Richards Books

[...]As for the content... Well, about all I can say is there is some. Probably less than you'd find on a decent website about hypnosis. The introduction is a pep talk, telling us how great hypnosis is. Then comes the single induction script, then a few odds and ends and a couple of scripts for specific issues, before a section on the history of hypnosis, obviously included as padding.

Reading this book tends to raise more questions than it answers. The less enquiring mind may find that this is all they need to know to achieve success with hypnosis. However, those who want to truly understand how and why hypnosis works, in order to apply it most successfully, will find little of value here. Similarly, those with complicated or persistent issues, will not find any detailed information on how to deal with them.

Richard MacKenzie's Self Change Hypnosis book brings the possibility for true personal transformation to people of all socio-economic and educational backgrounds. This book explains the concepts and tools needed by anyone interested in self transformation in a sensitve and simple manner that makes it understandable and usable by a wide audience. I have read a number of similar books on self-hynosis but will always refer to this one as the gold standard and will go back to it regularly as different concepts become relevant to ones life process as one reads the book through time. The various scripts and exercises provided in the book allow the reader to get started with personal change from the very first reading.

This book covers many specific areas of self-change and personal development. And as it covers all of the basics, it means that this title is beneficial for anyone.

"Things should be as simple as they need to be, and not simpler." This book took me only a few minutes to read, but the knowledge in it will last a lifetime. Mr. MacKenzie talks about self-change in the most quick, simple, succinct and ingenious way I ever read. (And I've read a lot...) And I have no complaints about his delivery of the subject matter, either. The way he uses language and metaphors shows that he isn't just a hypnosis/NLP expert on paper, he really is. And that's a beautiful thing. So, obligatorily, yet totallly encouragingly. Buy and read this book.

Captain Josh.

I've read many self hypnosis books and this is the first to explain it so clearly with such practicle directions as to actually get me to make a self hypnosis tape and get something accomplished!

I gave this book to each of my children's families. The kids LOVE it. My Daughter-in-laws don't know if they like me anymore because they have to read it all day long.

This is my very favorite story to read at Halloween. I read this story to my preschool class every year. The children love the pictures and the repetition. After a few pages they will begin to recite the verse "Drat" along with the characters. I ordered several copies so I could put it in the listening center. I also have the cassette tape to play along with the story.

This book is one of my favorite of all time! It takes Halloween characters and makes them fun. The story is all about working together toward a common goal-making pumpkin pie. This story can be acted out with preschool students. It also has an audiotape that you can't miss with! Even my students with short attention spans pay attention and participate with this one. When we are done reading it for the week, we make pumpkin pie. A great ending to a fun week!

Scholastic put out a tape many years ago with this book being read to music. It is the most fabulous addition to this book. I've seen 3-5 year olds with special needs who won't sit for anything, perk up and take interest when this book is read along with the tape. Unfortunately you can't really find it anymore. If you do come across it, GET IT!

Big Pumpkin is so Big in our house, it's read all the time...Oh and our son loves it too!

Once my son (4 years old) discovered and fell in love with Big Pumpkin it didn't matter if it was Halloween or not. The story is nothing short of hilarious, the illustrations could not be better suited and truly compliment this book where so many others fall short. My husband and I get such a kick out of reading this book as well, we practically know it by heart and have been known to recite it in jest around the house. One of my favorite things about this book is that it introduces the so-called "scary" characters of Halloween, the Ghost, the Vampire, the Mummy, the Bat, and the Witch in the most loveable manner with such simple and innocent humor that it completely removes any possible thought of "scary" for our little ones. Big Pumpkin can make you befriend a Witch, want to help out a Vampire, and just love your "Mummy"! Don't wait until Halloween, buy it now, it's too cute to pass up.

I just reread this book, about ten years after my first reading. It definitely lives up to its subtitle. Most impressive is the placing of the battle in its full context militarily and socially. Can't recommend too highly for a readable but detailed history.

All but one of the other reviewers has given this book a four or five star rating. There is a reason. This is an exceptionally well-written book that covers a broad range of topics. Most military historians pick one type of warfare--ground, naval, or air combat--and focus on that area, even if they look at a number of different wars. Guadalcanal does not lend itself to such a focus. It was an air, land, and sea battle with each part influencing another. It was also an extremely important campaign. The one sided outcome of the World War II in the Pacific has blinded us to the fact that it was possible that the Japanese could have won this war had things gone a little differently. Guadalcanal was a tough series of battles in which the Japanese scored a number of victories.

Frank provides a subtle and nuanced account of this conflict, giving equal attention to the American and Japanese sides. He also avoids painting his pictures in black and white. Some wrong decisions did not necessarily seem like bad ideas when they were made and a number of leaders that faltered in the battle had legitimate reasons for their decision making process. The result, is a rich story that fully develops the human side of these engagements. Frank also explains what life was like for those down at the operational and tactical levels, discussing things that might easily escape the notice of other writers like the amount and type of food that people were getting and how this affected their morale and performance.

At the same time, it is a rousing read. The coverage of the naval battles is particularly engaging. The maps are quite clear and easy to follow. In short, this book is very, very, very good.

I concur with all the highest praises for this book but for two irksome faults. One, there is no decent overall map of Guadalcanal island. The whole island is only pictured on a 4" wide map covering Japan to California where it's a dot with a name, and on another map of the Solomons where Guadalcanal is only 3/8" across (obviously without any sites or beaches indicated). All the other maps are tight zoom-in's and often without any scale. On the plus side the author tracks troop movements meticulously, but you'd best have along side a war atlas or expert memory and visualization skills.

The second disappointment is more minor, and not all will think it a drawback - the author's painstaking detail on...everything. I, too, love detail, but with one or more excellent maps the author could've saved a fifty pages of "ninety-five yards north, then angled seventy yards northwest, then backtracked to the southwest one hundred fifty-seven yards until...". A GOOD map is worth a thousand directions.

Last word: still get this book, it is a remarkable work.

I have been a serious student of WWII military history for a few decades now. Even though I spent years in the US Navy, I have, until lately, concentrated on the war in Europe, the North Atlantic, Russia and North Africa. I have read Jones and Mailer and their South Pacific war novels and am passing familiar with Pearl Harbor. After reading "Shattered Sword" (Five+ stars from me)which brings modern history and recent fact to the still-misunderstood Battle of Midway, I was led deeper into the war in the South Pacific. After both of Lundstrom's "First Team" books recounting the Naval and Marine air war from Pearl through Guadalcanal, I turned to Frank's book for an overall history of this campaign.
This is a thoroughly well-researched book, well written and comprehensive. If you are at all interested in this most crucial of the battles in the Pacific, and, in fact, the one that turned the war against Japan.

Buy it. Read it.

WOW! An extremely well researched account of the battle of Guadalcanal that allowed me to grasp the events on land, and in particular the tragically catastrophic and sometimes confusing Naval engagements in this campaign.

I thoroughly recommend this account, which is written to allow for a chronological understanding of each significant battle. In particular the Naval engagements around Savo Island are dealt with in a mastery fashion with Cape Esperance, Santa Cruz and Guadalcanal battles brought to life in a fascinating descriptive. Rear Admiral Tanaka and other Japanese Naval commanders are given their dues and from a US perspective although victory ensued, it is illuminating to view the tactics and skill, or relative lack thereof, of the US Navy early in WW2. The author brings to life the tragic consequences of being ill prepared.

What's particularly impressive about this writer is that the Japanese perspective and is highlighted bring a rounded view of the campaign. This is more factual and perhaps could be considered 'dry' next to Sledge, Tregaskis & Bergerud yet I consider this to be the definitive Naval account of the decisive campaign. Those interested in the timeline of events around the historical battles around Guadalcanal in WW2 will not be disappointed.

Definitely Scarry's best work and one of the few books I vividly remember from my childhood. It is a great introduction to geography and world cultures. At 3, my son was able to identify shapes of countries, flags and traditional clothing from around the world.

Very fun anthology of numerous 2-page stories from around the world. Charming detailed pictures, culturally relevant backdrops.

Publishers: Please renew licenses for this and reprint it! I've bought "busy, busy town" and "mother goose" as gifts only because this one is out of print.

Wow! I can't belive this book is not in print. I loved it as a kid and was hoping to get one for my new baby. My sisters and I loved reading this stories. It's too bad we don't have our old copy. Publishers, please bring this book back!!

This is my Favorite book from when I was a child. I still have my torn up copy at home and when I feel really sick I make my Dad read it to me.

Still reading my childhood copy to my 3 kids. The 10 year old, all full of attitude and desire for adult fare, just said the other day, "That's still one of my favorite books." The 4 year old could read it every night.

Amazingly, I don't remember knowing who Couscous was in the street scene until reading it to them and noticing the clue in the next scene.

I have an original copy of this book, which my children, esp. the youngest, LOVED. His daughter is turning one year old and they've asked everyone to pick out a favorite book for a gift (as they are inundated w/more clothes, toys, etc. than they will ever need).
His wife asked him if he had a favorite book as a child, and this was it!
Despite it's being read SO many times, it's in really good condition and is the 1965 edition, which I now know is long out of print.
So, this will be a gift for her from grandma & grandpa... though she likely won't handle it herself for a while!

I bought this for my 4 year old and she absolutely loves it! It is really great for kids who have a million questions about how things work and it does a phenomenal job of explaining a typical process (e.g., building a house) from end to end (including laying sewage and water pipes underneath the ground). It gives the details that curious kids really want to know in a fun, darling way.

This delightful book for children which is enjoyable for parents to read as well wonderfully teaches us that we are all part of a family here to help each other with the gifts we have been given. For those with Faith, it is a happy way to show that we need each other, and to be grateful for each person, and appreciate what they do to make the world a better place; that each person is, as Pope Benedict said, "loved, willed and necessary."!

I still have this book from when I was young; it is now 36 years old and has survived all of my children. I cannot bear to part with it and I will save it for my grandchildren. (Along with Richard Scarry's find your ABC's) I am buying a copy for my niece though so she doesn't have to do without. Thank you Richard Scarry

This book will keep your little one occupied for several long minutes and then some. Great book to keep in the car or at Nana's house.

I got this one as a child, back in the sixties. My copy is in Dutch and although a little weathered it's not falling apart yet.
The copy I'm reviewing here is a reprint that misses several spreads, but sad though it may be, if you don't know about it you won't miss it.
Richard Scarry shows different "people" (animals in clothes), all kinds of professions, how they interact and how one depends on the other. And in doing so he introduces a child to society where we all depend on one another.
More than anything else he was responsible that I grew up to be free minded and open spirited person. Whatever a human being does for a living, if he/she does it with love he will make your day.
A policeman, a baker, a newspaper man, a writer, photographer or singer, the postman, the bus driver. We all depend on one another. And as long as we try our best to understand that and accept and respect our fellow citizens we will be on the right path.
His drawings are world famous. They're sweet and funny without being too simplistic. No matter what family, the rabbits, the mice or the pigs, even the worm, they're all lovely characters with different personalities.
It has always been my first choice as a gift for kids.

This book was interesting. It told of a lot of elements in the Phantom Menace movie like biographies of Anakin, Padme, and Darth Maul. It also went way beyond the movie and talked about things not mentioned in the movie. From shortened biographies on the Jedi Council members to looking inside a battle droid's head, this book has everything any Star Wars fan would ever want. The photography is great and the pictures are labeled showing a lot of the parts of machines and lightsabers. This book is the bomb.

The Star Wars Episode I- The Visual Dictionary is great. It has amazing facts about Star Wars episode I such as all of the members of the Jedi High Council (which I was amazed to find out that there is another one of Yoda's species on it, and her name is Yaddle, and she is young at 477), the species, name, and personalaty of the Trade Fedration leaders, every last detail of a Battle Droid and Droideka, Queen Amidala's dresses and makeup and the reasons she wears them, the sea monsters of Naboo, Gungan warfare, why Jar Jar was banished, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda's lightsabers, the Queen's handmaidens, Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber and speeder, and much more!

This is a great book and will provide hours of fun for any Star Wars fan (at least, it did (and still does) for me).

This book likewise its similar for the classic Trilogy, is a good buy for a Star Wars Fan. Depicts everything that appears in the movie, except the starships, the only thing I missed, but it is not a major problem.

We have a 4 1/2 year old daughter obsessed with the Star Wars girls (Shaak Ti in particular) and this is good because it tells all about the different charachters, places, vehicles and robots of the movie in easy to understand, yet complete language.

Very good for the little Star Wars fan or anyone who would like to go a little deeper, but not THAT deep.

Bought this book along with Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, also by David Reynolds. The pages are falling out of both books. I've had this problem with a few DK books, even the children's books. The older DK books are more sturdy. I give this item only 3 stars, and only because of the content. A book with missing pages doesn't get 5 stars.

This book is a wonderful resource and I am enjoying it very much. I can't wait for "Raising Freethinkers" to come out!

I have not finished it yet but it is just what I needed to get the support that was lacking as I raise my son to be a free-thinker.

Not a whole lot on the subject out there, so you take what you can get. It's not a bad book, but it wasn't phenomenal either. It's a lot of stories and anecdotes. Not much 'how to' to get through the challenges, but more of a pat on the back and some reassuring words that things turn out in the end.

Raising a child outside of a congregation can be a lonely experience. Although my husband and I are both atheists, and are part of the freethought community, there's little in the way of family resources available to us.

Along comes this book. I had high hopes, though I somewhat expected to be disappointed; the first time someone does something, it doesn't always come out that well. Imagine my surprise when I found myself learning so much about what it is to be a child without a church, even though I had been one. I remember my mother and father groping their way in the dark through various situations, and though they did pretty well, I imagine it would have been a lot easier with something like this to guide them.

This is a permanent part of our parenting library, and I recommend it to parents whenever I get a chance!

I'm an atheist and have read extensively on the subject, but practical advice for child rearing has always been lacking in this area, so I had high expectations for this book. The reviews here all seem to be excellent, so I was expecting a lot more than I received.

The book is basically a collection of anecdotes from various writers. I don't have a problem with this format, but some of the writers didn't even have children. This was perhaps done to give a perspective from a child's viewpoint of what atheism is about, but I didn't really need this perspective. Again, I have read so many other books that having someone discuss what it means to be an atheist isn't helpful when I was expecting a book about raising children.

The other aspect of this book is that the principle writers seem to be more of the "angry" or missionary atheists, mostly wanting to convince people of the benefits of atheism. Again, I don't need to be converted, I've been an atheist now for over 20 years. The less preachy of the writers was Dwakins, so you can imagine what the others were like.

I hate to provide the lowest review of this book to date, but I think people buying this book should know what to expect. This is not a book that will answer any questions for you and others have noted this in their reviews as well, but it should be emphasized. It will however give you reassurance that you're not the only person with these questions. Still, if you've been an atheist a long time, you're likely not going to read anything new or insightful in this book.

This is a lovely coffee table book that is amazingly beautiful as well as informative. I have recently started collecting beach glass and I learned so much about the various colors, how rare each is and where the glass might have come from. I highly recommend this book to any beach glass collector.

I have recently became interested in sea glass after finding a few beautiful peices when I ordered this book. I was not dissappointed! This book is very informational and beautifully illustrated. I found a match for a peice I had found in the book, allowing me to date the peice.

I love this book and will keep in on my coffee table along with my display of my precious finds! It's a joy just to flip through and just look at the pictures.

Everything you would ever need to know about seaglass is in this book! VERY interesting!!! I love it & could read my copy over & over!

Nice book with nice pictures. Haven't had time to actually sit and read thru it.

My wife and I collect sea glass daily on the Oregon coast. This book did give us a good explaination of what types and the possible origin of glass we've found. Lots of pictures to compare the various colors of sea glass which indicates rare to common. A good reference book for sea glass collectors.

This is by far and away one of the best translations/interpretations out there. Not necessarily the most understandable for beginners. A lot of the imagery is culturally specific and can be difficult to understand without a background in taoism and other asian ideas. However, the different sections offer different levels of interpretation and understanding, which i find very helpful. With persistence and patience, the illumination is well worth the trouble. One of the best, easiest to explore and get to know the I Ching, is The I Ching Workbook, by R.L. Wing. There are some inconsistencies in the divination method, but if you can look past that, it is an excellent beginning text.

Very good book to use I Ching Oracle.
Good texts and commentaries according to the translation of Richard Wilhelm.

I dont think its necessary to say how complex and genius this philosophy is.

So I will just say, that if you are in doubt about which book you should get, this is the version to start with. Its the best translation/version i know of.

With introduction by Richard Wilhelm and a foreword by Jung! Great stuff!

Get it!

This is a very comprehensive book to be studied from front to back. If you are not familier with the I-Ching, I would strongly recommend that you start with the I-Ching for beginners, then move on to this book after you have a better understanding of what is going on and how the I-Ching works and the history.

A more technical book that gives a thorough history of the I Ching, how it was used in Ancient China and contains multiple interpretations for each of the 64 hexagrams. Moving lines are defined within the definition of each hexagram with more of the ancient poetics included and the readings are probably closer to the original texts of yesteryear. Definitions of the hexagrams are more detailed than other guides but still an invaluable resource for anyone working with the I Ching.

Foster would probably quibble with my description, "best book on prayer," but that's ok. The book is a phenomenal introduction to the rich variety of Christian prayer. The chapters are short enough to be read in a single sitting but call us to a profound transformation in the secret place of prayer. This book may well be better than Foster's "Celebration of Discipline."

C of D was very good. Prayer out does C of D by a long shot. Layers of good stuff are on every page. Buy and Read.

One of the best books on prayer I've ever read. He's very rooted in Scripture and yet very thorough in His observations on how we, as humans, interact with God. It continues to challenge me as I read through each new chapter. Highly recommended!

God used this wonderful book to pierce my heart with His truth. He has opened my eyes to what prayer really is and deepend my desire to be in converation with Him. This book has taught me new ways to approach The Throne and a new understanding about what it means to intercede for those I love.

I am in a study/prayer group which is using this book as a guide. I find it helpful to discover new depth in prayer.