To mark James White's appearance as Author Guest of Honor at the 1996 World Science Fiction Convention, NESFA Press published this collection of nine of his novelettes and an equal number of his fanzine contributions (mostly from Walt Willis's legendary "Hyphen"). The balance is fitting and proper, for White was equally eminent as a "vile pro" (his term) and a dedicated fan - one of the few successful authors who sprang from, but never very far away from, the fannish milieu.

Though never ranking with a Heinlein or Asimov or Niven in popular acclaim, White compiled an impressive body of work. Best known was his "Sector General" series, set in an interstellar hospital whose multi-species physicians found their ingenuity challenged by the strange ailments of some of the weirdest patients ever imagined. THE WHITE PAPERS includes four Sector General stories, plus the author's account of the origin and development of the series as a whole. The problems presented range from caring for a half-ton alien infant who has to be sprayed with food every four hours to treating a shape-changing amoeboid's catatonia to preventing a young human doctor from falling in love with his crustacean counterpart. All cleverly turn the superficially bizarre into narratives that are sometimes funny and often moving.

The non-Sector General stories likewise maintain a high standard. The gems are "Custom Fitting", which addresses the question of where the centaur-like first ambassador from the Galactic Federation is to find suitable garments for his audience at the Court of St. James, and "Christmas Treason", in which a gang of telekinetic toddlers tracks down Santa Claus. One story, "House Sitter", appears here for the first time. We are not told when it was written, but elements of the theme would not have been welcome in most science fiction outlets until very recently. The other two stories are "Commuter", a clever time travel yarn whose only weakness is an unsurprising surprise ending, and "Sanctuary", where Irish nuns protect an alien explorer from the attentions of a 60 Minutes style "attack television" program.

In general, it should be noted, White is a somewhat "old-fashioned" (that is, Campbellian) writer. Faster-than-light travel, instantaneous communications, anti-gravity devices and even "stasis boxes" (long before Larry Niven exploited the concept) are taken for granted. The plotting is careful, and the characterization vigorous, if not always subtle. The are no experimental literary techniques, no sexual banter, no casual obscenities and nothing suggestive of drugs, New Age-ism or cyberpunk. Readers immersed in the latest SF trends may find this mix a bit stodgy.

The fan writings that make up the second part of the book represent a good sampling of one of the great times and places of amateur science fiction enthusiasm: the Irish Fandom ("IF") created by Walt Willis, Bob Shaw, George Charters, John Berry, Chuch Harris, White himself and others. IF flourished in a less than salubrious clime, the tension-wracked Northern Ireland of the 1950's and later. The contrast between IF's wacky, good-natured, effervescent worlds and the stark reality round about is captured in the nostalgic nonfactual essay, "The Exorcists of IF". White's own role in cultivating this garden of sanity and cross-tribal friendship (he was a Roman Catholic; most of the rest of IF were Protestants) is portrayed in a memoir, "Fester on the Fringe".

Other pieces fall into distinctive fannish genres: the "trip report" ("The Beacon, or Through Darkest Ireland Carrying a Torch for Bea Mahaffey"), the "con report" ("The Long Afternoon of Harrogate" and "The Quinze-y Report", the latter title being a Walt Willis pun that requires a quarter-page explanation), the fannish history ("A History of IF, Chapter 3") and the unserious personal invective against pretended enemies ("The Last Time I Saw Harris" and "The Not-So-Hot Gospeller"). Whatever the nominal topic, all of these sketches are light-hearted, pun-filled and witty. The nonfan may stumble over an occasional obscure reference (to, e. g., Roscoe or the sawing of Courtney's boat), but the argot is not so thick as to be unintelligible, and the meanings of the most frequently used terms, such as "egoboo" and "BNF", soon become clear from the context.

Rounding out the volume are a Sector General timeline and catalogue of alien species, both prepared by the late Gary Louie, a talented and deeply missed Los Angeles fan.

James White died not long ago, and his fiction is becoming hard to find. His fan writings were always ephemera, of course. Happily, NESFA Press keeps its backlist in print, giving another generation the opportunity to sample the writings of one of the field's stars.

The White Tower was written towards the end of WW2 & set in that time period. Although the book hinges on a rather fantastic coincidence right from the start, if you go along with it it's a good story & well-written. Ullman gathers together a number of characters struggling with their role (or lack of role) in the war, and sets his main character, Ordway, to collect them all together in an attempt to conquer an unclimbed peak (the Weissturm or White Tower). Since the group includes an Austrian who fled from her Nazi husband, an Englishman who failed repeatedly on Everest & who was unable to force himself to join in the war, a Frenchman who deserted & retreated with all his wordly goods, a confirmed Nazi on leave, an American who crashed his plane nearby (Ordway himself) and a local Swiss guide trying to do what he can while his country remains neutral, the dynamics are quite interesting & Ullman does a good job while not caving in to stereotypes too much. Tensions mount as they struggle up the mountain and the effort & altitude take their toll (those who've read "Into Thin Air" will recognize some of the symptoms, although the Weissturm is not exceedingly high), but the characters remain true to themselves and the end rings true. For climbers, it's also an interesting window on what climbing used to be, with a strong emphasis on "the fellowship of the rope." I'd recommend it!

James White's new book The Potter's Freedom was written as a rebuttal to Norman Geisler's book Chosen but Free. To be honest I have not read all of Geisler's book, but I have read most of it so I believe I can produce an accurate and objective critique of White's work in comparison to Geisler's.

Out of both books, I believe that White's work is much better and more persuasive. White does an excellent job of delving into key texts and in the process he wrestles with them and examines them for what they are worth. His explanations for Matthew 23:37, I Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9, although not the best, are without a doubt good attempts to refute Geisler's point-blank assertions; Geisler takes these verses at face value, while White looks at the the surrounding verses and attempts to clarify what these verses are really stating. Since CBF (Chosen but Free) relies so heavily on these verses to bolster it's argument, White does some serious damage to Geisler's argument when he deals with these texts.

Furthermore, White does an excellent job of providing solid exegesis for some of the standard proof-texts of traditional Reformed theology. His analysis of John 6 and Romans 9 easily eclipses any simple exegesis provided by Geisler. White convincingly illustrates that the believer's coming to Christ comes after they are given to Christ by the Father. Moreover, his work on Romans chapter 9 simply destroys Geisler's main thesis. White does an excellent job of defending the doctrines of irresistable grace and unconditional election, and does irreparable damage to Geisler's argument.

While oveall I was happy with White's work, there were still a few elements which I felt were lacking. First, White does not deal with the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. Geisler, who calls himself a moderate Calvinist, also believes that a believer cannot lose his salvation, but his beliefs are substantially different from those from the Reformed Camp. I really wish White would have devoted a chapter comparing Perseverance of the Saints (POTS), the traditional Reformed position, with Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS), which is the position of Geisler and moderate Calvinism. I believe White could have dealth the death knell to Geisler's theology if he had dealt with this position.

Secondly, throughout the book White continually discredits the Catholic Church as being a system of religion centered on man's work. He discusses how Molina, a prominent Jesuit theologian, came up with the idea of the middle knowledge (scienta media) and salvation predicated on foreknowledge. Yet, White fails to mention that there are also many within the Catholic Church who belong to the Augustinian/Thomistic school of thought. While there are some minor differences, the Thomists and the Calvinists have many of the same perspectives regarding sovereignty, grace, and the origin of salvation. I will admit that most of the Catholic Church is strongly Molinist in it's beliefs, but it would have been nice if White did not generalize and attribute to everyone in the Catholic Church postions which they do not hold.

All in all, White's The Potter's Freedom is an excellent book. Whether one wants to learn more about Reformation doctrines, or whether one just wants to strengthen their convictions, this book is an excellent read. Although it does suffer from a few minor flaws it is still worth your time and money.

Dr. James White does a wonderful job defending the sovereignty of God in all of His acts. He totally destroys the Philosophical arguments of CBF. Dr. Giesler has done many good things in defending the faith (while I disagree with his apologetic method), but this time, Dr. Geisler went in over his head. Calling historic Calvinism 'extreme Calvinism' is absurd. It is obvious that Dr. Geisler didn't read Calvin's Commentaries, because if you read certain passages in there, it is obvious that he does teach Particular Redemption. But, even if Calvin didn't teach Particular Redemption, the Bible does! Dr. White does a great job of exegeting the passages that seem to teach Universalism, but when properly exegeted obviously do not. This book has great exegesis on passages such as Romans 9, John 6:35-45, Matthew 23:37, 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, etc. Any one can just proof text a passage in scripture, and it will seem to be right (Geisler's method). But, unless we actually exegete a passage, then we do not know what the authorial intent of that passage is! Dr. White's defense of Calvinism is one of the best defenses that I have ever seen. Calvinism has had a resurgence among believers today, and it is a good thing to see Evangelicals seeing that God is sovereign over ALL things!

The only quibble that I have with this book is the spelling errors. Calvary Press is a TREMENDOUS publishing company, but they do tend to make mistakes in their editing. But, in this book, it does not dispel the marvelous content of the truth of the Gospel. Like the reformers before, Dr. White believes this issue is the very 'heart of the Gospel.' This is a Tremendous book for anyone studying this complex issue.

Norman Geisler describes himself as a "moderate Calvinist". In his book "Chosen But Free", Geisler's moderate Calvinism turns out to be nothing more than four-point Arminianism. This is the conclusion that James White, author of a number of books including "The King James Only Controversy" and "The Forgotten Trinity", comes to in his recent book "The Potter's Freedom". From Geisler's unique understanding of God's foreknowledge, to his plain and simple passing over of crucial biblical texts, White has painstakingly documented and refuted the many errors and contradictions found in Geisler's exegesis of Scripture. I was also quite happily suprised to discover that White's book is much more than just a refutation of "Chosen But Free", but is also one of the most easy-to-understand books on Reformed theology I've ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone who has either read "Chosen But Free" and would like to get another viewpoint, or to anyone just getting their feet wet with Reformed theology.

Rick.larson@lawson.com

If skined88@hotmail.com had seen the video version of the book, he would see that Ridgeway did extensive interviews with neo-Nazis, and in fact let them speak for themselves.

The book itself is interesting, but the video shows these people up for the clowns they really are.

Like so many other things in today's society, racism, and especially racially motivated crimes, seem very distant to most of us. An occasional tasteless joke around the water cooler may be the closest 99% of us get to the terrifying world of the racist underground.

Many books have tried to reverse this ignorance, but many (if not most) have failed. The reason is simple: Hundreds of pages of text don't bring us any closer to the scenes of the crimes, or closer to the people who are either involved in the white supremist movement or who have been affected by it.

But "Blood in the Face" is different. It has graphics on almost every page, mostly White Aryan Resistance (WAR) propaganda posters, and less frequently photos of David Duke, Henry Ford, and other well-known racists and anti-Semites, threatening letters, etc. This is also a primary-source-laden text. This serves to hammer home the point that racism does not just exist in the Deep South. It is EVERYWHERE: South, North, East, West, and especially in the minds of those who perpetuate such garbage every day.

That said, this book is an INTRODUCTION to the culture of white supremacy. It dwells on the surface of the culture and selected individual organizations, occasionally delving into history. But it doesn't do a good job at all of providing a CONTEXT for the terrible things it describes. "Blood in the Face" is a solid introduction for those looking to learn more about racism and the white supremacy movement as a whole, but for discussions of individual people and groups, you must look elsewhere.

An excellent, detailed textbook style examination of the radical right, in all its manifestations. Of all the books I've read on the right, and I've read a few, this one is the best. Carefully crafted and scholarly, Ridgeway pulls no punches. He gives detailed explanations of the history, origins and rhetoric of the KKK, The Posse Comitatus, The American Nazi Party and many related right wing haters. He makes copious use of the rights own pamphlets and speeches to reveal their twisted belief systems, and the book is full of pictures and even includes exerts of the infamous Turner Diaries. Well written and readable the book is also a gripping page-turner and will definitely keep you interested until the end. My only gripe is with the final chapter, which is unduly alarmist. It is true that the radical right is active and that they are a danger to society, but I am not convinced by the notion that there values are more acceptable in society than they have been in the past. Was Bull Conner an outcast in his time? Is David Duke more important politically than George Wallace was? Has the KKK been able to defeat a presidential candidate in modern times the way they defeated Al Smith? I also found the suggestion that Madonna and Tom Petty of all people are spreading racist propaganda to be laughable. Further the notion that opposition to affirmative action is evidence of a racist mindset is absurd, and revealing of the authors 'liberal' bias. Affirmative action is not only a racist notion, based as it is on the idea that minorities need special help to succeed, but also has given aid and comfort to the racist cause. Racists can point to Affirmative Action as proof of their own beliefs. That being said, the ideological quirks of the author do not detract from the excellence of his scholarship. As a detailed explanation of the radical right across the broad spectrum, the book is peerless. Highly recommended.

Although I've always enjoyed listening to Dr. Dobson and was looking forward to this book, I have to disagree with many of the other reviewers and say that I was very disappointed. He spends the greater part of every chapter discussing in detail specific problems that he knows a marriage will face (interspersed with several advertisements for his other books) but gives very little practical advice on how to prevent these problems from occuring or how to work them out once they do occur. I bought this book for my fiancee for Valentine's Day and I'm sorry I asked her to read it. Instead, get "Love Life" and "First Years of Forever" by Ed Wheat. Both of these books take the opposite approach and provide (from the Bible) a wealth of positive and uplifting information on how to build (and rebuild) your relationship on a daily basis. He teaches you in practical and Scriptural terms how to love your spouse more and more every day. These books have made a tremendous difference in our relationship already and we plan to re-read them often. Forget Dr. Dobson's book and get the Ed Wheat books instead. You will not be sorry and your spouse will thank you!

This is a short, easy to read book, intended to give some advice to young couples contemplating marriage. This slow reader began and finished the book within a couple hours, but the length of time reading the book does not reflect how useful the book is. Some of Dobson's main points are: keep Christ as the center of your relationship (Dobson being an evengelical Christian, writing to others who strongly value Christ); make sure you see eye-to-eye on the big things and be prepared to get into big fights about little things; men and women think differently and it would benefit you greatly to learn the way the other sex thinks. Dobson writes in a fluid style and liberally sprinkles in anecdotes, research, and selections from others' works to make his points. In doing this, he makes his main points stand out and makes his book a fun, lighthearted one written about a subject that is anything but light. Recommended.

This is a GREAT book for engaged couples. Some of those that have written negative reviews (primarily, of Dr. Dobson himself) are the ones with the agenda. I wonder if they've even read this book. I just read this book and, as a Christian, I find it to be an easy-read and touches on major elements that couples must address... BEFORE THE BIG DAY. Dr. Dobson brings a good deal of experience, knowledge, and spirituality into this piece. I wish the book kept going. That is my only complaint. RECOMMENDED! I recommend it to ALL couples, but especially to Christians. If you're not a Christian, I think you will find value in this but please EXPECT Christian principles to be present.

I found this book to be interesting and helpful. It is not arranged in the usual way such books are, with each chapter covering a particular doctrine of the Mormon church. Instead, it is written as a series of letters, and therefore proceeds more like a conversation. The main ideas are stated in the early chapters, and the details are filled in later.

Along the way, White quotes from Mormon sources to support his assertions about what Mormons believe. He quotes Biblical passages to show Mormon beliefs differ from Christianity. The references are there for those who want to check the context.

Another helpful part of the book is the summary of Biblical teaching about salvation in the later chapters. This information is in other books, but here is offered in a short and readable manner.

Contrary to what was said by cntmyont, White is quite reserved in his language.

As for the definition of truth, indeed White never says, "Here is the definition of truth..." But it is clear enough from the book. He asserts correctly in Chapter 1 that truth is not subjective. He mentions this in the context of being told by Elder Hahn that he had prayed about the Book of Mormon and was told that it is true. White takes up this topic again in Chapter 8. There he summarizes the reasons why he would not pray the same prayer: The Book of Mormon is historically inaccurate, it contradicts the Bible, and it has serious textual problems.

I agree with the blurb on the back cover of the book that this is a "valuable text for Christians who talk with Mormons and is an ideal book to be read by Mormons."

I read several books on Mormonism before I finally discovered this one. This book is not only well-argued and carefully written, but the information is presented in a loving manner. Many of the other books on this topic smacked of sarcasm, but it was obvious to me that White truly has a heart for Mormons. In addition to gaining a better understanding of the LDS church, I also came away with a deeper understanding of grace and who God is. His last few chapters on salvation were an incredible eye opener for me. I recommend this book to any Christian, not just those who are concerned for their Mormon friends.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who has family or friends who are Mormons, or who ocassionally has Mormons stop at their door. For that matter, I'd recommend this book to all Mormons, too!

The book is constructed in a somewhat unusual manner; it's written as a series of letters from Mr. White to a (fictitious) "Elder Hahn," following up on a (again, fictitious) visit to Mr. White's home.

Mr. White does a fantastic job of presenting the major false doctrines of the Mormon religion, and contrasting them with the truth of God's Word. I've done a little studying on Mormonism in the past, but Mr. White brought up some fascinating things that I'd never heard before.

The book is very "readable," and would be a valuable resource to any Christian.

This book was VERY,VERY DISAPPOINTING!It had only 2 chapters on 30yrs.of being a SLAVE(if you can believe that!) and 13 CHAPTERS
on 4 yrs. in the White House!!
GO FIGURE!!!!! I am SO SORRY I had my daughter get this book for me for Mother's DAY!

The story/diary it self I found wasn't written very good.However I found Ms.Keckley's relationship with Mrs.Mary Todd Lincoln and her family intersting.
She gave some insightfll thoughts about Mary and Abraham that was quite a treat to read.

I got a copy of this book from a book fair not on purpose. As a non-native English learner, what strikes me is the ability of Keckley to express rich emotions in very simple words and sentences. I always like reading first person narratives, fictions or true stories, but seldom find one as captivating as this. A five-star from me and it's a pity she didn't seem
to have written other books.

This ill-conceived and poorly written compilation of superstition and combined myth and fairy tale has nothing of redeeming value except for the study of possible ancient beliefs. I write "possible" as there are no corroborating texts with which to gauge whether or not described customs were in fact part of the described culture or simply "literary license" by the author. Without this, nothing credible exists within the text.

Wonderful version of this age old and fabulus crutch. Explore the limits of who we are - where we come from and how we shold treat each other.

Theoretically this is morality. Politicians take note: Read this and learn from it. Everyone could (and should) take a page from this book. It would be a lot smaller. Not to be taken lightly or literally. Scholars will learn the lessons and forget the words.

The final point is: If you can't find someone to blame well then just blame it on God. Perhaps you should buy numerous copies to prop up your life when the good word just isn't working. When did it become necessary for a new version anyway? I guess politically correct has even gotten to the religious right. Did we find any new clues along the way?

For Gibbon-thumping Milton fans like myself, it's troubling to have to experience the poetic majesty of the King James Bible through some sorrily-printed Zondorvan or Nelson edition, especially as it is likely to be larded with commentary of the most dubious (considered archaeologically or theologically) nature. There's always "The Bible Designed to Be Read as Living Literature," but who wants to be cheated by abridgment (to say nothing of RSV substitutions)? This lovely Ivy Books paperback is the perfect answer to this dilemma. Its virtue is to present the KJV in a readable format, sans additions of any kind, with a majestic veined-granite cover. It places the Bible as a book among other books, without making it humble. A comfort in the hands and easy on the eyes, this edition allows the majesty of this Renaissance cathedral of Words to speak to the reader with all the billowing grandeur of its majestic style and substance. Nor would it seem cheaply out of place in a place of worship. Whether one seeks literary or divine intoxication, this edition is worthy of one's affection.

Looking with the other reviews written, I do see their sense of frustration in wanting more practical ways to decorate a home, however I felt it needed to be seen in a postive light as well. It is a very artful book, and I don't believe the author intended it to be a "How To" as much as it was intended to be lively, inspiring, "get-you-to-think" type of book. It has beautifully tipped-in pages, and is a very high quality book. I am a graphic artist, and I bought it for the book's design as I did for its content. If you would like a wonderful coffee-table type book, as well as some inspiration for decorating, you should enjoy this book!

I bought "White Hot" almost the minute it came out, after seeing it on display at the Pottery Barn. I should say at the outset that my taste in color and decor coincides with that of the author, so I was thrilled to finally find a decorator who spoke to my aesthetic sensibility.

As a watercolor painter, I adore Tricia Guild's romance with color and her exploration of beauty in simple, natural objects. I frequently keep her book open and find that each time I study the photographs of rooms, I get new ideas. The author quite deliberately chose to avoid making a "how to" guidebook. This book is not designed to give ideas for projects, or tell you what to put with what, but rather is designed to inspire and to trigger the reader's imagination and empower a person to tap their own subconscious creativity and come up with solutions for their living spaces. To me, decorating and design are processes that grow and cumulate organically, at different paces for different individuals. In my opinion, Guild is something of a decorating midwife, helping the reader tune into their own design vocabulary and re-imagine their space by being able to perceive space, color and objects in different ways.

Unlike many other books which I have tired of, I regularly look through the pages, which are meditative and relaxing in their beauty and tranquility. If you like Cirque du Soleil, you are going to love Ms. Guild's work. There is a magical quality to all of her work. I view her book much as I view "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron, because this is ultimately a visual workbook. Many of her ideas are democratic and easily accessible- the placement of plants, the use of pillows, fabric, wood, ceramics, and the rhythm of color combination. It is a far more right-brained approach, and one that enabled me to look at my space and get past the "stuckness" I had in seeing the same objects in the same way. As a result of using her books and getting a feng shui consultation, I redid my entire apartment, which I veiw as my work-in-progress. My inspriation came in spurts, sometimes in 14-hour long passionate bouts of rearranging. I had many ideas for re-imagining my space, and also was better able to conceptualize room arrangement.

I was able to edit and groom my belongings in ways I never thought previously possible, and found that I had far greater confidence in making purchases of new things for my apartment. Guild's book trains you to see your space as a living, breathing, mutable canvas to which ordinary objects are orchestrated into a symphony of color, form and texture.

The spiritual component of this approach to decorating is that one does not envy what Ms. Guild has or uses. Guild's approach is not to aim for perfection, or to motivate the reader to do the same. If there is a perfection in style embodied in her book, its goal is to coach, to challenge, and to inspire the user to groom his or her belongings, much as one treats oneself to a spa, to appreciate the simple beauty of nature, of flowers, plants, organic forms, and to use these elements - air, light, water, fire - in decorating to achieve a greater sense of balance and harmony in one's being.

My main source of disappointment is that there was not enough information on where to purchase some of the quirky pieces of furniture featured in the photos, and the difficulty in obtaining fabric shown in the book. I wish she had a store in New York City!

Carol Lipton

From the moment I received this book I have loved it, as it is. For me it is a beautiful artwork about how your home can look and be, it is very inspiring and shows a lot of what you can do with light and nuances in your home. I think it is a bit unfare to say it doesn't tell you 'how to' - it is not a how to book, it is intended as inspiration, not that I know Tricia Guild but it is usually the purpose of books of this kind. It does tell you, however that color works different ways in different light and that I see as a definite 'how to' hint..
As inspiration and setting your mind to work it is assume!

I thought Axis Mundi would be a valuable aquisition to my werewolf stories, but wasn't. The mage storytellers will not understand why, whitewolf told that book would be useful for Mage campaigns. I wasted my money... Don't do the same mistake

This is a pretty good book. If you are looking for information on some of the spirits who support the totems of the werewolf tribes, then this book is for you. You won't be disappointed.

However, I was disappointed with this book. The main reason for this is that I thought this book wasn't far reacing enough. According to the Werewolf universe, the Umbra is populated with thousands, if not millions, of different kinds of spirits, each with their own personality archetypes, wants, desires, interests, etc. But this book focuses mainly on the small number who serve the major tribe totems. This small slice of the spirit world is hardly fulfilling.

Another problem is that the book makes no attempt to describe how the spirits interact with each other, how any of the hierarchies of the totems work, or how any other spirits really behave or act out in the day-to-day life of the Umbra. Spirits are described as if their only purpose is to interact with the werewolves and not as if they are each self-sufficient entities.

So this book is good for what it is, but like many other White-Wolf supplements it fails to be all it could be. A much better book would have given more over-arching spirit information on a macro level so us creative-types could use the information they provided to populate our games with interesting individual spirits on a micro level.

This is a must-have for any Storyteller that deals with the Umbra and spirits, for Mage or Werewolf. It is a very information-rich sourcebook, full of guidelines and expanded rules on spirits, and packed with information on the spirits themselves. There is a spiritual history of the Garou that is very informative