Of Spies and Lies: A CIA Lie Detector Remembers Vietnam

Book Description

Any serious study of the Vietnam War would be less than complete without accounting for the CIA's role in that conflict--a role that increased dramatically after the Tet offensive in 1968. We know most of the details of military engagement in Vietnam, given its greater visibility, but until recently clandestine operations have remained shrouded in secrecy.

John Sullivan was one of the CIA's top polygraph examiners during the final four years of the war in Vietnam, where he served longer and conducted more lie detector tests than any other examiner and worked with more agents than most of his colleagues. His job was to evaluate the reliability of the agency's information sources, an assignment that gave him a more intimate view of the war than was afforded most other participants. In the first book to be written by such an operative, he tells what it was like to be an agency officer working in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos during those chaotic years, putting a human face on covert operations that helps us better understand why we lost the war.

Of Spies and Lies traces Sullivan's journey from dedication to disillusionment while serving in Southeast Asia. Although many CIA personnel lived better in Vietnam and made more money than ever before, their actual working conditions hindered effective intelligence gathering. A much larger and far more distressing obstacle, however, was the agency's failure to send its "best and brightest" agents to Southeast Asia. On the contrary, as Sullivan notes, Vietnam became a kind of dumping ground for poor performers, alcoholics, refugees from bad marriages, and other "problem agents."

Through anecdotes and inside stories Sullivan provides new insights into CIA culture that debunk the "James Bond" image of clandestine operations and show how in Vietnam the seamier aspects of that culture were allowed to grow even worse. He discusses the roles of the CIA's three most significant players--Ted Shackley, General Charles Timmes, and Tom Polgar--from a more personal perspective than previously available and candidly portrays a rogues' gallery of cheats, scoundrels, and libertines, while also giving due credit to those who fought hard to maintain professional standards.

One of the most frank and intimate looks at CIA operations in Vietnam ever published, Of Spies and Lies reveals why the CIA's efforts there were such a failure and allows a more complete assessment of its poor performance in a losing cause.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Customer Reviews:

A Quest to Find Truth.......2005-05-31

As an ex-CIA polygraph examiner who served for four years in Vietnam, John Sullivan traveled throughout much of Indochina while performing lie detector tests in support of the US war effort. Over a quarter of a century later, Sullivan's memoirs tell the story of a man who, trained by a spy agency to unearth deceit, embarks upon a mission to a Cold War hotspot where he discovers deception and incompetence to be as perennial as the grass in the Vietnamese countryside.

While Sullivan makes it clear from the beginning that he did serve with a number of good men in Vietnam, he expresses astonishment at the degree of operational ineffectiveness (or just plain irresponsibility) on the part of many CIA personnel in Saigon Station and outer lying regions, which strangely enough became a backwater for 'problem' officers despite the country's exceptional strategic importance to US policy makers.

In reference to the author's tradecraft, Sullivan makes three worthwhile points about polygraph testing:

1) "Polygraph is about 92 percent art and 8 percent science."
2) "The fact that intangibles cannot be quantified or scientifically measured challenges the claim that polygraph is a science. I do not believe that it is possible to put a percentage on the reliability of polygraph testing, but under optimal conditions, it is very reliable."
3) Even if a subject registers as being deceptive on a polygraph, "unless an admission is obtained, the final determination is frequently what we refer to as a scientific wild-ass guess (SWAG)."

Although I would have enjoyed hearing more detailed discussions of Sullivan's expertise, I understand that there are limits as to how much can be openly discussed regarding his specialty. Nonetheless, this book scores a high mark in that it enables readers to walk away with a better understanding of both the Vietnam War as well as polygraph testing.

It takes a mosaic to tell a story this big - and personal.......2002-10-16

The book starts out one story at a time and some times the thought is "why tell me about a broken desk cover" but at the end you know more about what it was really like in Laos and Vietnam. John was known as the man who would tell the truth to those in power. Now he shares it with the rest of us.

As we see the formulation of a new "homeland security agency" it is a reminder to us that the best way to get good results is pay attention to every step of the process. Our Vietnam operation had great support and many poor operations with the information results (even the good information) seeming to get lost on the way to those who needed it. The lesson I see is that all of the details are important. Bottle necks can kill.

Very Cursory.......2002-07-25

Many of the stories in the book are very light accounts of annoying conversations: personality conflicts. The author is apparently a real straight arrow and he has endless accounts of turns of phrase and trivial happenstances that annoyed him. Like the guy who switched his cracked desk glass for John's good one. Who cares, I mean literally? There is very little insight given to the interrogation process proper, which I was expecting because that is, after all, the author's specialty. In the end you have a sense that Vietnam was fill of corrupt, drunk spooks, and one lone shiny penny -- the author.

A "Must Read" for students of the Vietnam War.......2002-06-06

John Sullivan's "Of Spies and Lies" is a fascinating account of wartime CIA intelligence operations in Vietnam that should be required reading not only for students of the Vietnam War, but also for anyone interested in the current war on terror. John's discussions of the difficulties an intelligence agency faces in recruiting penetrations of a difficult and dangerous enemy organization and his descriptions of problems caused by the shortage of officers with the requisite language and area knowledge bear disturbing similarities to headlines we see in the press every day. It is another illustration of the old saw that "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
John's book provides a unique window into life in the CIA's Saigon Station. His description of Agency operations in Vietnam ranges from the controversy surrounding our best penetration of the Viet Cong leadership to the polygraphing of local employees over the disappearance of a few slices of ham at a party (an incident I remember quite well). John also gives unprecedented insights into the important role the Agency's requirement for polygraph vetting plays in keeping case officers, who work daily in the murky waters of spies, fabricators, and con-men, on the straight and narrow road of the pursuit of the truth. CIA polygraphers like John helped lead the way in the development of a systematic vetting process for use in the conduct of clandestine intelligence collection operations. The book illustrates how that process works and how, when the process is ignored or distorted, the entire system can quickly break down.
I served with John in Saigon Station and know his reputation as one of the Agency's best. As a former Saigon Station officer, some of his criticisms of personnel and procedures in Southeast Asia are painful, but their accuracy is incontrovertible. I highly recommend this book.

An Outstanding Book by an Outstanding Man.......2002-06-05

As a history major who took courses on the Cold War in college, I can say with certainty that this book would be invaluable and highly instructive to anyone who reads it.

As an Intelligence Analyst I have come to appreciate the work case officers like John Sullivan have done in service of their country. This book should be required reading for all polygraphers and case officers.

As an officer in the military, I have come to realize that many of the lessons learned from Vietnam have been applied in today's armed services. The book points out low-points in the CIA that can be used to improve (if not already) current operations.

His style of writing makes it easy to follow, and allows the reader to get a good glimpse of CIA operations in Vietnam through the eyes of an honest, hard working, dutiful man.

Anyone who has any interest in Vietnam, whether for school, occupation, or hobby, must read this book to get the full picture.

Book Description

The book is a true story of the struggles and rewards of the life of a pediatrician. With dramatic text and 65 stunning color photographs, the hectic life of a woman pediatrician is presented in all-inclusive detail, telling of the stresses and exhilirations in hospital and clinic work plus the ordeals of competing in the modern medical business world. The book starts with her being inspired by a woman psychiatrist to enter the male-dominated world of medicine and ends with her in turn being the inspiration for a young man to go into the practice of pediatrics.

Customer Reviews:

You never think of the life your doctor leads.......2000-12-20

Compassion is the core word for this book. You read, see, and enjoy the passion of compassion as Drs. Cavens let you enter into their life. The only thing missing was the a picture of the author's good looking brother, Pastor Rick Cavens, and his family

Being a Pediatrician.......2000-10-30

A vivid and fascinating story on the personal life and work of a pediatrician, depicted not only in words, but in captivating photography, both of which is done by the author, Dr. Travis Cavens. I had even more respect for pediatricians after reading this book.

Being an athletic supporter.(Letters From Maine): An article from: Pediatric News

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Being an athletic supporter.(Letters From Maine): An article from: Pediatric News
William G. Wilkoff
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000MLWUD2
Release Date: 2007-10-10

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2006. The length of the article is 713 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Being an athletic supporter.(Letters From Maine)
Author: William G. Wilkoff
Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40 Issue: 12 Page: 23(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Being on call.(Efficient Pediatrician Practices): An article from: Pediatric News

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Being on call.(Efficient Pediatrician Practices): An article from: Pediatric News
Charles A. Scott
Manufacturer: International Medical News Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000ALUEM8
Release Date: 2005-07-25

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by International Medical News Group on June 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1573 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Being on call.(Efficient Pediatrician Practices)
Author: Charles A. Scott
Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2005
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 39 Issue: 6 Page: 50(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Anybody Can Write a Book...........2007-01-18

Anybody can write a book about anything. That does not make it true. Many authors site patients that they have healed. Those ancedotes are not necessarily true. I have worn glasses since I was 7 and added contacts in my teens. When I got into my early twenties, my prescriptions stablized. I am now in my mid forties. I get my eyes checked every year or two and my presciption is always the same. I like to have an open mind, but I found this mind/body, energy fields, paranormal stuff related to vision hard to believe. I guess the only thing to do is try it. If that is one would like to do, this book seems a good start.

This book is a gift for everone using glasses.......2006-06-10

This book is written from knowledge and experience. Jacob takes the Bates Method, adds plenty of his own experience and explains it in a way that you cannot ignore. The book is full of factual, methods for relearning to see easily and effortlessly without glasses and also deals with the more subtle psychological resistances many of us have towards seeing clearly. Its a great book and written with love. 4 weeks in and my eyesight has improved 6%(from 5.5D with 1D astigmatism to 5.25D with .75D astigmatism. I wear glasses only for the computer and driving now. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to throw away their glasses!

Best yet.......2006-02-27

I almost didn't buy this book based on a review. So I am writing to say that this is the best book on vision I have read yet. Since I must have 10 or 12 such books in my possession, I consider this quite a statement.

Positive experience..........2005-08-06

First off I will simply say that this is, in my experience, an excellent book on the topic of the deeper nature of eye-sight and why (in many cases) it deteriorates.

In order to help you, the reader of this review, gain a little insight into the nature of the main emphasis of this book I wish to share with you a couple of personal experiences.

I was prescribed reading glasses when I was 15. At that time I intuitively felt into "why do people end up with deteriorated eyesight?" -- why is my eye-sight failing?. Intuitively I knew that in most instances it was literally the result of "not wanting to see" something within my world and/or within myself. Within less than six months I no longer needed my glasses and now can't wear them (as they no longer "correct" my vision, but distort it).

About 8 years ago I met a friend of mine when she was 22. She had thick glasses that she had to wear at all times if she was to see much in her world. She'd had them since age 6. They got stronger and stronger every few years. She was convinced (like most people) that this was "normal" and she'd have these for the rest of her life. In talking to her about matters of health and healing, I mentioned that I felt her challenged eye-sight was the result of her not wishing to see something from her childhood. I felt it was related to her father. (Perhaps I qualify that comment by saying that, among other things, I work as an intuitive healer).

She thought this idea to be quite ridiculous. A few days later we went to a 2nd hand book store. I found in there the book I am now reviewing. After flicking through it I quickly recognised that Liberman had very similar views on eyesight to myself. I bought it and gave it to my partner to read. I also read it myself. Within no more than 4 weeks after reading this book she has not worn her glasses since. She had to literally throw them away as they were no longer a suitable prescription. She has been reading, driving, living, etc., without all glasses every since (that was 8 years ago).

I will add that she didn't have to do much in the way of eye exercises. She did learn and practice doing what Liberman calls "Open Focus". This is, however, a good practice for all people -- glasses or not. It simply involves relaxing ones focus so that it is not drilling down onto the object/view at hand, but rather takes in the entire field of ones vision at all times (at least, whilst in open focus,,, which can become an ongoing way of viewing the world).

I am not suggesting that all people who read this book will have the same results as my friend. I am suggesting that it is entirely possible though. The probability of this will, however, depend on you and how ready and willing you are to see the world in a new way. What I do wish to share with you is that what Liberman explores in this book is, in my experience, an accurate view of the metaphysical aspect of eyesight and vision.

For people that rigidly adhere to a purely physical/materialist view of the world they might find this book is not compatible with their world view. If, however, you are open to the time-honoured perspective that there is "far more to life than meets the eye" then this book is written in such a way, and presented in such a way, that I am sure you will find it of great value. Liberman has a great deal of experience in this field... both as a trained optomitrist and as someone that broke away from the conventions of that profession and has since helped many people free themselves from the need to wear glasses.

I give this book my highest recommendation to anyone with poor eye sight, who is genuinely open to and interested in taking on a deeper understanding of the nature human of eye sight, and to then literally "take your glasses off and see". In my experience, this is a fantastic book.

I wish you all the best success in regaining your precious eye-sight.

Jonathan Evatt

A really mixed bag of tricks.......2003-06-01

This is a very interesting book. It shed some light on the limitation of optometry. But, it replaces with a lot of alternative advice that is inaccurate.

First, he comes up with a strange psychological theory that would explain why people's eyesight deteriorated by either becoming myopic or far-sighted. If you became myopic, it is because you became scared of the outside world through a life changing event that you did not cope well. Thus, you are refusing to look at the outside world, because you are afraid of it. If you became presbyopic, you did it because you became angry at the world through another life changing experience you did not digest well. So, you just had it with the world, and you refuse to look at any of its details close at hand. This is all bogus.

The author also did many experiment that I tried to duplicate myself, but never could. He takes a bunch of people who are really myopic and orders them to take off their glasses , and then measures their visual prescription twice within the next 24 hours. I did that, using the testing devise he offers to measure your improvement in vision. Mine did not budge, yours will not either.

In a nutshell, you can't just take off your glasses and see. This is giving you false hope. And, he should be sued for false advertisement.

So, why am I giving it a 3. Well, here are some positive valuable information I got out of it:
1) Be skeptical of your optometrist measurement of your own prescription. It is not as accurate as you think;
2) I have learned to live with "under prescribed" glasses. I now use a prescription that is weaker than one I had 11 years ago. And, I wear these 90% of the time I am wearing glasses;
3) I have learned to actually not wear any glasses when I don't need to. I probably do that 10% to 20%, when I am home eating a meal with my family.

By doing points 2) and 3) as described above, I maintain my vision at its current level, and control the speed at which myopia would accelerate for someone my age. I watch my colleagues at work rushing to get a new prescription every single year or so. And, that is nuts. If we all did that, we would end up with glasses as thick as wine bottle bottoms within 5 years. If you are doing that, stop it right now. This book will give you the confidence to stop this vicious cycle.

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One of the best cookbooks ever for entertaining

Great fusion recipes!

Adventures in the Kitchen: 175 New Recipes from Spago, Chinois on Main, Postrio and Eureka
Wolfgang Puck
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Wolfgang Puck's Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen : Recipes from the Famed Beard Award-Winning Owner of Spago

Wolfgang Puck Cookbook

Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy

Live, Love, Eat!: The Best of Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck's Pizza, Pasta, and More!

ASIN: 0394558952
Release Date: 1991-10-29

Book Description

Wolfgang Puck is a legendary chef. His endlessly imaginative cuisine delights countless diners at his world-renowned California restaurants: Spago, Chinois on Main, Postrio, Eureka, and his latest, Granita. Now, Adventures in the Kitchen offers over 175 great new recipes that enable food lovers to recreate Puck's wonderful dishes at home.

Whether preparing food for two or for twenty, cooks will discover here refreshingly innovative dishes combining cuisines and techniques from the Orient, Italy, and France from which Puck has brilliantly created a tempting new American cuisine. Each recipe expresses Puck's passion for fresh ingredients, simple and elegant presentation, and, most of all, his joyful and exciting approach to food. The emphasis is on lighter, more healthful dishes featuring fish, poultry, and vegetables, often grilled or roasted.

Begin your adventure with one of Puck's appetizers, such as Sauteed Crabcakes with Sweet Red Pepper Sauce or Sizzling Calamari Salad with Potato Strings. Try some of the pizzas and pastas that Puck has made famous, such as Spicy Scallop Pizza, Spicy Chicken Pizza, or Duck Ravioli with Red Pepper Sauce. Exquisite main dishes include Seared Tuna Steak au Poivre, Grilled Swordfish with Tomatillo Vinaigrette, and Chinois Roasted Squab on Pan-fried Noodles with Spicy Mushroom Sauce. To accompany these delights, try one of Puck's vegetable dishes, perhaps Sauteed Baby Vegetables or Black Bean Ragout. And for a dazzling finale, whip up one of over two dozen mouth-watering desserts, including Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Marmalade, Cinnamon Ice Cream, or Whiskey Fudge Cake. If you still have room for breakfast the next morning, Puck's incomparable Granola and his Poached Egg on Sausage Patty with Spicy Salsa make delicious starters. And to make any dish sparkle, try a recipe from the Dressings, Sauces, and Condiments chapter, such as Spicy CinnamonChili Paste or Spago House Salad Dressing.

Adventures in the Kitchen features inspiring color photographs of many of the dishes included here and is illustrated throughout with instructive line drawings.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best cookbooks ever for entertaining.......2000-01-08

If you're looking for a collection of recipes to wow your guests, this is the one. I use this book whenever we have dinner parties, and people are always blown away by Puck's menus. Definitely not a great source of recipes for those watching their weight, but a wonderful treat for occasional super rich meals. I've been using this book now for many years, and I believe this is one of the most under-rated cookbooks of all time.

I first reviewed this book in 2000; it's now seven years later, and I appreciate this book even more than I did then. I have a collection of hundreds of cookbooks, and not a single one has more "WOW" recipes than this one. My favorite recipe in the book is the Roasted Salmon on Celery Root Puree. Other favorites are the Chino Chopped Salad, the Barbecued Shrimp "BLT" Sandwich, Corn Chowder with Jalapeno Cream, Roasted Lamb Balls On Mashed Potato, Meat Loaf, Salmon Hash with Guacamole, Seafood Risotto with Ginger, Strawberry Shortcake, Butterscotch Pudding, and Plum-Almond Tart.

Although this is not a beginner's cookbook, these recipes are not exceedingly tough, and most can be made in a reasonable amount of time. Frankly, I am baffled that this book has not been recognized for the jewel that it is.

Great fusion recipes!.......1998-10-17

This cookbook has a great diversity of interesting dishes. There are some recipes that are fabulous for entertaining that will really impress guests.

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Wolfgang Puck Adventures in the Kitchen
Wolfgang Puck
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Bargain Books | Stores | Books

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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Professional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0517223740
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Book Description

Delectable recipes from the kitchens of the most famous restaurants!
Barbecued Shrimp “BLT” Sandwich. Sautéed Chicken Breast with White Truffles and Port Wine Glaze. Crisp Potato Galette. Homemade Tomato Catsup. Chocolate Bread Pudding. These are the fabulous recipes from legendary Chef Wolfgang Puck and his world-renowned restaurants Spago, Chinois on Main, Postrio, and Eureka. Now you can recreate these unique dishes in the comfort of your own home with Wolfgang Puck Adventures in the Kitchen.
With a taste for innovation, Puck has blended exotic cuisines and techniques to create outstanding dishes full of flavor, color, and imagination. Here you will find Italian-Asian fused Sizzling Calamari Salad with Potato Strings, the Chinese inspired Chinois Minced Garlic Chicken in Radicchio Cups, and a Mediterranean Olive-French Bread. Learn the secrets behind these tempting dishes which range from starters to main courses to desserts to dressings to breakfast foods. Recipes include:
Braised Moroccan Lamb
Gazpacho with Crabmeat
Beef Saté with Spicy Szechuan Sauce
Smoked Salmon Hash Topped with Guacamole
Spago House Salad Dressing
Pasta Rounds with Spinach-Ricotta Mousse
Strawberry Jam
Cinnamon Ice Cream
Whisky Fudge Cake

Each recipe is accompanied by suggestions about how to best present and garnish the dish for a professional restaurant look. You will also find inspiring and instructional commentary from Puck along with helpful line drawings that illustrate key ingredients and techniques throughout the book. With 175 impressive recipes, Wolfgang Puck Adventures in the Kitchen is an essential cookbook for home chefs who enjoy the glamour of gourmet food and the satisfaction of cooking it themselves. Pucks imaginative recipes ensure a culinary adventure with every dish!

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Adventures in the Kitchen
Wolfgang (foreword by Calvin Trillin) Puck
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PFY2JU

Adventures in the Kitchen : 175 New Recipes from Spago, Chinois on Main, Postrio and Eureka

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Adventures in the Kitchen : 175 New Recipes from Spago, Chinois on Main, Postrio and Eureka
Wolfgang ; Trillin, Calvin Puck
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBATUS

Book Description

For a number of years, Dr. Stark has been observing and working with police dogs and police dog handlers, with a view to sorting out some of the many misperceptions and myths that prevail in the world of working dogs. Through this unique collection of her thought-provoking articles and photographs, she shares her observations and analyses in a way that is easily understood by those who work with and rely on police dogs. The title of this book derives from one of the sources of frustration experienced by many handlers and trainers, stemming from the failure of administrators to understand that dogs are not just another piece of equipment, that the strong bond between the handler and this living, thinking, feeling "equipment" is essential to safe deployment, that adequate preparation takes months rather than hours or days, and that training must be throughout the career of the team, so as not to put handlers, dogs and public at risk.

Customer Reviews:

Not worth the money.......2004-07-18

Sure this book is easy to read but does it cover enough details? This book has no training value what so ever. There was very sparse details about how to run and manage a k9 program. It would have been more informative if she wrote about the financial and administrative issues in running a good program. In the interviews, she did not go very in depth and lacked details. This book missed the target.

Book Description

Over 150 motifs reflecting the eye-catching intricacies of Celtic design, ideal for use in graphics layouts, needlework designs and other art and craft projects. Often incorporating sinuous interlacements of animal, floral and abstract motifs, the designs have been clearly and boldly drawn to provide the clearest possible image for reproduction.

Customer Reviews:

Don't Waste Your Money!.......2006-12-29

Don't waste your money on this book. I only paid a few dollars for it used, but I'm still embarrassed at having thrown away my cash. The work shown is very amateurish, with terrible line symmetry and line quality. It's the kind of work you'd expect to see in an art student's sketchbook. I've seen better art on walls as graffiti. -Chris

Good intro to Celtic work.......2004-02-15

This contains quite a bit of basic Celtic patterns and art. However, I was somewhat disappointed: the knot work is not terribly intricate nor original. Also, the ink quality of each graphic is low... they already look like photocopies. The publisher could have taken a little bit more time and money to improve the images and remove the obviously granular appearance of each image.

There is value in the book though: it contains 4 different Celtic-style fonts (each containing solely the 26 letters), plus there is a good variety of bands, circles, and knots. In addition, each piece of art is spaced well apart so that one can easily photocopy and then cut out the patterns if so inclined. Both sides of each page are used for different pieces of art though, so I would not recommend cutting the original pages.

Due to the simplicity and low quality of each print, I feel that this book would be great only for a grade school art project or similar crafts. It simply does not have enough detailed Celtic art to be of use for works that require higher quality or detail.

159 Celtic Designs.......2001-12-15

This is a great book if you need some good clipart in a hurry.

Wonderful!.......2000-02-24

This book is an excellent clipart resource for those who have Celtic projects in mind. It has a variety of designs from smaller, comparatively simple knots, to intricate frame style knotwork borders, bands, zoomorphic designs, key patterns and spirals. There are also two complete Celtic knotwork alphabets, one uncial style alphabet, and another thats not really Celtic but very pretty nonetheless. I've used it already for several tattoos, and some graphics for my website as well. As with most of the Dover clipart books, there are very few Copyright restrictions, which is a great value at this price!

good for the beginner.......1998-03-29

This book gave specific examples about the intricate artwork of the celts.

Average customer rating:

159 Celtic Designs
Amy Lusebrink
Manufacturer: DOVER THRIFT EDITION
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K3L10K

Book Description

Leave work at five and don't feel guilty! Beth Sawi, tells you how to make more time for your personal life while still enhancing the quality of your work life.The balance issue can affect anyone. Despite the hard work and dedication her job demands, Sawi has found ways to get out of the home/office time bind and be an active parent to her two children and shares them in this book.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good but a little out of touch.......2006-02-19

Beth Sawi is an investment company executive who rose the corporate ladder while trying to raise a family. The book chronicles her efforts to balance work and family. It has plenty of good ideas and suggestions pulled in from others.

My main beef is that it's mainly about affluent people so it's a bit out of touch

Enormously practical and helpful.......2002-04-17

This book succinctly and gracefully guides the reader toward real-world solutions to very difficult real world problems. It's unusual to find a book which is both a pleasure to read and is very grounded in practical solutions for finding a way to increased contentment.

I think the book succeeds so well because it focuses on core challenges in attaining happiness and balance (i.e. given that one can't do everything, what are your real priorities?) and that it provides guidance for attaining realistic, small-step changes that can have an enormous impact on quality of life.

It's wonderful to find such graceful writing, not from a professional "self help book writer", but from a woman who has walked the walk...a person who has succeeded in corporate America while raising children and pursuing other interests. There's nothing theoretical here...it's all grounded in the reality of what's possible in our frenzied lives.

Coming Up for Air.......2002-04-17

Beth Sawi's book was an exceptionally useful tool as my husband and I evaluated our all-too-busy lives as we were flying back from a vacation. The book helped us set priorities, and talk together about what each of us needs to create a more balanced life. The book is readable and the case studies were particularly helpful. My highest praises for this book!

Enormously practical and helpful.......2002-04-16

This wonderful book succinctly and gracefully guides the reader toward real-world solutions to very difficult real world problems. It's unusual to find a book which is both a pleasure to read and is very grounded in practical solutions for finding a way to increased contentment.

Disappointing. Platitudes........2001-12-17

In her first chapter, which is really an introduction, Sawi explains that her "book is divided into four parts, each designed to show you how to change your work patterns and find more balance in your life." Part One, she explains, helps you understand yourself better. Part 2 tells how to make changes to create a balanced life. Part Three "describes particular situations that are common but may not apply to everyone." The fourth part "talks about activities that will help you increase the balance in your life this year and in the years to come."

That's what this book does. It talks. At a very basic level. Opening a book written by a woman who is executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Charles Schwab, I expected more. What I found was a combination of low-level training material that would come from a beginning seminar leader and group therapy.

Each chapter starts with a parable. Anyone with a couple of years of experience as a trainer or speaker-or active participant in seminars or conventions-would have heard them several times. Nothing new, unless you just haven't had the exposure to this sort of presentation. The book is filled with quotes-I counted over 100-that appear on page after page. It seemed like the author's research consisted of heavy use of "Bartlett's Quotations." For people who like quotes to stick on the refrigerator door or on a bulletin board next to their desk, this book is a treasure.

To present the various issues she deals with, the author uses unattributed quotes from people who suffer from imbalance in their lives. Each is printed in italics to differentiate their contributions from the author's writing. Sometimes that's very helpful, or else it would be difficult to tell the difference. Reading through these pages, with all these "people" sharing their tales, I felt like I was in a group therapy session.

If you'd like to experience a therapeutic sort of conversation that explores a lot of the issues around achieving life balance, and you like quotes and fables, read this book. If you're looking for a more concrete treatment of this topic with clear steps to take, keep looking. (...)

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Coming Up for Air, How to Build a Balanced Life in a Workaholic World
Beth SAWI
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OPJ6Q0

Book Description

Morrison, "the chirpy cockney sparrow" and agitator, rose from an errand boy to rule London as Britain's most famous city boss; then, nationally, he shaped the Labor Party's policies and directed its successful electoral strategies. Churchill even chose him to fight the German blitz throughout the war...but later, he ended his career overwhelmed by problems and seemingly inexplicable failures as Foreign Secretary. An inspiring biography, with a new author's preface and foreword by Morrison's grandson, Peter Mandelson.

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