This is a great book for the beginner or someone, like myself, almost ready to buy his first 356. This book is helping me a lot as the writer used his own experience from ownership to explain every aspect of this adorable car. Mr. Schrager even tries to explain the feeling and joy of owning and driving the 356 in metaphysical ways as you can not explain, by the means of logic, why people get so deeply in love with this car. You can read from cover to cover, you can use as reference or you can just open the book randomly and you'll hooked. After two hours of reading, someone offers you either a brand new 911 carrera or a 356...chances are you'll choose the "old one".

I've owned 356s for years. Jim Schrager's book told me things that I needed to know and didn't before I read this. The book contains useful, real world information without the fluff of a coffee table book. This is a must read for all new and soon to be new 356 owners. Particularly useful were the nut and bolt nuggets that come from years of owning all models of 356s. The only other way to get this information is years of pain.

I recently purchased a '67 912, satisfying my mid-life crisis for a Porsche. I researched several books to get the information needed to make an intelligent buy. I wish there was a book like this one for the 912. If you are considering a 356, this is the source book for you. Valuable information is provided on spotting problem cars and tips on what to examine. I especially like the information on ... cars as I have spotted may of the same frauds. I am close to getting a 356 and have targeted two and want to use the information this book provided. Porsche freaks, get this book!

I have ordereded this book when I was experiencing problems with calculus. Now, whenever I have any complications with the subject, I turn to "The Calculus Problem Solver" to quickly find solutions to difficult problems. The book's step-by-step explanations act as tremendous help and inspiration to students struggling with the challenging subject. I think that this book should be made a required reading for anyone taking courses in advanced mathematics.

I've been out of college for over two years, and I'm studying for the math subject GRE for grad school. I still have all my old textbooks, but even when they have the answers in the back they don't show the steps to get the solution. The few problems my textbooks do solve step-by-step are simpler problems, meant to show the concept.

Now that I have the Problem Solver's book I can "check" any problems that didn't have an answer and get through any tough spots. Even though the Problem Solver will probably not have my EXACT question, it will have the same type of question with different constants. I have yet to find a problem they didn't have a model for.

I wish I had had this book in college. It's durable and surprisingly lightweight for its size. The last three chapters are specifically physics-oriented applications of calculus: energy, electricity, and fluids.

As a physics and astronomy major in college, I wanted to say how much this book helped me in the years past. This book is undoubtedly the BEST textbook "supplement" that a student in AP Calculus (AB or BC) or beginning college calculus can have! This Problem Solver is exactly what it says it is - a book full of physics problems worked out in detailed solutions. All too often I hear people complain that these books are not very helpful because they're not organized better, etc. But that's nonsense! If you're in one of the above-mentioned courses and it's late one night and you're stuck on a homework problem...there's a VERY GOOD chance that there's a problem in this book that you can use to work through the solution. This book should not be used as a study guide, but as a reference source for anywhere from beginning to more advanced problems. The wide range of difficulty level is the best reason to have this book because rarely do textbooks have examples that are difficult. Textbooks like to show "easy" examples in then the student gets stuck on the more challenging homework assignments and exams. This book is well worth the money!

This book and "The Giving Tree" have always been 2 of my favorite children's books. The thing that makes them great is that the stories teach you valuable lessons at a very young age, that you never forget. I read this book in elementary school, and now at the age of 25 still think of it when things get bad, cuz they could ALWAYS be worse!!! My mom and I still refer to this book to this day, and now I'm buying it for my 5 year old nephew! I just hope he appreciates it as much as I do!!!

As a child, this was one of my favorite books. As an adult, working in a daycare, I became frustrated with the books available to me and the lack of imagination I saw in many of the children. I found a copy of this book in the library and began reading it to the children daily. It was not only an instant hit but in no time I began to hear stories from them of wild dreams and exciting fanticies. They were just as inspired as I had been at their age. This is truly a timeless and imaginative story with the unique ability to teach both optimism and creativity.

This book was read to me in High School by a classmate and I have never forgotten this book. I have searched every where for it, since that day it was read and I have finally found it! (5 years later!) This is a GREAT book!

If you are riding in a combat vehicle that weighs over 11 tons, and you have to read this book. It takes basic tenants from Duffer's drift and puts it into a mechanized framework. Read Duffer's drift first, then this book. It will change the way you look at terrain or I'll eat a box of MREs!

The Defense of Hill 781 is the clearest and most accurate depiction of what the National Training Center at Fort Irwin is all about. I've deployed there three times and still learned from this book.

I love these books. It is a very easy to read book that I would recommend for people in the military and people not in the Military. "The Defense of Duffer's Drift" and "The Defense of Hill 781" belong on the same shelf together. They are both long enough to cover the topic, but short enough to actually read. BTW, If you are from a foreign country that is not friendly with the USA, you will not like this book. It will be of little use to you. 8-)

This audio version is a masterpiece and is destined to become a classic of audio drama along with Welles' "War of the Worlds" and the plays of Norman Corwin. ZBS has outdone itself.

I first read this book at a young age when I was still fascinated with the world of dinosaurs. Gotten over the addiction by now, being almost out of highschool, I still look back on my memories with this book, and its sister book: "The World Beneath", with great fondness. The illustrations, no less that artistry, are high above the par of your average children's picture book. And, they are only outdone by the spellbinding story; brought to life with the loving detail that could only be conjured by a true dinosaur fan. This book would be a welcome addition to any child's wish list and makes for a lasting impression.

Although this book is considered a children's book, or something for young teens, I believe it's enjoyable for people of all ages. The artwork is gorgeous and the detail Gurney puts into creating his world is amazing. The book is written in the form of a journal, written mostly by Arthur Denison, but with a few entries written by his son, Will. Because Arthur is a scientist, Gurney can believably put in a great deal of detailed information about the world of Dinotopia. I loved reading this book and I especially loved looking at it.

James Schuyler's COLLECTED POEMS is a great volume of poetry. Ranging from aspects of daily life (such as plants, walks in the countryside, friends, urban life, etc.) to contemplation of death, life, one's interiority, and God, Schuyler's subjects are compelling and relevant. What I especially like is his ability to take a mundane, everyday object or concept (like a view from a building) and give it a new, intensely personal perspective. This is his major gift. One aspect that I didn't like about some of his poems (and this is true for all poets) is his tendency to be obscure at times (though only a small portion of his poems are abstruse) and his long, rambling prose poems, like "Hymn to Life." "The Morning of the Poem," though, is a fantastic and imaginative piece of literature, broad in its scope and revealing of Schuyler in its tone and subjects. Overall, this volume of poetry unites the works of a superb poet, who valued the artist's perspective and his or her obligation to record a view of the world different than that of the average person. This volume will, I fervently hope, remain in the continuum of literature and in discussions of it for many years to come.

Except for his last poems, JS is one of the best poets ever and deserves more attention. If you're unfamiliar with his work, look at the cover and it'll tell you almost everything you need to know before you bask in the light.

This collection should establish Schuyler as one of the great poets of his generation. I particularly admire his tautness--precise names and descriptions, inventive phrases--as well as his flexibility--a wide-ranging eye and ear and a free-flowing memory. Throughout these poems there lurks a clear intention to inform, to connect, to synthesize. I look forward to returning to this book many times for refreshment and illumination.

THERE IS ONLY ONE BOOK ON CONTACT JUGGLING OUT THERE AND THIS IS IT, SO WE ARE SO LUCKY THAT ITS SO GOOD. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN CONTACT JUGGLING THIS IS THE BOOK....I WON'T BOTHER LISTING ITS GOOD POINTS BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT JUGGLE YOU'VE GOT NO CHOICE BUT TO BUY THIS. AS I WRITE THIS IT OCCURS TO ME THAT THE REASON THERE ARE NO OTHER CONTACT JUGGLING BOOKS IS BECAUSE AFTER THIS BOOK THERE IS NOT MUCH ELSE TO BE SAID...AND FOLLOWING THIS BOOK WOULD BE REAL TOUGH.

This book is the best text written on Contact Juggling.
The illustrations help you to understand what is going on.
Also the binding allows you to lay it flat and look at it. COOL!

This book helps me everyday when I am reviewing old tricks or as a start to a new trick.

Rich Shumaker
The Other Contact Juggler
Rich@ContactJuggling.com

It's definitely worth waiting the four to six weeks for this book. There isn't another book out there that even compares with this one. It starts with the basics and uses clear directions and good diagrams (and plenty of both) to help you become a reasonably polished contact juggler. I wish I could give it 10 stars!

It follows the lives of several people from the '50s to the '80s. It's an engaging read. I highly recommend it to all.

"A Country Such As This" is a timeless classic that chronicles the enormous social, economic and political upheavals that roiled America throughout the 1960s and 1970s. James Webb, a foremost author, Vietnam combat veteran and future Secretary of the Navy, presents a moving and incisive allegory in the life experiences of three 1951 U.S. Naval Academy graduates. Red Lescynski, Judd Smith and Joe Dingenfelder are "blood brothers" who swear an oath of allegiance to their country and each other. But their lives are destined to be sundered by the epochal changes sweeping the country: economic dislocation, an epidemic of divorce and fractured families and, most of all, societal and political divisions wrought by U.S. policy in Vietnam. Particularly insightful is the ongoing dialogue between Smith, a conservative Republican, and the ultra-liberal Dorothy Dingenfelder (Joe's estranged wife), who clash repeatedly and vociferously. Red Lesczynski's brutal plight in North Vietnam POW camps are heart rending, as are his difficulties assimilating into a fundamentally changed American society after a seven-year absence. Webb's descriptions of the opprobrious conduct of the anti-war movement are priceless.

We are fortunate that 18 years after its initial publication, the U.S. Navy's publishing arm has re-published "A Country Such As This," enabling a new generation of Americans to benefit from Webb's sage wisdom.

Although this book is nearly 20 years old, its story, that of the transformation of America across the critical years of 1951 to 1976, is a must read for anyone of my generation (I was born in 1971) seeking to understand the recent history of our country beyond the cold facts of a textbook. It is a story of America upon which even modern documentaries hardly touch. Mr. Webb's narrative reminds us of our fathers' sacrifices. He reminds us that, despite the social climate of the volatile years of the Vietnam War in particular, there were men and women who were neither ashamed of their country nor unwilling to stand up for it. It is in that light that the greatest message of the book comes forth. He reminds us that, despite the aberrant behavior of the counter-culture and ranting and demonstrative noise of the anti-war demonstrators (both of which, in this presidential election year, will finally make their departure from the Washington), there were people who were willing to do what their country asked of them...because it was the right thing to do. Though fiction, ACSAT very much speaks to us from the reality that were the service families and proud Americans of the post-war generations. The story is gripping in itself, and the time it encompasses makes it a delight for any student of history to read.

It's welcome recognition of the rich body of American noir writing that the Library of America has decided to gather these novels and include them in it's collection. This volume, along with it's companion, "Crime Novels: American Noir of the '50s", is perhaps the definitive collection of this genre. While this volume is not as strong as the second volume collecting hard boiled writing from the '50s, it more than makes up for it with the inclusion of two seminal novels from the genre: "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "They Shoot Horses Don't They?" The themes that would be later expanded on by Jim Thompson, Charles Willeford, et al. are here: the uncertainty of reality, the indifference of fate, the allegories on the disfunction of mercantilist capitalism, the femme fatale as deus ex machina, the erosion of moral standards...themes that are that much more relevant today.

It's comforting in a way that these novels, which were considered (and still considered by some) as trash, disposable items of consumption, are collected along with the novels of Melville, James and Hawthorne...."elevated" to high brow lit.

Perhaps the original authors of these masterworks would disagree on the modern critical re-assessment, but to readers like myself, it's just confirmation of something we've known ever since we first discovered them.

The Library of America is a first-class organization. The LOA is consistently reprinting volumes of literary achievement by the most notable authors in American history. They have reprinted everything from political speeches to poetry to historical works. This volume is the first in a two volume set dedicated to American noir stories. The stories in this book were written in the 1930's and 1940's in what seems to be the golden age of the genre.

The first story is from James Cain, and it's a whiz-bang of a tale. I had heard of "The Postman Always Rings Twice" before, mainly in reference to the two film versions of the story. This is one dark read. Adultery and murder never seem to mix, and it sure doesn't here, either. Told in first person narration, a drifter gets himself mixed up with a washed up beauty queen who is tired of her Greek husband. The result is classic noir: a conspiracy to murder the poor schmuck and run off together. As usual, the murder brings about tragic consequences. This story has more twists and turns than you can imagine. The ending is especially atmospheric. This is certainly one of the best stories in the book. I always like to see a story where the blackmailer gets a good beating.

Horace McCoy's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is next in line. This is another great tale that was made into a film in the 1960's starring Hanoi Jane Fonda and Gig Young. The movie is soul shattering, with depictions of dehumanization in the neighborhood of "Schindler's List." The story is not quite as good, but it still packs a heck of a punch. The story is set in Depression-era America and depicts the horrors of a dance marathon. These marathons were apparently quite popular during the 1930's, until they were ultimately outlawed. Contestants were required to dance for hundreds of hours with only ten minute breaks every two hours. The couple that lasted the longest won a thousand or so dollars. The public would come and pay admission to watch this sorry spectacle. It's like poking sticks at animals in a cage. This story is loaded with dark depression and sexual innuendo. The conclusion is suitably depressing to merit a noir award.

"Thieves Like Us" was pretty substandard when compared to the other stories in this book. This one really didn't seem to have those noir elements that I like so much. Actually, it's more of a Bonnie and Clyde type story. A penitentiary break leads to a crime spree across Texas. Banks are robbed and cops are killed while the gang lives on the lam. A relationship between Bowie, the main character, and a girl named Keechie really doesn't add much interest to the story. There is some good dialogue and a bit of desolate atmosphere, but not enough to lift this to the level of noir. I don't know why this story is included here. Try and guess how the story ends (the clue is "Bonnie and Clyde"). I hope that Edward Anderson's other stories are better.

Kenneth Fearing's "The Big Clock" is excellent, and brings the level of the book back up to where it should be. Set in a magazine publishing house, this tale is sleek and smart. The story is told in first person narration, but Fearing shifts the narration to various characters in the story. These constantly changing viewpoints turn the story into a roller coaster ride of epic proportions. An editor at the company makes the mistake of sleeping with the boss's woman. When this lady turns up dead at the hands of same boss, all heck breaks loose. This story is riveting and has a great ending that is all suspense. A must read.

William Lindsay Gresham wrote "Nightmare Alley" after some discussions he had with some carnival workers. This story is the longest one in the book and is a decent addition to the volume. Full of unpleasant images of murder, swindle, cynicism and downright perversion, you won't be disappointed when this one comes to an end. A scheming magician decides to take his con to the big time by posing as a Spiritualist minister, and as usual, the end result is tragedy all around. This story is downright depressing, and if you don't feel sorry for Gyp, you have got a problem. I didn't really care too much for the (...) addition of the black Communist towards the end of the book. Gresham had a flirtation with the Redski movement, so this apparent insertion makes some sense in that context. It goes nowhere in the story, however. There are some other holes in the plot but overall this is an entertaining story.

The final tale comes from the sumptuous pen of Cornell Woolrich. "I Married a Dead Man" becomes instantly familiar within a few pages, mostly due to the numerous films that have copped the plot. The writing here is far superior to any of the other stories in the book. I'd say it's far superior to most writing in general. The metaphors are extraordinary. Look for the description of Bill lighting his cigarette in the doorway. Wow! The story centers on a case of mistaken identity with a strong dose of blackmail thrown in for good measure. Of course, there's also a murder. This story is outstanding.

Overall, if you are just starting to read noir, start with these two volumes. It is good to see some of the best noir has to offer, and you will find some of it in these pages. The book clocks in at 990 pages, but it reads really fast. There is also a nice summary concerning the careers of each author at the back of the book. Recommended.

I was surprised at how modern the themes and writing of this compendium were. I read "Thieves Like Us" just when the Texas 7 episode was happening and was amazed at how little the views of crime and punishment, justice and desperation have changed since that writing, especially in Texas where the story takes place.

"They Shoot Horses..." was my favorite of the bunch for it's depiction of deperate people doing desperate things to survive in the form of a Dance Marathon. But are they doing this out of deperation (even the winner of the prize money, after months of physical torment , will end up having made less than a dollar a day)? Or becuase there is nothing else to do? What is futile and what is meaningfull, the story seems to be asking.

"Nightmare Alley" brought the Tyrone Power movie back home, only the ending seems more poignant. The author organzies each chapter along the 22 minor arcana of the Tarot, a device used by later authors like Robert Anton Wilson and Umberto Eco.

"The big clock", filmed at least twice with variations on themes, uses a unique writing style of shifting narratives from the main characters' points of view and has an awfully modern motive for the murder (probably a little too modern for that period).

"The Postman.." and "I Married a Dead Man" story were also very dood. The Noir theme of "Crime Does Not Pay" runs through most of theses stories, but when you read them, you realize that it's not as simple as that. In the end, who really wins and loses and does it matter?

I don't think one can do better for reading the greats of American Literature than through the Library of America seri

A fantasy set during the time of King Edward III, it is a complex tale involving magicians, dragons, goblins, the plague, and court intrigue. The author has invented history only casually related to real history. Overall, it is an interesting story but sometimes drags in long scenes which may seem peripheral to the main plot. Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, puts in an appearance in a secondary role. It seems unlikely that Edward III would have had an illegitimate half-brother as his father, Edward II, was gay and not known to have mistresses. The real power behind the throne was the Black Prince's younger brother, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (events would eventually lead to the War of the Roses between the Houses of York and Lancaster).

The author oversimplifies the relationship between Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, and Edward, the Black Prince, by calling them cousins. Joan's father, Edmund, was both a half brother of Edward II and a cousin of Edward II's wife, Isobel of France (who contrary to the motion picture, never had any contact with Wallace). A grand-daughter of Joan and Sir Thomas Holland would marry John Beaufort, a nephew of Edward the Black Prince, and a daughter of that marriage would later marry King James I of Scotland with descent to the present royal family.

I just wanted to let it be known that The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent, is not, as stated by Marc Ruby in his Oct. 17 review, the fourth book in Gordon Dickson's Dragon Knight Series.

It is actually the NINTH book in the series. It may only appear to be the fourth due to the fact that Tor only included in the list of previous books those which had been published by Tor. The rest of the series was published by Ace Fantasy, with the exception of the very first book, The Dragon and the George, which was published by Del Rey in 1976.

Essentially, I just didn't want anyone to miss any of the books out of this wonderful series. Happy reading!

By habit I read more than one book at a time. It keeps me from getting bored, and sometimes the odd juxtaposition of ideas gives me something unique for a review. Right now I'm reading a horror story so bad I regret agreeing to review it and a mystery story that makes too great an effort to be literature. It's slow going at best. The third volume is (or rather, was) this, Gordon Dickson's fourth in his dragon series. It took me exactly three days to read this hefty (500+ page) small print book from cover to cover, and I am not a speed reader. The other books just had to wait.

What makes Dickson so good that he has managed to author two major series (the dragon series and the Dorsai series) and innumerable other novels and collections? Personally I would call it superior plot making, intense dedication to details, and yes, heaps of talent. Dickson always takes the necessary time to draw his characters out fully, be they James Eckhart the knight/apprentice mage/sometimes dragon who is the hero of the story or the lowly master carpenter who keeps James in everything from chairs to outhouses. And he goes to know end of trouble to make sure that the reader painlessly acquires enough 14th century lore to make sense out of the goings on.

This volume finds James at Malencontri, his castle, trying to cope with both a plague of Plantagenet nobility and the very real plague which is advancing into James part of England. In addition, Carolinus, James mage master (one of the three AAA+ mages in the world, he'll have you know) is insisting that the King be protected at all costs. The Plantagenets on hand are Prince Edward the Fourth, the king's son and the beautiful Countess Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent. All they want is James assistance in a plot to make Edward the Third fond of Edward the Fourth again. This plot becomes ever more complicated until James finds himself commanded to appear before the King at Tiverton, where Edward III has retired to avoid the plague in London.

While this complexity develops James works overtime to prepare Malencontri against the plague. Since James and his wife Angie are actually visitors from our time who were unexpectedly thrust into the 14th century of an alternate earth, they know something of germs and disease protection. Since magic will not work on diseases, it is this knowledge which it their only hope. In the midst of all this confusion and stress, the EcKharts, their closest friends and Hob (the castle hobgoblin) are off to Tiverton to see the King.

Thanks to Hob, James is able to discover that an evil plot is afoot at Tiverton. Goblins, who are spreading the plague in order to take over the world, have slain the real castle staff and are now running it in disguise. James, due to his commitment to keep the king alive, goes into action. Since this is less that a third of the way into the book, it should be no surprise that Jim manages to use a small handful of men and knights (plus the unstoppable Hob and his buddy the hob of Tiverton) to completely mop up the Goblins and airlift everyone to Malencontri. Unfortunately James comes down with both the plague and magickal exhaustion simultaneously. Does he survive? Of course! Does he spend the rest of the book frantically trying to save Malencontri and the rest of England? You bet, but I will leave the rest of the plot for the reader to discover.

With this, fourth, volume in the series, it is getting a bit harder to simply pick up a volume and follow along. First of all you keep getting the feeling that you have missed several really good books, which you have. Secondly, there is simply too much background after three solid novels to present enough information to the reader. This isn't all bad though, you will get to read several very good fantasy tales. And if you do wind up reading it first, you will still love it enough to come back to read a second time. Highly recommended.