Robertson Books

I will continue to buy from this seller because they provided fast service.

If you've ever questioned the story of creation as given by organized religions and think it just make any sense and lacks logic, then read this book. It tells the true story of creation and ties it in with all the unanswered questions we've ever had, such as where prehistoric man and dinosaurs fit in, who Lilith was, who the sons of God were who married the daughters of men, as depicted in the first part of Genesis, and where all the ancient myths and legends of various creatues such as centaurs, etc., came from. "The Edgar Cayce's Story of the Origin and Destiny of Man" is great reading and makes you want to keep turning the pages to find out more.

I read this book several years ago and was absolutely enthralled by Edgar Cayce's vision of human "evolution." He speaks of the many epochs on earth from when human beings first incarnated on the planet, through the rise and fall of great civilizations and into the future of today's civilization. Cayce takes you on a journey of spiritual evolvement through the ages. Whether you lend credence to his vision or not (I do...) you will find Mr. Cayce's revelations to be simply remarkable. A wonderful book!

Thousands of photographs of a worlwide selection of birds as well as information on migration, breeding, classification and life cycles.
I would highly recommend this book for everyone.

What a book. Not a technical manual on any particular bird family, but an incredible production of photos and great information. This book will be enjoyed by anyone who opens it. Perfect for birdlovers, nature fanatics, and those who deserve an incredible gift.

An excellent guide to the world of birds in easy to understand, simple format. Highly recommend for anyone interested in birds; a must-have for your collection if you are a bird-lover. The accompanying CD of bird voices is valuable; but I feel birds of all continents are not equally represented there. But the book is excellent.

Dorling Kindersley have become well known for producing clear, visually oriented reference books for adults and children. They had previously published a score of smaller volumes on the subject of birds, but nothing quite like this: a definitive guide, as they claim. The book is best described as an encyclopaedia of birds. Measuring 30 x 25 cm (12" x 10") and weighing over 4.5 pounds, it has the heft of an encyclopaedia and certainly isn't a field guide. At the same time it is an avian art gallery that exhibits some of the most exciting photographs of the world's most wonderful birds.

The book is split into three parts. The 44 page introduction discusses physiology, flight, behaviour, conservation and more. It is nicely concise, making use of numerous photographs and diagrams to explain what birds are. The second, 28-page section explores habitats in the same way. This leaves the lion's share - some 390 pages - for the systematic accounts, which cover all bird families and a selection of over 1,200 species. There is an introductory section for each taxonomic group - species are grouped by Order in the case of Non-passerines and Family for the Passerines. The majority of species are illustrated by a photograph in addition to range map with a short text on the salient features of the bird.

An audio CD prepared by Cornell's Macauley Library of Natural Sounds is included. It is a delightful audio sample of vocalisations from 60 species from around the world.

This is just the sort of book that would have engrossed me for hours as a child. I remember spending many a happy evening poring over my Mitchell Beazley World Atlas of Birds, which would have been the nearest equivalent back then. Already my kids have spent more time looking through the book than I have! It's not too hard to imagine that this book, left idly on a coffee table, will persuade many a non-birding adult to pick up a pair of binoculars for the first time. In fact, it may just be the ideal book to explain to the fascination of birds to the uninitiated. I spend a lot of time watching birds in the wild and even I found myself gasping at some of the photographs. The double page spreads of a hunting Great Grey Owl, King Penguins under water, a Spotted Sandpiper chick hunkered down amongst leaf litter, Toco Toucan, Bohemian Waxwings and Northern Cardinal were, for me, particular evocative.

This is a book I can heartily recommend to birders of all stripes - especially beginning birders, armchair travellers and anyone who likes to celebrate the beauty and diversity of birds. A sort of book equivalent of David Attenborough's "Life of Birds".

Chris Sharpe, 4 June 2008. ISBN: 075663153X

This is a truly wonderfull book.The information is outstanding and the pictures are excellent. Any one interested in ornithology should buy this book.

Doc was my English teacher last year, I bought his book right before christmas break. He had read a few chapters to us in class and I was really interested in finishing it. I read it in about a week, I couldn't set it down. It is written with a lot of detail and emotion which really lets you use your imagination. I loved it and so will you!!

When I received this book as a gift, I put it down for at least a month. I had never heard of the author and it's a big book! A couple weeks ago I found myself with nothing to do, and decided to give it a try. well, I was sorry that I had waited so long to read Doc Robertson's book. The characters hit home and invited me into their lives. I couldn't believed how engrossed I was in fictional characters because they seemed so real. I would have to imagine that Doc lived through a lot of the situations. How else could he give such a detailed discription of Los Angeles and its history between 1963 and 1995.
Roman and Virginia Robinson took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Some times I was quite angry with Roman for the things he did, but then I realized that he was only human and we all make mistakes. His innocence also matched the brutality of his character, brought on by his mother.
Roman's sister, Virginia, was a perfect contrast to him. She was a polished girl, despite her upbringing. Her successes, along with his, were the results of determination and the bond they had.
I strongly recommend his book. Doc Robertson may not be known now, but it's just a matter of time before his brilliant writing is discovered by the reading world.

Virginia and Roman Robinson are a sister and brother that know in spite of whatever adversity may surround them, they always have each other. The story begins when Virginia and Roman are children growing up in California and ends when they are parents with adult children of their own. The supporting cast of characters includes their immediate family and a number of other important characters with whom they have formed relationships. The secondary characters were an excellent addition to the story, adding just what was needed for the plot and nothing more. Simone, for example, will quickly become the mother you love to hate. As the story progresses, we see Roman and Virginia gain and lose relationships, make heart wrenching decisions, and deal with whatever situation life (or their own mistakes) hand them. In spite of their weaknesses and obvious mistakes, Roman and Virginia serve as positive examples for African Americans because of their consistent willingness to take personal responsibility for their own mistakes and for the ills of society.

All families have some sort of drama, and this story tells the tale of the Robinson family's drama. Roman is a pre-teen that is physically large for his age coming to the aid of his older sister in an effort to protect her. Later, we see Virginia and Roman both struggle as teenagers and young adults trying to find their niche. The author wrote lyrical romance scenes as the characters fell in love, and dramatic, intense action scenes as the characters faced wars abroad as well as in their own communities. As a reader, I was able to experience the joys and frustrations of parenthood and experience the pain and grief associated with losing someone you love. None of the characters were perfect, but just like in your own family, you felt for the characters in spite of their weaknesses.

A Family Tree, Taking Root is a beautiful story about the joys and pains associated with being a part of a family. As the characters grow up, they dream, make mistakes and are forced to adjust to a continually changing social climate. The plot addresses a myriad of historical events such as, the Vietnam War and the Watts Riots with depth and clarity. The plot also addressed a variety of social issues, such as civil rights, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, gang violence, and education, with grace and plenty of emotion. However, the story is much deeper than history and social issues.

Doc Robertson's writing draws you into the story, and his compelling characterizations make you feel as if the characters are members of your own family. As a reader, I experienced the happiness, frustration, growth and loss right along with Virginia, Roman and their family members. I am not sure which I enjoyed more, the rich plot of the story, or the character development. I love a story where I can see growth in the characters and this book is filled with lessons of growth and living up to one's potential. Although initially I felt a bit overwhelmed by the length of the book, by the end I felt as if I were losing members of my own family and longed for just one more page.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay

Basics: 2003, 7th edition, softcover, 576 pages, 2,500 color illustrations of 783 species, range maps

This 7th edition is dramatically improved over its first edition created more than two decades earlier. This field guide for all Australian birds is definitely in the top three books available for the country. It is also the thickest of the three books, which is a trade-off for creating plates with larger illustrations and a more organized appearance.

The plates are of very good quality, color, and detail. Compared to the other two field guides, these plates are cleaner and less congested since fewer birds have been crammed into the plates. The plates contain 2-5 species each with anywhere from 5-20 different illustrations. Most of the plates contain only 5-10 illustrations, which makes them less busy than the other books. The various plumages of the genders, ages, races, and subspecies are illustrated very well. My only tiny critique is the birds sometimes look just a little too dark, but nothing that is too distracting or misleading for their identification.

The text, which is adjacent to the plate, consists of a long paragraph containing information on description, voice, habitat, breeding, nests and eggs, and range and status. There is less information in the description or identification sections than I would like to see. I would gladly trade space to remove the nest/egg information to expand the identification material to help compare similar species. Although still good, I think the identification text in the book is not as strong as the material found in the two other similar books (see below).

The range maps use a single color to outline the bird's distribution in the country. For a few of the birds that have irruptive patterns, lighter shading is used to define the potential boundary of their dispersal.

This is a great book for use anywhere in Australia. Its quality is on par with two other books by Simpson/Day and by Morcombe. Any of these books will work just as well. My personal leaning is towards the other two books.

I've listed several related books below...
1) Birds of Australia, 7th ed. by Simpson/Day
2) Field Guide to Australian Birds by Morcombe
3) Photographic Field Guide: Birds of Australia by Flegg
4) Australian Birds: A Concise Photographic Field Guide by Trounson
5) The Atlas of Australian Birds by Blakers
6) Birds in the Australian High Country by Frith
7) Complete Book of Australian Birds by Reader's Digest
8) A Photographic Guide to Birds of Australia by Rowland
9) The Birds of Prey of Australia by Debus
10) A Field Guide to Nests & Eggs of Australian Birds by Beruldsen
11) Where to Find Birds in Australia by Bransbury

There are quite a number of Australian Bird field guides these days. they all have merit. This one is right up there with the best and is an indispensible, easy to use essential. The Family summaries and short summary of classifications are succinct and informative - they certainly whet the appetite to learn more if the user is so inclined.
I have used Pizzey extensively ever since the first edition in 1981 (illustrations were then done by Roy Doyle). I actually preferred that first edition but it is now long out of print and this seventh edition is a worthy successor. The illustrations are sound and do help identification. The book is too large to fit in a pocket for a field trip but is certainly packable and although I do not use it in the field, it seems robust enough in construction to handle that if the user wished it.

As with any bird watcher, I have all the field guides to the birds of Australia. There are many and they are all good. However, my favourite (for the last few years...it does change with different editions, etc), is this, the "Pizzey and Knight". As a biology and wildlife based guide and educator in Australia, I travel all over the continent with school groups, tours and for my own recreation, so I 'road test" a lot of different field guides. I have found the illustrations in this book to consistently be the best, especially with the waders and shorebirds where it is most important. It also covers the family groups very well at the end of the book, which is important to gain a wider perspective on our bird fauna.
Damon Ramsey
Author, "Ecosystem Guides Rainforest of tropical Australia"
www.educational-tours.com.au

Some of the finest poetry in the modern world. Kocan restores poetry to its ancient dignity and resonance. He writes of the greeatest metaphysical issues, as well as homely human ones, with both profundity and crystal clarity.

Some of the finest poetry in the modern world. Kocan restores poetry to its ancient dignity and resonance. He writes of the greeatest metaphysical issues, as well as homely human ones, with both profundity and crystal clarity.

This is what poetry ought to be like! Beautiful and inspiring work. Kocan proves that even in the modern world there is still at least one splendid poet.

Thanks, amazon, for displaying this book.

In 1814, E.T.A. Hoffmann wrote the best novella I have had the good fortune to get my hands on. Regrettably, I neither speak nor understand German, and I only read "The Golden Pot" in translation, but it still managed to enchant me, of course.

It is a fairytale, actually subtitled "A Fairytale for the Modern Times", and attempting to adequately summarize the story would be pointless, which its true for every masterpiece. At a very basic level, the story pits the world of reality against the world of imagination/magic/wonder/poetry. It would be more accurate to say that the latter is active within the former, unbeknownst to the well-to-do inhabitants of early 19th century Dresden. Reading the "Golden Pot" will make you feel it is a great pity that you are not a citizen of Dresden, or at least Germany, at the beginning of the 19th century. Being a modern fairytale, it would have been a much more fulfilling read for a reader of the time, as he would recognize the aspects of the mundane world that Hoffmann describes, and would be thus derive greater pleasure from the descriptions of the fantastical that he masterfully weaves hidden in plain sight within it. Hoffmann has chosen an ingenious approach to the relationship between the reader and the writer, best showcased in the seventh vigil (chapter).

This magical novella is required reading by everyone, alongside the works of Shakespeare and Goethe.

I would like to take a moment to correct a very common misconception about E.T.A. Hoffmann...in all fairness to him, Hoffmann should not be known for writing The Nutcracker on which the ballet is based. The ballet is based on the version of the story written by Alexandre Dumas NOT Hoffmann! Hoffmann's version (the original, and the version Tchaikovsky thought he was writing the music for, until Petipa, the choreographer, decided it was too dark and strange to be made into a ballet and went with the sweet and fluffy Dumas version), is far superior and definiately worth reading even though it is one of his lighter tales. It's more fantasically strange and wonderful than dark and scary. It's also not as thought-provoking as some of his other works. If you're planning to read it I recommend the copy with Maurice Sendak's illustrations, as they set off the tone and mood of the story perfectly.

In regards to this particular book (The Golden Pot and others), I have found that everything Herr Hoffmann wrote is worth reading...it's just unfortunate that there aren't more collections of his works available. I've had a devil of a time trying to find a good hardbound copy myself!

E.T.A. Hoffmann is, in my opinion, one of the best and, sadly, unknown authors ever. I came across his name in a study of German Romanticism and even now whenever I want to escape this mundane reality I turn to his tales. Although known for the Nutcracker, his other tales are far more beautiful, moving and fantastic. The Golden Pot is perhaps the best story I have ever read. For anyone wishing so submerge him/herself in another world for a little while, a world of magic, beauty and horror, this is the best book one could choose. Each of his tales is unique, fantastic and exquisite.

Great kids book by a vitural unknown. After reading (and buying) the Singing Hat, I took this from the library and had to have it. It even uses the Nighthawks picture with a little liberty taken. The guy's a genius, and my literary hero. He's the Dave Barry of Australia who quit to write childrens books, and did a great job. Enough irony for the adults. Get it.

Tohby Riddle is one of my favourite children's authors. He has a great sense of humour that appeals to adults and children alike. Great Escape uses lots of pop culture references - The Beatles Abbey Road album cover, King Kong and the Lochness Monster, etc - in a way that creates humour for more mature readers, but because the fun and exciting story doesn't rely on understanding these references, the book remains a real crowd-pleaser.
One of the great myths about kid's picture books is that if they're not bright and colourful, they're no good. Riddle's Black&White illustrated Great Escape should convince sceptics once and for all that this is not true.

The author and illustrator of this book did quite a job! It is very 'tricky' to tell such a serious story, that carries such deep meaning, to a 6 year old. But it worked! I have had to read it a few times to my daughter. I like books that open doors for children and that encourage them to ask questions about real life things. Like: "Why did the 'bad guys' take them away?", and "Will 'the bad guys' always try and get the Flamingo?". It has shown my daughter, the price that freedom sometimes has. Very different approach to children's books, with an undertone of seriousness, and a hint of humor. If you want 'jolly', do not get this book. If you want lessons-on-life, do!

Useful Field guide with plenty of information on where to watch birds in NZ. Illustrations of the birds I know are good except the Common Mynah. Nice size for walking/touring holidays. Will rereview after visit to NZ in November.

I had no experience with ornithology or bird-watching and I wanted to learn. I bought every NZ bird book in the store. This is the one I found most usefull, with its detailed descriptions and detailed images. The binding is robust enough to survive being carried in my pack since 2002.

Great book. There are excellent pictures and useful information. Information on where you are likely to find the birds...Fun to read while planning a trip.

This is the way history should be written. Robertson puts the reader in the middle of the explosive drama that unfolded all across Europe. All of the major players come to life : from Louis Philippe clinging to the old order in France to Manin's dream of a Venetian republic. This book is also excellent background for anyone who wants to understand the rise of Bismarck and the unification of Germany.

Robertson's social history of 1848 is a fascinating look at an overlooked era in European history. I didn't even know that 1848 was a significant year until I saw her book at a local bookstore. Apparently, revolution rocked Europe from France to Hungary, sparing only Britain (although Robertson focuses on a very minor revolt in Ireland) and Russia (where it was way too oppressive to even think of a revolution). Ms. Robertson presents the period from the idealists who began each revolution and the people who worked tirelessly to repress them. I really liked the way the presented the major players as human beings, with both good and bad points. Even the aristocrats who brought down all the revolutions are presented in both good and bad lights. The book is not too dry, being easy to read throughout. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in European history, or are just curious about the tragedies that were the revolutions of 1848.

The problem with most history textbooks is that all too often the story is left out of the text. A collection of names, dates, and facts is what is left. Priscilla Robertson has done an exemplary job of avoiding such a failing. While providing the necessary names, dates, and places so that one is able to visualize the story being built, Ms. Robertson has provided an outstanding assessment of these events.

The story of 1848, as is told in this book, is one of the people recognizing the need for change, but in many cases not being influential enough either in terms of physical power or in terms of political power to affect the change for a long period of time. In many respects, the story can be viewed as describing the necessity for the citizens to be able to protect themselves from an oppressive government, though in some cases, it can be citizens needing to protect themselves from each other.

This book, as is pointed in the preface, does not focus on the details on the constitutions, individual leaders, or battles, but rather provides a rich account of how people when inspired by a dream or a vision, even one that is unsustainable, can rise up and let the world know that change must occur.

After playing Mary Girard in a local community theatre production of "The Insanity of Mary Girard", I have been changed immensely as a person. To be a part of Mary (who was a true person) is to enter the mind of someone who was not in the least insane, but forcefully committed to an insane asylum for reasons unknown to her. This work of theatre is an incredible "thinking" play. The roles of the Furies, literally figments of Mary's mind, are wretched and brilliant, cunning and deceitful. They bring the play together and their parts are interwoven so well it makes you truly wonder if they are not really one person. The role of Mary, as well, is emotionally challenging and makes one re-evaluate one's mental status.

If you are to read this play, be ready for a true burst of realization. This will make you come to think of yourself in a different way, as well as the rest of the human race. This is truly a play for humanity, and I believe that it is very important for everyone to take a critical look at the very real situations that truly occur in one's life.

I saw this play performed by a high school at a play festival two years ago. These young actors inspired me to research the play and read it on my own. I found it to be exact on the treatment of women in that time period. The story was excellent in its attempt to display what a young woman went through because of her husband. I would recommend this play to anyone who loves the theatre. I am currently a theatre major at Winthrop University in South Carolina.

I read this play over five years ago, and hoped to get a copy of it for my personal collection. I just found out it was out of print. I'm a theatre major in college, and "The Insanity of Mary Girard" introduced me to great stage literature as a freshman in high school. The dialogue and basic storyline have a permanent effect on me. The fact that this play is based on a true couple and their marriage's end makes this play all the more powerful. Lanie Robertson researched the Girards well, she even got the years of Mary's imprisonment and her child's life correct! A brilliant work that everyone should read!