very nice item for a books collectioner, violin makers and restorers

Though some of them are dated (inevitably), this is a solid collection of essays from Arthur C. Clarke. The book is divided into three sections: the first is concerned with general astronomy and physics texts; the second deals with communications satellites; the third is a somewhat miscellanous collection of essays. Those of the first type are always interesting, and every book of Clarke essays contains at least a handful of them. In addition to his encyclopedic knowledge of science, Clarke possesses that rare gift: the truly open mind. They often deal with extremely "far out" topics, many of which a lot of people would consider too fantastic to be dealing with (especially at the time the book was published!) But Clarke elicits that childlike sense of wonder in all his readers, as he is a master at explaining difficult concepts by analogy, and sheer force of writing. Much the same applies to the second group of essays, and, naturally, Clarke has a lot to say on the subject of communications satellites, as he, for all practical purposes, came up with the idea. This book, indeed, contains his famous original essay on the subject, Extraterrestrial Relays, for the first time in book form (this concept, and his subsequent work and extensive promotion of it, was the main reason Clarke was nominated for a Nobel Prize.) The third sections contains a somewhat random collection of pieces from the period, including his acceptance speech for winning the Kalinga Prize (for the popularization of science through writing, an award Clarke truly deserved), and a highly amusing piece called "Dear, Sir..." in which Clarke addresses the subject of fanmail, in a truly hilarous manner that shows his often overlooked sense of humor, and the level of his wit. Arthur C. Clarke published many, many books of essays during his remarkable career, and almost every single one of them is out of print. (Greetings, Carbon-Based Bipeds!, a mammoth collection of some of his best writings, was recently put out, and thankfully preserves many of them.) It is worth seeking these books out, as they are some of the best in the field.

The factual account of one of Canada's real outlaws....Wallace certainly must be one of the most informed on the subject. Featured in the BBC Hstorical documentary on the subject. Interesting and easy reading...if you like Canadian History

This book has excellent pictures expressing the use of water features for small spaces. Gives good examples of "how to's" and diagrams of putting your water feature together. One of the best I have found on this subject so far.

This book represents truth in advertising, it is exactly what the title and the book jacket claim it to be. The Vanguard Group, the world's second largest mutual fund company, conducted a detailed survey of six hundred of it's clients who had been successful enough investors to amass substantial wealth. From this survey it filtered and organized the information and insights which these investors provided into a comprehensive overview of how investors can maximize the probability of achieving their goals. While some readers may view this book as overly simple, it is in no way simplistic and in effect reinforces the importance of attributes of investment success that are often overlooked because of their apparent obviousness. It is an evcellent complement to the previous books published by Vanguard which were written by the current Chairman John Brennan and the previous chairman and often quoted champion of indexing, Jack Bogle.

In the interest of full disclosure and for the perspective of the readers of this review, I am an investment consultant and retired co-managing partner of an investment firm concentrating on the equity markets. Investing was my hobby early in life and I was fortunate enough after I changed careers to be successful doing something which I loved. I am also a long time Vanguard client utilizing their expertise in areas where my knowledge is limited, their low cost structure allows me to obtain excellent asset diversification in such areas as municipal bonds and Ginnie Mae securities. Finally, I am preparing to author a book on investments which I hope will appeal to I was interested in whether the lessons which the Vanguard respondents emphasized coincided with my beliefs.

This book is organized thematically, beginning with the importance of saving and developing investment goals and a plan to meet those goals. It then proceeds to a discussion of the importance of diversifcation, how to select your investments and how (and how often) to measure your progress and when it may be necessary to alter your course. It also discusses at length in a fair and balanced way the importance of low costs (a Vanguard advantage) and how to think about taxes. It briefly presents some thoughts on estate planning, not just for your heirs but as a broader legacy for future generations. And it concludes by summarizing "The Eight Commandments" for investment success and providing a useful glossary of the investment terms referenced in the book.

The structure and logical progression of the book make it exceedingly easy to read. Each chapter contains a discussion of the subject matter, often with explanatory charts or tables. There are usually quite extensive and interesting quotes from the participants in the survey, and then a concise summary provided by one of Vanguard's investment professionals. As a self taught individual investor, I was not surprised that I agreed with a lot of the advice (which in some cases goes against sophisticated Wall Street wisdom) and had shared a lot of the experiences included in the book. It emphasizes the basics heavily, especially the need to be patient and let the long term trend of the market and the power of compounding be your friend. And while such elements of investing as the necessity for diversifcation and the need to balance risk and reward seem obvious, they were lessons that even such successful investors as these often had to relearn after the extended bull market of the 1990's.

There are three aspects of this book about which I want to caution readers. First, as I have already mentioned, don't mistake it's simplicity for lack of acumen. However, it may be too elementary for those individuals with a lot of investment experience. E.g., it contains no specifics about choosing individual investments. Second, it attempts to help new investors learn from the mistakes of others, but does recognize that some of our most meaningful lessons inevitably come from our own mistakes. Thus, given the advanced average age of these investors, the lessons of this book may be difficult for young readers to internalize. Third and by far most important, while this is very useful advice, it doesn't reflect the full spectrum of methods and alternatives available to in order to become a successful individual investor. (As I and many others have done.) It stresses the factors which are important to Vanguard clients: low costs, index funds, broad asset class diversification and the usage of mutual funds as a core investment vehicle. These are all very valuable messages, but as the book specifically acknowledges they are just part of a broad range of alternatives that allow an individual investment success. Thus, the most important lesson of this book is clearly the importance of an investor's self evaluation: one's abilities, temperament, time priorities, risk tolerance, self confidence and ability and interest in continual self education. For me, investing is about continual learning, there is always some new and potentially profitable product, service or retailing technique; in addition, everything in the political economy impacts the markets. For others, such topics may be a collossal waste of time best left to the professionals. Reading this book should help you decide where you fit into that spectrum.

My interest in the Civil War is a bit unusual - the impact of the war on the non-combatants in the western border states, specifically Arkansas and Missouri and to a lesser extent, Kansas and the Indian Territory that would eventually become Oklahoma. This book will definitely be a valued part of my research library.

"William Quantrill - His Life and Times" is a balanced look at a young man, unsatisfied with what he had accomplished in life and caught up in the complexities of the pre-war strife in Kansas and Missouri. A gifted teacher originally from Ohio "raised as an abolitionist," Quantrill becomes a thief and scoundrel, Border Ruffian (pro-slavery) and jayhawker (anti-slavery), exploiting the conflict on the border to benefit himself. After the war begins, he goes on to fame..., and his destiny, a heroic legend to many and a barbaric devil to others.

Those who know and love the Chesapeake and its tributaries can never get enough reading about it, its people, and its vanishing ways. They will get all that and more in this one, because it is viewed through the loving eyes of a fine, articulate writer. Along the way, even old Bay hands will pick up lots of new information about people and places they thought they knew. And it's done up in short, article-length segments so that you can put it on your night-stand, read one, fall asleep, and look forward to the next night As for the writing, start out with the story about "Walter Coles", then start at the beginning of the book, and read that one again. 'Nuff said.

Wrestlin' Jacob: A Portrait of Religion in Antebellum Georgia and the Carolina Low Country. By Clarke, Erskine.

First published in 1979, Wrestlin' Jacob offers important insights into the intersection of black and white religious history in the South. Erskine Clarke provides two arenas -- one urban and one rural -- that show what happened when white ministers tried to bring black slaves into the fold of Christianity. Clarke illustrates how the good intentions -- and vain illusions -- of the white preachers, coupled with the degradation and cultural strength of the slaves, played a significant role in the development of black churches in the South. From 1833 to 1847, Reverend Charles Colcock Jones served as an itinerant minister to slaves on the rice and cotton plantations in Liberty County, Georgia. The aim of Jones, and of the largely Puritan-descended slave owners, was to harvest not only good Christians but also obedient and hard-working slaves. At the same time, similar efforts were under way in cosmopolitan Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston permitted blacks to worship only under the supervision of whites, and partially as a result, whites and blacks worshiped together in ways that would be unheard of later in the segregated South. Clarke examines not only the white ministers' motivations in their missionary work but also the slaves' reasons for becoming a part of the church. He addresses the important issue of the continuity of African traditions with the religious life of slaves and provide a significant introduction to the larger issues of slavery and religion in the South.

I read the Alchemist and I really liked it, so I figured this book would be another moving experience. I was disappointed a third of the way in, and remained that way for the rest of the book. I never once felt attached to either of the characters. The love that unfolds in the story seems a bit empty. These people are apparently connected through a lovely childhood, but *why* is their bond so special? The book says little more than "they had a lovely childhood together" and we're expected to just take the author's word for it. It's the same with her transformation in the days she spends with him. Her life is changed by his influence, but why? Did it really only take a change of scenery? Has she really never thought of some of the things he's discovered? Could she have just fallen in love with anyone who brought her out of her banal existence? I felt like as these events were happening, I wasn't being brought along for the ride. I was merely taking the author's word for it and reading a summarization. Their love meant nothing to me because I couldn't see why she wanted him over anyone else, and vice versa. Without real purpose and depth, love stories like this become fluff. I think with twice the content and detail, I would have felt much more of a connection to the material. I like a lot of the things Coelho has to say (it's still a better story than I could write) and I'm definitely going to read the rest of his books -- this one just wasn't for me.

I've noticed very extreme ratings from 1 star to 5 stars given to this book.

This book forces the reader to think about some pertinent issues in life: do we quietly accept or burdens? Or do we fight to change our dull boring lives? Should we let ourselves be mired in habit or should be seek a wonder-filled life?

It does seem a touch too chauvinistic - Pilar's friend is too much the perfect guy, the romantic spiritual teacher who teaches her about the meaning of life - but right at the end of the book, the author has redeemed Pilar by letting show her friend some very important things about love.

People will rate this book according to whethere or not they agree with the author on these issues, but I rate this work 4 stars anyway for its unusual romantic storyline, and the writing, which is laudable.

Read the book. Even if you don't like the author's ideas, you should still ponder the themes relating to life, acceptance and love of the novel. Without this book to open our eyes, many people might just pass through life without ever noticing these issues.

I found this book at the information counter of a book store while purchasing Einstein's Dreams. I picked it up and read the back cover and decided to purchase it. That afternoon I was riding the metro in Washington, D.C. and was captured so securely by the opening pages that I began to read it out loud! I am still captivated by the story through the relationahip between the lead characters and the metaphysical/religious sense to living. Often times we, humans, fail to see the cooling nature of spirituality; the feminine face of God as Coelho puts it. There are aspects of spiritually that span all the world's religions and Coelho is successful to point out the commonalities of all. The love story is beautiful and Coelho is successful in describing the essential struggle of Love and Life through the protagonist, Pilar. Love and Life are two of the three quests that humans try to find the answers for. (Death being the third) I feel that Paulo Coehlo has both entertained me and helped me to look deep into my soul for the answers to my life. A wonderful Love story that should be read out loud.

I've read many books by Arthur C. Clarke, all of them were very good, clear, and right to the point. The Rama series (only the ones written with Gentry Lee. Rendezvous With Rama is an exception), on the other hand, are not written by our beloved scifi master. RamaII, Garden of Rama, and Rama Revealed are all written by Gentry Lee, LITERALLY. I have read their online interview, and Gentry Lee said that ALL THE TEXT IS WRITTEN BY HIM, and that ACC only reads it and points out the corrections. I believe we all see what's going on here. The idea presented in Rendezvous With Rama is no longer of any significance in the book. Your eyes must endure the burden of reading BORING descriptions of main character's lives , feelings, memories, mystic visions of Nicole, and all that nonsense. The writing style is absolutely not consistent with Sir Clarke. Everything is so slow, so indirect, so allusive. The whole book seems like an unbelievable fantasy story. I am purposefully not commenting on what it is about, because you wouldn't want to read it. Many vocabulary words in the book are repeated much too often, it even seems that he(who wrote this) was sitting there in his study browsing in the dictionary, looking for words to put in. The plot at the core is very simple, it would interest many people, teens, and young adults. However, although there is nothing unknown for them in here, this book is not appropriate for younger readers, and even some of the more traditional adults. There are too many unnecessary scenes of sex, which you will never find in any of the other REAL books of ACC. Dillemmas about reproduction and human line preservation which the heroine has to face, are also too inapropriate for a book with Arthur C. Clarke's name on it. Nonetheless, this is a very interesting book to read, it's a real page turner at SOME parts. I sometimes got very involved in the story and was reading it late at night. In the end I was not happy, ending was disappointing. I even wish I didn't read this book at all, so that I'd still be guessing Rama's purpose. Please don't forget to rate my review.

Will people please stop comparing this book to "Rendezvous with Rama"? Of COURSE the 3 sequels in this series aren't the original. Let's move past that.

When I read Rama II, I was disappointed in many ways, but pleased in others. ACC is fantastic at what he does, but character development isn't it. So I was happy to have characters with some sort of depth to them. Sadly, these characters seem to lose depth with time. (Aside: Why is it that middle-aged scifi authors always write about exotic women with French accents who just happen to be amazing in bed?)

As another reviewer noted, the "revelation" of Rama was a bit of a cop-out. That's okay, because I'd known for years that ACC and Gentry Lee had painted themselves into a corner with the Ramans. Nobody could have pulled off a genuine revelation of the Ramans. Really, disappointing though it was, a cop-out was the best way they could have handled the revelation.

So, if the characters were terrible and the plot disappointing, why 3 stars? Simply because it was a valiant attempt, as was the entire series. ACC never intended to write a sequel to "Rendezvous," and the book on its own did not deserve one. He presented us with a mystery of stupendous magnitude, but nothing else. The sequels are worth reading simply because they attempt to put the mystery into HUMAN terms. We might not like or believe the characters, but it's good to see that they at least have names.

First, I read all four RAMA books back to back to back to back in 3 weeks. They all run together a bit for me (except for Rendezvous...different characters), but of the three Clarke/Lee books this one had some of the best and some of the worst material. The bad news: 1.Cliche ridden story lines--like another reviewer here, I found the tyrannical leader, addicted whore daughter, jailed good guy, etc.etc. a bit TOO overblown. 2. This book (and Garden of Rama) had an annoying tendency to use character dialog to explain details that really would not have been talked about in such detail--example, when one of the characters asks another about the octospiders' time system, the character responds with what sounds to me like a technical report on it--totally unrealistic dialog! Even scientists talk like regular humans occasionally! The good news: 1.Fantastically interesting and creative aliens!!! The octospider society is compelling and original. The other alien environment in Rama on this journey (sessiles & myrmicats) is a wonderful work of imagination. Those parts of the book were extremely enjoyable. 2.Overall the story of the node and universal intelligence was also original and fascinating. A good completion to the series, despite the shortcomings.