Burnett Books

This book walks the reader through the finite element (FE) method step by step. It is a very good introductory book and focuses on the Galerkin method of weighted residuals. I do wish that there was a hardback version.

This is how all books should be. Many terms other authors skip over are explained clearly. A must have, atleast for beginners.

Gives a very good introduction to "Finite Element Method" for those who have very little or no knowledge of it. It is an excellent reference and I wish the author decides to reprint it ,however, including the FORTRAN source code in a CD ROM.

This is the best introductory book I have read in Finite Element Analysis, it goes step by step in an easy to learn way.

This book is very good and refreshingly different from the other ones, but only if 1)you are interested in electromagnetic and other applications of FEA and 2)Are comfortable with variational formulations.

And that thought never wavered once as I agonizingly slowly fiddled with the corners of each page to the next, completely awed and feeling like I wanted to go to New York and show off my skinky legs as well. This book is unreal.

There's flash everywhere. There's pizazz. There's an army of sequins, a rainbow of sparkles, a lifetime of gorgeous reds, beautiful greens, and dazzling blues that you would have never dreamed would have graced this earth in all of eternity. They all flash, they all sparkle, they all wink out and grab you by the eyeballs and force you to gawk and gawk at them until you feel like all your pupils have dried up and you can't possibly gawk anymore, but you just do.

The book is sort of divided into sections, but the reader (or watcher) won't pay too much attention to that except for the divisions for the Hollywood and Barbie section. You've got funky fonts that pop out at you from this unknown corner you never knew was there; you've got these curvaceous paragraphs shaped like a woman's body; and you've got so many other things that I couldn't possibly explain to you until you've bought the damn book. So buy it already.

My only complaint is that the "Hollywood", "Barbie", and his own fashion line sections are too brief. How can you possibly fit more than forty years of glory, fashion, and Bob Mackie into just over 150 pages?

It ain't nobody, but Mackie. Get it for yourself! You will never, *ever* regret that decision.

Wonderful book! Such gorgeous pictures and I loved the Bob Mackie story too. My only complaint is that it just wasn't long enough.....hoping for a sequel.

This survey of the fashion and fantasy of fashion designer Mackie examines his many contributions. Mackie created works for popular television as well as film and stage: Unmistakably Mackie considers his life, fashion designs and revealing outfits. Plenty of color photos of actresses in full outfit abound.

I bought Unmistakably Mackie after drooling over the book for nearly a year. It is beautiful, it is entertaining, it is over the top, it is history. It is also a fine education in costume design and fashion illustration.
I have other books that feature Mackie's unrivalled fashion illustrations, but here I can see and almost touch the finished costumes that made Cher and Carol and Ann-Margaret. I can finally analyze how they are made.
Please, don't wait to buy this wonderful book. and it is well worth getting a new, pristine copy of this treasure.

WOW! WOW! WOW! Unmistakably Mackie is a fabulous fashion book! This is by far my favorite book! The photography is stunning. The creative type layouts are imaginative. The sketches are wonderful. Anyone interested in costume &/or fashion design will LOVE this book writen by Frank DeCaro ("Style over Substance" columnist for the NY Times).

As a designer & illustrator just starting out, I find no end of inspiration in this book! The sketches are delightful and the outfits are always immaginative. (Looking at the photos & sketches, I found out I can draw Cher too!) :o)

Before reading this book on Bob Mackie, I had no idea the extent of his influence. I just knew I liked his designs. Now he is undoubtedly my favorite designer. (I want to do what he does!) This man has done everything...from his own ready-to-wear fashion line to Broadway, television (Cher and Carol Burnett), movies, ballet, an opera, Vegas and Barbie! If there's something he hasn't designed for, I'd be surprised.

I heartily recommend this book!

This book is a perfect summary of the dark side of humanitarian work. Unequipped, unprepared contract workers who are unprotected and essentially thrown to the wolves.

The author answers an fax looking for boat drivers and the only preparation he's given is a night at a bar and told to watch out for displaced wildlife. From the moment he steps off the plane it goes downhill. Even a good deed ends in tragedy because he doesn't understand the population he's trying to help.

Mostly though this is an indictment of the conditions the relief workers have to deal with because different UN agencies and Non governmental organizations all want to show how much they are "helping". The individuals may do good things but the organizations use it to play politics.

Burnett provides a vivid picture of the logistics and politics surrounding relief work as well as the dangers and difficulties of doing this work in a war zone. What I liked best about this book is he didn't enter into this job with any particular altruistic or political agenda. As a result Burnett is able to paint a rather honest and impartial picture of NGOs, the UN, the people of Somalia and his fellow aid workers. The book is written in a way that lets you experience what he experienced. It is a personal account that keeps you turning the pages.

This is a well-written, fast-paced book that sheds an important light on relief work, its benefits and its risks. I knew very little about the floods in Somalia, and this was a great lesson as to what I missed.
Great read. You won't be disappointed.

This book reads like a bullet train from New York to Mogadishu, from heaven to hell, a pageturner if ever there was one. You get a privileged insight into the life of a reliefworker, a first hand account of the absurd madness of a godforsaken place where anarchy rules and where lives have no value.

Speedboats donated by western governments to distribute relief supplies quickly turn into perfect terror tools for local warlords, who find them to be ideal to impose their will on the population, specially when mounted with a machine gun...

John Burnett completely repaints the picture that I had in my mind of a relief worker. Only guts, ingenuity and a whole lotta luck will help you to get out alive of a place like this.

From the comfort of your home to the nightmare of Somalia is just a book away...

Superbly written and very hard to put down, this book throws quite a few surprises. Burnett provides first-hand insight into the adventurous and dangerous world of those on the field who distribute humanitarian aid.

Relief workers, like those they are trying to help, survive crocodiles, snakes and hippos, feuding warlords, and child soldiers. At the same time they are dealing with competing aid organisations and governments' political and military agendas. Through tears, anger and frustration, he reveals what it is like trying to save lives in a war zone.

Ahem! first there was Travis,30, the oldest son of Eugenia, who is determined to have some grandchildren -- then there is Tanner,27, who has been lost for about 10 years -- ah, and then the Sheriff of Fort Worth, Tucker Burnett.
Well to get the grandchildren the she desires, Eugenia sets about finding wives for her boys. None of her sons wants her help.

Travis, the rancher, is now married to Rose, the young lady his mother thought was just right for him, and he had tried to drive off. Now they have a twinkle in their eye.
Mama has been corresponding with Elizabeth Anderson from Georgia on behalf of her son, Tucker. The Sheriff is not happy with his mother when she reveals arrival date for Beth.

Suddenly Tanner has shown up in the middle of a hold-up in which he was supposed to participate. Yup! he got Elizabeth shot. He spends weeks helping her to recuperate while someone is pushing him to return to Sam Bass's outlaws. What a mix-up. Tanner is torn between his two duties.

Well, just say that they make it hot and heavy, with a little kissing on the side. Now Elizabeth feels a bit guilty [but who can tell] and Tanner's guilt stems from the fact that he cannot offer her any kind of life. He doesn't expect to live through a shoot-out with Bass and his gang.

Oh, hell! he finds out that Elizabeth's intended is Sheriff Tucker Burnett, his own brother. Now his guilt has intensified as he will not hurt his brother.
But why does his brother seem to ignore Beth. [You have to chuckle at all the undercurrents].
Tanner still has his traumatic dreams and Beth comes to his room to wake him, yeah, why didn't Travis and Rose hear his moanings and groanings.
Oh well, one more time for the road? Yikes!

Now we are getting to the good part -- Tanner's secrets are exposed - first to Beth - then a little later to his two brothers, Beth doesn't even know all.
Would have liked some action to be a bit more threatening and dangerous instead of all the emotional mumble-jumble. But as I maintain, don't try to out-guess the author. The plot was still darn good.
OH! yes - great cover. Love that face.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED except for the --M [lack of morality] but you can't have it all, mores the shame.

Set in Texas in the 1870's, Tanner Burnett is disguised as a banker on a stage bound for Fort Worth. When the outlaws he works with rob the stage, Elizabeth Anderson is accidentally shot. Tanner rushes her back to San Antonio to find a doctor. Dealing with ghosts from his past, Tanner cannot cope with another death on his conscious. He pretends to be Beth's husband as he cares for her in a San Antonio hotel room. Beth is traveling out west as a mail order bride. She is also escaping ghosts from her past. When Tanner escorts Beth to her Fort Worth, he encounters the family he has not seen in over ten years. Beth finds she is engaged to Tanner's younger brother, Tucker Burnett. Tanner and Beth do not know that Beth never wrote to Tucker, she actually was writing to his meddling mama, Eugenia Burnett.
It is a touching family reunion and all parties must adjust to the changes of the past eleven years. Tanner and Beth both have secrets from their Civil War tragedies. Everyone has to learn how to trust again. This installment in the "Burnett Brides" trilogy is leaps and bounds better than the first, The Rancher Takes a Wife. It contains the emotional development that the first is sadly lacking, but the atmosphere is much darker because it deals with heavier issues. 4.25/5

Sylvia McDaniel is now one of my favorite authors. Her books, especially "Outlaw," are fresh and natural. Her people are fun and likeable. This story of a man returning to his family home after a terrible experience with war is poignent and heart-warming.

Beth Anderson is forced to leave behind her childhood home at the end of the Civil War and all its accompanying tradegies. Shamed and alone, she accepts an offer from Texas to become a mail order bride, knowing nothing of Eugenia Burnett and her matchmaking ways. Since Eugenia had success in pairing up her oldest son and his new wife, Rose, the crafty woman decides she'll try to find a good woman for her wayward son Tucker. Eugenia has never given up on her middle son, Tanner who ran off to join the war, even though the Army belives him dead. But no one has seen or heard from Tanner in a decade. But Eugenia is right, Tanner is alive and running with outlaws. He's a dangerous man who figures he's got nothing left to lose. But when a stage robbery attempt goes bad, Tanner does his best to save the stage driver from being shot. Instead, Beth takes the bullet. No matter how hardened Tanner believes his heart is, he can't leave Beth alone to die. So he takes her to San Antonio and cares for her himself. But he does not count on being so drawn to the woman of quiet courage or how deeply her sad past will affect him. Beth is drawn to the man she sees underneath the fast guns and grim eyes. Though they try to resist each other, love is inevitable. It becomes equally complicated when Tanner runs into his youngest brother, Tucker, and discovers Beth is intended for him. The sparks fly and the dialogue is both humorous and poignant in this story of redemption and homecoming. Well worth reading.

Tanner Burnett hadn't been home in a long time, and he wasn't planning on a trip now. But when an innocent young woman is shot during a holdup he was involved in, Tanner feels responsible for getting her to her destination as soon as she is able to travel again. The young outlaw didn't plan on having his heart captured by his beautiful victim. But he knew a life such as the one he lead had no room for love, after all he had been on the run for years. But Tanner is an honorable man, even if he is an outlaw, so he fufills his promise to see her safely to Fort Worth, and right into the bosom of his long-lost family. Seems the lady was to be married to his brother Travis, the sheriff!

Elizabeth Anderson is on the run herself from an unsavory past. Putting herself up as a mail-order bride, she has been corresponding with Mr. Burnett of Fort Worth, Texas and has agreed to become his bride. But when she is waylaid by the hold-up and forced to spend her recuperation time in the company of the handsome and sexy Tanner, she finds she regrets her decision to marry the unknown Mr. Burnett. While she has fallen in love with Tanner, Elizabeth is determined to make a new life for herself, and sacrifices her chance at love for honor. She insists on Tanner taking her on to Fort Worth, where she will keep her promise to become Mrs. Burnett. Imagine her surprise when she discovers Tanner is also a Burnett!

Sylvia McDaniel brings us another intriguing story of love in the Old West with her second installment of The Burnett Brides series. The Outlaw Takes A Wife is a tale filled with sensual romance, heartwrenching drama, and a wonderful happy-ever-after ending. Everything a great romance needs! McDaniel has also done her historical research of the period, and includes the fascinating tale of the legendary outlaw Sam Bass within this story. Look for the final installment of the Burnett brothers' story in The Marshall Takes A Wife, due out in July, 2001.

Sharon Galligar Chance, Times Record News

A Cowboy Never Lies was a hysterical first effort and now Dan Burnett has penned the second volume of short stories: A Cowboy Never Lies 2.

This is a great book and just as funny as the first, if you can imagine that. Kudos to Mr. Burnett for publishing two winners in a row!

Hoss reminds me of the crazy cowboys I dealt with in the mid-60s working out of White Deer, Texas. I strapped Old Billy B. on many snot slinging cowboy killing mad North Texas bulls. Dan Burton is a world-class story teller of the first order. The pranks and antics that he tells about brought long ago not forgotten memories. I really think both books I & II are first class. I have recommended them to all of my remaining friends. Thank You Dan Burton, you have given me lots of laughs and pleasure.

I didn't think he could top "A Cowboy Never Lies" but I was wrong. And I didn't think it would get in the way of my yard work, but it did. My wife couldn't wait for me to put it down. But then I found out why. She picked it up. Good work cowboy. How about volume III now.

I didn't think he could top "A Cowboy Never Lies" but I was wrong. And I didn't think it would get in the way of my yard work, but it did. My wife couldn't wait for me to put it down. But then I found out why. She picked it up. Good work cowboy. How about volume III now.

Just when I thought I'd heard about everything, this man is one of kind. I not only have read his incredible adventures, but met the man for real. He is all he says and more. Don't pass a chance to read his books, and if he crosses your path, you will walk away laughing and wanting to hear more.

I received this book as a gift at Christmas from someone who knew that I enjoyed Dan Brown's books. I thought that I would probably like it; I didn't know that I would like it even better. It is a similar concept to the Brown books except that I felt that it was more realistic, had less graphic violence, and was more thought provoking for me. I read a lot and tend to skim; I did not skim in this book. I didn't want to miss a word!!

Full disclosure: I've known the author for several years and was delighted to have him tell me he finally got around to finishing his book. Having said that, I was somewhat apprehensive when he told me it was in The Da Vinco Code genre, only because I really didn't take to that book. However, this book is superior to The Da Vinci Code in every way. Terry paces the book very well and has obviously done his homework to bring the plot and its surroundings to life. I was caught up in it from the first chapter to the last. It never lost my interest or dragged, nor did it seem too outrageously unbelievable, which was my beef with The Da Vinci Code. Yeah, it's fiction, but it's not so far out there that I couldn't see it. I highly recommend this page-turner. Hope he is working on the next.

I have known Terry, the author, for years. When I bought the book, I bought it just because he wrote it. After about 100 pages, I decided that it didn't matter who wrote it - it was a great book!

There will be inevitable comparisons with The Da Vinci Code - because of the subject matter (religious artifacts, intrigue, and murder). The main difference, though, is that Terry has put years of thought into the religious perspective of his novel. The points he makes about the beliefs of his characters, their goodness and evil, are points that all people of faith must contend with.

This books reads on two levels - a suspense novel, and a creative treatise on faith. Don't get me wrong, this is not one of those books where the action is an excuse for the characters to give long soliloquys about their ideas. There is REAL action here! There is REAL dialogue! There is real faith.

If you like action novels, you will be happy you bought it. If you like to think, you'll be happy you bought it. If you like both - what are you waiting for?

I read this on a recent flight and it was quite entertaining. The historical references to real figures and incedents make this seem as if it could be real. But as with all books of this genre you have to accept some things as true that are not.

Still it was fun to read and kept my interest. A good book for the beach.

The Hand of Paul was truly a great read. Mr. Burnett tells a gripping story filled with great characters. His blend of ancient history and modern day issues was very well done. The action was fast-paced, the characters well developed, and there were plenty of plot twists to make it exciting. For me, a great book creates visual images in my mind's eye as I read. I must admit, I "saw" this entire book and enjoyed every scene.
I can only hope we will see more from Mr. Burnett. This was a great first effort and he should write more.

I enjoy reading books written by celebrities. It helps you understand who they really are and whether they are genuine or not. Carol Burnett definitely is. This book is about her life from when she was a child to when she got her break. She had a very rough childhood but she also had love. Her mother was definitely dysfunctional. Her Dad was not in the picture due to her parents divorce, his illness and booze. But when she did see him, he was very sweet to her. Her mother had her own demons. Pregnant with Carol's sister Chrissy by a married man (Tony), she had the baby and kept it. Carol's mom also dealt with alcoholism. Nanny was the root of her childhood memories. She came off as weak and elderly but she really was the rock that held the family together. She did everything she could to keep food on the table and a roof over their head when Carol's parents couldn't. Nowadays, if someone grew up in this type of situation, they would probably end up dysfunctional themselves. Not Carol. Carol, no matter how bad her childhood was, she played by the rules. She received money from an unnamed elite in Holllywood to go to New York and have a shot at Broadway and she appreciated it. She wrote letters to this person to let him know how she was doing and when she finally earned enough money, she paid him back. She rescued her sister Chrissy when things got tough at home and raised her from her teenage years. I admire Carol for her success but more importantly for how she has handled her fame. She sets a great example for people who have become famous. Especially for those who have started from nothing. I am so glad I read this book. I'm now off to find the TVLand schedule to see if there are any Carol Burnette Show re-runs to watch.

Carol Burnett is probably best known for her television show where she performed in various skits with a talented cast. One might not realize just how shy she was as a kid, or that she never dreamed of being a movie star until college. However, it is all here in this autobiography, a charming and personal account of a life filled with entertaining characters. We learn about Nanny, the woman who raised Carol and her younger sister Chrissy. We find out about Carol's alcoholic parents Jody and Louise, very different people and different influences on Burnett's life. There are many stories of growing up, school, various jobs, and family, each incredibly relatable and great fun to read. It is hard to put this book down. It is written to constantly leave the reader wanting more and never disappointing.

It is obvious that Burnett has a great love for her childhood although she wasn't always the most popular or the richest. She is an ordinary woman with a life that anyone can latch onto. The only disappointment is that it is so short. Burnett skips talking about her famous tv show as well as the marriage that brought her the three children she wrote the book for. It leaves the reader wanting more. Perhaps there will be a sequel one day; it will no doubt be as good as the first.

Carol Burnett hit the bullseye with the re-telling of her now familiar life story. The pacing is gentle and flowing while the anecdotes and stories are vivid and well written. Reading this, one can really appreciate "destiny" because the truth is that someone who had her experiences should never have even had the gumption to get herself into UCLA -- let alone take the rest of her journey.

Yet she did it all, with both verve and aplomb and for those of us who are fans, we're grateful that she was able to share her natural gifts with us. Singer, comedienne, actress, entertainer -- she's all of them and more -- and how she got there is a wonderful reminder to everyone that you can't ever stop believing in the power you have to imagine your own life and destiny.

If you're a Carol Burnett fan, you'll acquire a deeper appreciation for her after reading this autobiographical account of her early years. Her parents were divorced alcoholics who died young. She was reared by a grandmother with her own checkered past, sharing a one-room, flophouse apartment with her until she finally moved out to try to make it as an actress. Their story was one of constant struggle and seemingly relentless poverty. Yet Burnett is living proof that, though we are all products of our past, we should never abandon hope. Despite her personal tragedies, she has become someone we all associate with laughter and love. She, like her personal story, is simply inspirational and amazing. A worthwhile read that you won't ever forget!

I enjoyed this autobiography so much. I'm not American, and cannot even remember ever seeing Carol Burnett on TV, but reading the auto I felt I was really sharing her life. I got to know her family so well. They came to life for me.
Just after I finished CB's book, I started reading one about Jackie Onassis. JO's life seemed so empty, worthless, and dull by comparison.
I also know that CB was telling the truth. I could feel it. I once read Shelley Winter's autobiographies, and I sensed that there were incidents that she either made up or distorted, so I wasn't surprised when people came forward and said SW hadn't been, to put in mildly, accurate in some of her accounts.

I have four daughters and this book has been on my bedside table since it was given to me by a friend. The book is not only beautiful, but the writing is heartwarming and interesting too. This is not your average "motherhood is wonderful - read my story" book. This collection is full of stories, peoms, photos, art, information about other cultures, and wisdom. I have loved it and given it many times as a gift to new mothers, old mothers, and many of my kid's teachers!

I wasn't a 'new mom' when i read this book, but found it helpful when doing research for a birthing ritual for a friend...it reveals so many views of impending motherhood from many different cultures...very informative and very touching. I wish i'd had it when i first found out i was pregnant!

When I saw this book I knew that this was the perfect life-long gift for my daughter-in-law, Amy, who is well on her way to becoming a midwife. Along with her already inspirational and spiritual self, she will surely treasure this book, it is so Amy!! When I saw the Zuni prayers and poems I was even more excited as this is where she and my son are living!

i got this book from a friend. it is easy to read in spurts or spend some time with. my wife even enjoyed sections read to her

This book is a rare gem. It compiles many famous writers' comments concerning pregnancy and birth. It portrays pregnancy and birth as beautiful and spiritual.

It also includes different spiritual perscpectives on the different phases of pregnancy and birth. It incudes Native American, Celtic, Polynesian,...poems that describe pregancy and birth.

I used this book to find a poem for my sons birth announcement.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Each time I read it I am once more swept away into the haunting and slightly Gothic world of the English moores and the mystery that haunts that old house.

There is something absolutely enchanting this book that I have yet to put my finger upon. I don't know if it's the setting, the classic story, the incredibly developed characters, or the mystery. But it's fantastic.

It begins with Mary, a thoroughly bratty, spoilt child who had grown up in India, every single one of her whims answered. When her parents die horribly, she is shipped off to her uncle's, across the world in dreary England. However, he doesn't pay much attention to her, either, and Mary finds herself, most unwillingly, becoming attached to the staff of the spooky old house and the story of an abandoned garden loved by her dead aunt.

One of the strongest points of this book is its characters. We have the obvious example of Mary, the girl who goes from being a complete bitch to someone tolerable. The rest of the cast is just as wonderful, as quirky and different as one could ask for, all with their own stories and personalities.

Then we have the vibrant setting. Hodgson is a genius at painting a gorgeous but unflowery world of enchanting England and India, from lush sun to rain-soaked fields, an earthy garden, a dusky old house.

Basically, it's everything you could ask for from a book.

The Secret Garden - my mum gave me this book when I was about eight and in the front it says: "for Kate, who will stay up reading until the wee hours of the morning." and it is true. I've read this book many times since then and I discover something new each time.

The characters are wonderful, especially Mary, Colin, Ben Weatherstaff and the "Yorkshire angel" Dickon. The changes that happen to both Mary and Colin throughout the book are a delight to observe.

I feel protected and happy once I've finished this book, things turn out happily, for the best and the image I have in my head of the Secret Garden surpasses anything I have ever seen in real life - and that is fine, for this is literature.

Read it.

Mary is a sour nine-year old girl whose neglectful parents die in India and she is taken to an even more neglectful uncle in a gothic castle in a remote part of England. Interest in something outside herself is sparked when Martha, the servant assigned to look after her, is shocked that Mary never learned how to dress herself. There had been no need. Martha has other duties so Mary is left alone. Her explorations lead her out in the late winter air and to an obsession with finding "the secret garden." She discovers an even bigger secret of another child in the house.

Through magic and exercise, both children are transformed. This highly entertaining book is a wonderful read for all ages.

This is a wonderful classic. Our garden gives me an emotional resurrection every spring which this story describes beautifully.

I am an urban, public school teacher with a fifth grade reading group. The girls, as well as the boys, found this book to be spellbinding. I had students trying to smuggle copies of the book out of the room at the end of our period - just so they could read the next few chapters!!!

I purchased this book for, I think, $1.50 in paperback way back in about 1967. I was a budding meteorologist then and this was about the only book that I could find on the topic. I loved it! Even then it was a bit dated, but this book contains so much info for a young mind. As the years went by I purchased others in the series - Geology, Spiders, etc. The Weather book, though...I still have my copy, although the binding gave way long ago. It is in a sandwich bag in my library, and I still look at it every now and again and wow! does it take me back. That book helped cement my choice of career and even though newer and brighter books are out, nothing can replace this one for sheer amount of content.

I read this book during a rainy spring weekend. It gives a good understanding of meteorology and clouds, developing everything clearly. I have since taken several meteorology courses and read numerous books about the weather, but nothing has ever explained things as well or as simply as this book did. This book is filled with full-color illustrations, distinguishing it from most other books that just have black and white illustrations.

This was one of the original Golden Guides done back in the 50's, along with The Stars, Rocks and Minerals, Birds, North American Trees, and some others. I collected and read just about all of these and it's surprising how much info they got into these little books. Each book is exactly 160 pages, if I remember right. Thus, they have a fixed format, so they have to be very careful about what they select for material since it all has to fit.

These books sold for 75 cents or 95 cents originally. They were great little educational tools when I was a schoolboy, and I could still read them with profit many years later.

The more specialized ones, such as Pond Life, Structural Geology, The Heart, Insect Pests, Spiders and Their Kin, Mushrooms and Non-Vascular plants, were also very good.

As a child, I subscribed to the weekly reader book club in elementary school. My first book was the Weather Golden guide. Since then I have read and/or acquired Stars, Pond Life, Trees, Spiders and Their Kin, and Snakes of North America.
These books are wonderful for both the beginning hobbyist as well as the seasoned if somewhat jaded adult. Clear, concise, and without the modern politically correct drama that so often infects our children's textbooks today, the Golden Guides remain at the front of basic science and nature guides.

This is a short book, similar in format to the other Golden Guides. It's gone through several revisions, but the content remains consistent.

People interested in basic meteorology may consider this book a good starting point. It provides the basics on air currents, precipitation, clouds, fronts, etc. It may not be text book calibre, but it remains true to its roots. Teens may find the information useful, particularly if they have questions that parents cannot answer. There's not a lot of technical language that will only add to the confusion and the chapters are short enough to keep the reader on track.