5 comments about Voyage of the Beagle (NG Adventure Classics).

1. This was not the best choice for listening to in the car: too much tedious detail, and I found my mind wandering too often. Still, it was interesting, and I learned a lot.

   Darwin was a promising but obscure student at Cambridge when he was suggested for the trip. By the time he returned, his reputation was made. It's not hard to see why: this book is packed with careful observations and attention to detail, as well as thoughtful analyses of topics from species extinction (though not origins at this stage) to the formation of coral atolls. Darwin is clearly very well-read and makes frequent references to the noted authorities of the time, sometimes supporting them and sometimes disagreeing.

   I hadn't actually realized that the voyage of the Beagle was as long as it was. I saw it as a year or so, going from England to South America and back again. It was in fact a five-year, round-the-world cruise, covering the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Australia, and numerous other locales as well as the well-known South America and the Galapagos.

   My favorite parts are actually the more human anecdotes. Darwin is less than enchanted with New Zealand and Australia, and is not afraid of saying so, noting that most of the citizens are ex-convicts. My favorite single anecdote, though, is about the South American governor who is so dedicated to the rule of law that he has himself put in the stocks when he violates one of his own laws. Darwin also indicates his dislike of slavery and admits to feeling shame when he accidentally causes a male slave to flinch when he makes a threatening gesture to him. So much for that creationist conceit.

   There are two appendices not written by Darwin. One is a summary of the orders given to Captain Fitzroy about the mission of the Beagle, which is very telling of the naval issues of the time. It focuses on getting accurate locations of known ports as well as the possible finding of new ones. As a Hornblower fan (and therefore with some interest in naval trivia), I found this very interesting.

   The other appendix is Captain Fitzroy's attempt to construe their geological observations to be evidence of the Noachian Deluge. This is not on the same intellectual level as Darwin's writings, and I found it mostly of intellectual interest as evidence that creationist arguments have changed hardly at all in the last 175 years.

   All in all, it's an interesting book and a classic of natural history, though not something I'd recommend listening to unless one has a passion for the subject.




2. This audio book had an excelent reader, using pretty close to the dialect of the time. Which was good because I was using it for a character reference, playing Darwin in a theater piece. The book it self was a little long and winded. It was truely a journal of his voyage. Don't look for many of his scientific conclusions. For this you would want to get "Origin of the Spieces." It was filled with stories of his adventures and what he came accross on his trip. Good listening material for long driving trips. It was a bit dry for just sitting and listening to, but there were some entertaining parts burried in there.



3. This was the first book I had ever listened to rather than reading, and it was a great experience. Englishman David Case does a beautiful job narrating Darwin's classic journey. Since the book was compiled from Darwin's field notes and journal entries, I think listening is great because it was written in first-person. So the entire time, you're listening to this distinguished British accent mouthing Darwin's own words. It's hard to listen for any length of time without forgetting that you're not actually listening to Darwin himself.
   
   I found it particularly amusing to listen to Case describe from Darwin's point of view the fascinating maneuvers of dung beetles, his description of the Spanish ladies of Buenos Aires, or the experience of tasting young tortoise soup and other exotic foods. His accounts of gaucho life in Argentina and of sneaking up behind the giant and seemingly deaf Galapagos tortoises were particularly entertaining.
   
   Having been to several parts of South America which were visited on the voyage, I found this book to be really interesting and fun to follow along with. I would really like to visit the Galapagos or Tahiti now. I'm not sure if having visited the places makes the book more enjoyable, or if it's the other way around. I suppose I'll have to find out now. :)



4. Listening to Charles Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle may have not been the best decision. Darwin tends to describe a lot, and my mind easily wandered as long lists of descriptors made it difficult to understand what exactly Darwin was talking about. Reading the book would probably have given me a greater understanding and increased comprehension of what exactly Darwin studied, saw, and observed. But, one advantage to listening to the Voyage was that the narrator David Case, in a very old English accent, made me feel like Charles Darwin was the one speaking to me in first person. I was many times caught thinking that the narrator really was Darwin himself. Having never listened to an audiobook before, this experience was a lot of fun.
   
   As we all know, in Darwin's voyage around the world, Darwin spent a lot of time studying nature and making very detailed observations - which to the untrained listener - that is me - seem tedious. But Darwin also had many human-to-human interactions with Gauchos in Argentina to governors and generals in South America. Darwin's commentary on his meetings with generals, governors, and commoners was the most interesting part of the audiobook as it gave me a feel for how Darwin felt about others around him. Darwin was definitely a product of Victorian society and thus had very defined views about what is civilized and what is barbaric, but in listening to the audiobook, I found that Darwin was not a racist as much as simply a proponent of his upbringing. To prove my point, I do remember that, at one point, Darwin denounces the practice of slavery.
   
   Darwin's voyage is considered the defining event in his life that ultimately led to the formation of his theory of evolution by natural selection. While this book shows that Darwin's keen sense of observation and later application of his observations were the source of his success, another important aspect of his life can be gained by listening to this book, that Darwin truly had a love for nature. Many of his sketches of animals and beatles are not only detailed but written in an obviously excited state. Darwin had a passion for what he did - a lesson that we all could learn from.



5. One of the amazing things about the voyage of the Beagle is that Darwin survived it! On the voyage south along the eastern coast of South America and then later on the western coast he would frequently take to the land and meet the Beagle at its next port of call further south or north. He would travel the land hiring gauchos or other guides and horses and mules so that he could study the geology and the flora and fauna. The hardships and dangers he encountered and survived would in some ways put Indiana Jones to shame. In Patagonia amidst the constant gaucho and Indian wars, rife with wanton bloodshed and a kind of genocidal determinism, Darwin rode on horseback and slept on the ground and ate mostly animal flesh of all kinds, including mare's flesh. In Tierra del Fuego the cold and barren lands were enormously forbidding, the inhabitants savage and the dangers very real. One senses in the young Charles Darwin a determination to be the kind of naturalist who leaves no stone unturned, no ridge unclimbed and no species uncollected.
   
   What most surprised me was how well and vibrantly he described the many people he met. Here he speaks of the governor of St. Fe: his "favourite occupation is hunting Indians: a short time since he slaughtered forty-eight, and sold the children at the rate of three or four pounds apiece" (from the entry of Oct 3 and 4, 1832). And here is his description of Queen Pomarre of Tahiti: "The queen is a large awkward woman, without any beauty, grace or dignity. She has only one royal attribute: a perfect immovability of expression under all circumstances" (entry of November 25, 1835). Darwin was quite taken with the Tahitians lauding their sobriety (thanks to the temperance movement of the missionaries) while at the same time bringing a flask of spirits on his travels there. He seemed unaware of any inconsistency.
   
   I was also surprised by Darwin's vigor. I had thought that he was prone to being sickly, and indeed at times, he reports that he was confined to his quarters and that he suffered from seasickness and even homesickness; but when one considers all the miles he travelled on foot, on horseback, and all the mountain peaks he obtained, and the deserts he crossed, the many insects bites he endured, and the hard, cold and wet ground on which he often slept, one has to applaud his strength of body and character. Another surprise was the amount of time he devoted to geology and speculations about the how the land came to be the way he found it. When he spoke of how the land had risen and the mountains formed I had the sense of how thrilled he would have been to have had the modern understanding of plate tectonics.
   
   At a couple of points in the narrative, Darwin speaks of how the most luxurious vegetation does not support the greatest number of animals, or the largest. He compares the plains of Africa and Patagonia with the Brazilian rainforest and speculates on why this should be. At no point does he use the term "grasslands," and so I think we can conclude that he didn't have the knowledge we have today about how fertile grasslands can be, nor did he realize that most of the nutrients in the rain forest are contained within the living plants and organisms above ground leaving the soil relatively poor compared to grassland soil. In the entry for September 15, 1832, he writes: "In grassy plains unoccupied by the larger ruminating quadrupeds, it seems necessary to remove the superfluous vegetation by fire, so as to render the new year's growth serviceable."
   
   Another bit of modern knowledge that would have pleased him to know is that the marine iguanas of the Galapagos Islands cannot just jump into the very cold water that exists there but must warm themselves first, and even then can only stand the water for a limited period of time (an hour or two, I believe). Darwin kept tossing one of the lizards into the water only to watch it return inexplicably again and again to the land.
   
   I was looking for hints that Darwin was already thinking about natural selection, but the text contains nothing that I could find that is directly specific although at one point he refers to the origin of species as that "mystery of mysteries."
   
   The book was written (and obviously rewritten and polished many times over) after Darwin returned to England after comparing notes with other naturalists. The advantage of this approach is the scientific rigor with which he is able to describe and evaluate his experiences. As a professional scientist, Darwin wanted to get all the scientific names right and avoid errors. One would expect through this approach that some immediacy would be lost, but if anything I suspect his journal gained in vividness and was made all the more intriguing for the precision of expression. It is, after all these years, still a most engaging and readable account of a most remarkable adventure--one of the best I've ever read, and I am surprised that it took me so many years to get to it!
   
   The Voyage of the Beagle is also a book that will stay in print for many decades if not centuries to come, partly because it is so well written, and partly because Darwin is Darwin, but also because he was so precise in his descriptions of the animals and the people and the lands that he visited. By reading this we and future generations can learn of the changes that have taken place.
   
   In short I was thoroughly dazzled at Darwin's enormously wide range of knowledge. But I shouldn't have been. In just reading this journal, one can easily see that young Mr. Darwin was already a superb naturalist and a brilliant thinker and observer.

5 comments about Cold Mountain: A Novel.

1. i will confess that i tried reading this book a couple times unsuccessfully, getting mired in the first 40 pages where frazier establishes his characters and plot. but i am glad that this time i read past this: once inman (main character) begins his journey home, the story becomes one of the most captivating i have ever read.
   
   in writing this novel, frazier does something old fashioned and daring -- he tells a real story, built around two well defined characters without resorting to the post-modern self-consciousness or tricks popular with so many of his peers.
   
   cold mountain is a "modern" version of homer's odyssey, modern in that it is set during the civil war as a soldier journeys home thru a devastated south to reach his loved one. there are a million great things i could say about this book. but you should simply go read it -- and be patient as the story unfolds. there are elements of twain and cormac mccarthy here and yet frazier's style is ultimately his own.
   
   the final pages literally took my breath away and i can say that about only a handful of books i have ever read.



2. It's hard to describe Charles Frazier's debut novel, as it's like nothing else I've ever read. The only other book that I've ever had trouble reviewing has been the The Complete Conversations with God (Boxed Set), a series that makes for a rather awkward comparison considering it belongs in another genre altogether. The similarities between the two lie in the uniqueness of how the tales are told.
   
   I'll start by saying that I watched the movie Cold Mountain (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) starring Nicole Kidman and Jude Law before reading the novel, which in hindsight, actually turned out in my favour. On reading the book I found myself captivated by the beautiful language and mellow pace of the story, something that was obviously lost in the film adaptation. Despite the film giving away the most important details of the plot, the change in the method of which the story was told meant that there were still several pleasant surprises to experience on the way. In particular, the romance between Inman and Ada is much more poignant and has a lot more weight when compared to the (rather flimsy) treatment of their love story in the film.
   
   Inman is a soldier who should be dead from his neck-wound, but who survives and decides to desert in order to return to his beloved home on Cold Mountain, North Carolina, where his love Ada is waiting for him. On the journey home, Inman struggles against the dangers of a war zone and the weakness of his own healing body, meeting several intriguing characters along the way who either help or hinder him. Meanwhile, Ada (a socialite who finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere after her father's death) struggles to maintain the derelict farmhouse she inherits. Thankfully, the help of a drifter named Ruby means that Ada gradually sheds her upper-class ways and learns how to live on the natural rhythms of the land (though she does manage to introduce Ruby to some English literature in return!)
   
   With two such different stories, it's inevitable that some will enjoy one character's progress over the other. Much has already been said on Inman's Odyssey-like journey from the war to his home, but I found myself intrigued by the precarious situation that Ada finds herself in. Coming from such a wealthy and stable background, Ada has too much pride to return to her relations, and instead finds herself forced to become a laborer on her own land. Finding that her education, culture and social etiquette is completely useless in her new surroundings, Ada learns to live off the land - and Ruby considers it an achievement when Ada stops taking a book out into the fields with her (although Ada does manage to introduce Ruby to literature in the evening, including - you guessed it - The Odyssey (Penguin Classics)).
   
   It is tempting to describe the book as a "Civil War book", given the historical background of the story itself, or as a "love story" considering the relationship between the two protagonists. Yet the novel is neither of these things, despite the fact that "Cold Mountain" centers around the themes of both love and war. As others have already mentioned, reading this book with the expectation of a Gone with the Wind type-story will lead to disappointment. Furthermore, the fact that the Inman and Ada spend most of the novel apart means that their initial courtship is told in mainly in the reveries of the two characters.
   
   The Civil War is just the necessary catalyst to put our protagonists on their paths toward personal growth, understanding of their place in the world and a sense of peace. Technically, the Civil War could be any war. (Well not really, considering the care and detail that Frazier puts into describing the geographical beauty and culture of America's south, but that's beside the point). Likewise, the love between Inman and Ada is the goal that each are moving toward, but it is the symbol of home and stability that each personify to the other rather than a sense of "epic love" that make up the real basis of their relationship.
   
   My point is, that this isn't a book about the historical impact of the Civil War or even a star-crossed lovers' tale. It's about the impact a war has on a select number of human beings, and how they deal with all the terrible consequences it has on the daily routines of life. Set against the chaos and destruction of war is the steady rhythm of nature and the turn of the seasons: inexorable and unchanging. And yet, that is simply *my* reading of the text - in a novel this rich and dense, there are endless possibilities for interpretation and understanding.
   
   The language is what really draws you into the novel; it is poetic and dreamy without becoming pretentious or getting in the way of the plot itself. Even when Frazier draws out the story out into flashbacks or characters' reveries, there's always something interesting to be learnt. There are a few odd stylistic choices, the most obvious being that there are no speech marks. Instead, dialogue throughout the text is punctuated by a dash. However, since this technique is neither necessary nor distracting, there is little need to dwell on it save to point out that it's there!
   
   One thing I will say though, in the inevitable comparison with Gone with the Wind. When reading Margaret Mitchell's novel, I felt that I was reading a part of history, something that happened a long time ago in a world that had long since disappeared. Frazier's novel however - whether by intent or accident - makes the Civil War feel like something that happened in my own lifetime. The characters and their lives are so immediate that I had to keep reminding myself that had Ada, Ruby and Inman been real people, they would have died hundreds of years ago. That thought surprised me.



3. The juxtaposition of the two tales of Ada's development of her farm and Inman's journey back to her, bring out the cruelty of humanity. Ada can sit on her porch reading literature and eating warm meals while Inman walks miles through cold mountains, days without food and being subjected to unspeakable cruelties. Eventually, the cruelty of man will reach Ada and this is an important point. I found myself thinking how trivial my life is as a civilian, complaining about the stupid war in Iraq and completely ignorant of the suffering of our service men and women serving there. The message for me is how futile war in general is and how hard it is for civilians to appreciate the sacrifices made. A telling point of the story is when Inman walks by the large plantation houses and thinks how he has suffered so the slave owners can keep their way of life. The story is powerful and dark. At times I thought I could not continue reading the book, but I'm glad I fought through it.



4. By the time he published his first novel, Charles Frazier was already forty-seven years old and heading toward his golden years. However, his debut "Cold Mountain" struck a chord when it began populating bookshelves in 1997, so much so that it sold a whopping three million copies worldwide and won the National Book Award. It just goes to show that in the literary world, it's never too late for a star to rise. Frazier has since penned his second novel "Thirteen Moons", another Civil War-centered story, but it is his first novel that set the bar for his superb writing style.
   
   "Cold Mountain" begins with wounded Confederate soldier W.P. Inman (a character loosely based on Frazier's own great-great-uncle William Pinkey Inman) lying in a hospital in Raleigh, NC with a bullet hole in his neck. Never having understood or agreed with the reason for the war or his duty to fight in it, Inman finds himself well enough to leave and climbs through a window in the quiet of the night, knowing full well he will be punished for his desertion. His ultimate quest is to return to his home of Cold Mountain and to the farm at Black Cove to proclaim his love to Ada Monroe, a woman for whom he has pined the last four years.
   
   Meanwhile Ada is struggling to preserve the homestead at Black Cove on her own after her father, the Reverend Monroe, dies suddenly from heart failure. Seemingly out of the mist of the Blue Ridge mountaintops appears Ruby, a young but tough-as-nails frontierswoman who whips the farm back into shape, dictating and divvying out labor as good as she gives it. All the while Ada nods in reply, hastily taking notes in her journal amongst her innermost ramblings and delicate sketches. There is little time allotted for Ada to grieve for her father, as the work of the farm is constant and time-consuming, distracting her from the misery her memories can create.
   
   Frazier's descriptions of the Cold Mountain region are vivid and well detailed, his personal knowledge of the topography of the area working to great effect (Frazier was born in Asheville, only 35 miles north of Cold Mountain). Frazier mentions in the novel's acknowledgments page that he was given a writer's retreat by friends in the North Carolina Mountains and that "the long view from the porch is the book's presiding spirit". Frazier not only referred to his father for all the family stories but researched several different texts to recreate the gritty feel of a Civil War battlefield, in particular the Siege of Petersburg (which he was told his great-great-uncle participated in).
   
   The dialogue is simplistic and appropriately pastoral; nary an anachronism is present in the form of a catch phrase, inside joke or out-of-place mannerism (as a man blows his own horn about his skill in courting women, another man tells him, "You think you bore with a mighty big auger"). Because the lot of these folk live in back country, you have the inevitable slang that suggests a Deep South ignorance and/or lack of proper education ("And they still done him like they did? Spiked him up and knifed him and all?"). You also have the well-educated Ada, whose big-city articulation seems displaced in a wild countryside. As you can see, you get great examples of both sides of the tracks. Most of what is spoken is a far cry from how we communicate today. Some of it (particularly on Ada's side) is, I dare say, disappointingly absent from people today who desperately need better manners and/or a more delicate approach.
   
   In 2003, the novel was adapted to film by the late director Anthony Minghella and starred Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Renee Zellweger. In the movie, Kidman's portrayal of Ada is one of overt naivete, almost complete uselessness. Ruby has to teach her everything and it's a struggle to get her out of bed to assist in the duties of the farm; she even displays some resistance to learning the tricks and trades of farm work. In the novel, this is hardly mentioned - Ada goes straight to work, knowing full well her obligation and displaying a talent for quick learning. She also abandons her vanity promptly, using one of her best dresses and hats to create a scarecrow for the vegetable crop. There is little change in Ruby's character from book to film; in fact, Zellweger makes her a bit more colorful without losing that fierce independence that Ruby is so known for. Inman remains intact nearly 100%, Jude Law giving a reserved and dignified performance that brings great justice to Frazier's main character.
   
   The love story, however, becomes over-dramatized and cliché. In the book, Ada is a lot more silent and reserved about her feelings for Inman, a bit aloof I would say. It's not until they meet up again in the woods beyond Black Cove that her heart's desires truly start spilling forth. In the movie, Ada is weepy and perpetually emotional, awaiting Inman's return with a heavy heart, wistful letters and watery eyes. In the end we have an epic love scene that serves to sate a viewer's desire to watch two beautiful people in the semi-nude simulate mind-blowing lovemaking (I'll admit I was one of those people - Jude Law is so dreamy, even though he is a scoundrel).
   
   Even after having seen the film before reading the book, I'd have to say that I have no preference for one or the other - I like them both equally. I can appreciate the differences between the two and what was changed for dramatic effect to fit the medium in which it was presented (and I'm referring to the film). I also appreciate what the film managed to preserve about the book - after all, the central point of the story is the most important and it indisputably remained.
   
   Whether you see the film or read the book first, there is one singular certainty - the story will captivate you. There is a reason that this novel has its accolades - it is one of the better novels of our waning generation that seeks to revive another generation long since passed. Experience these unique generations simultaneously by picking up a copy today.



5. I have written a review about this book when I first read it and I must say it really is a wonderful fiction piece. I read this novel during the junior year of highschool, and now as a Graduate Student who has a more in-depth understanding on literary works, this books still continues to hold up and remains in my top-3 books of all time. Although some casual readers may be turned off by the length of it, I suggest stick with it and you will not be disappointed.

5 comments about J F K: A Conspiracy of Silence (Signet).

1. I loved this book! It was only after I had completed it that I found that there were questions concerning Dr. Crenshaw's integrity and account of the assasination. Even if some of what he writes is exaggeration, this just can't be complete fabrication and still makes me think in terms of conspiracy. Regardless, this book, if nothing else, gives a new view of the assasination and is worth reading. Entertaining!



2. Dr. Charles A. Crenshaw worked to save President JFK, and later Lee H. Oswald, at Parkland Hospital. He
   had firsthand personal experience with the crime; he saw that JFK was struck twice from the front: once in the neck, and once in the right side of the head. President LBJ called him to ask for a "deathbed confession" from Oswald. Dr. Crenshaw and the other personnel in the emergency room were ordered not to speak about the events, citing the standard medical confidentiality.

   Charles A. Crenshaw was a surgeon for over thirty years. He watched thousands of trauma victims enter the emergency room. Trauma is the greatest killer of America's youth, and can affect anyone regardless of age, race, sex, occupation, or status. It also has psychological after effects on survivors.

   When Oliver Stone's "JFK" was filmed in Dallas the doctors were again warned to keep quiet. The hundreds of similar gunshot cases seen by Dr. Crenshaw since 1963 have confirmed his conclusions on JFK's wounds. He finally decided to write his story in November 1990 when his career was over and he no longer feared the "men in suits". Dr. Crenshaw saw photos of JFK's Bethesda autopsy - it showed a different wound to the back of the head, one that would support a theory of a lone gunman firing from the back. The front of JFK's neck showed a larger and jagged opening than was seen in Dallas (p.111). According to reports, JFK's body was wrapped in a white cloth and placed in a bronze casket in Dallas. At Bethesda the body was in a zippered body bag in a gray casket. This book was written to present his witness to the events.

   There is one thing that I remember from that time. Right after the assassination the first newspaper reports said JFK was shot from the front. J. Edgar Hoover then said that JFK was shot while the limousine was heading towards the School Book Depository Building. When photos were printed to show that didn't happen, this story was changed. To learn more about this, read "Act of Treason" by Mark North.

   Could the "alterations" in the wounds between Dallas and Bethesda be explained by use of a "body double"?




3. This book is absolute pulp fiction trash. Charles Crenshaw is trying to "cash in" on the Kennedy assassination by writing a book about his recollections at Parkland Hospital on the day Kennedy was shot. Crenshaw makes it sound like he was a major player in the trauma room where Kennedy was treated for his gunshot wounds, yet, the other doctors, including the doctor in charge of the case, cannot recall if Crenshaw was even in the room! Clearly, Crenshaw is writing this book for the money, and not to blow the lid off the assassination. It is a pathetic attempt to make money off a dead man.
   
   Crenshaw brings up conspiracy issues of which he knows little or nothing. He writes about the possibility that Oswald was picked up by Jack Ruby at the Texas Schoolbook Depository after teh shooting occurred! This "truth" of Crenshaw's is based on the unreliable account of a Dallas policeman who later suffered a mental breakdown and killed himself. How utterly ridiculous, yet, this is the kind of innuendo, lies, and half-truths that Crenshaw spins to make his book intriguing to the reader to sell more copies. Crenshaw is a Kennedy assassination fraud and his fellow doctors at Parkland have said as much about him in other publications.
   
   This book does nothing to advance research on the Kennedy assassination. To the uninformed reader, it sends one down a path of conspiracy that is not provable nor feasible. I'd give this book a negative star rating if I could. Avoid it all all costs unless you want to read it for pure fiction, for that is what it is.
   
   Jim "Konedog" Koenig, Kennedy Assassination Buff



4. Few actual eyewitnesses to the JFK assassination and cover-up have provided us with an inside look into the happenings of that November 22, 1963. Dr. Crenshaw finally does so. His book is simply written, void of complicated medical terms and clearly illustrates the fact that the information provided by the government and certain investigative agencies was untrue. A small book, easy to read and although there is no real "smoking gun" here, the information provided grants credence to the conclusion millions of U.S. citizens have arrived at: President John F. Kennedy's assassinated was a high-level conspiracy and cover-up.



5. Chuck Crenshaw was a friend of mine at Parkland Hospital. We both were there at the time of the assassination. We were both residents in general surgery. He was in the trauma room with Kennedy. My only criticism with his book is in his exaggeration of his role. The facts he related were identical to those of all the other physicians who were in attendance. They were all friends of mine and I knew them well. I heard what each of them had to say moments after the ordeal. They all saw the same wounds which were described by Dr. Crenshaw. The things seen at Parkland and reported by all these doctors are clear evidence of a conspiracy. Who and why are issues not addressed. Those would require another book and a huge paradigm shift in thinking on the part of most Americans. Another good book is "Best Evidence." It is more thorough.

No comments about Structured Reading (6th Edition).

2 comments about Vandas and Ascocendas and Their Combinations with Other Genera.

1. This is a great book on the Vanda alliance. It has many wonderful pictures of both species and hybrids. It even includes a bunch of botanical prints (artistical renditions) of a number of species. This book is great for the hobbiest or breeder. Many pages go into detail about the history of breeding Vandas, and what qualities certain species impart. I have used this section a number of times when creating new hybrids. I have also used to book to identify an unkown Vanda, what a relief!



2. This book offers a concise description of all vandaceous orchids, with wonderful pictures, descriptions and differences between each genera. I am a grower of over thiry years, and have not realized that there were so many. I find this book to be more friendly to the average orchidist and if I could would give it a "10". This is truly the best on the market today.

1 comments about Spring: American Soul.

1. Just a superb critical colllection, gently written, yet with all the barbs necessary to lift the watertight skin of society to reveal the dreadful cultural-mythic wounds of Soul within. The article on American education alone is worth the price of admission, though I may have some bias there.

5 comments about Deep Black: Jihad (NSA) (NSA).

1. A good story, with the typical blend of no sex and lots of violence. Tech issues and politics with just a hint of the American superiority complex.



2. Techno thrillers are pretty much a guy thing. It is also surprisingly subjective. For example, I do not like the Clancy books, and I hate the W.E.B. Griffen books. However, the Coonts series of Deep Black books has struck a cord in me, and I devour them. There is just the right blend of plot, character, and technology, to ring true for me.
   I like the fact that we blow away Arabs and muslims, something they all richly deserve. Mr. Coonts just needs to write many more of this series.



3. This book is over rated based on the cover reviews. I have read better books by this author, but I still like his writing style. The book does not get interesting until neat the end.



4. Typical Coonts lots of action and a great plot. If you like this guy look at Soft Target by Conrad Jones, its a debut novel and blew me away. Absolutly fantastic i can highly rate both !!



5. The shipping time was great but the book itself was not what I expected. It is slow with very little action. Would not have purchased this book if I had known this in advance. But I will say the story line is interesting.

5 comments about Living Above the Level of Mediocrity: A Commitment to Excellence.

1. Swindoll is certainly one of the most articulate and intelligent preachers of the times. This book is certainly an eye-opener of what God has intended for his children.



2. This is my third Swindoll book. And my favorite. In this excellent book, Swindoll shows that you can step above mediocrity, you can do better and most of all, it's God's desire for you to have all that you want. All you have to do is go for it.I also recommend Business Buy the Bible as a excellent succcess book based on scriptures and biblical principles.I look forward to more books by Swindoll. Easy read and inspiring.



3. Living Above the Level of Mediocrity is yet another fantastic title by Charles Swindoll. The gist of this book is the need for us to live above the level of just doing enough to get by.

   Among the many principles Swindoll covers are:

   1. Encouragements for standing tall.
   2. Problems with the world's system.
   3. Be willing to minister to others out of the limelight.
   4. Soaring takes effort and requires eliminating negativity.
   5. Following Christ will cost us relationships, possessions, and personal goals/desires.
   6. Characteristics of people who positively impact others.
   7. Defining vision, determination, and dreaming.
   8. Observations about conformity to other people's standards.

   Read it and be encouraged to soar like an eagle!




4. Mediocrity equals boredom and frustration. Living above it is Christian, it is the abundant way of living Jesus taught. In this book based on the Scriptures, Chuck Swindoll shows you how to apply principles that result in living purposefully and joyfully.

   Like similar writers, he starts by explaining it all occurs in one's mind. When one's thoughts are right, proper actions follow. Being conscious of the invisible, eternal Kingdom of God is the awareness that changes one's perception from things seen to those unseen.

   He writes about resisting traditionalism, greed, and discouragement. His advice is practical and doable. This is a hands-on book designed to set you apart from those who are satisfied with the status quo. It is a challenge to rise above the fray to a higher level of existence, one based on God's Word.




5. A gift from my grandmother, this book has been a regular source of strength to me in tough times, and it has encouraged me toward excellence. Among its greatest assets are its ability to inspire courage through adversity and to reinforce srong values, even when those values seem to make one unpopular. Including many relevant and inspiring stories from the Bible and from life in general, this book has a permananent place on my top bookshelf.

5 comments about Peanuts Guide To Life.

1. I love this book. I still smile even at my age when I go through the pages.



2. This is not a book of Strips. It is really a book of quotes sorted by subject matter... this could almost be made into Hallmark cards
   For example the subject is Effort and the quote is Some of my best school papers have been written before breakfast.......Sally Brown
   and on the opposing page is her examining her written work
   The book is 128 pages
   Probably one thing I was able to enjoy a little more in this book is Charles Schulz's artwork Like a close-up of Charlie Brown looking into an empty mailbox
   And Charlie Brown laying flat on his back with circles around his head
   Just little things like that.....
   I did enjoy this book I gave it three stars cause I was disappointed it wasn't a book of strips, I like the new way they have of sorting the strips for us Baseball, other sports, School and of course Love and I thought this was another one.....
   Maybe it didn't get four stars cause it was done too soon One quote a page You feel like a speed reader.



3. small book, can finish reading it in 5 minutes, even though it is over 100+ pages.
   Since I paid 1 cent for the book, I can't complain.
   S/H was a fixed $3.99



4. Title pretty much says it. I thought it was a little pricey for what we got (would have preferred paperback for lower price), but I did enjoy reading it. I recommend it. ach set of two facing pages has a quote and a one-scene cartoon. Forward is by Bill Cosby. Groupings of quotes are Life Philosophy, Confidence, Self Care, Self Reliance, People Shills, Prudence, Wisdom, Effort, Love and Little Quirks.



5. I love Peanuts. This is a brief collection of one-frame wisdoms. Thought-provoking. Don't have too high expectations, but it is still enjoyable.

5 comments about MP International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace.

1. I have used this book for the past 10+ years for a college course in "International Business". The students are mostly business majors. Now I have History, English, Communication and other majors. It is important for all students to understand globaliztion. With the information technology and e-commerce, the world is getting closer and easier to reach. Only 10 percent of US firms (GM, Ford, IBM, Motorola etc) are doing International Business, but the upside potential is unlimited. This book is an excellent entry to this exciting and challenging field. The book will be better if it has the PowerPoint slides for professors and covers more examples on Logistics.



2. If you don't mind your information being written from the Western, pro Big-Business, capitalist view, the bias conveyed throughout the text won't be a problem. But if you are looking for something objective, something to fairly present the concepts associated with globalization, search elsewhere.
   
   In the first two chapters alone, several instances of bias are written into the text. For example, in the first chapter, protesters of the WTO are referred to as "anarchists" and in the second chapter the difference between communists and social democrats is claimed to be that communists use violence in their revolutions. This is clearly not the case. While historically this may be true of the revolts, this is not even close to the fundamental difference between the two groups. For the first example, it can be seen that thousands of people gather to protest the WTO and it is certain that a select few, if any, consider themselves anarchists.
   
   It is clear where the author stands!



3. exact product at an affordable price w a smooth transaction



4. I've used previous editions of this text in my international business course, and have decided to adopt this one as well. The text does a great job of hitting every topic that international business people/corporations need to know. The text covers country differences, economics, strategy, and corporate functions.
   Another Amazon review incorrectly suggested that the author of this text is biased politically and in favor of larger firms. If the author intended to introduce a political bias in the text he certainly could have done it with the cases, but it is clear from reading such cases as the Kellogg Brown & Root case on page 190 that the author has no particular axe to grind. It is, in short, simply impossible to guess the author's political orientation.
   The book also has no bias in favor of larger firms. The business school in which I teach is (in fact) oriented towards entrepreneurship and smaller firms. The text was selected, in part, because the information imparted would be just as valuable to small firms as it would be to the large. The author specifically addresses the topic of "mini-multinationals" as well as topics that would be of interest primarily to smaller firms.



5. Great book for my MBA course in International Business. It is well organized, full of clearly defined principles, and loaded with case studies.