Infinite Worlds: An Illustrated Voyage to Planets beyond Our Sun

Book Description

Merely a decade ago there were no known planets orbiting sunlike stars outside our own solar system. In the past ten years, however, fast-paced developments in astronomy have revealed over 140 extrasolar planets--with more discoveries surely on the way. Though it will be years before we have direct images of these far-flung worlds, this lavishly illustrated book gives us an idea of what they might look like. A fascinating exploration of the cosmos written for a wide audience, Infinite Worlds brings together Lynette Cook's internationally renowned astronomical artwork, the latest and most dramatic images from the world's top observatories, and up-to-the-minute scientific findings on subjects ranging from the big bang and stellar evolution to a possible universe filled with countless planets and life forms.
The newly discovered planets are boggling astronomers' minds with their bizarre characteristics, including an unimagined diversity of sizes and orbits. In Lynette Cook's scientifically based illustrations--many newly created for this book--we glimpse the landscapes and atmospheres that might adorn these planets. Ray Villard's text elegantly describes the state of astronomy today, imagines where it will take us in the coming years, ponders the chances of success for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and explores the survivability of life in an evolving and accelerating universe.

Customer Reviews:

Mind Expanding.......2007-02-10

The text and artwork in this volume are first class. The art is exceptionally beautiful and is only enhanced by the story. Together, they bring together what we know with what is likely and expands that to a universe of pure possibility. There's nothing dry about this marvelous work. Infinite Worlds is noteworthy accomplishment.

reminds me of Bonestall's paintings.......2006-11-05

The images are everything in this book. Not that the text is badly written. Far from it. But the text is clearly subordinate to letting you see the imagination of many talented artists, as they depict worlds in other planetary systems. Speculative, but based on solid science. And astronomers now have detected over 200 worlds. The book explains how from sometimes single pixels, information is teased out about a world. Impressive. We now have detected enough worlds that we can start talking of classifications and statistics across worlds.

What the book clearly leads up to is a desire for more, better images. Well, you will have to wait at least 10 years, as new telescopes are being constructed.

Science fiction readers might compare these paintings to those made decades ago by Chesley Bonestall. His were necessarily more imaginative. But both types can be very evocative.

Different book than the title might suggest........2006-05-17

The title of this book is "Infinite Worlds: An Illustrated Voyage to Planets beyond our Sun". However, only a fraction of the book actually deals with extrasolar planets. I purchased this book based on the assumption that it would be about extrasolar planets. Instead most of the book is based on theories of galaxy formations, birth and death of stars and planets, and theoretical extraterrestrial life. It also describes our Solar System in detail. The artwork is very good although other space artists I have seen on the internet have superior artistic ability than Cook. Overall, though, this is still an interesting book. But potential readers should know that this is not a book about extrasolar planets.

nice but flawed.......2005-09-21

excellent atrwork of the highest standard; would have been nice to have mentioned HD114762, the FIRST extrasolar planet discovered by the center for astrophysics in 1989.

Infinitely enjoyable...........2005-06-22

A very delightful book. The writing by Ray Villard was surprisingly different than most "astro books" by *not* sounding like a textbook. There are many interesting facts and tidbits that I had not heard before that made reading it quite interesting. Lyn's art of course made the book. There are dozens of her trademark-styled images, each illustrating what the writer is saying. I particularly liked Lyn's use of stratus layers in the landscapes. Five of the images must have taken ages to paint with all the layers in there (Greenhouse Earth on pg 49, HD 16141 b and Moon on pg 108, Planet in the Virgo Cluster on pg 190, Terrestrial Planet at 55 Cancri on pg 171, and Planet Near the Siamese Squid Nebula on pg 53). The Siamese Squid image is really eye-catching with it's pink and green layers and Planet at 55 Cancri is a gorgeous painting in brilliant reds and yellows of sunset. Lyn's attention to the way the waves of the lake curve and reflect the light is just amazing, as is the detailed way the shadows of the rocks fall on the water. This is my favorite image of the book. Another very effective painting is HD 177830 b and Moon on pg 117, a beautiful image of a habitable moon orbiting a Saturnian-like panet. Imagine the night view beings on this planet would have! In fact, I found almost every image in the book to be excellent and inspiring. All-in-all, Lyn's done a remarkable job in this book, definitely a "must add" to your astronomical art collection.

Book Description

Women of Our Time is a glorious photographic celebration of seventy-five of the most creative, humane, controversial, witty, brave, beautiful, and inspirational women of the twentieth century. These revealing portraits, by an array of distinguished photographers, show women who have reached the summit of achievement in politics, business, art, sport, performance, music, humanitarianism, and science-women such as Katharine Graham, Billie Holiday, Eleanor Roosevelt, Joan Baez, Amelia Earhart, and Helena Rubinstein.

The photographs depict their subjects at pivotal moments in their careers and are accompanied by brief biographies that not only highlight their distinctive contributions and achievements, but also show how they were viewed by their contemporaries. Beautifully designed, this book celebrates the women who have defined the modern age

Customer Reviews:

A TRIBUTE TO WOMEN AND TO HUMANKIND.......2002-10-07

Seventy-five of the most noted women of the recent past are remembered by a roster of outstanding photographers in this stunning volume. Each photo, which captures the subject at the height of her achievements, is accompanied by a biography detailing contributions made and public response.

All of the photos capture the essence of the woman, as Cokie Roberts remarks in the Preface: "Look into the eyes of the subjects of these photographs and you see the triumphs, failures, hopes, and disappointments of some of the truly talented women of our time."

The album is a diverse collection of unique women, from Helen Keller to Dorothy Parker to Gertrude Stein to Gypsy Rose Lee to Shirley Temple to Ella Fitzgerald.

We learn that upon Grandma Moses's first visit to New York City she "told reporters, `It's nice to be here, but the city doesn't appeal to me.' `As picture material?' someone asked. `As any material,' she answered."

And, we discover that Joan Baez remembers singing the civil rights movement's anthem "We Shall Overcome" at the Lincoln Memorial, by saying, "...one of the medals which hangs over my heart I awarded to myself for having been asked to sing that day."

The revelatory photos and essays found in "Women Of Our Time" are a tribute to women, to our age, and to humankind.

- Gail Cooke

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The private experience, Elliott Erwitt (Masters of contemporary photography)
Sean Callahan
Manufacturer: T. Y. Crowell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0690006233

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THE PRIVATE EXPERIENCE
Elliott Erwitt
Manufacturer: Thames and Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I4I168

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Private Experience - Personal Insights of a Professional Photographer
Elliott Erwitt
Manufacturer: Petersen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000R03KCI

Book Description

The curse of the bloodworm is what keeps Manji alive -- slit his throat or stab him in the heart and those mystical worms will force his body to heal. This immortal curse will not be lifted until Manji has killed one thousand evil men. Manji`s female companion, Rin, finds the treasured sword of her destroyed Mutenichi-ryu dojo (school of swordsmanship). The ronin who has it must have been involved in the destruction of the school -- and that means that Manji could be one step closer to ending his curse. If you like ninja action, Hiroaki Samura`s Blade of the Immortal will keep you on edge.

Customer Reviews:

The Burden of Forever.......2002-10-15

Having been introduced to Rin and Manji in Volume 1 ('Death of a Thousand'), and given a taste of the nature of their confrontation with the Itto-Ryu sword school, we now enter the real rhythm of the story telling. At first glance, we are tempted to write this off as yet another samurai slasher, with its clear-cut division between good and evil. But Hiroaki Samura has other plans, and 'Cry of the Worm' is his first step in muddying the waters.

In the first episode ('The Fanatic'), Rin sees Magatsu Taito, one of the assassins, having her dead father's sword sharpened. When she voices her outrage, she catapults Manji into another fight sequence, this time to recover the weapon. Manji's method of regaining the sword is painful (to say the least), and young Rin begins to understand that her desire for vengeance has a price.

Manji's immortality depends on a type of bloodworm that cares for its host by healing all wounds. Manji has yet to deal with the long-term effects of gift, and is not completely prepared when he meets Erika Shizuma, another Itto-Ryu at a way station inn. Shizuma tries to involve Manji in a plot to overthrow the leader of the Itto-Ryu. Properly suspicious, Manji refuses, and in the following scuffle discovers that Shizuma is also infected with the worms.

The conflict between Manji and Shizuma become an inquest into the realities of immortal life. He is a mirror that forces Manji to look at own commitments. In addition, he provides a somewhat different insight into the Itto-Ryu than we have had so far. If their tactics are grim, their motives are not completely selfish. They are a natural reaction to the excessive complexities of the sword school system and the excesses of the samurai class, which is more about show and politics than it is about the disciplines of fighting.

In this second volume of the series, we are not so much asked to resolve the questions as to take note of them. As this series builds, the violence of the quest will play in counterpoint to these musings about meaning. Gradually the inner dialog will play a more and more vital part.

AMAZING.......2002-03-07

This is a beautiful manga. It is very interesting and the art is spectacular. It has a pencil sketched quality to it and is very unique. The plot is also one of the best I've ever read. . This may be a manga for guys but that doesn't mean that females can't enjoy this as well. The fight scenes are detailed (though sometimes confusing with the sketch pictures) and really fun to read.

WARNING Blade of the Immortal is about a guy that is....umm....immortal. That means he won't die. That means the bad guys are gonna do all in their power to kill him, slash him, decapitate him, stab him and so forth. VERY GORY is what I'm getting at.

The story is basically about Manji who had these worms put in him that make you immortal. They won't go away until he atones for his sins of killing 100 of the good guys (self defense I swear) by killing a thousand bad guys. He meets Rin who needs his help to avenge her parents who were murdered right before her eyes.

The thing that really holds this series together are the characters. Even the ones that are supposedly evil u find are not really evil but human. You almost don't want them to fight and get killed by the main guy, but then again u do because they are responsible for something horrible. You also feel immediately at home with nearly every other character introduced even after only a couple of pages.

This book Volume two, Cry of the Worm is my personal favorite. It was at my public library and the first I ever read of this great series. Rin finds a sword that once belonged to her father being owned by some (really cool, kinda looks like Vagita from DBZ only more realistic looking) samurai and she'll do anything to get it back. Later on they meet up with another immortal guy who wants Manji dead and being immortal himself he knows just the thing to do Manji in.

A great story.......2002-02-02

Plot wise, this is perhaps the strongest of the BOTI series. The villain is almost likeable, yet thoroughly hateable, and the end fight is imaginative. Kudos to Samura for this one.

The best manga translation on the stands........2000-08-15

I stumbled onto "Blade of the Immortal" translations in comic book format. Attracted by the art, and the unusally deep dialogue between the opponents (as dramatic as Kazou Kioke's "Lone Wolf and Cub", but much more up-to-date in sensibility and subject matter) I immediately began looking for back issues, which was difficult. Many retailers don't seem to order many issues of this book. Fortunately the trade paperbacks started coming out soon after.

"Blade of the Immortal" starts off as a fairly typical samurai revenge story, with some unusual horror movie twists. We meet Manji, a guilt-ridden outlaw and expert swordsman, who is cursed with an odd form of immortality. No matter how grievously he is injured, he cannot die. Manji makes a deal with a magical buddhist nun. He will gain the release of death, if he slays 1000 evil men. Soon we meet Rin, a young girl, the daughter of a swordsmanship teacher who witnessed the horrific murder of her parents at the hands of the Itto-Ryu, a renegade sword school. Tortured by nightmares, she seeks revenge, but realizing she has no hope of surviving a direct confrontation with even one Itto-Ryu swordsman, she convinces Manji to serve as her bodyguard and stand in. Taking up Rin's quest seems a perfect confluence of both of their desires: her need to put her parents memory to rest, his to earn his redemption.

The stories take you through dramatic encounters with various members of the sword school. All are dangerous swordsmen with unique styles of combat. Some are quite literally monsters. Each has a unique story, an unique reason for having become a renegade, and this becomes the source of much thought provoking drama before, during and after the battles. All are memorable characters, in particular Shimuzu (Book Two: "Cry of the Worm"), a fellow immortal and Maki, a swordswoman forced into prostitution who fights like the wind (Book 3: "Dreamsong").

Harioki Samura has great timing, the panel layouts make the fight scenes breathtaking and exciting. Also wonderful is the developing relationship between Manji and Rin, a kind of older brother, little sister dynamic that lends the book much humor and necessary warmth (given the bloodiness of the battles).

Beginning with "Rins Bane" (Book 4) Rin's internal debate about the morality and human costs of her quest, takes center stage, and make this one of the deepest and most interesting books to cross the Pacific in years. There's still plenty of action, and the relationship between Rin and Manji continues to deepen, but it's the debates about the sanity of the bushido code, about memory, about filial duty, and hints of political intrigue to come, that make this book an thought provoking and engrossing read.

If you have any taste for the high drama and action, as well as the deeper issues running through comic books like "the Authority", you have to give "Blade" a try. This is the best dramatic manga translation I've read, and it compares favorably with "Lone Wolf & Cub" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion". I really don't think you will be disappointed.

Manga Collector.......2000-06-02

Blade of the Immortal: Cry of the Worm, was the first manga I read in the series. It is also one of the first manga I started out with when I began my collection of Japanese anime. I find that the artist is decent and respectable, not to mention suspenseful. Despite that I came upon the second in the series of the trade paperbacks, did not ruin the plot at all. All elements are revisited enough so that the words have depth behind them, but not too much that it ruins the current story and takes to much time. Every character seems well thought out and intricate, each with thier own history to bring to the main plot. Not all bad guy/ good guy roles are clear cut. Which makes this the thinking person's manga. The mix of tradition, history, fantasy, comic relief, and superb art pulled me out of this world and into that one. The art is so visually effective that one will realize that it's not just drawings in a book. Subtle morals in the book make the reader parallel feudal Japan with the modern world. The translation is good, but I can just imagine the effect each panel would have in the original Japanese. I recommend this for anyone who is looking for a masterpiece of work to become the trophy of thier collection.

Cry of the Worm (Blade of the Immortal (Sagebrush))

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Cry of the Worm (Blade of the Immortal (Sagebrush))
Hiroaki Samura
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Transcribed and arranged (P/V/C) by Hugo Frey. 24 selections such as Deep River * Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen * Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

A Collection of 25 Selected Famous Negro Spirituals

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A Collection of 25 Selected Famous Negro Spirituals
Hugo, editor Frey
Manufacturer: Robbins-Engel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KVR69C

Book Description

Usually the defeat of one union official by another would not occasion great interest by historians. The highly charged atmosphere after World War II and at the beginning of the cold war however led to a strongly disputed election which left Walter Reuther the new president of the UAW. The opinions as to why Reuther unseated the incumbents are many and varied. Dr. Goode goes into these in depth in his interesting and well documented work dealing with this watershed event in American Unionism. The research for the work has been done with the aid of union archives, published material, and oral history from some of the participants in the event.

Customer Reviews:

All you ever wanted to know about the UAW and more.......2000-06-29

This book is an excellent review of the history of the UAW in an important era of its history. The author adds insight and detail. It reads like the wind.

Infighting in the UAW: The 1946 Election and the Ascendancy of Walter Reuther, Vol. 44

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Infighting in the UAW: The 1946 Election and the Ascendancy of Walter Reuther, Vol. 44
Bill Goode
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTQH9A

Customer Reviews:

A Childproofing Bible.......2000-02-16

I was impressed and amazed at how thorough and comprehensive this book was. It is wonderful to have a reference that is all consuming. The information that Mrs. Wolf gives, along with the how to's is very valuabe. I was also thankful that she had given a list of resources of catalogs, important phone numbers, and poison control numbers in all states. Because of reading and implementing the things in Mrs.Wolf's book, I know I have made my home a safe place for my children to live and play.

Stating only the obvious.......2000-01-24

We were hoping for a book that gave instructions on how to babyproof our home. Instead, the book only gives general statements about safety, with virtually no actualy directions or instructions. Even the general tips were so obvious that we had no choice but to return the book with complete dissatisfaction.

Required reading for new parents.......1999-07-24

Accidental injuries to infants and preschoolers occur all too often. Cindy Wolf has written the book that teaches parents what they need to know to prevent injury to their child. On the Safe Side is a complete guide to recognizing and correcting the hazards in a child's environment. The book takes you on a virtual walk-through of your home, pointing out the potential dangers and what to do about them. Full of practical and accurate advice, On the Safe Side should be required reading for all new parents. Janice Woolley, M.D.; Author, "Food for Tots", Everything you need to know about feeding preschoolers

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the strange, the weird, and the legends

A fun read & a credible investigation by a non-conspiracy buff (thankfully)

Very interesting but still not what'd you expect.

A History of Area 51

Fascination

Dreamland: Travels Inside the Secret World of Roswell and Area 51
Phil Patton
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
UFOs | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
UFOs | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
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The Roswell UFO Crash: What They Don't Want You to Know

Area 51: The Dreamland Chronicles

Disclosure : Military and Government Witnesses Reveal the Greatest Secrets in Modern History

Roswell Ufo Crash Update: Exposing the Military Cover-Up of the Century

The UFO Magazine UFO Encyclopedia: The Most Compreshensive Single-Volume UFO Reference in Print

ASIN: 0375753850
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Amazon.com

Dreamland is journalist Phil Patton's chronicle of his road trip into the low deserts and dry lakes of southern Nevada in search of the truth (which, presumably, is Out There). It's a cultural history of the cold war, a psychoanalysis of the military, and an unswerving look at our fascination for UFOs. What happened at Roswell in the 1940s? What is the Air Force doing out at Area 51? Whether you join the "youfers," and decide that genuine aliens are here, doing their inexplicable thing, or the "Interceptors," who desperately seek sightings of stealth planes, or "black aircraft," you'll need to camp at the perimeters of the vast desert wildernesses set aside for secrecy to do your research. Patton explores the edges (and sometimes the insides) of these strange, lonely places in the same way he examines the psyches and motives of the people who inhabit them--with bemused semiobjectivity. Patton seems to be saying that human weirdness is roomy enough to encompass everything, from UFOs to top-secret military planes to global atomic destruction. He writes of Dreamland: "I came to believe that its legend and lore, its language and paradoxes, provided a strange and yet appropriate time capsule of a half century of cold war and black secrecy. Here, the cultures of nuclear power and airpower merged with the folklores of extraterrestrials and earthly conspiracies; their interference patterns formed a moiré of the weird. It was a place from which to see our own planet with the eyes of an outsider." --Therese Littleton

Book Description

A journey into the most secret place in America
A story of secrecy, suspicion, and conspiracy
A history of a place that does not legally exist

Dreamland zooms in on Area 51--the nearly four million acres of Nevada airspace that has been a base for experimental military aircraft, the fount of UFO rumors, and the alleged site of alien insurrection.
How this real-life legend came to exist is Phil Patton's tale. He explores the mystery and fantasy surrounding the place, peeks over the edge of paranoia, and tracks strange objects in the air above this country of the mind. He visits spies and counterspies, test pilots and secret agents, and tunnels into the subcultures of true believers and conspiracy buffs.
Reviewers have applauded Dreamland as "brilliant," "fascinating," "weird, wonderful, sometimes spooky," "curiously epic, frequently humorous, and always entertaining." Dreamland is a novelistic tour de force that makes us all rethink our convictions about American know-how--and alien inventiveness.

Customer Reviews:

the strange, the weird, and the legends.......2007-09-18

Much history, much conjecture - "Dreamland" is a series of loosely linked chapters about: the legendary Lockheed Skunkworks and the creation of the U2 and Blackbirds; the Lore of UFOology and all the obsessives that go with it; the depictions of various subcultures, like the "Interceptors"; and, many reports about the National Test Site, Nellis Air Force Base, Tonopah Testing Area, and of course, Groom Lake ie, "Dreamland".

Pattin has the journalistic credentials for putting a pretty good story together - he is a New York Times and Esquire reporter. He focuses on the psychology of believing as much as on what is, and what has happened, "out there". The writing does bog down, however, when he starts to muse about "culture" and how Hollywood has marketed the alien phenomena; the analysis and conjectures get too tangential and detract from otherwise good stories and reporting. So, perservere and the narrative will pick back up.

The discussions about UFO's and aliens in the context of America's obsessions and cultural concerns are well done, as is Pattin's take on Jung's UFO theory. For those into conspiracy theories and the New World Order, there's probably nothing new here; but it makes some interesting reading. 4 stars on this one.

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

The Cloud Reckoner

A fun read & a credible investigation by a non-conspiracy buff (thankfully).......2006-08-11

Dreamland is a fun read, thanks to Phil Patton's entertaining writing style and his dogged willingness to uncover the mysteries surrounding Area 51. It's also an important book in the sense that we finally have a credible investigation into the complex and elusive world of Area 51 - a world that Patton coins as "Dreamland." However, don't be fooled into believing that Dreamland supports any of the conspiracy theorist claims. In fact, much of Patton's findings do more to debunk them.

Patton's admirable efforts to gather as much empirical data on far-reaching claims of the existence UFOs inside Area 51 often and invariably lead him into very murky water. However, seeing this through the eyes of a journalist, you get the sense that the "youfers" and the higher-profile witnesses of UFOs are just plain full of baloney. Never once during Patton's campaign to find the hidden truth is the author surprised, amazed or taken aback by any tangible evidence or revelations.

Though it's no fault of Patton's, the lack of any shred of stirring evidence of the existence of UFO's in Dreamland makes this book just a tad anticlimactic. In this vein, I disagree with some other reviews of this book. For example, the back cover says, "Reviewers have applauded Dreamland as brilliant, fascinating, weird, wonderful, sometimes spooky, curiously epic, frequently humorous, and always entertaining." In fact, Patton's closing statement - the final sentence of the book, seems to contradict this notion: "...This seemed appropriate, but as with so much in Dreamland, it proved impossible to determine conclusively." (Patton pg 299). There's not much in Patton's findings that would leave a reader spooked or fascinated. I would temper the back cover comments down to "brilliant, interesting and entertaining."

The most famous figure that Patton investigates is an engineer/physicist named Bob Lazar. It's no surprise that Patton finds Lazar's job titles and credentials to be questionable. Lazar claims that he actually worked on flying saucers hidden near Groom Lake. While Patton collects interesting stories through former contacts of Lazar, he finds no evidence or accounts to corroborate or support Lazar's outlandish tales. Patton discovers that Lazar was eventually arrested in 1990 for pandering - around the time that Lazar tried to open a brothel in Los Alamos. Do most physicists have time for these types of endeavors?

Patton's assiduous and unrelenting study of Area 51, military aircraft, "youfers", UFO folklore and UFO history is full, thorough and colorful. It's likely that Patton would make a study on any topic readable and interesting. And perhaps as an unintended consequence, this book will educate the average reader on the history of military aircraft. Patton's in-depth inquiry left me skeptical about the existence of UFOs and it has given me a critical attitude toward the conspiracy buffs. The amount of conjecture is disproportionately large compared to the flakes of evidence that anyone can provide when it comes to the existence of flying saucers in Area 51.

I should add that Patton also deserves credit for putting himself at risk on several occasions when he tries to get himself as close as possible to key sites in Dreamland. He is often chased away or threatened by military security.

Dreamland is an enjoyable read. But be forewarned: It won't convert you to a conspiracy buff. Rather, it may turn you into a skeptic.

Very interesting but still not what'd you expect........2003-10-27

Ok, for those interested in the subject: if you expect to read all about aliens, conspiracies about strange beings governing from below, strange otherwordly craft being tested, or any such info, well, choose another book if this is what you seek.

If you happen to be a planespotter this book should be precisely right for your money. Furthermore, if you're looking for the purely conventional history of "area 51" then you've hit the bull's eye as well.
But this calls for some specification here. It all comes down to what you're ready to assume, believe, expect. Area 51 may have an unconventional side to it and it may not. This is all extremely open to discussion and anyone who has delved deep into all this phenomenon will know very well that this subject could span to lenghts and depths unimaginable. If it comes down to purely concrete evidence then area 51 remains a blurry subject, more so that other sides of the bigger scheme for which way more evidence exists.

Now, summing it all up, i find the cover of this book ridiculously misleading. Why put an alien on the cover if this precisely what you are NOT talking about inside this book??? This alone, leads me to thoughts it shouldnt lead me, it puts me in suspicion about the motives of the author. If you're going to go on for 400 some pages explaining that all that area 51 is is a secret giant facility for testing secret (but earthling made!) aircraft than what's with the alien hint on the cover mr.Patton?

I found myself reading an extremely interesting book about the history of fighting aircraft, stealth aircraft, cold war intrigues, test pilots of dangerous aircraft etc. For this i rate this book highly. But i still think that it doesnt address the ever-underlying question about "other" functions of the so called area 51. "Dreamland" does touch this underlying question but in a vrey superficial and selfunderstood dismissing way as if it was never an issue to begin with. Problem is, it IS an issue, and there are enough reasons for that (wrong or right, they aren't adequately dealt with in the book, to put it mildly).

A History of Area 51.......2003-07-29

The section of the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada labeled "Area 51" continues to fascinate everyone from lovers of military aircraft to UFO buffs, from Cold War military historians to surveyors of the delightfully weird. The American government's dedication to intense secrecy regarding this "Dreamland" further stokes the curiosity of the public. What goes on at this secret research facility out in the middle of the desert? Why are there signs on the borders of the base stating that a person caught trespassing faces a stiff prison sentence and fine? Are there really strange, unexplained lights in the sky over the base or are these supposed sightings of UFOs just test flights for the next generation of high tech aircraft, like the stealth planes of the last two decades? Author Phil Patton decided to examine the aura of mystery surrounding a base that the American government actually denied existed for so many years. What Patton finds is an amazing blend of Cold War philosophy, pop culture, and UFO lore. The only thing stranger than what possibly goes on in the hangers of this base is what goes on outside the fences amongst a quirky collection of conspiracy theorists, UFO buffs, and aircraft enthusiasts.

"Dreamland" is first a history about the American military during the Cold War. Patton discusses in detail the atomic bomb tests in the Nevada desert and their effects on the residents in the area, the colossus of secrecy that emerged in these years surrounding military programs, and the developments of various secret aircraft that led to the construction of this air base in the Nevada wastelands. Several chapters intimately describe the Lockheed Skunk Works and its projects in the desert. The reader learns about the SR-71 spy planes, the U2 project and Gary Powers, and the stealth aircraft (which came about because of a footnote in an article written by a Soviet physicist). Patton introduces us to the test pilots who flew the planes over the desert, tough as nails aviators who often died or suffered serious injuries during the course of their work. We meet Kelly Johnson, the penny-pinching head of Skunk Works and the driving force behind several of America's greatest military aircraft. For readers who find a history of military aircraft as boring as I do, Patton spices up his accounts with amusing and intriguing anecdotes about the engineers and pilots who made American air supremacy a reality. The author's visits to various testing grounds, bases, and local towns lend the book an authenticity sorely lacking from many of the accounts concerning America's military secrets.

"Dreamland" doesn't skimp on the kooks, either. Patton knows Area 51 is more than a testing ground for military aircraft in the minds of many Americans, recognizing that for many in the business of UFOs, Dreamland is the Holy Grail of all alien encounters. The author discusses the background of the UFO phenomena, writing in depth analyses on George Adamski, Roswell, MJ-12, and Bob Lazar. In what I found to be one of the best parts of the books, Patton discusses how descriptions of extraterrestrial encounters often changed to reflect broader concerns in American society. For example, during the height of the Cold War in the 1950s, some saw UFOs and their alien pilots as harbingers of peace set to deliver America from the threat of nuclear annihilation. In the 1980s, an obsession with sex and the cult of the individual within the larger society brought stories of alien abductions to the fore. An abduction was special because it showed that the aliens chose one person over millions of others, an idea Patton sees as part of the pop psychological influence of talk shows. Overall, the author takes a strong neutral stance about some of the crazy stories floating around Area 51, only sinking to incredulity when the account is so over the top that it begs for ridicule. This makes perfect sense when one thinks about it, for anyone who believes in George Adamski's contactee nonsense has serious problems. Ultimately, "Dreamland" is less concerned about the existence of UFOs than with how these stories fit in with the larger themes of secrecy and the Cold War.

Patton does a clever thing with his book; he convincingly argues that Area 51 with all of its mysteries serves as a nexus for America's love of the unknown, its love of technology, and its suspicion of the federal government. Moreover, the author makes a case that the government's mania for classification and secrecy, all in the name of "black programs" and "national security," is out of hand. The idea of "need to know" or "plausible deniability" are certainly not terms one would associate with an open, for the people by the people government we all want. Secrecy too often leads to an "us versus them" mentality incompatible with American ideals about government. I think this critique of the bureaucratization of the national security state is the best argument for reading this book. On a secondary level, the book also works for those interested in how our government constructed advanced aircraft in order to defeat the grim specter of world communism.

Fascination.......2003-02-22

This book provides lots of insight as to why people find Area 51 so fascinating, but doesn' really draw any conclusions.

Phil Patton interviews every type of person interested in the workings of the Air Force's facility at Groom Lake, from aviation buffs to "youfers," all the while maintaining objectivity. He doesn't seek to judge the conspiracty theorists, but rather gives a basic history of black projects in general and Area 51 in particular.

I found it an easy and fun read. If you're at all interested in the United States' most secret military facility, black projects or secret aircraft, this is a good read.

Average customer rating:
Dreamland: Travels Inside the Secret World of Roswell and Area 51
Phil Patton
Manufacturer: Villard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N796IC

Average customer rating:

Straight Talk Analysis and Take Action Recommendations

Grand obfuscation of the truth

what can I say?!?!?

Typical extremist drivel

Audiobook is Short but Thought-Provoking and Inspiring

Take It Back: Our Party, Our Country, Our Future
James Carville , and Paul Begala
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Political Parties | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Buck Up, Suck Up . . . and Come Back When You Foul Up: 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room

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Had Enough?: A Handbook for Fighting Back

ASIN: 074327752X

Book Description

By being too timid and too weak, too hesitant and too confused, Democrats have allowed Republicans to run amok.

Republicans today control everything: the White House, the Congress, the Supreme Court, the federal bureaucracy, the military, and the corporate special interests and their lobbyists. They operate powerful right-wing organizations, right-wing think tanks, and a conservative media that serves as an attack dog against Democrats.

Republicans have used their absolute power to corrupt our democracy, degrade our military, weaken our health care system, diminish our stature in the world, damage our environment, reward the rich, hammer the poor, squeeze the middle class, bankrupt our Treasury, and indenture our children to foreign debt holders.

In this important book, James Carville and Paul Begala show Democrats how they can take it back. They offer a clear-eyed critique of their party's failures and make specific, concrete recommendations on how Democrats can avoid losing elections on divisive issues such as abortion, gun control, gay rights, and moral values and start winning them on health care, political reform, energy, the environment, tax reform, and more.

Carville and Begala say that liberal Democrats are right that too many establishment Democrats kowtow to corporate interests and shamefully supported George W. Bush's rush to war. And moderate Democrats are right to complain that too many Democrats are out of step with middle-class values, too removed from people of faith, too enthralled with intellectual and cultural elites.

But the problem with the Democrats, Carville and Begala argue, is not ideological. It's anatomical. They lack a backbone. Take It Back is a spinal transplant for Democrats and an audacious battle plan for victory.

Customer Reviews:

Straight Talk Analysis and Take Action Recommendations.......2007-09-03

Absolutely excellent book. Starts off right from Page 1 placing the blame for our party's decline squarely where it belongs - within the 'Democratic' party. If we were victims at all, the authors indicate, it was because we chose it. It was not the superiority of the right wing agenda, it was our decision not to articulate what we stand for. Carville and Begala provide a brutal analysis of the party's 'lack of a backbone'. They also present a very clear alternative to 'business as usual'. They give us the tools to fight back.

If you love politics, you won't be able to put this book down.

Grand obfuscation of the truth.......2007-06-04

Carville repudiates his own thesis every time he steps foot on a public forum singing the praises of Hillary Clinton and the organization that gave birth to both her and Bubba: the DLC. Moreover, Carville has organized conservative Democrats to oust Howard Dean from the DNC and replace him with a conservative more to his (and the Clinton crime syndicate) liking.

While Carville is entertaining in his critique of the right, he totally misses his own marriage to corporate interests destroying this country. As a case in point, he recently signed a group letter advocating a pardon for Scooter Libby. Since Bush commuted Libby's sentence, the American people are again given a slap in the face demonstrating the double standard present for those connected to power elites within the belt-way. There is one set of laws and rules for people like Libby, Cheney, Clinton, Bush, Matlin, and Carville, and another set of laws for the rest of us.

Follow Carville's advice if you want more of the same.

what can I say?!?!?.......2007-02-24

luv, luv, luv James Carville.. and his message is on the money!!!!!! I own ALL his books.

Typical extremist drivel.......2007-01-12

This book is comparable to the dozens of others written by extremists on both ends of the political spectrum. Do these guys really think America is this stupid?

Audiobook is Short but Thought-Provoking and Inspiring.......2006-07-19

I listened to this book as an unabridged audiobook so my comments pertain specifically to that edition.

Take it Back is an angry yet hopeful manifesto by two politicos, Paul Begala and James Carville, who became more or less household names during Bill Clinton's rise to power and time in office. They are both smart, savvy and realistic and show an incisive understanding of the current weaknesses of the Democratic party. This book is well worth reading for anyone who is disgusted and disenchanted with the shortchanging of the vast majority of Americans by the current government, no matter what your current party persuasion is.

Carville and Begala analyze the most important issues--security/war on terror, environment and energy, health care, taxes, jobs etc. and suggest ways to take those issues back from the right wing, or bring them back to people's consciousness when they are totally ignored. They have a common sense approach and a strong analysis of the historical tradition of progressivism in this country (one that ran through Republican presidents like Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt as well as Democratic ones) that is inspiring and refreshing after so many years of hearing anyone even too centrist, let alone left of center, bashed as socialist and unamerican. The authors finish each analysis with a step-by-step list of ways to seize the high ground on each issue.

The audio version of the book was read by the authors themselves and it's pretty good, although some of the "heh heh" folksy asides probably read better on paper than they sound delivered by the people who wrote them--an aside that reminds you that they were Friends of Bill could "read" cute but sound a little conceited coming from the horse's mouth.

But that's a minor complaint. Overall I enjoyed the book and hope that people running for office read it and take it seriously, although I'm disheartened by the recent Democratic Party announcement that in a year when there is such widespread dissatisfaction with so many of the Republican policies that we've had for the last 5 1/2 years, and they could be vulnerable on "big picture" issues like security and the economy, not to mention basic questions of ethics and leadership, the Democrats have resolved to make raising the minimum wage a centerpiece of their campaign. Certainly worthy but it's more of the fiddling around the edges that did them in in 2002 and 2004. I wish some of them would read (or listen to)this book.

For me, as a voter and a volunteer, the book helped me articulate my own beliefs about what the government and politicians should be doing and how they should be going about it, and has helped me know the sort of candidate I would vote for and volunteer to help.

TAKE IT BACK : Our Party, Our Country, Our Future (Numbered, Signed First Edition)

Average customer rating:

TAKE IT BACK : Our Party, Our Country, Our Future (Numbered, Signed First Edition)

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000HA332A

Product Description

Signed by both authors and limited to 1650 numbered copies.

Take It Back: Our Party, Our Country, Our Future

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Take It Back: Our Party, Our Country, Our Future
Begala, James, Paul Carville
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000EBFNCU

Book Description

American Bird Conservancy Compact Guides
The Bird Guides for Nature Enthusiasts

American Bird Conservancy Compact Guides focus on the birds that can be observed at specific sites. With illustrations by America's finest bird artists, a handy, pocket-size format and a ground breaking organization system derived from the definitive North American bird guide, ABC's All The Birds of North America, they are simply the most useful bird guides available.

All The Songbirds tells you everything you need to know about the songbirds you'll see in a national park, on a nature walk, or on a wilderness trek. It features:

Highly informative entries on more than 100songbird species.

Spectacular, full-color paintings of songbirds in their natural habitats that set new standards for beauty and accuracy.

Tips on where and how to find songbirds; plus a checklist for recording your sightings.

All The Songbirds: Eastern Trailside (American Bird Conservancy Compact Guide.)

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All The Songbirds: Eastern Trailside (American Bird Conservancy Compact Guide.)
Jack Griggs Paul Lehman
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OET92M

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