In the thrill seekers genre of books and videos, this fits right in. Although most of it is indeed a rehash, the layout is fabulous. No one can have enough photos of carousel horses or stories about old parks. The nostalgia factor in this book raises the bar. Unlike a few of the other books, this one is more rounded in that it covers the whole park instead of just the coasters. Be advised that these kinds of books are historical in nature and don't necessarily point to what's coming next at the World's of thrills.

Loved this book! Great info on amusement park history and behind the scenes secrets. I'm ready to go ride!

This book is packed full of beautiful photographs and nostaligic postcards. Various chapters showcase the origin of amusement parks, and the different styles and hybrids from the "traditional" and "theme" to the Storybook Lands and Santa Villages. There's even a chapter on flat rides. The graphics and layout are great. The author also knows his material. This is a great companion to that other great BMI book, "The American Roller Coaster".

Chesterton lovers and lovers of poetry in the classical English forms will enjoy this collection of poems by one of the 20th century's greatest stylists, G.K. Chesterton.

After a section of juvenalia, the poems are arranged by broad subject. My only complaint with the volume is that it is not complete, and that Ignatius Press has not yet released Part 2 of the Collected Poetry.

But you will find many things in this volume in no other collection of Chesterton's poetry, including his poem about Notre Dame football. So if you enjoy Chesterton, or poetry, or both, check out this book.

G. K. Chesterton on Charles Dickens. If you love one, you are probably genetically determined to love both. So why haven't you read this book yet? What are you waiting for, a personal haunting from the ghosts of London humorists past?

Like all Chesterton's bios, this one is not so concerned with dates and influences, and not always even with its nominal subject. But Chesterton delights in Dickens, and does manage to stick to the point most of the time. And watching Chesterton go off on a philosophical tangent can be just as much fun as watching Dickens allow his plot to get hijacked by one of his own characters. He may be fuzzy on mundane facts, but he is always clear-headed and often lucid or even brilliant when it comes to human nature and ultimate truths. In the end, Chesterton finds a way through to a vantage that is worth visiting. Here are a few sample insights from the first chapter: "Dickens had all his life the faults of the little boy who is kept up too late at night." "The bores in his books are brighter than the wits in other books." "'I am a fond father,' he says, 'to every child of my fancy.' He was not only a fond father, he was an overindulgent father. . . they smash the story to pieces like so much furniture." (Chesterton pointing out that another writer gets carried away sometimes! I like that.)

This may be the best of Chesterton's biographies, and one of his best books. I did learn a few "facts" about Dickens, but mostly got to know him a lot better. If you're a newcomer to Chesterton, the talk below about him being a "fuzzy dreamer" for whom a "miss is as good as a hit" may be true in regard to biographical detail. But don't dismiss him as a thinker to be taken seriously, until you've read and thought deeply about Everlasting Man. There is an intellect incisive and sharp as any modern precision instrument.

Author, Jesus and the Religions of Man d.marshall@sun.ac.jp

To begin with, G K Chesterton loved Charles Dickens so much that he wrote several books and numerous essays about him. Both men loved what is most characteristically English. Dickens, on the one hand, created hundreds of characters who remain etched in our memory as being somehow quintessentially English. On the other, GKC was himself like a Dickens character, perhaps Mr. Dick in David Copperfield (who could not get the idea of King Charles I's severed head out of his mind).

Chesterton was probably the inventor of fuzzy logic. What he says usually makes sense, but he is notorious for being too sloppy to check up on the exactness of quotes and facts. If you are a stickler for facts, you will probably not like Chesterton. But if you are a bit of a dreamer who thinks that a near miss is as good as a direct hit, he's the man for you.

Dickens and Chesterton were among the greatest optimists of our time: Dickens because he felt that people who were good and kind were always rewarded, Chesterton because he felt that there was a God who forgave small transgressions.

So when you read the books and essays in this volume, you will not come away with any new-found knowledge about the great Victorian novelist; but you will become party to an agreeable conversation and greatly enjoy the company.

I am interested in becoming an animator. I found this book very helpful in many ways. It focuses on street smart ways of getting into the business. The most comforting part about this book is Dale's expertice and his interviews with his friends in the business. It really felt good reading the actual words of some of the big animation buffs in this field of business. Thank you Dale.

This book is directly what you need if you want a career into the business of 3Danimation. Either if you want to freelance or if you want to apply to animation firms. Personally this book gave me confidence to go out there and start to freelance. It even gives you tips in negotations, how to deal with the client and so on. Thanks Mr. Myers, can't wait for your next book about this field.

If you are even thinking about working in the computer animation business buy this book! There are lots of books on learning the programs but this book tells you how to work in the business. There are single paragraphs, which if they save you just one major headache or failure are worth the price of the book. Although there is no substitute for experience it is important to have a good map of the area you are getting into. Dale Meyer's "Computer Animation: Expert Advice on Breaking Into the Business" is that guide. Don't think about it just buy it, read it and use it.

I've read so many books on marriage--and found most of them to be repetitive and lacking in both originality and practicality--that this book was a happy surprise. It is readable, Biblical, full of good antecdotal illustrations, and best-of-all, has something to say in a fresh way about marital relationships. I particularly liked that the author didn't back away from saying some of the 'hard' things just because they don't happen to enjoy societal support at the moment. I was challenged to think anew about my own quarter-century-old marriage, and for that I'm grateful.

Finally a book that gives a balanced perspective on men and women in marriage. It is so right on! Burke's understanding of women, what makes them tick and what annoys them is delivered with alot of honesty and a touch of humor. He ignores the political correct views of modern culture and give men and women practical advice they can put into practice the day the read the book. Must read as far as I'm concerned! The forward by Howard Hendricks is also worth the price of the book.

This book gives a fresh perspective on the whole "Mars/Venus" issue so popular in today's society. It gives practical ways men and women can appreciate and celebrate their differences. Burke's views and ideas seem to be sincere and applicable. This makes a great gift for anniversaries and newly weds.

This book is great for reading as you are driving out West. There are so many stories that saturate our folk history of the Old West, it is hard to know what is true and what is legend. This book systematically takes a look at what is true and what is bogus, and what is grey in the areas of many old legends from the Old West.

My Dad made our family stop at every historical marker in the entire West, well at least that is what it felt like, but in doing this he instilled in me an interest in the West and how it was won, etc. This book gave me a fun, entertaining look at what is true and what is not true, I would recommend it for enjoyable reading.

What makes _Legends & Lies_ so attractive is that, as the book's foreword points out, it avoids the two traditional pitfalls of Western historical writing. Typically what we get is either fanciful types whose mantra is 'I don't care if it's true or not, that's the way I want it to have been' or cold-hearted sorts who assume that if it's being repeated as a legend, it could not possibly be true. It's hard to find authors who truly love the West and respect both legend and fact, with no desire to tear down either, and Walker is that rare type.

I like the breadth of the sources he considers. He blindly accepts no one, always putting effort into evaluating the source's credibility. The stories in the book (Sacajawea, Billy the Kid, and Custer to name a few) are ones known to anyone with a nodding acquaintance with Western history; in some cases I hadn't even realized there was a question as to what happened. He doesn't pander to political correctness, but he does recognize that it took two genders and a lot of colours to make the history of the West, and writes accordingly.

Highly recommended (by a lifetime Westerner, if it matters) to anyone interested in Western history.

This is an absolutely fascinating book. Walker brings massive research to his task, which is to look at all facets of some unsolved mysteries. For instance, did Davy Crockett survive the fight at the Alamo, at least for a brief while? Was Meriwether Lewis's death murder or suicide? And whatever became of Ambrose Bierce, the author who ventured into revolutionary Mexico and never returned?

Walker gathers evidence from surprising sources, some of them overlooked by historians, and leaves it to his readers to draw conclusions.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of the American West.

i first read platoon as a young man, a young son of a vietnam veteran searching for some truth and some realism amidst flashbacks and my mothers misundertanding. dale brought my father and i together before i too joined the army and saw combat. run between the raindrops, the battle for (pronounced WHEAY) city, the first time marines in vietnam fought house to house street style fighting, if this is what your looking for a true account of the battle, via a photo journalist this book will open your eyes. buy it.

For those that don't know of CAPT Dale Dye, USMc (Ret), he is the technical advisor who adds all the realism, grit, and detail to films including "Platoon" and "Saving Private Ryan". In addition to adding the realistic details and elements to these films, things that he has experianced in his own life, Dye also acts in a many films. You may recognize him as one of the guys who REALLY shot Kennedy in "JFK" or as the company commander in "Platoon", or one of his numerous other roles as a military man.

The novel itself flows very well, a fluidity which seems to reflect the thoughts of the author and protagonist very directly. This novel is also very autobiographical, as far as I can tell based on some details of the author's life. I recomend this novel based both on it's style and substance.

You have seen Dale Dye, you have seen his work without even knowing it. Dale Dye has been the technical advisor for almost every big budget war movie of the last decade. Platoon and Saving Private Ryan are just two of the many films he has advised on. In addition to serving as the technical advisor he usually has a small role in each of these films.

But he is not just a technical advisor and actor. Dale Dye is an excellent writter as well. His novelization of Platoon was excellent. As well as his book Outrage which was a look at the Marines in Lebanon.

Run Between the Raindrops was Dye's book on the Battle of Hue. The book is very moving, does a great job describing the battle, and is written by someone who was there and knows what he is talking about.

I do not know how to get a hold of this book anymore. But if you do get it and read it. Dale Dye is a great writer and Walk Between the Raindrops is a great book.

...You just might get it! Daimbert soon found this out. When the King of Yurt decided it was time for his family to go on vacation, he left Daimbert and Joachim, the chaplain, in charge, with his nephew on the throne as regent. As soon as the King left, problems started popping up left and right! One of the dukes is plagued with magical rabbits... with horns; the very cranky saint that resides at the shrine of the Holy Toe has appeared in several different visions, some stated his wishes to be moved from the shrine to a church in a different city, and others saying that he wants to stay at the shrine; the church decided they wanted the nymph that resides in the woods around the shrine of the Holy Toe to be moved elsewhere; a duchess is being courted by an apparently low-born stranger *and* the King's nephew; odd zombie-like creatures have been sighted; and to top it all off, Daimbert's predecessor seems to be growing more and more incompetent. While all these problems are very serious indeed, Brittain still manages to keep it light-hearted and fun. Also, he does a wonderful job of addressing how magic and religion interact.

Brittain brings back all of the original characters in a worthy sequel to "Bad Spell in Yurt". While the sequel a lot of fun to read, I thought it had a sharper edge to it's tone then the first book in the series. I'd recommend this book to any fantasy reader-- if you've read the first book in the series then this is a definate "must read".

C. Dale Brittain is one of the more underrated fantasy writers, who manages to blend straight fantasy with a sense of comedy and wryness. The first book in the Daimbert series, "Bad Spell in Yurt," introduced readers to the inexperienced wizard Daimbert; this book picks up where the last left off.

King Haimeric of Yurt is going away for a while, leaving his blunt nephew Dominic and royal wizard Daimbert in charge of the kingdom in his absence. But Daimbert soon finds that things in Yurt aren't as peaceful as they appear: Enormous savage horned rabbits are running loose. Saint Eusebius the Cranky, at the Shrine of the Holy Toe, has been appearing in dreams to different priests and hermits, with conflicting wishes. The wood nymph who lives near the shrine has to be moved, except she doesn't want to be. The strong-willed Duchess Diana has apparently fallen in love with her new huntsman, Nimrod -- and Dominic wants to marry her instead. And a twitty but well-meaning young wizard named Evrard is tagging along with Daimbert.

But solving each problem produces a new one. No sooner has Daimbert unraveled the mystery of the giant horned rabbits than he finds that a new one has cropped up. A mysterious zombielike monster is creeping around the countryside near the Shrine of the Holy Toe, and it's proving to be a much bigger problem than the horned rabbits ever were...

This book is as enthralling a mystery/fantasy as the previous one was, without repeating any plot elements. Brittain continues the good-natured jokes and occasional bursts of silly humor, such as the hunter called Nimrod or the horned rabbits. The whole idea of the Cranky Saint, the Shrine of the Sacred Toe, and his comical encounter with the dragon and subsequent sainthood was absolutely hilarious; Christians with a sense of humor may appreciate it. As for the plotting, it has actually improved: this book is more complicated and twisted, with a slightly tighter feel to it.

Characters return from the first book in the series, like the old wizard who served the king before Daimbert, and Joachim the saintly-but-not-annoying chaplain. There are some new ones, such as Evrard, a character who might be annoying if he weren't so earnest. The only character who fails to come alive is the wood nymph, who feels somewhat disconnected from the other plots. She did inspire some interesting theological discussions, of which there are more in this book than in "Bad Spell."

A delightful sequel in an all-too-short series. Read "Bad Spell," read "Wood Nymph," and then on to the next book...

This book contains detailed and extremely valuable advice about starting (and running) a used (he calls it Antiquarian) bookstore. If you own, or want to own, a used bookstore this is a must-read. Even if your experience doesn't match the author's experience, you can't help but find very useful, usable advice here. The author does tend to make it sound a lot easier and straight forward than it probably is (I am not a used bookstore owner--I only dare to dream) and I think he doesn't take into account his own extensive sales experience obtained prior to opening his bookstores. The biggest problem, though, is that it was origanally written in the mid 80s and the latest update was 1989. That means that the effect of the internet in evening out distribution inequities is not taken into account--an event of likely significant impact on used book sales. I heartily recommend the book, but it's age drops it from a solid five to my four star rating.

Although this book was written pre-internet, it still offers an excellent general review on how to sell used books for a living. The author makes it sound like it is easy to make millions of dollars selling used books, but the truth is, with this book, anyone can sell used books and make a comfortable and very fun living at it. But the chance of making millions is very slim.

How much did I enjoy this book?

Enough to scan it into my computer for reading on my laptop while working overseas.

Even though the information is dated, the principles are as good now as ever. I wish every used book dealer would take his advice and not write prices inside the jackets or otherwise deface the books to prevent theft.

Further, his advice regarding signage is worth the price of the book. I once owned a business where I chose to erect a pleasing sign that wouldn't be deemed obnoxious. I suffered! His point is that if you want to be a nice guy don't bother getting into the business. If, however, you want to succeed, do what you must to build your business.

There is but one moral in business. Learn it before you start or learn it after you start, but you must learn it. Business first, image second.

While the advice in this book is valid, anyone who is not profoundly Christ-centered may find themselves uncomfortable with the Bible references and Christian focus on every page. If you're looking for a secular goal-oriented book to motivate yourself with, I'd suggest checking out "The Power of Focus" by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt. (The Chicken Soup for the Soul series guys). Packed with information, yet humorous enough to keep you reading, it's twice this book without the preachy-ness! (and not at twice the price, either).

...to go to the next level in every area of my life. I receive the scripture references in this book. There are areas in my life that need DISCIPLINE and this book gives me spiritual and natural insight to realize it is the will of God for me to be disciplined, in order to have what the Word of God say I can have. I believe I have been called out of mediocracy into great exploits. Dare to Discipline Yourself is a great tool to use(read) continually which will set me on the right path, in Him. I give this book a five star rating. Eventhough, all topics may not be a challenge for me at this time, I believe I can read all to relay to someone else. Thank you for making available this priceless treasure.

My friend has this book and I read it upon his recommendation. After reading this book, I came to Amazon.com to buy a copy for myself. I found it to be inspiring and a dare to discipline yourself! If you believe you are disciplined and don't need this book, my friend, let me tell you that you do need this book! This book will open your eyes! God Himself has inspired the writing of this book!

The novelty of this book lies in its foreign locale. The author not only is most familiar with Sidney, but also with the low-life in that city. That makes the book more interesting than it would otherwise have been. It sets it apart from other writings by authors who seem to research their foreign cities from some street map and build up their characters from something they read in the papers

Dynamic energy, sexual ambiguity and some real low-life characters make this first-class entertainment. Jack Butorov is a doorman in a sleazy Sydney nightclub and when he stops to help a young gay man being bashed one night, he enters an underworld of lust, murder, Triads, revenge and redemption.

Funny, dark and immensely entertaining, Dark Angel paints a black picture of the Sydney underworld. The author gets it just right, the streets and Sydney's low-life characters. If you like real crime you'll like this.