Chester Finn's new book is said to be the best book on charter schools yet written. And in many respects, it is. He and his two co-authors have packed in statistics and numbers, and they have reported interesting interviews and sidebars from persons who have started or implemented charter schools. They remain upbeat about the ultimate outcome of charter schools, and believe that by the year 2010 we will have witnessed a proliferation of school choice in America.

I love their optimism, and I wish I could be so optimistic, too. Finn and his colleagues believe the unions will eventually accommodate to the charter schools and quit trying to kill them with thousands of small cuts. They believe that charter schools, which exemplify American inventiveness and determination, will survive the non-existent capital funding, which prevents them from building and owning their own facilities. (You do not have to have a MBA to figure out that charter school rents are paid from lower teachers' salaries.) They even believe that charter schools will eventually force, by market competition, the public schools to change.

I cannot see exactly why the unions will quit their attacks, why public authorities will open the capital facilities question, or how charter schools will avoid massive re-regulation (as in special education or bilingual education).

For these reasons, then, I think Finn and his colleagues are persuasive idealists, but I am not persuaded. Even 3,000 charter schools across the country will not change the face of public education in America. Only when parents receive vouchers will there really be a free-market change. Charter schools are just the way-station. Not bad ones, but not the revolutionary change that Finn imagines.

The Charter School model is perilously close to the idea of both ad-hoc home schooling and the distasteful voucher system now championed by many powerful groups and individuals who also seem delighted by the Charter model. Both the Charter and voucher approaches operate in two problematic ways: 1) They help further underfund already strapped inner city and rural public schools and 2) They most often shortchange teachers in the process. A third, and even more frightening threat is that these schools will soon be subject to the same ideological restrictions as the public school system (with its cruel zero-tolerance policies for both mischievous juvenile behavior and free, unregulated inquiry).

In a democracy, one is already free to start one's own independent school. There are many routes to funding such schools without picking the pockets of the much larger public school system or coming under the aegis of public school boards and their often petty bureacratic control of ideological content and democratic free inquiry. A true alternative school must come up with truly democratic and alternative means of funding. Just as there "is no such thing as a free lunch," (or perhaps their days are numbered ) there is no easy road to creating democratic alternatives for young people, particularly those who are at risk in one way or another. It takes work, commitment, and also a fundamental respect for the students and teachers who actually make the school exist and work.

From what I have read (including some horror stories of schools simply shut down by those in real authority), I cannot believe the Charter model is the right way to go. If you wish to create an independent alternative, our democracy already gives one the right to do so. To raise money by raiding the pockets of public schoolchildren and teachers is simply untenable. In a real independent alternative school, there are often teachers who sometimes are willing to work for less (for a time), but they do so entirely by force of their own idealism. At the end of the day, everyone wishes and deserves to be accorded their fair share.

RM, Ph.D.

For the past 20 years, Chester Finn has been a behind the scenes and in some cases, in front of the crowd leader for most of the great education reforms that have occurred in the past 20 years. Having had the great fortune to be one of Finn's students at Vanderbilt many years ago, I have had a chance to read the plethora of great books and articles that Finn has published. This is another in that series. Don't just buy this book and The Educated Child (which apparently is a huge bestseller) go back and buy all his books. Finn is a great academic who is blessed with an ability to communicate to the common person.

Finn may talk about the education that children receive but he is the best educator a parent can ever find. We are expecting our first grandchild in a few weeks and I want my daughter to read every book that Professor Finn has written. It will ensure the success of my grandchild's future.

Don McNay...

Pzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...slang for "hey girl, how can I get wit chu? "
(Out fitted players on the cover)
Basquiat's pallette is overwelming. This book has many previously unpubllished works by the late artist. Most of the drawings are exceptional...The paintings on the other hand are mostly unresolved. It would have been nice if the images were in FOCUS! But the over all production is good. Leaves me wondering when the rest of his unpublished drawings will see light of day.

Some of the drawings are disappointingly un-sharp reproductions and/or are too small. Basquiat's drawings are extremely delicate and detailed and more beautiful than his paintings. They must be reproduced with high quality sharpness and at a proper size to be fully enjoyed and appreciated.

This book (the one with "PZ" on the cover, since Amazon has decided to not seperate certain reviews to certain books...) is another great treat for any basquiat fan. It has some very intelligent writings by Keith Haring, Francesco Clemente and others. Also, it contains some informative interviews with the late artist that contain some of his famous quotes. One thing that is most exciting about this book is that it shows almost all of the Basquiat/Warhol and Basquiat/Warhol/Clemente collaborations! Also, the photographs and art reproductions are amazingly done. If you love Basquiat, or even mildly admire him (or Haring, Clemente, or Warhol for that matter) you NEED this book. Matt

If there are any other Basquiat fans out there looking for someone to talk to about art like I am, then please e-mail me.

Although all facts in international investments is covered, the author did not add his comments or insight.

No further knowledge gained except knowing the facts. I wish I could find a more interesting and useful book on this topic.

Simply the best on international investing.
This is a sophisticated book tht teach you how to think and how to implement.
Designed for an investment professional. But great pedagogy and not US-centric.

This book is easy to read, full of factual info. the numerous problems and exercises help understand and apply the concepts of global investments; It is recommended for the CFA exam and I fully agree.

While Mr. Lucchesi is obviously a very talented sculpter of the human physique,I found this book to be somewhat simplistic in it's approach. Going through its pages was similar to watching the how-to-paint shows on PBS,a few little tricks here and there to get a quick effect,but no real exploration as to what makes a sculpture a real work of art or a true portrait. For someone who already posseses an understanding of anatomy,who knows the foundation of modeling the head,this book describes not much more than forming a maniken. There is no discussion of the relationships between parts of the face or how those relations change with different emotions. I can only recommend this book to beginners with no previous modeling experience.

I am interested primarily in learning figure sculpture, so I bought this as a companion to the volumes "Modeling the Figure in Clay" and "Terracotta." I must say I was not disappointed. The book is a walkthrough of a single sculpture, but it is not developed in the anatomical style taught in "Modeling the Figure in Clay." Students of portraiture may prefer a more detailed treatment of facial anatomy. However, the work shown in the book has the grace and "flow" which is so difficult for beginners to master -- and which is tough to learn without viewing the piece as an integrated whole.

I bought this book (along with several others) while taking a class in sculpture. I found it to be the most informative and inspiring of any source, including my sculpture teacher. Using a series of close-up, detailed photographs, the book walks the student through the steps of creating a clay head. I followed them and made a good (for me) sculpture of a man's head and later a bust of a woman. I went on to make other clay faces, incorporated into mugs and pots. I don't pretend to be a great sculptor but, thanks to this book, I am able to make recognizable sculptures. The excellent directions include how to control surface texture using water and a brush; it is possible to make clay look like skin. If you are struggling to bring clay to life, this book doesn't just tell you how, it shows you how.

Randall Black

I had high hopes for this little book. I currently read about 100 books a year (and particularly enjoy mafia/underworld stories) but this one lacked...well...just about everything. The plot, though largely well-conceived, was interrupted incessantly with meaningless flashbacks. Otherwise powerful scenes became limp with annoying character daydreaming. Not only was there an abundance of typos (probably publisher's error) but the strange use of italics and punctuation frequently distracted this reader. And pacing was irregular: the novel's sense of "time" varied from paragraph to paragraph; the story bumped along. But perhaps the biggest disappointment was the writing itself. I found no voice in the book. Instead, choppy phrases and trite descriptions ("Mama's tired eyes lingered and drank the shared love her men demonstrated for one another") left me searching for writing skills. So I wasted a little time. Big deal. I learn something every day.

The Pact With Bruno weaves a web of excitement, breathless anticipation, and heart-rendering emotion. The words followed one another in spell-binding anticipation, as I read page after page, chapter after chapter, until the very last word of the novel concluded the end of The Pact With Bruno.

David O'Neal has a unique way of taking a great character, Doug Carlson, and sending him on another, and even greater, adventure. Carlson is a more three-dimensional "Dirk Pitt," of Cussler fame, but just as gutsy and demonstrates that he can match wits with an array of very interesting characters. I can't wait until the next O'Neal book!

As a recently misplaced Chicagoan, pizza has always been a main staple in my family and I must say that this book falls VERY short of the mark when compared to Mr. Bruno's other book on pizza: The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook. It is a nice addition for those who enjoy collecting cookbooks and does have a few good pointers, but if a person wishes to make REAL pizza, he/she should get the other book and follow Mr. Bruno's recipes and suggestions to the letter at first. I also think Mr. Bruno could have been more honest in the appendix about pizza places in Chicago. His list is old and needs to be updated; a person following his recommendations would be disappointed in their Chicago pizza experience. O'Fame and Gino's East are GREAT, but he knows as well as anyone that NOBODY from Chicago who isn't driving his parent's car has gone to Uno's since the Carter administration. Uno's and Due's have become the Chi-Chi's of pizzas. The other places he lists are OK at best. There are some fantastic pizza parlors around the area that he undoubtedly knows about and should mentioned. But then again, maybe he's like me and doesn't include his favorite place so it remains a quiet, neighborhood joint where only the most initiated pizza-hunter ventures.

Ever think you might want to hear about pizza being made with Amaretto, cookies, or fruits? If so, get this book, it's pretty good.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who wants to make great pizza at home. The recipes are easy to follow & use ingredients found in any store. The book is in b/w with no pictures.

The book starts out with a brief history of pizza and gives an overview of all the ingredients in the pizzas. The section on dough lists all the ingredients involved & what they do. Troubleshooting information is also included.

There are recipes for 9 different doughs, 5 different sauces & a few oils. Many styles of pizza are then given including Mediterranean, Italian, American & dessert. I really loved the spinach stuffed & deep dish pizzas.

The breakfast pizza is a great change when you get sick of eating cereal & the sweet ricotta pie with espresso syrup is a must for any coffee lover. A list of good pizza places to eat both in the US & other countries is a nice bonus.

Prof. Ulam's recent death need not deter anyone from finding this book a welcome salve to the usual academic tomes that even he sometimes produced during his many years as a father of Sovietology. His studennts and colleagues knew him as a real "mensch" and this book shows those who didn't get to know him how a powerful set of personal experiences, both before and during the Cold War, made it possible for Adam to create a unique body of knowledge which was truly innovative.

Those who were not terrible cognizant of the sometimes stark and sometimes ambigious realities of the Cold War will find this an engaging read.

I have never read any of Professor Ulam's other works (I believe the tally ended at 18, with this book, after Ulam's death). I had been told by several friends and colleagues that his were, if nothing else, a brilliant marriage of the scholarly and the approachable. The latter is more the case here, wherein Ulam provides his life story, with the tumultuous changes in Europe (both East AND West) as the backdrop.

More than just a series of anecdotes strung together with a calendar, Ulam presents us with gripping and often moving tales from his past - including, most notably (to me), his departure from Poland at the age of 16, just six days before Hitler's invasion.

This is a book I'll proudly display on my shelf; it's certainly not one I would have run out and bought the second it hit the shelves, but it was, like a roller-coaster ride through the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, a breathtaking journey, and one I'll revisit again and again.

Written by Adam B. Ulam (1922-2000) an erudite professor emeritus of Harvard University, Understanding The Cold War: A Historian's Personal Reflections, is both an engaging, informative examination of the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, and a an intimate, candid confession of how the world-changing effects of the Cold War personally affected his family. Vividly written and tracing a personal legacy in the post World War II world, Understanding The Cold War offers the reader a different perspective on history, embracing the microcosmic as well as the world-spanning shape of events.

Again, I have the same problem with this book of black & white images of male nude models as I did with the other's in the Edition Euros Series. I would like to know more about the photographer, Herve Bodilis, and his work. Again, there is no biography of the photographer. That aside, these are standard images of guys alone, some nude, and a few very erotic images of guys together. These are not all pretty guys, and perfect models, but everyday real men. I enjoyed this photographer's work, and have added it to my collection. However, if I had only one or two of the Euros Series books to select & buy, this wouldn't be it.

This Edition Euros book, like most of them, is filled with B&W images which are my favourite. Colour takes away some of what you can add with your imagination.

Bodilis, a French photographer, has managed to piece together a collection of erotically charged photographs of men who are extremely sexy yet who are not the standard "perfect" form. Some images are solos and some are duos.

Not the best in the series, but Edition Euros remain amongs the very best of books presenting the male form in sexy photo images ate an affordable price. As usual, the printing and binding are first-class.

Raw, bawdy, hedonistic, sensual, and passionate. This is more than a book of photography, this shows the male species in all it splendor. Filled with sexuality both overt and covert. A must have for collectors of nude (male) erotic art and photography....

"This is Carla. This is Scarlet. This is Sandra." More than 30 years after Francoise Sagan and Federico Fellini wrote that opening to "Mirror of Venus" by Wingate Paine, Bruno Bisang presents a remarkably similar work subtitled "Whoever Touches Me Is Lost", erotic studies in black and white of heroic beauties within arm's reach. The books and the photographers share a wonderful sense of intimacy with the models, watching them in auto-erotic spells, sharing their space, so close you can feel their breath and the heat from their skin. Paine's work was almost all high-key, with a lot of playful gesture, laughing, and flirtatious. Bisang is much more focused on dark sex, playing with the conventions from men's magazines with shadowy lesbian overtures and self-loving models (including flopped-negative facing pages of Tyra Banks passionately checking under her jacket). There's a heterosexual encounter -- many little pictures -- near the end of the book and it's THAT close to NC-17, but lacking the one view that would take it to X. The work is mostly conventional, erotic, and very stylish -- again, much like Paine's of the last century -- making it a daring addition to the almost-polite coffee table collection. (There are no images of the feminine naughty bit.) An unfortunate feature the two works share is preposterous text. Paolo Pietroni's essay explaining the significance of the pictures is utterly lost on me, with his confusing and persistent mixed metaphor of the "complicity" of the "Hunter and the Prey". A minor annoyance is providing page numbers only on the few pages on which text appears. The index at the back of the book helpfully points readers to specific models on specific pages, but lots of page counting is needed to get from the number on a distant text page to an un-numbered image destination. Photo reproduction and paper stock are good quality and appropriate for the price.

i think that be nice more if u can add more photo at beach that is all from me, thanx

If you want some beautiful, stylish, nude fashion photography, that is not too experiental and yet imaginative then, this is the right book for you. All in black & white and feature only supermodels, you have great bodies that are photographed in a fluid, very dynamic way, full of energy, not like some static conventional posts, yet still capturing the simple beauty of the human body. Fully recommended for enthusiasts of nude photography.

We used this book in a systems programming class I had at IIT in Chicago. It is not the end all "bible of PC", but it is certainly a very, very good book. Much of the information you will never use, but there will come a time when you will need that one sub-routine that no one else can find or understands, and you pull a code snippet out of this book, apply it to your code, and appear "god-like" to your colleagues. This has happend at least five times since I've owned both editions, and for that, the book has paid for itself. If you write code that goes beyond what the component libraries in your prgramming environment can provide, such as multimedia, games, or networking, it would be a wise investment to have this book in your arsenal. David C. Freeman

Well, what to say about this book ? On one hand, it has really good examples for system programming. On the other hand, you sometimes should ask yourself: "Man, this is a good code and it works well...but, what is the use for myself?" What I want to say, is that you often learn good tricks but you will never need them. Sometimes there are also things, which are very difficult, but not very well explained and you need another book to understand it completely. But at least the biggest part of this book is very useful, and every ambitious DOS coder should own it...unfortunately, the later books of this series also contain Windows-programming...Windows and System-programming....hmmm. (Sorry for my bad English, I'm from Germany)

I tend to agree with adrian2's comments. Abacus books, in general, often have flaws. Many exist in their Atari ST documentation, still this book contains many things the expanding programmer will need to know to do more than just use existing library routines found in their language. The code and documentation will help you do lots of fancy tricks in DOS. The 1992 version has lots of Quick BASIC code and if you program in Quick or Power BASIC you might want to find the 1992 edition. There is also THE DOS PROGRAMMER'S REFERENCE by Jamsa, which has less Quick BASIC code, but is also an excellent book. Both should be in any serious DOS programmers libraries.