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Book reviews for "Phillips,_John" sorted by average review score:

Delta Green
Published in Paperback by Tynes Cowan Corporation (01 February, 1997)
Authors: John Tynes, Adam Scott Glancy, John Tynes, Bob Kruger, Blair Reynolds, Heather Hudson, Toren Atkinson, Denis Detwiller, and Adam S Glancy
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A gaming masterpiece. Buy it!
Many have commented that DELTA GREEN is where X-Files meets the Cthulhu Mythos. They are correct, but it goes beyond that. Delta Green presents a satisfying and believable context for mythos roleplaying in the modern era. This supplement for CALL OF CTHULHU, a game which has a history of great supplements, raises the standard by which future works will be measured. This is quite possibly the best role-playing supplement ever. I have been into RPGs for nearly 20 years now, and I have seen most of what is out there. Believe me, it does not get better than this.

Best Call of Cthulhu supplement ever
To call DELTA GREEN a supplement for Call of Cthulhu is to do it a great injustice. Even if you don't play the game, but are a Lovecraft aficionado, you owe it to yourself to pick this up and see what Tynes and company have done. This is not your father's Cthulhu Mythos. This is something much, much nastier.

Gone are the days where monsters lurked in dark places, and could be banished with the right spells. The stars are right - right here, right now, and the Mythos has kept pace with modernity, corrupting openly, though humanity is still too blind to see. Delta Green has been fighting them ever since Innsmouth and 1927, a hidden conspiracy within the government dedicated to seeking out and destroying that which threatens humanity.

Only trouble is, even the government has disavowed Delta Green, in favour of collusion with the enemy. But the menace is so great that Delta Green continues, an illegal conspiracy hidden in the bowels of that which wants too destroy it. Delta Green isn't Mulder or Scully, seeking the truth that nobody else knows. Delta Green *knows* the truth, and is making sure nobody else suffers from knowing that either.

DELTA GREEN takes everything we know about modern day conspiracy theory - Roswell, Area 51, Majestic-12, UFOs, and merges it seamlessly with the battle against the forces of the Cthulhu Mythos. The secret history it reveals is frighteningly plausible, and like Lovecraft's fiction, nags at you and makes you doubt its fictional qualities.

As a way of bringing a moribund CoC campaign from the gothic horror of the 1920s to the survivalist horror of the 1990s, it is second to none. Think you could have dealt with those creepy crawlies if you only had an AK-47 instead of a revolver? Think again. The psychological cost of fighting terrors from beyond is not forgotten either, with Delta Green agents wandering shell-shocked from encounter to encounter.

And as I said, as a means of stimulating your imagination to bring Lovecraft up to date, it is also superb. Anyone who thinks Lovecraft's themes are hackneyed and old only needs to read this to see how horrifyingly relevant they still are.

Buy this book, and its companion DELTA GREEN: COUNTDOWN, which describes the UK and Russian counterparts to Delta Green. The truth is here. And it's hungry.

Delta "Green with envy!:
If Lovecraft was alive today this sourcebook would make him green with envy! This takes the Call of Cthulhu game to the contemporary level. There's more than enough plots and characters to juice up a modern (postmodern?) Call of Cthulhu game. I especially like how the creators have made so many versatile options. You can make this supplement as intricate or as simple as you want. I definitely recommend this as a sourcebook to all Call of Cthulhu role playing fans.


Grilling (Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library)
Published in Hardcover by Time Life (1993)
Authors: Chuck Williams, Allen Rosenberg, and John Phillip Carroll
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Great for a used book!
I have not had the opportunity to put any of the recipes to use. But I am a fan of Williams-Sonoma products and own many of his easy to follow and tasty recipes. The book is in good condition and free of foul mildewy smells! Such was not the case with another used book Chuck Williams Thanksgiving and Christmas. The recipes and pictures look attractive but the smell keeps me from using it.

Great so far........
I've made a few recipes ou tof this cookbook and so far my family has loved them all (and some of them are fussy eaters that never like to try anything new). The marinades are so simple to make and from there the meat just needs to sit and marinate before throwing it on the grill - very easy!! At my fourth of July BBQ I was able to very easily assemble three of these recipes in a very short period of time in the morning for an afternoon celebration while still having time to prepare a bunch of other things. So far I've tried: Teriyaki Chicken, Lemon Chicken Breasts, Curried Pork Sate, Scallop and Mushroom Brochettes - all very good!!

Absolutely Wonderful
This cook book has to be one of the best. I have made several dishes and everyone has been a hit by my family and friends. The recipes are easy to follow and alot of the prep work can be done ahead of time. I definetly would recommend this book to others and I have...enjoy.


Mid-Atlantic Winter Sports and Ski
Published in Paperback by Beachway Pr (1997)
Author: John Phillips
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The Definitive Guide to Skiing and 'Boarding this Region
The author sets out to offer a comprehensive guide to the highlights of skiing and snowboarding the Mid Atlantic. He succeeds thoroughly, presenting the right info in a highly readable, yet matter of fact style. Packed with tons of useful data and pointers, the book is hard to put down, yet easy enough to throw into a backpack or dufflebag before hitting the slopes. A must have for the Eastern winter sportsman.

Finally, an all-inclusive resource!
This book is the best I've found. I ski at every opportunity and this book is chock full of good insight into every ski slope in the mid-atlantic area. I leave it in the car for whenever the ski bug bites and have given it to friends and family too. It's a great stocking stuffer.

A must for the Mid-Atlantic Area
The Mid-Atlantic Winter Sports and Ski guide is one of the most thorough and informative guidebooks for East Coast Skiers I've seen. John does a fantastic job highlighting each resort and offering suggests of what's good and what's not.

Who says there's no skiing in the Mid-Atlantic??? Read this book!!!!


Sign of the Cross: The Prosecutor's True Story of a Landmark Trial Against the Klan
Published in Hardcover by Westminster John Knox Press (2000)
Author: John W. Phillips
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Great Legal Drama
This is not just a story about a First Amendment battle to keep the klan in check. This is a story about who we are. In so many of the characters, I saw a little piece of myself - sometimes liking what I saw, sometimes not, but always reading on, to see which part of me pulled for which character. It's a great American story.

"Sign of the Cross" was Sensational!
It took me a few weeks to read the book, because I've had such a very hectic schedule lately. But, Sign of the Cross is a sensational True-to-Life Drama that kept me anxiously turning each and every page. The book was extremely well-written and I think we need more books like this one, so that people in our society can be aware of what's going on in society (both historically and currently).

I would love to see the book adapted as a screen-play. I think it would make for a sensational film.

A Prosecutor's Inside Story of of His Trial to Stop the Klan
If you want true legal drama at its best, with insights into the inner workings of the Klan and the prosecutor who challenged it, this book will fascinate and captivate. First Amendment issues are eloquently presented by both sides. In this case, the Klan's freedom of speech is contrasted with a community's right to be free from fear. But can any one man perservere against an unwilling legal system and the most notorious terrorist groups in America?


Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State
Published in Paperback by University Press of Florida (2001)
Authors: Sandy Huff, Arnie Diedrichs, Jean Faulk, Bryce Huff, John Phillips, Larry Reed, Nancy Scharmach, and Laurilee Thompson
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Useful information
There is a lot of good information in this book, but most of it can be found toward the beginning. The tips on predicting the weather alone could be worth the price of the book. However, the maps of the various waterways were absolutely terrible. I would recommend this book for a general overview and lots of tips and tricks for paddlers, and the two "Canoeing and Kayaking the Streams of Florida" guides for detailed information on specific waterways.

Book Review- Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State by Sandy
Book Review- Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State by Sandy Huff

Coming from a whitewater paddling background, my first thought on looking at the river descriptions in Huff's book was, "Hm, not very detailed." On further reflection, though, this makes sense. Details of how to run rapids aren't needed in Florida, and the lack of details makes visiting the waterways described much more of a voyage of discovery- as paddling should be.
Huff has logically divided her book into three major sections. The first part contains tips for paddling in Florida, and includes chapters on gear and clothing and how to pack it, staying healthy, staying safe, and camping in Florida with sections on cooking and camp activities, all delightfully written by someone who clearly has had an abundance of paddling experience.
The second section describes in detail all the wildlife you might encounter on any trip on Sunshine State waterways, and your best strategies for safely dealing with those critters (Do NOT feed the wildlife!). Aunt Sally from Ohio will survive her first alligator encounter if you follow Huff's advice. There is even a short chapter on fishing.
Finally, the last section contains descriptions of over 200 trips on 91 waterways across the state. Every description contains all the information you'll need to make that trip: a map, where to put in, where to take out, the length of time and/or mileage involved, skill level needed, and local emergency phone numbers (great idea!). The descriptions are also keyed to the corresponding DeLorme atlas page numbers, and include a brief outline of what you can expect to encounter, all written in a tastefully understated manner.
It's difficult to find any flaws in this book, or figure out how to improve upon it. For every Sunshine State paddler or anyone who wants to become one, Huff's book is a must read.

-John Kumiski

Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State
If you want to have just one book on paddling in Florida then this is the one to get!! It has easy-to-read maps, web sites, addresses and phone numbers for further information. Paddling a river or creek is more than just knowing where to put in and take out. Sandy gives you all kinds of information on the area, fishing, wildlife, weather, safety and much more. I must have every book there is on paddling in Florida but they're going on the bottom shelf because this is the one I'm going to reach for when planning my next adventure!!


The Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook: Simple Solutions for Eating Well
Published in Paperback by Leisure Arts (2002)
Authors: John Phillip Carroll and Chris Shorten
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Not for the beginner cook
I first viewed this book in-store and fell in love with the pictures and the luscious sounding food. A few weeks later I ordered a copy and immediately began using it. With a couple of exceptions, everything I've made from this cookbook has been a little off, flavor-wise. Although I still love this cookbook, I use it as more of a guide, since I know I will have to make some modifications in order for the food not to be bland. I do not recommend this book for anyone who is somewhat uncomfortable in the kitchen or just learning to cook. With the blandness that I've found in many of the recipes, an inexperienced cook may believe they've done something wrong or be afraid to experiment. But if you love having a basic recipe and then making it your own, I would recommend this, as it has definitely helped me cook more healthy foods.

Fantastic healthy recipes...but watch that pepper!
The Mayo Clinic Cookbook was given to me as a gift from a friend who also loved it. The recipes have comprehensive nutrition analyses, and a color picture of every dish showing the individual portion size. This is very helpful, you can browse through and see what you're in the mood for. Their preparation times don't seem to correspond to a home kitchen, I wouldn't rely on them. The recipes are all very tasty, but I have found that the assortment of spices they use are very limited. They use black pepper to an extreme. I no longer use a recipe straight from the book without analysing the spices they suggest first. Changing the flavoring with different spices does not affect the nutritional value of the recipe, it just allows you to adapt the flavor to your individual palate. I have been able to control my blood pressure, reduce my blood cholesterol, lose weight, and save money, all by using this cookbook exclusively for three months. Try it. I'm back here to buy three more to give to friends this Christmas!

Awesome!
I accidentally got this book through a book club. I dreaded a "healthy" cookbook. As I flipped through, every full color photo looked more delicious than the last. I have made more than 15 or 20 of the recipies in this book. I have only made one thing that I didn't throughly enjoy! The sidebars of helpful tips and informtion about foods you thought you knew are excellent! The vegetarian dishes are also loved by my hard-to-please vegetarian sister! Nothing is bland as you would fear. Everyone always wants to know "what smells SO good" when I cook using these recipies. My book is falling apart from use, and it is not even a year old, yet! Highly recommended!


A Rage for Justice: The Passion and Politics of Phillip Burton
Published in Hardcover by University of California Press (1995)
Author: John Jacobs
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just plain rage
Burton was out there. Great book though despite the author being overly enamoured with the subject. Good info and California politics.

Powerful biography of a fascinating man
This is probably the best political biography I have ever read. Phil Burton was a fascinating man, and Jacobs does a terrific job of profiling him. Whether the reader is liberal or conservative, he will enjoy this book.

Fascinating
The best background piece on California politics. Similarly, a fantastic insight into a legislative master whose personal vices cut short a meteoric rise to power and influence.


Point of No Return
Published in Hardcover by Little Brown & Company (1949)
Author: John Phillips Marquand
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A minority report on a flawed novel
This novel has been called the shrewdest portrait of American life since Sinclair Lewis's Main Street (1920). That may be an overly ambitious claim, but the book has its points (it has also been called a painstakingly accurate social study of a New England town), and many will find it "a good old-fashioned read," a genteel, mildly absorbing family saga covering two generations. My main complaint is that it is simply too long: 559 pages, when it should have been about two-thirds that length. It is old-fashioned all right, in the sense that its pace is decidedly slow and deliberate; those who like their fiction fast-paced and dramatic need to look elsewhere. There is a sense here of all the time in the world, and the modest events of the story unfold in quite a leisurely fashion, with lengthy passages of description, exposition, explanation, reflection, retrospection. Marquand feels obliged to spell out much that a more modern writer would suggest, imply, leave his reader to infer, or simply omit. I sometimes felt I would never get to the end of it. Occasionally the book has an elegiac quality.

The protagonist, earnest, conscientious, buttoned-down, and rather dull Charley Gray, is an upper middle-class banker in his forties, back from the war, resuming his place in an old, small, traditional New York City bank in 1947, living in what would now be called a yuppie suburban development with his wife and two children, and worrying about promotion in the bank. A large part of the novel, however, is devoted to his youth, family life, and first romance in the old, small, traditional New England town (Clyde, Mass.) where he grew up and where his family has its roots. Hence some of the novel has a postwar setting of 1947 New York City and suburbia, but most of it has a prewar setting and is a portrait of New England small-town life from World War I through the 1920s.

Perhaps the most memorable character is Charley's father, a charming, irresponsible ne'er-do-well of good family and no accomplishment, who promises much and delivers little, and who loses any money he gets his hands on by his compulsive speculation in the stockmarket. Charley is determined not to be like his father. The business about the visiting, snooping academic anthropologist/sociologist who writes a study of Clyde and has a passion for categorizing and pigeonholing everything and everyone is heavy-handed and becomes tiresome, strained, and intrusive. (There is an odd slip in which Marquand has the misapprehension that a Duesenberg is "a foreign car"--a strange mistake for an American social historian of the 1920s and 1930s.)

John P. Marquand (1893-1960) enjoyed that rare thing, both popular and critical success, for the last two decades of his life. He was widely read and admired as a distinguished American novelist. He has few readers today. This book has usually been regarded as one of his better efforts. He was a facile writer whose prose here is smooth and readable enough, but lacks crispness, incisiveness, pungency, wit. In the end, the whole performance is pleasant and agreeable but hardly gripping or searching or profound; it is, instead, prolix, rather bland, a little tired, and somewhat dated. And the big decisive scene, the moment of truth toward which the entire novel seems to be building is, when it finally arrives, "a strangely hollow climax," to use Marquand's words (and an all-too-predictable one as well). If you want to read Marquand at his best, before he began to take himself too seriously as a social historian, try The Late George Apley (Pulitzer Prize, 1938), Wickford Point (1939), and perhaps H. M. Pulham, Esquire (1941). I believe all three are livelier and more engaging than this book. (The last of these has a protagonist who has much in common with Charley Gray and who has his own "point of no return" story to tell; indeed, H. M. Pulham, Esquire shares its major themes with Point of No Return.)

They do not write books like this anymore
There are few books published like this any more and I wonder why. One reason could be that people do not read like they once did and this is why serious fiction concerns itself with either life in the university (hardly the stomping ground for everyman figures) and alternately freaks and geeks. Since the death of John Cheever, there have been few books that address the trials and tribulations of the middle and upper middle class reader. One does not find sensational crimes or magic realism in works by John Marquand. While there certainly is a place for these sorts of things, it is a pity that Marquand's influence waned with his death in the 1960s.

This book concerns themes that probably are more universal than what one finds in contemporary literature. A man is seeking to get a promotion in his firm and he is in competition with another person for it. During the novel we really get "the story of his life, using the "flashback technique that Marquand made famous in all of his best books. Along the way there is regret and a curiosity about what he might lost by not pursuing a different path. Not exactly earth shattering events, but things that grownups experience everyday.

One wonders if the reason that people do not read as they once did is due to television and other assorted distraction or for the simple reason that the books that are published are so very far removed from common experiences.

Marquand's fall since the 1960s has been a sad one. He was at one time, one the best-selling authors in the US. It is a tragedy that more of his works are not in print, this one in particular. If ever an author desereved "The Library of America" treatment it is he.

ONE OF THE BEST
I discovered "Point of No Return" as a teenager. It sat on a shelf in my father's library and sounded like an interesting title. It is now an old friend.

I've reread this subtle novel many times over the years and find, remarkably, that with each reading I get a different sense of Marquand's ultimate message. In fact, the whole story seems to take on new meaning over time, a delightful characteristic of every great book.

Marquand is a wonderful author. I am currently savoring his "So Little Time" and recommend all of his work. "Point of No Return," however, will always be my favorite.


Measures of Personality and Social Psychological Attitudes (Measures of Social Psychological Attitudes Series)
Published in Paperback by Academic Press (1991)
Authors: John P. Robinson, Phillip R. Shaver, and Lawrence S. Wrightsman
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Measures of Personality and Social Psychological Attitudes (
I'm from Argentina, and I was wondering if you could send me the abstract of chapter 12 from this book, because here is imposible to get it. Thanks anyway.

gabriela

A must-have for researchers in SWB
Although the book tackled a lot of material pertinent to Attitude and Personality Measurement, I find it really useful in my research-interest in Subjective Well-Being (SWB). A chapter was dedicated to SWB, it's theories, tests and development. It is a really must-have book for those interested in SWB.

Recommend
If you are teaching research courses this book you want to have in your test library.


Veils
Published in Paperback by DC Comics (1999)
Authors: Pat McGreal, Stephen John Phillips, Rebecca Guay, and Jose Villarrubia
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More Literary than Comic book
This is a striking and visually stimulating product. Very smartly written, full of thought provoking issues, and drawn/photographed to the best of 1998's technology. The story follows a Victorian woman's journey to the "orient" and all the orient's mysteries and sterotypes. The protagonist must shed her "veils" in order to find her true calling and desires. For years, woman are preceived in certain ways and must uphold their appearance and thoughts in a certain way to uphold their status. Well, Veils does the opposite. It allows the protagonist the daring decision to liberate her feminity and desires and in the process, sheds all her outer burdens. Truely literary and deep. Deals with the orient, feminism, and of course male domination on the female body. The art? WEll, a blend of hand art and photography makes this stunning and beautiful. The reason for only four stars is because I felt this book could've been expanded with more twists. I felt some scenes were longer than necessary and at times I wanted the plot to go faster. That's what Comic Books are about, right? But overall, this is stunning and deep. Expect a good read. Not a wham bang type of comic.

A Woman's Graphic Novel aka "Comic Book"
Graphic novel is the name given now to beautiful full length "comics" which come in hardback or trade paperback size. What's truly unusual about this one is that it is not male-oriented. This one was meant for a female audience! The only other graphic novel I've read that does the same is Gaiman and McKean's "Black Orchid". "Veils" totally succeeds as both a story and an art work and you can't ask any more of a "comic book" than that. The art work is done by 2 different artists since 2 different media are used: actual hand drawings/paintings and computer-enhanced photography. Using both together was a brilliant idea. This story of a Victorian English woman, fleeing her abusive English husband into a Middle Eastern harem, is quite tantalizing. None of the names are familiar to me of the people who collaborated on this book but I certainly hope they all plan to work together again and soon!

Beautiful, haunting book...
like nothing you've ever seen


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