Titles Books

I've had chronic back pain all my life and have tried many different approaches to find relief. \ I have found that the Acupressure Warmup techniques to be very effective in relieving my pain instantly. Because my pain is chronic I find myself stiff and sore after work and in the morning when I wake up. After applying the techniques I can go throughout the day with much pain and muscle spasms.

In my massage practice, I encourage people to use self help for managing their health. This book is a great one to have for
in home care. Written & illustrated in a clear easy to use format, it gives the layperson simple instruction on point location. Utilizing tennis balls, it allows you to work on specific problem areas, using the body weight pressure to relieve aches & pains. The techniques are simple to use and are aided by the addition of meridian stretches shown in the back of the book. As an another bonus, symptoms of imbalance are included to guide your choice of areas to address. A great companion book to this one is Acupressure's Potent Points by Michael Reed Gach. I also highly recommend The Touch of Healing by Alice Burmeister, which incorporates the ancient Japanese healing art of Jin Shin Jyutsu.

The truly simple and amazing precedures explained in the book produce incredible results not only to relieve pain but to keep you from injury. I am in my 50's and play tennis four times a week. Prior to using the Acupressure warmup routine, I was prone to injury. I have been warming up with this method for five years now and have been pain and injury free, and it only takes 10 minutes! I have recommended this book to dozens of friends who have had similar success. My husband who travels a good deal, uses tennis balls on his back pressure points while driving or flying to relieve back pain. I highly recommend this book to young and old.

This book is a useful resource not only for helping me to manage my own aches and pains, but I also recommend (and frequently lend) this book to my patients. As a physical therapist, I am always looking for ways to teach people to take control of their own pain and this book acts as a great adjunct to my own treatments. I currently work with chronic pain patients and several of them have borrowed my book and subsequently ordered their own copy as these techniques have given them excellent relief.

I teach 5th grade and used this book when teaching about archetypal characters. My students and I both loved this book! This Cinderella story was creative and kept the students interested. The illustrations were fantastic. I am taking the book home to read to my three and a half year old who I know will just love this book, too!

Adelita is a Mexican Cinderella at the mercy of her cruel stepmothers and stepsisters. You know the story. The difference is that Mr. de Paola uses Mexican culture to breathe new life into a often tired old story. The result is a beautifully witten and illustrated adaptation rich with language and culture that makes it a true joy to read to my little ones.

My four year old daughter loves this story and has me check it out from the library over and over again. (I think it's time to buy her her own copy.) I especially love reading the Spanish phrases which not only educates, but makes the story even more authentic. You will enjoy this tremendously.

Poor Adelita. Her mother died in childbirth, her adoring father soon remarried a mean and jealous woman with two awful daughters, and then he unfortunately die, too. Adelita was now all alone in the world, living with an unloving, cruel family. Soon, she was relegated to the position of servant and sent to live in the kitchen, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of her stepmother's and stepsisters' every want, wish, and need. One day an invitation arrived for a fiesta at Senor Gordillo's hacienda to celebrate the homecoming of his son, Javier..... Tomie dePaola takes the old and familiar Cinderella story, and gives it a clever and humorous, south of the border twist. This is a much more realistic retelling. There's no pumpkin coach, fairy godmother, or glass slipper, but the magic of the Cinderella theme shines through with charm and wit. Mr dePaola's lively text is heartwarming and engaging, and sprinkled with Spanish words and phrases. But it's his vibrant and expressive artwork that really make this picture book stand out and sparkle. Each page is a feast for the eyes, filled with warm colors, dazzling Mexican folk art designs, and marvelous eye-catching detail. Young and old alike, will want to linger and explore each illustration before turning the page. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Adelita is a wonderful addition to the collection of Cinderella stories. This is Tomie dePaola at his very best, and a must-have for all home libraries.

This is a wonderful book for teaching the familiar unit of "Cinderella Around the World." I read it to my class and they loved it. This book also provides wondeful cultural references about Latin American culture, especially Mexican culture. I am Mexican and I felt that it was authentic. Additionally it has some Spanish phrases you can teach children or at least introduce the concept. The illustrations are also beautiful.

This is the story of Samantha Jacobs, an attractive, high-spirited 41-year-old who's ready for an adventure. Her boss supplies it: she wants Samantha to go to Milwaukee, the place where she is statistically least likely to find a husband, and snag one just to flout the statistics.

Samantha gets a fairly steady stream of dates, including one whom she likes, but she has a feeling he's holding something back. She doesn't know exactly what he does for work. In the meanwhile, there's Javier, her salsa instructor with whom she has a lot of chemistry - but he's nine years younger, and that scares her. Meanwhile, her boss keeps insisting that she dates someone "professional".

The book is fairly predictable, and the way that Samantha's boss and mother are fixated on "professionals" is a little offensive...but it bothers Samantha too, so I can't really harp on that. Also, it seems unbelievable that at 41 she would still be under her mother's thumb to such an extent. But I guess some mothers are like that.

The writing is intelligent, the plot twists enjoyable (even if they are a little unbelievable), and the salsa bits are fun to read. Overall, I would recommend this book to chick lit fans who are looking for something a little different, but still fun.

I savored reading this book. The salsa scenes, the modern dating stories, the smart protagonist, the laughs all made for a book I didn't want to finish.

The optimistic face of Elaine Daniels tells forty-one years old unmarried Samantha Jacobs that she has the perfect assignment for her that will increase circulation at Tres Chic by at least twelve percent. Elaine informs Sam that long time columnist Maya Beckett is giving up her La Vie column. It is Sam's, but she must complete a small assignment if she wants to keep the position. This being Sam's dream job, she will do anything until she learns that she is to marry at the Plaza on New Year's Eve as Elaine wants to prove Dr. Virginia Huber wrong when the sociologist says "a never married over forty professional single woman has a better chance of winning the lottery than getting married.".

The threatening face of Elaine warns Sam that failure means unemployment. Though she has no prospects as the men she sees have wives, Sam beings her searches for Mr. Right while the clock ticks away. She meets several men, but none stir her heart or even heat her loins except her younger sexy salsa teacher Javier; he melts her bones whether they dance horizontally or vertically, but marriage to him seems not worth the tango.

ADVENTURES OF A SALSA GODDESS is an amusing chick lit tale that also focuses on relationships by asking a simple question: as a single person begins entering middle age and beyond should they settle or remain in search of their ideal soulmate. Sam is a fabulous protagonist struggling between keeping her job by descending to a level below her desire for true love or remain alone and unemployed. Fans of a deep but amusing contemporary tale will appreciate the dilemma confronting the Salsa Goddess.

Harriet Klausner

I was in a bookstore this weekend and I ran across this book. I'm not a romance novel reader by any stretch of the imagination. But, as an aspiring writer myself, I'm always interested in keeping up on what's selling. So I picked up the book anyway just to criticize its probably lame fantasy portrayal of salsa.

I'll be darned! I called my girlfriend and told her "girl, you can tell this book is written by someone knee deep in the salsa scene, not someone who just popped into a couple of clubs to 'research' for authenticity." The way she talks about the bachatta being unbearably sensual, going through a period of buying nothing but salsa clothes, how it feels to be standing on the sidelines watching another woman dance wonderfully with your dream partner, the way she used the phrase "the scene",... Being not a romance novel reader, I was still completely sucked in with the whole "Cubana Club" backdrop.

The story's about a writer for a women's magazine who is over 40 and sent to Milwaukee, statistically the worst place in America to find a husband, on assignment. She goes on all these dates but can't stop thinking about "Javier", the dashing salsa instructor/roofer from the Domican Republic who is ten years her junior. It's got the whole "when he dipped me, it was as if time stopped" thing going. You ladies that are into romance novels (come on...you know who you are, don't front!) would really enjoy it. And those of you that aren't would just get a kick out of its authentic description of salsa club life.

This was a great transaction. I thought the book exceeded the write-up and so I was very pleased. Thanks so much!

This concise but profound book is a beautiful commentary by two contemporary Tibetan lamas on the centuries-old Indian and Tibetan teachings on "lojong," or "thought transformation." The subjects include meditation on emptiness, generation of bodhicitta, and changing adverse circumstances into the path. This is one of the most practical and helpful books on Buddhist philosophy and practice that I have read.

This book gives great advice along the path of the Bodhisattva. You will learn how to make your heart pure and compassionate if you follow the advice in this book. It will give you a verse from the path of the Bodhisattva, then an easy description of it's meaning and how to make it part of your life. Buy this book! This is some of the best advice documented in my opinion from a spiritual friend.

In Tibet, a Spiritual Friend is equivalent to one's lama or guru. This book is a superior introduction to some of the best aspects of Tibetan Buddhism (i.e. Vajrayana). It is written in a very readable form with sensitivity and grace. I cannot think of a better book to give a friend interested in knowing about or starting out on a journey to Vajrayana. I heard of it long before I read/bought it. Presently, I've loaned it out. It's a great book to have on your shelf for reference and especially to loan to other seekers.

This is a fascinating book about airship technology. It has lots of technical data and practical advice. It shows examples of contemporary airships and it even has a chapter on future developments of airship technology.

I would strongly recomend this book to those who are more interested in the Airship construction than in a history of airships itself. As an aerospace student, I've been looking for such a book for a long time. This book brings very sensitively all basic (and more) information about the structure and design. I really recomend, it's worth that money.

I work as an aeronautical engineer for a company that builds and sells airships and I can testify that this is an essential volume for airship enthusiasts and engineers. I use this book a lot as a good overview of the airship. For more technical detail though, Airship Design by Burgess is tops for rigid airships, Pressure Airships is another great one for the non-rigid type. Airship books come few and far between so definitely pick this one up.

The vast majority of books on airship design date back to the first half of the 20th Century. Airship Technology, edited by Gabriel Khoury, is the only recent technical/engineering manual on airship design. Each chapter is written by a recognized expert on that specific area of airship design and operation. The book covers all the bases, including materials, aerostatics, ground handling, piloting, and even solar power.

Airship Technology is a must have for any airship enthusiast or aeronautical engineer. When it came out in 1999, I paid more than US$100 for the book -- worth every penny. As of November 2004, the book sells for US$75 -- an honest bargain. Make sure to add "Airship Technology" to your library!

Wonderful, fun book... animals who live in Alaska each have their own nursery rhyme that describes the animal and its' habitat. Illustrations are fun and some of the rhymes are hilarious. I loved the book so much I purchased it while on my honeymoon before our children were even conceived! Definately unique. Different than other books in that both the child and the parent enjoy reading this book.

My daughter particularly loves the Alaskan version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" We live in Alaska, and she has seen the northern lights--she learned "Twinkle Twinkle Northern Lights" first. This is a great book

As you may guess from the title, this book is comprised of variations on Mother Goose rhymes with a theme of wildlife found in Alaska. The author has a wonderful command of words and I love the images she creates. The delightful illustrations compliment the text well. The rhymes have the charm of traditional Mother Goose rhymes, but are mixed with inspiring images of nature rather than images of violence (the baby and cradle falling, etc.). I am so happy to have run across this book.

Having this book since I was a baby, I have loved it up until now. I think I always will! The Alaska Mother Goose, by Shelly Gill and Illustrations by Shannon Cartwright, is a book filled with different rhymes about animals, and the habits that they do in Alaska.
The book describes each animal, starting out with snow geese, then to the end with a child, gazing at the Northern Lights. The poems are hilarious and lighthearted. The sea otter floats without a care, the black bears mouths turn blue from eating too many berries, and a porcupine's prickles get filled with berries from sitting on a cranberry bog! At the end of the book, there is a glossary filled with every animal mentioned in the book describing its name, and what it is.
If you want to get your child more familiar with animals, I think this book is perfect. It's very realistic and informational! Humorous at the same time.

I bought this book for my two year old son who loves John Deere. We read it over and over and over again. I like that the black cat (who was thought to be bad luck in the beginning) turns out to be a good cat, and that the ghost turns out to be a scarecrow with a sheet on it. It was a great way to look forward to Halloween and to help my son know that all of the scary looking things aren't really that scary.

This, as with all John Deere books, is very cute. It's got the 'toy' tractor collection in it but has a nice story line.

very cute and great for any child - especially if they are into equipment and john deere

This book and the rest in this series are absolutely darling and my 2-year old grandson just loves it!! He carries them around and loves to "read" them and be read to. I'm very glad I purchased this series and will be very proud to tell him when he's older that Gra-Ma bought them just for him.

I just love this version of how Anansi--with the help of his cunning wife--becomes the owner of stories. The illustrations in this book are wonderful and unique in the realm of Anansi tales for children. The spiders look like spiders--though with gentle, chubby-cheeked human faces as to show their emotions and expressions. Their clothes are colorful and seem culturally appropriate for their setting. It's quite clever how the illustrator shows recognizably human gestures with spidery legs.

One of the best images is the prideful Anansi standing "nose to nose" with the Sky God as he boldly announces that he has come for the stories. Viewers can even see the spider's cocky shadow carefully included on this page.

A nice touch in this book is the little "Glossary" near the front of the story, which gives pronunciations and definitions of the names and terms used in the tale. Example:pesa (PAY-suh): The breathy sound of whispering. // The glossary is of great benefit to readers who share the story out loud.

This book would be worth sharing with classes and with young family members. Even adults can appreciate the resourceful spider couple as they plot to do the impossible. Overall, I was impressed with this tale, and I recommend it for school and home libraries.

This book was such a delight. My first grade class could not wait to hear what Anansi would do next. For the first time, Anansi uses his trickery to help someone other than himself! It was refreshing to have the author show how Anani's wife, Aso, helped him to reach his goal. I think my readers learned a lot of valuable lessons from this story.

Both of my children, ages 2 and 5, love this book. The two-year-old, normally wiggling and wandering around the room during story time, stays put for this one. They can't wait to see what tricks Anansi and Aso will be up to next!

The Anansi series are a great read. As usual the author keeps us in suspense as to who and how Anansi will trick. My first grade class loved it. They were at the edge of their seats. I can't wait to read more to them.

This is the book that woke me up from my walking slumber 34 years ago.
I found the thinking radical and challenging plus I admired the fact that Fowles friends advised him not to write it.
As it predates the Magus and the French Lieutenant's woman they were obviously wrong.
It is a great beginning if you are searching for answers.Aristos

John Fowles "The Aristos" doesn't deserve the fate it received - being completely ignored by the reading public - after his best-selling first novel, "The Collector." Some people grudgingly admit Fowles second book - a work of philosophy, not literature - is at least useful in how it sheds light on the author's previous ficition book and subsequent cannon. However, "The Aristos" does much more than that.

This book is really quite a good codefication of many philosophical ideas floating around the fields of humanism, socialism and existentialism. Basically, Fowles ties together the thought of the Pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus with these modern ideas to form a unique and thought-provoking world view. However, his intent isn't to convince us to agree with him, but to get us thinking about our own philosophies. It used to be that every thinking person would come up with his own world view, but now most people just accept other people's ideas wholesale. Fowles wants us to reject this intellectual consumerism and think for ourselves - radical ideas, really!

Beyond serving as an intellectual enema, Fowles ideas are really quite good. Though I certainly don't agree with everything he has to say, I found myself tacitly agreeing with so much of it. The only criticism I have is that he writes in a style very influenced by Nietzche, which though brilliant for Friedrich seems a bit derivative on Fowles lips. Moreover, sometimes Fowles is intentionally mysterious in stating his ideas - a tendency he could have avoided except it might leave some phrases sounding less artful. Finally, though Fowles tries to say he isn't advacating that we, as readers, follow his advice to change the status quo, it seems at many points that this is exactly what he wants us to do. If the Aristos gains only in doing good, then how can the results be irrelevant?

Still, this is a superb bit of modern continental philosophy that deserves attention from more people than just those interested in what light it sheds on Fowles fiction.

Fowles analyses and gives his very educated opinion on all aspects of life, from religion to sex, from education, to philosophy and politics.

It is a must for all who want to know how the author of "The French Lieutenant's Woman" sees the world.

When I read this at 19 years of age I was thoroughly moved by it. It opened my thinking from teenager to grown-up. Now, 20 years later, I will probably find it naive or pretentious, but the 5 start stars are well deserved it you read this at the right moment in life.

Since the local craft store carries the Arnold Grummer supplies for papermaking, I decided to buy his book - Arnold Grummer's Complete Guide to Easy Papermaking. (Mr. Grummer also has a website.) The instructions in the book are very clearly illustrated by photographs. Many variations in colors and textures are shown. You'll need a frame set and cotton linter both available at the craft store, a blender and paper scraps. Easy to recycle old envelopes or paper (discard the black print which will turn the paper grey). Variations: Colored paper tints the pulp. Add dried flowers and leaves. Emboss wet pulp with brass stencil. Hot tip: When pressing out the excess water from the wet pulp, use a rolling pin!

I love this book. Arnold Grummer is fantastic. This book explains everything you need to know about paper, and making paper, in a very simple way. I especially love the beginning of the book where he gets into the technical aspects of what IS paper and why we can make our own. There are also many full-color samples of handmade paper that I found very inspiring. This book will keep you busy trying all the embellishment and inclusion techniques, too, including botanicals, pin drawing, and coloring. I'll be using this book for a long time, and I recommenend it to everyone.

There's an old adage that says, "Never judge a book by its cover."

That was certainly true for me when I first looked at Arnold Grummer's Complete Guide To Paper Casting. My initial reaction to the cover (& many of the 'projects' was--How 70s can you get?

Fortunately, I followed the adage's advice and read a few chapters. Result? I found a valuable addition to my how-to library.

The authors (Arnold & Mabel Grummer) have created a work which is rich with detail. They offer techniques, tips, history, ideas & more in such an easy to read manner that whatever your interest &/or skill level, you will find yourself casting pulp before you know it.

Saavy enough to recognize that many crafty types want to get started without reading 'War & Peace', the authors provide readers with a quick start-up in Chapter 2. I made my first paper cast within thirty minutes of reading the instructions--(took me twelve minutes to find the blender!)

From that point on, I found myself enjoying (& learning) so much. I picked up a vocabulary without needing to consult a dictionary; began exploring additives & molds & generally having FUN with paper casting in ways I had not considered.

With the current trend in paper crafts/arts, I heartily recommend this book to scrapbookers, altered-bookers & collagists. I also recommend it to anyone who has ever asked 'What If?'

The day I recieved this book I could not put it down, I had to read the entire book! From the start, it is an encouraging and creative book to be used in every aspect of the papermaking process. Unfortunately the only parts I felt were weak would be for paper artists who want a totally acid free paper. His comments on that though, do need to be believed because He is the curator of the Dard Hunter paper museum and a paper chemist. He feels that the best way to make that type of paper is to start with recycled paper that is already acid free. Those artists who create from plants alone may not find enough information to please them,yet many of His techniques can still be applied with their experience to create very artistic paper. Even beginners can tackle the most professional results with this book in hand. I feel even children could achieve surprising results with the processes he shows, step by step, using mostly home supplies. He shows you how to make your own mold and deckle too! The "moon paper" recipe he shows you how to create is worth the price of the book alone! Out of my entire library of paper books, this does stand on its own for the most part and for that reason, I recommend it for all beginner and intermediate artists and every papermaking teacher.Your creative juices will flow with this book!