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Book reviews for "Macchiarola,_Frank_Joseph" sorted by average review score:

Quality Planning and Analysis: From Product Development Through Use (McGraw-Hill Series in Industrial Engineering and Management Science)
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill Higher Education (01 January, 1993)
Authors: Frank M. Gryna and Joseph M. Juran
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Good all around Quality Engineering handbook.
This book presents most aspects of Quality Engineering in an easy to understand format. Includes many Quality Engineering examples. Highly informative, a must for the CQE exam.

Practical Methods for Administering Quality Systems
20 years before anyone in the US heard of ISO 9000, Juran proposed the same ideas. He described comprehensive, documented quality management systems that were backed up by performance metrics and quality audits. Juran also pioneered quality circles and teams long before these ideas became cliche.

I find Juran immensely useful in my quality practice. This book remains one the standard works that I keep going back to. Juran's concepts are much more "applied" than "theoretical". Deming's works seem so distant, and esoteric. Juran has been there, done that. And, his methods work!


Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George?
Published in Hardcover by Prentice Hall (1974)
Author: Joseph Frank, Jares
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Out-of-date, but fascinating insider view of pro wrestling
This insider view to pro wrestling is a well-written, and very interesting view of this poorly-understood "sport". There are very few non-fiction wrestling books - most are published by the industry - but this one discussed the real life behind the scenes. There is not much information on Gorgeous George himself, it is more a discussion of that era of wrestling. A "must read" for real wrestling fans, especially thse who remember the pre-WWF days of wrestling.

Important wrestling book
One of the few good books on pro-wrestling. A must in any library on the subject. Fun to read.


The Futures Game: Who Wins, Who Loses, & Why
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill Trade (30 November, 1998)
Authors: Ben Warwick, Frank Joseph Jones, and Richard Jack Teweles
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A textbook for beginners
This book is an essential a textbook for college students. It provides all the basic materials about the futures market. But I feel it doesn't cover too much about the problems of real world trading. After trading for sometimes, I know that there are many tricks using by the professional traders. They are really important. They can give you edges over other traders. But they are seldom covered in college textbooks. So you still need to read other books or learn from other people before you put the money into this risky game.

Belongs On Every Serious Market Participant's Bookshelf
This is clearly one of the best investment books written. The title belies the breadth of valuable market knowledge the book offers students of the markets.

No kidding
If you are going to trades futures, read this book, make a few trades, then read this book again. It is a cold, hard look at the reality of trading. While just about every other book on futures trading assumes you are a gullible idiot, this one exposes the difficulty of the pursuit. Its depth and breadth are incomparable.


The Visitation
Published in Audio Cassette by Word Publishing (04 June, 1999)
Authors: Joseph Campanella and Frank E. Peretti
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A great in-house story for church-goers--lots of "ah hahs!"
Frank Peretti has become famous for his spiritual warfare novels. However, unlike THIS PRESENT DARKNESS, and PIERCING THE DARKNESS, in which evil was found in worldy people, organizations and philosophies, this time he finds evil within the church. The author uses the anti-hero--a demon-possessed false christ--to highlight the far more dangerous devils--ignorance, self-righteousness, hypocrisy, pride and cruelty--that call themselves members, and even leaders, of the family of God.

The writing is well-paced and enjoyable. Occasionally there seem to be too many subplots brewing, but the confusion does not last too long. Peretti causes us to smirk at times, but then catches us unaware--tossing out a bombshell insight that forces us to look more closely into the mirror.

Though the book is directed towards Christians, anyone who is active in a faith community will find incredible insights in this book. Those who are more passive about spirituality may mistakenly see The Visitation as a critique of organized religion. On the contrary, Peretti simply affirms that family life--whether with blood relatives, or with spiritual 'brothers and sisters'--is sometimes difficult and painful.

Bottom-line: This is an incredible read for those who enjoy a good story with spiritual depth, and who are not afraid to confront themselves.

Complex, layered Christian fiction
THE VISITATION was the first book by Christian author Frank E. Peretti that I have ever read. Previously, I avoided Peretti's work because I just wasn't sure that Christian fiction could be worth my time. I was sorely wrong, and I'm glad to admit it. THE VISITATION was a very well-written novel, by Christian OR by secular standards.

THE VISITATION is about an ex-pastor and his grapple with issues of faith and God's faithfulness, his search for the truth surrounding some strange events that occur in his town, and his discovery of a Jesus-like man who suddenly arrives on the scene.

THE VISITATION is a suspenseful thriller written in a well-timed manner. The characters are varied and interesting, and the story is multi-layered and complex. Frank Peretti's writing is honest -- he writes about humanity in all its imperfection and sinfulness; he doesn't skirt around delicate issues, and he never takes the easy or cliche Christian way out.

I would highly recommend this book, and any other Frank Peretti book. I am consistently impressed with his honesty and his skillfully written spiritual thrillers, and THE VISITATION is no exception.

Depth AND Suspense
Peretti does not disappoint. In this latest novel he thrills and chills with characteristic suspense. There's nothing good I can say about this book that hasn't already been said - I'm the 100th reviewer. It was fabulous and I couldn't put it down. What makes this book so different from the others is the way Peretti incorporates theological issues which plague most every Christian. He weaves these issues into the core plot, making the book multi-layered in its depth. Best of all, he does not venture to answer the questions. He simply has the courage to address them, to make the church take an honest look at itself.

My only complaints are: his characters' names were too similar to easily differentiate from each other. I lost track of the times I had to return to the initial meeting of the pastors to see who was who, almost up until the end. I suggest (for anyone who hasn't read it yet) making a list of characters as they are introduced. Also, I felt that Brandon's miracles sometimes bordered on hokey, in their excessiveness. Finally, I sometimes questioned the reality with which Peretti approached the behavior of the townspeople. While Brandon was deceitful enough in the beginning, he soon showed his true, very UNChristlike colors, and no one flinched. They followed him as enthusiastically as ever. Overall, though, very good read.


Edgar Cayce's Atlantis and Lemuria: The Lost Civilizations in the Light of Modern Discoveries
Published in Paperback by A.R.E. Press (01 November, 2001)
Author: Frank Joseph
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An original perspective on Edgar Cayce?
Frank Joseph's book is a fascinating well researched 'take' on Edgar Cayce's vision of Atlantis and Lemuria but it is also a personal and therefore ideosyncratic one.l have read a smattering of books about Edgar Cayce, though far from all there is dealing with him. l've seen him mentioned in many other books and articles.My particular obscession is Atlantis, mainly from the Platonic perspective, yet Lemuria and ancient cycles of catastrophe are all interelated to the subject.ln my research l've read several of Mr. Joseph's books and articles as well as the magazine he edits [ANCIENT AMERICAN]. So l'm familiar with both the author and his subject and Atlantis in general.From his past work l know that Joseph respects Cayces vision and personal integrity and that he is sympathetic to subjects of a mystical nature.But he is not a devotee of psychics and occultists where Atlantis is concerned, squarely choosing archaeology and geology over 'NEW AGE' mysticism. This approach may well not be acceptible to those already committed to Cayce because Joseph's chronology and scale differ markedly from those of the 'sleeping prophet'.Whereas Cayce put the final destruction of Atlantis slightly but indefinitely after 10,000 B.C., similar to Plato, Joseph sets it ca. 1200 B.C., 8800 years later.While Joseph sees the origins of Atlantis between 5000 and 3000 B.C. [ the Neolithc] Cayce places it beyond 50,000 years ago, maybe as long as 10,500,000 years ago! Cayce's vision involves the descent of spirit into matter, an 'event' largely beyond the methodology of science to prove or disprove.And yet if Atlantis existed it aught to be susceptible to physical investigation by geology,archaeology and other disciplines.Joseph believes it is. But the results of that quest do not often mesh with what Cayce said about the lost civilizations, as Joseph reads the evidence. This is bound to enfuriate those who take Cayce literaly.Right or wrong many of the late psychic's supporters treat his words like biblical creationists do with a face value interpretatation of the Bible.Science can be drawn on for support but only when it is in agreement or can be made to sound like it.Admittedly the subject of Atlantis is so taboo amongst conventional scholars that no historical interpretation of the story Plato told is acceptible Joseph's included. For them it is pure allegory.'Cayceites' would like to overturn much of orthodox science in favor of his worldview, at least a few being actively anti-intellectual.Thankfully, Cayce himself, while believing what he said never asked for this 'cultish' attitude. Niether have his direct eirs. They seem to have honestly tried to interpret and verify what he said without demanding a single 'party line'. Understandably they prefer to see him vindicated by science but have never pretended that this has been achieved or may ever be, entirely. l presume that it was with this open attitude that the A.R.E. commissioned Mr. Joseph to write this book as he has made no secret of his theories. They must've realized many of his ideas clashed with those of Cayces' vision of the lost continents yet were sympathetic to the latter.No conventional Academic or 'science journalist' would've touched the subject.They might have been intrigued by Josephs 20 years of research on the subject, often including on site investigations [ at Bimini for example].Perhaps they hoped for a fresh angle rather than a slavish paen to Cayces' infalliblity.What do l think myself? After 33 years of research into Atlantis l believe it existed and l agree with the author that it met it's final end 3200-3100 years ago. l'm less sure of where that last bastion of Atlantean civilization was.l also think, however, that one or more presently unknown acmes of civilization existed before the ' dawn of history', 5000-6000 years ago.Yet how old they ultimately were l've still to decide. As the Caribbean is one strong candidate for the location of such a 'culture-x' maybe Cayce was in part right, though l don't see it as Plato's Atlantis any more than Joseph seems to.I admit my own bias agaisnst accepting everything Cayce said literally. Some evidence appears to support him yet much does not.Far too many blindly believe because the Akashic records reported by Cayce 'could not be wrong'.But any close look at psychic depictions of Atlantis reveals as many devergences as agreements. Allegorical interpretations are only marginally less varied and historcal ones that eschew occult methods may be worse. But they have one great advantage. they admit to being theories, subject to change as new evidence becomes available. They do not claim to be the equivalent of divine revelation. Most psychic sources do. As noted before Cayce himself made no claims to be infallible. So why do so many of his followers ? lf you are interested in Cayce or lost continents but not already committed in your oppinions, buy this book. Those already cmplete beleivers in Cayces' vision doubtless will not appreciate what the author tried to accomplish unless they can agree to dissagree.Even for them it may be worthwhile to give Joseph a fair hearing before deciding for or against his ideas.

Fills In The Missing Pieces Of The History Books
I feel this is a great book, especially for followers of Edgar Cayce. I don't understand why some other reviewers said that this book somehow corrects what Edgar Cayce said. To me it is in complete agreement with what Cayce said, even to the point of devoting an entire chapter to people who were identified in the Cayce readings as having lived in Atlantis. They had names like 'Aa-rr-ll-uu' and 'Sululon'.

Scientific evidence does not exist to prove things like the Atlanteans' crystal technology, their ability to travel through time and space, etc.. Since the author is a researcher he doesn't claim that scientific evidence exists where none does exist. But I don't see where he tries to disprove these fantastic but possibly true theories either.

This book discusses the Atlantis that Plato spoke of but by then Atlantis was much like the other races that existed around 1200 BC. This was a much different Atlantis than the one Cayce spoke of with its crystal technology, death rays, genetically engineered 'things', etc.. The islands of Atlantis sank over a period of thousands of years, not all at once if I understand the legends correctly.

I believe that proof of Atlantean technology does exist. It's been sitting on the Giza plateau for thousands of years. It's called 'the great pyramid'. In his book The Giza Power Plant Christopher Dunn proves that the great pyramid was a form of nuclear reactor. Dunn's book proves that the great pyramid was built by people who had god like powers and knowledge of time and space. It was Edgar Cayce in another incarnation as the high priest Ra Ta who built the great pyramid. The sacred geometry for building the great pyramid was given to Ra Ta by another god like being named Horus.

This idea is consistent with 'Edgar Cayce's Atlantis And Lemuria'. This book indicates that these god like beings from Atlantis and Lemuria became the mythical gods of later races such as the Incas and Myans. Those later races talk of 'gods' who came from the sea and taught them about new technologies, astronomy, etc.. Eventually most of this knowledge was lost as these civilizations de-volved to the point of like the Incas began the practice of human sacrifice.

There's a big part of the Atlantis story that's still enshrouded in mystery. All we have is a few statements from Cayce's psychic readings and a few archeological sites under water. You get glimpses of these mysterious topics when in the Cayce readings it refers to things like 'visitations of those from the outer spheres'. This would seem to imply that Atlantis was being visited by beings from other planets, other dimensions, etc..

This book offers a comparison between what happened to Atlantis and our modern world. Atlantis was destroyed by the greed of individuals. For them this was catastrophic because their greed could be transformed into energy by the terrible crystals.

The final paragraph of this book is:

"Everyone senses a crossroads just ahead. When we reach it, which example will we follow - Lemuria or Atlantis."

I would answer with a quote from a book called 'UFO Contact From Planet Iarga' which was supposedly communicated to someone by people from another planet called Iarga. The Iargans stated:

"The human race lives for the present since it really has no future."

The Iargans may mean that our human race doesn't have a long term future. Even if we last for another thousand years that's a relatively short time in relation to the universe.

I think most people would agree that many industries have a relatively short term view of using the earth's resources. Maybe somehow everyone knows that what the Iargans said is true.

The Iargans also said that sometimes when people see flying saucers those are our ancestors from Atlantis travelling through time to see us.

New info proves reality of Atlantis, Lemuria
Although Joseph's book is unique and controversial, it offers the most persuasive, up-to-date evidence for the former existence of both sunken civilizations. In so doing, he helps to verify Edgar Cayce's vision of these two lost cultures, while showing that the "Sleeping Prophet", for all his exceptional psychic gifts, was a mortal human being prone to error like the rest of us.
Joseph convincingly demonstrates that Cayce's perceptions of Atlantis and Lemuria were filled with abundant, credible images, although chronolgically inaccurate. They were like lucid dreams, in which the visual elements are clear, but the dreamer's sense of time is confused. None of this detracts in the least from Cayce's "life-readings". On the contrary, Joseph supplies abundant, newly discovered evidence confirming their astounding accuracy in almost everything, save a realistic time-scale. Joseph's book is the only one I've read that describes in detail the Lemurian-like ruins found underwater near Japan, including their photographs. His discussions of crystal-use in Atlantis and the Crystal Skull as an Atlantean artifact are the most thorough I've encountered.
As he points out, modern research shows that a continent did not sink below the Atlantic Ocean 12,000 years ago, as the old theorists insisted. That conclusion has been thoroughly out-dated and debunked by contemporary science. But a large ISLAND did indeed exist were Plato and Cayce said it did until the Bronze Age was brought to an abrupt end by a worldwide cataclysm. It is in that time-period, Joseph writes, that we must seek for Atlantis and Lemuria. The former civilization was characterized unmistakeably by Plato as a Bronze Age culture, dating back 3,200 years ago. Atlantis has thus been established in a proper and far more credidible historical context. Otherwise, to conceive of Atlantis as an Ice Age civilization is ludicrous.
Readers preferring to cling to obsolete notions of the past should not read Joseph's book. But anyone interested in learning the truth about Atlantis and Lemuria, and the stunning discoveries presently being made to establish their former existence, will find his presentation particularly exciting and revealing.


MAXnotes for Heart of Darkness (MAXnotes)
Published in Paperback by Research & Education Assn (1996)
Authors: Resed Staff, Joseph Conrad, and Frank Fiorenza
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Good, but...
I'm not sure how to feel about this book. While reading it, I really could not become absorbed by Conrad's dense prose, though, while occasionaly eloquent, is very thick, and, well, British. But now that I am finished with it, I can not get the images the novella invokes out of my head. The conquest of Africa by the Imperialist on the surface, and the corruption of man's very morality underneath. The story is deceptively simple, merely a man working for an Ivory trading company, ominously called "The Company", going up the Congo river to meet up with Kurtz, the archetype of Western Imperialism. During this trip, we are shown the inner workings of man and his heart of darkness. The novella is not perfect though. Conrad's condemnation of Imperialism is uneven. Yes, the only discernable cause of Kurtz's descent into evil and madness is the imperialist ethic of master-slave, and it is fairly clear that Marlowe (conrad) is condemning that ethic, but at the same time, he doesn't work very hard to elevate the view of the African natives any higher in the esteem of his western readers. Anyway, as the novella is only about 100 pages, it is something that can be read in a day. Invest an afternoon in it, and decide for yourself.

Heart Of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is a novella that really needs to be read more than just once to fully appreciate Conrad's style of writing. The story is an account of one man's simultaneous journey into the darkness of a river as well as into the shadows of a madman's mind. There is a very brilliant flow of foreshadowing that Conrad brings to his writing that provides the reader with accounts of the time period and the horrible events to come. Through Conrad's illuminating writing style we slowly see how the narrator begins to understand the madness or darkness that surrounds him.

I recommend this particular version of the novella because it contains a variety of essays, which discusses some of the main issues in the reading and historical information. Issues like racism and colonialism are discussed throughout many essays. It also contains essays on the movie inspired by the book Apocalypse Now, which is set against the background of the Vietnam War. I recommend reading Heart of Darkness and then viewing Apocalypse Now, especially in DVD format which contains an interesting directors commentary.

A conduit to man-made hell
You can sit in your office on your lunch break and read Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness while, perhaps, eating a chicken salad sandwich. And while sitting there with an air-conditioned breeze blowing from a vent, you can imagine you are vicariously experiencing a trip up the Congo River in nineteenth century Africa. You can suppose your imagination is powerful enough to project you mentally into the circumstances Conrad relates. It is true Conrad's power of description is such that the reader can almost feel the thick, hot gush of blood fill Marlow's shoes as his assistant dies at his feet -- on his feet. Reading this story in the dead of winter will bring sweat to your brow. The torrid heat of the African night drips from every sentence. But more than anything, this story fills one with a sense of mortality -- it beats bluntly like an indefatigable drummer between every line. Lives like waves crashing against the merciless rocks of time. No man able to escape the malignant truth of his inevitable demise. Not even Kurtz, who wielded the reaper with such dexterity that it seems impossible he would ever have it turned in his own direction.

Heart of Darkness -- heart of virulence. Conrad takes us to a land of death -- a hundred-page trip through a tropical tumor. "The horror -- the horror." Yes! The horror fills every page, every twitch of every character. All is corrupt and dirty, like slime on the edge of a desecrated grave. It is the genius of Conrad that he can so deftly deliver his reader from the most opulent ivory tower of modern comfort, to where the darkest places in nature meets the darkest places in the human soul.


The Destruction of Atlantis: Compelling Evidence of the Sudden Fall of the Legendary Civilization
Published in Hardcover by Inner Traditions Intl Ltd (30 May, 2002)
Authors: Frank Joseph and Zecharia Sitchin
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A very well-researched book on Atlantis
This is a very good book on Atlantis. The primary new theories in this book say that the destruction occurred around 1200 b.c., rather than around 10,000 b.c., as in the lore, also that Atlantis was an island, rather than a continent (no two writers will ever agree on anything to do with Atlantis). I am unconvinced on those two counts, but much of the research the author has brought forward is really interesting. The book starts out fine and I couldn't put it down for the first hundred pages. There's a section where Atlantis and the Great Flood is examined through various ancient myths in the world where the book slows down a little, the material is helpful, but can't help but to be repetitive. And then, in the end, in the summary, it goes back to being more involving again. There's even a section in the Bible, in Revelations, that might be a reference to the destruction of Atlantis, under a different name. Also of note, that the fair-haired Guanche civilization once on the Canary Islands claimed to be descendents of Atlantis. It even touches on the recent underwater ruins discovered off the coast of Cuba. This book takes the topic of Atlantis seriously, without bias, and is a good reference book for people that want to look for the facts so far on the subject, not be flooded with a writer's own natural prejudices. Read it, between this book and certain others, somewhere probably lies a more complete story...

Great book for facts on Atlantis
The book deals with all sorts of evidence that Atlantis did exsist but not way most people think. Atlantis most likely did not sink but was hit by a comet, which caused a catastrophic explosion, then hit by another comet close to it's waters causing a massive deluge. The amazing part is that this flood is is talked about in the Old Testament, Sumerian, Egyption, Greek, Mayan, Native American, Indian, and many other ancient cultures all over the world without having any contact with one another and having the same story about a great flood that affected the whole planet. All the evidence points to around 1200bc,a comet hit the earth causing the destruction of Atlantis. Even Plato's description point to 1200bc. When Plato talked about the time of Atlantis being 9,000 years before his time, according to the author Plato meant 900 years before his time, which makes that around 1200bc. The book brings to light the many cultures all over the world talk about a cataclysmic event that affected the whole earth, all of it sounding like the description of a comet striking the earth. This book will amaze you with all the facts the author brings to light. Great book!!!

Brings to light what REALLY happened 3,200 years ago...
"The Destruction of Atlantis," written by Frank Joseph, is by far the best book I have read concerning the fall of the lost city of Atlantis. The book brings uses evidence from several civilizations worldwide to futher its claims and is terribly compelling. Jospeh starts slow, first recounting the story of Atlantis as he sees it and then elaborating his details with scientific fact. This book is definantly one that is hard to put down; it coherantly brings together everything scientists know about the city and everything they are afraid to pursue in a manner that is understandable to anyone.

The book is centered around the idea that Atlantis sank to the bottom of the Atlantic during the early days of November 1198 B.C.E. after a meteor struck the ocean setting off a huge cataclysmic event. Joseph explains how the world was reaching the height of civilization when a horrific deluge ensued, knocking back humanity and destroying the Bronze Age.

This book is wonderfully written and I encourage any Atlantean fanatic OR skeptic to check it out; it is definantly worth it.


My Ears Are Bent
Published in Hardcover by Pantheon Books (05 June, 2001)
Authors: Joseph Mitchell, Sheila McGrath, and Dan Frank
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Rather boring
Stories are well crafted, but the subject matter didn't interest me. Not bad, but I wouldn't buy it again.

Any Joesph Mitchell fan will find something here to like
A Joseph Mitchell anything is worth my time, but after having read UP IN THE OLD HOTEL, other writings will suffer by comparison. The works in this particular volume are a compilation of Mitchell's newspaper stories from the 1930s. While Mitchell's prose is sharp and illuminating, the subject matter comes off as slight compared to Mitchell's other labors. Mitchell had such a reputation for wanting his magazine stories to be perfect that these newspaper stories have the sense of being rushed to the presses.

Having said that, there are some great moments in the book. The book has a nice profile section of 1930s cartoonists, which is just the kind of subject matter that Mitchell handles well in that it gets past the part that everyone sees to the part Mitchell wants to know about. The section on Voodoo is hysterical and very much like his later New Yorker work. The book ends with a funny profile of playwright George Bernard Shaw.

If you have never read Mitchell, start with UP IN THE OLD HOTEL, but if you are already a fan, there are enough gems in this collection to make it worth your while.

Vintage Mitchell collection worthy of his legend
The good news is that all of the Mitchell virtues displayed in "Up In the Old Hotel" are emphatically present in this welcome collection of his earlier work for divers New York newspapers of the Depression era. Whether interviewing boxing promoters, or anyone in else George Bernard Shaw or the purveyors of Harlem "voodoo" products, Mitchell never lost his sense of courtly curiousity or his unerring ability to choose just the right word to express the outre character and often heartbreaking earnestness of his human subjects. Here's a worthy companion to sit on the shelf between A. J. Liebling's "Back Where I Come From" and "Up In The Old Hotel." It it also, by the way, a far better buy than the newly-republished "McSorley's Wonderful Saloon," the lion's share of which was reprinted in "Up In The Old Hotel."


Redhunter:A Novel Life and Times of Senetor Joe Mccarthy
Published in Hardcover by Little Brown & Company (1999)
Author: William Jr. Buckley
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Buckley and the Politics of Fiction
It is a well known fact for those that know me that I am a tireless devotee of William F. Buckley. That's why it has come as a total shock to most that I am of a mixed opinion about THE REDHUNTER: A NOVEL BASED ON THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SENATOR JOE MCCARTHY. Buckley, it seems, has fallen into the same sort of traps that those who have attempted to write "real political fiction" have fallen into before him. The difficulty is, naturally, how does one write an exciting narrative and remain true to the historical fact? Too often Buckley seems to forget that he's writing a novel and proceeds to regail the poor reader with awfully constructed dialogue and atmosphere that attempts to give the story rather than tell the story (if you catch my meaning). Readers of the book will find themselves frequently saying, "nobody talks like this!" or "nobody thinks like that!" simply because Buckley has attempted to fit as much information about the late senator as is possible while neglecting to compensate with adequate character realism. There are however, many redeeming qualities that should be noted. First, just as Buckley promised during his interview with Charlie Rose on PBS, there is much in here that has been previously unreported about McCarthy. Supporters and detractors will find ample heretofor unknown tales. Second, is Buckley's uncanny attention to historical detail. And third, is the moving and sometimes shocking way Buckley writes about McCarthy the man and those around him (for those interested in the life of the late Roy Cohn this book is a must read). Do I recommend it? Insofar as I recommend Buckley in general, though with some caution. For those looking for a history about McCarthy I prefer Buckley's excellent MCCARTHY AND HIS ENEMIES (which he wrote with L. Brent Bozell) and for those looking for an example of Buckley's usually fine fiction I recommend any of his Blackford Oakes novels (of which SAVING THE QUEEN is probably the best). Happy reading!

The Truth Hunter
The novelist can sometimes unfold truth before a reader's eyes in ways that a historian cannot. This is well known: Dickens' "Bleak House" was perhaps as much a critique of classical economics (a la Mill) as a novel, for example. Buckley's latest work is in that tradition. Rehabilitating Senator Joe McCarthy is a long-overdue labor. This novel painted a compelling picture of a three-dimensional hero, warts included, who lived a quintessinal American success story, until his fall. There is no doubt in my mind that certain elements in our society will view with disfavor a novel that seeks to humanize one of the all-time bogeymen of the Left. The objective reader will have to give careful thought to the thesis of this book, however. That thesis is that there was organized Communist penetration of our government, that their intentions were treasonous, and that McCarthy did right and good in exposing them. He went to excess, but his sins pale next to those of the Establishment types who ignored the threat, and who probably viewed it with sympathy. (Class haterd seeps from many of the characters in the book, both historical and fictional, for the upstart chicken farmer from Wisconsin who shook up their little world.) Political considerations aside, I read it in one day, staying up until the wee hours to finish it. This is a classic yarn, and a compelling page-turner. -Lloyd A. Conway

The Truthhunter
Fiction can sometimes be more revealing than a bare recital of fact. (One need only think of Dickens' novels and how he described 19th century England to see how this can be so.) Buckley's book accomplishes this with his portrait of Senator Joe McCarthy. The novel's subplot, involving the fictional Harry Boncteau (sp?), is compelling, and is woven nicely into the overall story. The McCarthy Buckley describes is ambitious, blind to some aspects of human nature, and prone to excess, but basically good, and, as we now know, right in his basic thesis: Communists had systematically penetrated American institutions, with subvursive intent. Art imitates life in Buckley's portrayal of the seething class hatred for McCarthy on the part of the Left/Establishment. It was/is part and parcel of their animus toward anyone who dared to expose the truth: Nixon, Chambers, and sepecially McCarthy. This novel, which I read in one sitting, finishing in the wee hours, is both compelling literature and thought-provoking in terms of it's ideas. Hopefully, with Soviet archives open and their records validating much of what he said, this book will become the basis for a reexamination of a controversial American life. -Lloyd A. Conway


Principles of Radiographic Imaging: An Art and a Science
Published in Hardcover by Delmar Publishers (15 January, 1996)
Authors: Richard R. Carlton, Arlene McKenna Adler, Joseph Bittengle, Donna Davis, Eugene Frank, Mary Ann Hovis, and Arlene McKenna
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carlton and adler radiographic imaging
This book does have good content but for those of you who are in your first semesters of Radiology technology it clearly does not simplify the information. It does not produce good examples or diagrams to make learning easy. It is also very cut and dry and makes it very difficult to read. It has no glossary and is poor in producing definitions. I highly recommend Bushong not only is the book fun to read but makes some of the more complex principles easier to understand. The workbook is really great also to help you prepare for your test and the end of the chapter quesions are nice because it helps to check see if you got the understanding of the chapter.

Great first book
I find this one a "better" overall textbook than Christensen and Bushong. More inspiring, cosier and fairly well written. Downside : I personally found myself wanting some radiation physics tables that I had to find elsewhere ("Medical Imaging Physics"), and think the authors left out many interesting aspects physics wise, but your average student might find this works out just fine. Almost perfect starter.

Excellent text for students
Overall, this is an excellent text for radiography students and also physician residents in radiology. The text is comprehensive and easy to understand. We particularly like the abundance of drawings and tables. The special imaging chapters are very detailed and provide excellent information for students and others who use this text for reference purposes. The chapter on mammography is particularly good as it is the only chapter of its kind in any textbook. This chapter is excellent for those programs that teach comprehensive mammography. The mammography art and images are superb. Seasoned radiography educators are authors of this text and that makes this a unique book and one that is accurate technically.


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