Senses Books

With today's ever-growing publishing industry, the number of children's books on the market grows exponentially as each year passes. The dizzying volume of new titles on bookstore shelves can quickly transform the usually enjoyable task of finding the perfect book for your child into an overwhelming, at times even bewildering, ordeal. Book Sense, the trade organization and advocate of the independent bookseller that brought us the reading group resource favorite BOOK SENSE BEST BOOKS lends another helping hand with BOOK SENSE BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

The equivalent of visiting independent bookstores nationwide and receiving personal advice from their owners, this essential guide for parents, teachers, librarians and children of all ages contains over 200 reading suggestions, ranging from board and picture books to chapter books and young adult novels. These titles are conveniently divided into eight categories based on age group, genre and occasion, also including special lists such as "What to read while you're waiting for the next Harry Potter."

And because you'd expect nothing less from your neighborhood bookshop, each title is followed by warm, thoughtful and prudent comments from knowledgeable booksellers. Adding to the charm of this book are drawings from renowned illustrators like Ian Falconer (OLIVIA), Brett Helquist (CHASING VERMEER), and David Shannon (ALICE THE FAIRY), as well as a "love letter" to independent bookstores by Cornelia Funke (INKHEART, THE DRAGON RIDER) that serves as the foreword to this must-have resource.

With BOOK SENSE BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS, mining your way through the expansive parameters of today's children's literature no longer needs to be a daunting experience. Having Book Sense and independent booksellers leading the way, the Hogwarts Academies and Camp Green Lakes, the Georgia Nicolsons and the Eragons for every child are never out of reach.

--- Reviewed by Marisa Emralino

Seems to me that the reviews Amazon has above do not refer to volume one of this landmark five volume history of the bourgeois. Same goes for at least one of the reviews below.

This series by Peter Gay chronicles the "Bourgeois Century", roughly 1820 to the first world war. Gay's approach is anchored by a commitment to Freudian theory and a cross-cultural approach that takes in British, French, German and American culture with equal interest.

His scholarship is careful and nuanced. He draws equally adeptly from primary and secondary materials and this volume see saws between able synthesis and novel (re) interpretations of primary sources.

As the subtitle states, this volume focuses on "the education of the senses", which is a euphimism for the process by which a young victorian (man) learns about sex. That is not to say that Gay focuses exclusively on the experience of men, far from it.

Education of the Senses begins with a general introduction that I assume applies to all five volumes. Gay is careful to explain the background of the nineteenth century: i.e. that it was a period of ferocious change and that people were greatly affected and disturbed by that change.

The subtitle of Education of the Senses is "Bourgeois Experiences, I: An Erotic Record", and that it precisely the territory covered by this volume.

First off, he discusses the diary of Mabel Loomis Todd, an east coast American bourgeois. Her story is that of the woman who marries and is unfaithful to her husband. Gay uses her experience to demonstrate that the sex life of the Victorian was more complicated then previous scholars thought (this is the overriding theme of all of his work in this area).

Gay marches through Bourgeois attitudes towards sex within marriage (i.e. women were not sexually anthesthic), the role of feminism in Victorian culture, the place of birth control and birth, the role of the medical establishment in promoting half truths about sex, the place of pornography and the place of private family life, among several other topics.

Gay is judicious in his use of Freudian theory, I found it interesting, not overwhelming or dogmatic. His writing style is fluid. First rate cultural history. Can't wait for volume two, though I probably will wait for a while...

This book is an inspiration to those of us who hate to diet but want to be fit. It is motivating and humorous and just keeps you turning the pages. It is a must-read!

One would be very mistaken to let this 36 year old work escape an intimate read through. Anyone with a hint of open-mindedness would have a joyous liberation from the mere thought of her findings to be reality. Even one that has accepted "Higher sense perception" to be reality would find the evidence to be worth reading. Clarivoyence, psychometry, telepathy, and auric fields are at the core of her studies. Being a true scientist, and reluctant believer herself, Mrs. Karagulla presents case after case with a frankness and sincerity that can't be ignored. She is wise and retains her scientific nature by not jumping to any harsh conclusions in a feeble attempt to explain the universe like many contemperary authors. It starts as a few individual cases, and moves into a suggested world that is known to most of us as science fiction. Two-thirds the way through one is likely to be overwhelmed with input and must remember that what they are reading is really real. The extensive history of the subject that is presented is surprisingly eye-opening and equally impressive. I've read much on the subject. Proof may be impossible for now, but going by quality comprehensive information, this book is at the top of it's class.

My 6 mo. old loves dogs. The first time I got this book out and pressed the dog sound, she just laughed and laughed. She enjoyed the other animals as well. We've had it about a month now and she is now starting to reach and feel the "touch" spots on the animals. We also have the Ducklings Touch, Feel and Listen book which she likes a lot as well, but this one is definitely her favorite. I would recommend this book to anyone with a baby who has an interest in animals.

Without reading this book I can recommend it because the author's grandfather has the same name as me and was my Uncle.

The author had the good sense to get out of New Jersey and into the coal mining country of Pennnsylvania. Oddly enough one of my aunts by marraige family left the same area for Newark,NJ.

Talked to John and he seems like he could write an interesting book. Leaving the Garden State shows good common sense.

Semper Fi
WoodstockWeid.com

Bob marley said every man does is thing a little way different. Asians, orientals, europeans and africans, dance differently, talk differently, eat different foods and this book show you how african psychologically internalise their experience under european hegemony. from a psycholically scientific perspective its a must read for any black person who wants to know why they respond the way they do to change or disagreements. Wanna know why your parents are so resistant to you wanting to opt out of university - see chapetr one. Your relationship going in a never ending argumentative cycle - see chapeters 2 and 3. if your black you need to read it. learn how your brain works that little way different from from the asian, european & oriental. 5/5

Thank you, thank you! This book is a God-send. Thank you!

Note: this review covers all three in the Snuggletime series. The review also was written for librarians.

A trio of touchy-feely board books that feature a cute Caucasian baby with his/her blankie. In Busy Baby, we see a variety of activities that baby goes through in his/her day, the blankie firmly in place on each page. In Hide-and-seek Baby, the baby is back, playing one of the most favorite games of all babies. Readers are invited to provide an accompanying action for each body part that's hiding, i.e. press your nose after you "find" baby's nose. In Cuddly Baby, each page has a different sensory piece on a different cuddly animal. Readers are directed to the animal part that needs touching (i.e. "feel its squashy tummy"). These are great books for one-on-one reading, especially for caregivers who aren't familiar with how to read a board book to a baby--fleshing out what you see on the page. I plan to use these in my lapsit classes, not put out for general circulation, but they'll hold up well either way.

C-SPAN 2 Viewer's Guide: Making Sense of Watching the Senate: What's Behind the Classical Music (Informed Citizen Series Audio Course)