Language Arts Books

This is probably one of the most useful books I have for Greek and overall one of the most comprehensive verb guides for any language I'd studied. Spend the money if you want to learn Greek.

Very well laid out, easy to use format. Each verb in all its forms is on a single page. By viewing all the tenses of the verb on one single page, one can begin to feel comfortable with "how" and "why" a verb means what it means. The forms and patterns become visible, predictable and understandable, as do any exceptions. Quite impressive.

It's a very good book! Now is my best friend!!! Everytime that I need some help with Greek, I ask his help.

This is an outstanding reference guide. Easy to use and very helpful with conjugations in all tenses. Definitely recommend for anybody, from the beginner to the advanced student of Modern Greek.

This book is an excellent reference for Modern Greek verbs. This book is not for beginners, but is an excellent reference for the serious student.

I've tried several courses: math, science, history and language. My kids especially love the Sign Language cards! I purchased all three card sets and the CD-software. The photographs are more realistic than drawings which you mostly find in ASL products. Great for younger kids too. My daughter's using them in her Brownie troupe and my three-year-old has picked up on some of the alphabet and numbers already. My older son has some mild learning disabilities and looking at a page in a book with so much information all together makes him nervous. I put one card at a time on a cleared table. It helps him focus and that gives him more confidence. People have been making or using flash cards forever, and I think they always will be no matter how fancy computers and software gets (but the Exambusters software is good too). I've recommended them to others.

When I was in school, flash cards were the best way to learn and I always made my own. The exambusters cards cover many of my daughter's courses and I bought her several. Sometimes we work together and she and her friends study in a group too--making a trivia game. Try the software. The screensaver function is great!! In our house, we love to learn new languages. The program flashes words or phrases and then translation every few seconds. The material goes into your brain by osmosis and the constantly changing cards on the screen keep pulling you back to read more. The software is much easier to figure out than some other brands we've purchased. It's intuitive; you don't need to read a lot of confusing instructions. All in all, good investment.

In junior high, my son got a head start on high school courses and that helped him get better grades. He used both cards and CD. My son liked the software, so he studied more than he would have from a book. Learning is hard work, but the exambusters made him feel like it's not quite so bad. The software is well-laid out, colorful, and user-friendly. The messages they give when they score the tests are amusing.

Helped me to prepare for the exam. I tried taking sample tests in some review books, but ended up turning to the cards first for review, then those sample tests were easier to tackle. The vocabulary section was really helpful. Some of the words I learned came up on the exam, and as a separate bonus my reading comprehension and working vocabulary in general have improved. I've tried to add these "well-educated" words to my every day speech which sometimes annoys my friends but impresses anyone over thirty!

I bought several courses. The cards offer basic concepts in small bites. The information was relevant to what was presented by my teacher. The cards and CD's gave good review before exams and a head start at the start of the new school year. The cards had a lot of questions; you can carry them in your pocket and learn a few each day. The software was easy to use. It is like the cards but on the screen. You can take a test or just review. Front is question, click for answer on back of card. The software can also show the cards on the screen at random, first the question, then the answer. They change every few seconds. That keeps you reading and wondering what's coming up next. It's entertaining while you're studying.

If it is true that our eyes are the "windows" of our souls then human sound is surely the expression of the soul. Stewart Pearce, in his richly readable THE ALCHEMY OF VOICE, guides us to discover our own vocal sound as a force, a doorway to the soul's intention and as our own healing potential. His voice exercises are excellent and clearly described; anyone can access these guided explorations in sound quite easily. Anyone who needs to be fully present in their work or life and who wishes to have vocal clarity, authority and authenticity would benefit from this delightful guide: actors, teachers, parents, civic leaders, executives and of course, healers....anyone and all.

I recommend THE ALCHEMY OF VOICE most enthusiastically.
Jane H. Percy, Dir. Riverlight Wellness Center
www.riverlightcenter.com

MARY AVER SRN, Msc, Intuitive Diagnostician, Healer and Shaman.

"When Stewart Pearce speaks through THE ALCHEMY OF VOICE I become transfixed. He teaches how to be magnetic, through resonance which is carried on waves of pure sound. I have practiced the exercises from this book and I have experienced this resonance, as sound waves cleanse and re-energize my energy field with waves of peaceful light.
I love Chapter 8 - Words are Organic - which reveals that words have enormous power though most of the time we are completely unconscious of how we use them. I have had the privilege of hearing Stewart speak - from his heart - his words in turn entered mine.
Stewart is clearly a Master and I feel that his book is a must at this time as our culture has lost touch with the knowledge that sound is a vehicle for healing."

....the resonance of your heart and the song of your soul." Nobody could have expressed it better than renowned voice coach and personal teacher Stewart Pearce in his book "Alchemy of Voice"! It is a beautiful written account of the author's own spiritual journey to find his " personal key note" and as a consequence his heart's desire. Stewart Pearce became a famous voice coach who teaches not only at London's Globe Theatre but all over the world - wherever people fascinated by his book ask for his support and guidance. The beauty of the book is that it doesn't really matter whether you are an actor, a Top Executive in the corporate world or a politician preparing for the next speech in parliament. We all use our voices to convey our message; either by persuasion, seduction or heart felt passion to convince our audience. Stewart Pearce explains why it is so important that the tone of our voice reflects our inner felt conviction because only then we come across as authentic and are in the end convincing. As long as our mind (ratio) is not fully aligned with our heart (emotion), we will always miss this ultimate goal of eventually becoming our real selves. In addition, Stewart Pearce provides us with some very powerful tools in describing some very simple but highly effective exercises to heighten our awareness and becoming more conscious when using our voice. Whatever your goals is, you could simply use this book and learn the techniques it provides you or start the journey to find IT! The distinctive sound of your own note!

This is a life-changing book, plain and simple.
Stewart Pearce shows us what we didn't know was possible with his clear, thoughtful, easy to read, magical examination of the human voice.
Through Stewart Pearce's spiritual and self-empowering guidance, we learn the force and possibility of our voices to heal, and change lives.
In addition to the spiritual, you will quickly learn the practical: You will learn depth, texture, flexibility, clarity, confidence, and POWER your voice is capable of.
The "voice" will have new meaning after experiencing this book.
This Groundbreaking book deserves the highest recommendation possible.

What an extraordinary and life transforming book. Stewart Pearce has given us both spiritual insight and its practical manifestation in this ground breaking book about the human voice. As an theatre director and acting teacher, I find this book to be invaluable both for actors and for all humans who have a voice. The book empowers us to use our voice as our personal sounder and our healer: to find authority, richness, texture and depth in our own instrument whose range and flexibility are largely mysteries to us. By following the exercises and Stewart's deeper guidance you will fall madly in love with the voice you were born with and want to share it with the world!

(Note: There's a second edition out on CD now.)

I checked out all the accent training materials I could find from the library and I believe this one to be the best. (I looked at the following: American Accent Guide, American Accent Training, Pronounce It Perfectly in English, American English Pronunciation Program, How to Speak English without an Accent, and EasyAccent. I also looked at Well Said, and do not recommend it for self-teaching.)

So you know who this review is coming from: I'm a native speaker of American English and lifelong linguistics enthusiast. I investigated these accent reduction systems at the request of a non-native speaker looking to improve his accent, and I became fascinated with the variety of offerings out there (many of which were woefully incomplete). Although I have not personally used these systems, I hope my analysis as a native speaker will be helpful to some! Perhaps I'll have more to add later when I see it put to use.

Of the materials I looked at, I prefer Lujan's (the item being reviewed) for the following reasons:

1. It is at the top in comprehensiveness. The only other program I found in the self-teaching category that was comparable was Ann Cook's American Accent Training. (Note: I did not look at Donna Hope's American English Pronunciation, which was mentioned by another reviewer--that may be good as well.) All the others described individual sounds (some less helpfully than others), but in the areas of linking, rhythm, and intonation, their coverage ranged from partial to non-existent, and was sometimes misleading.

2. It has the most accurate and complete method of explaining and transcribing rhythm and intonation, in my opinion. As mentioned, none of the other methods but Cook's covered this area extensively, and I believe it to be extremely important. Both Lujan and Cook indicate the great importance of rhythm and intonation in accent, but have devised different methods of explanation and transcription. I felt Lujan's was more complete, and when I read the examples aloud (and listened to the audio), the transcription matched perfectly in all cases. I did not feel quite as comfortable with Cook's in that regard.

3. It does a good job of offering examples of regional speech which the reader might encounter, while letting the reader know they are non-standard. This is arguably valuable, but what I think is particularly important is *not encouraging* the reader to use unnecessary speech patterns. This is one thing I did not like about Cook's presentation and part of the reason I prefer Lujan's. Cook has a section on merging words together and gives examples and exercises along the lines of "pronounce 'did you' as 'didju'." This is definitely not necessary, and as a native speaker, I do not make these links and find them annoying to hear. Anyone reading Cook's book would do well to ignore this section.

My overall recommendation:
Get Lujan's American Accent Guide. If you are really into it and want something else--which wouldn't be necessary, by the way--or you need a pep talk, get Cook's as well. (But don't start saying "didju"!) I probably wouldn't try to reconcile the chapters on intonation from both of those--I'd just stick with Lujan's. If you are not super motivated to go through a comprehensive program, or want some "light listening" on your off days, you might also get Pronounce It Perfectly in English from the library. It is lacking, but not that bad for basic information (though again, I believe the intonation part is a little inconsistent).

Bottom line:
If you're only going to get one book on improving your accent, get the American Accent Guide. It's good stuff.

I have studied through many American English pronunciation guides and programs and own many of the relavant products. I found the following extremely useful:
1. The American Accent Guide (the one being reviewed) by Beverly Lujan, edited by C. J. S. Wallia of U.C. Berkely. This is one of the authorities existed in the market. It is extremely comprehensive and clear. You will learn every essential thing here! Although a bit expensive, worth owning one!!
2. Donna Hope's American English Pronunciation helps you step by step the pronunciation of every English phoneme in an extremely detailed format! The great asset is that it clarifies the similar phonemes in great detail. After you finish the book, you will be able to speak like a native English speaker! (Of course, you must be a diligent learner)
3. Ann Cook's American Accent Training contains 5 good quality CDs. She doesn't teach you how to pronounce every phoneme but does emphasize on the important ones! Extremely clear voice! My favorite!
A linguists should definitely own AT LEAST one of the above!!

The American Accent Guide, 2nd Edition, released in 2004 is an upgraded version of this book and includes CDs instead of audio cassettes. It sells for $99.00.

Be aware that The American Accent Guide, 2nd Edition, released in 2004, is an upgraded version of this book and features CDs instead of cassettes. It sells for $99.00. No need to pay $190.00 for an old, used version.

This guide to american accent is simply amazing. I had previously tried different methods to improve my pronunciation but none of them worked. This book contains the essential information that is needed in order to understand all the facts of the american english pronunciation and intonation. Very simple, very easy to work with. I strongly recommend it!

Linda Joy Myer's book is an invaluable resource for the memoir writer. Tackling memoiries can be daunting and emotionally draining. Where to start? What to include? How to be self-nurturing on a this difficult journey? Linda has the answers.

I am writing a memoir with the guidance of Linda Joy Meyers' book. It is not an easy task to re-live the past, yet I have found that with the inspiration of this book, I am able to move through my story with guidance and support. I am now almost done with the first draft! Thank you Linda for all your insights and help.

Linda Joy Myers writes with the voice of a compassionate teacher. Her stories and her students' made me cry (crying is healing for me); her writing exercises are priceless; the Developmental Questionnaire is "memory provoking" -- all this in one book. Wow!

What I liked most about Dr. Myers' book was her combination of inspirational words and practical exercises. I've read other books on how to write memoirs and not been as impacted as I was by this one. The author concludes each chapter with suggested writing exercises, which is a great way to make the lessons real. It also helped me get past my reluctance to present my truest self on the page. I got what I needed from your book, thank you Linda Joy Myers!

Any writer, in any genre, can benefit from reading Becoming Whole. Dr. Linda Myers has written a wonderfully readable guide to accessing our deep, intuitive wisdom by using exercises that break through writing blocks. Her use of student writing samples demonstrates to all of us that shyness and lack of confidence are not impediments to writing from our authentic self. Dr. Myer's own writing speaks with the authenticity of someone who's been there and who generously offers her hard won wisdom to her fellow travelers in ways that are both practical and healing.
- Neil Fiore, PhD, author of "The Now Habit: Overcoming Procrastination While Enjoying Guilt-Free Play" and
"It's Your Life - Who's In Charge? Your Guide to Inner Peace, Greater Joy & Less Stress"

As a requirement for The Summer Reading Clinc at Miami University, my colleagues and I were required to read "Beyond Tradtional Phonics" by Margaret Moustafa. This book was enlightening, one of the best I have read in a long itme. Throughout my course work to prepare for our reading clinic, I had become familiar with many of the concepts covered in this book, but Moustafa covers these topics : the need for the access to books of the appropriate reading level, the importance of teaching phoincs surrounded in literature and the fact that letter phonemes mean little to children if they are not able to read, in such a matter that I was thrilled to hear it again, and couldn't wait to share the books with fellow teachers at my school. The section of the book that I found to be the most alarming is the fact that so many children have less that .4 books on their appropriate reading level in their homes and that these studetns may attend schools that have less that .5 books per student available. This study contniues to report that in these schools, the students are seldom able to check out books to take home, because of the small number available in the first palce. This just reinforces the importance of have a variey of reading levels in your classroom library. All students need to find books that allow them to experience successful reading episodes. Moustafa's book makes you more aware than ever of the need to provide a wide reange of reading materials in your classroom library. I will work to diversify my book selection this year, and I hope many other classroom teachers will join me.

This book looks beyond our old assumptions about how children learn to read. Moustafa presents research to support the fact that traditional phonics drills do not help children learn letter-sound correspondances. Rather, children naturally use onset and rime to make these correspondances. Children also use onset and rime to figure out unfamiliar words in a text. Moustafa then presents ways to help any reading teacher improve their reading instruction based on this research.

This book is very easy to read. Moustafa uses language we can all understand. She does not try to speak over everyone's heads. Her ideas about the differences between traditional phonics instruction and a more modern approach to phonics instruction reaffirmed my own ideas about the role phonics plays in the teaching of reading. I used to teach in a more traditional way of taking parts and moving toward the whole. Then after inservices and courses I took on teaching reading I began to use a whole-to-part approach. Moustafa cited research that supports this type of approach. She also discusses the importance of giving children reading materials on their levels and providing time for shared reading experiences. In the research she presents, children experienced the most success when they were given time everyday to read and be read to. Reading teachers, especially new reading teachers, should read this book because most undergraduate programs do not provide enough instruction on how to teach children to read.

Margaret Moustafa's book explores the realms of language development beyond that of traditional phonics instruction that has continually plagued our educational systems. As a middle school language arts teacher I was pleased to see an appropriate instructional book written clearly and concisely in a matter that makes sense. Moustafa proves reading to be something we do naturally. Teachers need to teach kids to read in a natural way with authentic and practical language experiences. Moustafa also discusses the importance of a blend and balance of phonics and whole language instruction within the classroom.

On page 56 of her text she says, "If children are pronouncing print but do not understand what they are saying, they are not reading." As an educator, I believe Moustafa's statement summarizes many of the misconceptions children have about good readers. Reading is not just a performance-based activity, but rather more of a means of exploration and a transportation vehicle to knowledge. Moustafa helps teachers and parents understand that children need to see reading as a more natural occurrence that is attainable by all children.

This book is a must for all educators; undergraduates, graduates, veteran teachers, professors, and administrators in the school buildings and out of the school buildings. This book describes the process that children learn how to read-through meaning. Moustafa relates how phonics lessons do not allow children to make a connection with the outside world; reading within context does. Moustafa describes how important the learner's prior knowledge and experiences tie into learning how to read. She explains the difference between reading words and understanding the text being read. There is a difference, and we need to acknowledge that. In order to do this, the appropriate leveled books must be purchased for daily use in the classroom and used as take home books. Teachers need a vast amount of books on different topics and a range of levels.

I learned of Dawn Thurston's life story writing classes through a flyer posted at my local genealogy society. Now, wherever you live, you, too, have access to this superb teacher's encouraging and practical ideas. In Breathe Life into Your Life Story, Dawn gives suggestions of topics to write, where to begin, specific methods to create a scene, how to let your feelings show, and how to write with a focus. She provides examples of effective writing from her students and recommends a reading list of published memoirs.

For me, the Thurston book is a resourceful writing companion and a reminder of the value of putting my life on paper. My mother didn't have a copy of this new book to inspire her to leave us her stories. How I would love to have her recorded memories now. For the holidays, I will send copies of Breathe Life to my sister, her daughters, and at least one cousin. If we don't write our stories, who will?

Writing teacher Dawn Thurston and award-winning ancestral biographer Morris Thurston present Breathe Life Into Your Life Story: How to Write a Story People Will Want to Read, a no-nonsense guide to crafting an engaging autobiography. memoir or personal history. Chapters cover how to write at the gut level and reveal one's feelings, what to do and not do when writing about specific places, connecting the events of one's life to history, using suspense and conflict to draw the reader further in, and much more. A wealth of "learn-by-doing" exercises round out this excellent self-improvement guide highly recommended for would-be biographers, and also packed with valuable tips, trips and techniques for aspiring writers of fields.

I've purchased a few books in the personal history genre as gifts for friends and family. When I decided to start writing my own story, I reviewed what was available and then choose Morris Thurston's book. I'm glad I did. I'm rating this five stars even though I'm less than half way through the book so far. I do this in good conscience because I've already gained far more than I expected from the entire volume.

If taken seriously, Thurston's book is not light reading because he gives assignments that take time. I have found these assignments interesting and beneficial. This is a book one must work through rather than simply read. The benefits received will be directly proportional to the effort expended.

There are a number of products available to help people remember and record their past. While Thurston touches on the subject of recalling memories, his emphasis goes beyond that. He maintains is that it is not enough to recount memories, rehash facts, or preach wisdom. Rather, Thurston says authors will not make an impact unless they hold their readers' interest. And in order to do so, Thurston recommends understanding and employing effective story telling techniques as used by good, professional writers. In doing so, Thurston does not suggest fabricating experiences. He simply encourages and shows authors how to tell their own experiences in an interesting way.

You don't have to be a professional writer to benefit from Thurston's book. I'm no pro, and I have no ambition of sharing my (ordinary) story with anyone other than my descendents. But I didn't want to risk the effort of writing a life history without it having much impact on anyone. So I am taking his recommendations to heart.

I believe Mark Twain once said something like, "Of course, truth is stranger than fiction -- fiction has to make sense." Thurston shows authors how to tell their life stories in a way that makes sense.

Far more than just a resource book, "Breathe Life Into Your Life Story..." is entertaining enough to read in just one sitting, cover to cover. In fact, the first time I read it, I did just that.

But make no mistake about it... you will want to revisit the book several more times, as this book is also packed with a wealth of practical insight. In fact, if my copy of this book were misplaced or stolen, I would definitely have to go buy myself another copy.

This is easily the best book on the subject of memoir writing.

Breathe Life into your Life Story...What a lifeline for writers at all levels and stages, from wannabes to struggling to practicing.

Easy reading, the Thurstons' book is inviting, encouraging and full of
examples from the writing of their classroom students, many since published.

Excellent handbook for writers to master their craft.

J.B.Ferris,
Author, Claiming Our Pioneer Legacy

303 Words

A Book Review by Ethel Louise Clark

Chapter After Chapter
By Heather Sellers
Published in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2007 by Writer's Digest Books, First Edition


Heather Sellers provides us with the necessary tools for writing that novel we've been dreaming about. The book is woven together in three segments. Part one helps you how to prepare yourself for the duration. Part two gives you the perseverance, strength-building and the nitty-gritty of actual writing. Part three moves you to complete that manuscript.

The author shares with her reading audience how her own personal experiences helped her to overcome her writing insecurities and fears.Her information and wisdom are priceless.

Each chapter ends with a skilled writing exercise designed to help the writer break through those dreaded blocks and to sever the procrastination habit. I admit to not having done every single exercise. Detailed and lengthy are not my favorite adjectives.

The clarity and insight the author presents absorbs the reader into moving on to the next chapter with eagerness and passion. Heather Sellers definitely leaves a positive influence on putting pencil to paper and the creativity back into writing. She showed me how to arrange my life so as to write more and be persistent about sticking to it.

It was an easy read for me prompted by the author's previous book titled Page After Page, equally enticing. The author sends a clear message that you can write with an occasional nudge in the right direction.

I recommend Chapter After Chapter to all who want to learn to write and to those who love to write. I keep this wonderful creation next to my laptop for inspiration's sake. It is purely a mentor that I pick up habitually when a question about the creating process arises. I need only one book to guide me....Chapter After Chapter.

This book is not perfect. There are suggestions that I think are ridiculous, like you must read 100 books in your chosen genre before starting to write your own novel. Yes, read the books, but get writing as well. Yet, the point is well taken, if a bit skewed. Yes, you should be well read, in your chosen genre and in others as well, if you want to have an original voice.

This book is not perfect, but there are enough gems, that I want to finish the book and buy her other book as well. It is clear that she is a writer who has spent many nights in the trenches, who loves writing and wants to encourage others to write. She, however, pulls no punches in telling you that you must be well equipped to make the commitment to writing, to make time, and do the work.

This will probably become a classic in its genre.

Chapter After Chapter is a winner. I keep this and Heather Sellers other book Page after Page on my writing desk as a reminder of what the writing process is all about. It was like having a good friend by my side encouraging me to keep at it. Heather breaks down the writing process into doable pieces. Not since Bird by Bird have I read a book on writing that's stimulated my brain intellectually and technically as well as being a pleasure to read.

The best part about "Chapter After Chapter" is that Sellers assures writers that they are not alone, and that great works need time to create. This may not be the book for those who are into the "novel in 30 days" school, but it does offer a perspective that can help bring one up to speed. The book is a winner, a sigh of relief.

Update: I've been re-reading this book until now, months after I first picked up the book. I may sound like a gushing high-schooler, but I can't believe that a book can reassure me the way "Chapter After Chapter" does. I'm almost done with the writing of my next graphic novel, and Heather Sellers' words help keep me going.

I always go back to her impressions about dealing with writer's block, warding off tempting new story ideas and learning more about the craft. When it comes to writing projects, I have a hard time finishing what I start, so her musings about having a relationship with your book are dead-on.

I tried reading this book but I found it to
be too cutesy. She also picks on people
that had a tragic childhood after a famous
writer comes to her class and tells a student
that if she didn't go through bad things as
a child, she couldn't be a writer. I disagreed
with this writer as well as Sellers who then
blames these types of writers for her lack
of success. I really hate it when writers
write books and then make their own writing
experiences as the absolute GOSPEL for other
would-be writers( i.e. not needing an agent to
get published, how much money you can expect to
make, which is different for her than most people
because she wrote a poetry book, etc.)
Although she does give good pointers on how to
overcome writer's block, I found much of the
same information in Victoria Nelson's On Writer's
Block, which she recommends in the back of her
Page after Page book. I found Nelson's information
to be more concise whereas Sellers was more general.

I gave her three stars for effort but if you are
serious about becoming unblocked then read Victoria
Nelson's On Writer's Block.

This is the kind of book I will refer to over and over. It tells you exactly how to write a travel book, while inspiring you to action at the same time. When I say exactly, I mean the book covers literally everything you need to know.
* Creating a concept and finding an audience
* Ideas for different ranges of scope and focus
* Formatting and use of icons
* Developing an angle and a style
* How to research a travel book
* What to include, what to leave out
* Use of photographs, maps, and illustrations
* Different approaches to getting published as a travel writer
* A list of publishers who focus on travel writing

Crafting the Travel Guidebook is nearly 300 pages of solid information. I will keep this book on my shelves, alongside my other essential writing resources.

Award-winning travel author and newspaper columnist Barbara Hudgins has
produced a road map for fledging travel writers in her new book, 'Crafting the Travel Guide Book."
Succinct and savvy in style, HUDGINS' book furnishes the framework for the would-be travel author.
She helps the writer define concept, category and audience, and builds on basic topics such as organization, structure and general format.
Extremely well-organized , this book covers such details as "front matter"(as Hudgins terms them)---namely titles, sub-titles, copyright,
foreward, acknowledgments and table of contents.
The section on "What Goes In and What Stays Out" includes definitions of plagarism, copyright and "second-hand prose, or re-told stories from a wire service or other source.
Clear and concise, Hudgins' book takes the reader on a tour of the byways and highways of travel writing ---and makes it an easy ride.

The previous five, all five star, reviews are dead on. Crafting the Travel Guidebook is an indispensable resource for anyone wishing to or already writing in the ever-expanding, increasingly popular travel guidebook field. Crafting the Travel Guidebook was pure joy to read. It is not the same old outdated information rehashed yet again. The information is detailed yet concise. Norman Goldman's review (either above or below, just find it and read it) gives an excellent breakdown of the book and its benefits to you, the writer. I only want to add that Hudgins, to her great credit, unlike many journalists and authors, really knows what she is talking about in the self-publishing field and the differences between self, vanity, subsidiary, and POD publishing. Many are the unwary authors that did not know the difference and suffered the consequences. If the book has a drawback, it is that the reader will come up with ideas for many new books as they read along. Having a legitimate excuse to research and travel to an exciting new place is some drawback, huh? Bravo, Barbara Hudgins, as C.S. Potter so aptly wrote.

My husband and I have been traveling for over forty years and we keep a journal of the places we have visited, from a cruise through the Panama Canal, renting a villa in Italy with friends, various hiking trips in Europe, and a three week visit to New Zealand, as well as drinking our way through Napa and Sonoma several times.

I've considered combining my journals into a book, but had no idea how to begin. When I discovered Crafting the Travel Guidebook, I knew I had found the tools to make that a reality. Honing in on a concept, figuring out your format and your parameters, finding a voice and constructing chapters that follow one another in a logical way--it makes everything so much easier.

There is also information on the construction of a book, particularly a travel book---from writing the disclaimer on the copyright page to listing what goes into the appendix. I also liked the information on how to approach a publisher and the rundown on the variety of self-publishers and subsidy publishers. All in all, a great buy for anyone who even comtemplates the writing of a travel book.

Crafting the Travel Guidebook had some good information in it, mainly of the inspirational nature. However, it also had a lot of typos, strange formatting, omitted words, and other errors that made it seem unprofessional. Furthermore, some of the advice in the book - such as writing your own [[...] reviews and sending them to friends in other states to post for you, to drive up your ratings - were borderline unethical. Some tips were repeated over and over again, while other areas were very thin on content.

The good stuff included inspiration about famous travel guides who started out small, a good overview of self publishing, and a good overview of the different types of travel guides that you can write. Overall, what was good was great, but the book would have benefited from better editing and more solid content in several key areas. It was definitely worth reading, but I wish I'd borrowed this book from a library instead of buying it new.

Michael Green's 1983 Unicornis is one of those magical books that actually makes you believe.

Presented as a fascimile of an ancient Medieval manuscript, the journal of one Magnalucius, member of a mystical fifteenth century order of philosophers and mystics, the Collegium Gnosticum (College of Knowledge), located near Ravenna, Italy, this book is simply magical.

Green presents it as his translation of the ancient Codex Unicornis, entrusted into his safekeeping by one Frater Iamblicus, a member of the Order. The book consists of the fascimile manuscript pages, done up in very authentic-looking Medieval style, and Green's translation of the Latin text. The illuminations and paintings are spectacular! So cleverly crafted and enchanting is this book that, even though I knew it was fiction, I still kept asking myself, Is it possible this could be for real? I even found myself carefully studying the illuminations and paintings in the book, trying to ascertain whether they were authentically Medieval or not. The book is THAT GOOD.

If you want a truly enchanting book that will make you believe in unicorns you simply MUST locate a copy of this book. Medievalists and lovers of fantasy will delight in this book.

I read this book very many years ago and it is still a treasured possesion in our home. I was a seeker, and I have found the truth and beauty of the unicorn. I believe !

This is a beautifully composed and illustrated manuscript from an obscure monastery in late Medieval Europe, combining "Medieval style mysticism" with "Renaissance style inquiry" to present a work dedicated to the arcane lore of the unicorn. Selected pages of the manuscript are reproduced (with amazing drawings) and the Latin translated. What I liked most was the layout and atmosphere of the drawings and text which makes a few thousand words and dozen pictures into a great book. A great find!

Of all the unicorn books that I've read, this is the book I believed in the most. It leaves the reader with awe and wonder. A great cure for doubt and loss of innocence.

This is a wonderous achievment! De Historia et Veritate Unicornis is a book that really a translated version of a 'book' or just some writing/notes (with drawings) about the Unicorn. I am an avid fantasy reader and this book was a great find! Unfortunately, this is out of print, but if you ever find it, make sure to buy it and enjoy its beauty and let yourself believe!