Reviews Books

This book generally delivers on its purpose, which is to introduce young readers to the important topic of World War II. In my estimation, if your child isn't already interested, this book may not necessarily awaken him or her (Ambrose's "The Good Fight" is better), but for your interested son or daughter, ages 8 to 13 or so, this is a useful resource. As a history it is pretty light, but it is not a bad overview, and provides some great insight into the Home Front and other non-traditional perspectives on the War. There are a few WW-II themed crafts and activity ideas, all of which are pointless and the very type of things that children and their parents ignore the world over.

Wonderful for history buffs of all ages. Approiate for younger readers, filled with activities to spark dialog about War and sacrifice.

My 7 year old son is a WWII fanatic and loves this book. It discusses not only events in the war itself, but also the impact of the war on life in the U.S. The activities encourage kids to think about far-reaching effects of war, not just the exciting battles.

"World War II for Kids: A History with 21 Activities" really has three key components. First, there is a history of World War II from Hitler's rise to power in 1933 to the surrender of the Japanese in 1945. Second, Richard Panchyk provides excerpts from actual wartime letters written to and by troops on both sides along with personal anecdotes from people who lived through the war. Finally, there are 21 activities that can show young readers how it felt to live through World War II, both on the battlefield and on the Home Front.

Actually, the first function is the least impressive part of "World War II for Kids," although Panchyk provides a solid history of the war. It is just that the personal writings and recollections, along with the activities, are where Panchyk goes beyond what you would find in your standard American history textbook, which is why this is an excellent supplemental volume. Teachers can certainly use the activities and quote from the letters found in this volume to give students more of a sense of what it was like to live during that time.

The 21 activities are fairly interesting and cover a variety of subjects. Some are fairly complex, such as substituting a potato for an incendiary bomb and following the instructions on how to extinguish it, or staging a radio adventure program, while others are relatively simply, such as drawing a recruiting poster. There is an exercise in code breaking, learning how to camouflage, making a ration kit, going on a reconnaissance mission, figuring oat a coastal defense, the physics of dropping bombs, and a game that helps demonstrate the difference between mortar and howitzer fire versus anti-tank and anti-aircraft fire. There are also "Home Front" activities like making a bandage, putting together a care package, growing a Victory Garden, sending V-Mail, and extending butter, as well as a couple of activities having to do with the Holocaust by making a Jewish star and trying to find good hiding places in your home for the student and an adult helper.

Obviously some of these activities are going to be more practical and more beneficial than others, but Panchyk has made an attempt to come up with different ways of giving his young readers an idea of what it was like for kids and adults during World War II. Again, while young readers can certainly read this book and try the activities on their own, "World War II for Kids" is even better suited as a resource for teachers to use when teaching the pivotal events of World War II. Comparing what life was like for their grandparents during that war as opposed to the rather limited impact on their lives today during the war on terrorism could be quite an eye opener for young readers.

Writing Smart Junior, by C.L. Brantley, is a very beneficial guide to any junior-higher in need of better writing skills. It is very clearly written and easy to follow. The key element is how educational the storyline is. Brantley has written it in such a way so that you are intrigued with what is happening with the characters and what they are experiencing, and at the same time able to comprehend what they are learning. So, in a way, you feel like you are a part of the team trying to accomplish the assigned quest for the lost art of writing. This is an exellent book; an addition to my bookshelf that I am extemely grateful for. It has helped me through some of my most difficult times in my English class. (I originally had a C, but thanks to Writing Smart Junior, I now have an A!)

I like books such asXANT

This book is excellent, and not only for middle school children. I've used this book in teaching writing seminars for adults, and the rules still apply. Though the lessons are taught in story format, they are invaluable.

This book was great and I can't wait to read it again

This book told of the trials and tribulations of the characters of the past. It helped new viewers to catch up on the events of the past, while taking life long watchers on a trip down memory lane. Great Job!!

As a huge fan of the Y&R from its inception, I was very entharalled and delighted with this book. It is a *MUST* read for any fan of this show. Not only does it take you down memory lane, but it refreshes the memory of many story lines.

This question book is extremely well written and useful for studying for the ABEM written exam or in-service exams. I highly recommend it.

This book has great, relevant questions that are very similar to those on the EM Inservice Exam and on Boards. I highly recommend it.

Those are the words I would use to describe this little gem of a book. I received this as a birthday gift (along with a DVD of the Criterion Edition Seven Samurai, I might add). At first, I just kind of went, 'Oh, a quiz book.' Boy, was I wrong. I had a blast reading this. More than anything, the book is informative. I had fun answering the questions I knew ('What is Rosebud?' Duh.), but the ones I didn't know turned out to be a treasure-trove of information on these movies. Really, really fun book. Two thumbs up!

Despite the fact that I don't fully approve of the american film institute's choices for the 100 greatest american films, I am a huge fan of a great deal of these films: sunset boulevard, taxi driver, the wizard of oz, gone with the wind, citizen kane, et al. As a film buff and amateur film historian, I felt I knew a great deal about these projects and their histories. Yet, to my amazement, Mr. Raush's book consistently brought new facts to light. While I'm not really much of a fan of quiz books, I liked this book immensely. In fact, the title is kind of misleading since its really more of film history book than anything else. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it an able companion to Roger Ebert's The Great Films book. I would heartily recommend either of these books to anyone interested in movies and movie makers.

Career choices for our children! Jodi Weiss' conceptual creation is a veritable encyclopedia of fascinating fun facts describing 145 potential career opportunities for the aspiring adult. A gentle guide to benefit the young and curious, "145 Thing to Be When You Grow Up" offers endless options and direction towards the pursuit and manifestation of 'the dream job'. Beginning to envision a path towards the creation of one's vocation is the single most important ambition in any one's life. After reading "145 Things to Be ..." one might have learned the invaluable experience of interning at 145 different employers. As a valuable and insightful adventure into the real world, Jodi Weiss has researched and written a real-life come-to-life pragmatic bible for the young adult. An entertaining MUST READ at ANY age.

I just got a copy of this book and it's phenominal! greay layout, easy to read, quick reference. definitely a must-have for every school, guidance counselor, head-hunter and EVERY high-school student. Such an eclectic array of jobs... covering the whole spectrum from Magician to Musician, Doctor to Dancer, Shoe Designer to Stock Broker.

I think I'll be a rock star and moonlight as a sailor or lobbyist...

I want to preview this book than sure that is i want.

This book ranks with PDR for Herbal Remedies, plus it includes minerals and other supplements. A great buy!

I was expecting another list book where someone gave their opinion about what he or she liked. I also expected to hate the list because I usually disagree with many critics on their top 10 or 20 lists. With an extra 30 to choose from I immediately snatched this book up and was ready to argue. I was pleasantly surprised.

There is no possible way anyone could agree with all 50 movies on the list, but there are some absolute gems that normaly get missed. In addition, the author adds his 10 favorite movies, making a clear distinction between favorite and best. That is not all.

There are also two other lists that Russo compares his list to. that is pretty brave in my opinion, because there are major differences and Russo sticks to his guns with his choices. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be sure to flip through it again and again as movies discussed are watched in the future. I might even check out his other book. If it's half as good as this one it will be well worth it.

Highly recommended, even for the occasional movie fan.

I agree with the first review on this page. This book is awesome. I love the fact that the movies are talked about in a conversational manner. It's like the author is talking to us, not down to us. I try to see as many movies as I can and this book has given me some great new movies to see that I never had before.

I hope they strart discussing it on the internet movie databse, because he talks about their top 250 list and points out some of the positives and the flaws. All in all a great book and one that I highly recommend to anyone who likes movies.

This book is packed with useful questions for the Interventional Cardiology boards, while the answer sections are mini-review chapters in and of themselves. The reader who finishes the book will be well prepared for the interventional boards, but will also have learned a lot of useful facts and pearls from some of the leaders in the field.

EXCELLENT BOOK! IT IS ALWAYS NICE TO REVIEW YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND TO FIND THE WEAK POINTS.ALL THE ANSWERS ALL SMALL DIAMONDS OF KNOWLEDGE.A MOTIVE TO READ YOUR REFERENCE BOOK AGAIN AND AGAIN...

Brad Stevens did a magnificent work, that enlightens all the aspects of Ferrara's movies. As a very serious historian, he multiplies the sources of informations, and we discover for example the youth and formation of the film-maker. As a brilliant analyst, he compares each film with a whole range of literary and cinematic works. It's a model in terms of monography about a director.
The book is wonderfully illustrated. The filmography is the most complete and detailed.
A necessary book for everyone interested, nonetheless about Ferrara, but about American contemporary cinema in general.

Brad Stevens, whose successful book on Monte Hellman was released in 2003, tackles another subject who doesn't always get the proper recognition that they so deserve. Through interviews with Ferrara himself (he wrote the brief introduction), correspondence with the main collaborators of the director, and enormous amounts of research, Stevens' book focuses on both the biographical and the theoretical nature of Ferrara's films. It's the most complete book on Ferrara at this time, and one would hope that Stevens would be able to update this text as Ferrara continues his controversial - but always impressive - career.
His section on unrealized projects alone makes this worthy of a purchase.