The book may have been more properly titled "Inhabitants of the Successful Reef Aquarium". Though Mr. Knop does cover the basics which can give the beginning 'reefer' a good foundation to build on, it is most clearly geared toward choosing the proper inhabitants for a successful system.

Having said that, I found the book well written and enjoyable to read with lots of beautiful photos. The section on corals is by far the largest (and why not?) A later, and much smaller section covers some of the best fish for the beginning reef hobbyist.

The reason this book falls short of a 4th star (maybe we could ask Amazon to add a half-star option), is due to it's lack of specifics with regard to setup and maintenance. If the work was titled "Inhabitants of the Successful Reef Aquarium", I would have given it 4 stars.

Great beginners book. This book gave me very good basic information on coral identification and classification. The accompanying photos are very clear and extremely helpful. It also gives very sound advice on the types of fish and invertebrates that would complement each other in a typical tank. The section on algae has very good info on the identification, effects and control of specific problem algae. The photos of these algae are better than those on other books i've read. All in all, I believe that this is a book that would provide the beginning marine reef keeper with practical information he could use to ensure his tanks' success

Though the concept addressed in this book is important, it was approached poorly. The book was overwhelmingly heavy-laden with personal anectdotes with a few Bible verses thrown in here and there. The verses used were applicable, yet rarely explored further than a sentence. It was really frustrating to read a book with so many anecdotes with little to no meat. Additionally, some of the statistics used to prove a point were as much as 10 years older than the date of publication, thus discrediting slightly, the use of the information in proving the point (see pages 120, 121). Though I appreciate Dr. Hahn's efforts and applaud his venture to tackle such a serious subject, the book left something to be desired. More hardcore Biblical examination and less stories would have made the work awesome.

Teaching Your Kids the Truth About Consequences is a great book for parents. It's a great book for everyone. It focuses more on parent's character and the example that we portray for our children. I talks about going back to the Bible for answers on how to raise our children. This book is not only a book about raising children it's a book about character and morals. It is an entertaining book to read, as the author is interesting and knowlegeable. It applies the scriptures to life today. This one is a "must read" for everyone.

This is a northern English comedy/fantasy by Peter Tinniswood (who died recently). The Brandon family live in a bleak industrial city somewhere in northern England in the 1960s. Les and Annie Brandon's house becomes home to a seemingly endless flow of their relations, unfortunate and lost souls all. Tensions surface pretty quickly, especially when the acerbic Uncle Mort gets Auntie Lil pregnant.

Tinniswood's writing is very much an acquired taste, and it helps if you've got an ear for the northern accent, but he does do a good job of evoking the sheer dreary monotony of working class life in industrial England, where the highlight of the year was the firm's outing to some bleak seaside resort, where battenburg cake was considered a delicacy and where ladies' hairdressers went by the name of "Maison Enid". The men retreat frequently to their local pubs as sanctuary from their female counterparts, who they depend upon to organise their lives.

For those with a feel for life in towns with heavy industry, "A Touch of Daniel" will touch a funny bone as well as stir memories. It might be lost on others.

G Rodgers

A very enjoyable book with a wonderfull cast of characters. A bazzare family full of those odd uncles and cousins that most people try to hide away from the world. Amaricans beware - tougher going if you can't "hear" the british accents.

Amazon and the reviews it published on this book presented it as a day to day "how to" book for persons suffering with TMJ. Unfortunately, the book is little more than one woman's crusade against corrective surgery she had and a diatribe against those who performed it. To Amazon's credit, my purchase price was promptly refunded - to my detriment (my diatribe) I had to pay postage both ways. Donald Hecht

I found this book to be most informative! As a TMJ Vitek Implant Survivor I can't help but thank you for the knowledge you gave me of my disease. This book is a *must* read for every TMJ Implant Patient or prospective TMJ Implant Patient!

A story about a group of warriors in Vietnam - doing a job that most of us can barely fathom. I did not realize the HAL-3 (Seawolves) Squadron had such action during the Tet Offensive. Mr. Kelly does a decent job of chronicling some of the Seawolves' missions - but his writing lacks the finesse and skill that would have brought this book to another level. It was too much like Rambo using a typewriter. There is more to describing people than using the nicknames and telling us their favorite weapons.
"Chickenhawk" is a much better helicopter chronicle of the Vietnam War, although it doe not involve the Seawolves or the US Navy.

Dan "Pegleg" Kelly has written a remarkable work detailing a short time frame in the history of the Navy Seawolves. Factual, detailed, graphic this is an outstanding work.

Having been a member of this squadron, knowing some of the men, and knowing of others,that he writes about,I know these men are NOT bigger then life. They are just average American sailors who performed in a role never before conceived and did so with a well above average effort and little public fanfare. These men never numbered more then 250 at any one time and earned the love and respect of the US Navy's famous SEAL teams. The most highly decorated squadron in the history of Naval Aviation, they were a combination of McHale's Navy and Terry and the Pirates. In school they were "jocks" and "geeks". In the fleet they ranged from below to above average sailors. In war, they made Audie Murphy look like a boy scout. One well known SEAL sums up his opinion of these young American men - They have (testicles) that clank when they walk.

Good job Dan!

I rather think that it is a toss-up whether those who buy this book are the dumbest, or those who are inside it's covers. It was mildly amusing, but little else.

Wow, I can't believe the customer who wrote the first review gave it only two stars.

This is one of the best books I've read about law enforcement, showing the lighter side in the world of crime and in light of high-profile cases. Who can seriously resist getting a good laugh out of these dumb crooks?

If I could give it more stars, I'd give it a ten!

This book is quite simply two books pasted together. If you don't have either book, its a great value. But, if you have one of them and think that there are some updates in this version, you're mistaken. Even though WW makes references to this effect in other books (calling it a "replacement" for Elysium), it's not technically true: they're the same book.

War of Ages, a reprint of the Anarchs Cookbook and Elysium, provides source material and background information on the two extremes in the world of kindred. While they both retain the look and feel of the older, first edition books, the information within is still just as valid for the setting as when they were first published several years back. Elysium, the elders half of the book, provides rules for creating elders (including new elder-specific backgrounds, merits and flaws), ideas on plotlines for elders games, secret "Gehenna Cults", and tips on how to run a chronicle that lasts for centuries. The anarch cookbook contains all sorts of background and storyline information for ST's and players that want to indulge in the wilder side of being a cainite, All in all, a great book, and a great way to get two old out-of-print sourcebooks.

Who would have belived it ,that this diminutive magician from ,the large toadstool in county mayo , could write such a stirring novel, of love, ambition, passion, magic and the american way . Apparently any one from 18 to tablet induced slumber,can perform magic tricks ,that will delight your hells angel neighbors for seconds . After only three days with this book, I was confident to perform magic at MADISON SQUARE GARDENS . I now own a large yacht ,have a very young wife , take regular holidays to the seychelles and am developing gout . I recommend you read this book . I did and hey .

This book is great for the adult who's tired of those magic books that all have the same effects or that make you feel like an idiot when doing them. Paul has put magic into a realm for grown-ups with "Anti-Stress Magic", "Office Magic", Dinner Magic, and much more. Also included are six of the best card tricks you'll find anywhere. These will even stump any magicians you know. Pictures and easy details make this book enjoyable and beneficial. If you have an interest in more than just "kid's" magic books, then this is one for you!

The plot was absurd, the characters (mostly) loathsome, the ending defied logic. And yet... I haven't been as engrossed by a work of fiction since "The Stand" (interesting that King raved about 'Hannibal' in the NY Times).

The book moves speedily and twists its way from scene to scene, outrageous and over-the-top. Man-eating pigs and eels? A table-side lobotomy that provides sweetbreads for popular literature's oddest-ever dinner party? A one-eyed paralyzed madman friend of Idi Amin who directs much of what happens? The book is bizarre in the extreme, yet Harris pulls it off, more or less. He writes with elegance and a cool detachment that makes the horror that unfolds all the more visceral, and somewhat more plausible. He's a master of the "telling detail" and sets a scene with descriptive power that rivals that of PD James. Light is shed on the source of Lecter's lunacy, yet it does not diminish his darkly fiendish power. And the extended passage in Florence makes for suspenseful reading, indeed.

Still, Newsweek reports that Harris won't let his editor touch a word. Too bad. Reading this almost-magnificent mess convinced me the author needed a disciplined hand to better justify the denouement, and excise the silliness that keeps this good read from being a great book.

Starling is consumed by duty and ambition.
The Bureau roasts Starling (a sacrificial "Lamb")for being too much of a hotshot.
Pazzi is consumed by greed and lust, only to be digested by the media.
Mason Verger ingests what comes forth in the pain of the weak and the weak-willed. Evenutally to be consumed by a red dragon.
Jack Crawford is eaten up with grief from the loss of his wife and his disappointment in The Bureau (his two true loves).
Krendler is a parasite, feeding off anything that will advance his position.
Really, all Lecter wants at the outset of the story is to be left alone. He wants to study history and art in his beloved Florence. But he is forced out of "retirement" by discovery and desire.
Harris is a very deep thinker and tries to reflect this in his stories. He was probably hamstrung a bit by the money people wanting to create a franchise in "Hannibal", but dig beneath the blood and gore; you'll find a nice allegorical novel full of history and culture.

Folks are really hung up on the ending. I'm not sure what they wanted. Maybe a nice, pat, Hollywood ending. Oh well, who knows? Maybe Harris envisioned something where Ardelia gets Barney to help her track down Starling. Or maybe, he wanted just an ending. If you listen to the money people they'll keep you at it until there's no soul left to your ideas, and maybe Harris wanted to close the book on Lector.

I think time will be kind to this story, and as years go by it will be stand on its own merits, and not as a literary Happy Meal.

I was quite surprised by the mixed reviews on this book. However, I did not let that stop me from buying it. I finished this book in one day and I was not disappointed. As the title of the book denotes, it is about Hannibal Lector the free man. This is the main difference between the new novel and it's predecessors. The prior novels only give glimpses of what Hannibal was like in normal life. The new novel allows us to look inside the killer as he exists in society. He turns out to be an amazingly suave, cultured and likeable character. Which allows Mr. Harris to lead his readers into a moral quagmire. Why do we find it satisfying when Hannibal attacks his enemies and escapes? If we don't mind Lector's previous crimes then we shouldn't protest the novel's climax. Clarice Starling has also returned in this novel. Unlike Lector, life has not been successful for her. This is one of the main complaints about the novel. A lot of readers are upset that she is somewhat of a failure. I found this justifiable since it was Lector who gave her her initial success. Which as it turns out was all in his plan. Perhaps Hannibal set her up for failure. Such heroic success for a rookie was bound to create enemies. One of whom has made it his life's pursuit to keep Clarice from promotion. Another point, Clarice gave part of herself to Hannibal for her success. In essence she allowed the serial killer to know her fatal flaw. This allows Dr. Lector to finally collect his prize. The novel's other characters complement the two leads nicely. The writing structure is elegant and romantically gothic. If you are a fan of the previous novels then I would urge you to read this book. Keep an open mind while reading and you will not be disappointed.

I am normally a fan of Cornwell but this one is over the top. There is a LARGE amount of unnecessary detail in this book that makes you want to scream or at least keep turning the page until you get to a part that matters. The various plots jerk you around many times. The characters seem to say the same thing over and over again. I found the whole book frustrating to read and finished it in the hope that it would get better!

Loyal Patricia Cornwell readers will perhaps be somewhat disappointed in Black Notice, the 10th release in the Kay Scarpetta series, but will nevertheless purchase a copy and savor each page as if reading the last words of a great world leader. In other words, Cornwell is such a superior writer it is doubtful she could produce a bad read and, indeed, she hasn't yet.

Scarpetta is a bit more fragile here than we've seen her in the past, dealing with the death of her lover, Benton Wesley, a year after the fact. It seems she has lost touch with what is going on around her, and must now begin to regain control of her surroundings and her life. Faced with problems within her office, political powers that seek to end her career, and, of course, a killer on the loose, she is forced to come to terms with the past and move forward. This includes reliving much of her relationship with Benton, accepting that he is not still alive and living out some elaborate plan concocted by the FBI for whatever reason, and finding passion in the arms of a living male counterpart abroad.

Enter disappointment. The patience of Cornwell's lesbian followers are wearing thin with Benton Wesley. While Cornwell obviously agrees it is time to either put him to rest or bring him back to life, this should have been done some time ago, freeing Black Notice to be the book it could have been. In recovery, Scarpetta engages in sexual activity with a virtual stranger, which seems forced and out of character for our favorite heroine. Maybe we're just jealous, but Talley's introduction seems sudden and intrusive.

Lucy, Scarpetta's openly lesbian niece, plays only a small role in the novel, which adds to further disappointment. Surely lesbian readers would have to admit they secretly hope Lucy will be the main focus, or at least a larger one, in upcoming Scarpetta tales. In this book Lucy is still dealing with the monsters that drive her to emotionally dangerous places, while readers wait to see the monsters for what they are, and how she might prevail and overcome her self destructive tendencies. Maybe in the next book.

Marino is strong in this installment, as Cornwell brings his unique personality to the forefront and lets the friendship he shares with Scarpetta express itself with humor and an obvious deep caring for one another. Readers have watched Marino's life change over the years, and now he must deal with aging and his shifting importance in the world of law enforcement.

The plot of Black Notice lacks the believability of earlier Cornwell novels. Gone are the strong, realistic killers of the early days, having been replaced with dramatic, almost super human qualities. Cornwell seems to be steering clear of the more forensically technical aspects of Scarpetta's work, and does not share as many interesting, if somewhat gory, details that once provided readers with clues and insight into the mind of the killer. The characters' lives and personal quandaries surpass anything the killer may or may not do in this book.

With a writing style that is clearly Cornwell, and a cast of characters we have known too long to turn our backs on, Black Notice is a continuation of the Scarpetta saga, and one that is well worth suffering a few disappointments. After all, Cornwell would be hard-pressed to outdo herself, with Potter's Field and Point of Origin tough acts to follow. While perhaps not her best, Black Notice is still worth curling up with on a dark, rainy night.

Sherry Stinson...

Patricia Cornwell's novel, Black Notice, is a very intriguing read. Kay Scarpetta, Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner, is given the autopsy of a man found in a freight container on a cargo ship from Europe. This "cargo man" was found with unexplainable animal-like hair all over his body. Kay's next autopsy is a sales clerk who was mutilated by her murderer, and coincidently contained the same strange hair on her body. Through INTERPOL (international police) Kay learns that the murders are linked to similar ones in Italy. Kay has to put her job on the line so she can find out confidential information that is only known to one other. To make matters worse someone in Kay's office is trying to sabotage her identity and ruin her career. It doesn't stop there. The new deputy chief, Diane Bray, is trying to take over the Homicide department and has demoted Kay's best friend, Pete Marino. Not to mention Kay's niece, Lucy, is involved in a undercover drug shooting. Cornwells explicit imagery and thorough explanations help to set a vivid scene throughout the entire novel, "Every inch of skin was dried wipes and smears and swirls reminding me of finger-painting again, her face a mush of splintered bone and battered tissue." Cornwell succeeds in keeping the readers attention throughout the novel, once you think no more problems can arise, something new happens. The ending of Black Notice was very dramatic and unexpected although Cornwell could have tied up a few more loose ends, but I believe that will be explained in her next novel. Overall Black Notice is an interesting, descriptive and suspenseful novel.