Speaking of Slavery: Color, Ethnicity, and Human Bondage in Italy (Conjunctions of Religion and Power in the Medieval Past)

Customer Reviews:

Short and excellent treatment of the subject........2007-07-06

An astoundingly good read! Short and well-supported, this book looks at how slavery changed over the centuries. Originally, slavery wasn't really based upon skin color or ethnicity, but it grew to have those connotations later. In Italy particularly there was a peculiar sort of melting-pot of all cultures/backgrounds of slaves, and since Italy was rather fond of bureaucracy, we have a lot of records of slaveholders, sellers, buyers, and occasionally the slaves themselves. The book includes information about where slaves came from, how old they tended to be, what names they usually had, how long owners kept them, and what happened to them after they were freed or resold. It also discusses the Church's changing opinion on slaves and how to treat them. The subjects of Muslim vs. Christian slaves and owners, piracy, and ransom are also covered in detail. I found the information contained herein to be absolutely invaluable in learning about the practice of slavery during Renaissance times. Don't miss this book.

SPEAKING IN TONGUES (Spectra Special Editions)

Average customer rating:

Someone to watch

SPEAKING IN TONGUES (Spectra Special Editions)
Ian Mcdonald
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Short Stories | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0553292390
Release Date: 1992-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Someone to watch.......2002-09-06

This is a collection of short stories from one of SFs brightest new hopes. I made notes after each individual story as I read it:

* "Gardenias" -- Fancifully written, but ultimately plotless. Interesting for the mix of poetry and prose, and the way the narrator speaks to the reader and character. Ultimately not my cup of tea, though.
* "Rainmaker Cometh" -- I believe I read this before somewhere (in The Year's Best Fantasy?). Nicely oblique tale of small-town desperation and the mysterious stranger. Well done, but we've seen it all before.
* "Listen" -- Okay, it's obvious that McDonald can write, and can write well and stylishly. But what about plot? What about a little less deus ex machina? What about a little more substance? This story is clearly indicative of my problems so far with McDonald: a lot of style, a lot of imagination, but nothing more on the ball.
* "Speaking in Tongues" -- I didn't follow this story at all. I suspect there was something that tied the parts together, but McDonald gave me no clear clues to find that something. Bleah.
* "Fragments on an Analysis of a Case of Hysteria" -- Now this is a story worthy of recommendation. Excellent use of historical and fictional, the hysteria originally unfounded except when the story rolls around and we find out, no, it is merely foreboding. The grafted-on bit with the Wandering Jew could just as well been excised for all that it does (and only served to sell the story originally, to Brian Stableford's theme anthology Tales of the Wandering Jew). It is the rest that makes this story satisfying.
* "Approaching Perpendicular" -- Poetical story about the dreams and agonies of a poet, analogous to the struggles of any artist who braves the fears and sometimes oversteps the bounds in trying to be art. Or perhaps I'm reading too much into it. Perfect prose-poetry, to be so ambiguous, yet allow interpretation.
* "Floating Dogs" -- Post holocaust story updated to today's foreseen technology, nanotech. As such, really nothing new said here.
* "Atomic Avenue" -- Nice idea, but seems overlong. Once again, the fine line between mood (poetry) versus information (prose) seems stretched too tightly to the mood side for a story.
* "Fronds" -- Well realized alien/human contact, with added development of Chinese/Japanese company rule mirrored in a Dr. Moreau-like Delphic (for dolphins) law. This kind of story has been done better, but not by many, and I found myself thoroughly enthralled by the world-building.
* "Winning" -- Well done tale of translating modern culture and mores and positing a prospective future. That is, science fiction. Not as clever as "Fragments," but very worthy.
* "Toward Kilimanjaro" -- Reminiscent of Shepard & Frazier's "mutant rainforest" stories, which are probably recalls of Brian Aldiss' Hothouse. There is a lot of Conrad symbolism here (which I can recognize, even though I've never read Conrad). What is it about Heart of Darkness that appeals so to the SF spirit? Interesting, but overlong to be so unoriginal in plot.

Book Description

This new edition retains much of the vision of the previous editions-it encompasses written, oral, and visual communication-but also reflects current practices in the field of technical writing, with continued emphasis on workplace communication The focus remains on the entire writing process from planning through revision, with topics discussed including, defining technical communication, the workplace audience, developing a clear, direct communication style, information design, graphics as a means to support and clarify information, technology, the technical writing process including planning and drafting, and reviewing and revising. For anyone interested in improving his or her writing.

Detail Process Charting: Speaking the Language of Process

Average customer rating:

Process Improvement - simplified
Successful Flowcharting

Detail Process Charting: Speaking the Language of Process
Ben B. Graham
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471653942

Book Description

Praise for Detail Process Charting
"A must-read for any competitive organization, Detail Process Charting: Speaking the Language of Process provides a comprehensive, yet clear, explanation of how to utilize one of the most powerful tools available to improve work processes. [Graham] has successfully integrated the history, success stories, and wisdom of those in the field who have applied this time-tested tool."
-Jim Denyes, Training Manager
Naval Occupational Safety and Health, and Environmental Training Center
Author, Work Smarter, Not Harder
"This book will be a valuable resource for all those interested in work simplification and its implementation. Excellent answers to the 'who,' 'what,' 'when,' 'how,' and 'why' of work simplification are provided in an understandable and very useful level of detail. Graham has obviously 'been there, done that.' "
-John A. Roberts III, Adjunct Professor
School of Business Administration, University of Dayton
"The keys to this approach . . . are the involvement of the workers and the simplicity of the charting approach. Even those participants who have never seen a process chart can almost instantly see how the process works, their role in it, and how it can be improved. This level of involvement means continuous buy-in, which significantly improves the chances of success. The emphasis on the document as the key process element and the ability to diagram the document to flow easily, rapidly, and clearly set this approach apart from all the others."
-Fredric D. Heilbronner, Director of Systems Consulting, eForms
Digital Consulting & Software Services, Inc.
"Much has been written about charting and business systems analysis, but I have not seen anything as comprehensive and clear as Ben Graham's book. Writing in simple, easy-to-follow language with plentiful illustrations and practical examples, this book takes the reader through the full spectrum of the charting process from initial analysis to managing charting libraries. This book is a must-have for all process improvement analysts and managers wanting to improve their organizational efficiency."
-Robert Barnett, Managing Director
Robert Barnett and Associates Pty. Ltd.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

Process Improvement - simplified.......2005-10-15

Work Simplification made simpler, process improvement achieved - what more could you want? And Ben's book provides the details for getting started and soon accomplishing your goals. An easy read - with everything to gain at a low cost, basically no cost -just your time (which isn't asking much, it's a fast read). The logic is simple, illustrations outstanding, and excellent coverage of an important yet downplayed topic. Now that BPM is among us - do yourself a favor and get immersed in the Graham Methodology and toolset - better than shelling out 6 figures for another product that is going to double in cost by the time your're serious about implementation.

Successful Flowcharting.......2005-10-07

The Graham family have been involved in work-flow and work-simplification for 3 generations. This book brings together the work of Ben, his father and his grandfather, in an easy to follow text that explains both their approach to flowcharting and why it has been so successful.

Other readers, like me, may be a little unsure about the notation suggested or indeed the level of detail prescribed by Ben. However, putting such reservations to one side, the book is of great value to anyone involved in flowcharting, process modelling and especially work-flow automation.

I particularly liked the sections covering the setting up of a process team, which nicely addressed the roles and responsibilities, and the one looking at the structure and phases of a project.

The final chapter in the book is given over to detailing the experiences of practitioners in applying the technique and of the value created within their organisations as a result. This chapter alone more than justifies both the cost of the book and the time it takes to read it. We can all learn and understand more from hearing from what people have actually done.

In summary, I am not sure how viable the Graham notation is for those who have not already invested in it, but none the less the book presents an excellent case for process modelling or flowcharting and can help anyone who might be looking to justify a business case, whatever notation they finally settle on. Finally the book is a must read for anyone looking to undertake a work-flow automation project, on these projects the ideas in this small book will pay for themselves many times over.

Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction

Average customer rating:

Interesting, but flawed
Almost as Big as the Field it Covers
Classic history of science fiction
Overwritten and unnecessarily defensive
Glorious Starts, Bitter Endings

Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction
Brian Wilson Aldiss , and David Wingrove
Manufacturer: Atheneum Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History & Criticism | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689118392

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, but flawed.......2007-02-02

It's no easy task to write a history of science fiction, as amorphous a publishing category as there is, so I hesitate to call this book a failure on those terms alone. What it attempts to do, it does handily and usefully: it brings to light a strand that stretches from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to William Gibson's Neuromancer, the darling of the 1980s (when this book was published). Along the way it pauses long enough to note certain knots in the strand that have made it stronger (woah, I'm really stretching that metaphor out-a-kilter, aren't I!). Aldiss (who wrote the original version of this book, Billion Year Spree) and Wingrove smartly spend most of the book before the 1960s, focusing on the twin progenitors of modern SF: the intellectual, philosophical style that came from the U.K. from writers like Wells and Huxley with the pulp, mechanistic format favored by America and championed by Gernsback.

However, and likely due to the fact that both authors here are also creators, this is not necessarily the most objective critical treatise on the field. Aldiss comes across as someone miffed by the American ascendency in a field that was born with an English authoress, in a kind of literary reflection of the change in world hegemony after the second world war. He shoots a fish in a barrel when he rightly points out that Ellison's introduction to Dangerous Visions was marketing controversy, counterpointing it with a quite understated and humble editorial by Michael Moorcock from New Worlds. But this one example doesn't mean that Moorcock wasn't himself involved in flaunting convention for attention, nor the true power behind some of the stories championed by Ellison (including some of Ellison's own writing). That is, Aldiss's obvious bias, likely stemming from where his own publications appeared, is this huge mote that sticks in the reader's eye once he hits the 1960s, and it's hard to remove it for the rest of the book. It's unfortunately, because I think he's not too far off in his analysis of many of the (at the time of writing) more recent authors, including noting that Gibson was more style than substance. (The funny thing about the latter opinion is that he had just spent the entire chapter on New Worlds praising the New Wave's addition of style to what had been a gee-whiz-gizmo literature beforehand.) Perhaps if Aldiss had confronted his bias head-on (in no section does he remind the reader that he is, himself, the Aldiss that he mentions in passing in several chapters), it might have been more palatable, or maybe I'm just used to Gardner Dozois' method of commentary that appears in the introduction to his Year's Best volumes where, once he comes to the magazine which he himself edited, he simply lists the authors there "without comment." Trouble is, for Aldiss not to comment on that section of the book would have made for a much shorter work. A conundrum indeed.

What I enjoyed most here was learning a bit more about authors whom I may have read, but didn't know as much about their history, such as H.G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, A.E. Van Vogt, and Michael Moorcock. As a voracious reader of SF in the 70s and 80s, I thought I had a fairly good grounding in the "classics," but this book revealed some of my deficiencies, albeit none that I'm necessarily interested in correcting at this late date. It did remind me of why I was attracted to science fiction in the first place, and given me an idea of what I've been finding missing in the few titles I've read recently. Finally, this is the first book that I've read in a long time that has ever tempted me to re-read novels and stories, to view them with new critical eyes having obtained a new perspective from Aldiss on them, such as Tim Powers's The Anubis Gates, Fred Pohl's Gateway, and Gene Wolfe's The Shadow of the Torturer.

A final note: I ordered this book from Mark Ziesing, whom I used to order books from regularly not to mention briefly writing a book review column for his print catalog, which he still produces. When I received this book, it had a tipped in review slip from the publisher and Mark had written on a post-it note, "Hi, Glen--I thought you'd enjoy knowing this was Damon Knight's copy." It's a silly thing, but that little bit of knowledge made me feel a part of that science fictional strand that Aldiss wrote about here.

Almost as Big as the Field it Covers.......2007-01-16

This is a considerably updated version of The Billion Year Spree, adding material covering the significant science fiction published between the time of that book's publication in 1973 and this one in 1986. The current edition also has a very short addendum that brings the book up to 2001.

The book is an attempt to be a fairly comprehensive over-view of the history of science fiction, from its roots and beginnings through the pulps to today's movies. Aldiss starts by examining what he considers to be the first real science fiction novel, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, along with its earlier progenitors which he categorizes as `scientific romances'. For this section of the book, Aldiss is quite insightful, and offers a good breakdown of the not just the main elements of Frankenstein, but some of the overriding themes and tropes that permeated the 18th and 19th century novels. Within this section he references quite a few very early works that most sf fans have probably never heard of, and makes a good case that at least some of them should be put on the completist's reading list.

Much of his commentary on later 19th century works, mainly those by Poe, Verne and Wells, continue in this excellent manner, where he often spends two or three pages breaking down the pluses and minuses of an individual work, along with giving an overall assessment of not just the state of the field, but what major themes were of prime importance to the writers of that era. In fact, this identification of the various waves of ideas, styles, and the major practitioners of the field through various points in history is perhaps the best part of this work.

However, by the time he reaches the John W. Campbell era (about 1938), the general tone and approach changes somewhat. This is partially due to the sheer size of his subject matter; rather than three or four authors and twenty or so works to cover, he was now faced with covering the explosion in published sf, with hundreds of authors and thousands of works. The closer he gets to the present, the worse this problem becomes, and unfortunately his method of dealing with it is to all too often list an author and/or work and dismiss it with a one line comment (such as his description of Spider and Jeanne Robinson's Stardance, which he writes off as a `light confection'). Worse, his analysis of some the major authors of the field, such as Asimov and Heinlein, are fractured into different sections of the book, with the divisions set by time, rather than look at each author's entire output as a whole and what contributions they have made to the field.

Aldiss also clearly has some favorites and some he thinks are dogs, but he does not do a good job of analyzing why these authors are either worthy of attention or not. Again, space limitations are part of the reason for this, but I found that especially for Heinlein, his lack of insightful analysis of his major works was a major minus, not even trying to analyze The Moon is Harsh Mistress, though that book's prose style fits perfectly with a point Aldiss is making about the `New Wave' of the sixties, and not even mentioning some of his other major works, though he did point out some flaws that typically mar some of Heinlein's writing. I felt his analysis of Samuel Delany and Roger Zelanzy to be superficial, with his assessment of these authors as `style without substance', and without any detailed look at Delany's Dhalgren or Zelazny's Amber series. He does have a long section on Frank Herbert's Dune and its sequels that is good, if somewhat lacking in figuring out precisely why Herbert's combination of some very stock SF elements works so well. And he is much kinder to Edgar Rice Burroughs than I would have been.

One item that becomes quite noticeable is Aldiss' use of long excerpts from the works he is discussing. I found that unless I was already familiar with the work in question, most of the time these excerpts were either incomprehensible due to lack of context or did little to illustrate whatever point Aldiss was making.

Aldiss is remarkably comprehensive in the authors and works he does mention, considering just how many there are, though there are a few conspicuous absences, most notably Piers Anthony. For American readers, his listing of various British authors is quite useful, as many of them have received little publication space in America, and clearly some of them deserve a wider audience. He is not quite as successful in covering the SF output of Eastern Europe, but there is still more than enough mentioned to keep your need-to-be-read list filled to overflowing.

Approach this book with caution. There is good information to be gleaned from its pages, most especially about the early days and works of sf, but you just might find your favorite author pilloried with a biting one-liner - which is probably true of just about any critical work of this scope, as it is impossible for anyone be totally objective about such a subjective thing as the relative worth of any piece of literature.

---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Classic history of science fiction.......2004-07-29

British writer Brian Aldiss is one of the most distinguished authors of SF alive, and combines his enthusiasm for the field with broad knowledge and sophisticated literary taste which causes him to champion authors often ignored by fans and casual readers and to dismiss many popular authors. His survey of the field, in this second edition of what was formerly called Billion Year Spree, is now somewhat dated, but still enormously influential. For those who like intelligent commentary by someone whose thinking is not exclusively focused on SF.

Overwritten and unnecessarily defensive.......2004-04-26

I'm a casual fan of science fiction - I know what I like and otherwise steer fairly clear of the genre to avoid the inevitable allegations of puerility and geekdom that my wife throws at me for reading novels about spaceships and little green men.

Brian Aldiss is a prolific British Sci Fi writer who cares very much about his genre, and in particular believes it to have been unfairly maligned by people such as my wife.

While that's probably true, it adversely colours this book in two ways: Firstly, Aldiss writes far too intellectually and "worthily", meaning as writer he comes across as pretentious and (what is worse) dull; secondly he tends to relegate of material which isn't "serious" science fiction (but which is generally more entertaining) to other cateogories such as "fantasy" which, to his mind, don't count. I think this is the mistake: Science Fiction at its heart is a poular, pulp sort of genre, no amount of post facto rationalisation will alter the fact that it is Lucas and Spielberg who are the backbone of (cinematic) Science Fiction, not Kubrick and Tarkovsky.

It's a very heavy (physically as well as textually), long winded book. Having completed the first three or four chapters (in which Edgar Allen Poe gets a somewhat surprisingly extended mention) I have given up on the project of reading Trillion Dollar Spree from cover to cover, and now intend to use to dip into from time to time instead. Or, at any rate, just to stick on the bookshelf, comforted in the knowledge that it's there and I *can* dip into it from time to time, if I feel like it.

Olly Buxton

Glorious Starts, Bitter Endings.......2002-06-14

This work is well worth the read especially for the literary scholar. It starts out wonderfully, exploring the origins of science fiction and gives credit where it is due to many obscure early writers, as well as writers outside of the english speaking world. However, the further one gets into the work, Mr. Aldiss becomes increasingly bitter. It becomes very apparent that the work is no longer an objective study of science fiction but an outlet for Mr. Aldiss to vent his frustrations. Authors such as Arthur C. Clarke, Asimov, Heinlien and others are mostly discounted, even though their output is vast and have served to popularize the genre. One is left with the feeling that Mr. Aldiss merely dislikes anyone who is more popular, or better selling than himself. Quite a shame since this tends to diminish his own talents in petty sniping. Mr. Aldiss is no small talent himself, many of his works are classics in the field, but in this work he comes off as a grumpy, disgruntled old man.

I would recommend the earlier work "The Billion Year Spree" which contains the brilliance of the first half of the work, without the extra helping of bile.

Average customer rating:

The choice of the speeches included is part of the value of this collection and much can be learned from who and what is chosen

A core academic and community library reference work.

The World's Great Speeches (Fourth Enlarged Edition)

Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Great American Speeches (Library of Freedom)

Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History, Updated and Expanded Edition

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Words That Shook the World: 100 Years of Unforgettable Speeches and Events

ASIN: 0486409031

Book Description

Nearly 300 speeches from nearly every historical era: Socrates, Julius Caesar, St. Francis, Martin Luther, Napoleon, Victor Hugo, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Fulton J. Sheen, Barbara Jordan, Malcolm X, Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela, Earl of Spencer, and many others offer provocative themes, historic parallels, and memorable quotations.

Customer Reviews:

The choice of the speeches included is part of the value of this collection and much can be learned from who and what is chosen.......2007-10-07

230 speakers, 278 speeches, over 800 pages taken from throughout history. Each speech has a short biographical note that precedes each speaker and offers some insight into why the speech is presented.

The introduction to the book offers a number of reasons to read this suggesting that it is a treasure house for public speakers and so on. I found it interesting to see what was picked for the specific authors.

When you list all of these mostly well-known and influential individuals in this book the very speeches chosen for the representation make a statement worth thinking about. For example was Socrates really the most eloquent in his speech when condemned to death or what overall outlook on life something that may have been overlooked in this book? Likewise Caesar for all that he did is captured only in his comments about "the treatment of Conspirators". The speeches put a label on those that made them through their inclusion and offer a unique view of history.

The book has a lot of surprises. Red Jacket's speech to the chiefs concerning the actions of the white missionaries is a pleasant surprise to find in this list. As expected you find several from Lincoln and Kennedy. Probably not expected by many would be speeches from Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini.

The book brings focus to many that we know well and to some that maybe we ought to know better.

A core academic and community library reference work........2000-02-03

This enlarged, revised edition gathers almost three hundred great speeches from nearly every historical era and nation from ancient to modern times, and makes for an outstanding volume. This edition adds fourteen important speeches delivered between 1974-97 and makes for an exciting display of messages.

"This Is the Zodiac Speaking": Into the Mind of a Serial Killer

Average customer rating:

Probably the best book about the Zodiac Killer
"This is the Zodiac speaking"
BUY THIS ZODIAC BOOK
the zodiac speaks!
Jack Redux

"This Is the Zodiac Speaking": Into the Mind of a Serial Killer
Michael D. Kelleher , and David Van Nuys
Manufacturer: Praeger Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0275973387

Book Description

California was thrown into a paralysis of fear in 1969, distraught over the unsolved murders of the Zodiac killer. The Zodiac became the most elusive and frustrating adversary ever encountered by the law enforcement community in the San Francisco Bay Area. A series of letters, allegedly written by the murderer himself and published in local newspapers, only added to the mystery and panic. Over 30 years after he exploded onto the headlines of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Zodiac serial killer remains an enigma that is unparalleled in the history of crime in America, and the case remains unsolved. Violence expert Michael Kelleher and psychologist David Van Nuys attempt to provide a glimpse into the mind of this mysterious murderer. Kelleher and Van Nuys reconstruct the crime scenes, delve into the records, and psychoanalyze the Zodiac's letters to newspapers and the law enforcement agencies. The facts of the case and the fragmentary glimpses of the Zodiac's psychodynamics that came through his letters forced the authors, reluctantly, to draw a conclusion that is sure to be controversial-namely, that the Zodiac suffered from multiple personality disorder. They also debunk many popular legends and myths about the case, laying out the limited facts that we do have on the notorious Zodiac.

Customer Reviews:

Probably the best book about the Zodiac Killer .......2007-10-09

Flowing prose and a penchant for sticking to the established facts make this book a must for anyone interested in the Zodiac. DEFINATELY read it if you think that the recent film ("Zodiac") is some type of definitive presentation of the what really happened in this truly remarkable case.

"This is the Zodiac speaking".......2004-01-29

Michael Kellehers book on the Zodiac killer is well worth the time and effort and money to obtain and read!
Having researched the Zodiac case since 1987(zodiacmurders.com) I would say his book is a crisp tight narrative that fully lays out the case with exactness as he makes the story interesting while giving the reader a multi-faceted view into all aspects of the killers mind and criminal activities.
Many have related they just 'couldn't put it down' until they read the entire book!
One correction I would like to make- while STILL focusing on this fine work-is that it says Bill Nelson wrote a book on the possible connection of the Zodiac to Charles Manson and some of his associate/s.Only a small portion of the book presents this link.The majority of the content in Nelsons (now out of print) book, is about the Manson Family.It is my book ,The Zodiac Manson Connection, that has, as its MAIN theme,a possible link to the Manson Family.
Get Kellehers book is all I can say-a must for the true crime buff and members of law enforcement!

BUY THIS ZODIAC BOOK.......2003-12-07

Look no further, this is the Zodiac book that is worth your investment of money and time. Simply excellent, both factually and as entertainment.

the zodiac speaks!.......2003-04-14

This is in my opinion slightly better than Robert Graysmith's Zodiac but it does get bogged down with the information of the analysis of the letters.However, this book discounts a few theories about the Zodiac.It denies that Zodiac was a brilliant killer. It denies that Zodiac intentionally created a Z around the city when he did his crimes, the author stating it was more a connect-the-dots connection that was weak by any stretch of the imagination.Another popular theory was that Zodiac only killed near water. This book discounts that theory too, saying that San Francisco is surrounded by water on three sides.Yet another speculation was that Zodiac was brilliant in eluding the authorities when there was evidence to the contrary. Two policemen stopped him after he killed Paul Stine, a taxi driver, and if it wasn't for a wrong description about the killer (the description was of a black man) Zodiac would have been apprehended.There is more speculation about that too, that Zodiac would not have been so easily arrested; he would have put up a fight.
I also think that the suspect in Graysmith's Zodiac Unmasked was not Zodiac because he was cleared through finger-printing. Zodiac had sloppily left two partial finger-prints on a taxi after he killed Paul Stine.
This book does more of a psychological profile than Zodiac and much of it made sense, I think the author got it right about the Zodiac.
The author, Kelleher, and David Van Nuys, Chair of the Psychology Department in a Northern Californian University, differ occasionally in their opinions about the Zodiac, but mostly agree.
Van Nuys claims that Zodiac had a multiple personality disorder, brought on from a childhood trauma. Van Nuys claims that possibly he was sexually abused and had a dominant father.He states that the normal well -adjusted personality didn't know what the Zodiac personality was doing and vice versa.
The book goes on to say that Zodiac, if he still was alive,he would be looking back on his crimes now and may have been horrified by them. Van Nuys claims that possibly the good personality might have won over the Zodiac personlity. Or possibly Zodiac had committed suicide or was dead as a result of age...if he was alive he would probably be in his mid sixties.
This book doesn't really come up with any good suspects although that has been done before with other books and failed to yield results. The suspects in Graysmith's book Zodiac, I believe were not Zodiac so this subsequent book doesn't go into suspects...I think it adds to the mystery.
****&a half.

Jack Redux.......2002-12-21

I'm still reading this, and enjoying it, but was struck by its divergence from previous theories. The other recent work on Zodiac devotes several hundred pages to a suspect which that author names as the Zodiac killer. This book mentions his name once, in a one sentence dismissal. It's getting to be like Jack the Ripper, where a new theory emerges every few years (Maybe this will be next on Patricia Cornwell's list). I don't have a favorite suspect or theory to defend, but I enjoy an articulate examination of a compelling mystery. This is one.

Health Communication: Strategies for Health Professionals (3rd Edition)

Average customer rating:

Thoughtful, complex analysis of communication behaviors
Core Collection for Nursing Libraries.

Health Communication: Strategies for Health Professionals (3rd Edition)
Peter G. Northouse , and Laurel J. Northouse
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0838536808

Book Description

Written by experienced professionals in the fields of nursing and communication, this unique text helps nurses and other health care professionals improve their personal communication style for more effective provider-patient communication. This third edition delivers up-to-date, fact-based research and theoretical information in easy-to-understand terms. New models of communication have been added as well as a new chapter on multi-cultural issues. New material on communicating across the lifespan has been integrated throughout the book. All nursing and allied health students.

Customer Reviews:

Thoughtful, complex analysis of communication behaviors.......2004-09-10

Although a very useful textbook for analyzing complex communication behaviors, this book is somewhat dense. It is rich with theory and detailed analyses, but it will not teach you how to relate better to your patients. Great book for a course, not so great if you are using it on your own.

Core Collection for Nursing Libraries........1998-01-04

Selected by Brandon and Hill (Nursing Outlook, March-April, 1996) as one of best books for small nursing and medical libraries.

Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californias, 1846-1890

Average customer rating:

Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californias, 1846-1890
Classic California - Here We Come!
it was informative but with so many names,a bit confusing

Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californias, 1846-1890
Leonard Pitt , and Ramon A. Gutierrez
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520219589

Book Description

In his enduring study of Spanish-speaking Californians--a group that includes both native-born Californians, or Californios, and immigrants from Mexico--Leonard Pitt charts one of the earliest chapters in the state's ethnic history, and, in the process, he sheds light on debates and tensions that continue to this day. In a new foreword for this edition, Ramón A. Gutiérrez discusses the shaping and reception of the book and also views this classic work in light of recent scholarship on California and ethnic history.

Customer Reviews:

Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californias, 1846-1890.......2005-09-06

Wonderful genealogical source for those with ties to the "Californios"...great reading for anyone interested in early California history as well.

Classic California - Here We Come!.......2000-12-28

Pitt's history of the decline of the Californios is an extremely important record of California's past. Few contemporary Californian's are familiar with the rugged settlers who came to this place and created a society of their own. Largely abandoned by the Spanish and then Mexican overseers, robbed by the invading Americanos, the Californios left their indelible mark upon us. their influence is subtle now, but we still live in the various "ranchos" they founded and ranched. This is a very accessible and well-written piece of scholarship. It is simple enough to qualify as a popular history, well researched enough to be taken seriously in academia.

it was informative but with so many names,a bit confusing.......1999-05-21

pitt certainly gives us a descriptive account of life in California before the gold rush and after. his referring to so many names and families did make the whole story of the people a little confusing.

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