This is a sweeping examination of evolution's path leading to that mass of gray matter behind your brows. Allman has synthesized a wealth of research in producing this study. He explains in a clear, interesting style how natural selection has spent the last 500 million years tinkering with life to build complex systems from simpler ones. He is a forceful writer, supplementing a fine text with superb illustrative material to build his narrative. It's a refreshing view of natural selection's power of innovation.

Allman draws on the detailed research undertaken in recent years that has mapped the brain and detailed its operations. Like all life, beginnings were simple, but small variations among organisms had the potential for important roles. Deep in the Precambrian, floating cells developed appendages leading to hair-like structures we call "cilia". The cilia adopted dual roles: sensing the environment and responding to it. Allman explains how gene duplication led to opportunities for experiments. This process demonstrates how we can track many of steps leading to today's life forms. The original genes are usually still resident, with enhancements providing new functions added over the passing generations.

The author's explanation of the workings of chemistry in brain functions is worth close attention. Behaviour is the result of brain activity, but the interactions of various parts and functions of the brain elude simple analysis. One example is the brain chemical [neurotransmitter] serotonin which is found throughout the brain. It's impact gives monkeys their social structure while adding to the risk of suicide in humans. Neurochemistry alone doesn't explain the expansion of the human brain, nor does the author stop there. He goes on to show how bipedalism, diet, language and social behaviour all working in self-reinforcing feedback loops led to the gob of tissue that takes a fifth of our body resources to keep working. Even global climate changes played a role, coming at a time when our species was just prepared to contend with them.

The number and impact of revelations in this book are almost beyond counting. The "urban myth" that women live longer than men because of improved health practices has been disproved both by history and anthropology. A study reaching back into the 18th Century demonstrates that women have outlived men at least that long ago. Among the great apes, chimpanzee females also outlive their mates. Orangutans and gorillas have nearly parallel life spans between genders. There are also studies showing how caring fathers have extended life spans. His analysis of the development of colour vision is another novel thesis. Colour perception arose only 40 million years ago, after the demise of the dinosaurs. This raises again, the question of whether the emergence of flowering plants, which were toxic to those creatures, helped speed their demise.

While this book is not a light read, it's an informative and edifying one. Allman deals with complex topics. Adding to the elaborate range of material involving the brain, behaviour and social issues is the background of the immense time spans required in dealing with these questions in the context of evolution. Given all these constraints, he has met the challenges of the task credibly and lucidly. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

How has the emergence of the super-sized human brain depended on the evolution of a good set of teeth? Why are the stomach and brain closely linked across the brambles of genetic code? This book answers not only those intriguing questions but also many others concerning the emergence of the brain on this planet. Especially fascinating to me was the explanation of the homeobox phenomenon, a process by which very complex mutations can arise in an organism without the mutation risking certain disaster. Being a non-biologist, I found this homeobox material quite fascinating, for it opened my eyes to how evolution could generate incredibly complex features without requiring a hundred trillion years for all the right components to come together all at once. Equally interesting are the many vestiges of our evolutionary past that are still embedded in the way our brains process information. For example, the sectors into which our brains split each of our retinae today for the purpose of signal processing: these are left overs from the days when our ancestors were prey and not predators, back when our ancestors' eyes were mounted to the sides of their heads! In summary, I would like to say that in reading this book, while just sitting in my chair, I felt myself moving up another notch on the evolutionary tree. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the miracle that is the development of brains and conscious life on this planet. A very pleasant read.

"Evolving Brains" is a visual treat. Written to appeal to the lay person as well as the neurobiologist, it takes us on a magical tour of the diversity of species and the evolution of the human family. Allman's writing is remarkable for its clarity, while wide pages and ample white space add to the reader's pleasure

This cookbook is magnificent! With breathtaking photography,stellar production values and innovative recipes which emphasize the unique bounty of the Pacific Northwest, what more could anyone ask for in a cookbook? Grab your own copy to use and treasure forever!

Please contact me at either : hiltonpu@fedsure.co.za . . . or P O Box 371, Noordhoek, 7975, South Africa Many thanks!

I am looking for a copy. Can anyone help? Harriet

I have the original 1894 version of this book and have enjoyed it for many years. The perspective of battles is fresh in comparison to the history books of today.There is so much more in this book, the engravings and pictures are wonderful. I would highly recommend even a copy.

This review comes from a reading of the original 1894 edition. Filled with many obscure and forgotten details, this book is a treasure for Civil War historians. Songs, complete with full lyrics, as well as specific orders of battle give this reading a timely presence. Written in the traditional language of the era, the events have a kind of realism that brings you face to face with history. Originally this volume was sold by subscription only @ N.Y. BY KNIGHT AND BROWN. After having this book in my possession for many years it is very exciting to see that it has been reprinted at long last.

The Civil War was the most important conflict the U.S. has ever been involved in, bar none. The military, ethical, and governmental consequences have been enormous. Campfire & Battlefield gives us a unique perspective of this great event.

This book is THE complete guide to building an intranet. Killer examples and techniques.

Very impressive compendium of Intranet information and the latest HTML techniques

Written in 1910, The Apocalypse Unsealed attempts to prove that the so-called "Revelation" of John (which in the original Greek was really named "The Apocalypse: The Initiation of John") is in reality a gnostic work that shows an individual's path to enlightenment and peace. Pryse shows how all of the symbols and mysterious figures in The Apocalypse (666, the Dragon, etc) are really (not so) hidden puzzles and clues, that once discovered and solved will enable the reader to use the book as a helpful guide in conquering the material world.

But if this is just a helpful guide, why is it so occultic? Pryse claims that John knew the church would one day get rid of it's esoteric foundation and become more exoteric - the 1958 discovery of portions of a so-called "Secret Gospel" of Mark, which was possibly kept hidden by the Church alone prove this, not to mention the Church's total subjugation of the gnostic sects. So John wrote his book in a code that could be understood by those with the gnosis, the knowledge, and he even made sure that it wouldn't be butchered by future editors by inserting a warning that the text should be left alone, in order to avoid God's wrath.

Some of the things Pryse uncovered are very interesting, such as his claim that 666 is nothing but the numerical transliteration of "he phren," ancient Greek for "the lower mind." The Lamb, 888, is Iesous (Jesus - be prepared for Pryse's usage of the original Greek names for all New Testament figures), the higher mind, whereas 1,000 is "ho nikon," Greek for "the conquerer." There are other numbers besides, such as 777: "stauros" - the Cross, and Pryse shows that there is a numerical chart hidden in the Apocalypse, showing in numbers the progress of a man's journey, from the lowest reaches of his carnal desires (333, "akrasia" - sensuality) to his total mastery over them, and return to his true spiritual self - "ho nikon," the conquerer. This number chart is one of the more interesting aspects of the book; ancient Greeks and Hebrews used letters for numbers, and so by figuring out the word equivalents to the numbers in the Apocalypse, and vice versa, Pryse was able to crack one of the book's many codes.

As I said, this was written in the early 1900s, and it shows. Pryse is about as prudish as an old maid. This book can be read as a code of its own, one which totally sneers at sex. For Pryse, sex is contemptible and profane; he very much has the celibate attitude of an old-school mystic. He also has that old-school mystic disregard for women. In ancient times, women were considered to be the source of all ills, for tempting men away from the pursuit of spirituality. Pryse is an adherent to this pattern of thought. For a better, more modern view of Pryse's thoughts, one which refutes his no-sex, anti-women beliefs, I would recommend Michael Wassil's "Dance of Ecstacy," which is available for free on-line. All you have to do is search for it.

I'm giving this book 5 stars because of the work and scholarship Pryse put into it. If you compare this to the paranoid works of Hal Lindsey or all those other people who put out their "end is near" books in 1999, Pryse's makes a lot more sense. However, I don't agree with all of the things he considers certainties - such as that John was really Jesus, and that Jesus wasn't a person at all, instead just a symbolic reference to the higher mind that lurks within all humans. Pryse also translates the Apocalypse to fit his needs, such as referring to the Seven-Headed Beast that rises out of the waters as a "constellatory Beast," so he can prove that in reality John is referring to a constellation of stars.

I could go on about this book...there are so many ideas and information in it that it's hard to grasp until you've read it at least a few times. It's also hard to explain what Pryse has written, unless you're talking to someone who's read the book. Also, I don't particularly like Kessinger's version of this; they're just selling a cheap-looking photocopy of the original manuscript. You might be better off finding a used copy of the original edition, or the 1972 trade paperback re-release, which will look a little better on your bookshelf.

I am a business book afficionado, and this is one of the best books in the field. It is especially a good book on strategic planning for entrepreneurs. What we learned from the intro and case approach helped us raised our "business fluency". The insights learned from the cases caused us to adjust our business plan. It has also put us in a better position to raise capital.

I have been using this book for decades!there are many new books written on this subject but still this book is the best ref. The content of this book is based on rigid fundamentals and its very reliable.

This is one of the best stories ever written. Ebenezer Scrooge, is the biggest grouch on the world, almost murdering carolers that come to his door for the fact he just can't stand to be Merry, even at Christmas time. The 3 Ghosts (Ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, Christmases to Come) take him to it's own time space, and show him how the Christmas was, and the funeral of Scrooge, only to find that he was unliked and hated, so that no one came to the funeral. This is a truly inspiring story, so I greatly encourage you to get this!

Here is a complete set of portraits of America's greatest generators of wealth. Only such a collective study allows us to appreciate what makes the great entrepreneurs really tick. As H.W. Brands shows, these men and women are driven, they are focused, they deeply identify with the businesses they create, and they possess the charisma necessary to persuade other talented people to join them. They do it partly for the money, but mostly for the thrill of creation.

If you are chasing the, "American Dream," of becoming a successful entrepeneur, this book is definitely a must read! H. W. Brands has compiled a collection of highly enterprising and inspirational people in his book. I not only was encouraged by reading about such great American men, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Andrew Carnegie, I was even more impressed with the profiles of such determined business women as Oprah Winfrey and Mary Kay. Their lives and positive, business tactics shed a shining light, leading the way to establishing a successful enterprise.

Common beliefs shattered by uncommon men- Henry Kaiser would have taken on the challenge to build Rome in a day!

"Rags to riches" is another common adage; but the route to getting there is what distinguishes the daring from the rest. But the most important factor that has made these great achievers who changed and paved the course of business history is the strong desire to excel against all odds. What else can explain the rise of Andrew Carnegie from the drudgery of working in a dirty shop floor to being the master of one of America's greatest steel company.

Do not read this book in a hurry. Brands has an excellent command on the English language and his style of narration matches the true values that one can derive from the 25 great persons described in this book.

I have recommended this book as the first assignment to my daughter during her summer vacation.

Your search for human excellence ends here.

I just plain ol liked it, what more can I say. Keep up the good work.

I enjoy books like this that can both keep my interest and not disgust me with bad words, ideas or content. This book is just what I want my kids to read, so I read it first and I'am glad I did. I even discussed the plot with the kids afterward and we all enjoyed the experience. It also kept us from watching so much TV. Write another book K.L. Morgan, and I'll be the first to buy it. Thanks for your effort and talent. JB from Portland, Or

The story line in Castledance was very good. I would like to see the next in the series. Although it was magical, everything seemed believable to me. Adventure abounded everywhere and it was a clean but exciting story.