Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

All of these classic Hubbard stories are a 'must' for his legions of fans
Galaxy Press is dedicated to publishing the huge volume of literary works written by L. Ron Hubbard. Their latest titles offer a new generation of appreciative readers long out-of-print stories that first appeared in the Golden Age of pulp magazines. "The Crossroads" is a science fiction yarn that first appeared in the February 1941 issue of 'Unknown' magazine. "Destiny's Drum" is a thrilling action/adventure story taken from the March 1935 issue of 'Five Novels Monthly', while "Sea Fangs" is one of Hubbard's signature sea faring adventures from the June 1934 issue of 'Five Novels Monthly'. Hubbard, a master of every form of genre fiction, is perhaps best known as an author for his science fiction stories such as 'A Matter of Matter", originally published in the August 1949 issue of 'Astounding Science Fiction'. All of these classic Hubbard stories are a 'must' for his legions of fans and an impressive tribute to his storytelling skills in the heyday of pulp magazine fiction! ... Read more

Product Description
A shotgun blasted at the door.

Heller grabbed his satchels and threw himself on the spacetrooper sled as the shotgun roared.

Heller hit the controls.

Another shotgun blast!

THEN THE FIRST EXPLOSION WENT!

It sounded just like lightning had struck close to hand, a blasting, cracking roar that filled the night!

The sled bucked and twisted.

With Heller aboard, it plummeted earthward from thirty-five stories high.

The New York mafia are under aerial assault. The United States is about to declare war. The world's oil supply is radioactive and owned by an alien.

At the same time there is a black hole now in orbit while a mountain of ice is plunging toward Earth.

Welcome to DISASTER, the fastest non-stop volume yet in L. Ron Hubbard's best-selling MISSION EARTH dekalogy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

As Detailed...
The books arrived on time and in perfect condition.They finished off my collection perfectly.Now, to find time to read...

The fewer words said the better
If you can make it through all ten books and 4 million-odd words of this "disaster" without commiting suicide or bleeding from the eyes you have my respect.

Mission Earth Series
This series was not only immensely entertaining, but also made me think about the various problems of our planet(which are touched on throughout the series) and what we can do to avert disaster. A fun read!

Not my favorite volume so far, but stil compelling!
In this book, it really seems like the story is coming to an end, instead here's still so much to read!!! Gris, the bad guy, who has been narrating so far, is now now longer in the right position to keep narrating, nor does he know certain aspects of how the story develops, so the writer, very surprisingly, switches narrator! It's hard to get accustomed to a new one, after having read 7 and half book narrated by Soltan Gris, with his dark humor and so on, this narrator is completely different... but I don't want to spoil the surprise. Let's just say that this narrator, thought in a different way and with a different writing style, can still tell you what happened! and keep you glued to the book! I cannot wait to get the next 2 volumes in the mail!

Finally Gris is toast!
In this book, the assasin Apparatus agent Soltan Gris gets what he deserves!The action in this one makes for a fast read.It is by far the fastest moving book in the series.The hero Jettero Heller is under fire,and caught in a dangerous death plummet from a high-rise office building inManhatten.The New York Mafia are under aerial assault.The United Statesis about to declare war.The world's oil supply is declared radioactiveand owned by an alien!At the same time there is now a black hole now inorbit around the Earth and a mountain of ice is plunging toward Earth! This book 8 of the Mission Earth Series is non-stop!It takes off andkeeps rocketing!I loved this one the best of all to this point in theseries, because finally things start to go better for Heller and horriblefor the villian Soltan Gris.If you read to this point in the series youwill be delighted with the outcome of this one, and the mystery of the nexttwo novels will compel you to read on!I found this one to be a lot ofgood classic action! ... Read more

Product Description
Professor James Lowry didn' believe in spirits, or witches, or demons.Not until a gentle spring evening when his hat disappeared, and suddenly he couldn't remember the last four hours of his life.Now, the quiet university town of Atworthy is changing - slightly at first, then faster and more frighteningly each time he tries to remember.Lowry is pursued by a dark, secret evil that is turning his whole world against him while it whispers a warning from the shadows: If you find your hat you'll find your four hours.If you find your four hours then you will die... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Ummm...
To put it mildly, I'm mystified by the praise that Robert Bloch and Stephen King and Ray Bradbury lavish upon "Fear". Even on their worst days, those guys could (and did) write circles around a second stringer like L. Ron Hubbard. "Fear" would have worked reasonably well as a short story, but Hubbard pads his very thin concept with 100+ pages of silly, irrelevant booga-booga imagery pulled from thin air--and, by the time the denouement is revealed, the reader no longer cares.
If you simply can't get enough Hubbard (I must confess that I've never met anyone who fits this description, but I'm sure rabid fans exist), you'll find "Fear" mildly interesting if only because it represents a departure from the author's usual space opera output. But if it's an engrossing tale of psychological horror you're after, avoid this book.

A good idea done badly
I decided to give L. Ron Hubbard's Fear a second chance. I'd rated it at two stars from what I remembered of my original read years ago, but was discussing the book in a forum (where it was getting generally positive reviews) and figured maybe I had judged it too harshly in the past.

Well, I finished it a second time, but the book didn't deserve a second read. It just isn't good. And that's too bad, because the plot idea is a good one. Archeologist Jim Lowry loses his hat and his memory of the last four hours. He discovers (or should I say he 'just knows') that if he finds his hat he will find his four hours, but if he finds his four hours he will die. Time to buy a new hat, I say...

Unfortunately for that kernel of a terrific plot, Fear reads like it is the result of a jumble of ideas Ron had that he didn't bother linking into a cohesive tale. Events that happen in one chapter don't seem to have any sort of effect on what occurs in the next chapter. The story seems to just sort of randomly flow with very little rhyme or reason to it, one surreal event after another. Situations rise from out of nowhere. In a way, the book felt like what I imagine an extended acid trip would be like. That might be an accomplishment, but I don't think that is what L. Ron was setting out for.

The writing is not good. L. Ron just didn't seem to have much feeling for the atmosphere required to tell a scary story. Rather than imply things to get under the reader's skin the way the best horror can, he would just use short sentences (the verbal equivalent to a jump cut in a bad horror movie) like "Two red eyes stared back!" (He has an over-reliance on exclamation points! in his narrative as well.) Also, anything Lowry discovers through the course of the story is something that 'he just knows for some reason' rather than anything that the character sifts out from the events unfolding around him.

The stilted unbelievable characters act like nobody except people in bad pulp fiction or '50's sitcoms ever really acted. Jim Lowry and his wife of several years are portrayed as being desperately in love, yet they sleep in separate rooms. The characters don't have any depth or believability to them. I never cared about Lowry, his wife Mary or his beautiful (and this is emphasized repeatedly) friend Tommy (who is aside from being beautiful is also a professor of psychology, though he councils Jim not to go ridiculing the idea of demons and devils. He is also a bachelor at forty who seems to have no interest in women. Maybe he should practice some self analysis? Now that might have been an interesting angle for the story to pursue). Since I never cared about the characters, I never had any apprehension as to what might happen to them.

The self serving foreword and fawning introduction from the 'editors' of the book don't help any. (Though I guess if I had a messiah and s/he wrote a book, I'd probably be apt to oversell it as well.) Also, L. Ron's foreword acts as a spoiler of sorts to the book. I understand he wanted to tell me what an original, creative genius he was, but the should have placed his little note of explanation after the story, not before.

I'd like to see some director take the basic setup of Fear and turn it into a movie. One of those movies where the title and general setup is the same but nothing else is. The core idea is a good one. The way it was executed in this book though, was bad.

Good Horror Stories
Steven King had not been born yet when this book came out and if i did't know it has written by Hubbard i would have believed it was written by King , that is how good this stories are . And now we know who introduced King to horror stories , the master himself , Hubbard ...

Does not live up to its hype
"Fear" has been praised by people like Stephen King and Robert Bloch. It's been called a great, chilling horror novel. Personally, I didn't find it scary, but it did make me curious to know what had happened during the four missing hours. Unfortunately, once the mystery starts, the plot goes nowhere for the next half of the book until the ending. There are some rather good sequences towards the end, but the ending itself is more confusing than satisfying.

2,5 for Fear. 3 stars for the Bridge Publications edition, which includes a pretty good short story called "Borrowed Glory".

Good Stuff
This was a quick and entertaining read.Actually, I'd probably rate it at 4 1/2 stars (if that was an option).I wouldn't say this was a horrifying book, but it did have some scary parts.At times, the story was trippy and far out there, but I found that it really added to the overall experience.The reader is right there with Lowry (the main character), and it turns out to be quite a wild trip down the rabbit hole.I guess I agree with most of the other reviewers on here when I say that the ending makes sense.It still left me with some questions, but once I slept on it, some things became a little clearer, or at least I made a few of my own interpretations.Overall, this was a great story and I'd definitely give it a try.As a bonus, there's a short story at the end that was quite good, although sad. ... Read more

Product Description
Art-In this book L. Ron Hubbard answers the question that has puzzled people for centuries- "What is art?" He not only provides the first clear definition of art, but also discusses the components necessary to create a truly artistic communication. This is knowledge that any artist, any viewer of art or anyone who intends to communicate successfully will recognize as infinitely valuable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Interesting read
This book brings about some good points to make you reflect about art in a different light.

It will help you think about the presentation of your work more clearly.

Very practical and useful
I first read this book some years ago. Many of its principals are so native to my thinking now as an artist that sometimes I forget that others don't know these things. I find myself explaining stuff to them which I take for granted now as obvious ways of approaching how art is communicated. In doing so, they look at me with an expression of, "Yes! I noticed that too!" or the opposite of, "Oh yeah! Why didn't that occur to me before?"

I especially love the fact that this information is so applicable to all types of art. I have applied it to drawing, music, filmmaking and writing with equal success.

Not to gush too much, but without this material, I was just not as effective. Before, art was directionless and mysterious in not a good way.

Art brought to life
When I first ran into this book I was struggling with the subject of ART. I had a lot of creative ideas and a very powerfull creative instinct that moved me to make napkins into flowers, write poems in the blank pages of books and execute paintings with my make up colors. I hardly used anything I ran into for nothing more than the expression of beatuy and harmony or of chaos and disonance or what ever it was I had in my heart. I needed to express my self and to bring to others these ideas. But to no avail. I was insecure, unwilling to show my art as art and afraid of negative crticism.

After I read this book, I SUDDENLY CHANGED! I UNDERSTOOD ART!I UNDESRTOOD CRITICS! and much more, for instance, the essence of what I was really trying to comunicate and why I felt so weak and afraid to do so. Since, I have been Published and I get a lot of requests for my little art projects, I'm loved as a dancer with my very own style, and my mesages are accepted and understood. I love IT. But perhaps the most beneficial gain from reading this book was my new out look in life. It is possible to make life itself into an art, a personal touch in everything I make, a colorful meal, my wardrobe, the notes I write to people. And in all diferent styles and genres!!

This book for me was the begining of my life as an Artist. and Boy do I enjoy it!!!! life is fun when it is full of creativity. And critics? well, I certainly have no further concerns in that regard!!!! I highly recomend it, we need more artists in the communities of the world and this book will show you there is an artist in you too. Love Dharma

A book about aesthetics that works for every art form
This book solved all of my confusions about the subject of art and aesthetics.
When I started to apply the principles described in this book, my own artistic efforts finally started to get results. Since then I've used that data in this book to write and publish 3 books of my own!I have also used these same fundamental observations about aesthetics to create dozens of websites.
My eternal thanks to L. Ron Hubbard for giving me an understanding of art that helped me become a successful artist for the first time.

An Art book able to show how lines andcurves work & more
As an artist of sketches and fantasy novel writing, after studying this book I was definitely able to apply the information in my artwork and incorporate the information to writing to distinguish a readers visual perception of characters and objects. Well worth every penny spent! The payback far exceeds the price. ... Read more

Product Description
From Lord Invay, Royal Historian, Chairman, Board of Censors, Royal Palace, Voltar Confederacy:

"Let me state it boldly and baldly: there is no such planet as 'Earth.'

"If it ever existed at all, it certainly does not exist today or even within living memory.

"So, away with this delusion.

"On the authority of every highly placed official in the land I can assure you utterly and finally, THERE IS NO PLANET EARTH! And that is final!"

With this emphatic disclaimer, we are introduced to MISSION EARTH, an epic told entirely and uniquely by the aliens that already walk among us. Earth is to be invaded and a Royal combat engineer must cross 22 light years to secretly infiltrate the planet. He is also crossing a scheme to use the resources of Earth's most powerful figure to overthrow the confederacy.

With a convicted murderess who trains giant cat-like animals, a doctor who creates human biological freaks, a madman who controls Voltar's secret police, and clandestine Earth base in Turkey, a bizarre stage is set and narrated by an alien killer assigned to sabotage the mission and Earth - the planet that doesn't exist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

Almost ruined my childhood
The highlight of this book was the very small fire that the whole series managed to form in my back yard once I'd finished the last one.
If you are into slow indoctrination into a more perverse sexual outlook, or perhaps an in depth study of all the different stereotypes of homosexuality, or maybe you just want a slow walk through the terrifyingly sick mind of L. Ron Hubbard, then by all means, buy this book.

Honestly though, If I hadn't fallen in love with someone who cares about my mental health then this series could have broken me for good.

Avoid at all costs. Unless you are buying it to burn it. Nothing but harm can come from reading this. Please, please don't waste your time and pollute your mind.

Go read Dune instead if you need a Scifi fix.

The Invaders Plan (Mission Earth Series)
This series gets wierd at the last books of the series, but I very much enjoyed the alien / human culture clash issues explored during most of the books.An outstanding read.

America's Galactic Foreign Legion: Book 1: Feeling Lucky (Volume 1)

A Really Good Book
This book was recommended to me by a friend. I liked it very much and ended up reading the other nine books in the series - the series does kind of drag near the end, and some are only three star books, but they are still worth reading too.

In case you know nothing about this book and series, it tells the story about how some bad people from an alien empire are working to keep us down here on Earth. The bad people are not the majority in this empire, but they hold some important positions. Some good people there are working to help us.

The funny thing is that I really could not stand Jettero Heller for quite a while in the series, even though he is the good guy/hero. Soltan Gris, his nemesis, was a much more interesting character, and I almost wanted him to win for a long time. Later in the series, I liked Heller better and Gris less. The Countess Krak is also a great character as the series moves on.

Yes, Scientology principles are presented here and there, but it is no big deal. In fact, they are illustrated in some very amusing ways at times. You will not be brain washed or anything.

Some of the names used are really funny too. Fatten Farten Berstein and Ooze for the ad agency is priceless. Cling the Lofty is pretty good too for the Emperor.

The book flows very quickly. If you don't like it you can skip the rest of the series, but you may find you have to see where it all goes. Just have fun with it.

Mission Earth - A Dramatic Soap Opera Satire
.

The title pretty much summaries the book. "The Invaders Plan" covers the inception of a mission by aliens to save the earth from self inflicted environmental destruction rendering it useless prior to their planned invasion date. This book can not be taken seriously as a sci-fi novel, despite being sprinkled with some interesting science ideas and hi-tech equipment. This novel taken as an operatic sc-fi comedy is entertaining.

First of all you should know that this was written as one story essentially cut into 10 pieces or "books" so if you get the feeling that the story just ends midway you are right it does. After the death of L. Ron Hubbards his editor has stated that they added the introduction to the book as in to response to critics from initial book tests that the books seem to begin and end mid story. The introduction was supposed to help bridge the missing story line if you read a book out of sequence.

Further more this series is based on satire so do not look on it or judge it as a typical sci-fi novel as you will definitely be disappointed but if you judge this book for what it is, a space opera satire. At first I found the characters ridiculous, stereotyped and overly dramatic often with childish dialogue but then later I realized that they were caricatures and were written like this on purpose. I have to believe that this child like writing style has been done on purpose especially after reading the brilliant sci-fi novel "Battlefield Earth" also by Hubbard.

They are all aliens one of whom knows something about earth society and this is used as a basis for the satire in this book. The supposed alien characters are also used for satire as they depict known earth characters and behaviours. I say supposed because the depictions are alien life and society are ridiculous in-fact non-existent because Hubbard made almost no effort, these aliens and alien world might as well be humans on earth living in the future. Hubbard uses names like "Posh Hills" and "Delbert John Rockecenter" which are funny satiric references.

If you accept the book for what it is you will find it funny and enjoyable with wild superhero and villain characters that you love and love to hate. I felt that there could have been more use of subtle levels of satire that sometime lie the surface of this dramatic soap opera. However what made the book worth reading for me was the view inside the mind of the antihero who narrates the story. He is self indulgent, self centred, self pitying, violent evil man who uses devious tricks of politics, manipulation, bribery, theft and violence to survive and get ahead in his world. As powerfully he is in manipulating his world at times he is the one who is being dominated and controlled as a pawn in other peoples plans. It is then that we the weakness of his pathetic ego driven character. Although his caricature is naturally over the top his deviousness and character flaws are familiar to us because we see them so often in the underworld of politics and business in the world around us although obviously in a greatly subtler form.

This novel never won and never will win any sci-fi awards. An entertaining and operatic satire but without any real substance that is quickly forgotten I could not bring myself to give it anything more than 6/10 or 3 stars because.

Loved the entire series!
I surprised to see some of the more negative scathing reviews!I read this set of books about 10 years ago and remember them as extremely readable and absolute page turners.They stand out as among the most enjoyable and memorable of the "big" books that I have reads, along Dune and Lord of the Rings.The satire is wicked and funny, and some of the observations extremely astute.All through the Bush/Cheney years I kept being reminded of some of the final scenes, especially the reporter who goes around making up outrageous lies that cannot be fought, as well as the scene where the entire episode of the visit to Planet Earth is collectively whitewashed from the populaces' memories by an enormous media production.All very frighteningly true.

Highly recommend the set to those who can enjoy a good page-turner without worrying about "2-d characters" and other such literary commentary. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Loved this book!

I was so impressed with the simplicity and usefulness of this modest book.

The information here allows one to immediately apply it to his life and, especially, his work.

While reading along, I realized that my attitudes were changing. And in the best of ways. I found myself actually getting rejuvenated and interested in work and groups again!

This book contains the tools that one needs to live life with vigor and interest, to enlist support from one's group and to succeed in the work place as well as in life.

Was I surprised to gain so much? Well, yes actually. But, I am beginning to understand why so many good people follow the philosophy of Mr. Hubbard.

He's gathered the best of the best for us. And he has put it into a workable philosophy.

I am grateful, and I'm thrilled to have found this gem of a book!

A Very Useful Book
If you have a job or do any kind of work (who doesn't) you can find something in this book of relevance and use.

This book helps explain "burnout" and exhaustion and how to overcome those feelings.It also helps those of us that feel we are trying to do too many things at once and how to fix that.

I recommend this simple yet "chocked full of tips" book for anyone looking to make life a little simpler and more balanced.

Totally Relevant to Today's World!
I don't know about you, but this world is becoming one that I'm no longer sure of. I've always been confident in my abilities, sure that my employment would continue as long as I wanted it to, secure in the knowledge that my future looked pretty good financially, etc. But what used to be "bumps" - the stock market taking a dive, housing going down - don't seem like "bumps" anymore. They're not recovering - and rather than the government doing something to correct it, it seems we're going in the direction of things getting worse. There's more unemployment, huge taxes in the future, businesses closing! Then these "broad" problems started hitting home --- a few of my very competent friends were "let go" from their jobs. I'm actually good at what I do - but so were they! Suddenly my confidence was shattered.

I realized one thing - I had to personally do something about it. Could I change the direction some of these broad changes are taking us? Could I talk to someone and say - Hey! This great country of ours is, in great part, based on the individual's excellent work ethic? So PLEASE don't pass laws that make it hard for companies to keep employing us? -- If I could I would. And I'll keep trying to find someone who will listen.

BUT - meanwhile, there IS someone who would listen --- me! I could do something to restore my confidence and do everything possible to ensure I didn't become one of the "statistics" of the unemployed! I figured I better put my gas mask on first! and then be in a position to help others.

How did I do that? I read AND applied the information in this book - The Problems of Work. I can't believe what a difference it made. I regained my confidence, I understand what's going on and have tools to actually do something about it. I came out of my confusion and, well - apathy - about the condition of the world. Have I changed the world? Read the newspapers - nope, I haven't made a dent. BUT - here's a great line from the book: "You cannot talk adequately to a man if you are in a sub-apathy condition."

So not only did the information in this book help me personally, but now I CAN talk to others about what I see as a scary future. In fact, I've already talked to a friend who felt the same, had him read the book and he too is feeling way better about his future. Now the next step - find some big "ears" that may have more influence and can actually help do something about what seems like a very wrong road we're traveling.

So, yes - I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It's so very important that we individually regain our own confidence in our own futures. The more people who do that - the more it will positively affect others.

THIS IS ONE GREAT BOOK!!!!!
I wasn't sure a book about work would be fun to read. Or even worth reading.


What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be!


As I learned in the introduction, Scientology is a broad science of life and has many, many applications.


This book assists both the worker and the executive.This will result in man being more competent and more able, less tired and more secure in the workaday world. Who doesn't want that?


I know that the technology of Scientology is already in use in many offices, corporations, schools and churches.


THE PROBLEMS OF WORK contains the senior principles and laws which apply to every endeavor, every problem of work that one encounters.


You will find out about:

- What does holding a job depend?

- Handling the confusions of the workaday world.

- Is work necessary?

- The secret of efficiency.

- Life as a game

- Affinity, reality and communication

- Exhaustion (loved this one!)

- The man who succeeds.


I highly recommend it.

Read it and use it!!!

So interesting
This was one of the most well-written books I have ever read.I highly recommend it to anyone who has to face the problems of dealing with work issues and wants some advice that puts it in perspective.I recommend it for goal-oriented people who want to advance their careers. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1940 in Unknown magazine, this title has been acclaimed as one of Hubbard's most powerful and timeless fantasy stories. "A master of adventure."--Anne McCaffrey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great stories!
1) The audiobook reading by Rene Auberjonois was excellent! 'nuff said!

2) Story about dream worlds and genies..."original" material, not your standard hack-n-slash/magical fantasy or alien/colonizing sci-fi.

3)I agree with the other two reviews that this kept you wondering what was going to happen next.

Highly Recommend

Found this book very hard to put down
Probably the best fantasy book I have ever read. The story keeps you wondering where it will go next. Don't start reading this book late at night, because you won't be able to put it down. It is full of satire andadventure in two alternating worlds. This is an example of why Hubbard wassuch a popular writer in his time.

Delightful, entertaining - kept me reading to the wee hours.
This was an engrossing story, unlike any other I've read. It takes one right into an alternative world and builds a fantasy (or was it?) without many of the usual trappings of sword 'n sorcery. Intertwined with the real world,the goings-on in this fantasy world were highly satirical. This is a book you want to read without stopping. (I admit, I finished this book at 3 AM one night shortly after starting it.) Highly amusing, it left one with a lift. ... Read more

Product Description
Fanner Marston was raised a slave as a child, became a petty street thief as a teen, and now masters his own craft and crew as a grown man. He's also gone completely mad.Driven by privation, with a vicious greed and slavering lust for power, Marston alone of forty men has survived the perilous trek through a blistering desert to the magical city of Parva, where legend says a secret awaits which will give him absolute control over the Universe. However, Marston finds the key to all power is not at all what he expected. . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A fun adventure
This collection of 3 short stories is just simply fun. Each one takes the reader on an adventure far away from the "daily grind". I look forward to listneing to these books on CD in my commute to work every day - L.Ron Hubbard makes the tedius drive a new, fun adventure.

Mix of good sci-fi shorts
This is a few short stories bundled together, each independent.The first story was my favorite, with a great last sentence (won't spoil it for you).A man seeks the "great secret" of a old, advanced civilization in an abandoned city that will bring him riches.Which of course, is not quite what he expects.
Any one of these short stories would win a modern sci fi contest, no problem.Amazingly timeless. Recommended.

Bruce Boxleitner as Humphrey Bogart type ?


Starring the voices of : Bruce Boxleitner,Jim Meskimen.
Going back to listening to audiobooks,Has got to be a must with all this commuting to jobs in the big cities.
Personally,I love dvds and webisodes...But,My brother reminded me that Galaxy Press had donewonderful tapes back in the day.
With these CD releases,Galaxy Press and Jim Meskimen are doing wonders to bring your ears back to be entertained .
"Great Secret" as told by Bruce Boxleitner,is very much like `Treasure Of Sierra Madre' and others that make you want the elusive `Great Secret'.
Found myself wanting to be patient and help search for `the Great Secret' along with main character .

" Space Can",R.F. Daley explains the battles and tribulations of a old space ship ,That has one last battle for itself and its crew.
Pure SCIFI in texture and brings the battle scenes to outerspace.

"The Beast",Im sorry but ...Kept getting a visual of AVATAR while listening to this entry,Lots about death and killing and what it does to your thoughts.

Unexpected ending
This story took me by surprise.From the moment I started to read it, I knew something was up and this propelled me through the story.You will not forget this sci-fi pulp classic. ... Read more

Product Description
121 pg. softcover w/ vintage illustrated cover, from the Galaxy Press 'Stories from the Golden Age' series reprints of earlier lurid mysteries. ... Read more

Product Description
A humorous tale about a New York bartender who receives mysteriously special potions from Borneo which can make people grow or shrink depending on which one they drink. When our hero uses the potion to deal with some unfriendly mobsters, the results are comic and riotously unpredictable—including an unexpected run-in with a dogfish. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Pulp Fiction
Honoring an exciting genre and a marvelous writer within it. The story was pretty good too.

Quick, breezy and fun pulp fiction
Ever in search of the perfect cocktail, one that he can name and that can catapult him into eternal fame, bartender Harry McLeod (Mac) thinks he's finally accomplished his mission. With the help of a syrup from Borneo, Mac creates something that actually tastes good. There is, however, the unexpected side-effect. Drinking the cocktail causes the drinker to become either giant or tiny (depending on the acid/base mix). When he accidentally shrinks a mobster, Mac goes on the run. But surviving as a ten-inch figure when full-sized and fully armed mobsters are after him isn't going to be easy.

Authors L. Sprague de Camp and L. Ron Hubbard deliver a sassy 'pulp,' first released in the golden age of pulps (before World War II). It's fun to see the world inhabited by the pulp writers...centering around the neighborhood bar, with drinkers discussing acid/alkaline reactions and the square/cube law, gangsters who must be confronted personally without thought of the police, and cross-town cab rides that can be had for a buck.

THE LAST DROP is a short story from a time when short stories were far more common than novel-length speculative fiction. It's a quick read, but it's enjoyable and a fun reminder of a mostly-forgotten art form.

Another great story from L. Ron Hubbard!
This is a story that L. Ron Hubbard originally wrote during the '30s & '40s when Pulp Fiction was the rage. Today his stories still grab the reader and keep you interested - not to mention he has some very cool story plots.The Last Drop particularly is a short story with with an interesting predicament.

I highly recommend all of L. Ron Hubbard's stories!

L. Ron Hubbard and Dianetics and Scientology
I just wanted to post that L. Ron Hubbard has been dead for years.He was the founder of Dianetics which in most cases became Scientology.He died in 1986 and any books published after that date are ghost written.

Awesome!
This was a great story. Hubbard really knows how to write a good story. Alot of fun. ... Read more

Product Description
Kurt Reid may be innocent of the murder he's charged with (and of grand larceny, for that matter), but he's got no time to be thrown in jail and defend himself. Instead, Reid flees to pre-Communist China and Shanghai, the exotic city of mystery and death. Reid takes refuge in a tea house where he meets White Russian Varinka Savischna, whom he manages to rescue from certain death. As beautiful as she is smart, she recruits him in her crusade against Chinese intelligence services. Unfortunately, Reid manages to get himself captured by the Chinese and blackmailed into pursuing and assasinating a Japanese spy. Now Reid must enter the cloak-and-dagger world of espionage and intrigue, where everything and everyone is not who or what they appear to be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

I LOVE THESE AUDIOS!!!!
I loved this story. I listened to it and totally enjoyed it - in fact I would recommend it to anybody as a Five Star story. Be ready for an unexpected ending!

As a fan of James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Dean Koontz, I can say this story - SPY KILLER was excellent!!!The story is excellently written. I did not read it - I listened to it as an audiobook.

It is a totally action packed and unpredictable story. It's unabridged, complete with music and sound effects. The closest similarity to the audio production is Graphic Audios but better. Or think of an Old Time Radio Show, but 10 times better. That is what this audio production was like. In fact all the Golden Age Stories by L. Ron Hubbard are like that. I know because I make it a point to buy and listen to them as they release. It's not any more a "one person narration" doing all the voices - this is like a movie!

I give it a Five Star and I look forward to each release like candy!

Action, Adventure and At Times Graphic!
The Spy Killer is another one of the pulp fiction stories from L. Ron Hubbard, this time originally published in the late 1930s, before the USA got into World War II, Japan was occupying areas of China and one Kurt Reid was found on the streets of Shanghai, sopping wet and escaping the police.

Why?He's accused of a murder he did not commit, runs into a Russian spy (who happens to be a gorgeous woman, of course) and gets tangledinto a conflict between her and a Chinese gangster.

Seems like a complex plot -- it is -- but it flows well at its 88 pages.The pulps usually ran these kinds of stories through several magazines, but here the reader gets to read it all in one go.

The reading is fairly easy, and any words used at that time are clarified in a glossary in the back.

The most gruesome scenes are the torture scenes as fingernails are being ripped out by pliers or guys are getting shot messily between the eyes.Surprisingly graphic tales for the kids of the old days.

Recommended.


Sabotage in the Sky (Stories from the Golden Age)
The Great Secret (Stories from the Golden Age)

Filled with action and suspense
L. Ron Hubbard is probably best known as the founder of Scientology and creator of Dianetics. These days, his name is largely connected with the antics of the some of the more "outspoken" members of the religion, overshadowing the fact that the man really knew how to tell an entertaining story. All 150 of the stories Hubbard wrote for the pulp magazines of the 1930s and '40s are being rereleased in paperback and audio under the evocative title Stories from the Golden Age.

The recordings I've tried so far are just terrific. They are a professionally produced combination of traditional narrated audiobooks (with narration deftly handled by R.F. Daley) and old-time radio, with skilled actors playing the characters (often multiple roles) and genre-specific music and sound effects rounding out the experience.

When bucko mate Kurt Reid escapes the ship Rangoon (with help, it turns out), he has two choices: go into hiding as a fugitive of the Chinese government, or assist Russian beauty Varinka Sevischna in her project against Chinese intelligence. Since hiding in unlikely, and Kurt is always "spoiling for a fight," he accepts her offer -- and soon finds himself in over his head, hot least of which when Varinka's friend (and Kurt's ex-fiancée) Anne Carsten resurfaces with an equally enticing offer.

Soon the two women disappear, however, and Reid is faced with Chinese warlord Lin Wang, who offers freedom from pursuit. In a delicious ironic twist, in order to avoid punishment for the murder he did not commit (and the reason he was a prisoner in the first place), Reid must murder someone else, namely a Japanese spy named Takeki ("the courageous"). But when Reid gets there, he recognizes Takeki and has to make a difficult choice.

Author L. Ron Hubbard fills Spy Killer with action and suspense in a land where death waits as a consequence for nearly every decision -- especially inaction. But he also offers up a love story (however implausible) that adds an extra layer to events to this wonderful example of the "yellow peril" genre.

Lin Wang is a great villain -- deformed physically and mentally -- and Tait Ruppert plays him with gusto. Likewise, Lori Jablons is terrific in her dual role of Varinka and Anne, underscoring the fact that the two women embody separate halves of Reid's ideal.

Anyone who pays attention to things like dialogue that makes no sense unless something unspoken is true, will figure out the big twist early on. (Those who solve TV mysteries by assuming that the guest star with the least amount of air time must be the murderer, will also have an advantage.) Despite this flaw (if it is one), and its slight overlength for the breadth of its story, Spy Killer is still a pretty good adventure tale of Oriental espionage, provided you don't mind overlooking implausibilities and suspending a certain amount of disbelief. But, then, many pulp fiction enthusiasts merely consider that all part of the experience.

A great audio book!
"Spy Killer" is a classic L. Ron Hubbard story from 1936. Published prior to the wave of espionage novels inspired by Eric Ambler's "A Coffin for Dimitrios" in 1939, Hubbard had anticipated the espionage genre's popularity with this startling tale. "Spy Killer" is a well-written thriller, and readers will encounter the mysterious Russian woman Varinka Savischna. Hubbard's blazing talent is evident in beautiful lines like this: "The steam that rose from her cup of tea was not less elusive than the quality of her eyes." The audio book is outstanding. Each audio book features a multicast performance with music and sound effects reminiscent of radio's golden age. Starring the voice talent of Lori Jablons and featuring R. F. Daley, Shane Johnson, Jim Meskimen, and Tait Ruppert, "Spy Killer" is the perfect audio adventure when your driving long distance.

How do you improve on an already good story
I read the Spy Killer and really enjoyed the story. Then when I listened to the audio book, I was there listening to radio theater, reminded of when I used to listen other dramas on the radio as I would drive to or from work. Only this time, the quality of production brought it to a new level. I could hear Kurt as he dived off the Rangoon seeking to escape an obvious set up. Then the waves lapping around the boat as he climbed aboard. The rest of the story was no different - I was there and only needed my own vision of what was occuring to complete the story as it was being rolled out. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you're going to college or starting a career, you need the ability to apply anything that you study, so you can do what you want in life.

Have you ever read a page and been completely blank as to what it was about? And even when you read it again, it still didn't sink in?

If so, you hit one of the three barriers to study, whiich L. Ron Hubbard describes in this book. The Basic Study Manual can enable you to: Improve your concentration, Improve your ability to learn, Enjoy what you are studying, Apply what you study.

Life is a learning process. If you don't know how to learn, how can you live? Get the skills you need to open the door to learning and to life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Basic Study Manual
Finally, a book that explains why people have trouble with study and retaining what you've read, after the cram!It's really a great way to teach kids about the barriers to study and watch their grades improve!

I approved 1 year tests in 15 days...Anything else about it?
I've read these techniques, applied them in my last school years and approved 1 year tests in about 15 days!And it was with a 85-90% average.It says all about it.

If you want to be a good student, read this book.
I got through this book when I was in middle school, and I am really happy I did. I saw for myself how much the tools I learned in this book helped me through my schooling, especially later on, from High school on up. I was always one of the top students, even in "trouble subjects". So what, you might say, I know a lot of top students. I do too, but most of them cannot remember much of the subjects of the tests where they got such great marks, only a few months later, not to mention after finishing that course of study and later on in life. The difference? They don't know how to study, they study for the test or for the grade. This book will teach you how to study to leand and understand, and you'll be able to use those things for life.

Couldn't have done it without it!
This is a great book. If it weren't for this book, I wouldn't be where I'm at today, and the subject of computers and technology would be completely lost on me. This book helped expand my knowledge in this field ten fold. Any difficulties with study can be taken by the horns, and you can increase your literacy, more than you could ever have imagined. I can't believe how effective, and how fast the results are obtained by utilizing the data in this simple to understand textbook. Kudos!

What a find!
This book should be in every school.It's full of information and exercizes that teach a kid (or anyone, I guess) how to learn.My brother was a COMPLETE DISASTER in school until he worked through this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Itauk the Madman has spread death to the Yukon, throwing the bodies of his victims to his sled team of twelve wolves. Tracking him down are Canadian Mountie Tommy McKenna and his partner Simmons. But when the pair separate to hunt for food, Itauk attacks Simmons and lets his wolves make an unmentionable feast that Tommy later discovers on his return to camp. Enraged, Tommy follows the maniac's trail to a village and en route he meets an enchanting Eskimo woman named Kaja. Of course, the route's a trap set by Itauk, and the only one who can save Tommy is Kaja engaged to be wed to the ruthless killer, who plans to serve the Mountie as the next meal for his personal wolf pack. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Packs a triple punch!!
The latest Galaxy Press release of L. Ron Hubbard's Stories from the Golden Age packs a triple punch. This edition includes not only 1935's "Yukon Madness" but "The Cossack" and "The Small Boss of Nunaloha." All three stories amply demonstrate Hubbard's natural flair for pacing. As I've mentioned in other reviews, Hubbard was a master of all genres and his pacing was often relentless. These are hardboiled classics. Hubbard's masculine prose nearly jumps from the page. I was particularly taken with "The Small Boss of Nunaloha" where Jim Lanridge is put through the ringer. These three stories have seldom, if ever, been reprinted since their original appearance and stand as shining examples on why Hubbard was so popular during his lifetime. These beautiful Galaxy Press editions are going far in reaffirming Hubbard's place as a Master American Storyteller. For those that prefer audio books you'll not be disappointed. Each audio book features a multicast performance with music and sound effects reminiscent of radio's golden age. Highly recommended!

A gritty Royal Canadian Mounted Police Story
I have read all the books that have been released to date with the Stories from the Golden Age and have found them to be great fun, enabling me to temporary be in another place and time and enjoy it. "Yukon Madness" is no exception other than it is possibly one of the more gritty stories in the series. The trained killer wolves used by Itauk the Madman are pretty nasty and the story's hero, Tommy McKenna, has a serious go of it before he is able to finally deal with both the wolves and Itauk. Its a great story and the first Royal Canadian "Police Story" I have ever read. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Pulp Fiction Anthology Treasure!
The reprint series from Galaxy Press continues where they are publishing all pulp fiction stories from L. Ron Hubbard, who later became founder of the Scientology organization.I prefer the science fiction stories, though critics and even people in the street think he only wrote sci-fi.

He wrote a lot of spy adventure and westerns as well, but these are not my cup of tea.

I borrowed from my local library the volume called The Professor Was a Thief, which is actually an anthology of three stories printed in the 1940s.Why pay $20 a piece for the originals when they are all right here?

By the way, the book is easily carried and in hardcover.It is complete with a glossary which comes in handy as I'm not that familiar with pre-World War II slang!These stories are written in pulp style, imaginative and silly.They were always meant to be throwaway mags at the time.

The Professor Was a Thief, purported to be Hubbard's favorite pulp fiction tale, is about a disgruntled professor who has somehow invented a way of shrinking buildings and things at the atomic level so that they are very tiny.The story is also about a newspaper man who, at age 53, is being put out to pasture by a young punk kid, which kid became his boss due to the good graces of the managing editor and not about skill.It's a fun story because we see Pop as he takes the reins of the paper and gets out the story, and see how he's happiest when he's running and organizing the big story of the Penn Railroad Station suddenly disappearing.The professor though is a pretty dishonest if brilliant scientist who is used as a foil by Hubbard to show how a person who loves his work can make anything happen.Cute story.

The Battle of Wizards is the weaker of the stories; about a scientific group that lands on a savage planet where magic is king.The captain sees these people as starving and having no agricultural methods and use infanticide and killing off their older populations to keep food on the table.He is challenged to show that science is greater than magic or vice versa and have a contest to the death.The ending was abrupt, but the story entertaining nonetheless.

Finally, The Dangerous Dimension, Hubbard's first published sci-fi work (I used to have the original pulp, oh well).This tale is about a little nerd who is henpecked by his maid, and is the typical absent-minded professor.He develops an equation that enables him to transport himself (mind over matter) just by thinking of the place or it being suggested to him.The trouble is, he has not yet figured out the other equation that would give him some control over the situation.So when he thinks "Paris", he is in Paris.When someone says jump in the Martian canals, he then appears on Mars trying not to drown!It's humorous when he tells people to shut up when they are about to suggest where he can go next.As with most pulps, a silly ending.

Hubbard's stories often involve men who don't seem to have a lot going for them but find that with a little effort and persistence make things happen in their lives and these three stories are certainly evidence of that.

I do suggest reading all of these Galaxy Press stories.Who knows, maybe I'll check out some westerns!


The Great Secret (Stories from the Golden Age)
Under the Black Ensign
Branded Outlaw (Stories from the Golden Age)

"Dangerous Dimension" a great find in this book
I have read a lot of science fiction from the Golden Age and was surprised to find the hidden story "Dangerous Dimension" within this book.While it is a short science fiction story, it was told in a very humorous vein and was a total change in direction for sf of the time. This was the start of Astounding Science Fiction under the helm of John W. Campbell Jr. I recommend this story for a fun change of pace -- but also to see the sf genre at the start of the its Golden Age. ... Read more

Product Description
When Lee Weston's father writes him that an old enemy, Harvey Dodge, is back in town, Lee rides out in a hurry from Wyoming to Pecos, New Mexico only to find his father murdered and the family ranch burned to the ground. Certain that Dodge is to blame, Lee sets off to settle the score but gets into a fiery Colt showdown in the town of Pecos. Severely wounded, he flees into the mountains just before passing out.As fate would have it, Dodge's beautiful, yet headstrong, daughter, Ellen, finds Lee's unconscious body and secretly nurses him back to health. But when Lee insists on continuing his plan for revenge, he gets himself into a heap more trouble false accusations, a near lynching at the hands of an angry mob and the scorn of the only girl he ever looked at more than once! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Western
Great book!I enjoy being able to pick up one of these books at night and not worry about the time- the books are so short and swift to read that you can finish it without needing to spend the rest of the week catching up on sleep. (Robert Jordan, I'm looking at you).
I loved the scene where the suspect is cleared of a shooting because the doctor announces "you shoot 45's, and I pulled a derringer's out of him." (paraphrased).Old school forensics, eh?

A rip-roaring adventure from cover to cover
Branded Outlaw reprints a classic Western pulp story by famous science fiction author and founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard. Originally published in the October 1938 issue of "Five-Novels Monthly", Branded Outlaw is a gripping saga of Lee Weston, a young man seeking survival and revenge when all legal avenues of justice have been cut off. Nursed back to health from the brink of death by the beautiful daughter of his family's blood enemy, Weston strives to avenge his slain kin even though it may cost him the love of the only girl he's ever looked at twice. A rip-roaring adventure from cover to cover, as exciting today as it was when it was published.

I didn't know I liked Westerns
Awesome audio book. First of all the quality is far above any other audio I've listened to and secondly the story is just awesome. I felt like I was really there, back in the west and going through the story with Lee Weston! I didn't know I was a western fan until I read Branded Outlaw! I heard that there are 12 more Westerns releasing from Hubbard. I'm looking forward to them already!

Excellent Book!!!
I love how the author can just transport you into the story!It's like you're there, experiencing everything with the characters. Definitely one of my favorite westerns!

The audio books is wonderful, too! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Brilliant
I am not a scientologist and I still think this series was great...despite what some reviewers would like you to believe.The story is told from the perspective of an alien. This makes his interpretations of observations from Earth (like Bugs Bunny the philosopher) hillarious.If you do not have the imagination to place yourself in the characters perspective, then you might not like the story...but if you have an ounce of reading skill, you will love this story.

The series is terrible
I thought after reading the first book in the series that this was going to be a pretty good series.The first L.Ron Hubbard book that I read was Battlefield Earth and I absolutely loved it, however this series took a terrible down fall after the first book.It just got stupid.There isn't anyone who is going to always defy the odds like Heller does.I didn't like that and I think the series won't hold my attention to read any more in the series.

Sincerely,A very honest critic

The aliens are here!
With this book the series takes a wild and creepy turn.Book 4 in the Mission Earth Dekology 'An Alien Affair' places the narrator Soltan Gris in the clutches of a sadistic Miss Pinch who uses a jar of mustard in a waythat will make your skin crawl!There is a lot of deadly racing at a LongIsland speedway, and a really explosive battle on the observation platformof the Empire State Building.This book is completely different from theprevious books, as it shows yet another satirical look at a sordid part ofour society.You will appreciate this book as you read on in the series,as it really shows what kind of bumbling character the narrator is, despitehis vicious mean streak.The mission continues...

Fantastic Story
I loved all of these stories.I could not stop once I started them.The pacing is great. The satire is great. Hubbard has a fantastic and witty sense of humor. These stories also really they get you thinking. Love themall.

Excellent regardless of what a silly man-hater might say.
This series is one of the best I have ever read the previous critic obviously doesn't understand the satirical irony of the story.This is a fictional work not real life as they seem to think. ... Read more

Product Description
The materials of Scientology comprise the greatest accumulation of knowledge ever assembled on the mind, spirit and life. Through more than a hundred books and publications, thousands more articles and essays, and over 3,000 recorded lectures, the works of L. Ron Hubbard embrace virtually every aspect of living. Here, then, is Scientology: A New Slant on Life, containing a timeless selection of Ron’s discoveries drawn from the full wealth of his writings and each one presenting a broad, yet comprehensive overview of Scientology applied to a specific aspect of existence — and, in combination, providing the panoramic overview of life itself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Proto-New Age sales pitch for a totalitarian cult
Hubbard wrote this book as an "infomercial" on scientology before new age motivational pitches became cliche.The book is relatively short and just restates various proto new age cultural notions from the 1950's that he knew few people would object to.However, his writings in that book falsely portray scientology, which, in fact, advocates totalitarian measures in its oxymoronic "ethics and justice" system, blatant and extensive psychological diagnosis of human beings as victims of infestation with body entities that experienced implanting of commands by a sci-fi "evil lord Xenu", and the commission of fraud and criminal acts as "the greatest good".I recommend avoiding any literature written by Hubbard, as his motives clearly showed his interest focused on accumulating money and manipulating people to accomplish that.

A beautiful book
One of my favorite spiritual books. If you want to know what L Ron Hubbard was really about, this is a great book to get. It is beautiful.

Simple and Great
This book was really easy to read and made so much sense. It gave me such basic tools to living a happy life. After reading it, I have found I am a lot less grumpy and can handle annoying situations a lot better. It has definitely given me a New Slant on Life.

I was just curious about scientology
I'm the kind of person who takes from different religions, theories, and just think we all are trying to be the best people that we can be. So, I grabbed this book for the basics of Scientology...it is a great book. Non-religious andgave me just another tweek on how life can be looked at.

Sometimes I think, "Gosh, I wish life came with instructions." I get lost sometimes, this will be a book that I will reach for and read to remember and realign. I highly recommend it.

Is it really an odious rendition of Life?
This is the first title that I have read on the subject of Scientology, and with that I feel, at least in reference to this title, it is safe to say that it is innocuous.The general societal perspective of Scientology is not very cordial. Prior to this reading endeavor I was under the impression that Scientology was just some fanatical cult based on ignorance embellished by the intellectually destitute. After this read I personally feel that the societal denigration of this spiritual path is not congruous at all. I will also profess that I think the issue is not that the philosophy of Scientology is devoid and insolvent of any form of sane application; but, wherein lies the quandary is between the fanatical bigots on both sides of the paradigm: the fanatics who distort it to justify it and the fanatics who distort it to repudiate it. Did L. Ron Hubbard want to control the minds of man? No. Did he think he was the reincarnation of Jesus, or a God? No. As he said himself in this book, basically, he is a man that had a philosophy of life and death and wrote about it. If one would take an intellectual approach to analyzing religion in general you will find that there are many fanatics of the two paradigms-of which I alluded to previously-in ALL religious paths. In order to find the truth you must research it for yourself, do not go along with the reportorial ignorance that fanatical bigots of the opposing paradigms offer. If you do that is merely intellectually disingenuous.

There was one thing that I emphatically appreciated with much fervor, and it also rendered much respect for Hubbard in the initial chapters of the book; it was the fact that Hubbard stressed to thereader to research independently the information provided. He also admonished to not allow oneself to be informed on any of the subjects alluded to solely by his thinking and ideology. Especially, if you are in disbelief. Also, to grade it and analyze it against knowledge that you have independently procured. This way you arrive at your opinion of his work by your own intellect and judgment and not that of the societal perspective.

From many critics of Hubbard's work I have read those who say that a scientific principle cannot be implicated to the subjects in which Hubbard addresses. With that I disagree, because every scientific principle starts off as a hypothesis. Then throughout experimentation the hypothesis is proven, disproven or even slightly altered by the manifested datum. Society in general, I feel, has become so dissolute and dissuaded from spirituality (not religion) that I would not expect the masses to appeal to the thought that spirituality and science has already converged, or will converge. If I must, for argument's sake, find a coin to define the principles of Scientology that is inextricable regardless of position upon the subject it would be that they are merely heuristic. In the end the only datum that you have that proves if it is congruous or incongruous is your own visceral feelings, these will obviously be diverse.

To attempt to obviate an elongated and soporific review I will try to briefly cover only a few of the subjects in which I disagreed with and agreed with:

Disagreements:

- It disturbs me that this book did not have references, endnotes or a bibliography regarding some of the more factorial information given. Regardless, if Hubbard addressed this as being something one should research independently I feel that there should have been some conventional references. This possibly could be the reason some find his work devoid of any credibility. Is alleviation of these references pragmatic, or expectable?I believe it is not when dealing with subjects (science, spirituality, psychology and/or sociology) that can be very divisive.

- The book can be a difficult read, not meaning intellectually convoluted, but due to its expedited sojourn on each subject. Not to mention the way in which Hubbard writes, in fragmented paragraphs.

- The chapter on child rearing needed further elaboration on what TO DO. Hubbard spent so much time on what not to do, his intentions should have been justified on advice by what to do in exact tone and reference. I feel that a lot of what he wrote about in this section of the book was definitely ambiguous, if not down right enigmatic.

- I disagree with Hubbard lumping twenty percent of the population that is anti-social which is carried by the eighty percent who are social. With his definitions of each tendency, those being anti-social and social, I do not contend. It is merely him identifying that all people who have social tendencies (by his definition) is a positive influence for society, and those with anti-social tendencies are a negative influence on society. There are indeed those individuals that fit the bill of his definitions of each tendency that are on the opposing end of his presented paradigms of influence.

Agreements:

- Science and spirituality has long ago converged, but it is the bigots on both sides that contend that it has indeed not. Quantum physics is one of these manifested convergences, ironically for the religious ascetics and the non-spiritual individuals they will/do not see it. That subject in itself would need a book of its own to provide the suggestive evidence in extent of making a fairly represented case.

- Being a political conservative (liberal on some social aspects) I do indeed find resonance with the subjects of "freedoms and barriers". In society we cannot live in complete anarchy, we have proven throughout history that we cannot live without judicial structure. We have even proven that some of us are still not yet deterred by the existence of said structure.

- Problems are good! Issues, enigmas and quandaries are intrinsic to development and expansion of intellect and ethics. This is not in the book, but I have often said that heaven would be a very boring place. With the existence of only happiness and all encompassing serenity we would never grow or prosper. It is from our enigmas that we grow and expand. Solidarity is not intriguing by any means of the term. For this I reference the Taoist concept of Yin & Yang.

Overall I did indeed find a lot that was resonant with my own ideologies of moral behavioral standards and the moral declivity of society. There were very few items that were completely odious to me, which I addressed all of those. I will give an admonition of recommendation for this book if you are one who would like to learn more about Scientology. Remember to avoid the dissension that has been erected around this subject and obtain your own opinion by and from your own research. The subjects in this book that are covered are too numerous in existence to individually identify in context, and would only make reading this review exponentially more arduous. ... Read more