This is another comprehensive worldbook from SJ Games. It's designed for GURPS, but it could be used by ANYONE wanting to design an Egypt-based RPG. In fact, it should be useful to fiction writers wishing to set fiction in ancient Egypt--just throw out the game statistics and use the chapters on history and culture.

It's in chapters such as these that SJGames supplements shine. A richness of detail backed by solid research put at the fingertips of any GM the basic and not-so-basic knowledge that turn a generic adventure into a vivid, fulfilling story set against a rich backdrop.

Egypt is more than pyramids and mummies, and this book proves it. You want to know about the historical rulers? The details of the religion--and how it changed over time? The technologies we understand (and those we don't)? It's all here.

An egyptologist might find this book lacking; a gamer will probably find more than she needs.

Worth every penny.

My daughter constantly requests this book-much to my amusement. It is basically a lesson in please and thank you( a CONSTANT battle in our house)The illustrations are great-somewhat reminiscent of Sendak. Hey-what can it hurt??

The same thing I said in my other review. But hey, without this, kiss good-bye any dream of hosting a game by yourself. You'll just do it wrongly, mess up ideas which could be good, and annoy would-be players. Get the book, or let someone else GM the game.

This book is an easy-to-read introduction to fundamental macro, micro, and international economic theory. The reason the book is so effective is that it is written in dialogue; the "plot" involves a budding manager talking to his father's former college economics professor. By telling otherwise dull theory in a story form, the author effectively enlightens the reader on important economic theory.

This would be a great book to read prior to taking a macroeconomics or microeconomics class!

Your editorial description is wrong and not
related to this book

I know I wrote the book !

This book is a textbook, but also aimed at the
general scientific reader, and describes the physics
that underpins environmental processes. these incluce
global warming, ozone depletion, energy use and
prospects for cleaner energy, weather (including
cloud physics) and climate and the physics of soils.

Throughout times of turmoil for his people, Chief John Ross made the best of many a bad situation. From the removal of the Cherokee to Oklahoma to the fracturing of the nation during the Civil War, Ross struggled against internal and external enemies to carve out a bright future for the Cherokee people. Moulton has done a fantastic job with this biography, weaving together a compelling tale of this often misunderstood leader who faced repeated insults from political leaders in Washington and opportunistic members of his own tribe.

Many clients and other non-lawyers believe that lawyers milk the legal system for every conceivable financial advantage. As an attorney in New York City for the past 7 1/2 years, I believe most attorneys are ethical, but a small percentage give the entire profession a bad name. Toothman and Ross' book details efforts by judges to punish the lazy, incompetent or unethical lawyer by disallowing fees while allowing diligent, competent and ethical lawyers to collect when a client seeks to avoid payment.

The opening chapters of the book focus on the unique nature of the attorney/client relationship and how this relationship impacts the allowable fee. As trusted advisor to the client, the attorney has an obligation to charge only a "reasonable" fee. The lawyer is not free to strike any deal with a client. This is becuase the client relies on an attorney not just to protect his rights in a litigation or transaction, but to properly define the scope of what needs to be done. The book goes through some examples where courts reviewed engagement letters and bills to judge whether the resulting fee was "reasonable."

The book also details a group of questionable billing practices. There are many creative ways in which some lawyers add dollar amounts to their bills. Among the billing practices discussed were charging clients for firm overhead, charging senior lawyer time for simple or clerical tasks, and charging a client for recycled work (i.e. work done for another client in a similar matter). Thankfully, most courts are not hesitant to clamp down on such abuses. The later portion of the book gives clients tips on how to manage fees and detect abuses, and lawyers advice on how to manage their cases to maximize productivity and avoid unethical billing practices.

My only modest criticism is that the authors spent less than two pages discussing class action fees.... Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book to lawyers and clients alike.

Americans do a poor job of measuring and reacting to the risks we face in our everyday lives. John Ross does a good job of explaining the basics of how risk can be measured and applies those basics to common situations in a science for non-scientist (or statistical for non-statisticians) kind of way. After dealing with risk in this manner, he moves on to more immediate and interesting topics of how we perceive risk and then react and overreact to perceived risks, often while ignoring or underreacting to some very real risks. Ross also discusses how we make tradeoffs in dealing with some risks that result in taking on new risks in other areas that are more serious than the ones we commonly find unacceptable.

The author points out that Americans almost universally believe they are exposed to more risks today than their grandparents were exposed to, yet we are living much longer and healthier lives. Anyone overwhelmed with putting the constant stream of risk stories from television, newspapers and magazines into context could benefit from Ross' interesting and readable treatment of the subject.

Looking for Friends by Edward E. Ross; Foreword by John S. Hilkevich, Ph.D. Baxter Publishing, CA. 1999. 250 pp. forms; resources; appendices; bibliography.

Taking a commonsense approach--one free of the heavy psychologizing and programmatic therapy customary with the self-help genre--Ross gives helpful advice relating to the subject of making friends in different familiar situations. Ross1s attention to certain problematic issues and also circumstances pertaining to the individual desiring to make friends--as opposed to simply spouting general attitudes or prescriptions--are what makes his handbook especially relevant and helpful. For example, Ross discusses how problems with addiction can interfere with trying to make friends, and then goes into how to overcome these problems. Problems posed by the personality trait of shyness is another topic Ross similarly treats. This author also recognizes the bearing that circumstances of one's life such as moving to a new location or just entering retirement have on making friends--and he gives sensible advise and offers resources on these sorts of considerations. Ross learned about the worth and meaning of friendship the hard way: by staying in a bad relationship for more than a decade. Imparting instructive anecdotes from his own experience as well as from the lives of others he's known, and also making use of lists of important points and brief questionnaires and forms for taking stock of oneself and one's situation, Ross provides a handbook that is at once empathetic and practical.

Henry Berry, Book Reviewer

Editor/Publisher, The Small Press Book Review

This is a beautiful book! The color plates are very nice and are good representations of the actual paintings. Brief histories are also presented. I bought it after my first visit to the National Gallery of Art and before my second visit. I enjoyed the second visit much more because I felt that I really knew what was going on with the artists and paintings. Get the book and then go to the National Gallery of Art!

This book is one of my favorites, and has been for many years. Its beautiful color illustrations are grouped by the period and country in which they were created. The book presents works (mostly paintings) from many countries (mostly Western) beginning in the Byzantine era, extending up until the early twentieth century. Many of the works are accompanied by art historical abstracts which offer insight for both the inexperienced and learned art enthusiast. This is a great book to have around as an extensive survey of Western painting.