While this Modern Library edition is attractively produced, all teachers and students who hope to use it in an academic setting should be aware that this is a severe abridgement--it represents about one-eighth of the original text from 1660-1669. As a result, there are large gaps in continuity, exacerbated by a lack of editorial notes to fill in those gaps. Also, the abridgement omits many of the sexiest passages and seems tailored to a Victorian sensibility. ...

Pepys' secret diary, kept in cryptic shorthand to shield it from prying eyes, covers the years 1660 to 1669, starting with the return of Charles II from exile and ending when the writer's failing eyesight made writing difficult. He was 27 years old when he began this work, and quite impecunious. Through the patronage of his kin, Edward Montagu (later Earl of Sandwich) he rose from humble beginnings to a respected position (Clerk of the Acts in the navy office). Educated at Cambridge, he was ill prepared for the job: while he read Latin and French, he did not know the multiplication tables and had to be taught basic mechanics. However, he seems to have applied himself to his work with diligence and persistence. During the naval war with Holland (1665-67) he was surveyor of victualling. In this capacity, he gained the confidence of the lord high admiral, the Duke of York (later King James II). After the war, he defended the navy office in Parliament against charges of mismanagement with a speech that seems to have been the high point of his career.

His eyewitness accounts of the Plague (1665) and the Great Fire (1666) in London are riveting. But it is the description of quotidian events that sheds light on how the people lived. Moving easily among different social classes, he recorded their moods and diversions. He attended public executions of regicides (complete with display of heads and organs to a cheering crowd), and noted when initial enthusiasm for the restoration of the monarchy gave way to disillusionment; when anger at the King's debauchery and neglect of state business bred nostalgia for the reign of Oliver Cromwell.

While critical of the King's and the Court's incessant "gambling and whoring", Pepys himself was no paragon of virtue. His dalliances with maidservants and accommodating ladies of his acquaintance caused bitter quarrels with his wife. He seems to have lusted after every pretty girl who crossed his path. Repeated vows to mend his ways generally came to naught. Some of the racier passages in his diary are written in fractured French or Latin.

Pepys was an avid theater-goer: he loved Macbeth and Henry IV, but thought Midsummer Night's Dream silly and inane. There was a lot of music in his life: he played the lute, the flageolet, and the violin, and missed no opportunity to join in singing, dancing, drinking and merry-making. He carefully noted, however, how much these diversions cost him. He also conscientiously recorded the bribes and kickbacks paid him by suppliers. Forever curious, he attended lectures and observed experiments, read voraciously and enjoyed a good discourse.

If he often appears vain and foolish, it is because he portrays himself as vain and foolish. His naive enjoyment of even the most mundane things ("this pleased me mightily" is an oft-repeated phrase) cannot fail to strike a sympathetic chord in the reader. He comments on fashion trends (powdered wigs, beauty spots, wearing of masks and male riding habit by court ladies, etc.). When he yielded to fashion and had a periwig made for himself, it was delivered full of nits. New servants had to be deloused and fitted with clean garments, but once domesticated, they were part of the household; they received music lessons and, in some cases, lessons in Latin and Greek. When they misbehaved, he beat them until his arm hurt.

The parallel career of his wife deserves some reflection: the "poor wretch" who, early in their marriage, used to wash his dirty clothes by hand, graduated to lace gowns, powdered wigs and a coach of her own; but discontent increased in proportion to luxury. "I have to find her something to do", mused Sam. Dancing and painting lessons, theater visits and parties filled the void. The couple had no children.

The Modern Library Edition is, of course, a greatly abridged version of the six-volume original. One may quibble with the selection or deplore the lack of notes; but the hefty original is available to all who want to know more.

This book is very recommended for everyone that is, in some degrees, a history "buff". It describes in thorough detail some of the less known aspects of events in that time. For me being a Norwegian I found the parts describing the battle with the Dutch fleet in Bergenshavn particualrly interesting. All in all, an excellent book with extreme historical values.

All you need to know about this book can be found in the following passage: "Worldwide Church of God members... knew with certainty that they were part of a great end-time Work that God was doing on Planet Earth. Their elderly Pastor General, who was broadcasting Christ's gospel of the kingdom to the whole world and flying almost constantly to bring it to heads of state, was obviously 'one sent forth'. One sent forth was an apostle. Herbert Armstrong was as much an apostle as was Paul, or Peter or John. (page 269)" Those who are looking for a scholarly and objective biography about Herbert W. Armstrong will not find it here.

The author takes Herbert Armstrong and his writings at face value. A look at the bibliography is illustrative. There are six books and eighteen booklets authored by Armstrong. Also listed are periodicals Armstrong published, along with letters he wrote to church members. Only seven other sources are listed: four versions of the Bible, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, A History of the True Religion by A.N. Dugger and C.O. Dodd, and Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright by J.H. Allen. Those familiar with Armstrong and his Worldwide Church of God will recognize the last two books as the source of many of Armstrong's teachings.

Herbert W. Armstrong, the founder and leader of the Worldwide Church of God, was a controversial figure who was accused of, among other things, living an extravagant life-style at the expense of the church (e.g. using the church's private jet to fly groceries from Los Angeles to his home in Tucson), plagiarism, alcoholism, and incest. The author does not address any of these issues. Also omitted is Armstrong's messy divorce from his second wife, Ramona, an ugly episode which dragged on for two years. Armstrong allegedly settled out of court because he did not want his past sexual misconduct brought up during a public trial. Astonishingly, no mention is made of Stanley Rader, a man who had an enormous influence on Armstrong for two decades, and who was involved in the excommunication of Armstrong's son, Garner Ted.

Armstrong's hypocrisy was legendary. He long taught that it was sinful to take medications or see doctors, and many of his followers died when they refused medical treatment. But when he suffered from congestive heart failure in 1977, he made extensive use of the medical profession, and he used numerous medications in the years before his death. For years he forbade divorcees in his church from re-marrying. Those who had divorced and re-married were required to divorce their second spouse and live as a single for as long as their first spouse lived. Many happy marriages were ended as a result, and many children suffered in broken homes. He changed this doctrine when he became romantically involved with a divorcee 50 years his junior. As mentioned above, his marriage to this woman ended in a bitter divorce.

In God's End-Time Man, much is made of Armstrong's meetings with heads of state. What the author doesn't mention is that many of these meetings were bought and paid for by the church. The most famous example was his meeting with Prince Charles and Margaret Thatcher. Armstrong donated £106,000 of church funds to the British Royal Opera House. As a patron, he was invited to shake hands with Prince Charles and meet with Prime Minister Thatcher at 10 Downing Street for a few minutes. The meetings were reported in a British newspaper under the headline "KINKY CHURCHMAN FOOLS CHARLES, And his cheque bought meeting with Maggie." In church publications, the meetings were written up to appear as though his invitations resulted from his stature as a world figure. Armstrong's world travels were extremely costly, and were one of the most controversial aspects of his ministry. Yet the author depicts them as doors opening as the result of divine intervention.

God's End-Time Man is merely a restatement Armstrong's autobiography and other literature. The author uncritically accepts almost all of Armstrong's writings. This book will be of interest only to those who are unquestioning true believers in the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong.

A man who chose the least travelled path, who believed and taught only what the Bible teaches, no more and no less. A human being who made mistakes, but attempted to right his wrongs through intense Bible study and prayer (how many leaders in mainstream churches today can you say the same about?). He asked people not to believe HIM, but to believe the BIBLE. He truly was a man of God. This book will give you greater insight into his successes, his failures, and the life of a man God chose to open the door for thousands of people to come to the knowledge of the true God and our soon-coming Savior.

This book is written from a positive attitude and perspective. By focusing on the life of Mr. Armstrong from an insiders view, you get the feel of the impact he had on people from 1930 to 1986. For over 50 years he was a Voice Crying of one Crying in the Wilderness.. From reading this book you find out exactly how Mr. Armstrong spread the gospel throughout the world.

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986) was recognized around the world as a man of character and vision. Herbert Armstrong visited more than 70 countries with a message of the soon coming Kingdom of God. He was honored by many heads of state in the Orient, Africa and the Middle East. He was awarded medals of peace and special commendations for his many charitable and humanitarian activities.

He taught that there are two primary paths that mankind can take. The path of greed and hate and the path of giving and Love. He taught how the path of Love was part of the very character of God.

All of his publications were free of charge. Also discover why the very church he founded now suppresses his teachings. Considering that the rest of Mr. Armstrong's writings are out of print, this book is the best one availble with a biography perspective.

A new book out that compliments this one is The Essential Teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong. The subtitle is: His Teachings Focused on the Incredible Human Potential. Did he solve the Mystery of the Ages?

Here we have an interesting pair. First, we have, on the right, multi-millionare(if not billionare)Steve Forbes, who favors a flat tax of 17%(in which a poor person will pay at the same tax rate or lower as this rich guy does!). On the far-right, we have the infamous Armstrong Williams, who served so nobly as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who is just about the only "contribution" which the Republican party has done for African Americans(I use the word "contribution" liberally - very liberally). I come from New York, New York. For the past 25 years, I have served at a local Baptist church as both a decaon and an Associate Pastor. I am proud to say that our place of worship, which continues to grow, is racially and economically mixed. I am a happily married man(for 30 years married!)and have 5 great kids - including a grandchild on the way. I was also a proud labor union member(as was my father and his grandfather) and an active member of the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League and the Democratic party of New York. Thus, I know something about the 'private compassion' which these two ideologues want. Yet, I also know about the public good which is necessary. I know this from my fellow Christians and New Yorkers and Americans. I know this from common sense and past experience, including my 5 years in the U.S. Army.

What do these two right wingers do when they combine to speak to our nation's hurting ghettos? Well, they speak to hurting souls not from their well-off souls, but from their ideologies - far right wing ideologies, which state that government has no business to regulate its economy in favor of the masses, and that government has no right to aid the destitute and poor. They claim religious values of God and church, family values and patriotism, all while they aim to repeal the safety net for widows and the poor, cut tax rates for the wealthy(in the vain hope that these funds will "trickle down" upon the ghettos), hurt the poor through deep cuts in social programs and hurt families in the process.

Yes, Forbes and Williams do have some decent suggestions which, by themselves, need help anyway. Their call for individuals(regardless of their race)to embrace religious and family values is a great one. Yet, why can't government help, if what government does is so right? Why is "welfare" so great for Steve Forbes' rich friends and yet it is destructive(in any form to these Republican ideologues)to the poor? Why can not a poor black family in the ghetto expect from their government a Minimum Wage, good health care, a guaranteed job opportunity through a public works program and public education? Why not incorporate the greatness of Forbes' and Williams' cherrished Bible into our welfare state? That is, why not continue to embrace compassion in the welfare state while reforming it and not trashing it as these two right wingers do?

These two push the theory that government can do nothing right. Yeah right! What about Soical Security, Medicare and Medicaid? What about Head Start, Student Loans, scholarships, civil rights guaratnees, environmental and consumer protection and Legal Services? What about public broadcasting? What would we do without labor protections like the Minimum Wage, the right to form a union and the 40 Hour Work Week? How about child labor? How about housing? How about defense and the GI Bill? How about Affirmative Action(sorry Justice Thomas!)? What about aid to the poor in general? Yet, forget this compassion and progress, these two Republicans state in this book, what the ghetto needs is more "personal resonsibility." Yet, what about the "personal responsibility" of the corporations which these two want to shield from law suits from decent consumers? What about the "personal responsibility" of the rich which will be gone under Forbes' flat tax?

Forbes and Williams had better wake up - the problems of the ghetto are, yes, moral in nature, as are the problems with our government. Yes, the ghetto does need more injections of private charity and faith. That means "yes" to churches, Metropolitan Ministries and charity. Yet, we must have a "yes" open to the public good when it is done well, as it should be.

After reading this book, I suspect that this is nothing more than an excuse for selfishness on the part of rich man Forbes and more knee jerk conservatism on the part of Williams, who seems to disaprove of everything which black American approves of, including a positive influence of religion and its compassionate vlaues on the public good.

Mr Armstrong has written a very good book about the average so-called "ghetto" African-American young man. The subject of his book is a 29 year old black man named Brad. After introducing you to Brad and the circumstances in his life, Mr Armstrong, thinks about his encounter with Brad and then writes a series of letters addressing Brad and his condition. That condition and the many problems in Brad's life are what makes this book so interesting.

This leeter format, where we encounter one topic at a time, in a personal letter, opens up the issues on a down to earth style. Not everyone will agree with Armstrong's insight and perespectives as to Brad's diagnosis of the "black-man's" condition in urban America, but the insightfullness is bound to stir dialogue. Most liberals will outright dismiss this short work with straw men attacks and Ad Hominums. Don not be fooled by such silly and distorted speak. Instead, read this book for yourself and wrestle with these issue.

It is time the African-American community as a whole see a different view about the dangers hurting their own people.

This book is well written, easy to read, and interesting. Please disregard Ad Hominem reviews that slander the auther without seriously engaging his message. The book is not a detialed analysis of social problems and it isn't intended to be. It is addressing that African-American urban culture has relied extensively on the idea of victimization.

Most of this book is done with each chapter being opened in a letter format as he writes to us by writing to a young black man who considers himself to be a victim of, well - just about everything. The young man doesn't see how he is responsible for many of his criminal and immoral behavior. This letter format is effective and if people can, for a moment put aside their biases, maybe they willlearn something or at least, understand a different perspective on the issue.

One does not have to agree with all of Mr. Armstrong's points to fully grasp that he is addressing a very real problem amoung young black men. This book accomplishes exactly what it is suppoosed to do - engage us as if we are involved in the discussion.

This has to be the worst book I have read so far on Custer andthe Little Big Horn Battle. Big print, wide margins make this book inmy mind a money grab. Thirty pages of preface and introduction and 11 blank pages help to fill out this book. This book does have some interesting points but all in all I found it very disapointing. They must have laughed they way to bank with this one. END

This book has a misleading title. This is a small short book, and only a part of it is actually about the Little Bighorn (LBH) fight. Other parts of the book are interviews Camp conducted concerning the Yellowstone expedition, the Little Bighorn aftermath, the death of Crazy Horse, the Powder River expedition, and the Battle of Summit Springs. Do not buy this if you expect Walter Camp's complete notes on the Custer fight. Get Kenneth Hammer's "Custer in 76" if you want a far more complete set of LBH interviews strictly concerned with that subject. This book contains some of Camp's notes not included in Hammer's book.

This book is recommended however for its extensive highly informative footnotes. There are very nearly more footnotes than text, and therein is a wealth of information about the people and events in the 1866-78 era.

One of the finest accounts of the Custer fight. I would recommend this book over most of the others. Mr. Camp sought out survivors and interviewed them, he sheds some fresh light on many of the confusing issues. And he details some very interesting items of the actual fight itself. Excellent and has a place of honor on my book shelf. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

...and I hate to say that, because I was really, REALLY looking forward to reading this book! Alternate histories fascinate me (as they do many readers) and although I'm happy to say that the author appears to have a good grasp of Custer as a personality and doesn't paint him as a heartless, Indian-hating, glory-grabbing brute (which is refreshing!), his style is extremely dry. The research is sound, but it's more like reading a history textbook than a novel. So, if you're looking for a teeth-rattling page-turner, I'm afraid this isn't it. "Marching to Valhalla" is a much better bet!

I have been reading alternative histories on and off since MacKinlay Kantor wrote "If the South Had Won the Civil War" several decades ago. The two key factors in any alternative history are (1) what happens differently to alter the flow of history and (2) what significant chances result from that alteration. Such stories are usually flawed because the first part becomes convoluted beyond belief, but that is certainly not the case with "Custer's Luck," written by Robert Skimin with researcher William E. Moody. The pivotal moment is, of course, the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and the authors have George Armstrong Custer discover the true size of the Indian camp he is about to attack. So instead of continuing with his suicidal charge he reunites his elements of the 7th Calvary with those under Reno and Benteen. With a unified command Custer is able to compel Sitting Bull to surrender by employing his standard tactic, threatening the women and children. Therefore, instead of the newspapers being full of the massacre of Custer's troops on nation's Centennial, "Long Hair" is credited with a great victory. All of this is certainly plausible.

Equally reasonable is the idea that Custer would then have been tapped to run for President in 1880. The main thrust of "Custer's Luck" is therefore going to be what happens to the destiny of America with Custer in the White House. If you have a reasonable grasp of American history--and there is no reason to be reading these types of books if you do not--then half the fun is recognizing where and when the authors are lifting ideas and events. This goes from such relatively minor things as the court-martial of a black West Point cadet to Custer insisting the U.S. cannot afford to be Isolationist, the political philosophy that was the flaw in American diplomacy throughout the 20th century. Ultimately, "Custer's Luck" wants to have the United States try to begin that century the way it ended it, as the preeminent military and political power on the planet. Consequently, Custer fast-forwards the nation in terms of developing a strong navy, building the Panama Canal, provoking a war with Spain over Cuba, and even supporting women's suffrage.

The main sub-plot of the novel focuses on Red Elk, a young Sioux Warrior who vows over the dead body of his pregnant wife that he will kill "Long Hair." Red Elk is a fictional character, originally created in Skimin's "The River and the Horsemen: A Novel of the Little Big Horn." Given that previous novel along with the fact Moody is the editor of "The Journal of the Little Bighorn Associates," it is not surprising that several of those who died with Custer--his brothers Tom and Boston, Myles Keogh, Mark Kellogg and William Cooke--are prominent throughout the novel. Even Frederick Benteen, never a Custer supporter, becomes a Congressman bent on derailing his former commander's ambitions. There are also some soap opera elements; at one point Custer even ends up in the arms of Lillie Langtry. But even before we get to Skimin's final postscript comment "Any comparison to Camelot is in the mind of the reader," it is clear that John F. Kennedy is the major model for the Custer Administration and its theme of "The New American Empire." After all, Custer puts brother Tom in a Cabinet post while his brother Boston is elected a Congressman, Libbie wants to fix up the White House and Custer has the government supporting the fine arts.

I am perfectly willing to grant that many of the things Custer does in this novel could have been done at that time. I will even agree that a national hero such as Custer would have been after winning the Battle of the Little Bighorn could be swept to the Presidency (although Custer's narrow victory in the election does not ring true to me, even if the man was a Democrat). What I find hard to believe is that a President Custer would have been so visionary. When he works out diplomatic solutions to get both Geronimo and Sitting Bull back to their reservations, it is clear that Skimin and Moody are offering us a different Custer than the egotistical daredevil of history's current judgment. Then again, this only underscores that the character is ultimately only a device that allows the authors to shape their alternative America, so there is a logic to their alterations. However, the ending of "Custer's Luck" conveniently frees Skimin from having to finish what he has started. The significant changes that should be at the heart of this alternative history are therefore secondary to the parade of historical figures Custer and his cohorts encounter in the novel. To say the least, I find this to be an unsatisfactory way of concluding this story, essentially negating much of the momentum Skimin and Moody had in creating their alternate America.

I thoroughly enjoyed this "what if" story of a successful Custer who seemed to be ahead of his time, and yet suffered from the same character defects as more recent leaders. While the details surrounding some of the lesser characters was a little tedious, it was a quick,interesting, and fun read. In the final analysis, Custer could not escape the Little Big Horn and, as with JFK, the promise of a great leader was not realized. Don't miss this book if you enjoy alternative history and Custer mythology.

This book's attemps at being a novel distract from the weak historical aspect of the book. This book is obviously not written by a scholar, and thus, reads like a newspaper article written by a reporter who did not understand is material fully. I suggest, if you want to learn what the world was like a 1000, read The Oxford History of Medival Europe, a real book of history.

"A.D. 1000" reads like a work of narrative fiction, and it proves quite interesting. The fundamental structure of the book follows the chronology of Gerbert's fascinating rise to the Papacy. Because of Gerbert's unusual opportunities for travel, educational development, and influence in the most powerful courts of Europe, the book provides opportunities to discuss living conditions in the time. But caveat emptor: the author is not sufficiently critical of his sources. Some descriptions are presented as fact even though other seasoned historians have discredited similar claims.

This is a very interesting book, not boring, not stuffy. It gives a good view of the turning of the first Milennium, from a few different angles. Easy to read, hard to put down. If you want to learn about that specific time period without feeling like you're doing boring homework then this is a good book for you!

This book is easy to read, but there is so much waffle the basic principles are lost. I found the frequent interruption of the text by case studies very annoying. Don't waste your money.

This book isn't clear on many topics. The ideas are old and stale unlike many other books which I've found in the same area. The pages are boring and do not make anyone want to learn more about marketing.

I use this textbook to teach about 1,500 students per year in my courses. I find the book to be well-written and interesting. More importantly, *many* students tell me that enjoy reading the book. (I can tell you that it is rare to have students providing positive feedback on textbooks that are required reading). Armstrong and Kotler are leaders in the field, and their hardcover book holds the largest market share among U.S. universities. Books don't make it to the 10th edition (or 5th for paperback) w/o being good!

I agree with Bob Reece on that score. At the time _Touched By Fire_ was published, we also saw publication of another Custer biography by Jeffery Wert. Barnett's bio was by far and away the better of the two. Custer comes to life for modern readers in a way few authors have made him come alive. My personal favorite Custer "bio" is still Evan Connell's _Son of the Morning Star_, but Barnett's work is also one that I refer to regularly.

Bob Reece spends a lot of his review addressing the issues raised by "a reader from San Francisco" covering the "experiment" that was illustrated in the A&E (and possibly the History Channel as well) documentary in "The New Explorers" series. The New Explorers documentary was seriously marred, I think, in swallowing hook, line, and sinker author Robert Nightengale's almost paranoiac ravings against Benteen and Reno. Any reader interested can refer to Nightengale's _Little Big Horn_ for details there. What I want to note about the "experiment" mentioned is an interesting fact, namely that it appears that those in the Reno-Benteen contingent who claimed to hear firing in the distance were also those who were younger officers who were not Civil War veterans. It is very probable that Reno and Benteen simply did not hear any firing in the distance owing to partial hearing loss induced by their Civil War service.

But that's irrelevant to Barnett's biography. Don't ignore Connell's _Son of the Morning Star_ in your Custer researches, but for an excellent introduction to the life of one of the most colorful Army officers in U.S. History, you can't beat _Touched by Fire_.

I adamantly disagree with the reviewer, below, from San Francisco. This is one of the best biographies of Custer's life with his wife, Libbie. Their relationship comes to life in Barnett's book.

The reviewer's mention of the "New Explorers" program on the History Channel and it's reference to Reno and Benteen not coming to Custer's aid when they knew he was under attack was a sham to historical research. Frankly, I was embarrassed for the History Channel when I viewed this program. It has always been understood by historians of the battle of the Little Bighorn that the men under Reno and Benteen's command heard firing to the north coming from the Custer Battalion. Reno had just got whipped soundly by the Sioux and Cheyenne warriors in the river valley forcing him to retreat to the high bluffs overlooking the river (now known as the Reno/Benteen defense site); it was from this position that they heard firing to the north. Reno had lost over 30 men during the valley fight and retreat. His men were demoralized and there were many men wounded. Custer was five miles to the north beyond the hills; it might as well been a 100 miles. The "New Explorers" premise is that it's some great mystery whether the soldiers' heard gun firing or not. So, they conduct a makeshift "experiment" with a tape recorder on the Reno/Benteen defense site. Over the hills, to the north, they have a few guys waiting to fire some carbines. So, the guys with the tape recorder are talking through walkie-talkies to the men who are waiting to fire their carbines and they begin to countdown to zero. At zero, the men fire their carbines and it's recorded on the tape. Wow! The "researchers" got all excited and said this was proof that Reno heard the firing and, because, he didn't come to Custer's aid, Custer met his death. What a joke! This "experiment" was conducted on a quiet afternoon. The "researchers" didn't take into consideration that the Reno/Benteen site, during the battle, would not have been so quiet. Most importantly, their premise is nothing new. It's their conclusions that are subjective and childish.

Barnett doesn't stoop to such stupidity like these "researchers." She portrays the life of Custer and Libbie as one of genuine caring. After Custer's death, Libbie resolves to spend the rest of her life protecting her husband's reputation. Libbie was ahead of her time; she was a strong, independent woman who faced all kinds of hardships with courage and strength.

And, Custer? He was a man like some people today. He was ambitious and wanted to move forward with his career, yet he didn't let his ambitions affect his decisions on the battlefield.

Once you start reading TOUCHED BY FIRE, you will find it hard to put down. It is a moving story.

Sometimes overlooked in this book are Louise Barnett's fascinating sidebars on women on the frontier. She could make another book out of her research in this area.

This book is good for the person just getting interested in homebuilding who has done no research at all. I'm researching my first homebuilt and I felt more knowledgeable than the author in some cases and about one particular model altogether. It does not appear he has done his homework, and his information is outdated. I have also read Ron Wanttaja'a Kitplace Construction and can strongly recommend that.

This book provides a great introduction to anyone who is thinking they might like to build a experimental aircraft. Some of the aircraft data is getting dated, but his info on the real cost of building and owning is a good eye-opener for those that only want to build to save money. A good starting point for the first timer, before they begin investing in more "in depth" books relative to a specific project.

This is a very useful book which presents objective views on what many different homebuilt aircraft are actually like to fly. It was the inspiration for my homebuilt aircraft website... And if you're thinking of building something, it's really fun to read!

Like the first book, this book suffers from the same weaknesses. Dave is to be commended for his zeal for the Catholic Church, but he needs to develop a more nuanced and sophisticated approach to Catholicism. This is more of the same - Catholic fundamentalism posing as orthodoxy. I put Dave in the same boat as James Akin, Karl Keating, Bob Sungenis, and the other fundamentalist Catholic apologists (fundapologists). Save your money and buy the Catechism of the Catholic Church is you want to learn about Catholicism. If it's biblical exegesis that interests you, pick up anything by the best Catholic scripture scholar of all time - Raymond E. Brown.

This book is a follow-up to the first book by Armstrong titled "Biblical Evidence for Catholicism". In this book Armstrong has continued to provide his readers with more of the same. Of course "the same" would be a good, rational argument on the Biblical nature of Catholicism.

The only thing this book lacks is more arguments that admit that not everything in the Catholic faith can explicitly be "proven" by the Bible. But, Armstrong has certainly met the goal that he set out to accomplish. That is to show that the Bible and Catholicism are not contradictory, but rather complimentary.

I recommend this book along with his first book, especially the debates that Armstrong has provided us with.

From the Introduction of More Biblical Evidence for Catholicism:
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"Once again my purpose is to accumulate biblical arguments in support of distinctively Catholic doctrinal positions, with Protestant readers particularly in mind (as well as Catholics not overly familiar with the Bible)."
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Dave Armstrong's books are simply the best for explaining the Biblical foundations of Catholicism, especially to Protestants considering conversion or simply wanting to understand how Catholics read scripture and for preparing Catholics to deal with Protestant objections to their faith.

I would recommend first "A Biblical Defense of Catholicism" then follow up with this book. Dave's website is a great resource as well: ...