Product Description
For 300 years, believers have turned to Matthew Henry's timeless commentary for clear, concise help in understanding the Bible and relating its wisdom to practical Christian living. His unrivaled ability to combine comprehensive biblical exposition and down-to-earth guidance for daily life has established Henry's reputation as a trusted and beloved teacher. Charles H. Spurgeon called it, "a Christian's companion, suitable to everybody, instructive to all."

The Matthew Henry Study Bible blends his inspirational notes with a full-featured KJV Bible, to enable readers to benefit from the simple piety and no-nonsense application of the biblical lessons that are the enduring legacy of his writings.

Classically designed to honor the history of the content but updated with helpful features for easy contemporary use, The Matthew Henry Study Bible accommodates the needs of the serious Bible student and provides more clarity for the interested layperson.

Study features include:
* Clear new typesetting of text and notes
* Words of Christ in red
* Presentation page
* Thumb index
* Book introductions, footnotes, and in-text quotations from Matthew Henry's writings
* Side-column references
* Biography of Matthew Henry
* Concordance
* 8-page full-color map section ... Read more

Product Description

For more than 20 years, Better Spelling has provided a focused, successful approach to spelling. Students learn to identify common spelling errors and to apply straightforward rules to correct these errors.The text is split into auditory-centered and visual-centered problems. Two diagnostic tests, one problem-word test, and a proofreading test allow students to focus on areas where they need to improve.

Customer Reviews (1)

Comprehensive Guide to Troublesome Spelling Problems
As a college instructor, I have been looking for a comprehensive spelling book made for adult learners--a book that covers the troublesome problems that most poor spellers face. This book has excellent exercises, but all the answers are included in the back of the book. A teacher would note know if students were getting the content or merely copying answers. It's a bit technical in that the book is designed at the beginning for rather detailed diagnosis. This might frighten off some students. Good section on using the dictionary, but the Pronunciation Symbols page is in such small font, one needs a magnifying glass. Overall, the book is good for college students and adult learners. One of the best, and I've looked at dozens! ... Read more

Product Description
Word count: 1705. ... Read more

Product Description
This book explores the reasons behind the move of theCleveland Browns to Baltimore, Maryland in 1996. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great book!
You will learn about Cleveland, the Browns, and Art Modell reading this book than all other books on the subject combined. A must read if you want the real story about the move!

Not as enjoyable as I had hoped
I'm appreciative that the author Mike Popular (a CPA) took the time to write the book.The book probably would have been more interesting if written by a journalist.The book is a slow read and at times boring as there is so much financial detail, and I was a finance major in college so I'm use to numbers.That said, the author did a commendable job given that it was his first time in such an endeavor.

Art Modell made a lot of mistakes buying and operating the Browns throughout the years, but what sports league owner hasn't.It's just that the majority of them keep their ineptness secret because there's never a book published about them.

Art overpaid for the Browns in 1961.His bid was $800,000 ($4MM vs. $3.2MM) higher than the next highest bid probably because he wanted so badly to buy the Browns.That's a lot of money especially 45 years ago.Art's second mistake, although he probably didn't have an choice given his financial condition, was to take in partners especially a major minority investor (43%).Third, Art didn't follow his own cardinal rule of not letting lawyers run his business.Jim Bailey, who ran the team in the later years in Cleveland, was an attorney who possessed neither the necessary experience or skills to run a major sports franchise.

Besides the above critical mistakes Art was the defendent in several lawsuits.Three involved his 43% minority investor (ultimately lost) and one with Gabe Paul.The one's with the minority investor cost Art several seasons' profit.

Art was a actually a very decent and civic minded human being albeit with character flaws, but don't we all have certain limitations.Art was actually very astute at marketing, but was probably too involved in too many Cleveland civic projects.It probably took too much time away from his responsibilities as owner.The author pointed out on two occasions that Art's employees were very well compensated.

The author worked nearly ten years with a (then) Big Eight accounting firm and the Browns were one of his major accounts.He originally gotten the assignment as he was an avid Browns' fan.When Art formed the Stadium Corporation to run Municipal Stadium after leasing it from the city, he hired the author as it's treasurer and defacto CEO.Usually these jobs are given to a person with the exact same resume, that is the Big 8 accounting firm manager who formerly conducted the audits for the company.However, Art commissioned another Big 8 firm to conduct an exective head hunting search and they recommended the author for the job.This wasted the large executive search fee (that could have been better spent on the job that Bailey got) and may have indicated that Art had reservations about the author handling the job.Who in Cleveland was better prepared for the job than the author?Perhaps Art thought the executive search might land a more qualified individual outside Cleveland.The author didn't mention that or who was considered the first runnerup.

After Art had his first heart by-pass surgery, he relinquished his day-to-day management of the team and corporation and ran the team through Bailey.Also the team moved its training facilites football operations to Berea leaving the stadium corporation downtown at the stadium.This was unavoidable but awkward as their line of communication was severed.Throughout the years Art made some poor personnel choices in hiring executives.Art lost a good FB man when Ernie Aorsci left.

Despite all the financial problems the Browns still may have survived had it not been for the two FB strikes in 1982 & 1987.As I recall, the author said that the first strike cost the Browns about ten years' profits.

Actually Art was probably too nice of a guy (definitely not the conventional wisdom in Cleveland) as in retrospect (one of his character flawswas that he always wanted to accepted and liked in Cleveland) he should have pressed the city for a new stadium sooner before the Gateway Project (Jacobs Field & Gund Arena), the Rock & Roll HOF (I've visited it and it's not worth the time to visit), and other civic projects took precedence over the Browns situation.

Lastly the city was in dire straights themselves and took the Browns and Art for granted.Gov. Voinovich and the State of Ohio stood by and did nothing.Great leadership George!Ditto Mayor Michael White.

Browns fans - read this book!
I am Browns fan myself, and have always been a part of the "Art Modell Sucks" bandwagon, but after reading this book, I was truly amazed by the number of political factors that prevented the original Browns from staying in Clevelenad. Jacobs Fieldand Gund Arena had just been built using taxpayer dollars. Essentially, there was no more money to help out the Browns. And yet when Modell asks for the same relief to merely renovate 85-year old Cleveland Stadium, not even build a new Stadium from scratch, his request is denied. The city of Cleveland was essentially broke, and with the enormous political pressure to open up the city's waterfront, where the beloved Browns played in an aging and decrepid stadium- well you can add it up.

It's sad that Modell will go down in infamy as the most hated man in Cleveland sports. There were a gaggle of outside forces that helped exacerbate the move to Baltimore that Modell had no control over, as the author demonstrates.

Loved this book - gave me tremendous insight into one of the most shocking developments the NFL has seen in the last 20 years.

Very good for an accountant's tale of what happened
This was one of the most interesting books that I've ever read. Poplar's inside info on the move of the Browns will keep any reader turning the pages as fast as they can! A must for any Browns fan, I believe Poplar didn't pull any punches, and told the readers what he really thought, even if it was something they didn't want to 'hear'.

The photos he selected were relevent to the text, and the cover design is outstanding. I'd probably rate the 'readability' a 4.5 if there was a rating. Some of the book is a tale told by an accountant, and some of the figures and background info he presents is hard to get through, but it's well worth your time by the end of the book, so don't skip it!

More understanding of Modell, but proof for no Hall of Fame
Though this book tended to get off track, was not tied together all that well and at times bogged down by numbers, it was a very interesting read and offered a lot of insight of how Modell lost control of his organization.

We learn that Modell depended too much on his image in the eyes of others and what ultimatelty lead to the teams demise on Cleveland.By taking on the dual roles of managing the Browns and StadiumCorp in the 70's, Modell eventually fell under a disadvantage as cities begin to pony up sweetheart deals for new stadiums.But the book outlines that most of his lack of success with Cleveland politicians and the business community was HIS OWN FAULT because he did not want to lose face or stature with them.The book outlines that although Modell was a crafty businessman, his own downfall was mixing the preservation of his own image into his business dealing for a new stadium.And as the Indians left as a tenant and eventually rose to prominence, he could not attract the same support because of new image of protecting his own self-worth and perceived greediness.

After relocating to Boston in late nineties, my disdain for Belicheck only grew more, but after this read you begin to see that other external forces that Modell entrusted ultimately came back to hurt the Browns the most.Personal finances, non-football people running the show (Bailey & Lombardi), and Modell's losing gambles chasing that one last dream of a Super Bowl while getting further in debt are what stole our team from Cleveland. ... Read more

Product Description
"Complex Variables and Applications, 8E" will serve, just as the earlier editions did, as a textbook for an introductory course in the theory and application of functions of a complex variable. This new edition preserves the basic content and style of the earlier editions. The text is designed to develop the theory that is prominent in applications of the subject. You will find a special emphasis given to the application of residues and conformal mappings. To accommodate the different calculus backgrounds of students, footnotes are given with references to other texts that contain proofs and discussions of the more delicate results in advanced calculus. Improvements in the text include extended explanations of theorems, greater detail in arguments, and the separation of topics into their own sections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

quick delivery and good condition
The book was in better condition than stated. It was also a very cheap price. Win win

Lacks any motivation for the material, but is good for computational proficiency
I used this book in my introductory complex variables course, which at my large university was primarily aimed at the physics majors and electrical engineering majors who wanted to know more about computing with complex functions. This is where the book excels, at making you computationally efficient in the complex plane. This includes the ability to solve integrals, find complex roots, understand a few basic theorems, and use them to make useful bounds. The ubiquity of complex numbers in the applied sciences allows people who know more complex variables to have a slight edge over their fellow classmates.

There are many examples in the book to help point out non obvious uses of the results, and also to point out the many pitfalls the less careful student may encounter when studying complex variables for the first time. Also abundant, are the exercises at the end of each chapter. Many of whichhave answers or hints at the back of the book, and many of the problems are more interesting than the lessons themselves which is always a good sign.

I should mention that this book does involve proofs with their associated theorems, and may also serve as a nice introduction into the theoretical side of Calculus (which we call "Analysis"). The proofs are complete, and require little in the way of filling in the blanks yourself. However these proofs are entirely mechanical, which means that they boil down to algebraic manipulation over conceptual/geometric reasoning almost every time. You will be able to work with the theorems, and prove some of them, but most people will have no insight into why it actually works.

Perhaps the absolute worst part about this book, is the almost complete lack of pictures. Complex analysis is a very geometric subject. Almost every algebraic proof could be preceded/replaced with simple reasoning that unveils how the geometry of the subject necessitates the theorem. The beauty of the subject can not be seen without more figures, and more time spent on the intuition behind the ideas. To see how amazing this subject can truly be, I can't recommend strongly enough Tristan Needham's "Visual Complex Analysis". Visual Complex Analysis

Needham's book is a bit slower, and is less computationally focused, but its reasoning is so clear that it makes the multitude of theorems seem obvious and necessary. Every aspect of complex variables from Cauchy's equations, to the exponential function is made intuitive through carefully looking at why such things should be. The multitude of amazing figures are used to incredible effect. After you read Needham's book you'll really appreciate the greatness of the thinkers who preceded the subject, and get a little bit closer to thinking like a real mathematician.

The problem is, you'll never remember all the results and techniques unless you either use them frequently outside of the classroom, or actually took the time to see why the results are true at a level that can be conveyed with words. So unless you need this book for a class I can't recommend paying the steep price. If you can find it at a library it's worth checking out. But if you had to pick one I would go with Needham's book any day, you'll thank me for it later.

Good introduction to Complex variable
Regardless of the price which is little too expensive, it was a good book to start with Complex variables.

Misleading Item
I have no problem with the book. However, what Amazon is not telling you is that this is NOT the original book, but the INTERNATIONAL cheap-paper edition. You can buy the real edition brand new for 20% less elsewhere, and this version for practically nothing. Shame on Amazon.

Very good complement
Very good book to complement Complex Variables and Applications by Brown and Churchill. The solutions are well described and easy to understand. ... Read more

Product Description

This brief, practical book addresses how and why people read literature, and then shows different ways of thinking about the literature they are reading¿teaching users to read critically and analytically, to write thoughtful and concise papers of literary analysis, and to perform competent literary research. The book¿s comprehensive coverage offers a detailed description of practical research methods, an understanding of criticism and how to use it in papers, and a complete section on MLA documentation. The main topics address: what is literature and what is critical thinking?; reading critically; understanding literary language; explication and analysis; and secondary sources, research, and critical theory. For those new to literary study.

Product Description
The most motivating, interactive approach to college success.Explores the ability to learn and develop throughout college and life. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Packs a wallop
The fiftieth anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education in 2004 brought forth a plethora of related media. In addition to the tributes, there were also dismissive and negative revisionist histories claiming, for example, that Brown had no impact at all, or worse, that it actually interrupted and delayed the inevitable process of desegregation already unfolding in the South following WWII.

James C. Cobb (Spalding Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Georgia)responds to what he sees as distortions of Brown's legacy with scholarly guns a'blazing in this series of lectures presented for the Mercer University Lamar Memorial Lectures .In the first chapter, he makes quick work of the revisionists' claims thatJim Crow teetered on the brink of collapse by 1954. The second chapter challenges writers who claim that Brown's contribution to civil rights progress was ultimately less significant than its role in energizing white resistance to it. The final chapter argues that Brown and the ensuing civil rights movement accomplished more than its critics acknowledge, not insignificantly by allowing blacks the opportunity to embrace their identity as southerners. He examines the current trend of black migration to the south, as well as the trend to self-segregate not merely by race, but economic class.

His writing is clear, concise and engaging, his research rock solid and his attitude unabashedly liberal.I appreciated the inclusion of his personal observations as a white Southerner growing up under Jim Crow. And he doesn't mince words; in the final chapter he notes that dismay with the civil rights movement could be due in part to expectations. He writes "Many black and white liberals assumed that removing racial constraints on opportunity would somehow produce an unending stream of Alice Walkers but never a Condoleezza Rice."(Or, for that matter, a Clarence Thomas.)

This slim volume packs a wallop, and is must reading for anyone interested in Brown in particular, or Jim Crow in general. ... Read more

Product Description
America's Garden Book There are very few garden books that have lasted like America's Garden Book—and with good reason. Since its first edition in 1939, the book has been specifically geared to North American backyard, do-it-yourself gardeners and their particular needs. The Plants More than 3,000 plant recommendations are listed throughout the book. Chapters devoted to specific types of plants go one step further, offering multiple listings based on the particular merit and special growing habits of certain plants. Appropriate plants for every garden situation are offered from disease-resistant climbing roses, water lilies for pond gardens, or rock garden plants. The Techniques There are instructions for constructing various paths, walls, steps, and grading structures. Detailed plans are included for naturalizing a prairie, constructing compost bins, and arranging indoor lighting systems. The Photography More than 1,000 photographs illustrate everything from more than 60 roses to the step-by-step of dividing a lily root clump. Each chapter contains scores of identification photographs to help the home gardener choose the ideal plants for the garden. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Timeless Garden Classic...
I have used this book for years as my gardening bible. I have an edition with a foreward signed by James Bush-Brown and Louise Bush-Brown in Ambler Pennsylvania, September 1957.I'm glad to see the book has been updated,but what amazes me is that the older version is still so useful. Just thismorning I looked up 'Hyssop' because I planted one in the back of my herbbed. The entry read, "P; 18-24" Seed: medicine, perfume, food --Sunny; ordinary garden soil, not too rich. Prefers lime."This entry(in Chapter IX, The Herb Garden) told me the plant was a pernnial, wouldnot overshadow my other plants, and would grow well in my herb garden whichis laced with lime.

This book is succinct, useful, and too heavy tocarry to bed for nighttime reading.

Everything about gardening in a single volume
If I were stranded in a strange garden and could pick only one gardening book to take along, this would be the one. It's loaded with detailed information on all aspects of gardening, including photos and suggestionsof exactly which species and varieties will work best in which situations.This is such a comprehensive effort that it's now possible to whittle yourgardening library down to one volume and still be able to look up an answerto whatever question's bugging you. ... Read more

Product Description
Joyce's first major work, written when he was only twenty-five, brought his city to the world for the first time. His stories are rooted in the rich detail of Dublin life, portraying ordinary, often defeated lives with unflinching realism. He writes of social decline, sexual desire and exploitation, corruption and personal failure, yet creates a brilliantly compelling, unique vision of the world and of human experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (142)

Published on demand version full of typos!
Dubliners is a fabulous set of short stories. But SOHO Books, who published this version, let all sorts of typos get through, thus marring what would be a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.You need to do a better proofreading job, SoHo Books!

More Powerful With Age
I first read Dubliners in a Joyce class I took in college in the late 90s.I'm sorry to say that at the time, it must not have made much of an impression on me, as there were several stories in the collection that I couldn't recall ever having read.Having read the book again at the age of thirty-four, I was better able to appreciate both Joyce's prose and the subject matter of the stories.I think these stories are perhaps better understood once one has been out in the "real world", worked a job (dead end or otherwise), spent some more time on romantic pursuits, and tasted a little disappointment.Perhaps these stories didn't resonate with my younger self because of my lack of experience in some of these areas.As an adult who has grappled with the notions of identity, religious values, nationality, marriage, career, financial/social status, and alcohol, I found that I was able to relate better to many of the themes Joyce explores in Dubliners.

This is not to say that the book shouldn't be studied in college lit classes, as Joyce's prose is excellent and the content of each story can provide for a rich literary discussion.This book can be enjoyed on many levels and by anyone with a love of the written word.I firmly believe though that the more life you have under your belt, the more these stories will mean to you.

In short, Dubliners is a collection of stories about everyday people doing everyday activities.It presents a slice of life look at what Dublin might have been like during Joyce's time while also presenting underlining ideas regarding religion, nationality, class, relationships, and politics.This book is worth reading and highly recommended.I would add that if you're interested in reading James Joyce, this is the place to begin.There are some characters in these stories who turn up in Ulysses for example.Dubliners is also less experimental than either Ulysses or A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and thus more accessible.

A Deal, A Pleasure
Sell me a toaster with the following supplements: ten loafs of bread, a few sticks of butter, and some jam; I will call it a deal.Likewise, sell me the second half of "The Dead" with the following supplements: "A Little Cloud," "Eveline," and twelve other short selections; I will call it a deal.Unless James Joyce indited his signature in blood on your copy of DUBLINERS, it is impossible to be fleeced as a result of purchasing this book.The quality of most of the collection remains uncontested.True, every story is not as good as "The Dead"; true, every story is not as poor as "Grace."Immutability is not a trait to be found in DUBLINERS.Each piece relies on an epiphany and some stories, whether a result of craft, plot or character, achieve the desired effect better.Regardless, some of the best pieces of short fiction I have had the pleasure of reading were in this excellent collection.

But why is it excellent?For this enraptured reader, many times it felt as if he escaped the corporeal and touched spirits with all who've encountered the emotions, the situations that Joyce's characters did.It is one of the greatest joys in reading fiction: being described your very own thoughts better than you could ever hope to.And yet--and yet--it is as well one of the greatest joys in reading fiction: when a skilled writer sells you the unfamiliar as something equally palpable to your memories.For long moments, I was able to transcend the limits of the page and believe the words as I would believe seeing an old man briskly walking by, a squirrel running up a tree.

A confession: when the SoHo Book version of DUBLINERS arrived, I was repeled.The glossed cover, the long pages--it all felt amateur and lacking taste.However, the more I read, the more I found enjoyment arising from the unique presentation.In fact, by the time I was through "A Painful Case," one of the last few stories, I could not imagine what it was about the initial impression it had that I disliked.If your wont is to scribble copious amounts of notes, this version is both wonderful and terrible.Unless you've been gifted with minute handwriting, it will be a pressing task, writing observations in between sentences, writing questions on the margins.At the end of many stories, though, large blank spaces are left prior to the start of the next.

Every lover of books should buy herself a copy of Dubliners, allow himself to read it whenever the occassion strikes appropriate.

Highly recommended
A number of short stories focusing on different aspects of life in the city. I can't speak as to it sociological value, but taken as literature almost all of the discrete pieces is very nicely done. The stories are very short--most under ten pages, and within the limited narrative scale Joyce provides a lot of punch to his depictions. There's never the space in any single story to manifest the same scale or psychological complexity afforded by novels--and right here is the basis of my main reluctance with short stories--but there is some very good plotting and characterization on display. Best of all, the fact that all these stories in some degree make Dublin a central character in the drama allow them to be read in aggregate effectively, showing with skill a wide variant of scholars, merchants, priests, sensualists and politicians. Highly recommended.

Review posted on The Literate Man ([...]) on July 28, 2010
I have a confession to make ... I don't really like short stories. I mean, I see their utility for teaching the elements of story structure and characterization, and I appreciate the odd twist that makes for a memorable story scene, but I never find them really fulfilling. And I generally forget them very quickly. They are, I would contend, the rice cakes of the literary scene ... universally respected as the most healthy of literary treats, but consistently failing to deliver any actual nutrition to their hungry readers. I find it hard to believe that I am alone in this. Come on, be honest. Have you really gone out of your way to read short stories since you were ten and forced to read The Lottery?

Now, when I state a dislike of short stories in the context of a review of James Joyce, I feel guilty ... and I mean seriously guilty. Even the mention of Joyce conjures for me images of the staunch Irish Catholicism that I endured as a child and have been running from ever since. It's enough to make me want to confess.

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned ... it has been more than three years since my last short story."

Fortunately for me, Dubliners is a bit different. First published in 1914, Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories (okay, it's really 14 short stories and one novella) that depict middle class life in Dublin just after the turn of the twentieth century. The stories revolve primarily around topics that are near and dear to the Irish heart: death (The Sisters, A Painful Case, and (of course) The Dead), poverty (After the Race, The Boarding House, and Clay), alcohol (Counterparts and Grace), and politics (Ivy Day in the Committee Room). Now, even as I write it, that depiction sounds downright drab, but Joyce's lyrical skills are at their peak in these stories, and every single one manages to warm your heart just as if you yourself were standing next to a peat fire in some country pub out on the cliffs of the old sod ordering a round of pints for the lads.

Between the consistency of the Dublin scene that it paints and the beautiful effect of Joyce's lyrical prose, Dubliners is a very enjoyable read. In fact, though it was written by the same Joyce that we love and hate for Ulysses and (ugh) Finnegans Wake, Dubliners is even completely understandable! It makes me wonder what Joyce might have produced if he hadn't grown so enamored of experimenting with form and language. Not that what he wrote wasn't good ... I mean, the best ... oh there I go feeling guilty again. That's what happens when you criticize the master. Does anyone have a rosary?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Paintings of color and light joyfully celebrating life.
'The Paintings of James-Paul Brown,' published by Capra Press, isa retrospective of the artist at play in a garden of color and light for the last twenty years. This is a book that should be available to every studentof art as an example of one man's on-going blessed passion exploding in anartistic triumph ofjoy,romance,whimsy,playfulness, hope, and the divinegift of life. As a Christmas gift, this collection of paintings would bewell received. ... Read more

Product Description
Following a career as a craft baker, Jimmy Burgess was offered the job of pastry chef with free rein in the kitchens of Glasgow hotel, One Devonshire Gardens. Here he reveals 35 years' worth of recipes of small batch baking, using traditional foodstuffs. Recipes include flour batter cakes, petit fours, speciality breads, pastries and confectionery. Cookery writer and Glenfiddich Award-winner Catherine Brown provides a revealing portrait of Jimmy's working life and the techniques he has employed throughout it. There is also practical advice on methods and equipment for home bakers. ... Read more

Product Description
Known to serious students of jazz as the "Father of Stride Piano," James P. Johnson has only recently begun to receive the acclaim he merits. Born in New Brunswick, NJ and reared in the cultural hotbed of Harlem, Johnson spanned the ragtime era, through the roaring twenties (to which he contributed its theme song the Charleston) and into the swing era. Part I is a chronological biography, with listings of his musical revues, extended compositions, film work, and all other song and instrumental pieces; a comprehensive bibliography; and photos. Part II is an exhaustive discography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

OK but....
James P. Johnson (1894 - 1955) is one of the great neglected figures of 20th century American music. He composed the "Charleston", accompanied Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters, was the acknowledged champion of the Harlem stride school of jazz piano, taught piano to Fats Waller, influenced Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Thelonious Monk, and wrote some of the first symphonic music by an African-American that sought to fuse European and American music into a coherent whole.

This book is the only full scale biography of Johnson to be written so far. As such it is a valuable addition to our knowledge. It was originally written as a senior honors project at Yale, and although expanded, still bears signs of its origins. It is strong on the development of the Harlem stride piano style and has a good chapter on Johnson's pianistic approach.

However, it also has some flaws: it is based largely on secondary sources, has little to say about Johnson's "serious" music (most of which was not rediscovered until after 1986), is unbalanced in its emphasis on the 1920s while neglecting Johnson's jazz revival in the 1940s, and offersonly limited analysis of his recordings.

Bob Hilbert's discography is a very useful addition, although it is now 15 years out of date and therefore omits both CD releases and some recent discoveries.

For Johnson fans or those interested in the history of stride piano or in the New York jazz scene of the 1920s, this is well worth getting. However, it is not the definitive scholarly biography that Johnson's stature ultimately deserves. ... Read more

Product Description
G. K. Chesterton’s Father Brown may seem a pleasantly doddering Roman Catholic priest, but appearances deceive. With keen observation and an unerring sense of man’s frailties–gained during his years listening to confessions–Father Brown succeeds in bringing even the most elusive criminals to justice.

This definitive collection of fifteen stories, selected by the American Chesterton Society, includes such classics as “The Blue Cross,” “The Secret Garden,” and “The Paradise of Thieves.” As P. D. James writes in her Introduction, “We read the Father Brown stories for a variety pleasures, including their ingenuity, their wit and intelligence, and for the brilliance of the writing. But they provide more. Chesterton was concerned with the greatest of all problems, the vagaries of the human heart.” ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

beautifully written, with various insights into human nature
Father Brown: The Essential Tales is a wonderful collection of stories; each one is original, beautifully written, and rich with insight into human nature.

Father Brown is an unassuming country priest, generally underestimated because of his odd appearance and quiet, pleasant manners.At the scene of a crime he often wanders in the background, out of people's notice; he watches for reactions, slips, little details that hardly seem important but are actually crucial.He observes people's characters and gently penetrates through lies, half-truths, dissembling and disguises.His years of listening to people's confessions have given him a lot of experience with varying human desires, impulses and motives.

The crimes themselves are absorbing and often multi-layered; the characters are also sharply drawn and often given unexpected depths or surprising facets and traits.The insights into human nature are also not conventional or obvious - Chesterton doesn't stop at basic greed or rage, leaving those as the relatively simple explanations.He explores different elements of human behavior, the psychology and circumstances that underlie certain thoughts, complexes, and feelings.

I also have to add that the writing is beautiful.There are so many instances of wonderful imagery, of metaphors that make the most ordinary objects vibrant and laden with meaning.It's the kind of writing that can be savored; it's delicious.The substance of the stories and the beauty of the writing engage the mind, the heart, the moral imagination and the senses.

A perfect introduction to Father Brown
This relatively new compilation, taken from the first two collections of Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries, is a perfect introduction to these tales.The lead story, "The Blue Cross," is rightly regarded as a classic.Contrary to the assertions of other reviewers, these stories havewithstood the test of time and are more popular than ever.What others call "moralizing" are merely Chesterton's insights into human nature, which reflect the once taken-for-granted belief that we are fallen creatures capable of great evil -- and great good.Each of these tales should take no more than an hour to read and indeed make excellent read-aloud stories for older children.Buy this book and discover what you've been missing.

Dated and a bit hackneyed
If Chesterton had been a member of the Church of England, his brilliant amateur detective, Father Brown, might have been an Anglican priest, a vicar or rector, perhaps, and possibly married with children.But Chesterton was Roman Catholic, so his protagonist turned out to be an eccentric Roman Catholic priest, resident in England.I myself am an Anglican (a U.S. Episcopalian), but I have no issues with Father Brown as a character.There's nothing he says or does that offends me in any way.

The problem I have at age 55, nearly 56, is that I have a more critical eye than I did in the 1960's when I first read Father Brown, having discovered it in the library of my junior high school.I had just discovered Sherlock Holmes, which I loved.The thing is, I can re-read a Holmes story and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's writing is still readable and enjoyable.Somehow, it seems fresh and viable.For that matter, even Agatha Christie's oldest mystery novels still have liveliness._The Mysterious Affair at Styles_, say, or _The Secret Adversary_ still entertain, even though I've read them before.

Somehow, for me, Father Brown nowadays lacks something.The style is a bit stilted, I think, and many references Chesterton makes are obscure and puzzling.His writing is nonetheless okay, but not exactly exciting.I find it interesting that Father Brown hasn't shown up in movies or on TV, as far as I know.Perhaps I missed something that was done in Great Britain at some point, but perhaps not.I find that Chesterton's murders aren't that interesting and his solutions aren't either.

We get to know little of Father Brown other than the fact that he's a bit of an eccentric fuddy duddy, or at least he strikes people that way.He's a pudgy, nondescript little man who would go unnoticed if it weren't for his clerical garb and distinctive hat.Beyond that, little is communicated about him that I recall, and in the end he seems a sort of stock character, an amateur detective of great ability and little personality who offers the novelty of being a Roman Catholic parish priest.We don't even know much of his life as a priest.He doesn't seem to be associated with a particular parish.

He's not nearly as interesting or entertaining as Horace Rumpole or Jane Marple, both of whom show up in short stories as does Father Brown.The dialog isn't even particularly entertaining with Chesterton's sleuth -- and with Rumpole or Marple, the dialogue is a great part of the fun.

I've read worse things, but I've also read better, even in the genre of what the Brits call detective fiction.In the end, I have to interpret this as Chesterton's way of moralizing with not all that much charm.

If you have a layover at an airport or a train station with time to kill, reading these stories will help pass the time.But there are other mystery stories I'd rather read for a good many reasons.Father Brown is just too ho-hum for me to lavish praise here.

A Man Of God?
In the twenties, British author Gilbert Keith Chesterton. created the Father Brown stories.A Man of the Church of Rome (Catholic), he became Chesterton's immortal detective.Listening to confessions came in handy in his sleuthing.The many and varied stories were about every conceivable subject under the sun; with religious overtones.In THE INCREDULITY OF FATHER BROWN, "The Resurrection of Father Brown (like Jesus?) leads off and contains "The Arrow of Heaven" all the way to "The Ghost of Gideon Wise."In this volume, you can find "The Blue Cross" and many others of that genre.

In thirty-five years, he wrote one hundred books about politics, philosophy, history, etc. as a form of social criticism.That was quite popular during this time.He declares that the most incredible thing about miracles is that they happen at all.In his MISCELLANY OF MAN, he informs us that appearances are deceiving; all men have their individual frailties.Men -- who needs them?You find one you think you can trust and he turns out to be an old miser with his affections; and yet he shares your messages with all his "friends" -- nothing was private with him.

Father Brown was such a man; in all these fateful mysteries and supernatural tales, he was truly incredible as he came up with solutions.As a man of God, he was considered eccentric.Some of the other volumes included 'The Innocence of Father Brown,' 'The Wisdom of Father Brown,' 'The Secrets of Father Brown,' and "The Scandal of Father Brown.'P. D. James praises him and his creator most highly.James Agee, at another age, an American, wrote "Now Let Us Praise All Men." ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

A beautifully illustrated and informative history of the evolution of tank design
From its original introduction to European battlefields in World War I, down to the present day, the tank has been an integral part of armored warfare. In "Tanks", Michael Green (with the assistance of James D. Brown and Christophe Vallier) has written a beautifully illustrated and informative history of the evolution of tank design from its earliest incarnations to modern productions. Among the tanks featured in dramatic detail are the American M4 Sherman and M48 Patton; the American M1 Abrams; the German Panther and German Tiger E; the Russian T34 and T55; the Russian T72; the British Centurion; the French AMX-13; and the Israeli Merkava III. Enhanced with 208 color photographs and 52 b/w photos, "Tanks" packs its 192 pages with solid information organized into chapters showcasing British, French; German; American and Russian Tanks. Of special note is the concluding chapter on 'Tanks from Other Nations'. "Tanks" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Military History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Back to Basics
Call it your basic introduction to the history of tanks around the world (and today).This differs from most Zenith Press books because it is truly an overview of the subject.There's a brief introduction (a few pages), then the rest of the book is organized by countries.(i.e.Russian Tanks)This is a book of (mostly color) pictures, so don't expect a lot of text, just captions and "side bars"/info. boxes such as "Tiger E heavy tank" and "Sloping Armor".This is afun little book and definitely well worth Amazon's low price. ... Read more

Product Description
Quality Classics

We specialize in creating hard to find, high quality, classic books optimized for the Kindle.

Sick of spelling errors, weird characters, or a lack of pictures in illustrated books? Well we know how you feel. We always have the highest quality books.All of our books are formatted and reviewed by an actual human for the Kindle, and always 99 cents.

To find more of our books search "quality classics" in Amazon. ... Read more