Product Description
Drawing from Smith's own personal journals, this concise biography paints a rich and detailed portrait of one of America's most intriguing founding fathers. Historian John Thompson guides us through annotated selections of Smith's most important and compelling writings, adding authoritative perspective and commentary to round out the picture. The volume includes some of the earliest primary source accounts of life in colonial Virginia, including excerpts from Proceedings of the English Colony of Virginia (1612), Generall Historie of Virginia (1624), and The True Adventures and Observations of Captain John Smith (1630).

Readers share eyewitness accounts of Smith's capture and imprisonment by the Indians, his explorations of the Chesapeake Bay region, and various other adventures and exploits in the New World. We get a firsthand look at Smith's pivotal role in the founding and governance of colonial Jamestown and his attempts to establish trade relationships with the Native Americans. We also learn the real facts behind Smith's relationship with Pocahontas—an American legend that pervades our popular culture, from the animated Disney classic to the critically acclaimed 2005 film starring Colin Farrell.

With the upcoming 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, a whole new generation of readers and history buffs will be seeking more information about Smith and his fellow colonists. This lively, illustrated edition will be a valuable resource—providing a fresh, accessible look at a key historical figure and conveying a vivid sense of what life in the New World was like. ... Read more

Product Description
Armed with only four major chords and his distinctive voice, Johnny Cash has piloted his way into musical history and into the hearts of millions. With over five decades of recording, Cash has an incredible volume of recorded material. The sheer volume of work can make Cash's recorded repertoire difficult to access for the researcher or fan. John L. Smith, Cash's discographer and friend has written an answer to those problems with "Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash." Smith presents information about Cash's repertoire indexed by song title. Whereas in a "sessionography" one might have to wade through many pages covering entries for different session dates and overdub sessions to find if, when, and how a particular title was released, "Another Song to Sing" presents all pertinent information for a given title in an entry for that title. Over 2,600 entries provide information pertaining to composers, producers, recording locations, dates of sessions (including any and all overdub sessions), personnel, and release dates for singles, extended-play and long-play albums, and CDs. Over 220 albums and CDs are listed. In addition to the alphabetical song title listings, Smith presents us with a collection of liner notes written by Cash himself, allowing a look at how he perceived his own music at any given period of time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

"An excellent resource book of Johnny Cash's musical career"
Another Song to Sing by John L. Smith is an excellant resource book detailing the great musical career of Johnny Cash,with 1032 pages with over 2600 song listings and 220 listings for albums and Cds.

A comprehensive look at the musical career of Johnny Cash.
This book, available May-June 1999, includes more than 2,600 song title entries and numbers some 1,005 pages in length.Each entry includes: composer, recording location, producer, session personnel, and the format(single, ep, lp, CD) of release. Most entries carry detailed annotations. Included in the book is a Foreword by Marty Stuart and a complete listingof liner notes, with contents,written by Cash for his CBS albums from1958-1986.Cash kindly allowed their replication for this project.Anindex of some 70 pages details the contents of the song entries.Thispublication is meant to be an encyclopedia, of sorts, of the recorded worksof a country legend. ... Read more

Product Description
The question of why organisms reproduce sexually is still a matter of controversy. In this account, Professor Maynard Smith considers the selective forces responsible for the origin and evolution of sexual reproduction and genetic recombination, using quantitative population genetics arguments to support his ideas. The relative importance of individual and group selection processes are also considered. the aim is to give a clear statement of the theoretical issues, and present enough of the evidence to show what kinds of facts are relevant. It is hoped that where crucial evidence is missing, experimentalists and field workers may be encouraged to collect the relevant data. The author does not claim to solve all the problems he raises, but this clear and well-argued account should provide stimulating reading for advanced undergraduate students and research workers in evolutionary theory. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I loved the book!!!
It's very good reading, the letters are really good. I just finsh reading John Adams that's a really good book too. And I just brought John Adams DVD it was on HBO early this spring!!! I'm trying find more books on John and Abigail books and other time period books in the 1700 and other history books. I just can't find any but I keep trying. I know they are there I just have I to looked!!!

The First Harvard Collection of Adams Letters--1975
This collection is the first assemblage of the letters between John and Abigail Adams published by Harvard University Press.Subsequently, in 2007, an expanded collection was published by Harvard, under the editorship of different scholars, with the title of "My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams" (which I also reviewed on Amazon).While the newer version has more letters (289 v. 226), and covers the period of John's Vice Presidency and Presidency, this earlier edition continues to have value.It includes more editorial material, some correspondence with third parties, and a larger number of illustrations--though not the beautiful color plates found in the newer volume. As I mentioned in my other review, the star of the letters clearly is Abigail, who carried on alone under the most challenging of circumstances while John was absent.She manifests both a literate perspective, as well as a sharp eye for political issues.John's letters afford an invaluable insight into a most critical period of American history; especially perceptive are his assessments of some of the leading political figures of the day.Either volume is well worthy of consideration and study--perusing both is doubly helpful.

Good History Book
This was a very interesting book showing the way a women saw the start of a new country.It also shows the sacrifice that both John and Abigail both had to make to still be together while John was helping the colonies.John tells Abigail all of the political happenings that have been going on not including deaths etc...Abigail is very much into politics and reminds John to "remember the ladies" when writing the Declaration of Independence.This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about the war at a different perspective than what just the history books say. ... Read more

Product Description
All living plants and animals, including man, are the modified descendants of one or a few simple living things. A hundred years ago Darwin and Wallace in their theory of natural selection, or the survival of the fittest, explained how evolution could have happened, in terms of processes known to take place today.In this book John Maynard Smith describes how their theory has been confirmed, but at the same time transformed, by recent research, and in particular by the discovery of the laws of inheritance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good, but today slightly dated.
Although I do not always agree with his views, I quite like Maynard Smith, so I rushed to buy this book which at its price seemed a real gem. Well, just to caution the reader that while it is classic Maynard Smith, the book is now quite old (1975). One can say that Darwin's 1859 classic, or "Selfish Gene" (1976) is also old, but these books were a milestone at the time. This book had less impact as a classic, so if one just needs latest information in a fast moving topic, there are more up-to-date works around. Even Maynard Smith's own (1998) "The Origins of Life" would be better value. You have to use your own judgement about this one.

One of the finest introductions to evolutionary science
This summary of evolutionary theory by the dean of the British school is essential reading for those who would understand the issues argued by Dawkins and Gould.It is an engrossing read, but is not trivially easy, despite having the appearance of a popularization.I would recommend it to anyone wanting more than a cursory overview of the most important theme of modern biology. ... Read more

Product Description
Presenting up-to-date arguments in the debates about issues of economic growth and inequality, this book is a guide to understanding the causes and dynamics of the persistent income gap between rich and poor countries. Each reading includes a short introduction by the editors highlighting the significance of the selections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Overlooked lessons from Michael Hudson
The book Development and Underdevelopment: The political economy of global inequality, is an economist's dream. It is full of articles with tables and figures that relate underdevelopment to all kind of factors. There are things that only an economist can appreciate such as Maximum Likelihood Estimations for the Once-Rich Twenty-Two, page 176, and OLS Regression of Effects of LFANGS38GDP on Economic Growth, page 349. Many figures and tables are badly labeled, but after some study you can get the intent. There is no chapter on the elephant in the room which is foreign debt. There are competing academic theories with pros and cons, without a final conclusion, and nobody is to blame.

For a better understanding of the underdevelopment problem take some time with the book: Trade, Development and Foreign Debt: How trade and development concentrate economic power in the hands of dominant nations, by Michael Hudson, 440 pages, ISLET, 2009. Following is a quotation from the 1992 edition of this book, page 457:

"From the British mercantilists through the early free traders and subsequent protectionists, probably the single most important policy inspiration has been the desire to understand the world's polarisation tendencies. The objective has been either to put them in place to consolidate one's lead, or to help less industrialised nations catch up. On the one hand this objective has involved an analysis of how lead-nations might achieve widening productivity and cost advantages for their industry and agriculture. The other side of the coin has been a review of how the colonial and postcolonial periphery has become malformed by what I [Michael Hudson] call `the Monoculture Syndrome' with its economically and politically obsolete labour, agriculture, capital and oligarchic governments."

After reading Hudson's book you will certainly have an understanding of the world's polarisation tendencies, which you will not get from Development and Underdevelopment.
... Read more

Product Description
In the spring of 2007, The Historic New Orleans Collection acquired the archive of photographer Michael P. Smith, ensuring both its long term preservation and ultimate public access. Through photographs, field recordings, journals, correspondence, printed ephemera, and other documents, Smith s professional and personal interests offer an extended gaze into the world of spiritual churches, Mardi Gras Indians, and traditional jazz funerals, as well as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which Smith photographed without interruption from 1970 2004.The trove of Michael P. Smith archival material now housed at The Historic New Orleans Collection provides the basis for two exhibitions under the single title: In the Spirit: The Photography of Michael P. Smith from The Historic New Orleans Collection. Beyond the Music at The Historic New Orleans Collection focuses on the breadth of Smith s nearly forty-year career. Twenty-Five Jazz Fests at the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center spotlights Smith s photographs of performers at the world-renowned New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The exhibition catalog for In the Spirit: The Photography of Michael P. Smith from The Historic New Orleans Collection features essays by Jason Berry, Dan Cameron, and John Lawrence and Jude Solomon and includes a selection of nearly 100 Michael P. Smith photographs from both exhibition venues. ... Read more

Product Description
A new selection from the national epic of India

Originally composed in Sanskrit sometime between 400 BC and 400 AD, The Mahabharata-with one hundred thousand stanzas of verse-is one of the longest poems in existence. At the heart of the saga is a conflict between two branches of a royal family whose feud culminates in a titanic eighteen-day battle. Exploring such timeless subjects as dharma (duty), artha (purpose), and kama (pleasure) in a mythic world of warfare, magic, and beauty, this is a magnificent and legendary Hindu text of immense importance to the culture of the Indian subcontinent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very helpful to understand this text
The Mahabharata is not an easy text to understand.This book helps a great deal and is a size that can fit into a large handbag.

Good as you will find
This version of the Mahabharata is mostly a paraphrase in English. I have not been able to find more than that without great expense, however it is very good for someone who wants the narrative with the details of the story but also wants to get the feeling of the text. The paraphrase is interspersed with fairly lengthy sections of text. All the things you might get in an English retelling are reproduced in really beautiful prose. The battle scenes are harrowing. Anyone who might be sqeamish at the Illiad (I have not met such a person, but I am told they exist)would be wise to steer clear. I am not a scholar of Indian Literature and have only the most basic grasp of Hindu pantheon and tradition, but I found this accessible and really compelling. The characters are really unforgetable. The enduring message of the work about faith and dharma has not lost any beauty and relevance today. It would be wise to get a good version of the Bhagavad Gita and read that in its entirety when you arrive at the relevant passages, for that really would complete the experience. For the price of a penguin book you could not get better.

true to sanskrit
I did a translation of Bhagavad Gita which I published under the title of Bhagavad Gita English. I also did three commentaries.These can be seen here:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002PJ2ZMA
I mentioned this because the Sanskrit (Devanagari) text was taken from an online source which is supervised by the author of this Mahabharata translation. At the time of his allowing the use of that part of the Mahabharata Sanskrit text, I was unaware that he was to publish this book.
This is an exceptional translation and in a way it is on par with the work which was began by J.A.B. van Buitenen for the University of Chicago, except that this is not as extensive.
This is a good primer for the Mahabharata published by University of Chicago. The English is a true rendering and is practically flawless. ... Read more

Product Description
WHO'S MORE IMPORTANT than the Queen? Whom does she serve? Her royal corgis, of course! But life isn’t just royal thrones and unlimited biscuits for young Titus, Her Majesty’s favorite pup. There are burglars to catch, fires to put out, leaking tubs to attend to, and jealous cousins to deal with. In the end, though, it’s the Queen’s edict that matters most: “Titus Rules!”

Dick King-Smith, beloved author of Babe: The Gallant Pig, offers a delightfully entertaining book to inspire readers with love for young
Titus, and also with love for reading.

“Kids will enjoy the engaging Titus; the fast-moving, witty prose; and the adventures inspired by loyalty and royalty, whether two legged or four. Comic drawings add to the fun.”—Booklist


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Welsh Corgi book
Book purchased for my daughter who loves her two welsh corgis.
She was pleased.
Good seller who mailed promptly and packaged well!

If you love Corgies and the Queen this is a keeper!
My family loved having this book read to them. The story is very personably told.

Loved the concept but.....
I bought this book for my 8 year old. We have a corgi and I thought she would love the idea of the Queen's corgi's. She did, but I was uncomfortable with the drinking and smoking in the book. It didn'tneed to be in there. The rest of the book was enjoyable.Buy it if you feel comfortable with smoking and drinking "romantized".

a darling children's book
Very cute story of the Queen of England, her curmudgeonly husband, and the Queen's new favorite pup.Good illustrations, reading level for elementary kids, and quirky sense of humor.

Corgi Fun at the Palace
A jolly account of the adventures of one of the Queen's Corgi puppies. Amusing drawings, and a view of the royals from a Corgi's point of view. Should be enjoyed by readers from 8 to 80. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Service
The product arrived in good time and in excellent condition. The price was great. I would glady use this company again for further purchases

What it takes to be a global preacher and writer
This is the 2nd volume of the authorized biography of John Stott, Bible scholar, evangelical preacher and Anglican leader. The 1st volume, "John Stott: The Making of a Leader: A Biography: The Early Years (also by hymn writer and former Bishop of Thetford, Tim Dudley-Smith)", should be read first. In similar style, it has been thoroughly researched from John Stott's personal writings, correspondence and diaries and interviews with colleagues.As in the first volume, the writing is rich and detailed - peppered with references to John Stott's many worldwide friends, coworkers and acquaintances. Like the first book it does have a few repetitions and could be more concise.

In this volume, John becomes "Uncle John" and as Rector Emeritus of All Souls Langham Place has the freedom to travel from the swamps of the Amazon, to the tundra of the Arctic - preaching and teaching, with ornithological expeditions in between.In the 1990s, he finally sees a Snowy Owl in the Arctic after 25 years of searching. His ornithological joy is reflected in his diary (journal) as he feels like Simeon and records "I felt I could now say my Nunc Dimittis. "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace... (Luke 2:29,30)."Who else could feel like Simeon on such a quest?

The self-discipline continues as does his vigorous defense of the biblical message and packed travel schedules.Any preacher or Bible student, whether professional or amateur, who uses John Stott's commentaries and study materials will gain from reading about the preparation, planning and thought that goes into his books.Whether it be finding an author for a gospel commentary, or debating at Regent College in Vancouver, Tim Dudley-Smith delves into challenges and struggles behind John Stott's life of biblical exposition.

The book starts in the 1960s and covers some of the more important evangelical conferences- Keele in 1967, Lausanne in 1974 and Manila in 1989 - at which John Stott drafted documents and resolutions that shaped evangelical thinking for decades to come.Quotations from John Stott's writings pepper the book and bring to light some of his inmost thoughts at these events.

Besides exploring the professional side of John Stott's life, the biography notes many friendships - not least the avuncular relationships with his own sister's offspring. Insights illustrate the support given by his faithful secretary of 40 years - Frances Whitehead - and a study assistant (who does everything from shopping to research).Black and white photos cover John receiving honorary degrees to John with the birds.

John's perseverance and persistence, noted throughout the book, is illustrated in his leisure life at his Welsh retreat - the Hookses.As he builds a compost heap from damp pond weed he humps 12 loads up stairs - all this in his late 70s - to the consternation of his much younger study assistant.

A study assistant claims that he observed rigorous self-discipline, absolute humility and a prayerful spirit as three hallmarks of John Stott's life.This book will make you want to have these qualities too.

In the end, Dudley-Smith concludes that John Stott is the 20th century counterpart to Charles Simeon, Holy Trinity, Cambridge's 19th century preacher - both expositing the Bible and both influencing global ministry. Stamina, scholarship and service to a needy church are recurring themes that make this an inspiring and challenging read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

elemental people
this is one of our favorite decks...
dear diviners,
... although we don't tend to use it for general readings, we do find it very effective when asking anything about people, personalities, the feelings or atmosphere of a situation, romance, etc. Also, anything dealing with the elementals in our magic. It is quite a unique deck in its way, while still based on the traditional tarot system. We love it.
For the sake of this review, we drew a card from the deck about this system of tarot and got: Shaman (Hermit in most tarot decks), having to do with "willpower and enlightenment". If you feel drawn to this deck, it can prove to be a valuable tool for you.
kyela,
the silver elves

Second Edition is Well Done
A quick note for all looking at this deck - I picked up a copy of the reprint , and the typos mentioned in some aearlier reviews have all been fixed. Artwork seems clear and distinct. I've just gotten it, so can't say too much, but it seems like a very good system for working with Tarot. Symbols clearly explained, etc.

A tarot for intelligent people.
These tarot cards are artistically beautiful, and I liked that they include astrological symbols. The approach to tarot is based on the ancient neo-Platonic understanding of a dual reality; everything is a symbol. This book is perfect for people who approach the tarot out of intellectual curiosity, with a genuine appreciation for the history of the occult.

Great deck, poor production
I have the original 1988 version of this deck and it is far superior.The new edition is on flimsier card stock, and the cellophane wrappers around the cards were stuck TO the cards due to an excess of glue.So I have 2 damaged cards with white spots where the color was removed with the wrappers. Also, the book has a front cover that is over twice as wide as the back cover....ostensibly to wrap around the cards and hold them.In practice, the cards won't stay there without 2 large rubberbands, and when you are trying to use the book you have a big piece of cardboard flapping around and getting in the way.All this is trivial, but the fact that at least 2 of the cards have typos is not.Several cards have had the astrological symbols change from the old deck.But the book still lists the old ones.So I don't know which is supposed to be correct.If you don't care about the astrological symbols, want to trim the front cover yourself and keep the cards in a bag....it's alovely deck with great art.Otherwise search for the 1988 printing, it is superior in every regard.

Great deck, poor production
I have the original 1988 version of this deck and it is far superior.The new edition is on flimsier card stock, and the cellophane wrappers around the cards were stuck TO the cards due to an excess of glue.So I have 2 damaged cards with white spots where the color was removed with the wrappers. Also, the book has a front cover that is over twice as wide as the back cover....ostensibly to wrap around the cards and hold them.In practice, the cards won't stay there without 2 large rubberbands, and when you are trying to use the book you have a big piece of cardboard flapping around and getting in the way.All this is trivial, but the fact that at least 2 of the cards have typos is not.Several cards have had the astrological symbols change from the old deck.But the book still lists the old ones.So I don't know which is supposed to be correct.If you don't care about the astrological symbols, want to trim the front cover yourself and keep the cards in a bag....it's alovely deck with great art.Otherwise search for the 1988 printing, it is superior in every regard. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Beautifully Printed Book!!!
Ugly cover design, but beautiful tonal range in the printing of this beautiful collection of Eugene Smith's work.A very comprehensive book of Smith's photojournalistic art.

Eugene Smith... what can I say!
Superb.I am a professional photographer, and i really admire Smiths work.This book is a great collection of some of his images.
The publishers did a good job reproducing the photographs, nice detail and tone.Definitely worth the price.

Staff Photographer, Seattle Times, Seattle, Washington
An excellent display and text of one of one of the world's great photojournalists.I would recomend this book highly to any fan of E. Eugne Smith

Review of Smith book from an old friend
SMITH BOOK REVIEW

Having risked hernia to browse the impressive new book of an old friend andneighbor, ( W. Eugene Smith;Photographs 1934-1975 John T. Hill/Gilles Mora)what first grabs is the space, air and light enveloping theseintense images with almost a lovingcaress, a sense of freshness and sunlight never possible in our dim,dingy-dusty claustrophobic Sixth Avenue loft building, where, just outsidemystudio door, were piled stacks upon stacks of his work mounted on black16x20 dogeared mats, just waiting to be stolen,but which were, in fact,attributed by many visitors to some magical drugstore,and could I, please,arrange to have their wedding pictures made there, too? Genecouldn't sell one print for even twenty-five bucks in those days. Everynight when I came home to sleep there was thedespairing Clement Attleestaring upward at the bare light bulb over my doorway.

Thatwas forty years ago, and twenty since Gene went to that great blast offerrocyanide in the sky, and much ado about him has taken place in theinterim. New Yorkfifties mindsetwas Freudian psychoanalysis;everyonewent to a shrink. Anyprominentindividualistic tendencies were oftencondemned to one definition of neurosis or another, andin the rathersmall and specious world of photography , Gene's maverick determinationstood out in high relief. Businessmen photographers-- like the young LeeFriedlander, himself awash in Freudophilia, considered Gene a `spoiler',pretentious-precious, and went instead to sit at the feet ofthepolymorphous Walker Evans;yes, "pomposity" was pretty much the legendthatGene's exit from LIFE brought down around his head. Not a team playerat all; tsk tsk. And in his brave repudiation of corporate moloch, Genevaliantly pratfalled himself right into the lap of utter poverty.

Tolarge extent, Gene's persona seemed to require a struggleagainst impossible odds; it focused and sharpened him to the high standardshe demanded from himself , and he was no slouch when it came tograndstanding, often with tears, his anti-Goliath position.He built hisown Myth of Smith, his self-invented public (relations?) image, fine whenLIFE was footing the bill,but now, inside our firetrap former whorehouse, there was real rent to pay, real electric bills, bona fide emptyrefrigerators. That is about when we began to get acquainted--- I neverreally bought the Myth; for me he was just thestrangely interesting guydownstairs who became a great pal.

Outside the loft, Gene wasquick to acquire the packagable cliche of thegarret-starvedself-destructive artist.Compared to Van Gogh,he earned someresidue ofAmerican Puritan contempt;this man whose great humanity was most evidentin his workwas treated most inhumanely by his peers.

Inside the loft, formany years the two of uswere in daily contact, working and trying to exist under extremely difficult economiccircumstances, and we often had one helluva good time!!I foundhim to be a genial, generous, courageous---often outrageous--warmwildly wittyman, always humble, sensitive,shy and hard-working, sharing a greatinterest in art, with aremarkable philosophical perspective. We jabbered of Welles and Chaplin , wide angle lenses, witches, Goya, Haiti, Satchmo,Stravinsky,O'Casey, Joyce, Kazan, war, suicide, politics, cock-foughtover girls,guzzled cheap scotch, and swung with the jazz that regularlytook place in my studio , as if great mind trips could avert the cold factof the necessity to eat. I remember one hot summer day, making cream cheeseand molassessandwiches for us on cinamon bread.Gene argued that wedidn't have to buy the molasses because we could get the iron from ourrusty tap water. As a rule, his antichumor andpunning sense managed always to keep things slightly off-balance; this manwho had such a profoundly dramatic instinct and attraction for the tragichad also a capriciousspirit of the absurd in the way he conducted hisdaily life;Van Gogh with a manic dash of Robin Williams.

Andastonishingly productive. Yet always thegloomy impassioned chairoscuro came out of the darkroom-- prints blacker than black, then mounted onblack, dense, intense, often in layout strangulation, making sure;I, W.Eugene Smith , won't let you gogentlyintothat unferrocyanided goodnight. Sans assignments, now more artist than journalist,for years on end Gene shuffled his prints, made and remade PITTSBURG,photographed our jazz and our personal La Boheme, tried a failed book, afailed magazine, and finally luck brought him The Jewish Museum show andthen his crescendo, Minimata.

One night in Bradley's in 1975, Genesaid, "Well, Dave, I finally got there at last. I've got ten thousanddollars in the bank for the first time. Of course, it's only going to bethere about a week."

Jump cut posthumous; an icon,passedaway amongst us,is now suddenly acknowledged. Many who jeeredhim, refused him recognition,now come out to sycophant, to pedestal, tocelebrate his life-- including LIFE itself.Gee, we're SOsorry; but let's exploit!

Those twenty-five dollar printsbuckled the registers at auctions, and giant profitswere made;yes, thesame old art-woe story--- just at thetime Vinnie the Gogh himself waspulling down millions in Sothebysales.The dark side of Gene, finally,surely, took care of his children and at least one of his wives.

We get a brilliant and sensitivebiography by Jim Hughes,a sosodocumentary, worldwide traveling shows. And then it seemed over. "There's no money left around for Gene Smith anymore" comments executorJohn Morris in the late eighties, handing his stewardship over to Gene'sbastard son.

Now, surprise! comes this current coffee tabledominatrix which gives Gene's babies, his pictures, the opportunity to havea life of their own in renewal. SNAP!! Of courseone can argue anew the merits of the individual essays and which choicesare the best, etc., but for myself-- having gone to bed amidst these imagesfor many years, there's something new about them now; suddenly welcome.There is a spank-spank/no-no here; not all of what we seeare Gene's ownprints, very much against the artist's wishes,but the damage is by nomeans on the level of, say, Clement Greenberg's sanding off the paint onDavid Smith's sculptures after his death. And most of these choices helpilluminate Gene's way of seeing and working. There are also textualinaccuracies; Hall Overton did not own the loft bldg.I had rented threefloors, and Hall rented originally from me, and my friend Sid Grossman sentover Harold Feinstein to share Hall's floor. When Harold left, he broughtin Gene.

I liked John Hill's technical essay at theclosure.I was with Gene the night MAD EYES burnt out all the surroundingbackground, with ritual Clan MacGregor celebration, for neither of us-- onepainter, one photographer-- gave a whit about `objectivity'.

This spacious book-bomb adds honor and light to these master photographs,allowing them their own life and breathing room not usually available.Gene's insistence on control force-gilded his lilies, giving barely anyspace in his layoutsto let the eye feel free to wander on its ownvolition. Now one can look afresh with impunity, and they look a bitdifferent--even better.

In any event, Gene, now busily groping angels,can no longerargue in his own defense, no longer joke,weep, holler,cajole, rage, pun. And he doesn't need to.

You know? Thisfellow really had one goddamned great eye and sense of when.

David XYoung

Oct 22 1998 ... Read more

Product Description
This ambitious book provides the first unified discussion of the full range of evolutionary transitions. Engagingly written and filled with numerous illustrations, this book can be read with enjoyment by anyone with an undergraduate training in biology.It includes accessible discussions of a wide range of topics, from molecular biology and linguistics to insect societies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Marvellous and Challenging Read
This is arguably John-Maynard Smith's most challenging project in popular science writing. Written along with Eros Szathmary, a chemist, " The Major Transitions in Evolution" is written primarily for biologystudents, but can be understood by anybody with a solid background inevolutionary theory.How have the ways in which information is transmittedbetween generations changed through time and what were the crucialtransitions that made these changes possible? One early example thatillustrates the effect of these transitions is the origin of chromosomes.Nucleic acid strands (genes) capable of independent replication, at somepoint became linked and thereafter could replicate only as a set of linedgenes (chromosomes). A new way of storing information,a new informationsystem had evolved. How was this transition maintained through time?Would'nt unlinked genes which replicate faster be favoured by naturalselection over linked genes? In effect, would'nt selection at a lower leveldisrupt higher level organizatins? This is a common feature of many of themajor transitions and forms the fundamental theme of this marvellous book. In a series of chapters the authors discuss the evolutions of various levelof complexity. The chapters are arrange in a logical sequence begining withthe origin of life and moving on to successive transitions including theorigin of the genetic code, the origin of the eucaryotes, the origin ofsex, multicellularity, societies and language. The list here is notcomplete. I read the book from start to finish in a sequence, but readerswith a good background in the subject could probably start anywheredepending on their interest. For non-biologist this is not easy reading atall, and I would imagine that even biology students will find portionschallenging. An impressive quality of this book is the constant attempt toincorporate the pecularities of a particular system in developing anexplanation to explain its origin. A discussion on the origin of thegenetic code includes the possibilty that there could be a stero-chemicalbasis for specific amino acid-codon assigments, rather than it being a'frozen accident'. Another example is whether there is a causal connectionbetween haplodiploidy and evolution of sociality in eusocial insects. Theauthor warn against making this apparently intuitive connection, andinstead seek an explanation in split sex ratios and in some cases theparticular features of insect ecology. The highlight of the book for me wasthe last chapter on the origin of language. From Noam Chomsky's work on thestructure of grammer , syntax and language and representation, to anevolutionary explanation for its origin, this was really an informativeessay. The ever recurring argument against the evolution of complexadapatations, in this case language, by a series of adaptive intermediatestages, has been dealt with using examples from animal speech, the geneticsof language disorders and a section on the transitions from pigdin tocreole.The book strikes a good balance between explaining theory and thendiscussing the experimental evidence available. Wherever possible, newexperimental approaches are suggested. Finally, like any really good bookon science the authors not only bring you up to date with what has beendone, but also stress just how much more needs to be done. It is thisfeature about the book that leaves a lasting impression.

Excellent. Industrial strength for biological initiates.
John Maynard Smith gets an automatic thumbs-up from me for anything he writes.He is clear, pleasant, creative, unpretentious, authoritative and thoughtful. For this book he has teamed up with what seems to be anup-and-coming molecular biologist cum evolutionist and the team isimpressively powerful.The writing is all in Maynard-Smith's style as faras I can tell, so I don't know whether Szathmary is an exceptionallycompetent anglophone who shares thesame style, or whether they split thewriting duties to exploit their respective skills.All I can say is thatif you want a really rewarding read and you have a sound, not necessarilyadvanced, understanding of the basics of biochemistry, evolution andcellular physiology, then you cannot do better than this book.It makes nopretence to being comprehensive and gives only the minimum of introductorymaterial to support their views on evolutionary transitions.Even if youare familiar with the field, the book does not lend itself to skimming; itis the distillation of a lot of non-trivial thinking.

An excellent book.Recommended to any professional in the field, to any student of the subjectand to laymen with a good background in the subject and who are notintimidated by a challenge and are willing to skip some of thebiochemistry.The later chapters are more accessible in that they dealwith more difficult subjects, such as speech and culture.

Instead ofwatering down the content for educated laymen, the authors have published aless technical sequel: "The Origins of Life".This is alsoavailable from Amazon and, although it is intended for a wider audience, itis thoroughly rewarding for the professional.

First class
Maynard Smith is one of the world's leading evolutionary biologists (for instance, he was largely responsible for the application of ideas from game theory to biological contests), and here he gives an excellent account of what he considers the most important transitions in evolutionary biology, including the origin of the genetic code, cellularisation, sociality and language. It's an astonishingly wide-ranging book, and highly recommended for anyone with any interest in any of these subjects in particular or in evolution as a whole. The writing is lucid and entertaining, and although some chapters probably require a familiarity with at least basic biology, Maynard Smith, like Richard Dawkins, can be understood by anyone who's prepared to make an effort. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the theatrical family of which Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth was a member traces the rise of Junius Brutus Booth in the theater, Edwin's record-breaking performance of Hamlet, and brother John's most heinous crime. 15,000 first printing. Reader's Digest Cond Bks. Excerpts, American Heritage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great story
The story of the Booths is one of the most fascinating in this country's history.Unfortunately, this is far from being a definitive history. The text has many dreadful sentences, and the author or his editor (assuming there was one)finds paragraphs difficult to manage.The concluding chapter is especially embarrassing, laced as it is with mawkish sentimentality.

Still, the book is worth reading.Gene Smith seems have to have worked in numerous primary sources, and at times he shows a fine ability to describe and analyze. This is pop history, which in itself does not make it bad.It's just that it should have been much better.

American Gothic
I have quite a collection of books relating to the Maryland legendary family of players; the Booths.This book is by far one of the best.Even though it goes through a lot of the family history that I have read of before, it is a great read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reading about this tragic family.Michael Kauffman, author of American Brutus contributed some information for the author, even before he was published himself.

Absorbing theatrical biography.
As the two reviews below demonstrate, many people might read this book just to find out more about Lincoln's assassin.From the post-Civil War era to this day, "assassin" is the only translation of the name "Booth" that most people understand.

But Gene Smith gives us the rest of the story of a theatrical "dynasty", and the depth of his research is amazing, at least in my opinion.Yes, there were other Booths besides John Wilkes, and other reasons for memorializing this family besides Presidential death.No one today remembers the father, Junius Brutus Booth, a wonderfully boisterous, crazy old drunk and ground-breaking actor who was adulated like a rock star in his time.Edwin and John, two out of the nine or ten (legitimate and illegitimate) progeny of JBB, surpassed their father, and Edwin has been called the greatest American tragedian who ever lived.

Like any biographer, Mr. Smith puts flesh on these characters, with a particular eye toward trying to rehabilitate John.It is a lyrical, touching, sympathetic story full of little-known details:John's body finally being released to his mother from its secret basement hole for reburial in the family plot; Edwin burning his brother's theatrical trunk and every costume and prop in it, under the rueful eyes of a long-time servant; the spontaneous, disastrous collapse of the original Ford's Theater building, seemingly at the moment of the death of Edwin; a certain hummock in the median strip of a Virginia freeway, the site of the house on whose porch the "unfortunate" Johnny sucked his life away.

But Mr. Smith doesn't really answer the question of why Johnny did it.His (purported) fiancee, Lucy Hale, was a Yankee.John's animus seemed to be directed at Lincoln himself rather than the U.S. Republic.Maybe it was partly theatrics and partly the family tendency toward insanity.

Booth Madness
I find this book to be very helpful in my investigations of understanding the Booth family. Those whom are interested should know it's like a Shakespeare tradgedy. I recommend this book to anyone studying John Wilkes Booth.

Brother John Wilkes Found His Fame Off the Stage.
The older Booth brothers were a hard act to follow, being classical and Shakespearean actors of the highest degree.Edwin played Hamlet upteen times on stage.John felt second best and left out of the major plays and had to seek his fame in another way.He is now called American Brutus, but I beg to differ: Booth was in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, (now West Virginia) in 1863 and fell in love with the surroundings. I have seen this special place in a few movies since my boys and I were there. It is a distinctly different place from any other. Once you've been there, you will never forget every little detail. It is that historical and meaninful in this country's war zone. I have been interested in Lincoln's assassination for over twenty years, mainly because they hanged Mary Surrat, the first woman to be officially killed in this manner. It was at her boardinghouse where the conspirators met to discuss and plan killing Lincoln and others in his Cabinet.

John Wilkes Booth, from a prominent acting family, was a Confederacy sympathizer. But that in itself does not make him guilty. He was denied his right to a trial. Most of the South were more than a little upset when Lincoln was inaugurated for the second time. They refused to accept him as "our" President. We had Jefferson Davis who married Zachary Taylor's daughter. I don't believe old Zach was a Rebel. "Killing Lincoln' as a one-man theatrical presentation, written by Amy Russell, originally premiered in Toronto, Canada. I emphatized with the young actor (who I thought was an old man, as he is such a good actor) who said, "I enjoyed playing off you." I told him the reason he held my complete attention was due to the fact that I had read so much about Lincoln and also sympathized with Booth's reasoning.

Lincoln as it so happens was a Shakespeare fan and enjoyed going to Ford's Theatre. John Wilkes Booth (Brutus) as one of the most promising young Shakespearean actors of his day. Booth considered Lincoln an "American Caesar." He is sometimes called Booth "American Brutus," the title of another Booth book I have reviewed.He was an extremelyhandsome man and, even though he broke his leg in the leap to the stage (instead of running down the back stairs), he eluded capture with the help of a Dr. Mudd for twelve days. He was not given a chance to tell his side and the complex, misleading reasons he did what he did. That took fortitude! He did not act alone! That's a major issue. He was cornered in that barn like an animal and burned (at the stake) by the vigilante cowards. He was never close to Lincoln as Brutus was to Jesus so the title is deceiving. He was merely a misinformed player who ended up "on his own" after the dasdardly deed. He deserves better than to be called a devil. To some, he was an avenging angel.He achieved fame in his own way, though there have been romors thathe did not die in the fire but survied to live another day and another life.That has not been confirmed, but Eric will delve through the history and tell us what really happened.And why. ... Read more

Product Description
A gripping narrative of one of the great survival stories of American history: the opening of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Drawing on period letters and chronicles, and on the papers of the Virginia Company–which financed the settlement of Jamestown–David Price tells a tale of cowardice and courage, stupidity and brilliance, tragedy and costly triumph. He takes us into the day-to-day existence of the English men and women whose charge was to find gold and a route to the Orient, and who found, instead, hardship and wretched misery. Death, in fact, became the settlers’ most faithful companion, and their infighting was ceaseless.

Price offers a rare balanced view of the relationship between the settlers and the natives. He unravels the crucial role of Pocahontas, a young woman whose reality has been obscured by centuries of legend and misinformation (and, more recently, animation). He paints indelible portraits of Chief Powhatan, the aged monarch who came close to ending the colony’s existence, and Captain John Smith, the former mercenary and slave, whose disdain for class distinctions infuriated many around him–even as his resourcefulness made him essential to the colony’s success.

Love and Hate in Jamestown is a superb work of popular history, reminding us of the horrors and heroism that marked the dawning of our nation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Love & Hate in Jamestown by David A. Price
it's a great book very interesting if you are interested in learning about history of virginia or just history in general it will be worth it.

Could have been Better
Kudos to the author for stripping away so much myth, but there are moments of awkward writing that slip into a style more appropriate for academic history, and not popular history, which I assume is the intention of this book. Still a valuable addition, but it might not be accessible to any but the most advanced readers - probably too much for anyone who has not taken a college history course or two.

Loving history
This book is meticulously researched and well presented.It reads like a novel, capturing the reader and taking them along for the ride.This book does what history should do - it teaches a lesson for the future.I hope we can learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before us.

Love and Hate in Jamestown
Love and Hate in Jamestown is a great read.It's history that reads with the ease of a novel.It would be interesting to have Virginia Native Americans read this book to get their take on it.In fact, I have given it t a Virginia Native American to read.

Very well written, objective,well-researched
This is a great book .. brief and to the point, but also highly detailed and sophisticated treatment of the Indian-Settler conflicts.And the man also knows how to write . . that is unusual these days.Pocahontas really stole my heart away. ... Read more

Product Description
Lexington, Kentucky, has the honor of being the birthplace of one of the first genuinely homegrown American Christian faiths: the Disciples of Christ. Established in 1832 by the union of two Christian groups led by Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone, their descendent churches are now referred to by religious scholars as the Stone-Campbell movement.

In the state’s best tradition, this historic movement soon acquired its own larger-than-life legend: Raccoon John Smith, the flamboyant frontier preacher of the southern Kentucky mountains. Smith moved to the lowland Bluegrass and braved considerable odds to preach and establish the self-described "pure, nondenominational" Christianity of Stone and Campbell throughout the state and beyond. The 1832 union of Stone and Campbell’s churches was in fact formalized not by Stone and Campbell, but by Stone together with Smith, who represented Campbell’s constituency in Kentucky.

Raccoon John Smith occupies a well-deserved place both in Kentucky and Stone-Campbell history. All previous biographical studies have been colored by the religious faith he embraced and the legends that evolved around him, however, rather than giving an accurate account of Smith’s life. In Raccoon John Smith, Elder John Sparks fills this void in the literature about Smith, using historical sources to present a faithful portrait of a seminal frontier preacher and colorful figure in early Kentucky history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fascinating
This is a fascinating look at an influential man and his times.Mr. Sparks has done an amazing job - this is one of the best biographies I have ever read.If your interest includes religious history, early America, Kentucky, or just the drama of human relationships, you'll like this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Publishers' notes on the 2007 edition by Clearfield Publishing:
Owing to their expectation that the New World lay in proximity to the East Indies or the Pacific Ocean, the Virginia Company of London in 1607 charged its first settlers to employ a number of men "for two months in the discovery of the river above you, and on the country about you." Captain John Smith was a member of that initial exploration of May 1607, and during the ensuing two years he was primarily responsible for planning and carrying out the discoveries. These explorations were carried out at great risk and hardship; in fact, it was during one of these journeys that Smith was captured by Opechancanough and--according to legend--was narrowly saved from death by the Indian princess, Pocahontas. While Smith and his crews did not find a Northwest Passage, their efforts, as preserved in the folding map which is the focal point of this small book, made invaluable contributions to Virginia geography, ethnology, and cartography.

In John Smith's Map of Virginia, Professor McCary describes the various expeditions made by the intrepid captain and then goes on to discuss the publishing history of the map itself through ten versions between 1612 and 1632. Among the notable features of the folding map, which is the focal point of this small book, are a drawing of the Indian chieftain Powhatan, Captain Smith's arms and motto, important features of the Virginia shore lines, rivers and creeks of Smith's day, hundreds of place names, and the location of 200 Indian villages in Virginia in the early seventeenth century. Whether as a guide to research in Virginia genealogy, history or pre-history, or as a mere keepsake, John Smith's Map of Virginia will appeal to Virginiaphiles of all persuasions. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

My favorite!
As a grade three teacher I've come across TONS of children's books in my career. One of the best times in a teacher's day is reading to students. General Butterfingers has become my favorite! A woman is a cook and housekeeper for 3 sweet veterans. Her son interacts in such a special way with the gentlemen that the whole story is touching, especially when Walter and the men formulate and carry out a plan to keep the veterans from being taken to live in a Veterans Home.
I given MANY copies of this book as a gift to the children of friends, relatives, and neighbors.

Excellent read aloud
I am a fourth grade teacher at an American military school in Germany.I have used this book as a read aloud for many years and it is constantly rated as one of their favorites at the end of the year.They always want to know where they can buy their own copy and I'm very sorry to tell them that it's out of print.You can't find a better story to read around Veteran's Day than this.

Terrific!
The Spitzers were three World War II rescue commandos, brave and fearless and their greatest accomplishment was saving the life of General Britt. After the war was over, the General invited them to come live with him, hishousekeeper, Mrs Wilson and her son, Walter, in his house on Felton Street. And they all live happily together for many years.Sadly, General Brittpassed away, leaving the house to the three, now very old warriors.Thatis until the letter came.The General's nasty nephew, Ralph, claims he'sthe heir to the General's estate and is giving the Spitzers, Mrs Wilson andWalter one week to get out.But Walter will have none of this.He isdetermined to find a way to save the house for his "family" andstop Ralph from throwing them out.He tells the Spitzers, "We're notgiving up this house without a fight." So begins GeneralButterfingers, John Reynolds Gardiner's fast paced, action packed story,that will delight and amuse even the hardest to please readers.Gardinerhas filled his book with great characters, lots of dialogue and funny,vivid scenes that will keep kids turning pages to the end, as they watchWalter lead the Spitzers into one last battle.This is the perfect bookfor kids aged 9-12 and a wonderful read-aloud story the whole family willenjoy. ... Read more