I like this book so much, I stole it from the library. Ricky Jay has reprinted other of his books like "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women" why can't he reprint "cards as weapons"

1. History A brief account of the origins of playing cards with some subtle speculation as to when they were first thrown (Very Interesting)

2. Cards and the Martial Arts A reflective look at the shuriken and other deadly throwing weapons of the venerable Orientals with a lucid parallel to the modern card assassin. (Very Very Interesting)

3. Magicians and Card-Scaling Historical accounts of the scaling of cards into the far reaches of small theaters. A feat of skill included in the stage shows of famous magicians, with particular emphasis on Herrmann the Great and the Amazing Thurston. 4. Technique The basics of card-throwing (illustrated); the Herrmann method, the Thurston method, and the Jay method. The hand, the wrist, the grip, and the all important follow-through. 5. Advanced Technique How to throw a card and make it return to the hand. A simulacrum of the Australian boomerang. Also--fancy one-hand throws and catches for the serious student....

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit The hows and wheres of practice; technique to keep the fingers limber and a short medical study of card-thrower's arm and its relationship to tennis elbow, surfer's knobs, and Frisbee finger...

7. Self-Defense A prejudiced enquiry into the advatages of cards over more conventional weaponry. Special sections on self-defense against plastics and humans, and pertinent discussion of cards as pest control. Also, an added bonus: The secret fighting technique against multiple adversaries, the lethal "four card fist." And a second bonus: The consumer's guide to mechanical card throwing. (Very Very Very Very Interesting)

8. Stunts to Impress One's Friends An effective battery of crowd-pleasing demonstrations from the author's own repertoire. Included are award-winning throws such as: card over a building, the classic card through newspaper, and the kudo-copping "card-cuts-cigarette-in-mouth." (Very... Interesting)

9. Personal Anecdotes In which the author recounts with clarity and exaggeration how he has helped the elderly, abetted the police, and assuaged the plight of young damsels with the help of his trusty cards. (Interesting)

This Book would make a come back if Reprinted

I would also recommend "Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women" by Ricky Jay

The chapters of the book are:

1. History A brief account of the origins of playing cards with some subtle speculation as to when they were first thrown

2. Cards and the Martial Arts A reflective look at the shuriken and other deadly throwing weapons of the venerable Orientals with a lucid parallel to the modern card assassin.

3. Magicians and Card-Scaling Historical accounts of the scaling of cards into the far reaches of small theaters. A feat of skill included in the stage shows of famous magicians, with particular emphasis on Herrmann the Great and the Amazing Thurston. 4. Technique The basics of card-throwing (illustrated); the Herrmann method, the Thurston method, and the Jay method. The hand, the wrist, the grip, and the all important follow-through. 5. Advanced Technique How to throw a card and make it return to the hand. A simulacrum of the Australian boomerang. Also--fancy one-hand throws and catches for the serious student.

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit The hows and wheres of practice; technique to keep the fingers limber and a short medical study of card-thrower's arm and its relationship to tennis elbow, surfer's knobs, and Frisbee finger.

7. Self-Defense A prejudiced enquiry into the advatages of cards over more conventional weaponry. Special sections on self-defense against plastics and humans, and pertinent discussion of cards as pest control. Also, an added bonus: The secret fighting technique against multiple adversaries, the lethal "four card fist." And a second bonus: The consumer's guide to mechanical card throwing.

8. Stunts to Impress One’s Friends An effective battery of crowd-pleasing demonstrations from the author's own repertoire. Included are award-winning throws such as: card over a building, the classic card through newspaper, and the kudo-copping "card-cuts-cigarette-in-mouth."

9. Personal Anecdotes In which the author recounts with clarity and exaggeration how he has helped the elderly, abetted the police, and assuaged the plight of young damsels with the help of his trusty cards...

This book was published in 1988 by Warner Brothers books. It's paperback, 130 pages, and has over 100 how-to pictures. This book will show you how to throw playing cards farther, faster and harder than you ever thought possible. The chapters of the book are as follows:

1. History

2. Cards and the Martial Arts

3. Magicians and Card Scaling

4. Technique

5. Advanced Technique

6. How to Practice and Stay Fit

7. Self-Defense

8. Stunts to Impress One's Friends

9. Personal Anecdotes

10. Afterword

This books explains such card throws as the Boomerang Card, the Long-Distance Spinner, the Flick, the Back-of-the-hand Flick, the Finger Flick, the Foot Flick, Card Juggling, the Lethal Four Card Fist, the Butterfly Swirl, the Sea Urchin Spin, and the Dolphin Dart. Shows alternative throwing methods such as the Martin Lewis Method, the Thurston Grip, the Jay Grip, and the Herrmann Grip. This is the book that made Jon Wedd famous for his appearance on MTV's "Unfiltered" news show. Ricky Jay held the Guinness world record for card throwing in 1976. He also wrote the book "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women"

When I messed up my knee and found myself housebound for the summer I tried to look on the bright side- finally a chance to catch up on my reading. Fortunately, a good friend who "surfaced from out of the blue" gave me a copy of "Blue Road to Atlantis." Clearly, this has been the best book I've read this summer, and has made my recovery so much more enjoyable. It is extremely well written, adeptly mixing humor and little life-lessons. The author, Jay Nussbaum, demonstrates a keen sense of direction. After reading his book, I fully intend to "swim with the current."

From childhood, I have always had a deep fascination for ocean life. The story's setting made the story very approachable for me. I received the book yesterday, and I finished it this morning! The words of Blue Road's simple tale flow as easily as water, and one can't help but feel swept away as you follow the adventures of two sea-dwelling friends.

"Blue Road to Atlantis" is a joyful reminder of one of the most profound lessons I have learned earlier in life: Be who you are. Doesn't make sense? Read the book! Sometimes one needs gentle reminders and this book did exactly that for me. For other readers, it may unlock a new perspective never before realized. This book introduces what I would say is the "tao" or the "zen" in "Old Man in the Sea", for reasons I invite you to find out for yourself. You'll be pleasantly surprised, touched and hopefully motivated to reflect on your own life and evaluate what your true path is.

This book is a delight. You won't believe that fish could be so interesting--so deep even (oops, now I'm punning like the book does!). It's a fun, quick read, and there are wonderful messages to be found about all sorts of life issues: from marriage to fighting. It's a pretty incredible little volume. Beyond expectations. It's really a perfect book to give as a gift.

This is a system, simple, and direct! Gary Keller has gone to the core of real estate and what it takes to succeed. This book can be used as a step-by-step guide to making any amount of money you wish! His use of real life millionaire agents is inspiring, invigorating, and fascinating. This is a must read for real estate agents and non-agents alike. A job well done goes out to the brilliant authors of this work!

This book has changed my way of thinking. Gary Keller and Dave Jenks do a remarkable job of mapping out the path to netting over a million dollars. I am currently reading this book for the second time and I plan on reading it ten more times. Our team has made some serious changes after reading this book and we are seeing the benefits and how easy it can be accomplished. Remember we are all in the Lead Generating Business. I wish you all the success after you follow the MILLIONAIRE REAL ESTATE AGENT Book.

This book clearly details Gary Keller's study of the top real estate mega-agents in the US. Written in a style that is easy to read, understand and follow this book is actually a "how to manual" for achieving over $1 million dollars a year of NET income by selling residential real estate in any market. MREA reveals the basic model for generating leads and leveraging a team (staff) to achieve a production most real estate agents do not even realize is possible. Unlike most real estate trainers and speakers this book does try to sell any other products or services.

When I was a kid in the late 60's and early 70's, I read all eight books in the J.R. Tunis series in his Dodgers series. Anyone who gets into the series MUST start with this one. Roy Tucker is an integral part in nearly all the books ("Young Razzle" being the exception), and "The Kid From Tomkinsville" introduces him along with the other characters. While some of the dialogue is of the "gee whiz" variety, the book and series are excellent. I'm so glad they were re-released, and I now have all of them. Now, I want to get a Dodgers replica jersey with the name "Tucker" above the number 34. Any kid between 9 and 90 who reads this book will know why.

I read this book the first time back in the mid-80's in high school. I had a burgeoning love of baseball and fell deeply in love with Tunis' works. The point I got from this story is that there is always another door to get to your dream.

I first read this book when I was 7 years old in the 1970s. I still love it to this day. The characters jump off the page and take you back to the 1940s, a different time and world.

Faith is known as a powerful force to enable one to overcome emotional and psychological barriers that would deny their humanity. Jarvis Masters shares with us his spiritual transformation in a setting that is life denying. His poignant stories gives one insight on the culture of prison life on death row.

Of particular interest is Jarvis himself. He is an incarcerated Black man whose embracing of Vyrayana Buddhism has enabled him to move beyond the violence of prison life. Usually American Buddhism is associated with a white intellectual elite group which appears to ignore the sufferings of those incarcerated. Islam has been known as the religion of choice for jailed Black men while Christianity has provided religious solace and comfort to those imprisoned.

Buddha's visit to death row and Jarvis offers a new view of Buddhism. It has broken through its chains of exclusivisity and has offered those who are incarcerated the hope of finding freedom in the worst of circumstances. Jarvis' sharing of his practice of Buddhism is a testament to the great power of a faith to make a difference in one's life. This is a book to be read by all people interested in the transformative power of religion in today's prisons.

In Finding Freedom, author and San Quentin death-row inmate Jarvis Jay Masters compiles a heart-wrenching, funny, and sometimes profane series of anecdotal essays which might make for a simple read were it not for the author's spiritual transformation. If you are looking for a treatise for or against capital punishment or the values or demerits of prison reform, this is not the book for you. Instead, Masters portrays his prison life plainly, and without posturing, religious "one-upmanship", or political commentary. Instead, he tells of his own day-to-day existence and that of his fellow prisoners without the judgment most of us would inject were we in his position. Despair and his probable death are interwoven subtly, but seemingly without guile. His chronicle of improbable transformation from criminal to Buddhist practitioner is applicable to anyone struggling to find a spiritual homestead, and makes the book easy to relate to whether or not the reader shares a similar background with the author. Without explicitly making the intention known, he teaches us all that we are prisoners behind walls of our own erection, and that the only way to escape our prison is to look within.

Not your everyday prisoner's memoir! Jarvis Masters' stories from the "belly of the beast" are well-observed, written with a lot of flair, and often hilariously funny. He has spent a third of his life on death row, yet somehow finds the strength and spirit to grow beyond those walls with his mind and heart, through his life and the stories he shares with us. A truly inspiring book -- I bought it for several of my friends, and they are telling me that they have been distributing it around their own circle. This is not a political book nor an anti-death penalty manifesto, yet it makes its case quietly and simply through the personality of the writer. I can't see how anyone could read it and still be convinced that this man (who didn't kill anyone) deserves to be put to death by the State of California.

Dr. Michael Bradley's book, "Yes, Your Teen is Crazy!" is an
inspiration and should be on every parent's night stand, indefinitely.

From the frightening statistics on teen suicide today to safety and privacy issues, you will finally understand what you're dealing with as a parent and what you can do to make the experience better for your teenager and your family.

Dr. Bradley's grasp of teen fears, trials and needs is a pleasant reminder to be kind to our teens in an otherwise punitive society. This book is a guiding light for parents trying to love sometimes unlovable kids while also providing security in the face of panic. He offers excellent guidelines to help conquer your fears while also helping your teen deal with their own tumultuous world.

Before I even finished this book I began using the "dispassionate" techniques Dr. Bradley recommends. The results have been dramatic. My 13 year-old and I have not had a screaming fight in a while (they were happening every other day) AND we have been communicating in a way I thought was lost forever. Dr. Bradley uses an upbeat and candid style to get across all that ails today's teens, from medical insight that supports the notion that our kids are crazy (his term, not mine), to an environment that inundates them with sex, drugs and rock and roll at a very early age. His case studies are enlightening, and sometimes terrifying, but a wonderful way to get his point across without bogging down the reader with too much psychobabble. I highly recommend this book not just for parents of teenagers-my relationship with my 10 year-old is already benefitting from my newly learned parenting skills-but for every parent who has, at one time or another, been frustrated while trying to communicate with his or her child.

Superb! I am the mother of two teenagers and also a professional working with children and teenagers - this book was worth every cent and every second I spent reading it.
I found it very helpful personally, I am already reaping the benefits in my family...
It will also go on my short list of book recommendations for parents of troubled teens.
It is transforming, empowering - and reassuring. Just add a caring parent (even if confused, angry, ineffective - as we all are from time to time).

Just one burning issue - I hate the title which may be fine for parents but is insensitive to teens. I discarded the dust jacket, so all my recently raging teen would see was an innocuous grey cloth binding, as I read the book. Please retool the title for future editions which will surely follow.
And thank you Michael Bradley !!!

This is by far the finest computer book I have ever read. I recommend this book to people wanting to install and use Samba because no other book, HOWTO, or online forum explains SAMBA so well. I also recommend this book to people just getting their feet wet with networking because it comprehensively examines both Linux and Windows networking issues in an extremely easy to read, step-by-step way.

This book has screen shots -- a lot of them. This book has examples -- a lot of them. This book has very easily followed writing that tells you how to set up your Linux and Windows machines and how to get Samba going. The book sits down with you, rolls up your sleeves, and shows you how to progress in a way that yeilds desired results -- Samba installs and works on your network! It blends instruction with just the right amount of background explanation without forcing you to read page after page of useless, smothering detail. A lot of authors would be well advised to achieve this kind of balance in computer books and darn few succeed. I had my Windows box talking to my Linux box via Samba in just a day. I spent about 2 weeks going over the book and studying my existing Windows network before making any software changes whatsoever.

This book offers a comprehensive networking fault tree people new to networking will find extremely useful. Follow this fault tree and you will be able to correct general networking problems as well as specific Samba problems. When I had networking problems back when I first got into Linux with Red Hat 6.0, I could have fixed them with this book's fault tree. It would have saved me hours of frustration to have worked through this book's fault tree.

I think everyone wanting to connect Linux boxes to Windows boxes should rush to order this book and then spend 2 weeks reading it cover to cover before messing with ANY network settings. You will be rewarded for your money and patience with results and a feeling of genuine accomplishment.

I've noticed a trend in Linux books where the authors like to waste space and reader's time with useless banner "warnings" and sometimes repetitive moralizing. Some writers print warnings every 2 pages and sound as bad as hoax emails. Well you won't find many warnings in Using Samba. They are worth reading when found.

As far as I can see, there are only 2 bad points about this book and you can't blame the authors for them: unless it is lovingly revised in a new edition, increasing rollouts of Windows 2000 will rapidly obsolete the excellent Samba advice you can get here. As of this writing (August 2000), Windows Millenium Edition will be available to consumers September 14, and depending on sales this may help obsolete the book also. The second bad point is that Samba has not gone into a new version which can deal with Windows 2000 and Millenium Edition yet. It is still stuck at 2.0.7. Hopefully the Samba team will release a new version in the near future covering Windows 2000. And I sure hope The Samba Book, as it is called, is revised to cover the new Windows products!

O'Reilly sets the standard by which all other technical publishers should aspire; their books are technical, dense, and personally, I love the pithy, no nonsense tone. I have never been disappointed with an O'Reilly book. This book continues the tradition of above par books and I can attest that hands down, this is the best book available on Samba.

Remarkably, the information inside is aging very well. While it doesn't cover the most current version of Samba, this book is by far the most informative and helpful on the subject available.

While the book is fortified with examples, screenshots, and an easy to read style, by far my favorite portion is on troubleshooting (complete with a "fault tree"). It is just a way of systematically approaching connectivity problems in relation to the samba server.

I mean, really, what exactly is "System error 53?" This book won't tell you outright, but it will help narrow down the problem to solvable proportions.

The included CDROM also includes a mirror to the official Samba FTP site, including sources, binaries, documentation, and utilities.

When I have Samba configuration problems, or questions pop up about Samba, this is the book I reach for. If pressed for time and pressed for answers by coworkers, I have been known to pull it off the shelf and lend it out.

This is THE book for samba configuration. No two ways about it. This book rules.

These guys really want you to succeed an not only working a half-decent smb.conf file to implement a file server or print server but REALLY work your servers by creating stable, secure configurations where you do know what the options mean so you are implmenting knoweldge rather than mimicking the actions of others: lending robustness to your servers. It also help when you need to troubleshoot that you understand what you've done. Listen to these guys and that's what you'll accomplish: understanding. There is also good documentation on configuring various windows clients (as well as some insightful opinions on windows and it's failings and foibles: eg. Windows XP home being almost useless in a domain environment)

Lots of really good knowledge here. Pick it up and read it NOW! And then read it again.

To top it off, it is also very well written and easy to read! You now have no excuse not too...:)

It seems to me, as others have said, that the discovery of LSD ranks up there with the top scientific discoveries of the century. The mere fact alone that there exists a substance, 50 micrograms of which, would be sufficient to perhaps reorient your entire life and understanding of the universe, whether or not one ever actually tries it, is well worth remembering on those occasions when we get a little too self-preoccupied. This book documents the history of the reactions of various individuals as they encountered this substance through an amazingly varied set of contexts, and through an intricately woven web of connections. I have a mild annoyance with the book in that the author is relentless in his effort to remain 'above it all' and regards everything with an amused and detached air. It is a puzzling attitude in a way. But the stories he tells are all well-crafted and make compelling reading. His lack of reflection on the ultimate meaning of LSD for our view of what it is to be 'normal' may be quite intentional, but it seems to give the book an unnecessarily superficial orientation which I found a bit strange.

_Storming Heaven_ is a non-ficticious account of the history of the spread of LSD in America and England during the 50's and 60's. It gives detailed accounts of all of the major players in the early days of the synthesization and distribution of this drug. It is not as thoughtful or philosophical as I hoped, and has little to say about the implications and nuances of the actual effects of the drug. However, I came to accept this book for what it is, which is a matter-of-fact description of how this drug progressed from the university offices and laboratories to the streets of San Francisco. This book has much to say about both the east-coast and west-coast acid scenes of the 50's and 60's. In the east, you have Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert, and Alan Watts, and their whole gang of weirdos hanging out in an acid-soaked mansion in Millbrook NY. It is very interesting to read about the(mis)adventures of these three men, all of whom (especially Alan Watts) are gifted and accomplished writers. For those who are fans of their work, _Storming Heaven_ is a must-read if for no other reason than to get some idea of the formative influences of these writers.

The west coast scene, in contrast, was less intellectual and more of a free-for-all. Jay Stevens describes the exploits of Ken Kesey, and the riders of his magic bus. Of course any discussion of Ken Kesey will inevitably lead to a discussion of the Grateful Dead, and the handiwork of their "chemist" mr. Owlsley. Stevens also covers the involvement of the Hell's Angels in this west coast movement. All of this makes for very entertaining, albeit light, reading.

In the spirit of the subject matter, the best word to describe this book is...cool. The author appears to have a genuine desire to objectively explore the history, for better or worse, of LSD and its role in American culture. Stevens does not approach this work being for nor against LSD. He just looks. As a result, this book comes out with flying colors...pun intended.

This book is a diamond in the rough for those who wish to take that same exploratory approach in reading about LSD and the history of this potent and controversial drug. It's not geared for people who are vehemently pro/anti LSD. Preconceived notions should be checked at the door before embarking on this adventure.

Stevens looks at LSD from its very beginnings, where characters such as Hoffman, Osmond, and Huxley help pave the way for much of what comes later in the book. As the narrative moves on, familiar names such as Ginsberg, Leary, Burroughs, Kerouac, Alpert, Metzner, Kesey, Cassady, Weil, Watts, and Wolfe, among others, enter and exit the stage like bit actors in this great showcase. If you've ever been enamored with the doings of any of those names, this book weaves a pattern from threads of various legacies in one fascinating tapestry.

As a caveat to the above paragraph, none of those characters is covered in much detail, with the exception of Timothy Leary. This is more a result of Leary's intense involvement with the scene than Stevens' focusing on one extraordinary character. Some of those people (Burroughs, for instance) make very brief but interesting appearances.

In addition to those mentioned, many unknown but intriguing characters fill the pages of this book. More than likely, every one of them will lead you to read on, until another name segues into the narrative. Stevens does a great job researching this story and presenting it to the reader in one piece.

Every time I review a book I do my best to find something which was lacking, no matter how much I enjoyed it. In this particular case, I have a hard time pinpointing anything to find fault with. The only complaint I might have is that it was too short. One imagines that pages and pages of material never made it to press and it's a shame this book had to end where it did. I would have kept reading if it were twice as long.

I do have to cede a point that one other reviewer makes. He comments that the prevalence of 5 star ratings, "reflects the weirdness and coolness of the events portrayed rather than the history itself." I do have to lend some credence to that point and admit that this may be true. However, as this subject matter is relatively new to me, the book still rates 5 stars in terms of an introduction to the subject. As a history on the subject, it's the role of the author to tell the story, and Stevens does that well.

In all, a great read. A fascinating perspective brought to you by someone trying to elucidate the ups and downs of LSD and the movement it helped create. Again, this is not going to be a favorite of the pro-LSD hippie or the anti-drug conservative. But for those of you who want a fairly balanced, comprehensive view of the history of LSD and how it influenced culture in America, I strongly recommend this book.

Very well done.

This book along with Dr. Norman Walker's "Fresh Vegetabels and Fruit Juice" helped me begin my quest and desire to mostly eat and drink raw fruits and vegetables. Ten years ago as a first-year graduate student at UC Santa Barbara I found myself with an acne problem that had plagued me for the last 5 years, despite ingesting numerous antibiotics. Moreover, my eyes were beginning to tire easily. Then one day I stumbled upon this book by Dr. Walker which from the onset made complete sense to me. Around the same time I saw an infomercial advertising the Juiceman Jr. which I bought the next week (and it hasn't failed me since!), along with the "Power of Juicing" book and began a regimen of fresh juice three times a day, using many of the recipes and suggestions from both books. Some amazing things began to progess over the next year:!
i) my acne not only completely disappeared, but I found myself having a very youthful, vibrant look. I looked better than I had ever in the past.
ii) I lost 15 pounds in one year and became a star on the softball field.
iii) I have not touched my reading glasses in the past 9 years.

In the words of Jack Lalane (who is older and more fit than 99.99% of all other Americans) "If man made it, I don't eat it".

One note on juicers: low-rpm juicers which press the juice now offer a nice alternative to the Juiceman or any other of the centrifugal juicers. They seem easier to clean and produce a higher yield of vitamins and less oxidation. I recommend Samson 6 in 1 juicer which has a 5 year warranty on the auger (like a drill bit which is used to press the juice) and a 10 year warranty on the motor.

The revolution does not begin in the streets, but rather with a tall class of carrot and spinach!

After 40 yrs of dieting (& gaining 200 lbs! in the process) this book has given me hope that nutrition is a major key to optimum health and weight. Jay helps us understand how most of our nutrients come from fresh, living plants not cooked (dead) food. It's not a big mystery now why I gained so much weight while dieting - my body was starving for nutrition among other things. Jay explains in detail why cooked food has very little nutritional value and how our bodies get so much more "bang for our buck" out of fresh fruits and vegetables. Great nutritional information as well as tasty juice and pulp recipes. Very informative - reviews most fruits and vegetables, their nutritional values and health promoting properties. Well-written, easy to understand, and packed with enthusiasm and encouragement. Keep up the great work Jay!

This book made me want to juice so much I just went out and purchased a juicer. It tells the reader all about the health benefits of juicing, the different kinds of nutrients in many fruits and vegetables, and why juicing is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. So many diseases can be prevented if people would just juice more and made an effort to have a diet rich in foods from the earth. If you want to learn about juicing and crave fresh fruit and vegetable juices, buy Jay Kordich's book.