Alex To Books

From the equipment used to take the shots in this book to the actual location of the models and light sources in each photo, this book is a perfect place to tap into. It will help you get some good fashion shots and/or spawn some really creative ideas on the readers end. A good buy for the fashion photographer or the aspiring one! Happy reading :)

From the equipment used to take the shots in this book to the actual location of the models and light sources in each photo, this book is a perfect place to tap into. It will help you get some good fashion shots and/or spawn some really creative ideas on the readers end. A good buy for the fashion photographer or the aspiring one! Happy reading :)

Look behind the scenes. From the film used to the thoughts of the photographer. Excellent resource for photographers no mather if you're a pro, you always learn new things.

Fashion Shots is a book that includes many different lighting situations in a clear layout. I like the book for this, because its imformative and fun to read at the same time. If your interested in fashion photography, this is definetely a book to consider.

From the equipment used to take the shots in this book to the actual location of the models and light sources in each photo, this book is a perfect place to tap into. It will help you get some good fashion shots and/or spawn some really creative ideas on the readers end. A good buy for the fashion photographer or the aspiring one! Happy reading :)

I have read many books on filmmaking and I have a film school degree (from CalArts, as it happens, where Mackendrick once taught). You can't learn filmmaking from a book or from school, only by making films. Nevertheless, "On Film-making" comes as close as any book I've ever found to explaining precisely and beautifully the work of a film director. Whether you want to make films or are simply a film fan, this book will be an immensely rewarding and illuminating experience.

Great book by a great filmmaker and a great teacher. Anyone serious about how to create meaning in the cinema by using the "grammar," the form, should read this book. Ditto for the creation of story along classical lines --

Too intelligent to be a director, to make compromises in the craft of film making with the studio system of his time, Alexander Mackendrick only left us a glimpse of his own potential in his body of work. He did however pass his vision and passion for creativity onto the next generation in his teaching. In this book his voice is loud and clear, without being dogmatic. It's like having a drink with a friend in a bar and having him sort out all your problems with scripts, actors and life. No director should be without a copy. From the beginner to the established star everybody can find something in this book and all conveyed in the manner both intense and unpatronising that was uniquely his.

When Sandy MacKenrick told my CalArts MFA Thesis committee that my thesis film script was, "long, much too long, and very much too long" and, "doomed to never be completed", I was shocked and terrified.

Sandy was one of the most brilliant and irritating people ever to tell a story or to browbeat an egotistical young film student. His films and lectures convey that contradiction -- his every work is a pearl.

If you were not lucky enough to get Sandy's notes while at CalArts, you must buy this book.

Odds are good, you won't have the genius of Sandy MacKendrick, but you will appreciate how much you could grow as you strive to attain what he found so simple.

I was proud to invite Sandy to the first screening of my thesis film, "Pirate's Dagger", and it still hurts that he was too ill to attend. I wouldn't have gotten it done without his special form of encouragement.

Unlike most how-to directing and writing books, Mackendrick was an accomplished director with decades of professional experience. He speaks from hard-won experience, not dubious armchair notions of what makes a successful film or director. He is wise enough to know there are no "secrets" or immutable laws of storytelling, only rules of thumb. Every time I go back to it, I learn something new, and with every film I make, I am struck by points in the book which ring ever more true. This book will not make you a great director by reading it, but Mackendrick has the good sense and candor to know that a book or a course never will, only lots and lots of hard work and dedication.

I really love this book. I've been trying to live a drug free life, but the stress and pressures I feel sometimes make me think that it would be easier if I just started drinking beer and smoking weed like everyone else does. But after reading this book and incorporating some of the exercises into my life, I've found it easier to stay away from drugs. This guy has a great sense of humor and really seems to understand kids. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a way to releive stress without using drugs. Thanks, Alex. You rock!

It's all here - what every teen and young adult needs to know about how to feel really well and really good about themselves. On the premise that human beings like to get high, and that getting high is good, Dr. Packer's newest book tells us how to do it - without relying on alcohol, drugs or other substances. Written and illustrated in an engagingly contemporary way, "Highs" provides the reader with fresh, usable insights on such matters as serenity, nutrition, exercise, and relationships. Organized in three sections and 11 well- outlined chapters, it is possible - perhaps even recommended - that the reader turn to an area of particular interest first. Literate, witty, insightful, and irreverent where it should be, "Highs" is highly recommended to young people and parents alike.

I highly recomend this book to readers of all ages. Not only is it one of the funniest books i have ever read, it also contains many good methods to sleep better, relax, and most importantly, have fun. The book is true to its title, there are many safe and healthy ways to get a rush of adrenaline, or, just the opposite. There are several full chapters and several partial chapers dedicated to learning how to reduce stress, which is definitly something that most of us need. Another feature of this book is that it tricks kids into learning new things and encouraging a good life style without the feeling of a textbook. I would highly recomend this book to anyone looking for a good, educational, fun, and most of all, entertaining read.

In Highs!, Alex Packer presents more than one hundred and fifty ways for teenagers and young adults to feel good, really good, without resorting to alcohol or other drugs. Packer's detailed suggestions are divided into "Serenity Highs" (meditation, T'ai Chi Chuan, Yoga); "Physical and Sensuous Highs" (sports, relaxation exercises, food, massage); "Social, Spiritual, and Creative Highs" (nature, fasting, roleplaying games, music, dance, art). An especially recommended compendium of ideas and suggestions for today's youth seeking to avoid the pitfalls of alcohol consumptions and substance abuse in their personal and peer group recreational activities, Highs! is enhanced for teen and young adult readers with a bibliography, as well as suggestions for additional readings and resources.

Alex Packer has written a funny, educational, and comprehensive book on alternatives to getting high with alcohol or other drugs. The book includes examples of alternative highs from teenagers along with humorous illustrations and up-to-date links to websites. I hadn't realized how many non-chemical alternatives there were to getting high. I can't wait to pass this book on to my teenage nephew. I only wish such a book had been available when I was his age!

The Prathers laid out the rational for a parenting style that I instinctively knew was right. They also made some complex emotional issues seem very simple. I no longer get angry with my children. Its a must for all parents.

Or, what if I had had parents like this?? After sitting on my shelf for almost 4 years, I listened to the cassette tape version of this book several weeks ago. Somehow that was OK because I'm not sure that I really could have unederstood and taken this book to heart until recently (I was well prepped by reading Alice Miller's 'For Your Own Good' just before). I liked the tape because I could hear the Prather's own voices. And what they say is wonderful and loving for children. Unfortunately, what they recommend is not the norm in our culture. They recommend love, compassion and total respect for our child's identity. Our culture, on the other hand, increasingly speaks to discipline, punishment and abandonment. The world is changed one person at a time, and if only a few people become loving parents because of this book, then the world will be blessed with more stable, loving and creative children. - - If you want the other side of this paradigm, how socially accepted child-rearing, what most of us have been taught is 'normal,' frequently involves abuse and cruelty, then pick up anything by Alice Miller. Miller's work over the past 20 years underscores the value of the Prather's approach.

The Prathers work is one of true insight and striking sincerity. I was touched deeply by it and continue to be as I refer back to it. One thing of minor note (and what prevents the fifth star) that is not mentioned in any review I read is that this book delivers a strongly Christian message. I am not a Christian, I do however keep an open mind and do not let my personal understanding of spirituality interfere with my acceptance of the wisdom this book delivers.

Spiritual Parenting is the most valuable parenting book I have read so far and I have read a lot. As a Social Worker and single mother to a toddler, I was in awe of the Prather's insight and their light. I cried, I laughed and I loved this book. Their philosophy so matches mine and it felt wonderful to read about other parents taking parenthood so seriously. Truly, our children are gifts from God.

This book has started me on a path of child rearing I had only hoped to achieve with the birth of my first daughter. Having begun motherhood in my forties, it is especially important to me to become the mother I believe in. The Prathers have pointed me toward my goal. On the worst of days in the most stressed situations, there is always the perfect paragraph to help me adjust moods; better interaction with my little one undoubtedly follows.

Thanks to the Prathers, I believe I have an opportunity to forge a deeper, more long lasting relationship with my child and to approach my spiritual self at a much higher level.

If you are a parent, you need this book. If you have the book, read it. Refer back to it regularly. You couldn't give a better gift to friends and family.

As the author states,"Stalin successfully imposed his vision upon one sixth of Earth's landmass." Whereas Hitler's charisma was instrumental in his rise to power, Stalin's success was due to his self control and his extraordinary ability in successfully interacting with others, even his enemies. De Jonge's detailed account of Stalin's life helps us understand the man who greatly influenced the course of Russia's recent history.

Stalin as chief thug, with lots of black humor.

"Ezhov was a rat, he killed many innocent people, and that's why we shot him."- Stalin speaking of his former head of the NKVD.

I just want to add a note to the review I wrote earlier. De Jonge's "Stalin" was written before glasnost opened some new materials from the Soviet Union for scholars to access. Thus, it is limited from that standpoint. However, this is in no way a serious hindrance to the book. Having also read Conquest's biography of Stalin, which WAS written after glasnost, there is very little that Conquest added to de Jonge and certainly no major re-interpretation. Both books are excellent, de Jonge's a little easier read.

Joseph Stalin is a fascinating subject. Alex de Jonge is an outstanding writer. They combine for a great book. There are other biographies of Stalin; Deutscher is a bit dry, Conquest is excellent, but perhaps a bit short. De Jonge covers his subject thoroughly, but not with so much detail as to overwhelm or lose the reader. De Jonge is an excellent writer, and he combines his talent with useful information and a plethora of fascinating, sometimes hilarious, anecdotes. He doesn't get bogged down in Marxist theory, but he does give a brief synopsis which will benefit the average reader; a scholar might wish for more. Perhaps the most outstanding and useful part of the book are those sections dealing with foreign affairs, especially in the aftermath of World War II. Brilliant analysis....

Although this book is fairly large at somewhere around a thousand pages, it's awesome. De Jonge is a superior biographer who manages to avoid getting bogged down in Stalinist politics and subcommitees. De Jonge narrates the rise of the dictator and his subsequent maneuverings very well, keeping you interested with little effort, despite the fact he's describing bleak people against a bleak background. Stalin is a fascinating, evil personage worthy of remembrance and De Jonge does his life justice. A masterpiece of modern biographical work.

Arrived on time in great condition (older edition, but couldn't find any wear!) Almost identical to 10th Edition so worked perfectly for my health class. Great low price. Thanks!

This book covers everything you need to know to pass the Dantes Health exam. It's well worth its cost, if you want/need a high passing score.

I just completed a health class and this was the textbook we used. I learned so much from using this book. This book is precise and to the point. It provides you with colorful pictures, charts, and definitions that's superb. It provides great information on Weight Management, Cancer, Heart Disease, Illicit Drugs, and Alchohol.

No health class should go with out this book. This is defintely a great teaching tool for those that are taking a health class, or simply a great reference guide. I give this book five stars.

The 1999 Edition of Access to Health by Donatelle and Davis is excellent! User friendly writing style, colors, charts, references, and a comprehensive collection of chapters that cover all the key personal health related topics. From human sexuality to societal violence, the text covers all the bases. The authors have worked hard to bring this Edition up to date with the most current health research references/topics. I strongly recommend considering adoption for any introductory personal health course.

Alex Kosseff has written a fine guide to all aspects of outdoor leadership, with outstanding sections on risk management and the consensus method of decision-making. An important purchase for trip leaders whether new or experienced and definitely worth the wait caused by the delay in publication.

Alex Kosseff's AMC Guide To Outdoor Leadership is a solidly presented and thoroughly "user friendly", 280-page instructional guide to being a competent leader for outdoor excursions, up to and including activities with the potential to be life-threatening. Emphasizing necessary qualities in leadership and character, and taking into awareness the importance of group cohesion, balanced decision-making, keeping a cool head in a crisis and more, the AMC Guide To Outdoor Leadership is an excellent interpersonal guide offering principles applicable to all walks of life, not just the walks through a wilderness.

Alex Kosseff's Outdoor Leadership is a thoughtful and thorough review of the leadership qualities required for safe, fullfilling outdoor adventure. The book presents a balanced emphasis on the leader's need for hard or technical skills and soft skills such as dealing with group dynamics and caring for the participants. I read this book from the view of a parent who led his family on many wonderful wilderness adventures for which we were not completely prepared and found innumerable ideas that would have made the trips even more rewarding. Kosseff's use of stories from his own experiences and those of others tranforms a potentially dry subject into thoroughly enjoyable reading. The stories clearly illustrate the major points of the book.
Outdoor Leadership has a wealth of knowledge that will benefit an audience from adventuresome parents to professional guides.

I've been working as an outdoor leader and whitewater guide for three years, first with kids on summer programs and currently with a variety of age groups year-round. This book helped me to evaluate the way I work with trip participants and co-workers. It opened my eyes to new ideas and has greatly expanded the bad of tricks I use in the field. I appreciated the safety-first focus and the author's friendly tone. Also, the stories, some of which are classics, made the book entertaining. It is unfortunate I didn't read this book a couple of years ago when I was launching into this line of work. If you don't have a lot of education in this field (I was a biology major) but you're involved in some outdoor leadership role this book can be a great help to you. Personally I'm loaning it to all the guides I work with.

I have a house under construction and I need information on windows types, heating and cooling appliance options as well as insulations. This book is over 5 stars. I borrowed a copy from a library and am planning to buy one for reference collections.

If you want to replace your appliances in your home this is your book to find the most energy efficient products on the market. It rates the products as well as explaining how they work. Tons of information for the everyday consumer. We have used it to help us decide upon which kind of washer & dryer to buy as well as the installation of a heat pump, which replaced the 30 year old forced air furnace. It covers all the types of heating systems as well as cooling systems.
For the washer it compares vertical axis with horizonal axis right down to cost per load, electric and gas, wash and rinse cycle options and even laundry tips.
There is a whole chapter on lighting, both incandescent and compact florescent bulbs.
Hot water heaters are covered: gas or electric, storage types, demand, water pump, tankless, indirect and even solar. It discusses replacing & sizing water heaters for your home and how you use hot water, insulation and how to lower the water temperture. We went as far as to put a timer on our hot water heater so that it only heats water when we need it most, early morning for showers and evening for cooking and dishes.
It even covers windows, home insulation, energy audits and how to read the Energy Guide labels on all products.
We have found this book both informative and a keeper. We have had friends borrow it and some have even gone and purchased their own. This is our 2nd one, we almost wore out the first one which was the 7th edition. The new 8th edition brings us up to date. We gave the old one to friends who were happy to have it.

This book covers both the house itself (insulation, windows, etc.) as well as appliances, furnaces, and lightbulbs. Written in 1999, it lists major appliances, windows, furnaces, boilers, and air conditioners by brand name and model number in table format showing the energy ratings of each one. This saves you the time of running around town or making dozens of phone calls to collect this info.

It also explains all the information contained on energy labels when you go shopping. In particular, I found the section on windows most beneficial. It details what tests are done to obtain the ratings, which tests are most relevant and which ratings you should pay particular attention to, as there are several ratings on each window.

It also was bold enough to say which things you should be spending your money on and which things are nice to have but not absolutely necessary.

I bought this book from amazon for research into healthy houses and I skimmed it for my deadline. I'm reading it closely now. Well written, easy to read, detailed, comprehensive. Even if you haven't a speck of money for new appliances, much less a new heating system, you can save money on energy. It's small--you can fit in your bag to take to the appliance store, but it's packed with stuff. Well worth the price.

This is one of the best books for the introduction in Computer (Literacy, MIS, CS, IT, etc) and my choice textbook.

Great if you know nothing about computers. Easy to read and understand.
Great as a refresher if you DO know something about computers, you may even learn something new

Not a lot of depth in any one subject but a great overview. I'm using it to teach an Introduction to IT class to undergrad students.

I have used and continue to use this textbook as the core text for a computer/info tech and society course I teach to community college students. The text is up-to-date (revised yearly), informative, well illustrated, and extremely well supported by the publisher through supplementary teaching, learning and testing materials and website support. My students are initially horified at the price but, as the semester continues, realize that it is actually a bargain and, by the end of the course, many have told me that they have found it to be a valuable addition to their personal library. I don't teach the textbook, I assign the chapters for weekly reading, test the students on the reading assignment at the beginning of class, then discuss the content and supplement it with other material which focuses on the history, development, use and consequences of information technologies. By assigning the chapters for reading and testing each week, I try to ensure that everyone is commonly prepared with the foundation knowledge required for further learning and discussion in class.

To be honest I was expecting the same old psychobabble but I had to buy this book because I'm good friends with the author. However I found that he actually does make some really sound, useful points, illustrating them with clear, lively examples. Its laid out very clearly and methodically and is easy to follow. I encourage readers to actually take the opportunity to get involved and dig deep as he instructs to identify and analyze the factors in our past that block successful relationships. A refreshing read with a lot of truths!

Wow! This was a great read. I highly recommend this book to singles and couples alike. Understanding the dynamics needed to maintain a healthy relationship takes attentiveness and introspection. This book examines how you can achieve a wonderful relationship by providing in depth understanding of what it takes to make it work.

This is a must read for everyone in a relationship or anyone considering being in a relationship. This book, unlike others, delves into the reasons relationships fail: unrealistic expectations, fairy-tale ideology, poor parental role modeling and so on. If you feel that you know more than this author, you are destined to be single. Read this book and break the cycle of unhealthy/toxic relationships.

I expected something totally different. It was life changing and as it says on he back "a must read". Its a book I'd give to my daughters as well as my friends. Every woman should have this information. Married, single, happy, sad whatever. Buy it, borrow it, or read it in the library. It's a really good book.