R Books

When I started out reading this book, I was very skeptical, and I did not want to read something, that was set in the 1800's. I was pleasantly surprised though, because of what I learned about those times. I loved the characters and thought that they just fit together, especially Lorna and Jens. The book was romantic, but definitely had tragic and horrible moments, as well. This was a great novel, with an expected ending, but I really did enjoy this book a lot.

and this book proves she is at the top! I enjoyed this book even though it was a tear jerker.

Levyrle Spencer can just make you feel what her characters are feeling so effortlessly that you laugh and cry with them and almost forget that they are not real.
Lorna and Jens are one of her most real characters and their situation is also so real. The way they are helpless against their attraction to each other even after knowing it would be disastrous was so beautifully written that you could feel the sexual tension yourself whenever they were together.
Lorna was a rich girl but not spoilt at all. And Jens was poor but too ambitious and proud to become one of the servents in house for Lorna. Their attraction, like it always happens in Levyrle Spencer's romances, grew with each of their meetings to an extent that it was almost unbearable for me(and i suppose all the readers). It became something too strong and inevitable to ignore anymore. I especially liked the scene when Lorna asked Jens if he was ever going to kiss her, "I have considered ordering you to, but it didn't work before." How sweet!
People like Lorna's parents could make something so beautiful and rare into something cheap and dirty. Her mother was so convincing that she made Lorna question her own feelings. Her mother used her shame and guilt as a weapon against her love for Jens and made her give up hope. Jens was angry with her for giving up and i don't blame him.
The ending was Great! It warmed my heart to see Lorna stand up for her love and her child without any shame or guilt.
This is one of those books that you have got to read again and i definately will.

I LOVED this book!!! It is the love story of Lorna, a rich girl (though not spoiled at all), living in the high society of Minnesota in the late 1800s, and Jens, the kitchen handyman, hired by her father to build him the fastest boat possible. The characters come to life in this book - LaVyrle Spencer at her best, so very well written that you can feel their pain, etc. Heartwrenching and very romantic. Reminds me of "Titanic" with the whole upper class/lower class theme. I can't say enough about this book. I just couldn't put it down, it is really that good!!! It is definitely one of my favorites and I recommend it to everyone!!!

The setting of November of the Heart is Minnesota, 1895. Lorna Barnett, the central figure, is the beautiful eighteen-year-old daughter of Commodore Gideon Barnett, a proud man who's a member of the White Bear Yacht Club. The Barnetts are high on the social ladder, and the Barnetts expect Lorna to marry the handsome, well-off Taylor DuVal. However, one summer at their lake house, Lorna unexpectedly falls in love with the kitchenhand, twenty-five-year-old Jens Harkens, the Norweigan, and they begin a passionate, risky relationship. They both know that if they are discovered, Jens will be banished from the lakehouse. Gideon Barnett is passionate about racing boats, and after bitterly losing a race, Jens suggests that he knows how to build a better boat (after all, he is a Norweigan), so he is commissioned to build a boat for the next race. However, his tenure is cut short as his and Lorna's relationship is exposed, and Lorna's life is almost ruined with scandal.

A poignant, passionate read that deals with love at its cruelest and at its heartwarming best, but a lot of times, I felt like the plot was too stagnant and uninteresting. There are not a lot of driving moments/action that make the plot move forward, and the ending is resolved a little too neatly. However, if one does not mind the verbiage and the intense sexual scenes (if one is not comfortable with these kinds of things), then one can enjoy this cute "coming of age" novel for Lorna Barnett and her undying love for her Norweigan.

The audio version of Ask, Believe, Receive is the best book on the law of attraction that I have ever heard. It contains so much information that it will be heard again and again. David Hooper offers insights into new ways of thinking about the same concerns. I appreciate that! Thank you for sharing this information.

Thank you so much! This book was so helpful and I am putting the knowledge that I got from it into motion and it is working great! Thank you!

i recommend this to anyone who may be having trouble using the law of attraction or for anyone who is trying to sharpen their skills. it is packed with good information that can be used to help your manifestations come quicker.

Read this if you like your How-to-Manifest books to possess the following: Be simple. Have no fluff. Be clear. The Core Concepts Chapter of Ask, Believe, and Receive boils down the process of manifestation. A seven-year old could do it. I appreciate the cover art for reminding me Keep It Simple...(Fill-in-the-Blank.)

I downloaded this audiobook seven days ago and definitely feel a shift in my attitude. I put the money section on my MP3 and listened to it at work all day, it really kept me focused on shifting to a more positive mindset. Unexpected sales have been flowing in, and I feel much more relaxed about spending. I have yet to listen to the rest of the book...watch this space...

I love Ed Emberley and the techniques that he uses to teach drawing.

This book is my favorite because it's packed with all kinds of things to draw. Gumball machines, people in action, animals, trucks, planes, you name it.

You really can draw your own little world.

This would be a great gift with some paper and markers for the young budding artist.

I bought this for a friends son who is 7. This is the only Ed Emberely book that he didn't have. He loves them!

A world is right! So many things to draw in this book. Simple and colorful to enlighten young and old imaginations.

Great book for kids who like to draw but have trouble doing it freehand. Nice step-by-step instructions.

I was disappointed that the inside drawings looked just like the cover drawings... duh, I suppose, but I was expecting more. I gave it to the 9-year-old 'patient' anyway, but wasn't excited about doing so.

Reading and/or listening to this management story is a fun way to gain insight about people with whom we work and interact. I enjoyed the positive presentation about different perspectives and strenghts that people have and where the best place to deploy people with these attributes might be. The book encourages objective interactions that are win-win and non-judgemental.

Here we go again, another personality classification system and the author's premise that if you can stereo type people you can manage them more effectively. I don't see what this system has over other personality classification systems, such as MBTI (which has been around longer and more people seem to be familiar with).

The book tries to be humorous, but it just didn't work. The story telling wasn't bad, but I'd almost rather listen to nails on a chalk board then listen to the voices of the people reading this book.

Bottom line. I learned a little, but not much and I'd like my money back.

This loosely medieval management parable about "a king at his wits' end" has several winning characteristics. First, it's relevant without taking itself too seriously. The light, self-effacing - even occasionally tongue-in-cheek - tone makes it easily readable. Authors Sheldon Bowles, Richard Silvano and Susan Silvano actively engage readers with a brief interactive online test that reveals your personality "guild type." Then they draw on their narrative's strength to move forward. Many books about emotional intelligence give readers little practical help. This one is fun, helpful and entertaining even though its guild classification system may need additional tweaking. Apparently designed primarily for workplace applications, it lacks the specificity of the more familiar Myers-Briggs test, which in comparison practically predicts how you'll want your eggs cooked a month from next Tuesday. Notwithstanding these minor limitations, we recommend this book to managers, coaches, consultants, EQ practitioners and those HR folks burdened with softening the Type A corporate hearts who run most organizations.

I found Kingdomality (the test) almost 10 years ago. I took the test and was impressed by its accuracy. Since then, I have taken the online test 3 or 4 times more, with the same results.

So, when browsing on a local bookstore, I saw that the test creators had a book about Kingdomality, I did not hesitate and bought it.

What is Kingdomality (the test and the book) about? Well, it basically sustains that people can be grouped in 12 categories of personality types. These types are a function of how people see the world, what are their motivations, how do they interact with it. It's called Kingdomality because the personalities can be linked to "standard" professions in the Middle Ages (the time of Kingdoms...).

Those who have already taken the test and have enjoyed its simplicity and accuracy will enjoy this book. It will allow them to have a more comprehensive view of all the 12 types and how could they be used productively in a work environment.

For those who have not taken the test, but enjoy learning about new and different personality type tests, this is also a great book. The test concept is simple, and the types are clearly different among them. Still, I think I would advise all to take the test first and then read the book (doing otherwise might "contaminate" your test with your expectations for its results).

Well, as I said, I always got the same result in the test. So, in case you wonder, I seem to be a Merchant.

I had the chance to attend a book signing by Sheldon Bowles of his book Kingdomality. When he started to speak to a large crowd there was a table loaded with books and I wondered how many he'd sell. When he finished talking, we all rushed to the front to get a book and an autograph. By the time I got to him the books were all gone! Now I have a copy. This book contains so much insider information about how different people are motivated and why people behave as they do, that it seems like you become a mind reader. It's easy. It's accurate. It has given me the tools that make me a better manager, a better father, husband son and friend. In the paper here last weekend KINGDOMALITY was #1 on the bestseller list. Go to www.kingdomality.com and find out what it's all about. You won't be dissappointed! I predict KINGDOMALITY will be the killer book of 2005.

I am new to making armor, but not so much to metalworking. This book gets you started on techniques (although a few could have a little more attention), and has terrific sections on measuring and padding. The illustrations and photos are a big bonus, and most are helpful to some extent. Overall a great example of a master passing on some of his knowledge to the apprentices of his craft.

I have yet to find a better book for armoring. Nearly every fundamental is covered.

Tools, stock, techinque, buying tips, and even history is covered.

The Maille section is somewhat lite but there are other books that are fully dedicated to that discipline.

It's worth every penny. You can't go wrong with this book.

This book is an awsome read, very interesting and the info on constructing armour is just incredable. Every aspect is covered even lining the armour to make it more comfortable, if you are intersted in medieval armour this book is second to none.

Good book. BUT compleatly failed to mention safety glasses. These are IMPORTANT. you need to get a good pair and wear them when you are working in your shop. unless you think you will look good with a eyepatch.

This is a book on how to build armor. Tools, techniques, materials, workspace needed, cost estimates are all part of it. I make leather armor for re-enactors, so much of what was taught here was not directly applicable. However, there are chapters on how to measure, pattern, and cut. These are useful even if the material used isn't metal but leather. There are even some basic instructions on leatherworking. Overall, a pretty straightforward work. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in armor construction, collecting, or re-enacting.

T. R. Pearson is probably my favorite author -- I look forward to reading his books and stop by amazon on a regular basis to check for his new works. Augie's Quest was a most interesting read for me for two reasons -- Pearson was the author, and I have been personally touched by ALS (my father and one of my brothers died from the disease). The story of Augie, his journey with ALS, his drive and determination to work towards a cure, to pursue new paths in search of a cure -- is most captivating -- and knowing T. R. put the words to paper assured me that many people would find this book and come away being touched by Augie's story -- for the story itself and for the superb writing. When you finish this book, think about a donation to Augie's foundation, and then come back to amazon and search out Mr. Pearson's other writings -- mostly fiction -- you will be glad you did.

Augie: Thanks for sharing your world past and present! Your book gave me a terrific insight into ALS and your fight for life and significance. You are an inspiration to us all and I came away with a better appreciation for my own life and what is important!

Thanks

Kim Megonigal

I was a little disappointed in Augie's Quest. I saw Shirley McClaine on a talk show and she was so hyped up about the book and about how Augie was so instrumental and amazing in his quest. True, Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) is a horrible and quickly invasive disease, but I was more interested in how Augie dealt with his disease than with the tremendous amount of research and technical aspects of ALS that are given in the book. I was looking for a more personal insight into Augie and his wife, Lynne, in their daily dealings with this disease. However,if you know someone with ALS, you will find this book very informative.

"Perhaps no other disease takes the physical and emotional toll quite like ALS, and I can think of no one who understands this more fully than fitness pioneer Augie Neito. Augie's Quest speaks to us all about life, how we choose to live it, and what can happen -- physically and emotionally -- when the unexpected hits us in the face. But Augie's story is about more than how one man chooses to face adversity, it's a playbook for how to live life on your own terms. Anyone who reads Augie's Quest comes away enriched by the experience."

Dr. Jeffrey Trent
President and Scientific Director, TGen

This is a different read compared with Tuesdays with Morrie. It contains a wonderful mix of narrative and personal testimony. While it tells the story of Augie's life, it is much more focused on what Augie has chosen to do with his life: find a treatment for ALS, and, cut through some of the academic/scientific red-tape that slows the process. As I was reading I kept thinking of a friend in Idaho who said, "I would never trade what I have learned from this disease for anything in the world!" I was especially struck by the quote: "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by how many moments take our breath away." Thanks, Augie! Well done!
John Free, Ph.D. (Psychologist)

I have little to add to all of the other excellent 5-star reviews. Although I was trained in biochemistry, I have never taken a formal course in either paleontology or evolution, so the survey of the fossil evidence for evolution was very enlightening for me. This is a gorgeous book, too, glossy paper with many illustrations, including twelve color plates, making it quite a hefty little tome at fewer than 400 pages. It is extremely well written and readable, considering the density of information, although a little strident at times when refuting creationism. Of course, it is easy to understand Prothero's frustration with the need to keep on refuting it. Prothero would do well to avoid ad hominem arguments, though. For example, he considers creationists like Duane Gish and Henry Morris unqualified to comment on evolution because their PhDs are in biochemistry and engineering. The same logic could be used against Prothero when he discusses abiogenesis or molecular biology, to say nothing of biblical criticism! His comments in those areas are excellent--it would be a shame to disregard them because he is a geologist!

Chapter 16 is a very compelling description of why it matters. It begins with a cartoon mocking "teaching both theories," with examples like physics and magic as alternative theories. Biology has taken the brunt of the creationist onslaught, but biblical literalism is inconsistent with virtually all of modern science. Our Milky Way Galaxy, for example, is thought to be about 100,000 light years in diameter. If the universe is less than 10,000 years old (and, by the way, God created the earth before he created the sun and the stars), how does that light reach us? Maybe we don't know the speed of light after all. Einstein must have been wrong. And an atheist to boot.

As I was sitting down to write this review, I was trying to think of where the creationists will attack next. Surely, I thought, not the schools or the courts, where they have been thoroughly thrashed, even in the insidious guise of "Intelligent Design." Glancing at today's New York Times, I see they are at it again in Texas, where the State Board of Education is considering a science curriculum that teaches the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution. Here we go again!

There are a few recent books on religion, science, skepticism, and evolution that will probably go down in history as the "great ones". In that mix I include Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World and Sam Harris's The End of Faith. Donald Prothero's book should certainly be included among such prestigious company!

Prothero's book is simply stellar. An outstanding overview of the fossil record of evolution. As beautifully written as it is well referenced. A devastating corrective to creationist nonsense.

What a fantastic book....and yet, extremely sad and worrying. The author explains with extreme clarity the scientific method, evolution, transitional fossils, etc. It's lovely reading, I only wish I had such a concise, concentrated series of effective chapters when I was an undergraduate student! What's the sad part? Despite the overwhelming evidence...well, there are a lot of people out there who would wish us to stay in the Dark Ages. I had no idea (as a British citizen) how well organised, funded and determined these Creationists types are. It's very worrying indeed. This book acts as a perfect example to what is required - an affordable book with explanatory laymen's terms - to all scientists out there, never mind the next paper - get writing like Prothero, a scientific literate society NEEDS YOU, urgently. Well done, an excellent book!

Dr. Donald Prothero is clearly a leading paleontologist and highly qualified to write a book about the fossil evidence's support of neo-Darwinian theory. His research and field experience place him at the top of the list of experts in this arena. He has, so it seems, fallen prey to the angry war raging between evolutionists and creationists. By this I mean that he has allowed his frustration with the bad pseudo-science of young earth creationists burst forth in such a rage in this book that it takes away from the true meat of what it could have been. Evan after saying that, I want to make it clear that I am not one of the radical young earth creationists who Prothero attacks in this book.

Dr. Prothero's venomous anger at creationism, particularly the young earth group, rings clear and loud. The book is entitled Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters, not Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why I Hate Creationists with Every Fiber of My Being, though the latter would be a much more descriptive title. He spends quite a large part of his monograph discrediting the creationists and deservedly so, especially when considering their scientific dishonesty (i.e., ICR's recent 2 volume "report" on radiometric dating and the age of the earth, quite expensive, lengthy, and full of unscientific speculation that should discredit them, but probably won't because of the general scientific illiteracy in this country). Even though the creation "scientists" deserve discrediting, the venomous name-calling in Dr. Prothero's book demonstrates his unwillingness to show a higher integrity level than they. He even resorts to comparing them with holocaust deniers!

I am not a trained paleontologist, so I cannot speak to the accuracy of the fossil evidence that he present in the book. Prothero's book is quite informative and much of it was quite demonstrative of evolution, certainly taking its place as a part of the significant amount of evidence. There are, however, a few areas that need addressing.

First, Dr. Prothero claims to have a rather extensive knowledge of biblical scholarship and presents a brief outline of the Wellhausen source hypothesis (a.k.a., JEPD). Contrary to his presentation, this hypothesis is anything but controversial. After discussing Prothero's discussion and references with a "real" Hebrew scholar (a member of the Old Testament translation team for both the NIV and NLT), I can confidently say that Prothero is presenting as mainstream an outdated hypothesis that, particularly since Cyrus Gordon's work, is now supported by an every shrinking percentage of Old Testament scholars. Prothero goes even further in his misrepresentation here by repeatedly saying that this hypothesis applies to the whole Old Testament. This is clearly an error that is difficult to explain. Even the most hardlined advocates of JEPD are clear that it only applies to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). This is very much like the methodology of the creationists that Dr. Prothero so aggressively lambastes.

The second area that drew a red flag for me was his confident presentation of the old primordial soup hypothesis for the origin of life. He presents the 50 year old experiment creating amino acids in the lab and a handful more experiments that have created some more amino acids as immensely successful. It was in its time but the lack of significant further developments has been significantly disappointing. He continues with a couple of highly speculative hypotheses regarding catalysis and common clay as replication templates, later to be succeeded by nucleic acid. I was quite surprised by his confident presentation in a field which I thought was so highly speculative as be nearly as unknown as the first few microseconds after the Big Bang. To verify my concern I checked with an acquaintance of mine who is a professor of chemistry in Texas (at a research university, not just a teaching one - another criticism Dr. Prothero makes). He informed me that my concerns were right on, saying, "Yes, the old simple soup picture is passé in chemistry, if not biology texts. ... [T]he guesses about clays seem to be more fashionable now. Frankly, we dunno and it's only good science to admit it."

The third problematic area of intellectual integrity came in his chapter on human evolution. He does a fine job of presenting the rather speculative field of human descent. I'm quite fond of his discussion on our genomic similarity to chimpanzees. I found it particularly interesting that we seem to be closer cousins with the chimps than any other pair of closely related animals are to each other - quite impressive data that I've also seen verified elsewhere.

His presentation of humans and Neanderthals being distinct species is not uncommon, but his insistence (aggressively so) on it is a bit overdone. Of my three areas of concern, this is the one where I am personally the weakest to address. I did remember a biological anthropologist friend of mine who mentioned to me once that the jury was still out in this area. I presented Prothero's arguments and figures to him for comment. (Before I present his response, I should point out that this anthropologist friend specializes in human bones and has even helped the FBI's forensics team when they were unable to make any progress in identifying the skeleton of a murder victim. In addition to the usual age, gender, and size of the victim, this man was able to determine the exact type of knife used as the murder weapon (a rather obscure one used in packing plants), that the man was ambidextrous, and that he was Guatemalan - all from the skeleton only. His ability to determine the race is particularly relevant here.) He pointed out to me that Dr. Prothero used two of the most different skulls available to compare modern humans with Neanderthals, pointing out that Neanderthal and Australian Aboriginal skulls are actually quite similar, enough at least to convince this gentleman as well as his graduate adviser (the renown C. Loring Brace of the Univ. of Mich.) of the possibility that Neanderthals are actually a human subspecies. This is not to say that they believe this to be true. It's just a possibility - one that Prothero clearly dismisses. (The anthropologist friend of mine was clear to tell me that he is not up to date with the latest genomic comparison that Prothero refers to.)

Having said all this, I feel I need to add that, when discussing fossils and their relation to evolution, as well as the importance of improving scientific education in this country, Prothero is excellent. Unfortunately, his anger with creationists and the above mentioned issues tend to discredit his objectivity. It left me questioning whether his otherwise quite well done presentation of what the title indicates the book is about is as objective as it needs to be. I was trying to decide between 2 stars and 3 - I chose 3 because of the good points in the book.

My book of the latest coin values arrived in excellent condition and expeditiously. The book has proven to be a practical and user-friendly reference source and guide to the most current US coin values.

There is no better guide for the novice or professional coin collector. Reliable information and up to date pricing.

This is the first book a person should buy when entering into coin collecting. It gives a base to prices and where one might start.2008 Guide Book of Us Coins Redbook (Guide Book of United States Coins)

This is a very comprehensive, filled with pictures, easy to understand and follow guidebook for a beginner, as well as a serious collector.

I ordered this book for my son as he is beginning coin collecting. He took up that interest after seeing the collection that my grandfather handed down to me. The book was perfect for showing him what these coins are worth today.

If you're reading these reviews to help decide if you should purchase this book, let me encourage you to do just that. This book is an easy read and once you start you'll have it finished in very little time. What you will probably be taking away from this book is something that is all together timeless. Be good to yourself.

"So that's what destiny is: simply the fulfillment of the potentialites of the energies in your own system." ~ Joseph Campbell from "A Joseph Campbell Companion"

This book is a must-have.

Packed with a wide range of Campbell's musings, it's the perfect introduction to the man who helped us understand the hero's journey and what it means to follow our bliss.

We are each living our own Hero's Journey in life. This book is a guide on that journey. Wonderful quotes that inspire. For the price of movie ticket, you get a weekend workshop on how to live a life that you're destined to live.

If one has read Campbell's other work, then this is like a great pick me up book. Readers who have not already experienced the scholar's work would be best served by reading those before they decide to tackle this one. It's not all too often that one comes across a book that you can't put down and I can say that this is one of the few times that I can say that. I read this in only a matter of days and would think about reading it when I didn't have time to. This collection has a very intimate feel and really gives the sense that you have almost comes across a secret journal that had been written long ago, but was written just for you. It's like having a private conversation with Campbell himself. The majority of this volume has been pulled from lectures and journals which perhaps have never been published and gives the sense that Campbell is letting you in on secrets that only few in the world have ever been gifted with, all from the comfort of your living room. As a scholarly work this doesn't hold up to "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" but as an entertaining read it is a wonderful book. Joseph Campbell the teacher gives way to Joseph Campbell, the friend. Biased as I am in that I admire him so much, I would recommend this book to any who love his ideas. It feels like a talk with an old friend, letting you in on all those little glimpses of his experiences.

I've been a Joseph Campbell fan for years, and this book is a perfect one to give as a gift to someone who isn't quite up to reading his more scholorly works. It's a guideline for life gleaned from his in-depth study of cultural myths from which he developed his own wonderful philsophy of life.

First thing I do whenever my health isn't what I want it to be is look up what vitamins Dr. Atkins recommends and it what dosages.

It's never failed me. May not work as quickly as prescribed medication, but in the end has the same effect and a lot healthier.

Cannot recommend this book more strongly.

This book covers uses for various supplements that are not always covered by other vitamin books.
The information is very helpful, but a few things are a little out of date, mostly because of what was or wasn't available when the book was written.
Overall, a good addition to your nutrition library if you're interested in using supplements or knowing more about what certain nutrients do.

Because of my allergies and asthma, I was on Zyrtec, Advair, and had to carry an albuterol inhaler everywhere I went. I did the diet some years ago and it worked well. After seeing this book somewhere I decided to give it a try.

After reading this book I thought he Dr. Atikin's lost it this time. There are a lot of vitamins he wants you to take. Plus he started selling his own line of vitamins so I thought "ahhh, that's why." I talked to my doctor about it and he said it wouldn't work, you would just be wasting money because your body will piss it all away (literally). I was spending $150 on medications, the vitamins were about $20, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Well, I tried it, and it worked. I felt a lot better, and I didn't need to take the medications anymore.

I am a professional who has been reading and studying the field of supplements. This book is the best that I have come across. Not only is it the most complete, but the supplements in it were used in Dr. Atkin's clinical practice. This is were the rubber hits the road, and the concrete real life information that gives this book credibility. If I were to buy only one book on this subject, it would be this one, even over the encycolpedia type books.

This is an excellent reference book on nutritional supplements. Far superior to any I have ever read. Page for page, you get relevant, researched information.