I really wish people would stop placing Buddy Holly's sex life on the stand. Really, if you want to make a sex story of him, write it and say this is an fiction book! Is that too hard to understand??? But, it was better than Ellis Amburn's book.

Norman's biography strips away many of the hitherto half-truths and speculations about the young rock and roll pioneer, whose death in a plane crash is an occurrence that most everyone in the Western world knows about, since it has mythologized Holly as rock and roll's first martyr.

What not many people know is the difficult and at times troubled existence that Holly led during his brief two years in the spotlight. Norman's book is best when he details the insidious influence of Holly's eccentric producer and "manager," Norman Petty, who orchestrated a devious plan to not only deprive Holly of ever collecting his due monies, but to pit Holly's two bandmates against him during the ugly legal wrangling, eventually tying Holly's hands and leaving him no choice but to tackle a grueling winter tour to raise cash for himself and his expectant wife.

While Norman's writing is sometimes weighed down with starstruck adulation, no other Holly biographer has written such a gripping and chilling account of Holly's final days. Many questions about the plane crash remain unanswered, as they probably will always be, but Norman's practical approach to the facts puts things into perspective without embracing some of the more outlandish hypotheses that have surfaced in recent years (such as Holly shooting the pilot in mid-flight). Norman acknowledges but does not pursue such tabloidish details, and though he comes across as a staunch Holly admirer, he presents his subject honestly.

This book is highly recommended to anyone who wants the most truthful chronicle of Buddy Holly's ill-fated but enormously influential life.

This book will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Buddy Holly, but from the perspective of Britain. Philip Norman seems astonished by things that are commonplace to Americans. It is not a big deal to drive a hundred miles, spend a couple of hours, and drive back. High school yearbooks are not a big deal. Eddie Cochran was not a big star in the USA; Dion was a big star. Little things like this can add up fast. I recommend this book, but not unreservedly.

A story clearly told by one with a fond affection for both Buddy Holly's body of work and his gentle persona. The author relates his own discovery of Buddy while growing up in England and pays deserved attention to the songs themselves. Rediscover the music of Buddy while reading the book and encourage young people to give him a listen.

One of the most comprehensive texts on entomopathogenic viruses to be published recently is that by F. R. Hunter-Fujita et al. (authors and editors). This opus magnum is divided into four sections: basic principles; world survey, practical techniques; and environmental factors influencing viral survival.

The section on basic principles is subdivided into 10 chapters on: the rationale for using microbial pesticides, virus characteristics, assessment of biological activity, baculovirus ecology in insects, control strategies, virus production, formulation, spray application, conducting and recording field trials and future developments. Although this section duplicates much of what has been presented in earlier texts, it brings together information that has not been integrated into one text before, updates earlier information and broadens the utility of the book. The "rationale" chapter is a concise and convincing justification for the use of microbial control agents of insect pests. A fairly short chapter describing characteristics of entomopathogenic viruses provides a synopsis of each of the families of viruses found in insects with the majority of the information devoted to the Baculoviruses. The chapter also includes the latest nomenclatural information. The next chapter is a short introduction to the principles of assessment of biological activity that is supplemented with detailed "hands on" procedures in part three of the book (Practical Techniques). The chapter on ecology of baculoviruses in insect hosts presents a detailed overview of this subject and supplies the reader with a multitude of references. In addition to pathology and the dynamics of virus transmission, biotic and abiotic factors that influence viral activity in insects, persistence of virus in the environment and epidemiology, there is a section on the use of models in understanding and using Baculoviruses in pest management. The chapter on control strategies includes the use of viruses in classical and semi-classical biological control, inundative applications, methods to enhance effectiveness and integration of viruses with other pathogens and conventional chemical insecticides. Chapters on virus production, formulation and spray application present a mix of theory and practical information. The most comprehensive of these is the chapter on formulation which includes a broad range of formulation components and their functions. The chapter on "Conduct and recording of field control trials" delivers a concise overview on a variety of topics related to conducting field trials, including parameters related to the condition of the virus inoculum, virus coverage, susceptibility of the target insect, field design and statistical treatment, and recording data.

Part two of the book, "World survey" is a review of the usage of entomopathogenic viruses against specific pests from a global perspective. Twelve chapters cover 11 geographical regions in terms of current research and control practices. The introductory chapter by P. F. Entwistle presents an overview in the form of tables for each of the geographic areas covered in subsequent chapters. In addition to the viruses that are addressed in each zone, the tables present an overview of work being conducted on: strain search, characterization, infectivity testing, ecology, safety testing, environmental impact studies, formulation research, field trials, extension trials, production and development, registration, commercialization and sales. The following eleven chapters are contributed by 15 authors, most of which are from the geographic areas being covered. The length and content of the chapters varies, but the reader will be furnished with a summary of fairly up to date information literally from the four corners of the globe. The general format of each chapter includes a regional perspective, information on virus production, formulation, safety tests and registration, and field experimentation. Most of the information regarding field experimentation and efficacy is organized under specific target pest insects.

Part three is an extensive "how to do" section of the book that concentrates on techniques used to work with entomopathogenic viruses and their production in host insects and cell lines. It also includes biochemical and molecular methods (Western blots, protein assay, PCR, etc.) and a variety of useful information from general laboratory practice to spray application. The chapter on mass production, product formulation and quality control actually contains very little regarding mass production, but procedures for production are covered in several other chapters. Procedures for formulating virus supplement the detailed chapter on formulation in part one of the book. The final chapter of the section on registration requirements is a bit out of place in that it does not include practical techniques per se. Chapters in this section will be useful to the novice as well as the experienced insect pathologist and include step by step procedures, materials that are required, and didactic figures and diagrams to assist the user.

Part four on environmental factors influencing viral survival contains two short chapters focusing on solar radiation and the effect plant surfaces can have on viral activity. The solar radiation chapter generally covers the physical properties and biological impact of ultraviolet radiation in terms of damage to DNA, RNA and proteins. The chapter on plant surfaces addresses the effects of leaf surface macro- and micro-structure, and chemical and micro-meteorological conditions and their measurement.

The book will make an excellent addition to the library of anyone working on entomopathogenic viruses. Its thorough coverage of the subject will provide the reader with a single source of information without the need to cross reference another 2 or more books. The dedication of the book to the late Norman Crook is a sad reminder that we have lost one of our best in the field of entomopathogenic viruses.

I picked this book off the library shelf because of the bright cover and took it home because the jacket copy promised a funny book centered on Fleet street in 1966. The book does deliver on its promise to take one back to London's "swinging sixties" but the story itself is a wee bit flat. The hero is a young journalist who makes it out of a small town newspaper and onto the staff of England's trend setting Sunday magazine where he must cope with all kinds of nasty folks. There is a "super-journalist" mentor who turns out not to be as great a fellow as the naive hero thinks. There is a beautiful but duplicitous girlfriend, and any number of backbiting, catty people. Indeed, few characters are rendered sympathetically. The author is apparently an authority on music of the era, which allows him to slip The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix into the book (Liz Taylor and Richard Burton also make an appearance). All in all, I think this would have been a lot more enjoyable had I lived in London during the era (or at least maybe been alive), 'cos I didn't find the book nearly as funny as other reviewers did.

The language used in the novel works wonderfully within the setting of Fleet Street journalism. The only thing lacking in this novel is further insight into the mind of Louis, a smart but constantly taken advantage of character. Readers will be delightfully entertained with his detailed and entertaining observations and accounts. His obsessions with clothes, music and the city of London a highlight. Although essential to the plot, his times within the Sunday Dispatch can prove frustrating for both Louis and reader!

Simply put... This book lost its integrity with its first incorrect solution.

This book's title is misleading. It should be titled something like "The Big Book of Brain Teasers". It should NOT have the words "IQ Tests" in its title. If you want an accurate assessment of your IQ, look elsewhere. Here's why:

1) It contains too many culture-specific questions. A valid IQ test (i.e., one that "accurately" measures one's intelligence quotient) should contain few, if any, culture-specific questions. This book contains a lot of them.

2) It also contains too many questions that have multiple "correct" answers. Once again, in a properly constructed IQ test, for each question there will be one, and ONLY one, correct answer. This book contains numerous questions that could be answered "correctly" in more than one way.

In short, if you enjoy solving puzzles, etc., for fun, then you MIGHT enjoy this book (I say "might" because you may very well end up being frustrated by the multitude of questions which could be answered "correctly" a number of ways), but if you're looking for a properly constructed IQ test that will give you an accurate measurement of your intelligence, you'll likely be disappointed. I sure was.

This book's title is misleading. It should be titled something like "The Big Book of Brain Teasers". It should NOT have the words "IQ Tests" in its title. If you want an accurate assessment of your IQ, look elsewhere. Here's why:

1) It contains too many culture-specific questions. A valid IQ test (i.e., one that "accurately" measures one's intelligence quotient) should contain few, if any, culture-specific questions. This book contains a lot of them.

2) It also contains too many questions that have multiple "correct" answers. Once again, in a properly constructed IQ test, for each question there will be one, and ONLY one, correct answer. This book contains numerous questions that could be answered "correctly" in more than one way.

In short, if you enjoy solving puzzles, etc., for fun, then you MIGHT enjoy this book (I say "might" because you may very well end up being frustrated by the multitude of questions which could be answered "correctly" a number of ways), but if you're looking for a properly constructed IQ test that will give you an accurate measurement of your intelligence, you'll likely be disappointed. I sure was.

Los autores predicen que en los próximos años (la obra ha sido escrita en 1989) las decisiones estratégicas tomadas por quienes dirigen las empresas van a ser sometidas a situaciones cambiantes como nunca se han visto antes, esto debido "... a las fuertes mareas económicas resultado de la dimensión mundial..." (globalizacion) y a cambios generados en los mercados mas industrializados como Estados Unidos, Japón y Europa. Este nuevo contexto exige a quienes toman las decisiones estar muy al tanto de las nuevas tecnologías, de las nuevas oportunidades de mercado, reconocer oportunidades y riesgos según se vayan presentando estos y diseñar organizaciones que se adapten muy rápido a las nuevas condiciones imperantes. La obra dice "... serán esenciales las innovaciones en el uso tanto de la dirección como de la tecnología basada en la ciencia"

Los autores desarrollan este libro, explicando nueve fenómenos empresariales fundamentales que han identificado como base para obtener "... fuentes de visión y vitalidad para el desarrollo de estrategias competitivas."

Las organizaciones deberán diseñar productos y servicios competitivos que mejoren significativamente el beneficio y el flujo de efectivo, generando valor para los accionistas.

El desarrollo de estos nuevos productos y servicios, requerirá que la empresa se anticipe a las necesidades de los clientes tanto corporativos como personas. (Entendamos como clientes al grupo principal de estos, los clientes clave, nuestro nicho y entendamos como necesidad la tendencia de consumo que va adquiriendo, o esta por adquirir, este grupo) La tecnología avanza y pone al alcance del mercado parte de esta, haciéndola accesible. Las organizaciones deben identificar que tecnología se adecua y mejora su producto o servicio para que esta siga siendo competitiva. Probablemente (esta confirmado) el acceso a tecnologia de punta, brinde a las organizaciones una ventaja en la identificacion de oportunidades y en el aprovechamiento de estas. Ademas estas organizaciones deberan estar preparadas para aprovechar estas ventajas.

The grim realisation that the last 20 years would be given very superficial treatment dawns when you are several hundred pages in and it's still the early 80's. Very disappointing as Elton had a very popular and successful period during the mid-80's and several top albums and great tours were glossed over. The last 10 years fairs even worse - it appears a superficial update to cash in on EJ's Knighthood status. Even the well publicised friendship with the Princess of Wales is hardly touched. Pity 'cause I enjoyed particularly the coverage of the 70's ...

W Martin (WMPuppet@aol.com) from United States , January 24, 2001 Only for the casual fan, REAL fans will find this tedious. For the casual fan, there is no better book on the life and career of Sir Elton John than this. However, for any serious fan this "updated" re-issue is a waste. Mr. Norman never did appear to have his heart in writing the original and ten years later all he has managed to add is about a half dozen pages of quotes from Elton's stepmother Edna Dwight, who he secured an interview, following the death of Elton's father Stanley. Mrs. Dwights reflections, including a picture and some letters between father and son, are very interesting. They shed a very different light on her late husband's relationship with Elton, from the version Elton has given through the years. But that's it.

Mr. Norman has come up with NOTHING on Elton's breakup with longtime manager John Reid. He merely includes what has been reported in the tabloid press. (Mr. Norman's idea of research?) While this story is still evolving, as any industry insider will tell you, it's dynamite. A book in and of itself. An author with the ego of Philip Norman's should be ashamed for releasing an updated version without including the REAL story regarding Mr. Reid. But then again, this is the same author who released the book in it's original form without including any information on Elton's multiple addictions that nearly cost him his life. Everyone in the business was fully aware of the situation at the time, yet Mr. Norman's reaction was one of total shock, learning of the condition when Elton went public after the books initial release.

The book in it's first printing, while giving a good overview of Elton's life and career was riddled with errors, including misquotes, wrong dates and fabrications. (In particular, events pertaining to Elton's career in the U.S.) These errors were made known at the time, to both author and publisher. As far as I can tell, NONE have been corrected.

As for Elton's quote "He's got me spot on", that the publisher is so fond of including in ads, well, Elton did say this. However, Elton was referring to what Mr. Norman descrbes as "Elton's little moments", not the book as a whole. At the time he invited Philip Norman to his London residence for tea, Elton had not yet read the entire book. He said at the time that he was only half through it. Elton is also on record as being very angry that Mr. Norman took what was intended to be a private discussion and included the transcript as an additional chapter in the paperback editions that followed. Ironically, it's the only accurate chapter Mr. Norman's tome has.

This is all truly disappointing. At 581 pages and as the title itself promises, this should have been "The Definitive" Sir Elton John bio. Unfortunately, it is not.

There has been no Biblical proof yet offered which shows that Jesus was a marketing man, or that marketing is to be part of the growth of Jesus' Kingdom.

See my critique in Testing the Claims of Church Growth.

This is good marketing, but poor theology.