the War for the Union. Troops used regimental colors or state flags. The Pledge of Allegiance was created in 1892. Shenkman seems to not understand the phrase "our flag was still there" (p.8). The meaning to me is whether Fort McHenry was captured. Using lyrics from a song about drinking and loving would not be objectionable to 19th century military (p.9). Chapter 2 is on 'Religion'. Shenkman corrects the misinformation spread by corporate advertising. The fact that church membership (and the right to vote - p.25) was limited suggests churches operated as a ruling class and limited its membership by choice (p.23). Page 29 tells how Madison and Jefferson refused public prayers. Lincoln was the first president to affirm the usefulness of religion in politics. Lincoln was never baptized and never a member of any church; he used religion as per Machiavelli's advice. Chapter 3 is on 'Work and Play'. Shenkman doesn't note that as workers became wage-earners instead of self-employed in the 19th century, there was a new need for leisure time activities. Almost all entertainment or sports were invented in the Victorian era (p.35). Show business is the true opiate of the people. The work ethic was replaced by the consumer ethic in the 1920s (p.45). Could scrimping and saving ruin the American economy (p.46)?

Chapter 4 is on 'Business'. Business has a long history of getting help from the government: special franchises, bounties, grants, immunities, protective tariffs, and land grants. Originally, corporations could not be created unless it performed a public service: canals, railroads, water supplies (p.53). Page 58 gives an example of censored history which made this book necessary. Shenkman identifies Marriner Eccles as the prophet of deficit spending (p.61). Page 63 notes how military spending supports business. The statistic about cotton production "not until fifteen years after" is misleading; 1860 produced a huge crop. The statistic about railroad trackage is also suspect (p.65). "War is the continuation of [business rivalry] through non-diplomatic means" said Clausewitz. The post war period of "laissez faire" resulted in more economic depressions than any time in history. The output of commodities increased at a slower rate than before the Civil War (p.69)!

The book concludes with Chapter 12 'So Many Myths'. Page 193 tells of praise for Mayes' book; does this result from advertising and pay-offs to sell books? Could it explain the other myths and legends? As long as they can be sold, stories will be created. Look at TV. Just as America devised its own spelling ("jail" for "gaol"), so too they created new national myths (p.197). Are we that different from other peoples? Myths serve as symbols of cultural unity since the days of Remus and Romulus.

How it *Really* happened
I found this to be a pretty good book. It provides fun information about history that you can use to impress your friends. Pick it up.


The Possible Dream: A Candid Look At AMWAY
Published in Hardcover by Fleming H Revell Co (1977)
Author: Charles Paul Conn
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More mindless dribble...
More mindless dribble from a writer whom Amway helped make thousands of dollars by writing a book that is required reading for all new distributors. To give you a hint, Amway is now on the web under the name of to hide who they are; a website where you can purchase toilet paper . Nowhere does the writer talk about the hundreds of lawsuits that have been filed against Amway, that most of the money in Amway is through the sale of books and tapes created by organizations independent of Amway, or the thousands of people deceived every year. Don't waste your money on this book: instead read False Profits by Fitzpatrick.

Interesting read
I really never liked Amway. Of course, I never really knew anything specific about Amway or the founders of that organization...until I started reading about them in business journals and the Dunn and Bradstreet report of stability. The business community greatly respects the founders of Amway. They give away millions every year to charities. They help their community and society in general. The best thing is, this book is designed to show you what they did to get to where they are.

This title presents an overview of the philosophy of the founders of one of the largest privately owned companies in the US and the world. They are successful people who explain how one might be a success as well.

I've also noticed that most of the negative reviews for this title do not address the content of this title. Whereas, those who enjoyed it comment on the content. Interesting, wouldn't you say?

The book is written clearly while maintaining the focus on encouragement and reaching one's goals.

Good read even if you aren't saving money with Amway. They have a sister company called Quixtar. Very similar philosophy and quality products. Quixtar was founded in 1999 and is also privately owned. This philosophy works!

Great Book got me going
Well another great book by Paul Conn. People think sometimes Mr.Conn is a distributor but he is not and never has been one! He is though a great Dean of student's at Liberty University. For those who think there is no MONEY in the business has never experienced what I have. Im also an Independent Business Owner and if I wasn't making good profit like some people say! I would have QUIT long ago!!!!!!!


Biplane
Published in Hardcover by Hungry Minds, Inc (1983)
Authors: Richard Bach, Paul E. Hansen, and Ray Bradbury
Amazon base price: $17.95
Used price: $7.25
Collectible price: $15.00
Average review score:

Not a good Richard Bach read.
i'm a big richard bach fan...and i got to say this one was just boring. it's not peppered with philosophical sentances or inspirational words, it's just a book for plane fanatics. if you go to a bookstore, you'll find this particular bach book tucked in the "transporation" section. a little different from his other works.

An Echo of my Experience
In Richard Bach's words, the emotions of flying come alive to the reader. As someone who has experienced those same emotions in an ancient biplane, I was moved to tears while reading my deepest feelings put into words.

A lovely flight
The tale of Bach's odyssey in his bi-plane will make the reader yearn for simpler times and and less complicated lives. We all spend to much time chasing things and our perspective is often distorted. Bach's eye is on the basic joys and aspirations of the human soul and he does a lovely job of it in this gem of a book. If you are a pilot, you will envy him the experiences. If you are not, you will dream of becoming one. A wonderful read awaits between the covers of this book.


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