Montana Books

A wonderful book, I've told my friends to buy this book even before they get to the teenage years, it is a complete handbook for parents of adolescents. Wolf lives and works in USA but he might have been writing about my teenagers in Dublin, Ireland. It seems they are the same, the world over. I loved his explanation of why they hang out in gangs outside shops and now that I know, I view them differently! I put some of his suggestions in to practice and saw results within days. It's true what others say about this book, you will feel he has been evesdropping in your house.

wolf uses many examples of actual conversations between parent and teen and then re-writes these conversations as to how they should have played out. very helpful and insightful. easy for me to apply to my own negative outcomes with my teens.

As a clinical psychologist specializing in work with adolescents and families, I am always searching for information that will help parents better understand their children. This book has become an invaluable resource for allowing parents a window into the thoughts and emotions of their teens. Dr. Wolf does a wonderful job of explaining the gaps in communication and understanding that transpire on a daily (or more) basis without placing blame on either the parent or child. The reality is that teenagers, especially in this day and age, are struggling to straddle the line between childhood and adulthood. They face an overwhelming set of challenges in trying to balance expectations of peers, parents, and those placed by themselves. Further complicating matters, is the loss of ability to think beyond choices that will fill them with an immediate sense of competence. The more parents can understand these, as well as other, elements of adolescent development the easier it will be to maintain a sense of connection to their teens. This is not always an easy task. Thus, parents should feel comfortable to reach out for support from family, friends, therapists, etc. Ultimately, as Dr. Wolf highlights, parents who are able to whether the storm while balancing the teen's need for structure with the need for increased independence will ultimately see their teenagers become thriving, happy, caring, responsible young adults.

I found this book to be of great value in improving communication with my 9th grade daughter. I wish I had read it sooner!

After several recommendations by friends with teens, I've almost finished this book after a couple of days of reading. Helpful points include the reminders to not engage in pointless arguments and to state my position clearly and concisely and not to lecture. My problem with the book is the lack of any apparent consequences for bad behavior. Teen comes in an hour past curfew? Re-state the appropriate curfew time and move on. Teen lies about grades on homework? Overlook the lie and re-state expectations about homework. Teen calls parent a f-ing b*tch? Ignore the name calling and remain silent. While I agree it creates ongoing conflict to call kids out on these behaviors and punish them, I think that is a necessary part of the landscape and to think otherwise is unrealistically permissive.

this book i just loved it is a book that makes you laugh and keeps you asking for more great job lisi harrison

Nina is Alicia's spanish cousin, who will be spending a semester in Westchester. She has all the guys drooling and Massie is jealous! After Nina is found guilty of thievery Alicia comes up with a plan to send Nina back to Spain for good!

I bought this for my 12 year old grand-daughter . She had read the first in the series and couldn't live without the next. She is now pleading for the next three. She read the last three within two weeks. If she'll read them,I'll buy them. Her grades are up. Keep them coming!

Excellent series for that precious pre-teen age. My kids can't read the Clique series books fast enough!

What can be more irritating than having someone take your boyfriend or your biggest crush ever? The book, Invasion of the Boy Snatchers, by Lisi Harrison is about four girls who are best friends, including Claire, who just has entered the group of the clique girls and is becoming best friends with Massie, the leader of the group. This friendship causes a lot of jealousy between the girls but that is not the only problem that Massie, Alicia, Kristen, Dylan, and Claire are anticipating. The real problem is when Nina, Alicia's cousin from Spain, comes in the OCD School and is suddenly the most popular girl in the school. She takes their crushes somehow with a very smart plan that nobody can figure out.
I really enjoyed this book because once I started reading it, especially in the part where the girls start to plan something on how to destroy Nina, I couldn't stop. Through this book you will discover who you are in the inside. Maybe unsure of yourself; you can find out what a great person you can be when you are a nice and caring person. That is something that Massie, one of the characters, finds out. If you have a little hidden love in your school or somewhere in your neighborhood this book will give you tons of ideas on how to get him and if someone is in your way it'll have the perfect plan to destroy that little person. This book also gives you ideas about how to be a superb friend because it teaches all the clique girls how to be good friends. This is something that happens in real life and girls have to go through with lots of difficulties in the way that affects their lives. For example they might not want to go to school because they have the whole entire school mad at them so they become frightened. If you are one of them, don't worry. This book is your solution.
The moral of the story is that you have to have a good relationship with your friends so that when someone tries to come and tear down your friendship, you and your friends can be ready and deal with the problem without destroying your relationship. I would highly recommend this book to all the girls in the world that enjoy and are interested in friendship and love. Will the clique girls succeed in their plan to destroy Nina, have their biggest crushes ready to win the Valentine's Cupid Award, and have their first romaaaaaaaaantic kiss? Read this book and find out!

I am so glad that I read this book. I found it uplifting and inspirational. How amazing that women like this lived, and I am so grateful they shared their story. It is not something I normally would have read, but I am grateful that I gave it my time. It was a very quick read.

"I'm not black, I'm brown!" So says Bessie Delany, at age 100. Despite her years of involvement in the Civil Rights movement, accepting its nomenclature wholesale isn't part of Bessie's personality. She's the feisty sister. Sadie, age 103, is the one who conquers by saying nothing - while going right ahead and doing exactly what she wants. Or by playing dumb, as she and Bessie both put it; but either way, it's always worked for Sadie. These two, the second black woman licensed as a dentist in New York and the first black woman to be appointed a New York City high school teacher, have lived together more years than not in their long lives; and as of this book's publication, they're still in their New York home and taking care of themselves just fine, thank you very much.

What do they have to say? Plenty, mostly in alternating chapters. Their father was born a slave, and their mother's parents - a mulatto woman and a white man - couldn't marry because state law forbade it. That freed slave eventually became an Episcopal bishop, and all ten of his children became college-educated professionals. Sarah and Elizabeth Delany were old enough to be shocked and hurt when Jim Crow became the law of the South, and each had to find her own ways to survive and thrive in spite of both cultural and institutionalized prejudice. Relocating to Harlem, New York City opened new opportunities, but didn't take them away from that familiar struggle. Through it all, Sadie and Bessie lived by the creed their parents had taught them: You're here to do good. To which Sadie added her own maxim: Maybe I can change the world a little bit, by changing me.

The challenges these two women faced are not familiar to me personally, in one sense, because I've never had to face racial prejudice. Yet in the way they met those challenges, with determination, realism ("As long as they need you, you've got that job"), and plenty of humor, any fellow human can surely find inspiration. A wonderful read!

The Delany Sisters are simply a spectacular duo of fighters. Their story is one almost every person would find amazing. The way they see this world, and how their past experiences with Jim Crow and being colored in the South before the Civil Rights Movement shaped their perception of humans forever. The book is filled with very warm humor and it is essential to understand part of the complex psyche of 'colored' people in the United States today, which, by the way, is a term prefered by the Sisters over black or even African American to refer to themselves and their people.

Let's just say I fell in love with the sisters so much that I adopted their last name. I am in awe of these remarkable woman, still. After living for more than a century they did not believe they had a story to tell. I am grateful that Amy Hill Hearth was able to convince them otherwise.
Their accomplishments were remarkable not only what the two oldest sisters did but the entire Delany family. Their father Henry was borned into slavery, however, he did not use that as an excuse. All of the Delany children were trailblazers because there were no civil rights for people of color in the early 1900's. They did what they had to do, Bessie was honest and brutal as she felt it was her duty to tell people the truth. Sadie was considered the sweet one, however, she too was a go-getter.
I recommend this book and the two other books that were co-authored by Amy Hill Hearth. Without Ms. Hearth these women and their stories would have never been told, I am thankful to her for bringing them into my life. I expected the sisters to live forever but Bessie died in 1995 shortly after turning 104 and Bessie at 109 in 1999. They are still alive in the hearts of many of us and in the pages of their books.

This book was recommended to me by my 95-year-old mother, and I must say it was an excellent recommendation.



Author Amy Hill Hearth must have had numerous conversations with Sadie (age 102) and her "little sister" Bessie (100). The book is written with the words and the spirit of these two special ladies shining through each page. The Delany sisters were born to a father who was a former slave and who got an education and later became the first black bishop in the Episcopal Church. Their mother had white blood, but she chose to marry and socialize among the black race. As the sister explain, if you had one drop of black blood at that time, you were considered a Negro.



The sisters describe their growing-up years and their gratitude for their parents' love, guidance, and the high standards of conduct which they held up to their children. They tell what is was like to be chased by the Ku Klux Klan, discriminated against by teachers and employers, and be the victims of the Jim Crow laws. They mention the illustrious black people, such as Adam Clayton Powell, and Cab Calloway, who were part of their social circle. They tell about their patriotism during WWI and WWII and in one of the most poignant comments in the book Bessie says, "We were good citizens, good Americans! We loved our country, even though it didn't love us back."



This is a look back at American history by two women whose family was prominent in the black community, but mostly unknown in the white world.

It is an eye-opener and is a wonderful story.

Hi well to start This is a very boring book. I can't believe it got a newberry cause it really stinks bad. And well it was fun at first but there wasn't good grammer or punctuation. (I enjoyed that part.) But it was boring (as I've said before.) But May got treated bad by her Dad and brother and a bunch of other stuff happened. I didn't finish it cause I didn't like it. Well gotta go hope this was helpful Brooke.

May Amelia the main character grows up with an all boy house at the turn of the 1900's. The author Jennifer L. Holm does a great job capturing the readers attention. In every chapter there is suspense and excitment like when she got chased up a tree by a mother bear, or when she almost got killed by a rushing stream of logs and was saved by an incredable string of luck. This book should fill childrens libraries,and in my opinion is one of the best books I have ever read. If I were you I would check it out!!!!!!!

May Amelia was a girl was the only girl in her Washington farm. She had seven brothers and her mother and father with her. May Amelia was their one and only. She was no proper young lady. She wanted to be just like any of her other brothers. Fishing on the Nasel and getting messy with her brothers was what she treasured most. She had a very harsh life, and Jennifer Holm had a very superior way of expressing the calamity and pain of her life. May had her hardships and the twilights of her life. Being the lone girl on the Nasel was tough for May; since she would do anything, and everything to be like one her own brothers. She had done so many outrageous and extreme things just to do the things a boy was allowed to do. May had an Uncle in Astoria, which was a city down along the end of the Nasel. When he would come to visit his Finnish family on the shore of the Nasel it was then a very extraordinary occasion. He was a sailor, just like one of May Amelia's brothers wanted to be. When he left, which wasn't exceptionally time-consuming after he had just arrived. While May does a great deal to be like one of her brothers, nothing seems to be actually effective. May was a wonderful girl, who everyone knew, even though there were not that many people that lived along the Nasel River. There especially were no other girls.

After May has so many things to have the privileges and the honors of being a boy, some one comes into her home and life that no one wanted within a million years; Grandmother Patience. Grandmother Patience was the meanest person that May's family had ever met. She had treated May with no respect, and had abused her as if she had no feelings and could feel no pain at all. Jennifer L. Holm had described May and her life with her father's mother with such a deep passion; with all the things that had happened to her from the things that Grandmother Patience had done to her. May was tortured inside and out, with her having no control. Since she was just a girl, she had to be a proper young lady. She couldn't say anything that would disrespect her elder, no matter how much she wanted to. It was tearing her up inside. This book was such a spectacular thriller/drama that it kept me reading and always interested. Every time you have to stop reading, it is like having to read an ongoing cliffhanger. It would always keep you interested, and having very depressing feelings for May Amelia. It makes you wonder if you could handle what she was going through, and how much more of it you wanted to read it to see what her decision to do is next. I would recommend "Our Only May Amelia" to everyone to see how suspenseful someone's life could be.

Our Only May Amelia is a historically based novel for older children. It is also a Newberry Honor Book and is for good reason. The characterization is infectious, the emotion is honest and provokes a reaction, the relationships between characters creates a welcoming atmosphere, and the first person perspective in which it is written portrays the social and developmental status of the protagonist, May Amelia, perfectly.

Characterization
Jennifer L. Holm, the author, clearly knows her characters very well and I believe she does a fantastic job of not only introducing us to them but allows us to know them quite thoroughly. This has great appeal with children in the fact that they are able to relate with such characters and to some extent live the experiences through the characters. In My Only May Amelia, we first meet May Amelia Jackson on her 12th birthday. Already, such a fact makes her endearing to the audience as most children are easily excited by birthdays. For the most part, children also have a sense of fantasy that allows them to believe that a person is somehow more special on their birthday. I believe this was done on purpose by the author to get children captivated in the story early. Having this sort of situation start the book also allows the author to introduce a new character, May's father Jalmer. He is characterized as gruff and harsh. This is apparent in the opening pages as he yells at May, even though it is her birthday. Children tend to see things in a more polarized view, and having these opposing characters from the start build interest in the story. However, as the story unfolds, we are able to see the more, loving side of Jalmer. This is apparent as he comforts May after Grandmother Patience smashes her china doll to pieces. Such a change in characterization is very effective in a book for children. It also satisfies the one of the typical story patterns, where the evil character redeems himself in the end. This is a pattern that has been followed many times, but in My Only May Amelia it doesn't feel cliché or overdone.

The brilliance of the characterization does not stop with May Amelia or her father. She is a girl with 7 brothers (well, one is technically a cousin) who each have their own unique personalities. These boys, along with other members of the family and neighbors are all developed well enough that you feel like you are part of the family. Matti is the kind one, Kaarlo the mean cousin, Isaiah the patient shepherd, Wendell the aspiring doctor, Alvin and Ivan the sneaky twins, and Wilbert the compassionate, understanding pal. The characterization of all of these individuals works very well together to weave a tapestry known as the Jacksons. All of the differing traits agree and clash in ways that makes the Jackson family a believable one, relatively peacefully living on the banks of the Nasal River.

Emotion
Corresponding to the unpretentious life of this young girl, the emotions that we see in the book are simple. May Amelia will be happy when she gets to go fishing, sad when Kaarlo makes fun of her, and frustrated when she has to go help muck out the sheeps. This appeals to children as these are emotions they themselves can understand. I believe that it works well in this novel because it allows children to put themselves in May Amelia's shoes and to live in the 19th century through her. On the reverse, however, as the book progresses, emotion is not as simple as it was towards the beginning. This change occurs when Amy Alice, the baby sister May has so fervently hoped for, unexpectedly dies. This event appeals very strongly to the reader's pathos. Death is a hard subject, yet the book works because it is coming from the point of view of a 12 year old girl who was the primary caregiver for her infant sister. Pity is evoked not only by the passing of an infant, but by the raw reaction May has to this event. She has never experienced death before, and having it be of someone who she was striving so hard to care for is crushing. Grandmother Patience only adds to the situation by blaming the fatality on May Amelia's care. Children can also identify with this, as they have a sense of injustice and being blamed for things that are not their fault. As a warning, the book might not be appropriate for a younger audience who could be shocked by such an event and not able to handle their own emotions in reaction to this.

Perspective
In Our Only May Amelia, the story is told through the first person perspective of May Amelia. This allows the story to be told in an essential sort of way, with other events that could be distracting stripped away. May Amelia, as her nature states, is not an elaborate person. The author is very in tune with this and only includes parts of the story that are engaging. This is very effective in the way that it adds to the tone of the book. The novel has a very straight-forward feel, and this makes the message of the pages even more powerful. Having the story written how May Amelia would have written it appeals to the intended audience. She is a 12-year-old telling her story to her peers. Even though she may have lived over 100 years ago, May still relates to children today as she is constantly getting herself into scrapes and needing help from an older person to get out of them. The author really allows the audience to feel like the situations that happen to May Amelia could have happened to anyone. I believe that this makes the book great, as it can relate to a wide variety of children.

Relationships
One of the core elements of this book is the relationship that May Amelia has with her brother Wilbert. One of the reasons the book is so good is because this is a completely believable relationship. Even though they are inseparable most of the time, May and Wilbert do not always get along. This is easy for the audience to relate to, as they probably have siblings or at least a good friend that they have such kinds of conflicts with. This makes the story much more real to the children, as they can related to the frustrations that May Amelia feels. Also, Wilbert is the one that takes May Amelia to Astoria after Grandmother Patience is so awful to her at Amy Alice's funeral. This shows the loving nature of the relationship between these two siblings. This is another instance where the book is amazing. While you are still reeling with shock at Grandmother's actions, the author swiftly introduces a frantic May Amelia running away and a protective Wilbert chasing after her. He knows that May cannot be expected to stay after such an incident. So they leave.

A few days after their departure, Jalmer comes to the door of the aunt and uncle where Wilbert and May Amelia are now living. At this time, the relationship between May and her father is revisited. At first, Jalmer wants May and Wilbert to immediately come back home. After some coaxing from Wilbert, however, Jalmer is convinced that May really needs to heal and because he loves her, allows both children to stay in Astoria. I believe that at this time, May changes greatly the way she feels about her father. Instead of feeling like he just picks on her all the time because she isn't a blonde boy, she can see that he truly does care about her and wants what is best for her. I feel this is another instance where the book is fabulous because the author is able to write a deeply touching moment in the tense father-daughter relationship without coming off too sentimental.

My Only May Amelia is a sweet tale of an irrepressible girl growing up in a rural area of all boys. She has her sorrows and her triumphs. Jennifer L. Holm is able to tie all of the events together in one neat package, writing at a level that makes it applicable for older children. Her characters are lovable, the emotion is real and through May Amelia's perspective, you can see that she is surrounded by a family that loves her, despite all the trouble she gets herself into. This book is a charming read and I would recommend it to any older child looking for a moving glimpse into the past.

My family and I listened to this book on tape as we traveled last week. As adults, my husband and I found the story fascinating and touching. As parents, we were shocked. Why is there swearing in a book that's labeled "for ages 9 and up"? Also, why is there a gruesome and graphic description of a murdered woman's remains and what happened to them? If that scene had appeared, as written, in a movie, it surely would have been rated PG-13 or R. We really did enjoy the book very much, we were just horrified that it is considered "children's literature." When I was a child, May Amelia would have been in the young adult dept at the library, not the children's. Just my two cents.

Please remember that when it comes to hormone balance, there is no one size fits all approach. Each person has a unique hormone blueprint and would be wise to find a competent physician, trained in hormone balance, with clinical experience, who can TEST your hormones, help you achieve balance, and keep you safe. Hormone balance is a delicate matter, and each hormone affects others.

For additional information, check out www.hormonesynergy.com . Hormones are powerful things and while Dr. Lee offers valuable information about hormone balance in his book and the role "bio-identical" or "biologically equivalant" hormones (much safer than their synthetic counterparts) its not always as simple as bathing yourself in over the counter progesterone creams.

Become educated, continue to get informed!

[...]

The fact that I ordered this book probably tells you why I didn't like Harry Potter. hee hee

There is not a woman who should miss reading "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause" and the companion books: "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pre-Menopause" and "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer". As others have commented here, such books will give you very important, and unique, health information to assist you to make the best decisions for your midlife health. Don't overlook the books written by Sandra Cabot and Linda Ojeda which are excellent also. Each brings something different to the table. I have read about every book on the market on this subject and these five are the best. You may not find every statement made in these books to be necessarily true for yourself, and that is OK. Also, some people have misinterpreted Dr. Lee's books, reading them to advise never taking estrogen in any form and this is not so. I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with him when he gave a lecture in my city a few years ago. He certainly advised against the combination hormone replacement pills so routinely prescribed which contain Premarin and synthetic progesterone. These have now been proven dangerous in highly publicized studies, as Dr. Lee said all along. Using a bioidentical estrogen skin cream and balancing it with natural progesterone cream in specific measured amounts is not the same thing, and may benefit some women. As Dr. Lee explains, the route of administration, the chemical makeup, the amount, and other factors make a difference. Rather than take the opinions of other people as to what Dr. Lee said as truth, read Dr. Lee's books for yourself. He has illuminated the subject of natural progesterone cream and offers information you may not hear from your doctor. This cream has the same chemical composition as that made by your own body but is not subject to patent, does not require a prescription, and is available in health food stores. A key benefit of the progesterone cream is that it stands alone in working to rebuild bone that is rapidly lost during the menopausal years. Dr. Lee explains the full details and his well-documented research on this. Become well-informed and you will make the best decisions for yourself regarding your health.

I have worked in the health food and the medical fields. I have seen the "miracle cure alls" come and go. This book seems to say that using Progesterone is a super cure to all womanly woes. Having had womanly woes, I tried using progesterone for my endometriosis. It was not a cure-all. I'm sure that it helps some women, but be wary of putting all your faith in it.

As a professional health specialist I have read extensively about natural progesterone cream and hormones since my diagnosis of breast cancer in 2001 and have been using it since that time instead of the drugs and radiotherapy recommended by my doctors. Dr Lee's work is remarkable but you must read carefully otherwise you will be under misapprehensions like some of these other reviewers who are still making mistakes about the difference between natural progesterone and synthetic progestins! They are molecularly different and natural progesterone does not carry the same side effects or risks that the synthetic ones do! I am the Hormone Health Expert for the CMA and Bio Vitality Limited where we also advocate hormone testing so that you do not supplement if you do not need it! It's really what the doctors should be doing before they give out hormones of any description.

This book is that last in the Anne of Green Gables series. I love L. M. Montgomery's style and all the interesting characters she creates. It is neat in the sense that she uses some of her own experiences to create story plots. It is true that Anne isn't a major character, but the title is RILLA of Ingleside, so that's why. I was a little disappointed concerning the ending, but all over, it was a very enjoyable book! I've read all of the Anne books, and am sorry that there are no more to read!

-V

Rilla of Ingleside is one of my favorite books in all of fiction! The only ones that are topping it are Anne of the Island and Anne of Green Gables. I have read all of the Anne of Green Gables series and cried when I finished Rilla of Ingleside, because it was the last book! (I also cried in some parts in the book, too. Who couldn't?)

Rilla (her real name is Bertha Marilla, named after Anne's mother and Marilla Cuthbert of Green Gables) is the youngest of Anne and Gilbert's children. When the book begins, nobody at Ingleside can imagine the horrors that are going to take place in their lives. Rilla is almost fifteen at the begining of the book. When she is at the Four Wind dance with her brothers and sisters and the Meredith clan, they hear that England has just declared war on Germany. (This book is set during World War I.) Rilla is then swept into a drama that changes her forever.

Rilla's brother, Jem, and Jerry Meredith leave for the war. Rilla's other brothers, Walter and Shirley, along with another one of the Meredith boys, Carl, soon follow for the sake of Canada and mankind, as Walter says "That is what we're fighting for." One of my favorite characters in this book is Walter, and, as someone else said on one of the reviews, "Who doesn't love Walter?"

Kenneth Ford (the son of Anne's friend Leslie Moore) also leaves for the war after a good-bye call at Ingleside. If the series went on, I am pretty certain that Rilla and Ken would marry.

Rilla "adopts" a war baby during the absence of her brother Jem and names him Jims Anderson. His real name is James Kitchener Anderson, and Susan insists on calling him "Little Kitchener". He is one of the highlights of this wonderful story.

Old Susan Baker is the "full time maid and cook" at Ingleside, and I assure you that this book would not at all be the same without her! She keeps everybody cheerful, and when the Ingleside folks get up in the night because of the War, she fixes them a nice cup of tea. During the war, Susan says that "the Huns shall never set foot in Prince Edward Island as long as I can handle a pitchfork"! Every time I read this book, Susan has me laughing with all the funny things she says and does!! She definitely provides much entertainment!!! :-)

Rilla is a true heroine. She is the daughter of that wonderful red-haired Anne Shirley. Rilla came straight from Lucy Maud Montgomery's wonderful imagination. This is one of those books that you just can't ever forget -- a book that you can keep coming back to again and again. Lucy Maud Montgomery depicts things with a talent like no other author. She can make it come alive. In this book, you see Rilla as a frivolous, vain girl being transformed into a beautiful, kind, and patient young woman.

This book has a wonderful ending, I assure you. Like I said, it is one of my favorites! If you have not read it yet, you are definitely missing out!! :-) I do not see how anybody could not like this masterpiece!

Thank you for taking the time to read my review. I hope that it has been very helpful to you. - P. Charles

I don't think this book is suitable for children. It is bloody, gory and depressing and teaches a hatred of Germans that is hardly approbriate. It is completely set at the homefront during World War I. Anne does not play a role in it, except as a more or less random person. It is all about the heroics of Canadians fighting in Europe and the women back home, with Rilla taking center stage. While I have no doubt that they all were very heroic and this book might have been written as a tribute to them, it is utterly out of date and often offensive with its patriotic propaganda. It is extremely simplistic and I shutter at the thought, that people acutally will take this for the history of WWI. It falls completely out of line with the other Anne of Green Gables books, it has none of the lightness and spirit. If Montgomery wanted to write a tribute to the heroes of WWI, it would have been better to create new characteres for it and not abuse the characters of the Anne books. My recommendation is not to read this book, it doesn't add to the Anne of Green Gables books but rather distracts from it.

I am 13 years old, and have read all the Anne books. My grandfaher gave me a copy of Anne of Avonlea when I was little, but I didn't show the slightist bit of interest at the time. A few years later, I thought I'd pick it up. After I picked it up, my world would never be the same! I had become an Anne fanatic! I fell in love with the book, couldn't put it down, and I hardly ever did. I couldn't wait to begin the next books and the one I was really looking forwad to was Rilla of Ingleside. When I got to Rilla, Walter was already my favorite charecter(who doesn't love Walter!?), so I was looking forward to hearing more about him.
The story is of Rilla growing up and trying to make it through each day as WW1 seems to never end(I can't imagine how that must have felt, my prayers are with all who have loved ones over seas!). This is a magnificent book! WORTH READING 101%! I cried hopelessly! I love crying during books!:) Anyone who has never read this is missing out! Touching, tear-jerker, lovely, beautiful, and a must have for all book lovers!

The first three installments in the "Anne of Green Gables" series have to some of the most wonderful, enchanting, all-around greatest books I have ever read. L.M Montgomery has done an absolutely splendid job bringing to life the red-headed girl with a fiery temper to match, but the farther I progressed into the series, the more disappointed I became. For me, the series became monotonous and depressing; the war kills Anne's beloved child, and I cannot help but despair in the numerous times Anne is mentioned with streaks of gray hair, and wrinkles in her face. This is not the lively girl of Avonlea I have come to so dearly love. So, my advice to you would be to read the first three books, and the first part of the 5th, for the end of the series should not overshadow its timeless, and inexpressibly wonderful beginning.

This is the best of the Macbeth audio recordings that I've ever heard. Since I teach this play twice a year for the past twenty years, I've had the opportunity to pretty much hear them all, and I don't think any of the others compare. In fact, all of the Caedmon audio Shakespeare series are excellent, even the more obscure plays. (You should listen to the Caedmon recording of Coriolanus with Richard Burton, Jessica Tandy and Michael Hordern!) If you're looking for an audio Macbeth, this is the one.

The Cd begins with the powerful witches scene-great music-definitely causing my students to sit-up and listen.

The Dover Thrift Edition is a good choice for a reading text because it presents the entire, unabridged play, and has enough notes to be helpful to inexperienced readers without overwhelming or distracting them. The omition of a scholarly apparatus makes the Dover Edition more flexible and keeps it from becoming outdated.

This product was great. It helped my students and I read and comprehend Macbeth so much better than us trying to read it and comprehend it. The actors voices are great! I think they do a great job being the characters on tape!

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was a dramatist whose genius is universally acknowledged, with a reputation as an actor, playwright and poet. He lived in an age of vast and significant changes characterised by the rise of the middle class and of a centralised government and the disappearance of medieval religious beliefs. England was transforming into a modern state. This was a time when self-realisation, self-respect and boldness of thought and action was idealised. Shakespeare's drama merely reflected the dramatic times of the age.

Shakespeare's genius can be reflected by the variety of his productions, where out of the 36 plays he has left, no two are alike and he managed to articulate the diverse subjects with exceptional expertise, handling both tragedies and comedies with ease.

Macbeth is a tragedy, intended to teach us a lesson about the human condition. The play is a tragedy about a wealthy Scottish noble called Macbeth who kills his king to gain the throne. During Shakespeare's time, this was a terrible thing to do, and from then on, Macbeth was doomed to die a tragic death.

The play starts with three witches confronting the great Scottish general Macbeth on his victorious return from a war between Scotland and Norway. The witches predict that he will one day become king. They also predict that another General called Banquo will be the father of kings, although he will not ascend the throne himself. The Scottish king, Duncan, decides that he will confer the title of the traitorous Cawdor on the heroic Macbeth. Macbeth, with the urging of his evil and ambitious wife murder King Duncan and ascends to the throne of Scotland.

Macbeth and his evil wife begin to do strange things, partly because of what they have done and also because they never get a whole night's sleep. Macbeth thinks he has to kill two of his former friends because he believes that they threaten his new throne. His efforts fail and he is eventually killed.

If you have any interest in gangs, prison life, skinheads, or coming of age novels you'll love this book. It's also a good choice for reluctant teenage readers.

I read a great deal on planes because of business but this one was more than a quick thriller. I hadn't heard of it before but since my brother insisted I thought I'd take it along, not expecting much because his taste is very different from mine. I liked it from take off. Plenty of action but also really thoughtful. Alex, the narrator, was really natural and not stilted like I feel about most new first person fiction. I read the whole way home and was one of the last to get off the plane. I can't wait to recommend it to my friends.

Before American History X, before This is England (and so on) there was American Skin. Its amazing how much has been borrowed from and outright ripped off from this book. And yet, it is still an inimitable coming of age story. If you are looking for a glorification of your particular subculture you might not like American Skin. It is set in a time when skinhead and punk were new to middle America. De Grazia shows the contradictions and naivete of his characters, and that's one of things that makes it such a great book.

This is clearly written for people who know nothing about skinheads, straightedge, punk, 2nd wave ska, etc. etc. That gets real annoying, plus stupid considering something like 90% (surprising accurate figure pulled from thin air) of this book's readers are people who have some knowledge of all that.

There's also some stupid lines. I felt embarrassed when whats-her-name goes "promise you'll be straight-edge with me."

Meh... the bok's ok. Its a quick read at least. Kinda' stupid how the end there's review questions... like we're in sixth grade English... wonder when this book will make it to those kids. In twenty years will it be read like the Outsiders? I doubt it.

If you can pick up a copy for a couple bucks, I wouldn't laugh at you for buying it. I mean, I did. But I'd say you're better off just saving your cash and reading it in the store.

What a terrible waste of time this book turned out to be. This is nothing but vulgar fantasy for mass entertainment. Of course the nazi skins in this pathetic pandering mess are nothing but cartoon cannon fodder for the "good guy" skins. Honestly folks I have known ALOT of nazi skins and none of them acted this way or would have tolerated it from someone else.Anyone who says this is even remotely realistic knows absolutely nothing about the scene. As stated this is just pandering to mass entertainment fantasies and is a staggering disappointment for anyone looking for an objective and honest view into skinhead culture. Save your buck and go buy some...gum or something.

If your dwelling is overflowing with books and you "order with one click" regularly, you'll probably be enchanted by Ex Libris. The author writes with wit and charm about words, language and books--sorting and classifying them, trying to dispose of them, and loving them too well. If you're a compulsive proofreader and a literary glutton, you'll meet a soulmate here. Fadiman's "confessions" are little essays and most are little gems. Occasionally an idea seems forced, like a restaurant dish with ingredients that don't quite mesh, but most of the time you'll savor each simile, metaphor and phrase.

What this is is a collection of essays about books: reading them, shelving them, collecting them, etc. etc. It's a chronicle of a love affair with books.

Almost every essay struck a chord with me: reading a car manual because there was nothing else to read (done that), playing word games as a child (yes), compulsive proof-reading of menus and signs (definitely), etc.

I laughed aloud at the essay on plagiarism (no, not a funny topic, normally) with its overabundance of footnotes. And a light bulb went on when I read the essay on the difference between courtly and carnal love of books: I've always felt vaguely guilty for not keeping my books in pristine condition--I eat while reading, read in the bath, leave them lying around, and my best-loved books are all mostly falling apart from being read and re-read. Turns out I'm in good company.

The only thing I had to overlook was what felt like a prejudice toward reading only classic literature. But honestly, I'd expected that. A book of essays about books is not likely to be written (or perhaps it's just not likely to be published) by an avid reader of contemporary genre fiction.

In a lot of respects, it's quite similar to Eats, Shoots and Leaves. They're both written solely for people who share the author's point of view, and quite probably feel pretentious and elitist to anyone who doesn't.

Anne Fadiman is clearly one of us! If you, too, are among those who proofread and correct everything from restaurant menus to outdoor advertising, you'll love Fadiman's essay "Inset a Carrot" (with corrections, of course). A few years ago while visiting Monterey, California, I found myself finishing John Steinbeck's Canary Row. Later, when I read Fadiman's essay "You Are There," I realized there are many others who have experienced the thrill of You-Are-There Reading. If you're a book fondler, or if you love words, you'll enjoy Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris -- gracefully written and intelligently witty.

In my opinion, the one redeeming chapter in this book belongs on the "odd shelf" of the book. It relays the story of the author's fascination with the untameable breadth and mystery of the Antarctic, and the even greater mystery of those who would seek to explore and overcome its caustic yet captivating terrain.

This chapter offered a rare moment in the heart of this contrivedly witty, cute but unconsciously trite account of the author's supreme relation to books and literature. It was the one chapter in which the annoyingly self-aggrandizing and (unsuccessfully) "common" pretense of the narrative voice opened up into a reflection far greater than the usual smart self-awareness and approving, pat-on-the-back revelation; here the tone, the narrative opened up into scintillating wonder of the "other" in the text, the "object" of Fadiman's reading rather than the subject (herself): the Antarctic explorers who strived and failed and endured insane extremities, motivated by a mystery that the author cannot seem to reduce to one of her many smart but smirky witticisms (though she tries at the end of the chapter, but here we tend to brush off the bizzare triteness of her concluding words, being so captivated as we are at the end of her sharp and wonder-inducing account of these fearless Arctic explorers).

Aside from the wonderful and well crafted trip to a far away place that this chapter offers, I found myself floundering through this maddeningly self-featuring narrative, wondering whether I should stop now before I was overcome by irritation and tempted not to pick up another book again, or to continue reading and let my feelings of annoyance build and deepen in some twistedly cathartic way. Here is a set of essays that attempts to evoke the "common" joy and passion for books and for all things literary, but ends up, instead, basking in an unpalatable celebration of one particular reader's (the author's) quizzical literacy.

Within the pages of this slender little volume are the signs of a special community that will be familiar to all book obsessives.

There is indeed more than one way to love a book. Are you a courtly lover: one who sees the physical book as sacrosanct; or a carnal lover who sees the book as a vessel for the words and ideas? Or are you, like me, sometimes one and then the other?

For bibliophiles, books remain ageless and constant even though we do not. I find myself agreeing with so many of the points made by Ms Fadiman in her delightful essays. If you love books - their physical existence and their potential promise - then this is a book that you may well enjoy. Having read this book on the recommendation of a fellow bibliophile, I am buying my own copy. I may well need to write in it. And even if I don't it is a comfort to know that I am not alone.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

****This book has its flaws, but...: ****

1.) It could be better organized: there is info in the text that the good doctor does not include in the gray boxes of ingredients to try or avoid, but overall Dr. Baumann does a lot to demystify the cosmetics counter.

2.) People who are borderline on any of the four criteria or have "combination" skin will have to do some detective work and read more than one skin type. I found valuable advice in the chapter for Dry, Sensitive, Non-pigmented types, even though I have some mild pigmentation issues, so I will just make sure any products I use do not create additional pigmentation. This is where the gray boxes, however flawed, will be of help when I go to buy new products.

3.) From other reviewers, I've learned Dr. Baumann works for some of the cosmetics companies whose products she recommends. A conflict of interest? Yes, but there are always the ingredient lists in the gray boxes that you can use to make informed choices if you don't want to use her picks. I know I will be because even her mid-priced choices are too rich for my blood.

4.) Dr. Baumann's pushes retinoids, prescription products, and fancy procedures (like Botox) more than I care for, but some people may be interested in them, so the topics will help interested parties make the best choice for their faces. Baumann also offers nutritional and lifestyle advice for each type as a natural way to stay radiant, which is a plus.


*****Therefore, to get the most out of this book:******

1.) Take your time with the questionnaire and answer carefully to truly find out what type you are.I am using this book for the second time now. The first time, I rushed through the questionaire in about 15 minutes, just guessing on the questions in which Dr, Baumann tells you to do something--like wash your face but don't apply moisturizer, make-up, or anything else--and THEN answer the question. I assumed my skin was oily, answered as if it was, and severely regretted it for about a month afterwards because I bought a bunch of products recommended for Oily Sensitive types and ended up with a chemical burn all over my face. Not fun!

This time, I am taking my time, doing as Dr. Baumann asks, and THEN answering the questions correctly, and it looks like I am actually going to score as a Dry Sensitive. Surprise, surprise! No wonder I fried my face the first time. I am now looking forward to trying products recommended for my true type.

2.) Read not just the chapter for your type but also chapters for similar types, too.

3.) Photocopy your ingredient list and bring them with you when making purchases. I will this time!

4.) Incorporate some of the nutritional advice and do/buy only what feels right for you. A happy, healthy face is always a beautiful face!

I got this book from the library and I am so impressed with it, I am buying it. I have a problem skin type that has several issues. I am under the care of a doctor for it, but find this book to be an excellent resource. And many of the product recommendations are things my doctor has prescribed, so I know this book gives good advice. Dermatologists are very busy these days and just don't have the time to sit with patients and walk them through every possible lifestyle change that could help with their conditions. Even if you decide not to buy any of the products, you can still benefit from the lifestyle recommendations. For example, Dr. B. recommends people with my skin type do everything possible to keep the skin from becoming overheated. She's right! I was having trouble with breakouts after months of no problems despite following my treatments to the letter. But after reading the book, I realized the water I was washing with was too hot, I was scrubbing too much and I had the heat up too high. I have changed these things and I am seeing an improvment. I truly believe if I continue to follow the recommendations in this book I will be able to maintain the clear skin my prescriptions are intended to help me get.

I'm 58 and have, like most other women my age, spent oodles of dollars over decades on various skincare products with no understanding as to whether they were good or bad for my skin.

After reading this book, I will never spend another penny on a product or procedure that won't benefit my particular skin type.

Dr. B. has taken the confusion out of what products I should buy and apply, what procedures I need and what protections and precautions I should take to have the best skin ever.

My skin is dry, non-pigmented, reactive and wrinkled.
I now know exactly what skincare regime I should be following to protect my skin from further wrinkles and to eliminate some of the wrinkles that I have.

I also now have an idea about how to start up with applying Retin-A or retinoyl products to avoid irritation.

Dr. B doesn't push plastic surgery (and I am thankful for that) but she gives insight into how Botox and fillers can be used effectively to eliminate deep lines and wrinkles.

One of the best two tips she gives is that Thermage can be used to help with puffiness under the eyes and sagging skin AND that facials (which I used to have about once a month) do not benefit the skin in the long run.

She doesn't "push" any particular products. She gives low price, medium price and high price choices for varous skincare products.
And she gives you a choice of a non-prescription AND a prescription skin care regime for each particular type of skin.

This is a terrific book!

The Skin Type Solution: A Revolutionary Guide to Your Best Skin Ever

I am 50 years old and through much trial and mostly error had learned some of the wisdom as explained simply and clearly by Dr. Baumann.

The most useful part of her book was the recommendation on products and types of ingredients to suit my specific skin type. She provides many options at different price ranges. I purchased cleanser, treatment and moisturizer per the book's suggestions and am thrilled with the results. My oily and sensitive skin which experienced redness and breakouts is clear, smooth and unblemished. Thank you Dr. Baumann!

For more recommendations on products to suit your skin type from customers and updated info from Dr. Baumann check her website at www.skintypesolution.com.

I have always had problem skin with acne being my main issue. I've tried a lot of products, but all of them lead to flaky, irritated skin. After a while I gave up and used the "benign neglect" skin care regimen. After reading this book and finding out my skin type I have been able to shop with more confidence and am in the process of implementing the suggestions from the book. So far, so good . . .