What makes this book particularly appealing is that this was released after the authors death. It was the admiration and dedication of Mayr-Harting is resonsible for the book's release, and the reader is thankful for it. After a moving Introduction about Urrey and his love of Canterbury by Mayr-Harding, the book starts and does not let go.

This book is perfect for armchair historians who know about the martyrdom and wants to know "what really happened". It is highly detailed, but not to the point of boredom. And it is blessedly edited for a reader, not a scholar. While the author seems to have definite opinions about certain figures, he is decidedly neutral about Becket, stating events as they occur. But, after reading this book, one comes away with a much shrewder version of the Saint. It's pretty clear that Thomas knew he was going to die and he was not going away quietly. Even though you know what is going to happen, it actually builds tension. Urrey spares nothing as he graphically (and I do mean graphic!)describes the murder. Which brings me to my only complaint. The author gives and enjoyable and fascinating background to the four murderers, but does not give any information on them after the murder. Not even a "no more records are given after this."

That aside, I highly recommend this book. It's a shame that the author is no longer with us. I would love to have heard what else he would have liked to say.

Wyatt and Surrey are the twin towers of the early English sonneteers. This book is an indispensable resource as it brings their works together. Those who would study Spenser and Shakespeare's sonnets will benefit from the reading of these wonderful authors. I particularly recommend "They flee from me" by Wyatt. There be giants here... and Shakespeare stands upon their shoulders.

Thomas Huxley deserves better than this meandering, plodding tome. What should have been a facinating biography is lost in the obtuse style the author uses. On the plus side--there are some very good passages and pockets of wonderful information, and the bibliography is amazingly complete. On the minus side--the shining bits are so deeply hidden in the depths of the authors quagmire style you may need a machete to find them. I also agree with some earlier posts that a thematic approach would be preferrable to a strictly chronological narrative.

Rarely have I encountered such an awkward and opaque writing style. Desmond uses the sampling techniques of hip-hop, producing sentences by stringing together various quotes and quote fragments. The result manifests neither rhythm nor flow as the reader must laboriously decode even the shortest sentences. The overall result is that the book which although it has fair to good factual and analytical content has a fragmentary feel about it and is in general a chore to read.

This is one of the best bios of Huxley ever written (cf. also the more theoretical work of Shellie Lyons) and seems a natural companion to Moore & Desmond's work, Darwin: The Tormented Evolutionist.
The new style of Darwin studies takes the legacy of such as John Greene and others and zeroes in on the social context of the emergence of the theory as ideologically charged.
In Huxley's case one sees the generational change breaking the Anglican monopoly of the Paley-ites, but in the process creating a new establishment in the conservative revolution of Darwin's theory.
What is remarkable is that Darwin's bulldog had an initial clarity that drove him to defend Darwin on evolution, but demur on natural selection. How ironic. Le plus ca change!
It is hard to impossible to take theories of evolution in complete seriousness as pure science when we see the almost outrageous social darwinist cast to the whole operation. Huxley, to his credit, saw things differently toward the end in his final classic Evolution and Ethics. Would that the generations springing from his first great defense of the theory could come to his final regrets. Nice work.

I came across this book last summer when I was in Stratford, Ontario, attending their annual Shakespeare festival. I had just seen Henry V so this title caught my eye. A glance through the table of contents made me think this book might be a real eye-opener. Unfortunately, I ended up being a bit disappointed.

Sutherland and Watts take turns addressing what they call different "puzzles" in various Shakespearean plays. The problem is, except for the rare exception, most of these questions can be answered in various ways depending on how the play is performed. For example, is Malvolio vengeful or reconciled at the end of Twelfth Night? Or, does Bottom actually sleep with Titania in Midsummer Nights Dream? In both cases the ultimate answer is, it depends on how you play it. There is no one answer fixed in the text.

Even questions that seem like they should have a specific answer like, who killed Woodstock in Richard II?, are given waffling answers. There's simply no way to know. Again, the ultimate answer will lie in how the play is performed. Different companies will lead their audience to different answers depending on what they decide to focus.

Ultimately, this book has value in the sense that it points out what some of the issues are with various plays. On the other hand, the writing here is not very dynamic. The authors rarely take a position and, when they do, they approach it so weakly that they do not inspire a response in the reader. Perhaps the authors felt that they didn't want to provoke any controversy with their readers but, if they had, it might have made for a more readable book.

Shakespeare wrote plays that were to be seen only as performances before live audiences, running around two and a half hours, on a rather small stage. And he probably wrote pretty fast. Are the numerous inconsistencies (or apparent inconsistencies) one finds in the plays genuine errors of oversight, deliberate toying with the audience, unavoidable given the physical limitations of actors and stage, or part of some grand artistic design? For any given play, the answer can be any or all of the above.

The authors discuss about 30 such "glitches," and seem to derive most of their fun from summarizing how various Shakespearian commentators (few distinguished for intellect) have dealt with the glitches over the past 350 years. Sometimes, the authors appear to me to be deliberately obtuse about an issue, perhaps because they had some trouble finding as many as 30 genuinely puzzling glitches to comment upon.

One comment I have about the whole matter, which the authors do not make: Shakespeare's intellectual and artistic depths seem virtually boundless, and every seeming inconsistency might well have a reason for being other than carelessness or a schedule that didn't allow complete revision. The authors are aware of this, even when they don't state it explicitly.

Among the questions discussed: Why does Shakespeare's Henry V during the battle of Agincourt twice order all French prisoners to be slaughtered in cold blood, yet have "full fifteen hundred" prisoners "of good sort" left after the battle, not to mention a like number of "common men"?

Why does Juliet say, "Oh, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore (why) art thou Romeo," when the problem is that he is a Montague? Why do so many of the plays end with nothing resolved, everything hanging in suspension? [Notorious examples are Troilus and Cressida, and Love's Labour's Lost. The answer here is probably, oh say can you see, a sequel being demanded by audiences.] How is Desdemona able to deliver several lines of dialogue after being strangled or smothered by Othello? How can King Lear be more than 80 and Juliet only 13? And so on.

Some of the answers were fairly obvious to me, although apparently not so to the authors. Juliet falls in love with Romeo when they are both in disguise, and it is the revelation that he is who he is that is upsetting. He could be referred to as Romeo, Romeo Montague, or Montague, and the sense would be the same. The action of Richard II would cover 30 years or so in real time, yet the performers would have looked the same and worn the same costumes throughout the play, so Shakespeare has the characters proclaim themselves as "lusty, young" in the early scenes, and having "worn so many winters out" in the last scenes. Further tipoff to this necessary compression is that where ever the dialogue would naturally refer to "years," it instead refers to "minutes" and "hours." As the authors put it, Shakespeare has invented "Warp Time."

The book is a great pleasure to read, and will greatly deepen your knowledge of Shakespearean drama, and your viewing of any Shakespearean film. Highly recommended.

I have read a great deal about the Civil War, and am drawn to both fictional and non-fictional accounts of this time in our history. This was the principal attraction of Thomas Mallon's 1994 novel Henry and Clara. Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris were the son and daughter respectively of Pauline Rathbone and Ira Harris, prominent Albany residents who found themselves unmarried, with children, following their spouse's deaths. Pauline and Ira married; Henry and Clara were raised in the common household as brother and sister; Henry and Clara fell in love and married; and tragedy ultimately ensued when Henry, over time, went mad. Henry and Clara Rathbone are an interesting footnote to history, in that they were guests in the Lincoln box at Ford's Theatre on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, and Henry was himself wounded at the same time Lincoln was fatally shot. A central question in Mallon's novel is what caused Henry's madness. Was it the seeming "unnatural" marriage; was it Henry's horrifying experience as an officer in the Civil War; was it Henry's presence in the Ford Theatre box; was it simply fate or heredity? Mallon does not -- indeed cannot -- answer this question. While this book was well received critically, I found my interest wandering through the first half of this novel. Mallon redeemed himself mostly through the harrowing accounts of a marriage slipping into madness following the assassination. (I much preferred Mallon's magical novel, Dewey Defeats Truman, a very different book based on another "historical" theme).

Mallon has woven an engrossing tale around figures and events from ninteenth century America. Like the best historical fiction, "Henry and Clara" operates on three levels: the personal, the interpersonal, and the historical. Thus, the reader is at once given insight into the emotional lives of the characters, the social rituals of the time, and insight into the historical events shaping the era.

Historical fiction may be the most difficult genre to write. While plotting and character are required for any good novel, historical novels also demand the right tone. This, to me, is where Henry and Clara breaks down. At times, characters become mouthpieces for speeches that seem political anachronisms. Other times characters speak in naive, sentimentalisms that read like a Hollywood vision of the era. In these cases, the reader is jarred by a tone that doesn't quite fit. In general, the author puts his own machinations too much in the foreground, wrecking the suspension of disbelief that historical fiction requires.

This is a great read for anyone interested in good literature, or history, especially for those who are civil war buffs. It is a wonderful period novel, giving the reader a good sense of the culture and society of the era. The characters are well developed and absorbing, paritcularly the intracicies and psychological complexities of Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris (guests of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln at Ford's Theater on that fateful night.) I found the subject highly intriguing and fascinating, the examination of the impact of Lincoln's assination on Henry and Clara as individuals and as a couple. There are many historical facts in this novel, and it is fun to sort out fact from fantasy. The novel is a complete offering, providing a great narrative, depth, social and psychological study, and suspense as well. I found it very difficult to put this book down.

I picked this book up yesterday at noon and literally could not put it down until I finished it last night. What a fantastic author! So well written. My favorite true crime author up until this book was Ann Rule. Now I have two favorites. The writing makes you watch a "mind movie" of all that is happening. This was such good writing and such a compelling story that I will be first in line to buy more books by this author. I cannot say enough good things about the talent this author has for making you see things that are happening. The story comes alive and it is almost as if you are there. The characters are so well developed and the story is just incredible. The only thing I would have liked more about this book is to have learned more about the victim. My heart goes out to his family. This story should be discussed with all teenagers as a good lesson in how the law works and how much you risk by doing incredibly stupid things. An awesome read!

I felt this book was well written and I finished it in less than 48 hours. I have been reading true crime for 19 years now, and trust me, I have read my share of flops, those of which I wont mention here. This story kept my interests, and as usual I wanted to learn more about what went so wrong in these boys lives for them to commit such a horrendous act. I couldn't put it down... really.

I guess if you are from Indiana, or have personal knowledge or connections with the people involved or about the crime itself, you might be disappointed in not learning any new facts. It is for that reason I don't choose to read books about things I already know, such as the O.J story, what more do I need to know? I have all the details and facts I need, reading a book on the subject would not enlighten me any further, and would most likely bore me. So I can understand why the people (From Huntington) who gave a bad review, were disappointed. They had the facts, what more did they need to know? If they want further details maybe they should pay a visit to Jarrod Wall. I do think their criticism was a little harsh, but they are entitled to their opinion.

For those who don't know this story however, it is a fast paced, easy read, and I would personally recommend it and rank it with some of the better true crime writers out there today. It's on my re-read list for sure. If you're a true crime reader, who doesn't know this story, buy it, you wont be disappointed.

The only complaint I would have, is that I would have liked to know more about Jarrod's family and what kind of support they showed him during his incarceration.

I don't know what some of the other reviewers were expecting when they picked up Thomas Henry Jones' book, poetry, Shakespeare? Though it is the author's first time out he never claims to be a word craftsman creating beautiful and wonderous prose, it is after all a 'True Crime' book about murder in a small town. I suggest ignoring the harsh reviewers, Jones takes an even handed and sometimes even gentle approach to reveal the story behind the grisly and seemingly motiveless murder in a small Indiana town by the most unlikely perpetrators...All Star Jock High School kids. Jones not only gives the chilling details of the murder but manages to untangle the mystery behind the brutal crime as well as give the reader a glimpse into the lives of those involved. I think Jones has done a superb job of delivering a well-written and carefully investigated true-crime book, go ahead, buy it, read it, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

It gives you an glimpse of what you will need to know. It's a great book to read when you first start studying, because if a concept is new to you, you can dig deeper in another book. If you have this book side-by-side with a much larger and more detailed text, you will pass the exam. I suggest Swartz for the "other" book.

Why only 3 stars? Because it's just filler for other texts. A starting point to guide you to other authors. For that reason alone, I can't give it 4 stars (Swartz gets 4 stars).

I passed the Exam today and I can say that this book assisted. I believe I would have passed without it, but my score was probably bumped a few points because of it. If you are borderline, it could make the difference between a Pass/Fail.

The final 100 question exam is excellent! They explain the answers in detail. If you can get a 90% or above on the final 100 questions, you've got a shot.

The book is a guick read as the title suggests (EXAM CRAM). I gave it a 3 because it forces one to cross reference (not because of the content per se) since it contains unfortunate errors in a number of places. And this is a good thing. If one has studied this text (in a negative-postive twist) keeps you on your toes. As a cram it is fine. If this is your sole text you will get hosed. Cross-reference much and see if you can spot the errors. I'm sure this is more a publishing thing than the oversight of the authors.

I found this book to be an outstanding guide through the quagmire that is the CCIE written exam. An important fact to remember- the Exam Cram book series in general is not intended to make you an expert in any subject in which you don't already have experience. The structure of this book is consistent with other Exam Cram books: to give you a solid foundation if you don't have much experience, and to act as the glue to tie it altogether if you do have experience. (There are references at the end of every chapter on "Need to Know More" to get detailed information where the coverage is thin in the book.) The fact is, to pass the CCIE written, you need to do more that just read books. Practical experience and hands on are just as important, which is why the author gives configuration examples for every Cisco technology required to pass the exam.

Not only did this book help me to pass my written exam, but I could not have done it without it. I found the text easy to read and quick to sink in, which is critical when study-time is at a premium. I finished the book in a week, and then passed my exam. I highly recommend this book.

This book contains many details on five cases that are of interest for various reasons. Granted police work doesn't live by the rules of good plot development or story presentation, but parts of the book seem more like you are reading an investigators notebook instead of a finished published piece of literature. Some people may prefer that, but it didn't add to my appreciation of the book.

Particularly jarring for me was a sentence in the beginning of the epilogue where Dr. Lee writes "It also seems appropriate to quote an African American athlete, philosopher, and Muslim, as I end this book, Muhammad Ali said, 'The truth shall set you free.'" Most people in the western world would attribute this quote to Jesus as quoted in the King James version of the Bible, John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (KJV translation done about 400 years ago.) This is the famous verse that is on the wall of the CIA's original building's main lobby (where it is also attributed to John 8:32.) This type of gaffe is something I would have expected a publisher to catch before going to print and does raise some questions about the accuracy of other facts in the book, (just like irregularities in Mark Fuhrman's statements helped to cast doubt over the whole O.J. Simpson investigation.)

In Dr. Lee's defense he does say a few times that he was raised in China and is unfamiliar with many western customs, (as he points out in one case saying he didn't know that Christmas was a big holiday when he called a bunch of people to work a case then.)

A lot of details, but not as much style.

Assisted by Thomas W. O'Neil, Lee wrote this book primarily for persons such as I whose understanding of murder trials depended almost entirely, at least until the O.J. Simpson trial, on plays, films and television programs. Lee played a key role in the Simpson trial which is among the five he examines in this book. The other four (all resulting in a verdict of guilt beyond reasonable doubt) involved homicide charges against Kenneth Mathison, Richard Bunel Crafts, Edward Robert Sherman, and Theodore ("Ted") MacArthur. Although all of these other four cases were no doubt widely covered by national media, I was unfamiliar with them until reading Lee's book. Throughout, he generously acknowledges the importance of teamwork and praises all of his associates. Lee defines the term forensics as "the direct application of scientific knowledge and techniques to matters of law." He notes that "the wise forensic investigator will always remember that he must bring all of his life experiences and logic to find the truth. This means common sense, informed intuition, and the courage to see things as they are. Then he must speak honestly about all that it adds up to." The process is necessarily complicated and demanding, requiring as much patience as it does precision.

It would be a disservice to both Lee and his reader to share more than a few details in this review. "Each of the five cases presents the opportunity, through its respective facts, investigation, and legal resolution, to study particular aspects of forensic investigation and how the work fits in with the rest of the criminal justice system." What Lee accomplishes in this book is to help his reader to develop (or at least understand) some of the skills he (Lee) has used while accompanying him during the investigation of five different murders. Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Evans' The Casebook of Forensic Science: How Science Solved 100 of the World's Most Baffling Cases; Criminal Investigation co-authored by Swanson, Chamelin, and Territo; and Punitive Damages co-authored by Sunstein, Hastie, Payne, and Schkade.

This book, which I think deserves a higher rating than those I've seen for it, give an excellent description of the forensics process. It gives fairly good explanations of GSR (gun shot residue), use of dna and blood samples, ballistics, and the like.
Where Dr. Lee falters a bit is his "gushing" admiration for Johnnie Cochrane of the O.J. Simpson trial. No doubt Mr. Cochrane is a brilliant lawyer, but that should be for another book (i.e., his admiration for this man). Working through five grisly cases (with sometimes graphic descriptions and photos) he does a fine job in laying out the facts, the scientific evidence, and related details. If one is a fan of shows like CSI and CSI Miami; which I am, it gives one the real life "science" behind these programs. Otherwise, not bad.

Concise collection of texts treating all aspects of Renewable Energy in a grown up manner. Valuable as a starter's information source but also for experts.

Concise collection of texts treating all aspects of Renewable Energy in a grown up manner. Valuable as a starter's information source but also for experts. Covers all the aspects of renewable energy sources and many ways to transform one form of energy to another. Spans from biomass, biogas, solar collectors, solar cells to fuel cell cogeneration.

As a student I was excited to find so many new ideas in one place. However, when faced with writing a review of the ideas in this book, I needed to review my finance and accounting texts. If you want to be up on the popular terminology read this book. If you want to reinvent your financial office look somewhere else.

Reinventing the CFO is an extraordinary book. In Austria, Business Administration and Financial Management is over all based on hard "financial" facts. It is good to get to know a perspective, where strategic tasks are truly part of a CFOs work. The book is an excellent guideline, full of ideas. Remarkable is the invention of a socalled "Quickgrid" which allows the reader to check the situation of the financial function in his/her company. The only disadvantage: For a book of about 170 pages, it is very expensive (well, not if you pay amazon`s reduced price).

Some people find it hard to understand this book. But if you're an MBA graduate, terminologies like "value chain" isn't so hard to undertsand. Better to take Startegic Management first before reading this book.