Ashley Books

Top notch reference on knots.
This book has no peer.
Nothing else even comes close.

Hands down, if you're into knots, rope work, sailing, etc...this is definitely a book to add to your shelf. Over 600 pages, it's got pretty much references to every knot you could think of, as well as a good history on rope and knots, and a great index to quickly find what you need. I've even found most other books or online resources I look at reference the "Ashley Book of Knots" number (ABOK#) when they're describing what to do. All in all a good investment.

This is the reference that seems to be used by all other knot books and web sites.

Although the book can be hard to understand when trying to tie knots, no colors, videos or animated gifs, it is quite useful when trying to identify a knot that I want to tie.

I knew what I was getting as I had read the libraries copy before making the decision to purchase so I am not at all disappointed with my book.
This is also an excellent book for reading if you enjoy tying knots.

If you have more than a passing interest in knots then you will want to consider buying this book.

If you need to learn knots, or just enjoy knot tying as a hobby, this book is essential for everyone.

I recently bought the Ashely book of knots because I thought it would tell me how to tie every knot on the planet. I found it a bit confusing because it did not use colors to illustrate the knot ties. It was hard to follow most of the knot patterns. Also it did not have climbing knots used by most rescue people. I found a great site that does animation and colors: http://www.animatedknots.com/doublefishermansrescue/index.php . Perhaps if the book came with a DVD it would be better. I know it is an old book...but come on...we have new technology now!

This book was an instant hit, and we have sung it many times each day for my 12 month old grandson. The board book form is especially important for a book so "loved" by toddlers.

While the song is adorable and the pages are nice and sturdy, what I really like about this book are the illustrations. They are vibrant and clear and my son loves looking at this book over and over again. He is 16 months, so it is easy for him to point out animals and ask what they are. I like how the whale goes from being a baby, to a larger whale in the book and how different pages are shown with different perspectives. One page has a view from where the bird is flying in the sky--so the bird is large and the whale is small because he is swimming in the sea below. Another page has a broad view of the icebergs, sea, sky and northern lights. I am very impressed with the clarity and creativity of the illustrations in this book--and of course the song itself is fun to sing!

I love this book and the accompaning CD. My grandsons who are now 13 had this book when they were infants, and were still singing the songs when they were 5. I gave it as a gift to my God Daughter, and this one was a gift for my first Great Grandson. Raffi writes stories and songs that children should grow up with. I am positive I will give this book and CD again.

This book is great even if you don't know the music. My little guy 'reads' along while listening to the Raffi CD, but you don't need the CD to enjoy the book. The pictures are terrific for the child and adult. My son insists on reading this every night at bedtime, and that's okay with me!

My sister is a principal and highly recommeded this book for my grandchildren. THey love to read and sing so what better gift than to have it all wrapped into one.

This book was excellent. It gave me some very good insight into what our older adopted daughter might be thinking. I would recommend it to anyone that is considering adopting an older child.

I'll preface this review by saying that I am a young man that does not normally cry, and although I managed to avoid tears, my throat has never felt so compressed as I held them back. On a hot summer day I visited a non-profit organization named CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA seeks volunteers, then thoroughly trains those volunteers to track and advocate for children under the care of the state. All of the children that are in custody of the government are referred to a Child Protective Services agency that is overwhelmed and understaffed. Thus, CPS agents routinely end up with dozens of children to watch out for and they often end up doing a poor job. CASA is there to make sure that these children do not fall through the cracks.

Anyway, while at CASA, a lady asked me what I knew about the organization and more importantly, the thousands of children in foster care and orphanages in the country. I admitted that I knew little, if anything. She then grabbed a copy of "Three Little Words" from the book shelf and gave me a copy with the challenge that I read it at once. I did. Since, I have paid visits to all of the CASA chapters in my region and donate funds to them whenever possible.

"Three Little Words" follows the plight of Ashley & Luke, siblings whose parents are in and out of trouble throughout their childhood. These kids spend time in horrible and average foster homes as well as orphanages for the next decade. Ashley does a wonderful job of highlighting the difficulty that a child has in grasping the changes in the world around her. How can a five year old child understand that her parents aren't fit to take care of them? How do they understand that adults are not meant to be feared when they are routinely abused and not looked after? As mentioned, this should be a MUST-READ for any foster parents-to-be, CPS personnel and prospective adoptive parents. It is a recommended read for everyone else.

I can't say enough good things about this young woman. I inhaled this book and loved every page. Her story was inspiring and completely heart felt! A must read for anyone wanting to learn more about foster care, anyone that loves a good memoir or anyone who appreciates great writing.

I read this book a few months ago. It was very inspring to me. I had a pretty great childhood minus my father drinking a little too heavily but he was never a bother. But this book has completely opened my eyes to the horrible things children sometimes face. I hate that most children have been failed by the system. I have read many memoirs lately about child abuse and it has sparked an interest in me to go back to school for social work or even abnormal child psychology. I want to help stamp out child abuse of every kind. I have a two year old little girl who is my absolute life. I would never in my wildest dreams think about ever hurting her in anyway. Three Little Words is very well written and is very heartbreaking. I am glad that Ashley was able to rise from a horrible childhood and become a healing tool for children and adults who have and are still going through the same ordeal. I very highly recommend this book. It will change your life!

Ashley Rhodes was only three when she was taken from her mother and put into the foster system. No one bothered to explain the whats and whys as the little girl and her year-old brother Luke were passed from home to home over the next decade.

In some homes, Ashley was merely neglected; many of her "parents" were intent on merely making money off the system, and had way too many children to manage. But in other places - most notably the Mosses' - Ashley, Luke and over a dozen other children were actually abused. In the court trial that followed, the Mosses' former charges testified of horrors ranging from having hot sauce poured down their throats to being forced to squat for hours at a time.

At 12, young Ashley had gone through more families than she could remember, and was actually relieved to have landed at a children's home, where she could retain some semblance of routine and normalcy. Then Gay and Phil Courter came into her life, wanting to adopt her.

Even after the adolescent had made her home with the Courters, she was still unsettled. Adoption meant nothing to her; after all, she had seen countless other children, including her own brother, get adopted and eventually returned to the children's home. So Ashley continued to test her new parents, daring them to send her back. How much would it take? Where was the line? She felt sure there had to be one.

Now in her early twenties, Rhodes-Courter strives to educate others about the realities of foster care -- one of her chief reasons for writing her memoir. She is an inspiration to all, and her book is an engrossing, witty read not to be forgotten.

I have never met Thomas Ashley Farrand, but he seems like a familiar person. I have both the CD and this book. I bought the CD to hear the mantras. I like Farrand's voice. As far as this book, I think it is very well-written. It is more of an introductory book, and it is great for someone just starting out, and he is very good at explaining things and making you feel that he put his heart-felt, personal touch to writing this.

This is great guide for those who want to introduce themselves in the world of mantra meditation or yoga mantra.

Very well written. Immensely helpful for any openminded people.
Hope that everybody understood the benefit of mantras that the author has
so well described. Strong recommendation.

A good book for those who interested in transcendental meditation. It explains very well about the using of mantra.

This book offers a wonderful view into the world of using sound to heal the body, mind, and soul. It provides an excellent foundation for understanding the power of mantras.

When I purchased this book (about four years ago), I had a lot of problems with my eyes. I used to get ulcers on my cornea, and no doctors were able to explain why this happened. I discovered a mantra in this book, dedicated to healing the eyes. After practicing this mantra for a few weeks, my eyes began to feel better. After a few months, my eye doctor was suprised to find a noticeable improvement in my eyesight. Since practicing this mantra, I've only experienced one more corneal ulcer (about two years ago).

Since then, I've incorporated many of the mantras found in this book into my daily life.

Peace be with you! Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!

Beautifully written. Inspiring and thought provoking. If you want some clear insight to help you gather momentum and live the life of your dreams this book will certainly inspire you to do so. Many blessings to Kurek for his honest and heartfelt words.

I purchased the book only because of the author, the title really annoyed me, but because I knew of Kurek I had to buy it...

I actually put off reading the book as the title just didnt grab me... But I picked it up a couple of weeks after I purchased it and I am glad I did..

It is an amazing book, and after 10 years down this path of growth, I love that he isn't just talking the talk, he has been there. I can relate to much of what he says...

This book isn't just a book on motivation, its a book on life... Yes you need to keep an open eye in places, but wow, what a ride..

If you skip this book, you may as well skip all the others as well.. This has something for everyone.

John

Kurek Ashley is a new discovery of mine and I am so pleased to have found his latest book, "How Would Love Respond? a work of art. You will get caught up in the writing and be enveloped in the consummation of love. Let go, let love in your life.

"How would love respond" I read in a weekend. once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. All I can say is buy it and read it.

I loved it so much I bought 17 of them, had Kurek sign them for me and gave them as gifts to my friends.

Do yourself a favour and get it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kurek's book. It is inspiring and easy to read. Are you in the doldrums? Have an empty space that just won't be filled? Hungry but don't know for what? A slow and thoughtful reading of "How would love respond" can get your spirit moving and give you great info on how to get back on track to the good life. I highly recommend "How would love respond" for everyone who questions why life goes the way it goes and how one can get moving in a positive direction and reap the rewards of knowing what to do and how to use the insights. Peggy Touchtone Sholly Down Home Delicious

The book arrived earlier than expected. It was exactly what the ad said it was and more...very satisfied!

I was looking for a book to help me understand my son's ADD. This was very resourceful. It explains everything so well. It has advice for organization, structure, behavior, etc. I was very pleased with this book.

I like the direct "how to" advice in this book. My husband and I have promised one another we will not medicate our daughter and this book has given us more faith that we can keep that committment. This book has given us ideas that are simple to use and practical. Our daughter has a 504 but after reading Dr. Ashley's book we requested another IEP meeting and revised her entire plan based upon the ideas in this book. She is doing much better in school now and homework is not the torture we all used to suffer. The 504 ideas in the back of the book are worth it alone. our school is now using dr. ashley's checklist to help design IEP and 504s for all their add and adhd kids.

After reading this book I have a better understanding of children with ADD & ADHD and what parents are faced with on a regular basis. Extremely well written and I am looking for to more books from Dr. Ashley.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.

I just bought this book with the intentions of reading it. I came to this site to see what other people think about the book. So far I have seen really good reviews on it. But what bothers me are those parents who stress that THEY WILL NOT medicate their child. As a mother I never ever wanted to take that route. I read alot of information to help him without medication. What foods he can eat and other helpful ways to help him without medicine, that was very difficult. Finally after he was almost kicked out of Preschool I took him to our school district and they evaluated him having ADHD. With their diagnosis they allowed him to attend preschool at no cost to me, to make him understand school rules. I also took him to our pediatrician, crying with the news of what they told me, I knew that medication was the only way to help him. Upset and depressed we went home. I started 2weeks before kindergarden and I have notice what a good kid he had become. Since then he has been more focus and attentive in class. He gets his moments when he distracts class but other than that he is doing good. He is very very smart, from what the teachers are telling me.

This gentle story, told in simple rhyme, shows animals in a stable getting ready for a special guest. The block-print art, rich in earth-tones, gives a humble and loving feel to the scene. Each animal does what it can to prepare the stable, and when Mary and Joseph arrive, the animals stand in hushed anticipation. The final page shows all the animals gathered around the new baby Jesus, saying, "Welcome, welcome to our house!" A perfect read-aloud for little ones.

My toddler class loved this book. They loved the repetition and every time I'd read the line "Who is coming to our house?" they'd yell Jesus!! It is a great story told from the animals' perspective and a wonderful addition to any preschooler's library!

A wonderful little board book for the little ones. Nice size for them to handle! The Christmas story from the viewpoint of the stable animals is special. The colors are eye catching. Highly recommended!

This book is a favorite for my two pre-school-aged children. We read it year-round.

The rhymes of the tale are engaging. (I love the oft repeated line: "Someone, someone," says Mouse.)

My only quibble with the book is the art work. It is not to my taste, though I think that that is more a matter of personal preference than anything else.

I am SO SICK of this book. I have to read it over and over and over again all day long. My daughter (17 months) will pull it from the bottom of a pile of books and bring it to me to read. On the final page she pats the baby's face and says "Baby. Baby." It's a very sweet little book and worth getting; your child will love it.

Many thanks to IDW for embarking on this publishing milestone. Even the earliest, crudest TRACY strips are entertaining and enlightening. Chester Gould's abilities as a storyteller and artist take shape over the course of years. His economy of action, character and suspense grows over decades. It's fascinating to watch the character and the strip develop in these early panels, especially if you know what's coming. At the rate they are publishing these volumes, it is expected to take five-six years to commit the entire work to book form. There have been other attempts over the years, both in hardcover volumes and comic book variations, to reprint TRACY, but it looks like IDW has come up with a satisfactory format, great design, and a commitment to getting it done once and for all. Please support them.

An excellent start to a much overdue collection! Yes, this first volume was pretty much covered in Tommyguns, but its arrangement and hardcover setup make it worthwhile. I look forward to future volumes!

I've been a huge fan of the Dick Tracy comic strip since I picked up my first comic book reprint of the strip sometime in the latter '40s in the middle of the "Boris Arson" narrative arc from the mid-'30s. It was great stuff, and even at my young age I knew it was the real deal and drew upon some actual events for plot points; "Arson" used an iodine-dyed dummy pistol carved from a raw potato to break out of jail! (Ah there!, John Dillinger!)

I was hooked, and became a dedicated collector with issue #29 (toward the end of the "Flattop" arc) and had every single issue from that point forward 'til #137! (Somewhere, inexplicably, they all disappeared! They survived the disapproval of my father, but not, apparently, my first wife!)

Over the past 30 years I've acquired virtually every "Tracy" reprint I could get my eager mitts on, and they've been for the most part excellent. But due to the selectivity of the reprints (none of which touched on the "Boris Arson" arc), there's been no continuity of the Chester Gould oeuvre until this series debuted, and I was all over it!

I've purchased the first two volumes, devoured both, and, O joy!, "Boris Arson" has appeared toward the end of the second one. The publication date of Volume III is a month away, and I'm like a kid awaiting Christmas morning!

I imagine the reason this "Complete Dick Tracy" project wasn't previously attempted had to do with some sort of "rights" issue, but I'm delighted that it's underway... and I know that unless they accelerate the present two-a-year schedule, I probably won't live to see the "Moon Maid" years, but that's okay!

These early strips show how polished Gould had become since his rather crude beginnings, and how much he developed his technical and creative "chops" over the decades. The format is fine... anything larger to accommodate a fuller sized Sunday strip would probably have put the volumes well above the "widely accessible" price point... so it's but a minor inconvenience for me to wear my reading glasses.

Kudos to IDW Publishing.

Around the early 1930s, as Prohibition was coming to an ignominious end, gangster films began to really take hold. James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart led the way on screen, while Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler wrote the books, and on the comics page, it was Chester Gould, with his strip, Dick Tracy. Volume One of The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy follows the detective from the very beginning in late 1931 to the middle of 1933.



As the comic begins, Dick Tracy isn't even a cop. When the father of his fiancee Tess Trueheart is killed by robbers, Tracy joins the police force and becomes a top detective without even needing to take an exam. He first solves the murder of Tess's father and then proceeds to be a one-man-gang against murderers, kidnappers, thieves and con men. His first real foe is the gang leader Big Boy, and most of the early battles are against Big Boy or members of his organization.



For those familiar with Dick Tracy's more bizarre foes such as Pruneface and Flattop, there may be a little bit of disappointment with the more mundane villains in this volume. Besides the bad guys and Tess, the main characters are Pat, a rather hapless fellow detective and Junior, a street urchin who Tracy takes under his wing. But it's Tracy who is the lead character, constantly meeting out justice with fist and gun. Like many such characters, Tracy himself is not that interesting, but is made more so by others around him.



Well-drawn and decently written, even these early Dick Tracy strips should appeal to fans of older comics. It may not be the best of these old-time comics (I reserve that compliment for other strips like Krazy Kat, Gasoline Alley or Popeye), but it is a fun read.

While I appreciate the effort to reprint the complete original Dick Tracy comic strips, certainly one of the most uniquely rendered creations in comics, I have reservations about the chosen format. The reproduction size of the Sunday strips is smaller than ideal, making for some challenging reading. To properly accomodate the Sunday strips, surely a larger format would have been better.

However, it's still fascinating to watch the evolution of Gould's trademark graphic style emerge from what started as a very ordinary-looking strip. Since it's probably not going to be done again on this scale, I suppose the best thing to do is accept the Sunday strip reproduction for what it is and board the train -- the best is yet to come.

Besides the aspects other reviewers have praised (pleasingly simple storyline, beautiful illustrations, positive image of nursing), this is also a great new sibling book. The book does not explicitly address the baby's arrival or any sibling rivalry issues, yet it portrays a family successfully juggling two children. The parents take turns with various child care tasks, and everybody's needs are met -- what a warm image of how a new baby can be worked into a family's routines. My daughter (almost 3) enjoyed this book from the library several months ago, and now that she is a sister-to-be, we're buying our own copy. I want to prepare her for the baby's arrival, but I'm wary of overdoing it with new baby books; this subtle sibling book is a welcome addition to our collection.

I bought this book for my daughter because I heard it contained positive breastfeeding imagery. There is one page where the mother nurses the baby in a rocking chair. It is absolutely beautiful, as is the entire book. I was pleased to see the rural setting that reminded me of my own childhood. A gorgeous book for anyone, whether interested in the nursing scene or not!

This is a beautiful book that deserves to be named a classic. As a breastfeeding advocate I love that there is a picture of a breastfeeding Mama and baby in the book. From that same standpoint I am a bit frustrated that this is considered a book aimed specifically at promoting breastfeeding. As to not mislead a potential buyer, there is only ONE nursing picture in the book. The book is not about breastfeeding at all. It is about a sweet little cat that sees lots of amazing things as he travels through the night. With that said, each time a baby is shown breastfeeding instead of bottle feeding, the world comes that much closer to understanding that feeding a baby = nursing a baby. So for that I am eternally grateful to the author. On the whole this book is wonderful and is a favorite of mine and my children.

This book allows lots of room for discussion about "what the cat saw." My almost 2 year-old son has had us read this book over and over, ever since we got it. He loves to see the normal everyday things in the book and talk about what is happening---the little girl getting a bath, the baby nursing, the cow drinking water, etc. A great book to cuddle up with.

The illustrations make this book as the text is very simple and quite repetitive- the humans are busy with the family, but the cat pays attention. The cat watches a rain storm, a hunting owl, the roosters, the nighttime= all the wonderful things that cats notice. Finally, in the morning the cat falls asleep and the little girl starts noticing things the other family members miss.

There is an older girl- maybe 6, and a baby boy so this would be a great story for someone who has a new baby sibling. My favorite human scene is when the mom gets up during the night to feed the baby brother and has a look of peace and contentment- every mother's favorite part of baby nights. I would have given the book 5 stars if the baby got to snuggle in bed with his mom- it would have seemed just a bit more real. I still recommend the book highly.

I want to thank Stephen Ashley for writing a book through the eyes of the disabled so that we can finally enjoy going to walt disney world with our families. The time taken by the author, obviously alot of time, actual experiences and accurate accounts of the different aspects of the park make this book a must have for anyone with a disability or going with a family member, friend or someone with a disability. This wonderful book will make walt disney world a wonderful trip which could not have happened otherwise.

Loved this book. Having Fibromialgia myself and with the back pain both of us suffer this book is just what we needed to plan for our trip.
We now have both ordered ECV's from one of the offsite rentals as recommended in the book. This is not only saving us money but lots of problems trying to get them from the limited supply at Disney.
Even changed the resort we planned to stay at and took their suggestions regarding room placement and calling ahead.
Also helped us determine which rides we can enjoy.
Highly recommend this book for anyone with physical issues that's planning a trip to Disney World.

I discovered this great book last Spring, and I love it so much I'm ordering the revised edition! Mr. Ashley does a wonderful job in explaining what to expect. On our last visit to Disney World, my sister, who has Down's Syndrome and isn't able to walk long distances, came along. This was our first experience dealing with a wheelchair at Disney. While it is very true that Disney World is probably the best place to vacation if you or a family member has disabilities, the amount of knowledge needed to easily navigate all the parks, shops, restaurants, and attractions is immense. Other guide books were helpful, but oh how I wish I had had this one then! It literally takes you through each attraction and park and tells you how to manage, not only with a wheelchair, but with other health issues also. We go back in January, and I'm looking forward to a much more relaxed and fun trip this time! Thank you Stephen and Sarah for sharing your experiences!

This book has lots of good suggestions for visiting Disney World with a disability. I liked that they had good descriptions of the rides so you can judge for yourself if the ride will be appropriate for certain disabilities. We had a great trip and used a lot of the tips in this book.

I book a lot of Disney World vacations for clients and bought this book as a resource that I figured I would use occasionally. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and scope of issues addressed within the book. The authors did a really good job of listing every attractions and describing elements that might create an issues for guests with various needs.

For example - you expect a book specializing in disabilities to address wheelchair access and loading proceedures. You don't automatically assume that it will mention that a musty smell might be an issue for someone with respiratory issues or that a strobe light might be an issue for an epileptic or a migrain sufferer.

Instead of using the book from time-to-time, I've found myself flipping through it regularly to help clients address a wide spectrum of issues - both mild and serious - and even to warn parents about frightening componants of various attractions. The book also has a lot of information for guests with food allergies.

This book will be a fantastic resource for the individual traveler but it is also a great ready reference for travel agents who really try to go the extra mile to insure a good experience for their clients.