Collins Books

Having read a lot of "early man" novels, like Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear, I was excited to see Attanasio was taking a turn, but I forgot to expect the unexpected! Attanasio turns the predictable into the surprising in this novel as in his others. The Ghost Dancer is not really the antagonist. In fact, he is perhaps the most sympathic of characters, despite his supernormal abilities! The more normal humans take the roles of good and evil, while the Ghost Dancer himself is the plot. He is the last of his kind, and he seeks the immortality due his species, but his quest brings him closer and closer to the humans he fears and hates. Only a human girl can help him reach his destination, and their trek together teaches her that there is a morality above the survival of the species. Her brother and her protector track the Ghost Dancer and the girl, always dreading the worst. Not until they reach the end of their resources do they learn that their quest to rescue the girl has changed into a battle to defend the Ghost Dancer against the legendary hunter who eliminated so many of the Dancer's people. Is this a novel about Neanderthal vs Cro-Magnon? Is it a novel about supernatural powers inhabiting and lending strength to cave men? Or is it a novel about learning to understand others in a world where all others are strange and threatening. The relevance to life in today's world is indirect but substantial. This novel challenges and entertains, entrances and horrifies, reassures and rewards. It shows us how a great novelist can keep us questioning and changing, until the plot resolution finally shows what he can really do to bend your mind!

This story is just so...haunting. Who is the hero? The bad guy?Things were so clear at the start but...who is to say what is right and wrong.
The author really does a good job of keeping you off balance with all of the twists and moral judgements.

This was a book I picked up at my college library simply because there was no other book available. As is obvious I was least interested and was not even sure I wanted to finish reading the book. Fate it seems is not without a sense of irony - I simply fell in love with it and have been craving for more. I finished reading the book in no time even though it was exam time. This book is very atypical. You are to expect the unexpected. The story is set in prehistoric times - at the times of the last neanderthal man. The book takes you through the life of a confident (or arrogant) warrior who braves the odds to save his pride and loved ones by migrating to the north to join his long lost part of his tribe. The description of the wild landscape and magic conjured is beautiful.

If you like myths and love to be lost in nature long before the smallheads (read as modern man) destroyed it this is the book for you.

Thanks to Attanasio for such great work!

Good tool for Moms to create focus and pinpoint what they want rather than just wanting a new career or re-entering the job force.

This is the most comprehensive book I have come accross describing all the aspects in one's job search. One will find valuable information in regards to the job search: learning (or finding out) about oneself, defining both personal and professional priorities, self-marketing aspect of the job search, outplacement services, recruiting and networking efforts, interview process approach and salary negotiations. Book is a gem and it gives very valuable reference material information on other books valuable for job seekers and professionals; as well as inventory of reputable recruiting firms and other useful information. Must have book!

Helps you walk through the process, step by step, of determining what's important to you, your unique talents and skills, where you can apply those and the practical side of getting a job.. Fantastic.. I turn to it time and time again as I continue my 10+ years post MBA career..

As the title indicates all the details of fine design are covered and sourced. I spent days reading through this book. You don't want to miss anything.

I didn't find anything in here that I didn't already know. That said, sourcing interesting, contemporary / modern materials, fixtures and finishes is my job. I was just a little disappointed that it didn't feel like there were more revolutionary ideas (some of the "green" or eco-friendly materials out there are gorgeous and ground-breaking - it's a great time to be a designer.) The book is a good source of ideas for those who are interested in the field and don't have the time or inclination to do the research themselves.

A must-have inspirational source book for anyone planning a new home, or refurbishing an old one. Full of stylish ideas and leading-edge space solutions with international product web-links. Everything for bathrooms and kitchens, with exhaustive research on lighting, heating, doors and windows etc. I just wish it had come out a year ago! Christopher Ward

Like the author, I grew up in a Catholic home and like the author, I left Catholicism as a young adult. This is the second book by this author (the other was actually co-authored with a monk) that I have read recently. I bought this one because I find the writing style compelling, mostly though she is honest about her doubts and about being a person who claims to have faith. Unlike the author, I have not returned to Catholicism and I can't say that this book has changed that. I don't think she's in denial or anything, I just don't agree that the institution as it stands today can or should be saved. Whether or not I agree with Ms. Collins Pratt, I very much like the book, her writing is memorable, poetic even. There is a lot in the book that gave me reason to pause, to think, to pray, to talk to others about what I was reading. This, I think, is what good spiritual writing should do rather than attempt to provide simple answers to difficult questions. One criticism, that doesn't reflect on the writer. I don't like the cover. The author does speak of being a little Catholic girl but the book is about more than that and the cover will probably keep some people from reading the book. Too bad.

I found this an enchanting book. shows the human dimension of catholicism. not only will it bring people back but it will make those of us who are still communicants happy with our religious commitment.

She's got me. I'm a good Baptist boy who thinks that any church that merits this kind of passion must have something going for it. Nothing is all black or white, nothing is perfect. Guess Catholics would appreciate and understand where the author is coming from better than I do but then again--none of them got to write the first review.Got to tell you what I liked most though. She is just a damned fine writer that is fun to read. You are sucked into her story on page one and wish it wouldn't end. Of course Catholics are going to be the ones buying this book most of the time. You don't have to be Catholic though to like the book. You will understand what makes Catholic Catholic to the people of that religion and you will understand why you are who you are too. I am frankly not sure which stays in my mind more, the sound of her writing voice or her message. Either way, she's a superb story-teller. I think this book will have a large audience because it is the kind of book people talk about.

For those who are familiar with his "Max Danger" series of books, this is somewhat of a departure, but still with all the humor and light-heartedness of those books. In a way that is never heavy or overly serious, Bob Collins clearly and correctly highlights the differences in Japanese and American culture and society. The book is a quick read, that will often have your laughing out loud, but at the end, you will have learned a lot, especially if you are unfamiliar with the Japanese.

This book was great. It was one of the funniest books I've ever read and it gave a lot of important information. It really helps you *understand* the Japanese, as opposed to just hearing some information. It gives you examples of contrast between Americans and the Japanese. Anyone interested in Japan should read this book. Absoloutely beautiful.

The depth makes it more of a primer than a heavy duty text, but it is so very good at that job that I would recommend it as a basic read for ANYONE involved in dealing with Japanese corporations or relationships. It tells you frankly and easily just what background gives the Japanese view on life. And understanding where someone "comes from" makes so many things easier to understand.

I have passed this book to countless people I know it's readable quickly and yet you'll use it as a reference for years to come.

Extremely recommended!

This book provides an extensive key to amphibians and reptiles in North America. If you are studying herpetology, this book has many diagrams in it that really help with keying out dinstinguishing characteristics. Plus, the book is set up simply in plain English. Other keys that I have used were not as extensive as this one, and they were usually confusing. This key takes away all the ambiguity.

This breaks down characters for families very easily. The only draw back to this book is that it doesn't contain common names, but that can always be looked up. I recommend this book to any biologist or herpetologist. It also shows what the basic characters are with pictures.

This key is a must for anyone that is seriously interested in reptiles or amphibians. For instructors of Herpetology lab this book will prove to be invaluable, the illustrations and current phylogenetic classifications will aid in teaching.

A 1000 yr. old King is dying and only the Wonder Doctor can save him by collecting a magic plant which blooms but once a year. On his travels to find the plant the doctor tells all the animals he meets to go the the Copper Castle and tell the king a story, only these will keep him alive until the doctor returns. The animal's stories are both enchanting and captivating fitting together like the pieces of a puzzle. Dwarves, dragons and magical lands will keep your interest until the end which, like a good malt whisky, is rounded and smooth. I first read this book at the age of 8 and have read it at least 15 times since. I am a primary school teacher and have read it to all the classes I have taught. This books is appealing to all age ranges, including adults. If you find a copy BUY it! You will not be disappointed.

I sometimes wonder whether publishers every look at their back-lists, because this is a jewel of a book that any child of 6-10 would adore. In fact, it's what got my son, a reluctant reader, hooked on books.
The King of the Copper Mountain, Mansolain, is 1000 years old and his heart is running down. The brave and kindly Witch Doctor sets out on a perilous quest to find the medicine to make it like young again, but to keep him alive he sends back the animals he meets on his journeys to tell an exicting story to make his heart beat more strongly. And my goodness, do they make a child's heart beat too. How a wolf outwits a dreadful witch, how a horse with golden hooves wins his freedom, how a dragon escapes from a cruel mistress after being sold off by his drunken father all thrill. Yet there are other stories of heart-rending gentleness and simplicity - a rabbit who loses his borther in the sand-dunes, a beetle in search of the perfect hom, a duck who stubbornly refuses to help a dwarf and loses a chance of flying to another world. Most intriguingly of all, the stories all inter-link, so that we discover more about the mysterious king and his copper castle. Beautifully written in a haunting, deceptively simple prose that evokes deep feeling this is a classic. I loved it as a child, and my own children love it too. Please, someone, BRING IT BACK.

I read this book again and again from the time I was 8 years old until I was 10. It never ceased to fascinate me as a child. I can't seem to find a copy for my own kids. If you are looking for a good bedtime story for children it is a must read.

`the kitchen diaries' by `Britain's best-loved food writer' (according to the clear stickie on the book cover), Nigel Slater is truly one of the most unusual culinary books I have seen since I began reviewing all sorts of different cookbooks, cooking science books, culinary memoirs, and culinary history books. The one similarly unusual book that comes to mind is the great `Honey from a Weed' by Patience Gray in that both are culinary diaries. The salient difference between the two is that Gray's book covers the cuisines of four important culinary locations, while Slater's guiding light is the food available through the various months of the year. Oddly, in spite of the great quality of both books, neither is a very good guide to the food from their inspiration. Both are meant less as a reference for looking up recipes and more for the kind of book you simply sit down and read from cover to cover.

I once described to culinary journalist and writing teacher, Dianne Jacob, the author of `Will Write for Food', that I thought there were three major styles of recipe writing. The first and most common these days is the model created by Julia Child in `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. Everyone from James Beard on down rewrote his or her stuff in this style soon after this book came out. The second style is the `haute cuisine' / celebrity chef style epitomized by Joel Robuchon, with the assistance of Patricia Wells. These recipes are read less to prepare these dishes than to garnish insights on new cooking techniques and unusual ingredients. The third is what I described as the Elizabeth David style of recipe writing as this great writer did in her earliest books on Mediterranean, French, and Italian cooking. Ms. Jacob said she didn't think anyone wrote recipes like Elizabeth David (except, perhaps, Elizabeth David). I submit that if in no other way, then certainly in this style of culinary writing, Nigel Slater is the truest incarnation of Elizabeth David's style of recipe writing.

As he explains in his excellent book, `Appetite', he is all about a minimalist approach to recipe writing, to advance the greatest culinary pleasure of being able to cook without a cookbook, or, at the very least, with only the barest suggestions from the author on how to go about doing things with some ingredients at hand. This is the most attractive aspect of several current popular culinary writers, not the least of whom is Slater's compatriot, Jamie Oliver, who seems to worship the ground on which Slater walks.

This book is also a great study in the cardinal precept of Tom Colicchio's `How to Think Like a Chef' which states that recipes do not develop from an interest to make a tart or a roast or a ceviche or whatever. They arise from what the chef has on hand. This book is an essay on that principle in a way which makes the principle real for the average amateur cook who works exclusively at home.

One of the greatest revelations you will find in this book is the surprising truth that even distinguished culinary writers will often eat through the day by simply picking out of the fridge and that Slater often goes for two or three days without actually cooking a `sit down' meal. This rings so true that those of us who routinely watch Rachael Ray saying that she cooks full two and three dish meals every day, or almost every day at home in the Adirondacks seriously believe she is exaggerating just a bit.

The title of this book must be taken completely literally. It is so much of a diary that about 40% of the text in the book is more like the material in a memoir than in a cookbook. It is not unrelated to `cooking', as it describes the circumstances under which certain dishes come about. The primary circumstance is the season, or more exactly the month or time in the season. So, the book is organized by month rather than by quarterly season.

Another very important sense in which this is a `diary' is that it has very much a sense of being an unfinished work in progress. Slater is nothing if not eloquent in his writing in his other books. That is why I am so surprised to find plainly awkward, unpolished writing in this book. This leads me to believe that unlike much of his other work, this book has not seen the pages of a newspaper with its platoon of copy editors poring over the text to clean up awkward writing.

This awkwardness may make one stop and reread passages here and there, but it will clearly not detract from the pleasure of reading this book for dyed in the wool foodies. Another thing which may limit the interest of the book to food fanatics is that like `Appetite' and unlike some of his more popular books such as `real fast food' and `real cooking', all measurements are done in metric units.

In the end, if you enjoy writing about food, this book is simply a great find. It is one of those rare books which puts you into the cook's head and lets you see work in progress in a way I simply have never seen anywhere else, even in Colicchio's important book or in better writer / chef collaborations such as Bittman / Von Gerichten and Welles / Robuchon.

Very highly recommended for foodies.

If you know of Nigel Slaters other books you will no doubt just buy this regardless of any review as you will know what an entertaining writer he is.

If you are new to Nigel Slater then here is what I would say about this book;

If you are looking for a straight out 'recipe book' this isn't the book for you (I'd start with the excellent 'Appetite' - also by Nigel Slater). However, if you are a foodie that is inspired by reading about others inspiration and seasonal eating, then you will find this book hugely entertaining.

More a book on enjoying simple culinery pleasures than technique or presentation.

Forget such lifestyle books as 'Under the Tuscan sun' or 'A year in Provence', what you'll get out of this is a sense of place, mood, season and good living which is obtainable by all of us (in the western world) through the simple but elegant satisfaction good food can bring.

Nigel Slater is definitely one of the best food writers around today, his enjoyment of food - its textures, colours, tastes and aromas is inspiring and even now just thinking about the book I find my mouth watering.

He is a British writer and if you have not heard about him or his work then I strongly suggest you have a go - if you like Nigella Lawson or Jamie Oliver you will probably enjoy Slater.

In this hardback illustrated book he discusses his eating and cooking over a year. Each chapter is a month of writing and cooking - talking about food what is available and what he does with it. The start of the chapter has the month and a list of recipes he has made through the month. So you can flick through on a month by month basis, tasting the season's fruits etc, (there is also a helpful index by the way) Or you can just read it as a series of recipes in a diary like way.

The recipes are based on fresh and simple principles rather than trying to make complicated concoctions. And some of the simplest foods make the nicest things - I love his broad bean recipes (the American readers will probably know them as fava beans)and rhubarb deserts are great.

My only real issue with this book is that it is printed on a laid crean paper - which is fine for text but they also have printed the pictures in colour on it which loses a lot of the gloss and richness of the illustrations. I really enjoy good food photography - even if I never can present it to the same standard it is lovely to look at. While it is all nicely presented and printed I find it difficult to get the whole "Readers-Digest-Condensed-book" picture out of my head because that is what it looks like to me.

It is in hardback with decorated boards as covers, not easy to hold open to make any of the recipes. My suggestion is that you do what I did - read it though once and really enjoy it as a diary/book. It is a wonderful literary indulgence - then pick out the recipes you like, put them on paper in your own recipe book, and keep this lovely volume safely on the shelf to browse through at leisure (and without sticky fingers).

A stunning collection of Southern horror stories, gothic and otherwise, with terrors ranging from the supernatural to the psychological
-Locus

This book has it all...

Local folklore & homegrown horror mix with dark slices of southern life in this collection of Southern Gothic horror tales.

Knuckles and Tales is a collection of atmospheric, disturbing, spooky, and downright weird Southern Gothic short stories by award-winning author Nancy A Collins, best known for her edgy novels featuring the punk vampire/vampire slayer Sonja Blue. The original hardback edition of Knuckles and Tales,was nominated by both the Horror Writers Association and the International Horror Guild for Best Collection of 2002. This edition features original interior artwork that was not featured in the Cemetery Dance edition. The stories on display in Knuckles and Tales range from suspense and psychological horror to dark fantasy and black comedy, with the occasional weird love story thrown in for good measure. Knuckles and Tales features two never before published novelettes in the Seven Devils Cycle: "Junior Teeter And The Bad Shine" and "the Pumpkin Child", as well as the previously unpublished short story "Big Easy".

The photos are of great beauty, and the line drawings are extremely well done without annoying you with too much specificity. You'll learn a lot, without even trying, about the allure and the lore of herbs. Landscaping with herbs is a whole field to itself, and not many people can explain it as well as Collins and Giles. I think this book might inspire you to bring out your trowels, even on a cold and wet day, and in summer it will be a herbalist's paradise.

I was impressed with the breath and depth of the author's knowledge of herbal botony. The book was easy to understant and a pleasure to read. The book was also asthetically pleasing and a good book to refer to again and again. I liked it!

'LANDSCAPING HERBS' has color photos taken by the author. Detailed and unique sketches drawn by a professor at the University of Illinois. Extensive descriptions of over one thousand herbs. Even accurate and pertinant maps, tables, and listings. All of these strands together braid into one IMPRESSIVE reference guide. After reading 'LANDSCAPING HERBS', the only conclusion that the reader can make is that the author really knows her stuff. Enough said.