Works Books

This massive coffeetable book does exactly what it sets out to do: photographically chronicle the 20th century, showcasing the famous and the not-so-famous. Along with familiar images such as the flag-raising at Iwo Jima, the Buddhist monk immolating himself, the sailor kissing the woman in Times Square on V-J Day, the kneeling girl screaming over the body of one of the Kent State dead, and the man facing down the tanks in Tiananmen Square, there are lesser-known images such as Soviet soldiers leaving Afghanistan in 1989, an alternate scene of a flag-raising at Iwo Jima, a very young Dick Clark sitting among the chart-topping records of 1957, old men lining up to get their social security benefits, and a Muslim groom and Christian bride picking their way through the rubble of Beirut on their way to crossing the Green Line so they could reach her church and get married.

Instead of dividing the book up by decades, it goes by historical era--1900-13, 1914-19, 1920-29, 1930-39, 1940-45, 1946-63, 1964-75, 1976-92, and 1993-99. After all, more often than not things from the previous era are still influencing a new decade, such as how the Seventies were by and large a continuation of the Sixties instead of an entirely new era. Each chapter begins with a short essay by a prominent historian, and each features a "Turning Point" section, focusing on subjects such as space travel, discovering our prehistoric ancestors, closing the gender gap, outlaws, bandits, and mobsters, civil rights, and the conquest of the atom. Each chapter ends with a requiem, highlighting some of the prominent people who passed away during that era. In addition to the usual suspects such as James Dean, Thomas Edison, Amelia Earhart, Dr. Benjamin Spock, Charlie Chaplin, and Susan B. Anthony, there are also some lesser-known personalities, such as Albert Woolson (the last surviving Civil War vet), Martha the passenger pigeon (the last of her kind as well), Sen. Cornelius Cole (the last surviving person who voted in President Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial), Aimee Semple McPherson (the now-largely-forgotten evangelist who faked her own kidnapping in the Twenties), and James Naismith (the inventor of basketball).

This is a great book for all those who are interested in 20th century history, and many of the images are bound to bring back memories the readers, whether they were born in the early century, at mid-century, in the later decades of the century, or anywhere in between. (Although it should be noted that some of the pictures are a bit disturbing and graphic and might upset children or even some adults, such as the ones on page 8 and page 178.) One wishes the book were even longer and had been able to include even more images of the past century; there were a couple of events and images I was rather surprised to see excluded, such as the killing fields of Pol Pot's Cambodia, the Armenian Genocide, the fiery end to the stand-off in Waco, the disastrous U.S. excursion into Somalia, the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics, and the war in Bosnia. Still, in a book this size, one can't expect absolutely everything to be included, and all of the images that are included are stupendous.

I first noticed this book in fourth grade, as my teacher liked collecting interesting books. I ended up reading it cover-to-cover about 6 times. I am a major fan of history, and always have been. I am in the seventh grade now, and when we talk about things in history class, some of the beautiful pictures still come back to me. I also really like how the written part of the chapters are written by authors like Avi. This falls in the class of my "most favorite books of all time," including the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card, The Breadwinner, and any and all E.L. Koningsburg books. A great read!

I bought this book for my 85+ year old mother in law for Christmas 2005. She loved it so much, she later asked me to help her find one for a close family friend. A few weeks later, her sister Corrine came to visit, and they poured over the pictures in her copy of the book - "remembering when" they had seen this or that. They especially loved the pics of San Francisco in 1940's when they were young and going clubbing. I later ordered (yet) another copy for Aunt Corrine's 87th birthday - and she just loved it! It's so hard to buy gifts for someone over 80 - this is a sure fire hit!

Life has done a superb job of pulling the whole century together into one book.I wont't tell you what picture was the first picture the started the book off with.But I'll tell you this;they got it right! This in not only the most important and best picture of the 20th century, but also; the most significient picture to portray what man has done;ever.Check out the book and see if you don't agree.
It must have have been a difficult,but rewarding, task to decide what to include and what had to be sacrificed.Everyone must have their favorite pictures of the century and will find many of them in the book.A very good balance was made between text and pictures.
An excellent book to have or to give as a gift regardless of r age.

Life has done a superb job of pulling the whole century together into one book.I wont't tell you what picture was the first picture the started the book off with.But I'll tell you this;they got it right! This in not only the most important and best picture of the 20th century, but also; the most significient picture to portray what man has done;ever.Check out the book and see if you don't agree.
It must have have been a difficult,but rewarding, task to decide what to include and what had to be sacrificed.Everyone must have their favorite pictures of the century and will find many of them in the book.A very good balance was made between text and pictures.
An excellent book to have or to give as a gift regardless of age.
There are other similar books;but none better.What else would you expect from TIME!

For someone who is interested in religion and who is taking his/her Kabbalah studies one step beyond the book is delightful. It includes around five different versions of the Sefer Yetzirah and it comments you the reading fragment by fragment, therefore providing you a full understanding of the whole text and also a detailed, useful, and interesting explanation of Kabbalah as a whole, even providing you with spiritual exercises or a way to practice what the text says

Most impressive representation. While the subject is deep and extremely thought provoking, the writer has made every attempt to explain the subject in explicit detail.

I especially appreciated the use of root words in Hebrew to further clarify definitions. As well as the explanation of pronunciation of Hebrew terms, as in where to place the tongue to make the correct sound.

I would like for there to have been more direct instructions for meditation.

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I am not Jewish, nor am I an expert on Kabbalistic text, but I know a precious gem when I find one. As others have said here, this is NOT for the beginning student of Kabbalah. I really enjoyed how Aryeh Kaplan included the Hebrew text, along with a translation, then followed by extensive interpretations of each line. It is an intense read--really enjoyed the section on the 231 gates (ironically, I nearly flunked geometry in high school).

If you are truly ready for more intense study of Kabbalah, then this translation of the Sefer Yetzirah may be exactly what you are looking for.

Rabbi Kaplan does a wonderful job (as he does in all of his works) of explaining the primary text says and of opening the way for further study (through his copious footnotes).

The diagrams are extremely helpful, as are the recommendations concerning the "practical" use of Sefer Yetzirah.

However, even for those grounded in Jewish studies (as a spiritual path, not as an academic field), this work is NOT recommended as a "first step" in the esoteric. Try Rabbi Kaplan's "Innerspace."

One copy is at my bedside. One copy is in my study scrawled with notes, quotes and notations! I found the second copy at a bookstore bargain table! I didn't even blink, it was bought by me. I knew a second copy would give me one to share. This book is what Kabbalah is. An amazing book. Simply, amazing.

I purchased this book on impulse at an airport kiosque shortly after it first came out, in a very clunky home-drawn sort of cover. I was feeling it was high time (around age 48) that I learn or try to re-learn a few basic facts and concepts about electricity that I'd been exposed to all my life but never quite absorbed. Why? Maybe to be a little more savvy about doing electrical home repairs, to grok a little better what was going on inside computers, but mostly because I just want to understand how things (and nature) work around me. Like reviewer Godfrey I'd dawdled over this for a long time, unable to get over the hump of reading some dry explanation of this stuff. And this book worked. I got the basic feel of electronics I'd been lacking and really enjoyed the book itself, outlandish as it is. I'm guess I'm just nutty enough myself to have enjoyed Kenn's nutty little-green-men approach. Nutty to Meet You! Dr. Peanut Book #1

This is by far the best beginners book on electronics that I have ever read. The book uses metaphors to teach about electronics from conductors to transistors. So simple that anyone can get a basic grasp of electronics. It's a great book to launch your study of electronics if you really want to understand what's going on in the circuit instead of just memorizing theorems.

There Are No Electrons: Electronics for Earthlings is an engaging and educational introduction to the science of electronics for lay readers. Written in a narrative, storytelling style, There Are No Electrons covers basic electron theory (and why it's the "Easter Bunny" of science), voltage, current, resistance, magnetism, and much more. Written to be accessible to readers of all ages, from high school science students to the fortysomething who wonders how his computer is really powered, There Are No Electrons blends entertainment with solid information into a clear winner. Especially recommended for public and high school library shelves.

My physics/chemistry teacher in high school recommended this book over ten years ago. I read it during college and it helped demystify all the mathematical descriptions by giving me an understandable picture. It's a bit more difficult to visualize electron behavior in electrical components than it is to picture a bunch of wild, crazy green people doing stuff. Highly recommended for physics or engineering students for improving conceptual grasp of basic electrical theory.

I bought this book because of a review in Make magazine at the time. It really is a cute book that offer some entertainment into learning about electronics and electricity.
Pros: Easy to read, fun and entertaining. The book teaches you about electronics in a away that is easier to understand than most other book out there. A real outside the box book.
Cons: The book can be difficult to follow at times and may require a go back and read again in some instances.

All in all the book is a good book (really good for beginners) and is worth picking up for a read if you are interested in electronics and how they work.

I train Ving Tsun in the Moy Yat lineage, so my review comes from that perspective. I think Sifu Belonoha's book is an amazing reference guide that can supplement serious Ving Tsun (Wing Chun) training. Bear in mind, however, that this is not a book you buy to learn Ving Tsun kung fu from. It is supplemental material if you are a student in training. It could also be used as a guide for a new person to show what you can expect from ving tsun training.

The book covers details in applications and forms, diet recommendations, work out habits, ving tsun history and lineage, etiquette, customs and so forth. The level of detail of this information is unmatched in its thoroughness and accuracy, and frankly, this is the first and last ving tsun reference book you will ever need. I recommend using this book with the guidance of your sifu, and to not dig further ahead in your training than you are introduced to concepts in class. But this is a priceless supplement to review techniques and forms you have already been introduced to.

If you're looking for a book that will teach you kung fu: don't. Find an instructor, then buy this book.

Being a student for 13 yrs, it was good to find a book that covered so many topics of wing chun and his approach to it all. While I may not agree with a lot the author had to write, too much outdated info, he stayed faithful to the minimal of the art...namely a good description of the forms. The photos and explanations may help someone who forgot how to do the forms. Otherwise not much else if you never practiced wing chun.

Not the best organization. Very detailed and covers lots of information. Doesnt cover dummy form...Odd

"Everything should be done as simple as possible, but not simpler"
The book starts with this Albert Einstein phrase, and Mr Belonoha does it very well when writing his book.

I am new to wing chun, I've been training since last september, and bought this book to get to know the background and philosophy of this art. It has been very helpful for learning the names of techniques, understanding the basis af a certain move or technique, where and how to employ it,
and to get a general view of this great martial art. GREAT BOOK

It is simply one of the best books on the market on Wing Chun style Kung Fu.
You cannot go wrong purchasing this book.

Michael Lesy's Wisconsin Death Trip, originally a doctoral thesis, is one of the most touching, poetic, beautiful, harrowing, moving and dislocating works I have read. Basically a compendium of found glass plate negative photos taken by the (himself knock-knees odd) Charles Vam Schaik in and around the rural community of Black River Falls WI, and leavened by snippets taken from the Badger State Banner newspaper and the Mendota State Record Book (an insane asylum), as well as a few personal reminisces, the book instead is a commentary and an indictment of a brutal time of economic dislocation, social upheaval, religious confusion and obsession, and personal decay in a farming community. It is an endless repitition of suicide, madness, arson, children dying of disease, and of a mostly sternly religious people living the grimmest of lives of back breaking work in the country. The photos by their sheer repetition and some of the games played with them by the author, pound out a tattoo of strain, people only barely suppressing their madness, and a society truly on the edge of collapse. Hardly the bucolic paradise so often evoked in our time.

The afterword by the author provides some backstory and statistics backing the point up, and illustrating in numbers and facts what the pictures and excerpts made clear by anecdote, and is also well written.

This was something of a cult book in the mid 70s, a most unusual way of looking at local history, lifting up the rock under which society had crawled. It is haunting, tragic, striking. You will never forgot it.

Buying a classic again. This is the U of New Mexico Press version. The earlier publisher had the picture of the baby in a coffin on the cover. That was better, but the contents are the same.

This is an interesting and slightly macabre book which is strangely beautiful. My son, who is Sam Witt, the poet, told me about it because he had been so moved by it that he wrote a poem associated with it in his soon to be published book, SUNFLOWER BROTHER. The old photos are stunning from the horses to the dead children. I am hoping to get the dvd soon.

"Wisconsin death trip"is an accurate documentation,not only of "agrarian white"culture at the end of the 19th century but,in many ways,the whole of white culture in america at that time..Contrary to popular belief,the"good"old days were not really so good..Yes,they may well have been less complex,but infant mortality was very high,illnesses which today are highly treatable being killers not only of children but of adults as well,daily life being,for most,a drudgery,with little to show for one's efforts...There were few saftey nets,no antibiotics,no pensions to speak of,no recourse against the harshness life,or against a system that,like today,favors the wealthy..
Insanity was not understood,and "treatment"such as it was,often did little to help the afflicted...Wisconsin did not have a monopoly on such things,anymore than,say,los angles has a monopoly on street gangs,or newark has a monopoly on ghetto housing...
The novelty is perhaps in the seeing of the photographs and the documents all together in one volume,so that one can peruse the sorrowful aspects of that period as it affected one particular area...

I read this book over 16 years ago. It left a lasting impression that will stay with me forever. It may not have the same affect on others but reading some of the reviews posted here, I know that it has on most. You can't really ask somebody "did this really happen?" becuase they either died then or in the 100 years that have past. We have no perspective on these people, places and times other than to read books like this. If any of these folks were alive today and heard someone say, "those were the good old days." They might be inclined to give the speaker a quick education. This book will do it for them. I have pictures just like this in a family archive. You wonder how anybody lived into middle or old age. Disease, starvation, hypothermia, and farm accidents all took their toll. Winters are hard enough in the south. Why did these people decide to stop the wagon in Wisconsin or if they lived thru their first winter there, why didn't they head south? I went to a Brewers baseball game at the end of May some 25 years ago and wore a down parka and was cold. You can still see houses in small towns outside of Milwaukee that look like the houses in this book and you can feel the desolation, pain and suffering looking out at you thru 100 year old panes of glass.

Excellent print quality.. A glance at common people in random daily-life shots. It's a book worth a place in your hands

This book was not by Jack Kerouac. It's by Robert Frank. It's one of the seminal books in the history of photography. Many see it as a hate letter to America, but that's a shallow reading of the book. It's some of the best documentary done by a non-documentarian of the American culture of the period. If you really want to see great photography with a point of view, this is a good start.

I find lots of listings get authorship wrong when the book is about a photographer's work. Amazon needs to fix this basic flaw in their system.

Looking at this again after many years ( I first came across it about 25 years ago) the images are as poignant as ever. This is truly a great book of photographs and is perhaps the best photojournalist's collection ever published. The new edition has all the gravity and attention to detail that the work deserves.

In this new edition of THE AMERICANS, the publisher, Steidl seems to have taken every step necessary to maintain artistic integrity of Franks vision. Even going as far as having Frank supervise the new printing of the photographs used in the book. The paper used in the book is very high quality, perhaps even 'archival' grade. Of course, there is the Kerouac introduction that both rambles, amuses and enlightens. There is a small pamphlet included in the book briefly telling the background story of how this new edition came to life. While this pamphlet is basically an advertisement, it also provides the passing fan of Robert Frank with a greater knowledge of what Frank has done over the course of his life by listing other books and movies that Stiedl will be publishing in the future. Thoughtfully, museum dates are also given for those interested enough to travel to D.C., SF or, NYC for the 50th anniversary celebration and exhibition of the book. From Steidl, this is a fine book; from Frank, a work of art; and a labor of love from all involved.

We're lucky to have this edition. Robert Frank is an old man with health issues now. That he is healthy enough to oversee this work is wonderful. Everything about this edition - especially in comparison to the 2007 Delpine edition I purchased earlier this year - is first-rate. I wish I had known this was coming out!

The book is a little smaller than the Delpine, but that's the only real negative (if it is one) I can think of. The main thing to me is that the photos themselves are how Frank intended them to look. Gone are the overly-lightened faces that plague the Delpine book. This is a pet peeve of mine that kills many photos in this Photoshop age. This is very obvious in the New Orleans trolley photo. In the Delpine work, the faces of the white passengers are totally washed out, and the black faces are awkwardly lightened (someone apparently thought they were helping Frank's work). That's all corrected here. In this Steidl edition things are shown as they were intended. One can even see details in the face of the man at far left, even though it is partially obscured by a window reflection.

Also, on several photos more of the frame is visible. This was most noticeable to me in the Butte, Montana photo of the woman looking out the car window, with several children in the back seat. A good portion of the left side of the photo is now visible, along with more shown on the top and bottom. The new crop just seems more "right." Not too mention that the face of the child in the middle of the photo is too light in the older edition.

Simply put, comparing the two editions is an eye opener. I first saw these photos years ago in a much earlier edition (I believe it was the 1969 Aperture work) and I still marvel at the depth of the images in that printing. I don't have that edition in hand, so I can't do a direct comparison, but I believe the Steidl images are much closer to that ideal. Franks prefers his images a little on the flat, low-key side. Another difference is that the photos are now printed on a non-glossy paper. I was surprised at this at first, but now I believe it works much better for this book.

In short, if you want an accurate, lovingly-printed edition of The Americans at a reasonable price, this is the one. Highly recommended.

I love the recipes in this book. The first one I tried (Cheese puffs) have been in demand in my house ever since. This book is a nice introduction into French cooking without being overwhelming. It's comfortable and down to earth... plus, the food has been delicious.

Very basic advice: a roast beef and tomato sandwich with creme fraiche for example. Simple recipes with thrifty cuts of meats for stews, soups (just add liquid!) along with many potato recipes (with more creme fraiche) from well-known and obscure bistros throughout France. Note: quiche is called 'tarte' here with no cross reference. Salads with anything you'd put into a sandwich, oil and vinegar dressing. Good new-cook gift or a quick read for the armchair traveler but I expected more from this famous food writer.

This book is great! I've lived in France and I believe this book really does deliver classic bistro fare without all the grease you can find in so many sub par Paris bistros! I agree with another reviewer that the recipes are hit and miss. For instance, the potato gratin just doesn't do it for me.

Most of the dishes require ingredients you find at the regular grocery store, are quick to make, and delicious to eat. I appreciate her complement/menu ideas. I feel that I've slightly improved on a couple of her lamb recipes and now include them in my list of recipes for entertaining.

I wish I had the same quality of book for southern French style of cooking.

This cookbook contains a collection of recipes inspired by and taken from a wide array of French bistros. Patricia Wells has assembled a terrific array of cookbooks, but this may be her best. With a few exceptions, these recipes take what I consider to be basic ingredients and turn them into a wide array of delicious, easy to prepare dishes. There are a few recipes that call for things that are uncommon to the American palate (e.g. rabbit), but overall this cookbook contains a huge number of easy to make, accessable recipes that will be enjoyed by Americans. The book is divided into 12 sections covering salads, desserts, pasta, soups, etc. It is also a regional tour through France with a diverse selection of recipes from big city bistros and small town or rural restaurants. Each recipe has a paragraph or two describing the bistro from which it was taken and some discussion of regional cuisine. One thing that I REALLY liked about this cookbook is that it will give you ideas for other concoctions. That is, as I was trying some of the recipes, I was constantly thinking `using A with B' is a great idea. For example, there is a great recipe for poached eggs in a wine sauce. A great idea! Another (minor but important) thing that I liked about this book was that it was bound so that it could be propped open on the kitchen counter. There are also flaps on the front and back cover that can block the page open so that you don't have to go fishing through the book if it does flip closed. This is a cookbook that we return to again and again, definitely worth the money.

This is a cookbook as a cookbook should be. The recipes are direct, succinct and just what one needs to prepare the dish without elaborate fuss. And most of the dishes are great. If I had to settle for one cookbook only, this would be it.

i'm an advocate of Morris' book. in fact, our organization bought this book for all of our staff. it's the best "blessed" book i've read b/c it's less about how to get and more about obedience and responsibility with what you have. it also came at a time in ministry when i was having a difficult conversation with a couple from church who didn't understand the principle of the "tithe." morris gives the best biblical summary of understanding the "tithe." every church leader and every Christian should read this book!

Mr Morris, paints a simple clear picture on living a blessed life inside God's Word, His will and His heart. Some have criticised the tithe aspects of the book, but I trust that these people will eventually read their Bibles and understand what is required of them, by God. Mr Morris' book draws a clear distinction between the truth and deviant teachings such as the prosperity gospel, which appears to be very popular, and even the "poverty gospel". As such it provides a healthy, balanced view in achieving an extraordianry life in God. I am in the process of applying Mr Morris' advice, but my trust is not in his book - rather in God's grace - therefore I know I will not be dissappointed.

I was at the International Chruch of the Foursquare Gospel national convention in Houston recently and Robert was one of the speakers.

The title of his book was a little bit of a turn off at first for me. It sounded like another "prosperity" or "bless me" book. This was a misjudgment on my part.

He is a very gifted speaker and has been given tremendous insight into tithes, offerings, first fruits, and the firstborn.

The book encourages one to be obedient to the Lord in giving and realize that tithing is really a principle of first fruits found throughout the whole Bible.

I would highly recommend this book.

An insight from the book is Jericho. It was a tithe or first fruits for the children of Israel as they started taking the promised land. God wanted all the gold and silver for the Lord's house. The rest of the gold and silver from other cities would be theirs. Achan was cursed for stealing from God as the book Malachi said it would be.

I always go back to Amazon. I can find what I need and hassle free.

Excellent book!!
The Blessed Life was passed on to us by a close family member beore she died..
Our thought process has been changed by the truths in this book..
I recommend it to all Christians who truly want a Blessed Life..

Well organized and full of information for both the newbie and also a more experienced blogger who wants to deepen their effectiveness (or experiment more). I work with synagogues, and found the approach of blogging for "ministry" can be useful and much more broadly defined than for churches alone. Very easy to read, full of practical examples.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with this book. I knew going into this book that I was in for a lot of great information and disciplines in creating and maintaining a blog. I did not expect how creatively it was written. I think we have certain expectations for "how-to" books and this one surpassed my expectations.

If you have started a blog or are just thinking about it, grab this book. There is a lot of focus on churches creating and using blogs, but not to the extent that it leaves the individual out. The writers took time to teach us a little history as well as give us clear detailed info on the how, why and where of the blog world. Chapter 9 & 10 focus on starting a blog and then building a blog well. I love chapter 11 titled "Build A Really Bad Blog". It's kind of the how-to in reverse.

One of the coolest things in the book was hearing from bloggers around the country about their take on blogging and how it has affected their lives or the lives of the businesses/churches they are involved with. I enjoyed hearing the real world ideas.

This book really starts from the beginning by asking 3 questions...
-Is it a tool or a toy?
-What problem are you trying to solve?
-What is the return on ministry?

The writers go on to explain that "Blogs are tools, not toys. Blogs help solve real problems. Blogs deliver a true return on ministry."

I also appreciate the hopeful message from start to finish. As churches and Christ-followers, we have an amazing opportunity to share our story with others. The blog world is open and ready for the taking. This book consistently draws you back to intent. The writers want you to be excited about who God is in your life and they want that to burst out on your blog.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone thinking of or already in the blogging world. It's very easy to read. It is not extremely technical. And when it does get technical, they have done a great job of explaining themselves so no one gets left behind. It has real life stories and history. It is a quick read.

I learned a lot that I didn't know about blogging from this book. It would have saved me a lot of problems if I had had something like this when I started blogging a year ago.

If you are looking for some help in defining and establishing a blog for yourself or your ministry you will find this book helpful. It gives some great insight in to establishing a good blog for the right reasons.

This book is awesome. it will make you think about the various was you can reach people. It will make you take a look at yourself and motivate you to reach others in ways you havent thought of before.

this book is nothing like i thought it would be. i was looking for something that would give me more on conversation style than actual vocabulary words/signs. i got more out of a dictionary than this. it was a complete waste of money, for me. the pictures are decent. they lack variation & real life feel (well, maybe that is the disappointment of the overall book). i do not recommend this book for someone trying to learn another language and not just the subtle niceties.

We have a program in the Las Vegas mail processing center where we find solutions for better communication with all employees. To our hearing impaired employees, we had training held in our facility by a certified interpreter who taught both craft and management employees to finger spell words and phrases. We were going to order another sign language book to be given by our plant manager to those who completed the training sessions as his appreciation to them, but there were those who read the reviews on this "Idiot's" book, hence, this is what I ordered. They use it as a refresher, it's well illustrated and easy. Everybody was happy with the book. For the next training group, I'll be ordering some more of this book.

The first part of the book, which provides background and explanation on deafness and deaf culture, is painful, answering questions such as: 'Can deaf people drive?' These are the usual dumb questions that hearing people ask about the deaf. Yes, they drive better than you do, moron, because they don't have a cell phone glued to their ear. However, the author fails to mention the heart-pounding thrill of being a passenger in a car driven by a deaf person who is in the midst of a highly animated signed conversation.

I do highly recommend this book: the sign language explanations, photographs, and illustrations are first-rate, and the companion DVD is an additional positive to make this book highly recommended for someone who needs a casual introduction to deafness and sign language.

Having taken 2 semesters of ASL, I must admit that I was disappointed to see a vocabulary list that I knew 95% of...but this book is definitely an excellent source for those with no or very little prior ASL knowledge. NOTE: THIS IS NOT ASL. The book is Pidgin Signed English (now called Contact Signing) which is easier to learn if your first language is English. That is, the grammar of ASL is absent in the presence of English word order. But the way the book is laid out, it's easy to learn! There's little bits of cultural information, how to engage and end a conversation, "do"s and "don't"s, and more! I like the little anecdotes, too.

Pros: Easy to follow, comes with a DVD to reinforce and clarify signs, decent amount of information for a beginner

Cons: NOT ASL (ASL "words" but not the grammar) and not terribly helpful for those with moderate exposure to sign language


Overall, it's a handy cultural tool that helps you learn a little language :)

My wife works at a doctors office where they have a couple of deaf patients. She has always wanted to learn sign. She couldn't put the book down. After two days she was signing non-stop. Originally she only wanted to buy the DVD instruction but I encouraged her to use this book too. Now it is the other way around. She goes to this book first and uses the DVDs as a backup. I also got her some ASL flash cards that work well for practice.