I should say that the edition that I bought only last year, the new edition, is from 1973 and may not be exactly like the revised edition. My interest in these writings arose from an understanding that they had a not intangible effect on Biblical literature. But although I feel bad giving this book only 3 stars I should explain that there are reasons for this. First is that many of the stories, etc. are fragmentary or missing the entire beginning, end or both. If they were all complete it would get at least 4. The other reason is the often obscure quality of the readings, which is purely a function of our not getting enough exposure to books like this. Mostly if the story was complete, it was very enjoyable, but if broken up and missing parts, it seemed useless to the general reader. So I cannot say that the low rating is due in any way to the fault of the editors or translators. Other than that it was a charming array of tales and advice that is every bit as good as Biblical literature.

This is a great book to add to your Egyptian Literature library. It contains many narratives, stories, lamentations, and poetry which can also be found in the three volume set by Miriam Lichtheim. Although many 'stories' are fragmentary - it is not THAT excessive. The editors have provided footnotes and commentaries on the missing parts of the stories, which attempt to explain the missing parts. Each 'story' starts with a commentary, and is followed by the text. Some pieces include: "Shipwrecked Sailor", "Story of Sinuhe", "Tale of the Doomed Prince", "Contendings of Horus and Seth", "Truth and Falsehood", "Teaching for Merikare", "Maxims of Ptahhotpe", "The Man Who Was Tired of Life", "Instruction of Amenemope", "Hymn to the Aten", "Instruction of a Man for His Son".

I picked up this book as a preparation for the CLEP marketing exam. While it is easy to read, the layout is cluttered and distracting. The authors give a rah-rah treatment to e-commerce, presenting multiple .com case studies throughout the book (each chapter begins with an internet site and description).

It is clear that the authors were infatuated with the so-called "new economy," and the book suffers a lot as a result. Using it as a primer is tiring, as you have to separate the essentials of marketing from the e-commerce cheerleading.

The publisher's website does have quizzes to test on the material, which I like, but overall, I was still somewhat disappointed.

I purchased this book as a primer on Marketing, as a preparatory resource for the CLEP Principles of Marketing exam (3 semester hours). The book effectively presents the basic terms and ideas in an airy, easy to read manner. Also, the book's website contains quizzes that help reinforce the information, which is greatly appreciated.

However, I was somewhat disenchanted with the content which reaches for a "futuristic" flavor and misses something in the process. In my opinion, the book concentrates too heavily on .com companies (some of which are now bankrupt and defunct) and gives an overall rah-rah treatment towards e-commerce. Anecdotes abound and are used as filler in the main text, instead of informational sidebars. Every chapter is introduced with another website URL emblazoned across the top of the page in a putrid yellow color.

Thankfully, the authors did include a paragraph or two dissuading the reader from using SPAM (unsolicited email marketing), but it was a footnote in an otherwise verbose volume. I was somewhat offended that from the context of those paragraphs, and an anecdote about one company's 12% response rate (versus 1% for direct mail) which is misleading and would probably leave marketing students thinking that spam was effective.

For what I purchased the book for, it accomplishes the goals, albeit in a verbose manner.

I used this book as an introduction to marketing at the School of Management at Syracuse University. I found the to be thought out well, layed out in a logical format and it was current with all information. It was more interesting than most text books.

I thought about getting this book once so I browsed through it in the book store. The title alone tells you that it is an attempt to teach the "people's" catholicism over against the Magiserium's catholicism. No real discussion of the Church's condemnation of contraception, which is to be expected. The authors come from liberal and dissenting institutions. The liberal "church speak" is used, such as "we are church" rather than "we are the church." I would not get this. Get the real Catechism of the Catholic Church and perhaps a supplement like John Hardon's Catechism or The Teaching of Christ done by several Catholic Bishops.

This is an intense book! I personally felt a need to read it slowly over a long period of time as there was much to savor here. The subject matter also lends itself to discussion--I think it would make a very good source text for a discussion group or a retreat.

This book, like the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is divided into 4 sections: faith, sacraments, morals, and prayer. Each of the 4 sections is written by a different author (or team of authors).

The book's 40 chapters also share a common organization--each begins with a quote from scripture, follows with an essay on the relevance of the biblical teaching in the real world, then challenges the reader to put his or her faith into action, and concludes with a section on prayer.

The choices from scripture are relevant. The essays are clear, contemporary, and meaningful. There is a strong thread throughout the text on the importance of the Christian community and the need to apply the faith to every day living.

The calls to action issue blunt challenges. For example, the reader is asked: if someone wished to persecute Christians, would they have enough evidence to convict you?