Games Books

A previous reviewer compares the author's work to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. Considering a usually successful use of self-deprecating and anecdotal humor, I can understand the comparison between the author's style and Bill Bryson's style. The author is undeniably funny. Relying entirely on the author's passion for adventure, the narrative describes a theatrical series of events fit for a screenplay.

However, that is all this book offers and why the comparison to Bill Bryson falls well short of accurate. The strength of Mr. Bryson's writing is the purpose underlying the humor, especially self-recognition through experience. The reader can internalize Mr. Bryson's experiences, see the world from Bryson's vantage and ultimately identify with Mr. Bryson's motivation for writing the book.

Mr. Davis' The Underdog falls short of Mr. Bryson's achievements. Instead of relating to narrative, the reader must watch from the sidelines. In this case the author's strength is also his weakness. How many readers can identify with first hand-experiences of bull-fighting or sumo wrestling? The effect is, essentially, a Hollywood blockbuster in a book. What you see is entertaining, but fails to stimulate any further thought.

Furthermore, and what was most disappointing to me, was the lack of conclusion. I kept waiting for the author's epiphany to explode off the pages and into my conscious, but instead of an explosion I got a series of undeveloped thoughts more analogous to a shotgun at 200 yards than a grand-finale. In the final passage, the author's last chance to tie the whole book together, he opts to wander off on a completely new tangent relating his experiences to the untapped potential of the internet (Did Wired ask you to plug The Long Tail, or was this your idea?). Instead of finishing the book with an appreciation for how this author's struggles to find his purpose in life might assist me in finding mine, I was left with questions:

Was this about the unquenchable American spirit? Or, was it about the changing definition of achievement and success? Alternately, it might have been about appreciating your own family, your talents, your opportunities, etc instead of admiring your neighbor's lawn. Honestly, I don't know.

In essence, The Underdog is a funny one time read, but certainly not deserving of such glowing reviews as it has received here on Amazon.

This author sent me an invitation to be his amazon friend. Hello! All of my reivews are bitter and sarcastic, why would I want to buy your book? Maybe I should you spam about "enlargement" products. How would you like that? The book might be a great story. Frankly, I don't care! I would rather read a book about the mating rituals of worms than me spammed by an author that wants me to buy his book.

From the moment I read the first three pages of the introduction I was hooked. This book speaks of and to the American spirit with humor and wit. Not only did I laugh out loud every time I opened it, but I cried a few times too. It's the kind of book that you read so fast because it is so good, but you don't want to so that it will last longer.

If you are looking for a book that inspires you through narrative and challenges you to go beyond your day-to-day life, or, if you want a hilarious window into the zany life of some "average" Americans, look no further. We are told to follow our dreams in a culture that is not set up to handle it when all of us do. This book is for us an answer to that problem. I look forward to many more insightful books from this talented author.

I think this book was funny and adventurous. My favorite part was the sumo wrestling. I recomend this book to parents and older kids.

A quick read; fun and emotionally transparent. Our little hero graces his way through eccentric adventure after eccentric adventure, all the while proving that even the least talented among us can be champions (or at least, very nearly so). There is a tenderness in this book. In its Quixotic madness, it transports us into worlds of danger, adventure, greatness, and saunas in Finland. A true story of sporadic unshakeable dedication and glorious redemption...and courage. The Underdog clearly underscores the ideal: it's not whether you win or lose, it's how many fat guys you can yank by the g-string. A great read.

The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life

John Ortberg has done it again!It All Goes Back In The Box is an exceptionally entertaining and thought-provoking message that makes the reader RE-think life and whether or not he is focusing on the things that that really matter and have the potential to leave a lasting legacy.

Using the classic game, Monopoly, as a metaphor for life, Ortberg reminds us of the humorously blunt truth, that in fact, it will all be returned to the box. His writing style and wit add real value to the wisdom of his message and provide readers with the right perspective on living...and dying.
Highly recommended as well as the small group DVD and study materials!

I listened to the book on CD and enjoyed it very much. Not too long and very easy to understand. Many real life examples helped with the understanding of this book. I sometimes was repetitive, but did not go overboard. The big picture of "It all goes back in the box" is plain and simple, but it is a must read/listen. It will put your life and the issues you have back in perspective. I think we all need that once in a while.

The title of the book and the first chapter were wonderful. The rest of the book got a little preachy. I was looking for a metaphoric view of the folly of materialistic greed destroying the true wealth of relationships with people and this book didn't do it for me. I think the author started off right by illustrating what his grandmother taught him by example but then got off that track and tried to spell out what it meant to him instead of leading the reader to arrive at the conclusion himself.

First off, I never heard of John Ortberg until I got a spam e-mail from Amazon.com stating this book won the Christian Book of the Year (sorry - I don't recall who gave the award). So based on the highly touted reviews I decided to buy it and read it. From the opening pages, it's clear the Mr. Ortberg is a very gifted storyteller with a terrific sense of humor. The basic synopsis is that in our relatively extremely short lifetime (from an eternal perspective), we need to focus on what's truly important such as our relationship with God, prioritizing people over the trappings of materialism and "worldly" success and maximizing your talents and resources for the Kingdom of God.

All of these truths are for the most part biblical, focusing on many of the moral teachings of Christ. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but about halfway through, he made a statement that bothered me.

On page 136 he wrote, "The Christian gospel comes down to a promise from Jesus that [in the afterlife, there will be] a new world where God will set everything right. One day you will enter it, and so will I."

The problems with this statement include:
1. That isn't what the Gospel is.
2. If he's referring to "where everything is made right" as Heaven, then is he espousing universal salvation for everyone or is assuming everyone reading this book is a Christian?

From that point on, it hit me that he's giving a lot of great tips on what Christian living should be like, but if he really wants to emphasize what matters most, he has to make it crystal clear that we need to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father through the atoning work of Christ on the cross. This can only be attained by placing our faith and trust in Christ as our Lord, and all good works that he emphasizes will do nothing to get us in Heaven.

In fairness to Ortberg, he does tell the readers in several paragraphs near the very end of the book (p. 237) to believe in Christ to receive eternal life. But in my opinion, to tell someone to just "believe" doesn't adequately cover the whole scope of what's demanded. As James wrote, "even the demons believe and shutter". The belief that saves us is putting our faith in Christ and making Him first in our lives and trusting him as our saving mediator before our holy and righteous Heavenly Father and repenting from our sinful lives.

So with all of that being said, I think the book is still a great resource for the Christian who wishes to grow stronger in his sanctification, and as mentioned earlier, it's a very entertaining book. It's also a wealth of great stories for the preachers, especially regarding the topic of stewardship. One major problem in the evangelical movement today is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined as "cheap grace" - embracing the blessings of being saved through Christ, without making any sacrifices for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Again under the rubric of discipleship/sanctification, it's an excellent book, but it could be devastatingly misleading for someone who isn't a Christian regarding what really matters the most: being saved through Christ.

John Ortberg, a well-known California pastor and bestselling author (THE LIFE YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED), knows how to captivate a reading audience, and he does it, page after page, in WHEN THE GAME IS OVER, IT ALL GOES BACK IN THE BOX. Using playing games as a metaphor for life, Ortberg shows how the object of the game is a life "rich toward God" --- growing a healthy soul, enjoying the people around you, doing good work, becoming generous and savoring the moment.

Wise people, writes Ortberg, build their lives around what is eternal. He suggests asking yourself the question, "What in your life is going to last forever, and what is going back in the box?" Spend your time caring for the inner you as well as the outer you. Think about the changes you need to make. Let go of wrong priorities. Quit trying to control that which is out of our control, rather than letting the "Master of the Board" take the helm.

What makes this book so brilliant is not that Ortberg offers a lot of new information. It's that he has a flair for synthesizing this information and organizing his ideas in a way that makes them practical as well as soul-stirring. It's also a joy to read.

Gently, in one section, he calls readers to reassess a preoccupation with "stuff" and concentrate on what is most important. A "richness of being" is always available, Ortberg says. "I can seek at any time, with God's help, to be compassionate, generous, grateful, and joyful...usually it will not mean seeking to accumulate more stuff." As he shows through a moving story about Larry, a church member who is killed in an accident, in the end it's not about our achievements or our wealth. It's about our capacity to love. It's the people, not the stuff, that we need to focus on.

Ortberg also reminds his readers that Christians have to be consistent in acting like Christians instead of labeling themselves as such. "The world gets pretty tired of people who have Christian bumper stickers on their cars, Christian fish signs on their trunks, Christian books on their shelves, Christian stations on their radios, Christian jewelry around their necks, Christian videos for their kids, and Christian magazines on their coffee tables but don't actually have the life of Jesus in their bones or the love of Jesus in their hearts." "Be the kind of player people want to sit next to," he urges, borrowing from a Monopoly analogy.

By turns humorous, painfully vulnerable, poignant and wise, Ortberg weaves biblical, personal and fictional anecdotes together with practical points in a compelling way for the reader. He includes insights from many excellent authors throughout, including Anne Lamott, Lewis Smedes, Susan Howatch, Viktor Frankl, Marjorie Rawlings and Thomas Lynch. Rather than getting in the way, these quotes and excerpts enrich the text.

One of Ortberg's passages that haunts me is this: "We need to ask ourselves what we are doing (or not doing) with our lives now that could lead to deep regret." He urges the practice of "regret prevention" --- assessing the commitments we have made in light of what we don't want to regret. Then, he asks us to consider what we need to rearrange. Don't wait for a crisis --- a child running away, getting fired, having a spouse file for divorce --- to force your hand, he urges. More will never be enough.

Although he uses the game metaphor throughout, Ortberg doesn't force it to get his ideas across. The narrative flows seamlessly. In places, Ortberg writes about spending time with your children, but this book is suitable for readers at any stage of life. My husband and I --- almost empty nesters --- are planning to read and discuss it together. It would be an excellent resource for personal reflection or small group study as well.

This is Ortberg writing at his best. But reader, be warned --- you'll come away changed.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

If you play D&D/D20... you NEED this book. There isn't anything else to say about the matter. Its that easy. This is one of the most comprehensive and helpful books I have come across within this genre... and what's more, its entertaining with great illustrations... you will NOT be disappointed!

This book put a realistic extra dimension into nearly any d20 driven game, especially D&D!

Other systems have had helpful guides for filling out the average town with something other than cardboard cutouts - now finally d20 has as well. While the book is a bit flawed in many of its assumptions about a few experts, overall it provides value for the dollar. Something that you cannot say about many of the d20 books.
For those looking for a better source about townsfolk I would look at Mystic Stations Design C&S material or the various Harn products.

Moreso than anything else I have seen, this book underlines the value of the d20 licensing system, and expands in the most invaluable way upon the rudimentary description of the Expert NPC class in the current Dungeon Master's Guide. A must for serious DMs who want to incorporate interesting Craftsmen, Professionals, Academics, Entertainers, and Scholars into their games--and a good bet for players who want to try their hands at playing such characters.

A great reference for filling out my campaign world. Gives you enough details that you can just grab interesting characters, and the rules and flexability to creat every inhabitant of every town.

This book is amazing - I only wish I had found it a few years ago when I was in school! I want to scream at my metals instructor for not having it as a required textbook, or at least SHOWING it to us!! It's on my Christmas list this year, tho, so better late than never!

This book has information about pretty much any jewelry metalsmithing technique you could want to know about.

It's hard to justify $85 for a jewelry book, but this combines history, technique and art in one book. If you intend to work with jewelry professionally, or are a very serious jewelry student, it's wise to get this book. You won't get the step-by-step techniques, but you'll get enough background technique you'll be able to wing it, usually sucessfully. He covers the international world of jewelry, so it has everything from ethnic tribal to Danish contemporary, and all the stuff inbetween. I sit down with this book periodically to just enjoy the book, and I always find something 'new' I want to try. Many times I use it a reference for finding the basis of a technique, or a particular table that has the info I require. Whatever it is that I need, I can find it in this book. It's worth the $85 and you won't regret the decision.

This one expands on were he stopped with the first book. 19 chapter headings with a multitude of sub headings.

* The Message of Jewelry, why we wear ornaments
* The Means to Creation: working environment, facilities and implements
* Metal, the Jewel's Raw Material: Its origin, quality control and variety
* Basic Techniques: processing sheet metal without deformation
* Sheet Metal: Forming by deformation techniques
* Wire: The uses of drawn or extruded flexible filaments
* Tubing: The use of Fistular Forms
* Surface ornament with out heat: Metal removal techniques
* Surface ornament with heat: Metal fusion techniques
* Fabrication: Building fragments into units
* Casting: Methods of giving form to molten metal
* Natural Materials in Jewelry: Using natures valued nonmetals
* Stones and their setting: Inorganic minerals employed in jewelry
* Metal Finishing: Achieving desired surface appearance
* Metallic Coating Techniques: Changing the base metal's surface appearance
* Metallic Buildup: Electrolytic molecular creation of surface and form
* Coloring Metals: Achieving patinas through heat, chemicals and electrolysis
* Standard weights, Measures and Tables
* Glossaries, Bibliographies, Sources of tools, supplies and services: USA and UK

Around 800 pages of pure golden info, I have read and keep finding new and interesting things since I picked up a copy last year. I find this gift keeps on giving every time I pick it up. He goes into detail that others can only dream about.

This book isn't only for jewelry artists, anybody that is into the metal arts working or a collector. This will give years of educational enjoyment. It is truly an investment grade book of knowledge. I use my copy on a metals arts forum for answers to question from people that are looking for answers that can be counted to be correct.

This book is the jewelry makers bible. I cannot begin to scratch the surface of its value by lising content. It is a gem of a book (pun intended).

Oppi Untracht did the jewelry industry and anyone serious about learning jewelrymaking the right way, a HUGE service by compiling the information in this book and presenting it in clear and easy to understand language. This book must have taken years of research and editing to produce and publish. That, my friends who harp about price, is why this book is so high priced. It is not over-priced, it is aptly priced. Think how much the Oxford English Dictionary costs- [...]
it's just words, why so expensive?!

You could learn a new technique or factoid every day for a year from this book and then start all over again and learn even more.
This book, however, is not for teaching silver or goldsmithing, gem setting, etc. It is not a how-to book at all. It is a reference book, like the ones that the library won't let you check out because they're too valuable.

If you are serious about jewelry making, fine and art jewelry- not hobby craft wire and bead stringing- put this on your wish list. You'll be thrilled if someone sends it to you for a birthday or holiday gift. If nobody will kick for it, save your nickles and find a used one, reclaiming the silver from spent pickle solution and making solder from scratch never goes out of style.

This book was purchased to replace a book lost out of our Mineral & Gem Society library. We have many master gemologists and geologists in the club and each speaks highly of this book. It's full of basics but also provides information for the advanced jeweler. Highly recommneded.

My daughter is 2 years old and had a problem with biting other children while at daycare. We tried "reasoning" with her - but it didn't seem to help. So, we decided to try buying a book hoping that perhaps it might help the situation. She loves this book. Surprisingly, after reading the book to her, she has not had any reported problems of biting anymore. Coincidence? Perhaps. Perhaps not. This book sure is worth trying it for yourself.

Teeth Are Not for Biting (Best Behavior Series)

This is a great book to read to toddlers to teach acceptable and unacceptable behavior. It has colorful pictures and using simple words easy to understand. This book also offers tips and advice at the end for parents and caregivers.

I wish I would have seen this book four months ago when my now 17 month old toddler was in his biting prime. Nevertheless, I still purchased it (his biting had already significantly decreased) and I'm very happy I did. Once in a while his biting will "resurface" and home we go after day care to take a look at his "Teeth Are Not For Biting" book. The words are very simple and catchy, the illustrations are perfectly colorful for a toddler (white and bright teeth being the focus) and he actually gets the hint that "teeth are not for biting"! I highly recommend this book to any parent of a baby/toddler. Good to have, especially before the problem begins.

The best behavior series is tackling children's less than desirable behaviors one by one;preventing kicking, hitting, the sharing of germs, tail pulling, and now, biting. The text highlights the benefits of teeth for activities such as chewing and smiling as well as acknowledging situations where children might want to bite and alternatives to biting. A variety of well-drawn illustrations present a variety of children in multiple environments. The text does not follow a predictable pattern-while some phrases are used repeatedly, the pattern changes a few times over the course of the text, from "Teeth are not for biting" to "Biting hurts" and back again, which may be confusing for the 0-3 year old audience. Parents may appreciate the resources for discouraging biting and assistance with teething available at the end of the book.

My son had a real problem w/ biting, but after reading this book over and over, I really saw a reduction. It's a cute book, great pictures. Def would buy it!

Our family loves these books. We originially came across them at the library and purchased this one to have in our collection. The illustrations are so beautifully done, I would highly recommend purchasing the full-sized hardback books. The smaller paperback book collections just don't seem to be as much fun to read.

When my first born turned one (almost 12 years ago), a friend gave this to her for a birthday present. Over the years, and with the addition of our second child, this book continues to be in our top 3 books. We still pull it out to read -- it's never far away!

I now "pass it forward" and buy it as a gift for baby/young children presents.

This sweet book is one of my four-year-olds favorites, and mine too. I enjoy reading it to her as much as she enjoys hearing it. The illustrations say as much or more than the words. It's a great story for validating the child who loves home and the one who loves to "visit".

I have become a HUGE fan of every Toot and Puddle book available and want to collect them all. I've found they have a wide age appeal, from 2 years on up to....well, I'm 28. Such clever adventures and experiences are depicted in each book and the illustrations could be the artwork in my child's room. In fact, I'd buy the prints if they were available. Great book!

This adventure with Toot and Puddle is one of my all-time favorites. It is an adorable story about two friends, one who loves to travel the world and the other who loves just staying at home in Woodcock Pocket, USA. The postcards that Toot sends Puddle from his world travels are cute and humorous! The illustrations in this book are incredible. This is a book that adults and children alike will enjoy together. I never get tired of reading this one over and over. It is a book my children will keep and pass on to their children!!

The format gets an A+ for me -- compact book with lots of room to write, and the glossy paper erases easily, which is great.

My only quibbles - the difficulty level is not consistent. Some of the moderate puzzles are walkoff easy, and some are really miserably hard. And my other quibble really is a quibble... I miss the symmetric format of the starting squares, which is customary with Sudoku.

So the format gets five stars from me, and the content three, and overall I guess that averages out to four stars!

The book is divided into ability sections. There is plenty of room to write the numbers with white space around the puzzle to make notes. It provides hours of challenge!

There are many ways to find Sudoku puzzles; but, what is unique about this book of puzzles is that it is a spiral notebook. Much easier to open the pages flat to do the puzzles. Other bound books must be held open by one hand while marking with the other. This book lies flat and is much easier to use.

Nice book of sudoku.
It has 4 sections of 100 puzzles.(levels of challenge).
-Light (serious sudokuers will fisnish in one day)
-Moderate (Nice n easy )
-Hard (relaxing)
-Hardest (brain storm)

The book has a very nice spiral design .
Small and easy to carry. Keeps busy when you are commuting to work ..
It took me 3 weeks to finish on an easy pace.
Best Sudoku book I had so far..

There are 400 puzzles inside but 2 of them are same so you actually get to resolve 399.

I have to say this is a great little book. I love the fact that it is spiral bound, plus the high-quality paper it is written on is great for erasures. I recently ordered about five sudoku books from Amazon and this is, by far, my favorite. Love Will's books.

I am so glad to buy a used copy of this book since I lost mine many years ago. This book is so good, I looked it up here just to buy it again. I am rated USCF 1752. Though I am already well versed in fundamental tactics, going over this book again and again is great practice to keep sharp. Any club player should have this book in his/her library!

I couldn't help myself -- I just had to agree with the other reviewers. I learned how to play chess with this book more than 20 years ago and it is still by far my favorite chess book. I played chess in high school and was 1st board for three years all because of this one book. Too bad it is out of print.

Hopefully, someone will reprint it using algebraic notation.

As many previous reviewers have said, this is a very good book. It simplifies the subject matter (tactics) and it definitely helped my chess playing. Most of the examples are just too perfect to be seen very often in real life, but they are therefore very clear and the basic principle behind the tactic is evident (and repeated many times). The book does not in any way discuss how to see ahead 3 moves or how to set the stage for the tactical combination. It is example after example of various tactical themes, but it does a good job. Easy to use.

This was the book that sparked my lifelong love of Chess. It is beautiful and wonderfully written. If you are just starting out in the game, you can do no better than to read this book.

Winning Chess ranks as the finest chess book I have ever encountered in terms of total effectiveness. This book will be indispensable to the beginning chess player looking to enhance skill level on the board and boost overall chess rating.

At the master and GM levels, chess has evolved from tactical play to positional play over the last generation; however, strength in tactical play is typically more than adequate for convincing play at the amateur level, and that is just what Winning Chess delivers.

Prior to reading this book, I played at a 1200 level. Exclusively using the tactical knowledge gained from the material presented in this book I raised my quality of play well into the 1600s. Having vastly enjoyed Chernev's style and his appreciation for the Colle, I followed up by learning this opening and now hover at an 1800 level.

I am not alone among those who credit Winning Chess with substantial improvement in rating. I have had many instances where merely identifying a tactical weaknesses such as an overworked piece led me to a victory; some even pulled out of near certain defeat. Such a concept only encompasses a single chapter in this book, which is an indication of just how much benefit one should anticipate.

As certain as I am this book is vital to beginners, I am also confident this book will offer only little value to any player already at tournament level; perhaps nothing but an enjoyable refresher. However, to the great number of us who are not at this level or are just seeking to find ways to reach this level, Winning Chess will be invaluable. I highly recommend this book above all others for any player yet to reach 1800 in rating.

Just as other reviewers here, I remember this book as an influential part of my youth. My cousin and I would pour over the pages ... either laughing wonderfully at what we had already seen or marveling at what we had missed. As we matured, "what we had missed" always seemed to change. To this day, we can always refer back to the book and laugh. Thank you Remy, for giving me (and sooo many others) an amazing piece of creativity.

Sleep well old snake, we're eternally entertained.

Joseph

I was given this book when I was a child and I still cherish
it today. The pictures and wonderful little rhymes and
verse are as amazing today as they were over 30 yrs. ago.
You cannot go wrong in giving a child a Remy Charlip book.
Enjoy!!!

This was my favorite book as a child. When the library sold the copy I used to read, I was lucky enough to purchase it. It's a delightful combination of illustration and poetry, with the text being part of the artwork.

25 years ago I used to read this book over & over & over to my baby sister. After I had kids of my own we used to talk about how much we loved this book. She has searched for it over the years even though we could only remember clever bits from it. A little while ago she found it! I'm ordering a copy for myself and both my grandchildren. She is the best Aunt in the Universe! Thanks

As a child some 30 years ago I used to borrow this book from the library again and again. In my late teens I thought it would be a kick to look up that most favorite childhood book, only to find it available no more. But now I can buy it! I still remember so many of those goofy, beautifully illustrated mind twisters, but I'm really going to love seeing the ones that time has long hidden from my memory.

This book is a nostalgic treasure that has definitely stood the test of time, I've no doubt it continues to enthrall young people today. And I'm very pleased for Remy Charlip, in finding in these reviews that SO MANY of us remember this book from 20-30 years ago, went out of our way to track it down, and continue to share this book with future generations!

The book is OK. Photos are not all that great (some blurry and out of focus, obviously amature). Most of the dolls are modern and mass produced. I was hoping that there would be more artist creations, one of a kinds, limited editions, and antiques. Instead there are a bunch of plastic/vinyl manufactured dolls with just a few quality pieces sprinkled in. I only recommend this if you collect that style of doll (manufactured/mass-produced).

Loved this book. I am a collector of black dolls for many years. I saw several of my dolls in the book.

I enjoyed looking thru this book to get ideas of the different kinds of dolls to add to my collection. There were a lot of dolls that I didn't know existed untill I read this book.

Debbie Garrett's "The Definitive Guide to Collecting Black Dolls" is a magnificent combination of beauty, knowledge, and cultural celebration! It was wonderful learning about the history of antique and vintage black dolls, as well as the current artists and their creations. This guide provides a fabulous array of delightful pictures denoting the significance of black doll collecting, that is both informative and inspiring!

It is the answer to all Black doll collector's dreams! I have a number of "doll" books and magazines but none of them have ALL color Black doll photos in additon to valuable collecting information such as that found in this book. I must confess that initially, I looked through it four times on the day it arrived. It's fun seeing how many of the pictured dolls I have in my own collection!