Educational Books

I recieved Aeschylus: Agamemnon right on time and it was crisp and new!

I always liked Homer and Sophocles, but I still have a preference for Aeschylus. What makes "Agamemnon" such a great story is that not only is this a story in itself, but it is only part 1 of a trilogy. Part 2 is "The Libation Bearers" and Part 3 is "The Eumenides." Now "Agamemnon" was written centuries before Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida." Nevertheless, the events of "Agamemnon" take place after Shakespeare's play. If you read that play of Shakespeare's, you know that it covers the last few stages of the Trojan War. In Shakespeare's play, Agamemnon is portrayed as a reasonable and competent king who is frustrated at the length of the war, is repulsed by Achilles's vanity, and shows reasonable strength in diplomacy.

Onto the material at hand. The chorus is basically a group of older men who can comment on situations, but can not really interfere. The chorus tells us that Troy has fallen, and Greece is triumphant. We then meet Agamemnon's wife Clytemnestra. She blames Agamemnon for the death of her child Iphigenia. So, she naturally wants to kill Agamemnon. The chorus seems to admit that it was strange that the war was fought over Helen who was a willing prisoner. Nevertheless, the chorus sides with Agamemnon when he arrives. Asimov seems to point an interesting angle out: "Such a keen sense of honor is often praised by those who are safe at home." But of course, it is a different story to those who are involved! But of course, any time romance is involved, the voice of reason tends to take a back seat.

Moving on, Agamemnon seems to be a good king in showing his piety in the light of victory. But there is one flaw. He has kidnapped Hector's sister Cassandra. (She was the virgin priestess to Apollo, and that would be the equivalent of kidnapping a nun for pleasure.) Cassandra has the gift of prophecy, but because she tried to run with Apollo's gift 'without paying for it,' Apollo cursed her in that no one would believe her prophecies.

Showing reason, she curses Paris for starting the war with his utterly stupid kidnapping of Helen. She also tells of how Orestes will avenge his father and kill Clytemnestra (in Part 2). But back to the main plot. Clytemnestra plays the devil, and uses Agamemnon's vanity against him which leads to his death. (How disturbing that vanity was the downfall of many men centuries ago, and still is!)

In comes Clytemnestra's lover Aegisthus. He talks of the crimes of Agamemnon's father against his father. What happened was Aegisthus 's father slept with Agamemnon's father's wife. In revenge, Agamemnon's father tricked Aegisthus's father into eating the flesh of his own son. the theme of revenge is further emphasized. It is of course a never ending circle. Though I do find it interesting that Aegisthus finds it fit that Agamemnon should suffer for the crimes of his father. (Yet was Aegisthus's father who started it!)

So, Aegisthus and Clytemnestra can be together for now. But of course in Part 2, we know that they will get their comeuppance. Overall, it's a great story that emphasizes the evils and seeming eternity of revenge.

First in a trilogy about the return of the Greeks after the Trojan War. Powerful stuff. Such horrors and tragedy as only the Greeks can master. Agamemnon's father killed his brother's children and set their flesh before him to eat, unknowingly. Agamemnon himself killed his own daughter as a sacrifice to the gods for success in the Trojan War, and when he comes home after ten years (which is where the action begins), his wife, Clytemnestra, stabs him to death in a plot with Aegisthus who was the son of the father who ate his children, and in the next part, Orestes, Agamemnon's son will return and kill them both. Please don't think I'm giving away plot here. Plot is not the point, the writing of it is all. To see it staged by first-rate actors must be a real thrill indeed.

It would be good to have two years of college Greek behind you before starting on Denniston and Page's AGAMEMNON, a Greek text with modern commentary. As a single-volume edition for students, this one could not be bettered: everything is explained and difficult passages are translated in the notes -- about three lines a page are difficult enough to require this treatment. And I mean difficult for everyone, the world's greatest Greek scholars included. The difficulties are very thoroughly discussed. Another reviewer here has said Denniston and Page are dogmatic; not at all: they point out where passages are unclear, disagreed about by scholars, or outright lost. Most of the choruses contain passages so distorted scholars have to guess at what was written, and (assuming their guess is right) exactly what the passages mean. Aeschylus writes a little like Shakespeare in MACBETH: very poetically and not always clearly. In spite of all this, passages, sometimes quite long, of powerful poetry leap out of the page. The play has been compared to KING LEAR and called, along with LEAR, one of the two best tragedies of all time. What's more, it makes you feel, even with Denniston and Page's constant help, that you can really understand Greek if you can understand lines from this play.

[Note: This edition is a text in ANCIENT GREEK with notes in English. It has no text in English if you are looking for one. There are many to recommend. The best translation of the Oresteia, of which this work is the first part, is in Tony Harrison's Collected Works; the worst, in my opinion at least, was written by Ted Hughes. All the rest are good.]
This is a superb edition with one caveat. At the moment, educated consensus generally holds that a line of poetry seldom has one meaning. Denniston and Page's text plus commentary of Agamemnon apparently was written before this consensus formed. Denniston and Page are feisty, dogmatic, and insistent that they are right, and are largely reacting to Fraenkel's massive text plus commentary to the same play. They take issue with Fraenkel on a number of points while acknowledging his immense erudition. I have no reservations, however, recommending this edition. It was very useful and well-thought out. I give it a high rating.

This book is great reading for someone who is or will be a first-time APBT puppy owner. It explains the special needs of these great dogs and why they've developed a bad reputation. If you are looking for more extensive info on training and activities for you and your dog, i recommend another book.

The book is excellent and provides a usefull information for raise and American Pitbull Terrier

This book was helpful when I first got my APT a few years back. Besides teaching you the basics of taking care of him/her, it also goes into how the breed has been abused and misinterpreted. American Pitbull Terriers can be the most loyal and friendliest of dogs, if taken care of properly. (I can attest to that, being a former owner).

This book gives a truthful picture of APBT's. It also has exclent information on caring for this breed through it's life. I purchased it for my mother, who was nervous about the breed, before I adopted my dog. After reading the book she was looking forward to having the adition to the family come and was sharing her new found info with friends and family who had negitive reactions when hearing I was getting an APBT. An exclent book to have on hand and share with those intrested in the breed, who own the breed, and who don't know the breed.

Even though I knew that this dog wasn't as "mean and aggressive" as people made it seem, this book was extremely interesting and i learned many new facts. Besides being a great care-guide, it explains the breed's character and history.Everything that you would ever want to know about the American Pit Bull Terrier can be found in this book, accuratly portrayed.The book is clear on how to prevent accidental fights and that this great dog should only be owned by responsible people. Hopefully the APBT will one day gain the respect they deserve and people will know the truth about them.

If you are looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite teenager or "tween" this season, then this is it. I am currently a mentor for troubled girls at a local youth center in Baltimore and can't think of a better gift to share. There's no better feeling than helping someone discover their untapped potential, and giving them the wings to fly. Kudos to the author for helping to fulfill a critical unmet need!

If it wasn't for this book, I would be working in Starbucks, or worse, Texaco. "Applying to College: A Planning Guide" by Casey Watts lays it out clearly and ingeniously for someone planning to attend college. My parents didn't even have to intervene. I did it all by myself. Applying to UPenn couldn't have been easier, and I got in! There should be more useful books like this out there. Casey Watts should write another book on "How to get your Boss' job" or "Becoming a US President". More books like that would make a difference in this country. I highly recommend this book for anyone planning to apply to college or any other institution of higher education. She knows what she's talking about, and she knows it well.

Um, my mom bought this book for me because she tells me I have to go to college. She tells me I can't live at home like my uncles, who still live in their house and who are in their 40's.
Anyway, I got this book to get her off my back but, it has lots of cool stuff in it about applying to college and stuff like that. It tells you lots of helpful things you have to think about before applying to college so hopefully, I won't make a big mistake. All kids in HS should read a book like this so they know what they are doing, and it keeps your mom off your case.

When my little sister was applying for college, I gave her this book. I certainly wish I had it when I did my college applications. Not only was the book informative, helpful, and easy to read, it was also fun and interesting. Casey Watts is a masterful writer, and the book reflects her witty and wise style. I would recommend buying it for anyone who is applying to college or knows someone who is!

After leaving the armed services, I did not plan on attending college. In fact, I never intended to go to college. The process seemed daunting. And, after what I had seen in my life through various tours in the Marines, I could not fathom how book-learning and course-work could be relevant to my life.

Truth be told . . . I was scared. Applying to college required organizational skills I simply did not have. So, rather than pursuing this challenge, I preferred to think of it as a non-option, a waste of time. Nonetheless, I found myself coaxing my friends to send away for brochures and applications. I experienced college vicariously through the smiles and comaraderie depicted in the pages of Beaver College, State University of Alabama, and Boomerton College. It was exciting and I got hooked.

Hooked with no where to go. No plan for how to tackle the task of a college application. No plan for how to make my dream a reality.

That's where Ms. Watts' book stepped in. A clerk at the local bookshop pointed me in the direction of books geared towards helping people like myself tackle the application process. He offered no recommendations, but Casey Watts' book caught my eye. A quick skim revealed this book to be a treasure trove of knowledge, a compendium of wisdom. Casey Watts is to the planning and organization industry what Martha Stewart is to home decorations and gourmet cooking . . . though, from what I know, Casey has never been, and hopefully never will be, incarcerated.

If the doors to opportunity ever seemed closed to you in your life, turn to Ms. Watts. She has the key.

This journey is a exeptional story of courage and sincerity with oneself. It is rare to see this nowadays. The book is an excelent guide for any Adult Educator interested in Transformative Adult Education. Vikrant showed me what it is to be sincerely intrested in your own development.

I really enjoyed this book. It made me ask so many questions about me, life, relationships. I do not know if everything is true. But if it is, wow! that's life. It has to be read.

I am not a good reader.But this book I read in one night. I live in a small town next to sheffield. This book got to my hands through a Sannyas friend and I understood what is to seek happyness with all your heart. Very inspiring and thought provoking.

This is a book about truth, honesty and self desclosure. Nowadays we need this type of literature, where the author is not pretending to tell the world what is right. Alejandro..or Vikrant just exposes himself in all his glory and misery. Phenomenology from the heart.

I found this book searching for transpersonal psychology. I was hoping to get knowledge about its commom ground with the field of aduly Ed. What a surprise¡ I found a personal acount of a mystical trip. I really liked it. I could not put the book down.

I purchased the set of books for my grandchildren 3 of them turned 5 this year and will start school in September. They all love them and fell so proud of themselves because they can read a whole book.

I love the BOB books and so do my kids. It gives them great confidence. I now have all 5 sets and can use them over and over again with each child.

My son is learning to read- these books are a great way for him to gain the confidence to keep learning. The words and pictures are simple and easy to recognize.

must buy for the beginner reader!
My son is 5 and NOW can read all of the Bob books. He really loves them and we don't have to "make" him read them. I highly recommend the entire Bob Book collection.

The Bob Books series have been great for my homeschooled five year old. He has gone from just knowing his basic letter sounds to reading or attempting to read most everything he can get his hands on in about four months. These books were great for practice and building his confidence. I highly recommend the series.

I'm a longtime fan of Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series who recently read "The White Mercedes". Upon reviewing that rather interesting book, Amazon showed me this little book in my recommendations. The excellent price and intriguing description made me purchase it. I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed in the least.

"The Broken Bridge" is a really great novel for young adults about fitting in and dealing with family. Ginny's life, which she's rarely questioned, comes into question when she discovers a brother, a best friend's older sister, and her own past. Ginny is a pretty cool character, in that she's really easy to relate to. Her awkwardness at times and fears are realistic. Her anger makes sense. She's a perfectly constructed person, living inside a book. Other characters are equally real.

I liked Ginny's development over the summer, emotional and otherwise. She's a bit impulsive and that makes for an interesting read. Thankfully, this novel is very teen-friendly (minus a few swear-words) and should pass any "appropriateness" test, though it deals with serious subjects very well. It will capture the reader quickly and strongly, until you really want to know what happens. And the ending does not disappoint.

"The Broken Bridge" manages to deal with a number of serious issues quite well. Ginny, as a mixed-race teen, faces a number of racial insecurities, living alone with her white father and white community. Her strong artistic bond to her mother is meaningful as well, and this artistic aspect to the novel should draw in (no pun intended) artists as well. The way she views the world is quite special and unique.

Mysterious, well written, and absolutely enjoyable, "The Broken Bridge" is not the same fantasy Pullman, but still the same fantastic Pullman. Highly recommended!

Not up to the same standard as 'His Dark Materials' but it's aimed at a different market, I guess.

I found the writing good, creating that dreamlike, unreal, almost nightmarish feeling when your world is suddenly turned upside down.
The book grips you and you feel dragged along with our heroine as she tries to make sense of what is happening and the 'visions' she has; the only failing is the ending which seems a bit of an anticlimax.

Nevertheless, a very good read.

This is a wonderful book. I think it will resonate with many readers, who might relate to it even though the circumstances are unique.

Philip Pullman has a powerful gift. It convinces us to not only enter into the minds of his protagonists with sympathy, but to emerge actually caring about them. I really miss Ginny now, having finished the book. I try, in my imagination, to watch her grow up. I think she'll be brilliant, just like many of the readers who can relate to her and her step-brother.

As you begin reading the book, you're not told a whole lot; and I liked that. It made me more alert to cues in her thinking, watching her moods and the things that happen around her that she doesn't quite pay enough attention to.

On the other hand, the things she *does* notice are with the eyes of an artist, and one with a creative imagination. Readers who also like to draw and paint will find lots to like about the way Ginny thinks. It's a view of an artist's way, from an artist himself... and just like the best art, it moves something in us in a very subtle but profound way.

The book deals with feelings of isolation, which many of us encounter through race issues but everyone *could* understand, given a writer like Pullman. And then there's the matter of growing up. What happens when Ginny's secure world seems too small, but getting out of it is too scary? What happens when what she thinks she knows is not half of what's really there beneath her nose? Pullman makes her story a lot like our own story. We're hooked.

Her growing awareness of others' lives, her ability to move from a genuine and thoughtful sympathy to actual empathy - putting herself in their shoes, rather than looking at their shoes from her perspective, so to speak - is handled so well, I can't help but think we readers all benefit too.

Philip Pullman will probably always be best known for the "His Dark Materials" trilogy. This may be appropriate, as this trilogy - The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass - are superior fantasy. But there is more to Pullman than these three books. The Broken Bridge is a standalone novel that shows Pullman's skills go beyond just a single genre.

The Broken Bridge is the story of Ginny, a black (actually mixed-race) sixteen year old girl living in Wales with her white father. Despite the disadvantages of having a long-deceased mother (who came from Haiti) and being one of the very few non-whites in her coastal community, Ginny is reasonably well-adjusted. This stable life comes to a close, however, when a social worker appears at her house. Shortly thereafter, her father reveals something that will completely upset her life: her father had a son by another woman; the woman is dying and soon her half-brother will be living with them.

This revelation is only the first of many that will completely turn Ginny's life upside-down and make her question everything and everyone she has known. The most damaged relationship, however, is with her father who still has a number of other secrets that are beginning to leak out. But there are other truths that will be learned too, regarding her friends, her grandparents and her mother.

This is classified as a "young adult" novel, as most of Pullman's books are, but like his other works, these can actually appeal to any adult readers. I would guess it gets this classification because it is tame from a sex, violence or language standpoint, but the topics - including racism, adultery and even murder - are not exactly "childish."

Pullman is as a good a writer as always. The only disappointment readers are likely to experience is if they expect something like His Dark Materials. Outside of possibly one scene, this story is completely non-fantasy. But if you realize that Pullman can do more than just that one genre, you will find this is another is another good book by him.

The Broken Bridge is a beautifully written book about a girl named Ginny Howard, who is one of the very few black children in Wales. Ginny lives with her father, striving to reach her goal of becoming an artist. Then she finds out that she has a white half-brother named Robert. Even worse, she is illegitimate. Knowing that her father may not be telling her the whole truth about her own life, Ginny decides to find out all that she can about herself and her mother. The plot is embellished with Ginny's unique ideas about herself and also her artistic views. This book was very inspiring and I find that I can associate many of the things discussed in it with my own life. I am definitely better off from reading it.

I ordered another book when I first found out about my daughter. I found it tailored toward the medical profession and definately hard to understand. Then I found this book. It was much easier to read; it spoke to me in words I could understand as opposed to just medical terminalogy. I refer to it often. It seems to have a little bit of information about everything that my daughter either has, or will have, to deal with during her life.

I've done a lot of Internet searches for information about spina bifida. This book is the best overall source I've found. I highly recommend this book for parents and caregivers of children with spina bifida. My daughter is now two years old, and I still refer to this resource often.

I purchased this book when my daughter was prenatally diagnosed with Spina Bifida. Since she's been born I have purchased more copies for family members. This book is an excellent resource for parents and loved ones. It teaches about the condition and related concerns in an easy to understand manner. This is by far the best book I have found on Spina Bifida. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is expecting/has a child with Spina Bifida. I would also recommend it for family members and caregivers of children with Spina Bifida.

This book is a wonderful book for anyone who knows of someone dealing with a child or teenager with spina bifida. Its very organized, informative, and even has several photos of kids with spina bifida. I highly recommend it!

This is one of the two books we ordered when we found out that our baby would be born with sb. We have read lots of books since then and still think this is the best. It is very comprehensive, presents the information well, and I have referred to it often over the past 8 months. We ended up purchasing several copies to give to our family members so they would understand what is going on with our son.

Conquering the Food Chain: Living Amongst Animals Without Becoming One is a "feel good" read. Ms. Mantle brings readers into her domain by sharing her unique experiences with the pets she loves. The content is captivating and touches the emotions of all of us who love and respect our pets as family members. Some of the excerpts will make you laugh and others might make you cry. Whether the reader is already a pet owner or contemplating a new addition to the family, this book is a "must read."

In this humorous and touching book about living with a large assortment of pets, author Stacy Mantle had me chuckling out loud to myself more than once.

The book is composed of small essay-like chapters that are an excellent way to relax and end a busy day with a smile on your face. One of my favorite chapters was "Falling Into The Food Chain", where Stacy happens to fall while vacuuming and cannot get up (this is not the funny part...yet). Her pets think that this is quite a fun game, and are seemingly amazed at how "into" the game she is as she crawls to the nearest telephone. What fun!

This book makes a wonderful gift for yourself, for all of the pet lovers in your life, and for all of the people who don't know they are pet lovers... yet.

You don't need to be owned by multiple animals of different species to appreciate and relate to Stacy's book, but it will make it all the more pleasurable. Her writing is witty and full of heart, punctuated by endearing animal antics.

This book had me laughing and crying. Through her humorous, sad, tragic, and poignant stories dealing with the experiences she's had with the various animals in her own life, Stacy Mantle has provided an excellent glimpse into the minds, hearts, and souls of dedicated animal rescue workers all over the world.

The world needs more books like this one!

Ms. Mantle's down-to-earth writing style and her unusual experiences with animals makes this a fascinating read. Emotional without being maudlin, it offers a kaleidoscopic and often humorous perspective on living with wolf-hybrids, dogs, cats, and other animals. Animal lovers will enjoy reading this; non-animal lovers will likely be converted. Her book deftly analyzes pet ownership and its responsibilities and foibles without any sugar coating. Highly recommended!

I can't say quite enough about how much this book has really helped me with calculus. The teacher I had over the summer at a community college was crap compared to this book, I highly, HIGHLY recommend it.

I took the Calc BC Exam this May. I do not know what else I can say besides that this book will get you a 5 on calc BC. Of course, I got a 5 on it, with the subgrade also being 5. I HIGHLY recommend this book!!!!

After reading the Amazon reviews, I purchased this book and the Kaplan version. I quickly set aside the Kaplan book and focused on "Cracking the AP Calculus AB & BC Exams," though. The review information is comprehensive yet abbreviated, as most of the concepts are taught in class. However, enough information is given to fill in any knowledge gaps. The practice after each chapter is good, and the solutions are fully explained. I was particularly impressed with the practice tests. The problems mirrored those on the actual AP Calculus AB exam exactly. There were only a few problems I didn't encounter in this book that were on the AP exam. This book did the trick... I got a 5!

I ordered this book about a month before I took the AP calculus BC exam and it was a life saver. It had everything in it that I wanted. The practice tests were slightly harder than the real AP exam and that is a good thing, because then you are prepared. If you are going to be taking the AP calculus exam I would highly recommend buying this book.

My school does not offer AP Calculus, but by AP rules, you can take the test despite not having the class. So, my son decided to use this book to help him prepare. My son is very good at math, so he was able to learn from the way this presented the material. He ended up getting the highest possible score.

If you have the class-imagine what you can accomplish with this aid.

I haven't read through the whole book yet, but so far it seems really great. I will taking the GRE after the holidays.

This book contains great test preparation materials for the GRE. I would describe this book as straight forward, easy to understand, and thorough. I felt prepared the first time I took the GRE because I studied this book.

There are two kinds of people who take the Graduate Record Examination. Well, three, actually: Those who don't study for the GRE, those who take a course costing several hundred dollars, and those of us buying a book or two. Buy "Cracking the GRE." It is what you need.

I suspect those who take the courses get their money's worth.

However, "Cracking the GRE" is a much cheaper, quicker solution. It cuts to the chase, tells you what you need to know, and shows you how to figure out those algebra problems better than your high school freshman year teacher.

They teach you how to be organized during the test. And you'll learn how to draw sensible charts for the logic portion. This will save you precious time as you realize you have no clue how to answer number 27. It teach you how to effectively guess.

The greatest benefit, however, and where you might find yourself studying the most is the book. Plow through word lists, key types of questions and testing suggestions.

I took the GRE. I used the Princeton Review. I crammed. Sure, sure--not the best approach for an important exam, but the fact remains, I'm not alone. Effective cramming involves knowing what to jettison, and what to keep on board. That is, knowing what is important to focus on. The Princeton Review folks know this.

I dreaded the math portion. If I told you how low my high school grades were for math, and then told you my GRE score, you'd likely believe neither. But it is true. My score rocked. Why? The easy teaching style of "Cracking the GRE." The MIT admissions people wouldn't be impressed with my score, but for a guy with a literature degree looking to get into a marketing communications program, the "Cracking the GRE" helped me get the math score I needed.

Have I convinced you? No more delaying. Hurry up, get on with it, and buy "Cracking the GRE." You'll get the best results cramming can bring you. Oh, and be sure to get to the exam early. There is a long form to fill out beforehand.

I fully recommend "Cracking the GRE."

Anthony Trendl
http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com

This was my only resource for taking the GRE, and I only studied two weeks in advance, and I scored in the top 85%, so it must be a good teacher. This book is good at breaking things down so that you know how to take the test and select the best answer. Good review of all the sections, and two full length practice exams. I would recommend.

Good review of the basics. Only downside is that you need to go online to get the full benefit of all the lessons (and buy another book).