Memorials Books


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Memorials Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Memorials
QED: The strange theory of light and matter (Alix G. Mautner memorial lectures)
Published in Unknown Binding by Princeton University Press (1988)
Author: Richard Phillips Feynman
List price:
Used price: $116.13
Collectible price: $116.13

Average review score:

Another excellent book by Feynman
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-16
To me Feynman is right up there with Albert Einstein. I love is fearlessness and is desire to see the truth. The Buddha and Feynman are probably enjoying a good laugh. I recommend his other book " What do you care what other people think".

The truth about charged quanta!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-09
This is the shortest book about quantum electrodynamics I've ever read, but it is still full of profound revelations (for instance, electrical charge is really nothing more than the square root of the probability that an electron will couple to a photon, etc)...

Mind-blowing
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-10
Feynman makes it easy for the curious amateur to understand. This book is accessible and mind-blowing. Everyone should read it. And there is little if any math so don't be intimidated.

It takes a genius to make it simple
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-26
Feynman picks the thing that is simplest in the quantum world, a single particle, and explains it using no math. Instead of equations, the quantum theory in this book consists entirely of pictures. But this is not a popularization in the usual sense. This is not gossip about science. This actually is quantum theory in a very simple case. For anyone who wants to know how the universe is put together, this is an astonishing mind opener.

Just the facts, Ma'am
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-06
In the Introduction to the 'Strange Theory of Light and Matter' Feynman tells us that what he likes to talk about is the "part of physics that is known, rather than a part that is unknown." And he goes on to give us a thumbnail sketch, a "physicist's history of physics," which shows how physicist's, in their quest to describe the world, continually reduce a group of seemingly unrelated phenomenon to a single phenomenon. So heat and sound were found, thanks to Newton, to be reducible to laws of motion, while electricity, magnetism and light were reducible to Maxwell's electromagnetic wave. In this way physicist's explain the world.

Here one is almost tempted to say that they proceed much as religion and ideology do. Religion has from the beginning of recorded history been taking phenomenon and feelings, like storms and suffering or aging and despair, and molding them into an internally coherent explanation of all that is and was and will be. They do this by separating the relevant from the incidental, then uncovering the essential by excluding the accidental. They simplify. In similar ways ideologues like the communists take what at one time were discreet incidents and disparate facts (for instance, the poverty of the third world and imperialism) and weave them into a grand general explanation. Is science merely the latest avatar of religion? - Or perhaps it is an ideology without tears?

Not so fast! Feynman goes on to show us that attempts to explain the atomic world foundered on the laws of motion. He shows us that the rescue of those shipwrecked on the shoals of classical theory involved the invention of a new, counter-intuitive theory, Quantum Mechanics. He then goes on, while discussing a small portion of that theory, to give us the (deliberately) hilarious and 'absurd' example of how physicists predict how many photons, out of a given number, will be reflected back from a surface. 'Draw little arrows on a piece of paper' and watch the clock, he tells us. And with no explanation as to why this procedure works! Of course, for physics, what matters is that it does work. Physicists have been forced "away from making absolute predictions to merely calculating the probability of an event." But where is the essential, the eternal, the necessary?

Perhaps this is what Feynman is driving at. Science describes, it doesn't explain why. We should all wonder at that. The great 'philosophical' questions that drive theology and political ideology are beyond the purview of physics. Science doesn't create worlds; nor does it 'interpret' or change them, it simply describes what it finds. (It is technology that changes the world.) Freud saw fit to end one of his books by saying that 'our science is no illusion, but it would be an illusion to believe you can find elsewhere what it does not offer.' But how much truer this is of physics! One is then perhaps not surprised to come away from this little book wondering exactly what the status of philosophy, psychoanalysis, politics and religion would be in a genuinely scientific world.

But of course there will never be, given human irrationality, an entirely scientific human culture. This book is a superb introduction to quantum electrodynamics. It's 'experimentalism' and agnosticism towards grand philosophical explanations I found very congenial and convincing. Feynman is an engaging personality and this is an entertaining book. While one doesn't need a degree in physics and math to understand him a lay competence and interest in math and physics is certainly necessary. For those of us still living in a Newtonian world, a dwindling number to be sure, this book will have several surprising moments. But that really is part of the show!

Memorials
Seven Daughters and Seven Sons
Published in School & Library Binding by Atheneum (1982-09)
Authors: Barbara Cohen and Bahija Lovejoy
List price: $12.95
Used price: $1.02
Collectible price: $65.00

Average review score:

great!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-30
this story was somewhat reminiscent of the alanna series, what with the cross dressing to fulfill a dream. i'm not all that well versed in arabian culture, but from what i know of it this story seemed to be a valid representation. Buran is one of seven daughters, and of course in a patriarchal society this is not the best of luck as your daughters can't work or (in this case) even go out into public. She was her father's favourite and as there were no sons, her father taught her to read and write and play chess, basically educated her, and spent time with her in place of the son he never had. when buran's father gets sick he realizes that his family will be in trouble if anything happens to him, and as a result he allows buran to go out into the world, as a man, to try to better their family's fortune. she's a clever and courageous heroine. she comes up against several obstacles and approaches them with her strength of will and sharp wit.
the story was set up well and the characters were discussed in sufficient detail, or enough so that a reader of the target age wouldn't be left wondering anything. it was well written.

One of the best books I've ever read.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-16
This book is flat out exhilarating. The suspense is so high that it keeps your eyes glued to the book from the first page all the way to the last. The plot is rock solid and I would recommend this book to anyone.

Wonderful! Perfect mix of Count of Monte Cristo/Mulan/Pride and Prejudice
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-08
This book (based on an ancient tale) is amazing. While it is on a reading level for younger children, as a 21 year old I feel that a lot of the themes are better understood by those who are a little older. Still, unlike others who have posted before me I don't believe that anything in the books is inappropriate for younger readers. You've got to accept the material in context. This book was wonderful because it has a wonderful revenge plot, a love story, and overall theme of female empowerment. It also gives a look into a completely different culture. If you enjoy The Count of Monte Cristo (this book shows someone getting even in much fewer than 1400 pages), Pride and Prejudice, or the legend of Mulan I PROMISE you will enjoy this book. I picked it up in new condition at a thrift store and couldn't put it down once I started reading. :) I was so glad to discover it, as I'm in a reading slump because I'm caught up with all my favorite authors and definitely searching for something new!

outstanding except for one page
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-11
My favorite quick read of the year! A very entertaining, romantic story.

Some of the observations about business are still true today. Venture capitalists are still looking for that unique product that will make a fortune.

There was one page I could have done without: at the point in the plot when the main character decides she's tired of pretending to be a man and is ready to be a woman, the authors got a little carried away, even risqué for children's literature, in describing the main character viewing her feminine body. I understand what they were trying to achieve, but we "got it" with a lot less ink.

I loved the "lesson" at the end of the book: you can't always just sit and wait for blessings to "fall into your lap". Sometimes you have to be willing to seek, to risk, and to work for them. Catherine Marshall encouraged the same kind of action in her book Adventures in Prayer, in the chapter entitled, "The Prayer That Helps Your Dreams Come True."

Mostly Empowering
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-20
Buran is the fourth of seven daughters, living with her parents in Baghdad. She has no brothers, which is unfortunate for her parents. In the days of this story and in the place she lives, girls are not permitted to work for a living and only end up costing their parents more money, as they need to be fed and housed and clothed. Girls also need wedding dowries if they are to be married to the right sorts of men. Buran has always been her father's favorite and although she is a girl, he taught her to read and write and to play chess, and he talks to her seriously about his business affairs.

Buran's uncle is a very rich man, who has seven sons. He enjoys bragging about them to his poor brother, and describes how they will go abroad to different cities, where they will become businessmen who will bring great weath and honor to him. Buran is upset because her father is upset, but she seems to have few options to help him. When her father is suddenly struck ill, though, Buran chooses a desperate solution. She convinces her parents to allow her to disguise herself as a man and go to a distant city to set up a business.

Soon Buran's business is thriving and she is very wealthy, sending home money to her family. She has even become friends with the prince of the city in which she works, and in the evenings she often walks and talks with him, covering much distance and all possible subjects of conversation. But the prince grows suspicious and then discovers her secret. She must leave the city and go home where she will be safe. She can't stop dreaming of her prince, though.

I liked that this story was about a girl who refuses to let anyone tell her she can't achieve what she wants. I liked her relationship with her father, and I especially liked the way she was able to take revenge on her cousins and her uncle. Although this story was very empowering in one way, though, it still ended with the ultimate goal being winning over the prince.

Memorials
A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS
Published in Paperback by AuthorHouse (2004-07-30)
Author: Nancy A. Draper
List price: $15.50
New price: $9.19
Used price: $8.72

Average review score:

Breaking the Silence
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-07
On the surface, Nancy Draper's story of her mother's battle with AIDS is a story about facing death from a dreadful disease. But looking deeper A Burden of Silence is really a story about choosing to live with compassion and empathy for others.

In a world where many live daily with fear as a companion - fear of pain, fear of what others will think, fear that they will be the recipient of prejudice - this story shows us that we can choose to live with hope, that even though we are just one person we can make a difference. Nancy has given voice to her mother who thought her only choice was silence.

The book is a loving memorial and a celebration of a life.

A Well-kept Secret
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-25
Nancy Draper, author of A Burden of Silence, held an audience enthralled at a recent Maine library program as she spoke about her mother's battle with AIDS. Everyone there purchased a copy of her book.

Her first person narrative conveys an intimacy between the reader and the author. It is heart wrenching when Nancy relates how her mother was infected with HIV through a blood transfusion during heart surgery. People usually think that if they have protected sex, this could not happen to them, but Nancy points out that it can happen to anyone. Her mother was an innocent victim who felt a deep shame for having a "dirty" disease. This book explains how a seemingly ordinary family handled this tragedy.

Imagine how hard it must to keep such a secret, when one has every right expect support from outsiders. Think how degrading it is to an elderly woman when her own doctor would not touch her, but made his nurse take blood. This sense of despair is what the author communicates to anyone wise enough to pick up a copy of her book and read it.

The author valiantly attempts to control her emotions, to give an unbiased account of how her family coped. Nancy's mother spent the first five years after her surgery not knowing why she always felt sick. When she was finally given the blood test that determined that the blood bank gave her HIV infected blood, she was devastated. She lived a short three years after the diagnosis.

The decision was made to keep it quiet. Nancy's mother felt that most people would not understand, and perhaps she was correct. Society tends to judge people without all the facts.

Near the end of her mother's life, Nancy and her father applied for hospice care, which turned out to be a blessing. Wintering in Florida, they would have been alone without hospice. Hospice made the last days easier to bear for this brave woman who had so much thrown her way.

Not only has Nancy Draper written remarkable narrative of coping, but she comes from a cohesive family unit. Her husband, present at the program I attended, exuded incredible support, which must make living with this tragedy a bit easier, as her own health suffered during this ordeal. Today her travels take her throughout the country in her work to reinforce AIDS awareness.

This book educates people to a greater AIDS awareness than any professional lecture could accomplish. As Nancy states, AIDS is not a dirty word, and through her participation in the AIDS memorial quilt, perhaps more people will come to realize the wisdom of her words. This book is a must for everyone.

A Loving Tribute
Helpful Votes: 16 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-30
"A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS," is a gripping and tender account of a daughter's love for her dying mother due to a tainted blood transfusion. In this heartwarming book dealing with a nightmarish subject, Nancy succeeds in revealing her story with courage, compassion, humor, and unwavering love. Through this story, Nancy hopes to erase some of the stigma surrounding AIDS. Nancy explains the importance of keeping her mother's memory alive through the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. I highly recommend this book.
Richard H Frishman "Rick Frishman"
www.plannedtvarts.com
www.author101.com

A daughter's ordeal
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-14
Nancy Draper writes a deeply moving account of her family's pain, shame and suffering during a time when AIDS was a new mysterious disease that had the medical profession baffled and caused grave public misconceptions. A must read book.

Burden of Silence
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-12
After reading the many positive reviews on Nancy Draper's book "A Burden of Silence" I am at a loss to add anything more worthy. So I would like to go at it from a personal point of view. I have just recently met the author, but I was acquainted with her parents for quite awhile. It pleased me greatly when Nancy told me her mother liked me very much, and that she liked my writing.
The secret was kept from me as well as most everyone except the family. I only knew that this lovely, frail lady was not very well. After her death, my husband and I joined Nancy's dapper, and personable father for breakfast on several occasions following church. We still did not know what had caused her death. Now, this gentleman is gone too. I am blessed that because I knew them, I now am getting to know Nancy Draper.
This little woman is incredibly strong and resilient. She has bravely taken on many health problems of her own as well as those of her family. I can understand how doubly-difficult it had to be when she carried the burden of silence, when one of things she needed most, was to confide in others and unburden her own heart. But this was her parents' wish, at a time when AIDS was just entering our vocabulary and was so very mis-understood. This is an important, warmly written book. Susan "Sam" LeGree. Author of "Champagne in a Plastic Glass" and "Old Girl Talk"

Memorials
Nancy and Plum
Published in Unknown Binding by Betty MacDonald Memorial Co (1982)
Author: Betty Bard MacDonald
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Average review score:

My beloved second grade teacher in Juneau, Alaska, Mrs. Gwyther, read this book to our class
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-09
also; I was enchanted, and when it was done, asked her if I could borrow it. It was her personal copy, and very old (to me), and I loved the smooth, thin pages and the illustrations.... She let me take it home to read, and I felt so special. I still feel special when I remember how much she trusted a second grader to keep her own book safe. I loved it and wanted to find it for my second grade daughter. Too bad there are no copies available here that are under $100 :-)

Fond Memories!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-15
My 3rd grade teacher in New Jersey read this book to us too! I thought of it all of a sudden today after a long time and I'm so excited to find it is available.

Great Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-19
My 2nd grade teacher was the first person to share this story with me. I heard it again on an audio tape in 3rd grade. It's such a cute story, and I'm glad to see that it's in stock. (Must run to go ask dad if I can get it!)

A lasting memory from a favorite teacher!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-03
I first had this book read to me by Mrs. Frohning, my 3rd grade teacher. She helped bring this wonderfully descriptive book to life! I can close my eyes and be back in her class eagerly awaiting the next adventure of Nancy and Plum. My grandmother remembered that I loved this book and searched for this book and gave it to me in my twenties. Now in my thirties, I have two copies and am searching for a third to give to my sister, who also had Mrs. Frohning. My step-daughter and I read the book together and will return to this book time and time again. For all those who want a magical experience that will last a lifetime, buy this book!

Fond Memories
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-08
I never had anyone read this to me. I stumbled upon it during library time at good old Woodmore Elementary in Bowie MD. I bet it's still there. I loved this book from the moment I opened it. I loved the story, the hard cover, the size of the book, the way the old brittle pages felt as I turned the pages, and even the way the old pages smelled in 1974 (the book had been out for about 20 years by then I guess). I checked it out over and over again and now I hope to read it to my 7 year old. I know she'll love it too. I'm thrilled to see it available on Amazon because you can't get it in our local library and even the used book store in town has given me the shrug. Yay Amazon.

Memorials
The Living Bible
Published in Imitation Leather by Tyndale House Pub (1978-09)
Author:
List price: $19.99
New price: $18.00
Used price: $0.09
Collectible price: $19.99

Average review score:

Bible
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-25
They only have the Gideon Bibles in the state pen
I sent this one and he likes it

Gos's understanding Word
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-20
This Living Bible is such a blessed book of God. It is so understandable that most grade school children would understand reading it. I am so glad that I purchased this Bible. What I like to do is first read the King James version and then read this Living Bible. You'd be amazed how it breaks words down to where it in all understandable. I give a 10 thumbs up for this Living Bible. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Living Bible
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-21
I really enjoy reading my Living Bible. It is written in today's language. It is very easy to understand.

highly readable
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-17
While I certainly wouldn't use this translation as my primary Bible, it is a nice introduction to the Bible. It is a highly readable translation, in part because it is a paraphrase, which some say makes it less reliable. I think though that it is only a problem if you are a biblical scholar. Otherwise, I don't see why this translation wouldn't work for you.

Living bible is awesome!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-13
I love this translation. It is paraphrased, so being aware of that is essential. So is having the living word in your heart, that is where this translation is very sucessful.

Memorials
Dark Of The Moon
Published in Paperback by Berkley (1987-02-01)
Author: P. C. Hodgell
List price: $3.50
New price: $15.99
Used price: $2.79

Average review score:

THIS BOOK IS GREAT
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-12
I've been a fan of PC Hodgell's books since I first came across a paperback copy of Godstalk in my teens. I spent YEARS looking for a copy of the sequel, only to find one in my own public library. D'OH!
While not quite as gripping as God Stalk or Seekers Mask, this book illuminates much of the history of both Jame and the Kencyrath...a MUST read!

The worst of her three novel, is still well worth reading
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-27
Although this book lacks the crispness, depth and beauty of God Stalk, it is still one of the better fantasy books I have read. Although the plot is disappointingly linear and stereotypical the characters, dialogue and descriptions make this a wonderful read.

I just wish she was more prolific
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-09-06
Five or six years ago I was going through a stack of about fifteen or twenty books. They were SF Book Club monthly shipments that I had never gotten around to reading. There was one by C.J. Cherryh(sp?) but most of them weren't memorable. With one BIG exception.

Dark of the Moon from the very first chapter captured my imagination. This book was able to pull some deep chords in my psyche. Some of the written passages gave me the most indescribable feelings of having been through this before, in a nightmare. The plotline itself isn't as strong as some other books but it is good and the action is very good. The main attraction of this book to me though is the world it's set in. I could imagine countless stories set on this ghostly and fantastic plane. I liked the portrayal of evil in this book as what was once good but is now lost. Evil is sort of a distorted reflection of good so the beauty you see in one is also there in the other.

Even if the book doesn't resonate with you on a deeper level it's still just a very good read. In my opinion the best thing that happened in fantasy in the eighties(weis and hickman are good but I like resolution).

Unfortunately Mrs. P.C.Hodgell's name is so hard to remember, it sounds like an English historian, barrister, something other than a writer of fantasy. The books might come out again in paperback around this time next year. I hope so and I hope you can get a chance to read this book and find out for yourself how good it is.

Hodgell's Fantasy Trilogy is a "not-to-miss" wonder!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-06-02
Dark of the Moon is the fantastic second book of an outstanding trilogy from an author who certainly deserves to be better known and more widely published. The world created is vibrant and powerful, with characters that seem as real as family members. To top it all off, there is a wonderful sense of humour which adds to an already amazing read. This trilogy may be hard to find, but is certainly worth the effort! (There's also a set of short stories out there about Jame.)

If you're a real fan, look for the Kencyr website, which has interesting facts and some book-finding advice! (Reviews aren't allowed to list URL's, so you'll need to do a web search to find it.)

If you enjoy well-written fantasy, DON'T MISS THESE BOOKS!

A truly great writer who deserves more recognition!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-30
Dark of the Moon by P C Hodgell is one those books that you put down after you've read it. And consider this burning question why the HELL! isn't she more widely known and acknowledged as one of the leading writers in fantasy? Her world building, construction of characters and plot and most importantly her beautiful fluid prose are matched only by the sparse brilliance of LeGuin's original Earthsea trilogy and Michael Moorcock's original Elric series. In recent times Only Paul Edwin Zimmer's world of the Dark Border rivals her creation for completeness of vision. Though it must be said despite some of the savagery of the action that takes place, it lacks his sense of relentless pressure that his heroes constantly face at least Hodgell has a sense of humour. To cut to chase it is a sequel to Godstalk, where we first met Jamie. In this book we meet her twin Tori mysteriously 10 years older than she. He now leads her people while she tries to link up with him bearing the symbols of heirloom that she has acquired. I found both characters engaging Jamie with her almost naive veiw of the world and strict code of honour and Tori an older version of her, age has given him a cynical sense of deprecating humour. Hodgell skilfully weaves their two stories into a flowing tapestry filled with battle, angst and a resolution of sorts. Its not often that you find a story where the heroes are every bit as interesting as the villians. Hodgell is to be complimented on her handling of magic it exists, it is powerful but it is not convenient. There are strict rules that govern it with echoes of LeGuin in the way it's used. I hope that more people read her books just for her writing...it's that good well enough of my rant guys- read it and enjoy!

Memorials
Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb? A Tour of Presidential Gravesites
Published in Paperback by C-Span (2000-02-01)
Authors: Brian Lamb, The C-SPAN Staff, and the C-SPAN Staff
List price: $14.95
New price: $2.22
Used price: $0.23
Collectible price: $14.95

Average review score:

Surprisingly Fun and Informative
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-12
Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb is an unusual combination of travel guide and presidential biography. The authors discuss the American Presidents by describing how they are memorialized. By exploring each Presidential gravesite, the Authors also describe the lives of the Presidents. The book is far from morbid and quite enlightening and entertaining.

Brings presidential history alive
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-20
Although this book is about the deaths & funerals of this nations chief executives, it brings history alive for folks like myself who enjoy all things presidential. Focusing on the events that led to the end for each of our late presidents, this book is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I have visited many of the gravesites mentioned here & intend to endeavor to visit the the ones I haven't yet. This book is an indespensible guidebook for my future travels. Lots of great photos, too.

When it's over and done with....
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-25

This book does not immediately give one the impression that it would be as good as it is. My first impression from the cover was that it would be just a compilation of unknown facts and surprises about famous people ,things and places.Then, after noting the sub-title "A Tour of Presidential Gravesites";I thumbed through it and immediately saw it was a very good summary of all the Presidents,their time in office,their wives,what they did after leaving office,the cause of their death,funeral arrangements,interm and final resting places and detailed information for anyone who would like to visit any or all of them. From this book you will learn what to expect at the sites as well as what else exists as 'museums'
there,hours open and any admission costs.It also details other final resting places of other known personalities nearby.
Lamb does an excellent job of showing that in the American system of Government, the President is one of the people and remains so; even after his term of serving in the world's greatest office; he returns to being just another American Citizen;a point often made by President Harry S Truman.
One of the things I liked about this book was that the author didn't just put together a bunch of readily information to fill a few pages on each President.He provided all the same information for each President, and in doing that;he makes it very evident that these were highly different people and comparisons are clearly brought out.A guide of this type where things are given about one President ,but not another, would be a lazy approach and frustrating to the reader.
In a very thumbnail manner the author shows that all these Presidents put the privilige of holding the office above all the politics involved in their lives.
I have to admit,that the answer to the title,s question,left me wondering until I saw the answer in another Cusromer,s Review.
If I may,here is something to entice you;
What President was the sole mourner at the committal of a politician,who had gone to jail for tax evasion; and when asked by the pastor; "Mr. President,why are you here?, he asked. "It's cold and bitter. Did you know this gentleman?" The President replied; "Pastor,I never forget a friend."
Anyone interested in American History or Politics will find this a great source of information and a readily available reference source. While a super guide to the Presidents' graves ;it is also a good reference.

A Different Perspective
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-31
This unique book is full of surprises, plenty of clear pictures, and short evaluations of each president. From Washington to the present George Bush, the reader visits the final resting places of our American presidents and learns how and when they died and their final words, in many cases.

Altho this book was published before the death of Ronald Reagan, pictures of his library and of the other living presidents are discussed.

In back of the book are names and places of the presidential libraries, the presidential and vice presidential gravesites listed by state, the burial places of president's wives and a host of other relevant material. Websites are even included.

Reading this book is an armchair traveller's delight. The traveller will appreciate the excellent directions. The research is phenomenal. Students of American history may want to add this to their book list.

If you are a fan of the American presidency and appreciate the valuable information that Brian Lamb and C-Span staff give us every day on the cable channels, you will absolutely enjoy this lively and well written book. Chapters are short, to the point, and contribute a wealth of information .

This Is A Fun Read, & Much More Reasonable than Sarah Vowell
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-07
Brian Lamb and his C-SPAN team have written a number of wonderful and extremely-informative essay-filled booknotes on American History and Characters. "Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb" is no exception.

With contributions from Douglas Brinkley, Richard Norton Smith, and other noted Historians, this compact, easy-to-read volume is filled with vignettes and facts about all of the deceased Presidents, their last days, presumably their last words, and where they are buried. Admission prices to their libraries and museums (and this includes living Presidents and Jefferson Davis too) is also included.

Brinkley's insightful essay at the end of the book, in which he writes with great eloquence of the attachment of Springfield Illinois to Abraham Lincoln, and of his visits to other Presidential gravesites and museums is almost worth half of the price of this bargain edition.

Note: This book was published prior to the passing of President Reagan, yet it does note where he wished to be buried, and has information about the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.

The book shows the human and humorous side of the Presidents, including Calvin Coolidge's funny comment to a woman who said she'd bet him if he would say two words ("You Lose", was Silent Cal's response), or how William Howard Taft, a Unitarian, deftly fought back against religious prejudice.

A solid and fun read, especially around the July 4th holiday, and at 4.99 is a much better buy, and totally devoid of political commentary ala Sarah Vowell's weak-at-the-knees "Assassination Vacation".

Memorials
Medical Detectives
Published in Hardcover by Times Books (1980-09)
Author: Berton Roueche
List price: $15.60
Used price: $0.95

Average review score:

Recommended by Experts to Medical Students
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-15
This book was recommended as a gift to a pre-med student. She was excited to receive this as it dove-tailed with a course she is currently taking.

Awesome!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-13
This book is amazing! I love it and recommend it to my friends. The author formerly wrote for a New York magazine, and his stories cover decades. It is interesting to see how some diseases such as Lyme's first became known and how the tools available to the medical profession have both changed and some have remained the same. Read it, you will love it!

Wonderful Book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-30
I was given this book by one of the epidemiologists that was featured in the book. He had great respect for Roueche and loves his articles. I think these stories a very well written and really hold your attention. They also give you a good history of diseases and conditions. Great book!

"House" without the snark
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-19
This "classic collection of award-winning medical investigative reporting", published in 1988, is an excellent book. Each of the 25 case studies originally appeared as an "Annals of medicine" piece in the New Yorker, and there's not a dud in the bunch.

Most of the cases happened in the 1950's or 1960's, when sophisticated, CSI-era analytical techniques were unavailable. Nonetheless, there is no sense that these stories are dated. Roueche is a natural storyteller and has the rare ability to present technical aspects in a way that is intelligible to the non-expert reader, at just the right level of detail.

It's like 25 "House" episodes, but without the gratuitous obnoxiousness, condescension to the reader, or the ridiculous constraint that only a limping, misanthropic painkiller addict can be right.

Deadly fogs, horrible diseases, and brilliant medical detectives
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-03
Berton Roueché wrote for the "New Yorker" magazine for almost half a century, and was winner of the 1950 Albert Lasker Medical Journalism Award. His many volumes on physicians and medical detectives, including this book, were collected from his articles in the "New Yorker."

"The Medical Detectives" volume II is great bedtime reading, because the good guys, i.e. physicians and epidemiologists always get their villain (whether it's a germ, poison gas, or a disgruntled boyfriend). Volume II's twenty-three case histories date from 1947 to 1984, before the days when Big Insurance dictated how long patients would stay in hospitals and what kind of treatment they would receive. Some of the doctors in this book actually made house calls! A couple of the cases really stayed with me, because the patients were kept in the hospital for weeks at a time just to track down a diagnosis. In one case, a man had the hiccups. In the other, a woman had a headache. Can you guess what would happen to these patients if they went to an emergency room, today?

Anyone who is interested in medical detection will be both engrossed and instructed by Roueché's careful, detailed true-life mysteries. The cases contained in this volume range from the man who hiccupped for 27 years through the deliberate poisoning of a family. One of my favorites from 1948 is called, "The Fog". This does not refer to John Carpenter's famous 1980 horror movie, but a true story that is in some ways even more frightening than anything Hollywood could produce. It takes place in Donora, Pennsylvania, a gritty mill town along the Monongahela River, which is infamous for its fogs: "They are greasy, gagging fogs, often intact even at high noon, and they sometimes last for two or three days."

The Donora `Death Fog' killed 20 people and left hundreds injured and gasping for breath. Roueché tells this story of America's worst air pollution disaster through the observations of eye-witnesses, one of them a physician. London usually comes to mind when Death comes stalking through a thick fog, but this story is every bit as atmospheric as one by A. Conan Doyle, and "The Fog's" detectives are real people.

This collection of true medical stories starts off a bit slowly, but you will end up wishing for Volume III.

Memorials
The Wall
Published in Hardcover by Demco Media (1992-09)
Author: Eve Bunting
List price:

Average review score:

Excellent book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-31
I read this book to my students. But before I had read it myself, I shared it with my students. It was very emotional for me. (I have a cousin listed on the wall. His son was born about 4 months after he died. I could see my uncle walking his grandson there.) The book was a beautiful, moving tribute to all those who have given their lives in Vietnam.

Beautiful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-28
Being a "baby boomer" from the Vietnam era, I think this book will help explain to my grandchildren about Grandpa and his war time. It is beautifully illustrated and tender. I wish I'd had this book when I went to see the Wall with an 8th-grade girl who made an etching of her Grandpa's name. It may not mean as much to anyone who hasn't been touched directly by the Vietnam war, but it touched my heart.

The Wall Review
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-23
The Wall by Eve Bunting is an incredible story of remembering. It all starts when a little boy and his father visit the Vietnam War Memorial. The father, who wishes to find the name and remember the good times with him, takes a piece of paper and and pencil and traces the name off of the wall. The little boy, who just wishes his grandfather was there with him, sadly watches another little boy and his grandpa on a walk. This book about rememberance will make you sad until the very end. Eve Bunting does a great job setting the mood at the Vietnam War Memorial. I give this book a thumbs up and believe it's the best children's book ever. Read The Wall by Eve Bunting to find out what happens in the end.

The Wall by: Eve Bunting
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-22
Loosing a relative can be tough, especially if your close to them, or too young to ever experience or meet them. All you can do is wonder. The book The Wall by: Eve Bunting, is aobut a dad and his son that go and visit the Vietnam War Memorial in memory of the dad's father, or the son's grandfather that died in the Vietnam War. Eve Bunting describes what happens there from a child's point of view. It is very realistic, and makes you feel like you are really there.
This book not only teaches little kid's lessons, but is good for even adults. IT really took me back and made me think. It made me think of how valuable our lives really are, and when we die, who is really affected by it. Also, it taught me that loosing someone you love doesn't always have to be sad, especially if they have died fighting for what they believe in. So, if somebody you know died, think of the positive side. Reading this book may take you back, and let you think of why they were so special.

The Wall by Tanashia C.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-21
The Wall
by Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Ronald Himler

You should read this book because it's great and it's about someone you will remember and someone you love! The main Characters are the Dad, son, and an old man from war, and grandpa. Dad and his son are trying to find grandpa's name on the wall. The wall is in Washington D.C. They can't find their grandpa's name even though they keep looking up and down.
Dad and his son find grandpa's name! what do you think his name is? The book tells you a note and tells you where the wall is and it is in Washington D.C. it also tells you why the wall was made.
By reading this book you can learn to Keep doing your best, keep looking for what you want, and don't give up. Keep looking for what you love too! What do you love to find that you love so much? What I love to find is my family and my things I love. So if you love to find your family then read this book!!!!!!!!!!


By Tanashia C

Memorials
The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventive Care for Dogs
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill (2002-12-05)
Author: Darlene Arden
List price: $21.95
New price: $13.76
Used price: $1.77

Average review score:

An easy to "use and understand" book.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-09
Finding a book on veterinary medicine that is easy to read and refer to but still has exceptional information, is difficult. Darlene has captured both in her book. Whether a person uses western medicine or has a more alternative approach, Darlene's book can be utilized by either approach. One must first understand diseases and health issues before being able to choose a method of treatment. With Darlen's book, this is not a difficult task. She also captures dog behavior in a very realistic and positive light. A MUST HAVE for any dog owner.

I wish I'd bought this book when I first got my dog!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-16
This book is just great. It's full of information on how to keep your dog happy and healthy, and has lots of very useful explanations of technical terms (for example about dog illnesses). It is very readable - it's like having a good friend who knows all about dog health, explaining stuff to you.

The book is arranged very sensibly, and I know I will be able to easily find information when I need it. I will probably take this book away with me when we go on holidays with our dog - it's the sort of book that would be handy in an emergency.

I also liked the way that the author didn't push any particular views - I have lots of other dog books where I feel that the authors are telling you that you MUST treat your dog in a certain way. In this book, the author gently suggests to you that this is a good thing to do.

Clearly a lot of research has gone into finding the best information for this book, and I really wish that I had owned it when I first got my dog. I've had some bad vet experiences and when I got to the section about "how to choose a vet" I wished someone had suggested those to me a few years ago!

Overall, this is a calm and sensible book, one that I am sure I will be referring to many times in the future.

An essential!!!!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-19
Darlene's Arden's book is an essential for the bookshelf of any dog owner, new or experienced. She covers EVERY aspect of care at every stage of your dog's life in an easy-to-read style. It includes a WELLNESS program, a way to KEEP your dog healthy, as well as ways to recognize illnesses and emergency situations. The behavior and training sections are wonderful.

This book is a must-have, and don't just hide it on the shelf. Keep it handy because you'll find that after a first reading, you'll be referring to it on a regular basis!

Long overdue
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-30
This guide to preventive health care for dogs is long overdue. Thoroughly researched with veterinarians at the appropriately renowned Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston, I knew this book was a winner when I reached for it several times when worried friends called to ask for advice. It outlines Angell's preventive approach to health care. The three main sections cover puppyhood, the middle years, and the senior years. It starts with the basics for every dog - vaccinations, parasites, grooming, trimming nails, nutrition, diseases, surgery, and the need for obedience training. The puppy years section is so large that it covers half the book. The diseases are explained briefly in lay terms so that anyone can understand what happens in a given disease. Annual check up, first aid, and cancer form the middle years section, and the senior years section covers again gracefully, geriatric wellness, and loss. The whole book is easily understood.

Your Best Friend's Best Friend
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-19
= Your best friend's best friend
Reviewer: Alan Alford from Marlboro, MA USA
Every loving breeder, who has ever sold a dog, has worried over whether she's given the new buyer everything he needs. This marvelous reference work from Darlene Arden will put to rest the concern of such breeders. The Angell Memorial Animal Book of Wellness is a "must" gift to accompany every puppy to its new home, and deserves a prominent place in every dog owner's library. It certainly has one in mine, where it's kept close enough for instant help each time one of my beloved pets shows the slightest sign of distress. In just the few short weeks since acquiring it it has brought me comfort on two occasions, and caused me instantly to take off to our veterinarian in a third. In 14 well-researched, easily read, heart-warming chapters, from Puppyhood, through the Middle Years, to the Senior years all dog-lovers dread, the author "holds the hand" of the dog owner through every possible medical concern and, in finale, comforts him in the final chapter of every human - canine love bond, "Saying Goodbye." This is one of the rare book investments that will earn, continuously, a return of its cost. I'm glad I found it.

Alan Alford


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