If every general manager in baseball (Ed Lynch, are you reading this! ) was forced to study this book, entire paradigms of baseball lore would suddenly be pushed aside in favor or fresh, rational, and rigorous principles of management. All of the statistics provided in the prospectus are, of course, second to none, but Michael Wolverton's relief ratings (ARP, ARA, etc.) are truly something special. I have always been amazed at how even the most "knowledgable" baseball minds accept simplistic statistics like ERA and saves as valuable appraisals of a relief pitcher's talents. It's as if the baseball gurus have failed to adjust to post-1950 baseball with its growing reliance on bullpens and decreasing reliance on starting pitchers, and the completely different conditions in which relief pitchers work in comparison to their starting compatriots. Yet these same "experts" have accepted without question the notion that a team must have a real "closer" in order to be a contender. Wolverton blasts these assumptions to smithereens with his analyses, and his elaborate calculations, yet pristine conclusions should revolutionize how the later innings of games are viewed. Throw in the authors' passionate defense of wise treatment of young pitchers, their funny yet consistently incisive comments about hundreds of players, their willingness to challenge age-old fallacies like "veteran leadership" and the genuinely historical perspective they bring to the table of baseball debate, and you have one of the most informative and entertaining baseball books I've ever read.

BP debunks myths, explodes fallacies, and takes sabermetrics to a new height. It has an excellent method for evaluating and projecting performance, but many other credible methods can found elsewhere. BP's riches are found in the essays and player commentaries. Its insights will reshape the baseball debate in the coming years. Roster management, pitcher abuse, big markets v. small markets, tools v. skills -- the debates defining our age and the age to come are all discussed fully and insightfully here.

BP readers will in short time find themselves looking at baseball in a much more complex and accurate way. They will find themselves at greater and greater distance from the newsstand knowledge of those who rely on magazines and Baseball Weekly. They'll be better fans for having read BP. No other book provides so much. BP2K is the best value on the market.

Baseball Prospectus is a must-have for any hard-core baseball fan. These guys do a fantastic job of stripping away the nonsense and the myths and really analyzing the facts to come up with some really useful observations. Also, the manner in which they do it is fun, funny and engrossing; never just a cold statistical survey. All fantasy league players should buy this book immediately, but it will be a great read to any fan of the game.

My response to the material presented in this book when I first encountered it in 1993 was an unqualified "YES!", and time has not diminished my enthusiasm. This is and was the only system that has ever resonated so deeply with me in terms of understanding why "things are the way they are", not only in my own life, but with regard to the human experience in general.

I found the model of the soul experience in the earth plane presented in this book to be intellectually coherent, spiritually satisfying, and emotionally comforting. The book also contains some interactive exercises that were remarkably accurate in helping me determine my own "spiritual profile" based upon the Michael model.

If you have nagging questions that you just can't resolve (e.g., Why is life so unfair? Why do bad things happen to good people?), or if you're just curious about why we're all here, you may find this book to be very enlightening. I sure did!

The book's one weakness: As another reviewer pointed out, the editing could have been a lot better. However, this is a minor issue and does not detract from the quality of the information presented.

The most interesting book explaining why we're here and what we're supposed to do. The book is not easy to figure out but once you "get it" It's cool. This is one of those things that if you're meant to read this book and you've gotten this far, you'll probably read it. Explains why fat people are fat, why you marry the person you marry, have the job you have, why you as an individual think the way you think. Tells where we go when we eventually leave the planet. Does it make any dfference? I don't know. Frankly an old woman told me once, " forget all this stuff and just live your life." Maybe that's what it's all about after all.

This is an excellent book on the Michael teachings, which can serve both as a clear and manageable introduction to newcomers to the Michael information as well as a resource for those already familiar with the Michael system. The book may well have changed my life. Highly recommended.

Frankly, this book cost more than I usually pay for a bottle of wine. If this book were a bottle of wine, I would buy a case of it and share it with my very best friends. After savoring this classy book the wine you experience will never be the same.

Even though Steven Rothfeld's photographs of the Napa Valley and Chef Michael Chiarello's gorgeous presentation of some outstanding cuisine are very pleasing to the eye, the most impressive thing about this book is the history of Napa Valley that unfolds between the photographs.

This book is a beautiful seminar on how amazing it is that you can actually buy so many good bottles of wine. Although I have been to Napa Valley on several occasions and have taken more than a few tours through the various wineries, I did not fully appreciate all that is involved in making a good vintage.

The history of this famous valley and the many trials and tribulations of the wine makers along with the fickle role of Nature that goes into that bottle of wine you just uncorked will make that first sip a lot more meaningful.

This book is an absolute delight. The sheer intimacy of the stories make you feel like an insider, and it provides an insight to the pioneering spirit that has created an industry. I was completely (and very pleasantly) unprepared for how much I enjoyed this book. It is truly a treasure.

This book is amazing. The stories told by the families are so rich and real that one truly begins to understand why the Napa Valley is so special. Michael Chiarello really does such a nice job with the families in the style and respect he shows (just as I have seen in his Tra Vigne Cookbook, and his PBS shows - Season by Season, and Michael Chiarello's Napa). The photography really brings one right into parts of the Napa Valley that have only been known previously by the people that live there. The recipes are so special too, as they come from the kitchens of these families and from Chiarello. This is simply the best book ever on this very special and beautiful place...America's Tuscany.

There are certain phrases that the families of soldiers never want to hear: "wounded in action", "missing in action", "killed in action", and "prisoner of war." But every time the United States enters a conflict, it is almost inevitable that some wife or husband, some mother or father, or some child will hear those words. They are words that many of us will never really understand. Even with the advent of imbedded reporters and glamorized battle coverage on television, there are some aspects of war that the average American simply cannot comprehend. But in 1993, the family of CW4 Michael J. Durant would learn about the true horrors of war.

For those who have read Mark Bowden's BLACK HAWK DOWN or seen the movie, Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Durant is a familiar character. He was one of the Black Hawk pilots shot down in the United Nations' peacekeeping effort in Somalia. Fortunately for Durant, he was not killed in the crash or the frenetic firefight that ensued. Rather, he was dragged through the streets with a fractured leg and broken back, loaded into a pickup truck, and held hostage by a Somalian militia. During his ten days of captivity, Durant was held in filthy "prisons", shot by angry militiamen, and given only aspirin for the pain caused by his wounds. But during his entire ordeal, Durant and his positive attitude survived. In fact, even his captors were eventually mesmerized by him in a somewhat reversed kind of "Stockholm Syndrome." They gave him a radio through which he kept up with the peacekeeping efforts and received dedications from other soldiers in his unit. They fed him more food than he could eat, bathed him, and allowed him to read his Bible. It was in that Bible that Durant first wrote IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES, scribbling codes in the margins so that he would remember all of the harrowing details.

IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES is much more than Durant's story of being a prisoner of war. While that would have made an excellent book in and of itself, Durant goes further, giving the reader insights into the rest of his military career. IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES is exceptionally written and gives the reader profound insight into the ugliest parts of war. It is a story that everyone should read and learn from --- not only about war, but also about the human spirit and its willingness to survive in even the harshest of situations.

--- Reviewed by Melissa Brown

Night Stalkers Don't Quit. And Michael Durant and his whole team of Task Force Ranger most certainly never did. Durant's tenacity, perseverence, and sheer will to survive through indescribable adversity prove a testament to his unwavering duty to his country and his fellow 160th Special Ops Night Stalker comrades. Durant, although bruised and battered almost beyond recognition, incredibly survived against all odds after losing his whole crew and 2 of the most valiant and selfless soldiers America will ever call her own: Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon.

Durant tells how rightfully disappointed he and his team were that they were refused permission to finish their mission for which 17 lives were lost in Somalia. When asked to come to The White House to visit President Clinton, Durant wisely demurred. Clinton, whose administration sent its young men into harm's way to participate in a highly dangerous mission without giving them the proper tools requested in order to assure victory, dropped the ball big time in Somalia.

As Durant so aptly states, "Trust and empower your people to do their jobs, then stand behind them." Too bad Clinton failed to do so.

I read "Black Hawk Down" and thought I knew the Michael Durant story. I was mistaken. Durant's new memoir provides many insightful details of his nearly two-week captivity (and its aftermath) not found in Mark Bowden's classic account of the Battle of Mogadishu. The book is an emotional roller-coaster. We are inspired by the heroic selflessness of Gordon and Shughart (the Delta Force operators), and Durant's own courage and stoicism throughout his painful confinement. Most often, he is preoccupied with concern for the well-being of his wife and infant son, as well as tortured anxiety over the fate of his colleagues at the crash site. Rarely is there hint of self-pity or rancor toward his captors. Indeed, he forges an interesting bond with his chief minder, finding ways to communicate despite language and cultural barriers. Especially uplifting is Durant's account of his Red Cross visitor, an event followed immediately by his negative experiences with a pair of international journalists, one French (it figures!), the other Canadian. A definite downer. The story's emotional nadir, however, is the chilling account of Durant's ordeal at the hands of the unruly Somali mob, including a vile, nauseating revelation about how his cheekbone was fractured.

"In the Company of Heroes" was a difficult book to put down. It should not be missed, even if you've read "Black Hawk Down."

This series of books about Trixie Belden (the young girl detective) was very exciting for me growing up. I grew up on a farm like Trixie and identified with her character much more than Nancy Drew (the other option at the time). Trixie is a tomboy and manages to get herself into all types of scrapes that are both exciting and inventive. A must read for anyone with a girl age 8-15!

Like most of the other reviewers, I started reading them when I was young, got hooked and have continued reading them. I packed them up when we moved about 10 years ago and recently was thrilled to discover my box with 34 titles in it, so thrilled in fact I had to re-read them all, in sequence. Then I had to pack them up again but now, at long last, they are in a place of honor in my new bookcase (which, by the way has a shelf of exactly the right height for Trixie Belden books). The local library recently removed from circulation an almost complete set (1-34,36,39) if you can believe it. Unfortunately I got there too late to get the two I was missing and only managed to get a duplicate of #1 which was extremely tattered. I went back a few days later and someone had cleaned them out of the rest of the set. The Trixie Belden series actually furthered my education more than once. Want to know about Arizona? the Hudson River Valley? Williamsburg? More than once I've been sent to my encyclopedias (doesn't that date me?) to look up something I read in my Trixies. I raise my voice with the rest of you--REPRINT NOW!

I first read Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion when I was eight years old. I fell in love with the Trixie Belden series immediately. I'm almost 22 now, and I own through Book 20 with a few more from the more recent books. I would dearly love to find copies of the remaining books (up to 39). Not only do I still like to read these books, but I plan to pass my collection down to my own children.

Just a note, Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion was written by Julie Campbell, not Kathryn Kenny. Julie Campbell is the author of the first six Trixie Belden books. Kathryn Kenny picked up the Trixie Belden series with Book 7, Trixie Belden and the Mysterious Code.

This book finally discusses the use of herbs and roots from an authoritative point of view. It compares common herbs to prescription medications, with an analysis of the ailment and each type of remedy. The authors and editorial staff have formal training from conventional medical schools and were able to do an actual comparative analysis of "natural herbal remedies" to over the counter and prescribed medications, for various common ailments. The book is well organized by malady, with an excellent reference guide for purchasing products and information on associations, and additional publications of interest. Good reading, very helpful.

This is a thorough book that includes information about possible interactions between herbal remedies and prescription drugs.

I like the way this book lists herbal remedies side by side with conventional medical treatments. It's useful to see your options laid out like that. I like the organization. It's easy to find what you need. I also like that one of the authors has an M.D. it's encouraging to see that a traditionally trained doctor sees the value of phytomedicinals. The book is organized by health problems. Under each heading, there is a listing of herbal as well as conventional remedies, as well as a paragraph describing how each remedy works. This method of organization makes much more sense than listing herbs alphabetically, especially for someone who's in a hurry to find something. I only just received the book from amazon.com, but I can already foresee that I will use it often. I only wish they had made the book bigger and printed it on nicer paper. Oh well...you can't have everything, I guess.

This book is really amazing. I thought that this was a very detailed book about John Michael Hayes and his rise to being a screenwriter, and how he came to work with Alfred Hitchcock. There are some great photos included that I've NEVER seen anywhere else before from Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, and more. I must say this is the best book that I've read about Hitchcock (and especially the best when it comes to talking about Rear Window). Whether you read this book for educational purposes or just pure enjoyment, you will be glad that you got it. I really recommend this to anyone that may wonder how a movie really comes about....how the REAL men do it!

At last someone has challenged the myth that Hitchcock did everything himself. Not so. He had some very skilled writers whose talents helped make his films so memorable. One of those writers - perhaps the most important - was John Michael Hayes, whose screenplays for Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Trouble with Harry and the remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much, had a tremendous impact on Hitchcock's films of the fifties, and on the way we view Hitchcock today.

In "Writing With Hitchcock", Steven DeRosa gives Hayes his long overdue credit. Hayes' contributions to each of the films are described in detail, as are the steps taken by the censors to reign things in - to protect audiences from the idea that Cary Grant and Grace Kelly would have premarital relations, or that Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day's boy was kidnapped, are just a couple of examples! Each film is gone over in detail from the writing phase to release, and the reader is given a chance to see the relationship between the writer and director blossom, and then die.

There are lots of anecdotes and a summarizing of both Hitchcock and Hayes' careers after they parted which is very illuminating, especially the potential sequel to Rear Window that Hayes worked on that would have been far more interesting than the Chris Reeve tv version. The final chapter is an analysis of each of the screenplays, and this was especially interesting to me as an aspiring screenwriter. Well worth the price of admission! I only wish it was in hardcover.

One of the most important writers to work side by side with Alfred Hitchcock was John Michael Hayes, who collaborated with the director on Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry, and The Man Who Knew Too Much. These films made over a two-year period (1953-55) lifted Hitchcock to a level of popularity at a time when he seemed to be growing out of touch with his audience.

This fascinating book details the relationship between Hayes and Hitchcock, exploring how the two collaborated on the writing and production of the films. Relying on a mass of documents from studio records to Hitchcock's and Hayes' personal papers, as well as anecdotal accounts, Steven DeRosa chronicles the ups and downs of this collaboration, and then analyzes the films themselves. DeRosa presents a fresh and complex portrait of the director while also providing one of the best accounts of the process of writing for film and the indignities screenwriters often endure.

this book shows all of the music videos and each director. it is very detailed and explains the technique of each video too.

The book is great and full of information about almost any director of a music video a person would like to know. It is very colorful and has pictures of familiar music videos. It also inlcudes a biography for each director and mentions their style and techniques.

Beautiful Design by Tolleson out of San Francisco. They do wonderful graphic design work. Check out their book "Wash, Soak, Rinse, Spin: Tolleson Design" for more of their style work. There is nothing better than a book that is designed to match the content. Format, type selection, imagery, is all top notch. I highly recommend just for the design itself.

For the fans of Miss Gene Marshall, this walk down Hollywood's memory lane will not be a disappointing one. Gene's early days from childhood to her initial experiences on the set of her first motion picture, Blond Lace, serve to chronicle the much anticipated story of one of the 20th centuries most beloved celebrities.

A carousel of sweetly flavored reminisces from "those in the know" are often interwoven by the tartness of tensel town's own diva, Madra Lord.

This well written text left this particular reader wanting more, more, MORE!

I had wanted this book since I first heard about, so when I got it for my birthday, I was very pleased. The book is just beautiful, Mel Odom's illustrations are fabulous, as are the photographs which make Gene seem to come alive. After reading through the "interviews" and letters from people who worked with Gene, you almost find yourself believing that she was a real person, and want to go and rent a movie staring her, which sadly one cannot do. It is a wonderful book to add to your collection, and it makes Gene's story even more real. I highly recomend it to any Gene fan. Even if you do not collect Gene dolls, this book would make for an entertaining read.

I just saw the Gene Marshall - Girl Star book at Borders. It is beautifully photographed with excellent illustrations. This book will make an excellent addition to any coffee table in any home. The story line is very well thought out and it can rival any fiction of the 1940s. Also, the book should be displayed right along with the Gene dolls that all of the collectors have, it would make a great conversation piece for visiting guests in your home.

This is a great book about Disney Company. It goes chronologically from 1901 to 1999 and beyond. Every event in the company's history is put in the book, but without much detail.
Since he maintains Disney Archives, Dave Smith could have done a litle better, like he did with Disney's Encyclopedia.

This book was excellent! It had terrific pictures and it told from 1901 when Walt was born until 2001. It is a great keepsake. I purchased mine at Walt Disney World during the 100 Years of Magic celebration.

I really enjoyed this book. It is packed with lots of great photographs and artwork from Walt Disney and the Disney Company. It also has a really nice overview of the life of Walt Disney and the work of the Disney Company in text.

I appreciated the organization of the book. The book is arranged chronologically, which helped me to understand the flow of events better. This book has a very upbeat, positive tone and paints a very bright and exciting future for the Disney Company.

This book does not contain nearly as much information about Walt Disney as some of the biographies that I have read, but I don't think that was the goal of this book. This book does a very nice job of chronicling the art and the work of this great American icon and then continues the chronology with the work of the Disney Company in the post Walt era.

This book starts with very early Disney and takes the reader all the way through to Fantasia 2000. This is an excellent coffee table book. I highly recommended it to anyone that loves Walt, his work and the continuing work of the Disney Company.