As has been noted by the other reviewers, a prime reason to get this book is the included DVD. The editor, Robert Godwin, has given all of us space historians/enthusiasts a remarkable gift. With great care, he has created real-time video of the lunar landing and walk. These help clarify this first exploration of the Moon. Besides that, the DVD includes typical tourist-type video taken by three men out on an adventure without their wives. Somehow the reality of the mission is intensified by the markedly amateur use of the video and movie cameras -- the jerky movements, the too-fast pans, etc. Video from lunar orbit is also included. To watch the lunar landscape roll beneath you in DVD-quality adds a sense of truly being there and understanding the awe that the astronauts must have felt. May this book be the first of many more Mission Reports which include a DVD. Many thanks to Robert Godwin.

Robert Godwin and Apogee Books have, over the past three years, compiled a variety NASA documents, press kits, crew interviews and the like, which recount the early days of the space race, focusing on the Apollo missions. This time, they have released a third volume of information dedicated in the first lunar landing of Apollo 11, which includes a DVD of the lunar EVA and an excellent companion NASA publication. Apollo 11 was the only the third manned mission to the moon. This mission was commanded by Neil Armstrong who was accompanied to the surface by Buzz Aldrin with Michael Collins as the Command Module pilot. This latest entry deserves at least 6 stars and two thumbs up.

As is evident from this reviewer's comments as well as all of the other reviewer's comments, the primary reason to purchase this book is the DVD. This two-sided DVD contains the entire video and 16mm footage, plus many still pictures of the first moonwalk on one side and the entire 16mm camera footage on the other. It is clear to me and I'm sure from anyone who has watched this DVD, that this compilation was clearly a labor of love and to date is the most impressive video of any of the lunar EVA explorations that I have ever seen. What makes this DVD so impressive is that the producer has combined the video, 16 mm camera footage and audio transmission into one single presentation. This combined presentation, clearly allows the viewer comprehend all the activities that were undertaken during the Apollo 11 moonwalk. Furthermore, when one of the astronauts takes a still picture, the image appears on the screen and gives the viewer a clear idea of how, by whom and where the picture was taken. Regardless of whether or not you were alive to see the first moon landing live on TV, you definitely can relive the excitement of that wondrous time by watching this DVD.

The book that accompanies the DVD is a reprint of the Apollo 11 Mission Report prepared by the Mission Evaluation Team from the Manned Spaceflight Center in Houston. This report is essentially the scientific and engineering evaluation of the Apollo 11 flight. In these pages, there are many figures that show a comparison between a predicted value and an actual flight value (how much was used vs. how much was estimated). The lengthy report is over 200 pages long and covers all aspects of the mission, from liftoff, lunar landing, the moonwalk, the experiments, and the return to Earth. It also contains a fairly long chapter describing all of the flight anomalies (problems). Even though I've studied this mission and its moonwalk in depth, I was amazed at the number of problems that occurred during the flight to the moon. While some readers may the report's writing a bit dry in some places, they are actually getting a view of how NASA operates and why their exploration programs for the most part are quite successful.

Some general information that might be useful.

1) This report is a scanned-in documents from a previously released NASA document. In order to preserve the spirit of the original reports, all typographical and grammatical errors have NOT been fixed.

2) Proceeds from the book goes to "The Watch" an asteroid impact research project of the Space Frontier Foundation. In other words, Apogee Books is making very little off the sale of US government produced books and documents.

I am a life-long space buff/nut/cadet. Here is the unedited e-mail I sent to several of my like-minded friends just after I first ran the first few minutes of the DVD that comes with Apogee Books Apollo 11 (vol. 3):

"Hey Guys-

The DVD that comes with the Apogee Apollo 11 Vol 3 book is fantastic! Actually, so far I have only watched about 10 minutes of it, but what a 10 minutes! The entire power descent phase! I have often listened to my old tape I recorded live off the TV on Sunday, July 20th, 1969 because, until now, it was the most complete chronicle of what was really happened during that crucial phase. I had to try and make out what was going on through the air to ground transmissions behind the often rather uninformed comments of Walter Cronkite and Wally Schirra in the foreground. Now with this DVD they have scynched the air to ground, and PAO chatter, with the footage from the camera mounted next to Buzz's window, with a little model to show orientation of the LM in the black corner of the picture. They have mixed the sound so that, in stereo at least, it is quite easy to distinguish between Armstrong and Aldrin, as well as Duke (capcom) and the PAO (Public Affairs Office commentator). In case you miss what they are saying, it is all captioned on the screen. Fantastic! This was by far the most exciting moment of the mission and someone has finally found a way to do it justice!

It is a two sided (i.e. recorded on both sides) DVD, so there is much more to come. But for me the 10 minutes I just saw alone justify the price of the whole thing (book/DVD...).

Cheers,

Ken"

At first I found the title Apology: A New Age Meditation a bit off-putting. But the title brought back memories of college philosophy courses, and so I did some investigating.

The Greek word apologia means "speech before". In Plato's terms, "Apology" was an account of Socrates' defense before his fellow Athenians, and an examination of the value of philosophical examination.

In the same way, Robert Arias' Apology is an account of his own examination of the meaning of life and consciousness, and the first steps in the search for "truth".

Written in the first person, and chronicling Arias' passage through psychedelic drugs, comparative religious thought, and meditation, the book is a series of richly interwoven narratives. Conversations held in the past weave threads similar to those held in the present, and at each moment the fullness of truth is but a hair's-breadth away.

I was particularly impressed with the detail and clarity with which Arias' psychedelic trips are described. Few people would attempt such a description. Fewer would do it well. Arias' trips leave the experienced reader with a "morning-after", kinesthetic remembrance, and the inexperienced reader with a small taste of the pleasure and danger of psychotropic investigation.

The novel moves like a Socratic cyclone, tearing down dogma and doctrine, leaving nothing but emptiness and uncertainty in its wake. And yet, in that emptiness and uncertainty lives a hope and possibility that can not be expressed in words.

I imagine this book bouncing around the traditional publishing circles for years, no doubt garnering interest, though invariably meeting with rejection. That is the only way I can fathom a work of this caliber coming to market through a POD publisher. For this is a unusual book that defies simple description and categorization. Nonetheless, Apology is an extraordinary achievement, as both literary art and philosophical meditation. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the authentic mystical experience.

Apology requires multiple readings to be fully appreciated. This is not to say that the writing itself is difficult to manage. Its beautiful composition serves a touching personal story that is by turns sad, funny, terrifying and ecstatic. The writing is elegant in an almost symphonic sense, the thematic elements layering and intertwining as the story methodically builds toward its magnificent climax. But the true complexity of the arrangement is only more deeply illuminated by subsequent readings.

The cultural landmarks, sacred and secular, noted along the story's journey are familiar to most of us. But here we find them transfigured by the blazing light of ... well, of something ultimately inexplicable. Apology is the uncompromised record of one person's life-altering encounter with Transcendence, offered up in all its gritty psychological detail.

...brings him to a place where the treasures are in the Here and the Now. "Every story must have a beginning." Rob asserts in both the beginning and the end of this novel. As if he is still being renewed, still being born. And the reader is exposed to his many, many revelations on the way to that final page.

His soul aches for answers to the question of why...? When he brother dies, why? When his mother does not understand or relate to him anymore, why? When his pal Jake or his girlfriend must move on, why? Why does living have to be so confusing, and so painful? And if God is such a good God, why has he allowed so much suffering in my life and others? And so he gleans from the masters of eastern and western religions, numbs and sucuumbs to maddness, wild pharmaceticals and hallucinogens and to Moebius strip like electron micrographs. To attempt to get the answers, to help himself deal with the pain. He has heady discussions like of the way of Jesus, original sin and the how to of Meditation. It all makes for a compelling read. The casual reader, however, may find his consumption of cigarettes all through out his various travels and reinventions quite paradoxical, but, like he puts it, tabacco is good for brooding intellectual types.

My opinion? It is a well-written How-To disguised as a bio. But the reader does not really have to do what he has done to come to the same answers. Rob serves as, like, the ultimate test subject in a self imposed set of clinical/spiritual trials. As a scientist--he is a neurophysiologist--he just may have come upon just what us neo-millenium searchers may require. A proxy for the spiritual realms. Not too unlike...?

This book is so effective because it teaches us how to honestly evaluate our thoughts and behavior. It inspires us to want to change for our own happiness and for the sake of others, without self-condemnation. Tackling destructive thoughts and behavior becomes exciting work. It teaches us how to look to a higher power to do this. Because of the universal truths involved in spiritual battle as described by Grant Schnarr, we can use the book and still feel true to our personal religious faiths. It also will greatly appeal to readers for whom traditional religions haven't worked. Anyone who feels something is missing in their life, who feels disconnected from others by depression, anxiety, or boredom or who needs a fresh approach to personal growth will love this book. I see it as especially useful for young men because it engages the masculine mind to do spiritual battle in a way that inspires the best that is within them. This, in turn, brings a sense of connectedness to other people, fulfillment and a sense of peace. It can be very effective for everyone, but I think this book is ground breaking for men who have been looking for the right approach--creative and active--to personal growth.

A Guide to Inner Peace based on Sun Tzu's Art of War? Well think about it--this is a world of paradoxes. What is the biggest obstacle to achieving inner peace? Perhaps it is our own self. What if we waged a war against our inner negativity, our doubts and our fears? Could we use the optimal book on war to conquer our inner demons and establish a beachhead for a state of personal bliss? This book gives detailed advice on how to view your internal dialogues as potential enemies and allies and finding peace. Remaining always aware and alert to how we think and believe is great advice. The book realigned how I view my personal commitment to self improvement.

Michael Peter Langevin Publisher of Magical Blend Magazine Issue # 73 through Nov. 2000

I've read a lot of spiritual warfare books, and also Eastern warrior philosophy. What is different about this book is that it draws from all sides of the issue. The Eastern discipline is here, and the best of Sun Tzu, Lao Tzu, Buddha, and the others, but you can definitely see Schnarr's Christian leanings about the battle against the "dark forces" and about the conflict between devils and angels. What this does is instead of alienating one side or the other, the book appeals to the best in all. Whether it's the Holy War of Islam, the conquering of self of Eastern philosophy, or the bold fight against the forces of evil in Judeo-Christian terms, it's all there, and all are called to battle. I also like that the battle starts with the individual, and is not some sort of call to change the world and forget about your own problems. He says if you want to change the world, begin with yourself. It's the best book on spiritual warfare I have ever read.

A very good manual on how to use amino acid supplements and their co-factors for achieving wellness and combating aging. All the important areas are covered, like dosage, combinations, the exact vitamins and minerals to take at the same time, as well as foods that contain aminos. The description of the metabolic pathways and how amino acids work are extremely interesting. Areas where amino acids can help are discussed under stress, anxiety, depression, immunity, cancer, heart disease, allergies, digestion, herpes, alcohol, smoking and looking and feeling young. Perhaps the book is a bit outdated, since there is no mention of the wonderful amino NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine) that protects the lungs and mucous membranes and is especially recommended for smokers. The lack of general index and an index to conditions treatable by aminos is a bit of a drawback as this book could be a handy reference work. But four stars overall for an interesting and illuminating text providing much needed information to those who want to take responsibility for their own health.

I am just going to cut right to the chase, not bore you with whether or not this is the best book out there, or if it needs updating - this program cured my alllergies! I was on three different allergy meds, and taking weekly injections. Within a month of taking amino acids, I am allergy free. I also have fibromyalgia, and am starting to notice a reduction in symptoms and flare-ups. If you don't mind swallowing quite a few pills to feel better, try this. Robert Erdmann, THANK YOU!!!!!

It needs updating since it was published in 1989 but a great overview of Amino Acids. While I was researching sulfur pathways in regards to my son, this book led me to some help for my husband! This book is more about certain diseases/disorders/issues than I was looking for because I was researching GSH synthesis but it helped me understand more about the interaction between all the AAs. It's time for an update!

Over the past few years the saga of Apollo 13 has been recounted in several books (Jim Lovell's Lost Moon, Gene Kranz's Failure is Not an Option and Chris Kraft's Flight) and the Blockbuster movie, Apollo 13. While these books and movies have provided an excellent overview of this "Successful Failure," and the role that Mission Control played in it, technical details associated with the explosion of the spacecraft are not discussed in any great detail. This latest volume from Apogee does just that.

Apollo 13 was planned to be NASA's third lunar landing and the first one dedicated to scientific exploration. The Lunar Module was scheduled to land at Fra Mauro with commander Jim Lovell who making his fourth space mission and second to the moon and rookie Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise. Jack Swigert, who was the Command Module Pilot, replaced Ken Mattingly only days before launch remained in orbit.

Like most of the other volumes in this NASA Mission Report series, the book opens with the usual NASA mission press kit. This press kit is more detailed than the previous mission, Apollo 12, because it contains detailed information about the lunar surface activities and experiments. It is interesting to note that due to late addition of Jack Swigert to the crew, Ken Mattingly is still listed as the Command Module Pilot. The next of the book contains the Post Launch Mission Operation Report, which is essentially a moderately technical summary of all the highlights of the mission.

The next section of the book, contains the crew debrief section, and covers about 25% of the book and is 67 pages long. This debriefing was conducted only a few days after the splashdown. As one would expect, much of this section deals with the accident and their flight around the moon and back to earth; however, there many portions devoted to crew training, launch, observation of the moon and more. This section maybe difficult for many to follow, since there are numerous undefined NASA acronyms and references to specific pieces of equipment in the Command Module (individual switches) which probably only the astronauts and the designers of the Apollo capsule know.

The final section of the book is the transcripts of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics Hearings and the report that was submitted to this committee. It is in this portion of the book that contains the most technical descriptions of the accident. There are detailed timelines of the mission and accident, documentation related to the construction of the oxygen tank and numerous photographs.

As usual in all the Mission Reports series, the book contains a CD that includes additional material. The CD contains all the 70mm Hassalblad photographs which includes some spectacular views of the far side of the moon and the crew before and after the oxygen tank explosion. Also included on the CD is an interview with Jim Lovell, the post landing press conference (over an hour long) and several NASA videos.

Some general information that might be useful.

1) These reports are just scanned-in documents from previously released NASA press kits, etc., In order to preserve the spirit of the original reports, all typographical and grammatical errors have NOT been fixed.

2) Proceeds from the book goes to "The Watch" an asteroid impact research project of the Space Frontier Foundation. In other words, Apogee Books is making very little off the sale of US government produced books and documents.

Godwin continues his sequence of material from NASA Archives, presenting details related to the highly dramatic flight to the moon of astronauts Lovell, Haise, and Sweigert, which prompted the popular film Apollo 13. He includes 79 pages of details of what should have happened on the flight, followed by what actually happened when an electrical short circuit caused an oxygen explosion in tank no. 2, aborting the mission. Though the book is not as dramatic as the film, it provides the technical details that explain the good engineering design and system redundancies built into spacecraft components. As important were the resourcefulness, training, experience, and talent of crew, engineers, and technical support personnel who worked around the clock, solving problem after problem in real time, trying to assure that the astronauts would return safely to Earth. The calm, precise reactions of each crew member, coupled with the magnificent support of earthbound colleagues, led to a safe return. Extensive, 67-page crew debriefing; PC-compatible CD-ROM. An excellent backdrop to the movie and a vivid reminder that it is hard to achieve, and even harder to maintain, perfection. Recommended for all readers, particularly those who enjoy the technical details of spaceflight. All levels.

This is the definitive answer to what happened on Apollo 13. The result, in readable form, of NASA's investigation and review of the entire flight.

Detailed analysis of what chain of little mistakes culminated in the explosion. Details of the recovery plan. And even some insight into the astronauts like part of the debriefing where they tell what they thought of the razors supplied by NASA.

Technical details and analysis into an exciting episode of the manned space program.

Robert Bly presents a sensible and engaging discussion of how to be (and be seen as) an authority in any field. The most useful piece of information in the book was the discussion of the differences between a "Guru" based website and a "Topic" based website. However, I was disappointed with the lack of a real, clear, preferably diagramatic, description of the second part of the title "...in 60 Days or Less." I think for most people, the admittedly terrific process he gives would take at least 9 to 12 months. But if you're on the verge of needing guru status, by all means, buy this book.

I heartily recommend all of Bly's books--this one is no exception.

Bly rightfully points out that the difference between an authority (or as Bly puts it, "guru") and everyone else in a particular field is that one individual is perceived as the "expert" while the others remain...well, average. It isn't a matter of the guru knowing more. It's a matter of the guru establishing himself as an expert by using the simple strategies and techniques outlined in this book.

Gurus separate themselves from the pack and stand out as someone who is expert in their given vocation. And the truth is that this isn't that hard to do, really.

Bly covers everything you need to do to attain "Authority" or "Guru" status. He lays out in simple fashion what needs to be done. All you need is the desire to learn AND implement these steps.

If you want to increase your income and your prestige, get this book. You won't be sorry!

From Joe Catal. Author of: Telesales Tips From The Trenches.
I have several of Bly's books and like them all. This book covers everything you need to know to become an expert in your field. It's straight forward tip after tip. I've been trying to market my book different ways, (without spending thousands) doing it. And am slowly beginning a national campaign thru classifieds. (just one of the many ways to promote the book). Bly's ideas and knowledge in the field make this a must have book for anyone looking to promote themself. We'll written. Just read through it and choose what you feel would work best for your situation. Good Job Rob. Keep the good work up!

Although it starts out a bit slow, it is a well written and , for the most part, accurate. I worked at INCO and was involved in the early stages of the acquisition and can say that the description of events and personalities was very accurate.

The real story that reads better than fiction. The book gives a great background for the current activity that is starting again in one of the largest mineral discoveries in Canada.

Tremendous read for anybody who has an interest in this sector, or for that matter good business books. Good insights on the tactics used in making a deal for a world class deposit (at least in a seller's market). I started yesterday morning and couldn't put it down all day. My wife did make me walk the dog, and I took a few trips to frig, but was so engrossed I finished it all yesterday. That's saying something because I usually only finish about a fourth of the books I start.

First of all, I don't understand why this guy isn't that popular (at least in the USA)! His sense of humour is unlike anything you would have ever read in your life. Laced with witty humour, brilliant use of words and insane ideas, his plots keep getting better and better with successive novels. However, this one remains a classic to the very end. Its about Hugo Rune and all his crazy theories about life (well, at least the life of a screw!). I sometimes wonder how this guy's mind works...I mean, first of all, his plot is incredibly complicated, on top of that, its situational comedy to the very best (forget those stupid sitcoms after reading this...at least I have)
Read this one and expand your mind! And the ending of this book is...well, MINDBLOWING!

I read this book once and laughed out loud. I read this book twice and had a giggly fit. I lent it to my Grandma and she didn't give it back.

Robert Rankin is a master wordsman and his books never fail to deliver. The Book of Ultimate Truths is mentioned in other books of his, and Hugo Rune is in every book. This is truly wonderful - the extracts from TBOUT are really clever and makes me wish that I'd realised that first. An extremely funny book (in case you hadn't gotten the message by now) that EVERYONE should read.

This is Robert Rankin's eighth novel, the first of a new series. It introduces some endearing characters: the wild-haired seventeen-year-old Cornelius Murphy, and his dwarf-like companion Tuppe.

A typical Rankin plot: Cornelius and Tuppe are on an epic quest to retrieve the suppressed chapters of The Book of Ultimate Truths, and to keep them out of evil hands. Hugo Rune, the author of the book in the book, appeared in earlier Rankin novels, but now his outlandish ideas get the full attention they deserve: about the secret life of Gandhi and H.G. Wells, about the strange behavior of biros and small scews, stories that make you laugh aloud.

This was the first book I read from Robert Rankin, and at times I wondered if this guy needed to see a doctor. I read it again recently, after having read all his other books, and I found out that I had missed a lot of jokes during the first reading. The more you read these books, the better they get.

Elisabeth Murray writes a wonderful and highly detailed biography of her grandfather, James Murray. Simon Winchester reintroduced many in this country to Mr. Murray in his book The Professor and the Madman, which told the story of Murray and an American living in an English asylum named W. C. Minor. This book was highly readable, but not comprehensive as a true biography of Murray.

James Murray, the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, was a gentle man of words who dedicated his life to the study of the English Language. His efforts are best understood in this book by the descriptions Elisabeth gives of his scriptorum, where Murray spent the majority of his life, and where Elisabeth worked as a young lady.

In reading about this man's life and the effort that was required to undertake the construction of this dictionary, one really gets a sense of the vastness and complexity of the English Language, the historical richness and the regional diversity. One also sees in florid detail the life of one of the great late-Victorian pedants.

This is really two books in one: the life story of James Murray, first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, and the tale of the dictionary itself. Both are lovingly told. It's a must read for anyone interested in dictionaries or linguistics.

Elizabeth Murray, the granddaughter of James Murray, who was the chief editor of the huge Oxford English Dictionary on which every serious scholar of English continues to depend, has written an excellent biography of the greatest English lexicographer, and done more: she has also given an insight into his personality, and, yet more importantly, into the whole scholarly world of philology, lexicography etc. in Victorian England, and the difficulties which beset the creators of the dictionary. I recommend the biography most highly, and feel that all fans of *The Surgeon of Crowthorne* (chiefly on Dr W.C. Minor) should read this - preferably BEFORE that book (so as to get a sense of context), but otherwise after. - Joost Daalder, Professor of English, Flinders University (see "More about me')

As I read this moving, and beautifuly written, accont of a family trying to put into a focus the suicide of their son, I kept re-reading the dog Prince's coments. The entire ankst of the family can be seen in the dog's (youthful) padding around seeking the lost son, and then her various thoghts about the family as she ages, and ... Can't reveal plot lines here. If I were a teacher, I would reccomend this book to young students. The incidence of teenage suicide is so real, and disturbing, that this novel, and the fully developed lives of the characters after the suicide, might be a powerful message.

The sophisticated writing of this author indicates wide popular audinece, but somethow I don't think he will find it with this book. It brought many tears to my eyes, but I am old enought to
have lived through some of these scenes. And have old dogs.

This is a painful novel, from which comes no resolution, just hope, - which is what I think the author intended.

GMS

this book was absolutely amazing. the emotions, themes, ideas, etc., throughout the book are incredible. i've never been so entertained by a novel. i highly suggest this to anyone who likes to laugh, cry, and read.

Century's Son was a truly rewarding read. if you enjoy rich characterization, then you will enjoy Boswell's writing. Few authors are able to create such textured characters with as much feeling and depth as Boswell does here. If anything, the only character that did not strike me as particularly real or original is Peter Kamenev, who is slightly stereotyped as the precocious, over-sexed, hyperbolic old man. Nevertheless, Kamenev if extremely enjoyable as a character as well.

The only reason why people may not like this book is that there were no earth-shattering developments in the plot. Nothing truly happened to resolve the lingering tension in the book. But to me, that's precisely the point. The richness of the characters is not drowned out by a schmaltzy plot device. Every character is allowed to develop and reveal his faults at their own pace. They develop organically.

You know that you've found a satisfying read when your chief complaint is that the book is too short!