I think that the book "Carolina Dreams" was a very good and imformative book.I'm from Lyman S.C.and I grew up listening to Marshall Tucker and I like reading about the facts not fiction.Thanks to Michael B.Smith this was a very enjoyable book.

What a great book on the wonderful musical history of the upstate if SC. As someone who grew up around some of the talented artist this book tells their story in depth and paints a wonderful picture of how they changed the musical history we all share. Thomas Greene

As a longtime friend and former road-mate of Michael B. I am SO happy to finally see him sharing his passion for writing with the world. "Carolina Dreams" is a heartfelt account from a true music fan that grew up with MTB and the other great musicians of this area. Michael, keep up the good work and please, please tell us that you're working on a sequel..........

I get tired of the same old prompts and ideas. This book will give you a fresh outlook on a routine exercise. Filled with good ideas and experiments, this book can help anyone improve their writing. It's not a miracle-worker, but it's a fun and easy way to take the baby steps.

Everytime I go to the library, some book I wasn't looking for whispers my name and I feel compelled to check it out. This is what happened with "Everyday Creative Writing."

The writing exercises seem simple at first, but the topics for the exercises are more complex than one might imagine. Smith and Greenberg invite you to "pan for gold" from everyday situations, such as "Why I Will Not Get Out of Bed" and "In the Checkout Line." Then they ask you to "brainstorm," "freewrite" and "free associate" until your mind is open to new possibilities. They also include examples of some topic writings - stories, essays and poetry - that will also jiggle the juices.

After a few days of working the exercises first thing in the morning with my coffee, I was thinking creatively all day. Definitely not a book to try if you want to hold onto Writer's Block. Good stretches for stiff minds.

Glad my grad student sister at CSULB introduced me to this book. She found 'Everyday Creative Writing' in a display of published faculty books. Great writing exercises and ideas for my writing group. Can't wait to try them out next week at our workshop.

- Jill Murphy Long

Although much of the material in this book hasn't changed since the book was written, many of it has. The reader must skillfully distinguish what was good advice for the '80s and what will not work today. The general overview on sexual techniques is well-written and applicable but does not go into as much detail to actually succeed in the tasks. This is another one of those books that says "all you have to do is this" without really telling you how to do it but is a good start at knowing what other topics you may need to find other books in specific subject areas about.

Michael Morgenstern has written a valuable book here for males whose experiences of sex have not hitherto involved women but now want them to. My only quibble is that this might be a niche market.

I love this book. It is the best book on how to fish in the dating pond. I read it. Used the techniques and had three dates in four days. His methods are sound and yes they work. Your mate will be sexy and desire you more than she did before you read this book. Love By Leo Buscaglia is also excellent.

I found this book very helpful in my quest for information about building my own cob home. It begins by introducing you to cob and covers all aspects of building your own home, starting with selecting the soil and the building site, the foundation, the floor, the walls, the roof, and then ending with special design touches. It is extremely easy to follow and contains simple diagrams to clarify anything that might be misunderstood. I have completed several of the soil tests contained in this book and the results have relieved any fears I previously had about building with earth! This book took me from knowing practically nothing about Cob to feeling like I could actually build my own home. I would have liked to have seen more information about how Cob is used to create larger spaces, as in the original cob homes from England.

It's simple and enjoyable to read. It is in layman's terms so even if you have no idea where to even begin on building a house he takes you right though everything. He also provides good advise about building mistakes to avoid and what to look for in roofing and flooring. I highly recommend this book if you are in the least bit curious about cob structure and buildings.

'Patton's Third Army' is a term unique in military history. The man and the army have been forever linked. Other armies fought in World War II, but their commanders never achieved the prominence of Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr. It was his army and it fought as he fought; aggressively, and he kept the Germans guessing where he would attack next. Now, the story of Patton's Army, from its formation in England to its race to the German border, is told in Patton: Operation Cobra and Beyond by Michael and Gladys Green. In clear text and numerous photographs, Green delivers an exciting, blow-by-blow account of the Third Army at its height as it barrels across France, hindered more by fuel problems than German resistance. Green's approach concerns the corps and divisions that made up the army and with Patton's spirit of fast-driving, rapid-firing warfare. After a quick introduction touching on Patton's life and his experiences in North Africa and Sicily, the book settles into a monthly tale of the Third Army. In England, Patton visited his corps and divisions and gave his troops his now famous 'give 'em hell' speeches. His main mission for the D-Day invasion was tricking the Germans into believing he would lead the invasion of France at the head of the First Army Group. Using fake radio traffic and phony tanks and equipment, the Allies lead the Germans into believing Patton was headed for the Pas-de-Calais, northwest of Normandy. The rouse worked. Hitler kept his 15th army at Calais while the Allies fought inland from their toe-hold at Normandy. Patton arrived in France in time to help Gen. Omar Bradley plan Operation Cobra, the Allies breakout of the hedgerow country where units were advancing only half an acre a day. With the success of Cobra, the Third army became operational and Patton began his dash across France. This is also where the book takes off as Patton's three corps, VII, XV and XX, come on line and Patton sends them racing from one objective to the next. Green does an excellent job of pointing out how Patton differed from his fellow commanders. As soon as Third Army became operational he pulled back all forward divisions and replaced them with tank divisions, guaranteeing more mobility and firepower on the battlefield. In fact, the book follows the tank divisions more closely than the infantry, highlighting their bold maneuvers, particularly those of the 4th Armored Division. From the breakout, the book follows Patton's pursuit from the Falaise Pocket to the Seine River to the fortress of Metz. The battles around Falaise and the Seine show the Third Army at its best. The sheer onslaught of armored divisions, supported by excellent airpower seems to just roll over the hapless Germans. It is at this point that the mighty Third Army out-ran its supply line while, at the same time, General Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to divert the bulk of Patton's supplies to Fieldmarshall Bernard Montgomery. From then on, Patton's campaign falls into a series of missed opportunities. By the time the Third Army is resupplied, heavy rains strain advancement while eliminating air support. The Germans, revived by Patton's pause, regroup to defend their ground better. Patton's campaigns of October and November slow to a crawl as casualties mount. But the Third Army, with Patton's iron will to fight despite setbacks, prevails and continues its mission of advance and destruction. The book closes with the first days of December, the last planned attacks of the third Army, before the German counter offensive would prove Patton's ability to deal with an enemy on the attack. Patton: Operation Cobra and Beyond delivers a superb account of the Third Army's exploits early in European Theater of Operations. For a commander and an army so well known for success during the Battle of the Bulge, the book provides an excellent window to the success and experience that allowed Third Army to do so well in the Ardennes. The photos help complete the picture of an army and it's leader in combat. The book is a great introduction to combat in Europe. While it does not shed any new light on the subject, it is an excellent, one-volume look at America's most successful army in Europe and its colorful commander.

Michael Greene'sOperation Cobra and BeyondReview by Charles M. ProvinceAs the founder and president of The George S. Patton, Jr. Historical Society, I am obliged to purchase a copy of every "Patton book" that comes on the market, quality notwithstanding. Be it a well written or poorly written book makes no matter. Be it a pro-Patton or anti-Patton book makes no difference, either. Each and every one belongs in the Patton Society's library.I am glad to have the opportunity of acknowledging that Michael Greene's new book Patton's Dash Across France is one of the good books. It is a book I will purchase and be delighted to place into the Society's library. I heartily recommend it.Greene has taken on a very difficult job in that he has tried to squeeze the entire Third Army's World War II record into a mere thirty thousand word book. He has, however, admirably accomplished his goal.Greene's knack of understanding which of the smallest details are the most pertinent in relation to the overall "Big Picture" allows him to succinctly explicate the role of the Third Army in the overall European Theater of Operations and to untangle the complex organizational structure of Patton's Army. His explanations encompass all levels of command, from Army and Corps to Division and Battalion all the way down to company level and the infantry rifle platoon. Most people in the United States todayincluding many who have served in the military-possess very little understanding of the upper echelons of command, i.e. what commanders do and why they do it and how they accomplish the massive job of running an army. Greene has penned a book that is not only interesting to avid history buffs but one that could be used as a primer of military organization for neophyte readers.Greene gives explanations of some major problems encountered by the U.S. Army during its initial attack on the European continent. Problems other than those posed by the German Army. The matter of hedgerows comes to mind. Although hedgerows are mentioned innumerable times in many books, unless a reader has seen one, they probably don't really know what they are or what they look like. Dating from Roman times, hedgerows caused incessant and disastrous problems for the Allies both in time lost and more importantly lives lost. Ile hedgerows were easily as much a deterrent as were the Germans. Greene explains all.Patton was one of the first U.S. Army officers to fully understand and use airplanes for air cover. Greene describes the relationship between Patton's Third Army and Brigadier General Otto P. Weyland's XIX Tactical Air Command (TAC). Greene reports that when the Third and the XIX met, it was love at first sight. Patton and Weyland worked so closely together that Patton even used them for flank cover when Walton Walker's XX Corps lacked the necessary men and material to adequately cover the Loire River.For avid Patton fans the real story of Patton's Third Army starts with chapter three, Patton's Third Army On The Offensive. Within weeks of being unleashed, the mighty Third was attacking Germans on all four points of the compass. Aggressiveness was the byword of the Third Army‹infused by the most aggressive army commander in the European Theater of War.One of the most interesting parts of chapter three‹to me at least-was Greene's report on what became known as "Patton's Household Cavalry." Originally named the 6th Mechanized Cavalry Group, their name was officially changed to the "Army Information Service." It was a highly specialized unit that Patton used for the purpose of reporting activities of combat units down to battalion level. According to Patton, "You can never have too much reconnaissance. Use every means available before, during, and after battle. Reports must be facts, not opinions; negative as well as positive." Or, as Patton once summed up the purpose of G-2 intelligence units, "Information is like eggs‹the fresher the better."Another plus on Greene's side of the ledger is his use of Patton's quotes (both verbal and written) to simplify and explicate Patton"s actions, opinions, and personal thoughts‹the experience and beliefs that helped him to make his decisions and what he really thought of other army commanders and his bosses in higher echelons. The technique also gives the reader a good idea of Patton's personal leadership style.Charles M. ProvinceThe George S. Patton, Jr. Historical Society

It is a pretty conprehensive and deep book and definitely covers a lot of medical imaging techniques. However, it did not help too much in my biomedical imaging class Duke University.

This book provides introductory overviews of X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, and radionuclide medical imaging techniques and technologies. I found it to be an excellent text for anyone with a scientific background wanting to quickly understanding these different imaging techniques. Each chapter makes liberal use of charts, diagrams, and images to quickly convey key concepts. Each chapter also provides a long list of references for further reading. A very clear, easy-to-read text.

Ghost stories, in spite of their association with tales of terror (almost any scary tale told around a campfire is referred to as a "ghost story"), have lost much of their luster in the days since Poe and LeFanu. With the occasional exception of a work like Shirley Jackson's The Haunting or Stephen King's The Shining , few modern ghost and haunting stories are scary, and even fewer, frankly, are good. Peter Crowther, in his latest anthology, Taps and Sighs , has assembled a host of top-notch authors to reinvent the ghost story, and for the most part, he has succeeded.

Most of the authors in this anthology recognize that ghosts aren't that frightening in this day and age, so instead of an anthology of half-rate horror, this is actually a mixture of subtle horror and mythic fiction. Richard Christian Matheson and Michael Marshall Smith set the tone with the opening tales. Matheson's "City of Dreams" is a tale of horror, not because anything nasty happens to the protagonist, but because the best of intentions lead to true tragedy. And Smith's "Charms" is a touching (but not sentimental) tale of urban fantasy that could fit well among Charles de Lint's Newford tales.

Speaking of de Lint, he provides one of the two most pleasant surprises in the collection, as his "The Words that Remain," a twist on a classic urban legend, not only is sweet, but is a rare Newford tale that doesn't require the reader to be familiar with ten years of backstory. Setting the tale outside of Newford, and getting rid of the alternating first and third-person narration that had bogged down so many previous Newford tales has led to the most enjoyable de Lint story in ages.

The other surprise is Ray Garton's "The Homeless Couple," quite possibly the best piece of fiction Garton has ever written. Like de Lint, Garton's ending is utterly predictable, but the road he takes in getting there, and the parallel tragic lives of the protagonist (who morphs, over the course of 20 pages, from an unsympathetic archetype into a truly sympathetic hero). Garton, normally one of the best at telling novels of terror, makes a wonderful shift this time.

The actual tales of terror in this collection are no less impressive. The always-amazing Graham Joyce, in "Candia," provides his own nasty little tale of folks trapped in their own personal hells. Ian McDonald and Mark Morris take the same twist in two different, but equally horrific, directions. And Terry Lamsley's "His Very Own Spatchen" is a fun little tribute to the classic DC House of Mystery comics.

The cream of the horror crop is Gene Wolfe's "The Walking Sticks," a tale that presents as untrustworthy a narrator as in any Edgar Allan Poe tale. Wolfe's tale nicely mixes personal madness with ancient hauntings. Like Garton's story, expect to find this one reprinted in any number of "Year's Best" collections next year.

There are a few stumbling blocks. The McDonald and Morris stories, given their similarities, really should have been placed far apart, not next to each other. Ramsey Campbell's "Return Journey" is almost deliberately bad (the only horror being the reading experience itself), and Poppy Z. Brite's "Nailed," although completely readable, simply fails to break any new ground (a bit of a disappointment from such a consistently groundbreaking author). Still, Crowther (who contributes a very nice story with Tracy Knight) has assembled some great authors, and Taps and Sighs , added to his earlier Touch Wood and Dante's Disciples , establishes Crowther as one of today's top editors.

In Douglas E. Winter's introduction, he qoutes a poem about the sounds a ghost makes...tappin and sighing, hence the title. Like nearly all anthologies their are some good stories, some bad stories, some horrible stories and, gratefully, some top of the line stories. This collection is about 25% of each. The bad and horrible stories, however are outweighed by the good and great ones.

I found that I championed the more Twilight Zone/trick ending stories over the more experimental ones. An example of this is Thomas F. Monteleone's contribution, "The Prisoner's Tale, versus Graham Joyce's "Candia". Monteleone excellently delivers a straight ahead tale of one prisoner's chance at freedom. Joyce just delivers a confusing nonlateral tale of deja vu.

Poppy Z. Brite shows why she is a favorite among the horror sect in "Nailed". A revenge tale with some voodoo thrown in is precise and perfectly laid out and ended. In Ramsey Campbell's "Return Journey", we get a time travelling train that is convuluted and unclear.

Graham Masterton gives us a look at what happens to the past if you dare forget it in the terrific, "Spirits of the Age". ; scary as well as thought-provoking is Ray Garton's "The Homeless Couple" where a man who ignores cries for help from people in need in turns needs help. Ed Gorman's "Ghosts" is a tale of caution about reprucussions.

All in all a recommended collection of differring takes on ghost mythology.

This conference proceeding is quite focussed on fuzzy logic applications and theoretical considerations for applying fuzzy logic for some real applications.

Want to know the inside scoop on ACP/ADP testing? What to know the differences between a Defined Contribution and Defined Benefit Plan? Then this is a great place to start. If the Pension Answer Books series was never invented, this would be the primary source of information for Pension Administrators. This book goes into great detail about the compliance and regulatory issues and their application to retirement plans. This book is truly an essential resource to anyone in the Retirement/Pension field.

This book in many areas is a tremendous improvement on the previous Aerial Apparatus book. This book has more information, better practical applications, clearer pictures, and an overall better potential to teach Aerial Apparatus operators about this type of fire vehicle.

This book does lack the technical and specific apparatus information that the last version did. Most chapters have been expanded with better and clearer information. The apparatus positioning chapter is very helpful and easy to understand, which is needed because positioning of aerials is of the most important knowledge for drivers.

It was a very pleasant surprise to see a number of men that I trained with pictured in this book. The man who trained me in Aerial Operations also had a hand in putting this book together as did the Cheif Training officer of our recruit training. Not to mention the fact that about 4-5 of our Aerials were featured in the book. But that's me and my TFS pride.