Retailers Books

I read many books about special effects and films. I'm a huge fan of the Star Wars franchises (at least until the most recent cartoon).

THIS ONE IS PERFECT!!! So many detailed descriptions of the evolution from idea to story to script to shooting. An incredible level of detail. So many pictures, storyboards, illustrations, and documents. This is the first time I've picked up such a huge and detailed volume and devoured it from start to finish.

Even if you already own a lot of material about Lucas and Star Wars, this is a worthy addition to the library.

It truly is definitive - but also is beautiful and well written. BUY IT!!!

Great book for any Star Wars fan. Even if you're not, you'll find this an interesting look at all the trials and tribulations George Lucas went through to get his vision on the screen. Even when nobody else saw the potential in it.

Full of alot of great photos as well. Highly recommended to anyone that has even a remote interest in cinema history.

When I first saw Star Wars I was very young. At first I had a strong desire to know how all the cool things on the screen were accomplished. Over the years bits and pieces appeared in magazines and books, but nothing really felt complete. As I grew older I became interested in the ideas behind the movie, where they came from, how did they change over time, what was the history. Now, I've grown interested in the stories of the people who worked behind the scenes. What is their history, what did they bring to the production? Now here it is, all in one book, with a lot of behind the scenes photos and stories. It uses interviews from the time of the film's making, so it isn't colored by the amazing success of the movie. It's a quick read, too. The pages are full of photos (most I've never seen before), though the font size is a little small. It's a high quality book and should last a long time, which is good, because I think I'll be reading this one again and again.

This is a great book 4 every star wars fan about the origin of star wars and the first movie. Great pictures and great intervieuws with lots of people. With this price: buy buy buy!!!

The title of the book says it all. This is THE definitive collection on the making of Star Wars. Of course there were tons of documentaries being made after the initial film was a huge success but since nobody really knew what was going on with this strange film, film and video footage is sparse at best.
This gives us all the insight we could want about the making of this space fantasy. Even if you're not a Star Wars fan, you will love this record of this high budget independent film.

You can't help but love reading this book aloud to your little one! The rhymes, illustrations, and humor can't be beat. And there's something irresistible about "Fix it Duck!" My two year old always reaches for this book and when we get to a job for "Fix it Duck", he pumps his fist emphatically while singing "Fix it Duck!". I highly recommend this book, as well as Duck's other board book - Duck in a Truck.

This is a great book especially when you started with Duck in the Truck. Very cute story and great illustrations. Lots of detail in the illustrations that are fun to pick out.

What a wonderful story this is....poor Fix-It-Duck only wants to help and he keeps making things worse and worse. A delightful bedtime story you will enjoy again and again.

It's okay, the story is fine. But compared to Duck in the Truck this one is just okay.

that we bought it and donated it to our local library to share with other kids. I have 3 children ranging in ages from 3 - 8 and we all LOVE DUCK!!

An early 87 that no fan of the series should miss. McBain had the touch from the very beginning.

The third book in the 87th Precinct series is a more standard entry into the police procedural genre. But at the same time, it manages to reach an emotional depth somewhat unusual for the time period.

The plot is pretty straight forward. A pair of patrolmen stumble upon a apparent junkie suicide. But sometimes things aren't as easy as they seem, and the suicide squeal quickly turns into a multiple homicide investigation that threatens to become blackmail when Lt. Byrnes son becomes linked to the drug scene. The bulls at the 87th are relegated mainly to the footwork, as most of the behind the scenes action involves Byrnes as he struggles with his son's involvement. Byrnes goes as far as to fill Carella in on the situation, a decision that almost proves to be fatal.

Apart from some of the dated aspects one would expect from a well-reserched police drama from the fifties, the bulk of the novel is your typical expose on the brutal world of the street level drug trade. But as usual, McBain delves into the emotional causes and ramifications of the Heroin users and dealers. The most revealing of these is the personal and professional termoil faced by Lt. Byrnes with the revelation that his son is a Heroin addict. Adding to the emotional doubt of where he has gone wrong with his son, and the constant battle between anger and compassion, is the dilemma of whether or not to cover up his son's possible involvement in a crime, especially when a mysterious third party with knowledge of his son's connection attempts to blackmail him for police protection.

McBain doesn't just focus on the 87th detectives. Glimpses into the lives of low key players in the drug scene shows the many facets of human frailty and desperation and prevents the broad generalizations that many crime dramas easily fall into. Even the closer look at Carella's relationship with stoolie Danny the Gimp is both touching and revealing. But to McBain's credit, none of this detailed attention to the human element detracts from the gritty realism that is typical of this series.

Another great book by Ed McBain. Have just started reading this series and have a long way to go, but I am really looking forward to it if they are all like this one. Steve Carella and Bert Kling are back. They make a great team. They are trying to find who killed a young man, then others are killed to cover up the first killing. I don't want to name names as would take away from the book. The ending is good. McBain can make you feel like you are there. You can nearly feel the the thoughts and actions as they take place. A fairly short book that is quick to read. A very good mystery.

Of McBain's 70 to 80 books, this is without a doubt his best. This is what storytelling is all about. Simple characters, doing simple things and making it impossible to put the book down . I'm curious to know whether Evan Hunter is still alive or just retired from writing.

Published in 1956, "Pusher" by Ed McBain, one of the author's famed 87th Precinct mysteries,
may be a bit dated, but the sheer power of writing and the abilitiy of the author makes this one a
worthy read. McBain's legions of fans (most of whom have, no doubt, already read this one)
certainly found this to be a choice selection.

This time we find Steve Carella and Lieutenant Peter Byrnes again up to their precinct necks in
crime. As the title suggests, they're investigating the death of a drug dealer. The autopsy had said
suicide, but Carella and Byrnes know better.

And with the speed of some sound writing style and
excellent plot development, Mc Bain carries his readers full tilt. There's no resting; the pace is
terrific! Aided by first-class dialogue development "Pusher" is quick and easy to read. One doesn't
have to be totally dedicated to McBain to enjoy this one. Remember: it's quick and easy. And good.
(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

Experiencing The Pig in the Pond with preschoolers is a delight. Three to Five year olds will be fully engaged by the rich illustrations and simple text--words full of meaning to young children. My preschool class waited with anxious anticipation to see what that very hot pig would do AND what would happen when Nelligan came home. The end is silly and satisfying and just what the children were waiting for. This has become a much loved favorite in our classroom.

The Pig in the Pond was an instant hit with our son. Having seen the play "Charlotte's Web", he has grown sympathetic to the plight of pigs, and since they are very smart, any book about pigs is a worthy read. Neligan's farm is turned topsy- turvey when his pig chooses to do what a pig wouln't normally do, swim instead of wallow! Wallowing isn't mentioned in the story, but the shallow pond implies that plenty of wallowing could happen if he was not in the mood to swim, if he stirs up the water enough. Instead, Neligan's entire entourage of farm animals follows Neligan as he follows his pig into the cool refreshing water- Some smart pig. The illustrations are humorous and loveable, the animals and Neligan are all portrayed with wonderful expression. Five stars for the many times I am asked to read this book.

Neligan's pig doesn't swim... or does she? Find out in this delightful tale of a pig on a hot summer's day. The illustrations carry this simple story and the pig's discomfort is so genuine, I can't help but long for a paddle in a cool pool myself. It is also entertaining to see the outraged pond dwellers and their barnyard gossip chain portrayed... and the ending in which the tattle-tales join in the fun.

My two-year-old loves this story and it would also make good reading for the pre-school and primary child.

Waddell captures the feeling of a hot afternoon in his humerous story "Pig in a Pond." While watching the ducks splash in the farm yard pond, the pig becomes more and more hot, more and more furstrated, because who ever heard of a "Pig in a Pond"? Finally, he give into temptation and dives in! When the farmer sees this, he decides its not a bad idea and joins the animals on his farm for a spash in the old swimming hole! A delight ful story perfect for reading alod on a sticky summer afternoon

Bought this one for a friend as I already have it and use it. Love the new silky cover.

This is the loveliest book on angel work that I have ever seen. Not to mention it is filled with wonderful ideas and examples of how to work with the angels. There are several different meditations in the book that are incredible! Angela McGerr has put together a masterpiece with A Harmony Of Angels. (She also has two different angel card decks, too. Absolutely lovely!)
I have shared several copies of books and cards with friends and they all love them. It is easy to fall in love with the book and in turn it is easy to love inviting angels in to your life. The book seems somehow, comforting just to have with me. The illustrations are nothing short of magnificent. Words just cannot describe this book. FIND ONE! Buy it!!
I would not hesitate to buy any of Angela's works and I look forward to her next project!!!

This breathtakingly beautiful book and card set bring you so many uses. You can learn about how to call upon your Guardian Angel; There is a section on "Achieving positive health and well-being;" "Angel healing with fragrances and oils;" "The place of rainbow meditations;" and has an A -Z of Angels, including a fantastic index of life situations where you can learn about which Angel to call upon who is ready to help with pure love and compassion.

As for the card deck, it accompanies a wonderful book with different spreads you can do when you are seeking guidance and clarification in your life. The whole package is simply stunning, and would make a great gift to anyone who wants to draw closer to the Angels. Personally, I keep the page open to the picture of Archangel Michael, who is my Guardian Angel, and it just brings me a feeing of inner peace when I look at it. This is a high quality set that you will love to have as a part of your collection. Highly Recommended! Barbara Rose, author of, `Individual Power' and `If God Was Like Man'

I have browsed through a number of T'ai Chi instructional books, but none compare to the quality of this one. Every movement of the T'ai Chi form is clearly demonstrated with numerous, full-body photographs and detailed written instructions. Correlations are also given between the form's movements and a section of "basic moves" which help train the basic movement patterns of T'ai Chi. I love that the "basic moves" section even includes written descriptions and pictures of common mistakes! In the book, the author also covers some basic warm-up techniques and other essential aspects of T'ai Chi such as breathing. It's amazing how much she packed in to 160 beautiful and inspirational pages.

Another thing I appreciate about the book is that it is a wonderful complement to Tricia Yu's T'ai Chi Fundamentals video that I already owned. Now I can use the video for practice or to experience the flow of the movements, but I can also reference the book for more "static" detail. Oh yeah - the video is beautiful and inspirational as well.

This is absolutely the clearest, most accessible and most beautiful tai chi book I've ever read... everyone on my Christmas list gets this-- from my niece in her teens to my grandmother.

I have looked at Tai Chi texts for over twenty years and this is simply the best text I've ever seen. The photographs, both inside the studio and outside, are lovely and practical. They have a side text and brief remarks in the photo identifying key
points in each posture. The written text is clear and straitforward without the usual overemphasis on philosophy, history, and martial arts. It's really the type of text that any beginner(and even more advanced student)will benefit from.

Over a decade ago I was in Las Vegas staying at the MGM Grand while they were doing major re-construction to change their entrance. The existing entrance was a Lion's head and Asians refused to enter the casino through the mouth of it perceiving that as bad luck. The casino was losing potential customers and had already started creating a new and separate entrance during my stay.

This got my attention. To go through all that trouble for something called Feng Shui. To spend millions of dollars just to change the entrance - well, there must be something there.

A friend gave me Linda Cahan's book as a present. I've been interested in Feng Shui since that time in Las Vegas and have now used it in conjunction with my stores and my home. Ms. Cahan did a bang up job delineating the info in a clear and decisive way. I also liked that she represents the opinions of many other Feng Shui experts so I feel I've gotten the best cross section of information possible.

I've played with some of the 'cures' mentioned in this book to correct problem feng shui I've identified, and have noticed perceptible improvements. The suggestions using mirrors have been very effective. That sold me! I'm a big fan of feng shui and an equally big fan of Ms. Cahans easy to use guide to making your life better through feng shui. I like her approach and recommend this book as an easy read with effective useful ideas for work or home.

Ever walk into a store and want to walk right out? Can't figure out what's wrong? Could be bad Feng Shui!

This eye-opening book shows retailers how to lure customers with an inviting atmosphere that makes them want to stay, shop, buy and enjoy the experience. Store owners are guided through a simple step-by-step process allowing them to transform a ho-hum store into a great feeling store.

I'm not alone in my praise of this insightful book. Martin Pegler, editor of Retail Design and Visual Presentation magazine recommends it "most heartily . . . Her advice is solid and on target for visual merchandisers and store designers since so much of what she offers is so logical and down-to-earth."

In this age of tough competition and lowered margins, any retailer who can't keep their costs in line is destined to be a former retailer. One of the most basic costs to tackle, yet the most difficult to get a grasp on, is inventory loss. CUT YOUR LOSSES! is a must read for any retailer. Whether you have been in Loss Prevetnion for years, are just starting, or had better be starting soon, this book is an excellent resource. This book does not spend your valuable time giving you an in depth view of the psychology of a thief or how to estbalish a corporate Loss Prevention program. While that may be important, it won't solve your problems. CUT YOUR LOSSES! comes right out and tells you what is happening and what you can do to stop it. It is a quick and easy read that you can put into pactice as you go. If you were to only pick on book to get you going on Loss Prevention, this would be it

This is an excellent summary of all the major principles involved in either running or engaging with a distribution channel. It is remarkable in this age of cost awareness the lack of financial understanding of the channel and the massive impact it can have on the performance of an organisation. This book really helps to identify the main levers that channel managers can pull to improve the performanceIt is set out in an easy to understand format and makes it easy to implement some of the basic principles.
This should be compulsory reading for all those either working in the channel of engaged with it..

For the acutely interested reader, this encylopedia is well worth perusing from cover to cover. It is not that long that this is an arduous task. Nor is it that highly mathematical that you will take months doing so. The level of mathematical treatment is moderate. By that I mean it is less than in journal papers. To be sure, you need a strong maths background going in. And previous exposure to various crypto ideas, notably public key infrastructure, would be good.

For Web usage, people worried about the rising levels of malware might see what the book offers as possible countermeasures. As ecommerce and other activities become more frequent, the possibility of man in the middle attacks increases. Plus, the incredible recent surge in phishing and pharming has led some to suggest that strong cryptographic methods for authentication of messages and web pages might be useful. Keep in mind that this is not necessarily a given. Other methods are possible which avoid cryptography. (I am the co-inventor of several of these methods.) This is something that an astute reader should keep in mind when going through the text. Step up from the details of the various crypto procedures and ask yourself if there are ways to avoid using these, and still prevent attacks. The entire mindset of this book is about using crypto. While it is a dreadful cliche to say 'think outside the box', perhaps you should try to do so here.

There is even a discussion of quantum cryptography. Which may be an ultimate, unbreakable method, if it ever becomes feasible. The quantum systems are so delicate, especially if coherence needs to be maintained over macroscopic distances, that one might reasonably wonder about the eventual efficacies. There are two main postulated usages. One is to break an existing encryption. The other is to prevent a man in the middle attack. It is in the latter that coherence may be more of a problem. For the former, one can imagine a spatially limited, microscopic or mesoscopic system, in which the decryption is occurring.