"Daniel Deronda" is George Eliot's last and, perhaps, most ambitious novel. It has great literary merit, but I do not think it is her best work. The novel contrasts the lax moral attitudes of the British aristocracy with the focused dedication of the Jewish Zionists. Given the typical anti-Semitic sentiments in Victorian England, and the little known world of the Jews and the Zionist Movement, Ms. Eliot's made a brave and idealistic effort by writing this book.

Ms. Elliot describes the lives of British Jews, a society-within-a-society, of which most of her contemporaries were oblivious, through her hero Daniel Deronda. Through her heroine, Gwendolyn Harleth, who marries for money and power rather than love, Eliot explores a side of human relations that leads only to despair.

Daniel sees Gwendolyn, for the first time, at a roulette table. He is fascinated by her classical, blonde English beauty, and vivacious, self-assured manner. When Ms. Harleth is forced to sell her necklace to pay gambling debts, Deronda, a disapproving observer, buys back the jewelry, anonymously, and returns it to her. This is not the last time the deeply spiritual and altruistic Deronda will feel a need to rescue Gwendolyn.

Daniel was adopted by an English gentleman at an early age. He has received affection, a good education, and to some extent, position, from his guardian. However, Deronda has never been told the story of his true parentage, and sorely feels this lack of roots and his own identity. Not content to play the gentleman, he always appears to be searching for a purpose in life.

Daniel's and Gwendolyn's lives intersect throughout the novel. They feel a strong mutual attraction initially, but Gwendolyn, with incredible passivity, decides to marry someone she knows is a scoundrel, for his wealth. The decision will haunt her as her life becomes a nightmare with the sadistic Mr. Harcourt, her husband.

At about the same time, Daniel inadvertently saves a young woman from suicide. He finds young Mirah Lapidoth, near drowning, by the river and takes her to a friend's home to recover. There she is made welcome and asked to stay. She is a Jewess, abducted from her mother years before, by her father, who wanted to use the child's talent as a singer to earn money. When young Mirah forced her voice beyond its limits, and lost her ability to sing, her father abandoned her. She has never been able to reunite with her mother and brother, and was alone and destitute, until Daniel found her. Daniel, in his search for Mirah's family, meets the Cohens, a Jewish shop owner and his kin. Deronda feels an immediate affinity with them and visits often. He also comes to know a Jewish philosopher and Zionist, Mordecai, and they forge a strong bond of friendship.

Daniel finally does discover his identity, and has a very poignant and strange meeting with his mother. He had been actively taking steps to make a meaningful existence for himself, and with the new information about his parents and heritage, he leaves England with a wife, for a new homeland and future.

One of the novel's most moving scenes is when Daniel and Gwendolyn meet for the last time. Gwendolyn has grown from a self-centered young woman to a mature, thoughtful adult, who has suffered and grown strong.

The author is one of my favorites and her writing is exceptional. This particular novel, however, became occasionally tedious with Ms. Eliot's monologues, and the book's length. Her characters are fascinating, original as always, and well drawn. The contrast between the lives of the British aristocracy, the emerging middle class, and the Jewish community gives the reader an extraordinary glimpse into three totally different worlds in Victorian England. A fine book and a wonderful reading experience.

George Eliot's last novel is nothing less than extraordinary. The most obvious thing is that most of it is a thumpingly good read, especially the first third - witty,lively and devoid of Eliot's sometimes irritating commentaries (Eliot has an amazing mind, and her comments can both fascinate and slow the speed of the narrative). We seem to be in a decaying world of Jane Austen, with a descendant of her Emma Wodehouse - silly, headstrong, egotistical yet alluring Gwendolen Harleth.

The tension heightens when Gwendolen finally marries Grandcourt, and both she and the reader realise she has made the most ghastly mistake. Brilliantly, Eliot portrays in disturbing detail the psychological twists and turns of the relationship, as the 'powerful' Gwendolen finds herself trapped by a silent sado-masochist. Grandcourt is actually shown to do very little out of place - which is the achievement - and we are left to imagine what Gwendolen must be going through in the bedroom. We become enmeshed in her consciousness - not always a pleasant experience. It is a brave novel for its time.

The rest of the novel concerns the eponymous Daniel, his discovery of his identity as a Jew, and his final mission to devote himself to his race. It is thought-provoking, and interesting, and much has been said about how the way the novel is really two stories. The problem really is that the Gwendolen part is so well done that a reader feels disappointed to leave her and join the less enthralling Daniel.

The ending doesn't quite thrill as other moments of the book do, and there is an over-long section relating the conversation of a philosophy society, but, thanks to Gwendolen and Grandcourt, it stands out as one of the most memorable pieces of literature in English. Take away the 'Daniel' part and it is Eliot's masterpiece - and great material for the cinema. Maybe it's because she played the aforementioned Emma, but Gwyneth Paltrow could do a fantastic job as Gwendolen - just imagine her playing the great scene where the melodramatic diamonds arrive on her wedding night, and she goes beserk and throws them around!

Daniel Deronda is a moving account of the parallel yet different personal sagas experienced by two extraordinary characters: Daniel Deronda (the perfect "sensitive" man, way before his time) and the superb and brilliantly realized Gwendolyn Harleth. They are both insiders - one a well-bred but recently impoverished beautiful girl, the other a dazzlingly handsome and intelligent man whose birth is shrouded in mystery. As with numerous George Eliot novels, the hero and heroine would seem destined to marry, but don't. Yet they both achieve something greater: a realization of the inner state of unconditional love that Eliot considered the highest ideal of humanity.

Smiley's people does not have the suspense of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; or have the action and tension of The Honourable Schoolboy. Smiley's people is a about people, and the weakness of character that spy craft thrives on. There are no poorly written characters in this book and I could not put the book down because I was drawn into the life and emotions of George Smiley. I could sympathize with his inability to use scotch tape, amoung other defining charactistics. A brillent book, and recommended.

This is in my opinion, and I have read every one of John le Carre's novels and have written a book about them, his finest book. It features le Carre's most memorable character, George Smiley, on his ultimate quest for his nemesis Karla. "The last scene, the dnouement of both this novel and the trilogyis, I believe, the most moving that le Carre has written. Like a narrative laser beam, it poignantly fuses the themes [dealt with in his novels] in a concentrated drama." (Myron J. Aronoff, The Spy Novels of John le Carre: Balancing Ethics and Politics, St. Martin's, 1999).

This is the last volume in a trilogy which, without any doubt, the best spy story ever written in English. _Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy_ began it with the story of George Smiley?s uncovering of the mole in British Intelligence HQ, known as "the Circus." _The Honourable Schoolboy_ -- which largely stands alone from the first and third books, and is a superior piece of work by itself -- tells of Smiley?s first steps toward revenge against Karla, head of Moscow Centre and his personal enemy for nearly thirty years . . . only to be denied the fruits of his own success by political machinations at home. _Smiley?s People_ brings everything to a very satisfying conclusion, via the discovery that Karla has an unsuspected human side, which makes him vulnerable. As always, Le Carre?s development of his characters is masterful and his dialogue and descriptive passages make it clear why, at his best, he is considered an exceptional stylist. The pace of the action in the early part of the book is purposely rather slow, drawing you in, making you pay attention to what?s happening and thinking about what secrets might be behind it all -- just as one imagines George is doing. But as the story develops, the pace picks up, until the last quarter is nearly a headlong gallop toward a triumphant final chapter. Unreservedly recommended.

We live outside of Boston and have two college-age kids. They both now have a book and we do too. After hearing Dick Couch talk about this book it finely dawned on me how vulnerable we are. I don't think that it is an "if" but a "when" regarding a terrorist attack in the U.S, but I want my family protected.

Finally, a survival guide I can use. I live in New York. I have spent hours on the internet trying to find basic information that would be useful to me and my family to try to begin to prepare for a terrorist incident. Frustrating! I heard Couch being interviewed last week and decided to try his book. It answered dozens of my questions and every member of my family will read it. Thanks!

Captain Couch has provided an invaluable service. I have been to numerous web sites and have not found anything useful or user-friendly. This guide does it. The other parts of the book are interesting, but if you read nothing else, read and heed these checklists from the experts!

Remains top of list great author.

This book spans the American Civil War. It is grusome, compelling and thought provoking.

The story covers the private lives entwined with the beuracracy of war and politics. Whilst a long book it will keep you reading to the end.

Love and War is an excellent book. It picks up where North and South left off. From the moments before the Civil War to the days after the South's surrender this book takes a close look at the Mains and Hazards and their trials throughout the four years.

This book, while rather long, is fantastic. It definitely is thought provoking. Mr. Jakes writes from the male standpoint and also the female standpoint. I also thought he conveyed the thoughts and dreams of the slaves in a realistic way. There were characters I loved, such as Billy and Brett and ones I hated, like Ashton and James Huntoon. The ever-evil Bent pops up in the story from time to time wreaking havoc everywhere he goes.

While Gone with the Wind (one of my all time favorite books) is a great book in itself it romanticizes the Civil War. Love and War in absolutely no way romaticizes the events of the war. This is a very realistic book with very believeable characters. One can almost believe these two families did exist.

Any fan of North and South will enjoy Love and War. It is a rather long story but well worth the time reading it.

THE LATE GEORGE APLEY is a departure from my habitual choice of biographical reading, which is usually limited to real-life individuals who've stood astride human history. And George Apley of (merely) Boston is fictional.

Author John Marquand has invented a make-believe chronicler named Mr. Willing to tell the story of the latter's life long friend, George Apley (1866-1933). The biographer's source material is comprised primarily of his own recollections and numerous letters exchanged between Apley and friends and family over the decades. Willing begins with a brief account of George's ancestry, then proceeds through his subject's birth, boyhood, and years at Harvard and law school forward to his marriage, the birth of his children, then his sojourns in middle and old age.

The trouble with this novel is that it seems Marquand didn't have a clear vision of the point he was trying to make. On one hand, Willing's biography is sympathetic. He obviously admires Apley for being a loyal friend, loving husband and father, fair and considerate employer, principled gentleman, and patriotic American. Willing doesn't condemn his friend's gradual alienation from his children and a changing society as he ages. (What a surprise!) And his generally favorable bias doesn't prevent him from mentioning Apley's low opinion of the Irish, Catholics, and Jews, but he doesn't dwell upon these flaws - perhaps because he was of like mind. Taken at this face value, the book is a simple tribute to a good and upstanding life however unprepossessing it may have been.

On the other hand, without any obvious malice, Marquand (through Willing again) manages to convey the fact that Apley takes himself, his family name, his privileged class, and Boston way too seriously. Anything beyond the Boston city limits is held in a frank disregard verging on contempt. He fails to heed the words of an uncle who found it necessary to counsel: "Most people in the world don't know who the Apleys are and they don't give a damn." Also, Marquand attributes to his fictional subject no great achievements on the national or world stage. Rather, George spends a lifetime attending the board meetings of charities, participating in "intelligent discussion" groups and clubs, dabbling in the minutiae of local politics, and dispensing unheeded advice to his offspring. Because of all this, I've decided that THE LATE GEORGE APLEY is, in the balance, more of a gentle satire than anything else. The thing is, it's too subtle for this 21st century reader. (Perhaps it was more appreciated in the year first published - 1936.) It's as if Marquand didn't love or hate the type of man or social class his subject represents with sufficient enough fervor to be truly effective at either.

At the very best, THE LATE GEORGE APLEY is an interesting description of the evolution of a gentleman and society of that time and place. I liked it to that extent, but was left with the nagging regret that my time would've been better spent reading a contemporary account of a real individual whose life had made ripples in a pond bigger than that of the city he or she lived in. Hmm, now where's my unread biography of Captain Kangaroo?

J.P. Marquand was well known in his day, both as a serious writer(The Late George Apley won a Pulitzer Prize) and for the Mr. Moto detective series (made into movies starring Peter Lorre as the title character). This novel makes skillful use of the device of the unreliable narrator; it is told from the point of view of a writer putting together a life of Apley who, like his subject, is thoroughly conventional, and thus does not realize that his portrait of Apley reveals the sterility of the latter's life. The novel is also a skillful depiction of a particular class in a particular place and time. I agree with the other reviewers that it is a shame that it is out of print.

John P. Marquand probably was one of the most successful authors of his day and this book, for which he won a Pulitzer prize was the start of his brilliant career. Unfortunately, with Marquand's death in 1960, he fell from favor with the academy who was itself enamoured with tales of life in a university and stories addressing issues of gender and sex. Marquand's stories about middle aged WASPs in Boston coping with trying to come to grips with their lives were no longer in fashion and sadly have not returned to the center place that they previously occupied.

This is a novel about manners and invokes the particular time and place of the WASP ascendency in America, just before the second World War. Marquand's hero is a representative of what used to be known as a "Boston Brahmin." Marquand handles Apley with a mixture of bemusement and foundness. He has clearly met George Apley's in his life and knows the type well. What would have been in less capable hands a mere characture, becomes a full portrait of what was at the time, a dying breed. Marquand sensed this and this provides the point of departure for the book.

"The Late George Apley is a bit of a pastische of privately printed books designed to memorialize a dearly departed loved one. This allows Marquand to use his frequently used flashback technique to describe the particulars of Apley's life. At times this provides Marquand with the opportunity to indulge in both high comedy and low drama, as is the case when Apley falls in love with a girl who is both Irish and Catholic. Although this enables some satire on the subject of the way Boston's elite viewed the Irish, it is also a source of regret that Apley, like so many characters in Marquand's books, did not make a different choice in life. Sentiments that as Jonathan Yardley has observed "are not just limited to the denizens of Backbay or Harvard Square."

When I make my fantasy list of the best books I've ever read, Le Carre's trilogy about George Smiley is near the top. The author is difficult reading. You have to pour over most paragraphs, so as not to miss each nouance. Smiley is the ultimate father figure in espionage literature. You are comfortable when he is there and figuring things out, but you marvel at the complexity and difficulty of what he has to do, and how he does it. I commend this to anyone who loves rich characterization, and wants a book he or she will come back to again and again.

I was interested in the espionage story but what I found most compelling were the characters and how much i grew to care about them over time (especially Smiley). The conclusion, that if you choose the methods of your enemy you are no better than your enemy is quite true. I do not like much modern fiction but found these three novels completely compelling, and have read them twice.

'Spying is waiting'. So believable. Unlike the breakneck speed of events of popular espionage fiction, John Le Carre takes us into the REAL world of spying where you do your bit and wait for the reactions. Things don't happen at the speed at which we wish them to.

His characters don't speak from high moral grounds, so typical to Tom Clancy's characters. Nor they are reluctant heroes of Robert Ludlum. They are real people, afraid, greedy, selfish, people who you can relate with, people who don't have the power to eliminate the evils of the world single-handedly. These are the people who know that the evils are here to stay, and in some sense they are also part of it. Elimination of evil will mean self-destruction. They just play the part in the manner they are told to and wait to get out of the evil-machine of espionage. 'Spying IS waiting'

****Precaution: Stay away from the movie if you haven't read the novel.

My First Presidentiary is a godsend. The book, no "scrapbook", is an unbiast look at our 43rd president and just good fun.

There are so many political things in this book that ultimately break down to one thing, you don't have to be political savvy to understand this.

So I invite any political humorist or just any American citizen to read this book

Modern Humorist will make the next 4 years so much more bareable. Especially with My First Presidentiary. I love the letters to Hector, (especially the one with Bush telling the stories of when he got 'busted' by Laura and that was a hard time in his life, just like Hector is having now. "I didn't know that someone could walk so many miles to school each day without shoes. Maybe we could move a shoe factory in there, and you could work there, and they could pay you in shoes for making shoes!") the letter to 'Mr. Castro', and The Exectutionator. Thank you Modern Humorist! (I wonder if Bush has read this book... and if he's watched SNL lately?"

This book is hilarious! It's so much more than just run-of-the-mill political humor. This is smart, biting and just plain funny. The cartoons add a whole new dimension to the humor and this Bush is so much more entertaining and likable than the guy in office. I particularly enjoy his fascination with baseball and comic books. Finally, a politician I can relate to.

Modern Humorist for President!!

This is a great book for students...because it's not heavy! Seriously, the chapters are short and concise,heavenly stuff when you're cramming the night before exams.The writing is clear and focused...it doesn't meander off into extreme details. The illustrations are self explanatory...and the pictures are graphic and gross...like they should be in a infectious disease textbook. Too bad there aren't more of them!

This book covers every medical microbiology topic that is needed for class exams or the USLME. The book is intensely filled with very elaborated information that any medical student needs to pass his or her exams. My study group and I also used the following for class exams and the USLME and found it extremely helpful. I also purchased this book on amazon which is the following:
Microbiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers by Patrick Leonardi (ISBN: 0971999635)
The questions in this study guide were on target with my class exams and was an excellent reference for the USLME. Buy both books. Most definitely!!

The first thing to understand about this book is that it is a textbook and a difficult one. The difficulty for the beginning student or general reader is not a fault of the authors. Rather it is because medical microbiology itself is a daunting subject full of organisms that can only be seen fuzzily with an electron microscope, if at all, organisms involved in processes and behaviors that are foreign to our everyday experience. Add the fact that most of the material covered here is not part of a non-specialist curriculum either in high school or college, and effectively speaking the untrained reader is starting from scratch.

Well, why do that? First of all, because the material itself--how viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other infectious organisms enter the body, replicate, and cause disease--is fascinating and of immediate relevance to our lives. Second because (to my knowledge) there is little or nothing else available to the general reader that goes beyond a sketchy introduction to the subject. One is forced to read a text book. Fortunately this is a good one and it is thorough.

The text covers the range of infectious disease from viruses to tapeworms. The amount of technical information presented is daunting, and the sheer expanse of terminology a challenge (why is there no glossary?). The text is lavishly illustrated with photos and electron micrographs of the pathogens, as well as numerous schematic drawings showing how microorganisms cause disease, how they replicate, their chemical structure, their morphology, etc.

The instructional schematic drawings I found less valuable than the electron micrographs, but I suspect for the student of microbiology it might be the other way around.

What you'll get out of this handsome book depends on how much time and energy you are able to devote to it. I started reading this in the hope that I would, perhaps by osmosis, pick up some feel for life at the micron level, and I did. Obviously if I had been able to study the text with the help of an instructor, I would have learned a lot more.

For a book which purports to see accurately into the future, the Friedmans seem to have been unable to completely grab onto the past. Most unpardonable are technical inaccuracies (like World War II torpedos that go 100 miles per hour) for the premise so often repeated seems to be that technology has begun to feed upon itself, i.e., become "senile". Even if that's so, their wholesale indictment of entire proven weapon systems (like Aegis or even gun projectiles, for that matter) ignores both the incremental nature of such developments as well as fiscal constraints that channel them (e.g., "Star Wars"). While reading about exoskeletons and plasma weapons is entertaining, shooting wars even 10 years from now may not employ much if any of this speculative technology. That being the case, the Friedmans may have tried, then, to go a vision too far.

This book is more than the grocery store's blase` litany of new gizmos that has Tom Clancy's name slapped on it. So if you are intersted in a book that natters about specific weapons systems ad nauseum, you are better off shopping there or else watching the Discovery Channel. The Friedmans' book is useful because it sees technology as more than a collection of shiny and expensive toys that make loud noises; although utterly essential and often defining our ability to achieve our ends, technology is always a pillar within a grander scheme.

The value in this book is its capability to trace a concept historically, and provide us with a valuable and critical perspective of our strategic strength. Consequently we are able to analyze something transcending the, "Our ship is better than their ship," manner of thought.

So a framework of strategic thought, within which technological capability relative to others is essential for analysis, gives us insight into future needs. Whether their conclusions are valid are certainly open to debate; the approach, however, is certainly valuable.

Like, 'The Coming War With Japan,' this book is able to use multiple levels of understanding to present their arguments.......... the importance of the Friedmans' work is growing everyday. Worth the read.

This book directs one's attention to the discussion the way we have thought about war will no longer be as relevant in the future. The notion of "weapons reaching and obsolete status" points to a central thesis in the book--that America will remain the preponderant military and technical power of the 21st century. This of course may be a comforting piece of information for policy shapers and makers, and business peoples. But is it really ? Such dominance by one nation is bound to lead to the shifting of the balance of power among nations unless the movement toward internationalization proves to be successful. However, aspiring powers and emerging nations that wish to be freed from this American dominance may -- and there seems to be information to support this -- seek weapons of mass destruction to counter US global hegemony.

This book made a clearly argued case for American Dominance, but it does not help us to see the political/moral future. But within its parameters, its an "eye-opener."

I've somewhat changed my view of this book over the last few months. Although what I said below is correct, my overall judgement was too harsh, so I've increased my rating from 3 to 4 stars. It's not that this is a great book, it's just that medical courses these days have slimmed down the Histology component so much that books like these are more than adequate. In fact, you can do extremely well in theory exams by just studying prac books like this.

Now of all *prac* books, this is certainly the best! And having completed my first year Histology course, I am certain Wheater's would have had more than enough detail - and would have saved me a lot of time. Get this book if you're a medical student, but if you're a histology major or need something more advanced, you will be disappointed by this book.

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Many of the reviews here are full of praise for Wheaters, and they aren't all wrong in my opinion. Wheaters is one of the best "prac"/lab books for histology. However, the people who give it 5 out-of 5 are either biased or filled with elation from passing their courses that they neglect the weaknesses of this book.

Like any book, this has weaknesses. Glaring ones at that: the diagrams are sometimes too dark (contrast too high) or too pale (contrast to low), most of the pictures are much too small to discern and analyse the detail, the text is certainly what you need to know for 1st year med ... lab, it is not going to get you through the theory exam with flying colours.

As I said, though, this book is one of the best "prac"/lab books, because it doubles as a decent text and a decent atlas. But, it is neither the best text or the best atlas. Di Fiore's long running atlas has excellent drawings with many photomicrographs and deserves a browse. I haven't seen Gartner and Hiatt's Atlas, but I hear it is competitive. Then there is Kerr's Atlas, which lacks quantity but has some good quality.

As for texts, Ross, Romrell and Kaye is a popular choice (it has a good, but not overwhelming level of detail for Medicine). Junquiera's Basic Histology is also popular. For a simpler book, or simpler course, Cormack's Essential Histology is an excellent choice.

So, if you're looking for a book to bring to practical classes/labs: you can't really go wrong with Wheater's. But, don't rely on this book to carry you through the theory exams. You'll often be frustrated that some of the things you need can't be found in this atlas, or that the pictures are too darn small. Overall, a fair buy ... but, the best advice is to, shop around a bit before deciding.

I am a medical student and found this textbook very helpful because it was well-organized and full of important information. It's very thorough and complete with great pictures. Also, this book will always serve as a great reference in years to come. My study group and I also used the following which is also on amazon:
Histology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers by Patrick Leonardi (isbn: 0971999686) The questions in the second book were of similar type to the tests in our medical histology class. In fact, we were recommended the second book from our friends at another med school and they found it quite helpful. It goes to show they were right, we all got A's and B's by using these two books.

I found this book very helpful for understanding the concepts of histology. It's well-written and quite thorough and gave me a good foundation in understanding histology. ...