This short review is from "Books on Bosnia" published by The Bosnian Institute. Combines travelogue, cultural history and political analysis to give an atmospheric and nuanced account of Yugoslavia at the point of its collapse

A very well researched and straight forward review of the ships of the lakes and their evolution. Mr. Thompson has done his homework and presented a recap that I will refer to many times in the future for reference. I would like to have seen more photos and more discussion of the earlier bulk freighter evolution but this material will wet your appetite for more. I hope to see more books of this type soon. Well worth the investment

A large-format (8.5x11", oblong) color photo book of Big Bend National Park and vicinity. Includes shots of canyons, deserts, ghost towns, local flora and fauna, park map. 60% photos, 40% text.

The Leatherfolk Anthology is full of valuable information and first person accounts from within the BDSM community. This book goes beyond the scope of a how-to-manual with more theoretically based essays designed to inform people not directly involved with BDSM and challenge people in the leather community itself. This book is probably not for anyone who doesn't know what "vanilla sex" means or is other wise sexually non-deviant.

The stories in this book communicate the history and a chronology of the SM and Leather community through various individual's experiences, thoughts and impressions. After reading Thompson's compilation I felt I had a deeper understanding and curiosity for the intricacies of the leather/SM community. The voices are from all over the spectrum and give insights into various multi-layered identities. The editor's determination to portray the chronology and the ancient origins of SM give important foundations for the contemporary commentaries by members of the community. I am a student in a Gay and Lesbian Ethnography class and this was my favorite book over the entire semester and I learned so much through the varied perspectives and historical foundations. It inspired discussions and reflections on sex and how it tends to function socially and personally outside of the SM community and how there is a lot to be learned from that community regarding communication and respect. I must also mention that the piece by Dorothy Allison was one of the most passionate, poetic and evocative excerpts I have read from a lesbian perspective!

The classic work on the leather underground provides a history from the 1940's to the present, resource lists, and 20 black & white photos.

I purchased this Chicken Soup book for my eight year old son, although the book states 9-12. The younger version for kids seemed too "slight." And his teacher had read a few stories from this version, so we decided to buy it for him as an Xmas 2000 book.

I have found it riveting, and many of the stories can bring tears to your eyes. The stories are concise. The writing is fluid and easy to understand. I was struck, however, by the intensity and hard edge realism of some of them. There is a section on death and a number of the other stories touch on grief, divorce, loss and death. My son just lost his grandmother in March (my mom) so I believe some of these tales will be helpful. They touched my own heart. Parents should be aware however that there is a heavy dose of despair--albeit overcome by strength and love. Also some nine year olds are more mature, wiser and perhaps less innocent than others. A nine year old from an otherwise happy, intact family who has yet to face a great deal of loss or grief may be taken a back, perhaps even a little frightened. This is a good work that should be reviewed first by a parent. Certainly consider the age prescribed. Also examine your own views on death, dying and marriage dissolution. These stories may helpfully support them, or they may not.

As a consultant in the child and youth development field, I would be more likely to steer the 11-13 year old grappling with specific issues to this Chicken Soup.

Loaded with fun-filled to tragic stories, Chicken Soup for the Soul is a great book to offer.
As some may say, "Life is filled with happiness"... When you are in your teen to pre-teen years... life doesn't seem as happy. Chicken Soup provides stories that relate to your problems and may be able to help you. But it's not just filled with stories that are sad and gloomy. This book has funny, interesting stories, too. It even provides poems!
I feel this book should be read by students in the pre-teen, to teen years. It's interesting and gives you some facts of life.

Do you think you have a tough life? Maybe you also want to check out other kids' lives. Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul is a great book for preetens who think they have hard lives. This book is emotional, and it really made me think of what other kids have to deal with. The kids in this book have courage, faith, and pride. It also made me think of growing up and outgrowing things. This book is definitely a good way to express your feelings. It even has some famous people in it. Mia Hamm, Beverly Mitchell, N'Sync, and Karl Malone have stories in here about their lives. If you want a book that you can express your feelings with, Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul is definitely that book!!!

The book conveys the daily activities and routines of life aboard several Great Lakes freighters. The author portrays an honest and factual look at his crewmates and what it all takes to keep one of these big ships on the go. By the time I finished the book, I was sorry to put it down and found myself longing to go on another voyage!

Mark Thompson shares an enjoyable and interesting picture of life aboard today's Great Lakes freighters. You get to know the crew members as you become a part of their work day routine. As the reader, you become anxious to see what each new day has in store. I'm anxious for the sequel.

This is one of the best books that I have ever read! I could not put it down! If you have any interest in Great Lakes Shipping or life on a Great Lakes Ore Boat read this book! Mark L Thompson does not "Sugar Coat" what life is like on an Ore Boat. He is very open and honest about life in the Great Lakes Shipping Industry. Read this book you won't be sorry!

This book is a great resource for a gay male looking for viewpoints on sexuality, spirituality, and morality. The various essays included are mostly in interview form, and make it feel that you are "listening" into a conversation. In this indirect eavesdropping, you find a wealth of viewpoints and guidance on issues that have traditionally plagued many gay men -- sex, self-esteem, and sense of purpose in society.

At long last someone has done a study of gay spirituality! Soul and Spirituality among gay men are increasingly becoming much stronger and deeper as we approach the millenium and the Age of Aquarius. When overcoming difficulties of the modern age such as homophobia and the stigmatisation of the AIDS epidemic, gay men such as myself have started to look inside themselves for the fulfilment that lacks in society, and this book is one of very few available that studies the many different aspects of this new spritiuality. The interview format takes a bit of getting used to at first, but from the start the writing has a conversational style which makes it much easier to read, and more difficult to put down! I would highly recommend this for any gay man seeking to discover his true spirituality in whatever form- it truly is a brilliant book!

As someone who has sailed on Great Lakes steamships, I found this book to pretty well capture the essense of the trade. One innacuracy in the book deals with women on board. The author states that women are more likely to sail on freighters these days because there is little if any hard physical labor. While many women would be more than capable of working shipboard, I can assure you there is PLENTY of physically demanding jobs to do on board. Also note that the industry is constantly evolving so many of the fleets have gotten smaller in the years since the book was penned. All in all, though, if you have ever been intrigued by Great Lakes shipping, this book is the most comprehensive review I have ever seen. A good book.

Mark Thompson is a excellent author that tells things how they are. He does not "sugar coat" life on the lakes or about the Great lakes Shipping industry. If you want a easy to read truthful acount of Great Lakes Shipping then this is the book for you.

This book has more depth on e-commerce than most e-commerce books. That is surprising since it is a "Complete Idiot's" series. The applicability to the business side of e-commerce is especially good. The book, taken as a whole, is a great starter's bible on e-commerce and technology businesses in general. If you want to know how to program Java or build a router from scratch then you'll need a different book but if you are building a company (any company) then don't miss some of the gems of wisdom buried deep in the book.

I can't stand reviews in general but the negative ones on this book suck. This is an unusually good starter book on e-commerce. Note I said starter...not expert (read the title). I like the approach and the content. I can't find more than a couple of references to the authors websites and if you've ever listen to a Comdex keynote, self promotion is the name of this game anyways. The fact that they only made a few references is surprising in this day and age. Here's what's good and bad. The good is the forward looking stuff. The bad is that this stuff dates very fast (it needs an updating especially website references). The basic stuff on business design is good but the stock stuff is maybe better suited for a book on the stock market. It's a bit slow at the start and that's bad but picks up the pace after the first chapter and that's good. If you do e-commerce, buy the book and you'll learn something unless your some kind of freakin e-wonderboy. But then you wouldn't be reading a "Complete Idiot's Guide now would ya?

This book is a valuable resource for people starting a tech company or running one from the business side. I thought it was worth the money and feel that there are lot's of valuable hints especially in the 'landmines lurking on the net' area. I got great value out of the concepts hidden deep in the pages. The 'links' to online resources are dated and the writing could be better at the start but overall the theory is great.

I enjoyed this book for its description of the times and of New York City, and the contentious relationshiop between Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy. But I was extremely disappointed by the "mystery". I'm one who never figures out whodunits, but this one was painfully obvious.

The suspect list was anemic, and I couldn't believe that the protagonist hadn't a clue. I figured out one guilty party and waited 134 painful pages for her to get her first clue, and then was relieved to see that there were only 66 pages left for her to get the second clue. As I stated, I'm lousy at figuring out whodunits, but if memory serves, even Carolyn Keene was better at disguising the bad guys. Perhaps Thompson could learn a thing or two reading Nancy Drew.

I hope Thompson doesn't continue to ruin an interesting series with such a skimpy plot. She was obnoxiously heavy-handed with her clues, which made Sarah Brandt seem all the more incompetent. Also, Thompson has fallen into the trap of placing the protagonist in violent struggles with the bad guy(s), which is neither exciting nor surprising. Just cliche.

I hope the next installment won't be as frustrating as this one.

Victoria Thompson has done it again in this follow up to her Murder on Astor Place. Set in the turn of the century New York city, her heroine, Sarah Brandt is an upper class young woman that has turned her back on her priviledged upbringing and has chosen instead to work as a midwife. Although it's not necessary to read Murder on Astor Place first, it's a great way to understand how Sarah has also become a detective and how she and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy teamed up initially. Thompson's ability to bring her characters and that particular period in American history to life is wonderful. She manages to capture sights, sounds, smells and the mores of the era. My only disappointment--(I had it with the first book also) is that the villains in each book were way too obvious for a true mystery novel. In spite of this, I recommend this book without reservation and am looking forward to Brandt and Malloy's next adventure.

Murder on St. Mark's Place is the second mystery in the Gaslight Mystery Series. I have read and enjoyed both, but if I were to be honest, I would have to say this one reaches deep into the heart of the series' characters. Having read the first mystery where Sara the midwife and Malloy the detective are introduced, I am familiar with them and their families. I was already impressed and pleased with the new series, but in this mystery, I am doubly pleased by how well Ms. Thompson pulls the best and worst out of the main characters. This isn't an easy read, nor is it a cozy. The author delves deep in to the turn-of-the-century way of live, and it's not all pretty. There are some light moments, and the main character, Sara, does her best to lift others up during moments of hopelessness, but the better part of the story is pretty serious. The twist and turns used to keep readers guessing do just that, but what impressed me the most was the storyline as a whole.

When Sarah heads over to St. Mark's Place in New York, she is expecting to deliver another baby into Little Germany. She arrives to find a policeman and neighbors gathering at Agnes Otto's door, but not for the delivery of a baby. Instead it's bad news. Agnes' sixteen-year-old sister, recently brought over from Germany, was found beaten to death. Sarah tells Agnes that it may take a reward to get the police to work on the case. Unable to pay, Agnes gives up all hope of finding her sister's killer and overcoming the shame it has brought. It seems Gerda found some new friends at her job that introduced her to a dance hall and a way to get things that they as young women in life could not afford. Gerda becomes what is known as a Charity Girl. Sarah, being the kind person that she is, decides to take the case to Malloy in hopes of getting him to join her in investigating it together as they had the last case. Back for a return engagement with Sara and Malloy are Malloy's mother and his son, Sara's neighbor Mrs. Elsworth, and Sara's parents. The story line with Malloy and his handicap son is very touching; I hope the storyline grows as the series does.

The author gets into the mystery right away, and although the main characters lives are ongoing in the series, they don't interfere or take away from the mystery. So, if you like historical mysteries, especially series mysteries, this one is well worth looking into. It's a stirring mystery with characters that will touch you.