Party The Books

I have used Bravo's event resource guide for the past 4 years and find it to be the best resource for finding venues and vendors to work with. I always begin with this book.

Lovely watercolor illustrations compliment the fresh ideas from author Rick Rodgers. Careful, detailed instructions help the even the novice host plan and execute the perfect tea party baby shower. Only downside: food is heavily gourmet, may need to be toned down a bit for those with less adventurous palates. Well worth the price.

My son, 21 months now, has loved this book since about 6 months old. This book has been part of our bedtime routine since then. It has such brilliantlly colorful illustrations--Shari Halpern really outdid herself! The story is written well. It is not too long as to hold the attention of a toddler. The only suggestions I would have is to publish this book in the form of a board book!

This is a superb study of the process of building consensus for liberalisation in Egypt. Though consensus building is central to many important areas of inquiry, both within Political Science and throughout the social sciences, it is a process that, as el-Mikawy rightfully points out, is insufficiently understood. This finely written, argued, and documented study makes an important contribution to our understanding of `who consents to what and how', and of `how consensus is achieved and why'. El-Mikawy brings to this investigation detailed knowledge both of modern Egypt and of contemporary social theory and comparative politics. Drawing on insights from, among others, Giovanni Sartori, Guillerno O'Donnell, Albert Hirschman, and Phillippe Schmitter, she masterfully weaves theoretical critique and theory building with her empirical case materials. Amid the mountains of academic books on the Middle East that crowd our library and bookstore shelves, few provide as scholarly, sustained, theoretically grounded, and empirically rich an analysis of factors critical to political development and change in the region. The book illuminates factors relevant, not only to political development, but also to the Middle East `peace process', the emergence of civil society, and other aspects of contemporary Middle East politics.

I think it's a shame no one has reviewed this great book so far, so here goes:
We borrowed this book from the library and my son couldn't have enough of it so I bought it on Amazon. He simply loves books and trucks and this is one of his favorites. I have to animate it a little for him as I read (like, we pretend we open the door and put the balloons in, he makes the truck go and so on...) and he wants us to read it over and over again. He needs my help to fit the truck puzzle piece on every page but since he believes he does it all by himself it thrills him to make the truck stop and go at each shop and at his house with all the goodies displayed (truck puzzle flips over on last page) in the end :)!

This book is too good just for academics and pundits. For anyone concerned about declining rates of voter participation in America, this is must-read stuff. Schier is most provocative in how he argues that fundamentally our parties have too FEW resources, not too many. In particular, ever since parties lost the patronage and their ability to "mobilize" large swathes of the American electorate, more and more Americans have been dropping out because they are unwilling / unable to pay the costs of participation. The tradeoff, of course, which Schier could say more about, is that for those who DO participate, the ability to democratically influence policy has probably never been higher. Sure, lots of people voted in the 19th century, but their choices and the amount of policy they could really influence were very constricted. Today, more freedom - but also more responsibility, which creates a systematic bias in favor of the wealthy, the more-educated and the elderly. Schier doesn't really have a solution to this tradeoff (is there one?) but he sure nails the problem. The historical angle lends a fresh perspective to some familiar-sounding arguments. This book is particularly good read in conjunction with Michael McGerr's _The Decline of Popular Politics_ and Jonathan Rauch's _Government's End_.

The Bye Bye Pie is a simple, joyful, enthusiastically recommended children's picture book written by Sharon Jennings, illustrated by Rurh Ohi, and features a heartwarming tale of two young children, their beloved grandmother, and a "pie go bye-bye" lost in a mishap, yet replaced with a delicious secret recipe. The recipe is on the back cover of a book - it involves mixing pecan pie with chocolate sauce and whipped cream for an irresistibly sweet dessert!

With gorgeous photos and well tested recipes, California Cooking is the most important and thoroughly reliable cookbook for a modern home chef. Especially one interested in the vast variety of California and the freshness of California cuisine.
Each chapter begins by describing the mystery of a unique California region, then provides a creative menu suitable to the region's aura and lifestyle and finally gives every recipe needed to serve the complete menu with suggestions for beverages.
In the 5 years that I have used this book, it has never failed to give me dinner parties with "WOW". Each recipe is natural, fresh, interesting and uncomplicated. Each menu well planned with photos to show how to beautifully serve and garnish. It is a visual and practical gem.

This book is a great insight into one of the leading politicians in Britain today. From his years at Eton and Oxford to leading the opposition attacks on Labour in the House of Commons gallery, this piece of literature provides an accurate yet objective look into the intriguing life of the Honorable Mr. David Cameron. As well as a look at his policies and positions for the future of Great Britain and the world. I bought my copy while on a trip to London and as an American supporter of the MP am enthused to see that it will finally be available to all Americans. Overall I was very impressed by Francis Elliot and James Hannings portrayal of Mr. Cameron and would recommend to all who take a strong interest in UK politics and figures.

I had the pleasure of studying political economy with Professor Schneider as an undergraduate during the final stages of this book's production. Although I do not own a copy, I have read it in manuscript form. Prof. Schneider's book first relates the decline in American productivity over the past few decades to the lack of social mechanisms to support productivity growth. He then goes on to demonstrate how the traditional Democratic support base is eroding as the Democratic party switches its focus from providing these social mechanisms to satisfying special interests.

The book is clearly written, and his point is very well argued, drawing examples from issues ranging from national defense to public education and childcare. I highly suggest this to anyone, of any political affiliation, who is interested in a troubling yet gripping thesis about why the Democratic party is losing its once dominant power in American politics.

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Interestingly, I wrote this review prior to the November 2002 elections. Prof. Schneider's thesis, also developed and published well prior to 2002, is almost a perfect fit to what many pundits and critics claim to be the reason for the Democrat's inability to pickup midterm seats. This book has turned out to be particularly prescient in that respect.