CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!

Product Description

The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.

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Good history
A Superior Study of a Great Woman

Catherine the Great: A Short History
Isabel de Madariaga
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Russia | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0300097220

Book Description

An eminent scholar of Russian history here presents the most informative, balanced, and up-to-date short study of Catherine the Great and her reign. This edition includes a new preface dealing with recently discovered sources and revised interpretations of the period.

Customer Reviews:

Good history.......2002-06-19

A tad dry but a good history of a very complex woman who moved Russia into the modern era. If you want to know Russian history this is a must read.

A Superior Study of a Great Woman.......2000-06-16

Catherine is one of history's most complex, intelligent, strong-willed and resourceful women. de Mariaga's account is accurate and straightforward. Though she lacks the rhetorical flourish and eye-for-drama that makes Troyat's bio such a joy to read, de Mariaga pays closer attention to historical detail and gives the reader a keener sense of the political atmosphere Catherine faced and then recreated in her image.

de Mariaga doesn't dwell long on Catherine's formative years, dealing with the entire period from German childhood to ascension to the Russian throne in the prologue. She does mention the effect that Plutarch, Tacitus and Montesquieu had on the fifteen year Catherine. When the Swede, Count Gyllenborg urged her to read these authors, Catherine acted on the suggestion by ordering the library of the Academy of Sciences and its bookshop be sent to her. The books, when they came, were over the head of a fifteen-year old, but she turned to them later in life. de Mariaga tells us that years later, while awaiting news from Potemkin during the second Turkish campaign, Catherine (along with her newest consort, Zubov) distracts herself by translating Plutarch' Lives.

Catherine had to deal with many powerful factions when she came to power, following Peter II's secret assassination by the Orlov's. Some of the aristocratic members of her early cabinet, especially Panin, were hoping for a parliamentarian form of government, with a select few advisors wielding the majority of the power. Catherine, with the backing of the Orlovs, displayed her mettle early on in circumventing such notions. As far as she was concerned, Russia would remain an an autocrcy. Yet she was diplomatic enough not to appear heavy-handed in her decision-making and gave the impression, even to those she disagreed with strongly, that she was considering their proposals. She gave into Panin on his idea of a councl, but it was to be fashioned by her, so the old idea of service to the sovereign was reinforced. Even so it took her a good five years to consolidate her authority and spoil the ambitions of those who wanted to keep her a figurehead regent serving only until the czarevich Paul reached his majority.

de Mariaga stresses the importance of the assembly of 1767 in helping validate Catherine's rule and cementing her government. The assembly was important in that it allowed Catherine to come in contact with a wide cross-section of the Empire, and allowed her to confer new status on previously disenfranchised segments of the population (except the serfs, of course), at the expense of the nobility. The nobility found itself unable to resist Catherine's power-grab, for she was now speaking directly to "her children" with the divine voice of the Enlightenment. To have denounced her plan before a national assembly would have been tantamount to denouncing providence itself.

Catherine epitomized the "enlightened despot." She combined the "enlightened" political model of Montesqieu with her own brand of absolute power. A case could be made that she wasn't so much power-hungry as unwilling to share policy-making with those less-enlightened than she; namely, the Russian nobility whom she saw (correctly) as interested primarily in maintaining their wealth and status.

Catherine corresponded frquently with Voltaire. She brought Diderot to Russia. She wrote voluminously on subjects ranging from political science to drama. She was a Rennaissance Man in woman's garb in an Age of Enlightenment. Her diplomatic skills were exemplary. She could be ruthless and iron-fisted when the occasion dictated it. She, like Peter the Great before her, forged a new Russia, less dependent on old superstitions and the whip, more attuned to education and the new humanism. While her sexual proclivities have been vastly over-sensationalized, it could well be stated that in the area of bedroom-diplomacy Cleopatra was her only rival.

Book Description

Written by the prolific Victorian author Catherine Gore, best known for her novels about high society, Sketches of English Character is a reaction to what she saw as the lack of individuality in society. In a series of witty and observant short stories, she describes what she believes to be the stereotypical figures of Victorian life. From the interfering Chaperon getting in the way of the Debutante's romantic expectations, to the overblown pomposity of the family butler, who runs the household with an iron fist but ingratiates himself with the master, Gore brings to life in an engaging and entertaining manner the characters that best denote her generation of Englishmen and women. This is the second volume of two, containing sketches of the "Lady Patroness," the "Optimist and the Pessimist," and the "Lady-Killer."

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Catherine the Great (A Short History)
Isabel De Madariaga
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSD942

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Catherine the Great : A Short History
Isabel De Madariaga
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORZN60

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Catherine the Great : a Short History
Isabel De Madariaga
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSDOC4

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Catherine the Great: A Short History
Isabel de Madariaga
Manufacturer: Yale Univ. Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NQK2VI

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Catherine the Great: A Short History
Isabel De Madariaga
Manufacturer: Yale Univ Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBU494

Amazon.com

Gordon Forbes emerged from South Africa in the '50s to the high life of what then passed as the international tennis circuit. He achieved his real notoriety off the court, though, with his rollicking 1978 cult standard, A Handful of Summers, an annal of that life. In Too Soon to Panic, he's finally loaded up his second serve. Forbes has certainly lost none of his good humor in the intervening years, even if the game he writes so knowingly about has. Still, with a raconteur like Forbes lending his wit to the proceedings as he lobs anecdote after anecdote, the net result is another ace.

Book Description

Gordon Forbes, professional tennis player in the fifties and sixties, has gained certain immortality in his eloquent and hilarious best-selling memoir, A Handful of Summers. Too Soon to Panic is Forbes's long-awaited sequel.

With complete entrée into the sport's hidden corners and the keen insights and scrutiny of a writer undercover, Forbes reveals the goings-on of the international tennis circuit from the late sixties to the early nineties - first as a player, and then as an observer. Too Soon to Panic is a court-level look at the tour from the era of Arthur Ashe through the reigns of Vilas and Borg and into the period dominated by Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.

Consorting with the top players, coaches, and myriad other characters of the tennis world, Forbes bears witness to their moments of great triumph, humiliating defeat, bad behavior, and daring escapades. He has troubles of his own, constantly battling bouts of panic and an astonishing sleepwalking affliction. Along with Abe Segal, his outrageously funny doubles partner, he travels the world from Wimbledon to the U.S. Open and beyond, bounding from one adventure to the next in an effort to make sense of the world of tennis and the world at large. Too Soon to Panic is a heartfelt and hugely entertaining chronicle of his days on the courts of life. (61/4 X 91/4, 340 pages)

Customer Reviews:

Not much insight about tennis vs other books. .......2005-03-21

After all the hype about this book, I was rather disappointed. Bud Collins, George Plimpton, and Pete Sampras all suggest he is a virtuoso among the tennis writing aficionados. Well maybe not...

The author's style reads like a flowery lightweight novel. The book is more about Gordon Forbes' strange state of mind, including his weird panic-anxious attacks that he suffers during his sleep walking bouts and the strange adventures of his lifelong doubles partner Abe Segal. Actually, as you read on Abe Segal quickly becomes the center stage character. The problem is that his words and actions do not seem quiet believable. How much of all his behaviors are either heavily romanticized or outright fabricated?

The author also uses this interesting back-and-forth mechanism whereby one paragraph describes a very vaguely tennis related scene in the 60s, and the very next one describes a parallel scene maybe at the same tournament in the 90s. So, in the 60s he may be mentioning a match between Art Larsen and Nicolas Pietrangeli; and in the very next paragraph he now describes an Agassi vs Courier match. Both matches were probably fascinating, and their contrast could have been equally entertaining to analyze in some depth. But, within one weak paragraph that is not what you get from the author. Instead, the author escapes any valid analytical effort at this juxtaposition of interesting matches and escapes back to the near-fiction of Abe Segal's adventures around the World.

Somehow perplexing, is who were Gordon Forbes and Abe Segal anyway? Well, they are now both in their seventies. They were among the top South African players in the early sixties. This did not mean much at a time when Australians dominated tennis, and certainly completely overshadowed them. Names like Rosewall, Hoad, Emerson, Laver, Fraser, Stolle are definitely part of tennis history. Forbes and Segal are not. But, you have to give it to them they were nevertheless excellent players. How many outstandingly gifted tennis players are they who are not even known in their prime? Well, that is Forbes and Segal for you. From what I gather they were a pretty formidable doubles team. And, made the quarters of a couple of grand slam tournaments. However, they were never good enough to get their name in print on any major tennis cup. Thus, they left the game without leaving a trace.

However, Forbes background was ideal for the making of a world class tennis historian and writer. Here was a journeyman tennis player who exchanged tennis strokes with the Australian greats. He played tennis just before the onset of the Open tennis era (1968). But, he remained engaged in the sport and followed it closely till nowadays. Thus, he had all the empirical data to be as good a writer as many profess he his on the subject. Somehow, I just don't think he cut it as a writer. I learned so little about the game and its changing atmosphere between the 60s to nowadays.

The book has some moments. The description of the early professional tour with Trabert, and other old timers is poignant. You feel almost pity at the hardship these guys experienced, killing each other with tennis balls day in day out for a few miserable bucks that seemed like hardly above minimum wage in total anonymity. This compared to the surreal richness and fame of today's tennis pros makes for a painful contrast. Unfortunately, from within this book such poignant moments are too few and far in between.

Instead, I strongly recommend three contemporary books: "You can't be serious" by John McEnroe; "Bad News McEnroe" by Bill Scanlon; and "Tennis Confidential" (forgot the author). All those three books are so much more intense and get into the mental and physical blood and guts of professional men's tennis. You learn so much more insightful info on the game. Let's face it Gordon Forbes was never a John McEnroe on or off the tennis court. Actually, he was not a Bill Scanlon either (Bill's book is excellent).

Lovely and thoughful tennis memoir.......2002-08-03

In Too Soon to Panic, South African tennis player Gordon Forbes interweaves tales of his life on the tennis circuit during the 1950s and 1960s with visits to the professional tennis tour of the 1990s. The book is a delightful reflection on his travels to the sport's greatest hangouts- Roland Garros, Wimbledon & Queen's Club, Manhattan, the Foro Italico. As Forbes returns to these venues his senses are stirred and he relates anecdotes, usually accompanied by diary entries or notes he made thirty years earlier. The result is a personal, thoughtful and entertaining read.

You will enjoy this book if you want to read stories about the days of amateur tennis, when the players did not receive prize money. Forbes and his friends are lively characters, none more so than Forbes' doubles sidekick, Abe Segal. His sketches of
Rosewall, Ashe, Torben Ulrich and others are also worth the price of the book. A typical yarn recounts the first ever meeting of the players union, presided over President Newcombe, Secretary Riessen and Treasurer Ashe (who kept the players'
$50 membership dues in his pocket.) My own imagination cannot come up with a scenario in which Sampras, Agassi, Safin, Hewitt meet to discuss anything.

Forbes is equally engaging on the subject of his childhood tennis exploits in South Africa, his sister Jean, and his second (and third) careers as a lighting salesman and tennis court manufacturer. The writing is very nice, and by the end of the book you feel as if you inhabited Forbes' memories for a while.

A toast to old friends and the joy that tennis brings.......1997-10-29

Gordon Forbes struck gold in 1978 with the publication of A Handful of Summers, a joyous bacchanalian romp inside the international tennis tour in the 50s and 60s. His new book is more of an afterword to the original. Many of the same characters appear and there is little doubt that Mr. Forbes had a great time during is glory days. While not a disappointment, this novel is not really a novel. It has no plot, it has no rising action, it has no resolution--what it does have is a memory. A memory of times when great tennis players traveled the world for glory, not gobs of cash, and knocked back a few beers at the pub after the daily match was over. An older and wiser Mr. Forbes also pays touching tribute to his sister (wife of tennis starr Cliff Drysdale) who recently passed away. Although unspoken, the reader is compelled to understand that tennis is a vehicle whereby people can socialize together and form the bonds that are both personally important and enjoyable. No doubt, there are many funny anecdotes here (most involving his doubles partner known as Big Abie). However, Mr. Forbes does not seem to have his heart in the telling of them. Rather, he seems to be taking stock of his life and the things that matter to him. Still, it is well written and engaging. This will not disappoint anyone who plays tennis and loves the history of the game.

Book Description

From this concise textbook, a student may learn, step by step, how to prepare any kind of music manuscript; composers and copyists can use it for reference.

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Guidelines for Manuscript Preparation

Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Greek and Latin music theory: A style guide for text criticism, translation, and the preparation of camera-ready typescript

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Greek and Latin music theory: A style guide for text criticism, translation, and the preparation of camera-ready typescript
Thomas J Mathiesen
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00070SJV0

Notography: A new concept in music manuscript preparation for the student and the professional

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Notography: A new concept in music manuscript preparation for the student and the professional
Gerald Myrow
Manufacturer: G.I.A. Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006WKK8Y

THEMATIC CATALOGUES IN MUSIC: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING PRINTED, MANUSCRIPT, AND IN-PREPARATION CATALOGUES; RELATED LITERATURE AND REVIEWS; AN ESSAY ON THE DEFINITIONS, HISTORY, FUNCTIONS, HISTORIOGRAPHY, AND FUTURE OF THE THEMATIC CATALOGUE. Published under the sponshorship of the Music Library Association and RILM Abstracts of Music Literature

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THEMATIC CATALOGUES IN MUSIC: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING PRINTED, MANUSCRIPT, AND IN-PREPARATION CATALOGUES; RELATED LITERATURE AND REVIEWS; AN ESSAY ON THE DEFINITIONS, HISTORY, FUNCTIONS, HISTORIOGRAPHY, AND FUTURE OF THE THEMATIC CATALOGUE. Published under the sponshorship of the Music Library Association and RILM Abstracts of Music Literature
Barry S. Brook
Manufacturer: Pendragon Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7FSUM

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Excellent Practical Approach to Improving

Best Intermediate Level Course Ever Written

Best intermediate level course ever written

One of the Best Chess Courses Around

Crammed full of ideas

Chess Training for Budding Champions
Jesper Hall
Manufacturer: Gambit Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chess | Board Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner To Master

My System (Chess Classics)

50 Essential Chess Lessons

Understanding Chess Tactics

Practical Chess Exercises: 600 Lessons from Tactics to Strategy

ASIN: 1901983471

Book Description

Many chess players find it difficult to improve their game beyond a certain level. They can see basic tactics, know a little about openings and can calculate a few moves ahead. However, so do their opponents. What is the next level and how does one get there? This book is aimed at chess-players who have progressed beyond beginner level and have acquired the basic skills required to play at club level, but need guidance to improve their understanding of chess. It is based on the training program that Hall himself followed when he was an up-and-coming player. The lessons are not based on "quick fixes," but instead provide a well-rounded course in all aspects of chess that will equip the reader well for his or her chessboard battles, and provide a firm yet flexible basis for further improvement.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Practical Approach to Improving.......2005-07-03

You will find this book outlines a wonderful program on how to study, and gives a deep insight into openings, middlegame strategy and endgames. As well as teaching chess I play in local tournaments, and I can say with confidence that this well-rounded approach is exactly what will benefit the intermediate level player most. The chapters on the middlegame will help every junior solve some of the most common problems, and there is a lot of great study material on strategic themes. The section on the endgame alone is worth five stars, as it extensively covers topics you rarely see mentioned in other books.
There is no doubt that after reading this book your general strength will improve, and there is so much material packed in, that it is like having the contents of several books put together. That is my one complaint - there is almost too much material, and it could take several months to do it justice.
The author is an experienced chess teacher, and he shares his methods with a passionate enthusiasm. I found his methods to be valid, and quite insightful in some cases. I would highly recommend this book for both kids and adults to study and enjoy.

Best Intermediate Level Course Ever Written.......2005-03-14

What I really like about this book is how it caters for the student who seriously wants to improve. There is a lot more to it than you might think from seeing the cover, and I learned a lot about strategy and endgames. There are four things I found especially helpful:
1. the book covers a big range of topics, like how to make a plan or the important of pawn structures.
2. the diagram examples feature many famous games and famous players.
3. endgames are covered in detail (I have found that other books of this type ignore them).
4. there is lots of advice on how to improve

If you are an intermediate player (say rated 800 to 1900 USCF) this book will greatly benefit you.

Best intermediate level course ever written.......2005-03-14

One of the Best Chess Courses Around.......2004-05-30

This book will be equally useful for an individual ambitious to improve, or for a chess trainer looking for stimulating course material. There is a tremendous depth to the program of instruction here, with sections on openings, middlegame concepts (closed center, open center, isolated pawns) and endgames (queen endings, pawn endings, knight endings). Computers and databases are covered (2 pages), with the emphasis in that section (as indeed with the whole book) being as much on HOW to study as on the study itself.
A beginner might enjoy this book, but the most benefit will be obtained by players who have some experience but feel they have reached a plateau - a quite common situation in my experience. Gambit is well known for only publishing quality chess books, so this is a self-improvement work you can rely on to improve your game and rating.

Crammed full of ideas.......2004-04-24

why has no-one told me about this fantastic book before? There are sections on the endgame, analyzing your own games, how to study position-types and so on. Hall clearly writes from personal experience, and the method worked for him: he is a strong international master. The title is a little misleading in that it might imply the book is aimed at novice players, when the book could be useful for even club players. My chess library consists of around 300 books. This is one of the best self-improvement works in it.

Book Description

The entrepreneur's step-bystep guide to venture capital--where to find it, how to secure it, and what to do with it

Fewer than 40 percent of entrepreneurs seeking new business funding each year actually get that funding. How to Raise Capital improves those odds, providing prospective as well as current business owners with the knowledge they need to prepare an effective loan proposal, locate a suitable investor, negotiate and close the deal, and more. The all-star team of entrepreneurial experts behind How to Raise Capital gives readers top-level educational theory with hands-on, real-world knowledge. This thorough examination of the inner workings of the venture capital industry explores:

Resources available to entrepreneurs, from SBA loans to angel investors
Proven strategies for identifying and approaching equity sources
Characteristics of a "superdeal"--from the investor's perspective

Customer Reviews:

Mostly fluff.......2006-04-04

I've been reading a lot of business books to get information on how to grow my business. Of all those books, this one is mostly fluff. Many of the statements are vague and ambigious. There isn't much for solid advice. Buzzwords are used everywhere (Do you want a "value-added investor" funding your business?) Numbers and statistics are nonexistant other than a few graphs that look like they were sketched by hand. The author tends to throw lots of questions at you to think about, but doesn't give any advice on the topics.

There were a few bits of useful information on how other people will look at your business and value it, but it's not worth reading through the whole book for them. They could have been summarized in a bulleted list on a few sheets of paper.

If you're looking for a good book on how to obtain venture capital, check out Venture Capital Handbook, by David Gladstone.

Good Book for Entrepreneurs!.......2005-08-20

Thie book gives good resources available to entrepreneurs that want to start their own business. A book you should also check out is "The Wal-Mart Way" by Don Soderquist, it gives the inside story of the success of the world's largest company.

How to Raise Capital : Techniques and Strategies for Financing and Valuing your Small Business

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How to Raise Capital : Techniques and Strategies for Financing and Valuing your Small Business
Stephen Spinelli, Andrew Zacharakis Jeffrey Timmons
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFJMAU

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