Guides Books

I'm a recreational diver at the moment and I love this reference guide to some of the amazing stuff you can encounter while diving! Although it's just a small sample of what you'll run into underwater, it's a very informative and helpful guide to browse through before and after your dives to give your dive a fun scavenger hunt! It comes with a retractable clip that prevents it from getting lost or misplaced. A great gift for those considering becoming a scuba diver and veterans alike. Even if you don't go diving it will take you into the amazing underwater world through the wonderful pictures along with a description of the marine life shown.

I like its physical size since its large enough to easily utilize while checking out interesting animals, yet not overly big and clumsy so as to interfere with your equipment. With the animal's photo on one side of the page and its environmental aspects discussed on the opposite side, e.g., size, hiding areas, and behavior, it helps enlarge one's knowledge and appreciation for subject. And I first tested its `waterproof' capability in my marine aquarium, where it was left for 30 minutes, then removed and cleaned in freshwater. Still looks like new, and I'll test it somewhat further when I go to the Caymans in the near future. I'm already looking forward to Vol. 2. Bob Goemans

Just in the first five minutes I learned to much about the world under the sea.Great book.

Waterproof materials, GREAT photos, extremely useful information. I would recommend this clever reference guide to any diver. I can't wait for more scuba dic volumes! Retractable device a must, too.... places marine species identification literally at your fingertips.

I was skeptical at first when I saw this, but I was getting bored just knowing the names of the fish I came across. I thought this would turn out like Fish Flips(eg only names of fish listed for each pic), but it has a LOT more to offer. There are written descriptions for each pic, that don't just list facts, but also explain how to find & approach sea life (eg. Size, time of day, hiding spots/location, animals behavior, etc.), I found this really useful, because after tooling around with my camera, I was getting tired of only getting snapshots of fishtails. The book held up great UW; the pages just got sticky bc I didn't rinse it off initially, but I left it overnight in fresh water and there was no problem after that. Since i started taking along scuba dic for dives, it's been abused more times than tina turner, & its still in good shape....thus far. I do think it's better to get familiar with it on your surface interval vs trying to learn underwater. But all in all, it's a really good idea.

I read this book in three days really, I couldn't put it down. The book is the best around for every detail in trying to prepare a documentary. It describes how, why, when, and what types of equipment to use for your projects in a professional way. It also tells you how you can save money and get help from around you to fund your documentary. This book explains how to be no, low, or high budget and still produce a professional result. I can say that I now have a down and dirty attitude from reading from a guerilla style way of shooting films. "GET THE BOOK NOW"

This book is outstanding as far as the logistics of shooting a documentary goes. It's simple and yet very insightful and covers every aspect of production from nuts to bolts.RRP

This might be the best "quick start" guide you're likely to find on any subject.

Anthony Artis' knows video and he knows how to teach. More important, he knows how to get even a rank beginner out into the field and started shooting video. Artis' writing is sharp, clear, direct and street-wise with a touch of warmth and humor. Reading "Shut Up and Shoot" is like a long conversation with a smart friend who knows all about how to shoot video.

If you're already an experienced shooter, read this book anyway. Artis will make you a better shooter than you are now.

This is the book that I was looking for, for a long time on how to do a Documentary. I like the step-by-step process that he takes you through.
I also like the section on equipment recommendations.
I highly recommend it.

I bought this guide for my 14 year old son who made his first documentary 'One Light' without any experience or knowledge at 13. He wants a bit more professional production this time in a small budget and after spending a lot of time looking for a reasonable Film making camps for teens we resorted to self learning for him and came across this guide and I am very happy about it.

He has learnt quite a bit from it. I think it is a great beginer's reference guide and covers almost all aspects of DIY project.It is simple enough for him to read and incorporate the pointers for his next production plan.


This guide could be supplemented with another book that covers developing story and plot in more depth.

Gurmeet

As a child of the 60's growing up in England, I was exposed to a lot of American popular culture and toys.
"Major Matt Mason" and "Zeroids" were some of my favourites. This book gives me an excellent reminder not only of what I had, but also stuff I never saw or even knew existed!
This book is well produced with magnificent colourful photos, but they are let down a little by the matte paper used for the pages that dulls their brilliance. Also, some images suffer from "the jaggies" caused by low resolution of the originals.
Likewise, the layout and text is often jumbled and there are some annoying factual errors.
Also, if the author had a rudimentary knowledge of 50's Hollywood monsters he would have recognised the inspiration for many of the Colorforms Outer Space Men.
Apart from these minor annoyances, this is the book I have been waiting for, for almost fourty years!
"Space Toys of the 60's" is worth every cent, even if only for the photos of the magnificent package and box art!
Those colourful boxes are always the first thing to be discarded by young hands too eager for adventure in space!

This oversized, full color paperback is not a glossy coffee table book. Neither is it a collector's price guide. Instead it's an impassioned and informative discussion of three collectible toy lines: Major Matt Mason (Mattell's Man in Space), Colorforms aliens and my favorite, Ideal's Mighty Zeroids.

I read and learned a lot about the other two toy lines, but I used this book when buying a Zintar Zeroid on E-Bay (for only thirty times the original price of $5, which shows how rare they are). Before that I read the book over and over, looking at the photos and dioramas from catalogs. Gillam even includes pre-release pictures from wholesale toy guides of what these toys might have looked like, as well as extensive photos of alternate versions.

Interest in Matt Mason has never flagged, and Zeroids are once again coming into their own in the world of retro toys (see the Zeroid movie link under Robot Links at alivingdog.com). They represented a high point in Ideal's Motorific line of cars and later boats and cleverly ran on the same replaceable motor. Anyone interested in these three lines, or the history of toys, or just taking a trip down memory lane will enjoy this inexpensive and captivating book.

I bought this book on ebay from the author and I am very happy with it. It is loaded with pictures of each space toy and has nice text. Some toys are shown in their original package. Best book I have bought in a long while.

A Collector's Guide to Major Matt Mason, Mighty Zeroid Robots and Colorforms Outer Space Men. Veteran collector and author James Gillam details the story of toys inspired by NASA ventures into space.

SPACE TOYS OF THE 60's could have been the Major Matt Mason collector's dream come true. However, be warned that the quality of the paper and the image quality of the photos is not very good. I wish the publisher had done a much better job and creating some high quality images that I would want to look at over and over again. Looking at these pictures, as a substitute for expanding my collection, is not fullfilling.

All in all though, being the ONLY book out there right now with any information on Major Matt Mason, this is a pretty good book. At leaset it has photos of all of Mattel's Major Matt Mason - Man in Space figures, vehicles and buildings with detailed descriptions, construction and instruction sheets, product catalogs, collector's reminiscences, prototype information, and company histories.

If you can find a used copy for around $5 it's worth adding to the library as a reference.

...than this "Time Machine" that Mr. Gillam has produced. He left no stone unturned. Covered ALL details and variations very thoroughly. I discovered 3 OUTER SPACE MEN in my attic and a Scorpio in my basement. When I was looking for a reference guide to these 60's Spacemen, I coincidentally saw "SPACE TOYS OF THE 60's" on EBay. I said it, you'll say it: "That's how I would have done it!"

This book is an excellent choice for the child or adult who is just gaining an interest in watching their back yard buddies! The book is color coded and so you can look up the bird by it's predominent color. It definitely narrows the field to the most common birds. We have really enjoyed this book!

A very colorful, well written review. I am very much a novice bird watcher but share the interest with my 5 year old grandaughter. She immediately scooped up the book and it is in her bike basket so that while she is riding in her neighborhood she can look up and identify her feathered friends. Has been a great tool to share with her.

Great ! This was a gift and it was the perfect for the bird watch beginners book. Now you can sit out in the back yard together watching the birds and naming all the little feathered friends we have attracted.
My husband loves his Book!
Great Bargin and experence.
Fast Delivery!

This book has pictures that are sharp, detailed and close. They are arranged by color, not species, and include the most common birds in the area. It is my third bird ID book and my new favorite. Have shown to other people and they love it, too!

Beautiful book. Good information. Very helpful to a new bird watcher.Gives common birds that everyone can find easily in their own back yard or local park. Gives a new birder confidence and practice in observing birds that they are familiar with. Another book that makes my grandson happy.

This book is an exceptional resource for people who want to help prevent animal abuse. Mark Hawthorne offers clear, concise actions we can take in our every day lives that really do make a difference. And he reminds us that we don't have to sacrifice ourselves to the cause to be effective. In fact we are better advocates if we don't.

Informative, engaging, easy-to-read and inspiring. If you care about animals, read this book.

I am so grateful for Mark Hawthorne's debut release, 'Striking At The Roots.' This book is essential for anyone who has observed an injustice in our society but wasn't sure how to approach the systematic eradication of the problem; Hawthorne provides strategies, testimonials, and practical advice for any fledgling or veteran activists who want to make the greatest impact on the world.

The oppression of billions of animals each year for food, clothing, and entertainment is one of the most pressing matters in the world today, and it's my hope that anyone who picks up this book will be inspired to take action to stop the egregious cruelty and abuse that exists in these animal industries. Furthermore, the skills and knowledge learned in Hawthorne's book can be applied to any cause for which one may take up arms: racism, sexism, heterosexism, etc. All struggles are one struggle, and Mark Hawthorne has written a book that will, hopefully, make those struggles a little less grueling.

This is a wonderful book for folks who love animals but are not sure how to turn that love into action. Does everyone have to carry a picket sign in front of KFC? Not at all. As the author shows, there are as many ways to help animals as there are people who care. This is a great book!

Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism, by Mark Hawthorne, is about walking the walk - and getting others to walk with you. The book, Hawthorne explains, is "intended for the person who agrees with the premise that animals are mistreated in our society, believes that the public has a moral obligation to speak out against this cruelty and who wants to be directly involved in opposing animal exploitation in its many forms." The book is "a guide to the most pragmatic opportunities available for speaking and acting on behalf of animals." Readers with busy lives are encouraged, "you can make a difference even if you limit your involvement to an hour a month."

Striking at the Roots shows how to become an effective leafleter, write publishable letters to the editor and opinion pieces, conduct successful protests and demonstrations, use vegan food to educate and win people over, engage in corporate campaigning, set up and run a sanctuary, shelter & rescue center, deal with the legal system, and engage in direct action - rescuing animals in order to experience directly and expose firsthand the atrocities they are forced to endure on commercial farms, in laboratories and other abominable places.

As for rescuing chickens from the filthy "broiler" sheds in which they are raised for meat, we're told that "nothing except firsthand experience could convey the utter despair a compassionate person feels at the sight of lame, feces-encrusted birds limping about and dead chickens, their ammonia-scalded breasts denuded of feathers, lying where they collapsed from inhumane breeding practices."

While most activists will not be directly involved in rescuing animals from factory farms and laboratories, Striking at the Roots shows the importance of keeping informed about these rescues and what they uncover, in order to provide credible and compelling content to one's letter writing and other advocacy on behalf of animals. Essential to being an effective activist are poise, self-confidence, knowledge, and persistence.

For example, I am quoted regarding rejected letters to editors and op-eds: "Over the years, I've published many guest columns about the plight - and delight - of chickens and turkeys. I've also written letters and op-eds that were turned down. Usually in such cases, I rework the piece and eventually submit it elsewhere with success. Also, it's good to establish a relationship with an editorial page editor. Not to ramble on and take up their valuable time, but a brief friendly phone call about your submission can increase your chance of being published, and you may be pleased to learn on occasion that the editorial page editor cares about animals and values your concerns."

Striking at the Roots stresses the importance of seizing opportunities to act and speak out locally - "don't overlook even the smallest neighborhood media outlets," activists urge. Local media want to know what is happening in their area. Often a protest demonstration is "a quite interesting and different story to what they normally may cover," stresses an Australian activist.

Striking at the Roots is not just for novices and the insecure. A good activist never reaches the point where ideas about activism are "preaching to the choir." Effective activism is about continuing education, not only of others, but of oneself. It's an essential part of the attitude that is needed to liberate animals and establish their rights.

Karen Davis, PhD, President
United Poultry Concerns
Dedicated to the compassionate & respectful treatment of chickens and other domestic fowl. www.upc-online.org

Longtime animal advocate Mark Hawthorne knows a thing or two about which methods are most effective in helping animals. Mark also happens to be a great writer, and his new book, "Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism," will prove helpful for everyone from armchair advocates to seasoned citizen lobbyists.

When writing the book, Hawthorne drew from his range of animal welfare experience, from volunteering for rabbit rescue groups to working with farm animal sanctuaries. He also interviewed countless people who are involved in the animal protection movement.

By bringing in the collective experiences and insights of those advocates, Hawthorne developed a valuable encyclopedia of the most successful strategies that bring about change for animals.

He discusses a wide variety of tools anyone can use, including leafleting, holding events, tabling, writing opinion pieces and corporate campaigning. Hawthorne included an in-depth section on the importance of using continually-evolving multimedia and electronic communications, such as websites, video and podcasts, blogs and more.

"Striking at the Roots" is packed with helpful tips and useful case studies of campaigns that are tangibly improving the lives of animals. Hawthorne's attention to those success stories is inspiring enough to make better advocates out of his readers.

"Striking at the Roots" is an important addition to the animal protection literature--an accessible, engaging book that's a useful read for anyone who wants to make a difference for animals.

This book was recommended to me by several people who are into tarantulas. I had no interest in reading any more than the care of tarantulas, but I've now read the whole book, simply because it was so interesting.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the critters, and especially to anyone considering keeping one as a pet, or breeding them.

As a psychologist specializing in treating people for spider phobia, I found this book brilliant in teaching how to look after the tarantulas I own. As time is an issue for me, I wanted a book that would cut to the chase about keeping tarantulas so I could learn quickly about how to keep them so I could use them in therapy. This book delivered the goods and has allowed me to happily keep tarantulas so as to treat spider phobics. A must for anyone interested in keeping tarantulas.

Anthony Gunn, psychologist and author of Fear Is Power: Turn Your Fears Into Success

a very useful and understandable book. An essential text for the lovers of the tarantulas

Being new to the tarantula keeping world I found Mr. Stanley's book an excellent source of information on all aspects of spider keeping. Especially helpful was the chapter on raising spider babies when my pet store bought Chilian Rose Hair decided she wanted to suddenly and quite unexpectedly give birth! If you are thinking about raising tarantulas I urge you to read this book first; you will enjoy the hobby so much more if you do.

Best reference on Tarantula's I've found. Answers most questions. Will be the most used book on my reference shelf.

I like this guide. It is in alphabetical order and contains just about every word you would want to use to communicate with a child. My older son is also having fun learning the signs and using them with the baby. I started using this book with my son at about 8 months.

Very thorough guide. Works like a dictionary. Excellent listing of signs you can use daily. mb

I bought this book to help me with simple signs to teach children under 2 years old who are not hearing impaired. I found the alphabetical listing made it easy to find words I wanted to use and the simple illustration made sure I was making the sign correctly. I think this book would work very well for someone wanting to learn basic signs for young children whether hearing impaired or not.

We have been doing sign language with both of our babies since around 6 mos of age, and this book has been priceless. Very easy to use, very informative.

This book is so helpful I carry it in our "Diaper" bag. (We actually use elimination communication so our baby hasn't used diapers since 11 weeks, but we still call it our diaper bag. See Potty Whispering: The Gentle Art of Infant Potty Training) I frequently pull this book out when my son needs a word. He is 19 months and knows about 70 signs. He even signs in his sleep (I wonder what he was dreaming the night he was signing "paper.") This is the most comprehensive signing book I have found. Lots of good kid words--like yogurt and cracker--that I couldn't find anywhere else. My biggest complaint about this book (and why only 4 stars) is the food words. It mainly has sweet based foods (and even signs for McDonald's.) There are limited fruits, veggies, and other healthy foods. So I also carry Fruits & Vegetables (Beginning Sign Language Series)Also, despite the great number of words in here, it is not totally comprehensive. It doesn't have the word "key." Every toddler loves keys so I'm not sure why that's missing. I'd love it if there was a website where I could recommend words for future editions.

For those of you uncertain about using sign as much as we do, it has really made having a toddler much simpler. He can tell stories about the time the dog had the bird in its mouth and we got the bird from the dog and took the bird outside. When he dropped his toy into a hole in the floorboards, his signing conveyed to me what had happened (since I didn't witness it.) When he got cactus thorns in his hands and was, naturally, screaming as I took them out, he signed "water." I got him a drink of water and he calmed down. Without the ability to make that request, he would have kept screaming (I never would have thought to give him water.) Some people have questioned if sign language at our level will delay speech. I asked a developmental pediatrician about that. She considers children who sign bi-lingual. Bi-lingual children often do have slight delays in their speech. However, the brain development that occurs is so beneficial that it is better for the children. At 19 months our son has his 70 signed words and about 20 spoken words. He spends much of each day repeating a verbal word he is just now learning (dishes is one of his favorites.)

I am currently in a Licensed Massage Therapy schoool and this is the best book. The illustrations are clear and detailed. I recommend this book to all future people going into the medical field.

A most impressive and down to earth guide to understanding the essential "landmarks" of the human body with regards to the needs of physical therapists, massage therapists, or anyone that uses range of motion testing, joint mobility, joint distraction, or soft tissue massage techniques in their clinical practice. Very easy to understand and relate to actual scenarios without the usual heavy reliance on dry medical jargon. Highly recommended!

A must have for all Massage Therapists! It should be the anatomy textbook in all massage schools!

I received the 2nd ed. of this book in massage school.

I purchased the 3rd ed. to study for my National test.

WOW! I truly did not think this book could have gotten any better, but it DID! It shows all different views of muscles, muscle groups, bones, boney landmarks, how to find boney landmarks to find muscles, latin/greek roots of the words, study hints, remembering devices, WONDERFUL illustrations!

I also purchased the Student Workbook - which is an ENTIRELY new text with this edition - and it has a lot of different ways to test yourself to prepare for tests.

If you need to know ANYTHING relating to the muscles/bones of the body, YOU NEED THIS BOOK! Don't let the cost fool you ... it is NOT overpriced. I used to think it was (when I found out how much it was by itself - my 2nd ed. was included with my tuition at school), until I bought this new edition.

They added an obscene amount of new pages, and updated their illustrations to make them even EASIER to understand.

If you have any doubts about this book, log on to the publishers website discoverybooks . com - there are excerpts, downloadable pages, etc.

Hope this helps.

I used this book while studying to be a physical therapist assistant. I wish I had found it sooner!!! It's fabulous. I provides a detailed description of how to find muscles, bones, etc. This is better than any other book I have used for this purpose.

My wife and I love to go on factory tours and visit company museums when we travel. It's corny, I know, but fun. This book gives wonderful examples of some of the best tours and museums around. Whenever we're going on a road trip, we always consult Watch It Made in the U.S.A.: A Visitor's Guide to the Best Factory Tours and Company Museums (Watch It Made in the USA) to help us decide where we might like to go. I would very much recommend it for families with young kids who might enjoy such tours, and probably retirees who have the time and interest for them, as well.

This is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in things made in the USA. It gives a nice description of the facilities, locations, tour times, cost and lengths, age appropriateness, and phone numbers.
We like to travel the country and will use the information to plan our trips. The book is well organized and very helpful.

This is my first review in Amazon.

I am always curious about how things are made,
and after watching many episodes of "How do they do it",
and "How it's made" on discovery Channel.
I started to look for extra resources for a better understanding on these "behind the scenes" mysteries.
Then, I found this book.
And this book is a real treasure!
The book is well organized,
It provides many detail information about the factory tours,
and the brief background of the companies.

Thanks to this book,
now I have some itineraries in mind.
I plan to visit KitchenAid's factory in the near future for my mom.
(My family is in Taiwan)
She is a big fan of KitchenAid mixer. ha.
I will also visit Airstream company as well,
Owning a travel trailer is my dream, and I want to know how it is made,
And I will be more determined to realize this dream!
Maybe one day I will write a similar book "Watch it made in Taiwan" in a mobile trailer office. Who knows?!

Great book, I did not know that a book like this existed. Will definitly come in handy when planning trips. Checked information on places we have already been and information was accurate.

I'm planning to take my two teenagers cross country this summer and this is a GREAT book for finding interesting places to show them. It has excellent maps, clear directions, and well-written descriptions of what you will (and won't) see so I can figure out what sites will best entertain the different family members. I only wish we had time to see more of the places they describe. It even tells you what other nearby attractions there are. Kudos to the authors!

Nothing mattered anymore, my grades went down, i didn't care about life, i wanted to die. so i attempted suicide, my wrist is scarred and mutated, everyone said i was insane. then i heard from the family circle magazine about this book, and i swear this has helped me, and i'm so glad that not everyone thinks depressed teens are insane or stupid. and i'm glad there are people like lisa hurka covington that are talking to teens how valuable life is, and helping them sort out their problems.

This book combines compassion and empowerment with accurate information.

The author, a cousin of singer Curt Cobain, wrote this book to help make sense of her cousin's suicide. It is readable, knowledgeable and thorough. It helps adolescents understand what they might be feeling when they are depressed. It discusses how to interrupt the downward spiral and find a way out. The book covers both social and biological aspects of depression.

I felt that the author had a good intuitive grasp for how an adolescent might feel when he was in the depths of a depression. She reflects back the sense of isolation and hopelessness so that a depressed person feels understood. She provides information on how to get help when you don't feel that anyone out there is trustworthy.

She empowers teens by providing good information about the causes of depression and well as the treatments. For those who want more detailed information, she provides a resource list. I especially liked her section on how to stay healthy once you have recovered from the initial depression.

I have recommended this book to several teens. They felt that it made sense and was helpful

This tome is organized extremely well; one can start at the beginning or jump directly into any chapter. The background information is helpful and lucid for parents and the stories from the teens themselves tells it like it is but at the same time gives hope and tells of "the light at the end of the tunnel" for depressed teens, that things do get better. Highly recommended!

In When Nothing Matters Anymore, Bev Cobain offers a teen-friendly reference guide to adolescent depression, complete with self-help suggestions, counseling resources, and case studies of teens who sought help for their illness and now lead "normal" adolescent lives. Cobain is a credentialed author: a certified registered nurse, a mental health professional, and a recipient of the National Mental Health Association's Green Ribbon Award for efforts on behalf of teen depression awareness; however, the book reads like Cliff's Notes of a more comprehensive text - as if Cobain simply compiled the bullet-point lists, sidebars, and quick-reference statistics from an American Psychiatric Association web listing for teen depression. When Nothing Matters Anymore relies little on Cobain's personal observations and extensive experience, and too much on peppy, inspirational messages from its case study teens.

The book is structured in two parts: What's Wrong? and Getting Help and Staying Well. What's Wrong? is primarily diagnostic, providing a checklist for the reader to determine whether he or she is depressed, explaining the varieties and causes of depression, and outlining the correlations between depression and chronic illness, sexual abuse, sexual identity, drug use and addiction, eating disorders, and "perceived differences" from peers. Getting Help and Staying Well highlights treatment options, suggests ways to seek help from family or trusted adults, and lists self-help activities for readers undergoing treatment. Both sections include "Survival Tips" that a health professional might suggest to any teen: Get Exercise, Have Fun, Eat Good Food, etc. There are some practical suggestions, like journaling and creating mood charts, and there is a chapter dedicated to the important topic of teen suicide, but the book as a whole rarely digs below the surface of the illness and underestimates its audience's desire (and perhaps ability?) to understand depression more fully.

One aspect of the book that seems borderline inappropriate is Cobain's ad nauseam referencing of her cousin Kurt, the popular lead singer of grunge band Nirvana, whose suicide shocked the MTV youth culture in 1994. Perhaps this approach is an effective way of securing "street cred" amongst teen readers, but this hook feels opportunistic at times, particularly in "A Letter to Kurt Cobain," a three-page, sappy, metaphor-heavy eulogy in which Cobain rues that Kurt's handlers wouldn't give her the access that could have prevented his suicide. I understand the intent is to show the readers that she cared for someone they cared about and saw the beauty of his music and the tragedy of his death as they did, but to a non-teen reader, it rings hollow. Had Cobain been close with Kurt, a reader might not bawk at this inclusion, but she mentions that she did not know Kurt "personally," a fact that makes the multiple, casual mentions feel like name-dropping.

For the last year or so I had a few questions for myself. Why am I here? Whats my pourpose in life? Cant I just be dead? Dang do I wish I could give my life for some one else. This is really good book for any teen...

Not only is the author a good writer, it has a lot of good examples of other peoples life situations so you can auctly say "wow someone can really relate to my struggle".
Anyways, again its a good book and if you have any questions about it my hotmail address is [...]