Ames Books

This is a very useful book for people with little knowledge of contemporary Spain. In keeping with the goals of the Interact Series, of which it is a volume, "Spain is Different" highlights basic cultural differences between Spain and the United States. (The title refers playfully to a much mocked tourist slogan from the 1960s.) This brief book is not a travel guide, nor does it offer much in terms of historical overview. Wattley-Ames does, however, explain in straight forward fashion basic dynamics of Spanish society that will be unfamiliar to many Americans. Her writing is clear and to the point. (After an introductory chapter that situates Spain in relationship to Europe, Latin America and the United States there follow chapters on Society and the Individual; Relationships; Language and Communication; Work; and, finally, Play.) For example, her four page summary of Spanish family relationships is, with one exception that I'll get to in a moment, right on target. Not only does she situate family life in a broad social context that will be helpful to Americans planning a visit or move to Spain, but she also points out common Spanish feelings about American families: "As for the American habit of moving to the other side of the country or the world without a backward glance, most Spaniards are both envious and dismayed." It's a perceptive and accurate observation. Now, for the exception: in the same section on the family, she has this to say about the thorny issue of child raising in an American-Spanish marriage: "The American is inevitably stricter than the Spaniard about mealtimes, snacks, treats, and naps. Spanish children typically enjoy large quantities of attention and few rules at home." This last sentence is true, but a Spanish parent, especially a mother, may find American eating habits and table manners decidedly lenient. (And as an American married to a Spaniard, well, maybe I'm the exception to Wattley-Ames' rule...) Wattley-Ames' text is judiciously sprinkled with Spanish words and expressions that serve to underscore observations. She is clearly knowledgeable of her subject matter and the book is free of significant errors, although I might quibble with some omissions. (Her discussion of regional languages and linguistic politics, for example, is a little misleading and too brief.) On the other hand, her observations on Spanish social life are particularly astute. Just as importantly, she is well aware of the dangers of generalization and stereotyping, and combats this intelligently by accompanying her observations with appropriate real life examples, proverbs, quotes from respected Spanish observers, etc. Of particular value are the chapter ending "encounters", which provide concrete examples of situations in which an American would benefit from having 'cultural literacy' regarding Spanish customs and behaviors. There is a brief bibliography that includes a valuable section on recent Spanish cinema.

This book was good. I really liked it but it is is definetly for pre-teens to early teens. It was really fun! I would strongly suggest getting it for your teen daughter! it gets you in the mood for a fling at camp!

I had fun with Ms. Ames story of undercover bodyguard guarding her secret fantasy. I did find the thought of hiring a mistres a little of a strech but maybe I'm a prude and I don't live like the wealthy do. Hero and Heroine explode with sexual tension and when they get together those two heat up the sheets between the bed and the book. The suspense element of who is stalking the Hero is is not really seen except for some letters, until the almost end of the book, I found the 'reason' for the stalking to be questionable but since stalkers are crazy then it usually is not always understood. But you will enojoy the romance and good good lovin

Disappointing. Why is it so many female lawyers drop out of law and turn to novels?? Big mistake. Many should go elsewhere; they are not very entertaining. Case in point: this transitioned to novel writing attorney, Karen Quinn, had two careers and has yet to find her forte. This chick lit miss held promise in the first three "teaser" chapters then became monotonous and predictble and over-the-top unbelievable. The heroine was unsympathetic, the story, slapstick. Nothing flowed or held together well; it was as if she made an outline of all the outlandish surreal events that were to happen and simply plugged them in. There was no flow or coherence. I kept putting the book down and skipping around. I took forever to finish. I was never compelled to do so. When I finally read the last few chapters...I thought boring, boring, boring...the two men were bland cardboard troll sorts.. without magic or elan...the ending silly, predictable. I realize nowadays women have to make a living; but please don't all go into fiction...unless you're inspired...and have a unique vision....and a soupçon of "talent".

Sometimes I wonder how books get published.

This story jumped around so much and the resolutions were so random. Ivy was such a shallow character that I just couldn't even enjoy the story...and I was WANTING to! I love the genre and was a fan of Nanny Diaries and even Devil Wears Prada, but this one seemed as if it was written in one sitting. It was also the MOST predictable story ever! I wasn't looking for some literary masterpiece, but this just didn't cut it as an entertaining beach read.

The jacket quotes the New York Post as saying this book is, "Entertaining... Picks up where The Nanny Diaries left off." Well, I've read The Nanny Diaries. Twice. And let me just say, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!!" To include these two books in the same arena is a travesty - The Ivy Chronicles is not clever, well-written, or entertaining - it's simply annoying! The main character, Ivy Ames, is about as shallow as a plastic kiddie swimming pool and while cleverly packaged to look like a smart, witty summer read about the crazy parents of New York's kindergarten wanna-be's - it just doesn't deliver. The chapters are so short and undeveloped that it reads like a spoiled teenager's diary with about the same selfish insight and limited attention span. This story, while I know it is fiction, pushes the boundaries of plausibility to the point that I wanted to finish it so I could stop hear Ivy whine about how helpless, immoral, feckless, and stereotypical she is. Can you think of any cliche about any spoiled, rich NY wives dumped by their philandering husbands who have to pull themselves back up by their bootstraps? It's in there. Save your $4.98 from the Bargain Shelf... go buy an overpriced latte instead - it will be far more satisfying.

Ivy annoyed me. I'll just put that out there right from the start. I found her character grating at times. She was whiney and pathetic, as well as devious and mean. Combine that with the very preach tone of a lot of the book, and I should be rating it a lot lower than I am. And yet, somehow, the book was still tolerable - and I'm not sure how. Looking back on it, thinking about it analytically, I should have hated it. But I'll rate it as 'just okay'. It would be a good commuter audio book, I don't know that I'd invest free time in listening to it.

We get by with a little help from our friends has never been portrayed with such an ingenious mixture of passion, humor and what could only be defined as sheer female empowerment. Author Karen Quinn takes us inside one woman's journey from the top, to the bottom and back to the top again.

Ivy Ames...devoted wife and loving mother of two, was living "the good life." With a combined annual income of two million plus, the Ames' family had all the luxuries and perks of the social elite. Eight months ago, Ivy's husband, Cadmon, lost his job and instead of cutting back on expenditures, they continued to revel in the lavish lifestyle they had grown so accustomed too. On a typical, all too hectic morning, Ivy had barely managed to get herself to the bank on-time, when she is caught off guard by a note summoning her to the boss' office. You could have knocked her over with a feather when she heard him say "human resources has your package, a car will take you home..." The words kind-of-faded into a blur. After a day filled with indignities and humiliation, she longed for the warm, sympathetic embrace of Cad's arms. But that was not to be...As the smell of orange bubble-bath was wafting through the air, she opened the door to the bathroom, only to find her husband bathing a naked woman. It was Sassy! The wife of the man that had caused her to lose her job! Enraged, embarrassed and deeply hurt she ordered Sassy out of the house, threatening to drop a hair dryer into the bath water if she did not leave immediately. Refusing to let Cad she her cry, she turned and with all the strength she could muster, she gave him his walking orders as well.

It is this one devastating day that lays the foundation for the rest of the novel. With her life in shambles, Ivy embarks on a new career, setting up a business that caters to parents that want their children in the most elite kindergarten programs on earth. A wonderful idea that just needed a boost to get off the ground. Her best friend, Faith, was wealthy and more than willing to help in any way possible. With a few well placed phone calls to her high society acquaintances, Ivy's referral box began filling up. There's a host of outlandish, colorful personalities that make up Ivy's clientele, each adding their own unique flavor to the story. There's a single father with mob ties; a mixed religion couple; a mom who tries to bribe the board at every school; a gay couple with a wheel-chair bound adopted son; etc. Ivy endures an ongoing cycle of nerve-racked parents having mental-melt-downs during the application process and crazed parents bombarding her with verbal assaults. She quickly discovers these parents do not recognize the morally accepted boundaries of right and wrong...when it comes to securing a slot on the kindergarten-roster of their choosing, anything goes!

Snooty, snobbish, egocentric and over-the-top, Karen Quinn's novel "The Ivy Chronicles" is a tongue-in-cheek read that delivers exactly what was promised...a light hearted read, filled with quaint characters and quick wit. While criss-crossing moral and ethical boundaries in hopes of being accepted to an elite kindergarten is wrong on so many levels, it it is the catalyst propelling the humorous insanity. Putting the idea of elite, prep-style kinder-care into perspective for these folks would be impossible. But then again so was the concept of downsizing for Ivy, as she continued to carry her Barney's shopping bag everywhere, hoping to portray that up-town image she missed so desperately.

If you're looking for a Saturday afternoon read that doesn't require a lot of thought...that you can just read for the light and fluffy experience...The Ivy Chronicles is a good choice. Fun and seemingly far-fetched, I couldn't help but wonder with Quinn's insider knowledge, how far did she stretch the characters, if at all? I am anxious to see what Warner Brothers does with this zany cast of characters, as the book has been optioned and Catherine Zeta-Jones will be starring in the movie!

Happy Reading!

I recommend these books (Your ONE Year Old, Your TWO Year Old, Your THREE Year Old, Your FOUR Year Old, Your FIVE Year Old, Your SIX Year Old, Your SEVEN Year Old, Your EIGHT Year Old, Your NINE Year Old, Your TEN-to-FOURTEEN Year Old. These books were writtten by Louise Bates Ames, PhD, Fances L. Ilg, MD and Sidney M. Baker MD of the Gesell Institute of Human Development. They are NOT a "how to" book for parents -- but rather provide a perspective of life from the child's various ages. I found the books to be of such value that I purchase the entire series for new parents. Somehow I forgot to purchase these books for my niece when she started her family. She expressed some concerns about her seven year old son's behavior (that I knew from experience to be that typical of seven year olds). I purchased the books from the series that will help my niece from here on. She LOVES them! I have a feeling she will use them and pass them along to other parents. My original set are part of my permanent library. I highly recommend these books for your permanent library as well!

I love this series of books. They are a bit dated in pictures, etc. But the advice is good, and the authors are extremely reputable. They know their stuff. The advice is as good today as it was when they were first written. I love how they are a fast, easy, read.

I ordered this book after seeing it in an article about behavior of three year olds. I was somewhat disappointed that it was written in 1985. Wanted something more up to date.

I keep purchasing these small books full of great information for my daughter, whose little girl is 2 1/2. It is a comfort to my daughter to find confirmation of her intuition and observations about the developement of her child. The suggestions bring, good results, and the whole book makes three generations of us happier. This booklet may be insufficient by itself to raise a well adjusted child, but it contains the essentials. Makes a useful gift as a stocking filler for a parent to be, a little birthday gift etc.

Worthless. Completely outdated and condescending. I was hoping for some practical insight into my relationship with my three year old and instead I was advised that I should leave her with a teenage babysitter as much as possible. The 80s were a good decade for music but apparently not for parenting advice. I thought $11.00 was a value; this book wouldn't be a value at $1.00.

Step by step we are moving to the truth.
The fiction is banal. Hence - one star for the book. The reality is amazing. Hence - 5 stars for the next book on the Ames-Colby case. The next book will be based on Dekov's memoirs.

"Betrayal" is the perfect book for readers interested in espionage but rusty on their Cold War history. It's also a welcome change to fans of Current Events and True Crime books tired of the mediocre research and rampant overwriting endemic to each genre. The authors wisely stick to the case at hand and introduce background only as it pertains to Aldrich Ames. In this way they avoid the odious True Crime approach of devoting multiple chapters to the family tree and childhood of their subject. Better still, the writers do not take undue authority by stating what motivated Ames; rather, they present aspects of the spy's life, such as alcoholism and a faltering marriage, as evidence of what made him tick. Not only do the authors practice good journalism, they respect their readers enough to avoid padding out the book with meandering anecdotes in lieu of characterization. Instead of slogging through forty pages about Ames's high school grades, the reader gets four or five pages of concise and useful detail on U.S.-Soviet relations of importance to this case. It's a shame this book is out of print. It's lean style, respect for relevancy, and use of on-the-record sources make it the most credible study of Aldrich Ames and an enjoyable read years after its release. On a final note, this book should be available second-hand in a normal size format and for less than five dollars. Look around. If you actually found this review it will be worth your time.

The book is far far far ... far away from the truth. So far, that this book is complete non-sense. By the way, the reality is much more excited than the book.
The biggest crime of the former FBI Director Freeh is that he lies the society. The uninformed society does not have the possibility to protect itself. This is big crime. An excellent example is the killing of the CIA Director William Colby. Freeh preferred to kill Colby, instead to charge him officially. The FBI stories of Ames and Colby are far far... far away form the truth. (If you are interested to read the real story, read the memoirs of Dekov at the Web, Google Groups, Search, "Dekov, Colby".) The society is the loser. The society will pay big money. The society will give victims. This is very dangerous criminal activity against the American people. The persons who praise the Director Freeh will pay the price, too. Their children will die, as the whole nation. The USA Senate must accept a special law, forcing the FBI to say the truth. The truth is the only chance for salvation of the American nation. And the most important - Freeh must go into the jail, as killer of the American nation.

This is a very readable book on Espionage and especially demonstrates the weaknesses in our Counter-Intelligence system.

The CIA takes the heat in this book but this story demonstrates an inherint weakness in our security within ALL agencies involved in dealing with sensitive issues.

I felt this book was well written and recommend it to anyone who wants to try and understand how this could have happened.

I picked up Betrayal on a whim and although I was initially just casually interested, I was surprised how engaging the book was from first sentence to last.

I learned a lot about how this bureacracy worked during the time of Aldrich Ames' treason. I was amazed that hardly anyone was even fired even if they were an incompetent, lazy, dissatisfied, alcoholic misfit like Ames was. Even though Ames wasn't very good at his job, he still expected to be promoted. Amazingly, he was, even into some very sensitive areas where he could do the most damage. Ames' dissatisfaction with his job and the agency was one of the reasons he began working for the "other spy company", the KGB. He thought that all the spy games were meaningless.

Some interesting moral situations are brought up such as when a Soviet diplomat is entrapped by making him look like he is traitor to his country, when he isn't, so that he would be forced to spy for the US. Soviets who betrayed their corrupt country were praised as heroes in the US, but were executed in the USSR. It brings up questions of how loyal you should be to your country. Also, the CIA is supposed to be devious in another country, but expected to be totally honest when dealing with US government. Lastly, defectors can't be considered honest or sincere, they could still be spies. I can see how someone could end up morally warped after awhile.

The CIA didn't want to face the reality that they had a mole in their own camp working against them, so the investigation took years to pinpoint Ames. One guy did think so, but it was generally viewed as too paranoid a viewpoint, even in this place where people are paid to be paranoid. But eventually the paranoid proved to be right, which is heartening for all us paranoids out there.

The CIA looks like a bumbling bureacracy in this book, but the FBI's investigation of Ames was sometimes brilliant, sometimes bumbling. There is some amusing comments about how the two agencies don't like each other, won't share information, and live in different cultures. The Budweiser-drinking FBI is considered to be a notch below the CIA, which is filled with Bordeaux-drinking Yalies.

There is some talk at the end that maybe we should get rid of the CIA and split it up into other bureacracies. But its just talk; I've never heard of a bureacracy ever being killed off, usually it keeps growing even after such damage as the Ames incident. --The government gravy train must roll on until the whole nation implodes! There is some interesting criticism in this section about how the CIA intelligence is often worthless. Reminds me of all the intelligence about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction.

I thought this book would be a little creative. I was wrong. The book is weak for a couple of reasons: first, instead of teaching how to draw specific elements that make these characters it shows how to draw individual entries. So if your child wants to learn how to draw a viking, (s)he will only see one perspective and nothing more. No technique on how to draw the helmet, the garb etc.. Second, the book doesn't follow basic techniques to learn how to draw. In my opinion this book should be for 5 year olds in the house that are tired of coloring books. Buy a Jack Hamm book if you want to learn how to draw!

I bought this for my 8 year old son for Christmas. He ablsolutely LOVES the animal and bug books in Ames collection. However, this book is a bit more complicated in the drawings as far as shading and finishing touches that didn't seem to translate well in this format.

I think he may pick up something about drawing the human form through this, but right now its to complicated for him. Maybe in a few years he'll pick it up again and try some of these.

Not a bad book just not my favorite in the series. I think this might be more useful to someone older who wants to create thier own clip art like drawings maybe.

My compliments to Lee Ames and Creig Flessel for producing this "DRAW 50 PEOPLE" book. The step-by-step application to Mr. Flessel's wonderful drawings are an inspiration to the future artists in this world. Anyone wishing to improve their artistic skills (beginner or accomplished) would do well by following the examples in this book,(as well as the rest of the draw 50 series). I always say "There's nothing like learning from the BEST"!

Draw 50 People is a great book. The book, like others in the series, has the would-be artist drawing right away. The drawings/directions are clear, well done and easy to follow, with excellent results. It's great for kids and I even took a couple of ideas myself. I highly reccomend this book. Creig Flessel and Lee Ames did beautiful work in this book. Two thumbs up!

The book wa very interesting and had me excited to the end. Some of it was a little confusing and I felt like I missed parts, but overall the storyline was fun and it was fun to read about the allusive Ames. I was able to get into Ames very well. It seemed like it was a well told story of an some intersting events.

Maas does a good job of keeping the reader interested and moving the story along, however, I feel that because of this some of the details of the CIA's involvement in the investigation are glossed over. My only other complaint is that I felt Maas didn't spend enough time explaining the importance of the U.S. sources that Ames gave to the Soviets and who they were. While Maas does a great job in portraying Ames, putting a spotlight on his character for the reader, humanizing the agents whose deaths Ames is responsible for, would add to the reader's understanding of his depravity and villainy masked by his self-centered worldview. Despite these complaints, Maas's, Killer Spy, is a well written, detailed account of a fascinating espionage investigation not to mention a fun read.

This book is relatively short but it provides enough information on the subject. I also liked its matter of fact presentation of the events.

But the truly amazing part is the "Keystone Cops" aspect of the whole affair. CIA and FBI joint task force identified Ames after the first real check of his financial status, but it took 10 years of humiliating failures fot this pretty routine investigation to get started.

And after that initial success the team of top flight FBI agents experienced one snafu after another trying to catch Ames and his Russian handlers red-handed and finally gave it up.

THis book incorrectly focuses on the FBI as the capturers of Ames and leaves out the mole hunting CIA team's chase of Ames. While they did mess up and take years to identify the problem, the CIA team caught Ames. THis book is also way short on providing insight into Ames motives, tactics and techniques. A MUCH better book on the subject is "confessions of a spy" by Pete Early. Earley is the only journalist that was able to interview Ames and his well researched book provides the story in Ames own words as well as interviews with his russian accomplices.

This book has even less good speeches than that of "Graduation Day." There are just too many speeches that are convenient for the speakers and not primarily spoken for the benefits of the graduates. Also, there are a lot of bland speeches.

With this said, there are a few good ones in this book: The speeches by Robert D. Ballard and Marian Wright Edelman are the best. The one by Neil Simon is also pretty good.

The best book so far on graduation speeches is "Graduation Moments."

Interesting short readings by a variety of people.

I wanted to love this book, because I wanted to find some hope in the matter of global warming. But I couldn't find much within the covers that I would call practical. There is little here to appeal to ordinary citizens. It makes me think of the Federalist Papers, the theoretical arguments in favor of representative government. It just doesn't have a lot to do with ordinary citizens, trying to earn a living and support a family. "Ignition" is probably a great read for theorists, but if your interests lie more in the realm of practical action, rather than theoretical underpinnings, "Ignition" is going to be a tough slog. It surely was for me.

Combining incisive essays with success stories. It shows how to save our planet and fight global warming.