Collins Books

This is a great little book to pass the time anywhere! I keep it in my purse for those waits at the doctor's office, airport, wherever! The facts in this publication are so much fun to read and to share and they make great cocktail party conversation!

Great book for those who enjoy random trivia. Contains short snippets of intersting info.

A surprisingly tiny book. (The picture in the upper-left corner is nearly actual size.) After receiving it, I immediately looked up its dimensions in the description on this page. It says 4.7 x 3.3 x 0.6. I had not noticed that before I ordered it. The book seems much smaller than that. Not that that is a problem; it was just somewhat of a shock to find such a minuscule book when I opened the box.

I believe it is intended to be carried with you in your pocket or glove box or the locket around your neck so you'll have a chance to pick out a few choice topics of conversation before you enter a party or whatever.

It certainly is not intended as bathroom reading. For one thing, the pages are much too small for emergency TP use.

Not that I am complaining, mind you. This is a gem of a book with over 200 interesting bits of trivia listed more or less alphabetically from "The Amish" to "Zero". (This is not to imply that the title of each page has much to do with the text, but who cares - the book is fun.)

Each page has its stated "Fact" and a follow-up paragraph to expound on the subject.

Also, there are a number of pages randomly strewn through the book with three "Instant Personalities" each - little tidbits of info about famous people. (Although, Thomas Jefferson got his own page, as did Alfred Hitchcock.)

And unlike another trivia book I purchased recently (Bla Bla), the information here is actually correct. Will and Mangesh research their topics, not just publish un-provable "facts" gathered from the Internet. Use the contents with confidence.

This is such a practical, loving and very kind book for how to enjoy your child's toddler stage. It contains all kinds of suggestions for making life fun for both you and your tot -- all surrounded with lots of hugs and comforting. The sleep, feeding, potty training, and other advice seems spot on. It also offers lots of British-y nursery rhymes and classic book and toy suggestions. I highly recommend it to parents with 1- to 3-year-olds.

Classy hardcover guide to parenting with plenty of sound advice. Beats all those paperback 'supernanny' type guides hands-down. This one is from a professional who knows her stuff, not a puffed up overnight TV personality. Starts at 6 months and includes all the basics, plus fun recipes and advice. A nice gift for a new mother

I admit that I laughed a little when I first saw this book. Perfectly happy children? I flipped through a little, though, and took it home. The author has been a nanny for 18 years, her recipe for good childcare is "provide the safety and security of a familiar routine, set clear limits and boundaries in order to make them feel loved and cared for and to teach respect, and, most importantly, make it fun and play together." She breaks the book down into 6 months-1 year, 1 year to 2 1/2 and 2 1/2 to 5. My child is already 1 so I didn't read all the first part but she lists 10 steps to a routine, suggestions for introducing table food, games to play, etc. I do not agree with the "cry it out" sleep method but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. The rest seemed very common sense, but sometimes you're so sleep deprived you want something down on paper to give you a routine to stick to. The toddler section was also good, I particularly like her recipes for toddlers and "Tips for Fussy Non-eaters." Though I am devoted to attachment parenting, it does not really conflict with her philosophy (except for the cry-it-out thing and I realize parents all have strong feelings one way or another--and even she says to distinguish between actual hysterical crying and "oscar-worthy performances" and that if the child is sick and miserable to bring her to bed with you) and actually abuts nicely, the whole organic food, prepared yourself, making bed a positive association with lots of snuggles, playing with them but also reading the baby's signs for when they're done playing, hungry, tired, etc. Her philosophy seems to be a routine that is flexible "within reason." She says "it is important to remember never to compare your child with others. You have a unique, individual child who was born with a temperament and personality that you are patiently nurturing. There are no right and wrong ages for them to develop, just guidelines that you can follow. All you can do is teach and assist them, and trust that they will accomplish what they need to in their own time." This book is chock full of specific and sensible information and has lots of ideas with regards to play, discipline, potty training, nutrition, and much more. I would certainly gift it at a baby shower (perhaps with a more mainstream first 5 years books like Dr. Sears Baby Book) as it is gorgeous and a very pleasant read, interspersed with quotes to begin each new section. Don't dismiss this because it looks fluffy, this is a gem!

Great book for any cat lover

author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

I received a copy of Mog's Christmas for my second Christmas in 1979 from an Aunt. I fell in love with the story and Mog's reaction to all of the changes in "her house" at Christmas time. My favorite part is when Mog thinks: "It was a tree, a tree walking!" What Mog does not see is that Mr. Thomas is carrying the family Christmas tree inside the house.
The author has masterfully interpreted the feline perception of the flurry of Christmas activity. This book is a must for any child or adult who loves cats or the hustle and bustle surrounding Christmas time. I have read this book to or with my family every Christmas since 1979. I even read this book to my second grade students last Christmas, and they really enjoyed it. I plan to make time to read this litte gem to my students every year at Christmas time from now on.

Mog is in shock. Strange things are happening at her house, and she doesn't like it one bit. Everyone is running about the house, hanging up mistletoe and decorations, blowing up balloons, baking loads of food. So Mog runs outside, and climbs up to the roof where she can be away from all of the hectic festivities. Until suddenly she finds herself in the house again, with everyone wishing her a happy holiday.

I adore cats, and Christmas is my favorite holiday, so MOG'S CHRISTMAS quickly won a place in my heart. Judith Kerr has created a lovely children's book that will show the reaction of a cat when anything about his/her house changes, whether it's for a day, a week, or more. The illustrations are absolutely lovely, and will quickly make MOG'S CHRISTMAS a favorite for the winter holidays.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Excelente libro que nos ayuda a descubrir que tal somos en el mundo de las finanzas y nos da consejos y herramientas para mejorar nuestra "conducta financiera". Su autora, Julie Stav es mi idolo del mundo del dinero. Su pagina personal es de lo mejor en Internet www.juliestav.com Gracias.

It is a good book if you want to accept the money personalities
she describes. It gives you ideas how to handle your finances
according to your personality.

Before reading Ms. Stav's first book --"Get Your Share"--, I did not have a very clear idea of my finances and what to do w. them. I had some savings & wanted to put them to work for me but did not have the slightest idea of how to do it. Also, money matters, investments, transactions, and all that stuff had always intimidated me--I'm proud to say, not anymore. When I first saw Ms. Stav PBS program I understood for the first time many money issues that had always seemed too difficult; she made me see that it was not so hard to approach them and work w. them. Her books were a revelation to me, really, and since then I have been following her advice, made some money thanks to that and, above all, felt more relieved regarding my future. In this new book I discovered that my personality is that of the Dependable Hoarder, and I'm not ashamed of that!! I laughed a lot, because the book is not only easy to read and informative but very funny as well. I only wish I could understand Spanish better (I'm originally from France) to listen to her radio program. This is a great buy for anybody wishing to understand his/her finances, how and why they spend the money the way they do, and how to find a solution to the financial problems caused by it. Also, if you are married and have a family, this book is very useful to help you deal w. issues regarding kids/spouses and money.

This is an excellent book. My wife and I are relocating our family and we found it very helpful. Not everything in the book will work or apply to everyone who is moving, but the concepts and suggestions presented in the book are overall excellent.

I found this book to be extremely helpful and very encouraging. Using practical advice from other families who move frequently, Moving with Kids gave me peace of mind in how to handle the transition for my children, 10 & 13. Not only is it a fast read, but it is very engaging. I highly recommend this book for anyone moving, whether locally where school/neighborhood changes are involved, cross country or farther. There is something for everyone!! GREAT BOOK!!

Written by social worker and mother of three Lori Collins Burgan, Moving with Kids: 25 Ways to Ease Your Family's Transition to a New Home is a no-nonsense practical guide to minimizing stress on the family, helping one's kids keep old friends and make new ones, create a sense of belonging in one's new community, and much more. Chapters cover basic precepts parents should internalize before, during, and after a move, from "Don't be afraid to throw your own goodbye party" to "Take deliberate steps to ease the transition to a new school" to "Keep in touch with old friends" and "Don't forget to take care of yourself." "When your children are feeling down before or after a move, find something to laugh about. Rent a funny video. Pull out the baby pictures. Take turns doing impressions of your favorite lines from movies or songs. When our family needs a good laugh, we often pull out the journal I keep of the cute things the kids have said." An absolute must-have for any family embarking upon the transition of a move.

New Cinematographers is a quick, thorough, and interesting read. The information is presented in a simple way that is neither too flowery nor too sparse. Divided into 6 sections, one for each cinematographer, then sub-divided for each film that is discussed. The language is not excessively technical, so a beginner should be able to understand. It is not bland for the seasoned professional though, since a lot of the techniques presented are very non-conventional. Some of the films covered are quite different than what you will find in your typical issue of American Cinematographer, whose films seem to have a limitless budget. Especially in the early part of their careers, these cinematographers, found innovation, imagination, and hard work would go a lot further toward the overrall success of the film than just a budget can allow. Highly recommended for beginner, professional, or enthusiast.

This book is an excellent resource for cinematographers, both professional and aspiring.

Lance Acord, Jean-Yves Escoffer, Darius Khondji, John Mathieson, Seamus McGarvey, and Harris Savides all go through a step by step process of what they did to execute certain scenes. Lighting charts, set design blueprints, call sheets, storyboards, on set photography, film stills... it's all in this book. Very detailed and descriptive. In depth writing about film stocks, developing processes, filters, lights, colors... everything you could possibly imagine!

Hands down a GREAT resource, as they dissect scenes in movies they actually shot. So you can follow along while watching films such as Buffalo '66, Being John Malcovich, Lost in Translation, Gummo, City of Lost Children, Seven, The Beach, Gladiator, The Hours, and plenty more.

Definite recommendation.

"New Cinematographers" is a beautifully produced and packaged book, full of insights into what goes on in the mind of some of the most creative and interesting cinematographers working today. There are sections devoted to each of several new cinematographers, and chapters on several of the films they worked on. Readers of the book basically get to look at refined notes by some of the contemporary masters of cinema (Lance Acord - Buffalo '66, Being John Malkovich, Lost in Translation; Jean-Yves Escoffer - Lovers on the Bridge, Gummo, Good Will Hunting; Darius Khondji - Delicatessen, Se7en; John Mathieson - Gladiator, Matchstick Men; Seamus McGarvey - High Fidelity, The Hours; and Harris Savides - The Game, Elephant), whose names are not as well known as the directors of the films they worked on, but who ought to be -- as this book makes abundantly clear, the body of work to which each of these cinematographers contributed bears the mark of their creative talents just as much as it bears the stamp of their directors or writers. The list of films covered reads like a catalog of all of the most visually compelling works by the most creative directors of the past decade (Being John Malkovich, Seven, Elephant, The City of Lost Children, etc.). There are pictures, diagrams, scripts, notes, all included to flesh out the process they went through in each film, and accompanied by an incredible wealth of detail about the filmmaking process, their experience with the director, their methods for planning for each shoot, their reflections on their craft, specific explanations on how they achieved some of the most interesting shots, and details about difficulties faced during each shot. Some of the most illuminating bits include some of the various reflections on how to capture the distinctiveness of particular faces, or how and why they decided to manipulate the look of a particular actor. Reading through this book is not only exciting and intriguing for me as a lover of film, but was also extremely rewarding in the wealth of insights it gave me into the decision-making process of a wide range of experts. This is an exceptional and extremely valuable book, well worth owning.

This is a very good dictionary which takes a very wide range of concepts from all fields of human endeavor and provides short and most often clear and good definitions.On one page I see definitions for ' democratic centralism' 'demography' ' demonstration'(logical) demythologize , dendrochronology, denotation density. There are also on the page names of individuals who are identified and related to the articles on concepts. On this page for instance Charles Demuth(British painter 1935) is referred to the entry on PRECISIONISM. This is a very useful intellectual tool.

I have many dictionaries on my shelves -- among them dictionaries of theology, philosophy, and sociology. I bought this dictionary at an airport, not really being sure how useful it would be. In fact it is a relatively new concept, having originated in the 1970s with Alan Bullock and Oliver Stallybrass. They felt that an ordinary dictionary contains "thousands of words familiar to us all", while an encyclopaedia contains (with regard to modern thought) "a vast amount of irrelevant material". They sensed the need for a dictionary of a new kind.

This book contains nearly 4,000 entries, typically half a column's length, as well as copious cross-referencing, and mini-bibliographies on many subjects. It covers (inter alia) the fields of anthropology, sociology, economics, philosophy, history, politics, physics, and biology. The entries are well written, and by and large would seem to distil the essential meaning and significance of every term. It is also written "in language as simple as can be used without over-simplification or distortion".

In short, if anything has been a major topic of conversation during the past generation, it is likely to be found in this dictionary. I myself have been engaged in postgraduate studies, and have found it to be remarkably comprehensive and dependable, as well as giving me many useful leads in contemporary debate. No one could expect such a book to hold everything -- yet the amount of information that it does hold is surprising. It is not just a faddish idea. It has become one of my most valuable reference tools.

A very useful book. In fact, I use it much more regularly than my Britannica. Where, in a single volume, would you find entries on 'Lolita Syndrome', 'transitional object', 'hydraulic civilisations', 'Equal Rights Amendment' and 'serial music'? In the Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought, of course. And there is much more to learn in this gem of a book. Really a browser's delight! Hurry up: it's still readily available via amazon.co.uk.

This book is a thoughtful journey of the author through the pain of life and whimsical observations of the world around her. Keep writing Kathy!

Kathryn McL. Collins is one of today's best poets. Her book is a must have for any lover of poetry.

Excellent book of poetry and reasonably priced.
I was and am delighted with this book.

For me this book has served to be very educational and is what motivated me to make a few lifestyle changes to help improve the quality of myself and family. It's mind boggling to know that there's so many harmful chemicals out there. But it's just as relaxing to know that there's alternatives that you can use. The amount of references given in the book is awesome and Ms. Dadd should be accredited for such a fine book!

C.B.

Great and very informative. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in taking care of the environment and limiting toxic products in the home.

This is the best book I have ever read in my life. It contains some much helful information on a wide variety of subjects. It has changed many of my current practices and continues to give me advice. It should be a recommended book to read in high school because everyone in the world should read and own a copy of this book. You should not have any doughts in purchasing this book.

It would be interesting to read this book alongside Mamet's "True and False." Chekov's passion for creation and exploration through the imagination, set against Mamet's scorn of invention on the part of the actor. Mamet dismisses the idea that character exists and that an actor can "become" the character. Chekov meditated in order to try and commune with the spirit of the character.

Two very different approaches.

In spite of the practical application of Chekov's ideas, there is a childlike hunger here for the imaginitive and mysterious that I feel is critical for any artist. We can appreciate that Chekov defied Stanislavski in search of something of his own, and here is perhaps the most interesting point: Chekov's method was deeply personal. He created his own approaches, and took bold risks in doing so. I most enjoyed the descriptions that his book has of how Chekov would create his own characters.

That any artist could throw themselves into their work with such interest and abandon is thrilling.

Again my mantra about acting books remains . . .

Reading an acting book must be taken inside the context of personal experience of either production or an acting class.

I value Checkov for the simple reason that, although he often comes across as nebulous and abstract, he stresses the fantastic and imaginative elements of acting.

Escewing working from the emotional inside out Checkov, a veteran of the Moscow Art Theatre, stresses finding the character through imaginative excercises that first engage the external elements of the actor's instrument namely in the creation of fantasy atmospheres and communion with the audience.

Building upon Jung's theories of the Universal Archetype, I find Checkov's bit about the psychological gesture and "living statues" most helpful in teaching, acting and directing.

In a professional world where gut wrenching, self absorbed displays of therepy induced emotion passes for true acting, I find Checkov's teachings most helpful in inspiring the true reasons many find themselves drawn to the stage: the wonder and excitement of telling an imaginative story.

This book is a must for all actors film or stage. It helps one to evaluate your method of acting and helps one to learn using easy step by step methods of each exercise.