When it comes to books like this it's often hard to know what you're really getting. I mean, has the author really 'walked the walk'? or is s/he just spinning a good tale?
In the case of Martin Roberts I can, with confidence, assure you that you're getting the gen-u-wine article. And I know that because one of my own business colleagues - whose opinions I value and trust - worked with Martin for a number of years, and assures me that he really has done what he claims to have done in terms of introducing NLP techniques into high-powered, high profile change programmes.

Having said that, I must admit that I found the book top be something of a 'curate's egg'.

With NLP being something like 25 years old, it's getting increasingly difficult for authors to find just the right balance when writing about NLP. Especially when they're writing about NLP and some other major topic.
Do you try and give 'equal time' to both subjects? Do you assume that your readers will already have a basic grounding in NLP so that you don't need to go over the basics yet again? Or do you assume nothing and try to work in a succinct overview of NLP for the benefit of those readers who are coming to it for the first time?

I'm not going to say that Martin has cracked the problem in this book. But I've seen a LOT worse.

So, what we get is essentially a book in three parts.
Part 1 - the first five chapters - is both an introction to change management *and* a fairly basic overview of some relevant NLP techniques.
Part 2 - chapters 6 - 8 inclusive signals a distinct change of gear as the author launches into an excellently written description of the change management process which clearly demonstrates the author's enthusiasm for the subject, even though he has now moved on to be a very successful publisher.
In Part 3 - the rest of the book - Martin undertakes the tricky job of weaving these two strands together. And with considerable success, I'd say.

So, whilst I'm happy to recommend the book with some enthusiasm, I think it has to be with the qualification that readers will probably get the greatest benefit from the book if they already know the basics of NLP. On this score I'd recommend "Develop Your NLP Skills" (see... for a short and comprehensive overview, or "Managing with the Power of NLP" for a rather longer introduction.

With that prior knowledge already on hand, you may find that you can pretty much skim the first five chapters.
So have you wasted your money? No way! The material in the rest of the book is still more than worth the cover price [even without a discount 8¬) ]

The Large Catechism is Martin Luther's summary of his own teachings. He wrote the catechism for one simple reason - to remind the infant Lutheran Church of the things for which they stood and to advise them as to how they should live and worship. His explanations are clear and straight-forward. He is remarkably blunt at times, not being a man fond of euphemism, in his admonition for a godly life against a worldly one. Yet at no time does he profess the necessity of leaving the world to follow God. It is his contention that one only need live by God's commandments and everything will work out in the end. It is this down to earth, common sense theology that made Luther, and from him the Protestant Reformation, so successful.

Reading Luther, it is easy to see how people were drawn to his ideas. After centuries of clerical obscurantism, endless canonical laws and regulations, papal pronouncements, and a host of other arcana, a theology that can be summed up as "Love God, follow his commandments in your actions as well as in your hearts, observe the sacraments of baptism and communion, and seek comfort in the Word of God" must have been a breath of fresh air to the beleaguered people of Germany.

Luther's commentary upon the commandments is both helpful and enlightening. He admonishes those who would think they have heard or thought all they need to think again. Often, he will surprise you with an observation so clear and true that you will wonder why you never thought of it yourself. It is from this experience that you then realize that his admonition against thinking you know it all proves itself.

While the book is recommended to all Christians, indeed, to anyone for that matter, it is especially recommended to Lutherans. For too long we have forgotten the roots of our faith. We need to refresh our memories as to who we are and what we believe, and most importantly why we believe it. Read not only the Large Catechism, but the Augsburg Confessions, the 95 Theses, the Table Talk... for that matter, get a copy of the Book of Concord (of which a new edition has just been published) and read it through. You may discover that you are part of a denomination you have never really known. Take my word for it, you will reap the benefits of your labors.

Definately worth a look see. The pictures are big and bright, the instructions are clear. I liked it.. it never makes it back to the bookshelf in my house... it is always on the coffee table because we are always looking at it for something or another.

This learning process is made easier by the book's style. It's a very handsome, well-designed volume, whose instructive abilities are greatly enhanced by the use of full-color photographs. In many cases, the imagery is so clear, you don't absolutely need to read the accompanying text to understand how to perform the trick. Even so, each trick is carefully explained, and tips are liberally mixed in to help students overcome common problems.

But for me, one of the best features is simply the book's size. PATHWAYS is a large enough volume to stay flat on a table, so you see the can glance at the photographs while holding your juggling objects. The large format also means the photographs are themselves large and easy to see from a distance. This saves tremendous time, and is certainly one of the strongest reasons I pull this volume before others when I want to practice.

What's in this volume? You get six major sections, covering something on the order of 50 distinct tricks. First is an introduction to juggling three balls, followed by variations on three-ball juggling, club juggling, juggling more than three items, stealing and passing, and, finally, using devil sticks and diablos. The how-to sections are followed by the weakest part of the book: an all-too-brief discussion of equipment and a two-page section on performing in public.

These last sections are almost wholly inadequate, in my view. Though the equipment section does introduce you to the basic tools of the trade, it does nothing to tell you how to get that equipment. While it may have been that the authors were trying to avoid appearing to endorse particular sales outlets, or maybe that they thought that listing specific addresses might have "dated" the book, their lack of specificity is truly woeful. Juggling outlets are not uniformly placed throughout the world, and some ideas of where to go for supplies would've been extremely helpful. Likewise, the equally scant section on performing doesn't go a long way to explaining how to put together an act. As far as it goes, it's a good enough essay, but it, too, is hardly explicit. In future editions, the authors would be well-served by including at least a "further reading/viewing" section to direct their students to examples of fine performance, so as to show ways that individual skills might be put together into a coherent whole.

These two flaws aside, however, PATHWAYS IN JUGGLING is a highly recommendable work. If you have any aspiration of becoming a competent juggler with a deep repertoire, this is the book you want.

My sympathies go out to Mr. Bond and his family. I hope they can rest a little easier knowing that Ng has finally gone to trial.

That being said, it was also a disappointingly written book in a number of respects. By focusing so much on Jackson's role in foreign policy and defense matters, Kaufman overshadows what the senator did in domestic policy. Moreover, after an initial examination, Kaufman virtually ignores Washington state politics, which leaves me wondering if the author might not have supplied a complete explanation as to how Jackson was so dominant in his reelection campaigns. Finally, Kaufman's habit of continually refering to political figures by their full titles was a little annoying, while the editing of the book was a little sloppy (every time I saw "Republic senator" on the page I wanted to grab a pen and add in the missing letters). In the end, it was an informative book, but not definitive.

Senator Jackson represented a distinctive, honourable and above all prescient tradition in American politics: that of the liberal hawk. He was unfortunate, in respect of his presidential ambitions, to hold consistently to his pro-western principles at a time when the Democratic Party was abandoning (or at least, compromising) the staunchly anti-Communist tradition of Truman, Kennedy, Johnson and Humphrey. Rent asunder by the experience of Vietnam and the rise of the New Left, the Democrats polarised around Jackson, on the one hand, and the party's disastrous 1972 presidential nominee, George McGovern, on the other. Only because of Watergate - and even then, only by a whisker - did a Democrat win the White House in 1976, and his presidency proved to be the most ineffectual in living memory.

Kaufmann describes this political background with a sure touch. He is unflinchingly honest in his depiction of Jackson's personal flaws, such as periodic irascibility with aides, but the essential Jackson - a man of deep humanitarian impulses, evident in such causes as his campaign for persecuted Soviet Jewry, and searing moral insight into the nature of Communist totalitarianism - shines through. The book is a fine political biography, but also a most touching personal portrait. It depicts admirably and with fine insight the circle around Jackson, some of whom later held office in the Reagan administration. I was unaware, for example, that the common view that Jackson's adviser, Richard Perle, was responsible for Jackson's unwavering support for Israel has it exactly the wrong way round. In fact, Perle, a secular Jew, came to see the urgency of supporting Israel because of the influence of Jackson - a Niebuhrian Protestant who understood better than any post-war American politician the moral import of a liberal democracy's struggle for survival while assailed by totalitarian states and terrorist organisations.

Jackson has the biography he deserves; I hope it is widely read and studied.

The author's main focus in this work is the profound and unquestioned effect Sen. Jackson had on U.S. foreign policy. The book brilliantly delves into Jackson's evolution from simple legislator to foreign policy guru. Much attention is made to Jackson's stances on a variety of foriegn policy issues, including his infamous battles with Henry Kissinger over the issues of detente, Soviet dissidents, and pro-Israel issues. Jackson proved a great foil for - and perhaps huge thorn in the side of - Dr. Kissinger, but with time and further examination, their debates likely benefitted U.S. foreign policy in the long run.

Make no mistake: while there is much on Jackson's foreign policy expertise, this is a solid biography of the man in total. We get a good look at his upbringing in and around Everett, his entry into politics, his failed presidential bids, and - eventually - his sudden and surprising death in the early '80's. Also included are the events at the infamous 1960 Democratic convention, where Jackson was very nearly chosen as JFK's running mate.

All in all, this is a very fair and solid biography, presenting an excellent look at the life of Sen. Jackson. This should be a must-read for political-junkies. Those of a conservative/Republican ideology should also make it a must-read, because it is made very evident how much of the current Republican stances on foreign policy were founded by Henry Jackson.

It has been said of "Scoop" Jackson that he was "the last good Democrat". For the citizens of Washington state, that is unquestioned and still lamented to this day. For the nation, the realization of this statement is slow to develop, but hopefully with this book, "Scoop"'s legacy will be recognized with the respect and stature that it truly is.

Although I read the whole thing cover to cover, I think one of the best features of this book is that you can pick it up and turn to any page whenever you need to do some thinking.

In my experience, this is the best introduction of philosophical thinking that I have read. I also agree with another reviewer who says this should be required reading for teenagers. The problems and paradoxes presented in this book definately inspire one to think "freely", outside the bounds of your usual patterns.

Also, it's a lot of fun.

Then, with the individual scripts, the book provides background along the lines of the DWM Archive features, covering the development of the scripts, the production team, the production details, and a brief critique.

There are also numerous footnotes associated with the scripts, and my chief complaint with the book is that these are stuck at the end of each episode rather than at the bottom of individual pages, necessitating either a lot of flipping back and forth or a good memory if you choose to wait until after reading the episode to see what the footnotes say.

However, that's basically a quibble on what is an excellent book and a significant addition to my Doctor Who collection.

More than any other behind-the-scenes science fiction book I've read, this one really tells you what tough choices and concessions had to be made, why they chose person A over person B, what got cut for budgetary reasons (a common problem with Doctor Who) and what concessions (or lack thereof) were made for continuity. This book is a massive undertaking, and, indeed, authorship is spread between numerous people. If there is a question you want answered about Season 12 of Doctor Who, the odds are really good it's in here somewhere.

While I find it hard to recommend this book to the casual Doctor Who fan, it's invaluable to the die-hard Whovian or the student of film or TV production. This is simply the finest production book I've read and I dearly hope to see them tackle other seasons in the same way in the future.