The talents and accomplishments of women are often neglected despite remarkable achievements. Britian's flowering under Elizabeth I owed much to that ruler's direct influence. The Hermitage exists only because of Catherine the Great's extraordinary taste and insight. Fanny Mendelsshon was as gifted as her brother Felix and Kathe Kollwitz's self portrait is a match for Courbet's, Durer's or even Rembrandt's. This book, intended for teenagers, attempts to remedy the historical neglect of women by presenting the lives and works of Maria Tallchief, Lousie Navelson, Marian Anderson, Nadia Boulanger, Mary Cassett, Margaret Burke-White, Beverly Sills and Julia Morgan, all of whom made major contributions to their eight different fields. While the writing is a bit dry and a more detailed expostion of their work would be useful, the book is a must, even for adults, interested in redressing the gender imbalance in history.

Eight Who Made A Difference, by Erica Stux is a charming collection of stories about eight remarkable women who contributed to the arts. Stux brings together stories that transcend time offering motivation to all ages present and future. Her subjects and their stories will inspire anyone to strive for goals beyond their immediate reach. To become more than ones belief is the common greatness of the art-filled women highlighted in this collection. Each of the eight women that "Made a Difference" manifest a sense of courage and strength to endure the obstacles before them. This reader was enchanted by their success and honored to know more about them.

This is a wonderful and insightful book about strong and brilliant women who made a difference in the arts. Their stories are inspirational. Stux is obviously a talented author who has done her research.

When I first read Jon Land, it was this book that I read. Not exactly as good as one of the McCracken novels, but good in it's own over the top way.

I've quickly become a fan of Jon Land's espionage thrillers. As another reviewer stated, Land is like Ludlum without the fluff. However, Ludlum's better novels also have a much more in-depth plot/storyline. Land's novels tend to be non-stop action.

"Labyrinth" is like his other thrillers in that a hero fights against unbelievable odds to save the world. In this novel, a college professor is enlisted to get to the bottom of the plans of an organization known as The Committee. A friend of the professor's is killed observing actions on the part of The Committee and due to a past debt, he agrees to avenge his friend's murder.

A town is Columbia is burned to the ground to hide the plans of The Committee. The hero, Christopher Locke, visits various exotic locales including Lichtenstein, Geneva, and London in his trek to determine the scheme of The Committee. Friends are killed or turn on him, and enemies try to kill him or become his friends. Before he knows it, Locke is in too deep to get out and must stop The Committee to not only save his family, but also to prevent the downfall of the world's economies.

If you like non-stop action thrillers, Jon Land thrillers would be your cup of tea. If you want more in-depth, longer thrillers, try Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy. All of Land's titles are quick, fun reads that make you wonder why he has never achieved the success or notariety of the major players in the realm of espionage fiction.

This book is non stop action. The book is pure fun. You get hooked on page one and you can't stop reading until the book is over. Land takes you all around the world in this thriller. If you are looking for a chance to escape the real world, sit back, relax and enjoy this book as you jet set around the globe and help Chris Locke try to save the world.

This is the first marketing book i read that cuts through all of the useless stuff, and just gets right to the point. It was very helpful in learning all of the principles of marketing. i definitely recommend it to every college student, because it is an easy read and it has a very good summary at the end of every chapter.

This book is a must for any business major. I learn the in and outs of business just in this book and many other books are outdated material. This book will not put you to sleep. It focus on the basic concepts of each chapter. I would highly recommend to any college students or business persons.

Dr. Stauble is my mentor and currently my professor, who teaches Marketing with passion. He knows his stuff and he's always there for everyone with questions. This book is a must have for any Business major

A solid, fluid look at experimental economics! In these turbulent times on Wall Street (and really in markets around the world) this proves to be a great source of how we've come to this point, but more importantly, where we can go from here.

But that's not my only reason for thinking this a great book.

Ross M. Miller makes three large claims here. I think he makes good on the first two. I'm not so sure about the third, but even there he makes a case that needs to be made.

First, he explains that one branch of economics has become an experimental science.

Second, he says that this variant of economics has produced important results - theorems disclosing how markets might best be structured or restructured, and how the privatization of now-public goods might be accomplished, in ways that could produce enormous productivity gains.

He more pessimistically claims though, thirdly, that these theorems probably won't produce such gains, because in doing so they would hurt politically powerful interests.

The idea of "experimental economics" is simple enough: a college professor need only ask his students to co-operate in a simple auction-based game, so that he (and they) can observe the process by which prices come into existence under simplified conditions. Once a body of observations has developed, he and other experimenters can vary the rules and conditions of the game and observe the effect the changes have upon the trading strategies of the players and the game outcomes.

It was at Harvard University, in the 1940s, that such experiments got their start, in the classroom of Professor Edward Chamberlain. In the decades since, a body of observations has developed that in some respects supports neoclassical economic theory, but that in one crucial respect calls for its modification. Neoclassical theory needs to be modified to account for the possibility of irrational price bubbles. What is of greater policy importance, though, is that post-Chamberlainian experiments have given us a good idea of how markets can be structured to prevent bubble formation.

About 1975, when Ross Miller and I were grad students in economics, there was a consensus "economic view of the world." Economists who had to deal with the real world -- policy makers and development types -- didn't really believe it, but the mainstream did. Not only believed it, but took it for granted.

That's not true today. The consensus is fragmenting. If you want to understand the underpinnings of this intellectual shift, read Ross's book. It's written clearly, even excitingly, with well-chosen examples. And it is written by a real economist, who's trying to understand what's right and what's wrong about how we think about the economic world.

I am 79 years old and "house bound" these days because of my failing health. My son bought this book for me and I feel that I've just taken an adventure! Thank you, Vernon Gary, for getting an old man out of the house.

A good thriller takes the reader into a new and unique world, one of mystery, intrigue and freshness set in a place we don't normally experience. A good thriller carries us away from our own lives for a few hours of heart-pounding pleasure.

Vernon Gary has succeeded in carving a story out of a strange and misunderstood world. It's all here - dangerous drug cartels, misfit IRS agents, even fighting Pit Bulls - all surrounded by the corrupting influence of way too much money.

Daring, daring. Exciting. When I read the article in the Sunday Miami Herald recently about this book I wondered why is everybody so hush hush about it.

Now I know why. Can't wait for Vernon Gary's next book!

In 1926, the Barren Lands of the Canadian Northwest Territories were rightly regarded as an inhospitable region of appalling weather coupled with the threat of starvation, accident, and loneliness, a place where men (meaning Europeans) would be tested to the limit. Jack Hornsby, a troubled veteran of WWI, drifter, and adventurer, had been there, and liked it. He put together an expedition with Harold Adler and Edgar Christian, two young and inexperienced friends, with the intention of wintering north of the Great Slave Lake. They would hunt and trap to support themselves and pay for the expedition, and Hornsby would collect scientific data. Hornsby was knowledgeable about the region, but apparently was unable to organize effectively and failed to make basic preparations despite warnings. After many hardships and colossal mistakes in judgment, all three died. Mounties found their bodies, letters to parents, and the detailed diary kept by Christian, two years later. The author has used the diary and a number of surviving letters to reconstruct the adventurers' trip in great detail. Counterpoint to stories of survival under harsh conditions, but rather depressing. An absorbing read for anyone interested in arctic exploration, and a thought-provoking sidelight on Canadian history

In recent months there have been several books written about polar exploration, and their success indicates that the reading public seems to have a continuing fascination with these expeditions. This spring, the A and E cable network produced "Shackleton", a cold-country-frontier saga. In this tradition, Clive Powell-Williams has written "Cold Burial."

This book is an engrossing page-turner and a quick read. You will be caught up in the tale of 18 year old Edgar Christian and his mother's double-cousin, Jack Hornby, an experienced Canadian-Northwest Territories outdoorsman. Experienced he may be, but seasoned he is not. Impulsive, improvident, and arrogant to boot, he takes his cousin on what will be their first and final adventure together. Having relied heavily upon luck and upon the help of natives, Jack finds his luck has run out. He does try to spare his young cousin, but events proceed inevitably
to a tragic end. Powell-Williams relies upon the diaries of young Edgar to put together a chilling story of their days in a climate hostile to human life. Female readers may be tempted to ask, "Why would they want to do that?" The only answer is the famous one, "Because it's there!" Apparently that insouciant reply makes sense to males; but to a mother, it rings hollow.

For anybody that has read and enjoyed some of the adventurer books released in the last few years (Into Thin Air, etc.), Cold Burial is a must.

75 years ago, 3 British men set out on a journey up the Thelon River (in Northern Alberta) and into the Canadian Arctic. None of them made it back alive. When their bodies were discovered by the RCMP, the investigators also found a diary. This diary, written by the youngest member of the party (Edgar Christian, age 18) chronicled the shift from courageous optimism in the early days of the voyage, into hopeless abandon as the 3 men starved and froze to death.

Clive Powell-Williams has taken this diary and researched the history behind the 3 adventurers. In Cold Burial, he tells the whole story; from their original meetings at school in Britain, to Edgar's last days, alone in the cabin.

Cold Burial is a tremendously well-written account that will certainy rank with the top adventure/disaster books of all time. An extremely good read. Highly recommended.

I found the book at a local used bookstore and was drawn to it immediately. I am interested in wilderness survival and the fact that Michael Oros was able to survive in the wild for that length of time was reason enough for me to check this book out. I greatly enjoyed the personal look inside Oros' mind that his diary entries afforded. I could relate to alot of what Oros was feeling and it was unfortunate that his hopefull idealism had to come to such a tragic end. It gives alot of insight into the alienation that Oros and alot of people today are feeling when it comes to modern society. The author did a very good job putting it all together into this story.

Definitely a good read.

If you have read Jon Krakauers "Into The Wild" you should read this book. It is the true account of a mad man who lived alone in the wilderness of B.C. and his eventual demise.

This book is great. I recommend it to anybody who likes the outdoors, hunters, fisherman, etc. It's a good true story.

i don't know what the all-caps reviewer here was smoking, but this book definitely doesn't contain "the best info on one step, tango and waltz". first off, it doesn't deal with the one-step. (it does treat the castle's version of the one-step, called the castle walk.) secondly, saying that two early american ballroom dancers provide the best information on an austrian and an argentinian dance form is silly. thirdly, it hardly has "the best info" on anything. it has funny posed pictures and very dated descriptions which are rather a pain to learn from. if you're a dance historian, this book is great, though. the dancing of vernon and irene castle is usually seen as the beginning of american ballroom dance, and that alone makes this book interesting. as one of the other reviewers pointed out, the chapters on the dansant and clothing are most amusing. some of the stabs at the turkey trot, the grizzley, etc. are rather fun, too. in short, unless you are a serious dance historian, look somewhere else.

BEST INFO ON ONE STEP,TANGO & WALTZ

This is a true classic. It should be on the shelf of every serious ballroom or social dance enthusiast. If you are a beginner who wants to learn some steps, however, look elsewhere. Includes very amusing chapters on clothing and the dansant by Irene Castle. The rating of five stars merely reflects the historical value of the book and the Castles. Posed photograps are a blast. :o)

"The Public Lands" is an instructive and scholarly group of articles reflecting the history of the public domain (the majority of which were written anywhere from 45 to 90 years ago). Obviously, most of the action takes place in the 19th Century. The collection can be highly detailed; one essay contains technical descriptions of the conduct of cadastral surveys (including "governing lines", "principal meridians", "base lines", "correction lines", etc.) but in whole remains an interesting historical read. Being a military veteran, I especially enjoyed the selections pertaining to the military land bounties. Beginning in 1780, the public domain was generously offered (especially by today's standards) as a bounty to war vets and pro-rated according to rank. Ultimately, these land grants helped set the pattern for the early stages of the American westward movement process. In reality, the haggling over western land cessions by the former colonies (now the United States) required two decades of peace to pass before the first titles of bounty land were conveyed. Only a proportion of veterans (and their descendants) would actually acquire their rightfully begotten land. Many were forced by motivations of economics to sell their land warrants on the open market to speculators. In 1886, the federal government issued the last bounty warrant of the American Revolutionary War: 110 years after the enactment. In total, over 9.5 million acres of public domain were endowed. The War of 1812 would result in another 4.5 million acres transferring title to servicemen. But you will see that this is only a small tidbit from "The Public Lands". Other points of interest include the Homestead, Mining, and Pre-emption Acts, and the federal railroad land grants (which were actually loans). Recommended reading for all public domain scholars.

Carstensen has here compiled a group of excellent, probing studies of the history of America's public lands -- the lands the Federal government acquired directly, and then largely gave away to farmers, miners, loggers, and railroad companies. These are academic papers, but the chapters are all well written and full of solid facts. If you want to know how "the great barbecue" of the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican Cessions, California and the Oregon Territory was fired up, this is a must-read book. Persevere.

This book contains factual information about the settlement of the West that I have never seen anywhere else.

I wouldn't recommend this as a first book for those who are interested or curious about Muir (try _My First Summer in the Sierra_ or _1000 Mile Walk_), but it gives a lot of insight, for me at least, on why Muir turned out the way he did. He had a cruel, strict father and had to endure a lot of pain and hardship, which made his latter wilderness travels so much easier and free in comparison.

John Muir, one of the great leaders of the ecological movement in America, tells of growing up on a farm in Wisconsin. He gives detailed information about the wildlife he sees growing up, which is interesting but does get a bit tedious. It was interesting to learn how Muir became interested in being an inventor; before reading this book I hadn't known of his inventions. It gives some insights into how he came to love and appreciate nature, and hints at his later desire to protect all things wild. Near the end of the book he writes, "I wandered away on a glorious botanical and geological excursion, which has lasted nearly fifty years and is not yet completed, always happy and free, poor and rich, without thought of a diploma or of making a name, urged on and on through endless, inspiring, Godful beauty." Certainly Muir's writing recalls Thoreau, and his spirit has lived on through the writings of such diverse people as Rachel Carson, Jack Kerouac, and Adolph Murie. This book is not one of his classics, but if you're interested in Muir or life on the plains before they became completely tamed, it's worth reading.

The central symbol of Muir's abusive father is the father's decision to become a lay preacher, and thus his determination to study the Bible all day, while dumping all the farm chores on young John. This puts John at the bottom of a new well, hacking through the rocky ground in search of water. While the holy father urges him on between inspirational readings. One wonders if the father was reading of Jesus's encounter with the woman at the well, offering himself as the living water.

John concluded it's time to get the heck out of Wisconsin and away from his dad, to roam around the mountains and forests of the great unexplored Western U.S., appreciating the water where God placed it in plain view.

Muir's experience of being forced to work like a Calvinist, while his dad sat around like a pietist, presents a juxtaposition which can be applied to other relationships we all come across in our lives. That, and the lesson that you need not be a perpetual victim of a rotten childhood. Muir certainly overcame it.