My wife and I went to Belize in April 2002. I reviewed several books of Belize, of which there were few. This one seemed to be the book to buy. I wasn't disappointed. It had very good restuarant recommendations for Ambergris Caye as well as hotel info. Some information was not updated (internet cafe in Cayo had moved, [an inexpensive] great internet connection place was not mentioned also, a series of cabins that were listed as in business in Crooked Tree were *completely* run-down and *nowhere* near being in business) but this didn't hamper our vacation very much. It had good info on stuff to do in and near Cayo. Bottomline: buy this guide if you're going to Belize.

(Planeta.com Journal) - This 300-page book is a superb second edition that details the best of ways of exploring Belize (and nearby Tikal and the Bay Islands). What Belize First calls "a tour de force" is a must-read for travelers heading to this country. Author Eltringham's first visit was during his tour of duty by the UK's Royal Air Force. He's returned numerous times and covers community tourism issues with the same clear-spoken authority of trekking and diving. Independent travelers will relish the detailed information, practical advice and helpful maps.

We had Lonely Planet "Central America" and Fodor's "Guatemala and Belize", but it was Rough Guide we kept coming back too. In our trip to Guatemala and Belize we spent 4 days in Belize, but only out on the Cayes. Most of the time was spent on Caye Caulker (a very laid back and relaxing escape) staying at Mara's Place which was listed in the guide without much fanfare, but hit the spot.

If you need low budget (~25US per room - no tax!) stay with Mara. She is right near the swimming spit and has lovely cabins (no A/C, but ceiling fans) that are simple, but clean. You'll always notice Mara driving around town in her sporty ATV.

For the size of the Caye the restaurants are plentiful with most listed in the guide.

The one short coming was scuba info. Belize barrier reefs are known for their great scuba and snorkeling and the island has plenty of shops - but only 1 is listed. They will refer you elsewhere if they can't accomodate you, but I am surprised that Rough Guide didn't dedicate more space to this popular sport. I assume the writer either a) didn't spend much time on the Cayes or b) didn't care much for water sports. Might have been both, but this is a huge oversight given that the Cayes are one of the most popular destinations in Belize.

Despite this shortcoming - you won't be disappointed.

This book is hard to put down. Scott gives a detailed description of his career, his relationship with Neil as a friend and as a son, Neil's rise to Stardom and plenty of interesting stories. It is a must for anyone wanting to explore Neil Young as a musician and as a person.

Loved the book, bought others for friends. It's been several years, so I might read it again. Just gave one to 19 year female college student, she was very grateful! So Neil lives on!!Thanks Neil for all the hours of great music!!!!!

This book depicts Neil's life as seen from the eyes of his father's. Early childhood stories quickly give way to Neil's first meeting with Stephen Stills in New York, the journey to California from Ontario, formation of Buffalo Springfield etc. Chocked full of trivia, who met who and why various bands were formed. CSN&Y years up through the tour with the Shocking Pinks (and Dad)in the early 80's. I couldn't put this book down. Rather than have a fatherly perspective, Scott Young tells this tale as a biography of his best friend. I highly recommend this book if you're into Neil at all, you won't be sorry.

I couldn't resist picking up _Secrets of the Maya_, with its intriguing title and the mysterious frieze decorating its cover. It turned out to be far from perfect, but well worth reading.

The book is a collection of articles about the Maya published in Archaeology magazine during the past fifteen years. The virtue of this format is that the articles provide a kind of play-by-play review of many of the major advances and changes that have taken place in our understanding of the Mayan world during this time. The major disadvantage is that a collection of articles reporting on a wide range of topics and spanning 15 years makes it very hard to piece together a coherent overview. A brief introduction by T. Patrick Culbert, emeritus professor of archaeology at the University of Arizona, helps a bit, but more was needed. Separate introductions to each of the four sections: Politics, War and Survival, Arts, Religion & Culture, Reading the Maya Past, and An Endangered History would have made a big difference, as would some kind of summation to tie it all together.

Probably the greatest advance described in the book is the breaking of the code of the intricate glyphs that cover columns and facades throughout the Mayan world. It's obvious that the task is far from complete, with scholars still arguing over interpretations. But it's equally clear that Mayan scholars have made a great deal of progress in assembling a meaningful history of the Maya based on their written records. Other major advances include the realization that the Maya were not, as was thought earlier, a peaceful society run by otherworldly theocrats. Instead (not all that surprisingly) they emerge as a dynamic, ever-changing grab-bag of city-states. They forged and broke alliances, warred with each other, exploited, changed and eventually degraded their environment, and, like the Aztecs, had their own set of strange and bloody customs. More recently, we learn, archaeologists and governments have had to try to deal with the ravages of widespread looting, and archaeologists have been attacked by armed bands intent on keeping the ruins to themselves. To their credit, at least a few Mayan scholars have begun to collaborate with Mayans living today, not just to help find or excavate sites, but to help the researchers understand and interpret what they find, as guides into the Mayan worldview, and to tap into their traditional knowledge of the medicinal properties of more than 200 species of plants.

Secrets of the Maya does have one glaring flaw--its almost total lack of illustrations. The book contains some small maps, one or two photos of archaeologists, and just nine other fairly unimpressive plates. When I have toured Maya sites, I've been overwhelmed by the impact of the massive structures, the power of the carvings, and the sheer beauty of the settings. I can't understand why the editors of this book decided not to include more pictures and better pictures. They could have brought what the authors were often laboring to describe to life.

The articles seemed to me to get better with time. I thought the best was near the end, a chapter by Tom Gidwitz featuring joint work by Culbert and two NASA scientists who used a variety of high- and low-tech approaches to surveying the swampy Mayan lowlands. They've been able to demonstrate that the ancient Maya performed enormous engineering feats to turn vast swamps into the productive farmland that was needed to support a huge population. The chapter also presents an intriguing and largely convincing history of over-exploitation of these wetlands by the Maya which may have contributed to the devastating 200-year drought that struck the entire region around 800 AD, and which clearly left the Mayan civilization extremely vulnerable to that drought.

The book has its strengths and weaknesses, but it certainly whetted my appetite for some of the books in its "further reading" list. I'm eager to find out what secrets of the Maya remain to be revealed.

Robert Adler, author of Science Firsts: From the Creation of Science to the Science of Creation (John Wiley & Sons, Sept. 2002).

Compiled by the editorial staff of Archaeology Magazine, Secrets Of The Maya is an enthralling look into all that modern archaeology can tell us about the Mayan civilization, how they lived, who they were, their wars, their cruelties, and their incredible scientific achievements. Collecting twenty-nine informed and informative essays drawn from a variety of learned and scholarly authors, Secrets Of The Maya paints a vivid and amazing picture of a grand Native American civilization of antiquity. Enhanced with a section of color photography, Secrets Of The Maya is a very highly recommended contribution to any personal, professional, academic, or community library Native American Studies or Central American Archaeology reference collection or supplemental reading list.

I'm an armchair archaeologist and this book provided a very good, solid introduction to Mayan culture and history. Some of the information was new to me, particularly the chapter on Mayan medicine. It's a beautiful book and would make a great gift for anyone with an interest in the Mayans.

Sleepy Hollow (the new version) was a very exciting tale. It is quite different from the original version yet contained more thrilling events. The beginning was a little slow but the last couple chapters wizzed by. The original story was short and could have elaborated more on the last scene to make it better. All in all it was a good novel

This book is about a mystery of a killer. There are three bodies that turn up beheaded and no one knows who the killer might be. A frail schoolteacher from the town of Sleepy Hollow named Ichabod Crane goes out on a journey to try and find out who the killer might be. He is surprised to find out that the killer is actually someone that returned from the dead to seek revenge upon the town. Ichabod Crane is sets out to hunt down the headless horseman that has killed many people. The daughter of the host he is staying with that he is determined to marry accompanies him. He thinks he can beat the horseman by using his brain and they set out on a journey full of spook to try and beat the horseman at his own game.
This book is really great for children because it is a mysterious tale that many children can get into. This is a book that can be for adults but it is written in a way that children can read it and love it as well. It keeps kids thinking and wondering what is going to happen next. This is something that a book should do because it keeps kids interested and into the book.

Sleepy Hollow is my favorite movie. At the time I started reading this book, I had seen it 42 times; the movie already having debuted in movie theaters over a year ago. I've read quite a few books on the movie and the original story, and this book including both certainly is worthy of your money. I couldn't put it down and I finished it in a day. It has the same plot, of course, as the movie; but with more insight. You get into the characters' heads and know what they're thinking. There is much detail cut out of the movie that is revealed here; so many things in the book you pick up that would be otherwise impossible to learn through the movie. I strongly reccomend this book to anyone - whether you have seen the movie or not. And the original Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving that is included is an added bonus!

Left for dead the USS. Indianapolis story. The book I read was called ?Left for Dead?. Pete Nelson wrote it with a preface by hunter Scott. This book is a true story about one of the biggest mistakes made in the NAVY. Lets start from the beginning; this story is about the boat the USS. Indianapolis called the indi for short. The indi was a proud flagship for the U.S. pacific fleet it had been through many important battles and won many medals for her crew. The indis next mission was so secret that even the captain of the vessel did not know what it was only what he was supposed to do the captains name was captain Macvay. What the indi was caring was the A-bomb it was to take it to the U.S. airstrip were it would be flown to drop on Japan. On the way pack to pearl harbor the India was hit by an I-58 sub torpedo well the indi sank after that and out of her 800 crew only 350 made it off the ship. The surviving crew survived in the shark-infested waters for 7 days with out food and water. When they were finally rescued there were only 50 people left. The captain was wrongly curt marceled because the NAVY wanted to hide the mistake it made even though the crow tried to clear his name they couldn?t Intel a boy named Hunter Scout did the India story for a history project did he find something to clear the captains name. You will have to read to find out what. I didn?t like the book because it was to slow for me.
NICK LAKE

This book is a very exciting journey. It kept me wanting to read on. I really felt as if I were a part of the adventure of the combat. It was a great thriller and at the same time a great lesson in history. It is a war time classic. Any one who enjoys an action war thriller or a good non-fiction book would absolutely love to read this. I have a hard time reading but found this kept my interest. I do have to say that the book starts out a bit slow, but towards the middle it speeds up into a fast pace adventure of the Japenese sending a torpedo into the front of a ship. Amercian soldiers were stranded in the middle of nowhere. I would say that my favorite part of this book is how they get themselves into more danger as they try to work their way back home. The days they are stranded are full of death, mysteries, murders and cannibalism. ...
This book was just over 200 pages with large font. Easy reading and a great book for adults and teens. I would not recommend this book to a younger child for it's graphic contents. I think that because of the war that is going on in Iraq right now that it made this book more interesting and more real to me. It also made me think about how horrible war is.
I think of how aweful it probably is out there for all those people fighting. So do yourself a favor and order this book online today. You won't be sorry.

I enjoyed this book and intend to recommend for purchase in my local high school library where I work. We need more high interest, lower reading level books to interest our young men. This will do it! Also, here's a true hero; someone who saw a "wrong" and worked to "right" it.

Oh what a treat! Don't be dismayed by the length, this is delightful! Unlike most authors of long fiction, Burney actually manages to stay on task and not wander into thoughts of war and whatever. This book is 941 pages because 941 pages of things happen. This is the story of Cecilia, a young heiress from the country. When her family dies she is left with three guardians: the proud Mr. Delvile, the miserly Mr. Briggs, and the husband of her childhood friend, Mr. Harrel. She moves in with the Harrels and is escorted into the London high life - parties, visiting, the opera, and scores of gentleman anxious to make the acquaintence of a beautiful heiress. Cecilia is not impressed. The commentary on 18th Century London life is scathing - and remarkably apropos to modern life as well.

One night at a masquerade ball she is saved from the devil, or a partier dressed as such, by a charming man in a domino, the first real person Cecilia has met. He knows who she is, where she comes from, and who her guardians are, but Cecilia cannot even discover his name. At the end of the evening he disappears, but the seeds of love are planted - if only Cecilia knew who he was! Thoughts of her new acquaintence are interrupted though, as she realizes that the Harrels are quickly going in to more debt than they will every be able to pay off, and their party train is not slowing down for the emminent crash to come.

The most amazing thing about this book is how modern it is. Though set in the late 18th century, the problems and scenarios transfer easily into our modern conscious. One of the central issues in the novel is that Cecilia will lose her inheritance if whoever she marries does not take her last name. Have we as a society yet gotten over this? Not by a long shot. The descriptions of the different characters are as funny as they are scathing - yet these gossips, fortune-hunters, scatter-brains, and denialists still fill our world today (I'm the scatter-brain). As the book progresses it moves more from satire and into soap opera (hence my final decision to give it 4 not 5 stars). It becomes less intelligent, but no less engaging as a roller coaster of twists and turns are thrown in the path of Cecilia and her desire for her one true love.

Why isn't Fanny Burney famous? That's exactly what I began to wonder after a friend convinced me that I should read Evelina. I thought I hated 18th century literature based on the class I took on it in college--if only we had read Fanny Burney then!
She writes with wit and style--it's easy to see why Jane Austen admired her so much! Even though this book is very lengthy, it is not possible to get bored reading it, and although times have changed a lot since Fanny Burney's time, the book still seems alive and relevant to modern readers as many of the unfortunate realities of society that Cecilia struggles with are still with us today in different forms. The characters in this novel are so real you will feel like you know them by the end of the book. Some of the chapters are so funny you will find yourself laughing out loud! I think Fanny Burney deserves to be much more famous. It would be wonderful if someone would make a film of this novel to help spread the word that Fanny Burney's books are great reading!

This was truely an enjoyable reading experience. Surprisingly for a book of this time period, it got off right away to a super start and just got better as the pages turned. Burney's ability with the English language was well beyond imressive, it was stunning. She quickly developed an inspired set of characters interacting with one another in delightful scenes. The masquerade ball was hilarious. I heartily recommend this outstanding piece of literature.

About the book

Based on research questioning about 500 executives who took IPOs between 1986 and 1996. So, most IPOs came from companies who had been profitable for a few years. After the collapse of the Internet stocks, the context is similar, but I believe such profit records may not be as important as during 1986-96.

Published in 1999. So, it has comments to imply "being first makes the company valuable without profits".

About the authors and their style

Authors are experienced in their job of bringing IPOs.

This book is not at all in the class of books by Al Ries and Jack Trout, but more like a text book, covering every related point (from text book point of view). There is no prioritization or difference in emphasis of the importance of various issues involved.

Their diagram on cover of book is confusing because they have used 2-dimensions to show a linear 1-dimension process, which essentially are their recommended steps.

Book's Message

1. Define goal/success. IPO may not be the best way to achieve that.

2. Plan and start working on IPO at least one year ahead of the need.

3. Many specific to-do items: ·Revise salaries as variable salaries that include stocks rather than just cash. ·Plan personal estates. Give gifts before IPOs to family members to minimize future tax liability. Hire CPA for this planning. ·Hire Earnst & Young early. ·Clean books of accounts-use GAAP. ·Build strong executive team. ·Start working like a public company at least one year before-that is-create quarter-to-quarter profitability guidance and exceed them. Create reports such as needed by SEC. ·Build external Board. Create committees of Board members.

If you want to read just 7 pages, read these: 25, 37, 56, 65, 74, 108, 170

Aimed at executives considering an IPO, the 'IPO Value Journey' is also of use to staff in pre/post-IPO companies to understand about market perceptions of companies & ideal "success factors".

The lightly referenced, well structured chapters span: the CEO's journey; the journey's early vital steps; chart your transaction strategy; chart your personal strategy; create the winning team; complete your IPO platform; be the public company; the IPO event; and deliver the value. Useful appendices span: outline for a business plan; selecting the stock market; registration exemptions and resale restrictions; overview of the SEC and SEC rules and regulations; simplified registration under the small business disclosure system; and glossary.

Strengths include: the concise factual (dry) writing style; good use of exhibits and checklists; and useful easily-accessible content addressing legal, accounting, reporting, board issues (amongst others).

Weaknesses include: need for more sidebar success story anecdotes (which integrate the steps); mostly US focus; and relatively superficial analysis evidence supporting the success factors and 'journey' metaphor.

Overall, a very useful working book, to be read with something like 'Confessions of a Venture Capitalist' (ISBN 0446526800) or 'E-boys' (ISBN 0812930959), for a fuller life-cycle, energetic view of the IPO journey.

This was a highly readable discussion of the issues most companies will encounter during the 'going public' process. It conveys a lot of the experiences of preparing to go public that are not normally available in one book. Excellent coverage of strategy, accounting and reporting issues, SEC disclosure requirements, and the IPO event. Although the writing is accessible to a non technical reader, highly technical topics are well covered.

The story of Peter Marshall, his life and work, this record of unequaled love and faith has brought inspiration to thousands, "A glowingly Christian book."

. . .of the 20th century!

In this volume, lovingly penned by his wife, the late Catherine Marshall, the greater Christian world is introduced to one of the foremost Protestant ministers of the 20th century.

Peter Marshall was an immigrant from Scotland who, at a young age, felt the call of God on his life. From this call, he never wavered. This biography details his life, his struggles as a young pastor, and his eventual triumphs as the pastor of New York Avenune Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and his appointment as Chaplain to the United States Senate.

Throughout we're given glimpses of Dr. Marshall's wit, his humor, his zest for life -- and his devotion to his God. His untimely death at 46 was a great loss to the Christian community.

As an additional bonus, several of Dr. Marshall's prayers and sermons can be found in this book as well.

A wonderful, inspirational read.

Five stars.

This book is wonderful! I'm in my teens and love to read everything from biographies to fiction books. A Man Called Peter is one of my favorites. Catherine Marshall's writing is so down to earth and personal you begin to feel as if you know this Man Called Peter as a friend. My little brother was read this book when he was six years old and a year later he still talks about "Enormous" Peter and Wee Peter, the father and son in the book. This book is one of his favorites, too.

I first encountered a copy of this little-known treasure over 20 years ago. Although in the intervening years I have had the opportunity to play many miniatures games with a number of rule sets, I have found that Young and Lawford's text is not only a very playable "beer and pretzels" Seven Year's War/Napoleonic rule set, but the book itself is a very enjoyable read. Young, a well-known WWII veteran (his British paratroop unit jumped in behind the Normandy beachhead) and prolific author on military historical topics, injects a typically English brand of wry humor in his illustrations of different rules, using vignettes between the crafty "Smith" and the ever-hounded but resilient protagonist "Jones" (thinly disguised pseudonyms for Young and Lawford). The exchanges between the two as they dispute troop maneuvers, melees, musketry duels and all-out battles is entertaining in and of itself, as well as illustrative of the kind of banter encountered between close friends playing a sometimes intense, but always amicable game. The rule set lends itself to new gamers in it's initial simplicity, as well as to veterans in the advanced rules set. The unit scale and other details are similar and/or compatible with Charles Grant's "The War Game" rules. Overall the book is an excellent reference for the serious gamer, a decent set of uncomplicated, fun rules, and a plain old good book to read.

Having started wargaming nearly 4 decades ago this book was associated with one of those growing up experiences which one never forgets. Beautifully written by Peter Young (late Commanding Officer of No.3 Commando, 1st Special Service Brigade which landed on the Normandy beaches on the morning of 6 June 1944 and later Brigadier Young DSO, MC, Commander 3 Commando Brigade - I know because I'm currently a company commander in 3 Cdo Bde !) and wondefully illustrated throughout. The rules are simple and surprisingly realistic. It's all there, musketry, movement, morale, artillery even engineering is considered. For the beginner in the horse and musket period there are few books which could convey the sheer enjoyment and despair which can result from an evenings wargaming and for the experienced gamer, well, I still use it to this day. Despite its age this book is as relevant today as it was when written 30 years ago. Highly recommended.

Although this book contains very little in the way of photographs, it still provides an excellent day by chronology of the entire war. For a small single volume work of just over 600 pages, it contains a wealth of information that will not be found in other works. The back section is devoted to reviews of the major land, sea, and air assets and tactics used by the axis and allied powers. I particularly like the review of the British Gloster Gladiator where the book states: "The pity is that it had to be used at all."

I'm very sorry that this book is unavailable now. It is an excellent day-by-day chronology of World War II for both European and Pacific theaters, giving the reader a good feel for the flow of events. My only criticism is something common to many books on World War II: inadequate coverage of the Holocaust. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone wanting an introduction to the War

I'm very sorry that this book is no longer in print. As a graduate student of history, I refer to it constantly, and I have found it to be the best all around reference book on the Second World War. It combines a day-to-day chronology of the war, biographies of major figures, and lengthy essays on the weapons of war. It is remarkably balanced in its views, and its only significant shortcoming is that the Holocaust is not given adequate treatment.