Journals Books

I laughed until my sides hurt. Sex, Dead Dogs, And Me is thick with outstanding humor. It has it all. Ed writes about extremely funny stories from his youth such as good and bad kisses, workman's compensation for jock itch, the vapors, and the adultery business. If you love to laugh, you'll want this book for your collection. You get a truly all encompassing, across the board variety of wit.

My favorite is Ed's classic tale of stink perfume. It reminds me of my own prank-filled youth. I have read a lot of humorous books, and this ranks among the very best. Ed's writing style brings the stories to life. It was easy to visualize the characters and get attached to them. Fresh, entertaining and comical, I highly recommend it.

I will have to make one correction however. A Canadian girl's lips kiss better. Perhaps one day Ed will get to test that theory.

Linda Oness

The factual, earthy antics of Ed Williams and his buddies growing up in the South make for hilarious reading. Those who were lucky enough not to be targets for their hijinks can consider themselves very fortunate!

it was a great attempt for an unknown. After reading the reviews, I ordered this book. A few of the chapters were good but on the whole it was a disappointment. I could not recommend this book without feeling guilty.

This book was recommended to me by a friend at the university. I had a hard time finding it in the bookstores, so I ordered it here. I have never laughed as hard in my life (my roommate threatened to make me leave our room, then she read it and laughed more than I did). Ed, should you ever come to Oxford, let me know. Maybe we could do something that might inspire a chapter in one of your future books, you southern devil, you!

The funniest book I've ever read. Can't read it at night because I keep my wife awake laughing. At last my search for great Southern humor is ended as long as Ed Williams keeps putting out this kind of quality writing. He is good ... very good! Guess I'm gonna change from Grizzard's Sprayberry BBQ to Ed's Nu Way hot dogs .... that ain't all bad 'cause Lewis did before he left us. Don't miss a real treat. Try Sex, Dead Dogs, & Me for an antidote for the dreadfully dull political babble which we are about to experience for the next few months.

I received the copies of the book I ordered in good time - coming to Australia. They were in good condition so I am extremely happy.

Journaling to the self is an amazing book. I'd recommend it to ANYONE who is a journaler or would like to start journaling. There were so many techniques I could barely contain my pen. If you want to spice up your writing, or want to dig deeper into yourself, or find a creative outlet for your life, read this book! It's amazing. My only complaint would be there there are so many techniques that I wanted to try that I will have to re-read this book, happily, over and over again to get to them all!

This book has a lot of great ideas for using journaling as a way to explore your inner self. It is great for people who want to journal but aren't actually sure what to write when they get to the page! I found lots of great tools - clustering, dialogues, lists of 100 and many more. Several critiques - there were some unforgivable spelling errors and as the book was published in 1990, it seems a bit dated in its reference material and focus on "baby boomers".

All in all though, a great little resource book and very very useful!

some great techniques for journaling. I tried most of them and liked them. They did not have some profound impact on my life, but it gave journaling a little more dimension and made it intresting. If you do get this book remmeber that it has ALOT of fluff( useless info); flip through the pages, get the gist of the techniques and go for it. It took me about an hour to read this way. It very boring if u read every page

I can't even tell you how long ago I read this book. It has to be more than fifteen years ago now. I had wanted to keep a journal since I was about seven. I would start a new journal and abandon it before it was barely started. I kept thinking I was doing it "wrong." After I read JOURNAL TO THE SELF, I started again and I haven't stopped. I have filled dozens of volumes since. Though over the years I have tried some of the various techniques the author describes, her biggest contribution to my journaling was just giving me permission to do it. All the the exercises just taught me that there is no ONE way to do it and there is NO wrong way. It still sits on my shelves with my other references, I pick it up whenever I start doubting myself again. I highly recommend it for anyone finding it difficult getting started or anyone wanting to delve a little deeper within.

It is so nice to have something Gentle in the world... sweet... calm... That's Mutts. Life is not ONLY about blowing things up... zombies... hit men... etcetera. This is a fantastic collection and can be read by all.

These cards are gorgeous and any Mutts fan would love to receive these. I gave them to my 7 year old daughter for her birthday and she loved them. Some of the designs are a little confusing, but most of them are just amazing...I almost wanted to frame them for art in her room, but she just wanted to start sending them!

This book is a wonderful collection for any Mutts fan. The Mutts comic strip is so refreshing with it's delightfully uncomplicated main characters, Earl and Mooch, who want nothing but to love and be loved, and perhaps get a handout from the Fatty Snax man. Their simple outlook on life is a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of today's world. Even the artwork is clean and uncluttered. Some of the "stories" in this collection are simple one-liners, and some cover several pages. Some are funny, and others are simply sweet and heartwarming. Mutts is the perfect comic for any cat or dog lover, as the loveable idiosyncracies of each are highlighted here in a way that's sure to bring a smile to the reader's face. This or any of the other Mutts comic books would make a perfect treat for yourself or gift for a cat/dog-loving friend.

WONDERFUL! Be prepared to laugh until the tears roll down your face. If possible start with this book and read the books in sequence to be introduced to each of the characters. Besides...the books are all wonderful so ENJOY!
If you appreciate animals you can't help but love Mutts. Patrick McDonnell has captured human and fuzzy characteristics to perfection. He obviously appreciates and delights in the special qualities of all the species that share this world and
recognizes our responsibilities to them as well as to ourselves.
And he shares all of that in a uniquely delightful way.

I will keep this short and simple. The first volume of "Mutts" by Patrick McDonnell is simply the best comic strip since "Bloom County." This book was touching, funny, and cute. It took me to that special place where life is cozy and beautiful. If Mr. McDonnell can keep this strip going at a high level of quality like this first volume, then I will plan on reading "Mutts" for the rest of my life.

This is eye candy at its best! Hundreds of in details photos from collaborative journals, each more beautiful than the other. Very interesting insight into the creative idea behind these journals. Inspiration of every page - truly one of the best books I ever bought.

I am taking a class in small art quilts, and our current project is a small paper/cloth quilt with a "true colors" theme. This book helped me envision what can be done. Although it features well-known artist's journal covers, it crosses over into all mediums and shows what can be done and explains how to do it. If you are interested in collage, decoupage, altered art, or mixed media, this book is a must!

i have read this book from cover to cover about 10 times and i always see something new. this book makes me want to get up and do art.

Great book , which I purchased after joining my first RR and then starting to hyperventilate. The variety of layouts in this book gave me a huge sense of relief , frankly. The art communicated to me much more strongly than words that I could trust my own instincts as these artists do. There are a lot of different approaches to the same themes in this book and they opened my eyes to new possibilities that I personally might not have seen without them.

A wonderful book full of creative ideas. Not a "how to do" book but for those looking for fresh ideas this one will get your creative juices flowing.

I purchased this item for my 12 year old daughter for Christmas. She received other flashy and expensive gifts but this was one of her top favorite gifts!! It is a great outlet source for writing thoughts and feelings while reading others as well.

It is great to have a place to write down all that you are feeling, and it gives you little clues so that you can write down things that you are not even necessarily thinking of at that moment in time.

This book did absolutly nothing for me. Just a boring thing to write in, which I haven't.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Journal, was one of the most moving books I have read. It's directed towards adolescents, and deals with issues every adolescent girl faces. It's a blend of stories, quotes, poems, and spaces to write your thoughts. This book has many different sections such as: family, love and kindness, learning lessons, and though stuff. My favorite section, however, is "loving yourself". This book gave me a chance to deal with issues and see that I'm not the only girl whom faces such issues. Chicken Soup is a book that I am able to pick up at any time if I need some inspiration on a situation, or some reassurance. Other issues helpful to me were on drinking, self-esteem, eating disorders, and how to deal with my past. The best part about this book is that a lot of it is compiled with texts written by teenage authors. There are spaces for friends to write about you, and spaces for you to express how you feel about certain things. Chicken Soup allowed me to realize I was not the only girl who had experienced some of the feelings that I did. After reading this book I knew I wasn't alone! I do highly reccomend this book to any teenage girl. Adolescence is a hard time to get through, and many girls need inspiration. You do not have to read the book cover to cover; you can pick it up any time and read whatever section you desire.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Journal, was one of the most moving books I have read. It is directed towards adolescents, and deals with issues every adolescent girl faces. It's a blend of stories, quotes, poems, and spaces to write your thoughts. This book has many different sections such as: family, learning lessons, love and kindness, and tough stuff. My favorite section, however, is "loving yourself". This book gave me a chance to deal with issues and see that I am not the only girl whom faces such issues. Chicken Soup is a book that I am able to pick up and at any time if I need some inspiration, help, or reassurance. Other issues helpful to me were on drinking, self-esteem, eating disorders, and how to deal with my past. Another good part about this book is that a lot of it is compiled with texts written by teenage authors. There are spaces for friends to write about you, and spaces for you to express how you feel on certain issues. Chicken Soup allowed me to realize I was not the only girl who had experienced some of the feelings I did. After reading this book I knew I wasn't alone! I do highly recommend this book to any teenage girl. Adolescence is a hard time to get through, and many girls need inspiration. You do not have to read the book cover to cover; you can pick it up any time and read whatever section you desire.

Can't help but agree with all the five star comments that go before me, but my particular rave about this book is the section on making pages of a book from a single piece of paper simply by using the different techniques explained for cutting and folding. Bookmaking origami!

I'm making a book with boards and a leather cover; I used LaPlantz's mitered corners method (Figs. 36 - 39, pp. 39-40), and they look great! I'm sold, she's my mitering guru. Thanks!

This book tells in words of one syllable how to make actual books - none of the glossy 'altered-art books' here, this one is the nuts and bolts. It explains all the jargon of book-making in clear and concise language.

wonderful into to the world of making artist books; let your imagination take you away

Detailed instructions accompanied by drawings on the same page of each stitch to be taken to bind a book, stitch varieties, binding paperbacks into custom hardbacks, creating 3 dimensional art work in book form plus invaluable pragmatic advice such as the safe relative distance from hole to edge and hole to hole, depending on size of book and binding type, as well as how many pages becomes too cumbersome to open or view with a particular technique.

Multiple suggestions follow each demonstration for expanding the technique shown, or varying the format to satisfy one's own preferences and prejudices. Ms. LaPlantz specifies infinitesmally small steps which make following the directions exceptionally easy. And she progresses from standard codex (covers and a spine) to remarkably artful constructions all the while being encouraging, enthusiastic and clear. She does not make extensive use of commoditized products other than printer paper for the book text pages, and recommends simple tools for beginning (needle, thread, cardboard, glue, paste, scissors) as well as explaining how to make one's own binding frame from an old hardback book.

Unhappily, her subseqent Art and Craft of Handmade Books was not as well edited as Cover to Cover, as you can see from her website which lists pages of corrections to the printed edition as well as including material edited out which was necessary for clarity, continuity and simplicity of instruction. She even includes bonus materials, photos, techniques not in Art and Craft of Handmade Books.

Cover to Cover is excellent, like having a mentor at one's side with years of experience guiding one's acquisitiion of binding skills.

Highly recommended.

I am not an accomplished reader so it has to really hold my attention to finish a book. This book is written exactly from L&C's journals. Lots of mispelled words and some confusion. Sometimes hard to follow. Sometimes the minute details are a bit much. They don't really expound on things. I guess what they go through on a day to day basis is somewhat mundane at times. Overall a decent read IMO...I wouldn't get it again if I knew what I know now. Oh well. Enjoy!

I read books in a wide variety of topics. I decided to read about Lewis and Clark because I felt I just did not know enough about it and I felt that I should. When I received the book, I opened it and was fearful that I made a mistake because it was made up of journal entries, day by day in Lewis and Clark's own words. I started reading and I found myself immmediately engrossed in the story. I mean immediately. You can read the letter from Jefferson containing the instructions and mission of the expedition- just fascinating. Then you get the story of the expedition, day by day, straight from the horses' mouth. I could not put this book down. I could not stop talking about it. I used Google Earth (so cool!!!) to follow the Missouri River into the Rockies, across the mountains, finally to the Columbia to the Pacific and then back. Canoeing up rivers, down rivers, fighting bears, trading and smoking with indians, fighting with some indians, at times overheated, at times freezing. Surving on the land with strategy and forethought. I learn an incredible amount of information about that time in our country's history. I was blown away. And the greatest part, I had to keep reminding myself of, is that it was absent all of the politically corrected revisionism we read today. This story is straight from them. They are sitting down at night and recording what they experienced in 1804 (05-06). Those notes are delivered to you via an author Bernard Devoto who uses only the most relevant parts of the journals (leaves out the volumes of strict scientific research data). Then, when he has to make the occasion insertion of a letter or two to make sure a misspelled word is not misinterpreted, he gives very clear instruction on how he has denoted the change. He also, upon occasion will give a summary of events, or a note of interest.
The end result is a splendid story, rich in historical information, written by the men who lived it, about one of the most important events in our country's history. I leave you with this excerpt, logged Sunday August 18th, 1805 by a man who is in the middle of the American West, where no white man has tread before, trading and smoking with Indians, shooting bear and deer to survive, canoeing upriver for 2000 miles;
"This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this subluminary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the happiness of the human race or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence..."

I would use one word to characterize this work: Timeless. To relive the great expedition through the words of Lewis and Clark themselves is a fantastic experience. I think that most people who enjoy American history will love this book. People who are not inclined to read or enjoy historical non-fiction might find it tedious (such as students forced to do so for class assignments), as it is long and detailed.

I previously read Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" (which itself is excellent), which contains many passages from these journals, but the journals themselves are unsurpassed.

I recently took a college class about the hidden history of the West--and it was a great class, one of the best ever--but one of the books we read in there was all about the Native American perspective of the Lewis and Clark expedition and while it was interesting to hear that take on the subject, I couldn't have been more at odds with the discussion that followed, most of which had to do with the low characters of the men of the expedition, the subversive agenda behind it all, and the thought that the world would have been a better place if the entire undertaking had never taken place.
That's because, to me, there has never been anything cooler than the Corps of Discovery, than the journey West, than Lewis and Clark and their whole ragged crew.
Actually, I take that back: the journals they kept...those are even cooler.
From Lewis's insightful reflections, to Clark's lyrical descriptions, to their hilariously bad attempts at spelling, to the thought of moving unknowing into America at its most pristine, these journals have it all. This is the quintessential American adventure story, an amazing account of men against the unknown. This edited collection of the journals, well-compiled by Bernard DeVoto, is one of the greatest things I have ever read, and ever since reading it, I have had an undeniable love for Lewis and Clark, and for their expedition.
Words fail me, but they didn't fail these guys, because here is the West of 1803, vividly rendered for us all to see today. When I first read these in 1999, they convinced me to move into the wild, onto the water, and I spent seven months afterward living out of a canoe...keeping a journal of my own.
If you haven't read these journals, do yourself a favor, and do so now: read them. DeVoto has already made it easy for you, by picking out all the most interesting parts, and by putting them in context with a well-written introduction. You need this book, and you may not even know it.

This work has been edited for the general reader. Many entries have been considerably shortened in the hope of gaining a wider public. For the most part only the highlights are kept, being the actual journal in its full version is so extensive. Most of the original punctuation's and spellings are kept (this gives it a feel of nostalgia). There is repetition. But this, I would think would be impossible to overcome. DeVoto has "produced a straight forward text which could be read without distraction".

The introduction is lengthy; discussed are: the importance of the Louisiana Purchase; the history and purpose leading up to the exploration; earlier expeditions, such as Thompsons' and Mckenzies'; and Lewis' and Clark's background. This was said of these two great men: "The two agreed and worked together with a mutuality unknown elsewhere in the history of exploration and rare in any kind of human association", and "Ingenuity and resourcefulness [by Lewis and Clark] in the field are so continuous that a casual reader may not notice them".

Each chapter is identified by the author whose journal it is taken from, such as Lewis, Clark, Biddle, Orduray, and others. The journal writings have been left as original, giving it that early America mystique. On the 14th of May, 1804, 32 men embark in search of a trade route from the Atlantic to the Pacific:

Dangers lurk around every curve. Indian, grizzly, and immense animal herd encounters are prevalent throughout the journey. To think of the rich bounty contained in the wilderness of the past is beyond comprehension. With leadership that is both strong and wise, Lewis and Clark take this large party of men on a blind epic journey. And on looking back, it was relatively safe. The treatment of the Natives is to be commended, even though many tribes were untrustworthy and warring to other Nations. Trade with the Indians was essential if they were to survive. Also recorded were observations and behaviors of the different tribes. A few of these tribes possessed a huge wealth in horses. Lewis and Clark's party purchased these horses both for traveling overland (which I was never aware) and for food. They did not seem to be displeased with eating horse-meat, dog or roots, which they bought and traded for. The days spent on the Pacific coast were to be the most miserable. The medical remedies used were almost comical; some that were proved beneficial have since been lost through time. The journey ends over 28 months later on the 25th of September, 1806.

I don't know if we can understand completely, how important this expedition was for our country. The undertaking involved in putting this book together from the hundreds of pages of numerous journals is truly amazing. And finally: Appendix I contains Jefferson's instructions; Appendix II is the personnel (32+); and appendix III is the list of specimens brought back.

Wish you well
Scott

The Far Side Gallery is the first collection of Gary Larson's crazy comic strips featuring hordes of talking anthropomorphised fauna and fowl of all shapes and sizes.

These are generally very amusing, and generally very witty, and you are bound to get some fridge or door material out of one of these.

Gary is sorely missed. Almost no one saw it the way he did. I hope another comes along.

Okay, it's a collection of Far Side comics, which is what I want, so it's awesome for that reason. BUT, the actual final product in book form is a little disappointing. First, all the comics are black and white. Yeah, it's not about the art and you don't miss much without color, but come on, would a little color kill anyone (especially ones that were originally color)? Second, it's pretty thin on strips, with 4 to a page most of the time (a good amount) sometimes 2 on a page, and even occassionally one comic on a single page! It looks pretty silly with just one giant comic on a page.

Larson's original gallery has so many classic Far Side cartoons that you can not justify not owning this sensational collection of his work. Larson may well have retired a while ago but the power of these works of brilliance to make the reader laugh will never fade. There have been many who have copied Larson's style but I have never come across anyone else who has even come close to achieving the quality of The Far Side.

Buy The Far Side Gallery along with its sequels, the original smaller books that make up these galleries are also great buys, along with the calendars and other merchandise. Larson's 2007 calendar gives all the proceeds to wildlife conservation (which obviously inspired a lot of his work) so get that too. You can never own enough of The Far Side.

In this volume (originally released in 1984) of the Gallery collections you will find such classic Far Sides as on Noah's Ark "Well that's it for the unicorns, from now on all the carnivores are confined to C Deck", the father being held up by his shirt collar by an invisible man with his son saying "BigBob is tired of you saying he doesn' exist, the smashed bottle falling from the clouds with humans running away with the word Uh-Oh! from the sky. The bears riding in the circus car saying "Looks Like a trap I said, nonsense no one would set a trap way out here in the woods you said...." The crocodiles on the river bank saying "That was incredible, no fur, claws, horns, antlers or nothing, just soft and pink" and of course the classic picture of dinosaurs smoking with the caption beneath "The Real Reason Dinosaurs Became Extinct" are just a small sample of the classic laughs within this sensational masterpiece.

Some of my earliest memories are filled with reading The Far Side on my father's lap after the evening meal. Whenever I asked my parents for a one of the standard collections, they told me to wait, one day they would all be in one book. Then, for Christmas one year, I got this book.

What can I say, but thank you Mom and Dad and thank you Mr. Larson! The Far Side was, and still is, funny, original, and timeless. This collection gives you some of the best of the original strips and lends itself well to watching the progression of humor up and through until the end.

I really enjoy this journal b/c it takes the pressure off having to write a lot. I've always liked the idea of keeping a journal so that both myself and my daughter can remember all the small details that you think you will never forget but unfortunately do. However, every time I've started a journal, I never got past a few entries b/c I just didn't find the time and felt like it was another chore on my to do list. But with this pre-printed journal which gives just a small space per entry, I don't feel guilty about writing so little and can jot down thoughts very quickly. I would recommend this to any new mom, especially working moms too who will have limited spare time as it is.

This is a cute journal to write down little things about your child. I like it because I only like to write every so often and I didn't want a "Baby Book" I would get this book if you want to jot down a few things about your child to help you remember them later, or for your child to read when they are older:)

The book came in the condition it stated and I was very excited to find it since I had purchased one to journal with my daughter, had filled the book up and couldn't find it in the local bookstores. I would place an order again.

this book is perfect. i use it to write down everything and how i feel and what my kid is doing. i love it and there are no restrictions... there are separate entry dates on the page but sometimes i just keep writing if i have alot to say and it won't fit on one section.

I wanted a journal to write letters to my daughter as she grows. Many of the blank journals just seemed so, well... blank. The Mommy Journal is divided into small sections so that I can write a little note each day. I have a record of my daughter's first four years of life...priceless! I use a book per year. It is also a great way to remember events when recording photographs.

I don't believe I've read a more compelling book! It was purchased from a bargain table as something to read while recovering from a foot injury. The therapy for my soul and mind was worth far far more than the few dollars I paid.
So many times I've been disappointed in the quality of "Christian Fiction." Not so with "SOUTH PACIFIC JOURNAL." The characters are believable and very interesting. Descriptive passages place the reader on location in the South Pacific. I've never read such compelling "flash-back" passages. Even though the narrative left many unanswered questions about the characters (What happened to the lieutenant? How did Sarah try to contact her family? When and how did she return to Manila?) I feel as if I really know the characters personally. I hope David & Nancy French write a sequel.
My gratitude goes to the authors for such excellent writing and to the publisher for printing this book.

About the second world war, this book clearly describes the troubles of a female living in Manila in that time period. It is so hard to put my review into words for fear of forgetting minor details, although you will never forget anything after you read the book. Some parts are touching, some gruesome, but it still reflects one idea throughout the story: the love of God.

I will not soon forget this book. It gives the most vivid impression of actually being in a war torn situation that I have ever read. It seemed so real. The spiritual thought process of the young woman is very believable. It would be especially interesting to a Jewish person. I did feel that the end left a lot of questions that I wish had been expanded on, but not to the extent that it was bothersome. I would recommend it.

I have David French as an instructor for one of my law school classes & have had numerous opportunities to listen to him speak. Not only does he tell great stories (his students LOVE listening to him tell stories), but he & his wife have done an incredible job at carrying over this wonderful skill into writing. As I read the book, I kept forgetting this was their first novel. The story is so compelling & well-told that in spite of all the reading I had to do for my law classes & the sleep I definitely needed to get, I stayed up late reading into the early morning hours. The more I read, the more I wanted to keep reading & the harder it was to put the book down. The ending will definitely touch you... as I read the last couple of chapters, tears rolled down my face & the events caused me to really think about my faith. I will be sending this book to my friends... it's definitely worth reading!

Think about all of the people you've known in your life. A few will stand out from all the others. Something about them makes you want to spend time with them, to get to know them more intimately, to learn from them. Sarah Lavine is like that. She is the main character of this book and, as I read the book, I found myself wishing I could sit down and talk to her, even if it mean sharing her very dangerous circumstances. Like the few people you've met who were worth knowing, Sarah has something at her core (in her soul) that is important, alive and true. She knows something that maybe you don't. So you need to spend time with her and learn from her. It's only 216 pages. It won't take you long. In fact, it's too short. It left me wanting to learn more.