P Books

I've known the author almost my entire life, and have never met a man with a bigger heart or a bigger set of "ba..lls".. He writes the things that we all think about but never say.. Ed touches on the subjects that rub us the all the wrong way and has the guts to ask why...Reading this hysterical book is like talking to the author in person, no false pretenses here, a real book written for the people by a author who pulls no punches and takes no prisoners...

This books is a great book written by someone that is not afraid to tell it like it is, or give you his opinion on something. Too many people in todays world try to be politically correct, or tell you want you want/need to hear. Ed will tell you the way that it is, without "sugarcoating" it.

Ed takes on many of todays problems of the world, saying how it is. If more people would take the initiative that Ed has, maybe we could change some of the "problems" with America.

Met Ed via my brother and that's how I heard about his book. Because I'm a Social Studies teacher, I figured this would be a "must have" for personal reference. I would categorize this book as a "water cooler ranting" because the questions, concerns, and social mores Ed mentions are exactly what all of us regular folk say at work, home, or in our heads. He's put out a work we can relate to - poor grammar, spelling, and lack of political correctness. Very good that someone is voicing what we're thinking (but too fearful to say).

Kudos, Ed. I want my copy signed! Ha!

This is a great book..I would suggest that you read this book it will really make you think..An Edward is a GREAT author.He says what were all thinking.I bought 2 copies one for myself and for my girlfreind. And she can't say enough about it We'll be sure to tell everyone we know.....CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR NEXT BOOK....Will absolutly buy it

This is a really great book. I never read a book like it. I think a lot of people think like Ed but would never have enough nerve to put it down on paper. He has no trouble telling it like it is and at the same time it's funny. Can't wait for the next one. Good job Ed.

Another entertaining, stimulating and vibrant work from the inimitable Wodehouse. This book of short golf stories is the perfect gift for everyone who is a golfer, or aspires to be one. That is, if you can bear to part with such a brilliant piece of literature! Wodehouse rules!

It`s a nice hole in one , for all the 36 handicaps ! . Enjoy , read this book and your slices and hooks will be painless . Evem if you play with your wife/husband !!!

If you or someone you know likes golf,OR if you or someone you know likes P.G.Wodehouse,I promise you cant go wrong with this book. All of his golfing stories are here and they are all top notch. A keeper.

The manner in which Wodehouse has developed the characters in the stories is indeed amazing. One hilarius feature I noticed in many of the stories is the attempt made by the victim (listener) to escape from the oldest member's clutches whenever he begins to narrate a story.

Wodehouse is at the top of his form in this one. Die hard Wodehouse fans should not die without reading this one.

Great literature is supposed to bring you an appreciation of something you hadn't considered before. Wodehouse's golf stories did it for me like few others. None are terribly subtle--most are told by the Oldest Member, who on the first half-page collars a helpless younger golfer and tells him a story that turns out to be worth staying for. The narration is slightly sarcastic, and there are only two types of stories at heart: guy and girl made for each other get married because of golf, or guy uses golf to avoid girl unfit for him. There's always a subplot of a bad golfer breaking 100 or two longtime rivals in an 18 hole match, but nothing seems to get reused.

Despite using upper-crust characters in his stories, Wodehouse's work exhibits only a fake pretension. Plus there are cool names and recurring characters such as the golf champ Sandy McHoots. It's a bit more comprehensible than some Yoknapathawpa nonsense. A love triangle through three stories features a poet who(gasp) recites his poetry while people focus loses a golferess to a golfer, almost regains her, and then tries to learn golf courting her sister. Nobody is evil, although some people deserve--and get--a good comic socking.

But what makes Wodehouse appealing is how his characters are comically obsessed with golf. I have better things to be obsessed with, but I was able to connect with this and recognize how Wodehouse laughs at them. After I stopped laughing.

I've never read a collection of stories more insightful, easy to follow and enjoyable.

I became addicted to Haim Potok's writing. Once I finish one of his books, I can't help it - I buy a new one. Amazing story-teller!

This is a beautiful story; it is my very favourite book. I love it with all my heart.

I too have read the more well known books of Potok. I picked up this one at a used book sale. This book is somewhat different from the others in that it it goes deeply into one characte's thoughts and emotions. One could label the book slow, but I didn't find it that way. I found the story of David Lurie's mother to be by far the most painful to read. As a reader, we are given only bits and pieces of this woman's very broken heart. Perhaps it's a sign of a wonderful writer that every character in this book seemed to warrant a book of his or her own.

I've never encountered a novel structured exactly like this one. The details given in the first 4/5ths of its length led a reader to believe In The Beginning was a story about a brilliant young Jewish boy and his family, their life in America, where the boy and his brother where born to recent Polish emigrants, and of the determined struggle this family undertakes, not only to establish their lives in the United States, but to honorably aid numerous Jewish families who wish to leave Poland and settle in New York. As the story of this family, the novel served a detailed, well-written tale that gave terrific insights into the psyche and values of east-European Jews in the early twentieth-century. The family thrives in the US in the prosperous 1920's, though the pre-school-age David is sadistically bullied by anti-Semitic local boys, and he lives to piece together the whispered secrets of his father's conduct as a one-time militant activist among Jews in the "old country." We follow this family into the Great Depression, when its fortunes declined, into World War Two, where its newly-discovered prosperity is scant comfort as its members learn of the Nazis' cruelty to family and acquaintances they left behind in Europe.

However, like a magician dealing out a slight of hand trick, Chaim Potok revealed the true story only at the very end of In The Beginning---and all else that came before this point was merely establishing the stage for the final act and a statement he wished to make on the subject of faith, reason, and evidence. The central character, David Lurie, due to his intellectual brilliance the shining star of his local school, stuns his family, friends, and classmates, by laying aside his Orthodox upbringing and upon college graduation becoming a secular Biblical scholar. Lurie announces his newfound conviction that the Torah was not given by G-d to Moses on Sinai, but was authored by numerous Jews across an indefinite time period, long after Moses' death. To Lurie's parents this is an act of unmitigated treason to all that is holy and life-sustaining in their world. That their much-loved eldest son, their pride and great hope, should plan to write skeptical books on this topic, and thereby "sin by making others sin" is crushing to them one and all. And only at the extreme conclusion of this 430 page novel is this revealed when beforehand a straightforward plot about Jews reacting to a changing world was what we had been lulled into expecting. The earlier tale of David's health struggles, his father's rise and fall, the immigration movement, and even at the end the horrors of Nazi Germany, all of that I found was Potok's subterfuge to sneak in an ending so different from what the deliberately-paced novel seemed to prepare us for that this work almost deserves to be spoken of as having some sort of twist at its shocking ending.

As always, Potok wrote well here and his characters and the setting were magnificently accomplished, but I was left feeling I had read two different books, one a family tale, the other a dissertation on modern Talmudic scholarship. I also strongly felt that the characters at the end, while bearing the same names they had 300 pages earlier, were not exactly the same ones I had been reading about as they advanced thru twenty harsh years in their lives. I also have read that this book is slightly autobiographical, so that deserves to be pointed out. This is a good book but it is slow-moving and spends much of its time inside David's head and the pseudo fantasy world which he inhabits, so be prepared for that. I also wish Potok had written a sequel, as he did with The Chosen. I ended up saying, "Yes, and what happens next?" Sadly, we'll never know...

Never before have I ever read something so influential, so vividly drawn before me. I am a huge fan of Potok, and after reading Asher, Promise, Chosen, and Davita, this obscure novel that barely comes up in Borders search is my favorite. It is a shame to see it is widely ignored.

Potok is a genious, and one can understand this brilliant man in this book. He is able to create a person, a character, that seems life like. You want to jump in the book to hug him, to stop him, or to help him. It is an impossible book to put down, and by far the best book I have ever read. He is the best author I have ever read.

I recommend this book to everyone. Everyone could use a little of Danny in their lives.

This has got to be one of the top chess books . It is superbly written and by that I mean 6 stars . Lasker was world champion for 28 years -- you read his book and you will be champion in your small league for sure!!
I haven't gone through the whole book but already am losing sleep over it --- it is that good !! Do yourself a favor -- pick this up NOW . I am an average player and I do not write good reviews like this . Lasker will show u how and why to play . Will definitely improve your rating to 2000+ -- NO MATTER WHERE YOU START FROM !! If you do not see any improvement , I will say this --- you have not read this book ! It probably stayed on your shelf for too long .

I like this book. It starts off with the basic rules and quickly gets into openings and strategy. I wish they would put it out in "algebraic chess notation" which is the only drawback. Since I get an A in all my classes as a 7th grade student I can understand this book well even with the old form of chess notation.

"Lasker's Manual of Chess" doesn't mess arround. It is absolutely perfect for someone who needs a brief reminder of the basic rules and then is ready to get quickly into the strategic parts of chess. It is a well written book for an adult reader or older teenage reader; younger kids or someone who is a super beginner should start with "Chess For Jrs" or possibly "Learn chess: A complete Course".
This may be an older book but it is very well written and a largely forgotten about classic.

This is one of the best Introductory Chess Books ever written for an adult. The only drawback is that it needs to be written in Algebraic Notation.
The former world champion also covers some more advanced concepts throughout the text.

This wonderful classic is very well written for an adult (would be difficult reading for most kids) who is either a beginner or a player who has aquired basic skills. It provides a good mixture of basics with even some more advanced concepts. Lasker was a great chess teacher.
Then why 3 stars instead of 5? This is because the book requires some serious updating. For the more advanced player the openings are very outdated. The book needs to be written in the more modern and efficient Algebraic form of notation. And, as already mentioned, it is difficult reading for possible use by a young reader.

I read this book new and several times since. I've given away a few copies which is why I'm here on Amazon again. I hope they don't run out.
I WROTE CONSUMERS REPORT a while back about publishing an updated edition. They didn't respond.

As the other reviewers say, this book is hands down, the best book on drug history available. Unlike other books about the history of drugs and drug policy (i.e., Musto), this book is not dry. It covers most drugs, including licit drugs (which is very important), and this man has great insight. This is the right way to write about drug policy. I have no idea why this book was never reprinted; it is truly the best drug book that exists.

I read this book in the early '80s. I say that it helped me survive my period of drug experimentation. Now as a father I don't endorse the use of drugs but I do recommend this book so that the reader could make an informed choice.

Even though this book is nearly 30 years old, everything it says about the drug problem is still relevant today.

This publication outlined a clear-cut set of recommendations that if adhered to, today's drug problems would have become a long forgotten memory.

This book is a must for the collection.

I went through alot of 'Drug Education'. I thought I knew something. I didn't. I learned more in one night from this book than I did in 18 years of being a youth in the Drug War. Read this cover to cover and now try to get everyone I know to read it.

THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT LEARNING TOOL. IT IS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT AND I AM SURE IT WILL BE READ AND EACH CHILD WILL LEARN FROM IT!

An excellent message and a good chapter book for those readers who are starting to gain confidence.

I just got this book yesterday for my son who just turned 3 years old. He really enjoyed it and after reading it, he kept asking me to read it over. He was very interested because he started asking questions at the end. He just started preschool and I wanted to introduce him to possible situations he might go through while in school. This story gives a great lesson on how to handle a situation when someone says something mean to you. My son also enjoyed it because the situation takes place in school and at a basketball court, which he can relate to because he started school and he loves to play basketball.

I was looking for a book to help my 9 year-old deal with other kids who say cruel and demeaning things. My son and I sat down and read the book together and then discussed how saying "so" when mean things are said takes away the bullies power. We decided that "so" was his new secret weapon.

My son was so excited when the very next day at school he used his secret weapon and it worked. He has also shared the book with a few of his classmates and it has helped them too.

GREAT BOOK!

The Meanest Thing To Say is not about saying mean things back to mean people. And it isn't even about mean people. What it IS about is children learning self-control, level-headedness and heart. When the new kid, Michael, calls Little Bill names, and says he has to think of the meanest things to say back the next day, Bill is frustrated and anxious. This comes up at home and his dad tells him to just say, "So?" to everything. Little Bill does this and it halts Michael. It takes two people to fight. But the moral of the story doesn't stop here. Bill observes Michael is a new student and maybe just needs a friend. So he invites him to play basketball with him and they become friends.

Unfortunately it is reality that children can be very mean and hurtful. As parents, we need to teach our children how to handle bullies and it's equally as important to teach them not to BE a bully. Also, just ignoring mean actions and words doesn't always work. Everyone has good in them and we all, ages 2-102 need to offer kindness instead of anger. Great job, Cosby! Thank you and please keep writing. Peace & Soar!o8E

I needed a book on grammar. There are so many different rules it's hard to keep them straight. I needed the basics and I needed a quick reference guide. I did not need one of those huge books that had 300 plus pages. They were filled with nonsense and radom rules that only English professors need to know! This book is easy to understand. Don't know the difference between bore and bore? Or altar and alter? There is a quick guide in the back to show you what to use. Get confused with lay, and laid? There is also a nice chart that shows you the difference between present, past and past participle. There is so much packed into this little book it will amaze you.

This book is excellent. And it's so easy to understand. It doesn't bog you down with unless information. This is a must have for everyone!

"Nitty-Gritty Grammar" is an outstanding book. I read it prior to having its authors Edith Fine and Judith Josephson on my talk radio show on WRKO Radio in Boston. They were informative and funny and the phone lines were full the entire hour they were on my show. The key to this book is that it is both educational and entertaining. In someone else's hands, this book could be a real snoozer. In Judith and Edith's hands, it is a work of art. If you read this book, you will stop making up "irregardless" and other words which don't exist (see page 85.) You will stop mispronouncing words like "asterisk" (it's not asterick-- see page 72.) And you will never again misplace your apostrophes, dangle your participles or commit other high crimes and misdemeanors against grammar, spelling, punctuation and pronunciation (see pages 1-102--the entire book.) The book includes many cartoons which will teach you while you laugh. The section on "Ways to Tame the Spelling Monster" is indispensable with clever ways to remember the correct spelling of words including "dessert" (it has two s's--think strawbery shortcake). If you only read the "ticker tape" which runs throughout the book at the bottom of each page, you will learn more than you did in twelve years of boring English classes. The amazing part of this book is that it can be used by children, teenagers and adults. I suggest you buy copies for your entire family and all your friends and coworkers. They'll speak properly when they thank you.

Bob Katzen, WRKO Radio, Boston, Massachusett

As a writing teacher and home schooler, I haven't found a more enjoyable grammar reference book. My 11 year old son picked it up one day and read straight through the entire book in one afternoon. The appeal of the cartoons, the easy to understand explanations and the user friendly format make this the grammar reference of choice for all grammar-impaired parents who teach their own kids. I highly recommend it!

Our child brought home grammar for the third grade and we had forgotten half of what we had learned in school. This book really helped us out greatly and I am sure we will get a lot more use out of it in years to come.

Over the years I've fallen into poor grammer habits. This little gem of a book has helped me clean up my act--or should I say mouth! Keep it close by so you can consult it often. The fun layout makes it easy to grab a quick lesson here and there.

This book is a great 'how-to' guide for selecting, building and harvesting business relationships. And in business, of course, relationships are everything.

I think PowerSkills is a must-read for every business person - from the recent graduate just starting out, to the seasoned executive who wants to move his or her skills to the next level.

Jim Masciarelli is a terrific teacher, and underscores his points with insightful anecdotes from his career.

One additional perspective - great relationships - like success in business - take time and commitment. But your hard work - guided by this excellent book - will be a dynamite combination.

While this book formalizes networking necessary for power brokers and business growth at high levels, it also spells out the type and frequency of contacts any business person can begin to cultivate. If you have an idea you want to be at the top someday -- start here.

Jim Masciarelli's book is great for those who are looking to improve the quality of their professional relationships. Not surprisingly, his advice spills over into personal relationships as well. I particularly like his ideas on cultivating and sustaining a "Nifty 50" - the fifty most important professional relationships in your life.

"PowerSkills" will change your life and change your business. Whether you're at the top of your company or determined to get there, you'll learn practical tips and techniques -- a sustainable process for becoming more savvy and successful in managing relationships for results.

The think I liked most about this book is that it provides an excellent system for measuring your networking success. It shows how to maintain a list of your Nifty Fifty contacts and measure it to show the strength of your network.

This allows you to set goals like "Increase my networking score by 10% by May 31." You could also use it to measure the success of people on your team.

If your looking to get into the Electrician field or just need a steady reference guide, then this is the book for you. Residential, Commercial, Industrial...you name it. I've been a certified Electrician for 17 years and I still use this book as a quick reference manual to this day. Not overly complex but still gets down to the nitty gritty in details.

Definitely a must buy if you're interested in pursuing a career in this trade.

Some very good information , but very vague on a lot of subjects. It would be nice to have more pictures and details of subject matter I have yet to find a really good electrical book other that the NEC CODE BOOK

It is an excellent book not only for electricians but also for general construction professionals to understand electrical details.

This book is amazing, we can read about to many real points in electrical wiring, actual information help about National Electrical Code 2005. Read this book is a big step to electrical wiring.

I bought this book while in Iraq to study before I get out of the army and try to get under an apprenticeship. This book has helped me learn a LOT about the trade of inside wireman and the basic fundamentals of electricity from fomulas to installation of panel boxes to wiring an entire house and to which lamps will give the best lighting effect in a room. I am really looking forward to learning more about the trade. So far I have read it once and am already half way thru for my second time around. I highly recommend this book however, what I have learned about electrical is only from this book so I do not have a comparison.

We have used this book for years for the preservation and keeping of food. It is complete, easy to understand and thorough. Highly Recommended for beginners and seasoned canners. The perfect reference book.

I was just ordering a replacement book for the one that I have been using for years that is falling apart. It is the only canning book that you will ever need. All you need to know to do safe and delicions canning as well as other food preservation techniques are in there. I have a designation from the NC Extension Service of Master Food Preserver, so you can trust my opinion.

This is the only book that I have found that tells me how to preserve figs.
You cannot find these type of books in the Midwest.
This was a gift to my friend that lived in the midwest but has now located to Arizona that is fortunate enough to have these beautiful trees!
The rest of the book is excellent and comparable to what I already have, but this has figs! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!

A passionate home cook that has been honing her cooking skills for the last 25 years writes this review. My favorite cookbooks are "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute and "Culinary Artistry". This book is exactly what I expected it to be, a vast collection of information regarding canning, and freezing, curing, and drying food.

I purchased this book last year after I decided to eliminate all preservative, chemicals and dyes from our food and had difficulty locating reasonably priced products that were prepared naturally. I remembered that my parents had gone through a hippy phase when I was young and found an old version of this book at their house. Since they wouldn't give up the book I bought my own copy and have learned a lot on preserving food from this book.

The book is subdivided as follows:
1. What is It?
2. Why Foods Spoil
3. Altitude and Metrics
4. Fair Warning
5. Common Ingredients and How to Use Them
6. The Canning Methods
7. Canning Fruits
8. Canning Tomatoes
9. Canning Vegetables
10. Canning Meats
11. Canning Seafood
12. Canning Convenience Foods
13. Getting and Using a Freezer
14. Freezing Fruits
15. Freezing Vegetables
16. Freezing Meats and Seafood
17. Freezing Convenience Foods
18. Jellies, Jams, and Other Sweet Things
19. Pickles, Relishes, and Other Spicy Things
20. Curing with Salt and Smoke
21. Drying
22. Root-Cellaring
23. Putting By Presents for Christmas

This book has been able to answer any question that I have had about canning and freezing food. If you are looking for specific meat preparations I would suggest that you purchase "Charcuterie" by Michael Ruhlman instead as it is much more thorough.

This book contains many recipes for jams and jellies, and includes a section on reduced sugar and no sugar fruit preserves. They have also included recipes and directions for fruit spreads with and without added pectin that is very helpful.

In the section on smoking they address both hot and cold smoking and give you directions for making your own smoker that reminded me a lot of the Alton Brown episode on smoking. I have not tried this, but it seems very straightforward and this might be on my agenda this summer if I can get my husband interested in the process.

Whether you are looking for how to make pickles, can tomatoes, or make jams and jellies this book has a little something for everyone. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to give home canning or freezing a try.

I found the book Putting Food Bye to be an excellent supplementary resource for the amiture food canner or dehydrator. I found it to be especially useful if you want to learn about canning food in metal cans. Few other resources cover this topic as well. The book is well written and easy to read.