If you ever wanted to enter the treasure troves of a rare manuscript collection, you can now become an arm chair traveller with James Sullivan's book that explores the "ephemera" of poetry broadsides. He analyzes the role of single-sheet poems, once passed out at rallies, peace marches, and other community events (and now carefully archived as historical documents) as a form of counter culture communication. Studying poems rising from the civil rights movement and war protests, Sullivan examines the social and economic context of these poetry "fliers" by famous and unknown poets, as well as their aesthetic design. He also provides background stories on the production process and collaborations between writers, artists, designers, and printers. Critiquing as well as celebrating this "grass roots" alternative press movement of poetry for the people and by the people, freed from the system of major commercial publishing houses, he authenticates a literary tradition that has otherwise disappeared into wastebaskets and library vaults. Started as a dissertation, this book is both scrupulously researched and highly readable, with excellent illustrations of this genre -- including works by Merwin and Ginsberg. The only book in the field that I've been able to find, it is a must for poets, poetry teachers, lovers of small press, aging hippies, and believers in art's humanitarian role in bringing change.

This book is one of the most helpful architecture and furniture books I have found. The met has put together a wide variety of periods and locations to let us look into the rooms of times past. The pictures are stunning and the descriptions are very informative.

This book explains the fundamentals of structural analysis (mainly statically determinate structures) and then goes on to the design fundamentals for different materials (wood, steel, concrete and masonry) followed by the design of the structural system for a building. I first used an earlier edition of this book when studying for my undergraduate degree as an introductory book before reading the course texts. The present edition maintains the "easy to understand" explanations of the earlier edition while adding new materials, expanding other sections and updating the design methods in line with the building codes. Emphasis is placed on understanding, the explanations given are very clear and there are numerous worked examples to illustrate the principles. The book is excellent for the beginner first getting used to structural analysis and design or for the practising engineer who has not touched structures for a while and wants to refresh his memory. However this book is only the first step and the undergraduate or practising engineer would do well to follow up on this with other more specialised books like Wang and Salmon's "Reinforced Concrete Design", Salmon and Johnson's "Steel structures: Design and behaviour", or Halperin and Bible's "Principles of Timber Design for Architects and Builders".

THIS IS A SOOOOOOOOOOO AWSOME BOOK! It helps with tons of things like Social Studies and is fun to just read around! I borowed one from my teacher and now I have one for myself!
RECOMENDED FOR ANY1! INCLUDING PEOPLE OVER 12!

An exceptional account of our secret war in Loas, pulling no punches in detailing both the bravery of many men as well as the stupidity of others. All of this woven in with a warm picture of the author's family life. In reading the book one concludes that it is an honest and straight forward account of the way our war in Loas was fought, without trying to make heros of the men who were truely the heros, nor overly critizing those who were more of a hinderance than help. In short, a clear, concise and well written account. Highly Recommeded by this reader.

I served as Chief of Security for Air America in Thailand and Vietnam from 1967-1975. I enjoyed "Mule's" book very much. For those who shared Jim Parker's experiences you will relive old memories. For those who could not be there you will find the details fascinating. I would encourage you to read this one.

I found this jewel to be more than a diamond in the rough. Parker's carefully crafted personal diary of those men and women who served our country silently, but with incredible valor and tenacity, particularly in a time of confusing events and conflicting values in our own country, is the best evidence of the "other side of the story" about our involvement in SouthEast Asia and those who served there with honor. It brought to the front the noble cause and the selfless courage of those who gave sacrifice, some the ultimate sacrifice, in a political and military conflict that ended with our withdrawal and the fall of the governments so many had fought to save. It was a book so compelling that I could not put it down as I disembarked from my flight, reading it even as I stood at the baggage return.

For patriots, veterans, historians, and the adventuresome this jewel of a book is a must read.

Stowaway by Karen Hesse was a very educational fun read. It included most of the elements which make a good book. The story is about the voyage of a young boy named Nicholas who stows away on a ship which he doesn't realize is going on an important expedition for the king. With a mixture of action, adventure, fun, friendship, and education, I found the book fun and easy to keep reading. The characters, plot, genre, and themes of Stowaway were mostly creative and interesting. Although I don't usually like historical fiction, I found this book very enjoyable.
The characters in Stowaway were very well described and detailed so I could almost feel each character's feelings. Every character served a big purpose, whether it be a captain, a scientist, or a Native boy. I found this book kind of disturbing because much more than half of the characters who I came to read about and liked either died or became sick. But the book follows very close to what actually used to happen and of course people had to die. Every character was illustrated in my mind so when that character did come to the plot, I immediately recognized it. The characters and personalities of Stowaway were one of my favorite parts of the novel.
The plot in Stowaway was one of the weakest parts of the book. It never got anywhere; the novel was just a series of mostly random events that, although interesting to read about, did not contribute to the story line and plot of the book. There really was no point to each event that happened, making me wish something relevant would happen. Instead of having just one point to which the author could create, she created many different scenes. With this type of plot, I found it annoying to read because I wanted there to be something that could be accomplished or solved at the end. Karen Hesse never set up any plot elements like this, making a very poor plot in the novel. I also realized while reading the book, that it most likely was not set up to be read by someone my age. Although some of the events may have been disturbing and harsh, Stowaway was definitely aimed toward younger children. One very positive thing to say about the plot is the amount of research and effort the author must have put into the story to make it so realistic and historical. Overall the plot was probably the weakest part of the novel.
Stowaway is a great example of its genre, historical fiction. Almost the entire read is realistic and very believable. After reading Stowaway I learned very much about the quests, diseases, boats, land, countries, people, and world of the late 1700's. Because of the abundance of research and historical facts in this book, it made up for the poor plot. Although the plot was boring, the educational parts of Stowaway almost made up for it because of how realistic it made the novel seem. There was one main scientist on the boat who obviously had the most research put into. He brought exotic plants and animals onto the boat from native countries. At least every chapter, he would find something new and interesting which Karen Hesse described in detail. Stowaway fit perfectly into the historical fiction section.
I enjoyed reading Stowaway although it could have been a much better book. Altogether, I would rate Stowaway three stars out of five. The reason this isn't higher is because of the plot. The characters and research were both amazing, which made it a pretty good read. I would recommend this book to any kid under the age of eleven or twelve because although it was educational, the writing was not very advanced and used short, easy sentences. If you enjoy reading historical fiction or you want to learn a few new things, you should read Stowaway.

The book I read Stowaway was by Karen Hesse. In 1768, an eleven-year-old boy named Nicholas Young stowed away on a ship. He hid himself from the captain the crew, and waited to be carried far away. Nick didn't know it, but the ship he chose - H.M.S. Endeavour - was bound for an amazing adventure. Captained by James Cook. Endeavour was on a secret mission to discover an unknown continent at the bottom of the globe. During his three-year voyage, Nick faced hardship and he sot out danger and proved himself brave when disaster struck. He learned to respect and trust the gentlemen on board. He made a friend and he made history.

Nicholas was weak and weak hearted when he started the voyage. At the end of the book he is a fully weathered sailor. Nick has to deal with a mean midshipsman Mr. Bootie who orders him around like a dog. He overcomes problems like that by just doing it perfectly so Mr. Bootie can't yell at him. I overcome most problems like Nick I do them as well as I can so nobody can yell at me. I might like to stowaway on a ship because I love boats and I think it would be fun to sail on one. ." "I figured that this one would be as good as Out Of The Dust. It is, but in a different way. I loved how much it taught me about history and how it's sent me hunting for answers to questions it raised. The map on the inside of the front and back covers was invaluable in tracking the trip. And what a nice surprise at the end of the book to find out there was a real Nicholas." Said a person from College Station, TX USA " I loved the book I would give it 5 stars *****. I would recommend this book to any body who loves adventure books. Stowaway was a book I could not put down until I finished it.

My grandson is going to be 11 this month. I've decided that he's getting this book as his birthday book. Nicholas, the boy in the book, is 11 when he stows away on the HMS Endeavor, which is captained by Captain JamesCook. What better way to show an 11 year old what the future can be than to follow the exploits of another 11 year old in his trek around the world. I picked this book up to read because of the author. I loved OUT OF THE DUST by Karen Hesse. I figured that this one would be as good. It is, but in a different way. I loved how much it taught me about history and how it's sent me hunting for answers to questions it raised. The map on the inside of the front and back covers was invaluable in tracking the trip. And what a nice surprise at the end of the book to find out there was a real Nicholas.

The Handbook of Emotional Intelligence is a must read for anyone who is serious about emotional intelligence. Through this book, Bar-On and Parker have brought together a world-class collection of academics, psychologists and researchers. Before the Handbook was written, researchers and practitioners who wanted to get to the bottom of emotional intelligence needed to look up thousands of sources to even start their research. Bar-On and Parker have completed a sterling effort - the chapters include hundreds of research studies and the links are made between many different strands of research on intelligence and emotion and they are brought together in a 'tome' of useful information. This book is not a light piece of bedtime reading. It is a text book which should be on the shelf of anyone who wants to hear direct from the key researchers who have helped to create the field of Emotional Intelligence, so well popularised by Daniel Goleman in his book 'Emotional Intelligence'.

I've read your book, and I need more information about it, such as : * Are there any subtest and the guidance theory of this book ? I mean, I want to know, is your book, has a several tools of Psychotest, especially to measure Emotional Intelligence, which will be used (by ME, as an officer in HANESA CONSULTANT in Jakarta, in Selection Division), in selecting, recruiting, and making a Psychological Report toward to our Clients (Industrial Field). * May we have a convenience time, to have a short and comfortable conversation about your book ?

Thanks before and I'm waiting for your good news as reply.

This is an excellent book. It provides 'state of the art and science' information about past and emerging work in emotioanl intelligence and competencies. I highly recommend it.

I had always heard good things about Parker's books, but never got around to actually reading one until "Silent Joe." So many times when writers come highly recommended their books end up being a disappointment. Not this time! I will definitely be reading more from T. Jefferson Parker in the future. He is a fine craftsman and this is an excellent book.

"Silent Joe" has a more intelligent story and better characterizations that most thrillers out there. The people that inhabit Parker's world are much more realistic and lifelike than the norm. Joe Trona, especially, is an intriguing figure, with pain and hope and desires that draw you in and make you care. Not incidentally, "Silent Joe" also has a suspenseful plot that keeps you eagerly turning the pages.

I don't know how I neglected reading T. Jefferson Parker's work before now. I won't make that mistake again!

T. Jefferson Parker is one of the better detective novelists around right now. One of the interesting things about him is the Orange County locales he uses, which are pretty much unique to him (Robert Ray used to use them a few years ago, but he appears to have stopped writing) and which he describes wonderfully. It's apparent he lived in Orange County, though the back of the book says he lives in Fallbrook, down by San Diego, currently.

Here, the main character, Joe Trona, is very unusual, a young sherriff's deputy in OC whose father horribly scarred him as a child, so that his face is horribly disfigured. He's been adopted and raised by a local deputy turned politician and his wife, even though they already have children of their own, and he's now his father's gofer, driver, and bodyguard. When a mysterious meeting goes horribly wrong, and his father's killed in a murky shootout, Joe must work to find out what happened, and try and fix what went wrong. We see everything through the eyes of this wounded individual, and it's interesting. There's also shootouts, fights, and romance, along with lore of the jail where Joe works as a guard.

This is probably Parker's best novel in some time, to my mind anyway. I did like the Merci Rayborn books (he's about to release a third one) but I think this one's better.

T. Jefferson Parker just keeps getting better and better with each novel. In his newest book, SILENT JOE, the reader is introduced to Joe Trona (a.k.a. Acid Baby), a deputy for the Orange County Sheriff Department, a bodyguard for his adoptive father, Will, and a man who was horribly disfigured by his real father as an infant. Needless to say, Joe has had to overcome adversity. He smart, tough, a trained martial artist, and a crack shot with a .45 automatic. He also deeply loves his adoptive father and would put his life on the line in a heartbeat to save him, if it ever came down to that. And it does! Will Trona, a powerful commissioner for Orange County, has made a lot of friends over the years, but he's also made a large number of enemies. One dark, foggy night, while acting as a go-between to help rescue a kidnapped girl from a wealthy and influential family, Will is set up to be killed. Joe, who's chauffeuring for his father that night, watches it happen, but is unable to do anything to save the man who raise him and loved him as few parents could. He does manage, however, to take out two of the killers before the head honcho of the group murders the rest of his men to protect his own identity and then swiftly disappears into the night. From that moment on, Joe's only goal is to find the answers as to why Will was set up and to put down the men behind the assassination. Over the next few weeks, as Joe starts checking into his adoptive father's past, he discovers things that surprise and shock him...things that would've been better left alone. He also begins to get an inkling of who might've wanted to murder Will and how big the conspiracy actually is. At first the people behind Will's death try to buy Joe off in an attempt to make him back away from his investigation, then he's warned as to what might happen if he doesn't stop. Joe Trona knows no fear, until the woman he has quickly grown to love is threatened. The only way out of the situation is to confront the danger head on. This is a man who always carries three handguns and can kill with his bare hands in a dozen different ways. It's going to take a lot of firepower and a high body count to stop him from settling his vendetta against those that brought tragedy to his family and threaten the people he loves. SILENT JOE is definitely Mr. Parker's best novel to date, and that's saying a lot when you consider that he wrote RED LIGHT, WHERE SERPENTS LIE and THE BLUE HOUR. He's created a powerful character in Joe Trona, a man with his own inner demons to fight, a man that the reader immediately starts rooting for from page one. As Joe seeks to avenge his father, he soon realizes that the person he loved was simply a man with his own strengths and weaknesses, and that nobody is perfect. Joe still has to find a way to accept the frailties of Will Trona, while acknowledging the good that he was able to do for his community before dying. Deep within Joe, however, is a desperate urgency to finally understand who his real parents were and why his actual father threw acid onto his face and his mother later abandoned him. These are painful questions that have been kept buried for too long and now need to be brought to the surface for a resolution of some kind. The answers may bring understanding, but they won't ease the turmoil that has made up his life. SILENT JOE is certainly writing as its best. Mr. Parker knows how to deliver the goods with a compelling plot and strong, believable characters that keep the reader glued to each riveting page. I hope that this isn't the last we've seen of Joe Trona. I'd love to see him return in a another novel, maybe even joining forces with Merci Rayborn from RED LIGHT and THE BLUE HOUR. This is a character that's too good to limit to just one novel. He deserves at least two or three more, so bring Joe back Mr. Parker!

James Powlik has pulled off a remarkable feat. He has written a book with a great deal of complicated and technical scientific language, yet he makes the narrative exciting. "Sea Change" deals with an environmental threat that poses a tremendous danger to warm-blooded mammals in an area near Washington State and Vancouver, British Columbia. Powlik has a background in biology and oceanography, and although the book is fiction, there is a factual basis in what he writes. "Sea Change" is frightening in its implications and the action sweeps the reader along until the end. A word of warning--this book is not for the sqeamish. The characters and the dialogue are, for the most part, believable. Readers who love scientific mysteries will find "Sea Change" enthralling and thought-provoking.

This book kept me riveted from beginning to end. The characters are believable and the science is just edgy enough to scare you into thinking a menace of this kind could really materialize. Yes, there is a lot of back and forth explanatory dialogue among the characters, but the issues are complex and the author doesn't dumb down the plot just to work in an explosion on every page (there is plenty of that anyway). I think the settings and pace of the story work well to give the reader the feeling of being on the inside of the action. I not only know what is happening, but I know why. The suspense builds nicely AND you end up caring about what happens to the characters at the end. I am looking forward to reading James Powlik's next one.

This book blends real-life science and a compelling mystery that makes for terrific beach reading! The author, James Powlik, takes a true-to-life menace from today's headlines and spins an exciting tale of suspense. In the tranquil waters of the Pacific Northwest, an invisible, indiscriminate killer is loose. As the body count begins to escalate, a group of intrepid scientists is left to make sense of the mystery and find out what has gone wrong. The storyline is quite clever and all the more intriguing because of the possibility that this type of disaster could really happen. I recommend this book to mystery lovers, action-adventure aficionados, and anyone concerned about real-life ecological issues.

This is a bit of a relief after the very intense predecesser. Here, you're dealing primarily with point shaving in college basketball, not with serial murderers.

However, as usual in a Spenser novel, there's more here than just the primary plot. There's insight into racial relations, a theme that Parker explores deeper in the later PASTIME. There's also the very human theme concerning dealing with a person who's abilities you admire, but who is an insufferable so-and-so.

It's a typical fast read and yet leaves you with a feeling that you've picked up something of value from the reading.

This was my first Spenser book. It was much better than the TV series. I loved the no nonsense character of both Spenser and Hawk. The vulgarity was strong, but believable. Spenser drifts through most of the story wondering what he's supposed to do, since his moral compass is nagging him to correct the wrongs of the world, even if they aren't in alignment with his customer. Will Spenser live to see another day? Given the large number of Robert B. Parker novels, you can bet on it.

This is the first Robert B. Parker novel I've read, and I love it. Spencer (the main character) has an uncanny sense of humour that is both addictive and inspirational. You don't need to know anything about basketball or even like basketball to enjoy this book. It's sharply written with great observations and quirky dialogue. It reminds me of Sue Grafton novels, but with a male lead. I won't go into the story line because other reviews have done that already. Get it!