The format of this bibliography is without precedent. We suspect that this book will one day be considered the prototype for all bibliographies because of its clarity, ease of use, and the lavish production details.

This book was a lifesaver. As a book collector, I cannot tell you how important a bibliography formatted like Pastore's can be. I wish he would write more. BRAVO to him for writing and to AMAZON.COM for carrying this book.

As a Professor of Literature at the graduate level, I am acutely aware of the need for quality literary analyses of this type. Wish I could have written it myself. A really good book.

In "The Surgeon's Mate", as the title suggests, Stephen Maturin is the main protagonist. Although of course Jack Aubrey is always present to help Maturin accomplish his goals, most of the action revolves around intelligence activities.

The book opens right where the previous "The Fortune of War" ended. Maturin & Aubrey sail into Halifax Canada as conquering warriors & are much acclaimed by the locals (with some humorous entanglements for Aubrey). Soon, tho, we are back at sea, being pursued by privateers paid to kill Maturin. From this point on there is almost constant action, for Maturin has new intelligence assignments as well as unfinished business with the French. Meanwhile, his personal life continues rocky due to Diana Villiers presence. Of course, all will end happily as Patrick O'Brian lets you know by his choice of titles.

It is hard to critically discuss "The Surgeon's Mate" as a stand-alone novel, since so much of it is a continuation of plots begun in "The Fortune of War". It is complex, exciting, & definitely not the best choice as your introduction to the Aubrey/Maturin series. At the very least, read "The Fortune of War" before embarking upon this particular voyage. You will enjoy all the more for having done so!

This is the seventh in O'Brian's 20-volume series. It follows the now well-established formula, as Captain Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin sail smoothly from one book to the next. This book is really two tales, two unconnected sea voyages, split by an interlude in England that feels more like an intermission. Picking up where the previous volume left off, the two find themselves in Canada where Aubrey's behavior may surprise you. The first voyage brings them home for the first time in many months (and three volumes). The heart of the story is the second voyage that takes them to the Baltic for the first time (both for them and for readers) on an intelligence mission. As the voyage ends, they find themselves in France and Maturin at his most interesting in extricating them from a dilemma and in reconnecting with Diana Villiers.

O'Brian is simply a great writer. This series is not for everyone, for the prose is spare and sophisticated, the plotting both delicate enough to sustain readers for many volumes on end, yet bold enough to satisfy fans of adventure tales. The nautical terms are easily mastered, this is not a book for sailors, but for readers who enjoy good adventure stories.

This volume is the third in a mini-trilogy within the larger Aubrey-Maturin series, and it's rather more given to personal and political rather than purely naval affairs. Again, it opens where the previous volume closed, with the victory of Shannon over the Chesapeake and the arrival of both at Halifax. While they're being feted by local society for the victory, Jack, in a peke over his lack of mail from home, gets carried away in an indiscretion with a local fortune-hunter, which haunts him for the rest of the book. Diana Villiers, meanwhile, has a parallel problem as a result of her liaison with Johnson in the previous volume. The three finally leave Canada for England on the packet carrying the great news, but are hotly pursued by a couple of American privateers apparently in Johnson's employ; he wants both his papers and his woman back. When they reach England, Steven's own intelligence coup leads to his being sent on a mission to the Baltic, where he must convince a Catalan contingent to desert the Napoleonic cause, and this whole episode is one of the most interesting I've read yet. In the latter stages of the mission, however, Jack and Steven find themselves in the clutches of the French, and then in prison in Paris, and Steven's talents are called for again. This one is more a spy adventure than a sea story, but it's very enjoyable for all that. (It took me an embarrassingly long time to catch on to the title, though.)

The Booke of Days is the story of a minor lord from Southern France who joins the first Crusade. His name is Roger of Lunel. Roger joins the Crusade because the Pope has promised absolution for any who fight, and kill, for Christianity. The irony of this is not lost on Roger who keeps a diary of his journey. At first Roger examines the ideas of the crusade even as he compares them to the reality. Knights who ravish women in southern France, wear body parts cut off from their enemies, and murder other Christians who don't follow the proper pope. These are the people who will save Christianity?

With this start, I was concerned that his book might become an anti-Christian or anti-West book. It is not. It is a realistic look at the Crusades which describes the good and ill, of all sides. A Booke of Days also describes the people, the customs, and the times, better then any book about this period I have encountered. Some of the twists of the personal story seem stretched, but I liked the story so much I will was willing to believe. In the end, rather then being a book about the Crusades, it is a book about Roger of Lunel, set in the Crusades.
I liked Roger, so I loved this book. I also loved the hundreds of small touches which show the effort and the artistry of the author. If this book really isn't true, it could be. And anyone who has even a passing interest in History or Romance should read it.

the book is great!very good really!Ni!
of course i had some doubts if the book was true..(eustace part) but
anyway...i really thought it was true..this means just one thing...that his research and work are brilliant!Ni!
(could also mean I'm a little idiot to believe in that..)
its a very good story and i recomend anyone to read it!

So be it!

-Foge cão, que te fazem barão!
-Para onde, se me fazem Visconde?

The critics do this novel an injustice by stating that it is a slow read and more of a documentary than a epic novel. True, there are many historical points and notes which root the story in actual history, but these only help to show the richness of the history and help to express the story's fine details. I could not put this novel down, and I have gained a seemingly firsthand knowledge of the tragedies and glories of the crusades. I recommend this book to all interested in the crusades as well as those wanting to learn more of military camp life and history without the trials of textbooks.

I purchased this book recently. I have found the information in it simply amazing. Within a few days I have noticed an overall sense of well being and improvement to my health. And no I am not connected to the author in any way. It is just a very good book.

As a teacher of the Chinese health and martial arts, I highly recommend this book. Taoist philosophy maintains that our relationship to the life-force(chi) has everything to do with our health and well-being. This book presents non-strenuous internal exercises designed to energize the entire body, balance the energy level, promote effective functioning of the internal organs and dissolve stress and tension. These exercises have been performed for several thousand years in China for the healing of specific organs and glands as well as relieving common health complaints.

I've had this wonderful book for over 10 years, but only really began to apply the Internal Exercises after a trip to China. I saw a Qi Gong demonstration there and was very impressed, especially by the fact that the Qi Gong master looked all of 25 years old (I'm sure he was in his 40's at least). I began to practice Dr Chang's set of exercises faithfully on returning from the trip and have experienced increased energy, suppleness, better sleep, and clarity of mind. I was able to abandon my use of prescription antihistamines for allergies and now have no symptoms whatever. My nightly headaches, which were requiring nightly Tylenol, have also resolved. My endurance in sports, particularly alpine skiing, has increased without requiring increased preparatory workouts; and if I am diligent at doing the exercises after a workout, I experience no stiffness or soreness (something I'm starting to appreciate as an aging Baby Boomer!).
Dr Chang is clearly familiar with both Asian and Western medicine, science and culture. Although his book is very clearly written, practical and accessible, the depth of knowledge concealed in its deceptively simple language is profound. The exercises themselves are for the most part quite easy to perform (some of them do require much effort and perseverance to master, but are not physically taxing). What is quite reinforcing about them is that they produce an almost immediate sensation of energy flow in the body. They feel GOOD to perform. They struck me as being almost like a cross between yoga and tai chi, but they are certainly neither (as Dr Chang points out) and they are much less complex.
Dr Chang's other books are excellent as well!

Well written, but lacking in particulars like planets in houses, specific aspects, ect. He doesn't make a distinction between a square and opposition, he just calls them 'dynamic.' While both aspects to tend to be aversive, they are aversive in different ways. Nevertheless, Arroyo is a talented astrolger, and I especially like the footnotes he included in this book, which refer you to other books he has found helpful in his studies. The books he recommends treat the topics he presnts in a general manner in a much nore specific way. There is no denying there is much relevant knowledge here, and that makes this book a quick read that wasn't expensive, either.

If I was asked to choose between all my astrology books to pick one and only one to take with me on a desert island, I would pick Mr Arroyo's classic Astrology Karma and Transformation. In fact when I moved to the USA from England with only my backpack this book was with me. Why? It contains the most profound psychologically and spiritually insightful astrology that you can get your hands on. In fact, this book is almost a shame to read, because once you have read it, you will be hard pushed to find a better astrological text...

Arroyo here talks about the chart and particularly about the aspects and transits of Saturn and the outer planets, not with a cookbook approach but with the insight of the very special humanistic alchemy that carachterizes Arroyo's work. Drawing for Jungian concepts, psychology and spirituality Arroyo brings to life the birth chart and its players and weaves meaning into the life experience. And his writing is so beautiful, profound and yet simple, deep but easy to grasp. I love this man, such a jewel of mind and wisdom for us to enjoy...

In the book you will also find lots of stuff about the ascendant, transits, progressions, little bits and pieces of information that, even years after , you will refer to and think about and mull over in your mind. This is one of those books with that magical holographic quality, where every time you read it, it expands and you see stuff you had not seen before...

If I had to reccommend one book for you not to miss, this would be the one. Buy it. You will treasure it for life!

This was the first book in astrology I ever bought, amazing seeming it was over 20 years ago just after it was first published. This book has an energy about it, as obviously from the previous reviews, Stephen Arroyo has IT, he is the consummate humanistic astrologer who can give people the absolute astrological stuff that we need when we need it. Very much in the same area of astrology as Liz Green, yet in my opinion much more easily accessible, for as much as I adore Liz Greene's work, it can be quite intense and needs many readings to take in what she is saying. All of Stephen Arroyo's books are a joy to read, this one being my favourite. If you love astrology you need to do yourself a favour and buy this book.

The Chaco Meridian is strictly for those already familiar with studies and locations in Southwestern archaeology. The author's theory about a common meridian linking Chaco and Aztec (N.M.) and Casas Grandes (Mexico) is interesting and well-argued, but far-fetched.
The book is cluttered with hundreds of references placed in middle of the text, which make for choppy reading. Many of the references are to Dr. Lekson's own work.
Four Corners archaeology has been studied by many, many scientists for many, many years. The result is a cloud of literature which turns over stone after stone; potsherd after potsherd, attempting to justify the cost of each new study. There is lots of dust, not much pure light.
Dr. Lekson raises more dust, pointing out the coincidence of three major sites on (almost) the same meridian. Hundreds of other sites don't line up with anything. One can connect any two sites with a straight line. Extended far enough, the line will probably strike something else. My hometown is on almost the same meridian as Oklahoma City and Waco. So?
To his credit, Dr. Lekson gently slams the fetish of Chaco astro-archaeology and its limitless imagined alignments of doorways and rocks with certain stars on certain nights. Most of the "alignments" are pure Hohokam. The bend of a creek (we don't have mountains around here) viewed from my attic window lines up perfectly with sunrise on May 17. You have to stand on a chair in just the right spot to make everything line up. Is this a magic place, or what?
I'd like to give Dr. Lekson five stars for this clever work, but it grinds too fine.

Steve Lekson has created a book of immense power and importance that is both a challenge to current archaeological thinking and a pleasure to read! If Lekson's precepts are correct, then a major new chapter in Southwestern archaeology has just opened. Although I must disagree with many of his view points (I am "a remarkably, even perverse" (p.45) archaeologist and one of the perpetrators of the "Chaco is a Dairy Queen Outlier" bumper stickers (p.28), the book challenges even my Mesa Verdean sensabilities (Steve once called me a "like-minded heritic" so I expect that he would expect me to disagree with him along the line, as heretics do!). In short, I am not a Chacoanist and am sceptical of all things Chaco. Yet reading Lekson's new work is stimulating, and almost made a believer out of a stodgy old Mesa Verdean like me! Highly recommended, useful, energetic, and MAYBE correct!

Wow! In thirty years of Southwest archaeology and Chaco literature, Stephen Lekson has written the best treatise on what may be (or was) called the Chaco Phenomenum.

Well researched and presented conversationally, Lekson clearly outlines the evidence for a pan-Southwest Chacoan influence. Lekson speaks as colleague might, visiting in your home, sitting before the fireplace creating a logical system for "Chacoan hegemony". Air castles among friends.

Never be misled by Lekson's wordplay, "...the political structure of the Greater Southwest was a case of macaws and effect." It is his way of gently exposing an embarassing blindspot in the thinking of the old "Wise Men" of archaeology. Likewise his metaphor that "feathers are fluff compared to real stuff..." is a way of re-introducing the reader to the real significance of exotics.

Lekson echoes a Smithsonian Institute remark that the "history of the human race can be summed in the phrase, 'When do we eat?'" (Lekson, discussing Chaco as a redistribution center for surplus, "Beyond the Basin, local networks presumably took care of the perennial local problen: What's for dinner?)

Finally, Lekson is a master of the apt metaphor - "If Chaco is the bete noire of the Southwest, (Pueblo) Bonito is the the black hole. It sucks in astonishing amounts of interest, enegy, and resources..."

This book, like Bonito, will suck you in. Unquestionable the best read on Southwestern Archaeology since Wormington.

I always thought of myself as an informed flyer, but I was surprised to have my inherent trust of the FAA so profoundly shaken by this book. Stephen Fredrick combines his background as a pilot of the ATR series aircraft with a deep caring for the passengers & crew of the fatal flight of American Eagle 4184 to create a book that rivals many techno-thrillers. The book was published in 1996, and is a real cliff hanger since it came out before the legal settlement and crash investigation report were finally made public. The book got me so interested that I spent many hours searching the web pages to find out what decision the National Transportation Safety Board finally made concerning this airplane crash. I will certainly check to see if I am boarding an ATR whenever I fly in the future.

Fredrick's book is great, very well written. But he left out one very important thing. Airplane is the safest way to travel long distances. Statistics show that you would need to take a flight every day for 35,000 years before being assured of being in a fatal accident, and even then chances are that you would survive. Mr. Fredrick barely mentioned the good points of the F.A.A. and N.T.S.B., and even though I'm not exactly an American Airlines/Eagle fan, they are one of the safest airline operators in the world.

I just read "Unheeded Warning." I was moved...saddened and angered. I read the book in five days and staired at the ceiling the entire night after finishing it. I am sad for the families of those poor ignored people on that plane and am angry at the airline and the government for their reckless disregard of an obvious and preventable danger. Surely the NTSB needs autonomous power to not just investigate, but also to mandate change. Also, our legislators who claim, as usual, to represent us, should write laws allowing for the criminal prosecution of those who allow these most preventable tragedies to happen. Finally, I applaud Mr. Frederick's courage in knowingly risking his livelihood and life-long dream to speak out...he is an inspiration.

I just thought I would clarify that this collection is more comprehensive than The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, also translated by Stephen Mitchell. Ahead of All Parting includes all poems in the aforementioned book and adds many more.

This is one of the most beautiful books i have ever had the pleasure of reading, especially with Stephen Mitchell's translation. Rilke's "Letters to a Yound Poet" is also translated by Mr. Mitchell, and his translation is as pure as Rilke's own German.

Rilke is a quiet light. I believe, he realizes, in some measure, his oneness with God. His table of quietness absorbed me. Although, i may not know what Rilke was actually experiencing when he wrote, but what I feel is the vastness and inclusiveness of God, the patience of God, the love of God, the "closer than breathing and nearer than hands and feet" of God.

One day, someone, who was familiar with Rilke, saw me reading this book, and mentioned that some of Rilke's books were read at funerals. I laughed; i hadn't heard that before. Yet, i can understand why this would be so. There is a sadness in his writings. But the death of which he speaks is not the kind of death that needs an undertaker; but the kind that says to "die daily" to our claims, suggestions, fixations, and opinions of "this world." It is when we die to universal beliefs that we become the quiet light of which Rilke speaks.

I've read virtually all of the Rilke translations (discovered him browsing in a library in '73 and haven't stopped reading him)and this one truly shines. What is most amazing about Rilke is his ability to make his perceptions your perceptions. Rilke is not easy, especially the later poems, but like all great literature, lanscapes keep opening for more exploration. He really is "the poet's poet." You might start by thumbing to the middle of the book and read the "uncollected poems." I also recommend Rilke's one novel, "The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge," by the same translator (a first person narrative of the life of an impoverised poet in turn of the century Paris) --surreal, intensely psychological, artful.

Before this book I always had a hard time with Neuro. I just got by when I took the class and I did below average on the subject on step one. Before I took a rotation in Neuro I read this book and it changed everything for me. Now I love to get neuro questions and I'm much more secure about patients with neuro presentations. Although it does not provide the detail as you would get from a comprehensive book, it makes the basics and the most common problems very clear. The CD is helpful and fun! It should be used along with the book; not just at the end. The CD has many pictures (gross and drawings) that help to visualize the neuro layout of the CNS. The great thing about this book is that you can read and understand it in a couple days if you're motivated.

Goldberg just hit a home run with this book and anatomy made ridic simple. Neuro combined with the high yield fix book complement each other so well. Together they should be your primary board review. They are also great to read for you med school course also. Beautiful books

I'm a emergency physician. In my junior residency,i had a hard time approaching the neurology patients, so needed neuroscience knowledge urgently. However most books i had met were tomes and time-consuming for me, also i had to get more back of neuroanatomy for understanding big books. Accidentally i started this book. it's took only three days even in busy resident period. OH!!! It's a magical experience. This book prevented me from being burned out and saved my day and also gave me self-confidence on the neurology. At last,I could understand - the notorious - "one and a half syndrome" which even Adam's neurology failed to teach me. So fantastic. I couldn't forget that feeling. I highly recommend this book for all beginner stuck by neurology.

This book is a stunning compendium of the range of life forms found on our planet. Margulis and Schwartz describe it as "a catalog of the world's living diversity." It is a vividly descriptive assortment of selected examples from the Five Kingdoms of life formulated by R.H. Whittiker. The authors stress how much new knowledge, particularly in the study of unicellular life forms, has been gained in recent years. They explain how classification identifies organisms and show how modern techniques have led to the expansion of life's kingdoms from two to five. A description of prokaryotes and eucaryotes is given, followed by the body of 92 phyla descriptions. The book is arranged to be either studied as a reference or browsed as an introduction to biological forms. Each entry is carefully organized with the type of information [environment, measurement scales, diagrams] in a consistent location.

However, this is more than simply a collection of illustrative examples of various organisms. The most fascinating chapter relates the authors' proposal to modify one of the standard classifications of life - the Protoctists, replacing Whittiker's Protists. "The Kingdom Protoctista is defined by exclusion," they state. "Its members are neither animals, plants, fungi nor procaryotes." Their common characteristics are nucleated cells, some kind of flagellum and live in an oxygenated atmosphere [unlike many unicellular forms which cannot tolerate oxygen. Their argument contends that many multicellular forms are more
directly related to these unicellular forms than they are to other multi-celled organisms. The new classification "also solves the problem of blurred boundaries that arises if the unicellular organisms are assigned to the multicellular kingdoms." They list 27 phyla [of 36 total]with diagrams exhibiting a range of bizarre structures and life cycles.

Another noteworthy entry is Trichoplax adhaerens. Remember the name of this creature - "it is the simplest of animals." Composed of but a few thousand cells, it is a dull gray body just visible to the unaided eye. In looking at the photo and diagram of this creature invokes a sense of wonder - this is, after all, a distance relative living in the nearest aquarium with the shad.

This book is a delight to browse following one of the authors' intents. Their second purpose, using this book as a reference, is even more admirably met. Clear photographs coupled with excellent diagrams, including typical environments of the selected specimens, add visual support to a readable text base. Any reader interested in the way life is structured and seeking insights into evolutionary development would do well to consider this book. It's not an academic text, but conveys a wealth of meaningful information.

Although this is primarily intended to be an illustrated reference guide, it's a surprisingly fun one to thumb through. Part of that is the delight of looking at pictures and illustrations of some truly strange organisms (science fiction writers should really buy this book to see what genuinely alien creatures are like), but also due to the plethora of interesting facts.

I know that when I was reading through the section detailing the Animal phylla, I was struck by how many creatures -- entire phyllums -- get along without even rudimentary brains (or digestive systems, respiratory systems, circulatory systems, or even organs, altogether, in some cases). Likewise I was surprised to learn that only two phylla (including our own) ever developed winged flight.

The sections comprising the non-Animal kingdoms were of particular interest to me mainly for the simple reason that they invariably get little attention from most texts. At best, you'll usally find a chapter dealing with micro-organisms as a whole, and a brief chapter on plants. To see how much sheer diverity there is in just the Fungus kingdom is eye-opening.

I will note that the book does assume a basic level of biological literacy and that it sometimes throws jargon at the reader with little warning or explaination but, as a whole, this is a very accessible work and well worth having on one's shelf.

At first, a person like myself might seem somewhat hard to convince that all the 100's of thousands of species on the planet can be divided up into just five kingdoms or "Groups." However, by the half way mark I could not only see how this is true--more importantly I could understand--and agree with the author. What this truly gifted scientists has done is to "break down" the walls of convention and show people (even myself) how it all really worls. Lynn Margullis is the worthy sucessor to Charles Darwin. Period.