This is the best introduction to McKeon's thught. His standing as a thinker will be seen as rooted in rhetoric, someday. As a former student of McKeon's (from the 1950s)it is my opinion that Mark Backman has done an outstanding job editing and introducing McKeon's work. Read these essays and forego the rest. It's all here. See, also, Backman's own book, Sophistication: Rhetoric and the Rise as Self-Consciousnes, for proof that he's one of the few McKeon students to understand the man's work.

The "Sweet Dropper," as the heavenly Doctor Sibbes has been called, will live up to his name in this finely written and meticulously researched book. Mark Dever himself may well deserve such a moniker, being one of the few scholars (this is his PhD. dissertation from Cambridge) who can speak as eloquently as he writes. Anyone who has had to crawl through the desert of arid scholastic tomes, or swim the oceans of pedantic language, will find Dever's work a delightful exception.

The book is divided into two parts.

Part one is biographical material. While the writing itself is lively enough, sadly, the subject matter is not. Alas Sibbes was no Bunyan. But Dever does the historical reader a favor by revealing a couple of overlooked facts, correcting repeated mistakes of former historians. Sibbes was neither the disenfranchised preacher of lore, who lived out the remainder of his life in obscurity, nor was he a rebel-rousing nonconformist, but rather a moderate Puritan, more the reformer rather than a revolutionary.

Part two explores the theology of Sibbes, appropriately distinguishing him as one of the last of the great English reformers. The author highlights several salient features of Sibbes as a Reformed theologian. Of special interest, Dever adroitly dispels the misconception that Sibbes was an irrational or even an a-rational mystic. The "Sweet Dropper" was nothing of the kind but rather an affectionate theologian, scrupulously concerned with the centrality of the heart and the proper role of the conscience, specifically an educated one.

This reader came away with three specific encouragements:
1.Sibbes believed that godly preaching was the salvation of the Church of England. So should it is for any church in any generation.
2.Sibbes was a reforming conformist. He was a hesitator and a questioner but not a dissenter. Rather than separate from the established church, he elected to remain, attempting to bring reform from within. For those pastors and church leaders who labor in non-Reformed churches or denominations, his example will be of encouragement. Although history may show that his endeavor was actually an idle venture, such warm-hearted commitment will loom as a grand and noble gesture in the light of today's rabid transience and hyper-individualism.
3.Many voices today are clamoring for a new Reformation. As great as the need may be, much is cool, calculating, and highly polemical. Sibbes was a doctor of the heart. His tender, warm-heartedness needs to be rediscovered. Sibbes was the England of his day, what Jonathan Edwards was to America, both sharing a mutual concern for true religious affections.

A fresh look at the life of Richard Sibbes may well rekindle a warm-hearted passion for the gospel, based upon the great doctrines of the Protestant Reformation. This truth on fire was the hallmark of English Puritanism. Mark Dever has done a great service in reminding his readers of this fact.

This is the most accessible of the books currently available on dangers to health of a high salt/sodium diet. Given that almost all of us eat this type of diet, this is also (to use a well-worn cliche) one of those books "everyone should read," and not just those who have high blood pressure. It is also one of those books I'm sure the food processing conglomerates and the salt industry would like to see out of print as soon as possible (note that it actually is out of print at this time, but I certainly hope a 2nd printing will be available soon).

A nut-shell description of the book is that:
(1) dietary salt/sodium in high amounts combined with dietary potassium in low amounts will, over time, gradually contribute to the onset of a number of diseases (heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, stomach cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension, and asthma)
(2) most people don't have a clue how much salt/sodium they're actually eating because roughly 80% of it is "hidden" in processed foods
(3) changing diet by decreasing salt/sodium (particularly processed foods) while increasing potassium (particularly fruits & vegetables) is an effective (and the safest) way to lower blood pressure and protect against the onset of these diseases

After reading this book, I immediately felt more optimistic about my health and my ability to control it. I also have a keener sense of what foods are surprisingly high in salt/sodium and are contributing to the western world's epidemic of obesity, high blood pressure, and disease. The authors' advice is compelling and difficult to refute. They build their case on the basis of studies published in reputable medical journals such as the Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine. In particular, they suggest that one of the best ways to prevent and even reverse these diseases is to reduce salt/sodium in our diets while increasing the amount of natural foods we eat. I particularly like the idea that it's not necessary to go "cold turkey" on salt. Instead, some salt/sodium can be eaten BUT it must be balanced with potassium-rich foods. There are also tips and advice about smoothly adapting to a lower salt/sodium diet. By following them, I have lowered my blood pressure significantly, and have more energy than I've had in years, and an increased feeling of well-being. I had a physical exam last week and my doctor was VERY impressed with my health. A final comment is that you may want to get more than one copy of this book because, like me, you may find yourself wanting to give it to family and close friends. I've had 3 copies and have given all mine away. If you're serious about improving and preserving your health in a drug-free way, this is the book for you.

This book is great for all ages, the stories bring back alot of memories for me. Kids will love this book because it does it's scares so well. Its got the suspenseful "what will happen in the end" feel to it and it makes you want to read right to the end. Adults will enjoys this stories as well. An A+!

An excellent collection of first-rate horror short stories. Matheson is a master of concise, nasty little tales; "little" being the operative word here; nearly all of the tales are no more than a few pages long. But boy, do they pack a punch! I owned a copy of this book some years back, but something bad happened to it, and I haven't been able to replace it since. A real shame, too, because this is one that can be read over and over with no diminished enjoyment. Would-be writers of short fiction can learn a lot from these works. R.C. Matheson is the son of Richard Matheson, another amazing writer of horror, sci fi , and fantasy, probably most known for his writing for "Twilight Zone", "Duel", and "Prey", which became the most memorable segment in "Trilogy of Terror", where the fiendish Zuni fetish doll comes to life and terrorizes poor Karen Black. If you can find this title, it's definitely worth checking out. Why does all the good stuff always go out of print?!?

The Science and Technology of Terrorism and Counterterrorism examine some topics that you might find in other texts but in a more understandable format and with greater depth. It goes beyond this in that it covers so much more that is unique in a variety of areas such as the theory of terrorism and technology, the group psychology of terrorism, aerosol science, sensors (one of the most complete works on chem., bio and nuclear sensors that I have seen), medical preparedness, training and homeland security infrastructure. It is concise and timely and is written by a distinguished group of scholars with a broad range of expertise to thoroughly cover all of these complex topics.

There was a lacuna in the field of gastroenterology but with the introduction of this masterpiece, that gap too has been filled. Amazing insight and utmost simplicity of presentation has made this a prized posession, at least in my collection and I hope that it will be so for many many people across the globe.

This excellent book is a must for anyone interested in the historical roots of the dominant economic school today (noeclassical economics) and how it shares foundations with sociology. This may come as as a surptise for most students of either economics or sociology, but these approaches used to unite in studying the dynamics and mechanisms of society. However, due to fundamental disagreements pertaining on how to study this phenomenon, economics and sociology separated in the 19th century (the methodenstreit) read all about why and how these schools mnow wide apart maybe are reuniting in a neoinstitutional framework. This book is really well-written by one of the really great authorities in social network research: Richard Granovetter. I can only recommend this book which will make you feel much wiser on the social sciences when you are done with it

I used this book for my Introduction to Sociology class, and it is excellent for anyone who either is new to the discipline or wants a basic review of certain concepts. If you are searching for a great sociology book, then the search is over! I highly recommend this textbook for anyone who plans on taking a basic sociology course anytime in their high school or college careers.

Succeeding As a Self-Managed Team : A Practical Guide to Operating As a Self-Managed Work Team
by Richard Y. Chang, Mark J. Curtin

Inside you will find a highly effective model to guide your group's transition to a self-managed team. You'll read about how to plan for, design, and implement self-managed teams. Also included are keys to successfully realigning responsibilities for the management of the team and organizing its workflow. A must-read for team members, leaders, and managers.

1. Introduction
Why Read This Guidebook?
Who Should Read The Guidebook?
When And How To Use It

2. What Are Self-Managed Teams?
Benefits Of Self-Managed Teams
Challenges On The Road To Self-Managed Teams

3. The Team Transition Model

4. Phase One: Plan
Set The Stage
Clarify Your Sense Of Purpose
Determine And Communicate Effects On Others

5. Phase Two: Analyze
Clarify Team Management Responsibilities
Determine The Work Responsibilities And Cross-Training Needed
See That Everyone Has The Right Attitude To Succeed
Clarify The Policies And Procedures That Need To Be Changed

6. Phase Three: Design
Assign Team Management And Administration Responsibilites
Design The Work Flow
Agree On How The Team Will Interact
Create A Detailed Flow Chart

7. Phase Four: Implement
Create An Action Plan For Initial Projects
Ensure Tasks And Responsibilites Are Performed On Schedule
Anticipate Problems And Put Together Contingency Plans

8. Phase Five: Evaluate

Provide Team Members With Feedback From Each Other
Gain Feedback From Important Sources Outside The Team
Celebrate Your Accomplishments

9. Summary

This should help in preparing anyone who is going into a self-managed team for what's ahead.

I highly recommend this book!