This book is the second volume in the Library of America set on American crime noir. I enjoyed the first volume so much that I decided to read the second one during Christmas break. Once again, the LOA has done a nice job of collecting a fine series of stories. These stories were written during the 1950's and 1960's. The book is nice to look at too; it's covered in red cloth with a cloth bookmark.

The first story is from the demented mind of Jim Thompson. This story, called The Killer Inside Me, is much better than The Grifters, a book by Thompson that I read some time ago. The Grifters seemed to be pretty one-dimensional with respect to its characters. This story is the exact opposite. A deputy sheriff in a Texas city has a terrible secret. He plays dumb on the outside, but inside he is a cunning sociopath. A long simmering resentment leads to a terrible revenge. Bodies quickly stack up as a result. This seems to be the story that Thompson is best known for and it's no surprise why. This is a dark, twisted tale with a grim ending.

Patricia Highsmith wrote a whole series of stories concerning Tom Ripley. The one included here is The Talented Mr. Ripley, probably better known due to the recent film with Matt Damon. This tale isn't as noir as I would have liked, but it still has enough twists and turns to keep anybody in suspense. Ripley is a low class conniver who ingratiates himself into a wealthy family who wants him to go to Italy and bring back their son. Ripley sees the potential for bucks and meets up with the kid and his lady friend. Of course, things take a turn for the worse and the bodies start stacking up. This story was probably my least favorite out of the entire collection.

The next story, Pick-Up, by Charles Willeford, is a depressing tale about two alcoholics who go bump in the night. The story follows the adventures of this alcoholic couple as they attempt suicide, check themselves into a mental hospital, and drink themselves into a stupor. After the female half of the couple dies in another suicide pact, the story switches to a prison tale. The end is somewhat of a twist, but really doesn't impact the story that much, in my opinion. Again, not really noir as noir can be, but still a fine story that can stand by itself.

Down There, by David Goodis, is a wild ride of a tale. Full of suspense and death, this is a great story that deserves to be included here. A family of ne'er-do-wells drags their talented piano-playing brother into their personal problems. The background information on Eddie, the piano player, is phenomenal. The tragedy that has struck him once is bound to repeat itself again. This story has great bit characters that really liven up the background.

The final story, by Chester Himes, is The Real Cool Killers. This is noir on acid: pornographic violence, massive doses of grim reality, and characters you're glad to see get killed. The story is set in Harlem and involves two tough cops named Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson. Someone kills a white guy in Harlem and the cops try and track them down. This story contains one of the funniest descriptions of a person falling off a balcony that I've ever read (and I've read a few, disturbingly enough). The writing has enough similes and metaphors to give Raymond Chandler an apoplectic fit. A cool story that certainly deserves a place in this book.

If you like noir, read these two LOA novels. They are long (together they're almost 2000 pages) but it is definitely worth the effort. These kinds of stories are just a great way to while away some free time and relieve stress.

I gave it 5 stars based on the collection as a whole, rather than each story individually. I enjoyed all of the stories, in that they were a good representation of the genre as a whole, yet they were all stylistically different.

Individually, I would rate the stories in pretty much the order they appear in the book. "The Killer Inside Me" is the most powerful, in my opinion, and is a great indroduction to Jim Thompson if you haven't read his work previously. "The Talented Mr. Ripley" is also excellent, and is a must read for any fan of crime fiction. What I found more interesting was the contrast between the protagonists in the first two novels. Both are cold-hearted killers, but you couldn't find two more different voices. Its a tribute to both Mr. Thompson and Ms. Highsmith that you actually root for these people to get away with their crimes.

The other three novels are good, but they pale in comparison to the first two. "Pick-up" is a good study in a relationship between two alcoholics who know they are alcoholics and are okay with it. It takes awhile for the crime to be committed, but its an interesting journey. I didn't care for the twist ending, but that's just me. "Down There" was interesting to read, if only because it was the basis for a great movie. "The Real Cool Killers" was the only story of the five that I had trouble getting through. I think that was because I didn't really care (or even really believe) that A) a group of street punks would dress in the manner they were described in, or that B) a pair of street detectives would be as violent, feared, and given such free reign as the ones in this novel.

All in all, a good book to add to your collection, if only for the one-two punch of Thompson and Highsmith (by the way, that would be a great name for a law firm).

I usually don't like genre fiction, but this book is a great collection of "Noir" novels. Film buffs will be particularly interested in reading the novel on which "Shoot the Piano Player" was based, as well as the first "Mr. Ripley" novel (much nastier and darker than the recent film). Most highly recommended.

This book, by a prominent medical researcher and practitioner, is one of the most well written and interesting of it's type. In fact, I was unable to put it down once I started reading. Initially interested in possible hazards of electropollution, and also medical uses of electric current, I learned quite a bit from Dr. Becker's book; and I found myself asking more questions, and looking for other sources. Written for the layman, this book is authoritatively referenced with all the professionalism you would expect from a man of the author's caliber. Highly recommended!

Others have summarised this astonishing book. It is most unfortunate that the title and cover imply a sensationalist book. It is sensational - but in the sense of new knowledge unknown to most of the Medical fraternity and I write as aa senior MD! This is the most important medical book I have read and I nearly ignored it because of its lurid presentation.

and with any luck, will be in the future. Robert Becker is an M.D. and research scientist with impeccable credentials--he discovered the minute electric currents, applied to bone fractures, will heal breaks that weren't knitting (and before his treatment, amputation was the only alternature for non-unions.) As noted below, this book is illumating. The author goes a long way toward finding a scientific basis for acupuncture, homeopathy, and 'faith' healing--at the very least, they involve the electromagnetic field in and around the body. He details the opposition he has encountered through the years from the close-minded, who, through the all-too-human combination of ignorance, arrogance, blindness and politics, have hindered his work (and 'scientists' are always extolling the open-minded superiority of science over all else!) He makes no secret of his disdain for the likes of self-appointed witch-finders like James "the Amazing" Randi. In the last half of the book Becker discusses electropollution, the possible harm it can do to people, and how to reduce or elimate your exposure. An eye-opening book that will be enjoyed by those interested in the failures of modern medicine (and 'failure' is indeed the right word, since the medicine profession has had to admit that doctors are the third leading cause of death in the U.S.)

Okay, I wrote this, so of course I like it--and since I have to give it "stars" in order to post, I give it five.

But the point of this "review" is to say that the book will be back in print this Fall (2003), from Transaction Publishers/Rutgers, with a new intro and a new title--"Health and Suffering in America: The Context and Content of Mental Health Care."

The hype about mental health care in the last five years or so has grown more and more outrageously false. I'm glad Transaction wants to keep this book in print, as a corrective to the nonsense that those who profit from mental health care would have you believe.

This is the best book on comparative clinical psychology/psychiatry I've ever read.

If psychotherapists/psychiatrists were considered faith healers (which this book makes clear they are), this book would qualify as a book on comparative religion, and it would make one question their faith.

Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, Cognitive Therapy, and Biological Psychiatry are all analyzed, with their core beliefs and assumptions described in detail. Each school's standing with the scientific facts is mentioned.

Cultural reasons why Americans accept certain therapies, or come to accept them in spite of their unscientific bases, are also given.

The most noticable omission is the lack of any discussion of Albert Ellis' Rational Emotive Therapy, although many of the comments about Beck's therapy apply to RET too.

The chapter on biological psychiatry could have provided more background on its history, as well as mention more specific psychiatrists' and pharmaceutical companies' influences. For biological psychiatry, "Blaming the Brain" by Elliot Valenstein (mentioned in this text's acknowledgements) is also recommended.

Without coming out too strongly (which could create a backlash), the book does an excellent job of pointing out how biological psychiatry's illness model is used to justify prescribing psychoactive drugs with no proven specificity in treating "illnesses", in a culture which otherwise wages war on psychoactive drugs.

The only noticable editorial error was a major misspelling of "renaissance".

I was amazed at the clarity this book sheds on psychological schools of thought. It does an excellent job of explicating the values of each school of thought, giving the reader information by which to evaluate them.

I would highly recommend Cultures of Healing to anyone interested in therapy to help them understand what types of therapists do what, and what they believe in. I would also recommend Cultures of Healing to any psychology student who wishes to make some sense out of the morass of contradictory beliefs.

Definitely buy this book.

This book is of a true hero, David Kopay. What a story of courage and inspiration. If you want to be inspired, read this book. One of the best!!

This is David Kopay's account of growing up gay back when there were very few books or support groups to turn to, which makes it stand even taller. He describes his experience as a college and professional football player as well as being in a fraternity. I find him candid, readable and likeable. He never asked for any special favours, just the right to live his life his way and do what he knew how to do.

I'm proud that David is a fellow Husky; his name adds honour to the reputation of the University of Washington, both as a hard-nosed athlete who hit like a freight train and as a man of courage. Just about anyone could benefit from reading his book.

Before Dan Woog's "Jocks," before "The Front Runner," before the whole genre, David Kopay rocked the homophobic world of sports by coming out and telling his story. An amazing personal journey and a great historic account, this is a must-have for your gay library. Not as sexy as you'd think, instead it's a harrowing and touching tale of the first pro football player - the first jock of the 20th century - to come out big time. We all owe this man a lot, but beyond that, this is a compelling story.

Sheriff Walker Whitlow knows he's found the murder of young Eileen Matthews, but lab tests seem to prove that the suspect isn't the killer. Now he must fend of devastating political attacks as he enlists the help of his good-for-nothing son, his elderly jailer, and the wife of his deputy to find the real murderer. Dead Wrong has everything a great mystery novel needs: a beautiful woman, a brutal murder, a lawman struggling to save his job, family and self-confidence, and one clear but problematic suspect. Author Robert Iles has a genuine talent to spin a story of mystery, murder and mayhem that grips the reader and just won't let go from first page to last!

I know I've found a winner when I forget that I'm turning the pages of a book. Mr. Iles transported me into the world of his characters and I stayed there until I stumbled, stunned but satisfied, back out into the real world at the end of the novel. An ending, by the way, that even the most avid mystery reader will fail to predict. Excellent!

Drop dead is a masterful blend of well-drawn characters and an intricate plot. Sheriff Walker Whitlow unravels this puzzling mystery with the help of his well-meaning but inept son Mope and his Undersheriff's knows-everything wife. This novel is a well-written, winning read and the opening salvo of a very promising career.

While Dr. Willner's style is fairly dramatic, the arguments are well-founded. Essentially, he agrees with most of what Peter Duesberg argues. If you want an easy introduction to the position taken by AIDS dissidents, read this book. If you're looking for a more scholarly approach, read Duesberg's book "Inventing the AIDS Virus".

Still, this is a great book. It's a very easy read. It's clear that Willner is pretty angry about the whole AIDS fraud, and that comes through in his book. Don't let that dissuade you from reading it, though, because after all YOU SHOULD BE ANGRY! Read it with an open mind, because we can't afford to indulge a premature AIDS consensus any longer. It's been 18 years since Dr. Gallo announced his bogus HIV virus hypothesis as fact, and we don't have anything to show for all of the money and effort spent, now do we?

The whole HIV dogma is going to eventually go down as the greatest medical/scientific/political fraud in the history of the world, and I'm not being hyperbolic here.

It is amazing that I have discovered this book only one week ago, although it was published several years ago. With stunning evidences and an obvious logic it shows the light at the end of a tunnel that seemed endless. This is a MUST read, specially when you or a close person are affected with HIV.

Deadly Deception leaves little unanswered. A must read for anyone diagnosed with HIV or has a loved one sentenced to death. This book could save your life!

Yes, Robert Finch writes with an intensity that comes with his passion for his life on the Cape Cod peninsula. But many of these essays describe creatures and natural phenomena that take place in other locales as well -- it's just that we're too busy or too apathetic to observe them. He sees. And then he tells us about his encounters, just as easily as if we're sitting across the table from him at a casual eatery.

My favorite passage is beach-oriented and describes a old cottage being overcome by natural forces: "Sand sifts slowly, like age, over everything, softening, obscuring, and finally obliterating each distinct thing into a semblance of itself and the next thing. In this sense, sand is the ultimate progressive poet, whispering, 'This chair is like this table, is like this bed, is like this sink -- and each thing is, more and more, like all the others, until finally they are all -- like me'." (p. 153) Of course! Why didn't any of the rest of us think to say or write that?

Save this volume for a time in your life when you need the peace of Nature to drape itself over you and slow down your blood pressure. These stories are worth savoring. Then go out and "see" for yourself.

Robert Finch's words not only portray the flora and fauna and geography of Cape Cod, he shows the reader what the Cape really is. Those of us who've only visited during the season and thought we "knew" the place should be ashamed. Mr. Finch is a part of the Cape, and the Cape is a part of him, and this reader can only stare in wonder at the majesty and beauty of the world he describes.

What a remarkable year this has been for writing about nature in New England. First the dazzling debut Bullough's Pond, now this thoughtful collection of essays. Can't wait to see what the fall lists have in store.

Creating a Soul by Girard Haven is about the practical work of the Fourth Way. "Practical" in this context means something more than physical or mental exercises that the reader can attempt in the privacy of his or her own study. In these pages, Mr. Haven speaks about the difficult, day-to-day work to awaken from the sleep in which we are all immersed. "Practical", then, means both beginning to see things as they are and attempting to act from what one sees. "Practical" also means distinguishing between the efforts that one is capable of making by oneself and the line beyond which one cannot pass without outside assistance.

The Fourth Way is a teaching of spiritual development brought to the West in the early part of this century by George Gurdjieff and Peter Ouspensky. It can be said that the Fourth Way, more than any other system of knowledge known to us in modern times, stresses the importance of work on being. It is not enough to know the words, one must strive to be the words.

This book is an invaluable addition to the existing canon of Fourth Way literature. Whilst remaining true to the origins of the Gurdjieff-Ouspensky System and the basic principles of self-remembering and the non-expression of negative emotions, Mr.Haven talks about how to work with these ideas on a practical, everyday basis - and the Fourth Way is designed to take place in life, not monastic retreats. He talks about how to deal with ever-pressing daily issues and how to transform them into something higher, presumably, as the title would suggest, the creation of a soul. For many this book will represent a bridge between Ouspensky's brilliant, but somewhat intellectual presentation of the Fourth Way, and an understanding of how practical spiritual work on oneself can actually take place.

I picked up this book from a table somewhere and found it a truely interesting read! Written in a simple essay style, Mr. Haven outlines his own personal philosophy and that of his fourth way school in essays written over 20 years. I recommend this book to those interested on Fourth Way ideas or internal work on their souls!

Yes this book left me with the feeling I had heard words of wisdom from an experienced father and businessman. The book is unique in that it offers methods for dealing with both Work and life. The author is gifted in his use of examples and is very organized in his construction. I only removed one star because there is little research beyond his life's experiences. I expect facts or more statistical examples, when I read a book.

Still all in all this is a book filled with wise words. If heeded, I sure it will improve your life as it has mine.

I got Daddy @ Work as a gift and loved it! I read the book in two evenings and in my hectic life that says something. His writing style is down to earth and practical to the point of telling you how to sit at a table to 'connect' over a dinner/lunch conversation. I will reread it again and again to let it soak in to my thick skull. I bought two other books from Robert Wolgemuth within a week of finishing Daddy @ Work (Just Daddy and Me & Pray with Me Daddy - both great as well). Daddy @ Work is a must read for any man who wants to make a difference in his world at work and at home! A+ Robert, I wish you lived in my town!

Daddy @ Work Is a detailed synopsis of life in my world. The sucess, the failure, and the trying. In the work force I have an incredible predilection to exceed expectations at any expense. This leaves little room for much else. My family life began to suffer. I saw this and wanted to make things different. I started to study the scripture to find a Biblical portrait of a "reaL" Father. I also searched for a book. Finding Daddy @ Work was an answered prayer. There is indelible insight pouring from each page. "Real" life answers, To "real" life questions. Simple to follow outlines, that will lead in a new direction. To honor God, your family, and your buisness sounds impossible, but it's not. There can be success. I challenge you to read this book, dive into scripture and you too can find the medium. This is the key to a happy and fulfilled life. Daddy @ Work will help you find it!

If you have just purchased Vampire: The Dark Ages, then you will want to look deeply into this book. This book contains information to help make vampire chronicles even more dynamic than before. This volume contains a detailed section outlining the various actions and reactions of different religious organizations. I state organizations because too often the word Church is assumed to mean the Holy Roman, or Catholic Church. Although it was a major power in Europe, there were still plenty of other religions in the world; each religion had its own agenda and these are illustrated in the Companion. Now a Storyteller can be sure throw a massive curve into a Chronicle when Cainites are now confronted by not only Catholic clergy, but also pagan and followers of even more remote religions. What basis of belief do the Assamites follow? It is most assuredly not catholicism. With this book, you can get a slight taste for their beliefs, or the beliefs of those in their homelands.

So that is the church, but what about Cainites themselves? The Companion carries the higher level disciplines for the one listed in the Dark Ages core book. The authors have also included more Thaumaturgical paths as well as power to make better Infernalists. This book carries a wide selection of Dark Thaumaturgical paths and rituals. It also carries a few new disciplines altogether. Wait! New disciplines? Who wield them? This volume also adds four new clans/bloodlines. The Laibon, Lhiannan, and Lamia make their possible First Appearances in the White Wolf canon. Their chapters contain information on their origins, structure, beliefs, and discipline just as it does for all others. The one exception is that it also spells out each bloodline's fate. These Cainites do not survive into the modern days, and now you know why. But, I only mention three, who is the fourth?
The Dark ages are a strange time. Not only does it see the "birth" of a new clan, but also the genocidal hunting of another. Yes, the Salubri are still alive at this time and the Companion provides both a clan overview as well as a long listing of Valeren, the Salubri principle power. For all you veterans, Valeren is not the same as Obeah. Now we have the actual power the Unicorns wielded long ago in Enoch, the very power that is said to have temporarily soothed Malkav of his madness. This alone makes the book worth its cost, but the authors have included so much more.

In summary, coupling this book with Vampire: The Dark Ages will only enhance a chronicle. If players feel they done this before, add a few new religious antagonists, or just drop one of the unknown clans into he story to add danger, intrigue, and a huge new enigma to solve. Do not forget to spice the game with the upper levels of Disicplines. You may have a Brujah or a Nosferatu with a ton of Fortitude, but what good is that when you opponent can strike you from across the room without moving? What good is a ton of Potence and Celerity when your weapons shatter upon impacting another Cainite and not leaving the slightest mark? Who said the "things-that-go-bump-in-the-night" in the night do not have their "things-that-go-bump-in-the-night" as well? Can we say Methusala? Sleep well, childer. Sleep well.

If a chronicle is hard to build, it is a dark ages chronicle, not because of lack of plot, but excess of it, there's too much going on with the church, also there's chivalry and clan differences begin to break the vampire society. Certainly it is a good time to have a companion to give you few details.

It expands existing disciplines providing new ones, with even new rituals. The blood lines also prove to be interesting characters that players might enjoy, and storytellers trying to run the dark ages chronicle will find this book quite useful.

While Vampire: The Dark Ages is infinitely resourceful, the Dark Ages Companion is infinitely more so. It has detailed information on aspects of the dark ages which will help any chronicle. Included are several new bloodlines, plenty of new disciplines and new powers for old disciplines, and details on several religions. Possibly the most valuable resource is the new data on combat, including the mass-combat for the armies of the day.

All in all, this product is essential to run a complex chronicle, and well-worth the money.