Ralph Cotton has gotten back to his writing roots! In the tradition of "While Angels Dance," Blood Rock is packed full of great dialogue. The interchange between the outlaws at times had me laughing out loud.

If you liked Ralph's earlier books, you will LOVE Blood Rock!

Blood Rock is another good western by Ralph Cotton. It is the story of how Ranger Sam Burrack got started. He is a buffalo hunter that knows nothing about law enforcement. Before the book is over he has learned so much and become a force of his own. Has a lot of action and you can feel and see the western country side through Cottons eyes. For a fast paced, fast moving book with lots ot action this will be hard to beat.

This book is soooo good. Ralph Cotton really captures real life events that would have happened in the Wild West times. I'm a western book fanatic and this book was soo good. You have to get it. If you want to know what life was like for a Arizona ranger, here's your chance.

John has done a wonderful job of putting me back into hell. I could actually feel the scrapes and bruises. There were times that the memories were real enough that I had to put the book down. I highly recommend The Coveted Black and Gold to anyone who has this experience under their belt and to anyone looking to take the challenge.

Reading this book opened all the floodgates of memory of my own Ranger School class in the winter of 1970. I had forgotten so much of the physical punishment, of one C-ration a day while climbing the mountains and wading the swamps, of teeth-shattering snow and icy swamp water, of halucinating and sleeping on my feet, of dropping to 125 pounds on a 5-foot 10-inch frame. And more than the physical, there was the emotional and the mental toll. Heartbreakingly exhausting past exhaustion. There were times when the book invoked such vivid memories of misery that I really wanted to just put it down and walk away for awhile. What an outstanding book! I'm amazed that the author was able to pull off keeping the journal and his small Kodak cartridge camera through all the Ranger instructor equipment shake-down inspections. I'm also amazed at the consistency of his experiences and mine. People have asked me through the years, "What was Ranger School like?" I never could begin to find any words to do the experience justice. How do I describe the indescribable? Now, however, J.D. Lock has done just that. The next time I'm asked, I'll just hand them the book and answer, "Here. Read." Every Ranger or family of a Ranger should have this book. Rangers Lead The Way, Sir!

This book is extremely valuable for its day-to-day description of life at Ranger School, to give aspiring Rangers an idea of what's in store when they tackle the nine-week course.

And for someone who completed Ranger School just a few years before the author, it was a stunning trip backward in time. The passage of almost three decades had blurred my memories substantially, but Lock's account resurrected a significant number of them -- little things that added so much richness to the course yet faded immediately upon graduation, plus some monstrous things that one's mind tends to dilute on purpose. It's all here: The kinetic, frenetic action of the first phase, the physical training, the long runs, the hand-to-hand combat sessions (along with taking a dive during the competitive portion, to avoid injury), the mess hall experience, chin-ups before every meal, reporting to the Tacs at every meal, low-crawling on that rocky road in the company area, the swelling unpleasance of Camp Darby, where night operations began the sleep deprivation process. The descripion of the Mountain Phase is equally vivid, the terrible patrols up and down horrendous, 60-degree slopes in the dead of night, with fallen trees blocking the way, the fatigue really starting to take its toll now -- Lock's account brought it all back... the rain, the sleep-starvation, the hunger, and even a photo of those little Mountain huts I thought I'd never see again.

Lock noted something I considered significant at the time, an excellent example of the Ranger Department's psychological choreography. At the end of the Mountain Phase, classes were roused early (0300) to make the return bus trip to Fort Benning from Camp Merrill. Some students were feeling great after the Mountains, having passed all of their graded patrols; others, like me, were one up and two down -- on the brink of failing the course. As the busses entered the Benning Ranger area later that morning, we saw the previous class standing on the old airstrip behind the City Team barracks, enjoying its graduation ceremony. Students who were doing well (such as Lock) were jubilant and inspired; students who were faltering (like me) experienced a massive wave of depression.

Lock's account of the Florida phase was terrific... cold, wet, exhausted and starving. I had forgotten how we surreptitiously obsessed over food, frequently murmuring about the things we would eat after we finished the course... fried chicken, cherry pie, gosh, hamburgers!

The last days of slogging through the swamps, the RELIEF when it was all finally over, the brevity of the double-time graduation ceremony (during my own, we saw the busses from the next class pass before us; more Ranger excellence in timing and execution!) -- it's all here.

Lock's constant use of vernacular was appropriate, reflecting how Ranger students, soon completely immersed in the training, communicate with one another. You'll pick it up, after a few pages.

This is a super little diary. I just can't imagine how he found the energy or time to do it. Enjoy, and Drive On.

Although he was considered during his lifetime to be a profoundly radical thinker, Emerson, the Transcendentalist chief, after his death, was soon reinterpreted as a bland Bostonian Brahmin, a mystic anarchist who was only brave on paper. It cannot be denied that his philosophy of a joyful and affirmationist acceptance of life, and of nature, his anti-slavery activities, his attacks on the state and on the sensualism of bourgeois society, could have easily provided the formula for a complete overthrow of the moral order of his time. His libertarian thrust, his serene integrity, his indefatiguable optimism and common sense, however, will continue to find admirers, notwithstanding the fact that political identifications have changed and emphases have shifted, or otherwise one can simply enjoy the polished beauty of his prose style. Though by no means a deep thinker, Emerson's brilliantly epigrammatic, allusive, declamatory, pithy style provides instances where the reader may extrapolate a number of meanings from even the shortest utterances, and it is due to this quality, perhaps, that the Emerson enigma came into being, enabling him to appeal to such numerous and diverse temperaments. His best essays include "The Over-Soul", "Compensation", "Self-Reliance" and "Manners", in which he preaches, in the rhetorical manner reminiscent of his background as a Unitarian minister, his ideals of contenment, joy, independence and self-confidence -- tonics of the soul.

If I could create my ideal afterlife or heaven, I would wish to be forever cradled in the gentle arms and soothing prose of Emerson. Who needs prozac or any psychiatry for that matter when we have access to such beautiful writing?

If ever there was a man fit to work a suicide hotline, it is Ralph Waldo Emerson. If ever an author is to have a positive effect on one's life, this man is certainly the foremost candidate. Emerson's essays radiate optimism and preach self-confidence; his works contain some of the best lessons one could ever hope to learn and, at the same time, are some of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. Like Tombstone's Doc Holiday, every sentence Emerson offers is quotable. Make no mistake, though, Emerson's words are of a completely different brand than those echoing quotes that decorate hollow speeches; an Emerson quote has meat. In every sentence one can find his complete philosophy, much like, as he writes in The Over-Soul, "One blood rolls uninterruptedly, an endless circulation through all." One's memory of Emerson's entire teachings can be refreshed in a single phrase, but one can never see the genius in his writing without having grasped it in the first place. That is precisely why I would consider offering a Cliff's Notes-type summary of any of Emerson's works one of the gravest literary crimes. Apart from the impossibility of the task, any so-called shortcut would rob the reader of those self-revelations - which are the essence of the Emerson experience - that can only be reached by trudging alone through the depths of the material. The reading is challenging. Each sentence takes on a different meaning upon re-examinations, be they consecutive or periodic. In the first reading, one may be struck by a certain passage's theme or imagery. Upon reading over it seconds later, one may discover a subtle metaphor, and a third reading my suggest another, even-deeper meaning, all of which may be replaced by the impressions of a fourth glance some two or three weeks later. The material is timeless, accommodating the evolving individual as well as the ever-changing human race. We must be careful, though, not to be lulled into the cult-mentality of using Emerson's writings as an instruction manual for our own lives. To do so would be to undermine his entire message. The fruit of the Emerson experience is gaining the self-trust, or Self-Reliance, necessary to follow our own hearts, make our own decisions, and say, with confidence, "Hey, I know what I'm doing."

Thoughtfully illustrated with simple, black-and-white brush-style minimalist drawings, Ralph and Lahni DeAmicis' Feng Shui And The Tango In Twelve Easy Lessons is an amalgam of American-style Feng Shui, uniquely adapted from the ancient Chinese practice by incorporating Western design tradition, ergonomics, color theory, and human psychology. An insightful guide to renovating one's daily environment, and specifically written to help the reader improve his or her living environment, and an invaluable aid for creating designs to better support goals and dreams, Feng Shui And The Tango In Twelve Easy Lessons covers everything except for actual illustrated Tango dance steps and is a highly recommended and much appreciated addition to any Feng Shui reading list or reference collection.

Once I picked up the book I couldn't put it down. The Deamicis have written a book that is filled with info that can be easily applied to the western way of living. It is a good book to use as a reference manual and true it isn't a history of Feng Shui but it was never meant to be that. The book is an easy read, with a modern approach to Feng Shui. The Deamicis are well respected in this field and have written a great book.

I have always been interested in the art of Feng Shui. I have purchased many books on the subject and have always been confused by what was being said. The DeAmicis' book really makes it so a person can understand and apply their Feng Shui tips without hiring a professional. Using their tips I was able to Feng Shui my house and it looks beautiful. People ask who my decorator is.

I borrowed this book from a friend in University. I read it from cover to cover and was deeply impressed. The information contained in this book has definitely helped me in the area of sales and relationships. My friend let me keep the book; however, someone borrowed it from me and it got lost. For years, I lamented on the loss of this great treasure chest. I finally was able to locate a copy. I will never lend that book to any one. Cheers.

I read this book in the 1960s and have read it many times since. In addition I have read many management books over the years and believe that this book contains all the basic theory.

This book is the reason for my understanding of relationships and sales. It was a gift from my gandfather as a child and is now MIA :-( If you can find it BUY IT! and if you want to sell one email me PLEASE! Ian Former

This was the first volume in the whole IVP series I purchased, and because of it, I bought the "Dictionary of the Later New Testament." This whole series is a wonderful and insightful compilation of Biblical studies. This work is a concise, and yet thorough work on Paul's theology and termonology, and the novice student doesn't need to worry about a ton of theological jargon or a degree in Greek in order to read it, either.

I tend to prefer the more extensive "The Theology of Paul" by James Dunn, although this book may have a more logical orginization to it as a dictionary format. I usually sit down with both when I study, as they both have their strenghts and weaknesses as a resource.

I dont 100% agree with everything in this book, but I agree with a lot of it, and consider it a necessity in my library.

The best one volume book you can find on the complete writings of Paul. The book covers everything dealing with Paul and his writings, and not one stone is left unturned. Every article is brilliantly written, and informative. I found the articles on Textual Criticism and the various ones on Jesus Christ very helpful to my study. Along with the other three volumes (Jesus and the Gospels, Later New Testament and its development and New Testament background) it makes a good collection to the complete understanding of the New Testament. Go out and buy it, and you will not regret it.

Another extremely helpful dictionary from IVP and Dr. Daniel Reid. A tremendous work that provides a vast array of scholarly articles on issues related to the Pauline corpus. The sweep of this project has been enormous. This particular volume has been of great help to me as I continue to move through the Pauline epistles. The many articles relating to the law have been especially helpful. The editors have been careful to give the traditional as well as the new perspective on Paul and the law a balanced hearing. Some of the articles are thin, but the bibliographies (at the end of each article), provide primary sources. This is truly one of the best resources on my shelf!

If Definitive Guide was wonderful this one is even better.

These guys have done a good work with the book.

Special mention to Gasperi's Homebrew Sensors section.

One of my library's jewels

If the Definitive Guide was wonderful this one is even better.

Special remark to Gasperi section about homebrew sensors.

This guys have done a invaluable works.

One of my library jewels.

Want to take your Mindstorms creations to new hieghts? Go beyond RIS? The ya have to get this book, a follow up to Dave Baum's Definitive Guide to Lego Mindstorms. You will not only see more NQC programming, but pbForth as well, and an excellent section on constructing your own sensors. If your the kid who doesn't grow up, an engineer at heart, and the owner of more than one RIS set because you are obssessed with Lego Mindstorms, then you cannot do without adding this book to your collection.

I have read six books by Ralph Cotton. All have been good. I think I like the series that starts with Montana Red better. This one gets a little out of the west with the trip to Chicago and a regular police force. Sullivan Hart and Twojack Roth are federal deputies hunting JT Priest and his coharts. They have killed Hart's father, who was also a deputy. They track him across the country to Chicago. They are helped by Quick Charlie Sims who is accused of robbing a bank, but it was robbed by Priest. Quick Charlie is a good character I hope he is used again. The last few pages are very good as Mabrey, another outlaw, in with Priest, is taken care of by Quick Charlie. Really like the westerns I read to be more set in the west. However, Cotton is very good and it makes for an interesting read.

A very good read!

The storyline was great and the characters are believeable. None of the John Wayne stuff, just real characters who get hurt, tired and hungry.

Quick Charlie Sims, while a con man, is a likeable fellow and I hope he shows up in future books.

Ralph Cotton has proven that, once again, he's the best!

This is not a typical western novel full of typical western characters. It is an original and well thought out piece of work, written by a gifted story teller. The excitement is electric and humoruos. If this is the first in a series, I can't wait for the next one.

When you probate an estate yourself, you're your own lawyer. Fortunately Nissley, et al, and the State of California have made this possible for typical small family estates. Working through our own actual situation, with the help of this book, provided a much-needed education about what to do and what not to do in planning my own estate matters. What the book doesn't address is the difficulty the Executor or representative faces in managing through the attitudes, complaints and opinions of the others affected by the death of a loved one.

This edition seems to have been edited piecemeal to keep up with changing laws and tax matters, and some of the references within the book are incorrect. But my main objection is the unhappy practice in the book of requiring the reader to keep referring to other sections of the book to complete a form or prepare for a filing.

You can buy this with your eyes closed. I'm ain't loaning this one out.

Probate isn't the most exciting subject matter but Nissley will tell you what you need to know to get through it.

I also recommend Mary Randoph's "8 Ways to Avoid Probate".

I ordered several books on estates and what to do after someone passes away; after reviewing all of them, this is THE book I really used. It was the most complete, helpful, and accessible book on the topic. Also, note that it does NOT just deal with Probate -- my situation did not involve probate (fortuntaely!), but I still found this book invaluable in helping me know what to do about all the various matters after my mother passed away. I highly recommend this book.

Loved the bear scenes. Tons of action and suspense. Cotton has painted the Rockies with words. While reading, I felt as though I could look out my window and see the mountains. Plus, the tail is believable... Again, Cotton makes the reader feel he/she is a part of the story.

Killers of Man, was a very nice piece of work. Once you start reading it you cant put it down, and very compelling. I have had a bought with a Grizzly, and this story was right on line to the way they are,even before they have tasted human blood, which just makes it worse once they have. And it sends chills down your back. I hope he writes more on this subject. Very well done, A+.

Though I have enjoyed all of Mr. Cotton's books, Killers of Man remains my favorite. It is such a gripping tale, I sat down to read a few chapters, then next thing I knew, it was 5:00 a.m. and I had finished the book.

Wonderful story. Masterful story-teller.

Buy this book!