Barry Books

Barry Schiff is a fine writer who has been a professional aviator for more than 50 years. Schiff is a legend among pilots whose prose will also appeal to non-aviators. He has flown everything from airplanes made in Lindbergh's time, to Boeing 747s. He conveys his experiences flying a diverse and fascinating selection of airplanes from the 1930's to the present in a manner that is compact and at the same time highly informative and enteraining. I highly recommend this book for anyone with even a small interest in, or curiosity about, airplanes; pilots will love it.

I purchased this for my husbands birthday. He is so enthralled with the book and keeps telling me how much he likes it. He has recently started taking flying lessons and loves learning about different aircraft.

Barry Schiff is a retired TWA Captain, and has flown over 300 different types of airplanes. This book covers the most interesting 33 of those. I am a light plane private pilot, and thought some of the most interesting airplanes he covered were: Spirit of St. Louis (a replica), Goodyear Blimp (fascinating details of how it flies), McCulloch Gyrocopter, Space Shuttle (NASA simulator), and the Lockheed U-2 (two seat version). I also thought that his explanation of the Helio Courier's wing was very in-depth and intriguing (sorry -- you'll have to read about it yourself). Barry covers amphibians too -- the Grumman Widgeon, the Lake LA-4 and Sikorsky S-38. For you DC-3 and P-51 Mustang fans out there, well, he covers that too. Amazon had a great price on this book, and I'm glad that I'm adding it to my collection. If you like this book, you might also want to look at "Flying the Old Planes" by Frank Tallman -- which tends to cover the WWI era more.

A soothing tale of creation from a perspective even a two year old can understand.

I never understood why we term these stories "creation myths" - since to those who believe, it's not a myth. And those who don't believe might be wrong! But, anyway, this would be a good story to add to a unit on tales of the creation of the world, since it deals with the Christian seven days of creation. The word God isn't mentioned until the final page, the action centers around a young artist and dreamer who is inspired to create the beautiful things he sees in his mind. He works slowly, and takes his time, finding joy in the beauty around him. At the end, he chooses to make some people he can share all his work with, someone he can really talk to. And they make children, and those children make more children, and so on. This is beautifully illustrated and a very quiet calm book which would inspire any child to feel loved.

This was one of the first books I was "wowed" by when I began doing children's programming about five years ago. The story is a beautiful creation story, explaining how the world and all the wonders in it came to be. But the art work is spectacular! Moser's illustrations and Rylant's words make for an unbeatable combination. A definite addition to any Church library, but also for anyone who wishes to share the beauty of the Christian creation story with children.

This book gives a great intro to Einstein, that's understandable and lends to the appreciation as to what a great thinker Einstein truly was.

Other great books along this same vein are E=MC2, and Fermats Enigma, the latter gets a bit deeps towards the end but the beginning chapters really flesh out number theory in a historical context that really freshens the mathematic atmosphere.

Will aspiring mathematics majors appreciate Einstein's Brainchild? If you involve yourself with the process of introduction and discourse, they probably would!

Enjoy!

Relativity is made easier in Einstein's Brainchild which brings Albert Einstein's theories to life with bright, involving writing. This traces both the story of his life and the theories he envisioned, blending cartoons and illustrations with a lively discourse on the meaning of Einstein's insights, applicable to the modern world. Highly recommended.

This book is great! It answers every question you've ever had about the universe, plus tons more. Not only does it tell you about Einstein's theories, it tells you about his life, friends, competitors, everything! I have learned so much from this book! Don't think it is written for children, because it is most certainly not. I got confused sometimes, but not too much. I recommend this to anyone with an interest in space or anything to do with it, it is really quite fascinating, especially because I want to be an astrological physicist when I'm older!

According to the author, Oscar Levant once said that "A pun is the lowest form of humor... if you didn't think of it first." and Edgar Allen Poe observed: "The goodness of the true pun is in direct ratio to its intolerability." And now they're both dead. There's a lesson there for all of us, and that lesson is that anyone who thinks of puns as low comedy hasn't read this book. Full of clever word play, twisted humor and, yes, non-pun cartoons, this book is a must read, if only as an excuse to use the cliche "a must read". Don't be the last on your block to own a copy or else you'll be like all those poor saps who couldn't discuss "The Da Vinci Code" around the office. Plus, instead of copying "Ziggy" to hang up in your cubicle, show the world that you're in with the hip crowd and not the broken hip crowd (does that count as a pun?) by hanging up Barry's cartoons. Embrace this book, you'll be glad you did.

I've enjoyed this book so much and never tire of witty puns from guys like Barry Corbett. I love his style... kind of old school with a fresh twist. And with so much full-color publications out there it's refreshing to see black and white art. He's got a new book coming out. I look forward to getting it.

Embrace the Pun! is an anthology of one-panel black-and-white cartoons by savvy online cartoonist Barry Corbett. Using the author's gifts for original wit and wordplay, Embrace the Pun! mocks everything from serial killers to news events to sports and common TV cliches, with special emphasis on unique and original gags - for example, in one cartoon labeled "America's New Underclass" a disheveled man sits at a street corner begging for change by holding up a sign that reads "STILL ON DIAL-UP". A cross-section of chuckle-inducing fun.

The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers is an amazing book focused around the difficulties faces by two sisters taking care of their ailing mother. Real people can relate to the characters and their struggles are real to many people across America and the rest of the world. I think that anyone who is a caregiver should definately read this book.

Author Barry Jacobs has done his homework well and speaks of his subject matter with both expertise and the human touch of one who knows this territory first hand from having lived it both personally and professionally. As a practicing clinician, I have recommended it to many patients who are struggling with issues around the aging and declining health of their parents. Jacobs provides a prospective that steers a middle course between acknowledging the guilt that adult children feel around the need to take care of themselves while taking care of their parent, and the real physical and emotional demands of caretaking. Besides all that, he is a good writer and tells us about the central lessons of caretaking through the story of two sisters facing the serious illness of their mother. This subject is one most of us have to face sooner or later, and Barry Jacobs gives us an excellent guide as to how to navigate the terrain as well as possible.

Jan Goldman, Psy.D.

Barry Jacobs has written an excellent book not only for caregivers of aging medically ill parents but for professionals who work with patients and families coping with chronic illness. Several things stand out in this book. First is the approach which involves following a ficionalized pair of adult sisters who are caring for and coping with an ailing mother. Jacobs writes this account with great depth and creativity and is able to capture the kinds of feelings and describe the kinds of patterns that are often missing in other 'self help' books. Second, Jacobs also utilizes his own expereince, personal and professional, including advice columns he has written over the years. Third, the book covers evrerything from how to decide how much care you can provide to how to consider spiritual and other issues. Fourth, along the way are plenty of very valuable "how to" suggestions that will be of great benefit to any reader. If you are looking for even one caregiving book for your bookshelf, choose this one. Excellent read. Excellent resource.

Now here's a clever little book chock full of funny drawings that are guaranteed to make you laugh out loud or you are seriously lacking a sense of humor. You don't even have to have watched any television to enjoy the visuals.

This satire of American television is very funny. The cartoons in the book poke fun at some of the cliché's that are the staple of network television shows and commercials. My favorites are:

* Teachers and parents are all idiots who are easily fooled by kids.
* Each of us has at least one identical look-a-like, usually evil.
* There really IS life on other planets, oddly enough, all the aliens speak perfect English and look suspiciously human.

and the best:

It is possible to jump through a plate glass window and not get a single cut on you!

I enjoyed every one of these cartoons, they are all accurate depictions and make you think about the absurd premises that some television shows are based on.

Ever wonder why the heroine twists her ankle whenever she's running away from the bad guy? How come all the actors who play high school kids look like they're 30 years old? The authors skewer TVs cliches and assumptions in a very funny illustrated manner. Everyone who watched the Brady Bunch or Dukes of Hazzard must read this book

Barry's book has been a perfect choice to start me down the road of not just learning Blues guitar techniques, but to get me thinking about and trying some improvisation (the backing tracks on the CD are great for this). The solo's Barry composed for this book are great fun to play and have kept me in front of the amp practicing even when my poor fingers said stop. The solos contain a lot of "building-blocks" that you can leverage against in your own improvisations. (Now if I can only get some vibrato on top of those string bends).

Have bought quite a few books and dvd's that should have been avoided. They'll sell a dvd lacking anything resembling a book for reference. Levenson did a good job with this one; 60 pages of licks/solos tabbed out. I find myself using the book to improve technique while I play along with cd. Great book for beginners. I wish I was this satisfied with all guitar books/dvd's I have bought off amazon.

Without a doubt, Barry Levenson's book is one of my favorites books for improving my guitar playing. The book is deceivingly simple. It consists of 14 very well crafted blues solos.
The solos are presented on the CD, and the CD also contains the backing tracks without the lead guitar so that the reader can practice playing the solos. Each solo is 12-bars long (or short :-) )
One of the things that makes the book a great tool is that the solos are explained bar by bar, with Barry providing a brief introduction, information on the different techniques he's using (e.g., vibrato, rakes, bends, slides, etc.), as well as explanations regarding his choice of notes.
I use the tab as a guide, but end up relying more on my ear. I also adapt the solos to fit the sounds I'm after. For example, instead of sliding to a minor 3rd on the first string, I often choose to bend up to it. The effect is slightly different.
Another thing to consider is that while it may be easy to play the 14 solos, the real benefit of this book IMO is that I have started to think more about note choice, and can visualize my target notes on the fingerboard more easily now. Just learning and playing the solos is not as beneficial to the student.
I'm halfway through the book, and one thing I have noticed is that I enjoy going back to each of the previous solos I have learned. I play each a couple of times while thinking about Barry's explanations, and then move on to the next. This has made my process slower, but I'm not complaining, I'm actually thoroughly enjoying this book. An additional benefit is that this "thinking" approach can be transferred into any style of music.
Highly recommended to the advanced beginner, intermediate, and advanced guitarist who wants to bring their playing to a higher level. For those looking into flashier playing, look elsewhere. This one is more about taste and maturity. Highly recommended.

I make fairy houses also but not to the extent this book shows. Got so
many wonderful ideas. Well worth the purchase.

Reviewed by Avery McGinn (age 7) for Reader Views (9/08)

"Fairy Houses and Beyond!" by Barry and Tracy Kane is a book mostly made up of fascinating and beautiful pictures of fairy houses and villages. There are a few stories in the book about other people's experiences with building fairy houses. I got a great idea to use dog hair to make a soft floor for the fairies. I can't wait to brush my dogs!

The pictures in this book are fantastic. They gave me lots of ideas for building future fairy houses. I now plan to have a fairy-house-building birthday party. I can look at the pictures and make a list of all the supplies I will need for my party.

"Fairy Houses and Beyond!" by Barry and Tracy Kane is perfect for kids of all ages and even grownups too. My mom really, really loves this book. Your mom (or your kid) will love it too.

One doesn't need to visit a crafts store to enjoy all the fun enjoyed in the practice of building what are known as 'Fairy Houses". Co-authored by Barry and Tracky Kane, "Fairy Houses and Beyond!" is a compilation of photographs of various craft projects out in nature created by products found in nature such as the remains of fruits and vegetables, leaves, twigs, and other natural remnants. Aimed to appear as the village of fairies, and highly recommended to the attention of anyone seeking to create this unique structures themselves, "Fairy Houses and Beyond!" is a collection of charming full color photographs showcasing and illustrated what can be done with a little imagination and a lot of enjoyment.

I read this book many years ago and still think of it from time to time, especially when hearing someone say they are too far gone for God to save them. This man lived a life that probably should have killed him, but he survived and turned to God. His mother never gave up on him and prayed for his soul, and her faithfulness was rewarded. I remember what Corrie ten Boom said about there being no pit so deep, that God is not deeper still. This account of a man who was deep in sin and crime, and became a strong voice for God and redemption, is a wonderful, uplifting story. This would be an excellent choice for anyone who has lived a sinful life (biker, gang member, etc.) and thinks they can't be clean again. Remember Isaiah 1:18--scarlet to snow.

I actually read this book some time ago and had forgotten the title. It was very well done, real. Good reading for someone coming from a non Christian walk.

Having known Barry for many years, it's a privledge to get to say something positive about his book here. If you want to cut straight to the business end of becoming a Christian after serving hell, this is the must read book for you. Great reading for bikers, Christians and non-Christians alike.

This book was an interesting read. Part of it was a story about a Canadian school kid who tranformed a hobby he had beginning at age 14 into a successful modeling agency. Another part of it had to do with describing the nuts and bolts of starting a small business and expanding it later. And then there was the author's message throughout the book that he thinks it's a good idea to have a business that is consistent with one's personal values.

Some might argue this book is nothing more than an advertising piece for the author's business: Ben Barry Agency. I must say, if that's why the author wrote this book, he did a pretty good job of accomplishing his goal. But the book has value for aspiring entrepreneurs, too. It tells the story of how the author made his business happen over time. And those stories don't often find their way into print.

Small businesses normally are started by people who merely want to enter a market and compete within it to make a profit. They accept the industry norms, the competition and clients within the market as givens. They may try to differentiate a bit so they can steal market share, but they normally don't try to buck the system too much. The story in this book is not about a normal small business. And I hope readers don't read it as tough it is. The author indeed bucked the system. But I certainly recommend the story be read and analyzed and hopefully used in some fashion when developing a business plan of your own.

I loved every time I saw the author talk about business plans, business models, and strategic planning. This is what entrepreneurship is all about. Do the research, the planning, and then write it up in the form of a business plan with a good business model included.

The author was a natural at marketing from a young age. Early in the book he boasts that he did not do any reading about business, nor had he taken any classes or seminars. But the thought processes he describes he went through back when he was 14 had a lot to do with sound marketing logic. He was big on reading soon thereafter, and he wasn't shy getting up in front of people and talking. And he wasn't afraid to reach out for counsel, help, and making cold calls on the phone.

My favorite chapters in the book were 15 and 16 which considered the following ten (or 20) questions:

1. What issue matters to me? Does business matter to it?
2. Who am I? Who can I become?
3. What do I know? What must I find out?
4. For whom am I speaking? To whom am I speaking?
5. What little do I have? How can I make the most of it?
6. What do I have to offer? How is it better than what others offer?
7. How do I sell my product? Do I also sell myself?
8. How do I run my business? Am I the boss?
9. Is my life my businss? Does my life include my business?
10. How do I make it to the top? How do I stay there?

I would have liked the book better if there had not been so much emphasis placed on the need for acceptance of non-traditional models in the fashion industry. I understand what the author was talking about, but I think he went a little heavy on it. And I don't think I needed to know that the author is gay. His sexual preference was irrelevant regarding the subject matter of the book. 5 stars!

an excellent and articulate book for people interested in the process of creating a business of any kind. this writer is remarkabvly gifted

Ben Barry brings a fresh new approach to the interrelationship between models, the media and society. When a realization that models were not generally representative of normal people dawned on Ben, he naturally asked himself why things happened they way they did. Why are the models that we see daily on TV, in print ads and magazines these rare anomolies of the human form? What is their purpose? Ben, then a young high school student, set out to find modeling jobs for his friends and subsequently become their modeling agent. He represented women and men of all colors, shapes and ages following upon the notion that these were real people and that these were the people that society wanted to see advertising products.

As a young, innovative entrepreneur, Ben has now built up the Ben Barry Agency to be an agency recognized across the planet as having models who are people. Achieving this, however, was not an easy feat. He documents many of his tribuations during Toronto's Fashion Week and with make-up mega-power L'Oreal as his models failed to offer these industry standards what they wanted.

Most importantly, Ben pushes forward the notion that business and a benevolent social good can work hand-in-hand despite many misconceptions about corporate organizations. Rectifying societal wrongs can be done however the business of correcting these injusticies needs to make a profit such that they can continue to make a difference. Ben discusses how creating inclusive media images of models and earning money work in tandem allowing his agency to generate income while continuing to push the belief that all people from all walks of life should be represented in our media.

I highly suggest reading this unique account as it is bound to not only inspire, but force all of us to think critcally about changes that we would like to see in our world.