Zoonauts: The Secret of Animalville is the freshest children's novel I've read in decades! It begins with a gangbuster science fiction "school report" by Jen, the teen youth of the Stroud Family - the "keepers" of Animalville. Through an incredible story by a talking parrot we learn the secret of this top-secret research facility for very smart animals.
It was only September, but Jen could see it was already turning into a bad school year. Perhaps it was fun for her younger brother, Cody, but having animals cooking, cleaning and doing taxes made it so hard to have any friends. Plus the whole place was top secret! How could she NOT tell even her best friend Sara anything about her family?
Truth is, no children had ever grown up in the kind of family as the Strouds. While their non-human nursemaids took care of them and taught them things no human children had learned, Jen was getting tired of telling other girls that they couldn't visit her at home. Oh, sure, she went to their places, but usually with some animal, watching everything she did. She felt like she was being spied on. It was too much to bear. Jen was deep in gloom as she left school that day. But you are certain to have a smile on your face as you read this amazing tale. The text, by renowned Hollywood scriptwriter Richard Mueller, is illustrated by Dal Chele - known for Scooby Doo, Spiderman, Robocop, The Real Ghostbusters, Fat Albert and The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest, to name just a few!

Like a swinging Keith Richards riff on top of the powerful backbeat of Charlie Watts's "Engine Room" I tore through this book so fast the pages were almost burning in my hands. I couldn't put the book down or stop reading it. Bockris proves with this biography that Keith Richards truly IS the ultimate rock n' roll icon through his inimitable, rhythmically driven style, attention to what makes music "swing" (something multiple modern artists have discarded) and an incredible presence that oozes off the pages. While Bockris backs his book up with the dialogues of those who knew Keef, these accounts often seem contradictory-- perhaps shedding some light on the paradox that is legend. Either way-- a must for all Richards apprentices, Rock afficinados and anyone who wants to learn a thing or two about how to feel their pulse more effectively...

This book is the definitive biography of the greatest rock guitarist/philosopher of all time. Bockris, as usual, is sensitive, brilliant, and insightful in dealing with one of the most mysterious musicians to ever play rock, Keith Richards. Because the book probes not only his public life but also his private life, this book is as close as most people will ever get to understanding rock and roll's greatest enigma. Essential reading for Keef junkies (and I choose my words carefully!).

From some of the quotes Kieth gives in the beginning of the book about his childhood, all the way to the end of this rather long book, you'll enjoy his rich, british, sense of humor. Bockris has written an autobiography about his life, not just about the crazy years Kieth spent battling heroin addiction. As hard as life can be, even being a herion addict, he can joke about his drug use and make the reader laugh. As much as I oppose using drugs, I admire Keith Richards as a musician and as seemingly honest,funny caring man who has outlasted many others in his profession. This book tells the story of a man who comes from "good stock" and I am sure you will enjoy reading it.

On the whole the book was excellent, especially when it comes to photographs of archaeological remains. The only thing I had a problem with, being new to greek warfare, was that to get full use of the book a prior knowledge of Greek basics is needed. This would not be a book I would suggest for the introductory reader. One example of the difficulties is that he speaks of several different groups that make up the "Spartans," but never explains how they relate, who they are, etc. If you are looking for photographs of archaeological remains this is definately a book you can use and if you have a basic background in Greek warfare it will also be helpful in providing good, solid, and authoritative information.

There's nothing like an illustrated study of an ancient epoch to really thrust you back into the essence of what it was like to live during the period under consideration. Such is the case with this present edition from the Osprey Military ELITE SERIES.

This book is rich in the amount of information that it bestows to the reader on what it must have been like to be a Laconian warrior some 2,500 years ago. The book details a rough historical outline of the Spartans as it concentrates on the rigorous training, tactics, dress, social structure, eating habits, rituals, organization, discipline, attitudes and alliances of the Laconians.

The text is adorned with sundry pictures of artifacts and artwork from ancient Greece that bring help the reader visualize the topics being discussed by the archeologist author, Nick Sekunda. The middle pages offer lush modern illustrations of different Spartans and allies in the way scholars believe they were dressed and armed. One of the paintings depicts the key moment of Amompharetos' insubordination of Pausanias' orders @ the battle of Platea in 479BC.

For those who have the ambition to learn all they possibly can about this majestic race, this text belongs on your bookshelf. For those who have a passing curiousity in the Lacedamons, this edition serves as a superb introduction.

Enjoyed this book tremendously; Not only are the color plates excellent, but the photos of archaeological evidence are also great. Especially liked the plate of the warriors of Lycurcus' era (not many artists venture to illustrate this poorly documented period).

The scores of short stories contained within this emotion-impacting book span a wide range of life-affecting topics that include love (15 stories), giving (11), parents and parenting (15), faith (12), levity (11), overcoming obstacles (11), perspective (11), and death and dying (15). The carefully selected stories (from thousands submitted) provide insight into the person God has called us to be, the actions God expects us to take, and the faith and attitude God expects us to adopt and profess. Scattered between the selections are both comics and thought-provoking quotations relevant to the section that they appear in.

Contributions for this outstanding 375+ page work were supplied by individuals such as the late Norman Vincent Peale, Corrie ten Boom, Dick Van Patten, Charles W. Colsen, Gary Smalley, Joan Wester Anderson, and Dick Van Dyke.

All stories are presented in a very readable level in which the reader can relate to the themes discussed and are short enough that single stories can be read in a session and then pondered. Your life will be more spiritually fulfilling and be more positive upon completion of reading this book if you take these stories to heart.

Do yourself a favor... A MUST read!

Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul paints a beautiful picture of true Christian love. The book does exactly as the title implies: warms the heart and rekindles the soul. The stories are very touching and moving, and they are all the more remarkable because they are true. Chicken Soup leaves the reader feeling very loving towards others and wanting to follow many actions of the people in the book. Chicken Soup's many themes include love, friendship, and devotion. Most of the stories in the book are based on one of these ideas. Often the stories show how love and friendship impacted or changed the author's life. People come to value these things much more when they have really been involved with the feelings of love and friendship. Chicken Soup makes a point to impress these values on the reader. The stories in Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul are all drawn from personal experience or the experience of a friend. This makes them seem quite real to the reader and leaves a very lasting impression. Many of the stories in the book question the power of Christ in one's life. Every time, His power holds true. Other times, the stories of devotion show just how rewarding love can be. These two things really give the reader something to think about. Also, the reader doesn't take so many things for granted. The Chicken Soup stories have all been very well written. They are worded in a way so as to touch the reader with everything they say. The book argues and defends its title very well and answers all questions posed in any of the stories. Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul proves to be very accessible to just about any reader of reasonable age, although the book probably has a more lasting impression on Christians. But, being a Christian isn't necessary to understand and enjoy the book. The point of view varies throughout the book, which makes it a little more interesting to read. The strengths of the Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul include the wonderful Christian-like themes it addresses throughout the book. Also, the book's ability to leave a lasting impression and make the reader truly grateful is definitely very important. As for weaknesses, none were noticeable. This book really contributes to the reader's understanding of life in general and how a little love and caring can go a long way. Reading Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul would definitely be a positive influence on just about anyone. The book proves its capability to cheer someone up when the soul feels blue. This is a wonderful book that plenty of people would enjoy, should they take the time to understand the feelings of the authors. Chicken Soup can certainly change the way one looks at themselves and others and make the quality of life much richer.

I have not yet completed this book, but I am in the process of finishing it now. So far it is very motivational. The chapter on Faith has got some real meaningful messeges. I recommend that anyone who needs some words of wisdom should open this book. It is definately worth the time and worth the money. I am only 20 years old and have read a lot of books, but this one is literally too hard to put down. When I put it down after reading a story I feel like being the best of God's people. God's work is really involved in these stories, and in putting them together so that we can enjoy them and learn about some wonderful workings of God.

Perhaps we could indeed find this book "compelling" if we'd not been present at the author's trial and privy to the ludicrous and self-serving lies he used in an attempt to escape punishment for his heinous deeds! I would only be tempted to give credence to this new flight of imagination if Victor were to seek TRUE rehabilitation and redemption by finally admitting his guilt and helping to free his innocent partner who has been rotting in prison for Victor's misdeed for nearly 20 years!

This is an excellent account of life in prison. This is a must read for those interested in contemporary prison life. Very basic, but allows for a quick understanding of life on the inside.

Life without Parole is an inmate's account of life at Graterford prison in Pennsylvania. It is a view of prison as he knew it. I would never expect the guards nor the administration to publicly admit to the goings on at Graterford during the time the author was incarcerated. There are countless acounts of wrong doing by both inmates and guards alike. Mr. Hassine has presented his view of prison and I find it to be informative, interesting, and believable.

This is a nice book for a person to get a good overview of iterative methods. The detail is often lacking, however the book is a good introduction to the field. The authors are some of the biggest names in the field and the book shows some insight into the theory and application of iterative methods.

An excellent, concise book for the iterative solution of linear systems by a entire plethora of current researchers in the field. It not only quickly introduces the various iterative methods, stationary and non-stationary, e.g. Jacobi, SOR, Gauss-Seidel, Conjugate Gradient etc, but briefly analyses them in terms of current research whether unpreconditioned or preconditioned. In addition it considers other more specialised techniques involving domain decomposition and fast solvers. All round excellent although the book is available for free from the website. Definitely worth it.

I did not find enough of the following about each decade:
fashion
entertainment
music
food
turning point
sports

The whole series is great. From 1900-1989, it says all about the great 20th century. The pictures help you immagine yourself being there. Overall wonderful!

Good for overintellectualizing and pontificating idealistic principles of design; bad for any concrete examples. Sure, fanciful ideas of design's capacity to revolutionize social, environmental and cultural change is a splendid idea, but I'll need you to show me something that manages to accomplish that first. And hold all the airy, abstracted philosophical fluff please!

The Idea of Design is more the philosophy of design than anything else. It's true benift that is great for anyone in industial/graphic design and architechture is that it show a variety of view points. Romantics often get so caught up in their own vision they fail to see things from a different perspective. From reading the book I have learnt two very important lessons. (1) The most brilliant design resides in nature. Try as we will, our insight to solve one problem leads us to an ocean of social, economical and environmental difficulty. (2) In the past lies a higher understanding in which we often ignore. Before one creates, the designer must contemplate the change it will make in culture/society. This why studying a variety of different perspectives is imperative. Social responsiblity is hopefully making a comeback. Extremely interesting points are made in the essays, bearing in mind that you can grasp the daunting complexity of often abstact ideas.

This book has been informative in that I have learned a great deal about the political and militaristic problems Washington endured during America's push for independence. I have a feeling that, without Washington's sacrifice, America as we know it probably wouldn't occur. However, I also think of the famous quote attributed to Napoleon that "History is the myth men choose to believe." While Thomas Paine wrote about independence for the colonies, he also tore into the concept of slavery as immoral, so it wasn't as if no one was talking about this issue. If Washington would have "stepped up" and abolished slavery then and there, so that all men (and women) were truly created equal, as I said before, America might not be here. It was a politically divided and bankrupt country. I don't consider those reasons justification for sacrificing another person's human rights. The racial problems we face today stem from a lack of identity stolen from a stolen people

who did much of the work to build this country in its early days and, while the opprtunity was there, given nothing in return. "Patriot Sage" is an excellent insight into many aspects of Washington's life of which I was ignorant (like his influence on the Constitutional Convention) Sadly, some of its essays are too right-wing, to the point of Clinton bashing. What modern era president could really live up to the accomplishments of the one who defined the job's parameters ? One essay focuses on the moral symbolism of Washington now devoid in today's presidents, while another openly admits he gambled and sought prostitutes. To be read overall with some perspective.

I have read the Hornblower series twice and the Aubrey/Maturin series three times and I looked forward to reading another Britanic Naval series when I began Kent's Bolitho series. The series began strong but towards the end (somewhere around "Success to the Brave") the series started running out of gas. It appeared to me that the publishers requested Kent to pad the books with inane story lines (or they themselves committed the sin) in order to extend the series (at nearly US$15/book) to increase their profit. I got to the point that when I read the one of many over used phrases, such as "blood ran from the scuppers as if the ship itself was mortally wounded", I put the book down in disgust. Futhermore, I would occasionally read a few pages that reminded me of the better written books that began the series, affirming my belief that a much less talented individual had a hand in the completion of the series. I suggest to anyone looking for another Aubrey/Maturin series to pick up O'Brian's "Master and Commander" and reread that series. However, if you do pick up the Bolitho series stop investing in the books when it becomes obvious to you that the publishers are padding the stories.

I read the first 16 or 17 Bolitho books in a hurry, 4 or 5 years ago, and enjoyed them quite a bit. Recently I picked up this one and was very disappointed. Rather than a good story of action and history, that I had come to expect from the author, this recent edition was dedicated almost entirely to Bolitho and Catherine mooning about each other and lamenting their separations.

This is by far the longest book in Kent's Bolitho series. Unlike most books earlier in the series Bolitho spends considerable time on shore iintimately nvolved with his illicit love, Catherine, and then when he is at sea again passionately longing for her. The brave stories of a scared little midshipman who eventually finds his courage, or the lieutenant who excels despite having lost half his face are nearly lost behind Bolitho's obsessive anxieties over his separation from the bold Catherine. Bolitho, now half blinded, is showing signs of tiring and retiring. The series has become a study in the accumulated effects of endless time at sea and in fighting sharp and desperate actions. Bolitho, always deeply concerned with his men, has progressively lost the closest colleagues on whom he had depended, "we happy few," an' that's no error. Still there are flashes of the old outer heroics while fighting the Dutch for Cape Town, on a secret mission to Copenhagen, and coming to the rescue of his troubled friend Herrick at sea.