While it is somewhat interesting to read a novel in which dreams and reality meld together, I found *this* novel to be vastly uninteresting. The main characters don't hold my attention at all. The storytelling is poor since the issues and themes are buried under a haphazard narration. My suggestion: don't invest time or money in this book.

Momaday, as you probably know, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for his first novel, "House Made of Dawn." In that book, the hero, torn between the Native American world and modern America, and deeply affected by his Vietnam war experiences, finally disintegrates, unable to continue fighting the forces trying to destroy him.

Twenty years later, Momaday published his second book, "The Ancient Child," and it's just as powerful, just as beautifully written, as his first.

The premise is similar to the first book. A man is torn between two worlds, tormented by nightmares, and finds himself drawn to the desert. He finds his destiny, and it too is disintegration. But whereas the disintegration in "House Made of Dawn" is a violent, tragic event, in "The Ancient Child" it comes across as a process of spiritual resolution and healing, rather than destruction.

That's why I regard this book as superior to its Prize-winning predecessor. Momaday's vision seems more holistic, more encompassing in this book. His first novel's tragic vision leaves you haunted and a little horrified. This book will leave you equally haunted, not in horror, but in quiet awe of the inevitable metaphysical reckoning we all must undergo when we leave this world, and the paths we take to get there.

Read it.

His mind is the atelier. The depicted soul of the young woman, Grey, Koi-ehm-toya, was hauntingly perfect. Entwined with notoriety, she grew to an assured love, preserving the heart of a Kiowa man, Loki. Man or mythological God? Distant, the sublime power draws into the solar plexis of humanity, and remains. As if two souls, autoecious azygos, encompassed all characters; Kope'mah, the grandmother earth, 'anomalous cohesion and disintegration of form...motion...color at once.' 'A timeless rejoicing entered into their veins...', (pg35), Grey the elements within, water and root, '"You are Set-angya, the chief of dog soldiers...best of warriors, of battles...enemies."', (pg258), 'Here are weeds about his mouth...', (pg234), the elements above earth, air and fire, introspection and preparation create a watercolor backdrop. Grey, '...a question of control, coordination, mastery: how to bring her body and the body of the horse into concert...', (pg185), eradicated, effectively, Billy the Kid, from the vines of youth, and those who harmed her bodily nature; with hoyden grace. J. Jaederland (shack@concentric.net)

A very good book on one of the most difficult arts that of drawing together a group through facilitation.

The Art of Facilitation is a must read for new facilitators or trainers. It is easy to read and offers practical advice and activities for newcomers to the field of facilitation. This is one of the few facilitation books to offer a chapter on facilitating yourself. Not as advanced as other facilitation books (Masterful Facilitation or Facilitator's Guide to Particiapatory Decision Making) but recommend this as part of any facilitator's library of resources.

The Art of Facilitation is written in simple language. It cuts through the academic tendency to complicate this domain, and in doing so displays the authors mastery of it.

The Art of Facilitation elucidates what it takes to facilitate groups powerfully and provides pathways, tools and processes for this.

This book will provide people new to facilitation with an intellectual analysis of it and old hands clear pathways to doing complex things simply. I use it all the time as a resource in my pratice as a professional facilitator and it is the required text in facilitator training courses which I lead for Zenergy.

I would also recommend Hunter et al's other books: Co-operacy, The Zen of Groups, The Essence of Facilitation.

I first heard of F. Lee Bailey in 1964 when he got Dr. Sam Shepard freed from a crime he didn't commit. Shepard was railroaded by a sensational and irresponsible newspaper; his life was ruined to sell advertising. Were things different 40 years later? This book tells of some of his cases, and his observations on the law.

Part I "The Torso Murder" tells of finding body parts, and the trial of the husband. There was no direct evidence against the husband; only the claim of a hobbyist polygrapher that the husband failed the "lie detector". Bailey's examination and comments are printed. A former business associate of the wife saw her weeks after she disappeared. The book tells of the tricks to discredit the witness: the police officer testified his story was false! But they contacted the priest who had accompanied this witness, and who verified the story. The defendant was acquitted. The next chapter tells of a defendant arrested on eyewitness identification years after the crime. The defendant did not match the description given by the victims. Eyewitness identifications are the greatest single cause of wrongful convictions. They were reliable in olden times when an eyewitness generally knew well the accused.

Part II reports "The Exoneration of Sam Shepard". This is so well known that nothing more needs to be said. Dr. Shepard's career was ruined and his life was crippled through false charges, poor investigation, and newspaper propaganda. Part III reports the Great Plymouth Mail Robbery: a million and a half in small bills were stolen from an ordinary mail truck. This crime was never solved, the money never recovered. Two of the suspects disappeared and were never found; possibly kidnapped and tortured to death by criminals. These chapters tell of the actions of the Postal Inspectors; these are facts, not fiction.

Part IV deals with the Boston Strangler and the solution to this case. It is a well known case where books have been written about it. Part V deals with the trials of Dr. Carl Coppolino. Tried in NJ for murdering a neighbor (not guilty), but convicted in FL for poisoning his wife. Bailey points out the weaknesses in the expert opinion against his client.

Part VI deals with corruption in Paterson NJ. A newspaper publisher who reported on links between underworld elements and the Passaic County Prosecutor was arrested for murder based on suborned perjury! This fact did not prevent two trials and acquittal in both cases. Bailey's appeal to the NJ Governor and others was used to censure him in MA and suspend him in NJ. Does NJ have the worst reputation in the eastern US? Read this chapter and you will understand why.

Part VII deals with "The State of the Law". It tells of the harm done by police lineups (if the victim is shown a mug shot before), the unreliability of eyewitness testimony (someone seen for a few seconds), etc. Innocence is irrelevant for any defendant! Anyone acquitted will forever be suspected as guilty. Bailey tells of the faults of the grand jury system: they are a rubber stamp for the prosecutor. This chapter gives an insider's view to things that are unknown to the public. This last chapter could be a summary of the book.

My copy is dog eared from so many readings. This book inspired my teenage son to pursue a career in law. Highest praise for F. Lee Bailey.

F. Lee Bailey is as much a part of our history as were the clients he represented. This in-depth look at the thought process and strategy behind the courtroom drama that flooded millions of our TV screens in the 60s & 70s, reads better than some of the best selling John Grisham fiction Novels of today. Bailey's brave & cutting edge style of Legal defense unfolds in this book, and I found myself reading on & on with anticipation & excitement even though I already knew the outcome of most of the cases. Hats off to Mr. Bailey & may something be learned from him by everyone.

No More Dying Then is worth reading. It stands on it's own, and it is a worthy addition to the Wexford series. I've been reading Rendell for a couple of years now, primarily because Elizabeth George's work is so often compared to hers. I find the comparison complimentary to both authors. Rendell's early work, including No More Dying Then, is less complex in plot and character development than both her later work and all of George's work. Regardless, Rendell's stories are interesting, and her characters are believable. No More Dying Then is generally a satisfying work. The relationships and thought-processes are well-crafted and authentic. The red herrings are fun, and the ending is a bit of a suprise. Plus, there is enough bizarre and deviant behavior to entertain a second milennium audience without excruciating detail, for those of us who prefer not to know too much...

I have been reading Rendell's work in order of publication (a personal preference when authors are as prolific as she), and I have thoroughly enjoyed the development of both Wexford and Burden. I get the feeling that Rendell likes her main characters and cares about their lives. As a result I care about them, and want to know more about them.

This is a typical Ruth Rendell product. If you have read her books before and liked them then you will like this one. 'No More Dying Then' deals with the disappearance of a small boy. Six months earlier, a twelve-year-old girl disappeared in the same vicinity, and was never found. So the two events terrify the community and galvanize Chief Wexford and his deputy Burden into action. At the same time, Burden is having a very hard time dealing with the loss of his wife to cancer about nine months earlier. In fact, the secondary plot of Burden's emotional struggles almost overshadows the mystery itself. Rendell handles both sides of her story with smooth professional polish. The plotting is believable and skillful, the writing is excellent, the characterizations are insightful.

So why four stars and not five? Well, because almost no 200-page mystery novel can explore personalities or ideas to the depth that would be required for 5 stars, IMHO. Secondly, is Ruth Rendell herself as unhappy as her characters always seem to be? Whether they are cops, criminals, or innocent bystanders, even the happiest of Rendell's characters seem to look at life with a world-weary resignation. Sheer joy is close to unheard of in her work, and this book is no exception.

In a mystery magazine article I read a few years ago, someone took Rendell to task for criticizing Agatha Christie (whom Rendell could never begin to approach, IMHO). The writer said, "Whom would you prefer to have dinner with: Hercule Poirot or Inspector Wexford?" The answer is obvious. After a dinner with Wexford, you would wonder what's the point in going on with life.

I'm probably spending too much time on the negatives here, because this is a fine book. But I don't believe that Rendell is at the very top level of living literary mystery writers - a level which is reserved for P D James and Elizabeth George. Then comes Anne Perry, and then Rendell. However, that still puts Rendell above an awful lot of writers!

~ ~ - ~ ~
~ ~ This was my absolute favorite Ruth Rendell mystery in the Inspector Wexford series. It takes place in about the middle of the Inspector Wexford/ Detective Burden series. But it is not necessary to be familiar with the detectives, as they are briefly introduced to the reader in each book.

~ ~ Detective Mike Burden's wife has just died, and his sister-in-law is staying at his house to help take care of his two children. He is so utterly miserable, and grief stricken, that he can't see how much they all need him to focus himself on his home life. Partially because of his inability to deal with his personal life, when a 5-year-old boy disappears, he throws himself whole-heartedly into the investigation. He becomes over involved with the boy's mother. The recent disappearance of a 12-year-old girl makes the case more worrisome.

~ ~ Ruth Rendell is a master of plot twists and turns that keep us guessing. The book was very strong in the characterizations of the principal players, not just Burden and Wexford, but also the boy's mother, who clings to hope when it looks grim. Grace, Burden's sister-in-law is also very believable and understandable, as she suffers through the pain of Burden's family, who need his focus back at home.

~ ~ "No More Dying, Then!" is absorbing and captivating. It is a great way to start reading the Inspector Wexford mysteries. "

...What would you do if someone left a baby boy on your doorstep? Would you keep them? Send them up for adoption? Try to find their parents? Well, a family from England kept him, and named him Spider for the way he walks. They found some interesting facts about him. He can mimic animal's calls perfectly; one of his only phrases is "Good un!", he walks weirdly, and can't learn any thing.
His friends make fun of him for the way he walks, how he can't learn, and how he does not go to school. His parents also worry about how he acts. The people on the farm make fun of him behind his back, but none of this matters to him because he does not understand any of it. His parents try to make him act normally but they notice that he is happy, so it does not matter.
This great fiction book is set in World War II! This book is terrific for anyone, especially because it teaches you about a boy who is different then most kids. This book is interesting because you can learn a lot about kids who have disabilities like Spider does. This book is a page turner. I highly recommend it to anyone.

This book is so subtle but somehow kept me gripped. The imagery is superb and I felt I really knew Spider as I neared the end. The ending was beautiful- everytime I read it I am left in tears of sadness. I'd reccomend it to anyone as you can read it over and over again.

A simple, beautiful story, Spider Sparrow will definitely leaveyou in tears (the good kind). I highly recommend this book - all ofthe characters are real and likable, and Outoverdown Farm is somewhere I would love to live, as Spider did. And "simple" Spider has many things to teach us...wonderful book!

Beautiful writing, simple, clear. A good translation too, with one warning: for whatever reason all internal quotations are left untranslated. So, while Schopenhauer himself is, mercifully, presented in English, Goethe is left in German, Plato - in Greek, and so on and so forth. Some of the quotes are paraphrazed by Schopenhauer himself, but many are not, so, unless you can read German/Greek/Latin, you're in trouble, that's a rather annoying flaw.

Otherwise it's a great reading, highly recommeneded. Keep in mind that this book is actually a collection of excerpts from Parerga and Paralipomena, so unless you don't have time to read it unabridged, it's better to get the original full book, it's great though, of course, it's five times as thick (but the quotations ARE translated there; I'm talking about Payne's edition, but it seems that's the only one there is, so there's no chance of committing an error here.)

"Philosophy" is often refered to as a field of study in which questions regarding the nature of reality, beauty and man are taken up with vigor. Those who are interested in these topics and all of their tributary subjects are said to be "philosophers" or "philosophical" in nature. Others, whose concerns are strictly material, are considered to be "unphilosophical" in nature. They have no philosophical disposition towards anything: it is as if their behavior is guided by their immediate circumstances and that they are prey to interests that are common and trite. It is this very distinction between the "philosophical" and "unphilosophical" that I wish to refute by appealing to Schopenhauer as an exemplar of what it means to have a philosophy of life.
All of the reviews below adequately convey the merits of the book itself. But what is also important is understanding what this book represents within the context of philosophy itself. And what we discover from reading this book is that even the most vulgar man, a man considered by all measure to be morally and intellectually inept, has a philosophy of life. Schopenhauer was a genius and therefore had the capacity to articulate his thoughts in a powerfully original manner. His outlook on the world stands out from the rest precisely because his intellect is capable of penetrating to the heart of things and describe them in a manner that is at once lucid and compelling. Most of us, however, do not have the mental power nor the luxury of time to express our views on life in general. But I believe this book, when taken as a whole, will help us understand that every life is ultimately guided by a point of view which, underlying all its idiosyncratic characterstics, refers to philosophical assumptions and hence a philosophy of life. In sum, our relation to life is and always will be philosophical in nature. The difference between an ordinary man and Schopenhaure is merely a qualitative one. Schopenhauer's book proves that, and I invite you to see how it does.

arthur schopenhauer had a more accurate and realistic outlook on life than his student, friedrich nietzsche, who i also have a great deal of admiration for. which is not to say that going on tirades against life and intellectualizing everything is the way to go, but which is to say that anyone who recognizes the basic facts of existence is hardly going to reply with a tremendous "YES TO LIFE" as nietzsche so ridiculously and psychotically suggested. is schopenhauer a decadent, as nietzsche claimed? by his standards, yes, but let's remember that by nietzsche's standards he himself was a decadent of the worst kind. he had very few interpersonal relationships that were successful, he was an utter failure when it came to women, he was filled to the brim with bitterness and contempt for religion, and he was for the most part a solitary neurotic, who tried to conceal his own fear of life as some sign of nobility or superiority. i disagree with schopenhauer's supposed 'renunciation of life', but i am in decided agreement with his firm and unyielding belief that ultimate satisfaction and total happiness, those absurd myths which themselves bring terrible unhappiness to those who imagine they exist, are fictions created by society. both philosophers contradicted themselves constantly, but of the two i would say that nietzsche was by far the more hypocritical and blind to his own failings while so harshly critical of the failings of others. nietzsche preached the virtues of creativity and self realization as the highest possible goal man could reach for, and yet he attacked everything strange, odd, interesting, as 'decadent'. there is no better way to discourage creativity and perpetuate bourgeois values than to contemptuously dismiss everything unusual and unique as 'sick'. and all that 'will to power' BS gets pretty tiresome after awhile, especially considering that nietzsche himself was utterly lacking in any kind of power whatsoever, save that of the intellectual type. nietzsche dismisses with disgust everyone and everything that doesn't strive for worldly influence and domination, and yet three sentences later he will admit openly that the universe is basically subjective and that all meanings and goals are equally legitimate and equally relative. if that's the case, as i believe it is, why not enjoy ourselves and stop stressing about things like 'power' and 'greatness' that don't really matter in the bigger picture? anyone with the slightest experience of life will immediately agree with schopenhauer that our 'inner wealth' is what really matters, not the accidental and meaningless distractions of the external world. if this is decadence, roll in the decadence! this book is a must.

The Author definitely has a deep understanding of the negative effects that work can have on your health. I particularly liked the idea of thinking of your career as a collage rather than a photo (i.e., designing a composite career).

I was distracted by all the feminist references. For example, "Bobbie" feels she has disappointed her family because they expected a boy. The Author explains that women are treated like second class citizens despite being "better students and more productive employees than men" and that women have been told all their lives that they are "less valued and valuable than their brothers". The book also tells the sad tale of "Marianne", a closeted lesbian, and her "homophobic VP".

All of that may be true, but it doesn't relate to the topic of overcoming burnout and revitalizing your career. The book was useful, but would have been better if the Author had stayed on-topic.

Toxic Work is a wonderful resource. I have used the book as a required text for both my graduate level Managment Training and Development and Human Resource Management courses. My students, without exception, rave about the content. Dr. Reinhold's humor and insight have provided me and over 100 of my students with a great set of career problem solving tools and a teriffic bibliography. I keep hoping that there will be a sequel ... perhaps Toxic Two. Keep them comming.

Toxic Work is the first reference book in the career section which has a bibliography worth reading. The book not only does all the work for you by collecting and organizing relevent resources, but provides a wealth of examples. The author doesn't give pat answers, but takes the reader through the problem-solving process. I found the book empowering because it provides the structure and information I needed to generate a successful game plan. I became proactive, and am happily employed at the same job that sent me to the book store looking for an escape.

I bought this book last year and used it as our family toured around the midwest, visiting minor league parks on our way to big league parks. We arrived at a single A game in Iowa one day, an hour before game time, to find the park deserted. After calling the office number listed in the book, we were informed that the game that day had been a day game and we had missed it. It was listed in the book as a night game, but apparently every other thursday is a day game or something goofy like that. When you find a mistake like that, your faith in the accuracy of the rest of the book is pretty damaged. I am not buying it this year, but relying on the Internet for schedule information before I hit the road.

how do I edit my review? In case this actually gets posted....please someone tell me how to edit these things once they are posted. Thanks.....and by the way...this book is really good and useful. (Refer to my actual review of this and the 2000 edition.)

This book is a very good source of info on ALL of pro baseball. (Please refer to my review of the 2000 edition of this book.) I am mentioned in this book, as I was with the front office of the Ft. Myers Miracle. I would , however, like to point out some errors/ommisions: I should be listed as "Account Executive" and "Radio Producer". Also, in the 2000 edition, Mark Weaver should be listed as "Coordinator of Felony Plagiarism". This book is a good deal at this price, though, so buy it from Amazon.com, while supplies last. If you are a true baseball fan, this is a book that will not disapoint.

Covert Bailey IS fitness!!! He blows all of the nonsense hype about fad diets and exercise out of your mind and replaces it with the truth! I own every product he has ever sold and I never get tired of them. The Total Body Power series is the best yet. I especially enjoy Christina Bailey's (Covert's daughter) workout. It's fun and effective. Covert Bailey's Total Body Power Program is the only library of fitness information you will ever need!!!!

This series is fantastic and I highly recommend it! Covert takes you step by step through proper eating and exercise!

This tape series was enlightening and extremely useful. As a professional athlete, I found Bailey's understanding and approach to the facts about fitness outstanding, motivating and, above all, useful. He starts at the fundamental level and works his way up. This is a "Fitness 101" for anyone who wants to understand the way our body works with regards to metabolism, fitness, weightloss and nutrition. It was a breakthrough for me.

I've been trying to find a book for my teenage sister who wants to find her birthmom. I bought this one, but after flipping through it and reading a few pages here and there, decided against it. There were some things that I thought would have been very helpful for her (mainly about realizing her fantasies, etc), but there was just TOO much garbage mixed in with it, and she doesn't need that kind of propoganda. The author treats adoption like a bad thing, that the adoptee needs to recover from. It takes the position that open adoption should be the status quo and closed adoption should be completely done away with. (That would have never worked in my sister's situation.) Also hints that all adoptees need to find their birth parents, which I don't think is true either - my brother has no desire to find his, and it doesn't mean he has weak relational skills! The most absurd thing I read, though, was that newborns are "severely traumatized" by separation from their birthmothers. It said they will cry all the time, and refuse to be comforted, "like they have been scalded with boiling water"!!! That is the most unscientific and untrue thing I have ever heard. I don't see how anyone could read this book, and then actually give their child up for adoption! The book also celebrated the changing times that single motherhood is accepted now, so adoption is less necessary.

Overall, it was obvious that these authors had an agenda, and it's too bad they let that ruin their good points. This might be okay for a mature adult who can sift through the biases, but not for an impressionable teen.

This book has some good guidelines if you're somewhere along the search for your birth parents, but is cluttered with New Age gobbledegook which, in my opinion, got in the way of the authors' more practical advice.

I was adopted as an infant (5 months), and at age 47 began a search for my birth parents. I was surprised at how easy it was, and how quickly I located my birth mother's name and her whereabouts, as well as finding out about her two additional children. I had been advised by a woman who had guided others in making initial contact. I followed her advice but never got a response. After reading this book, I discovered I probably should have handled a couple things differently. The authors of Survival Guide have good advice on making initial contact, and include examples of letters and commication tips, as well as testimonials from others as to what worked and what didn't. This was helpful.

However, you have to wade through a great deal of the authors' presumptive characterizations of adopted people to glean the advice and guidance that the title of this book suggests. That is, the authors spent a good bit of time doing such inconsequential things as attempting to generalize what drives adoptees to seek out their birth parents. They tend to characterize adoptees as people with a lack of something or a missing piece in their life's puzzle - people with a yearning of which they may not be aware or of which they are in denial (!!). Personally, I never felt any lack of anything as a result of being adopted, emotional or otherwise. I'd just like to know who gave me my genes, what my parents look like now so I know what to expect, and whether I can look forward to any physiological challenges, such as predisposition to conditions or diseases. It would have suited my needs better if the authors had kept more focus on the title of this book, and dropped the quasi-analytical "who are we adoptees and why are we doing this" business.

Having said all that, however, I found the book helpful.

...for anyone in search, or hoping to have a reunion, this book is an incredible guide! It's filled with a lot of common sense and logic, humor, sadness, great stories used as examples for the "DO" and "DO NOT" approaches to reunion. I especially loved the "REUNION AEROBICS" advice, and the chapter explaining the "Stages of Reunion." This book gave me the strength and preparation I needed to avoid some major mistakes as I approached reunion. It also gave me a great deal of "food for thought," and helped me fine-tune the reasons why I wanted a reunion, which helped to decrease my anxiety and focus on what I really needed to accomplish by meeting my birth family. I think that this book is a "MUST READ" before someone makes contact, because in the end, the advice contained in the pages of THE ADOPTION REUNION SURVIVAL GUIDE will save all parties involved a lot of heartache.