People Books

YAHOOOOOOO!!! The mysterious benedict society is back and better than ever! This sequal is almost better than the original... almost but, not quite. What this book lacks in the suspence that made the first book it more then makes up for in other elements that the first one lacked. The puzzles are the same old challenging things that we all know and love- REALLY love. In the story mr. benedict and number two are captured by mr. curtain and the society must save them! Overall a wonderful book i hope there's several more mysterious benedict society books-if they're all as good as the first two.

My son, 9, read this book in less than 24 hours AND he slept all night! (I know because I swiped the book from his bedside table so I could read while he slept.) Great sequel to MBS. Didn't think it could be matched! Makes kids the heros- no grown-up can do what the kids can as a team. Good read-aloud for younger readers.

This book was pretty good because of its suspense and adventure. The author describes the childrens' gifts, which is something that not all authors do in their books. The thing that first made me read the book was the cover, which had those funny dark shadows in the windows. What I don't like is that it's not like those books like "The Magician" and the "Percy Jackson and the Olympian" series books that are really creative and full of adventure. Overall, this book is cool, but not the best.

Trenton Lee Stewart did a great job this time! Is much more than I expected it to be, and lives up to all my expectations!

The Mysterious Benedict Society was,I can honestly say,one of my all time favorite books. After I read the first book, I knew I just had read this book. It's so interesting that I found I couldn't take my head out of it and found myself reading untill ten o'clock one night. I would recomend this to anyone who likes adventure or simply a good book.

This is a great informational book. I couldn't wait to get it. The only thing lacking that would really be complete would be a pictorial key which I know is impossible for the amount of info . Everyone interested in botany, gardening or the ancient ways needs this book.

This is a bible of plant uses that goes a LONG way! It doesn't include the dichotomic keys to identify the plant, but it tell you what has been done with them for the past millenia. Highly recommended.

This is not only a great text book for the ethnobotonists, but a great resource for the avid naturalist. In depth information on many species. A must have for any botanist.

This is a superb written reference. However, it has no illustrations, and should be on your shelf as an essential reference to deepen your knowledge of plants for which you have illustrations in other books, or prior first hand knowledge from actually seeing and handling the plants.

This book is the perfect combination of all the books in my library!

Squiggly Line

ISBN:031615525

The Wanna-be All-American girl

"He is still watching,waiting until she comes gliding down the stairs. Her golden bangels clinking together in a melodious song."
Meet Sunita Sen an eighth grader who's Indian. Her life was fine until her grandparents came to stay for a year. Ashamed of her heritage she keeps to herself. Her mom even tells her she can't have boys over-meaning her friend Michael. Sunita makes an excuse to avoid him. Over time Sunita grows fond of her family but not so fast. Find out in this wonderful historical fiction book.

Though the book can be a bit confusing it's a page turner. I thought the book was ok because I like the cultural stuff but sometimes my mind would go blank thinking about the book and I would not comprehend what Sunita was thinking sometimes. People who read this book I think should be 14-17 years old. Because people younger or even people who are 13 probably will easily be bored or won't quite get what is going on with the main character. To add more to the subject it was hard to concentrate on because sometimes I couldn't understand and have to re-read it and didn't know what they were wearing sometimes. I liked the book because I absolutely love the history of our world and I have never learned so much about India than I have in this book. I liked this genre alot because it taught me that some of us don't like our heritage or where we came from. Or that we are not like everybody else because we have diffierent customs than they do. My most favorite part about the book was the cliff hangers at the end of most of the chapters like this one: "As I flopped down on my bed I knew in a few minutes my life would come crashing down. Then the door bell rang." But all in all I totally reccomend this book to everyone who is willing to read a book about a cultural, pressured,Indian girl name Sunita Sen.

This teen novel depicts the life of Sunita Sen, a 13 year-old girl of Indian heritage whose grandparents come from India to visit for the year. The reader witnesses Sunita's transformation from a shy, angry youth to a mature teenager. This is a young-adult novel that builds its plot around the theme of feeling different. Ms. Perkins' gives the reader the sense that she has lived the story herself, Ms. Perkins handles the topic of multicultural identity with great alacrity. The reader feels compassion towards Sunita as she struggles to gain her personal freedom amidst rumor mills, peer pressure, and the aromas of a distant land. The story is well written and artfully describes a contemporary teen dilemma. It is an enjoyable read. Because of the way it introduces the themes, it may prove to be a valuable book for beginning cross-cultural, multi-generational discussions.

This book takes place in California and at the main character's Sunits Sen's highschool, at the beginnig of the book. By this time her Indain grandparents Dadu(grandfather) and Didu(grandmother) as she and her family calles them has moved from Inda to live with them. Now at her highschool she is late for class and remebers that day when she and her guy freind Michel had last spoken to each other. He had asked if he could come over that day and she had completely blown him off and didnt tell him why because she was afraid he would think her family was weird. Her mother had changed when her grandparents moved in. She no longer wore the sweat pants and sweat shirt any more, but a saree to make her parents fell more at home. She also cooked constantly and waits on the hand and foot to be the perfect Indain daughter. Sunita is known throughout her school as the cleerful, smart and outgoing girl thats why one of her nicknames is Sunni. Now she is cold and distant to everyone at school and at home, exspecly to her mother. Theres only one place she isnt like this and thats in the back yard in her grandfaters garden, where he tells her stories of how he and her grandmother meet and resites many Indain poems. The Not So Star Spangled Life of Sunita Sen is a wonderful book, and i would highly recommed it to all ages.

This teen novel depicts the life of Sunita Sena, a thirteen year-old girl of Indian heritage whose grandparents come from India to visit for the year. The reader witnesses Sunita's transformation from a shy, angry youth to a more mature teenager who celebrates her place in the world.

Feeling different is a common theme in teen literature. Sunita feels at odds with her environment because her carefully scripted assimilation into American culture is rudely interrupted by the arrival of her grandparents. Her mother is suddenly bustling about the kitchen, wearing a sari and reeking of curry. Sunita is embarrassed at her mother's transformation and seeks to hide her own identity from the people she loves dearly. Her relationships with others suffer, but most of all, Sunita's relationship with herself suffers the greatest loss.

Ms. Perkins' well-written prose places the reader right in the midst of a contemporary teen dilemma. Giving the reader the sense that she has lived the story herself, Ms. Perkins handles the topic of multicultural identity with great alacrity. The reader feels compassion towards Sunita as she struggles to gain her personal freedom amidst rumor mills, peer pressure and the aromas of a distant land.

Sunita's relationship to her grandfather remains a constant staple throughout the book. His wisdom, calm and ability to handle conflict with grace will help the young reader find her own way in the maze of adolescence.

I highly recommend The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen. It is very enjoyable read!


Christine Louise Hohlbaum, award-winning American writer and author of Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff (2003) and SAHM I Am: Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom in Europe (2005), lives near Munich, Germany with her husband and two children. Visit her Web site at http://www.DiaryofaMother.com.

Sunita Sen isn't black or white, red or yellow. She was born in Kolkata, India. For most of her life that was perfectly okay with her. In fact her nickname, Sunni matched her sunny, cheerful outlook. At the end of her 13th summer, she is on top of the world. She and Michael Morrison are seeing more and more of each other and looking forward to 8th grade. But her carefree American life is shattered when her grandparents arrive from India to spend a year with her family. Her mom takes a leave of absence from her job as a chemistry professor. She starts wearing sarees and cooking Indian food. To make matters worse, she informs Sunni that it's no longer okay to have boys come to visit. On top of all that, her new social studies teacher begins the school year with the topic of cultural diversity, which only makes Sunni even more aware of her differences. Suddenly -- and for all those reasons -- she withdraws from her friends and family. Torn between her desire to be a normal American teen and her love for her Indian family, Sunni struggles to meld the two cultures into her life. In the process she must face up to her own prejudices.

Sunni comes across as so genuine that any teen will easily relate to her dilemma. Through her exploration and discovery of her heritage, Perkins offers readers an intimate view of Indian culture. "The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen" is a sensitive and realistic portrayal of the unique pressures facing multi-cultural teens.

What a great addition to any St. Patrick's Day arsenal! A great cliff-hanger-type folk tale, complete with kings, sea monsters, vindictive witches, and a heroine who gives a whole new meaning to "riding off in the sunset"! The illustrations are superbe! My kinders raved about this book, even though I feared it would be a bit above them. We read it in sections, stopping at the brink of each near-certain disaster, so that it was just the right amount of listening for my many wiggily boys!! It fits in so well with our current fairy tale theme, that I would include in this genre, as well. This is a not-to-miss adventure, complete with classic twists and turns, and a few new ones!

I bought this book for my nephew but decided to wait to give it to him for several reasons. The main one being that I absolutely LOVE the book myself! LOL! However, while the story is good and I know he'll enjoy it, he's still a bit young (not even 2); it seems more appropiate for 4 years old or older.

In the story, Young Kate uses her wits to save her family and her village with an ending I never saw coming -- not your typical 'Fairy Tale Ending' but an excellent one nonetheless especially for our modern times. I fell in love with the illustration's ton of detail that kept me looking at each page long after the reading was over.

My one complaint is that, while the book itself is good sized so you can see the pictures, the paperback edition seems a bit flimsy. If this story is to be loved (and thus read) as much as I think it will then I may have to order another copy or two to last through the years. Perhaps the school binding edition is more sturdy?

Both girls and boys will enjoy this story and I think you grown ups will, too.

"O'Sullivan Stew" is a rollicking book with a truly heroic female protagonist. The pictures are both lovely and funny--if you pay special attention to facial expressions I guarantee you'll be laughing out loud. Kate, the heroine, spins yarns with a skill beyond her years, painting pictures with her inventive tales. Her speech is like music--you can practically hear her brogue while you're reading. And if her storytelling doesn't convince you that she's painting pictures with her words, then the illustrations will. They vary from dreamy pastels to muted and murky to bold and bright depending on the nature of the tale she's telling. And when she stops, the world turns black and white.

Not only does this book contain excellent illustrations, a strong, believable heroine, and a captivating story line, but there are several surprises and an unexpected ending. I hope you'll read it... it would be a shame to miss out on such a marvelously fun book!

The Irish have long memories, and even longer tales to reflect that. This book is a wonderful way to get children caught up in the excitement and tension of a classical tale, while also giving them a resourceful and modern heroine to admire. The book is everything a children's story should be: it's funny, the languish reads well and beautifully, and the illustrations are well done. This is a must-have.

This is probably my favorite story for a St. Patrick's Day read aloud. The village of Crookhaven is cursed when the local witch's horse is stolen by the king. Kate O'Sullivan and her father and brothers try to steal the horse back but are captured. It is up to Kate to weave a series of tales to get them all off the hook by describing other "true" stories where her family was in a "worse spot" than this one. The King is amused and enthralled by Kate's tales until the last one and all her work is about to be undone until an astonishing secret is revealed.

Hudson Talbott's illustrations are a riot of color and action. The expressions of the characters are so evocative you will laugh out loud.

Grab some Irish music to play in the background and share the story with everyone. The story will compell you to read with an Irish brogue even if you never have before.

Hudson Talbott books are like having a storyteller sitting at your elbow. The pacing of the story as it interplays with the illustrations is perfect.

I am a huge fan of Derek Jeter's. That's why I chose this book. I gave it five stars because Matt Christopher described every part of Derek's life accurately. I had already read Derek's autobiography and in that book I learned that his Dad made him sign contracts. In these contracts with his father, Derek had to promise to get good grades -- or else he didn't get to play in any All Star games or anything. Later, dude!

This series in general, and the Jeter book in particular, are great for a 5-10 year old sports nut. I read this with our 6 year old, a chapter a night for a couple weeks.

It's well written and moves quickly.

It makes reading fun by being about something a sports fan kid will really enjoy.

And Jeter in particular is a good story because he's such an great role model for kids -- he crosses racial divides, espouses the virtue of hard work, respect and not taking anything for granted.

Highly recommended

It's a grand slam! Baby. If you like nod slam Yeah baseball you are going to love this book. It's called on the Field with Derek Jeter. It's about a boy who has a fantasy to become the greatest short stop for the New York Yankees. His dreams come true. This book is cool and it is for all Ages. You will like this book but baseball Fans will love this book at One point in he book I all most cried I
recommend this book to you because I am a big baseball fan.

On the Field with Derek Jeter

On the Field with Derek Jeter is my favorite book because it is about my favorite player dreaming to be the player he is today! The setting is mostly on the baseball field. This biography is written by Matt Christopher and he has lots of good biographies. Derek Jeter is the main character and there are lots of people that helped him make his dream come true, like his dad! My favorite part is when he is assigned to the Minor Leagues! The book starts when his mom and dad meet. The theme of the book would be Derek Jeter's comes true. The book starts very exciting even thow it is very serious.
And I think anyone who is a baseball fan or a Yankees fan will love this book!
- Natatlie,9

The book I'm reviewing is At the Plate with Derek Jeter by Matt Christopher. I think this book deserves five stars. This book is a Derek Jeter biography. A problem that occurs in this story is when he's in high school. He almost gets cut from the team. This tells you how Derek Jeter became a pro baseball player. I would recommend this book to anybody.

Emerson N.J. fifth grade student

I purchased this book as a holiday gift for "tween" members of the family. At this time, all I can say is that the book was accurately described and shipped promptly.

My kids loved the two books in the series, they hardly wait for the final volume.

My 11-year-old son reads everything he can get his hands on. When I asked him how he liked this book, he thought about it, and finally said,"I would have to say it's the best book I've ever read." 'Nuff said!

Having grown up with Edgar Rice Burroughs - this is exacty the sort of high adevnture I loved. These are more sophisticated techically (no need for starnge powers etc). I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and am not disappointed with the second. The presentation ks is superb, with excellent facsimile documents and photographs, made to look like a real journal, beautiful fold out maps and schematics of Ships, and submarines, captivate. The story is fast paced and has and authenticity to it. A real Indiana Jones meets the league of extraordinary gentlemen. Enough to stimulate the imagination of any reader adult or child. t

The ship was tossed and turned as the typhoon ripped through the South China seas. This is just a little of all the action, adventure, and mystery that happens in this book. Operation Typhoon Shore has great action, but the mystery is even better. For me the mystery is what hooked me, and kept my mind focused on the book. The book left me hanging at the end of each chapter motivating me to read more. Joshua Mowll sets the book up so I found clues in the text, and uncovered a little part of the mystery at a time. When I was reading the book it made me feel like a detective, so it felt like I was in the story.
Another reason I liked this book was because of the lively characters. The author gives each character a vivid description. At some parts during the book I felt like the characters were with me. Also, each character had a purpose, so they weren't just in the story because the author wanted them in it. Instead each character is used for a specific piece of the story that without it the reader would be lost. Finally, the mystery and characters is what kept me reading.

In this fast-paced, hectic 21st century world, too few of us pursue lives with meaning and purpose. "PeaceJam" makes you realize you CAN make a difference, one person at a time --- so what are you waiting for? A powerful, moving book.

This has everything stated above and more! If you're looking for information on conflict resolution, anger management, gender identity issues, gang-related violence, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, or just the hardships of being a teenager in this new millenium, then this is for you. These kids have had unbelievable experiences ranging from horrific to enlightening, like meeting the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Like Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine, this includes the shooting survivor Richard Castaldo, who shares even more of his story through PeaceJam.

I hope you too can purchase this and really enjoy the effect that it has on your life.

This is the best book ever! It really helped me see what goes on in our world. I became much more aware. Peace Jam is an awsome program, and you should really read this book! 10000 stars!

"PeaceJam: How Young People Can Make Peace in Their Schools and Communities" by Darcy Gifford is an astounding look behind the lives of 5 American teens in this "Post Columbine High School" world we live in. Even the acknowledged master Michael Moore and his film "Bowling for Columbine" or even Gus van Sant's "Elephant" pale in comparison to the stories of 3 of the 5 teens in this book - the 3 were survivors of the Columbine High School shootings in 1999. They survived in varying degrees in the physical sense eg., 9 bullet holes in one young body to the surely depressing psychological state they must have experieced during and after the massacre.

NOt that the other 2 subjects in this book faired that well, either. Jes, a homeless girl trying to come to terms with her alcoholic mother and her abusing boyfriends surely felt the pain of living outside the family norm; and Rudy, the Native American gangbanger whose father died of a cocaine overdose certainly didn't have it very easy or good either. Reading this book makes you wonder what Mr. and Mrs. Klebold and Mr. and Mrs Harris did to their children to make them turn out that way... when Jes and Rudy had pretty horrible young lives in seemingly worse family unit conditions. I couldn't say my prognosis for the health and well-being of young people was in the affirmative, but after reading PeaceJam, my sense of hopefulness returned!

THese five young people transcend racism, sexism, and learn about gender identity issues, transgender issues, indigenous issues, feeding the homeless, racial intolerance, religious intolerance from some of the world's greatest leaders - all Nobel Peace Laureates - like the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Tutu, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Jody Williams and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Betty Williams, anti-nuclear proliferation leaader Sir Joseph Rotblat, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Jose Ramos-Horta and Aung San Suu Kyi.

If these 5 young people can so winningly figure out and navigate these deadly waters, you have to ask yourself: Is there any hope for adults, including the ones who have led us into a nasty vicious war that certainly has no guaranteed outcome, or if I may be so bold, a war that it won't win, all the while feeding young bodies into the war grinder? Maybe this book should not only be for youth, youth counselors, school principals, peace studies groups, or just flat out compassionate types. "PeaceJam: How Young People Can Make Peace in Their Schools and Communities"
should be required reading for the president of the USA and his staff. That is, if they aren't so arrogant to do so. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a heart, a brain, and the guts to try to change the world. Blessed are the peacemakers.

Having seen the provocative and emotionally compelling documentary PEACEJAM ( a film that goes deeper into the lives of Columbine High School Massacre survivors Richard Castaldo, Shelby & Shannon Myers than Michael Moore's masterpiece "Bowling for Columbine" does), I didn't think that a book about the same subjects would be worth the money. I was happily surprised to find that the book "PEACEJAM: How Young People Can Make Peace in Their Schools and Communities" offered a more in-depth view on the lives of contemporary teens than I imagined possible.

I read this book and realized that one of the biggest American lies is "We Love Our Children." Really? It seems we love youth as a marketing demographic, as sexual objects, and counter help at fast food restaurants. States and counties across this country continue to cut their educational budgets - please do tell us all how this will help the lives of our young people, Mr. Bush.

PEACEJAM has the courage to examine the blights that face youth around the world: racism, gang-infested schools, drive - by shootings, conflict resolution, gender and transgender issues, bigotry, rape, family traumas, drug and alcohol addiction, how to deal with parents, democracy building, religious intolerance, indigenous issues, poverty, sexism, feminist issues and more. Youth who participate in the PEACEJAM program benefit from the wisdom of the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Aung San Suu Kyi, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Dr. Oscar Arias, Jody Williams and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Jose Ramos-Horta, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Bishop Carlos Belo, the father of anti-nuke proliferation Sir Joseph Rotblat, Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Betty Williams. Nowhere else in the world can one find the words of these Nobel Peace Prize winners affecting so many young people to help change the world in a positive manner.

PEACEJAM is a boon to not only high school students, but also to school administrators, peace studies teachers, history teachers, high school guidance counselors, the parents of high schools students, and most anyone else trying to make sense out of a world bent out of shape by relentlessly warped media messages, instant internet hype, a government gone insane by waging war it cannot win, the lying executive branch of our own government, a lying sheriff's department in Jefferson County, Colorado, vile and violent pop music, and parents who are too busy trying to make up for their absenses in their own homes with cell phones, Lexuses, and other trivial material goods. "PEACEJAM: How Young People Can Make Peace in Their Schools and Communities" reads like an indictment of both the 20th and 21st Centuries. If you read the last few lines in this review and happen to see yourself, BUY THIS BOOK and READ IT UNTIL YOU GET. AND THEN GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. The future of civilization depends on good things, Martha Stewart, like PEACEJAM.

The stories of the Native Americans of pre-history, as researched and then brought to life by the Gears, is an astounding and compelling tale.

In their stories of these people, we learn that they were most likely not too much different from people of our own times -- warts and all! They lived and loved; and were prone to jealousies and prejudices; fears and phobias; not unlike "modern" humans.

The characters are well developed, and the scenarios put the reader into the stories.

An excellent addition to their "First Peoples" series, and a great read!

As with the prior "people of the" books, this story provides a rich description of the culture of the time. I highly recommend these books to anyone who is interested in native american cultures and history. I can't want for the second half of this story.

People of the Weeping eye was a great story,Like all of the Gears work.They take you to the moment and make you feel like you know all the people involved.Loved this book and can't wait for the next one...

I have been a big fan of the Gear's People series. I have read thier other books as well and haven't been as keen on them. I felt the (People) stories were losing their edge in the last couple books they have written. While still good, they lacked a little something. I thought they were just loosing steam after writing for so long. This story however, they came back as a vengence as storytellers. Loved it! So happy! I hope the continuation will be as good.

I always enjoy and look forward to the Gears next book. I am already awaiting the continuation of the book (Part 2. The Gears always let you get into the characters. One flaw I always find with so many characters and enjoy so with the Gears and a few other authors. You find a few authors you like and read every book and then others just don't measure up. Enjoy.

The stories of the Native Americans of pre-history, as researched and then brought to life by the Gears, is an astounding and compelling tale.

In their stories of these people, we learn that they were most likely not too much different from people of our own times -- warts and all! They lived and loved; and were prone to jealousies and prejudices; fears and phobias; not unlike "modern" humans.

The characters are well developed, and the scenarios put the reader into the stories.

An excellent addition to their "First Peoples" series, and a great read!

As with the prior "people of the" books, this story provides a rich description of the culture of the time. I highly recommend these books to anyone who is interested in native american cultures and history. I can't want for the second half of this story.

People of the Weeping eye was a great story,Like all of the Gears work.They take you to the moment and make you feel like you know all the people involved.Loved this book and can't wait for the next one...

I have been a big fan of the Gear's People series. I have read thier other books as well and haven't been as keen on them. I felt the (People) stories were losing their edge in the last couple books they have written. While still good, they lacked a little something. I thought they were just loosing steam after writing for so long. This story however, they came back as a vengence as storytellers. Loved it! So happy! I hope the continuation will be as good.

I always enjoy and look forward to the Gears next book. I am already awaiting the continuation of the book (Part 2. The Gears always let you get into the characters. One flaw I always find with so many characters and enjoy so with the Gears and a few other authors. You find a few authors you like and read every book and then others just don't measure up. Enjoy.

This superbly readable almanac has loads of interesting tidbits and narratives, and is as relevant today as when it arrived in the mid-1970's. The authors look at such varied topics as world events, history, science, politics, U.S. Presidents, psychic predictions, religion, authors, sex, inventions, etc. Whatever your taste, there is almost certain to be many things of interest to you in this readable and informative book. The authors also have a properly skeptical view of politicians, politics, and propaganda. You can pick this book up for a couple minutes or for several hours, read it in one long sitting, or use it constantly and briefly as a source of reference. The book should be of keen interest to trivia buffs, and though slightly dated, is very much worth having even in this day of internet information.

The father/son author team of Irving Wallace (1916-1990) and David Wallechinsky wrote easy prose that proved very popular with readers. They followed up this winning 1975 effort with PEOPLE'S ALMANAC Volume 2, plus THE BOOK OF LISTS and THE INTIMATE SEX LIVES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE.

My parents gave me the money for this book when I was in junior high school. I lost it but found another at a used bookstore in Chicago. I still have that copy and refer to it quite often. The epitaphs are my favorite: ("Here lies Lester Moore/four slugs from a .44/No Les/No Moore." or "Here lies Ann Mann/who lived an old maid/but died an Old Mann.") We need a new version to tell us about all that happened in the last 25 years!

I bought my copy of this great book over twenty years ago as a teen. What I love most is that it is not a dry compilation of facts, but a wonderful collection of information presented in a fascinating and entertaining way. After all this time, I still get it down from my bookcase and read for the hundredth time about "Footnote People in U. S. History" or "Man-Made Disasters." If you can find a copy, buy it. You won't be disappointed.

David Wallechinsky & Irving Wallace have compiled a veritable tome of useful information, widely held and little known facts, and astonishing revelations about the world around us. But it's not merely a fact book or a reference book, it has personality, humor and a kind of charm. It feels like an old friend whenever you consult it. This book is indispensable for your home book collection. Read through this book and you'll find you can't put it down. I've owned this book since it was first published in 1972(?) And find myself consulting it frequently ever since. It's quite tattered and taped now, having been loaned out and re-read so often, but it's still my favorite book.

This book is a treasure for the predictions alone. They lead off the book in chapter one "the other side of the looking glass: predictions of present-day psychics". It also has predictions by psychics of the past and modern day scientists. Notables include the Berkeley Psychic Institute, Nostradamus, Leo Tolstoi, Daniel Bell-Sociology prof at harvard, Arthur C. Clarke, Paul Ehrlich of Stanford who wrote the population bomb, Orville Freeman- former secty of Agriculture, Herman Kahn- the 300 pound economist, Margaret Mead, McGeorge Bundy, and Roger Revelle: Dean of research at the Univ. of Calif. and Al Gore's original mentor on the environment. The rest of the book is chock full of interesting tidbits. The self-purported difference between this Almanac and others is that this one avers that it gives you facts with truth and honesty. That is to say it avoids special-interest propaganda and government double-talk. The authors present it as a reference book that tries to be entertaining while giving the reader in-depth material on selected topics rather than endless, dry, bare-bones dates and figures on all subjects. Buy it and be the judge. This is a collector's item for all aging hippies from the Age of Acquarius.