I Books

Excellent transaction. Very informative book and exactly what I was looking for.

I found this to be a very interesting book. I did not think all the conclusions he arrived at where justified by the data provided, there was a touch of making mountains out of mole hills (IMHO). However, most of the discussion was well thought out, well presented, and very thought provoking. It was also well written. I would recommend this one for anyone interested in the period.

Andrew Bridgeford's "1066, the Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry," brings a fresh interpretation to an amazing, mysterious piece of cloth. This strip of linen seventy meters (230 feet) long presents an account of events leading up to William the Conqueror's successful invasion of England. The traditional interpretation is that the Tapestry was a costly trophy commissioned by a Norman baron or bishop celebrating the Norman victory. Bridgeford disputes that view. He finds conflicting messages stitched onto the fabric, messages that tend to support the French, rather than the Norman, point of view. He even finds support for the English, and perhaps a challenge to Duke William's right to the English throne. Such messages would have been punished by death, and whoever commissioned and stitched the Tapestry would have taken great risks. Nevertheless, the ambiguous message was embroidered less than a decade after William's invasion.

What were the real intentions of the sponsor who dictated the images and message stitched into the Bayeux Tapestry? The whole tale is here: ambiguous negotiations, fatal misunderstandings, Duke William's landing, the battle of Hastings, the death of King Harold in battle and the aftermath of war in a ravaged land. The Tapestry (an embroidery, really) was originally longer, but the final scenes are missing. Did fire, damp or rats carry the ending away? Or did fear suborn courage, causing an unknown hand to cut off a dangerous truth in a deadly world? That is one of a thousand mysteries inhering to the Bayeux Tapestry.

Nor is that all. The Tapestry brings us a dwarf who may have been a founding father of French literature; and reminds its contemporary viewers of an unlovely tale, of two queen-mothers thrusting their several sons forward, sometimes fatally, in their own lust for royal power. Why? How do these apparent sub-plots relate? It has been an abiding mystery, one for which Andrew Bridgeford may have supplied - if not the missing end of the cloth - then at least several answers.

By Robert Fripp, author,
Power of a Woman. Memoirs of a turbulent life: Eleanor of Aquitaine

A true delight in print, Andrew Bridgeford's "1066: The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry" reads more like a well-written mystery book than a history text. Many a past author has tried to make history "interesting" with unusual and sometimes ludicrous literary devices, but this book doesn't stoop to such silliness. Instead, the history we read here is indeed real history, but woven with a most intriguing claim, turning the book into a page-turner of scholarship from start to finish.

The main contention of the work, which I will present here without spoiling the details and supporting evidence for the reader, is that the common view that the Tapestry is a work of Norman propaganda to support William the Conqueror's claim to the English throne is incorrect. Rather, Bridgeford argues, the Tapestry is instead a truly English work which gives more credit to a Frenchman (not a Norman) for the 1066 battle victory, and was meant to serve as continual reminder that William's taking of the English throne, though successful, was not morally just. In this sense, the work can be somewhat considered "subversive," because its message of the invalidity of William's ascent was played out in full view under the noses of all the Norman entourage, and indeed, full public scrutiny. The makers of the Tapestry could only do this by creating a work that passes the "scratch and sniff" test for supporting the Norman cause, but only for those wishing to read that preconceived notion into what they see, and for creating a work that, on its superficial elements, appears to do just that. But woven into the threads of this work is a contrary view that becomes apparent if one rejects the temptation to skim over and "read into" each of the Tapestry's scenes, and it is a message quite different that it might at first appear to be.

Bridgeford's prose is consistently up to this challenging task. Each page of the text further illuminates our understanding, not only of what we already know about 1066, but of those things we "know" that really do not "fit," if we took the time to further reflect on it. After carefully considering each of the pieces of evidence presented, we come to feel there is good reason to support the author's claims. In fact, the book at times lays out its evidence and persuasion much like a lawyer might do in court, and if we find ourselves on this jury of opinion, we tend to find ourselves convinced. And although the reader here might think the author will have to resort to fantastic claims and that we'll have to check credulity at the front cover, we quickly find we can rest easy. The author's case is logical, cogent, and reasonable; the work never veers outside of accepted scholarship for evidence, and rejects many surrounding claims even if some of those might further buttress the argument. This is a solid book that is a fascinating addition to the library of works surrounding the Tapestry.

Bridgeford's text begins by laying out what must be considered an epic drama of the history of the Tapestry itself, a history which begins in the 11th century but, much like an Indiana Jones movie, finds itself the target of Nazi's, governments, and various nefarious forces throughout the centuries. Once we have followed the Tapestry's journey throughout the years, we settle into an examination of the tapestry itself, a scene by scene look at each element with the work. Thankfully, the entire Tapestry is photographically reproduced in full color with additional scene numbers and annotated text to translate the Latin so that we can refer to the Tapestry itself while the author makes his points and explanations. Historical background is provided within the narrative whenever necessary, helping us understand the possible motivations for the prime characters and serving as a historical backdrop to the story. Bridgeford makes his case scene by scene, and is not unconvincing. It is a true adventure to pry open the explanations of each of the scenes, and regardless of how convinced the reader may be of the ultimate assertions of the book, the result is likely to be a newfound interest in the Tapestry itself, and perhaps even a desire to make a trip to see the Tapestry in person.

But much of the charm of this book remains in the prose which relates Harold's and William's story, with characters whose motives and intentions come alive, settings that jump out of the past, and the ebb and flow of history once again surging past us when we thought it was already finished. And that is indeed, according to the author, the whole purpose of those enigmatic creators of the Bayeux Tapestry: to serve as a constant witness of historical fact that would hopefully guide those of future generations who were willing to listen to its message. They may well have succeeded. It's now approaching 1,000 years since the Tapestry was woven, and we are still here examining, debating, and enjoying it.

Many years ago I saw the Bayeux Tapestry while on holidays in Europe. My lasting impression of the work is the sheer size of it. It was much larger than I would have believed based on the odd picture seen in a book I'd come across before leaving home. I now wish I'd been able to read a book like this one before I'd viewed the Tapestry (or embroidery actually).

This book takes you scene by scene through this massive work of art - and a different picture slowly emerges than the one you might have read about in other books on the subject. This embroidery is the work of a conquered people - and to please their new masters it superficially shows their success in the conquest. However, the events, and how the artist chooses to highlight them brings out another story, and its not the same one that the Normans told of their "right" to conquer England. The Tapestry also brings into focus formerly obscure people that never feature in any other period work on the conquest - and the author of this book has done some research into these named individuals and dug up some very interesting information indeed.

If you have any interest in the Bayeux Tapestry or the Norman conquest of England in 1066 this is a book you should read. The author is a Lawyer by trade and not a historian but he has done dome very impressive and detailed research with this book. I didn't know much about either the Tapestry or the Norman conquest before reading this book, so even if you don't know much about this period this is still a good read as the author tracks down the mysteries in the Tapestry that many other writers gloss over.

I received this book in the post last week and I really couldn't put it down. Every chance I got I read a chapter or two. It's entertaining, honest and very informative. I was particularly interested in this one because there were so many parallels to my own life and journey. It was almost uncanny. I'm just doing the final edits to my own manuscript which I hope to get published next year. I think what appealed to me most was the fact that the author fought against her 'true calling', refusing to belive that she had a special gift. She also encourages her readers to believe in themselves. It's very empowering and shows a lot of insight. I would highly recommend it - it's well written.

I've tried so many times to read books on this subject, but have always got lost in the "technicalities". Natasha has wonderfully combined her journey and endnotes in a way that was logical, simple to understand and easy to read.

Words can not express how Natasha's writing has touched me and renewed my strength to listen to my inner self. Thank you, Natasha.

"I really enjoyed your book. Great advice! Well written! Thank you for having the courage to talk about your past. It does help in understanding the growth that you have accomplished that has brought you to the wise place you now hold."

Aaagh! I think I'm Psychic (And You Can Be Too), by Natasha J. Rosewood, is an intriguing book about and internationally renowned psychic Natasha rosewood, who is based in Vancouver Canada. It read like a biographical novel, that you can't put down.

Page after page, Natasha unravels 'coincidents' and changes that shaped her life and made her aware of her destiny; encouraging us, the reader, to do the same! Each chapter is punctuated by `metaphysical endnotes' that give further `teaching' on how, for example, to establish psychic boundaries, understand different levels of consciousness, death, and develop a new and different perspective on life. At times, Natasha's account of her life and the psychic forces that were at play is heartbreaking; yet in never fails to inspire.

Natasha believes she `magnetized' events to her to help her accept her `psychic awakening' as she spent many years reluctant to do so. Natasha's own life roller-coasted between happy memories and sad, painful ones, which she shares candidly and honestly. She writes: "In the beginning my search had been to understand my mother, but now it appears that she had motivated me to understand the Universe... It was my own very private, individual journey, and all I really wanted was to be master of my own life"

Natasha's writing style is also humerous (there were many incidents when I was in stiches-enjoying a good laugh) and succeeds in demystifying what a psychic is, how a psychic works, and how to find out if you are one. She shares with her reader how her own psychic abilities manifested themselves as she reflects on her life, how her various abilities grew and they unfolded; and that no matter how difficult and painful at times, life can be, it is those incidents that shape who we are and guides us towards fulfilling our lives.

In her book, Aaagh! I think I'm Psychic (and you can be too), Natasha also believes that we are all intuitive, perhaps even psychic, and that perhaps our fear of the unknown, instilled in us as a cellular memory, is what stops us from acknowledging these abilities. Natasha writes: "The most valuable education I absorbed that day, over and above the color of auras and their meanings, past and future lives and the difference between various levels of consciousness, was that we are all, if not psychic, inherently intuitive"

Natasha's love of travel lead her to an international adventure, and misadventure at times; she speaks six languages and has lived in various countries- adding an cosmopolitan drop to this psychic adventure! And along the way, her abilities unfolded in various too: she learnt palm reading, astrology, Psychometry, developed her telepathy, mediumship, chanelling, and interpreting her dreams.

And although Natasha was reluctant to accept this awakening to begin with, as her psychic abilities developed they helped her understand how we all `write our own movies', and how we `magnetize' events and people into our lives who would help us understand and develop our awareness.

Natasha's book, I Think I'm Psychic (And You Can Be Too, is entertaining as much as it is inspiring. She succeeds in engaging the reader by 'zooming in' on her life, and then 'zooming out' for a 'big-picture' perpective on the universal reality of the soul. I strongly recommend it.
Why no voting buttons? We don't let customers vote on their own reviews, so the voting buttons appear only when you look at reviews submitted by others.

I like the way Natasha Rosewood writes - it's her story and in the end of every chapter there is a metaphysical endnote which explains from a higher view what her (and also our) experience was about.

It helps you to understand how a psychic works and what life is about.

Really uplifting.

I usually buy books here because they always arrive in time and in prefect conditions, even the used ones! As I live in Brazil, it's really a serious delivery system, because it's not easy to send so far!

this book is not only cheap! but is also a very good reference book. It might not be very reader friendly at the beginning, but if you have a sort of background it is ok.

This is a concise record of Kalman filtering and related estimation methods. It briefly covers both discrete time and continuous estimators and is particularly useful to extend your knowledge of if you are already familiar with some of the material. Also, the appendix has an interesting comparison of the analogous terms and concepts for estimation and control theory. The book makes a breadth of topics accessible to students, practicing engineers and others.

As you can see from the other reviews, Gelb's book is a classic in the Optimal Estimation. I used Gelb to supplement Brown & Hwang's Applied Kalman Filtering text. Brown & Hwang is very readable, written in a conversational tone. It is also *VERY* application focused and has many Matlab examples. However, in their rush to application, I felt Brown & Hwang did not clearly layout the development of the Kalman (it's all there but it is scattered around). On the other hand, Gelb's book is cogent - both clear and concise. I found that Gelb's development and summarization of Kalman and related optimization schemes gave me the foundational understanding to work Brown & Hwang's applicatios.
For this subject, you definitely need probability (thru matrix representation of covariance, means, etc) and stochastic process. Both Gelb and Brown & Hwang review the requisite probability/stochastic processes , but I would recommend a deeper grounding in the subjects (working thru Papoulis, for example).

I worked in the aerospace industry from 1980-1991. During my years at the Aerospace Corporation I got this book as a reference to the application of Kalman filtering to orbit determination and estimation problems. So my experience and appreciation for this book is very similar to my colleagues working nearby me at TRW or Hughes Aircraft and cosequently I am in strong agreement with some of the other amazon reviews of Gelb's book. I always found it to be a key reference for me.

The last review that I did on George Orwell's work was Homage to Catalonia, his compelling story of his involvement in a Party of Marxist Unification (POUM) left-wing militia regiment in the Spanish Civil War. I noted there that this is the Orwell that today's militant leftists need to read. The current compilation of articles that he did during World War II and shortly thereafter are not in that same category although they are, as always with Orwell, well worth reading. No matter the subject matter of the articles they conform to the points that he made in Politics and the English Language about using precise, clear and rational political language. Unfortunately, at the time of the Tribune writings Orwell had already made his peace, even if critically, with British imperialism. This is obvious from the subject matter of some of the articles, particularly those in defense of holding on to the old empire or at least its prerogatives. The articles themselves vary from the topical and mundane under war time conditions to the speculative but as always written in a bit of a tongue and cheek manner. That said, although Orwell by this time was an anti-Stalinist socialist of some sort he preferred to outsource the fight against Stalinism to world imperialism. Apparently, as the recent furor over his naming names of British communists to British intelligence indicates, he had no such qualms about doing so. Certainly this was not his finest hour. He left that in Spain.

I don't know if George Orwell is the best writer this century has produced, but he is among the most decent human beings who was also an extremely talented writer. And that decency, that honesty and sense of fair play come through loud and clear through this wonderful mix of editorial pieces and personal letters. It does not matter whether he is writing about the Socialist movement, the Monarchy, the manner in which Americans were treated in England during WWII, the English language, writing, colonialism, nationalism, anti-Semitism, or how to make a proper cup of tea, his honesty is ever-present. For he wrote these essays (I think) because although "emotional urges which are inescapable, and are perhaps even necessary to political action, [they] should be able to exist side-by-side with reality. But this requires a moral effort." If you are prepared to make such a moral effort-or simply want to spend a few nights with a truly wonderful human being and gifted writer, I highly recommend this book.

George Orwell' (1903-1950)anthology titled AS I PLEASE is an interesting collection of his careful literary criticism and political insights which were much more often right than wrong. Readers can learn so much about not only the situation and conditions in Great Britian between 1943 and 1945, they can learn much about the international situtation and Orwell's complete disillusionment with the "Left" both in Great Britain and in Europe.

This reviewer thinks that Orwell's literary criticism of Arthur Koestler is the best article of literary criticism. Orwell focused on Koester's DARKNESS AT NOON which Orwell thought was Koestler's best work. Orwell argued that Koestler was a supporter of the "Left" during the Spanish Civil War and was arrested and faced the prospect of being shot. Koeslter escaped but had to know how the Stalinists betrayed the Spanish Left during the Spanish Civil War. Koestler was a member of the Hungarian Communist Party, knew of the Stalinist purges of Lenin's Bolsheviks, and saw a repeat of all this in Spain.

Orwell also had intelligent commentary of literature and humor. Orwell stated that good humor had all but disappeared in Great Britian because of political and religious sensitivity. Orwell stated that the best comedy was that which attacked hypocrisy and pretensioness. Orwell cited Aristophanes, Rabelais, Shakespear,Voltaire, etc. who did not hestitate to mock and write comedy of the self righteous and "high and mighty." Orwell was bothered by the fact that such humor almost disappeared from English litature during his life time. An interesting aside is that Orwell complimented Hillaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton for their humor. Orwell was critical of both in some of the other essays in this anthology.

Orwell not only wrote good literary criticism, he wrote solid political commentary. Readers can see the beginnings of his best known novels-ANIMAL FARM and 1984. Orwell's comments on ill feeling between British and American troops. Orwell stated that since American troops were paid at least five times as much as British troops, social divisions and hard feelings were almost inevitable. Orwell also commented that many American troops refused to admit that British casualties were larger than American casualties which indeed they were.

Orwell's best political commentary dealt with such concepts as Fascism, Pacifism, the Trotskyites, the Stalinists, etc. Orwell's major criticism of the "Leftists" was that because they were anti-Fascist, they would not become anti-totalitarian because of refusal to oppose the Stalinists and Big Communism and its obvious record of mass murder and concentration camp brutality. Orwell makes hash out of the accusation that the Internatianl Jews heavilty subsidized Britian's Trotskyites. Orwell commented if that were true, one had to ask why Trotsky's supporters were always so poor. Orwell accused much of the "Left" of refusing to accept facts and assessments of World War II. For example, many of the British and American leftists commented that the Soviet Union was an example of the biblical inscription that the meek shall inherit the earth. Orwell noted that those who made this remark obviously had not read Soviet anti-German propaganda which was full of hatred and violent vengence. Orwell also noted that the Left expected British military failure while extolling Soviet victories during World War II.

Orwell also expressed serious concern over the distortions and falsification of history. For example, both the "Allies" and "Axis" claimed victory when their was defeat. Casualty figures were distorted as were events. What was worse was the description of non-events or events that never occured. Orwell commented that the Leftists never wrote a word about the SovietGerman "Non-Aggression Pact" which was negotiated in 1939 with the secret protocol of the Soviets and Germans to invade Poland.

Orwell made comments that his novel titled ANIMAL FARM was censored or kept from publication because of British concerns of offending their Soviet "allies." Little did Orwell know that this novel would be a best seller after he died. Orwell can also see the outlines of his 1984 in this collection of essays.

One development that concerned Orwell toward the end of World War II was the emerging anti-Semitism in Great Britain and to a lesser degree in the United States. Orwell was clear that accusations and slurs agains Jewish people were patently false. Yet, Orwell was clear that facts and reason were of no avail to many because they were immune to knowledge and reasoned thinking. Orwell attributed much to a weakened Great Britain at the end of World War II, and the British Empire would soon be dismantled. Orwell argued that nationalism and the fear of the loss of Empire incited anti-Semitism among people who would otherwise not fall for such nonsense.

While Orwell was wrong in some of his earlier predictions, he was honest enough to admit this and explained why which something most "intellectuals" are loathe to do. If Orwell had lived another 50 years, he would know that his important predictions came true. This reviewer was pleased to see Orwell admit he was wrong as this showed a degree of honesty that is sadly lacking.

This reviewer did not like the format of the book. As this reviewer stated elsewhere, the book should have been arranged by topic rather than by chronology. However, this is a matter of taste. This reviewer strongly recommends this anthology which is part of a four volume set of Orwell's thought. This is yet another excellent collection of Orwell's great writing.

It is a pleasure to read Orwell. I think that there are two major reasons for this. Stylistically he an exceptionally clear writer. His work has a quiet elegance. Secondly, he is a writer who says meaningful things. Whatever subject he writes about he writes about not only with knowledge but with real ' sense'.
In this third volume of his collected essays, jouralisms, and letters there are a number of outstanding longer pieces, including those on 'The English People' 'Notes on Nationalism' and 'Anti- Semitism'
He is an excellent letter writer and I especially enjoyed his insights into literature. His remarks on Conrad and Koestler and European as opposed to British Literature are sensible and insightful.
All through this work there are scattered gems of humane perception.

Sorry for the prank in the headline, it is not a comment on Orwell but a quote from the book, from the essay 'The English People', written in 44, but published later. Orwell tries to characterize the English. I would never have dared to write that myself.
This is volume 3 of 4, and the first that I give 5 stars. It is less uneven, less self-contradictory, probably more honest than the previous 2. GO had grown up, I assume. The bulk of the book are his leaders under the name that the collection carries: As I please. He comments on events of the time, and does it with lasting interest.
I don't want to repeat my friend Jim Egolf's summary of the book, nor his assessment of its historical value. All true.
But Jim left out an important subject that Orwell also included, and that I want to bring to your attention. The fact is that GO was an impossible romantic about England. He honestly thought that there was merit in English cooking! One essay is called: In Defence of English Cooking.
He lists a few items that we are supposed to accept as proof of his odd point of view. Believe it or not, one of the items which supposedly prove the high standard of English cooking are English apples. I rest my case.
'It is not a law of nature that every restaurant in England is either foreign or bad.' Written 1945. My regular visits in recent years, all in basically friendly intention, make me conclude: if anything changed, then for the worse, because now even many of the foreign restaurants are bad.
Dui bu qi.

Not good for reading to child before bedtime. Not enough words, story, substance. We were bored with it after one reading. My 2yr son isn't old enough to read yet, but when he is, I am guessing he will read it once and then be bored with it again.

My daughter has loved these stories since she was three and started recognizing words right away. They really helped her put together phonics sounds with words. The text is simple and the stories are relatable to young children. The pictures are bright and Biscuit is adorable.
My daughter is now 5 and can read any Biscuit book w/o help. She even chose one for her first book report in kindergarten. A definite for all children ages 2-6.

My daughter loved this book it is very easy reading and quite enjoyable she is very proud of herself when she can read a book. Thank you for making her day

We recently introduced Biscuit to our daughter (nearly age 2 yrs). She asks to read about Biscuit's bath several times a day and comments as we read together. The word repetition creates an easy rhythm we both enjoy. The text and drawings work well together.

My 6-year-old brought this book home from school, and it's a fine learning-to-read book for her. What struck her, though, was the (unintentionally?) hilarious nature of a few of the illustrations. They have to be seen to be appreciated. Call us juvenile, but we laughed until we cried. I'm buying one for home, and more for gifts! Thanks, Biscuit!

As a mother with a soon to be FASD teen, I totally appreciated the support of this read, highly recommended!

My teenage daughter wanted to know more about how her cousins (three with full FAS) saw the world. Clearly understandable and relevant to teens, she thought the book was excellent and full of good information.

This is a great book. Not written by a textbook expert, but written by real-world experts = a FAS child and her mom. People who daily live with the effects of this birth defect. My husband and I both read it and learned practical, tried approaces. Thanks to Liz and her mom!

Awesome..very much to my heart. I have a 14 yr. old grandson with FAS.

This book is fantastic! It explains Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effects, and gives the reader understanding and tools to use to work with people who have FAS/E and also how to love and accept them and appreciate them as they are. I have an adopted son with FAE and when I first realized he had this I was very discouraged because all I had heard about FAS/E was so negative. I didn't know if I would be successful being the mom he needed me to be. This book gave me such insight. It also showed me that some of what I have dealt with with my son is normal and it is okay. It is a book that celebrates life in all its forms -- even the challenging form FAS/E creates. Thank you to Liz and Jodee Kulp for sharing their life with us.

Christie has succeeded in writing the rarest of military stories--one that is populated with real human characters. I think it was his combination of unflinching details and real-world motivations that brought this wide cast of soldiers to life. Christie is unafraid to show how today's Marines are not all shining beacons of virtue, but instead are much more flesh-and-blood. They goof around, they screw up, they bitch and moan, but yet they form a lethally efficient fighting force. Christie's strength in this book, as well as in his others, is showing the Marine Corps as it IS, not as we imagine it should be.

Anyone who wants a break from the Clancy-esque fantastic plots that are so common now will love Christie's latest offering. Its taut plot, sharp characters, and insider's eye for detail will satisfy any mature reader. I loved it, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Christie combines his unique wit and talent for poignant, page-turning action in a book that everyone who was ever a Marine or wants to be a Marine should read. Building upon his own experiences as a platoon commander, Christie takes the reader though a series of events that could be titled, "Everyday experiences of a Marine Second Lieutenant." Gear gets lost or stolen, fights break out, orders get misconstrued. Plans are made, changed, scrapped, and started again. And through all these often hilarious sequences, the batallion moves inexorably closer to deployment -- and the potential for combat. It's the combat sequences that leave the reader gasping for air and yearning for more. Unlike most authors in this genre, Christie allows his characters to make mistakes and to deal with the consequences. And as you'll see, the consequences can be dire.

I love the way this guy writes. His lieutenant is a World-Class wiseacre, giving his prospective as a platoon-level officer on the workings of the Marine Corps. But behind the sarcastic viewpoint, he's a good officer who works hard to turn his troops into an effective fighting force.

The first half of this book is a "Men-in-Training" look at the Marine Corps' training program, and the second half is a mission in Yemen. No dames.

Mr. Christie writes with the passion and truth that comes from experience! His ability to put you into the life of a young Marine Corps platoon commander is outstanding. The humor, tension and insanity that comes with the Marine Corps way of life and close combat are gripping.

This was an excellent page turner from start to finish.

I predict that Mr. Christie will find himself mentioned in the same breath as Webb and Coonts in the not to distant future.

Semper Fi

ibooks has gone bankrupt and this paperback is NOT available for purchase. I'm currently trying to place the rights with another publisher. I love Amazon dearly, but they're having trouble getting this message and really should take this page down. So if you don't get your book, please don't blame me. If you need more information, I can be contacted at christieauthor@yahoo.com.

As a mom of two, this book is so very helpful to navigate the parenting obstacles we encounter every day. Sharon Duke Estroff brillantly guides parents with humor and passion. Once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down. LOVE IT! Thank you to the author.

There are so many reasons why I loved this book, but one of my top five is the Lego analogy. Parenting is like Legos, the author explains. "When you first dump the contents of the package on the playroom floor you feel overwhelmed and perplexed. You don't know if you're trying to build a spaceship or a castle. It's not until you see the big picture on the front of the Lego box that all those disconnected plastic bricks take on new meaning as a totally cool medieval fortress. That glimpse at the final goal - while admittedly a bit daunting at first - ultimately gives us the faith, inspiration and direction we need to begin building our Camelot." This book helps parents take a good hard look at the big picture and shows them how they can use it to their family's benefit.

My mother gave me this book for Chanukah and I read the first three chapters before the candles burnt out. (Really!) Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah isn't just great because it's a fun and easy read, it's also packed with helpful advice. The author is a professional educator but she's also a mom who totally gets what it's like to raise kids today. One of my favorite chapters was "Countdown to Kindergarten" since I have a child who will be starting kindergarten next year. I also love the social chapters called "Pladate Protocol" and "Surviving the Schoolyard Social Jungle". I know that as my son gets older the chapters on school, homework and the internet will be invaluable to me. As a Jewish mom I also enjoyed the holiday by holiday guide. A fun read packed with tons of practical, useful information. What more could you ask for in a parenting book?!

This is the first book of our generation that puts parenting into a realistic, sane perspective. It acknowledges all the challenges and noise that we have to deal with as we raise kids. It puts into very simple and funny terms how ridiculous the standards are that we are foisting upon our children. Its like a cup of coffee with a good friend that sets you straight when you're feeling down on yourself for not having the family you see in advertisements. Uniquely refreshing and easy to read, this book is a great gift to new moms and struggling moms as a place to turn when they need a positive attitude adjustment.

I read Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah in one afternoon. I could not put it down! Sharon Duke Estroff really helps parents navigate "parenthood." I highly recommend this book for all parents!

It's out of print here but it's currently available in its entirety in The Jump at the Sun Treasury. The book contains 7 pictures books.

This is a wonderful story about the curiosity of prayer for children. But, the artwork is what inticed me to buy the book, several of them in fact. Garin Baker brought out beautiful memories of my childhood. I grew up in the house that he painted. What a wonderful way to bring back memories.

This book's wonderful, lyrical text will lull any child into an interested participant. I just read it to my 5 year old daughter who then asked me, "If I'm in bed and get scared, is it okay to go to the window to pray?" When I assured her that she could, she smiled, and said, "I thought so." This book is one of those perfect little reminders of the things you already know, but need to hear again.

I am the librarian at my church. I recently read this book to a group of children during their monthly visit to the library during children's church. They really enjoyed it! It's a book that generates a lot of questions, comments, and thoughts! What I personally like best about it is that it is suitable for all children,whether they go to church or not. It's non-denominational. It's suitable for Protestamts, Catholics, or Jews. The drawings are truly beautiful and realistically portray a young girl. I highly recommend this book for all church libraries, children's Sunday School classes, and homes.

For any parent wanting to introduce their child to God, it's hard to imagine a better way than this exquisitely-illustrated book. And though it may be written with children in mind, Can I Pray's simple, direct message resonates with many adults as well. A joy to read.

This translation works well for beginners, but retains intuitive integrity, so it's as good as more intensive translations.
I feel it gently introduces the reader to relevant ideas.

After watching a program on the History Channel about the prediction of the future of the earth and in particular the date December 21, 2012, I purchased this book because the program implied that I Ching had, by its method, predicted a world-changing event on that date. This particular book was a fast read -- more like a reference guide. It was simple and probably a good read for those who are not familiar with I Ching. I purchased 2 other books with the same subject. I have not read them yet because this book bored me and did not do what I had expected it to do.

I've tried several I Ching books, but this is for sure was the best I have tried so far; it's accurately detailed and amazingly to the point.

In critical matters one might consult several different editions of the I Ching in order to get a relavent understanding of the hexagram cast. Into this arena comes the Everyday I Ching with valuable interpratations not to be found anywhere else. Explanations of hexagrams and lines that modern people can relate to and utilize. Superb commentary--a very worthy addition to a I Ching collection and good enough to be your ONLY edition you're going to own just one.

After looking around for books on I Ching I chose this book and another.This book has good reviews so that helped.This book is greatly detailed on what the meanings are.The way the author does her readings are differ slightly to others.That may be a bonus to some.Once you have follwed the instructions it wont take long to do a reading for yourself.

There are very few books that you can read that will help you learn something easily and is easy to understand.This book is one of those few books.This book was my 2nd choice.

The other beginners book I recommend is:"The I Ching made easy:be your own psychic advisor using the world's oldest oracle".By Roderick Sorrell and Amy Max Sorrell.And,I recommend these:
1)"Practical guide to the I Ching".By Kim-Anh Lim.
2)"I Ching:a new interpretation for modern times".By Sam Reifler.