This is a fascinating account of a fascinating life. Tiersky's own interactions with Mitterand over his decades-long career provide insight and color without exaggerating the author's importance or insider status. Tiersky examines all the key chapters of Mitterand's career: his Vichy past, his Resistance involvement, the Observatory Affair, Mitterand's triumph over the Far Left, his anti-Soviet geopolitical maneuverings, and his curious extramarital affairs. Mitterand's contradictions andh humanity make for great material, and Tiersky delivers a gripping read. This biography is nearly flawless with only minimal repetition near the end.

Five years after his death, François Mitterrand has few defenders in France. The corruption scandals and personal revelations overshadowing his final years still tarnish his 14-year presidency. Amhearst College professor Ronald Tiersky has stepped into this void with an excellent biography that takes a fuller view of the paradoxical man known as "the Sphinx." His book François Mitterrand: The Last French President presents a fascinating account of the opportunistic twists and inspired turns of his long political career. Much of this manoeuvering was Machiavellian, but he had several long-term goals that were positive for France. Mitterrand's success in sidelining the Communist Party, reconciling the Left with market economics and promoting European integration -- all clearly explained in Tiersky's highly readable account -- were major achievements.

François Mitterrand: The Last French President is required reading for anyone wanting to understand Mitterrand and contemporary France. It is very usefully split into three sections dealing with Mitterrand's pre-1981 career, his record as president and (the longest section, and rightfully so) his complex "Machiavellian republican" personality and its legacy. The personal insights the author brings thanks to his many interviews with Mitterrand over the years contribute to the authority and depth of this lively book. That unique access can also be a weakness. Understanding him so well, Tiersky tends to excuse Mitterrand's duplicity more than a democratic leader deserves. But this is a small point compared to the book's overwhelming strengths. Even French Foreign Minister Hubert Védrine admits, in his back-cover endorsement, that Tiersky's book has "some new insights, even for the French."

This is the best and most comprehensive biography of Mitterand written in english. Neither condenatory or adulatory, is a most for the study of modern political leadership.

This book helped me when I organized an intervention with the help of a counselor. I read several books at the time and this one was the best. I recommend the book and I wish you well.

Most books I read on drug and alcohol abuse are either too technical or oversimplified (like the reader doesn't have a working brain and has to have everything explained at the fifth grade level). This book is the exception. It's written for adults who are experiencing real life problems and real life situations. I found it the most helpful of the many books i read when I was having problems with my daughter. I followed a lot of what the book said and it was right on.

As the parent of a wonderful adult son who became addicted to a narcotic, I have read countless books and materials on this topic. This is the single most helpful source I have found. The advice is both hard-hitting and compassionate, and the way in which it is presented is very readable and accessible (I read it in two nights in two sittings). If someone you love is addicted to alcohol or a drug, this is the book for you. Don't give up. Read this and get started. Good luck to you and your loved person.

Don't let the inaccuracies in the on-line synopsis (scathingly detailed by Christenson below) prevent you from acquiring this book. The author has researched and accurately described life in the Klondike/Yukon, and selected great images to accompany his text. The portions dealing with Larss' life outside the Yukon are similarly well done.

Excellent reading. Highly recommended to all interested in the gold rush. Although some facts may be incorrect, the majority of the book is very well written.

The synopsis is incorrect about some things. Gold was DISCOVERED in the Klondike river area in 1896 -- not 1898. Although prospectors who had been in the Yukon for years learned about the strike very quickly (and staked the best claims pronto), it took nearly a year for word of the discovery to reach the "outside world" (e.g., the contiguous United States) in a way that captured the public's imagination -- especially when the SS PORTLAND landed in Seattle in July 1897 with the now-famous "Ton of Gold" from the Klondike area. The first stampeders arrived in Alaska in the fall of 1897, followed by thousands soon after. Most stampeders went over the mountains into British Columbia and then the Yukon Territory via Dyea (over Chilkoot Pass) or via Skagway (over White Pass) during the winter of 1897-1898. The synopsis is blatantly incorrect that thousands of stampeders "arrived in blinding snowstorms"; this is absolute nonsense. Arrived WHERE? The bulk of stampeders arrived in Dyea or Skagway. While it does snow there, it does not snow all the time. It rains a lot. To imply that all stampeders arrived ANY where along the Klondike gold rush route in "blinding snowstorms" is unnecessary hype -- and simply not true.

This book provides a well-rounded look into the life of P.E. Larss, especially about his life before and after the Klondike gold rush. Photographs have been well-selected to illustrate his craft and the events he was involved in.

Gary Christenson

This book is amazing ! Plenty of pictures about special effects, battle scenes, actors, makeup, soundtrack, landscape, a must have to all lovers of history, civil war or movies. I had never seen before such a work for a book about a movie ! You even could read the entire screenplay at the end !
Really, a wonderful job, Mr Maxwell !

The collaboration of Ronald F. Maxwell (who wrote, produced and directed the film version) and Jeff Shaara (who wrote the book upon which the film was based), Gods And Generals: The Illustrated Story Of The Epic Civil War Film showcases an epic movie. Presenting the full-length screenplay as well as extensive revelations and insights about the making of a classic film, full-color photographs, a selected Civil War filmography, and so much more, Gods And Generals is the perfect companion volume for anyone who truly cherished viewing this great and enduringly popular film.

For those of you who saw "Gods and Generals" and did not understand what was happening, then this book is for you. Filled with outstanding photographs from the set and scenes from the film, this companion book to the film not only takes a look at the making of the $ Million epic, but a look at the real-life characters and events that inspired the cinematic masterpiece that is "Gods and Generals." For history buffs and cine-buffs alike! Grade: A+

A Christian philosophy professor's refutation of scholarly claims linking the canonical Gospels with Greek philosophy. Believers will be convinced, non-believers will be interested and educated.

An honest, well written book by a fellow who seems like a nice guy. Eighty percent explanation of the scholarly dispute; twenty percent gentle Christian refutation. Good chapter's explaining the monotheism of the Platonists and Stoics, the Mystery religions and the Gnostics.

Does not cover the savior-myth and some other topics.

I consider this book to be a 'must have' because of how critical I think the subject matter is, and how well I think Nash analyzes the subject.

On the surface, many folks might think that the topic is very obscure or not all that important. And while it's true that the subject matter is somewhat complicated and can initially appear pretty irrelevant to present day Christianity, it is nonetheless a topic with enormous present day relevance and deserves to be explored. In a nutshell, this book attempts to analyze whether early Christianity was influenced by pagan philosophical systems or by ideas that existed in the pagan mystery religions. There are a number of reasons why such an examination is so important. First, as this book mentions, a link of influence of paganism on early Christianity has been a common tactic among various folks in academia who are looking to discredit the Christian faith in front of an impressionable audience, and while not mentioning it, the Jesus Seminar has also been diligent in advancing such arguments in an effort to dedeify Jesus. And the reason is clear. One can make major inroads in discrediting the authenticity of Christianity if they can demonstrate, for example, that the resurrection of Jesus as described in the Gospels was really a mythical story copied from allegedly similar recountings in the pagan mystery religions. If this could be demonstrated, any number of additional negative ideas could be argued with greater force, such as that Jesus wasn't really God because the resurrection recountings of the Gospels are not historical but mythical and parallel other myths of the time, or that Jesus is no more special or unique than other supposed gods or deities in other religions. It is clear that the ramifications of these kind of theories, if proven, would be devastating to Christianity. Thus, the importance of this book.

Nash carefully divides the book into 3 sections; analyzing the possibility that early Christianity was influenced by pagan philosophy such as Platonism or Stoicism, analyzing the possibility that early Christianity borrowed some of its stories from the pagan mystery religions such as Isis/Osiris or Mithra, and analyzing whether Christianity was influenced by Gnosticism. In each case, Nash does a good job of beginning his analysis by clearly defining the terms of the debate, and fairly representing the claims made by those who positively assert pagan influence on Christianity. These introductions give the reader a very good starting point for seeing how these arguments, when left unscrutinized, can on the surface appear to be compelling. By presenting the arguments fairly and completely, Nash does a good job of peaking the interest of the reader to read on in order to find out whether these arguments really hold water once we get below the surface. And particularly in the analyses of pagan philosophy and the mystery religions, Nash's analyses are very detailed and meticulous. Nash's analyses are very effective in meticulously discrediting these arguments and in most cases, showing very clearly the lazy scholarship that often fuels such arguments. By doing this, Nash not only puts these arguments in their place, he affirms the historical reliability, uniqueness, and truth of the Christian faith as described in the New Testament and clearly demonstrates that there is absolutely no evidence of a pagan influence on Christianity, and in fact, there is sufficient evidence to suggest a Christian influence on paganism.

In summary, after one reads this book, it is likely that they may scratch their heads in wonder when one thinks about why this book had to be written, given the lazy and even contrived scholarship that is the basis for so many of the arguments affirming a pagan influence on early Christianity. One might reasonably wonder how such ideas ever had any credibility to start with when Nash so completely destroys the arguments with very simple facts and analysis. I applaud Nash for being so thorough in the topics covered and in the analysis. There are over 30 pages of footnotes at the end of the book for the reader who is interested in conducting additional research and examining other pertinent resources. I completely concur with what Nash says in this book when commenting on the alleged influence of the mystery religions on early Christianity, "These..arguments against Christian syncretism help us understand why biblical scholars today seldom claim any early Christian dependence on the mysteries. They constitute an impressive collection of reasons why scholars in such other fields as history and philosophy should rethink their methods and conclusions and finally put such views to rest." This is an excellent book, and one that can greatly help any Christian easily and effectively counter the claims of pagan influence on the early faith. A 'must have' for any apologetics collection.

Ronald Nash has put to rest the old idea that the Gospels and Paul borrowed ideas from the Greek mystery religions. This book is well documented and easy to read and understand. Nash does a superb job of explaining facts and documented scholars in this long debate. I would recommend this book to anyone.

From Sheila Neylon in CIO Magazine, May 15, 1999:

Sponges, though they lack a sophisticated structure, thrive by absorbing sustenance from their environment. In The Growth Warriors, Ronald Mascitelli, former senior scientist and R&D director at Hughes Electronics Corp. and the Santa Barbara Research Center, asserts that companies unwilling or unable to absorb ideas from what goes on around them can never thrive. He compares the vertically structured, secretive and hierarchical failure that was the Route 128 enclave in Massachusetts, represented by Digital Equipment Corp. and its ilk, with the horizontal and collaborative success that is the Silicon Valley of Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sun Microsystems Inc. He goes on to highlight the benefits of geographical technology clusters in which venture capitalists rub elbows with programmers who meet hardware designers who eat with university faculty, producing a crosspollination of ideas.

Mascitelli uses the metaphor of pruning a rosebush to illustrate his idea that a "continuous process of creative destruction" is a way to avoid the typical business boom-and-bust cycle. Like a growing number of other people, he warns of the disaster that awaits those who force growth to appease shareholder appetites, and he explodes the myth of technoglobalization (most innovation is still done in the home country of multinational companies) but predicts that foreign countries will solicit and perform more R&D even as Americans learn about the competitive benefits of overseas R&D.

Many chapters offer boxes that encapsulate that chapter's theme. Thoughtful and well-documented, The Growth Warriors hits the mark.

The Growth Warriors is an invaluable resource for both early and mature stage technology companies. Mascitelli exhaustively documents the current competitive environment for technology companies and identifies many of the key issues necessary for sustained global competition. A must read for high-tech entrepreneurs and managers.

-Jonathan Dariyanani, Attorney - Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati

"The Growth Warriors paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by managers in dynamic technology industries. The chapters on regional technology clusters, strategic roadmapping, and adaptable market strategies provide practical tools to build a sustainable competitive advantage. This impressive book should be required reading for any serious practitioner of technology management."

Doug Carlberg, Vice President of Operations, Harris Corporation, Microwave Communications Division

This is a darling story of Piney, an orphaned porcupine found by the Rood family. Rood writes about their initial difficulty getting Piney to eat, his destructive chewing habits (destroying their neighbor's ivory umbrella), the games he liked to play, what it was like to live and travel with him, his gentle behavior with strangers, etc. You'll learn a great deal about porcupines in this book and about the misconceptions others have concerning them. It's a well-written book and a quick, enjoyable read.

Ronald Rood, a naturalist and childrens' book author, finds an orphaned porcupine while taking a forest walk with friends and family. This book is his documentation of how he raised the porcupine, as well as many trials and tribulations of raising an animal one can't easily punish (hence the title), while it stops to dispel many common myths and misinformations about porcupines, and also discusses many of the societal prejudices against animals in general. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes animals in general, especially porcupines. Don't let the title scare you off. :)

Porcupine spanking, though very challenging for the amature, is carefully shown in an invigorating and compleat manner in this guide that everyone needs to own

I have owned this book for several years and it has become the most used book in my Judaica collection. It's excellent organization, conise format, and helpful drawings make it easy to use.

The How To Handbook For Jewish Living is as easy to use and straight-forward as the title would suggest. I am in the process of becoming Jewish and this is by far the easiest book I've found to get what I want. How To is to the point, you can locate prayers, rituals, dances and many other broad topics easily without sifting through voluminous chapters of prose. On each topic there are also handy lists of sources, keywords and suggestions for further reading. I only recently purchased How To but I can tell that it will be a useful source for years to come.

This book answers all the questions. The Sabbath, all Holidays, and many details are explained in easy to follow form. It takes all the "fear" out of the unknown for the "Jew by choice." I am able to teach our son and my Jewish husband with confidence. I have recommended this book to the local synagogue, Jewish federation and Temple, as a hand-out to families. I wish I would have found it 18 years ago.

Karin Rosenthal manages to bring a given mood to each of her photographs, in addition to the excellent images she portrays. The majority of the photographs in this book bring the viewer into an almost physical contact with the subtle portrails of the human form. This is not a book of abject erotica, but more a celebration of the different parts of the human form.

The human body continues to amaze with its ability to excite our senses, and yet artists continue to find new ways to present it to us. This is what makes this such a special book, is that Karin Rosenthal delivers a brilliant tour of what can be accomplished with something as beautiful as the body and Earth elements, most notably water. This is a skilled, creative photographer with ample darkroom skills to boot!

There is a subtle quality to Karin Rosenthal's photographs that is very hard to describe in words, which will fall short in adverbs to describe her beautifully elegant images.

She focuses her work on the human body without allowing the body itself to dominate the work. It is where she composes moist landscapes, where human flesh is the lands and dark, black water the erotic mirror for this living island of flesh, that her work strikes a primeval chord. This is high quality, rarified fine art photography at its best. Don't expect to find fuzzy, oily lenses with soft-focus images here. What you will find is very good photography with well-honed dark room and compositional skills. She truly flexes her artistic muscles in this book!