Peter Books

The story Hot Plastic centers on a boy named Kevin, in the late 1980's. Kevin's father, Jerry, is a small-time con artist, ripping off department stores, and the occasional unsuspecting old lady. Kevin Helps him in this, playing major roles, but he strives for bigger things, and imagines that he is only stealing from people who don't deserve what they have.

Early in the story Jerry hires a girl named Colette from an associate of his to watch Kevin when he is very sick. Kevin secretly falls in love with Colette, and she becomes Jerry's young lover. She also shoves Kevin down a rung in their criminal troupe, taking Kevin's original spot.

The book really was a bit confusing at first, and I found myself setting it down often, taking breaks. Soon I got adjusted to Peter Craig's interesting writing style and couldn't put this book down. The confusing part, at first, was how the story jumped around at odd places to show different times in Kevin's life, I soon begun to rather enjoy this artsy structure.

I suggest this book to anyone that enjoys an immensely satisfying criminal suspense novel, and wants some tricks on how to survive underground. This is also a book you can judge by its gorgeous cover design by Allison J. Warner; she did a simply stunning job.

I'm a huge fan of classic noir novels, and a good friend of mine urged me to give this book a chance. I must admit to a great deal of skepticism, mostly because I'd heard that the author was the offspring of one America's best known actresses. But I must say, after finishing the book, that I'm extremely impressed with Craig's talent and his grasp of the genre. There is a slight self-consciousness to the book--an intentional one, a kind of acknowlegement that he's working in solid Jim Thompson territory; but the writing is far more extravagant. The end result feels partly like an homage to old hustler novels, and partly like a renewing of the genre, a mixture of pulp and literary sensibilities. For one thing, Craig's dialogue is a perfect contemporary version of the kind of quick, clipped banter in old James Cain and Jim Thompson books. The twists are surprising, but heavily rooted in this tradition as well. In the end, I was surprised by the weight of the book, considering how fast and shiny it all seemed on the surface: it was a book about lost kids, contemporary America, the ills of our system, commerce, love and loss, and it advanced all of these themes with an amazingly effortless quality, all the while serving mostly as a fun read about grifters. I'm very pleased that I read this book, and I'll continue to follow Craig's career.

Line by line, this book has some of the best writing I've seen in a while. This is an amazing thing, since it's still very fast-moving and not at all overwritten. The author just has an amazing eye for detail and a very crafty sense of humor. The book surprised me constantly with its insights, and these characters were so real to me by the end that I missed them for a week. I read Craig's first book, and it doesn't stand up to this at all. It's exciting to see how much the writer has improved, and I can't wait for the next one.

Facinating view into the life of a con artist and family. Hot Plastic is an exciting, well written story with rich diverse characters. It's suspenseful and action packed with a few good love stories thrown in for good measure. It's easy to lose yourself in this book.

Loved it. Seems to me like where Mr. Craig may have been a little hesitant in Martini Shot, he's really hit his stride in this one. A great story. Great writing. Both books have palpable characters, but this one is truly a page-turner. Can't wait for the next one.

The Hunting of the Snark is a whacky piece of poetical silliness by Lewis Caroll. Complete nonsense, no-one knows what a Snark is, or why Snark hunters hunt it, or why anyone would want to become a Snark hunter to start with. Anyway, the poem is definitely amusing at times with some of the humour he slips in.

The Hunting of the Snark seems to be a very, very short imitation of The Canterbury Tales. The first chapter (titled a fit) introduces all of the occupations of all the different people going on a journey. However, instead of going on a general pilgrimage and telling tales along the way, their trip is very specific to hunting.

The Baker actually attempts to tell a story, but the Bellman (who leads the group) says there's no time for storytelling. They have to catch the Snark before nightfall.

Along with the Bellman and Baker, a Banker, a Bonnet-maker, a Butcher, a Boots, a Billiard-maker, a Barrister, a Broker, and a Beaver tag along to hunt for the Snark. The Beaver is afraid of getting cut by the Butcher, so he puts on a dagger-proof coat and talks to the Banker about buying an insurance policy.

The Beaver is involved in a hilarious scene with the Butcher later, when the two attempt to compute sums. But perhaps the funniest scene of the entire book is in the Barrister's dream when the Snark declares sentence on a pig, only to find out the pig has been dead long before the trial even began.

I'd highly recommend this short poem for Carroll fans, even though it's not big enough to contain but a small portion of what's to be found in the Alice books.

I have read a great deal of nonsense in the past, but this was by far the best nonsense that I have ever read. There is no point, no meaning, no sense, and no boringness. It is a delightful poem (which is well written and very fun to read aloud) about a crew on a ship hunting a snark. The crew includes a captain who only rings a bell, a beaver, a cook who only cooks beavers (the beaver and the cook did not get along well), a man afraid that the snark would turn into a boojum and make him disappear, etc. As you can tell, this makes for an insanely silly poem. The subtitle is rather fitting, as my sides were definitely hurting from laughter when I was done. Well done Mr. Carroll.

Overall grade: A+

Nonsense poems can easily miss the mark
Yet, this masterpiece has that spark.

"How do you kill a _____?", you ask
To find the answer was the hunters' task.

"What was their fate?", you wonder
Did they ever catch their elusive plunder?

A paragon of haunting Carollian lore
Be in no doubt that you'll finish wanting more.

This poem is just great!

First, this one of the most delightful pieces of writing that ever appeared in (more or less) English. It succeeds as a sustained exercise in illogic. I am sure that only a mathematical logician like Dodgson could possibly have pulled it off - only someone with such deep understanding of reason could master unreason so completely.

Second, Martin Gardner's commentary adds depth and background to the reading. Gardner explains terms that are now obsolete, but also adds his own analysis and a rich history of the Snark phenomenon. It should be no surprise that Gardner is still best known as the long-time editor of Scientific American's column on Mathematical Games, a mathematician himself.

I can't add much to the scholarship or praise that already surrounds this incredible poem. I would like to point out, however, that most non-native English speakers are unfamiliar with this poem. Many of them have only ever seen the serious side of the English language, and have never seen English at play. I consider this short work to be the ideal introduction to the very best of English-language nonsense.

//wiredweird

Kudos to Drs. Loo and Phillips for bringing together and contributing to Impeach the President. While I have kept contemporaneously informed with respect to most of the issues addressed therein (read: I have been FREAKING OUT for 6 years now,) what made the book refreshing and, in my opinion, the best of its genre, was not just the excellent recounting of the egregious abuses perpetrated by this Administration, but that most of the authors asked, and attempted to answer - what can we do? And what really sets the book apart from all the others is that the authors acknowledge the reality that nothing - nothing - short of the most organized and best prepared citizen movement will bring about the change that is required if democracy is to survive.

This is a powerful, shocking, page-turning exposition of not only the impeachable offenses of Bush-Cheney, but the deeper empire-building pathology of these guys and others that make up an elite network of politicians, corporate leaders, military leaders, and intellectuals that have been working to dominate the globe - the aptly named, "Global Dominance Group." This work goes beyond the other Bush-Cheney impeachment books to reveal how and why we have come to our current crisis in this country, thereby providing the necessary understanding for eventually turning this country back into the vision of our Founding Fathers, a democratic republic that respects the rule of law and other "enlightened" principles of human rights, equality, and justice. A truly remarkable work of writing and research that will wake you up to the real workings and intentions of this administration.

I'm sorry that I am going to break up the five star party for this book, but to do less would be dishonest. While I found the book to be good, with useful information, I also found several flaws that hurt the book for use as a primary source for those that wish to learn about the possibility of impeachment of President Bush.

The book is written as separate essays by various authors on different subjects that could lead to the impeachment of the President. Each of the articles, alone, would stand nicely and be a valuable piece in a magazine. When grouped together, however, there is a repetition of information that slows the book down and makes it tiring to read. Better editing could correct this problem.

A more serious flaw is the promotion of rather abstract theories to use in an impeachment procedure. Voter fraud in 2004, for one, probably happened, but it would be almost impossible to investigate thoroughly and incorporate as an impeachment article. And, while global warming is occurring, I don't think you can impeach a president for lack of action. That would be a policy decision, and if it were an impeachable offense, it will make every president a sitting duck for everyone that doesn't like their particular policies.

Finally, use of arguments such President Bush's campaign in Haiti are flawed. It will be difficult to get an impeachment with traditional charges, let alone on something that most Americans haven't heard about and probably don't care about either. Muddying the water with these items will make impeachment more difficult, and failing to get a conviction a near certainty. In addition, the writings are too "liberal" for most main stream Americans...the same ones who get their news from Fox and their ilk.

Having said all of that, I do think the book is an important work that should be read by every American. It highlights the numerous failures of this President and would make for excellent background material on a possible impeachment. And, finally, I think this book will be used as a textbook for years to come when the failings of Bush are studied.

This book was eye opening for me. Warning: It is like taking the red pill, you can't go back to how things were before. Not only is the case against Bush and Cheney laid out clearly, there are also points made against the media in the US and how the government is being run. Each essay in each chapter forms a different part of the argument for impeachment. Topics range from all of the blunders and lies about Iraq, to global warming, to election fraud. This book is really worth reading, and when you are done you will never be the same.

This is a book that will answer questions and doubts that we have for our government, and it totally shatters the images that our government has been putting on to us. If you think you know how our society works (from reading and studying textbooks from school), read this book twice. This book will not only make its readers open up their eyes, but also to raise more questions about the society we are living in today.

Havnt quite finished reading but this is an interesting journal of the events experienced, people encountered and travels of Mr. Stephens as he visits Central America.

This is a Must read for anyone with even a passing interest in the mayan culture. Still easy to read even though it was written over 150 years ago! Imagine you are one of the first explores to adventure into the the jungles of the Yucatan and vist the ancient cities hidden in the jungle. I wish I had read this book before My trip to the Yucatan, would have made my trip that much more enjoyable! The Catherwood engravings are spectacular!

I realize that not everyone shares my taste in literature, but if you are an armchair adventurer (or a real adventurer) with a refined sense of humor, I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy this book, as well as Volume II. Many evenings, after a grueling day in the office, John L. Stephens transported me to another place and time with his excellent gift for writing, eye for detail and sense of humor that frequently had me waking my poor spouse with irrepressible laughter. As an author, explorer and humorist with the subtlest of wits, I place Stephens in the ranks with Mark Twain, and that is the ultimate compliment. Enjoy.

I think this book is fascinating for two types of people:
- Those who are interested in the history of Central America, who will see in Stephens a witness of time
- Those very familiar with Central America's geography (specially Guatemala's), who will enjoy reading Stephens' descriptions of many places that (in their majority) still exist

In 1839, at 34, John L. Stephens was appointed as "United States Minister" - a sort of US envoy - for Central America (which at the time was still one country). Stephens was a serial traveler: 5 years ago, he had visited Eastern Europe (Greece, Turkey, Russia and Poland) and the Middle East (Egypt and Syria), and had already published a couple of books about these trips.

Stephens decided to combine his diplomatic duty with his interest in searching for Mayan ruins in the region. By October, he embarked with his friend Frederick Catherwood (another extensive traveller) in a trip that would take them to what was (already) a politically convulsed region.

At the time, Central America was filled with political turmoil. The largest state of the country, Guatemala, had basically fallen in the hands of Rafael Carrera, a non-educated peasant. Carrera refused to recognize the authority of Francisco Morazán who, based in San Salvador, was at least in theory, the President of the Central American confederation. Rumours, political intrigues and suspicions abounded at the time.

And so, in this setting, Stephens got into a boat, and after a few days in Belize, travelled (by boat again) to the Caribbean shore of Guatemala. He entered the country through Rio Dulce and touched land in a small village in the shores of the Izabal Lake.

Starting there, Stephens made a trip, generally by mule's back, that took him to Zacapa, Chiquimula, Copan (in Honduras), Esquipulas, Guastatoya, Guatemala City (already established by then where it is now), Antigua Guatemala, Escuintla, Iztapa (in the Pacific shores) and Amatitlán. He later took a boat and went to El Salvador, and then to Costa Rica, where he disembarked and returned to Guatemala by land.

Apparently, Stephens was one of the first "adventure tourists" of modern times. He ascended many volcanoes and spent a considerable time in Copan, cleaning up the forrest that was still covering the ruins and helping his friend Catherwood to draw reproductions of the ruins (these drawings are included in the book). In addition, and as part of his diplomatic duties, he met some of the leading political figures of the time, like Carrera himself.

Stephens not only did all the above, but ended up writing a very nice and enjoyable book that describes very well what he saw and thought at the time.

In short, this book is a rare jewel that allows the reader to better imagine how was life and nature in Central America in the middle of the XIX century.

(Note: the review above is based on Volume I - a book that curiously did not exist in Amazon's inventory at the time of my reading in 2005. Being respectful of my own past review, I havent' changed it. The next paragraphs though, are 2007 additions in which I comment on Volume 2)

If the reader enjoyed Vol 1, she/he will surely find Vol 2 a satisfying read. Vol 2 starts in Nicaragua, and continues in El Salvador, where Mr Stephens continues in his search of a Central American government. I will not delve into the details of all of Mr Stephens' adventures. Suffice it to say that he gets to meet the recently defeated Francisco Morazán, meets Rafael Carrera (again), travels through the Guatemalan western highlands, gets to know the story of the Los Altos state, crosses the border to Mexico, visits Palenque and Uxmal, finally returning to the US.

Its particularly interesting to read Stephens' account of Carrera and his young government. The fact that Carrera was even known at the time as the King of the Indians is an interesting point to notice -any reader knowledgeable with Guatemala's history and societal dynamics could extrapolate this to many events of the past 50 years.

Also interesting is Stephens' rebuttal of previous accounts regarding the difficulty of visiting ruins like the ones in Palenque. The more widely known stories at the time created the impression that visiting the ruins was full of dangers. Always the practical and matter-of-factly adventurer, Stephens bluntly says that they are (were) untrue, and that the greatest hardships he and Mr Catherwood endured were due to the unstable revolutionary state of the countries.

If the reader is interested or has knowledge of archaeology, he/she must also know that Vol 2 has plenty detailed descriptions and diagrams prepared by Mr Catherwood (who in my opinion was a very gifted artist, being able to draw the intrincated details of many Mayan ruins).

I strongly recommend Vol 2 to anyone interested in Central American history, archaeology, the mayans, or true old-fashioned adventure travel.

This is a must read for any one with an interest in the ancient Mayan culture an ruin sites. the other reviewers have summed this book up great, but I just wanted to throw in my two cents.

This is a great reference book. We have used it many times and I have purchased many copies for gifts. My son just got married and he and his wife are requesting it on their gift registry.

This book not only gives you every ingredient you would ever use in cooking, but every single ingredient has a picture. I would highly recommend this book if you can get your hands on it!!!

We have lots of books about the economics of food and its
place in the world's economy. There are books about the dietetics
of food and its relation to individual health and a healthy
life. There are, of course, a million cookbooks and a dozen or
so good books about the chemistry and physics of food and
cooking. We even have a handful of good books about the
history of food (has everybody read EATING RIGHT IN THE
RENAISSANCE?).

What has been in short supply has been books that deal
the sheer beauty of what we eat. We are missing a
credible erotics of food. One book that has stepped up
to the plate is INGREDIENTS, a gorgeous picture book
about, well-ingredients-the simple stuffs from which
we make our food.

INGREDIENTS is a picture book. Almost 400 pages of
luscious, sexy photos of food in all of its bewildering
diversity. The page devoted to plums has a plum called
'Tragedy' as well as the more prosaic santa rosas and
gaviotes and greengages. The fish page should drive you
out to the fishmonger with drool on your chin and the
page on greens is so good you can almost smell it.

The book has no recipes. It's also short on real infor-
mation-the photo spread on potatoes gives no hint
of the differences in starch type that cause all
the variation in use. But let's not quibble, this
is pure food porn, the sort of book that we use
to remind ourselves of our appetites at the same
time that it stimulates them.

Yum.

Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine
and the forthcoming novel bang-BANG from kunati.

This book is OUTSTANDING. As a future chef and culinary enthusiast I find it absolutely necessary to have a variety of great references. This book is one of those great references. This book lists thousands of ingredients which are coupled with colorful and clear pictures that allow you to fully understand what each ingredient is. I have often found myself running to this book after hearing someone mention an ingredient in class or in general conversatoin that I am not completely sure of. This book never lets me down, and always had the ingredient I am looking for along with a description listed under the picture. This book breaks down each ingredient and tells of all of the different varieties. I did not know there were so many types of grapes for example. I have noticed an increase in my own knowledge of ingredients in the few years that I have had this book. I found this book for about 7 dollars a few years ago, and have been looking for more ever since then to pass out to friends who are in the business. If you can get your hands on a copy, it would be to your advantage to invest in this great reference. I wish I could personally thank the authors, photographers and all who were involved in the production of this book, they did a GREAT job!!!

We have lots of books about the economics of food and its
place in the world economy. There are books about the dietetics
of food and its relation to individual health and a healthy
life. There are, of course, a million cookbooks and a dozen or
so good books about the chemistry and physics of food and
cooking. We even have a handful of good books about the
history of food (has everybody read EATING RIGHT IN THE
RENAISSANCE?).

What has been in short supply has been books that deal
the sheer beauty of what we eat. We are missing a
credible erotics of food. One book that has stepped up
to the plate is INGREDIENTS, a gorgeous picture book
about, well-ingredients-the simple stuffs from which
we make our food.

INGREDIENTS is a picture book. Almost 400 pages of
luscious, sexy photos of food in all of its bewildering
diversity. The page devoted to plums has a plum called
'Tragedy' as well as the more prosaic santa rosas and
gaviotes and greengages. The fish page should drive you
out to the fishmonger with drool on your chin and the
page on greens is so good you can almost smell it.

The book has no recipes. It's also short on real infor-
mation-the photo spread on potatoes gives no hint
of the differences in starch type that cause all
the variation in use. But let's not quibble, this
is pure food porn, the sort of book that we use
to remind ourselves of our appetites at the same
time that it stimulates them.

Yum.

Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine
and the forthcoming novel bang-BANG from kunati.

It wasn't until after I majored in sociology that I actually got around to reading the works of Perter L. Berger, although I had studied many works citing his, and Thomas Luckmann. This book is in my opinion the very best introduction to sociology I have read. Berger has a unique ability to articulate the fundamentals of sociology, the "sociological perspective" that has often been misunderstood and underappreciated in the world of the social sciences. This book is important to read by anyone in the social science fields, either sociology, psychology etc. Even if you have studied sociology extensively already, this book is still worth reading. Berger's dialectic theory of social reality construction is explicated, and also he discusses implications like existentialism of Sartre and other philosophical issues. A great book overall!! I also suggest his other books too, they are all great!

Each new sociology student must read this book during his or her first year into the discipline, and each sociologist must read this book (or the notes he made in the past about it) once every couple years. Peter Berger wrote one of the most compelling treatises into a social science, bridging theme with emotion, intellectual associations, nice metaphors and analogies and a wealth of humor.

The first chapter ("Sociology as an individual pastime") stands alone as an excellent introduction to the science of society. Berger invites us here to a party where the sociologist meets with a plethora of intellectuals and finally succeeds to transcend as a different and respectable member of the scientific community. If something, this chapter alone is worth the reading of the book. Shoots at the American academy coherent with Berger's (and ours) admiration for Thosrtein Veblen are combined with an un-dissimulated hate for all complete non-critical systems of belief, including organized religion, 20th Century communism, free-market capitalism and psychoanalysis. The tendencies known in the field at the start of the sixties are only deepened now, and so the critical words Berger throws at statistical reductionism are completely current: "in science as in love a concentration on technique is quite likely to lead to impotence" [p.13]. What there isn't to love in that?

At the same time Berger is preoccupied to maintain values and beliefs far from the scientific logic of a social science. How you can be a humanist if your values must be maintained outside of your field of competence? Well, sociology teaches us about the relativity of institutions. Freedom is considered to be inscrutable to science, but given the sociological perspective, it can be reached. So sociological thought is indispensable for the possibility of a free existence, and so becomes humanist in front of the supposedly unbreakable laws of social reality. Given that this is only a "perspective", this knowledge about society could also be used against or fellow men, and Berger is completely aware of that in an epoch so close to the age of totalitarism.

What an awe-inspiring book! Peter Berger presents a detailed description of what it means to study sociology, to be a sociologists, and how sociology can change the world. As an college student majoring in sociology, I found Berger's book to be phenomenal in its analysis of a world requiring sociological thought. After reading the book, I was once again reminded why I chose to study sociology in the first place.
This is a book for anyone who wishes to further understand the facets of the discipline of sociology, or to understand the dedication of a sociologists. Berger seems to present the idea that we all can be dedicated sociologists, in the hopes to understand why things are the way they are.
A facinating book that should be read by all! I was blown away and I will keep An Introduction to Sociology by Peter Berger upon my shelf as one of my greatest reads. A real treasure, one that opened my eyes further to sociology, to an understanding of social structures, and of myself.

Even with bright students (I am assuming some I have had are among the bright) there are problems with this book. It was a required text for my Sociology course in my student days and I have a fondness for what it did to me in leading me on to PB's "The Social Construction of Reality". SCR is clearly too difficult for most students and Invitation is much more accessible. Still, I have found students to be aghast at some of the expressions that clearly place it as a book of the sixties. On the other hand, I have not found a more accessible book that describes the postmodern point of view -- the view of sociology -- in as successful a way as this one. I therefore present it along with an explanation. It would be great if Peter Berger readdresses this invitation to new students with an update that incorporates politically correct language. The change in perspective is a tough experience. It would help if the language used were not an additional barrier.

I am still looking for a new book that will do the same thing to new students that this book did to me.

Before reading this book I was not a sociology student. After this book I realized that we are all students of sociology, some better than others. The better ones live in more freedom, more understanding, seeing through walls of the fortress that our society is. Everything looks so normal, until you start to dissect.

This is a short book, PACKED with information. Berger's English is superb. It flows naturally with creative sentence formations and use of vocabulary.

If you find yourself discouraged, you may skip the first chapter. I found it least interesting of them all. Chapters following are great and will keep you glued to your reading chair.

To finally have a chance to see Windsor McCay's artwork as it was intended is the treat of a lifetime. The reproductions I've seen in the past reduce the size of the art like watching a 70mm film on a regular TV set.

Nothing is being produced like this anymore. McCay's talent is beyond amazing, it would take a normal artist months to produce one page like he was doing every week. The book is exhausting and I can only read a dozen pages at a time. These are exact reproductions of actual newsprint pages from the time so all the printing imperfections are here but that should not dissuade the appreciation of this comic.

If you are a true drawn art aficionado find the money for this. You will not regret it.

Beautiful book.A splendid example of the quality of book production possible to-day. As for Little Nemo, one does not need to be a New Yorker- or even an American-to appreciate the artistry involved.
Chris Hunt, Alnwick, UK

This is a wonderful book - any digital animator should start here. Some of the frames look like storyboards for the Lord of the Rings films. It is amazing that a work of art of this quality appeared in a popular newspaper - and reproducing it now, at full scale, was a true labor of love. Winsor McKay was a fantastic artist.

This is the most beautiful book I have ever seen. Having purchased the complete Little Nemo book series in the 1980's I really looked forward to finally being able to see this lovely comic in its original format. When the book arrived today I realised that it was even better than I had hoped for, extremely high quality and of impressive size.

The only drawback is that it does only contain a selection of the story, but I can always read the missing pages in the cheaper old edition. A big applaud for the publisher who dared produce this wonderfull piece of art.

Let's be honest: this book's not cheap. Is it worth the price tag? Without question or hesitation: yes. If you're even contemplating buying this book, I probably don't have to tell you how great the Little Nemo strip was. What you'll want to know is that this book will make you feel like you've never really seen Little Nemo until now. It is a magnificent, absolutely stunning book.

First of all, this book is huge. McCay's work is reproduced at its original size, which reveals his superb draftsmanship in all its glory. If you remember Little Nemo as lovely but kind of cramped, you're not going to believe how open and expansive the strips look here.

Secondly, the color reproduction is superb. I'll take the editor's word that a great deal of effort was expended to match McCay's original coloring directions. What I will say is that the colors here are vibrant without being garish. It's really unbelievable that such sophisticated color work comes from a strip that's a hundred years old. I don't think most newspapers today could pull this off.

You really have to see the book to appreciate how incredible it is. This really sets a standard against which the other collections I've seen fall far short. If you can swing the price, you won't be sorry. You might, however, have a hard time finding a place to store it!

I am sure that I am not the target market for this series, as I will turn 56 in less than a week. In spite of that I have to say that I love this series of books. The sisters and their extended family keep me entertained, crying and rolling on the floor with laughter.
I recently discovered these books when reading a newspaper article about the frenzy around the release of the sixth book.

I was a huge fan of the Harry Potter books and since there probably will never be another one am glad to find a replacement that is just as good and sometimes better.

I can't wait for the 7th installment, to find out what myths and fairy tale stories will have new light shed on them.

I absolutely love this series. I have read them all but book 6, and can't wait for it to be released. I can see this series becoming very popular.

The 5th book is wonderful, but the end bit, which has to do with the Scarlet Hand, is extremely confusing. Furthermore, the 6th book (yes, its out!)has a plot that doesnt really match up with the 5th. Still, its an extremely compelling read, I suggest that you buy it!

I confess. I am well in to my thirties and had read all of the Grimm books before I thought to share them with nine year old son. Sharing them with him has been like sharing my best, most delightful secret. Every night it pains him to put the book down because he can not wait to see what happens next. And what is better than the sound of a child's laughter? Surely something you will hear often while reading this book.

Buckley does a fantastic job at blending fantasy (these are fairy tale characters, afterall) and reality (who have lives in the 21st century). His Grimm series is full of adventure, emotion, and laugh out loud wit (whether you are 9 or closer to 39). Book 5 feels very different from the others. Maybe it is because we have become invested in these characters. Maybe it is because of the plot elements Buckley introduces to this book. Time travel is nothing new to writing, but it certainly adds a spark to this book and really feels right at this point in the series (so glad it didn't happen earlier). And though Buckley always leaves us hanging at the end of each book, the ending to this one has got to be the best (one of many OMG moments in the book) and should be accompanied by some "duhn, duhn, DUHHHHHHH music in the background.

I have only two questions after reading Magic and Other Misdemeanors- 1) when is book 7 coming out??? and 2) who is the master of the Scarlet Hand?!?! Ideas anyone?

The adventures never seem to end for fairy-tale detectives Sabrina and Daphne Grimm. This time they are investigating a series of thefts of magical items like Baba Yaga's Wand of Merlin, Morgan le Fay's Wonder Clock, and water from the Fountain of Youth. Usually Granny Relda and Mr. Canis help them solve mysteries, but Sabrina and Daphne are pretty much on their own this time. Granny Relda is busy trying to raise money to pay her property tax and Mr. Canis is finding it harder and harder to stop turning into the Big Bad Wolf. Will Sabrina and Daphne be able to find the thief before they run out of time?

"Magic and Other Misdemeanors" is another great entry in Michael Buckley's delightful "The Sisters Grimm" fairy-tale detective series. Sabrina and Daphne continue to grow as characters in each book, especially Sabrina, 12 years old by the end of the book and not nearly as angry as she was in the earlier books. Buckley does a great job of incorporating fairy tale and other legendary characters such as Cinderella, Goldilocks, some of the seven dwarfs, the Queen of Hearts, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and many more. It's always fun to see how he tweaks the various characters - for example, Puss `N Boots is an exterminator, Cinderella hosts a radio talk show called The Dr. Cindy Show, and the witch from Hansel and Gretel is a (not very good) dentist. There's a wonderful sense of humor throughout the book (the magic mirror's computer still being on dial-up and Granny Relda's "recipes" are just two examples of that humor). There are some scary moments, but nothing too frightening. The reason for the theft of the magical items has been done before, but Buckley somehow makes it seem fresh.

"Magic and Other Misdemeanors" is aimed at ages 9 - 12, but readers young and old will enjoy it.

I've taken my time between receiving the book and writing this review. This book has so much going for it I didn't know where to start. This is so information packed with techniques that I thought were "new" such as knitting with beads, looped knitting and felting.

I know how tempting those big books with all the beautiful color pictures are but you'd pay three, four or five times as much as you would for this little gem. It provides a surprisingly interesting chapter on the history of knitting.

It has an old-fashioned feel to it that is totally charming as are the illustrations which give the eye a rest among all the info provided. I purchased it mostly because I need techniques for Fair Isle knitting, and the book provides very good info on this.

Deserves to be in every knitters library no matter how hip you may be.

I have a bookshelf of knitting books, and after reading over and over about Mary Thomas and her books, I finally broke down and purchased them. Wow! Am I impressed! She did an amazingly thorough job of writing, and of illustrating her volumes. Treat yourself to this classic:-) and its companion volume.

The Mary Thomas knitting books (As far as I know there are two, one on knitting per se and the other on knitting patterns.)are the only knitting books one would ever need to learn knitting and enjoy knitting for a lifetime. Granted, there are many wonderful modern books with better pictures, great diagrams, fine patterns and neater print, but contained in these two paperback Dover reprints of very old books are instructions for beginning through advanced knitters, simple explanations to all the knitting problems I have ever encountered and instructions for any knitting pattern you'd ever want to knit. There are even little funny bits in the margins for folks who like a good pun. I am a life-long knitter and have frequent use for these books. These books make great gifts for a knitting friend who does not own them

This is an old book with beautiful instructions to try some wonderful stitches that are not found in most new books on knitting.

This is such a fun book. I have read a little more than half of it now, and skimmed through the rest, and there is so much here. The history of knitting that she gives at the beginning as well as sprinkled throughout the text is very interesting. She shows ways to do things that I have never heard of, and explains some things so that I finally understand them! I don't know if this would be good for the complete beginner. But then, I think that knitting is easier learned from a person than a book. But, once you have a few basics down, this book will teach you a lot.

The writing style makes you feel as if she is sitting there talking to you. And the words "hip", "funky", and "not your grandmother's...", are never used. That is a real plus to me, as I find that whole trend rather irritating. (But that's a whole 'nother topic.)

Here are the chapter titles to give you an idea of what is in the book:
History
Knitting Implements, Ancient and Modern
Knitting Yarns
Gauge and Tension
Knit Movements, Stitch and Fabric
Selvedges. Casting on. Casting off. Edges
Shape: Increasing and Decreasing
Colour Knitting
Frame or Rake knitting
Looped Knitting
Beaded and Bead knitting
Embroidered Knitting
Garments
Details of Garments
Shetland Shawls
Gloves
Socks and Stockings
Knitting Hints

I found it very interesting that there was a chapter about rake and loom knitting, as that has become so popular again. I do knit on knitting boards too, and the directions and illustrations were the same that you would see in a more "modern" book. There really is nothing new under the sun! The spiral sock pattern looks fun too. I want to give that a try soon.

Overall, this book is full of interesting information, and while not as glitzy as the newer books, it would make a great addition to your knitting library.

"Must-Win Battles" appeals to me as a book that gives readers (most typically managers) the tools to lead their teams through a journey that can save their very own jobs in the long run. With a style not too distant from Lencioni's, where the authors show a fictional case in action, the book presents the path in a journey to help teams win those battles they cannot afford to loose, what they call Must-Win Battles (MWB). While offering tactics to deal with the expected bumps along the road, the book remains very strategic all the way through, focused on the strategic goals of aligning steering teams around the same agenda and eventually getting the entire organization to buy it in and embrace it.

The book wraps up with lessons from won and lost MWB journeys and a real-life case from the Unilever Ice Cream Frozen Foods business group to illustrate the entire process in action. While the fictional case presented belongs to the executive team leading the entire European organization of a company, the learnings in it could easily be extrapolated to smaller settings: a production facility, a university, etc. Highly recommendable like all Wharton School Publishing books I've had a chance of reading.

Unilever's 19-page MWB journey described by Kees van der Graaf is a fantastic read. It not only illustrates the stages and steps aligned with the authors' belief of leadership principles, I find it most valuable is Kees van der Graaf sharing with us with his personal lessons learned from the processes such as "trust my gut more than ever before" and "We have great values; they come from the heart". This reminds me of another book titled "Head, Heart & Guts" by Dotlich/Cario & Rhinesmith. Indeed Kess van der Graaf brings these to life.

MWB stands for "Must Win Battles," which is the title and a common acronym throughout this this book. Authors Peter Killing, Thomas Malnight and Tracey Keys use "battle" to refer to competitors and "must-win" to mean these battles must be won. There are a lot of circumstances applicable to the concept of 'battle.' Examples and case studies cover management style, team work, planning, shortlisting, and executing, are noted. One example is Unilever in Africa, Nestle China, and a two-year case study of the CFF business groups from the words of an executive.

Three sections and nine chapters.

Section I: Preparing the Journey

Section II: Engaging the Team

Section III: Making it Happen

The different types of managers listed are the commander, diplomat, thinker, and motivator, who are defined and described. This is followed by the role of Emotional Intelligence in the workplace. EI is just as, and oft-times more vital than IQ. There are questions regarding this that the reader can answer for themselves so they can apply this concept to their own situations in life and in the work place. This book helps the manager and employees as individuals and allows them to reflect on others and themselves.

Different dynamics of MWB, which often may include change. While strategically planning and implementing Must-Win Battles there are Resisters, Bystanders, and Supporters. A time-line is almost always necessary and matrices and diagrams are presented, when planning and executing.

A good reality check is in chapter 4, which lists "Typical Company-Related Myths." Those who've worked in medium or large organizations can identity with the company values and slogans. But they're usually only slogans, because they aren't practiced. :)

At the end of the book there are:

A) The MWB Journey and Road map
B) The Denison Survey: Questions
C) Using the External Assistance

This is helpful for all people who manage and work in organizations of all types and sizes.

In any organization, at any time, there are probably three to five key battles that must be won to achieve important goals, write authors Killing and Malnight. As you read this, you are probably thinking of the battles that are ongoing right now, the ones you need to win to get to your own goals. The first step, then is identifying what the key battles actually are and eliminating the sideshows that distract from the real issues. The authors advise that these battles are NOT internal, instead they are:

Market-focused
Something that makes a difference
Creates excitement
Are specific and tangible
Are winnable (!)

The example provided is one of Unilever, a large multinational company, working to gain market in Africa. But despite Unilever as an example, the strategy to pick your fight and win it is equally applicable to small business--if not more so.

One point I really admire is that the authors recommend that emotion be considered along with reason in how to win those battles. In other words, instead of steamrolling over emotion, which is a statement of condition, like the weather, the authors recommend dealing with it and generating excitement by directing emotion. There is also good advice on "not shooting the messenger" or how to take bad news. As one top CEO remarked to the press on how he achieved success "First, you have to deal with reality."

Excellent book and a must-read for business managers of any organization.

Q: What must be managed effectively to improve an organization's performance?

A: "First, [managers must] identify and win the right battles....But to win the battles, many organizations need to create a more effective top team and build an organization that [is] .less silo-based and capable of focusing all of its energies and capabilities on the chosen battles."

Q: What is a "must-win battle" (MWB)?

A: "MWBs are the three to five key battles that your organization absolutely must win to achieve its key objectives."

Q: What are the characteristics of a well-chosen MWB?

A: It must "make a real difference, be market focused, create excitement, be specific and tangible [and measurable], and be winnable."

Q: What is an "MWB journey"?

A: It is simultaneously both an emotional and intellectual process which must be completed by everyone involved in order to transform their organization. Ultimate success will depend upon a "shared understanding of the challenges and options facing the organization, an agreed list of three to five MWBs, a committed [and competent] team for each MWB, a high-level action plan for each MWB, new [better] ways of working together, individual commitments, and an initiation assessment of the starting conditions for engaging the organization."

Granted, this is an unorthodox way by which to begin a review but I really could not think of a better one. (No doubt someone else has.) The authors of this volume share what they have learned about why some organizational transformation initiatives succeed while most others fail. What they propose is a three-phase process (a "journey") which begins with a rigorous and thorough assessment of the current situation, followed by an engagement of the Team and then of teams for the MWBs, and then an engagement of the given organization which involves embedding the Team agenda and aligning the organization while maintaining momentum of the MWB initiatives.

I especially appreciate the authors' provision of all manner of reader-friendly devices throughout their lively narrative. For example, check lists of key points, graphics (maps and figures) which illustrate step-by-step segments of the "journey," and - whenever appropriate - caveats and disclaimers which correctly remind the reader that no course of action (including the one which the authors recommend) "fits all."

In the final chapter, they share eight "Lessons" learned from their research: five from successful MWB "journeys" and three from those which failed. In Appendix A, readers are provided with a comprehensive "MWB Journey Roadmap" and then in Appendix B, the authors provide "The Denison Survey: Questions" (copyright © by Daniel R. Rosen), a culture survey which is discussed on pages 47-48.

Presumably the authors agree with me that it would be a fool's errand for anyone to read and re-read their book, then rush - or even stroll -- to implement everything in it. It would also be a fool's errand to cherry pick diverse (albeit sound) ideas from a variety of different sources and then attempt to consolidate them in a single plan of "attack." Rather, I urge each reader to read Must-Win Battles with great care and then, preferably in discussion with others, co-determine what would be most appropriate to the given organization. Killing, Malknight, and Keys can be very helpful to that process of aanalysis and, especially, to identifying the highest priorities and most important objectives. My guess is that, by following that procedure, the "must-win battles" will reveal themselves.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Jason Jennings' THINK BIG, Act Small, Michael Hammer's The Agenda and Robert Mittelstaedt's Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?