Playwriting: The Structure of Action, Revised and Expanded Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)As a 30-year playwright and a 20-year playwriting instructor, I can recommend Smiley's text for those interested in the philosophy of script construction, but do not suggest it as a "how-to" book. Smiley is poetic, romantic, and writes well, yet assumes the reader already understands basic structure. Not for everyone.

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This practical guide provides the principles of dramatic writing. Playwrights and screenwriters will discover these essential principles and acquire the tools to put them to use. Sam Smiley incorporates extensive new material in Playwriting: The Structure of Action, a revised edition of the book that dramatists in theatre and film have relied on for more than twenty-five years. No writer, director, critic, or teacher concerned with dramatic writing should be without this intelligent and inspiring guide.Sam Smiley offers insights derived from a lifetime of writing, teaching, and consulting. While preserving the best of the earlier edition of the book, he offers new discussion on contemporary playwrights (Tony Kushner and Tom Stoppard), on copyright law, on new writing approaches, and on nontraditional dramatic forms.Reaching far beyond simplistic how-to instructions, the book focuses on identifying and explaining principles essential to creating dramas: plot, character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle. Smiley explains these classic topics and provides the modern keys for realizing each element in effective dramatic scripts.

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Casting Revealed: A Guide for Film Directors Review

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(More customer reviews)Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, and Sam Worthington, all relatively unknowns, were cast as three of the principals in "Avatar". Although it was a foregone conclusion that the film would do well at the box office by virtue of James Cameron's track record, few predicted it would break the record of "Titanic" becoming the most commercially successful film in history. I attribute this financial ride to interstellar space directly to Cameron's focus on casting. Like any other filmmaker, Cameron had to struggle--in this case, with the studio--to get just the right actors to portray the story's human drama and character arcs. No amount of technical artistry and visual beauty could replace the story's human foundation. The principle applies universally--how a story of any scale is cast can and does make the difference between success (both artistic and commercial) and failure.
How to get the right actors into a story's roles is the subject of "CASTING REVEALED: A Guide for Film Directors" which reveals and benefits from Hester Schell's lifetime of experience in an impressive variety of jobs in the worlds of theatrical and on-camera production--acting, directing, producing, writing, teaching, coaching, and, of course, casting. "CASTING REVEALED: A Guide for Film Directors" provides crucial, must-have information for producers, directors, and casting directors on the process of casting for on-camera productions--with a focus on films. Walking the reader through each and every aspect of the casting process, Schell provides a cornucopia of tips and tricks to support the reader in doing a thoroughly professional job as efficiently as possible.
In the book's introductory pages Schell makes a strong, incontrovertible case for the vital role casting plays in the production of an excellent film. Media production is intrinsically multi-dimensional. Every facet must be approached with total commitment. Drop one facet--equipment, poor logistics, unqualified crew, etc., etc., etc.--and what could be a winning work of art fails to live up to its potential, or fails to live. Writing for both the experienced and novice filmmaker, Schell flashes a bright yellow warning light if we are cavalier about casting our projects. Given a tight focus on casting, a film's acting will do justice to the story. "Great acting is transformative," Schell writes, "it is the action, guts, and backbone of your story. When you have the right actor in the right role, your entire film will take off."
When asked why she wrote "CASTING REVEALED: A Guide for Film Directors," reflecting on her own experience as an actor, Hester spoke with great passion, "I wrote this book because directors really need help, they need guidance. Casting is a skill set that hasn't been put out there to the directing public because we [directors] put so much trust in casting directors for making decisions. Over the decades, as an actor, I know that I have been denied the opportunity to audition for a role that I thought I was right for because my agent didn't submit me because she or he didn't think I was right for the role; or, the casting director didn't pass me on to the call-back process. So, the middle-men and women in the industry are eliminating choices from the directors. I want to empower directors to really get in there, work with the actors, understand how the acting process works so that THEY can make better choices, and make sure that everybody in every role is 110% exactly what they want in every role."By virtue of her experience and accomplishments, Hester Schell simply cannot write a book about casting without including fundamental information about many other aspects of production--especially pre-production. Readers, therefore, benefit greatly from not only her highly detailed, comprehensive information about the casting process, but also critical information about other aspects of production. "CASTING REVEALED: A Guide for Film Directors" contains a few `special features'--a Glossary of Common Film Terms, a humorous "The Parts of Speech", and a Bibliography and Resources section.


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From union paperwork to posting effective audition announcements and insider know-how, to effectively launching the most important factor in pre-production: Casting. From step-by-step guidelines on running casting sessions, to tracking down agents who represent who you want to cast, this book is a complete guide to getting the best actors on board.

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Don't Get above Your Raisin': Country Music and the Southern Working Class (Music in American Life) Review

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(More customer reviews)Mr. Malone, whose long and distinguished career has secured him a place as the world's foremost country music historian, has once again hit one straight out of the park. Rich with both remarkable detail and cogent analysis, the book is a tresure for anyone who cares about country/bluegrass, roots music, or the general American experience. Truly an outstanding work.

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The Cheap Bastard's Guide to Las Vegas: Secrets of Living the Good Life--For Less Review

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(More customer reviews)The cover says "secrets of living the good life for less". This is a list of businesses with their addresses and phone numbers. There are no secrets. Her tip for getting a good price on hotel rooms is "before you go, set aside an hour and call 15 or 20 casinos". Seriously?
For free entertainment in Las Vegas she includes computer classes at one of the local Libraries.
This book was in the trash less than an hour after receiving it. I am now dumber for reading it, she receives no points and may god have mercy on her soul.

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Living big-for less-in Sin City Living big in Sin City takes just the sort of big bucks that fewer and fewer folks have at their disposal these days, right? Think again. Las Vegas is full of free and ridiculously cheap stuff-one just needs to know where to look. Leave it to "The Cheap Bastard" to uncover all the ins and outs and exclusive bargains to be had, and to set forth the real deal with wit and humor. The Cheap Bastard's Guide to Las Vegas contains hundreds of ideas for living on the cheap without sacrificing necessities or luxuries. It shows:• How to gain free entrance to plays, films, concerts, and museums• Where to find free classes in anything from yoga to sailing• Where to find half-price meals and free, filling, scrumptious food• How to get a discount haircut, color treatment, manicure, or massage• When and where to find great furnishings in other people's trashWith The Cheap Bastard's Guide to Las Vegas, anyone-from students and recent graduates to frugal businesspeople, not to mention the country's millions of recession-weary annual visitors-can enjoy the good life . . . for less!

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Explorer's Guide Michigan's Upper Peninsula: A Great Destination (Explorer's Great Destinations) Review

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(More customer reviews)I saw the two-star review on here and had to write a review of my own. I would hate to have travelers miss out on a great book because of one poor review.
First of all, the format. Having actually bought and used the book while traveling for two weeks across the UP, all I can say is that the format is nothing but helpful.
(Unfortunately, shoppers can't see reviews of the series this book is a part of on this page. If they could, they would see how others have responded to the same format: 4 and 5 stars, unanimously, across dozens of books. The format rocks.)
The author of this guide clearly knows her stuff, and we were consistently thankful when she led us to hidden waterfalls and hikes, shared interesting history, and introduced us to some of the best dining we've found in the UP (seriously, I can't eat Italian at home anymore).
The material is organized by region (four of them) and then by category (dining, lodging, etc.). We'd get to a town, look up a place to eat and a place to stay, settle in and then look up stuff to do. It was like having our own personal tour guide. Even when relaxing for the evening or driving, the intro sections gave us a lot of great information and helped pave the way for the next place we were going.
Perhaps none of this is evident looking through the "Look Inside" feature, or even when you get it from the library and flip through the pages at your kitchen table. All I can say is I am thankful having it in the car when we are up north.

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"Consistently rated the best guides to the regions covered...Readable, tasteful, appealingly designed. Strong on dining, lodging, and history."—National Geographic Traveler
Michigan's Upper Peninsula takes visitors through and around the Great Lakes which dominate this great land—to sleepy lakeside villages, bustling beach towns, and the least visited (and possibly most beautiful) national park in the country.Distinctive for their accuracy, simplicity, and conversational tone, the diverse travel guides in our Great Destinations series meet the conflicting demands of the modern traveler. They're packed full of up-to-date information to help plan the perfect gateway. And they're compact and light enough to come along for the ride. A tool you'll turn to before, during, and after your trip, these guides include these helpful features:
Chapters on lodging, dining, transportation, history, shopping, recreation and more!
A section packed with practical information, such as lists of banks, hospitals, post offices, laundromats, numbers for police, fire, and rescue, and other relevant information
Maps of regions and locales
Black-and-white photographs and maps

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Scott Fitzgerald Review

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(More customer reviews)Andrew Turnbull's well-written biography brings F. Scott Fitzgerald to life. While the book is well researched and organized, ultimately it is Turnbull's wonderful language that makes this book shine. He carefully and lyrically describes, not just people's physical characteristics, but also their personalities and personal energy. And Turnbull focuses his book's attention on his subjects' most lively and engaging interactions, quoting letters and discussions at length only when they are truly fascinating. Turnbull, who knew Fitzgerald personally and considered him a friend, obviously loved the subject of this book - and that love helped to bring its subject to life. It helps, of course, that Fitzgerald led a wild, legendary existence.
The best I can do, to give a sense of this book, I think, is to quote a few passages, half-randomly, directly from Turnbull's prose:
In describing Fitzgerald's school headmaster: "He was almost pure albino with thin flaxen hair, white eyebrows and lashes, and pink watery eyes that jiggled behind thick lenses. His soft bulk, his round face with a button nose surmounting several rolls of chin -anyone could see that Fay liked to eat" (Turnbull 1962, 39).
In describing Fitzgerald's final years: "Now was the time of hospitals, nurses, night sweats, sedatives, and despair. Fitzgerald seemed to be slipping back into the morass of 1935-6. Half-crazed with worry and isolation, he was also blocked in his work and 'a writer not writing,' he once remarked, 'is practically a maniac within himself'" (Turnbull 1962, 298).
In describing Zelda, Fitzgerald's wife: "Zelda, too, was acting strangely. With her angry sidelong glances and barbed remarks there was something crouching and inimical in her posture. She was a wily antagonist who lay in wait for you conversationally and gave compliments that turned out to be brickbats. 'Did you ever see a woman's face with so many fine, large teeth in it?' she might say of some one she didn't like - after which she would retreat into herself. But the Murphy's remained fond of her and she of them" (Turnbull 1962, 165-166) . . . "Her willfulness had modulated into a bizarre petishness. Out with a group of friends, she would suddenly want fresh strawberries or watercress sandwiches and make everyone thoroughly uncomfortable until she got them" (Turnbull 1962, 177).


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Revealing and unusual, Scott Fitzgerald follows the fascinating life of one of America's most enduring authors, from his early years in St. Paul and at Princeton to New York in the twenties, the French Riviera, Baltimore, and finally Hollywood. Andrew Turnbull tells the story behind F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise, revised and finally published when he was twenty-four, making him instantly famous, and his tender love affair with Zelda Sayre, from their glittering early life to the years Zelda spent in and out of sanatoriums. A literary generation, too, comes alive, including Ernest Hemingway, Edmund Wilson, the Murphys, and Edith Wharton. Fitzgerald lived on Turnbull's family estate in Baltimore in the early 1930s and there befriended young Andrew, then age eleven. Turnbull's personal relationship with Fitzgerald and the hundreds of interviews with those who knew him elegantly capture the dramatic, tragic story of F. Scott and the glow and pathos of his flamboyant life.

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Fodor's Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque, 2nd Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)Fodor's "Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque" is one of their best guidebooks. I used it extensively while planning a recent trip to New Mexico, and the information and opinions within it were generally right on the money. While I refered to it for planning my lodging during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, it really proved its worth during an extended road trip to Santa Fe and Los Alamos.
The advice was always cogent, and practical tips were very helpful, especially when it came to getting oriented on Santa Fe's notoriously confusing streets. Thanks to the book's recommendation, I made reservations at The Bishop's Lodge, a captivating and beautiful historical property founded by Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy 150 years ago. I appreciated the guide's putting the property in historical context, and was delighted at the off-the-beaten-path tip. Likewise, the guide's emphasis on the important art scene in Santa Fe led me to numerous galleries and shops; all the things that it recommended for someone of my interests were well-covered and accurate. Various other advice either on its own or as part of the great "A Good Walk" features, was useful, particularly regarding restaurants, shops, and the area around the Santa Fe Plaza, including the La Fonda Hotel (with it's wonderful lobby and shops,) the beautiful St. Francis Cathedral (with its truly beautiful stained glass of many different styles,) and the quaint Loretto Chapel (with it's unusual staircase and interesting gift shop.)
Although I didn't go to Taos during this trip, I did go to Los Alamos, which was well-covered and is prettier than I expected. There are many things to do in this small town, but the museums related to the atomic bomb development that occurred there are most captivating. The Los Alamos Historical Museum was especially interesting (and it's free!) and deserves more detail in the book along with the adjacent Fuller Lodge. The museum is located on "Bathtub Row" and even though the guide doesn't recommend it, it's interesting to take the museum's walking tour down Bathtub Row. At the intersection of Bathtub Row and Peach Street sits J. Robert Oppenheimer's former home (it's private property,) and returning to the museum you pass ancient Puebloan structures that date back hundreds of years. The book is correct in noting this incongruity of ancient and atomic cultures juxtaposed in such a small space. Use caution when visiting the larger and newer Bradbury Science Museum, as the museum has some unusual operating hours, which are correctly listed in this guide.
This is a very well done travel guide, and I made extensive use of it both planning my trip to New Mexico, and actually traveling the area. My primary interests were balloons, the artistic scene in Santa Fe, and historical sites and museums. For those purposes this guide served me well; others will have different interests of course, but I am confident that regardless of your interests, if you are going to New Mexico this book will prove invaluable to you, too.

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Fodor's. For Choice Travel Experiences.Fodor's helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. Although you're at the helm, Fodor's offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It's like having a friend in Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque!•Updated frequently, Fodor's Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.•Fodor's Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.•If it's not worth your time, it's not in this book. Fodor's discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor's Choice designations, ensure that you'll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque.Experience the cities like a local! Fodor's Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque includes choices for every traveler, from exploring ancient pueblos and watching tribal dances to llama trekking in the mountains and riding horses through pueblo backcountry, and much more! •Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include "Top Reasons to Go," "Word of Mouth" advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.

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Pagan Babies Review

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(More customer reviews)Elmore Leonard just keeps going and going and going. I guess he never runs out of insane situations to write about, quirky protagonists, nefarious bad guys and quick-witted not-quite-so-bad guys, conniving (or totally innocent - - but rarely) beautiful women, stellar dialogue, twisted plots...
I dunno, but I'll read anything he writes cuz I know I'm going to be royally entertained.
Pagan Babies concerns Terry, a guy on the lam from the IRS, who hies himself off to Rwanda to stay with his priest/uncle, and while there he witnesses the genocide. Leonard downplays the grisly, horrific details of this, but we can tell it has changed Terry in some fundamental way. When his uncle dies, he sort of assumes the priest alb and carries on in his stead for something like 5 yrs, hearing confessions, giving penance, and occasionally even saying Mass.
He comes back to the states, still playing the priest, and meets up with Debbie Dewey, the usual lovely you'll find in Leonard's books, only this one just got out of jail for assaulting her ex with a Ford Escort and wants to be a stand-up comic focusing on prison humor. Hello? I mean, you can't make this stuff up! But Elmore Leonard does.
They team up to pull of a scam, and things of course go awry - and that's all I'm going to tell you.
Read it. It's a hoot.


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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dating, 3rd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Dr. Kuriansky, host of the LovePhones radio program, definitely seems to know what she's talking about! Lots of great tips about modern dating practices, things to steer clear of, advice on common problems people have with their significant others, how to recognize when someone's interested in you, how to guage how the relationship is going, understanding love, etc. My favorite section is entitled, "Nice Guys Don't Have to Finish Last." There's even a whole chapter on "The Art of Flirting."
She has good advice for both girls and guys. Buy it!

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Dating never gets easier. Here's time-tested advice for everyone from first-daters to those who have been around the block, including: € A new look at dating in the age of reality TV shows like "The Bachelorette", "Joe Millionaire", and "Mr. Personality" € Two new chapters: "Diversity in Dating" and "Money Matters"-the subjects Dr. Judy is asked about the most on her radio show € Additional tips on using the Internet to meet new people With her popular call-in radio show, "LovePhones", Dr. Judy is on the front lines of the dating game and knows just what advice today's singles need to get into the game-and win the love of their lives.

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Andy Kaufman Revealed: Best Friend Tells All Review

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(More customer reviews)One thing Zmuda's book does that "Man on the Moon" did not is outline the M.O. for Andy's stunts, although it still doesn't really establish a reason for them. Of course, maybe there wasn't one. Andy tried to erase the boundary between comedy on the screen and comedy in the field, but whether or not there was a point to his efforts isn't completely decided in this book -- he still could have just been an idiot savant for all we know. The stories behind Andy's best-known antics are wonderful; he and Zmuda really did operate a precise machine of real-life theatre that, for better or worse, set a lot of precedents in show business. The Jerry Lawlor passage puts to rest one of the entertainment questions I've been wracking myself about for many years.
I also liked Zmuda's chapter on his adventures with Mr. X (btw, Mr. X is allegedly Norman Wexler, who wrote "Serpico" and "Saturday Night Fever," according to Roger Ebert); if it doesn't obviously show the inspiration for Tony Clifton, it's still a great story. But I also agree with many other readers that Zmuda intrudes a bit too much of his own biography upon the story of Kaufman's, and succumbs to cliches, and sometimes embarassing details, about his own sex/love lives too much for my taste.
I haven't read the other bio on Kaufman yet, but I suspect that seeing "Man on the Moon" and reading this book might provide you with a good summary of Kaufman's life and importance. Of course, what's really needed is a comprehensive video release of his television history -- a great idea would be a compilation of his appearances on "Saturday Night Live" and "Fridays" if such a deal could be worked out. Not a bad reference, and definitely an entertaining and quick, if flawed, read.

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Teach Yourself Be a Great Stand-Up Review

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(More customer reviews)The majority of stand-up comedy guides are like the bad stand-up comics who write them: repetitive, self-conscious, and vague. Not so with Logan Murray, who quickly and clearly explains the structure of effective jokes and how to link a series of them into a workable routine. The bulk of this book (about 120 pages of it) is devoted solely to joke writing and idea-generating exercises. The remaining sections cover performance advice, comedy history, and the business side. Read the entirety of this book and skim one of Judy Carter's books for additional information on structure and you should be able to write an act.

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Mr. Cheap's Seattle (Mr.Cheap's Travel) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book has saved me hundreds of dollars, starting with a computer program that I bought for $500 less than its list price. I find it indispensible for locating cheap sources for almost anything I want to buy, as well as good places to resell household items I no longer need. My only caveat is that since it's now 3 years old, I'd call first to make sure the business you want to visit hasn't closed. I'm waiting eagerly for the next edition!

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The bestselling Mr. Cheap's series continues with Mr. Cheap's Seattle. For anyone looking for the best local bargains in entertainment, food, lodging, and shopping, Mr. Cheap's provides the most complete, most up-to-date information available.

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Steven Spielberg: A Biography, Second Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I've now read about five or six biographies of Steven Spielberg and all vary in depth and quality. However Joseph McBride book can only be described as THE most in-depth account of Spielberg's fascinating life. You simply won't read a more well-researched account of Spielberg's life unless the great man writes his autobiography. Don't be put off by the fact that Spielberg didn't co-operate with this book, virtually everyone else did including, most surprisingly, his father. A terrific read from start to finish.

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You Can't Say That: The Growing Threat to Civil Liberties from Antidiscrimination Laws Review

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(More customer reviews)Early in life my parents taught me the childhood ditty "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me" in order to inculcate into me the realization that my belief in myself was more important than what anyone else thought about me. After all, America was a "free country", and an essential element of that freedom was encompassed by the freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment to our Constitution, the document which together with the Declaration of Independence outlined the political philosophy of the founders of our country. However, as David Bernstein shows in this marvelous new book, increasingly over the past few decades intolerant activist zealots have managed to "impose their moralistic views on all Americans". And one fascinating aspect of this trend which he discusses is the "psychological endowment effect", that by promoting monetary remedies and subsidizing feelings of outrage over alleged injustices, we have reinforced the probability that the trend will continue.
The primary focus of this book by Professor (at George Mason University School of Law) Bernstein is the tendency of the judiciary to abandon our Constitutional protection against government's ability to regulate speech when such speech (and very worrisomely even acts such as laughter or simply staring) conflicts with antidiscrimination laws and the regulations of the agencies charged with their enforcement. The book is very well organized; it begins with a general background discussion of the problem including important contextual history and proceeds to discuss several related aspects of the problem including the threat to artistic freedom, workplace regulation, speech codes on public university campuses, the regulation of religious schools and the threat to the autonomy of private organizations. Some of the most enlightening material outlines the increasing tendency of the judiciary to defer to the bureaucratically promulgated regulations of such government agencies as HUD, the EEOC and the DOE, which often seem to view their own intentions as above criticism and attempt to censor and even legally punish individuals who express disagreement with their goals.
This is a book that should be widely read and debated, since the topic influences all individuals in a myriad of ways. I hope that the academic approach to the subject does limit the audience for the book to readers with a legal background; despite copious footnotes the book is very readable and many of the references and cases discussed are fascinating. Despite my long standing layman's interest in the area of Constitutional law and my exposure as a member of the Cato Institute Board of Directors to previous publications discussing various aspects of this topic, this is by far the most comprehensive and systematic treatment that I have seen. The final chapter includes a fascinating discussion of the gradual transformation of the ACLU from an organization that was a stalwart defender of civil liberties to one increasingly captured by the adherents to a "liberal" code of political correctness.
The conclusion then examines the trend in other countries to adopt even more draconian impositions of statist authoritarian regulations, e.g. an Australian ban on dating services that tried to match partners with a religious preference (perhaps antidiscrimination marriage regulations will follow) and a Canadian criminal conviction of a high school teacher purely on the basis of "hate speech". As a Canadian professor of constitutional law has opined, "Canada now is a totalitarian theocracy... ruled today by...a secular state religion [of political correctness]. Anything that is regarded as heresy or blasphemy is not tolerated." Such a result is consistent with the goals of such free speech opponents in this country as well known Professor Stanley Fish, who attempts to deconstruct our legal traditions in the same way that he has deconstructed literature and who claims that all decisions regarding allowable speech are political and based on an exercise of power. Therefore, according to Fish, the targets of offensive speech and acts have every right to be legally protected from the indignity (read psychological harm) which they might suffer as a result of such acts. Contrast this view and the current climate regarding the imposition of limitations on permissible speech with the 1943 Supreme Court decision which eloquently concluded "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us."
In summary, this book is about the conflict between an increasingly expansive view of civil rights versus the traditional primacy of civil liberties, and about the imposition of "civility" through political power and judicial reinterpretation of the Constitution rather than by argument and debate within civil society. As one reviewer cogently observed, this book might be deemed incomplete in that it does not include a discussion of the philosophical grounding of our First Amendment rights in the Founders' belief that these rights derived from the natural law view that we each possess a "property right" in ourselves and our actions. However, such an examination might easily have in fact become a distraction to the excellent focus which the book provides on the author's stated goal of examining and documenting the erosion of our civil liberties and the resultant implications for our personal freedom and privacy rights, thus I have chosen not to reduce my rating despite this omission.
Disclaimer: as stated above, I am a member of the Board of Directors of The Cato Institute, which published this book. While I do not feel that my objectivity was compromised in composing this review, I felt it incumbent upon me to disclose this fact to provide you, the reader, with the necessary information to decide if you believe that I have a significant conflict of interest which might have influenced my rating.
Tucker Andersen

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Activists and courts are using antidiscrimination laws to erode civil liberties such as free speech, the free exercise of religion, and freedom of association. The books examines how these laws are being applied on college campuses and in the workplace in ways that threaten our fundamental freedoms.

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Lonely Planet the Netherlands (Lonely Planet Travel Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)General background -
================
The Lonely Planet Guides contain a lot of information. They are supposed to be of help to the common backpacker. However, due to the extensive coverage they offer about the countries they discuss, they can also be a very good source of information to travelers with greater means that are interested in a thorough coverage of their destination. Moreover, they can be of use to persons that are interested in learning about the country as a starting point for further studies.
When the reader wishes to travel he has two options of dealing with the wide-ranging material:
1. To read the book almost cover to cover in advance, aiming at planning the trip down to the last small detail while learning a lot about the country - culture, history, climate, geography, conduct and so forth.
2. To read the essential highlights from the book using the contents - in a relatively short time - aiming at learning the basic information needed for getting a good head start (forget about the long "facts About" chapter). Upon getting there it is easy to use the guide on a daily basis for further information.
The guide -
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This guide is a very good one with one major flaw that can't be disregarded: the prices are given in Guilders, more than a year (!) after the country has completely converted to Euros, since the edition hasn't been updated since the 1st of January 2001. That fact poses a great difficulty at planning the budget for the trip (add to that the considerable rise of prices since the transition to the Euro). This is a serious letdown and not something you would expect from a distinguished publication house. Hopefully they will release a second edition soon.
Aside from the problem mentioned above, the guide is a real help for the traveler; the information and recommendations in the different sections were most helpful and the proved accurate. A good example is the emphasis that is given to a certain rental bike service at Amsterdam that offers no advertising for itself on the bicycle, and keeps many preying eyes away from the bike. The pictures presented inside are well taken and offer a beautiful glance at what the reader might see during his journey. The guide contains the wide assortment of maps of many important and interesting towns and cities the reader might visit with the familiar marking of the recommended places to see/eat/sleep.
I would like to point out that not all the best places to visit are pointed out in the book. I reckon they can't put everything inside and they should and do promote self-exploration. I walked around for hours in each and every place I've visited and was rejoiced to find buildings and corners that were breathtaking - on my own. I recommend you to do the same as in some cases - owning to the desire to stay compact and still comprehensive - the book provides rough guidelines that are superficial and personal opinions that might not always suit your taste.
The chapters about the Netherlands in general and the special boxed texts scattered throughout the book are very interesting and are best read during the trip to answer questions that may pop up. By and large, one will have time for that only once he is home and has the special interest in the country he has just visited.
Amsterdam-
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The Amsterdam chapter may be the most important to the common traveler, simply because there is so much to see and do there. The guide offers good and detailed maps of the city, but too bad they are divided to small maps that are made to fit into the book like regular pages, rather than giving the readers a folded map they would be able to take out for their own convenience. That leaves no choice but to buy a map at the local shops, a reality Lonely Planet can change in the next edition.
As to the content itself, it's a mixed bag. They do provide top-notch info but also tend to exaggerate sometimes in describing places up to a tiresome point. The pages about the transportation possibilities are thorough. In the end of the day, it is more than enough and you wouldn't need the Lonely Planet's Amsterdam guide if you don't plan to live there more than a week or two.
Final note -
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The Netherlands is a strikingly beautiful country. The cities as well as the countryside are absolutely dazzling, and the people are friendly and helpful. I enjoyed traveling in the land so much that I consider it the peak of my long trip that had been mainly to the countries of South East Asia. This guide contributed a lot to the general feeling I got thanks to all its good graces.

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This guide provides detailed information on cycling through the country, accommodation options and entertainment from coffee shops and brown cafes to opera and classical music. It also contains a special section on windmills.

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The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World Resort, 3rd: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Whereas most WDW guide books emphasize ways to make an expensive vacation (and let's be honest, ALL WDW vacations are expensive) more afordable, this book does just the opposite by highlighting all of the most expensive options available. Of course this is exactly what it claims to do, and it succeeds wonderfully. Only deluxe-grade resorts are discussed and restaurant reviews focus primarily on WDW's "signature" establishments (although others are discussed). The details provided, however, are exquisite. In a "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" sort of way, you can learn about the contents of the $2000/night luxury suites, chartered cruises, elegant spas, 13 course chefs' table meals, limo services, etc. Although many options for children are discussed (including $150 tea parties), the unspoken theme to this book seems to be how affluent adults can turn a "theme park vacation" into a high-end "resort vacation" that also happens to have theme parks (perhaps you can let your Nanny hustle the kids around the parks while you luxuriate in the spas and drink $150 bottles of wine). Although I am NOT the kind of person who looks for the over-the-top resort features, I DO enjoy higher-end dining, which was my primary reason for reading this book. I was not disappointed. All of the best restaurants in the parks, the resorts, and in nearby Orlando (including Universal) are reviewed to include atmoshpere, quality, price range, and sample menu items. This is not to say that the parks are not discussed. All of the "best" attractions at each park are discussed, and advice for how to maximize use of the sometimes overwhelming WDW tranportation system are very well explained. Although not as extensive as in some other books, sample "touring plans" are given to help you maximize the time you spend in the parks (inbetween your champagne brunches and garden tours). The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is that I bought it as a book on WDW, and quite a lot of time is spent on Universal, Sea World, Disney Cruises, and other non-Disney locations. If you have never been to WDW before I would recommend this as a "second guide" to have in addition to the various more complete guides on the Market (The "Unofficial Guide" being the most comprehensive), but if you are already somewhat familiar with WDW, this is an excellent guide if you are interested in "stepping up" your next visit or if you are planning a special event (e.g. birthday, anniversary, reunion, etc.)

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Discover the sophisticated side of Disney "Luxury means different things to different travelers-an elegant guest suite, a hotel atrium full of exotic blooms, a romantic dinner with fireworks as a backdrop. However you define it, Cara Goldsbury's book tells you where to find it." -Disney Magazine Is it possible for sophisticated travelers to truly enjoy themselves in the land of Mickey Mouse? Absolutely! This unique travel guide-overflowing with tips and techniques for a world-class vacation-is designed for those who want to tour Walt Disney World® but also want to reside in luxurious resorts and dine at the best restaurants. With it, anyone can plan a visit in which each day comes with the best Disney has to offer. Disney expert Cara Goldsbury highlights the most appealing aspect of each theme park and attraction, including how to enjoy it in the utmost comfort and style, as well as the best shopping options and opportunities for golf, fishing, boating, tennis, and other outdoor activities. This new edition also offers insider advice on choosing a time to visit, selecting a resort, and how to obtain the finest room at the lowest possible price. It is ideal not only for travelers for whom money is not an object, but also for those who want to get the best value for their dollar. It also covers Universal Orlando®, Sea World, and the Disney Cruise Line.

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Straight Down the Middle: Shivas Irons, Bagger Vance, and How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Golf Swing Review

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(More customer reviews)Golf has always been a bit of a puzzle to me. Several times in my life I played regularly enough to begin to hope that my game would become really good. That was not to be. Josh Karp gives me hope. "Straight down the Middle" attempts to teach golf in a unique way - effortless golf.
Josh goes on a journey to discover his perfect swing. To find this elusive marvel, Josh reads works of psychology by such authorities as Abraham Maslow, and pursues Eastern philosophy - Buddhist and Zen masters. Josh postulates that by embracing the theory of nothing, a serenity will emerge that will not only bring peace, but the perfect golf game. I love the theory, but wonder about my applying it.
If I take the pages of the book literally, despite my arthritis and general lack of coordination, I could take my aged self to the golf course and by dropping all thoughts about technique and competitiveness, could play a wonderful game.
I remember lessons given by my good friend, a golf pro from Arizona, and when I play my head is full of his rules. But according to Josh, if I ignore "keep your eye on the ball" and instead "become the ball", I make progress toward perfection. Since the lessons really only helped for about a week before I slipped back into my previous problems, maybe I should give Josh Karp a try.
In a way the book reminds me of an episode of "The Mentalist." The main character, Patrick Jane, although admitting to himself he know nothing about the game, teaches a mob boss to improve his game by thinking his favorite song. The mob boss thought of the music, relaxed and his game actually improved. If it worked for the mob boss. It may work for me.
So, my advice for golfers is get this book and let go play a game.


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Straight Down the Middle is a humorous and insightful account of journalist and former-18-handicap golfer Josh Karp's quest to achieve inner peace and improve his golf gameall through the art of Zen. Assisted by a quirky roster of excellent practitioners of esoteric, Eastern-fueled, nontraditional golf instruction, Karp embarks on a unique journey across the fairways of North America (and Scotland, of course!) that's as funny as it is illuminating. A golf story in the tradition of The Legend of Bagger Vance, Straight Down the Middle is a blend of helpful tips and hilarious memoir that's a must-read for golfers of all stripes and plaids.

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