Brian Books

So I am not sure why all the other reviews say this is great for a hand exam, but it is a fabulous book for any clinician interested in clinical immunology. Great reviews of the immunology behind the clinical diseases. I have to say I am an author of one of the chapters in the upcoming new edition, but I used the second edition extensively when I was a post-doc and needed to learn quickly what was going on in the field. A great book!

This set of books is a great asset to our rehab clinic. We were able to put the information into practice as soon as we got the books. It is an exhausive resource for UE rehab.

One of the most comprehensive textbooks on the market. Includes detailed anatomy reveiw, diagnostic and treatment methods. Provides concise and up to date information about a variety of hand and upper extremity conditions. The "must have" resource for all hand therapists.

Worth every penny!! Used this as my main reference to study for the hand examination.

This book is wonderful.It was worth every penny. This is my main resource that I use when I have a question on any hand problems. The book is very thorough and informative.It is a "must have" for any hand therapist.

The book is designed to offer a good list of places to scuba relying on the use of dive operators - it lists many. Its use for a couple who just wish to go alone (in a buddy system, of course) is limited, since the locations are not exactly defined. The book also offers a lot of advice as to many facets of diving in these areas. In general, it is an excellent book with the caveat of not giving exact coordinates nor reference points by which to find the specific spots.

This book is very thorough on the coverage that I was looking for. I recommend this book. Actually, I couldn't find any other books that covered Puerto Rico.

This is one of the most thorough and up to date dive travel books I've ever read. We used a lot of the information on diving and related material on our recent trip to P.R. and found it very helpfull and accurate.

Once again we have an excellent and very useful publication aimed at amateur and professional diver alike. This is a true guide which concentrates on providing all the relevant and peripheral information that any Scuba Diver will want to know in respect of any of the Caribbean destinations covered. The maps and diagrams are particularly useful - and very easy to follow.

We live in an age where diving instructors and dive guides "have" to know what they are doing and it is interesting to see those professionals are using this book and not any of the glossy alternatives. Sadly, we also live in an age where many diving publications fall short. Too much false information - and even total lack of information is hidden behind excellent underwater photographs as publisher after publisher seeks to beguile, confuse and even mislead the potential buyer. Not so with this book!

My direct experience has been to find this series of books contain exactly the information divers require before during and even after their trip. Very well written, it includes all the general information on diving, facilities, climate, sea, regulations, boats, cruise liners, resorts, hotels, flora, fauna, shipwrecks, photography and safety. It then moves on to cover each of the target Caribbean countries which are the main subject of the book before concluding with a Glossary, Bibliography and Accident and Emergency Information.

We can all find pretty pictures on the internet - without even having to pay to see them. Information, however, especially reliable information, is much harder to find. If you are contemplating a trip to any of the countries featured in this book, you will find all - and I do mean "ALL" the information you require right here. That might be at the expense of some pretty pictures - but hey, once you get there, you can take those yourself.

In summary, once again we have "A Complete Guide" - which is exactly what it says on the cover.

NM

I have been meaning to review this book for some time as it is one of the most thumbed books on our book shelf. My wife and I run a charter yacht in the Virgin Islands and many of our guests are keen divers. We bought The Complete Diving Guide for our own use initially but it has since become part of the yacht's library as our guests find it so useful and enjoyable to read. (as our copy is getting rather worn I'm pleased to say that many of them buy their own copy after having seen ours). It is rare to find a book that is so comprehensive and which presents a vast amount of information in such a readable manner. In particular we find the island and dive site maps useful along with the descriptions of the dives and the underwater route maps. I can direct our guests at the tyupe of dive that I think they would enjoy and they can read about it beforehand. They can also choose the dive store they would like to use. I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone planning to do some diving in the Virgin Islands (it even covers the Spanish Virgin Islands).

Brian continues to do a job for all aviation by TELLING IT LIKE IT IS. This is over due in aviation.
Paul Stebelton, USAF Pilot (Retired), Accident Prevention Specialist (FAA, 13 years)

Do you think your safe? Maybe you'll think again after reading Captain Power-Waters Danger in the Air. This bestselling author unleashes yet another earthshaking book blasting the FAA and Airline Industry as he uncovers their unsafe practices. Now when I'm on an airliner, I have to ask myself, "Do I feel luck?"
Captain Steve Goodman, Air Frame and Power Plant Mechanic, Aircraft Inspector

If you are interested in the inside story of the attack on America, how the Federal Aviation Administration contributed to it, how airport security is still a Joke, and how the FAA and airlines are fighting to extend the time a pilot is confined to the cockpit, then this is the book for you.
Carl T. Butterworth, Senior Captain, American Airlines, Retired Brigadier General, Air National Guard

Captain Power-Waters, drawing on his vast experience in aviation...brings together facts and information concerning the truth about aviation safety and the failures made by the agency tasked with overseeing it-the FAA.
William A. Faville, Former Director, Safety and Technology, National Air Traffic Controller Association

An enthusiastic thumbs-up to Captain Brian Power-Waters, America's conscience on air safety. Danger in the Air pulls no punches and harbors no sacred cows... will make you uneasy and angry, and may drive you to scream for reforms.
Alex Michelini, former award-winning Investigative Reporter, New York Daily News

Brian Michael Bendis' run on Daredevil (Vol 2. Issues 26-81) is by far one of the greatest runs ever produced. In this hardcover are his first two story arcs Underboss and Out, Out being the best of the entire run. Well worth buying used considering it is out of print.

This edition collects Dardevil 26-37, and showcases the beginning run on the series by Brian Michael Bendis (my favorite Comic Book writer) and new series artist Alex Maleev. The storyline is very good (as is just about anything Mr. Bendis writes), and continues the Kingpin's run of rotten luck - something usually reserved for the title character. There is not much "superheroing" in this book, but instead the shift is more to a crime noir type of story - something that is well suited to the character and something Bendis enjoys and excels at writing. Daredevil's secret identity is "outed" and this causes him all sorts of problems. When you get to the end, you are definitely left wanting more. So, if you get this book, you will definitely want to also get Vol. 3 to complete the storyline (at least, complete most of the plot lines).

The artwork in this collection is not my favorite, but it has a distinct look to it that is different from just about anything alse you'll see. The artwork is not nearly as clean and clear as much of what you may see in other books, but it does "fit" the tone of the book, and Bendis seems to love Mr. Maleev's work, so chances are that he'll be on this series as long as Bendis is. Overall, I liked this Vol. equally as well as Vol. 1., but people looking for a traditional "battle of the spandex-clad heroes and villains" will probably not like it as much as I. However, if you're looking for a more realistic, "talking heads" type of storyline, you'll definitely enjoy this book.

This installment of the Daredevil comic series by Brian Bendic and Alex Maleev is another great story in a long line of Daredevil sagas. This story involves the Daredevil's indenity being exposed for al to see. The press hounds Matt for the truth and they report the 'Kingpin is Dead.'

The Kingpin's appearant demise (and apearant is the operative word) was maters-minded by an up-and-coming punk named Mr. Silke. He is a visitor to Hell's Kitchen from Chicago and the opening scene, taken from Shakespear's 'Julius Ceaser' is interesting.

I don't want to review the story as to give anything a way. The Kingpin subplot is actually more inteersting than the Daredevil/Matt Murdock exposed story. But the Kingpin story works because of the Matt Murdock exposed story. It is a nice compliment.

As is a tradition in the Marvel Universe, there are cameo appearances from other Marvel Universe characters; Spiderman, Electra, and the Black Widow all appear, but they hinder this story and bog it down. The appearance of the Kingpin's wife Vanessa, however, gives this story an interesting subplot and lift. She is a character rarely used and Bendis does use her hear brilliantly.

The artwork is of a film noir style and works very well. The story does slow down in some areas and the cameos didn't help; but, overall - this is another great Daredevil adventure.

Daredevil, in my view, is the greatest and most enticing character in all comicdom. Before all of you go out shouting "Jesse Custer" or "Spider-Man" or "Batman" or "Wolverine," let me explain why. He's real and he's the most relatable in the sense of human conflict with others and himself. What sets him above everyone else is that he and Matthew Murdock are essentially the same character. Look at Peter Parker and look at Spider-Man -- there are big differences between them. One's shy, one's flamboyant. One battles bills, the other battles symbiotic aliens. One's more of a nerd, the other's cooler.

But with Murdock and Daredevil? They're one and the same. They're cocky. Arrogant. A bit of a jerk.

Now how does he relate to us simple people, while he's blindly (heh) jumping off rooftops and facing off against murderers? Easy. He's had mental breakdowns. He's lost loved ones after loved ones after loved ones. You can take everything away from him, and you can still not destroy him completely. He fears God, he reveres his father, and he does lose faith in everything, including the creator of all that is good.

He may be rich. He may be a famous lawyer. He may be blind and he may battle crime vigilante-style regardless of the loss of sight. But all he's looking for is meaning in life, and for love. And, in looking for this, he's been hurt way too many times, way more than he should have been. And how have you been in your life?

Has it been painless?

There have never been any tests of strength?

Have you never been alone?

Have you never doubted everything?

His life, no matter how fantastic, has always been one tragedy after another. That's the case for more people than it isn't.

We're all mentally exhausted, and so is Matt Murdock. Within this collection is one of the greatest showings of his strength and his will, perhaps his best. Out of all the Daredevil sagas, this is my favorite. Buy it and believe.

Ever since the Kevin smith relaunch, Daredevil has been amazing. This Volume contains the both the "Underboss" and the "Out" story lines, issues 26-37. Bendis is amazing at crime stories and he took Daredevil and gave the comic a movie feel more satisfying than the one out in theaters now. His story telling of the gritty crime underground, combined with Maleev's unique style, give the book a sense of feel and texture unique in comics.

The first storyline involves the mystery behind the disappearance of the Kingpin, Wilson Fisk, who controls all crime in New York. A man named Silke, the son of Kingpin's former partner, is given a second chance and relocates to New York. He gathers a group of Kingpin lieutenants and attempts to overthrow the Kingpin. This begins a series of events that include it being open season on Matt Murdock and a Fisk family reunion.

The second story, named Out, begins with the headline of the Daily Globe (the NY Post in the Marvel world) on April 17, 2002 declaring that Matt Murdock is Daredevil. A media circs begins as old enemies show up to get revenge on Daredevil and Foggy (Matt's legal partnr and best friend), in a well written speech, implores Matt to retire.

The Bendis/Maleev collaboration is one of the best in comics. They will soon be mentioned in the same breath as other great tandems like Busiek /Anderson/Ross or Ennis/Dillon.

The book is exactly as promised. It arrived quickly and in excellent condition. I wouldn't hesitate to order from this company again. The book itself is much more than anyone has a right to expect. Page after page excites as it informs. It's hard to sit near it without reaching for it and once reaching for it you're hooked all over again. Wow

This book contains lots of new information on recent discoveries and on-going projects that I've read about. Love the information. Lots of photos ,too.

I just received the book today and although I have not yet read it, I am unbelievably impressed by the beautiful pictures. The book is filled with page after page of color pictures covering all areas of the archaeological world from Egyptian tombs and mummies to Incan mummies and the ice man of Europe. Visit Egypt, Peru, England, the Middle East, Turkey, China and many more places. Although the emphasis is on ancient archeology, more recent discoveries are included such as Jamestown, Virginia and the ironclad ships of the American Civil War. The various archeological sites are covered in 246 fascinating pages. Concise stories about each site allows the reader to get good basics for further reading. A different author writes about each site in 2-4 pages. DISCOVERY! is a great book for anyone interested in archeology and history and for someone who enjoys travel. The pictures alone make this a wonderful book and the most amazing fact of all is Amazon's very low price for such a high quality book.

First off, the dust jacket photo on the front is a real turn-off, so ignore it. Each chapter covers a different aspect of current archaeological study, including my favorite, looted Greek artifacts. Not every chapter will appeal to every reader, but I bet nobody can pass the great pictures and not read a snatch about it. Worth the price I paid for it.

A work of art in and of itself, "Discovery!" illuminates the most significant archeological discoveries of the past 15 years. Many of the accounts published here are by the discovers themselves, accounts written with a general audience in mind. The editor/compiler, Brian M. Fagan, is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of California<
While the text is the most important element of the book, it also contains 320 illustrations, 312 of them in full color. These expert photographs allow the reader to see and examine the artifacts that are described in such careful detail in the text.<
Thames & Hudson is a publisher that has long produced some of the most important and beautiful art books in the world. This one is literally world-ranging in its scope. The finds are from the proverbial "four corners of the Earth" and some date back into unimaginable prehistory.<
Science buffs and art lovers alike will find this book a necessary addition to their libraries. Even casual readers will find themselves captivated and enthralled.

You open this book and the endpapers swirl and glow like black painted silk. They're the first indication you receive that this book is something special. Something different. Something apart from the rest. Using the narrating character of one Scat Cat Monroe, an actual well-dressed feline, the story follows Ella from child to lady of the stage. As we watch, Ella moves to Harlem thinking she's gonna make it big through dancing. Once there, however, she switches her focus and unleashes her fabulous voice. She pairs up with the Chick Webb Orchestra and Al Feldman. She then bebops with Dizzy Gillespie and earns herself the name "The Queen of Scat". It's a fabulous upbeat tale that takes the spirit of Ella Fitzgerald and lets her shine. The best possible tribute to her name.

The text of the story is especially amusing. Sometimes a book will attempt to speak in a jiving slangy sort of way and simply come off as annoying. Other times, the author sounds as if he/she is trying too hard. Fortunately, Andrea Davis Pinkney has everything under control so that when the book says something like, "She won the contest straight up, kicked her dance dreams to the curb, and pinned all her hopes on being a singer", you know it's true. There's a poetry to this book's speech that never crosses the line from authentic to agonizing. Instead, it's got a rhythm all its own.

Accompanying Andrea's text are Brian Pinkney's illustrations. At first I was a little put off by the amount of magical realism evident in its pages. Then I read Brian's inspirations (William H. Johnson, Aaron Douglas, the Art Deco movement, etc.) and it all made sense. And there's no arguing that the pictures here are fan-freakin'-tastic. Brian Pinkey has used scratchboard to make these images as bright and free flowing as they are. The result looks like nothing so much as woodcuts on acid. There's breath and movement to these pictures, and Ella herself has been granted the power of appearing larger than life.

If I've any objections to this book, maybe it comes with the choice of creating Scat Cat Monroe. Do we really need an anthropomorphic cat to lure children into this story? But it's a small complaint. Andrea Pinkney is kind enough to supply a biography, bibliography, videography, and selected discography at the end of the book for future reference. Always a nice touch. The Pinkney duo have truly created one of the best picture books encompassing the jazz, scat, and bebop movements of the past. This is the book to read.

I found a children's book about her, even better. It was a great book to jive with. Beautiful pictures, and a nice history lesson on this wonderful woman!

Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale Of A Vocal Viruosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Scat Cat Monroe is the amazing true-life picture book story of the First Lady of Song, also known as the Queen of Scat, Ella Fitzgerald. This amazingly gifted African-American singer, and her illustrious achievements are presented with free-wheeling, full-color illustrations by Brian Pinkney and a jivin' prose. A great story to share with young people about the joy of music and reaching for one's dreams, this Weston Woods school library packaging edition is enhanced with the inclusion of a CD of the story with page-turn signals.

The Pinkney couple's biography on Ella Fitzgerald is a delightful read for young children who want to learn more about the talented jazz artist. The use of narrator Scat Cat Monroe as a device to engage children is successful especially due to his use of language. The rhymes and rhythms the authors adopt to tell the story echo the snazziness of the music at the time. Young readers will thoroughly enjoy getting to know more about the artist Fitzgerald through this story.

"You may think I look like any other cat. But baby, I'm in a class all by myself. Scat Cat's my name. Scat Cat Monroe. A name I've earned. Got my name from knowin' Ella. Ella Fitzgerald. The Queen of Scat. What's scat? you ask. Scat's the sound that don't hold back. Ella's sound-that was scat. Singing so supreme. Music's velvet-ribbon dream..." Narrated by this cool, zoot suited feline, Scat Cat Monroe introduces the incomparable, Ella Fitzgerald, to a whole new generation of fans. From her humble beginnings in Yonkers, New York, to her contest winning debut at Harlem's Apollo Theater at seventeen, to her meteoric rise, singing with the big bands and jazz artists of the 1930s and '40s, Scat Cat was there, stompin' at the Savoy with the Chick Webb Orchestra and jammin' to cloud nine and back with Dizzy Gillespie. "Now, when Ella performed, she let her lyrics go. She took her singing out to play." Andrea Davis Pinkney's engaging, lyrical text swings with imagery, magic, and rhythm. Brian Pinkney's bold, bright, and inventive illustrations dazzle, as they swirl around the pages to the music of the words. Together, word and art create an inspiring and captivating introductory biography starring the First Lady of Song. With an Author's Note at the end to complete the story, Ella Fitzgerald is an energetic, fun-filled tribute, that's perfect for music lovers 8-12, and also works well as a read-aloud for younger children.

A terrific read. Brian really hits it on the nail. As a sales training company owner, and book author myself, who is at a crossroads right now in his life, Brian King's story and advice is one for any 30 something. An extremely perceptive individual, Brian reminds us that our "issues" are everyone's issues. His lessons remind us to not wait until we are confronted with physical crises before we address our emotional crises. Lessons such as helping others - WITHOUT THE GOAL TO BE HELPED BACK - are huge. His "Hara" of the only two things you can control- Who You Are and What You Do is dead on accurate. For anyone who has ever thought they are alone in the world and seeking human fulfillment, this is a must read.

Todd B. Natenberg<

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who truly wants to improve themseves and the quality of their lives.The book is written in a interesting and sometimes humorous way so that it is not like an average self help book.I would say this book is an absolute must for anyone with Cancer or any other life altering disease.It is widely known in the medical field that attitude is largely responsible for survival of a dread disease.This book can help you Cure your negative feelings to enable you to work on getting well.

While the title is decidedly ominous, the author doesn't really mean to suggest that we are all doomed to suffer the ravages of a life-threatening illness. Rather, we are given a poignant account of a young man's encounter with testicular cancer. We journey through the author's passage from physical illness to physical and spiritual wellness, beginning with an emotional narrative of his disease and how it affected his life as well as the lives of those around him. But the underlying metaphor, in fact, the reason for this book lies in the subtitle: "Cures for the Negative Thoughts That Are Cancerous to Our Lives."

Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, many of us are looking for a wizard to help light our way, to provide answers to better help us cope with life's pitfalls. And, like Dorothy, at the end of a long, and sometimes arduous voyage, (King does suggest a bit of homework) the reader discovers that true power and wisdom come from within.

Then why bother to take this trip? Well, for many of us, the answers we seek are not as accessible as we would like. King imparts a perception that helps us tap into a component of ourselves that is sometimes cleverly hidden. He becomes a friend, offering compassion and a beam of light, so that we know we are not alone in our travels. And, if given the choice, most of us would rather travel with a companion.

"Everybody Has a Tumor" is an inspiring book about this authors ordeal with testicular cancer and how he overcame it. I recommend this book not only for all cancer patients and their families, but for anyone who has been through anything tragic in their lives. Overcoming tragedies in life is not easy - this book offers COMFORT and HOPE for all who read it! While it teaches anyone suffering from an ailment that they must not allow their minds and their spirit to feel the same way their body does, it also teaches those whove suffered a tragedy in life to move on and not allow that tragedy to break their spirit.

Brian King's personal story is not only inspirational but offers the most important component of overcoming, and that is hope. Without hope we have nothing. Brian also shares some of his wisdom , based on his personal experiences, to guide us along the way. Take the journey and experience the hope.

I read this book with no prior knowledge of the author or any of his other literary work. What first captured my attention were the two young men of color on the book cover. Second thing that captured more of my attention were the well done, scenic, and colorful illustrations by Brian Pinkney. Author Robert D. San Souci even added a glossary for the words that young readers of the English language may not be familiar with. For example, words such as Bon-Die, Bonjou, Monfi, and Monsieur.

"The Faithful Friend" tells the heartfelt story of just that...a faithful friend. Clement (of Martinique in the Caribbean) and Hippolyte (of French descent) were friends, yet as close as brothers. They embark on a travel for Clement to propose marriage to a young woman that he fell in love with by sight of a picture only. Along the way they discovered the dead body of an old beggar in a banana grove. The good hearted young men provide a burial for the body and continued on their journey. After reaching their destination, all was well with the woman... but her Uncle did not care for a marriage between the two. The Uncle was also a wizard. He attempted to cast a spell on the young man who sought a wife, but the faithfulness of a friend caused none of the spells to work. On their journey home the friendship is demonstrated in more ways than one. The mystery that surrounds the spells and the faithfulness of the friend captures the readers attention. At one point I thought that I could predict the ending, but the author was too slick to let his readers be disappointed by having a predictable ending.

Overall, this is one book that I will highly recommend to young readers because it is well done from beginning to end (story and illustration). It is like an old folks tale with a French & Caribbean flavor. It may also spark a young reader to want to learn a foreign language, which is a valuable skill to acquire.

Review by:
Pamela Jarmon-Wade

Set on the French West Indies island of Martinique, this classic telling of two inseparable friends who would give their lives for each other, offers more than mere fairy tale. Clement and Hippolyte are as close or closer than brothers, even though they do not share the same race. They have been raised together since birth and cannot be parted. On a journey to find Clement's true love, they find and bury a homeless man, run from an enraged uncle, and dodge three curses cast upon them by a quimboiseur (a wizard).

At first I wasn't sure I would like this tale, as I made my predictions while reading. I thought I had completely guessed the ending. "How predictable," I surmised. "Too easy to figure out." As I continued to flip the pages, my predictions began to unravel.

This book represents the length that a friend will go to help and care for a true friend. These two young men have built a very strong bond that holds them together like brothers. This story takes place on an island with many twists and turns that make it a very exciting story. I think it is very important to let children know that we should be loyal to others in time of need. This story really hits on the true meaning of friendship, although it is fiction. My students love the illustrations which are done in scratchboard. Robert D. San Souci is a very good author for folk literature. I also like his book, The Talking Eggs. His work is good for teaching good values, or morals to students through unreal happenings.

The Faithful Friend is a French tale base in the Caribbean on the island of Martinique. Two inseparable friends, Clement and Hippolyte, are on a journey to propose marriage. After a beautiful woman named Pauline accepts Clement's proposal her uncle sets out to destroy them both. Three zombies have cast spells on the couple and it's up to Hippolyte to save them. The content seems to be appropriate for the ages indicated on the back of the book. However, there are some fairly complex words within the text, but a glossary has been provided at the beginning of the book. The Faithful Friend is definately written for young children, yet adults will enjoy the tale as well. Each illustration brings more meaning to the text. It uses bright, beautiful colors that words could never describe. They are also very accurate and consistent with the story. The artist uses a scratchboard technique throughout the entire book. This book seems to have been binded well, and the front cover bears two handsome young African boys, along with the Caldecott Honor sticker! Two thumbs up!!

When author Robert San Souci isn't writing yet another version of the Cinderella story (this man has done everything from skeletons to Cajuns, I kid you not) he can be found writing the film script to the Disney film Mulan, adapting every folktale known to man, and collaborating with some of the best living children's illustrators out there today. He can probably tile his floor with his Coretta Scott King Awards at this point and that Caldecott Honor he acquired from "The Faithful Friend" probably doesn't look too shabby either. Of course, Mr. San Souci hasn't a degree in folktales nor has he ever worked in a professional capacity when studying them. My response? Capacity schmapacity. This guy does his research, knows his stuff, and produces some of the best darned picture book folktales out there today. If his backgrounds just in advertising and film reviewing, so be it. At least he has a healthy respect for the genre and a great ear for folktale text. "The Faithful Friend" is an excellent example of both.

On an island in Martinique, two boys grew up on a sugar plantation. One boy was Clement, a brown-skinned boy who's father owned the estate. The other was Hippolyte, Clement's white companion and servant of the house. The boys grew up together and one day Clement told his friend that he'd fallen in love with Pauline, the niece of a man rumored to be a wizard. Hippolyte worries that there may be danger in going to visit her, but his friend won't be talked out of it. Together they travel along the coast road and, as they go, bury a poor beggar they find dead along the road. When at last the boys meet Pauline she's charmed by Clement but her uncle is not impressed. Though she swears to marry her new (some might say instant) love, the uncle vows to stop them at whatever the cost. Now Hippolyte must save his friend and insipient bride from zombies, poisoned fruit, nasty water, snakes, and that awful fate of turning to stone. Friendship has never been so good.

In an Afterword of the book, San Souci gives a riveting account of the many variations of this tale and gives a mighty compelling explanation of why exactly he chose this particular version. Turns out that this story is a Martiniquan version with an alluring chance to incorporate ghosts and grateful dead (sans Jerry Garcia) to the mix. He makes several allusions to "The Types of the Folk-Tale" by Antti Arne, which lists every single folktale variant and gives each one a number. Hence, your average grateful deal/the dead man as helper tale is tale type 505 while the rescued princess/the grateful dead man story is more along the lines of tale type 506. I don't know about you but I'm now itching to get my hands on this "Type" book to find more stories that fit certain molds.

When he chose to tell this tale of a black character and his white hero sidekick, San Souci switched the genre from the typical white-guy-and-his-magical-black-friend story found in every bad movie and book to something original and interesting. Race is not necessarily a factor in this book, allowing the viewer the chance to concentrate far more on the story than the politics. Because San Souci is throwing every folktale trick into the mix (from the ghostly to the ghoulish to the ghastly to the gorgeous) you might think that he's in danger of spreading himself too thin. Quite the opposite turns out to be the case. Though he draws from a variety of different sources, San Souci finds the perfect balance between the fabulous and the meaningful. This is a story about friendship, plain and simple. It just throws in a few zombies here and there for kicks.

San Souci has paired with every conceivable illustrator in the past and in this particular case he has been put together with the very well-known Brian Pinkney. Personally, I much prefer Brian Pinkney's pictures to those of his father Jerry Pinkney. His pairing with San Souci has always been particularly inspired, and I consider their work on "Sukey and the Mermaid" to be an example of one of the best picture books available to kids today (and certainly the top mermaid picture book every made). In this picture book Pinkney engages in full-throttle no-holds-barred scratchboard and oil pictures. The result are lush full-color spreads that shed delicate pink/purple light from oil skies onto scratchboard faces or delicately swirl circular winds of power around hot orange mangoes in a zombie's hand. Speaking of the zombies, I don't know how San Souci pictured them when he wrote this story down, but Pinkney has made them somewhat hot. These are good-looking zombie women. An odd but interesting choice on the artist's part.

You know, I don't usually like scratchboard picture books. When Mr. Pinkney wrote and illustrated, "The Adventures of Sparrowboy", I felt the technique was completely unnecessary. Seeing it in the context of this story, however, it not only works but compliments the story itself. All in all, "The Faithful Friend" is everything a good children's folktale should be. Creepy and lovely and with a good moral that is not moralistic. A jolly good read altogether.

Brian Wilcox captures in this lovely book the true majesty of New York. The magic the city evokes is splashed upon these pages. His incredibly detailed, beautiful drawings are just wonderful. They're facinating to adults, as well as children.

Anyone who has been fortunate to have a groovy grandmother in their lives or who just digs that Big Apple should buy this book.
A great gift for all ages.

A young boy searches for a lost grandmother as he's transported on a magic journey through nighttime New York City. A magic crystal globe transports him in this beautiful story, which holds black and white illustrations by Wilcox throughout.

Full Moon is a different enrty in the vast field of children's books. Black and white pencil drawing force the reader's mind to come alive as a vivid yet simple story is told that every child can relate to. Each page of Brian Wilcox's Full moon is a work of art sure to capture the rapt attention of any child with whom you share this short story. For a first work, Wilcox has a sure winner. I bought this book for my two-year old god-son and plan to buy several more for my nieces and nephews this Christmas.

The illustrations are full of incredible detail such that you discover something new each time you read it. The story line is reminiscent for any grandmother that influenced a grandchild during the child's lifetime.

My seven and four year old children enjoy reading this book at bedtime. We live far away from my kids grandmothers and this book keeps their grandmothers' presence alive in their daily lives. We visited New York City this summer and Brian Wilcox' creative interpretation of America's most vibrant city is truly a delight for their young minds.

In the wake of the World Trade Center disaster last September 11, I couldn't think of a more appropriate children's book to showcase New York City.

This book describes many impacts of environment destruction in many countries like Egypt, India, China and Arabia. But the best thing is its explanation of how this has affected women. The parts on the ancient Middle East offer important insights for understanding what happened to the women's roles in history.

I was surprised how much is packed in this book. It mixes the history of religions, empires, migrations of people, with big movements of environmental destruction and healing. Somehow it all fits into one huge story of people's efforts to live on our planet. Sometimes it's so detailed I had to put it down for awhile, but then I got curious about all the questions it raises. I never thought that making deserts could generate so many waves across the world, or turning the land green again could change life so much.

According to Griffith, we have been slowly denuding the land and turning it into desert for several thousand years. The places where civilization began in the Middle East were degraded first, and a circle of largely man-made desertification has spread outward ever since. As we've depleted nature, people in the affected areas often moved away in waves of migration toward greener areas. And where people degraded their environment, there have been big impacts on their culture and way of life. Griffith describes how environmental destruction has affected things like politics, religion, or economics. It's a very colorful, expansive book, and makes you realize how old a lot of our modern problems are. It also makes solving these problems seem quite possible, since many groups of people are having some good success. I found it a dense book that's packed with information on many countries in many periods of history. It took me a long time to read, but was well worth it.

This book tries to explore what happened in the past when people have turned their land into a desert. How has that affected society, politics, women, religion, etc? To answer, Griffith gives many stories from Africa, the Middle East, India, China, or Europe. One thing he looks at closely is the fate of women in areas where the land became unproductive. And in this he gives one of the most convincing explanations of of why inequality developed between men and women in certain parts of the world. To balance this Griffith tells inspiring stories of how local people have struggled to heal their environment and recover the benefits of a healthy countryside.

This book covers over 10,000 years of social, economic and environmental changes. It shows how our destruction of nature has changed society over time. The stories it tells are powerful and well written. I think it's a great book for anybody who really likes history and wants a peaceful and healthy environment in the future.