Game Books

Nowadays it's hard to remember that there was ever a time that Emigre was considered shockingly radical. With the massive surge of alternative type foundries and indie type designers, it's pretty hard to think of Emigre as "indie" any more. Not to mention the huge success of their typeface Mason--slapped over so many album covers and print ads in the last thirteen years that it's become a pest font damn near approaching that of Cooper Black or Hobo. But Emigre WAS radical, as this book reminds us. And they did more than just start a revolution in computer designed type. Their real value was to reintroduce a kind of type-centric design renaissance that hadn't really been seen since Jan Tschichold's "The New Typography".

Emigre made typographic design solutions exciting again. They also taught me a great lesson--type is something to think about and rant about--it's not just window dressing to go around the art. Who needs to design around a photograph when with the right font and some imagination you can ditch the photo altogether and have something considerably more challenging?

Anyway, if you can't tell, I think pretty highly of this book and agree that every designer should keep a copy around. More importantly, I think design students should look at it to get an idea of what IS possible with type--not just Emigre type, but with a true typographic approach to design, which I think the Emigre style embodies.

The book is several years old now and evidently out of print. Still it's worth the trouble to buy a used copy as they pop up from time to time.

The Emigre story traces the fascinating development of a magazine that introduced digital typography to the design world.

Rudy Vanderlans created Emigre in 1984, the year in which the the Macintosh computer changed graphic design and typography forever.

In its early years, the brilliant experimental type/design publication featured fonts designed Zuzana Licko, a pioneer in designing typefaces on the computer for the computer. Her early bitmap fonts, designed to be used on dot matrix printers, created an uproar in a design community that was already reeling from the drastic changes in typesetting and production methods. With the introduction of high res PostScript outline technology, Licko's designs became more sophisticated and designers began to appreciate the ability to design with typography in ways never thought possible.

This book traces the journey of digital type from shocking to mainstream and contains fascinating quotes from influential design professionals. Of special interest are many examples of the best work from the early Emigres, including all of the bold, memorable covers.

A must for every graphic design library.

Ever read that outsize magazine that always seems to have pages missing in your school library? Or maybe you have used one of the many typefaces from the Emigre stable...

This book is essetial reading for anyone with even a passing interest in design. The authors are designers (Vanderlans) and typographers (Zuzana Licko) of the highest order and seem to occupy an unusual middle ground somehwere between traditional print and digital multimedia. This book expounds their theories and shows why they should be regarded as highly by the public as they are by students and other designers.

The emigre magazine in one book, is cool, a impresive book, with a great size, like a big magazine shows the innovative design of the rudy vanderlas magazine trough the years, is a lovely book, buy it!

Somewhat of a biased reviewer, I recommend this book to any person that loves typography and wants to see the results of tremendous creative forces within the field. Or, if you have wanted to do something for a long time but didn't think you could do it ... also recommended for you.

C.S. Friedman is the author. OMG is this a good book. So thick and rich and... gah - it even makes you think. I LOVE this book.

This is also a very interesting story in many ways. The introduction details how the "documents" were recovered and we discover something which I've known as a storyteller all along -- ghouls are a vital part of Kindred existance. We see just want a ghoul will go through to service his master and himself, we see his identification with a clan, and indeed we see his own desires for knowledge -- all of these are something that other Vampire guides might lead you to think were impossible once enslaved by the blood. The "documents" themselves are written interestingly -- text from the "ancient sources" interspersed with a dialogue of commentaries through the ages each written in a unique script giving the sense of a real exchange of ideas and personalities. Some intriquing play on previous "ancient texts" as well as comfirmation of some ideas I'm sure are not unique to our game. Well worth buying and using.

I found the Erciyes Fragments very interesting because I have always been interested in what kind of character Cain (real and fiction) was. This book gives you an insight about Cain from Cain. It's also very interesting how it seems like Cain almost felt like a foster father or a loving uncle to the "Sons of Seth", or Humans. He even punished his childer for killing without reason, which is part of the reasons for each clan and their unique curse. I also thought it was rather intriguing how Cain left his childer to fend for themselves during the flood. This apparently resulted in the 3rd generation's cannibalistic tendencies in the respect that the only way they could survive was to drink one another's blood. Then when the flood was over that was the only blood they preferred. This book gives a unique and extremely thrilling look at vampires and what made them what they are. I highly recommend getting the Erciyes Fragments.

Here's my easy description- in content it is very similar to the book of Nod. I think of it as a beuatiful sequel, the art direction immaculate, the legends and myths, stunning. Overall, it is one of the most impressive books White Wolf had yet released, full of hints, subterfuge and pondering the nature and lineage of the damned. It is well written, and interesting enough on its own without the context of the game that spawned it, Vampire: The Masquerade. As far as brilliant tomes go, I have no complaints, only adulation for the hard work that went into it. Viva unlife! (I apologize, dear reader, it is a penchant of mine to become carried away.)

Another fascinating addition to the "legend" that created the clans. (I have read the "Book of Nod" and The Erciyes Fragments is supposed to be a more complete version although I HIGHLY recommend getting both. The Erciyes fragments also has in the margins "comments" from elder vampire clan members and/or scholars who had come previously to the secluded monestary mentioned in the book to read the "Book of Nod" and written their opinions and interpretations in the margins. Not only do you get a fascinating story, but the comments made makes a reader question even more the actual "truth". The Erciyes Fragments answers SOME questions while posing more in the end! It continues White Wolf's ever torturous tradition of mystery, intrigue, and darkness and it is a WONDERFUL supplement to both table-top and live-action Vampire the Masquerade ... although I don't recommend quoting it to an elder. *WINK* (a little gaming humour there...)

If you never read any endings book before, you should try this book first before jump to another advance book. This book has helped me to climb up my rating up to from 1800 to 2200...thanks Howell

Endgames are hard to play because there are numerous cases where general endgame principles ("put the rook behind passed pawns"; "passed pawns must be pushed"; "move the pawns to a color opposite your bishop", etc.) are not only wrong, but suicidal: if you put your pawns on squares of the opposite color than those of your bishop in an opposite-colored bishops' ending, for example, you will lose in short order.

Howell's book to the rescue. First, he deals only with practical endings, so as to keep the book to a manageable length. For example, the rook endings chapter deals with two cases of 4-vs.-3 pawns: when they're all on the king's wing and when one side has an extra queenside pawn. But Howell, correctly, doesn't bother with the theoretical possiblity where, say, white has three passed pawns on the kingside an black four passed pawn on the queenside--as it never occurs in practice.

For each specific type of ending (say, oppositve-colored bishops, rook endings when one side has an extra passed queenside pawn) Howell not only gives many examples, but also detailed principles that apply *to that particular type of ending*. One should position one's pawns differently in opposite-colored bishops' endings and same-colored bishops' endings, for example; one should employ one's rook differently when one's king is cut off from enemy's pawns or when it isn't; and so on.

The result? The student avoids falling into the trap of following "general principles" of the "put your rook behind the pawns" sort in situations they don't apply, while also avoiding studying thousands upon thousands of theoretical "exceptions" to such general rules that rarely if ever occur in practice.

Highly recommended.

This book discusses the basics (and not so basics) of pawn endings, rook endings (two chapters), minor piece endings, queen endings and finally pawnless endings. It is written in a clear expository style with helpful examples and exercises. I bought it because I decided my endgame play needed remedial work, which I regarded as a necessary evil. Through reading it my attitude was completely turned around and I have become an avid student of endings. I personally found the last chapter, on pawnless endgames, a particular eye-opener.

Four stars does not seem generous to such a book, but I had to admit that after reading the chapter on minor pieces I was not much the wiser about how to use knights in the endgame. In contrast to the policy in other chapters, even the basics of knight blockades were not explained, and I found myself having to supplement the material (as opposed to further study). While omissions in general can be overlooked in a work of limited size, I feel that this one is a distinct flaw in what is generally a fine book.

Some background: I have read HOW TO PLAY THE CHESS ENDINGS by Znosko-Borovsky (a wonderful text for beginners; don't worry about "Related Squares"), A GUIDE TO CHESS ENDINGS by Euwe and Hooper (boring but excellent), WINNING ENDGAME TECHNIQUE by Beliavsky and Mikhalchishin (very underrated!), FROM THE MIDDLEGAME TO THE ENDGAME by Mednis (the best "transition phase" book I have ever read, and I believe an essential work), along with FUNDAMENTAL CHESS ENDINGS by Muller and Lamprecht (of course I did not read all of it, but it is excellent). I have also read other works, and I have DVORETSKY'S ENDGAME MANUAL, but never really took to it.

ESSENTIAL CHESS ENDINGS: THE TOURNAMENT PLAYER'S GUIDE is the first (the only?) enjoyable endgame book I have ever read (I'm not done with it quite yet). GM Howell is an author who, for once, does not feel the need to write for the theoreticians! I am fascinated by the theoretical stuff, but found that I am not nearly as good an endgame player as I assumed I was (because of all the books I read).

I say that this book is mandatory reading because you can actually stay with it and learn the "why's" of the endgame. From the standpoint of helping the competitive player, I may come to regard it as the best endgame text I have yet read, which includes all those other works mentioned. Howell clearly explains play in the most important types of endgames (pawns, rooks, minor pieces, queens). He also has a sense of humor, a rare species indeed in endgame works.

My advice (I'll say that I am an 1800 player so that you know my point of view) is to look at Znosko-Borovsky's endgame book first. If this seems too daunting at first, begin with a Pandolfini book (I usually don't recommend his books, but some are good), then move on to Znosko-Borovsky. After that, Howell's book. Also, please get the Mednis book I mentioned above--I think it is his best work (nearly all of his works were high-quality, and I have read most of them), and fills a void in chess literature. Later on, try the Beliavsky/Mikhalchishin work.

Having read a lot of the theoretical endgame books above, my advice (further) is to skip them! I can impress my friends by giving checkmate with 2 knights vs. pawn (we practiced this one Friday night!?!), but you know what? I recently realized that I shortchanged myself in learning REAL endgames. Don't let this happen to you as well. And if it has, remedy this as quickly as possible!

I also have gotten Chernev's CAPABLANCA'S BEST CHESS ENDINGS, and while I havent't really studied it yet, it looks FANTASTIC in terms of showing winning technique-in-action.

Background: Currently, my ELO fluctuates between 1950 to about 2000, and I've made steady progress from about 1500 3 years ago. My initial upward surge could be attributed to a lot of tactical practice, and applying good middle game principles, and avoiding rapid chess. Most importantly, I kind of over-analyzed my losses, which really helped.
Just to give you a reference point, I'd give the Amateur's Mind 4 stars, although of course, it's a different subject (the Middle Game). Quite simply, James Howell has written a very high quality and more importantly, a very verbose end game (EG) book that I think is the ideal 2nd stage book on the EG. I also happen to have Dvoetsky's EG manual CD, and I realized that I was much better served by following Dvoertsky's own advice - learn a few concrete positions on the EG, but learn them thoroughly. If you've completed a basic chess ending's book such as those by Seirawan, Pandolphini, etc., then this book is a highly recommended next step.
I throughly enjoy Howell's didactic writing style - he takes the time to give you guidelines (often 4 or 5 steps) for both the superior side and the inferior side. I've learned not only the correct plan or technique to execute a winning position, but also, the correct plan to make life a lot harder for my opponent when my position is inferior. This is a critical piece of advice, given that (your opponent's) time pressure often allows you to save a lost ending. Another important thing about his heavy use of text and guidelines is that it is important for an intermediate level player (roughly 1600 - 1900 ELO) to have the ideas explained in detail. This is a little different from tactics books/CDs where the emphasis is on practice, practice, and more practice along multiple themes/motifs.
I'm quite surprised that this book hasn't gotten much press (although Silman's comments that this is a quality book is spot on).
My suggestion: After going through a basic endings book/CD/pgn file, this is a GREAT next step. I've finished 75% of this book over a 3 month period (remember, study these positions thoroughly), and I'm pretty sure that Dvoretsky's will be a very good next step.
Finally, as I look back at all the various books and phases I've picked up, I can firmly conclude that the thing that has helped me most is lots of tactical practice (starting with Winning chess Tactics, and then the George Renko CD), along with a basic understanding of the MG (Amateur's Mind), and then James Howell's book. This is a short & sweet, but very good quality book.

My 19 month-old twins adore this book. They love to lift the flaps and often start laughing before they even get to their fave page...the "Who's hiding behind the sofa...Big Pig" bit! I have to hide the book before bedtime or else there's plenty of fighting over who holds it and who lifts flap. Should've bought two! Lets have more Wibbly flap ones coming out. Fantastic pictures and well...aren't the pigs gorgeous. Tiny Pig just does it for me!

My daughter simply loves this book. She loves Wibbly and all the other characters, especially Big Pig, who for some reason she always smacks. I never get tired of reading it to her and she never gets tired of having it read to her, she loves it.

My daughter loves this book because of the lift the flaps! She absolutely loves all lift the flap books.

We love this book and so does our daughter. She loves the flaps to find all of the pigs. She has loved it from the first time she saw it (6 months old). The illustrations are great and it is a good length to keep her interested,(though we usually have to read it three times before we can put it away).

My kids, twins aged 18 months, scream "Wibbly Pig" everytime I try to sneak the book into the room. Their little faces light up. Indeed, "Wibbly Pig" was the among the first words spoken by both of them. Simply a marvelous treat for me and them, every time.

This book gives a really good basic knowledge how to start felting a hat. Without any experience I could follow the clear instructions and make a fabulous hat myself. Clear pictures and enough examples to get started and create your own design.

This is a very inspiring book for aspiring hat makers and has some creative ideas and "how-to's" on how to create them. Has lots of great color photos of a variety of unique hand-felted hats. Great project to do in cold weather to keep your head warm!!

This is another well illustrated book that is well worth the investment.

The instructions are very clear, comprehensive and thorough.

Methodical application by the reader/ crafts person would enable persons of all level of experience to succesfully utilise the text.

The projects in this book are excellent in themselves. However they also provide the reader with tools to develop and express themselves further as their confidence develops. Make sure you have at least a small space at home to do the projects. Suggestions are made for alternative hat blocks (although plastic blocks are available in the US that is perfect for this kind of felt hat making). Experiment!

This book is also good for milliners. As it teaches you how to make a hat from scratch and encourages the crafter to express themselves without the stress of damaging an expensive pre-made felt hood or capeline.

This book has clear, simple instructions for someone looking to learn the basics, and those with more experience will be inspired by the supplementary illustrations showing work by some of the best in the world. There is nothing hokey here- Ms. Hagen has very good taste.

My experience felting was a 1 hour class to get my hands wet...my kids each picked out a hat from the book to make and with more adult help our hats turned out great!

If like me you have never played Fantasy football before this book is a must.
It explains in clear easy to understand language the way to go about drafts, run your team etc.
Anyone who is playing on Yahoo will find it especially useful as it is written around the Yahoo format (other leagues are covered as well).
A good buy at the price & big help if you want to get maximum fun out of your 1st season.

Great Book. Taught my husband a few things about Fantasy Football that he didn't know and he has been playing for years. A must have for any wife who wants to learn what occupies hours of their husband's time.

The author REALLY knows his stuff as oppossed to some of the other writers of "for dummies" books! He truly has a love for the subject and it shows!

Highly recommended!


:)

I have always been curious about just what is fantasy football, and have passed up a few opportunities to join in because I lacked the confidence to join a league. Martin Signore spells out all of the ins the outs the dos and the don'ts in a very easy and understandable way. I can't wait for the season to start and hone in my newfound skills!

If you are thinking about playing fantasy football or even if you played a little last year and want to improve those basic skills, get this book! It is a great introduction to fantasy football. It covers everything to get you started including where to play online and look online for information on players. Many of the tips are exactly what you need to draft, manage and improve your team for a winning season.

After reading Fantasy Football for Dummies, it is obvious that Martin Signore has played the game for many years and his love of the hobby shines through. Once again, the winning "dummies" format makes it easy. I am amazed at how much information he provides. Martin even discusses Auction leagues which many of todays FF books ignore. He hits all the right techniques and even includes some advanced draft strategies.

I usually find the "part of tens" pages in a dummies book tedious, but Martin has provided a great Top 10 list of mistakes to avoid and perhaps even more importantly ten fixes to make to your team after draft day. The draft is not the end but instead should be the starting point for a championship team. You should constantly try to improve your team through trades and/or the waiver wire. A great manager can always look back and point out a significant improvement during the season.

This is definitely the book of choice for anyone who wants an introduction to the greatest hobby of all time, Fantasy Football.

Sam Hendricks, author of "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football" and "Fantasy Football Almanac"

Fantasy Football has been a major pastime for football fans and those who dream to be a coach. "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football" is a complete and comprehensive strategy guide for those who have taken a liking to the game and want to get an edge on their opponents. Covering the history of the concept alongside the strategies, "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football" is an ideal gift for any fantasy football player and recommended for community library sports collections.

Fantasy Football Guidebook is a great book. I have participated in fantasy football for several years. This year, however, my wife decided she wanted to learn the "game" and draft her own team. She bought the Fantasy Football Guidebook to help her learn the game. Eventually, she was spouting strategy and making decisions based on issues I'd never considered. So I decided to read the book, too. Wow! Not only did I learn a great deal more about the game itself, but I have continued to use it as a reference throughout the season. This book is the only source you need, whether you're a rookie or a veteran. Many thanks to Sam Hendricks and his team of professionals. His style is smooth and light, and the added humor is refreshing.

This is the first book to explore every possible fantasy football topic. I know that sounds ambitious but that is exactly what this book does!!!!

Four hundred pages of theories, strategies, tips and rules to make you a better player and a better commissioner or owner. This book has it all.

Chapters on:
-Scoring systems
-Ranking players
-Advanced Draft theories (VBD, AVT etc)
-Start/bench strategy
-Free agency upgrades
-Auction tips
-Auction strategies
-WCOFF, NFFC and AFFL
-Rule variations
-Commissioner tips
-IDP Leagues
-Keeper/Dynasty Leagues
and much more. It has something for every level of player.

This book has been described as a "thinking mans fantasy football book". I take that as a huge compliment. That is exactly what I set out to do. I wanted a comprehensive book that went beyond the basics of fantasy football. A few years ago, I searched for a reference book to explain everything about fantasy football and when I could not find such a book, I decided to write it. Over two years later and you have a hardback or paperback, 400-page reference book to refer to year after year, authored by an individual with a .725 regular season winning percentage at the prestigious World Championship of Fantasy Football (WCOFF).

Am I biased? You bet I am. I wrote this book. But over 500 other people have bought it in the past 6 months so I wanted to invite you to check out the "Search inside feature" on this web page or ask a friend about it or go to a bookstore and leaf through it and make up your own mind.

I promise, you will not be disappointed.

This book is excellent! I am new to fantasy football and I usually purchase a few books on any new subject, but not in this case. It is the only book I've needed to feel comfortable on all aspects of the game. Every phase is covered in great detail, and I was very prepared for the draft - more prepared than some of the old timers in our league. Now that the season has started I refer to it constantly and I'm doing great. It also covers advanced topics so I know I'll be using this book for many seasons to come - I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about learning and winning in fantasy football!

This comprehensive guide to playing fantasy football is about mastering the game by following the strategies and rule variations in this book. The author writes this resourceful reference book for all fantasy football fans who desire to succeed at the game. It discusses leagues, scoring systems, draft theories, auction tips and much more. It has all the information you'll ever need to play the game. This book is user friendly and easy to understand. What better way to enjoy the game of football on a higher level. The author is an expert at the game. A Must Read!

The Millennium Calendar is literally a coffee table book in my house, but we can't wait to read a new one every day - we've each read through the whole thing twice! It's hilarious, and very well put together with all the trivia for the past millennium. Fantastic job! Gary Larson continues his tradition of amusement excellence!

I love anything about the far side and this calender is a winner, but I've misplaced the offer for the video ,that was included in the calender can anyone help,please? E me at michaelkelley@favorites.com

I am a major fan of Gary Larson and his calendars always have me in stiches. This new Millennium calendar has to be his best, and I mean best, yet. I happen to have the calendar on my kitchen counter so that it is easy to look at in those few spare minutes before I leave for work. Let me just tell you this, Gary Larson just brightings up my whole day!

I buy the Far Side calendar every year for the past 7 and I thought I'd be getting tired of them but I ripped open the package, saw the first one and it had me in stitches once again. I love this calendar so much I even devoted a section of my new book to unique ways of using it to be romantic.

Normally I would have bought a Dilbert calendar but I decided to purchase the Far Side calendar and I can't remember laughing that much in a long time (besides Dilbert of course). There are cartoons, witty quotes and even wittier history facts explaining the cartoons.

You can't lose with this calendar, jokes for the light-hearted and notes for the history buffs. Turned out to be a weird but funny combination.

This book has been around for a long time and it has been about 50 years since I first bought it. It contains many wonderful games played by great chess masters over a long period of time. It starts off with some short stories about chess. The games show how brilliant some of our chess masters were long before the likes of Bobby Fisher. This book is a must have in any chess lover's library. It is truly timeless!

Don't read this book to learn or improve your game (although that will happen at least to some degree anyways). Read it because you are a chess lover and you want to read some marvelous stories and anecdotes, all the more delighful because of their age (this is a 1949 book). A small third of the book is stories; a larger third is oddities, problems, studies, etc; and the largest third (really about half the book) is a collection of games which were chosen not so much for their teaching value as for their revealing certain facets of the game.

To experience the charm and nostalgia of this book, search around for a hard-cover original (I got one for about five dollars) and eschew the trade paperback reissues. The hard-cover has a nice substantial "bulk" and is a pleasure to use, all the more so with a worn copy that has been enjoyed by many other chess fans.

This is a unique chess book that has something for everyone. It has amusing and intersting stories that apply to people who have litereary interests as well as chess interests and it has a striong theme throufghout that although chess is wonderful, it is really secondary to life. It also has fascinating stats, stories, and great game collections and puzzles to solve. Really it is a perfect chess book to go over and read by the fireside on a cold night or any night for that matter. Buy it or pick it up at a library, and if you love chess, you will love this book..

This is a chess book of a different sort - it is not a how-to manual for beginners, nor is it a strategy and tactics book for the more advanced player. This is just what Fireside books are meant to be - collections of memories, anecdotes, puzzles, lists and other trivia (and not so trivial) bits about chess. This is of interest to those who have a deep abiding passion for chess, as well as for those who only dabble in it occasionally. Both editors have written other books on chess; both Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld have written some of the better books on learning chess separately, and together they also collaborated on a book showing strategy and skills development toward winning at chess.

This book is divided into three main sections. The first section contains stories and articles, collected from various publications such as the New Yorker and other newspapers and magazines. Included are also comics from the New Yorker, the Saturday Review of Literature, the New York Herald and other sources. Here are fake histories of the game, tongue-in-cheek stories, poignant memories and more. From the 'Capsule History of the Game' by Chielamangus, we get this snippet:

'The next great figure was Wilhelm Steinitz; a very deep player - also wide, though short. He held the world's championship for twenty-six years, and was therefore considered by his rivals to be very obstinate and pig-headed. Dr. Lasker then held the championship for another twenty-six years. Critics explained that this was because he made weak moves. This was psychology. Lasker thus became known as the apostle of common sense.'

The second section is entitled 'The Magic of Chess'. The entry 'Odd But True' includes a feast of trivia items. How can a game be won (or lost) in two moves? Was there really a master-level game that concluded in four moves? What was the longest master-level game, in number of moves? Many people through history have played through correspondence; given the amount of time permitted between moves, one would not expect too many mistakes, but the shortest of these types of games concluded in a mere six moves. There was also a book published once in Germany with the title, 'Advice to Spectators at Chess Tournaments'. All the pages were blank save one, which had but two words on it - 'Halt Maul!'

The third section is a collection of classic games and strategies, which includes a lot games more interesting for the circumstances surrounding them as much as for the play that takes place. These include miniatures (short games), blindfolded games, and even 'the perfect game'. This has a strange quality about it in chess - according to Chernev and Reinfeld, the perfect game is not one in which all the moves are 'perfect': 'A game in which neither side has made a mistake does not add up to perfection; in such games we find only a sterile dullness which lacks every memorable feature.'

Chernev and Reinfeld had the reputation for being able to speak for hours on end about chess without notes or books, much in the way many people will talk about sports, movies, politics or other areas. They write with wit and skill (much like the way they play the game), and have the hope that through their writing their love of the game is contagious. Judging from this book, one of my earliest books on chess, they are indeed.

Yes, this book is good; and is a former incarnation of the Chess Companion. Therefore it is given 4 stars, as 3 1/2 for the Chess Companion. The games are good, even not as high standard as the games in the following decades later. The chess endings are very helpful. Many chess themes are very clear. But the story part is not great if you have high expectation. At least they are localized to one half of the book, imagine if those stories were inter-leaving with the real chess. I still don't know how to organinze those stories in a book. Like their current leading part of the book causes some distraction to the good chess to follow; however, if they were in the last half, then we or at least I would expect more exciting (and real-life) chess stories. I just got some idea. The book has two front covers and two halves and one is upside-down of other. To read from one end, it's the real chess games; turn it up-side down, and read from the back, it's the fairy tale chess. Let the publisher worry about how to print it. We are just the chess audience... ;-)

The thing about parenting is that we all assume it comes naturally & easily. Anyone in this modern world who's been there & done it knows it ain't so! When your children whine about being bored, I bet most of us silently agree "Me too!"

Well, THE FIVE MINUTE PARENT is an excellent First Aid Kit for when your tribe has hungry minds, & is in need of something new & fun & inspirational.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends Deborah Shelton's THE FIVE MINUTE PARENT for when you all, parents & children, need to take some time together to reconnect & make some memories.

After reading one of her activities on OnlinePlaygroup.com, I just had to buy her book. I'm so glad I did! It is brimming with great activity ideas for my family of 4 children and for my playgroup of 15 kids. True to the title -- not just FUN, but FAST too! Just what you need when you have impatient little ones.

When Deborah Shelton found herself saying: "maybe this weekend" and "maybe later" she knew it was time to think up some creative ideas. She thought up more than 115 fun activities. She is a craft enthusiast, active member of the Associateion for Play Therapy and a homeschooling mom.

You and your child can choose from any of the following categories:

Adventures in Art
Weird & Wacky Science Experiments
Writing and Wishing You Were Here
Games and Sports, of Sorts
Family Fun Time
Easy Crafts for All Ages
Music, Movement and Mayhem
Puppets, Critters and Creepy-Crawlies
Celebrations Using Your Imagination
Cooking and Munching In the Kitchen
Outside Fun Guide

Some of the ideas are as simple as "No-Bake Banana Crunch Cookies" or as educational as "Floating Needle" in which you teach your child about "surface tension."

In Five Minutes you can:

Make Jell-O
Water the plants
Write a letter puzzle
Draw Fingerprint Critters
Giggle as you make up tongue twisters.

Camp Indoors
Make a Pine Cone Bird Feeder
Turn breakfast into an art appreciation experience

Deborah shows you how to get everything organized. Making a space somewhere in your kitchen (away from the stove, etc) is a great idea. Many people have a breakfast nook or a place kids can play/draw/sit and this is a way mom can cook and supervise 5-minute activities. You can make up a list of things to buy or just look around the house for things you already have and organize them all in one place.

This book also includes jokes, trivia, riddles, quotes and fun facts to encourage your children to be more curious about the world. Great for rainy days, birthday parties, holidays or just because.

Will be appreciated by: grandparents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, homeschool moms and day care teachers.

Fun, Creative Ideas!

~The Rebecca Review

More than an activity book, The Five Minute Parent is a reminder for parents everywhere to stop and smell the flowers with their children. If you are like the rest of us busy parents, and find yourself telling your little one "not now, later", then this book is for you!

From organizing craft supplies to making time for kitchen experiments, this book is filled with quick and easy ways to spend quality time NOW with your children. And as the author reminds us, there is no reason to wait for the weekend when you can do it today!

Teachers, parents, grandparents, and other caregivers will really enjoy the easy format and quick activities contained in the pages of this book. Seize the moment!

The Five Minute Parent: Fun & Fast Activities For You And Your Little Ones by Deborah Shelton is a compilation of 115 quick, easy, and very enjoyable parent-child projects designed specifically for families running short on time. Simple black and white drawings by Frankie Gordon illustrate such activities as making colorful "button flowers" out of construction paper, buttons and pipe cleaner, hanging a pine cone bird feeder for feathered friends, handprint art, and a great deal more. A fun and lighthearted resource, The Five Minute Parent is ideal for rainy day activities, single parent visitations, family night plans, kid's parties, and any time there's a few extra minutes in the day for family bonding with the kids.