This book has help me understand in great detail how the spine vertbrae's are linked.With the surgeons letter i was able to see what parts of the spine where affected on my son.This helped to inform me, in a manner in which is easy to understand as the book is written in PLAIN English. I would Reccommend this book to parents or people with Scoliosis wishing to be informed without medical terms.Helps take away the fear of the unkown.rating by me 8 out 10.

I was recently diagnosed with scoliosis and began a search for more information. A woman on an online forum pointed me towards this book. I picked it up and read it in one sitting. The language is not overly complex- very understandable. But gave me a much better understanding of my condition, and what can be done about it. The individual patient's stories were also pretty inspirational.

This is a wonderful story (stories) about a real-life disease that remains with you for life. Brooke put real-life experiences of so many different people in this story. Living with scoliosis all my life (33 years), I am now faced with surgery. Even though my younger sister had surgery 13 years ago and has been my real-life source book, Brooke's compilation of facts, stories, and statistics has really been informative and inspiring. Extremely well-written. Thanks for giving us current and compassionate information!!! And congratulations from a nearby neighbor!!

This book will no doubt infuriate the "politically correct" lobby but then the truth always hurts! Mr Brooke states how today's antilife, antifamily trends are, together with the popularity of various occult, New Age practices paving the way for the coming of the Antichrist! I find Tal's ideas on the sanctity of human life and the family refreshing. No doubt many readers will think him terribly old-fashioned but have radical feminism and the permissive society really brought people happiness? However I do feel he should show more compassion to women who have had abortions and to homosexuals (without condoning their actions). This is the only thing that stops me from giving the book 5 stars.

I came across this book at a New Age convention in LA. I had delved into New Age religion for 3-4 years, even seeking a spirit guide, with the caveat however that JC the Boss's Son must approve thereof. Silly me, I thought Christian and New Age beliefs were compatible. Erroneous. Actually Frank Peretti's book This Present Darkness gave me some qualms but this book was the clincher, taking a more systematic and logical approach to debunk new age beliefs. A must read for those blessed with a tolerance for large vocabulary. The author was a former New Age disciple.

I owe Tal Brooke a tremendous debt for writing this book. Because of it, I have been set free from some really bad things and been given life like I _never_ could have imagined! If you can find a copy of this book, I really encourage you to read it and be blessed by it! I read it about 12 years ago and I'm still benefiting!

Let me begin by saying that I read this book, start to finish over the course of an evening, so as far as the "page turner factor" goes, this book has it in spades. Stevens manages to grab the reader's attention early on... around page two... and hold it. A very, very, impressive command of suspense, especially for a first-time novelist.

The story is told in a straight-forward, lucid, almost childlike prose. This is both a stregnth and a weakness. While this approach-- for the most part, simple, declarative sentences-- makes it easy to read in one sitting, it robs it of a certain resonance. It a pharse, the language is not deft enough to create any real sort of ambiguity or enigma. Now, obviously, this is a matter of preference. I'm a reader of Pynchon, Millhauser, Kafka, Bartheleme, Gaddis, Barth, Coover, etc. I feel that Stevens' work is, in a sense greatly informed by such authors-- especially Millhauser, and on a more subliminal level, Kafka. Stevens does invite you into a dreamworld, but there really isn't much for the reader to do but observe. This is an enjoyable, but not challenging book. It doesn't ask the reader to do a lot of work. Worse, there is a sort of "feel-good-new-agey" thread that surfaces once in a while, and seems evident in the Hollwood-esque ending. (another reader remarked that the ending was open to interpretation-- I don't really believe that it is open to ENOUGH interpretation-- there are really only two possibilities.) The "blue light" I felt, to at once be cliche, but also not really explained well enough. There is a difference between deliberately creating ambiguity and being unclear. I think Stevens just doesn't explain himself well enough. Ultimately, I think the book is a very successful, straight-forward thriller that tries to hard to be something else... the stray meditations on Christianity, the existence of higher powers (the Blue Light???)just seem out of place and are never really followed through.... the story fits together like a comic-book or sci-fi trilogy-- 10 pages in which a mysterious character explains every mystery in the book up to that point. Great for turning pages, not so great for expanding minds.

This book operates on an entirely different plane than most other novels. It is an action novel that's simultaneously psychological, mythological and emotional. The many scenes, which are almost entirely visual and exquisitely beautiful, operate on multiple levels. Proof of this is the way the story and characters seem to infiltrate the reader's dreams. For myself and most of my friends who read it, we found it nearly impossible to put down or to stop thinking about for that matter. It is an experience that you will not forget.

It literally took me mere hours to read this captivating novel by Brooke Stevens. This incredibly magical story blanketed the reader in a tightly woven world of dreams and nightmares from the very first words until the end and even then there is a hunger for more. If you read one book this year- READ THIS BOOK! Every person with a soul will make a strong connection with the story and its main character- you will never want to leave the world of The Circus of the Earth and of the Air.

The Silken Web is one of my favorites by Sandra Brown and I own almost every book she's ever written. Brown's work combines just the right amounts of decency and steam to form an overall piece that's not trashy, but that is ensured to make your temperature rise. Like to read on your lunchbreak? Rest assured, the covers of Brown's books do not consist of two lovers tearing each others clothes off! This book is about a love so spellbinding, your heart breaks a little along with those of the protagonists, and soars like a bird when love gets back on course. If you want a read to revive your faith in romance, this is your book. Enjoy!

This is and will always remain my favorite Sandra Brown novel. I absolutely could not put this book down. This book brought out so many inner emotions in me. I would cry so many tears on one page and then flip to the next to find myself laughing so hard that i cried again. Kathleen, Erik, and Seth...the whole loving triangle brought my heart to a whole new plateau of love. It was such a realistic story that i found myself sucked into it. It was the wierdest feeling, but i felt like i was in the story as a mere onlooker. There was times i even shouted advice to Kathleen. Sandra Brown writes such classic and beautiful love storys, but this one was different. This one was genuine and real and it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

This is my favorite Sandra Brown book. This is the perfect companion that you can come back to and read again and again. I have many times. Not normally one for love triangles, this story captured my heart from page one and never let go until the end. And when you are done you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that everything ends as it should, and turn back to page one and begin again.

This book is fast paced and doesn't slow down as many books do. Pick up a copy of this one, and make sure you leave a home for it on your bookshelf. this is a keeper.

It makes me feel old seeing as to how The Concrete Wave is a history book and most of the events mentioned happened in my lifetime. But I'm not over the hill by any stretch of the imagination. Hailing from Long Beach California I saw skate culture rise and fall and rise again in the 80's and 90's. Skate fashion, culture and music where very influential in my neighborhood. Many of my friends skated, not me, I had less coordination than the proverbial bull in the china shop. But it didn't stop me from making plenty of skater friends. There are many skate stories in the back of my mind. Author Michael Brooke helped me remember the better ones. The Concrete Wave is one of the best books I've picked up in a long while. Michael carefully researched and put together a fine read featuring articles and interviews from the biggest names in skating. The industry of skateboarding is not overlooked in this book. The founders and pioneers of the sport also have a prominent place in The Concrete Wave. There were a few things left out in this edition. Die hard skaters want more one-on-one interviews. Old-school skaters want more of the history. But for the first edition of any skateboarding history book, the Concrete Wave is interesting and great read. If you're an old-time skateboarder, someone who's never tried the sport or someone new to skateboarding I'd recommend The Concrete Wave highly. I look forward to reading every edition of the Concrete Wave down the road.

I have been skating for 33 years now and have been waiting about 15 years for a book like this ! What could have turned into a book just of stodgy lists of events has turned out to be a wealth of knowledge which is presented in a very readable way. The pictures throughout are excellent and will bring back many a memory. The history of the whole scene is as good as we are going to get (there will always be disagreements as to who and where etc) and is backed up by testimonial by people who were there ! What has surprised me about the book is the way non skaters pick it up and browse through it with interest. This is probably due to the way the book is formatted. The layout makes it easy to pick up and browse, the graphics are appealing to all. I can't recommend this book enough, apart from the fact there is no other book to compare it to it will be a very hard book to beat ! If you are an older skater you'll spend hours saying " I had one of those" , " I skated there," etc. If you are an ex skater it'll make you want to pick up a longboard and start again. If you are a younger skater it'll give you a sense of where your roots come from. If you are just someone who picks the book up you'll find it hard to put down !

The Concrete Wave is a great book. It reminded me that, as a 30-something skater, my sport has a history worthy of making a good read. This book gets to the heart of it all. This is not an encyclopedia, it's not a technical analysis, it is a darn fine book about where we came from and proves that skateboarding has the stamina to withstand the comers and goers. If you have any interest in skateboarding at all, I suggest that you read this book. What I really like about it is that it is not written in the "I'm so cool look at me" style of some other skate books written by self-proclaimed industry insiders. If you're looking for attitude, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a great objective read about the sport of skateboarding's forefathers and the key happenings of past decades (and recent years!), I say give this book a try. You will only come out with more knowledge than you had before. And this is all we can ask of any book. (Plus, the photos are killer in some parts!)

I love books about young women that overcome devastating obstacles, fight their oppressors, develop self-worth out of harrowing circumstances. So I was encouraged to read Tattoo Girl because it offered this precise mix. Throw in a little horror, a serial killer, wow. But I was disappointed by the writing (sophomoric), the characters (bland), and the plot (less than riveting). If you like this genre and don't mind being bored for some of the novel, give it a try. I hope they make the movie especially gruesome - that would help to lift the book out of its contrived doldrums.

A thriller about a girl, a woman and to a lesser extent a dwarf trying to reconcile themselves with their pasts. The writing is simple, deceptively plain almost, but somehow it has a dream-like quality that makes what's happening in the book feel like it's happening to you-it's extremely believable, though the story is highly imaginative and ultimately powerful. I haven't come across a more captivating novel in many years. I read a review of it that said that it is as much about being sad as it is about being frightened, that's a very good description. Having just started the author's first book, I'm finding it similar in many ways. I believe this writer is a master of suspense, but he's doing more than just making you turn the pages. The novel was passed along to me at my office. I'm glad it was.

I did not want to close the cover of this rivetting novel after I got to the end. I felt a lingering sadness, a longing to be back inside it. From the first few chapters on, I fell in love with the characters, especially Emma, and thereafter, as all the characters moved into increasingly dark territory, I became more and more terrified for them. This is a book that seems to force you to turn the pages and yet it has far more to it than meets the eye. It made me think how most books sacrifice true character development for plot or vice versa. This one had both. Nothing I've ever read before has made me feel so close to characters who end up in such grave danger. No book I've read before has had such visual appeal too. Reading it was a little like being mesmerized by a long, strange fascinating movie and yet it was more than that because I felt like some of this had happened to me at the end. My only regret about the ending was that the story was over and that I'd have to reread it to be in this world again.

I found this to be an interesting book for its coverage of historical events within Austria during the 20th century (i.e., the fall of the Hapsburg monarchy and the Nazi occupation). Brook-Shepherd goes into pretty good detail on these events. However, he devotes much of the book to the 20th Century, and, in a seeming contradiction to the title, does not give as much attention to pre-20th Century developments. For example, he does not give much detail about Maria Therea or Joesph II. Perhaps he should have devoted the book to only the 20th Century.

English-language books on the long-term history of Austria are relatively rare. Admittedly, Austria was one of the most historically interesting places in the world during the latter part of Franz Josef's reign-dozens of interesting books are available covering events and movements encompassing the intellectual flowering of Wien beginning in the late Victorian period. Giant personalities in the fields of visual art, psychology, music, philosophy, literature and theatre could seemingly be found in every coffee house in turn-of-the century Wien.

But judging from the available books, outside of the ever-busy Hapsburg family, little of interest to the rest of the world seems to have taken place before the last quarter of the 19th century. This is reflected in "The Austrians", which in spite of being a 483 page book, reaches the year 1866 by page 88. I think it would be fair to think of the book as more like a 140-year odyssey with a very long introduction.

Outside of the short shrift given to early Austrian history, I found this an enjoyable and informative book. Austria is unique among modern European nations in having been for centuries the spiritual center of one of Europe's largest empires, yet it is now a relatively small country of relatively little influence on the world stage-the teutonic rump left over from the mostly-voluntary dissolution of a multi-ethnic dual-monarchy. Given this relatively short period in which to develop a sense of unique national identity, Brook-Shepherd attempts to show in his book how seminal events in Austrian history are either influential on today's sense of nationhood (however strong that may be), or are least illustrative of typical characteristics of Austrian culture or character. This is a difficult task, and I think the author is only partially successful.

Still, it is a noble attempt, and although it sometimes feels as if the author is straining to make an obscure point about Austrian nationhood, in general, this doesn't really interfere with the book. The author has spent significant time in post-war Austria and has a number of interesting contacts both within what is left of the Hapsburg family and within the Austrian political sphere. He certainly cannot be blamed for taking use of these journalistic and personal contacts in substantiating his history, and unlike some reviewers, I did not feel that this was excessive-it did not distract from the flow of the book for me at all. I cannot say this about the excessive use of footnotes, which I found extremely distracting.

Overall, I found this an enjoyable and informative book. In spite of some flaws, it is the best single-volume English-language source I've found on what is unfortunately, something of an obscure subject. I find it to be complementary to Andrew Wheatcroft's "The Hapsburgs." It takes a very different approach and they two books have relatively minimal overlap.

This is a nice comprehensive overview of Austrian history and the question of what, exactly, is an Austrian identity. While I was familiar with the outlines of Austrian and Hapsburg history, it has always been through the lens of other countries or events, England, Russia, Napoleon, etc. Given the author's commentary on the elusive nature of "Austria," this is perhaps more appropriate than I imagined.

I had the pleasure of spending time in the Voralberg a year ago at Christmas and it peaked my interest in this interesting and beautiful part of Europe. Given the intersections of EU expansion into Eastern Europe and proximity to the Balkans, it a good subject to know a bit about. I would like to find a similar book about Hungary, to round out my knowledge.

One small issue -- this is a telescoped history. 100 pages on the first 800 years, 100 more on the next century, and 300 on the last 100 years. Nonetheless if you are looking for a good, non-academic history of the region, this is as good as you will find.

This work is certainly original and brings in a lot of connections from the past with early Mormon theology. I think that he also presents, on the most part a fair interpretation of the history and belief's of the early Church, and presents a great general view of the 'mentality' of upper New York in the 1800's to 1820's. I do consider some of his conclusions a stretch, but nothing to get bent out of shape over. I just found the book boring and really hard to get through, and the material should be really interesting to someone with my interests in Mormon and Social history.
I have to say that I enjoy the information I recieved from the book greater then the process of getting it.

Conservative Mormons dislike this interesting book because Brooke attempts to trace the origins of some LDS doctrines back to 17th century mysticism or even farther. But just because Mormon theology has a history doesn't mean that it's man-made. Brooke's pedigree of LDS beliefs is really traces or remnants of ancient doctrines that were rediscovered by Joseph Smith (and as Harold Bloom points out, Smith had no initial knowledge of Kabbalah or other esoteric traditions.) In any case, Brooke convincingly demonstrates it didn't start with Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. For a more believing perspective on the same subject, see D. Michael Quinn's "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View."

Most reviewers of this text misunderstand it. The FARMS reviews and others on this site are clearly driven by an agenda to cover up the historical development of this 19th century new religious movement. In fact, Brooke's text seeks to investigate the depth to which early LDS history is indebted to modern interpretations of ancient and Renaissance Hermeticism and magic. Brooke successfully argues that the three-tiered Heaven, "pre-Creation existence of eternal spirits," and latent divinity of Man are all derived from a popular 19th century American hermetic milleu fused with apocalyptic Christian mysticism. We must not forget that the Gospel of John itself is an esoteric religious text. The development of Western esoteric and occult thought owes much to the Gospel of John as well as Hermetic thought born of Egyptian, Christian, and Jewish elements.

Brooke clearly shows that Smith was immersed in the treasure-divining culture of his time and place, as well as Masonic knowledge, visionary experiences, and other elements of a popular Hermetic framework. Contrary to some reviewers, Brooke displays an amazing knowledge of Mormon doctrine, faithfully backing up his assertions with credible citations of standard LDS theological sources.

Brooke does not claim that LDS is an "occult" religion. What he claims is that American popular hermeticism fused with an apocalyptic interpretation and command of scripture created the early foundations of Mormonism. Contemporary LDS institutions like FARMS are, like many religions, concerned with erasing their origins to maintain legitimacy. But excommunicating scholars and misinterpreting solid pieces of scholarship (perhaps deliberately) will not stand the test of rigorous historical investigation. To those who would let FARMS decide what is legitimate LDS scholarship and what is not, hear this: Religious institutions, like political and social ones, have a vested interest in projecting a certain image. Currently, the Mormon church is trying insert itself into the mainstream of activist Protestantism. But teaching that God was once a man who walked the soil, that earth is (or will be) a level of heaven, and that angels are essentially "recycled" humans, is essentially a hermetic, historically occult doctrine-- and no amount of political whitewashing will change that. There is nothing disrespectful about the presence of occultism in Mormon history---Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all have absorbed heavy doses of hermetic and kabbalistic thought, and all have survived quite well.

Read this book. Read D. Michael Quinn as well. Read Bruce R. McConkie, Brian Copenhaver's "Hermetica," and the Gospel of John, and you will begin to be able to trace the religious development of Mormon ideas starting in antiquity.

Rarely in a book does a narrator thoroughly inhabit the prose as does Mr. Page in The House on Brooke Street. The language is sharply written, whimsical and witty at times, chatty but always laced with a bittersweet tinge that ultimately renders this novel profound, sad, and sorrowful. In a way the story of Mr. Page and Mr. Clive, doppelhanger young gay men in 1920s London, is a classic love story- boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy reminisces about boy thirty years later. But to Mr. Page, and because of the brutal harshness of being gay in those eras of British history, it's more than a love story, it's a mystery which he obsessively mines until he is left as hollow and shaken as ever, and even more haunted. The excessive charm of Mr. Page's honesty- about love, fear, and regret- at times hides the severity of the times he speaks of, but not always. The lifespan of a novel's hold on the imagination of the reader is usually its length, but this one is different. For most readers, I think the image of a young man standing naked on the terrace of Brooke Street will remain in their minds as indelibly it does in Mr. Page's memory.

On the strength of his first novel, Ready To Cath Him Should He Fall, I was excited to read Brooke Street. In the end, I was not disappointed. However, the narrative is so jumbled that it takes quite some time to become comfortable with the time period in which each chapter occurs and who the characters are. Just suffer through. It does become clear and it does have merit. Ostensibly the story of a 30 year "relationship" between two men, it is more correctly described as an extended coming-of-age novel in a time very different than today -- London in the 1950s. The furtive nature of courtship, the deeply closeted gay society, the constant fear of exposure at first seem quite distant. But the toll that they take on the characters are easy for many who grew up in the 70s, 80s and even 90s to relate to. Brooke Street brings to mind the kinds of insights and understanding delivered in Alan Hollinghurst's "The Swimming-Pool Library." Bartlett has written a book of basic truths, wrapping them around a fascinating love story, plus, for those who are intigued by grand turn-of-the-century homes, a tour of the Brooke Street House that makes it come alive every bit as much as the emotions of the characters passing through it.

Bartlett has made huge literary leaps and bounds since "Ready to Catch Him." "The House on Brooke Street" (called "Mr. Clive & Mr. Page" in the UK) is a psychologically realistic first-person account of a homosexual man in early 20th century London trying to exist with English dignity while fulfilling his "unspeakably" real-human desires.

A compelling psychological profile emerges starting with an obscure (factual) description of a late Victorian home in central London, which Bartlett cleverly weaves into journal entries (Mr. Page has a huge rhetorical palette), recounted dialogue, and a host of pertinent "real-life" historical tidbits. As the narrator uncovers bits of truth about himself, the reader uncovers the truth about the mysterious and often bizarre events of the story. For Bartlett, the truth is evasive and only partially attainable: the facts don't always add up, the narrator's judgements often conflict, the lines between fantasy and reality are constantly blurred, both in our world and in the world of the book.

This book means a lot to me personally because it is one of the first fictional works I've read with a "homosexual theme" that simultaneously avoids gratuitous fantasy and delusion while breaking new ground in terms of form and style. I love it because it is absolutely unlike anything I've ever read: you won't find a character like Mr. Page anywhere. Mr. Page is a real homosexual person, not an archetype. I must say, though, that I wasn't really thinking about politics as I was reading, (and Bartlett probably wasn't concerned with such a simple "message" when he wrote it). Any reader, gay or straight, can understand and feel the emotional (or psychological) "action"; anyone can appreciate Bartlett's often ingenious writing.

Zach Victor

This book is misguided Christian propaganda. To say otherwise is lying. There is science in this book, but it is all reported with the goal of converting you to Christianity. I don't happen to side with the pseudo-religious quasi-mystical eastern-oriented spiritual entrepreneurs who are making millions preaching to modern souls adrift in the spiritual vaccuum of the twenty-first century. However, they are not involved in some grandiose global conspiracy. Buy this book if you want to. It's an interesting read. Tal Brooke clearly demonstrates his scholarship as some of the chapters have clear, well-written arguments--if only they were logical.

Practice the golden rule, don't be greedy, and consume less goods and you'll be alright.

Buy Neil Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel" if you want a similar book that actually has a scholarly background.

Tal Brooke has an astounding capacity for social and cultural analysis. His brilliant weaving of the progress of thought through history and their resultant effects on society are worth the price of the book. From philosophy through psychology and into politics, education and spiritualism, his insights are well researched and told with narrative vivacity. Very helpful for anyone who wants a big picture understanding of why we are the way we are now as a society. I love his colorful analogies throughout like when he debunks modern man's attempt at removing God from his seat of dominion in philosophy and replacing him with ourselves as the center. He likens this to standing next to a life-sized cardboard cutout photo of a celebrity and taking a picture and presto! We think we are now in the picture with that celebrity, while really we are fools to think so. Anyway, while I don't share Tal's end time millenialism with a future "Antichrist," I still consider his warnings very pertinent to the danger of worldwide tyranny and despotism. Future Antichrist or not, man has a drive toward tyranny in all his culture and beliefs.

After reading several reviews of Tal Brooke's classic One World, I concluded that those who gave Mr. Brooke a one or two-star rating undoubtedly don't possess the mental capacities to comprehend what he wrote.

It appears that a high degree of spirituality, plus a higher than normal I. Q. are prerequisites for understanding Tal Brooke's several publications. I would that our failing culture could recover some of its qualities of yesteryear.

Dr. Gordon