Buck Books

This book is excellent for use with our group of gifted students (3rd through 12th grades), as it provides the step-by-step strategies for teachers/facilitators to consider as we delve into 21st century real-world projects which connect with standards. Excellent service and product provided.

The Buck Institute's PBL Handbook is a great resource for any teacher who wishes to create a more meaningful educational experience for students. Very few teachers have had any experience or training in implementing content based projects and this guide provides step-by-step instructions in developing PBL units. The handbook is also full of examples and ideas that come from the classroom. We use the PBL Handbook extensively in training all of our incoming staff members.

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Paul Curtis
Director of Curriculum
New Technology High School / New Technology Foundation

As a high school social studies teacher, I used this handbook to develop units and units of curriculum in World History and Economics. It first helped me to understand the essential elements to successful projects. Then, it taught me about ways to push kids to learn more through projects than traditional methods. I used to think that project-based learning was just more "fun," but now see its potential for IMPROVING student achievement.

Thanks to the author for opening my eyes to this out-of-the-box way of looking at teaching.

Trent Kaufman
Assistant Principal, Dublin High School

The Project Based Learning Handbook is an essential tool for any educator looking to design more rigorous and relevant curriculum. Markham and associates take the educator step by step through the design process - explaining concepts, offering examples and encouraging the educator to apply their learning. The handbook serves the needs of both the novice and the more experienced teacher. The novice will devour each and every section while the veteran can hunt around to find resources, templates and high quality examples that they can adapt for their classroom. The PBL handbook is required reading for all new teachers to Envision Schools, a San Francisco Bay Area cluster of new, small, innovative high schools dedicated to implementing academically rigorous project-based learning. While the handbook is focused on PBL, the instructional design strategies are sound practices for every type of instruction.

Bob Lenz
Chief Education Officer
Envision Schools

I taught for ten years as a high school math teacher between 1990 and 2000. During that time, I was constantly trying to bring the 'real world' into my classroom by creating projects and problems that replicated reality and engaged my students with as much passion for the subject as possible. I often got plenty of passion, and lots of great mathematical reasoning. I often had the kids writing math papers so that they had to explain their reasoning in detail. However, I was frustrated when trying to teach them to prepare more thoroughly for their oral presentations, or to work more cooperatively and produce equal effort in their groups.

If only I had had this Handbook on Project Based Learning. There are very clear guidelines on how to take ideas for a project that you already have, or to create one from the curriculum you already teach, and to then map out a highly focused, thoroughly engaging, tightly managed, standards based project, including ideas for authentic assessment through artifacts which support the student's time and effort(phone logs of group communication, meeting notes, library research logs) as well as rubrics and forms for planning, managing and assessing the work throughout the project.

You will be amazed at the work that your students produce when you add only some of the ideas in this book.

The book is so rich with material that each year you can add a few more of the suggestions to your project until it is a dense, rich, powerful learning experience that your students will talk about and remember for years.

I am a real estate agent and have been practicing for 10 years now. If you don't want to listen to the straight and accurate talk in this book.....you and your bank account will regret it. I would agree with 98% of everything they have to say. When they talk....you should listen.

The Shannons take us breezily through the process of staging homes for sale. Their ironic and witty tone take the dreariness out of the projects. Mainly, they make a a lot of good sense. As a former Realtor, I was shocked to find the sleazy condition in which sellers allow their homes to be shown for sale. I will try the more subtle tips they present when I put my own home up for sale. The only thing I won't do is apply Bar Keeper's Friend to my stainless steel fridge, as it didn't really do the job of giving it a print-free shine. I'll let them know if my house sells, though. If these techniques worked in a hot market, we need it even more now that the market is so slow.

I watch your show as often as I can when I am not gardening. I think your show is great! You even saved my uncle $30.000. He was going to put a new roof on his house before putting it up for sale. I told him that you The Real Estate Expert on TV said not to do it. And he didnt and he is very happy now. Keep up the good work!

Chris

P.S. I Love your book.

I enjoy watching Donna and Shannon on their program, Secrets That Sell. Their common-sense approach takes the mystery out of marketing a home, and their solid real estate knowledge is laced with just the right amount of humor and encouragement. If you can't have them come and walk through your home, this book is the next best thing. It's packed with helpful information and tips presented in a highly readable format. It's a great addition to a homeowner's reference library.

With trademark wit, Donna and Shannon Freeman nail all of the increasingly important steps to staging and selling a home. While the book is easy to read, it's definitely not fluff. The Freemans apply many traditional marketing concepts like segmentation, cost-benefit analysis, and tradeoff exercises (without explicitly presenting them as such) in easy-to-understand, consumer-friendly language.

Although the Freemans strongly advocate using agents, their candor about the pitfalls of bad agents and the changes coming to the real estate industry are refreshing. The book is also thankfully free from the pseudo-fiduciary advice that many real estate agents are all too happy to offer. The Freemans do, however, offer plenty of good tips in the form of interviews with their lawyer, accountant, inspector, and even feng shui expert.

The record number of recent first-time buyers will soon become first-time sellers -- likely in a difficult market. This book is a must-have for first-time sellers, a great refresher course for experienced sellers, and a good read for buyers looking to capitalize on the mistakes of those who haven't read this book.

Great book to introduce Van Gogh - nice reproductions and storyline, but then I'm biased as this is my favorite artist!

My five year old was so inspired reading this that she went to the basement and proceeded to make her own copies of his works. It is nice and simple, but with a decent amount of info and great pics.

My 5, 6 and 8 yr old kids are entranced when I read them the Smart About Art books. After reading one, I came back to Amazon and ordered as many as I could.

They are written as a student would write a book report, but are humorous, touching and extremely informative with plenty of examples of the artists' work. I attended Art School 20+ years ago and it was a refresher course for me as well. It includes background/personal info about the artist, but only as much as a child can comprehend and as it pertains to his art. These books have just the right amount of info on the artists and their work.

I wanted to share the world of art with my kids. Though my youngest two still use coloring books and my oldest reads chapter books without illustrations, these Smart About Art picture books are the perfect mix where they all can gain something from them--this series is neither too young nor too advanced.

After years of reading picture books, my kids often ask "can that really happen?" or "is that person real?" I wanted a break from the imaginative world of children's lit and now I'm happy to finally answer "Yes, this person really existed, this really happened!" after reading the Smart About Art books.

I wanted something to spark my 6YO son's interest in art. This book sure did. He asked me to read it to him a 2nd time right on the spot. He also spotted a Van Gogh print that I brought home. This is a fine series. I also got the Degas which wasn't quite as interesting but he still liked it. I just ordered Picasso and a few others. Get the Van Gogh and if your child loves it, try some of the others. (I also liked that this mentioned Van Gogh was very depressed once at loving a woman who didn't love him back.)

This is what my daughter called the famous painting when I first bought her this book. She is almost 4 and has owned this book for about 9 months and it is regularly a favorite that she likes to read...well, more often she likes to look at the pictures and name the paintings. This is a great intro to art book for young children. I highly recommend as a first book for your little art-lover, or art-lover-to-be.

I've been involved in wargaming and collecting miniatures for about 25 years. But even though this book is seemingly aimed at kids, I was still interested in acquiring it as a source of simple wargaming rules and as a way to ease some newbie friends into the hobby. This book provides a very solid all-around introduction to wargaming for both kids and adults alike. The concepts are explained in a friendly, conversational manner.

What makes this book valuable is that it's not just all fluff text and pretty pictures. Rather, it provides valuable substance in the form of its Milk & Cookies rules (for big battles) and Blood & Swash rules (for skirmishes). The rules are pretty straightforward and on the simple-side, which is perfect for newcomers to the world of wargaming. In fact, I've seen both sets of rules used to run convention games at the HMGS East cons which are held 3 times per year in South/Central Pennsylvania. So "Big Battles" isn't just a 1-time read; it's a reference book you can stick on your shelf and refer to over and over again.

The only real downside of the book is that all of the pictures in it (and there aren't all that many) are in black & white. That's a shame since the visual spectacle of wargaming is a major part of the hobby.

Overall, Buck and Rob did a good job here and I'd recommend this book for anyone (of any age) who has an interest in the miniature wargaming hobby.

This is an excellent book designed primarily for parents interested in getting their childen involved in historical miniatures gaming. This book is also useful for anyone starting in gaming...Period.

The rules are strictly for land based combat primarily from the horse and musket period but the rules accomodate all periods from ancient to the WWII modern era. Two sets of rules are included within the book: The "Milk and Cookies" rules and the "Blood and Swash" rules.

The "Milk and Cookies" rules are for fighting battles with based figure units serving as individual pieces. Casualty rates in these games is higher than in adult oriented games as a design feature by the authors to cater towards younger or beginning players desire to see actual results from their attacks.

The "Blood and Swash" rules use individual figures to represent individual combatants in skirmish style games. The rules are based on swashbuckling pirate action in close quarters fighting based on bar-room brawls and boarding actions. The rules lend themselves well to commando raids and ambushes as well as wild west gunfights.

In addition to the above mentioned rules you get lessons in tactical principles and maneuvering which are well written and can assist an adult in explaining basic tactics to younger players.

The book contains a short history of miniatures gaming, advice on painting figurines, instructions on how to cast miniatures at home and several other topics. The Authors give plenty of insight about their experiences in gaming often agreeing to disagree on some preferences as too painting styles and methods.

I have bought my second copy to replace a missing previous copy (It really is that good). The publisher/authors have additional materials on a supporting web site. I have exchanged e-mails with both authors and have found them open to discuss their work, provide advice and generally share any knowledge they have on gaming.

Although intended as a resource for adults to use in introducing younger players to the wargaming hobby, BIG BATTLES FOR LITTLE HANDS is an excellent general introduction for anyone interested in collecting and painting miniature soldiers and then deploying them on the field of battle.

The two rules sets included in the books ("Milk and Cookies Rules for Battles" and "Blood and Swash Rules for Skirmishes" are both quite easy to learn and play.

I had a miniatures battle for the Indian Mutiny set up on my game table, intended for use with another rules set but not yet begun, when BIG BATTLES arrived. A quick check of the "Milk and Cookies Rules" suggested I could use them with the unit and basing organization from the other rules set without change, so I was able to try out the "Milk and Cookies Rules" the same day I read them. The result was a very entertaining battle, played to completion in two hours; and I now intend to use the rules for battles in the English Civil War and the Seven Years War as well.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the miniatures wargaming hobby. Very well done!

While the book is pitched for use with kids, I think a better approach would be to aim it at anyone new to wargaming that wonders what it is all about. I found the 5 page History of Warfare and 5 page Primer on Tactics superb - both concise and interesting - making me want to go review my history lessons and explaining to me what I was always doing wrong at the gaming table!

Two sets of rules are included: the "Milk and Cookies" rules for bigger battles (where a player controls blocks of troops) I have used for games at several wargaming conventions in games for kids and parents-new-to-wargaming with great success. The "Blood and Swash" rules are a reprint of an older rule set for skirmishes (where each player controls a small number of figures) that allows great flexibility in scenario and setting - I have played in games using those rules for 18th century pirate tavern brawls on up to Buck Rogers era conflicts, and enjoyed them all. The differences between the rule sets make having both here far from redundant, and the apparent simplicity of both the rule sets does not mean that the resulting games are either uninteresting or inaccurate.

The back of the book with directions and tips on painting and terrain construction are okay, though I liked the front portions - described above - better. For example, I don't see myself ever homecasting figures, and the painting tips I had already heard as I was first drawn into this hobby. But they complete the picture and make this a good all round reference that you could even send to someone unfamiliar with the hobby and expect them to be able to cope without the support of a local wargaming group or club.

As a wargamer of 25 years with two young sons, I have struggled with determining the best way to introduce my boys to the world of miniature wargames. Now I have the answer. Rob and Buck do an excellent job of explaining how to create a pleasureable wargaming experience for kids. If you are looking for a simple set of rules covering many historical periods that are explained in a clear way, then this book is for you.

This is the Spanish text edition of the 1932 Pulitzer Prize winning novel that is still a standout today. Deceptive in its simplicity, it is a story built around a flawed human being and a teetering socio-economic system, as well as one that is layered with profound themes. The cadence of the author's writing is also of note, as it rhythmically lends itself to the telling of the story, giving it a very distinct voice. No doubt the author's writing style was influenced by her own immersion in Chinese culture, as she grew up and lived in China, the daughter of missionaries.

This is the story of the cyclical nature of life, of the passions and desires that motivate a human being, of good and evil, and of the desire to survive and thrive against great odds. It begins with the story of an illiterate, poor, peasant farmer, Wang Lung, who ventures from the rural countryside and goes to town to the great house of Hwang to obtain a bride from those among the rank of slave. There, he is given the slave O-lan as his bride.

Selfless, hardworking, and a bearer of sons, the plain-faced O-lan supports Wang Lung's veneration of the land and his desire to acquire more land. She stays with him through thick and thin, through famine and very lean times, working alongside him on the land, making great sacrifices, and raising his children. As a family, they weather the tumultuousness of pre-revolutionary China in the 1920s, only to find themselves the recipient of riches beyond their dreams. At the first opportunity, they buy land from the great house of Hwang, whose expenses appear to be exceeding their income.

With the passing of time, Wang Lung buys more and more land from the house of Hwang, until he owns it all, as his veneration of the land is always paramount. With O-lan at this side, his family continues to prosper. His life becomes more complicated, however, the richer he gets. Wang Lung then commits a life-changing act that pierces O-lan's heart in the most profoundly heartbreaking way.

As the years pass, his sons become educated and literate, and the family continues to prosper. With the great house of Hwang on the skids, an opportunity to buy their house, the very same house from where he had fetched O-lan many years ago, becomes available. Pressed upon to buy that house by his sons, who do not share Wang Lung's veneration for the land and rural life, he buys the house. The country mice now have become the city mice.

This is a potent story, brimming with irony, yet simply told against a framework of mounting social change. It is a story that stands as a parable in many ways and is one that certainly should be read. It illustrates the timeless dichotomy between the young and the old, the old and the new, and the rich and the poor. It is no wonder that this beautifully written book won a Pulitzer Prize and is considered a classic masterpiece. Bravo!

Uno de los libros que no me canso de leer una y otra vez,
nos nuestra al ser humano en sus mejores y peores momentos
y como reaccionan frente a diferentes circunstancias en que
los coloca la vida.

This is the Spanish text edition of "The Good Earth", a 1932 Pulitzer Prize winning novel that is still a standout today. Deceptive in its simplicity, it is a story built around a flawed human being and a teetering socio-economic system, as well as one that is layered with profound themes. The cadence of the author's writing is also of note, as it rhythmically lends itself to the telling of the story, giving it a very distinct voice. No doubt the author's writing style was influenced by her own immersion in Chinese culture, as she grew up and lived in China, the daughter of missionaries.

This is the story of the cyclical nature of life, of the passions and desires that motivate a human being, of good and evil, and of the desire to survive and thrive against great odds. It begins with the story of an illiterate, poor, peasant farmer, Wang Lung, who ventures from the rural countryside and goes to town to the great house of Hwang to obtain a bride from those among the rank of slave. There, he is given the slave O-lan as his bride.

Selfless, hardworking, and a bearer of sons, the plain-faced O-lan supports Wang Lung's veneration of the land and his desire to acquire more land. She stays with him through thick and thin, through famine and very lean times, working alongside him on the land, making great sacrifices, and raising his children. As a family, they weather the tumultuousness of pre-revolutionary China in the 1920s, only to find themselves the recipient of riches beyond their dreams. At the first opportunity, they buy land from the great house of Hwang, whose expenses appear to be exceeding their income.

With the passing of time, Wang Lung buys more and more land from the house of Hwang, until he owns it all, as his veneration of the land is always paramount. With O-lan at this side, his family continues to prosper. His life becomes more complicated, however, the richer he gets. Wang Lung then commits a life-changing act that pierces O-lan's heart in the most profoundly heartbreaking way.

As the years pass, his sons become educated and literate, and the family continues to prosper. With the great house of Hwang on the skids, an opportunity to buy their house, the very same house from where he had fetched O-lan many years ago, becomes available. Pressed upon to buy that house by his sons, who do not share Wang Lung's veneration for the land and rural life, he buys the house. The country mice now have become city mice.

This is a potent, thematically complex story, brimming with irony, yet simply told against a framework of mounting social change. It is a story that stands as a parable in many ways and is one that certainly should be read. It illustrates the timeless dichotomy between the young and the old, the old and the new, and the rich and the poor. It is no wonder that this beautifully written book won a Pulitzer Prize and is considered a classic masterpiece. Bravo!

This is the Spanish text edition of a 1932 Pulitzer Prize winning novel that is still a standout today. Deceptive in its simplicity, it is a story built around a flawed human being and a teetering socio-economic system, as well as one that is layered with profound themes. The cadence of the author's writing is also of note, as it rhythmically lends itself to the telling of the story, giving it a very distinct voice. No doubt the author's writing style was influenced by her own immersion in Chinese culture, as she grew up and lived in China, the daughter of missionaries.

This is the story of the cyclical nature of life, of the passions and desires that motivate a human being, of good and evil, and of the desire to survive and thrive against great odds. It begins with the story of an illiterate, poor, peasant farmer, Wang Lung, who ventures from the rural countryside and goes to town to the great house of Hwang to obtain a bride from those among the rank of slave. There, he is given the slave O-lan as his bride.

Selfless, hardworking, and a bearer of sons, the plain-faced O-lan supports Wang Lung's veneration of the land and his desire to acquire more land. She stays with him through thick and thin, through famine and very lean times, working alongside him on the land, making great sacrifices, and raising his children. As a family, they weather the tumultuousness of pre-revolutionary China in the 1920s, only to find themselves the recipient of riches beyond their dreams. At the first opportunity, they buy land from the great house of Hwang, whose expenses appear to be exceeding their income.

With the passing of time, Wang Lung buys more and more land from the house of Hwang, until he owns it all, as his veneration of the land is always paramount. With O-lan at this side, his family continues to prosper. His life becomes more complicated, however, the richer he gets. Wang Lung then commits a life-changing act that pierces O-lan's heart in the most profoundly heartbreaking way.

As the years pass, his sons become educated and literate, and the family continues to prosper. With the great house of Hwang on the skids, an opportunity to buy their house, the very same house from where he had fetched O-lan many years ago, becomes available. Pressed upon to buy that house by his sons, who do not share Wang Lung's veneration for the land and rural life, he buys the house. The country mice now have become city mice.

This is a potent, thematically complex story, brimming with irony, yet simply told against a framework of mounting social change. It is a story that stands as a parable in many ways and is one that certainly should be read. It illustrates the timeless dichotomy between the young and the old, the old and the new, and the rich and the poor. It is no wonder that this beautifully written book won a Pulitzer Prize and is considered a classic masterpiece. Bravo!

Este libro es muy fantastico, pero mi espanol es muy mal. Tambien mira a el libro "El Hombre mas Rico en Babylon". Adios, yo necesito estudiar espanol ahora...

The details just sass back at you / In the all of these sometimes / With a cajun overbite or a glamorous gin / Somewhere, always, and then several times / Again beneath the strolling gleam

The details just sass back at you / In the all of these sometimes / With a cajun overbite or a glamorous gin / Somewhere, always, and then several times / Again beneath the strolling gleam

"Came Like it Went" calls me back again and again to read -- not like some mushy sentimental mind candy that pleases quickly then fades and leaves one hungering for something more substantial -- Fuchs serves up a hearty platter of soulful meaning, steaming and lively. Phrases and words peek, lurk and leap out of his poems when you least expect them, sometimes catching you just as you're leaving, a synopted life collage captured in mid-air. I highly recommend this book for your coffee table to stir up lively conversations with friends.

On a scale from 1 to 10, I give "Came Like It Went" an 11! Greg delivered a sense of excitement in poetry I have not seen in a long time. This is a must have for any book collection. Buy it.

Greg Fuchs channels Frank O'Hara magnificently in this unforgettable debut, but adds something uniquely contemporary and personal to the City Poet's template. Fitting that Cupid appears armed on the cover, thumbing his androgynous nose, since Fuchs' poems are all about the Eros of language and the erosions of the spirit in a corrosive culture that increasingly considers art--and the individual--irrelevant. His animals senses will awaken yours: "Gingko smelly / the night makes love to the corner." You can feel the torso of his poetry move...don't miss out on this visceral trip. Fuchs is awake as N.Y.C., always. Buy it.

This book faithfully recreates the world of Frazier Robinson and the Negro Leagues. Outstanding and fascinating. It would make a perfect gift for any baseball fan. Paul Bauer inserts nothing between you and his subject. It is a must have book for any serious fan of the game.

This is a wonderful book that needed to be written. I had the opportunity to meet Frazier while living and I am so glad that his stories live on in this book. It brings back the memory of the time when players played the game for the love of the game and not for what they were being paid. And worrying about what deal they could acquire in the off season. Also in a time when color mattered over talent it should remind us that never again should we engage in human exclusion

This book tells how things realy were back then. When Mr.Robinson told his story, he did not sugar coat anything. You don't find this in alot of the other books that were written about the Nego Leagues. I highly recommend this to book to any baseball fan.

Being a baseball history buff (addict) for the past 42 years, I've read just about everything I could get my hands on. I cannot now think of an autobiographical book to which I could attach a higher recommendation that "Catching Dreams" by Frazier "Slow" Robinson. This true gentleman travelled the dusty roads that connected the sites of Negro League baseball during the 30's, 40,s and even the 50's. Although produced by the University of Syracuse press, there is no attempt to make the book erudite or complicate it with an assortment of exotic literary techniques and obscure words. Instead, the publisher and co-author, Paul Bauer have presented the story of Slow Robinson in language truly spoken by the man himself. When you read this book, you will feel that you are seated beside Mr. Robinson as he speaks with words, terms and expressions uniquely those of a man with little formal education, who gained his lessons in life on the fly and had to learn his own language. His ability to recall a voluminous list of names and anecdotal material from his experiences, and to relate them descriptively, suggest a man who would have had little trouble dealing with a formal post-secondary school education. His relationships with such Negro League stalwarts as Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Leon Day and Satchel Paige are detailed with humour, insight and compassion. He is forthright without offending his old friends, as in Ball Four by Jim Bouton. In his own words, his goal in life was to be remembered as a nice guy; he passed with flying colors. If you choose only one book to read on this subject, you simply cannot go wrong with Catching Dreams.

I consider myself a student of Negro League history, and I read virtually everything I can locate on the subject. I have also developed friendships with many of these players over the years, and many of them have written books/memoirs regarding their playing days. In speaking with these great pioneers of professional sport, one quickly surmises that certain "stars" spent a fair amount of time embellishing legends and perfecting the art of self-promotion once their playing days ended. A handful have even managed to parlay this ability into a modest supplement to their income via baseball memorabilia shows, and I sincerely hope this trend continues for all who have mastered it.

Truthfully however, this group comprises only a tiny percentage of the remaining Negro Leaguers (they're just the loudest, so they garner the most notoriety, I suppose). Should you attend any gathering of former players, you will notice that these "showmen" are generally shunned or otherwise discredited by their peers. That speaks louder than anything I could write here. While these spotlight-lovers' ability to spin a yarn surely brings furthered interest and financial benefit to personal appearances by ALL former players, it likely also speaks to the historical accuracy one can expect from their books.

A select few didn't go the Barnum route -- they were who they were, they did what they did, and, while proud of their accomplishments on the diamond with arguably the greatest ballplayers of ANY era, they continued to live as they always had after their baseball careers ended. I am thankful when any player publishes a book, but when one of these select players leaves a record of what they saw, heard, accomplished and/or overcame, free of hyperbole, that book takes on a "treasured" status on my bookshelf. More than just a treasure, CATCHING DREAMS is flat-out the best of the genre. Buy it, read it, and learn something. I wouldn't recommend it this highly if it wasn't this good. It is.

Kudos to Paul Bauer for his efforts in faithfully documenting what was said and getting it published. I was fortunate enough to know Mr. Robinson well, and this book is an accurate representation of his character and personality -- it's honest, accurate, and self-effacing. You could waste time and money on lesser efforts by better-known players, or you could read something that captures the feel of a private audience with the author (with the added bonus that it's all TRUE!). I knew him well enough to know. I find myself wishing everyone else could have, too. Trust me. Buy the book.

Please find and read books by these authors, too:

Wilmer Fields (another honest account), Monte Irvin (yet another honest account), Effa Manley (difficult to find, but remarkable), Kevin Keating/Michael Kolleth (guide to the Negro League autograph collecting hobby, exhaustively researched and thoroughly enlightening), Phil Dixon/Patrick J. Hannigan (also hard to find, but still the best collection of negro league photos ever, and also well-researched).

I've only previously read Gayle Buck in anthologies and can't quite remember what led me to this book. I also have "Mutual Consent" waiting in the TBR pile. This is an oldie but goodie from 1993 and a classic "Marriage of Convenience" story.

First of all, I liked this book very much but it does have a couple of glaring errors that really annoyed me. The author gets the titles of the main characters wrong over and over and over again. The forename "St John" is, indeed, pronounced "Sinjin" but NEVER written that way - I have a close friend with this interesting forename and I know this to be the case. However, the hero is Viscount Weemswood and NOT Lord St John and neither is our heroine Lady St John. The author refers to the hero as "Sinjin" when calling him by his first name and "St John" when incorrectly referring to his title. Various other aristocrats get their titles muddled as well. Also, it's not clear to me how Weemswood would inherit the Dukedom of Alton from his (very nasty)uncle either as presumably this is a maternal and not paternal uncle. Two brothers very, very rarely each have an independent, completely separate title and Weemswood is not a courtesy title; a nephew in line to a title does not have one - only direct issue do. Anyway, so much for my personal rant.

Weemswood is an interesting, classically tortured hero: almost unlikeable at times, he is angry, reckless, cranky, temperamental, rude, volatile and even violent, and appears almost totally uncaring of how he treats Mary, his wife in a marriage of convenience. He does appear to be somewhat manic depressive and even displays some autistic characteristics in his inability to empathise with others and understand the effect his behaviour has on others. We know he had a troubled and sad childhood but we could have done with more information about it. What we do know is that he believes he does not deserve personal happiness and when it is put in front of him, he shoves it away. Although perhaps unrealistic or over-done in another character, with Weemswood it seems likely and quite believable; terribly sad and lots of ramifications arise in the story as a result.

Mary Pepperidge is the daughter of a rich (though not flashy) merchant. Mary is even-tempered, intelligent, sympathetic, intuitive and demure although she does have a mind of her own - bravo for slapping not just the villain of the piece but St John as well - he more than deserved it by the time she did it. She also has The Sister From Hell who has some wonderfully comic scenes with various nasty ladies of the ton who set out to demoralise St John and undermine Mary.

I recommend this book because it's well written and gives a good flavour of the nastiness and bitchiness of Regency society. If it were not for the absurd errors I would say it's a 100% 5 star effort. Although it probably deserves 4 stars, I am going to give it 5 because it's been so refreshing to find (for me) a new author who exceeded the efforts of too many indifferent Regency historicals that have come on the market since Signet gave up its imprint.

As my title states this is a marriage of convenience plot, but the marriage does not come at the beginning of the story. The first part features a well-drawn portrait of Viscount Weemswood's trials in the ton as his fortunes fall. His best friends are well drawn and supportive. His arrogance, his wild temper and his fierce pride pique our interest. Then, he meets Mary Pepperidge by accident. When he finally admits to himself his only recourse is marriage in the trades, his pride is sadly shaken, but he selects Miss Pepperidge from his friend's list. Mary is intelligent, calm and wise beyond her years. In the end her rash "lord and master" finds himself married to his equal, a woman who loves and understands him. How the lady appeals to his better half and how the two finally come together is a great story.

This is my second Gayle Buck novel and I thoroughly disliked the first book so I approached this one with caution and low expectations. I am very pleased to say that it was an absorbing, well written book. I appreciated the fact that it did not follow formula. Lord St. John and the circumstances which make him the desperate Viscount take up the major portion of this book. We are given every opportunity to get to know him, his circumstances, his prospects, his habits, his temper and his friends. The heroine is not even mentioned until Chapter 6 where her situation and character are very quickly established through an evening spent talking to her father beside the fire. St. John and Mary do not meet until page 66 and then it is only for him to help her during an emergency with her father. The encounter lasted mere minutes.

When St. John admits that the only way out of his hellish prediciment is to marry into "trade" his friends come up with a list of five suitable candidates. Mary Pepperidge is the third name on the list and St. John chooses her because he remembers her name from their previous meeting. Yes, it was done in just that callous manner. He really did not care. If he had to get married it might as well be her. I read with astonishment that the couple never met again before they arrived at the church to marry. Wow!

I would have liked to see more conversation between these two once they married. I felt that the ending was rushed quite a bit. Also, Mary really was made to get into too many scrapes in a very short time. Could the author not have indulged our soft hearts and shown more interaction between Mary and St. John when all turned out well in the end? These may sound like criticisms but they are actually not, just observations to show what would have made this a 5 star book for me. I liked this book, I will keep it and most assuredly read it again in the future.

This was a very well crafted story that kept me totally engaged beginning to end. I don't usually like the initial meeting between the hero and heroine to occur well into the book. But it was necessary here for the excellent storyline set up and for the character development. You really understand the H/H's motivations and mutual attraction and the importance of the hero's friends. Have to say the hero was the tortured type but I have a weakness for them so no complaints from me. Heroine was very likeable for every type of reader. It was hard to say good-bye at the end of the book. An excellent example of Regency writing. This is for the keeper shelf.

This is one of the better regency romances that I've read. Though I felt that the story dragged some first. I think more emphasis should have been placed on the "Ton's" reaction after Sinjin and Mary got the last laugh.

Buck Willis has written an excellent text on orthopedics, one which should occupy the library of every general practitioner and pediatrician. Do yourself a favor and make space for this tremendously useful textbook."

Reading this book was very refreshing because Mr. Willis has also woven his empathetic experience into the book. It is nice to see a person write both from his experience and from his academic learning. I appreciated his dedication page too, and I think that this book would benefit most orthopedic patients.

Most MD's won't take the time, or they don't comprehend how to explain what Willis does, as to why certain exercises or cardiovascular training programs are so good for Preventing and Healing people's injuries!

Willis' writing style made it an interesting, enjoyable read and because of that, this book is a winner!

This method of providing information, clearly reflects the knowledge gained from injuries (Dr Willis) has personally sustained and helps the reader identify, recognize and make decisions about how to recover from a variety of joint traumas. The specific nature of these injuries is presented clearly and briefly.

*** 'Effective Orthopedic Rehab' is a solid introduction for the layperson, a young professional working with injured athletes or a freshman undergraduate at college studying athletic training or kinesiology.

When I learned of this book, I was skeptical and thought it might just be an ordinary "home-grown" rehab book, but IT WAS MUCH MORE! This book and the author's references promote the same components that I learned in my Master's program in Physical Therapy.

This book grew from the author's experience and his doctoral education, and THIS BOOK has SOLID ROOTS in clinically proven rehabilitative protocols. I'll recommend that many of my patients read this book which will help them understand that recovery is not a switch that they can quickly turn on. GOOD BOOK!

Lots of screenwriting books are dry as dust. Not Elephant Bucks. This one is that rare combination of easy to read and informative. It's clear, concise, entertaining, instructive and eminently practical.

Bull offers specific guidance on how to structure a sitcom. He explains what belongs where. As important, he shows the reader logically and engagingly how to go about putting the elements in place. He uses specific (and very entertaining) examples that made me go, "Ohhhhh! That totally makes sense!" Having "Elephant Bucks" is like having a great and experienced teacher right there with you.

Sheldon Bull has credibility: He has done this stuff. Check him out on IMDb and you'll see his slew of credits, from "Newhart" to "M*A*S*H" to "Coach" to "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." So it's pretty clear the guy knows about writing for television. In "Elephant Bucks," he ably transitions from television writer to teacher. We aspiring writers are lucky he did!

I bought half a dozen sitcom writing books in one go and having read them all I can say with certainty that this is the only one you will need. Other than Evan Smith's "Writing Television Sitcoms" I wouldn't bother getting any other book, and even that is superfluous if you buy Sheldon's one, but it is pretty decent if you choose to buy more than one.

Having read some really dodgy television comedy writing books by chancers Sheldon's book was like a breath of fresh air. I'm guessing that if you are reading this then you want to know how to structure and write a spec script, Sheldon does a near perfect and utterly thorough job showing you how.

He starts with a concept for a Frazier script and actually takes you through the whole process - picking the right story, the seven fundamental plot elements, structuring the story in scenes and acts, how to write outlines and more detailed outlines of the story, writing the dialogue of the script first as a drama, then rewriting it as a comedy. You see the script product being produced sequentially before your eyes. This is what you want and this is exactly what you get.

Brilliant.

Very nice, very well written book giving straight forward easy to follow advice on how to write a TV Sitcom and find an agent. Of all the screenwriting books I've read, this one is the most straight-forward and to the point. Would be a great textbook, while still being interesting.

If you buy one book to learn how to write sitcoms, this is the book. Sheldon Bull has been a sitcom writer and producer for 30 years. He has turned that experience into a step-by-step guide on how to write sitcoms. His writing style is funny and easy to understand.
What sets this book apart from the rest is Sheldon's method of structuring a story. Having a great story to write about is key and Sheldon does not fail on this element.
Read this book and start writing.

Obviously, if you want to write for sitcoms (or any other field), you've got to have some talent going into it. If you don't, well ...
But if you do, then this book contains the rest of what you'll need besides raw writing talent.
Sheldon Bull should know. He's been in the sitcom biz for a long time and has had his fingers in some very popular programs. So he's not full of bull, so to speak.
Elephant Bucks walks you through the process of successful sitcom writing. He starts off with actually writing the damn thing (even how to pick which shows to write spec scripts for). From there it's on to getting your script read, pitching your script and what to do once it's sold and you're in the door.
Bull's book is insightful and entertaining and leaves no stone unturned in the exploration of writing sitcoms and getting somewhere by doing it.
His writing is informative and enjoyable, so there's no risk of missing out on needed info because you didn't have the heart to wade through any more. There's nothing to wade through here. It's a fast-paced and quite useful book, comprehensive without being exhaustive or exhausting.
Bull's writing skills obviously extend beyond sitcoms.