Product Description
Based on original sources, notably the vast collection of unpublished papers in the Center for Dewey Studies, this book tells the full story of the life and times of the eminent American philosopher, pragmatist, education reformer, and man of letters. During John Dewey´s lifetime (1859-1952), he was regarded by poll after poll as one of the ten most important thinkers in American history. His philosophy, Pragmatism, has been the distinctive American philosophy during the last fifty years. His work on education is famous worldwide and is still influential today. Dewey rejected old-fashioned schooling and believed in multiculturalism and independent thinking. His University of Chicago Laboratory School (founded in 1896), still thrives today and is a model for schools all over the world. The Education of John Dewey shows the unity of Dewey´s life and work. Jay Martin recounts Dewey's childhood years, family history, religious influences, and influential friendships, and reassesses his legacy. The book highlights the importance of the women in Dewey´s life, especially his mother, wife and daughters, but also others, including the reformer Jane Addams and the novelist Anzia Yezierska. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Dewey and the Light of Experience
Martin's book has an interesting premise, that the life experience of John Dewey was his education.That makes logical sense.Martin was privy to documents from the Dewey Center that were just made available to the public.The book is full ofthought provaking information. I especially enjoyed the parts about his high school and college teaching styles. However, the author raises several unanswered questons?Why did Dewey teach high school and college classes different? What was his espistemology? Overall, the work is a good read and helped the reader gain insights into a complex philosopher.The book so inspired me that I traveled to Oil City,Pennsylvania to see if they had anything on Dewey. All they had was an historical marker where the school was, which is now a firehouse, and a file at the library. One question lingers, what happened to Dewey's dissertation on Kant? No one knows? The mystery of History.

2 1/2 Stars, Actually
It is heartening to see that this book is NOT subject to the "star inflation" that plagues much of this website![I mean, do you really think a majority of books should receive 4 or 5 stars!]."The Education of John Dewey" is a solid biography of an interesting man who played an important role in American intellectual history.However, the book just didn't grab me.Not like "Lincoln's Virtues:an Ethical Biography" for example.One note about Dewey's philosophy.I don't see what was so new about pragmatism/naturalism/progressivism or whatever you want to call it.Wasn't Dewey's emphasis on the importance of the continuing pursuit of truth just a modern version of the Socratic method????????

A pleasant read, but a substantive disappointment
Martin endeavors to write a psychological portrait of John Dewey, but falls short. Ironically, the least developed aspect of Dewey's life in this volume is that of Dewey, the psychologist. Dewey was an early member (& president) of the American Psychological Assn. His observation of the reflex arc is still a staple of introductory psychology and the social psychological concepts and models he developed with George Herbert Mead and others prefigured much of the contemporary work in social cognition. Important figures in academic clinical psychology such as George Kelly and Seymour Sarason drew heavily on Dewey's work and Sarason has remained an important champion. No mention is made that Dewey's great friend, James McKeen Catell (a recurring, but little described figure in the book), was diametrically opposed to Dewey on many important issues in psychology including the roles of inheritance and environment in the development of intelligence and the conception of intelligence, itself. Dewey's ability to remain close to people whose ideas he vigorously opposed was but one of the inspiring aspects of Dewey's character. The shortcomings of this book made me more aware than ever that a full scale biography of Dewey, the psychologist, is needed rather than another biography of Dewey the philosopher, especially a tepid, uneven one like this.

Martin, a humanities professor and a practicing psychonanalyst with an eclectic background occasionally deals with psychiatric disorder in Dewey's life (and the lives of his family members) and trots out some watered down neo-Freudian interpretations of his family life. Yet much of the time, Dewey, the man, remains elusive. Martin makes a number of preposterous claims about Dewey: he tells us that Dewey was "impoverished" for most of his professional life, although his salary was far in excess of that of an ordinary wage earner of his time and his home had servants. We also are told that Dewey was unique among 20th century leftists in his rejection of Marxism and Communism. In fact, Dewey was one of many American leftists who were opposed to Marx and Communism. American socialism probably owes more to the social gospel and non-Marxist political economists like Veblen than to Marx, Lenin, or Stalin. Martin also ignores the vigorous and polemical support Dewey gave to World War I and the strains it caused between Dewey and friends like Jane Addams. Instead, we are told that Dewey was a consistent pacifist driven by a concern that war would undermine democratic values. Remarks like these demonstrate Martin's ignorance of Dewey's life, as well as an ignorance of the social and political environment in which Dewey lived. Much of the discussion of Dewey, the philosopher, is laden with academic philosophy that is insufficiently explained for the educated layperson. Many well-educated people are not familiar with Hegel or the Vienna Circle or only dimly recall these from an introductory course. Many are drawn to Dewey because of his educational ideas or his importance in 20th century demoratic socialism, hence, it is probably not reasonable to expect that readers will automatically be drawn to the various debates within academic philosophy.

This book is an easier read than the dense, often turgid works of Robert Westbrook or Steven Rockefeller. On the other hand, the book lacks the breezy, often humorous, tone of Alan Ryan's biography. Ryan's book is a much better introduction to Dewey---witty and scholarly, yet extremely readable. Although Ryan also focuses on Dewey the philosopher, he is more knowledgable about many aspects of Dewey's life and environment than Martin. He recognizes, for example, the importance and the the deeply flawed character of G. Stanley Hall, who provided Dewey with an introduction to operationism and to developmental psychology. Ryan also points out the limitations of Dewey's sometimes wooly writing. One of the problems with reading Dewey is that Dewey, the philosopher, often requires an understanding of Dewey, the psychologist, or Dewey, the political activist, to understand many of the basic concepts that guided Dewey decades into his effort to develop a coherent worldview of pragmatism. The same problem occurs when one looks at him as psychologist, as a pedagogue or, as a political commentator/activist. He was all of these things in all his professional identities, to some extent. Despite the recent run of Dewey biographies and the renewed interest in pragmatism, there's still more to learn about Dewey. Unfortunately, only well-read afficionados will get much from Martin's book and many may be distracted by it's shortcomings.

The Education of John Dewey
Jay Martin has accomplished a monumental task in his efforts to uncover the true natures of John Dewey and his colorful life.My interest is in educational psychology and pedagogy.I admit a bit of disappointment in that Dewey's theories - - philosophical, psychological, and pedagogical - - were not explored as much as I had hoped.Nonetheless, I feel that Martin's book is a good primer for anyone who is interested in not only Dewey but, also, names such as Parker, and Tyler.The biography's deep historical basis allows readers of this and closely related materials to have a better contextual grasp how U.S. philosophical, psychological, and pedagogical theories were formulated in the late 18th and early 20th Centuries. ... Read more

Product Description
Cardinal Newman (1801-1890) was one of the most eminent and controversial figures of the nineteenth century. His conversion to the Church of Rome sparked one of the most bitter and divisive controversies of the Victorian age. His religious thought helped to lay the foundations for the second Vatican Council.

Brian Martin's sympathetic study is a critical biography of Newman that surveys his life from his brilliant Oxford career to his eventual elevation to the Cardinalate. His relations with other leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain are examined, and his major works are discussed in the context of his life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

boring
Concerning Newman's 'work' i am not able to reply very precisely except that his writings are almost completely passed over; and that is what i wished to know.On the other side, it is a beautiful book with marvelous photos. Put me to sleep. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
The first translation of a previously unknown Aztec codex and its initiatory teachings for 2012.

• Discloses the potential for great spiritual awakening offered at the end of the Aztec calendar cycle.

• Presents the only existing English-language transcription of the Aztec codex, with line-by-line commentary.

• Contains the epic poetry and metaphysical insights of Beat poet Marty Matz (1934-2001).

In 1961 an unknown Aztec codex was revealed to Beat poet and explorer Marty Matz by a Mazatec shaman in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. Originally intended for dramatic performance, this codex presents a profound metaphysical teaching describing how the end of time will bring about a visionary ascent. At the behest of his Mazatec teacher, Matz transcribed this pictorial codex into a literary form that would preserve its initiatory teachings and reveal its secret meanings to a wider audience.

Pyramid of Fire is an epic poem that provides a vehicle to transport the initiate into the higher realms of consciousness. It represents a barely surviving thread of teachings that have been passed down in secret since the time of the Spanish Conquest. Revealed are the techniques by which man is transported to the stellar realm after death via the solar energy within what the ancients called the "serpent of consciousness." Line-by-line commentary by Matz and John Major Jenkins provides insights into the perennial philosophy contained in the codex and its relevance to our times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not everyone north of the Maya is an Aztec
I suppose, as a mixed heritage Native American (meaning all of the Americas), I should have long ago gotten used to the fact that white people beginning with Columbus cannot keep their Indians straight.Tragically for my digestive system, I have not.Less tragically, but regretfully, as precontact codices interest me greatly, the problem made it impossible for me to finish this very small book.Although there were reckoned to be over 7,000 codices in the library of the Tlatoani (speaker as emperor) Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin (Montezuma the Younger), no precontact Aztec Codex has survived, though much of what is known of the Aztecs comes from the post-contact mixed work contracted by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, often called the Florentine Codex.All precontact codices are from outside the Aztec area (the three cities of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan or Tlatelolco, despite their exaction of tribute from a wide area of MesoAmerica).The Mazatecs are a Oaxacan group whose language is part of the Popolocan tongue (related in no way to the language of the Aztecs), and who are part of the magnificent cultures the Oaxacan area of Mexico which was not conquered in any way by Cortes and his numerous Indian allies as the Aztecs were in 1521.In fact, part of the area was barely conquered at all, and remains magnificently matriarchal up to today and immigrants from Europe have often learned Zapotec (a language related to Mazatec) before Spanish.As a result of this history, some religious precepts as well as gods and goddesses might be shared with the Aztecs, while others would not be shared at all.Most likely this Codex, given the reference drawings from other codices, would be Mixtec or Zapotec in origin, or be from the Mazatec themselves, something Don Daniel could have clarified.Trying to make all the indigenous peoples of Mexico into generic Maya or Aztecs leads to the worst kind of cultural conflations and assumptions.We would not claim a piece of Greek writing to be Roman, nor Turkish as Greek, nor for that matter Japanese as Chinese. Whether we believe in the historical or the mystical realities of the indigenous people of Mexico, or for that matter both, we owe them, and ourselves, cultural clarity about the history of their ancestors.In fact, we owe this to all Native Americans (I speak as a descendent of the Mississippian civilization).If we wish to celebrate Native spirituality, let's start with respect for its brilliance and complexity not try to put it all into a blender as we seek to come out with the same old same old white Quetzalcoatl, yet again.....

Interesting work not adequately rooted in the source culture
This book centers around the (possibly incomplete) translation of a supposed lost Aztec Codex called the Pyramid of Fire.In short there are too many things about this book that are incomplete and make the book seem like it's a mashup which really hurts the central truths that the text may be trying to convey.

First, codices are pictoral depictions.We have no sure pages from the Pyramid of Fire codex.The images in the book are those borrowed from other codices which are said to resemble those in this codex.There were thirteen pages of the Pyramid of Fire.There are seven drawings presented and not one of them is from this codex.Just at this point you have a tremendous problem in that the work is not rooted back to it's original conveyence which is two-fold, the pictograms and a living Mazatec codex-holder who can speak directly to the text.The lack of these two things, codex and codex-holder, ultimately unground this work from the start.

Second, Marty Matz, the poet who supposedly was befriended by a Mazatec teacher/shaman (Don Daniel), lost the 13th page of the translation he wrote down years before.John Major Jenkins supposedly listened to an old tape recording (he could barely hear) of Marty reading the codex from the 1960s.But there are facts in the written codex that were different from what Marty had spoken such as 675 vs 468 years regarding Tonalpolhualli at the end of page 5 of the codex.Another unfinished aspect is the included novella that Marty was writing about the codex abruptly ends after the first chapter.You inevitably start getting the impression that this book is having a hard time conveying complete information.It's like the codex was beginning to fade away and Don Daniel, Marty, and JMJs efforts barely rescued it from oblivion.That's at least the best case impression you could have.

Third, apart from Marty's supposed original contact with Don Daniel there is no evidence that either Marty or JMJ attempted to contact or in any other way verify the themes in this codex with any current living Mazatec personage.This lack of verification is very troubling and leads to the near complete unhinging of this codex from the culture that produced it.This is why this review is titled Cultural 'Lifting'.

Forth, JMJ proceeds to apply his own observations and insights into the text.Although he is versed in cross-cultural spiritual studies, his attempt to compare, fit, and lift the Pyramid of Fire to other spiritual systems is what ultimately breaks the presentation of the codex away from it's roots into an ascribed perennial philosophy.This attempted comparison includes the works of Gurdjieff, Taoism, the Kaballah, and even references to oracular use of Majong.The lack of pictograms or personage cause the text to be interpreted, or lifted, based on JMJs own experiences and biases.Regardless of JMJs good intentions, or breadth of knowledge, this type of presentation quickly distances the text from it's original culture and meanings.

To be clear it is certainly evident that various spiritual traditions are all attempting to explain the divine ground of being.Different spiritual paths are like different facets of a diamond conveying different aspects of the one truth.But lacking a strong infusion from original Mazatec sources (and especially the pictograms of the original codex) the book dilutes the original meaning of the text by attempting to make connections to other systems that are by no means certain. There is not sense of polish or completeness in this book.

These points have lead me to the conclusion that the codex, if authentic, has been lifted and unhinged from it's cultural roots and presented in a way that does great injustice to it.There are too many pieces that were incomplete, missing (where are the pictograms?), or supposed to make this book a fitting conveyence for the codex.

For the lack of cultural rooting and especially for the lack of the pictograms (which does seriously weaken it's authenticity) two stars is the rating for this book.The text itself may be authentic.At least it does embody principles that seem likely for the cultures in this region.The core codex text itself gets three to four stars.

If you do not know much about Meso-American spirituality nor are studied very widely in world spiritualism then there may be enough here to justify reading this book.Just keep in mind you are getting alot more other stuff than Aztec information. But ultimately the shortcomings in the material around the codex and the deflections into analogues in other belief systems and the lack of apparent verification from any living Mazatec teachers are factors which cannot escape careful examination.If the codex survived almost 500 years to reach Marty is it very likey that such an important text would still have a Mazatec lineage holder on the planet.

To JMJs credit he did emphasize the direct experience of reading, even aloud, the Pyramid of Fire text.Had this book taken more of a counselling approach to this goal and to be more poetic it would have been more effective.It could have spent more time giving the reader hints on how to harmonize with this work.It could have encouraged the direct mystical experience rather than an attempted scholarly approach.The book should have given examples from Mazatec culture on how to get into the core of the text based on how the Mazatec do things.Without this key to embodied resonance with the text this work is definately a head-piece rather than a heart-piece.My largest concerns are not with the core truth of the Pyramid Fire text but with the wrappings around it.

JMJ has looked at the subject of the Maya and 2012 in much detail.His material is worth reading keeping in mind that because of the breadth of the subjects you really do have to stay awake and not just accept everything at face value.

I hope that someone will take another try at this text and really spend time attempting to recover the original pictograms if they still exist and to spend time trying to verify the text with living Mazatec teachers.I salute the Mazatec people and all other peoples who have been carriers for the authentic wisdom of humanity through the ages.To honor the ancient ones we need to ensure that their voice, not ours, is central when presenting their wisdom.

Hamsa

Pyramind of fire
Since I dabbled in mind altering drugs in the 60's and 70's I could understand the words and thoughts of Jenkins.Since I first heard of 2012 in Graham Handcocks "Fingerprints of the Gods" I have sought out books on the subject.I have narrowed my reading to the Central American and Hindu trane of thought.I like Jenkins so much I purchased Maya Cosmogenesis 2012.Both should be read by all.

DiaGnosis: A very important document
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Beat generation poet Marty Matz explored remote areas of Mexico and learned to speak the Mazatec language. He gained the trust of a Mazatec shaman, who showed him an unknown codex, and also explained to him the meaning behind the pictograms. Marty made a translation and recited it in the poetry clubs of San Francisco. The final page got lost over the years, but John Major Jenkins located a recording of one of Marty's recitals and reconstructed the whole translation.

All other codices that have survived have been interpreted solely by non-indigenous scholars, with the exception of the Popul vuh of the Maya, which was written into a word form from what was originally a pictorial document. This means that the Pyramid of Fire is a unique insight into the philosophy of the Aztecs, which turns out to be fascinating. The true meaning of sacrifice, for example, is simply a transcending of the ego - a self-sacrifice. The metaphorical pictures were misunderstood and resulted in the gory mass sacrifices of prisoners for which the Aztecs later became famous. In fact, the Aztec philosophy turns out to be very similar to that which was known to G.I. Gurdjieff, following his travels across the near East and Asia.

The Pyramid of Fire reveals that the Aztecs had a spiritual technology similar to the Kundalini yoga of the Hindus, in which Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, is shown to be an identical concept. Though some have suggested this in the past, they lacked the evidence - now we have it.

The last page of the codex reveals that the final New Fire ceremony will bring a fire of purification that will burn away the remains of mortal desires and illusions, that will be the end of obscurity - the obscurity imposed by Tezcatlipoca - the Smoking Mirror, or obsidian mirror. This is a very similar concept to the end-time vision of St. Paul "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face" (1 Cor 13 v.12) or alternatively, "through a glass darkly". Since Jenkins has already reconstructed the meaning of the New Fire ceremony as a tradition for tracking precession (see Maya Cosmogenesis 2012), and that it was adapted at Chichen Itza (the pyramid of Kukulcan) to correlate with the Mayan end-date of 2012, then it seems that the Quetzalcoatl-Kukulcan-Kundalini teachings are to help prepare mankind for the current time-window earmarked by 2012, when we are due to confront The Other.

Hidden wisdom of Aztec codex
John Major Jenkins is best known for his facinating work on the Mayan calendar, such as 'Maya Cosmogenesis 2012' and 'Galactic Alignment'. In this book, he explores the Aztec culture, and in particular an unknown codex discovered by his co-author friend Marty Matz, a 'beat poet' of the 1950's generation. In the book Jenkins provides a complete listing of the 13 page codex, along with his own commentary on its meaning. In addition, there is an autobiographical novella written by Marty, which reminded me of the writings of Carlos Castaneda. Jenkins is convinced of the authenticity of the codex and its part in the 'perennial philosophy'.

I was particularly intrigued by the parallels of the writings of the codex with those of other esoteric sources, particularly the writings of George Gurdjieff, Gnostic, Hermetic. Kabbalah, Hebrew and Christian scripture. Jenkins seems to have a profound grasp of the esoteric meaning behind the writings of the Mayan, Aztec and other Meso-America cultures and their part in the perennial philosophy of the ages. Jenkins is a gifted writer and scholar and I recommend this book wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Product Description
In the 1960s, John Wesleyís works were labeled Pop art. While some would protest, it's true that his distinctive, comics-inspired lines, his American themes and his enigmatic eroticism had a striking influence on both Pop and a younger generation. This retrospective covers 45 years of stylistically consistent work, from before Pop to after it, including some 100 drawings and gouaches from Wesleyís own studio and from private collections, organized in a first attempt to shed light on this wide-ranging oeuvre in terms of the processes by which it came into being, and to analyze the incongruous profundity of the results. Wesley's paintings, although they refer to downmarket aesthetics and mundane American life, nonetheless have an exceptionally meditative, even spiritual effect: they wrest from the ordinary all the big themes that have played in occidental figurative painting, including passion, love, hate, greed, failure, malice, self-importance and dreams, as well as an entirely contemporary ambiguity and humor. With essays by Martin Hentschel and Martha Schwender. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (9)

Better than Ann's
Glatt's book is much more unbiased reporting and factual than Ann's. And,less filler and repetition than Ann's. This is the first of his works that I have read, and it makes me want to read others

Fairly good read
As far as true crime goes, this was pretty compelling. Glatt has done his research and presented the story well. Language is a bit cliched, e.g "... before long they were involved in a passionate love affair." I thought it was deceptive that the back cover boasted "8 pages of alarming photos," but these consisted of several closeups of the doctor, the house they lived in, his brother's wedding picture, and the high school he attended. What's with that?

The Dentist's Wife to be exact!
I already read Ann Rule's book on the same exact case. Why does the media do the same cases? lately, it's been about spouses murdering each other. I don't care much for this book because it already is the same stuff but different author. Rule's hundreds of pages paints a clearer portrait of Bart Corbin's psychology as well as those around him. She also wrote much more about Jennifer and Dolly Hearn as well. The two women who loved Bart at one time. Bart's first love, Dolly Hearn, supposedly died by suicide from gunshot. Years later, Dolly's death would be declared homicide with Dr. Bart Corbin as the prime and only suspect. Dolly was an aspiring dentist who would have become Dr. Dolly Hearn if she had lived. Jennifer Corbin married Bart and was the beloved, doting mother of Dalton and Dillon Corbin, two young sons, who would discover their murdered mother's dead body in the bedroom. Jennifer was carrying online with a supposed male named Chris who turned out to be a female bisexual living in the midwest. She had last spoken to her before her death. There was never any evidence that the two women met each other but they shared similar sob stories of unhappiness. Bart couldn't let Jennifer nor Dolly go so he had them killed in similar fashion. Unfortunately, Glatt offers nothing more than what Ann Rule already wrote in her book. I recommend when Ann Rule writes about one case, other crime writers should look elsewhere. There are too many cooks in the kitchen about the same case. This story was shown on 48 Hours and Court TV probably Dateline too. There is too much of the same stuff on the same crimes anyway. Jennifer was cremated while Dolly was buried at Rest Heaven Cemetery in Washington, Georgia. Jennifer's family was pretty forgiving regarding the Anita Hearn situation. Anita pretended to be Christopher who met Jennifer on the internet. They had an internet romance and they never met in life but they became good friends when Jennifer needed someone. I thought the emails in the book were pretty revealing but I didn't read into it too much because Jennifer needed an escape from an unhappy marriage.

Glatt's Book Rules
Having read both John Glatt's and Ann Rule's books, I was truthfully surprised to find that I much preferred Glatt's version.

I found it to be more brutally honest, less biased, and much more compelling a read. He also goes into much more depth in many areas than Ann Rule did.

Rule's reputation may be excellent, but I feel her earlier works such as "Small Sacrifices" and "Every Breath You Take" are in a different league than her more recent.

Give this book a shot and you might find yourself surprised. (btw- the typos were not that glaringly obvious) Can't wait to read John Glatt's next book!

Let's Compare
I recently read Ann Rule's, Too Late To Say Goodbye, and now John Glatt's book, The Doctor's Wife.John Glatt told the same story in a quicker version without all the niceties.Even though he did not have access to the Barber/Tierney or Hearn families, it did not make his book any less compelling. He did have access to Edwina, Bart Corbin's sister-in-law who told her version of events, which to my untrained eye where a bit more disturbing.The Corbin family is culpable in many ways and it is clear they can not come to grip with their responsibilities.When your son, brother, or brother-in-law is involved with two women who have died by the same means, somewhere you have to start asking yourself some very hard questions about this individual versus going on blind faith.John Glatt answered one question that Ann Rule did not.Why? (The answer is disturbing in its simplicity causing the reader to want more of an interview with Bart Corbin which neither book covered.)

In John Glatt's book you will note he didn't play favorites in the retelling of events.He gave the ugly details where Ann chose to wash over them. Although her interviews with the families are interesting, heartbreaking, and very touching, I found her writing to be biased which is not what I expect from a true crime author.I am very fond of Ann Rule books but feel her latest account of this tragedy was not her best work and would recommend John Glatt's book over Ann's.

I will agree 100% with the review comments of S. McQueen regarding the book cover.I had the very comments regarding the front and back cover so I will not bore you making repeat statements, but will lead you to her review.In short, I felt the front and back cover was very poorly done to include the many typos within.Still, all-in-all a good read but with many questions left unanswered by both authors.
... Read more

Product Description
Jack London is a powerful witness to the politicalupheavals of the twentieth century and their terrifyingcontradictions. By turns impoverished laborer, renegade adventurer,war correspondent in Mexico, dedicated socialist, and writer ofenormous worldwide popularity, London dramatized his ideas aboutmodern societies through incidents of adventure, romance, and brutalviolence. "The Iron Heel," an astonishing political fantasy,anticipates a United States dominated by a capitalist police state andripped apart by urban warfare. Personal experiences lie behind "ThePeople of the Abyss," which vividly re-creates the slums of EastLondon, and the exhilarating camaraderie of hobo gangs roaming acrossAmerica in "The Road." "John Barleycorn" describes in harrowing termsLondon's struggles with alcoholism, while the intenselyautobiographical novel "Martin Eden" foreshadows his own death at ageforty. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great American writing
This volume contains some of London's best writing, especially his fictional autobiography Martin Eden, which has given inspiration (and a little despair) to generations of amateur writers.This kind of concise, visceral prose would not be seen again until Hemingway came along in the 1920's.Although the times and conditions he writes about in these pages has changed, the concepts are still relevant today: the division between rich and poor is ever widening, a society based on competition favors that wealthy and connected, those with wealth and power are not always the most intelligent or enlightened people, the evils of drinking and a society who often measures manliness in one's ability to consume large ammounts of alcohol.The book is wonderfully bound, and a real bargin here on Amazon.com.A great addition to any personal library.

The Socialist's Jack London
This Library of America edition contains some of the less well known works of Jack London.Many are autobigraphical in nature, others fictional self-portraitures,and all written in a very socialist bent.In these writing, Jack London clearly has a bone to pick with American Capitalism and the upper classes, no doubt from personal grudges stemming from his background and his struggle for success.

In "The People of the Abyss", Jack London goes undercover in the Whitechapel district of London, more than a decade after Jack the Ripper, to vividly describe the social degredation of the inhabitants of the East End.One can see a heavy influence of H.G. Wells in this lengthy essay that seems to be illustrating in non-fictional narrative the degeneration of the worker into the Morlock as described in Well's "Time Machine".

"The Road"is a quite interesting autobiographical narrative of Jack's life as a Hobo, while "John Barleycorn" is a non-fictional account of London's life using alcohol as a theme. The depressing "Martin Eden" is a quasi-fictional autobiography of London's struggles to become a successfull writer.

"The Iron Heel" is a novel of the future set in Berkeley. It bears resemblance to theme and style of Edward Bellamy's "Looking Backward" and is filled with Socialist drivel a la Berkeley.The climax, set in Chicago during massive riots of the proletariat, is a reworking of scenes from Well's "War of the Worlds."

While there is much of historic interest in these works, which is what attracted me to them since I am a resident of the S.F. Bay where much of these works take place, unless you are a student of London, you will probably find much of the socialist commentary and biographical repition a bit tiresome. Moreover, Jack London can be extremely depressing.I would not advise, for example,reading "Martin Eden" when you are already a sour frame of mind ... Read more

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Funny and gentle, John Candy was loved by millions of movie fans for playing ture-to-life characters. Whether as the irrepressible bon vivant in Splash, the misunderstood slob in Uncle Buck, or the generous lonely salesman in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, John Candy struck a perfect balance between self-deprecating humor and irresistible, emotional warmth. But behind the scenes, beneath the booming laughter, award-winning journalist Martin Knelman paints a compassionate portrait of john Candy--a man blessed by comic genius and goodness of heart who was ultimately an sadly undermined by self-doubt and misguided ambition.
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Customer Reviews (10)

life of john candy
this book is what it is and the only thing is that have time to read it from cover to cover.

as good as it could be
Actually, the author interviewed me for this book, as John and I were close friends. If it is found lacking in depth, it is only because John's actor friends closed ranks and very few would speak to Mr. Knelman about him, probably for fear of potential yellow journalism. In Toronto, Mr. Knelman is presently Arts critic for The Toronto Star and has an excellent reputation. At the time of writing, Mr. Knelman wrote for The Globe and Mail, Canada's most respected newspaper. Perhaps if more people had been aware of this, much more, insightful commentary could have been written. Mr. Knelman quoted me exactly and did not attempt to spin anything I said to him. It's really an indictment on journalism that so few trusted the author enough to grant interviews. Perhaps the definitive biography is yet to be written. I hope that Mr. Knelman revisit this project and update it some time. This book, under the circumstances, was as good as it could be and I am proud to be part of it. Jonathan O'Mara, Toront

A disappointment
This book seems to be the only one I can find having to do withJohn Candy, so I can't abandon it completely until something better comes along.

I'll save the book from a one-star rating because it is mildly enjoyable to learn about the life of the man, but the faults of the book outweigh its merits.

For instance, the author likes to annoy with his insistence on getting his fill of being a movie critic and putting down virtually every film/tv show John Candy appeared in, with the exception of "SCTV" and "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles." Instead of giving us insight into the making of the films, he seems to have more fun telling the reader how bad they are, and his opinion of the acting of the rest of the cast. There is nothing here for movie purists; as mentions of life on the set are limited to phrases of how everybody loved John and so forth. Good for reminiscing, but not for reading.

Second, the author is too heavyhanded in parts. While Candy's childhood is hardly referenced, nor is his family life; long-winded anecdotes about his business dealings with Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall, former owner of the LA Kings (NHL) occupy much of the book. Those familiar with Candy's films and not his early television work will feel shut-out at the beginning, as it is obvious the author is partial to the latter rather than the former. There is a frustrating lack of balance to the flow of story, particularly at the end. It seems as if the author wearied of writing about Candy and finished rather quickly, as the conclusion of the book felt stale and hollow. Scant sentences after passages on Candy's death go by, and the book has come to an end. Disappointing when it took so long to finish the introduction.

To further infuriate, the quotes taken from personal friends and fellow actors seem to have been lifted heavily from magazines and other sources, rather than anything from the author's own sweat and blood. Although put together in a satisfactory fashion, one cannot help but wish for deeper commentary and juicier gossip than this book only touches on. For all its talk about "deep, hidden sadness," this book fails to deliver on anything "deep."

An OK Biography
All in all, I thought this was a pretty decent book.Even though the author doesn't speak much of John Candy's childhood, there is a lot about how he rose to becoming a star.The only things that I don't like in this book are:
1. The author always spells words like "Honor" and "Favorite" like this: Honour; Favourite.

2. The author acts like too much of a critic.He seems to have something against John Hughes and kind of makes him out to be a bad movie maker.He makes certain films like Ferris Beuler's Day Off and Uncle Buck seem like bad movies.He also says something like the Great Outdoors is a ripoff of National Lampoons Vacation.But the only thing those two films have in common is that they involve a family on a vacation and everything goes wrong, and that John Candy appeared in both of them.

Other than that, this book was alright.

A fascinating book
I really liked this book and in fact, couldn't put it down.I read it in one sitting.Martin Knelman did an excellent job in documenting what was really a very sad story.I grew up in Toronto and was a fan of John Candy, watching his career from the earliest days of SCTV.I found this book to be a very accurate and an interesting historical review of the Canadian TV and media industry.Candy clearly made an amazing number of poor career choices but was also taken advantage of by many people in the show business industry which is unfortunate.This book would make a good movie. ... Read more

Product Description
Greg DeVillers was a top biotech executive, and Kristen Rossum was embarking on a career in toxicology at the San Diego Medical Examiner's office. They seemed to be happily married, living the American dream. But only months shy of their second anniversary, Kristen found her handsome husband dead from a drug overdose-his corpse sprinkled with rose petals. By his side was their wedding photo. The scene was reminiscent of American Beauty, one of Kristen's favorite movies. Authorities deemed it a suicide.

Until they discovered that the rare poison found in Greg's body was the same poison missing from Kristen's office. Until they discovered the truth about Kristen's lurid affair, about her own long-time drug addiction, and about the personal and professional secrets she would kill to keep hidden-secrets that would ultimately expose the beautiful blonde as the deadly beauty she really was...a Deadly American Beauty
... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

What lies beneath?
This book was compelling and well written. The author, John Glatt is able to dig into Kristin's past and did his research, although she is still a hard person to understand.Most of the book centers on the killer; Kristin Rossum and we do learn a lot about her. Kristin's husband, Gregory deVillers (the victim) seemed like a very kind and compassionate human being. I would have liked if they had told more specific stories about him so we could have got to know him better. The author tells this case in a very matter of fact way. Some may not appreciate this.I have read some crime cases where the murderer is either looked at in an all negative light (understandably so) or very sympathetic light. The author refrains from this, and it is much appreciated. It is what it is. You get to draw your own conclusions. which aren't as pretty and Kristin's looks.
Kristin Rossum was a daughter of privilege and blessed with a loving family.
Obviously, there is something missing in her makeup for it to have come to this. Russom seems to be spoiled by her circumstances and does not take failure well. She is very immature emotionally to an almost preteen fantasy mindset.I do not sympathize with her. She seems to be as self destructive and self centered as she is brilliant, and drugs were her undoing. When all is said and done the question remains WHY?She has made her own terrible choices and now must live with them. Unfortunately, Greg's terrible choice was allowing this woman into his life and his compassion led to his demise.
A engrossing read but a sad story, indeed.

Manipulator
More than the story, I purchased this book because I am a fan of true crime writer John Glatt's other work.With some of the circumstances of the story, the book had the potential to be as good as any murder mystery.Yet the flow of the book makes evident that there was not enough to make this a really good read.

"Deadly American Beauty" tells the story of Kristin Rossum and the murder she committed by poisoning her husband Greg de Villers.First, readers will know that Kristin is very attractive.Readers will know this because the author keeps repeating it even though we know a person can not be too attractive with skin abcesses all over her face from cystal meth usage.Her husband Greg, who helped he clean up her life, was found dead in a situation that was too surreal for even a Hollywood writer.This leads to suspicions by Greg's family that would reveal a love triangle and evidence that almost too clearly leads to Kristin.

Perhaps what bothered me most in this story is that somebody with a history of drug problems could be allowed to work in the the medical examiner's office with easy access to confiscated drugs.Kristin's rise in the workplace had dubious links to Greg's demise.

I enjoy reading Glatt's work, but this is not one of his better efforts.As other reviewers have noted, there is a lot of repitition in the storytelling.While the story is compelling, the repitition can be frustrating and makes the story seem thin.

Best I've read for awhile.
This was really the best book I've read for awhile. Great detail. It like yiou're there seeing things happen. Not too much focus on one thing to the point of that it got boring.

Okay, but nothing fantastic
I will admit, I am not one to read true crime books, so I maybe off the mark in this review, but overall I was not too happy with this book.I never felt like I really knew the people (they almost seemed stiff or cardboardy, for a lack of a better word) and the author seemed to repeat a lot of information, in an effort to make it a longer book, I guess.I think he could have cut out much of the repeats and cut the length down quite a bit.

I also question the phrase "almost perfect murder" because honestly, Kristin was so hyped up on meth when she killed her husband, she wasn't thinking straight at all.To buy the rose at Vons with a debit card instead of cash, and then also use her Vons store discount card to boot, was nothing short of completely retarded.Her stories varied by the moment, and she freely admitted to lying.This was supposed to be the great master mind behind the "almost perfect murder"?Maybe she was smart when she wasn't high, but that didn't seem to happen very often.

If you're a huge fan of true crime books, and can't find anything else to read, you can pick this one up at the library, but otherwise I'd say skip it and spend your time reading something interesting.This author seems very interested in hype and sensationalism, and not much else.

Deadly woman
This is by no means a great book, but the story is so riveting it more than makes up for the mediocre writing skills of John Glatt. Kristin Rossum seemed to have it all: beauty, brains, a good job, a loving husband. That she chose to throw it all away by because of a drug addiction and an ill-fated affair (where is Michael Robertson these days, by the way? I hope he's in jail too) is mind-boggling to me and, I'm sure, to her family. Even though it's clear to me that Rossum indeed killed Greg and there's nothing in the world that could ever justify that, I was surprised to found myself feeling sorry for the beautiful young woman who ruined so many lives, including her own. ... Read more

Product Description
For a moment he paused on the threshold, looking at the structure in the centre of the floor. He wondered vaguely how they were getting on with it. Mighty long job, building a thing like that. It hadn't looked any different for months, as far as he could see ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

a weak and very dated piece of forgotten science fiction...
'Stowaway to Mars' is an early work of John ('Day of the Triffids') Wyndham, written way back in the 1930s.The book was obviously a dud when it was first published since it was not released in the USA until the 1970s after John Wyndham finally found some success.And the book has not been reprinted in the USA since then either.So I was hoping this lack of attention was unfair and I had bumped into a hidden gem when I found this book at a used bookstore.Wrong.Very wrong.

Well as you can guess from the title, this book is about an adventure to Mars where a female stowaway "with a secret" creates a bit of havoc amongst the all-male crew.While the technology aspects of the story are incredibly dated I found the build up of sending the rocket to Mars to be rather entertaining.However the story degrades rather quickly when they actually land on Mars.The author fails to develop the situation, with the result being a very amateurish effort at describing Martian terrain and life.I was just glad the pain didn't last long since the book is very short.


Bottom line: a rather poor read I'm afraid.John Wyndham wrote much better stuff later in his career.

Life on Mars - From Earth
"Stowaway To Mars" is one of John Wyndham's early science fiction efforts, written years before he got his big break with "The Day of the Triffids". This futuristic story is set in the far-off year1981, when a ship called the Gloria Mundi carries the first people to Mars.A young woman has sneaked aboard the ship, and tells the crew of what toexpect when they touch down on Mars.

This novel can be compared to H.G.Wells' "First Men in the Moon". Both stories have been provedinaccurate by that bubble burster called Reality. But this doesn't matter.The imagination of such stories is what really counts. This book is thebeginning of one man's distinguished career.

1930s science fiction
Written by a young, pre-Triffids Wyndham under the name John Beynon, this is a less well developed effort that nonetheless shows his talent. The plot is standard, with an attractive female stowaway joining an all-male crew ona race to be the first nation to land on Mars, but it's graced withoriginal details and intelligent epithets such as "Mind is the controlof brain by memory," and the fast-paced plot keeps you reading. Themost interesting elements are the Martian landscape, the rusty berserkMartian robots, and the sad remains of the Martian people whose cities arelike a series of empty rooms. When the story turns into a space romance,you understand why the stowaway had to be female. Wyndham always wrote witha sure hand, and that was no less true of this early effort than of hislater, better novels. ... Read more

Product Description
This new edition of the best-selling job-hunting book of all time should be your essential companion if you are looking for a job. Dealing with the whole process, from creating an outstanding CV and answering the most dreaded interview questions to negotiating a salary, it is suitable for job-seekers at any stage of their career. "Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions" is full of examples of tough questions that interviewers like to throw at you, showing you how to answer them in a way that will advance your application and help you to secure your dream job. It also offers advice on exploiting the hidden job market, using headhunters, networking, succeeding in telephone interviews, dressing for success, body language, securing a job offer, following up rejections and dealing with multiple offers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Interviewee's Best Friend
If you are interviewing for jobs, be sure to make this book one of your best friends.This, together with "What Color is Your Parachute" is a juggernaut of information designed to empower you to get that job.The first step to getting that job once you get your foot in the door is surviving the interview.

Yate, like Bolles, is a genius at honing in on strategies that increase one's chance of getting hired.He takes a list of possible interview questions and provides good verbiage and a rationale for how one answers.He also includes a section on appropriate attire; good hygiene; nonverbal body language and what to do and what not to do during interviews.

His books along with Richard Bolles' "What Color is Your Parchute" are the books that have helped me every single time I have changed jobs.Hats off to this book!Be sure to read "What Color is Your Parachute" as the ideal companion book to this one. ... Read more

Product Description
With artful composition and controlled framing--but no digital manipulation--Edgar Martins creates sublimely beautiful views of often unbeautiful sites. Minimalist nighttime beaches, forests ravaged by fires and Iceland's stark terrain have all served as subjects for his large-scale color photographs. He also explores the unexpected impact of Modernism on the landscape, including startlingly graphic airport runways and colorful highway barriers that, at first glance, read like abstract murals. Certain themes recur throughout Martins' work. A sense of place and alienation from it. A sense of mystery-vividly embodied in scenes such as a woman with a bouquet of balloons on a deserted shore. And a sense that something unsettling has just happened or is about to happen--a fire, an accident, a close encounter with some unspecified danger. As John Beardsley notes, "Some images are what we habitually expect photography to be--evidence of the world as we think we know it--while others obscure their subjects through an illusionism that borders on magic." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beautiful images of an ugly lie.
I'll quote the Product description here, in case it gets changed later, as has happened on numerous web pages including the publisher's:
---------
Product Description
With artful composition and controlled framing--but no digital manipulation--Edgar Martins creates sublimely beautiful views of often un-beautiful sites.
---------

***"No digital manipulation."*** This is how the project was sold to the publisher, and how Martins sold his prints for thousands of dollars. He lied and was caught. Now he's trying to backpedal, and like a child who has fallen and says "I meant to do that!" he is making his lie sound like a grand artistic experiment. Don't fall for it.

No matter how beautiful the images, they represent an ugly lie perpetrated on the very people who supported him. You can easily find the info about this with a simple Google search.

I have nothing against manipulation of images for the sake of art, but lying about it, and indeed building your reputation (and print prices!) on your purist stance, while it's been a lie all along, is shameful and immoral. Martins should return his advance, and the publisher should offer refunds.

Edgar Martins is a fraud
Edgar Martins claims to not digitally alter photos, then does just that. And now he's been caught (do a search on New York Times and Edgar Martins). While his work may look nice here, he has absolutely no integrity for the rest of the photographic community. It's fine to alter photos, be he needs to state he does upfront -- not claim the exact opposite of the truth.

Fine book of great photographer
This is a gorgeous book and represents Edgar Martins work well.. In addition the text and interviews are informative. I liked my copy so much that I bought another copy as a present to my brother. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, either way it's intense
Short stories can be a guilty pleasure, like a satisfying snack for the imagination they can contain a lot of flavor in very little space. This collection was decent and I didn't feel guilty skipping the stories that weren't up my alley since I didn't like all of them , some were too heavy and clunky, even too modern and not enticing enough, but skipping around turned out to be a stress free option. I got this book from the library, but some stories were good enough that I would get the book if I ever ran across it.

Best story that set the mood was the well chosen first tale "Embrace of the serpent" by Tim Waggoner, which fit the book cover and the theme.It had a heavy dose of fantasy with the feel of a bright painting but I would have loved to read a whole novel dedicated to the topic, that's when you know the short story is good, when you get so engaged you wish there was more.When the meat of the tale is better than the variety of the "new" that awaits next (which is the real kicker for getting a short story collection to start with!) you know it's a good read. I also enjoyed "Climb said the crow" by Brooks Peck, which was extremely vivid, almost cartoon like yet strangely satisfying. "Slow poison" by Tanya Huff made me very hungry, that's one thing that strikes me about it, the food described and then ways it was used ( which was a surprise) made it for such a different read that it has stuck itself in my memory like a piece of sweet caramel on a tooth. I didn't enjoy the modern stories too much, considering how everyone has different taste it's probably best that the book has variety, I just didn't think that few that were chosen meshed well, in my mind it created gaps in the perfect setting, I like holes in cheese but they don't really provide anything other than a novelty, same for a few tales. Overall a nice ready, something that can be read in one day or slowly savored.

-Kasia S.

Solid anthology, with several awesome gems
These stories are all set where evil may not actually win, but it's where "good" is clearly not ascendant, and people struggle to live in a wicked, wicked world.

The stories are all good (or better), with enough variety in their approach to the theme to keep it from being repetitive.(Even when Nazis show up more than once, the stories are quite distinct in tone, mood, and outcome.)The stories range from the supernatural to the utterly naturalistic, all while keeping the same tone.

While all the stories are good, there are several that are exceptional.Tim Waggoner's "To Embrace the Serpent" is chilling and utterly believable.Gregory Benford's "Iraqi Heat" is an excellent character portrayal.Tanya Huff's "Slow Poison" had me grimly smiling along with the cook, and Michelle West's "The Weapon" somehow packs a novel's worth of story into an intense short story.

very very good read
This book really got me back into reading. (I have been spending waaaay to much time staring at my computer screen.) Its intelligent, thought provoking and even has a good amount of action. There is alot of [...] in the fantasy/scifi section of my local barnes and nobles, and I am so glad I found this book in the midst of all the cliche novels and drab story collections. Its wonderful. My favorite story is "Red star Prophesy". All the stories are so different, its amazing how many talented authors can come up with stories so vastly unique when posed with the same idea. Awesome book!

Consistently Solid Themed Anthology
Themed anthologies can be tricky:sometimes they wander off topic or off mood; sometimes the quality of the writing varies noticeably from story to story.In the Shadow of Evil does a good job of maintaining topic, mood, and quality from cover to cover.The topic, is, of course, a bit depressing (stories set where evil has triumphed over good) and the tone is, accordingly, somewhat melancholy, but the quality and the originality of the material in undeniable.Goodness even manages to triumph from time to time in the stories.In "To Embrace the Serpent," Tim Waggoner deals with the grim choices a parent has raising a child under the spectre of evil; in "Few of Us," Jean Rabe relates an amusing action tale that shows that perspective can be key in labeling the forces of darkness and light; in "The Angel Chamber," Russell Davis demonstrates that innocence and hope can remain alive under the worst circumstances; in "Ineffable," Isaac Szpindel shows that evil begets evil; in "Flint and Iron," Rick Hautala reminds us that evil can and will be resisted; in "Peel," Julie E. Czerneda demonstrates the power of thought; in "Comes Forth," Jane Lindskold embraces the power of prophecy to keep hope alive; in "Climb, Said the Crow," Brooks Peck tells the tale of one man's quest to be free for just a few moments and the consequences that can flow from that simple yearning; in "Red Star Prophecy," Mickey Zucker Reichert teaches us not to condemn a man until you understand his mind and the details of his circumstances; in "Rekindling the Light," Jody Lynn Nye sings a song of light hidden, but never extinguished; in "Iraqi Heat," Gregory Benford reveals that even nature understands evil; in "Slow Poison," Tanya Huff proves that an army lives on its stomach; in "The Weapon," Michelle West demonstrates that evil is learned, but that wisdom and justice can be brought forthinstead; and in "The Captain of the Dead," Fiona Patton sets forth a haunting tale that teaches that some choices must not be made.Altogether a fine and compelling anthology.Highly recommended.Donald J. Bingle, Author of Forced Conversion.

No happily ever after here...
Once again, Martin Greenberg and DAW produces a devilishly masterful anthology, this one centered around stories that captures traditional stories at the beginning or the middle, the time that evil has absolute control. The heroes have been beaten, and live in the shadows.

A complete listing of the stories follows:
*** The Embrace of the Serpent by Tim Waggoner, *** Few of Us by Jean Rabe, *** The Angel Chamber by Russell Davis, *** Ineffable by Issac Szpindel, *** Flint and Iron by Rick Hautala, *** Reel by Julie E. Czerneda, ***Comes Forth by Jane Lindskold, *** Climb, Said the Crow by Brooks Peck, *** Red Star Prophecy by Mickey Zucker Reichert, *** Rekindling the Light by Jody Lynn Nye, *** Iraqi Heat by Gregory Benford, Slow Poison by Tayna Huff, The Weapon by Michelle West, and The Captain of the Dead by Fiona Patton.

Most of the stories have a melancholy note, which is to be expected given the circumstances. Some of the stories take place in our own history, some take place in fantasy realms. The only reason I gave this story 4 stars instead of 5 is several stories have a very unfinished feel about them, and a few of the stories are just poorly written. But only a few clinkers with the rest of the stories being as strong and fierce as they are makes this anthology well worth the price.

Highly recommended!
... Read more

Product Description
Malachi Martin was a confidant of Pope John the 23rd, and he witnessed the tragic events that followed the second Vatican council. He understood what happened, and the problems Catholics face. Every Protestant should listen to his words because the spiritual forces he describes are working within the hierarchy of the Protestant Church today. Malachi Martin delivers 4 powerful one hour interviews that will unlock the secrets of the Vatican today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

As Long As Fr. Martin's Voice Can Be Heard - There Is Hope
This 4 Audio CD compilation - "The Wisdom of Malachi Martin" from Radio Liberty stands, for me, as among the very best the late Fr. Malachi Martin had to give; with astonishing courage, truth, wit and grit. What makes this presentation so special is that the interviewers do not necessarily share the Catholic Faith but are willing to be brave for the sake of freedom, truth, and the preservation of Christianity today as well as America itself (along with the rest of the world) as pitted against those in the spiritual and earth realms who seek to destroy. I realize this might to sound to many as really over-the-top stuff. But for those who have read Fr. Malachi Martin's scholarly and widely popular novels such as "Windswept House," "The Keys of This Blood" as well as books that have since followed in this tradition like Kathleen Keating's "Torn Sky" and "Project Jerusalem" (all available on Amazon.com at great prices) - go for it. A stellar collection here you will not only appreciate listening to again and again; but you might even want to take notes as I did. ... Read more

Product Description
Renaissance Venice is generally portrayed as a city of harmony and consensus.This book offers a sharply different view by highlighting the history of religious dissent in thisearly modern city. Drawing on sixteenth-century records from archives of the Roman Inquisition,John Jeffries Martin reconstructs the social and cultural worlds of the Venetian heretics—thosemen and women who articulated their hopes for religious and political reform. Among them wereEvangelists, Protestants, Anabaptists, Antitrinitarians, and Millenarians, whose ideologies rangedfrom moderate to radical. The protagonists included men and women from all social classes; butartisans, above all those in the elite crafts, proved especially likely to give their support to thenew reform ideas. Martin's analysis, which explores the interconnections of religious beliefs andsocial experience, offers new perspectives on the Italian Reformation and demonstrateswidespread persistent popular support for this reform of church and society well after theestablishment of the Roman Inquisition in the 1540s. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Surprising Story
In Venice's Hidden Enemies, Martin attempts "to offer a new characterization of the heresies of sixteenth-century Italy" (8).He defines "heretic" as anyone whose ideals of reform placed him or her at odds with the Roman curia and/or the Venetian state.Since religion was a public and civic affair, religious disputation involved both Rome and Venice's republican government.Martin investigates three currents of reform in sixteenth-century Venice:Evangelism, which had the same fundamental tenets as Calvinism; Anabaptism, which was rationalistic and had a tendency to deny the divinity of Christ; and Millenarianism, which Martin has difficulty distinguishing from Anabaptism.

Martin gives these heretics the epitaph "hidden" for two reasons.First, they had to hide from the Roman church and the Venetian state.Second, because of their necessary secrecy, they remained hidden from the historian.Martin tries to bring this group out of the shadows and to enhance our understanding of the religious complexities of sixteenth-century Europe.For the most part, he succeeds.I confess that before reading Venice's Hidden Enemies, I had little understanding of the religious debates taking place in northern Italy.Martin presents a religious climate richer in complexity than is often admitted.Traditionally, the focus on Protestantism is on the lands where Protestants succeeded or where religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics became particularly bloody.Venice can claim neither distinction.In spite of this, Martin highlights the reality of reformation thinking in Italy, an area I had always assumed maintained its Catholicism without incident.However, it is difficult to evaluate Martin's speculations regarding the pervasiveness of these reform currents in Venetian society.Martin admits that the evidence is relatively slim, claiming that the heretics hid themselves well.Is the evidence Martin cites representative of a larger population?It is equally plausible that they did not hide well; rather, Venice merely contained very few heretics.

Another caveat is that Martin seems to equate evangelism with humanism.This emphasis is wholly at odds with the picture of humanism presented in Martines's Power and Imagination.Is either picture more representative of Italian humanism, or are they both just aspects of a much more complex ideology?The more I read about sixteenth-century humanism, the more I am convinced that the word lacks a viable definition.Scholars seem to apply the label humanism to whomever they deem the "good guys" to be--convenient, but hardly explanatory.

I found the subject matter of Venice's Hidden Enemies interesting and thought provoking, but Martin's execution was a bit amateurish.Occasionally, he digresses into long explanations of background material which he ties back into the argument with something akin to a "this was important for the heretics."Of course the background material is necessary, but Martin should tell the reader why it is necessary and integrate it into his argument.He frequently lets too many pages go by without mentioning the "hidden enemies."Additionally, he used the example of Antonio da Bologna on pp. 65 and 90.I assume that this repetition of the same story was an editorial oversight, but I think it may indicate Martin's working from a slim number of sources.Otherwise, this book is a welcome gap filler in Italian Renaissance scholarship.

pretty good
This book did a wonderful job of capturing the circumstances surrounding specific incidents of herecy in Venice during the renaissance. I found that it gave a less clear picture of the overall heretical situation. The book also followed no clear timeline. I found it a bit hard to piece together because of that. I also found some arguments to rely on the way time was manipulated in the book. Overall I thought it was very interesting and fairly informative. ... Read more

Product Description
The culmination of a lifetime of scholarship, The Annotated Alice is a landmark event in the rich history of Lewis Carroll and cause to celebrate the remarkable career of Martin Gardner. For over half a century, Martin Gardner has established himself as one of the world's leading authorities on Lewis Carroll. His Annotated Alice, first published in 1960, has over half a million copies in print around the world and is highly sought after by families and scholars alike--for it was Gardner who first decoded the wordplay and the many mathematical riddles that lie embedded in Carroll's two classic stories: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Forty years after this groundbreaking publication, Norton is proud to publish the Definitive Edition of The Annotated Alice, a work that combines the notes of Gardner's 1960 edition with his 1990 update, More Annotated Alice, as well as additional new discoveries and updates drawn from Gardner's encyclopedic knowledge of the texts. Illustrated with John Tenniel's classic and beloved art--along with many recently discovered Tenniel pencil sketches--The Annotated Alice will be Gardner's most beautiful and enduring tribute to Carroll's masterpieces yet. Celebrating his eighty-fifth birthday in the fall of 1999, the redoubtable Gardner has been called by Douglas Hofstadter "one of the great intellects produced in this country in this century." With The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition, we have this remarkable scholar's crowning achievement.Amazon.com Review
"What is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversations!"

Readers who share Alice's taste in books will be more than satisfied withThe Annotated Alice, a volume that includes not only pictures andconversations, but a thorough gloss on the text as well. There may be some,like G.K. Chesterton, who abhor the notion of putting Lewis Carroll'smasterpiece under a microscope and analyzing it within an inch of itswhimsical life. But as Martin Gardner points out in his introduction, somuch of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass iscomposed of private jokes and details of Victorian manners and mores thatmodern audiences are not likely to catch. Yes, Alice can be enjoyedon its own merits, but The Annotated Alice appeals to thenosy parker in all of us. Thus we learn, for example, that the source ofthe mouse's tale may have been Alfred Lord Tennyson who "once toldCarroll that he had dreamed a lengthy poem about fairies, which began withvery long lines, then the lines got shorter and shorter until the poemended with fifty or sixty lines of two syllables each."And that, contraryto popular belief, the Mad Hatter character was not a parodyof then Prime Minister Gladstone, but rather was based on an Oxfordfurniture dealer named Theophilus Carter.

Gardner's annotations run the gamut from the factual and historical to thespeculative and are, in their own way, quite as fascinating as the textthey refer to. Occasionally, he even comments on himself, as when he quotesa fellow annotator of Alice, James Kincaid: "The historical contextdoes not call for a gloss but the passage provides an opportunity to pointout the ambivalence that may attend the central figure and her desire togrow up." And then follows with a charming riposte: "I thank Mr. Kincaid forsupporting my own rambling."There's a lot of information in themargins (indeed, the page is pretty evenly divided between Carroll's textand Gardner's), but the ramblings turn out to be well worth the time. Sohand over your old copy of Lewis Carroll's classic to the kids--thisAlice in Wonderland is intended entirely for adults. --AlixWilber ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

Alice in Wonderland - Annoitated
This is a magnificent hardback book, with annotations by Martin Gardner of Scientific American. A great gift, too.

A book for the fans
This book is great because it includes both books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found there. I liked the second book more than the first because in my opinion it had more meaning. Anyone who is a fan of Alice would value this great book. The illustrations are awesome, it has a few but great quality.

Totally beautiful
the book is beautiful, from the paste to the sheets, the way martin added every anottation.
totally love it

Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner
I had known about Gardner's "Annotated Alice" for years but only just purchased my copy.I am pleased that I waited.Aside from the enlarged number of annotations in this most text by Gardner, there are now three "Introductory/Forwards" by Gardner which add greatly to the enjoyment of this Edition. Gardner died earlier this year, so this will be the last update by him. A true Collector's Edition, and well priced, for one of the great books of the 19th Century for adults and children alike.A "must" addition to any serious library.

Julian Peabody

Annotated Alice: the definitive edition
I was looking for book of Alice in wonderland that included the original drawings, This does and make for an interesting read with the notes on each pages. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Ten Babies. Eight Murders. One Woman to Blame: Their Mother
In March of 1949, a healthy baby boy named Richard Noe entered this world. Thirty-one days later, he left it -- found dead in his parents' bedroom in a working-class Philadelphia neighborhood. Over the next nineteen years, all nine of Marie and Arthur Noe's other children would die -- one stillborn, one in the hospital, and the other seven of unexplained causes--none lived longer than fifteen months.

Gaining national sympathy for their unbelievabloe bad luck, the Noes were deemed victims of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). But as the years went on, may people found their SIDS defence a hard pill to swallow -- after all, SIDS is not a hereditary condition. As investigators proved, they found that in each case, the child had died while home alone with Marie Noe.

Finally, in 1999 -- fifty years after her first child died -- septuagenarian Maried Noe pled guilty to killing eight of her ten dead children. Today, she remains at home on probation helping psychiatric experts understand what is perhaps one of the most disturbing and baffling mysteries of all: how and why a mother could kill her own children. In this riveting true crime account, author John Glatt goes behind the headlines and into the heart of this fascinating case to reveal the shocking answers.
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Customer Reviews (9)

Mommy Kills 8 of 10 Children, Walks Away with Light Sentence
The reviewers here have covered the emotion evoked by CRADLE OF DEATH very well; that is, Marie Noe got away with murdering eight of her ten children.(And the death total by Marie would have been, undoubtedly, the full 10 if nature had not beaten her to the punch).

This emotion provoking tale of a mother who kills her children one by one over a span of 18 years will leave its readers baffled, frustrated and angry with the justice system AND her seemily dimwitted husband, Arthur, who proclaims his wife's innocence.

This is a must read for any true crime fan.It is a quick read, yet very well written.You won't be able to put it down!

A Compulsion to Kill!
Defying all medical, moral, and psychological classification, Marie Noe stands alone as the most prolific baby killer in history.Suffocating 8 of her 10 children, most of whom did not live past a few months in age, Noe seemed compelled to kill her babies.Although neighbors and physicians began to grow suspicious of these unexplained baby deaths, medical autopsies revealed nothing, leaving police investigators helpless to pursue the matter.

1n the 1960's, with the medical description and explanation of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Marie Noe was afforded sympathy and fame as the most bereaved mother ever.Never ones to turn away the media, Marie Noe and her strangely protective husband, Arthur, were only too willing to discuss their dead children.Often memorable to both reporters and medical staff alike as displaying bizarre affect and little real emotion, the Noes continued to defend themselves against the increasing community suspicion that a mother might be killing her babies.

With the Noe babies, a 30 year "cold case" finally came to fruition when it was revealed that another murderous mother, Waneta Hoyt, had murdered 5 of her infant children... including two that were part of the initial study in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.With Hoyt's admission of guilt, the theory that SIDS was a genetic killer was destroyed, and Marie Noe's innocence along with it.

In a bizarre dismissal of acceptable legal standards, Marie Noe was allowed to walk out of the police station after confessing to multiple murders.Outrageous!Eventually pleading guilty to premeditated murder in a court of law, Noe was sentenced to HOUSE ARREST for a period of 5 years, followed by lifetime community supervision.True, Noe is not a risk to society at large, but the sentence seems severely lacking with regard to legal and moral standards of justice.

While reading this book, I was particularly baffled by Marie Noe's husband, Arthur Noe.Denying that he was ever suspicious of his wife, Noe turned a blind eye to the circumstances of the deaths of his children and ignored that his wife was the ONLY person present when all the babies stopped breathing.In fact, Noe continued to defend his wife even after she confessed, recanted, and reconfessed to suffocating 8 of their children.Strangely dependent upon one another and dancing a symbiotic waltz of denial, the Noes remain together, prisoners in their own home.As the author, John Glatt, so eloquently states:"Now, as long as they live, Marie and Arthur Noe will be locked together in a desperate co-dependency with its own warped rules of survival.Marie can never dare admit the she killed the children to Arthur, who in turn can never accuse her."

With a solid reporting of family history and childhood traumas for both Marie and Arthur Noe, CRADLE OF DEATH is a good and easy read for a rainy afternoon!

Lack of intelligence...
I felt that the author wanted you to believe that these murders happened because the mother was uneducated, maybe mentally slow, and was possibly abused.Many people have endured much more with much less and they don't become serial killers.The husband is just as responsible for these babies death as the mother is.He could have put a stop to it, by preventing them from having more.The punishment is a slap in the face for those babies.They were never given a chance, because she snuffed the life out of each one of them before them could defend themselves.Her life should have ended just the same.It breaks my heart to think about all those good people out there that cannot have children, but would make excellent parents.And here is someone that took advantage of her gift and just threw it away like an pair of shoes.

Marie Noe should be in prison!
I don't think I'm alone when I say that Marie Noe got away with a mother's most unthinkable crime, killing 8 of her 10 children without anybody ever detecting something the matter with this sick woman. Of course, there is some strange sympathy for mothers who kill their children. Marie's case is no exception. She is living with a slap on the wrist while her eight children are buried. I feel sympathetic toward her husband because I can't imagine how he handled Marie's crimes. There were signs all along and suspicions but nothing until it was way too late. Marie is living not in a prison but at home. I can't imagine a crime murder more disturbing than a mother killing her children. The book does give an explanation as to why she probably did it. There are no easy explanations because Marie Noe is a very ill person and that's probably why her husband stays with her.

Cradle of Death OR AND THEN THERE WERE NONE!
Cradle of Death is a chrilling account of the murder of 8 babies by one of the most notorious serial killers in the history of our country.Marie Noe is to Philadephia as Mary Beth Tinning is to the Capital District of New York State.Both women bring shame to the concept of mother.Mary Beth is serving prison time for her crimes; Marie Noe should be doing the same.
I also feel that Marie's husband and Mary Beth's are guilty of crime by STUPIDITY.How could either man witness death after death and not begin to question WHY it keeps happening?I know that SIDS happens, but repeatedly, over and over!
I commend the medical profession and law enforcement agencies in New York State for bring Mary Beth Tinning to justice.She moved from doctor to doctor and hospital to hospital to avoid being apprehended.Fortunately her reign of infanticide was uncovered and brought to a screeching halt.It is unfortunate that Marie Noe's reign of terror was allowed to continue, resulting in the death of 8 innocent babies.After being arrested and charged with her crimes, Marie was sentenced to house arrest.Marie will life out the remainder of herlife imprisoned in her own home.That's a harsh sentence! ... Read more

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Investigates the potential for increasing cogeneration by wheeling power through an interconnected utility to another utility or industrial plant. DLC: Interconnected electric utility systems - U.S. ... Read more