For some reason, I was expecting to read original essays on Marxism. Instead, what Berman's book contains is a collection of book reviews he's had published in an assortment of magazines and one, lengthy, original essay titled "All That Is Solid Melts Into Air," which Berman had already wrote an entire book on! Then, I found this humorous, he has an article attacking a reviewer who didn't entirely agree with the book's views on modernity. Berman's writing style is enjoyable to read and he is humorous, but over over and over again in this book, I kept reading the same passages from Marx's Manifesto and Capital in different reviews, which became slightly annoying. Overall, Berman is a good writer, and thanks to a few of Berman's book reviews, I have some more reading to do. But next time, I hope Berman has something original to say when he writes a book. I felt like the reviews in the book were put together just for the sake of having a book published.

This collection of essays provides instructive and sometimes critical insights into Marx's works and their implications in the modern context. Berman has produced an enjoyable read overall. I found it thought-provoking to say the least. I recommend the book for anyone interested in Marxist thinking, irrespective of one's political point-of-view.

Berman engages the reader through a fun romp through a variety of essays that span 50 years. A dialogue between Arthur Miller and the young Marx interplaying throughout the streets of New York City and discussions of modernity. Berman is brilliant at illuminating the culture which continues to feed a spirit of resistance, proving that the New Left, never really died but was crowded out by the New Right. Lays the basis for revitalized discourse for the next left.

THIS IS A GREAT COLLECTION OF STORIES AND INFORMATION ABOUT A VERY GOOD TIME ERA. AFTER THE WAR AND TO THE PROSPERITY OF THE 1950'S. THIS BOOK IS VERY WELL WRITTEN AND HAS A TON OF INFORMATION. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR THE REAL DIEHARD AND HISTORIC BUFFS OF BASEBALL. A GOOD EDITION FOR ANY LIBRARY. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This book examines baseball during the term of A. B. (Happy) Chandler as commissioner. It is based on extensive oral history interviews, thorough archival research, and the author's keen sensibilities about baseball. I relished reading the book because it filled a significant gap in my knowledge of the game. Marshall is especially strong on the role of free agency and how this manifested itself in the Mexican league of the post-war era. His general knowledge of players, managers, and management is impressive. Finally, this book is well written, without academic jargon. "Baseball's Pivotal Era" merits reading by fans and scholars alike.

I especially enjoyed this book because it fills the time period from my age of two to eight years of age. I became a fan with the end of the "pivotal era". The author notes correctly that progress made during this era stagnated with the arrival of Ford "It's a League Matter" Frick as commissioner after Happy Chandler didn't live up to letting the owners do as they please. Significant details such as the Mexican League, the crucial year of 1947 with the arrival of Jackie Robinson, the Indians' championship of 1948, the 1950 Philly Whiz Kids, and the details leading up to Thomson's homer in 1951 all make this a significant book both for the knowledgable fan and the newcomer interested in baseball history. I did find a few minor errors such as on page 271, the author refers to Bill Bevans of near no-hitter fame in the 1947 World Series as Hal Bevans. Also, former Tigers manager, Red Rolfe, is said to have been replaced as manager in 1951 by Charley Gehringer. Rolfe was replaced during the 1952 season by former Tigers' pitcher Fred Hutchinson. Finally, Jackie Robinson died at the age of 53, not 56 as the author states on page 437. I can certainly put up with these errors. There is a lot to cover in the game's history during these years, and the author did a great job of covering the time period when I was too young to appreciate what was going on in the game of baseball. It's too bad the time period following this era was presided over by a do-nothing commissioner when the game was crying for leadership. However, the owners got exactly what they wanted in Ford Frick.

Let's get one thing clear from the begining, if you're looking for a comprehensive history of Burma/Myanmar with analysis on how it has become one of the most repressive nations in the world, this is not your book. Rather, Marshall's book is a sometimes witty, sometimes heartbreaking "in the footsteps of" style travelogue, in which he manages to travel around modern Burma/Myanmar, following the path of an obscure Victorian adventurer/explorer (and fellow Scotsman) who laid the groundwork for British colonial rule. The core theme is that in Scott's day, Burma was a little known area unpenetrated by the West and populated by a diverse assortment of tribes with varrying degrees of hostility-and some 125 years later Burma/Myanmar remains that way in many ways.

Marshall scoured Scott's unpublished diaries and other sources (all thankfully listed in a comprehensive bibliography) before embarking on four sparate trips. The most straightforward of these was a journey from Rangoon upriver to the old imperial capital of Mandalay and then into the some of the hinterlands. Another trip involved travlling through northern Thailand to the border, where ethnic Shan rebels are attempting to resist Burmese army genocide. A third trip took him from northern Thailand across the border and into the hills near the Laotian and Chinese border. And the most harrowing trip involved slipping across the Chinese border and into ethnic Wa territory where he searches for a legendary lake from which the Wa say they evolved from tadpoles. These trips are crisply related, intertwined with accounts of Scott's travels and life, and background history.

While Marshall certainly doesn't defend British colonialism, he does credit it for introducing modernity to the region and for creating a nation-allbeit juryrigged -from disparate tribes. Marshall lays Burma/Myanmar's current status as human rights disaster area and its herion-exporting based economy firmly at the feet of a military junta that seized power in 1962 and has held an iron grip on the country ever since. An iron grip that is assisted by ethnic Wa drug lords, whose operations rival that of their more famous Colombian counterparts. Burma/Myanmar's economy is wholy dependent on the exporting of illegal drugs by Wa drug lords in collusion with the military. Historically this has been heroin, but in recent years, mehtamphedamine and ecstacy production is said to rival the most sophisticated European operations, and the drug lords have branched out into music and software piracy. With the country's money and guns all linked together in such tidy self-perpetuating interests, it's difficult to see how the stanglehold will ever be broken short of outside intervention.

A great book about tragic events in a beautiful country. The author shadows the travels and travails of Victorian adventurer/administrator, George Scott. The result is a narrative that is readable and engrossing. Marshall presents a wealth of historical material in a relatively short volume (quite unlike the typical contemporary non-fiction book). He is at his weakest when he romanticizes Scott's relationship with the locals in Burma and skirts the excesses of colonial rule. He also neglects Scott's more patronizing and condescending writings about the people of Burma. On the other hand, Marshall presents a very readable account of comtemporary history in the country and a credible portarait of the current regime.

I have visited Burma in the past few years and Marshall's descriptions of people and places were quite evocative of what I saw. Hopefully, the same will be true for other readers, regardless of whether they have traveled there or not.

This is not an even-handed scholarly study of Burma -- thank goodness. It moves along just like a journey, in fits and starts, pausing here, rushing there.

Focusing on Sir George Scott, British Empire-builder of a hundred years ago, Marshall paints a vivid picture of Burma today. His writing is extraordinarily full of life, leading the reader from sympathy to outrage, from suspense to laughter. This is not a book you want to give to someone recuperating from surgery: Marshall is one of the funniest writers I have ever read, and would play havoc on surgical stitches.

One point I would like to debate: his discussion of the Kayan/Padaung families working for the Hupin Hotel in Yawnghwe/Nyaungshwe. I know the family that runs the Hupin personally -- several branches of the clan, actually, and count several of the staff among my friends. Yes, they are not running the hotel for their health, and yes, they are making a profit, but in all sincerity, I do not think their dealings with the Kayan are as heartless as Marshall depicts.

There are two families of Kayan by Inle Lake. Marshall met the ones hired by the Hupin, not those moved in by the government. The Hupin went into the mountains and made a deal with the family: they would build a house for them, give the men jobs in factories around Yawnghwe, the women would work for the hotel, and the kids would go to school at Hupin's expense. They are paid monthly salaries and medical expenses, and any weddings and what-not are paid for by the Hupin. Some of the children have reached high school, and are still going strong. Few children in the countryside get so much schooling. One little girl envied all the attention her big sister got from tourists because of the rings on her neck. The little girl raised such a fuss that her parents agreed to let her have rings on her neck, even though she had not reached the traditional age for that. BTW: she refuses to go to school.

The price for a photo with the Padaung is US$3: this is split 3 ways, between the guide, the hotel, and the Padaung (US$1 is a good day's wage for someone working in Yangon, a week's salary for the countryside.) The Padaung are free to go back to Kayah state. When they go, they bring handicrafts back to the hotel, which they sell to tourists; this money goes into their own pockets. My friends from the Hupin asked the Kayan to lower the price of the bracelets I was buying, and let me tell you, it was a struggle! These are not listless zombies meekly obeying a master's wishes.

Marshall describes a concrete compound. I am not sure what he is talking about, unless it is the area outside their compound, beyond the bamboo bridge. Their wooden house was built Kayan style, in accordance with their specific wishes. They are an extremely conservative tribe. Marshall makes much of the women not leaving their compound. The Padaung are shy people, and the women do not speak Burmese, so they are not willing to range far. Also, I have heard from separate, unrelated sources that there is a danger for Padaung women to roam, because there have been cases of their being -- not exactly kidnapped, but taken off for show in Europe.

Marshall says "the hotel staff member broke into a practiced spiel." We may not be talking about the same man, I did not speak English with the Padaung man I went with, but I suspect the "practiced spiel" may be memorized word for word by someone who speaks minimal English, and may not have confidence in leaving the beaten path.

I deeply feel that the Hupin is more than fair in its dealings with its staff, whether they be Burman, Shan, Chinese, Kayan, or others. When I told the Hupin family what Marshall had written about them, they were quite hurt. Frankly, they are making enough money from tourists, they do not feel the need to exploit the workers. Marshall went to Burma expecting to see the disadvantaged being exploited, so when he saw the disadvantaged, he assumed they must be getting exploited. In the case of the Hupin, I can vouch that he was wrong.

All in all, though, this is an excellent picture of Burma, including parts most of us will never see. I hope Marshall is hard at work on his next book. This is an author to keep an eye on.

When my older son became fascinated with the Three Little Pigs after seeing a version of it on Sesame Street, I did some research on this site to decide the best version to buy him in book form, and decided on this one. I was glad I did---as he really enjoyed many readings of this version until he moved onto new interests! It's not for the faint hearted, as the first two pigs do get eaten, and the pictures of the houses falling show sticks all over and pigs flying away, but that's life in fairy tales! The text is straightforward, the pictures are clear and well done. Consider this version!

My 2.5 year old loves this book. Now he asks everyone what their house is made of.

This is a wonderful presentation of the original story without the moralisms of Disney's adaptation. There is bad and good luck, cunning, bravery and dealing with tough situations without whining. This leaves room for children to respond to the story and interpret it. My two year old grandson loved it, even if he didn't know what a churn was. The drawings are stylish. I recommend it as an addition to your basic library of classic children's tales.

This commentary is simply too much: too many words, too many concepts, too many theories, and paradoxically, too few conclusions. It is overly technical and often gets lost in overly subtle hermeneutical or linguistic arguments. I am very grateful for his own translation (why France writing on Mark in the same series opted not to do the same is a mystery). It should also be noted that Thiselton is much more of a philosopher/hermeneut/semanticist than he is a theologian. In defense of others who find the book too technical, it must be recalled, in the words of the editors, "the purpose of the series is to cater to the needs of students who want something less than a full scale commentary . . .the authors will bear in mind the needs of the beginning Greek student as well as the pastor or layperson...who does not use the language on a regular basis." If that is the stated aim of this series, Thiselton has failed that aim since this is the largest, most technical commentary on 1 Corinthians in the history of the English language. It fails to connect with its own purported audience.

For this review, it may help to know that I am a pastor and a Ph.D. candidate. On the one hand, this is an amazing scholarly achievement. Having read several key passages, I am thoroughly impressed by Thiselton's abilities: his mastery of secondary material, his sophisticated understanding of language and interpretation, his exegetical nuance and synthetic skill. This is simply the best commentary on 1 Corinthians in English for the scholar or seminary student. On the other hand, if you are a pastor trying to preach/teach through 1 Corinthians, I recommend you look elsewhere. There is just too much extraneous information in this book which does not directly bear on our tasks. Also, while I commend Thiselton for listing nearly every possible position on a subject, it is frustrating to read so many pages and not be sure what Thiselton's opinion is or why he holds it. There is an astonishing amount of erudite information in this book, but often too much! I wish the publishers of the ever more girthsome commentaries would realize that often, less is more! Thus, I rate the book 4 stars (5 for scholars, but only 3 for preachers). For the pastor, I still recommend Fee as the best commentary, with Barrett and Kistemaker as great complements.

First of all, the NIGTC series has never claimed to be anything but a scholar's series. So it needs to be judged on those terms. Judging it on value to the pastor who may or may not have the advanced Greek knowledge this commentary demands (2 years minimum, probably exegesis experience as well), is like judging the NIV Application series' value for scholars. This is not to say Thistleton does not deal with issues of application, he does. But the primary purpose is to survey the critical literature in view of the text.

Thistleton is one of the leading British scholars of hermeneutics today, and it shows in the work. This is thorough and careful exegesis, often much more careful than Fee's work, which I also admire. This, plus Thistleton's immense vocabulary, can daunt even the most sophisticated reader. But his style is lucid, and, for a commentary, enjoyable. His scholarship is impeccable, and even when one disagrees with him in the end, one understands why one can come to such a view rationally even if you don't accept his presuppositions, which is not always possible in Fee's work.

In short, this commentary is the new standard in Greek scholarship, and is set to be it for a long time. If you don't have the background for this commentary, it is very difficult going. But it rewards careful study.

A good book for begginers. The title misguides the reader into thinking it is a complete reference for goldfish. The author briefly touches many of the topics. I regret buying this book because it did not solve my questions about diseases, plant care, water quality, and nutrition. A good book for kids. Nice photographs.

I find this to be a helpful guide, and it has given me the tools for a solid understanding of goldfish. Written by Marshall Ostrow and originally released in 1985, this second edition was printed in 1995. It is in softcover format and contains 94 pages. There are 11 chapters along with a bibliography and index. The color photographs are attractive, and the black-and-white drawings are impressive and handy. Examples of topics discussed are habitations for goldfish, aquarium equipment, aquarium plants, setup of the aquarium, varieties of goldfish, selecting goldfish, aquarium maintenance, feeding, diseases, senses, shape and structure, breeding, and pondkeeping. There is a drawing of a goldfish with its external parts pointed out and also drawings that display the developmental stages of a goldfish. I actually rate this manual 3.5 stars. It is informative and pleasing, and I recommend it.

This book is great for the reader who is just beginning with goldfish. It has wonderful pictures and shows avariet of types of goldfish. I still look at it and have read it over and over. Very interesting. I highly recommend this book. If someone is looking about breeding goldfish however I would recommend a different book as it does go into it a little but if you are looking to breed show goldfish and need more info then this would not be for you.

This book was required reading as part of my Microeconomics course. Although it's not quite on the level of Agatha Christie or Ellery Queen- the plot and story is relatively simple and easy to follow- it does show how one can see the basic laws of economics at work in just about every facet of day-to-day life.

Using opportunity cost, the laws of supply & demand, interdependent utility functions, and even the prisoner's dilemma to get to the bottom of the case, Harvard economics professor Henry Spearman tracks down the killer/killers of two high-society tourists at the Cinnamon Bay resort on the Caribbean island of St. John.

Interestingly enough, the foreword & afterword of the book both go into the economic possibilities of writing and publishing a mystery novel featuring an economist as the protagonist! Apparently, the possibilities looked good, since there's two follow-up Henry Spearman mystery novels out there, both of which I'm planning to take a look at once I get some free time in. Of course, I'll have to calculate the opportunity costs of other forms of recreation, the utility I receive from reading the other novels, etc. I have a feeling I'll receive a handsome profit out of the deal...

All told, "Murder at the Margin", if not exactly a great murder mystery, is a fairly interesting primer on the practical uses of economics, and makes for surprisingly quick reading!

'Late

The premise that an economist is capable of solving a murder mystery by using economic analysis appears at first glance to be absurd. However, this story is one where that concept is made thoroughly believable. The hero, modeled after economist Milton Friedman, analyzes all aspects of behavior in terms of maximum return on expenditure. And when people appear to be violating that principle, he is led down a dangerous path that allows him to find the killer(s).
Written by two economists, this book can also be used as a supplemental text in introductory economics. It is a refreshing way to study economics and mathematics without appearing to do so.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

This is a good mystery with a very creative plot. In addition, the characters are intriguing and fun to read about. There are great subtle touches, such as the way one hotel guest examines his bacon. (Yes, I know that sounds strange, but if you read the book you will understand)

It was the authors first effort, and being such it is not quite as good as the following two books, which I would rate at 4 1/2 and 5 stars. Still, it is a very good read.

Since I cannot give this series a 0 rating, a one will have to suffice.
In this day and age we try to teach our children not to call others stupid, they are reprimanded at home and in school for such things, yet these books are given to our children? We were disgusted when our daughter received one of the Stupids books at school from a teacher.
These charecters call each other stupid throughout the books, disgusting! Exactly the opposite of what parents are trying to teach their children.

Don't waste your money on this ...

I am a student of West Virginia State College, currently taking a class on Children's Literature. Mr. Samples (A Wonderful Teacher) has instructed us to review a Challenged/Censored book and write our thoughts on it. I read this book as a child and wanted to read it again to see what the fuss was about and why it would be censored. As a child, I read these books because they were ridiculous, therefore funny! As an adult, I can see that some might object to the use of the word "Stupid" and the use of confusing illustrations. Some of the illustrations may be a picture of a dog with the label "fish" on it. This would obviously confuse a younger child, but I remember finding that hilarious! As I said, I can see why some would find the use of the word "Stupid" objectionable, but I sure wasn't ruined by it.

We recently discovered this book and, given the word "die" in the title, I wasn't so sure it would be appropriate. I was quickly reassured by the good-natured tone of Allard's prose, and the kids (5 and 7, both reading) had a great time hunting for quirky "in-jokes" in the background on each page (like a picture, hanging in the Stupids' home, of three beach balls with the caption "The Pyramids").

This book was originally published in the 1977, and it's amazing to see how innocent its prose is in contrast to kids' books today. But this book is never dull or didactic, and it will delight the entire family over and over, while its simple dialogue will thrill early readers (when the lights go out, the Stupids simply declare, "We must be dead."!!!). I'm thrilled this book has been reprinted; we will definitely be hunting down other "Stupids" books in future.

This book has great pictures and good design themes, but if you're looking for a book on how to finish a basement, this is no help. I've gotten some ideas from this book, but I still don't know where to start with the actuall construction.

This book has plenty of great photos of finished basements and is a great "idea book" for someone who is trying to figure out what to do with their basement. However, it seems to be geared toward people who want to come up with a design, and then hire a contractor to implement it. I am plannning to finish my basement myself, and I found this book lacked the detailed information I will need to undertake that task. So, if you just need some ideas, and you plan to hire someone else to get the job done once you've planned it -- this book is great. If you're planning to re-do your basement yourself and need detailed information about how to do it, look elsewhere.

You will save a lot of money on redoing Your basement with this
book.

Note that the NASB in this edition is not the NASB Update - i.e. the NASB 95. Rather it is the older NASB edition that contains "thees" and "thous". Which is fine if that's what you want.

I bought this Interlinear because I like having the Greek Text along with the NASB (formal equivalence) and NIV (dynamic equivalence). My only complaint is that the font size is just too small for me to be able to read for any length of time. So, unless you have excellent eye-sight, I would go with another interlinear. But other than that one fault, this is an excellent interlinear in every way.

Ignore the remarks by "lharris" below. His/her comments that Alfred Marshall is not a Greek scholar and that he is/was in cahoots with Zondervan to promote the NIV translation is ... nonsense. Marshall's interlinear was done in 1958, long before the NIV was in development. Read the preface/introduction.

That said, this is a good choice in interlinears, as it gives you a formal equivalence (NASB) and a dynamic equivalence (NIV) translation to compare with the interlinear, to see how different translation approaches render the Greek text. Personally, I don't use an interlinear much, as I can read NT Greek, but I recommend this to those who want an interlinear.