Signs Books

This is an uplifting book, but it is somewhat repetitive. It did help my when I was really down after the loss of my brother, but it seemed that every chapter was quite predictible. Either way, it's an easy read.

Mr. Kane has written a powerful documentation to the power of love, love that exists as: love of friends, love of home and most important, love of family and God. He uses his prose convincingly to present the facts surrounding the occurances that have occurred involving the number 41 ( and other events ), since the passing of his son in the Station Fire on 2-20-03. He lets the reader judge for themselves and presents the facts logically and honestly. It is his honesty that will make a believer out of whomever reads this book; and this honesty is propelled forward by the love he has for his family and for his son, Mr. Nicholas O'Neill. This book is a must-read as a true testament of the power of love and healing in the time of grief. I, for one, cannot wait for the next book from Mr. Kane.

Since I live in Woonsocket, Rhode Island and am familiar with the Station nightclub tragedy and the story of "41 signs of hope" I wanted to read the book to have a more personal account of this tremendous loss that the writer has experienced. His re-telling of all the "signs" is amazing, believable and heartfelt. I read each chapter and had goosebumps through all the pages of this story. Read it and see and "feel" for yourself

A great book for people who feel they have been getting signs from departed family and friends and think no one will believe them. Also would be great for those people who don't know what signs they could be getting. I found it very helpful and comforting to hear of the authors signs affirming that our loved ones do try to let us know they are around us at times. We suffered the loss of our 22 year old nephew (Josh) in a motor cycle accident, who also wrote poems and left some wonderful things behind it has inspired us to do something with his art. Thank you for writing this book.

I was given the whole kit, but want to be sure to mention these cards are GREAT. My daughter has enjoyed them from 3 mo and continues to use them at 16 mo! She's not big on signing, but these cards are fabulous for having fun saying first words. Worthwhile! ...And a lot less expensive than other similar card sets.

I love these flash cards. We started signing with my daughter when she was 5 months old; she did her first signs back at 10 months; now she's 18 months and still going strong with signing. We do not allow her to watch TV so we're reliant on what we can teach her, board books (which are mostly poorly designed when it comes to babies or very young toddlers), and now, these cards.

I LOVE these cards! The cards and big and fairly sturdy, and the words presented are a very good selection for babies. Here's how they are designed:

-- One one side, each card has a clear, colorful picture of the object being signed about, often with a baby (for example, "Light" shows a young toddler turning on a lamp).

-- On the back side, there is a picture of a woman performing the sign, and if needed, a brief text description of how to do the sign.

-- All cards show the ASL sign. A couple also show popular alternates for signs that are particularly difficult for babies, such as "help".

-- The word for each sign is printed in large, clear block letters on both sides of the card.

I have looked at tons and tons of board books and not been completely happy with any of them. but I love, love, LOVE these cards. They are wonderfully designed to be clear and attractive to very young signers, and are study enough that babies and toddlers can play with them without causing too much damage. My daughter has knelt or crawled on some of them more than once and they haven't really even been dented yet.

These cards definitely deserve two thumbs up.

I really like these flashcards and the sign instructions are very easy to follow. Some of the pictures are a little bizarre for me, especially the milk picture (of a baby nursing but a real closup of the nipple in the mouth). The pictures are real photos as oppossed to illustrations and I think my son would enjoy cartoonish pictures over the photos but they are still a good purchase at the price and quality.

I purchased these cards over a different brand after reading all of the reviews about having to laminate the other cards. I think that these cards are plenty sturdy enough. My infant has put them in her mouth quite a bit and it is easy just to wipe them clean when she is done. They are very nice large cards with great pictures that my daughter gets very excited about and the explanation of how to do the sign is very easy to understand.

I gave this as a gift for my mother and we bought a copy for ourselves. We use the Animal Medicine Cards each morning and find these a nice adjunct to the Animal Cards.

BIRD SIGNS: GUIDANCE & WISDOM FROM OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS offers a 52-card deck and book written by G.G. Carbone and illustrated by Mary Ruzicka to explore birds and their connections to divinity. These divination cards can be used individually or in spreads - and each profiles a specific bird or aspect of bird life, with an accompanying book providing a focus on bird relations to human characteristics. It's an excellent pick for any new age collection or card reader.

"Birds appear in our lives for a reason. Sometimes these winged creatures are here for a brief time and sometimes for an extended stay. We may not always know why a bird appears to us at a particular moment, but with this book and card deck, you will become more aware of the guidance and wisdom that our feathered friends convey to us every day." - From the Bird Signs companion book

As one who has received many oracular insights from feathered friends over the years, I was thrilled to see a new deck dedicated solely to birds. From cardinal to penguin, lark to owl, Bird Signs covers 52 different birds (and thus has 52 cards). Attractively packaged in a colorful, sturdy box that seals with a magnetic flap, the Bird Signs kit also includes a lovely 133-page glossy companion book featuring full-color illustrations.

When I received Bird Signs, published by New World Library, I was truly impressed with the quality of the packaging/storage box, the guidebook, and the cards themselves. In my mind, no one rivals baba studio/Magic Realist Press (Victorian Flower Oracle, Fairytale Tarot, The Tarot of Prague Kit, etc.) when it comes to deck and book sets. However, I have to say that Bird Signs rivals the quality of those kits!

With her favorite mediums being pen and ink with colored pencils, illustrator Mary Ruzicka infuses each bird with gentle lines, flowing curves, and realistic hues. From the peaceful dove to the beautiful swan, the happy bluebird to the adventurous roadrunner, Ms. Ruzicka delightfully captures the unique character of each bird--inviting humans to study them, learn from them, and contemplate their messages.

Written by G.G. Carbone, the Bird Signs companion book explains the framework of the deck, which constitutes 45 bird cards and 7 feathered friends cards. Bedecked with rainbow-colored ribbons and relevant motifs, the special feathered friend cards represent a specific intention, chakra, chakra color, and physical area of the body. They can be used alone for inspiration or with the rest of the deck for additional illumination. For example, the yellow Egg - Birth card addresses new births of all kinds and the Solar Plexus Chakra. The blue Song - Voice card deals with communication and the Throat Chakra.

Upright meanings for all cards are provided, as well as reversed meanings. Ms. Carbone gives a brief bio of each bird, as well as Bird Wisdom (interpretation), Broken Wing (reversed meaning), Bird Vision (how you can "see" from a bird's particular perspective) , and a piece of bird lore (not necessarily about the bird). Keywords, healing colors, and a message is also provided.

Printed on a smooth matte finish, the Bird Signs cards measure approximately 5 ¼ x 3 ½ inches. Flexible and easy to shuffle, the card backings depict a simple, yet attractive, double feather motif with greens, blues, and purples that are fully reversible.

Some of the birds and their wisdom found in Bird Signs include:

* Waxwing - Curiosity
* Hummingbird - Energy
* Robin - Joy
* Flamingo - Balance
* Woodpecker - Hope
* Jay - Communication
* Duck - Decision
* Hawk - Observation
* Roadrunner - Adventure
* Gull - Laughter
* Raven - Illusion
* Parrot - Creativity
* Oriole - Compassion
* Stork - Reliability
* Pheasant - Opportunity
* Heron - Patience
* Eagle - Freedom
* Penguin - Purpose
* Chickadee - Playfulness

Despite the utter gorgeousness of the box, cards, and companion book, I admit that I'm a bit disappointed in this oracle. I did a few one-card readings the last few days, and each time, the message was totally off base. For example, I drew the Rooster yesterday, which is about 180 from how I am, where I am, and what I know to be at this time in my life. For example, if I'm in sync with this card, I'm an early riser, need courage to face the day, and have difficulty getting out of bed.

Nothing could be further from the truth! I'm a night owl (it's wired in my DNA), get out of bed easily, and joyfully look forward to each day that is filled with promise and abundant blessings. (No, not being a Pollyanna here--it's really how I am!) I did another one-card reading, with equally irrelevant results. However, I DID do a 3-card Past/Present/Future spread (called the Wingspan Spread in the Bird Signs companion book), and drew three of the special feathered friends cards. This reading was highly accurate. Go figure!

As I read through the Bird Signs book, I felt that some of the interpretations were too simplistic and, well, *practical* (e.g. "Go on a picnic" and "try saltwater fishing"). Perhaps I'm just used to, or prefer, more psychologically oriented interpretations. Granted, Ms. Carbone provides quite a bit of information--but it seems a bit superficial at times. Maybe I was expecting interpretations and facts along the lines of Ted Andrews' Animal Speak. (If you're used to that book, you may be a bit disappointed with this deck if you're expecting more depth.)

However, I think Bird Signs could certainly be used in accordance with a book like Animal Speak, which provides depth and breadth to animal divination. Also, the bird cards would be great meditation tools for those with avian affinity, as well as a starting point for looking up birds who fly into your life.

(To see 10 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

I highly recommend this book and card set. G.G. Carbone did an excellent job of describing each one of these different birds. The representation of them was phenomenal. I am very metaphysical, and I feel these were fabulous. I also thought they gave good insight about each bird species from a Wild standpoint too( Out in Nature). I was very pleased with this Set of cards. I have worked with animals very closely all of my life, and I share my life with a Macaw parrot.( Her Card hit right on with the Parrot.) She described what each bird pretty much has shown me in my lifetime. I am so happy that I have these in my collection. Thanks G.G. I will cherish this Deck forever.

The artwork is also Esquisite. Well worth the purchase for the artwork also. I especially love the Peacock. Great CARDS!

I give these cards a great recommendation. I Love them!

I grew up on the Mexican border, and Langewiesche beautifully captures the schizophrenic love/hate relationship entangling the two sides. He writes with the clean, precise lines of the journalist, but gives the end result a spin of philosophy that could only come from really feeling the people and places he visits. Much like his second work, "Sahara Unveiled", this is much more than reportage. It's too bad not more people have read this book...I think it would greatly help Americans' understanding of border relations.

As a former City Manager of Marfa, Texas, I have observed and experienced first hand many of the incidents described in the book. For instance, the morning gathering of area ranchers at the former Thunderbird Restaurant, totally devoid of Hispanic participants; the persistent overtones of bigotry amoung many of the well established Anglo citizens;and, there are still semblances of the old "Patron" system alive and well.

While I can't prove that my dismissal from my position as City Manager was based on the fact that I am Hispanic, I have no doubt that the racial aspect played a part in the decision to terminate my services. Many local residents have told me that the Mayor could not stand a smart well-educated Mexcican making him look bad.

In any event, the description of Marfa and the region surrounding it are all surprising accurate. The author most certainly has a deep sense of morality, and an uncanny method of lucidly describing people, situations, and injustices.

A very good read about the tense and diverse relations that exist at the Mexican - U.S. border. Author is a good storyteller, and offers great detail. A must for anyone seeking to understand our neighbor to the South.

In the 21st century, the United States will finally acknowledge that it's a largely spanish-speaking country. Meanwhile, Mexico remains a mystery to many of us. Not after reading this book: Without descending into a morass of facts, we learn about the essence of the place, and its relationship to the US. A well-written treatment with respect for its subject.

Fans of theatre, American Sign Language and Deaf culture and/or multicultural studies will LOVE Deaf Side Story. It's a tale of the hard work, perseverance, and joy that is educational theatre, peppered with the challenges of a multi-lingual company of players. The dynamics of Deaf and hearing actors, students and theatre professionals make a riveting story. Mr. Rigney's inside view of the production makes this a truly personal piece - readers get to know the players personally and become almost as attached to the outcome as the cast and production team. I highly recommend this book!

Probably because Mark Rigney is primarily novelist, writer of short stories, and playwright, this book gallops along as if it were fiction, and keeps the reader's interest riveted cover to cover. The story is of an extraordinary theatrical accomplishment: a production of West Side Story with the Anglo gang-the Jets-played by hearing actors, and the rival Puerto Ricans-the Sharks-by deaf students. The venue was a makeshift theater at a small liberal arts college in Jacksonville, Illinois; the town happens to be also the home of a school for the deaf. The director of the show was Diane Brewer, who is young, ambitious and very brave-and, at the time, pregnant.. Apart from the descriptions of the nail-biting drama of getting the show to work-don't forget we are talking about a musical no less-the book offers a rare glimpse into Deaf culture and the fascinating languages used to communicate. The final triumph of the play was not only a rousing good performance with standing-room-only audiences, but also a definite breakthrough in the barriers that separate the worlds of the hearing and the Deaf. Get this book for an exhilarating read, and for a learning experience with no pain. My only sadness is that there were too few photographs-which caused me regretfully to drop one star.

How a mixed cast of deaf and hearing students signed, sang and danced together to perform Leonard Bernstein's complex musical "West Side Story" is a fascinating chronicle of ingenuity and determination.

How the director and staff managed to pull it off is an inspirational suspense tale unsurpassed in amateur theatre (maybe professional theatre as well). Does your spirit need a lift? Read this book.

Right on the heels of Deaf West Theatre's successful deaf/hearing Broadway production of the musical "Big River," this fascinating book explores one small Midwest college's similarly experimental production of "West Side Story." Author Mark Rigney eloquently and passionately explores the divide between theatre for the deaf and theatre for the hearing, intimating that this rupture runs deeper than any American is willing to admit. As a member of the hearing community, I was shocked to learn how much I don't know about the lives of the deaf. As a member of the theatre community, I was taken on a spellbinding journey through the trials and tribulations of a production riddled with hurdles but blessed with triumphs. As a member of the world community, I was heartened by the success of communication across boundaries in a seemingly boundary-less small town. This was definitely a page turner from beginning to end...just the right balance of information and entertainment. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in theater, the deaf community and its position in society, and/or interpersonal communication.

I love this book. I use this with my children and the children I work with in my day care. It really grabs their attention and they all want to move the flaps. As a parent I found it to be a wonderful tool to not only interact with my children while reading the book but to use it on a daily basis. This is a very easy book to use. Children do not all develop spoken language at the same time and this is a wonderful and easy way for your child to communicate his/her needs to you. Sign language is essentially another language, but, easy and fun to learn and use with your children, even after they are speaking.

This book has a place on the front cover where you can insert your own childs picture (over the woman holding the baby). The illustrations portray people of various nationalities/color which is fitting for the culturally diverse world in which we live. And lastly has a beautiful index in the back with all of the words used in the book and a description of each. It also has the American Manual Alphabet.

I have also purchased one as a gift for a friend who just had a baby, and she loved it.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun sign lanugage book in story book format.

This book isn't just for teaching the newborn - my toddlers like learning the signs too. I really like the idea of the flaps. It is great way for my older child to learn the signs and the words as well. Plus my kids like to lift them up, it keeps them interested.

This is a wonderful book for parents to read to children of all ages. As a psychologist I know the value of parents reading to their children and this book gives them the opportunity to learn sign language together. They not only have the opportunity to read together but to share in the joy of learning and speaking together in sign. The book is interactive and allows the child to engage while flipping the inserts and discovering and learning different signs. The story and illustrations are entertaining and inviting.

I have read this book to toddlers, preschoolers and an eight year old and they all found it interesting and entertaining. As parent and child learns to sign together they share a special bond that they developed while reading the book.

I highly recommend this book for parents of not just newborns but all preschool and early school age children.

Tanya Kuza, the mother of three young sons, I began teaching ASL when my first son was born in 2002. I have a bachelor's degree in language arts and a social sciences degree in elementary education from the University of Michigan. I founded In Motion Books in October 2006 to promote early childhood communication and family bonding by teaching basic ASL signs in an entertaining storybook format. I know you will enjoy this open the flap book to read to your child while also enabling them to learn a few key ASL signs along the way. This is fun for children to explore while making the signs easy for adults to imitate and use in their everyday routines.

This book has terrific easy to make recipes with beautiful color pictures. I especially like all of the calorie, fat and cholestrol counts that are included. Even my husband likes these dishes. I hope you have it in stock soon as some of my friends would like a copy.

The recipes do not have a lot of ingredients which make them easy to make plus they taste great. Everyone that looks at this cookbook ends up writing down the title and author to buy their own or they write down recipes that they like from the book. Two thumbs up.

I've never considered myself a "good cook". However, since I've been using the Light Cooking Book, my kids and husband love the meals and I'm happy because they're healthy and never mundane! The book even gives you delicious looking pictures which excite you about cooking the recipes.

I DISCOVERED THIS BOOK WHEN A FRIEND AND COWORKER BROUGHT IT TO WORK. WE ARE BOTH VERY HEALTH CONSCIOUS. I HAVE TRIED ONE RECIPE AND LOVED IT. I AM DIABETIC AND AM TIRED OF THE DABETIC COOKBOOKS I HAVE FOUND. THIS COOKBOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR DIABETICS AND ANYONE THAT IS HEALTH CONSCIOUS.I HOPE THE PUBLISHER DOES ANOTHER PRINTING. I MUST HAVE THIS BOOK!

Very enjoyable to look at, I intend to "borrow" some of the ideas for the sign at my church.

Great pictures. Wonderful warm message. Truly a light, fun inspirational coffee tabel book. Though provoking. He did a great job. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Amazon offer at least ten books on a similar theme, either text only or in this case photos. I prefer the latter and Donald Seitz has not only provided some amusing signs but also (and this is the real reason I bought the book) an interesting collection visual Americana.

Although the point of each photo was the sign nearly all of them nicely include some background: part of a street or countryside, passing traffic and a few with the church. The messages (direct from Homily Central?) are a mixture of play on words, different spellings for the same pronunciation or just a simple statement but they are all traffic eye-catching.

Another reason I like this book is because the photos are presented in the classic photobook format: centered and one to a page, none are angled, no fancy angled shots, just straightforward reportage. The visual content and words of each image are strong enough anyway.

The subject matter and Donald Seitz's photos could well support a second volume I think.


***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

This book is a sign and a symbol in itself. The messages from the signs are often witty word plays, some fun in puns, but the author has only included signs with relevance and meaning. The work is symbolic inasmuch as it participates in the soulutions that it provides. This book will evoke the gamut of emotions from joy to sadness, but with hope, always hope. The photography is excellent.

It's a must have if you care for icons. Wish it was hardcover.

An excellent source of images that can be used for making charts, website buttons, newsletters. The designs are clean and can easily be modified. I personally enjoy just looking through the images as they are very inspiring.

Rudolf Modley, symbolman and graphic designer, was a student of Otto Neurath [ISOTYPE]. One of the best examples of the application of this material is his _A History of the War in Maps, Pictographs, and Words_ [1943] which is out of print but easy to find.

HANDBOOK OF PICTORIAL SYMBOLS (1976) is an expanded, updated version of Modley's earlier book, 1000 PICTORIAL SYMBOLS (1942). Like its predecessor, the HANDBOOK shows us that a truly pioneering, insightful mind actually can see the way the future looks. // In his introduction, Modley argues that pictorial symbols are in some respects superior to words as a form of communication because they can be understood by people from around the world. In a globalized economy, he predicts, such symbols will ultimately supplant "Men," "Women," "Hotel," "Taxi," and "Camping," among many other words. This is the world we live in now. Modley could have actually strengthened his Case For Symbols by pointing out that such pictures can be recognized by children literally years before they learn to read, and that symbols can be recognized more quickly than words, making them especially useful in situations where fast reactions are necessary (e.g., control panels in airplanes.) // Most of the HANDBOOK is a collection of pictorial symbols, some created by Modley himself and others devised by various bureaucratic organizations, including the International Olympic Committee. If anything stands out about these symbols, it is that Modley's own are richer and more interesting than anyone else's. They have a thirties-modern look that has more charm than anything the British Airports Authority could come up with.

Forget the simple theory that Bobby Thomson benefitted from a stolen sign when he hit the historic homer off Ralph Branca in 1951. Dickson gives us the real story--a much more colorful and fascinating peek at baseball's most memorable moment. That's just one of many new and interesting facts and anecdotes in this first-of-its kind book. I've written baseball books myself and I tip my hat to this one.

Paul Dickson has done it again! Here's a book that all baseball fans will love, even those modest folk who know everything there is to know about the game. "The Hidden Language of Baseball" is the book to read -- after you make it a most valuable gift to your kids, who have often asked you (as if you knew) what those goofy and not-so goofy signs mean, who dreamed them up and how come the other team doesn't steal them, which, of course, they try their darndest to do. Paul Dickson takes the reader through baseball sign language from its very earliest recorded years to the wild and wooly "Golden Age" of flagrantly outrageous stealing and to today's signing in full view of the ever-improving intrusiveness of high-tech TV lenses. The book is full of wonderful anecdotes - a Dizzy Dean classic will have you roaring with delight. Like "The Dickson Baseball Dictionary", this book is a must for baseball fans of all ages.

During any given nine-inning baseball game over a thousand silent instructions are given between players and from umpires to coaches. You've seen the hand signals - now understand their meaning in the first examination of their history, evolution and methods. Baseball games are surveyed past and present to gain a fine chronology of player signals.

A short but thorough history of baseball as seen through the development of signs, sign stealing and tip-off reading. Includes some delightful photographs, numerous anotations, a lengthy bibliography and index. Paul Dickson's approach to baseball makes me wonder if the recent homerun records aren't more a case for renewed talent in sign stealing / tip-off reading than for new technology for bats or performance inhancing drugs.