ABO

The bulk of A Practical Companion to the Constitution is in dictionary form and provides throrough but concise accessible explanations of the key concepts and terms of art of constitutional analysis. Each entry is also cross-referenced with other related concepts and definitions to aid the reader in fully understanding the concepts discussed. Professor Lieberman also places each entry into a historical context so that the reader may trace the development of doctrines and concepts and understand not only where a doctrine originated but where the state of the law or doctrine stands today. For example, under the entry for "Incorporation Doctrine," Professor Lieberman provides us with a brief explanation of the concept, and then traces the concept through its history and application. At the end of the entry, we find a list of which amendments have been incorporated onto the states, the rights implicated in the incorporation, and the year the amendment was incorporated. Indeed, I was most impressed with how Professor Lieberman has throughout the book explained the abstract concepts of Fourteenth Amendment analysis into easily understandable terms without oversimplifying or doing violence to the concepts. Other sections of the book provide summaries of the cannons of constitutional interpretation so that the reader has a basic understanding of the tools of textual interpretation. Finally, Professor Lieberman provides a thorough table of cases and brief biographical sketches of the justices who have served on the Supreme Court. I give this reference book my highest recommendation. It is a must for law students. It is an excellent resource for lawyers looking for the vocabulary to explain in accessible terms the abstractions of constitutional analysis. It is invaluable for the non-lawyer seeking to understand better the constitution.

Professor Lieberman teaches Constitutional Law at New York Law School. I was privileged to study under him in 1998. He is an immensely knowledgeable man with an unmatched talent for clarity of communication. I am pleased to be able to recommend this book to all readers. For further insight regarding our highest court, I also recommend New York Law School's Dean Harry H. Wellington's very fine book, Interpreting the Constitution: The Supreme Court and the Process of Adjudication.

Beginning with the 007 novels of Ian Fleming, d'Abo and Cork delineate the archetypes and trace the evolution of Bond girls from the 1953 novel 'Casino Royale' to the 2002 film 'Die Another Day.' Along the way, the reader is treated to insights from the actresses who so brilliantly brought these fantasy sex-symbols to life.
The book is also a feast for the eyes, with page after stunning page of color and black-and-white photos of the world's most glamorous and alluring women - many of them rarely, if ever, seen before. All in all, it is a must-have addition to any James Bond fan's library - and just in time for Christmas!

Okay, James Bond films range from the great to the absolutely lame. Let's not kid ourselves that these movies are great art. What they are, though, is a cultural fact of life. I winced when I saw the title - Bond Girls. Sure, maybe it's retro, hip, funky, but one figures that this book is bound to be anything but. This isn't a ultra-cooler-than-thou exploration of sex and sexuality that doesn't explore. In fact, the book's "style" has all the sex appeal of a museum exposition. The photos are fine, but too rarely illuminating. So, why five stars?

Well, the simple truth is that it is a very good read.

The book is divided into two main sections - about half deals with the fictional characters and half deals with the women who brought them to the screen. One gets the feeling that Cork wrote the history and d'Abo (an actress who appeared in one Bond film) wrote of the real world. The first part is grade A film history/analysis. A few films are trashed, but the essential appeal of the women in the Bond films is laid bare without seeming to drool over the subject matter nor patronize the reader. As a woman, I could read it without rolling my eyes. Always a challenge.

The second half has the more compelling material. No, we don't find out who slept with who, but d'Abo does strike this interesting tone, letting the women reveal how they were swept off their feet by the whirlwind of 007 and then deposited back into the real world. What happens when you get to play a Cinderella-like role, d'Abo asks, and then have everyone expect you to live up to the fantasy for the rest of your life? It is an interesting, strange, and somewhat captivating story, and it ends the book on an unexpected note of having to find a balance between the fantasy of Bond and the reality of life. The last chapter opens with a compelling photo of the golden girl from Goldfinger - a cover of Life magazine. The cover headline sums up the fate of the "Bond Girls" when it calls her a "gilded victim." These actresses have been victims of publicity machines (one complains that a publicist made up quotes for her), and of a pop culture juggernaut. But they have also "bonded" together (I hated writing that pun) and, as they say, have formed a sisterhood. It turns out they are the ones who like the term "Bond Girl".

Recommendation: Get it for the Bond fan you know, then borrow it and read it.

This a terrific book to have displayed on your coffee table. It certainly opened my eyes to the Bond films and the women in them. Well written and certainly easy on the eyes. My only complaint was the lack of photos of Teri Hatcher- her one photo was not enough.