Titles Books

This was a favorite of mine when I was in elementary school. I read it many, many times. I am so glad Amazon has it becaise my local library did not.

The Finch family was in desparate straits. They had to find a house to rent in the town of Ashfield. Finally they were given the only available house, along with a warning: it had a very unusual furnace - a small volcano. This book describes the lengths that the family must go to in order to keep their "furnace" a secret to their neighbors. The climax comes when the volcano starts to grow larger! The author of this book has an unbelievable imagination. My brother and sisters and I have read this book many times. We thoroughly enjoy it.

This is a wonderfull faery book for all ages! This great book tells of the various types of faeries that live in India, Arabia, Alaska, Polynesia, Asia, Great Britain, North America, Europe, Africa, and Centrel and South America. It also talks about different recipes and crafts you can make for certain faeries, like suger frosted flowers and a faery fan. This great book also talks about how to throw a indoor or outdoor faery party, and how to attract them to your garden. I reccomend this book to anyone who loves and believes in faeries, and wishes to learn more about them. I do not reccomend this book to those who do not have a open mind.

The Fae Girl

This is a wonderful overview of fairies from all over the world including Africa, Arabia,and Asia among others. Included are fairy games and foods they love. Well written, and the illustrations are lovely- a treat for fairy lovers of all ages.

This book is a gem. It explains the fundamentals underlying FEM and also has examples of practical applications. The overall presentation is clear, easy to read, and rigorous. It is an excellent introduction to the topic that I find myself referring back to time and again.

I haven't found a better book out there to explore Finite Element. The author covers all important topics, spending time to get the necessary information and then moves on. Great for an introduction and as a reference.

excellent book for those who like to know more about Somalia

it's the most valueble book i ever rea

Most readers who come to this text are, no doubt, overly familiar with the more playful spiritual intensity of Japanese Zen, whether it be through the writings of stoic mountain hermits (say, Dogen); the peripatetic musings of hip flask, sake swilling outcasts (say, Santoka Taneda or Ryokan); the no nonesense monastic types (say, Hakuin); the earthy, gritty advice for living in the modern world (say, DT Suzuki); or even the American literati influences (say, Gary Snyder).

Far fewer readers, however, will be familiar with the logistical organization of Zen temples in Japan. As esteemed Japan expert Edwin O. reischauer writes in the brief preface, "It is ironic that Zen philosophy, which is commonly charaterized as being beyond words, has inspired millions of words in English print, whereas Zen instituions, though vastly important in many aspects of medieval Japanese civilization and in no way beyond description, has drawn so few."

Indeed.

Yet, does a book about the logistical organization of Rinzai's Gozan ("Five Mountain") temples sound boring?

Perhaps. But let me tell you: this text is anything but boring! Author Martin Collcut takes a seemingly mundane subject and delivers a delightfully informative product that will not disappoint even the most discerning reader. Moreover, he neatly ties the development of the temple system into the existing socio-political milieu of Medieval Japan.

Quite frankly, this is a dream book for a Japanese history "otaku" (lit: "buff," or worse, "nerd" or "geek") like myself: clear and detailed but highly readable, unlike so many other academic texts.

Lastly, I do not think you need to have too much knowledge of Japanese history or even Buddhism for that matter, as Collcutt does a great job of keeping the reader informed and up to date. Roughly speaking, there are three main branches of Zen in Japan: Rinzai (founded by Eisai), Soto (Dogen), and the lesser known Obaku (imported by Chinese monks in the Tokugawa Era). This book, of course, focuses on how the first, Rinzai Zen, which mirrored the organization of its "five mountain temples" on the Chinese model (and literally had main temples on five mountain sites).

Though this book is full of details, it exceedingly engrossing at every turn. I wish I could give it 10 stars.

Buy it today!

Not everyone wants to explore the history of Rinzai Zen as an Institution - but, if you do, Martin Collcutt's study is a veritable treasure trove. Potted within its pages (382, excluding the index and bibliography), you will find fascinating references to just about everything of significance concerning the formation of the 'Gozan' or 'Five Mountain System' - its precedents in Sung China, its patrons and supporters in Japan, the temple builders, key figures, secular and religious, all the regulations, and all the myriad processes involved in the maintenance of these inter-linked temple complexes.

Even at their best, studies like this can be tedious, in places, but this well informed account is never dry. It explores macrocosmic factors, and surveys microcosmic details. Collcutt conveys an almost organic picture of the entire complex of processes - social, technical,human and spiritual - which brought the 'Gozan' system into being and made it a living entity. While all of this was ultimately directed to one end - the spiritual life nurtured in the Sodo or monks hall, Collcutt's study makes us keenly aware of the managerial and administrative skills required to run such large complexes. Rather like their equivalent in medieval or late medieval Europe, these monastic institutions virtually became thriving 'businesses'- running large landed estates, even employing hired labour. Beating the Medici family to the game by several centuries, the Chinese Buddhists were the first people to print paper money - and lend it at interest. As with the European monastic institutions, corruption and worldliness sometimes took over. Similar traits sometimes characterised life in the Japanese temples. Collcutt's study can be statistical in places, but this is always tempered by the human interest - the notable figures and events which have shaped life in these temples. It details the virtues, vices and the vicissitudes, which have left their mark upon the Gozan system.

What a comical book! My son loves it and it was easy for him to read and understand.

My kids laughed all the way through it. They were given a chance to count and talk through the fishermen and their mistakes. My oldest read it and laughingly told me I had to read it to my 2 1/2 year old. Fishing is very big in our house and the book was picked for that connection but is well worth reading.

I loved the book but I made the mistake of buying this and all the rest of the seasons, trees and flower fairies books as well as the Complete Book of the Flower Faires". I then realized that all the pictures in the small book were the same as the big one. So I wasted $ with shipping both ways. Oh well live and learn. Beautiful pictures though.

Cicily Mary Barker portrays accurate floral depictions with vibrant imagination. The fairies are endearing and realistic. Her exquisite illustrations and quaint, lovely poems are a joy for readers of all ages. Especially delightful in this edition is the Hollyberry Fairy.

We are decorating notebooks with these, making our own greeting cards, sticking them on wall calendars, and using them in our scrapbooks and journals. We just love them. We have also been using them as examples to draw our own fairy art. This has provided us with hours of fun so I think this was a very good buy.

While searching for sticker activity books for my 3yo twin granddaughters, I discovered these marvelous books - the Flower Fairies. They are beautifully drawn...lovely and memorable. I enjoyed them as much as Sarah & Gabriella.

'Fluffy Plants a Jellybean' is a delightful addition to the Fluffy series and a good example of Fluffy's silly charm. My son (third grade) was a book-hating non-reader until he met Fluffy. Fluffy changed that. In 9 months my son has gained almost 3 years in reading ability. A good part of that gain was his desire to read the Fluffy books. These books are great fun for kids and parents. The Jellybean story with it's combination of Fluffy and the Jack and the Beanstalk tale is particularly enjoyable.

It is a great book.Iloved it and think you would love it too!It is about when Fluffy thinks that jellybeans grow into jellybean plants,so he decides to plant one in the class garden.Later Fluffy dreams that a jellybean stalk grows.

Eve
Age 8

This book is very entertaining reading with beautiful illustrations. My 2 yr old daughter loves to hear it, but I think I enjoy it even more. The book is about 4 girls who need to make it in the world. They do not want to be dependent on anyone, but know that being women will make it difficult to become successful. It explains how they learn their trades & land great jobs. In the end, they marry men who love them for who they are and the skills that they have (but marriage was not their only goal in life). In addition, the words of the princess bride can teach a lesson for the next generation.

This story has cleverness, humor and, of course, a happy ending. Four orphaned sisters surmise that they need to hide their identities to thrive in a man's world. They go their separate ways, and seven years later return to their mother's grave as a tailor, a hunter, a finger artist and a star gazer. Together, they combine their skills to win jobs at the king's court, and in the course of their service rescue a princess and her four brothers and end up living happily ever after.

The winking starts when the king's mother realizes that the servants are women but can't prove it because the sisters outwit her- not by playing into her stereotypes, but by playing the part and not playing the part. The mother, though she knows she is right, shows compassion and leaves off her pursuit. The princess, however, the seeming damsel in distress, figures it out and proves it quickly (but I won't tell how!).

This entertaining fairytale is a good story on its face but will also provide slightly older readers (ages 7 and up) with the opportunity to talk about gender roles and stereotypes.