Education Books

In "The Greengage Summer" five English youths have their vacation trip to the battlefields of France derailed when their mother develops a disabling illness due to an insect bite. While she is in hospital, they stay at a hotel run by two sour proprietors and peopled by an eccentric cast of characters. Each of the youths pursues his or her interests (painting, photography, etc.) while exploring the hotel and the grounds nearby. They befriend the handyman Paul, a young man with a perplexing past, and bond with their temporary guardian, Eliot, whose background, they eventually discover, is even more disturbing. In their summer stay, the children also stumble upon a mystery. As they collide with a foreign adult world, they receive an education, but not quite the one their mother originally intended.

The Grey children are taken to France by their mother to visit the battlefields of WW1 in the hope that it will make them less selfish. However, she is taken ill as soon as they arrive at their destination, the hotel Les Oeillets, and the children find themselves bewildered and frightened in a strange land with a barely conscious mother. They are befriended by Eliot, a charming and enigmatic Englishman staying at Les Oeillets, who sorts everything out. With their mother in hospital, the children are free to explore this strange and exotic new world, so different from the dull suburban English town they have come from. They get to know all the people at the hotel, Mamzelle Zizzi, the beautiful but slightly haggard proprietor, who is clearly besotted with Eliot, Madame Corbet, grim and unsmiling, who equally clearly detests him, and all the rest of the staff. They make friends with Paul, an orphan who is an overworked drudge in the kitchen, but dreams of some day owning his own lorry. The story is narrated by Cecil, thirteen years old, who observes everything, especially the growing attraction between Joss, her exquisitely lovely elder sister, and Eliot. As Eliot spends more and more time with the children, Mamzelle Zizzi's jealousy grown, until it finally explodes one night in a scene that terrifies and bewilders the Grey family. The children try to retreat from the scary grownupworld to their safe childhood idyll, but it is too late, the happy atmosphere is poisoned. As Eliot's behaviour grows more mysterious,and Mamzelle Zizzi continues to simmer with jealousy the story heads inevitably towards disaster. All the characters in this book are fascinating, from secretive, sexy Eliot to the drudge Paul, and you feel totally involved in their lives. The atmosphere of a French summer is so vividly described, you can taste the greengages the children stuff themselves with, and smell the eccentric French plumbing. A gripping and poignant story of lost innocence, this book is based on actual events in Rumer Godden's youth, and is quite unforgettable.

When the dog bites, when you're feeling blue, simply get a copy of The Greengage Summer to gorge on its luscious and heady prose. Godden is a timeless writer and I'm fairly sure this started life as 'adult' rather than 'children's' fiction - for all the worth of those meaningless categories. I guess the teen reads didn't exist then and this seething, hormonal coming-of-age novel captures the very essence of that moment when knowing youth casts its spell without being able to foresee the consequences, for it to appeal to younger readers, but I wonder if the hindsight of growing-up add another layer or three. The prose is limpid, laden with resonance and the characters are wondeful. I can smell and see the summer and its dangerous allure. Nicely tragic too (in that noone actually dies, but the consequences of playing with adult-hood are suitably dire!). It is a book I turn to time-and-again and recommend unstintingly to anyone who'll hear me out.

This is one of those books I've bought again and again. It's a beautiful coming-of-age story set in the French countryside. I first read it back when the earth was cooling, and I have no idea what became of that original copy. I bought it again as an adult, loaned it to a friend and never saw it again. I recently bought it yet a third time, a used copy on Amazon, and this one I'm not loaning out.
Greengage Summer is a delicious melange of mystery, romance, travel writing, and character study. I'm surprised it's no longer in print, because I truly think it's a classic. It started me reading everything Rumer Godden's written. I like her writing tremendously, but Greengage Summer is her best.
When Mum is confined to bed in a small French village, her children are left on their own in the pensione. It's mainly the story of the oldest daughter's blossoming toward maturity, but it's more, much more, than what appears on the surface.
Read it, and loan it to a friend - but be sure you get it back!

A former "diplobrat" who grew up abroad, I identified with Godden's description of a child's first encounter with France. The effect of their foreign adventure on each family member develops along with an excellent plot (not usually Godden's strong point). Even better than the character descriptions is the evocation of French country life at its most seductive -- "next best to being there."

Before reading Dr. John Morella's book, "A Guide For Effective Psychotherapy", or even being in his class at SLCC i did not know too much about the study. Just by reading this book which was compressed into only eleven chapters, you can understand the most effective methods for psychotherapy if you or a freind find you might need some attention.
The book starts off with an itroduction introducing the author and the book. The next chapter tells the reader about diffrent mental health providers wich is very importaqnt. Then the book goes on to tslk about issues concerning psychotherapy and where to look to for help. Overall this book was helpful because i had a relative seeking help coping with the death of two sibling in the past few years. They were able to find the help they needed.
This book can deffinatly be useful to anyone who wants to know about psychology and the practive. i would most deffinatly recomend this book in the future.

by : Adam Duplechain

Reading Dr. Morella's book was part of my assignment for his class. I did enjoy reading his book. He gives great examples and creates a better understanding of the different treatments offered. I find myself comparing everyday circumstances to the topics in his book. Thanks

Dr Morella's book is very effective in its purpose. Which is to provide an outline one might go about finding the right mental health profesional for themselves or a loved one. He defines what it is a mental health profesional does. He also defines the different types of mental health profesional. He also provides a clear outline for a parent who is looking to get profesional help for their child. There is a list of references in the book as well on who somebody may contact for a specific problem that is already defined. He mixes in humor with the book to lighten it up a bit. A Guide for Effective Psychotherapy, in conclusion, is a valuable resource for anyone who is looking for proffesional help or seeking it for a loved one.

Dr. Morella has written a concise book on the different types of psychotherapists, forms and format of therapy available for adults, teens, and children. Prior to reading A guide for effective psychotherapy, I had the misconception that all therapy involved "talk therapy" as seen in most movies today. This book provides information a person will need to make an informed decision in choosing the right type of therapist for themselves, a family member or a friend. He goes a step further offering the reader information on understanding their diagnosis to dealing with insurance companies. Dr. Morella also provides his reader a list of agencies and resources where they can find more information further enabling the reader to be informed. This book is an excellent first step for anyone interested in learning more about psychotherapy. Dr. Morella's book would be a compliment to every home's medical reference section. I look forward to reading his next book that he is currently working on.

John Morella has written a very clear, user friendly guide for anyone who is considering any form of therapy for the first time. He is able to explain the process from the beginning to the end in terms that even the most nervous or unknowledgeable person can understand and follow.

The first aspect of this book that draws the reader's attention is the Table of Contents. Instead of just a short listing of chapter titles he also lists all subtitles in bold print and a brief explanation of the purpose and content of each chapter. It states the goal of each section up front. If there is specific information needed it is easy to know where to look and it seems to replace an index.

The chapters begin with an over view of all the various options for mental health providers and types of psychotherapy. The number and variety of choices can be overwhelming to the novice and if in crisis it is especially daunting. Choosing the correct therapist is one of the most crucial selections that must be made. Morella reviews all the types of therapists, qualifications and the various therapy models. He does an excellent job of explaining the various models in terms lay people can understand. It is not easy to explain each one without being trapped by jargon or medical vernacular. His relaxed, simple style is not demeaning but appropriately unpretentious.

Later chapters cover everything from client's rights to children's services and medication. The end is a listing of resources with addresses including web sites and a short description of services. A few scenarios finish the book to prepare future clients as to what to expect from a session.

The format of the book is well laid out. Wider than usual margins on all sides help prevent the sensation of information becoming too formidable for the reader. A combination of paragraphs, bulleted lists and, of course, the occasional joke all form a well thought out, concise look at the therapy process. A Guide for Effective Psychotherapy should be readily available to anyone who is considering therapy for themselves, friend or family member. Libraries, medical offices and crisis services should have a copy of this tome to recommend to those in need.

There's quite a debate going on in these reviews, so let me return to the main point of these reviews and state that this is an excellent story and well worth reading. As others have pointed out, in adapting the book to a movie, Barbra STreisand made substantive changes in the story, changes that Singer himself did not approve of. It's definitely worth going back to the original text and reading the story as written.

The story is not only a moving tale of the bind a Jewish woman of late 19th or early 20th century Poland puts herself into in order to fulfill her need to study and learn, but a rich portrayal of both the joys and strictures of that society that is now gone (as are so many of Singer's stories). It helps to know something of Judaism to understand many of the references in the story but it is not critical to the reader's empathy with Yentl/Anshel's position.

And yes, the character as portrayed in the book is undoubtedly portrayed as what we would now call transgendered. It is not simply that Yentl wants to study Torah, because if that were the case she could marry Avigdor and continue to study with him; Avigdor offers her this option. She herself says she is not one or the other. I also love Singer's implied explanation for transgender identity as being that of a soul of one sex incarnated in the body of the other. It makes a deep kind of sense to me in both a spiritual and experiential way, and adds another dimension to this story.

This book is very short, really a novella, and is illustrated with interesting woodcuts that portray both moments from the story, and various Jewish ritual objects like spice boxes and the pointers used to read Torah scrolls. Do seek this book and other works of Singer's out, you won't regret it!

I first read this story way back when it first came out -- long before Streisand turned it into a third-wave feminist polemic. (Which, by the way, upset the author, I.B. Singer, so much that he tries to stop production. Unfortunately, he did not have artistic control over the film rights to his story, and so this travesty of his work was produced and lives on in infamy.) Upon re-reading it, I still think it is about a transgender person, not a feminist.

The reviewer here who said that another reviewer "should be shot" (such violent intolerance!) for claiming that Yentl was transgender by making a reference to "even heaven makes mistakes" obviously did not read the book -- because that's word-for-word what Yentl's father tells her on page 8. The story also clearly states that Yentl has "the soul of a man." (page 8 also). So, I suggest ignoring those PC polemicists who are talking about the movie only, which is VERY DIFFERENT from the book, and has ITS OWN PAGE for reviews! (If you haven't read the book, why are you reviewing here in the first place?)

Singer was writing in the 1960s. He wrote respectfully of Jewish culture in this story. He did not mock it the way Streisand later did in her movie. The book has no barkers shouting "Story books for women, holy books for men," and as far as I know, nobody even did that in real life. The line is anti-Hasidic propaganda, as is much of the movie. Streisand's film is a comedy. Singer's story is serious drama.

In the book, When Yentl says, "I wasn't created for plucking feathers and chattering with females," (page 47) is she really speaking like a radical 20th-century feminist about social roles -- or is she speaking literally, on a mystical spiritual level? If she were merely objecting to "plucking feathers" (woman's work) why does she also object to "chattering with females" -- and why use the word "females," as if to stress this is about GENDER? I think she means that she was not created to be a woman, period, regardless of roles. She certainly does not object when her father tells her that she has a man's soul and that "even heaven makes mistakes."

She reaffirms this transgender identity on page 49, where Avigdor asks her, "Tell me the truth, are you a heretic?" Yentl answers, "God forbid!" Clearly, she believes in Orthodox Judaism and respects it, IN SPITE OF her personal dilemma. As their discussion continues: "... All Anshel's [Yentl's] explanations seemed to point to one thing: she had the soul of a man in a woman's body." How much plainer can you get?

But today, in the 2000s, being a female-to-male transgender person is no longer politically correct in the feminist movement. Since the days when Singer wrote this story, the radical feminists have trashed and reviled female-to-male (FTM) transgender people for being "politically incorrect" to the point that they (the feminists) simply cannot stomach the idea that THIS IS WHAT SINGER WAS WRITING ABOUT!!!!!

Yentl doesn't act like a feminist in the book. She doesn't go out campaigning for women's rights. On the other hand, she does enjoy cross-dressing: "On Sabbath afternoons, when her father slept, she would dress up in his trousers, his fringed garment, his silk coat, his skullcap, his velvet hat, and study her reflection in the mirror." (page 8) She also secretly smoked her father's pipe. These are not feminist behaviors, they are transvestite / transgender behaviors.

Yes, there were restrictions against women in the 1850s (which, by the way, is the time frame for this story. Keep in mind that gentile universities didn't accept women back then, either.) But that is NOT the reason that Yentl crosses over to live as a man. If she were merely a disgruntled woman wanting "male privilege," why did she choose to live as a man even after divorcing Hadass? In the Streisand movie she goes back to dressing as a woman and takes a ship to America where, presumably, she will be "free." But that scene IS NOT IN THE BOOK! In the book, she lives out her life as the man, Anshel. Exactly as an FTM transgender person would do.

Regarding the debate here about whether Yentl was a feminist or a transsexual, I weigh in on the transgender side -- for all the reasons other reviewers have already listed here, and which I have also discussed on my Hasidism FAQ website. So I won't reinvent the wheel in this review. I agree that the movie was definitely a feminist statement, but the book, well, that's another story altogether.

We should remember that before the movie, there was the stage play. It followed the book pretty closely, (which the movie did not!) and was very popular in lesbian and avant garde theaters. When I saw the play performed in the 1970s, Yentl was played as the Jewish version of a "butch" lesbian. (In terms of social roles, not machismo. The ideal Jewish male in the timeframe of this story was a scholar, not a redneck.) In the play, like in the book, Yentl remains living as the man Anshel in Eastern Europe. In the movie, Streisand changed this very important point and had Yentl revert to wearing women's clothes and then going to America.

So nu, what was the relationship between Yentl/Anshel and Avigdor? They were study partners -- chaverim in Hebrew -- a relationship that doesn't seem to exist outside of the Orthodox Jewish community, so here's some background. The Talmud is written in dialogue mode with different rabbis agreeing and disagreeing on various points of Jewish law and theology. Talmud is traditionally studied out loud, by two people hotly debating, going point-by-point over the discussions on the page together. In the traditional yeshiva world -- even today -- the schools are not co-ed. So naturally, your study partner is going to be the same sex as yourself. And very often, your study partner is also your very best friend. You not only sit together in school, you confide in each other, hang out together, encourage each other in life's struggles, etc. And this can be a very close relationship. But it's not sexual. It's male bonding. If Anshel had joined the army, then he and Avigdor would have been "buddies" who fought battles together.

Anshel loves Avigdor, yes. But as a study partner, not a lover. What Anshel misses in Avigdor when he changes study halls is not sexual attraction, it's their learning together. Nobody else in the yeshiva is as serious or as brilliant a student as Avigdor. Nobody else is an intellectual match for Anshel -- and so, he studies alone.

When Anshel reveals to Avigdor that s/he is really the woman Yentl, Avigdor suggests that they could get married and still study together -- but Yentl/Anshel says no. S/he tells him that s/he is "neither one [sex] nor the other" and that s/he has "the soul of a man in the body of a woman." This teaches us that Yentl DID INDEED have a gender identity crisis. If she had just wanted to study Talmud, if she were in love with Avigdor, she could have married him and that would be that. But she chose instead to remain living as Anshel for the rest of her life, even without Avigdor. In other words, she chose loneliness and loss of friendship over going back to living as a woman -- a choice that many a real transsexual has also made.

Now, one issue that has not come up yet in the debate here is this: What exactly did I.B. Singer mean by "the SOUL of a man in the body of a woman?" Is this used figuratively, i.e., with "soul" meaning interests, ideas, disposition? Or did Singer mean it literally -- that the eternal soul of Yentl was male, trapped in a female body? If it was figurative, then why does Yentl's father explain it by telling her "even heaven makes mistakes?" I think it is meant literally -- that a male soul has incarnated in the female body named Yentl. Perhaps it was reincarnation (Singer did believe in that.) This was/is one explanation in kabbalah (Jewish mysticm) for what we now call, in scientific terms, "gender dysphoria."

When Singer was writing in the 1960s, "gender dysphoria" was assumed to be caused by a mismatch of social roles, such as a girl being raised as a tomboy. And that's how Singer portrayed Yentl, with her father teaching her "male" things. But even today, when women are free (in Western countries at least) to openly pursue any type of studies or career or lifestyle they want, there are STILL female-to-male (FTM) transsexuals who claim to have male souls trapped in female bodies. Many of them were NOT raised as tomboys, either. The issue for them is not social roles, it's gender identity.

Recent research seems to indicate that this inner conflict is caused by a difference in brain structure. (Nature, not nurture.) Apparently, there is a part of the brain that is hard-wired to "feel" male or female -- and if this is out of sync with the rest of the body, you have a transgendered person. Had Singer known this in his day, he might have focused less on Yentl's dislike of sewing and cooking (the so-called "women's work"), and more on her inner identity crisis about feeling male. But he was a man of his times and he used the literary devices available then. When he wrote this story in 1962, DNA had not even been discovered, and there were no MRI machines to map the activities of the living brain. He assumed (wrongly) that a Yentl became what s/he was because of how she was raised. 21st-century readers need to keep this in mind when they read this story.

The movie does attack the issues of feminism - albeit somewhat unrealistically. Yes, as one reviewer put, there are many restrictions on Chasidic women (and men!), but not necessarily in an oppressive manner. The laws of Judaism are really quite complex (and no I am not orthodox). Nevertheless, I believe the book is a story about s transsexual, Yentl (Anshel) who felt as though she were a man in a woman's body. Incidentally, she was brilliant and capable of the complex studies of the Talmud, but the book has very little to do with feminism or oppression of women.
Nevertheless, it is an excellent read, highly recommended. For the period on which it was written, Singer was very much ahead of his time in tackling such an issue.

The IBS short story (but not the movie) certainly IS about a transsexual. Tha character, Yentle/Anshel, is a woman who wants to be a man, and the study of Talmud is a major part of it only because Singer used 19th-early Eastern Europe as a setting. While Yentl is briliant and enjoys studying the Talmud this is not why she gets into her situation. Rather it's a literary mechanism. Singer clearly describes Yentl as a man inside a woman's body, and the reason why Talmud is emphasized is because of the setting in an eastern european jewish community. That is what the most respected men did in that culture; in modern Israel, it would be piloting an F-16 in the air force.

Although Yentl had studied secretly with her father, there were things that she had been hiding even from him: while he slept on shabbat afternoons she would dress up in his clothing, and smoke his pipe. She had not one female friend, then on the morning after the night when Anshel had married Haddass, the parents of Haddass held of the bed sheet and saw the blood. Singer writes that "Anshel had found a way to deflower Haddass", and that Haddass being so innocent and in love with Anshel hadn't realized that what was supposed to happen had not happened. IN OTHER WORDS...something happened SEXUALLY between Yentl/Anshel and Haddass, such that Haddass' hymen ruptured. Singer leaves the precise mechanism to the imagination, but it stands to reason that it was not the spilling of wine on the sheet as occured in the movie. It the short story it is actual blood. It seems hard to imagine but keep in mind that it is a culture wherein young women might never be told much if anything about sex before their marriage, the expectation being that they would find out from their husbands. Moreover the marriage goes on for several months with Haddass believing that her marriage is within a standard deviation of the norm.

It's just not conceivable that Yentl/Anshel is doing this -being intimate with Haddass via petting or whatever for several months - because of a heterosexual attraction to Avigdor. Then finally when she reveals herself to him and he suggest that they (Avigdor and Yentl) marry she says it wouldn't be good and that she's "neither one [gender] nor the other". And so she continues dressing as a man. She does not take a ship to another country as in the movie which would have been the right thing to do had she wanted to live as a woman and study the Talmud. She could have done that in western europe or america, but in the book she didn't and went on living as a man.

I love the writing in this series, it's such a pleasure to read, I wonder why are so many other textbooks so boring?

I'd love to give it five stars, except that there are recurring themes I find grating - some of her "fan club for the US government" stuff is just in totally inappropriate places. For instance, "American slavery was a horror. We should never pretend it was anything else. But the American system of government lets us correct mistakes. When you study history you see we usually do. Of that we can be proud." Gag me with a spoon, slavery was not abolished until more than 240 years after the first slave was delivered in 1619! Hakim does such a great job of fairly telling the story, why ruin it?

Another place I found disappointing was the perpetuation of the myth that the first settlers at Plymouth were called "Pilgrims" and that the Europeans started Thanksgiving. She has a box on Thanksgiving saying the story of the first Thanksgiving is a "real turkey", lists some other European Thanksgiving celebrations, and then neglects to mention that the Indians had been conducting Thanksgiving celebrations at harvest time for generations. I'd love to see someone do such a great job TELLING the story, who could also not perpetuate those irritating little false stories that schoolchildren are always taught.

Gosh, this doesn't sound like the positive review I inteded, but I see others have already told the good stuff. It's wonderfully well written!

This book is very fun and imformative. It gives us information, but in a fun way...I recomend this book to anyone under the age of 13, and who enjoys history...if you get this book in school, dont be scared it is fun!

I just borrowed this book from the library and now plan to buy the whole set. As a home schooling parent, I am always struggling to find quality materials and this series is just that. Hakim's books are easy to read and comprehend. Most importantly, they give a realistic view of history, not the politically correct one so often taught.

As I teach my children U.S. history, I want them to know that, yes, the white people were sometimes violent and unfair to the Native Americans, but some Native Americans were that way too. Before the Europeans came, they kidnapped and killed each other. I want my kids to know the whole truth and these books are very fair. No matter what the race, some people are good and some are not.

I highly recommend these books for teaching history to children and even adults.

"Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740" is the second volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US." The first volume covered how the first Americans crossed over from Asia to become Indians and the first Europeans, mainly the Spanish but also the French and English, began settling the New World. This volume focuses on the narrow string of settlements established by the English that became the thirteen colonies whose people began moving westward and who also started to question the relationship they had with England (there is a small amount of overlap between this and the next volume, which covers period of American history from 1735-1791).

Hakim begins with a preface that looks at the vast mixture of ideas that were brought over from the Mediterranean world and took root in the Americas. Along with the first chapter, which talks about the comet that appeared in 1607 as a portent of great changes for the world, this preface sets up several key themes that will be revisited throughout this and future volumes. "Making Thirteen Colonies" has 42 chapters and it the book is divided into five main sections. The first (chapters 2-12) tells how English settlers came to stay by establishing the first permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia. The second (chapters 13-23) looks primarily at the Puritans arriving in New England, although Hakim also touches on what was happening between the Indians and the Spanish in the southwest. The third section (chapters 24-30) tells about the mid-Atlantic colonies, most notably New Amsterdam/York and Pennsylvania. The fourth section (chapter 31-39) returns to the South, looking at not only Ole Virginny but also the two Carolinas and Georgia. This unit also looks at the Triangle Trade and other considerations that united the four southern and nine northern colonies. The final section (chapters 40-42) is a transitional unit, that looks at how the colonists began to move westward and the stage was set for the period of history that would make those thirteen colonies into a new nation.

One of the great advantages to writing a ten-volume history of the United States is that unlike most standard American history textbooks "A History of US" is able to clearly establish the unique identities of each of those original thirteen colonies. I recently finished reading an excellent series of books, each of which was devoted to an individual colony, and Hakim ends up being closer to those volumes than she does the standard textbook. Consequently, in addition to the traditional stories about Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown, William Penn and the Quakers of Pennsylvania, the Salem witch trials, Ben Franklin as the quintessential American, and Daniel Boone finding routes through the mountains, Hakim establishes an individual identity for each colony.

However, the main strength of this series is how Hakim engages young readers, the same way you would expect a "real" teacher to do in a "real" classroom. This shows up primarily in her ability to anticipate and answer questions that students might have (e.g., why the Indians were not enslaved). I can easily see why this series is popular with parents who are home schooling their children. The book is richly illustrated with dozens and dozens of historic paintings, etchings, drawings, maps, engravings, and assorted reproductions. The margins are crammed with interesting facts, definitions, and quotations, and features on topics such as Land Green and Africa: The Unknown Continent are sprinkled throughout the book. The After Words this time around are devoted to cartography and has some superb examples of 16h- and 17th-century maps. It is easily to see why this series has impressed so many people and why Hakim is able to get such good responses from young students who are used to getting their information from computers and the Internet.

"Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740" is the second volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US." The first volume covered how the first Americans crossed over from Asia to become Indians and the first Europeans, mainly the Spanish but also the French and English, began settling the New World. This volume focuses on the narrow string of settlements established by the English that became the thirteen colonies whose people began moving westward and who also started to question the relationship they had with England (there is a small amount of overlap between this and the next volume, which covers period of American history from 1735-1791).

Hakim begins with a preface that looks at the vast mixture of ideas that were brought over from the Mediterranean world and took root in the Americas. Along with the first chapter, which talks about the comet that appeared in 1607 as a portent of great changes for the world, this preface sets up several key themes that will be revisited throughout this and future volumes. "Making Thirteen Colonies" has 42 chapters and it the book is divided into five main sections. The first (chapters 2-12) tells how English settlers came to stay by establishing the first permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia. The second (chapters 13-23) looks primarily at the Puritans arriving in New England, although Hakim also touches on what was happening between the Indians and the Spanish in the southwest. The third section (chapters 24-30) tells about the mid-Atlantic colonies, most notably New Amsterdam/York and Pennsylvania. The fourth section (chapter 31-39) returns to the South, looking at not only Ole Virginny but also the two Carolinas and Georgia. This unit also looks at the Triangle Trade and other considerations that united the four southern and nine northern colonies. The final section (chapters 40-42) is a transitional unit, that looks at how the colonists began to move westward and the stage was set for the period of history that would make those thirteen colonies into a new nation.

One of the great advantages to writing a ten-volume history of the United States is that unlike most standard American history textbooks "A History of US" is able to clearly establish the unique identities of each of those original thirteen colonies. I recently finished reading an excellent series of books, each of which was devoted to an individual colony, and Hakim ends up being closer to those volumes than she does the standard textbook. Consequently, in addition to the traditional stories about Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown, William Penn and the Quakers of Pennsylvania, the Salem witch trials, Ben Franklin as the quintessential American, and Daniel Boone finding routes through the mountains, Hakim establishes an individual identity for each colony.

However, the main strength of this series is how Hakim engages young readers, the same way you would expect a "real" teacher to do in a "real" classroom. This shows up primarily in her ability to anticipate and answer questions that students might have (e.g., why the Indians were not enslaved). I can easily see why this series is popular with parents who are home schooling their children. The book is richly illustrated with dozens and dozens of historic paintings, etchings, drawings, maps, engravings, and assorted reproductions. The margins are crammed with interesting facts, definitions, and quotations, and features on topics such as Land Green and Africa: The Unknown Continent are sprinkled throughout the book. The After Words this time around are devoted to cartography and has some superb examples of 16th- and 17th-century maps. It is easily to see why this series has impressed so many people and why Hakim is able to get such good responses from young students who are used to getting their information from computers and the Internet.

What a breath of fresh air! I have two ADD/ADHD kids. My first son was just put on meds for his complete inability to focu(ADHD/Inattentive). I wanted to give him ways to focus and stay on task but wasn't sure where to start. This book was full of terrific ideas. I just devoured it! I can't wait to implement some of these things in our routine. This book
provided many concrete ideas without all the fluff.

My second son is just downright ADHD and Ms. Barnier's descriptions were right on. I do actually let him sit on his desk and he has long since abandoned his chair. I really appreciated the discipline advice in this book. It was comforting to hear that #1. She's also found spanking ineffective (yet doesn't denounce it all together) #2. She is mindful of what triggers her son and can see the decline (we call it "meltdown mode"). And #3. It helped me to see that it's ok to intervene with those triggers and keep that boy on a short leash!!

Oh, and I also have to THANK Ms. Barnier for making this book an easy read!!! I was easily able to retain what I read while being distracted 100 million times from my highly distractable children...lol! Most of what I find on ADHD is so full of medical jargon and clinical study after study that it makes my brain hurt. Really, I haven't always been this way. I used to be smart..then I had children.

I saw Carol at a Homeschool Convention and the book covers her talk but in more detail and also gives a hard copy so as to make it easy to refer back to and remember. The book is good for all kinds of kids, not just ADHD. It's a great resource for the homeschool parent. It's also encouraging to know I'm not the only one who's kid has climbed on the refrigerator.

We saw Carol Barnier at a homeschool convention recently, she is an amazing (and hilarious) speaker and I love her books. My son is very wiggly and distratactable, it was nice to see that we are definatly not alone with our experience homeschooling a hyperactive child. Her suggestions are wonderful, practical, and encouraging. My favorite chapter is "seeing the gift in this child," it really gave me an appreciation for my son's unique talents and personality. I have never seen a book like this, I know it will be a valuable resource we will turn to often now and in the years to come.

This book is a very encouraging and uplifting book. The author, having experience in raising and teaching a highly hyper-active child, is full of compassion and wisdom. If you're looking for encouragement in homeschooling or raising a special/hyperactive child, this book is a must-read. It encouraged me as well as helped me create some very exciting homeschooling ideas for my own ADHD child.

Carol Barnier's book on homeschooling active children really struck a cord with me when I first read it. I had homeschooled just such a child and she really knew how it works. You don't have to be homeschooling a child with ADHD, however, to use this book--her teaching methods are just so much fun that any homeschooling parent will benefit from using them! This is a book that will make you fel good about yourself and your teaching, while showing you how to do more than just survive--you'll learn to have the time of your life!

I read this book from cover to cover it has many insites on your health. It also tells about the different shape bodies we have and how to deal with it. I reccommed this book to anyone who is trying to get healthy.

There are few books that I think are an absolute MUST READ. This is definitely one. Even those of us who consider ourselves informed health care consumers, will find as I did, that there are things about our health and our medical records that we don't know, didn't think of, or just didn't get around to.

There is no wasted time in this book about blame. We are busy, doctors are busy, etc. and we relocate, change health plans, have no health plan, records get lost or destroyed. When it is important, or lifesaving, to have our medical information, we can't count on "the system" to produce it. Even the most organized of us, in the moment of a medical crisis, can't remember a medication, a date, location, etc.

Dr. Savard also lists symptoms, changes, etc. that may seem insignificant at the time, but ignored long enough, become very significant. For many, many reasons this is a must read book. It is a thoughtful gift also to friends and family you care about.

This book is timely and empowering. It provides guidelines that are detailed and easy to follow so that we can be informed participants in our own healthcare. This is a 'must have' if you: ~believe that you should be a part of the decision-making process regarding your healthcare; ~like being an informed consumer (includes information about diagnostic tests, interpreting results etc.); ~belong to an HMO and have minimal time with your primary care physician or see multiple physicians in large group practices (you can always provide them with up-to-date information); ~want more information about a disease or medical condition (the print and internet resources will direct you to accurate information); ~want to be able to take advantage of the most up-to-date medical and drug interventions (the information YOU can provide for your physician will make that decision easier).

How to Save Your Own Life and the Savard Health Record will make a major impact on the quality of our healthcare. Family and friends on my gift list can expect copies!

If you enjoyed this book you should read some of her other books - she is really an excellent down to earth writer with great advice.

I don't know how I have lived so long without this book! I truly believe that Dr. Savard's book, "How to Save Your Own Life" should be required reading for anyone who cares about their health. Ever since my mother became sick a year ago, I have realized how important it is for us to be in control of our medical care. This book, along with The Savard Health Record makes what could be a daunting process very simple. Thank you, Dr. Savard, for your thoughtful contribution to my peace of mind.

My children really liked this book - it is sweet. I would recommend it if your child is having a little school anxiety.

It's about time that a book such as this one hit the shelves!! I work in the public school system and see 'separation anxiety' on a daily basis. Not only do children identify with the main character (what a cutie-pie!), the helpful tips in the book provide parents with the support they need to 'let go'and. I've noticed that many of the foster children in our program enjoy reading this book. All of the adults at my school have purchased copies of this book for their children, as well as, for their families. I can't wait to read more books by this author!!!!!

My daughter started to have issues with separation anxiety when she began first grade. After starting the new year, she started refusing to go to school and would cry for hours. It broke my heart to see her this way, and after speaking to her teacher and vice principal, we agreed that it would take some time and that we would all have to work together. I saw this book online and decided to give it a try. First of all, it is geared towards children. The pictures, as well as the story, helped my daughter relate to the main character. We even tried some of the things that the character did to help her feel secure in school. My daughter would bring a picture of us to school, or bring a small teddy bear to look at when she started to feel sad. We also cut a piece of one of my shirts and she would use it to not only dry her tears, but to carry in her pocket. In addition to the book, my daughter did see a child psychologist twice. Although it was a long and tough struggle, I am happy to say that it is now 4 months later and she is doing very well and has adjusted to first grade. What a relief! I recommend this book for those of you who find yourself in the situation that I was in. It is a great supplement to have while working towards helping your child gain that inner strength and courage. I advise you to use as many resources as you can.

I have four children. My youngest started kindergarten this year and was extremely nervous about it. He's very clingy and very used to just being with me. Although he had attended pre-school, the idea of going on a bus to a "big school" frightened him. I heard about this book from a friend of mine and read it to my son a few days before he started school. He really enjoyed it and asked if he could bring it into school with him!The teacher read it to the class and raved about it too. This is definitely a beautiful and bright way of easing a young child's anxiety (and mom's anxiety!) about going off to school.

I have a 3 year-old daughter who had a hard time adjusting to leaving me and going to pre-school. I have read "The Kissing Hand", a sweet book, but this one is much more specific to the feelings that children can have when they don't want to leave their Moms. My daughter loved the Honey Bee character. The book helps children to help themselves and it tells you exactly how to do it. The illustrations are adorable, too!

I would recommend this to any curious christian, or curious nonchristian! I'm 20 years old and I enjoy using it! It's fun and informative, and the animations are my favorite part

I purchased this as a gift for my wife. Not only does she love it, but our three-year-old son loves the videos. It is very easy to study the Bible, as well as look up information, cross-reference, etc. I saved at least $20 by ordering online. Great purchase!

An excellent Bible Encyclopedia on a computer instead of a set of books! Very easy to use and very excessible!

Love this software!!! I use it on a daily bases, and love the extra's.
The only complaint I have is the scrolling arrow it is a bit to fast, so I use the bar instead. Great resource for any age of beliver.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We finally have a program that reflects the Love and completeness any Christian would expect for the greatest occurrence of all time.
We have allowed the world to take the lead in using technology to reinforce their own ungodly ways, but this program more then meets the challenge of catching up and conveying the Gospel to this techno age. This software is more then worthy of our purchase and it is so reasonably priced for what you receive. Ilumina continues in its own way to stimulate continued study and refreshment in G_d's Word in this so easily distracted society.
From novice to the learned, "Ilumina Gold Premium Software" will place a smile onto the heart of every believer who is seeking G_d's Grace and Wisdom.
May His Love for You shine forth guiding you as you seek Him.
Shalom

If you are considering getting an IG, you really ought to read this book. This book is written by somebody who has had a lot of experience with Italian Greyhounds and she knows her stuff! She gives very detailed information on the history of IGs, different personalities and problems (both behavioral and health wise) you might run into, and great training and healthcare tips, along with information needed if you decide you have interest in showing a dog. It's helped us work well with our new IG. Very educational, and it's a recommended read by the Italian Greyhound Club of America [...].

Good book. Wish at least some of the pictures were color.
Could do without the many many many pages of pedigrees, but each to their own.

Lilian covers everything there is to know about IGs. From puppies to adulthood and show dogs. Well written with pages and pages of photographs.

This is a really awesome book, it is the first book that I have purchased that is so full of information, I would highly recommend this book for anyone!

This is a wonderfully complete and detailed book, written by a person who knows iggies. If you are thinking of getting an IG or have one or more of the little precious furry creatures, then this is a must book. It is not a fancy book with glossy pages full of color photos. But it does have a good deal of photos, mostly black and white, of a number of IGs. Most of the photos are of iggies being shown at a dog show, but many many others of the precious sighthounds in all types of places, doing a lot of different things.

There are chapter after chapter of interesting discussions on a wide variety of issues and events that could occur during the life of an Italian Greyhound. IG parents are a special group of individuals - you have to be to live with an iggy or two or three or more. They are like potato chips - you can't have just one.

Just what is needed for a simple study guide for leading out a discussion with this book.

I have spent a fairly large part of a long life in Sunday School,
church,Bible Classes, college courses, and daily reading of the Bible and myriad magazine, tracts etc. But never have I experienced a deeper mind shaking treatise on faith and understanding of what Jesus was doing and intended while he taught his disciples and listeners/observers during his time on earth as described in the 4 gospels. My understanding of passages I never could comprehend before is wonderfully satisfying and truly exhilerating. I haven't stopped thinking about it, and doubt I ever will.

Yancey does a good job about allowing us to paint a picture of Jesus in our eyes, and not that of Hollywood. Too often we draw conclusions based upon an image that is handed to us through advertising or visual media. The book takes you through 14 different lessons that help you experience Jesus. Afterall, being a Christian is not about the church, not about hype, not about anything else but your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The study guide is an excellent resource for anyone facilitating small group discussion on Yancey's book. The suggestions for how to enhance the discussion are doable, and a variety of options are presented. The study guide is well worth the price.

Decades ago when George Lucas presented STAR WARS for the first time, certain movie reviewers criticized it for its "silliness" and that "it would be easily forgotten." How wrong they were, and how embarrassed they now must be.

Variety has criticized films that are ahead of their time. Take for example the TV movie A CHILD CALLED JESUS, starring Matteo Bellina. Variety complains about long shots, excessive makeup, amateur sets, unrealistic dialogue and unsynchronized dubbing.

But many people who have seen this film have praised it for its uniqueness compared to other Jesus films. Just visit www.imdb.com for reviews about this film. If you watch it, you will be mesmerized by the long shots; you will see that the makeup is NOT excessive (the actors have very natural skin tones compared to Cecil B. de Mille actors); you will observe that the sets are as natural as they should be in a Middle Eastern country; you will appreciate the dialogue as the words would personally touch you; you will tolerate the dubbing because this isn't even the fault of the filmmakers.

I am glad that this book is recommending the watching of this film to help readers understand the Jesus they never knew. Although it may seem that some parts are apocryphal, they do not necessarily go against the Gospels. These unbiblical scenes "could have happened" -- for didn't the evangelist John say that Jesus did so many things that they couldn't be fit into the Gospels?

If you are interested in owning an English copy of A CHILD CALLED JESUS, kindly email me at jaeho-treble2668@mailblocks.com .