This book would make an outstanding teaching tool for an educator who is also a stamp enthusiast. Basically, the book dedicates on page per person who appears on an American stamp. The book is very complete, right up to about 1990, but this covers an awful lot of American history, particularly presidents and important personages from very by-gone times.

The biographies are short, of course, which means really BIG names like Abraham Lincoln get roughly the same coverage as someone perhaps a bit less distinguised, like Millard Filmore (don't write me and complain, Fillmore fans...I'm just making a point!!).

I can imagine that a teacher might have kids look for these stamps (old letters and postcards, junk shops, etc.) as though it were some sort of tresure hunt, and then perhaps use the book to write a report, give an oral presentation, etc. It could help teach history, research methods, presentation skills, or even the joy of hunting for collectibles.

It's also a good general knowledge book to have for US stamp collectors who want to know more about the story behind the stamp.

It's not brilliantly written, nor exhaustive, but is is handy and does exactly what it promises!

The biggest problem I have with this book is its weight. It's just too big and clunky to hold up to read. Splitting into two bindings would have been nice. But it does cover a lot and it needs to be large to do so.

I bought the Beginners Guide to Linux Programming and I really liked that book. This book is a very good follow-up, but it doesn't give the reader more programming tips.
It covers many topics which makes this book a great reference for anyone who deals with Linux and even other flavors of Unix on a day to day basic. Buy this book if you are looking for a reference book on developing software on Linux that covers advanced topics.

This book is a follow-up to Beginning Linux Programming, but with a wider range of authors. The book is a series of chapters on various tools and applications, all of them Open Source, based mainly round things that application developers might use, though there is a single chapter on device drivers.

Most topics only get a single chapter, so there isn't as much depth as you would find in a dedicated book on each topic, but there is a very wide range of material all covered in enough depth to get the more experienced programmer started with a new topic. There are one or two weaker areas, but overall a good choice of material succinctly presented for the more experienced application developer. I've given it 5 stars as it was exactly what I was looking for - a single reference to help me create a Linux-based web database application, your mileage may vary. I recommend you at least consider it.

This story portrays the life of an unfortunate man whose unhappiness, depression and weakness causes him to become a helpless prisoner and a lost soul that will continue living in the lonely village of Starkfield, Massachusetts forever.
Edith Wharton's, Ethan Frome begins by introducing the narrator as a character. The story then proceeds to go back in time, which takes over the bulk of the book. She also includes, within her story traces of foreshadowing and irony, which keeps the reader focused and interested. Wharton distinctly describes the environment with imagery and diction in order to sufficiently create the mood and tone of the story for the reader. Wharton's writing style attracts the reader and successfully develops an unexpected ironic twist, which makes this story one of a kind.
The tragic story of Ethan Frome takes place in the dull and isolated village of Starkfield, Massachusetts. Ethan From, the central character in the story, and his unhealthy wife, Zeena, live in quiet and sorrow, which puts an end to their marriage. Due to Zeena's illness, her cousin Mattie Silver is called to take over the responsibilities of the house. Mattie's bright and happy presence attracts Ethan immensely, causing a spark to ignite in his nonexistent life. Mattie's youthful appearance and her energetic personality contrasts with the dark and wicked characteristics of the evil sister, Zeena. Mattie and Ethan's unspoken love creates the foundation of Zeena's jealousy and rage. Her need for attention and sympathy allows her to dominate and control the lives of Mattie and Ethan. The combination of fate and Zeena's imposing power contributes to Ethan and Mattie's forbidden and unperceivable love. Ethan's constant pursuit of happiness and attempt to escape from Zeena's restraints and the confinements of the village inevitably cause unwanted results.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It is one of the few that I have read more than once. It is a short novel, but it is 81 pages of dynamic work. The story moves along quickly at a great pace so a reader can read it in an afternoon.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about a forbidden love between two individuals that would do anything they could in the world to be together. It is a tragic love story, but so is life in its most unusual way. Wharton's best work in this story is definitely the catastrophic twist she gives it at the end. The outcome is overwhelming and tear-jerking. Edith Wharton's description of these pressures and the longing love Ethan has for Mattie makes this a story that immediately holds the attention of the reader. It pulls the reader into an invigorating tale of the one true love finally found that is at the same time torturously, maddeningly beyond all hope of attainment.

Once in a while you have to put down those current novels, and read some classic literature. And Edith Wharton is one of the best.

This story takes place in the cold, bleak winter farmlands of Massachusetts. Ethan Frome, a poor farmer, has a hard life tending to his land, trying to make a meager living, and also taking care of his ungrateful, demanding, sickly wife, Zeena. When her cousin, Mattie, comes to help her, Ethan's life changes completely. He falls deeply in love with Mattie. This being the 1800's, he must endure the stifling conventions of that era's society also. There love for each other proves to be a fascinating story.

I loved this book. This is a story that will definitely take you away. You'll actually feel you are there. Edith's detail description of the scenery and landscape of that time are truly vivid. I found myself pausing from my reading to look outside to see if it was actually snowing. I highly suggest you find time to read "Edith Wharton's books, you'll be grateful. I certainly was!

The tragic story of Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton takes place in the dreary and lonely village of Starkfield, Massachusetts. Ethan From, the protagonist of the story, and his sickly wife, Zeena, live in silence and unhappiness which ultimately destroy their marriage. Due to Zeena's tedious illness, her cousin Mattie Silver is called upon to take over the responsibilities of the house. Mattie's vibrant and radiant presence attracts Ethan immensely, causing a spark to ignite in his nonexistent life. Ethan's love for Mattie deepens each time their eyes meet. Her youthful appearance and her lively personality starkly contrast with the dark and evil characteristics of the wicked Zeena. Mattie and Ethan's unspoken love forms the basis of Zeena's jealousy and rage. Zeena's need for attention and sympathy allows her to dominate and control the lives of Mattie and Ethan, similarly like the relationship between the puppeteer and its puppets. The combination of fate and Zeena's imposing power to contribute to Ethan and Mattie's forbidden and unpreservable love. Ethan's constant pursuit of happiness and attempt to escape from Zeena's restraints and the confinements of the villlage inevitably cause unwanted results.

Wharton's Ethan Frome begins by introducing the narrator as a character. The story then proceeds into a flashback which consumes the majority of the pages. She also includes, within her story hints of foreshadowing and irony which keep the reader focused and interested. Wharton distinctly describes the environment with excessive imagery and diction in order to sufficiently create the mood and tone of the story for the reader. The author's writing style attracts the reader and successfully develops an unexpected ironic twist which makes this story unique. This excellent story portrays the life of an unfortunate man whose unhappiness, depression and weakness cause him to become a helpless prisoner, a lost soul, who will continue living in the lonely village of Starkfield forever.

*****I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about a forbidden love between two individuals who would do anything in the world to be together.***** I give this story, Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton two thumbs up and five stars.*****

Though there are several good letters contained in this book, most are average at best. Trimble does not do a very good job as editor. The introduction and conclusion are poor--they contain very little information on the authors of the letters, and what information is provided is not presented well. Would also like to have seen the editor do a better job placing the letters in the greater context of the war.

William and Thomas Jones were Irish brothers who, with their sister Maggie, immigrated to the United States. Maggie was a schoolteacher in West Farms, New Jersey. William and Thomas served in the 48th New York Volunteer Regiment and saw front-line combat during the American Civil War. Brothers 'til Death is a collection of their letters, memoirs, and diary entries that provide today's reader with first-hand information on what they say and did, from the home front to the front lines. Their letters also present an immigrant's perspective on the conflict. Also included are letters from friends of the Jones siblings, thereby adding additional voices and views to the Irish-accented conversation about the war. Of special interest to Civil War historians are detailed aspects of the coastal campaign of the Carolinas and Georgia, including the assaults on Forts Pulaski, Fisher, and Wagner. Brothers 'til Death is enthusiastically recommended reading for all Civil War buffs and an outstanding contribution to academic and public library Civil War collections.

I closed the final chapter longing for more and feeling as though my friendships had been severed without saying good-bye... What a fine collection of letters to impose such feelings... Not only do we have the opportunity to learn more about this complicated era through their personal accounts, but we get the added dimension of their emotions through the beautifully expressive writing. John Fogarty's soulful poem written during the summer of 1864 underscores the tremendous eloquence of these "ordinary" people... Having had the privilege of reading some of Ellis Spear's journal entries as he set off with the 20th Maine, I can affirm the dedication of this teacher to his students and the labor of love the coordination of this project was. We are fortunate to reap what Richard Trimble has sown...

I started to write a review of One Year Off, by David Elliot Cohen, and then realized I was really reviewing Family Travels instead (comparing the Cohen book to it). I bought this book solely on the strength of reviews, and I enjoyed a lot of it, but was a little disappointed. I was put off by the Reeves family's luxurious style of travel, and the ease (courtesy of their professional connections) with which they met ambassadors, prime ministers, etc. around the world. On the one hand you have to admire people who can stay at the Hilton (or the equivalent) in every major Asian city and still see some of the local culture -- on the other hand it would be much more interesting if they weren't staying at the Hilton. I'd rather read about the travels of a family on a significantly lower budget and more relaxed schedule -- hence my enjoyment of One Year Off. In sum, this book is worth reading, but the best parts are the least serious -- the tantrums thrown by 9-year-old Fiona, and the 20-something exploits of Conor and Colin.

I really liked the idea of the book. The dialog boxes scattered throughout the book were distracting. The text was also in the book so it was not helpful.

I must say that I liked the idea that each family member was responsible for writing a diary and sharing that with Richard. Good info on Asia.

I also enjoyed reading about the young girl and her experiences on the road.

I have always enjoyed Reeves travel writings since I used to eagerly await Travel & Leisure magazines just to read his column. This book did not disappoint me. Every time I read his works I just want to jump up and go to these places and experience the culture the way he does. I read this book just before my first trip to Europe to get me in the mood. This book also was enjoyable reading how each member of the family reacted to each other and the trip. I especially loved Colin's description of the overnight train ride as "way to make prisoners of war talk". All in all, it was a fun and informative read.

Perhaps we could indeed find this book "compelling" if we'd not been present at the author's trial and privy to the ludicrous and self-serving lies he used in an attempt to escape punishment for his heinous deeds! I would only be tempted to give credence to this new flight of imagination if Victor were to seek TRUE rehabilitation and redemption by finally admitting his guilt and helping to free his innocent partner who has been rotting in prison for Victor's misdeed for nearly 20 years!

This is an excellent account of life in prison. This is a must read for those interested in contemporary prison life. Very basic, but allows for a quick understanding of life on the inside.

Life without Parole is an inmate's account of life at Graterford prison in Pennsylvania. It is a view of prison as he knew it. I would never expect the guards nor the administration to publicly admit to the goings on at Graterford during the time the author was incarcerated. There are countless acounts of wrong doing by both inmates and guards alike. Mr. Hassine has presented his view of prison and I find it to be informative, interesting, and believable.

This is biography of Thomas More lacks scholarship, and contains a surprising number of passages in which Marius shows his lack of depth as an objective scholar with a broad range of learning in this field.

Do yourself a favor and read Peter Ackroyd's book.

Among the several recent More biographers, Marius is the best qualified, having served as an editor of the Yale Complete Works of Saint Thomas More. More was an exceedingly complex person whose personality is very, very difficult to capture. Of the three serious biographies of More written in the last 20 years (by Alistair Fox, Marius, and Peter Ackroyd) I found Marius's biography the most rewarding.



More remains a controversial figure: to Catholics he is a Saint, the patron saint of politicians and statemen. But then again, he was an enthusiastic prosecutor of heretics: more than 30 were burned under More's authority as Chancellor of England. The idea that the brilliant, virtuous More (now frozen in the form of Paul Scofield) could have done this is repellant to some. I believe this accounts for the bile heaped on Marius's book by some reviewers here. Frankly, criticisms of Marius's SCHOLARSHIP are just ridiculous; they say more about the commentor than the subject.

That said, Marius's bio is not perfect. It has ideas and makes excellent connections; but I found that reading all three of these bios gave me a better sense of Thomas More than any one. Yet as in Rashomon, just when one thinks one has the missing piece needed to know More, one gets the annoying sense that the pieces do not quite fit and one despairs of ever knowing him. He is that deep.



Still, if one will read only one More bio, I say read Marius's. (Unless, that is, you are looking for outright hagiography -- in which case, read Monti's book.)

Marius' biography of Thomas More is excellent. His scholarship is first-rate, his writing superb. The author is very knowledgeable, not only of the man, and his times, but of the often confusing theological issues of the era. I find Marius' ability to convey these theological issues, both accurately and simply, to be second to none. Over-all this work is a great read. It presents Thomas More to us in such a way as to see inside of the man as no other author will probably ever be able to. Marius is as unbiased as is posible in his presentation of More and his struggles, and he is as honest regarding those problems of faith and doubt regarding religious matters (which More, Luther, and all of us have) as anyone I have ever read.

Received this book as a CEU offering. It seemed 3/4 of the book was on products. In some ways this was helpful as a comparison reference, but in this day of managed care, I can't use all these products. Would have liked more information on wound healing

The sparse information in WOUND CARE about caring for wounds and preventing them is superb, but the manual is primarily a catalogue of products. The type of material provided in WOUND CARE can be found in the detail sheets packed with wound care products. I found the book a disappointment.

This book is an excellent nursing resource for wound care. The opening provides a quick review of wounds and the healing process. It then moves on to proper wound assessment techniques, staging, and measurement. A section is dedicated to describing product types used for the prevention of decubitis ulcers. What I found most helpful in the nursing field was the wound care product descriptions. The book gives a general overview of product types and catagories then procedes to list specific brand name products. Each product is pictured for easier identification. The sizes of each product are listed along with the action, indications, contra-indications, and application/removal methods. This is excellent for product comparison as well as referral. I would suggest this for any nurse interested in wound care. It would also be a great reference book for nursing units that treat various wounds.

The Red Badge of Courage is interepted as many as being an anti-war novel: it is not.What it does do is present the horrors and psychological aspects of war war without glory, but not without heroics and courage.Henry Fleming is in many ways an every-soldier: he joins the army out of patriotism and to prove his manhood; when the time comes to fight he doubts himself and runs away out of fear. It is at this point Henry comes to the crossroads of his young life: instead of completely deserting his unit he returns to his regiment and the battlefield out of a sense of duty and also out of shame and anger at himself. Once he returns he peforms heroically on the battlefield. I feel Crane's purpose in this books is not to make some overblown anti-war treatise like All Quiet on the Western Front, but to portray what he believed( and may soldiers who read the book agreed with him) to be the emotions and feelings of a soldier in war and also the true motivation behind courage and heroism. Crane shows through Henry, that heroism and courage in war is not something that comes naturally to man(or any animal, as shown by the squirrel scene in the forest) or can simply be conjured up out of blind obedience or extreme partiotism. Crane in fact argues the opposite: courage in war(or in and courage in reponse to violence) is something unatural, something that must be accomplished by overcoming our own natural fear and flight instincts.Henry is able to perform herocially because of anger, his sense of duty, his feeling of brotherhood toward his regiment and out of something deep inside himself that even Crane ( and nobody) could not totally understand . This is a great book about heroism, courage , brotherhood, duty and the psychological aspects of war. It is not a books that glorifies war ,nor it is it an anti-war treatise. It simply tells a story about war in a world where war exists.

When Stephen Crane wrote THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE it was hailed as a masterpiece of war fiction, more so especially when its readers found out that the only experience Crane had in war was the kind that most of his readers had: from books and articles. When readers discuss the book, they tend to focus on its two outstanding elements: Crane's use of symbol and imagery and the maturation of one soldier from cowardice to courage. Clearly Crane does use language superbly to create in the reader's eye an image of a callow youth, Henry Fleming, who starts off the novel in fear and finishes it in a blaze of glory. But such considerations, when used in isolation, tend to diminish Crane's more subtle attitude toward war and man's attitudes toward war. Crane tends to picture war in a generic sense. Many of his characters have no name. They are referred to by type: the 'youth,' the 'tattered' soldier, the 'dying' man. Battles have no geographical name. What the reader gets out of Crane's refusal to particularize the war is his belief that all soldiers in all wars react much the same as Henry Fleming to the rigors of battle. Further, Crane's use of color imagery, his investing nature with human qualities (called the pathetic fallacy), and his use of symbols (the flag, the wafer-like sun) all combine to suggest that war is so inherently chaotic that it resists any attempt on a literary level to concretize its horrors.
Crane's focus is squarely on Henry Fleming and his perception of both himself and his environment. We never know what the other soldiers think. We can infer their thoughts only through the evolving view of Fleming himself. And what he thinks is that he will turn yellow at the first opportunity. As he thinks this, he rationalizes that all other soldiers think as he does. Further, he sees nature itself in harmony with his thougts. If Fleming lacks courage, then so must the rest of the universe. Serious literary critics point to even more subtle and archetypal images of birth versus rebirth and retreat versus advance in order to bolster their respective claims concerning how Fleming's moral regeneration began. I have no problem with this focus on Fleming's conversion, but not many readers question the sincerity of this conversion. By the middle of the novel, Fleming has been humiliated, bashed on the head with a rifle butt, separated from his mates, and is generally battling with some serious issues of self-worth. And then he changes. For no apparent reason, he now is brimful with courage in battle and hatred of the enemy. Further, he feels a deep shame towards those boys in blue who now exhibit the same lack of courage that formerly characterized him. Yet, it does not follow that courage must spring forth from a mere recognizance of one's own failings. What Crane would seemingly have the reader believe is that Fleming turned his life around quickly and seemingly at will. Yet I quibble at this conversion. It is more likely that Crane wanted his readers to see that the innate chaotic nature of war is so alien to human understanding that the concepts that we call 'courage' and 'cowardice' are mere tags to describe on the most superficial of levels a multi-faceted series of strands of emotions that under stress blend into one another so that the excess of one is seen as the deficiency of the other. Fleming's new-found courage, then, in charging for the grey guns, is less the permanent sense of abiding bravery than the temporary sense of fear turned upside down, a result which mimics but does not actualize true heroism. As Fleming holds onto his red flag while wearing his red badge of courage, the redness of both flag and badge are reduced to empty posturing, that paradoxically enough entitle their bearer to accolades of heroic merit by those others who have not yet undergone a similar conversion. Therefore, it is this superficial conversion of and confusion with deep-seated fear and suspect heroism that marks Crane as one who sought to reveal the terrible chaos of war by suggesting that those whom we adore as heroes perform their acts with less obvious motivation.

While in junior high I failed to jump on The Red Badge of Courage bandwagon when everyone chose it as a book report book because of its length. I am sorry I missed out. The length certainly makes this book easy and accessible to people of all ages, but it is so much more. Not only is it very fast paced, unpredictable, and the best character study I've ever read, but it is timeless. It is about war, specifically the Civil War, but there are no politics or specifics about that war, it is about the emotions of a youth at war and the world through his eyes. There is no difference between what he is thinking as his regiment is charging and what a 20 year old in a modern war would feel. Though Crane had never seen a war before writing this book, he paints an incredibly powerful, honest, and realistic portrayal. It is a fantastic book and one that deserves a very careful, detailed reading, but can also be enjoyed and finished in a couple hours.

Matthews specializes in revisionist pseudohistory for the limousine liberal crowd. This book tries to portray Jefferson as a Democratic Radical and a quasi-socialist. The author is muddling his own socialist, left-wing philosophy with Jefferson, but misinterpreting quotes and out right fabrication. Matthews is down right distortive of both Jefferson and Madison...

I'd instead recommend Mr. Jefferson by Albert Jay Nock and The Constitutional Thought of Thomas Jefferson by David Meyer. The biographies by Dumas Malone are worth noting, but there is no better way to understand Jefferson than read his political writings. Get the Library of America volume with Jefferson's writings.

Over the years, I have noticed that many people make pronouncements about Jefferson without really reading him. When I was in college studying political science, Jefferson and Madison were pigeonholed together as Lockean liberals, for the most part. While his thought seems largely derived from Locke, he takes it in totally new directions.
One day, while doing research for a paper on the ideologies behind the Federalist-Antifederalist debates of the 1780s, I started reading the unabridged version of Jefferson's collected letters and papers. I was looking to get a better insight into how Jefferson viewed the Constitution, but for some reason, I started reading a letter to Madison in which Jefferson proposed his idea that no laws, constitutions, or public debt schemes should be valid more than 19 years after they were passed. Intrigued, I started reading more. The more of Jefferson I read, the more thunderstruck I was. I came to the conclusion that most of the historians I had read had completely misrepresented Jefferson. After I finished the paper I was working on, I took the next several months and read everything that survives of Jefferson's thought. And I came to the conclusion that while Jefferson and Madison were friends and political allies, Jefferson's views of democracy went far beyond anything that Madison (or any of the other leading American politicans of his time) ever dared to utter. In many respects, Jefferson was closer to the French revolutionaries who took power after the French Revolution of 1789 than he was to most of his fellow Founders.
That's why Richard Matthews' book is essential. Matthews explores at length several of the pillars behind Jefferson's thought, including his idea that the earth belongs to the living, from which he derives such ideas as automatic sunset of laws and constitutions and his idea that large estates should be broken up upon the death of the landholder and the land given to the poor. He also delves into Jefferson's concept of the "ward republic." Jefferson, unlike Madison, was confident that average citizens could manage their own civic affairs. To that end, he suggested that counties should be split up into small "wards", akin to the New England town meeting, and that these "ward republics" should directly govern all public matters within their boundaries. Jefferson believed that the man (and in Jefferson's time, it was only men) who learned to manage the affairs of such a "ward republic" would also be a better citizen of his State, and the federal union.
Now Jefferson was no head-in-the-clouds theorist. He was a successful practical politician, and, unlike many of the French Jacobins, knew that in the real world, one could only accomplish so much. So, unlike many other revolutionaries who have won political power, Jefferson was not interested in imposing his idea of the good society upon his countrymen at all costs. But he was quite serious about his ideas.
Matthews overstates his case in a few small areas. But, if one reads this book alongside one of the more conventional discussions of Jefferson's politics, one gets a more balanced view. And in most areas, Matthews seems to catch the nuances of Jefferson's thought better than have other scholars. The proof, of course, comes from reading Jefferson himself. If a library near you has the multi-volume edition of Jefferson's works, I recommend spending some time with him directly. It is no chore; Jefferson is a skillful prose stylist.
One other important area of note: Matthews does a fairly admirable job of assessing Jefferson's racism, and the moral dilemna of slavery. Like a lot of the men of his class and time, Jefferson owned slaves while asserting that slavery was evil. Unlike a lot of his contemporaries, he made no real effort to rectify the situation, and from all accounts, Jefferson was a hard slavedriver, and Jefferson's comments on the intellectual capacities of blacks are reprehensible. Jefferson was also something of a hypocrite when he addresses native Americans. On the one hand, Jefferson admired their societies; on the other hand, Jefferson was a supporter of policies that eventually resulted in the near genocide of native tribes. It is somewhat difficult to reconcile this Jefferson with the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, and who came up with so many novel ideas..more than any other 18th Century democratic theorist on this side of the Atlantic. That said, the flaws in Jefferson's character do not change the fact that his radically democratic ideas still have merit.

Richard Matthews "Radical Politics of Thomas Jefferson" is great interpretation on the radical nature of the philosophy of Thomas Jefferson. It is amazing to me how the first two reviewers show their how their own ideology ie: "lockean liberalism" is engrafted onto Jefferson. Matthews points out how Jefferson went farther than his fellow revolutionaries in creating a radical democratic philosophy. Jefferson was a true believer in not only a philosophy of liberty, but the best way to preserve that liberty through societal revolution, the "earth belongs to the living" concept, and his view of "ward republicanism".

Jefferson saw the American Revolution as a fulfillment not only of Locke,and Sidney, but also saw it as a new begining for liberated man. This new begining would constantly renew the faith of the American Revolution through periodic change in laws and constitutions. Jefferson wanted to preserve liberty by extending democratic republicanism to virtually all white males through his granting of 50 acres of land to every man in Virginia in the belief that property ownership would secure the liberty fought for in the Revolution. Jefferson's proposals to abolish primogeniture and entail are radical attepts to equalize property relations by as he put it " to put all on an equal footing". This was to increase propery ownership by allowing estates to be given to more than just the eldest son.

Next is Jefferson's "ward republics". This proposal Jefferson saw as his most important. The ward would be the basic unit on democratic government. Similar to New England Townships, these wards would allow for participation in the affairs of society right down to it closest level. Public schools, militia duty, opposition to tyranny from other branches of government could all be begun here. He also included the "care of the poor" and "care of the roads". This proposal I consider as one of his most profound of democratic ideals.

Matthews books is fantastic it illuminates these ideals in the freat Mr Jefferson. A great buy.