Hagberg is Sean Flannery's cartoonish alter ego. Or, actually, Flannery is Hagberg's highbrow alter ego - as Hagberg is his real identity. And Hagberg shows his true identity almost to a fault in this thriller. Countdown and Crossfire were tight ropes of action that just kept coming. This one has the action coming at you too but its a bit more uneven. And the Japan-bashing, at a time when Chirstie Yamaguchi couldn't even land a photoshoot for a Wheaties box, was a bit irresponsible. None the less, its a breeze to read.

At issue, a Japanese computer magnate who's bent on destroying the U.S. for its use of nuclear weapons on his homeland. Yes, a unique plot - hardly ever used before. Much of the action and many of the plot twists are as cliched its main plot, but when McGarvey goes into blitz mode, it doesn't matter because plot and reality often get shredded with the goons - and that's ok, its why I read Hagberg, remember, Flannery is his highbrow self.

While I was not overly impressed with this outing, Hagberg more than redeems himself in Dessert Fire and Highflight, two of his absolute best, regardless of pen name.

Bottom line, I'd read it, but read the other four I've mentioned in this review, then catch up with this one.

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A good action packed novel. It was not quiet as exciting as Crossfire and Countdown. A Japanese billionaire loses his family (mother,father,wife,and child) in the atomic bomb blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The billionaire,many years later starts making plans for revenge. His plans include Ernst Spranger and his lesbian sidekick(both are ex Stasi). This group of ex Stasi agents steal the components to assemble a nuclear bomb. Our hero Kirk McGarvey enters the picture and promptly disrupts the scene for the bad guys. McGarvey does battle with this group all over the globe. He also does battle with the goons who belong to the Japanese billionaire.The daughter and ex-wife of McGarvey are also kidnapped by the Stasi renegades. This just adds to the action of the book. The book finally reaches a screeching finale. You will be greatly entertained by this book.

I read this mainly because I had read Hagberg's earlier stuff, and couldn't help but note the similarities between him and Clancy. A pretty good handle on the action sequences, and he convinced me that he knew how to write a good old-fashioned action/adventure novel. Many people seem to be making comparisons between Hagberg and Clancy, but I think he reminds me more of early Ian Fleming. Our leading character is much more a spy ala James Bond than he is a Jack Ryan. That isn't to say his writing suffers, not at all, Hagberg has delivered a fantastic adventure story, much of which is totally unbelievable, but then when was James Bond believable? I get into 007 because he's FUN more than anything else, and that is why Kirk McGarvey is Da Man! A chip off the CIA's block and a pretty exciting one, too. Just when you think it's over and the story is fizzling to nothing, watch out! Hagberg is the real deal and even if he never gains the popularity of Tom Clancy or Ian Fleming, he IS a fun author to read. Give him a try, he just might surprise you.

David Puttnam has written a sometimes very boring book about the so called war between Europe and US. He tells the story by going through the history of film cronologically, and leave much to be desired for.

David Puttnam (with Neil Watson) has written a book that has a different, and often very personal, perspective from the usual film histories. It is a broader, more international examination into the reasons for Hollywood gaining world wide dominance of the film industry. This is not about movies per se but is, instead, about the business and politics of making movies. It includes many anecdotes, told in a basically chronological format, from the beginning of the industry to the recent times. Much of this information was new to me as most film histories concentrate on the movies and the men and women who create these works. This one concentrates on the men who finance these works. An interesting book for those interested in the deals behind the deals that make the movies we love.

For insider David Puttnam, Europe who invented the movie, lost the movie industry battle due to external (two World Wars), but mostly internal causes:
1. Europe, unlike the US, didn't see the movie industry as a totality (control of production + distribution + theatres)
2. Europe didn't want to understand the market (the consumer demand) and the power of marketing.
3. the suicidal movie theorization by the left. As an example, J.L. Godard claimed that his struggle against the commercial imperialism of Hollywood was analogous to the eternal struggle of the working class against monopoly capitalism. Yet he was forced to acknowledge that 'workers don't come to see my films'.
4. the vanity of the European film critics, who supported selfregarding movies, while the public went out to see US films.
5. social causes: Hollywood defied the wishes of the US cultural elite and made 'popular' movies.

The movie industry in Europe has still not fundamentally changed since the publication of the book, but all inter- and subventions of the EEC commission will be wasted money, unless there is a big change of mind.
The author gives implicitly some obvious measures for a revival:
- take into account the consumer market.
- a big part of the movie budget should be spent on marketing and promotion.
More, there should be coproductions with TV channels and movie theatre companies on a European, or better, world scale. The market of each European country is not big enough to create a profitable movie industry.
European big budget movies should be shot in English.
It is easier said than done, but CANAL+ for instance has understood the challenge.
Puttnam's book is absolutely not boring, but a must read for every European film maker.

If you are not an EU National, you might want to avoid this book. When writing about dealing with red tape or getting a work permit, author Nick Daws often glosses over the rest of the non-European world by saying: It may be different for Non-EU nationals. Well, of course it's different for Australians or Brazilians or Ugandans or Americans than it is for EU nationals. However, Daws gives absolutely no guidance about how to obtain this information.

Briton Daws made sure that he had to do a minimal amount of research by only writing about EU nationals. The publisher knew this book was being sold around the world, so the author should have been told to take that into consideration when researching for the book.

That being said, the other parts of the book, like how to get your gas turned on and the state of mezzi pubblici (public transportation), are quite helpful. I just wish I didn't feel I needed another book to supplement this one.

If you are not an EU national, but are absolutely sure that you have all the information you need to immigrate (permanently or temporarily) to Italy then this book can be of some help. Otherwise, find a different book.

The review which begins by complaining that the book's target audience is too narrow is perhaps failing to grasp the complexity of the matter. This book deals thoroughly with the practical and cultural matters that concern a large and varied target audience.

To extend the coverage of the book to appeal to a wider readership runs a heavy risk of creating a large and unattractive volume which could end up serving no-one. I would imagine that the author and his publisher have considered a separate volume for those considering a move from other regions of the world, in which the text could cover details specific to the members of a particular audience in a manageable and economically efficient volume.

This book does have some bits of good information (usually these are practical information like "How to...") contained in it. However when you reach the sections on American culture it is very easy to find out biases creeping out of the book. These comments are written from a largely British or Commonwealth perspective (which is not surprising since Mr Hampshire himself is British). In the assessment about the American electoral system Mr Hampshire thinks the (continental) European proportional representative system is superior to "Winners take all" system that America uses. Ironically in his home country the Parliament (forget the Scottish and Welsh assemblies) is elected using the "First past the post" system - which is identical to the American electoral system.

The bottom line is: provided you are from New Zealand, Australia or Britain have a look at this book. If you are from countries with minimal British cultural heritage such as Russia, Germany, Indonesia or Taiwan, forget it. Many books about practical tips to live in America has been published in many EFL and ESL (English as a Foreign/Secondary Language) countries (using English or their own languages) without this type of naked biases. And secondly you won't have to figure out what cricket is before you understand life in America!

A really useful, practical guide giving realistic and balanced views of what to expect from the States.Invaluable for those with no previous knowledge on which to base important decisions.

Previous to my move to Spain I bought David Hampshire's "Living and Working in Spain" and found it to be an invaluable aid and an excellent source of information. I'm contemplating a move to the US and so was very pleased and interested to see that David Hampshire has published a similar book for America. I wasn't disappointed with the book and again found it packed with useful information, and important time and money saving tips. this edition looks as if it too will prove invaluable to me as I find my way around America and the Americans. At least with "Living and Working in America" I've had all my questions answered so far and I feel I'm as prepared as I ever will be!

First they plagerize the "101" theme of my bestselling series (LIFE 101, LOVE 101, WEALTH 101), then they call "reality" the fantasy of the Bible. The poor, misled teens who are unfortunate enough to read this book looking for what's real will learn nothing about reality and a great deal about the anti-life, anti-nature, anti-pleasure, anti-love, pro-hate, pro-repression, pro-judgemental dictates of modern "Christianity." I put "Christianity" in quotes because modern "Christianity" has nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus. With "The kingdom of heaven is within you" and "Our Father, who art in heaven," Jesus gives the precise location of God--within each one of us, not, as the "Christians" teach, some external being keeping track of every maturbatory act that will send the "sinner" to hell for all eternity. If titles could be copyrighted, I would sue. As they cannot, I can only say here that, to whatever degree these people plan to trade on the success of the LIFE 101 Series, I denounce this books utterly. That it is called "Reality 101" is false advertising. That this book is aimed at children is child abuse. The authors have no qualm about either stealing titles or misleading the young. For shame.

Peter McWilliams (www.mcwilliams.com)

First of all, I was incredibly disappointed with the other review that I read about this book. Whoever wrote that obviously knows nothing about Truth and what the Christian life is. Before he slams a book like this, he better understand what he is saying and reading first. (Secondly, the title is not in anyway illegal or plagerized--these are publishers, I think that they have a little more knowledge about publishing than that reviewer does). As for the book, I think it was terrific. So many youth grow up in this "Hollywood" world, knowing little about real life and what their faith is all about. In a fun and easy way that teenagers can understand and relate to, these authors have managed to give some helpful insight and guidance to these kids. It is a very enjoyable book and I recommend it for any teenager and as a terrific gift that parents can give to their children as well.

To start out, the book is cute .. cute .... I mean so cute I'm gonna absolutely vomit!

This is a two parter, one from the women's point of view, and, yup you guessed it, turn the book over and upside down and 'voila' you now have an erotic book from the ma's point of view... yeeeeeechhhh

If you have seen the animated movie Monsters Inc I would think this book must have been inspired by that film since it is full of doors, doors and more doors behind which a short erotic (so they say) happening occurs to the hero or heroine depending on which side you picked up the book ...

At the end of each chapter you are given a coice of continuing the read OR go to one of the other suggested doors(chapters) .... needless to say each chapter of course starts with the main character being chased or walking down a long corridor ...

sorry .... if some of the doors would have provide real erotic scenes I may have accepted the concept but the book left me dead and feeling pretty dumb for kicking out the cash .....

All right then, I think we're all agreed that this isn't the book to read if you're prowling for the psychological depths and serious tone Mme. Reyes laid out for us in "The Butcher". Having said this, however, I think the book stands well on its own merits. In a strictly technical sense, it can't be easy to design a novel that gives the reader two plot options at the end of every chapter and then rewrite the whole thing from the viewpoint of the opposite gender. (Which gender did she start out with first? One wonders.) And rest assured, not all the "doors" you open will lead to particularly pleasurable experiences. There's one chapter in particular involving a monstrously obese woman and chickens. (I'll leave it at that!)

But such bizzare, jarring interludes help to give the book a diverse, interesting texture and, conversely, I found some of the vignettes wonderfully playful and entertaining in a dreamy, surreal fashion. One has to admire the author for the fecundity of her imagination. There's this delightful, voyeuristic promenade beneath a transparent sidewalk, for instance. (As it turns out, not all those women up there chose to wear "knickers" beneath their dress.) Indeed, at its best, the book has the same refreshingly unusual tone of some of Fellini's more lighthearted cinematic romps. ("City Of Women" comes to mind)

The book is wonderful mind-candy, a tangy-sweet, undemanding french pastry of a read, perfect for unwinding at the begining of the weekend and, by all means, take the time to read at least parts of it out loud with some one you love. Who knows? Some interesting "doors" of your own might open.

Alina Reyes has won the reputation of being a literary voice in erotic fiction. Her books are poetic and provocative at the same time. Having read The Butcher, I know that Reyes writes her sensuous stories with a touch of magical realism. She has done the same thing with Behind Closed Doors.

This book is broken into two sections. It is shown from the female and male perspective. You enter the Kingdom of Eros -- a labyrinth of erotic adventures that you experience by choosing which door to enter. There is no real plot in this novel, except that there are lots of quirky symbolism in the chapters -- or rather, doors. I particularly enjoyed "The Man at the Window." I love its symbolic message.

This is a great and entertaining book. You should not, however, take this book seriously. Despite the symbolism, Behind Closed Doors is meant to be a fun and sensuous read. Enjoy!

I bought this book thinking that it would provide a solid overview of the 250+ year period that it advertised. Boy, was I wrong. Anytime the text deals with English/British forces, you might want to get out a CD and play "God Save the Queen" while you read, for Chandler is devoid of objectivity. The result of his incredibly Jingoistic prose renders these portions of the Atlas of little value. That may seem good by comparison once the author betrays to the reader his poor handling/understanding of the American Civil War. Chandler's treatment of Gettysburg is an absolute joke, and his description of the action on 2 July is so far off base that the errors contained in the text cannot be considered as coming from any "historian" SUPPOSEDLY of merit. As a result, I have already removed this book to the garage, where it is piled with other belongings that are earmarked to be given away.

Yes, it is biased, but Dr. Chandler is British. Yes, the coverage of the U.S. War Between the States is flawed. However, this book's stregth lies in its treatment of the development of military strategy, essentially from the Thirty Years War (1618 -48) through the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. It is not a detailed military history of these times; for that, one consults works that deal specifically with a particular period. For example, Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon" treats the Napoleonic Wars in scholarly thorough depth. However, this book is excellent as an overview as to how military thinking changed and evolved over times, affecting the way battles were fought. Chandler also demonstrates how the evolution of weapons changed the thinking of commanders, whose options were enhanced by changes in weaponry. The many maps are well-done visual aids to demonstrate a commander's use of terrain and his prrinciples of manouvre. If Chandler takes justifiable pride in the generalship of Marlborough and Wellington, well, they were tactical geniuses. If, as it is, his treatment of American wars is less than objective and factually flawed, it should not prevent a prospective purchaser from buying this book for its stated purpose as an overview; there are many fine works dealing with all aspects of the Civil War, but this book has been a constant companion since being published in 1980 and it is an excellent starting place for anyone with a burgeoning interest in tactics and strategy.

Wonderful book, clear and concise illustrations; not your usual Amerocentric diatribe

I had the opportunity to examine this book. As someone in the food industry I was disappointed by Food Chemical Safety. Only one chapter deals specifically with the United States. Food safety is food safety; but when you buy a book on the subject; you want one which is applicable to you. The book is narrowly focussed on the U.K. food industry. Beyond the geographical location; the book lacked depth. Short paragraphs (which made for an impressive Table of Contents) provided no substance. If you are reading about food chemical safety; you want information beyond a short paragraph which assumes you know nothing to begin with. As the book is written, I could see its only use as a text in a library for college or high school students with a paper to write.

This collection of articles, while competently composed and edited, seems rather unimpressive when taken as a whole. Many of the contributors possess impressive credentials, and yet much of the writing is hortatory rather than descriptive. A few bemoan the proportional disparity of interest between the sexes regarding computers and IT (esp. Teague). Whether or not this is an immutable condition (and the evidence on brain physiology suggests this), it smacks of social engineering to alter curricula predominantly on this basis. The more impressive papers were--guess what?--written by the Japanese and Germans. Leave it to a Japanese teacher (Kobayashi) to describe pedagogy of teaching eigenvectors to high school students.

The implicit conceit centers around use of computers for teaching, rather than as an administrative tool. Having to stare at a computer terminal all day, I am skeptical of its efficacy in imparting new subject matter to young charges, rather than supplementing databases by more sedentary personnel. Even five years after the book is published, software and operating systems remain clumsy, slow and unreliable for ubiquitous computer programs. Extolling the virtues of an undeveloped methodology strikes me as faddish and counterproductive. To learn look-and-feel of current GUI formats is a waste of time for kids--these will likely be replaced long before they enter the workforce. Better that they learn to read, write and arithmetically compute than on obsolescent IT. Thus as a non-academician, I find the theme of this book to be mildly objectionable. Perhaps my assessment is unfair, but c'est la vie.

At various points in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, Holmes berates Watson for the written versions of his adventures, feeling that Watson has produced sensationalised accounts of what could have been examinations of the deductive process.

Possibly Holmes would have been happier with the twelve stories in this slender volume.

While the deductions and so forth are fine and well, they generally lack the most important elements of the Holmes stories: human interest and conflict. It is easy to sit back and observe these stories dispassionately, because they lack any passion.

The closest Mr. Hammer comes to providing a true continuataion of Doyle's writing is in the last, best and longest of the stories, "The Matter of the Furnival Curse". It is in this story that the characters come closest to achieving some semblence of humanity.

The book is very well presented, but good packaging doesn't make up for a lack of substantial content.