Wonderful book!!! I collect watercolors and have one of Skip's. His is clearly my favorite of all of my many watercolors, aside from one by my son. I was especially excited to find and to read Skip's book. What a great teacher he is! The book is clear and easy to follow and apply. Incidentally, I have it as one of my coffee-table books, and find myself regularly re-thumbing through it. Many of its illustrations are very pleasing to the eye, and capture the essence of points he makes so well in the text. Oh, to have just a small fraction of his watercolor talent!!!!

Whether you're a painter who has worked for years, or a 'newbie' you will appreciate and be inspired by Skip Lawrence's fresh and candid approach to more powerful painting via the tools of light and shadow. This is not a 'paint-like-I-do" guide, it's an intelligent conversation with examples of his and other terrific artists, to show how color and light and design all work together to create compelling and meaningful art that truly expresses your vision as an artist. This is a most essential and useful addition to any painter's resources, and it's valuable for both watercolorists and painters of other media as well.

This book is much different than the usual technique books because it clearly stays with one goal - light. Everything in the book is organised around achieving the perception of light and shadow in your paintings. It is a wonderfully elegant and logical approach.

Not knowing much about Gandhi, I decided that this brief book would be a good place to start to learn about this great man. I was not disappointed. I was very moved by Gandhi's story. I was shocked by the brutality of the British administration (such as the infamous crawling order). Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, his acts of disobedience (such as the Salt March), and his speeches and negotiations in defense of complete independence and Indian unity inspired and excited me.

Of course, there is a lot in the story that is sad. I must be naive because I was quite disappointed to learn about Gandhi's personal limitations (such as his sometimes disrespectful treatment of his wife, his issues with sex, and his dismissal of the Hebrew scriptures - all minor in the scheme of things.) Of course, the strife between Hindu and Muslim is tragic and continues to plague India and Pakistan.

A moving reading experience. Highly recommmended.

It is one of the most amazing historical ironies that the one of the most non-violent independence movements in history became one of the greatest bloodbaths when the colonial power left. Once Britain relinquished power over the Indian subcontinent, hundreds of thousands of people were killed by their fellow citizens of the former colony. Ultimately, three different countries emerged from the British colony of India, and two of them, India and Pakistan, remain enemies and may go to war at any time. Mohandas Gandhi was the leader of the independence movement, and he lived non-violent civil disobedience with his every breath. In many ways, it seems inevitable that he too would also be a victim of the violent birth of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
William L. Shirer was a correspondent who spent a great deal of time in India in the early 1930's, and this is an account of that time. He spoke extensively with Gandhi and had a great deal of interaction with the other principals of the Indian independence movement. Clearly, Gandhi was a great man, and the circumstances happened to be right for a non-violent movement to be successful. Even though the British could be brutal, they were ultimately civilized enough to allow it to work. If Gandhi-like tactics would have been used against people like Hitler and Stalin the results would have been different.
Shirer clearly was impressed by Gandhi, his political astuteness and his understanding of the people of India. Fortunately, this does not blind Shirer to Gandhi's weaknesses. While Shirer does give an accurate, interesting and journalistic account of Gandhi's actions, he also explains some of the problems and how people in the independence movement like Jawaharlal Nehru at times grew very frustrated at Gandhi's ideas. With the advantage of historical perspective, some now argue that Gandhi was also bad for India, in that he never seemed to grasp the underlying religious and ethnic hatreds among the people. That is very clear in this book. He also did not grasp the need for a modern infrastructure, as his daily spinning of cloth really did not do anyone any good.
After reading the book, I did come away with some new perspectives on Gandhi and what kind of man he was. Humble, yet well aware of his significance in world history, he can be admired for the principles that he held so strongly. Some say that he died for them. I respectfully disagree, as I believe that he would have been assassinated no matter what philosophy he had expounded. Such was the violent nature of the birth of the nations that arose from the British colony of India.
William Shirer was one of the best journalists of the twentieth century. He was present at many of the greatest historical events and his descriptions of them are some of the best journalism the world has ever seen. This is another in his list of literary accomplishments.

Despite being such a short book, Shirer does a wonderful job of zeroing in on the focus of Gandhi's life's work - Satyagraha.

"It would be best to see Gandhi first, to try to grasp the nature of his genius and its tremendous hold on the Indian masses, to get from the master himself an understanding of his unique contribution to the revolutionary politics of the twentieth century, Satyagraha, a word he had coined from his native Gujarati and which, I suspected, meant much more, at least in the Hindu consciousness, than civil disobedience, passive resistance, non-cooperation and non-violence, though it encompassed all of these." - p.15

Despite the mystical nature of the fountain of the non-violent movement, Gandhi was first and foremost a mobilizer of people - he began in South Africa and finished in India. A lawyer by training, it is evidenced by the quote below that he was not as naive about politics as we often ascribe to mystics (or perceived mystics) to be.

"Satyagraha, or soul-force, sounded very religious and spiritual to me-a fine thing for the human race to embrace, but not a very effective or even practical way to fight a revolution against an alien ruler who depended upon old-fashioned brute force. My face must have betrayed my disbelief, for Gandhi immediately added: "Believe me, Satyagraha is a very practical weapon." I realized, and I thought Gandhi saw, that I was too ignorant to pursue the subject further for the moment. "We will go into it further at another time," he said. "Is there anything else on your mind today?" "A great deal," I said. "Supposing that your negotiations with the Viceroy are successful and you reach an agreement. Do you still have faith in British promises?" "I had faith in them-until 1919," he said. "But the Amritsar Massacre and the other atrocities in the Punjab changed my heart. And nothing has happened since to make me regain my faith. Certainly nothing in the last ten months." - p. 22

and

"It was Gandhi's genius, to be sure, that had inspired the Indian masses, given them the technique of Satyagraha with which to stage a non-violent revolution, and hit upon the Salt March as a symbol to arouse them to action. But it was Patel's ability as an organizer that had molded the Indian Congress into a nationwide political machine capable of carrying on the civil disobedience campaign, even after thousands of its leaders had been incarcerated, until the Viceroy agreed to negotiate." - p. 127

History has as a force has done many great things for Gandhi. One of the greatest disservices to Gandhi is to elevate him to mystic. Seen as a saint or deity to die hards of his belief - as he has been credited as the source of inspiration for Martin Luther King and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. What this sets up for most is scenario for disappointment. How? If biographers like Shirer bring in the "real" or place Gandhi in a scenario that he really has no answer for or where Satyagraha seems doomed to fail, then does it discredit the whole effort. The key is not to escalate men of like this to god-like status as the weaknesses of the man does not detract form the greatness of his accomplishments.

"It became painfully obvious to me as I sat in Berlin, the center of the storm, and read the above pronouncement and many others Gandhi wrote in Young India, that though he was sympathetic to the Jews and the Western democracies threatened by Hitler, he did not understand the nature of the Nazi totalitarian dictatorship. He had no conception of how brutally far it would go in destroying those it believed stood in the way of its domination of the world. His "advice" to the Jews to practice Satyagraha, to the Ethiopians to "allow themselves to be slaughtered by Mussolini's legions," and especially to the English during the worst days of the Blitz, when they were fighting for survival, to let Hitler "take possession of your beautiful island" but not of "your minds and your souls" sounded inane to those actually facing the Fascist tyrants." - p. 215

In the end, the greatness of his accomplishments still shines through. Shirer does a balancing act throughout the book but in the end falls prey to the mystical Gandhi. I have never met either one nor will I ever and that is why I read biographies. I then humbly read and learn.

"The example of his life, like theirs, his search for Truth, as they sought Truth, his humility, his selflessness, which was akin to theirs, his granite integrity, and what he taught and practiced and accomplished were bound to leave an indelible imprint on this earth. Satyagraha, his supreme achievement, taught us all that there was a greater power in life than force, which seemed to have ruled the planet since men first sprouted on it. That power lay in the spirit, in Truth and love, in non-violent action." - p. 251

Miguel Llora

those authors couldn't have written a finer book. This restored Klingon version is enriched by an indeed eloquent tongue. You may have read Shakespearean plays before but you cannot appreciate Shakespeare until you have read him in original Klingon. William Shakespeare had the soul of a Klingon.
.

Klingon Hamlet is an elegant, graceful, vibrant and original Klingon
version of the critically acclaimed, glorious, magnificent and classic drama. That is why it is called "Restored version of Hamlet". The Hamlet's clumsy, inadequate, awkward and misleading English version has nothing but distorted, flaccid, ponderous meanderings. Now at last, the powerful drama of the legendary and brilliant playwright can be appreciated in the eloquence and glory of the Klingon language.

Well, okay, I liked it too.

those authors couldn't have written a finer book. This restored Klingon version is enriched by an indeed eloquent tongue. That's why Klingon Hamlet is regarded as the restored version.

You have read Shakespearean plays before but you cannot appreciate Shakespeare until you have read him in original Klingon.

You'll love reading the elegant, graceful, vibrant and original Klingon version of legendary, critically acclaimed and glorious drama Hamlet instead of clumsy and awkward English version.

"Lawrence the Laughing Cookie Jar" has something for everyone, it is truly a wonderful book. My grandkids love every bit of the book and make me read it over and over to them---they are especially fond of Reggie the dog. I also found it interesting that a jar is actually a jar in Will Marks' world, not a Safeway sourball. As a grandpa and erstwhile disciplinarian, I admire Marks' style by having the cookie jar laugh hysterically when the kids attempt to take more cookies. While my Phys Ed measures were far more draconian, Marks shows that you don't need to be Colonel Jessup from "A Few Good Men" to properly discipline kids. They are far better off learning from their own mistakes...the cookie jar is a kind way of teaching an important lesson in life.

This was a great 2nd book for Marks. As a bachelor for years, Marks provided me with many simple recipes in his initial epic instructional, "No More Mac and Cheese". The gazpacho soup recipe was my favorite, so easy I could throw it together in the back of my Vanagon or in the comfort of my PE office---although the aroma never overcame the jocks in the locker room!! Every meal was always finished off with a nice couple of jars, usually the ones left over from the glandular kids who got only 0+ on the pullup bar (apologies to Otis). I look forward to more from Marks.

The kids aren't happy with the ration of one cookie each; but they face an impossible barrier to more: a laughing cookie jar which loudly chuckles when they try to get more. Josephine Taylor's whimsical drawings enhances William C. Marks' fun story of trying to get the most from a cookie jar - through creative theft.

It's one of those books your kid makes you read over and over again long after you get sick of it (after 45 reads for me, which is a record). I give it as a gift to every new parent. You'll dig it.

This handy paperback volume is a true gem on collecting late 19th/early 20th century souvenir china. The numerous color photos and informative text make this an excellent addition to any collector's bookshelf. Highlights include wholesaler marks and information on manufacturers.

This edition promises to be the corner stone for the souvenir china collector!

This 1998, 232 page book features more than 500 full color, large photos of a great variety of collectible souvenir china. 1998 values are shown. There is a nice introduction to the topic and plenty of descriptive text throughout. It's well indexed for easy item location. Major topics include, Collecting Souvenir China in the U.S., Golden Era of Souvenir China, The Pioneers, Identifying Producers, Shapes, Forms and Styles, and related items. A nice bibliography is provided. Collectors will love looking at the great photos provided. A useful reference.

There are too few Powell books. This one is a solid contribution complete with reviews from publications at the time of the Powell flims' releases. I use it often.

Considering there are very few books that have been written or are still available about William Powell, this is book gives a decent (but small) biography and synopsis of all of his films.

What a joy it is to read a great book! If you want to learn the subject of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) get a copy of this book. Both the text and the CD help focus the reader to understand and maximize the learning experience. I am sure this book will become another classic for Dr. Cooper et al.

for researchers, this book is a must in that it presents a really comprehensive review of dea history and frontiers. but good applications and model comparison with stochastic or bayesian studies could be addressed more in details.

Really. This book is so fine, so well written, so fascinating, that I actually re-read it! Mr. Levine, please write more. I've recommended this book to many friends, including scientists who had never shown an interest in literary subjects. I practically forced my best friend--a professional wrestler (!)--to read it. The result: Mr. Levine now has a motley crew of new admirers.

The Scene: Three months before my qualifying exams. I have crammed every book on theatre I can think of. I have notecards that I memorize. I have no love of theatre anymore, no interest in the subject, just trying to get through the ordeal that so many of my friends have failed. I don't allow myself to read books for fun, or all the way through. I only skim for facts to drop.

One day this book arrives in the mail with several others I've ordered. I dutifully skim it for facts to put on my notecards. I find myself being drawn in. It is academic reading--I couldn't imagine that it could be all that enjoyable. More importantly I don't have time to enjoy a book. But I am enjoying it, so I decide to let myself really read the first chapter (on Shakespeare).

I can't put it down. I'm reading about museums now, public parks, things that I will never be able to use on my exams, but I love the way he thinks! Not only am I loving Levine's incredible book, but I am even excited about my field again. Levine's book is an incredible gift, a gift that helped me renew my delight in what scholarship and history can do. A model I will never live up to, but will cherish and delight in. And I did pass, quoting Levine not to impress, but out of a real delight in the field and the joy of sharing ideas.

One side-effect of the common lectionary used by Catholics, Episcopaleans, Lutheran, and various mainstream Protestant churches is the development of some excellent lectionary based resources. (A lectionary contains the Biblical readings for a given Sunday).

This series of three volumes for the three year lectionary cycle (each year concentrates on a synoptic Gospel - Matthew, Mark or Luke) contains music, poetry, art, etc. that in some way reflect on the Scripture for a given Sunday. The volumes are carefully multicultural.

An example: for the first Sunday in Advent, there are poems by Czeslaw Milosz, Sandra Cisneros and Janet Morley; a photo of a festive cross by Claudio Jimenez; quotations from Lamar Williamson Jr. and the Gelasian Sacramentary; a song by Arthur G. Clyde (contemporary); paintings by Rodolfo Abularach and Salvador Dali.

Each Sunday is equally diverse. You should always be able to find something that meets your needs and/or challenges you to reconsider your needs. Highly recommended.

Gorgeous book of art tied to the Christian lectionary. Poetry, paintings, photographs, sculpture, scripture quotes. A real treat!

A book you can still dream on.

This was written and rewritten when Victorian erudition was in the making. Some authors in the long series of its well parsed institutional writing would still like to see it continuing in THAT well established tradition.

Alas, the times have changed. Recent anatomy texts are dwarfs not even climbing on the shoulders of the likes of Gray, Braus and Testut. Those authors professed ideals of "seeing through the skin structures", "synmorphy" and "mentally reconstructing the living". Today we do all this with machines...

I stopped reading the huge text linearly at the complicated review of angiogenesis, but still browse dedicated chapters for standard, if somewhat elaborate descriptions. Comprehensive knowledge parsing seems to have lived a fruitful life and then exit the scene to enrich scientific obituaries. But if Gibbon were still an example of style, the fifth star would be added when that clarity, in my view mandatory for monuments, will be eventually reached.

This book is absolutely amazing. It was the required reference text for a gross anatomy class I took in graduate school and it made studying so easy! I used to go through and take notes out of it in order to have a solid base of what I should see when I would dissect. This book also described a lot of the abnormalities and variations that we would regularly see in the human body. A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE WHO WILL BE STUDYING ANATOMY!!!!!!

This book is truly a masterpiece. The writing and layout is good. Descriptions and illustrations are clear and well done. I am not a medical professional and yet I find this book fascinating in its breadth and scope. To better comprehend some of the anatomical structures I first read relevant portions of this book and then go to Netter's Atlas Of Human Anatomy. One point of caution though - get the 38th British Edition. This is by far superior to the American Edition which costs half as much. The extra money spent will be well worth it. After all there is a lifetime of adventure embedded in this volume.