Rudolf Steiner Speaks to the British: Lectures and Addresses in England and Wales

Book Description

Now, in his eloquent words, hear mega-football superstar Marcus Allen---Heisman trophy winner, Superbowl MVP, and record-breaking running back--tell his inspiring and unforgettable story, rom his triumphant rise to athletic stardom, to his rocky 11-year relationship with Los Angeles Raiders coach Al Davis, to his controversial friendship with O.J. Simpson, and all the high and low points in between.

Marcus on Al Davis:
"I could neither understand nor determine why Al Davis had declared war against me. But for all the motives suggested, none involved the possibility that the issue might be racial. Al Davis was many things that I didn't admire, but he was no bigot."

Marcus on O.J. Simpson:
"I am and forever will be forever be tortured by the loss of two people who were my friends; one murdered, one now forced to live a lifetime being blamed for tragedy."

Marcus on Football
"It teaches hard lessons about success and failure, joy and disappointment. And when played well, it has a poetry all its own."

Customer Reviews:

Marcu Allen.......2006-03-10

I really enjoyed this well written summary of Marcus Allen's life and his extraordinary career in football. If you are at all interested in football, this book would be a great choice. He starts from the beginning telling us about his family and his hometown. He then describes his life as a high school football player. He goes on to talk about the transitions he had to make on the field from defensive back to quarterback and then to running back later on in his career. Marcus really goes in to depth when he describes his years at U.S.C and the heisman trophy. He emphasizes his dedication towards his health and the team. Marcus says in the book that playing backup to Charles White helped him more because he got to see greatness right before his eyes in Charles. Charles describes the felling of being drafted to the Oakland Raiders. Marcus shows his dislike towards the teams manager Al Davis and describes conflicts between the two. Marcus goes into great detail of the games and the situations that occur off the field on both the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs. It is very interesting to see the relationship between Marcus Allen and Mr. and Mrs.OJ Simpson. He talks about the OJ trial and how he handled it.

A GOOD LOOK AT A NICE GUY.......2003-05-18

I REALLY ENJOYED READING THIS. MARCUS DOES A GOOD JOB DESCRIBING HIS CAREER WITH THE RAIDERS AND CHIEFS. HIS CRITICISM OF AL DAVIS AND RAIDER ORGANIZATION IS EXTREMELY INTRIGUING. ALSO INTERESTING IS HIS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE OJ MURDER TRIAL AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OJ AND HIS WIFE. THIS IS WELL WORTH YOUR TIME.
A MUST READ.

Excellent insight to the Raider organization!.......2000-03-11

After reading this book, I was amazed at the things that went on between Al Davis and Marcus. How Marcus stayed in Los Angeles that long amazes me. This book covers Marcus' life before football, during high school, at USC and the heisman, and being drafted by the Raiders and then ending up at Kansas City. Marcus talks about the O.J. fiasco and how it changed his life. This book is excellent for any football fan and shines light on the dark side of being a Raider.

Sometimes Nice Guys Finish First.......1998-08-30

This is not your typical Professional Jock Worship book, primarily because (1) very little of the narrative is taken up with descriptions of individual games or plays, (2) Carlton Stowers is an excellent writer who portrays Marcus well, and (3) Marcus himself is an intelligent and thoughtful person who has had a fascinating life to date.

The real heroes of this book are Marcus' parents, Harold (Red) and Gwen Allen, who put the necessary time and effort into providing their children with the integrity that has made Marcus successful.

This is a book of contrasts and conflicts, the first of which are with Al Davis, owner of the Oakland Raiders. Marcus despises Al and is candid in describing his reasons. Anyone who is not familiar with Al Davis might think Marcus is exaggerating, but those who are familiar with him will find the criticism reasonable, if not understated. Corroboration for his descriptions of Al's eccentricities may be found in "Slick: The Silver and Black Life of Al Davis" by Mark Ribowsky [ISBN: 0-02-602500-0], a highly entertaining biography that is now out of print but may be available through a used-book service.

The other interesting contrast is that between Marcus and his friend O.J. Simpson. As Marcus described Nicole Simpson's death and the subsequent murder trial, I kept asking how these two men, similar in so many ways, could have ended up so differently. As I said at the outset, the real heroes of the book are Marcus' parents.

Best football autobiography i have ever read.......1998-04-25

He shows an amazing insight into what really goes on in the dirty world of american football. To the specifically vindictive nature of Al Davis towards Marcus, to the heartfelt news which so totally devasted him upon learning of the revelation of O.J.!! Written we a great deal of intelligence almost as if he was a best selling novelist. Definitely makes you support the Chiefs whenever they play the Raiders, even though i support the Seahawks. Maybe now Marcus has retired he will put pen to paper more often, I certaintly will purchase any of his material.

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A vivid and exciting life story

Road to Canton
Marcus Allen , and Matt Fulks
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Marcus: The Autobiography of Marcus Allen

ASIN: 158261721X

Book Description

The Pro Football Hall of Fame-bound Marcus Allen tells the story of his rise to football fame with candid thoughts on how he achieved his childhood dream and rarely-seen photos from his personal collection.

Customer Reviews:

A vivid and exciting life story.......2003-09-19

Road To Canton is the exciting sports biography of Marcus Allen, who set his sights on his boyhood dream of earning a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and defied critics to earn eleven seasons with the Raiders, an NFL Most Valuable Player award, five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, and finally the achievement of his lasting dream with his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gorgeous color photography illustrates this vivid and exciting life story which is highly recommended reading for football fans of all ages.

Looking Back to Move Forward: Reconciling the Past - Liberating the Future

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Looking Back to Move Forward: Reconciling the Past - Liberating the Future
Kelvin, De'Marcus Allen
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1425926592

Book Description

Kelvin De'Marcus Allen has crafted a luminous narrative that speaks volumes to those of us who came of age during and immediately after the civil rights movement. Kelvin grew up as the "bastard child," the beleaguered fruit of a poor, single mother, and a father who treated him as if he were invisible. One of seven children, the struggling family lived in a rundown, wood-frame house with plumbing so bad the family often had to relieve themselves in a hole in the backyard. W.E.B. Dubois' "The Souls Of Black Folk" and Gordon Park's "The Learning Tree" come to mind while reading Kelvin's slim elegant volume. Some may think the comparison is a stretch - Dubois. The "agitator-prophet," and Parks, the quintessential Renaissance man, are two of America's greatest heroes - perhaps Kelvin's greatest work is yet to come. Kelvin De'Marcus Allen is a graduate of North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., and holds a Master of Arts degree in Leadership & Liberal Studies from Duquesne University.

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Marcus Allen (Scu-2/Sports Close-Ups)
Jane Mersky Leder , and Howard Schroeder
Manufacturer: Crestwood House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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Strength of the Heart: Marcus Allen's Life's Little Playbooks

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Strength of the Heart: Marcus Allen's Life's Little Playbooks
Marcus Allen , and Carlton Stowers
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0740700170

Book Description

Marcus Allen is not only one of the great running backs in NFL history, he is also one of the class acts in all of sports. He used hard work and determination to outperform players with superior athletic ability, and off the field he said no to the temptations of drugs and alcohol that seem to be ever-present in the lives of celebrities. When you add it all up, Allen is that rarest of commodities: a true role model. In Strength of the Heart Allen draws on his experiences to create a motivational book for young readers age eight to 12. In chapters such as "Family Values," "Heroes," "Drinking and Drugs," and "Teamwork," he shares stories from his own life to demonstrate the rewards of courage, determination, and humility. Throughout the book he challenges his readers to follow his example and to learn from his mistakes. He encourages them to listen to their hearts, build on their strengths, and have faith in themselves.

Marcus: The Autobiography of Marcus Allen

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Marcus: The Autobiography of Marcus Allen
Marcus with Stowers, Carl Allen
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTELVQ

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Marcus: The Autobiography of Marcus Allen (Marcus)
Carlton Stowers Marcus Allen
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTTY6S

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Westerns of the 40's: Classics from the Great Pulps

Manufacturer: Bobbs-Merrill Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0672520362

Book Description

Based on first person reporting, interviews with refugees from the porn industry, conversations with psychologist, educators, and students and a telling cultural critique Shaprio captures a generation.

Customer Reviews:

A Must-Not Read.......2006-01-28

To call this book a must-not read is perhaps too harsh; after all, to ignore history is to repeat it. This is a fact which is not endorsed within the pages of this meager, starved tome, as the Final Solution for pornography - at least, what the author considers pornography, a subject I will touch on shortly - is a solution that has not only failed, and continues to fail, but does so with an eagerness that is matched only by the author's good intentions.

The road to Hell, as it were, is paved with good intentions.

Pornography, in and of itself, is a fascinating subject, and certainly the author all but guaranteed himself sales by slapping the word "PORN" on the cover in bold, seemingly naked letters (the bellybutton ring is a nice touch). One need not look far to see that pornography is a varied subject, an endless buffet ranging from the sweet to the sour - no pun intended. What is to be considered pronographic is certainly relative, and there is no end to the array of fetishes one may choose from . . . however, there are definitions of pornography that are certain to shock and confuse the vast majority of us. It happens. Even in our acceptant American culture (which is by no means a bad thing), there are simply some items on the buffet that the rest of us will only sniff at, possibly poke with a pair of tongs, but which will be relished by a select few. One man's garbage, as they say . . .

Getting to the point, the one item that confounded me the most in Shapiro's spectrum of pornography were the teen magazines fancied by younger girls of the early to mid-teens persuasion that published letters from several avid young readers concerning their search for a balance between their spirituality and their romantic relationships. Why Shapiro considers it illicit footage that young teenaged girls should seek to reconcile their faith and their relationships is a staggering intellectual feat, made simply only by the preceeding pages:

These girls are not part of the author's elect Judeo-Christian treehouse. No Heathens Allowed.

In this particular instance, the young subscribers are Pagan or Wiccan, and as such, are labeled 'ridiculous' by the author. And in this we find the template for the rest of the book: all who disagree with Mr. Shapiro are neanderthals lost in the dark, wandering the wilderness, humping blindly and madly, kept cold from being outside of the warm, illuminating light that is Ben Shapiro's radiant wisdom.

Or at least, this is what the author would have you believe.

At best, this book is a perfect example of how to NOT solve the problem of our gebneration (as I write this, I am 23, a qualifying candidate for this wondrous End Times production that Mr. Shapiro seems to embody with the persona of a single bellybutton ring), and at worst, it is another conservative diatribe aimed at tricking the public into equating the word 'liberal' with the word 'terrorist,' despite the fact that most Americans believe in liberal foundations.

Throughout the book, the author launches volley upon of volley of claims, backed up by either the thin air from which he pulls them, or by stastistics that he makes no effort to provide a control for. As I read, I waited patiently for an example - any example - of an application of the author's accusations in the real world. I would have had better luck waiting for a talking unicorn to call my cell phone.

I can only recommend this book as a textbook for the incorrect way to solve a serious social issue facing Americans, young and old alike, today. Rather than suggest compassion and education toward the victims of a corporate media which his conservative government supports, and treating peole as if they were above the intellect of a farm mule, the author suggests totalitarian censorship, especially from the government, an ideal which supposedly runs counter to his political system of choice, but which is first choice when it comes to silencing his dissenters.

Save your money: get a real bellybutton ring.

Superficial claims with little compelling evidence.......2005-12-09

First of all, I'd like to say that this is a great book for lazy people. When I picked up this slim volume to borrow from the library I wasn't expecting much. And my expectations were fufilled to the negative infinity.
I am a person who is concerned by the phenominon that Shapiro describes as "the porn generation". As a history student, I know for a fact that my generation isn't the first to scrible raunchy pictures of people doing naughty things (erotic ancient greek vase painting and bath houses of ancient rome are famous for this kind of occurances). As a liberal minded individual I find it typical that a person with a pervassive ideology like Matt Shapiro would devote an entire book on how it is the liberals who are to blame for this.
Unlike Shapiro, I don't blame liberals for the pervassive marketing of sex that our American / capitalist culture has become famous for. But I don't blame conservatives either for this (even though Rupert Murdoch, Ted Turner and most media exec.'s have some explaining to do). I think it's more of the average person allowing sex to be such a pervasive factor in our lives that's the problem.

A problem with no easy solutions.......2005-10-24

I'm not sure, but I think Ben Shapiro is the youngest writer currently occupying a spot in the conservative writer's pantheon. A student at Harvard Law School, this now twenty-one year old author published one book, "Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate America's Youth," before he was old enough to go buy a beer at the bar. Now he gives us "Porn Generation: How Social Liberalism is Corrupting Our Future," a treatise on public morality--more specifically, the decline of public morality and its consequences--that is a solid addition to the bookshelves of social conservatives everywhere. I don't know how Shapiro managed to write a book while studying law at one of America's best universities. I recently finished graduate school at a university several tiers below good old Harvard (or is that pronounced "Havahhhd"?), and I had trouble getting out of bed to show up in class on time. Writing a book loaded with statistics pulled from dozens upon dozens of sources was out of the question; I was happy if I managed to cobble together a thirty-page research paper by the end of the semester. Anyway, it's heartening to see a young man take a public stand against the corrosive effects of social liberalism. It's also, as we'll see, problematic.

Shapiro's book, which carries an "explicit lyrics" warning label on the cover (!), takes America to task for the lax morality that increasingly dominates all aspects of public discourse. No one with an ounce of sense in his or her head can dispute this view. We all know pornography via the Internet and, increasingly, through traditional forms of media cheapen millions of people's lives. Turn on the radio on any given day, and you're likely to hear rap music containing the most vulgar lyrics banging away hour after hour. Sign on to the Internet, and you'll inevitably stumble over an adult site loaded with obscene images of the type your ancestors couldn't ever imagine existing let alone actually seeing so easily. Turn on the television set, and sexually explicit shows and movies will overwhelm your senses. Open up a newspaper, and you'll notice advertisements sporting pictures of children dressed in provocative attire. What's going on here? Why is every form of media bursting at the seams with racy imagery? Perhaps what is most disturbing is that many of us are so accustomed to seeing and hearing this sort of material that we don't even notice it anymore. It's become the common currency of our high tech, fast paced modern world.

Shapiro has noticed the celebration of decadence, however, and he finds this rejection of morality repulsive and damaging. "Porn Generation" covers all of the topics mentioned above, as well as a few others. Chapters outline the sickening and soul deadening nihilism of rap music (the reason for the "explicit lyrics" warning on the cover), discuss in detail the efforts of companies like Abercrombie & Fitch to sexualize the advertising industry, and the profusion of loose morals on television networks. Shapiro discusses in some depth the current living situation on college campuses across the country, arguing that co-ed dorms and lenient administration policies about living arrangements encourage casual sexual encounters. His overarching conclusion is relatively simple: the constant bombardment turns kids into desensitized adults, and leads to the embrace of a nihilistic outlook on every aspect of human existence. He proposes as solutions, among other things, the imposition of abstinence only sex-ed classes and dress codes in schools, faith-based initiatives to recharge the religious community, and school vouchers that will allow parents to remove children from schools that promote a pro-sex agenda. Shapiro also believes a strengthened FCC and a non-governmental censorship board could restore decency in Hollywood.

The author scores many valid points in his examination of America's flagging morals. We DO have a big problem, as almost anyone will admit. You don't have to be a religious nut to know that there is something wrong when your six year old kid can easily access adult material on the Internet. There's also something seriously amiss when advertisements in the paper show little boys and girls in scanty clothing. Are they aiming at the critical 18 to 34 year old pedophile demographic with those ads? I'm sorry, but your five year old girl should not wear hip huggers and a belly shirt. The problem with Shapiro's analysis is one of censorship. How far should it go? He wants to return us to the days of the Hays Code and skirts that fall below the knee. How to implement these changes, if it's possible to even do so, vexes the mind. Should we go straight for a top down approach through legislation and an ultraconservative judiciary that will uphold strict censorship laws? Or should we try a gradual approach that works from the bottom up, through initiatives at the local level that will spread from community to community? I don't know! This is a tough subject with no easy answers.

I will say that I think Shapiro partially overlooks a critical factor that has led to many of the morals problems that plague society today. He mentions the idea of defining deviancy up, or the embrace of low class values, or lack thereof, by middle and upper class citizens. That's good. What he fails to discuss in great detail is the recent trend--legal, economic, and even political--to treat children as autonomous individuals capable of making sound adult decisions. Children are NOT adults and should not be treated as such. They lack the necessary judgment and life experiences to see the long-range results of their decisions. This, I think, accounts for many of the difficulties our society finds itself in. Perhaps a solution as simple as the word "No" will help more than heavy-handed restrictions. Again, I've no idea how to solve the problems, but I commend Shapiro for taking on such a contentious topic.

Misleading title.......2005-10-03

This book is painful to read because it's so dumb. Shapiro makes some really poor points in his book. In a section of TV he calls Fox's programing one of the worst. What he doesnt mention is Fox is owned by Rupert Murdoch (there goes liberals corrupting). He also things that sexual classes shouldnt be in college (last time I checked there are also religious studies classes in college)

He also calls Brent Bozell a media critic. That's like calling Michael Moore a political commentator.

This books leaves an interesting question, "what did Shapiro watch as a child?" MTV is bad to him, even Nickelodeon. If Shapiro had his way it'd be 700 Club 24/7.

"Who's the more foolish?".......2005-09-14

"...Have you ever heard of a world where there was nothing but absolute and total agreement on every man's whim and desire? No of course not.. no such thing exists. Come let me teach you young and old for I am certain my age exceeds all of you in many different walks of life. You see my young friends, man is destined... designed... created to walk a certain path. Such as one of your automobiles is designed to simply get you from point A to point B. A Vehicle is not designed to make you breakfast in bed... nor wash the clothing you wear on your bodies right now... or venture it's own selfish path and call it freedom of speech.

This book does not cronicle the rights and wrongs from a religious perspective.. so for those of you whom have the seed of shadowed religion upon your eyes.. SILENCE! Your ignorance will be dealt with in do time. I grow tired of the constant gabbing on of such things as religion. You will either beleive and or fear in "your" religion or you will wish you had when you join me one day for there is only one true light that can cast through my darkest pit!

I ask you which of you have actually read this book? I doubt many of these reviews because they seem to me more a direct way to attack or assault another person's style of government. Those of you who see pornography as a mere fun and enjoyable form of entertainment or addiction... are just fine... you are doing as I have instructed... the seed that was planted shall blossom and I shall have you. Simple words to describe this, Pornography takes the very essence that is love making, something in which you humans have the gift of having, and crumples it into a shadow of its former self. I shall take his work and rework it to fool even the most stable of human minds. No true understanding or reliable reader would leave a review saying that Porn is not that bad! or that Pornography in no way effects the people around you. You there... yes you the one with the dirty thoughts of Jenna Jameson dancing through your head... your thoughts of that female whom you take as a trophy each and every night, her being just a sexual toy, is EXACTLEY my point. Porn hurts society and you know it! But truly.. continue... I wish to show you all the wonders of sexual cruelity and malice when you join me!

So here we sit together, me next to you and you surrounded by my darkness. You will continue to do as I have designed you to do... your thoughts will seem free and wonderous but they shall serve me and my kingdom of madness.

Right and Left sides of Politics... the thought makes me smile for I have domain on both sides of the fence. However the one whom allows me to speak to you in the shadows of such things that will lead you from the light, I encourage you to continue on losing you're destiny and true identity.

I need not verbally bash nor hinder the works of Hollywood for it is my greatest weapon formed against the world's youth... and this you will not change even with an eye-opening book such as this. I beg of you do not ponder on my words for you may see a truth in them and back from my darkness. I shall have you one day! I shall continue to spread chaos to your mind with filth and warped truths! Come to me and sit in the filth that you have allowed... deal with the truth that you have forced upon your feeble minds. Until that day my young fools... do as you're seed commands..."

You're "friend",
The God of this World or Age (2 Cor. 4:4)

Curb your enthusiasms: moralists left and right want to control your carnal desires.(Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America)(Porn ... Review) : An article from: Reason

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Curb your enthusiasms: moralists left and right want to control your carnal desires.(Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America)(Porn ... Review) : An article from: Reason
Radley Balko
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Reason, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2006. The length of the article is 3370 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: Curb your enthusiasms: moralists left and right want to control your carnal desires.(Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America)(Porn Generation: How Social Liberalism Is Corrupting Our Future)(Book Review)
Author: Radley Balko
Publication: Reason (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 37 Issue: 10 Page: 50(7)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Beginners start

Very poor first outing.

Secrets, No. Some useful Material, Yes.

If your looking for "secrets" look somewhere else

Secrets of Naboo Campaign Pack (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)
J. D. Wiker , and Steve Miller
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0786917946
Release Date: 2000-12-01

Book Description

In the Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace movie, fans got a brief glimpse of the distant planet Naboo. Now fans and players of the Star Wars roleplaying game finally have the secrets of Naboo revealed. The first-ever book detailing adventures and source material about the planet, the Campaign Pack lets fans explore Naboo like never before-from the Queens palace to the Gungan underwater city to the Naboo capital. Its a trip no roleplayer or Star Wars fan will want to miss.

Customer Reviews:

Beginners start.......2005-08-15

this is a great pack to get if you are begining to play star wars role playing game. it has every thing you need

Very poor first outing........2002-02-05

I had very high hopes for this book. But it is a huge letdown. The infomation for the most part is not new. They mention equipment and give very few pictures for it. The Trade federation is in it. What for? They attacked Naboo they are not a part of it. They are interesting but needed to be in a different book.
There are NO prestige classes at all. Could they not think of any Prestige classes that would be Native to Naboo? It seems not. The whole book just comes off as a poor effort.
The adventure is close to half the book and isn't that exciting and is also set in the battle of Naboo. Too bad if that isn't where your campaign is set.
Is there anything good about it? yes there is. But not alot. They need to do better. Much better in future and give the players something real. Like what happened to Naboo during the Rebellion era and the new Jedi order? What events have shaped it if you want to use it in a future game. But it has nothing.

Very weak. If you have to have it then get it. Otherwise save your cash for some other SW products.

Secrets, No. Some useful Material, Yes........2001-02-18

As the first real supplement for the new Star Wars Role Playing Game from Wizards of the Coast, `Secrets of Naboo' could have had a little more...well, a little more. `Secrets' is a complete misnomer, because it reveals nothing that could be considered unusual or out of the ordinary. In fact there are no secrets revealed that any moderately dyed in the wool Star Wars fan wouldn't already know. The proper title should have read something like `Fodor's Guide to Naboo', because although it is well written, it reads a little like one of the many country guides available in most book stores today.

It briefly covers both species to the planet-the humans and the gungans, but doesn't go into much detail about either. It talked about how when the humans first arrived on Naboo almost four-thousand years ago they went to war with the gungans because of vast differences, but in the end both races come off as being basically they same-both revere nature, but the Naboo build in harmony around it the gungans build in harmony with it. And the highly artistic, refined and intelligent Naboo view the gungans as backwards, primitive screwheads. It does have some Naboo customs, but most involve the Queen (as if she were the only interesting person on the planet), and what it lacks for either species is diet-what kind of foods do they eat, manufactured goods-what stuff do they make, marriage customs, you know, important stuff.

What it does spell out is that the Naboo are influenced strongly off Plato's Republic and Confucianism-children are constantly tested to see where the aptitude lies and they are placed into the profess. It also said that even the lowliest sanitation workers talked about poetry, and then went on to say that there is rising organized crime, and one is given to wonder if Naboo gangsters discuss politics while they break someone's knees. It doesn't really detail any of the cities other than brief mentions, and the maps are such a complete waste of time that might have not bothered with them at all.

Where it is good were portions on the various flora and fauna-including a section on poisons. All of the animal and monster stats were much appreciated as well. Plus the section on the criminal element on the planet was good, but again it could have done with more detail. And excluding the pictures from the film, all of the interior art and maps are basically worthless. But there just isn't enough meat to this source book, and I am pretty sure they could have filled the last 36 pages of a 96 page book with yet another retelling of the invasion of Theed! Come on, they already have a boxed set- that does just that and the Phantom Menace video game, and it really doesn't matter if this adventure is a little more detailed-it has been done already.

Is it worth owning. Tough call, but I'd say that it is. The game information is quite good and it is a genuinely well-written book. Plus, if you're like me and have to have most things Star Wars, then yes, go buy it. I only hope Wizards can stop fixating on the Phantom Menace.

If your looking for "secrets" look somewhere else.......2001-02-14

Let me start off by saying that I LOVE the new Star Wars role playing game by Wizards of the Coast. These folks have done a great job at bringing this game over to the d20 system and Bill Slavicsek (Designer) is a gaming GOD!

This book is generally good stuff. The graphics are nice and all orignial. (keep up the good work guys). It's well organized and has many interesting things in it about Naboo and it's denizens. The part about the Trade Federation and their place in the galaxy is a particularly good read. There are a few stats that are new but that's basically about it. The page that deals with creating and running handmaidens is interesting.

While the book's generally good.... there are some major concerns I have with it. If you're looking for some good, new role playing things to throw at your players, you might want to look somewhere else. If someone from Wizards of the Coast is reading this: PLEASE GIVE US NEW ADVENTURE MATERIAL! It would have been nice to play something after the Phantom Menace had happened that had nothing or little to do with it. I realize you were maybe gearing this for inexperienced or new role players, but I don't like the "pull you by the nose, heavy handed", adventure in this book.

While I'm on the subject of this adventure... this is my biggest problem with the "Secrets Of Naboo" This adventure fills almost HALF THE BOOK. And in my humble opinion it's not really anything new or exciting. The pages could have been better utilized with new info about the Gungans (the section on Gungans and Otah Gunga are enemic at best) WHY is boss nass green and different shapped then Jar Jar? Why is Captain Tarpals Purple colored. WHAT exactly is the sacred place the Gungans were hiding in? Where are detailed maps of Theed, Otah Gunga, the swamps, plains or the REST of the planet? (The sacred places, mountains, forests, swamps, ANYTHING).

This is good for info on the Trade Federation, various weapons and creatures found on Naboo. But there is nothing new or any "secrets" per say.

While this review may sound a little harsh, I would still buy the book again if I had to do it over. But hopefully further offerings for the Star Wars R.P.G. will be more thourough.

Book Description

A top international authority on Web marketing and e-commerce provides a sure-fire formula for developing a winning e-commerce marketing strategy
One of the biggest reasons why so many Internet-based businesses fail isn't poor product or service, or technology failures, or even lack of funding. As Internet marketing guru Ralph F. Wilson explains in this ground-breaking book, a preponderance of e-business failures can be traced back to a lack of know- ledge about the Internet's full potential as a marketing and sales tool. With the help of case studies of outstanding e-business successes and failures, Wilson describes how to develop four, core e-business marketing competencies. Readers learn how to develop a USP, clarify goals, and perform analysis and customer profiling. They also learn how to perform product positioning; develop a balanced promotional mix; provide lifetime customer value; and much more.
Ralph F. Wilson (Loomis, CA) is the founding editor of three popular e-business publications read by 130,000 subscribers in 130 countries: Web Marketing Today, Web Commerce Today, and Doctor Ebiz.

Customer Reviews:

Good for Newbies -- Like Me!.......2007-05-27

None of the reviewers mentioned that this book is also geared toward the niche marketer. I bought this book for a class on marketing a niche business. It was very useful and practical with information I could immediately begin applying to my daily job. This is not a terribly deep book, but it is practical, simple to read (you can probably finish it in a day) and straight to the point. I've worked in media for almost a decade, but did little that was related to marketing on the Internet. It was a very useful book for me to start with. I imagine it would be a good refresher from some folks, too. A lot of the material is obvious, even to an Internet marketing rookie like me, but it synthesizes all of those obvious thing as well as the not-so-obvious into one practical guide. You would have to read a ton of articles to get all this information, but it's all condensed here into one short, simple guide. That is really the best feature of this book.

Nothing new.......2006-11-23

For beginners on marketing and advertising info. On the other hand seems like the book is geared toward someone opening up a major site with many products. Not the best book I've read on the topic, not the worst. My only complaint is the author goes overboard mentioning his website in every single chapter many times, plus his religious links. Please spare us.

Good Starter Book..........2005-03-25

Ralph Wilson could be fairly called an "international treasure". His web site and writings have guided many internet marketers to success and prosperity. He is widely consider to be one of the true "good guys" on the net. He has earned that respect.

This book, however, is best called a "newbie" book. Good basic information, but not something that is going to excite or benefit the person who is already beyond the basics.

If, however, you are just starting to dip your toes into the wild ride called "internet marketing", then this book will get you off to a good start.

An Excellent Book.......2004-09-30

Dr. Wilson is one of the few Internet marketing experts whom I trust implicitly. Why? Everything he advocates in his book you can see in action on his web sites and in his ezines. He lives up to the saying, "Practice what you preach." (He happens to be an ordained minister too). Plus, he does it all with integrity. His reviews are thorough, well-written, and objective--just like this book. Ask any successful Internet marketer for their "short-list" of most-respected experts and Ralph Wilson's name will appear on that list. I did not find his book to be "just for beginners." It is a comprehensive approach to Internet marketing so it necessarily includes elements about which experienced marketers are already familiar. I see that as a strength, not a limitation of this text.

OK but not great.......2004-06-09

The book does a good intro on the topic. But as the other reviewer says, it's short on delivery and action plan. To me, this book would be good for someone who does not have much experience with the Web. If you know what ROI and CPM mean, then skip this book and pick up one that has more techniques in it.

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