Beginners Books

Brilliant introduction to the field of political philosophy, first and foremost with a view to the English-speaking liberal tradition. Easy to read, yet this thematically structured book covers the most important topics in depth.

As a Habermasian and Scandinavian social democrat, what Swift presents as leftist views appears to me to be the views of the centre-right. Still, the book's exquisite conceptual rigour (which one would expect from an analytical philosopher) actually helped me sharpening my understanding on liberty/freedom within the Scandinavian model of distribution.

Overall, this book is highly recommended. It presents itself as a beginners guide, but is has a lot to offer to the advanced reader as well. For example, Amartya Sen's name is not mentioned in the chapter on social justice. Yet over a few paragraphs, elegantly interwoven in the general text, Swift explains the basic structure of Sen's so-called "capability approach".

I've been using Adam Swift's Political Philosophy: An Beginner's Guide for Students and Politicians (UK) in my Political Philosophy course this semester, and, having now had several students thank me for assigning it, I should probably recommend it more widely. The book is written at an angle to my course. The course goes through the main ideas of various important contemporary theorists of justice: Rawls, Sen, Nozick, Milton Friedman (ok, he's the odd-one-out, but my view is that nobody should leave college without reading chapters 1,2 and 6 of Capitalism and Freedom, and I abuse my position as a professor to do my bit), Kymlicka, Okin, Fraser, and G.A. Cohen. The book is more conceptual; it consists of chapters on Social Justice, Equality, Freedom, Community and (in the new, second, edition) Democracy, which go through various distinctions and problems in thinking about those concepts, and it only refers to the work of particular philosophers insofar as it is relevant to the problem at hand. The book also includes a lovely discussion of the division of labour between political philosophers on the one hand and political activists and politicians on the other, and offers a semi-sympathetic diagnosis of the reasons that politicians often seem to be such uncareful thinkers about matters of value. It really is a superb piece of writing, accessible to anyone with an interest in these matters, but somehow achieving the accessibility without compromising the complexity of the issues in question.

I usually feel obliged to talk in class a good deal about the books I assign, but I haven't been talking about Swift's book much because it getes everything right (so nothing to argue with) and is written with such precision and transparency that there's nothing to clarify or explain. I do frequently use arguments or ideas from the book when explaining particular positions in the authors we are studying. I had expected some irritation from students for making them read a book that we don't discuss, but, as I say, several of them have (I suppose rather insultingly) thanked me because they find that it is an easy read that illuminates the other readings (more than my lectures do?). Its a great book for anyone who wants to understand better what political philosophers do, especially I would say if you have a background in the social sciences, and the perfect holiday gift for the politically engaged but intellectually serious young person in your life.

This very well written book is a nice introduction to contemporary political philosophy. Swift's approach is a bit unusual. Rather than a traditional historical approach, Swift has selected 5 of the most important themes in modern political philosophy; social justice, liberty, equality, community, and democracy. Swift is mainly concerned with providing readers with the essential intellectual tools to approach these themes. He provides a series of concise descriptions and discussions of contemporary thinking about the themes. Swift's primary goal is not provide a comprehensive analysis of contemporary thinking but rather to present clear definitions of the key questions and fair depictions of the most important approaches to those questions. Swift tries to present the best aspects of different approaches. He is not, however, uncritical. In the spirit of clarity and presenting good examples of careful analysis, he articulates strong criticism of some widespread but erroneous views. Von Hayek, Berlin's influential Two Concepts of Liberty, and Communitarian criticisms of Liberalism get very effective critiques. Each section has a good final section recommending further reading.

Now in a revised and expanded second edition featuring a new chapter specifically about democracy, Political Philosophy: A Beginners' Guide for Students and Politicians by Adam Swift (Fellow in Politics and Sociology, Balliol College) is a highly accessible text for students, lay readers, and novice political philosophers concerning basic political principles that are used to govern society. Chapters describe and discuss philosophical constructs such as social justice, liberty, equality, community, and democracy, and especially dissect common misperceptions and assumptions concerning the denotative meaning of certain principles and labels. Laden with examples designed to prompt the reader to think long and hard concerning what political concepts such as "social justice" truly mean, Political Philosophy is enthusiastically recommended not just for students, but for anyone seeking to prepare themselves to cast a well-informed vote in elections.

If you like books about people that are helpful, nice they solve their own problem, then this book is for you. I picked this book because I like books where people are helpful and they solve their own problems. In the book, Pooh's basket had a hole in it and whenever he put an egg in it, it fell out on him. Then everyone found his eggs. The setting is in the One Hundred Acre Woods. The problem is Pooh's basket had a hole in it. The big idea is being honest. You should buy this book for your little kids to enjoy.

It is about Pooh and his friends are going to be in a egg hunt. But Pooh was a hole in his basket and lost all his eggs.He wanted to win a feast at Rabbit's house. His friends gave him the eggs he dropped. You should read this book it is a great book.

Winnie the Pooh at his best. Rabbit sends Pooh, Tigger, Roo, Kanga and Eeyore on an easter egg hunt. Pooh finds all the eggs, but they fall out of his basket through a hole in the bottom! All of his friends then find the eggs, but at the end they give them back to Pooh because he didn't have any eggs. Pooh ends up sharing the prize for finding the most eggs with his friends who shared their eggs with him. A great tale about true friendship...

POOH'S EASTER EGG HUNT gives the kids a simple story that's easy to follow, with all of their Pooh friends along for the ride. The pictures have lovely bright colors. And the words are really big for young readers. The Step into Reading (this is a step 1 book) series is such a great idea for kids. There's an introduction here explaining the Step into Reading books program. Step 1 is for preschool to grade 1 (approx.). Your child will love having his/her own books, and these make an affordable collection to encourage young readers.

My daughter, now 7 going into 2nd grade, & I have been reading together all her life, but lots since we started going to the library when she was about 2. Poppleton was an early discovery, long before she was learning to read herself. The short tales appealed to her as a preschooler, & now as a young reader. The illustrations are darling, but the character himself is utterly charming. He just makes you smile, sort of like Winnie the Pooh or Ziggy. My only complaint is that there are not enough Poppleton stories! I recommend anything Cynthia Rylant writes - try Little Whistle for example.

It's a great book to read. I think it's a funny book. It is very exciting! My favorite part is when he says, " I sleep 24 different ways." That was funny. It is a good book. It's cool!

Cynthia Rylant's three early-reader series (Henry and Mudge, Mister Putter and Tabby, and Poppleton) are almost uniformly excellent, but Poppleton has always been my particular favorite. They have a slightly off-kilter feeling to them that makes me smile (and my daughter laugh out loud) even on the fifth or sixth time through.

The second and third stories in _Poppleton Everyday_, in which Our Hero shops for a bed and goes sailing with his friend Fillmore the Goat, are superb even by the high standards of the series. Each one takes a perfectly ordinary situation, lets it spiral into absurdity, and then resolves it in the last two pages. Mark Teague--who has one of the most distinctive styles in children's literature--is provides pitch-perfect illustrations to go with it.

This is a series to cherish. If you haven't tried it, do!

Poppleton is the first character in a long time who has had my girls begging to hear him again. Cynthia Rylant's characters have always been enjoyable. The unexpected quirks in Poppleton's personality got a lot of laughs from my girls, and my 12 year old son. This book makes a great read-aloud for many ages. We have never enjoyed being not relaxed so much.

Since you are already seeking books on magic(k), psychic abilities, and the like, then I don't feel the least bit strange about telling you this.

I was in a relationship not too long ago. The thing we both had deeply in common was a love of the occult and magic(k)al studies. We were at a book store shopping for her first ceremonial/Wicca text, and this one (no joke) fell off the bookshelf at our feet. She ended up buying it that day, and I ended up sneaking off with it when I could to practice some of the exercises to enhance my Ceremonial Magic techniques.

This book bridges the gap between Llwelyn's dime-a-dozen Wicca books and the great work (Magnum Opus) of Franz Bardon. In his "Initiation into Hermetics", he spends the first half of the book getting his readers to undergo (more or less) all of the things that Brandy Williams will have you do in this book. The difference is that in Brandy's work, you don't need to have 5-6 hours a day to devote to magical study and mental mastery.

Introspection, meditation, energy, sense mastery and enhancement (individually and collectively), journal keeping, and forming better habits in general are the order of the day for all True Magi. These are the proper stones upon which you build your own temple. If you want to know more about yourself and your role in this world (and others, potentially), you owe it to yourself to buy this book!
Good Luck, and Blessed Be!
:)

exercises to prime you for magickal work. I've been involved with this tpe of work for a very long time and I must say the book doesn't waste time.

Highly Recommended! This is a great book for the beginner and experienced magician, alike. It’s packed full of very useful skills and easy to follow rituals.

It does not go into wide discussions on origins of wicca, it does not go on and on about wicca/witchcraft as religious system and its incorporability into your own religious belief (if different).
It goes on to explain about the way of the witch, giving plenty of exercises and sound advice on posture, meditation, grounding and centering, feeling your centre, energy work, directing energy, seeing the aura, finding your magical voice, magic circle, moon-phases, chakras etc, on to the ritual itself.
No mumbo-jumbo, no religious overtones, no silly songs praising this or that goddess (if i want a book on that, I'm sure there are many available) just sound practical advice for beginners on how to enhance your capabilities and how to use your own skill in making things manifest for you.
The author draws from many sources, from wicca and ceremonial magic, to buddhism and martial arts - actually from most systems which acknowlledge the Energy the witch uses to manifest.
The book is very well organized, goes from basics on to more complicated stuff and does not skip a step.
I wish I had known of this book years ago!
Not a word in this book is wasted.

This book is a good book for young readers. It is an easy reader with a good amount of text. This book will show children that material objects aren't as fun and loving as a good friend who cares about you. This book will change the way you think about how important your friends and family are.

This book is about a rabbit who got a new rug. His rug was the most beutiful rug that he had seen before. So rabbit decided to call up all of his friends to come over to see his new rug. But when they got there he wouldn't let anyone step on it so they had to stand against the wall. Everyone got tired of standing so they all left. So then for days rabbit would just stay at home and clean his rug. Soon rabbit realized that a rug isn't a friend and found out that he wasn't having any fun at all. So he decided to have a party with all of his friends.

Rabbit's New Rug by Judy Delton has lots of bright colors, and makes the book more appealing to children. With some words that the children might not know, it will make a great learning tool if parents read along with their children. Rabbit, an inhabitant of a forest, has just gotten a flower rug for his house. Rabbit is proud of his new rug, and invites his friends Fox and Owl to come and take a look at it. When they come over, Rabbit does not want his friends to step on his rug, or enjoy his gifts his friends had brought him in celebration. Later, another friend, Raccoon, comes and joins them and he loves Rabbit's new rug. The friends do not have that much fun admiring it, and so they leave. In a week, after Rabbit becomes bored and lonely, he invites his friends to a party on his new rug. Then they have the time of their lives. Morale of the story: Value friendship over nice things.

A cute story, bright pictures, and a great morale at the end, Rabbit's New Rug is a fabulous addition to a child's books.

I really do love this book and my childern loved it, it was one of their favorite books a naptime. It has brite colors, has a good moral ending and is very well illustrated. It was used so much the binding is coming off.
I am looking to buy 3 more books so that i can give them to my grandchildern.
This is GREAT book.

This book is a good book for young readers. It is an easy reader with a good amount of text. This book will show children that material objects aren't as fun and loving as a good friend who cares about you. This book will change the way you think about how important your friends and family are.

This book is about a rabbit who got a new rug. His rug was the most beutiful rug that he had seen before. So rabbit decided to call up all of his friends to come over to see his new rug. But when they got there he wouldn't let anyone step on it so they had to stand against the wall. Everyone got tired of standing so they all left. So then for days rabbit would just stay at home and clean his rug. Soon rabbit realized that a rug isn't a friend and found out that he wasn't having any fun at all. So he decided to have a party with all of his friends.

My younger daughter is now 11 years old, so the nightly bedtime stories that I read to her for years are mostly a thing of the past, but not completely. Sometimes I'll stumble upon a children's book that is especially noteworthy, both for the story content and the illustrations, and "Rembrandt's Hat" is definitely one of those. Rembrandt himself is a sweet and unassuming bear, with gentle eyes. Losing his hat, and struggling find the right replacement, is a simple predicament that we can all relate to. His quirky animal friends all offer sincere and humorously inadequte suggestions, until Rembrandt himself solves the dilemma. Blackaby's dialogue is smart, and DePalma's illustrations will have you chuckling. We especially got a kick out of the way DePalma included little fragments of words, maps and even Chinese kanji characters on every page, with no obvious rhyme or reason behind them. "Rembrandt's Hat" is a delightful read for kids and parents alike. We give it an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

I bought 2 copies of this book and took one to my grandchildren in Virginia. 6 yr. old Charlotte listened to me read it and on each page asked me which hat I liked best. Two weeks later SHE read it to ME, needing help with only a few words.....again we chose which had we liked best on each page. Suzie is a very talented writer with a wonderful sense of humor! Children (and grandmothers) will live this!
Charleen

Rembrandt's Hat captures both young and mature readers. My 12 year old related Rembrandt's search for his comfortable favorite hat to his search for identity. My three year old just loved the hats - she's always losing her favorite things, so the topic tickled her.
I myself loved the book (occasionally bolting from my comfy chair, yelling "cramp!") for Blackaby's witty prose. Blackaby's gentle sentences convey a world of hidden meanings.
I recommend this book for all ages. Rembrandt's Hat is a classic to keep on your shelf for many coming generations.

"On what began as a fine day, a bear named Rembrandt lost his hat. He had stopped in the park to watch a clown juggle eggs, and while he was watching, a gust of wind snagged the tip of his hat and carried it away, just like that..." A good day turned suddenly bad, and even with the help of a well-meaning bird, cat, and rabbit, poor Rembrandt can't find the right replacement for his much loved and prized possession..... Susan Blackaby and Mary Newell DePalma have authored a simple, little magical tale, full of endearing characters and hats of every shape, size, and color. Ms Blackaby's gentle text, with its humorous dialogue, poses the problem. But it's Ms DePalma's vibrant and engaging illustrations that really tell the story and steal the show, and little ones will enjoy all the marvelous, expressive details found in each picture. With its satisfying, happily-ever-after ending, Rembrandt's Hat is perfect for youngsters 4-8, and a sweet lesson in patience and perseverance that shouldn't be missed

This book is very dry, but a necessary evil for a course I am taking. If they condensed the content down to the key elements and the charts, you could get by with about 1/2 the total page length.

thanks! the book was sold to me at a very reasonable price, unlike the stores around my college campus.

Quick shipping and a great price! What more could you ask for?!?!

Am in the middle of a research project and am still trying to sort out all the how-to's of organizing the information. Got this out of my school library and know I will use it again and again as I continue through the process. So I just had to have it, even on a students spare budget. Definitely a keeper. The format of the book is approachable and the information is immediately useful.

This book stopped me from avoiding my PhD supervisor by the end of my first year. A guided text starting at the front end of a research project and moving gently through each stage - using simple language. As the title states this book, is a step-by step guide. For those of us starting on the road to research - even if it's a short lived journey to completing honours, masters or a PhD project - this book will be used and is worth the fee. A great step by step book for beginning researchers.

This Is an awesome book that will make childrens imagination's run wild Soulai is a dynamic character that shows a lot of growth! This book definitely deserves 5 stars! I hope that all young readers read and cherish this timeless novel!

this is an exellent book because it was exiting and teaches you about hard times and trew friendship

It was nice to find a historical fiction book that has a boy as its central character. The adventures and intrigue Soulai finds himself a part of will keep the interest of almost all children. Girls will enjoy the horses in the story, especially the stallion, Ti. A word of caution to parents, there are references to the birth of the prince (coneceived, lain with) that may generate questions. Also, the stable master uses colorful language in addressing the stable slaves. All in all, though, a good book. I would recommend this.

Follow the story of Souli as he is sold into slavery to repay the debts of his father. Souli is not very brave, which is why he was sold. I liked this book a lot, it was intruiging and interesting to learn about ancient Assyria. I did not like it as much as the author's first book, "I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade" but it was still very good. The ending left opening for many possibilities to thrill the imagination, but it was satisfying somehow, you'd have to read it to understand. Definetly worth the read, is "To Ride the God's Own Stallion".

I remember reading this book when I was in second and third grade. I checked it out from our school library a million times and would read it over and over again. One thing that I loved about it so much was that I thought that it was a "chapter book" and I felt so grown up for reading it. Great stories are in it; I still remember them 9 years later. The doll, the haircut, the baseball game, and when Elisa was hiding underneath the table during her parent's dinner party. It's a book that is written so that even a second grader can read it on their own, with maybe a little bit of help. Also easy to understand, yet interesting and challenging at the same time. I definitely would recommend this book. (Infact, I now want to buy it because I loved it so much as a child.)

I remember reading this book when I was in second and third grade. I checked it out from our school library a million times and would read it over and over again. One thing that I loved about it so much was that I thought that it was a "chapter book" and I felt so grown up for reading it. Great stories are in it; I still remember them 9 years later. The doll, the haircut, the baseball game, and when Elisa was hiding underneath the table during her parent's dinner party. It's a book that is written so that even a second grader can read it on their own, with maybe a little bit of help. Also easy to understand, yet interesting and challenging at the same time. I definitely would recommend this book. (Infact, I now want to buy it because I loved it so much as a child.)

I remember reading this book when I was in second and third grade. I checked it out from our school library a million times and would read it over and over again. One thing that I loved about it so much was that I thought that it was a "chapter book" and I felt so grown up for reading it. Great stories are in it; I still remember them 9 years later. The doll, the haircut, the baseball game, and when Elisa was hiding underneath the table during her parent's dinner party. It's a book that is written so that even a second grader can read it on their own, with maybe a little bit of help. Also easy to understand, yet interesting and challenging at the same time. I definitely would recommend this book. (Infact, I now want to buy it because I loved it so much as a child.)

Another in a 'series' of Russell Books. My 5 year old begged me to read more. It is a family story centered around a seven year old boy with a three year old sister. This book brings out interesting subjects such as sleep-overs, cutting hair and attending a first baseball game. A young child will endjoy having it read to them - good discussion for parents. This is a humorous, family book that will be of interest to students from K through the 4th grade, as well as parents.

This is a wonderful story, I have read it to all my grandchildren, as young as 3 years old and they understand the meaning. They request it over and over, especially the 3 yr old, (the version I read to them is from a book of Oscar Wilde short stories, with no pictures, and they still love it)

After reading this book to my 5 year old dozens of times it is still one of her favorites. The illustrations by Bill Bell captivate her as much as the story. An amazingly clear and moral story. I would recommend this book be on every child's book shelf. This one is a life long keeper!

This favorite story, by Oscar Wilde, has been expertly redone in Mr. Bell's unique style. Full of color and vivid imagery this book will become a favorite in every home. Bill Bell has the ability to capture a moment in brilliant color and this book is no exception. A great collectable for fans of Mr. Bell's art and for readers of classic literature.

Good story, good illustrations, no PC mumbo jumbo.