This legend of CuChullain is told in all its glory. The legendary tales of the great Irish champion come to life amidst the backdrop of pre-St. Patrick Ireland. The "Hound of Ulster" is undoubtedly the greatest Irish hero, and the Bardic accounts of his feats are collected into one book which is masterfully written. The Cattle Raid of Coolley is the centerpiece, where Ulster King, Conor McNessa, and his rival Mauve go to war in this lesson of greed . This is a must read for anyone who enjoys Irish folklore, or just plain enjoys a good book

I have not read a book yet that Morgan Llywelyn has not done an outstanding job on, but when it comes to a real bardic piece of literature combined with the legends of the past, Red Branch excels. I have read the stories in other places, such as The Story of the Irish Race by Seumas MacManus, and passed over them as just another piece of literature. When I read the Red Branch it was transformed into a vibrant, living, pulsating story that wrenched emotion after emotion from the core of your being. It took Setanta, as a boy, and gave his passage into manhood a glorious path, that only when young would you feel so invulnerable, all for the sake of a short but long rembered life. Written for her son, I think she far exceeded anything she has done to date, in his honor.

Red Branch is amazing. Never has a book sucked me in like this one did. Unlike many authors who skip the details which make a story truly real, Llywelyn tells a tale that presents Cuchulain as both a larger-than-life hero and a real person at the same time. I felt the glory of living during that time as well as the pain. Truly a great book.

Gormly tells his stories as he would telling it to you face to face. Riveting, factual, impressive, this book delivers, but at times seems as he still can't say all that he wants to. He actually skips over ten to thirteen years of his career and then quickly brushes over them in the next chapter. Oddly structed, the book is still easy to read and accomplish in one to three days. The 'Nam experience is certainly the best and well executed, many of the later parts seemed brushed over and vaguely displayed. Check it out, it's factual and to the point, it's an honest read. His rant about terrorism at the end is the best way to put it, his position is always right on.

A very enjoyable book. It has more interesting detail about operations than books like "Rogue Warrior," without the obscenity, which may dissapoint some readers. Gormly is rough on Marcinko, even going back to the Vietnam period... "he was leading from the rear." Ouch! Gormly oversaw, and participated in, so many high profile military conflicts that it is a "must read" for anyone who likes combat books.

It takes a special person to make it through the rigors of BUD/S Training alone. Robert Gormly did just that and then went on to have a highly decorated career spanning 29 years in the Navy SEALS. Combat Swimmer is an excellent read for anyone interested in Naval Spec Ops. Gormly offers a captivating story to the reader at all times. His accounts of sitting neck-deep in the canals of the Rung Sat Secret Zone truly make you feel as if you are one of the operators along for the ride with him. His narrative blend of both action and bureaucratic issues give a wide picture of what the SEALS were all about. This is a tough book to put down at night, and I highly recommend it.

Llywelyn weaves a wonderful tapestry of magic and history in this novel. Finn is brought to life as a real, feeling man while still heroic and larger than life. It's a brisk read and you'll find yourself pulled gently along for hours and you won't even realize it. It would have been easy to portray Finn as a figure of existential angst, not unlike Percival in Hunter's "Percival and the presence of God" (a very good book in it's own right), but Llywelyn allows the magic to manifest for both the reader and Finn so that we are never obliged to be skeptical of what we read. This book has fired me up to read more about Irish myths and legends. Definitely a fine novel!

Finn Mac Cool is a young officer in the Fianna, the army nominally under the control of the High King of Eire. Finn is a great warrior, a teller of magical tales, and a man of vision. Rising to head the Fianna, and as such second in power only to the High King, he reshapes it in his own image, into an object of honor. But there is no "happily ever after" for Finn Mac Cool. Growing older, he finds that his body can no longer keep up the pace that it did, he begins to find it difficult to tell which of his own tales are true and false, and other people begin to reshape his world to his detriment. What should he do, and how should he do it?

I actually finished this book days ago, but have had to take the time to sort out my feelings about it. Ms. Llywelyn has written a powerful story. She has taken the old Irish legends of Finn Mac Cool, and retold them in the form of historical fiction. Finn is presented as a larger-than-life man, one whose peculiar talents can make him and can also unmake him.

This book is an enthralling read. It contains stories of action, and stories about life. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

This book continues the tradition Morgan Llywelyn has set with her other books on Irish legend. It brings the legend of Finn Mac Cool alive, interesting and exciting while providing an excellent glimpse into the lives and ways of the Irish during this time.

The story of Finn Mac Cool is one of a young man from one of the lowest classes of Irish society, driven by ambition and strength to rise above his birth and bring to his people new respect and status.

The legend of Finn Mac Cool is full of mythological elements, and Llywelyn incorporates these very well, so that the reader never feels as if they are reading a fantasy adventure.

There are many fascinating conflicts and layers in this book and within Finn Mac Cool himself. Finn's constant battle of wits with the king, his enemies, and the wise but dangerous Goll Mac Morna serve to heighten his inner struggles over race, class, and success.

For the casual reader, this book will serve as a rousing tale of Irish lore. For the more serious reader, or lover of Irish history, it will serve as a fascinating character study and glimpse into Irish past.

...none of "The Horse Goddess" takes place in or anywhere near Ireland. The context clues alone are enough to tell you the story is not set in Ireland, but just in case you don't pick that up, read the Afterward. It is here that Llywelyn gives us more detail on Epona's alpine home - Hallstatt, in the Austrian Alps.
More than anything this book shows just how far ranging the influence of the ancient Celts was, long before the word "Celt" became synonymous with the word "Ireland". While not as good as "Bard", "Lion of Ireland", or "Finn MacCool", "The Horse Goddess" is a good book - well worth reading, if for no better reason than to get background for Llywelyn's later books.

I am an avid fan of Morgan Llywelyn's books, and I've not yet read one that disappointed me. Her stories are exciting and her characters live and breathe and truly draw you in. THE HORSE GODDESS is no exception. Still, there is something missing from this novel that makes me rate it a step below works like DRUIDS (the best!!) and BARD. It may be the odd rhythm of speech she gives the Scythians, no matter what language they are supposed to be using. It may be the one sidedness of the story; Llywelyn usually weaves several plots and points of view into one grand tale, but in THE HORSE GODDESS, she sticks to a single narrator's vision of a single chain of events. It leaves the story a little bit flat in the literary sense, but no less exciting for all that. Like her other books, I read THE HORSE GODDESS straight through in a day, carried away into an adventurous past by Llywelyn's incredible talent.

I have followed Morgan Llywelyn's work for several years now and finally, I got hold of The Horse Goddess. It did not disappoint --- Ms. Llywelyn has a way of taking the reader away, and making her feel and share in Epona's and Khazak's life and adventures. It is a wonderful story, exploring the beginning of the Celtic ways and traditions, even before the magical Irish and British Celts. I can't wait for the next one!

As a strong black woman and proud of it I didn't understand Ms.Morgan's definition of a strong black woman so I didn't see eye to eye with her on that point. Overall I struggled to read through this book I wasn't feeling a lot of what Ms.Morgan had to say and plus I thought the book would be written in a more story telling type of fashion. The book is written as just Ms.Morgan rambling on about her opinions and ideals. I give a sista props for her opinions and being able to share them with an audience but I didn't understand her hatin' on "chickenheads" in one breath then wanna talk about her bond with sistahood in the next. She sound hypocritical to me. Ms.Morgan went on and on putting the "chickenheads" on blast for their sopposed wrongdoing but didn't say a word about the brothers that fall for these type of women I don't get that! I personally couldn't hate on a sista for doing her thing I don't want to hate on another woman period I feel that's the reason why us women can't and won't get far because we want to tear each other down before anybody else. I'm sure Ms.Morgan is an educated,opinioned,strong,classy woman but in her book she just comes off as hateful and bitter.

Joan Morgan is an extrodinary black women deriving out of the hip-hop generation. Looking outside the hip-hop generation, many only view us as hip-hop heads with no mind-sense and no value for intelligence and education. Joan Morgan set yet another example of how intelligent and extrodinary black people are that are in the hip-hop culture. Morgan not only kept it real with our society today within the black community but within black on black relationships and women in a psychological point-of-view. As a femimist, Morgan did not attack men, nor did she necessarily totally glorify women. Morgan just told it how it is and did not try to sugarcoat everything. As a black person, as a woman, as a feminist, or as one deriving from the hip-hop generation, this book can relate to almost anybody.

Morgan eloquently voices the thoughts and desires of the independent, feminist, African American woman. She acknowledges the black feminists of the past but explains that today's feminists of the hip hop generation are different and they express different needs and desires from themselves and the people surrounding them whether they be male or female.

In her last essay "Chickenhead Envy" she acknowledges that "strongblackwomen" and "chickenheads" may have the same wants and desires but the roads they take to achieve them are different, creativing a dividing line coated with animosity.

Morgan calls herself a STRONGBLACKWOMAN in remission, saying she doesn't not want to be lauded for her success through struggle. Eliminating struggle from a black woman's life does not make her any less of a woman.

I recommend this book to women and men, black and white, young and old. If you have a desire to understand today's young African American woman, Morgan's blunt, in-your-face writing will give you an look instead the mind of one who is such.

Jon Giswold's Basic Training is a very comprehensive book with chapters concerning hygiene, diet, and meditation in addition to the parts on exercise, which covers weight-training and cardiovascular work-outs. I liked how it was structured. Giswold covers the various aspects of going to a gym, or working out at home, and other factors that affect the experience of working out. The exercises are clearly explained for the most part, and the programs he has are reasonable. Giswold is not condescending and he is not trying to fool the reader with irrelevant or misleading information. He attempts to sensibly define a good way to get in shape and look good, and I think he does so successfully.

I suspect many men will run for cover when seeing the pictures; it is hard to deny their homoeroticism. But they're just pictures of half-naked (or naked) men, and to not read the useful text due to that would be unfortunate. The section on diet I think is not very useful, but the idea is that diet and exercise complement each other when your goal is becoming fit. The section on meditation may seem unnecessary to some readers, but it's just a small section. If you want to work out and get in shape, and you don't know where to start, or you want to enlarge your exercise library, then I recommend this book highly. Still, if you don't make the effort, you won't gain anything.

I found this book to be very helpful. I was looking for an uncomplicated guide to help me restart my fitness routine. I was not into going to the gym after some time away. Basic Training set me up for practical home use and didn't overwhelm me. It is just what I needed. The exercises were great and really well described, the workouts are helping me get into shape without being too complicated, and even the simple diet suggestions helped me reorganize the way I am eating. I was a little surpised at how beautiful this book photographed and designed. It was really artful the way those Abercrombie and Fitch cataloges are now done. It helped me to look at fitness as more of a lifestyle thing than another task that I can fail. Jon Giswold added humor and clarity to areas I am interested in and Morgan's photos are awesome. I want to thank them both for this book. I'm glad that it is in paperback now too, so I can give out for Christmas. Will there be a Basic Training 2 for me when I get to that point? I hope so!

I have been in the Health and Fitness field for 13 years as a Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer and Health Club Director in NYC. Over the years I have seen many many books on the subjects of How to get in shape, How to build a better body, and How to start a work-out program etc. come over my desk. Jon Giswold's book, Basic Training for Men is head and shoulders above the rest. This book is intelligent and highly readable. It speaks to us as we need to hear the information, clearly and accurately, while anticipating then resoving any questions and excuses before we even hve time to realize they were there. I like this book because it takes you from A (out of shape, unmotivated, lost amongst an onslaught of conflicting information) to Z ( an understanding on how our fitness goals can be achieved with a step by step plan). Jon delivers this book in a way where we don't feel pressured, judged or overwhelmed but nurtured and supported on our journey to our ultimate fitness goals.

This book is an excellent study tool for the Remote Access Exam. The sections on ISDN and Frame Relay are well-written, as is the rest of this certification guide.

Oh, and I passed the test on the first try.

I was able to pass the 640-605 test handily using this book as my primary source of study information.

There were a good number of small mistakes, (for example a 2511 router has 16 and not eight asynchronous interfaces) which were mildly annoying. One would hope that it would have been better edited technically. Still, it's better than the other choices out there, some of which I've been very disappointed in.

The text was organized well, and was surprisingly easy to study, especially considering the subject matter. As a Cisco book, it seemed to have a clearer idea of what the test would expect; I noticed no major oversights as I took the test.

Overall, very good, with some improvements possible.

I worked (hard) on this book for 3 weeks (without doing the labs), and I passed the #640-505 today with a 808 (703 required). To be clear I will just enumerate the good and bad points; here are the good ones:
1. It covers very well the exam (except for the chapter about Win95! there were questions in the exam, but hopefully very easy), and some questions in the CD were in the real exam
2. Short and clear
3. Only a very very few mistakes (actually I found only a couple of them, mostly on the CD, which decided me not to buy any book whom reviewers say it is full of mistakes)
4. Feeling to learn something, not just working for an exam (just a feeling, not a proof it is a good book !)

The bad ones:
1. The test exams on CD do not respect the format of the exam; when it is about IOS commands, you have to choose within a list of 40 or more commands, not just 4 as usual. Actually, I found it more difficult to choose within 4 commands than 40, because the 40 ones are mostly all different one from another. But he could have told me what was the exam format!
2. It covers the exam, but the study is not in depth; too often I had questions on topics I had seen, but "ah, just on this case, what happen ?"
3. Consequence of the (2): I will not keep this book; I've taken my little notes, now I can sell it. The advantage of this book is also the disadvantage: it is designed to make you pass the exam, no more. But it is in the informal contract from the beginning.

If you want to pass the exam learning things, buy this book. It is really more than enought, and a pleasure to read.

This book was way too technical for me. All I wanted was book that gave me the basics of clicker training and a how to guide for very simple tasks. This is definitely not for the beginner or nonprofessional.

This is a thorough work on clicker training, and the theories behind it. As such, it certainly makes worthwile reading for those with a serious interest in clicker training. And, more generally, for those whishing to understand modern humane dog training methods that are based on behavioral science. As others have noted, the book may not be well suited for the impatient novice, and it definitively isn't a simple 'how to' book.

I find that the text is heavy not only due to the substance, but unfortunately also because the discussion tends to be lacking in clarity. The work would in my opinion benefit from compression and some reorganization.

Although otherwise a thorough discussion on the subject, I find it has a fundamental shortcoming in the basic assumptions: Spector only considers using food rewards in clicker coniditioning, and simply discourages against using other types of rewards.

While this is probably fine for training dogs that have a keen interest in food, it cannot work well with dogs which simply aren't very interested in *any* kind of treats. Moreover, in order to motivate dogs with a strong prey drive to work with very high intensity, a prey object, such as a ball, tends to be the ultimate reward. Using food treats (or a clicker associated to the treats) simply doesn't tend to motivate such a dog to work that hard.

I believe that variying the type of reward (or correction, even) depending on the phase of the training of the particular movement, and the general character of the dog and perhaps also the trainer, would be more effective. I find that Susan Barwig's methods for Shutzhund training are well suited for the dogs with a strong prey drive that typically excel in this sport.

While I have read all the great reviews, this book still managed to exceed my high expectations. "Clicker Training for Obedience" provides clear, concise instructions. If you are even remotely interested in clicker training, you MUST buy this book. I have seen not only great success with my dog, but also a dog that looks forward to training. I cannot say enough good things about the "Clicker Training for Obedience".

The Truest Pleasure is a wonderful story. Robert Morgan does not dissapoint! The strength of the main character, her dedication to her husband, her family and her faith is wonderful. Her ability to try and make all of these commitments come together, and the inner struggle she goes through to attain this is both heartwrenching and inspiring. The common occurence in the lives of these people, particularly illness and death and the manner in which they handle these as a basic element of life are very poignant. It is a story that can make you stop and think about what the truest pleasures in your life are, the things that satisfy both your heart and soul.

I loved reading The Truest Pleasure!! It takes pride on my shelf along with my other loved books. It was wonderful how Robert Morgan potrayed the lives of Ginny and Tom. The way Ginny and Tom communicated had too many similarities to my own life. I am now reading Gap Creek and I will be looking for my next book my Robert Morgan.

The Truest Pleasure is a wonderful story. Robert Morgan does not disappoint! The strength of the main character, her dedication to her husband, her family and her faith is wonderful. Her ability to try and make all of these commitments come together, and the inner struggle she goes through to attain this is both heartwrenching and inspiring. The common occurence in the lives of these people, particularly illness and death and the manner in which they handle these as a basic element of life are very poignant. It is a story that can make you stop and think about what the truest pleasures in your life are, the things that satisfy both your heart and soul.

After seeing the movie (which is, for some reason, not available on video last time I checked) and reading the book, I recently listened to an excellent audiobook version of My Cousin Rachel, narrated by Jonathan Pryce. I actually like this story even more than Du Maurier's better known Rebecca. The novel is told from the standpoint of Philip, a self-centered and inexperienced man of twenty-four. It is a challenge to have a story told by a very flawed narrator, but it makes things more interesting if it's done well, as it is here. Philip was raised by his older cousin Ambrose, who dies shortly after marrying the mysterious Rachel. Rachel comes to the estate, which is soon to be in Philip's possession. He initially blames Rachel for Ambrose's death, but almost immediately falls under her spell. He is soon helplessly in love with her. The rest of the novel is a psychological mystery --is Rachel kind and generous or ruthless and conniving, as Philip first suspected? The genius of My Cousin Rachel is in its two primary characters, Rachel and Philip. The first is the archetypal mysterious, beatiful woman who may be either good or evil. Philip is also a complex and interesting character. Just as the reader becomes exasperated at his naivete and immaturity, we are shown that he is also capable of great love and devotion. His faults, we understand, are due to his background. My Cousin Rachel has a classically English gothic atmosphere (the setting is Cornwall), a la the Bronte novels. It is at once a mystery, a romance and a fascinating psychological study.

This is one of the most fascinating and moving novels I have ever read. The story is not about pirates, smugglers or wildly romantic adventures. It is a real life love drama, in which an inexperienced young man falls in love with a woman of the world. A possible crime plays an important role, but the real story is about the feelings of Rachel and Philip for each other. For me, the most dramatic person is Rachel, whose character and way of life don't fit into the dreams of Ambrose and Philip. Not until the last page it becomes clear what kind of a woman Rachel really is, at least for me. (For some readers the questions remain.) At the end there are no winners, no bad guys, only victims. Even after I finished reading the book it kept me under its spell for days. I think this is because Rachel and Philip are so like real people, because the end is surprising in a very moving way, and because I couldn't help falling for Rachel myself. For me it belongs to the top of my favorite novels. If I could take five books with me to a deserted island where I had to spend the rest of my life, this one would be one of them.

This book (and the 1952 film, with Olivia de Havilland and Richard Burton) have haunted me since I first read the book over 20 years ago. It's a mesmerizing and artful tour de force, building high atmosphere, suspense and intrigue - and using relentless ambiguity. Du Maurier (12 or 13 years after "Rebecca" - and in my opinion the added maturity shows in more complex characters, circumstances and moral nuances) masterfully spins her tale, weaving in vivid images of a warm and fertile Italy contrasted against those of a cool green England with an economy of description. A naive young man (Philip) in his early twenties, raised by and adoring of his bachelor uncle (Ambrose), is plunged into suspicion on news that his beloved uncle has suddenly and mysteriously died abroad soon after marrying a previously unknown cousin (you guessed it - Rachel) in Florence. Ghastly fantasies mount as Philip awaits Rachel's arrival in England. But she turns out to be a worldly woman of unanticipated charms, who turns young Philip's head entirely. Is she a villainous murderess? Or merely a world-wise woman torn by affection for a dashing much younger man, bearing a marked resemblance to her husband of so few months? Delicious issues are raised, including what are the moral constraints of a woman in a world which allows her few ways to financial freedom. Does the fact that a woman understands finance necessarily mean that she doesn't love a rich husband? Is an Italian woman with a mastery of healing herbs necessarily a poisoner? Can a world-wise woman who has long since lost her innocence nonetheless be captivated by the dewy youthfulness of a young man? And, as with all du Maurier, all of the events occur in lush and beautifully described surrounding events and places. I'm a big reader, and this is one of my big favorites!