Product Description
Author reveals research behind the new Bible translations. Expose of editors, manuscripts and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (160)

Excellent Resource
Excellent resource and great addition for anyone who believes in the divine inspiration of the word of God. Very well documented and accurate.

Information book
Terror in Black and White
I read a tract that advertised a book which compared the new age Bibles to the King James Version. I was interested so I purchased the book. I was completely astonished at what I learned. I have been under the impression that the NFJV and the NASB were written to simplify the bible and make it more understandable by the general reader. G. A. Riplinger has shown that there are places where the actual meanings were changed. She gives actual verses that ilustrate her study.

The book compares verses from each version and I was surprised how many places didn't simplify but only changed words like God and Jesus to "He" and actually eliminate many important verses. I recommend anyone who uses a bible other that the KJV to read "New Age Bible Versions" by G.A. Riplinger.

Refute of Westcott / Hortt
In regard to the one star rating of this text, which appears first by the way, logged in on September 2008, regarding Westcott and Hortt, I would like to state the following concerning their history, work and reputations.
As to the text, it is a passible read for one wishing to begin looking at the various translations and although the author does not have the much needed background in Biblical Greek,Hebrew and Aramaic, I would agree with her on several points.Mnay of the new translations are outright allegorizations that stray very far afield indeed from the original meaning off the Biblical text.

For a scholarly work on the Old Testament, read "A Scientific Investigation Of The Old Testament" by Robert Dick Wilson.

Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort were Anglican churchmen who had contempt for the Textus Receptus and began a work in 1853 that resulted, after 28 years, in a Greek New Testament based on the earlier Alexandrian manuscripts.

Both men were strongly influenced by Origen and others who denied the deity of Jesus Christ and embraced the prevalent Gnostic heresies of the period. There are over 3,000 contradictions in the four gospels alone between these manuscripts. They deviated from the traditional Greek text in 8,413 places.

They conspired to influence the committee that produced The New Testament in the Original Greek (1881 revision), and, thus, their work has been a major influence in most modern translations, dethroning the Textus Receptus.

Detractors of the traditional King James Version regard the Westcott and Hort as a more academically acceptable literary source for guidance than the venerated Textus Receptus. They argue that the disputed passages were added later as scribal errors or amendments.

Defenders of the Textus Receptus attack Westcott and Hort (and the Alexandrian manuscripts) as having expurgated these many passages, noting that these disputed passages underscore the deity of Christ, His atonement, His resurrection, and other key doctrines. They note that Alexandria was a major headquarters for the Gnostics, heretical sects that had begun to emerge even while John was still alive.2

(It is also evident that Westcott and Hort were not believers and opposed taking the Bible literally concerning the Atonement, Salvation, etc. If you read their personal writings you wouldn't dream of letting them lead your Sunday School class!)3

Stroke me
It takes an author like Ms. Riplinger to pull this long forgotten song of the seventies or maybe even the eighties. The reason why I mention this is those who actually agree and stand with Ms. Riplinger will die of a stroke if common sense enters the same space in a persons brain that causes many to agree with Riplinger, she would be the cause of thousands of deaths in Baptist churches. Besides the only diffeance between Riplinger and Peter Ruckman is their sex I often wander why we do not hold her to the same standard as Ruckman(do I smell a massive conspiracy afoot?) If your kids like scary tales of fiction, perhaps this is what this book would be used for. Besides slandering many honorable men of God for daring to disagree with Riplinger, there is not that much factual truth. Most often what is not used is primary resources i.e. when you read criticisms of Westcott and Hort most often you are not going to read their words in hyer book but someone else's words reporting Westcott and Hort's thoughts from a different KJV book.

For the claims of being scholarly-I think quite often there is a work that comes out that claims something and many have epiphanies that what is claimed by an author is not always the truth. The one thing I actually researched was Kittel in World War 2 and what is said about him is fanciful at best and those who know of Kittel's work in Nazi Germany-What Riplinger states is a bold faced lie. Lets see-he wrote a bible for Hitler(no evidance especially the highest ranking person he delt with were district managers maybe akin to county supervisors-but definetly does not rate an invitation to the white house) Supposedly he was the one who came up with the final solution despite his writings in that era are available usually by going to a good college library. So let's figure this out-he was thrown in a French prison after the collapse and surrender of Germany as quite a few were jailed until allied intelligance had a chance to debrief and investigate these people. He started writing a defence which later his son allowed scholars to read his defence which was nothing about the final solution but advocating no differently then many conservative Christains in America advocate for our immigration problems-round them up, fire them, take their houses and businesses away and eject them from Germany.

Of course, Kittel was eventually freed as quite a bit Germans were freed when they were investigated and cleared of any war crimes. Certainly writing speeches advocating a position might be morally wrong but does not fit the normal view of a crime.

The reason for much of this is because he did work on a Greek resource-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament which I actually found to be one of the most sound resources for nonGreek speakers. She accuses him of much when in reality he wrote a few articles but was the General Editor. This was done in Germany in their Seminary community along with Oxford, Cambridge, and I think Princeton. Many pleaded with him to give up his Nazi affiliations and emigrate to America or anywhere else where it was thought would not be scathed by war. Bromiley and others decided to take this work out of his hands as this work was moved to America to the Ivy league schools.When understanding that it would be fifteen years after the end of WW2 before publishing one volumeof TDNT. Of course when one sees they were patterning this work off a work of German Theologians but for advancement of knowledge and history needed to up date this work(where it is about the time now where they might do the same thing as many see this work as rather dated). Simply, after World War 2 and learning of Nazi attrocities-are we to think in the 15 years after a war that probably quite a few had the same thought as Riplinger and decided to verify the work already done did not contain Nazi leaning thoughts? Or are we to pretend people who hold theology chairs in Ivy league schools were either complicit or easily decieved and wala-in the early 90's here comes Riplinger setting us all straight.

I just wander if she is like Dan Brown or those Dan Brown ripped off as long before his books came out read several volumes from two British chaps teaching the same exact thing even using an acrostic device of one of the authors names for a detective. Really those British chaps admitted long before Brown came on the seen admitted their work was highly speculative without any good evidance but suppositions. Of course while reading their works they let this be known in the beginning.

I just wander where Riplinger stands-highly speculative with no evidance or the fiction of Dan Brown?

There is a book you can find on Amazon if you are really interested in learning certain connections in history that eventually allowed for modern versions to be produced. I am sure someone will be able to find fault with this work but me self checked 5-7 footnotes and was fairly accurate Here is the name of this and can order it on Amazon as well as read quite a bitin Google books:

While Men Slept: A Biblical and Historical Account of the New Universal Christianity (Paperback)

Best effort to date by the lovely Gail Riplinger
Mrs. Gail Riplinger was laid up for
almost six months due to a car wreck.
While recuperating she was grading some
homework and ask one of her students
once about a certain bible quote that
wasn't auite right. She discovered that
as she compared different versions of
the bible, many quotes were different
and made a copously documented compar-
ason of six or seven different 'versions'
['reversions?', 'perversions?', 'reverse
visions?'] of the bible.

I totally disagree with her non-Preterist
view of Eschotology and 'anti-Christ'
giberish, but this is still a very good
book, whichever way your Eschotological
weather vain bends, fellow Christian! ... Read more

Product Description

Named one of the "Best Books on Innovation, 2008" by BusinessWeek magazine

From the greatest minds in business today comes a groundbreaking new blueprint for executing the next stage of customer-created value. C.K. Prahalad, the world's premier business thinker, and IT scholar M.S. Krishnan unveil the critical missing link in connecting strategy to execution--building organizational capabilities that allow companies to achieve and sustain continuous change and innovation.

The New Age of Innovation reveals that the key to creating value and the future growth of every business depends on accessing a global network of resources to co-create unique experiences with customers, one at a time. To achieve this, CEOs, executives, and managers at every level must transform their business processes, technical systems, and supply chain management, implementing key social and technological infrastructure requirements to create an ongoing innovation advantage.

In this landmark work, Prahalad and Krishnan explain how to accomplish this shift--one where IT and the management architecture form the corporation's fundamental foundation. This book provides strategies for

• Redesigning systems to co-create value with customers and connect all parts of a firm to this process
• Measuring individual behavior through smart analytics
• Ceaselessly improving the flexibility and efficiency in all customer-facing and back-end processes
• Treating all involved individuals--customers, employees, investors, suppliers--as unique
• Working across cultures and time-zones in a seamless global network
• Building teams that are capable of providing high-quality, low-cost solutions rapidly

To successfully compete on the battlefields of 21st-century business, companies must reinvent their processes and culture in order to sustain innovative solutions. The New Age of Innovation is a complete program for achieving this transformation to meet the needs of the end consumer of the future.

Customer Reviews (16)

Strategic Thinking -
The authors combine global supply-chain outsourcing with firms also providing a platform around which customers can create their own experiences. Examples include Google, Pomarfin (custom-built shoes), TutorVista, and NCR's ATM products to produce what they believe to be a new age of management. Other examples include 'InnoCentive' which enables any firm or individual to pose a technical question to people throughout the world, and Li & Fung - a global trading group for time-sensitive, high-value goods that holds producers hands through the entire process, including orchestrating production, regulatory barriers, obtaining samples, possessing needed skill bases. UPS/FedEx evolved from a 'take your package to them' and 'you'll get it when you get it' to the ability to schedule pickup and track packages oneself. This 'new age,' is distinct from mass customization, in which eg. additional shoe sizes or other standard product choices would be offered. Mass customization failed, in their opinion, because the preselected options did not offer enough options, yet still brought unsupportable costs of processing and logistics.

Centralized call centers not only lower costs, but also allow a broader range of language services.

Firms used to focus on large aggregates of customer segments and also controlled most of the resources (vertical integration). Now the source of value is shifting from physical products (eg. tires) to solutions (eg. specific fleet applications - analysis of wear patterns, as well as the tires ) to personal applications (individual driver guidance).

IT is the key enabler in this new age. G.M. once had 1,700+ financial accounting packages worldwide, creating obvious problems for interface and productivity. Good IT management requires ubiquitous access through both corporate intranet and the Internet, close management (assure compatibility, etc.), open interfaces, analytic capability to predict trends and suggest additional products. (NetFlix, Amazon, and Google are skilled at the latter - suggesting what the user would be interested in based on their prior usage.) Social sites are another source for trend-spotting. The authors also suggest that Microsoft (and others) was slow to recognize that cell phones would take over many PC functions.

Bottom-Line: The book contains some innovative thinking, though at times its overdrawn (eg. visiting Starbucks, touted in the book, is neither an innovative, customized experience, nor is the firm on solid ground). I was also left wondering how practical the advice is, especially for medium-sized and smaller firms.

The New Age of Innovation

Great Product!!! I recomend it for those that want to se a new view of business. Read it you'll see.

A Little Too Technical, But Informative
I am reviewing The New Age of Innovation by C.K. Prahalad and M.S. Krishnan for a class on social media that I am taking at Harvard University.

This book, which is written by a man labeled "The #1 most influential management thinker in the world," was a little too technical at times for my personal interest.Based on the two notions that "Value is based on unique, personalized experiences of consumers" and "No firm is big enough in scope and size to satisfy the experiences of one consumer at a time," the book analyzes the changes in the business landscape that are currently taking place in the global marketplace.

The focus of the book was primarily on how large corporations must adapt to the global climate, by providing the best value through utilizing the best possible resources.The focus on large companies with massive resources, such as Wal-Mart and Amazon.com, made it difficult for me relate to since I work in a much smaller business market.The examples, such as mobilizing top talent overseas to most effectively operate in corporations, were insightful but very loosely relates to the everyday business operations of most companies.

I found the chapter on analytics to be quite informative since analytics are what help drive a business to adapt by identifying what works and what doesn't.This especially rings true for companies with global reach and influence.Prahalad states that strategy needs to drive analytics, and in return the analytics help to forecast "likely behaviors."He argues that blogs and forums are a great way to get insights.This somewhat states the obvious since the Internet is the key driver in the globalization of business, but still rings true.The Internet provides many measuring sticks for businesses to analyze and respond to, and if done properly, innovate and adapt to the needs of customers.

The final chapter, which served as "An agenda for managers," also provided some great insights on ways that business leaders can utilize resources such as social networks in connecting with customers.He makes the point that the lines between "public" and "private" are vanishing (if they already haven't).Through accepting and embracing such technology can only better a business, as long as the right effort has been put into it and it is done right.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is trying to better grasp the fact the world is shrinking by the second.The book emphasizes it is absolutely imperative to embrace and adapt to the global climate for corporations to have continued success.But the good news is that the resources are there to help get the job done.

Straight to the point, but ...
C.K. Prahalad is really a great thinker and his models on cocreated experiences are straight to the point. The focus on strategic thinking is great.

My comment is actually not only to Prahalad, but more in general to all strategy literature. As a founder of growth company I have seen plenty of strategies, but not so much first in hand execution and strategy implementation literature.

Of course the execution is entrepreneurs or managers task - not strategy writers. I would say that readers of Prahalad might enjoy bit more practicality.

All in all The Age of Innovation really is a footprint book (as Fortune at the Bottom of Pyramid etc.)

Mikko-Pekka/ Idean

The technological drive toward globalization
The co-founder of Intel, Gordon Moore, is credited with developing the concept in the mid-1960's that the computing power of microprocessors would double ever 24 months - so far it's held true. Subsequently, this concept has been dubbed "Moore's Law" and it's been credited with the rapid acceleration of technology during the past decade or so. For many companies, the rolling technology juggernaut has had unintended consequences that include redundant work flows and data streams; an unrelenting push to go global in pursuit of new market opportunities as well as meeting the ever-changing demands of an increasingly empowered end user. The New Age of Innovation provides a fresh perspective on this technologically-driven state of flux by conjuring up two new rules of business. First, customers want personalized "experiences" instead of the dated services and goods of the past. Second, organizations can only provide such experiences through their instant access of global resources at will, without the cost of ownership. Soundview recommends this book, because the authors compelling show how the oft-overlooked area of effective business process can be a lynchpin for strategy, operations and ultimately success. ... Read more

Product Description
As we strive to find a new relationship with God, we fight, we search, and we cry-and so does God. And then we realize that God is not perfect; God is the totality of all being, and we are part of God. Memoirs of the New Age offers a collection of rich fables, introspective prayers, and poignant stories that unveil the struggles of humanity as we embrace the infinite.

Beth Green, a spiritual teacher and intuitive counselor, shares a unique voice that has helped hundreds of people to evolve and become greater blessings to those around them. From the pompous but tortured New Age rabbi who lost his congregation, to the young girl who hopes for a sign from God so she can become a nun, Green offers a mirror that allows for spiritual reflection and self-discovery. Other tales, poems, and fables are included that celebrate womanhood, illustrate the connection between sex and spirituality, and bring to life the emotions that accompany a reconciliation with God.

The unforgettable characters and poignant words in Memoirs of the New Age will help all of us remember who we are and, most importantly, that we are not alone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Rumi must be laughing
Not since the world discovered Rumi, the 13th century mystic and poet, has anyone else arrived questioning God, while still loving Him/Her deeply, unafraid to voice laughter and anger over the same human foibles and lure us into a mystical world we thought we didn't want.The same earthiness that Rumi employs to make us see each other and the divine is here, in both a timeless and contemporary hand.

It drew me in
When I first came across this book, it was a spiral-bound collection of type-written pages and some loose sheets in a file folder.

Since then, I've read this book many times, to the point I feel I've absorbed it as part of myself, so let me take a step back and try to remember my first experience of it and what drew me to return again and again.

First, I'd say it was the honesty, the honesty of an author whose first story is autobiographical and embarrassing. The honesty drew me in, but the magical world kept me, particularly "The Magician." The Magician is a story of a young woman who sells out for power only to find that the kind of power she has bought is corruptive and enslaving. Haven't we all done the same?

Also touching is The Wedding, an enlightening tale of a priestess whose faith and wisdom support her to remain confident and hopeful in the face of many challenges.

The poems are intimate and spiritually healing.

And "Coming Home" reminds us all of that place we know as home, the moment in time in which we feel peaceful and content, a moment in which we experience our state of wholeness.

I can see why iUniverse has awarded the book "Editor's Choice." It has literary value, dialogue that's real and evocative, settings that you're sure actually exist somewhere, characters who feel so familiar, plots that keep you turning the page and a tone light and often humorous enough to tackle the deepest subjects, including our evolving relationship with God.

This book made God real to me. I doubt there's anything on the market with this voice, this perspective and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Profound Opportunity to Change Your Relationship with God

I have read Memoirs of The New Age and have been profoundly impacted by these stories. The author, Beth Green, has an uncanny ability to express our human experiences in terms of seeing how we act and react to life is so intricately tied to our perceptions and beliefs about God. The writing is real, poignant, challenging and provides the opportunity for me to explore my own perceptions of God through the character's eyes. This experience is changing me on a very deep level. I will be reading this over and over.

Memoirs of the New Age
The first time I read this book it was a mystery to me.I didn't get that each story had a gold mine of experiences to relate to and that each could support me to look at my life and my relationships especially my relationship with God.I've never taken much time to think about my relationship with God and what my part is in that relationship.Through The Stream I found the book club [...] and now I'm discovering the gift this book is.I am finding I do have a participatory relationship with God and I feel his/her appreciation for uncovering it. And I'm thankful for this book and to the book club in helping me to understand and to experience this way of relating with God.

Captivating
Memoirs is a walk through the decades of the New Age. It is an inviting book with short, thought provoking, yet nourishing reads. The insights of the author led me through my own memories, wonderments and attitudes about life's experiences. The emotions evoked were unexpected but welcome.It's particularly meaty for those who want to get real about their relationships to God, themselves and one another. Beth Green is and conveys that wonderfully in each piece. ... Read more

Product Description
The first two books in a rerelease of a key trilogy in the Dragonlance saga. This trilogy covers key events that take place between Dragons of Summer Flame and the bestselling War of Souls trilogy. With all-new artwork and cover designs, these books tie in with the trilogy currently being written by the author. JEAN RABE is the author of The Dawning of a New Age, The Day of the Tempest, The Eve of the Maelstrom, The Silver Stair, Downfall, and Betrayal. Rabe lives in Wisconsin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

Poor Dragonlance book.
Unpopular setting in the timeline, coupled with a writing style that seems to be emulating Weis & Hickman but failing, make this entire trilogy overall unremarkable.Only worth reading to keep up with the setting storyline.

Better than the first
Rabe gets her groove finally during this book.The first one was very clunky with very little character development.The characters become more fleshed out during this book and the plot twists are surprising.I wasn't holding out much hope after the first, but this was actually pretty good.Would have given 3.5 stars, but didn't have the option for it.

I hated it
I couldn't get past the first 150 pages of it.I just found myself lossing to much interest in the story to the point where I didn't care what happened to the characters or Krynn.You could skip this trilogy and completely understand what's going on on Krynn during the War of Souls.Rabes style of writing just isnt for me I guess.The first book of the series was good, but not really this one in my opinion.

If you have nothing better to read, then pick this up, other than that I dont think it's worth it.

Picking up steam
This book was far better than the first. A lot of important things are now happening in the dragonlance world and everything is going at a break neck pace. I was very pleased to see that the characters from the first book are being given a lot more depth. New characters are entering in from different sources. This pick has a style very simaler to the Chronicles trilogy. There is a LOT that goes on.

Day of The tempest
This book is likley to satasfy you even more than the one preceding it, The Dawning of a New Age, though not as good as the book following it ,The Eve of the Malestrom. I recomend this book highly and know any of the people reading this would enjoy every word. ... Read more

Product Description
The first two books in a rerelease of a key trilogy in the Dragonlance saga. This trilogy covers key events that take place between Dragons of Summer Flame and the bestselling War of Souls trilogy. With all-new artwork and cover designs, these books tie in with the trilogy currently being written by the author. JEAN RABE is the author of The Dawning of a New Age, The Day of the Tempest, The Eve of the Maelstrom, The Silver Stair, Downfall, and Betrayal. Rabe lives in Wisconsin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (85)

This stage of the Dragonlance Saga is best skipped
Honestly this is a part of the Dragonlance mainline story that should really be skipped.

I agree with others here that Rabe is not nearly the writer that Weis and Hickman are, but I don't fully blame her for the fiasco that is this trilogy.She was put in a bad way by TSR at the time.They wanted to launch new Dragonlance Modules for their games and were really painted into a corner by the conclusion of Dragons of Summer Flame (a book that also sadly was sub par, mainly because it was clearly intended to be a trilogy yet was crammed into one book.)

The very premise of this trilogy is flawed, yes something had to happen to Krynn after the gods left, but what TSR, not Jean Rabe chose to do here was rather sad and uninspired.Stronger writing probably would have helped these books, but their underlying premise (the world TSR forced her to work in) was so weak that not even the greatest authors in history could have pulled this story off well.

Fortunately they do clean up the mess that is this era of Dragonlance well with War of the Souls.And honestly, if you completely skip this trilogy if you are new to the Dragonlance mythos you really aren't going to miss too much. I would say read the mainline in order, skip this trilogy and go right to War of the Souls.If after reading that you find you just HAVE to read this part because of curiosity, go for it, but it will be a struggle to get through this trilogy compared to the other mainline writing of the dragonlance series.

Now it is true, as some reviews have said there are far worse authors out there than Ms. Rabe.However, the lack of depth of the characters portrayal certainly must fall on the Author.I also have to lay blame at TSR as well for its editorial oversight, remember the first of this trilogy was published in 1996, a year that TSR saw more than a million tie in books returned to them... Quality at TSR was in the toilet at this point and it showed.The remainder of this trilogy came out in the waining days when TSR's fate was all but sealed to no longer exist.


So, other than for Dragonlance officianados who just need to know the mainline story in its entirety, there is little to argue for this trilogy, it is average at best writing portraying a sub average plot with weak character portrayals.The books are not insulting, but they are not great fair.

not good
Rabe's characters keep mouthing words to each other for some reason, and winning fights against absurd odds.

very dissappointed
Alright... so I finish reading the newer Weiss & Hickman books, and while they're not of the same flavor as the older ones, they show a level of writer maturity and solid plot lines, not to mention excellent character development. Then the story ends and "Dawning of a New Age" picks up. I've always been apprehensive of Dragonlance books outside of Weiss & Hickman anyway... and now I truly know why. The plot was all over the place, character development was very shallow, and it fealt like I was playing a board game and not reading a book - I'm sorry, but there should have been better editing before letting this hit the market. Yikes.

Tough to finish, from a long-time Dragonlance fan
First off let me state that the most recent person to give this book 5 stars "doesn't normally read" and can't spell.

I've read a lot of Dragonlance, and really a lot of fantasy in general, and I've come across a few books that were tough reads, but this one trumps them all.Here's a comment D&D fans everywhere will appreciate:This book reads like it was written from the point of view of a DM planning an adventure.Characters go here.Characters do this.This happens.That happens.What's sad is that it reads at some points like a poorly planned adventure, where scenes seem haphazardly strung together, and at times I found myself rereading pages to try to follow the trail, only to realize its really not there at all.Books should read like they're from the point of view of the characters, or perhaps at points an under-educated omnipresent being.I kept wanting to finish, as I've never stopped in the middle of a Dragonlance novel in the past.It just got harder and harder to keep going, but I did it.Underdeveloped characters, played out scenes, the list just goes on & on.I'll stick to the Weis & Hickman as far as Dragonlance is concerned in the future, and would have to recommend some George R.R. Martin, or perhaps a dabble of Terry Goodkind if you're looking to delve a bit further into fantasy.WoTC, please do the Dragonlance line some credit and filter out your authors BEFORE publishing.

Don't waste your time
The dragonlance series has been a personal favorite since the chronicles. I have read every book margaret and Tracy had to offer. Since I began the series in middle school, I have re-read them several times, each time enjoying it just as much as the last. It has been a long journey into the world of Krynn!

The fact that margaret and tracy let other authors use their world, and completely destroy it, angers me. Publicity and money must be worth more than the fans....

This book was ridiculously painful to read....A terrible plot....underdeveloped characters....and a seemingly disproportioned writing style don't just bore the reader, but if they are a dragonlance fan, angers them.

This BUTCHERS the series....if you are a fan, steer clear...if you are a first timer to the series, Stick to Margaret and Tracys' books ONLY.

If i could give it negative stars, I would. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

GREAT BOOK FROM AN INSIDER- A MUST HAVE
Get the NEW AGE inside scoop from somone who climbed the ranks. You'll read about real msytical experiences that he had (and that many others like him experience), and how the doors opened to him (from the Yogi retreats in San Francisco, to the Swami who gave everyone a "blessed" stare that made everyone's legs like jello when starring into that Swami's eyes).He later went into holistic business and gives you insight into crystal power, and body energy work.

Then read about the horridly frightening experience that opened up his eyes and changed him completely to see the truth of what he was actually following.

A page turner, a true story, a must read! If you liked Constance Cumbey book (The Danger's of the Hidden Rainbow), then I highly recommend this! Great book for everyone: young and old, churched and not churched. You'll learn a lot.

God Bless!

Old book, possibly more relevant today than then
The author shows how a typical teenager with an all American upbringing and a simple desire to "get back to nature" and to "find him or herself" can be so easily seduced by the New Age movement.The author is very thorough in covering the myriad of ways the New Age has infiltrated society - and all this was written in the late 1980's, by a major leader of the movement. Even then, seemingly everyday topics such as Diet and Nutrition, Stress Management, Trigger Point Therapy, Martial Arts, and Herbology had a New Age slant to them. Today, the New Age philosophy lies at the core of much of the holistic health field, although it is renamed and reintroduced to avoid the 'negative' connotations.
Mr. Baer points out in his book how the New Age seeks to remake the world into a utopian society under the guise of light, peace, and love - but is actually an attempt by Satan to steal more souls from Christ. This book contains true stories of things that are only possible by supernatural means. This is an inside story of God verses Satan. Mr. Baer was saved from eternal fire, and died in a strange car accident shortly thereafter. This book was meant to be read by people seeking Truth.

Drug induced non-religion?
As a new age Pagan High Preistess, I see this book as very innacurrate portait of a eccentric small portion of new age extremists who give us every day Pagans a bad name. Baer could not seem to find his natural connection to the Earth without the help of drugs such as marajuiana and LSD. Therefore, his expericences, and lack thereof, as well as lack of answers he was seeking were not caused by the non-existence of the Dietys, or that they were"lucifer's demons" they were caused by the demons inside himself that he created using these drugs. The pagan religion does NOT endorse drugs. I am drug free myself, and everyone in my Coven are drug free as well. We feel a natural conncection with the Earth NOT caused by drugs, and are more peacefull and happy than those who follow a "FEAR ME" religion. They aer centered, Hold Jobs, School, College, and wonderful Family and Marriages. They do not follow some false prophet who calls himself Idol(Im NOT talking about blessed Jesus, im talking about new age extremeists who think they have power they do not) I was very dissapointed in this Book. I was hoping for perhaps someone who found that the nature themed religion was not for him and found christianity more suiting to him, but to portray us a drug using hypocrites who worship their own falsities? A vey warped version of the clean truth. I will soon be attending a Pagan Gathering where there is a heavy NO DRUG USE policy, and it is attended by 1000's of people, ranging from young children to the Wise Elderly. They all get their answers and connection with the Earth and are their own path to bliss, they need not the approval of some higher community. Please disregard this book!
Blessed Be, High Preistess Aarisa

best book on the NAM
having read several books about the dangers of the new age movement, i highly recommend this one as the best. mr. baer died under mysterious circumstance just before this book was published. i would like to know more about that.

A Real Eye Opener How Spirits Deceive & Make Us Sick!
For me, this is one of the best books I have read on the dangers of getting into New Age and occult doctrine.We are more New Age than ever before and have more problems with the world than ever. The author goes into comprehensive detail how demonic spirits was destroying his life and soul as a popular New Age leader. He was finally led by God through Jesus Christ to complete spiritual deliverance and eternal happiness! Give this book to your friends! You will truly understand when you are under demonic control and then denounce it! ... Read more

Product Description
Len Sweet talks about Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age as that "one-stop, one-shop wonder that makes obsolete all the alternatives."

In this book, Ed Stetzer lays out a case for missional church planting and then describes the process to plant healthy new churches. He combines the theological and the practical in one book. The book looks at cultures and how to reach persons in those cultures through the tools within the cultures themselves. It also provides a new look at emerging trends in churches reaching postmoderns. Then, it provides step by step instructions about how to plant churches in today's world.

Sections include "Basics of Church Planting," which explores the biblical and theological basis for planting, "Church Planting Nuts and Bolts" which provides those essential practical tools, and "Understanding Cultures and Models," which provides fresh insights into reaching unchurched people.

Solid experience (from Stetzer and dozens of examples), Biblical roots, and fresh insights into the postmodern world make this a must read for the church planting hoping to make an impact. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

A Helpful Resource for any Church Planters or Leaders of New Churches
Ed Stetzer offers helpful insights and overviews to issues concerning planting new churches.He tries to cover all aspects that church leaders will need to address from the begining and through the first few years of the new church.Stetzer draws on experience and other experts to provide the basics that church planters will need to know.This book offers Stetzer's perspective on the ever-changing landscape of the "postmodern age."Because it is a forward looking book on churches in this age, I think it could be helpful for leaders of current churches to use to evaluate their ministries in light of the cultural changes of postmodernity. His outlook is missional and evangelistic as well as pastoral.I think this or Stetzer's updated version should be included in any church planter's library.

Planting New Churches
Ed Stetzer has written a vade mecum for church planters and for congregations considering planting a new mission. Not only does he provide theological basis for church planting, but he gives excellent nuts and bolts advice. Not everyone will agree with all of his advice, but following it, will greatly increase the chances of success for a new mission plant.

Deserves the hype.
I needed to read the best book I could find on planting churches in this postmodern world we live in. Somewhere a reviewer of this book said that it was the best book he read in his church growth class out of thousands of pages read.

I believe it.

As a pastor about to relocate a church, I will be using this book as my practical textbook. I've already started using it with my parishioners.
Not to be overly critical, but there are a lot of church growth books today and most of them are good, but some are harder than others to apply to the "real world." I believe that Stetzer speaks from experience and he leaves few stones of experience unturned for the curious to explore and learn from.

After I finish a couple of others books I'm working on, I've got to obtain Stetzer's latest book.

This book is a home run.

Very good introduction to church planting
Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age is a comprehensive guide for starting new churches regardless of the approach and/or philosophy of ministry. Stetzer includes a good description of different approaches of starting churches as well as different types (ethic, house church, etc.) of churches that maybe planted. Additionally, he discusses the basic steps or procedures that every planter must consider when planting a church, such things as the name of the church, focus group, development of a core group, evangelism, small groups, and selection of a meeting place.

List strengths of book.
There is must to commend with the book. First, as mentioned above the book is very comprehensive. If a planter had a chance to read only a few books on church planting, this would certainly be one that should be included. Second, Stetzer supports the need and importance of church planting from both a strong biblical and historical perspective. Third, the book gives an excellent description of emerging postmodern generations and how churches need to think differently to reach those generations. This I believe is the strength of Stetzer's book and makes so timely. He discusses what it means to me incarnational in ministry and service and the importance of reaching postmoderns. Lastly, the book is highly practical. Stetzer gives many hands on types of examples and practical advice, from his own personal experiences that a new planter could make easily apply.

List weaknesses of book.
I find little to be critical of with this book. Most of the book, especially the section on basic steps in church planting, can certainly be found in other resources; however Stetzer does a nice job of bringing it all together in this volume.

Purty Good
The book is purty good...i had to use it for one of my college classes. SO besides being a textbook, the content is really helpful ... Read more

Product Description
*How many would-be disciples are convinced of their worthiness to receive direct training from a Master of the Wisdom? How few are able to absorb the intense pressures of the experience and to profit from the opportunity! Included in these two volumes of "Discipleship in the New Age" are the series of personal instructions given to a small group of chelas over a period of 15 years, with related teaching on a number of subjects. When the group effort was finally discontinued, the Tibetan Master remarked that while his purpose in establishing the group for Ashramic training had proved unsuccessful, the instructions and teaching given as a result of forming the group would prove of great and continuing value to increasing numbers of aspirants to discipleship; and certain important concepts were anchored in human consciousness through the group channel, including particularly the vital fact of the reappearance of the Christ. As the interplay between Hierarchy and humanity strengthens, many young disciples approaching the periphery of an Ashram are profiting from the experience of this group brought together for training by the Tibetan, and from the wealth of careful teaching and spiritual stimulation made available to them. The requirements facing a disciple in the new age are drastic and heavy; they involve as a first prerequisite, the need for personal decentralisation, the relinquishment of individual preferences and emphasis of every kind, and absorption into a group for service purposes. "The entire subject of group interplay is far deeper and more significant than you suspect or appreciate" we are told. The development of group consciousness is a matter of often painful experience in self-forgetfulness, requiring also a sensitive response to the purpose and plan of the Master through some Hierarchically inspired area of work. The obvious and the subtle glamours and illusions which deceive the disciple and limit his consciousness, must be clearly identified, seen, known and transcended. The disciple must recognise himself as he is, and move on towards the next spiritual objective. In the first part of Volume I of "Discipleship in the New Age" some of the requirements of the Hierarchical Plan and the place of service of discipleship groups are clearly shown in relationship. The "Six Stages of Discipleship" in the final part of the book show the sequence of growth in consciousness towards the centre of an Ashram so clearly, that only the self-deluded can fail to identify his own place and his resulting opportunity. Between these two parts of the book, training and teaching hints and personal instructions are given to each of 41 disciples and applicants for discipleship. In these direct and outspoken comments any sincere aspirant to discipleship can find himself and his own need understood and met, sometimes in drastic terms, from the deep spiritual insight, the knowledge and the love of a Master of the Wisdom. So this pioneering group training effort is perpetuated for those who tread the Path of Discipleship today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Discipleship in the New Age vol. 1
This book is quite specialized in the type of audience that it would appeal to. I began reading the books of Alice Bailey in 1981. The language and concepts were very difficult for me. One book - A Treatise on White Magic - took me a year to read at a rate of about 1 or two pages a day. Over the years I read almost all of her books and one of them was Discipleship in the New Age.It is an actual compilation of the Tibetan's instructions to living disciples all over the world and of both genders and all ages and nationalities.I found it to be extremely important.This spring i began reading it again and discovered to my amazement that life experience over the years only deepened my understanding of the profound relevance and value to my life - an ordinary woman, mother and grandmother.How could this be?Well that is the profound value of the book. I think that all of us believe that a truly evolved individual, well on the spiritual path, is perfect or nearly so.Well these instructions and comments to each person reveal that this is most definitely NOT so.One can have extraordinary gifts at all levels and provide a great contribution to humanity and yet be the most ordinary person with the most ordinary vices and personality traits. The profound message in all of this is that those things do not matter at all. It is the quality of service that we give, what is in our heart and how we demonstrate that in our daily lives that is most important. What I found most enlightening is that our greatest contribution does NOT necessarily have to be physical action taken on the world stage. Even the most humble wife and mother invisible at home, or a bed ridden man in a hospital can contribute vital energy because of the power of their love, compassion, focused intention, thought energy etc.The point is that when we link up all our gifts with others who share a mutual vision we become a profound unit (made up of hundreds or thousands of units globally) of group energy and light with diverse gifts that can act as an anchor of the Will to Good and the Will to Love sent to us to distribute to all of humanity. To me it is now my bible and inspiration. It is so dog eared it is falling apart. Every single thing we do and say can be a contribution wherever we are and whomever we are with even if it is no one. When you are ready you will be drawn to this book.

One thing that I did not mention that is quite a significant aspect of this book is that he describes the ray influences ( soul, personality, mental, astral and physical) of each disciple and the unique way that they affect the individual's journey in this lifetime.They represent strengths, weaknesses, challenges and most of all ways that they can contribute their energy to others in their group. The rays were described in so many different ways that it would be almost impossible for the reader not to determine what rays might be affecting him or her and what they needed to work on.Similarly, it would be almost impossible not to see where you stand on the path of spiritual evolution and what your next steps should be.If you are not familiar with the seven rays, this book might be more difficult than it needs to be.When i first started reading this work, I was so overwhelmed with the concepts and it seemed that i could never understand them. I liken it to being an American going to listen to a Shakespearean play. It takes some time before you can understand the language and usage and truly understand the dialogue but eventually you get into the flow and don't even notice the difference.Step by step. There is plenty of time. There is no hurry. It all comes naturally.

Not what I ordered.
I ordered vol 2 and i was vol 1.I sent the book back and hopefully she will send my payment back.

Group Enlightenment
Down through history spiritual students have sought out teachers in pursuit of individual enlightenment. The essential theme of Discipleship in the New Age, Volumes 1 and 2, is that the human race is now ready for training in GROUP enlightenment, GROUP unfoldment, and GROUP service. These are a new kind of group in the sense that their formation and cohesion is primarily subjective, and made possible and effective by some degree of Soul awareness of the individual members of the group.

These two books record the experiment by an inner spiritual master over a number of years to see to what extent a group of selected students could achieve effectiveness as a working Soul group. The reader is given the extensive personal instructions of the master to the group as a whole, and to its individual members. The newer spiritual training methods which are intended for the next stage of the spiritual evolution of humanity are explained and demonstrated throughout both volumes.

The books are full of practical spiritual wisdom and deep insight into the newer techniques of spiritual training and development.

The books do assume some familiarity with the general teachings brought forth by Alice Bailey, especially the teachings on the Seven Rays. To get the most out of Discipleship in the New Age, the reader might want to first read Baileys book Esoteric Psychology, Volume 1.

Though Discipleship in the New Age has much inspirational and deep knowledge for individual spiritual development, it is especially worth a careful study by anyone seeking to form or be a part of a group that is intending to grow and serve AS A GROUP, and not just as a collection of individuals gathered together by common interests, shared beliefs, and mutual goals. And this would include not only what are traditionally called spiritual groups, but any group whose aim is the betterment and upliftment of the human race.

Advanced Modern Discipleship Training
Alice Bailey wrote this book (as well as most of her books) under the mental dictation from the Master Djwhal Khul (the "Tibetan") about the "Ancient Wisdom" (the one true Religion). He is atrue Master (fifth spiritual initiation), and member of the 5th Spiritual Kingdom/"Hierarchy" which is headed by Christ (and therfore no longer human/4th kingdom). Master Djwal Khul also gave madame Blavatsky (almost 50 years earlier) information on the Ancient Wisdom to write her books on the "Secret Doctrine" also.

These books comprise advanced teachings about discipleship and spiritual initiation that spiritually advanced people will eventually undergo. Spiritual advancement can be expedited by these teachings and training to all those willing and able/evolved enough to learn/grow spiritually.

Most of what we know and have been taught about spirituality, the "after-life", God, angels, souls, and spiritual evolution is basically erroneous information. This has been further distorted by misguided zealots of all faiths who accept as dogma the distorted, biased, and half-truths of institutionalised man-made theologies (there is only one true Religion-the Ancient Wisdom).

The spiritual truth and reality has been kept alive (besides the teachings of the Ancient Wisdom in these books), by the mystics and secret esoteric schools (such as the Rosicrucians/AMORC) throughout the ages. However, even they only have portions of the spiritual truth, but are a necessary first step for advanced/aspiring humanity as the Ancient Wisdom is very difficult to comprehend and the mystic stage also precedes the esoteric one.

Those willing and spiritually advanced enough to to seek the real truth about spirituality and esoteric reality, and disciplined enough to follow the training/teachings of the spiritual path, will be amply rewarded with the knowledge attained and spiritual advancement achieved (and you will experience and know for yourself that it is "real" and not just theoretical).

When you read (and are able to fully comprehend) the Alice Bailey books as conveyed by the Master Djwhal Khul, you will understand the worlds as they really are, and that only a spiritual Master of the Divine Kingdom and in possesion of the "Ancient wisdom" could have possibly conveyed all this wealth of spiritual knowledge in all its comprehensive detail and splendor.

Advanced Modern Discipleship Training
Alice Bailey wrote this book (and most of her books) under the mental dictation from the master Djwhal Khul (the Tibetan). He is a senior Master of the spiritual "Hierarchy", headed by "Christ".

These books comprise advanced teachings about discipleship and initiation all spiritually advanced people (and eventually all humanity itself) will undergo through initiation. Spiritual advancement can be expedited by these teachings and training to all those willing to learn and grow spiritually.

Most of what we know and have been taught about spirituality, the after life, God, angels, souls, and spiritual evolution is basically erroneous information. This has further been distorted by misguided zealots of all faiths who accept as dogma the distorted and biased teachings of institutionalised religions.

The spiritual truth and reality has been kept alive (besides the "Hierarchy" of the ageless wisdom contained in these books)by the mystics and secret esoteric schools throughout the ages. However, even they only have portions of the whole spiritual truth.

Those willing and able to seek the real truth about spirituality and esoteric reality, and have the discipline to follow the training needed will be amply rewarded with the knowledge attained and spiritual advancement achieved.

When you read the Alice Bailey books, and are advanced enough spirtually to comprehend the teachings of all the books, you will understand the worlds as they really are. Only spiritually advanced masters in possesion of the "Ageless Wisdom" could have conveyed all this spiritual knowledge in all comprehensive detail and splendour. ... Read more

Product Description
In this powerful exploration of worldviews in transition, Mark Woodhouse examines current controversies in the quest for an integrative vision of reality. These include alternative medicine, holistic education, spiritual healing, and ecofeminism, as well as reincarnation, the New Physics, extraterrestrial visitations, and personal growth. In the Appendix, Fred Mills contributes a pioneering study of sacred geometry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent book for content and resources
This is a book that will inspire a paradigm shift in your own thinking. I discovered this book while conducting a recent search for academic works in the field of the philosophy of parapsychology. I've read each of the recent (past 20 years or so) books in this genre and this one is the best by far. It is thorough, comprehensive, interesting to say the least, and well written. This is now the book I recommend to friends and acquaintances more than any other.

If a book is judged by the impact it has on the way you view and understand the world and thus the impact it has on your life, it's the best book I've read since Plato's 'Republic' and Raymond Moody's 'Life After Life' in college.

Let me put it this way; for the week after I bought it I literally could not put it down except for obligatory commitments and for sleeping. I even continued reading while eating my meals!

In short, buy it, read it and I promise you it will be the best money you've ever spent to expand your horizons.

Couldn't put it down!
Paradigm Wars is an amazing book that is not for the fainthearted or closedminded.You will not pick it up, read it through in a few sittings and feel as though you have gotten all you want.You will go back again and again.For example, imagine what a chapter entitled "Galactic Destiny" might contain that could stretch your imagination and blow your mind.

Mark Woodhouse has managed to produce a work that exists somewhere between academic and pop genres, which provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of major topics of the New Age in an extremely readable style.Each chapter can actually stand alone as an individual book, if one were so inclined, and this reader was delighted to see the length and depth of the topics.If that were not enough, there are 35 pages of footnotes as a junping off place for further investigation.

With over thirty years of academic achievement, Dr. Woohouse has the credentials to be taken very seriously in an arena that is so often misrepresented and misunderstood.As a philosopher he presents divergent points of view and then presents his own conclusions.Readers may agree or not.That's not the point.Presenting current thinking is what he has done so well.That the paradigm amy change tomorrow is not only probable but expected.

This reader, for one, is looking forward to a sequel and, in the meantime, sharing Paradigm Wars with people I am guesing are ready for it.Not everyone is.

Great Until the End
Well researched, with just the right amount of open-mindedness and skpeticism.However, at the end of the book, I was taken aback by what appeared to be a full-scale defense of the thesis that UFOs are really flying saucers with little green men inside. I kept re-reading this section of the book to see if this was a joke.It appears not to be.Anyone who has seen a crop circle will stand in awe of its majesty and mystery, but to go from that to belief in little green guys is too much of a leap from me.But, then again, maybe I am a dummy, and I didn't fully understand this part.

All in all, though, a very worthwhile read.

Woodhouse is a name dropper
The book is confusing, and full of psuedo-scientific goobly gook. He loves dropping names of famous scientists, and mis-interpreting their work. Frequent use of meaningless terminology. Such as " goddessenergy," "Great Chain of Being" etc.

Disappointing and Overly Optimistic
Well, I'd love to read a good book by that title and one might even copy the blurb texts and the table of contets of Woodhouse's book - all its weaknesses are in the fine print, so to say. The paradigm wars the titlerefers to are meant to take place between "traditional"(mechanistic, etc.) science and "new age" (holistic, etc.) worldviews, which present levels of complexity not available to the traditionalapproaches. No doubt such a war takes place presently... (1) It's anobvious problem that the "new" paradigm is conceptualized asbeing open and unfinished - together with the author's desire toappropriate all nice and interesting recent scientific developments for hisside, one may at times wonder what the "new paradigm" is and whatlimits it necessarily must have. (2) Woodhouse limits is attention more orless to academic debate - but that's not primarily where the wars are beingfought. (Does he think it really matters? The climate in academicinstitutions may depend on quite a number of factors beside rationalarguments...) The bullets fly right in our everyday life situatios - whenwe see our physician and argue about a treatment (which may or may not bepaid by health insurance depending on the influence that "traditionalscientists" (aka drug manufacturers and their lackeys) have on theinsurance firm). It also takes place in firms striving for enhancedeffectiveness in the form of the question "will it be possible to makeour employees work harder - or should we consider something newaltogether?". And it takes many more forms one does not even findmentioned in this book. (3) On the fronts of these wars I know, thesituation looks rather bleak for new approaches. traditional doctrines arewell entrenched and have lots of powerful allies - economic shorttermismadvocating "tried and true" measures, traditional healthproviders, genetic engineering firms, religious institutions producing cultscares from time to time, etc. If you advocate divergent paradigms, youneed a lot of patience - and you're also faced with some serious problemsWoodhouse does not mention. Let me point here only to the fact that whilepublicly recognized "sciences" have something like a memory interms of libraries and institutional continuity, "new agethought" all to often starts all over again, repeats its standardarguments and, in sum, doesn't get anywhere for lack of such a continuity,for lack of references one could build on. Altogether, I'm sorry for themoney and for the time I spent on this book. Still, someone should write abetter one... - it's a worthy project, just a faulty implementation. ... Read more

Product Description
A recovered edition of the conclusion of a key Dragonlance trilogy.This is the third title in a pivotal trilogy that bridges the gap between the core Dragonlance title Dragons of Summer Flame and the new War of Souls trilogy. The titles in this trilogy are being rereleased with new artwork and new cover designs that tie them more closely to Rabes Dhamon Saga trilogy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (64)

Mediocre books and writer
This book and the whole series in fact is, well, mediocre.Some reviews seem to indicate a vile hatred of this series, but I don't think it's truly that bad.Jean Rabe is a competent writer who can move a story forward.However, she cannot compare to truly great writers.Weis and Hickman take a fantasy story and make it epic.There is a power and current to their stories.Reading Jean Rabe novels is more like reading a textbook.Sure, you get all the details but not much emotion. There is not powerful mystery behind it all. Jean Rabe really needs to study more classical literature & fantasy, I think if she was to include some concepts from these stories, the things that make them memorable and powerful even today, she could be a good writer.

Blister comes close to being a character with depth with her somewhat tragic history, but it never seems to break through. The rest of the characters I feel have underlying emotions that the author is aware of and maybe wants to show us.But she just doesn't or can't.The characters simply remain superficial.

Don't give up on Jean Rabe. Many of her later novels get better, even ones based in this series. She'll never be a great and prolific writer, but she gets better.

As good as I should have expected, I guess
The book itself was in great shape, but there was a price sticker on the back cover. It's not that big of a deal for me, but I would have liked to know it was on there before deciding to buy this one. Not saying it would have changed my mind...but it might have.

A good book but the ending left me unsatisfied.
All in all this book was decent. Certainly was not one of the best Dragonlance books I have read. Some parts of it kind of dragged along without a whole lot of suspense to the point that I nearly put it down. It ended very blandly without a true and proper conclusion. As this book was the third and last of three books in a set it would have been better to end the whole adventure. Instead Jean Rabe pushes it even further to three more books in which after this one I truthfully am not looking forward to. This is still a good book to read I enjoyed many parts of it though so it is still worth a look.

The Eve of the Malestrom
This is likely one of the greatest dragonlance books ever written. Any one who misses this great addition to the dragon lance seris will be truely sorry. READ THIS BOOK!

Best book of the trilogy
As the trilogy progressed, Rabe's writing just got better and better. It went from being awkward and stilted in the first book to very smooth flowing in this last book. It actually felt like a true Dragonlance book and made for some very enjoyable reading. Yes, some of the characters needed to be fleshed out more and they seemed to get mortally wounded and overcome unbeatable odds more than they should have, but those seemed like minor things.

The last half of the book seemed like fight scene after fight scene with minimal rest in between. Rabe has a knack for writing suspenseful battles, despite the fact that they can be a little unbelievable at times (5 people taking on 3 dozen Knights of Takhisis and winning). Her handling of the dragons and the intrigue among them in this book was very well done. I especially enjoyed the introduction of the shadow dragon. There was also an interesting exploration of the undersea kingdome of the sea elves, Dimernesti.

The conclusion, however, seemed a little flat. It seems as if the author wanted to set up another book, be it one of hers or some other author's in the Dragonlance saga. Maybe it continues almost directly into Weis & Hickman's War of Souls or into her own Dhamon Saga. Guess I'll find out when I get to those books.

My only complaint was the need for some serious proofreading. Typos, missing words, incorrect words ("to" instead of "too"), and missing punctuation got to be really excessive. I was surprised at how bad it was. There were pages where I found three or four of these. Of course, this was the previous edition that I read, so maybe they fixed these in this new release.

All in all, a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Even if you hated the first book, I think you'll like this one (just make sure you read the second installment as well). ... Read more

Product Description
Mathematics: The New Golden Age offers a glimpse of the extraordinary vistas and bizarre universes opened up by contemporary mathematicians: Hilbert´s tenth problem and the four-color theorem, Gaussian integers, chaotic dynamics and the Mandelbrot set, infinite numbers, and strange number systems. Why a "new golden age"? According to Keith Devlin, we are currently witnessing an astronomical amount of mathematical research. Charting the most significant developments that have taken place in mathematics since 1960, Devlin expertly describes these advances for the interested layperson and adroitly summarizes their significance as he leads the reader into the heart of the most interesting mathematical perplexities -from the biggest known prime number to the Shimura-Taniyama conjecture for Fermat´s Last Theorem.Revised and updated to take into account dramatic developments of the 1980s and 1990s, Mathematics: The New Golden Age includes, in addition to Fermat´s Last Theorem, major new sections on knots and topology, and the mathematics of the physical universe.Devlin portrays mathematics not as a collection of procedures for solving problems, but as a unified part of human culture, as part of mankind´s eternal quest to understand ourselves and the world in which we live. Though a genuine science, mathematics has strong artistic elements as well; this creativity is in evidence here as Devlin shows what mathematicians do -and reveals that it has little to do with numbers and arithmetic. This book brilliantly captures the fascinating new age of mathematics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

2
This book is excellent. It speaks about Number Theory, Group Theory, Topology and also the Clay Math problem about NP vs P problem.

Are there are Golden Age in Mathematics? ... May be. Devlin show a bridge for us.

Great Book for Prospective Mathematicians
This book is a comprehensive in-detail overview of a wide rage of mathematical subjects, from Fermat's Last Theorem to topology. If you are considering a mathematical career, this book is a great buy.

Advances in mathematics since 1960
The phrase "Golden Age" is most often used to refer to an era when the dominant players exhibited characteristics that are later called "amateurish."For example, the fifties are often called the golden age of American television and the thirties and forties the golden age of science fiction.However, like most such glittery phrases, it can be redefined to suit ones purposes, and that is what Devlin does here. He takes as his era of consideration the years since 1960.
Some of the topics are those that have been resolved in this time span, such as the four-color problem, the classification of simple groups, Hilbert's Tenth Problem, and the Continuum Hypothesis.Others are some that have been created by the advent of computers, such as fractals, chaos, and the efficiency of algorithms.Finally, there are those where only significant progress has been made, such as Fermat's Last Theorem, factoring large numbers, and Knot Theory.All are dealt with in a manner that will allow the non-technical person to understand them.The writing is clear, concise, and direct.
With over half of the material dealing directly with work done on computers, it is clear that the author's use of the phrase is correct.However, this era will go down in history as the original golden age of the use of computers in mathematics and not as a new golden age of mathematics alone.
Strongly recommended as a primer on major mathematical accomplishments since 1960, this book can be enjoyed by amateurs and professionals alike.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission

well-written and mind-stretching
This is the best popular math book I've ever read.The first edition of this book was responsible for rekindling my interest in pure mathematics after a long layoff (which has persisted to this day).The author covers some topics that are typically covered in popular math books (such as chaos theory and the difficulty of factoring large prime numbers).Fortunately, most of the book is devoted to topics that are rarely dealt with in such books, such as the classification of finite simple groups, the class number problem, and the Riemann hypothesis.The new edition also contains an expanded section on Fermat's last theorem (which has been proved since the first edition came out).What I like about Devlin's style is that he goes into themath to a much more significant extent than most popular science writers and yet still keeps everything easy to understand for anyone with (say) an understanding of basic calculus. The only (minor) criticism I have of the book is that Devlin often gets tantalizingly close to a major result and then begs off with the statement "the full result can only be understood by specialists".Most of the time, this makes little difference, but with the class number problem (which, among other things, explains why exp(sqrt(163)*Pi) is almost an integer), he leads you along a fascinating journey and then doesn't explain the original motivating problem (why exp(sqrt(163)*Pi) is almost an integer).However, this is a minor nit and doesn't significantly detract from a fascinating book.

An engaging survey for the non-specialist general reader.
From the length of the British coast to the feedback process between order and chaos, Keith Devlin's Mathematics provides a surprisingly non-technical tour of new developments in the field of math since 1960, revising aclassic to encompass new theories of the 1980s and 1990s. Mathematician/author Devlin claims we are in a 'new golden age' of mathadvancements: this links math achievements to new science findings as awhole. ... Read more

Product Description
"With Kinseyesque diligence [Moffatt] catalogues the sexual habits and fantasies of his students. . . . His book vibrates with quirky authenticity." --New York Times Book Review "Useful for understanding the student experience . . . throughout the United States. . . . Beautifully written, carefully researched . . . a classic."--John Thelin, Educational Studies "Michael Moffatt is a multitalented, multidisciplinary scholar . . . who writes without a trace of gobbledygook. He deserves a wide following." --Rupert Wilkinson, Journal of American Studies "One of the most thoughtfully crafted case studies of undergraduate culture . . . ever written . . . a book every professor should read." --Paul J. Baker, Academe Coming of Age is about college as students really know it and--often--love it. To write this remarkable account, Michael Moffatt did what anthropologists usually do in more distant cultures: he lived among the natives. His findings are sometimes disturbing, potentially controversial, but somehow very believable. Coming of Age is a vivid slice of life of what Moffatt saw and heard in the dorms of a typical state university, Rutgers, in the 1980s. It is full of student voices: naive and worldy-wise, vulgar and polite, cynical, humorous, and sometimes even idealistic. But it is also about American culture more generally: individualism, friendship, community, bureaucracy, diversity, race, sex, gender, intellect, work, and play.As an example of an ethnography written about an anthropologist's own culture, this book is an uncommon one. As a new and revealing perspective on the much-studied American college student, it is unique. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An Incredible Book
Most books on "college kids" are nothing but anti-youth statistical messes.Moffat's generous phenomenological approach to the subject and refusal to make any broad generalizations make this book a truly amazing document.His analysis of "friendliness" as the dominant trope in American society, demonstrated in the micro-society of the dorm, is superb, as are his eye-opening conclusions about the trends that govern undergraduate sexuality.

An Anthropological Study of University Students
The author is a faculty member in the Anthropology department at Rutgers University who decided to do a study of the students in traditional immersion fashion.To do this, he joined the incoming freshman class as an older student returning to school and lived in the dorm.The resulting book is a fascinating read, particularly for someone who was actually entering college around the same time as Moffatt's study.Moffatt covers the group dynamics, the forming and shifting of groups, and many of the aspects of college life.

I couldn't put it down!
One of the few college texts I actually READ. Required for a freshman anthropology class (this is almost 8 years ago now), I was thrilled by every word in this book...Easy to read, interesting, entertaining...Imistakenly loaned it to someone who never gave it back and have regrettedit ever since.A must read for anyone interested in a look at collegeculture through the eyes of someone doing it again, 20 years aftergraduation. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

Dr. Ravi strikes again!
A fascinating book! With the unique perspective written about our possible coming economic cycle, it will give readers some serious data to look over to anticipate the coming age. As usual, it is chock full of data and facts that will support his arguments fully. There was nothing I didn't like about his book. I do recommend reading The Myth of Free Trade first, then Greenspan's Fraud, and finally this one third.

Wealth,Corruption,and Solutions.
Ravi Batra has proven prescient on some of his predictions in this older edition of THE NEW GOLDEN AGE.
He bases his forecasts on historical economic and political cycles.

The stated goal of this book is to answer the questions; Where is poverty headed? What is the cause?
The author answers both questions and many more in this book.

I think that Mr. Batra hits home with his assessment that "what the United States has is monopoly capitalism."
Another accurate label is that some CEOs are "today's robber barons." This indirectly reminds the reader of the Populist revolt of the 1890's.

He rails about how gas and oil prices are manipulated by oil companies, Wall Street, and hedge fund speculators under the protection of government-sponsored myths/cover stories. This is just one example of how big business in America owns politicians in both parties.

He explains why "tricklism" or trickle-down economics is a dismal failure.

A subject that I haven't read a lot about prior to this book is the elite economists that are also beholden to the wealthy corporations. He cautions the reader not to trust the theories of the "celebrity" economists.

Some of Ravi Batra's solutions that I really like are:
*Dual exchange rate as a solution for trade deficits.
*The voting strategy of abandoning any party loyalty.
*Universal health insurance for all Americans.
*A progressive income tax effectively reversing the shift of the tax burden from the middle class back to the rich.
*Return to antitrust laws and break up monopolies.

I recommend Ravi Batra as an economics author.
He explores the causes of our economic crisis and most importantly, he offers solutions.

great baker
I have used the baker twice. Both times bread came out perfect, hard crusted and no sticking to bottom. I would highly recommend this baker

The Economic Policies that Attack America
Ever since George W. Bush became US President a million more Americans became poor each year ('Acknowledgments'). The economic establishment supports the rich and powerful. Batra says corruption creates poverty "all over the globe". His forecasting tools indicate the oppressed masses will revolt and overthrow the ruling elite to create a golden age. Batra will explain why "free trade" creates poverty in the USA while enriching the wealthy (p.193). American economic thought and policies are found around the world. They are "reckless, unethical, and faulty" and create poverty (p.2). These economic policies cause demand to fall below supply. [Increasing the minimum wage is one cure.] The corruption of Bush-Cheney allowed corporations "to run amok" (p.5). Rewarding the guilty is a sign of corruption (p.7).

Cutting the output of oil raised the price (p.17). Most bubbles were demand-side (p.18). [Clever advertising?] The Federal Reserve cut the interest rate after 2000 to create more money. This caused the housing bubble (p.20). This led to increased debt from mortgages. But homes are consumption, not production. Speculative buying led to a bubble (p.23). Household income fell during this time. Mortgage securities are based on this fraud (p.24). Other countries have this problem (p.25). Batra explains why Big Oil is responsible for higher oil and gasoline prices (pp.29-32). [Is it time to consider nationalizing Big Oil (p.33-35)?] Batra explains how inflation (high monetary growth) is used to prevent a recession (p.51). The main source of power in any country is the armed forces and those who control them (p.54). Batra has mis-diagnosed reality in following Sarkar's theory (p.55).

The Social Cycles in Chapter 4 violates known US history of the past centuries, even if it presents some ideas to consider. Batra's ideas only work if you accept his definition of reality. The story of the changes in the 14th century (p.79) avoids global cooling and shortfalls in food production. England's comparative advantage (p.81) is due to being an island with no need for a large standing army. Batra doesn't mention that the big landowners (p.82) went into manufacturing and banking.

Chapter 6 discusses the imperial power that collects trillions from its colonies (p.86). Surprising? Does Batra really believe that India became a colony without armed force (p.87)? Or the US "does not seek to conquer and colonize other nations" (p.89)? Illegal immigration depresses US wages (p.91) as well as imports. Since 1980 taxes were reduced for the rich and increased for workers. [The result is another depression.] Political domination creates commercial domination. Dollar colonialism is explained on page 95, read it carefully. Batra doesn't mention that the declining wages for Americans are another form of repression. Those numerous scandals on page 98 go back to the late 19th century. Chapter7 exposes the lies of corporate flunkies like many economists. The claim that "tax cuts for the wealthy creates prosperity" has never been proven right in the real world or any economics laboratory (p.105). "Elite economists" are hired liars! Prosperity arises from "low taxes on the poor and the middle class, balanced budgets and balanced trade" (p.109). Batra demolishes the dogma of supply-side economics (p.117-120). Batra provides examples where economists lie in print (p.121). Chapter 8 has a concise history of Muslim civilization. Chapter 9 discusses these countries.

In Chapter 10 Batra repeats his belief in recurring cycles that affect the economy. Falling wages since 1973 are the result of government policy, no matter how it is kept hidden (p.160). A government is the agent of the ruling class of that country. You can check on Batra's history of "the 15th century" (p.164). Batra predicts a war with jihadists (p.171) will end Western acquisitions. "The American business empire will also fail" (p.172) starting around 2009. Batra says this began in 1999 when the Federal Reserve Bank raised interest rates. When the stock markets collapsed in 2000-2002 Greenspan slashed interest rates and this was followed by the housing bubble. Was this the result of a conspiracy to defraud lenders and borrowers? The invasion of imports is conquering the US business empire (p.173). Batra seems very wrong in believing reform will come from changing the electoral college (p.174).

Batra explains how the world must take America's dollars for goods then reinvest in American assets (p.177). [Is that defacto colonialism?] Batra comments on the future (pp.178-187). If the conflict in Iraq keeps oil expensive, who benefits (p.184)? Avoid student loans, work and earn money (p.185). "The US dollar is likely to collapse in the future" (p.186). Avoid real estate because the housing bubble may burst in 2009. Chapter 10 and 11 basically summarize this 2007 book. Page 200 lists policies to raise the standard of living; items 1 to 5 are common sense. Batra defines the correct economic policy (p.201). This worked well for America in the 1950s and 1960s. [It changed in the 1970s.] Middle East violence is not new, and did not raise oil costs in the 1980s and 1990s (p.203). [Have the political realities changed?] High tariffs created manufacturing and wealth for many Americans (p.204). Batra explains how changing the dollar's exchange rate can help (p.205). The high cost and lower quality of US health care is caused by health management companies that are parasitical (p.207). Batra recommends abolishing the private health insurance system and using a national health system for big savings from a single-payer system (pp.208-209).

There reforms can only be done by uniting the people against the crooks that exploit America (p.211). Can the evil acquisitors be replaced by courageous warriors (p.213)? Batra lists a six-point strategy (p.214). Vote out incumbents to encourage independents (p.215). [Is this too simple-minded?] You can read Batra's comments on George Washington (p.220). Is he dead accurate? Batra comments on China's 1949 revolution (p.221). Will his predictions come true (p.224)? Not if he mis-diagnosed history.

The New Golden Age - Ravi Batra
The book was written in 2007 and outlines exactly what will...and now has happened over the course of the last year. Using a combination of economic and social cycles Ravi Batra weaves the two threads together in an easy to read and understand presentation. Despite casting a bit of doom and gloom in the short term he goes on to explain why this will be the beginning of something better and tries to initiate thinking/planning at a grass roots level. Enjoyed the book greatly though reading of all the market manipulations by corporations got my blood going a few time. My one regret is that this is a book I need to lend to a few friends to read but they will have to wait as I already started reading it a second time! ... Read more

Product Description
Born from the success of the Erie Canal, the communities of Western New York enjoyed a century of growth and prosperity during America's Gilded Age. Buffalo was one of the richest cities in America and dominated industry and politics, producing two presidents. Wealth and architectural opportunity enticed figures like Frank Lloyd Wright, while the events of the Pan-American Exposition and a presidential assassination and inauguration attracted the world's attention. Drawing on the natural resources of Niagara Falls and profiting from a friendly relationship with Canada, the people of Western New York enjoyed luxurious leisure time and documented their adventures in photo albums and postcards. It is these images and remembrances, beautifully reproduced in this book, that capture this charming time in Western New York's history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great springboard for further study
The essays in this book provide scholary insight and terrific references for the religious/spiritual side of the New Age movement. An essay drawing strong parallels between Christian Charismatic Movement and the New AgeMovement to be impartial and very enlightening.

Although it is not acomprehensive work (compare with Marilyn Ferguson's "The AquarianConspiracy"), it is a great place for a serach for the moreresponsible features of New Age mysticism and spirituality.

One-sided "perspectives"
Silly me.I thought perspectives meant more than one view.This book,while claiming to be an indifferent look at the New Age Movement, obviouslyis written by staunch backers of the Movement with too few exceptions to beconsidered balanced.People shouldn't pretend to be scholarly when they'resimply being cheerleaders for an idea.

wrong interview
This is not a review.The Jim Melton interview you run in relation to this text has nothing to do with J. Gordon Melton. Two different people.It would be a good idea to do an interview with J. Gordon Melton, one of the foremost academics on modern religion, cults and the New Age ... Read more

Product Description
Across America and the world dangerous New Age cults andreligious groups are growing in strength and numbers. As many as 50million Americans are now New Age cultists while millions of othersare unwittingly dabbling and experimenting in the occult throughdirect or indirect involvement with New Age religious and politicalorganizations.

This is the first authoritative guide to the New Age cults andreligions infecting and threatening our society. This outstanding workcarefully analyzes these groups, revealing substantial, detailedinformation to convincingly answer the questions most asked. Itclearly contrasts the false--sometimes bizarre--and unorthodoxteachings and practices of the New Cults with the Living Truthscontained in the Holy Bible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

atta boy...strangers in the boo-goo land of religions...
it may be
the most important book
ever written...
unparalleled...
stunning expose
that is what
Texe Marrs says
about
New Age Bible Versions
of G.A.Riplinger

and that's how
i came to say
the same
for his own work
giving a kick
into my Christian butt
lest i forget
the God The Father
the Lord The Saviour
and Holy Ghost The Paraclete

just to remember
satan is lower case
backdoor man
nice person
like commie
before the season
of making friends
is over
and shoot
to kill is on

Mr Marrs view
on total disregard
of threat of the unknown
invisible by practitioners
to be so and so
and letting our beings
be invaded and pass on others
the unholy
as we are being forewarned
by prophets and our Saviour

Lacking
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2HJPG4QWOXZ5E A 5minute video review concerning Texe Marrs Book of New Age Cults & Religions. The purpose of this video is to illustrate some weaknesses in the book which are important for the reader to know. One thing which was forgotten to mention was internal inconsistency concerning Krishnamurti: "Dejected and embarrased Krishnamurti sailed back to India where, in 1929, he broke away from his sponsors in Theosophy and, in fact, repudiated all connections with organized religions and ideologies." (233) and "Finally, in 1931,a dejected Krishnamurti himself abruptly renounced his title of "Christ" and became an independent guru..." (317).

Welcome to a Land of Make-Believe
My brother received this book, along with L.U.C.I.D., Marrs' crackpot exposé of the satanic mind-control conspiracy controlling the world, from a deranged lunatic calling himself "Christ."This in itself should speak volumes about the type of individual who would take this stuff seriously and at face value.

I'm amazed that a university actually let this guy teach.Contrary to what some of these other reviews would have you believe, "New Age Cults and Religions" is in no way a scholarly work.Texe literally just makes things up and states them as researched facts.He frequently quotes people out of context and then makes outrageous assertions about what these folks are talking about; such as when he quotes Christopher Hyatt saying that the world seems to want more blood and violence before it changes, then rhetorically suggests that faithful Christians will be the target of this violence perpetrated at the hands of the Order of the Golden Dawn.He uncritically states that Buddhism is a violent unholy New Age cult.Nowhere does he offer any support of these sorts of claims.

His writing should remind you of a paranoid pothead teenager surfing the internet and keeping notes on every corny conspiracy theory he finds without checking the sources.The fact that he calls himself a Christian and quotes the Bible should give actual Christians pause to consider who is the real wolf in sheep's clothing.

Currently this book is sitting next to my toilet, where it can give me some laughs to ease my more difficult bowel movements.

The absolute best book written by T. Marrs, before he went off the deep end...
Former Christian Preacher Texe Marrs,
now a Patriot-for-Prophet [see: Bo
Gritz authored 'My Brothers Keeper'],
did an outstanding job here of iden-
tifying the Cults and Secret Societies
that plague our Western Civilization &
thus the world. Most of the other Texe
Marrs futurist 'Prophet of Doom' books
are all of the furturist 'gloom-and-
doom' "The end is coming soon" variety.
Here he sticks to facts and denotes a
good and careful synopsis of the groups
who seek to pervert our posterity, reli-
giously; Mormons, Jehovah's Sicknesses,
Sixth (not Seventh) Day Adventures, et, al.
I suggest that despite Marrs recent 21st
Century faux puas, get this book! Keep it
on the shelf with Mike Hoffman's 'Secret
Societies and Psychological Warfare' and
'Judiaism's Strange Gods'. Pick Up On It!

Classic Marrs
His critics dismiss Texe Marrs with the label "Fundamentalist Christian."So be it.But at least he takes a stand.At least he reads the Bible of his faith.At least he applies it to the world around him.

I like Marrs' books.They have the excitement of conspiracy theory.But grounded in Bible study.If you don't believe in the Bible (or are afraid your friends will think you're a nut if you do) you probably won't like his books.But if you're into Bible prophecy, and use the Christian Bible to guide your life, then I think you'll appreciate Marrs' perspective.

I'll admit, I try not to put any Christian writer on a pedestal.God is still the definitive Author.But there's a place for writers who use the Bible to comment on current events.I appreciate the work they do.Especially when it prompts me to go back and read Bible passages they've pointed out.

So, Mr. Marrs: I thank you for taking so much flak, yet still keeping the faith.And I eagerly await your next book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Gilded Age is one of the most crucial periods in American history. During this era, Americans found themselves no longer living in a rural republic, but rather in an industrial world power. It was a time when the nation had to redefine itself and attempt to construct responses to the many questions that the Civil War had raised and left unanswered.New Spirits: Americans in the Gilded Age, 1865-1905 provides a comprehensive look at this fascinating period in our nation's history. While these years are often viewed as a time when our country displayed a gilded facade that hid a rotten core, Rebecca Edwards moves beyond this idea to seek other, more complex perspectives. She asserts that this epoch was full of contradictions. It was a time when land stolen from Native Americans provided security and comfort to desperate immigrants and mining brought the hope of fabulous riches for prospectors, along with the reality of industrial labor and unpredictable profits. African-American land ownership grew while full equality remained elusive and the ranks of the poor grew as quickly as the ranks of the prosperous. Many long-awaited triumphs dissolved into bitter confusion while others produced broad, tangible gains. However, Edwards does not dwell only on stories of tragedy and injustice, but also on lessons of humor, endurance, and achievement. Featuring documents, photographs, illustrations, and graphs on such topics as homes, violence, work, and well-known figures, the book is divided into three parts. Part I covers the years up to the depression of 1893, Part II explores the depression, its aftermath, and the years 1896-1901, and Part III offers a concluding section on the era as a whole. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Takes you back to a different world.
After reading this book - it shows that things in this country really haven't changed and history repeats itself.Written so well, it makes you feel you're in a time machine going back in history of this country.Excellent read for history buffs who want to know what it was like to live during the late 1800's right after the civil war and right at the turn of the last century.

Complementary readings to Edwards' interesting book
There are already several good reviews on this book, so I will only suggest reading the following books on the USA in addition to Edwards': A) Dealing with constitutional and political ideas: 1) Constitutional History of the American Revolution by John Phillip Reid; 2) "America's Constitution: A Biography" by Akhil Reed Amar; 3) "Liberty's Blueprint: How Madison and Hamilton Wrote The Federalist, Defined the Constitution, and Made Democracy Safe for the World" by Michael Meyerson; and 4) Lincoln's Constitution by Daniel A. Farber. B) Other books chosen with an approach historically impressionistic: 5) "The Death Penalty", by Stuart Banner; 6) "The Churching Of America, 1776-2005: Winners And Losers In Our Religious Economy" by Roger Finke and Rodney Stark; 7) "American Colonies. The settling of North America", by Alan Taylor; and 8) "Battle cry of freedom. The Civil War Era" by James M. McPherson.

Back to the Future:The Gilded Age Returns?
Edward's book is a very nice total history of the time period, with particularly interesting examinations of the culture.Edwards effectively tears down the notion of a sudden birth of a Progressive Era and looks at its roots in the "Gilded Age."She, in a very thoughtful way, breaks down some of the simple victomology that tends to encompass study of the period and instead examines the more complex interrelations of class, race and gender in this formative period in US History.She implicitly argues that much of the late nineteenth century is very akin (i.e. recognizable) to the late 20th with its pro-big business and aggressive and racist foreign policy.The book is simply smashing.

Forgotten age
Dr. Edwards newest book is a smash for history buffs. The book attacks the Gilded age with a fresh thematic style that avoids the stuffy typical academic style. She does a great job covering the social issues and doesn't get bogged down in the militarism of the period either. She does a super job exposing the racism and crushing ambivalence of unrestrained capitalism of the age and still has room for a chapter on the sexual mores of the era.

There was one draw back though, in avoiding the academic style she decided not to use footnotes which hampers us graduate students from following in her foot prints. For example what student would fail to be motivated to read a first hand source that contains this information, "and one infamous book instructed married couples to schedule sexual intercourse once every three years, between the hours of 11 A.M. and noon.The author even made recommendations on what to eat that day for breakfast" Now how will a dutiful student ever know what that fortifying morning repast should consist of without a footnote to the primary source?

I liked how Dr. Edwards ended her book. Edwards ends her work with an epilogue that ties the whole book back to her philosophical guide, Walt Whitman, in the guise of a guided tour of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.She mixes the optimism characteristic of Americans with the depredations characteristic of unchecked capitalists.She ends on a haunting note that actually stirs the heart of a historian to wonder what comes next. And so we grad students move out to discover that answer...

A Lover of the Gilded Age
Dr. Edwards's new book is superior in all respects. Her account is interesting, lucid, and fun. I learned many new things about this critical period in our history from her fine narriative that relies on recent scholarship. Nothing dusty or drab here at all. As a history teacher, I highly recommend her book to professionals, teachers, and students. This is a winner and should not be passed up. We must hope that she continues to research and to write on this period. ... Read more

Product Description
Here it comes! Find out why and how Psylocke came back to life. Find out what Jamie Braddock is up to and why he's been popping up from place to place in the past year. Everything has been building to this. Don't miss it! Collects Uncanny X-Men #472-474 and Uncanny X-Men Annual #1. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

fast delivery
I am very pleased with my purchase.It came faster than I thought it would and in very good condition.I am happy with the the writers bringing my favorite X-Man, Psylocke, back to the team.Both the art and the writing is fantastic.I'm glad they are giving Betsy more action this time around than before they killed her off.She is a warrior and deserves it.

Nothing great, but an all around solid entry from Claremont
Chris Claremont scripted the golden age of X-Men stories, and as any fanboy knows, just about anything he's done since his return to Marvel's merry mutants has ranged from average to just plain bad.First Foursaken, the fifth collected volume of his return to Uncanny X-Men helps from the fact that Claremont has a co-writer here, and it's a pretty all around solid yarn.The majority of this TPB focuses around Psylocke, who has recently returned from the dead (only a few years after Claremont killed her off during his yawnable run on X-Treme X-Men), as well as her insane brother Jamie Braddock.Storm plays a pivotal role here as well, pondering her marriage proposal to the Black Panther while she, Psylocke, and the rest of Claremont's lineup of X-Men are in the heat of battle.There's nothing here we haven't seen before from Claremont or any other X-Men writer or title, but that's not necessarily bad here as things are pretty much kept entertaining.The only downside for me is the artwork from veteran X-Men artist Chris Bachalo, whose character models have never been much to write home about for me personally.I'm not saying I can do any better, but I've never been a fan of his work since his Generation X days, and he hasn't done much to win me over in the years since.Regardless, First Foursaken isn't bad one bit, and if you are a fan of Bachalo's work and are looking for a solid X-Men story from the man responsible for the way they are today and have been for years, look no further.

not amazing, but pretty solid book
collects issues #472-474 and annual #1. the uncanny x-men new age series has been pretty disappointing overall, so it was nice to see this book which while not outstanding has some solid artwork and writing (perhaps helped by the fact that claremont had a co-writer). the main arc concerns psylocke's brother jamie and although it's supposedly a battle on the scale of the phoenix stories (and introduces a brand-new antagonist) it doesn't reach nearly the same epic scope. but it's still pretty enjoyable, mostly b/c it's nice to see psylocke in the spotlight. the annual is actually the main draw here, which focuses on storm and her conflicts about what to do about the black panther's marriage proposal in the midst of being attacked on all sides by a power-hungry dictator. there are some nice dream sequences here and a surprising revelation about storm's past at the end, which unlike some of the other recently revealed x-men histories is actually believable and interesting and should lead to some interesting storylines in the future. all in all not the best but def. not the worst, and although the rest of the team doesn't get much attention this is still worth reading if you like psylocke and storm. ... Read more