I've been using a bunch of interpreted programming languages, amongst them were awk, perl, scheme, python and I'll still use them for what they're at best, but then came Ruby (which IMHO combines the best of them all), and the book known as the pickaxe book. It's an introduction to the language, and a reference guide at the same time. It's not intended to absolute beginners, it just requires the reader to have some knowledge of classic programming languages, and some OO knowledge...

I'm very new to Ruby, but I find learning new programming languages fun and challenging. I like to dig in as quickly as possible, using what examples I can find to show me how the language works, and reading the documentation when I have to. After getting a feel for the language, I start reading the books. I don't start with books, usually, because they're often not geared for a programmer learning a second language.

But I found Programming Ruby to be an excellent starting point -- it provides the quick-start help I need by giving numerous and well thought-out examples both in the body of the text and in the reference section (see below).

The chapters are well arranged (and even include information on distributed Ruby on page 272, often where most texts just start talking about file I/O!), with the first 276 pages devoted to an introduction to the language. The last 250-or-so pages contain an excellent library reference, alphabetically arranged.

The devil is in the details, though. And here, AW put a lot of thought into the finer points. The type is clear; the typographic conventions are standard and, if you've used any other typical programmer's text, easy to follow. So far, this is what you'd expect from any good computer title. In addition, however, they have added an easy-to-use thumbtab system for the alphabetical arrangement of the reference section, so finding a particular entry is quick and easy. Each entry in the reference section is clearly laid out with a class hierarchy (including super- and subclasses), parameters, description, "Mixes in" and a list of all class methods (most (if not all) with examples and output. All well-designed not only for the experienced Ruby programmer but also for the novice.

The index is thorough, with helpful vertical lines between the columns, and the reference section entry is identified by bold page numbers.

All in all, I would highly recommend this book for new Ruby programmers. There are still a number of things I don't understand about Ruby, but this book is an excellent place to start. It sets the bar very high for future books on this new and exciting programming language.

Well I have been up all night long reading 'Programming Ruby' cover to cover. I've been thinking about getting into Ruby programming for a while now, but lack of documentation and lack of time has always stopped me. However, after reading this book I am thoroughly hooked on Ruby.

Not only does the book have an excellent tutorial which goes over major Ruby concepts and the majority of the language you will encounter on a daily basis, but it also has an indispensable language and standard library reference, as well as an overview of the C API and details on the inner workings of the Ruby interpreter.

This book is definitely worth picking up if you want to start dabbling in Ruby, and is almost a requirement to have on your desk during heavy hacking sessions.

This books, short and to the point of what to do and what not to do with SmallTalk. Simple, and concise, the book covers issues of style that actually can and do apply to anyone who is interested in creating and leaving quality code in place for others to learn from and prosper. Almost a book about Code Karma.

This is a great book, it really is. The only potential for disappointment is if you think this book will teach you smalltalk -- it will not. This book is about good programming convensions in smalltalk -- it's about style and consistency and clarity. All this may sound too trivial to merit a book, but consider the following:

You will not find many people that program in smalltalk and you will not be able to see a lot of code. This means that your coding style will take longer to develop *naturally*, on your own. This is where Smalltalk With Style comes in: It's a small book and makes simple and easy reading. When you're done with it, you'll put it aside and most likely never refer to it again. But it will change the way you write code in smalltalk, and your code will begin to look the way smalltalk code should. The advantage of this book is that it packs invaluable programming experience in a wonderful, but not-so-popular programming language into a very small book. Get it, read it, get over with it, and go on to write code like a natural smalltalker.

This is one of two or three "must have" books that every person interested in or practicing Smalltalk needs to read and keep on a shelf near by. This book will teach you everything you need to know about writing clear and concise Smalltalk code. The author, Ed Klimas, is one of the most well known Smalltalk guru's around.

Thomas Keneally's The Great Shame (and the Triumph of the Irish in the English Speaking World) is more specific in topic than the title implies. It is the essentially the story of two groups of transported (to Australia) political prisoners in the nineteenth centures, the Young Irelanders in 1848 and the Fenians in 1865. This long book is vividly written to bring to life the careers of these men whose exploits touched the nations of Ireland, England and America, as well as the budding nation states of Canada and Australia. The only flaw of the book is that it could have done with some shortening of sections, such as the Civil War exploits of Thomas Francis Meagher and the escape of the Fenain soldiers from Australia. At any rate, the author takes the reader on an expansive adventurous journey through a people's struggle and their tragic century of protest. It is fascinating to watch each of the men (and one notable woman, Eva of the Nation) adapt to whichever country they adopt and fight and, sometimes, die for their new nation, Irish rebellion transformed into a universal form of idealism and heroism. A truly monumental work.

I am Irish Australian and like Thomas Keneally and his children, my ancestors were forced to leave Ireland and start a new life in Australia.

As I have become older, and living now in the UK, I have become increasingly interested in what led my ancestors to come to Australia. I think Keneally has been struck by this thought as well - how did we become who we are? When you are descended from convicts, you find yourself wondering how life might have been different if they had not been deported - equally, you realise how lucky you are that as a consequence, you happen to have been born in one of the best places in the world. The British did not realise what a blessing they were bestowing upon us!

This book is not just a book about the Irish experience in Australia - it is more profoundly a history of Ireland itself. The Irish story, however, is much more than the potato famine or the rise of Sinn Fein or the Battle of the Boyne - it is also the lives led by its citizens, both in Ireland and abroad. To be Irish was a very special thing indeed, even though in most cases, this meant in fact that you were treated with suspicion and disdain.

The story of men and women such as Hugh Larkin deported to Australia for standing up for the families and land, is sadly common, even banal. But such people they were! I admire them so much for their fortitude and courage and this book is a tribute to them.

It is hard to imagine what it must have been like to have been forcefully removed from your families in those days of no telephones, faxes, planes - life truly meant life and those men and women left Ireland with little hope that they would ever be able to return. I have a small story to tell that helps put it all in context. My grandmother (sadly deceased) told us how when she was a child growing up in the Queensland bush in 1900, her aged father (not the convict! ) would ask her to sing, late in the evening at the barndances held at their farm, all the Irish songs to him and his cronies in the district who were all homesick for Ireland. The song the old men loved most, apparently, was "I'll take you home again Kathleen". The yearning for home was so deep for all of them.

Kenneally is a great Australian and I never enjoy his work more than when his sharp eyes and lyrical words are focused upon our country and the people who have made it what it is today. One of these days, Keneally will win the Nobel Prize, I am sure of it. He is a genial man and the love of his subject-matter shines through this extraordinary work.

I thoroughly recommend this book.

Thomas Keneally looks into his own family history, and ends up setting forth the fascinating story of Young Ireland, one of the most neglected periods of Irish history. With his great eye for detail and beautiful imagery, Keneally relates the story of such Irish legends as William Smith O'Brien, Thomas Meagher and John Mitchel. "The Great Shame" brings the lives of these and the other Irish legends of the time to vivid life, following them from their roots in Ireland, to their exile in Van Diemen's Land, and culminating in their glorious rebirth in Civil War America. Read this book!

Humanoids? Extraterrestrials? If you are interested in science fiction, this book is great. But if you are interested in the fulfillment of Judeo-Christian prophecy, you would be well-advised to look in the "Our Customers' Advice" section above, and read the book the is recommended there. It is truly great and reveals the meaning of real prophecy.

On the back cover of the Omegy Conspiracy, Isaac Newton is quoted predicting that biblical literalists would now be claiming they know the true meaning of prophecy. He was right about that. But as for the "end times" nonsense, Newton was just as wrong about that as the literalists are. And Thomas and Hutchings, while no doubt well-meaning, also guessed wrong, even though their take is quite different.

The truth is that when enough people get the message from the Spirit of Truth (which Jesus said would come to guide us unto all truth and show us things to come), our world will begin to be transformed. Bad leadership will fall from power. Myths will be shattered. False beliefs will be dispelled. Conflicts will be resolved. Divisions will be mended. The people will be empowered by the truth, and realizing that we are all equal joint heirs to God's new "kingdom" to come, we will begin to create a "new world" here on earth. That's what real prophecy foretells, and I pray that more people will get the message so we can start progressing toward a positive future, rather than being afraid of it.

I must tell you that I read this book almost ten years ago. I loved it then as I do now and find that it is even more relevant as the years pass. After reading the book, I called Reverend Thomas and chatted with him. I wanted to get him booked on Maury, Oprah or Montel and no one was interested. It goes to show that no one really wants to hear the truth. The book is fascinating, thoroughly.

I.E.D. Thomas does a great job of tying together the Evidence for UFOs and Extra terrestrials with the Biblical evidence; And proposes a very interesting theory that the ancient Nephilim of Genises chapter 6 are our Modern ET'S. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in UFO's.

After 26 years of teaching in the New York public schools, John Taylor Gatto has seen a lot. His book,Dumbing Us Down, is a treatise against what he believes to be the destructive nature of schooling. The book opens with a chapter called "The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher," in which he outlines sevenharmful lessons he must convey as a public schoolteacher: 1.) confusion 2.) class position 3.) indifference 4.) emotional dependency 5.) intellectual dependency 6.) provisional self-esteem 7.) constant surveillance and the denial of privacy.

How ironic it is that Gatto's first two chapters contain the text of his acceptance speeches for NewYork State and City Teacher of the Year Awards. How ironic indeed, that he uses his own award presentation as a forum to attack the very same educational system that is honoring him! Gatto describes schooling, as opposed to learning, as a "twelve-year jail sentence where bad habits are the onlycurriculum truly learned. I teach school and win awards doing it," taunts the author.

While trapped in this debilitative system along with his students, Gatto, observed in them anoverwhelming dependence. He believes that school teaches this dependence by purposely inhibitingindependent thinking, and reinforcing indifference to adult thinking. He describes his students as"having almost no curiosity, a poor sense of the future, are a historical, cruel, uneasy with intimacy, and materialistic."

Gatto suggests that the remedy to this crisis in education is less time spent in school, and more timespent with family and "in meaningful pursuits in their communities." He advocates apprenticeships andhome schooling as a way for children to learn. He even goes so far as to argue for the removal of certification requirements for teachers, and letting "anybody who wants to, teach."

Gatto's style of writing is simple and easy to follow. He interlaces personal stories throughout the book to bring clarity and harmony to his views, while also drawing on logic and history to support his ideas about freedom in education and a return to building community. He clearly distinguishes communities from networks: "Communities ... are complex relationships of commonality and obligation," whereas, "Networksdon't require the whole person, but only a narrow piece."

While Gatto harshly criticizes schooling, we must realize that his opinions do come as a result of 26 yearsof experience and frustration with the public school system. Unfortunately, whether or not one agrees with his solutions, he has not outlined the logistics of how these improvements would be implemented. His ideas are based on idealism, and the reality of numbers and economics would present many obstacles. Nevertheless, it gives us a clear vision and a direction to follow for teachers and parents who believe in the family as the most important agent for childrearing and growth.

John Taylor Gatto was an award-winning public school teacher when he wrote much of the text for this book. He reveals the curriculum of public schools nationwide under the headings: Confusion, Class Position, Indifference, Emotional Dependency, Intellectual Dependency, Provisional Self-Esteem, and One Can't Hide. He asserts that the true goal of childhood learning should be to discover some meaning in life...a passion or an enthusiasm that will drive subsequent learning pursuits. Instead, schools cram irrelevant facts into young minds, substituting book-knowledge for self-knowledge. This book explains a lot for anyone who got good grades, went to college, and then didn't have any idea what to do with his life. It's also a wake-up call to parents with school-age children. Do we really want our children to grow up to be good factory workers and do as they're told? Do we really want them to buy into the "Good grades=good jobs" myth? Do we want them to believe that the goal in life is to acquire more and more stuff to fuel consumerism? Or should we give them more reflective, unstructured time in childhood to find out who they are, what they like, and how they can contribute to their communities? Dumbing Us Down is a quick, worthwhile read.

Mr. Gatto's authoritative rant will serve to further destabilize the already shaky public education system -- no loss, as it should be obvious to any but the most simple-minded. As one of two dedicated parents of an almost-four-year-old, we had been disgusted with the "choices" the state deigns to present to us in education: bad and worse. These are, of course, not choices at all. Mr. Gatto explains briefly how far education and learning have fallen in the US, and how the "education" system serves only to propagate and serve itself, not the children who are its nominal clients.
If you doubt that the US state school system is de facto totalitarian, just try to homeschool without jumping through hoops, pleading for exemptions, and submitting to standardized testing. See how long you go until you get "the knock".
Any current or soon-to-be school-age parent must read this book to assist them in their decision to send their kid to or keep their kid in the 12-year prison of progressive factory schooling. Those who are the product of the system, as I am, will read, grieve, get angry and get primed to take action. It is a disillusioning book, in the sense of having the wool pulled off one's eyes at last.

I really love this book. The author knows what immunology is and expresses her knowledge nicely. It also help me a lot in my class and my comprehensive examination. I really recommend anyone who wants to know basic immunology read this book. You will not regret.

Kuby's book was the main text for an introductory immunology class I took over the summer and again for another course I'm taking this semester. I have found it to be a clear, thourough, and highly informative resource and I highly reccomend it to anyone looking for an introduction or background in this field

My undergraduate immunology professor chose this text for our class and I found it to be very useful. To this day it is one of my favorite texts. I encourage any undergraduate that has an interest in immunology to obtain this text and study it. You will not be sorry.

The Pragmatic Programmer is a mixed bag. It attempts to cover a large number of broad topics, ranging from object-oriented design to algorithm speed to testing strategies. As a result, each topic gets a fairly superficial treatment, only skimming the surface before moving onto something else.

My other reservation about the book is that the authors are "Unix geeks", and view the world accordingly. They touch on Windows mostly to urge readers to put a Unix shell on top of it; other platforms like Mac OS are mentioned not at all. Personally, I am tired of "real programmers use the command line", or "Emacs is God" posturing (despite the authors' earnest but flawed attempts to justify these), and felt it detracted from an otherwise useful book. Worse, the authors fail to discuss any tools related to building complex interactive applications, a significant omission from the stated goals and scope of the book.

Those complaints aside, the book does contain useful information and ideas, especially for new programmers who often don't have a strong grasp on the bigger picture of software development. The authors offer good insights on topics like design by contract, documentation, and refactoring, which new programmers often fail to appreciate.

First, I should tell you that I did review this book... I got to read it and write a document about my opinion of the book, and it is excellent. There are many books on the market that push one technology or philosophy... this book has a collection of honed practices. It contains sections on your programming tools, code design, project management (among other topics). In short, it is a book that talks about how to become better at what you do for a living. This advice is coupled with excellent examples and stories that make for interesting and memorable reading.

I can't emphasize this point enough. This book isn't a collection of stories that support the author's methodology or design technique. It isn't a book designed to sell his software tools. It is a book that will teach you to work more effectively. It talks about practical tips for prototyping projects (different ways to prototype, which is appropriate when, how to justify the time and expense to your manager), how to deal with and communicate effectively with customers, co-workers and managers.... if it sounds like The Pragmatic Programmer covers a lot of topics, that's because it does.

If you work with software or manage people who do, you owe it to yourself to read this book! I've been writing code (and reading these types of books) for nearly 10 years, and this is the best one I've ever read.

This is, simply, a wonderful book. It is a book that celebrates the real depth of great programming -- something that is too often forgotten or ignored. This is not an idiot's guide to anything -- it is a remarkably entertaining set of dozens of tips to becoming better at what you do, especially if that happens to be programming.

The tips are deceptively simple at times, but only a truly naive or inexperienced reader would miss the rich depth that their combination presents. In fact, that is the real beauty of this book -- it does not present some short-lived miracle-cure approach -- instead, it weaves together small bits of wisdom and practical advice into a powerful work-style.

They have some controversial views -- these authors are witty and opinionated -- but agreeing or disagreeing with each individual idea is not the point -- "seeing the forest" is.

There are numerous specific code examples, but the book is a fun and easy read -- strangely, I also think it would be a wonderful book for someone who is NOT a programmer, but who works with them, perhaps a business manager having a major system built. Even skipping all the really technical parts, it would be a wonderful set of benchmarks to assess how good your programmers really are -- much more powerful than "he has 3 years of C++, 2 years of Linux"...

I am hoping this writing team will follow this book with some specific guides as well, but this one is destined to be a classic. These guys really know what they are talking about, and, as a wonderful bonus, they are terrific writers, as well!

The book has gotten great reviews on slashdot, as well as a couple of programming magazines, including Dr Dobbs and Software Development -- they were well deserved. Buy IT!

It's hard sometimes to live a simple life surrounded by "affluenza" and its effects. So for me, the book "Affluenza" has been really helpful in reminding me what's important in my life - it's not the "stuff." It's my life that I value. It's not all that's advertised to make me hungry for what I don't want. It's remembering what I do want in my life, and prioritizing that above those tantalizing baubles that are offered over and over again to deplete my bank account - to put me in debt - to put me in slavery to my possessions.

So, thank the authors for writing this important book that reminds me again and again who I am and why I have chosen to step back from all the glitter and acquisition. It reminds me why I work a 30 hour week, instead of a 40 hour week, and why I even hope to pare that down to a 25 hour week - so that the rest of my time can be spent on my life!

I like it that "Affluenza" isn't preachy or grim. It's light and humorous. It's fast-paced, like a television program - only without commercials. It's stock full of information about how we got to this place where money and things outweigh time with our families and time volunteering to make our communities stronger. And it gives examples and ideas about how to move forward into a place where each of us can get out of debt, and shift our priorities to what we truly value in this life that we only get to live one time.

David Horsey's cartoons are right on the money. They're witty and apt. The writing is visual and well-paced. Can you tell - I like this book! And it couldn't have come at a better time. A lot of us need to see its message. As for me, it's one of those books that I'll keep around to refer to when I feel particularly plagued by the lure of keeping up with any Joneses.

I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit, but I was saddened to see just how materialistic American society has become. The average American household carries over $7000 in credit card debt. My question is "What the HECK are they buying and WHY do they need itso badly that they would go into debt for it?" I was brought up to only buy things you need and can afford - what was everyone else teaching their children? Money doesn't buy happiness, but the average person doesn't seem to know that. Or, if they do, they don't know quite how to stop the rampant consumerism from ruling their lives. I didn't realize exactly how much of a burden our consumer society is on the planet until I read this book. The authors did a fabulous job of exposing the facts about our economic conditions while making the book entertaining at the same time. There's even a quiz to help you see how badly you are infected with the Affluenza bug. A great read, especially if you borrow it from the library!

Sure, I've heard about the disappearing rainforests and the many species of animals and plants becoming endangered or extinct, but that doesn't really have anything to do with me, I live in America, the most affluent country in the history of the world. Yes, there are some problems with industrial pollution and other environmental issues but not in my community and besides that's the concern of all those 'environmentalists.' I can go to the mall to buy anything I want as long as I have a credit card, and life is good.

Not so fast! It's time to stop and think about what is really happening to us. How many Americans are working in jobs that don't energize them? How many spend hours every week shopping and commuting, but only minutes with their kids or their friends? How many feel 'used up' by a glitzy, gaudy American Dream? The book Affluenza is common ground for many victims who toss and turn, trying to wake up from a value system in which people are too often treated like machines, and machines are too often treated like people. If a million Americans read this book, we may have a shot at moving beyond the short-term illusion many call 'success.' The book offers welcome news that the Joneses have surrendered! Standing on their front porch, they plead, 'Please don't try to keep up with us anymore!' What a concept - that we might be able to cooperate with and support the Joneses, rather than compete with them...

Do we have a good thing going, or a good thing going bad? The fact is, beating affluenza is not about 'giving up' the good life, but getting it back. The strength of this book is that it successfully presents critical information on the anthropology and psychology of America without stripping the reader of hope. Yes, affluenza undermines our personal health, our family life, our communities, and our environment, but the authors offer us a way out. Affluenza has a three-step strategy: to present the symptoms of a disease that often feels deceptively pleasant, like an addiction; to trace the epidemic back to its historical sources; and then to offer dozens of concrete ways to Beat the Bug. The strategy works! The humor, the great satirical cartoons, and the well-researched presentation helped open my mind up and evaluate what's important for me individually, and also what needs to be done throughout our society. This is a great book for book clubs, church discussion groups, high school and college classrooms. Get it, read it, and tell your friends about it!

The five points of Calvinism came about as a response to the Arminian 'Remonstrance.' The Arminian Remonstrance demanded a radical change in the 'Reformed' theology of the Christian church in Holland. The Arminians challenged the sovereign grace doctrines affirmed in the Belgeic Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg Cathecism and disavowed the Reformed doctrine of predestination among other things. Arminianism essentially affirms that man initiates salvation in accord with his free will, which I believe is in sharp contrast to the message of Scriptures. This tract compares and contrasts the tenets of 'Calvinism' versus those of 'Arminianism' and then proceeds to document Scriptural evidences for Calvinism. It features a helpful bibliography of resources affirming Reformed theology. Many opponents of Reformed theology disparage 'Calvinism' as if its adherents are duped into some innovative 'new' doctrine contrived by John Calvin- but Calvin only affirmed the spiritual truths espoused by Augustine, the Apostle Paul and Christ himself. Calvin no more invented the doctrines of grace than he invented God's creation.

The five points of Calvinism represent the doctrines of total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistable grace and the perserverence of the saints. These doctrines form an easy-to-remember acrostic: T.U.L.I.P. A previous reviewer affirmed that he is a "2-point Calvinist" while I contend there is LOGICALLY no such thing, since he does not likely affirm a doctrine of total depravity remotely similiar to that of the Reformed doctrine of man's innate depravity. For if he did, he would recognize that there is corollary to the total depravity of man, which is man's total inability to save himself and the need for redemption by God's grace alone. As it is written, it is God who justifies and we who were made alive by the Holy Spirit were formerly dead to our sins and trespasses.

If you're new to Reformed Theology or interested in better understanding it, you might check out my Amazon guide to Reformed Protestant theology as well as What is So Amazing About Grace by Phillip Yancey. Sola Fide!

As a two-point Calvinist (Total Depravity and Preservation of the Saints) I found this book to be an excellent source for pin pointing predestination theology. The authors give a fair assesment of what Arminians believe. They also define each of the five points of Calvinism two ways positively (explaining what Calvinists believe about the doctrine) and negatively (explaining how it is not Arminianism) and conclude each section with an extensive biblical citations.

What the book does not do, however, is reconcile those passages in Scripture that causes problems for Calvinism such as Titus 2:11 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to every man." or Heb. 2:9 "that he [Christ] should taste death for every man."

The predestination debate between various groups in Christendom centers on whether or not human beings act independetly of their own free will or whether if conscious will does not exist and everything that happens is determined beforehand by a higher power. "Calvinism" is the nickname given to the hardcore, anti-free will perspective within Christianity. However, this title is misleading, as since this theological conflict goes back to the earlist days in Christian history. Augustine taught the doctrines of Calvinism in contrast to Pelagius who upheld the goodness of human nature in the fourth century AD. Most of the Protestant reformers where Calvinists, but a voice of dissent was raised by James Arminius and his followers in Holland. They formulated a five point set of teachings that limited the power of God to the whims of concious human will, in contrast to the teachings of the Bible, as revealed in this book. Thus Calvinism's five points were not randomly drawn up, but were written to consolidate the Biblical teaching against Arminius. The five points are spelled out in the acronym TULIP (Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistable grace and Perseverance of the saints). Basically, God saves man, not man himself. It spells out the total depravity of mankind and his bondage to the lusts of the flesh and to the devil, and cannot of any means raise himself out of his fallen position without Divine aid. God chose those to be saved because He is God, and it is not the role of humans (us) to question the will of God. When God allowed Satan to destroy all of Job's possessions and kill Job's family, Job said to his wife, "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Furthermore, Christ did NOT die on the cross to save all men, only those who were predestined by the Father to have faith in Him. The angels commanded Joseph and Mary to name him Jesus, because he would save HIS PEOPLE from their sins. This salvation does not apply to all, for instance Christ called his enemies not of his flock and of their father the devil. God's Will is final, and nothing exists outside of it.

The authors quote a clergyman, Charles Spurgeon: "I love to proclaim these strong old doctrines that are called by the nickname Calvinism, but which are surely and verily the revealed truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus. By this truth I make a pilgrimage into [the] past, and as I go, I see father after father, confessor after confessor, martyr after martyr, standing up to shake hands with me...I see the land of the ancients peopled with my brethren...and acknowledge that this is the religion of God's own church."

Currently, "Calvinism" is not very popular in Christian teaching, but that does not detract from its basis in Biblical texts. Most of the material in this short book are in fact passages from the Bible that support human depravity, the saving work of Christ and God's election of the ones who will be saved through Christ. The concept is like that of election day: the president is chosen, but does not actually occupy the office of the presidency until he is sworn into office. I personally do not believe in free will. If we had free will, we could reason and and conquer what is bad in the world, but that is obviously not the case. Just by observing the world, I can tell that sex and death are in complete control, but everything will work out in the end to God's Will, in which the chosen will be glorified and the unredeemed will be condemned.

I was dissappointed with the book. There's no in depth discussion on any event. It just reads on and states facts like those in High School text books. Didn't capture me at all.

A huge book that traces the history of America from pre-Columbus through present day. Although considered by many to be a "text book" for study, it is not written in that format. It reads easily and clearly. It is non-biased and informative. The pictures are helpful. It's the first book on American history that I have been able to finish. Although expensive, I think that every book collection should have a copy and it is an essential part of any history collection.

My AP US History class used this book as its textbook. Statistics speak for themselves: anyone who read and studied the book got a 5! It is one of the most comprehensive texts in American history ever published. George Tindall, the primary author, is a wonderful and knowledgable man who I have met in Chapel Hill,NC. An excellent buy!