This book just made me mad. Myers rounds up all of the usual suspects: divorce, pornography, the media, out of wedlock children, and tells us that our permissive, rights-oriented society is to blame. He hops on the Communitarian bandwagon without critical analysis of how one compels community and whether it would be worth the price.

For example, he suggests, without a hint of analysis, that the 14th Amendment, rights of due process and equal protection, should trump First Amendment free speech. He hasn't a clue about how complex this argument is or where it would lead. Professor Myers claims impartiality as a "social scientist" when, in fact, the book skews the research to prove his point. Unfortunately, his "point" (our society is in the toilet - big surprise) doesn't lead anywhere.

I have been reading a book titled The American Paradox-Spiritual Hunger In An Age Of Plenty by David G Myers from Yale University Press which is a superb book. The author makes an excellent argument for how materialism as well as a selfish individualism is costing this country dearly.

And the author notes Lee Atwater's final words as he was in the last year of his life (Atwater was Bush Sr campaign manager) "The 80's (I would add the 90's as well) were about acquiring-acquiring wealth, power, prestige. I know. I acquired more wealth, power and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. What power wouldn't I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn't I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with the truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitious and moral decay, can learn on my dime. "

To hold David G. Myers book "The American Paradox" in your hands, is truly to be holding the solution to America's problems. This is perhaps the most enlightening book you will ever read in this decade. The sheer fortitude that it took to sort through the facts and figures between the 1960's and 1990's and come to these brilliant conclusions is nothing short of extraordinary.

Never has there been a more appropriate time to analyze our culture. This is a time of true spiritual hunger. If you want the reality of the situation you will find it here. Both self-described liberals and self-described conservatives will agree: There is no avoiding this deluge of facts. Perhaps now we can all have a common goal.

"The American Paradox" offers a sober appraisal of this present predicament and (finally!) gives a vision of hope for the future. We soon learn that the problems are many:

1. The divorce rate has doubled and women and children are impacted the most. 2. The teen suicide rate has tripled. 3. Marriages may start with euphoria, but many end in separation, anguish and divorce. 4. Most cohabitations break up before marriage. 5. Material wealth is at record levels, yet happiness has diminished. 6. We have replaced communal activities with TV and Web surfing. 7. We have placed a lower value on self-sacrifice, sexual restraint and moral obligation. 8. We have educated our children, while overlooking the need to teach them character. 9. The media gives false images of reality, which in turn have affected our children's thoughts and actions. 10. The pursuit of pleasure may in fact be amplifying misery.

We are also reminded that Gandhi once said that seven social sins could destroy a nation. I have the feeling we have committed far more. It seems we need to embrace principles which will enable us to realize "The New American Dream." This is a dream in which we encourage marriage, initiative, basic liberties, close relationships, empathy, self-discipline, character development, civility, fidelity, spiritual awareness, love for our fellow man, and a shared commitment to moral truth.

David Myers has set out the intellectual facts and figures with insight and fairness. There are no sides to take, but rather you will experience a feeling of enlightenment, hope and a new sense of determination. To me it is clear that we need to reexamine our social policies, make the media more responsible, and decide to change ourselves. Above all, we should protect our freedom by becoming personally responsible and making our marriages and families the top priorities in our lives. It is really up to us to decide our future. Often prevention is easier than the cure. Building character takes time and effort, but the rewards are immense.

Finally, I found a book my husband and I could read and discuss at length. What he said to me made perfect sense. When he plays softball everyone on the team has individual responsibilities yet they work as a collective whole to win the game. To me collectivism to its extreme is the political principle of centralized social and economic control, especially of all means of production. Individualism to its extreme is the belief that all actions are determined by, or at least take place for, the benefit of the individual, not of society as a whole. Individualism to its extreme could be said to be anarchy (a theory that regards the absence of all direct or coercive government as a political ideal and that proposes the cooperative and voluntary association of individuals and groups as the principal mode of organized society).

In my opinion, we need a basic set of rules to follow so we can respect one another. If we do not strike out as individuals we would simply be robots waiting for instructions. Clearly, there has to be a balance between personal responsibility and the responsibility we have to others. If we were all doing the job we were sent here to earth to do would not this world be a beautiful peaceful place? It is a delicate balance and somehow we have tipped the scale in the wrong direction. David's book tells us what has tipped this scale and takes us through a brilliant thought process to offer the solutions.

Pope John Paul III said it with wisdom: "To educate without a value system based on truth is to abandon young people to moral confusion, personal insecurity, and easy manipulation. No country, not even the most powerful, can endure if it deprives its own children of this essential good."

We must teach our children to read, to comprehend truth and to analyze what they are being told. Teach your children to think about issues which surround them now and in the future when they grow up they will thank you for it. I cannot thank my own parents enough for giving me security in my own beliefs and for giving me a head start in reading at a very young age. It is abundantly clear to me that America's parents will determine the future of our country. David G. Myers has built upon this thought, which I know many have wanted to voice but did not have a platform. I quote from his book:

"We cannot expect our schools alone to restore the moral infrastructure. Character is nurtured by families and supportive neighbors, churches, kin, and child-friendly media."

This vital guide will illuminate the dark path we are on. Hopefully, we will see the fork in the road and take the path to "The New American Dream."

A really comprehensive book on all aspects of running. I am sure it will become a reference book for all serious runners. The only book that can match "Better Training for Distance Runners" would be "Lore of Running".

Of all the books on training runners, this on book offers the most comprehensive explaination of what it take to get to the other level. Although its aim is for serious runners and coaches, it can be used as a reference guide for those 'tweener runners who are not weekend warriors but neither national class or better atheletes. This is a great book that I wished were around when I was in high school. If you ever wanted to run that sub 4:00 mile then this is where you would learn how to do it. Great book!

The purpose of the book is to be a comprehensive guide to training distance runners. If you are serious about your efforts in fulfilling your potential as a runner you will need to address all aspects of training. For some that may mean having a scientific fundamental understanding of how the body responds to training. I'm sorry that some of the reviewers may not appreciate the first 4 chapters of the book, which focuses on the physiology of running. Running, like any athletic activity, is about training the body's energy systems. Racing 100 meter requires a different energy system than racing a marathon. Thus training for 800 meters is different than training for 5000 meters. That is why in BTDR you get basic physiology first and training theory second. You can understand the book better if you start from this basic premise. You will understand why running 5 miles at certain speeds will have different effects or how to peak for a racing for a certain period of time. The science aspect makes the book a tough read, but the real value is Chapters 5-8. If the book were to contain only the last five chapters then it would still be valuable. Yes, a basic understanding of science is needed for the first four chapters. However, I find it hard to believe that concepts developed in the later chapters like periodization, total body fitness, race strategies, and training management were not of value to some of the reviewers. Newton give cursory treatment to these subjects, Jack Daniels does a better job in his 'Running Formula' (and would be the book that I would recommend to all high school distance runners), but it's BTDR that really breaks it down. BDTR will get you thinking in a whole new way about your approach to running.

I have to also say a word about the expectation that popular running books created for runner eager to learn more about training. Publications like Runner's World and the Running Times are known for their easy to understand training articles that outline how to get faster. Their publishers also publish books in this same vain. What is not questioned are the training philosophies behind the programs, its just a successful runner (active or retired) or coach giving the cliff notes version of their programs. I'm sorry, but a week in the life of Runner X does me no good if I can't understand where that week is in his/her training, why they are doing what they are doing (re: goals) and most importantly their training philosophy. I applaud the fact that they are reaching a vast audience of runner who really don't want to run a sub 4:00 mile (and that is needed), but I do. BTDR is not meant for them. Glover's book ' the Competitive Runners Guide...' is a good starting point but it is more useful to a beginner runner than a high school cross-country runner (different races different goals). This simplification has its drawbacks; it encourages the simple parroting of training programs without a full understanding of their impact. Do you peak for one racing period, two periods or cycle the program? How long should base training last? When do we introduce anaerobic capacity training? Important questions to a serious runner but a less focused runner could care less. BDTR is meant for those who wish to learn how to develop thier own training programs from scratch. Which means gaining a fundamental understanding of every aspect of training runners. It not enough to say run 10 miles on Sunday as your weekly long run. Why not 5 miles or 20 miles? Is it even worth doing one at all? These questions answered in BTDR and not answered in most other popular running books.

This book is not for every one. A high school runner may not want to know what the aerobic energy system is or how it works. Furthermore, s/he may not even care. Any one can tell some one to run 10 miles one day and 12x400m repeats the next, but if they can't tell you why you are doing that or what effect it will have on you then why would you want to give up your time and effort. For those that do have an interest and want to know what it takes to get to the next level then this book is gold.

Bottom line. If you are not serious about your running then this book is not for you.

I bought this book after reading the reviews here. I was greatly disappointed.
It just wasn't scary. Sure, it had a lot of "twisted" characters, but none were too well imagined. A blind doctor who wants to gouge out people's eyes with a spoon, a black woman who practices voodoo, a fat cop who's kind of dumb. Nothing that original.
The gore was kept to a minimum, although one scene at towards the end attempted to make up for the relatively bloodless book. It didn't work. There were a couple of gratuitous sex scenes though. Probably the most descriptive sex scenes I've ever read in a book. I just found them exploitative and pointless.
David Martin doesn't have a true writer's flair either. His words often fall flat. There is no beauty or style to his prose.
Avoid this book.

Well, as the title suggests, I am only just under 100 pages through this book, and I am utterly awe-struck by the whole affair.
This books out-grosses anything that any other horror author I have ever read has(and probably ever WILL) write.

Nothing compares to the sheer sickness of this book, it contains everything you could ask for - gore,sex,incest, horror, etc.

Read it now!

This novel features: a blind doctor who is completely mad and sadistic; a washed-up reporter in turmoil; an exotically beautiful girl. There are depraved games of torture, and perverse eroticism.

I was reading this book late one night when, just as I got into a scene with the mad doctor mutilating one of his victims, I was startled by a loud noise on the roof. I actually jumped, and my heart thumped. It was a possum running around up there. Even though I knew what it was I had trouble shaking the fear. This is the first book which has affected me so powerfully.

I loved that sensation, and kept on reading right through the night until I had finished the book. David Martin is a master of suspense!

I guess I expected that a platform independent standard such as XML would have been better expained using a platform independent language such as java. For the unix/java engineers out there....this book contains much useful information and don't get me wrong, I learned a lot. The question is, would I have learned as much or possibly more if I didn't have to put up with 90% of the code examples written in VBScript? Many examples require Internet Explorer. Content was up-to-date and informative but somewhat repetative (12 authors).

The book covers too many topics and just few are developed in deep while others are superficially introduced because not yet standardized at the time of print. The book claims it covers the following topics: XML, XSLT, DOM, DTD, SOAP, XLink, XPointer, XPath, WAP, WML...and more; but just XML, Schemas, DTDs and SOAP could almost fit the book's size.

Chapters don't follow a very logic thread and it doesn't deal enough with very relevant subjects. Wrox probably planned to make this book the XML bible but I think they are far from the target.

The XML declarative language, with its adaptability and expressive power, is continuing to become the language of choice for reporting and classifying information. XML is a formal grammar that captures the syntactic features of a document type definition, and its properties, syntax, and applications are discussed effectively in this book. It covers XML as formalized by the W3C and the authors show how to use XML in Web-based and database applications. Readers who have developed applications in HTML will probably view XML as somewhat more abstract, since the visual representation of the content of a document is not emphasized in XML. Readers are expected to have a background in HTML, JavaScript, Java, and ASP in order to read the book. Although XML can be learned by reading the W3C specifications, these documents are frequently difficult reading, and this book makes the learning of XML much easier than reading these specifications. They include the W3C specifications for XML 1.0 in an appendix to the book for the interested reader. The book is a little dated, since the W3C has been updating XML specs since the time of publication (especially with regard to schemas), but there is a 2nd edition coming out soon.

In Chapter 1, XML is introduced as a mark-up language and its inherent extensibility emphasized. This is followed by a detailed treatment of XML syntax in the next chapter, with emphasis placed on the hierarchical nature of XML. The authors do include a discussion of Processing Instructions (PIs) for users who want to use XML in this fashion.

Document Type Definitions (DTD) are the subject of Chapter 3, where the authors communicate effectively how DTDs formal grammar is used to specify the structure and permissible values of XML documents. The formal DTD structure is discussed, and the principles behind writing DTDs are effectively outlined. They also discuss the problems with using DTDs.

Data modeling with XML is discussed in the next chapter, with information modeling via static and dynamic models treated in detail, and the authors carefully distinguish these two approaches. The actual designing of XML documents is given a nice overview as well as the role of schemas in XML. This is followed in Chapter 6 by a discussion of the (tree-based) Document Object Model, which overviews how XML documents can be accessed by various programs. Some helpful examples are given on how the DOM can be used to create an XML document programmatically. An alternative way of processing an XML document is discussed in the next chapter on the (event-based) SAX interface. The authors outline in detail the benefits of using SAX rather than DOM. In Appendix B the reader will find the Internet Explorer 5.0 XML DOM 1.0 W3C specifications. In addition, in Appendix C, the specification for the SAX 1.0 interface is given.

The shortcomings of DTD are addressed in terms of XML Schemas and namespaces in chapter 7. Since this book was published, XML Schemas have reached W3C recommendation status as of Nov 2000. The authors give a good overview of namespaces and schemas, with helpful examples. This is followed in chapter 8 by a discussion of how to link and query into XML documents using the XML information set, XLink, XPath, XPointer, XML Fragment Interchange, with XLST covered in the next chapter. For database applications, the authors outline the differences between relational databases and XML documents. A very detailed treatment of how XLST transforms the source document is given, and the authors compare XLS and DOM transformations. An Internet Explorer XSL reference is included in one of the appendices of the book.

More details on the relationship between databases and XML is the subject of chapter 10, wherein the authors show how to store XML and how data can be communicated between different servers using XML. The issues involved when moving data from RDBMS to OODBMS or from Oracle to Sybase, are discussed by the authors. This is followed by an interesting discussion on how to use XML as a distributed component model for server-to-server communications via XML-Remote Procedure Call and Simple Object Access Protocol.

E-commerce applications are discussed in the next chapter, with EDI and its improvement via XML. The business markup language cXML , which allows business to business electronic commerce transactions across the Internet, is also treated in detail.

The authors then finally discuss how to render XML documents more readable and pleasing for the viewer in the next chapter using the style languages CSS and XSL. The discussion is really interesting, for the authors dig a little deeper into the foundations of style languages. The discussion of style languages as rule-based languages is particularly illuminating.

The next chapter is very interesting and its inclusion is actually very surprising, namely a discussion of the Wireless Application Protocol. The authors give an introduction to the Wireless Markup Language and WMLScript. The book ends with four useful chapters on case studies for data duality, distributed applications, a book catalog information service, and SOAP.

There are many applications of XML in many different areas, such as CellML (proprietary) used in cell biology, CML (Chemical Markup Language) for molecular chemistry, IML (Instrument Markup Language) for control of laboratory equipment, BSML (Bioinformatic Sequence Markup Language) for gene sequencing, and MathML for formatting of mathematical equations. I find XML an extremely powerful approach to information reporting and I am currently developing a package called NMML (Network Modeling Markup Language) for use in reporting results in simulation and mathematical modeling of networks, and FMML (Financial Modeling Markup Language) for use in reporting results in the modeling of financial instruments. This book, along with the W3C specifications, has been a tremendous help in the development of these applications.