A truly beautiful book, although I expected the pictures to be larger. There is not one full page photo in the book unfortunately. It would really enhance the book to have some of those lovely photos blown up full page.

I bought this for my daughter, a graduating Biologist, but it was so fascinating that I'm afraid she got a slightly used book. It covers all coral reefs anywhere in the world. The maps are superb, as are the color photographs of the reefs. Each reef had a discussion of conditions in the reef, and the life that grows there. It's a huge book but one starts wishing for more; more maps, more photos, more detail. Maybe in the next edition, but meanwhile we can enjoy this superb book just as it.

As the author of books about the ocean, I've read a lot of other books and articles about coral reefs. This is by far the best and most thorough book of its kind. Want to know what conditions are like on the Great Barrier Reef system? Around the Red Sea? Off Sulawesi? This is the place to go for answers. With wonderful maps and easy-to-understand text, it's destined to become the standard reference for divers, marine biologists and armchair adventurers who just want to learn more about this precious and fascinating ecosystem.

This book is large format (12" square) and comes supplied with a strong card case which protects the book and dust jacket from damage.

The photographs themselves are extremely well presented, many in colour or with colour surrounds or mounts. The range moves from formal portraits to some sex images to self-portraits to flowers and a couple of excellent still-life pieces. The book is simply sumptuous in its feel.

Most of this work is definitely towards the 'art' end of this photographer's spectrum. There is a very useful list of plates at the rear of the book with full details of the date, subject, photograph size, etc.

There is also a rather meandering essay by Edmund White which can safely be ignored or, if you enjoy pompous and meaningless written drivel, enjoyed depending on yourself.

A superb addition to the bookshelf of any Mapplethorpe fan, or indeed any lover of art photography.

One of the most beautiful collections of Mapplethorpe's work that I have seen; it is a very good overview of his photography and is a must-see for any art aficianado.

I am an Earth Science teacher and I have done research in Antarctica. The book has many wonderful photos and highly informative text about the geologic, oceanographic, atmospheric and biologic features of the polar regions. I recommend this book for anyone interested in these areas, especially teachers.

I recently took a cruise to Antarctica and this book was in the ship's library. This is an excellent book on Antarctica and the pictures are fabulous! This makes a great coffe-table book!

This book is extremely helpful to those who have found other advise too elementary. If you have tried the basics - diet, relaxation, medications - and are not satisfied that you are getting to the ROOT of your problem, try this book. The author helps you discover personality traits and other issues that could be undermining your basic sense of security. I have always considered myself to be a very strong person and I was at a loss when I began experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. I quit caffeine, learned to relax and started eating better. It helped, but I still didn't feel "right." I have gotten much more relief from my symptoms by reading this book. The author asks questions to help the reader explore the BIG things in life, including love, spirituality and having a sense of purpose. He includes a lot of food for thought as well as practical advise on how to build for yourself a secure, meaningful life. The language is very easy to read, written intelligently and respectfully. I highly recommend this book.

This book picks up where the author's Anxiety and Phobia Workbook left off. The affirmations in the back alone are worth the price of the book, which presents a wide variety of ideas for living a more peaceful and satisfying life. The author is obviously a highly sensitive and caring therapist with a deep understanding of these problems. Highly recommended.

As a struggling writer I find it difficult to consult my creativity in a nurturing yet properly instructive way. One of the main difficulties is finding the right literary setting to allow my ideas to flourish (or at least a place to plant them). Until I read The Burning Library I was only familiar with White's fiction. I was apprehensive about his essays; that the power of his imaginary voice would be subdued in the realm of non fiction. It is subdued but it is no less brilliant, no less insightful, and no less stimulating. White rules his world with a brutal and sensitive brain; he debunks "myth" as he creates it. When the essays turn to biography it helps to be familiar with who he's talking about (I reccomend a class in contemporary French Literary Criticism) but it isn't necessary. White is accessible, provocative and entertaining. After reading these essays it took me a long time to return to fiction--both reading and writing it. These are inspiring articles; intellectual, risque, humorous, and most importantly... still chic. I am--as with all White's writing--inspired to create but usually disappointed with how short I fall in my attempts to be similar. I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in gay history or the contemporary gay culture.

Edmund White is one of the foremost novelists of our day. He is also a literary critic and social observer of the first order.This collection of essays and reviews spans the period of the late 60's through the mid 90's and charts the changing views and mores of the gay world of which White is an important member. In addition, White's literary analysis of both well known figures such as Nabokov and lesser known poets and authors from all over is acute and thoughtful. White's discussion of his own work is invaluable to those of us, like myself, who are devotés and places it within the greater context of literature. Reading these essays and reviews made me want to explore further the authors and poets favored by the author, and that is what literary criticism is all about.

In my opinion, what the "Harrison's textbook of internal medicine" means to an internist,so does Edmunds' textbook for a cardiovascular surgeon...You can find everything about adult cardiac surgery comprehensively. Thank you Mr.Edmunds!

This book offers those interested in cardiac surgery a wonderful source of information. It is presented in such a manner that it is educational and understandible for those just beginning medical school through those who are active attendings of cardiac surgery. A book that should be on everyones shelf, or better yet.. open on their desk!

Clowney's book The Church is a work of theological art. In it, Clowney paints deep and "artistic" images of the church using her historical beliefs and many Biblical texts.
Recently a very good friend of mine left the Protestant church and joined the Roman Catholic church. In my discussions with him over the years he mulled over his decision, the beauty of the Church seemed to take precedence in his mind. In his final decision, the Roman Catholic church best represented the beauty and doctrine found in the Bible. Before he converted, he mentioned some discussions he had in a class with a well known Protestant church leader. He requested the Protestant definition of the church. In the end, he was not satisfied with the answer. I wish he had read this book before he switched as I think he would have seen a representation of the church that was both true and beautiful.
One of the things my friend did not do will with, in my estimation, is dealing with the polemics between Protestants and Catholics. He did not like polemical arguments, tended to avoid them, and when he did engage them, he found that popular Protestant arguments did not accurately represent true Roman Catholic doctrine. As a result, he would often defend the Roman Catholic perspective.
One reason I like this book is that Clowney deals with a number of controversial topics without (for the most part) using polemical arguments. It makes for an attractive and positive presentation of the Protestant doctrine of the church. He deals with issues such as whether Peter is "the rock", whether women should be deacons, and other "hot topics", with clarity, conviction, and charity. Clowney bears his sword and deals with error, but does not malign his opponents before doing battle. As I reader, I found I was in awe of the way he wielded the sword, and hardly even noticed that he left his opponent in tatters. The one striking exception to this non-polemic presentation is his discussion on the doctrine of his former student and friend Wayne Grudem in a discussion of the continued relvance of prophecy today.
Overall, Clowney's "The Church" is an excellent theological book that motivates his readers to work for the the unity and purity of the church. Not overwhelming or unnecessarily negative, it helps Christians who love the Church to see the magnificent bride God is preparing for His Son. It helps to keep us on track for the most important things in this world.

In our culture, the church is almost irrelevant in the eyes of many Christians. It ultimately becomes a consumer item, and and people choose to attend the one that meets their "needs" the best. Dr. Clowney, a gifted scholar, gentle spirit, and dedicated churchman, has written an important work on what the church IS according to Scripture. Dr. Clowney, an ordained minister in the PCA, does not argue that any one denomination is the most biblical, instead, he shows what the Lord has called His church to be.

"If [the church] is to stand against the gates of hell, it must know its own divine charter, its bond to Jesus Christ, and the 'Holy Spiritual' power of its calling. For the church to be the church in the year 2000, it must be more than 'seeker-friendly'; it must be 'Seeker-sent', thrust forth by the Lord to bear his gospel of the cross to the peoples." (from the preface).

Dr. Clowney deals with both the theological foundations of the church, and many issues that are controversial in Christendom today. But his arguments are Biblical, and his tone is gracious. Give this book a chance, and let the Lord use it to give you a greater love for the bride of Christ, his body- the church!

This book offers a concise, easy-to-read version of Dr. Bourne's previous work. It presents a wealth of useful information on how to handle anxiety in just 150 pages. Highly recommended.

This book is informative, well-written, and is an easy to read guide for coping with anxiety. But it is more than that. We live in a world of stress, and that world can seem overwhelming at times. This is a guide that can be helpful for anyone struggling to cope with challenges in life. I highly recommend it.

A very interesting and practical book with many scientific data.

This book helped me a lot in my decision as to the benefits and detriments of using creatine. It is unbiased in its factual base yet a large portion is about proper use of the muscle builder in case one decides to use it. A must for anyone considering this product.

Here in an elegant paperback of modest proportions is a revised edition of the correspondence of two of America's greatest writers, containing a few newly located letters. Edmund Wilson was already an established writer when Nabokov immigrated to this country around 1940, and Wilson's role in introducing Nabokov around and getting him writing assignments and teaching positions in America was crucial to Nabokov at a critical time. The two men write in fascinating manner about literature, life, writing gigs, and life. The correspondence is sad, too, because the two men seem almost willfully to misunderstand each other on such seemingly innnocuous issues as the nature of Russian and English prosody. Also Wilson as an erstwhile Communist was fascinated with Russia, attempted to learn the language, but thought he knew it better than he did, even trying to correct Nabokov who of course was a native speaker, not to mention a great writer, in Russian. Toward the end of their friendship, Wilson published a memoir that revealed his jealousy of Nabokov, and there was a break, only healed when Wilson was near death. Simon Karlinsky has written a wonderful introduction to the correspondence, that may be worth the price of the book in itself. Nabokov thought highly of Karlinsky, and Karlinsky explains the Russian background of early life behind some of the stances of Nabokov that we Americans find it hardest to understand. For example, why did Nabokov refuse any social role to the artist? For writers, for Nabokov or Wilson lovers, and I count myself both, this is an essential and irreplacable book

When two opinionated men with such different tastes as Nabokov and Wilson write letters over a twenty year period, the result is going to be exciting. Their arguing about Faulkner and Norman Douglas or the gender of French nouns gives the friendship a bite. And we also see that each got more than friendship out of the relationship--Wilson got lessons in Russian and Nabokov got a boost into the American literary world. A fascinating read.