Excellent book - unfortunately I didn't buy the british version right away - which comes with an extraodinary CD. So I bought the british version as well and offered the american one to a friend. LONG LIVE OLD EUROPE

Recently I bought the UK-version of this book. It is called 'Into the Red' and comes with a CD with sounds of the sportscars described in the books. I agree with all other reviewers: this CD plus book is a must-have. The pictures in the book are beautiful, the text by Mason and Hales is technically, humorously and very interesting to read. Even if you are not full into racingcars, this is still a very nice book to have in your bookcase !

It can be ordered through Amazon UK; It's called "Into The Red" and the engine sounds on the CD are awesome.

This book is the bible of BBQ. I read several books and checked the internet sites and this is far and away the best. Mr. Hale not only teaches you proper technique for cooking he teaches you WHY the techniques work. I recently did my very first brisket in a high quality offset style cooker using Mr. Hale's recipes and instructions and it was one of the most tender, juicy and flavorful briskets I've ever had. If you only buy one BBQ book - this is the one to get!

Far from being faint praise, saying that this is a "pretty darned good bbq book" is the greatest compliment one bbq'er could make to another. As a life long (ex-Kansas City) proponent of the slow, lazy method of cooking ribs and other treats, this is undoubtedly the most dead-on manual for anybody who wants greater insight into cooking outdoors. For the novice, it is a definitive introduction to serious grilling and bbq. For those of us who have spent as much time trying to figure out WHY we try to coax any goodness out of a nasty cut of meat like the brisket as we do actually doing it, it is a great resource. The book is filled with information that will improve the efforts of bbq'ers of any level. This is the one bbq book every cook should own.

I have subscribed to the Barbecue'n On the Internet newsletter ... for about 3 years and that is where I first 'met' Smoky Hale, who has a column there. His 'aw shucks' self-deprecating style is both humorous and very informative. His many inside tips and experience with the art of 'Q' made me an instant fan. When his book was released in 2000, I eagerly purchased it and to no surprise, I use it regularly. The book is really a conversation with the reader. Smoky shares his years of experience, some good, some bad and you get the feeling that making some really bad food is part of the learning process. And he does discuss every aspect of the grilling and barbeque process. Barbequing, broiling, roasting and smoking procedures are thoroughly covered in detail. He also talks about seasonings, rubs and marinades....what to use and why. I really appreciated Smoky's discussions about choosing the right grill, cooking with a variety of heat sources: wood, charcoal, gas and electricity, meat selection, storage and safety and the chapter on building your own grill. These chapters were not only informative, but were replete with many humorous anecdotes and quotations. Whether you are a novice to barbeque and grilling or a self-styled pitmaster, you will enjoy this book. I have over fifty books on the subject and this is without question one of my top choices. It will demystify a sometimes confusing cooking genre and will give you answers to most, if not all of your questions.

This is a book that is fun to read and to look at. There are beautiful and amazing pictures of what you can do with everyday items around your house, or, with things you can purchase for very little money. At the same time, the book is full of great ideas to copy or get you started creating your own wild decorations next time you entertain. I can't wait to put water tubes with fresh flowers in my lawn this summer !!

Great ideas for innovative party giving. Everything here can be done easily to create a true impact. A definite MUST HAVE for your next event.

It seems as though Mr. Stark has a lot of experience in hosting creative parties at economical prices. His style is fun, not flashy. While flipping through the pages of this most interesting book it is obvious that the author has a talent for turning everyday household items into something that can be used to entertain. The vase idea especially was ingenious!! With the publication of this book, Mr. Stark and his associates will definitely give Martha Stewart a run for her money.

This is such a tender book! It appeals to the youngest, even a two-year old brother learning to adjust to a new baby sister. Mother and son found relief and coping skills in this sweet, simple book.

My 6 year old daughter and I loved the book. I read her the story and then went outside to do last minute yard work. After I was through, I came back in the house. To my surpise, my daughter was sitting on the couch, and in her lap was a rock that was swaddled in a kitchen towel. That was so neat to have her pass up her toy box and find pleasure in a simple thing.

As the mother of two young girls, I have read hundreds of picture books. "Elizabeti's Doll" is, in my opinion, a rarity: a book for children whose characters and plot are unique, compelling and satisfying, all within a handful of words on a few pages. This book is what literature should be for adults and kids.

Elizabeti is a completely endearing character, who reminds adults and children that childhood has its special joys, and high among those is the ability to involve the entire family in a fantasy world of the child's own making. Elizabeti turns a rock into the family's new baby, whom everyone loves and cherishes right along with her. It's a story about what is best in all of us.

Well structured, as it must be, Hale's guide presents both the nuts and bolts of grammar and the considerations of style that cannot exist without a sound grasp of grammar. The book begins each section simply, with the "bones" of the part of speech being explained, puts on the "flesh," and elucidates the "cardinal sins" and the "carnal pleasures" of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and so on. Even when the going gets heavy, as in her discussions of attributive nouns or appositive phrases, her clear, conversational tone smooths the way. She concludes with reflections about voice, lyricism, melody, and rhythm. One of the best features of her book is a glut of choice passages from the likes of Nabokov, Joan Didion, George Orwell, Jamaica Kincaid, and many others. Her well-read reach extends to rap lyrics and the wine labels written by the flip, clever copywriters at Bonny Doon Vineyards. The collection of quotations alone makes this book worth owning. At times the tone is slightly uneven, as when she follows a serious discussion of rules with the casual use of words like "gonna" and "wimps" (apparently she has a reputation for being hip to uphold), and she includes sentence diagrams without really explaining how they operate. Her advice to "go ahead and be ungrammatical if it feels right" may make some sticklers swoon. But these are minor flaws in a manual that is useful for beginners and seasoned writers alike. You close the book understanding how the rich inventiveness of English is rooted in its complex grammar and vocabulary, which are the reasons it can be so flexible, so magical -- the reason, in fact, that language creates reality. Includes a helpful appendix describing other grammar guides.

SIN AND SYNTAX should be a text in high school English classes. A generation of enthusiastic grammarians might rise up and wipe out the scourge of dangling modifiers. The mystery of lay and lie would be be solved at last. I teach adults how to turn their great ideas into the novels they've always wanted to write; and while the refinements of plot and character and theme are fairly simple to explain, grammar and syntax bedevil student and (this) teacher alike. But no more. With humor, clarity and excellent contemporary examples, this book helps me explain to my students why, after half a dozen rewrites, their sentences still sing off key, why I nag them about details, why some adjectives work and others just take up space on the page. A great resource book.

This book is a basic grammar guide for those of us who may have been out of school for a while, but it's as much about writing style as it is about grammar. The reason I like this book so much is because it is filled with a range of writing examples, from remarkable to awful. The examples of bad grammar, many taken from students papers, had me laughing out loud. The only thing this book is lacking is a reference section where you can easily look up grammatical terms, although the index is thorough. I personally didn't miss a reference section though. This is the sort of light, readable book I wanted.

Red Card is the perfect book for summer, or anytime you find yourself looking for a quick, highly entertaining read. The protagonist is Zeke Armstrong. He's thirteen years old. He plays soccer. He solves mysteries. He's got a secret. The book opens in the middle of a soccer game at the Lone Star Invitational Soccer Tournament. Zeke's team wins, but afterwards his coach is shot and left for dead. Zeke is the first person on the scene. After doing what he can for his coach and calling for help, he starts gathering clues. The action shifts back to the tournament, and then a second attempt is made on the coach's life. Zeke starts to put things together, but none of the adults or his teammates will take him seriously. To make matters worse, the attacker may now be after Zeke. It was a lot of fun watching Zeke try to solve the mystery with the attacker still on the loose and still a threat. Red Card's mix of intriguing detective work, exciting sports action and engaging characters keeps the pages turning. Although the book is geared towards younger teens and up, I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it. Red Card appears to be the first book in a series; if so, I'll definitely buy the next one.

Zeke Armstrong is playing in a soccer tournament with his team, the Dallas Sundogs. Things are going well, until his coach gets thrown out of a game for loosing his temper with a ref. The next morning, Zeke discovers that the coach has just been shot. After he's rushed to the hospital, another attempt is made on his life. It has to be one of the team's fathers, but whom? The police think they have their man, but Zeke is convinced they're wrong. Can he make the other parents believe him and save his coach's life?

I'll read a good mystery aimed at any age group, and I loved this one. The main character is lots of fun. I'm not a big sports fan, but the descriptions of the soccer games held my interest and were easy to follow. In fact, a book that could have been awash in characters did such a good job of introducing them that I had no trouble keeping everyone straight. And the climax had me turning pages as fast as possible to find out what how everything would end.

This is an entertaining debut that left me wanting more. I recommend this book to anyone of any age looking for a good mystery.

Mr. Hale came to our school to tell us about this book. I reccomend it to anybody who likes mysteries. I don't really like soccer, but I still give this book two thumbs up

These three books are among the best books i have ever read in my entire life, granted i am only seventeen, but reading has always been one of my passions. The Dark Tower series grabs you and doesnt let go. Obsessive would be the only adequate word to describe how i feel about the books when i am reading them- and i have read each one at least twice, the first one even three times! No matter who you are and what is going on in your life each reader can feel a connection with the characters. Thats part of what makes the books so enthralling- we see ourselves as Roland pushing forward no matter what or Eddie Dean overcoming the unthinkable and finally learning to accept himself. I dont care what types of books you read- these books are for everybody and anybody. If you are looking for truely good books that will keep you yearning for more then look no further. King throws the plot around so often youll be thinking about it every waking moment of the day. My only gripe is that King doesnt come out with them often enough- i need more!

The Dark Tower Series is the best thing that Stephen King has every written. If you love King's work you'll love this, if you hate his work you'll love this. For King to be able to keep his story together so well over the time span in which he has thus far written it is truly amazing. Roland is the best character I've ever read, except, possibly Rett Butler its really a toss up. The first time I read the series I couldn't put it down and once I finished I swear I had withdrawls. I am just begining to read them again and every day that goes by that I have to wait to find out what happen to Roland and his band of Crusaders is one day to many. All I can say is Stephen King please hurry and fishish book 5 and don't you dare die before you finish this series. If you havn't read these books don't waste another second and read them.

From the moment I opened to the first page of "The Dark Tower Series", I was hypnotized and a willing prisoner of Kings fantasy. I loved each one, up until I reached the last page of "Wastelands". At this point I said something off-color and threw the book across the room. I couldn't believe that I would have to patiently wait for the next in the series. Well, it has been several years and many many books later, and my wish is finally being granted. The next book has been completed. During this frustrating time of waiting, my main concern was the Mr. Stephen King would suffer a horrible accident and die before he could complete the series. Not only would the world have lost a great author, but I would have gone insane from not knowing the conclusion of this magical series. My family can finally breathe a sigh of relief since I wont be a nervous reck over not being able to grasp this book in my impatient hands

The jokes are great! It got me right from the start. An excellent introduction to an excellent series.

The part when he solved the mystery the best except when he got kissed. That was very sick. I am reading the second book. My brother wants to read it too. I liked Chet and his partner the Mockingbird the best.

In Hebrew the character "Chet" is written the same way as the Greek character "pi" (any circle's circumference divided by its diameter = pi). So Chet's first name *sort of* means pi (P.I.: Private Investigator). Just another of Hale's endless, clever puns.

This book is an excellent mythology reader. The first section is devoted to the stories of gods and heroes. The majority of the stories is from Greco-Roman mythology and includes such classics as Apollo and Daphne, Pygmalion, The Golden Fleece, Midas, The Sibyl, and much more. This part also devotes four chapters to Eastern Mythology (Hindu myths, Zoroastor, etc.), Norse mythology (Thor, etc.) and The Druids of Iona. Part two is made up of the popular Arthurian legends and contains many of the most famous stories such as Tristam and Isoude, the quest for the Holy Grail, and the Death of Arthur. Much of this section is rendered in verse. This part also has the Mambinogeon and other myths of the British race (e.g. Beowulf and Robin Hood). The final section (my personal favorite) includes the legends of Charlemagne, or more specifically those of his paladins. This is where one can find stories of Orlando, Rinaldo, and Ogier the Dane. These stories are not as famous as the Arthurian legends, but are just as exciting. There is a very helpful dictionary of names and terms and a few maps and illustrations. Also, the English is fairly easy to read and shouldn't be difficult for the average person. This book is not complete; many of the stories are obviously abridged. It would be nice if it included annotations or a bibliography for those wanting to read more in depth. However, the introduction includes a very basic history of the stories, which should help the more enterprising reader find the unabridged editions. Still, Bulfinch's Mythology is one of the best and least expensive ways become acquainted with these classic stories. I highly recommend it!

BULFINCH'S MYTHOLOGY is THE classic introduction to ancient and medieval myths. In three volume's, Thomas Bulfinch recounted and referenced classical stories of Graeco-Roman gods and heroes, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Norse and Hindu mythology, the Arthurian legends, Robin Hood, the Mabinogeon, and the tales of Chalemagne and his paladins. All three volumes are combined here in a single book. Besides making great reading on their own, these tales, and the values and ideals that they illustrate, are at the very heart of western literature and culture. Shakespeare, Milton, and most of the other icons of English literature drew on them repeatedly. The modern fantasy genre has its origins in this material. Tolkien was inspired by it. They are "must" reading for anyone who aspires to be considered "educated".

There are just a couple of negatives here. The particular edition I have has a lot of typographical errors in it. There were such things as a sentence beginning "She..." when clearly it should have begun "The...", for example. Further, one can find fuller retellings of specific stories in other places. These are minor points, however. Bulfinch is still the classic introduction and source for mythological tales. Plus, as I said, it's great fun. Most people can profit from Bulfinch. Fantasy fans should especially love it.

This book is a most buy . This book was used by Ensemble Studios from Microsoft to create the game Age of Mythology (AOM). What else can I say? if any of you are fan of the Age of Empires series then you'll know what I'm talking about. :)

Very generic, some nice figure drawing but on the whole not worth the expense.

This is the best book for the art student that has ever been written, or ever will be written.

Mr. Hale's book has been invaluble in understanding figure drawing. He uses wonderful examples from the great masters. At times his commentary seems snobbish but if you can get past that then you will learn a great deal. I would highly recommend this book to anyone (novice to intermediate) interested in drawing the figure.