The Art Of X2 is a great companion to the movie. Director Bryan Singer and Production Designer Guy Dyas allowed the editors at New Market Press great access to storyboards, sketches, sets, costumes, cast and the special effects team, for a rounded look inside the film.

Aside from a 20 page inroducton/overview on the making of the film, text is reserved for photo explanations, cast quotes, and minimal crew commentary. This allows for the photos to "soar" off the pages and not get bogged down by "wordy" text. Readers can still get a sense of what making the film must have been like.

The book comes in two ways: a hardcover and softcover version. Divided into 4 sections, the deluxe hardcover of The Art Of X2, goes beyond the softbound edition. It includes more illustrations, a complete version of the script (as of April 2003), an eight page gatefold featuring Nightcrawler, and a 16 page spread of art/photos from the first film. In my opinion, if "film books" are your thing, than the hardcover version is your best bet--only X fans of the highest order, need to, also consider the hardcover. The book has 264 pages and is recommended

My first impression was WOW! This book captures the essence of the movie. It's great to see the story boards it just makes you remember every scene of this excellent movie. It's obvious all the crew involved in X2 cared a lot about details and art and this book crowns it. The addition of the movie script is great, i think we fans love to read the original script to see what scenes didnt make it to the final and wonder what they looked like (if they add them in the DVD it would be fantastic). The quality of this book is absolutely great. Beautiful pictures in every page you turn. A must to every X2 fan.

Being new to the world of the X-men, this book has everything to offer for the die hard fan. The Beautiful black hardcover (not to mention its wonderful slipcover with the entire cast on front) is amazing! The book is filled with illistrations, costume drawings, stroyboards, idea drawings of the proposed danger room, characther bios, and the best part...the complete movie script of X2! Well worth buying. I would suggest any fan to buy to add to his/her collection.

Conventional thinking to explain why certain groups of armed men are willing to fight to the last man and the last bullet usually revolve around the obvious: esprit de corps, Prussian style training and discipline, absolute loyalty to a charismatic commander, bitter hatred of the enemy, extreme altruism--the list goes on and on. What Bryan Perrett adds in LAST STAND to a mixture that rarely contains all the above is the small number of those willing to die for a cause. Surprisingly enough for the non-military historian is his claim that last stands historically did not involve elite units who presumably would be the most likely candidates for self-sacrifice. The case studies represent a sampling of bravery that ranges from the well-known massacres of Custer at the Little Big Horn to further massacres at the Alamo and to unexpected triumphs at Rorke's Drift. Perrett analyzes thirteen battles all of which involved soldiers willing to fight to the death, and in most of them, they did. Perrett's expertise in wartime tactics and his fluid prose style help to explain why some are willing to die for a belief even if most are not.

In this series of essays about last-ditch resistance on the battlefield, we are taken on a tour of military history from Waterloo to Big Horn to Zululand to Korea. Perrett's crisp style and sound military background combine with his empathy for the men who together squarely and faced, and usually met, death without flinching. With a few exceptions such as Rorke's Drift, most units making an heroic last stand will end up losing. Perrett makes that point that while some last-stands such as Arnhem Bridge, may have had incidental side-benefits (stalling the Germans long enough that other bridges might be held), others like the Foreign Legion at Camerone or the Imperial Guard at Waterloo, serve only as regimental glories. Yet others, like The Alamo or the American defense of Wake Island, featured gallantry that inspired the homefront towards total victory. Superb military history.

This book is a series of short essays on famous last ditch battles fought through out history from Waterloo in 1815 through Imjin in Korea in 1952. While it does not cover every great last stand, by no means even a large number of them, it is still a very worthwhile book.

It covers about 10 such battles all over the world during this time period, and is written in a very easy to read format. The stories will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time, and you will come away from it with a great deal of knowledge. Many of the stories are complete enough to shed light on a single individual involved, not just the whole unit involved.

If you like the underdog, or a fight against all odds, this book is for you.

It's hard to believe that this is the author's first publication!

The Game Breaker takes you on a roller coaster ride of suspense, anticipation, and climax. The real genius behind the novel is the way Mr. Bryan cunningly and methodically develops several different storylines, and then brilliantly intertwines them into a gripping and relentless ride that thrills you to the very end. He does a superb job developing the characters as they are introduced into the story design. Ferguson Marshall could not have been more perfectly portrayed as the corruptive politician, and Kenny, the most improbable victim, turned hero.

The plot is action packed and delivered without skipping a beat. The tempo is fast and the turns keep coming. The Game Breaker grabs hold of you with its page turning twists, and fiercely built suspense.

I experienced a full spectrum of emotions, and was continually surprised with all the new shrewd developments as the plot continued to thicken. The further I read, the more difficult it became to put this book down.

The Game Breaker is pure entertainment. What an impressive read from a first time author. This is a great book for anyone who would enjoy escaping to a world that combines political corruption, collegiate football, sex, murder, and a very unlikely hero. Quite simply, this book takes you to the edge and leaves you wanting more...

A phenomenal read! Can't wait for #2.

CJ

I belong to several book clubs, and by far The Game Breaker is one of the BEST new books of the past few years. It is such a great book that I read it TWO times - I loved it that much! The opening chapter hooks you and never lets you go...the story keeps getting better and better. Three particular things come to mind when describing this gripping book. 1) Author - Kurt Bryan has one of the most unique writing styles I have come across in years...vivid, intense, colorful, and so descriptive I felt like I was in the book with these fantastic characters. 2)The hero is so modern, tough and yet a caring kind of man that I couldn't get enough of him, and finally, 3)The evil villain is so perfectly written that I was screaming at the pages for him to get what was coming to him at the end. The Game Breaker has spoiled me and I am really excited to read Kurt Bryan's next book.

My girlfriend gave me a copy of The Game Breaker for my birthday and I really was not too excited because I had never heard of Kurt Bryan before. But I was totally stunned when I read the book. The Game Breaker is super fantastic, it's packed with wild suspense, murder, sex, politics and it is also laced with sports.

I loved The Game Breaker and can't wait for Bryan's next book!

Jake P.

Derived from a British t.v. series on the great philosophical thinkers in the Western intellectual tradition, this book is a finely done entry point for those with an interest in this field. Because it is largely a record of conversations, albeit edited afterwards by the participants, it is necessarily superficial in some areas and, therefore, does not always give the fullest rendition of the ideas of the thinkers who are its subjects. And yet it offers some very nice explications of some rather difficult stuff. In some sense it is probably of more interest to the professional (or those, at least, with some real background in philosophy) since so much of the material is highly technical and handled so quickly that, lacking a preliminary understanding of the concepts being elucidated, one is likely to miss much. Still some of the material is absolutely superb. The section on Heidegger, for instance, helped me to understand that very obscurantist thinker in a way that elucidated what had always been opaque for me before. And the last section, on Wittgenstein, gave me a new feel for his very subtle and profound view of things. In fact, I read the section on Wittgenstein first (even though it's the book's final offering) and then, having finished the rest of the book, returned to it again. And then I found it even richer than on the first go-round. Other areas particularly worth delving into included the sections on Plato and Aristotle, and on Locke and Hume. On the other hand, I thought the exposition of Kant's thought a bit lacking and that on the Pragmatists rather too swiftly dealt with and not nearly as useful as I'd hoped. Berkeley, too, gets short shrift; but the offerings on Spinoza and Leibniz and, later Frege and Russell were very useful. In sum, a good intro for those who are not starting in this business from scratch and, certainly, a fine platform from which to go on to further readings, as one must, after this, given the fact that that so much of the material is so cursorily handled. -- SWM

This is a terrific book for some one who is a novice in the area of philosophy. I initially picked up this book to learn. I didn't think that it would be a "fun" read, but I thought the concepts I would learn would be of real value. As it turns out it was a very good read. This is an enjoyable work that conveyed some great information on some very interesting topic. This is a very very readable and enjoyable book. In addition, this book is tremendously helpful in that it points the way to the next set of books to read. This book first gives you a taste for these topics and then it points to where we could learn more. As each school of thought is discussed some of the chief works for those schools are discussed. It has launched me on a totally new area of study and research.

Prior to reading this book I had no appreciation for any of the different schools of philosophy. For example, I know that many of the founding fathers of our nation based their thoughts on men like Hume. However, I did not know the specifics of the relationship. This book clarified that as well as many other points of interest. It has also helped substantiate many of my Christian beliefs. There are things in Christianity, communion for example, which I did not understand. After reading this book and getting a taste for some philosophical schools of thought, I now have a deeper understanding of some of our basic Christian principles.

If you are at all interested in philosophy and are a novice to the field, READ THIS BOOK.

The basis of this wonderful book is a series of television programs first telecast by the BBC in 1987. However, while most would have stopped there and merely published the book as a transcript of the shows, Magee takes it one, two, and even three steps farther. As editor, he reworked the transcripts and even brought back his contributors for further revisions and improvements. The result is a delightful book that easily exceeds one's expectations, and mine were not so high given the fact the book is a series of conversations with academics about a particular philosopher or school of philosophy. In the wrong hands, this can be certain death by boredom. But in the right hands . . .

Can academics keep our interest while discussing philosophy? They can easily do so when: (1) they are allowed to rework and improve their material; and (2) when they are talking with Bryan Magee. Magee is no mere interviewer; he prods, interjects, disagrees, and yet allows his subject to shine when conversing about their subject. This is no mean feat; it takes a delicate skill to pull this off and still keep it entertaining. And this is exactly what Magee does. Whether he's asking Anthony Kenny his opinion on why so many great medieval philosophers come from The British Isles, asking Anthony Quinton to more exactly define Leibniz's Monad, debating Schopenhauer's philosophy with Frederick Copleston, or just sitting back and allowing Geoffrey Warnock to explain Kant's mataphysics, Magee keeps his readers not only entertained, but delightfully informed.

The highlights of the book are Passmore's explanation of Hume, Magee's defense of Schopenhauer during his conversation with Copleston (was included because he penned book, albeit hostile, about Schopenhauer), Warnock's easy explation of Kant's sometimes difficult metaphysics, Hubert Dreyfus on Husserl and Heidegger, and John Searle explaing the wonder that is Wittgenstein. Quite a lot of highlights for such a book, but as I said before, this is no ordinary book.

One final word: Magee is often described as a popularizer, a word that is often used disparingly, as in "He's not an expert, he's just a popularizer." Nonsense. A popularizer is at root a teacher, and to be a popularizer, one must really have a firm grasp of the subject matter. There are good popularizers and bad popularizers. Magee is among the very best. He not only knows his subject matter, but has the unique talent of making the experts not only entertaining, but also amazingly lucid.

This book is a bargain at any price.

This book, though published in 1976, has hymns that I consider contemporary together with the old established hymns of the Protestant Church. The meditations and Scripture readings in it are very helpful for planning devotional times with groups.

But what I wish is that Hymns for the Family of God could be spiral bound so that I could use it more easily at the piano. I break the spine a little each time I use it, and I wish that were not so.

As church organist/pianist, I have utilized this hymnal almost every Sunday for the past 20+ years! Hymns from it are suitable for regular worship, at times of meditation (communion/during prayer), for preludes/postludes, as well as, weddings, funerals, and baptisms. To this day I have never found a better compilation of hymns encompassing multiple faiths, all religious seasons, and including all the "old favorites". I'm just ordering my second copy...as the cover on my first one (originally purchased as a gift for me by my mother at a Bill Gaither Trio concert-way back in the late 70's) has finally fallen apart! Don't be without this one! I highly recommend it!

All of the best hymns are collected in this one book. Praise the Lord

I loved this book. I can't wait until the next one in the series is out. Not only did the book keep me totally wrapped up in the story, but it was masterfully written. I also loved the fact that it was short enough to read in two or three sittings. Mr. Hillhouse hit the nail on the head with this book, I now have an another author to add to my favorites list. If you want to read an entertaining book that will make you keep reading, this is the book for you.

This is a great story! It kept me guessing and turning the pages, laughing and thinking, intriqued and entertained. Cody is a new breed of detective, the cyber sleuth, and his delicate intrusions into computers (sometimes called hacking), is very enlightening. It gives me similar misgivings toward computers that the movie Jaws did toward the ocean. Can't wait to see what the next in this series brings.

A very entertaining, lighthearted mystery, which kept me interested and amused from start to finish. I'd love to live next door to Cody! I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series, and am searching for any other work by this author, as he is a creative talent.

This is the first book that shows a great number of findings evidently based on research into the makeup of effective expository sermons and describes the numerous methods and techniques that comprise eloquent ones. It will teach you how to craft effective sermons that are genuinely worth listening and responding to. It's Christ-centered focus is best-reflected in Chapell's statement, "Discover...the redemptive context of every text." (He shows you just how to do it.) Chapell evidently is a skillful teacher of preachers and of preaching. The book delivers in a manner anyone could understand. Some of the book's value derives from its guidelines and detailed advice concerning sermon flow, building, progression, transitions, culmination and climaxes, the use of repetition, parallelisms, constructing main points and subpoints and how to deliver them,personalizing statements in applications, natural delivery, brevity, word-choice and phrasing, and how to "become conduits for God's strength.". He shows how to be all of this and more without minimizing prayer or the Bible itself as a guide. Once more, he is anything but stuffy. Everything Chapell writes in this book originates from a spelled-out, Biblical basis. He just wants every preacher to be able to learn how to preach life-changing sermons that always point hearers to Christ! He reaches this mark, I believe. The book has certainly changed my preaching for the better.

The book shows well how to prepare a sermon from preparing to delivering. It also tells why and how a sermon should be Christ-centered. Very excellent book.

What a wonderful book! I just finished seminary, and read tons of books...this one is in the top five. Chappell is the president of Covenant Seminary in St. Louis and a former pastor. He preaches all over the country, and is known for his gifts in this area. After reading his book, I can see why. He takes the reader through every step and clearly lays out the "why" of preaching. The thing that sets this book apart is that Chappell forces the preparer of the sermon to find the "Fallen Condition Focus" of the passage to be preached (the FCF). That means, the one preparing to preach must ask, "In every way, the world is broken and God's people are fallen. So why did God choose to put this passage in His Holy Scripture? Since the Word of God makes us complete, to what "incompletion" does this particular text speak? Why does the church need this passage?" And then he takes you from there to construct a sermon that will allow God's Word to minister to the hearts and souls of His people. What a great approach! (at least I think so.)

BS Johnson is one of those experimental writers, controversial during their lives that subsequently vanishes from print. Johnson was a journalist, a socialist, and a fine novelist. Best known for The Unfortunates (his book in a box where every chapter is separately bound and the reader is invited to read them in any order he or she wishes), Christie Malry's Own Double Entry is perhaps his most accessible novel.

However, this "accessibility" is in the midst of a studiedly experimental text. This is a corruscating satire in which Johnson targets one of the symbols of capitalism, the double entry system. The very basis of accountancy, and the manipulation of finance, Johnson turns this building block on its head as his central character, Christie Malry, a young man with a future, decides that he will live his life accoridng to the principles of double entry.

Johnson's novel has acute observations on a variety of issues in British life that still merit comment. How working class people come to vote conservative, the manner in which people's worth is measured financially; and all of this is in the midst of an angry satire where Malry wreaks vengeance on the system. It is a bitter cycnical novel, with a dark wit.

There is love, sex, and death; and an unusual use for shaving foam. And all of this is presented in a slightly distant way, where Johnson continually turns to the reader and winks, letting you know this is a novel. Characters are aware of their place in fiction, and Johnson deconstructs the novel to let you see how it works.

This description may be off putting, but this is classy fiction. It is funny, and angry. I enjoyed this work, but preferred Johnson's The Unfortunates; which I feel has more depth, and more humanity.

If you enjoyed this you may like Graham Greene's Dr Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party or Michael Dibdin's Dirty Tricks (a Thatcherite satire).

B.S. Johnson is the most important writer you've never heard of. read his books, learn the truth you little cryptorchid.

I read Christie Malry's Own Double Entry when I was about 15 - I got it from the local library as it is generally out of print in the UK, a tribute to British library services in the 1970s and no tribute to British publishing at any time - and I had never, and still haven't ever, read anything like it. Its "experimental" qualities - distancing, irony, the extraordinary ending - descend from Laurence Sterne and all that but Johnson's tone - political, cynical and above all very funny - was all his own. Christie Malry should have been the first in a line of great novels instead of the last. With luck, Johnson fan and influencee Jonathan Coe's forthcoming biog and the reprint of The Unfortunates should see a mass reprint of Johnson's work that will overwhelm the cack-faced sludge of manky novels about people with trust funds pretending to be interesting in West London.

David Quantick, London March 6 1999

This book builds a theology of marriage. A mutually self-sacrificing marriage is seen as a primary means of revealing God's grace to sinful humans.

The author argues that headship and submission do have meaning and validity, even in today's culture. His view is traditional in many ways, but the insights he draws out of the major Pauline passage in Ephesians 5 seem fresh and not at all chauvinistic.

The writing can at times seem a bit stiff and wordy, but this is a minor quibble. The book may still be recommended without hesitation. The depth of insight he brings to the scriptures is quite significant.

For a covenant view of marriage, this is unsurpassed. Even better than the classics in this field-- Douglas Wilson *Reforming Marriage* and Mike Mason *The Mystery of Marriage.* I bought three copies this month.

I was given this book a few months before my wedding, and I am very glad it was given to me. The author confronts an issue that is quite controversial these days from a strong, biblical viewpoint. He explains and gives many practical examples of how the marriage relationship is most fulfilling when both partners have their God-given roles in the proper perspective. He describes the principles behind biblical love and submission and makes clear that the two are equally important and necessary for a proper relationship. Since reading this book, I have been challenged and motivated to look at how I love my wife and to find new ways to put her before myself. I strongly suggest it for men or women who are married, will be married, or ever will be married.

Fred Miller has written an amazingly simple book full of practical techniques to relieve the stress of our everyday lives. It's small book full of basic relaxation and focusing exercises. What he doesn't say is that within these techniques lies the possibility of finding a deeper, more profound connection with who we really are and having the peace of mind to live with others. No small feat! He demystifies the practice. Now, it's up to us to do it.

This book gets right to the point. No mysticism or religious platitudes, just simple and effective physical tools to use in quieting and relaxing your body and mind. "Three Breaths" says it all - of course there is more to support that in the book. I read "The Child Whisperer" - a parenting book by stress expert Matt Pasquinilli - a few years ago and learned how to use the "Three Breaths" technique for me and for my son. We have had much less stress since then. "How to Calm Down" can lead you to a happy and healthy life with far less stress.

of course, exciting isn't what it's about. It's about being calm, something I don't do very well. The stresses of a workday and single parenthood combine to give me a pretty hectic life. This great book really helped me chill out. I get more done and am a better parent for it. I strongly recommend this book.