An excellent read- which together with the authors first book, got me hooked on sea paddling. Not just a descriptive dairy of a journey around the coast of Ireland- but a great story of the people he met and the adventures he got into. In my view, the only sea kayaking book which is better is Blazing Paddles also by Brian Wilson

An enjoyable account of Wilson's epic journey around the Emerald Isle. Fascinating background info on his compulsion to tour and his quest for sponsorship, followed by a vividly written account of the trip itself, including abduction by "pirates", the theft and return of his kayak and an unforgettable encounter with Fungie the dolphin. The author's genuine affection for Ireland and its fascinating culture permeates the book, and he includes snippets of history and myth that make the towns and islands he passes come to life. There are many laugh-out-loud anecdotes and encounters that you will feel compelled to read out loud to your spouse/roommate/dog. Wilson is an accomplished adventurer and a talented writer as well.

This is a wonderfully athmospheric book of solo kayak travel around the wild and windswept coast of Ireland. Brian experiences whirlwinds, friendly dolphins (photos included), pirates and meets many unusual and friendly people on his 1200 mile trip. Experience the Irish weather and coastal communities as they really are. A really enjoyable read.

The brilliant, fun poetry is equalled only by the totally engaging illustrations. I re-read it regularly, getting more out of it each time.

This beautiful book illustrates one mans realization of personal evil and his victory over it. The line-drawing illustrations and beatiful prose combine to make this picture book unforgetable and moving.

This book contains a story that you simply cannot forget. A story perhaps about the downfall of an incredible society or perhaps the rise of an even more advanced but archaic group. Beautifully illustrated...unforgetable pictures

In many ways, "Working with Words" differs little from other grammar books. It accomplishes its task very well, though. A highlight of this book has to be its organization. The book is divided into 11 chapters and 4 appendixes. All the basics are covered: sentences, phrases and clauses; the parts of speech; punctuation, etc. Other sections cover tight writing, muddled language and "sexism, racism and other '-isms.'"

But the absolute best parts of this book are the lists and appendixes. "What to Tighten A-Z" offers a quick guide to getting rid of phrases that are wordy, redundant or cliche. "Confused words" helps you decide whether to use continual or continuous, fortuitous or fortunate among many others. Sections on common mistakes and frequently misspelled words also help you avoid errors. But my favorite section has to be the one called "One word, two words or hyphenated?" It is a fabulously quick and easy reference.

I first bought Working With Words in 1991 as a journalism student at University of Missouri, where the authors are profs. This book is as responsible for preparing me for my current job as section editor at a major metropolitan newspaper as was any class I ever took.

Executives, assistants, sales reps -- anyone who needs to write and speak like an intelligent human being -- should own this book.

The first thing I do when get a new copy editor is buy them a copy of Working with Words. Buy one yourself and you'll be amazed at how much you don't know.

BTN, Chicago Tribune, MU BJ '92

Brian Aldiss has been turning heads since the sixties with his novels, science fiction, and criticism. His work in NEW WORLDS magazine helped jump-start the New Wave of SF, and not the least of that work was his poetry. Here's a collection much richer and stranger than the usual chapbook, and as surely as a musk ox falls in love with a refrigerator or a book falls in love with its reader, you will at least feel a strange attraction to this audacious volume. Included are gems like "The Cat Improvement Company," unwinding the helix of Felix's genes for his own good, and the title piece, which ponders the eternal question 'If music be the food of love, should we order in?' Aldiss' agile mind leaps across dark light-years to flirt with an incompatible "Femalien," soars across time to visit Mary Shelley, and rearranges headlines into poetry, leaving plenty of room for small gems and larger pieces. Brian W. Aldiss is the critic responsible for pointing out that FRANKENSTEIN was the first science fiction novel, and also the author of FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND; no surprise that he pays several visits to Mary Shelley, rearranging her own words to make a poem and giving both Victor Frankenstein and his creation narrative voices. Aldiss ends with his "Alphabet Ameliorating Hope," a futuristic tale in verse. Once you've got this book open, it could rain cucumbers for all you'd care.

Yesterday is a dream; today and tomorrow have been shattered like mirrors reflecting endless distorted visions. Anything might be possible. This is because the world has been well-drenched with psychedelic nerve gas, and it never wears off. Civilization has almost crumbled, and mankind stumbles through its daily grind by force of habit. Out of the wreckage of Europe comes Colin Charteris, self-named and losing his grip on reality by inches, driven by a sense of destiny to drive his red Banshee across the deteriorating roads of Europe, searching for meaning in England. But in England he is hailed as a messiah for the message he brings, of uncertainty celebrated, of open-endedness and freedom, and his idea of the new humanity as Man the Driver, choosing his destiny or doom at high speed. A wild motorcade across Europe ensues, and something worse than mere anarchy is loosed upon the dazed world. Aldiss endows his work with a feel of gritty realism, despite the fact that it reads like a Stephen King novel transcribed by James Joyce. Will mankind survive? Will Charteris walk on water and hang on a cross? Was that dog really wearing a tie? Maybe the answer is yes, or no, or maybe; or perhaps all of those at once. There's an incredible feeling of impending doom in this book; all the characters inhabit their own private worlds, unsure if they see the same thing the others see. I finished it, scratched my head, and began to re-read it; and found it almost a different book. Multi-faceted, multi-valued, and filled with poetry and blazing worldplay; BAREFOOT IN THE HEAD is a difficult but rewarding read from a grandmaster of reality.

Everything about this book is disturbing. The cover, all the fantastic artwork inside, and of course, the story. Two brothers, siamese twins, (plus a third unconcious head) are thrown out of their environment, and into the public eye in the form of rock stars. The book follows them from their island home, and then on their world tour. When suddenly the third head awakens.

This is the one and only text book I have ever read from cover-to-cover because it was interesting enough to hold my attention, and because it was written in such a way that the sections which discussed areas of bacteriology already known to me became useful exercises in revision. As a bacteriologist entering the complex world of eukaryotic cell signalling for the first time, this has been an invaluable text for me. The authors are to be congratulated on writing a text book on a subject which at times can be highly complex - since they have made the subject matter accessible to all, from grad students to research professors. The diagrams are without exception clear and concise, and the chosen literature for further reading is well-sourced. My only criticism is that some of the diagrams may have been easier to decipher if presented in colour - but I suspect the publishers were trying to keep printing costs to a minimum.

I do hope the authors consider producing updated revisions of this text as this field of microbiology progresses.

Well written and understanable. This is a must read for all parents who allow their children to access the Internet. Amazing detail of what to expect on the Internet with answers that will give parents the confidence to teach children how to safely use cyberspace. Not only a must read but includes the software tools on CDROM. Finally a book on this very important subject that goes the extra mile. Well done!

I truly believe that it's a sin to get a dog and not give it any obedience training. Dogs are of a pack nature and someone must always be the leader of the pack. If you aren't designated, they will designate themselves.Dogs need to know who's in charge. They're happier that way when they know their boundaries and what they can and cannot do. They become true friends, yet with you being the friend in charge. This book is very informative. Brian Kilcommons was taught by Barbara Woodhouse. One of the greatest dog trainers of all times. He shows you how to teach you dog obediance in a very firm, yet sensible, humane,(no hitting)way, yet not a"namby's pansy" and ineffective way, that I've seen with some other dog training programs. We brought home a big untrained dog from the SPCA who, while we were away for the day, literally ripped our home to pieces. He wouldn't do one thing we told him and I thought we had made a big mistake with this HUGE dog and would never be able to control him.I wanted to bring him back. My daughter suggested this book. Within ONE WEEK this dog was doing almost everything we told him to and he was happy doing it! He never touches ANYTHING of ours now. He waits politely at the door when he wants to go out. He used to knock me over trying to be the first one to reach the door. He won't cross the threshold of the open door unless you say it's okay. (Comes in handy if the police ever show up at your door), because they will shoot any dog that runs at them. In play or in aggressiveness. He used to run all over the house to avoid a bath, tearing it up in the process. Now, when I say 'It's bathtime he walks down the hall, into the bathroom and climbs into the tub, all by himself! He used to snatch his dog toys out of our hand biting us accidently in the process. Now, he waits nicely and sits and when you do hand him the ball, he takes it ever so carefully by the side of his teeth so he won't accidently bite us. The list goes on and on. Some people teach their dogs the nasty habits and aggressivenenss and maybe don't realize that THEY are the ones responsible for the dog bad behavior. Brian Kilcommons explans this and shows you how to correct it. Even older dogs have broken bad habits with his program. You can see he truly loves dogs. They are his life and his book and video is a joy to have. My niece has a great Dane who is a horror. She's even been to obediance school. but, they don't enforce any of the training at home. The dog is the boss of the house and knows it. She does what she wants and she's NOT a joy for their family to be around and they admit it. We wouldn't trade our dog now for a million bucks. I have recommended this book to them. I also have the video with the same title. With both book and video them in hand and the firm resolve to stick with it, there is no reason why anyone should have a dog that is a "holy terror". Windyrr2@aol.com

I purchased this book after attending a seminar held by Brian Kilcommons in November of 1997. I have two shepherd crosses and our female was our "special needs" dog in that she displayed some very anti social behaviour, due to fear. Brian's book confirmed my view on dog training in that he does not use physical punishment in training your dog. I wouldn't raise my hand to another adult, child or animal for any reason. He provided excellent suggestions, insight into behaviour, along with interesting and helpful "case studies". I have read numerous books on dog training and the minute I see any mention of training a dog using physical punishment, aggressive behaviour on the owner's part, confinement in an area as punishment for any length of time, etc. I have no use for the book. Brian's book, in addition to being a must for all dog owners, I recommend it to anyone who has a dog, is also an interesting book just to read. Thanks very much Brian. We have too beautiful dogs and they are very well behaved and our "special needs" little darling has replaced her special needs with needs such as all the love, care and attention we can give them.

This book is an awesome training book for owners of puppies and adult dogs alike. Brian writes in a conversational style, he provides plenty of examples and personal narratives, and his many black and white photographs are excellent for driving his verbal point across (after all, isn't it much easier if you see how you are supposed to put a dog into a down or sit position than reading about it in a lengthy paragraph only?) The book covers how to train dogs to sit, stay, down, heel and have door manners, what games to play with your dog (and which to avoid), how to use positive and negative reinforcement, how to make it safe for you to approach the food bowl, how to use a training collar correctly, and many other useful daily commands/activities. We like this book also, because it does not only address training, but also basic dog care (from puppy to adulthood to old age), dog development, and he addresses common problems that each dog owner faces when teaching each command or facing daily life with a dog. We read THE ART OF RAISING A PUPPY, HOW TO RAISE A PUPPY YOU CAN LIVE WITH, and PUPPIES FOR DUMMIES, but NONE of the books live up to GOOD OWNERS, GREAT DOGS. Brian knows what he is talking about and he opens your eyes to things that you do that give your dog the wrong message (dog barks, you look - Bam! YOu just taught your dog how to get your attention; dog stops and peeps down the street during a walk, you stop, BAM! You just taught your dog how to get you to stop and give up your leadership). Simple, when you think about it, but many times you don't, and so Brian really gets you thinking about all these little things your dog does and how to interpret them. We got an 8 week old Mini Schnauzer, never had a dog before. By 9 weeks, he knew how to sit, by 12 weeks he knew how to down, stay, place, and wait properly at the door, by 14 weeks he knew how to stand still on a groom table to be examined and combed/clipped. Granted, Mini Schnauzers are smart dogs, but we truly believe that our dog is so great in part because of Brian's wonderful expertise. We wouldn't want to be without this book and still use it on a regular basis for refreshers and quick advice. If you want to get your money's worth, buy this book. It will make your life and your dog's life a lot easier, and it will facilitate the communication that you both will be having with each other. Brian is like a translater, all you have to do is to learn the translation so you can be a good owner with a great dog.

Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, of course! OK, well, they didn't invent the idea of dogs living happily in urban areas, but they can show you how to raise your pup into a confident, social, well-exercised and happy pet in a teeming Metropolis. They do it by drawing on a combined thirty years of experience training dogs and their people. Much like their previous all-around dog-training book "Good Owners, Great Dogs," "Metrodog" offers tons of how-to know-how from dog trainers who (surprise!) can actually write! The book is a helpful compendium of training tips, photographs and anecdotal information. From solid content on how to select a dog for the city to things to teach it and simple instructions for doing them, this book is unlike most any you will have probably read about dog training. The authors focus on city life for dogs, and their positive, fun approach to training make it a must for city-dwelling canine-lovers. How on earth do you housetrain a dog when you live on the 35th floor? How hard is it to exercise a dog on busy sidewalks? What if I need to hail a cab (or take the subway) and I have a dog with me? These questions and more are concretely answered with several dashes of Sarah and Brian's trademark humor thrown in. They also cover selecting a trainer, destructive behaviors, the older dog, dealing with dog parks, dealing with different dog temperaments, and proofing your city canine to all manner of things you and he will encounter on the street. Even folks who live in suburbia will find much of interest here, for the behaviors covered are good for ALL dogs to know, even if you never plan on living on the 35th floor of anywhere. Just like on their website called GreatPets, Brian and Sarah share the best of their knowledge with us because they love dogs and what dogs bring to our lives. I highly recommend "Metrodog."

Few people writing about dogs today have as much hands-on experience as this team. This is the book that I recommend to those who adopt dogs from me. I know that the advice that new dog owners will glean from this book will be level-headed, responsible, practical and kind.

Metrodog covers issues that real dog owners face. How can I get my dog to behave well enough to take him on my day to day errands? How should I handle encounters with those who are mentally ill? How should I exercise my dog? The skills listed herein are practical and easy to teach.

I adopt my rescue dogs to families who will really love and care for them, and I recommend books that will help them to integrate their new dogs easily and painlessly. I recommend Metrodog wholeheartedly.

...this book is an excellent source for any dog owner. With their usual entertaining writing style, Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson guide one through choosing a dog, housebreaking and training it. Their experience in dog training is extensive and it shows throughout the advice and tips in the book. We live in the suburbs, but have found this book tremendously helpful as we work our German Shepherd puppy towards being a therapy dog! ...