Game Studies Books

I love this book especially for the younger age groups. It really helped me to see how you should set up games and what is important to include in all lessons. Great job Mr. Weiss!!!!

Excellent book for ANY grade level. The games can be adapted to suit the needs of your children. Howie Weiss has put this book together nicely. All of the games are easy to follow and can be adapted to suit the needs of your children, space and equipment.

It is great when you are creating a lesson plan because all of the games and activities are based on the NASPE's National Standards. I teach High School and my kids at that age STILL love all of the activities that I have done so far.

This book is definitely a must have!

If you are in need of the physical educator's Bible ,then this book is a must not only for younger teachers , but also for (us) veterans who need to be re-tooled.Howie's book hits the mark of excellence. It is apparent from the very beginning that his book has the ability to change the way physical education is preceived.
Howie's wealth of experience is noticeable on each page. He leaves so many variations and alternatives that can be used in all areas of education. This is not only a " How to Book ", it is a why, and a I wish I had this twenty years ago.I call this book a page turner because I couldn't wait to see what Howie would come up with next . He didn't dissapoint , in fact , this book gave me the energy to continue my quest to become even more active beyond retirement . Howie, thanks again for giving us a different view of the way to teach and to reach out to make a difference. Great job ! and will there be a sequel?
Gerry Cernicky

Mr. Weiss' book is a must have for every Physical Educator who is looking for new games to utilize in their physical education classes. The games and activities in the book can be easily implemented, and most require little or no equipment. In addition, these activities all can lead to meeting NASPE and state standards for Physical Education. If you are committed to providing a quality phyiscal education program for your students, this book is a must have for your library of resources!

Score one for day camps! This is an indispensable guide of exciting age based games sure to be a source of fun, as well as, build self esteem. A true find for both novice and experienced athletic directors.
This will be a great addition to my summer program
Susan Wortman
summer camp director

When I was in middle school, my friend Scott and I occupied our time on the school bus by playing a string game called "Cat's Cradle." Although repetitive, it was a fun game; it took many hours of play before we finally grew tired of it. That game is one of many described in this book.
Until I read it, I was unaware of how many different string games there were in the cultures of the world. Korea, Japan, China, India, Borneo, the Philippines, Aleuts in Alaska, the Navahos of New Mexico, the Osage of Oklahoma, pygmies of the Congo, the Pacific island of Nauru, and Uap in the Caroline islands is just a partial list of the points of origin of the string games described in this book. The construction of each figure is explained using a sequence of diagrams.
If you are interested in string games from around the world, then you will find this book to be an excellent reference. Had I known of it when I was younger, Scott and I would never have grown tired of playing string games.

I learned some string figures in my childhood and recently became interested again. I found this book on Amazon and promptly ordered it!

The book is quite fascinating. There is a huge collection of string figures which in themselves are interesting to look at and learn how to do. There is also a considerable amount of anthropological information (the author was after all an anthropologist) and some amazing photographs from around the turn of the 19th/20th century. In addition some of the stories and legends that go with these figures, many of which are very old indeed, are collected in the book with relevant figures.

My only complaint is that the string figures on the cover are from the collection of 20 or so at the end of the book for which no instructions are given because there wasn't time due to the book being in the final stages of publication! (Remember this was in the time long before computers). It's still however a collection which many can enjoy for all sorts of reasons.

I had a copy of this book as a child and bought this for my son who is 10. It's quite interesting, the instructions are easy to follow, and since we homeschool, it's made for some nice opportunities for geography and culture discussions. Adults could learn some of them for family-friendly parlor tricks at parties.

Considered by many String Figure people to be the "Bible" in this field. It has easy to follow instructions using what has become standard nomenclature. This book is referenced in recent writings probably more than any other. Anyone with interest in String Figures should have this book in their collection.

Once you master the language of manipulating the string--with a little patience-- you'll find the explanations easy to follow. The selection of string figures was wonderful. A strong collection --a legacy that has travelled throughout the world. Pass it along to your children.

This is the most informative/coolest book, if your looking to get involved in the music business, the book is aweosme, but the guys are even cooler

This book is a great education in what a music supervisor does and needs to know. The spotlight interviews are informative and give the reader a practical application of the text. The technical aspects of the job were eye opening and extensive. A must read for anyone who thinks music supervision entails picking songs from an iPod and placing them to picture. I have a greater appreciation for good music supervisors after reading Music Supervision.

This book came to me out of nowhere and consequently turned into one of the most inspiring, captivating, and education texts that I have ever read. In this, the summer of 2006, I have currently been working as an intern for MTV On-Air Promos. There, I met David Hnatiuk and overlooked his profession as a music supervisor. Having interest and aspirations for his work (being a music industry and sound recording major), I decided to purchase "Music Supervision".
So, I got it- I read it- and loved it!

Reading "Music Supervision" flat out bridged the gap between everything I learned at the University of New Havem concerning the music industry and sound recording and everything that was coming as new to me from MTV about broadcast television and its promotion. The books facets including, but not limited to: Legal Issues, Sound Design, Licensing, DAW discussion, working with producers/directors, etc. are all topics that I learned and dealt with at school and at MTV.

This coincidence of reflection between these that I encovered was simply amazing and will prove to be beneficial to my success and education at MTV and as a music student.

Aside from teaching me about my loves and interests, the book also took my vision of my career and future life, twisted and distorted it, and showed me it as I have imagined before. Now, since the book educated me on the subject and how to succeed in it, being a music supervisor is now a career path that I am interested in pursuing. It entails the music industry. It entails sound recording. And hopefully, it'll someday entail me.

Congratulations to Ramsay Adams, David Hnatiuk, and David Weiss. They have succeeded in writing a book that is highly informative, useful, and very insightful. Whether you are interested in pursuing a career as a music supervisor, or would simply like to do research on the profession, this book will far exceed your expectations. It's an easy read that features random interviews from experienced music supervisors that candidly articulate what the primary considerations are in selecting music, and shines light on the process of "spotting" and "auditioning" songs for placement, in addition to offering helpful advice on how to deal with challenges that music supervisors face in their position such as difficulties in obtaining master, sync and mechanical licenses; working harmoniously with egotistical producers and directors; managing creative conflicts; preventing legal problems; dealing with financial constraints; and marketing their services. A great educational and reference resource.

I bought this book because I wanted to learn how I can get my songs into movies and tv. I heard that was the best way to make money and get exposure. This book gave me the answers and even the names of people who select music for films and tv. I already got one of my songs into a film that competed in Tribeca Film festival. Some of the writing is a little long handed but the information is really right on. If you are a songwriter who wants to get your tunes into the movies, this is the book for you.

I happened upon this Bible at a Scholastic Book Fair that was held at my workplace and bought it on a whim. I had been disappointed in the past with other children's Bibles that I had purchased because none seemed to hold my child's interest. This one, however, is completely different. My 5 year old son LOVES this Bible. He asks every night for stories from the Bible, even over other favorites like Pokemon. I like how the book is broken up into "chapters" that flow together. It really reads like an adventure book. The stories are accurate but written at an appropriate developmental level for preschool and young school age children. The pictures are very well done as well and really keep my son's attention. Sometimes he will just sit and look at the pictures and "read" the stories that he has memorized. I HIGHLY recommend this Bible to anyone with young children. You will not be disappointed!

Most childrens' Bibles either oversimplify the stories in the Bible, or change them so they are inaccurate. We were looking for something to start teaching our three year old the stories from the Bible and a friend lent us this book. Our son didn't want to stop reading it. We liked it so much for its accuracy yet understandability for younger children that we gave it as Christmas gifts this year to several friends and all our family with young children.

We gave this book to a little girl in our church. Before we wrapped it, we started reading it and determined that adults love it too because we couldn't put it down. The colored pictures are fantastic and make you feel like you're right there with the characters. The stories are explained really well. We got our money's worth.

My 4yo son LOVES this!! He kept after us until we read it from cover to cover in about a week at bedtime! He lies in bed and looks at the pictures. Can't say enough about the illustrations - beautiful and well done. I initially found it at Walmart and picked it up. It is so simple looking on the front but on the inside it is beautiful!(hmmm) I did not realize it was going to be my BEST childrens Bible ever! I have not found one that I like better. You won't go wrong with this one! I am ordering more for my church Sunday school class to be given away.

I bought a box of these for a church mission that caters to people released from prison. Many of them have reading problems and one of my friends there found that this Bible was very effective at allowing these adults to feel comfortable about reading the Bible on their own. Kids love it too.

My 5 year old went from scribbling and frustration to drawing a discernible hen in 5 minutes! It has already done wonders for her self-esteem. She now says, "I can draw! This is easy!" She wants to draw everything in the book. I wish I had known about these months ago! I just ordered the whole set.

This book has given my 5 yr old son confidence by helping him to draw simple animals that he thought were too difficult to draw. He has not been as interested in the writing part. It would have been nice if it was like a workbook with blank pages across from each page so he could practice right in there.

I homeschool my kids and I bought this book for our art lessons. This is such an easy to follow drawing book. My kids are ages 5,7 & 10. All 3 are finding it easy to follow and their drawings are so good. I like to do the pictures myself. I like how the next step of the drawing is in a different color, it makes it so much easier. My 7 yr old even sat down with the book by herself and drew a picture without any help, and it turned out really nice. Hope this helps.

My girls, 8 and 4, love this book. I am amazed at how well their drawings come out. Not only are their drawings fantastic but the older girl utilizes the writing exercises and thinks they are fun - unlike other writing exercises.

I am a homeschooling mother and would recommend this book to anyone with children, homeschool or not. They will love it.

Bought this for my 5 YO daughter - it gave her incentive to practice her printing - she wasn't allowed to attemp the drawing part until the writing part was finished.
Basically, each page has three-four sentences for them to copy with a full picture already done above it on the same page. On the next page, the main object of the picture (a pig for example) is drawn with basic shapes in a step-by-step manner - even my older girls love to try to draw them.
I can't wait to get the next book in the series - great idea!!!!

Arthur Hull hits the nail on the head with his book, Drum Circle Spirit. Without this book to use as a guide, I would feel lost!... I call it simply "REQUIRED READING" for those who care about their community and friends who wish to drum in a group setting. It empowers most anyone to begin and conduct their own drum circle. THANK YOU ARTHUR!

This book is the bottom line, the base of the pyramid. All others I have read-and I have very many-rest on it. It explains the why, the where and the how of different types of drum circles and how, when one is called upon to do so, to facilitate them so that they live and create music on their own. While there are many facilitator "tricks" and techniques, the message is always that the circle is not to serve as a platform for a facilitator performance, but that the facilitator's job is only to get the music the circle is making past places where it starts to self destruct and back into solid playing. There is a great deal of anecdotal information about how specific difficult situations were handled as well as examples of wonderful, joyful exhuberance. If you are new to drum circles, and especially if you need or want to facilitate them, this is the FIRST book you buy.

As a Christian wanting to start a church-oriented drum-circle, I was somewhat concerned that this book would be full of propaganda that would run counter to my Christian values. (Making it annoying to read at the least, and at worst, difficult to convince other Christians in my church of its value.) While some of the author's values come through (especially with references to "tithing to Rhythm Church" and the like) there's nothing in here to really offend any particular religious belief. There's no "we can heal the world with drums, just think good thoughts and good things will happen to you" message here. It's practical advice on how to bring out the best in a group of drummers.

Arthur's numerous anecdotes are entertaining and informative. They really conveyed the spirit of what Arthur does with his drum-circles.

I'm very anxious to get started applying what I've learned (and will continue to learn) from this book, and it has convinced me to attend one of Arthur Hull's Facilitator Playshops. Arthur's teaching in the book is very clear, presented in small, easily-digested steps, and most of all, very encouraging. The whole book shouts, "You can do this, it isn't that hard!"

I've very pleased that Arthur has taken the time to share his hard-earned wisdom with the rest of us. If you're wanting to start a drum-circle, work with kids through rhythm, or any such activity, you can't afford not to own this book.

This book and CD set has wonderful examples of drum circle games and exercises. He and his facilitators also share their drum stories and let us know how fun it can be to be an "Arthurian" facilitator! Get a bunch of friends together and PRACTICE these games!(It REALLY comes to life after attending one of Arthur's facilitator playshops!!!)

This guy is a modern Trickster! At first you wonder, is this guy a joke? Then as you read more, you realize, yes he is, thank god! But be aware; this is a book about building community; if you want a book about drumming, look to Mickey Hart.

Marie Browning has the Midas Touch when it comes to crafting. On my most cerebrbally challenged "daze" (I have a huge family, toddlers under three!) I can go to any of her books and choose a project that is both challenging and creative, add my own panache and have soemthing that is uniquely "Alouette." Look at her basic pocket accordion book! She has two different examples (business card and stamps) that give way to more inspiration. She is elegant, she is whimsical. Some of her ideas are very masculine, others are delicate and lady-like. (Crafters often get stumped when coming up with ideas for guys-- she has no shortage of masculine ideas!)

I have not yet started my project, but am confident that this book provides good instruction. The pictures are great, and helpful for sparking new ideas. The instruction is detailed, and there a variety of different techniques displayed. I would have liked a list of sources, instead of just "available fine art stores", but overall this was a good purchase.

I had bought another book in Amazon about scrapbooks and journals and even if it had good pictures of the final projects it lacked photos of the different passages. I have Browning's book now and really you can't go wrong. DIfferent techniques, plenty of explanations, great ideas from the simple "messages" note pad to the more complicated seeds book! I can't wait to try her ideas that I consider as a starting point for my own creativity!

I think this book is an excellent start for beginners. I have never made anything before (book, album, etc.) and once I read through the book one time I was able to make an open spine book in one day. Instructions and photos are great.

Of all the manuals that I have seen on handcrafted books, Marie Browning's is the absolute best! Her instructions are precise and easy to follow. She sets out a basic formula for making a book and goes individually through each material necessary. She illustrates the spectrum of materials that can be used for different parts of the process. A must-have for book artists!

These are fun-filled math games that help kids learn and practice their math skills. They just use basic supplies like index cards and paper clips and require a minimal amound of set-up.

My 1st grade daughter hates to study. She screams and rolls her eyes when I bring out the math workbook. Unfortunatly, I have to work with her beacause she's not doing well in math. After looking at a number of books on the subject, and not seeing much to my liking, I found this one. It's wonderful. You really can play these games with your child, help them with math, and they don't even know they're studying. This book (actually this whole series of books) would be great for any child. Those doing well in math will love these games, those doing poorly in math might actually enjoy math for the first time. I've started with a simple solitaire game to help my daughter with addition. This one takes a bit of time, about 10 minutes, but there are plenty of others that you can do any time, for just a couple of minutes. A few of the games are a bit more involved, but they're all fun and the author does a great job explaining exaclty how each game will help your child learn, how often it should be played and for how long. My 6 year old is at a good age for the book, and I can see that I will have some good games for later too. There are some games that my 4 year old likes as well. I wish I could give this book 6 stars. It's really great!

Peggy Kaye is fantastic and homeschoolers should consider these books. The activities are easy to do. Most require little or no advance preparation. The author does a great job explaining the purpose of the activity and exactly what level of learner it may help. Some of the activities are so simple but so effective parents will wonder "hey, why didn't I think of that?"

I especially enjoyed the way the author introduces the activities. She tells of her experiences with the activity and how it helped one of her students. I always felt more confident and ready to do the activity after reading her introduction. Our child found many of the games really fun and asked to play them again and again. I feel like the books taught me a lot about how to make anything into a game. These books are a great alternative to boring workbooks and too much sitting still at a desk.

I bought this book based on the reviews I had seen on Amazon. I was hoping that it would be a book that was chock full of ideas for my Kindergarten classroom. I have gotten a few ideas, but it seemed to really focus more on grades 2-3.

I took this book out of the library hoping it would have some fun ideas for my four year old. I was not disappointed! The games are lots of fun and I appreciate that the author takes the time to explain what they are learning. We're only doing section one because of my daughter's age, but flipping through the book the other sections look good too. I am definitely buying this one and intend to look at the other books by this author too. I highly recommend this for any child!

An excellent, informative overview of this delightful breed.

This is a great book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about this wonderful breed.

I realize this is one of the definitive studies of the PBGV, but for the average prospective pet owner, it is just a slog. The first 200-some pages are devoted to the evolution of the breed from one country and century to another. Ho hum. It wasn't until page 243 that I finally found what I needed to know about the characteristics of the dog that would matter to me as a potential owner.

I just got my first PBGV in Augest of 2001 and before I got my wonderful little pbgv I bought this book and it helped me alot understand more about the breed and it also helped me in learning about the differnt begining kennels of the first PBGV's. It also help me understand how this wonderful breed came to be. If you are intrested in getting a PBGV or are getting one I would seriously recommend this book because of all the information it will help you with in the future.

From The English Dog World magazine: Breeders and exhibitors of the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen round the world have been waiting for a definitive book on their breed, and here it is.

The authors have taken immense pains with the history, development and spread of the breed round the world, Many hundreds of hours of research and much traveling must have been undertaken to produce a volume of this scope.

The detailed discussion on the points of the breed will be of great use to those in PBGV, to those considering buying into the breed. and to any who essay to judge.

This is a book written with courage and conviction. It addresses the potential for harm in the supervisory experience in a way that raises awareness of this dynamic, and names the experience and resultant trauma for those who have been mistreated in these important and powerful relationships. Our human desire to possess certainty, which is illusion at best, is part of what fuels these abuses of power. This book brings such issues to light, using both personal story and professional, theoretical understanding. It will be helpful to anyone in any role of the supervisory relationship.

In the model of corporate whistle blowing, Richard Raubolt tells his story of psychoanalytic training; exposing abuses of power, authority, status and control. In Power Games, he brings together respected analysts who weave a pattern of similar training experiences told with personal angst along with professional theory. Together, they identify the areas of training abuse and propose an alternative method of training that incorporates democratic principles of empathy, and respect for subjective experiences. This is a must read for individuals, like me, who are outside of the professional community of clinical psychotherapy. With an "insider's" help, the shroud is removed and we begin to understand the inner workings of this mental health profession. Collectively we should support the evolution of training practices that will inevitably develop therapists with greater self-understanding, knowledge and a voice of their own.

Richard Raubolt has authored a unique book. The perspectives of the prominent contributors to the book regarding the potential for abuse in psychotherapeutic training and supervision are diverse and eye-opening. The pitfalls of ego and authoritarian teaching on the part of trainers can be devastating and demeaning to potentially talented students of psychotherapy. Dr. Raubolt's courage in his documentation of his own toxic experience in clinical supervision is to be commended. He demonstrates in a very personal and powerful way, the potential for the misuse of power in the very institutions that are mandated to educate and support clinical excellence. This book is well written, informative and boldly honest. It is a "must read" for anyone that is involved in training; educators and students alike.

This is an original,brave book, which does what so many mental health books fail to do: it is unflinchingly honest and personal. Most books on psychotherapy discuss the dynamics of the patient or patients in intricate detail in order to support the author's or authors' version of "Truth"or at least what has been defined as Truth by instructors, supervisors and training analysts. The person of the therapist is homogenized and relegated to a "Stepford" professional existence in far too many training programs. As a result, both psychoanalysis and good writing are dying.
Well, this is not the case in this refreshing and frank discussion of training. While a number of theories are presented that are well articulated they follow rather than diminish the deeply personal experiences of those seeking advanced training and supervision. Complex, ornate and rarified theoretical nuances are not allowed to interfere with descriptions of effective, respectful and democratic training.
Senior supervisors, instructors and training analysts should be among the first to read this book. Candidates may also do well to study the experiences of other professionals before selecting a program of training. Honesty and learning go together best when done hand in hand for both student and teacher. -Dr. Becki J. Telford

In paper after varied, interesting paper, this book stitches together a picture of the painful underbelly of life in psychoanalytic institutes. Even where the best and brightest gather at the pinnacle of mental health thought and treatment, power corrupts as deftly and unconsciously as it does anywhere else in the human species.
For all our scholarship and dedication and aspirations to facilitate healing insight in our patients, it turns out that we have trouble walking our talk with each other. And worse yet, our candiates develop in our shadows.
As Raubolt demonstrates in this relevant and riveting collection of psychoanalytic experience, at least we have the wherewithal to turn an
analytic eye to our own fragility and our possibilities for reform and redepmtion. Both 'cult' and 'culture,' after all, derive from 'cultivation' ---of our own human soil, in this case. Luckily, we keep on tilling, often with humor, courage, resolve. This book speaks deeply to the task before us.

Nancy Spohn, LCSW, May 15, 2007