This work serves as a decent introductory dictionary to Taoist terminology, but is not nearly as comprehensive as it could be. I would have preferred the use of pinyin romanization instead of the old Wade-Giles/Yale systems, and would also have liked to have seen the Chinese characters included (unlikely to happen in a text meant for the general public, though) as well as the actual diagrams which are mentioned and not shown (the "taijitu", for example). For beginners this is a good work. For those who already have a fair knowledge of the subject, it's not really necessary. Not a bad effort, though.

From the time I first discovered this little book in the public library, it has been my constant companion. Although a Taoist sage or scholar may not find it useful, to a beginning student it will be indispensable. Most works on Taoism are reminiscent of a Russian novel: lots of strange names that the reader has a hard time remembering and keeping straight. With this book you can actually do it. There's an entry for just about any name or term that you're likely to encounter, and the cross-references are superb. Some readers may be put off by the author's preference for the Wade-Giles transliteration, rather than the official Pinyin. But once you've become familiar with the former, the latter will be easier to learn. I wouldn't hesitate recommending this book, even though, in time, the student will probably outgrow it. J. Thacker

I picked up this book on a whim while checking out at Fred Meyer. I have never read any Charles Ingrid, and I must say I found the first volume of this two-volume series to be fairly good. Not smashingly good, for it had its problems, but good just the same.

Hard SF fans probably won't like it, as the science behind the book is rubbery at best. The bahdur of the Choyan race seems like nothing so much as magic, and throughout the book there is little to dispell this impression. Like George Lucas's epic Force that dominates the galaxy in Star Wars, the Talent and bahdur of the Choyan race is an unexplainable plot device that allows the Tezar pilots to wield supernatural powers, for good or evil. If you're annoyed by the Science Fanciful, then this book is probably not for you.

Otherwise, the inhabitants of Cho are drawn in gripping, livid detail, and the central character Palaton is sympathetic and engaging, as a hero should be. I was refreshed in that humans, for the most part, remain on the fringes of the central story, though it seems obvious they will take a far greater role in the second volume. The Abdrelik and Ronin adversaries are drawn in convincingly predatory strokes, while the carnivorous politics of the Compact give the reader the impression that the barriers keeping the various races from each others' throats are paper thin.

I think my biggest beef is that Ingrid is not much of a battle scene writer. Several of the most climactic moments focus on what should have been huge battles. The invasion of Arizar and the ultimate showdown between the Abdreliks and the Choyan on Cho itself, are compressed into a few pages, as if they are mere afterthoughts. The events of the Two Day War over Cho should have been the highlight of the book, with whole chapters expended upon them, but are instead are rushed through as if the writer can't be bothered with the hard-hitting prose.

In this sense the book is basically about relationships. The push and pull of duty versus desire, good versus evil, loyalty versus adventure, etc. The meat of the book involves the characters and how they relate to each other.

I picked up the second volume and am reading it now. So Ingrid obviously hooked me in enough to want to read the whole thing through to the conclusion.

I liked the book enough to finish the rest of the series. However, the writing was not always clear. Also, I found the Choyan's to be too "human."

While the book does have its flaws, I found it deeply addictive. It works more as a mystery than anything else, and leaves you constantly wondering. My one complaint is that it is very repetitive when it comes to describing the defining characteristics of the alien races, using nearly the same phrasing several times. Skipping these paragraphs is not difficult however, and overall I would highly recommend it.

This could have been a great book. Much needs to be said both in fictional and non-fictional form about the terrible plight of the Germans in eastern Europe at the end of WWII and in the years immediately following it. Most of the Germans who were victimized I am certain were innocent of the crimes of the Nazis. The problem with this book is that through her characters the author makes it clear that she sympathizes with the very criminal behavior on the part of the Nazis that made something like the terrible fate of the East Prussians et al. all but inevitable.

This is a most spiritually unedifying book because it fails in its most fundamental moral assumptions, one of which seems to be that the Golden Rule is valueless. Its very hard for me to work up a lot of sympathy for genocidal haters when the tables are turned on them.

As a very conservative person of German and other Northern European descent I most forcefully condemn the anti-semitic and racial venom obviously underlying the author's world-view as it is exhibited in this book.

For valuable books on the plight of German civilians during and after WWII, I recommend De Zayas' "A Terrible Revenge" and Bacque's "Crimes and Mercies".

Highly readable and engrossing. While some of the anti-semitic undertones are bothersome (as a German-American whose parents were children in NAZI Germany I am particularly sensitve to this), Dr. Rimland tells a compelling story how ordinary German peasants cope with the political changes in Imperial Prussia & Russia - through the Stalinist USSR and NAZI Germany, and the families' relations with American relatives who emigrated to the US in the 1870's and how eventually they come to war with each other. Dr. Rimland approaches this as a tragedy in that its the world geo-political situation that forces relative to fight relative. The brutality of the war in the east as experienced by a young German girl is particularly heart-wrenching -- and again hit home because of my own mother's experiences at the hands of the Soviet army in East Prussia. The fact that the book doesn't portray ordinary Germans as mindless millitaristic beasts, and dares to tell the story of their tragedy no doubt makes many WWII traditionalists uncomfortable. Somehow all we ever see in the US is film of American solidiers being welcomed by German children, who get candy, gum and cigarettes. The books dare to show the reality of rape and brutalization by the Soviet soldiers - and the ordinary peasant person's general ignorance of the political situation (they only saw Hitler as a savior from the terrors of Stalinist communism ----> a real terror to these people). As I said, the anti-semitic undertones are bothersome at times - but this was the reality of how the charaters thought. You couldn't write a historical novel about a Southern slaveholding family and not include their racism. The difference here is that Dr. Rimland moves beyond one-dimmensionalism and finds the sympathetic aspects of the characters as well --- and that undoubtedly leaves discomfort.

I thank Dr. Rimland for providing a persective of the other side which is often ignored - a picture of how German families coped on both sides of the Atlantic and that they were people -- not obscene caricatures.

Ingrid Rimland's powerful tale of Mennonites in Russia and the United States is a long overdue contribution to the saga of the German experience. Though some, such as the reviewer below, find her characters two-dimensional and the plot boring, this is undoubtedly the result of decades of anti-German propaganda from Hollywood. It's really too bad for those who have come to expect a "Hogan's Heroes" portrayal of goose-stepping Nazis that Rimland has given us a heart-rending account of what pacificists had to endure at the hands of American redneck yahoos, Russo-Ukrainian anarchists and an assorted cast... The climax, occurring in Volume III as the Wehrmacht and the Bolsheviks struggle to the death for the fate of the world, is drawn from Rimland's own childhood memories of her family being forced to seek protection with the German soldiers. The Germans as saviors and heroes - now there's a thought worth pursuing! After decades of melodramatic miniseries featuring Hollywood's favorite tribe, Ingrid Rimland's story of German industriousness and honor is a breath of fresh air.

Wie geht's has many strengths--including its use of realia and images of modern Germany. But its over all concept is totally outmoded: no German teacher coming out of an education program will have been trained in this methodology, which is not at all communicative, and most of the language exercises built in are of the "mindless" variety--you don't have to understand what you're doing to perform the task at hand.

Ultimately, I think "Na Klar" is the best textbook selection on the market today.

Wie geht's has many strengths--including its use of realia and images of modern Germany. But its over all concept is totally outmoded: no German teacher coming out of an education program will have been trained in this methodology, which is not at all communicative, and most of the language exercises built in are of the "mindless" variety--you don't have to understand what you're doing to perform the task at hand.

Ultimately, I think "Na Klar" is the best textbook selection on the market today.

This is a very good book,very helpful in studeing of the German language

In another attempt to tie himself to the aura and radicalness of Warhol, Makos throws out another badly reproduced book of his 1981 collaboration with Warhol, entitled *Altered Images*. Not only are the images of an extremely poor quality, but also the essay by Makos is embarassing! (Doesn't Assouline Press have a proofreader? Does Makos have a clue?) People "in the know" are extremely bored by Makos' use of a quote by Warhol - which goes something like - "Makos is the most modern photographer in America" - doesn't Makos understand irony?
This book should never have been published - though the project itself is interesting - this book fails (on all accounts) to be interesting. From bad reproductions (or is that the only way Makos knows how to print?) to a boring, sappy, mostly mythical essay to an overall third rate book publication, this is an excellent example of yet another 70/80s dud living off of Warhol.
If you want to see some better reproductions get *The Warhol Look* - which also contains the Polaroids of Warhol in (partial) drag - which are much more interesting than Makos' sorry photographs.

During a collaborative art-project in the early 1980s, Christopher Makos, a brilliant artist in his own right, transformed the Pop artist Andy Warhol into a bi-gendered diva. Always on the cutting edge, documenting the queer subcultures of NYC and beyond, Makos brilliantly captures Warhol's other persona -- his queer, anti-normative persona -- it is important to note that Warhol often requested interviewers and the like to call him *Ms. Andy Warhol* -- which is materialized in these photographs.
From Makos' black and white photographs to his black and white contact sheets, this new art book by Makos is a must have for anyone and everyone interested in the art of Makos, the image of Warhol, and the collaboration of artists -- especially two important and influential artists such as Makos and Warhol.

As a youngster, I thought that "if you can find it in a book,it's gotta be true."This is probably the hope maintained by the author and others who fancy themselves as "Holocaust Revisionists."Their ultimate goal is to portray nazi Germany in a more positive light than the historical record establishes.To do so,they invariably resort to half truths,non-truths,and plain old "whoppers." There are also some people around who believe that Elvis is still alive,the astronauts never really landed on the moon, or that former president,Bill Clinton is a space alien. You can put this book in the same category.Serious readers may want to spend their hard-earned cash elsewhere.

It's a very truly and realistic book that shows us that most of history writers tell things nothing to do with reality, just to defend interests of a little range of people. In this book you will find just facts not lies about World War II and who begins with it.

What a tremendous disappointment! Resorting to racial stereotypes isn't doing our people any favors. A helping book directed to ANY individuals, regardless of color, might just help lift us up, but this one rely's on the cliche of being a vistim. That's not empowerment.

For Black Women Only was one of the earliest books to emerge focusing on specific issues of self-esteem and the African American woman. Through her practice, Dr. Igrid D. Hicks encountered a variety of women with surprisingly similar elements: serious traumas, crisis, and abuses. Dr. Hicks realized that these soul-defeating experiences contributed to a host of ailments including fatigue, depression, and physical illness. In her book, Hicks uses real lives to engage readers, and illustrate how common sense advice and self-awareness helps raise self-esteem and empowers women to achieve personal success and happiness.

While other authors such as Iyanla Vanzant, Grace Cornish and Anita Bunkley have subsequently taken up the banners of personal responsibility, self-esteem and empowerment, For Black Women Only is the grand-mother of self-help books for sisters, and remains a invaluable contribution to a community of women and a literary genre.

The book is mediocre at best. It provides insights which will give the lay person a few dry morsels to chew on. However, this is a classic case of a book which represents the useless death of a few thousand trees. The true value of this book lies in the fact that Ingrid Chen is a disbarred lawyer who has been involved in drug dealing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. As such, this gives the reader a window on the twisted calculating mind of a criminal lawyer ( pun intended ) who will do whatever it takes to succeed and , when this fails, will try yet another con when given the chance. Save your money. Or better yet read it at the bookstore and leave it on the bookshelf. The copy I read was already signed by the author. These can no longer be returned to the publishing house and the store is stuck with them. Way to go Chen. Another con by the Con-Woman.

Everyone knows the stories. If you have enough money, you can buy yourself a lawyer. They say it after major cases, such as the OJ Simpson trial, but one has to wonder why people haven't done something or observed what the legal profession is. That changes with this book.

When looking at the profession with an insiders view, and seeing what they have and want to do, it becomes a whole different ball game. Things hinted at in the television shows, such as the friendships across the room, are shown for what they are. The most interesting part is their motives and when the lawyers avoid you and your phone calls.

Actually, this is more of a text book for anyone who wants to hire or use legal services. It is surprisingly informative when you consider it is written in a manner designed to appeal to those who need the legal profession the most and cannot afford them.

While designed for Canada, this book can well be applied to virtually any country on Earth.

"As time goes by..." is an interesting and well-writen book about Ingrid Bergman'life. In fact, it brings the reader some corrections in Bergman's autobiography. My reservation is that the book doesn't go further Bergman's life and most of the information are well-known by some reader that knows at least something of her life.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. I felt cheated. The book was extremely biased on part of the Queen. I do not think that Ingrid Seward was objective as a writer. It is such a pity that she could not give any respect to the person that made her magazine sell. Back in the 80's, Diana was prominently featured in Majesty magazine. No one bought it to see what the Queen wore. I was expecting a little more honesty than I read in this book. Queen Elizabeth and Diana were just people. A mother and daughter in-law. There was a divorce. No one is perfect, but this book would lead you to believe that all the royals were. Save your money.

I suppose one should have expected the bias from the editor in chief of Majesty Magazine, nevertheless the fact that Seward and her ilk at The Firm's PR machine believe the public can't recognize such artless spin is an eloquent example of how out-of-touch the House of Windsor remains.

As editor of Majesty Magazine, Ingrid Seward knows better than to bite the hand that feeds her. The Queen and Di is a remarkably balanced look into the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and the late Princess Diana. Seward selects several areas of the women's lives and compares them, the way they were raised, the early years of marriage, reactions to their husband's infidelities, and relations with the public, and other. I found this tactic to be a bit wanting. There is a definite pro-royal family slant (the opening chapter presents a diagnosis of Diana's mental illness, I'd like to see what a psychiatrist has to say in regards to the Queen's personality profile), though I found the book to be more objective than some of Seward's previous books and interviews. Trying to compare these two women is a hopeless task there is a vast age difference, and the times and circumstances in which they were raised too different. In essence, these same differences, between Diana and her husband, is what doomed the royal marriage, and perhaps kept anyone from offering help. Because she is familiar with the royal family, Seward has some real insight and some stories that aren't already mashed to death by other media sources. The passages where Diana discusses the early love between her and Charles is very affecting, and reminds us there was at one time, a love match. What makes this book unsatisfying is we already know the end, the princess dies without finding happiness.