This is an easy to read surgery text with up to date techniques and tests; however, there are numerous errors in the text. For the most part they are simple ones, easily reasoned out (i.e. gastric pH decreased with PPIs); but, for a seventh edition this kind of sloppiness calls into question the integrity of rest of the text.

Excellent text overall and in details. Very helpful in everyday practice and in Board preparation.

This is the book which any surgeon studying for the general surgery oral boards MUST read. It covers a broad range of practical information.

FYI -- When I took my boards, everyone told me to read Schwartz for the written and Cameron for the orals; I did that and passed (I think) easily. Although I think some of the new textbooks such as Dr. Greenfield's give Schwartz a run for the money, no other book challenges Cameron for studying for the oral boards.

What we have here is Batman Archives volume 1. A book that collects "Detective Comic"s #27-50 which include the first appereances of Batman (#27), Robin (#38) and Clayface (#40) and features a very early Joker story as well (#45). This is a Batman who is labelled 'pre-crisis' now (see "Crisis on Infinite Earths") and is said to not be exactly the same Batman that's in comics in the present, a Batman who isn't affraid to use any sort of violence (including murder !) to get the job done. What we see is Batman dealing almost exclusively with common criminals in very harsh ways and acting as the avenging detective. Extravagant villains like he later faced (Pinguin, Riddler etc.) aren't really an issue here yet, despite of that single Joker story. There's some remarkably solid storytelling going on here though, especially for the day and age these stories were first published (unlike a lot of other comic-titles in that period of time which mostly were very corny). The art isn't very great and a little confusing at times (there isn't a lot of difference in facial expressions, the two expressions you see almost all the time are "intrigued" and "shocked"), but it's sufficient. In conclussion I can say that it's a very nice collection for Batman completists AND for people who like to see how it al began and how the character evolved over the (more than 60 !) years. But it isn't really neccesary reading for people who are looking for great Batman stories. In that case you're better of getting something like "Batman: Gothic", "Batman: Prey", "The Long Halloween", "Joker: Devil's Advocate" or the obvious "Return of the Dark Knight" by Frank Miller.

People who DO love this trip in nostalgia will also have a good time with "The Dark Knight Archives", "The Greatest Joker Stories ever Told", "The Greatest Batman Stories ever Told" and the more recent "Batman: Strange Apparitions".

If you like Batman the movie and my review on Batman the movie and you haven't read the first comic book of Batman this is the book for you. It has the first 24 Batman comics. In the first one you will find out how great an action hero Batman really is. In the second one you will find out how good of a detective Batman really is. In the third one you will meet Batman's first arch villain and so on and so on. Then to top it all off in the middle of the book Robin the boy wonder is introduced as Batman's aid and best friend. This book comes in mighty handy for example your parents tell you to stop watching TV and playing games and go and read, well this will come in handy. If your in a long road trip or going on vacation on a long plane ride this book will come in handy. In school you can put this baby in front of your boring textbook and read it instead. Or your electricity is out, you could read this until your city power plant says "I GIVE YOU LIGHT"! so enjoy!

This is a fascinating volume in that it shows the first couple of years of Batman stories from Detective Comics. It begins with his first appearance as well as containing his origin story in a later issue and the first appearance of Robin the Boy Wonder. Bob Kane's Batman as portrayed in Batman Archives Volume 1 is a very dark creation at first. The violence is quite intense as Batman's foes end up being pierced through, necks broken or falling to their deaths, if not actually shot with the gun Batman sometimes carried at his side. This level of violence was already decreasing when the garishly garded Robin made his appearance and is gone by the end of this Volume. The villains include Dr. Death, Hugo Strange, the Joker and Clayface, along with a vampire and the usual suspects of assorted crime bosses. There is a nice gothic feel to many of the stories and drawings, with the exception of a fantasy story involving giants and tiny people which looks forward to the idiotic mess of stories that will haunt the Batman comics in the 1950's. At any rate, this is a great volume to begin a look at the origin and development of an icon, as well as being entertaining itself.

I just completed my travels in July 2000, using Footprints. For the most part, the book was useful, for finding hotels and things to do.

I bought Footprints because it was the only book that had both Mexico and Central America. I found that it contained a lot of outdated and inaccuarate information. I think that it was because the writers tried to cover too much territory in one book.

Although it saved space my backpack, I would probably recommend to others to use 2 books - one for Mexico and the other for Central America.

From Planeta Journal - The Handbook looks better than ever. This new edition of the Mexico and Central America guide provides reliable information about general tourism as well profiles of national parks and reserves. Explore the ruins of Copan in Honduras, Oaxaca's beaches or Belize's cayes. This is a terrific guide. The format is easy to follow. Colorful pictures and maps compliment the text. Highly recommended.

I used the handbook for a 6 month motorcycle trip along the transamerican highway (from Canada to Peru) and it has proven to be very accurate and reliable. Its like a bible for tourists.

For those who are new to the creative life or who need to get unblocked pronto, The Artist's Way is still the ultimate companion and guide. For those entrenched in the creative life, this mature sequel is excellent. Even those of us who seem to have creative careers can easily start spinning our wheels, getting stale, etc. That's where I was at when I started this book. I did the Artist's Way a couple of times and it was very helpful. The first sequel, The Vein of Gold, was fun to read but I didn't resonate with the exercises and examples. In Walking in this World, I feel that every chapter is a refreshing wake-up call of a different sort. Julia Cameron truly understands every nuance of the creative life. The tasks are simple, fun, but very revealing. I am mid-way through the course and already have found a renewed sense of energy and optimism, a very welcome respite during this horrible war with Iraq. The arts are and always will be important, for they define a culture. Without the arts and creative expression, we have no civilization. Thank you, Julia, for helping so many of us make this a more positive world through the creative arts.

As a professional writer and workshop leader who has lived by her words and her wit for twenty-five years, I approached this book with some degree of skepticism. (In the past, I found Cameron's books interesting, but not relevant to my concerns.)

Walking in this World, not only touched my spirit, it sparked my desire to write again after winning a book award left me termporarily burned out and off kilter.

Cameron's sections on how to overcome the internal and outside perils of success are sensitive and practical. I especially liked how she drew on examples from her own life and the lives of professional writers, musicians and artists to illustrate her points.

The most important thing I carried away from this book was the confirmation that there's nothing wrong with being versatile and multi-talented. Building a career, making a name in one genre or art form isn't the only option. If I'm called to write a novel or take up visual art, I can choose to do it and I'm not a quitter or crazy no matter what my upbringing or my agent say. I needed to hear that.

Art, music and writing schools don't teach this material. They should.

This is an excellent, matured addition to the path of the Artist's Way. I'm using it extensively and have started a Yahoo group for people who are on this path. Come join us ...It really is a nice book, and is available for a good price , even though it's still hardcover! Grab it and get started, you won't regret it. Even if you haven't done The Artis't Way yet, you can start this one.

-d

Several years ago I read the Artist's Way and it changed my life. For years after that I searched for of the same but nothing was available until I came across The Artist's Way at Work. This book of course follows the same guidelines as the first book but I feel is more suited to those who work in large offices and organizations. I was a little disappointed as it did not really apply to my situation although I found some parts helpful in dealing with some of the people around me. Certainly for those people who work in a large company and have not read The Artist's Way this would be a good book to start you thinking in different directions.

If you've read the Artist's way, this book will seem very familiar. However, don't stop there. The different flavor of this book makes it worth pursuing in addition to the Artist's way. I went through the Artist's way book and then took a 4 week hiatus and then jumped into this one. I have been doing morning pages for over 6 months now. They have value to me, even more than the 45 minutes of sleep, I give up each day for them

This book is strongly geared toward the working world. As with the Artist's way book morning pages and time-outs are necessary to help you work through these and other issues. In addition this book is arranged in a similar weekly sequence with excercises and a weekly check in.

PUTS THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH IN PERSPECTIVE:
This book unlike the Artist's way, deals with personal interaction not just personal creativity. Let's face it we all work with people and how we relate to them does influence our ability to get the job done.
As the Artist's way does, it also recognizes there are certain people (crazy makers) that complicate our lives, there are also personality types and roles we all play in any interaction. This book gives great tips on how to recognize these and work with them.

IDENTIFIES WHAT MIGHT BE SLOWING YOU DOWN AT WORK:
Similarly, with working with people, we have priorities to adjust and readjust. If we are stuck in a point in our career, maybe these need adjusting. This book if you objectively do the exercises helps us understand where some or road blocks might be.
Sometimes we are the road block.

IN GENERAL LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THIS BOOK LEADS YOU TO EXAMINE YOUR LIFE
For the most part the Artist's way presses the reader to examine what they want out of life and how they can get there. Also it helps you to understand what your true desires are, not just what you think you want.

LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THERE ARE QUOTES TO PONDER IN THE MARGINS
It is a small thing but like the Artist's way there are quotes in the margins from famous people. It makes you think the confusing path we are all on, is one many have taken. Some of the quotes really connect.

To give you the full flavor of the book, here is the Table of Contents:

INTRODUCTION: Entering the gate

FIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK ONE: EMERGENCE
Morning pages/Creative Collegue/Secret Selves/Listening to the Chorus/Inner Mentor/Check-in/Creativity Contract

FIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK TWO: THE ROAR OF AWAKENING
Timeout/The Dialogue/Archaeology, Round One/Archaeology, Round Two/The Us and Them list/Imaginary Lives/Affirmations and Blurts/Customized Affirmations/Dumping the Albatross/Walking your Wisdom/Check-in

SECOND TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK THREE: SOARING
Secrets/Watching the rapids/Wish list/Leadership Quiz/Explore a sacred space/Secretly I'd like to.../Watch the picture, without the sound/Filling the form/Check-in

THIRD TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK FOUR: THE ABYSS

Admitting our emotions/Anger as a map/Metabolism/Footholds for optimism/Countering our Critics/True confessions/Define your inner wall/Workaholism Quiz/Bottom line/Signposts/The Fraudian Slip/Check-in

THIRD TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK FIVE: SURVIVING THE ABYSS
Personal accounting/Emotional solvency/Counting/Luxury/Lapping up Luxury/Nasty Rules/The dream account/Explore your feelings about God/Going to take a miracle/Wondering/Check-in

FOURTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK SIX: THE PEARL OF WISDOM
Body English/At the wheel of a new machine/A letter to the self/Positive/Negative poles/Media Deprivation/Reconnecting the Dots: Detective work/Beyond price/Meeting the inner rebel/Check-in

FIFTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK SEVEN: LEARNING (AND TEACHING)
Being a Beginner/The jealousy map/Creativity Quiz/Feel, Think, Wish/Getting Current/The Hidden Resume/Becoming right sized/Taking note/Nuturing nutrients/The forest environment/Check-in

SIXTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK EIGHT: TEACHING (AND LEARNING)
Roles, Biosketches, Family Functions, Containment, The power dance, Unmasking, Machiavelli, Practicing the present, Mentor magic, Going sane, "Dear Boss", Stopping the Spiral, Releasing Resentments, Check-in

SEVENTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK NINE: OWNING OUR AMBITION
Clearing fear, Contacting Clark Kent, Local color, The resentment resume, Blasting through blocks, Succeeding with Success, Framing our lives, Check-in

EIGHTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK TEN: LIVING WITH PASSION
Positive Inventory, Laugh or Lament, Box Seats, Heartbreak Hotel-Loss as a Lesson, The net of nurturing, Check-in

NINTH TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK ELEVEN: THE LEDGE OF AUTHENTICITY
Name your poison, Creative U-turns, Ten-minute time outs, Valuing our values, The Ledge of authenticity, Exercising our options, Creativity center, Choose a spirit mentor, Spirit Mentors, Check-in.

NINTH TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK TWELVE: RESTING IN AUTHENTICITY
Trusting trust, Mining our mystery, Building a house, Suceeding at success, Playing at play, Every picture tells a story, Gratitude, Checkin.

Epilogue
Suggested Reading
Acknowledgements
How to reach us
Index

I find this book to have a plethora of practical, useful suggestions for thriving instead of surviving in the workplace. The workbook format stimulated my thinking about how we can get beyond our usual progammed "survival" techniques and find new ways ways to address old problems. I also have found it helpful for stimulating creative opportunities in my own life. This book is just what the doctor ordered for those of us who aren't satisfied with just getting by and collecting money. Not only is it a pathway to uncovering and discovering a fresh kind of meaning to work, it also offers us a real chance to forge new directions in both our professional and personal lives.

I bought this book after seeing Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous". That was an exceptional movie and I thought I would relive the era through Ben fong-Torres, who was featured in the movie.

The book is really a reprint of many of his stories in Rolling Stone which the reviews probably stated and I didn't focus on. I would have preferred his story of being close to the Rock and Roll scene. Reading some of the articles that were over 20 years old became somewhat boring and outdated. I did learn quite a bit in some of the stories and Fong-Torres does provide some narrative on each story although it is limited. Overall though, I'd take a pass on this one and look for another if you are looking for a good book about rock in the 70's and 80's.

If you weren't around in the 70s, or you want to "relive" this era, Ben Fong-Torres' book is a good place to start. It's a collection of many of his Rolling Stone feature articles, along with a brief update of the personalities involved. Having "come of age" in the 70s, it brought back memories of my own and it gave me insights into some of the most famous rock personalities of the 70s and early 1980s.

Fong-Torres has an excellent writing style and "captures" a little bit about what made a lot of these musicians "tick." His articles are enjoyable to read or re-read if you've seen them before. While part of the title (A BackStage Pass to 20 Years of Rock n Roll) may seem cliched, it fits here. Fong-Torres in his Rolling Stone articles managed to catch a glimpse of an era now long gone.

A better title would be the Best of Ben Fong-Torres. This book is a collection of articles he wrote for "Rolling Stone". Some of the people written about in this book are Jim Morrison, Bob Dylan, The Jackson 5, Janis Joplin, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, The Jefferson Airplane, The Rolling Stones, Santna, Ricky Nelson, and many others. What really makes the book worth reading is that he gives information on what he had to get the interview and what happened after. Sometimes, the behind the scenes information are as good as or even better than the article.

I began using The Vein of Gold about a year after I had begun The Artist's Way, the start of my self-development. If you don't want to do any assignments, you may want a different author. The key to Julia's method is DO SOMETHING.

The Artist's Way was good in many ways, but mainly for helping me create a discipline for myself at home. The Morning Pages are definitely an exercise in self-discipline, and they continue to be an essential part of Julia Cameron's format. I wrote Morning Pages daily for about three years, but stopped after I had been working as a web site copywriter/designer for almost a year. Then I began drawing regularly instead.

The perspective of The Vein of Gold worked better for me than The Artist's Way did. The artist's dates were easy since they didn't have to be done solo. My husband went with me, and we continue to have artist's dates regularly. (A big breakthrough for us was when we bought fingerpainting supplies. Fingerpainting was theraputic and fun for us.)

If you have a dream (being an artist, musician, whatever), take steps to make it happen. And start now.

I know a therapist who uses Julia's Morning Pages technique in her practice. Then I stumbled upon this author's name and her book "The Artist's Way" in Sarah Ban Breathnach's books. So, of course, I picked up the Artist's Way at the library and started my own morning pages. That was 3 years ago. What has happened since? Well, I stopped doing the pages after 2 months (I was "busy") and I've been kinda wandering ever since. Lo and behold I stumbled upon this book, bought it used at a library sale and am back to those damn (ha-ha) morning writings. Well, I must tell you that this woman is a genius. Not only have these pages been quite an inspiration and a positive flow for me, but the "assignments" she asks you to undertake are life changing. I am a much more positive person and that shows in my writings. Let me stress to you that I am NOT a writer of any sort, my creativity has not shown it's full colors yet (they are dim, but they're there)and I get writer's cramp and I whine about doing it, but I DO IT and am a better person for it. As they say, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." I guess I am ready for Real Life. Thank you Ms. Cameron.

The Vein of Gold goes deeper than the Artist's Way does. (AW was just the tip of the iceberg.) There is about 19 weeks of work in this book if you take your time. You "write your life to right it."

This book continues the practice of the morning pages and the artist's dates but also gives you more assignments to do and more time to do some of them. If you are on the creative path to recovery I would highly recommend you work with this book.

You can jump right in but you might want to do the Artist's Way first. I faciliate groups using both books and find that the group energy adds to the synchronicity and security of having the same processes at the same time.

There are lovely quotes and sharing processes within the book. The sections are called "Kingdoms" and you explore and delve into your life story in a manner you may not have thought of yourself.

If you are on the creative pathway and want to move forward in your development --get this book!

this book i felt was more practical in what i can do rather than why management skills and styles are needed which i felt was going t give me that answer

While some may find this book simplistic it is quite interesting to note that many of the skills discussed by Cameron and Whetten go unused in failing organizations (I say failing because successful organizations use the techniques found in this book). Having spent 5 years as a blue collar worker and 15 years as a white collar worker I cannot emphasize enough the applicable teachings in this book.

The authors provide "how to's" for many managerial situations that one might find themselves in and outline specific processes to use that are time tested. There is obviously a lot of thought given to both the subordinate and the supervisor as all examples are thought through with mutual respect.

I own over 200 management books and if there were a fire (God forbid) where I could take only one book with me, this one would be it.

This is a spectacular book. I was first introduced to it in a managerial skills class in graduate school. It is a very well-written text, and is full of practical knowledge that anyone can apply. You don't have to be a manager to appreciate what this book can help you do. Anyone can benefit from the book's teachings.

Each chapter (most of them, at least) begins with one or more self-quizzes to determine your abilities or knowledge of each subject. The chapter then helps you to improve your deficiencies. If you repeat the quizzes after you've studied and applied the material, you'll see improvements, as well as additional areas in which to work.

To use this book to the greatest benefit, you should develop solid plans to:

1. Assess your needs (through quizzes)
2. Learn the material (reading the chapters, or the sections in which are lacking)
3. Apply the material (in your life, at work, etc.)
4. Reflect on what happened, what worked, what didn't, etc.
5. Re-assess your abilities (with the quizzes)

As for the topics this covers, it includes nearly every situation you could run into at work. However, a lot of the material is applicable to life in general.

This book is a must read if you want to grow. Before you rush out and buy cheaper, less complete books, add this one to your library. That way you'll have a much better framework from which to purchase other books (if you even need them!).

In Christine Cameron's A Highland Christmas, we meet Scottish lassCassandra McIntyre, who is forced to marry English Baron Drake against her wishes - and his as well. All Drake wants is to get his hands on his family home, which has been bestowed upon his brother Cedric, marry Cassandra because he must, and then abandon her as soon as he is able to. When Cassandra overhears this, she is understandably upset. Unfortunately, this was one of the extremely rare occasions when anything Cassandra does makes any sense.

To call Cassandra spirited would be a mistake - shrewish and irritating would be more like it. She slaps Drake more than once, yells and screams at him every chance she gets, disobeys him left and right, fights off clans in order to prove herself, and generally behaves like a two-year-old - she wants what she wants when she wants it. Not even her "gift" of receiving other people's feelings through touch did anything but make the scene of their wedding night thoroughly confusing. Drake was little better - they get close, he rejects her; they kiss, he rejects her; they make love, he rejects her.... A grade of D-.

Jill Henry's Sara's Gift was a sweet, heartwarming story about love healing old wounds. Sara Mercer is a widow on her way to a job and, hopefully, a new life. She can't help herself, however, and makes a stop in Moose Creek to see the child she gave up for adoption four years earlier. Her stop is lengthened by a heavy snowstorm and, with the train passengers taking every available hotel room in town, she ends up staying in the same house as Mary, her daughter, and Mary's adoptive father, Sheriff Gabe Chapman.

The attraction between Sara and Gabe is palpable from the moment he helps her off the stranded train, and so is Sara's growing guilt at knowing she is deceiving both Gabe and his sister, who quickly enfold the lonely Sara into their family routine.

My main problem with the story is that we are told that neither Sara nor Gabe has ever loved like they do each other. Considering they were both married before and considering how little they really knew each other, this seemed a little too convenient and unrealistic, and so did Gabe's acceptance of the truth of Sara's identity. I don't see why Gabe and Sara couldn't have loved their spouses and also found joy and love with each other. Mary was a little too grown-up for a four-year old, but all in all, this was a reasonably enjoyable story. A grade of C+.

Tracy Sumner's When All Through the Night was a wonderful finish to this anthology. When we meet Katherine Peters, she is absolutely through with Tanner Barkley. The cad had apparently been using her for a big undercover story for the newspaper, and when the story appeared, Katherine was left beyond humiliation at discovering that her first and only lover had been merely using her. Of course, this is not really how things really happened....

These were two likable people. Katherine is determined not to have her heart stomped on again, but her feelings toward Tanner are justified, considering that she doesn't know all the details. Tanner's efforts to gain back the love of his life are endearing and I found myself rooting for him. A grade of B, and I understand that this is the sequel to Ms. Sumner's Carolina Rose, which I definitely intend to read.

Christmas Kisses was worth reading for Tracey Sumner's story. Her story, along with Jill Henry's, went a long way toward removing the bad taste left in my mouth after reading Christine Cameron's contribution. Spending quality time with Sumner's characters will surely warm the reader and bring a little Christmas spirit.

I enjoyed "Highland Christmas" - the story moves along quickly with a lot happening over the 12 days of Christmas for these newlyweds. I thought Cassandra's gift was intriguing - her insight kept her from getting too miffed at her thick-skulled bridegroom!

"Sara's Gift" was my favorite! I really felt what both the heroine and hero were experiencing. I cannot imagine giving up my child after one week of bonding, but was proud of how the author (Jill Henry) pulled off the ending!

"When All Through the Night" was slow, with only a steamy scene on a desk to it's merit - brings a whole new meaning to office work...

Enjoy! I've read and re-read all or parts of each story.

Being an avid reader of Scottish romances, I picked up Christmas Kisses in the hopes of finding a good Scottish Christmas story. Christine Cameron delivers an incredible mix of action and sensuality--I can't wait to read more by this author!

Alan Dean Foster's "novelization" of James Cameron's screenplay for "Aliens" is certainly above average as such things go. What is really interesting now is that with the complete director's cut of the film we discover that all of the "depth" Foster was providing, such as the scene where Newt's parents discover the wrecked ship, were in Cameron's original script. But that is fine, since you do not really want the person writing a novelization to go out and create too much new material. The true strength of this novelization is in fleshing out the scenes, not so much the action sequences but those between people trying to make the best out of a bad situation that is only getting worst. The story still maintains a pace consistent with the driving force of the film. Alan Dean Foster does so many of these novelizations that when he really nails one like he does with "Aliens," we need to stop and take notice.

Commentary

I usually am one to read relationship/unrealistic novels such as The Outsiders or Catcher in the Rye, but after falling in love with the movie "Aliens" when I was seven I thought reading the book may be fun to. I have to admit, I have read this before, but not since the third grade so picking it up again was not a problem because I had lost all memory of the tale. The thing I like about reading books based on movies is that you get a whole new idea of what each character is feeling when something happens. For instance although Sigourney Weaver is a truly talented actress, when Ripley is trying to get Newt (AKA Rebecca Johnson) to drink the hot chocolate in the movie you don't get the same essence of her emotion towards the child as you do in the novel. I appreciate Alan Dean Foster because he has a tendency to go over what is expected and dive into the depths of a character, making them more distinguishable and easier to get to know. This book is truly one of the only books that makes reading it before or after you see the movie a fun ride. Plus there's a lot of swearing, that's always a plus.

Great book! Like the movie is was suspenseful, action packed, and scary. The first book wasn't as good as this one though. The best parts are the end, and the part where Ripley is trapped with the facehuggers, and without weapons!