I ordered this thinking that the book would contain more photographs like the one on the cover, strong, sensual images of young men/boys making the transition from childhood to adulthood, and all that that entails. There were some great images in the book, the 15 yo matador and his family, the boy standing naked beside his fully clothed brother.... but there was a lot of wasted potential as well. As mentioned in other reviews, the photos of Indian boys towards the latter third of the book are somewhat out of place, but so is the final set of pictures (even though there are of a German teenager) that come from another of McBride's books.

All in all, this book was something of a disappointment...

This is an interesting if slightly perplexing collection of photographs. I guess that the authors aim to present images of young boys making the difficult transition to young adulthood has been shown, but with a non-cohesive sense of place. The presentation of young Indian boys towards the centre of the book comes in sharp contarts to the images of West German boys elsewhere. Indeed, I felt they were out of place and opportunistically placed. Almost as if the author suddenly found this odd set of pictures he'd taken years ago and thought "I could use some of those here".

The collection ranges from candid photgraphs to rigidly posed studies, some of the latter being amongst the most haunting I've ever seen. There truly can be beauty in the peri-pubescent and adolescent male. I know some people have claimed that this book has been produced to satisfy that strange group of people who call themselves "boy-lovers", and it may indeed appeal to such people. However, lovers of the male form more generally can gain from viewing this collection, and trying to understand the context in which the photographs were taken. ....

I bought this book when I was looking for some puberty material for my 12 year old son. I thought at first that it was a bit too pornographic for a pre-teen to see,but the reality is,this book is just perfect. My son and I looked inside the book together and it was a lot easier for me answering any question about his body when you have pictures of other boys his age who are the same stage,or soon to be stage. It was really a fine ice braker and I'm sure any father with a soon to be teen age boy would agree. Mothers too can take advantage of the book as well..

I highly recommend this book to anyone.....

"The Quotable Conservative" is a collection of quotations from 200 conservative stars arising from many traditions, from ancient philosophers to modern talk show hosts. Many sources are well known, others less so, but all have something worthwhile to say.

Most of the quotations consist of only one paragraph, but many are longer and delve into their subjects more deeply.

Whether you are looking for a witty retort to leaven your speech, or a thoughtful discourse to challenge your mind, you can find it in "The Quotable Conservative." It is a stimulating book for the thinking conservative.

There are two books entitled "The Quotable Conservative."

The other one, compiled by Bill Adler, includes many lightweight one-liners and clever quips of conservatives in its 150 pages. It is weighted towards the quotations of politicians and other political practicioners.

This book is richer and deeper. While it includes some of the quotations found in Adler's book, its 260 pages reach beyond politics, and often include whole paragraphs of thoughtful prose from their source. Here, the thinking conservative will find important ideas from philosophers and fine commentators ranging from Aristotle and Acton to Tyrell and Sowell, from Adams and Bastiat to Will and Williams.

Both books are nicely-sized 6" X 6" formats, and both are worthwhile acquisitions. However if the fiscally conservative reader wishes to buy only one book of conservative quotations, this is the one.

I've had this book for a couple of years and find myself going back to it freqently. It includes great treasures of wit, wisdom, and inspiration. Too often today we forget the thoughtfulness of our forefathers. Too bad tlv106@aol.com from Tampa, Florida thinks this wisdom is "corporate America propaganda."

Very nicely done biography, Simon seems to be a meticulous, sympathetic critic of her subjects. While I enjoyed reading about this legendary figure in American philosophy and psychology, I ended up being less impressed by him than before. Such disenchantment is probably the hallmark of reading a good biography, as it necessarily brings the mighty down to fallible human dimensions. I had always wondered what it was about the James household that produced such a noteworthy novelist and such a thoughtful philosopher--it turns out that inept dysfunction is the source of this family genius. Their father, at least through Simons's interpretation, seems a very unlikable figure--a passive-aggressive tyrant who would constantly move his family from place to place rather than have them come to develop roots and mentors beyond his control. Sadly, this tactic generated in his family a doubt of self that could lead to such insights as those his two most prominent boys seemed to understand in all its nuances. While we may appreciate their hard-won insights, it doesn't seem any fun to have suffered through them as each of his children did for all their lives. The book provides a complex look at a figure who for all his knowledge remained an embattled, unsatisfied self-critic--like all the best thinkers, I suppose.

Of all the James biographies, I enjoyed this one the best. As a female English teacher, Simon has a triple advantage in understanding and conveying Jame's life as it might have been. For starters, her writing skills are simply amazing. The book was very clear and enjoyable to read. Secondly, Simon provides us with a portrait of James we rarely see: that is, James as husband and father. In the past, the role Jame's wife and sister played in the formation of his character and thought passed by completely unnoticed, or was ignored. As important as those two figures were in James life, they cannot be ignored. Lastly, Simon's own experiences as a university teacher may have contributed to her portrait of James as university professor - another aspect of James often overlooked. The result of this triple-advantage is one powerful biography, unlike anything ever written about this Philosopher. More than any book, this one provides the reader with a sense of who James really was as a person, and for that I gave it 5 stars.

The truly great men in early American history, in my humble opinion, are as follows:

Thomas Jefferson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
William James

Because of their intense individualism, idealistic views, and unique personalities, their writings, thoughts and ideas continue to affect western civilzation into the 21st century. Let me just say at the start - I'm not proposing a forum for argument, debating the worth and influence of one historical figure against another - these are men who have shaped my life in lasting ways - particularly the psychologist, philosopher and teacher, William James.

If you are interested in the works and life of this noble individual, ~Genuine Reality~ is a good place to begin. Linda Simon is an adept biographer and this book reflects her skill, understanding and love for the subject. It was refreshing to read a biography without the once fashionable 'psychoanalytical method' of interpreting history: inserting the Oedipus complex or hints of homoeroticism into the work. This method gets tedious and more reveals the biographer's mind than the subject. It is obvious that Simon wanted to approach James from a pragmatic perspective and she succeeded in showing James' life, warts and all, more specifically, however, his inspiring personality, compulsive curiosity and genuine love of life.

Similar to most people of genius, James' life was indeed a contradiction, at times almost enigmatic. He realized early on, that to rivet one's thought or perspective to a single dogma, to close one's mind to the infinite possibilities of existence, was to commit intellectual and spiritual suicide. Thus his thoughts are mercurial, bouncing from one possible view to another, always searching, investigating with an incessant vigour of a child. Following the works of Heraclitus, Henri Bergson, and aspects of Fredric Nietzche, James' 'Pluralism' is a philosophy of affirmation, transformation and becoming. Rallying against the Platonic and Aristotelian belief that fixity has more worth than change, he proposed that life or existence is not fixed at all but involved in an on-going state of flux: the operating word is change. And his life certainly reflects this perspective, as Simon writes:

"He was a scientist with a disposition of a philosopher and a philosopher with the perspective of an artist. He was convinced of his own essential complexity: certain that his public personality contradicted a hidden, more authentic self. He championed the new, he hungered for astonishment."

At the core of James' view of life is to maintain a continual openness to our existence: attempt to create a kind of vital joy to life's infinite possibilities. In other terms, do not sit back and merely observe, but get your hands dirty, engage, and life will give back to you many fold.

~Genuine Reality~ is an important contribution to American history. Linda Simon is a genuine biographer with transparent humility, more concerned with presenting her subject as it is, rather than trying to show off her knowledge, wit and writing skills. All too often, biographer's egos get in the way: they become so involved in revealing their intellectual capacity, the subject of the biography falls by the wayside. Not so with this text.

This book is an intimate portrayal of a great man's life: his interesting and unusual family, his work and relationships, and his sometimes-underrated contribution to philosophy. Out of all of James' writings, there is a line that showed me, in essence, the true character of the man:

"Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn and Not be found out. I will do two things I Don't want to do."

This biography is recommended without reservation.

From the eyes/connections of a senior veteran Microsoftie you can learn for yourself how business is done and has been changed by technology. A great communicator, Mr. McDowell clears the eyes of the foggy headed, old thinking business manager to the wonders and money savings of tech. A must read for any modernizing or future thinking executive looking for success. This is one of those books that are a cheap investment in the future profitability of your company. Your employees should read it too!

Excellent book for those in industry, as well as anyone who wants to better understand how profoundly technology can impact business success.

I have a clear understanding in my mind of all the things my company can do to help businesses evolve strategy with our IT products and why that is important, but I have had what I believe to be a somewhat difficult time articulating the "whys and wherefores." This book provides lucid, clearly compelling explanations and examples that crystallize the message of the power of information technolgy.

McDowell and Simon make strong cases for how information technology should not be used simply to do things better than you have done them before, but instead to use it to do things you have never been able to do before. If you don't fully understand technology and want some non-technical explanations of why you should be using it, this book was written for you.

As a novice psychotherapist/psychiatry resident, I found this title to be an invaluable part of my training. Dr. Console provides us with transcripts of his "first encounters" with patients and then discusses what is happening (on a psychodynamic level) in each session. In a way, the book is a transcript within a transcript -- a dialogue between Dr. Console and his residents discussing videotapes of the sessions themselves (also transcribed for the reader). The importance of the initial interview becomes evident while reading this text. It is amazing to see how much information can be learned by observing both the explicit and implicit content of a relatively brief meeting between doctor and patient. I highly recommend this book to all psychiatrists and psychotherapists especially to those who are just starting out and are in the process of fine-tuning their interview style.

This book is trying to get the big picture, and William O. Douglas climbing mountains is one of its dramatic themes. The most interesting part of the book for me was how much trouble Justice Douglas could create for the rest of the U. S. Supreme Court and those who believe that law ought to conform to their ideal of an orderly administration of justice. In the middle of June, 1953, Justice Douglas issued a stay of execution for Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, thinking, "The Rosenbergs' indictment, trial and sentence had been under the wrong law, the Espionage Act of 1917. ... And under the Atomic Energy Act, a judge could impose the death penalty only on the recommendation of the jury and only with a showing that the offense had been committed with intent to injure the United States." (p. 306). Then "Justice Douglas left Washington and headed west by car, thinking that his stay would remain in effect until the full Court could hear arguments during the fall term." (p. 307). Justice Robert Jackson "suggested that his stay was an attempt to play to his liberal constituency with a popular solo performance." (p. 299). Justice Jackson's law clerk, William H. Rehnquist had written a three-page memorandum in which the political context was considered:

... the public opinion which has voiced itself in favor of the Rosenbergs is not even properly called `left-wing' in the sense that the respectable liberal group in this country is behind it. It is a tiny minority of lunatic fringers and erratic scientist-sentimentalists. (p. 303).

Justice Jackson was willing to hear the Rosenberg case so "the Court would save itself embarrassment and put to rest any doubts about the fairness of the Rosenberg trial" (p. 303) when Douglas had threatened to issue a memorandum "agreeing with the Court of Appeals that some of the conduct on the United States Attorney was `wholly reprehensible'," (p. 302) but Douglas wasn't willing to act in the case until he found some reason to believe that the Rosenbergs might be able to win. On June 19, "When it was clear that a Court majority would not uphold the stay under any conditions, Justice Burton cast his vote with the majority, making the vote six to three." (p. 310). The Court's decision was, "The Atomic Energy Act did not repeal or limit the provisions of the Espionage Act. Accordingly, we vacate the stay entered by Mr. Justice Douglas on June 17, 1953." June 19 must have been a Friday, because "Out of respect for the Jewish Sabbath, the scheduled execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg on the evening of June 19 was moved up from the original 11:00 p.m. time" so it was all over by 8:16 p.m. (p. 311). Justices Black, Frankfurter and Douglas wrote dissenting opinions which "made a shambles of the majority's easy conclusions." (p. 311). That should be pretty easy to do, for anyone who was born with a brain and isn't afraid to be considered one of the lunatic fringers.

In an era where one book after the other seems to extoll the story of the globalisation Juggernaut, the reader can all too easily get the impression that all in the economy is now globalizing. Do not borders cease to exist for one enterprise and sector after the other? Although you can argue this is true to some extent for a number of sectors and production processes, at the same time it is not quite the whole story and creates a false or misleading image. The authors argue that enterprises are not only economic but als political actors, and for me as an economist this was an interesting point.

This book then provides a sober antidote to this misperception of transnational corporations as truly borderless production systems that only seek the most efficient way to produce and where nationality does not matter. It provides a convincing overview of how even the largest 'transnational' corporations remain to a large extent 'national', if not in their economics then in their politics. With thorough empirical work it is shown that globalizing activities of transnational enterprises in OECD countries mostly still have a home bias along a number of dimensions. I confess that this was also for me (economist dealing with glabalization) a good sobering read that helped me to keep a perspective and offered a number of novel ideas. Recommended.

This play can be read as anti-semitic. In fact, it's pretty hard to defend it from such charges. Shylock is a pretty rotten character and the fact that he is jewish is difficult to overlook (particularly since the other characters mention it on pretty much EVERY page). However, I think it is important to mention that the "heroes" of this play do not necessarily have to be interpreted as heroes. They are by no means perfect and there are many subtle (and some not-so-subtle) instances within the text in which their biases against ANYONE unlike them is illustrated. If one reads the play this way, then Shylock becomes more of a tragic figure rather than an absolutely heartless villain. I don't know. My feelings about this are mixed. There are a few funny parts of this play and the language is, as always, beautiful. The theme of putting a price on human beings is one which has been explored numerous times since. Overall, it is enjoyable, but perhaps not so much so as some of the other comedies. Do not read this play without having read a few others by Shakespeare first. It is an excellent play, but not his best and not his most enjoyable either.

After reading most of the other reviews here, I am fully aware that most of the reviewers didn't read carefully enough (or watch carefully enough if they saw the play.) Now, I'm not saying its not open for different interpretations, but there is one thing I would really like to get straight.

I read MoV for a Bar Mitzvah project on Anti-Semitism. Naturally, my sympathies went to Shylock. However, even if i were Christian, i still would've favored Shylock. What many people believe is that Shylock is a cold hearted ruthless person and only wanted to get back at Antonio because Antonio was a Christian.

Not true. Shylock specifically says something along the lines off, "Why should I lend money to you? You spit on me, and call me a Jewish dog!" I'm not saying that Shylock was a good guy, but I am saying that he is not the villain.

In fact, the "Merchant of Venice," in this story is actually Shylock, not Antonio, contrary to popular belief. My thoughts on the story was that Shylock requested a pound of Antonio's flesh because he did not trust Antonio. Who would trust someone that spat on him? The fact is, Antonio doesn't pay him back in the end.

Now, there's always something else we have to put into consideration. Would the judge had given the "spill one ounce of Christian blood" verdict at the end if Shylock were not a Jew?

This is the mark of a great play. A play that really gets you thinking. But I encourage you, I beg of you, that when you read it or see it, please do not hold Shylock up to being a cold hearted villain. Hold Antonio up to that image. (joking, of course, Antonio's not a bad guy, he's just not a good guy.)

This is a wonderful play - and unless you have seen it or read it you don't know it at all. That's because everything the popular culture tells us about this play is false (for example; how many of you think this play is about a merchant named Shylock? ;-)

The Merchant of Venice is a lively and happy morality tale. Good triumphs over bad - charity over greed - love over hate.
There is fine comedy. Portia is one of Shakespeare's greatest women (and he ennobled women more than any playwright in history). There are moments of empathy and pain with all the major characters. There is great humanity and earthiness in this play. These things are what elevate Shakespeare over any other playwright in English history.

Plays should be seen - not read. I recommend you see this play (if you can find a theater with the courage and skill to do it). But if it is not playing in your area this season - buy the book and read it.

This story is an enjoyable diversion for any Shakespeare fan in a mood for something light and a little bit enlightening. It's fun to recognize bits of "real Shakespeare" embedded in the text, and Hawke gives several unorthodox slants to the Shakespeare character. He does miss his opportunity to have Shakespeare's companions feed the future bard all his famous lines, or to tweak those scholars who think Shakespeare was really older Christopher Marlowe or somebody. In Hawke's afterword he doth protest unnecessarily for his travesty on great Shakespeare; we don't really expect more.

Simon Hawke is an American college professor so despite his very English name this isn't a "true English" mystery. In fact, there's not much mystery here; it might better be titled a comedy of errors ;) There's nothing of great moment, but an interesting view of London and theatrical life in the 16th century. Aspiring actor Tuck Smythe is not much of a sleuth (his eloquent companion Mr. Shakespeare is none), and no real crime appears before the last third of the book.

There's much ado about social climbing parents-indeed that's a key to the mystery. The author gives the impecunious and ostensibly ignorant young heroes (and us) an awful lot of background information, most of it interesting but told flat rather than atmospherically. He also talks at us too much rather than have his characters show us through their experiences. The ending is too rushed and wordy. I hope the author has learned from writing this rather academical novel and the next is better; there's good potential in his concept. The proofing and printing of this book on pulp paper leave something to be desired.

I enjoyed this novel very much, save for two
utter bloopers Mr. Hawke pulled, such as
the mention of high tea (when tea wouldn't
be imported to England for ca. 150 years),
his evident belief that "high" tea is the
fancy meal rather than "afternoon" tea,
and the scene in which a wise woman reads
a tarot deck of a type which didn't exist
until the 20th century.

I liked the book very much otherwise, but
my disbelief suspenders had a hard time
recovering from the serious snapping produced
by these silly errors.

When young Symington Smythe discovers that his father has bankrupted himself trying to climb the social ladder, he decides to pursue his dream of a career as an actor. In 16th century Britain becoming an actor meant going to London, so off Smythe went. After being robbed so often that the last highwayman took pity on him and gave him enough for dinner, the young man finally stumbled into the Hawk and Mouse which is so crowded he is forced to share a room with a stranger. Not just any strange, but Will Shakespeare himself, also off to London to make a start in the theater - as a poet. In short order the men become fast friends and travel the rest of the way together.

Once in the town Smythe (now renamed Tuck by Shakespeare) and the young bard have a bit of luck and meet Sir William Worley and Kit Marlowe in the midst of a brawl. When the smoke clears Worley offers Tuck and Will the opportunity of positions at the Queen's Men Theater. Well, 'positions' is a bit of an overstatement. Actually, they are given jobs as hostlers, attending the horses of the audience. Tuck and Will are undaunted, sure that time will favor them (assuming they can get rid of the smell of stable.

On the other side of town, in a much better neighborhood, lives Elizabeth Darcie. She discovers she has a major problem. Her father has decided to marry her off to gain preferment and a chance at a title. Elizabeth, who is quite independent for this age, is outraged. Prepared to do anything to put off her suitor, she is pleasantly surprised when her proposed husband confides to her that he loves another and has no desire to wed her. Or does he? The next day he appears to press his suit, and on the next he is stabbed and dies at her feet. And then he reappears once more. All of this panics Elizabeth and catapults her into the arms of Tuck, who is determined to investigate, despite warnings from Will and the other actors. In short order the plot becomes as complex as one of Shakespeare's own and every bit as exciting.

I was attracted to 'A Mystery of Errors' because I am familiar with Simon Hawkes other works, which are primarily science fiction and fantasy. Thus, I really didn't know quite what to expect. Hawke has never shown any interest in historical mystery stories or the stately prose of Elizabethan rhetoric. The book begins slowly, as Hawke works at the construction of his setting in 16th century England. Which is no small task. The slow pace of the first chapters, combined with an excessive use of flower speech put me off a bit and I feared that Hawke was too far out of his element.

Then, as they say, a miracle happened. The action and intrigue of the plot picked up, the characters lost their stiffness, and everything took on life. I cannot testify to the 'historicity' of the book, but it presents a believable England complete with spies and retired pirates. Thus I found the book a light weight, extremely enjoyable, page-turner. Not quite a farce, but a solid comedy in the Shakespearean style without the burden of iambic pentameter. I also enjoyed the little the countless tidbits of Shakespearean lore that wander in an out of the story, playing their part as puns and puzzles. This is a book appropriate to Shakespeare lovers of all ages. I believe you will find it 'as you like it.'