Other The Books

My ten-year-old son and I loved this audio book. We couldn't wait to hear about all the "wonderfuls". Highly recommended.

So I am a sucker for all those downhome novels celebrating small-town life. Oh well. This book fits that niche of mine well as it blatantly declares to the world that even the most simple of places may be hiding something extraordinary. Granted, the discoveries made here would probably be the mock and scorn of more civilized areas, but they held a sweetly strong spirit that appealed to my sense of story-telling. The writing is bright, cheerful, and expressive. I was impressed by the assortment of well-drawn characters complete with their personal drama, humor, and mysteries. I expected a pretty caged plot, but the story was loose enough, depending on its characters with their individual stories, to let itself become entrenched in emotions. It's not at the level of Kate DiCamillo or Richard Peck, but Ms. Birney did make something pretty darn sweet.

Our town chooses a book each winter, which they call the "One Book, One Community Project". We just moved here so this is our 1st and I am very excited about the project. As soon as I heard about it, I went to the library and checked out the book. Even before my 3rd grader started it in school. The book is so engaging and really gets your imagination juices flowing. I really am enjoying the events our community is putting together that tie into the Wonders of Sassafras Springs. We have projects like finding wonders, Applehead doll making & discussion groups. We even had a woman play the saw at our kickoff party.
I went out and bought the book and the same day my 3rd grader picked it up and did not put it down until he completed reading all 200+ pages.
Today we will be making an Appledoll instead of watching tv or playing video games.

This book was easy to read and a great story. My mom and I read it together. We both enjoyed it.The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs

Sometimes we get so caught up in doing things and going places, we forget about the things around us that are so important and beautiful! We forget to smell the roses. This book is so easy to read and you want to read it. I was intrigued by trying to figure out what he might find next. I loved this book!

I've been playing guitar forever, and writing songs for years, but like most other writers I get stuck in ruts from time to time. Now, whenever I need some new ideas, whether an entire song, a verse, a chorus, a bridge, or a lift, I just look through this book. Even a basic I-IV-V can be made more interesting by advancing or delaying a change. I also like that he relates the CD examples to particular musical styles, which provides a good template for writing to that style.

As with Rooksby's other books, the material is presented with great clarity and is well edited. A songwriter could do a lot worse than build a library of his books.

man, this book has really really come in handy for me, expeically early chapter, good thing i have this. some of the think in here i have never seen or heard on the internet before, this book seems rare with its information.

I have over last two years developed into a real fan of Rikky's books. This one really surprised me for progressive depth in the structure of each chapter. Each chapter builds on the next. And sandwiched between the 'tips' are these gems of compositions that helps broaden and deepen the constructive elements of songwriting. The book is focused more on chord progression in songs and then the composition of the song's components, verse, chorus, bridge, etc. The great surprise, and I think, and real beauty of the book is the way he uses the CD with the last chapter. He records 12 or so songs, and then in that chapter, he breaks them down in to their component structure, and tells you why he made the choices he did. A really GREAT book. Worth the price!

This book taught me so much about songwriting, it's scary. I'm not a novice, either! It teaches you about chord theory better than any other book I've read.

Sparks my creative thoughts and brings me back to the love of writing music with passion.

This book is very well laid out and answers many qestions based both on past experiences and present. It also provide a excellent strategy to survive in a "real " world.Great book for the person looking for insight into a "healthy relationship"

RW

When I am dealing with a married ACOA client, I follow giving as homework the basic ACOA text the author wrote with this volume to help him/her understand how their lack of intimacy skills may have thwarted their reaching the deeper level of attachment with the spouse that they desired. It has always proven helpful to my clients as they move into a healthier spousal relationship.

The book I have read over and over. I slip back into my old patterns very easily and this keeps me on track.

I love and recommend Janet's "Adult children of Alcoholics" to my counseling clients...but I must say, I love this book too! And I love the John Bradshaw's "Healing the shame that binds you" book.Healing the Shame that Binds You: Recovery Classics Edition (Recovery Classics) ...... and the "Getting Them Sober, you CAN help" book by Toby Rice Drews (this book is a real lifesaver--- my counseling clients tell me that Toby must have had a crystal ball in their living rooms! And that they read it and read it again, and sleep with it under their pillows, it helps so much.) Getting Them Sober: You Can Help! (Getting Them Sober)

I didn't grow up in the typical alcoholic household Janet constantly portrays in her books, so I didn't have all of the ACOA myths as expected - which she stated you may not have all of them. I did see a few lines that I connected strongly with (the actual "Myths" did not ring true, but rather her detailed description fit better). For example, not knowing how to get angry or what is appropriate enough to get angry. I see this in my relationship, and it wasn't until others who cared for me would say "Why are you putting up with that crap? I would never let that fly!" Alot of things seemed to roll of my back. It's not because I'm easy going and forgiving (well maybe!), but I didn't know when it was appropriate to be angry, or how, or what good getting angry would even do! The scenario about the security guard who turned off the lights and one person was angered and the other was not really hit home. Good starter book, you may not fit every myth, but it's an informative read nevertheless. If anything I understand my own parents even better as they are ACOC too.

Tramp for the lord is an eye opener for you to look at where you are, where you have been and where you are going. A good read for those moving through life and a must read for those that want to celebrate life to it's fullest.

If you read this book you will NEVER forget it. Such wonderful testimony to the miracles that the Lord is still doing in the world. I highly recommend it. It's a real page turner.

Tramp for the Lord is ONE of the most rewarding books I have ever read in my life. Everyone should read this book. She too was a human who sinned and came short of the glory of God. Corrie shares so much of her heart and life - not only because of her experiences in prison, but in every day life as she traveled the United States and to other countries to share God's work. As she experienced real life situations with ordinary people, that grew her daily in her walk with God, because as Paul learned, God's work was not easy. It was those situations that she shared in "Tramp for the Lord" that she was also growing with each situation she faced as Paul did as he continued in his day discipling for God. Corrie's book, "Tramp for the Lord," is a must read after "the Hiding Place" and will be hard to put down.

This book is a sequel to "The Hiding Place" a biography about Corrie Ten Boom's experience during World War II, arrested and sent to a German concentration camp for hiding Jews.

Corrie surrenders to God's Will for her life to take the Gospel and her story to the entire world. Because of her humbleness, she is able to connect to people from all walks of life, from royalty to prisoners. She was especially able to connect with prisoners who were hopeless because of her own experience of being locked up.

It was easy for her to minister to the victims of WWII, but Corrie resisted going back to Germany, the land that she dreaded. But she obeys and goes to Germany where she meets one of her former prison guards, one of the cruelest, walking up to her after a meeting. A chill grips her heart and bitterness wells up when he asks for her forgiveness. Leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit, she was able to forgive her enemy and found God's love overflowing.

Each chapter is a story and devotional about a situation Corrie encounters. My favorite one is, "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go, Dear Lord... but Not Up Ten Flights of Stairs."

An excerpt of this book might say it all (from Chapter 5)...

"A great ocean separated me from my homeland. I had no money. Nobody wanted to hear my lectures. All I had was an inner word from God that He was guiding me. Was it enough? All I could do was press on--and on--and on--for His Name's sake. Before going to sleep I opened my Bible, my constant companion. My eyes fell on a verse from the Psalms, "The Lord taketh pleasure...in those that hope in His mercy" (147:11). It was a thin web--a tiny filament--stretching from heaven to my little room on 190th Street in New York. I fell asleep holding on to it with all my strength."

Oh, what a joy to learn that God is for us and not against us! I highly recommend this book.

Although the thoughts are a bit strange and outlandish, this book will make everyone laugh and recall their childhood questions and thoughts. For children and adults, ages 3 to 103, this will quickly become your favorite. Pick up a copy and see for yourself.

This book is hilarious. LW Lewis out shines any other childrens poet writer. Every poem on every page is knee slapping hilarious. Every teacher should read a poem a day to their class. They would become the coolest teacher. EVerytime we finish our work early we all sit quietly in hopes that our teacher will read us a poem. Some of them have a lesson within the funny story.

If you are a kid who is always is blue and have no good humour then you are going to want to read this book.There is a lot of a funny poems in this book and you'll go nuts to read them again so aftrer yuo read this you will go nuts.

We are two fifth grade girls from Waccamaw Elem. L.W Lewis came to our school and read some of his poems we think he is a superb author and that everyone should read his wonderous poem book called "Why Do Flies Eat Doggy Poop?" and "Poodles,tigers,monsters and you"!!!! sit back relax and read a few poems by L.W.Lewis ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book is so good you will laugh your pants off. Litterally! Parents think that this book is bad but really it has some good teaching poems that rock out loud. Some are serious and they also have morals. L.W Lewis is one of the best poem writer that has ever came to our school. All Mr.Lewis wants to do is make people laugh. You should read his book sometime!

A fantastic book that gives you concrete areas on which to take action. Both practical and inspirational, this book will help you combat creative inertia. Just buy it...it's way more helpful than a few lattes or a movie ticket plus popcorn...

This is a definite keeper. The insights and insider tips, the personal stories and motivational powers of this little book are not to be underestimated. I'm about halfway through and just finished the chapter on "independent animation projects". It's like being reborn, knowing that others have gone through the dark tunnel and sweated their way through personal projects using every spare second they have.

I would recommend this book to anyone needing a motivational boost or info on how to succeed in the animation industry. It's insightful and personal, the latter point being where most of its educational value perspires; especially when giving interview tips, how to play it safe in the workplace, not burning bridges, personalities, choosing which battles to fight and which to lose..

I haven't read anything about samurai jack yet... which im kind of hoping is in the book. still... half of the book to go, so who knows.

thumbs up

This is a wonderful book for the starting artist as it will show some incite on the life of an full/freelance employed artist. I state artist as the term animator seems to narrow the field of what and who this book really points at. Read the book make your own option.

As an Animator going to SVA in NY, David Levy was my professor. He recommended us to get the book for class. It totally gives you all the great advice and inside look in the animation/film industry, like how he would normally talk to us in class about it, but the book definitely adds more in detail. He is an awesome teacher, great in his field of work and a great author. If it weren't for him and this book, I wouldn't be so confident and in the know on getting a job in my field. Very inspiring and not at all a boring read. There's also advice from other working professionals in the industry in the book.

Just finished this book a few days ago, read at a leisurely yet studious pace. Wow! There are so many insightful observations presented in an anecdotal and conversational nature, as opposed to a thesis type structure. This will help me immensely as I segue career-wise into the animation field. Great illustrations throughout too. The author is that rare combination, a gentleman and a scholar. Your Career In Animation will cause you to have many imaginary lightbulbs (ideas) floating over your head in rapid succession. My only complaint is that this book does not come with a highlighter marker. All kidding aside...a great read. Highly reccomended!!!

Without a doubt, the Zambelli Fireworks are spectacular.

When I was young, we were disappointed if windows in nearby houses didn't blow out during the annual Mount Carmel show in a town near their factory.

Most years, the windows blew out.

A must read.

I loved everything about this book: From the family history to the manufacturing of fireworks, to how to display them, their history...right up to the recipes. I bought this for my wife for Christmas because of the recipes (yeah, sure), but it is a fantastic biography. The author did truly good job! The Zambelli family is incredible.

This is more than a biography of a famous familyl it's a history of pyrotechnics which also explains the manufacturing and exhibiting of fireworks. It even has holiday recipes that correlate with fireworks. Well written. Interesting family.

When you find a good book you need to treasure it. This one on the Zambelli family has to be first choice. I like how the author combined an extraordinary family's life with the history, techniques and manufacturing of fireworks. Everything is exceptional about this book, and the writing is enjoyable.

Wow! What a treat this book is! It's a biography on the Zambelli family, a history and the how-to of fireworks, a cookbook of wonderful recipes for every holiday of the year, and the most colorful presentation of various fireworks show. Here in Louisville (Lawvil to y'all), the Zambellis do "Thunder over Louisville" and it makes your heart stop and mouth drop open. What a thrill! And what a thrill this book is, too. Great writing by Gianni Hayes.

It is an excellent and enlightening book with much food for thought and a precise account of reality in malfunctioning organizations. Also provides suggestions for improving organizations and helping them act in an ethical manner.

With humor and "paradox" Professor Jerry Harvey does a great job in stimulating personal reflections about management. Among the several tales, see Management and the myth of Abraham ("every time a boss makes a stupid mistake, he sends his administrative assistant to try to rectify it"), my favorite Captain Ashok and the Concept of Grace ("Asoh told the truth, and we are starved for it") and Group Tyranny and the Gunsmoke Phenomenon (our behaviour is related to our fear of separation but we have a choice "when confronted with the possibility of group tyranny"). Enjoy your reading and start thinking.

The first time I heard about the Abilene Paradox was back in the early 1980's when Jerry Harvey made a video for use by the government in training management.

I had run into a recent management situation in which our Director wanted only agreement with her. I immediately began to search a reference on "Abilene" and management.

So, immediately, you can see how much this little video lecture influenced me. Over twenty years later, I still remembered the reference that was needed now in 2003, and it was called the road to "ABILENE" or something similar.

A quick search on my favorite reference site "Amazon.com" and voila: I found a book called the "Abilene Paradox".

Jerry writes likes he speaks but *OH* he speaks in such an amazingly entertaining way.

Jerry gives a lot of examples of things that can happen in the workplace that will bring you down a path to disaster. He is amazingly accurate in pointing out the potholes to avoid.

Although, he is a bit shy on things you should do, I highly recommend this book. If all you get out this is that "Yes" men or "Yes" folks are not conducive to good business, then you have learned one gem of management that you will value forever.

These "Meditations" provide great thinking into how to be a more effective manager. As "Meditiations", this is not a how to cookbook on management, or checklist. There are no promises of improved customer service, or increased efficiency. Rather, by reading them, your thinking about management will improve.

Two examples on the meditations:
1 - The Abilene Paradox essay talks about a family vacation to Abilene. Nobody really wants to go there, but everyone thinks everyone else wants to go there, but is affraid to speak up. The lesson is self evident, but the story conveys it in a manner much more memorable than a directive to "Create an organization with open communication"
2 - The writings of Elliott Jaques. Harvey introduces the concept of the "Requisite Organization", an idea developed by Jaques. This highlights the imnportance of understanding complexity (as defined by the time horizon of projects one is capable of thinking of) and designing an organization where that is the key component to success. That's a deep thought in today's quarter-driven business.

Reading and pondering these meditations will make one a better manager and leader. But it isn't spoon feeding, it takes some thought as well.

The Abilene Paradox... has been one of my favorite books for many years. Whenever I read it, I find something of value in it for whatever challenges I am facing in my work. Plus, it's just fun to read. The first essay (the actual Abilene Paradox) should be required reading for anyone who wonders why groups do stupid things. And the last essay (on teaching future managers to cheat) should be required reading for anyone who wonders how one simple change could make a huge difference in business education, making it more relevant and more solidly ethically based. Everything in between these two essays is worth, reading, too.

I really wish I had discovered this earlier! I received it yesterday and have already fell in love with the wide array of add-ins that are included on the cd. The book is a great tool to quickly identify the effect that I want. This is a must-have for anyone who has Photoshop Elements!

The book isn't worth much, but the plugins are great. The one click stuff is a great time saver for me, and it really does make things look more snappy without too much hassle. Well worth it for the CD full of plugins!

I love this book. I've already used alot of the layer styles already. Lots of examples. Tons of ideas.

I have had Photoshop Elements 2 for over a year, but until I got this book and CD ROM I had no idea just how creative I could be with the program. There were a lot of effects that I tried to apply to my art but did not quite get the results I desired. This book has helped me unleash my "creative genius". As graphic design student, I have found it to be the best investment I have made besides my computer components. You will find the book helpful, as well, to view the layer styles before applying them to your art. I had found at first that I spent a great deal of time applying and deleting styles and effects before finding the right one, and then I read the book (duh!). I found full-color samples of all the different presets contained on the disk scattered throughout the chapters. It is a small book, but it is very content-rich.

I had used Photoshop 7 in the graphic design lab at school , but I could not afford to buy it. This book and PSE 2 together cost less than $100, and I have no problem duplicating lessons and completing projects at home that are supposed to be done using PS 7.

When Adobe introduced Photoshop Elements it had a low-end program for newcomers to digital photography. It based the cut-down Elements program on its expensive and complex main Photoshop program. However, when you buy Elements you are actually installing quite a lot of the main program (even though no menu commands exist to use new features), and people have been finding ways to exploit the advanced features of Photoshop that Adobe thought would be too complex for Elements users.

Several web sites and two books supply software to advance the capabilities of Elements. One book lets you use some of the professional-level features of the main program, and the other provides some wild effects. That book is the One-Click Wow book I'm reviewing here (the other one is Richard Lynch's The Hidden Powers of Photoshop Elements).

Years ago I wrote a book on Photoshop version 3, and even without enhancements Photoshop Elements 3 is close to being equal to it. The effects in One-Click Wow can be done in several steps in the Main Photoshop program, and in fact that's how they're produced. Unfortunately the effects are of the "take it or leave it" variety - there's no way of altering them - but luckily Jack Davis has produced effects that will appeal to most people.

Because this is a "cheat" and not an officialy approved set of program extensions, you have to manually copy the extensions from the CD to your hard drive. If Elements is running you need to reboot, and then you'll find them listed in the menus for Layer Effects and other places.

One set of extensions work on photographs, and as well as those allowing you to change the appearance of the whole photograph there are other effects that let you add frames or edges. There's a whole series of effects that allows you to change a photograph so that it looks like a painting.

The major set of effects works on graphics and type. They'll change your designs and words to look like chrome or many kinds of natural materials, as well as plenty that look like neon signs. In fact there are several hundred effects, as well as extra brushes and patterns.

It's easiest to see this product not so much as a book, but more like a software add-on with an instruction manual that gives examples of almost every effect - in full color. There's even a multi-page tutorial in using the effects which should explain all you need to know about how to use them.

Davis has been producing the Photoshop Wow books of effects since the beginning of the main program, so the effects here will make a major difference to your pictures. What I've also noticed is the way Davis crops his pictures which is a tutorial in itself - he crops very tightly and you can see the improvement.

So if you can see a copy of this book before you buy it, take a look because what you see is what you're going to get. For most people it's a no-brainer buy, especially since even if you had the main Photoshop program you'd have to do numerous activities on your pictures to equal what you get here.

For the price, it's an amazing bargain for the extra powers you get. I have both this and The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements, and the two of them make Elements a much more powerful and worthwhile program.

I concur with most of the points addressed by earlier reviewers, and found this book to be one of the best about history that I've read. Many of the letters were eye-opening, detailing facets of America's history of which I was unaware. As an example, I found the letter detailing the My Lai Massacre both illuminating and horrifying. The letter from Roosevelt to 'The President of The United States in 1956' honoring the first American soldier to give his life in WWII is one of my favorites, along with the letter to the Warner Brothers from Groucho Marx that an earlier reviewer mentioned. A few additional thoughts:

1. The choices of letters from the 1990s were the weakest of any decade. I suppose that's to be expected in the days of e-mail, chatrooms, and the demise of the letter writer, but I'm sure there were better selections than one detailing the results of testing performed on the stained blue dress worn by Monica Lewinsky, or the letter to a Star Trek fan.

2. The majority of the letters related to negative aspects of the century, which while powerful to read made it a bit depressing to read more than 30-50 pages at a sitting. As the various forms of media have always realized, bad news makes for better stories than good news. I wish, however, that there would have been more letters evincing triumphs, humor, and/or optimism. Such letters were in evidence, but not in abundance.

3. I agree with an earlier reviewer that noted the liberal bias of the letters selected. There appeared to be an inordinate amount of 'coming out' selections and letters voicing disapproval of the System. They were important letters, however, that gave me a different view of the country's past.

4. One of my favorite history-related books is A People's History of The United States by Zinn. This book of letters reminded me of that text, required in a college history class.

Overall, I strongly recommend this collection to anyone interested in the history of 20th century America.

This is a collection of over 400 letters that attempts to summarize the century using such. It's a fool's errand, of course, but this is a valiant and fascinating effort.

Some of the letters are famous ones: Einstein alerting Roosevelt to the possibility of developing a nuclear bomb, Martin Luther King writing from the Birmingham jail, and Nixon's terse letter resigning the presidency. Others are less-known but still from famous people: Mark Twain complaining caustically about the inefficiency of telegrams, Charlie Chaplin ecstatic about his first movie contract, Bill Gates trying to discourage early software piracy.

And others are from and to obscure people while still being remarkably telling: an immigrant writing to his relatives about his new life in America, a Jewish woman writing of her experiences being captured and interrogated by the Nazis, a letter left at the Vietnam War Memorial, an erstwhile Compuserve user giving up on his connection problems when confronted with technobabble in response to his request for help. It's really a fascinating read, a hodge-podge of life across the century, from mundane domestic problems to the key issues of the day. My only complaint is that there's a bit of a liberal bias, with plenty of letters describing the hardships of the downtrodden masses and not a whole lot celebrating human ingenuity and accomplishment. But perhaps that is a telling point as well, considering it's a bias that has dominated this century.

This book is a wonderful collection of stories from every year of the 20th century. The authors of the letters are famous people and ordinary citizens. These letters express every human emotion love, loss, triumph, joy, and hope. This book is a pleasure to read.

My favorite story is about a young woman writing to her best friend about her bad marriage. Her husband is physically abusive to her and her son. She yearns for the courage to escape and become an independant woman which she eventually does. Another story by a young man who actually survived the sinking of the Titanic He writes his girlfriend about his experience of getting off the ship and waiting to be rescued.

There is a letter by a woman in Hawaii to her brother in Ohio. She recounted witnessing the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War 2. She recounts going to a bomb shelter and depicts the commaraderie among the people of the time.

There is a Dear John letter addressed to Ernest Hemmingway from a nurse who cared for him while he was wounded in World War 1 He loved her but their relationship was a mere fling to her. She lets him down gently. This relationship inspired Hemingway to write the novel The Sun Also Rises. There is another letter written by a young unwed pregnant woman in the 1930's seeking advice from a doctor. Her father has no knowledge of the pregnancy and her mother is dead. She has nobody to turn to and her desperate plea for guidance is very touching.

There is another poignant letter written by the sister of a Vietnam Vet who died from lymphnoma as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. She expresses her disbelief, loss and sorrow to an anti war group. There are several stories written by expectant parents to their unborn children. Each letter is filled with anticipation and hope. Buy this book. You will never be able to put it down.

I did not expect to like this book. I had avoided reading it for some time, thinking it would be dull, pedantic, not worth the effort it might take to read it, and generally unpleasant.

I am so glad I found out I was wrong.

It's actually enthralling, well-done, and a worthwhile addition to anyone's library. I am not generally fond of ultra-personal non-fiction, or of the twentieth century in general, but _Letters of the Century_ overcame all of my doubts. The explanatory paragraphs and notes are extremely helpful; the letters are generally of medium length, diverse in subject matter, and uniformly fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it.

Every library should have this treasure. I can't think of any book that is as immediately accessible or as fascinating to anyone who reads it. It's a fun way for anyone to learn about America's last 100 years. It's a great gift for a teenager who may consider American history a sleeper subject; it can help put all the facts into context. I wish I had this book when I was in high school!