S Books

This is a fascinating account of Churchill's life up to about 1904, written around 1930. Even if you are not interested in Churchill (hard for me to imaging if you are reading this review) just the perspective into the late Victorian era is worth the price of admission. It was a totally different world.

To say it exudes wit, humour, intelligence and charm is a big understatement.
He was 56 at the time he wrote it... so, we have the benefit of experience too...
A MUST READ.

ADB

PS: The film done about it (using the book as the script) is also very good if a bit slow in parts (specially political speeches).

If you want to know about Winston Churchill's early life and just how well he was able to write well then look no further. The prose is rich, his vocabulary is extensive and the phrasing is pure Churchill. This is a great introduction into his life and writing ability and many sayings and phrases Churchill is known for are given in this volume. Few, if any, are willing to risk potential embarrassment by stating as one of their life's accomplishments any book that they have read. However, if one is able to add having read this book among those achievements then at least that part of their life will not have been wasted.

I got this for my grandfather for Christmas. He was POW during WWII, and was wanting to read about Churchill's POW experiences. A big hit!! My grandfather couldn't put the book down.

His writing is great; his stories are told in a refreshing, whimsical tone; and one gets the sense that he loves his life. Even though I was very familiar with the event of his life before reading this, I found it thoroughly engaging and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in this extraordinary man.

I ordered this book a week before the recipients birthday, nothing like waiting till the last minute, but, it arrived in 3 days - thank you....

I work in the restuarant business and this book is a highly recommended source for all things food related. Our executive chef recommends it for crossing the chasm between culinary institutional talk and layman's terms that you can share with your customers.

I purchased the first edition of this book almost 20 years ago and found it to be an amazing resource that I continued to use to the present day. I recently thought to myself, "I wonder if they have updated it since then?" Well, I checked Amazon, and the authors indeed have updated it (currently 4th edition). This new version is literally twice the size of the original book, which already seemed comprehensive. Of course, there have been new trends, fads, and other developments since the early 1990s and the Herbsts have addressed them.

Whenever I hear about a fruit or spice or dish that I never heard of before, the first thing I do is check the book! I have moved around to different parts of the US and as I discover regional delicacies, the book is a great resource to learn more about them. I highly recommend it.

This is so helpful at my work whenever I have no idea what the Chef is talking about

I discovered this book at a friend's house and found it to be both fascinating and adictive to poke through. A better companion to breakfast browsing than the newspapers or magazines, and constant fun in quizing eating companions to describe obscure food items and the name-sources for well known food dishes. All that, plus much more.
Rather than bring a bottle of wine to our dinner hosts, we now bring a copy of this book. We find that it is much more appreciated and lasts forever.

This play was very thoughtful and enjoyable, especially if you are able to visualize things while you read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

While Thoreau was living at Walden, then President James K. Polk declared war on Mexico without Congressional approval. To protest this and the government, Thoreau refused to pay his taxes and was sent to jail. This play fantasizes on what might have been going through Thoreau's mind as he spent the night in jail: reflecting on his childhood, the life and death of his brother, his idol Ralph Waldo Emerson, what lead him to his solitary life at Walden and the impetus for his refusal to pay the taxes. I enjoyed reading this very much as it gave some insight into the great thinker who influenced the likes of Gandhi with his non-violent form of protesting the government.

Henry David Thoreau may be experiencing a sort of revival as of late. His treatise on civil disobidience is a hallmark of progressive action today. Upset that his government declared an unjust war, Thoreau refuses to pay taxes to show his digust, which lands him one lauded night in jail. Thus is the basis for this extremely inventive, timely play "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail".

Not just a night in jail, but a brave overview Thoreau's life ensues, showing snippets of his events, meetings, and philosophies that were so critical to the development of his transcendentalism. This isn't a dry biography, however. The authors weave a Thoreau that is a rich tapestry of thought and action. He is both endearing and complex, wise and unaware.

We enter the play with Henry in his cell, and begins to relive some important moments in his life. We meet Emerson and his wife, Henry's mother, and favorite brother John, as they inact with his memories and become alive themselves. The ebullience of John is obvious, which makes his passing much more severe. This play helps to maginify the brilliance of a brilliant man, while making him more human, more real.

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail is a great read, and will springboard your interests to study this amazing thinker.

THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL describes thinker Henry David Thoreau short experience in jail after not paying his taxes. Employing flashbacks within flashbacks, playwrights Lawrence and Lee take on the task of describing Thoreau's life so far. Filled with witty remarks and humorous dialogue, this book transcends what I can say about it.

After having been assigned to read this book for my AP 11 English class, I started out first assignment: Read to page 50. To my surprise, once I got to page 50, I couldn't put it down. My teacher had warned us about this scenario. She said the book was cleverly hilarious and enjoyable. Naturally--it being an ASSIGNED book--I doubted her words.

When I got into the play, within the first few words of dialogue, I was laughing out loud. The writers, whose research was obviously accurate and concise, tickled me when Ralph Waldo Emerson asked "who" his umbrella was, making a reference to his supposed contraction of Alzheimer's disease. Thoreau's teachings of God and fields and notetaking were pleasing and enriching.

Not only was I thrilled by his paradoxical dialogue,

[In a nutshell...
Thoreau to a student: Why are you taking notes?
Student: So I can remember what you say.
Thoreau: But then it's the notebook that does the remembering, not you.
(She puts away her notebook)
Thoreau: Why have you stopped taking notes?
Student: Because you said to.
Thoreau: Why would you do what I say?]

but I also took away something from it, which is a common moral you would see in books and movies today: Do things for yourself, and pay no attention to what others say or think. Though the moral is a bit overused, Lee and Lawrence refresh it and make the lesson new placing it in the midst of witticism and transcendentalist teachings.

Now, the only thing left for me to do is write a thank you card to my teacher for treating us with this wonderful book.

This play examines Henry David Thoreau, his philosophies, and some of the events in his life. During the Mexican American War, Thoreau refused at one point to pay his taxes. He felt that the war was unjust, and he didn't want his money supporting a government that he believed was doing unjust things. (He also believed that the war was not the will of the people, as President Polk had declared war without the support of Congress.)

The play, which takes place on a simple set that emphasizes the imagination of the audience (and the performers) for props/surroundings, also delves into Thoreau's love for nature and his views on sprituality. (The fact that the set is simple reflects another way that form follows content, as Thoreau encouraged people to turn away from materialism and simplify their lives.) The chief journey in the play is Thoreau's decision to return to the world, rather than remove himself from it.

Themes include individuality, the nature of spirituality, marching to one's own drummer (regardless of consequence), the belief that one person can make a difference, the idea of standing on principle/what's right, and the manifestation of the divine in nature and humanity (Transcendentalism).

It's a somewhat academic play, about ideas more than about plot (of which there is virtually none), but it reminds us that theatre can inform and instruct us as well as entertain us. Additionally, the subject matter of the play is very topical (public funds for stem cell research? or the war in Iraq?) and is sure to stimulate thought and discussion.

The authors of this play (two college professors) demanded that it not be produced on Broadway and, to my knowledge, it never has been. This, I may assume, was their own form of "disobedience," as they maintained that a few blocks in Manhattan shouldn't dictate what real theatre is to the rest of the nation. Despite their mandate, however, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail has been one of the most produced plays in America, enjoying wide circulation in regional theatres and especially on college campuses.

This is an awesome book. I laughed and cried. It's heartbreaking and uplifting. I highly reccommend this for all US citizens - whether you are associated with the military or not. It gives an understanding of what the military members and their families deal with, and who they are.

This book really gives you a taste for how it is in Iraq...I think everyone should read it...especially Pres. Bush.

This book was very moving. I laughed and I cried. There were sad stories and poignant stories and many positive stories. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a real look at how the military and their families feel about going through these deployments. I also recomment it for families going through the deployments now. I have learned a lot about what my son may be going through and may not be willing to share with us right now.

I am a military wife. My young daughter and I survived 12 months while my husband served in Iraq. This book was absolutely amazing. I cannot come up with the words to describe how much this book meant to me. I don't know about other spouses, but no matter how much my husband and I talk, it is not easy for him to communicate his thoughts or feelings on his service in Iraq. It was even difficult for him to describe his life over there when asked directly. I think a lot of it is him trying to protect me, but also, his brain does not work that way. He was there, he did what he had to do as a soldier, end of story. This book brought me insight into my husband. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me sick. It made me angry. It made me happy. It made me joyful. It made me all of these things at the same time. I am so thankful to the organization(whose name escapes me right now) that made this book possible. It is a book that touched my heart and soul. I will never be the same, and I am greatful for that. It is in know way a "light" read. I read it quickly, as I do everything, but because I was hungry to read more, to know more, to feel more. Do not read it without a box of tissues next to you.

I am a NCO in the army and have been to Iraq 4 times and this book sent chills through my bodie many times with the pure honest look at war. Most of the stories are reflections of events that any service member will identifie with. Then there are some events told in this book only a select few will truely grasp. This is a must read if you would like a insight into the mind of a Military member who has been deployed. I cant recomend this book more then just get it read it and prepair to get choked up. I know i did

I love this textbook (as much as you can love a textbook). This is the bible for your cardiology block. I've read it cover to cover and think it's probably the best textbook (by far) I own. Not only does it provide information in a concise fashion, but it explains it very well too.

I am a first year medical student in the middle of my cardiac module and have really enjoyed using this book. It is easy to read, high yield, and very clinical. I would recommend this book to any student trying to really nail down cardiology.

If you are in medical school this book is the greatest thing you will ever buy. For our cardiology block I read this cover to cover and made the highest grade I have ever gotten on an exam.
Get it right now!!

I picked this book up at Barnes and Nobles while studying for the boards. It is excellent, both concise and thought provoking. My only regret is that the faculty and students have not written these books to cover every topic in medical school.

I read this book cover to cover for my cardio theme. It was clear and well written. I would recommend it highly to anyone in medical school who wants a clear easy read. It has all the detail you need to know, without extraneous material.

In these by times highly emotional essays written in the 1930s and 1940s George Orwell gives us with in depth analyses his personal viewpoint on the literary, political and socio-economic scene.

In literature, he sees the novel as `a Protestant form of art, a product of the free mind, of the autonomous individual.' Orwell's aim was to `push the world in a certain direction: a battle against totalitarianism and for democratic Socialism.'
In his criticism he searches for the essential (hidden) message of the author.
Dickens's rather naïve creed is: `If man would behave decently, the world would be decent.' His ideal is `a hundred thousand pounds, a quaint old house, a sweetly womanly wife, a horde of children and no work.'
Henry Miller's books are `a passive acceptance of decay and evil.'
H.G. Wells dreams of a utopian World State.
R. Kipling is a jingo imperialist, but he didn't understand that `an empire is primarily a money-making concern'.
W.B. Yeats is in essence a defender of feudalism, `a great hater of democracy and of human equality, of the modern world, science, technology and the concept of progress.'
A. Koestler's main theme is `the decadence of revolutions owing to corrupting effects of power.'
P.G. Wodehouse's real sin is to present the English upper classes as much nicer than they are.
In `Gulliver's Travels', J. Swift delivers a frontal attack on totalitarianism and shows that he is a disbeliever in the possibility of happiness.

Orwell's view on world matters is rightly `no Law, only Power'.
Nationalism is inseparable from the desire for power.
The concentration of the media in the hands of a few rich men puts the freedom of the press and intellectual liberty under attack. The `very concept of objective truth' is lost.
The Spanish war showed him the essential horror of army life.
He is extremely severe for the British establishment: `The British ruling class thought that Fascism was on their side.' For them, `it is better to inherit, than to work.' `In an England ruled by stupidity, to be `clever' was to be suspect.'

But his solution is also naïve: `common ownership of the means of production. The State, representing the whole nation, owns everything, and everyone is a State employee.' In other words, he pleads for a massive bureaucracy.
But he contradicts himself when he complains that `everything in our age conspires to turn the writer into a minor official!'

These essays contain also vivid memories of his public school life (`irrational terror') and of his Indian life ('Shooting an elephant'). He comments on sports (`war without shooting), detective stories (J.H. Chase), poetry (`the most hated art form'), mildly pornographic comic postcards (`a harmless rebellion against virtue') and ends with a superb portrait of Ghandi.

These remarkable essays, written by a fearless superb free mind, a fighter for justice and a true `révolté' (A. Camus), are a must read.

I believe the other reviews of this book to be quite accurate; rightfully noting its annoyingly bad layout(lacking index, missing page headings of what you're reading, etc). Disregarding these shortfalls, Orwell's writing itself easily makes up for--and surpasses--were the publishers have blundered. I read these essays with child-like Christmas morning joy; finding pleasure in them as if peeling away the wrapping paper from the presents, leaving me engulfed with intrigue over Orwell's subjects, prose and opinions. This book is a real treasure trove for all those who enjoyed Orwell's most famous, if not cliche, works of 1984 and Animal Farm.

What distinguishes George Orwell from every other political writer in history is his pitiless intellectual honesty. It is true that Orwell hated imperialism, fascism and capitalism, and that he spent the majority of his career stumping and scrapping for democratic socialism, but no political ideology ever swallowed more abuse from one of its own. For every positive word Orwell scribbled or spoke about socialism he threw in at least a paragraph of denunciation, insult and mockery; indeed, in THE ROAD TO WIGAN PIER he so ridiculed the pimply, sniggering, ivory-tower intellectuals who were the public face of the movement that the Left Book Club, which had commissioned the book, added an introduction that basically disowned it. Orwell was quite simply something that doesn't exist nowadays: a man who didn't let his political opinions interfere with his observations. He spoke the truth, or what he saw as the truth, without any respect for the party line, and if he brassed off his own side in so doing, that was just too damn bad.

ESSAYS is not like the other Orwell books on the market, which featured pieces selected by an editor - THE ORWELL READER, A COLLECTION OF ESSAYS, etc. It is a massive, hardbacked, dumbell-heavy compendium of every single essay he penned in his entire career, spanning the period 1928 - 1949: letters to newspapers (some of them unpublished), BBC broadcasts, the innumerable "As I Please" columns, famous works like "Such, Such Were The Joys" and "The Lion and the Unicorn", innumerable book reviews...in other words, 1,360-plus pages of acid observation, scourging honesty and gallows humor, delivered by a master at the top of his form.

Obviously, you have to be a pretty hardcore fan of G.O. to lug this miniature telephone book out of the store, but it's a bargain at any price. Orwell's special genius was that he could tackle something completely ordinary - a ponderous scholarly work on political trends, a second-rate gangster novel, American comic books, magazines devoted to young boys, a government White Paper, even ordinary British postcards - and unmask the hidden, inner motivations which lurked behind them. His ability to see through dishonest arguments, expose hypocrisy, trace twisted motives to their roots, and draw timeless conclusions from seemingly trivial political and pop-culture events is rivaled only by his willingness to say the unsayable. Who but Orwell could get away with a such a brutally frank discussion of the motivations behind everything from anti-Semitism to pro-Communism, the allowance for the possibility that British Imperialism was worse than Nazism, or the statement that the root of Hitler's appeal was that Fascism was psychologically more sound than its alternatives, because it played into the fact that humans want struggle and sacrifice as much as pleasure and saftey? The answer is nobody; nobody else would have dared. Or would dare, now, when nearly every sentence written by politcos Left, Right and Center is either intellectually dishonest, partisan hackwork, or so filled with political, racial, and sexual correctness, with platitudes, with clichés and buzzwords, with stupidity and cowardice, that they essentially have no meaning?

In "1984", Orwell coined the term "duckspeak" to describe those who chatter unconsciously, unaware of the meaning of their own words but certain of their conformity to the party line. Well, you can love Orwell, you can hate him, or you can disagree with him to the middle of your bones, but one thing is absolutely certain: nowhere in the wrist-straining tome that is ESSAYS will you hear a single quack.

George Orwell: 1984 and beyond


The futurist novels 1984 and Animal Farm are George Orwell's primary literary legacy. He contributed the phrase "Big Brother" to the language, and is remembered... if at all...as a novelist and social commentator.

But Orwell was much more than that - during the Second World War he worked for the BBC as a commentator, essayist and writer. He was a consummate professional, a brilliant satirist, and an indefatigable correspondent. He volunteered in the Spanish Civil War and wrote "Homage to Catalonia" from his experiences.

What is more surprising is that Orwell ...who died at 46... left voluminous essays, letters and reportage which have been compiled in four thick volumes by Sonia Orwell and Ian Angus. * (George Orwell: Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters; Volumes 1-IV, Nonpareil Books, 2000), and in his Collected Essays.

. He lived as a tramp for a while, got arrested for being drunk, worked low-level jobs and wrote "Down and out in London and Paris" from his experience. Orwell struggled personally and financially; his first marriage ended with h is wife's death, his second was short, and he was usually broke. That changed with the publication of l984 and Animal Farm...the latter a satire on the Russian Revolution. Ray Bradbury's classic "Fahrenheit 451" owes a debt to Orwell. His BBC broadcasts during the War were classics.

In his short life, Orwell produced a huge body of work: his Collected Writings run to 20 volumes, and his essays fill four books. He is one of the major figures of 20th Century English writing.
Major Works

Down and Out in Paris and London
The Road to Wigan Pier
Nineteen Eighty-Four
The Orwell Reader: Fiction, Essays, and Reportage
Homage to Catalonia
Burmese Days

As a lit major very interested in politics, I find this collection to be fascinating and instructive. Mr. Orwell's views on what corporations would do to the news media and the stifling effects of politically correct speech are vital today, and should be required in civics and political science classes.

Mr. Orwell managed to anger and inform both liberals and conservatives by exposing hypocrisy and dull-minded dogma. His writing style is sharp and free of tiresome twists and turns. In fact, "Politics and the English Language" (954) targets academic writing that is puffed up for no reason other than to hide the fact that the writer has little to say. (And this article should be required reading in graduate literature classes!)

The power of his insights and imagery can be seen in "How the Poor Die," a sad, upsetting essay that made me want a shower and a drink when I finished reading it. (Again, this is current today with the horribly neglected and virtually unregulated "assited living facilities"--and even the Walter Reed outpatient scandal.)

So few writers have had such vision that it is worth repeating the cliche: George Orwell was a social prophet--a genuine one.

Because of Mr. Orwell's deep understanding of political systems and human nature, his excellent style, and the breadth of his subject matter, I think it would not be over-praising him to say that this volume ranks with Montaigne's collected essays.

This volume is lovely, both in binding and text size; however, as other reviewers have pointed out, the publisher should have taken the trouble to include an index at the end of 1363 pages of essays! (Write to Knopf/Random House to complain!)

I'm going to contact my county library to arrange donating a copy of this; it is a shame this book isn't on the shelves!

This book is by far the most thorough, comprehensive, easy to understand and follow, helpful book available on the subject of PPD. From recognition of symptoms, understanding the different forms of PPD, seeking/receiving a diagnosis, treatment options (including conventional and complimentary) and much more, it lays out an easy to follow road map to recovery.

Since PPD has many different contributing factors and they vary from woman to woman, this book offers great advice on how to approach it from all sides, including how to improve nutrition, the importance of taking breaks, ways to change negative thought patterns, how to utilize the help of support people, and the importance of sleep. Dr. Shoshana Bennett is an expert in the field of PPD and has dedicated her life to helping other women. I started seeing an immediate improvement in my symptoms after putting some of her strategies to work, and I was suffering from very severe PPD/PPA.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who thinks they (or someone they love) may be suffering from PPD, and also any healthcare professional that may encounter patients who are dealing with PPD. This illness is so frequently unrecognized, undiagnosed, and misunderstood, and Dr. Bennett sheds a guiding light on what is such a dark, confusing time for so many mothers. I've read so many books on the subject of postpartum depression since my journey with this horrible disorder began, and I only wish I'd found this one sooner. If you only buy one book about PPD, make it this one!

This book is a must have if you are suffering from postpartum depression. I am in recovery from this illness and believe me I read a lot of books on this subject as soon as I was diagnosed with severe postpartum depression. But Postpartum Depression for Dummies gave me more detail on the subject than the others. It helped me to understand the illness, what my options were, and how to deal with my feelings. It also helped my family know how to help me. It guided me step by step and encouraged me not to give up and that these awful roller-coaster of feelings I had were going to pass. And they did.

Thank you to Dr. Shoshana Bennett for writing such a helpful and informative book. PPD is a very real and serious illness but most people don't know much about it. Brooke Shields thankfully brought it briefly into the public eye but unfortunately so many women have or will experience it. If you think you or someone you know is suffering from PPD, this book will absolutely help you in your recovery. It is packed with useful information, helpful, reassuring advice, and inspirational personal anecdotes. The book covers everything about the illness and also offers tons of relevant and important resources. This book helped me immensely and I recommend it for every mom to be!

I literally breathed in every word of this book! It is absolutely the most informative, up to date, thorough and readable book I have read thus far on postpartum mood disorders. As an RN who has worked with postpartum moms for 15 years, and as a mom who suffered from severe ppd, I am always eager to research new literature on this subject. This book reached my soul deeply on both levels - the clinical RN and the vulnerable mom. Thank you, Dr. Shoshana.

Ginger Law
Registered Nurse, Speaker

I just finished reading "Postpartum Depression For Dummies". It is an absolute "must read" for mothers suffering from any aspect or degree of postpartum depression. Their partners and families must read it as well. It is clear, it flows, it's well written and easy to understand. It leaves no question unanswered, every aspect and element of this condition is covered thoroughly. I would not hesitate to call this book a "life saver". The author, Dr. Shoshana Bennett proves herself to be a well versed leading authority on this topic, and a compassionate, kind and caring person who is available for telephone consultations. A huge thumbs up!!

great for the price and wow very fast shipping very easy to use. If you travel alot get this atlas.

This is a road atlas that has everything I was looking for. I'm glad I bought it and know I will use it for years to come.

Best map of USA I have ever seen. Very up-to-date. Tons of information. This map is a must have for USA trips...

You won't need to worry about getting lost with this in your car!! Wonderful detail. We went from NH to Florida and back without any problems!

This isn't your father's road atlas! This one has RADICAL streets, AWESOME rivers, and COOOOL lakes represented in TOTALLY TUBULAR drop-down 2-D! I should warn you that you may LITERALLY BURST INTO FLAMES when you note the 6 - 6!!!! - main thoroughfares out of Gettysburg, PA. That is but one moment of potential spontaneous human combustion in the Northeast. Do not look at panel A-4 on the Vermont map, WHATEVER YOU DO!!!!

The perfect size to place in your rucksack in your cross-country trek, the Rand McNally Road Atlas will give you much "G Love". By which I mean that you will be grody to the max and will blind multiple people with science. Science. The sweet science of geography.

I'm a fan of these giant DK coffe table books. This was my first and is still my favorite. Tons of beautiful pictures of our planet. All sorts of exotic locales I didn't know existed. Especially nice to have if you're an artist of any kind looking for inspiration.

I saw a smaller version from a local bookstore, bought the large version from Amazon, the fonts are much more comfortable to read. I am using the book as a reference, feel very satisfied. The book is also good for random browsing, the paper and printing are both of very high quality.

THIS IS GREAT BOOK WITH A LOT OF INFO. MY TEENAGER LOVES IT AND SO DOES MY HUSBAND

A great book with a nice balance of pictures (including some full page) and informative text about, well...about nature!

This book was a Christmas request from my 6th grader who is very curious about earth sciences. He was genuinely excited to see it when he opened it. In some ways it is more like a coffee table picture book than a reference book. It is lavishly illustrated with detail-captioned photos and charts. This is not the kind of book you're going to sit down and read cover to cover, but instead are going to use like a good encyclopedia of earth science. My older child, who is interested in astronomy, received the companion book "Universe" and the two make a beautiful pair of additions to the reference library.

This book is an excellent choice for the child or adult who is just gaining an interest in watching their back yard buddies! The book is color coded and so you can look up the bird by it's predominent color. It definitely narrows the field to the most common birds. We have really enjoyed this book!

A very colorful, well written review. I am very much a novice bird watcher but share the interest with my 5 year old grandaughter. She immediately scooped up the book and it is in her bike basket so that while she is riding in her neighborhood she can look up and identify her feathered friends. Has been a great tool to share with her.

Great ! This was a gift and it was the perfect for the bird watch beginners book. Now you can sit out in the back yard together watching the birds and naming all the little feathered friends we have attracted.
My husband loves his Book!
Great Bargin and experence.
Fast Delivery!

This book has pictures that are sharp, detailed and close. They are arranged by color, not species, and include the most common birds in the area. It is my third bird ID book and my new favorite. Have shown to other people and they love it, too!

Beautiful book. Good information. Very helpful to a new bird watcher.Gives common birds that everyone can find easily in their own back yard or local park. Gives a new birder confidence and practice in observing birds that they are familiar with. Another book that makes my grandson happy.