This is a well-written, refreshing look at submarine warfare in the Pacific during World War II. Unlike many previous submarine books, including fictitious ones, which are written by the skipper or the exec and therefore put the sub in the best possible light, this book is written from the point of view of the enlisted men with "warts and all". Instead of concentrating on target data computers, gyro angles, and attack solutions, the story concentrates on the ultimate success or failure of individual torpedo attacks, descriptions of depth charge attacks, the rescue of P.O.W's and shore leave. Rather than reading yet another description of the intensity of being in command, the reader learns of the intense dislike of the captain by most of the crew which did not prove a hindrance in causing some damage to the Japanese war effort.

The author is particularly adept at describing interesting facts or procedures in context, sometimes glossed over or ignored by other sub authors, without becoming bogged down in unnecessary detail. These topics include distilling "torpedo juice", decoding mechanisms, how a torpedo arms itself after it is fired, a comparison of Japanese convoys to U.S. ones, ordinary shipboard routine, venereal disease, and the mechanics of carbon dioxide exposure in a submerged sub.

The author also achieved the number one objective of all stories--he kept the narrative moving forward.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in the "silent service". I look forward to visiting the "Pampanito" someday.

After a recent tour thru the actual USS Pampanito (twice!) at Fishermen's Wharf in San Francisco, I bought the book at the bookstore next to the sub which is run by volunteers of this wonderful floating National Historic Landmark. What a thrill to actually see the sub in real life and then read a book about its' six patrols during WW2. As a son of one of the sailors who served on it, author Michno said he used to listen to his dad's war tails with some disinterest as they grew with each beer and retelling. Later he visited the sub with his own son and after realizing that it was his father's boat he was inspired to research and write a book about it, saying he wished that he had been a better listener. The book starts by giving a brief early biog. of six or eight men, where they were born, educated, etc., and how they came to be on the Pampanito. How it was built in New Hampshire, its' commissioning and shakedown and then an interesting and never boring account of each of its' six wartime patrols in the Pacific. It brings alive the details of the boats' activities and daily lives of the men, developed through oral histories given by them. Containing numerous photos, especially interesting were the recent photos of and recaps by the men, now in their eighties, who attended the fiftieth reunion in 1995, aboard the Pampanito. Touching was reading about the tolling of the bells ceremony where the ships bell in rung once as each of the names of the fifty-two subs lost in WW2 was called off. Well written and researched, Michno provides an exhausting list of footnotes on many of the details in the book. An interesting and scholarly work that is a fascinating and easy read.

There have been many books written about individual US Navy submarines during World War Two in the Pacific, but almost invariably they are written from the viewpoint of the commander or executive officer. "USS Pampanito: Killer-Angel" is different. This is a book which, for the most part, tells the story of a submarine at war through the eyes of her crew, the men who kept her engines running, who scanned the skies for enemy aircraft when surfaced, who strained to load the torpedoes into her tubes during convoy attacks.

Sparked by the stories told by his late father, a crewman aboard the Pamapanito during her first two combat patrols, Greg Michno collected the tales of fifty of the men who served aboard her from her launch in 1943 till the end of the war. Together with extensive research into official records, Michno has woven these firsthand accounts into an absorbing portrait of ordinary men at war. His recounting of a harrowing depth charge attack with the Pampanito at a depth of over 600 feet could have come right out of "Das Boot". But the story is more than just combat. Day-to-day shipboard life in insanely cramped quarters, jury-rigged repairs upon vital malfunctioning equipment, wild R&R escapades ashore which could cause as many casualties as a battle at sea, conflicts and comradeship among the men and officers ... it is all here in this book.

The Pampanito appeared on no one's list of "top" submarines as measured by merchant tonnage sunk or major warships sent to the bottom. All too often her successes were more than balanced by bad luck or, perhaps, less than stellar leadership. But on one remarkable occasion, the boat rescued 73 Australian and British POW's whose ships had been sunk during an attack on a Japanese convoy. The story of this rescue and the subsequent close bond formed between these former prisoners, many of whom had worked on the notorious "River Kwai" railroad construction, and their saviors creates an emotional high point of the book. Many of the Pampanito's crew felt that saving those men was more important than the sinking of any ship.

As it happens, the Pampanito is still afloat today. Spared the scrapyard, the fate of most of her contemporaries, the Pampanito has been declared a National Historical Landmark and is docked at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco for visitors to board.

The book is well illustrated with maps of the combat operations plus numerous photographs of crewmembers, both as impossibly young men during their war and as elderly veterans visiting their boat during a recent crew reunion.

"USS Pampanito: Killer-Angel" is an excellent look at ordinary men on an ordinary submarine during an extraordinary time.

This is a fun book. At once, it humanizes Einstein and satirizes the "analysts" and others who bought into the dotcom mantra. As one reviewer analogized, this is "The Confederacy of Dunces" turned loose in Silicon Valley. The result is hilarious and the prose is magnificent.

This hilarious and witty post-mortem of the "new economy" revolutionary who balked at the traditional business model, substituting promise and potential for profitability, uses the father of modern physics and a modern-day delusional self proclaimed genius as an excellent analogy to keep the reader entertained on every page. I cannot wait for the movie and can already visualize several prominent actors portraying the complex yet loveable characters in this tome.

This is a MUST READ !!!

A subtle, yet scathing indictment of contemporary business life. Mr. Mone adeptly points out America's paranoid focus on the "commercial" individual. The author is uniquely close to the e-business wave, while at the same time cooly detached and brilliantly satirical. Office daydreamers will see the "Edward" in themselves! Rarely can an author effectively grasp the forefront of pop culture and relate it so creatively to our scientific history.

Jorge Amado is one of the very finest novelists from Brazil. He combines a rich love for people with a sympathetic view of their life complications. Mix in a little humor, and a tragedy becomes comedy . . . yet the serious commentary remains. His amazing imagination makes the mystical seem as real as what you are holding in your hand. It's almost as though you've entered an alien world, yet on the surface it seems familiar. I'm always reminded on Alice in Wonderland when I read one of his novels.

In this story, the statue of Saint Barbara of the Thunder, a highest esteemed icon is on its way for a special exhibition in Bahia. Upon arriving in that fair city, the statue vanishes and the fun begins! Saint Barbara has come to life and begins to travel all over Bahia. Those who appreciate religious belief will enjoy the fun as people are unable to grasp this miracle.

At the same time, there's another story thread. Young Manela wants to enjoy a festival whose roots are of the spiritualist sort. Fearing for her soul, her aunt Adalgisa seeks to avoid this. At the same time, Manela is drawn to a handsome young man whom Adalgisa sees at inappropriate. Will the path of true love prevail? This story thread is used by Mr. Amado to explore the nature of what it is to do good.

The two story lines eventually merge in one powerful river of satire, irony and good humor. When the heavens collide, can mere mortals hold their ground? Probably not. As in Shakespeare's storms, the turmoil in nature and in the heavens eventually affects the people in all sorts of unexpected ways. You cannot escape it. You also cannot escape the good fun and magical quality of this very funny book.

Be sure to refer to the book's glossary to understand the non-English words in the text. That will expand your appreciation of the book.

After you finish, think about where your religious beliefs may sometimes cause you to be intolerant rather than being open to all of God's gifts and children. How can you open your heart and mind?

I bought this book to take on my trip to Bahia for Carnaval - my holiday reading - and it was the perfect choice. The sights, sounds and smells of Bahia described by Amado were waiting for me when I arrived. On Ash Wednesday, the day Carnval ended, I had the worst hangover of my life! I sought refuge for my sins in the church of Bonfim which is vividly described in the novel. It had a great significance for me that day.

Amado has been criticized for creating a trivialized stereotypical image of brazil and brazilian people but beneath the riotous humor one can detect the harsher socio/political realties of Brazilian life.

Loved it.

If you don't know Bahia yet, the delicious food of Salvador, the magic of the african Saints, the sensual beauty of brazilian women, the songs of Caetano Veloso, the powerful capoeira and the burning taste of the cachaça this book is for you. Then, if you want to discover one of the grandmaster of the latin american literature, the funniest and sexiest, run to buy this true masterpiece now. Probably the only book I have read twice. Magical and absolutely not to be missed.

This book gives plenty of facts about what might happen, and, hopefully what won't happen. It is geared to the lay person to understand who doesn't have any computer language.

The authors use plenty of guidelines and lots of references to further direct the reader to see for themselves whether this is all hype or necessary advice. I highly recommend reading it.

This is one of the best books about Y2k preparedness. It is a true preparedness guide without using scare tactics. I found Why2000? to be very practical and helpful in preparing for the year 2000. Highly recommended!

FINALLY! A realistic approach to the upcoming Y2K challenges. Since none of us really know what is coming, it is easy to expect the worst. Media reports have mostly fed that fear. This book takes a non-fanatical approach to addressing the Y2K issues. The material in this book is great disaster-preparedness of any type of disaster or unexpected shortage.

The book does not preach doom and gloom. It provides a "matter-of-fact" approach to preparedness, including "To Do" lists and easy-to-implement suggestions.

I HIGHLY recommend this book.

As a human resources manager, I read this book to gain insight into why employees file EEOC claims, and how to maintain a fair, equal-treatment working environment to prevent disparate treatment of employees. It gave me excellent insight into the EEOC process and educated me about employment law in easy to read language. I plan to share this book with my staff to provide a better working environment for our employees.

As a Human Resource professional, I found Mr. Gregory's book very helpful.All employers should be aware of the rights of their employees. This book makes us totally informed.

This is the best book explaining the rights of employees. Unions should use this book as a manuel directing their members to totally understand their positions and how to defend against unfair discriminations.

One of the best books around is Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie . I would rate this book 5 stars out of 5 stars! The story is about a girl named Hattie Cambell, her family wants to go to Oregon but they can't afford it untill her uncle dies. They come across some trouble, but not alot in fact she falls in love, and she fins a new best friend. As I said in the begining this is the best book in the world!

This book tells, in diary format, the story of Hattie Campbell and her family on the Oregon Trail. It starts out in Booneville, Missouri at Hattie's birthday. They travel by steamboat to Independence, and go west. Along the way, Hattie meets and makes friends with Pepper and Wade, who are twins, Gideon, and Mrs. Bigg. She also encounters a thief. The trail is filled with many dangers, including food poisoning, deaths, rivers, mountains, etc. You have to read the book to find out what happens to Hattie and her friends and family. I would recommend this book to anybody who is interested in pioneers, excitement, and dangers, or who is a fan of Kristiana Gregory's work or a fan of the Dear America series. This book is one of the best in the Dear America series, as Kristiana Gregory has once again done a superb job in the research and writing.

Hattie Campbell, her parent's, her aunt and uncle, and her two younger brothers leave their home to join a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. Hattie meets a girl named Pepper, and they become good friends. There are surprises along the way such as marriages, but there were also hardships like deaths, food poisoning, and robberies. Also, if you're the type of person who want's to know what happens after the end, this book has an epilogue (tells what happens after the end).

Votolato's book, American Design in the Twentieth Century is not only a sophisticated and insightful treatise on the evolution of design here in the USA during our recently retired century, but a work which reveals ourselves to ourselves as Americans--a difficult task to accomplish, as American identity has passed through the patriotism of the early 1900s; to the self-criticism and cynicism of the generation growing up in the aftermath of World War II; to the multifarious madness and disillusionment of the present. Who are we, where are we now? In this book, the links of American design to popular culture through the lens of politics, aesthetics, commercialism, consumerism, philosophy . . . form a long series of corridors which illuminate the nature of American-ness. The journey is abstracted, humorous, and ultimately extremely kind. Material culture seems to reveal so much about its creators, in ways that the makers perhaps never intended. It takes an American living away from their own country, like the author, to draw multiple readings of popular culture with such a clear, elegant lines. Design theory is not my first language--I am a folklorist--but I was delighted with the straightforward explanations of difficult concepts such as postmodernism, structuralism, semiotics . . . that demystified academic speak and turned the ideas into tools for understanding. Votolato's book certainly has value for readers from other disciplines--American studies, history, literature, sociology for example--and for sharp readers outside the "academy" who wish to deepen their awareness of design and artfulness in their daily lives.

A treat for anyone interested in the physical manifestations of social history. The book talks about the relationship between a culture (North American) and the objects which it values. It is deeply researched and wide-ranging in its scope, forging links between architecture, industrial design, fashion, film, social practices and histories. A great pleasure of the author's approach is the variety of scales at which he considers his topic, from the scale of a cigarette lighter or a haircut up to the scale of buildings and their interiors. Recommended for designers in all fields, and anyone who enjoys looking at the world.

American Design in the Twentieth Century, Gregory Votolato, Manchester University Press, 1998. ISBN 0 7190 4531 2

This fascinating book will appeal to anyone with an interest in art and design history, social history or American culture. It explores the role of designers and designed objects within twentieth century America, but it is not simply another anthology of 'design classics' - it examines the role of all kinds of designed objects from the elevated to the everyday.

The book is divided into three sections. The first and the longest explores issues of American style and design. I found the chapters in this section on 'American taste and style: beyond the cringe', 'Utopia and the Mall: theories and movements' and 'Designers and Makers' particularly interesting. 'American taste and style' looks at the development of an independent American taste and style as American culture gradually broke free from its dependence on European endorsement. The chapter on Theories and Movements explores some of the inherent contradictions in American taste and style: both forward and backward looking; classless, yet concerned with status; diverse yet homogenised. 'Designers and Makers' traces the development of the design profession, and demystifies the concept of the designer as an inspired artist. These chapters are thematic rather than chronological in nature which enables the reader to grasp the sheer diversity of design in twentieth century America.

The second section consists of four case studies: 'Postmodernism', 'The Custom Car Myth', 'Domestic Architecture and Interiors', and 'Identity and Utility in American Fashion'. These discuss in more detail the themes of the previous section in relation to specific types of objects. The chapters on the Custom Car and Fashion, in particular explore the reactions of the American people to increasing mass production. Despite reliance on professionally designed, mass produced goods, the personalisation of objects and interiors has become a significant element of design in America. This book is as much about design by ordinary people through customisation and DIY, as it is about professionally designed goods. This is expressed by another apparent contradiction inherent in American culture: everyone is 'in pursuit of the unique example of a standard product' (p246).

The third and final section looks at 'Critical Approaches to Design', and would make an extremely useful introduction to any student of art or design history. The history of art and design have traditionally been rather Euro-centred - this book redresses the balance and is well worth reading.

I just loved the Book-couldn't put it down!

A delight! A nice simple story,about simple people living complicacted lives.Great insight in the charecter's minds.I couldn't put it down.

Somehow a Western genre novel in the year 2001 seems a little absurd! But---Salzberger's first work caputures a culture that seems to exist behind the the billboards that dot the Southwest.I enjoyed this book tremendously.I read thruogh it like tumbleweed on my own adventure.I reccomend this book highly!

This book resonated with me very strongly. It answered so many of my questions about why I act the way I do. It is truly the most useful self-help book I've encountered. Anyone who is honestly looking for healthy ways of looking at life and relationships has found a big chunk of answers.

This book is for those willing to open their minds to the possibility that happiness or the lack of it is up to them. It speaks clearly and openly about our faults in relationships and how to rid ourself of behaviors that result in our own unhappiness and lack of love.
It requires a very open mind. I found it to be accurate in my life. The reasons for emptiness and fear are right on the money. The Getting and Protecting Behaviors are also correct.
Manipulation, clinging, lying, extracting what you need from others that result in temporary feelings of joy but ultimately result in feeling empty are all parts of what is wrong with how we look at what a relationship is.
I am excited about what I read.

Some reader wrote a strange review of this book, because it hasn't anything thing to do with that person's "Buddhism, saints or sages". Refreshingly, Dr. Baer steers well clear of that stuff - it isn't mentioned or used even once.

This is an extremely common-sense, straightforward, down-to-earth book about what love is and is not; how Real Love "looks" in various relationships; how and why people keep themselves from having it; why people do the crazy stuff they do (that we read about in the papers, experience in our own lives, etc.) because of its lack; and how you and I can go about finding it.

The answer is hard and not to be avoided, but at the same time, simple and easy: We have to start telling the truth about ourselves (ceasing to hide our mistakes, and acknowledging our shortcomings with others) so that others will have a chance to see & accept us as we really are, and so we can sooner or later find the people who will.

I've been reading relationship books for a couple decades now, and though I may not think all of Dr. Baer's answers and methods are perfect, this is the clearest, most profound and useful explanation and discussion of Real Love I have ever come across.

For any beginning singer, this is a must have. It teaches the basics of necessary Italian singer. After a few years, it becomes exhausted do to the overuse of the songs within, however, a necessity for any beginning!

Ever wonder why Maria Callas got so famous? Well, believe it or not she sang every song from this book. (To bad none of them are available on a recording!) This book teaches you the art of bel canto, a technique for an opera singer in training. As said before, they are also great audition pieces. To go into a bit more detail, these songs will impress a judge at a vocal competion, or a choral teacher for a choir department, professional or at a school. If you have any problems learning the tunes, Cecilia Bartoli has recorded a CD with most of these songs recorded onto it...Every GOOD vocal coach knows that with out this book, you can never really excell. Even if you want to become a pop singer, you should get this book. I say this because these songs will help you become the best singer that you can be, and they will also prevent you from becoming the worst singer you can be.

A tip- don't get the CD with the back ground music, they are not very good CDs. They play to slow, so just have your vocal coach play for you...

My name is Lisa and I am a 13 year old opera singer. When I started my singing lessons the first book my teacher have me was this one. Each song is very unique and is challenging in some way or another. I have sung a few songs from it and it has helped my technique a lot! It is great if you are beginning opera singing.

Another reason to buy this book is because everyone that sings opera owns this book and it is refered to a bunch in the "Opera World." They are also great audition pieces (I know from experience)! In addition, it is not rare that you will be asked to sing these arias at recitals since all the songs are very beautiful. You must get this book!