Biggs Books


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Biggs Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Biggs
The Story of San Michele
Published in Paperback by John Murray Publishers Ltd (2004-11-08)
Author: Axel Munthe
List price: $19.96
New price: $12.80
Used price: $12.59
Collectible price: $19.97

Average review score:

The story of San Michele-where can I find the film
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-31
I read this wonderful book as a young man back in the sixties and I have just ordered a new version to recapture its wonderful moments

But I also saw the film version many years ago.

No I would be wery exited if anyone could lead me to a DVD or VHS version of the film

Many-Times-in-a-Lifetime Book
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-10
How gratifying to read the other reviews, and to learn that others have also experienced and loved this book at different times in their lives. The remarkable thing about it is how Dr. Munthe speaks to us in different ways at different ages. As a teenager, I was impressed by the passions, even though a lot of the details were above my head. In my late twenties, the way he tried to balance career and his love for San Michele was very meaningful. As a 44-year-old, I was impressed (and saddened) with the loneliness of Dr. Munthe's struggle, with really only his animals for company. While he speaks of friends, he shares little about them. And nothing about a lasting romantic involvement.

We all have our San Micheles. They may not be homes, but they are ideals toward which we strive. But for me, it exists only in my mind. Dr. Munthe was in some ways very lucky, yet also cursed, to be able to bring it to life.

The only frustrating aspect of "San Michele" is that it is, as its author notes, a fragment. I am interested to learn more of this fascinating man. Does anyone know if any biographies are in print, or in English? Thank you.

A Magnificent Raconteur
Helpful Votes: 20 out of 20 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-20
I came to this strange and wonderful book without the slightest inkling of what it was about -- simply because it was in the recommended reading for many guidebooks about Italy. First and foremost, it is an autobiography of a great physician and animal lover who just happened to spend some years of his life on Capri.

Autobiographies can make for strange reading, especially when there are obvious omissions. Although Axel Munthe frequently accuses himself of being a ladies' man, there is no mention of any love interest by name or even generic description. (That reminds me of film director Josef von Sternberg's FUN IN A CHINESE LAUNDRY, where we learn in passing that the author was married because of a cryptic mention in a subordinate clause 300 pages into the book.) Also missing is any mention of Munthe's childhood, although I understand there is at least one other autobiography written by him (MEMORIES AND VAGARIES), which I have not read.

There is, however, one section that does not appear in any autobiography that I have ever seen: An anticipation of Munthe's Last Judgment in Heaven following his death, with St. Peter, Moses, Athanasius, and St. Francis joining in the discussion.

STORY OF SAN MICHELE ranges from Paris to Lapland, Rome, Naples, Calabria, and Capri. We see duels, medical cases of wealthy women with imaginary diseases, demonic housekeepers, quacks, midwives, prostitutes, victims of cholera and earthquakes, brigands, shamans, and even an alcoholic ape. Munthe is a magnificent raconteur, and his book is a joy to read and reread.

A Book to Cherish
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-28
How can one write a review of The Story of San Michele that comes close to doing justice to the book? There are many humorous episodes, such as The Giant and Mamsell Agata, touches of the macabre in the description of the cholera epidemic in Naples, misadventures, like the journey to Sweden accompanying a young man (then his corpse). There are also angry moments, as when his dog Tom is brutally kicked by the slimy Vicomte Maurice. Who could not be moved by the story of the boy John, who was rescued by Munthe but never lived long enough to find a loving home. It is a book that includes many memorable events in a life that was very full indeed. Many of the chapters in this book could be made into marvelous films, given the right adaptation.

The Story of San Michele is very well written, to say the least, and the many people, events and personal feelings of the author combine to make this a special adventure. Perhaps most special of all is Axel Munthe's relationship to animals that allowed him to get close, even to "wild" animals and have a special relationship with them. He was a man who held nature and all life in special regard but was pragmatic in the face of illness and death.

I have had a copy since 1988 and I have given Axel Munthe's book as a gift and been thanked for the introduction. I could not recommend this book highly enough.

A thought provoking book
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-11
My father had mentioned this book to me as a teenager. I read portions of it then, but have always wanted to read it in full. Finally, I found a paperback edition and found an absorbing and thought stimulating book. Dr. Munthe's care of the sick, his love of animals and the characters he describes, all will stay in my memory. This is not a book that you read once. I plan to read it again and again. Hopefully I will be able to visit Villa St. Michele some day and see the beauty of the place that he saw. I hope to find a bound edition with the photographs.

Biggs
Burn Brightly Without Burning Out: Balancing Your Career with the Rest of Your Life
Published in Hardcover by Thomas Nelson (2003-01-07)
Author: Richard K. Biggs
List price: $12.99
New price: $4.90
Used price: $1.75

Average review score:

Awesome!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-25
Outstanding book that'll nurture your heart and nourish your mind. A must read! It's an awesome book, and I highly recommend it.

Leadership Text/
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-08
Dick Biggs' book has something for all of us, from leaders in our military, to industry, and our society. Every parent should have this book because it lays out what is important in life, read relationships, and how to achieve same. We are the leaders of our children, and Dick makes very stronge leadership points. This book is divided into twenty contrasts of life, twenty short chapters loaded with idea, thoughts, and recomendations that we need to study and commit upon. The first chapter, Image and Integrity, is the perfect start. Without integrity we don't amount to much, but too many of us today are only concerned with image. In this chapter, "grit" is found in the word integrity. This book is small, 5 X 7.5 inches, and the chapters are 4 to six pages that makes for handy reading. Read a chapter with your morning coffee, while waiting for the rest of the members to arrive at a meeting, and at other times when you have ten minutes for good thoughs about where you are going. Most importantly, if you take this work seriously, you can determine who you really are and how others know you. We all need to think about Richard Biggs' words, they will help us and our society. This is a great gift for those people you love.

"Burning Brightly without Burning Out"
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-26
"Burning Brightly without Burning Out" is a breath of fresh air to those pressed by the demands of life. Besides being easy to read, the content is straightforward and potent. With so many voices calling for our attention, it's wonderful to have some basic principles by which to evaluate our commitments. Bigg's solid foundation gives his life direction and purpose. Instead of trying to do it "all" half-heartedly, Biggs has discovered the secret of doing a few priorities well. Thanks for the lessons well-learned!

A BOOK FOR LIFE
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-15
They say in five years, you will become the average of the books you have read and the people you have associated with. For two-and-a-half years, I've had the privelege of associating with Dick Biggs as a professional speaker--and now I've been able to read his book. Both have become indispensible resources for me.

Dick is respected among professional speakers for being a man who walks his talk. Reading his latest book, BURN BRIGHTLY WITHOUT BURNING OUT, is almost as good as knowing the man--it will provide very practical assistance if you want to achieve great things in your professional life while building balance into your personal life.

Are you a reader? Then you'll really enjoy this book. Are you working on developing the reading habit? Then this book will get you hooked. If Amazon allowed a SIX-star review, this one would get SEVEN!

Totally Life Changing
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-02
A friend chose this book and left it at my house. I ran out of books for the moment and picked it up thinking it was another one of those...
How absolutely overwhelmed I was at my age (73) to learn so much in so few pages. Much of what he has said to help guide people to a fuller, richer life, I had already learned and applied, but none of us have ever reached the point we can't learn or see something a bit differently.

My life changed drastically when health dictated this master workaholic was ordered to shut down her thriving business overnight or else...For 2 years I have been under recontruction to learn to be at peace in every situation. I can see, however, how to start over again now that my health is back and the doors are slowly opening to be useful again to myself and the Lord but this time I am going to keep this book right along with my Bible so I will put into practice the principles Richard K. Biggs has put forth. For whatever years I have left I intend to do it right and be a blessing to all I meet because of these excellent guidelines.

Biggs
Common Dragonflies of California : A Beginner's Pocket Guide
Published in Paperback by Azalea Creek Publishing (2000-04-05)
Author: Kathy Biggs
List price: $9.95
New price: $9.95
Used price: $9.95
Collectible price: $21.95

Average review score:

Great, easy to take with you guide
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-17
Great pictures and information in an easy to carry guide. The author is worth listening too, if you get an opportunity.

Excellent little book on the dragonflies
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-24
This is really a great little book on a specialized but interesting area of insect identification. Although considered primitive insects (since they undergo incomplete metamorphosis) dragonflies are just cool because they're so big and conspicuous and such strong fliers, and can maneuver at lightning speed, almost like hummingbirds. During the Carboniferous period or Coal Age 340 million years ago, there were dragonflies with 3 foot wingspans, according to the fossil evidence.

They also know how to "play the game." I've watched them many times patrolling the edge of ponds since they know that's "where the action is," during their hunts for prey.

This is an excellent book on indentifying these important insects. If I remember right, 30 or 40 species get covered, which is a good number, and the photos and descriptions are excellent. I found it an excellent guide to learn from and to improve my knowledge of this area, my main interest being in botany, and in identifying flowers, trees, and fungi. This is the best book I've seen on this specialized topic.

The Perfect Field Guide
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-03
As a beginner in the study of these fascinating and beautiful creatures, I found this book clear, concise, and easy to understand and use. The text is simple and complete, and the illustrations are excellent. The small size of the volume makes it fit easily into your pocket for quick reference. Anyone interested in dragonflies will find the book an absolute MUST!

A valuable field guide. Easy to use. Great photographs.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-01-25
This is really nice field guide to have. The photographs are great. Each entry is succint and includes one or two photographs together with a bold line the length of the dragonfly and printed in one of the dominant colors of the dragonfly. There is a checklist in the back so that you can keep track of what you see, and the introductory information in the front of the book is well-written. Though I bought this book for myself, I think that it also would make a great field guide for a child since the book is small, easy to use, and the photos are clear and attractive. It is well worth the price.

A Wonderful Pocket Guide!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-05-08
Common Dragonflies of California is an uncommon book. Full of sound advice and chock full of excellent color photos, this book will be of great interest to any California nature lover. I am the kind of person who loves to know the name of every tree, shrub, flower, reptile, bird and fish that I see. Now that I have this little jewel, I'm going to learn how to identify the dragonflies too. The more we learn about nature, the more enjoyment we get from it. I highly recommend this fine book! I expect it would make a great present too, for the right person. Tom Ogren, author of Allergy-Free Gardening

Biggs
Mary's Bread Basket and Soup Kettle
Published in Hardcover by William Morrow (1975)
Author: Mary Gubser
List price:
Used price: $5.88
Collectible price: $35.95

Average review score:

One of my all time favorites!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-10
My mother-in-law gave me this book 17 years ago when I first got married. It is simple and straight forward. No pictures, but simply one of my all time favorite cookbooks. Mary's soup recipes are easy and wonderful! As soon as the weather turns cold, I can't wait to pull this book from the shelf. You can't go wrong with Mary's Bread Basket and Soup Kettle.

Excellent for beginners and experts
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-09-14
Mary Gubser combined her experience of bread-making and teaching in writing this book, and the result is techniques and recipes that have been tested and tasted. The recipes are easy to follow, even for beginners, thanks to the excellent illustrations. An explanation of different flours and the results they give is another feature of the book. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn to made bread and also to experienced cooks who would like recipes for whole wheat, oatmeal, sourdough, wholesome dark breads, holiday and religious breads -- they are all there.

The first place I look for bread and soup
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-13
My boss gave me this book for Christmas in 1976--we shared a passion for baking, and the illustrator was a friend of his, so I have a signed copy! Over the years, I've made nearly all the recipes at least once. It's the first place I look for wonderful ideas for holiday breads. My daughter earned over $... baking the challah and the sweet muenster bread (with other favorites) by subscription one year. I taught the Sunday School bread baking with the dove of peace bread one Pentecost. I've never had a failure, either of product or response, and it's a shame this book is out of print.

Mary's soup kettle is MY soup kettle, too!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-02
Of 3 shelves full of cookbooks I have, this one is the most worn! In fact, I was looking for another hardback copy to replace mine (which I suspect was a book club version). Each of the many soups I've made from this book is not only wonderful, but is now a standard crowd-pleaser at my house! I make double batches, and freeze containersful for busy weekday nights. I'm usually a sucker for photos in cookbooks, but I trust Mary without the pictures.

This is an incredible book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-28
After checking this book out from the Holt, MI library, I became addicted to bread making. The recipes in here are incredible and delicious. I checked this book out numerous times and was even tempted to keep it and pay the lost fine...but I couldn't do it. You have to check this book out...the breads you'll find here will make you a bread goddess/god with your friends and family! I'm not kidding.

Biggs
Meet the Gecko (Shredderman)
Published in Paperback by Live Oak Media (2007-10-30)
Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
List price: $28.95
New price: $28.95
Used price: $26.09

Average review score:

Shredderman Meets The Gecko Review
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-28
I found this book a good read. I highly recommend this to 8-10 year olds who like realistic adventure mysteries. I recommend this book because it is funny, thrilling, and suspenseful. I only gave it four stars because personally, I think it isn't the best in the Shredderman series. I like it because it's about a average kid, Nolan Byrd, who becomes a bully busting super hero, Shredderman! Nolan meets his all time favorite TV star, The Gecko, from "The Gecko and Sticky". Nolan even finds The Gecko's missing lizard, Sticky. When he was updating his Shredderman site about "The Mole" ,a crazed paparazzi who was caught in the act of setting off a fire sprinkler, he found Sticky who jumped out of his backpack onto his computer. He said to Sticky "I'm going to get this guy in big trouble!" Shredderman had just given his identity away to a gecko! I thought that part was really funny!! It even said that the lizard started grinning! I thing this book has a lot of good lessons. A couple of examples are "What goes around comes around" and "Having friends is good". These are just 2 of the many morals or lessons Shredderman shows.

Shredderman #3 Meet the Gecko
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-24
Shredderman #3 Meet the Gecko
Shredderman #3 Meet the Gecko is about this kid named Nolan Byrd getting to go meet the gecko, his favorite T.V. superhero whose real name is Chase Morton. When before he goes he finds out his enemy Alvin "Bubba" Bixby the bully is going to meet the gecko or Chase Morton. Find out the adventures he goes through.
Overall I'd give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it's a great book for kids of all ages who like to read chapter books. It's very adventurous. I highly recommend this book.

Shredderman - All Books in this Series
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-13
We absolutely loved these books. My son is almost 10 and we read them togehter, Although these are very easy reading for my son's age, we read them together because we enjoy them more that way. We both laugh out loud and really got into the stories. Often we ended up missing the absolute, latest possible bedtime curfew because we just HAD to read on! We would be very interested in other book by this author -- although it seems that her others are geared toward girl readers.

Shredderman succeeds in turning reluctant readers into fans!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-07
I am always trying to find books for my reluctant reader 9 year old. I found this book (actually the first in the series) on a list of "best books" created by kids. It is a winner! The level is good for 2nd to 4th grade.

Hooray for the Underdog!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-19
This is such a great series for boys aged 6-10 especially because it's an awkward time for them as they are growing and feeling sensitive about bullies. My seven year old has read books one and two and in the middle of book three. This series is based around a character named Nolan, who is a 3rd grade computer nerd. He is picked on daily and made fun of until one day he realizes that it doesn't take muscles and popularity to over-power these pests. He becomes an unlikely hero known as "Shredderman," who documents the work of bullies and brings them to justice. This series has lot's of comic mischief and displays a character who is genuinely a do-er of good deeds for all and a morally outstanding child. This series is perfect for intermediate readers, it is strewn with pictures in each chapter which helps if you have an easily frustrated or impatient reader. I think this series is fantastic because it makes it OK to not be the biggest or flashiest kid in class. You'll fall in love with Nolan because he's just an everyday kid who wants to do good in school, obey his parents, and not only doesn't let people beat him down, but prevents those bullies from cornering other victims. Yeah, Nolan! I'm root'en for you kid!

Biggs
Caged In Chaos: A Dyspraxic Guide To Breaking Free
Published in Paperback by Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2005-04-30)
Author: Victoria Biggs
List price: $19.95
New price: $13.95
Used price: $12.94

Average review score:

The Best Yet?
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-02
A great book listing numerous coping strategies through "how it was for me" situations. Often funny, but never patronising, this book deserves to be the subject market leader for a long time to come. The section on bullying is particularly thought provoking. If you want to know what goes on inside a dyspraxic mind this is what you need!

Caged in Chaos
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-10
I highly recommend Caged in Chaos because it is a book on Dyspraxia like no other. There are many academic "how to's" regarding this often mis-understood disability, but not one on what it actually is like to be dyspraxic. I really loved the fact that this book gives readers a snapshot into the dyspraxic child's (or teenager's) world. Caged in Chaos sets itself apart from all other books on the subject. How can we really help those with dyspraxia if we don't know what it feels like to walk in their shoes? Also, author Victoria Biggs' light sense of humor is very refreshing. She's an amazing person -- and terrific role model for my dyspraxic son.

A wonderful book
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-11
This book is fantastic. It's positive, witty and full of practiacal advice for people with dyspraxia and related disorders. It is intelligently and sensitively written. Reading a book by a fellow dyspraxic, who has come through more than most people is really uplifting. Ms Biggs is well informed about dyspraxia. The book is realistic but optimistic about what is is possible for a dyspraxic person to achieve. I congratulate Victoria Biggs.

Highly Recommended
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-17
As the parent of a dyspraxic pre-teen, I have found that while there is an increasing amount of information available about dyspraxia (a.k.a. apraxia), there is not much out there about dyspraxia in older kids and young adults. Not only is "Caged in Chaos" just such a resource, but it provides an insider's point of view, as the author is dyspraxic herself (an extra star for that fact alone.)

In addition to providing many helfpul coping strategies, "Caged in Chaos" also reaffirms that "you are not alone." I lost count of the number of times that that the author mentioned experiences that my child is going through, too. As the general public is largely unfamiliar with dyspraxia, it is quite comforting to know that there are others out there that are sharing similar things.

Buy this book!
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-30
Finally, a book that tells in simple terms what being Dyspraxic is all about. We have a beautiful 7 year old grandchild that is challenged by this condition. This book has given us wonderful ideas on how to make her life easier and help her along the way. This is a "must read" for families who have been touched by Dyspraxia.

Biggs
Common Dragonflies of the Southwest
Published in Paperback by Azalea Creek Publishing (2004-05)
Author: Kathy Biggs
List price: $10.95
New price: $9.90
Used price: $8.99

Average review score:

A nice little guidebook to local dragonflies
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-11
This neat little guidebook contains a lot of basic information about those critters one sees flying around the lakes and ponds of California. It is well illustrated with photographs and gives valuable dragonfly information, such as life spans and named body parts. I plant to have it with me next summer when I go to the lake and watch the dragonflies zooming around, sometimes attached to each other, standing in the air, flying backwards, and performing other aerial gymnastics. It will be nice to know what species I am watching.

dragonflies
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-14
This book gives an introduction to dragonfly and butterfly identification in the southwest. nice photos, leaves you wanting more.There is no rival.

Who Would Have Guessed?
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-28
With the exception of Butterflies, and Bees I've never really looked at flying insects before unless it was to swat them or shoo them away. This book changed that. This book has shown me again that the miracles of nature are right in front of us if we only stop, open our eyes and look. The photographs of our Ms. Biggs'subjects are very well done and I was surprised and delighted to discover the variety of colorful markings that dragonflies have. The information was concise and I thought well illustrated for a beginner observer such as myself. But the best part of this book came later, when a dragonfly landed on a branch in front of me and I stopped, looked, and marvelled-and to think I never saw them before!

A Handy Guide for the Field
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-15
Kathy Biggs' "Common Dragonflies of the Southwest" has filled a need for an easily transported guide to Southwestern dragonflies and damselflies. This is a book to use in the field as it is really "pocket-sized." However it still has excellent photographs and enough detail to be useful.

The Southwest has a surprisingly large fauna of odonates and as the hobby of dragonfly watching is catching on it is an increasingly popular area for such activities. While this guide does not cover all odonates in the Southwest, it does give the owner resources to identify the rest through a complete list, references and internet links. This is a nice feature as some of the species not covered can be unusually common in special locations. The Seaside Dragonlet, for example, is quite abundant at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, New Mexico.

It is great to see my favorite insects (possibly only excepting tiger beetles) become popular as subjects of study. From an aesthetic standpoint dragonflies are much better studied alive and photographed than collected because (even using modern techniques) the often brilliant colors tend to fade in death. While actual specimens are often necessary for documentation and taxonomic study, appreciation for the living insect can have value in behavioral studies and really good photographs of living examples can back up documentation of distributions. Appreciation of scarce wetlands in the Southwest and elsewhere is another benefit.

A necessity for anyone interested in the dragonfly and damselfly fauna of the Southwest, this book will inspire you to get out into the field and really see these amazing creatures.

Pocket Guide to Common Southwest Dragonflies and Damselflies
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-02
This delightful field guide, measuring only 4.5" x 5.25", small enough to be carried everywhere, includes 129 common dragonflies and damselflies of the six states of the southwest--California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Colorado, my home state. Of the 350 superb colored photographs, almost half show dragons AND damsels much larger than life, showing their bright colors and intricate patterns in amazing detail. All 129 males are pictured and most of the females. And this small book is packed with an incredible amount of information: descriptions of males and females, their habitats, flight periods and often their habits. Each family has its own page, making identification easier. There's a glossary and references and an invaluable list of websites for further information, including one prepared just for this book. An extended checklist of all 189 species tells you at a glance which species live in which states. Although the author titles it for beginners, this book is useful for almost everyone with an interest in dragonflies--and it's hard not to be fascinated by these beautiful creatures. Dragonflying is becoming increasingly popular as birders and butterfliers take up dragonflying as well, and this book is a winner for those dragonfliers of the southwest!

Biggs
Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora
Published in Paperback by Heyday Books (2005-10-31)
Author: Andrew Lam
List price: $14.95
New price: $1.26
Used price: $1.99
Collectible price: $34.99

Average review score:

STRIKINGLY HONEST AND TRUE
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-13
As I read this collection of essays, I almost felt as if it were my own memoir. Lam's feelings of growing up in two different cultures struck a cord in me and made me realize that someone else out there felt the same way I did growing up in America.

This is an important piece of literature because it truly captures the sentiment of the Vietnamese-American torn between two cultures, betweeen the contemporary and the traditional, between two separate generations, between war and peace.

For anyone who grew up feeling not really accepted by either your heritage culture or the current one, this is the book for you. Lam truly captures the Vietnamese-American experience and I highly recommend this book.

A telling recounting of one person's Diaspora
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-28
The telling of this most personal journey avoids any and all hyperbole or belittling. Boldly Andrew Lam presents the opportunities found by the exile who chooses to leave his homeland as well as the demanding adjustments he must undergo if he is to succeed in his adopted country.

Back in Vietnam he is viewed as one who is exceptional, a person who has achieved the highest level of sucess. Those opportunites, he finds, do not exist in fact or spirit in his native land.

A Look at Life through The Eyes of a Vietnamese-American
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-07
Andrew Lam writes with such great passion and sensitivity that one becomes totally absorbed in his essays that are in his award winning book "Perfume Dreams". Truly a gifted effort that delivers a literary image of what it feels like to be a Vietnamese-American immigrant. His essays are like a coming of age story with so much more depth than most you read today. This book is amazing and inspiring--it will leave you in an emotional state long after you put the book down.

The author writes about his culture and his struggles for identity. He has roots in two countries not only physically but also spiritually and emotionally as well. His observations, along with his reactions, thoughts and his musings about life and other people are both insightful and entertaining; his essays are important chronicles. The book can be read in an afternoon but it may take a lifetime to fully appreciate what the author has lived and written about.

The book is worthy of your time to its read. I give this book my fullest personal recommendation. This book is a FIVE STAR BOOK!

Important, poignant essays
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-28
Andrew Lam has been writing about the Vietnamese diaspora longer than anyone I know. Since the early 1990s his works have appeared in national publications. "Perfume Dreams" is the amalgamation of his perspectives, ones that many of us former refugees can relate in our own lives. I had the pleasure of taking part in book events in NYC and LA with Andrew. In a way we've come full circle since our last elementary school day in Saigon when a defecting South Vietnamese jet bombed the Presidential Palace a few hundred meters across the street. Pick up this must-have book to better understand the Vietnamese identity in America.

Andrew is a gifted writer and a gate keeper / historian for Vietnamese Americans
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-15

Perfume Dreams is a must read book for all Vietnamese Americans. Andrew is a gifted writer, a gate keeper / history teller for Vietnamese American who are living in America. He has never lost his touch with his root.

The Perfum Dreams touches all sides of experiences the Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. The "haves and not haves, the fortunate and unfortunate" lives of Vietnamese-Americans.

I am looking forward for more of his future books. We should all feel proud to have someone like Andrew to keep us in touch with ourselves and remind us of the challenges in living in America.

Biggs
Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit: An Illustrated Encyclopedia
Published in Hardcover by Firefly Books (2007-03-16)
Authors: Matthew Biggs, Jekka McVicar, and Bob Flowerdew
List price: $29.95
New price: $19.77
Used price: $77.36

Average review score:

He loved his gift!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-14
I gave this to my brother who is a chef as a gift and he absolutely loves it. It has a ton of interesting facts including recipes for the foods.

Vegetables, herbs, and fruit
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-31
I didn't really know what shape I expected, even though the description said good condition. 3 days later! Yes, literally 3 days later I got it in the mail and the condition was PERFECT! I was so happy!

Fun and informative!
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-15
This book is wonderful! Every section gives you a in-depth overview of the vegetable, herb or fruit; detailing different varieties and how they rank in terms of taste and/or hardiness, how to propagate, grow, maintain, harvest and store. Plus gives tips of typical pests/diseases and how to avoid them. Very helpful are the "companion planting" paragraphs, explaining which plants do best next to each other. And to top it all off, each section includes a "culinary" and "medicinal" section, informing you of the best ways to use your crops once harvested. The pictures are beautiful and the wording is easy to understand and to the point. This is a great book for any gardener's reference shelf. Fun to read cover-to-cover, but set up so that you can dip in and out as you choose.

The best that your money can get
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-09
PRO

- Extensive coverage of fruit, vegetable and herbs.
The book says it covers 100 fruits, 70 vegetables and 100 herbs.
Each subject has Cultivation, Companion planting, and Culinary sections. If it's a herb, it also has Medicinal section.

One day I bought a bag of Macadamias nuts from my local grocery store. The label said they were grown in Australia, Hawaii and Africa. I wanted to know more about them. I opened this book to page 555 and voila! I found all the interesting information about them. There were 3 beautiful photos of the nuts, the tree and the dish made from the nuts. It's informative and mouth watering.

- Very well illustrated.
Each fruit, tree, or vegetable has at least 3 pictures. They're beautiful. The Culianry section always has a picture of the dish made with the fruit, herb or vegetable. It's so colorful and lively that it makes me hungry!

- It's hard covered. So, it will last a long time.

CONS

- It uses the term "Long", "Short", "Medium" to describe the life span of the trees without giving a range in years. This is frustrating because I am not sure approximate how long they live. But I can easily find this information from somewhere else. No book is perfect.

In short, it's definitely worth buying. I use it almost daily for cooking recipes and for general information. Together with Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/, it makes a complete reference. You can find any information on these subject with these 2 resources.

The best gardening book I own
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-06
This book has the most readable practicle information on every vegetable, herb or fruit I would ever grow plus many others. It covers some history of origin, varieties, cultivation, propagation, container and garden growing, harvesting & storage as well as uses both medicinal and culinary and also some recipies. I have not come across a more extensive book. My son & daughter both in their early 20's and just starting vege gardening use this as their bible. Well worth owning.

Biggs
Feng Shui Directory
Published in Hardcover by Watson Guptill (2000)
Author: Jane Butler-Biggs
List price:
Used price: $7.99

Average review score:

The Art Behind the Placement
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-11
Jane Butler-Biggs and editor Alison Daniels? We should bless their very socks and shoes, for in writing The Feng Shui Directory, they have given us a book that shines like a beacon out of the musty, dusty, teetering pile of current Feng Shui titles. Everytime I dip into this book, it starts my synapses zinging!
The Feng Shui Directory helps us to change our attitiudes, not just our furniture. It shows us how to PAY ATTENTION, giving us the skills to recognise how our homes affect us, and, reciprocally, how our behaviour and thinking affect our homes.
Consider the chapter on prosperity. It begins with several thought-provoking questions to ask ourselves regarding
abundance. It goes on to offer solutions for long-term patterns of poverty, a ritual to promote abundance and several methods to to invite sucess into our lives. With a wonderful assortment of practical techniques to apply all over the house and garden, it even informs us how many changes to make at a given time, how fast to do them and how to tell if youve gone a bit overboard boosting your wood energy!
The Feng Shui Directory is a really supportive book, written with much compassion, humour and crystal clear common-
sense. As a Feng Shui practitioner, I recommend this book to those clients, who, in the true spirit of transformation, really wish to explore the art behind the placement.
It 's a great book!

The Feng Shui Directory
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-11
Excelent book of fheng shiu, easy, dinamic, well organice, interesting. The perfect book to underestand this ancient art of well living as a beginner.

A Great Feng Shiu Guide
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-10
The Feng Shui Directory is a great way to start Feng Shiu and learn more about it. Much more than a guide to interior decorating or an ancient scheme of superstitions, Feng Shui is presented along with all the psychological and scientific benefits.

This book isn't organized - like other books of it's sort - by the rooms in your home. Instead, chapters like "Family" or "Love and Realtionships" describe how to use Feng Shiu to change different areas of your life. Feng Shiu is presented as a way of thinking and getting in touch with yourself, not as a guide to rearranging furniture.

The authors take a minimalistic approach - change slowly, over time, and feel things out. You won't be told where the table must go, but how to tap into your intuition and figure out (within the guidelines of Feng Shui) where you might best place it.

The entire book is in full color, and the illustrations and "Quick Fixes" sections are a great addition. This book is probably too general for the experienced Feng Shui-er seeking to improve specific areas of his/her life, but overall it's a definite thumbs up.

One of the Best on Feng Shui
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-09
This book is fabulous. I have purchased many feng shui books and this ranks as one of the best. It does a better job than any other book relating psychological issues to feng shui. It is very well laid out and easy to read in sections, or at one time. Much more thought provoking about how your life relates to your environment than the others. No trite cures here. It would be good to read a more basic feng shui book before this one so you understand the bagua etc. This book does not cover that, it seems to assume that you know the basics. A real winner. I have ordered more for friends.


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