I love this book -- it's full of wisdom and literary snippets on walking, makes me think even more than I usually do on my hikes. Makes me feel the profundity of such a simple act, setting one foot in front of the other, over the earth. I like to read it before I set out and after I come back. It's a real treasure.

If you really want to know about the various different gangs, what their business is in, how they operate and where, then you will want this book. The author goes into details of operations used to capture, and at times not capture various transnational organized gangs. On the flip side he also describes how the gangs operate to circumvent the law, including names of major players and which cities they are located in.

Ironically when I finished reading one of the chapters on Russian Maffiya there was an article in the newpaper concerning a front company that I had read about in the book. The book covered a lot of information to the extent that when I read the article I was thinking that there was a lot missing that they either don't know about or don't want to print. Check out YBM Magnetics, read this book and find out what they don't tell you.

I found "The Merger" to be an outstanding book, easy to read and filled with unforgettable characters. In fact, it reads like a novel. What's more, the author offers some serious suggestions about how to diminish the influence of international organized crime. I never realized just how dangerous the world had become, and how dangerous the future will be, unless we do something soon. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to know the truth behind the headlines!

I loved The Laundrymen and couldn't wait to see this. But whereas The Laundrymen worried me, this is truly frightening. Robinson isn't talking about some monolithic international crime syndicate, the picture he paints is of ruthless, professional opportunists who understand that big business today must think global. And these opportunists run very big businesses. The Merger is the single best book I've ever read on transnational organized crime, and should serve as a warning to all of us that the war on crime is, like the business of crime, global. Until governments equip law enforcement to fight this war properly, globally, it is a war we will lose.

Having worked in the law enforcement arena for the past ten years. I look with great earnest for authors and books which deal with my area of expertise. The Laundrymen is an entertaining and quick read. The subject matter could be tedious but Robinson makes it read like a novel. However, in order for him to do so, he takes liberty with some of the facts. He incorrectly identifies some names and places and also some of the facts. Although for the most part, he is correct. The book, for those who either know or were a part of some of the cases he mentions, is somewhat of a let down. I found the book a quick an pleasurable read and recommend it to anyone who has an interest in law enforcement and money laundering.

This is the ultimate book to the understanding,and art of money laundering, but it's also very informative,and an intresting book period, if you ever wondered how narcotic dealers, and cartels, launder thier money here it is, in black and white, it's also a book to all you wannabe Secret Service out there, who want's to counterfeit laundering,and counterfeiting, this book is a great addition to anybodies library, me personally, I read books like this all the time, "for informational purposes" ;o)
but it's a great read, if you've got the time, this book will put you in the light, a fascinating topic, told in a very entertaining way. thank you.

~ Michael Vincent

This has got to be the definitive book on money laundering. Not only does it read like a novel, but it's a book which has opened my eyes to a world I'd never imagined. They're out there... and now I know who "they" is. Wow!

Robinson mixes and matches lines from Romantic poets with other Romantics, 20th century poets, and even his own. This technique not only results in new ways of looking at Romantic poets, but also some very good poetry. The new poetry is so good you may not even be interested in turning back to the key to learn who is being "spliced." This is the sort of work that other scholars may look down their noses at, but the public will cherish.

This book is NOT for you if you are scoring higher than 1300 in your SATs. First, all the questions will be WAY too easy for you, especially the verbal section. I have this book and the Barrons, and the KAPLAN. I took practice tests from Barrons/Kaplan, and I scored about 1340. I did the practice tests from Princeton's Review and it's up by almost 80 points.(70 points coming from the verbal section!) Because it's easier, it will give you confidence about the SATs. But you must also realize that the REAL SATs are not THAT easy.(just a note: I scored 1350 in the REAL SATs, which is close to the BARRON/KAPLAN score but much lower than the Princeton Review) If you're buying this to build vocabulary, buy WORDSMART, or BARRONS SAT. They have much more words for you than this easy book. BUT!! I HAVE TO ADD that this WILL be helpful to those who score in the range of 1000's. I have seen people with those scores who got 100-point boost after studying this book, one aspect being self-confidence and some humorous material.

I've not read this year's edition, but I'm familiar with the editions of previous years. Without a doubt, this is the best test preparation book I have ever read, and I have read no small number of them. As others have pointed out, some of the strategies the authors describe border on the obvious, but these are sufficiently important, few, and entertainingly presented that this small lapse is quite acceptable. The book's practice tests are refreshingly indistinguishable from real SATs; they are certainly the best available, though those in Kaplan's SAT book are quite good as well.

Many reviewers have declared this book to be insufficient for those who seek high scores. I disagree strongly. Good advice is good advice, even if presented in a manner less than ceremonial. Pedantic word lists assembled without attention given to what words will likely appear on the SAT, though impressive and temptingly concrete, are not the best use of any preparer's time. Of greater importance than a presentation of all the math and English needed for the SAT is a thorough, insightful walking through of SAT questions, and that's where this book shines.

This book, the College Board's book of ten real SATs, and a functioning noggin are all anyone needs to succeed on the SAT. But if you've got money to spare, you might try the Kaplan book, too -- another look at strategy and a few more realistic practice tests can only help.

I have not yet taken the SAT. On practice tests, my scores started as low as 1440 but have since climbed well into the 1500's -- even to the point of a 1590 most recently. More than to any strategy, I attribute the improvement to increased familiarity with the test, and I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the contribution this book has made.

First of all, I must stress the point that many people say is bad about this book. People say that it doesn't teach the material on the SAT. It just helps you out by giving tips and such. While this is true, that is the point of the SAT. You cannot try to learn the SAT material in a book. The people who try to do this usually do not do well. You just need help on taking the test. If you don't know the material, then you wouldn't be scoring well on the SAT. I made a 1300 before this book, and then my score jumped to 1540. I knew most of the material but I fell for a lot of traps. So if you are making decent scores and know the material, this book will help you a lot.

This book is about one of my heroes, Brigitte Bardot. It isn't the best written book but it is interesting. It has a lot of interviews with people who were close to Brigitte at different times in her life. It goes from the beginning of her life when as a young teenager encouraged by her mother she started down the road to becoming an international film star and sex symbol. This was before people had much consciousness about the objectification of women and Brigitte was so beautiful and sensual that she was exploited to the maximum degree. She has been hounded by fans and photographers all of her life but she has remained gentle and good-natured. She has had several failed marriages and suicide attempts and a life of drama, drama, drama. Yes, all that is true, but that is not why I enjoyed this book nor is it why I admire this incredible person. This book also tells about her involvement in and dedication to Animal Rights activisim. She has tirelessly supported and protected the humane treatment of animals around the world and particularly in her home country of France. She has brought about huge changes in the way animals are treated in France and has raised consciousness throughout the world. Her foundation fights animal abuse worldwide. Perhaps because of her experiences as a "sex kitten" she came to understand the cruel and degrading way that human beings can treat other living beings as objects for their use. This book is the only one I could find that tells her story so I enjoyed it, but I don't think it does justice to this enigmatic, courageous and beautiful soul. Her story is more complex than this book indicates, but if you are interested in a pioneer in the Animal Rights movement or if you just love BiBi it is worth the read.