Dodge's history of the Second Punic War is a marvelous narrative of perhaps the greatest military campaign ever conceived or executed. The only flaws were Hannibal's dependence on his native Carthagonians for reinforcements and material support and his underestimation of the political cohesiveness of the Roman Empire.

When one considers that Hannibal survived, and even flourished militarily, for more than fifteen years in the hostile territory of Roman Italy, only then can the accomplishments of Hannibal be understood. Dodge artfully describes these accomplishments and puts them in their proper perspective. His description of his abandonment by the Carthagonians, out of fear of his political strength, is compelling.

The book is well written and flows. The author describes not only the military campaigns from a tactical perspective but also does a fine job explaining the strategic and political imperatives. Dodge describes Hannibal's crossing of the Alps and his campaign in Italy as primarily a political war whose intent was to divide the states that made up the Roman Empire. As such, Dodge shows a deep understanding of the nature of the War and what led to the ultimate Roman victory.

For anyone wishing to understand the rise of the Roman Empire or the accomplishments of Hannibal this is a must read.

I bought Hannibal because I was interested in learning more about him, and the Dodge book was the cheapest on the subject to be found at my local book store. I have since come to admire Dodge greatly, and have read many more of his books as a result.

Dodge is a first rate historian who draws from all available historical sources to paint an even-handed picture of one of the greatest generals to ever walk the earth. He visited every battle site and pored over the terrain, attempting to reconcile inconsistencies.

The Hannibal that dodge paints may be the best general ever, and if not, is second only to Alexander. In an accessible style Dodge shows us this great Captain's work, and I found it as compelling as the best of novels.

Though I started with this book, I would recommend the reader begine with Alexander and move sequentially through Dodge's "History of the Art of War" series, which goes, Alexander, Hannibal, Ceasar, Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick, Napoleon. Good luck finding Napoleon, for some reason this is the only one of Dodge's books that has not recently been reprinted, ostenibly because there are so many other good books about that great Captain.

Dodge's book was written over a hundred years ago. The author has traveled around the battlefields of the second Punic War and tried to work out from the existing historical sources what really happened. Dodge was an army officer who served in the American Civil War. As such he knows the difficulty of moving large bodies of men, of supplying them with food, the difficulties of feeding horses and keeping them in good condition.

The book establishes the greatness of Hannibal. Very little is left to tell us much of what Carthaginian civilization was like. Coins and sculpture suggest that the Greeks heavily influenced it. We know that Carthage was an oligarchy and that it was a city that traded extensively.

It seems that it was probably a city that depended on slavery to produce its agricultural produce. This led to Rome having a pronounced advantage in the conflicts between the two cities. Rome had a sizeable peasant class who were integrated into its civil life. The Roman peasant class formed the basis of its armies. Rome as well had built up a coalition of allied cities some of which shared the benefits of citizenship. This meant that in any conflict Rome was able to put in the field 750,000 soldiers. In addition it had considerable economic power. Thus in the first Punic war Rome was able to build a number of fleets to challenge the Carthaginians at sea. The Carthaginians did not have a large class of landed peasants who could be mobilized and they depended on mercenary armies. The history of Carthage prior to their first war with Rome was not a history of military brilliance. Carthage had considerable problems in maintaining their control over about a third of Sicily fighting a large number of wars with the Greek city of Syracuse.

Rome in addition to being able to raise large numbers of men had developed a superior military unit. The predominant military unit prior to the rise of Rome was an infantry formation called he phalanx. This was a Greek invention. Heavily armored men would stand shoulder to shoulder and advance in a mass. The phalanx was effective in crushing the more lightly armed Persian troops during the time of Alexander. The Romans developed he legion. Its troops were armed with a short stabbing sword rather than a spear. Each soldier stood further apart than the phalanx. The formation was more flexible and the more spread out nature of the Roman formation allowed them to outflank the more compact Greek formations.

The twin advantages of a large population meant that Rome would over the next 400 years win wars even when poor generals led it. It had a military organization that was would work even with generals of limited talents and if something went wrong the Roman state could put army after army into the field. The decline of the Roman empire occurred when the military organization of the state changed and peasant levies gave rise to mercenary armies.

It would seem that Hannibal's father Hamilicar was an extremely competent military commander. He fought a guerrilla campaign against the Romans during the first war. After the peace he put down a mercenary revolt in Africa with numerically inferior forces. He then went on to conquer Spain. The reason for conquering Spain was to provide an economic base for the conquest of Rome. His son Hannibal fought in Spain to consolidate his fathers conquests.

Hannibal's war with Rome is remarkable in many respects but the one which Dodge explains is that it was a private war. The Carthaginian State did not really have the resources to finance a war with Rome. The enterprise was based on revenue from Spanish mines as were most of the infantry. Spain was in effect the personal property of Hannibal. He made a decision to attack Rome and Carthage agreed this decision to as it did not mean that they had to contribute much to the war effort.

Hannibal realized that to defeat Rome he would have to break up the Roman confederation. His strategy was to invade Italy and by winning military victories to prize away Romes allies.

In the end the scheme failed. Rome lost army after army but she was always able to raise more. In the end the Romans held Hannibal at bay while conquering Spain and cutting off the chance of fresh troops. Hannibal had to retreat to Africa were he was at last beaten at the battle of Zama. Rome triumphed and went on to rule most of what is now Europe for 800 years.

Dodge rates Hannibal as one of antiquities greatest figures. Although in the end his career was a failure the challenges he had to face were immense. Alexander the Great inherited an army and faced enemies of much less caliber and steel than Hannibal did. Caesar was born into the Roman empire and was given command of armies which Hannibal could only dream of. Hannibal's achievement's were immense. He fashioned with his father a private state sufficiently rich to enable him to raise a private army. That army he trained and honed into one of the finest of its age. He won spectacular victories over what was to be the strongest power in Europe for hundreds of years. His campaigns were far sighted and he had enormous talents in keeping together for over ten years a mercenary army made up of many different peoples. In Italy he was one of the first to create an intelligence network to monitor the movement of Roman armies and to anticipate cities which might be willing to change allegiance to his side. Despite these many talents there is a limit to what an individual can do when faced by a nation.

Dodges book is readable and in its own way fascinating. His own war experience gives him a much richer understanding of the campaigns and the maneuvers between the battles. The histories which still survive are those written by Polybius, Livy and Plutarch. Dodge is of the view that Polybius had a grasp of military matters which Livy and Plutarch lacked. He has to reconstruct the movements of the various armies to get a real picture of what was happening.

All in all a fascinating book which conveys the nuts and bolts reality of warfare in the ancient world.

I agree, this may be the book on Oracle Data Warehousing with the most practical value. On the other hand, the Oracle RDBMS is evolving so dramatically, that this book alone is no longer sufficient. When they publish a second edition, covering Oracle8i features, I'll come back and give it five stars.

The book has given a wealth of information concerrning Data Warehousing in concert with Oracle software.

My team has been utilizing this book as a study guide for getting all team members on the same plane of knowledge. The technical information which is presented has been right on target and accurate.

The book is very well organized and easy to read. I find this book very interesting and hard to put down.

Simply put, this book is excellent! The authors take you through all major aspects of data warehousing. There knowledge of Oracle and warehousing in general shines through in every chapter. Combined with an excellent - and sometimes humorous - writing style this ranks as one of the top books in my technical reference library.

This was a very popular novel of 1896, and is considered by many to be a literary classic. Theron Ware enters the scene as a small town Methodist Minister. He and his wife seem to be humble folk and settle into a small house near his church. Soon he meets a Catholic priest, an atheist physician, and a beautiful Irish lass. They make quite an impression on him. They are sophisticated, well educated, and quite worldly. Alas, they are such a strong influence on him that he starts playing the worldly role, and begins to look down on his job and his religion. He also finds himself strongly attracted to the lovely Celia Madden. I should mention that in those days the Irish were assigned to the caste of untouchables.

Theron acts as if he is now a man of the world, although he knows nothing of the literature, music, and philosophy discussed by others. He becomes a boring, mean minded buffoon. The book continues with his steady degradation, a preacher who has become a victim of that secular humanism that our current day fundamentalists complain so much about.

The novel provides an interesting view of religion and culture of the late 1800s. It was somewhat difficult for me to understand how such a seemingly pious man could turn into such a churlish fellow. Perhaps his upbringing was quite religiously strict, and he developed a strong reaction formation to it all.

I found this book on my father's bookshelf and brought it home to read. I'm not sure why I picked it--nothing about the title or description excited me too much, so it sat on my own bookshelf forgotten for several months. Finally, hurriedly getting ready for a vacation I needed a book to read and found Theron Ware. I loved it so much that I went right out and bought my own copy. I recommended it to my 21 year old son and he loved it too. One caution though, do NOT read the introduction first--it gives the entire plot away. Save it for after when you can savor the analysis.

IMHO, this novel can and should be included with the other American novels that we cram down the throats of high-schoolers: Moby Dick, Scarlet Letter, Huckleberry Finn, etc. This is the almost painfully realistic story of a preacher who discovers that there is another world outside his previously sheltered existence. For many of us, this sort of discovery is a happy and broadening experience. But in Ware's case, his new discoveries cause him to reject all the good things about his old life, and to build fantasy castles in the air of his imagination. In his increasingly desperate attempt to escape into a fantasy life, he leaves behind many of his values and ethical standards - not least his responsibilities to those he loves.

This book will hit a nerve for many readers - it did for me. It is easy for the reader to identify with Ware and realize only too late, as Ware did, that he is embarking on an illusory and self-destructive quest. Frederick constructed both the plot and the character of Ware perfectly, and this novel is worth everyone's time to read. You will keep thinking about it long after you have closed the book for the last time.

This book has FABULOUS rereading value: As a teenager who doesn't listen to the radio much, I have not been exposed to about half the songs in this book. This actually has made it even funnier ~ when I suddenly hear a new song that was featured in the Bad Song Book, I immediately collapse into hysterics. I've been a longtime Dave Barry fan, and when I leafed through this in the bookstore, I HAD to get it. The all-purpose irate-Neil Diamond-fan letter is worth the whole thing. Even with the few songs I've heard and liked (for instance, I absolutely love the song "A Horse With No Name"), I could see his point of view and continue to laugh. I've been told this book is even funnier (if possible) when you've heard ALL the songs, but I contend that it lasts longer if you have yet to discover them.

Back in 1992, Dave Barry, in one of his syndicated newspaper columns, wondered why radio doesn't play more "good songs," and mentioned some of the songs he doesn't like, saying (among other things) that he wouldn't mind if radio stopped playing ballads by Neil Diamond. This column generated a heated response, with some readers defending Neil Diamond and some agreeing with Dave. Some readers also wrote to voice their opinions on artists and songs THEY didn't like. Realizing he'd struck a nerve, Dave announced the "Bad Song Survey," asking readers to write in and tell him which songs they really, REALLY hate. The response to this survey was so overwhelming, Dave compiled the top vote-getters as the achingly-funny "Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs". I haven't laughed so hard while reading a book in a VERY long time! In most cases, the comments by Dave, and numerous survey voters, are right on target.

In addition to the expected, much-maligned vote-getters like "MacArthur Park," "Muskrat Love," "Feelings" and "I Write The Songs," this book takes on a diverse group of songs which includes "American Pie," "I'm Too Sexy," "In The Year 2525," "Achy, Breaky Heart," "I've Never Been To Me," "The Candy Man," "Dreams of The Everyday Housewife" (This song was a big vote-getter in a section called "Songs Women Really Hate"), and many more.

No artist is impervious to this book's sword, not even Elvis ("Do The Clam") or The Beatles (the four-hour, er, minute "na-na-na-na" section of "Hey Jude".) Since so many songs are mentioned in this book, it's almost inevitable that a song or two which you happen to like, will be included here. For example, I like America's "A Horse With No Name," but even I have to admit that the lyrics quoted by Dave are pretty lame (I'd have included "Ventura Highway" instead, since it features the TRULY lame line about "Alligator lizards in the air".)

I agree with other reviewers who have said that this book is too short. Many songs that richly deserve to be included here (Cher's "Half-Breed" immediately comes to mind), are absent. Perhaps Dave could give us a sequel (or two.)

I'd never read a single Dave Barry book or column until I picked up this small, but ultimately powerful book. As a result, I'm a Dave Barry fan, and what's more, I now know that I am not the only person who thinks that "In the Year 2525" should be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Dave Barry didn't set out to write this book; it began as a column with reader participation for "Worst Songs." Dave's mailbag was flooded with replies, with people complaining about artists from many styles. Everyone from Neil Diamond to the Doobie Brothers gets it in this book...

It's critical to know that if you truly want to appreciate this book, you must have been exposed not just to "light rock," but also to 50s teenage tragedy songs, classic rock station fodder (look out Iron Butterfly), and the triad of Anka-Diamond-Manilow. If you can actually SING part of the songs in the book, it'll add to the laugh factor by at least 150%. I couldn't agree more when Dave points out the utter silliness of the lyric: "Song she sang to me, Song she brang to me." (Thank you, Neil Diamond) I heard this playing while waiting for a table at a local restaurant, and people must've thought I'd hit my head because I broke out in hysterics when I heard it play over the speakers...

Dave rips on everybody, so I don't recommend it if your loyalty to a group or singer is incredibly strong. Bear in mind that this isn't just Dave; it's leagues of hassled souls who will just go nuts if they even hear one note of "Muskrat Love."

It's inexpensive, easy to carry, and hilarious. This book will make you want to try his other titles, and you won't be sorry when you do! Like another reviewer said, who needs an ab machine when you've got this book??

Uno dei più completi libri sulla computer music attualmente disponibili sul mercato. La sezione sintesi è sicuramente il piatto forte, essendo applicabile a tutti i tipi di programmi e sintetizzatori in commercio(Digitali e analogici).Le sezioni sulla composizione e performance sono buone ma inevitabilmente rese lievemente datate dalla continua evoluzione informatica (mancano i riferimenti ai nuovi programmi di editing e composizione). Un libro che non può mancare in una bibloteca informatico-musicale aggiornata.

If your intent is to create music *by synthesizing the tones with a computer*, with a program such as Csound, this book is invaluable. It is *not about sequencing*, looping, controlling synthesizers or samplers with MIDI, etc. That said, the serious treatment of various types of sound synthesis is more than adequately technical, with lots of flowcharts, diagrams and a little algebra. The flowcharts illustrate generically how sounds can be synthesized, without getting into the specifics of particular programs. You must be able to leap the gap between the concept and the realization in a particular computer music program. Other chapters nicely introduce psychoacoustics, fundamentals of digital audio and the use of sound processing methodology. Warning: For a person with little technical (engineering-type) background, the book will be tough going in places, possibly overwhelming. It is not an introductory-level text.

I like this book so much!!! An invaluable reference for people interested in computer music composition with detailed explanation on digital synthesis methods, digital filtering, spacialization, etc... but what i like most is that in every chapter there is a section dedicated to compositional examples with very interesting info on structure, techniques, instrument designs... used in the development of each of the pieces. Also a chapter dedicated to live electronic performance. I love it.

This is the 1st installment of Inspector Terry mystery andtakes place in London.

When Jessica Warner disappears shortly beforethe big premiere of the London-based tap-dance troupe, Inspector Terry is called in to investigate. Suspense mounts as Jessica's husband, ex-lovers, their jealous wives, and fellow cast members reveal their true feelings about Jessica.

When I first started reading this book, I thought that I would get confused, but the opposite happened. Each character comes to life as you turn the pages. They become real, feeling people. Spindler's writing style literally transports you to another place with descriptions so vivid its as if we all become part of the performing cast. This fast-paced story line is filled with non-stop action. Spindler has written an enticing web of mystery, adultery, deceit, love and hate. I am really looking forward to the next Inspector Terry mystery.

Pam Stone END

The Rhythm Of Revenge is alive with characters who literally leap off the page and speak to you. When Jessica Warner, the star attraction of a London-based tap-dance troupe, disappears shortly before the premiere of their big production, Inspector Terry is called in to investigate. Suspense mounts as Jessica's husband, friends, ex-lovers, their jealous wives and fellow cast members reveal their true feelings as Terry puts them under scrutiny one by one. Christine Spindler has orchestrated a magnificent production of her own with this novel. The setting is well-conceived, the plot is convincing and the layers of deception and secrecy are complex and intense. I recommend this novel to anyone who wants a read that will capture their attention from beginning to end.

If anyone in London loves to dance more than Jessica Warner does, people would say they are obsessed or perhaps possessed. To Jessica, to dance is live. Her passion to dance supersedes any feelings towards her spouse (Roger) and her former lover and current choreographer (the married David Powell). Currently, Jessica rehearses for her role in the Caesar Dance Theater production of "The Taming of the Shoe".

However, before opening night, Jessica vanishes. Detective Inspector Frederick Terry begins to investigate what happened to the dancer. He quickly concludes everyone wants something from Jessica. While Terry continues to look into her past, Jessica is shackled to a bed. Depressed, she fears only that she may never dance again even as her kidnaper dives her deeper into insanity.

THE RHYTHM OF REVENGE is a taut character-driven thriller that gets inside the minds of the lead characters and several support players. The fast-paced story line is filled with non-stop suspense. However, this novel is a character tale as the audience sees and feels the impact of Jessica's obsession on everyone that she touches. Christine Spindler provides the audience with a powerful psychological drama that will leave readers avidly awaiting her next tale.

Harriet Klausner

It was a Christmas gift wrapped in bridal shower paper, but that's My buddy's sense of humor at work. "Truck" really struck a chord with me,as it will with anyone who has ever taken anything apart with the hope of getting it back together. One of those moments was when he'd reached the point of only being able to walk out to the garage and rearrange the tools,then go inside to have a drink and think about it. Man, have I ever been there. There are some similarities with Chris Goodrich's "Roadster", but Jerome is motivated by a sturdy thriftiness,while Goodrich had other issues to deal with. Great book, one of the best gifts I've received and a good addition to the "Auto as Metaphor for Life" section in a gearhead's library.

I've read the book five times since buying it, as the humor camouflaged some of the practical gems about rebuilding old trucks. A wonderful curl-up-before-the fireplace read!

It's much more than story it's an experience!

STONE JUNCTION is one of those books where you never know what is going to happen next. It's best to read it without knowing anything about it beforehand so you can charge through it wildly, marveling at this author's vivid imagination. The story takes a mother, her son, and a group of diverse characters all over the US on an outrageous scheme. It is described as an alchemical potboiler, which it clearly is, so expect magical and inexplicable events. I found this book in London where one of the staff from the bookstore had recommended it. I'm so glad!

Jim Dodge spins a master American tale that starts with the warning..."This book is fiction, believe otherwise at you own peril." By the time your done you'll be searching high and low for any evidence of existence of the "AMO"(Alliance of Magicians and Outlaws). This is the path of a young boy raised by the aforementioned underground "alliance". As he spends time with various members of the AMO, he learns and masters that person's special skill or quality; the characters that are developed are so real and fascinating, you hate to close the book; The ending is from left field, but who cares; the time spent getting there was so phenominal that it doesn't effect the overalll rating of the book one smidge.

There are few more enjoyable pleasures in this world than being caught completely off-guard by a novel. I picked up STONE JUNCTION at a discount book sale, drawn in by the jacket, and the price. I began reading it with absolutely no preconceived notions as to its content, or worth.

By the end of the story, I knew that this was my favorite novel of all time.

It's the story of Daniel Pearce, an orphaned youngster who is brought under the guidance of some of the most off-kilter and bizarre people imaginable. While this may reek of HARRY POTTER, this is most assuredly a story for adults.

STONE JUNCTION is about the world behind the world, the people we sledom get to know. It is a world of crime, and conspiracies, and greed, and love, and magic. That author Jim Dodge holds it all together is a fine feat in and of itself, but he does more than that; he makes the reader yearn for this life. Although (in my edition) he states emphatically that the novel is a work of fiction ("Believe otherwise at your peril"), Dodge's world is so well-defined that it's difficult not to wish it existed.

The novel also has that one remaining aspect that so many novels, even the truly great ones, lack; it left me wanting more.

This is NOT a book for beginners; if you're new to Microsoft Excel, avoid this book! Even though the back of the book says it's a reference for beginning to advanced users, this book will confuse you if you're a beginner. It's a book for people who already have some knowledge about Excel; I'm in the intermediate to advanced user category, and even I get confused by some of the explanations provided in the book.

The book has lots of text, but it needs more examples and more pictures; I can't really grasp a particular subject on Excel, if there's no picture to show what it's supposed to look like on screen. Some of the subjects aren't explained fully; these areas need more explanations, examples and pictures.

The book gets four stars, because I did learn some things I've never learned before; also, the book's layout is excellent.

Like the one of the reviewers below, I suggest you get the "Microsoft Excel 2000 Learning Kit". The kit contains the "Running Microsoft Excel 2000" book, as well as a "Microsoft Excel 2000 Step by Step Interactive" software. The software in the kit is excellent!

Running Excel 2000 provides a very complete look at using Excel in most day to day situations. The general usage information is well structured and each topic is covered in detail.

For me the real value in this book comes from the section on analyzing data. The author discusses the worksheet functions but then delves into common analysis situations. Their coverage of financial analysis discusses all of the different financial functions and how to use each of them. The statistical analysis section talks about each of the different distributions supported and when each should be used. Finally they present a what-if analysis section that shows how to use Excel's solver and scenario manager.

The book even touches on Visual Basic, but only enough to get your feet wet with Excel's macros.

All in all a very good book.. much more than I was expecting from a general "how to use Excel" book.

I would recommend buying the package (step-by-step interactive cd + this book = $30 cost)

This and the Hannibal and Alexander books in the series provide very detailed descriptions of the battles. Unlike for the Alexander book, the author was able to visit the battlegrounds covered in this book to confirm the feasibility of claims made by prior historians. That in itself is useful. What is lacking is any kind of analysis of events and battle tactics and, more importantly, there's no synthesis whatsoever that addresses the Origin and Growth of the Art of War, the theme of the series. For that, the first volume of Delbruck's series is more insightful and the four books by Connolly, Hanson, Goldsworthy, and Warry on greek and roman warfare have more illustrative maps.events and battle tactics and, more importantly, there's no synthesis whatsoever that addresses the Origin and Growth of the Art of War, the theme of the series. For that, the first volume of Delbruck's series is more insightful and the four books by Connolly, Hanson, Goldsworthy, and Warry on greek and roman warfare have more illustrative maps.

I have found this to be an excellent account of Ceasars battles, my only criticism is the lack of information on the training and conditioning of the troops. The book tells of the excellent discipline and fighting skills of the legionaries but not how they got that way. Other than that the book was very hard to put down.

You will enjoy Dodge's grand study of Caesar's military career once you accept its central premise: this is "purely" a military study. Dodge NEVER strays into either a description of the political scene, and is loathe to render moral judgments. This may be occasionally frustrating: the Egyptian sojourn, for instance, is merely a lesson on why a general should not separate himself from his main legion. Cleopatra is little more than a marginal note. The clashes with Pompey, and the fateful decision to cross the Rubicon, are purely a matter of assessing the strengths and dispositions of the competing legions. Once or twice, Dodge will stray from his pedantic terms of reference, for example, he joins many others in condemning Caesar's cruel and dastardly massacre of around 430,000 German tribesfolk during the Conquest of Gaul. But Dodge - like any good West Point man of the c.19th - is far more interested in the engineering feats, of fording and bridging rivers, of marching armies vast distances in a day, of fortifying camps, of digging trenches and of building elaborate siegeworks. In this respect, Dodge's study is methodical and brilliant.