Freeman Books

I am using the Spectrum books to homeschool my 1st and 4th graders. They seem to be working very well for us.

The things I really like about the Spectrum series is
1. It is fairly inexpensive
2. Each page either reviews or teaches only one new concept.
3. The answers are in the back of the book so you can correct and check easily.
4. They are complete and well thought out in their ordering.

I'm homeschooling and I could go on the road with the Spectrum books. After trying several different curriculums, I stumbled across these books in the bookstore. They were an answer to prayer. There is an answer key in the back, so I haven't had to haul around a huge teachers edition. These books, all of them (we homeschool a 1st grader and 3rd grader and we use Spectrum Spelling, Writing, Reading, Language Arts, Vocabulary, Phonics, and Math) are exactly what we needed. My first grader LOVES the reading books. We ordered both, the regular Spectrum, and the one written by Mercer Meyer with the Little Critter characters. Childrens books (especially the ones written at her level) are SO expensive, and these reading books come with so many stories, and they have exercises for reading comprehension. I REALLY can't say enough. One thing I'd like to see them do? Add science and social studies/ history and geography to their mix... art and music while we are at it!!

You should first ensure you either coach your first grader with basic addition, subtraction and arithmetic skills. Other books, flash cards, Math Big Workbooks, Speak N Math (remember Texas Instruments) will help here.

In this test prep there are examples and timed exercises. There are developmental exercises but needs parental instructions. Builds problem-solving skills they already have, so it hones or sharpens their existing skills and an answer key is included.

Spectrum is the standard for standardized test preps.

I bought this, in the US version, for research purposes. It is outstanding for that (it even covers some quite obscure use of Mosquitos on Red Stocking missions)but is also a fascinating and really good read! If only someone would produce an equally good book on the US Pacific war in the air.

This is the book to get if you want to really know the activities of the Eighth Air Force during World War II. It covers the Mighty Eighth from its inception all the way through the war. Arranged pretty much chronologically, the book is not a quick read by any means. The tiny print and comprehensive detail would make slow going for someone just trying to get a general overview of the Eighth Air Force. This is a book for the serious aviation history reader. Written by one of England's top authorities on the US Eighth Air Force, Roger Freeman, this book is crammed with excellent photographs and stories of all the major missions and developments in the war. It also has a beautiful color section showing all the planes of the Eighth, with an illustrated example from each bomb group and fighter group. This is followed by a brief unit history on every group. There is another color section on assembly ships, which have always reminded me of rodeo clowns with their gaudy paint jobs. This is followed by a short selection of vintage nose art, an illustrated listing of all the aces of the war, and another illustrated list of Medal of Honor Winners. The index is quite good, though at first a bit confusing as it is broken up according to names, places and aircraft and the listings are very specific (for example, it doesn't work for finding something general such as Switzerland). This is a high quality book, actually more of an oversized book than a standard trade paperback. It has been wonderfully put together. It is a masterpiece, the result of much painstaking research, full of excellent photographs. Anyoone with a serious interest in the Mighty Eighth would find this book to be one of the cornerstones of his or her collection, along with Ian Hawkins' books on Munster and the 95th. I highly recommend it.

If you ever knew, or know anyone who served in the 8th Air Force in Europe during the period 1942-1945, this book will asnwer the question, "What Did You Do During World War II? If a member of your family flew with the 8th during that period, this is a must to keep as part of your family history, for generations yet to come. It deserves a prominent place on the family tree. It is well illustrated, and tells it like it was. I know, for i was there, and this is the way it was.

Freeman's book is an excellent look at the 8th Air Force in England - from its first arrival in late 1942 to its departure at the end of the war. He writes so well that you actually feel as if you are there, riding along with the crews at 25,000 feet, in the harsh subzero atmosphere. The stories are remarkable - the fighter pilots; the Fortress gunners; the pilots remarkable duties while flying crippled ships - all fascinating. When the last of the planes and crews leave England at the end of the war, you can almost see the tears at this bittersweet end. Definitely recommended. My only complaint: I bought the British version - the font is smaller and as a result, more print is crammed onto a single page as opposed to American books. (But, I'd still buy it again and read it!)

`Mobile Media and Applications, From Concept to Cash' has been written in a highly accessible and simple to read manner (most obvious to me because I am ony new to the telecoms / mobile industry). It offers a broad perspective of case studies and concrete experiences making it a comprehensive and essential reference for anyone interested in creating successful mobile services.

This book is written by a bunch of engineering and marketing support folk who work for Ericsson around the world. Their orientation is towards killer apps that would find a large market on a worldwide basis.

They start by reviewing the big apps, customized ring tones for instance that can be sold for a few cents but which when multipled by any fraction at all of the number of phones sold equals a huge market. The number of phones sold in 2005 was somewhere around 680 million. A dollar, or a Euro for a customized sound and you have lots and lots of money.

But after ring tones, music, and TV, what comes next?

The authors discuss some things that have been tried, some of the problems and the opportunities. But when all is said and done, remember it's just a phone. It's got a very small screen, coarse resolution, not too many buttons, limited processing power, memory and storage.

These people clearly understand their marketplace. Their advice seems sound and well thought out. Perhaps more than thought out, it's the voice of experience.

Christoffer Andersson (& company) has done it again! This is a very up-to-date book on the incredible dynamic confluence of media and mobile. As a non-engineer, I found that the clear writing style and use of interesting examples and case studies make this sophisticated book very accessible. This is for everyone in the ecosystem; media players, telecom operators, application developers, device manufacturers and investors.

Fantastic book full where the very experienced authors share some of experiences they had in their careers. Media, Technology, and Market perspectives are well covered, providing a wide and end-to-end perspective.
A must read for everyone in the sector. Even the most experienced people will learn new things.

A fun read -- lots of twists and turns and good dialogue brought the colorful characters of Key West to life.

This is a murder mystery whose characters you come to love and identify with, one you wish would keep on reading, because you never want it to end. It is satisfying on every level.

Also recommended: My only recommendation for the decade has got to be Keshner's COCKPIT CONFESSIONS OF AN AIRLINE PILOT, which ( although mis-titled ) is a meaty odyssey, a barrel of fun, and a search for truth.

This is a first for me, actually taking the time to review a book. We have spent every other annual vacation in Key West for the past twelve years, and we tend to follow the news from the Conch Republic, whenever we see any. At anyrate, when MURDER IN KEY WEST came out, I had to read it, and it is terrific. Great characters, brutal, twisted story, and the sex is [great]. Read it, you'll love it.

A fabulous murder mystery unfolds in Key West, great cast of characters, delicious sex and a satisfying ending... what more is there to life?

The book is composed of different events that happened in the author's life. It is the life of an Armenian immigrant family in the beautiful San Juaquin Valley. Although, the story is about events that are happening in a particular Armenian family, in reality it is the life all immigrants in America. The stories some how effects all Americans. I am positive that some where in our lifetime we were criticized for a certain cultural trait. It is the story of the ultimate underdog who is determined to succeed. At the same time it is a very fun and easy book to read. I could not put the book down.

Saroyan has to be the best writer to come out of the West. He should have been recognized more for his genius work.

This is a nice small book of short stories which offers a pleasing weekend or evening read. Book is about a young boy by name Aram Garoghlanian and his family, Armenian immigrants living in Fresno, CA. It describes Aram's adventures during his early teenage years and events happening in his great and proud tribe of Garoghlanians.

Book is base on episodes of the author's childhood, and the characters of Aram's tribe are based on real individuals, Saroyan's relatives. The book is sensitive and pleasant, and each of the 14 chapters, is written as a separate short-story.

At first when I read the first page,I thought that it is a very good book for everybody. After I read all of them, Iam filled with admiration. It tell us "THE LIFE OF AN ARMENIAN FAMILY IN THE BEAUTIFUL SAN JUAQUIN VALLEY". It is a very fun and easy book to read.

I am a high school student, and we read an excerpt from this book in our literature class. I immediately was intrigued by Saroyan's method of writing and the fact that his novels are autobiographical. This is a story of Aram Garoghlanian, a boy living in Fresno with his large family of Armenian immigrants. Throughout the book, such ideas are touched upon as maturity, honesty, and acceptance. My Name is Aram is a portrait not only of Aram Garoghlanian and William Saroyan himself, but Americans in general. Americans struggle with basic values and ideas everyday, and accepting our eccentric family members is something we learn to do. Saroyan describes small details in hi writing that bring the story to life and open up a new world. Readers will soon realize when they open this novel that each of us holds Aram inside us, whether it means we struggle with the idea of stealing a horse or keeping the families reputation. I strongly recommend this book to anyone.

If you want a book that will get your mind stirring, this is it.

As a person in the radio industry, "No static" gives one the straight goods. Quincy MCCoy has become my new mentor. "No static" certinally has opened my eyes to a industry that I thought I knew. If there is one book about the business we love to love, Q's book is a page tuner and a must read!!.

I recently had the pleasure of reading 'No Static' by Quincy McCoy and I found it to be not only an informative read but an entertaining one as well. The true mark of any book is whether or not the author can transport the reader into his/her world, commanding their rapt attention from the opening page until the last and McCoys' 'Guide to Radio Programming' fits snuggly into this mold. The books takes the reader carefully and swiftly from Mr. McCoy's humble radio beginnings in Utica, New York to the present day. It is in the journey that we learn where Quincy gained his radio genuis. Well known programmers like Paul Drew, Jerry Clifton, and Bill Tanner are interviewed by McCoy and speak to him about the science of radio programming and creativity not only as a subject for an interview but as a dear and respected friend. Among the legendary radio personalities that Mr. McCoy reems an enormous amount of information and insight from are Dan Ingram, Chuck Leonard, and John Mason.

This book is an absolute MUST for any radio professional (or future professional) who wants to learn the basics of radio programming, and more importantly creativity; an art somehow lost through in this age of over consolidation.

This book should be course-required reading for those aspiring to a career in radio. As a student studying broadcast communications this book has been invaluable at framing the industry and providing insight into the nuances of the medium. Mr McCoy has been a pioneer in the industry and has consistently inspired creativity in others... this book continues that trend.

It is rare that a book is written for teachers of kindergarten through 3rd grade students. Ms. Freeman gives teachers practical ways to go beyond science and social studies using Newbridge Big Books as catalysts for writing interesting non-fiction pieces. Her strategies are clear and examples are given throughout the book. This is a must have for thematic teaching - extending core subjects such as science and social studies into the language arts arena.

Marcia Freeman has done a top-notch job presenting information in Non-fiction Writing Strategies. This book will assist all teachers with helping students to develop their ability to effectively communicate information in writing. Teachers and students will find the suggestions practical and easy to implement. The author has done an outstanding job helping teachers see how to integrate writing instruction across disciplines and throughout the instructional day. This book is a must-have for anyone wishing to help their students improve their writing.

Integrating science with expository writing, Marcia Freeman's Non-Fiction Writing Strategies is ideal for school-wide curriculums. This innovative resource guide provides an integrated approach for teaching science and informational writing; strategies for teaching writing-craft fundamentals; a step-by-step explanations of the basic process of teaching writing-craft skills; oral and written models, student examples, practice activities, and assessment procedures; a variety of expository techniques with related precursor activities appropriate for children; and advice on preparing young writers for success on performance-based school examinations and state competency tests. Highly recommended for use by elementary teachers and homeschooling parents.

It is rare that a book is written for teachers of kindergarten through 3rd grade students. Ms. Freeman gives teachers practical ways to go beyond science and social studies using Newbridge Big Books as catalysts for writing interesting non-fiction pieces. Her strategies are clear and examples are given throughout the book. This is a must have for thematic teaching - extending core subjects such as science and social studies into the language arts arena.

This book contains five short stories of horror with a mythological base. The fantastic elements are very well woven into realistic frames of everyday life, which makes it all even more spine chilling.

The ogres here are not evil things that lurk on innocent people, but they come from the people themselves. This can happen if a person is so overcome by anger and bitterness that she turns into an ogre, herself, like, for example, a constantly bullied high school student, a girl who is raped, or a mother whose child is killed. The stories are in no way black and white, and the complexity makes it all very interesting.

The artwork is excellent, with dramatic page layouts and contrasting blacks and whites (almost frank-milleresque at times, but much smoother). I've heard some people complain about Kusunoki's way of drawing noses, though.

After Akira and Domu, this book has been my main source of inspiration for blood splatter and speed lines. And there is a very nice scene with a policeman on page 88 ...

This book was excellent. The illustrations added to the ability of the author's communication to understand the main characters quest. If you plan on reading this I'd advise you to read the original first.

A very good Magna (japanese style graphic novel) About a boy who has no name, save that of his sword: Ogre Slayer.

Excellent, well-drawn manga story of an ogre and his quest. A long time ago, an ogre mother gave birth to an ogre in human form, who, instead of having a horn on his head, was born with his horn in his hand in the form of sword. The boy has no name, only going by the name of his sword, the "Onikirimaru," the Ogre Slayer. His quest, which ultimately is for acceptance, is to become human. At once sad, because of the seeming impossibility of his quest, but also profoundly hopeful, Ogre Slayer is the story of a boy and his dream of being human. A must read for anyone who enjoys good story-telling.

Written by a known Oracle and replication technology expert, I enjoyed learning new things on how to design and manage Oracle replication environments. The excellent examples, scripts and workshops helped me to ramp up quickly on this complex technology.

Nicely compiled book with all the necessary information and procedures to implement replication. It is nice to see replication implemented using scripts/cmds other than GUI. Can recommend to any intermediate/advanced DBA who administer distributed databases.

This is a excellent reference for Oracle replication, it explains the issues with multimaster replication. Lots of examples to set up and use Oracle replication. This book pays for itself right away. Must read for those new to Oracle Replication.

This is a great reference for Oracle replication and does an excellent job of explaining the issues, especially multimaster replication. I have Freemans's Oracle new features book also, and I enjoy the style and cadence of the writing style. The text is not preachy and shows with clear examples all of the ways to set up and use Oracle replication. I highly recommend this book, and the price is great too.

Fans of OTR will surely be familiar with the Amos & Andy radio shows. They were so extraordinarily popular and woven into the fabric of the lives of legions of Americans that everything stopped when the show was scheduled to air. Restaurant conversations halted; even the motion picture houses stopped the film long enough to air Amos & Andy for the audience (or risk having patrons just stay home so as not to miss the broadcast).

I've been reading an excellent book. The Original Amos 'n' Andy: Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll And The 1928-1943 Radio Serial. The author, Elizabeth McLeod, has produced a deft and scholarly look at a bit of radio history that was in great danger of being lost forever.

The radio show went beyond those years, but it is the early episodes (thousands) that warrant the attention of this book. What I found fascinating is that, while the Amos & Andy series is often regarded in modern commentary as patently racist and a propagation of stereotypes, the creators of the two characters, Gosden and Correll, took great pains to achieve just the opposite. The author addresses this early on and powerfully. Both Amos and Andy were treated as real people and given multi-layered story lines and and dignified treatment. They could easily have bent to sponsor pressure and allowed the characters to become silly minstrels doing gag lines. Instead, the programs followed the two as their own lives followed the pattern of many African-Americans of the time: migration from the southern US to Chicago in search of work, and from there to New York. They fell in love, got taken by slicksters, felt hunger, pain, and joy, got and lost work, cried at loss, and expressed it all through amazingly real story lines that hooked a generation of listeners. Astonishingly, Gosden and Correll voiced virtually all of the shows dozens of characters!
Amos & Andy received wheelbarrows full of not just fan mail, but objects that had to do with the story line of the shows, attesting to the way listeners thought of them - as real individuals about whom they came to care.
Sadly, none of the early, and if this book is to believed (and it is), best, original broadcasts remain in audio form, only the scripts survive. Ms. McLeod has done obvious, painstaking, laborious research, including the transcriptions of the early scripts.
The result is a truly excellent, well-executed telling of a fascinating story. She has accomplished something very difficult for a writer: she has presented in a very immediate and attention-keeping way what is actually a quite scholarly narrative. Her affection for the material is obvious and it is hard to imagine this book would have been as deliciously readable if that were not the case.
An excellent history of Old Time Radio.

This book is a must-read. Period.

Okay, that's not much of a review. But it's a fact. If you have any interest in genuine broadcasting history - indeed, if you want to know how broadcast entertainment evolved to embrace forms that we know and love to the present day, and you want to know EXACTLY WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE - this book is a must-read.

Most of you only know what you've been told about "Amos 'n' Andy." Most of you have been misled by so-called "enlightened scholarship" that has reduced this once-beloved show to what one revisionist termed "a nightly racial slur."

Behold instead the work of a genuine scholar, Elizabeth McLeod, who has evaluated all the latter-day critiques and not-so-benign neglect surrounding Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll's place in broadcast history and then sets the record straight with facts.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable, enlightening, fascinating account of a program that captivated millions of listeners of all races. It's a story of two performers who created characters that all of America cared about and considered friends. It's an account of the power of intimacy in all of broadcasting, whether strictly aural, visual or both. And it's a meticulous, exhaustively researched documentation of data that proves without doubt that Amos Jones and Andy Brown were beloved because they represented that which is good and decent in humankind, foibles and all.

Sadly, I know some who flatly declare they will never read this book (hopefully they won't be writing "reviews" here). I don't know whether they're afraid to let go of their pre-conceived notions, or afraid to think for themselves - or just afraid to be seen reading something with "Amos 'n' Andy" on the cover. To continue to skewer radio's "Amos 'n' Andy" without having read and reflected upon this work is akin to saying that, from 1928-43, this nation consisted of about 50 million racists, some of whom can be found in your own family tree.

The time has come - it was long overdue - to set the record straight about "Amos 'n' Andy" and its creators; time for America to know the rest of this story.

This book is a must-read.

this book is a *must read* for anyone interested in amos 'n' andy, the history of early old time radio, or the comic serial format generally. "must read" is an abused and overused cliche in book reviews, but in this case no other phrase would fit.

if there is an overarching theme to the book, it's that correll and gosden's contributions to broadcasting, which were far reaching and numerous, have been unfairly obscured by the various controversies surrounding amos 'n' andy over the years: e.g., they virtually invented the concept of syndicated broadcasting, the daily serial format, and to a large extent, the very concept of a fully plotted continuing radio series. what louis armstrong was to american popular music, correll and gosden were to broadcasting.

in addition, mcleod also concerns herself largely with shattering numerous well-established myths surrounding the duo and their show. for instance, she thoroughly-- yet respectfully-- debunks the notion that amos 'n' andy was a controversial show during its initial serial run. she convincingly presents evidence that the only major organized protest against the show by african americans was by a philadelphia newspaper in 1931, and that the publisher's motivation was more likely to increase the circulation of his newspaper than to express any genuine outrage. in any event, the public failed to rally around the cause, and the first instance of serious organized protest
against amos 'n' andy didn't ocurr until the television era. even then, mcleod points out, the radio show-- which was still on the air-- remained almost entirely outside the storm of controversy.

she also demonstrates, through fascinating excerpts from the original scripts, that the world of amos 'n' andy was far from a simplistic and demeaning exploitation of stereotyped minstrel characters. the lack of surviving recordings from the serial era, and the huge popularity of the later radio and television
sitcom versions, have all but completely obscured how diverse and individualized the characters populating the amos 'n' andy universe were. in fact, it may have been the only show on radio to have presented african americans as anything *but* subservient characters.

the book is extremely well-written, perfectly straddling the language line between serious academic study and readability. there's enough material here with enough backing evidence and research to justify a doctoral thesis, but the prose is never anything less than completely fluid and accessible, unlike so many academic pop culture studies (ever read any "serious" film criticism? my *goodness*.)

the book itself is hardbound with a lovely laminated cover (no dust jacket included or required), with numerous black and white photos throughout. an appendix provides a detailed analysis of the ratings history of the program over the years, which debunks
yet another myth that the soaring popularity of the show in its early years was followed by a sharp decline in listenership in the early '30s.

while a bit on the pricey side, the monumental nature of the task at hand, and my guess that mcleod's years of research work was not funded by grants, and the fact that the topic itself has such a limited potential readership, i can't imagine she will ever receive anything close to the compensation she deserves. i was quite happy to contribute something to the "cause". i've spent far less on other serious OTR studies and regretted the
money spent. this book is well worth the investment.

For far too long history has ignored the immense contributions to the radio medium by two men who were radio story-telling pioneers. The two men were Freeman F. Gosden and Charles J. Correll---Amos 'n' Andy.

Most radio and social histories dismiss Amos 'n' Andy as merely "racist," but they fail to put Amos 'n' Andy in a proper perspective.

Finally someone has come along who has set the record straight--Elizabeth McLeod.

Using the original scripts as her primary sources, she has painstakingly retold the true story of Amos 'n' Andy---leaving the question of the program's place in race relations up to those who wish to make up their own minds---which they will have little trouble doing, as the facts are presented clearly and accurately in this book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Amos 'n' Andy or the history of broadcasting and mass media in the United States. I would love to see the complete Amos 'n' Andy scripts reprinted in book form---perhaps this will be accomplished on the coat-tails of this work.

Sammy Jones
Athens, GA