Adamson Books

I found this book to be a very interesting way to introduce young children to cultures from around the world. Twenty-three different children/groups of children are introduced in this book along with how they get to school. Nine of the children featured are from the US, but children from Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, Canada, and Mexico, are also introduced. Rhyming text is simple enough to keep young readers engaged, while helping children to decipher new words. The watercolor illustrations are a suiting simple backdrop for the story. At the end of the book there is a list of where each child is from, and I can imagine incorporating a guessing game based upon picture or text clue to help determine where the children are from. There is also a 2 page spread world map that is also in watercolor identifying where each of the children are.

My daughters favorite mode of getting to school was the Swiss Alpine trolley. She loudly exclaimed she would like to go to school that way everyday!

Overall, this book is a valuable contribution to a classroom, home, or public library as it introduces diverse cultures, geography, and both simple and challenging words for young readers.

The illustrations in the book aren't fantastic, but they are clear and show the landscape of where each child lives. The text describes, using only a sentence or two for each page, how children around the world get to school. I think the brief text is great for the subject--since the book generates a lot of discussion, it takes awhile to get through. This is the type of book I would recommend in paperback for your classroom use; don't spend the extra money for a hardcover version. The kids enjoy hearing it but it's not something they'll ask for over and over. Oh- and the book has a back page with a map showing where each child is from. What a great addition for Kindergarten/First graders who are more familiar with the globe.

Next year I will be a teacher and I am starting to build my classroom library now. This book is a wonderful book to have. It discusses forms of transportation that most children would not think of. It also teaches them about other places in the world.

This is a book about children around the world. The people go to school on bikes and skateboards. They hide under trees. They walk on paths. They walk down hills. The are not aloud to go outside.

As historian and novelist Balzac paints a picture of post Napoleonic France through the eyes of an impoverished family, and the trials of their lives. After a series of emotional hits, Balzac takes the reader through a contest of wits, set amidst a web of intrigue, and a very contorted family tree. The end result is an excellent story with a sophisticated plot which at times gives too accurate a portrait of the detachment of man. The Black Sheep also contains a short social commentary on New York, which though written 150 years ago, is still exceptionaly accurate.

In his preface to this book, Balzac makes an interesting observation about 19th century France that seems to be a preoccupation of our century as well. Balzac states that young men who grow up without a significant male role model are destined to have a rough go in life. According to him, most of the tribulations that occur in The Black Sheep stem from the very fact that there was no father to steer the Bridau family.

The main focus of the book is upon two brothers, Philippe and Joseph Bridau, whose father has died, leaving their close to destitute mother to raise them. Phillipe ends up becoming an artist with a pretty dependable income. Joseph serves in Napoleon's army for a while until his final defeat and then, too proud to serve under the new government, becomes an unemployed gambler who steals money from his family only to throw it away at the tables.

You would think that their mother would favor Joseph with more love because he looks out for their family and provides a steady income and is completely devoted to her. She puts all of her love upon Phillipe, the ne'er do well who only sees humanity as a tool to further his own ends. She does this because she sees Joseph's profession as a painter as a waste of time in her practical mind. Real men become soldiers like Phillipe. So what if he's a vice filled man? She idealizes him so much that she can't see his faults.

Balzac is a genius. There really isn't a central character is this work. Everytime you think Balzac has settled upon a particular cast of characters, he exits them and enters a new set to interact with the plot. Constant reinvention. While Joseph is in jail for plotting against the government, Phillipe and his mother have to go rescue his rich uncle, who is being hoodwinked out of his fortune (a fortune, by the way, that the Bridau family is due to inherit) by a manipulating mistress and her lover.

This was a great novel. Not perfect, but great. Balzac is to me the most modern of the 19th century novelists writing in the Victorian age. He is not sentimental like Dickens. He was great at watching families squirming to get at money. Squirming to get money not for survival in most cases, but to attain status. All of the characters in this novel were drawn really well. Very strong. I would recommend any of the Penguin Editions of Balzac if you like this book.

Another occasion to live again an exceptionnal human adventure with Balzac.
A lot of emotion and intelligence ...

This book has much to offer the reader who enjoys a wider depth. I was taken by it's intrigue. The mystic touch was more than believable giving it a thrilling edge. The romance was breathtaking. The reader suffers no loss at the expense of this fine litterateur.

"Bridey's Mountain" is a thick novel(about 600 pages), and it feels like an epic. However, it was a bit too long, but the stories of the four generations of Gregory women are good. Set in Telluride, Colorado, this is the story of Ariana McAllister, great granddaughter to Mona Gregory, who bought the mountain that is Ari's legacy. Ari wants to save the mountain from a greedy developer, but needs help. Luckily, she wins the lottery, and two men become smitted with her. One, Caley, is a snake personified, but he has his own reasons why he wants to save the mountain. The other man works for the developer, but chooses love over money. All of the charcters are intertwined by marriage and love affairs from the past, and we see family secrets unwinding up until the fateful climax where the bad guys get their just desserts, and our heroine gets what she wants. It's a good read, but it will take you a few days to go through it.

The only problem with loving this book so much is that the author is unknown. The whole idea of going through four generations of women in one family is totally new and wonderful. You will fall in love with the charectors and not want the book to end. If you love a good heart-wrentching story, you will definitely feel that you have got your money's worth out of this book

This Narnia book has a lot of technical information, like how a lot of things are done in movie-making and how many lights were used in the making of the Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. It doesn't have many interviews with the cast, but would be great for an aspiring movie-maker.

A Note from thge Author
As this book has no synopsis I thought I would add one so you know more what it is about.
Ian Brodie, Wanaka, New Zealand

Synopsis
An essential guide to the filming in New Zealand of one of the most hotly anticipated movies of all time. The first of the CS Lewis Chronicles of Narnia to be made into a movie is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and has been filmed and produced in New Zealand by Disney and Walden Media, with Kiwi director Andrew Adamson. Ian Brodie has been on set and on location throughout its production, and has documented the making of the film from behind the cameras, with interviews with the director and key crew members. Using this movie as a specific example, he explains in layman's terms the magical process of turning a much-loved classic of children's literature into a blockbuster movie. Through the latest Computer Generated Imaging techniques, the fabulous creatures of Narnia will astound viewers and this book explains how Aslan and Mr Tumnus were created, and why the centaurs look so real. Dolly grips, gaffers, clapperloaders and best boys are explained, and the process of making a movie documented with over 200 full-colour movie and behind-the-camera images, nearly all of them exclusive to this book.
This will be a valuable teaching tool and a superb record of a much-loved movie, with anecdotes and information to delight in equal measure.

I have enjoyed looking at this book so far, it appears to have a lot of good information for aspiring filmmakers. I would like to point out, though, that the book is quite small! I was very surprised when I opened up my package to find a book the size of a DVD case. The description Amazon gives does say that it is that size (in inches), but I never read that part - and I doubt that a whole lot of other people do either. I expected it to be big like the Illustrated Movie Companion (also a fantastic book!). So, just know ahead of time if you buy this book that it will be kind of small - but still easy to read. I would personally recommend buying it used, because $9.72 is a lot (especially when you might be able to get it for around $3). Enjoy!

This is the most comprehensive dream book I've seen. Very informative and easy to read.

I have a number of dream books, but this one was okay and very basic. The explanations of dream symbols were very short and did not give you much insight nor the tools needed to analyse your dreams in depth. It is a basic dream book and I would rate it average.

Don't let the "Complete Idiot's Guide" designation fool you: This is the book for anybody who is intellectually curious enough to try and raise their awareness about the significance of dreaming life which co-authors Eve Adamson and Gayle Williamson assure us is the shadow side of our waking life, enigmatic symbolism and all.

Neatly segmented into the concise style of popular reference dictionaries, the Dream Dictionary lets inquirers go as deeply into the labyrinth of their dreams as they want; the entries are less occultish than is true of some other dictionaries yet intruiging for their emphasis on the elements of fear and desire, "universal truths" that bind humanity after the waking hours.

Adamson and Williamson write invitingly about the benefits of dream journaling and preparing the body for sleep in anticipation of lucid, creative dreaming or just opening the mind to the possibilities of getting those answers to problems that linger below the limn of consciousness.

As a user-friendly guide, the CIG Dream Dictionary promotes self-understanding with due homage to the cosmos of archetypes in a book that enables the reader to play a sharp detective with their dreams. Adamson's lively prose is a joyful bonus and helps make this book a bedside companion worthy of its dog-eared place at your side.

This is a great book if your into companies restructuring, or rebuilding.
I always feel the Denny's chain was sort of put through its paces unjustfully. I worked for Denny's off, & on through the eighties, and ninties. I feel that the book does well with the issues that face a dining icon.
Having said this I also feel that it could well be now if your white its harder at Denny's. The Racial issue was a bad omen for the DFO folks.
At one time I was made ineligible for rehire, (may still be) at the corporate stores. Because I stood up for myself this made Denny's make me a blacklisted employee. Have worked for several franchises since. I was treated much better at the franchises than I ever was in the company locations.
The rebuilding of its image has come with a price. Many unknowing people who tout bad things for Denny's should realize that it was one of the first chains to let all walks of life come in and become an employee at different levels. It was also one of the first to let African Americans become more in the front of the house, ie host(ess), waiter(ess).
The book deals with its color diversity quite well --- it does however miss the boat on its other diversities. Meaning contributions to the brand by the GLBT community.
Denny's has closed many locations in my area not because of the issues mentioned in the book. Many are grossly mismanaged, and have had trouble with some franchisees going under.
This is a good book for a read on some of the behind-the-scenes goings on at The Grand Slam Palace. Like most books its good also to read between the lines.

In the early 1990s, the Denny's Restaurant chain was faced with charges of racial discrimination that severely damaged its image. African-American customers were denied service or asked to prepay before eating. When, in 1994, Denny's settled two class-action lawsuits for US$54 million, a permanent shadow had been cast in its doorway.

Then, CEO Jim Adamson came on board. He kept the doors open and, in time, opened the minds of employees to a new way of doing business. He made inclusiveness and diversity central to the company culture. Now, every employee-from waiters to managers-receives specific training that emphasises respect for differences among people. What it took to turn the company around was hours and hours of hard work; thoughtful, innovative, and proactive programs; the willingness to lead and take risks; and most of all, an absolute commitment to do the right thing. Eventually, Fortune magazine ranked Denny's among the top ten companies for minorities in America.

The Denny's Story is the real-life account of how the company pulled itself out of a public relations nightmare and earned back the trust of its customers. Adamson explains the beliefs and strategies necessary for changing the heart of an organisation in serious distress that can be applied to any business. He provides an honest blueprint for dealing with crisis, arming the reader with the tools needed to alter management thinking, build a strong sense of unity, and keep employees happy in the process. Enlightening and instructive, The Denny's Story is a remarkable example of how teamwork, fairness, and keeping the customer satisfied will protect the good name of your company during any crisis you may face in the future.

Since 1995, Jim Adamson has been the chairman and CEO of Advantica, the parent company of Denny's restaurant. Formerly, he was CEO of Burger King. Robert McNatt is an editor of Business Week and a former reporter for Reuters. Rosemary Bray McNatt is an author who has previously worked as editor for the New York Times Book Review.

In the early 1990s, the Denny's Restaurant chain was faced with charges of racial discrimination that severely damaged its image. African-American customers were denied service or asked to prepay before eating. When, in 1994, Denny's settled two class-action lawsuits for US$54 million, a permanent shadow had been cast in its doorway.

Then, CEO Jim Adamson came on board. He kept the doors open and, in time, opened the minds of employees to a new way of doing business. He made inclusiveness and diversity central to the company culture. Now, every employee-from waiters to managers-receives specific training that emphasises respect for differences among people. What it took to turn the company around was hours and hours of hard work; thoughtful, innovative, and proactive programs; the willingness to lead and take risks; and most of all, an absolute commitment to do the right thing. Eventually, Fortune magazine ranked Denny's among the top ten companies for minorities in America.

The Denny's Story is the real-life account of how the company pulled itself out of a public relations nightmare and earned back the trust of its customers. Adamson explains the beliefs and strategies necessary for changing the heart of an organisation in serious distress that can be applied to any business. He provides an honest blueprint for dealing with crisis, arming the reader with the tools needed to alter management thinking, build a strong sense of unity, and keep employees happy in the process. Enlightening and instructive, The Denny's Story is a remarkable example of how teamwork, fairness, and keeping the customer satisfied will protect the good name of your company during any crisis you may face in the future.

Since 1995, Jim Adamson has been the chairman and CEO of Advantica, the parent company of Denny's restaurant. Formerly, he was CEO of Burger King. Robert McNatt is an editor of Business Week and a former reporter for Reuters. Rosemary Bray McNatt is an author who has previously worked as editor for the New York Times Book Review.

This book is a fascinating review of two very complex people. It doesn't gloss over their strengths or weaknesses. They led amazing lives in a world we'll never see again. I enjoyed every chapter.

It's an excellent, no-holds-barred book giving the plus and minuses of the human stars: George and Joy Adamson. And it's a book of triumphs and failures. The book is precise, but it does have some gaps which are filled by reading George Adamson's book My Pride and Joy. If you care about the most majestic of Africa's wildlife, this is a must book. But if you want to learn more about the nature of wildlife, particuarly lions, read My Pride and Joy. I highly recommend both books.

I liked this book particularly because it didn't report something as fact unless there was something to back it up or that the writer personally witnessed. Adrian House uses a lot of George and Joy Adamson's own diaries, unpublished writings, and personal letters to give a good glimpse into the personal lives of the couple. It also gives a detailed account of their murders and the circumstances leading up to them. I would recommend this book as a well rounded biography that looks critically into the lives of two unique and amazing people.

I love this book for writing. It has silly things the dinosaurs could be used for if they came back to Earth. I read it to my class and then they have to come up with another use for dinosaurs and make a page for a class book.

This is a great book for young children. It brings to life the ideas that probably float around in the heads of many youngsters. As a teacher I have used it to peak students imaginations to produce our own class books about what could happen if dinosaurs came back.

My son loves this book about dinosaurs. It gives a unique perspective on what dinosaurs could help us do if they came back now. The back page lists many different types of dinosaurs with line drawings of them and their names. This miniature sized book makes it great for travel.

In spite of its name, K-Lullaby did not lull me to sleep. In fact, I found myself awake till 4:00 am finishing it. I actually recommend trying this (If you can spare the time and energy) because it seems to lend to the enjoyment of this mystery novel. Like Dreaming Pachinko, an earlier member of the Chaka mystery series quartet, this book deals a lot with sleep, dreams, uncertainty, and the surreal. Kinda heavy? nah....I liked it a lot. The words "sly", "punchy", and "kick ass" have been used to exhaustion when describing the Chaka books. It's no surprise that this book is full of Isaac Adamson's wonderful hysteric humor. However, it is certainly the most serious of the Chaka books thus far. Kinki Lullaby tends to deviate between fun and deep introspection. The result is that the reader feels that they are in a more "real" Japan than the Japan portrayed in say, Tokyo Suckerpunch. This is a world where not everything is quite right. And Billy Chaka is the perfect protagonist for the story. He's a wisecracking philosopher in a story that at once feels incredibly real in its sense of humanity, yet incredibly surreal.
Even though you may pick up this book looking for a fun read, I must warn you that you are going to learn. Adamson integrates all sorts of interesting cultural and historic references into his books. Kinki Lullaby is a story about bunraku, the art of Japanese puppetry. After I read this book, I gained an intense interest in bunraku! The Japanese can't do anything without it turning into an art, can they?
Kinki Lullaby is a mystery, but it also seems to have a taste of the horror novel in it. Perhaps you will have to read it to understand what I mean!
In closing, I would say that I highly recommend this book, as well as the three other books in the Billy Chaka series: Tokyo Suckerpunch, Hokkaido Popsicle, and Dreaming Pachinko. They will especially appeal to people who love mysteries or have a strong interest in Japan/Japanese culture. I know that I have not actually given a true synopsis on this book!! *sweatdrop* But I do hope that you may perhaps gain a better understanding of the book through this review.

This is easily Isaac Adamsons best Chaka novel to date. His books are fun and easy to read. This time Billy Chaka isn't as nice as he used to be and I believe it fits his character better. This is the best and easiest way to read a great entertaining story while learning something you probably never knew before about Japan.
If you've ever been to Japan and plan to go back one day, these books will hopefully keep you at bay until you do. It pays just enough attention to Japanese detail to make those who have been there appreciate it, without losing those that haven't gotten the chance to go yet. Try his others, all of them are worthy of a read.

Billy Chaka returns in Kinki Lullaby, the fourth book in the series created by Isaac Adamson. This is probably the sharpest novel of the bunch, a testiment to Adamson's maturation as a writer. Intriguing from start to finish, Kinki Lullaby is worth picking up for any reader wishing to have a vicarious adventure in a hyper-stylized Japan. Fans of the Billy Chaka books should be pleased.

Good purchase; item received in good condition, as expressed by seller.
Will do business with again.

George Adamson was mostly famed as the former husband of Joy Adamson, the author of the popular Born Free, thus the clever pun in the title My Pride (of Lions) and Joy (Adamson). This book is a vivid account of his life in Kora (Northern Kenya) and his lifelong dedication to nature conservation in Africa. The book is full of fascinating stories about lions, including the shooting of the movie Born Free, while he also paints an interesting but somewhat unflattering picture of Joy. This book is well worth the read for anybody interested African widlife. Sadly George Adamson was killed by marauding bandits close to his camp in Kora only shortly after publishing this book.

This is a warm heartfelt book telling the other, less advertised side of the classic story, Born Free. It follows George Adamson's life after that instance in his life all the way to it's tragic end.