This book is a short, easy to read, to the point book about Louisiana. It is basically written in two sections. The first chapters cover the history of Louisiana in general. The second section covers the various areas of Louisiana. I particularly liked the suggested places to see and lists of fairs at the end of each area chapter.

There were two things I didn't like about this book-
There were very few pictures. However, the pictures this book did have added to the text of the book. Secondly, I didn't like the fact that at times the book seemed to get bogged down in dates and names and places. However, history is just that at times- dates and names and places.

If you are interested in Louisiana history, but don't want to slog through a huge book of history, this is a very good book.
I think the authors state it best when they say that if this book was for a college course, the course would be Louisiana 101.

Maybe the best introduction to Theravada Buddhism. Focuses on the philosophy of Buddha's original teaching, and how this can help modern people. A classic written a few decades ago (?). (10.05.99)

While it concerns baroque Trauerspiel (literally, "mourning play" or "lamentation play," not "tragic drama") this book is necessary reading for students of critical theory who don't have literature as a primary field of interest. In it, Benjamin develops his critique of allegory (which he later amended in his work on Baudelaire and would play a major role in The Arcades Project) as well as his method of philosphical history, which would decisively influence Theodor Adorno (see, for example, Adorno's book on Kierkegaard and his lecture "The Idea of Natural History"). Don't let the notoriously opaque prologue dissuade you from reading beyond the opening pages--the rest of the book has more stylistic and conceptual clarity (which doesn't mean it's easy!). In fact, you may want to skip the prologue and return to it after reading the body of the text. In any case, this book will give you a solid grounding for understanding the foundations of Benjamin's work--it should not be slighted. I deduct a star not because of Benjamin but because of the translation (less than sterling) and Steiner's introduction which, despite correcting the title's translation, restricts itself to literary concerns.

This is a short (110 pgs.) and simple book that outlines the history of the Presbyterian Church throughout the world. I found a lot of interesting facts and information in this book concerning the beginnings of not just the Presbyterian Church but others such as the Catholic and Anglican churches. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to gain a little more insight into the history of not just the Presbyterian church but of Christianity as well.

This book clearly provides insight into the industry of self-absorption. While like many I am fascinated by the movie business, I was unsurprised to discover that the movie industry is equally fascinated by itself. Just once, it would be interesting to hear a member of the business relate to another person, business, issue - whatever. I will not say that I was not fascinated by the topics discussed at length in this book, but I also could not help being disappointed by the me - me - me quality of some of the interviews. Those interviewed that were absorbed by the telling of a story, by the weaving and creation of an idea or the communication of a thought seem to me to be more true to a craft and to themselves than the others who need to be part of an industry that they hope will simply create a vehicle to market their own self-absorption. While I am aware that this book is comprised of interviews with individuals striving to be truthful and forthcoming - and some of them were quite poignant like the Stallone interview or brutally honest like the Kaye interview, it still felt like they could not relate in a way that is balanced.

Figgis does a good job, I can see why he is so fascinated by the Industry. How could anyone not be?

This is a handy if somewhat eclectic little collection, with works by some poets who are hard to find elsewhere, such as Henry Howard. If you don't have a copy of the long-out-of-print Hebel and Hudson anthology of English Renaissance Poetry, pick up this.

The text suggests many excellent patterns to organize technical writing: how to describe processes and mechanisms, how to organize a classification, an interpretation, a recommendation, a proposal, a research effort. My writing gets noticed for its quality and professionalism. The book makes me think more clearly and helps me organize my thoughts on paper - an unexpected result.

Three unusual scientists : John Keely, Nikola Tesla, Walter Russell ... long overdue. These three men were indeed the greatest minds of the 19th & 20 century. Walter Russell was painter, poet, philosopher, scientist, sculptor, painter, teacher, lecturer, architect, and servant to mankind ... leader of the Twilight Club from 1895 to 1946 when it was disbanded to form the University of Science and Philosophy. The Twilight Club led to the foundation of many organizations such as the Kiwanis, Rotary, and Optimist Clubs ... the Boy Scouts of America ... Child Labor Laws ... Public Schools ... The Carnegie Library System ... and yet this man is virtually unheard of and written of very little.

Bravo, to Martha Keltz for shining light on these great men!!!!

These books gave me a lot of info about turtles.I like the games that you can play in the middle of the book.These books were cool!

This biography of one of our great labor leaders surprised me. It didn't go very much in-depth but I always doubt those biographies aimed at kids because they rarely present a balanced portrait. This one does just that, showing Walter's flaws alongside his greatness and his achievements. It might even be of interest to adults who know nothing of Reuther and want a simple book on the topic, enough to knock off in an afternoon and without sinking into the depths of political theory.