The Beatles have said much about Hamburg, including that they believed that it was there that they did their best performances, and it was there that they really learned how to be a band.

Astrid Kirchherr and Klaus Voormann were kids growing up in Germany, whose early memories included all the chaos that Germany went through in the last days of the Third Reich and the aftermath of the war. As college students, they rebelled against the old order, and came upon a band that seemed to bring with it something entirely new - The Beatles.

They all became friends, so much so that Astrid got engaged to Stu Sutcliffe and took the first professional photos of the band, and Klaus would later design the covers for the Beatles' albums "Revolver" and "Anthology" as well as play bass on albums of Ringo, George, and John, after the Beatles' breakup.

This two-volume set is absolutely gorgeous. The first volume, besides photographs and documents, goes into the story of what kind of state Germany was in after the war, and why it was that the Beatles' type of music attracted many young people to it, as well as telling how the band came to get there, and what kind of conditions these very young men were willing to put up with in order to pursue their passion of music. Most of the text is by Voormann, but George Harrison and Paul McCartney also wrote short pieces to go into this book.

The second volume is a collection of art pertaining to the Beatles done by Voormann. I saw Voormann and some of these pictures at Beatlefest 2001 in Chicago, and these are interesting too, as something that belongs in part of this collection.

The main problem with this book is that it is a prohibitively expensive limited edition. However, it is a perspective of the era and the Beatles that is carefully done by people who have known the Beatles since this time, and were qualified in putting a project like this together.

As a chemical engineer, this book rates up there with Perry's on value of information. Chopey does a very nice job of including detailed step-by-step calculations for a multitude of subjects. The many examples are very relevant to the text and provide good insight to the calculation process. The book is very well organized and easy to use.

This book really came in handy in studying for the boards. Lots of useful information, but organized by symptom instead of disease. The authors did a good job of sticking to the important material and leaving out most of the trivia. I only wish I had had it at the beginning of neurology residency.

This book is a must-have for teachers, administrators and parents of the gifted. The diversity of articles includes all the hot topics of gifted education written by some of the best known experts in the field. This book is especially good for the serious reader who has some background in the field. It should be on every gifted educator's bookshelf.

As a third year pharmacy student, I am particularly impressed with the organization and conciseness of this guidebook to non-prescription products. This text is simple to follow, for health care professionals and also the average consumer who has questions and concerns about medications that they are buying over-the-counter.

This is an amazing volume of poetry. It is very modern and refreshing. No cobwebs here!

Clearly, this work is the bible for any professional in the field of international relations. While devoted to the study and evolution of the G-7 process, the work underlines the fundamental role of the major industrialized powers in shaping 20th century geopolitical realities.

A wonderful intoduction to the dark side of art dealing. I was absorbed by the mystery, and by the author's obvious knowledge of the art and the art world. A real page turner

I have practiced Hausa in Niger, North of Nigeria, for 12 years. Practical Hausa! I had a dictionary from Hausa to English. I had always wanted to find a complete dictionary (with tones and marks)from a European language to Hausa. This is what I find useful in the Hippocrene Practical Dictionary of Mr. Nicholas Awde. I am very pleased that so many words used in Niger have been recorded. This is why this dictionary could be called the International Hausa Dictionary. I find it so useful that I just ordered two new copies for my co-workers in Niger. The interreligious dialogue will also be promoted by quite a few words coming from both the Islamic and Christian tradition. Of course, somebody must have noticed already that the names of the Days of the Week are a little bit mixed up, (page 450, in the appendix, but they are correct in the dictionary itself). Otherwise the appendixes will be useful both to the English and the Hausa speakers. Sannu da aiki! Barka, Mr. Awde! Kaa yi kokari! Mr. Neil Skinner is surely proud of you.

When my companion dog of 13 years died, my mother sent this book from England. Nicholas Allan's charming pictures and gentle story help ease the pain of losing a beloved pet.

Allan doesn't make death fun, or scary or even mysterious. One morning Lily find Dill packing to leave, and from the get-go it's clear she can't go along. But as with real death, the finality of parting is coupled with the hope that the loved one will somehow still be there, watching, caring and ultimately - waiting.

As Dill prepares his suitcase, Lily hears what he thinks Heaven will be like. And when she finally finds a new friend, she remembers Dill's words and puts them into practice.

This is a wonderful little book. One that still brings comfort and sweet memories, helps soothe the dull ache of loss and reinforces the belief that lessons learned lead to a better life.