There have been major shifts and changes in the American financial world over the past two decades driven by the aging baby boom generation, the Internet and computerized day trading, global economic crises, and the "democratization" of the stock and markets. In Bull Run: Wall Street, The Democrats, And The New Politics Of Personal Finance, Daniel Gross examines how the changes in attitudes and policies of the Democratic party under the influence of the Clinton administration has led to an unprecedented period of sustained stability and growth in the American financial community, the rapidly increasing percentage of Americans owning stocks and mutual funds, with the result that today a majority of citizens have a personal stake in public equity and debt markets. Gross offers provocative opinions backed with true-life stories illustrating the new relationship and interdependence of politics and finance, Wall Street, Main Street, and Washington. Bull Run is highly recommended, informative reading for do-it-yourself investors seeking to understand American financial markets -- and what the on-coming decade might bring.

No Bull. Anyone with even a passing interest in national politics will find this book invaluable. The author, clearly a Jack of many trades, brings a wealth of evidence to show a shift in the political landscape that may well affect the outcome of the next election and certainly clarifies positions taken by each party. The stories, facts and humor made it eminently readable.

This book was a quick read and explained in an entertaining manner with wit and stories about the public policy issues and players in today's economy. There was a laugh a paragraph and it was a quick read. I enjoyed the characterization of his parents as academics who accrued wealth through TIAA-CREF.

Americans, across the board, can be very resourceful people because of our freedom to operate within our system. In Capn' Fatso, Dan Gallery shows us a classic but outrageously funny example of this when a small group of American sailors led by a salty old Boatswain's Mate get cut off from their normal duties by accident. Every veteran of any branch of service, man or woman, will be able to relate to this light hearted tale of American military life since it brings to memory experiences and people each of us have known in our own lives. The characters in the story are all people we can relate to in one way or another, or remind us of unforgettable friends from our past.

In my opinion, anyone who reads this book and can keep from laughing hasn't "lived."

This is a "can't put it down" book. Full of amusing phrases and "what's going to happen next" plots. I love it, I love it, I love it.

Chief Boatson's Mate 'Fatso' Gioninni finally has command of his own vessel as he cruises around the Med getting into mischief and tweaking the noses of the Russian Navy. Through mischance, he and his landing craft are left behind when his Carrier Task Force get sailing orders. Fully provisioned, Fatso and his crew of like-minded free spirits take their own version of a Mediterranian Cruise (after first disguising their craft so that nothing can come home to roost). This is a fine example of Gallery's light-hearted touch at the helm for all who have enjoyed his sea-stories before or for someone who has never read him before!

Most of us who enjoy nature have relied upon "bird books" or other guides to the species at one time or another as we inquire about our surroundings. These dull but thorough reference books often make their topics LESS interesting, quelling the interests that they're supposed to serve. We look up our bird, animal or plant and then move on having learned little more than its Latin name. Ugh.

This book shines like a beacon to future nature writers as it uses every description as the basis for a prosaic mini-essay; rewarding curiosity with enlightenment, fascination and delight. Imagine a reference book so enticing to read that you can't stop reading with just one description. Instead, the object of your curiosity serves as a mere starting point in the book; the first page of what often becomes a genuine sit-down-and-read-it experience.

If every nature writer put this much love into their topics, the trails would be overrun with enthusiastic hikers. Here's hoping that the author visits your neck of the woods soon, and provides you with the same exuberant writing he's given us here in the Pacific Northwest.

I also have ordered this as a gift for several this year, including the revised edition for myself. Definitely not just a reference book but a great read also. I actually read the whole book,rather than just saving for information on specifics, when I got my first copy years ago.

A Second edition of a classic. Mathews created a field guide that is a must have for every PNW adventurer. As a park ranger I find myself reaching for it daily to answer questions. The writing is suberb and one finds oneself reading it by the fire on a cold winter day just because. I give this book as a gift more than any other item.

This densely packed, powerful volume shows Daniel Hawkes as a writer not just of potential but of great accomplishment. Most of the stories center around sports and the meaning of sports for those who play and watch, and Hawkes has a real gift for describing physical activity, the feel of running, throwing, competing. The title story, "Catching the Bullet," beautifully dramatizes the ways family relations get acted out in sports and the terrible importance to kids, girls as well as boys, of failure and success in sports. Another, "Marathoners," captures the sweet camaraderie of adult athletic companionship, the inner life of the athlete, and the anguish of injury. But, for me, Hawkes is even stronger in two stories not about sports, "Pants," which deals with the pain and inevitable self-deception in the aftermath a failed marriage, and especially "The Bells," a wrenching story about the irrevocable passage of time.

A wonderful book of short stories, all of which are very interesting. A MUST read book from a very talented author.

From Catching the Bullet to Rasslin, every one of these stories is a pleasure to read.

Review Summary: This book and the exhibition it documents convey a stunning awareness of how photographing the body has evolved in the last 100 years. The essays and commentaries on the 100 works are excellent for describing the movements involved as well as the photographers. For most people, this will be a better book to borrow and read from the library rather than to purchase for permanent use. Many of the book's images involve pornography, horrible suffering, disfigurement, and other unsettling subjects that you will want to be moved by but probably not linger over.

Reader Caution: The images in this book would exceed an R rating if the book's content were in a motion picture.

Review: Photography and views of the human body have shifted enormously in the last 100 years. This extremely interesting book does a great job of exploring those shifts. It also conjectures forward into the world in which the combination of mastering genetics and body reshaping methods (like plastic surgery) will provide even more choice. The book will be of most interest to those who are not very familiar with the history of photography since the images and essays cover little new ground.

The essay is extremely thorough and interesting in explaining the book's themes which are:

Flesh -- the naked body to appeal to the prurient rather than the artistic

Microcosm -- microscopic images of the body's interior

Gaze -- the public part of the body, especially the face and eyes

Memory -- the aid to the mind's recollection

Icon -- the idealized body

Form -- the artistic nude

Pain -- the suffering body

Politics -- meanings and values are contested

Enquiry -- scientific investigation

Fiction -- images, dreams, and fantasies

Macrocosm -- a single human body in relation to the universe.

My favorite images in the book were mostly old favorites:

Man Ray, 1924, Violin d'Ingres;

Imogen Cunningham, 1932, Nude;

Sasha Stone, 1933, Study of the Human Body;

Leni Riefenstahl, 1936, Jesse Owens;

Edward Weston, 1936, Nude;

Louise Dahl-Wolfe, 1948, Nude in the Desert;

Gerhard Kiesling, 1952, Miners;

Don McCullen, 1969, Albino Boy in a Camp of 900 Dying Children, Biafra;

Nick Ut, 1972, Napalm Bomb Attack, Vietnam;

Lennart Nilsson, 1973, A Human Foetus at Three Months;

Hermut Newton, 1981, Sie kommen (naked and dressed), Paris;

Robert Mapplethorpe, 1982, Lisa Lyon.

I suspect that the book would have worked better if it had narrowed its focus to a single theme. Perhaps such works will follow.

Those who see their favorite photographs in this book will often be a little disappointed that their size and reproduction are a little on the smallish side and below top grade.

After you use these images and essays to capture a better sense of what the body has been all about, perhaps you could take a moment to think about what your body means to you. How can you create a more positive connection with your body? How can you draw more strength from it? How can you enjoy being at one with your body?

Draw upon images of what is . . . to create plans to build what is better for all!

Editor William A. Ewing has put together a well-structured presentation of photoworks taken from exhibitions in Lisbon (1999) and Lausanne (2000). I was as impressed with the organization of this book as I was with the photographic artwork itself.

The foreword gives a nice explantion of the how the book tries to capture the essense of the European exhibition, and is followed by a dozen or so pages chronicling the evolution of photographic science and human body photography through the 1900's. Mr. Ewing, who is Director of the Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne, definitely knows his stuff; this is interesting reading.

The one hundred photos (all b/w except for a handful) are displayed in chronological order, and in much the same way as a museum would: photograph on the right-hand page; title and credit on the left. A major plus is the insightful commentary about the artists and their photographic styles which accompanies each photo credit. In keeping with the gallery presentation, thirteen themes are evidenced in this collection, the most prominent being "Expression," "Form," "Politics," "Fiction," and "Flesh."

"The Century of the Body" portrays many photographic genres: Pictorialism, Modernism, Surrealism, body art, fashion and even endoscopic photography. Noteworthy contributors include Stieglitz, Imogen Cunningham, Man Ray, Weston, Avedon and Mapplethorpe. Every image made me look a long time; none were lewd or offensive. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in photographic style, or simply . . . art.

I really liked this book. My wife also liked this book. Thank you Mr. William A. Ewing!

I have read many books on self improvement and developing the entrepeneural spirit and I feel that Mr. Kuschell has hit the bullseye. The book is not only easy to read but makes one think as to how simple it CAN be to be a Champion. The strategies, stories and exercises he provides gives the reader the ammo and motivation necessary to become a Champion. This is a book I will have my 13 year son read to start his journey on becoming a Champion.
Thank you Mr Kuschell for taking the time to make this easy for me to be the Champion for my family.

A champion in the making is a book that covers everyday life
principals that are easy to apply and simple to understand and from a readers perspective this book has given me a new way to look at everything. Also has given more success than I can imagine

Learning from Dan Kuschell and applying the simple strategies outlined in his book has truly altered my life for the better. Mr. Kuschell's methods of developing abundance in all aspects of life are so easy to understand, it's virtually impossible to not acheive the results you seek, no matter what your financial or educational background.

If you like to read ghost stories you should read this book.
This book is about ghosts from the Civil War. Some of the stories are scary . Probably the best story is called "The Many Ghosts of Abraham Lincoln." This book should be read because it tells how Abe Lincoln was killed. That is why I think you should read this book.

This book is incredible. My students loved hearing the multiple tales of hauntings from the Civil War. My students actually wrote to a few places that were mentioned in the book and received impressive replies. Thumbs up!

I like this book because it tells weird but true ghost stories. I also like the end of each story it gives places and addresses you can visit.Also phone numbers you can call for more information. Some of the stories are of love and hate. Some stories gave me chills.

This is a great introduction into clay and glazes for anyone with even the slightest interest in the medium. It's easy to read and gives tremendous amounts of information. I'll be referring to this text for years to come.

This is the book we all learned from, over the years i have re-read parts that started to make sense to me, I was growing with the book. People ask me questions all day long, 90% are answered in this newly updated book, gone are the lead glazes of yesterday, welcome are new ingredients like cadycal.

This book has been my"ceramic bible" for the last 30 years.The best book on the market if you are really interested in clay and glazes technology. I have read it over and over during the last 30 years and it is at the base of my own book: "Substitutions for raw ceramic materials", for sale on Amazon.com. Every ceramist should own one.

I loved this book! This is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of our country!

Johnson's book reads like a conversation with the author. It's passionate and based on original draft history. I have heard this guy speak and he is really well-balanced. He talks about how our schools are teaching a philosophy that is completely opposed to that of the founders. Agree or disagree, but if you share his values (Christian) you have a lot of work to do. One wonders, when did values like decency and morality become a joke and how long can this nation survive on the cotton candy values of this generation?

This is a great read for anyone who is interested in a pre-sixties non liberal point of veiw on America and the Christian roots of our Nation! Woe to the generation that calls evil good and good evil. We are that generation. Secular humanism and athiest have rewrote our history books and their lies have become truth and the truth is now considered a lie or evil. Johnson did his homework and it is sad most of todays youth will never hear what he has to say. I found his mixing of history and Scripure to be truely inspireing and eye opening in light of what we are faceing as a nation today. May God truly call us home to the roots of our history!

The texture and format of this book is outstanding. It is reader friendly with absolutely beautiful photography. The photos and illustrations in combination with descriptive text gives the reader a first hand experience. I would love to have the opportunity to visit the various archaeological sites and shipwrecks detailed in this book but know that is unrealisitc for me. This book is the next best thing! I always knew our national parks were truly treasures to be admired yet preserved and protected but this book proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt. I highly recommend it!

This book is well laid out, easy to reference and has absolutely fantastic photography. This would be a beautiful coffee table book if it were only bigger. The travel information is excellent, as is the general layout of the book. It is functional, as well as, beautiful. If I weren't involved in diving already, I would be after seeing this book. Outstanding!

This volume is helpful in two completely different ways. First way: if you dive. The text is thorough, descriptive and truly useful. Second way: if you don't dive. The beautiful photographs and the witty text open a doorway into--as the title says--underwater wonders you didn't know existed. I doubt you'll find a more informative, engaging travel book in 1998.