Languages Books

We've all had the experience of reading a book the way one savors a fabulous meal. We savor every word, each surprising turn and revelation, and the last thing we want is for the experience to come to an end.

That's how I ended up reading Fingerpainting on the Moon. The deeper I got into the book, the slower I read--not because it was difficult. I slowed down because the experience was so delicious and I did not want it to end. In this way I passed two wonderful months keeping company with Peter Levitt's generous, talented mind and spirit, and I emerged changed.

Levitt is a born teacher, an advanced spiritual being, and a fine poet. His profound insights into the craft of writing as a spiritual vessel are many, and they all serve to deepen anyone's committed spiritual practice.

This is a book to share with friends and loved ones, and to pass out to strangers on the street! It should be required reading in all creative courses from beginners to graduate students.

Peter Levitt knows exactly where poetry and the spirit live, and he's a magician at showing us how to gain access to both.

Thank you, Peter Levitt, and bless you!

--Robert McDowell, The Poetry Mentor [...]is the author of POETRY AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE (July 15th, 2008) from Free Press.

Peter Levitt was one of my teachers in graduate school. I'd been waiting for this book for several years, and I was not disappointed. I think this book takes the reader (participant) deep into their own psyches -- it is very meaty and dense -- in that these are not "fluff" exercises and concepts. I will be able to use many of these exercises with my students, as well as with my own creative process. This is a wonderful investment in your creative life.

I make a habit of reading one book on the craft of writing at all times, so over the years I have read a good deal on the subject--from Henry Miller to Mary Oliver, I've covered some territory. I love this book. It is full of surprises. I thought I'd heard it all and I am delightfully mistaken.

This book was chosen for a Spirituality and Health Award in Creativity as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2003 - and I can see why. Levitt's teachings took me to the root of my own creativity as a writer in a way that helped me to discover sources of my own spirituality I didn't even know existed. He is a great story teller, a great teacher, a great writer, and his method of drawing the reader down to where it really counts is phenomenal and profound. I'm already working this book from cover to cover for the second time this year!
If you're reading this review, you've probably read the books by his peers - Goldberg and Cameron. Without fail, Levitt's approach will take you even further on the path of creativity and awareness than ever before. This was certainly true for me as a writer, but a few painter friends have used this book and they agree. One last thing - Levitt's voice is so affirming, he seems so in love with life and, honestly, with his reader, that he guides past all obstacles to the depths with a compassionate and gentle hand!

Reading this volume summons an almost meditative state, as the wise teacher encourages the reader, as student, to go deeper within for answers, and most importantly, for questions.
While this book might be an instruction manual for writing deeper material I find it also a soothing voice, affirming the powers of creation and individuality within the wilderness of wires, noise and clutter that engulf much of life in the 21st century.
Especially valued are Peter Levitt's examples from a variety of literary and spiritual traditions.
Caution: studying this book might free your imagination, awaken your life.

quick delivery and good product. I ordered a used book and it was in excellent condition. reached my expectations

Despite it being targeted at advanced students, I, being a serious student, learned German almost completely from this book alone. The structure of the language is stated in the most clear and concise way imaginable, and the exercises strive to enhance retention of the material in each chapter.

The only problem was vocabulary - which I fronted with looking up words in a German-English dictionary, refering to rules stated in German in Review, and creating my own vocabulary exercises. (I don't however recommend this to anyone, unless you are willing to devote yourself to practice)

All in all it's an EXCELLENT book on German grammar, and it is the BEST you will ever find, that I'll guarantee. It would be best to pair it with a vocabulary builder or any textbook you're working with right now. Or, if you are serious about learning by yourself (like I was), and you aren't afraid of grammar and repetitive drills, go for it and try learning with this book.

I lived in Germany for two years, and every morning I spent 30 minutes studying out of this book. After about a year I felt comfortable enough with my German to start learning a third language.

I tutor German at the university now. One of the main concerns my students have is that they just need more practice. The textbook their class uses provides very few exercises (almost none), so I started bringing to our tutoring sessions my old "German in Review" which provides MANY exercises for each lesson. I also soon found that this book was great at explaining concepts with which my students struggle, so we'll often read an entire lesson together in this book.

This book is great. The price is high but I used after not using German for several years. It's simple and straight to the point with easy examples. For a school text or just review I recommend it.

I used this book while in Germany learning German. I just read through the entire thing, wrote everything down, and memorized it all. It has everything in it. I couldn't have learned German without it. But, if you don't have a firm understanding of grammar and foreign language, it might be tough, as it is a "review".

This book quickly grabbed my heart and never let go!

Joey Willis is deaf, and her mother refuses to let her learn sign language. While out collecting mushrooms, Joey meets an elderly man, Dr. Charles Mansell, and his baby chimpanzee, Sukari. He communicates with the chimp by signing.

Joey and Sukari have much in common. Both have been hurt by human ignorance. Joey struggles to free herself from an abusive past. Can she find the courage to save Sukari from a similar fate?

The greatest magic of this book is how the author depicts Sukari. I cared as much for her fate as if she were a human child.

I defy anybody to read HURT GO HAPPY without crying. It's that powerful. I plan to read it again.

This is the best book I've ever read about a chimp or a monkey. It was beautiful and full of meaning. A wonderful book.

Hurt Go Happy is about a young girl named Joey Willis who is deaf because of her father being abusive. Joey has a difficult time communicating with other students. Joey goes on an expedition and runs into Charlie, an old man who owns a chimpanzee named Sukari who uses sign language to communicate. Her mother does not approve of her using sign language because Joey will be seen as different in the hearing society. Therefore, Joey struggles to please her mother and pursue her interest in American Sign Language. This book is appropriate for grades fifth through eighth grade. Students reading this book may learn to be tolerant and empathetic of other's differences.

This book made me cry. I read almost a book a day, which is about 350 books a year. Not many of them make me cry, but this one did. Hurt Go Happy is the most touching and emotional book I have ever read. Ginny Rorby's writing allows you to become the character(s), and see everything through their eyes.
Early in the story, we meet Joey Willis, a rambunctious 13 year old who has been deaf for 7 years. She comes across Dr. Charles Mansell and his pet chimpanzee, Sukari. She immediately likes them and they become friends quickly. Joey's mother, on the other hand, is disgusted by the thought of being near a chimp, and thinks that Charlie is a perverse old man. Joey is amazed that anyone could not like Sukari, an adorable, chocolate colored, three and a half year old chimp.
Sukari can speak in sign language and acts like a normal child. She wears diapers and clothes, has temper tantrums and has a time out corner. She is covered in thin, silky brown hair, white on her bottom (hence the name Sukari, which means "sugar bottom") She carries around a doll and loves to be tickled and to have books read to her. Her favorite snack is raisins, which she begs for constantly.
Most of the action in the story takes place in Charlie's home. His house is built onto the side of a mountain. It is surrounded by huge trees and hills and lots of mushrooms. The inside is a mess, due to Sukari's constant temper tantrums and quick changes of ideas for entertainment. Her room is laced with ropes that she can hang on and a platform. Strewn around are various toys and dolls.
While Joey loves spending time with Sukari at Charlie's house, her mother still does not approve. The main conflict in the story is between Joey and her mother. In addition to not wanting her to be friends with Charlie, her mother also refuses to let Joey learn sign language. Joey has always wanted to learn, but her mother won't let her because she wants her to be "normal", and she (her mother) thinks sign language will make her stand out even more than being deaf already does. However, Joey rebels by secretly learning sign language so she can better communicate with Charlie and Sukari.
The main theme of this story is to not give up on your dreams. Joey always dreamed of learning sign language, and being with other deaf people. She had to work through many difficulties, but once her mother saw how dedicated she was, she allowed her to go to a school for the deaf. This success all happened because Joey was focused on what she wanted, and did not give up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone, whether they like to read or not. Hurt Go Happy was a wonderful and moving story that I loved, and I'm sure that you will, too.

As an eighth-grade English teacher, I read young adult novels in hopes of finding a piece of writing that I can offer to my students -- one that they will enjoy, learn from, find easily, and connect to whatever else I am teaching at the time. I will admit that I don't read as many books as I should, but I do a lot of research on the prospective books in advance by reading reviews from others (thanks, Amazon!), so I can use my limited reading time wisely.

HURT GO HAPPY came to me as one of Florida's 2008-2009 Sunshine State recommended texts for students in grades 6 through 8. Researching these fifteen titles to find the couple of diamonds among them requires the use of feedback from Amazon reviewers, and this book came with glowing recommendations.

I was worried by the description that this book would be one of those formulaic, teen adventures, in this case with a deaf girl trying to save a chimpanzee -- NOT what I would call a genre I was giving much hope to. Luckily, these other reviews dispelled that dread, giving me hope that there was something more to this interestingly titled piece.

As an English and Drama teacher, I have to admit that my favorite part of what I teach is the subject of Theme (not as in "essay," or "recurring motif," but "the lessons, morals and wisdom a story has to offer"). I embrace books that come to their themes honestly, creatively and passionately. The greatest works offer themes that sink so deep into our minds, hearts and souls that we cannot remove these lessons from ourselves, no matter how hard we try. You don't have to read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD more than once to feel that the power of its lessons will NEVER leave you; you only have to think about this type of book years afterward, and you can still feel the impression it has left on you without even trying. These are books we love and consider our favorites.

I didn't think that this book would be anywhere nearly as successful as it turns out to be. Its multiple themes (primary and secondary) are all, oxymoronically, both bold and subtle. However, it is the major theme of HURT GO HAPPY that stays and drives the entire work: We must live up to our responsibilities -- to each other, to our world, to ourselves. This theme shows up in HURT GO HAPPY in each of the key relationships in the story, as well as in some of the minor ones. Some characters have lived up to their responsibilities and others have not. A strong writer will show you both sides of the coin, as it were. Author Ginny Rorby has wisely allowed us to see how our actions (and inactions) affect us and others, sometimes in an intensely painful way (both emotionally and physically). Great authors tend to not shy away from the ugly side of life, and Rorby has written a book that has a tremendous number of layers to it (both beautiful and ugly).

Deeply, deeply felt, HURT GO HAPPY is powerful, and surprised me greatly. The relationship with Joey and her mother seems very one-dimensional at first, but drives the theme in a devastatingly real way as it proves to be very much three-dimensional. Joey's mother Ruth spends her life avoiding her past and, apparently, the future, as well. Her denial for Joey to live in the world in which Joey actually exists (deaf, friendless, and wanting) is painful for us, and when Joey tries to break out of this awful reality, Ruth insists that that cannot be. We begin to see Ruth as selfish, and she is, but as Ginny Rorby develops this magnificent tale of a young girl finding that her responsibilities are to be the driving force of her life, we get to see Ruth as a hurt, wounded creature who has failed in her own life. A small, but beautifully poignant moment in the middle of the book started me on the path to getting excited about HURT GO HAPPY. The rest of the book only heightened that initial excitement.

Joey is a magnificent protagonist, one of my favorites of the past few years, who has to fight to be heard (yeah, I guess that pun is intended). Her observations and reactions to life are pieces of gold for teachers like me. Metaphorically speaking, this is a treasure trove as well -- a trove of metaphors, that is. Rorby has developed wonderfully subtle metaphors as well as bold metaphors that should shake a student's understanding of what finely crafted writing is -- so much so that any student should be able to truly understand and appreciate that the best writing requires great thought, constant planning and driving passion.

Perhaps I fell in love with this book when the meaning of the odd title revealed itself late in the text. It made wonderful, heartfelt sense on a very basic level, but it really sank into that part deep within my heart, soul and mind when I understood that it was the PERFECT title because, metaphorically, it dealt not only with Sukari the chimpanzee, but far more importantly, it spoke of Joey and Ruth and of their failures of the past. At that point, this became the book I was looking for. I can't imagine that any other book I read in the next year will be able to compare.

You MUST read this book.

(And as a side-note, I will be using this book as a companion piece to THE MIRACLE WORKER -- not only because of the subject of deafness, but because I teach THE MIRACLE WORKER to explore metaphor and deeper meanings. I can't wait!)

My children all grew up on this one, by not only learning animals, but being proud of who you are. I have been reading it every night to my 18 month old for a year. He wont go tho bed without it, and he has alredy learned how to recognize all the animals in the book.

I love this book. I read this book to my neice everytime she comes to visit. It has a wonderful moral to the story and kids are sure to really be engaged in the story everytime you read it!

My toddler son received this book as a gift for his first birthday. It came highly recommended from a teen friend who had treasured it as a childhood favorite. We weren't disappointed. I am not sure if it is the language, simple illustrations, or the premise but he never tires of It's Not Easy Being a Bunny. Not only do we recommend this book, we have already purchased it for other first birthday gifts. We give it an unequivocal A+ rating.

My little guy doesn't have any patience for books except for this one and "Put Me in the Zoo". We have to read this to him almost 4 times a day, and he can finish the ends of the sentences. It's so fun to see him enjoy books, and hopefully it will introduce him to other books too. I highly recommend this one. It's fun, helps with animal recognition, etc..

Now it's my daughter's (3 years old) favorite book.
I don't know how long it's going to last, but it's been at least 3 weeks that we read this book a couple of time every day.
She knows every word in it. And she loves the fun sounds I make( for Moose and to show the expression of P.J. when he tried to live with the skunks)
I don't know how deep she can understand it right now, but it's fun to read and our whole family enjoys it, bacause at least once a day my daughter asks everyone to listen to it.
I'm sure that it will be a nice book for early readers, because of the repetitive words.

How do I pay rightful tribute to Keys to Great Writing? It's not enough to say this book is worth far more than its cover price.
Author Stephen Wilbers earned his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, and he knows an awful lot about words and how they work. Although this book is written as a guide to improving nonfiction writing, the principles conveyed can be applied to any type of writing, including fiction.
Wilbers's approach to punctuation--in the chapter titled Music--is a call to celebrate what colons and semicolons, dashes and periods, exclamation marks and commas can accomplish for a writer. "Listen to your voice. Punctuate your beat," Wilbers advises. Other chapters guide us through subjects such as Action, Personality, Purpose, Organization, Drafting, and Revising.
Keys to Great Writing is a work of erudition worthy of respect from academics, and yet it can be read and understood by people with a high school education. Wilbers doesn't use his position as a scholar to shut out intuition, either, reminding the reader to "allow your heart to suggest an unexplored path."
You've got to read it for yourself to get the full benefit. Highly recommended!

Stephen Wilbers' "Keys to Great Writing" is a wonderful book. I've read most of the classic books on writing and this is by far my favorite. Even when presenting well-known advice ("Omit needless words"), the examples are fresh and usually better than wherever I first read such advice ("Elements of Style" in that case). Wilbers has a very sly sense of humor that pops through in many sections.

The book is split into three sections. The first covers the "keys to great writing" (economy, precision, action, music, and personality). The second covers "Elements of Composition." The last section is by far the smallest but was perhaps the most useful to me. It is on the writing process itself.

I enjoyed the book so much that I tracked down the author via email and paid him to review two chapters of the next book I'm writing. I wanted to see how well I'd done at taking his advice from the book.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I bought this book for a guide to improve my writing skills for work as well as my module assignments.

Wilbers is nationally recognized columnist on writing. His book combines the best ideas and examples on how to write simply, and on how to write well. He captures the heart and flavor of numerous other books on writing and rhetoric, and presents them in a simple, readable, understandable style. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is not only an easy read, but an enjoyable one. The examples of good and bad writing clearly illustrate a running theme in the book: It is not just what you say, but how you say it that matters in effective writing. My law partners liked this book so much that we distributed copies to partners and associates alike, and I personally gave copies to everyone in my family attending high school or college. At the present price, buying this book is a "no-brainer." This book is also well indexed, which makes it useful as a reference. I keep a copy on my desk.

Intelligent, well organized and fun to read, this book is a "must have" if you want to improve your own writing or help others to improve theirs.

The young Hal and his instructor in the art of living the good life , Falstaff cavort through the first half of Henry IV as if life were going to be one long , irresponsible entertainment. The dramatic transformation of all of this , and Hal's casting off of Falstaff, and moving to kingly responsibility will come in the Henry IV Part II.
What is present here throughout is the tremendous richness of Shakespeare's imagination in his creation of character, and inventiveness in language , in his ability to create so many different moods and feelings.
'Falstaff' is one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, and one of the great figures in the Comedy of world literature.
Enjoy.

In Part One of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," the titular king tries to defend his throne from a rebel army led by the hotheaded Hotspur, who has a long list of grievances about the king's treatment of his family, the Percys. Hotspur has allied himself with several principal figures including his uncle the Earl of Worcester, his brother-in-law Mortimer the Earl of March, Lord Douglas the Scot, and Owen Glendower, a Welsh chieftain with a vivid mystical imagination -- he is so egotistical that he insists an earthquake that occurred the day of his birth was a divine proclamation of his importance -- and a desire to usurp all of Wales from the king.

While he is preparing for war against the rebels, Henry IV laments that his own son Henry (Hal), the Prince of Wales, is a shameful libertine living the high life in London and consorting with a gang of scurrilous miscreants. Indeed, Prince Hal's idea of fun is robbing people, and his best friend and accomplice in this activity is Sir John Falstaff, who turns out to be not Hal's peer but a middle-aged man. In a character transformation of an abruptness that can only be described as magical, Hal becomes a serious young man determined loyally to defend his father's kingship from Hotspur's assault after he receives an earnest lecture from his father about the dangers of acting irresponsibly as a public figure.

Not enough can be said about Falstaff, who is undoubtedly one of the most richly realized characters in literature. He is fat, lazy, cowardly, yet boastful, but not in the same way Owen Glendower is -- Owen really believes what he says; Falstaff is just trying to make himself look better than he actually is, but fools nobody because he prevaricates and embellishes without bothering to remember his previous lies for the sake of consistency. You probably know somebody like this in real life -- especially if you're ten years old. Falstaff's piquancy, in fact, so outweighs the stature of the other characters that his absence is sorely felt in the scenes in which he does not appear.

Most of all, Part One of "Henry IV" is a play of contrasts personified by Prince Hal and Hotspur, who incidentally is also named Henry. In their confrontation on the battlefield, it seems unlikely that Hal, who wasted many of his best days living as a rake, could conquer a seasoned warrior like Hotspur in a swordfight. But there wouldn't be much of a tale to tell if not to show Hal triumphing after his resolution to change his weak habits, and the play ends with the conviction that, despite his past mistakes, he would make a noble king himself.

This is the play where the Percy rebellion begins and centers around the Achilles-like Hotspur. Eventually, Hotspur (Henry Percy) and Prince Hal (Henry Monmouth - later Henry V) battle in single combat.

We also get to see the contrast between these young men in temperament and character. King Henry wishes his son were more like Hotspur. Prince Hal realizes his own weaknesses and seems to try to assure himself (and us) that when the time comes he will change and all his youthful foolishness will be forgotten. Wouldn't that be a luxury we wish we could all have afforded when we were young?

Of course, Prince Hal's guide through the world of the cutpurse and highwayman is the Lord of Misrule, the incomparable Falstaff. His wit and gut are featured in full. When Prince Hal and Poins double-cross Falstaff & company, the follow on scenes are funny, but full of consequence even into the next play.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

I am actually reviewing both Parts One and Two with this since they should be read together.The reason why I enjoyed these plays so much is because we see Falstaff in both of them. He is my favourite Shakespearean character - big, bawdy, rough, a liar and a cheat, but again we know what he is right from the beginning, and Shakespeare keeps him so true to character. These plays are a bit different from some of the other histories. There are more comedic parts in them for one thing. The plays are certainly used as a medium for introducing young Hal (who will become King Henry V). We see him as a young man, and watch him grow and see the influences that his society and the people in it have on his development. He doesn't appear to be growing up well according to his father because he is so irresponsible. King Henry IV was not England's strongest ruler. He was haunted by his guilt over the death of his predecessor, King Richard II. In Part Two, comedy still plays a big role, and we still see Falstaff's influence on young Hal until the shocking moment of Falstaff's death. The best part about Part Two though is the deathbed scene between old King Henry IV and his son Prince Henry. The play leads us to "King Henry V". Prince Hal does finally grow up and he becomes a very strong leader. Actually King Henry Iv, Parts one and two should be read before King Henry V. It is the correct sequence and we see Prince Hal grow and mature.

Henry IV remains one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, even though the tragedies and comedies get far more attention and seeming appreciation than do the histories. As an English major, I examined Henry's (Hal's) character, and I focused on his development from a somewhat foolhardy young man into a self-assured, even manipulative prince. It is hard to say which of these Hal truly is, or if he is a little bit of both.

At the beginning of the play, Hal spends his free time cavorting around with his friend Falstaff (who provides all of the laughs in the play and is cited as one of the best comic characters in all literature). In the first act we already see hints in Hal's sololiquy that he may not be as carefree as we are led to believe, and that he might betray friends like Falstaff to be the prince that he is expected to be. Read on in "Henry V" to see just how much of a polished politician Hal becomes--his battle cries and his "once more unto the breech, dear friends" is masterful in its persuasiveness and ability to induce his countrymen to fight.

Hotspur serves as a nice counterpoint to Hal in "Henry IV." Hotspur is the hothead and Hal makes his decisions calmly and rationally. This almost inhuman rationality comes into play again in "Henry V" and makes you long for the seemingly carefree Hal.

All in all, "Henry IV" is a great read and quite an interesting character study--I highly recommend it!

My nephew just immigrated from China and asked me to get a dictionary for him. I told him that I would get the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

I bought the dictionary when I was a student in London about ten years ago. I tried a number of dictionaries before I was introduced this one. My landlady used to show my dictionary to other foreign students as I used too often to keep in a good shape.

Well, I don't use it as much as I used to but I highly recommend it to any foreign student. You cannot afford not having it ! In fact, I bought one for my niece and I will buy one for my nephew too. I am sure that it will be the best gift for them ever.

I like the book very much. I love it. I keep it in a saft place, I always put it away after studying. NOTE:
I've found a bug on page 1637, look at the entry "widow", (NOT window).
the entry has "-see aslo GRASS WIDOW" cross-reference, but I can't find the entry "grass widow", the nearest entry found is "grassy". I'm not complaining. The dictionary is very useful, very handy. I'm a foreign student studying Computer Science in US. Excuse my English.

This is perfect dictionary if you wanna learn english of all kinds: formal, informal, slang, literary. etc. It only uses the most common words to define a word. It defines a word in American/British/Australian/Canadian/NewZealander/Pakistani/ Indian meanings. This was the first English to English dictionary i ever used, i was scared at first, but i was tired of unsatisfactory results in English to my native language. This dictionary proved to be amazing, its easy as 1-2-3. The usage notes, wonderful pictures, other illustrations to define words are extremely helpful useful. There's simply no other dictionary like this. I recently moved to USA from Pakistan. Looking at how i speak and write/read english ,nobody can believe believe that i just moved here. Some people assume i'm born american. I even learned that word 'assume' with help of this dictionary that is more helpful than the dictionaries translated in my couple of native languages. By the way, after moving to USA, i soon bought Longman dictionay of american english with CD-ROM. :-)

Because of my eyes I bought the book with the CD-ROM. The explanations are well done and really helpful (they earn a 5). The size of the text is good for my eyes too. But the handling of the program is a nuisance.

If you reduce the size of the window the size of the frames and letters remains unchanged and you end up hiding parts of the content. If you want to use all the features you need a full sized window.

There is virtually no thesaurus or I am not able to use it.

Last but not least: when I had completely installed the program I put the book and the CD-ROM in a cupboard far away to leave my desk tidy, believing it was for ever. Unfortunately at Longman's they want to control you and they force you to insert the disk into the cd-rom player from time to time. As it happened to me, when you mostly need an explanation you may have to frantically search in your cupboards for the cd-rom.
5 for the explanations, 2 for the handling: 3 stars for the CD-ROM.

I've been using this excellent dictionary since the last 8 years. Actually, I can undoubtedly say that this is the BEST dictionary I have ever used for learning English! It's very simple and user-friendly.
Features include:

- Clarifications of the use of a word in a spoken compared to written English.
- Graphs to show the difference in frequency of the use between words in speech and writing, between synonyms etc.
- Highlights thousands of phrases and collocations in the nearest possible way.
- Color and black-and-white illustrations from the parts of a car to the sounds !
- Over 80,000 words and phrases with easy-to-understand definitions.
- Pronunciation key with the proper stress in the word syllabus.
- Signposts in longer entries to help you find the meaning that you need.
- References to other words and phrases, and to pictures and usage notes.
- Words that are often used together are shown in dark type, and followed by an example or an explanation e.g. under the word (argument) you will find (have an argument) (get into an argument) (win / lose an argument) etc.
- Grammatical information is shown in brackets, or in dark type before an example.
- Shows the difference between British and American English including: the pronunciation & spelling differences, words & meaning, differences in grammar, and differences in phrases & collocations.
- Appendix contains Tables (Numbers, Weights & measures, Military Ranks, Word formation, The verb "be", Irregular verbs, Geographical names,
- 3rd Edition comes in 1668 pages, published in 1997.

This is a full discipline for teaching English, not just an ordinary dictionary ! It's essential for your desk, especially if your mother tongue is not English.

The illustrations in this are clever, detailed, and beautiful. It's a very fun twist on an old favorite story.

The Three Little Javelinas (Reading Rainbow Book)
I BUY THIS BOOK FREQUENTLY FOR BOTH MY ENGLISH AND SPANISH FRIENDS. IT IS PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND IS A WONDERFUL STORY. MAKES A GREAT GIFT

This story has a multitude of educational features included in an updated story of 'three little critters' and their adventures facing adversity-together- with a good ending for the three little ones- and justice delivered to the 'bad guy'-

Living in the southwest this is one of my favorite baby gifts to give. This and a little stuffed Javelina from the toy store make such a cute pair.

Who hasn't heard of or read the classic story for children, The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf? In this retelling, the pigs are javelinas, and the wolf is the trickster, the coyote. Instead of houses made of straw, sticks, and bricks, the houses are made of tumbleweed, cactus ribs, and adobe bricks.

The ending won't surprise you. There's a reason coyotes howl like they mean it.

This is a cute retelling, with gorgeous illustrations by Jim Harris. There's a lot of opportunity to put some vocal variety into your reading when you have that favorite kid sitting by you. And if you like this type of retelling, don't forget to look up the book The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig!

I have used this material for years and I am still amazed by its significance in my spiritual growth. This oracle offers wonderful insight, encouragement and hope as we all progress up ascension's ladder. It is also a bit funky and offbeat, so it differs from many other oracle cards, so I would think it would be great additional to almost anyone who is a spiritual seeker.

This book is great when talking about "sellos", but the "tonos " are a little too free version commented...I teach maya calendar and I use the cards for explaining the sellos ...and I use the poems, it is very good...it might have had some information in relation to the maya moons, totemic moons, but it is still good.

This is such a wonderful spiritual tool to access deep levels within the self. I highly recommend this. It is wonderful!

I am very interested in mysterious things, happenings..and Mayan Civilization is one of them..alongwith my interests for oracles....when i came across the Mayan Oracle..i had to have it..and so i did :)

Clearly states in intelligent terms the way of thinking of the MAyans.
Living with the 13 moons a year,as they appear in the sky, rather than the HAllmark version for 12 per year etc, allows the bodies circadian rhythms to keep the body healthy.
Worth studying.

Slightly worn but in great shape considering it's age. Learned of this text from straightdope.com and worth every penny.

I own two worn-out copies, because I enjoy this book too much to be without. Before buying my first copy of Mrs. Byrnes Dictionary, I couldn't use the word cephalonamancy in a sentence. Can you imagine?

Get a copy!

The book, which I love, was in excellent condition. I was surprised by the speed of delivery. Thanx.

Etymology is a guilty pleasure of mine-- and this book is the guiltiest of them all! Deliciously obscure words all at my fingertips...what more could i ask for. This copy was hard to come by... i think it's out of print now and so if you happen to see a used copy somewhere, no matter how dog-earred, grab it! You won't be disappointed. It's a gem.

I was given an earlier printing of this book when I first learned to read, and I think it has something to do with my childhood nickname of "Dictionary Breath." It has remained among my most treasured possessions!

While some of the words don't really seem to merit an entry in this book over its a delightful collection. There are some words such as "grassation" (to lie in wait to attack) which are so incredibly useful I don't know why they aren't in more common circulation.

I would like to see the etymology included, but speculating about a word's etymology and then looking it up elsewhere has become part of the game for me and my friends.