Dialogues with the Dead: The Discussion of Mortality among the Sora of Eastern India (Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)

Book Description

Piers Vitebsky's study of religion, healing and psychology in tribal India focuses on a unique dialogue between the living and the dead, conducted through a shaman. By exploring memories of emotional attachments, the Sora people negotiate the meaning of particular deaths. Vitebsky analyzes these relationships over a period of years, and develops a typology of moods of the dead. He contrasts Sora procedures with the treatment of bereavement in psychoanalysis, and shows how Sora dialogues with the dead serve to negotiate relationships with other members of the community.

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An intriguing mystery ruined by a disappointing conclusion
This man is amazing!
This story takes far too long to tell.
Long view of Hill's series
Return to the Hill

Dialogues of the Dead
Reginald Hill
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Police Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0385336004
Release Date: 2002-01-02

Book Description

“Reginald Hill has raised the classical British mystery to new heights.”
— The New York Times Book Review

Acclaimed as “the master of form and the sorcerer of style,”* the Grand Master of British psychological suspense returns to weave wordplay and murder into a lethal tapestry that only Dalziel and Pascoe can unravel.

With characteristic precision,insidious wit, and unparalleled insight into the serpentine criminal mind, Hill offers readers his most diabolical surprise to date.

Dialogues of the Dead

Paronomania [n. A clinical obsession with word games]

In the Beginning was the Word...

And the Word was Murder.

A motorist dies after plunging off a bridge.... A motorcyclist is found dead after a fatal encounter with a tree. Two apparently innocuous tragedies ... until two Dialogues are submitted to a local literary competition, claiming responsibility for the deaths. But has anybody heard the Word?

When a beautiful, unscrupulous journalist meets her Maker in fact, and then in fiction, as victim of The Third Dialogue, Dalziel and Pascoe take note and find themselves involved in a deadly duel of wits against an opponent known only as the Wordman: a brilliant sociopath who leaves literary clues in his wake ... and who hides in plain sight.
Contestants, are you ready?

Reginald Hill’s books consistently combine wordplay and sleuthing, but the Master is in superb form in Dialogues of the Dead. There are enough clues to make a patchwork quilt, but in this test of wills just who is playing against whom?

Is it the Wordman versus the police? Or the killer against his victims? Or is the real game between you, dear reader, and Reginald Hill himself, at his most intriguing, most enticing, most elusive best? Just when you think you have your killer, guess again. Someone may have conceived the perfect crime.

Let the games begin...

Customer Reviews:

An intriguing mystery ruined by a disappointing conclusion.......2007-08-27

This is the first Daziel/Pascoe mystery I've read in awhile and I was impressed by how quickly I was captivated by it. A clever set up, a short story contest that is used by a serial killer to create a poetic version of the murders that follow, leads into an interesting series of investigations. Pascoe's preoccupation with and old foe, Daziel's bulldogging his way to an answer and the intriguing suspects all point to a solid mystery. Too bad it is spoiled by the ending. The far-fetched nature of the killer's motivation takes away from much of the enjoyment of this mystery for me; an outcome better suited to a B-film noir than a police procedural. Without giving too much away, let's just say it is for the hoariest of psychological reasons, a mostly invalid concept that really doesn't seem to belong here. It's a shame because prior to that I really liked this one but the ending just wrecked it for me.

This man is amazing!.......2007-07-30

Hill never ceases to amaze me with his clever plots and his well-drawn characters. Andy Dalziel is one of my favourite detectives out there. He comes across as crude and a little thick, but that is a part that he plays to hide his razor-sharp intelligence. But even Andy gets frustrated with this case. Unlike most Hill books, this one has a lot of corpses, and the CID team is on the trail of a serial killer they call the Wordman. As the bodies pile up, the list of suspects gets smaller and smaller. Finally there are eight bodies, and Andy's team finally closes in on the killer. Are they right? Is the one they've honed in on the infamous Wordman? With this book though, "It ain't over until the fat lady sings", and she isn't singing at the end of the book. Can't wait to read Part 2! My only regret is that I'm getting close to the end of this truly wonderful series.

This story takes far too long to tell........2007-06-29

I have enjoyed several other Dalziel & Pascoe mysteries, but this one seemed to just drag on and on, and got downright boring. I had a pretty good idea early on who the culprit was, and lost interest in finding out the particulars. Cutting it in half would have helped -- nearly 400 pages is a chore. Not one of his best, sorry to say.

Long view of Hill's series.......2005-07-31

As a long-term Reginald Hill fan, I was struck by something odd about this book, when compared with those from the 1970s and 80s: it is timeless, it is no longer social satire or "comedy of manners." It can't be, because in real time Pascoe would be over 60, his daughter Rose a university graduate, and Dalziel up in his 80s. Hill obviously knows this. So instead, it is deep into literary devices, which are intrinsic to the plot but the result is detatched not just in terms of social milieu but also in terms of character. Maybe I'm just nostalgic for "Exit Lines" and "Ruling Passion".

Return to the Hill.......2005-06-15

For some reason, I stopped reading Hill a few years back. And while I've missed him, I'm glad I did. I have several books now that I can read in succession and simply overdose on this dazzling writer. I knew from the outset who the Wordman was ... or so I thought. I read the last chapter late one night and saved the last bit for the next night. My ego took a blow when I learned late the next night I'd been wrong all along. But better a blow to my ego than a Hill book without a clever plot twist at the end. I'm now reading Death's Jest-Book and so far all I can say is Franny Roote is one of the most clearly drawn wacko characters I've read (and never wanted to meet).

I hope that Hill has in mind an eventual Hat/Pomona reunion with all the incumbent cat and mousing that could produce. What fun.

Lucian: Dialogues of the Dead. Dialogues of the Sea-Gods. Dialogues of the Gods. Dialogues of the Courtesans. (Loeb Classical Library No. 431)

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Addendum
This is not "A True Story"
Of shoes and ships and ceiling wax...

Lucian: Dialogues of the Dead. Dialogues of the Sea-Gods. Dialogues of the Gods. Dialogues of the Courtesans. (Loeb Classical Library No. 431)
Lucian
Manufacturer: Loeb Classical Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Medieval | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Greek & Roman | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0674994752

Book Description

Lucian (ca. 120-190 CE), the satirist from Samosata on the Euphrates, started as an apprentice sculptor, turned to rhetoric and visited Italy and Gaul as a successful travelling lecturer, before settling in Athens and developing his original brand of satire. Late in life he fell on hard times and accepted an official post in Egypt.

Although notable for the Attic purity and elegance of his Greek and his literary versatility, Lucian is chiefly famed for the lively, cynical wit of the humorous dialogues in which he satirises human folly, superstition and hypocrisy. His aim was to amuse rather than to instruct. Among his best works are A True Story (the tallest of tall stories about a voyage to the moon), Dialogues of the Gods (a 'reductio ad absurdum' of traditional mythology), Dialogues of the Dead (on the vanity of human wishes), Philosophies for Sale (great philosophers of the past are auctioned off as slaves), The Fisherman (the degeneracy of modern philosophers), The Carousal or Symposium (philosophers misbehave at a party), Timon (the problems of being rich), Twice Accused (Lucian's defence of his literary career) and (if by Lucian) The Ass (the amusing adventures of a man who is turned into an ass).

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Lucian is in eight volumes.

Customer Reviews:

Addendum.......2002-03-17

Actually, Lucian's True Story is in volume number 14, contrary to what I said in my review.

This is not "A True Story".......2002-02-08

Contrary to what another reviewer said, this volume does not contain Lucian's most famous work, "A True Story." For that, you will have to order Loeb Classical Library no. 162.

However, this is a good and useful volume for seeing what Lucian's style was like. In particular, "Toxaris, or Friendship" is fascinating, though one may or may not agree with the portrayals of friendship contained therein.

Of shoes and ships and ceiling wax..........2000-06-30

First of all, don't you just love these Loeb editions. In my opinion, they are the most aesthetically appealing collection of books ever. Perfect size , nice shade of green, half in Greek so they make you look real smart-everything you could ever ask for in the book-as-object department. So, that said, on to Lucian. Ever read Gulliver's Travels (I know what you're thinking: "She said she was gonna talk about Lucian!" I am , I am, I promise) and wondered "Where in bloody blazes did he come up with all this philisophically abundant, politically biting, incredible nonsense?" Well friends, look no further, Lucian is the deposed king of philisophically abundant, politically biting, incredible nonsense. A True Story I and II is possibly the most delightfully bizarre piece of literature that has ever passed before these eyes, and I have a decided propensity for that sort of thing. Lucian, however, is not limited to that realm. Every now and then he saunters away from the race of men using their generative organs as mainmasts for sailing excursions to give us his pity commentary on subjects as diverse as the nature of slander and octegenarians, but wherever he goes, it's a brilliant trip. Though the parallel between Lucian and Swift definitely exists I don't want to lead anyone astry by pushing it too much. Swift's main impetus was political commentary, wheras Lucian is a rhetoritician. He plays with a lighter touch, so to speak. You can almost see the wry smile emerging cheshire-like from the page. Though Amazon lists Lucian as one volume, beware, there are eight. Don't panic though, the first one is such a treat that you can either make a meal of it alone or flit gaily on to the feast of the other seven. Bon Apetite.

The Altizer-Montgomery dialogue;: A chapter in the God is dead controversy

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The Altizer-Montgomery dialogue;: A chapter in the God is dead controversy
Thomas J. J Altizer
Manufacturer: Inter-Varsity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Dialogos De Los Dioses, Dialogos De Los Muertos, Dialogos Marinos, Dialogos De Las Cortesanas / Dialogues of the Gods, Dialogues of the Dead, Marine Dialogues, ... Dialogues of the Court (Biblioteca Tematica)

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Dialogos De Los Dioses, Dialogos De Los Muertos, Dialogos Marinos, Dialogos De Las Cortesanas / Dialogues of the Gods, Dialogues of the Dead, Marine Dialogues, ... Dialogues of the Court (Biblioteca Tematica)
Lucian of Samosata
Manufacturer: Alianza Editorial Sa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

The dialogue of the dead in eighteenth-century Germany (German studies in America)

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The dialogue of the dead in eighteenth-century Germany (German studies in America)
John Rutledge
Manufacturer: (Peter Lang,)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

German | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

DIALOGUE OF THE DEAD: THE NEW DALZIEL AND PASCOE NOVEL.

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DIALOGUE OF THE DEAD: THE NEW DALZIEL AND PASCOE NOVEL.

Manufacturer: BCA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HGVRBI

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Dialogue with a dead man
Jim Wayne Miller
Manufacturer: University of Georgia Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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DIALOGUE WITH THE DEAD
Peter Robson
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FNCE4M

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Dialogue with the Dead

Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000DEMG7I

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...And ne'er the twain shall meet.

An interesting experiment

Read it with an open mind.

Can't say that I liked it.

not up to Ms. Baudino's usual standards
O Greenest Branch (Water!)
Gael Baudino
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Baudino, Gael | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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The Dove Looked In (Water!)

Branch and Crown: Book III of Water!

Strands of Sunlight

Dragon Sword (Dragonsword)

Strands of Starlight

ASIN: 0451454499

Customer Reviews:

...And ne'er the twain shall meet........2003-05-25

That's how I usually end up describing how I believe people will feel about Baudino's "Water!" trilogy. Either you love it, or you hate it...and ne'er...well, you get it.

So why did I love it? Mostly it was the challenge. There's *so* much going on in these books that sometimes I just had to sit passive and let the stream of her words carry me on. Other times I was an active participant in the adventure able to use the very simple formula needed for the exact length of swinging rope (this never failed to make me chuckle).

I loved Sari and the entire discourse of religions...for the Naians weren't perfect, though I really wanted them to be. I think in the end the reason I loved these books is because they were so *interesting*...something to see and think about on nearly every page.

For those that enjoy a good, active read where the author challenges you in many ways, I would certainly recomend this and the rest of the series.

An interesting experiment.......2000-10-30

Since I liked Baudino's other books (especially "Gossamer Axe"), I was really looking forward to a new story.

Wellll...

This book seems to be more of a literary experiment in multiple styles than an endeavor to tell a straightforward story. On the plus side, Baudino delivers several good pokes at organized religion (including paganism). No one has the corner on Truth or God/dess, and I came away thinking that this was a pretty brave attempt at something new.

On the minus side, Baudino seems to get way too carried away with switching narrative styles and perspectives that its easy to get lost and ask, "Uh, what just happened?" repeatedly.

Interesting, but a little too convoluted.

Read it with an open mind........1999-09-04

This is not the place to look for traditional epic fantasy. I was actually put off at first by the constant changing in style and script, but when I was stranded with no other book, this one got picked back up again. I'm very glad I did. Once I accepted the book for what it was, not what it's genre said it should be, I was enchanted. The characters are not heros of common ilk, but something so much more and intensly flawed. It might not be what you're looking for, but if you want something new and creative, give it a shot. It's a lot of fun.

Can't say that I liked it........1998-04-07

I was very disappointed in the first of the Water series. It was a tough book to find & I didn't want to read the others out of order. I've already started reading the second one and I don't find it a lot better, though I'm more than willing to reserve judgement. "O Greenest Branch" is written in a style I find very distracting and its negativity or "Darkness" or whatever it is seems to go on for too long. I am a huge fan of all the other works of this author, so I hope Bks 2 & 3 get better.

not up to Ms. Baudino's usual standards.......1997-06-20

The _Water_ series is the worst series that I have read by Ms. Baudino. I was very disappointedin the series--the constant interruptions by the "author" were extremely distracting. The series had a good plot, but I would not buy it again.

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O Greenest Branch (Water! Ser., Bk. 1)

Manufacturer: N A L
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HX1CSE

Book Description

A call to arms for families who have had loved ones disabled or dying in the pursuit of medical treatment...Well written and researched ...highlights this timely topic in a unique way that will evoke the reader's own experience. --Former First Lady Rosalyn Carter

Customer Reviews:

A Better Book By Far.......2004-11-02

This is a better book by far than the unfortunately better known INTERNAL BLEEDING. It is certainly more honest. It has the clear advantage of being written by people who know and understand the subject ,and unlike Internal Bleeding, it does not suffer the disadvantage of having been written by physicians who, purposfully or otherwise, seem very intent in obscuring the responsibility for medical mistakes.

The authors of Wall of Silence have written an honest and valuable book deciding (to the public's advantage) to let the chips fall where they may. A MUST READ!!

Truth be told.......2004-03-07

This book is a well researched, well written must read for all Americans. The authors share their personal story as well as the stories of others who have suffered at the hands of a careless physician. While the stories will break your heart, they may also save your life, or the life of someone you love. While none of us want to believe that those we trust with our bodies and our lives would neglect a sacred trust, the fact is it is happening all too often. This book delivers the message without hype, fear or hysteria. Read it, share it and take it with you.

First do no harm.......2003-11-18

If even one person dies, that is one too many. But it is not just one, not even 10 or 100 patients who are maimed and dying from health care mistakes. As Gibson and Singh reveal, the numbers are much much higher than that. And anyone of them could be you or your loved ones. Medical errors do not discriminate. Everyone is vulnerable even doctors themselves as patients.

Yes, to error is human but that really doesn't appear to be the problem here. A great deal of the problem appears to be that a percentage of health care providers make multiple errors because no one stops them. According to Grayson and Singh many nurses do not recommend their place of employment to their family and friends.

When people are not held accountable for their actions and the consequences of those actions everyone is endangered. Taking or being forced to take personal responsiblity for your actions and their consequences plays a large part in how many mistakes you make.

I would think it would be every irresponsible health care provider's nightmare to literally have to personally experience everything that they inflict on their patients.

Since health care providers are safe from the magic wishing wand, the next best thing is to guard against such mistakes and be public with the information. It is a matter of ethics. When you are ten and don't want to "rat out" a buddy it is rarely life or death. But health care providers are not ten anymore and it is their ethical obligation to put the safety their patients or potential patients first. Please read this book and tell others about it. All of our lives depend on it.

Dying for Safety and Accountability.......2003-09-15

What separates Wall of Silence by Gibson and Singh from other books on this topic is the refreshing and bold truth telling contained within it's human stories of pain, injustice and frustration. Not only did the authors shoulder the risks and courage requisite for listening to and then writing about the human face, consequences and devastation of needless medical error tragedies, but they also ferreted out and exposed the ugly truths, told by medical providers themselves, about how the pervasive greed, secrecy and code of silence in the healthcare industry works to bury medical mistakes through a host of means; including blackballing and burying the careers of the competent and ethical medical providers who dare to tell the truth and who place patients above profits. As a medical provider, I can find no better way to encapsulate the meaning and hope of this treatise than through those words offered by the Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. This book is, as she states, 'A call to arms for families who have had loved ones disabled or die in the pursuit of medical treatment.' And, I can only hope that it could also catalyze a 'Call to Arms' for medical providers who wish to return medicine and healthcare to the patient oriented, compassionate, ethical and hippocratic way of practice.

Buy this book.......2003-08-05

If you want to know the truth about the medical system and the enormous number of errors and cover-ups within that system, read this book. Well-researched with many shocking and heart-breaking case studies, the book provides answers as well as showing the problems. Thank goodness someone had the courage to buck the system and break down the Wall of Silence for all of us.

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A Must Have

What's for Dinner: Fix it fast Recipes Plus Quick as a wink Tips for Making Everyday Dinners Delightful (Gooseberry Patch)
Gooseberry Patch
Manufacturer: Gooseberry Patch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Come on Over: A delightful collection of simple recipes and clever ideas for casual gatherings with family & friends. (Gooseberry Patch)

Country Quick and Easy

Best Ever Casseroles (Gooseberry Patch)

5 Ingredients or Less! Fresh Recipes for Every Season Plus Clever Tips for Celebrating Every Day (Gooseberry Patch) (Gooseberry Patch)

One Pot Meals: Flavored without the fuss...home-cooked dinners your family will love! (Goose Berry Patch)

ASIN: 1931890528

Book Description

The most-asked question has finally been answered! What's for Dinner? Cookbook has scrumptious recipes for casseroles, slow cooking, grilling, meatless meals, dinner for 2 and more, like horseradish pot roast, shepherd's pie, zesty macaroni & cheese, spinach-Swiss pie, garlic ranch chicken, crustless coconut pie and punch bowl cake. You'll love the recipe tips for easy prep and simple substitutions for lighter fare too.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have.......2005-08-21

Absolutely wonderful!!! I love cookbooks and this one has become one of my favorites. The recipes include casseroles, slow cooker recipes, meatless recipes, veggie sides and salads, recipes for the grill, dinner for two and desserts. As a full-time preschool teacher and mother of a 15 yr old, I rarely have time to cook or much less have the energy to. These recipes are easy, comforting and delicious.

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Great information, but mostly geared toward Savannahs

Great section on Argentine B/W tegus!

General Care and Maintenance of Popular Monitors & Tegus (The Herpetocultural Library Series)
Michael Balsai
Manufacturer: Advanced Vivarium Systems
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reptiles & Amphibians | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reptiles & Amphibians | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Monitors and Tegus (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

Savannah Monitors: A Complete Guide to Varanus Exanthematicus (Complete Herp Care)

Terrarium and Cage Construction and Care

The Savannah Monitor Lizard: The Truth About Varanus Exanthematicus

Monitors: The Biology of Varanid Lizards

ASIN: 1882770390

Book Description

This book provides essential information on the responible care and breeding of the popular savannah monitor and other monitor species regularly offered in the pet trade including: Dumeril's Monitors, Mangrove Monitors, Nile Monitors, Black Rough-necked Monitors, Crocodile Monitors, Asian Water Monitors, Spiny-tailed Monitors, Timor Monitors, Argus and Gould's Monitors and Tegus.

Customer Reviews:

Great information, but mostly geared toward Savannahs.......2001-11-27

This book has a wealth of information within it, and describes every aspect of monitor ownership. And I have seen no greater book written on Savannah monitors in particular. But, if you are interested in obtaining or own a different species of monitor, such as a water or peach-throat, the book doesn't dwell on them too long. Simply a paragraph or two deals with other individual species. Which is OK, but it doesn't discuss all the special requirements of other species, which can be important, in its generalized chapters. Yet, if its savannahs your interested in, which are by far the easiest and most commonly kept, this IS the book for you! Don't miss it!
--Lauren

Great section on Argentine B/W tegus!.......1998-06-30

Did you know that the Argentine Black & White tegus, as you can read in this book, eat a larger variety of food than the Colombian tegus and can hibernate? It is all in this great book on tegus and monitors. Here is another example of this great book: "The Argentine Black and White tegu is the most desirable of all tegus" (p. 142 in Michael Balsai's book on monitors and tegus). Am I glad I found an Argentine tegu at Agama! Please read this book if you like tegus and other big lizards, it is fantastic!

Book Description

Since 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life.

Customer Reviews:

Lavender grower.......2007-08-24

This is a brief bulletin of information but still quite helpful. Ms. Barrett touches on the types, the maintenance and the uses of lavender. It's a small book, but I found tips and recipes in here that were missing in other lavender books. It's plain and simple, short and sweet. A very good basic reference book.

This little gem is so full of useful information.......2006-07-12

This little gem is so full of useful information it puts the other books I have on lavender to shame. Not only does it discuss the many varieties of lavender and their history and growing wants/needs. But one learns how to propagate, trim and use the various lavenders be it in bath items or medicinally, cooking or as gifts. I grow lavender and make various things from the plants but really want to try making the 'Net sachets' shown on page 24 which are gorgeous!

Bravo.......2005-09-06

This summer I planted 80 lavender plants in honor of my mom who recently passed away. This book has been a major part of the success my garden has achieved, with 2 harvestings of lavender to date. An excellent resource and inspiration for how to grow and use lavender

Book Description

This work offers an authoritative account, well illustrated, of the evolution of type design from the earliest blackletters to present day forms. For those concerned with the proper use of hundreds of type faces now available, this book provides an essential framework on which can be built an appreciative understanding of the rich heritage of expressive letter design that lies in the printer's case. It simplifies the problems of identifying unfamilar types. Co-published with The British Library.

Customer Reviews:

An outstanding resource.......2005-03-08

This book includes over a hundred specimens of historical typesetting, covering every age from the 42-line Bible to the early 20th century. The author took the unusual step of reproducing each specimen at 100% of its original size, even it it meant cutting one of the original pages short. Scaled images of characters never tell the visual truth about the letterforms, so this is the only meaningful way to experience typesetting in these specimens.

Dowding organized the book's chapters into a taxonomy of type styles, giving a brief summary of the origin, historical development, and available fonts in that style, as of the orginal printing date. Most, though not all chapters give a brief checklist of that style's distinguishing features. This could have been expanded, I think, handled more uniformly from chapter to chapter, and could have included the distinguishing items that differentiate one family from another. For all its lacks, this is a good description of the various styles a typographic student will encounter.

What makes this book stand out is over 45 pages of commentary in the back of the book, describing the distinguishing features of each specimen. There's a bit of historical information in many of the commentaries, bordering on gossip at times. The real value, however, is in the discussion of each typeface as a unique composition, and sometimes in contrast to others. It's not explicit but there is a unique lesson here, a sustained discussion in how to look at letterforms. I fault it only for weakness in addressing sanserif fonts, which deserve a lot more than the two perfunctory pages shown here. Perhaps when this was written, the sans fonts hadn't gained enough popularity to warrant discussion. Perhaps, however, Dowding's biases and historical sources shied from such "grotesque" shapes.

This is an exceptional reference for any student wanting to start on serious discussions of letterforms. The only real problem with this book is that it's not very deep or systematic in teaching the history its title seemed to promise. Take it for what it is, however, and I think it's quite good.

//wiredweird

Compromised due to simplicity........2000-09-05

In this book's introduction, the author said "The text has not only been made deliberately brief but we have tried not to bestrew it with too many names and dates." I found it very true. Because less than one third of this book was text. The rest of them, examples of typefaces. It is good that this book contains many beautifully reproduced type speciments. But the text is really too thin to be very educative.

This book is composed of two parts: book types and display types. In the beginning, there's an introduction on the typography business, how illogical product names made this art confusing to most people. Then the author introduced many widely-used book and display typefaces in historical orders. But he did speak too little on each typefaces.

This book is almost as good as Jan Tschichold's _Treasury of Alphabets and Lettering_. Yet I am a little disappointed. Perhaps it was because this book's title suggested more than a collection of type speciments. I expect to learn more from this book.

Book Description

The first definitive biography of a pioneering civil rights leader and activist

In 1948, Three Rivers Funeral Home refused burial of the remains of Felix Longoria, a World War II veteran. For Dr. Hector P. García this incident was an example of the bigotry and injustice that many Mexican Americans suffered in South Texas and throughout the U.S. He and his fledging organization, the American G.I. Forum, stepped into the national consciousness to fight for Longoria and his family and to inspire Mexican-American participation in party politics and against segregation in the post-World War II years.

García was an immigrant from Tamaulipas, Mexico, whose family journeyed north in the fashion of many other immigrant famillies seeking economic opportunities and safety from the numerous revolutionay conflicts. In spite of discrimination and poverty common in the Rio Grande Valley, García became a physician in 1940 and, like many young Mexican Americans, served his adopted country with distinction in fighting fascism and injustice abroad. After receiving the Bronze Star and six battle stars, he returned to Texas only to find that much of the discrimination and segregation against Mexican Americans was still rampant, despite their having proved themselves in the bloody battlefields overseas.

An outraged García went on to rally Mexican-American veterans into one of the most effective civil rights organizations in history and to create a space for them within the political process. His pionnering efforts not only resulted in changed laws and practices, but also in a new awareness among Mexican Americans that they could fight for their rights and win. He also proved to be a decisive factor in the election of America's first Catholic president, John. F. Kennedy. His activism inspired a new generation of social reformers in the barrio, and a reluctant acceptance by the larger society that Mexican Americans were first class citizens. For his work, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1984.

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