T.W. Doane delivers with finesee, discussing Christianity and its relation and similarities with the stories from Krishna (Hinduism), Budhha (Buddhism), etc. A must read for every sincere seeker of Truth!

I gave this book as a gift to my son, who is engaged to a Christian girl, and was being strong-armed into that mind-set. He already possessed valid instincts about what God is, and how contrived the bible sounds - but this book helped to really arm him and help him hold his ground. The "word of god" is clearly presented here as being a work of men, altered through time, influenced by many different cultures. We need books like this to steer clear of that superstitious regime!

Doane presents a candid look at Christianity and its parallels in ALL the ancient systems of worship. This book is comparable to Alexander Hislop's The Two Babylons and is very well referenced. The author illustrates his subject matter with various archeological dilineations. Additionally, the author provides clarity to an ancient diety or religious system by providing a brief definition. This book is a great starting point for those begining a study into ancient religions and provides the stepping stones to take one's study in a specific direction. For the informed researcher this book provides a source who's textbook quality could be used as a foundation for further research.

The book is well-written, easy to follow, and up-to-date. True to its name, this book is a great guide for any current or future officer in the US Navy and does not stray from its intended purpose, which includes providing guidance on customs and courtesies, pay and allowances, duties and responsibilities, and other key subjects relevant to Naval officers. I would give the book five stars if it was a bit thicker and more inclusive (like officer guides from other branches), but this guide is an excellent source of information on important subjects and provides references to other sources of information.

I am not currently a member of the United States Navy, but I do aspire to be one of these days. I want to go to Officer Candidate School, earn my commission, and hopefully embark upon a prosperous Naval career. Of course, I know very little of what is involved in being a Naval officer beyond what I am able to glean from conversations with friends and colleagues who are current or past Naval officers. That is why "The Naval Officer's Guide" is so valuable. It gives a breakdown of all aspects of the life of a Naval officer. It deals with areas like training, promotions, Naval customs, and common job responsibilities, to name a few. That is just the tip of the iceberg, though. There is so much more in this guide that it becomes an indispensable manual for those who wish to learn about what it means to be an officer, as well as being a valuable reference piece for those who are already serving. As I read through this guide, I found myself developing a greater understanding of the Navy and finding myself able to visualize serving as an officer. There can be no greater endorsement of literature like this.

As a former navy officer and writer on navy themes I treasure my copy of The Naval Officer's Guide. It is a handy, up-to-date reference that authoritatively addresses vital aspects of leadership and knowledge in the sea service--even to a glossary of slang expressions and a primer on military law. An excellent research source for anyone interested in the way the real navy operates. Should be in every junior officer's pocket. The new material by Commander McComas is particularly valuable and builds on an impressive compendium of naval facts.

I was eager to get this one after reading the first book. It was definitely a page turner, and kept me up very late a couple of nights. Contrary to the editorial, I agree with the reviewer that said that not all characters are either totally good or totally evil, but many are. One or two characters surprised me late in the book. It's true that the male protagonist is a pure prince who can do no evil, but the other main character in the book is more complex. Like it or not, reformation-era theology permeates the book. However, it was fun to read. The main gripe that I have with it is that it is too short, and moved along too fast. The world of the Seven Kingdoms could be better developed...as it stands, each kingdom seems pretty much as any other. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it. Moves fast and is fairly enjoyable light reading.

A Devil's Mouth continues the saga of the Seven Kingdoms. Although only two books into the tale, I'm hooked and waiting for Williams to finish all seven books.

I teach English Literature and love a good story. I love intriguing characters, exciting plots, and challenging ideas. The Devil's Mouth delivers all three. Anyone (read the editorial review on Amazon, if you doubt me) who says that this book is a superficial mini-sermon is obviously reading with his eyes closed. I suspect that the Cahners Business Review was written to repudiate the Christian view, not to review Williams' book. Even a quick read of the cover would reveal that a heroine who happens to be involved in prostitution disproves the Cahners' claim for good characters who are too good and bad characters with no redeeming values. Perhaps Williams is too subtle for such a reviewer.

As a professor and as a reader, I suggest this book to you. Let Cahners suggest an accounting textbook. Devil's Mouth is literature of the first order.

When I read The Crown of Eden, my biggest disappointment was that Williams had not yet published a follow-up book. Finally, here it is, and it's even better than The Crown of Eden.

Welcome back to the Seven Kingdoms. It has been a year and a few months since The Crown of Eden's end, and a certain king (who will remain nameless because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who haven't read the first book) is a new father and continuing his quest (which will also not be mentioned, for the same above reason). This book follows-up on the celebrated heros and advesaries of The Crown of Eden but focuses on two new characters and their plights. Just as The Crown of Eden had wonderfully deep discussions about fate verses free will and the ends justifying the means verses doing what is "right", The Devil's Mouth has incredible truths balancing mercy and justice, suffering and forgiveness, and temptation and blessing. Williams does a beautiful job bringing his characters to life and pulling his audience into their world and perils. I have several especially memorable sentances underlined in my copy. This story is about a commoner named Evalonne, whose life is so terrible that at one point the only reason she does not give-up and die is that she fears going to hell. Opposite her is Prince Lanson, of a lesser of the Kingdoms than Meridan, whose purity and chivalry rival Aradon's. The Kirk, a religious establishment that rules by fear and condemns sinners without mercy, is a strong presence in Prince Lanson's kingdom. Ultimately, Lanson must decide whether the Kirk is right or wrong in its practices and teachings, and his choice, influenced by the fallen woman Evalonne, changes the fate of all of the Seven Kingdoms. Weaved into the story are adventures, deceptions, prophecies, joys, and gut-wrenching hardships. This is a glorious read for any fan of fantasy, middle-ages, chivalry, adventure, or philosophy. As a side note, I strongly recommend that when you get this book, you DO NOT READ THE BACK OF IT. It spoils a few things and misrepresents the fullness of this book.

I am a student at Florida State University, My major is Management Information Systems. This book covers many approaches to solving business problems. This book is easy to read and understand. It gives many real world examples and solutions using MS Excel.

He usado el libro en cursos de maestria en administracion. Mis estudiantes lo recomiendan por ser muy didactico, sin sacrificar profundidad en la presentacion de los temas.

This goes great with the hardcover textbook. It is full of problems and solutions to practice with.

I only have the fifth edition of this book, but it is probably similar to this edition. I used this book, when I was teaching statistics many years ago. The book is very clear and it explains each statistical concept very thoroughly.

As an online statistics tutor, I find myself referring to it all the time. It has all of the topics that are normally covered in a first course in statistics. It also has some very good chapters on elective topics such as nonparametrics, sample surveys, and quality control. I took many courses in these subjects in undergraduate and graduate school, and I find that this book is a good review for some of the things I've forgotten.

I have many statistics books both elementary and advanced. This is one of only two elementary books that I would purchase again (my teacher's edition is losing the binding!).

It is probably the most complete book on statistics that I have ever read at this level. I would certainly recommend this book to anybody who is taking statistics for the first time. I would also recommend this book to statistics majors who plan to go into teaching and need a good review text.

This is a definately worthwhile learning tool which can aid anyone who is attempting to tackle statistics for the first time. The methods and theories are concise, direct, and most of all, clearly stated. The authors bring you step by step through each procedure and then offer exercises to demonstrate the process while giving you the confidence to go on.

This book was puchased midway through the semester. At that time I was struggling to maintain a C average. With the help of this book I was able to close the semester with an 89% average.

After taking this course for the second time, I found that this book really explained concepts well. I had trouble learning statistics the first time, but this book adds real-life applications making it easy to learn why it works the way it does. If you are hesitant or jittery about this class...relax. This book will make your life easier.

I really don't have a lot to add to what other reviewer's have written. The author gives a very reasonable account of the history of inquisitional methods since Old Testament times, and how the logic of the medieval Inquisition is derived from them.

Special attention is given to the cultural context and concerns facing the Church at the time, how abuses were curbed, and what certain figures did to make sure that the Inquisition did not become a means for clerical abuse and self-interest.

One of the best features of this book was the pointing out of errors by past Inquisition historians. Walsh reveals inherant bias in some writers, and outright ignorance of evidence in some cases. The chapter on Llorente was particularly helpful.

The problem I had with this book was that the author seemed to be a heretic himself, by Catholic standards. He went so far as denouncing salvation sola gratia. On page 222 we read, "Was not Luther's doctrine of salvation by grace alone a restatement, with a somewhat different emphasis, of the old despairing dogma of the Alumbrados, the Manichees, the Gnostics, the Buddhists?"

I don't know where he was trying to go here - perhaps he meant to say "faith alone", but salvation sola gratia has always been the infallible dogmatic teaching of the Church (See Council of Trent Canon 1).

For things such as this, I hesitate to give this to Protestants. Though it might help clarify the issues surrounding the Inquisition, it might unnecessarily "confirm" their worst fears regarding the Catholic doctrine of justificiation. I simply penned some notes into the margin of this page pointing this out.

Overall a good book, but it has its flaws.

When the topic of the Inquisitions are brought up, many people cringe and blame the Catholic Church for many horrible deeds done during this period. Thomas Walsh has done a tremendous amount of research to dispel all those false rumors and vindicate the names of many of the people involved with the Inqusitions. He has chosen 6 particular Inquisitors in this book and goes through their life and the truth behind their characters.

What one will find is not some ruthless killer, but men who truly loved God and the Catholic Church. If you have friends who continue the bash the Church because of the myths of the Inquistion, this is the book to give them. After reading this book, you will understand the reason behind the Inquisition and how the Inquistion saved Europe from many of the ruthless and violent sects which had taken root in Europe.

This book is filled with historical facts concerning many of the events and people of the Inquisition. The Faith was restored and this allowed the Church to prosper amongst the many heresies which had seduced so many people. If you really want to understand the historical facts behind the Inquisition, Thomas Walsh and his book are the place to start.

This famous historian has laid to rest the standard myths accepted by most people today. For example, the lie that the Inquisition was ruthless and unjust, that it sent thousands to merciless torture and undeserved death, and that it was administered by unbalanced and sinister minds. To settle this matter and to set forth the facts about the Inquisition, the author has drawn for us a detailed historical sketch of six prominent Inquisitors - "Characters of the Inquisition," as he calls them - and in the process has explained for the modern reader the background of the Inquisition, how it operated and the major historical lines of its progress. Within these pages the reader will see history unfold before his eyes in a manner refreshingly truthful and well substantiated, and in the process, he will witness the Catholic Church being vindicated of the mendacious claims laid against her by her enemies. Important knowledge to defend the Church.

Very well done. Logically laid out and easy to use. CD-ROM attachment is very helpful.

I found myself skipping the profiles and going straight to the sites and am disappointed that the number of sites are limited . . . of course they are only profiling the best. It does cover a very broad number of topics.

A good effort but they barely scratched the surface. I had a better time working the link lists at major sites.

Anyone who has lost themselves in the web searching for Civil War information know that the amount, quantity, and accessibility of material can, and does, fascinate and frustrate. Sites that looked promising turn into dead ends, information presented can be of dubious quality and, most of all, the sheer volume of material can consume many tedious hours. The Civil War on the Web highlights the best sites, and will save this researcher much valuable time. Civil War enthusiasts will also enjoy the authors' essays and summaries for the insight they provide on the state of scholarship today. A must for anyone curious about the war who has access to the internet!

My wife got me this book for my birthday. I'm a big Civil War buff and even I found sites in this book that I never would have found otherwise. I found so much to read on the Civil War on the web through this book its like getting a 100 books (for the price of one). Plus, there is a CD that makes linking to the sites even easier. If you know someone who likes the Civil War, this is the book for them.

We use this as the main text in my US History AP course. It's a good, fairly comprehensive, yet easy to read text.

I used this textbook as a junior in high school and recently purchased a later edition. Although the wonderful charts plotting the states and electoral numbers of the Presidential elections are long gone it is still a great reference book on our nations history.

My students really enjoyed this textbook because it was so inclusive of all American heritages. It is up-to-date with current trends in American history and has a little bit of everything your students might be interested in.

In his preface to this book, Irving Younger applauds Darrow's systematic annihilation of poor, befuddled Bryan. "Analysis of this kind of drama is irrelevant. One can only smile, admire, and wonder," he says. Although Younger declined to analyze Darrow's examination of Bryan, the contemporary press (most of whom staunchly supported teaching evolution) were not so reticent to judge. Edward J. Larsen, in the Pultizer Prize winning history of the trial, "Summer for the Gods," summed it up thus: "[T]he nation's press initially saw little of lasting significance in the trial [whose centerpiece was Darrow's examination of Bryan] beyond its having exposed Bryan's empty head and Darrow's mean spirit." p. 202.

Some quotes from contemporary sources found on page 207 of Larsen's book: Walter Lippman of the "New York World": "Now that the chuckling and giggling over the heckling of Bryan by Darrow has subsided it is dawning upon the friends of evolution that science was rendered a wretched service by that exhibition." The New Orleans "Times Picayune": "Mr. Darrow, with his sneering 'I object to prayer!' and with his ill-natured and arrogant cross-examination of Bryan on the witness stand, has done more to stimulate 'anti-evolution' legislation in the United States than Mr. Bryan and his fellow literalists, left alone, could have hoped for." The Vanderbilt University humanist and champion of evolution, Edwin Mims: "When Clarence Darrow is put forth as the champion of the forces of enlightenment to fight the battle for scientific knowledge, one feels almost persuaded to become a Fundamentalist."

As Larsen explains in "Summer for the Gods," Darrow's examination assumed the status of a legendary victory only after the release of the McCarthy-era morality play "Inherit the Wind," which took great dramatic license in depicting the examination as having "won" the Scopes Trial.

When a lawyer performs as mean-spirited an examination as Darrow did of Bryan, the lawyer's rabid fans are enthralled, his enemies are enraged, and those on the fence are encouraged to join the enemy. Darrow's examination of Bryan should be studied as a fine example of how not to perform a cross examination.

The public recollection of what happened when Darrow questioned Bryan in the case of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes is a mixture of topics and outbursts. Most accounts of the trial, as well as the fictionalized version in "Inherit the Wind," include the discussion of the Bible Stories of Jonah being swallowed by the whale/big fish and Joshua making the sun stand still. The crucial point of the exchange comes when Darrow forced Bryan to admit the days of creation in Genesis were not 24-hour days, thereby forcing Bryan to deny the Fundamentalist's literal interpretation of the Bible. Scopes himself called it the "great shock that Darrow had been laboring for all afternoon." However, the actual exchange does not support such an interpretation. Darrow specifically asked about the number of days involved in creation. A fuller examination of the transcript, which this volume provides, indicates Darrow was trying to get at not only the length of creation but the DATE as well, intending to get Bryan to endorse Bishop Usher's infamous calculation the earth was less than six thousand years old in order to confront Bryan with evidence of civilizations considerably older. The key to the exchange is that Bryan gives a preemptive answer, declaring the days of creation were not 24-hour days BEFORE Darrow asked the specific question, in order to avoid agreeing to Usher's flawed calculations. More importantly, Bryan volunteered the information twice, each time cutting Darrow off from a particular line of question.

Moral of the Story: When there are primary documents available, such as this volume which provides the entire transcript of the trial as taking from the stenographers record, you are better served by reading them rather than secondary sources that tend to privilege a play/movie rather than what really happened.

Finally, you don't have to hear someone else's take on one of the most spectacular court cases this country has ever seen. Decide for yourself who outwitted who in this battle of the courtroom titans. This book includes only the exact words from the cross-examination of William Jennings Bryan by Clarence Darrow. A must read for all those who wish to know how the cross-examination really ran.

MAN OF THE HOUSE reads more like a conversation with a favourite grandparent than the memoirs of someone with fifty years of experience in politics and the book is the better for it. The book is vaguely set up in chronological order starting from his childhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts and ending with his retirement from his position as Speaker of the House. But Tip (one feels to be on a first-name basis after the familiar tone of the book) sprinkles many anecdotes and jokes throughout the text, giving it a conversational flavour instead of reading like a straight history.

O'Neill does not try to hide the fact that he is a Democrat and an extremely partisan one at that. However, he does not let his philosophies blind him to what people really are. He remembers the flaws that were present in some of his Democratic colleagues and speaks about the good qualities in the Republicans in Congress. Partisanship never gets in the way of friendship and he recalls many stories of socializing with members of both parties after a day spent fighting legislative battles.

It's fascinating to read about (what is now) history through the eyes of someone who was witnessing first-hand so much of it. An entire chapter is dedicated to the Watergate scandal of the Nixon years and we can see it unfolding as he saw it. Nixon can be seen through the eyes of someone who was not a part of his close inner-circle, but who was closer than the general public. He offers his thoughts on the pardon given by President Ford and his mixed feelings on the subject.

All the Presidents that he worked with are given a chapter of their own where O'Neill offers praise, criticism and a few humourous anecdotes. As expected, fellow Bostonian Jack Kennedy receives the most attention, having one chapter dedicated to him and another to his family. O'Neill describes a man who surrounded himself by a team of people that were the best in the business when it came to getting someone elected, but who really did not have the first clue in how to deal with legislators.

O'Neill describes many of the battles he had with Kennedy's successor, President Johnson, on the subject of Vietnam. O'Neill broke from the President's position and was quite vocal in his condemnation of the war. The deep division in the Congress and the conversations he had with the President are given a lot of attention. O'Neill details how, while agreeing with the sentiments of the protestors, he felt that they were distracting from the message. Every time someone would smash a window in anger during a gathering, instead of reports of general unrest, the story in the press would be that this was another action supported by Tip.

The last two presidents that Tip served with were the two in office during his tenure as Speaker of the House. President Carter, the Democrat, and President Reagan, the Republican, are seen to Tip as being almost complete opposites. Where every conversation O'Neill had with Carter demonstrated the President's obvious knowledge in on a given subject, virtually all Reagan had to talk about were old movies and baseball. The main difference in their leadership styles, and what Tip found so frustrating, was the difference in which the two men viewed the Congress. Carter took a much more passive role, not really understanding the way that Washington worked. In contrast, Reagan would be constantly on the phone to the members of Congress, sweet-talking them into supporting his bills.

This was a very interesting read and I highly recommend it. O'Neill himself comes across as a very warm and friendly person who, in all his years in government, never forgot where he came from. His fights over various pieces of legislation down the years always came down to a simple desire to help the little guy.

Although Tip O'Neill did not represent my views on most issues, this books shows why he was generally respected as a steward of the House of Representatives. Congenial, warm and partisan, O'Neill was a master of the inside game of politics. This book describes his rise in the rough and tumble world of Bay State politics and his battles in the House that successfully elevated him to Speaker (With a little help from Dan Rostenkowski, who embarrassed Carl Albert at the 68 Dem. convention on the orders of Pres. Johnson). People liked O'Neill without always liking where he wanted to take the country. Even he and President Reagan liked and joked with each other while they were locked in mortal political battle over redirecting the United States government.

O'Neill is likeable in this book -- the book is likeable, also.

Tip O'Neill is the definitive old-time politician. A man who still stands by morals and ethics and is resistant to media and other bad things. At least, that's the way his book presents him. In truth he was a very good man who did many good things and the book is an exceptionally interesting look into those events and how he views them.