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Roberts
Renoir, My Father (New York Review Books Classics)
Published in Paperback by NYRB Classics (2001-09-09)
Author: Jean Renoir
List price: $18.95
New price: $5.90
Used price: $3.97
Collectible price: $20.00

Average review score:

Two for the Price of One: More Than an Artist's Bio--A Detailed Historial Portrait of 19th C. France
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-16
A biography written by a child of someone famous often carries more than one burden, similar to the responsibility or encumbrance of the overshadowing parental fame. However, in filmmaker Jean Renoir's lovingly detailed remembrances of his Impressionist painter father, the reader gleans more than a timeline of an artist's rise to prominence. The author shares a richly detailed account of life in a culture that--in most areas of France save for Paris--was still foremostly agrarian. In this burgeoning Industrial world, Renoir tells of the rise of his father's art and the changing cultural behaviors, shifting societal patterns and troubling questions within that framework.

Beginning at Louis-Philippe's "July Monarchy" (1830-1848)-- generally seen as a period during which the haute bourgeoisie was dominant and the 1840's which saw financial crisises and bad harvests with an ensuing economic depression--we are reminded of the general and specific trends vis-à-vis how they affected the Renoir family's world. Curiously descriptive, this was a world of street oil lamps and chamber pots; anesthesia was not yet invented (nor any antiseptics); butchers slaughtered the animals on site in the back of the shop; great debates about the inferior railroad system and the overall safety of locomotives were waged (could a pregnant woman harm her unborn child by moving a such great speeds? Did the smoke and soot emitted hinder crops in nearby fields from growing). Adding to the vivid and graphic storytelling of French life are vignettes of the senior Renoir's dealings with fellow Impressionists and art dealers as well as his painting process behind some of his masterpieces. Family life, the defining touchstone of the artist as a man, is shared in humorous and matter-of-fact style ("My mother brought a great deal to my father: peace of mind, children whom he could paint; and a good excuse not to have to go out in the evening.") This book, which was first published in the mid-1950's, affords the reader a complete picture of the life of a great artist during a time of vicissitude and excitement in all facets of French society.

An affectionate rememberance!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-22
An affectionate remembrance of Renoir by his son, concentrating the years up to the turn of the century.

Renoir considered himself an artisan rather than an artist, disliked anything artificial, from margarine to ready-to-wear clothes, had among his friends artists, and musicians who are household names today. "It is when you have lost your teeth that you can buy the best beefsteak" he would say, and considering that he became more infirm with age, this truism affected him no less than the rest of us.

Beautiful
Helpful Votes: 17 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-19
Impressionism is my favorite style of painting so I was really enchanted with this biography. Written by Renoir's middle son, Jean, Renoir, My Father not only gives us an intimate look at the life of Auguste Renoir, it gives us an intimate look at the Paris of Renoir's day as well.

As we get to know Renoir we get to know his contemporaries, too. Jean Renoir writes about Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Sisley and many other great artists. We learn many "little known" facts, such as Monet's penchant for lace and his "artful" way with the ladies.

Paris really comes alive in this book. Many of the places Renoir writes about still exist and can be visited today. This book makes any art lover's trip to Paris more meaningful whether he's a Renoir fan or not.

When reading this book, one must remember that this is not a "run of the mill" biography. This is a son writing about the father he adored. The portrait we are given is very intimate, detailed and loving. It's obvious that Jean Renoir adored his father, just as Auguste Renoir adored his family.

Ultimately, this book is a beautiful tribute from a loving son to a father who was one of history's consummate artists. If you have any interest at all in art, this is one book you simply must not pass up. The last page alone will break your heart.

A Vivid Portait
Helpful Votes: 42 out of 44 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-04
Renoir was far more than one of the world's greatest artists. He was an adventurer, a family man, a man who held interesting views on just about every subject under the sun, and finally, in his later years, a martyr to life. Although this book was written by Renoir's middle son, Jean, it is as vibrant and alive as if Renoir, himself, had just written the words in his own hand. Through this book we learn how the Renoir family left its roots in Limoges and moved to Paris. We read of Renoir's early years as a painter of porcelain and how and why he became an artist, more specifically, an Impressionist. We learn of Renoir's marriage to Aline Charigot of Essoyes, the birth of his three sons and his move to the south of France. Some of the most interesting sections of the book deal with Renoir's feelings about the effect of light on a painting and why he needed to paint in a "natural" setting. Also, most interesting are the chapters on the birth of Impressionism and Renoir's relationships with the other artists of the time, such as Monet, Manet, Sisley and Cezanne, just to name a few. Lovingly and charmingly written, this book truly brings Renoir to life and makes him accessible to all. Absolutely a must for anyone with even a passing interest in art or artists!

Therapy
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-27
We adopted "Renoir, My Father" as bedside reading while my wife was recovering from hip surgery, and (aside, perhaps, from "Goodnight, Moon,") I can't imagine better therapy. This is odd, in a way: Claude was an old man (and in pain) when Jean got to know him, and Jean was an old man when he finally brought his recollectios together. You might expect cranky, but nothing of the sort: it's a book full of sunny afterglow. Every parent would hope to be rememnbered so well.

The book might take a bit of getting used to: Jean has his own pace and his own way of telling his story. We did it in small doses and I'm not certain yet that I quite catch the rhythm. None of the rough edges have been smoothed off which, come to think of it, is just as Claude would have wanted: Jean speaks with his own voice. You have to listen well, but you know that the voice is nobody else's.

I suppose it helps to know a bit about the Impressionists to enjoy it all, but I can't say I know all that much, and I didn't feel impaired. Anyway, God bless Google: more than once, when Jean talked about a painting or a subject, I key-clicked my way to an image and completed (as it were) the picture.

Kudos also to NYRB (this time) for producing what it does not always produce: a finished physical specimen The paper feels like quality; the binding is sturdy, and there is a small but satisfying selection of pictures, both colored and black-and-white. There is even an index of sorts (I assume from the original translator) but it is patchy and incomplete. That last is a shortcoming, but forgivable in light of the book's other virtues. In the NYRB firmament, this is surely a star.

Roberts
Running With Walker: A Memoir
Published in Paperback by Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2003-08)
Author: Robert Hughes
List price: $17.95
New price: $15.19
Used price: $13.93
Collectible price: $21.89

Average review score:

a great story of life with autism
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-23
This is a great story of what it's like to live, day to day with autism. I prefer this type of book to the type in which parents take credit for their children's miraculous recoveries. This book struck a chord with me. It feels real and true, and is not preachy. This father is an advocate for his son. These parents choose to home school their son rather than put him in a placement that they feel would not be the right fit for him or, in some cases of places they toured, places that would be harmful to him. I wish I had read this book before we accepted services from our local school district, which our son's speech therapist later called the worst program she'd ever seen. The wrong services are better than no services at all. These parents read their son's behavior and cues and persevere to find the best services for him. This book shows that people affected by autism are capaple of forming connections with others. I am hoping for a sequel.

Running With Walker, A Family Story of True Love
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-10
Faith, hope,courage,easy words to say ,even easier to aspire to, but Running With Walker tells of a family who lives these ideals as a matter of course.I read this book ,or rather devoured it, in a day and a half,its' story as compelling,its' characters as real as any best-selling novel.Running With Walker far exceeds the specifics of a family coping with an autistic child. The humor,warmth and some-times painful honesty of the fathers' narrative,the mom's undaunting hope and determination, the younger brother Davy's compassion and love in the midst of an unusual and difficult situation can speak to any of us in a heartfelt and profound way.
Walker, as the focus of the story,is revealed as a joyous , energetic and loving human being who happens to be autistic.Because his family sees the real boy and not the autistic label, we can too , and join the Hughes'in their struggle to provide a satisfying and fulfilling life for both their sons and each other.I know I will reread this book many times for its' insight and uplifting message and recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who appreciates a true story about family love.

Care providers need to see this book
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-03
Care providers in Early Childhood and Developmental Delay need to see this book, for their own professional good. The author is an incredibly perceptive parent. He vividly draws the story of his son's experiences in the hands of a range of professionals. In doing so, Hughes shines a hard light on what appear to be the worst and best possible practices in today's arena. His descriptions elicit gasps -- of consternation or admiration -- page after page. Heart-rending frankness here is lightened by a saving sense of humor. As a fellow parent of a special-needs child, I am left in awe.

intelligence and compassion
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-12
As I read this memoir-I was struck by the intelligence and compassion that informs it. Of course-it is about a family with an autistic child. But it is also filled with insight and practical wisdom-about parenting and loving and guiding and coping and persevering. A superbly crafted book, "Running With Walker" is perceptive, imaginative, witty, poignant, humorous-all at the same time. Hughes has created remarkable portraits-not to be missed-of his family-even his city-and especially-of himself.

Fantastic
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-10
I began reading "Running With Walker" after brunch one Sunday, and didn't put it down until I finished it later that evening. I hope that peple don't make the assumption, as I did at first, that this is a "medical" book about an illness. This is no more a book about autism than "The Da Vinci Code" is a book about art. This is a story about a family and how they used thier stregnth and love for one another help them to overcome adversity. Hughes puts such a lighthearted, often humorous spin on events that many would have a hard time seeing the silver lining in, and you walk away from his story feeling that you have new good friends in the Hughes Family.

Roberts
SAT NIGHT LIVE BOOK + VIDEO
Published in Hardcover by Houghton Mifflin (1994-10-24)
Author: Robert W. Harris
List price: $49.95
New price: $17.00
Used price: $16.99

Average review score:

the scrapbook you wish you were in
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-05
I have only lived in the US since 2001, and SNL rapidly became my favourite show. Hence I bought this book to have a peek behind the scenes of the Manhattan studio where it all takes place, and I was not disappointed. Some of the people in it I didn't recognise as they were before my time, but I recognised many faces. Even if I hadn't, it is great to see all the backstage shots. Particularly memorable are photos of a writer hunched over a laptop, with Norm McDonald smiling over his shoulder, and Chris Farley sitting at the head of the table in a crowded writers room. There are also lots of other great shots of people building sets, working on costumes, doing all the pre-show stills for the commercial break etc - all of this exactly what I was interested in.

What jumps off the page for me is the camraderie that obviously exists between everyone on the show - obviously there are rivalries and creative tensions, but you can tell there is a group mentality that connects everyone in the photos. There are some treasured memories in here for the lucky few that were there at the time.

This is the next best thing to actually being involved with the show yourself, and as such, I recommend it wholeheartedly. A flood of images! Lovely stuff to have on your coffee table or beside your bed.

A Great Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-13
A great book, really good if you only started watching SNL in the last few yaers and would like to know about the earlier years.

A grand history of late night television
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-05-11
I'm sorry to say that this book was published a year too early. It went to press after the 1993-94 season which was SNL's 19th. Were the authors and publishers so anxious to get it out? I guess they were. Anyway,this book tells about the amazing history of Saturday Night Live. Every overall cast member,director,writer,producer and everyone else involved. We'll never forget October 11,1975,the day of its premiere. The premiere episode began with the late John Belushi and the late writer Michael O'Donoughue in a sketch called "The Wolverines". O'Donoughue played a psychiatrist and Belushi was the patient. At the end of that sketch and before the pre-taped opening montage played,Chevy Chase came out yelling "LIVE FROM NEW YORK,IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!",which is said at the beginning of every show,even to this day. Chase didn't stay very long on the show. Before the end of 1976,Chase,the first Weekend Update anchorman,went to Hollywood. Jane Curtin,another original cast member succeeded Chase on Weekend Update. Shortly after Chase's departure,in came Bill Murray from Chicago. After 1978-79,Belushi and Dan Aykroyd left SNL to go Hollywood and concentrate on their Blues Brothers act,initiated on SNL. They filmed THE BLUES BROTHERS in '79,a year after Belushi's first starring film ANIMAL HOUSE. In 1979-80,Harry Shearer joined remaining original members Curtin,Garrett Morris,Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner. After that season,all five were gone. The 1980-81 season began unusually late due to the actors' strike and Presidential debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan(the SNL studio was used for the debate). That season brought an entirely new cast,one of them being Joe Piscopo who stayed thru 1983-84. Eddie Murphy,then age 19,joined the show and departed with Piscopo. Another member was Gilbert Gottfried who was then not-so-famous. Jean Doumanian succeeded original producer Lorne Michaels,who had left with the remainder of the original cast. Gottfried was let go after 1980-81. In 1981-82,Piscopo and Murphy had new castmates,some of them Canadians. Robin Duke and Tim Kazurinsky are Canadian like original member Dan Aykroyd. Later(1984-85) came Billy Crystal who almost became an original member,and James Belushi,John's brother. Also joining in 1984-85 was Martin Short,who'd go Hollywood himself later. The following season,things finally settled down in studio 8H. Lorne Michaels returned,triumphantly(Doumanian was fired after 1980-81 and succeeded by Dick Ebersol) to serve as producer like he did for SNL's first 5 seasons. The new cast members were Nora Dunn,Dana Carvey,Kevin Nealon,Victoria Jackson and Dennis Miller who'd become the next Weekend Update anchorman. Mike Myers joined in 1989. Myers and Carvey became Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar,two hard-rocking and babe-loving buddies on the sketch Wayne's World,later inspiring two films. Chris Farley and David Spade later came and also went Hollywood. Another big SNL star is Adam Sandler,another film star. Sandler previously worked for NBC,guest-starring on a few episodes of The Cosby Show. Every show had a guest host and musical guest(some shows had more than one of each). We will never forget the Coneheads,Emily Litella,the Festrunk Brothers,Ed Grimley and Wayne's World(sorry if I forgot anything). We also won't forget John Belushi,who died in 1982 of a drug overdose and Gilda Radner who died at 42 of ovarian cancer. Farley fatally overdosed on drugs in 1997. O'Donoughue succumbed to lung cancer in '94. Oh, by the way,Bill's brother Brian Doyle Murray was an SNL member from 1981 to '84. This book should have been updated in 2000 for the show's 25th anniversary. After nearly 29 years on the air,Saturday Night Live continues to pull in tens of viewers from 11:30 PM to 1 AM,EST.

A COLLECTIBLE FOR SNL FANS
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-11
Since its television debut in 1995 few will argue the fact that Saturday Night Live was a cultural, comedic, and TV phenomenon.

Here in one volume is a collection of the sketches, characters, performers and phrases that first appeared on the show that kept many of us up late.

It's also a visual reminder of some of the great comedians who were first showcased there and the once shocking catch phrases that became a part of our collective vocabulary.

Be "SNL smart" with this book.
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-24
This book is an awesome book! you can learn about every castmember in the show up until 94'. You can learn about all the hosts, all the years, all the musical guests, all the backstage info, all the famous songs(including Adam Sandler's Songs), and much much more. Not only will it let you know your facts, but you will enjoy it! Trust me, buy it!!!!!!

Roberts
Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees: A Life of Contemporary Artist Robert Irwin
Published in Paperback by University of California Press (1982-12-27)
Author: Lawrence Weschler
List price: $17.95
New price: $11.37
Used price: $6.30
Collectible price: $125.00

Average review score:

Can you read? This book is for you.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-19
Robert Irwin has lived his life as both a solitary creator and unrelenting seeker to the same consummate degree that only Dante Alighieri, Agnes Martin, Meister Eckhart, Lao Tsu, and a handful of others have sought. If you haven't heard of him, you should read this anyway. Remember, it even took Bach two centuries to get his proper due. Regardless, this book changed a lot for me. I am forever grateful.

Weschler's prose is Irwin's lighting. His book good as this biography junkie has ever read, and he does it in only 203 pages. As I write this, you can buy this book used for the price of a Domino's pizza - that's all i'm saying.

The title alone is worth the price.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-16
If you're an artist, you need this book. Even if you don't like Irwin's work (or never heard of him.) Remarkably, this biography of the most minimal of minimal artists contains no abstruse language, no mysteriously self-important pronouncements, nor even a single reference to any French esthetic theorist. Not only is this written in clean, straightforward prose; you can hardly put it down. It also raises critical, fascinating questions about the nature of art, and of the way we see. I've recommended this book to several people. It's never what they expect. They've always thanked me.

Artistic Process for All
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-07
*

I am fascinated by the creative process. I am fascinated by physical manifestations born from the spark of an idea. I am fascinated by the complex psychology, rigorous philosophy and simple backbone evinced by those devotees of method. And I am blown-away by Robert Irwin.

My first contact with Robert Irwin's work came in graduate school when a few friends and I drove from Philadelphia to Manhattan to visit the Dia Center for the Arts. There on an upper floor I encountered a truly shocking, yet subduing, experience. Irwin had taken over the entire level and divided into rooms demarcated with translucent scrim. I walked slowly, from space to space, enclosed but not, silent in presence yet bursting with internal applause, and in awe. I marveled at the solidity of light that slid through the Dia's industrial steel windows, tracing its way across two layers of the thin white fabric and gently landing on the concrete floor. My eyes were tickled by the subtlety of color emanating from the vertical fluorescent lights wrapped in gels. There must have been thirty others there at the same time, meandering like ghosts whitened by one, two, three layers of scrim, yet the space was absolutely quiet. This was the first time that I truly understood the word ?perception.? It came in a space filled with exacted simplicity.

Since then I have tried to follow Irwin's work, both past and present, only to find that it is rarely photographed, as the medium cannot do the work justice. However, Lawrence Weschler's biography on the artist is a tremendous piece of writing that will give you much more appreciation for Irwin than any catalog ever could. Weschler spent years interviewing the artist, tracking down collaborators and researching the works. He exhibits an amazing understanding of Irwin's intentions and adds much needed commentary to keep the story straight while tracing the complex and highly personal evolution of the man and his art. From descriptions of Irwin's self-imposed eight month exile in Ibiza, to his two year long rigorous exercise (and again, exile) to create what amounted to twenty lines, Weschler gives us an in depth look at the zen-like disposition of the artist in his search for the perceptual (and hence, not conceptual). Irwin's diligence and rigor will stupefy even those most devoted to their process, and discussion of his material experimentation will act to spur imaginations. Robert Irwin supplies the majority of storytelling, however, and lets the reader in on often humorous tales of the art world from the point of view of a very personable and highly influential artist.

In short, I highly recommend that anyone devoted to design, be it fine art or architecture, read this book. I also recommend that you travel to San Diego to see the first major exhibition of Irwin?s work since 1993, "Robert Irwin: Primaries and Secondaries" at the MCASD through February 23rd.

Note: The installation at the Dia Center was reviewed thoroughly, with an included history of the artist?s work, in an article entitled "Robert Irwin?s Doors of Perception" by Carol Diehl in Art in America magazine, December, 1999, findarticles.com

It doesn't get any better than this.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-08
This is simply the best book about art I have ever read. Like other reviewers, I can say that this book permanently altered the way I see the world (and art). Irwin did it and he still does it.

still forgetting
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-22
I picked up this book in 1984 because it was on a reading list for an Art History class I was taking at Oberlin College. I stayed up all night in the library that night. I couldn't put it down. My mind has never been the same.

I still often think of it,tell stories from it and give it as a gift. I always say "skip the first chapter-it gets much better." If I remember right, the book begins with a description of Irwin's perfectionism when cleaning the engine of his car. I figure that will bore my friends.

I tell my students about Irwin's many years attempt to make the perfect line, to his wife's chagrin and his painting the back side of his paintings because it matters to him. They like the story of the riots that occured in South America due to the disorientation of his discs-concave and convex-the viewers couldn't tell where the wall started and the disc stopped. I have given the book as a graduation present.

I thought about this book at the mechanic the other day. My engine is very, very dirty.

I will never forget,forgetting. Great book.

Roberts
Shadows of War
Published in Paperback by Signet (2004-11-02)
Author: Robert Gandt
List price: $7.99
New price: $6.75
Used price: $0.84
Collectible price: $20.00

Average review score:

Light up your afterburner!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-24
Having read (and thoroughly enjoyed) Bob Gandt's previous 3 books, I mentioned in my review of his last book, Black Star, that in my opinion it started off a little slower than his first two books but then it took off like a missile. That is NOT the case in Shadows Of War. The action starts on page 3 and it gains speed from there on. I like that Bob Gandt has totally different plots but the same type of high speed action. Another nice read Bob!

Another great score for Robert Gandt
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-24
If yu want to spend a night or so, completely engrossed in an action thriller and have not tried Robert Gandt. Try this out, then go out and get all therest of his novels.
every one os excellent. (****). Outstanding is (*****)

THE BEST THERE IS-even for non readers!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-05
I have found ALL of Robert Ghant's books to be fantasticly easy reading, that cannot be put down, once started. You can tell he has been there and done it all. He keeps you wrapped up in the story waiting for the next section to start.I have pre-ordered his new book & can't wait. Would love an autographed one for my COLLECTION !

Bob's Best Yet!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-13
Gandt has done it again .... another `up front and personal" aviation suspense thriller.
And just when I thought that he couldn't improve on his previous three Navy fghter pilot Brick Maxwell novels.
If Shadows isn't his best yet, I'll miss my bet.
This writer has a way of spinning a yarn that not only speaks of his understanding of military flying, because he has done it himself - but his skill in developing a barn burner of an ongoing saga full of riveting combat scenes and intrigue that won't let you put the book down.
Stephen Coonts has said gf Gandt's writing... "the next best thing to being on the cockpit" - and having been in that fighter cockpit myself, I heartily agree ....

Hard charging right to the end
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-18
This is the first Robert Gandt novel for me, but it certainly will not be the last.

This book just took off. A navy fighter pilot lost over Iraq during the opening hours of Desert Storm is declared KIA, and Saddam does nothing to change anyone's mind. A corrupt CIA station chief knows that Raz Rasmussen is still alive, but he has his own agenda - it doesn't include rescuing an American POW.

Fast forward to the present day WOT, and the rumors that someone is holding an American POW. Brick Maxwell has to watch his six, not just for roving Iranian fighters and shoddy aircraft maintenance, but for the CIA who doesn't want him bring his squadron mate home.

This book has the right amount of action and pacing to make it a winner.

A great read.

Roberts
Steel magnolias
Published in Unknown Binding by Dramatists Play Service (1988)
Author: Robert Harling
List price:
Used price: $14.50

Average review score:

Steel Magnolias
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-18
This was a fast read. I love this movie and now I love the script!

Steel Magnolias
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-10
I will study the script for upcoming auditions at the local community theater. This is a fabulous play that needs no promotion.

Excellent!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-09
I haven't read this play but I recently saw it performed. It was abosolutely wonderful! It is this story of six women who live in a small town in Louisiana, who spend their Saturdays in a beauty shop. One of the characters, Shelby, gets married towards the beginning of the play. She has diabetes and is told by her doctor that she shouldn't have children, but she wants children so badly that she has a baby anyway... I think you see where this is going. This is a very touching and humorous play and recommend this to everyone.

Just what I needed
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-22
I'm glad I was able to find this book since our booksellers don't carry it. I had a project for school and this play was suggested. After reading the script along with the movie I absolutely loved it. The story touched me through the up and down friendship between the five women.

Steel Magnolias
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-08
A touching play telling the story of six Southern women, all the action is set in the beauty shop in which they spend their Saturdays and spans the course of a couple years. Each of the women have their own conflict that they come to terms with over the course of the play, most of them dealing with their relationships with one another and other people in their lives. From Clairee and Ouiser, aging women dealing with the losses of their husbands, Truvy with her own dead-beat husband and the appearance of Annelle in her life, to Annelle seeking direction in her life and reconciliation with her past. The center of the story is M'Lynn and her newlywed daughter Shelby, as they try to find the happy medium in their relationships with their husbands and with each other. Every woman, though, gets her moment in teh spotlight and all of them change significantly over the course of the play. The play is well written, with natural dialogue and a perfect blend of humor and tragedy, truly displaying the strength of these Southern "steel magnolias."

Roberts
Stop Obsessing! How To Overcome Your Obsessions And Compulsions
Published in Paperback by Bantam (1991-08-01)
Authors: Edna B. Foa and R. Reid Wilson Ph.D.
List price: $12.95
New price: $4.77
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Average review score:

Not quite perfect
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 26 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-10
This was listed as the top choice for obsessive-compulsive disorder by the Carlat Report for December 2005 in a review of self-help books in psychiatry (www.thecarlatreport.com).
It is very much a self-help book, directed at patients rather than professionals, but some of the methods recommended seem to assume that a professional is involved and it discusses the use of medication. Indecisions and mentisme are not covered but hoarding (which is seldom due to OCD)is. As with several other self-help books it is without references or statistics so that we have to take some of the claims for effectiveness on trust. The professional reputations of the authors are so high that I would be inclined to trust them, although in some of the cases described the remedy looks worse than the disease. Their recommendations for dealing with contamination fears, and also their techniques for coping with contrast ideas, might be quite distressing.
An academic quibble is that the techniques mostly seem to be plain vanilla behavior therapy, rather than cognitive. The cognitive therapy of Beck (and its avatar, the rational-emotive therapy of Ellis) involve arguing patients out of their symptoms by convincing them of the logical errors of their thinking, a futile endeavor in OCD. This book recommends the kinds of treatment that many of us have found useful empirically whatever our theoretical background.
Sigmund Freud (in one of his letters to Binswanger) discusses a case of OCD and recommends what is called in Norman Guterman's translation "counter-compulsion." (His classic paper on OCD is usually considered the 1909 "Rat Man" whom he did treat by psychoanalysis. That was published as "Der Familienroman der Neurotiker Bemerkung einen Fall von Zwangneurose" for those of you who own the Sammlung kleiner Schriften. In the Collier paperback series, edited by Philip Rieff, the "Rat Man" case is in "Three Case Histories" )
Where Foa and Wilson fall short of Freud, and of Judith Rappaport's "The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing," is in literary merit. They write clearly and understandably but this is not something that the general reader would want to read cover to cover.


Stop Obsessing by Foa and Wilson
Helpful Votes: 17 out of 19 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-21
The book describes a host of obsessive/compulsive behaviors together with strategies to overcome them. For instance,
washers tend to clean their hands multiple times, take many
showers and repeat actions obsessively or due to shear habit.
Repeaters tend to repeat actions compulsively until they are
performed perfectly or to the perceived satisfaction of
the person with "a repeater" behavioral trait. Hoarders tend
to gather "things" out of a fear of discarding something
valuable. The hoarder may keep every possession ever owned
for fear of throwing out a single valuable thing. Hoarders
never consider the opportunity cost of space. As a self-help book, the authors identify classic situations that trigger these
unhealthy behaviors. Once identified, specific strategies are
provided to combat the undesired behaviors/behavioral traits.
A strength of this book is that it helps you to conquer a host
of unhealthy demons which trigger neurotic retaliatory
responses. The authors encourage readers to act contrary to
these destructive proclivities every time they surface.
The book is worth the price charged-many times over.
The issues addressed are rarely talked about or admitted to
during the conduct of public discourse. This book provides
readers with a private forum to discover their eccentric
behaviors without the penalty of public chastisement or
derision. The book is recommended highly for this purpose
alone.

Seriously
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-18
This book saved my life nine years ago. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. My life is no longer ruled by anxiety. Thank you R.W. and E.F.

Great book - highly recommended
Helpful Votes: 28 out of 28 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-07
This is an excellent book. I think it is the best self-help book on OCD. Luckily my CB therapist does these exact techniques with me in therapy so it's like this book is a hard-copy of the work I am doing. It's a great reference manual. Take this book seriously - it will help you if you follow the practices with as much patience and effort as you can. The thing that clicked for me after ready only the first few chapters of this book, is that my thoughts are obsessions! They are exagerrated, irrational, not based on reality! I never before could grasp that concept because I actually believed that my obsessions and suspicions might be real (that I was just missing something) and that somehow my mental compulsions would help me to relieve the tension and anxiety that my obsessive thoughts were causing. It's amazing... it all literally clicked. These thoughts are obsessions. They are NOT REAL!! Wow.

Just what the doctor ordered
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-07
This book comes highly recommended by my doctor and is living up to its reputation!

Roberts
Taking Care of Your Child: A Parent's Illustrated Guide to Complete Medical Care (Taking Care of Your Child)
Published in Paperback by Da Capo Press (2005-11-28)
Authors: Robert Pantell, James Fries, and Donald Vickery
List price: $19.95
New price: $2.99
Used price: $0.77

Average review score:

Great book for new moms
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-10
I purchased an earlier version of this book when my first child was an infant. I continued to use the book until they were teenagers. It was the most used of my parenting books. I purchase this book for shower gifts for soon-to-be moms. They will find it useful, when their child is ill, in making decisions about when to call the doctor and when not to worry.

Knowing when to panic is half the battle
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-08
I still have the copy of the book my mother-in-law gave me 30 years ago, and the worn cover reminds me of how often I referred to it while my now-adult children were growing up. I'm ordering 3 copies of the updated version today; it's the perfect gift for all the brand new parents I know. Want to know when to alienate the doctor by calling at midnight and when to wait until Monday morning? This book is The One..... Want to walk into the pediatrician's office with a clear, concise idea of what symptoms to convey? It's The One. Want to avoid a trip to the doctor's office or urgent care center altogether? This book can help you do that with confidence and a clear conscience. It's definitely an excellent buy for any and all parents.

Wonderful Informational Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-05
This is a great guide. I received my copy in 1977 when my daughter was born. I used it for years! Loved the flow charts. Definately eases the panic of parents. Explains so much! I have bought several copies of this book-first for friends in the 70's having their children, and now the updated book for the next generation of new parents....our children having children.

Doctor in the House
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-15
This book is like having a doctor in the house. My pediatrician took me more seriously when I called because I only called or visited when it was truly necessary. This book is so helpful in the way it works you through the problem and informs you of what to expect when you do have to visit the doctor. I highly recommend this book to new parents; it will give you more credibility when you visit the doctor and you are not seen as an anxious new parent.

Taking Care of Your Child:A parent's Illustrated Guide to Complete Medical Care
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-09
I bought this book 27 years ago when I had my first child. I loved it then and love it now. I give it to every expectant mother I know. Our doctor was surprised that a new mom would know exactly what to ask and what information to have on hand. It has an easy to follow format with questions and guidelines for the taking care of your child. The book helps the parent know when to call the doctor or when to head to the emergency room. The book of course has been updated but the information from my original book is just as valuable. I still use it today to answer those important questions...virus or bacterial infection?

Roberts
A Time it Was: Bobby Kennedy in the Sixties
Published in Hardcover by Abrams (2008-06-01)
Author: Bill Eppridge
List price: $29.95
New price: $18.76
Used price: $18.46
Collectible price: $30.00

Average review score:

Great pics!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-07
Bought this for my dad for father's day. Great pictures of a memorable time in history with a visonary who lost his light too soon!

Back to The Future
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-07
This book and its images were all the more gripping having been an observer at the time. The photos and the words provide an image of a nation trying to be the sum of its promise, only to be plunged into a tragic self assessment after the assassination.
It is paramount, 40 years later, that we take the opportunity to remember how far we have come. This book reminds us that we can do better, that we must do better, that we are better.

a time it was
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-07
it's photgraphs of the campain are stunning the brief narrative gives a true sense of sumer 1968

Memory Lane
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-06
This book of pictures was a wonderful walk down memory lane for me. At 16 I was to join the Kennedy campaign as a volunteer after the California primary. On the morning I was to depart, my parents woke me with the news of his shooting. This book, however, reminded me of the promise unfulfilled Robert Kennedy represented--how much better we would have been as a people, as a country, as a government had he been president in 1969 instead of Richard Nixon.

Great service
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-06
I got plenty of information about this order. When it was slightly delayed, I was informed, as well as when it shipped. I was very impressed with the service.

Roberts
Togo
Published in Hardcover by Philomel (2002-10-14)
Author:
List price: $16.99
New price: $15.70
Used price: $14.24

Average review score:

The Huskies & Malamutes Must Get Through!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-06
Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow nor gloom of night will keep this pack of hardy Arctic dogs from reaching their goal!

Togo was a beautiful male Siberian husky who was part of the team who got the serum through to Nome during the Diptheria Epidemic of 1925. His part and those of the other dogs were eclipsed by one famous husky named Balto who led the team during the last 53 miles. Togo had quite a track record. He won many dog sled races and from the time he was 8 months old, showed his independent streak by hopping fences and holding his own as a musher with larger huskies and malamutes.

A strong, hardy dog with a curly tail, Togo plays an important role in history. During the outbreak of diptheria in January of 1925, a desperate plea was sent to the Governor in Juneau, declaring an emergency. A train was loaded with the necessary serum, but snow precluded it from getting through. In those days airplanes had open cockpits. Planes did not fly to Alaska then because inclement weather precluded air lift as pilots could not survive exposure to the extreme cold. The only way for the medicine to get through to Nome was via dog sled.

Enter Togo. The hardy husky, together with his canine team mates and musher Leonhard Seppala brave atrocious weather conditions for some 350 miles to get the medicine to Nome. Togo led his team for several days with no rest until a second musher picked up where this team left off.

The illustrations are masterpieces as well as this wonderful book. It is an important part of early U.S./Alaskan history and will be treasured by all ages. Readers will feel the freezing Arctic air as those huskies and malamutes brave long distances to get the serum to Nome. The dog sled teams got the medicine there several days before the deadline date. If not for these dogs, the epidemic would have claimed many casualties. Togo has rightfully earned his honored place in history and will be treasured for time immemorial.

This book makes me think of the 1979 classic, "Ain't No Stopping Us Now." Be sure to read this with other books about Balto and the incredible race against time during the Diptheria Epidemic of 1925.

Really good storytelling!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-02
This book is thoroughly enjoyable and provides a well-told account of the amazing journey to provide life-saving vaccines. By only reasons for not giving it a full five stars were that I thought some of the illustrations might be a bit scary to younger children, and also I thought that the story ended rather abruptly -- it is good, but be prepared to answer youngsters questions such as "Did Togo get the people the medicine?" and "Why didn't Togo get to finish his race?" See also Big Enough Anna, by Pam Flowers, for a very different story that also involves sled dogs.

Touching
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-03
This is a wonderful true story about those who should should not be forgotten. "Togo" is a beautiful example of the blessings of sacrifice, love, devotion, and perseverence. Truely a story to touch your heart.

A Wonderful Book!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-23
This is visually beautiful book that tells a beautiful story. This is a story of courage and strength. Togo's story needs to be told. I even purchased a copy for my son's elementary school library.

e-Iditarod
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-25
The book is beautiful. My son and I are following the Iditarod race electronically. In order to understand this race, we were looking into the original Great Serum Race and information about dog sledding. This is an eloquently told story based on facts that is fitting for an elementary student. The artwork is fantastic and helps pull you into the brutal winter conditions that is tied to the story.


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