Education Books

This is a flawed book. There are serious language problems (idiomatic, grammatical, syntactic) owing to the fact that the author is a Russian emigre of the 1980s. It could have benefitted greatly by the critical eye of a caring editor. Genrich Krasko's still-powerful book is self-published (iUniverse), probably because of those flaws; although the author's contention -- that his message is too controversial for mainstream publishers -- is defensible in this maninstream media environment of escapist distractions.

Krasko contends that American culture suffers from enormous ennui, meaninglessness, and, ultimately, boredom. He invokes the name and the works of Victor Frankl, the German psychiatrist and concentration camp survivor (and author of, among other works, "Man's Search for Meaning") in blaming America's complacency, its desire for sensory self-gratification, its materialism, and its decadence on its success. It is our very prosperity, and the victory of our economic system over communism that has made us lazy and bored. We struggle with nothing.

I do have some disagreements with Krasko. He's way too aggressive in his indictment of rock and roll. Stylistic modes evolve in the arts and they always will. Music will always be music. His view of education is too close to the Bloom/Hirsch mold for my comfort.

But overall, this book is a much-needed warning, a well-placed mirror on contemporary, materialist, consumer culture, a culture insulated from the harsh realities of life, and a call to action to reject "the path of least resistance" and to find meaning once again in the challenges that REAL life offers us.

This Unbearable Boredom of Being: A Crisis of Meaning in America

I have had the privilege to read this very fine book and to hear the author speak on the desperate situation in which our young find themselves. The situation is an existential crisis. It is characterized by all or some of the following elements: ennui, a restlessness of soul, a loss of hope, impatience with books, and addiction to drugs or video games, and aversion to spending easy conversational or recreational time with family or friends.

The overall sickness is caused by a failure of vision, our failure to insist on the primacy of meaning in our lives -- a failure to identify our fulfillment in those things grounded in the real of absolute values. What benefit can we derive from a new x-box or game cube or big TV if we have lost our hold on the meaning of our lives? These material things cannot satisfy our need to be grounded in a meaningful cosmos. Indeed they more typically tend to prevent us from discovering the meaning of our lives. Our educational system has failed utterly to protect us from this illness because it has rejected meaning.

My own son who is on a 5 month service project with the sisters of charity in Calcutta India writes the following : "What I do know is that I have been happier in Calcutta, without good food, a nice bed or anything I am used to, than ever before in my life. I do not recommend, nor do I plan to permanently dispense with physical goods, but a detachment from them seems to be the secret of the happiness which is so evident here. ... The wealthy need the poor to teach them how to love and to remind them that it is life and not wealth that gives each person value."

Krasko has not written a religious book primarily. It is rather sociological, full of statistics and stories of applications of failed theories that do violence to the souls of our children. Though the author and I come from different religious traditions, this does not detract from my appreciation for his thought. We are first men, then believers. The commonality of our human experience is grounded in human nature. Our will to meaning is more central to human experience than is is our will to food! We would do well to read and re-read -- as we have done with Frankl's work, Man's Search for Meaning.

In this book, "This Unbearable Boredom of Being," Dr. Genrich Krasko gives us a fresh look at both the dangers and possibilities residing in America's culture and its educational system. Dr. Krasko brings not only the perspective of an independent mind and fresh eyes but that of a man who is widely read in many areas in the humanities as well as in diverse areas of human endeavor and thought. With his practical and creative mind, Dr. Krasko probes beneath the surface of our current crises and offers practical solutions. This book addresses issues ranging from sex to science, from drugs to politics, and the paradox of empty lives in a land of material plenty and spiritual poverty. Dr. Krasko gives us not only WAKE UP call but also a WAY OUT path.

Genrich Krasko, a physicist by education, is a keen student of the works of the late Dr Viktor Frankl. It is this unique combination of the critically objective orientation of a natural scientist and the deeply personal quest to find meaning in life that is brought to bear on the writing of this rather unusual and highly thought-provoking book by the author.

The author is clearly an ardent believer that as human beings, we are endowed with a freedom to find and realize life's meaning contained in the tasks, responsibilities and challenges we are faced with throughout our lives. Our response in performing these tasks, embracing these responsibilities and heroically meeting life's challenges, gives shape to our commission and calling as human beings and allows us to give our lives stature and meaning. The unique slant of this book is that these truths are considered not only within an individual life context but also within the broader framework of American society. The author espouses the belief that the call to lead a highly accountable life not only addresses every individual person but also every nation and, in this case, the American people. How does American society shape in the light of these demands for meaningful living and how, particularly, does it give an account concerning the education of its young?

Genrich Krasko was born and educated in Russia, and this book is particularly interesting because it is an expression of an immigrant's personal experiences in his adopted homeland. The adjustment to his new home with the personal responsibility of raising a family and caring for a grandchild in a society earmarked by freedom and affluence, challenged his scientific mind and brought many sharp insights to bear on the nature of American society with a vivid realization of the unique challenges it faces. The author's basic contention is that freedom without the challenge of responsibility and the realization of values that transcend the immediate, here and now luxuries and pleasures can only end in the senseless void which Frankl described as an existential vacuum. The happiness secured through instant gratification is short-lived and empty of any real life content. Drug abuse, addiction, lawless and violent, decadent and indulgent behavior are all efforts to relieve what is, as the author illustrates, an unbearable boredom of being.

The book will appeal to anyone interested in understanding the existential challenges facing affluent society, and will be of particular interest to the American reader.

The decline of true education has created a crisis that has infected society. Many people, especially young people, are truly bored and have no compelling meaning in their lives.

The reasons for the decline include: the emphasis on training rather than on education; the concern with giving students a positive self-image; the attack on the existence of truth by cultural relativists, and a growing anti-intellectualism. All conspire to produce students that do not care deeply about anything, so they are bored. The search for meaning is replaced by the pursuit of pleasure.

Krasko has analyzed this phenomenon in a variety of contexts ranging from drug use to entertainment; from the failure of the grade schools to the relation between the sexes. Through it all, he stresses the difference between "training", and humanistic education. The former prepares students for a job; only the latter can provide students with a basis for finding meaning in their lives.

Krasko's most important intellectual forebear is Viktor Frankl, who added the desire for meaning to the desire for sex and power in traditional psychoanalysis. Frankl's thesis is one of those basic truths that are obvious once stated and Krasko points out that ignoring this is at the heart of the current crisis in education and in society

This is a deep and thought-provoking book, yet so well organized and presented that it is eminently readable. It is full of compelling ideas and practical suggestions for reform. Once started, it is hard to put down and readers will find themselves going back to it repeatedly as they consider the consequences of Krasko's thought.

Parents, teachers, school boards, curriculum committees and academic administrators should all read this book. They will be richly rewarded.

I got this book in the mail, opened it up and read until it was done. I kept turning page after page nodding and smiling at the wonderful insights and the delightful candor with which Michele offers her thoughts on the most important job in the world. Each sentence is a gem, rich with wisdom and flavored with humor and compassion. I was so excited to give it to my nieces, who are both young mothers, but I will keep a copy on hand for when my adult daughters have their children, (in several years that is), because Michele's words touch the heart of what mothering, marriage and love are all about.

I got this book in the mail, opened it up and read until it was done. I kept turning page after page nodding and smiling at the wonderful insights and the delightful candor with which Michele offers her thoughts on the most important job in the world. Each sentence is a gem, rich with wisdom and flavored with humor and compassion. I was so excited to give it to my nieces, who are both young mothers, but I will keep a copy on hand for when my adult daughters have their children, (in several years that is), because Michele's words touch the heart of what mothering, marriage and love are all about.

I've had the privilege of knowing Michele since BEFORE children. Her passion in life to do THE BEST she can with whatever comes her way permeates throughout this delectable book. Humor.....YES! Practical.....YES! Easy?.....Well, that's up to us. I wish I'd had all these tips when my children were young. But, even as a Grandmother I am inspired. I recommend this book to both young mothers and grandmothers desiring to do THE BEST we can!

We live in a day and age where mothers are increasingly isolated. Unfortunately, there isn't the mentorship and cross-generational encouragement that happened years ago. Today, women are left to figure out parenting on their own. I find myself hearing Michele's words of wisdom speak to me throughout the day as I parent my four boys. I feel the guidance of her years of experience, the correction I need at times, the encouragement to keep moving along, and the humor of the moment. Thank you Michele, for your keen insights into the world of motherhood, they are a heartfelt inspiration to us all!

-Tara Leo, mother of four boys under age 6, two biological and two adopted from Ethiopia.

We live in a day and age where mothers are increasingly isolated. Unfortunately, there isn't the mentorship and cross-generational encouragement that happened years ago. Today, women are left to figure out parenting on their own. I find myself hearing Michele's words of wisdom speak to me throughout the day as I parent my four boys. I feel the guidance of her years of experience, the correction I need at times, the encouragement to keep moving along, and the humor of the moment. Thank you Michele, for your keen insights into the world of motherhood, they are a heartfelt inspiration to us all!

-Tara Leo, mother of four boys under age 6, two biological and two adopted from Ethiopia.

I really found this book totally real. I lived in the Gaza. I have seen what it is like to live like the character in the book. I have seen houses destroyed just because the owners are Palestinians instead of Israelis. I've seen my mother bury her brother during the last Intafada. This is a wake up call to see injustice as it is. This story is so beautiful that everybody should buy a copy for themselves and then a friend. There is more truth here than the Bible. Check it out. If you don't, then you are really missing out on something, especially the truth. The world needs to get real with the people who are doing time there. The world needs to see what it looks like to be homeless, hungry and scared. I don't have a father. The war took him first and then our home away. This is a fabulous book! It is worth five million words. Forget about Opray's bookclub, join mine. This is real stuff. This is how people live and why they die! Check it out!

I have two uncles buried in Gaza. I have an aunt that cannot go back to where she was born. My family owns land that they need a visa to even visit. It this a made up story? No way! Is the character fiction? You have to be kidding! Do people really live this way? Of course, turn on the television. Its on Al-Jazeera all day! Get the book and feel what's real. See what Americans choose not to believe. See why Palestinians use bombs as painkillers! It doesn't feel good but it makes it all over. This is a great book, so where is the Pulitzer prize? This book is all about what is real. It you are a Palestinian then it is your story and you need to buy it. If you are an Arab, check out the lives of your people. If you are a human, read it and weep! It's the way it is and the way that has to change.

This book represents many ideas and feelings beyond previously ones expressed. Suicide bombing is an old story but one gains a new perspective with this beautifully written fiction. Once you understand the nature of a man's pain, hatred is lessen and compassion becomes rooted.
The Palestinians are truly a misunderstood people. It is an extremely sad affair.

I love fiction and this is a really good one, but it is so sad. I like fairy tale endings and you are not going to find one here. The main character blows herself up in a crowded theater. There is more realness here than fantasy. This is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. Once I began to read the book I realized that it was the story of a real life. I enjoyed it writing and I was touched. It took a lot of tissue but I got the point the author was trying to make. I don't ever think I will forget such a moving story and I will probably read it again. It is a keeper and one of those lessons you look for in a good movie. The girl in the story was so human, I could almost see her while she walked along her destructive path. Add it to your summer reading list. It is pretty deep.

So many books on the tragic situation in the Middle East speak of the issues without delving into the heart of the human beings there. This work is moving and opens the heart to the soul of the Palestinians and their very disappointing situation. This story is about a tragedy of the heart. I strongly suggest that this story be taken beyond the mind. I hardly consider it a fiction when the feelings are so real. Bravo!

I teach an ESL class to immigrants and use this book constantly. My students like this book becuz of the pictures, conversation ideas at the bottom and translations in several languages. I've had to order books (in Spanish, Chinese, Korean) for my students who want their own copies. We love this book!

I'm very lucky to find this book, because it will helps me to learn English. But I think it's good also for everybody because the book teach us the correct name of the things that we need day by day.
It's my second by at Amazon and I'm very happy
Cordially,
Luzia

This is the kind of dictionary I needed. When you want to know how to say a concrete concept you will understand better if you use this picture dictionary.

Please review the book I ordered its call word by word picture dictionary, second edition

I was lucky enough to be in a situation where my adult ESL classroom had enough in-classroom copies for all students to use during classtime. I used this almost everyday. It's a fantastic way to teach new vocabulary, especially when you combine its use with other teaching tools, such as acting out motions. I often had my students use the books to quiz each other. This is a good resource, and if you can get enough copies for everyone in your class to share, DO IT!

Hello everyone ! I bought this book cause I need it !
Not only for a better understanding of max tools but for the entire process of making of a good 3d movie animation !
Well,this book acomplish its purpose !The book pass through every stages of this process !Congratulations for the author and for his clarity expositions !

I just received my copy, this is not much of a review but I have a question, i will update this as soon as i have my review.
My question: is it normal that the book comes with 2 cd-roms? And why are on the 2 cd-roms the same data?

This is a great book on completing a project, it helps in every respect, lots of tutorials, references, information, examples etc....
One thing is not mentioned, to complete these projects, you will need more then 3DS Max 6, you will need to have Adobe PREMIER to make/edit the movie, for special effects & more, you will need COMBUSTION 3, even though it is not necessary but it will be essential for a complete animation, you will need to have a sound editing software like Cakewalk's SONIC or something similar and of course Adobe Photoshop.
I am very happy with the book, and have already started planning & sketching a storyboard plus modeling the environment I will use, my characters are almost ready, but because of this fantastic book, I didn't know about the sound editing and the movie editing outside of 3DS Max requiered to finish a movie, now with this book I will complete my animation project.

This book is a very good surprise. It's very complete, well explained, very clear.

That book contains exacly what is said on the cover.. So no deception possible! (An exemple that Sanford Kennedy shoud follow because his book about 3ds max 5 is terrible, a total desaster.)

So this is the book to buy! Thank you Mr Barret Fox.

He shows how he developed, boarded, modeled, textured, rigged & animated the 3 figures shown on the cover. He doesn't wander off on side issues, nor does he gloss over the tricky parts. The book comes with a CD of usable models and scenes so you can see what and how he did it.


One word of warning is the author assumes the reader is advanced on the subject - don't get this book if you need a basic how-to animate with computer book.

This is a terrific resource and one that I have been using all year in my classroom. We have begun using this book as a book study for a Professional Learning Community at our school for those teaching K-3. My Grade One class has never loved writing more and their enthusiasm for writing has been tremendous.

This book will definitely aid in developing your 6 + 1 writing classroom. It is filled with classroom ideas and great picture books to use to enhance each lesson.

This is a fantastic tool for lower elementary teachers. This is how writing should be assessed. This book is a practical tool. It includes practice assessments and lots of student example papers to help you better understand each trait and how to evaluate it. It also includes many wonderful teaching ideas and picture book examples!

I agree with the positive reviews. The concepts and lessons are great. However, this book must be "all the rage" because when I went online to purchase the trade book from the first lesson plan, I could not find it for less than $50! Of course, you can substitute in your own book selections, but if you want to rely on the lessons as written you MAY not be able to find every book. [...]

We asked. We pleaded. We begged, "Pretty pleeease." Ruth Culham responded to our request with great enthusiasm with 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades. And teachers across the globe cheered, "Wahoo!" Finally, a resource book for primary educators who have been searching for child tested ideas that tackle instructional strategies and assessment techniques in one comprehensive book. Thank you, Ruth, for doing a wonderful job of explaining each trait, equipping us with developmentally appropriate focus lessons, and reminding us that teaching writing to young authors is a process in which they need plenty of practice and opportunities, and an extra helping of patience on our part doesn't hurt. This must have book for all teachers - novice and experienced alike - won't be another resource that is shelved after a quick glance. It will be close at hand as it is used throughout the year to help develop the talents of young writers.

I have been in real estate since 1979 and after reading this book I have found from the interviews new ideas and ways how I can do things differently in my own business. It stimulated my thinking reading about the success many of the professionals that were intereviewed. I truly believe that this book should be given to every new licensed agent to read and find out from the success of others how they can also be successful. We forget that new licensees need a road map about how to do their own business and they need to see from examples what it takes to make it.

I want to thank the writer, Dr. Margot Weinstein for taking the time to interview these seasoned and successful professionals and giving me new ideas how to do things differently. It is an inspirational book and easy to read. It is a great guide for all real estate brokers to teach their new agents on their team or in their office how to do business in real estate.

I only wish I had this book when I was starting out in real estate but even now, I share it with others and I'm proud to have met the author Dr. Margot Weinstein. I have also been at a conference where she has interviewed the FIABCI World President, Owen Gwyn. Dr. Margot Weinstein is a success in her own life and she is now sharing it through writing about other successful people. Thank you and a Great Job! Sincerely, Dagmar C. Sands
Broker/Owner of Real Estate International, Inc.
President of Heart Smart Properties, LLC
CIPS,FIPC,FIREC,ABR
www.DagmarSands.com
www.WorldClassRealEstateBroker.com
www.HeartSmartProperties.com

Margot Weinstein succeeded in extracting a number of important career development competencies from practice. This book is not theoretical in nature, which makes it very accessible. It takes real life situations and problems as examples and builds on these in order to define and enhance career success. A good read for anyone interested in expanding their own career potential.

Dr. Weinstein uses her talents as an introspective interviewer to offer a roadmap to successful career development. As a doctoral student, I have used this book to carve out my own niche in my industry of choice and have recommended it to several people who are considering a career change or are just getting started.

I consider this required reading for anyone that is still searching for that perfect life balance.

One thing this book did for me was to push me past the fear of how hard it may be to be successful. As I went from chapter to tchapter and did the exercises, there were times I wanted to put the book down, veg out in front of the television and try to creep back into the phoney satisfaction of having a job that just gets me by financially. But I knew I craved something bigger and more lucrative that I could pour myself into.

As I journeyed through Dr. Margot's book, I began to discover more about myself, my passions and a career I needed to pursue. I became motivated to organize my life and set aside time to contemplate my career change. I chose a different form of education because I realized the path I was on was not one I was passionate about.

I'm still on this journey, but I am definitely more equipped to make choices that are better suited to my personality and dreams because of reading this book.

Simply The Best
Thank You, Margot for writing this book. In these changing times with all the downsizing, mergers and job losses, your book truly gives an individual a roadmap for finding that perfect career in these uncertain times.

This book provides me with many leadership building activities to use in my classes at school. The various activities teach communication skills and goal setting,along with games that encourage making good and healthy choices. Marvelous resource for sponsors and teachers who emphasize being good role models!

I am a teacher in an alternative high school and was fortunate enough to meet Tom Jackson in person at a conference just a few weeks ago. He did many of his "lessons" with us and they were fabulous. I went and bought all of his books and now can't wait for the school year to start so I can use his lessons on my students!

Activities that teach has worked very well for us. We use the activities in our 4-H Club. Members age range is between 9 and 18. This book has provided activities that promote thought and sportsmanship. The members have enjoyed working through the activities.

This book is awesome for teachers!! I am a Home Ec. teacher for Middle School and I use at least one of these activities per day! It's great for all grades and can be simplified if needed.

I use this book teaching Health to grades 6-8. It contains a variety of activities that are great supplements to units for social isssues, decision making, alcohol, smoking, drugs & more. Most of the hands on activities involve every student in the class, so they really remember the message!. Discussion questions are listed after each lesson. I started using this book by borrowing it from another teacher, now I've got my own copy.

This is an outstanding book. What I appreciate most about it is its thoughtfulness. Where other books present statistics and give only brief attention to very important topics, this book presents a fair, smart, and thorough account of the World of Admissions and encourages you to sit down and think about things, guiding you along each step of the process.

"Admission Matters" attracted me for a number of reasons--the background, experience and knowledge of the authors is compelling, but moreover I chose this book because as the parent of three with two already in college and the third an applicant now, I was hopeful that I would find new details and advice regarding the competitive hurdles that my youngest will be facing. My hopes were more than fulfilled! This book is an engaging and informative resource that blends just the right amount of humor, candor, anectodal details, encouragement and reality for parents and their college bound kids. It is also organized to facilitate quick reads of sections and question areas of greatest interest. This is a refreshing and valuable guide in the high-anxiety sea of college planning.

The best book I read so far. As an admission consultant, I think it covers the basic information that parents and kids should know. I even met her in person this year. There is one little problem about this book - it is two years old. So new things happened within these two years have not yet been covered, such as the SMART grant (new for year 2007).

As a high school senior, I've been having the usual problems with finding a college that I feel is right for me, and then actually going about the process of applying. Not only was this book helpful in answering nearly all of my questions, but it is written in an interesting, friendly manner that I found heartening in the midst of a process that has been incredibley stressful! I recommend this book not only to high school students but their parents as well - my Mother read it and she loved it too!

This book is clearly written and an excellent guide for the high school student and parents.

I am taking a Corgi into a second grade classroom for the children to read to. This book helped them to understand what therapy dogs do. Thank you.

This story is about a dog and her owner. It not only explains what a therapy dog is but it also gives the reader insight on what a therapy dog does. I was thinking about doing volunteer work with my lab and after reading this book I know what to expect.
I think both children and adults will enjoy this book.

The book explains what the therapy dog goes through from humble beginings to visiting people in need. People will love to read this book

What a wonderful book! It shows just how helpful dogs can be to children as well as adults. Sheila is definately a special dog who loves people. Debbie is a special person to realize this gift her dog has, and it is a beautiful thing that she decided to share Sheila with all of us!!

I read Adventures of Sheila the Therapy Dog to my cousin and we both learned about therapy dogs.
We really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.
Sheila is a very special dog and I think it is wonderful how people volunteer their time to help others.