This book is by the world's whisk(e)y expert and it shows. Unlike many books on whisk(e)y that limit themselves to Scotch and maybe Irish, this book also includes extensive sections on Bourbon, Tennessee Whisk(e)y and Canadian. Mr. Murray does not categorically state that Scotch is better than Bourbon or vice versa. He understands that each has their own particular qualities.

Mr. Murray has visited all of the North American distilleries as well as the Irish and Scotch distilleries and he describes them all. He gives one a feel for each distillery. He also offers some of his suggestions for the best whisk(e)y of each type. This is truly an outstanding guidebook to the whisk(e)y industry and its products.

One Note: The text in this book is essentially the same as his The Complete Guide to Whiskey : A Guide to the Worlds Best Scotch Malts, Irish Whiskeys, and Bourbons (Pocket Guide Series). Admittedly this is a much prettier book though. Enjoy

Okay, maybe he's not a poet, maybe he's a whisk(e)y writer, but Mr. Murray has a poet heart. In my opinion, and I have read all the whisky books I can get ahold of, Jim Murray is the quintessential whisky writer. No library is complete without his books. With Mr. Murray, you're not just reading about the characteristics of a whisky, you're being teleported from your arm chair to the distillery with first class grace and charm. You won't just find out how the whisky tastes, you'll feel warm sunshine on your face, you'll smell heather as you stroll the Highlands in search of your favorite dram.

Prepare to be baptized: this man knows that a bit of countryside is in every bottle, and he will immerse you in the total whisky experience. He may wax poetic, but as he readily confesses, "I do have a passion."

So will you, if you get this book.

Having been plunked in as editor/writer of my organization's quarterly newsletter, I searched the book shelves for some quick reviews of Writing 101. Since the newsletter is only one of my many responsibilities, the title, Writing to DEADLINE, certainly caught my eye. The explanations and examples of the news writing process will be beneficial in shaping my news stories. Couldn't wait to finish the book so I could get on with my next pub and use my findings!

I'm a PR person who wanted to know more about newswriting, so I purchased this book looking only for a comprehensive, helpful introduction to writing for print journalism. What I found well exceeded my expectations.

Murray gives all the advice you'd expect--about inverted paragraphs, writing process, and, as the title would suggest, "writing to deadline," but he does it with candor, humility, and a sense of personality missing from most books that cover similar territory. He likes writing and he likes this kind of writing and that comes through.

What's more, Murray includes interviews with other journalists whose personalities he conveys with the skill of a ... good reporter.

I must say that part of my appreciation for the book stems from my familiarity with his work. I live in Boston and I've read (and admired)his writing and the work of the other journalists interviewed.

I have to say, he's chosen some of the Globe's best reporters and asked them the right questions. Someone totally unfamiliar with the Globe and its writers may not, then, have a history of reading Kevin Cullen or Richard Saltus, but I think that person would still benefit from the advice and enjoy perhaps looking at some of their work having "met" them in Murray's book.

I couldn't recommend it more strongly. This book takes its reader not only into the newsroom, but into the minds of journalists--different journalists--and reveals in concrete detail what it's like for them to write under pressure and how journalists write to deadline again and again and again, and how very much they all enjoy it.

I am not a writer or a reviewer, just your average run of the mill horse raceing fan. This is not a review like the ones above but a recommendation, I really enjoyed this book and will loan it to all my horse raceing buddies. Any other books written by Mr. Murray I will purchase with no hesitation. I couldn't put it down and enjoyed each and every paragraph.

William Murray is, like many of us, hopelessly addicted to the track -- not to betting (although he does that often and, despite the modesty displayed in this book, probably very well), but to all the sights, smells, experiences, highs and lows of the race track. His tales of the track (from the highs of DelMar to the lows of the fair circuit) are sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious, always with an edge. If you wondered whether the characters that inhabit the Shifty books are real, read this. They are all here. And if you wanted to learn a little more about William Murray, then read this. Though essentially a private man, he does share with his readers some wonderful stories on himself -- my favorite is the cribbing horse -- and also lets us know (if we didn't already) that he thinks Del Mar is all the heaven there ever needs to be.

This cookbook contains quick, easy to assemble recipes that are delicious. It is one of my favorite cookbooks.

This journal builds memoirs easily and succintly. It has every memory jogger a journaling "avoider" would need to create a full, living memory of events for posterity. It's a creative, exciting exhibit for the coffee table, library, or office. An excellent publication!

Right at the beginning, these books capture your attention and keep it: from the father's mistaken arrest and deportation to Australia, to his family following on another ship, to countless adventures as the McWaid family searches for their escaped father and unknown grandfather. Patrick,the main character, is a courageous boy who learns to trust God through all the uncertainty of his new life. I picked this series up for the church library, and then decided to read the first one so I would know how they were. I found myself running out to get the other books in the series, just to find out what happened next, and now I have books 1 through 8! This series entertains, as well as teaches its readers to trust God through both the good and bad times.

The shocking thing about this work is that it is publically available. It provides a remarkable look into the process and forces that are driving United States air operations (for good or ill) in the Joint arena. It should be required reading for every military aviator. Its only essential flaw is that it began as commissioned study, and its customer is obvious.

...P>This book does not contain his fascinating war stories, however; this is an autobiographical perspective on the management of a major airport, and therefore appeals to a fairly specific audience--airport administrators. There is some value to the average business administrator, though: General Bywater points out some of the pitfalls that any admin might face, particularly one involved in municipal or state government. He also tells, in an entertaining fashion, how he and his crew managed to get past the snags and build SLC into a first-class airport.

This book is not as gripping as Bywater's other publications, simply due to the nature of the material--to the average reader, war stories tend to be more exciting than airport management. However, those in the airline industry may find an interesting perspective within the pages of Airport Report.

Wauck's translation of the Good News is superb, demonstrating that clarity, accuracy, and elegance need not be inconsistent.

Alex Haley is rather unappreciated these days, as his reputation is unjustly tarnished by issues surrounding the veracity of "Roots." But this collection of his pioneering interviews for Playboy should leave no doubt that this was a fine journalist.

The interviews with individuals then prominent on the African-American scene -- Miles Davis, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Sammy Davis Jr., Jim Brown -- are very insightful. For anyone who happens to be a journalist, or aspires to be one, the book serves as a textbook of a kind. With Miles Davis and Brown -- the ultimate "hip" individuals -- Haley comes off as something of a square, but nonetheless asks questions that elicit thoughtful and candid responses.

His interview with Johnny Carson is another highlight. Carson, then in only his fifth season as host of "The Tonight Show," already appears, thanks to Haley's prodding, to be an embittered showbiz veteran, an intelligent man who fully realizes the relative unimportance of what he does for a living.

The conversation with neo-Nazi leader George Lincoln Rockwell is a masterpiece. Without losing his own cool, Haley is able to allow Rockwell to expose himself as a complete buffoon, if a dangerous one.

Toward the end of the book, you'll find Haley's account of the pros and cons of being the author of "Roots." He doesn't ask for sympathy, but he is realistic about the experience.

I'm sorry to see that it's out of print, but if you have any interest in the U.S. during the 1960s, you should make the effort to find this book. You won't regret it.