Q Books

I enjoyed reading the book as it examines the cultural aspects of the pandemic. We each need to question our own cultural assumptions as we analyze just what happened to make this such a disaster.

This book is a really terrific idea. I am disappointed that there are over two million other books which are purchased more frequently than this one, according to Amazon.com -- it just doesn't seem right.

Querida Pearce has done a great deal of work, in compiling this amazing little volume. Conversations about dinosaurs are one of the few areas where adults and children can really be complete equals together, sharing in a state of wonder. Actually, as often as not, the adults are at a disadvantage here. Children often know MUCH more than the less age-challenged, height-challenged members of their families, about this fascinating topic. Therefore, to help adults bridge this unfortunate gap, Ms. Pearce has created this guide.

Let me just briefly mention that this book came out a couple of years before the film "Jurassic Park." It happens that some of the dinosaurs featured in that film were almost completely unknown, to most folks, before the film came out. Velociraptors, in particular, are only mentioned in passing in "How to Talk Dinosaur With Your Child." And the Tyrannosaurus Rex is always referred to by its full name, never as a "T. Rex." But those are small complaints, of course. This book is basically superb, and has been highly praised by curators at museums featuring paleontology exhibits.

Here are some particularly fun features of this book. In Chapter 8, the author talks about how you could prepare for a visit to a dinosaur museum with your children. She helps you get thinking about how you could create a dinosaur diorama, for example, to help your kids understand how the displays in the museum are made. In Chapter 11, there's a great little section about dinosaur names. It gives handy definitions of all the little Latin and Greek prefixes, suffixes, and other roots which go into composing the names of dinosaurs. You can even use this section to start making up dino-names for family, friends, or pets. For example, if you have a dog with very triangular ears, and a short tail, you could take the roots "spheno" (wedge shaped); "oto" (ear); "micro" (small); and "urus" (tail), and start calling your dog Sphenooto Microurus. This is how scientists really name dinosaurs! You and your children can share a lot of laughs with this section.

The whole book is packed with ideas for dinner table discussions, or for talking about during agonizingly long car rides. For example, Ms. Pearce encourages readers to think about the devastation that would be left behind if a herd of diplodoci crashed through the local jungle. She suggests going to the library, and seeking out accounts of how African jungles have sprung back after rampages by groups of elephants. The whole book is full of suggestions like this. They go on, page after page after page. I don't know how she thought up so many great ideas.

As I said earlier, some parts of this book are realy designed to help adults catch up to their kids, who are most likely miles ahead of them in their knowledge of dino-lore. But the focus is on finding common ground, and things to share wonder about. This book is actually about real wonder, real scientific discovery, and real fun. This book represents what learning really should be like, although of course it rarely actually is.

If you enjoy this fine little volume, I would like to recommend "After Man: A Zoology of the Future," by Dougal Dixon, which is also incredibly fun and interesting. It gets kids asking "what if" we could see into the future, and visualize how present animals might evolve in coming millenia? It has amazing pictures, and provocative essays. Also, you may wish to take a look at "Our Continent: A Natural History of North America," by National Geographic. They did a great job with that book, and it includes actual charts so you can see how various dinosaurs evolved. Also, just a slightly oddball recommendation: I really enjoyed the book "When Geologists Were Historians," by Rhoda Rappaport. It helps you see what early scientists were up against, when they tried to get people to conceptualize the idea that rocks were laid down in layers, some of which contained dinosaur bones.

Anyway, "How to Talk Dinosaur With Your Child" is superb. You owe it to your kids, or maybe even to a co-workers kids, to pick up a copy of this book.

Whoever wrote the description above didn't read the same book I did. Or maybe they are just ever so much smarter than the rest of us. This book lays out some information on Hubble and also acts as a meditation on family and relationships over time. The use of the Hubble material works as a metaphor for the place we all have in the universe. It is small when seen in light years, but it is great to each of us, individually. As far as lauding Hubble goes, he was worthy of lauding. As far as the low self esteem of the narrative voice goes, she doesn't have low self esteem. She just has problems with her folks. Wow, talk about over-writing. That guy who wrote the descrip of this book has some serious and sad problems. Bezzi only wrote this novel, and has since left this world. Hopefully he has had a chance to speak with Edwin Hubble. I feel the book is well worth reading. But, hey, what do I know, I'm just an average person. I learned a lot about myself from this book. I learned a few things about Hubble I didn't know.

This author is not only a good friend of mine but also a very passionate writer who believes in his work. I was there for him when he went through alot of hard times and I am glad to see that he has overcome many of the trials and tribulations of life. I admire him for being the strong person that he is cause he could hsve called it "quits" at any time. My wife also enjoyed reading his poems and stated that she felt that they were truly from his heart. Keep doing what you do Jack, I love you like a brother. I am still awaiting to read the book that you were writing whlie we were in Jacksonville, Florida. Just Simply Brilliant Work!!!

Your Friend,
Tony Ross

or just looking for a different way to express your feelings, this is a very romantic way to tell your significant other how much you love him/her without saying a word. This little book is cute and fun to page through.

The I.Q. Booster Kit has been a great tool to help my preschooler with learning fundamentals developmentally- he just thinks he's having fun! In the first included tape, Simone Bibeau M.A. gives her theory for what you and your child will be doing together- She does a great job explaining her theory in understandable and practical terms.. It is a geat tool for not only developing learning skills, but also as a tool for the parent to easily evaluate any potential areas of difficulty, so that those areas can be addressed EARLY on with the child... why wait until the child is older and you and he are getting frustrated and angry.... Adressing the areas now could save a lot of stife... and money. The material covers all the essential skills your child will be using throughout life, and most importantly in there education.. If you are looking for a great tool to help your child develop to their full learning potential- this is a great place to begin! Both you and your child will benefit greatly from this kit!

It's Heath Month in I.Q.'s classroom, but I.Q. is worried that because he can't run as long or jump as far as the other students, he won't win a ribbon at the fitness test. I.Q. the mouse is challenged to do his best - and still he doesn't seem to be able to compete. His efforts will eventually win him something different in this warm survey of a student who wants to achieve the most.

This book is the original edition of what is now titled "IS Your Child Hyperactive? Inattentive? Impulsive? Distractible?" (ie: the one with the question marks, and note that the authors are the same). Please see my 5 star review for this book on that page. You don't want to miss out on this book!

First of all let me confess to some insider knowledge of the author. A few years ago I worked in an internet and marketing communications agency alongside a certain Martin C Brown.

By day he provided both high-level IT consultancy (Mac, PC, Unix et al) and ground-level Mac and systems support to a mixed bag of Mac users - ranging from 'Power Users' to 'Just Plain Dumb Users'. By night he was obviously planning world domination of the computer book market... and he probably dashed off a few macros too that enabled him to download his awe-inspiring knowledge of all things Apple Mac straight from brain to paperback in one easy process!

Falling as I do into the 'dumb user' category, the idea of owning a computer (even a user-friendly Mac), but being cut adrift from the expert support of someone like Martin C Brown, scares the hell out of me.

So, IMHO (in my humble opinion), iMacFYI is a must-buy for every iMac owner on this planet. It doesn't matter whether you've been using a Mac since day one or whether you're a more recent convert. I've been a Mac devotee for over 15 years and I was amazed how much I learned on every page of this book. If I was a novice I reckon this book would provide a pretty good return on investment by around page 25 at the latest - and you'd still have over 250 pages left to go!

Flicking through iMacFYI as I finish this review it becomes apparent just what a great mix of hard facts, priceless info and readability this book offers. Virtually every section has a liberal sprinkling of useful screen shots, dialogue boxes, tips and notes. And the question and answer format adopted throughout leaves no stone unturned. Buy it, enjoy - and sleep easy!

The Lavettes-Torn by divorce, dissension, and warring passions, the Lavettes face their most painful truths, mirroring a nation divided in the aftermath of Vietnam. The loves that seemed inviolate, the unquestioned loyalties, are struck down in an era of broken promises and lost ideas.

Barbara Lavette -Trapped between her own heroic past, her family's needs, and the shadow of her own encroaching age, Barbara is at the crossroads. Embracing the challenge of a congressional race, going out to face war - and love - in El Salvador, she must become the inspriation of her embattled family, the microcosm that is her ultimate testing ground for courage and strength.