Big Books

this book was written by carol spinney, fan of henson, who ended up working with him and doing big bird and oscar the grouch for years.

i had seen an interview with him prior to reading the book where he equates working with henson to being asked to be a member of the beatles. just awesome.

this book has many anecdotes of his times working with henson, on sesame street, the story of the girl they did "big bird goes to china" with, getting punched in costume by rappers, and he tells the story of hensons death and how it affected him.

for any henson fan, it really is a must have.

The book was easy reading, took me about 3 hours and filled with life stories/lesson's from Caroll Spinney, the man behind Big Bird & Oscar the Grouch. I laughed and cried and totally enjoyed the book.

A fun read. Carol Spinney is a man whom I never knew much about besides seeing his name in the credits of Sesame Street, and other productions where Big Bird made an appearance.

It was interesting to read about how Big Bird's character was developed, and how just playing the part of a lovable children's icon changed Carol's life.

Worth your time. For sure.

I'm still in the middle of reading this book. but, I'm admiring the work of Carroll very much and every time I look at Big Bird or Oscar now I imagine the position that Carroll is in to make the muppet come to life.

To be honest, I have not kept up on Sesame Street since I was a regular viewer from say, oh 1974-77. So I was surprised that there was but a single guy playing Big Bird! I would have otherwise presumed the role was like Vader, a guy in the suit and a guy doing the voice. Moreover, the same guy did ALL the public appearances, award shows, White House dinners. I was floored; what an interesting time this guy had stemming from the Big Bird suit. He's very matter of fact about much of this so I am perhaps overly impressed? In any case, he comes across as very genuine and extremely kind and generally a good person. He also offers odd but intriguing insights into the puppetry world. A neat short read.

This book is absolutely amazing. I am pregnant with my first child. My doula service recommended this book. It is modern, easy to read, realistic, will give you some laughs & is extremely informative. I am grateful for this modern book that empowers women to feel good about the ability to give birth.

This book is excellent! It has all the information that you need for the birth of your baby. I'm preparing for my 3rd child, and I wish I could have read this book during my other 2 pregnancies. This book is very useful, espically if you are not planning on taking a child birth class. After reading this book I feel much more prepared than I did before (even after birthing 2 other kids!) Very well written, an easy read, no medical jargon, plus its not boring! It also doesn't have the graphic pictures in it, unlike majority of birthing books. I recommend this book to any soon-to-be-mother!

I'm a childbirth educator, really like the tone of this book. Ordered a copy to send to my stepdaughter who's expecting her first.

I really enjoyed this book. It gave me so much information regarding managing pain naturally, various pain medications (and their side effects), and natural and surgical birth. The author does seem to favor natural childbirth, and after reading the book, you probably will, too. However, she does present LOADS of instances when it is necessary/good to take advantage of medical advances, and many stories of women who had all different types of birth are included. If you're at all interested in learning about natural childbirth (or why it might not work out and what might happen, if so), I HIGHLY recommend the book.

I am interested in trying natural childbirth, but what to know about all of my options. In looking at books on getting through childbirth naturally most of the books seemed very anti-doctor and anti-drugs. I just wanted to know all of my options without having to consider the hospital the enemy. I have found that this book is open minded and not preachy. The focus is on techniques to get through labor without drugs, but then there are sections on the drug options and the possible effects. It has great diagrams and information about everything that will be happening inside and outside of your body during birth. I'm so glad that I read it. My pregnancy books had short sections on the actual birth, but I feel much more informed reading an entire book about what might happen and why.

The best business book I've ever read, hands down. You won't regret buying it ;)

I work with entrepreneurs for a living and I have found this book to be one of the best book on building a scaleable business I have ever read. It is not overly technical it is just a clear, real-world view of what needs to be done to grow and investable business.

This book is not about the psychology of the entrepreneur. Very little if not nothing about how to cope with the start-up pressures, partners, investors, your debts, high maintenance family (well worth it), risk aversion ... and if entrepreneurship is really something for you.

This book is rather a set of principles that will help the (future) CEO/COO of a start up to remain focused on the essentials (strategy, operation, marketing, capital) to build an ambitious & successful web company. It is easy to read, showcase vivid stories and brings to life the experience of someone who has been there, done it. Additionally, the author Wil Schroter is a great guy, and you ll have fun reading it.

A welcomed addition to any entrepreneurs' book shelf!

If you're like me, and you have many half-baked ideas for businesses, this book is a "must read" because it provides simple, sensible guidelines for evaluating the meritoriousness of a given start-up concept. Mr. Schroter sets forth a brutally clear, common sense screening process that can help you make sure you and your big ideas don't wind up like the vast majority of start-ups--out of business before they really get going. No academic can give you the life lessons Mr. Schroter has learned firsthand by personally taking real risk, time and time again. A master of levity, Mr. Schroter's reality-based principles are codified in a downright funny way (e.g., indeed quoting 80's rapper Too $hort), reminding us that any successful scramble for dead presidents necessarily requires humble equanimity, and a smile. As a business lawyer who demands value for my education dollar, I can unequivocally recommend Go BIG or Go HOME.

Personal background note: I have worked as an early stage venture capitalist and regularly review business plans for Angel investment groups.

The content of the book is fairly basic but helpful in understand the big issues you will deal with when starting up a business. If you are thinking about starting a company, the book is not a bad sanity check to make sure you have thought through the big issues. The your concept does not pass this sanity check, do not quit your day job.

The writing style is very light and good for a quick read which is important for someone thinking about starting a business. You need to be ruthlessly efficient with your time if you are going to succeed.

Overall: 3 stars -- there are many books out there on this subject...most say roughly the same thing using the business buzzwords at the printing time. This book is not that much different but very approachable in format and content.

This is such a great book for any Moms or Moms-to-be. The pictures are so funny and it lets you have a good laugh about some of the trials of pregnancy and motherhood. I bought a bunch of them to give to all of my friends who are new moms.

Cute, clever, creative, and (for lack of an applicable c-word) hilarious. Stick this in the Christmas stocking of your favorite hip mama.

This book made me laugh soo hard. I recommend it for any fellow new moms who need some levity!

Perfect gift book for a new mom, experienced mom, or first pregnancy, though it's definitly funnier after you've already had kids than before.

I love love love Sloane Tanen. I have every single one of her books including the ones for children. Sloane is a great author. Her books make excellent gifts for the women and children in your life family as she also writes some children books. Sloane as promised, here is my review! Thanks for signing my books!

I finished reading this book over the weekend and it is now marked up, underlined and dog eared. Roz cuts to the heart of the matter without a lot of fluff and fru fru to wade through. It has made me look deep into some things I have avoided and with her insight and way of saying things it is all so much more clear. I have a list of friends I am going to buy copies for. I have never been one to keep a good thing to myself.. and this is one book that needs to be read by anyone and everyone. I told my boss and good friend about the book and while he can not bring himself to write out panties in a message he does write PYBGONADWI...but today he sent a reply to a "gripe message" I had sent with this DGYBGPIAW. I will let you figure it out. Read this book and put it into action. You will be oh so glad you did!

Put Your Big Girl Panties on and Deal with it---provides women with a no excuse framework that frees them up to live life authenicly and outrageously. Roz's stories are powerful and potent. They highlight the key messages in her book about how to get what you want in your life! It's about designing your life so you end up where you want to be. A great book for women of all ages!

Although this short, little book is MUCH better than many books bigger and more expensive it still had several disappointing aspects to it. I bought both this book and the tile that matches the title and they would make a great gift for a gal facing forty or any other life milestone once she was out of her twenties and early thirties. My reasoning behind that comment is all the stories of people making BAD decisions--including the author being honest herself--and then needing to dig themselves out of the pit they originally threw themselves into. We all make mistakes. But rather than a look back, why not a more insightful anticipation of making good decisions! Experience may be the best teacher, but I prefer my experiences teach me how to love, wear big diamonds and be happy. Instead of repairing my battered self and self-esteem after too many relationship mis-steps, bad job decisions, etc. Good book but a little sad at how foolish so many people can be at building their lives.

If you have been waiting to find that one book that will help you pull your life together, your lucky day has arrived. Put On Your Big Girl Panties and Deal With It is that book--one that you will hold close to your heart--my copy is dog-eared and yellow highlighted page after page. Roz Van Meter offers solid advice on how to face life as a grown-up based upon her years of experience as a life coach--and she does it with grace, charm, and a wicked sense of humor. Warning: you will laugh out loud more times than you can count. Simply put, Roz is warm, wise, and the girlfriend you have always wanted. Buy this book for yourself, give copies to your daughter and to your sisters (both bio and chosen) because this is advice you will want to share and talk over with people you really care about.

Have you ever had a girlfriend who just got you and could make you see that you were overreacting but would also make you feel completely at ease with your idiosyncrasies? Aren't they the best? Roz Van Meter offers her psychologically qualified yet girlfriend-friendly advice in her book, "Put Your Big Girl Panties On and Deal With It..." and it's just like having that special girlfriend by your side or a life coach with a fantastic sense of humor on speed dial.

It's a no-nonsense guide to getting what you want, but it's also a little book of inspiration to getting what you need. Roz shares her own stories to relay some messages and also those of people she knows. It's the latest thoughts on self help psychology, marriage, relationship and sex therapy, and life coaching, but it is done in such a light hearted and easy going tone that you don't realize you're getting a bigger message until it has already sunk in. The book is made light and fun by the analogy of knickers in every form and relating them to what you want in life. For instance, figuratively (or literally) putting on those practical, comfortable, business like panties to get a goal attained, or sliding into that risqué g-string when the lights go down in the city for some fun. Humor aside, the book offers advice on everything from how to say no and mean it to how to say yes and feel free enough to enjoy it. It explores ways in which you can reconnect with your inner child and nourish her and also take control and know when to get that kid out from behind the driver's wheel. This book is about organizing your life, one drawer at a time, learning to laugh at yourself, being a friend, and charging head on into passion for life.

Roz Van Meter is a psychotherapist, but she writes like that best friend who spells it all out for you in a fun and endearing way. Buy a copy of "Put Your Big Girl Panties On and Deal With It..." for yourself, one for your husband (who just might learn a thing about the female persuasion), and one for every close girlfriend you have. You'll be looking at yourself and your underwear drawer in a whole new light.

Chris Keane does it all. I've been fortunate enough to be in his group in Maui and am about to be in his class in Maine. Everything other reviewers have said is right on, but one more comment is needed. Chris Keane actually cares greatly about his students whether they are new to the craft or old hands. He listens intently and answers thoughtfully. Oh, and he actually knows what he's talking about and speaks from vast experience. No wonder he's in such demand all over the world as an instructor. He knows how to "get 'er done". Any and all of his books should be OPEN on your desk, folks.

Barbara Lord Mannewitz (Bury Thy Brother)

If you are looking to learn about what attracts attention in the industry, read this book.

Romancing the A-List: How to Write the Script the Big Stars Want to Make

Chris Keane has written an indispensable tactical manual for the aspiring screenwriter. He generously shares his wealth of insider knowledge and industry experience. I want to take a week-end off, lock myself away somewhere and re-read the entire book ... it is that good. That useful. I suspect that "Romancing the A-List" it will become a reference beacon for many writers.
-P. Packenham

A big star can sell a movie much more than any other aspect - someone may be a fan of Hugh Jackman, but few would be fans of David Hayter, the screenwriter responsible for one Jackman's big films in 'X-Men'. "Romancing the A-List: Writing the Script The Big Stars Want to Make" is a complete and comprehensive guide to attracting those big stars to your screenplay, for that star support in getting the script writer's movie made - and to assure it will get the attention it deserves. Deftly composed and a must for wannabe screen writers, "Romancing the A-List: Writing the Script the Big Stars Want to Make" is highly recommended for writing collections, as well as professional, academic, and community library collections dedicated to film making.

Romancing the A-List is begging for a spot on your nightstand. This book ideal for screenwriters serious about their craft and wanting to get into the business as well as people who are interested in the story process and how their favorite movies have gone from idea to the silver screen. It's informative and entertaining. I like to consider it a classroom in a book. Christopher Keane takes you through all the steps, from creating a mini-treatment to building a screenplay in three acts. He encourages you to think outside the box but also to understand form and structure and method. I don't think I've ever read another book quite like it. I learned more about development of the story form in general in this book than anywhere else. If you don't get it, you won't know what you are missing.

Grandpa bought this book to read to his 21 month old granddaughter. She loves books. We have a good time reading this story. Not too short, not too long. We enjoy looking for the animals hidden in the jungle flora on the opening pages of the book. The rhyming verse story is well done. The pictures are big and colorful. Grandpa has to make the sounds that each animal makes, especially the sound of the big, hairy gorilla thumping his chest. We have a fun time looking for the small ants that are found on each of the story pages (added bonus). There are other similar books written by this author that I would consider purchasing.

My son loves this book so much that when it started falling apart, I bought another one! He asks for this book every night. Highly recommend!!

This book is beautifully illustrated. The vibrant colors invited my students to be actively engaged while we were reading it together. The rhyme scheme of the book made my students laugh and learn at the same time. Humor is always a good way to learn. I would reccomend this book to anyone.

This book has been a favorite in our home since we got it over 8 years ago. The pictures are beautiful and fun. The rhymes are great. It is one of the few books that I do not tire of reading over and over and over again to the kiddos.

Only draw-back is that it is permanately stuck in my head. Can't go to the zoo without finding myself saying the rhymes. Oh, who am I kidding, that's not a draw-back...it is kinda fun! hee hee

This is such a cute book. Bright and colorful pictures to look at, with a story that isn't too repetitive. Readers will not mind reading time and again to children

Very informative but will be somewhat dated as the green market develops. A good starter on where to go to start your green journey.

Big Green Purse is a clarion call to consumers to exert the "power of the purse" and send the only message the marketplace appears to understand: consumers are getting smarter and better informed, and want to spend their money on products that can help sustain, rather than destroy, the planet.

So what if corporate mentality can't conceive of "green" being anything other than the color of money? If enough consumers - most of whom, let's face it, are women - send the marketplace the message that we will no longer purchase unsafe and polluting products in wasteful packaging, the marketplace will respond.

Diane's book is a wealth of information on products we all use every day, and lots of that information is quite alarming. Did you know, for example, that 89% of the 10,500 chemical ingredients that go into lipstick, nail polish, hair coloring, soap, and other personal-care products have never been safety-tested by the FDA? Nor is it known what the cumulative exposure of chemicals linked to serious health concerns can be, yet we bathe with, slather on our bodies, and make-up our faces every day with countless personal-care products. Who exactly does the FDA exist to protect anyway: people or industries?

The beauty of the book is that is not just a litany of frightening statistics - far from it. It is also brimming with advice and resources on where to purchase greener and safer cosmetics, cars, food, household cleansers, clothing, garden products, electronics, furniture, kids' stuff, and more. Enough information, in short, to empower us to change the way we live.

The marketplace will always sell what brings it the most "green," but if we demand less polluting and safer products, well, we the people will have taken responsibility for doing something ourselves to create a "cleaner, greener world." Hey, it's not like we can wait for Congress to take action ...

This book is inspiring me to become a more educated consumer and has given my husband and I some great web links related to eco friendly home improvements.

I enjoyed this book overall. There only seemed to be a few aspects missing....such as in the baby chapter about cloth diapers. She makes it sound as though there's only one style, when in fact there are loads and loads to choose from--and you can always dry them in the sun (at least during the summer) thus saving even more energy. So if you're having a baby, keep looking into diapers beyond the scope of this book.

The other small (big) thing she didn't mention in the gardening chapter was how destructive peat moss is, and how it's being banned in most of Europe with end-dates in sight, whereas nothing of the sort has happened here yet. Peat bogs contain 10% of the earth's fresh water and cannot recover as quickly as we harvest them for garden use. So don't use PEAT! Even though it's usually one of the cheapest "organic" garden mulches in North America. Also, don't buy peat seed pots (the kind that you can just plant in the ground when you move the seedlings outside)...use coir (coconut husk) instead.

Other than that, I liked her opinions and some of her strategies....some will work better for some people than others, depending of course on family size and where you live.

As the book Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern is primarily aimed at women, I asked my wife to read it first. She gave me a sigh, rolled her eyes and said she would skim it, but it ended up being so interesting she read it cover to cover. Here's a direct quote (honest!):

"This is one of the most informative and life changing books I've ever read. It beats those 'self-help' books hands down as this actually contains practical information that you can use and apply for the rest of your life."

Women spend eight-five cents of every dollar in the US marketplace. Big Green Purse is about harnessing that spending power to improve the environment, influence manufacturers and to help you and your family to live a simpler, cleaner and healthier life.

Although my wife recommends reading the whole book, for those that are short on time it's broken into digestable chunks, such as cars, produce, cosmetics, kids and babies, and so on. Even if you don't read the whole chapter there is a wrap up section at the end which summarizes the main points.

She found it extremely interesting as it gave lots of excellent facts and statistics but doesn't lay on a guilt-trip. However you might feel unwell after reading about all the crap we're putting into our bodies... It makes you want to change your lifestyle for the better and shows easy ways to do this without spending any more money.

There are lots of practical tips and suggestions for which products to buy and avoid. These tips are actually useful rather than generic "buy natural" advice you often get. The book has seven Big Green Purse shopping principles:

Buy less
Read the label
Support sustainable standards
Look for third party verification
Choose fewer ingredients
Pick less packaging
Buy local

Instead of just telling us the three R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recyle) Diane actually tells us how we can do it. She expands on information that most of us know at least a little bit about, and my wife picked up a few new facts as well:

Clean, don't sterilize. Avoid anti-bacterial products such as soaps and personal care products as they do more harm than good
Avoid fragrances, phthalates, parabens and triclosan in cosmetics and personal care products
Buy sustainable seafood with the MSC label and select small fish like trout over the larger predators like tuna and seabass
Only certain types of plastics can be recycled - if you have to buy items in plastic, buy ones that can easily be recycled
Plant an eco-lawn as a great alternative to a traditional lawn.
If you plant three trees on the west side of your home you can trim your air-conditioning bill by up to 30% due to the shade they create.

In summary it's a great reference book to have on hand when you go shopping for certain products and although it's geared to women, it has many ideas that men and women would equally find interesting. Finally, my wife says "buy this book and lend to all your friends!"

I am adopting a 8 year old girl and she has a 3 year old sister that is being adopted by another family. She was so excited to give her little sister this book that she could read to her for her little sister's birthday. She wrote her a birthday song on the inside cover. It's really hard to find applicable gifts like this for our situation. I was very exited to find this book and my daughter loved it.

very cute book no big message here that we don't tell our children everyday but they can see the pictures of siblings having fun together and this will inspire them

My 3 year old daughter loves this book! We borrowed it from the library when her little sister was born and decided to buy it. Being a little sister myself, it's really cute and touching.

This book is absolutely darling! The pictures are adorable. I found it in a bookstore shortly after I had my second daughter. Since then, the two girls and I have loved reading it at bedtime! Now I'm looking forward to buying it for a friend of mine who's giving birth to her second daughter. I also thought the big brother little brother version was pretty cute.

This is a super photo story book. The exceptional photography highlights life in the eyes of sisters. We have 3 daughters so we can relate to many of the photos. The great photos allow you to "hear" the joy, frustration, excitement and fun that the sisters are experiencing. I highly recommend this book and "Big Brother, Little Brother" by the same author. Not only are they great kid books but many adults will find themselves reminiscing to their early days of sibling joy.

Capstick's pithy and humerous writings, on the one hand, are enough to make you howl with laughter and, in the next instance, scare the heck out of most sane readers. Rate his book a fiver.

I got this for my husband for his birthday because he lived for 5 years in Africa as a child and his father used to hunt big game, so he loves reading books like this, and he said this one was an outstanding read.

Reading books by authors like Capstick is a very good alternative to reading fiction. When you are reading fiction, however scary, thrilling and realistic it may be, at the back of your mind you know that it is fiction. Some of it may not even be plausible. When you are reading true adventure, it is then that you can realise the closeness of death to life, you can identify with the characters more closely, and you can feel their fear of something as primeval and primitive as claws, fangs and horns. You can also feel their elation at escaping injury.
This book is not meant only for hunters and any one reading it will learn something new on practically every second page.On the whole I did not like it as much as much as "death in the long grass". Still, the book has its chilling moments. It also has its share of dark humor. The author does not defend hunting and "cropping" of elephants as much as he does in death in the long grass.
Halfway through the chapter on leopards, I lost touch with what the author was trying to say.

Originally published in 1983, this book describes big game hunting in Africa. After a brief introduction, each subsequent chapter contains details and anecdotes about hunting each of the Big Five game animals of Africa (Cape Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant, Leopard, and Lion). In particular, this book is largely about the dangers of hunting each of the Big Five. All I can say is that being a safari guide/hunter must be an incredible life. I purchased this after reading Hemingway's `Green Hills of Africa' and Robert Ruark's `Robert Ruark's Africa' and was not disappointed. There isn't really a single narrative through this book, it is written in a more of a conversational style, almost as if you are sitting with Capstick in camp in the evening after a day of hunting and he is recounting various tales, `urban legands', and historical anecdotes about hunting each of the big five over a Scotch whiskey. If you don't know who he was, Peter Capstick was a hunter, guide, and prolific author who passed away in 1996. Capstick writes about a much later era than Ruark or Hemingway, things have clearly changed. There are more people about (farming, grazing animals, etc.), and the game is heavily controlled by the national authorities. Overall this is a very good, if not uniquely outstanding, read. Capstick writes with an easy prose, and the pages just sail by. After working through this book, you're quite likely to get the urge to pack up a few of your shootin' irons and buy an airline ticket to Nairobi (I know I did!). I give it only four stars though as much of the ground covered by Capstick has been well tread by others (e.g. everyone seems to feel the need to give their opinion about which of the big five is the most dangerous). I also liked Ruark's writing style more, and there was something more romantic and dangerous about safari hunting in Ruark's era (this is no fault of PC though) - they really were out in Indian territory. The more modern safari isn't quite so wild. In any case, if you love the outdoors, hunting, and testing your mettle against some of the world most dangerous game (or at least reading about it!), I would highly recommend this book. A little different than hunting white-tailed deer!

Many other reviewers have characterized "Death in the Dark Continent" very, very well. It is a bit more graphic than Capstick's earlier "Death in the Long Grass", but not much.
But you definitely do NOT have to be a hunter to thoroughly enjoy Capstick. I think, though, there are a lot of non-hunters who simply haven't discovered how good Capstick really is at "grabbing you, making you sweat blood, and not releasing you until you've died three times, passed Elvis and Hoffa twice, and are coming around for heart attack number 4. Capstick is not just " a hunter with a typewriter". He is Hannibal Lecter mixed with Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King multiplied by Norman Bates and home-schooled by JAWS. If you thought Amityville and Elm Street were scary, you were wrong. Peter Capstick will show you Scary in "Death in the Dark Continent". If you thought "The Pit and the Pendulum" was mind-wrecking, you were wrong. "Mind-wrecking" starts on page 152 of Death in the Silent Places. Read it early in the day.