At less than 100 pages and easy reading, I read this in an hour. It is a good overview of umpiring for Little League. It does not go into details on all the rules, but gives an overview of what an umpire does there. The pictures were helpful in seeing what hand signals to use and for where the umpire should and should not stand for different situations.

Throughout the book are 26 different brief situations that you have to decide upon. The answers are short, clear and helpful. Overall, I think it is an excellent introduction to the topic (I plan to use some of the ideas at the next game that I umpire).

I love this book as well as the whole series. It is written very well and incorporates WWII experiences into an individuals life. You become attached to the character as he goes through his experiences. Great book.

Messick's work is perhaps one of the most interesting approaches to studying the shari'ah ever written. His focus and approach is that of an anthropologist, hence the ethnographic character of the book; however, at the same time he maintains a keen understanding of both history and fiqh throughout.

The locus of this work is nearly entirely dominated by the highlands of Yemen and Ibb, the location of Messick's own ethnogrpahic study. Through the filter of Yemeni culture and the vast changes occuring there, Messick weaves a tale of what happenned theoretically, structurally, socially, politically, etc. to the practice of the Shari'ah within Yemeni society--oscillating between pre-modern, pre-bureacratic practices of the imamate, the effects of Ottoman reforms and the nationalist efforts at modernization.

As is fitting in the context, a keen regard is kept throughout the work for the dialectial aspects of textuality and orality and how as the scales increasing tip in favor of textualized, bureacratic order Yemeni society is utterly transformed. We then are able to see how the shariah was reshaped from a central discourse of the Muslim polity into "Islamic Law" as yet another component of governance have been repositioned within the framework of the nation-state.

This book by Vila and Morris provides a uniquely impartial look at capital punishment in the USA through the words of the people who have most influenced the evolution of the debate during the past 3.5 centuries; and the editors use excerpts from more than 100 original source documents to accomplish this mission. Instead of telling us what to believe, they help us to develop our own opinions by providing these excerpts covering a variety of perspectives, and desribing the political, social, and economic context in which the documents were recorded. We find that the volume is divided into six chapters - each covering a different era in the evolution of the death penalty debate. I found that there was a balanced selection of documents from a myriad of perspectives, and the materials were presented in a non-adversarial way. I enjoyed the book immensely. Who can use this book? First of all, political and human rights activists like myself, and of course, researchers, students, educators, speechwriters, members of the Criminal Justice System, prisoners, and concerned citizens. The book is well worth "a read" over several evenings, and will make us more aware of the highly charged issues dealing with capital punishment.

Carleton Watkins is an overlooked figure in the history of American photography--Artistically we could not have wanted for more in someone recording the "wilds" of the West. Beautiful photographs of San Francisco and the Northwest's industrial beginnings, and timeless representation of Yosemite's natural wonder.

"Cat World: A Feline Encyclopedia" by Desmond Morris (Penguin, 1997) is a great reference and a wonderful browse for cat lovers. This encyclopedia contains nearly a thousand illustrated entries covering eighty breeds of domestic cats, thirty-six species of wild cats, plus articles on feline anatomy, behavior, biology, folklore, history, literature and art. Other sections list "The 100 Best Cat Books," cat films, cat societies, and cat welfare organizations. One of my favorite entries is a list of authors and their cats, and their quotations about cats. For instance, Brian Aldiss and his cats, Macramé, Yum-Yum, Foxie, Jackson, and Nickie list the two things cats cannot stand: "The wretched Door, the horrid Fence."

The one deliberate omission in this encyclopedia is the subject of feline veterinary care. A good reference for this sort of information is "The Cornell Book of Cats," edited by Mordecai Siegal.

Morris, a trained zoologist, was the curator of mammals at the London Zoo from 1959 to 1971, where he was responsible for the largest collection of wild felines in the world. He has also authored other popular works on zoology, including "The Naked Ape" and "Catwatching."

As might be expected from his background, the author's entries on feline behavior are some of the most interesting in the encyclopedia. Morris states that cats have a much greater acoustic range than dogs or humans, especially in their ability to hear high-pitched sounds. Cats prefer to hunt by stealth and need to be able to detect the ultrasonic squeaking of their prey.

I'll never forget the time I accidentally shut one of my cats in the room with me when I was practicing my violin. I happened to turn around and there was Calvin, pressing his enormous, furry body against the door, a piteous look in his eye. After reading this encyclopedia, I prefer to blame his behavior on his enhanced acoustic range rather than taking it as a commentary on my musical ability. After all, Calvin probably knew that violin strings used to be made of sheepgut, not catgut as is popularly believed. Morris believes the term 'catgut' replaced 'sheepgut' because of the noises some people made while scraping on the strings.

As to why I turned around and saw him there, read Morris's entry on feline ESP.

'Cat World' is filled with feline anecdotes, both repeatable and some that are almost too bizarre to believe. Be sure to check out the entry on P.T. Barnum's 'cherry-colored cat,' and the story of what happened to the great English novelist Thomas Hardy's heart--coupled with the mysterious disappearance of his beloved cat, Cobby.

I just love the book. It provides such an interesting view on todays topmodels and the modelling industry. I would say the book is in one word: suitable.

Great photos and text from the Rosenfelds, photographers extrordinaire of the 20th century! Awesome in every way. Classic wooden boats, both large and small. Long live the Dorade!

It was a spectacular story of an inspiring, young, African-American yearning to teach! She was a wonderful woman who fulfilled her hopes and dreams.

Morris, the 'renaisance man' composer, historian, writer, singer, family man and dog lover, has excelled himself with this biography of Chesire. If Guy Gibson was the Liverpool AFC of WWII war bomber pilot biography then this is the Arsenal. Expertly written, his scholarship shines forth on every page, it appears their isn't a source he hasn't exhausted!!!!!! He must have locked himself away for at least 8 and a half years to produce this biographical gem. Let us hope that their is more to come and that lack of time doesn't triumph over his next book.