It is ridiculous to me that there even is a debate on this subject, yet here we are. What was once amusing, I now find quite appalling, in that educated people are actually attempting to add legitimacy to this abomination. Operating under the guise that 'ebonics' should be treated much the same ways that say Spanish-speaking students are taught is folly. If a community chooses not to speak the proper language, which is English, then that is a choice they are making. If they choose to accept 'ebonics' as some sort of pride issue, then that again is their choice. But if they expect the rest of this country to accept 'ebonics' as anything other than the lowest denominator of the English language, then they are simply out of their minds. It used to be, if there was a problem, then you fixed it your self. But in contemporary society, we're expected to suffer for the shortcomings of others. Is that fair?

Then there is the other question of teaching African-American (another aphorism that is pointless) children. Or as I like to call them, children. As if they require a different education from any other children, which to me sounds dangerously like segregation. It amuses me to think back to my travels through Africa, specifically Ghana. I was particularly amazed at how native children there were able to speak the English language far better than most children in the United States. Seems to me that this 'ebonics' rubbish is the fault of the American education system, which in turn is all our faults, because we have not given educators the tools they require to complete what has to be the most important task in this country. Education.
NO STARS for this lump of rhetorical excrement. It is an exercise in exclusionist politics, and is best left ignored, much as it has been already. If by chance you have trouble reading this, I suggest picking up a thesaurus.

I am writing this review for two reasons. The first is to praise this book for approaching the question of Ebonics and education from so many different perspectives. The second is to refute the racist diatribe in one of the previous reviews in which the reviewer criticizes Ebonics as being substandard. As a Ph.D. in linguistics, I can assure you that Ebonics is as rich and creative as any other language on earth. It is a language with a structure and a history going back centuries. The reviewer who criticized Ebonics does not understand how human language functions. It is not a question for debate. Ebonics is a language that is not inherently better or worse than any other human language. To allow speakers of Ebonics to discover this fact and to take pride in the rich history of their language can only be seen in a positive light, as far as I can tell. This book allows the reader to hear from teachers, linguists, and administrators who are experts in their fields. It should be required reading for everyone, but sadly it alone cannot overcome the prejudices held by some less enlightened members of society, as shown by one of the previous reviews.

... As one who has actually read the book, ... I highly recommend it.

Contrary to media frenzy and popular belief, the Oakland school board did not pass a resolution in 1996 requiring that Ebonics, or Black English, be taught in place of Standard English. It did, however, pass a resolution recognizing what linguists had known for years: that Ebonics, like Spanish or German, is not defective English but a valid linguistic system following precise rules of grammar.

It also recognized that while students speaking Ebonics need to learn Standard English to attain success in mainstream American society, to do so they must be treated with the same respect as any student who enters the classroom speaking a different language or dialect. (English as a Second Language) Instead, they are often dismissed as lazy or stupid.

This collection is a common-sense look at the the issue, and a must-read for anyone who loves language.

It was so boring. The author is intellectually way below Bundy and it shows when he tries to portray him, he just can't get close to what Bundy was about. He writes about some all nice, positive people who are all-good (with good income and education, sure) who become poor victims of evil Ted (we sure must be sorry for such well-to-do folk, not some street people): extremely cheesy. After a few pages all I wanted is Bundy to come and take care of all main characters. I was wondering: is he going to start writing about Bundy at all? He didn't have much to say, may be that's why the book was mainly about the "professor" and his daughter. Sure, "professor" catches Bundy at the end. Come on--in real life he'd wet his pants from the thought of Ted. Lousy writing. The book contained juicy moments like about the father of the victim, "professor" apparently wanting to have sex with the mother of another victim (and vice versa, the daugher tells him "She wants you, Daddy") Isn't it truly perverted? The book allowed us to pick into most intimate details of "professor's" surviving daughter's life. Like discussing her period with "Daddy". Wow. I was wondering was it Bundy who was sick after that.

Once you accept the premise of Ted Bundy surviving his execution then the book is a terrific read. I'm surprised it hasn't been made into a movie. It is a much better book than his follow-up, "Skelter". I think Perry got into Ted Bundy's personality much better than many of the non-fiction books on Bundy. The friend of a friend of mine actually narrowly missed being a Bundy victim---she was in Tacoma and was followed home by a guy. She got into her house, turned on the porch light and saw the guy's face through the window, but he left. She didn't see his face again until she saw Bundy on TV the night before he was executed.

I just finished reading this book today---The Stranger Returns--and I was just so mesmerized by it all! Then when I was telling a relative about it, he stated that his friends mother dated Ted Bundy in High school!! (The actual Ted Bundy who is in this book) I was shocked but he said that it was way before he had any problems and was put in jail. Such a small world!! The book kept me going and I didn't want to put it down! It was a rainy/snowy day here in Alaska and so it made for perfect reading while eating popcorn weather! I'm now going to order and start reading the book, "Skelter" also by Michael R. Perry....about Charles Manson.....I hope everyone else gets their blood pumping as I did!!!!!

Perry offers a look at the War Between the States through the exploits of key and minor journalist personalities of the era. More of a "fun" account -not too heavy on military history or the politics of the times - just a "you are there" approach as the reader goes along on the oft-times zany adventures of these reporters of sometimes questionable merit. The author is very up-front in his criticisms of their craftsmanship, yet balances his barbs accordingly.

Keep in mind this is NOT a "day in the life" of a correspondent.
Each chapter usually dwells on a different writer/journalist or highlights a key battle.

A very readable book. Sometimes humorous, always informative and flows like Perry's articles in the WSJ. What more can you ask of a book? It's fun to read.

"I am en route to Washington with details of a great battle. We have carried the day." Thus, the headline of the New York Herald stated about the perceived Union success in that seminal foray the day after the first Civil War battle at Bull Run. General William Sherman vilified them as "the buzzards of the press." George G. Meade "strapped one of them backward on a mule and rode him out of camp" complete with a sign embellishing him as "Libeler of the Press." In fact, Army commanders on both sides distrusted a free press they could not control. The "scoundrels" in this event are the reporters who roamed the battlefields chasing a story. The self-proclaimed Bohemian Brigade was a "group of men who tried to make sense of the most dramatic event in American history" and they did it by writing columns in various newspapers for the Union, Confederacy, and at point's abroad. Author James M. Perry writes that the civil war reporters, to many, were a preposterous, controversial, infuriating, and disarming band of rogues and heroes. Perry, himself a journalist and author of Arrogant Armies and recipient of the prestigious Fourth Estate Award, is a modern day version of those that packed the Civil War battlefields and then scurried to send their messages and stories either in person or by telegraph. This is what makes A Bohemian Brigade: The Civil War Correspondents unique; it is written by a son of their own, someone who is profoundly qualified to develop this wonderfully constructed chronicle of those reported on the war between the states. From the battlefield of the first encounter at Bull Run came the scouring assembly of news-seekers like Charles Charleton Coffin, Henry Villard, and Uriah Painter of the North, Peter Alexander and Felix Gregory de Fontaine who worked for Southern papers, and William Howard Russell of the Times of London. It was the first deployment of the Bohemian Brigade and the results were mixed at best. As described on the inside cover of the dusk-jacket, which by the way, is part of one the most aesthetically appealing book covers on the market, "much of our understanding of the American Civil War is based upon newspaper dispatches written under horrible battlefield conditions, and journalists' memoirs penned under more reflective moments after the war's end. As a result, modern American journalism emerged from the Civil War and Perry makes it clear that, thanks to the telegraph and the importance placed on breaking news and scoops, the conflict was the first instant-news event. It was a time of sending message using "the lightning" or the telegraph. Perry draws upon his experience as a newspaperman to show for better or worse that for the most part, these reporters put their lives at risk on the battlefield and he brings each reporter, "rogues and heroes alike," to life in this wonderfully crafted book. There is no doubt they were pompous and arrogant, highly inventive, they lied and cheated, they got the story wrong more often than they should have, and they drank too much. By his own admission, Perry claims that, ``They did a lot of things reporters are still doing today.'' But they were also, Perry admits, that for all their faults, these correspondents who endured Civil War prisons, battlefield skirmishes, and intense colleague competition to get the story to print. In short, it is wonderfully readable narrative worthy revealing the historical significance of the battlefield reporter.

This is the 24th Perry Mason novel I've read (the 5th in the series), and it's Perry Mason at his best--or worst. For this is not the sanitized Perry Mason of television. The real Perry Mason routinely manipulates, suppresses, and, in this case, even plants evidence. Two eyewitnesses saw the bride kill her husband. She herself claims she did it. But she's Mason's client, so she couldn't possibly be guilty, right?

This is the 24th Perry Mason novel I've read (the 5th in the series), and it's Perry Mason at his best--or worst. For this is not the sanitized Perry Mason of television. The real Perry Mason routinely manipulates, suppresses, and, in this case, even plants evidence. Two eyewitnesses saw the bride kill her husband. She herself claims she did it. But she's Mason's client, so she couldn't possibly be guilty, right?

I am a big fan of all Perry Mason books but this one is definitley one of the best. There are many twists and turns in the plot. You never know who is lying and who is telling the truth. Some characters are telling the truth but not the whole truth others are totally lying and a couple are telling the whole truth. That makes it a very suspenseful and intriguing book. All in all is a book that keeps you on your toes and you can't put it down.

Exile On Main Street is arguably the Rolling Stones greatest work. A double album consisting of down and dirty, bluesy songs about the decadence the band was spiraling down into. They were drinking heavily and doing alot of the drugs and the music mirrored their state of mind. John Perry does alot of writing about the band, but seemingly glosses over the album itself. Normally the books in this series are superb, but unfortunately this one does not live up to the other volumes or the album it covers.

So much has been written about the Rolling Stones and their music and so much has been rubbish. Most writers have not had access to the band members and fall back on well-worn second or third-hand stories. John Perry doesn't recycle anything, he writes about what he knows, beginning with the historical background of Exile and following with a song-by-song examination of the album itself. Although he clearly has a deep love for this music, he is no star-struck fan, he sees the Stones' human flaws, but he isn't distracted by them, this is no parade of scandals as are so many books about this band. And in contrast to most rock writers, Perry actually knows and plays music, and his detailed breakdown of this great album literally note-by-note is superb. The combination of rich historical background and detailed musical analysis makes this a rare gem in the Rolling Stones library. I recommend this book highly, especially for musicians or those interested in the flesh-and-blood of what many consider one of rock's most important albums. My only complaint is that it isn't a hundred pages longer.

Like Perry's previous biog on the making of The Who's masterpiece 'Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy', he returns here with an interesting, witty and inciteful look at the both the state of the Stones circa the making of Exile and the wonderfully dirty rhythm and blues double album that emerged at the end of the debauched sessions in France.

Clearly previous reviewers have missed the rather large fifty page chapter entitled 'The Songs', that goes into extremely well argued and meticulously researched detail from a professional guitarists point of view of just what the album is made of.

Highly recommended.

I really would not recommend this book to others. It does not give enought information on how to make it as a freelance writer or how to make good money. I would recommend Robert Bly's book Secrets of a Freelance Writer : How to Make $85,000 a Year or How to Start a Home-Based Writing Business by Lucy Parker. I believe that these books give more actual information on how to get started, where to look for business and how to price your services. Bly's book is primarily about commercial writing but is worth buying whether you are doing magazine or commerical writing.

This book is terrific if you're interested in making a living as a free-lance writer and would like practical guidance about how to do it -- and it's funny too. The author focuses on the part most writers have trouble with -- finding a unique "take" on a subject -- and his advice about that is very good. I also heartily endorse his comments about how to present your work most effectively to editors. He doesn't downplay the drawbacks of working as a free-lancer, but he's also upbeat enough to make you believe it's possible if you're willing to put in the effort. I agree with his recommendation to find a good accountant to handle the financial aspects -- but, for those of us who don't live in a pop. 485 town, it would have been useful to have some hints about what to look for in an accountant! But in general this is an excellent guide to the free-lance life.
However, based on my own experience (I've been making a living as a writer for most of my adult life), I have one caveat: Perry's life as a writer may not be the best life for you. If you just want to earn a living from your writing, and aren't fussy what you write about or for whom, this is a great book for you. If you have an area of specialization (e.g., computers), you can still free-lance successfully in that area -- and it's sometimes helpful in getting work for you to be an "expert." But if you're a writer who wants more time to work on your Big Project (your serious novel, your mystery series, etc.), you're better off taking a full-time job in a totally unrelated field and writing in your spare time. Free-lance writing is time-consuming, requires total commitment, and can be psychologically and physically draining; if you have any spare time at all, you'll want to go fishing rather than work on your novel! Before you quit your day job, consider WHY you want to become a free-lance writer; you may find you're better off where you are.

This book actually contains a fair amount of useful information. It is primarily aimed at individuals who are setting out to write magazine articles. So, if you have no interest in writing magazine articles, this is probably not the book for you.

In short, it essentially posits that one ought to approach magazine queries in the same manner that one would work a cross-word puzzle. i.e. Looking to multiple sources to max income on things.

The author's approach follows his interests, which are diverse with a sub-specialization, ie country music, medical, etc. The general tone is converational, and it is easy to read.

Having being taught only the "Mr. Rogers" version of American history by my previous teachers (the Revolutionary War started with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776), I found this book very disagree able. Then, of course, I realized that we had to hand a nice, happy, packaged to Americas young ones.

The book digs into the top soil of American history. It gives general happenings, events leading up to and following wars, and reactions to wars off the battlefield. It labels some of the key events in history as being "Turning Points" and devotes a section in chapter to these happenings.

This is a great resource for teaching freshman and sophomore American history and you are hearing this straight from a student himself.

most history books are pretty dry, but this one teaches me. i actually do learn the history of america from a concise text.

I found the first two chapters intriguing and useful from a critical thinking point of view. Unfortunately, in discussing critical thinking, Mr. Weddle is guilty of the many fallacies he points out. I found this to undercut his discussion.

What I found most interesting, besides the chapter on "Fallacy", was that this book is dated, not in the thinking, but in the examples. I think this would be a useful source for someone looking for examples of thought and opinion in the late seventies. Most of the examples he uses are centered on Watergate, draft dodgers, The Viet Nam War, and, this was only one instance, Patty Hearst's state of mind.

It's a decent introduction to critical thinking, though prejudiced in it's presentation.

Critical thinking is among other things about fallacies . The copyright date of 1978 leads many to the fallacy of "hasty generalization" and the assumption that this little jewel is out of date. However, the author has a cleverly written summary in three chapters of what most texts take hundreds of pages to cover. The rest of the book is devoted to how most of us think and, used as a text, it spares the student the arduous task of understanding old style logic and deductive reasoning. In fact, right up front, the author downplays the significance of the alleged differences between deductive and inductive reasoning. Used as a text for beginning students of critical thinking, I found this to be understandable, enjoyable, funny at times, and memoriable.

I was very disappointed with this book. It basic premise is fine, but it would have been better suited for a magazine article - not a book. It is the same tired old stuff, nothing new. Cannot recommend, even to beginners.

This book HITS THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD. It provides the most sensible investment advice I've ever seen -- a sure way to become an investment winner without taking a lot of risk.

This little book is a jewel. It is for the indivdual investor who should absorb and practice its contents. The best book on the subject I have read. 1 "In rural Maine, the best compliment one can pay a person is 'he's really sensible.'" The same view applies to investing." "I believe the essential factors for success are quite simple. Complexity breeds confusion and often failure in this seemingly volatile, difficult field." 2 "Although stocks do swing widely in price at times, their trend is what counts: in the long run, every stock's price rises just about in direct proportion to the growth of the company's earnings and dividends." 3 "It is very importent to analyze the basics of different businesses and see what their sustainable long term growth has been. Past growth does not portend the future. This involves gathering information and making subjective judgments 4 "However, missing a long term growth forecast occasionally is not fatal. Baseball players do not get a hit every time at bat. It's the average of the investor's decisions that determines success." 5 "The first thing to analyze in any company is its competive position." 6 "Here are are three tests to use to make intelligent stock purchases and sales. Is the company growing more or less than the typical pattern for the company and its industry? Is the company's profit margin above or below its historical norm? Is the current superior or inferior performance reflected in an historically high or low valuation?' 7 " Be a sensible skeptic." 8 " Don't be a sucker." 9 "Spread your bets." The book finishes up with more pithy advice to have you stay the course. All of the above is illustrated by actual data to prove the case.

I came across Yes Rasta recently in a Black bookstore while visiting Paris.As an African Jamaican I was immediately attracted to the book based on the title!

However,half way in the book I was overcome with immense disappointment.The images are mostly badly exposed and sadly 'déjà vu'.Yes Rasta lacks overall direction and many pages are blank which in my sincere opinion could have benefitted from text-so imperative here,as the photos fail to speak for themselves!

Anyone interested in InI livity in book form,I would advise,in conclusion,to save your money and purchase instead Dreads,published by Artisan...trust me,you won't be disappointed!

Yes Rasta is the best photography book on Rasta, an extraordinary photo documentary on people never seen before

I visited Jamaica many times in the fifteen years following my first Negril holiday in 1977. I was in search of Rastafarianism and reggae music. Of the natural mystic blowing through the air.

My first morning in Negril I left my tourist hotel for a walk along the beach toward town. After a while of walking on the white sand and enjoying the glorious sunrise, I noticed two dread-locked men standing off to the side smoking a spliff and gazing out to sea. They were more like an apparition than flesh and blood but then they saw me staring. Smiles of incredible radiance slowly spread out upon their faces as they turned toward me and they nodded graciously. I felt their blessing like a wave of force across the beach. They had such tremendous presence, those two men. Such an aura of power.

Patrick Cariou's homage to Rastafarianism takes this mesmeric presence of the Rastaman as the focus for his deeply moving, sensationally well-executed portfolio of black and white photographs of Jamaica and of its Rasta Nation. The portraits of these men of all ages are among the best I have ever seen. Partly this results from the great technical skill Cariou brings to his work. But clearly the strength of this collection is in the way the subjects felt about their photographer. The way in which they responded to his lens emotionally.

There is one photograph of an elderly Rasta with matted locks down to the ground that is so remarkable. He stands for his portrait with his pancake-flattened dreadlock over one shoulder extending right to his feet in a sumptuous arc. His arms are extended at his sides and his stance suggests submission to fate, his attitude such a natural state of grace. But what makes this image so unforgettable is the communication you can feel between this man and his photographer. His willingness to open himself emotionally for his portrait. The unconditionality of his pose.

Aside from portraits of individuals, there are also numerous photographs of adult men with their children in this gorgeous collection. Of men working in their ganja fields, preparing ital for their meals, smoking the bounty of the marijuana harvest.

And there are photographs of Jamaica itself that capture just amazingly the dramatic mood of the mountains and of the thick, jungle-like vegetation that there abounds. And of the dwellings in which these people live and worship.

In the few inspired pages of text at the beginning of this book Perry Henzell captures the paradox of the Rasta people when he says that 'they projected the humility of the social outcast but bore the high stride of a visionary on the move..." Yes Rasta understands this essential paradox well and visually transmits a view of life informed by it with tremendous sensitivity and respect. I could not imagine a better result