At the heart of Trollope's Phineas Finn lies quite a unique (and perhaps presciently postmodern) notion of politics. However, to get at this theory, we readers must wade through the immense amount of exposition that typifies Trollope's writing. We must patiently and assiduously gather plot details from the frequent and plentiful parlor chat, table talk, and other various and sundry gossip that Trollope uses to advance what is an otherwise exceedingly meager plot. Nevertheless, such exposition, which moves at a pace roughly equivalent to that of continental drift, rewards the reader with quite a keen insight into mid-nineteenth century British politics and its relationship to the reality of human nature.

Perhaps the easiest way to approach the political critique at the heart of this novel is by defining the operative assumptions underlying representative politics in general. In theory, representative government is intended to grant the citizenry a say in legislative process, albeit indirectly. A particular representative is supposed to vote on a piece of proposed legislation in such a way that reflects the greater concerns of his constituency. Prior to the events of Phineas Finn, British representative government is grappling with the issue of whom to extend the franchise based on the criteria of real wealth, property, region of origin, etc. One thus gets the sense that the presence of such exclusionary criteria betrays a rather Platonic distaste for general democracy on the part of the parliament ministers. Thus, in creating a system of barriers or gateways between the public at large and the legislative apparatus, the governing body reduces the potential for an anarchic clamor of myriad and wide-ranging interests on the part of the citizenry, which could potentially derail the legislative process altogether. As a result a properly civic-minded representative may always act for the good of his constituency by exercising his judgment, regardless of whether or not his vote conflicts with his constituents' desires. In other words, built into this system of government is the elitist conviction that the governed may be at times too unruly to exercise its franchise prudently. Therefore, by withholding the franchise from those deemed too ignorant to vote wisely (a determination based on various socioeconomic considerations), and by inserting elected officials between the enfranchised and the legislative apparatus itself, government achieves a normative regularity.

However, with the implementation of such a system of governments also come opportunities to exploit and abuse the system. A certain aphorism-- which I attribute to Michel Foucault, though I am not entirely certain that it is indeed his-- comes to mind: "a system is defined by what escapes it." In other words, because a system results from the desire to perpetuate the plane of consistency from which it emerges, the system must necessarily exclude that which is inconsistent with its purpose. Therefore, around any system arises a margin of excluded possibilities and potentialities; however, those dedicated to the system seek to refine it in such a way as to increase its power to envelop and re-absorb that which it had originally pushed to its margins. Thus any system exists in a state of perpetual refinement because it aims to absorb back into itself that which has escaped it into the margins.

Into such a system steps the young and callow Phineas Finn, a man who is indeed marginal in that he is Irish and a commoner, and it is that position of marginality which the system seeks to incorporate into itself. However, one must understand that the system does not incorporate into itself those who dwell at its margins in order to empower them. Rather, it seeks to neutralize the threateningly unregulated marginality that individuals like Phineas Finn represent by bringing them into its regulatory, normalizing regime, and as we shall soon see, this is precisely what almost happens to Phineas.

With the above in mind, one may ask if whether there is any real benefit to entering such a system, if it is indeed essentially neutralizing and normalizing. I answer provisionally that the system into which Phineas enters, i.e., British Parliament, conceals its regulatory, homogenizing and neutralizing essence beneath a seductive veneer of power and celebrity, and it is this veneer to which Phineas succumbs. That is, it seems that at first a government office offers one the ability to satisfy one's desires, because it is a forum policymaking that also generates a cult of celebrity, and I need not explain the advantages of being a celebrity. Therefore, although we may initially think Phineas one lucky devil, we soon discover that Phineas's various political adventures are characterized by the necessity of forsaking that which he desires. For example, Phineas must abandon his desire for Lady Laura Standish because he cannot satisfy Lady Laura's own political ambitions, and later his political indebtedness to Lord Brantford forces him to abandon of his desire for Violet Effingham, with whom Lord Chiltern is in love. In fact, Phineas soon discovers that posturing, longwinded orations and cloakroom alliances epitomize politics more than any deep desire to get things done.

Mr. Kennedy, on the other hand, is quite a virtuous consummate politician, because he is devoted to carrying out every administrative detail that accompanies government office. In truth though, he is really nothing more than a particularly diligent paper pusher. But, however propitious his demeanor is to the endless administrative duties he must carry out, Trollope nevertheless portrays him as a dry, sober, and nearly humorless. Furthermore, Trollope also portrays Mr. Kennedy a sort of gentle but effective disciplinarian in his married life. Thus we may conclude that political success requires the abnegation, or at least the endless deferral, of one's true desires, and that the most successful politician is one who can most effectively subordinate his desire to the workings of government. Therefore, the system seduces Phineas and his peers with a promise of power that it never delivers, and furthermore the system steals one's position of resistance from him via assimilation into a normalizing regime.

Thus we have arrived at the essence of Trollope's political critique: that the British system of representative government is not dedicated to progress, but to stasis. The government preserves and extends the influence of the status quo through a subtle and complex array of practices: e.g., needlessly repetition of proposed legislature, stupifyingly long-winded filibusters, etc. These practices thus result in a perpetual deferral of desire on the part of plebeian, politician and rising young man alike.

All merits of the novel itself aside (and I did enjoy it very much), this edition seems to have been cobbled together either hastily or carelessly. It was full of errors in punctuation and spelling (including inconsistent spelling of characters' names) which I can hardly believe are the author's. It was a disappointment to me, especially given the fine tradition of the Everyman Library.

Also, the notes on the text, as is unfortunately so common, give away major plot points. I would strongly advise anyone reading for pleasure rather than scholarship skip the notes, or read them only once you've finished the book.

That said, Phineas Finn was a wonderful read. I began Trollope with Can You Forgive Her?, and while I did like it, I liked Phineas so much more. Unlike many male novelists of the period (especially those who were, as Trollope, embraced at the time), he demonstrates a sympathy for and understanding of the difficult choices presented to the women of his time, and does not shrink from presenting women who are intelligent, complex, and quite at home in the political world of London. Lady Laura Standish, Miss Violet Effingham, and Madame Max Goesler might each have been the heroines of their own novels--indeed, their complexities and the depths of their emotional and political lives throw Phineas's own lack of depth and complexity into relief. And by that I don't mean that Trollope nodded while writing his hero, but that he rather deftly endowed him with indifferent qualities as compared to the women his life.

I wouldn't give away the ending of the novel, but I confess I was a little disappointed in Phineas's final choice. Trollope was, after all, a Victorian gentleman, and perhaps he must be forgiven for wrapping up his hero's adventures in what seemed to me rather a prosaic way. I have yet to read Phineas Redux, and perhaps that sequel may redeem Mr. Finn yet.

PHINEAS FINN is a book of many virtues and one unfortunate flaw. The flaw lies in the ending, of which I can say nothing here without giving away a bit of the plot. Let me just say that the ending is a bit of a "tack on." Trollope himself confessed in his AUTOBIOGRAPHY that he botched the ending, and explains that when he decided to write a second novel starring Phineas Finn, he awkwardly had to correct the mistakes he made in the ending of the previous book.

The virtues of the book lie in part in its presentation of the social complexities of the British upper class in 1860s. While a political history of the period could explain the various ins and outs of the major pieces of legislation dealt with at the time, Trollope shows us how many individuals at the time actually felt about these issues from the inside. In this way, Trollope performs a service that no historian ever could. Virtually all the major political figures of the time, from Gladstone to Disraeli appear under thinly veiled aliases.

But the true heart of the book is Trollope's great characters. I absolutely love Jane Austen. She is one of my two or three favorite writers. But sometimes I find the enormous propriety of her characters to be a tad tiring. In these way her characters, as magnificent as they otherwise might be, sometimes seem a little less than fully human. Trollope's characters, on the other hand, often fail to act with complete propriety. They do improper things, and feel improper emotions. Our hero falls in love with one woman, then another, feels attraction to another, and falls in love with yet another, and in general fails in his role as a great romantic hero. A woman marries someone she doesn't love, yet retains feelings for another, and suffers from the threat of a bad marriage. Another woman is attracted to two men, and must decide which. Two close friends love the same woman. I find all this emotional complexity to be extremely compelling.

Trollope's most compelling and interesting characters are nearly all female. In the book, Lord Chiltern seems cardboardish and unbelievable, the title character likable but not terribly vivid. But whenever Lady Laura, or Madame Goesler, or Violet Effingham take the stage, the novel comes to life. This is not unique to this novel. In nearly all his books, Trollope's most compelling characters are female.

If we could give half stars, I would give this one four and a half stars because of the weak ending. But I will stick with five rather than four, partly because the rest of the book easily makes up for the weakish ending, and one can view the excellent PHINEAS REDUX as the real ending of the novel. Either way, I heartily recommend the novel.

A brilliantly written mystery of a disturbing father/daughter "relationship." These intricatly woven characters left us feeling unsettled and looking over our shoulders. Robert Peernock doesn't expect his daughter to fight back- I rooted for her throughout. I only wish this story weren't true! Kudos to the author!

Mr. Flacco's work in unraveling this true story is compelling. Throughout the book, as evil as the crime is, we never lose hope for the victim and the system prevails leaving the readers feeling gratified rather than ripped off. Wonderfully written with great visual imagery. Would make a terrific movie!

As a juror on this trial,I just found out about this book!Ordered it.Read it.Felt the emotion & pain for Natasha & Claire all over again.The facts were written very clearly & precise.I compared many of them to my notes I took during the trial.Incredible!Although some parts of the book were rather "over dramatized",it still held fast to the reality of the facts.To someone else,they might think "No way could this have happened like this.It's too unbelievable".Robert was an evil man-not insane, but greedy,rotten & evil-knew what he wanted-would kill to get it!

As a former sailor and current resident of Virginia Beach, I was stunned to learn that much of this entire story happened in familiar places surrounding me. The author spares no details and does not hesitate to give addresses, places, names, etc. to make the story come to life.

I read this book over a weekend because I simply could not put it down. I enjoy the way the story was told. Our country should thank the FBI, Bob Hunter, and his team for their professionalism in catching America's most damaging spy.

Excellent true spy story from the justics side of the case. Other books ont his case don't cover this much at all. The author (and case agent) is a good, unpretentious storyteller.

Espionage stories like this are usually fiction! The author tells his story in a casual way, like he's talking to you personally over a glass of ale. He's a character himseld!

"Serpent in the Sky" is primarily concerned with popularizing the otherwise inaccessible work of R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz, who spent a great deal of time making exhaustive measurements of the Temple of Luxor and subsequently incorporated his findings into a comprehensive reinterpretation of ancient Egypt known as "Symbolism." A final chapter and a pair of appendices summarize West's investigation of an offhand comment of Schwaller de Lubicz that the Sphinx appears to be weathered by water, with the conclusion that such weathering necessitates a redating of the Sphinx's carving to at least 5000-7000 BCE and perhaps much further in the past. As tracts of alternative archaeology go, this is not an easy read, and so the casual reader should be forewarned. The content of this book falls rather neatly into "good, bad and ugly" classifications.

On the good side, I found the application of "Symbolism" to the Egyptian hieroglyphics intriguing. West shows rather nicely (though I would like to see more conventional views in their original context) how literal translations of Old Kingdom pyramid texts seem like complete gibberish, and most likely do not do justice to the people who wrote them. The symbolic translation appears more believable.

On the bad side, West is not reticent about engaging in rants against what he terms the "Church of Progress," meaning the belief in technological and scientific advancement as the measure of human accomplishment, and the depradations of modern society (which, he boldly asserts, is not a civilization) on the human soul. One does not have to be a Luddite to have some sympathy with this view, but its application to studies of ancient Egypt, with the conclusion that this long-lost civilization was far more advanced (in a non-technological sense) than our own, seems misplaced. It is odd, after all, that after castigating modern Egyptologists for the "flimsy" reasoning behind, for example, the conventional dating of the Sphinx, West should use evidence even more flimsy to claim that the ancient Egyptians were healthier than "Western" man, or that they had knowledge of pi, phi, and the zodiac. At best, West's harping on the "Church of Progress" is simply annoying. At worst, he seems unable to recognize when his own prejudices are coloring a too-rosy picture of the past for which there is no evidence.

As for the ugly, West's creationism prompts him to unleash several baseless attacks on Darwinian evolution. Usually, his rants concern the application of evolutionary principles, which were really only meant to apply to the origin and extinction of species over great spans of geological time, to human societies. Certainly, Darwinian evolution has been overextended in non-biological arenas, but the fact of evolution is simply not contestable on rational grounds. West's scientific credentials are compromised further by his claim that astrology has some basis in observable phenomena. It is in these subjects that "Serpent in the Sky" degenerates into complete drivel.

When I returned from my first trip to Egypt in May, 1998, I voraciously read everything I could get my hands on. Before I read Serpent in the Sky, I had viewed John's emmy-award-winning documentary, so I was prepared for excellence in thinking and new ideas about ancient Egypt. Although John West writes with great flair and articulation, his summarizing of Schwaller de Lubicz was tough going. West makes some good points of his own, but some of de Lubicz's theories are too esoteric for me. West acknowledges he's not a mathemetician and much of de Lubicz's theories are based on sacred geometry, and was beyond my scope as well. I found that the quotations on the sides of the pages detracted from the main body of work. It's very apparent that West thoroughly loves ancient Egypt and has devoted many years to study, discussion and leading tours there. I had the good fortune to be with him on a second tour to Egypt in Nov, 1998. I enjoyed the foreword by Robert Masters regarding Sekhmet, as I had some extraordinary experiences with Sekhmet myself both while I was in Egypt and when I returned. All in all, I would recommend reading Serpent in the Sky. John still leads tours to Egypt.

John Anthony West has done the world an enormous service with this bold, brilliance, beautifully written and thoroughly engaging book. He extends the work of Alsation philospher and mathematician, R.A, Schwaller de Lubicz, making it not only comprehensible to the lay reader, but the only plausible explanation for the grandeur and magnificance of ancient Egyptian culture. West is anything but a New Age flake, and he takes some fairly tough-minded positions on the absurdities of modern scholarship. Yet he has the advantage over most orthodox Egyptologists in that he can (a) write -- and write superbly -- and (b) he has a sense of humor, which makes even his most vitriolic attacks on those who persist in ascribing the monuments of Egypt to a race of egomaniacal barbarians the work of a rational giant in a world of Lilliputians. His grasp of the entire sweep of Egyptian history is extraordinary, and his ability to render even the most complex accounts of Pythagorean geometry or symbolism in the hieroglyphs is something every would be academic should take notes on. Besides all this, the book is magnificently illustrated on every page. Without any question, this is one of the best books I have ever read

Non-fiction stories of a unique southern city are nicely interwoven by Esquire writer Berendt, who was lucky enough to live there.

Basically, it is a true crime novel, but it is written with warmth, humor, and a remarkable eye for detail. Berendt takes the reader behind velvet curtains and antique walls into a society where pedigree is based as much on lineage, wealth, and power as on quirky southern traditions like knowing how to serve a fine platter of tomato sandwiches.

Forget Eastwood's oddly disappointing film; this book is quite marvelous. True crime lover? You will enjoy the book's steamy setting and colorful characters, an almost poetic break from the repetitive and merely competant writings by the likes of Ann Rule. Aristocracy - watcher? You will savour the odd little schemes and intrigues exposed without any hint of malice. The tragic saga of one man's extraordinary ascent into high society is presented amidst many delicious (and often hilarious) vignettes of all levels of Savannah's class structure. The author beautifully describes Savannah's magic, mystery, and achingly sad decay. Really, it is a fine tribute to this historic city of likeable conmen, sexy ne'er-do-wells, conniving politicians, and obsessive hostesses.

It's a real page-turner, a good companion if you are planning to visit Savannah.

There are quite a few reasons why Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a very worthwhile novel to read. In fact, if the American public would stop wasting so much time reading the latest health fad book (for example, Dr. Emily Poy's Guide to the Twenty-Three Best Herbs for Your Cochlea), then perhaps more time could be dedicated to reading enriching novels like Midnight. The obvious aspect of the book that makes it worth reading is the skill with which Berendt tells about his time in Savannah. Though not all characters are needed to tell of the murder case, the way Berendt brings them to life seems to bring honesty and perspective to the rest of the book. It is easy to see the individuality of a place like Savannah just from one line of the salesman who painted one of his eyes, "I don't do drag or anything sick like that. I just do my eyes." Also, Berendt displays skill weaving the aspects of characters and plot. Joe Odom, the piano-playing free-spirit, gives insight into the trials that other characters or the author himself could not. Chablis, the black drag queen, brings to light social issues that help the reader understand the trial and its impact. In addition to his excellent story-telling ability, Berendt enriches the reader in an informative manner. His journalist background is probably key in helping him tell the reader about much more than just one murder case in Savannah. By reading Midnight, one will learn about life in the South, the customs of Savannah, the social structures the author encountered, and an array of seemingly meaningless things involving glowing goldfish and dressing in drag. The intent to share such information is obvious when Berendt, on the subject of his staying in Savannah, says "I would inquire, observe, and poke around wherever my curiosity led me or wherever I was invited. I would presume nothing. I would take notes." Thus, the informative nature of the book and the skillful writing involved, among other factors, make Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil a valuable piece of literature.

When I first picked up "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" I was expecting a slightly boring but well written biography of some southerner living in Georgia. Well, not only was I completely wrong about its content, but it was so enthralling that I finished it in just two days. Each character and his or her story described by John Berendt is so unique that one book could've been written on each one. From a man who takes his pet flies for walks to a sassy drag queen, the range of characters is what kept my interest. The novel seemed to be centered around one particular character, other than the narrator, that was somehow connected to all the people John Berendt described. This made the book very easy to read, without the choppiness you would expect. When I finished "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" I could thouroughly understand why it is a best-seller. A fascinating plot full of crazy characters all rolled into the historic city of Savannah. The only reason I did not give it the full five stars is because there was some slightly adult content that offended me, being a high-schooler. Overall, I would reccomend this book to anyone over the age of 18.

Let me begin by saying that I'm no fan of the late J. Edgar Hoover. His refusal for many years to investigate both organized crime and civil rights violations amounted to pure dereliction of duty and his persecution of anyone whose political views differed from his own was tyrannical and downright un-American (a label that would have shocked Hoover). Still, I'll even give the devil his due and it must be admitted, as more balanced biographies, such as Gentry's and Powers', have observed, that Hoover did largely create the FBI, one of the greatest law enforcement agencies in the world, and also did much to professionalize law enforcement and bring it into the 20th Century. That's not the problem I have with this book. It's a cheap shot, designed mainly to prove that Hoover was a closet homosexual and transvestite being blackmailed into submission by the Mob. This may or may not be the case--I've long suspected Hoover was a fag but in the absence of proof have always been inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt--but Summers' "evidence," consisting mostly of gossip and hearsay, is unconvincing. It's also difficult to believe that Hoover, whatever his vices or other faults, could have been stupid enough to place himself in a compromising position. Summers' sources speak of photos showing Hoover and Clyde Tolson engaged in homosexual acts but no such pictures have ever turned up. The whole theory is spurious. If the Mob was blackmailing Hoover into submission, then how did the Kennedys force Hoover to finally move against organized crime in the early '60's? Moreover, while even the FBI admits that the momentum of its anti-Mob drive slowed down after JFK's assassination, it never really ended either. The writing style is unimpressive (especially the author's childish and annoying attempt to personalize the Director by referring to him throughout as "Edgar"), the source notes are inadequate, and the whole product leaves much to be desired. As to the quality of the alleged research, any author who takes Jay Robert Nash's silly and long disproven theory of Dillinger's survival seriously can't really be said to have done his homework. This is shoddy journalism at its absolute worst.

The 35 unlisted chapters tell of J.Edgar Hoover's secret life while ruling the FBI for 48 years. William Hitz, a relative, helped him to get a job with the Library of Congress after high school (his father was put into an asylum, his mother received no pension, and JEH became the sole support of the family). JEH attended George Washington University Las School at night. After graduation he joined the Dept. of Justice. GWU graduates and his Kappa Alpha fraternity were among his closest associates (p.61). (The author did not mention his Masonic Lodge or the connection with General Ralph Van Deman.) JEH attracted favorable notice by A. Bruce Bielaski, head of the Bureau of Investigation.

JEH's first action, after becoming Director, was to clean up the Bureau. During his reign corruption among FBI agents was unheard of - a rare achievement in any police force. But he also avoided policing drug traffic because of the risk of corruption (p.50). JEH also denied the existence of organized crime; Chpaters 21-23 explain why.

JEH benefited greatly under FDR, a fellow Mason. From the Civil War the Secret Service (as its name implies) handled counter-intelligence; FDR re-assigned this to the FBI for reasons of state and his own political benefit (p.105). The FBI soon began to conduct political intelligence: investigating striking mill workers (whose benefit?), the ACLU, the American Nazi movement, etc. These matters had nothing to do with law enforcement. (When the FBI was created in 1908, those who voted against it said it would become a Secret Police on the European model.) Spying on Americans would be pursued "with the utmost degree of secrecy"; there was no written official memorandum. JEH created a "Custodial Detention List" of people who would be jailed in time of war. It included Harrison Salisbury of the New York Times - as an alleged Nazi employee (p.108)! FDR also authorized uncontrolled wiretapping by the FBI (p.113). Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon also used his wiretaps (p.115).

Pages 122-129 retell the story of Dusan Popov and his 1941 interview with JEH. Popov was a Nazi spy and British double agent who was sent to Pearl Harbor to gather information for the Japanese attack. The failure to use this information is presented as a great mistake. But the publication of Robert B. Stinnett's "Day of Deceit" shows a reason for this seeming mistake.

Pages 145-147 tell about the surveillance on Joseph Lash. When FDR was informed of his alleged affair with Eleanor, he ordered the soldiers in the unit sent to fight in the front lines!

Chapter 20 tells how Hoover and Tolson were guilty of federal offenses: private use of government property, accepting gifts from lesser-paid employees. They could have been dismissed and given ten years.

Pages 270-273 tell how JFK chose LBJ as vice-president. Pages 290-294 discusses the rumors about JFK's first marriage. Page 335 quotes high-level officials who suggest JEH was senile in his late 60s; to justify the mandatory retirement at 70?

Page 365 discusses the evidence in Senator RF Kennedy's assassination: "twelve or more bullets were fired. Sirhan's gun was capable of firing only eight". Two gunmen were involved! The autopsy of RFK said he was killed by a bullet fired into the back of his head from a distance of 2.5 inches; all the eyewitnesses said Sirhan was firing from the front and never closer than 6 feet.

Chapter 34 tells of Nixon's attempts to fire JEH; Nixon couldn't. Nixon denied that it was due to blackmail, but Kissinger tells a different story (p.405). JEH was bugging Nixon in more ways that one (p.407).

This book gives the backstage view to people who only saw it from the audience.

The chief of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, who normally should have been the moral conscience of the country, was a paedophile and a drag queen. Into the bargain, he was neutralized by the Mafia. He fiercely opposed Kennedy's anti-racial laws, although he himself had black blood in his veins.
He blackmailed all members of Congress and all the presidents he could, by letting them know that he possessed compromising documents about them. It must be said that some people were easy targets.

Anthony Summers did a formidable job. His book is based on a wealth of references.
It is a must read, because it describes a perfect example of how one single person through his organization could exercise nearly unlimited power in a democratic country.

I wanted a book that gave me more insight into a great thinker. A mathamatician who gave us the theorum bearing his name. What I got was a book where in the first chapter, the author says that Pythagoras may have been a direct decendent from the Gods! Went down hill from there. No information on mathematics, astronomy, geometry, physics or any of the other fields that Pythagoras studied and helped advance. Instead we get a glorified view of a cult leader and a focus on the metaphysical.

Considered by many to be the first important Western teacher of wisdom, exalted by such luminaries as Socrates and Plato, the stories that have come down to us about Pythagoras and his teachings continue to resonate and have value in our modern world. This precious little book (159 pages) is written simply, introducing the life and teachings of one of the most mysterious of ancient philosophers.

The book is organized brilliantly; touching on all aspects of the life of Pythagoras and his teachings, ranging from knowledge and friendship, mathematics, music, care of the self and magic and miracles. Particular attention is devoted to the Pythagorian community and the followers of his teachings during his relatively long stay on the planet, (he nearly reached the age of one hundred) until his enforced death by his enemies through starvation, while taking asylum in the temple of the Muses.

At the end of the book is written The Golden Verses, a poetic guideline or introduction to the Pythagorean way of life. In a word, this is an ancient 'self-help' treatise that should be posted on one's shaving mirror, and attempted to be practiced everyday. If you do anything at all, read these ancient verses, as they are inspiring and valuable to living. As the authors state about them: "That they are hard to date with accuracy attests to the fact that they convey timeless truths."

As a starting point to the study of philosophy or just mere curiousity about the source of the famous Pythagorean Theorem, Divine Harmony is a valuable book to read and own.

This book is recommended highly.

Have you ever wondered why the world seems to be on the brink of utter chaos? Have we put aside the admonitions and teachings of ancient philospohers and thinkers only to find ourselves firmly entrenched in a world bent on destruction? The Pythagorean mindset is one of stark beauty, simplicity, common sense, and discipline. Pythagoras was a Greek seer (some thought him to be a god), with the ability to think with his soul. After a time, his life was threatened. He lived for a time in southern Italy where he had a following of like-minded people. He was a man of wealthy and noble birth, yet his words speak to the hearts of all manner of humankind. This book is a treasure - priceless. Were our world leaders to take the words of Pythagoras to heart, we might be able to mend the wounds of this old world. Pray that it may come to pass that the words of the ancients will win the approval of the modern thinkers.

During the Monica Lewinsky scandal many people wondered how a President could risk so much for so little. Anthony Walker and I understood how, and this book goes some of the way toward putting that understanding into print. Each borderline is different, but they have so many things in common. The track of the borderline personality is a lifelong string of brief, intense, unstable relationships. This book is about how it feels to be part of the debris she leaves behind. The hardest part to understand is that at the core of these intense, angry, floridly sexual people is no one.

I recommend this book because it puts flesh onto the bones of the clinical terminology of borderline personality disorder: How irrational fear of abandonment translates into raging arguments because a spouse starts to leave for work in the morning; how black and white thinking means one can literally do nothing right for the borderline; how anger lurks just under the surface of everything.

That said, there are at least four shortcomings in this book:

First, the hardest part comes after the relationship is over because the borderline both undermines the spouse's confidence and leaves land mines from overdue library books to seduced business associates. Walker doesn't discuss this.

Second, Walker recalls on numerous occasions which wine was being drunk. Borderlines often target high-achieving alcoholic men and Walker's frequent references make one ask whether he might have a problem.

Third, the central crisis for Walker in this book is that he admits slapping his borderline wife on one occasion. That may well be true, but if it is, he is unusual. Many borderlines insist on acting out masochistic roles and can readily inspire enough anger in their partners to gratify the impulse..

This is a worthwhile read, particularly for anyone, man or woman,
who has experienced a close relationship with a borderline. It is some comfort that others have walked the same path.

The term Borderline Personality Disorder seems to get thrown around easily. Sometimes it is even used as a pejorative. Friends and families often don't understand what someone married to a BPD goes through. This is a book to give them. Many of the instances in the book are very easy to identify with if you have ever been in such a relationship. Manipulation, all-or-nothing, up-and-down, good-or-bad, nothing in-between, suicide threats. This book is written by a psychiatrist but it is a memoir and not clinical...anyone can read it. I found it though to be a tremendous asset mainly because Dr. Walker put down his thoughts and motivations in ways that I could understand my own. I read it in one night unable to put it down.

This account of the author's marriage to an abusive woman with BPD reads like a novel - except it really happened! I couldn't put it down. Now a psychiatrist, Dr. Walker details the experiences surrounding his youthful marriage to a charming and captivating - but manipulative woman - who nearly destroyed him. The reader gains an understanding of the BPD mind as well as the partner's co-dependent participation in the events. As Jacqueline's verbal abuse escalated into violence over time, a loving husband progressively lost touch with his inner self, running the risk of becoming violent himself. Neither person set out to hurt the other. Unfortunately, this is how too many of these one-sided relationships go. BPD is poorly understood by the lay public, yet is a prevalent illness more often diagnosed among women than among men. This clearly written and informative book is excellent reading for any person interested in BPD relationships. This book is MUST reading for any man who has been in a destructive relationship with a BPD woman - the woman he just can't do enough for... Dr. Irene

This book was not a good read. I wasn't sure if Tony's life was not all that interesting or if the author did a poor job telling the story, but I did not get alot from this read. My main complaint is that their is no real continuity to the story. One minute he's a 17 yeart old kid scaring Mob-Hit men and doing jobs with movie stars (Yeah right). The next he is in Boston. Then it's ten years later and he's back in LA for some underdeveloped reason. The best story telling happens after he turns rat, but by that time "Fuhget about it". The book leads off saying he was did work with Tony Spilotro and many other well known mobsters, but by the accounts of the book he only met briefly with most of these guys. He seemed to be well connceted to Mike Rizzatello and essentially ran a street crew under him, but the rest seemed like one long name drop. "I knew a guy whom I knew was assocaited with Neil Delacruca or Ray Patriachia..yadda...yadda." The part towrds the end with Denise Brown was better done, but if i wanted insight to the OJ trial...I'd buy a different book. All and all...if you are a mob diehard and you want to find some info on the LA or Boston mob, then read it for that, but for a story about the life a mafia soldier..re-reading Nicholas Pillegi's Wiseguy is more enjoyabe!

pickledjoe

Anthony was on the radio, and he is facinating. his story was unbelievable, in the sense that he accomplished so much, in a town that is so easy to get caught. He is no dummy like most Mafia guys What guts he has to wear a wire on over sixty
Mafia members sworn to kill like himself

This book followed the experiences of Anthony fiato, mobster-turned-informant. Sometimes it's funny; sometimes it's incredibly violent. A good read, and all the more interesting because it includes celebrities like Denise Brown, James Caan and Robert Mitchum.

Let's be honest - the two most difficult issues when starting a business venture like this would be:
1. Getting your foot in the door (of a world that is so foreign to you that it may as well be OZ) and
2. Money negotiations (how does one actually sit down and talk money with people of this stature)?
Both of these extremely difficult issues are addressed along with so much more.
I found this guide to be an informative read as well as an honest straightforward peak into the world of celebrity fan clubs.

Your guide to starting a celebrity fan club is just the best! It is extremely informative, and the samples that are included were a much appreciated bonus. But, more than any of that -- what made this an incredible read was the motivational writing (the "pep talk if you will")! I really feel like this is something that I CAN do and who knows ... maybe I will get to run that "certain someone's" fan club after all! Thank you so much!!

I've been a member of fan clubs since I can remember being interested in music (quite a long time now)and have always fantasized about running my own club. But how in the world do you start something like that? Well, I recommend this book to guide you. I was so pleased to see examples of letters, contracts and member cards!!!! This truly is a dream come true.