Becker Books

It's important to note that this book is released in different countries as specific country editions. The triangle headed guy on the front cover is holding the flag from of the country each edition is from. Each country has its own laws and taxes, postal system you'll be using for domestic and international sales and so forth. Although most of the info (the general stuff) is the same if you're going to the effort of buying it I'd get one applicable to where you live. Even though Amazon is a global website, it is based in the US so you'll no doubt get the US version ordering it here.

There's heaps of books out there on ebay. Let's be honest none of them are really needed at all as all the info you could even need is on ebay's FAQ, help pages and discussion boards. If however your online internet time is very expensive or you don't have much time or opportunity to access the internet and want to be completely prepared for buying or selling an item on ebay before the expense of going online, then I guess you are going to buy a book to help you. Although if this is the case odds are you're not online and not reading reviews on Amazon about books anyway. But if you are after a book containing the basic information you need to buy or sell eBay for Dummies is one of the better ones out there.

This book is laid out in easy to follow chapters with headings on the various actions you'll be looking to do. It also has a pretty good index to search for particular things that way as well. There's not a great deal of pages devoted to buying, it's more for sellers (probably about 4 fifths of the book) but the basics are covered.

A much better book I have subsequently come across since writing this review is The eBay Myth-Bu$ter: Turn 199 Misconceptions Into Money! by David Busch. It debunks a lot of myths sellers tell buyers (and other sellers on the discussion boards) such as buyers are responsible for lost items (nope sellers are), feedback is important (nope but how you respond to it is), you can't have multiple accounts (yes you can, in fact you're stupid not to), buyers or sellers must respond within 3 days of auction ending (no they don't have to). It's a much better book to learn stuff than this Dummies or any other e-bay book I've come across.

Warning about ebay!!! I try to avoid credit cards so I can prevent massive debt, so I tried using ebay and paying everything with personal checks. The sellers grew very impatient or didn't report having received my payment and soon I had too many nonpayment strikes and my account was blocked within a month or two. To fix it, I had to mail my proof of payments into ebay, but that is way too much hassle and no guarantee that it wouldn't happen again next time! I wouldn't trust a company that can't tell the difference between a fake J.K. Rowling autograph and a real one!

I was a complete novice at selling on eBay, but thanks to this book I have completed three transactions! I did not have a single question that was not answered in this book. I highly recommend this as a resource for new (and not so new) eBayers!

This is a good book if you want
to know how to do Ebay.
Good service. Thank you.

The book does exactly what I expected it to do. Had I reviewed the tutorial already on eBay having to do with selling, I might have tried to work with it rather than buying a book.
Since some of the items I expect to offer on eBay are expensive (over $100) I wanted to be sure they were presented properly in order to draw a decent group of bidders. For me the book was a worthwhile investment.

Tiffany Aching is back to learn the serious business of witching in this sequel to The Wee Free Men. Tiffany sets out to do her apprenticeship with Miss Level. While Tiffany carries out the mostly mundane tasks of caring for the sick, she experiments with her own magical talents which have begun to surface. Thank goodness for the return of the Mac Nac Feegles, as well, who are back to protect the "big wee hag" as she contends with the mysterious and dangerous Hiver.

Full of Pratchett's wry British humor, this is a book for young and old alike. Like the Wee Free Men, although it takes place on Pratchett's Discworld, the Tiffany stories have a feel and flavor all their own.

- C.A.Wulff, author of Born Without a Tail

Terry Pratchett captures so much in his prose. This book, and this series, are great for kids, and especially girls who are coming of age. Tiffany Aching is an easy character to relate to, and even though we may not face situations quite like hers, we can see parallels. And the Nac Mac Feegle are wonderful comic relief. Like any Pratchett book, a definite 10 of 10.

First things first - do not let the "young adult" tag on this product dissuade you from diving in.

Now, as to the book itself, we find ourselves, as usual with Mr. Pratchett, on Discworld, the magical flat world sitting on the back of four elephants, all of whom are borne on the back of a great turtle, who soars through space. Yet we aren't dealing with such majestic themes and images here. We concentrate our tale upon a slight little girl, one Tiffany Aching. She is coming into young womanhood, which is trying enough, but certainly more trying when one is a novice witch, even one as powerful as Tiffany. Maybe even more so because of it.

Tiffany, you see, is trying to learn the ropes of witchdom, which means she apprentices herself to various witches to learn the ins and outs of the life. This she does, even though it means she has to leave her homeland (there are no more witches where she lives on the Chalk). So, leave she does and she starts to learn.

But somewhere along the way she attracts the attention of a being as old as the universe and as powerful. And this being wants. What it wants, it comes to realize, is little Tiffany Aching.

But Tiffany, in addition to being a powerful, if somewhat untried and novice, witch also has additional protectors. The Nac Mac Feegle! The Wee Free Men! The person who first said that big things come in small packages was almost certainly describing the Feegles. The Pictsies (as they are wont to be called) protect Tiffany from, well, everything. They think she belongs to them and they're not really keen on thieves, unless it's them doing the thieving. And drinking. Oh, and don't forget the fighting. If they can do that in service to their witch (their "hag" as they call them) then all the better!

Pratchett has woven another magical, haunting, hysterical, tragic tale of the little things of being - life, death, power, duty, and maybe justice.

Or maybe we are dealing with majestic themes, after all. With liberally sprinkled episodes of thievery, fighting, cussing, and boozing, which the Feegles will tell you makes up almost the entirety of being. One can only love a creation like the Feegles, although I would advise a distant and general kind of love. Up close affection from a Feegle generally involves a headbutt.

A brilliant series and one I'm looking forward to completing, if, as reported, the next book after Wintersmith is the finale.

Bravo Mr. Pratchett!

The Editorial review from Washington Post, above, lacks perspective. JKR's minor characters have psychological depth while Pratchett's are two-dimensional? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, what a bizarre comparison. They're two different writers. It should be noted that Pratchett started the Discworld series in 1983 (Color of Magic) when JKR was only 18 years old. He established his style long before JKR published Philosopher's Stone in 1997. All of his books are like this, for the most part. He simply used his existing Discworld template when he wanted to comment on the Harry Potter world, and thus created Tiffany Aching. If witches in Hat spend a great deal more time riding broomsticks and casting spells than they did in Wee Free Men it's because Pratchett is purposefully referring to Harry Potter's magical education. Correct, Miss Level's cottage is no Hogwarts. That's the point. With Tiffany Aching Pratchett gets to play with, gently satire and generally enjoy both Harry Potter's brand of magic and the commercialized airy-fairy Wiccan brand of magic, and mix some real old British magical lore in, too. Note that I am a Potter Fanatic.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hat Full of Sky and the other Tiffany Aching stories. I can't recommend them enough. Humorous, likable, thought provoking and excellent.

Terry Pratchett is my favorite author.

Most of the authors on my Top 10 list got there on the basis of a few good books; Robin McKinnley's "The Blue Sword" and "The Hero and the Crown"; Tolkein's "The Hobbit"; Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarion Trilogy; David Webber's "Mutineer's Moon" Trilogy...

With Pratchett, it's easier to list those of his books that I don't like. There's only one ("Eric!"), and even it has its moments.

I suppose that now I have to explain why I like him so much. The reason is simple. He is wise. He is ALSO funny, which allows him to present his wisdom in a way that is readily accessible.

As a case in point, I am a soldier. I know the nature of my peers. Pratchett's books about CDR Vimes, which I collectively refer to as The Watch Trilogy (although there's now more than three volumes) is a masterpiece of insight into the nature of wearing a uniform. There is nothing at all heroic about CPL Nobbs or SGT Colon, and I've known many individuals very like both of them. Yet, when the time comes, and society needs someone to stand in the gap, they're there. Flaws and all. And beside them are people like CPT Carrot, who is virtue personified. CDR Vimes may not be virtuous, and he'd be horribly offended at being called noble, but he is good. And he does what he does because he loves his people. (I recall the comic scene where he states that the city is a woman, and he loved her even when she kicked him in his teeth.) The armed forces have the same mix of personalities that intermingle with complex interaction. We're not heros. We're people. Pratchett is one of the few authors who understands that enough to write it believably.

But as much as I enjoy Pratchett's Watch Trilogy, I love his Witch Trilogy (also more than three books at this point). Esme Weatherwax is, perhaps, the most complex character that I've yet to see written into any book. She is a woman who is rigidly moral, because she understands that she is very close to being evil. It's by sheer willpower, and never being willing to act immorally, that she remains good. She is grim and dark and terrible... and good. She defined herself at one point as a woman who stands on The Boundary.

Throughout history, there have been people who stand between humanity and those things that threaten it. Soldiers, Firemen, Policemen, Teachers, Authors, the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, the Wizards of Unseen University... Many of them ARE grim and dark and terrible, but they're often the most effective; their society is protected from whatever evil those Boundary-Watchers have set out to fight.

And how does this relate to the charming young Tiffany Aching, and Pratchett's books about her, the second of which is "A Hat Full of Sky"? Tiffany Aching is used to contrast Esme Weatherwax. She is not grim, nor dark, nor terrible... Yet.

Tiffany Aching is a Boundary-Watcher. But she is a young and inexperienced one. Given time, she will either grow into another Esme Weatherwax, or she will forsake The Boundary to become a wicked witch. The trilogy of Tiffany Aching is, at its heart, a guide book to the path towards maturity as a Boundary-Watcher. It warns against beginning to cackle. It explains the importance of being accountable to comrades. It lays out the mindset that a Boundary-Watcher must hold. And, it even does so in a believable way. Tiffany Aching DOES have failures of virtue (like the incident in the wand store, or with the old man's money), just like a real person. And the moral that Pratchett draws from those situations is that while certain actions may fall short of virtue, you can still show your worth in the way in which you respond.

I pay to Pratchett the greatest homage that I can with these words:
He understands.

And to make him all the more impressive, the book is written in order to teach without being intimidating. Few non-Boundary-Watchers will pick up Dave Grossman's book "On Combat". Yet many will approach Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books, which discusses the same mindset and role in society, because of the expectation and joy of a good story. The story of a plucky young girl pitted against evil forces is certainly entertaining enough in its own right to amuse those who have no desire to explore the mindset of a Boundary-Watcher.

And so, I think I shall end with this observation. There is a Zen quotation that states, "If you understand, things are just as they are. If you do not understand, things are just as they are." I understand the fact that whether or not I understand is insignificant to the Great Scheme of Things. Yet what the quotation does not explain is why I still feel a great need to understand, in spite of the insignificance of understanding. For several months, I asked myself the question, "Why do I try to understand then?" I finally came up with an answer: "You laugh at more of the jokes." Humor and understanding go hand-in-hand. Pratchett understands this.

This book gave me two lessons. First Becker masterfully shows us how and why our society is now driven by our fear of death. Second, he reaffirms the imperative of inter-disciplinary learning, even as hyper-specialization becomes more common.

I first stumbled on this book as a young Psychology and Philosophy major in university; its intersection with my studies seemed beyond coincidence. I had just completed work on Kierkegaard, and I was personally reading up on Rollo May and Carl Rogers. Freud had left me feeling like a loser, a dark product of repression since birth and yearning to kill my father ever since. These writers gave me some hope.
But Becker went beyond psychotherapy for me. He tied together what I was embracing in Philosophy as well as my life experience, synthesizing important constructs in a way I hadn't seen before. He re-arranged thoughts in my mind until my heart plummeted downward and found roots in my soul. I remember not sleeping much in the three days it took to ingest this incredible work.

Becker's main premise is that modern man is lost in a mountain of knowledge, useless to him not only because it's impossible to ingest it all, but because he no longer has a "throbbing vital center" with which to synthesize it. The age of specialization has brought a multitude of competing fractured data, while the major insights of our age are ignored. Modern man, in rejecting a central core, has allowed the fear of death to become his central impetus for activity for the simple reason that he has stripped away his understanding of it, and can no longer face its implications.

In such a world, our powers of rational thought hold little sway over this one devastating truth, magnified by our conscious self-awareness. Others have argued that our rejection of a quest for meaning has allowed our narcissism to overtake us, sentencing us to immaturity and moral vacuity. Becker crystallizes these thoughts by spanning traditional scholastic models and challenging us with implications to our daily lives and society of living under the fear of death.

Becker's answer is really twofold. We must personally integrate our knowledge in order to make sense of it. Science in and of itself can never be a sustaining answer to the human mind. There is always something more. Second, Becker posits that something more naturally becomes a quest for something outside himself; a religious experience and affiliation with God, (or "Life" or "Nature" if you will) that brings some order and answer to the human spirit.

Many readers view "The Denial of Death" as one of the most important books written in the twentieth century. Unlike some others, I found it neither depressing nor difficult to read. The challenge of the book lies in its disruption of your world view and readers may find it helpful to allow some passages to ruminate in their minds for a couple days before venturing onward.

Becker was a genius. Don't miss him.

While difficult at times, this book is profoundly meaningful. The basic premise that I have gotten out is that we deny death in order to live normal lives without being overcome with the anxieties of death. There is a lot of background reading that could be helpful (kierkergard, freud, and especially Otto Rank). But even for the laymen it is a book that will make you think about purpose, meaning, and life.

Highly recommended for anybody searching for understanding about life and is not afraid to read about such a heavy topic.

The man knew how to write and obviously was VERY good in his trade..You can easily follow his ideas and where he wants to go with them...I agree with most...but where I disagree is in his focus on religion...If you read the book with an open and critical mind you'll end up with the view that all his efforts to sell religion as the big cure for neurosis and all other human obsessions are very weak not to say nonsense..These efforts are not based on any evidence and are just another call to "faith". His conclusion is this..accept another illusion, religion, and you'll have some self-transcending cosmological state of mind with support from an "invisible man in the sky" who knows all and has all the power and then you'll be cured..Simply substitute reality for a "naive" illusion...But if you follow Becker's line of reasoning, then religion is just another transference object...Maybe you'll be happier but still living an illusion..
Whether you like it or not, we came here by accident and the meaning of life is what you make out of it...Yes I accept and understand that a lot of people need religion to go ahead with their lives, but this comes out from cowardice or ignorance or arrogance or a combination...
But this issue aside...it is a good read...

Ernest Becker was a great summarizer of others ideas. He takes an idea like "How can people be happy when they know they will die?", and then looks at the works of psychologists to find their opinion. The result of his effort is a masterpiece.
Becker writes clearly, gives credit to others, and draws new conclusions by analyzing the insights of his reading. You can understand a majority of the ideas in one reading. But if you're like me, it will move you deeply.
Stop and ponder: One day, you will die. This book delves into how people stay happy, sane and persevering with the only guarantee in our life being the fact that all of it leads to this end.

A Pulitzer Prize winning book needs no recommendation from me, but I'll add my 2-cents. No book of philosophy, no novel, no discussion of religion, and no essay has had more impact on how I deal with life's issues than this book. I've read it and reread it, underlined passages, turned down page corners, and never go back to it without reading something that escaped me before. It always feels fresh. Becker's insight into human motivation is always on target. And he delivers crystal clear descriptions of ideas and issues that can be extremely difficult to articulate. If you're looking for understanding (not answers, which are not available in this life, regardless of argument to the contrary), then pick up a copy.

This book holds a special place in my life because it is the first book that I ever read by Louisa May Alcott. I suspect that I stole it from my grandmother's library. As the first, it was my favorite for a long long time-- particularly since it didn't make me cry buckets the way that Little Women) did (does). It left me with an enduring love for idea of little gifts from foreign lands-- one of the things that happened to Rose that just seemed to me so very wonderful.

Over time, this book has been a little bit eclipsed for me by the other Alcott works. Although I still enjoy reading Eight Cousins I have to admit to the occasional sigh of annoyance at how didactic Dr. Alec manages to be. It seems clear to me that Alcott was using this book to work out a lot of her notions about how to raise a child-- a common enough theme in fiction of that time. Although this is more or less an issue in everything that she wrote, it is perhaps a little stronger here than the plot can manage?

None of this, however, should dissuade the reader-- particularly not the younger reader. The usual lovely Alcott moments are all here to be unwrapped. I'm going to see if I can get my hands on a copy of Rose in Bloom because I realize now that I remember it much more vaguely than I do Eight Cousins.

This book is one of my absolute favorites! It's great for 3rd or 4th graders. A wholesome, playful, entertaining book you will love your whole life. It follows the frolics of shy Rose Campbell as she comes to live with her six aunts and seven wild boy cousins. Share her joys and sorrows as she learns to love Uncle Alec and realizes that it's better to be hearty and happy than have the prettiest dresses and the fanciest dolls money can buy.

I have read this book and its sequal "Rose in Bloom" over six times, and it has yet to lose its magic. I plan on reading these book to my daughters someday. Louisa May Alcott has such a wonderful ability to tell simple stories with important morals. Eight Cousins, like most of her books, is pricelss!

Last summer, when I read this book for the first time, I thought it was only okay. I would get the different cousins mixed up (especially Steve a.k.a. "Dandy" and Charlie a.k.a. "The Prince") and I thought some of their adventures a tad immature. However, a friend of mine strongly recommended the sequel, "Rose in Bloom," so I decided to give it a try. It gripped me from page one, and it's now one of my favorite books! I decided to go back to "Eight Cousins" again, and surprisingly, I didn't find it all boring anymore!

Up until the death of her parents, Rose lived a quiet life as an only child. Consequently, after moving in with her estranged relatives, she is overwhelmed by her meddling aunts and noisy boy cousins. However, when her new guardian, Uncle Alac, arrives, things start looking up. At first she is shocked by his unorthodox views of health and beauty, but she soon learns to trust his good sense a great deal. Not only does she begin to overcome her weakness and sorrow, but she also makes an effort to be a friend and good example to her seven boisterous male cousins.

I adore "Little Women," but after reading this book and its wonderful sequel, I think I may prefer Rose and the boys! I'm now reading "Rose in Bloom" again, and I have to say that these books only get better with familiarity. (By the way, I would strongly suggest that you read this first before "Rose in Bloom," or you might be kind of confused.) As usual, Louisa May Alcott is fantastic in her characterizations. I only wish that she would have continued Rose's story in yet another book!

EIGHT COUSINS is definitely on my list of favorite books, though I cannot say I like it quite as much as LITTLE WOMEN or AN OLD FASHIONED GIRL. But it does come close, don't get me wrong. The scenes on the little island out at sea, or in the big houses on the green "Aunt-Hill" near the beach where the whole Campbell clan lives, or in Rose's exotic tropical bedroom, or on the skating pond in the freezing winter, create special feelings in my heart that are as fond memories as if I'd really been there. It's definitely a girly book (that is to say, I doubt boys would like it) because the main character is a 13-year-old orphan girl, Rose, and everything is seen from her feminine perspective. I enjoyed how Louisa May Alcott developed the characters: each of the seven boy cousins is different and likable in his own way, and each of the six aunts (2 great-aunts and 4 aunts) has her own peculiarities and lovable qualities. I especially love Uncle Alec, who is portrayed as Rose's young-at-heart guardian who always has the best ideas and the most healthy fun. It was at first difficult to keep all the characters straight in my mind, since Miss Alcott sometimes just calls the boys by their nicknames and since there are so many families, but I created a "Campbell-family-tree" sort of thing on a little card and referred to it when necessary, which was very helpful. Once I got the family straight, I got attached to each one and was in suspense at the climax when Rose gets to choose whether she wants to keep staying with her uncle or go to live with one of the aunts. This book is a good classic that shows how to keep peaceful family relationships and have healthy, clean fun.

I love, love, love this book. It makes you laugh, cry, get angry, then laugh again all in one story. There were dozens of stories. The only thing I've wondered is that I noticed over 90% of the stories came from professional writers. Were they then true, or did they just tell us a good story? Either way, a must read for any horse lover.

This book does the line of Chicken Soup books great justice. A great read whether you love horses or not. The stories will touch everyone's hesrt.

This much needed book offers readers an opportunity to feel better connected to their souls and the primal call within to connect to the beauty, strength, freedom and gentleness of not only horses but the Animal Kingdom in general. If you like or love horses, another book is also inspiring: ON THE TRAIL OF THE PONY EXPRESS by Cherokee author Jerry Ellis. He retraced the 2,000 mile route of the Pony Express Trail by horse, foot, covered wagon and canoe. The non-fiction adventure book is filled with the history and spirit of the Pony Express riders who became part of the great American West.

I like horses, but I had a hard time getting into this book. Some of the stories were better than others. I think two of my favorite stories were the one about the Horse at Harvard and the one about the horses surrounding and protecting the baby. Most of the stories were good. This is a book about true horse stories.

As a first time horse owner (I inhereited three in one day at the age of 24) I am constantly looking for ways to expand my knowledge of horses and all things equine-related. This book was not only inspirational, but got me familiar with terms I hadn't used in my every day language until I got my horses. This book made me laugh, sniffle, and nod my head in relation to some of the stories. This is a good book for first time horse owners and not-so-new horse owners.

I just finished the book- didn't like it.
Parts of it were cute, parts rang true to the horror of being diagnosed with a tumor & going through surgery, (and the illustrations were too small for my damaged eyes), but the main reason is the lesbian part just gagged me. I know I will be crucified for my opinion on that, but there are still plenty of us that believe it is wrong. I did not want to read about her lesbian love life, & am amazed she didn't even know her neighbors. Pitiful, to say the least.
Overall, I really feel for her dad- she doesn't seem to appreciate him or his love.
Don't waste your money on this book.

I had an awake craniotomy in Fall 2007; the operation took 10 hours and was located in my left temporal lobe (I'm right handed so my tumor was located in the same location as my speech and comprehension). Post-surgery I was looking for both emotional and mental relief; this book provides just that! While the author's experience wasn't exactly the same as mine, I found her humor to be refreshing and entertaining. The author does a good job highlighting her own frustrations and enables readers to look at the effects of brain tumors in a different way. I recommend this book to both patients and caregivers! It definately had me laughing out loud and was able to be my voice when trying to communicate my frustations to others.

To those who said the author remembered too much, I would say - everyone responds to surgery in different ways. My short term memory was only briefly lost and I was able to remember large portions of my own surgery as well as what happened afterwards. I also told as many people as I could post-op in order to commit those memories to long-term. Plus the author (or others around her) may have written down many of her experiences shortly after they occured; I did this as well and while I didn't remember it the next day, i had a record of what happened, what I was feeling at the time, etc. for me to be able to reference in the event my short-term memory would act up.

This book is fairly interesting. Its just a documentation of the experience of brain surgery and recovery. Not the best book I've ever read. I bought it for the title.

Its kept my attention, but then, I had nearly the identical medical condition and surgery also, taken her meds, etc.

Was interesting, for her it was the whole disabled thing that was the big issue through recovery, while for others it is mortality. Eh.

I had brain surgery, what's your excuse?

I just wanted to add to the other reviews that this book is not only good for those recovering from or who know someone recovering from brain surgery but anyone who has dealt with a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), an injury that can many times the result of auto crashes or sports injuries. I had an auto crash MTBI and would highly recommend this for not only the "victim" of the MTBI but those close to him/her. It provides a pretty frank picture of what is so frustrating about MTBI--you look "normal" (i.e. have no outward physical signs of being sick or injured) but the you inside is not the same, and so many people don't realize that.

As for the lesbian "issue", I think, regardless of personal beliefs about homosexuality, people really should look past that and see the deeper relationship and interpersonal issues that apply to any post-MTBI relationship, heterosexual or homosexual. I was not familiar with Suzy, her previous work, or her sexual orientation before I started the book, and while I don't necessarily think homosexuality is morally ok, I found her romantic relationship struggles after surgery to be not specific to gay couples (with the exception of one while she was in the hospital) but things that would be equally true about any close relationship after such a major health problem, even non-sexual relationships. As for the sexual side of the relationship, she is not overtly sexual in nature when talking about their romantic relationship, saying no more than "we made love," which if a heterosexual writer said no one would think twice, and frankly "IT" is just as much of an issue for heterosexual couples after medical problems as it is for gay couples.

For the reviewer who thought it was misleading that she remembered enough about the whole thing to write a book about it, you totally missed the point, sir. It is not about if things happened word for word the way she wrote it but about the struggle to deal with your brain not being like it used to be, knowing it is not totally like it used to be, the process of recovering what you can, and learning to deal with what you have now. As one person also noted, different brains + different types of surgery/injury/illness = different outcomes. It is not that her story is exactly like mine or yours, but the underlying process of healing, both physically and emotionally.

Overall, I thought it was a good read and, as a post-MTBI sufferer, identified with much of her struggle. While it wasn't identical to what I went through, really nothing someone else goes through is ever identical to our own experiences, the underlying emotions brought back vivid memories of my own healing process. It is a good resource for post-MTBI patients and, even more importantly maybe, for those close to post-MTBI patients who wonder what in the world has happened to their loved one when the boo-boos have healed but they are still not "right."

I bought this book because I have long loved Suzy's All I Needed to Know I Learned From My Cat. I wanted to read more about Binky's talented owner.

Suzy's journey through diagnosis, denial, surgery and then recovery moved me deeply. Having suffered a bizarre and unexpected injury a year ago, I felt her a kindred spirit as she searched for ways to explain why she had the tumor, what it was, what it might become: all the what ifs. Her frustration and fear during her recovery brought tears to my eyes time and again. All of us who've been severely injured or operated upon have asked ourselves, when struggling to perform some formerly simple task, "Will I ever get the old me back again?"

In truth, we never get the old me back. But if we try hard enough, we get a better me. Suzy did, so did I. I am so thankful she shared her journey. If you've struggled to heal after an injury, been a partner or caretaker or friend of someone who has (or is currently healing) - this book is for you. It will warm your heart with its endless hope. All the best to you, Suzy!

If you're new to dogs or isn't quite familiar with basic dog psychology, dog habits, dog health etc, then this book's for you.

It's a nice reference guide to the basics. It even shows you how to train your dog with basic commands for sit, stay, come and more--for a really good training DVD though, I'd recommend Train Your Dog - The Positive Gentle Method because sometimes, it's just better to see it in action than just read how it's done.

I recently re-read this book after 6 years (and getting a second dog) and I can honestly say it's a good book for covering all the basics of getting and owning a dog. I recommend it as a staple item for your dog-book library second only to the Dog Bible by Tracie Hotchner.

I never owned a dog,we currently have 2 cats; so when my son(9) started to ask for a dog, I wanted to do my homework before taking that leap. This book is excellent. Our whole family read it and it is easy and fun to read, but full of essential information. Everything from choosing the right breed, to more of the detailed physical care every puppy/dog needs. It also gives you a fair picture what commitment is needed to be a responsible dog-owner.
We particularly liked the authors commitment to older dogs and shelter dogs, that's the way we will go. I'm sure we will use the book once we have a dog, there are chapters on health care and training as well as feeding - your dog should be a healthy and happy dog if you head this advice. Suggestion: add a breed specific book if you decided on a pure breed to get the finer details.

Clearly written, good information and good overview of info new dog owners will need. However,could use more detail in several sections such as obedience or manners training.

This book, along with "Dog Training" for Dummies, should be manditory reading for most dog owners, who have little solid education or experience in dog behavior and training. I am a senior volunteer & trainer at a major metro shelter. I specialize in working with Behavioral Evalution dogs. I interact with hundreds of different problem dogs a year and the core information in these two books have helped me immensely. The reason dogs are "bad dogs" is becuase they have untrained and unskilled lazy owners who let them get away with way too much and don't re-inforce pack order via regular basic obiedance training. This series, combined with the Dog Wisperer videos, should literally be government mandated reading/watching for dog owners. If you want to get your dog(s) under control, or keep your new dog on the right path, these books are a must and easy read. Hope this helps!

Well, I fully expected this to be sexist. But I really wasn't expecting it to be as creepy as it was. There are all sorts of pseudo-sexual, vaguely Freudian undertones, and REALLY weird mother-wife-boychild relationships:

"Dear Peter," she said, "with such a large family, of course, I have now passed my best, but you don't want to change me, do you?"
"No, Wendy."
Certainly he did not want a change, but he looked at her uncomfortably, blinking, you know, like one not sure whether he was awake or asleep.
"Peter, what is it?"
"I was just thinking," he said, a little scared. "It is only make-believe, isn't it, that I am their father?"
"Oh yes," Wendy said formally and properly.
"You see," he continued apologetically, "it would make me seem so old to be their real father."
"But they are ours, Peter, yours and mine."
"But not really, Wendy?" he asked anxiously.
"Not if you don't wish it," she replied; and she distinctly heard his sigh of relief. "Peter," she asked, trying to speak firmly, "what are your exact feelings about me?"
"Those of a devoted son, Wendy."
[The children here of course include the Lost Boys... and Wendy's own brothers.]

Not to mention that the sexism in this novel ascends to a whole new level, as Wendy exists merely to clean up and act as mother/wife to whatever susceptible boys cross her path. This is the entirety of her role in Neverland and the real world, she has no other thoughts whatsoever. Eg: "'Oh, all right,' Peter said, as if he had asked her from politeness merely; but Mrs. Darling saw his mouth twitch, and she made this handsome offer: to let Wendy go to him for a week every year to do his spring cleaning." [Oh joy, Wendy gets to clean for Peter... but only once a year...] "Wendy would have preferred a more permanent arrangement; and it seemed to her that spring would be long in coming; but this promise sent Peter away quite gay again."

I mean, it's an interesting book... but I wouldn't suggest any actual children read it. The value system is even more questionable (in a modern context) than that of the average Edwardian novel. Not to mention the overall atmosphere is just plain eerie. No wonder Michael Jackson took such a liking to it. It's probably no coincidence that the world's creepiest pedophile popstar became obsessed with the 20th Century's creepiest children's classic...

As one reads Peter Pan, one doesn't have to do much thinking to figure out why its story has achieved such worldwide acclaim. I had ridiculously high expectations of Mr. Barrie's imagination before purchasing this title, and he has fulfilled them completely.

Many parts of the story are nothing but nonsense, which I enjoy above all else. Mr. Darling, the head of the Darling family, commands his children to take their medicine after he hides the medicine he's supposed to take. He brags about how noble he is for drinking a medicine that tastes so much worse that theirs. Unfortunately for him, during his bragging his medicine is found, and the whole family agrees to take their respective medicines on the count of three. Sure enough, when three is reached, everyone except Mr. Darling takes their medicine, and Mr. Darling once again tries to hide his.

This kind of scenario is what I'd call Mark Twain nonsense. You can imagine it being true, even though it's quite high up on the ridiculous scale. Then there's what I would classify as over-the-top nonsense - AKA bull - which there is plenty of in Barrie's original story of Peter Pan. Going back to Mr. Darling, if we take a look at how he's doing near the end of the book, we find him going to and from work in a dog kennel. Ah, yes...grown men in pet taxis. What could be more fun than the "he-didn't-even-try-to-make-this-belivable" silliness of such a scene? To be honest, I don't know if I'd even read books if they all left out fun stuff like this.

Other silly parts of the book involve Wendy growing up a day quicker than most girls; the narrator claiming he hates Mrs. Darling only to call her his favorite character a few sentences later; the lost boys asking Wendy to change the characters her story just two sentences into it; the narrator using the phrase "woke into life" because Peter likes the word "woke" more than "wakened;" and my favorite, Captain Hook using a stale cake as a missle and then falling over it in the dark.

I believe the novel version of Peter Pan was written after the author had already established Peter Pan as a successful play. That may explain a lot about the colorful narration, which takes many, many literary liberties. We see everything from blatant narrator interference with the characters in the story to the shameless attempt at informing the audience that the narrator only chooses to make the events in the story happen a certain way so certain characters in the book won't be disappointed. Perhaps without these wacky (and maybe even insane) traits in the narration, there'd be no reason to read the book, since it would be no different from the play. After reading the Peter Pan novel though, I'd have to say it almost seems criminal to watch an adaptation of Peter Pan without any wacky narration.

Contrary to most adaptations of Peter Pan, the individual lost boys (of where there are six I believe) are actually more developed as characters than John or Michael Darling. Heck, at the end of the book they actually end up moving out of the Neverland to live with the Darlings and grow up to busy themselves in interesting professions.

I may not like the actual land of Neverland as much as I like the land of Oz, but Barrie's narration is unbeatable in my opinion. He could probably make a Jeopardy contestant's Friday night schedule sound exciting.

I believe Barrie has written another Peter Pan book as well, a prequel of sorts entitled "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens." It should be interesting, particuarly if it addresses what is contained in the dark dreams that haunt Peter throughout this book. Freud would have a field day with such dreams and the whole mother issue.

The only thing I expected to see in this book that I didn't see was "happy thoughts." That must have been a creation of Disney.

Peter pan is a great book.It's about a boy that doesn't want to grow up.There is a little girl named Wendy and she has two littler brothers named John and Michle.The setting takes place in Neverland which is a beautiful world filled with fluffy clouds .Also there is a mean pirate named Hook and one of his hands is cut off and is a hook now.His hand is a hook because once when Peter pan and Hook were fighting Peter pan and it chopped off hooks and and he replaced it with a hook.Thats everything you need to know about Peter pan.

This review refers to the Great Illustrated Classics of "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie, adapted for young readers by Marian Leighton...

Great Illustrated Classics is a great way to go when introducing young readers to the great literature out there. The stories are timeless, the print is large and there is an illustration on every page next to a printed page. It makes it a real treat, instead of a chore, and kids may be more inclined to pick up the books with this easier read.

Peter Pan is a classic kid's adventure(although reading it again recently, I found I still get caught up in the story and the marvelous characters myself), that has all the elements needed for a fun and exciting read. You know the story, Peter, the boy who never wants to grow up(I know how he feels), takes Wendy, John, and Michael to Neverland, home of the lost boys, where no one every grows up and adventures with scary Pirates, Indians, Mermaids, and a brooding fairy named Tinkerbell, fill the pages. I love the part where the readers are asked to clap their hands if they believe in fairies, to help Tink recover from the poison she drinks to save Peter.

It's a book that is a great to read together and out loud. There is some violence, so may not be suited for very young children, but a classic that should be read by all who want to be taken away to Neverland...even if just for a little while.

It's a wonderfully adapted edition for kids and the illustrations are marvelous.For another must have illustrated classic for kids, try Frankenstein( ASIN:0866119817), see my review of that edition dated 11/28/06.

Adventure, Fantasy and a few life lessons to be learned with the read.

If you believe..clap your hands..don't let "Tink" die!....Laurie

Even though I knew that Disney movie and the various other adaptions out there were more sugar-coated than the original, this turned out to be a rather darker and more sinister book than I expected. Funny and charming and all that, too...but a little creepy in the way seemingly innocuous dreams sometimes are, when everything goes a little sideways and suddenly you aren't so sure everything is fine any more. Peter himself seems far less benevolent a soul than he is usually made out to be. In even the less flattering renditions of the story, he is usually only portrayed as childish, proud and a little selfish, but a stand-up sort of fellow nonetheless. The way I'm reading the book, he's practically a hedonist. The only thing that saves him is the fact that he has brief moments of chivalry and a memory like a goldfish. He and Dorian Gray should get together. Or maybe, on second thought, they shouldn't. Since that could lead to disturbing slashfic.

Seriously, this book made me sadder than I could ever have anticipated. Peter really is mercilessly heartless in his laughing, self-centered innocence. It really hurt my heart to think of Wendy and all her female descendants all giving their hearts' first love to Peter, one after another; the older, wiser women unable to save the girls from breaking their hearts over him in their turn.

Fantastic book, though, and a real treat for those who like to pick a book apart from a psychologist's point of view.

The first part of the Body Electric is a brief history of research done into regeneration and electricity.

Then the book goes into detail on the experiments and research that the authors did in the field of regeneration and how it is affected by differences in electric current - strength and polarity - as well as magnetism. (Although the book does not go into deep medical or electrical aspects of the research, it is not a quick and easy read if you go through Dr. Becker's steps in their experiments.)

Typically, the scientific and medical communities, which should be open and receptive to any new theories, are the first to denounce and ridicule them. What's even more interesting is that a lot of these studies were initiated quite a long time ago in other countries that are more open to new concepts. With so much riding on these possibilities or human regeneration, it seems absurd that the people who control funding of research projects would be so narrow minded and political.

In the latter part of the book, Becker goes into the electromagnetic interference that we are now subject to, and its adverse effects on living things.

The book is definitely worth reading, especially when Dr. Becker and his colleagues start using some of their discoveries to help heal patients in situations made hopeless by allopathic medicine.

This is an amazing book. It's required reading. After watching a friends severed fingertip grow back (No it wasn't sewn on, it literally grew back with nail and all), this book goes right along with what I've seen with my own eyes.

The information was not what I expected in regard to a misleading title. Anyone in the acupuncture field, as I am, should not be persuaded to buy this book. It basically deals with reptilian experiments done 50 or more years ago. It is a biology book, in a sense. I wish I had not purchased it!

Honestly, if I could give this book 10 stars, I would.

I was worried this would be some hippy-dippy, new age ride, based on some of the chapter headings. But concealed behind the facade of odd chapter headings is a truly amazing scientific work. I'm blown away. Becker & Selden go into excruciatingly beautiful detail of any number of experiments exposing some of the electrical plumbing and electrical signaling going on in complex bodies. This includes bone regeneration through electrical currents, partial or complete limb regeneration in Rats and salamanders through electrical processes. It refers to known cases of young children (under 11 y/o) regrowing fingertips that have been severed in accidents and NOT been operated on, or had skin grafts that inhibit the regenerative process. They also go into the removal of bacterial infections with positive silver electrodes approximating the body's natural healing electrical currents. (I think I now know why colloidal silver is popular as an anti-infections agent and silver nitrate {I think?} is used when babies are born to ward off infection...)

This book is written with the lay reader in mind. You don't need a medical background to understand and be enraptured by this book. As I may have said already (or not), I can't put it down. It's THAT GOOD! I hope this stuff is taught in medical school and more research goes into this field. I have the feeling it holds the key to higher level human regeneration and life extension (through making use of and maintaining the body's existing electrical systems)...

Just... WOW!

I'm not really one for science books, but this book has got to be the exception. If you have any chronic or 'incurable' disease, try to hold on - because fortunately there are at least a few doctors and researchers out there who are bright enough to think outside the box and challenge existing theories regarding the workings of the human body - in particular, the electricity of the human body and how it coincides with the universe.

The author walks the reader through his discoveries that not only is it feasible for the human body to regenerate (just like the salamander's), but most likely, this is what our bodies were designed to do from the get-go, until we surrounded ourselves with electromagnetic fields of pollution so powerful that our perfectly designed DNA, immune systems, cardiovascular systems, endocrine systems, neuromuscular systems became 'confused' by all the external commotion.

The author of this book represents what research 'should be' about, but for the most part isn't, and the reader cannot help but become a part of this researcher's emotion.

If I ever have a chance to meet the author of this book, I will be honored. Until then, I will recommend this book to anyone who values the perfectly amazing life God gave them and the perfectly synchronized universe He created to sustain that life. I only pray that there are more reseachers out there bravely willing to poke holes in the current theories that the human body is merely a collection of chemical reactions, unopposed by a higher force.

The author touches on this, and I am in agreement - I have to wonder if perhaps all the bad we see around us today - broken marriages, suicides, bombings, disease, pain, suffering, greed - is this merely a by-product of all the manmade electromagnetic distress surrounding each and every one of us on a daily basis? After reading this book, you will think twice about what we've sacrificed for the sake of 'technology' - everlasting life on earth.

If I were Mr. Shapiro, I'd be embarassed to acknowledge my association with this book, much less do a book tour. The characters are stiff, cardboard caricatures of standard poorly-written novels. The short chapters contribute to a feeling of plot movement, but leave one wondering about true plot development. Background on the RU drug was interesting. The typos were numerous: aquittal, for one. Some situations were tritely absurd and the dialogue suffered. Sorry to say, Mr. Shapiro does better in the courtroom (how much of this book is attributed to him?)

I have to give the two writers some credit for tackling a very tought issue. Abortion is one of the most polarizing issues on todays political landscape. Unfortunately, all Mr. Shapiro and Becker did was muddy up water that was already quite murky.
From the beginning the characters were one dimensional and the plot was predictable. The normal cast of characters, the feminist, the conservative politition, the socially minded docter, and the abortion bomber, all showed up and acted their part. The minor twists and turns and the almost surprising twist ending could not save another poorly concieved ideol-novel.
The issues that were raised were intriging on the face, but the characters were so stereotypical and the plot so manufactured that by the end you felt like you just watched 24 hours of CSPAN.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I could not put it down. It makes you wonder, could this really happen?

...This book is a quick and easy read while at the same time, captivating and provacative. It's a meaningful read for women who struggle with maternal instincts and love juxtaposed against the often-unpleasant realities that make having a child seem impossible in today's world. As the mystery unfolds, it is both fascinating and horrifying to look at how embedded we can become in our own hypocritical way of thinking! It weaves throughout the undeniable vulnerability and duality that exists in all of us. For those who dare to think or look at themselves, while also enjoying reading, this is the book!...

"Misconception" is an entertaining tale of medical, legal, and political intrigue by O.J. defense attorney Robert Shapiro and Walt Becker.

Dr. Daniel Wyatt of Louisiana has become a national hero as a result of an incident involving a locally prominent business man, Roger Eastermeadow. Roger gets a serious gunshot wound by the bad luck of being in the wrong place during a convenience store robbery. Fleeing the scene he is near death and collapses outside a restaurant where Dr. Wyatt and his wife are leaving after dinner. Wyatt instantly sizes up the situation and performs a simple but urgent surgical procedure with a steak knife, saving Roger's life in the presence of TV cameras and a large crowd. The story is soon broadcast nationally on CNN and other national media. Dr. Wyatt is instantly famous, and he and his wife become frquent guests on TV talk shows as expert, charming, talking heads.

It is now ten years later, and Dr. Wyatt has the inside track for nomination as the new Surgeon General, with every expectation of being quickly confirmed by the Senate; however, there is one worrisome potential complication. The good Dr. has had a one night stand with one of his patients, Sarah Corbett, and we discover that she is now pregnant. If it comes to light it will certainly scuttle his chances to be the Surgeon General.

Wyatt discusses his dilemma with Clair Davis, a pro-choice activist, and she strongly urges him to get Sarah to end the pregnancy with an abortion. Dr. Wyatt has discussed that possibility with Sarah, and she is unwilling. But Clair provides Wyatt with the French abortion pill, RU-486, and urges him to give it to Sarah.

Soon Sarah has a miscarriage with bloody complications---but she survives. The District Attorney figures out what happened, and uses Sarah's story to indict Wyatt for murdering a fetus against the will of the mother. The trial gains national attention with both pro-choice and pro-life activists keenly concerned about the implications of the trial for abortion law.

Meanwhile, Father Peter O'Keefe has been doing all he can to stem the tide of abortions by assassinating abortion doctors. He becomes interested in the case of Dr. Wyatt, and forms a plan to kill him if he is acquitted of murdering Sarah's unborn child.

The story line is taut and entertaining, and once started it's hard to put it down! Dr. Wyatt is a completely decent person, while the other characters are each somewhat extreme in their views and actions. But all are completely believable. The anti-abortion serial killer, Father O'Keefe, conveys the warped mentality of the extreme anti-abortion fringe. It all plays out in a satisfying way, without taking sides or being preachy about either side of the abortion issue.

The action and the pace are intense, and the plot and characters give us insight into one of the most complex, emotional, and divisive issues in the nation today. I highly recommend it, and I'll be very surprised if it doesn't soon become a hit movie!