Stations Books

This superb collection shows now-gone buildings and architectural treasures of our beloved city's past. These remarkable black-and-white photos show famous vanished bridges, churches, buildings and arenas, including the Colesium (nominating site of four Presidents). The City's downtown and surrounding areas were rebuildt after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, in the largest building boom in U.S. history. Wood gave way to brick, steel, and concrete - the fire led to strict building codes - and many structures rose as the city expanded from 320,000 people in 1871 to 3.4 million by 1930. Readers learn about our city's history, plus the valuable contributions from world-famous architects and planners like Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Miles Van De Roh, Mortimer Adler, and Daniel Burham. Today, many call Chicago the nation's architectural marvel - yet we also lost many famous structures as this superb book shows.

I'd have liked more photos of rail structures (Chicago was and probably remains the world's railroad capital), but it's a minor flaw. This is a superb book about a great city and its architectural past.

The well written story and photos of Chicago are great. It was amazing the number of outstanding architectural building that were built and torn down in such a short number of years.
Having grown up in Chicagoland during the 40' & 50's, I found myself depressed to see such destruction - only to be replaced by glass and aluminum boxes. Even efforts to save the outstanding and much beloved main lobby at the Chicago and Northwestern station failed in the name of the almighty dollar!

First of all...Mr. Lowe obviously has a deep rooted love for our wonderful city of Chicago. Most importantly...he is ensuring future generations and historians the ability to reference so many facts. This simply said...is an incredible work of love and a dedicated effort.
Thank You Mr. Lowe...my children's children will know what an important part that Chicago has played as our nation grew and prospered.

L. Curt Erler Author of "Southside Kid"

Stunning photos of a beautiful city. This book is truly a step back to a time when buildings were built to withstand centuries, although tragically these examples did not. Chicago has some of the most impressive examples of architecture in the country and this book is a powerful archive of not only what the city was, but what it is today. I wish there was a similar book on the buildings of Detroit, many of which are sadly slipping into oblivion.

There is much to enjoy here even if one does not have a special interest in architecture. As a lifelong Chicagoan, I especially liked the photo of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church (p. 79) which occurs in the formerly Polish neighborhood that I grew up in. I also enjoyed the old maps of the Chicago area from the 1600's.

This book missed the mark in so many ways that I am baffled by earlier positive reviews. It is poorly written, ineptly edited, repetitive and confusing. Perhaps most importantly, it offers little real substance regarding how to use the most important call center metrics to manage a call center. More a primer on statistical process control, this book is certainly not geared for most call center executives.

This book was really helpful to organize and explain metrics. The explanation of strategic and tactical views of the metrics was what I really needed. What was neat was how it explained the metrics with very practical examples that everyone can explain. One example of this is the use of a grocery store checkout to explain which metrics to use. Great book and great value.

James Abbott has produced a handbook that is required reading for all Call Center Managers. It provides a step-by-step method for metrics creation and why improvement is not possible unless you can measure Call Center activity.

This book must be on every employees desk in the Call Center and the Metrics should be based on this book. The books 11 chapters are easy to read and understand. James clearly outlines the reasons why metrics must be real time and the benefit in performance associated with this method.

You should read this book, as I did, just to understand how implementation of this methodology will cut costs and improve customer satisfaction.

John Washburn
Colorado

From the introduction this book explains how metrics must be more than just numbers or report cards. They are proactive tools to get much more out of your call center. The book then sets out ways to create powerful metrics that lead to winning decisions for your center.
Chapter One: Having It All
The first chapter looks at why modern metrics are required in centers with numerous monitors. Old ways of thinking will not do. Everyday, real world examples are given to highlight critical metric sources. These are a must in balacing wait time, cost and performance.
Chapter Two: Call Center Metrics
This chapter begins with Abbott's signature approach to decision making and and the discussion of mstrics that compliment this approach. He introduces the unique Dependency Diagram and metric blueprint. On page 38 he lists six key proactive metrics.
Chapter Three: Monitoring Metrics
Chapter three makes cetain you are uaing clear thinking when monitoring your meticws. Again, real world examples and critical statistics are used to help you have a clear look at your center.
Chapter Four: Metric Dashboard
Using building blocks already mentioned this chapter begins putting together a call center dashboard. Who does what? How do we set it up? What is my part?
Chapter Five and Six: Tactical Decisions and Metrics
How do we know when real change has happened? What are the "alarms" to look for when monitoring the call center. We see how to read and use tactical metrics to avoid problems and run effective centers.
Chapters Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten: Strategic Decisions & Metrics
These chapters explain the strategic aspects of running your call center. They help you develop the strategic eye needed to bring your call center into the 21st century.

The book ends with a review of benefits that come from the effective use of metrics and how that is achieved. If you have the difficult responaibility of runing a call center, you need this book.

This is a fantastic resource for anyone trying to figure out how to measure their Call Center performance. Because Call Center services and types vary so greatly, using the wrong metrics can send executives in the wrong direction and greatly impact the staff and performance of the Call Center. This book is a phenomenal resource in determining what Call Center Metrics are and what they are not.

Or about living in Africa, or living in the past, or some sort of troubles (modern or historical). It's so nice to just see a family doing what families *do*. (They even recycle!)

My nieces ask me to read this book to them often. It's a very fast book, suitable both for very young children and for slightly older ones. We love looking at various details - like the fact that "five kinds of beans" includes JELLY beans, or the fact that the baby sits on a lap at dinner. It's just a quick, sweet book.

A very sweet and very simple book. Nice to see a family of color in a book for a change.... so my daughter gets a nice variety. My daughter's teacher requested books for the classroom as her Christmas Gift this year... so that should be a selling point! So sweet that the teacher wanted it! :)

My son actually pick this book out by himself in a bookstore when he was 18 months old. He fell in LOVE with it. We had to read it every morning. We loss it transit and I finally remember to get it from Amazon this summer. At 2 1/2 it is still his favorite book. He loves the counting and the actvities reminds him of when "Granny-Gran" comes to visit. Thank you so much for this book.

A sweet 1-10 counting book that has a nice rhyme scheme and builds its story by counting to ten, not once, but twice. The art designs feature a black extended family, however, this is not central to the story. What is emphasized is the feeling of family warmth and cooperation throughout as everyone pitches in to create the feast for ten. Children can also count the items in each picture that correspond to the poem. Well done.

This book has been around for a long time, but it continues to be a favorite in my classroom. It's one of those simple books that sparks so many different curriculum paths! Counting, number groupings, nutrition, cooperation, family activities, word choices, story writing, and more. It has also initiated collage art projects, quilt making, and paper mache vegetables! FEAST FOR 10 is a goldmine. I see that it's coming out in a board book soon, too. We have both the hardcover and several paperbacks in my class.

I found this book to be helpful in getting my daughter to realize that everyone is afraid of something and that fear is a natural emotion. This books helps to show how the characters deal with their fears. If your child is very fearful of the dark, I would recommend you read the book before sharing with your child. I had no problems with an increase in fears after reading this book but neither of my children are very fearful of the dark.

This Franklin book is one of my favorites! All the Franklin books are great! This book teaches kids not to be afraid of the dark! Lots of reading for smaller children, but great pictures!

I GIVE THIS BOOK A FIVE STAR BECAUSE IT TEACHES YOUNGER KIDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 1-6 ABOUT THE DARK AND HOW IT IS NOT SCARY.

This was our first Franklin book and my son really, really likes Franklin now. I had never heard of him before this book, which was a "gift" from the pediatrician for my son's pre-preschool check-up.

The Franklin books are great.

This one, however, I wish we had skipped.

The thing is, my son was never afraid of the dark. I don't think it ever occurred to him that you *should* be afraid of the dark. But after reading this book, he started to have nightmares. We can't get him to tell us what they are about exactly but they have something to do with Franklin and his small, dark shell.

This might be a good book to help a child who is afraid of the dark get over it. But unless our child is some sort of anomoly, it could also have the potential of giving bad ideas to a child who is not afraid of the dark.

Consider your child when you purchase this book.

This is the best of all of the Franklin stories, and the first one published. It's a wonderful read aloud story, a great story for children to act out, and an easy way to begin a discussion of "things that scare us". Children are amazed to learn that grownups can be frightened of things too. This book should be in every child's home collection and in every elementary teacher's too!

My 17 month old daughter with Down syndrome adores this book. She enjoys answering every page when it asks "can you?" She gets very excited by the pictures of the babies/toddlers and frequently kisses the pages. I believe that some day we will use this book that she is so attached to begin talking to her about Down syndrome.

We love it so much we bought ten copies and donated them to the local NICU where my daughter stayed and the social worker is giving them to babies who are born there with Down syndrome.

I am writing this review because as a prior Early Childhood Special Educator to children birth-3, it was very hard to find board books that had children with different needs and races. I think that this is a wonderful book for both children and parents. It shows children doing the typical things that happen in their daily routines. I really enjoyed that the pictures were really children in real situations. The book was colorful and fun to read. I would recommend that daycares and preschools add this book to their libraries for all children to enjoy.

Cute book for little ones learning or who have down syndrom. My son has down's and he loves the pictures.

My son has Down Syndrome and it was so nice to have a book for him to see other people like him, I bought two of these because 6 days after my son was born another little guy with DS was also born, I gave one these to his mother as well and she loved it too!!!! The book has great photography and is nice and simple, It catches the eye of my 6 month old! Highly reccommed it to anyone and everyone!!!

This is a great book! I love that it shows young children with Down Syndrome participating in typical early childhood activities. There need to be more books like this that include children with special needs with out explicitly pointing out their differences.

My 2 year old daughter enjoys this book. She often ask for her I-spy book(s) again and again and sits and looks through the book by herself. It keeps her occupied and sitting still for several minutes and that says alot.

My son is always picking this book these days. He loves to find everything and does pretty well at 2 1/2.

Good starter I spy book for the younger spier in your house. I would say 3 or 4 would be the oldest.

This is a really cute book and would be perfect for a I spy beginner and a younger reader. My child is 3 1/2 years old and she loves I spy books and this is not for her. I gave it five stars because if I had purchased this last year when we were at a different level it would be fine. I will keep it and bring it out when my son is a bit older.

I bought this for my two year old and he loves it. He knows where all the pictures are ( he did before we left the store) an he still sits there with it in front of him for long peroids of time. I am trying to get the whole set. I don't know how many are in the set though and I was hoping that there would be some place where you could buy them in a complete set.

These are a great tool for students grades 1-3! I love that my students create their own Star of the Week posters without going overboard. These are perfect!

I really like using this in my classroom. It's a great way to get to know each student throughout the year. I allow for them to share their poster, and have a mini share with their favorite things that they bring from home.

GREAT for a beginning of the year project with kids... let them use their imagination and their markers!!

I plan to use these personal posters with each student of the week. After the poster is completed and returned, it will be laminated and displayed. The students can take them home at the end of the week to display at home or give as a gift to a relative.

I have my students fill out there poster whenever they are chosen as the Star Student of the week. Each student can present their poster, take a few questions, and then bask in the glory of having their poster hanging in the hall for the week. Also, after the poster has been presented, I have every student write a friendly letter to the Star Student. All letters are made into a booklet that the Star Student receives at the end of their week.

We checked this book out of the library and our 5 yr old daughter just loved it! I like it because it's clever, quality literature for little ones that makes all ages laugh. The illustrations are also fantastic and add wonderful depth to the humor.

I had this book when I was younger- I'm 20 now. I was thinking about a story I read when I was younger about a couple who moved a mountian (or at least thought they did). I also remembered the Reading Rainbow rendition. I searched all over the Internet for the title because I no longer have it, or can't find it. Then I remembered it was a Scholastics! book. Here it is 10+ years later and I still want to read it.

Ming Lo and his wife love their home, but not that their house is at the bottom of a big mountain, which caused them nothing but unhappiness. Their roof always had holes from falling rock. It rained often under the mountain and with a roof full of holes it meant their rooms where damp and when the sun did shine it's warmth warmed the house and it was difficult to grow anything.

One day Ming Lo's wife told him he must move the mountain so that they may enjoy their house in peace. Ming lo replies that he's just man, how can he move a mountain? Ming Lo's wife knows of a wise man who lives in the village and tells him he should go and ask this wise man. And so Ming Lo does. Each time doing exactly as the wise man tells him and each time the mountain did not move. Finally the wise man told Ming that he must take his house apart stick by stick .They would carry these bundles in their arms and on their heads, and then face the mountain and close their eyes. Next the wise man said you must dance the dance of the moving mountain. You must do this for many hours and when you open your eyes you will see the mountain has moved. So Ming Lo and his wife did as they where told and when they opened their eyes... the mountain dance had worked and the mountain was now far away!

Arnold Lobel has a beautiful book with soft colored drawing! A great book to have as part of your childs' library.

what I liked about the book was that it was kind of funny. Because ming lo had to go back and forth to his house and to the wise man .But the wise man always told the wrong thin like to give some bread because the mountain might be hungry and thats why it didn't move.And also like to hit the montain with
wood and make alot of noise, but at the end the wise man told
ming lo to take all his stuff far from the mountain and they
were never have problem with the mountain agin.

Ming Lo and his wife live next to a mountain. The mountain constantly drops rocks on their house; clouds form at the peak and rain falls on their house (through the holes the rocks have already made) and it blocks the sun. Eventually, they have had enough!!

Ming Lo's wife sends him off to the village wise man that first tells them to run at the mountain with a large pole-this will knock the mountain far away. Of course, it doesn't work, so Ming Lo returns to the wise man many times to ask his advice. Each suggestion grows more and more silly until the last one that actually works!!

Mr. Label is most well known for his Frog and Toad books. The illustration style is similar with "Ming Lo", sharing similar muted colors but with softer outlines. The pictures highlight the foolishness of Ming Lo and his wife as they bang pots and pans at the mountain to scare it away or bring food to the summit to appease the mountain god. The wise man is an amusing character, sitting under a small pagoda in purple robes smoking a pipe (he produces more and more smoke each time that Ming Lo comes to ask him questions, to the point that he can barely be seen).

The story is easy to read and fun without being ridiculous. It's an excellent book for beginning readers and will keep children interested as they read on to find out what Ming Lo and his wife will be up to next! Highly recommended.

There are multiple viewpoints about the utility of including the Evans-Wetz controversy. However, reader, please be aware that this is actually an Apendix and not the main part of the book. Therefore, the author/scholar has no obligation to the reader, imo, as to whether to include or not. As an aside, I found the appendix quite interesting.

As to the main part of the book; ASTOUNDING. Some of the best, most lucid, crystal clear instruction on the topic.

This book is a commentary on the titled Terma text. The text is terrific (worth 5 stars), reminiscent of Norbu's "The Supreme Source" or Longchenpa's "Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena." While addressing Dzogchen's Trekchö view, it includes very interesting & refreshing statements. It uses "empty" differently than other books & Mr. Reynolds commentary--not signifying dependent-arising (or interdependent) but actual emptiness (page 13, stanza 8): "Since it is empty and not created anywhere whatsoever, it is the Dharmakaya" and (page 14, stanza 10) "It is certain that the nature of the mind is empty and without any foundation whatsoever. Your own mind is insubstantial like the empty sky...It is certain that self-originated primal awareness has been clear (and luminous) from the very beginning."

Per most Tibetan to English translations, it seems literal vs. figurative (i.e. concerned with an "accurate" translation rather than with reader understanding). Mr. Reynolds states (page 115) "what is important at this primary level is to discover what the masters of the Dzogchen tradition actually say about their own tradition." I disagree. The most important thing is for the reader to UNDERSTAND Dzogchen and be enabled to practice it. For example, "nature of the mind" and "mind" are intermixed in a confusing manner. The author's explanation of his choice (pages 47-8, stanza 6) is unconvincing vs. his alternative, "Mind Itself," Padmasambhava's term "intrinsic awareness," or the commonly used "ground of being." Per other texts, "meditate" is translated as meditate upon (transitive), so Mr. Reynolds uses "contemplate" in stanza 8. That's fine, but in English "meditate" is a dual verb, it can be either transitive or intransitive (check your dictionary). Indeed, Padmasambhava states (page 13, stanza 8) "you are meditating without finding anything there to meditate on" (inferring intransitive meditation).

In his commentary, appendix, and notes, Mr. Reynolds provides concise and precise explications of standard Dzogchen, Vajrayana, and Buddhist doctrines-though scattered in location and more like Apologetic vs. explanation-largely to justify extensive criticism of Evans-Wentz' (E-W) prior translation, in "The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation" with Jung's Introduction. Some criticisms are well-founded. Mr. Reynolds greatly details Evans-Wentz' life, Vedanta, & Theosophy. He seems to take a Sensate view (Myers-Briggs Type "S": preference for details, low level of abstraction, past vs. future). Strangely, several of Mr. Reynolds' criticisms appear to conflict with the Terma! The text is VERY interesting in that (page 12, stanza 6) Padmasambhava provides many synonyms for intrinsic awareness such as--the Self, the Mind, Alaya, etc. Yet, Mr. Reynolds criticizes E-W for using virtually the same terms.

But, Mr. Reynolds rightly criticizes some E-W excesses (e.g. implying that Rigpa as "the dew drop slips into the Shining Sea", poetic but not entirely accurate) and claims E-W inserts Hindu, Vedanta, and Theosophist views into Dzogchen (ignoring the possible influences of Western mysticism). But most Westerner readers must translate Eastern terms into understandable language-not just English, and analogy facilitates communication. Any differences (e.g. between Cosmic Consciousness and Rigpa, page 103) would need explication, but differences among Brahman (Upanishads), ground of being (Dzogchen), and Ein Sof (Kabbalah) seem elusive. IMHO, Mr. Reynolds overrates such differences due to his low level of abstraction viewpoint. He writes as an historian, not a scientist. He seems unable to comprehend that there are differing perspectives-like the colors coming from a prism or facets of a diamond (Vajra). A true master can step out of his/her culture to see the pristine truth sans bias. I'd recommend reading "Mind at Ease" a Mahamudra text by the English-speaking Tibetan Traleg Kyabgon.

Mr. Reynolds points out several real errors in Jung's Introduction (e.g. the asserted lack of Buddhist critical psychology & philosophy--page 148, note 53), but his grasp of Jungian psychology is deficient: he misinterprets Jung's mapping of Buddhist deities/Samboghakaya onto the unconscious when Jung clearly refers to their peaceful/wrathful duality (e.g. Manjushri/Yamantaka) vs. Mr. Reynolds realm-gods. Mr. Reynolds misunderstands active imagination and the difference between psychotherapy & individuation. Contemporary Tibetan masters (e.g. Thrangu Rinpoche, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche) admit such deities can be/are mental. Mr. Reynolds seems oblivious to the mythological, allegorical, symbolical, and sometimes anachronistic aspects of Tibetan Buddhism which are normal components of religions--Mt. Meru is not the center of 4 continents (page 106), whether the Buddha knew it or not (who knows?). Also, Mr. Reynolds strongly objects to Jung's "a slavish initiation of Buddhist practices by Westerners is bound to be fruitless, if not dangerous" which seems self-evident to me. What's oddest about this book is what's missing:
-- the differences between Christian Bhakti Yoga (of devotion) vs. Dzogchen Jnana Yoga (of wisdom)
--the connection between the "other shore" (pages 145-6, note 47) with the standard Buddhist simile of the Yanas as boats across the sea of Samsara, not to mention Jung's night-sea journey.
--the differences between Gelugpa (to which Mr. Reynolds seems to refer) and Kagyu Mahamudra.
--that the Buddha's era has been reevaluated into the 5th century BCE instead of the 6th or 7th
--the similarities of some of E-W's statements to Vipashyana meditation
--that E-W/Jung's use of "Alaya" could refer to Absolute Alaya (as in the Terma)-page 113.
--that symbols are psychological in both East and West-page 146.
--the openness of Vajrayana (e.g. the Lojong mind training a la Pema Chödrön's many books/tapes)
--the Maitri and compassion at the heart of Mahayana Buddhism-including Dzogchen
--the awesome mind-expanding view of Dzogchen vs. (page 113)-seeing the forest vs. the bark of a tree
--the simple beauty of Mr. Reynolds prior (wonderful) book, "The Golden Letters"

Prospective readers of this work may wish to know that it has a descriptive subtitle -- "An Introduction to the Nature of One's Own Mind from *The Profound Teaching of Self-Liberation in the Primordial State of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities* A terma text of Guru Padmasambhava expounding the view of Dzogchen, rediscovered by Rigdzin Karma Lingpa." In other words, it offers itself as a "postponed revelation," a terma (treasure) re-discovered and offered to the world centuries after its composition. As such it is part of a large class of Tibetan Buddhist works.

The text had previously been translated into English at the instigation of W.Y. Evans-Wentz, who published that version in "The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation" which appeared in 1954 as the last of four volumes in the pioneering "Oxford Tibetan Series," which had begun in 1927 with another terma text, the "Tibetan Book of the Dead."

The "Self-Liberation" treatise there followed an abridged translation of one of the traditional biographies of Padmasambhava, the legendary "Apostle to the Tibetans," and one of their patron Bodhisattvas, who is regarded as the real author of this and other works. These texts were surrounded by commentaries by Evans-Wentz and C.G. Jung. The latter is probably important for students of Jung. Evans-Wentz's contributions generally reflect a lack of information about esoteric Buddhism, and a tendency to substitute material from Hindu and Theosophical sources.

Having compared the present translation (pages 9-28) with that offered by Evans-Wentz, I can say that it appears to be superior in clarity. Given the present, far more advanced state of Tibetan studies, it is certainly more likely to be accurate than the ad-hoc attempt provided by Evans-Wentz's translators. Additional features include the Tibetan text in transliteration, a glossary of Tibetan Buddhist terms, and an extended commentary. This is undoubtedly an advance on Evans-Wentz, although its devotional tone may seem cloying to some readers (including this one)

There are also extended discussions of the Evans-Wentz and Jung interpretations. The dismissal of Jung is particularly interesting; although I don't much care for Jung myself, I felt that he was not being given sufficient credit for trying to take Asian traditions as seriously as he took those closer to home. (Of course, given Jung's reductionist approach to religion, this may amount to 0 = 0.)

Of all the myriad Dzogchen texts I've read, this is the very best. It is clear, the translation is understandable (he doesn't use weird made-up circumloqutions for terms like rigpa, yeshe, rigpai tsal, etc, like some translators do), and really and truly Self-Liberation is a text which is introduces the reader to the nature of mind every time it is read.

I haven't seen John since way back 1981, when at Lama Gonpo's I loaned him a text of the Hevajra Tantra before he left for India to receive the empowerments. He's gone on to bigger and better things since then, but this early translation of his will never be bettered.

John Reynolds (aka Vajranatha) exposed me to Dzogchen thru this book. He associated himself with Namkai Norbu (who wrote the foreword) and had the assistance for this translation on others who know Dzogchen, including Lama Tharchin who I had the great fortune to hear speak once.

If Dzogchen can be applied successfully, then it must be through reading books like this one that one "reaches" that understanding.

When I was new to Dzogchen, Vayranathra's commentary was helpful. It remains so, but to a lesser degree today, but that may be due to overfamiliarity with it on my part. The appendix, which discusses how Evan-Wentz and Jung viewed Dzogchen, was never very helpful to me and I am not clear that it would benefit anyone but scholars. My assumption is to ignore Evan-Wentz translation and go with Vayrarathra's, since it was the first I encountered, it was supported by some Dzogchen teachers, and it excited me about Dzogchen.

Since that time, having read "You aee the Eyes of the World" from Longchenpa, Self-Liberation is no longer my "favorite" Dzogchen text but it continues to seem to be one of the three most important I know of, these two and the other one being the Bon text "Heart Drops of the Dharmakaya". I confess that my practical understanding of these texts remains small after about 10 years of studying Dzogchen on and off, but it does seem to me to remain one of the more important possible ways of facing the world constructively.

Vajranathana has continued his studies of Dzogchen (both in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon) and remained closely associated with
Namkai Norbu. My impression is that he is one of the most, if not the most, reputable scholar/translator of Dzogchen. His other translations include "The Golden Letters" and "The Cycle of Day and Night". I'd suggest reading "You are the eyes of the world" postponing the introduction and commentary but rather reading first the main text of "Self-liberation through seeing with naked awareness", also postponing its commentary and seeing what effect they have on you. If they make sense, you may be on your way to being benefited by Dzogchen in a way you could never have anticipated either yourself or by what modern day writers try to tell you. My bias is to trust the modern translators and ancient text writers for the time being and see where that leads me, because the translators may be constrained by the ancient texts and the ancient text writers may be had less to gain in worldly ways then some modern teachers.

Well, that's just my two cents on how I have approached Dzogchen. It isn't certain to me yet that anyone at any time has really applied these teachings constructively: it may be a well-meaning comfort system and it may be a long-lived deception. That it means something to indicate I am conscious in a way that seems incredibly creative, without boundaries, and with staggering presence I won't argue with, but that may be natural aspects of what we find as our consciousness and being in the world, it doesn't mean that anyone is a master of it or that it is some great perfection that already exists but for which I should pay people to confirm. Be wary and enjoy this creative ride and be glad, as "Self-Liberation through seeing with naked awareness" points out that your present thoughts will liberate of their own accord and not clutter your mind for too long.

This is a cute story about whiteblack the penguin, a curious and optimistic fellow that sets out to wander the world in search of stories for his radio show for Penguinlands radio station W.O.N.S. He gets into trouble a few times but manages to keep his optimism through out his trip.

There is publishers note at the end of the story that explains this was actually an uncompleted work that the Reys carried out of Paris when the fled from the Germans in 1940. For some reason it was sent back for revision and it was forgotten probably due to the other Curious George stories. After Margret had passed, the manuscript and drawings were found and it was decided to publish the story 63 years after it was written.

Overall the story is on par with Curious George and it passed muster with my little girl.

A worthwhile addition to any child's library!

...YES, THAT'S ALL THE "EXCITEMENT" THERE IS TO THIS ONE. IT'S A CUTE BOOK, BUT NOT ONE I'D WANT TO READ MORE THAN ONCE. 'SPOTTY' & 'PRETZEL' ARE MUCH BETTER.

Margaret and H. A. Rey wrote the children's book, Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World. They are known for their famous series Curious George. Their works are very distinct because of the illustrations. In Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World, H. A. Rey uses bright vivid colors and black outlines to express emotions. The color yellow signifies safety and comfort while darker colors signifies lack of security. In the beginning and end of Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World, the color yellow signifies a sense of comfort and security. In the beginning, Whiteblack is at home, Penguinland, and the color yellow is very prominent. H. A. Rey also includes deep blues for a sense of comfort. This is a home-away-home story; and children consider home to be a safe place. Therefore, the color yellow signifies comfort and security. For example, when Whiteblack is leaving Penguinland, the color yellow was illustrated. Also, when Whiteblack arrived at the desert and was accompanied by the camel, there is a sense of safety and comfort, and yellow is illustrated throughout this page. The end of the story is illustrated with yellow, because Whiteblack has returned home. While Whiteblack is on his adventures throughout the story, the colors change because he is either in danger or sad. When Whiteblack first left, his boat hit an iceberg and wrecked and he was in the ocean alone. The color of the ocean is now a shady green and looks scary, therefore giving a feeling of helplessness. There is a huge cruiser heading his way and you think it might hit him, but he climbs aboard. H. A. Rey illustrates the color yellow because he is rescued. When Whiteblack is on his way home, he is riding on the top of an airplane and tumbles off and dives into the sea. There the colors are darker and yellow is hardly seen. Near the end, Whiteblack is in the ocean by himself pulling a net of fish for his friends in Penguinland. Whiteblack is struggling and his strength is almost gone. Here the colors are dark and yellow is not shown clearly, but on the next page, his friend, Seal, is coming to his rescue. The color yellow is being restored but still a little shaded, this gives some foreshadowing to what might happen next. When Whiteblack and Seal reach Penguinland, they both jump for joy. Obviously there are feelings of happiness, comfort, and security and the color yellow is very vivid. In the article, "Laughter in Literature", Lonsdale states "Curious George's creator...combines text and illustration to make George a lively and likeable little monkey. The illustration in strong, dark colors, full of action, on white paper mirror the agility of Curious George. The text and the illustrations move at a breathless pace"(77-106). The color yellow in Curious George signifies a sense of comfort and safety. The man with the yellow hat is always there to keep Curious George safe. The color yellow is the same dynamic in Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World. Both of the Rey's works illustrate the color yellow and it always gives a sense of safety and comfort.

Whiteblack the penguin hosts a radio program for everyone in Penguinland. He's the resident storyteller and is well liked and admired because of his marvelous stories. However, eventually he runs out of stories to tell!! Thinking that an adventure would give him new ideas, he and his friends construct a boat, give him some rope, and send him on his way to adventure. What adventures he has! His boat is struck by an iceberg, he hitches a ride on a Navy warship, manages to get shot from one of it's cannons, helps baby ostriches to hatch and even crosses the desert on a roller skate! Whiteblack is delightfully cheery at every turn, changing what otherwise might be a total disaster into yet another tale for his radio show. "Besides," he says as his boat sinks down out of sight, "I've always wanted to be in an accident!" Talk about the power of positive thinking!! The Rey's are, of course, most famous for their creation of the Curious George books. This work was originally written in 1937 when Mr. Hans Rey was working at a Paris World Fair booth across from a penguin exhibit. Somehow, though, it never made publication and was merely mothballed in a trunk before the Rey's left Paris. Discovered 63 years later and published in the year 2000, Whiteblack is immediately identifiable as a work of the Rey's. The yellows of the book are the exact same as those we're used to in the Curious George series. The same thick outlines and comfortable, fun illustrations are here as well, including what looks very much like a cameo appearance by the Man in the Yellow Hat!! The book concludes with a brief history of the Rey's and the fortuitous discovery of the long-forgotten Whiteblack manuscript. The book is wonderful fun in both it's text and illustrations. The crazy adventures Whiteblack gets himself into and his cheerful outlook on life ("besides, I've always wanted to fly" he says to himself after being shot out of the Navy cannon) will delight children of all ages. Whether you're a fan of Curious George or merely love fun children's stories, "Whiteblack the Penguin..." is an excellent story and a definite to add to your collection!!

Whiteblack the Penguin, Chief Storyteller on W-O-N-S, the Penguinland radio station has run out of stories. So he decides to take a vacation and see some of the world, because "travelers always have lots of stories." Off he goes in a little boat, on the adventure of a lifetime. And what adventures he has. First his boat sinks after hitting an iceberg. Then, after being rescued by a large cruiser, he decides to take a nap in one of their cannons and is accidently shot out the next morning. After soaring through the air for miles, he lands in the water and swims to shore where he meets ostriches, crosses the desert on a camel, rides in an airplane and unfortunately, falls out over the ocean. Each time he faces adversity and the unknown, he happily looks at the new situation as a learning experience and wonderful tale to share. At last he is rescued by a fishing boat and finally makes his way back home to a hero's welcome with lots of new stories for his radio show..... Who would have thought that after their deaths, an unpublished, completed manuscript, by Margret and H.A. Rey, would be found? This delightful story about a brave and always optimistic little penguin, will charm and amuse young children, just as their Curious George books have done all these many years. Mr Rey's wonderful and expressive watercolor illustrations, compliment his wife's text perfectly and together, they've created a treasure that's sure to become a classic. Whiteblack the Penguin is a timeless, enchanting story that your kids will want to read over and over again and a MUST for all home libraries.