Introduction To Rock Climbing

If you have ever been rock climbing before then you will know that it is not a very easy sport, in fact you probably felt quite defeated when you first tried to do any serious climbing. Indoor and outdoor rock climbing are both extremely demanding and require practice, like anything else, to get good at. Depending on what type of climbing you have tried you most likely noticed that you got an incredible workout in a very short period of time. What most people don't know is that the sport of rock climbing is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports there is.

There are 3 basic types of rock climbing. Top roping is probably one of the most common types and is basically climbing with a partner. The partner belays you on the ground and a rope runs from his harness up to the top of the wall then around a pulley and back down and attaches to the climbers harness. The second type, which is very similar to top roping is called lead climbing. The buddy system works the same way, one man on the ground belaying and the other climbing, but this time instead of the rope being at the top of the wall it has to be hooked into clasps as the climber ascends up the wall. In both of these types of rock climbing the climber has the luxury to sit off the wall and rest on the rope, however, lead climbing requires the climber to hang from the wall from one hand, grab the rope, and pull it up to clip it into the clasps, this can be very hard depending on many different things.

The third type of rock climbing is called bouldering. Bouldering is a type of free climbing without any ropes or harnesses. The climber tends to stay much closer to the ground and climbs around the wall more so then up the wall. This is the most demanding of all climbing. The climber must be able to complete the route without taking a rest on the rope. Often, during a bouldering route the climber is required to do a maneuver called a dyno. Dynos are basically launching yourself off the wall, and then grabbing onto a hold further away from you. This type of maneuver is where mental training plays a major role in climbing.

Believe it or not, climbing is said to be about 75% legs and only 25% arms. To climb efficiently and successfully one must use wonderful technique. One of the major rules of rock climbing is to always have 3 points touching the wall.... weather it is both feet and one hand, or one foot and both hands, it is much easier to have your weight distributed on 3 points than it is 2. Another important concept to grasp is that your arms in most cases will not do the climbing; they only hold you into the wall so that your legs are actually pushing you upward. The closer you are to the wall, the easier it is to climb.

Rock climbing may sound like a bit too extreme for the every day person but it really is an amazing work out. Once you get into the sport, and start to learn how to position your body and distribute your weight you can begin to tackle some difficult problems. The great thing about rock climb is that it is mentally challenging as well, those who like games like chess or like to problem solve would love rock climbing. You are constantly analyzing the way your body moves and how to do certain moves on the wall. For anyone who wants to get into shape, rock climbing is a fun and effective way to tone muscles and to work on your cardiovascular system. Anyone who is physically active, enjoys a challenge, and loves the outdoors should consider looking into rock climbing as a new past time.

Fear of Publishing and What to Do About It

You're almost done with the whole article. You should feel relieved. Instead you feel like you've written a bunch of junk.

It's funny, though. At other times you've felt that you've written something worthwhile.

Now, however, you feel the urge to read several more articles, add more footnotes, edit it some more, or check your email. Anything but wrap it up and send it in.

It doesn't matter if it's a "revise and resubmit" article for a journal or a draft chapter to show to your dissertation advisor. There's something anxiety-provoking about letting go of your work and putting it out there for the wider world to see.

One very brilliant client of mine told me how she had a similar feeling when she was 9 months pregnant. The baby's room wasn't ready, and she had so much more to do. She tried to will herself not to give birth yet. Luckily, her body didn't cooperate. Now she tries to do the same with journal articles.

This reluctance to release one's work is so common in academia, that it may well be the norm. In some cases, though, it can become crippling.

Reasons for Reluctance to Release Writing

Here are the kinds of statements that I hear from academics in regards to this issue. Each statement is followed by an alternate way to look at the situation. If you've found yourself saying anything like this to yourself, try the alternate way of thinking on for size.

Who am I to make that definitive a statement?

If not you, then who? What makes someone else an authority and not you? Where and when did the current authorities start having the authority to make their statements?

I have an idea, but I can't find any references to cite that say what I'm thinking.

Maybe that's because it's an original idea! Sometimes new ideas really are leaps. Run it by some colleagues and see what they think.

I'm intimidated by the fact that others have written about my subject for much longer than I have.

Sometimes people who are steeped in a subject can't think about that subject in as clear a light as a newcomer.

A new voice is always welcome (and if it isn't, too bad for them.)

My viewpoint doesn't fit the mental maps of academics in my field, so they will disagree with what I say.

Try to welcome disagreement! The best scholarly contributions often incite others to argue vociferously against the new ideas. By generating discussion you're advancing the field.

The critical nature of academia is paralyzing to some. It's important to realize that academics enjoy thinking and puzzling things out. The "devil's advocate" approach that looks for holes in your logic is just part of the process. Try not to take that part personally.

Remember that some of the most famous theorists, even the ones with scads of data to back them up, invited the most invective. Charles Darwin comes to mind - I'm sure you can think of others.

What if I just don't know what I'm talking about?

Then finish the piece, have others read it, and find out! Chances are you're not completely out of your mind.

Everything I've written is junk. It doesn't make any sense to me any more.

It's time to finish the up the part you're writing, give it a rest, and let someone else look at it. Either fresher eyes or new eyes will help you see it in a new light.

If you're not totally burned out, push past that feeling. Trust the process. As one client said, don't flip out just when you're at the cusp of turning it from cream into butter. It seems like nothing is happening, but if you perservere, you will see that you have produced something worthwhile.

I can see that it's not perfectly written. I'm a sham and a charlatan and I don't deserve to be in this field.

It doesn't have to be perfect; it just has to be good enough.

You don't have to be perfect. If you've gotten this far, you ARE good enough. Besides, everyone in academia feels that way every once in a while.

Looking over already published papers will remind you that imperfect writing still gets published. And has some value!

There's so much more I could say about this subject.

You can use this excuse never to complete a project about the subject.

It's OK to keep writing about the subject. In your next paper, chapter, or presentation, that is. Finish this one - you've probably said enough for now.

So Give Birth To That Baby!

The world deserves to hear what you have to say. Don't deprive the universe of your ideas! Release them from your brain and get them out there!

Prostate Cancer Can Be Deadly, But It Is Survivable

Because of its nature, prostate cancer is a disease suffered only by men. In fact, the American Cancer Society has found that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. While this statistic may seem the disease dooms a man to death, the prognosis isn't as bleak as the facts seem to indicate.

While one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, only one of every 34 will actually die as a result of the disease. Depending on how far the cancer has spread and how early it is diagnosed the prognosis for prostate cancer is actually very good. Most people do not die of the cancer itself, but of other causes.

Prostate cancer is generally a disease that affects older men, the majority of men diagnosed with this type of cancer are over the age of 65. It is partially because of this age of onset that most who develop this type of cancer do not die from it. They generally die from other causes associated with old age.

Risk factors for developing prostate cancer are a combination of hereditary and social factors. Having one or more first generation relatives who suffers with prostate cancer seems to be the best identifying factor of any particular man developing the disease.

African American men seem to be slightly more likely than Caucasian men to be diagnosed with the disorder. Along with genetics, social features also play a role in the development of this condition. These social factors can include diet and general overall healthiness.

Like most cancers, prostate cancer has no symptoms in its earliest stages. This is why screening is so important. If you are at risk for developing this cancer because of your family history, your doctor can perform a blood test that will detect if the cancer is developing. In fact, your doctor will usually conduct both a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as well as a digital rectal exam. If both these tests indicate you may suffer with cancer, he may suggest a biopsy to be sure.

If your cancer is not caught in the early stages when it is most treatable, you may start to experience some symptoms. These symptoms include pain or stiffness in the lower back, blood in the semen or urine, difficulty having an erection, painful ejaculation, difficulty urinating or feeling the need to urinate frequently.

Once prostate cancer is detected, there are several ways it can be treated. These include the traditional methods of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to remove the cancerous gland. Because this gland is part of both a man's urinary tract and sexual organs, there are many side effects of these treatments the man may find unpleasant. These include the inability to achieve erection as well as urinary leakage.

Even though prostate cancer is common, survival rates are good, especially is the condition is caught in the early stages. It is important to discuss your risk factors with your doctor to see if you need to be screened for the disease.

Why Asking For Help Makes Military Wives Stronger

There are two things I hate doing: the lawn and the trash. When counting down the days until homecoming, some women choose to track paydays, school days, or Mondays. Me? I always counted trash days. "Just 12 more times of taking out the trash," I'd yell across the street to my neighbor as I rolled the can to the curb.

And when the cruise (my husband's first in 2001) was extended, not a neighbor was spared my ranting and raving over having to take out the trash "yet another two weeks!" Each time I rolled the green, heavy bin down the driveway, I considered it one of the most intolerable jobs of a Navy wife.

That same deployment my front yard was invaded with fire ants, crab grass, and some type of crepe myrtle fungus, which was never identified. I let these problems go "unnoticed," believing they might magically disappear and I wouldn't have to actually care for the grass myself.

And the yard problems did go away. My sympathetic neighbor next door became my complimentary yardman. (Although, I've always wondered if it was true charity which prompted him to mow my grass each week, or rather a fear that the chinch bugs would crawl over to his side.) Either way, I had free lawn service.

Occasionally, a neighbor would take pity on me and replace my trashcan back to the side of the house after the garbage men were done with it.

And once, when I had maggots in the bottom of the bin, a few men from the neighborhood were nice enough to dispose of them and Clorox the trashcan, and not tell me about the whole incident until a year later (they knew better).

"It takes a village to do Sarah's trash," one neighbor joked.

And sometimes it also took a village to change Sarah's flat tire, to kill big bugs in her living room, and to fetch her son's toy airplane that landed on the roof.

Towards the end of that deployment, I began to feel guilty. I wondered if I wasn't being strong enough and if I shouldn't take my title of "Navy dependent" so literally as to mean I was, well, dependent.

"Don't be silly," my neighbors would say. "We're glad to help." More than hanging a flag from their door, they said helping a Navy family made them feel like they were doing their part.

Surprisingly (to me), despite doing my lawn every week and occasionally my trash and home repairs, these neighbors often told me I was far from "dependent."

Instead of focusing on the things I was not doing myself, my neighbors were in awe at the things I had done alone. And most of these things (caring for sick babies in the middle of the night, dealing with emergencies), I had done without my realizing it or giving myself credit.

I learned that being strong and independent doesn't necessarily mean doing it all.

Most things in life do require a "village," and there are few people who can do everything themselves. It's OK to ask for and accept help. Most people are eager to give it.

We all have our limits (apparently mine are maggots and chinch bugs), and it's best if we know them. That's the true makings of a strong military wife.

Humans Exist Because Of Pollination

Pollination is important to our very existence. Without pollination, we haven't any food. If you want to help mankind, you can plant flowers and plants to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The best plants to accomplish this goal are nectar producing plants. There are many good resources on the internet that can provide you the information you need to know what kinds of plants to grow in your area. Here are a few tips.

Your growing zone is key to determining what plants will grow well. BUT you also need to consider local soil type, growing conditions, etc. Visiting a local nursery will give you a good start on what grows well in your area. You can purchase plants there, or purchase seeds and grow your garden from scratch. Now, what kinds of plants attract pollinators? Bees especially like legume plant blossoms like clover but will collect any pollen they can find. To attract bees, other plants to consider are, fireweed, monkshood (caution: this plant is poisonous), red clover, asters, goldenrod, foxglove, germander, Joe pye weed, sedum Autumn joy, oregano, thyme, globe-thistle, hyssop, lavender, chives, penstemons, rosemary, and of course, sunflowers. Pollinators also included hummingbirds and butterflies, so don't forget those feeders! Yes, there is such a thing as a butterfly feeder! Go the extra step and hang houses for birds, bees, and butterflies too.

To attract butterflies, choose a variety of plants so that flowers are always blooming. If you only plant flowers that bloom at the same time, the butterflies will leave when those flowers die. Butterflies like color so remember that too. Flowers that attract butterflies include, day lily, iris, lavender, Asters, Butterfly bush, Heliotrope, Cosmos, Clover, Zinnia. As you can see, many of the flowers that attract butterflies also attract bees. Remember to use lots of color.

Ever considered creating a nesting site for bees? Farmers do it. Some of the non-stinging bees, like the Mason bee are inhabitants of gardens that provide nesting sites. They need these sites in order to reproduce. Alfalfa farmers, for example, set up nesting sites for leaf-cutter bees because they are the main pollinators in their fields. Large orchards usually set up bee hives to pollinate their crops during the blooming season. If you are interested in setting up a nesting site, you can find a Mason bee lodge online, or you can make one, they're easy. All you need is a block of wood and a drill. There are instructions online for the varying kinds of bee lodges and houses.

Now that you have your information on what kinds of flowers to plant and what kind of nesting area to create (if you choose to) you are ready to get out there and get the seeds you need before Spring arrives. If you aren't into seeding plants, visit your local nursery in the Spring to purchase budding plants.

Good luck! And remember, you are helping to feed the world.

Protect Your Businesses With Roller Shutters

Security is an absolute necessity when you are running a business. You take several measures to ensure that your business and all the goods that you have are kept safe and secure in non-working hours. For this you may install alarm systems, have security guards and even take out insurance on each of your products. With all of this you must also consider the benefits of roller shutters for businesses in Preston, Lancashire.

One of the main advantages of a roller shutter is that they look intimidating and even the best of thieves will have a tough time trying to get past it. It leaves no open windows or doors for someone to jimmy open and therefore provides an additional layer of safety to your business. Forced entry of any sort will have to be with tools that can create quite the racket and which any smart thief will not consider.

Besides this, roller shutters make for some great insulation. They do not allow any air to get in or out ensuring that all your delicate goods do not succumb to the elements. Whether it is hot or cold, it helps maintain a uniformity of temperature within the premises. One good advantage of this is that it will also bring down your costs of electricity - both for heating as well as cooling.

With roller shutters, you have the choice of opting for manually operated versions or those with a remote control. This gives you better flexibility with operating them. You could also time it to roll down at a particular hour to ensure added safety. Another good use of roller shutter is at the end of the day, when most businesses shut shop and work on the accounts of the day. These shutters roll down and cut out any sound that may be emanating from inside or prevent any loud noises from coming in. This means that even if you are working late, you will not be disturbing anyone in the vicinity. This especially helps when you have some renovation work going on, that often takes place after business hours.

For those areas that are affected by cyclones and hurricanes, roller shutters help protect your businesses and goods to a large extent. They can withstand such violent rages of nature and you can be rest assured that damage if any will be minimal.

Do make sure that your supplier of roller shutters has a good reputation and the quality they provide you is impeccable.

Home Equity Loans

Home Equity Loans?

By applying for a home equity loan, you use the market value of a home as the collateral. Home equity loans, as of today, are considered the safest option by lenders and hence you get to realize lower interest rates.

How do you benefit from a Home Equity Loan?

Keeping your house as collateral, you qualify for a sizable amount of credit, at an interest rate that is relatively low. Secondly, the lender may allow you to deduct the interest because the debt is secured by your home. However, securing a home equity loan, you should compare the costs of the equity from your home against the benefits. Ideally, you should opt for such credit terms that meet your requirements without inviting financial risk.

Types of Home Equity Loans

Second mortgage- in a second mortgage, you get a fixed amount of money that you can repay in equal monthly installments over an extended period of time. You can consider a second mortgage if you have a definite needs for a specific purpose, usually renovations, making additions, etc.

Reverse mortgage-By applying for a reverse mortgage, you can convert a part of the equity in your property into cash, and most importantly, you do not have to sell your home or incur additional charges.

The three basic types of reverse mortgage:

Single-purpose reverse mortgages: generally have very low costs and can be used for one purpose specified by the government or nonprofit lender.

Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs): these are usually costlier and up-fronts are generally higher when compared to other types of mortgages. The advantage of home equity conversion mortgages is that these are widely available, have no income or medical requirements, and can be used for any purpose.

Proprietary reverse mortgages: These typically private loans are usually backed by the housing development companies.

E-Commerce & Streaming Media: A Marriage that Works

In the heavily populated world of E-Commerce, what determines whose site will be successful and whose won't?

Is it the layout and design of the basic site? No. We all know of sites where no expense was spared on design and the company still failed to produce a commercial success.

Is it the product offering? No. We all know of sites where the product offering was more than adequate, the pricing competitive, and service was acceptable, yet success was elusive.

Is it a traffic problem? No. We read letters everyday in forums and discussion groups from those whose sites generate a lot of traffic, but sales volume is only marginal.

What determines success is the ability to stand out in a crowded field! What determines success is making your site different from your competitors. What determines success is the way in which you present your offering so visitors will want to stay at your site and buy from you.

Purchasing decisions are not simple ones. It doesn't matter if you're targeting consumers or business buyers. People seek ways to make their buying decisions easier. It is up to you to:

· Learn what your customer wants

· Highlight the features and benefits that appeal to the customer.

· Present your product in a way that differentiates you from your competition and utilizes your product knowledge.

How do you accomplish this in a meaningful way that doesn't drain your marketing budget? Utilize streaming media to capture your audience's attention and to focus on the aspects of your product that will generate a sale.

Let's use an Internet store that specializes in southwestern pottery as a hypothetical example. We'll go on the assumption that the store has an attractive website with good navigation and a secure shopping cart system. The return policy is clearly stated, and there is specific contact information. On the site is a nicely laid out catalogue with good product descriptions, small, fast loading graphics (which can be enlarged for a closer inspection) and a well-designed price list. The products are grouped by type (urns, bowls, vases etc.) so that a visitor can browse easily. A perfect Internet shopping experience, right?

The answer is only a qualified "yes" because this store is no different than several hundred others selling the same merchandise.

What can this store owner do to make shopping at his site exciting, fun, and memorable?

· Use a short audio to introduce southwestern pottery to the visitor. What are its' special characteristics? Why is it different than pottery produced in other regions?

· Show visitors where the pottery originates with a slide show. Use pictures of the artisan's studio and the area that surrounds it. Coordinate the slides with a script that describes the geography and how it contributed to the style of pottery shown.

· Interview several of the artisans on videotape. Let them tell your visitors about themselves and their work.

· Have a pottery collector talk about the use of color as it relates to southwestern pottery.

· Do a video as a cross promotion with a local interior designer. Describe and show how to best use southwestern pottery as part of a complete decorating scheme.

· Use video to show the actual creation of some of your better pieces. Take your visitors inside the artist's studio for an "up close" look.

You might even be able to generate revenue with some of your original programming. Sell commercial spots within the presentation to other merchants who offer products that are complementary to yours. (This can be as simple as inserting a graphic.) Work with these same merchants to promote local events that highlight the products of your area. Your local Chamber of Commerce might even want to purchase a spot in one of your streaming presentations.

For an E-commerce site with affiliates, use streaming media to help your member sites. Put together a slide show that gives participating members a chance to briefly highlight their own sites for a small fee. Use two to three graphics from each member and have relevant text from each member scroll by as their store appears in the show. Not only do you recoup some of your production costs from the advertising, but you also get your sales commission when member sales increase!

Streaming media should not be used arbitrarily, however. Unless your material is relevant to your visitors and adds perceived value to their purchase, don't waste your time or theirs. When designing your streaming media presentation, ask yourself what it will accomplish that your current content doesn't. Will it complement your existing material? Will it be utilized to enhance your offering? Will it provide additional incentive to make your visitor buy?

If you can answer yes to those questions, streaming media should be a strong candidate for your marketing dollars. Use streaming media technology wisely, and it will go a long way to making your E-commerce site stand out in a very crowded field.

OP JB - The Last Great Secret of the Second World War by Christopher Creighton - Book Review

This book purports to tell of a British intelligence plan to kidnap Martin Bormann and bring him out of the ashes of Berlin in 1945, just as the war came to a crashing end.

Indeed the writer insists that that is precisely what he did, accompanied by the late Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, after whom this operation was supposedly named.

You must forgive my scepticism, but the book is so full of amazing and extravagant claims that it makes it difficult to take anything too seriously.

Mister Crieghton claimed to be personal friends with Winston Churchill, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Ribbentrop the German foreign minister, and if that wasn't enough, throw in the King and good old Adolf himself, with whom he stood on the French cliffs watching allied servicemen being slaughtered during the Dieppe raid. Creighton had provided the Germans with the information of that raid to prove he was a genuine German double agent. Mmm.

Conspiracy theories and outlandish claims abound throughout the 256 pages, such as the fact that the Germans were using Donegal as an active U-boat base, that many of the Battle of Britain pilots were only sixteen, and in some cases, fifteen, and that he personally accounted for, (murdered even?) the entire crew of an allied Dutch submarine that had spotted the Japanese fleet on their way to attack the Americans at Pearl Harbour, to ensure that America came into the war.

The book opens with our Biggles-type hero diving from a British motor torpedo boat into a heavy swell, carrying an unbelievable amount of equipment and weaponry, and swimming into Dublin harbour at the dead of night. Surely any British agent entering the Irish republic would have done so by taking the ferry to Belfast and driving across the unmarked border, or better still, fly across in half in hour, and the job's done.

There are some weird quasi sexual references sprinkled throughout work, such as the WRENS in his unit were regularly beaten with bamboo canes on the bare buttocks in full view of the men to toughen them up.

My mother was in an intelligence unit in the WRENS through the war and wrote her memoirs afterwards, a book that I have recently revisited. Strangely, she makes no reference to such peculiar practices.

The book climaxes with the successful kidnapping of Bormann from Berlin, as seemingly dozens of allied agents flew in and out on light Lysander aircraft without a care in the world, as the Red Army were smashing Berlin to smithereens.

If you enjoy conspiracy theory books then this is right up your street. You will be amazed at what you didn't know.

As an afterthought the man went on to become a film director, working in Prague in the sixties when all along he was really engaged on vital work for NATO. No This book purports to tell of a British intelligence plan to kidnap Martin Bormann and bring him out of the ashes of Berlin in 1945, just as the war came to a crashing end.

Indeed the writer insists that that is precisely what he did, accompanied by the late Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, after whom this operation was supposedly named.

You must forgive my scepticism, but the book is so full of amazing and extravagant claims that it makes it difficult to take anything too seriously.

Mister Crieghton claimed to be personal friends with Winston Churchill, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Ribbentrop the German foreign minister, and if that wasn't enough, throw in the King and good old Adolf himself, with whom he stood on the French cliffs watching allied servicemen being slaughtered during the Dieppe raid. Creighton had provided the Germans with the information of that raid to prove he was a genuine German double agent. Mmm.

Conspiracy theories and outlandish claims abound throughout the 256 pages, such as the fact that the Germans were using Donegal as an active U-boat base, that many of the Battle of Britain pilots were only sixteen, and in some cases, fifteen, and that he personally accounted for, (murdered even?) the entire crew of an allied Dutch submarine that had spotted the Japanese fleet on their way to attack the Americans at Pearl Harbour, to ensure that America came into the war.

The book opens with our Biggles-type hero diving from a British motor torpedo boat into a heavy swell, carrying an unbelievable amount of equipment and weaponry, and swimming into Dublin harbour at the dead of night. Surely any British agent entering the Irish republic would have done so by taking the ferry to Belfast and driving across the unmarked border, or better still, fly across in half in hour, and the job's done.

There are some weird quasi sexual references sprinkled throughout work, such as the WRENS in his unit were regularly beaten with bamboo canes on the bare buttocks in full view of the men to toughen them up.

My mother was in an intelligence unit in the WRENS through the war and wrote her memoirs afterwards, a book that I have recently revisited. Strangely, she makes no reference to such peculiar practices. The book climaxes with the successful kidnapping of Bormann from Berlin, as seemingly dozens of allied agents flew in and out on light Lysander aircraft without a care in the world, as the Red Army were smashing Berlin to smithereens.

If you enjoy conspiracy theory books then this is right up your street. You will be amazed at what you didn't know.

As an afterthought the man went on to become a film director, working in Prague in the sixties when all along he was really engaged on vital work for NATO. No surprise there then.

As proof of the story, library photographs of Bormann, Hitler, Mountbatten and Churchill are reprinted, but none feature the writer together with any of his supposed chums, not even Ian Fleming, and they were as close as close could be if the book is to be believed.

One of the most surprising things about this book is that Simon and Shuster should issue it at all, but even they did so with some reservations, stating rather shamefacedly I thought: "We have been unable to verify the writer's account by independent research." Yes, quite.

File it under fiction, treat it for what it is, and you might just enjoy it. Anything more than that, and I'd be amazed, but then again...surprise there then.

As proof of the story, library photographs of Bormann, Hitler, Mountbatten and Churchill are reprinted, but none feature the writer together with any of his supposed chums, not even Ian Fleming, and they were as close as close could be if the book is to be believed.

One of the most surprising things about this book is that Simon and Shuster should issue it at all, but even they did so with some reservations, stating rather shamefacedly I thought: "We have been unable to verify the writer's account by independent research." Yes, quite.

File it under fiction, treat it for what it is, and you might just enjoy it. Anything more than that, and I'd be amazed, but then again...