In recent years Christians have become increasingly polarized around the question of what and how women should serve in the church and in the world, with rival organizations, conferences, books and articles all catching the public eye. Competing explanations of scripture, of history, and of human nature all vie for attention, while on the ground, churches and Christian ministries find themselves in tension between members who not only disagree, but question the fidelity of those with whom they differ. Linda Belleville has served us well with a book that moves sure-footedly through the issues: she gathers and concisely presents evidence for the actual roles women played in New Testament times, sets well the context for understanding Biblical statements, and judiciously presents and weighs differing interpretations of crucial texts about women and about leadership in the church. This is a book to move the discussion forward, eliminating some points of contention, and clarifying what's at issue in others.

In World War II In Colonial Africa: The Death Knell Of Colonialism, Richard Osborne provides a history of the entire continent of Africa during World War II. This era comprised several African theaters of war and Osborne reveals how they related to each other as well as to the conflicts taking place in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the oceans surrounding the African continent. A unique and invaluable edition to World War II histories as well as highly recommended for African and 20th Century international studies reading lists, World War II In Colonial Africa also examines the wartime experiences of the native African populations, and how those experiences influenced the eventual post-war decolonization of the continent.

I suspect the book is a little over my head, but it's very thorough & well-reasearched. For a layman like myself, I think I'd like photos - or colour pictures of the animals too - but as the author says, the book goes beyond the normal "field guides" which aim to help with animal identification.

If you want to know things like how the lives of a dikdik & a duiker differ (but you could tell them apart), this is the book for you!

While on a college course in northern Tanzania, I had the great honour of having Dr. Estes as my professor. The book speaks of over 2 decades of knowledge, it is a must have for the travler or researcher. Not only good as a field type guide but wonderfuly done and useful for all topics on african wildlife. I urge all intrested go buy Estes' books.

I used this book while on a course in Kenya and thought it was great. It describes various mammalian behaviors often seen in the field using plain language. Consequently, even the novice can easily identify a multitude of behavioral patterns. I am purchasing it now so that I can use it to teach volunteers working at a field site in Kenya

A great reference for years ago. Unfortunately so much has been established over the past ten years regarding WWII history. This volume provides some interesting sites, however is very outdated. The some of the most major sites are not included, some should be even if they're not completed construction yet. Examples abound (these are only some): D-Day Museum New Orleans, WWII Memorial Washington DC, D-Day Memorial Bedford, VA, Bunkers Delaware Beaches, Bunkers at San Deigo, Goleta CA Japaneese Shelling site, Oregon Japaneese Bombing Site, North Carolina U-Boat Sites.

Would be a great volume if updated.

This softbound book is a quasi-tour guide containing information and short histories on major World War Two bases and camps in the United States. Previously this book was advertised in the backs of military history and VFW magazines, which did not quite do justice to sales of the book. Though bound in a flimsy softcover and printed on less than high quality paper stock, this edition is by no means a cheap basement-published affair. WORLD WAR II SITES IN THE UNITED STATES does a fairly good job telling the story of existing facilities and long abandoned sites during the Second World War. From active naval bases to deserted desert Enemy Prisoner of War camps, this reference covers well known places and lesser known oddities in each state. Other reviews have correctly pointed out that the reference does indeed skip dozens of sites. Additionally, some of the current status descriptions are inaccurate. Several of the listings would have you believe that a good many of the military bases and posts are no longer in use, when in reality they house thriving active duty military communities. On the whole though, this book is worth having as it does cover a lot of ground, locate museums, and otherwise plug the gap in our Nation's North American military heritage.

Every time I pick up this book, I just marvel at the amount of information Richard Osborne has compiled. There are thousands and thousands of entries, not just on well-known bases but on everything from German P.O.W. camps to ammunition plants. Many of the entries have pictures (both historic and modern) and the writing is concise and clear. The book is organized state-by-state, which makes it a great travelling companion.

Needless to say, this is a special-purpose book for extreme WW II buffs and historians, but if someone who fits one of those descriptions is on your gift list, they will be very appreciative.

This book has got to be one of the most confusing scientific texts I have ever read (in the realm of biology).

If you want to read a good book, try Janeway!

Kuby's book is probably one of the better text books to have if you are an immunology student. Kuby goes into detail that you will not find in other books. It is written for a higher level of understanding than most other text books. It is certainly not a beginners book. I definitely recommend this book to every graduate student studying immunology.

If a more general book is needed, try Abbas' "Cellular and Molecular Immunology". Janeway's "Immunobiology" is geared more for medical students than immunologists.

The "kuby Immunology" textbook is valuable for a number of reasons, but the two most prominent ones are: its broad content, and its simplistic outlook. Of course, the authors of this book had beginners in mind when they planned for it, yet, it has got what it takes to arouse the curiosities of experienced learners. I like the moderate details that most of the chapters parade, and the illustrative figures were colourfully done. Each topic consists of an array of smooth-flowing information, which are buttressed by supportive charts and diagrams. Even the otherwise complex immunochemistry topics were dissected in details, and without pain. This textbook will encourage any immuno-phobic beginner, while at the same time provide lifelines for those in need of revision. The only thing that I will say against it is that its price is much higher than that of other comparable texts, (like the "Roitt's Essential Immunology").

I found it as a good book, altough I dont know anything in the matter, it is a short book that many people should read, it is informative and talks about Freud's more important works, as well as a little about his life and background.

Illustrations are good and keep you entertained.

Although this book does not give a full account of Freud's works and theories, it does give a credible attempt at looking at the life, works and influences of his works. Starting out with a biography of Dr. Frued, the family affair, the education, as well as his associates. Soon looking in to the psychological theories of his works. His relationship and hardship with Dr. Carl Jung, and so many of the followers Freud had, lost and kept in his battle of Judaism and Nazism. Well accounted, fun and easy to read which makes the learning fun and easy as well. Reccomended to anyone curious about Freud without beign bogged down with technical and scholarly works. This is a good companion to Jung and Adler for Beginners. One can't also neglect "A Primer for Freudian Psychology."

In a clear, concise way, this book explains the meanings of both simple terms (like city, myth or nationhood) and more complex theoretical terms (like poststructuralism or postmodernism). I only wish that each entry had one or two bibliographic references to well-known authorities on each subject.

Timid young men named "Galahad" and "Gussie," overweight vicars, carnivore aunts and young women with voices like "beer trickling out of a jug." All of these and more were written by P.G. Wodehouse, master of the insanely sublimely silly.

Richard Usborne selects the best of Wodehouse's surreal and witty words. Sometimes he lifts a fragment of a sentence, sometimes a whole paragraph -- but he always keeps it in the right place. The quotes from Wodehouse's many books are neatly divided into categories: Golf, Literature and Art, Family Affairs, Stage and Screen, and many others. There's even a chapter devoted to witty insults, in case you need something to yell in a traffic accident. ("He had just about enough intelligence to open his mouth when he wanted to eat, but certainly no more.")

For those who want an introduction to Wodehouse, this is a good sampler. And for those who want to refresh themselves in his funny prose, this is a must-have. Where else can you find a marriage proposal that consists of "I asked her if she would like to see my name on her tombstone"?

Having read and reread Richard Osborne's book, several times, I am left disappointed each time. Either its the editor's poor job of proof reading, wit that just misses the point, or the failure to include philosophical hermenuetics (perhaps to avoid its connection with modern theology?). Yet, despite these failures, the idea of making philosophy accessable to the masses in an illustrative form is good one. I would hope that Osborne would try to write a second edition that laid off the wit a bit and present a good narrative of the history of philosophy. Till then I would suggest reading the works of Richard Palmer for a good, accessable introduction to philosophy.

One of those small books I've dog-eared since my purchase of it many years ago, Richard Osbourne's text and Ralph Edney's illustrations come together in a book that is one of the best and lightest summaries of some of the most complex ideas ever broached. This book has made me smile many times, and I even went to bat for it when one of my philosophy professors smirked at my possession of it (where else will you see a duck present Hegelian Dialectic, John Dewey playing a banjo, Wittgenstein as a chess piece, or a wedding between Marx and Freud?). While by no means a complete study, this book nevertheless egged me on when I began to take this subject seriously and when I wanted a full presentation of it minus some of the arduousness I know must come sooner or later. While there are many jokes throughout, the seriousness of the discipline is never lost, and the wealth of biographical capsulizations of the practitioners presented are remarkably accurate. While not as keen or as full a view as Donald Palmer's similar book-length intro to the subject, Philosophy For Beginners is still a worthwhile ride for those wanting to know what its all about as well as seasoned students who yearn for a rare whimsical treatment of their subject. (A point which I illustrate by keeping my copy in the car for curious passengers during traffic jams!)

Reviews are rarely about books but about other people's perceptions of them, particularly in this case. The last review, which reads like an advertisment for Donald palmer's imitations of Philosophy for beginners, is clearly about some imaginary form that exists seperate from the book itself. Philosophy is contextualised, introduced and summarised in the most lucid way imaginable in Philosophy for beginners and no amount of 'analytic' posturing obscures that fact. One thing that is stressed in philosophy is not to believe other people's views of things, try it for yourself. No good philosopher would use vague generalizations to try and justify an argument. Read the book and ignore the reviews.

Osborne gives some background on the writing of each of the mature Wagner operas. Then a quick plot summary, with some of the key musical themes. Since a synopsis comes with every complete opera recording, I'm not sure how useful these synopses are. We get too much explanation of plot and not enough critical commentary, by my standards. And little in the commentary is new; Ernest Newman's book "Wagner Nights", though 50 or so years older, is still a better introduction, making the same points as Osborne, and more.

Not all the commentary is reliable; the chapter on "Parsifal" buys into some of the nonsense first talked by Robert Gutman about this opera (the Grail knights as homosexual SS order, and so on), which has been comprehensively and devastatingly demolished by Lucy Becket in her book "Parsifal".

I find Osborne's "even-handedness" a little irritating at times. "Tristan und Isolde", he says, is a masterpiece, though it's too long, of course. That reminds me of Mozart's reply to the Emperor who thought his "Il Seraglio" score had "too many notes": "Which notes do you think I should take out?" (I'm quoting the "Amadeus" movie there, and from memory, so that's not quite what was really said, but close enough.) Like Mozart, I find that a dumb comment, unless Osborne cares to tell us which parts of "Tristan" etc we should do away with to make it shorter. And I think the job of someone writing an introduction to any composer is to be critical, certainly, but also to communicate enthusiasm, not weariness.

So for new insights, Tanner, Magee, Millington are better, and for "sources, plot plot summary plus musical commentary" Newman is better. It's not actually bad, just mediocre. Also, unlike Newman Osborne covers the first three Wagner operas, "Die Feen", "Das Liebesverbot" and "Reinzi", so that's quite useful.

Laon