Here is a book of knowlege that every private security person needs. If you know the basics of the trade then this will help to fill in the planks and point out the pitfalls. In easy to read form with easy references it can provide todays security personel the things they need to know and use on duty to make them better at their jobs.

I find "Redgauntlet" one of the less satisfactory novels in the Waverley series. Certainly, it has the local flavor, the dialect, the imaginative description of evocative landscapes all his novels have, but it is not a blast as some of the others are. The plot involves a fictitious third Jacobite rebellion, and it is interesting to see how Scott (especially in the notes from the Magnum edition, included in this edition) argues this time not for the historicity but for the historical probability of the events described. While Scott is often hailed as the inventor of the historical novel, "Redgauntlet" also shows him to be a forerunner in the historically probable novel--a genre practiced to great effect by our present-day history buff, Umberto Eco.

But probability alone does not a great novel make. Darsie Latimer's character is even less probable than his semi-historical counterparts, such as Edmund Waverley and Henry Morton. And this is strange, since moving further into fictionality, one could argue, a writer might allow themselves more latitude to make a character interesting, even if certain circumstances remain historical. Is this a conscious effort on Scott's part to show, after the fictionality of history, the fictionality of fiction?

Scott disturbs narrative conventions even further when the conspiracy against the Hanoverian King George III completely fails to materialize--ironically, for what seems to be the silliest of reasons: the Pretender (or the Chevalier if you're a Jacobite), Charles Stuart, refuses to give up his mistress. Thus, the main plot of the novel sizzles out and really not much happens in these 400 pages. Mind you, I personally don't need much to happen, but the 19th century novel did. Scott as a postmodern writer? That is pushing it too far, but this novel awaits a postmodern critique enlightened by a reading of Eco and Bakhtin.

That said, there are some really interesting things going on. Apart from the "regular" set of characters of Scott's Scottish novels, this one features an orthodox Quaker who is the epitome of anti-militant mercantilism. The form is also quite new for Scott--the novel is an epistolary, a set of letters between Darsie Latimer and his friend Alan Fairford. Thus, the novel's first-person point of view is split, and this provides for interesting contrasts.

For me, Scott sort of shot himself in the foot with this novel. His earlier novels ("Redgauntlet" is the last of the Scottish novels, written eight years before his death) lead one to expect a major action to happen before the denouement, and this one avoids that a bit too artificially. It seems that Scott was at pains to stick to history, and his own political convictions, a bit too much: a fictitious Jacobite rebellion is OK as a narrative vehicle, but it shouldn't interfere with the peaceful Great Britain (in which Scotland was in many respects subsidiary to England) that Scott himself inhabited and advocated. And so narrative excitement has to give way to Scott's pacifist politics--an honest choice, which Scott consistently maintains in all the Waverley novels--and character development and politics take precedent.

A final note: Scott has always proven himself a masterful and honest critic of royalty and nobility, especially of those characters he seems to love. "Waverley"'s Mac-Ivor is chastised for his political obstinacy, in "The Fortunes of Nigel" King James I (a Scot) is rebuked for his fickleness and corruption, and in "Redgauntlet" the formerly charismatic Stuart proves effeminate and tragic (dying an impoverished alcoholic, in the footnotes). And often enough, these tragic characters are of more interest than the somewhat ineffectual and sometimes foolish main characters: something for readers of literature to sink their teeth into.

While the focus here is on one of our fur trade pioneers, David Jackson, the reader also gains insight as to the many economic and geopolitical strategies which went on between American and British fur companys. However, I must point out a few controversial issues. First of all, the author seems to portray two of the fur trade's icons as somewhat greedy, heartless and callous individuals: William Ashley for financial and economic gains and Jedediah Smith for exploration fame and glory. So be it. There is not enough space here for a debate. Secondly, the author is quite adamant in his view on the presence of alcohol during the first mountain rendezvous of 1825 while evidence refutes this. The only mention of alcohol in Ashley's diary of commodities during that first rendezvous is, according to Dale Morgan's scholarly work "The West of William Ashley", footnoted as future orders for the following year. In agreement with Morgan are other historians such as Fred Gowans ("Rocky Mountain Rendezvous"); Richard Clokey ("William Ashley: Enterprise and Politics in the Trans-Mississippi West"); Linda Hasselstrom ("Journal of a Mountain Man: James Clyman); and Jack Tykal ("Etienne Provost: Man of the Mountain") to name a few. I believe the author may be conjecturing on this issue. Thirdly, there is mention that Bridger floated down the Green River to taste the salt of an inland lake. Is he referring to, as one would suppose, the Great Salt Lake? Maybe I am reading this wrong, but how could he float down the Green, (which empties into the Colorado River), and then into Salt Lake? According to Bridger's biographer, J. Cecil Alter, Bridger went down the Bear River (and possibly by horse, due to the time of year) which does in fact empty into Salt Lake. Overall a good book with a stellar bibliography.

This book is great in that it shows detailed steps to get to the correect answers on all problems. Any student having a time with Calculus, 6th edition by Ron Larson should definitely buy this.

I am a student of Urban Planning at the University of Illinois. This book was one of required reading in a policy ananlysis class. The chapters in this book that relate to economic methods made my proffessor's lectures actually make sence and the intensive use of graphics and figures allow visual conprehension of the methods discussed.

This book is aimed at people who aren't sure whether they believe in God, or what the Episcopal Church is about. It takes the reader step-by-step through the resons for believing in God, with a definite Anglican point of view, but does not do a great job of pointing out how Anglicans differ from other Christians. Still, it was interesting and helpful even for someone who already knew a fair amount about the episcopal Church.

Any teacher of English who is looking to expand the writing skills of his/her students should at least look at this workbook. WRITING BY DOING is a wonderful book filled with skill-oriented lessons designed to create effective writers. The lessons provided are conceptual and student-centered. The students needs and skills are addressed allowing anyone at any level to improve their writing ability and skills. The only drawback ro negative to using this is that it is a paper and pencil activity driven book. However, teachers of English will udnerstand that paper and pencil activity is at the heart of writing; so why not use a text that is designed to attract and focus on the students enhancement of skill rather than of skill and drill concepts? Teachers of english or who incorporate writing into their curriculum should peruse this book for ideas and resources to implement within their own instruction to enhance their students writing skills.

American Rhapsody purports to be a book about Clinton and the age of the "Rock and Roll President," and it is when the book sticks to this theme that it is at its most successful.

From the prologue, however, Eszterhas serves notice that at its core the book is ultimately about Eszterhas. At times his ego overwhelms the story and the listener. He refers to himself as, in addition to a Hollywood persona, a Public Figure. His tales of Hollywood, scandalous as they are, all contain one theme: Eszterhaus as a key player. "I created Sharon Stone, I resurrected this director's career, I made that actress, etc., etc." In order to justify long asides from Clinton and politics to talk about Eszterhas, Hollywood, and Eszterhas, the author utilizes the device of "talking" to Clinton, punctuating the narrative with ill-fitting asides ("bet you never had that much trouble with Janet Reno, Bubba") that serve simply to annoy the reader and remind him that the asides are truly misplaced. If you want to write about yourself and Hollywood, go ahead, Joe. Just don't try to convince us that what you have to say is really pertinent to the political side, entertaining though it may be.

Eszterhas himself is an absolutely dreadful reader. Doubtless he insisted on narrating his own book, but he does a poor job. He pauses in all the wrong places and his reading is somewhat wooden.

The characters he introduces throughout the book, however, are an absolute delight. We are treated to John McCain, Ken Starr, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, George Bush, and Bill himself paraded before us to tell their story. The actors who read these parts are wonderful, and truly sound (in voice and mannerisms) exactly like the character they mimic; the listener can easily believe that it IS Bill Clinton speaking. These monologues are always clever, often hysterical, and actually quite insightful, attempting to truly probe the psyches of the major political players.

On the whole, these tapes are certainly worth a listen. They would have been greatly improved, however, if Eszterhas had been able to resist the temptation of tooting his own horn and instead focused even more on the politicos he parodies so well.

Author/screenwriter Joe Eszterhas is a child of the 60's and 70's reared, by his own admission, on a steady diet of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Curiously, his first political hero was Senator/Presidential Candidate Goldwater. Why? Because Barry told it like it was. But LBJ won and Viet Nam escalated, followed by Nixon and Watergate. The lies were endless, and Joe was disgusted. Then, in 1992, along came William Jefferson Clinton, America's first President of the rock 'n' roll generation. Eszterhas was ecstatic. Bill won't lie because "he's one of us".

AMERICAN RHAPSODY is a powerful, bawdy, brilliant, full-frontal excoriation of Bill Clinton's almost-personal betrayal of the author's hopes and expectations. Because Bubba lied to America - about sex, his preoccupation with it, and his tawdry affair with the First Bimbo, Monica Lewinsky. Joe claims the bulk of the narrative is based on well-researched facts, though there's no bibliography of primary source material - a key omission, perhaps. Several of the chapters, presented in bold type, are admittedly fictitious monologues ascribed to several key players in this red, white and blue soap opera.

As Eszterhas explores Bubba's promiscuity specifically, and that of Washington and Hollywood in general, the lead roles are reserved for Bill, "Willard", and Monica. The supporting cast is otherwise extensive: Hillary, Bob Dole, John McCain, James Carville, Arianna Huffington (the "Sorceress"), Matt Drudge, Linda Tripp (the "Ratwoman"), Ken Starr, Bob Packwood, Sharon Stone, Warren Beatty, Larry Flynt, and Vernon Jordan, plus cameos by Gennifer Flowers, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick, and a bevy of others. The author ascribes particular significance to the lasting and pernicious influence of his personal bogeyman-under-the-bed, Richard Nixon (the "Night Creature). Why this is apparently so really isn't clear. (Get over it, Joe! Nixon is dead for Chrissakes!) And the reasons for including the Huffingtons, Dole, and McCain on the playbill are particularly hazy, although Eszterhas clearly admires the take-no-prisoners honesty of both McCain and Carville. Prominent utilization is also made of the two infamous props of the piece: The Cigar and the Stained Blue Dress.

Though it could've benefited from tighter editing, AMERICAN RHAPSODY is a ribald, spirited, cheeky and fun read. It may stand as one of the definitive books on the Clinton Presidency. However, don't expect it to appear on your child's high school Political Science reading list anytime soon.

This is the truth! I never read any other of these exposes and during the majority of the media coverage of the episode that led to Clinton's impeachment- I switched to the animal planet. After reading some reviews on Amazon, I bought this book and I'm glad I did. "The Comeback Kid" takes plenty of flack from the author, but Eszterhas spares none. I like the names: The Big Kielbasa- Wilt Chamberlain, "The Bag Lady of Sleaze"- Lucienne Goldberg, the lady who got the story into the media,"Hilla the Hun," "The Night Creature"- Nixon- "The Manchurian Candidate"- McCain- "The Rat Woman,"- Linda Tripp, it goes on to the current president named, "The Crown Prince." The coarsest individual does have the funniest lines, i.e. LBJ- too much to repeat here. The few who seem to get off lightly, like Monica, and believe it or not- Barry Goldwater and Newsweek Magazine who had the story and never printed it.
Perhaps the most effective and distressing part of the book is when Eszterhas does a mini retrospective of all the things we didn't want to know,but did over the years, here are a few: Sen. Harkin blowing his nose on CNN without a handkerchief, Bush Sr. throwing up in China, Buchanon saying "Congress is an Israeli occupied territory," Bob Dylan and Elizabeth T., LBJ turning to the side and taking a whizz at an outdoor press conference, Nixon and Kissinger kneeling together and praying, Spiro Agnew, "If you've seen one city slum you've seen them all," Michael Jackson and his chimp, David Bowie and Mick Jagger. (?)

Eszterhas obviously knows more and remembers more than is probably good for him, but his prose is stunning as is the manner by which he weaves the book together- even with some fiction. The author was the screenwriter for Fatal Attraction and had a relationship with Sharon Stone- who also takes some upper cuts and was rumored to have been intimate with Clinton as well. I definitely recommend reading this- for the humor and frankly, The gossip is completely consuming.

This is the first book in Trollope's 6 part Barchester series. While the subject matter, the intrigues surrounding clerical life in a fictional English cathedral town, might put you off, don't let it. Trollope wrote fantastic characters. While it's sequel, Barchester Towers, is even better, this is an excellent short introduction both to the series and to Trollope's writing as a whole. (Incidentally, the BBC TV series `Barchester Chronicles' is a really good adaptation of both `The Warden' and `Barchester Towers'.)

This is a simple, short novel dealing with the ethical dilemma of a virtuous man. The Reverend Harding is the warden of a small home providing quarters for 12 retired, indigent workers. The facility is provided for by a trust set up by its founder over two hundred years ago. Income off the land provides revenue for the maintenance of the home and a living for the warden.. The warden has traditionally been the benefactor of this income which has increased over the years. The Rev. Harding is a gentle, honest man who has never given thought to his 800 pound annual revenue until a young reformer files suit, claiming the intent of the will is being violated. Harding thinks about the matter and is inclined to resign. The Bishop and Archdeacon argue that he is entitled to the income.

This book certainly would be a good one for a book club read and discussion. The reformer, the lawyers, the church hierarchy and Reverend Harding all have their views on the matter. Author Trollope does not really pass final judgment on his characters; none of them are cast in black and white terms. In fact Trollope makes the unusual move of bringing a criticism of both the press and Charles Dickens into the novel. The press makes strident value judgments about issues without bothering itself with all the facts or considering the effect their articles will have on the people involved; Charles Dickens treats people as being all good or all bad. Indeed, I found myself arguing with myself for several days after reading The Warden. What should the Rev. Harding done? Was the issue shrouded in shades of gray, or was it clear cut one way or the other?

Many critics consider this to be one of Trollope's lesser works, yet to me it is a very interesting, valuable presentation of an ethical dilemma. And for readers who are reluctant to pick up Victorian novels because of their common 700+ page lengths, this is a little gem at less than 300 pages. Criticism? Well I did a bit of eye-rolling during some of the melodramatic passages. All and all, though, this is an excellent read. From an historical standpoint there was considerable attention being paid to clergy income during this period in England. Trollope's tale was very timely in this regard.

One final note. There are many outstanding Victorian novels that I would give a five star rating to. This book doesn't quite fit into that hall of fame so I have given it just 4 stars, which shouldn't be interpreted as a slight to Mr. Trollope or The Warden.

I first read Anthony Trollope's book "The Warden" in 1995 at the age of 54; three years later I had finished all forty-seven Trollope novels, his autobiography, and most of his short stories. "The Warden" provides a necessary introduction to the Barsetshire Novels, which, in turn, provide a marvelous introduction to rural Victorian society, and its religious, political, and social underpinnings. However, "The Warden" is a small literary masterpiece of its own, even though the more popular "Barchester Towers" tends to obscure it. "The Warden" moves slowly, of course, but so did Victorian England; soon the reader is enveloped in a rich world of brilliantly created characters: in the moral dilemma of a charming and innocent man, Reverend Septimus Harding, who is probably the most beloved of all Trollope's characters; in the connivings of Archdeacon Grantly, who will become a significant force in the later Barsetshire novels; in Eleanor, an example of the perfect Victorian woman, a type that appears in many of Trollope's subsequent novels; and in the sanctimonious meddling of John Bold, whose crusade for fairness throws the town into turmoil. In modern terminology, "The Warden" is a "good read" for those readers with patience, a love of 19th century England, and an appreciation of literary style. Trollope's sentences have a truly musical cadence. "The Warden" was Trollope's fourth novel and his first truly successful one. It provides a strong introduction to the other five novels of the Barsetshire series, where the reader will meet a group of fascinating characters, including the Mrs. Proudie (one of Trollope's finest creations), the Reverend Obadiah Slope, and the Grantly family. The reader will soon find that Trollope's well-developed characters soon become "friends," and that the small cathedral town of Barchester becomes a very familiar and fascinating world in itself. It is a wonderful trip through these six novels. (I read all six in about three weeks.) But one must begin with "The Warden." Brew a cup of tea, toast a scone on a quiet evening, and begin the wonderful voyage through Trollope's charming Barchester. When you have finished the six novels, you may, like me, want to commence reading the Palliser series (another six novels) and follow Plantagenet and Glencora Palliser through their triumphs and travails! However, that remains another story.

I thought "Priciples of Meat Science" was just okay. But I think "The Sopranos" is much, much better. Hopefully, this is not the best that the Lifetime Channel can do. I wish they'd show the reruns of "Homicide, Life on the Street" again, because I can't watch "Court TV" (it's against my parole.)

The best chapter in the book by far is "Hitler was a Vegetarian," which is on the accomanying CD-ROM. In this historic recording, author Max Judge (brother of Beavis and Butthead creator) gives a gripping account of this little-known chapter in Military History! Highly recommended.

This volume has much to recommend itself and should keep you interested for a very long time. My only quibble is that it passes over any discussion of brisket. Fortunately, there's an excellent book just published which should fill this void: be sure to pick up "Snow Falling on Seders - The Complete Guide to the Cuisine of the Alaskan Jews."