Written as a response to sladerous accusations of lying and insincerity, Cardinal Newman composed one of the best autobiographies in the English language. To properly defend himself, he develops the history of his religous opinions from his earliest memories, through Oxford movement and finally to his conversion to the Catholic Church. Along the way he gives the reader some of the best prose that has been employed to descrbe religious experience. The book concludes with a point-by-point refutation to the arguments of Rev. Kingsley, that incidentally contains some of the best arguments against Sola Scriptura and other guiding principles behind Protestantism.

After publication, Newman's Apologia helped raise the esteem of Catholics in the eyes of the English people and helped make him a Cardinal. I whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone looking for a moving spiritual autobiography.

There are few autobiographies as moving and eloquent as Newman's "Apologia." This is his "defense" of his life's choice to leave the Church of England and "go home to Rome." It's a moving testament to an individual's struggle with spiritual issues and theological dogmas and how they inform our lives. I know of no other spiritual autobiography of such importance other than Augustine's "Confessions."

Yet, for all these superb reasons to read this spiritual autobiography, perhaps there is one "secular" reason to read Newman: His command of the English language. Newman has an excellent command of rhetoric, logic, and exposition that makes him a stellar example of Victorian belle letters.

I'd recommend the Norton Critical Edition over the Penguin edition, obviously, not for the "translation," but for the criticism that helps put the issues involved in context for the 20th century reader.

since the "Confessions" of St. Augustine of Hippo 1600 years earlier.

In this book, John Henry Newman, in order to defend himself from (rather unfair) charges of insincerity, outlines the history of his spiritual development, from his beginnings as a liberal thinker, to his conversion to the Evangelical wing of the Church of England, to his ordination as an Anglican priest, to his gradual move toward Catholic thought, practice and worship in the Church of England, to his leadership in the so-called "Oxford Movement" and its call to holiness and Catholicity in the Church of England, and finally to his ultimate submission to Rome.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with Cardinal Newman theologically; whether one can accept his particular conclusions is not important to the enjoyment of this book. It is an honest account of a spiritual journey, written by an articulate man, which should prove inspirational to all persons of faith, and to all on a spiritual pilgrimage.

"Our America" was assigned reading for my course in Child Social Policy. It grabbed me from page one and I could not put it down until it was through (and then I read parts over again). LeAlan and Lloyd walk you down the streets of Chicago and let you have a little peek into their reality -- a world where violence and death are a part of every day life, and instead of focusing on grades in school, children must worry about survival. These young men represent so many children with talents and dreams and potential who are raised in an infertile, even poisonous environment. I wish everyone would read this book and realize that "America" shouldn't change when you cross the tracks.

Your America may be a bit different from LeAlan Jones's and Lioyd Newman's...welcome to theirs. These young men bring you into their community were you find yourself laughing at time and then wanting to reach out and save them. This reading is not sugar coated...your heart will break. LeAlan and Lloyd have used thier power to speak, listen to what they have to say! Then you will be blessed with John Brook, the talented young photographer whose images grace these pages of this outstanding book.

I have great respect for these men in this book for they are our future. Chicago, my home, is a better please because of these talented men...Continue to speak with your mighty voices.

Though I was required to read this book for a course I took, and therefore supposed to be reading and analyzing it over a week's time, I found myself reading the entire book in one sitting. This book shows the unfamiliar reader what poverty really is, how it thinks, acts, looks like, and feels from the words and experiences of children. LeAlan and Lloyd are children growing up in a very adult world, and one is reminded just how young they actually are when you listen to the recordings of their initial broadcasts. Knowing that they and their families are real people, how can you read this book and feel nothing? The tragic part is, those who most need their eyes opened to the state of poverty and violence in our nation will most likely never read this book. For those of us who do, may your eyes be a little wider, your heart a little deeper, and your spirit be called to action.

As one of the poets featured in Will Work for Peace, one might expect me to be a bit biased, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Most poets work in a virtual vacuum, only tenuously connected to each other by the occasional workshop or shared membership in a 'poetry society'. When Brett Axel first approached me for a submission to an anthology he was considering, the names Marge Piercy, Lyn Lifshin, Moshe Bennaroch and so many others were abstractions to me as a fledgling poet. I knew these tremendous writers were 'out there' somewhere, beating down doors with their words and keeping a struggling artform alive. But to think that someday I would ever share a credit with these dynamic modern poets would be a pipe dream at best. It is through the sincere efforts of Brett Axel that many newer voices like mine have an extraordinary opportunity to appear with Pulitzer Prize winners and other poetic heavyweights. By way of an honest review, however, I will say this- not everything in this book will be to your particular liking. I myself came across some works that did not move me in the way the author may have intended. Some imagery can be raw and visceral, using shock value in place of craft at times. But to ignore those voices would be an even more shocking turn of events, so praise be to the editor for not sacrificing his vision to a senseless conformity. As Pete Seeger so aptly put it in his quote, trying to read all these poems at one time would be like trying 'to swallow Manhattan whole'. I say to you- buy this book, read this book, but understand that it's what you do after reading this book that will ultimately define who you could be. Poetry is alive and well, and lives in the blunt pages of Will Work for Peace.

Just amazing start to finish! I like the disregard for fame used in putting the book together. That great poems got in even if they were writtenby nobodys. Look at Roger Bonair-Agard's poem on page 74. Shortly after Will Work For Peace came out he won Slam Nationals, becoming Slam Champion of 1999, which will be getting him lots of offers. But Zeropanik Press didn't need to be told he was good by an award. They could tell by his writing! Good for them and good for all of us because Will Work For Peace is a literary milestone. It's a new standard for all future anthology editors to try to live up to. Thumbs up to Brett Axel and Thumbs up to Zeropanik Press for their guts and integrty.

Brett Axel visited my Church and I bought a copy of Will Work For Peace from him, not for poetry, but because I care about working for peace. I started reading through it thinking It'd just go on my shelf and that'd be the end of it, but the book grabbed me and kept me rivited. If I had known that poetry was this alive I'd have been into poetry. I've been reading some of the poems to my friends who also didn't think poetry was important and they are saying the same thing. Fantastic! There's no way to get through this book without having your old mindsets challenged. It's funny, powerful, sad, and uplifting. A book that deserves to be read by everyone. A book that really can make the world a better place!

What to do with the rest of the summer of the Boys of Summer take their ball and go home? Read this book...

I'm not, by any means, a rabid baseball fan, but Halberstam paints fascinating word portraits of many of the sport's most famous players. Not only are the biographies interesting, the story their collective desires to WIN (not make money) is inspirational. In 1964, baseball led the way in accepting minorities into the fabric of American culture. Despite off-the-field distractions, the Saint Louis Cardinals fought and clawed their way into the World Series.

Bob Gibson kept the team focused. He was just plain mean on the mound. Opposing batters feared him. And in the end, Gibson's reputation and his ability to "psyche out" his opponents may have given the Cards that little extra edge that made them Baseball's World Champions in October 1964.

America's national pastime, the glorious game of baseball, has lost its lustre in these recent troubled years. But harken back to the 1960s -- when baseball was indisputably the king of sport. ---- Halberstam takes readers back to that time, specifically back to the riveting season of 1964. Recapture the aura of the "invincible" Yankee dynasty with the likes of Mantle, Maris, and Ford. Thrill to the Cardinal's late season surge fueled by energy from players like Flood, Brock, and Gibson. --- Yes this is a great baseball book, because it goes beyond mere descriptive verse and creates a feel for the unique personalities of the players. It gets even better, though, as Halberstam shows how these two Series-bound teams remarkably reflected the wider social transitions taking place in 1964. It is truly amazing how the clash between the status quo, predominantly white Yankees, and the upstart racially integrated (on and off the field) Cardinals provided a near-perfect mirror for the conflicts of the times. ---- Even for readers knowing the outcome of that Series, Halberstam builds a sense of momentousness which culminates with a thrilling game-by-game description of the fateful match-up. This book is as much about race relations, labor organization, and America toying with new definitions of personal freedom as it is about Gibson's wicked slider and Mantle's crunching homers. If today's baseball has left you feeling a mite disenchanted, here's a lively read to recapture the glory, and understand a distinct year in American history to boot! A home run hit deep, deep into the fabric of our nation!

I grew up in the St. Louis area and am naturally a Cardinal fan (gee, does the sun come up in the east and set in the west!) so I greatly enjoyed this book. I also grew up with the idea that the Yankees were less than human, although after reading this book, they are okay, although they still remain the best team money can buy, to this day, which is not okay.

Most of the book covers the players and how they became major league ball players, through their ordeals in the minor leagues, and in the cases of all the black players, racism and the difficulties arising from that. Also covered in depth are the owners, managers, scouts, and pennant races, all building up to that amazing World Series held between the Yankees and the Cardinals in October 1964.

This book goes into amazing detail, and is very thorough, the next best thing to having seats to that World Series. I am too young to really remember that Series, but I do remember seeing Lou Brock at Busch Stadium stealing bases in '73 and '74, and Bob Gibson pitching in 1974, his last year, one of the best ever hurlers in the game, and these are treasured memories for me. But you don't have to be a Yankee or Cardinal fan to enjoy this book, it should be fascinating reading for any baseball fan, and it really highlights how the game has changed over the years.

Dernley was an assistant executioner at over 20 hangings in England in the 1950's. With detailed accounts of individual cases, along with the 'how to's' of quick efficient capital punishment (15 seconds from opening the cell door to dropping the condemned man was considered a slow time), it's an invaluable account of recent history in capital punishment.

I can appreciate the author's intent - to create a more comprehensive guide to the wildlife of a region that is sorely lacking in accesible information. It is a pioneering effort, and I am grateful that such guides are being attempted. But after reviewing the bird plates I became quite upset - this guide will lead to many misidentifications due to innacurate portrayals and information, as well as omissions. While I can understand the impossibility of covering all the living species in a large and diverse region, it would be nice if the ones chosen were depicted accurately, and reference was made to similar species occuring within other parts of the covered range. For just one example, plate 45 shows four species of Motmot as being the ame size and shape, when the Tody Motmot is HALF the size (and a very different shape) of the others. While this is indicated (in small print), anyone relying on the pictures could easily become confused. Beletsky list Howell's excellent "Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America" in his references, but he clearly should have been paying more attention! As to omissions, if an abbreviated list is desired in the interest of keeping this book accesible for the more casual enthusiast, it would have been far better to at least focus on the species most likely to be encountered. While some rarely seen species are included, many quite visible and common birds are left out! And how could Beletsky leave out the Boat-billed Heron? Not only is this species an icon amongst Mexican birds, but it is a favorite species for boat tour operators on both coasts to find for visitors! After seeing what the bird plates are like, how could I ever feel positive about identifying other wildlife using this book?
On the positive side, I will reiterate that I am glad that such books are being written. There is often no information available (in practical form) on tropical reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, etc. But I hope guides like this will get a whole lot better! Skimping on information for portability is not the answer. Accuracy should be far more important. In Beletsky's favor are the habitat photos, and coverage of ecotourism and conservation issues.

Simply, a terrific wildlife guide and the best of its kind for Mexico. Chapters provided detailed information (with photos!) of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals found in southern Mexico. Recommeneded for any serious student of biology or dedicated eco traveler.

I picked up this book because of Rodale's reputation for excellence. However, this one's a real disappointment. The recipes are not low-carb and the nutritional data doesn't add up correctly for many of them. And, it's hardly smart - since when is half a bagel a "smart" choice? Or half a cookie? And who can eat half? That's like giving half a cigarette to a chain smoker and calling it a "smart choice". No- pass on this one. There are so many really good choices now, that purchasing this one would not be very "smart". I would suggest Dr. Atkins and the Drs. Eades programs, that are backed by research, clinical documentation and a great track record for success.

This book is all about intelligent low-carb choices to trim excess sugars (and fats and calories) out of your diet. It is not--thank God!--a high-maintenance program that you will fall off of at the first opportunity. If you want tasty low-carb recipes, sensible guidelines to low-carb living, and well-written facts on how this kind of lifestyle works, this is the book to get. I agree that Prevention could have made better editorial choices (pancakes on the cover is really stupid), but they're no worse than what you see in every issue of a diet magazine (showing a photo of a huge chunk of cake when the recipe's nutritional analysis calls for a razor-thin slice).

This book is not for low-carb "eat a slice of bread and die" fanatics . If you are a sensible type, disregard the hateful reviews, consider the sources, and give this book a try. I did and lost 25 pounds in two months.

When I first saw the title with the words "smart low-carb" I had hopes that this book wouldn't disappoint, as so many others have. Well, hooray! It didn't. This is one of the best diet books I've read and I have a bookshelf full of them. The book is well written and plenty lucid and the suggestions are sensible. The authors tell you straight out that portion size is important and that calories count: you can't gorge yourself and expect to lose weight. I've tried some of the recipes and they are tremendously delicious. The book is a keeper.

I wanted so much to like this book-- there is such need for a good tome of this sort. Unfortunately this book doesn't satisfy that need. I had hoped it would give much in-depth knowledge of each element. It does not: it is remedial, and, sadly, that in the truest sense. Now, even a remedial book of this sort would be nothing to sneer at, and I would have rated it much, much higher were it not for the fact that, not only does it offer but a smidgeon of information about each element, but that information is badly written (often quite prolix), and worse, replete with the most glaring inaccuracies and downright errors! I found myself scribbling corrections and refutations in the margins, I was so annoyed! One could quote literally dozens -- almost every little element-entry contained one or more flat inaccuracies. The definitions of technical terms alone are so poor I can only surmise the author has but a poor understanding of his subject. And indeed the information he presents seems to be an uneven patchwork of data gleaned from all over, some from old books now quite out of date. (He, for example, writes that Thorium is "like hafnium above it in Group IVA of the periodic chart"-- and that's no longer the case as of the 1940s. He says that Iodine "has no naturally occuring isotopes" -- and his definition of an isotope is an element "with more than the normal neutrons" in its nucleus). He writes that Helium was one of the elements "predicted by the periodic chart" -- totally wrong: far from being predicted by the chart, the discovery of the Noble Gases in toto, from 1895 to 1899, came as a complete surprise to all. In fact, no one had the slightest clue that an entire group of the chart remained to be discovered. I could go on-- and on-- AND ON --- with this litany of error, but why? Better to look for an old copy of Hammond's "Encyclopedia of the Chemical Elements", or Greenwood & Earnshaw's magisterial "Chemistry of the Elements", than wasting your money on this.

I used it for my project, great book. I reccommednt it for 8th graders or middle schoolers.

When I accepted an admission offer from Stanford, I wanted to learn all I could about the environment into which I would be entering. Having read the book, I developed expectations about the culture of Stanford, expectations which, upon arriving on the Stanford campus, I found to be errant.

This book is quite a disappointment. Suffering both from poor editing and omission of crucial facts, the contents do not flow smoothly. The text is presented in a somewhat offensively over-refined and pretentious manner, the kind one finds in art museum catalogs or as introductions to Penguin Classics. The reader gains little sense of the beauty of the campus, as only a few of the photographs depict the excellent landscaping, the detail of Quad buildings, or the quality of materials and construction of the buildings. The foothills of the Stanford campus, and the trails leading up to the Dish aren't even included -- an omission that reflects poorly on the editors. Equally poor editorial judgment can be found in the photograph of the Hoover Tower appearing in one of the chapters -- this famous landmark is shown in its early construction, as an unsightly steel frame amid a dirt field.

To the credit of the authors, they give an engaing account of the history of the variously defined Stanford master plans, and of the culture which gave rise to the different stages of the campus' expansion.

In general, the reader's labors are not rewarded with fresh perspectives, or a sense of the spirit that habituates Stanford. If one toured the Stanford campus before reading the book, one might wonder what drove the editors to present such an excellent environment so vapidly.