The Doolittle Raid has always been a favorite chapter in history and Ross Greenings account of flying the Hari Kari-er (#11 off the deck of the Hornet) is an incredible new addition. More remarkable is his experience in the N. African and Italian air campaigns resulting in being shot down, capture, escape, capture again and eventual liberation. Because Greening was an illustrator, the book is full of his original work done during the war. In this regard, the experiences and parallels between Greening and Private Robert Knox Sneden of the Civil War are remarkable. Both recorded their respective combat and prison
experiences in journals and illustrations. The printing of "Not as Briefed" is excellent and Washington State University Press has done an incredible job. One can read 50 to 100 books a year, but it is only every 2 or 3 years that one finds a real gem. "Not as Briefed" is one of those gems. It is a simple and humble recounting of a remarkable life. Kudos to WSU Press and the family of Ross Greening for publishing such an historical treasure.

The unpublished manuscript of this book was discovered by the author's neice many years after the author's death. The neice, obviously captivated by her uncle's writing and World War II experiences was motivated in spending 5 years putting together this incredible biography.

Her uncle, Ross Greening, was #11 on the Doolittle Raid. After surviving that assignment, we was transferred to the North African/Italian theater of operations where his B-26 was shot down and his story of evasion and escape from the enemy is what makes Hollywood Movies but don't wait for this to be made into a movie. It is too long and detailed for Hollywood but is a heck of a page turner. It is well written and reads like a novel. But as you read, remember this isn't fiction. This stuff really happened.

Greening was an art major from Washington State U and uses these skills throughout the book with hundreds of illustrations of the events of this story.

If you are at all interested in the human side of war, you will love this one.

I enjoyed this book very much and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys WWII stories. This book was an easy read and was filled with exciting and touching events. The personal perspective that Ross gave to the war and his situation made the book very informative. This is a book that you will read more than once.

Cottrell's modern day Huck Finn saga is extremely well written & accessible on every level. Not nearly so simplistic as it seems, the author clearly has a grasp of the literary South. Anyone who enjoys becoming enraptured by the power of a crafty storyteller should hope this is not the last we hear from this master in the making.

The cleverly wound tale of the travails of one Patrick Gunn, a young teen growing up the hard way in the contemporary southern U.S. We follow him as he struggles to maintain his moral balance in spite of his family and trailer-trash buddies. There are obvious similarities in the plot to Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn but the book will work on the reader on more than one level and stay with you for quite a while. The prose is told in the easy slang of the South. The lazy pastoral setting of most of the early and middle part of the story set up the looming evil that the reader fears building, it's almost a relief when it comes. A highly satisfying novel. Bob Juliano raj@nebula.ispace.co

Pros: A definite must-have book and recommended reading for designers, artists and teachers. Excellent for art teachers seeking project ideas for students in traditional art/design media, also provides a design refresher for teachers with students in digital media, as the principles apply to web, cd-rom and new media design (but not animation. However, there is a section on objects in 3D space).

This book covers key design principles and art techniques that you may have forgotten after art school.

Cons: A lot easier to read for precticing artists and designers; may be brain freeze to art students goggling at the compact knowledge. Not recommended reading unless student is mature enough/is in the higher years/is truly interested.

Initial impression based on format, book thickness and the language used may appear too stiff and seem like very heavy reading at first, specially to first time art educators. Read the book in topics you need in order to digest info better.

After a while the format becomes familiar, the information astoundingly clear/well researched and you realize the book was brilliantly organized. Eureka!

As with all art/design reference book collections, this makes a good backbone book that could be supplemented by others, as it cannot cover everything. Ex: For selecting/using type and organizing layouts try "The Non-Designer's Design Book" by Robin Williams, Peachpit Press. There's a web book version as well.

Final comment: Basic Visual Concepts and Principles, a thumbs up, definitely must have reference.

This is one of the best stories ever written. Ebenezer Scrooge, is the biggest grouch on the world, almost murdering carolers that come to his door for the fact he just can't stand to be Merry, even at Christmas time. The 3 Ghosts (Ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, Christmases to Come) take him to it's own time space, and show him how the Christmas was, and the funeral of Scrooge, only to find that he was unliked and hated, so that no one came to the funeral. This is a truly inspiring story, so I greatly encourage you to get this!

In hard times, it is easy to believe that Jesus hs taken a break! But this book clearly helps you to see that even in the darkest days that Jesus is here. He laughs iwth you and cries with you, and comforts you. If you want to clearly learn to see Jesus in every moment of your life, read this book.

This book provided me with enough information to do a complete science report for my professor. It gives a complete description of soil erosion, and some of the best conservation topics I have ever read. I had to find many many books to do my report (around 29 before I came across this one) but as soon as I got this book I found it had all the information that every other book had, plus more. It had all i needed to complete my report. I recommend this book to anybody who needs information on these topics.

My pastor gave me this book for my 40th birthday, and he could hardly have chosen better. While Charles's old-fashioned writing style makes for some tough reading (you really have to FOCUS on every sentence!), it's worth the effort. This is a book of enormous truth and wisdom, its pages simply dripping with sweet words of grace and spiritual nourishment. Charles's opening chapter on pride, his reflections on grace and conscience, and on the worthiness of Christ's sacrifice, are foundational, without parallel, simply life-changing. At times I felt like I was only now beginning to understand the true Christian life. Outside of the Bible, this is one of the few books I've read that really made me LOVE GOD MORE. And what higher compliment could be paid to a work of Christian literature? Highly recommended.

While it translates into a rollicking tale, "Whale Hunt" is the published real-life account of one of my great-great-grandfather's whaling adventures. The book recounts not only the adventure and danger of the hunt, but also the hard work, strange ports, and shipboard high jinks employed by the sailors to pass the long days at sea. You'd never expect that a common sailor would have been such an accomplished storyteller ... but so he was.

Master storyteller and social critic, Charles Dickens, turns this social treatise on shortcomings of Victorian society into an entertaining and heartwarming Christmas ghost story which has charmed generations and become an icon of Christmas traditions. Who, in the Western world has not heard, "Bah, Humbug!" And who can forget the now almost hackneyed line of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, every one!" or his cheerfully poignant observation, that he did not mind the stares of strangers in church, for he might thus serve as a reminder of He who made the lame, walk and the blind, see. Several movie versions: musical, animated, updated, or standard; as well as stage productions (I recall the Cleveland Playhouse and McCarter Theatre`s with fondess.) have brought the wonderful characterizations to the screen, as well as to life. This story of the redemption of the bitter and spiritually poor miser, and the book itself; however, is a timeless treasure whose richness, like Mrs Cratchit`s Christmas pudding, is one that no production can hope to fully capture.

It's hard to think of a literary work that has been filmed and staged in more imaginative variations than Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"--there's the excellent George C. Scott version, the delightful Muppet version, the charming Mr. Magoo version, etc., etc. But ultimately true "Carol" lovers should go back to Dickens' original text, which remains a great read.

"Carol" tells the story of cold-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises the Christmas holiday and scorns all who celebrate it. But a visit from a series of supernatural beings forces him to reevaluate his attitude--and his life.

With this simple plot Dickens has created one of the enduring triumphs of world literature. It's a robust mix of humor, horror, and (most of all) hope, all leavened with a healthy dash of progressive social criticism. One thing I love about this book is that while it has a focus on a Christian holiday, Dickens puts forth a message that is truly universal; I can imagine this story resonating with people of any religious background, and also with more secular-oriented people.

This is a tale of greed, selfishness, regret, redemption, family, and community, and is enlivened by some of the most memorable characters ever created for English literature. Even if Dickens had never written another word, "A Christmas Carol" would still have, I believe, secured his place as one of the great figures of world literature.

Charles Dickens writes this story in such detail that you almost believe you have just enjoyed Christmas dinner at the Cratchits home. The characters have so much depth. The made for t.v. or movie screen renditions do not truly depict what Ebenezer Scrooge witnesses with the three spirits that causes such a change in his outlook on life. Such as Scrooge's emotions being quickened by the past heartache in his childhood; seeing how his bad choices caused the hardening of his heart and how deeply it cost him in the end; seeing what could have been his to enjoy and then thinking it could still be his with the Spirit of Christmas Present only to find out the future does not hold any love or joy for him by the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come and instead his actions leave him robbed at death and no one left to grieve for him. Read the book to hear how this story was really written. Even if you have seen every Christmas Carol movie every made, the book will offer so many gold nuggets that you will think you are hearing it for the very first time. Pictures are beautifully detailed throughout the book. Excellent!!!

I was dissappointed with the book. There's no in depth discussion on any event. It just reads on and states facts like those in High School text books. Didn't capture me at all.

A huge book that traces the history of America from pre-Columbus through present day. Although considered by many to be a "text book" for study, it is not written in that format. It reads easily and clearly. It is non-biased and informative. The pictures are helpful. It's the first book on American history that I have been able to finish. Although expensive, I think that every book collection should have a copy and it is an essential part of any history collection.

My AP US History class used this book as its textbook. Statistics speak for themselves: anyone who read and studied the book got a 5! It is one of the most comprehensive texts in American history ever published. George Tindall, the primary author, is a wonderful and knowledgable man who I have met in Chapel Hill,NC. An excellent buy!