No one paints aviation sunsets like this man! Classic aircraft, biplanes, WW II fighters all the way to rocket planes. A great collection from the same artist who brought you the July '97 classic aircraft postage stamp collection. Bill Phillips' work is entertaining for the aviation enthusiast/perfectionist, as well as being satisfying fine art. Painting is his calling and he is faithful with his gift. The text stops short of explaining some of the most significant, and encouraging, aspects of Bill's biography.Closely examine his signature and you'll discover the driving force that sustains Bill and his work. This is a wonderful book that would have rated a 10 if the art was not split across the page gutters. As is the price is right, but I'd gladly have paid another $20 to have a larger book with the images on one page. It violates every user-friendly layout rule of coffee table art books- but this is NOT the fault of the artist! Don't get me wrong, I'm still happy to have this book. But it could have been even better. J. Campbell Martin

Edward Parks has done a masterful job of interpreting the art of Bill Phillips. Mr. Parks was a fighter pilot (P-39's) in New Guinea at the start of WWII and after the war became a nationally recognized writer for the National Geographic and later, for the Smithsonian Institute. His first hand knowledge of flying combined with an incredible gift for prose makes "The Glory of Flight" a perfect match between artist and writer. Bill Phillips is undoubtedly America's premier aviation artist. His ability to capture the experience of seeing the world from aloft is truly inspiring. "The Glory of Flight" is a must for any aviation enthusiast. The title says it all!

Bill Phillips is a superb landscape artist who captures aircraft in moments of aviation history on the richest backgrounds imaginable. I was priviledged to attend his showing of major works in the National Air & Space Museum in September, 1987; and have been an avid collector since

I have worked with criminal offenders for the last 10 years and have found this approach outlined in the book extremely useful. The book is easy to read and follow. I have used the information with Batterers, sex offenders and substance abusers. The only offenders I have found it not appropriate for are "diagnosed" psychopaths.

The basic premise of this book and indeed that of Motivational Interviewing (MI) is that we as individuals have problems and issues and furthermore that given the right circumstances we as individuals have the tools to resolve those issues and problems. Thus although the counsellor/therapist can enable change by creating a conducive environment that supports and sustains the process, it is the client who must be responsible for such change.

MI has a grounding in Rogerian therapy but it is more directive rather than non-directive. Commenting on this Miller and Rollnick write " ...the motivational interviewer proceeds with a strong sense of purpose, clear strategies and skills for pursuing that purpose, and a sense of timing to intervene in particular ways at incisive moments."

The book is split into three parts: Background, Practice and Clinical Applications. Thus there is an excellent balance between theoretical considerations and practical implications.

The authors outline five principles which underlie MI, these are:

1. Express Empathy

2. Develop Discrepancy

3. Avoid Argumentation

4. Roll with Resistance

5. Support Self-Efficacy

The book is clear and detailed in how these principles are to be put into practice at differing stages of the change process. It is this clarity - which incidentally runs throughout its pages - which makes 'Motivational Interviewing' such an easy yet, I feel essential read.

I work for a counselling service for those with alcohol related problems and this text is the one, which I encourage new members of staff and students on placement to read. Similarly, if you are interested in the subject matter of the change process, whether in terms of addictive behaviour or other more non-specific areas, I do recommend that you take a look 'Motivational Interviewing'.

A couple of years ago I attended a conference that Bill Miller had been addressing. It fell to him to make the closing comments. These were pertinent and to the point, however the most notable thing about the closing notes were that Miller sang them in a Country and Western style. A book by anybody that barmy deserves a read!

Although they emphasize substance abuse, the authors' system applies to almost every problem. It can cut your stress as it helps you become more artful and effective in helping clients actualize thier motivations toward success. Very clearly written, systematic, and enjoyable to read. Special populations are covered. Research is increasingly supporting this approach.

I am a great fan of Shakespeare, so when I bought this book what I was expecting wasn't what I saw. I saw the most intriguing sonnets probaly ever known to man. It wasn't all about love and fear. It was involving a great many things. It had all the human feelings, sadness, happieness, hate, love, curiosity, fear, pain, grief, stress, and you get the ideal. I don't want to give it away so if you seem interested read this wounderful book.

I read these sonnets two a day over the summer, and I wish there were more than 154 of them so I could keep going into the fall. I think I'll pick up "The Tempest" next.

The poetry in this volume is beautiful, equisite and full of passion. What makes Shakespeare worth reading is the way he lets the world into his lines. His metaphors appeal deliciously to the senses, like a beam of sunlight through a high window in the afternoon, or the smell of a new cut lawn in the spring. Shakespeare's writing is immortal, not because a conspiracy of teachers got together and decided it should be, but because it is full of life, and nothing that is full of life can really ever die.

If you're not used to reading Elizabthean English or are put off by the thought of Shakespeare, this is a good place to start. This edition helpfully "translates" each sonnet into modern English on a facing page along with definitions for the more troubling words. Even with the help, I still don't think Shakespeare is all that easy to read. But anything you do in this world that makes you feel more passionate about life is a pretty good thing. If you give Shakespeare some of your time, he's bound to pay you back with plenty of interest.

This edition of Shakespear's sonnets is all you need to read and understand the great Bard.

A very nice feature is the paraphrasing of the sonnets in contemporary English and a translation into ordinary language of the more difficult words.

The edition is a paperback small enough to be carried around to read during one's leisure.

Writing today a book that still has something to say about Shakespeare is hard on our days. This is the reason why one can consider this book outstanding. Nonetheless, I have read many recent books about Shakespeare and I consider that behind the interesting concept of social energy lies an excessively skeptic version of Shakespeare. I can agree that Shakespeare's preeminence in the canon is largely due to the circulation of social energy, but I think that many of the richness of Shakespeare is too reduced to this factor. The book is an excellent reading for anybody interested in Shakespeare but requires some balancing. My recommendations would be the heterodox book by Rene Girard and the passionate and excessive approach of Bloom. This triad gives an excellent approach to contemporary theses on Shakespeare with complete counterarguments that neutralize the radical points of view of the three authors.

Although Greenblatt as received a good deal attention for his interest in critical practice and for his coining of the terms "New Historicisim" and "cultural poetics," his real strengths ahev also ben doing close readings of literary and historical texts. In Shakespearean Negotiations, Greenblatt offers typically brilliant and engaging readings of some of Shakespeare's major plays. His book is of interest to a wide audience beyond an academic one. The man is an exceptionally gifted writer and storyteller. It's a pity that so few other literary and cultural critics even come close to matching him. Perhaps only Stephen Orgel and Stanley Fish have equally brilliant prose styles and analytical powers.

Published over a decade ago, this book has become not only a classic in Shakespearean study but also the exemplary of the "new historicism." Even nowadays it does not lose its refleshing power, and never fails to stimulate controversies (e.g. the issue of subversion and containment) that still continues well into the new millenium. Greenblatt has been criticized for homogenizing the history and sacrificing the complexity of the text (for an alternative model of new historicism, one can refer to Louis Montrose's articles and his book "The Purpose of Playing: Shakespeare and the Cultural Politics of Elizabethan Theatre"), but still he has successfully made a strong case for his major argument, namely that Shakespeare, far from a single-handed isolated individual genius coming from nowhere, heavily drew upon the cultural resources and "social energy" circulating among various domains beyond the boundaries of theatre and literature. Greenblatt is very deft in reconstructing the historical and ideological context that enriches the Shakespearen play. Time and again readers feel that the historical anecdote Greenblatt talks about even eclipses the play itself with its magic power of invoking wonder, which might make even those sympathetic readers like Frank Kermode complain that the part on Shakespeare in this book is less interesting than the part on history. But isn't this refocusing of interest not exactly part of demystifying the notion of genius and his sacred writing in order to appreciate Shakespeare more as a negotiator in the marketplace who purchases and exchanges symbolically? The last chapter on "Tempest" is especially highly recommended for its skillful intermingling of the issues of ruling strategy by means of inciting anxiety, colonial (counter)history, the space of theatre and finally the institutionalisation of literature.

This is the first book that truly explains all about cyberlaw, It's easy to read and very educational, doesnt matter if your not that good with the internet you'll still enjoy reading this book that gives you all the information you need on cyberlaw, gives many cases as examples, and explains abrevations! I would recomend this book to anyone trying to understand what really go's on in the law of the world wide web.

An very updated text. Concise, precise and well presented. There is no bored and extensive dissertations about what should be the law of internet. This is a pragmatic view. Every topic is well documented and comes with several sugested sites to visit for reference or aditional information. Be aware this is an American Legal System analisys, it does not explores civil law implications. Useful for beginners and advanced legal professionals working in the web industry.

Author of Nuclear Power for Beginners, Stephen Croall makes this palatable introduction to the eco-system enjoyable, entertaining and easy to grasp for anyone. It also makes many fine remarks on our food industry and health in general where ones awareness is raised to the level of conscious living. While his reference seems to rely mainly on Ivan Illich's works (Tools for Conviviality), it does express its own interests that the Earth is a living system an co-dependent no us and other creatures that inhabit this planet. Although out of print, for the beginner it may be worth searching for if they are curious about the subject. Otherwise, for those that do enjoy the Beginners series, then this one is right on!

Sketches a grand sweep of the rise of life, ecosystems, the rise and fall of civilizations, industrialism, colonialism/imperialism, overview of basic science, the arrogance of science with a touch of gender politics, the emptiness and excess of modern life (for those in 'developed' countries), loss of resources due to overutilisation/erosion/ desertification/monoculture agribusiness, concentration of control over production into a handful of giant corporations, the myth of food shortage, the deep/wide damage inflicted by unfettered capitalism, the myth that centralised control under soviet 'socialism' is different from centralised control under state-capitalism, Native American perspectives, the cross-disciplinary nature of ecology, including the necessarily social/political/economic nature of effective ecology, refutation of technology as a panacea, affirmation of technology's positive role in suggestion to work less & better, complex (interrelated) vs. complicated (incomprehensible/spinning out of control) systems, ecological planning & farming, recycling/sustainability, global solidarity against the 'world order', as exemplified by a broad spectrum of groups working for change. The book closes with a list of questions for the reader to consider: is what i make at work really useful or necessary?
can it be made better?
is there a shortage of goods or services anywhere that my workplace could meet?
how could our production be reorganized?
does my working environment need improving?
can the work itself be made more enjoyable?
is my union interested in these questions?
is my party doing anything about the environment?
is my environment group on the right track?
can i cycle to work instead?
can i start a car pool?
do i really need all the things i buy?
do they waste resources or damage the environment?
do they benefit Agribiz?
do they deprive the Third World?

is there local produce i can buy instead?
can i help start or participate in a local co-op?
can i help draw up a shopping list for 'alternative consumers'?
is there an allotment or patch of land i could cultivate?
where can i found out more about how things really work and what i can do?

This book provides an easy to read compilation of the important factors that influence today's health care services. It compares national and international health care systems. Emphasis is placed on health care economics. Health care for designated populations such as ambulatory clients, long term care clients & mental health clients is addressed. There is a strong chapter on health care policy and heatlh care planning.

This book has a ton of information on the essentials of health care. Stuff like the difference between HMO, PPO, and POS. It also has some very informative graphs. It is divided in three parts (1) An Overview of Health Care in the United States, (2) The Resourses for Providing Care, and (3) Paying for, Managing, controlling, and Evaluating the System. All in all I give it 5 stars.

Although there are any number of worthy books and articles on the ecological effects of fire (and of fire-suppression), Pyne's take on the ways in which humans have and still do use fire in manners which are as much conditioned by matters of tradition as well as those of rationality struck me as a novel way of looking at the subject.

As a child I gleefully participated in the annual raking of fallen tree leaves into piles and their subsequent destruction by fire. It seemed part of the natural order of things and was great fun. Although the community that I grew up in has long since banned the practice, it never occurred to me to reflect on the cultural norms behind the practice until I read this book. It is rather enlightening and humbling to see one's own behavior examined with the level of detachment and dispassion that an anthropologist might bring to some unfamiliar and seemingly bizarre practices of some isolated aboriginal tribe!

This book is no polemic, nor does it have any obvious agenda. I am unaware of any controversy over its contents. This is not to say that the author's views are not fresh and interesting.

The author is highly knowledgeable about his subject and previously published a highly acclaimed book about a tragic forest fire-fighting incident that resulted in the deaths of several fire-fighters. This book does not have the high drama of that work, but it is very well written and stimulating. A very good read, in my estimation.

This book is a must read for any person interested in the cutlural effect of wild and rural land fire. The book is accessible to everybody, it is well writen and light on technical jargon. Pyne undertook a momentous task by writing this book, nothing like it exisited like it when it was first published in 1984, (sorry to the one review that stated that his older books were better, this is the first one, his other books are great supliments in the cycle of fire.) A GREAT BOOK.

This is an excellent book for those who are looking for a guide for whalewatching. But it is more technical than the average, which is good in some cases. FOr me it was very useful when going to sea, because I wanted detailed information, but other people look only for pictures. Which is the only problem here, because they are all in black and white.

This manual contains the technical information necessary for distinguishing similar species at sea. Numerous black-and-white photos show all important field characteristics. Detailed analysis of the field characteristics separating the various large Balaenopterids is especially useful. Species which have been recorded as accidental are also included. Updating information about the presence of Hyperoodon (or Indopacetus??) in Pacific waters near the equator would be useful, although photos of 'unidentified' Ziphidae are included. This is the only book I take out with me for field cruises.

This book documents the friendship and political careers of two of the Confederacy's most important statesmen. Davis does a nice job of providing historical detail while also weaving a readable story. However, at times, the prose is too informal and almost needlessly dramatic. Moreover, much of the history is quite derivative, as I learned very little new information about the men in question or the political tenets of the Confederacy. His previous book, "A Government of Our Own," is a much better historical treatment.

Toombs and Stephen examplify the problems within the Confederate
government. These incredibly close friends of the strong Georgia delegation were powerful national political figures whose bitterness over personal issues, Toombs, and Stephens' strict constitutional views undermined the Davis administration. Stephens never seriously worked with the dominating Davis and was later opposed to the administration over constitutional issues in the face of bigger war emergencies. Toombs loses the opportunity to become the first President by his bellicose enthusiams for the office coupled with drink which lowers his place in the new government and raises Stephens' star. Excellent description of both men including Toombs rise as Secretary of State, his anti-Davis stance and his mercurial and short military career. The author also covers the end of the era of both men including Stephens' attempts to rewite history in a light more favorable to him then his actions were in reality. These two powerful men and closest of friends could not see the big picture of the war seeking their narrow views in spite of the war effort. Together with Governor Brown of Georgia, they represented a crisis of independence within the Confederacy that no doubt contributed to the fall of the Confederate government.

What a delightful little book! And frankly, I don't often use the term "delightful" in a book review. *The Union That Shaped the Confederacy* is a swiftly-paced, lightly written work that details the friendship of a pair of Georgians - Robert Toombs and "Little Alec," Alexander Stephens.

It is very important to know exactly what you are not getting with this book. You will not get a standard biographical treatment of Stephens and Toombs, and author Davis makes this abundantly clear from the outset. You will not receive great insights into the minds and thinking of these two men, but will come to appreciate the antebellum, war-time, and post-bellum periods of American history as these two men saw it.

William C. Davis does not attempt to make his subjects either heroes or villains on the Confederacy's stage. They were what they were - friends who for the most part held similar political beliefs, worked for the same ends, and became, as the war progressed, more and more bitterly opposed to the administration of Jefferson F. Davis.

Because of the nature of the work, the reader receives a slice of Civil War-era history from a perspective he or she would not likely get. Along the way, one receives insights into the functioning (and dysfunction) of the Confederacy's Executive Branch, as well as the building of the "loyal opposition" to Davis's administration. We see the strengths and weaknesses of these two prominent Georgians, as they struggled to establish a new nation out of the old.

Davis's writing style is loose and fast, and almost reads as if a good friend is telling a story of another pair of friends. To some, this may be distracting, but I found it to be just part of the story. *The Union That Shaped the Confederacy* can be read quickly, with a great sense of satisfaction. This book comes highly recommended.