I'm giving the book three stars for three reasons: One, we have a 3-month-old son with Down syndrome and anything on the subject is a welcomed addition to our library. Two, as difficult as it was to read some of Gene Stallings' comments about his own son, it probably took a lot for this football coach to bare his soul in print. Three, John Mark Stallings touched a deep nerve, giving me more hope that our little boy has every opportunity to grow up to be a loving, giving, productive man. But until the last two chapters, the book leaves you wondering whether Johnny was truly given a fair shake. Instead of celebrating the birth of his only son, in typical jock fashion, Stallings tries to punch out the doctor, changed the boy's name ("...we knew he would never be able to carry on the family name..."), laments that the boy will never be a strapping quarterback in the NFL, and worries over Johnny's slight physical differences. The book does illustrates how far we've progressed in our acceptance of people with Down syndrome, and brings home the fact that it is only the families of children with this disability who will ensure they get the unconditional love, attention and education they deserve. At the same time, though, I'm afraid it perpetuates some of the stereotypes and misconceptions that people continue to place on those with Down syndrome.

Gene Stallings is a man's man. A father's father. He was, and still is, a great coach, husband, and teacher. Yet he has a tender compassion not always seen in men of his calling. He owes much of that part of him to his son and he knows it. He has taken the sorrow and pain his family bore and turned it into an story of amazing hard work, courage, and love. This book should be one of the first things read by a couple faced with the reality of a Down Syndrome baby. Coach Stallings shows us there is life after DS, and it can be very good, indeed,it can be wonderful.

Another Season is a well written story of one family's life in that it intertwines the success of one of the strongest football coaches (NFL and College) and that of his personal life. My wife and I have a five year old son who happens to have Down Syndrome, and to hear Coach Stallings share his innermost thoughts and feelings about a similar situation was very encouraging. The alternating recollections of football and personal family life are interesting and compelling. Coach Stallings' honest and frank feelings about his son, Johnny, make you feel like you are right there with him as he wrestles with the unbelievable news that his son has Down Syndrome. I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is excellent reading.

This book is just mesmerizing - it is so beautiful. Mark Rothko took art to a spiritual level that has seldom been achieved. The beauty of his colors and the simplicity of his work mesh to dominate the field of art, and make him a true master of our times. This particular book is full of color pictures of his work. Highly recommended for any art lover.

American artist Mark Rothko's artworks represents the very foundations of the Abstract Expressionist movement, and his key works are here presented in full-page color, introduced by essays from his contemporaries. This superbly produced volume with its exquisite presentation considers all of Rothko's works and contributions and is an essential acquisition for any serious collection on the Abstract Expressionist movement.

Yes, the reviewer who commented on the quality of the prints needs to get their specs looked at. This book is wonderfully produced, from the quality of the printing to the quality of the paper. It will sit alongside Anfan's wonderful catalogue raisonee on my shelves. I only wish I had followed my urge to hop on the Eurostar train from London to Paris on a day trip to see the exhibition. The last full Rothko exhibition I saw was in London in 1987, a mind expanding experience. This book is a world better than the catalogue of that exhibition and is definitely a must for any Rothko admirer. I will be in the Rothko room of the new Tate Modern gallery almost every day.

I thought this was a terrific introduction to the neotropics. The chapter on aquatic life was weak, and the author lowered himself to some unfortunate puns (he should have skipped the topic completely). The early chapters were the best.

I've had to choose between 3 and 4 stars, but I'll stick to 4 stars.
It's really a good introduction to the natural history of the Neotropics. Yet, I've got the feeling that Mr. Kricher wants to tell us about too many things in too few space, thus leaving much things for further explanation. Of course, it's a heavy task to pack such a diversity in so small a book. The general introduction is thorough, but in the group description some groups remain heavily underexposed.
He shouldn't be playing on words this much only to let every pun be followed by a hypocritical "no pun intendeed". There's nothing against making puns, though.
The colour pictures do not add much to the book. I think he'd better have fewer and larger pictures than this stamp collection that give a somewhat disorderly impression.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it, making me wish to return to the neotropical rainforests.

Kricher's prose is easily read and digested with fascinating details of the workings in a tropical forest. A delightful read for both the student wishing to understand tropical ecology and the traveler who wishes to get a better feel for the environment in South America. Highly recommened.

This book shed a lot of light onto one of the greatest and most tragic figures in modern music. Much of what I knew about Jimi was based on rumors and vague interpretations about what he and his music stood for. However, this book presented a detailed look into his life. Through personal accounts from those around him, the author paints a detailed portrait of who Jimi really was. Although I have always been drawn to Jimi by his music, the book showed his personal side, which is equally as compelling. The weakness in my opinion was the lack of detailed information on his early childhood years. Although his father Al would play an important role in the Jimi Hendrix legacy (and still does to this day), their relationship (or lack thereof) is rarely mentioned. Also, there could have been more written about how much influence he had on music. The discography is very inclusive, but it lacks detailed commentary. Overall, I enjoyed the book a great deal and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about Jimi Hendrix.

This book takes an inside look at the life and legend of the man that was James Marshall(Jimi) Hendrix. His troubled youth and how he had to suffer tremendous hardships just to be noticed. His love affair with blues music and his affinity for the guitar are also well intact. What puzzles me is why so many people would want to drag Jimi's name through the mud and desecrate his legacy and good fortune with lies and deceit. Why couldn't people have respect enough for Jimi and his music to take it seriosuly and treat it like gold, instead of commercializing for their own personal gain and profit? Jimi was a serious artist and this book certainly attests to that. He wasn't in it for the money or fame or recognition. He was simply in it for the music.
He deserved to be treated better by people who called themselves "His Friends." Jimi was a incredible man and amazing guitar player as well, but he was also very human. He had a very vulnerable side to him as well. He had enough problems without people wanting him to be everything to them. He couldn't do that.
He needed someone to love him and someone to respect him and take him at face value instead of having him always be Mr. Rock guitar god. he wanted people to listen to his music and be taken seriously. He was sick and tired of doing the same theatrical tricks that he had done with the guitar night after night, and now he just wanted people to listen to him, and not look at what he was doing with his guitar. he didn't need to prove anything anymore. he'd already done it. it was time for him to move into a new direction. Unfortunately, that new direction was never fully realized during hendrix's lifetime. Only now, after his death do we fully know just exactly what he was trying to achieve. Some things we'll never know. That was the genius of Hendrix. To keep people guessing. He'll never know how much of an impact he has had and continues to have on people's lives even to this day. God Bless You, Jimi. We Love You, Man!!!

This biography was written to, as the title states , set the record straight. After Jimi Hendrix's 6-year career wasw cut short by a drug overdose he was viewed as an anti-establishment, sex and drug addict. However, no one ever focused on his serious vision and path of his music. He started his career as a backup musician for such artists as Curtis Knight and the Squires, the Iskey Brothers, and Little Richard. After that he was signed by Chas Chandler ( formally of the Animals0 signed him and moved to England. There the Experience began. The book shows that Jimi spent hours and hours in the studio to get a song right and kept to himself alot. Totally unlike his stage personallity. I would recommend this book to any music lover. The other musicians' insight into Hendrix's talent and personality makes the book especially interesting. It provides an interestingperspective into the most unique period in music History

The previous editions of this book contained a lot of reference information and illustrations for both novice and experienced home carpenter. This edition has changed the emphasis to students primarily, with larger type but less specific reference material such as hanging doors, special framing problems, etc. Disappointing.

This book shows anyone the technical aspects of home construction in very clear terms. The formulas are excellent for figuring the costs of a project. The format is very simple to learn and the tests at the end of each chapter summarize the material well.

This is *the* book, wheither you are a novice or a master carpenter! It contains plenty of helpful and informative charts, diagrams, pictures and examples - how to calculate materials and costs, board feet, compares different materials and specifies the applications. It starts from the basics of hand tools and power tools with clear instructions their use, maintenance, and even some repair. You're guided from planning and preparing the building site all the way to completion of construction. I didn't see where anything was left out. My father was a building contractor for 56 years. This book is like having his knowledge at my fingertips!

This book is commendable for its conception but is flawed in its premise and execution. The problem is there are too many fingers in the pie. I would have liked to read about one historian's perspective on all the films reviewed. Instead, each film was addressed and compared to historical recollections by a different author. There is no uniformity of thought or perspective. For instance, I am sure that if Stephen Ambrose had reviewed TORA! TORA! TORA! he may have seen that film in a much more favorable light than did Akira Iriye. One can speculate to infinitum. It is possible to find and read countless books on a given historical topic. The point I am making is that each author has the ability to bring different perspectives or interpretations of historical record that may result in different conclusions of events or more importantly ideas. If you were to ask an auditorium full of historians what was the most important factor contributing to the start of the Civil War I am sure you may get at least five good answers. Perhaps the idea that a film conveys is more important than the accuracy of each step that led to that idea. I think that SPARTACUS is an important film not as a representation of a historical record but for the idea that the inherent rights of human beings to live free is a notion worth dying for. Kirk Douglas as SPARTACUS stated something to the effect that he would never stand by and see two men battle and die just for the amusement of other men. There is something very noble about that statement and to the visuals on the screen that precipitated that assertion. To touch a chord of emotion from the audience is really the magic of the cinema. I never once ever thought that the purpose of the cinema was to teach history. For the audience the main purpose of the cinema is to be entertained and if you take it a few more steps perhaps come away with an idea or spark of imagination. That's the beauty of the cinema.

This is a very interesting and useful book but I don't exactly like the overall point of view that it takes on motion pictures. It takes many historically based films and critiques them by comparing what is on the screen to actual historical events. Each chapter is devoted to one film (in most instances) and is critiqued by a different authority. The one constant that I see running throughout this book is that history does not make for good motion pictures if you are gazing through the eyes of the historian. That disturbs me. Motion pictures are a business as well a legitimate art form. If a historically based movie gets your interest as well as entertains you then perhaps that movie has fulfilled its purpose. The movie is the catalyst. It is up to you to dig up the history book and see what was recorded. And if you dig up a second history book it is very possible that those same events may be recorded slightly different. I liked the critique by Sean Wilentz on "THE BUCCANEER: Two Films" where he states that they stand somewhere in between fact and fiction. Akira Iriye is too critical of TORA! TORA! TORA! When you recall that particular motion picture, that's the one that stands out as a film that tried to get all the facts correct. Americans and Japanese respective of their home countries directed it. Iriye's criticism is almost ludicrous trying to state that inflections in the voices of some of the actors actually distorted the true meaning of their words. In light of PEARL HARBOR (2001) Akira Iriye is way off mark. Marshall De Bruhl's words about THE ALAMO are redundant and superficial. THE ALAMO was John Wayne's screen fulfillment of the legend. THE ALAMO is a great American film and it perpetuates that legend till this day. I liked what Stephen E. Ambrose had to say about THE LONGEST DAY. Ambrose recognizes that half the duality of filmmaking is a business. His approach and comments are very insightful and well written. As seen by James H. McPerson GLORY comes off best. It deserves it. "PAST IMPERFECT" is a good book but I just wish there were more input from the filmmakers.

When you're both a student of history and a movie buff, as I am, it can be difficult to sit and watch a film that presumes to have an accurate historical context without fighting the urge to evaluate it and pick holes in it. And I'm not the only one. This is a collection of analytical essays, most of high quality, by experts (not all of them historians) analyzing and critiquing individual films: Stephen Jay Gould on _Jurassic Park,_ Antonia Fraser on _Anne of the Thousand Days,_ Thomas Fleming on _1776,_ Dee Brown on _Fort Apache,_ William Manchester on _Young Winston,_ and numerous others. Sticking to those films about which I have some knowledge of the historical events they claim to portray, most are right on the money. James McPherson, commenting on _Glory,_ points out that while the context and general atmosphere are very well done, and the costuming and so on are exact, there are still deliberate historical errors for the sake of drama; none of the soldiers in Col. Shaw's 54th Massachusetts were ex-slaves, for instance, all of them having been recruited from among the state's free black population. And Catherine Clinton does an excellent job taking the wind out of _Gone with the Wind_'s mythical sails. There's a great deal of good information and criticism here and it's a compliment to say that nearly any of these essays will start an argument.

Such a dismantling of the greatest team of superheroes on Earth...all by the mind of one of their own. This collects one of the biggest stories of the comic world in 2000. Also includes issue #42 and the JLA Giant 80 page edition. The story itself is top notch (Mark Waid at his finest...check out Kingdom Come if you want more proof of his finest). The story is logical makes sense (well, as much sense as you can be with this plot).The art can get bland at times, but it suits its purpose of moving the story along and conveying the action. And it's very economical, considering back issues would be twice the price (at least!). I would recommend this to anyone who has a interest in superhero comics or just want to read a interesting tale.

If I wanted to be chintzy and point out all the logical flaws, etc that plague this series, it would only be three stars. But I believe that given the fact that I've reread this story 20 or 30 times,means the overall story overcomes those inadequacies.
So much spoiler information has been given away already, I won't contribute further. Let's just say that this is one of the most important Batman stories anyone's EVER done. We receive more insight into his mind's inner workings, and get a hint that he's not that far removed from a guy named Frank Castle. Except for the "no killing" thing.
This story is also important because it both sets up and is influenced by Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. The reverberations continued through to JLA Divided We Fall and in other DC books in months to follow. This is an indispensible book.

Not since Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns do we get such an in depth look at exactly how far Batman is willing to go in his pursuit of justice. When his greatest enemy gets hold of his personal files on his Justice League teammates, the consequences spell catastrophe for the JLA. While not quite as good as some of Waid's best stuff, this story gives vital insight into the uncomfortable relationship that Batman has with the JLA. Tower of Babel is a vital story for anyone following DC universe continuity, with repercussions throughout the other mainstream superhero titles.

This book is probably the most quoted book I've seen on the topic of government experimentation on mind control. However, John Marks only follows the trail of the CIA. Many other branches/units of the government and military were involved in MK-Ultra. The Army, Navy, Air Force, NSA, DOD, DOE. Would be nice to see all resources pooled together to have one complete story of these experiments instead of just one small segment of it. In spite of the single focus, it is the best information out there for documentation...especially since many of the other agencies involved destroyed all or most of their MK-Ultra documents (which is another conspiracy in itself). Thank heavens for the persistence of John Marks to find these documents!

One of the most thoroughgoing volumes yet assembled on U.S government mind-control research. John Marks readily admits that all of his source material comprised but 10 boxes of documents which took him a year to comprehend despite the aid of a research staff.

The CIA's obsession with LSD in the late 50's/early 60's is astonishing. Due to Cold War fever,the CIA-thinktank designed a covert program directed at gaining control over human behavior. It was called "MKULTRA". Through covert use of chemical & biological materials,the program ran from 1953 to 1964 at which time it was renamed MK-SEARCH & was continued up until 1973. It encompassed an undetermined number of bizarre & often grotesque experiments involving hypnosis,parapsychology,sleep deprivation,electronic brain implants,microwave transmissions & other things. In one,psychiatrist Ewen Cameron received CIA funding to test a procedure he called "depatterning." This technique, Cameron explained when he applied for his CIA grant(through a front group called the Society for the Investigation of Human Ecology), involved the "breaking down of ongoing patterns of the patient's behavior by means of particularly intensive electroshocks," in addition to LSD. Some of his subjects suffered brain damage & other debilitations.

The ultimate goal of behavioral(i.e.,mind control)research would have been to produce a Manchurian Candidate assassin,an agent who didn't know he or she was an agent--brainwashed & programmed to carry out that most sensitive of missions.

Whether the program's accomplishments reached that peak will probably never be public knowledge(sometime around 1973,CIA director Richard Helms ordered the majority of secret MK-ULTRA documents destroyed due to "a burgeoning paper problem").

This book descends nicely into the U.S Government's fundamental practice of deception. That's what I liked the most about it.

For decades,during the 20th Century,intelligence & military agencies were investigating the science behind mind/behaviour control & complementing their work with unbelievably insane experiments upon human beings. John Marks lifts the lid on these once top secret operations that in some ways,more or less,altered a generation.

The book is an engrossing inquiry into the "Manchurian Candidate" assassin-patsy theory...i.e; that the project was initiated & designed,by the CIA,for the sole purpose of breeding "re-programmed"/brainwashed trigger-gripping people who would kill & have no memory whatsoever of what they had done....like almost as if they just HAD to kill to stop the voices in their heads.

The most famous mind control research came out of the CIA's "MK-ULTRA" program which highlighted the use of LSD among other techniques of experimentation(such as hypnosis,electronic chips in the brain,microwave transmissions,shock therapy,etc) One scientist who worked for the CIA & helped with some of the experiments described it as being like "Dante's inferno".

John Marks,though,takes the OFFICIAL ending that the whole operation was a complete bust,which isn't my OWN opinion,but I'm glad the info has risen above board & I'm happy that it's been documented for the future generations.

Intriguing stuff,Give it a whirl!

Mark Twain, the most globally recognised of the greatest American writers, comes closest to autobiography in this odd and fascinating book. This is the story of part of his life at least, and lays out much of his unique moral and political philosophy.

As a book, Life on the Mississippi lacks a truly coherent story line after the half-way point; it tells the story of Twain's training as a Mississippi steamboat pilot, then, when he returns to the river years later as a successful writer, it drops off into anecdotes as Twain travels down the great river, and can be a deadly bore for some readers.

But, oh, what a picture of Twain it draws! There are great tales of characters he meets along the river, told in his inimitably funny style, wonderful bits of his childhood - like the tale of his insomniac guilt and terror when the match he loans a drunk ends up causing the jail to burn down, killing the drunk - and insightful portraits of the towns and villages along the river.

This is a characteristically American book, about progress and independence as well as the greatest American river, written by this most characteristically American writer. It is a true classic (a thing Twain despised! He said, "Classics are books that everybody praises, but nobody reads."), a book that will remain a delight for the foreseeable future.

Life on the Mississippi is by far one of the most wonderful books ever written about the post Civil War era in America. Mark Twain takes the reader on a melancholy look at this period of time in history as you journey into the Mississippi of his youth, adulthood, and the people and the communities he knew so well. He conveys a miraculous picture of this lively river giving it the grandeur and prominence it deserves. He defines the river very much like a living organism with a power and personality all its own. As the book unfolds, he begins in his days when he grew up along the river and became a steam boat pilot, ending that career with the advent of the Civil War. Later he returns to the river after some twenty years and takes a journey as a writer from around St. Louis to New Orleans and back up the river into what is present day Minnesota. You learn about the different cultures along the river, its tributaries, as well as the remarkable people who become part of the forgotten history of our nation. Twain's anecdotes are sheer brilliance, and he has an incredible way of choosing just the right story to illustrate a particular point transporting the reader back into time as if it was the present day and you are standing beside Twain observing what he is seeing. His reflections of his times along the river and his descriptions of the people and places make this a true masterpiece of literature and I highly recommend it. I found myself only able to read short portions at a time, as I personally found the sheer beauty of the entire book was a work to be savored and digested rather than rapidly consumed as you would with any other book. As I poured through the book, I felt often as if I was traveling with Mark Twain as a companion along his charming and magnificent journey during a wonderful period of history.

In Life on the Mississippi, Twain recounts his river experiences from boyhood to riverboat captain and beyond. Encompassing the years surrounding the Civil War, this book is an excellent source of 19th-century Americana as well as an anthology of the mighty river itself. Replete with rascally rivermen, riparian hazards, deluge, catastrophe, and charm, Life on the Mississippi is another of Twain's stellar literary achievements.

Wit and wisdom are expected from Twain and this book does not disappoint. It is equally valuable for it's period descriptions of the larger river cities (New Orleans, St. Louis, St. Paul), as well as the small town people and places ranging the length of America's imposing central watershed.

The advent of railroads signalled the end of the Mississipi's grand age of riverboat traffic, but, never fear, Life on the Mississippi brings it back for the reader as only Samuel Clemens can. Highly recommended.

John McCain's second memoir covers the aspect of his life most of us are familiar with, his political career. In addition to telling his own tales, McCain mixes in chapters on heroes, both real and fictional, that have influenced his views and character. When discussing his own life, he writes of both his successes and failures and gives the reader an understanding of some of the reasons behind his "maverick" stances.

While some parts of the book become mired in the uninteresting details of political scandal, as a whole "Worth the Fighting For" is well worth reading, no matter your political persuasion.

This probably isn't the best place to start your search on more information on the life of Senator McCain. Other books have been written about him and by him that provide more information his past.

Still, this is a great book to garner information on the Senator McCain of today. The book profiles some of the people that he has looked up to and emulated including Senator Scoop Jackson, baseball legend Ted Williams, Senator John Tower and Barry Goldwater.

In doing so, McCain also covers a number of major news stories that have involved him including normalization of relations with Vietnam, his presidential run, and the Keating Five Scandal.

What I liked about the book and what I like about McCain in general is his willingess to be open and tell you what he thinks. I'm not sure I always agree with his opinions, but at least I have a good idea on what those opinions are. I especially appreciated his willingness to openly lash out and question the religious wing of the Republican Party. (Now don't you nutball right-wingers overreact, he also is very critical of President Clinton's foreign policy. . .)

Of course the bottom line question is whether this book is worth the full price in its hardcover edition. The answer is probably not so get it when its discounted, or in paperback. This is an interesting book, a sometimes moving book and worth reading, but it's not a must-have classic that you need to spend too much on just to read once and leave on the book shelf.

Senator John McCain's second volume of autobiography covers his career after his return from captivity in North Vietnam through his unfortunately failed bid for the Presidency in the 2000 elections. As he talks about his life and career, he also discusses those who have inspired and taught him, from history (TR, Billy Mitchell), literature (the Robert Jordan character from "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and Brando's portrayal of Zapata in "Viva Zapata"), sports (Ted Williams - a great baseball player and a fine Marine pilot in WWII and Korea), and from his own life (late Senators Scoop Jackson, Morris Udall, and John Tower - two of them Democrats, interestingly - among others). These essays mostly stand on their own and are worth the price of admission alone.

McCain is honest, sometimes brutally so, about his own failings and errors; his description of the Keating Five affair is thorough and unsparing, as are his admissions of occasional prevarication and displays of temper. He is no less straightforward about his political experiences. While a dedicated conservative and a believer, his contempt for the near-fascist "Christian" wing of the Republican party is evident, as is his disgust with the treatment former Senator John Tower received when nominated by President George H.W. Bush for the post of Secretary of Defense, a nomination shot down more by far right wingers than by the Democrats. One thing I did miss was his honest appraisal of the current President, but from patriotic motivations McCain may be saving that for later.

McCain seems to be suggesting at the end of the book that his public life is nearly over, that his Presidential ambitions are finished. All I can say is that I sincerely hope not. I am a Democrat who would support a McCain run for the Presidency unreservedly. I do not always agree with his views, but I admire his dedication to campaign finance reform, his strength, his candor, his willingness to work with the other side and see them as the loyal opposition rather than as traitors, his courage, and his service to our country. And if McCain never runs for the Presidency, what better final service could he render his country than to lead an effort to return the GOP back to its true core values and rescue it from the clutches of the far right.