I am a Licensed LPN living in GA. Disposable Heroes is a book about a paramedic working in NYC. I enjoyed learning what life was like for a medic and how being a medic changes oneself. The book has excellent real life photo's of patients. Some photo's are not recommend for children. After reading this book, I feel that medic's need more credit for their job. After all, there here to save our lives. My heart goes out to all paramedic's, and I must say this is a great book.

This surveys racial climate in America during World War II, an era which led to the reform of federal racial policies - a reform which proved limited at best. This considers the wartime role of blacks in the army and at home, considering both government goals and how limited racial reforms served larger federal concerns. An intriguing alternative survey of why reforms were so limited.

Diane C. Donovan Reviewer

This book really opened my eyes up to the views of Wesley on the gifts of the spirit and many other Charismatic view points. I would never have believed that there was such a book but the authors come from a non-attacking view point of those who have come against the charismatic movement. It is very impressive to have a book that is so against the Weslyan grain and not be attacking but simply pointing out errors in a Christ-like way. I would definately recommend this book for those who are interested, questioning, or even trying to come against the new move of God

Presented with Adobe Acrobat Reader and assorted forms on an accompanying CD, Divorce Agreements Simplified by Attorney-at-Law Daniel Sitarz is a step-by-step, legal guide for divorcing couples on speaking terms offering how-to divorce instructions that are easy to understand and follow. With explanations of divorce laws in all 50 states and Washington DC, as well as guides for handling such matters as property division, child support and custody, tax issues, alimony and more, Divorce Agreements Simplified is an excellent resource (and legally valid in all 50 states) with which to familiarize oneself of the divorce process and issues before visiting an expensive attorney.

I have all the other Viper books. This one is by far the best. It includes some great pictures and stories on the development of the Viper. It gives an inside look into the obstacles the small group had to overcome to make the Viper a reality. Highly recommended for Viper enthusiasts.

Although Dog Breeds of the World is not as widely publicized (or as expensive!) as some other breed books, it is one of the best that I have seen. It has accurate information about history, health and temperament, as well as several good pictures of each breed. Best of all, it has a display box for each breed that summarizes exercise, temperament, grooming and feeding needs, with descriptions like "delightfully docile" temperament (for the Newfoundland). The book comes in several sizes, each with the same pictures and text. Dog Breeds of the World is the smallest version, fine unless you need larger print. The Complete Encyclopedia of Pedigree Dogs is a coffee-table-size version. The Complete Dog Book includes not only the breed information and pictures found in the other two, but also some very helpful general information about nutrition, health care, training, grooming, choosing a dog, and breeding. (I would have liked a somewhat stronger statement recommending against breeding, but I admit that sometimes a low-key approach works best.) Although the book is British, and therefore uses British measurements, Stockman is good to us non-Brits and translates dog heights and weights into U.S. terminology as well. He doesn't try to include every breed around, but I found all the common U.S. breeds, as well as many that are not so familiar. All in all, this is likely to remain one of my favorite dog breed books.

For those addicted to Dogen's poetic and philosophical writings (and I include myself among our number), this volume provides a useful, and perhaps necessary, insight into Dogen's practical concerns for the sangha. These writings contain the depth of Dogen's philosophical insight into zazen practice while speaking of the day-to-day details of monastic life. The Shobogenzo speaks of enlightenment in and as the "myriad things," this volume reveals the concrete myriad things in Dogen's life.

Eihei Shingi is similar in style to Dogen's Shobogenzo Zuimonki as a down-to-earth collection of teachings meant to instruct monks. I believe it will appeal to those who enjoy Shobogenzo Zuimonki, those looking to create an authentic Zen monastic practice and devout Buddhists who have difficulty digesting Dogen's more mind-bending philosophical teachings.

As a non-scholar, I found the translation clear with sufficient footnotes to explain any ambiguities within the text! or thought. Many of the footnotes also appear to contain the insights of Rev. Shohaku Okumura and resonate with the teachings of Uchiyama Roshi and Kodo Sawaki Roshi.

In the famous musical EVITA, Eva Peron sings to her followers, the "descamisados" (Spanish for "the shirtless ones"). Dona Maria, the subject of DONA MARIA'S STORY, was a real life descamisada. She was a follower of Juan and Eva Peron. Therefore, I believe this is an important book because this is the first time an account of someone who was actually there - someone favorable to the Perons - has been the subject of a widely available book in the United States. As Dona Maria points out, very rarely do we in the United States hear anything positive about the Perons, especially where Evita is concerned.

DONA MARIA'S STORY is not always an easy read, however. That is due in part to the fact that it is mostly based on the author's interviews with Dona Maria, which were conducted in Spanish and then translated into English. As is almost always the case, some things are lost in the translation (Dona Maria refers to Evita's bravery and humanity, commenting that she was not afraid to visit the very poor in the slums "where everything was full of puss"). But what does come through vibrantly is the tight-knit working class community of Barisso that Dona Maria spent most of her life in, as well as the intense emotions that the "descamisados" had - and still have - for Juan and Eva Peron. The author mentions attending political rallies and seeing images of the Perons everywhere, and being both moved and a little frightened by the intensity of the emotion aroused.

The bittersweet aspect to the story is that the memory of the Perons, and therefore the rhetorical sweep of Peronism, is largely being relegated to the realm of nastalgia, being compressed into a mythic golden age (rather than having evolved into a present objective reality). The danger in this is that the younger generations are not as enthralled because they didn't experience the Perons firsthand. The author reasons that it was the job of the monuments to the Perons that stand in the town square to pass on the legacy of Peronist magic, but it may not be working. The younger generation of Argentines are perhaps as familiar with Madonna's version of "Evita" as they are with the real historical woman who at one time was the most powerful woman in their country and all of Latin America.

I was very moved by DONA MARIA'S STORY.

Within this book, Mr. Young develops an essay around Donald Davidson's revision of his most famous poem, "Lee in the Mountains." Taking it from its first draft, titled "General Lee Remembers," Young shows how Davidson relied on the opinion of Allen Tate, and how he constantly looked to the poem as an unfinished work. The work, itself, is magnificent, but the story behind it is even better.

Done Deal? The Politics of the 1997 Budget Agreement explores the 1997 budget agreement in an effort to understand how a Democratic president and a Republican-controlled Congress can reach an agreement to balance the budget in spite of divided government and partisanship. Palazolo not only provides the reader with a detailed account of the months of debate and compromise that led up to the 1997 agreement, but he places this account in theoretical terms. Palazzolo refutes scholars who argue that the deficit problem cannot be solved because of "inevitable gridlock" due to partisanship and interest group pressures. Using a "realist expectations model," Palazzolo identifies the constraints to policy reform and the ability of key budget actors to adapt to these constraints as well as respond to the changing political and economic environment to produce significant policy reform. Palazolo shows that with a political environment ripe for cooperation, a soaring economy, and key budget actors willing to compromise, a bipartisan deficit reduction agreement can occur in an era of divided government. This book is a must read for any student of politics, particularly those interested in budgeting or divided government.