I have read many commentaries and Barclay and John MacArthur are the best in my opinion. Barclay is the easiest to read. He aims at the people to which it is written, the culture in which it is written and the language at the time. Barclay is the most quoted in terms of history. Very, very interesting reading.

If your family is busy like most of us, or if you just need to learn how to connect with your child, you must read this book. James Williams let's the reader look inside his family life and how he handled different situations. This book reads like a novel! Finally, a book that helps with all types of children, not just the strong-willed child, but all different personalities.

I learned all lot from this book, how to see through my childs eyes and to really listen to them. We need to learn these tools early in life so they will come to us when they are facing difficult times.

This book shows partents how to stop fighting over things that we want our children to be responsible for. Mr. Williams gives you ideas how to put responsibilites back on the child not you, so therefore the fights stop. This has helped our family to really have a relaxing dinner time.

This book is one of the most helpful architecture and furniture books I have found. The met has put together a wide variety of periods and locations to let us look into the rooms of times past. The pictures are stunning and the descriptions are very informative.

It gives a great deal of background information on public life during the times of the Bible. It gets into somewhat on how what gave Moses symbolizes what a Christian should do in his/ her life.

This is a brilliant book. It's the first time I've read about the politics of Irish literature written in this way, and I've read a lot of books about Yeats and Joyce, as well as some theory. However, here, the fusion of both creates a work which is part of a new way of looking at Irishness along the lines of Gibbons, Kearney and Lloyd, though O'Brien would not be in complete agreement with some of their ideas. His discourse, however, is parallel to that of these writers. It's a different, more challenging, kind of Irish studies.
It's a difficult argument with a lot of complex theory coming at you from every angle. He makes use of Derrida, Levinas and Adorno to create the structure through which he views the writings of Yeats and Joyce, and their constructions of Irishness. In some ways, this is really two books, with an analysis of the theoretical difficulties of the creation of structures of identity as well as an application of this model to the work of Yeats and Joyce.

But, O'Brien writes clearly and some of the more arcane practitioners of critical and literary theory could take lessons from his style and argument. He discusses Joyce and Yeats in the context of their time, and then shows how they transcend that context through a placement of identity within an imaginary European context. He makes connections between Yeats and joyce (who are often seen as being at two different ends of the spectrum) and sees both as offering different but related perspectives on identity.
His close readings are acute and there is plenty of quotation.
It's a scholarly book, very good for postgraduates and people working in the field. perhaps only the brighter undergrads should attempt it.
Irish studies has needed this theoretical input for some time and it's good to see what we might call "high theory" being applied to such canonical figures.
It's a first book (I gather from the acknowledgments, and as such, is a stunning debut. I look forward to reading more, and from the Amazon search, it seems there are more on the way!

this appears to be the last book written by william h. whyte, author of the organization man. it's a lovely memoir about his days as a battalion intelligence officer on guadalcanal, serving under an amazing character named wild bill mckely, who was just a little drunk during the entire campaign. it's a warm, humorous, and at the same time deeply analytical account of one of the great decisive battles of world war 2. i loved it.

This is a well-written book. If you are interested in Virginia (and who isn't?), history, and art, you will enjoy the book. The book is perfectly focused on the Virginia landscape, not on teaching art history.

This is a stunning book, The photographs and details of these amazing pieces By Big Bill Morris and his incredibly talented team are breathtaking. As a glassblower myself, I can only imagine the degree of skill to fashion these pieces, let alone the colours that the team is able to achieve. (they're good!)
I found myself unable to put this book down, I have been looking at it every day now for the last two weeks.
It is a MUST have for anyone interested in Glass or fine Contemporary Art/Sculpture.

I understand that Morris is onto an entirely new series of work, I can hardly wait to see it.

Order this book Now!

I'm not sure if William C. Davis' "Three Roads to the Alamo" is a reinterpretation of the 1836 Alamo siege more than it is a truly exhaustive study of the three men who define that battle. A detailed and fascinating examination of the lives of David Crockett, James Bowie and William Barret Travis, "Three Roads to the Alamo" cuts through the myth and legend, revealing the dirt and substance of these men's lives en route to their eventual deaths in San Antonio.

Certainly the myth of Crockett is dented somewhat, as we see that he is a man clumsy in politics, impatient with family life, seeking the next adventure. Bowie also comes across as a rather scandalous man, involved in shady land and slave dealings which would have most certainly placed him in jail today. And finally Travis, whose life has never before been examined with such detail, comes across as a rather poor businessman, constantly in debt and a obsessive womanizer to boot.

Like all great historical figures shrouded in myth, it was only a matter of time before modern-day historians placed these Texas revolutionary heroes beneath a very un-romantic, yet 21st century microscope. So it comes as a rather stunning surprise that after these three statue-like figures are dressed down in human fashion, by battle's end they still, somehow, manage to put their past behind them and become heroes in spite of their many flaws.

I'm not sure if Mr. Davis did this intentionally, just as I'm not sure if you could truly draw a portrait of these men and this battle and not find shades of extraordinary heroism within the walls of that mission fortress. Certainly, John Wayne's infamous 1960 film "The Alamo" is anything but the truth, but the great unvarnished fact about this story is that even with the bones revealed, these men still come across as noble and heroic, having seized an incredible moment in time, thus surviving for all eternity.

And that, undoubtedly, is what continues to fascinate Americans, if not world citizens, about this battle. These men, while holding out for the hope of reinforcements, chose to stay, eventually sealing their doom. Yes, the line may not have been drawn in the sand, but in "Three Roads to the Alamo," that obvious fact becomes surprisingly irrelevant. Warts and all, these men's lives serve as the proper contrast to their eventual final deeds, making their decisions in 1836 all the more unforgettable.

"Three Roads to the Alamo" is a intimately detailed historic work, which will fascinate all readers interested in this legendary battle. Arguably, it is one of the finest books yet written about this 13-day siege.

This book combines the best in historical detail and accuracy with a bold, dramatic narrative that propels the reader forward. Travis, Crockett and Bowie are revealed as full human beings not caricatures or tall-tale characters. The research is exhaustive and the portraits of the men are clear and strong. One knows the tragic event that sealed their fate, and Davis debunks some of the myth clouding the Alamo and the three men inextricably linked to it. It is also a book about a young country and the unique and fascinating men that forged the American West. Not just for Alamo enthusiasts--there's plenty here for everyone! It contains the exhaustive research, humor, attention to detail and "readability" that characterize Davis' books. If you've read his Civil War books--give this one a try! If you've never read him, it's a great introduction to his style. Quite Simply a GREAT read.

This is the most important book about the Alamo and its heroes to appear in the last three decades. Davis has undertaken meticulous research, including review of previously unseen documents in Mexico's military archives, to construct new, revealing biographies of the three most celebrated Alamo heroes. Especially valuable are the sketches of Bowie and Travis, about whom there are no earlier satisfactory biographies. Many will find Travis's story completely new, and Davis portrays the Alamo commander as an important political leader of the Texian revolt, whose death was an incalculable loss to that cause. Bowie, on the other hand, is something of a rogue, forever scheming to turn a dishonest dollar through slave smuggling or land fraud. However, Davis also captures Bowie's daring, bravery, and leadership capabilities, particularly in battle. Crockett's story is more familiar, but Davis adds new interpretation and assessment of the frontier politician and folk hero,! deftly distinguishing the two and tracing the emergence of the fictional "Davy," partially by Crockett's own design. Other historical figures, particularly Sam Houston, do not fair so well, and Davis reveals the petty politics that may have led to abandonment of the doomed Alamo garrison. The work is not intended as a study of the Alamo itself, and the siege and battle are confined to a single chapter. Nonetheless, Davis has uncovered new information and formed unique insights about the event and the actions there of the three heroes. Much myth is stripped away, and Davis reveals the human failings of the three figures, who still emerge as courageous men of stubborn conviction, in many ways typical of those who sought to improve their fortunes by exploiting opportunities along America's expanding frontier. The book deserves a place beside such highly-regarded Alamo works as Walter Lord's "A Time To Stand."

Allen J. Wiener

The way this book started was magneficent. It picked up rightafter the end of The Ashes of Eden. Once again William Shatner hasmade another best seller hit. This novel was action throughout the whole book. The idea of the Borg and Romulans forming a treaty is almost terrifying. The excellent explantion about transwarp and transwarp conduits blew my mind. The deceitfulness of Kirk was unnerving. The humor with Dr. McCoy was enough to make a Vulcan laugh. The intergrity and the ability James Kirk possesed was brilliant. there right when they say it's the return of Capt. Kirk as only William Shatner can tell it. Who else would no so much and would be able to create such a masterpiece. This book is without a doubt the most well comprised Star Trek book in history.

It is well known that King William of Shatner is desperate to get back into the Star Trek franchise and one of those tight-fitting suits, so when he writes a book mapping out Kirk's return it seems a litte fantasy-riddled. It is. And it is great! The plot comes straight after the movie Generations left it, The Enterprise-D is being scraped-up off of the surface of that stupid planet it crashed into by a small Federation recovery team led by Riker - they are attacked by The Romulan's, Kirk's freshly dug grave is unsettled (damn! Picard spent ages putting that together) and his body stolen. It soon becomes apparent that The Borg are in line with The Romulan's and that Kirk, now brought back to life with Borg implants, is going to lead the invasion forced that conquers Earth. Locutus-T-Kirk (as he likes to be called) goes head-to-head with the Enterprise in a cracking novel that will not end in the vulnerable heart of the Federation, Earth, like you would expect, but instead will end on the deadly homeworld of The Borg! Amazing!

I didn't think that any book involving the "Return" of Captain Kirk would be so well that out and riveting. But the man who has played Kirk for over 30 years has turned out a Star Trek classic. This has to be the best Star Trek book I've ever read, followed closely by his first Star Trek novel "The Ashes of Eden". Unlike other authors, Shatner has a unique insight into Kirk's feelings, attitude and mannerisms....after all, he essentially "was" Kirk. The only reason I didn't give this book a 10 was because at times it seemed that Shatner let his ego get the best of him, often portraying Kirk as a muscle bound toughguy who even managed to beat Worf in a fight (yeah) when in actuality Shatner looked like he was huffing and puffing in the fight scenes in "Generations" which took place right before this book is supposed to take place. Despite that small detail, I am sure that you will love "The Return" based on the brilliant plotline and well thought out characters