Roger Fouts has written an extraordinary book that combines insight with scientific fact as he relates his experiences with a special chimpanzee who changed the direction of his life. As a graduate student in experimental psychology at the University of Nevada, Fouts is given an assistantship to "teach a chimpanzee to talk" using modified American Sign Language, and thus begins his introduction to impishly clever Washoe. Washoe is in almost every sense a "person", with specific character traits, likes and dislikes, habits and methods. When she is in danger of being dumped into a medical facility at the end of the study, Fouts fights to protect her against the woefully inadequate laws and accepted scientific procedures. His battle not only for Washoe but for all captive chimpanzees becomes the focus of his career. Because Washoe and her companions have the ability to express themselves, this is at times a heartbreaking tale as Fouts and the reader discover how closely related chimps and humans truly are. Through his passionate storytelling and his breadth of knowledge, Fouts gives readers an intimate glimpse into these fascinating non-human lives.

I cannot express adequately how moving and instructive this account is. It will affect you on a deeply emotional level - I can't imagine how anyone can emerge from this story unchanged. I highly recommend this book for all readers, from teenagers to adults, from casual to serious readers.

In doing research for a journalism assignment, I was recommended Fouts' "Next of Kin." I read the book as I prepared for a trip to the Center for Captive Chimpanzee Care, a sanctuary of hope in southern Florida for chimpanzees rescued from labs and similar monstrosities, funded by Jane Goodall and other good people. It was a superb introduction to what I was about to witness, and I ended up using a lengthy quote from the book as an epigram to my article about the sanctuary.

Fouts has given an incredible and heart wrenching insight into a world we too often choose to ignore - the world side by side to our own "civilized" one, the world of the animal kingdom. It is, perhaps, our view of it as a separate world from our own that first gets us into trouble. The human being is an arrogant being. We like to think that we are the superior beast - the thinking, feeling, building, progressive being that rules the earth - but so often the human being is not so superior at all, but only... a beast. Fouts takes that arrogance down several notches. He reveals the remarkable intelligence of the chimpanzee mind. He reveals the astounding emotional depth of the chimpanzee heart. He unveils the tragic suffering of the chimpanzee life when we forget these emotional and intellectual capacities. In a time when scientific strides in all fields - space exploration, medical, or other - can easily be made without the torment of our animal brethren, this book bears witness to our human cruelty and argues effectively for an abandonment of such treatment forever. We are not, after all, a superior creature on this planet. We are only one among many, sharing a global environment to which all of our varied species have a right to live in, enjoying our freedom to live our lives without the threat of enslavement by others - human or animal.

After reading Fout's Next Of Kin I was speechless. I can express how wonderful it is to learn from an indivdual whose humility, concern for life and compassion is his life work. I simply could not put the book down! It was one of the most thoughtful, eye-opening, and educated books that I have ever read. Having the opportunity to listen to Roger Fouts speak on booktour, my heart opened to his message of compassion; his willingness to express his feelings and experiences to a group of strangers further enhanced my view of this incredible individual. A book that will change your life and the way you see our next of kin and the fellow animals of this world.

These three books are among the best books i have ever read in my entire life, granted i am only seventeen, but reading has always been one of my passions. The Dark Tower series grabs you and doesnt let go. Obsessive would be the only adequate word to describe how i feel about the books when i am reading them- and i have read each one at least twice, the first one even three times! No matter who you are and what is going on in your life each reader can feel a connection with the characters. Thats part of what makes the books so enthralling- we see ourselves as Roland pushing forward no matter what or Eddie Dean overcoming the unthinkable and finally learning to accept himself. I dont care what types of books you read- these books are for everybody and anybody. If you are looking for truely good books that will keep you yearning for more then look no further. King throws the plot around so often youll be thinking about it every waking moment of the day. My only gripe is that King doesnt come out with them often enough- i need more!

Stephen King may not be the most profound writer of our time, but I believe this series of books will be the ones that he is remembered for. He takes us on a journy with the last Gunslinger, Roland of Gilead, who is in search for the Dark Tower. The Dark Tower is the center of time and space...mayber even a doorway to other worlds. Roland has plowed West across Mid-World in search for the Dark Tower, set on saving his dying land. Will Roland ever find the fabled Dark Tower? We all hope so as we journy with him and his ka-tet. Another great thing about this series is how King has started to tie in his other novels with Roland's world. This a must read for any King fan... and even the people that don't like King. JUST GET IT.

I'd give this series 10 stars if I could. The Dark Tower story line is incredibly complex. The characters, Roland, Eddie, Jake, etc. are so complex and brilliantly described that they feel like people you know. Stephen King is the ultimate master at creating and molding characters. The Dark Tower books change the way that I look at the universe. The Dark Tower and what it holds is incredibly complex and simple at the same time. Life. Imagine this, that we took a trip out into space, passing the planets of our solar system and eventually emerging out of the Milky way. eventually we come to a boundary where our universe ends. We break throught this boundary and realize that our universe is nothing but an atom in a single blade of grass, which belongs to another universe entirely. And when things start going wrong, it is simply because the blade of grass is drying up.

This explains what the universe is like in "The Dark Tower." Read these books. You will be amazed.

"Go then, There are other worlds than these."

Don't be too swayed by the word "outrageous" in the title of this book. That may be there to attract attention, but needless to say, physicist Kip Thorne does a good job of explaining the more bizarre aspects of the universe in this book. Thorne's writing style is very accessible and down to earth, as he explains relativity, black holes, quantum mechanics, and even time warps. However, you'll still need to be really on the ball to understand many of these extremely complicated topics. I was impressed by Thorne's ability to explain bizarre concepts like gravitational time dilation and Einstein's theory of relativity to non-eggheads. But some of the more arcane aspects of quantum gravity or unified field theories will be beyond even the most well tuned laymen who read this book. Thorne also keeps the mood light by giving us the human side of advanced physics research, focusing on the friendships, rivalries, and personalities of the world's leading minds. This extends from Einstein in the beginning to Hawking in the present, and dozens of other less famous but almost as brilliant minds in between.

Watch out for some inconsistency in this book however, as Thorne sometimes gets into too much sentimental detail about the scientists' social lives (including his own), while the middle of the book sags as it digresses into the mechanical specs of radio telescopes and gravitational wave detectors. Also, beware of Thorne's suspiciously enthusiastic endorsements of gravitational wave research in chapter 10, as this is his own field of research, and I suspect he's trying to promote the need for funding. There's also a little intellectual arrogance here, as several times Thorne proclaims that the laws of quantum mechanics, as they are currently understood (which isn't much), are "indisputable" or "incontrovertible." Scientists used to say the same thing about Newton's laws until they were weakened by Einstein. Then the theories of Einstein (worshipped by every physicist in this book) were weakened by quantum mechanics. You never know, the knowledge presented in this book may someday be overthrown as well. But in the meantime, Thorne does a great job of explaining it to those of us who are interested but don't have multiple PhD's.

Let's start off by saying that this book is not for everyone. This is, however, a beautifully written book that should be read by anyone that intends to go into relativity physics.

Professor Thorne wonderfully combined the history development of Black Holes, along with enough ancedotes to satisfy science seekers. There are tons of diagrams, background stories, and enough to keep the reader going.

However, it may be too complex of a book for the layman. It is very hardcore, and may be a little slow for casual readers, with enough details to confuse a reader the first time through.

The book also demonstrates the futuristic predictions and applications of Black Holes, from being a power plant, to wormholes in space. It was easily understood.

Bottom Line: If you're into physics, or have a lot of time, go out and buy this book, because it's worth every penny. This gives a good background history on the slow progress of Black Holes, and includes ancedotes from Hawkings to Landau. It is highly recommended if you want to learn more than just "What is a Black Hole?" As others have suggested, "Gravitation" by Thorne, Wheeler and Misner would be a more complex book if you have the background for it.

I thought not. I was wrong. The reason: Kip Thorne. I really enjoyed the reading of this book because it offers the theoretical face of the so-called "Black Holes Mechanics" and a very important and delightful part, the history behind the theorems. The book begins with several chapters dedicated almost exclusively to the bases of the Special Theory of Relativity and the General Theory of Relativity, which describes the gravitation field in almost any place of our universe (if you get the book you will see why I say "almost"). Thereafter, the text covers the most important aspects of stellar implosion, which, in fact, brings Black Holes into existence. Once you are immersed in the very topic of the holes, the author studied profoundly their properties with informative boxes, spacetime diagrams, lots of references about discoveries, people and, the great difference with others books, an outstanding and thorough historical background. By the end, the author presents the most excitement predictions about the future use of Black Holes and the yet ill-understood Quantum Gravity Theory (predictions like backward time travel and wormholes). Finally, Kip Thorne closed the book with an excellent glossary of exotic terms and a list of principal characters that appeared throughout the text. I can say, without any doubt, that this is one of the most illustrative and complete books I have ever read, and in my opinion, is a book that every "Black Hole serious student" might have in his/her shelve. If you are looking for a less technical book, I suggest you "Black Holes: A Traveler's Guide" by Clifford Pickover. Nevertheless, if you want a higher challenge, get the book "Gravitation" by Thorne, Wheeler and Misner.

Stephen Hunter must have been a gun in a previous life. He knows shooting. I was hooked after the first couple of pages, and couldn't put this one down. I have since read the book 3 times. If you like guns in any small way, or just plain like a good thriller, it doesn't get any better than this. Hunter builds the main character in a way that you can see every hard line of his face, the way he walks, and the sound of his voice. If I were casting a movie of this book, I'd put Ed Harris in the role. The story is full of interesting and unpredictable plot twists, gun lore, action and revenge. It won't let you down. Hunter's sequels to this book don't hold up as well; Dirty White Boys is a bit too harsh, and Black Light moves too slowly. But Point of Impact is a stroke of genius.

Bob Lee Swagger is the ultimate anti-hero. He served his country as a Marine Corps sniper in Vietnam, with 87 confirmed kils. Now Bob just wants to be left alone to his peaceful existence in the Arkansas wilderness, but certain people have other plans for him. Swagger is lured away from his home, back in to action with the promise of the oppurtunity to take revenge on the man who tragically ended his career twenty years ago, and killed Bob's best friend. Swagger is duped by a shadowy government agency, set up as a patsy in one of the greatest assassination attempts of the century. He must then fight to prove his innocence with the help of disgraced FBI agent Nick Memphis, the only way he knows how: with the cunning mind of a sniper, and plenty of 150-grain slugs.
This book is absolutely my favorite novel ever. I have re-read it 3 times since I first bought it a year or so ago, and was my first read of Stephen Hunter's work. He knows what he is writing about, for a fact. As a bit of a rifle collector and a Marine myself, it is very rewarding to read a book where both are presented accurately. Hunter must have put in plenty of time researching benchshooting and the Marine Corps, and it shows. This novel is a superbly written thriller, and the pace is non-stop. Point of Impact is a great read, and well worth your time and money.

The first Stephen Hunter book that I read was The Master Sniper. Even though I thought it was decent, it didn't exactly have me running out to pick up Hunter's other books. After reading Point of Impact, I did.

As spectacular as the plot of this novel is, Hunter does a wonderful job of keeping everything tied together and believable. Although Swagger seems to be an unstoppable force, his personality and flaws make him likeable and, at times, sympathetic. Point of Impact is one of the better examples of a book that is able to weave action and drama together without losing readers who are looking for one or the other.

Highly recommended.

I, Claudius is an engrossing read that follows the life of Claudius, a member of the Claudio-Julian lineage of Roman emperors. This is a fictional work but is based considerably upon historical records and writings about the various intrigues of the Roman emperors.

Claudius plays the part of sharp observer throughout much of the novel. He was born with a stutter and thus was deemed to be incompetent, dull and therefore not much of a threat to the imperial powers. He therefore witnesses many of the most dramatic and terrible events of Roman history, including the bizarre reigns of Tiberius and Caligula. Despite his outward infirmities (which Claudius is all too willing to play up in an effort to save his neck), Claudius' narration is sharp, witty and downright funny in places. Through his eyes, the reader sees the various backroom maneuvering that made imperial Rome so interesting.

This a delightful book that moves quickly under the steady writing of Graves. Even for those without much knowledge or interest in ancient Rome, the intrigues are often more intriguing than what true fiction writers are capable of producing. This is a great novel for all readers. Readers will be sad to finish this book but happy to know that an equally delightful sequel awaits them.

I had always been interested in Roman history, especially since I started taking Latin in school (and loved it), but what I knew I had picked up in small pieces and fragments and not bothered to go after the rest. One day I looked up and there was "I, Claudius" sitting on my living room shelf; I picked it up, opened it, and spent the next hour sitting there on the arm of the couch, unable to stop reading. From the opening sentence I was caught, in love with the story of Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus ("...This-that-and-the-other"), the lame stammerer who outlives his entirely too murder-prone family because of the one quality nobody suspects in him: intelligence. From the immediate beginning he's a sympathetic, likeable character, a shy historian who'd much rather be left alone with a good book than get entangled in the labyrinthine politics of the Imperial Family and who hides his intelligence to stay alive. His grandmother, the brilliant, malevolent Livia, has her own ideas for the succession: potential heirs seem to die with startling effectiveness whenever she's around. Through her manipulations, the chain of Emperors succeeding from Augustus is set in motion, and Claudius chronicles them all from his vantage point of political invisibility.

Aside from the historical accuracy which Robert Graves puts into his book, I was impressed with the way he wrote it. Having read other books (non-Claudian) written by Graves, I know that he possesses quite a deft and informative writing style. Here he uses Claudius' own style-a bit clumsy, a bit run-on, all the facts there although not always in the proper arrangement-and it's the finishing touch on a wonderful feat of literary impersonation. You can almost believe that you're reading (in translation, of course) the manuscript written by Claudius himself and buried, on the orders of the Sibyl of Cumae, so that it will be found and read by generations nineteen hundred years from his time.

It's a remarkable book on all counts: historical, literary, and greatly enjoyable. The characters are all clearly and definitively drawn-and Claudius supplies us with the little bits of irrelevant trivia that help round out a person's character-and the setting, though the action takes place almost entirely in the upper tiers of Roman society, is as detailed and believable. For those of you who scorn history as dry and boring: Read "I, Claudius" and its sequel, "Claudius the God." It may still be dry, but boring it is definitely not. Enjoy!

Graves writes with the sparse, absolutely precise prose of a Latin scholar. This alone makes it worthy of recommendation; the style 'classic' on its own. Claudius is an engaging figure. Born with a number of physical birth defects, he survives in the rarified and frequently lethal atmosphere of the imperial court. He lived in the time of the great Augustus, the brutal and lacivious Tiberius and the totally mad Caligula. The malicious thread of Livia, Augustus' consort and a woman who was surely an early incarnation of Lucretia Borgia, runs through the three reigns. With a host of engaging cameos, the book is essentially describing a tragedy, the slow descent of the first true superpower of the West into self-destruction. If you accept that the USA is the sole remaining superpower, then many of the horrors and follies of the recent past and present are illuminated through this book. For the desparate attempts to regain the Eagles of the Roman regiments lost in Germany, read the rebuilding of the US Armed Forces after Vietnam. Meditate on the real dangers to freedom when a state is perceived by its citizens as the best. Notice how the power of the chief executive is always increasing, and always more ill-used. And how an appetite for spectacle and violence can keep even an educated population subjugated and uncaring of the worst excesses of the ruling elite. This book is really, really important. It is probably the most accessible discussion of power and how a Republic can turn into an Empire. And how an Empire can tear itself apart.

I loved this book! There was only one negative aspect: the beginning of each part repeats what happened in the last part because it was first a serial and that got annoying. However, Mr. Jingles was delightful. Wild Bill was terrifing, and Delecroix's execution was hideously frightening. What if that really did happen at some executions? (Which it probably did.) Coffey left me wondering what is wrong with our judicial system. What if someone like John Coffey is on death row? Could you kill a miracle? The parallelism between Percy and the orderly was a great concept. They both left a bitter taste in my mouth. Both were wasting their energy trying to destroy lives that would be gone soon enough. I liked The Green Mile better the The Stand, Rose Madder, Thinner, and Gerald's Game. A new King Classic! I can't wait for the movie!!

I used to be a die-hard King fan but recently (over the past 7-8yrs or so) I thought his books were becoming predictable and banal. I tried to read the Regulators and when I realized what was the cause of the trouble I could predict the rest of the book. THE GREEN MILE on the other hand, puts Stephen King back on track. I thought the characters were well developed, the plot was intricate, and the story was innovative. You were able to empathize with the characters; hate some (The Kid) and love others (the mouse). You are surprized and moved when you understand that Coffee was not as two dimensional as you're initially led to believe. All in all, a great read. Highly recommended. And this comes from a very tough critic. Well done! 9.5!

I am a diehard King fan. When I heard of this 6 part book coming out, I was like, no way will it ever work. I stand corrected. I found myself waiting at the local bookstore for the next chapter. I just couldnt wait to read the next part of this series. The characters in the book were well thought out. Now after I saw the movie, I saw not one difference between the book and the movie. Again, the actors portrayed their book counterparts absolutely perfectly. If Shawshank Redemption received 7 award nominations, I wonder just how many this one will be nominated for. I just hope that if it is nominated, and I think it should be, it will win!

A Brief History of Time is a mind blowing insight to the advanced theories of the universe. Stephen Hawking is a modern expert of space theory and all science in general. He takes complicated ideas and puts them into a book that the general public can read and understand. He explains everything from black holes to the fate og the universe. This is a facsinating book.

I'm a student of Physics and Astronomy, and when I first read this book, I decided that I want to become a theoratical physicist, as it was so extremely fascinating. The second time I read the book, I again made a decision. Since then, I study Astronomy.

In short, Mr. Hawking perfectly knows how to wake everyone's interest for the fundamentals of the universe. And moreover, he explains the most difficult theories of our days in a style so that everyone can grasp the basic ideas.

This book is the key to understanding physics, and the universe. Hawking explains the mysteries of the universe like black holes, the beginning and end of the universe, dark matter, time, and over views of how many of our present day theories came about all in plain words and humor. If ever there was to be one book to be written, explaining our universe, this would be the book.

This is actually a presentation on de Tocqueville's life and times, centered on a general analysis of Democracy in America, but including much background on his family's history, his political career and accomplishments and a look at the historical context of France, Europe and the US in the mid 19th Century. The themes of DiA are reviewed with many quotes from the book and from commentaries by de Tocqueville's contemporaries. He is presented in all his glory: his hits (the brilliant insights into social character, the nature of democracy and his devastatingly astute, timeless analysis of our American identity) and his misses (his advocacy of war and his surprisingly traditionalist views of society's class structure). An occasional cheesy French accent in some of the characterizations is the only flaw. This is a _great_ commute tape, I look forward to "reading" more in this series on other great writers!

There is no doubt that Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America is perhaps the greatest book ever written on the US government and the principles of democracy. Tocqueville clearly shows both the promise and the problems of democracy. In many ways he is not at all flattering of the Americans, and in fact shows us how really terrible we can be. Nevertheless, he still shows hope in the ideas of democracy, and points that it is possible to overcome these problems.

The Mansfield edition of this book is a wonderful translation with great annotation and references, that make it good for a studnet or a casual, non-social theory, interested person to read. The introduction is also beautifully written and lays out the ideas de Tocqueville had marvelously. I think that this will be the edition to use in the future.

After hte events of last year, it is important for us to keep in mind what this country is about, what are its true problems, and how we can improve it. The problems that de Tocqueville points out are not something that panders to either left or right in our current sense, but points to problems fundamental in all democracies and particularlly in the American way of democracy. Yet, his hope should be uplifting.

Toquevilles' Democracy in America, written over a century and a half ago, is almost as relevant today as when it first appeared in print. Outside of the Federalist Papers, no book is as essential to a American student of political philosophy as this. This book is neither a manifesto of the right or left - both sides can draw powerful arguments (and lessons) from this work. Paramount to the book are the conflicts between equality and liberty, which today remains the core difference between the major political parties. Toqueville also predicted the rise of America and Russia, as well as the growth of the central government - a hundred years before it became reality. His praise of the American system of decentralized, voluntary associations is also dead on. A wonderful book.

This is the most wonderful Bible I've ever owned, and I have tried many over the past 20 years, including a variety of study Bibles.

Although study Bibles do offer value, I think that sometimes there is too much of man's option for me to use these as my every day primary usage Bible. The New Thompson-Chain offers something truly different from other study Bibles... it fully uses God's Word to explain itself without the help of man's opinions. It is an incredible tool to dig deep into the Word of God easily - it can be used by beginners or "road scholars" of God's Word alike. Top of mind benefits are easy to read text, incredibly thorough reference system, the pages just the right thickness, extensive maps, great archeological section, many blank pages in the front and back of the book to write your own notes. But what I like best of all is the unique index system where you can look up a topic and see all the scriptures on that topic printed out together, not just the scriptural references to look up on your own. That way, you can read 10+ scriptures on the topic, all on one page viewing, rather than flipping through 10 or more scriptures.

New King James Version + Thompson Chain Reference = AWESOME BIBLE!

For many years, I searched for the "ultimate" Bible. Being an avid New King James Version reader, we don't always have as many resources available as the King James or NIV people. My most useful Bible study tool is many, many cross-references, which I always looked for in NKJV Bibles that had the most. The Thompson Chain has much more than the standard cross-references. The chain references are just that: you go to the alphabetical index to find your subject, (which there are listed around 4,400 different topics) and you go to the first reference, and simply chain through the scripture references. In other words, they are cross-referenced in sequence order! The topics are as detailed as "blue" and as extensive as "God"; these more extensive subjects are then broken down into various sub- topics. Also, in the back of the Bible, the subjects are listed by title, then all the references are given, and the more main ones are chained throughout the scriptures, and some topics' scriptures are written out in the back also! There are also absolutely no commentaries, nor any conclusions drawn in this Bible! I would 100% recommend this Bible (in any version you use) for those of us who love many, many cross references, and believe first and foremost to compare scripture with scripture (1Cor. 2:13) in Bible studies. For those who like this, this Bible has everything!

I purchased my first Thompson Chain Reference Bible as a new believer back in the 70's. It was and continues to be the best study Bible for those who desire to search out the Word for themselves and compare scripture with scripture. And, the extensive Bible study helps in the back of the Bible do add a rich dimension in addition to the topical chain references.

I was a little concerned about the "new" TCR's as several reviewers mentioned degradations in quality and I certainly didn't like the thin glossy paper I saw in the hardbacks in the bookstore. I was delighted today when I received my large print deluxe leather edition Bible.

The Bible I received has excellent flat, opaque Bible paper perfect for note-taking. And, the binding appears to have stitching in addition to the glue, so I'd say the quality of the binding is fine and should serve one well for years.

One caveat in regard to the large print edition--It is LARGE! Not the print (it's 9 point instead of the regular 8), but the Bible itself. It's not so unwieldy that I would think twice about using it, but if size is an issue for you, check the dimensions and choose accordingly.

I can't say enough good things about this Bible. It has my highest recommendation; you won't be sorry in choosing this Bible.