I was immediately repelled by the first pages of this book, in which the soon-to-be mother-in-law of the heroine, Darina, endlessly denigrates her exciting excursion into a TV cooking show. Is it just me, or do authors choose to place far too many female lead characters in modern fiction in toxic family situations in which they are abused or mistreated(emotionally or physically)? In the mystery genre, I think of Mary Daheim's Judith McGonigle Flynn series in which the mother regularly refers to the heroine as an "idiot" or "stupid", etc. or any number of other series in which the mother/mother-in-law/ husband/children/whoever treat the woman and her goals and thoughts with contempt. Aside from the fact that I don't find it enjoyable or cathartic to read this type of conversational narrative, I find the personality type that would accept this behavior to be antithetical to the personality type that would solve mysteries. After all, deductive reasoning requires confidence and solving mysteries requires aggressive thought and action. Someone willing to accept regular denigration is a more passive personality to start and over time being treated with disrespect diminishes one's confidence. While the Diane Mott Davidson series is in part about a former battered wife's reemergence as a confident woman and sleuth, too many series expect us to accept the contradictory personality. Death at the Table was also full of other flaws, including the fact that it was replete with British and Australian slang that was not full of local flavor, but rather just made the reader want to skip to the end, as did the poor editing job. Also, is Britain so far behind the U.S. when it comes to the "battle of the sexes" (to deliberately use an out-of-date term)? Isn't the time past when being called "girl" in a professional capacity and having male colleagues constantly refer to sexual matters is the norm? Although the ending is a sop to modern mores, if the book is an accurate portrayal of gender relations in the UK, I'll stay here. Finally, the unveiling of the murderer (STOP reading here if you don't want any hints) as a frustrated lesbian was so "retro" as a murder motive that I could only laugh. This book, in my opinion, is appropriate for those who want a blast from the past, when women knew their place and it wasn't solving mysteries.

This book is an excellent example of good story marred by the many grammatical, syntactical mistakes which should have been corrected, if not by the author, by the editorial staff of either Macmillan, its English publisher, or St. Martin's Press in this country. Wading through the zillion run-on sentences, as well as the same number of comma splices became so distracting, due to the fact that so many sentences and paragraphs had to be reread, that I ceased to care just "who done it" and turned to the book's final pages. This is too bad, since her last work of fiction (Cannaletto and the Westminster Bridge) was quite good indeed.

English cookbook author Darina Lisle is extremely excited over being invited to be one of the star presenters of a new London TV food series, Table For Four. Joining Darina on the panel is egotistical wine connoisseur, Bruce Bennett, who manages to charm all the ladies associated with the show, including Darina. Of course, all the men hate the Australian narcissist. The show is a monster hit with the viewing audience until Bruce dies (literally) on TV. Without the charismatic Bruce, most of the TV industry believes that the show is doomed to fail. ....... When a second person also dies, Darina, an amateur detective, begins to suspect a murderer is on the show. In spite of the warnings from her fiance, Detective William Pigram, Darina starts to investigate the two deaths. However, as she gets closer to the truth and the identity of the assailant, Darina has to wonder if she has placed herself in jeopardy of becoming the next victim? ........ Fans of gourmet mysteries will dine on this tasty morsel from Janet Laurence. The story line of DEATH AT THE TABLE is fast-paced, exciting, and filled with unexpected twists, while Darina is an intriguing amateur female detective. Readers who enjoy a culinary who-done-it will relish this delectable novel. .......Harriet Klausner

Yet another million-selling calandar of dressed-up doggies. Calling Wegman a photographer is like calling Jeff Gillooly a skating coach!

I love Weimaraners, so I loved this calendar, full of beautiful pictures of a couple of dogs. The only thing I disliked was that some of the pictures are of dogs dressed as people, and I like dogs as dogs. But it is a great tribute to weimaraners.

I guess it takes a Weimaraner owner to appreciate the true genius of Wegman's photography. Weims are the most enigmatic, animated, tireless and human-like dogs I have ever known. Baylee, our 1 year old Weim, has no idea that she's not human!! you'll learn that he has been a Weim lover going on 30 years now and it definitely shows in his photography.

As was suggested in the previous reviews reading this to find a cogent methodology for Constitutional exegesis is futile, and it was with that expectation I bought the book, relying on the reputation of it's authors.

Several premises are disturbing, for they point out a lack of Historical background of our founding. It suggests there are significant anomalies, for example if the Constitution gives the States a right to republican government and does not define republican government then a pliant construction and application of the text is suggested, this kind of logic is furthered in describing the general terms of the preamble as granting a broad license for inerpretation. The number of explanations offered by Madison on the subject of republican form of gvernment alone is sufficient to dispell the former, and with regard to the latter the topic was first adressed by Brutus, an Antifederlaist, and well responded to in Federalist Essay 41. As the Federalist Essays were a response to fears and criticisms of the then proposed Constitution, the ratification debates as well as the Federalist Essays does grant a significant view as to the consent of the governed 'On Reading the Constitution' seems to deny existed, or may presently exist.

The authors proceed to draw from confusions in the 'conservative' camp regarding constitutional specificity to further their point, quoting Rhenquist from a Texas Law Review article 1976, 'The framers of the Constitution wisely spoke in general language and left to succeeding generations the task of applying that language to the increasingly changing environment..' Alas poor Madison's efforts in describing the exertions of perspicuity found in federalist 37, having missed the attention of liberals as well as conservatives, has opened the door to a pliant construction of the Constitution. We were also cautioned by Madison to be wary of the changes of the meaning of words over time, Adams once described a church service as 'awful' he meant full of awe, this example is not solitary, and it's impact has not been fully examined.

I hold no doubt both Michael Dorf, and Laurence Tribe are concerned and virtuous citizens, as well as skilled and erudite practioners of Law, yet the book allows little insight into Constitutional Exegesis. Lincoln warned at Cooper Union to never supplant the logic of the fathers when we realize they understood the question better than we, it is time we examine what they knew, instead of focusing on the confusion that might exist.

If you find youself reading this or any other work by Laurence Tribe, it is pretty safe to assume that you also find youself somewhere on the left of the political spectrum. I can only imagine that you would come to this book looking for a coherent theory on how to read and interpret that sometimes vague and confusing document upon which our country was founded. Unfortunately, you will not find much original insight in this book, though if you are merely looking for an argument with which to attack so-called "strict constructionism," this will serve that purpose quite well.

It seemed to me that this book did little more than offer up a series of comparisons between law and the Constitution and other disciplines like literature and mathematics. While that may serve a useful purpose, it is of little value for those attempting to find a workable liberal theory through which to interpret the Constitution. And repeatedly throughout this book Tribe and Dorf explicity state that they do not have such a theory, or at least refuse to claim that their ideas are in any way paramount or final.

Nonetheless, it does offer up seveal solid critiques of conservative interpretations of the Constitution which might come in handy, or at least serve as a starting point for further investigation. I would also recommed that one read Antonin Scalia's "A Matter of Interpretation," which contains a rebuttal by Laurence Tribe similar to the arguments found here, but also has a very solidly philosophical criticism of Scalia's "textualist" theory by Ronald Dworkin.

Finally, and this has little to do with this book and more to do with jwhoeme's review below - jwhoeme seems to think that Tribe's chapter or arguments on how NOT to read the Constitution somehow presuppose that he knows how to read it, and I feel that that is a rather poor assumption on the part of jwhoeme. Just because one says they know how NOT to do something doesn't me they know how to do it. I know that bashing someone in the head with a rock is not how one performs brain surgery, but that doesn't mean I have any idea how to do it properly.

Dr. Tribe of Harvard Law makes many interesting points in his book concerning the methods and approach one ought to take while reading or interpreting the Constitution. I would suggest this book to people that have read the Constitution not once but many times and who are looking to further their understanding. On the contrary you should not purchase this book looking for a formula to understand the Constitution! Rather this book promotes one's thoughts and helps the reader develop an approach in which they ought and ought not read the Constitution. Interestingly enough, for Tribe to claim that he knows the manner in which we ought not read the Constitution presupposes that he knows how we ought to. This then contradicts his final chapters when he claims that there is no correct approach to the Constitution and that any one person's interpretation is no more right nor wrong than the next reader's.

This book is too biased to be taken seriously- The author cuts down every artist he wasn't given direct access to. He discribes encounters he couldn't have seen, and quotes conversations he couldn't have heard. Apparently he isn't a fan of radio-friendly country music, and if you are you won't enjoy the way he puts down your favorite artists. There's no doubt Mr. Leamer did his research, but when he couldn't find information he made it up.

An exercise in pseudo case-study, this book leaves the reader with the feeling that they've just done a marathon reading session of the National Enquirer. Throughout the pages and pages of intimate details of many current country music personalities (much of which is negative), the reader continues to wonder how exactly the author found out all this information. He appears to have been everywhere at once, but his voice or presence never appears in the text. The best example of this is the picture of Garth Brooks driving his pickup, obviously from the inside as the truck is moving, with the caption, "Garth drives alone in his truck." If he was alone, where was the photographer? The text is the same way throughout. One wonders if the people the author got his information from knew how he would present the details. The writing is much like the country songs he decries: trite, sensationalist, and filled with cliches. It's readable, but unsympathetic toward most of his subjects and slanted toward a particular type of country music

To-days music fan is finally demanding to know the truth about it's Stars. You finally realize that after reading the rash of books that come out on the heals of Stardom, that they are basically a re-hash of the perfect picture painted by a publisist or the star involved. Laurence Leamer gives you a glimpse of reality and makes you aware that stars should be accountable for everything even if it is in the past.I would personally like to see him dig a little deeper. Congratulations Laurence, get in touch, I can help you with your dig!!

Boy in Darkness was not challenging at all. After you met all of the characters it was touch and go with no real plot. The characters (even the hero) had no depth to them and were plain and shallow. The physical descriptions were stunning and is a good idea for a plot but is not fully developed. I would not give it higher than two stars.

This novelette could fit somewhere in the middle of Peake's _Gormenghast_. Titus Groan, on his 14th birthday, tired of ritual and "the eternal deadly round of symbolism", leaves home. He is captured by two semi-human creatures Hyena and Goat. These creatures will take Titus to their Emperor the Lamb, who sits alone in what can only be described as Hell. C. S. Lewis wrote to Peake admiring Gormenghast. Lewis said of Peake that he was a true maker of myths. Lewis spoke with authority, having written the great myth of the world of Narnia and having friends such as Charles Williams and Tolkien. The Peake myth, however, is hellish and dark. You'll be interested in how Peake the artist-illustrator draws images in words. You'll be faced with Peake's grave view of religion and symbolism gone wrong. If your only exposure to Mervyn Peake is the BBC production of Gormenghast, Boy in Darkness may give you a deeper perspective of the brilliant fantasy of horror that Peake was capable of writing. I gave Boy in Darkness four stars instead of five only because the end of the story seemed rushed and somewhat unfinished. But then, nightmares often end that way.

Amerika Jones has a beautiful voice but its wasted on her renditions of the dialect poems...as typical of most Dunbar orators I have heard the dialect is delivered in the most stiff, over or un-dramatic styles...its terrible whats out their, I wanted this tape to be wonderful...I love and have a deep respect for his works... but this production does no justice to the beauty of his words. Audio tape of Dunbars dialect poetry, are available if you would like to hear the "character" in his poems and not the "Amos and Andy caricature"...

"I Know What The Caged Bird Feels" could easily have been called "The Best of Paul Laurence Dunbar's Poems" because these poems are all my favorites. Ameria Jones' reading of the poems is well-paced, energetic, sensitive and very satisfying. I look forward to what I hope will be a second volume of Dunbar's poems available on Amazon.com. I would never have found this treasure trove of his poetry in a regular book store.

I was disappointed by this book. While its central thesis (that MIS should include human and political considerations, not just technical ones) is valid and needs championing, I found the text repetitive, lacking in clear advice, and full of buzzwords used to restate the obvious. Mr. Davenport is clearly an expert on how to run MIS at large companies. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to glean applicable lessons from his book

I found this to be a useful and informative book with new insights, especially in the area of developing a wholistic view of an information enterprise. Most previous books seem to be limited to just MIS departments and ignore the fact that managing information is not something that just happens in a vacumn. I also found the diagnosis section to be useful and grounded in real work versus the "blackboard" consulting suggestions that sometimes comes from academics whose ideas are not grounded in real world experiences.

I slogged through this book, hoping it would eventually get better, but it never did. There was no real suspense, nothing to grab my interest. And to top it all off, the ending was stupid.

Vancouver, British Columbia is like any other North American city in that the mortality rate of heroin addicts is much greater than the norm. Even amidst this sub-populace, the count has abruptly risen. However, most government officials and the general public are not interested in what happens to drug users as long as it remains within that sub-culture. However, the police notices that the recent increase in deaths seem to be mostly dealers working for Jake Cappelletti.

Homicide detective Jack Willows wants to marry his peer, Claire Parker, but they have several important personal issues to deal with first,including whether to have children and where they should live. However, neither have the time to discuss their differences as they must stop a mass murderer, who simply wants to replace Jake as the top drug dealer. Even as the police and Jake close in on Wayne Sharpe, he knows how to live up to his surname. He sets it in motion a plan for someone else to take a temporary fall while he continues pressing his "case".

SHUTTERBUG is the eleventh novel in the Willows-Parker regional police procedural series. The story line remains very fresh due to the events in the detectives' personal lives such as Jack finally obtaining a divorce from his first wife. The mystery is well designed in a hard boiled, in your face type of manner. Laurence Gough demonstrates why he is an award winning author with his newest novel.

Harriet Klausner

There are about 35 pages of somewhat usable information and the rest is nothing but quotes from Sun Tzu's Art of War followed by parables that rarely have anything concrete to learn from, let alone relevence to Sun Tzu's quote.

This book shows in a very entertaining way how ancient Chinese warfare strategies still apply in the new China of today .

The stories described offer an excellent illustration of the often bizarre and difficult to grasp Chinese behavior patterns and realities of a very complex society and country in transition.

At the same time the reader is taught one major , indispensable ingredient for success and survival in China : a deep sense of humor !

Definitely worth reading

This book is a good reference to have on the shelf. I would not recommend reading it or buying it unless you have nothing else to do.

Although the literature of medical ethics has exploded in the last twenty years, and many American medicals schools have added courses and even entire departments devoted to its study, there has not heretofore been a single volume devoted exclusively to a consideration of ethical principles specifically affecting the practice of surgery. Surgical Ethics represents the first such effort to address the unique ethical challenges confronted by surgeons, from the special trust patients place in them by submitting to the most invasive of all medical procedures, to the many implications of informed consent, management of poor-risk and high-risk patients, death, research, training, money, and beyond. Edited by two of the nation's most prominent medical ethicists and one of its finest cardiac surgeons, Surgical Ethics' nineteen chapters each address an important ethical conundrum seen in daily surgical practice. Every chapter is co-authored by a well-known surgeon and an equally respected medical philosopher. The volume's goal is to explore these particular issues and to arm surgeons with the intellectual tools they'll need for independent ethical analysis of other conflicts they will encounter in their work. This fine Oxford University Press volume is not only the first of its kind, but is likely to be the best in its field for some time to come.