When in the summer of 2002 I was researching a resource book that would help me climb the Grand. After reading through numerous reviews on Amazon I was thrilled to hear how highly regarded this book was, and without a doubt it's a single most useful book I have ever owned, besides Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, of course.
If you consider to climb anything in the Tetons, look at this book to guide you through the difficult approaches, its photos are really detailed and offer enough inside information to pinpoint your destination and the routes of ascend.
This is it, buy it and take it with you on all your Teton Climbs ( or take the pages you need to save the bulky weight).

A good climbing guide is a personal friend. You spend hours reading about possible climbs, adventures awaiting for you. There is much pleasure in browsing a climbing guide, remembering the climbs you have made, those climbs not completed due to severe weather or other reasons, and all those climbs you have yet to try. My Teton guidebook has particular value as I always inscribe notes about my climbs: the date, my companions, the weather, route finding tips (or conversely, where I went astray), elapsed time, and other items of interest.

This third edition, 1996, is more than four hundred pages. It is much to bulky and heavy to carry on a climb. But it is a remarkable reference of virtually every climbing route in the Teton Range. The descriptions are detailed and well-written. I have not encountered any climbing guide that is comparable in detail and scope to this work by Leigh Ortenburger and Reynold Jackson.

The number of routes and variations on the favorite peaks can be overwhelming. (The most commonly used route is highlighted.) Route descriptions range from easy scrambles to difficult climbs requiring substantial technical skill on ice, snow, and rock. Numerous excellent black and white photos with climbing routes overlain are scattered throughout the texts. Also, there are many detailed ink drawings of more difficult climbs.

For climbers new to the Tetons, the authors have listed more than 130 of their favorite routes ranging from easy scrambles to severe climbs 5.12 in difficulty, as well as difficult technical ice climbing routes.

The first sixty pages provide an overview of the Tetons that alone is better than most publications on the Tetons. Major topics include a history of Teton climbing, descriptions of great climbs and traverses, details on the national park service policy, and a discussion of the difficulty rating system.

In my view the most helpful parts in this introduction were the sections on Teton weather and climatology and a detailed description of the Teton canyons and approaches. The hints provided by Ortenburger and Jackson can save you countless hours of frustrating bushwacking.

I have used A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range for many years beginning with the first edition dating back to the 1960s by Leigh Ortenburger. In the intervening years a condensed version, an extended version (volume 2), and a second and third edition have been published. This third edition is really quite exceptional and I highly recommend this guidebook to anyone planning to climb in Grand Teton National Park.

I used this book on a 3 week climbing trip where I climbed the Teton 7. On the routes I climbed I never felt as if I was misled or not provided crucial information. This is the best Teton guide book I have seen. There is such a wealth of information in this book that I couldn't imagine one person actually ever completing all of the routes. I chose to ignore one of the warnings in the guide book and did not rent a canoe for the approach to the CMC route on Mt. Moran (I instead walked around the lake). Lets just say they know what they are talking about. The only thing bad about it is that the book is rather large. Copy the pages you need and bring them on your climb.

Books 1-3 are the best. My daughter, 7 years old, just *loved* these books.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE FUNNIEST BOOKS I'VE READ. I READ THE FIRST ONE WHEN I WAS EIGHT AND STILL ENJOY THEM EVEN THOUGH I'M TURNING THIRTEEN IN SEPTEMBER. MRS. NAYLOR IN THE AUTHOR DESCRPTION IN MY COPY IT SAYS THAT YOU WERE CONSIDERING FIVE MORE BOOKS-ONE FOR EACH MONTH- ABOUT THE REST OF THE MALLOY'S STAY. IS THAT TRUE? PLEASE WRITE MORE BOOKS. THE END OF THE BOYS RETURN JUST LEAVES US HANGING. DID EDDIE MAKE THE SOFTBALL TEAM? WHAT ABOUT JOSH AND JAKE? DID THEY MAKE THE TEAM TOO? DID THE MALLOY'S STAY IN BUCKMAN OR DID THE BENSONS COME BACK? PLEASE WRITE MORE? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE....ETC.....ETC.....?

It's spring break and not only are the friendly/feuding Hatford and Malloy children up to their usual tricks, but they're joined by the Benson boys, visiting their old hometown. Trouble starts when the boys decide to concoct a ghost story to share the girls - and the savvy girls respond with one better. Perhaps not as hilarious as some of the others in the series; but still fun leisure reading.

Stanislavki is considered a master of theatre and often called the "father of the method." In this, the second installment of his acting technique books(very wittingly alphabetically titled An actor prepares, Building a Character, Creating a role) he goes into the external technique an actor must use to become a character.

Like an Actor Prepares, he uses fictional characters obviously based on the actors from the Moscow Art Theatre, with the director, Tortsov (think Stanislavski) being the one with all the knowledge. While a lot is to be learned from the book, one can't help but notice how egotistically the book is written. While there is no denoting how wonderfully he lays out the principles taken in building a character, I wonder how much easier of a read it would be if he just came out and said, these are our principles. Instead he cloaks himself behind a character and we lose a lot trying to muddle through a student's undying love (Kostya, who's "journals" make up the text) for his teacher. If you can get past the text, you'll learn a lot.

This book is acting in biblical proportions and is a must for all serious actors!

through reading the work of a artist such as stan i have been able to improve my acting career to such an extent

I would consider myself a better than average card player, and I can play blackjack pretty well. But I have never looked at the formal mathematics or strategies involved in playing blackjack, *to win*.

This book covers "BS", the Basic Strategy, in itself enough to improve your game. Once you master this topic (you are dealt an A,7 and the dealer has a 3, what do you do?), the author introduces more and more advanced topics to continually improve you chances of winning (or rather remove the advantage the casinos already have, i.e. your chances of losing)

These advanced topics include several different methods of counting cards (take your pick), ranging your bet based on the count, and then finally using MBS, or "Modified Basic Strategy", complete with a whole new set of tables to master, oh my!

This book provided me exactly the information I wanted to become a better player, namely the BS strategy table, methods for counting cards, and sound reasoning to back it up. As a bonus, the author continually stresses how to reduce the chances of getting wiped out, and in general I think provides some good tips to keep in mind when gambling.

I bought this book because I was going on vacation to a destination with a casino, and although I'm hardly an avid gambler, I thought I'd spend some time playing blackjack. But this time, I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing, because I was tired of simply showing up at a table with a pocketful of hope.

I was aware that there were basic systems around for amateurs that purported to even out the casino's edge in blackjack, but to be honest, I'd never taken the time to read about them or learn one. If I ever knew all the right plays, like when to hit, stand, split or double in every conceivable situation, I had long ago forgotten the rules. For example, do you hit a 16 when the dealer has a 7 showing?

Enter "Professor" Reynolds with The Complete Book of Blackjack. I call him Professor because I never would have imagined a more literate, humane, or succinctly instructive treatment of a subject like this. If you ever decide to play blackjack, the section on the "Basic Strategy (BS)" will repay you many times over. In this unit, you learn the cold, hard mathematically validated rules on when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em, reinforced with practical exercises and drills. There's an immensely readable chapter on myths of blackjack, all debunked with the same matter-of-fact, analytically based style. I didn't have time to absorb info on money management techniques and the real payoff that comes from counting systems, but the Professor assured me that I could hold my own with the basic strategy, so I decided to give it a try.

After three days of occasionally studying the tables and quizzing myself until I had BS memorized, I summoned up the courage to enter the casino, despite the fact that the book prudently warned me to practice at home or on the computer first. It's an entirely different game when you know the statistically right thing to do in every situation: violent emotions of hope and despair are replaced with relative calm and dispassionate observation. Don't get me wrong: this system doesn't guarantee that you will win every time out or get rich quick. It just insures you won't make a decision that concedes the advantage to the house.

So what happened? I played for two hours the first night and won $85 betting $5 a hand. I played for 45 minutes the next day with the same betting routine and won $75. Unfortunately Professor Reynolds can't accompany you and swat you in the head when it's time to get up from the table-you have to do that for yourself, although he offers advice on how to quit when you're ahead. Cost of book: $12 plus shipping. Return: $160. Not bad for openers.

I'm sure there are plenty of other books that offer similar systems and probably even more depth, but this a terrific primer for someone who doesn't want to devote his life to the subject. Thanks, Professor!

I've got to declare my bias up front... I'm the author's son, *but* I am also a computer programmer -- *the* computer programmer that wrote the simulation programs used by T.J. Reynolds in his research, in fact.

I knew very little about the game before I became responsible for replicating its play electronically and assisting in the proof-reading...

I used the amalgamated systems to win enough to pay for my honeymoon cruise through the Carribean, and still had enough left over to buy a *very* nice watch!

The best thing about the book, in my opinion, is how the author explains the rationale behind every element of the Basic Strategy as well as the more complex topics in a straight forward manner that seems to assist in remembering them.

I also appreciate the section that debunks the common Myths of Blackjack, and shatters the superstitions that are the most common causes of ruin among amateurs -- once again he pulls no punches about the statistics while wording the explainations in a way that is accessible to those of us who are crappy at Math...

With this book -- which is a fusion of all the most noted works on the game of BlackJack published this century -- you don't need to buy any of the originals by Thorpe, Wong, Uston, etc. -- It's all inside reduced to the essential concepts without any of the peripheral dissertations that would only be of interest to Statisticians.

If you can only afford to buy or travel with one book, THIS IS THE ONE!

As an adult who is also cross-eyed (and named Jennifer), I have mixed feelings about this book. I read it myself when I was about five, but didn't remember anything about it except that I thought it was neat that I had the same name as her, and I remember also playing "pirate" like Jennifer Jean did.

I found the book again as a adult, and it upset me mildly. Jennifer Jean wears a patch and glasses for a few months, and then Ta-Da! Her eyes are fixed forever. Excuse me? Maybe this has happened to some people, but it certainly isn't my experience or an experience I've heard of before. I had to wear a patch for over five *years* and had multiple surgeries, and my eyes are still not normal and never will be.

I do remember liking this book when I was little, but as an adult I wonder if this could be very upsetting to a child who goes through a hell of a lot more then Jennifer Jean did and still does not have straight eyes.

I also do not like the public getting the idea that being cross-eyed is something you can just "fix" by wearing something for a few months. It is not.

This book is a wonderful choice for a child suffering from a disability or for those who interact with a child who is different in some way.

My daughter was born with a lazy eye which was fixed with an operation. She also has Tourette's Syndrome which tends to draw negative attention to her.

I thought the author did a wonderful job balancing the acceptance of ones disabilities with the need of fixing or improving probelems when possible. Our different children need to feel loved just the way they are. This book conveys that message but gives encouragement to the child to do the hard things needed to be done to get better.

An excellent book with gorgeous illustrations.

I'm not sure who gave us the book or why, but I do know that to this day it is one of my favorites. It was a great story for everyone. I shared this book with my two older sisters at the time we were of ages 5-8. Then I used some of the teasing phrases to torture my sister Elizabeth Jean but now I just bought a copy to give to her as a present for her first child. I know that she will have the same fond memories of the book as I do. It is just one of those books you NEVER forget and one you always want to have on your shelf.

I have a confession to make. Mark was probably my least favorite of the Gospels. It seemed so disjointed at times. The author seemed to race from one event to the other, with seemingly little connection between events or tales. His descriptions and details seemed scant, with the other Gospels filling in the blanks. And there lies part of my problem in trying to figure the book of Mark out - my reliance on the other Gospels to help me interpret it, instead of reading Mark as though I was hearing everything about the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah for the first time.

The authors of "Mark as Story" try to impress upon the reader the importance of understanding Mark on its own terms as a narrative. They offer four guidelines in this approach: (1) read Mark as a story rather than history, (2) read Mark independently from the other Gospels, (3) avoid reading modern cultural assumptions into the story, and (4) avoid reading modern theologies about Jesus back into Mark's story. With these guidelines in mind, the authors discuss the various elements of Mark, known in biblical studies as "narrative criticism" where tone, style, setting, plot, characters, etc. are analyzed. Sound like a college course in Literature? Perhaps. And thus this particular book may not be to everyone's liking. As for me, I can truly say that I have a much greater appreciation for the Gospel of Mark having read it as a work of literature in its own right. - Ronni

This fairly brief book provides a fresh and exciting approach to the Gospel of Mark. By respecting the integrity of Mark and encouraging the reader to attend to the details and style of this Gospel, the reader is allowed to experience anew the Gospel and find within its story the astounding character of Jesus.

Most churches teach "the gospels" as if they were one story told by someone named Matthew Mark Luke John. So it's very hard to read any one gospel as if for the first time. They all wind up sounding like random collections of sayings and miracles by Jesus leading up to Good Friday and Easter. What Rhoads and Michie do is to treat the Gospel of Mark as a work of literature in its own right, apart from anything else we know or think we know about Jesus. They examine Mark's rhetoric, settings, plot, and characters to see how he tells the story. In the process, they enable us to experience Mark's gospel in a completely fresh way. Now I'm waiting for them to do the same thing for Matthew, Luke, and John--especially John.

Each chapter focuses on a different environmental problem, and reveals the various ways in which it can influence a battle's outcome. A section on storms, for instance, shows how the elements randomize success: in the 12th century, a typhoon ruined Kublai Khan's attempted invasion of Japan, yet relatively calm seas helped assure the Allied victory on D-day hundreds of years later. Another chapter compares and contrasts the dense forests of the Battle of the Wilderness during the Civil War with the intractable jungles of Vietnam. One lesson this book teaches is that bad weather usually favors defenders: the Germans used fog and precipitation to their advantage during the Battle of the Bulge, as did the Viet Cong during the siege of Khe Sanh. The authors draw a few predictable conclusions--planning, logistics, leadership, and tactics are all critical, they say--but on the whole they provide a fascinating look at how wind, clouds, waves, rain, snow, mud, sand, heat, hills, mountains, and islands (to name a few factors) affect war.

As one might surmise from the title, the twelve chapters and twenty-five case studies in this books all examine the role and importance of weather and terrain in warfare. Most of the chapters are fairly straightforward in what they cover: storms, wet, fog and clouds, seasonal change, forest and jungle, river crossings, peninsulas and coasts, islands, heat and humidity and the desert. These are somewhat less operate independently of each other and occasionally overlap. Each chapter begins with an overview on the science (ie. geography or meteorology) of the chapter's topic, for example, how and why fog forms, before proceeding into two case studies drawn from military history. The non-scientifically inclined can skip these introductory sections to the chapters and not miss anything. Two more broad chapters cover "terrains and corridors" and how "glaciers shape the land." and are really don't work as well as the other ten. These two subjects are broad and more or less self-evident, making them noticeably weaker than the rest of the book. The case studies are largely drawn from modern Western military history. Eleven of the case studies are from World War II, three from World War I, three from the U.S. Civil War, and three from Vietnam, one from Korea, one from the Sinai/Suez War, one from the Napoleonic era, one from the Mongol invasions of Japan, and one on invading Russia that spans several episodes. The overall lessons are fairly predictable: military planning and logistics must account for weather and terrain, both on a strategic and tactical level. One would expect the explosion in computer weather modeling and terrain mapping in recent years would alleviate many of the problems described in the book, and it would have been nice to have a chapter at the end discussing this. Still, it makes for a fascinating mix of military history and geography. The maps and diagrams are top-notch and the design of the book makes it a pleasure to read.

Is this a book on geography for a military strategist or a study of military geography for a general geographer? I'm inclined to say it is both.

The words, "...couldn't put it down ...", may be overworked but how often can they be applied to what is, basically, a text book?

The book is divided into 12 chapters, each based on an element of physical geography (terrain, weather, climate, sea coasts, etc.) Each chapter gives a very general background on the geographic element (all very much in non-geographer language) and then gives the chronology of two or three battles showing how the physical feature shaped the battle's outcome. The range of battles go from Kubla Khan's 1274 attack on Japan to Khe Sanh, Viet Nam in 1968. They stretch the globe from Iwo Jima in the Pacific to Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. It is a delightful combination of geography and military strategy.

As I am writing this, the world is discussing the possible intervention of ground troops in Kosovo. I hope the generals making the decisions have a sound geographic background. (Maybe Amazon.Com will send the Pentagon a few copies of this outstandingly readable work.)

This books is definitely Catholic - no mistaking that. Words such as "vestry", "vestibule", "liturgy" and "homily" are used so if you're not familiar with the Catholic church, you may find yourself resorting to the dictionary more than once.

What husband would love his wife less if he found out years later that she was adopted? He should love her for her; Adoption should have nothing to do with it. Besides, it's not as though she was keeping it from him; She didn't know herself until going through her now deceased mother's things, when she stumbled upon the adoption papers. When she does tell him, he doesn't want his wife looking into her adoption, using the excuse that it could jeopardize his political career.

Besides the adoption discovery, the story is about inner city youth, however, the main character is Mark Townsend - a priest. Confronted with a premarital liaison involving his youth worker and his youth worker's fiance, Mark doesn't handle it. It's not that he doesn't handle it well - he doesn't handle it at all. - That bothers me.

About 1/3 through and the story was still moving slowly with nothing exceptionally exciting happening. Mark and his assistant pastor, however, discover something going on in the church. Approximately halfway through, it started picking up to the point where I didn't want to put it down. It started getting interesting with the priest doing some detective work of his own.

It covers well how people are often thought of as guilty by association and how people - even those you trust - can also become suspicious without good cause. Makes me wonder if I would react the same way under such circumstances.

Although I can't see how the adoption factored into the story and even though there was at least one instance where the Lord's name was used in vain, this was a pretty good book. I would probably read another of the author's books if a review of it captured my interest.

This fascinating look at street life and the life of a Jesuit priest, makes for an easy and enjoyable read. The story opens with a dramatic murder and doesn't stop until the last page. You see the life of young street kids and the life of a parish priest and how they intertwine. Fr. Reynolds takes you through the complex maze of life with a very human approach. You know the people when you are through with the book. You identify with their trials and heartaches, their lifestyles and burdens. Just a very enjoyable book that will keep you up late to finish.

Father Brad Reynolds, S.J. has created a winning protagonist in this mystery set amongst the pews of St. Joseph's -- and the downtown streets where the homeless youth's struggle to survive. It is nice to have a mystery that tugs the heartstrings a bit without trying to "preach." (Sorry, pun intended)

I haven't read the author's two previous mysteries, but you can bet I'll be searching them out after reading this one. It is rare that a contemporary mystery can have a plot that still surprises, and motives that become apparent only in the last few pages. Deftly handled, I look forward to reading more of Father Brad Reynolds' mysteries! Highly Recommended.

This is a good and easy book to read. Its bulleted format and straight-forward presentation makes it simple to digest in even one sitting. The weeks are broken out as chapters, with milestones and activity checklists and questions at the end of the chapters helping to reinforce the message.

Using it as a guide for the first six weeks in a new position, its probably most effective to stay aligned with the chapter for the week that you're in at work, although things don't always progress at the same pace for everyone at every job, plus, the format makes it so easy to read ahead - which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Interestingly, after six weeks in my new job, I now find myself back in my last position. Among many other factors, the new job wasn't what I was led to expect. The lesson, "Don't Burn Any Bridges", should be in the prequel.

Roy Blitzer is spot on in his helpful guide to starting a new job. I'm only days into my new job and already I have found the advice invaluable. There's so much to take in both in terms of the tasks to be done and the people to meet and this book helps ease that awkward transition. The title may be jokey, but the advice is actually sound - knowing where the toilet is situated is pretty important. In my last job I immediately made the wrong impression on my colleagues after I went awol from my desk for almost 45 minutes wandering around aimlessly with an expression on my face which must have given away the fact that I was clenching the turtles neck for all I was worth. The boss finding me squatting in the bushes next to the carpark, jettisoning a foul payload didn't exactly enhance that impression. But full marks to the author for a fantastic guide.

Although lots of books help you deal with how to pull together a good resume and even get to a "live" interview. This is the first book that really helps you get a realistic handle on how to survive your first day, deal with your expectations, and monitor whether the change has been a good one or how to improve it. Since almost everyone can expect to change jobs (possibly even careers) several times, this handy volume provides you with a lot of things to think about plus great "Suggestions for Action." It belongs on your shelf with "What Color Is Your Parachute" as a compass for change!

After waiting impatiently for the fourth installment of the "Jetty Man" series, I was bitterly disappointed with "Horny Toads." This truly should have been the final chapters of the third book in the series, "Oak Baby." It was too short, lacking in any character development, and definitely had the feel of something that was hastily written. After three absolutely magical books, it was not worthy of being added to the series. I hope that if there is a fifth book, Mr. Reynolds doesn't give in to pressures to publish and creates a story worthy of joining his first three treasures.

The story of the influence of the magical oak tree continues as the story this latest installment of the "Jetty Man" series unfolds. The only bad thing is that you want the story to go on when you reach the end. And, once more, Mary C. emerges larger than life and takes on the evil forces in Mayport. Don't miss this one!

Steve Robertson

I waited for this book and loved it. The ending of this book is again going to keep me waiting for the next. There is something about these books that have kept me spellbound. I hope there are many more.

Stan