Bibliography Books

Theory, so called, is vast and complex and historical and contradictory. This volume is brief and clear and present oriented and structural. That the field and its survey are incommensurate is necessary, but the user should be aware of these limitations. The entries are clear and non-dogmatic but they must betray the liabilities of summary: concise average readings that hide problems, relations, and other voices. At root, modern theory is not intelligible without philosophical contexts that go to the pre-socratics, but that cannot appear here. Some choices of inclusion and exclusion seem odd: a separate entry for Orwell and none for Deleuze, for instance. But on the whole, this book is useful and well done.

I bought it which is my highest rec.

I'm going back into a Masters Program and plan to teach English for a living. Already this book has proved to be a valuable resource when surveying various schools of criticism. The cross-referenced index is a bit confusing, but this is a nice book that you may want to sit down with and read for awhile anyway. I've found some wonderful items in here, and it's fun to flip through, looking for previously unknown literary schools that may catch my interest. It's a great reference book, but also a compelling source of information and direction. I laid out the bucks for this book because I know it will be a handy reference for the next thirty years. Already it's directed me to some outside reading that has proved quite profitable. I'll keep this guide close by as long as I am a student of Literature.

Provides a consise, and yet sufficiently nuanced and complex, summary of theoretical schools, practitioners, terms, and trends. Hefty and yet readable reference material -- cross-indexed with more thorough bibliographies for each entry.

Debbie Duncan knows her children's books -- and children, too. This mother of three is a writer and advocate of children and children's books who is well-known in her area for her understanding, intelligence, and creativity in making books come alive for children. Debbie has written about children, parents and books for regional press, hosted radio call-in shows receiving calls from parents about reading, and appeared on NPR talking about family issues. Now she brings her expertise to a national audience through Joy of Reading. I like this book because it doesn't tell, it shows how literature of all kinds becomes a member of the family. Debbie's kids -- a teen, a beginning reader, and one in-between -- have, with their parents, their own culture of books. Debbie talks about how they got this way, through early reading, continued reading aloud (yes, into the teen years), and many, many book conversations. She gives clear, bright, simple advice on getting started with ! your own family or with raising the level of book enjoyment in your household. She shares stories about relationships individual kids have had with books and confronts the problems that keep some kids from becoming enthusiastic readers. The book includes a wealth of titles of specific books as well as information about genres appropriate to different children. Told with humor, warmth, and love, Joy of Reading is a joy to read and to implement

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a very warm and personal book about children's books. Ms. Duncan, a mother of three children, starts off telling you about her first experience with children's books (very little at the time). You then follow her on her journey to become a true children's book expert, all along telling you about the books that worked very well in her family and for her friends. Her children are now avid readers. The books she recommends are very much liked by my children (and by me as well!). This is a book to give to your friends and family as a baby shower present and should be read once a year to get new ideas on what to read in the following period. Highly recommended.

I ordered this book from Amazon expecting it to be a good reference book, but I found it to be so much more than a reference. Little did I know when I ordered it how much the text itself would affect me! I kept stopping to read passages aloud to my husband or call my mom over the phone to do the same. I have spent the last few days, when not reading this book, thinking about all the wonderful books my mother read to me when I was young and looking forward to doing the same when I have children. Many of the books discussed and the household scenarios described were so familiar! The chapter on family sayings taken from books made me laugh out loud. I still call my mother when I've had a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day," and when my sister and I were growing up we often heard our own mother quote Ramona's, saying "Once is hilarious, twice is funny, three times is a spanking." This book is not just a great place to look for that perfect book for any child you know, but is a great place to look for inspiration about reading to children.

I wish I had a book like this when I was trying to select a college 20 years ago. Kaplan also has a college guide for African American students that is also a great resource. It is called "The DayStar Guide to Colleges for African American Students". I highly recommend both books!

When I was in HS I never asked the Guidance Counselor for info on colleges. I thought I knew what was right for me. Now that my son is getting ready to search for schools, I am glad he will have access to the best advice of counselors across the nation.

I'm a sophomore in high school and just starting to think about college applications. I wanted a college guide that would give me a very broad range of information on lots of schools with honest profiles and descriptions of student life. Overall ,the book was easy to use, and it even had indexes by tuition and selectivity. Last, I really enjoyed the survey of Guidance Counselors in the U.S; it was interesting and fun to check out their picks for "trendiest" schools. I definitely recommend this guide for people like me, looking to start their college search.

Never loan this book to anyone! I made that mistake several years ago and now I have to place an out of print order! The authors solicited a number of English and American critics as to what books they would take with them to a desert island. While the selections are strongly grounded in European and American authors the book does cover every major topic from Anthropology to Zoology. Descriptions are offered for each selection as well as rationale. Stars are added next to seminal writings. This is certainly a worth addition to any book lovers library. Just don't be an "lending" library or you might never see it again.

This an excellent, opinionated, acerbic review of Western Literature. The only other book in this catergory that comes close to this survey is Clifton McFadden's "A Lifetime Reading Plan". Both books make you want to go out and read the best literatue available. It is also daunting to think others have read this entire catalogue of books. For comments sent mail to my e-mail address.

I would love to see an updated version of this wonderful guide to reading. Raphael and McLeish offer essential reading lists for 35 topics (with subcategories under Fiction and History), and I have found many many fine books based on their recommendations.

The format is easy to use, with a paragraph or two of commentary followed by the list of recommended books. Items are cross-referenced and annotated with symbols that denote works that are considered standard, seminal, a pleasure to read, difficult, recommended for beginners to the subject, containing a good bibliography, containing good illustratioins, etc. There is a LOT of information packed in this slim volume, and while it will not be useful as a guide to popular fiction (since it was last published in 1988), it will be a magnificanet guide to the following subject areas:

Anthropology
Archaeology
Architecture
Art and Design
Autobiography
Biography
Children's Books
Diaries and Letters
Drama
Economics
Feminism
Fiction (Crime, Novels, Science Fiction and Short Stories)
Film
Food and Drink
Geography and the Environment
History (American; Ancient; Asian, African and Middle Eastern; Latin American; World)
Home and Garden
Humor
Literary Criticism
Mathematics, Science and Technology
Media
Medicine and Psychiatry
Music
Mythology
Natural History
Occult and Paranormal
Philosophy
Poetry
Politics
Psychology
Reference
Religion
Sex and Love
Sociology
Travel and Exploration

The book concludes with an author index. Superb reference.

As a long time teacher of Torah studies (about 50 years, this is the only English/Hebrew printed Torah that I regularly recommend to students. The English is both concise and modern... and faithful to the Hebrew.

The font chosen for the Hebrew text is wonderful and exceptionally easy to read.

R. Michael Jacobs

This is one of the clearest, most readable translations of the Torah (Five Books of Moses, i.e., Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) on the market. I especially recommend it to readers of Aryeh Kaplan's books on Kabbalah and meditation, because the Torah is the basis upon which Jewish mysticism is based. Kaplan's vast knowledge of the Jewish mystical sources is evident here also. He brings to his translation work a deep sensitivity that not only renders the literal meaning of the text, but also clarifies the implied meaning through careful choice of words and detailed footnotes, including maps, diagrams, and drawings of different species of plants and animals, common utensils, clothing, etc. described in the text. In many cases, these are updated from previous English translations, based upon the flora and fauna of Israel, as well as archaeology. (The "turtle" in the old King James Version is not a reptile, it's a bird -- the turtledove.) The diagrams in Leviticus are especially helpful in visualizing the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the species of permitted and forbidden foods. (How many of us know what a hyrax looks like?) I use this translation regularly in my own Torah studies, and recommend it to anyone who either does not read Hebrew, or who wants a good commentary to go along with the Hebrew text. Ten stars!

Aryeh Kaplan's translation of the Chumash is top-notch -- clear, complete, and precise. His footnotes provide excellent additional information. An excellent way to study Torah if you don't understand the Hebrew.

Carol M. Ward's "Mae West A Bio-Bibliography" published in 1989 offers an excellent starting point for the Mae West Scholar. Ward provides a wide range of sources to delve into how the popular press perceived Mae West, however, the list is far from exhaustive and now somewhat dated.
Ward's text is invaluable in this age of "cyber research." Nothing beats the old fashioned method of researching - pouring over microfilm and old magazine clippings, and Ward's meticulous citations point the way for serious West buffs to find out more about her.

This book is quite expensive but after all it was written mainly for academic libraries, not really for purchases by the general public. If you want a standard "biography" with a ton of photos and a dust jacket, this is not for you. If you are interested in a serious examination of this one-of-a-kind star, you could not do better. Several other authors have tried to do this with more mainstream books on West, but Ward is unmatched in looking at West from the eyes of a historian and a critic. She is also clearly admires West's accomplishments but is never fawning. An outstanding work.

This is a bio-bibliography. So everything you read, you can verify by finding the original somewhere. Wonderfully researched, and of course perfectly accurate (how could it NOT be?). You are paying for all of the great research, and it is worth every penny. It is invaluable to anyone who is writing a book on Mae West, or researching her career.

It took me years to find just the right book that hooked me into reading for the rest of my life (The Hobbit). Giving my daughter a headstart so she can find just the right books--and opening a whole new world for her--is nothing short of miraculous. I can't think of anything I rather give her. This book helped me send this gift to my daughter and, I believe, it will change her life. Thank you.

This book deserves more than five stars!

I wish that I had had this book available to me when I first became a parent. I certainly intend to give it as a gift to my children when they become parents.

The advice that parents used to receive from teachers was that it doesn't matter much what your child reads, just that she or he reads. This outstanding book takes appropriate issue with that way of thinking and proposes an alternative approach that will enrich your child (or grandchild's) reading skills, knowledge of good stories, and ability to write. I was impressed by the argument that you don't let your child eat just anything that he or she wants. Why would you let her or his mind be polluted with inappropriate thoughts?

From my own experience as a parent, I have one child who reads enormously but has read few good books. As a result, his grounding in basic ideas and literature is tenuous despite having a great deal of education. Clearly, I let him down in not steering him toward more useful books. If you are like me, you will want to avoid that error with your children and grandchildren. The Magic Bookshelf can help you a lot.

What we have learned about children's mental development has grown vastly in just the last few years. We now know that reading to babies is an important part of emotional and intellectual development. The Magic Bookshelf has many wonderful suggests for how to do this so you don't feel like you are "reading to the wall."

As soon as your child is old enought to have opinions, the authors have many excellent suggestions for how to find excellent books of the sort that will attract your child, and how to connect those books to other media. There's even good information about weaning your child away from (or avoiding) television.

The book also encourages you to be a good example by reading a lot, reading with your child, discussing books with your child, and doing writing together. You will get a lot of excellent advice about how to create a home environment that stimulates good reading.

I was impressed by the argument in the book that you encourage your child to see her or himself as a good reader, regardless of where your child's reading level is. So, don't take those age-specific labels seriously. Get books in your child's hands that he or she is ready for (whether less or more advanced than is typical for your child's age).

The key idea in the book is to have a Magic Bookshelf. This will be a set of books that your child will keep as a core of her or his own library, and reread throughout life. It can also be the core for his or her child's library later on.

The book also expanded my knowledge of the latest research concerning how children learn, and provided a wonderful bibliography to that research.

Naturally, there are helpful lists of books in the book to consider. These will be invaluable to those who are not very well grounded in children's books.

After you finish reading this excellent book, I suggest that you discuss what you learned with each of your children who is of an appropriate age. Presumably, you are reading about this book now after having been a parent for a while. You don't want to leave any stone unturned to help your children, regardless of their age today. Then ask your children if they would like to do a little directed reading of these children's books together. If they would, you can also help fill in gaps in their background now, regardless of their age. The reason I suggest this is that I often run into people who find themselves at a disadvantage because they do not know commonly-read stories. This gap can easily be filled by your action now.

Enjoy your reading as you set a good example and create better bonding and intellect for your children and grandchildren!

This little book is a must for parents, grandparents and teachers who need some guidance in the world of children's literature.

The book gives sound suggestions without the "soapbox approach". I liked the authors' ideal that a magic bookshelf "can exist on the mind" as well as being physical

Anyone who undertakes a study of Civil War medicine must begin with this introduction to the literature. Virtually every important publication about the subject is included. The annotations are brief but informative (and occasionally humorous---see the author's reviews of his own works).

I am familiar with many Civil War bibliographies and I find that this is the place to go if you want to find out something about Civil War medicine.

This is a very interesting list of works about medicine during the Civil War. The author has the knack of getting the essence of some very complicated publications. I found that this bibliography enabled me to enter the whole field.

Movies on TV was an annual favorite of mine until it ceased publication in 1993. Reviews are much more fair and objective than the more commercialized guide from Leonard Maltin. Rumors of the author's death were the least on my mind when this treasure ceased publication. Did Scheuer sell his reviews to a different critic? The objectivity of guides like Videohound and Danny Peary have always been questionable. Even Blockbuster publishes a film review guide now, blurring the line between sellers or producers and the critic. But subtract a half star on this point: Why do the pages in Scheuer's book fall out so much sooner?

Way back in 1958, long before The Time Out Film Guide or Videohounds Golden Movie Retriever were a twinkle in anyone's eye and a full decade before Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide first appeared on the market was this Movie Review guide by Steven Scheuer. From the 1960's through the 1980's it was basically a choice between this book or Maltin's for those of us wanting a comprehensive movie guide with capsule reviews and ratings. As of 1994 this guide mysteriously ceased publication, an event so unexpected that rumors began circulating as to the death of Mr. Scheuer himself! These rumors appear to have been greatly exagerrated as he recently edited a book on building a DVD library that is now for sale right here on Amazon.com.

Maltin's annual Movie guide is of course indispensable but I fear that at times people take what amounts to one critic's opinion as gospel. Comparing the two books is instructive as to the ultimately subjective nature of film viewing. Scheuer's guide gives Brazil(1985)*1/2 stars while Maltin gives it ***, Scheuer gives Blade Runner(1982)**** while Maltin gives it *1/2, Scheuer gives the gay art film Sebastiane(1979)***1/2, John Waters' Pink Flamigos(1973)**1/2 and cult sci-fi film Punishment Park(1971)*** while none are even included in Maltin's guide. That's the most surprising thing in flipping through this book...the odd, art-house omissions that have never been included in Maltin's book and apparantly never will.

When you step into a used bookstore to browse through the film section and see hundreds of obscure, out of print tomes that have unfortunately "died" due to not being read anymore please remember that there are a few titles out there that desperately SHOULD be in print again. Books like Danny Peary's Guide for The Film Fanatic, Lotte Eisner's bio of the great German director Murnau and this guide by Steven Scheuer.

I bought every edition of this film guide until they apparently stopped making it in 1994. What a shame! The reviews are almost always dead-on and occasionally very funny. Also, the reviews are thoughtful and insightful despite being relatively brief. Still, this is one of the few movie guides that managed to say everything it needed to in a single paragraph to get its point across.

In the later editions (like this one) there was an appendix included so you could easily see all films made by a certain actor or director, which was very helpful.

The four star rating system was expertly used in this guide as well (generally, I prefer the 4-star system to the somewhat more prevalent 5-star), and small indicators let you know if the film is available on video or not.

One of the best features of this book was that it included made-for-TV films as well as those getting a theatrical release, plus many, many foreign films.

This book should be revised, updated, and published again!

It's very useful for the process of the exegesis and study of the OT.

This thorough and scholarly resource book is an invaluable guide to the process of determining the meaning of Old Testament passages. It contains examples and though it is written for scholars and pastors, it is accessible (and provides helpful guidance) to the layperson, such as myself, that desires to develop a less superficial understanding of scripture. The bibliography in the back is terrific and is probably worth the cost of the book by itself. The updated bibliography in the revised edition is worth buying it even if you already own prior editions.

This book is essential for students of Hebrew. This belongs with HALOT and Waltke/O'Connor as a book that the exegete cannot live without.