i'm about halfway through this collection, and it's not so bad. it does have that kinda corny 60s dialogue, but that's the way comics were back then. i am twenty years old, and i just started reading comics. when i was younger, i watched all the cartoons and collected the cards, but i never actually read the comics. now that i have started, i've realized how worth reading all of these comics are! anyway, if you want to start getting into Daredevil, this would be a good collection to read. once you get past it, i would read some of the issues that Frank Miller wrote. those are supposed to be some of the best. as a new comic-reader, i am open to reccomendations of good comics that i should read. if anyone has anything they think i should read, please let me know.

this has been Apollyon

It is so fascinating to compare the art styles of the three giants of comic art represented in this collection. After a so-so start with Bill Everett and Joe Orlando (inked by Vince Colletta), Wally Wood takes over with his eccentric, disciplined, almost scientific approach to illustrating castles, weird inventions and other gee-whiz stuff. Then John Romita brings his muscular, vibrant, dynamic and organic compositions to the title, and it really comes alive (his work looks exactly like the bright, catchy, somewhat "cartoony" classics Romita did for Spiderman as that character's best artist). Next comes Gene Colan, who's facile virtuosity, flowing figures, and unique camera angles became the definitive Daredevil "look" that originally caught my young eyes back in the '60s. Stan Lee's trademaked psuedo-hip wisecracking and underlying decency bring nostalgic warmth and amusement to my heart. Though the art has never been equaled and looks strong in black and white, this series of reprints should be in color! And not the phony computor color they're using nowadays with the little airbrushed-looking highlights, but just plain old ordinary flat comic book color like they had in the ones my mother threw out.

Once upon a time I bought every comic book that Marvel put out each month. Of course, that was back when comic books were about a quarter apiece. Then suddenly there was a giant proliferation of titles, the New Universe line, and everything else they could think of to throw our way. When "Conan the Barbarian" went down for the count I cut back big time and was reading only two Marvel title: Iron Man and Daredevil. I always thought there was some sort of significance to the combination, since there were relatively unique as Marvel superheroes without super-strength. I started reading "Iron Man" around the time Tony Stark starting hitting the bottle big time but "Daredevil" was the second Marvel comic I started reading after "Spider-Man." I liked the fact that Matt Murdock was a lawyer; actually I thought they should have played it up a lot more than they ever did in the comic.

I suspect "The Essential Daredevil, Volume 1" is going to receive a lot of attention once the movie version opens at the end of this week. Unfortunately, readers might be put off by the fact that they are not going to find Electra, Bullseye or the Kingpin of the Frank Miller glory years in these reprints of the first 25 issues of "Daredevil: The Man Without Fear!" They will find good ol' Franklin "Foggy "Nelson, as well as Karen Page, and even Mike Murdock, along with guest appearances by Spider-Man (#16), the Thing (#2), and Namor the Sub-Mariner (#7). Reading these issues again I was struck by how much trouble DD had finding really good villains. I think borrowing Electro from Spider-Man for issue #2 was a mistake, because that works against establishing the character on his own terms (ditto with the Ox in #15). The Owl (#3, #20) seems like a second rate Vulture, the Stilt-Man (#8) seems one of the most impractical villains ever, and it is a toss up as to who is sillier, the Matador (#5) or the Leap Frog (#25). Mr. Fear (#6) is the villain who should be pop up the most as DD's obvious counterpart, but it is the Gladiator (#18, #19, #23) who gets the most storylines. However, the best stories are those where Daredevil goes up against heroes like the Sub-Mariner, Ka-Zar (#12, #13, #24) and Spider-Man. No wonder it took a long time for Daredevil to find his own villains (the Jester was my favorite until the Kingpin became the major player in the series).

The front cover lists Stan Lee, Wallace Wood, John Romita, Gene Colan & Friends, which means a couple of significant artists get dumped in the "Friends" category, namely Bill Everett and Joe Orlando, who drew the first issues, along with Jack Kirby, who did layouts for Romita to ink on a couple of issues. With all due respect to the remarkable transformation Frank Miller in terms of writing and page layouts, Gene Colan was always by favorite Daredevil artist. I always liked the fluidity of his art, not only on DD but also "Dr. Strange" and "Dracula," not to mention the way he drew the ladies in general and the Black Widow in particular. The 25 stories represented in this collection are not the best Daredevil stories, but they are the groundwork for what was to come. Hopefully the fact that the movie has come out will get them to put out the next couple of volumes in this series (although we know they will stop long before they get to Miller's issues, which I believe are already available in full color reprints).

This is a really excellent book! I love it for the first reading, and I love it more at the second! Everyone who wants to think about the mankind, the history, the politics or the arts must read it.

The borders of the past and the present do not count any more. Fiction and reality take place in same time. To read this poetic and beautiful but dark lines, to imagine how Ovids exile at the Black Sea passed by, to get to know the old and strange stories of roman and greek mythologie, ... It is not at all amazing that Ransmayr got the highest european literature price for the Last World in 1992. How actual his story is shows the example of Romania of 1989 where the publication of the Last World was forbidden.

This novel has a very Eastern European flavor, with attitudes about power and empire that recall another Austrian, Robert Musil. Ransmayr's writing is beautiful and he has an excellent voice. I found it to be difficult, but very rewarding in the end.

I thought that this book about tiger woods is a good book because it has alot of information on him from when he was a baby to when he turned into a pro golfer. In the biography tiger starded golfing at three years old ,tiger was even on a tv show to show the would how good he was at four years old. as he was growing up tiger entered into alot of tornaments and because he was so good he became pro after coming out of stanford college. i would recomend this book to people who are wanting to know alot about tiger woods.

I read this book a couple of weeks ago for a book report in my english and i would rate it about a four out of a five. I like most of it but some of it didn't need to be in the book. There is a part about his swing and it was not very nessecry to add. That is one thing they could have kept out. Another thing that inpressed me alot was that they had alot about the first tournment he played in on the Tour. They also had alot of first like his first hole in one, his first best round, and the first time he played in a tournment. The best part of the book from my opionen is the part where they talked about how he was going to go the Stanford to play golf. The coach at Stanford was watching him play when he was 13 years old. Also, he played with Jack Nickulus, a great golfer when he was a child, at a camp in Florida. He was getting into the pros when he was about 20 years old. That is one of the youngest players ever to play on tour up intill today. The coach of Stanford was a very good golfer a long time ago named Mr. Goodwin. He made the program at Stanford very well and and developed. What made him such a good golfer was when he was young he went to the range and hit balls more then he played on the course.

A good biography of Tiger. Goes into details of his growing up period, his life during college and as an amateur. Well written.
Old now and hence some facts have changed. Covers till his professional debut, still very interesting reading

If this tour de force were a short story, part of a collection, I'd have liked it better. It's too light-weight to take seriously as a separate publication. Jonathan Noel, the main character, is a timid and tidy man who has lived in the same 11 x 7 room for thirty years. One morning he opens the door to his room and finds a pigeon sitting there. This leads to total disruption in his predictable life, his personal unraveling, and his decision to live elsewhere for a few days. If you can identify with this, you are a better person than I!

Located in contemporary Paris, "The Pigeon" is the story of an incident. A dull Frenchman discovers one day the unexpected presence of a pigeon in front of the small roomm he inhabits. This minuscule and seemingly irrelevant event adopts terrifying proportions in the mind of the man, becoming a grotesque nightmare.

As a master of allusion and obsession, Suskind reveals once more, in this parable of everyday life, his gift for building a metaphor of the existential background of humans. It shows that our life usually holds to rutines so fragile, that a simple disturbance may force us to rethink everything from the start. It is a short book, but an intriguing and absurd tale. The absurd, seems to say Suskind, is present in the most simple things that happen every day.

Imagine you are an old man so afraid of life that you have spent most of your years alone, living in a small room and working in an insignificant job as a security guard on the front steps of a bank, your only pleasure somehow derived from the monotony of your daily routine. Then one day a living creature, a pigeon, appears unexpectedly on your doorstep, and it shouldn't be there--it is out of place. And this frightens you like nothing has in many years. You flee your apartment (for good, you think). Because of your agitated state you break your own routines; you begin acting strangely, and your perceptions alter. This sets off a chain reaction of encounters in which you, despite your lifelong precautions to the contrary, begin interacting with a world that seems determined to drive you over the edge.

Suskind's "The Pigeon" is subtly meticulous in depicting its protagonist's complex psychological journey. The story is at once free of sentimentality, raw, honest, and yet life-affirming in the most vital sense. While it is reminiscent of Kafka and--most notably--of Knut Hamson's "Hunger," Suskind's novella also manages to glimpse something just around the corner, something almost out of sight, beyond the valley of despair.

The strength of the book is the fine quality of the printing, the good color photographs and the enthousiasm of its makers, who obviously love crafting things of wood. This certainly is an attractive coffee table-book which may well inspire those who browse through it into making better use of wood than before.

As an enyclopedia it certainly does not make the grade. Obviously nobody with a botanical background was involved here. On page 20 is a remark about 'apetalous' trees that if ever I decide to award a price for the most-nonsensical-botanical-statement-ever will be a strong contender. The writers failed to pursue a consistent way of writing botanical names. Glancing through the book I note various errors in the history of the use of wood.

In addition the wood pictures, although of the same general size that is cute in "Identifying_Wood" by Aidan Walker (see there), a book derived from this, are pretty smallish on this big page size. I feel uncomfortable about some of the pictures which appear hardly typical of the woods they supposedly represent, and indeed some were replaced in the little book. As "Identifying_Wood" is not a bad book but unsuited for identifying wood, so is this "Encyclopedia_of_Wood" unsuited as a reference.

I don't want to give the impression that it is riddled with errors (I have seen much worse), but it falls well short of the level of, say, "The_International_Book_of_Wood" (1976) let alone of an encyclopedia.

P.S. I do hate the clumsy square shape. Obviously it was not meant to ever come off that coffee table: it decidedly would sit awkward on a shelf among real reference works.

While the book could have been a little more dense it was a good read overall. I would have liked to have seen more focus on North American hardwoods, but that aside the book was very informative. About 150 different woods are described in detail with acompaning pictures. There is also a nice section on fine furniture. This book is an excellent introduction into the world of wood working and would make a fine gift for anyone with even a passing interest in that direction.

This is a truly comprehensive encyclopedia, liberally illustrated with large photographs--a must for any wood lover. It includes precise descriptions of grain, pattern, figure and color, as well as the relevant harvesting locations, processes and uses. Interesting historical tidbits also add to its richness. Attributes such as stiffness, density, workability, crushing strength, and hardness are specified for each wood. It is a remarkable and beautiful book that I STRONGLY recommend.

I can only say - nice, fine, or "giantest".

"Railroads In the Woods" is a praiseworthy collection of old and historic logging photographs from Oregon and Washington State. John T. Labbe and Vernon Goe did a workmanlike job of selecting the 440 b&w photos. But Labbe and Goe also penned a winning text. They take us from the 1880s, when "early railroads were just a step away from the bull teams," to August 1957, when the Long-Bell division of International Paper Company finished logging the hills overlooking Keasey, Oregon. While some of the pictures are of minor importance (and quality), most are large, sharp, and informative. Especially dynamic are the picture of a powerful Shay (a geared engine built in 1894); an interior shot of a Big Creek mess hall, which is surprisingly roomy and comfortable; and a two-page spread of the spectacular Baird's Creek bridge, near Longview, Washington. This book has a fine index, and the printing and layout are beautifully done.

I am not a thief. I say this because the book: "Railroads In The Woods" was the only book that I have ever intentially checked out from the public library with no intention of giving it back. My plan, which worked, was the pay the library for the book. Now I have found that I can get this book from Amazon.com...This is great. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in railroads, history, or just looking at really cool pictures. If anyone reads this review and wants a more detailed description from me...please feel free to contact me at" Upstanding@aol.com

Just a bit of warning for purchasers of this book! This account almost appears like it was written for a juvenile audience. Indeed, the preface denotes hope that it will serve as an "inspiration to the youth of today". Hence, keep in mind this is not a very scholarly read - although a glossary of artillery terms and diagrams is very helpful. Nice starter text, but this effort by Mr Hassler wasn't quite what I wanted - nor expected.

John pelham is truly a remarkable figure of the American civil War. reading this book allowed me to better understand the sterling character and superb strategical skills of this "Boy major" recommended for anyone who wants to learn more about "The gallant pelham"

The "review" below made me laugh out loud! Obviously the reader has the "french poodle" view of rustic life in France and little familiarity with the real thing. This is a fine book displaying an exquisite level of detail and an authentic view of agricultural life on ancient soil. Very, very nice, indeed, and a solid reference.

It is a sorrow that the reader from McLean, Virginia, was disappointed with this book. I found it to be a valuable connection to the past and a welcome reality check for the future. While we benefit from select technology, this book reinforced to me that not all modern "conveniences" have necessarily enriched our lives. This book is a look back to a time when the world moved more slowly; when the physical demands of country life sculpted muscular bodies, when a stubborn farm animal was more unforgiving than any personal trainer and when we could nestle into our beds at the end of the day to enjoy sound, unmedicated slumber. This book beautifully illustrates that "keeping it simple" is not just a magazine title or a lifestyle choice; that daily life woven in and around the rhythmic renewal of the seasons brings with it the unspoken awareness of one's place and one's purpose in the universe. This is not the urban, armchair tourist's source for "decorating ideas," nor the suburban, weekend farmer's guide to garden planning - you will not find the items celebrated within at Smith and Hawken. You will find an insightful look into the real lives of real people, all of whom I found to be far more dignified than depressing. Further, the respect that these people afford the animals and the land they depend on for their sustenance is a model we would all do well to study - no genetically-engineered or altered food on their tables. "Free-range" food before it was trendy. Making "your own" absolutely everything before Martha Stewart made a billion bucks off of selling the concept just for the bragging rights. I am grateful to the people who agreed to be interviewed for this book. In the society we live in now, experiencing simplicity without an agenda made this book a delight.

Rural France is a perfect complement to "cafés" from the same author. Marie France Boyer is one of the most sensitive authors that I know. Her books are the best documented you might ever search for (see her book about Marie-Antoinette in Versailles asin:0500016909 ). She is a reference in terms of elegance, good taste and french etiquette. Most of all, she really loves people. If you really love people, you'll really love "Really rural". If your roots are rural or if you think your grand-grand mama came from a tiny village in Europe, buy this book. You might cry looking at these old women posing close to their Aga cooker in the center of their kitchen/living-room/bed-room. The most exciting feature of this book lies in the fact that you can still meet thousands of people and interiors like this in France, and spend good time with them. These peasants will allways be happy to meet you. You might be the only person who will have visited them since months. Within ten years, most of these houses and people will have disappeared. Because of new security regulations, all the items that make these interiors warmful will be removed: coal heater, wood chimneys, candle lights, dwells in the garden. Cheese will never be made anymore on the sink of the kitchen. Come and take pictures. Then send them to your new friends from France. They will frame them and fix them on the wall above the fireplace. Near Bois-Briand (Nantes) where we live, you can discover many of these wonderful, inspiring interiors and people. Come and visit us.

againandagainandagain. it gets almost interesting. lovecraft's scientific story ending up with nothing much of a climax, Poe drowning in nautical technical information and fragmentary style. taine's is the most interesting one. first too little happens, then too much. could have been good, but is first too boring then too much in the overwhelming action-genre. glasby has good descriptions, but his story doesn't go anywhere. some of the other stories could have been good too. but always, something destroys. too boring, not going anywhere, lacks suspence. truly sad since many of the stories shows potential.

An excellent collection of short to medium length stories, all dealing with Antarctic expeditions and what the adventurers found (but wish they hadn't).

I only gave this book three stars because of the horrible proof-reading. It appeared as if the original documents had been scanned in and run through OCR software without a human bothering to check the results. Some examples: in one story, Tekeli-li is printed T>k>li-li; in one story all instances of "he" are printed as "be".

Other than that, I would recommend this collection to anyone interested in weird fiction set in Antarctica.

From the ends of the Earth come stories of adventure and really BAD things. Start off with a sonnet by Lovecraft himself, called, 'Antarktos', then on to the first course with 'The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket' by Edgar Allan Poe, with a follw-up of excerpts by Jules Vern's called 'The Sphinx of the Ice Fields'. This is followed by the not-so-well-known 'The Greatest Adventure' by John Taine. 'At The Mountains of Maddness' by H.P. Lovecraft is served next, the main course, followed by 'The Tomb of the Old Ones' by Colin Wilson. Arthur C. Clarke cooks up a fine story in 'At the Mountains of Murkiness' and what meal would be complete without 'The Thing From Another World' by John W. Campbell Jr.? We finish off our fine dining with 'The Brooding City' by John S. Glasby and 'The Dreaming City' by Roger Johnson. Full yet?

I found Probability and Random Processes a difficult subject and it was compounded by the instructor's selection of the stark and woods textbook. While it has some interesting problem sets and the tone of the text is very engaging, Probability and Random Processes, 3rd ed. has several problems. First of all, the book has several typos, including some in derivations which can cause a "what the...?" moment. Second, many sections in the introductory material gloss over derivations, skip steps, or leave proofs of theorems as the classic "exercize for the reader." (!) The biggest problem the text has is that it doesn't adequately explain the intuition for problem solving. For an engineer coming from industry and starting grad school after an extended period away from college, the net result is that the book is not self-contained. I had to buy the Papoulis book and the Schaum's outline to keep my head above water. When the semester was over I ditched the Stark and Woods and kept the Papoulis book.

I am a grad student who has to read this book every week to do the homework :P. Personally I do not reccommend the book for anyone who doesn't have strong random process background. For average student like me, I found myself read it more than 10 times in some of the topics to get the idea of the section (in order to finish end of chapter's questions). Also, I feel like there are some missing link that the author left out (may be because author assume that you know the background quite well) and that sometimes make the flow of the explanation not smooth.(for me)

This textbook is for EE grads who are oriented towards signal processing. One of the reasons I like this book is that the authors carefully selected the end of the chapter problems. This book seems to have struck the right balance between theory and application and this is reflected in the problems at the end of the chapter. Another strong emphasis of this book is applications to signal processing and the last chapter is only written for this area. Relative to the book by Papoulis, this book explains the details better for a beginner and also has more application. Relative to the other book by Leon+Garcia, this book emphasizes more signal processing concepts like PSD, KL transforms, trellises, detection&estimation while that of Leon+Garcia has more details on queing theory and networks.
I would wait for a new printing since the first printing of the 3rd edition has some minor errors. A very nice feature of this book is that it starts from the concept of probability space, Algebras and measure in a non-rigorous way to help the student cope with the minor "contradictions" they might perceive when reading a textbook in probability.