Please excuse my spelling, it's terrible This book is terrific. I started reading this book and couldn't put it down. It is a fine collection of stories ranging from the great soilbank days when Kansas alone had 4 million birds to the Royal hunts in Europe where an average daily bag mesaures in the thousands, It has stories more like mine where the average hunt ends with tired dogs and few birds. The book through it's many differant authors also explores the ethics associated with hunting. This book is for the bird hunter who's cleaning his gun for the third time this week when hunting season isn;t for 6 months. It's for the guy who can't stop dreaming of how his new pup will do his first time out. It's for the guy who spends more time with his dogs than with his wife. All hunters will enjoy this book, but the true bird hunter won;t be able to put it down.

Although out of print this volume and its companion volune PHOENIX are among my favorite collections. They are very insightful in areas D.H.L. is not usually recognized for.

In this volume one of my favorites is HYMNS IN A MAN'S LIFE. It starts "Nothing is more difficult than to determine what a child takes in, and does not take in, of its environment and its teaching..." Later, "...Love is a great emotion, and power is power. But both love and power are based on wonder. Love without wonder is a sensational affair, and power without wonder is mere force and compulsion. The one uiniversal element in consciousness which is fundamental to life is the element of wonder."

And consider D.H.L.'s insight into scientific research when he says: "Even the real scientist works in the sense of wonder. The pity is, when he comes out of his laboratory he puts aside his wonder along with his apparatus, and tries to make it all perfactly didactic. Science in its true condition of wonder is as religious as any religion..." In my work as a scientist I find this to be very true. The little hints, the inspiration, the hunches, the dead ends...none of these is acknowledged as one tries to make the result of the investigation perfectly logical.

He goes on to talk about his religious childhood and how it carried over into his adult life. Hear his recollections: "...I liked our chapel, which was tall and full of light, and yet still; and colour-washed pale green and blue, with a bit of lotus pattern. And over the organ-loft, 'O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,' in big letters."

D,H.L. had a rich background in the Bible, and it entered many of his works. The book APOCALYPSE is devoted in its entirely to the analysis of the Book of Revelation. An essay in the initial PHOENIX is titled "On Being Religious". His religion developed beyond the usual Christian dogma, and he gives top billing to The Holy Spirit.

The last two essays in PHOENIX II are titled: "On Being a Man", and "On Human Destiny." very provocative titles.

I have touched on the element of religion because D.H.L. usually is not associated with "religious" thoughts. A vast variety of other subjects are treated in other essays, as well as the full text of his novel MR NOON.

This book is one of my treasures!

I love everything about this terrific little book. It has an exciting adventure-filled plot, stout-hearted little heroes and scary adversaries. It has a quest filled with peril and great hope. There are just barely possible tasks to be fulfilled some sorrow and some mystery and some happiness, too. The illustrations are very lovely and filled with details that take you to the heart of this story of the last five survivors of an ancient Peruvian race of tiny folk who must journey to find a new home knowing full well that it is prophesied that only three will survive the voyage. They set off across the vast sea, afloat in an old earthen poppykettle and you will eagerly rock with them upon the waves through many an astonishing adventure. Children will love this and so will any adult with a gypsy soul and a child's heart.

A must for any serious potter trying to duplicate ancient chinese blue celedons. This book is not only a fascinating history on the subject, but a comprhensive study on the hows and whys of achieving this elusive glaze. Although not a book of formulas, one will recieve all the information one needs to easily duplicate this glaze in all its variations.

The book is succinct and doesn't mince words.

Brother Lawrence can be of enormous help to those of us seeking to grow closer to Christ. For one, there is no complicated methodology behind practicing the presence of God.

As Brother Lawrence says, "Lift up your heart to Him ... the least little remembrance will always be acceptable to Him. You need not cry very loud; He is nearer to us than we are aware of."

And so, the practice of the presence of God is to simply think of him often. As Brother Lawrence says, your friend (God) is always with you. Why would you cut off conversation with God when you would not be so rude to another person.

I enjoyed this book. It takes maybe one hour to read, but I have a feeling it will have a lasting impact on my life.

I am constantly is search of books that will help me advance in the spiritual life. I find alot of books that I read are repetitive. This short book by Brother Lawrence shows a simple, direct, effective way to strengthen your spirituality without losing you halfway through the book. Through the practice of one simple method we can be in continual union with God. All we need is the perseverance to continue practicing it!

This is one of the three greatest Christian books besides the Bible that I would recommend for all to read, the other two being "The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life" and "Pilgrim's Progress". Brother Lawrence seems to have found a heavenly type of life on earth and describes his experience in this very short and simple book that other's may partake of this blessing also. The life he portrays is one of continual communion with God in that all our daily mundane works are intimately connected with Him. One interesting comment he makes, and which perhaps best serves as the central thesis of this book, is that he feels no less closer to God when he is busy doing his earthly chores than in his set time of devotions. The Christian life he found is the one God intends for all belivers to have.

Gone, Baby, Gone is everything we've come to expect from Lehane, all turned up a notch. He takes on the terrifying subject of child abduction and refuses to flinch in his merciless exploration of all the gruesome implications and possibilities. Kenzie and Gennaro return in fine form, and Lehane takes us further into their complex individual psyches as well as their strangely woven relationship. Bubba returns and the story is populated with a compelling and mysterious supporting cast. Lehane flexes a little as a writer with mixed results. This is a more intricate plot than in the past and he weaves the various threads well but many of the descriptions are overdone and unnecessary. Too often I lost Kenzie's voice and became conscious of Lehane's. Sometimes, Lehane is his own worst enemy, the action is so engrossing I lose my patience when he steps away from it. Through the four novels I have become deeply involved in the lives of Kenzie and Gennaro, the time between books is like losing touch with close friends. Gone, Baby, Gone is easily the darkest of the series and simultaneously an excruciating and engrossing read. It may be detective fiction but it is anything but light reading. If you have not yet discovered Lehane you live in a poorer world. Start at the beginning and enjoy.

I had fairly low expectations approaching this book. Don't get me wrong, I have loved the Patrick Kenzie series, especially "Darkness." But I thought "Sacred" was poor, so it seemed as if the series was on a downward spiral. I'm happy to report I couldn't have been more wrong!

"Gone" has all the best of Lehane: violence, grit, talk-tough dialogue and snappy banter (but not too snappy, as was the case in "Sacred.") The book is very dark, and the subject matter of disappearing children is not pleasant. Lehane never chickens out, he delivers the real, sometimes inhumane cruel world to many pages. And there are two long scenes, back-to-back, that are among the most exciting and intense Lehane has ever written.

If you like mysteries or crime fiction with an edge, or modern noir without the posing, Lehane is your man. Start with "Prayers For Rain" and work your way up to this book - you will be rewarded!

As anyone who's read Darkness, Take My Hand knows, Dennis Lehane writes books that stay with you long after you've finished reading them.

In a world long since inured to violence, both physical and psychological, Lehane has once again managed to puncture that shield and lead you to see the true nature of life as we know it. How he manages to do that while giving you a story that is heart-rending, incredibly funny and an edge-of-your-seat, page-turning, can't-stop-'til-you've-finished, don't-want-to-stop-when-you-have thriller is anyone's guess. But he does, and he does it better than anyone I've ever read.

Gone, Baby, Gone is, ostensibly, the story of the kidnapping of a young child. Our heroes Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are called in on a case they don't want to take. The police haven't found the child. All the publicity the news media has to offer hasn't found the child. Kenzie and Gennaro aren't sure they want to.

Once the plot really kicks in Lehane weaves in more strands than the Bayeaux tapestry to create the book that caused me to gush in such an unappealing manner. And I'm British, we don't gush easy.

One piece of advice, if you're new to Dennis Lehane, start at the beginning. Read his books in order, it's worth it.

I don't normally care about the books I have to read for school. In fact, in the past there have been books that I've purposely tried to forget, but when I had to read this book for a 10th grade religion class, I was surprised to find I liked it.

Inherit the Wind is a short and sweet book which not only makes a good point, but makes it quickly and clearly. This is something I can respect...after sorting out Jane Austen's mess of romantic words and snotty characters in Pride and Prejudice, it was a relief to say the least.

It takes place in small town called Hillsboro in Tennessee and revolves around a freethinking teacher named Bertram Cates who deliberately broke the law by teaching about evolution in his classroom. His trial becomes known nation-wide for both political and religious reasons. His lawyer is smart, practical but heartless Henry Drummond and the prosecutor is the likable Mathew Harrison Brady, both huge political figures. The trial erupts into a rude awakening for the ignorant residents of Hillsboro and changes the way they all think about the world.

It is one of only three or four required reading books I've managed to enjoy and this is why I recommend it completely.

"Inherit the Wind," the play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, premiered on Broadway during the 1955-56 theater season. But the play's genesis (no pun intended) lies in the events of 1925. In that year, a high school teacher named John Scopes was put on trial in Tennessee for violating a law that forbade the teaching of Darwinian evolution. With William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution and Clarence Darrow for the defense, this became one of the most important trials in United States history. The trial remains a key battle in the ongoing war of biblical literalism versus science and reason.

The play freely adapts the details of history. The authors even change the names of the principal characters involved: Bryan becomes "Matthew Harrison Brady," Darrow becomes "Henry Drummond," etc. But the core events of that historic trial remain firmly embedded in the play.

"Inherit" is an excellent play that is very readable in book form. Lawrence and Lee write superb dialogue, and create vivid characters in Brady, Drummond, and the rest. The play is an effective satire of religious fundamentalism.

With the continuing efforts of religious fundamentalists to force their views on the general public (both in the United States and elsewhere), "Inherit the Wind" remains as relevant as ever. Highly recommended.

This is a work of literature that deserves merit. The characters were realistic and funny. Bertram Cates is a teacher who taught Darwin's Theory instead of the creation story from the Bible. This is against the law in his small town of Hillsboro. A famous lawyer comes to defend him, but an eloquent speaker and presidential candidate is on the prosecution. It's a heated arguement between strictly religous people and those who believe in evolution. Anybody who likes to read drama and historical fiction(as it's based on the Scopes Monkey Trial) should read this book. It really makes you think.

New York Dead is my first Wood's book, but it won't be my last. I have to agree with some other reviewers....New York Dead is a silky smooth read. The plot unrolls itself without interruption from the first page to the last. The characters, both weird and normal (is there such a thing) are entertaining to say the least. Isn't it the search of entertainment that keeps us avid readers coming back for more??? Stuart Woods delivers.
Can anyone survive the fall from a twelve story building? Well they do in New York Dead. That's not the only surprise in the book.
Get the book and read it you won't regret it.

This review is about the abridged audiobook narrated by Efrem Zimbalist.

I have read quite a few of Stuart Woods' books. This is one of the best. Stone Barrington is a very appealing character. The book is quite suspenseful and a real page-turner.

The one negative is the narrator, Efrem Zimbalist. He uses the same voice for all the characters. This makes his narration rather dull. I have listened to many audio books and most of the narrators offer a variety of voices for different characters.

This book is Stuart Woods at his best. Woods does a fabulous job of creating the well rounded Stone Barrington character. This was not the first book I had read in the series, so it was interesting to see how Stone Barrington went from cop to lawyer. The plot line in the story is excellent and definitely keeps the pages turning. I had no idea what was going to happen at the end, and that is just the way I like it. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to start the next in the Stone Barrington series.

The Man Who Listens to Horses By Monty Roberts

Reviewed by Ashley Sutton

For hundreds of years, people have trusted the traditional way of training horses. This method uses beatings, pain, and suffering to break the horse's spirit and force him to obey. This practice was considered normal, but the consequences of "breaking" a horse this way are tragic. Horses lose their trust toward humans, and while many people are aware of this loss, it seemed that this was the only effective way to train horses. But one day, Monty Roberts went out into the wilderness of Nevada to watch the wild mustangs that roamed there. It was observing the herd's strict disciplinary procedures that brought Monty to noticing a pattern in the horses' behavior, a kind of "language." He called this language "Equus," and his knowledge of Equus helped him discover join-up, efficient, painless way to train horses. In The Man Who Listens to Horses, Monty Roberts tells of his childhood, his discovery of Equus and join-up, and of the many obstacles that stood in his way of sharing his methods with others. Now sixty-six years old, Monty "is squarely built, and at 240 pounds on a five-foot-four-inch frame, he is much heavier than he looks," says Lawrence Scanlon, who wrote the introduction to the book. His vision is impaired; he can only see black, white, and a wide array of gray tones. Monty grew up around horses, since his father was a well-known horse trainer. Throughout his childhood, Monty witnessed the cruel methods of breaking horses that his father used. His disagreements with his father were a main factor in what made his so determined to stop these methods. Monty's father was a firm believer in sacking-out, in other words, tying a horse up and beating him into submission. As Monty describes one horse being "trained" by his father, "The whites in his eyes are showing, the horse desperately tries to escape my father, and one eye looks back at him in fear and dread." When Monty tried to show his father his way of training, this turned into Monty's fate, too. For years, Monty was the subject of horrifying abuse from his father, and Monty never forgave him for the pain he caused in so many lives. Throughout the book, Monty tries to communicate to the reader that his talents with horses are nothing extraordinary. He has no special "magic touch," and no ancestry of communicating with horses. He just says that he has learned to "listen" to the horses he trains, and that this allows him to solve their problems with ease. He maintains that anyone can do what he does with horses if they'd just take the time to "listen." His book tells of the hard times he's had, and it shows people that the road to making a difference in the world is often a hard one. The Man Who Listens to Horses is an inspiring story about a man who never gave up on what he believed in. Anyone who likes either horses or just a heart-warming story is sure to enjoy this book by Monty Roberts. It shows the consequences of the trust between humans and horses being broken, and what we can to do to prevent this loss of trust.

This book told an interesting story of the life experiences of Monty Roberts as well as teaching the reader the technique of gently and naturally starting a horse.

It was hard to put this book down, once I started to read it.

As a horse owner and trainer myself, I am excited about exploring the methods described in the book and incorporating them into my training program.

I highly recommend this book to any horse owner interested in learning the language of horses.

Not the fiction of Gulliver's Travels or Doctor Dolittle or the tales of St. Francis, in The Man Who Listens to Horses, we meet Monty Roberts a real person who talks with horses. Monty Roberts is a cowboy, athlete, horse trainer, ethologist, animal psychologist, and most of all a humanitarian. An exceptional story of a man's quest to really learn to communicate with the Equine species which cohabits our world. The book is about Monty Roberts, his life and his quest. Monty an accomplished and humble man is at ease with the Queen of England and California cowboys. But most of all he is at ease with horses, and gives us reasons to also desire to follow in his foot-steps. Those looking for a "how-to-book" will get much, much more from this book. Talking with, not to, horses is a way of living--not a few simple techniques. Monty, is truly, a great master whose life speaks volumes about setting aside cruelty and brutally towards men and animals. Monty Roberts the man, his life and mission, communicates the greater wisdom towards which we who love horses and love riding can aspire.