Romeo and Juliet is the best of Shakespeares work ever. Everyone knows the story, but once you read it, it brings the meaning and connection to a different level. The language is beautiful. The words passed betweem Romeo and his love are so moving, you read them over and over. Even if you don't understand what they are saying, you'll still get the general idea and fall in love with this forbidden romance. Even though its a sad ending. The tragedy just adds more to the play. A magnificent book...you have to read it.

Romeo and Juliet has been performed so often that it has become almost tedious. But it might be a thoroughly enjoyable play if it were seen with fresh eyes. The story and its main characters are exaggerated, and at times Romeo appears to be a parody of the young, ardent lover. The play contains more rhymed lines than most of Shakespeare's others, and this can have the tendency to make the play appear less realistic. But it also makes the lines very pleasing to the ear. The pure endurance of Romeo and Juliet's story line attests to its greatness. My favorite character is Mercutio, whose energy and witticism make the play worth reading. I also appreciated the friar, who serves as a foil to Romeo's excessiveness and offers tempering words of wisdom. The play is quite bawdy at times and the double meanings are numerous.

This is one of the best books I've ever read! I think anyone with tast for drama should read this book! Maybe not anyone under seven, but even so, maybe even they could read it!!!And it's also pretty easy to understand! If you do choose this book, I think you will love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A play in three acts, a very simple setting, and only four characters who live in a small, university town in America: a middle-aged couple, Martha and George. And a "young and innocent" couple, Nick and Honey. They all meet in a room, in Martha and George's house, very late one night, for a nightcap. And then...all hell breaks lose.

The play tears apart both marriages: the middle aged couple, who seem to hate each other and in the end turn out to be much more devoted to each other as it would seem. The young, seemingly perfect couple, who turn out to have lots of problems of their own. In three heart-breaking scenes, using dialogue that cuts like a knife, Edward Albee has written a masterpiece. He manages to give a clear-cut, honest picture of the reality of marriage, the reality of love, and the fears that go hand in hand with love and intimacy. At some point, in act three, Martha talks about her husband- and it's probably one of the best pieces of literature I've read:

"...George who is out somewhere there in the dark...George who is good to me, and whom I revile; who understands me, and whom I push off; who can make me laugh, and I choke it back in my throat; who can hold me, at night, so that it's warm, and whom I will bite so there's blood; who keeps learning the games we play as quickly as I can change the rules; who can make me happy and I do not wish to be happy, and yes I do wish to be happy, George and Martha: sad, sad, sad."

What more can I say? just read the play, and if you get the chance, watch it performed in the theatre, too.

Considered by some to be Albee's masterpiece, Virginia Woolf presents all of the playwright's main themes in this tightly compressed play. In a mere three acts, Albee breeches social as well as physical masochism at its most malevolent while displaying its truth-revealing effects while exposing its subconscious motivations. As for other Albee-eque motifs, there is his presentation of truth verses reality, linguistics aerobics, and, as par, a heavy dose of black humor. Albee remains faithful as a master of literature in that he never lapses into didacticism even when his characters voice personal soliloquies. As an aside, the play does differ from the famous film in that the former takes place within the confides of George and Martha's household, thus keeping their guests, Nick and Honey, as metaphorical prisoners throughout the night. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the play, upon a close reading, is Albee's almost virtuoso execution of symbolism, especially Christian (comparable to Henry James). Highly recommended.

Wow. I never thought I could like a play so much. I had to read this for a class in college, so I admit that I didn't know what I was in for. I would've never thought that I would enjoy reading a play. This is a work of art with every line having meaning and significance.

A quick summary of the story without giving too much away: This is the story about an elderly couple who seem to hate each other with a passion. They're rude, loud, offensive, and insulting. When they invite a younger couple to their house, things quickly start to get out of control, while the elderly couple use their guests as sheilds and pawns in their brutal arguements and such. The story ends with a shocking resolution that will catch you off guard.

The dialogue in this play is so beautifully written. It reads like the way people actually talk. That is why I enjoyed it so much. It also enriched the characters that much more. Edward Albee did a magnificent job of weaving a tale that seems so realistic it's as if we are there at that house on that very night. There are no minor characters; everyone is important in a very significant way. It is refreshing to be able to get to know each character and the hopes, dreams, ambitions, and the conflicts that lie within.

I really enjoyed reading this wonderfully structured play. Much so that I have already read it at least seven times. It is a very easy read. And since it is mostly dialogue, it really doesn't take long to read. You could easily finish it in a day or two if you really put your heart to it. Even if you don't enjoy reading novels, maybe this is the solution. There is no lengthy descriptions of what color the characters' eyes are or what they're wearing. Just good old dialogue that will have you hooked from the very beginning. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is an outstanding play that will forever remain a true classic in American Literature.

Marvelous, darling. That's not a diva talking, but this reviewer giving his assessment of Hollywood Diva's: The Good, the Bad and the Fabulous, the latest from the industrious James Robert Parish. We learn that Tallulah once slept with the bride and the groom, Whitney's thoughts on being a star, and Lucille's problems with Desi, among many things. There's also fascinating material on Sharon, Jennifer, Clara and many more of the ladies we love to love and love to ridicule. As usual, Parish has an uncanny knack for selecting just the right information and the right amount of information to keep the reader enthralled. His brief bios are packed with fascinating and telling material. I was struck by the number of divas that escaped a miserable upbringing by heading to Hollywood. Once there, they achieved fame and glory, but often at a steep price. Did they bring on their disasters themselves? In many cases, yes, but we adore them anyway. Even casual followers of the world of film will find it hard to put down this book. You will want to read about all these women, not just the really big stars. The stories resonate with all of us, whether we are divas, whether we adore divas, or whether we want nothing to do with divas.

The term "high maintenance" used to be a liability for movie stars; now it's a prerequisite. At least, that's one of the two attributes of Diva-hood in motion pictures, the other being talent. As chronicled by James Robert Parish in his latest book, "Hollywood Divas: The Good, the Bad, and the Fabulous," such women have always been the mainstay of movies, they were just known by their own above-the-title names: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, and Elizabeth Taylor, right up through Cher, Whitney Houston, Sharon Stone and Drew Barrymore. Here is a clever sorority roster of nearly a century's worth of unforgettable screen women from Theda Bara to Jennifer Lopez. What they have in common is that they can dominate a scene simply by entering it (that and make their male co-stars go crazy for them). Parish -- the dean of American film historians with over 40 books to his credit -- has the knack of writing in a tone that is both confident and confidential without sounding pandering, like a friend at a party who happens to know the inside story. We learn, for example, that Miriam Hopkins -- who almost played Scarlett O'Hara -- was smart enough to negotiate her own contracts but too volatile to keep them. We shudder at Demi Moore's contract demands yet admire her for her devotion to her child (if not her husband). And we read how Cybill Shepherd trumped the trash-mongers by the "simple" act of having character. But that's not to say there isn't enough scandal in these pages to grease the gossip gears: unwanted pregnancies, substance abuse, divorces, loonies and lovers abound. Yet it's not embarrassing to read about them. Each essay -- there are 70 plus an introduction -- is well-focused and individual, yet finds the quintessence in each great lady of the screen. An index and huge bibliography wrap up the package.

James Robert Parish, the author of The RKO Gals and The Fox Girls, has now written a witty and remarkably informative new book about 70 major "Divas" of the entertainment world. The most surprising thing about this book is that it contains not only current idols like Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, and perennial idols like Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland, but also some rather obscure (in terms of early 21sts century) idols, including Kay Francis, Mae Murray, and Greer Garson. Yes, this book covers the whole gamut, from Theda Bara to Britney Spears. The quotes are fantastic, the photos are great, and the information is fabulous. Highly recommended.

Though not of Polish ancestry, I chose to read this book because I marvel at James Michener books, in general. I found it to be an excellent read, don't let my 4 star rating fool you. In fact, it will compete for the coveted "Goochie" award for best read book of the year. It was not as interesting a plot as Centennial or Chesapeake, but it definitely exposes the reader to some valuable history that is not normally seen in mainstream fiction. Worth the time to read it.

This time James Michener took us to Poland. Poland is a country, which happened to be right in between the East and the West of Europe. Every conflict in Europe left its heavy foot in Poland killing people and destroying the country. Poles suffered more than any other nation in the world, short of the Jews. I was in Poland for a few times. It is amazing how they were able to rebuild Warsaw after the W.W.II. Warsaw did not exist after the war, only three percent of the city remained standing and look at it now. Good book, interesting history.

I read this book because my wife is Polish and I wanted to share with my children their herritage. The book gave me insight into Europe and some of its longstanding conflicts. The Holocoust of World War II is just one of a string of holocousts. I was amazed at Sweden's behavior during its conquest and slaughter of Poland. It helped me to understand what happened in Kosovo. Michener's mix of history and fiction was at times confusing. His fictional characters seemed so real when compared to historical figures. I would recommend a continuous review of the list of who is real and who is not given at the front of the book. Overall it was a good book which gives a flavor of Poland and Europe

The book I read Stowaway was by Karen Hesse. In 1768, an eleven-year-old boy named Nicholas Young stowed away on a ship. He hid himself from the captain the crew, and waited to be carried far away. Nick didn't know it, but the ship he chose - H.M.S. Endeavour - was bound for an amazing adventure. Captained by James Cook. Endeavour was on a secret mission to discover an unknown continent at the bottom of the globe. During his three-year voyage, Nick faced hardship and he sot out danger and proved himself brave when disaster struck. He learned to respect and trust the gentlemen on board. He made a friend and he made history.

Nicholas was weak and weak hearted when he started the voyage. At the end of the book he is a fully weathered sailor. Nick has to deal with a mean midshipsman Mr. Bootie who orders him around like a dog. He overcomes problems like that by just doing it perfectly so Mr. Bootie can't yell at him. I overcome most problems like Nick I do them as well as I can so nobody can yell at me. I might like to stowaway on a ship because I love boats and I think it would be fun to sail on one. ." "I figured that this one would be as good as Out Of The Dust. It is, but in a different way. I loved how much it taught me about history and how it's sent me hunting for answers to questions it raised. The map on the inside of the front and back covers was invaluable in tracking the trip. And what a nice surprise at the end of the book to find out there was a real Nicholas." Said a person from College Station, TX USA " I loved the book I would give it 5 stars *****. I would recommend this book to any body who loves adventure books. Stowaway was a book I could not put down until I finished it.

I think Stowaway by Karen Hesse was the best book I have ever read. Stowaway is about a boy named Nicholas Young who stows
-away on a ship called Endeavour.The crew on this ship go to islands botanizing.(study of plants and animals.) Nicholas and the crew are on this ship for two years ,and a lot of adventures and surprises.I hope you read this book because it is the most exciting,adventurousand surpising book I have ever read!!!!

Karen Hesse tells many storys.But the one I read is the best.The title is Stowaway.It's about a boy named Nicholas Young who was sent to a butcher so Nick could get over his soft heartedness for animals.So he stows away on a ship that is boltnizing(study of plants and animals).When he gets on a ship he's 11 and when he gets back to his home he's 14.
Mr.Bootie doesn't like Nick because he has a soft heart(Mr.Bootie doesn't).Nck throws over there food that is meat.
Captain James Cook's ship was named The Endeavour but it was fist named The Prembroke.
Ihope you will enjoy this book.

Typically, I have a bias against abridged editions of literary works. Nevertheless, prudent editing and abridgement enhances the casual reader's appreciation of this literary tome. Undergraduates working a required reading list for English Lit classes are on their own. Anyway, Samuel Johnson was a noted author and editor of the 18th century English literary scene. Instead of an exhaustive study of Johnson's life as author and editor, biographer Boswell compiled a series of anecdotes, quotations, and correspondence that is held together by his friendship with Johnson. Boswell's purpose was to capture the essence of the man. Johnson was adept at articulating pithy remarks with surgical precision. For example, "...a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprized to find it done at all." The 18th century spellings, etc. remain intact. We have Johnson to thank for the familiar "...hell is paved with good intentions," and "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Boswell takes care to portray Johnson as sexually moral. After the death of his wife, Johnson (according to Boswell) was apparently celibate. Johnson rebuffed "women of the town," and said he wasn't interested in their carnal delights. Johnson told David Garrick, the actor, that he would not go backstage at the theater because "the white bubbies and silk stockings of your Actresses excite my genitals." As an interesting aside, the editor's introduction speculates that Johnson's relationship with the widow Thrale may have been sexual, with bondage overtones. Who knows? The description of London coffeehouses, theaters, and gathering places are heavy with 18th century atmosphere. Bottom line, reading this book is interesting as a curiosity. Its relevance for 21st century readers may seem limited, but don't let that stop you from sampling the fare. ;-)

This book will redefine your concepts of biography, of philology and of intellect. However critically James Boswell is rated as a writer, the fact remains that his biography of Johnson remains the standard by which all others are judged, and by which they ultimately fall--flat on their condescending faces.

Who was Samuel Johnson? He was, in one sense, the first literary celebrity. His fabled dictionary of the English language was, a few years down the road, superceded and greatly improved upon by the dictionary written by Noah Webster. His tour of Scotland and the book that ensued from it hardly rank with the other literary giants of English. And his essays, indisputably brilliant, remain sadly that: forms of literature seldom read, and lacking the artistic force of the play, the novel, the poem.

What Boswell shows us about Johnson is that he was the sharpest conversationalist of his time in a society that cultivated the very finest of witty speakers. Living off the beneficence of friends, off a royally-provided pension, and leading what he readily acknowledged to be a life of idleness, Johnson was a sought-after personality invigorated by one of the brightest literary minds ever.

Boswell introduces the genius, his pathos, his melancholy, his piety, his warmth, and most of all his stinging wit. That he loved and respected Johnson, and sought to honor his memory, can only be doubted by an utter cynic or someone serving a lifetime of durance in academia.

"All intellectual improvement arises from leisure..." "You shall retain your superiority by my not knowing it." "Sir, they [Americans] are a parcel of convicts and ought to be thankful for anything we allow them short of hanging." "He was dull in a new way, and that made people think him great." "...it is our duty to maintain the subordination of civilized society..." "It is wonderful, when a calculation is made, how little the mind is actually employed in the discharge of any profession." Boswell: "...you are an idle set of people." Johnson: "Sir, we are a city of philosophers." "We should knock him down first, and pity him afterwards."

And best of all, and immortal to boot, is this: "No man but a blockhead writes, except for money."

Buy this book. Read it. It's humanity at its wittiest and most complex.

I chose the 1,000 or so page Wordsworth Classics paperback edition of The Life Of Johnson (ISBN 1 85326 797 x) and was very pleased I did. The book had a nice heft to it, and the print was large enough for a comfortable read. My only major beef with this edition is that Boswell's text is replete with quotations from a variety of languages including Latin, Greek, French, Italian and others, and very few of them are translated into English. Whether the editor assumed that the average modern reader is a polyglot, or was unable to provide the translations for some other reason, I feel deprived at not having had access to this portion of the book's material, particularly as the quotes are most often used to gild the lily of one of Johnson's witticisms. Nevertheless, the book rewards the diligent reader with a wealth of intellectual stimulation, and offers a fascinating look into the England of the period including: polite London society, Oxford University, and jaunts around the British and Scottish countryside. Johnson's somewhat eccentric life and personal habits are lovingly and affectionately relayed by his close friend Boswell, who somehow managed to preserve a vast amount of Johnson's conversation without the aid of a tape recorder. With everyday life as a backdrop, we see how Johnson, a self-described lazy man, managed to produce such an abundant literary legacy, not the least of which was his groundbreaking dictionary. I recommend this book highly to people with an interest in 18th century England, the literary society of the period, or who simply love a great biography.

If you have read other reviews of mine of Mr. Crais's books, you will know that I read his latest three books first (loved them) and then started with the Elvis Cole series at the beginning. I have not found the first two up to the standards the author now sets for himself, but I liked this book quite a lot. The wise cracking is eased off and Elvis gets himself involved in a situation that takes some doing to solve and it is done in a fairly believeable way. I hope that as the series progresses he continues to improve to the level of L.A. Requiem.

In this book Elvis has been hired by a big shot Hollywood producer to find his ex-wife and son as he thinks after 12 years it is time to be a Dad. Well, Mom and son have moved from LA to Chelam, Connecticutt. Mom has made a life for herself and son, Toby, without any help from the big shot and it is not wanted now.

However, Mom has this little problem of having been co-opted by the Mafia to do some money laundering (she is a branch bank manager) and while she would like to end the relationship, the Mafioso that has used her has other ideas.

Soon all of the characters are in the same vicinity and it takes all of Elvis's and Joe Pike's efforts to keep matters from dissolving into a large pool of blood. How they do it is the point of these easy reading novels and why we keep coming back for more.

Elvis Cole, private investigator, was tasked by a famous director, Peter, to find his ex-wife and son. A seemingly simple assignment soon turned out to be mission impossible. After locating Karen and Toby, Elvis soon uncovered that the former was owned by the mafia, who would not be at all happy with the interference of Elvis and his partner, Joe Pike. Being his usual righteous self, Elvis could not sit back and see Karen's life destroyed by the mob. However, could he and Joe take on the mafia, save Karen from its clutches, and escape unscathed?

Like all other Robert Crais' books, it had the compelling power which made it impossible for me to put the book down. I have always believed that for a book to be likeable, we must like the characters in the book and really feel for them. This is precisely the reason which I enjoy this book so much. I was rooting for Elvis and Joe all the way as I followed the story which simply took my breath away.

Elvis Cole, "the world's greatest detective", is hired by Hollywood director Peter Alan Nelson to find his ex-wife, Karen, and son, Toby. His search takes him to small-town Connecticut where, once he finds Karen and her son, finds himself in the middle of problems involving the Mafia.

Pithy comment follows dry-witted humour in another very enjoyable detective story with the irrepressible Elvis Cole in control. For the first two chapters I found that I was chuckling to myself at least once per page as Elvis met the self-centered, big-shot director client, Peter Alan Nelsen. Although the humour doesn't continue at this pace, a light-hearted feel is maintained throughout the whole book. If you like your detective stories slightly on the humorous side with just a little bit of danger thrown in for spice, then this book (and all the Elvis Cole books) are just perfect.

Although this book is part of an ongoing series, it isn't really necessary to read it in the order that it was written. While the main characters are the same (Elvis and Joe Pike), previous plots aren't divulged.

After sending Elvis Cole to the East Coast in third installment of the series, Robert Crais keeps it in L.A. for the fourth installment, Free Fall. Elvis and his partner Joe Pike try to weed out corruption in the L.A. Police Department. They are approached by a young woman who thinks her police officer finance is involved is less than scrupulous activities. We know that Pike was a one-time L.A. cop and we learn a little bit more about his time on the force. What we discover is that he didn't leave on the best of terms and the mention of his name still rankles some of the men in blue. Free Fall loses some momentum in terms of the plot, but Mr. Crais is more interested in peeling back some of Joe Pike's layers and exposing more of his skin (an area that will be further explored in future releases). As usual, Mr. Crais spikes his plots with liberal doses of humor and comes up with yet another winner

Robert Crais has proven again and again that he can keep us on the edge of our seats, and yet at the same time laughing our butts off, to be polite. "Free Fall" is a perfect example of that. It is an installment in the "Elvis Cole Series", but you do not have to have read any of the previous novels to read this one: I didn't. I've read other Cole novels, but they've been written after this one.
Anyway, this novel takes place in Los Angeles. It finds Elvis Cole sitting in his office, just another normal day. In walks an innocent looking young woman named Jenifer Sheridan. She tells Cole that she has a problem: She thinks her fiancee, Mark Thurman, is involved in something illegal. Willingly, unwillingly? It is Cole's task to find out the answer, and just what exactly Thurman is up to. Could it be another woman? Or is it something much worse, something much deadlier?
Cole and his partner, Joe Pike, find themselves up against rogue cops, South-side gangsters, and a haunting mystery. Oh, yeah: They're also wanted by the cops for murder.
Only Crais could weave a novel this complicated and powerful. You'll be loving every minute of "Free Fall", I promise you. I would know: I've been there.

I was turned onto Robert Crais by my Doctor who knew I was a big fan of mystery writer Michael Connelly. Like Connelly's character Harry Bosch, Crais has created a tough wise cracking LA detective named Elvis Cole. Woman want him. Men want to be him. My suggestion if you've never read him, is to start at the beginning with "The Monkey's Raincoat" and work your way through all of them. One of the greatest things about Crais' novels is Elvis' partner Joe Pike. An aviator glasses wearing silent but deadly killing machine. Think Dirty Harry with a drier sense of humor. In reference to "Free Fall", I always feel like knowing less is more when telling the plot of a mystery. The basic gist is an attractive woman shows up at Cole's office to ask him to investigate what's going on with her boyfriend who's an L.A.P.D. Officer who's been hiding something from her. He claims it's an affair. She thinks it's something deeper. Crap hits the fan, and you'll be off turning pages faster than you thought possible. Great characters, great plot twists, great writing. Long live Elvis & Robert Crais!

Perry's has been gathering dust on my bookshelf at home for years. I always think of it as the book to go to if you want to NOT find the answer to something. In my 20 year career and in my PE test effort, the only thing I ever used it for was to look up properties of substances. It is NOT friendly to the working engineer, since it quickly veers into arcane academic territory on every subject, or else is too general to be useful. This is a serious review of this book by a ChE PE, but I know this review will get panned by all, not because it is not useful, but because you do not agree with it.

This is the best book to show how distant are the theory and the practice of a Chemical Engineer.

Perry's Handbook has been found indispensable by chemical engineers, and a wide variety of other engineers and scientists, through six previous editions spanning more than sixty years. The NST/Engineers, Inc. reviewer, a Ph.D., PE favors the hardbound book as a desk reference, whereas he favors the CD format (ISBN# 0071344128) where a laptop or copying text or calculations are required. Users familiar with previous editions of Perry's will find additional text sections, tables, and figures. The reviewer did not detect deletions of any required material.

You will notice the increased use of SI units. Section 1, of thirty Handbook sections, "Conversion Factors and Mathematical Symbols", provides a rescue line for those of us much more accustomed to U.S., British, and older Metric units and who are not fully conversant with S.I. units. The first one-third of the Handbook lays the theoretical groundwork for a fuller understanding of its final two-thirds.

Section 2 provides physical properties data, including tables of constants for properties' correlations covering wide temperature ranges. Methods for the prediction and correlation of physical properties are explained. Section 3 summarizes mathematics through differential equations and statistics. Sections 4 through 7 may be considered short texts on "Thermodynamics", "Heat and Mass Transfer", "Fluid and Particle Dynamics", and "Reaction Kinetics".

In its eighty-four double column text pages, Section 8 covers the "Fundamentals of Process Dynamics and Control". It includes model predictive control, process optimization, unit operations control, process measurements, and concludes with controllers, final control elements, and regulators. Section 9, "Process Economics", takes the reader through calculations involved in investment and profitability decisions, cost control, and cost estimation. Starting with Section 10, "Transport and Storage of Fluids", and for most of the following twenty sections, the chemical engineering unit operations, details of more specialized theories and operating practices, calculation methods, interface studies between chemical engineering and other disciplines (i.e., Biochemical Engineering and Waste Management), and data specific to the topic being presented are given.

As previously stated, these latter sections, about two-thirds of the book, build upon an understanding of the fundamentals presented earlier. For example, Section 10; Section 11, "Heat Transfer Equipment"; Section 12, "Psychrometry, Evaporative Cooling, and Solids Drying"; Section 13, "Distillation"; Section 14, "Gas Absorption"; Section 15, "Liquid-Liquid Extraction"; Section 16, "Adsorption and Ion Exchange"; Section 17, "Gas-Solid Operations and Equipment"; and Section 18, "Liquid-Solid Operations and Equipment"; build on an understanding of Section 4, "Thermodynamics", Section 5, "Heat and Mass Transfer", and Section 6 "Fluid and Particle Dynamics". However, the book sections are all prepared to be rather self-sufficient so that readers without the earlier fundamental background can still gather useful working information.

The final twelve sections complete the review of unit operations and add important interdisciplinary studies. The sections are: "Solid-Solid Operations and Equipment"; "Size Reduction and Size Enlargement"; "Handling of Bulk Solids and Packaging of Solids and Liquids"; "Alternative Separation Processes"; "Chemical Reactors" (building on Section 7 "Reaction Kinetics"); "Biochemical Engineering"; "Waste Management"; "Process Safety"; "Energy resources, Conversion, and Utilization"; "Materials of Construction"; "Process Machinery Drives"; and "Analysis of Plant Performance";

Actually, a reasonable understanding of the contents of Perry's, including how to find and use the voluminous data, is equivalent to the text-based learning at the completion of a Master's degree in chemical engineering.

Before I read this book I had the slightest clue about my past and present relationship with alcohol. I was especially intruiged when they named off to the dime, the feelings of anxiety, isolation, guilt, and shame that I was feeling. All this time I was looking for reasons to blame my family for the way that I felt. While reading this book, I realized that my binge drinking on the weekends had been deteriorating my relationships with real people. And alcohol, my best friend, was the one doing it! This book offers fundamental information about alcohol and alcoholism that every single person should know.

I have now read five books on this subject, due to family members and a dear friend being alcoholics. This is the most readable, "states it like it is," book I have read. Many, many questions are answered when reading this book. For me, of particular interest, was Chapter Five, wherein "The Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome" is described...it explains my friend exactly, and the doctors (three so far) are not picking up on his being in this stage, even tho they know he is an alcoholic! The information on types of food is especially good, and the authors are correct, that FEW (if any) doctors discuss the very important role of nutrition counseling!! I am getting three of these for family and friends and feel it will really help them understand others and themselves. I am most pleased to see that it is still in print. I got my copy from a friend about a year ago and just started re-reading it and realized it just "hits the bullet" as the saying goes, and is one that the alcoholism counselor (that originally gave it to me), had UNDERLINED and highly recommended.

For many alcoholics and those who live with them, it's not enough to know that this disease is a mysterious "allergy." Under the Influence explains the physical aspects of alcoholism in a matter-of-fact, easily readable form. The authors follow the progressive stages of alcoholism with clear descriptions of what the disease does to the way the liver, the brain, and the emotions respond to alcohol at each stage.

This book explains how the bodies of alcoholics metabolize liquor differently from those of non-alcoholics, and the changes in the brain that take place over years of continued drinking. (It confirms, for example, the observation that many late-stage alcoholics' function deteriorates as they go without liquor for a number of hours). After a complete description of the stages of alcoholism, it provides some insight on intervention and treatment, and some valuable information about treating the physical aspects of the disease in sobriety, with proper diet and rest in addition to AA attendance.

Nothing in Under the Influence will replace the role of the experience, strength and hope of other alcoholics in helping alcoholics recover. Yet this book provides valuable information, especially about the often-overlooked physical aspects of the three-fold disease of alcoholism.