This book is obviously an attempt on the part of the Reform movement to correct the misconception, common among Reform Jews, that there is supposedly no Jewish belief in an afterlife. The authors explore a variety of beliefs about life after death from different periods and branches of Judaism. I was pleasantly surprised to see a section on reincarnation, acknowledging that Hasidim and some others believe in it.

All in all, although the book takes a more rationalist approach than I would prefer, it does give the average reader a nice introduction to Jewish afterlife doctrines. Best of all, it's short and very reader-friendly.

My gentile friends (and my less educated Jewish ones) occasionally ask me what Jews think about the afterlife. After reading this book, I know the answer. The answer is: there's no consensus. Certainly Jews don't have the precise picture of Heaven and Hell that some fundamentalists have. There is (outside the leftward fringes of Reform Judaism) a consensus that there is some sort of afterlife -- but no consensus (even within Orthodox, Conservative or Reform as far as I could tell) as to what that afterlife looks like, except for some vague notion of some sort of reward and punishment in the world to come.

This book's usefulness is certainly not limited to a Jewish audience. The wide range of essays included in Sonsino & Syme's book provide insight into the views of other faiths as well, especially Christianity. I was required to read this book as a college religion student to better understand Jewish views of the afterlife, but it is just as well suited for someone who wants to sort out their own personal views. I am confident that regardless of your own opinions and the level of your reflection on the afterlife, you will be moved by several of the included essays.

White Rabbit is first and foremost a good story well told. Set against the backdrop of San Fransico and the Summer of Love, Daniel captures a slice of Americana, without sentimentalizing it, and portrays the charcters through defly drawn scenes as the characters respond to the times and to each other carrying the story along.
The story glides as the main characters find and keep their humanity through the maze of powerful music, new ideals truly and twistedly expressed, social institutions that both grind down and allow for freedom, and the crazy, dog-legged trail of one person whose childhood and Vietnam experiences can't be left behind.
It's a good read. Daniel trusts both the story and his chararcters enough to let them speak for themselves; this is a great gift and let's the story pull the reader into it.
If you like a book you can't put down, pick White Rabbit up (I even took it to work and read it on breaks!) Kudos to Daniel for a story well told.

In a wonderfully written book, David Daniel has taken the reader back to 1967 Haight-Ashbury and the Summer of Love. In a wild trip you will experience music,love, drugs, murder and mayhem.

There is a killer loose and the victims are as nameless and lost as he/she is. Partner a down on his luck San Francisco inspector with a young, attractive writer for an underground newspaper and you have an odd couple hoping to catch an elusive prey before The Summer of Love becomes The Summer of Blood.

I recommend this book for all of you who were there in the 60s' and all of you who wish that you were.

In 1967 everybody coming to San Francisco seems to wear flowers in their hair as the city gears up to what seems as a half million strong during the summer of love. However, someone does not want somebody to love, killing three hippies and mutilating their smiling faces in the Haight district. Well-respected SFPD detective John Sparrow works the investigation that has made the usually cool city streets hotter than a matchstick.

At a news conference, underground newspaper The Rag reporter Amy Cole introduces herself to John, but neither trusts the other. She sees him as a kind of a drag pig unable to accept an alternate lifestyle. He believes she is just another associate of the drugged crazies. Though unhappy together, they need to make up their mind and come together to insure a murderer pays the pied piper. Demanding his respect, she guides him through doors closed by those residents, who all they need is love, a joint, and no interaction with oinkers claiming to have built this city. Soon both become believers that teaming up may enable them to stop, stop, stop a killer.

If this novel were just a nostalgic piece the Woodstock Generation would still want to read it. However, instead David Daniel scribes a pleasant police procedural that provides the audience with a reflective look back at the love summer in the City on the Bay. The investigation is cleverly designed so that cross-generation readers will gain plenty of pleasure from this treasure that lets the sun shine on the Age of Aquarius.

Harriet Klausner

I've been sharing this book with friends of mine who also have ADD. How do I know they have it? I run them through the surveys.

Why didn't I give it a 10? It is full of typographical errors. Other than that, very useful!

This should be a must read for every parent of an Adder or an Adult Adder. Dr. Amen has treated thousands of patients, but what assisted me tremendously is that he is both a father of two ADD children and a husband to an ADD adult. He has walked it so he can truly talk about it. I have two ADHD children and I am ADD. We got on the right track from reading this book shortly after being diagnosed. He covers the MANY angles of how ADD effects ones life and how to deal with it. The most technical part, understanding the frontal lobe where the disorder originates, is written in laymen terms. There is even a quiz that can be taken that will help direct you to where you may need to go next in receiving the help you need. AMEN to Dr. Amen

Dr. Amen is very committed to this work. His son has ADHD and he has dedicted is time to helping others and their quest for wholeness. I discovered I had ADD while researching the subject for my son. I fit the criteria for ADD. WOW what blow. But now I understand myself and my son. Since then I have taken alternative avenues to help my situation. Phytonutrients/aloevera products have helped an healed me and my son. Also he addresses the issue of alcoholism as an issue in some families and this may play a role in the family history contributing to undiagnosed ADD and or ADHD. From there I bounced to vision therapy issues for my other son and he has been helped and healing has begun physically and emotionally for him as well with the phytonutrients. I owe this healing continum blessing to God and to his soverignty for allowing Dr. Amen's book to come my way. I pray blessing on Dr. Amen for his time and caring for people with this disorder. Now, however, I do not call this a disorder. I call it a blessing, I know now that my son has genius qualities in certain areas and I am now homeschooling him as a result. What was a terrible blow to my pride and a frightening experience has now become a turning point to healing. I highly suggest you read the book,however, for those biblically trained, ignore the meditation and hypnosis approach, but, don't disregard the whole book because of these. Presently from here I'm writing a book on ADD and the bible all because of the initial book by Dr. Amen. I also suggest another book by Dr. Amen. Healing the Caos within, I believe this is the correct title name. Blessings on your journeys, God is in control and He loves you.

Bonnie Homeschoolmom

Read This Book! The book With These Hands, is a very accurate depiction of migrant farmworks today. The author, Daniel Rothenberg, is an anthropologist that spent three years living among workers and getting to know the people who work in the labor camps. He compiled more than 250 interviews to try and gain insight on the numerous hardships that these people face. Many people only hear about migrant workers who get into run-ins with the law, therefore giving these people a stereotypical view of how many of these migrants actually are, and what they go through to make such horrible wages. Every aspect of these farmworkers lives are explored, from wages to the farm labor market to consequences of labor practices. This book is really a reality check to people because of how much these workers have an affect on our lives. People don't stop to think about how all of their fruit products are gathered and how the workers are treated for doing such back breaking work. This book differs from many others that have been written on this same topic because it covers all different angles of migrant farmwork for yesterday and today. A definite two thumbs up!

With These Hands is an excellent book that contains oral histories -- astonishing interviews -- with farmworkers, growers, labor contractors, government officials and labor union officials. These statements are interspersed with excellent but brief summaries of various issues. The full range of the complexity of farmworkers' lives is explored, from wages and benefits to the structure of the farm labor market to the international consequences of agricultural labor practices. As a lawyer for migrant farmworkers, I'm all for books about them but have been disappointed by a lot of what has been written. This book does not disappoint.

"The Poorest of the Invisible Working Poor" could be an alternate title for Daniel Rothenberg's "With These Hands." Most of us know migrant farm workers only when one of them breaks the law and get written up in the newspaper. However, just about every piece of produce we routinely select at the supermarket has passed through their hands. I particularly liked the format of Rothenberg's book, alternating factual explanation with monologues by those involved in farm labor. I appreciated the wide variety of viewpoints exposed, not just those of migrant workers, but also of contractors, farmer employers, government officials and labor organizers. Most migrant farmworkers are Hispanic, many of them in this country legally, and some are U.S. citizens from years back. Many others, out of economic desperation, risk their lives sneaking across the U.S./Mexican border to find honest work doing the most backbreaking labor, under the most inhumane living conditions, for the most miserable wages. Their sheer numbers help keep farmworker wages low, but the power of the agricultural lobby has helped maintain the dismal conditions of farm labor since the Depression. Everyone who eats should read this book. Every politician should read it twice.

This study aid is from Barron's Educational Series which produced 501 FRENCH VERBS (an innvaluable source for the beggining and advanced student alike). However unlike 501 FRENCH VERBS, 1001 PITFALLS IN FRENCH is NOT for beginning students.

Nearly two-thirds of the explanations are in French. Example sentences are not translated.

That said for the intermediate or advanced student this book has a veritable trove of information. In its pages you will find lists of false cognants, French words which are often confused, French words misspelled or misprounced by English speakers, adjectives which change meaning when placed before the noun, nouns with different meanings in masculine and feminine forms, etc. Also included are cautions on non-linguistic matters: the use of slang, differences in ettiquette, US/metric conversion charts, the long and flowery formule de politesse required for correspondance, etc.

What 1001 PITFALLS is not is a grammar guide. If you are in the market for a comprehensive grammar guide, then Schaum's Outline on French Grammar is one of the best and can be used by any level of student.

For students above the elementary level, this book will clear up doubts left by other textbooks and explain points that never appear in them. In fact, the more French the student knows the more useful this book will be. It is cherished by advanced students as well as by teachers--I have been a teacher of French. This is one of those books that address points that are simply not mentioned in standard courses. If you have learned to love the French language but are not sure which nouns end in consonants that must be pronounced or you have other niggling, gnawing doubts that spoil your enjoyment of the language, buy this book. You too will love it.

I bought this book with a background in 3D Max which made it very easy to understand. Although, I think with no experience, this book is an excellant teaching tool for 3D VIZ beginners. It takes you step by step through the process and explains the reasons behind the actions. It's best feature is that all commands are in large bold type while all explanations are in regular font type. You can cruise through picking out the steps of the process if you want to create your model with out reading all of the explanations first. Then you can go back and see the reasons why.
There are a wide range of models that span many disciplines as well. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn the basics of 3D VIZ.

Excellent, easy to follow, lots of additional tips and information. Very good sample projects allowing to gain knowledge on software use fairly fast. One needs to pay attention to EVERYTHING that's printed, otherwise will miss something very useful.

The book is quite funny, but displays the author's bias for government work. As a development manager/implementor, I have seen some of these 77 sins, but others are rather esoteric and limited to the author's domain. Purchase it for a laugh, to educate the ignorant, or to know you are not alone.

As a project management trainer, I often work with IT folks who are struggling with too many projects and not enough time to complete them. Typically IT people don't take the time to reflect and document management practices that drive them crazy and kill their projects. Instead, they just leave the company! In this rare book, two veteran soft developers irreverently vent their frustrations and provide plenty of insight for anyone wanting to better manage software development teams. While they provide a bunch of items related to technical and programming management issues, the also share some management-related sure-fire ways to kill a software project. Some hightlights from their list of items include: #13 -- Begin design while requirements are fluid. #18 -- Make developers fight for every purchase. #28 -- Concentrate on cosmetics, not functionality at inspections. #33 -- Forgo prototyping. #41 -- Give everyone beepers [... so they can be reached even in the middle of the night about cosmetic problems.] #47 -- Schedule as many meetings as possible. #58 -- Jump on the process improvement bandwagon. #59 -- Create lots of TQM groups. #60 -- Hire a TQM expert from outside the company. #68 -- Require overtime work without compensation. #70 -- Hire temp programmers [and pay them for all hours, even overtime, at a rate higher than staff] #73 -- Give humiliating performance reviews. #74 -- Get rid of developers over 40 [years old]. #75 -- Refer to people as "units."

This book is clean, crisp, and fun to read... and might well generate some valuable discussions in your organization that could improve the effectiveness of your projects!...

When it comes to evolution, almost anyone can quote Darwin's theory of natural selection...but how many people set out to prove it? In this book, the authors present the beginnings of tackling this ambitious task. Their approach is truly unique...rather than examining the diversity of all life, they have focused twenty-plus years of research on a tiny, rather obscure, cave crustacean. By drawing from numerous scienfific fields (ecology, systematics, mathematics, limnology, evolutionary theory, even molecular genetics) the authors have produced one of the most complete pictures of the effect of natural selection on a single animal. Amateur cavers might find the techical aspects of the book somewhat daunting, while expert scientists may view the study as too limitied -- yet both can appreciate the ramifications of what this study, of a little shrimp, might someday teach us about ourselves.

The evolution of Gammarus minus is the subject of a remarkably interesting text published by Harvard University Press. Gammarus who? Gammarus what? Gammarus minus is a little freshwater crustacean, an isopod, that inhabits surface streams, springs, and caves.

We all have some knowledge of the theory of natural selection and evolution, and yet, I suspect that few fully recognize the complexity and difficulty in conducting research in evolutionary biology. Just how does one go about proving or disproving some aspect of evolutionary theory?

David Culver, Thomas Kane, and Daniel Fong argue that caves and cave animals are valuable empirical models for the study of evolution, particularly for the study of adaptation. The unusual morphology of cave fauna makes them "quintessential examples of evolutionary tradeoffs, a recurring theme in the study of adaptation". Also, as the cave environment is more uniform and less complex than most habitats, the analysis of environmental effects on selection is accordingly less difficult. And convergent evolution in many isolated cave systems offers a degree of repeatability that is often absent in evolutionary studies.

Adaptation and Natural Selection in Caves is remarkably well-organized and clearly written, and is accessible to the persistent layman interested in cave biology and ecology. However, I caution the reader. This is not a popular book on evolution for the layman. This is a detailed, well-documented, thoughtful multidisciplinary scientific study whose primary audience is active researchers and graduate students in the biological sciences.

Evolutionary biology does not fit snugly into a narrow specialty. The reader should be prepared to encounter biospeleology, ecology, electrophoresis, genetics, isopod morphology, karst geology, stream hydraulics, and systematics. As advanced statistical techniques are commonly used in genetic and evolutionary studies, the casual reader should not be surprised by references to the F statistic, dendrograms, k-means clustering, rank-3 biplots, correlation matrices, and short discussions on determining the optimal splines for curve fitting.

Likewise, some terminology is likely to be unfamiliar. Fortunately, the authors have compiled a glossary to assist the reader with terms like adaptive radiation, allozyme, apomorphic, exaptation, electrophoresis, gene flow, homoplasy, neoteny, and vicariance.

My comments on this wide ranging multidisciplinary study, on the scientific terminology, and on the advanced statistics are not intended to dissuade the reader. This is a good book that may require some persistence, but it is well-worth the effort. I commend Culver, Kane, and Fong for providing an intriguing look at a complex, interdisciplinary research topic.

Initially, I found it quite useful to read, chapter by chapter, the concise introductions and the concluding summaries. I then returned to the beginning of the book to study the chapters in detail. The summaries are clearly written and allow the reader to quickly and easily develop an overview of each chapter.

As a final comment, I suggest that teachers in the biological sciences would find Adaptation and Natural Selection in Caves to be an excellent choice for a reading assignment for undergraduates in biology, ecology, genetics, morphology, and limnology. Culver, Kane, and Fong clearly answer the question: "Just how does one go about proving or disproving some aspect of evolutionary theory?"

I have the King James Version of this book. I didn't expect such a comrehrensive topical reference. The book comes in two parts; the first consists of articles written by inspiring people such as Dr Myles Munroe, Mensa Otabil. The second, and main part are divided under main headings, eg "Developing Your relationship withGod", "Salvation" and "Developing Character". Best yet, there are just appropriate Bible verses provided, not taken out of context. Not human opinion, just God's Word. The appendix listing various inventions by Black people is a bonus. All in all, I can say that I would recommend this book, not just for Black people but anyone seeking God. No book can be a substitute for the Bible but this is a recommended publication.

I often read this topical bible because it is arranged in such a way that you can really get the point in scriptural terms. The African Historical focus is great! A great refernce book, it usually takes me back to the bible to read the whole chapter.

I think that my book was funnier than anything else. I mean it's about history and all but it was even funnier. It makes you not want to stop because you want to see what's next. I think that the autor wants it so you learn and have fun at the same time. Some other books were all talking and no fun if you know what I mean. There's a little story teller on every page; he tells jokes about the things you've just read. I liked this book and I hope you do to thanks.

This books are wonderful. They make learning history fun and cool. It combines jokes, historical facts and funny information in a great easy-to-read package. My 4th grader loves the whole series. Both reluctant readers and history lovers will enjoy the breezy way history is told in these books. Ideal for 3rd-5th graders and even middle school students. Great as gifts or for a classroom. Too bad all history books aren't this fun!

This book teaches you about Prehistoric times and how creatures survived. The book also has some humor. There is almost a comic on every page, and most of them are funny. It's a way to learn and have fun at the same time. Inconclusion, I write this because it's a great book to learn from and get a few laughs along with it.