Great quick read! A wife discovers that her professor husband is cheating on her with one of his students so she decides to get her own back! She grabs the first available toy boy, and seizes the opportunity to strengthen her life force and liberate all her friends along the way.

Extremely witty, gotta love good old Aunt Sarah who seems to have a terribly strong life force, despite her 90 odd years. A treat to read in between Philippa Gregory's other books!

Midlife Mischief (called Mrs. Hartley and the Growth Centre in the UK) is very much a departure from Gregory's other novels... it is set in the modern day, fluffy in content, and very funny... whereas most of her books are set in the past, super serious, and very dramatic. Midlife Mischief tells the story of Alice Hartley, a woman who reluctantly admits her forty two years, puts up with her pompous professor husband, and generally stifles all her needs and wants in a gracious feminine way. Then she finds out her husband is cheating on her and wants to leave her... and Alice decides to stop trying to make everyone else happy. She seduces one of her husband's students, gets a house, and starts to liberate her repressed friends from the shackles of modern womnahood... a little unrealisitic, but very witty and grand as a piece of escapism!

Gregory Bateson is difficult to "get" but incredibly rewarding once you do understand him. The number of concepts he deals with in this masterwork is amazing; the number that are still relevant more than twenty years after publication is stunning. Mind and Nature will some day be seen as one of the most important books of the Twentieth Century.

Bateson does not just tell us what he knows -- he shows us, using marvelous examples from nature that you will never forget. He gives beautifully clear -- on the sixth or seventh reading for some people -- descriptions of learning-by-the-individual and evolution-by-the-group as ***essentially similar fusions of analogic and digital (or energy and pattern) integrations.***

Learning-by-the-individual is "somatic" and benefits the survival of the individual, but ***that*** survival in turn becomes the evolutionary driving force for the group because the genes of the individual are passed on in the germ (genetic) line of the species. Mind and Nature are an essential unity. But what's more, the processes by which both mind and nature work are the SAME: Whether individual learning or group evolution, some pattern-preferencing mechanism "selects," from a set of cast-up possibilities, some qualities of some kind. The selecting mechanisms can ONLY select from those cast-up possibilities. When those qualities have survival value, they get passed on.

Far more than just a re-statement of Darwin, the essential unity of Mind and Nature described by Bateson has vast implications for our understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe. We are as one with Nature, as one with the way of the Universe. Each of us in our individual being, learning our individual lessons, goes through exactly the SAME process of stochastic learning as the greater group, the species. It's not just trial and error: We can ACTIVELY CO-EVOLVE with the messages of our world. What those messages are, Bateson teaches in stunning clarity: Modern systems thinking and complexity theory as maturing (yet still not mature) arts truly starts with Bateson's analysis. Bateson may not have added a great deal to this synthesis, but his analysis has made available to countless thinkers the wisdom of the systems thinking paradigm and the evolutionary imperative.

The message Bateson sends is that to survive intelligently as humans we must better combine imagination with rigor. We must use our abilities as conscious beings to courageously imagine better futures, to go where angels fear to tread, fraught with danger though that may be. Only then can we make the world better. Until we imagine new ideas, until we bring our unique contributions into being as 'possibilities,' the forces of evolution cannot act on them. Our jobs are to be truly and deeply human: We must add our unique selves, our Minds, to the possibilities of the Universe, while balancing our beings within the constraints of Nature's flows of energy and pattern. Only the longest-term survival patterns ultimately have survival value, and we best get with it as intelligently, and as soon, as we are able.

This classic work by Gregory Bateson deserves to be read by anyone seriously interested in cognitive science, artificial intelligence, evolutionary biology, epistemology, philosophy (in particular, logic), or any related field. Bateson illustrates in brilliant fashion a number of key concepts which "every schoolboy should know", but which, unfortunately, have escaped the notice of a wide variety of philosophers and scientists---if not every schoolboy, certainly every professional scientist and philosopher should be familiar with this work, whether they agree with it or not. The basic ideas behind his work are subtle, yet Bateson does an excellent job of describing them clearly. In the process he manages to present and lucidly explain a wonderful solution to the mind-body problem which requires no supernatural forces, yet accounts very clearly for our intuitive perception that mind is in some sense non-physical. His information-theoretic approach is profound yet simple. His ideas touch upon many very deep issues, ranging from the definition of mental process itself to the logical distinctions between different levels of logical type, and also clearly illustrates and explains the origin of some of the major problems in formal logic, including why self-referential paradoxes arise in formal logical systems, and what this says about the limitations of these systems (and how one can get around these problems!). The work touches on many different aspects of many seemingly unrelated fields, and ties them together with a set of powerful and yet graspable abstractions which allow you to re-frame with clarity some of the greatest philosophical problems mankind has faced. It is a wonderful, poetic, and yet starkly rational approach which deserves to be read by every serious student of modern thought. Bateson's work here, interesting and thought-provoking as it is, is nevertheless unfinished---much more needs to be done to further extend his ideas---some obvious ways in which his work could be taken further include exploring its relationship to dynamical systems theory and chaos theory, fractal mathematics, and other more abstract philosophical areas. This book is an excellent introduction to Bateson's work and thought, and should be required reading for many college courses in different departments. Unfortunately, it is currently out of print, which is a terrible shame.

MIND IN SCIENCE is both a substantial contribution to the history of science and a major intellectual achievement on a wider plane. Richard Gregory, an experimental psychologist of outstanding originality, sets out to trace the development of scientific thinking from the Sumerians and Greeks onwards, and to chart the growth of psychology in man's attempts to relate Mind to Matter.

The history of thought is too often streamed into philosophy or science with a bit of psychology thrown in. This book is a jump from the academic mainstream and fascinates by a journey from the easliest recorded thinkers in the first known writing in Sumeria, through the gnomen (the Sumerian word for the finger on the sundial that measures time) to the knowledge and philosophy of Ancient Greece (they had cogwheels and gears) through classical times to the present. This is a history of science from a philosphical perspective, a reflection on the recorded mind of man. Richard Gregory is a philosopher, a scientist and a man who knows as much as anyone knows how the brain works. A tour de force, this book will change you by captivating and entertaining as well as profoundly altering your mind.

She's not only a great writer, Alex Finlayson is also really cute and surfs good.

These two plays by American playwright Alex Finlayson premiered at the Royal Exchange Theater, Manchester England directed by Gregory Hersov. Winner of the prestigious Mobil Oil (UK)Playwrighting Prize, WINDING THE BALL is a black comedy about a charming mass murderer who terrorizes (and amuses) a small town in the Appalachian mountains. "The writing is splendidly self-assured, with wit and perception that bespeak a major talent." (Financial Times) "Gripping, luridly funny." (Sunday Times)"Devastating piece of writing" (Sunday Observer) "Brilliantly imagined" (The Times) MISFITS is an epic 22scene, 17 character play about the making of the 1961 movie, "The Misfits", starring Marilyn Monroe, Clark GAble, Monty Clift. . .and written by Arthur Miller, directed by John Huston. Miller called the film "his valentine for Marilyn" but it was anything but. MISFITS goes on location in the Nevada desert to show the brea! kup of their marriage. Although Arthur Miller and Magnum photographer Eve Arnold did protest, MISFITS premiered May 1996 with Lisa Eichhorn as Marilyn. "At the end, the audience clapped a long time." (The Times) "This is a great play." (Sunday Independent)

It is a great book. Touching, real, and affirmative.

Hedy Weinberg, Shira Shump, and Dr. Everson have done a wonderful job with a very difficult subject to address with children.

I think this book is a wonderful and much needed resource for helping adults explain hepatitis C in terms that children can understand.

Carole W. Williams, RN, MN, Neighborhood Nurse Clinical Content Coordinator.

I had a wonderful time painting the pieces for this book by Brian! Being a polar bear enthusiast, I loved the story from the very start. I think the story is visually excellent and I could have done many, many more paintings for the book. Brian has written a very real and accurate portrayal of Nanuk's harsh life of survival that is thrilling all the way along. It may be out of print but I believe that young people will keep discovering this gem in the libraries and be left with some powerful memories!

A great book that must be read. All readers will enjoy this thriller.

a beautifully written story of love and hate going to the extremes which resembles "wuthering heights" in more than one respect; semi-articulate passion in a deserted land bordering on madness and advancing slowly into a near intolerable showdown. it's amazing with which composure Purdy manages to tell this pitch black "romantic tale"; never corny, never embarassing, a perfectly clear, simple plot and language. Highly recommended (for everybody by the way, gay or not gay)

Purdy is poetic in his descriptions of some of our darker places. I've never read anyone write about pain, pleasure, desire, hate with such beaut

As John Fitchen's, "The New World Dutch Barn" has been out of print for so many years and interest in NWDBs has increased over the last few years Gregory Huber's edited 2nd Edition is a much welcomed addition to any barn research library.

Mr. Huber's new material as presented in the chapter Introduction to the Second Edition and in the Appendices C. New Checklist of Dutch Barns and D. Huber's responses to Fitchen's text and the Glossary have made this second edition even more valuable than the first edition to the NWDB enthusiast. The leaving intact of the original edition gives the new barn researcher a chance to own the best of both worlds.

Mr. Huber's description of the five fundamental forms of NWDBs along with all of the exceptions and regional variances may possibly bring to the forefront hitherto undocumented barns. As Mr. Huber points out, there are more altered than unaltered barns and knowing a lot of the possibilities will aid NWDB enthusiasts.

I strongly recommend this second edition as required reading for serious NWDB lovers and barn lovers in general.

Rolland Miner, Director, NWDB Survey 2000

Finally this classic and enduring book on the Dutch Barn is again available, now in an updated version. No one has spent more time going over, first hand, the barns first studied by Fitchen. Now Fitchen's original material is available without having to scour the used book stores. The new material by Huber brings up to date the first field work done by John fitchen in the 1960's. Any one with even the slightest interest in Early American Dutch Architecture must get this book. Not only does this book fully explain the barn , but the reader can easily then understand how the same basic construction procedures apply to the Dutch House.

When people talk about New York's Golden Age, they're usually referring to the late 1800s, but I would argue that New York's true Golden Age was the 1920s. With over 800 pages, this tome is difficult to handle, but nevertheless, it covers New York at its peak of glory, and is the best of Robert Stern's books about New York architecture (e.g., New York 1880, New York 1900, New York 1960). Especially noteworthy are the beautiful b&w photos, averaging more than one per page. There are also approximately 40 floor plans, although most page space is given over to text. The authors give attention to both exteriors and interiors of the era's buildings. Each chapter covers a specific type of building, with a special emphasis on Rockefeller Center, the 1939 World's Fair, 57th Street, and the works of architects Kahn, Walker, and Hood.

This is an encyclopedic description of New York as I remember it from my student years. The numerous neat clean photographs and drawings present an idealized city. But what is additionally fascinating are the rich background histories that illustrate the social and economic complexity of Gotham. I enjoy this book at two levels: one, as a valuable artistic document, two, as an encapsulation of the memories and fantasies of my youth. I bought a sport coat at Finchleys; I lived in the Greenpoint Housing Project; I wanted to work or live in those buildings; I wanted to draw like those architects and engineers. I loved these last embodiments of Art Deco construction and the grand civic projects.

This history presents New York from the viewpoint of the upper crust and the insulated, the planning was grand and well funded. The slums, the dirt, the menace of some streets and the ethnic tapestry are ignored. Just as memory tends to purge the unpleasent, so does this book, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much.

The authors have done a magnificent job in thoroughly covering the history, people and the operations of the fabled Oregon-American Lumber Company. Many of us have seen photos of this operation in a few books before, but, until now, we had nothing to describe the operation in any detail.

With "Ain't No More" we finally have the definitve work on this
fascinating logging operation and the railroad that served it. Through maps, records and photos the authors have weaved together how this operation came to life, survived the ravages of several forest fires and finally cut out under the name Long-Bell in 1957.

There is a wealth of unpublished photos that give both the historian and modeler a detailed look at this great example of Northwest logging.

For anyone interested in the highball days of Northwest logging,
"Ain't No More" is a must purchase!

Oregon-American Lumber Company: Ain't No More is a great inside look at the business and political workings of one of the West's larger producers of lumber in the glory days of the industry. Unlike many books on the lumber industry the authors were able to draw on a vast collection of managment letters and records as well as the recolections of former emploiees. This allows a look at both sides of such issues as labor relations and cutting practices. In this day and age we tend to forget that the reasion for such companies as Oregon-American existed was to make money for their investors by cutting their timber and selling the lumber cut there from. There were good solid economic reasions for the now discredited practices of the past.

Besides the excelent text this book contains a truly grand collection of photographs covering the entire life of the company. Some are amiture shots of poor quality but their rare subject matter makes up for that. The inclussion of an inventory of the logging equipment used by the company as well as on of their steam locomotives adds much information lacking in most books of this type. It is a great addition to my library.