Captain Brian Power-Waters is intimately knowledgeable concerning the air traffic control system. As an airline captain, he brings the knowledge associated with his twenty-six years as a line pilot. Coupled with his close relationship with air traffic controllers for over twenty years, he is acutely aware of and acquainted with the problems of both professions. Captain Power-Waters provides us with a first time insight into the workings of the air traffic controller profession. The challenges and the many problems encountered in the current air traffic control system.

Unlike most airline pilots, Captain Power-Waters has spent untold hours in Centres, Terminals, and Towers assessing the "real world" of ATC and is one of the few pilot experts on the subject. CATCA News (Canadian Air Traffic Control Association)

A fascinating--and sometimes hair raising--account of how the air traffic control system really works and what can be done to improve the situation. As an experienced airline pilot, Captain Power-Waters knows what he is talking about and lays the facts before the public. Anyone who travels by air should read this book.
Con Hitchcock, Director of the Aviation Consumer Action Project and Aide to Ralph Nader.

Cookie Mueller was a rare bird, indeed. Although a dark-hearted urban creature of Manhattan, she was also a natural-born writer, and more than that, a risk-taker who made no apologies and was able to maintain an insightful eloquence about her mistakes and triumphs.

What triumphs could those be, you ask? A junkie freak with a penchant for public urination? Her written documentation is the parallel of the photography of Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin and Mary Ellen Mark. She reported her milieu without much sympathy and her readers are the wiser for it.

Don't read this if: you are squeamish about drugs, ambivalent sexuality or bodily functions. Also don't attempt it if: you tend to glorify the rot of drug addiction, death, and/or perversion. Either way, you'll be disappointed. Do read it if: you're a fan of the unvarnished stuff of life, told in fanciful reportage, with little self-consciousness.

I think Cookie would approve if I close by saying that these collected essays are perfect toilet reading.

Cookie totally rules. This book is so hysterical and fabulous.... it's so unfair how many people don't know about her brilliant life & brilliant writing.

...END

It's extremely difficult to not like this book. It screams for attention like an unkempt debutante with her bouffanted hairdo carelessly peppered with curlers and hairpins whilst balancing precariously on one leg while reciting the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner backwards. Delightfully camp, poignant, and full of references to cultural mavens John Waters, Divine, and the entire Baltimore jetset popularized by the notorious director of "Pink Flamingos" etc. Read this book if you're depressed or on the brink of a nervous breakdown because it's the best home remedy for the blues.

Not just a surfing book but focusing on the Big Wave surfing crew, that elite group of athletes that live to challenge the ocean's fury. This is a collection of short stories but it does a great job of covering the total history of Big Wave surfing, particularly paying attention to the heroes of the 50s and 60s the water skills necessary to challenge large waves. With complete coverage and analysis of all big wave sites and legends, I can't imagine what it left unturned.

This exciting sport has elevated itself recently with "ski in" surfing and these stories do a great job of covering the controversy of this sport's growth and it's trailblazer, Laird Hamilton.

I strongly recommend this book if you like surfing or are enthralled by the culture of these people who devote their lives to the ocean.

...of Big Wave surfing - many of the stories are haunting and memorable. It was hard putting the book down once I started reading. I actually found it more interesting and insightful than watching film of surfers going over the edge - you actually get into their excitement, awe, and fear of what they've gotten themselves into - not only when they've caught the waves, but gut-wrenching accounts of what they were thinking and feeling when driven under (or saw their friends driven under) by these monsters.

This is as close as you're going to get, short of paddling out yourself! BTW, I just finished reading "Caught Inside" before "The Big Drop" and reading these stories made reading CI seem like a waste of time.

You won't regret reading this one - highly recommended!!!

I am a grom, at the age of 17 right now, and I rarely read a book cover to cover.I've always been interested in big wave surfing, but never the old timer stuff. This book has revealed the truth about riding big waves in and interesting perspective to the new generation such as myself, and I will never forget some of the stories in here. I reccomend that if you're a surfer, and are even remotely interested in attempting to tackle large surf, that you pick up this book. It will give you second thoughts about venturing out at places like Mavericks, Waimaii Bay, and Todos Santos.

This book is primarily for those who row on water, rather than those who use an erg indoors, as I do. That being said it's a great book, crammed full of important and relevant information.

It has detailed tips on improving technique, comprehensive explanations of what kind of training to do to achieve a certain goal, description on how to write a training program, and competiton strategies. It gets very specific in several areas regarding strength, endurance, power, and how to increase all of these. There are charts and graphs, diagrams and photos, the works!

I only wish the author had given more focus to erg rowing, but even without that this is an excellent resource for anyone who rows, whether on land or on the water.

I am a rowing coach and instructor. I find this book to be an indispensible tool for athletes and coaches alike. Form the basics of the stroke to training for "high performance rowing," this book covers it all in depth. Everyone who rows should read this book. Buy it for your boathouse and pass it around!

John McArthur is coach at a UK rowing club and has written a book for those who aspire to excellence in the sport. The book is up to date in areas of rigging, physiology, technique and training. What is more, McArthur explains the "why" and the "how" behind rigging and physiology - something usually skipped. This is not a book which will help beginners directly, but it will inspire and inform the beginner as well as the elite athlete. And I guess that's what I liked most about it: treating rowing as a form of athletic endeavour and giving the intelligent and committed rower enough information to enable him or her to understand every aspect of the sport and so to come to an informed, sensible position which suits their capacities and aspirations.

I read this book in one sitting this morning. Just could not put it down! Was particularly interested in his statement that our only purpose in life is to make choices. We make things too complicated. This book appeared at a time when I needed it. That, too, is part of his message. Help is around us, we just have to look for it in the right places. I recommend it to everyone.

A truly enlightening book in which the author leads through the trials, temptations and devastations involved with life and life changes. Finding the courage to change dirrection when all seems enescapable. Heart felt honesty guides us through these times, and the author guides us on tapping this within ourselves.

If you really want to change your life for the better, this book will show you the way. No - it won't do the necessary work for you, but it will enable you to act on an unlimited supply of possibilities. As Harricharan frankly states, "The solution is simple, but not at all easy." Shows how changing (one's beliefs) can bring amazing results. Not for the whining masses - only for those with an open mind, willing to make the effort!!

There is one thing about the Milagro Beanfiled War.... You cannot put it down. I have lived in Northern New Mexico for most of my life, and there is no written word that comes close to the people here except for the Milagro Beanfield War. I must say that growing up in a small Northern NM town, I have seen most of this story first hand (I went to school with the young versions of these characters).

This is such a comedic book, I feel off the couch several times laughing so hard it hurt. If you have seen the movie, you need to read the book. The movie does not do justice to the female characters (especially Mercedes Real and Ruby - queen of plumbing). For some reason right now, every time I walk down to the little country store, I feel that I should be bombarded with little white pebbles, one at a time - coming from Mercedes who is in her 60's.

Once into the first 30 pages (and you can't stop)...the essence of Northern NM is alive and well. Cleofes (hold on tight when you read about him), a simple lonely (rumored to be cursed by the superstitious town) had a dog named Pendejo (if you don't know what it means, you can look it up) and one day, his beloved dog, Pendejo died. Years later he was lonely and he heard the excited barks of Pendejo coming for a certain spot in his yard. He digs and digs (while the town watches, sells chairs to watch the digging, ect...) and you learn a little about the simplistic lives in Northern NM.

Just remember Herbie, poor Herbie (the peaceful hippy volunteer that came to Milagro) to "tech them things," and instead he winds up with...well... a strange story including .38 caliber, 2 skunks, losing his guitar, hummingbirds, ants, flying ants, bees, sunflower (the horse), Pacheco's Pig, ect...

I am not a big reader (it takes me awhile to get through books) and this one took me a whole 2 days. My advice is if you get this book, have a whole day in which you can devote to, otherwise you will not be able to get anything done (like irrigating the field, try to overturn the bulldozer, drive a backhoe over the Rio Grande Gorge {800 feet deep}, find Pacheco's pig, listen to all the phone conversations, learn about the VISTA Volunteer, the Smokey the bear Santo riot, and so on and so on)

In this version of the book, avoid the author's afterward.... It is an advertisement for his other books and does not contribute what so ever to the book... it subtracts quite a bit.

If you liked the fictional town of Grace, AZ in Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal Dreams" I can pretty much guarantee you'll LOVE the town of Milagro, NM. Although Kingsolver does an excellent job of creating sympathetic characters, I feel like she tends to over-simplify the "big issues"-- issues that Nichols has no problem tackling. "The Milagro Beanfield War" confronts substantive topics (like water rights) head on, but the story is also overflowing with colorful characters and subplots, so I am forced to disagree with the reviewers who say you can get through it in two days-- at least, I know I didn't. Although I recommend the movie as well (Ruben Blades is great!), it does not do justice to the book's complexity, nor is it as funny. If you have seen the movie and liked it at all, read this book. And if you haven't seen the movie, read the book first-- you won't regret it.

I had been living in Northern NM for about a year when I read The Milagro Beanfield War. I took it with me on a backpacking trip through the Pecos Wilderness. I had been completely bewildered by the wide variety of cultures surrounding me in my all-too-brief sojourn in the Santa Fe area.

The Milagro Beanfield War, with its warm wit and characterisations, made all the little puzzle pieces I had been fumbling with come together--from the Taos real estate broker who told me at a party in White Rock that he didn't like to sell land to "those people" because "they just pull in a trailer and start raising chickens and pigs right there in their front yard--ruins the neighborhood" (he could have been a character in the book) to the reverence of my neighbors for the centuries-old practice of community care of the acequia.

The magical internal lives of the local characters and the convoluted way in which the story is told are really part of the rich texture of the place -- nothing is ever straightforward or simple. That's the beauty of it.

Read the book. The movie captures very beautifully what a movie can -- but there's so much more in the book! In particular, the female characters are even stronger, better and more interesting.

This is a book for people like me: feeling stuck in a job you hate, believing that God has called you to much more than what you are doing, but afraid to leave the "security" of the life you have built for yourself. In other words, for whatever reason, you're a "boat potato!" Using the familiar Biblical story of Jesus walking on the water and Peter walking out to him (at least until he saw the wind and the waves!), Ortberg, in his entertaining, engaging style, encourages you to overcome your fears, embrace God's call, and trust that God will work through you to do great things you could not do on your own. Between this book and his previous book, "The Life You've Always Wanted", John Ortberg is proving to be one of the top Christian writers on the scene today. You can't afford not to read this book!

Ortberg's book is an excellent challenge to evaluate your way of thinking and to get out of your comfort zone and be mightily used of God.

Among the many excellent points Ortberg mentions are:

1. What happens when God works in a person's life.
2. Our gifts will either be used or unused for God's glory.
3. Take your calling from God seriously and accept your limitations.
4. Appreciate the gifts God has given you, utilize them for His glory, and refuse to compare yourself with others.
5. Fear may be the biggest reason we fail to trust and obey God.
6. Be willing to wait on God and His timing and methods.
7. Suggestions for staying focused on Jesus.
8. Let God be larger than the people around you.

Again, these are just a few of the many points mentioned in the book. An excellent read and supplement to the Bible. Highly recommended!

I am only half-way through this book, and I would recommend it whole-heartedly. I had never read anything by this author before, but the title intrigued me. Well, this book is right on target. With wit and wisdom, Pastor Ortberg walks you through each area, and helps to address why we don't get out of our boats and trust the Lord more. His writing style is as easy to read as if he was sitting across the kitchen table from you. Each chapter has questions after it to further help you address what was discussed to your particular situation. There is even a "Bob-Prayer Challenge" issued by the author! (If you want to know what that is, you will have to read the book!) You will not regret getting this one - if you are serious about your walk with the Lord. It brings to light things that have held us all back from our destiny, our callings and generally fulfilling all that God has planned for us. But..... we will have to get out of the boat!

*****-MENTAL ENEMA-***** (Destinction Speciale Classique)(TM)

1. Give your thyroid a break! If you found this one then the book 'Fluoride: Drinking ourselves to death?' by Dr. Vyvyan [something - I forget]

2. Just type in npwa into google, it may or may not be available from the amazon UK site or even npwa, allegedly. It may be a British book, allegedly.

3. I'm not allowed to give availability information according to the rules so I cannot say whether or not it is available, so paragraph 2 entirely fictional and bears no resemblance to reality.

This book is excellent for pointing out the fradulent studies that were done and which were used as a basis for duping dentists and other health officials into promoting fluoridation. Dr. Yiamouyiannis outlines the history of the fraud and how promoters abuse their power to ruin the professional careers of opponents, especially if those opponents are credentialed. Chemical and Engineering News of 8/1/88 Vol. 66 and Newsweek Magazine of 9/14/92 p. 63, address this and other issues. This is must reading for those who are disciplined to think for themselves as opposed to those who just accept the word of indoctrinated individuals who are beholden to the power structure (e.g. ADA, AMA, USPHS). The "power structure" can never admit they were wrong in promoting the practice, because to so, would be to open themselves to untold levels of liability.

I read this book a few years ago and as I remember, it was very enlightening. It was clearly written and undestandable. It discusses much more than just aging. I am now reading much research that proves what I read there. I am currently lookng for a copy to replace the one I loaned.

I first read this book over 20 years ago as a book-of-the-month paperback selection in jr high school. It is still a fascinating, true life survival story. But rereading it as an adult I find some interesting questions arise that I had not considered back then. Such as, it seems that Dixon is given too much credit for their survival when in fact it was his navigational errors that led to the ditching of the plane in the first place. The story was told by Dixon to a reporter and it is not surprising therefore that he comes off the best of the three. In the story for instance he always refers to the others as "boys" and tends to downplay their contributions. It is interesting that the "boys" became lifelong friends and had little to do with Dixon after the rescue. I think it would have been interesting to hear their version of the story and compare it with Dixon's. Nevertheless, what these three sailors managed to live through and triumph over, is truly inspirational and fascinating reading. I definitely recommend this book.

These three men held on to a hopeless cause and came out victorious. They were without food and water for much of the 34 days they were afloat. The answer to how they did it is probably at the heart of man's will to survive and stay alive. This book is easy to read and the kind of story that motivates one to do the best he can and never give up. It also makes one appreciate what he has a little more. We see that everything can be lost very quickly, as in the case of the downed plane in this book, and that we have to have the mental willpower to survive. Read this book and give it to everyone you know.

I am a high school English teacher and have used this book in my classes for over twenty years. This is a story that will capture the most reluctant readers and transport them to the South Pacific of 1942 where, along with Harold Dixon, Gene Alrich, and Tony Pastula, they will fight for their lives in a seemingly hopeless situation: adrift at sea in a four by eight foot rubber life raft for thirty-four days and nights -- an inspiring and memorable read!

There are inherent perils in writing a series of novels based on the same set of characters. Is the author simply rehashing the same theme over and over again? Are the characters becoming too predictable? Will readers new to the series understand what is going on, or will they feel excluded from the author's world for not begining at the first novel? Is there any reason left to warrant delving into the characters' lives yet again?

These are pitfalls common to almost all authors. The 'Burke' stories of Andrew Vachss are now constantly fighting self-parody. Douglas Adams' HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE series arguably had no reason to continue after the third installment. Joseph Heller destroyed his beloved CATCH-22 characters with the near-wretched CLOSING TIME. And Tom Clancy's 'Jack Ryan' stories have become far less about Ryan, and more about Clancy's political views.

John Harvey's 'Charlie Resnick' series of British police procedurals are also fighting these traps. While Harvey has consistently written taut, elegant meditations on the evils that society can fall victim to (see EASY MEAT), there remains the danger that he may alienate new readers who are not intimately familiar with Resnick's ways. STILL WATERS is a finely written story, but newcomers to Resnick's universe may find themselves confused.

STILL WATERS finds Resnick, the resourceful British police officer, in a situation immediately identifiable to all. He is rather anxious over his burgeoning relationship with English teacher Hannah, and also has job security issues over an ignored promotion possibility. But while his overall routine may to similar to many, Harvey manages to inject new life into the familiar with Resnick's personal indentification with the seedier aspects of humanity. But while Resnick may attempt to keep his professional and personal lives seperate, the murder of one of Hannah's friends brings his worlds together.

Harvey's novels have, as their main focus, the view that evil is just around the corner in all our lives. In STILL WATERS, it is spousal abuse that receives the brunt of Harvey's attention. Seemingly happy couples are revealed to exist in relationships of pain and suffering.

Harvey deals with this theme quite effectively, from many viewpoints. He also refuses to serve as judge to his characters, presenting them as flawed examples of humanity, not incarnations of evil. Harvey also never rules out the concept of redemption, however rare that commodity may be.

But as STILL WATERS is one novel of many, Harvey has other issues to deal with as well. There is Lynn Kellogg, a fellow officer who would rather transfer out than deal with her past relationship with Resnick. There is Mark Divine, a police officer who was raped in a previous novel, and has become increasingly violent. There is Carl Vincent, a homosexual officer in a profession not known for tolerance. Harvey manages to touch on all of their lives, but some of it seems unnecessary. A new reader may be confused by characters who seem to be integral elements of the plot, yet never appear again. At times, STILL WATERS resembles a novel between novels, an opportunity to catch up on the lives of the characters, but not an especially interesting story in and of itself.

Possibly because of this, STILL WATERS is not an altogether successful novel. Perhaps Harvey should have centred solely on the murder of Hannah's friend, and its immediate effects on Resnick's life. Harvey gives too much information on other areas to advance this plot. There is also a subplot involving art theft that never adequately fits into the whole, with a resolution that feels rushed and unfinished.

But Harvey is still a fine writer. His individual scenes of Resnick's personal life with Hannah are touching and realistic, and his scenes involving the spousal abuse are chilling. And Resnick is a terrific literary character, a flawed and deeply troubled man who can always be counted on to find the appropriate jazz analogy. STILL WATERS is worth reading, but it is more effective for the already-initiated than the reader who is discovering Harvey for the first time.

Very solid ninth entry effectively mixes Charlie Resnick's ever-deepening relationship with schoolteacher Hannah and the dissapearance of her friend Jane. This is against a backdrop of the formation of a new Serious Crimes Unit headed by an ambitious high-flying female which threatens to take over Charlie's turf. Less effective is the subplot tying together a few formerly seen characters and an art forgery ring.

When the battered corpse of a mid-twenties woman is found floating in a canal, the police conclude that a serial killer is one the loose because of a nebulous link to other canal murders. However, a second body is soon found. This time the victim is Jane Peterson, a close friend of Detective Inspector Charlie Resnick's lover, Hannah. The police think that Jane is the latest victim of the serial killer. Neither case falls under the jurisdiction of Charlie since serial killer investigations are worked on by the Serious Crime Unit.

However, Hannah is convinced that Jane's death was caused by her physically abusive spouse, Alex. Hannah convinces Charlie to look into her girl friend's death. Meanwhile, other things swirl around Charlie. A junior officer, Lynn Kellogg has applied for a transfer and is pushing Charlie to make it happen. Other crime, such as an art theft, requires Charlie's investigative talent. With all this going on, Charlie is going to find it difficult to properly investigate what happened to Jane.

The Charlie Resnick series are some of the best British police procedurals on the market today. The current entry, STILL WATER, is a well written detective novel that showcase John Harvey's tremendous talent. Though the story line is quite good, it is not at the upper echelon of the previous novels because too much is left open (perhaps for the next book). Still, that leaves the tale better than 99.9% of the police procedural in book stores on sale today. Several of the Resnick novels are about to go paperback and are worth buying by fans of the sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner