A very enjoyable book. I especially like the selections on Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Machiavelli. Such selections reflect a theoretical unity, rather than a distance, between the theorists' works. Thus, rather than select excerpts unconnected to other excerpts, the editors attempt to develop chronological theme(s) around the works--when possible--that allow students to see progressions, pauses, and reliances, upon previous political writings. Because of this organized unity--which I think works--I could examine Hobbes' 'state of nature' in light of Locke's, and explore how Locke's theory of man is at least an acknowledgment--if not an extension-of Hobbes' work. Similarly, I could look to the authors of the Federalist papers and explore how such concepts of government were influenced, if only indirectly, by the writings of Hobbes and/or Locke.

In addition to offering a wide representation of the Modern era, the book nicely represents the Classical and Medieval periods, with useful selections from Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and Augustine. Useful, too, are the selections from _The Prince_ and _Discourses_. Unlike some books which offer selections only from _Prince_, Princeton incorporates _Discourses_, which I think furthers and grounds a deeper understanding of _Prince_.

Thorough and extensive introductions, as well as bold headings within the excerpts, serve as introductions, of course, but also ways to direct the reader to interesting transitions

I would recommend this book for any Poly Theory course, especially one with a focus on classical and modern political thought.

This book was a harmonious accompaniment to my first college Political Science course; its contents are an artfully selected collection of thought-provoking essays. I can truly say that this book and the course in which it was used were instrumental in my ultimate decision to pursue Political Science! I offer the highest reccomendations for students studying politics to read this text.

Mitchell's book opens up psychoanalysis to various perspectives, seeking to integrate a variety of theories without sacrificing their specificity and unique contributions.

Mitchell cares deeply about pain -- so deeply, in fact, that he eschews jargon where he can, to speak to directly to laymen and experts alike. Particularly helpful here are his explorations of Hans Loewald, whose humane and idiosyncratic vision offers great comfort to those whose deepening investigation of psychonalaysis doesn't always seem to offer more enlightenment, only more confusion. Mitchell, with an eye to that confusion, finds clarity and hope.

This is the final book published by Dr. Mitchell's during his tragically shortened lifetime, and it is a gem.

The main theme is his attempt to integrate contributions from a variety of relational psychoanalysts whose approaches are extremely different from one another. He does this by pointing to the many possible dimensions that simultaneously coexist in any given relationship, and how these various authors focus differentially on one or another aspect. He highlights what he calls the four modes of relatedness, defined as (1) nonreflective interchanges reflecting patterns of interpersonal influence, (2) deeply felt shared emotions where boundaries seem to melt away, (3) roles recognized as conforming to earlier models of the self and important figures, and (4) intersubjective exchanges between individuals recognizing each others' distinct individuality.

He critically and appreciatively reviews the work of major authors, including Loewald, Bowlby, Fairbairn, and others, and attempts to fit their contributions into his heuristic scheme.

As with all of Dr. Mitchell's writing, discussion of theory is interspersed with pithy and compelling clinical examples. This is an excellent book and an important contribution to current psychoanalytic thinking. I found his heuristic device of Modes 1,2 3, and 4 a bit confusing and somewhat off-putting at times, but it serves his purpose well enough.

Those of us who have cherished Dr. Mitchell's work over the years will savor this book and imagine what might have followed.

Nature sounds, classic piano and violin, overlaid with positive, life improving, awareness affirmations! A definite must have!

Listening to this work allowed me to take an inward journey to the depths of my soul. I've realized how precious and important achieving inner peace is to the core of one's being. Regardless of what bends in the road you may encounter, once you achieve an inner peace it will be a peace that surpasses all understanding.

very very good. Very good for class. Thorough information. Useful.

A book that helps students make sense of research methods. The book uses clear examples, summary tables, end-of-chapter glossaries that define key terms and explain the relationships between terms, and a very simple writing style. In addition, students and professors can access free computerized tutorials as well as web pages for each chapter by going to the book's home page at http://spsp.clarion.edu/RDE3/Start/RDE3start.html

Simple understanding of how we get the results we get in life and how we can change those results if we choose to do so. The simplicity of the language inclusion process and ease of understanding makes this book a joy to read. Should be a must read for anyone who works with people!

I have the audio tape of The Road to Optimism and Dr. Perry's Language Inclusion Process really works. It has changed my entire outlook and my company is flourishing because of it.

I am a great admirer of Ruth Bernhard's work. Her photographic books often refer to her father's lack of sympathy for her, but it was shocking to realize how poorly both of her parents treated her. As a result, it was incredibly heart-warming to realize that she had forgiven both of them. The book goes on to detail a woman who mostly raised herself and became an outstanding contributor both as an artist and as a teacher. The book contains many photographs of Ms. Bernhard, her family, and her work. The memoir is a perfect complement to her books of photographic images such as the remarkable, The Eternal Body.

This book is based on recorded conversations between Ms. Margaretta Mitchell (no relation) and Ms. Bernhard when Ms. Bernhard was well past 90. So the main outlines of her life are there, but many of the details are fuzzy.

Ms. Bernhard's parents were divorced when she was two. She could not remember seeing her mother until she was nine. Closer to her father, he too was distant. "Really, he didn't like children at all." On the other hand, her father, "Lucian Bernhard was the most important person in my life until I met Edward Weston." Through most of her life, she "wanted to be her father, the artist."

Lucian Bernhard was a graphic artist who later expanded into painting and sculpture. He was known as the "father of the German poster." He was exceptionally precise and punctilious in all aspects of his life. Both of his marriages seem to have been severely troubled, and he seemed emotionally barren. Financially, he was supportive of his daughter, even though he was a disaster in failing to provide a shoulder to lean on.

Both of her parents remarried, but those new marriages produced siblings and step-parents who made things more difficult for Ms. Bernhard. She could really relate to all of those fairy tales about evil step-mothers. One of the saddest moments in the book comes when she recounts how her mother passed up a chance to see her one last time in order to tend to her dogs instead.

As a result of seeing these marriages, "I never considered marriage for myself." She did have loving relations with both men and women that provided her an emotional foundation that childhood did not.

The book also recounts how she took photographs of nude models for her father's illustrations and posed nude for one of her first lovers. These experiences gave her a special sense of the model's perspective in nudes that made her work surpass everyone else. Ansel Adams called her "the greatest photographer of the nude."

More details about her relationship with Edward Weston are provided here than I have seen elsewhere, including some correspondence published for the first time. "When I first saw Weston's work, I burst into tears." This was the first time that the potential of photography to become art became clear to her.

Although she admired his work and had a terrific relationship with him, it was flirtation rather than indescretion. Mrs. Weston saw her as a rival, though. In this book, Ms. Bernhard notes that she came to see the flaws in the way Weston did his nudes . . . manipulating the models in ways that she finds inappropriate. You will find these comments to be interesting when you compare the works of the two photographers. I think Ms. Bernhard definitely has the better work of the two with nudes.

I especially enjoyed the section on her teaching, and the ending of her career in taking photographs.

You will also learn about the carbon monoxide poisoning that affected her health during her later years.

I came away with even greater admiration for Ms. Bernhard than I could ever have imagined. She is a marvel for having transformed her personal pain into so much beauty for us all.

When she said, "light is the real teacher" I think that she was modestly saying that whatever she learned, she taught herself.

After you read this story, I suggest that you think about how you can take events and circumstances that make you feel unhappy or unloved and transform them into beauty.

Open up all of the wonder in your imagination to see the beauty waiting to be revealed to your heart!

Ruth Bernhard Between Art & Life is a perfect compliment to The Eternal Body. This new book gives the reader a very intimate glimpse of Ruth Bernhard's personal development and artistic development. Her ability to see light and natural forms and to express her vision as a master photographer stems from her very lonely early years as a child.

Her father Lucian Bernhard, a renowned artist and type designer denied her love and recognition, had poor, egocentric relationships with women, yet encouraged her free thinking and artistic expression. It is ironic, and a tribute, that Ruth Bernhard found her identity, forgave her father, and expressed her sense of natural, eternal beauty through photography.

The book contains most of the images in The Eternal Body with stories about their creation and the the models. The text explains the photographs are a result of intuition, and does not delve into technical aspects.

This is a beautiful venture by Ruth Bernhard and Margaretta Mitchell. I collect fine art photography and related books and feel this is the most revealing book about a master photographer in my collection. You will be pleased.

For those who are interested in inspiring portrayal of the human body, this book is a must! It is one of the finest collections of female nudes ever done. The images, reproduction, and paper are all superb. The book clearly deserves more than five stars!

The images in this book would garner an R rating if the book were a motion picture.

Ms. Bernhard takes a different approach to nude photography, partly in reaction to the exploitive work that some men do. She says, "I photograph a woman as part of the universe." She feels that "a minute insect, a mountain range, a human body -- all share equal significance." As a result she notes that "much of my work shares a similar intention [to a Japanese Haiku]." She wants to "illuminate the innate life force and spirit as well as the underlying remarkable bone structure." She looks on these photographs as being similar to the problem of composing a still life. She wants to create a "heightened emotional response" and is "deeply aware of my spiritual connection with it." She is responding to a "great yearning for balance and harmony beyond the realm of human experience, reaching for the essence of oneness with the Universe."

Margaretta Mitchell (no relation) points out that the work stands primarily for going "beyond cultural stereotypes of women." In doing so, Ms. Bernhard has created "focused meditations." She "directs her forms with studio lighting where the model is transfigured by light into sculpture." As a result, you see an "ideal radiant form." She is one of the "masters of the subtleties of lighting." The work evokes much of the majesty of Michaelangelo, Rodin, and Henry Moore.

Finally, from Ms. Bernhard, "The female body is the bearer of new life, it is so very innocent."

You will come away from seeing these images refreshed and reawakened.

My favorites here include: At the Pool, 1951; Dancer in Repose, 1951; Draped Torso, 1962; In the Box, Horizontal, 1962; Two Forms, 1963; Perspective II, 1967; Sand Dune, 1967; Profile, 1967; Transparent, 1968; Dream Figure, 1968; Rice Paper, 1969; Hourglass, 1971; Balancing, 1971; Spanish Dancer, 1971; Symbiosis, 1971; In the Window, 1971; and Resting, 1972.

Many of these images use the human body to evoke nature, our connection to nature, and the similarity of forms throughout nature. For example, in Sand Dune a woman's body is transformed into a landscape.

After you have enjoyed this great book, I suggest that you consider where else you can see connections from one person to another, and from people to objects and vice versa. That can expand your enjoyment of all that surrounds you, as well as open you to experiencing more joy.

Look for the eternal in all you examine!

Ruth Bernhard's photographs are much sought after and the prices have climbed incredibly the past five years. This book explains why without words. Her nudes are classic in every sense of the word. Easily enjoyed by anyone, this book can also serve as an exceptional instruction tool for aspiring photographers.

The book is very practical and complete. Even if you have a lot of experience it is easy to forget or overlook opportunities to do better. The book is very complete, overlooking little or nothing, but is is written so well and to the point that you can use it very efficiently as an outline to plan your marketing and sales effort. Many excellent ideas.

There are lots of interesting materials in this field, but the Mitchell book is the most useful I've found. My copy is already well-thumbed as it is the main reference source I use when reviewing development plans. The checklist format makes it easy to quickly compare state-of-the-art marketing with our efforts and make sure nothing is left out. In addition to being comprehensive, many of the ideas included are innovative and have caused us to modify our marketing strategies to incorporate more modern techniques.

This book can improve any marketing program. I recommend it highly.

If you love poetry, this book is for you! Floriana is a natural at writing poetry. Her poems are very inspirational, about every topic imaginable. Once you begin reading the poems, you can't put the book down. Enjoy!

The Sands of Rhyme is an easy to understand book of inspirational poetry. It offers hope and comfort. There are some poems that apply to the present catastrophic situation since Semptember 11, 2001. Poems of peace and character and morals. It's a great read!

I came across this book last month, and I was completely stunned by the fantastic pictures and narrative that bridged the gap of one hundred years!

I utilized this book for a research paper and was very pleased with all of the information within. The book was obviously well-researched and the authors were well versed on their subject. The format in which the book was organized was very easy to follow and very helpful when I needed additional information.