Companies Books

She is in a mental hospital, that's all you know till fairly well into the book, you don't know why or how, just that it had something to do with insider trading, and her father, and her dog. That's what it all seems to come back to, her dog Checkers. She tells the story through flashbacks. And at first its very confusing, because she seems to be mostly just telling about her dog, like that's her main priority, sometimes she'll go off into something about her family, or why she's in the hospital, and then she'll break off and say "anyway, I was telling you about Checkers" but in the end you'll get why Checkers is so important. "Checkers" has a fairly surprising, sort of freaky ending but I thought it was very well done, and it has a lot of suspense. Very good, short, sweet read.

Chekers tells the story of a wealthy Australian teenage girl. Although her personality and story and well-defined, her name is never given. Told through memories and flashbacks, the story illustrates the girl's plummet from the utmost joy, like getting a puppy checkers and living in a lush home, to her arrival in the phsyc ward that she is currently living in. Told as any true aussie teen would, the story is in fact realistic and chilling. John Marsden carefully reveals that even a wealthy business family can be torn apart by corruption.

A Review by Robin

An Australian teenage girl lived with her mom, dad and brother in a beautiful home in the suburbs; and she had a dog named Checkers. She suffers from depression and she now lives in a mental hospital. She never had many friends, at school or at the hospital. She and several other teenagers attend a daily meeting called group. She has never said anything in group because she is afraid of what people will think of her. One day, she just couldn't handle it anymore. She had to tell somebody. This is her story of how she got there.

I like how this book tells a story about a teenager's life experiences. I can relate to them, such as depression and social issues. This story is suspenseful. Once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. Every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. You just want to keep reading. The author doesn't give away the story of how she got in the hospital until the very end. You can easily follow the book with big font and easy to read words. And if you have any troubles with some "aussie" words, there's a glossary in the front of the book to tell you what they are and what they mean. But the characters were realistic, and seemed alive. They're just like people you would meet in an everyday encounter acquaintance. They were believable.

I would recommend this book to people who like stories about real life conflicts and experiences. It would satisfy your needs if you are the type of person who likes to read other people's diaries or journals. I would especially recommend it to any teenagers who think they have it rough or bad. You think you know, but you have no idea.

Though the book seems to have many flaws at first, once you read in to it all, it makes sense.
The story is of a girl whose family is being corrupted by the media, especially her father. Stories in the paper start to bother the girl, and her interest shoots up.
But among this all, is her "darling dog Checkers", a most important figure in the plot development.
While telling the story, the girl is in a Psychiatric Ward. She tells of the others there, and describes the events as if she were writing in a journal.
I high suggest this book to EVERYONE.
John Marsden did an excellent job with this book, an EXCELLENT read.

Told in first-person flashbacks and set in the mental hospital where the nameless protagonist recovers from a nervous breakdown, this story's message is: "The higher you climb, the harder you fall." Wealth and privilege cannot save your family from scandal, our protagonist learns, especially when your father is involved in dishonest business practices a la Enron.

The only honest relationship the girl has is with her mongrel dog, Checkers. She seeks comfort in his company as the media circles like vultures around her house, looking for a way to connect the girl's father to the stock market scandal that's brewing. She would never have thought that the connection they were looking for was sleeping on the rug in front of her fire.

I really liked this novel, and would have loved it if it wasn't about the fortieth book I've read that's set in a mental hospital. Mental hospitals have become way too clichéd in young adult literature. Other than that, though, it was a terrific story.

I ordered this book for the purpose of understanding Roman constuction of a city. It is definitely an excellent source for those who wish to know how Rome may have organized it's sattelite cities. The books is concise and filled with illustrations to aid the reader in imagining what a Grand scheme a Roman Engineered city must have been (especially considering what setbacks in civilization would come later through the middle ages).

I really enjoyed this book, the only setback I have with it is that it is maybe too good at summarizing it's subject. It is a brief read, more belonging to the non-fiction section of a 'Young Adults' library than a history loving 'Adult'. It is a little...sanitized in Roman Rule, and skirts around the visciousness of Italy. One would be inclined to believe the Romans were peaceful while reading this, and forget that they were a civilization bent on subjugaition of foreign lands, and brutal in justice for all citizens. That is the only reason I hold back 1 star; there is much more that could be told, and considering the excellent detail the rest of the book gives, it could have abbreviated LESS in it's timeline, and the reader would have been much more in debt to the author for having done so. I want MORE!

A very good source of Roman city information. Well recommended.

The only reason I gave this book 4 stars rather than 5 is that David Macaulay has set the bar so high for himself over the years by writing and illustrating some real masterpieces such as Castle and Cathedral. City is also a great book, just not quite as amazing as others he has written. I bought this for my son, who has always been intrigued by construction projects, but I have also enjoyed it quite a bit.

When taken together as a collection, Macaulay's books, from Castle and Cathedral and Pyramid, Mill, Unbuilding, Mosque, and most definitely this one, City, create what is probably the most readable, retainable, and approachable exploration of the story of architecture that's out there. These books, each highlighting an era and a project, are all a lot of fun to look at, read, and think about, and in this volume, City, the foundation and construction of a Roman population center is detailed. From the explanation for why the Romans built cities from scratch, to the selection and preparation of the site, to the actual erection of a brand new city, Macaulay leaves nothing unexplored or unexplained. These books are as enjoyable for adults as they are for children, and are truly classics of our time.

In this book, David Macaulay expertly describes and illustrates the construction of the imaginary Roman city of Verbonia. It is based hundreds of real Roman cities built between 300 B.C. and A.D. 150. I was amazed at the planning that went into the city, and the systematic and precise manner that everything was managed. I was fascinated to learn how they built the aqueducts for the city's water supply, even going through hills, and the sewer system underground to keep the city sanitary. The architecture of the forum and baths was so intriguing. Of course, this might be expected from the author of "The Way Things Work"! His detailed drawings are fabulous. This a terrific book for learning about Roman cities in this time period and for studying the way the cities were put together to provide for all the needs of the inhabitants.

When David Macaulay published this book in 1974, he was following in the path of the great American illustrators Edwin Tunis and Eric Sloane. They produced many memorable history books for young adults in the years following the Second World War. Tunis and Sloane blended well written history with well done pen and pencil illustrations. "City" follows the standard convention of beginning with a parcel of undeveloped land and showing the building process as the project progresses to a completed Roman city.

What makes this book so important is that David Macauley was able to expand the age paremeters and produce a beautiful book that could appeal to both young children and adults. His skills as a story teller and illustrator allowed people to look architecture and history in a new light. There are other illustrators with stronger drafting skills but there is nobody with more imagination. Macaulay is not afraid to enter into an image and tear it apart and look at it from many different viewpoints. There is a sense of movement and playfulness in his illustrations that make him unique.

This book is so important in the history of children's non-fiction literature because David Macaulay opened the doors for a whole series of children's book illustrators who have produced hundreds of illustrated history books.

Whether you are a pool novice or expert, this book makes understanding pool maintenance simple. Dan provides a detailed manual on pool construction to water chemistry. There are many pictures and diagrams that lend a visual aid to help understand pool and spa dynamics. The importance of regular maintenance is addressed by providing solutions for the busy pool owner. In addition, Dan integrates helpful tips for professionals on how to deal with problems like phosphates and green algae. This book alone will save a person hundreds of dollars in pool maintenance expense.

Interesting book with lots of tidbits and hints about all manner of pool history, pumps, volumes, filters, what he does or doesn't do in a given pool water crisis. Complete rundown of all pool chemicals and why to be wary of pool supply dealers. There is whole chapter on pool and pool-chemical safety. But where is the step by step maintenance of pool water chemistry that I bought the book for? He does say at one point to address "alkalinity before pH, always remember that!" And that is the only step I got, and it was only one step of what NOT to do. There are a bunch of randomly ordered, not step by step chemical-amount-to-use charts per gallon size in the back of the SAFETY chapter. This is easily found online information. Hoped to get, but did not find, an organized approach to the day to day maintenance of POOL CHEMISTRY in this expert's book.

We bought a house with a pool & spa and the previous owners were kind enough to take all of the materials pertaining to both. Never owning a pool before, we were clueless. This book has been very helpful! I highly recommend for the new pool owner and it could prove to be useful for the experienced pool owner as well.

Pool maintenance remains one of my biggest chores. I've always felt I couldn't pass it off to my wife and kids--a burned out pump from low water levels or an algae outbreak from unbalanced chemicals was just too much of a risk. This book will lighten my load. It provides step by step guides and anyone (wives and children included) can follow with success.

I'm meticulous with my own pool & heretofore I would NEVER have considered doing anyone else's pool - it just wouldn't be worth it, whatever it paid. Not only has Dan Hardy helped me ease my own workload, I'm confident that I could be a successful "pool guy." He'd done a great job with this book. Who could have imagined a book about pool maintenance could be interesting? We'll this one is, and it's a great reference to boot. It's earned a permanent spot on my shelf.

I never knew it could be so fun and entertaining to read a book on pools. The Complete Pool Manual for Homeowners & Professionals: A Step-by-Step Maintenance Guide by Dan Hardy is a great book for pool professionals and homeowners alike. The author draws from his own personal experiences and he has seen it all and done it all when it comes to pools, spas and hot tubs.
The book is written in first-person language and contains colorful personal stories that make it a very easy but informative read. The author is definitely not afraid to tell you his opinion on the best types of pools, equipment, and what to do and not to do in regards to pools, spas and hot tubs.
It also has wonderful photos of pools and equipment that are both informative and entertaining. Reading this book is like having your own personal "pool technician" on hand to tell you all about different types of pools, water volumes needed, water chemistry, cleaning the pool, pool safety, and much more.

Fun to read the anecdotes and stories from the inn that are interspersed throughout the book. I am a gourmet cook but I connot emphasize enough how much I hate to bake. Due to my disasterous history with baking I don't even make birthday cakes and I don't make Christmas cookies. HOWEVER, there are two things for which I will make an exception; they are both in this book. The Rabbit Hill Inn Oatmeal-Molasses Bread makes the best cinnamon toast you will ever, ever eat. (Just try not to eat the whole loaf at one sitting.) And the Raisin-Pumpernickel Bread with a Secret is just divine. The flavors are strong enough that the bread is distinctive and wonderful but not overpowering. I promise you, you will NOT be disappointed.

A neighbor and I trade cookbooks. She lent me The Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread: A Country Inn Cookbook. I loved this book so I went out and bought my own copy! While reading my new book, I immediately found a number of recipes that I wanted to try. I first baked "Raisin Pumpernickel Bread with a Secret". It was absolutely delicious and the extra loaves were shared with neighbors and friends. One thing that I especially liked about this book is that as I was reading it, I felt such warmth, love and kindness emanating from it. This book has such personal touches, from the asides about life and experiences as an innkeeper to the interesting introductions with each of the recipes, that I felt as though the author was talking to me as another friend who obviously loved food and cooking as much as I did. Even after I put the book down, the warmth stayed with me for a long time. I recommend this book to everyone who has a passion for cooking, especially with a friend.

This is one of the best cookbooks I have ever used. Every soup I have made has been either very good, excellent or superb. It is engagingly written and easy to use. Highly recommended.

This book features recipes from the Dairy Hollow Inn. Well-known food writer and innkeeper Crescent Dragonwagon puts in the soup and bread recipes that won her inn the "Uncle Ben's" award, a prize for excellence in small inn cuisine. She shares her spotlight with other inns from around the US.

Right now, as I am writing this review, I am sipping her New England Corn Chowder, which is a corn-squash chowder that can be made with vegetarian ingredients or chicken broth. I tried both versions; right now the base is a golden vegetable broth from a tetra pak but you can use her recipe for vegetable stock. The soup is sweet and spicy and I served it to guests and nothing was left; had to make a second batch. The soup recipes here are all winners. There is a vegetable soup base that can become minestrone or what-have-you, and many other fine recipes featuring vegetables. There is also a section on southern greens.

The breads are everything from a raisin pumpernickel with a secret (chocolate chips) to oatmeal molasses and baps, Scottish soft white rolls.

If you can't find a soup in here you like, you are hard to please--or you don't like soup. Ms. Dragonwagon's commentaries on the inn are fun reading so this is a book you can peruse even if you aren't stirring up something in your kitchen. I use this book almost everytime I entertain for casual affairs; soup and bread are always welcome and easy to serve and enjoy.

We've only owned this cookbook for a short time, but already it is one of our favorites. The author includes background on each recipe in an informal style that makes the reader feel like a good friend being given an enthusiastic recipe tip. In addition, the book includes a large amount of useful information from how to deal with an artichoke, to various soup garnishes and how to work with yeast. It's the recipes that shine, however.
We started with the Wintery Chicken and Pasta Soup--delicious. Then I made the Rabbit Hill Inn Oatmeal-Molasses bread--an outstanding bread my husband wants me to make again. The big winner was A Salad for Fall which we just couldn't get enough of. The combination of flavors is as close to perfect as you can get. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves good food and is willing to spend a little time in preparation.
As I write this, one of the bean soups is simmering on the stove. Bon Appetit!

This book is a MUST read for anyone truly wanting to know how it was possible for a man who had and was nothing (homeless, penniless and without friends) to become the most powerful and feared man in the world who controlled a vast empire and millions of people. The author does an EXCELLENT job of keeping the reader's attention and interest. It is difficult to put this book down. It read easily and smoothly. There are lots of details but that does not bog the reader down....it simply flows and stays interesting. The author gives equal time and details about many of Hitler's Inner Circle men, especially, Goebbels, Goring and Himmler. Without the work, talent, energy and loyalty of these men there is not doubt that Hitler would never have become who he was!

Here is an outstanding exhaustively researched account of all the key players in Hitler's Third Reich. Without the help of these men, Hitler would not have come to power, let alone been a politician worthy of mention. It is interesting to read how at least one among his entourage did not want war, and how his stubbornness and hubris changed the course of history. A must read not only for those who are interested in the tumultous events of the 20th Century, but those in leadership positions in politics and other fields, or those aspiring to be in that position.

I have read over 100 books covering the Nazi period, including reading William Shirers book, Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,three times. During this last 10 years every book I read was compared with Shirers. This is book by Anthony Read is perhaps equal or better than Shirers because its both a history book and a concise biography of the main "devil's disciples". This book at 900 pages provides more understanding of events than Shirer achieved in his 1600 pages although Shirer delivered a masterpiece. The reason for this is may be that Shirer in writing in 1958-60 did not have access to some of the detailed later sources as Anthony Read has. What makes this book so great is that Read spends great effort to explain the "Why & How" in addition to the "Who, What, Where, When" covered by most historians. This book provides insight into the squable that Goebbels had with Gregor Strasser that made it easier for Hitler to drive a wedge between Strasser and Goebbels who were very thick in the beginning and might have eventually split the Nazi's Berlin northern group from the Nazi's Munich "mafia" group.
This book gives a greater understanding of Gorings love and devotion to his first wife, Carin, than I got from reading a well researched biography of Hermann Goring by another author. Carin's death has been explained in other sources as: TB, epilepsy, heart failure. AR explains how they were all connected. Hermanns love for her explains why her son, Thomas, from her first marriage was so devoted to Goring.
The book also explains how crafty Hitler was in engaging many of the other political parties before backing out of any commitment at the 11th hour after the other parties were forced to disclose that most of them needed Hitler's Nazi Reichstag delegates more than the Nazis needed them. This book contains many more facts that help the reader understand the personal motives behind most of the intrigues of the main characters.
Goebbels, the proverbial womanizer, should never gotten married but with the death of Goring's wide Carin, it appears Goebbels saw an opportunity to help himself to the spotlight by marrying the beautiful and rich divorcee, Magda, so he could take over the entertainment of Hitler on his trips up to Berlin.
The book deserves 6 stars and is like drinking from a firehouse to cover more in 900 pages than 1600. I'll gladly read this again.

Anthony Read manages to give an extremely accurate account of the leaders of Nazi Germany. He also gives detail to Nazism in general and World War 2, making this book very well rounded. Mr. Read's ability to keep his work interesting throughout is the icing on the cake.

We all know how the story ends, but most people aren't sure as to how it actually began. The cast of characters is all there -- the flamboyant flying ace turned politician; the awkward young man who overcomes a physical disability to ascend to the highest tiers of government; the idealist; the ideologue; the cunning grand vizier; the souls who fought a losing battle with their eyes set on Valhalla. In under 1000 pages, Anthony Read has written a modern masterpiece of Third Reich scholarship. Meticulously documented, "the Devil's Disciples" is a compelling read by any standard, but all the moreso for the undertaking it represents. Read crafts a captivating narrative of the German political scene from the First World War to Nuremberg and examines the most prominent figures in the Nazi Party and the subsequent government that came from it.

One of the most relieving things about Read's book is that it carefully avoids the abject moralism so prevalent in other works about the National Socialist period in Germany. Read is careful never to make a person seem too sympathetic or too incompetent, pointing out the individual's strong as well as weak personal qualities. Read's portraits of Hermann Göring and Josef Goebbels are by far the highlights of the book. With surgical precision, Read discerns the motivations and personalities of both men and offers fresh insight into their lives and careers. For once, Adolf Hitler takes a backseat to his subordinates, with awe-inspiring results.

For anyone interested in the history of the Third Reich, "the Devil's Disciples" is essential. By all rights, this book should be considered equal (or superior) to Shirer's "the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich." Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down. An enthusiastic 5/5.

I already read this book a few years ago, and like the other people above said, it`s an incredible history you can't not put down the book once you started reading, because you get involve into it. Personally I recommended, I was thinking to read it again...

A traves de este libro asombroso, Saramago pretende explicar que pasaria si a los seres humanos se les robaran la vista, una de las cosas que nosotros como seres humanos muchas veces damos por sentada. Una de las novelas mas humanas que he leido, los personajes al enfrentar la ceguera, llegan a ser meros animales, presos a las privaciones que surgen bajo la cruel perdida de la vista.

I read José Saramago's 'The Cave' about a year ago, and it is currently the best book I have ever read. Saramago's aptitude at illustrating human nature at its very worst is unsurpassed elsewhere. Also, his interesting, unconventional grammatical style (free of commaz, quotation marks, etc.), which is also found in his other books (Saramago is my favorite author, along with Pat O'Shea), is very interesting. He taught me that, in a way, grammatical symbolz can hold back a reader's experience by making them lazy, guiding them from sentence to sentence. His style forcez the reader to really think about what they just read, which is something I sometimez have trouble with when I'm putting alot of thought into any one part of a book.
Another great thing about Saramago's general style is how he truly makes it feel like a first-person experience. I remember when I first read the book that during and until about a month after finishing it I felt a need to feel my way through the house. I actually became physically more aware of my environment to this day, when I can memorize distance and I believe that the depth of the book caused me to gain much greater peripheral vision.
All-in-all, this novel is a tremendous read, and I recommend it to anyone literate in any language, as Saramago's literature is heavily-translated.

No creo que pueda decir nada que ya no se haya dicho sobre la trama de este libro, solo puedo agregar que apenas lei la primera pagina me enganche, y no pude soltarlo hasta terminar de leerlo. Ensayo sobre la ceguera es el primer libro de una trilogia, "involuntaria", de Saramago, y ya estoy esperando con ansia poder leer "Todos los Nombres" y "La Caverna", los otros dos titulos de esta trilogia. Saramago es un genio, que continua emocionandome, conmocionandome y ensenandome el lado obscuro de la naturaleza humana. En este libro Saramago hace una especie de denuncia de la desensibilizacion a la que hemos llegado los seres humanos, eso si, una denuncia escrita muy inteligentemente, con una sabiduria enorme y sobre todo con una humildad infinita. El estilo de Saramago obliga al lector a leer pausadamente, y a refleccionar sobre la profundidad de sus argumentos. Una fuerte critica social que no deja de sorprenderme.

Como uno a uno en el pueblo (sin nombre....) se fueron quedando ciegos debido a la plaga blanca.. el gobierno asustado por el contagio los mando de "internados" a unas instalaciones nada agradables para la vida cotidiana, poco a poco se fue llenado de ciegos, como empieza a hacer falta desde la comida hasta la misma agua...
que tanto tuvieron que dar algunos para recibir la comida, el precio de los otros por haberla cobrado, estrujante y maravilloso!

I wanted to thank all of the folks who have taken the tie to review "First Art", a book of art projects and experiences for toddlers and two's. I've read every single review! How happy I am that this book is bringing great experiences to kids, and to their moms too. Thank you so very much to each of you for your wonderful reviews that remind me I am doing the right thing with my life!!!! ~ MaryAnn

I purchased this book so I could have more fun with my daughter, about a year and a half at the time of this review, and teach her a thing or two about creativity along the way. When I first got the book and read it, I LOVED it. There were tons of homemade recipes for saving money, ideas seemed relatively simple, yet fun, directions thorough... However, when I started implementing the ideas with my toddler, I slowly changed my mind.
I see a number of problems with this book:
Homemade recipes sound wonderful. You save money, you use ingredients you already have in your pantry, and you feel like such a handy supermom, what's not to love, right? Well, wrong...
First, the recipes often call for things I definitely don't have in my pantry, I was not even sure what some things were. For instance, cream of tartar. I wrote down a list of things I needed for a project and asked 3 employees at the store for it and all of them pointed me to tartar sauce. So, I had to go home empty-handed and do research online to find out what it was and why I needed it and where I could buy it, what I can substitute it for, etc. Most of the sources online seemed to indicate that it is something that used to be big in baking, but hardly ever needed now that we have baking powder. It'd be nice if the author provided some substitutions. I ended up using baking powder and it seemed to work alright. I later accidentally found cream of tartar in the spices section of my grocery store - and I looked in baking to no avail.
Another things is that a lot of recipes (80%, I'd say) call for tempera paint... If I'm going to buy paint, why buy tempera paint and mix it with stuff to make finger paints, might just as well buy finger paints - will probably end up cheaper. Same goes for, for example, a home-made blackboard. You need to buy the tape that has that chalkboard surface or chalkboard spray paint. Well, both are rather pricey, so it is almost as cheap to buy a ready-made chalkboard easel (not to mention much less trouble). Also, some recipes call for things like "an old grater you no longer use" (because you're going to be grating a bar of soap, for example) or "a big appliance box". I don't know if it's just me, but I think my Mom still uses the same grater she had when I was a year and a half and I don't buy big-screen TVs on a monthly basis... So, I don't really have all these lying around the house, nor is it always easy/cheap to find/buy one just when you want to try a project - often it really is easier and maybe even cheaper to just buy whatever it is you were going to make (case in point - beads).
Also, many recipes call for huge amounts of flour, salt, cornstarch, and food coloring. While those aren't that expensive in and of themselves (and food coloring CAN be), they add up! 4 cups of flour here, 4 cups of flour there, with a lot of these recipes not having the same shelf life as the store-bought equivalents. So, once again, the savings are questionable, even if we don't factor in the time we have to spend preparing stuff versus buying it ready-made.
The quality of projects.
My daughter is a pretty determined and focused toddler when she wants to be, but a lot of those projects are too contemplative to really keep her attention for more than 10 seconds. For instance, exploring the sounds and textures of a piece of foil or the much-favored by many feeley goop. My daughter was done exploring the sounds and textures of foil in 5 seconds and she did not want to explore the feeley goop at all after the initial try, so how was I supposed to make her realize that it has some unique qualities? The same goes for quite a number of projects that are meant to just "explore", but I realize that it is highly individual and there might be children out there who love those projects, just be aware that it is not automatic. Perhaps some of these activities would work well in a group, where children can feed off of each other's ideas and where interaction is already exciting enough, but for one child they can be a tad on a boring side and are over too quickly to be called an "activity".
Another thing in the projects I often have issues with is their messiness. The author does do a good job of outlining how to prep the working space, but with some projects, the colors will get splashed all over the place - it's toddlers we're talking about! I can cover a relatively large portion of the floor and the whole table, but I can't cover the walls and the ceiling... Not to mention that toddlers are known to run away in the middle of a project. So, unless you have a whole room you don't mind getting dirty and where you can contain your child (porch, sunroom, child-proof play room?), some of those projects will be just too much of a risky business to attempt in a nicer room. We live in a fully-carpeted apartment, and there is no way I'll be able to clean it up nicely if my child decides to have too much fun with one of the messier projects.
Finally, I find some "cooking" directions a little too sketchy. I have never made this thing before, I don't know what it should look and feel like, I actually ruined a couple of projects because I did something too soon or too late, even though I thought I was following the instructions religiously - there went 4 cups of flour and 2 cups of salt :-). Just so you don't think I'm a complete idiot, I do bake regularly and cook quite a bit too, and while sometimes my pizza dough made from scratch does turn out a little drier than I like, it is always edible, never a complete failure.
Overall, I'd say it's a good book with good ideas. If I were a kindergarten teacher, or had 2 or more kids of different ages, I'd probably rate this book better. But as a parent of only 1 child, I'd probably ever use only 1/3 of all the ideas of the book, with 2/3 being eliminated for one or several of the reasons mentioned above, which I find rather disappointing, since I am not paying only for the ideas I'm using...
Our favorite project so far? The bread. It did not taste spectacular (although was edible), but my daughter loved messing with the flour, watching it turn to dough, playing with the dough, etc.

I'm not very imaginative when it comes to "projects" for my kids (who are currently 3 and 1) so I love this book. I am thankful that there are people in the world with great ideas who share them in books. :P

First Art : Art Experiences for Toddlers and TwosI teach children 18 to 24 months great book with great ideas

My then 18 month old and I took "My First Art Class" at our local community center this past summer--it's a class created by the author's of the book. She had a great time with many of the activities and now that I'm back at work for the school year, I wanted to be able to continue her art experiences. This book is very easy to read, breaks down all the activities so you know how long it will take, if it's messy, etc. We made homemade playdough and have great plans for the other projects. Lots of neat ideas!

Once you get past the strange layout (described in other sections), this is a great edition of Henry V. It is easy and fun to read and offers valuable insights (not just for students either). Well worth a flutter.

This play is best known for the St. Crispian's Day "Band of Brothers" speech given by King Henry just before the battle at Agincourt. It is a powerful speech that rallies people at all times and everywhere. Sir Lawrence Olivier made a film version in 1944 during WWII and Kenneth Branagh made another as recently as 1989. You can count on there being more versions. Epecially so when computers can help them make spectacular battle scenes (that aren't really in the play) with less expense.

Audiences love this play and they should. There is a lot to like and enjoy. I think upon repeated readings Henry becomes a more equivocal character than he seems at first. And readers of the King Henry IV plays will know him before he became King Henry and know something deeper about his personality.

And of course there is the whole bit about the drive to France being sponsored by the Church to avoid confiscation of property by the Crown. Moreover, there is the slaughtering of the French prisoners, and his treatment of Falstaff (who dies offstage in this play). This isn't revisionist stuff, it is right there in the play, but it is easy to miss the first time you are trying to take in the play.

In any case, this Arden edition is the one to buy and read from. Why? Because it has the most authoritative text, but that is only the beginning. It also shows variants between the early sources. The notes at the bottom of each page of the play are simply fabulous. The editor includes not only helpful notes explaining what might be obscure in the text of the play, he provides sources Shakespeare probably used such as Holinshed and makes for some very interesting study. There are also some helpful notes on how various scenes have been performed over time.

And to make this sound more like an infomercial, you get more! The introduction provides great background material on the play, its sources, and how it has been performed throughout history. After the play, there is a photo reproduction of the first Quarto from 1600 and it is fairly readable. There are also a couple of maps showing the path of the English Army from Harfleur through other towns on its way to Calais and makes clear how they had to pass through Agincourt.

There is also a helpful genealogical table so you can see the confusing claims used by Henry and the French nobility to make their claims. And there is a doubling chart so you can see how theater companies can perform all the roles with fewer actors.

This is a great edition as are all the plays published by the Arden Shakespeare. The amount of work collected in these volumes is stunning and they will enrich your experience of the plays tremendously. I can't recommend them enough.

This play more than any others in the histories glorifies Englishmen and England. His characters in this one are larger than life, but each has their own limitations and flaws. The play covers the time of the Battle of Agincourt when the French King Charles was so sure of victory that he sent a messenger to Henry to ask him to give up and to pay a ransom before the battle. On the eve of the Battle of Agincourt, the English were outnumbered five to one, Henry's troops were on foreign soil and riddled with disease. The scenes where Henry dons a disguise and goes out amongst his troops to bolster their confidence are great. The English managed to triumph in this battle where all was stacked against them mostly because of Henry's leadership. This is such a sweeping story that it is hard to condense in a few words, the plot of the play, but it is a wonderful example of Shakespeare's skills as a writer.

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' What more need I say? Henry V is an imortal classic of western literature. And this edition is complete and accurate. See the film if you want, but be sure to read the words at least once. They are inspiring.

"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it."

Particularly poignant poetry in these times of pompous presidential sabre rattling and wars based on questionable facts.

Sheperd Paine is a master of the diorama. This little book is a very good example of his work and is full of techniques and "how to" .
It is a welcome addition to any modeler's library who wishes to attempt making dioramas.
WARNING!! You will be constantly asking "How did he make it so 'life-like'?"
and be "green with envy" when you see the full color photo's of his work.
But fear-not; he explains how he did it and how you can too.

The book covers just about anything there is to know about dioramas. Planning, composition, groundwork, superdetailing models, battle damage, weathering, painting figures... Forced perspective and shadowboxes are also discussed. Many types of dioramas are shown, making the book interesting to almost every type of modeler.

The book shows its age in places, for example in chapter on model photography only film SLR cameras are discussed, figure painting is only shown using oils, etc. But when the book was written is truly unimportant in this case. It's not only an excellent modeling manual, but a source of inspiration.

If you have the first edition, you can skip this one. But if not, buy it; you won't regret it.

This book is a great place to start your journey into scale modeling. Although the title suggests that the focus of the book is simply dioramas, that is not true. Shep Paine takes us through several basic and intermediate steps concerning the completion of the model itself before addressing the diorama as a whole. The chapters on figure modification are worth the cost of the book itself.

Highest recommendation.

I haven't started using any of the techniques from this book. I will say that it is entertaining simply to read through it and get ideas from the many pictures.

this book has many tips. ý recommend all modeller especialy for beginer. after ý read this book my diaromas have a lot of detail. this book enlarge your imagination and you wish make very realistic and detailed diaromas. thanks for Sheperd Paine

This book does an excellent job in teaching the keys of IT sales. The author has worked for Novell and other big technology companies, and he reflects that with good examples of several sales situations during the negotiation phase. You should have this if you want to achieve million dollar quotas.

There's also another book out there called "How To Sell Technology" by a guy called DiModico. It's ok for people with no experience in sales that want explanations of the basic sales processes, people types and all that stuff. Best wishes for your sales careers.

This book does an excellent job in teaching the keys of IT sales. The author has worked for Novell and other big technology companies, and he reflects that with good examples of several sales situations during the negotiation phase. You should have this if you want to achieve million dollar quotas.

There's also another book out there called "How To Sell Technology" by a guy called DiModico. It's ok for people with no experience in sales that want explanations of the basic sales processes, people types and all that stuff. Best wishes for your sales careers.

I've been in sales for 15 years. I'm a learner and I've read many of the books and been to the popular seminars on sales (Strategic Selling, Selling Solutions etc.). I just got into the IT sales field last year and highly recommend this book. This book is a solid, no-hype approach to complex selling. It gives me a blueprint to follow, it's very accurate for today's technology challanges and I found it easy to read as well! I usually don't recommend stuff but this book is a real "secret" weapon.

Recently I had the opportunity to interview for a sale position with a much respected software company. A few days before the interview I had just finished reading I.T. Sales Boot Camp. The concept and fundamental ideals of selling in an I.T. arena that were taught and express in the book enabled me to land the job. I believe that the knowledge that I gain from I.T.Sales Boot Camp made the different in my interview.

As opposed to most "hot new" sales approaches which focus on changing your personal style, this book does a great job of providing a strategic step-by-step plan from A-Z. It's void of fluff and gets right to the point of outlining the nuts and bolts of the process including pre-sales planning, performance tracking, maintaining growth, and writing proposals. It's worth reading in general and especially for those migrating into tech sales.