The best all-around medical emergency book has got to be this one. It dispels any medical myths you might have, and it will help you identify what is really wrong with you, instead of worrying about what it might be.

Just about every common medical emergency is in there, from the correct way to treat a nosebleed, to how to figure out if your child has appendicitis, to knowing when back pain is serious. I wouldn't go on a family vacation without it, and it personifies my motto: "Always Be Prepared."

This book should be on everyone's shelf. At Home, at work, in a restaurant- even in every taxi in America. Bravo Dr. Fischer- and thank you for putting out this outstanding little book.

What an excellent addition to a library dedicated to Mary of Scotland. This book covered her life in a beautiful way, what with portraits (done during her life and modern), pictures of the places she lived, and members of her court. Although every detail of Mary's life just couldn't be incorporated into this book, there was enough to help a person see the time that she lived in and, perhaps, what motivated her to do some of the things she did. For a thorough understanding of her days, please enjoy the grand bio of her by Antonia Fraser. For a quick synopsis of her life, this coffee-table style edition is just wonderful.

The "Sweet Dropper," as the heavenly Doctor Sibbes has been called, will live up to his name in this finely written and meticulously researched book. Mark Dever himself may well deserve such a moniker, being one of the few scholars (this is his PhD. dissertation from Cambridge) who can speak as eloquently as he writes. Anyone who has had to crawl through the desert of arid scholastic tomes, or swim the oceans of pedantic language, will find Dever's work a delightful exception.

The book is divided into two parts.

Part one is biographical material. While the writing itself is lively enough, sadly, the subject matter is not. Alas Sibbes was no Bunyan. But Dever does the historical reader a favor by revealing a couple of overlooked facts, correcting repeated mistakes of former historians. Sibbes was neither the disenfranchised preacher of lore, who lived out the remainder of his life in obscurity, nor was he a rebel-rousing nonconformist, but rather a moderate Puritan, more the reformer rather than a revolutionary.

Part two explores the theology of Sibbes, appropriately distinguishing him as one of the last of the great English reformers. The author highlights several salient features of Sibbes as a Reformed theologian. Of special interest, Dever adroitly dispels the misconception that Sibbes was an irrational or even an a-rational mystic. The "Sweet Dropper" was nothing of the kind but rather an affectionate theologian, scrupulously concerned with the centrality of the heart and the proper role of the conscience, specifically an educated one.

This reader came away with three specific encouragements:
1.Sibbes believed that godly preaching was the salvation of the Church of England. So should it is for any church in any generation.
2.Sibbes was a reforming conformist. He was a hesitator and a questioner but not a dissenter. Rather than separate from the established church, he elected to remain, attempting to bring reform from within. For those pastors and church leaders who labor in non-Reformed churches or denominations, his example will be of encouragement. Although history may show that his endeavor was actually an idle venture, such warm-hearted commitment will loom as a grand and noble gesture in the light of today's rabid transience and hyper-individualism.
3.Many voices today are clamoring for a new Reformation. As great as the need may be, much is cool, calculating, and highly polemical. Sibbes was a doctor of the heart. His tender, warm-heartedness needs to be rediscovered. Sibbes was the England of his day, what Jonathan Edwards was to America, both sharing a mutual concern for true religious affections.

A fresh look at the life of Richard Sibbes may well rekindle a warm-hearted passion for the gospel, based upon the great doctrines of the Protestant Reformation. This truth on fire was the hallmark of English Puritanism. Mark Dever has done a great service in reminding his readers of this fact.

Stuart M. Kaminsky is the prolific author of three distinctive mystery series (Chandler-esque vintage Hollywood private eye Toby Peters: _Murder on the Yellow Brick Road_, Chicago cop Abe Lieberman, and here, the McBain-esque Moscovite Office of Special Operations.)

In the Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov series, Kaminsky has deftly transplanted the Ed McBain police procedural to Russia: individual detectives, each having his/her own serial back stories, investigating different cases. And through the time span of the series, the reader also watches as the Soviet Union disintegrates.This time, there is the mysterious disappearance of a Syrian Oil Minister's daughter and the murders of a Russian Orthodox Priest and Nun.

'With faith in his mission, Father Merhum [the eponymous dead Russian Orthodox Priest] had stood up to commissars, the leaders of his own church, the KGB, and state leaders from Stalin to Gorbachev. And now, days after the end of the seventy-year failure of Soviet socialism, he stood ready to take up the demands for reform with Yeltsin himself." ... "He would supply the names. He would read them in Red Square atop the empty tomb that had held the profane icon of Lenin." Hunh? Lenin isn't in Lenin's Tomb anymore?!? Where is he? I guess the old "stumper" of "Who is buried in Lenin's Tomb?" isn't so obvious anymore, nyet?

Here's a savvy and snappy comment on the State of Russian Dys-union at the time: "Tatyana smiled. `You are a year too late, pretty policeman,' she said. `You can't do such things anymore. People will run and tell on you and you will have to say five Hail Yeltsins in penance."

This is one of the series in the intermediate years between communism and post-communism. The emotional conflicts of the characters and how they are expressed are very real. Excellent!

Tony Hillerman says, "Never miss a Kaminsky book, and be especially sure not to miss 'Death of a Russian Priest.'" With a recommendation like that, who needs to wait!

Stuart Kaminsky, himself an Edgar Award winner, proves once again that his Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov series in not one to miss. Set in Russia amid the rumblings and eventual fall of the Iron Curtain, the series captures convincingly the Russian atmosphere, politically, socially, criminally, and with such conviction, especially for an American writer who has not devoted his life to Russian studies.

In "Death of a Russian Priest," Inspector Rostnikov, accompanied by one of the few individuals he can fully trust, journeys to Arkush to investigate the murder of a local priest, an outspoken cleric and one whose death has shocked the local community.

Of course, as with all the Rostnikov books, nothing is as it seems and it takes the cunning, the skill, and the intellect of his team to bring all this together. He and Karpo, known as "the Vampire," are busy solving this murder while meanwhile back in Moscow, Sasha Tkach, Rostinok's handsome and randy and very married assistant, is involved in another investigation. Tkach has a new partner, Elena Timofeyeva (which opens up other complications!), and they are trying to find a missing girl and a cold-blooded killer. Kaminsky manages to tie these assignments together and quite satsifactorily by the book's conclusion. He, once again, has managed to provide humanity in an area where little is often found! Kaminsky's Russian tales are absorbing, and it is nail-biting waiting for the next episode.

Billyjhobbs@tyler.net

Excellent, excellent book for anyone who is interested in Quenn Elizabeth I or the Elizabethan era. Interesting little tidbits of knowledge about court life, politics and Elizabeth's private life. The pictures are absolutely beautiful and go along so well with the the written text. Definate A+!

The Public and Private Worlds of Elizabeth I is a nicely written look into her personal and private life. It is very informational; from the workings of Elizabethan politics to the fashion of the time. It is informative with out getting overly academic. It is great for anyone wishing to research and/or recreate aspects of that time period. I encourage anyone who is intererested in Elizabeth I to purchase this book. One of the greatest features of this book is the full color pictures. Definitely a must have!!! A wonderful coffee table book too.

If, like me, you are interested in British history but not a hard core scholar, this one may be a bit on the dull side. However, I did manage to make my way through it without having to force myself to pick it up. It is well worth the effort.

Thirty years of intense historical debate and disagreement have clouded the underlying story of seventeenth-century Britain; with this addition to the Penguin History of Britain series, Mark Kishlansky mediates the academic controversy in an introductory narrative of the Stuart era. From the ascension of James I to the death of Queen Anne, he chronicles the political events which elevated Britain from isolation to international predominance. In so doing, he vividly develops the characters who helped to spark this transformation. He hopes that this universally accessible narration will kindle his audience's interest in the period.

In pursuit of this goal, Kishlansky avoids examining the contradictory interpretations which he believes necessitate this work. His prefatory remarks fully acknowledge the limited nature of his discussion. Apologizing to his colleagues, he explains that any effort to conflate the conflicting opinions into one coherent narrative would prove futile. Therefore, he claims to have used his discretion in writing a flowing account.

Still, an author's discretion is seldom neutral. Correlating with Kishlansky's past contributions to British historiography, this book contains definite revisionist undertones. Focusing on the impact of individuals, he emphasizes the contingency of each event he describes. Accident and circumstance drive his story. This perspective does not accommodate the vital component of progressive interpretations: inevitability. Furthermore, Kishlansky's story is essentially a political narrative. He frequently dismisses the social and economic factors which progressives view as so influential in governmental development.

The work itself is a combination of three stylistic techniques. To orient the audience for the narrative, the prologue and first two chapters analyze the social and political institutions of seventeenth-century Britain. The narrative itself dominates each of the succeeding eleven chapters, introduced in each by a dramatic vignette. By describing one of the most exciting or extraordinary events yet to come, these vignettes entice the reader to continue. Separating them from the main narrative are brief contextual introductions, similar to those of the first two chapters. Kishlansky also uses this analytical style in his disappointingly short four-page epilogue.

Additionally, the title of this book is quite misleading. This is neither a history of the monarchy's transformation nor a history of Britain. In reality, Kishlansky recounts the transformation of the entire British governmental system. Also, while he does incorporate the roles of Scotland and Ireland into his story, he does so only from an English point of view. Added to this are only minor references to Britain's overseas colonies. Thus, a more appropriate title would be: A Government Transformed: England 1603-1714.

Kishlansky's lack of citation is also troublesome. Though his extensive bibliography is impressive, it is not inclusive. He references general works on broad topics, yet his audience learns of specific events and people. If his readers become interested in researching any of the specific topics which he describes, his bibliography will prove only slightly more helpful than a library's card catalogue. Overall, Kishlansky accomplishes what he set out to do; he creates an interesting and coherent story which provides a solid base for further study. For people with a limited knowledge of the events that transpired during the seventeenth century, this is a clear introduction. This book is by no means comprehensive, but that was never the goal of the author. Its accessibility comes from its simplicity. After reading it, students are ready for and hopefully interested in more critical research in the field.

Mr. Kishlansky provides a concise narrative of the events that characterized seventeenth century English history and that resulted in the modern British parliament and constitutional monarchy. His attention to detail shows his thorough knowledge of the history of Great Britain and most importantly, shows how the rise of the modern parliamentary system & constitutional monarchy at century's end provided mechanisms to many of the legal questions which gave rise to the various revolutions and civil wars that characterized the century's previous history. An excellent book for anyone interested in British history or who wishes to know where the founding fathers of the American revolution obtained so many of the ideas that characterize the American constitution and its emphasis on the paramountcy of the rule of law.

I personally thoroughly enjoyed this storyline, and the various artists. This is a different brand of storytelling from the Roger Stern/ Doomsday days. While I appreciate both of these modern interpretations, this story and No Limits! herald a new direction for the Superbooks that even hardened comics fans might enjoy. Under Eddie Berganza's editorship, the Super-books are using the framework of the early 90's era of Superman's redefinition and bringing in both new and classic elements to the Superman mythos. I'm a longtime comics fan, but a new Superman fan, and this is the story that pulled me in and allowed me to go back and enjoy the older stuff (all the way back to 1938). Great work, if occasionally uneven, as one tries to read four different titles by multiple writers and artists all strung together. Give this story a shot if you're a JLA fan.

This graphic novel begins on December 31st 1999 and takes place in great city of Metropolis. Brainiac 2.5 has crashed on Earth and is feeding himself off the energy in Metropolis. He takes all the power from Metropolis at the stroke of midnight and all this power upgrades him and he becomes Brainiac 13. So, basically, Superman has to stop Brainiac from taking all the power of the Planet.

This comic book features the metal men and many members of the JLA. It is exciting and difficult to put down.

There are a few things I found annoying about this though. As this was originally a group of different comics by different artists and writers, each time a new chapter starts, the characters look different. The worst is Ed McGuinness as I think he makes Superman too muscly and cartoon like. Another thing that I didn't like was the look of Brainiac 13. The artists used computers to make him look 3D. This doesn't work. The computer pictures look too fake and don't fit with the rest of the comic. But this doesn't mean it isn't a great book, with a great story. Superman will definitely be with us forever!

144 pages of pleasing and interesting pictures of bikes and people. Pictures include custom painted bikes, pictures of the backs of people showing their messages of allegiances. Bikes loaded for trips including scenes from Daytona and Sturgis. Includes pictures of pristine shiny bikes and bikes that are serving their owners through time (Rat bikes). There is also a section of tatoos. Finally, Harley racing. Most women are on the back of bikes, but there are about 4 pictures of women holding the throttle. My favorite pictures include two men enjoying a heart-throb road in the mountains, bikes hung from a tree, a group riding past Mount Rushmore and a couple Rat bikes with interesting "decorations."

This book presents a very sympathetic picture of its subject, based on Hurd's readings from his diaries.

Nonetheless, the author keeps his independence of mind: he writes that Hurd's basic "idea of the enabling state was flawed. First, it was highly undemocratic. The National Health Service Trusts, self-governing schools and Housing Associations took power away from democratically elected councillors and placed power in the hands of unelected local appointees, modern local elites. Second, the Conservative reforms to local government which Hurd endorsed saw a massive centralisation of power in Britain. Third, Hurd's belief that active citizenship was compatible with free-market economics because private property gave the citizen a stake in the economic power of the country, simply did not work during the 1980s."

Stuart writes, "The Conservative Party's raison d'etre in the late 1970s and during the 1980s became the defeat of organised labour." But Thatcherism, the attack on organised labour, undermined all the institutions - family, community and nation - that Hurd claimed to support.

In passing, Stuart reveals something of Parliamentary 'opposition'. On 21 January 1991, in the last Commons debate before the war against Iraq, Gerald Kaufman, Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary, "asked Hurd to let him see the Government motion before they tabled it, to make sure it was one which the Opposition Front Bench could support." Hurd then asked Kaufman to amend this motion, to prevent Labour backbenchers doing so. "Kaufman showed Hurd the revision beforehand to make sure his side could support it. So the Government drafted a motion subject to Labour's approval and Labour drafted an amendment subject to the Government's approval."

As Foreign Secretary under Thatcher and Major, Hurd backed the onslaught on Iraq. He supported the EC's recognition of Croatia and Slovenia, which widened the Yugoslav war. He backed Patten's mischief-making in Hong Kong. He supported the Maastricht Treaty. All these misguided policies stemmed from his support for capitalism's dictate of economic internationalism, with its consequent hatred of sovereignty.

These books gave me a lot of info about turtles.I like the games that you can play in the middle of the book.These books were cool!