This book is the biography of a fictional pulp hero of the 30's and 40's, and farmer has a lot of fun with the concept. He brings into the book references to almost every heroic character of the first half of the century from tarzan to now obscure figures like g-8 to the shadow. But focuses on doc savage and his team of helpers. It' a glimpse into a bygone era of pulp magazines and movie serials in which your parents and grandparents grew up.

Doc Savage is one of those enduring pulp icons who will always have a cult following no matter how many years pass since his heyday. The creation of writer Lester Dent, Doc Savage was a combination private eye/crusading scientist/super hero who, with the help of his loyal assistant, managed to defeat some of the most evil threats that mankind has ever had to face. Certainly a bit corny but always a great deal of fun, the Doc Savage tales were always amongst the best of their type and, as the world continues to get more and more complicated, there's something wonderfully reassuring about entering into Doc Savage's world and discovering that evil can always be defeated by one bronze skinned genius. For this reason, Doc Savage continues to maintain a loyal fan base into the present day. One of these fans was the late science fiction writer Phillip Jose Farmer (creator of the Riverworld series and several other underground classics). Farmer wrote Doc Savage, His Apocalyptic Life as an obvious labor of love. While he goes out of his way to try to accurately document the mythos of Doc Savage (though some critics are correct when they point out that he sometimes draws conclusions that are far more Farmer than Dent), Farmer does so with a welcomed tone of uptmost (if still bemused) seriousness. Treating this book as not just a long fan letter but instead as an actual biography of an actual man, Farmer affords Doc Savage fans a dignity that others who have attempted to write about classic pulp icons haven't.

The book to a certain extent acts as a sequel to Farmer's better known (but, to me, of lesser quality) Tarzan Alive. As in the Tarzan book, Farmer concludes with lengthy and imaginative geneaology in which he manages (with not too many excessive liberties taken with their established canons) to show that every pulp hero was in some way related. Along with Tarzan, Doc Savage is soon to be related to Bulldog Drummond, James Bond, Nero Wolfe, The Scarlet Pimpernil, Prof. Challenger, the Shadow, and just about anyone else you could think of. No, its not meant to be taken seriously but, like the original Doc Savage stories themselves, its still a lot of fun.

whether a long time fan or if you've only recently discovered the Man of Bronze, this is a must have. While Farmer does take some liberties with (supposed) origins and fates of characters, neo- and longtime fans will find this book invaluable.

This book despite it's somewhat horrific subject matter has a beauty so deep and profound it restores my faith in interest in Black and White image making. Beautifully printed it is a book that any budding black and white landscape photographer should own.

This is a cheap book considering the printing quality, the fact that it is hardbound and due to the number of plates. What's new here is the fact that the pictures are aerial photographs. The artist was creative with the aerial image and here and there we see that he has made some really beautiful images - pages 10, 12, 21, 35, 37, 41, 47, 49, 55, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, 91. Some images remind me of the early work by the Spanish painter and sculptor Tapies. It goes to prove that the sensitive eye can and will find ambiguity almost everywhere. Then there's also a group of images, which resemble moonscapes.

It is a lovely book but one which has hardly anything to do with ecological concepts or ideological attempts to make a living off other people's work (curators, critics, etc).

Highly recommended especially if you are like - you hold Weston, Imogen Cunnigan, and Caponigro at the highest level of photographic art (and seriously dislike "conceptual art" made by the inch at expensive universities and colleges).

Interesting also to note that great artists are NOT mainstream and don't have master's degrees ...

Like a great deal of aerial photography (Bradford Washburn's naturalistic mountain work immediately comes to mind in this connection), Emmet Gowin's meticulously detailed portfolio depicting man's ambition writ large upon the surface of our planet can often be 'read' as much as abstract art as documentary record. As art, this series of images of a wounded planet is so deceptively compelling it is easy to become lost in the sensuousness of the aesthetic moment Gowin repeatedly creates and forget that the subject matter being systematically explored is intrinsically disturbing and of concern. Indeed, the experience of finding so much beauty in landscapes of man-made desolation and ruin is unnerving. Yet it is undeniable that from a distance the patterns on the Earth made by irrigation pivots, toxic chemical ponds, missile burial trenches, mining pits, and numerous other manifestations of human 'development' without limits are endlessly unique and dramatic. Paradoxically, it is precisely this nexus of visually stimulating, geometrically intricate imagery generated in the context of wanton exploitation and destruction of the land that sustains the narrative and aesthetic power of Changing The Earth. One is absorbed in the beauty of the photography just long enough to catch sight and become painfully aware of the pervasive, intensely consequential, problem that demands attention and thought. Thus lessons for the future abound in the pages of this volume! One day our way of taking the Earth for granted by first depleting its resources for immediate gain and then dumping what is no longer wanted or useful wherever is convenient, will be seen as the opulent conceit and obscene luxury that it surely is. Until that day, studies like Changing The Earth bare witness to our collective folly, greed and irresponsibility.

Leave it to Phillip Roth to take a traditional autobiography and turn it on its ear. The book begins with a brief letter from Roth to his fictional character Zuckerman, explaining that he (Roth) has written a brief autobiography and wanted to get Zuckerman's input. Then comes the autobiography, a concise version of Roth's history focusing primarily upon his childhood, his college years, and his marriage to a woman who he later describes as his "nemesis." Finally the book ends with Zuckerman's comments on Roth's text. Just the thought of it is enough to make you laugh, but there is value in this approach. Roth clearly feels uneasy discussing himself, and so the fictional character allows him to break down his own personality without appearing overly self-indulgent. This final Zuckerman section is very insightful and alleviated my doubts that perhaps Phillip Roth does not understand himself as well as he would like to think.

'The Facts' is a quick read and goes a long way in illustrating how a nice Jewish boy from a good family in the suburbs of New Jersey could find enough angst in his life to eventually line his desk with a Pulitzer Prize, two PEN/Faulkner Awards, and a National Book Award. I would recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed anything by this master of the literary realm. (If you haven't yet read any of his novels, try Portnoy's Complaint, American Pastoral, or Goodbye Columbus... but you really can't go wrong, everything he's written is terrific.)

In this short, fascinating book Roth narrates the story of his life up to the publication of "Portnoy's Complaint." Then, in a long epilogue, Nathan Zuckerman (Roth's fictional alter-ego) critiques Roth's account, pointing out omissions and biases and attacking the "public relations tone" of the manuscript. If you have ever felt the sting of your outraged conscience, or laughed at how you trip over your own feet intellectually, Roth is the author for you.

This would be a ten, but it's only a nine because the facts aren't the facts. No, this isn't Roth. It's him pretending to be Zuckerman. But, when he asked Zuckerman if Roth should still write, happily he agrees.

Hang on to your seats for a tale unlike any Tarzan or Doc Savage story you've ever read. And SAVAGE is the word for Farmer's very controversial take on two beloved pulp fiction heroes. Theres plenty of action and spectacle familiar to adventure fans, but Farmer gives it all a gut-wrenching edge by pulling out all the stops on violent emotions and very explicit sex. All of this is wrapped together with an intricate storyline that'll keep you turning the pages. Stay away if you can't stand to see your favorite heroes portrayed with a style that will hit you like a hot poker in the eye. Otherwise, it's a great adventure taken to a level very few authors dare to try for. Try it if you dare

I have seldom found better imaginative prose than Farmer displays. The story is riveting in its primal intensity. Mr. Farmer has taken two of pulp fiction's greatest heros and given them new life. He has done so in a way that their creators would have been shocked to see. If you have read the adventures of Tarzan or Doc Savage, you must read this book

This book grabs you in a delicate place and won't let go until you put it down. Farmer speculates on what the famous 'Apeman' might have really been like if he had the moral sensibilities of an animal and the physique of a superman, and the result is pretty raw. Don't pick this up if you are easily offended. Do pick it up if you love alternatives to the established

I lost my original copy during my last move. Therefore, I was overjoyed that an inexpensive paperback version had been printed. A must for the numerical analyst's library.

This is a good intermediate text on numerical analysis. The development of the underlying real variable theory is much more rigorous than the closely related and more recent text "Numerical Recipes in C". Also, there is more attention paid to function theoretic considerations such as notions of continuity and compactness. This is basically an introductory numerical functional analysis textbook. There are numerous good examples sprinkled throughout the text. To get the most out of this book, you need a working knowledge of advanced calculus, real analysis and linear algebra.

This is the republication of the 2nd edition published by McGraw-Hill, 1978, with minor corrections. This Dover edition also includes 50 pages of Hints and Answers to Problems, which is very helpful. It is one of the 14 reference books listed in the Numerical Recipe in C: The Art of Scientific Computing, and the authors of the Recipe book says, of the 14 books, "These are the books that we like to have within easy reach." A. Ralston, of SUNY Buffalo, also co-wrote a book, Discrete Algorithmic Mathematics(DAM), which is easy and fun to read. But I am puzzled by the words - "Well-known and highly regarded even by those who have never used it." - on the back cover of the A K Peters edition of DAM. What do they mean?

The quest to be spirit filled never ends because it is always revealed that we must continue on toward an ever moving goal. This text certianly reveals fresh,yet ancient ways, to become more aware of what lies around us and how we can incorporate it into ourselves. I have come to understand that to be so self focused is not to be "self centered," for as we beautify our spirit we bring beauty to the world.

Inspiring! I couldn't put it down.

I couldn't put the book down. I read a lot of spirituality, but this one is one of the best. It goes over major life events, ways to pray, ways to contemplate, why, how to do it in the modern world. It doesn't recommend running to a guru, but gives sound advice to use today. Highly recommended.

THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST EVER WRITTEN FOR THE HISTORY AND DETAIL OF BASBALL STADIUMS. THE AUTHOR DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF FINDING THE MOST MINUTE DETAILS OF SEVERAL STADIUMS. IT WAS YEARS IN THE MAKING. THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL BASEBALL FANS WHO ENJOY NOSTALIGIA AND WANT TO BROADEN THEIR HORIZONS ON THE HISTORY OF EARLY BASBALL STADIUMS TO THE MODERN DAY. AN EXCELLENT REFERENCE BOOK AND A MUST FOR COLLECTORS OF BASEBALL HISTORY.

It boggles my mind that the author actually did all that research to find out the dimensions, important events, descriptions, and in many cases photos of every major league ballpark ever to host a game. The result is a feeling like I imagine it would be to see a game at Fenway Park: a visit to a temple of baseball. The title could not be more perfectly chosen.

Lowry has also promoted a bit of healing. Having recognized what any aficionado of baseball history knows--that the Negro Leagues of old were surely major leagues on a par with the AL and NL, except in recordkeeping--he spurs interest in a too-often forgotten part of baseball's past.

This book is absolutely essential to the library of any true lover of baseball history.

This book was long overdue. Philip J. Lowry certainly did his research to find all these ballparks--even including some that were used briefly at the turn of the century! Listed are parks used by both the American and National Leagues, the Federal, Union, and Players Leagues of early baseball history, and the Negroe Leagues. Now I'm waiting for the minor league edition to come out.

I spent much of the 60s and 70s with posters of Hundertwasser's paintings on my walls. It was always clear that he was an architect, but one without any commissions. So when I came across this book, I was ecstatic. He's actually building! He is freeing us from the tyranny of straight lines, 90 degree angles, and an architecture divorced from nature. Some of his buildings are like something out of Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!

I'd love to live in a city filled with Hundertwassers rather than the neo-prison building that passes for architecture these days. And so would others -- rents at Hundertwasser buildings in Vienna fetch a huge premium. And he is regreening cities at the same time. I can't wait to go visit!

This book is also wonderful for preteens -- it will stretch their minds about what is possible -- and give new reason to study the math and physics necessary to realize the cities of our dreams.

This book was my Christmas present to myself (I also gave it to others), and it was the best present I got! Every time I open it, I want to sing!

The ideas in this book expolore the relationship of manmade structures to nature. Hundertwasser displays many of his creative solutions to keeping green spaces while still making spaces for people to live. He addresses the human side of sustainability by forming spaces that "make the whole person vibrate" with life.

This book about this extravagant architect is a very nice edition, including beautiful images and clearly explained background information. I regret not having bought this book from Amazon, though; I purchased it in Belgium, at a much, much higher price, and still I think it was worth it. Certainly a great addition to your personal art library. Buy it and enjoy!

I'm not sure why I picked up this book and started reading it. For some reason I wasn't really expecting to like it - but by the time I finished it I was firmly convinced that it was one of the best books I've read all year, and one of the better books on buddhism I've ever read. The stories themselves are told in a very compelling and entertaining style - each and everyone was not only insightful and "meaningful" in a moral and ethical sense - but a lot of fun to read as well. The accompanying commentaries for each story are intellingently rendered, and really opened some doors for me in terms of the meaning of the stories.

This is a wonderful book "for all ages" as they say.

I've been reading this book to my children and they are finding them quite enjoyable. There are lots of stories here and we typically read a story before bedtime. My 6 year old finds some of the stories difficult to understand -- there are no pictures. My 10 year old always asks to be read a new story.

The foundation of all these stories is kindness and compassion. They touch something deep inside that says "Ahh, this is right, this is how we should truely live." This is by far the best book of "childrens" stories I have ever read. I enjoyed them at least as much as my children.

this is my favorite book. I, too, had bought this on a whim without any backround on story or author. this book blew me out of the water, though. Mr. Ridley writes in such a mystical, magical way that relates you to his characters while at the same time shedding new light on your own experiences. I am proud to say this is the most amazing book I've read.

I purchased this book on a whim based solely on the cover on the streets of Greenwich Village. I had no idea who the author was or even what the story was about. It was an imported book from the UK. I was shocked at what I read. It is a tale of a young trio and their friendship. We watch as their friendship disintegrates not unlike their parents' relationships before them. Secrets are revealed and love is betrayed in the past and dangerously jeopardized in the present. A man who is categorized as a monster is soon to be discovered to have a gentle and beautiful story within him waiting to be revealed by the next generation. The younger generation and their parents share a guilt and discomfort of their own sexuality. I have read the book many times and continue to be amazed by the beauty of it.

"When we are born we are magical & loving & full of wonder.But darkness & ignorance surround us at every corner.Until the day someone calls us a monster or a devil and we believe them."I have read this in 1990 & will read it till the day I die.Phillip Ridley is wonderful.