Brilliant gems from the writings of one of the world's greatest preachers. Arranged in over two hundred short selections including thoughts on fasting, vainglory, wealth, and Excellent and provoking reading for daily devotion.

What a pity this book is out of print. Kenny's book on Descartes does not take the reader as far into the deeps of philosophy as Bernard Williams, and the book is not up to date. But Kenny is an intelligent philosopher and, furthermore, he is one of the best writers of philosophical prose. Undergraduates, who have just read some of Descartes' own work can read Kenny, understand the issues that he raises and, very often, they will come away with some idea of where they disagree with Kenny. This is an excellent book for teaching students, by example, how to respond intelligently to the thoughts of a great philosopher.

This first volume in a two-volume set contains: (1) Rules for the Direction of our Native Intelligence, (2) Discourse on the Method, (3) Optics, (4) Meditations on First Philosophy (together with Objections and Replies), (5) Principles of Philosophy, (6) Comments on a Certain Broadsheet, and (7) The Passions of the Soul. The only book missing from this great volume is Descartes' Geometry, but given the breadth and depth of the current volume, such an omission is understandable.

The translation is among the very best, with the consistent use of nouns and verbs and direct objects throughout the various texts. The book is accompanied by an excellent index, and an occasional note only when absolutely necessary. The text is allowed to speak for itself, and this it does with aplomb.

My only regret is my copy is not printed on acid-free paper, and after a decade is already beginning to age prematurely. This one complaint aside, this volume is both well written and covers Descartes' best ideas. This particular volume belongs in all serious students' and collegiate libraries.

First published in 1624, this series of meditations on illness were published following John Donne's sickness during late November and early December of 1623 (when he either had typhus or relapsing fever). Each of his ruminations are recorded in groups of three: meditation, expostulation, and prayer. Donne's insights about the "variable, therefore miserable condition of man" will always be pertinent as long as humans continue to fall prey to disease. The reading is a little slow at times, but there are some fine pieces in this book, including his famous meditation XVII, "No man is an island", that Hemingway quoted when he wrote FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS. Even if you don't read all of the essays, this book is worth obtaining just to pore over meditation XVII.

While I enjoy Friar's <>, it would take several life times to check the references for the number of items about which there is disagreement. To wit: using Kay W. Holmes as his source, Friar says that the Order of the Holy Ghost was a Castilian order of the 1300's. But Aviles [1780] dates the order in 1578 and says that it is French.

R Goss [richard.n.goss@gte.net]

Eye for an Eye has an immature young man making rather a mess of his first entree into adult opportunities. The book is a jaunty, interesting run to a conclusion--a reminder that immature behavior by a young adult can have unforeseen consequences. Many of the devices of Trollope's comic novels are here, but they subserve a plot which resolves in a decidedly non-comic fashion. A light read, an interesting commentary, and a social frankness that does not seem at all old fashioned. Trollope was not always an ardent critic of his own social order, but he understood the problems, as this book shows in a non-preachy way.

This book gives a good introduction to argumentation theory and its twists and turns over the course of its existence. I found it helpful to get started, especially coming from a completely different field. It gives the essence of Toulmin and Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca but I would have liked to see a bit more on Austin and Searle.But then again the references mentioned are very extensive and can be followed up. All in all a good book if a bit pricey for students (whatever happened to the paperback cover?)

John Callanan develops the spiritual exercises of Ignatius Loyola using the methodology develop by Jesuit Anthony de Mello. This book contains practices for meditation as well as processes and material to reflect upon. Ignatian spirituality is an excellent method for those with a great imagination. And De Mello's use of this process integrates psychology and some eastern meditation exercises in an eclectic spirituality. The title of the book suggests that these exercises are designed to assist people to become aware of the spirit of the divine in the experiences that we have each day. De Mello helped people to re-awaken within themslves new perceptions and shake off the dispositions that were part of their field of formation. De Mello helps people become aware of what they believe and not be afraid of entering into this. This comes at a time when leadership in the Catholic Church has become very repressive with "internal assent" now the watch word from Rome. De Mello methods are subversive to the Congrregation of Christian Doctrine. But unity with God does not neep permission from Rome. These are the ideas, small and simple, that will bring the Church into the kingdom of God.

This is an informative book that can be read easily by an unschooled armchair general. It uses graphics of the battle scenes of Alexander, Scipio, Gustavus, Marlborough, Wellington, Rommel, MacAurthur, Napoleon, Slim, Henry V, Genghis Khan, Allenby, Washington, Lee, and others. It is a MUST have, and the introduction is a well done piece by General Sir John Hackett, an experienced soldier of the British Army, who has his own book own World War III. A warning though, it is exceedingly British. It is bias towards Britain in every battle involving the English, but this aspect is at worst evaluation a bit funny.

Summers and Dorril take the reader through the background of the Profumo affair and the betrayal of Stephen Ward. It seems a well researched tome with plenty of details concerning how Stephen Ward, a respected chiropracter, was made the scapegoat for a affair that could have embarressed most of the British upper class.

I would advise getting your hand on the paperback edition which has an additional chapter on new information concerning Stephen Wards 'suicide' and his last hours. This book was the inspiration for the Michael Caton Jones film 'Scandal'.