Whenever I teach a class for actors, I recommend Moss Hart's autobiography, ACT ONE. It is simply the finest book I know about the theatre and what it was like to work on Broadway in the 1920's thru the 1950's. It was a true tragedy that Hart died so young, robbing not only his family of husband and father, but the world of a great playwright and director and chronicler of his times.

This is a funny, perceptive, first-hand account of life in the fast lane of one of the best playwrights Broadway has ever produced. An obsessive worker (it was the stress of his constant work that ultimately killed him), a perfectionist, a brilliant upstart, Hart teamed with George S. Kaufman to write some of the best and funniest plays of the first half of the 20th century...and even today. Is there really a better play about a family coping through love during the Depression than "You Can't Take It With You?" (That was a rhetorical question). And as Nathan Lane proved only two years ago, "The Man Who Came To Dinner" is very much worth reviving in a first class production even if you have already seen it in your local community or dinner theatre. The autobiography doesn't so much end as it stops and it is obvious that Hart meant to write a second and, perhaps, a third volume that would include his other writing partners, his Hollywood career, his directing, etc.

Steven Bach has written a biography of Hart's entire life called DAZZLER, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MOSS HART that is a fine companion to Hart's own, unbeatable ACT ONE. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Act One is one of my favorite books. I have rearead it often since the first time I picked it up in my late teens. I love the anecdotes about the Broadway greats ans near greats and how Mr. Hart became famous, but my favorite parts of the book concern his memorable Aunt Kate, a woman whose fate in life was other than she deserved. She is very humanely portrayed, and so is the rest of Mr. Hart's family. I also enjoyed learning more about George Kaufman and his wife. This book's great!

Moss Hart is arguably one of the finest and most successful authors of the 20th century theater in this or any other country. Like many successful men in the theater, he came from a background of serious poverty and the true drama of Act One is his perseverence and victory in extremely trying circumstances. There are fascinating glimpses into the theater world of NYC in the 40s and 50s, excellent sketches of George Kaufmann, Beatrice Kaufmann and Max Siegel, and poignant views into the people and places that forged Moss Hart into the extremely urbane, charming and successful man he became, against the hardest possible odds. Superb book!

I read this book when it was published in 1989, and was so moved by it I am compelled to write a review 8 years later. An outstanding story about duty and honor that will be a real treat to anyone who was part of the war or is interested in military fiction. Navy Lt. Stuart, on assignment with the Army as a land-based "spotter" for Naval gunfire, is a rich character through whose eyes one sees the drama, intrigue, and emotional anguish experienced by those who served with honor and dinstinction in this unpopular conflict. This is remarkable and serious book -- not simply an "action" novel -- a book that will fill the reader with many of the same emotions as experienced by Lt. Stewert. Although the novel apparently was not commercially successful, Mr. Leib has done a great service to those who served by writing this book. I have not been as moved by anything I have read in the past decade, and regard my mint condition, hard-cover copy as a prize possession.

One of the best war books ever written. The insight to the characters makes you feel like you were there. Having read quite a few Vietnam war books, this one rates as the most memorable. I highly recommend this book!

This is the finest novel about the Vietnam War I have read. I wonder why Mr Leib stopped writing. I found this book in a box of give away paperbacks in a funky little store on the Sacramento River Delta. I have been hooked ever since. With some books I look back in laborious effort to keep track of characters and actions. With this book, I eagerly review sections for character connections and to review the "lay of the land".

Mr. Leib provides us a compelling view of Vietnam, how the conflict ebbs and flows and the believable and extremely insightful story of the lives of the men. He gave me a perspective I never had even though I lived through this time in our history. This should have been a NY Times bestseller.

Poe has been overlooked by today's literary order, but the man was one of the finest American authors ever. His stories paved the way for other great and popular authors--everyone from Conan Doyle to Stephan King. This book is an outstanding collection and should be read not for its literary value (which is tremendous) but for the sheer fun of it.

Poe is one of the best horror writers ever to have lived. I have read all of his works. Some of his best stories are The Fall of the House of Usher, The Masque of Red Death, The Black Cat, The Cask of Amontaiado, The Pit and the Pendelum, and The Tell-Tale Heart. His great poems include-The Raven and The Bells. Poe is a fantastic author, and his creepy tales of the dark side of life should be read over and over.

Poe is one of the world's finest writers and this collection of stories is what he's all about. This book contains the best of his tales, with many others for you to explore on your own. It has his poems and short stores. Its contents is very close to being unabridged except, for it missing a few poems and stories that aren't very good anyway.

Poe's tales contain all the excitement of a novel, in around 10 pages. I recommend this collection because it offers hours of enjoyment. The only thing you might need is a large vocabulary because he tends to have an advanced word choice. Get this book and have fun!

This well done book fills in the gaps that field guides and bird identification books create. It is a logically laid out, valuable tutorial on each bird family. While the chapters are not highly detailed with species-level information, you get a general flavor of each family of birds. I highly recommend this work to birders and to those who are interested in learning more about our beautiful, feathered friends.

I worked on the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas 20 years ago and will soon be going into the third year of Atlas 2000. This book on bird behavior will help a lot with the questions I and other workers have such as "What in the world is that bird doing?" It should easily help us to clear up problems as to which category the bird should be recorded in. The information is easy to read and easy to understand for the practiced field birder as well as for the amateur. David has selected masters in the birding field to write sections of this book.
Atlas coordinator in Central New York State.

As denoted in its title, this book aims to enrich the popular study of North American birds--it is a layperson's access to avian biology, rather than an identification guide. It is an authoritative effort by almost 50 authors and three editors. The first part of the guide reviews five major themes, each deemed basic to an understanding of the group Aves: avian flight, evolution, behavior, habitats, and populations. Throughout, principles are nicely illustrated with Sibley's colorful artwork. The second and major part of the book reviews each of the 80 bird families found in North America. This natural organization by families (e.g., "owls," "wrens") is very familiar to birders and allows for accessible overviews of selected subjects: features that distinguish the family, taxonomy, plumages, ecology (habitat and foods), behavior (including migration), and conservation concerns. Where appropriate other subjects are included (such as vocalizations), and again the work is enhanced throughout by Sibley's art. This guide will be well praised. All levels

I bought this book at a time when I could see that we were going to have to find a new, safe place for Mother to live. However, she resisted the thought of moving to an "Old Folks Home", as she put it. She had also fallen into the "I don't want to go anywhere, because it takes too much effort" routine. Since she has always been a very sociable person, she fell into a deep depression. As I read this book to her, we both saw that there was a better alternative for her, as she was not so far along, physically and mentally, as to need a nursing home. After she moved into The Reunion Inn, in Marshall, Tx., I started reading to the residents from this book on a weekly basis. I am scheduled on their monthly calendar as "The Whimsical Reader." The book has allowed the residents to recall a lot of memories, as well as opening their eyes to the humor around them. It has also given them ideas as to how The Reunion Inn can be improved for their convenience. They really liked the idea of the benches across from the cafeteria line. Reading to the residents has given me the opportunity to get to know them better than I probably would have otherwise. This book has given such pleasure to all of us that The Reunion Inn is going to buy the rest of the books in the series so that I can continue reading to their guests. I recommend this book to anyone facing the possibility of moving into or placing their parent in an assisted living facility. It certainly made the decision easier for us.

Mrs. Wilder has given all generations a delightful and easy to swallow book about aging. The main character, Hattie, is into everyone's business, but in a kindhearted way. Through her eyes the reader can see much of the pain and joy of being older. Leaving your home and moving into a retirement home is never an easy choice, but I think Hattie shows us that if done with grace, it can work out to be a fairly good life. The book is a joy to read, offers lots of laughs, a few tears, and some good hard lessons about life. I look forward to sharing this book with my "adopted" eighty-four-year-old grandmother.

In this, her first book, the author uses her own experiences in a retirement home to illustrate her story. Her main character, Hattie, is a lovable & outgoing busybody, a habitual eavesdropper and journal writer, recording the day to day activities with a sense of humor and sometimes with a touch of sadness. She shows us that 's it's still possible to have a rich and meaningful life, no matter what one's age, with the right attitude. A good, clean book ( I especially enjoyed the humor and the light poetry).

We are all searching for answers on how to lead a fulfilled life. The answers are within all of us, but often we look elsewhere to try and find the answers through comparison and material possessions. I have by no means mastered the lessons taught by James Allen, but can see that with time, patience, and persistance I can be at peace with myself. This work is greatly enhanced with a goal setting plan. The combination allows us to create a plan and a framework to live by. The result is the ability to ultimately construct the fulfilled life we are all searching. This is not a read and put away book. One really has to think about the messages conveyed.

This particular anthology of the very best writings of James Allen is a testament to the truth of that cliché; "Good things come in small packages." The collection of five classic works by the contemplative Englishman, being only about 5 x 4 inches, is the ideal size for stuffing Christmas stockings, though it is entirely more substantial that the throwaway knickknacks and edibles that are usually found therein. It also rides unobtrusively in backpacks, briefcases and handbags, and will be equally inspiring and motivating to the carriers of all of the above. This is a book that cries out to be toted around; open it up to any page and you will unfailingly be greeted by a gem--in the form of Allen's digestible, clean, concise prose. It is no exaggeration to say that James Allen's was one of the great minds (and souls) of the nineteenth century. Opting not to utilize the convoluted and alienating language of some other great thinkers and philosophers, Allen-an exceedingly humble man who advocated simplicity in life-meant for his deeply valuable ruminations to be shared with everyone, no matter what age, sex or background. And it is true that his writings-on such themes as character, destiny, true wealth, spiritual development, the secret of happiness, serenity, suffering and the universal law of love-are as appropriate for the high-schooler as for the retiree, the ambitious business person or the thoughtful homebody. As well as one of simplicity, Allen believed in a life of self-discipline, self-examination, and a constant striving for personal betterment and harmony both within and among individuals. This involves, in largely simplified terms, refusing to judge ones fellows while at the same time reaching to better one's self-through the renunciation of personal, inharmonious will for surrender to the unfailingly loving and ever-present guidance of a higher power (or self). Lovers of the great author Leo Tolstoy's synthesis of the earthly and prosaic with the mystical and spiritual will appreciate a similar quality in Allen, who was an admirer of the former. Allen, perhaps even better than Tolstoy, demonstrates that there is no better place or time to become more spiritually beautiful, prosperous, loving, harmonious and happy than here on this earth and in this life. Peace, truth, prosperity, joy, wisdom and that vague, cloud-enshrouded 'Kingdom of Heaven' we have all heard of are not, Allen emphasizes in these works, conditions which await us after the completion of this strife-ridden earthly existence; on the contrary, they are qualities already present in abundance, here and now, not just around us but in us, waiting to be realized. We all need to be reminded now and then of the responsibility we have for our own happiness and destiny. James Allen-in this appropriately small, simple-looking yet densely rich book-illustrates how to effectively exercise this responsibility for the most fruitful results and rewards, both tangible and intangible.

Although I was familiar with As A Man Thinketh, I had not read other works by James Allen. This book has five of James Allen's works that all provide insight into living life as a positive, productive person.

Though touted as a "novel," the back matter of this book demonstrates that this author did some serious research in putting together "I Cannot Tell a Lie." This extensive saga gives the reader a wrenching, personal tour through the victories and heartaches of one family - who spent 200 years in the shadow of a secret that can - and will - change the way the world views American history. There is much to be learned from this fascinating book, aside from the astonishing revelation that the blood of our first national hero lives on in an African American family. The book gives us a whole new set of heros - in the form of courageous, lively people of color, and of mixed race - who have been omitted from our texts. This is a generous gift to America and the author is to be applauded. Read this book if you're ready to hear the truth about what America is, and should be, all about.

George Washington, may not have chopped down the Cherry Tree but,Linda Allen Bryant, had enough branches to build a tree of his African-American Descendants.

A lot of time had to be spent for Linda to take us back to the 1700's when George fathered a son,West Ford, by a slave named Venus. She weaves the story through each generation to bring us up to the present ending with her own family.

This is a wonderful, informative, educational book and a very interesting read.

I thought I knew my American history, but I was astounded by what I learned from this book that teaches, but reads like a novel. Ms Bryant has done some fascinating work researching her family's journey from the Bushfield plantation of 1785 through the Civil War and race riots in Chicago in 1919. You'll find much of this is mysteriously missing from our current high school history curriculum. Woven throughout the book is the thread of this family's strength fueled by their courage and commitment to place "family" above all else. Although sure to stir some controversy, this story needed to be told.

While the text itself is somewhat dry and analytical, this rates as one of the great studies of military tactics and provides a facinating glimpse into the mind of one of history's great generals. Attacks! is Rommel's first person account of his experiences in WWI. As was his custom, he recorded his military exploits and summarized his findings for his own personal study and the benefit of those military students to follow. Anyone interested in gaining insight into Rommel himself or interested in what makes a great platoon/company level commander should read this book.

A masterful description of small unit action in WWI. Its amazing how articulate Rommel is in describing preparations for attack, use of terrain, change of plans on the spot and other details involved in executing battalion level orders. At the end of each battle sequence is an Observations section in which the lessons to be drawn are dispassionately stated.

From this book its clear that during WW1 Rommel acquired most of the military characteristics that made him one of the best commanders of WW2. His emphasis on reconnaissance, deception, and surprise as well as his trademark "feel for the terrain" (fingersptizengefuhl) were all developed at the battalion level in this earlier conflict.

Another real plus in this book are the maps (actually Rommel's hand sketches) showing terrain and lines of attack.

Anyone who is interested in Rommel's military operations should start here. As a WW2 follow-on, I'd recommend Ronald Lewin's Rommel as Military Commander...for its detailed battle accounts and excellent maps. Fraser's and Irving's books are also good, but operate at a more general level and suffer from a lack of battle area maps.

Rommel's Attack is a great first person account on the activities of a junior military officer, trained on the concept of problem solving and overcoming the obstacles that he finds as he accomplishes the task that present themselves to him during combat in the Great War. In a war that has been defined as a defensive engagement, Rommel is consistently able to overcome these defenses, attack effectively, and achieve his objectives. This book is a great account on one military officers utilization of his leadership ability, coupled with the effective incorporation of those around him into an effective fighting organization. Rommel also incorporates numerous sketches of troop movements, obstacles overcome, and his battle plan intentions that add to the readers ability to learn from these writings. While many see warfare of today as much different from that of the Great War, it is important to remember that conflict still requires one group to overcome another and the thought process utilized by Rommel (and explained in this book) is still as useful today as it was then. This is a excellent book for those interested in then military, but should also be a must read for those who work with others at difficult task or objectives.

This is the most thorough book on Financials I've seen. A must-have, whether you're going for the OCP certification or not.

This book's coverage of Financials installation and customization is phenomenal. The OCP exams on this subject are demanding, and this book has what it takes to get you ready. Impressive work.

Last year I used Oracle Press's OCP Developer exam guide to prepare for, and pass, the Developer/2000 exams. The book worked great. Now I need to apply my Forms knowledge to creating custom Financials screens, so I bought this book. Its excellent. It gives the underlying logic behind Financials, and then goes into screen-by-screen detail. Very helpful. After buying this book and starting to read it, I've rescheduled my first Apps exam from a month away to next week!

Allen Say's book is a sensitive and poignant story of a Japanese man who came to explore America around the turn of the century. Enraptured by the beauty of the country, he brings his bride to California and proceeds to build his life there. At times, however, he grows wistful for his homeland and longs to return. Finally, the desire to return to to his homeland overcomes him and he goes back to the small village where he was born. The years pass, his children grow up and have children, and he begins to long for the beauty of his second home, so he plans a trip. A war errupts, however, and he is never able to revisit the United States. Beautifully illustrated and sensitively told, Grandfather's Journey demonstrates the strong emotions evoked by one man's love for two countries and two cultures. The story also demonstrates that it is possible to love two countries equally well and to discover taht as soon as you are in one, you long for the other. The book also presents a refreshing retelling of Japanese-American relations. The book raises an awareness of the immigrant experience in a tone that is both simple and subtle.

I bought a copy of this book for all of my nephews and nieces (6 copies total!). It is truly wonderful---one of the best picturebooks I have ever seen.
The watercolor/illustrations have a dreamy quality to them and they make you want to get in a car and drive across the US to meet the people Grandfather meets and to see the cities, deserts and landscapes he sees.
The story is also deeply moving. Say does an incredible job illustrating the ways in which people who move from one country (or even one region of a country) to another feel both a love for their new home as well as a longing for their old. Having lived abroad and felt that pull, I have often found myself in tears as I read the book.
For my nieces and nephews it was a wonderful way to introduce them to the experiences of their immigrant great-grandfather and great-grandmother. I can't recommend this highly enough!

Allen Say has combined his love of family history and his talent for evocative illustration to create this wonderful story to share with your own family! He retells his grandfather's story of immigration, imparting not only the wonder he experiences being in his new country, but also conveying the angst he feels at being away from his land of birth. These feelings are expressed exquisitely in the paintings which bring to mind photograhs of that period in history. In addition, there are many springboard opportunities for discussions. The photographic paintings elicit questions from your children that will begin conversations about methods of travel, different regions of our own country, differences between cultures, and differences between the time that is illustrated and the time we are living in now. A valuable book on so many levels, you will be glad you chose to share this with your children!