One reviewer said that this will take "most college students with religious backgrounds that study the sciences to the very same place," that place being a disbelief in evolution. Well, I was raised very strictly religious and I'm majoring in zoology and this book certainly didn't shake my knowledge (notice that that word is not "faith" as the creationists would like me to say) of the truth of evolution one little bit.

Another reviewer said that this book made him laugh out loud. Well, it made me laugh out loud too, in consternation and disbelief that anyone this uneducated about the facts would purport to write a book about it. At least the book "Darwin's Black Box" is intelligently written and makes you think. This book just panders to the religious right with total disregard for the facts.

I do admit that it was amusing in some places, such as the passage that reads, "I told Effie if the little guy and the fat lady showed up, to usher them right in. Usher she did, at exactly 9:00 A.M." That's a nice little creationist joke for ya.

I picked it up, seeing the word "Darwin" in the title and being intrigued by a fiction novel dealing with Darwin. I was sorely disappointed to find that it was basically a religious tract about the dangers of evolution and the evilness of atheism, with some remarks about the horrors of abortion and birth control and women not accepting their proper place in society thrown in to boot. The biggest surprise of the book was that there were no anti-homosexuality passages, though the fact that one of the evil atheists was a man who wore perfume may be a underhanded allusion to that.

No, this book is not well-written, life-changing, or accurate in the least. It's only value lies in illustrating the impressive amounts of silliness fundamentalists can create despite having their heads so far down in the sand that they're in danger of striking oil.

On the back cover of the book is a quote from Phillip Johnson, the man who almost single handedly has caused Darwinists serious head burn--they are clearly on the run now. He says of this book, "Darwinists will be outraged," and he's right about that. That's because the book is so doggone smart and funny. Darwinists, in my experience, can't stand being made sport of.

This novel is a mix of history and fancy (though the line is sometimes obscured), but the really important point is that it is about what really is the heart of hard core evolutionary thinking, and that's a fear of being wrong. Because that might mean God really does exist!

I recommend this novel to all who are interested in the creation-evolution controversy, at the very least because it's different from the normal, dry, academic tones. I think high school students would especially like it.

I have not given much thought about the Theory of Evolution. I have always thought that it takes more faith to believe everything was created randomly rather than by a Creator.

After reading this book, I now have a better picture about how the false doctrine of evolution has negatively effected every facet of our society.

This is a very entertaining way to get a lot of background on the creation and perpetuation of a lie that many have believed.

Excellent read [5 stars] I also highly recommend "The Nephilim Seed" (also by Mr. Bell)

James Deetz and Patricia Scott Deetz's The Times of Their Lives (Life, Love, and Death in Plymouth Colony) looks at the somewhat misnamed Pilgrims, including much recent archeological scholarship along with the usual documentary evidence upon which most historians exclusively rely. They show a great respect for the nineteenth century created myths surrounding the pilgrims while at the same time deconstructing them to present as realistic picture of this time as current research will allow. Along the way, they touch upon crime, sex, marriage, material culture, and food to give a full picture of the lives lived in Plymouth Colony, both British and Indian. The authors manage to make all of the archeological information quite palatable to the average reader. A nice read.

An absolutely wonderful, detail-filled account of early colonial America by one of the greatest archaeologists of our time. He will be missed.

In this interesting book, Deetz and Deetz develop a realistic picture of the original settlers of Plymouth Plantation. Basically, these settlers were not our Thanksgiving stereotype of devout religious dissenters, grim and disciplined, who wore shoes with big square buckles. Instead, these settlers were much more diverse, and were a mixture of religious separatists (the minority) and secular types in search of land and prosperity. Of particular interest to me was the authors' discussion of crime in Plymouth. One warning: The book has passages that suffer from political correctness. This reader found them distracting.

Fitzgerald may not have been overly fond of his short stories, but his writing skill and insight shine through anyway. In The Ice Palace and Bernice Bobs her Hair and the Four Fists in particular, Fitzgerald captures individuals struggling with themselves. Who/what should they be, and why? While I wasn't too fond of the pirate story, as it lacked these elements, the other stories in the book show a depth of understanding and introspection that makes for a wonderful, thoughtful read.

Fitzgerald's stories manage to unite his otherworldly grasp of the fluctuations in the human soul. He is a master at presenting its contrivances and vanities as things that happen to people. The tension in these tales rises with almost unconscious force. Red herrings of possible conclusions are whispered but almost in the style of a trickster. Someone always gets conned and someone unmasked- all within that now long-gone era that held a fullhouse of interesting details and premonitions of an ominous future. "Beatrice Bobs her Hair" always has something more to say about savage young ladies. It deserves its place, I think, in every highschool English curriculum. The spoiled rich girls inevitably fall madly in love- with the cads or the tricksters. It was interesting to read "Benediction" in this era of the priest scandals. How priests were seen by Fitzgerald, or perhaps how he conceived his alter ego- is apparent in his return to his natural self through the heroine's choice at the end. This writer always has a trick up his sleeve for the unpredictable conclusion.
I am surprised that there are not more raves over this collection, but perhaps that is the nature of the post modern era. I on the other hand -rave. Story, resolution, all those little formulas that separate the artist from the amateur in the impossible short story form. Fitzgerald, except for perhaps in Gatsby, never achieved such form and plotting in his novels. His youth too, can be sensed in the humorous and rather light-hearted manner by which he casts his characters and those obstacles that they encounter.

This collection of short stories takes a candid look at America in the early 20th century. There isn't a stinker in the lot, but I think "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" is my favorite. Fitzgerald has a way of making his readers connect with unlikeable characters that seems almost magical.

While this book is certainly amusing and interesting to read, it is a prime example of what we now call "Orientalist" literature. This is literature produced by western writers--in this case Morier--about the East. What is wrong with it? Morier's work are far removed from any knowledge of Persians. Yes, it is true he did learn Persian at some time--but he was primarily trained in Turkish. (But, then, from his perspective all Orientals are the same, are they not?) He presents Hajji Baba as a coniving, corrupt, and greedy. Morier's creation has become so prevalent that it still informs our view of the Middle East to this day, since many government officials and journalists look at Morier's work (and other like him) as if they are authentic. From the perspective of a Middle Eastern, however, writers like him have contributed to nothing but confusion, streotypes, and even racism. I suggest instead that you read "Season of Migration to the North" by Tayeb Saleh, the perfect anti-dote to Orientalist writing.

I found this book to be an excellent read! It's got subtle humor, adventure, romance, rags-to-riches-to-rags-and-back-again...if Sinbad had a distant cousin on the wrong side of the tracks, it would be Hajji Baba of Ispahan. This book, according to the intro, has a SEQUEL which covers Hajji's trip to England, but I haven't seen sign of it anywhere. Do yourself a favour and read this book.

Hajji Baba may be the best book out of print. It's one of those unique, authentic, hilarious books like My Family and Other Animals.

This is really a good book for Java Developers who wish to develop XML based applications. Couple of chapters have good examples and explains concepts in a very clear format. Also the book is upto date with all the latest concepts in XML world.

I have been working with XML for a while now, and this book offered a great coverage of most aspects of what XML application developers need to know. I am not able to keep up with everything happening in this very broad part of the industry - and this book provided enough coverage of the areas I'm not able to focus on on a regular basis to help me stay current. I'd recommend it for anyone who's working with specific areas within XML and want to stay current with the broader scope of what is going on. I'd also recommend it for anyone who is new to XML and wants to know the various Java APIs out there.

This is surely one of the Best Books availale in Market for Java Developers. I have been waiting to read a Book which covers all the latest XML API and how use them using latest Java Tools. Thanks to Wrox Publications for bringing this book to us. It covers how to do XML programming using all the latest Java API line I/O Sockets, Developing Presentation Logic, Developing Configuration and Deployment logic, Using XML in B2B applications. In short no other book in Market provides such a clear understanding of how to develop Java Based XML Applications.

Also it clearly explains how to use the latest Java Based XML Parsers like Xerces, Xalan and more. Friends if you need to get upto date with all the latest Java Based Parsers and different XML API, then this Book is really the Best one.

Dr. Wood and his colleagues have been publishing these same arguements regarding their reservations about the Rorschach Test for several years. Despite scholars' efforts to explain the authors' misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the instrument, its current use, and the research regarding the Rorschach's psychometric properties, these authors persist in repeating inaccuracies regarding its scientific properties.

This book is an embarressment to scientific experts who actually understand the research that these authors present with such misunderstanding.

- STRONGLY recommended to all observers of how science impacts culture; certainly required reading for all interested in how psychology influences society.
- "Rorschach test" has entered the language as an idiom for an ambiguous stimulus that prompts responses showing more about those who respond than about the stimulus itself. This book tells the fascinating story of how a parler game took on this role in popular culture and is worth reading for this reason alone. But the book tells a more profoundly important story.
- Readers are likely to come away with a sober view of how psychologists' clients and patients and those caught in the legal system, including innocent children pulled between divorcing parents, are at the mercy of those who evaluate them. The importance of controversy about the Rorschach then becomes clear.
- In an evenhanded, open minded, careful, interesting manner Wood and colleagues give a simple, but non-condescending overview of the science involved in controversies about the Rorschach -- and there is definitely real science to be considered. One need not come to a technical understanding to appreciate the practical importance of the scientific controversies associated with the Rorschach.
- Rank "What's Wrong With the Rorschach" with Stephen J. Gould's classic book, "The Mismeasure of Man," in showing how we can injure ourselves and others by failing to heed scientific evidence that disconfirms our biases.
- I have been using the Rorschach in my professional practice for about 25 years. I was trained by Rorschach experts. I've been teaching psychologists in training to use the Rorschach for the past 15 years. For much of that time I have been a cautious defender of the inkblot test. Paraphrasing an old joke, I believed there was a pony buried in all the Rorschach's accreted manure. My doubts grew as students working under my supervision were unable to confirm Rorschach claims. This book shows that others shared my doubts: Most who have tried to test the Rorschach, including many true believers, have come away frustrated. But "Rorschachers" seem unable to see the problems and consumers have not had a fair chance to judge for themselves.
- Wood and colleagues have tilted the balance for me. I will no longer be using the Rorschach in psychological evaluations. Their book is now required reading for my students.

It is amazing tha the Rorschach is used at all these days by folk that call themselves "scientists". This book is a clear indictment of how psychology is not a science because it holds onto beliefs such as the Rorschach as a valid and reliable measure of personality. A must read for lawyers who wish to challenge junk science in the courtroom!

This book is a clear indication of the problems with modern historians: the tendency toward presumption and the discovery of common sense as if it were a new planet. Scott claims to understand the REAL story beneath ordinary daily discourses, going so far as to state that young inner city black men play a game that involves trading insults in order to "practice" reacting to racism in non-violent ways. How ridiculous!
Scott also attempts to prove his thesis by stating that alcohol sometimes plays a role in hidden transcripts becoming public. I suppose he hasn't had much experience with alcohol or those who have partaken of alcohol, else he would realize this is painfully obvious and not a groundbreaking revelation.
I give the book 2 stars because of its readability and the obvious effort put into the research. However, I cannot recommend it, for it is a perfect example of historians who spend too much time in the office, and not enough time in the real world.

Spanning the entire globe and covering over 1000 years of human history, James C. Scott's Domination and the Arts of Resistance is an intellectual odyssey into the relatively new field of subaltern studies. It is also an intellectual oasis for historians and general readers of history who have become disillusioned with the traditional historiography of power relations and resistance among dominate groups and subordinate groups. Indeed, Scott's use of folklore, speeches, ballads, literary theory,linguistics, and public ceremonies, e.g., parades and political rallies, greatly adds to the works of other innovative historians of culture, domination, and resistance, e.g., Scott gives the works of Michel Focault, Hayden White, Dominick LaCapra, and Natalie Zemon Davis, to name a few, new perspectives for cultural analysis. Perhaps of greater importance is Scott's examination of what he describes as "public" and "private" transcripts,i.e., dialogue among and between the dominate and subordinate groups. Furthermore, Scott puts great emphasis on the "infrastructure" of power relationships among the respective inner "communities" of theweak and the strong. In short, what goes on behind the scenes, away from the public eye, reveals the true nature of what Scott labels as "masks of power", which are, in effect, merely public performances designed to placate both dominate and subordinate groups. This absorbing work will certainly be influential for future generations of historians, anthroplogists, political scientists, and sociologists.

"When the great lord passes the wise peasant bows deeply and silently farts." This book marks one of those moments for me when rethink just about everything...from elusidating certain truisms to hammering out theories and ideas that ring remarkably true, Scott's book is challenging, powerful, and engaging. Reading this book is like sitting in his office conversing...I find myself exclaiming and agreeing aloud. I really enjoy his comments on gender; a concept I have felt comfortable with for years, and suddenly I feel as though he has just clarified it for me. I have been doing double-takes as random comments about women in my primary sources (about fickleness of emotion) which I thought I could chalk up to typical misogyny begin to catagorize themselves in my mind as the effects of attempting to live within hidden and public transcripts. Very readable, interesting, engaging...in a word, fabulous.

I knew this was a kids' book, but it seemed to be the most interesting and recent biography of Tom Cruise, based on the reviews that I looked at on this website. I am a very big Tom Cruise fan, so I decided to take the risk.

I was a bit shocked to find out that the customer review on this website that claimed that Cruise had made punnish errors in reading movie titles seems to have been entirely fabricated. I don't understand why something like that isn't removed from the site.

The book was ok. I learned some things about Cruise's career. There were some nice photos. Still, it wasn't an adult book. I would have liked something more meaty and in depth. I guess that would be hard to write, since he's not a person who likes to reveal intimate details about himself. I suppose eventually some person in his entourage will start talking and we'll actually find out something about him. We'll just have to be patient.

This would be a good book to give to a child who is dyslexic and feeling discouraged about learning to read, though.

This cute little book gives insight into Tom's career from the beginning through his role in "Jerry Maguire". It covers his early interest in acting, as well as his struggle with dyslexia (which seems to be mentioned on almost every page). I gained a deeper respect for Cruise after reading about his trials dealing with the handicap and his non-compromising dedication to perfecting his job as actor, producer, director. This is definitely an enjoyable book!

The public only see the glamour - but Phelan Powell shows the significant obstacles Tom Cruise has overcome in order to live his life of pampered opulence. In Cruise's case dyslexia was the obstacle - it nearly cost him the part of the barman in "Cocktail" (he thought it was a film about cockatiels and told his agent he "didn't do parrots") and he bought his own wildebeeste to research the part of Lt Maverick Mitchell in "Top Gnu".

This book is written in installments: first-person narratives by people who know the main character. Most of them are only a few pages long, and few of the narrators repeat. Thus, it's impossible to really sympathize with any of them. The main character himself, gunslinger John Wesley Hardin, is hard to like: we never get into his head, and from the outside he looks like just another gangster. The reader sympathizes briefly when he's wounded and imprisoned, only to be put off when he commits his next act of mindless violence or drunken stupidity. The post-Civil War American West, as presented by the author, whacks the reader over the head with violence, lawlessness, and what I felt were rather gratuitous scenes of sex with prostitutes. I'm all for "gritty" historical fiction, but here it sometimes seemed like the author was just trying to show off. Without emotional content, grit is just an irritant. Having said all that, the book is intelligently written and apparently well researched, and it might be somebody else's cup of tea more than it is mine.

There was nothing like the American West in the history of the world and figures like Hardin exemplify it; deadly, brave, sad and foolish all at once. His death seemed a relief because by 1895 there was no place left for the bravado of a gunslinger who would draw over an insult.

I found the writing format, the telling through other's eyes, less engaging and certainly less tasty than Blake's current style.

This was some book ! Absolutely outstanding in every respect - as a story, in its style, very exciting, excellent dialect, really funny in spots, ..... Chapter by chapter I went from hating the arrogant ... (John Wesley Hardin), to wanting to be a Hardin. If he really was as portrayed in this book (which I doubt), he was mostly the kind of person I respect - leave him alone and he'll buy you drinks all night long and otherwise give you the shirt off his back. Meddle in his business, get in his face, or harm his family and he'll whip you or kill you. Now don't get me wrong. Any reader would try to see where they fit in, in that day and time and I am pretty much left with the sad conclusion that I would have probably been a sorry, boot-licking peddler of some kind . . . . not a Hardin.

If Catholics want to understand why unity is impossible, I would read this book. Protestants should read it and try to figure out how much truth should be sacrificed on the alter of unity. The most important sections was how the false claims of the papacy rose. I would suggest Calvin's Institutes as another reference. Michael Horton is also an engaging writer. Also deals with core issues such as justification and Catholic veneration of Mary.

Horton writes an excellent executive summary, if you will, of what truly continues to divide the churches of the Reformation from Rome.

Primarily as then, Rome's insistence on adding to Scripture alone as the only source of theology; of adding to grace and faith alone as the only source of salvation, continues to erect a huge, major divide between the two. As Horton correctly quotes Avery Dulles in Rome's continued holding to the anathemas of Trent as still prevailing now in Vatican II times, this is absolutely Rome's position.

My own church speaks in detail about this. See "The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in Confessional Lutheran Perspective" available at www.lcms.org/ctcr/docs/pdf/justclp.pdf, or read Robert Preus' excellent work: Justification and Rome.

The authors present a helpful picture of church unity at the end of the millenium. Far from being anti-Catholic, the authors point out differences in the core beliefs of the reformed faith and the Catholic faith. Highly recommended.