Berry Books

I've recently taken on a project to maintain and enhance an existing FoxPro application. After buying and reading many different books on FoxPro, I have to say this is the best and most comprehensive. Even though the current version of FoxPro is version 9 and this book applies to version 6, it is still relevant. If you are learning FoxPro and are somewhat skilled in other development tools this is the only book you will need. I wish I knew that up front. Unfortunately, the book is out of print and the price for a used copy is quite high. But it is worth it!

I like Whil Hentzen's writing style. His books are very readable compared to some technical authors. For me as someone new to FoxPro, this book just plain works and provided the information I needed. The title is accurate; this book covers the fundamentals and does it well.

Great book for beginners ! I will review it for the italian language peoples.

Ottimo libro per iniziare a conoscere VFP, L'autore accompagna il lettore in tutte le caratteristiche essenziali del linguaggio e dell'ambiente, fornendo sufficienti informazioni per prendere possesso di questo ambiente di sviluppo ricco di caratteristiche.

Although I have programmed in several other languages, I am a newbie to FoxPro. I just purchased 7.0, and need to get up to speed quickly, so I bought a few 6.0 based books. Hentzen has demonstrated a thorough grasph of every detail of the entire development environment that will probably impress a seasoned FoxPro developer, as well as the patience to explain it to newcomers like me. An excellent buy!

Though the software has a devoted following dating back over a decade to the days of dBase, FoxPro has never gotten the credit (or the market share) it deserves among the database/developer community.

Because of this virtually no books are available to someone just starting out. All FoxPro titles offered today only make sense to either the already-initiated, those coming from other development environments, or others who have similar experience. It seems that Microsoft is not interested in growing the market base (especially while simultaneously pushing competing technologies) and book publishers aren't interested in taking risks on releasing new (even introductory) titles. These and other factors continue to prevent FoxPro from flourishing. Those using it continue to do so due to its pedigree which includes (relative) ease of use and a stunningly fast database engine.

The book clearly has some pedagogic issues and I wouldn't exactly call it a "For Dummies" title. I had to reread many of the sections within chapters in order to connect the dots. The chapters at the beginning tend to put the cart before the horse (one of the first chapters lists pages and pages of command statements which to me might as well been talking about nuclear physics, should have been in the back as an appendix). I think the people creating and reviewing the book were clearly more technical than user/learner oriented.

However if you can read and think for yourself this book is about the best thing going. The pages are chock full of content. I recommend first looking over the chapters then rearranging the order you plan on reading them to match your learning style.

This is a excelent book, but do not has good practice examples I suggest read the "1001 things you wanted to know about Visual FoxPro" too, and "Effective Programming Techniques". Use the Hacker's Guide of Visual Foxpro for a complete Resource Kit. For Beginners I suggest QUE USING Visual FoxPro 6.0 or 7.0.

The prevailing attitudes towards insects are mostly antagonistic or ambivalent, and certainly, uninformed. In the concrete covered human world that has distanced itself from Nature and realitiy, we are daily subjected to the perverse messages delivered through commercials by profit greedy pesticide companies about the nasty, stinging, dirty, disease carryings bugs. By now, though, we should all be able to see through that snake-oil facade, but how about the "bad bug" disinformation passed along by good intentioned, but uninformed teachers, parents, et al?

Lauck's "Voice of the Infinite" covers all the bases of the intentional to the inadvertant adverse propaganda campaigns against insects and goes much further by introducing us to their beautiful world- bug by bug. Reading this book will let you "walk" with bugs and hear their song. Unless one's heart is stone cold, one will come to know exactly what empathy and admiration for insects is all about.

What is the purpose of a bug as annoying as a flee or mosquito? Read this book! You still might not want to hang out with them, but you will most likely see them in a different and less antagonistic light. Those who have embraced the wisdom and insight of Rachel Carson's book, "Silent Spring", will certainly enjoy Joanne Elizabeth Lauck's book.

And another beautiful tale of finding admiration and empathy for critters is mentioned in Lauck's book and that is: J. Allen Boone's "Kinship With All Life", the true story about "Freddie" the fly. This book is the story of Boone finding mental connections to Freddie and all other animals. Thanks to Ms Lauck for referencing that book!

Thomas Berry, the famed theologian and cultural historian who wrote the introduction to this book, makes a perfect statement: "The time has come for humans and insects to turn toward each other. Such is our way to wisdom, the source of our healing, our guidance into the twenty-first century." Joanne Lauck has made a wonderful contribution to those of us seeking to transform ourselves as we travel our spiritual pathways. This book (herein referred to as The Voice) is not a study of insects, it's not a scientific book and it doesn't pretend to be. It's more than that. The Voice offers a new perspective to life, to all that is beautiful and wonderful on this planet; it opens the doorway for us to consider insects in all their splendor and beauty and as necessary beings for the balance of all life. The many stories and myths, woven into facts about insects, make for fascinating reading. For me, reading The Voice brought to my attention the dusty corners of my mind, those places that held prejudices I didn't even know existed. Not just against certain insects--I was forced to look beyond them. Reading The Voice proved to be exciting, educational, rewarding, eye-opening and, finally, a critical step on my spiritual journey. Since then, I've gifted others with the book. An acquaintance named Robert, who reads The Voice while sitting with the insects, tells me time and time again that he looks at the world differently now; his vision is much larger than it was before he began establishing a relationship with insects. The insects welcome him. The bees especially have been offering their friendship--they walk back and forth along the top of his glasses in greeting, then explore the gentleness of Robert's hands. Robert is in the healing profession, and he admits that as he is changing, so also is his work changing. Such is the impact of Ms. Lauck's book. I highly recommend it!

The Voice of the Infinite in the Small is a psychological and spiritual look at one of the most broken relationships we have with nature, namely our relationship to insects and related creatures. Turning the spotlight on people, instead of on the insects, Lauck reveals a blind spot in the culture, our fear-based hatred of what is different and our cherished and unexamined perceptions which in essence deny the creature. Lauck is a layperson and a storyteller-not a scientist or entomologist-and is clear about her motives for writing this unusual book-to raise awareness about our projections that have made these creatures our enemies and to return them to the role of messenger, both in the environment and in the human psyche. The connections she makes to the spiritual traditions are wise and illuminating and the writing eloquent. The cover is a bit misleading as it looks like a traditional resource book on insects. In fact it looks like a book by an entomologist and that is unfortunate. Those drawn to looking at insects as specimens and who believe entomologists are the only ones who should write about these kinds of creatures are not going to like her approach at all. I loved it though and so will anyone who accepts that life is not random but is driven by an unseen world and spiritual forces that are ultimately benevolent. I would highly recommend this book. It is truly one of a kind.

Joanne Lauck's book "The Voice of the Infinite in the Small," starts with the very intriguing premise that we humans tend to demonize the smaller six, eight and multi-legged creatures around us, while these have their place in nature and are often important in our own survival (where would we be without pollination!) As a professional biologist who has specialized in arthropods, I could not agree more on this point. Indeed, Lauck has brought together some most intriguing imagery and fascinating myths and metaphors into a discussion that I think was long overdue. As a professional I constantly hear complaints from people about some harmless or nearly harmless arthropod, such as any spider, certain innocuous true bugs and beetles, or house centipedes that they think should be immediately wiped off the face of the earth.

That said I think Lauck also makes some fairly serious blunders and depends too much on very questionable authority. I find some of her supposedly true stories (such as bees visiting the grave of a dead bee keeper or people making pacts with Japanese beetles) to be pretty difficult to swallow and she is totally wrong on several "facts" about flies and arachnids. One (perhaps minor, but none the less irritating) example is the old legend that male deer bot flies can fly hundreds of miles an hour. This tall tale was based on a totally mistaken calculation made by C. H. Tyler Townsend, a late nineteenth and early twentieth Century entomologist, who guesstimated that to be a blur a male deer bot fly had to be traveling at least 500 mph! In actuality they need only be flying no more than 35 mph! To be traveling at 500 mph, the bot flies would use up a huge amount of energy and the resulting turbulence would tear off their wings! On a more serious note I am quite reluctant to give blood to mosquitoes (although I have given my share involuntarily to be sure!) and am also a bit leery about being too cavalier about mosquito-born diseases. Eventually we may make our peace with a parasite like the malarial plasmodium, but it is only after a period of adjustment during which many of us may suffer as much as the insects. It is easy to contemplate these problems from a distance when one does not have to stand by the bed of a child dying from dengue, yellow fever or malaria! As to friendly scorpions, I would be willing (and in fact have done so) to hold a big black Pandinus (Emperor) scorpion (which are pretty docile and not especially venomous), but definitively not a "death stalker" (Leiurus sp.) or fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus spp.) Only a fool would handle either of these two directly. Encouraging anyone to hold such dangerous creatures is a very bad idea!

I, indeed, would take the middle way (and I can only speak for myself in this). I believe that one should not go out of ones way to do harm to other creatures and that deliberately killing another organism is excusable for only three reasons (one being very human). The first is need for sustenance (including protecting food crops from pests, although not to the level of broad-spectrum pesticide use we have employed in the past)- I have heard that even the Delhi Lama eats meat every other day because of a metabolic problem. The second is to protect oneself and others from disease or envenomation - at least some, if not most mosquitoes, ticks, lice and fleas, as well as some scorpions and spiders, may fall under this- Bubonic plague or dengue are not fun diseases to get and I am not going to wait around for them to become more benign! The final reason I would grant (being a scientist) is to gain knowledge of the natural world, in part to help protect it in the long term and to maintain a body of knowledge that would help us understand the relationships and dynamics of the biota. I would put some constraints on this activity- as organisms become better known I see them being more valuable alive than in a collection. Thus most mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, marine mollusks and a few others, like butterflies, can currently be monitored without usually taking physical samples. The eventual goal would be to eliminate the need for collecting, although this may take more time for some groups like beetles or higher flies.

That said I admire Lauck for bringing the subject up and hope that some of her wonder and respect for the insect world would permeate society more than at present. We need not kill every creature that causes us fear. However, to discriminate properly in an all too imperfect world we need to arm ourselves with some knowledge.

Read this book for some inspiration for ways to get along with the insect world (which as Lauck points out, is also our own), but also with a carefully critical eye.

I am going to buy this book for every animal lover on my Christmas list! It changes your mind and heart about insects and spiders without preaching or giving you a bunch of boring scientific facts. It could have been called "Insect Angels" like the Animal Animals book since its major theme of insects as messengers weaves through all the chapters. My favorite chapter was on insects in dreams because the author explains how even frightening dreams can have a positive message that can help you. I'll never look at an insect in the same way after reading this book.

Bonnie Bernell is a full-figured, licensed psychologist who draws upon her more than twenty years of expertise and experience leading workshops and psychotherapy groups for women seeking to get on with their lives in Bountiful Women: Large Women's Secrets For Living The Life They Desire. Her insightful commentary, advice, observations, and recommendations are organized into four major sections: Me, Myself, and I; Friends, Foes, and Family; Bountiful Women on the Move; Romancing and Dancing. Of special note is her summary chapter "Begins and Ends with You". Bountiful Women is enthusiastically recommended for women's studies groups in general, and Rubenesque figured women in particular seeking to life their lives with a true joy and sense of self-worth.

Bonnie Bernell uses her own experiences as well as those of other "bountiful" women to provide readers with the ammunition to live their lives to the fullest. Her manner is gentle and caring as she addresses issues that we as women of size face on a daily basis from the "meaningful" parents who berate us for our size to the airplane seat that is too narrow to finding Mr. Right. Ms. Bernell's advice is reasonable as well as doable. After reading Bountiful Women, I felt as though I had undergone a much needed but extremely inexpensive therapy session! I recommend that all large women and the people who love them treat themselves to Ms. Bernell's "secrets." It is a book that you will pick up again and again for inspiration and encouragement.

Bountiful Women is an uplifing, delightful book to read. Each page is full of practical as well as spiritual advice about how to live life to its fullest today. I recommend it for all women who are sick and tired of waiting for a thinner tomorrow in order for their lives to begin. Today is the day!

Compared to most self help authors who push a "lose weight now, ask me how" approach, Dr. Bernell is as refreshing as a cool glass of sparkling water on a hot desert day. She makes size acceptance not only understandable, but doable, too. Every plus-size woman should own this book.

The whole full-figured women oppression issue is something that has been of interest to me for a while, but only recently have I become introduced and interested in the sociology of it. I picked up this book b/c of all the rave reviews on this website, but when I actually went to go read it, I found it to be one of the cheesiest and most eye-roll inducing self help books I've probably ever encountered. Now, I haven't even read the whole book yet, so my review might not have 100% credibility, but from what I've read, I hated.
Why you ask? Well, even though I appreciate that a heavy woman feels beautiful and wants others to feel the same (cause they all are) I'm really looking for a book w/ insight. These books really are made to build a woman's self esteem and create awareness in both men and women to the cruelties and ignorance made by people about heavy people, but a reader doesn't just want to author to continuously say "you are beautiful and you can do anything!" over and over again. A reader wants research, theories, hypocrisies of world cultures to really feel like she does have a right to happiness even though she's a heavy woman; in other words, we need facts and important info to back up a compliment. This books gives none of that. Instead, what we have here is just a collection of old folkies telling cheesy short stories on how they make themselves feel beautiful. In between these quotes all we have are bridges given to us by the author to prepare us for the next quote. Each chapter is entitled with a different subject, and the first paragraph to the chapter talks briefly about that title (making you think you're in for something good), for example "In-laws" or "They just mean well," and "dating and romance," etc. Then it once again goes into more stupid, pointless quotes by people we don't even know, all pretty much saying the exact same thing. A lot of the stuff isn't even about big women and how they make themselves feel beautiful. A whole bunch of it is simply talking about what colors can match others in clothing, make-up tips, etc. It's so shallow it's annoying.
If your over the age of 60, there's a chance you'll probably find this book interesting, other than that, you'll be bored to death. If you want REAL research and challenging insightful theories, not to mention at least a hint of laughter which this book gives nothing of, check out Wendy Shanker's "The Fat Girl's Guide to Life." I love big women, but this book is junk.

This book is one that should be read by all women of size. The author's non-apologetic and positive approach to the subject matter can't help but encourage and empower the women who are fortunate enough to read this book. The writing style is direct, and the book is an easy read--unlike some self-improvement and self-help books on the market. I am already planning to share this book with the other bountiful women in my life.

I like this one it was as good as the last Disney Fairy book I read, A Masterpiece for Bess, but it was nice. It was nice to see what happen with her an Peter Pan in this one although it the is no continuity to other Peter Pan stories by Disney, like Peter and the Starcatchers. There was no real lesson in this one and the other if fact I don't like the fact that it was okay for Tinker Bell to not ask for help and keep everything to herself that didn't seem right.

We own all of this series! Started reading them when my daughter was 4 (she just turned 5 now), and they are age appropriate. Not too scary and always a happy ending. One book only takes us about 4-5 nights worth of reading together. The longer ones are good too "Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg" and "Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand", but they are a little bit scarrier than the short books (more appropriate for ages 5-7 I would think).

While I found much of the plot frustrating (why doesn't Tink just tell everyone she lost her hammer? What's the big deal? ...), I found the scene between Tinker Bell and Peter Pan fascinating. Since their relationship is part of such a much bigger mythology, I found it surprising/odd that we would see Peter Pan in one of these chapter books (as opposed to, say, in the hardcover books by Gail Carson Levine), but I thought the author captured Peter Pan well, and my 6 year-old daughter was delighted by the humor in the scene between these two iconic characters. For me, that scene was "worth the price of admission," and, as usual, the illustrations are gorgeous as well ...

I like this book, due to the broad spectrum of Tinkerbell's nature and revealing her naughty side. My daughter is fully engrossed with the book, since she likes everything Tink.

I read TheTrouble With Tink.The Trouble With Tink is a book I love.I love this book because it makes me curious about whether Tink will lose her talent or not.I wonder this because I read'', So it's true,Tink thought. Everone is saying I've lost my talent''.This helps convince me that it was a good book!000

I read a variety of teen books, then give reviews on them to the local bookstore which I work at. This book may stand out from the rest because it actually quotes what others teens themselves have to say on various topics. However, it lacks content and appears to be like many other teen books, addressing similar issues in similar ways. It won't bore you but it definitely won't leave you breathless. If you want a book with the same edge but filled with content try "Stories for a Teen's Heart" by Alice Gray or even Wade F. Horn's "New Teen Book." I can't think of many other books of this nature but the lack of content spoils a lot of the originality of this book.

"Teen Girlfriends" is so touching in every way. As I was reading it, I was able to remember the times that I experienced the thoughts and experiences that were expressed by other girls. The book is great in that almost everyone can relate to it.

from Blue Jean Online (www.bluejeanonline.com)

by Truc Doan, 14, Teen Editor

The media loves portraying how difficult and angst-ridden the teenage years are for girls. Very few times, however, do they mention what helps these girls survive: their friends. In Teen Girlfriends, Julia DeVillers puts together a compilation of different situations among friends. The book goes through all topics, from popularity to road trips. The stories are cute, if slightly off the reality slide. Friendship is a unique thing, different in every situation, and the major flaw of the book is that it tries to generalize and explain too much. The purpose of the book is slightly confusing. It is very similar to one long essay, and though it services those needing illumination of the term 'friendship,' it hardly captures the interests of real teenagers who know what true friendship is about.

Reading this book made me feel as if I were getting a lecture about how I should feel in certain situations. DeVillers brings up an event that could have happened and justifies it with a quote from a girl the reader most likely does not know. I never felt that I was truly introduced to the girls who contributed to the book. DeVillers often uses the term 'we' to include the reader, which I found disconcerting because it reminded me of a parent clarifying the world for me. The whole book just gave me an awkward feel.

The book does have some redeeming qualities, though. It acts similarly to a self-help book in that it tells readers that they are not the only ones to experience a certain situation. Though not a big fan of self-help books myself, I can understand DeVillers' purpose and admire her for it. Very few books pay close attention to teenage girls. This one at least makes an effort.

Copyright 2003 Blue Jean Online

True to the form of the other books in the best-selling Girlfriends book series, Teen Girlfriends zeroes in on friendship as today's teen girls experience it. Friendships in adolescence have their ups and downs, and this book reassures girls that what they're going through with their friends is normal. The girls interviewed are candid to the point that every girl who so much as skims the pages will relate to some, if not most of, the material. Girls' connections with their friends are especially critical now, during this time of national challenges, and this grounded-in-reality book is the perfect comfort and companion. Every one of America's daughters, granddaughters, and nieces deserves a copy!
-- Catherine Dee, author of The Girls' Book of Friendship

I thought the Teen Girlfriends Book was great. Theres nothing out there like it. After reading it, a sense of relief came over me knowing that someone out there knows how i feel or had gone through the same thing i had. It was nice to know i wasnt the only one. This book was great because Real teens shared their stories and it helped me understand things more and even helped me change my ways alittle. I learned how to be a better friend and how to cope with things. Every teen girl should own a copy of this book!

BERRY BENSON'S CIVIL WAR BOOK: MEMOIRS OF A CONFEDERATE SCOUT AND SHARPSHOOTER appears in a new paperback edition and tells of one sharpshooter Berry Benson, who saw most of the action between the first shot fired in the Civil War and the surrender of Lee's army. His account of his soldier's life and battlefield experiences brings to live the Civil War's history and politics and makes it a powerful pick for any library strong in Civil War memoirs and first-hand accounts.

THIS BOOK TELLS IT LIKE IT WAS!!!!!! ANYONE WHO HAS A RELATIVE WHO FOUGHT FOR McGOWAN'S BRIGADE OR HAD RELATIVES AT THE UNION HELLHOLE, ELMIRA, WILL GREATLY ENJOY THIS BOOK.
GARY, B/GENERAL SAMUEL McGOWAN, CAMP #40, SCV

From the point of view of the enlisted man, this is a really good book. It held my interest well. Let's face it, the enlisted man's perspective of the War Between the States, or any war for that matter, is going to be very narrow. The rank and file do not have the luxury of having access to the grand strategy of general officers. All they can relate is what went on in front of them. Otherwise it wouldn't be their story. This book is about what one common soldier saw, experienced, and felt. And it let me see a refreshing point of view.

Not many books seem to cover a scout's exploits during the Civil War in the form of a personal memoir. Berry Benson's account seems to be a diary mixed with recollection and struggle. Benson's writing is vague at times and a bit hard to follow. He seems to jump from event or time frame without much flow or detail. His involvement at Sharpsburg, Chancelorsville and Petersburg is disappointing when it comes to detail and the action. Had an author placed this book together to build the time frame up and then switch to Benson's accounts would have made this book easier to follow or had Benson been more descriptive in his story it would have completed this book.

What made this book interesting was his escapes from two Union prisons and his personal struggle to survive and get back to Virginia. His descriptions of his escapes and his run for freedom was very interesting and made this book come to life.

The title itself which mentions sharpshooter fails to live up to it's name as very little is written about his involvement as one and again the detail is missing. Had the title mentioned escaping twice from Union hands, it would have been properly titled. Though the lack of details and vague approach stumbles the reader an opposite read is featured in regards to his survival and escaping Union control. Without his prison stories which fortunately takes up a large portion of this book, it would have been confusing and frustrating. Because of those stories I felt this book deserves a 4 star rating.

Berry Benson tells it as it was. He does not fill the pages with fluff, but merely gives a straightforward account of his trials and tribulations during the war. At first, I was skeptical about all that he claimed to have gone through, but after some research, his story holds true. Benson was just shy of 18 when he joined the Confederate army. During his service, he was a sharpshooter, fought under Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson, was captured and escaped TWICE: once from Point Lookout and once from Elmira. At times, I wished that he would have gone into more detail, and that is the only downfall of this book. For example: he goes into some description of Point Lookout yet fails to give a good picture of Elmira. However, his story is not one to miss and I suggest it for anyone wanting to read a more personal account of the war that is a little out of the ordinary.

This is the first children's book by Connie Lee Berry. At the beginning of the book, Berry shares with us how the Journey Book began. You'll also find a fact sheet about the Cayman Islands and a letter to the reader from the main characters, Max and Sam.

Max and Sam are brothers. They are only a year apart in age and are very close. On the way home from school, their mom announces she has a surprise waiting for them at home. Both boys can't wait to see what it is. Once they get the wrapping paper off, the boys are surprised to find a book about the Cayman Islands. Not sure why their mom gave them a book, they begin to ask questions and find out the family is going on a trip to the island. What the boys don't know is that is isn't going to be any regular family vacation.

This fun chapter book is a great read for reluctant readers. Packed full of mystery and action, even the most reluctant reader won't be able to put it down. You'll find a fact sheet with more interesting facts about the Cayman Islands and a science pick (a Science Experiment sent in from an Incredible Journey fan) from Max and Sam at the end.

I do have one word of caution. This chapter book is written with multiple points of view, which is something you don't normally see in a chapter book. But it's well done, and doesn't take away from the story or make it hard for children to read. If your child isn't use to multiple points of view, then you may want to read along with them.

THE CRIMINALS IN THE CAYMANS by Connie Lee Berry is the first book of the Incredible Journey series. In this book for ages 7 to 9, we meet the Stone family, Sam, a second grader, Max, a third grader, Sydney their 2 year old sister and their parents. Mr. Stone is a lawyer for a large banking corporation, and their mother is a stay-at-home Mom.

Connie Berry got the idea for writing the Incredible Journey series from her eight year old who was complaining about writing a paragraph. She told him writing can be fun and to prove it, she was going to write a book for him and his brother to read. She believes reading and learning should be fun.

The book starts out right before spring break when the boys find out they are going to the Caymans. Mr. Stone has a business trip there and decides to take the family. Before they leave, two mysterious packages arrive on the doorstep addressed to Maxwell and Samuel. One had an old, frail map of the world with a title of Max and Sam's Incredible Journey Map. In the lower right hand corner it was dated Oct. 11, 1964, over 40 years ago, and at the bottom was written, "May good fortune be with you."

The other package contained a newspaper from 1955 and an old leather journal. Inside were several old, crackly, yellowed papers. The first one had `Notes taken wisely can be of great use to you' written on it. This was used by Sam in the adventure.

An overheard conversation by Sam on the beach leads him to discover an outlaw fugitive on America's Most Wanted staying in the same hotel. On the way to helping capture the fugitive, Max and Sam discovers their father is a FBI agent.

Berry has done a good job included facts about the Cayman Islands and a neat science page. This one was about dissecting owl pellets. Really great for grade school boys!

This is a good read for the grade school group. There is plenty of fun and adventure with a bit of mystery and pictures and illustrations highlighting the eleven chapters. The facts are suitable for grade schoolers like, turtle farming is big, and it's part of the U.K. so it is ruled by Queen Elizabeth II. I recommend this book.

I think the books from this series are as good or better than those from the Magic Treehouse series. They keep kids interested from beginning to end, and they have educational facts added in as well. The first four books were a hit with my third-grade class.

This new series is absolutely delightful. The stories are upbeat and interesting. My child really got hooked on the series when she read this first book. One big perk to this series is that it includes facts about geography and other hidden tidbits about this and that, so they learn while they read.

The promotional literature sent out with review copies of this book says it is a `series for ages 7-9'. The associated website states `ages 7-10'. The Amazon product description currently advises `4-8'. The two heroes of the book are in second and third grade. Personally, I would recommend 7-11 as the target readership, possibly 6. Younger readers will need to be read to or with, rather than left to themselves.

This appears to be (although it tries hard not to look like) a one-person self-publishing venture. If I am right about that, it is an astonishingly professional job she has done. The books are in no way inferior to usual store-bought editions, the illustrations are excellent, and the website is very sophisticated. The author is not short on promotional skills, either.

So what of the stories themselves? This first one in the series has some good ingredients. It has a pinch of magic, which kids love. It has kids outsmarting adults, which is another sure-fire attraction. And it sets up mysteries that promise to be resolved in future entries in the series, which is a good way to keep the kids reading.

There are problems. The Fact Sheet at the front of the book lists facts about the Caymans, including `1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.' and a further fact sheet at the end tells the reader, `There are no direct taxes so thousands of companies are registered here.' Hardly fun facts. Most 7-year-old eyes will glaze over at those points.

There are also two plot elements that I had problems with. The first was the discovery of a gold watch which is not heard of again. Prepare to have your youngster demanding to know `What happened to the watch?' before you turn the light out and expect them to go to sleep. Secondly, the story has the kids going into a stranger's room to take his wallet. Young readers are as likely to take away the lesson that such behavior is acceptable as they are that the Caymans are 1.5 times the size of Washington.

With any self-publishing venture (again, assuming I am correct in describing it as such) there are usually problems with proof-reading and editing. This book is actually very good in that respect. I only spotted a couple of errors (I'm making the further assumption here that I was not sent a pre-publication review copy, which I am pretty sure I wasn't): Page 38 has `...the bright light had woke up Sam,...' where `woken' was required, page 40 has `seagulls echoed above them' where an editor would have suggested `cries of seagulls...' and a couple more such slips, none of them horrendous. The book is well written, and exposes the reader (apart from that one `woke') to accurate, standard grammar and punctuation, which is what you want.

I would recommend trying this book on your kids, making sure you start with this particular one, as it sets the scene for the series, and if they want to go on to the next in the series, fine -- you've got them reading. Next stop, Harry Potter!

The heartbreaking story of Mark Brooks and the University of San Diego is especially poignant. I went to the University of San Diego in the time period when Mark Brooks went there, and even tutored Mark in English. I was sexually assaulted by a faculty member at the university, and no one did a thing about him, though I reported the rape. No one cared, I was blamed for the assault, and treated very much like Mark. All that Jason Berry describes about the seminary and the university in the 1980s is absolute truth--the Church not only protected the priests who slept with student seminarians, but also faculty members who engaged in out-of-control sexual harrassment of all shades. I wandered like a zombie in my life for TWENTY YEARS before dealing with the post-traumatic stress and returning to college to earn an advanced degree. The impact on my career, my family life, and my emotional wellness was devastating beyond human belief. A well-balanced account that captures the destructiveness and secrecy around this heartbreaking issue.

I have had first hand experience with priest sexual misconduct, so I have read much of the literature and have followed the present crisis closely. This is the best thing I have read. The best written and researched. Every Catholic should read this book about the present state of the priesthood. I know what he is saying is true, and I also know from my experience, but it still astounds me.

Jason Berry is to be commended for his courage, reporting and investigative skills in bringing this tale to the public. As a fellow Catholic I know it must have been a painful experience. It is truely a "must read" and I would just like to say "Thank you" to Mr. Berry.

First half of the book is straightforward reportage of the Gilbert Gauthe case. The second half is a polemic in which Berry propagandizes for open homosexual activity among priests and demands that you idolize a self-aggrandizing pervert "priest" named Michael Peterson.

Many devout Catholics, unlike left-wing reporters like Berry, trace the roots of the abuse scandal to encouragement of homosexual activity in seminaries since the 1960's. If you consider yourself a friend rather than an enemy of the Church, then buy "Goodbye, Good Men" by Michael Rose instead of this.

Interesting, informative book about the pedophile scandal in the Catholic Church. The author points out that the true problem lies in the cover-up. Pediphiles occur in many areas of society, but other agencies, such as the Boy Scouts, do not try to protect and hide them. The Catholic Church does.

As professors of marketing at the University of New Mexico, OC and Linda Ferrell recommend this book to anyone that manages a service organization. In addition to being one of the most renowned healthcare facilities in the world, the famed Mayo Clinic is also a highly successful business. With its motto "putting the needs of the patient first" guiding its every move, Mayo Clinic has built a large and loyal customer base. In their book Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic, marketing professor Leonard Berry and former director of marketing for Mayo Clinic Kent Seltman take readers inside this longstanding and venerable institution. Through eloquent prose, this book chronicles Mayo Clinic's history from its beginnings in Rochester, MN to its current status as one of the largest not-for-profit medical group practices in the world. This book is more than a mere history, however. It provides readers with practical standards that can be applied to both large and small healthcare settings. The book goes beyond the reputations of Mayo Clinic and offers general principles regarding customer service and other areas that will be useful to managers in many different fields.

This examination of the Mayo Clinic service culture is based on Drs. Berry and Seltman gaining an inside view of the operations and activities of their highly respected clinic. Guided by Dr. Berry's marketing background, research findings from personal interviews with physicians, nurses, managers, clinicians, staff and patients demonstrate the values, norms and artifacts of a complex service organization. Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic does two things. First, it puts the institution in an historical context, providing detail on how the brand was created. It then provides insight in the culture that has allowed the clinic to expand far beyond its home base. From the start, Mayo has been based on traditional, practical values that have been upheld through relentlessly consistent application, even as its fame has grown by leaps and bounds. Stories from patients, providers, and Mayo staff give this book an intimate and accessible feel. While it is an entertaining and insightful read, Lessons from Mayo Clinic is also didactic. Each chapter provides important insights into the healthcare industry, and summaries that will prove helpful to managers in numerous disciplines.

This book demonstrates how Mayo Clinic has combined medical competence with a patient orientation. Many organizations concerned about relationships with their customers can learn how to develop a culture that exceeds customer/patient expectations and earns loyalty from all stakeholders. While this is a book that is ostensibly for managers in the healthcare industry, the lessons offered will resonate across many fields. Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic is a page-turner that is valuable for the insights it offers into the healthcare industry, and for the lessons offered to managers of all stripes.

There are only two categories of those who will benefit exponentially from this excellent book-those who work in health care and those who don't. For those who work in health care, the work that Dr Berry and his colleague have written is without peer. Len has been a seminal voice in how service is best provided for over 20 years and his insights have been invaluable to anyone who has sought to find practical solutions to the vexing issue of service. Many have written philosophically on the topic, but Dr Berry writes almost exclusively with practical solutions, applicable at the bedside. It has been my privilege to have contributed, in some small way, to the literature on health care customer service. I am, quite frankly, in awe of what this book has done. Everyone involved in health care should read it. Why? Because it will make their incredibly difficult job much easier-and let's be clear, health care is a very, very tough place to 'get customer service right.'
If you don't work in health care, this book is essential, because, let's be honest, if you can get customer service right in health care, you can get it right anywhere. No matter what business you are in, this book has insights which will be beneficial to you.

Finally, perhaps the most important category of those who should read-and benefit-from this book are those who will use the health care system, because it will tell you that must seek out health care systems and providers who understand that making the right diagnosis and offering the right treatment are simply not enough anymore in our health care system-you must do so in an environment that not only values, but treasures a culture of service.

By the way, that last category-those who will eventually be users of health care-is every single one of us...

Great book-I only wish I had written it!

Thom Mayer, MD, FACEP, FAAP

This is an excellent book for a Manager in any industry. It's a MUST READ for a Manager in Health Care!

Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic is akin to Donald Trump giving tact lessons Bill Clinton and John Edwards giving Monogamy Lessons and Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney giving effective War strategy lessons. Mayo Clinic is the New York Yankees of Medicine. Like the Yankees of this decade and the Soviets of the 1980's, Mayo is its own 'Evil Empire' of the Healthcare business. Like the Soviets of the early 80's and the present day NY Yankees, Mayo's deep pockets and exorbitant spending make up for more than its share of Management mistakes. Its Assembly line heathcare model and constant harping about expenses hardly makes it a needs of the patient come first healthcare organization. Like so many other businesses including the 'evil' Insurance Companies, it is all about the bottom line at Mayo. Many former Physicians and staff have said so. When you have a management and decision making system that closely, if not identically, resembles Washington DC, you are if for trouble. Layer after layer of bureaucracy, committees, sub-committees, focus groups, polarizing board members, and the like are firmly embeded in the Mayo Culture. As Washington DC is broken, so is the Mayo Management and decision making model. I'm not saying you should not read this book, I think you should read it. If I am a young Program Director, Manager, Administrator, Nurse Manager, Supervisor, Department Head, etc. I would read this book and then immediately read 'Moneyball' by Michael Lewis, and Rule #1 Investing by Phil Towne. I would look at the Mayo way and do just the opposite whenever and wherever I could. Many if not all Healthcare Institutions can't compete with Mayo's deep pockets, so if you do business and run your ship like they do, you are doomed. There are inefficiencies in any market, you just have to work hard to find them and take advantage when you do. Look for ways that the conventional wisdom is wrong and do the opposite. The two books mentioned above will help you do this. Take a Paul Volcker approach to your healthcare management decisions. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Mayo Clinic has bad healthcare providers, bad technology, bad equipment, bad people, etc. I'm saying it is a bogged down, social engineering, bueracratic nightmare. Mayo better hope there is not a Billy Beane or Phil Towne of healthcare lurking on the horizon in another competing organization. If there is, they better adapt quickly or they will be in trouble, big trouble.

This book hardly needs my imprimatur, but I thought I would share my feelings about yet another customer experience book. Just when you thought there were more books on the topic than you could possibly explore, along comes one that I think is unique. Some may think this is just for health-care professionals, but I believe it includes powerful lessons that transcend the industry. The nicest aspects of this book are the stories about just what it takes to establish and maintain great service, even when you're one of the most respected 'brands' in the world. I used to live in Rochester, NY, and once made the dopey mistake of flying from O'Hare to Rochester, MN. I thought, 'Since I'm here, I might as well go to the Mayo Clinic, which I have always wanted to see.' This book makes that stupid airplane flight totally unnecessary. Anyone involved in dealing with the public should read this book. Maybe the lessons aren't totally fresh, but we need to be reminded of them constantly. Isn't that why we go to church on Sunday?

Opening Doors by Diana Newman not only provides excellent background and statistics on diverse donors, but many concrete suggestions and examples of "how tos" which are already proving to be extremely helpful as our foundation develops its outreach to attract more diverse donors.

I work in the world of non-profit organizations. Often looking to foundations to help my projects, or others projects. This book is very useful to me and I believe it would be to others like me. Understanding how the system works from the organization of foundations to the work of raising money is very helpful in the research of how to recieve grants from these foundations. I think this work should be continued further into looking at who gets grants,culturally, and why. This book truly has opened doors, as well as worlds, into discussions about the money flow in our nations melting pot.

As Emmet Carson points out in the introduction to Opening Doors, "successful fund development occurs from effectively carrying out and communicating the organization's mission" and to succeed the "heretofore largely taboo" issues of culture and race must be dealt with appropriately and sensitively. Ms. Newman provides a panoramic view of what these issues are and provides practical, step by step advice in how to deal with them.

Diana Newman provides a overview of the problems faced by community philanthropic agencies and provides detailed strategies on how to deal with them. Newman has extensive experience herself in these areas and has invited other contributors to provide detailed insights based on their experience. The book discusses cultural groupings that really matter in philanthropic fund raising and these are subtly and importantly different than groupings used by the US Census. There is an extraordinary level of detail and statistics that are brought to bear on this topic. This is book that anyone who is managing a community philanthropic organization should read and should consult as a reference.

If Philanthropy is about building a better life for everyone in the world community, i.e. seeing ourselves as citizens of the planet; then, Opening Doors: Pathways to Diverse Donors, is a useful guide for thoughtful fundraisers. This book is a well-researched, well-documented look at different cultural perspectives on giving...how to include and empower those ethnic groups who are living the American Dream and want to give back in ways that are culturally meaningful to them. Bravo to Diana Newman for taking a broader view of community and studying in-depth what have heretofore been invisible groups of resourceful, caring people.

She has taken the difficult topic of fundraising in minority communities and written about it with candor and intelligence. It's wonderful to have such a thoughtful and well researched book on the topic. I recommend that everyone involved in philanthropy read this important book.