V Books

One of the great things about children is the way they can take words literally . . . and give us a new perspective on life as we stop to think about the words we employ for well-understood adult idiomatic expressions. "Is there really a human race?" might thus be seen as a literal question about all the racing around that children see around them, as perhaps reinforced by television shows like The Amazing Race and other reality show competitions. Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell take that literalness and turn it into motherly wisdom for a child who's concerned about what it means to be in so much competition.

As I looked at the second two-page spread in the book, I had to laugh aloud as I saw the vision of people racing through what looked a lot like Central Park in New York City while mom and child sit on a park bench. I have often wondered why New Yorkers walk so fast . . . and now here is a story that picked up on that.

From there, the child asks mom a series of naive questions about the race:

"Did it start on my birthday?"
"Do I warm up and stretch?"
"If the race is a relay, is Dad on my team?"
"Am I a jockey or am I a horse?"
"Is there pushing and shoving to get to the lead?"
"If the race is unfair; will I succeed?"
"Do some of us lose?"
"What am I winning?"
"And why do I do it, this zillion-yard dash?"

Mom then provides a bit of perspective:

"Sometimes it's better not to go fast. There are beautiful sights to be seen when you're last."
"Shouldn't it be that you just try your best?"
"Shouldn't it be looking back at the end that you judge your own race by the help that you lend?"
"So take what's inside of you and make big, hard choices. And for those who can't speak for themselves, use bold voices."
"And make the world better for the whole human race."

As you can see, the book turns back to the subject of brotherhood without getting stuck tricky philosophical bases. Instead, brotherhood is just presented as the way to go. Very nice!

As charming as the words are, the illustrations are critical to this story and carry it forward much more powerfully than any words alone could do. As usual, Ms. Cornell gives both panoramic images and tiny details that will intrigue the most observant young child. As an example of the detailed humor, the child's backpack has an open package in it. If you look closely and turn the page, you can see that these are "Nutrition Patches . . . No Need to Stop and Eat . . . Eat and Run!" Now, even a sober-sided adult who doesn't like to read to children can appreciate humor like that.

To me, the best aspect of the book is that the story and illustrations open the doors for a nice discussion between parent (or grandparent) and child. Too many children's books try to exclude the reader from having a role as a discussion leader. I would describe this book as being designed to be a discussion starter. And it's a discussion that is good to have . . . getting out of the rat race so you can join the human race.

Slow down, make good choices, help others, and enjoy!

Mu problem with this book is that the title really has nothing to do with the content. Maybe I'm just being picky, but before I read the book to my sons, I prefaced it with telling them what "Human Race" means--people as a whole, or all the people in the world. I was expecting and hoping to see a message about how people are really just people, regardless of color, physical differences, etc. But as I read the book, we quickly realized that the book isn't really about "The Human Race". I LOVE, LOVE the message of the book-take time to enjoy the journey of life, don't get caught up in winning or losing, etc. But the title and the message seemed incongruous to us. That certainly doesn't really effect the value of the story or message, and the book itself is very fun to read and listen to. But it really has nothing to do with what most people mean when they use the term "Human Race".

Jamie Lee is very clever with her wordings and rhymes. The illustrations are very eye-catching. Always looking for a new way to challenge and stimulate children's minds....this is it!

Jamie Lee Curtis, Is There Really a Human Race? (Joanna Cotler Books, 2006)

Man, this book started off so well. Of its thirty-two pages, fully twenty-six of them are great stuff. Playing on the multiple meanings of the word "race", Curtis asks all sorts of amusing questions about humanity. While it does get a tad overbearing at times with the moralizing ("If the race is unfair, will I succeed?" comes flying out of nowhere, for example), it's quick, funny, and wonderfully illustrated by Laura Cornell. Unfortunately, then come the last six pages, where Curtis tosses away the metaphor and dives straight into the moralizing. Show Don't Tell is gasping by the wayside, obviously not having the lung capacity to finish. Sense of Subtlety got knocked over the head by an unscrupulous racer and is lying in the gutter, quietly sobbing. Not Talking Down to Kids lost his jockey and bolted for the track bar. Moralizing and Sanctimoniousness hit the wire in a dead heat.

Still, the first bit's worth it. **

While I don't usually review picture books, I highly recommend this charming book for adults who need to be reminded to slow down. I bought a copy to purchase for a youngster -- but was so moved by the message that I plan to keep it myself and will have to buy another. Curtis's important message is sure to strike a chord with over-scheduled adults who happen to be reading the book aloud to children. Cornell's whimsical illustrations (I loved the girl who's got the biggest hair "without product") make you pause for a closer look as you follow the text, which is exactly what a good picture book should do. This book makes a great gift for anyone -- regardless of age. -- Cindy La Ferle [...]

Books were in good quality and arrived in time expected. My kids love all the Magic Tree House books.

My 7-year-old can't get enough of these Magic Tree House Books. He loves to read them and his reading improves with each book. I highly recommend these books to any parent or grandparent!

Kids of all ages love these books,both boys and girls find this series of stories fun and enjoyable.

my son really likes these books, the shipping was fast and easy. just click and read. no need to spend gas money when you can shop with ease at home.

They are wonderful. My six year old twins are fascinated. We read two chapters to them a night and they are transfixed. The parents and the children in this house highly recommend this series!

Originally published in 1982 (revised and re-published in 1990), this book tells the story of who Marva Collins is, starting with her childhood and what contributed to her becoming the person she is. The book explains her start as a public school teacher and dealing with the negative politics of schools, then about how and why she opened her own private school where she was freer to use her own teaching methods including the ability to have full control over the curriculums and books she wanted to use.

While working in the Chicago public school system she held her students to a higher standard and taught more difficult material than the school felt was necessary. She felt that children would rise to the level of the teacher's expectations. In times of civil unrest regarding black and white relations, she felt that children from the "ghetto" are indeed teachable. Even the students who have been labeled as having numerous disorders (by school staff) or who are said to have been unteachable, indeed are teachable.

This book tells the story of what Marva Collins believed, the general philosophy is clearly explained. Why she feels a return to the classical education method is a good idea, including why rote memorization of math facts and some other information is explained. She believes a liberal arts education is right for all children of all races and income levels. Her anti-progressive education stance is explained. What specific content she taught and why is there. A good amount of information is given about why she believes that intensive phonics education is necessary and good for all children (and avoiding the look-say / sight reading method). How she taught Shakespeare to young children and her use of the classics and other, more difficult older books is covered. (This is not a curriculum guide for school teachers or homeschoolers to read and copy her method.)

What is not stated that was clear to me is that Collins is a truly brilliant person who used her own knowledge to make many connections within the classroom. Her teaching methods do not rely only on use of certain curriculums but rather depend on the teacher having certain knowledge from their own education and then using that in classroom discussions to make connections between the books and facts that the children were using and what they were learning. In order to teach in the exact way that she does, the teacher must have a foundation of education present, specifically a good liberal arts education herself. Collins realized this was an issue when she first began hiring teachers to work in her private school.

Collins also criticizes many teachers who she feels are uneducated and blames them for not only setting low standards and looking for easy ways to teach but for not being able to have the type of discussions that she has with her students. Collins comes out being quite harsh on public school teachers. Collins' blames teachers for being a main cause of the breakdown of public education. She thinks that some are products of inferior educations themselves, leaving them ignorant and uneducated without a strong foundation from which to teach from. She feels there are teachers who don't know how to teach, who are then subject to various educational fads that clearly are not working (i.e. the look-say method of teaching reading). She also condemns teachers who have low standards about children's abilities as being the issue, feeling children will rise to the level of their expectations.

This is the first book written about Marva Collins. It is a good read to get the beginning of the story and the general background of her theory. She has a second book if you are left wanting more "Ordinary Children, Extraordinary Teachers" is the title.

"Marva Collins' Way" would be of interest to educators who like to read success stories of teachers who do things differently, those who want to or like to buck the status quo or try to stand up to `the education machine' to do what they think is right and best for their students.

Teachers and others interested in charter schools or private schools who have different standards for their students would also like this book.

Anyone interested in the topic of the history of American education or education reform would enjoy this as well.

This will appeal to anyone concerned with the education of inner city, low income level minority children and their experience in public schooling.

Lastly homeschooling parents may learn a thing or two about standards in education and expecting more from students.

At the very least the book is a good read that is inspiring. At its best it may influence you, in whatever role you have with children or education, to raise the standards and to stand up to a failing system in whatever way is applicable in your life.

How I came to read this book: Two years ago a local classical method homeschool support group leader recommended the writings of Marva Collins to me to provide encouragement for having high standards in educational content for children, even young children. I was going through a time when I was being pressured by some homeschooling parents who feel that education should be dumbed down and that little should be expected of elementary grade children. Later another classical homeschooling mother/ blogger whose writing and opinion I respect credited Marva Collins' books as providing inspiration for her educational model for the very same reason. I decided to obtain a copy of Collins' books and I read her first book this month (finally).

The Marva Collins story is an inspiring story of a teacher who was passionate about teaching and excelled through the odds set against her by the school system.

marva collins is such an idol and inspiration for me. she is so full of morals and has a brilliant answer for all of life's problems. get this book if you want to hear the most intelligent things from the most intelligent human being walking the earth! she is HIGHLY underrated as an educator and everything! i really needed to find her b/c as she says, "in this slippery world we all need something to hold onto...." thank you Marva, I love you and God bless you!

I first read Marva Collins Way several years ago, and have reread it many times since, to help guide and clarify my thoughts about education. She has revolutionized public education, and people's perceptions of it. She has also effectively refuted the growing slew of people in the highest places
of academia who stubbornly cling to long-discredited theories about the intellectual inferiority of certain races in this country. I would recommend this book to anyone, and ask only that you read it at least twice, because it has too much to absorb, to just read it once. It will possibly alter your concept about education, and just who is capable of learning. If you use Marva's concepts as a teacher, I guarantee powerful results!

I read about 70 pages of the book and unfortunately lost it during my travel. I will be buying this book again. Marva is an extraordinary teacher who has taught me at my middle age that NO CHILD CAN FAIL TO SUCCEED in school. She has achieved this with such re-sounding success that one would want to have a teacher like her for all children in the world. I have no words to express how great the feeling is when you know that every child has all the potential to succeed.

If you are interested in photography and in making excellent photographs whether digital or traditional film its important to read Ansel Adams. He did the photography and the development of film and the printing and his photographs of the landscape especially known for photographing Yosemite are exquisitely perfect in black and white. In this book that is part of a series of 3 he gave us everything we need to make great photographs. Why would someone who is a digital photographer read this book? Its to understand the basics the foundation of photography. This book is The Negative and in digital photography what you get is the negative and the print together and you want to understand what you have and what you can do make that photograph or that negative in black and white photography what you want it to be what you visualized when you saw the image in real life.
The book The Negative is sometimes difficult to follow cause he was truly a Master and most of us are not so just keep reading to get whats of value to you as a reader and a photographer
This book The Negative is part of a three book series includes
The Camera
Basic Techniques of Photography that has revised edition from his student John Schaeffer
Read all these books if you are committed to excellence in your photography
JG

I am new to large format photography. This book is extremly informative and focuses just on negative construction, manipulation and b&w processing. An excellent and timeless resource! Excellent for all formats!

If film shooting is interesting to you (and you should; I'm 26 and grew up with cameras, then I move to digital, and recentlly, I discovered the wonders of a darkroom and BW prints) then this book is a MUST Well, the whole series)!!! there aren't enough words to emphasize my feelings over the 3 books of Ansel Adams (camera, negative & print)

If you don't believe me, then please take a deep look at Ansel's master BW work... that should convince you!!!

Concisely written in Adams' own scholarly style, "The Negative" is a valuable resource for photographers learning the foundation of technically correct (as opposed to generally good) base exposure in a variety of scenes, both pedestrian and those that are more conflicting. One must, however, consider that more than 4 decades have passed since the techniques were founded and the technology described can be viewed, in many cases, with a quaint tug at nostalgia. Today's evaluative and matrix metering systems, programmed along the Zone System, do a remarkable job where once exposure was tedious and error prone, and this is where learning the Zone System to competently handle difficult scenes is a useful addition to a photographer's "book of tricks". But despite the clarity of explanation and steps, Adams' Zone System remains a complex, intertwining system to understand (theory) and apply (field application); it never was and never will be a five-minute task. For B&W fine art photographers, "The Negative" holds a timeless reference quality with many techniques remaining the solid benchmarks for fine art production. In summary, a tremendously good read and a most valuable addition to any learned photographer's library.

The Negative (Ansel Adams Photography, Book 2)

Ansel Adams was a master of photography but not the most exciting storyteller , in my opinion.

This book is one that you should read as part of a complete education in photography, but there are some long sections in it. The parts of the book explaining Adams' zone system are very worthwhile and great stuff. Much of the rest of the book is only interesting if you are shooting film (not digital), as it deals specifically with darkroom processing.

Read about the zone system here or somewhere else, but learn it. If you are a film photog, read this whole book. For digital shooters, you might want to read only the sections of interest.

I have been gaming for over 15 years, ond only recently picked this up and played at a con. I love it. It's simple, easy to learn and play, and has an inherent flexibilty that makes it easy for Keeper's to make a judgement call on events not covered in the rules. (When in doubt, the Luck roll is a good bet).

If you want real horror, ignore the WoD and make it Cthulhu!

The Call of Cthulhu system, as written in the 5.5 and 6.0 versions, is one of the most complete systems I've ever found.

That is amazing, considering exactly how LITE the rules system is. There are very few hard and fast rules, with almost everything being handled by percentile dice. The system is very organic, with characters increasing in skill by performing them.

The characters in a Call of Cthulhu game are more 'real' than some similar games from other companies. They have a great sense of depth due to the occupation system used. Also, considering how lethal combat is in the game, you are greatly encouraged to think your way out of problems.

One other area that has been found by my group to be important is the ease of transfer from one 'style' of play to another. Whenever we are wanting to run any type of realistic game set in any era, we always look to the Call of Cthulhu rulebook for ideas. So far, we have run a wild west game and several other genres using the rules in this book.

The works of master horror writer H.P. Lovecraft of the 1920s have influenced almost every single good horror writer to date, from Ann Rice to Stephen King. COC is likely the best RPG ever put to print, and the publisher Chaosium just makes things easier for players by adding content from their various supplements with each new edition. A typical game session has your characters snooping around for clues, and interrogating various NPCs (non player characters), and then implementing a course of action. The climax of a campaign also often (unfortunately for players) includes one of the hideous deities of the Cthulhu Mythos, such as Azathoth, Cthulhu himself, Dagon, or, possibly the worst, Nyarlathotep, trickster god with a thousand avatars or "masks". COC is the only game that has ever given me, as the gamemaster, chills reading a supplement in the middle of the day. I also recommend picking up one of the numerous Cthulhu Mythos anthologies of short stories. Prepare to be scared

I first read these tales in an "Armed Services Edition" of HP Lovecraft stories, back in 1944! Sitting underseas in a US Navy Submarine in the South Pacific, scared to death, and lonely for home, these stories gripped me so completely, I forgot my real fears of war.

That old book, now tattered and yellowed with age, was read by my son and daughter, who now want to pass it on to my grandchildren. It's time for me to replace it with a new Penguin edition before is falls apart, totally!

Lovecraft's writing has many weaknesses, flowery language, poor characterizations and vague plots. I see all these faults now, but they never bothered me when I first read him. Women don't seem to be a part of Lovecraft's world, and that is a shame. His stories were too short to correct these faults. Modern full novels, in the Lovecraft tradition, like "The Riddle of Cthulhu," are written with many of HPL's faults corrected; like the inclusion, for example, of unforgetable characters, romance and a believable plot. Still, the "Call" is the source and the classic horror book. You must experience these classic stories, then move on to today's modern "Lovecraft Style" novels!

Doesn't it tell you something, that *every* review for this edition of this book gives it 5 stars? (Some of the out-of-print editions have reviews here too.) And let's face it, us RPG enthusiasts are not the sort of folks to shy away from criticizing.

Some people will say the Basic Roleplaying rule-set is outdated. It's true that games like Unknown Armies and Godlike are pretty cool, and I know people who are using those rules for their CoC games. But just try introducing a newcomer to those rules, or getting someone who's only played D&D before to convert. They get dizzy, I tell you. Nope, for a simple, elegant rule-set that just about anyone can grasp right off the bat, Call of Cthulhu's Basic Roleplaying has still got it, after more than 20 years. The rules fade into the background, where they belong.

And unlike other games with their multivolume core rulebooks and endless splatbooks that you *need* if you want a fully fleshed-out campaign, everything you really need is right there in this one rulebook. Heck, every time Chaosium does a new edition, they comb all the supplements for spells, monsters, skills, and so on, and add them into the new edition--to save you time and money! Chaosium even printed the entire short story, "The Call of Cthulhu," in this edition, so newbies can get a taste of what it's all about.

If you've got an older edition of CoC, you don't need to buy this one--the rule changes are quite minor. Unlike D&D, a new edition doesn't make everything you already know obsolete--"editions" of CoC are back-compatible with older editions and old supplements. Chaosium does new editions to keep the book in print and to make it a little better every time, not to force the fans to spend money. I bought it because my old book was getting worn out, and I wanted a more durable hardcover edition. Now I can loan out the old book to players. But I'm really happy with the little changes, and it's nice to have some of the information that used to be in adventures and supplements all gathered together in one book.

Comprised of a set of chapters in three or so rotations on such splendid characters as Hitler, Mussolini, Petain, Franco, Stalin, and even Hirohito and his generals. I could not stop reading this hefty volume and regret that it ended where it should have logically ended. The book bears comparison to the more breathless writings of Anthony Beevor and I heartily recommend it to specialists and to the general reader. Bravo!

Apparently I'm the only one disappointed by this book. I found it a mish-mash of political, social, diplomatic & economic history that flitted around the world without going into much depth in any country. Brendon is a bit like a gossip columist, writing brief tidbits & then moving on to the next item. Also, he mentions the major diplomatic events, Rhineland, Austria & Munich, only in passing. I had hoped there would be more emphasis on diplomacy & politics, as in "Munich" by Telford Taylor. I found the chapters on Spain & Italy most interesting, perhaps because I've read very little on the Spanish Civil War or Mussolini's dealings with the Vatican & the war in Ethiopia. The chapters on France are also good, but " Collapse of the Third Republic" by William Shirer is much better. The chapters on Britain are the worst. Brendon is biased against Churchill & doesn't do the man justice. I skipped the chapters on the U.S., Japan & Russia (except for the last chapter), so I can't comment on those.
Maybe this is good popular history, but I found it rather superficial. On the plus side, Brendon is a good writer.

I just completed this book and found it to be very well done portrayal of the 1930s. Brendon vividly captured both the individuals at the heart of the decade -- Roosevelt, Chamberlain, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and a cast of others (including the shifting political leaders in France and Japan) -- but also brings to life the trends and experiences of the millions of anonymous "masses." Particularly compelling were the chapters on Stalin's 1937-38 purges and the chapters on Japan. While lengthy (692 pages) the book reads at a good pace and keeps one interested.

This is one of the best books I have ever read about that period or any other period of modern history. Brendon knows how to connect countries, people, events and even fleeting vignettes with the utmost mastery. You really get a global vision about those years and the spirit that animated them. Last but not least it must be mentioned the elegance of Brendon's pen. His ability to depict leaders or secondary characters with one stroke, one line, one adjective or two is amazing and always with a drop of sly humor.
In his best moments he remembers that other great history writer and wit, E. Gibbons.

Ah, the 1930s: "Japan annexed Manchuria and tried to conquer China, challenging Britain's position in the Far East. Italy seized Ethiopia & flexed its muscles in the Mediterranean, which, when Franco subjugated Spain, seemed in danger of becoming a fascist lake. Germany occupied fringe territitories, tearing up the Treaty of Locarno as well as the Peace of Versailles & upsetting the balance of power in Europe." "Statolatry," the worship of the state, lay at the heart of the matter. It wasn't the stock market crash of 1929 that doomed the decade, but (argues this author) governments' responses to it that engendered 'The Dark Valley' of the 1930s, particularly by the middle of the decade. The perceived panacea of state planning, instead of surmounting the turmoil engendered by 1920s stock market irrational exuberance, actually was akin to pouring salt on the wound. As "governments abandoned laissez-faire in favor of protectionism" "this encouraged 'have-not' states to create 'co-prosperity spheres' of their own, in defiance of the feeble League of Nations." In other words, "economic nationalism easily developed into political agression." Concomitant to this, propaganda was elevated to an art form. Said one participant: "And why do I insist on proclaiming that October was historically a revolution? because words have their own tremendous power." The words could easily be Lenin's, but are another coup leader's actually, uttered by Mussolini after his October 1922 seizure of power. The communists were no slouch herein, either, of course. The USSR had its show trials (after a 1934 state funeral for Stalin's potential rival, after Stalin had the later killed). And Hitler, all the while, was gearing up for war while denying it . But why did not "the truth will out" across Europe and across the sea? In Britain, blame the "moral paralysis" of the decade on Fleet Street's "habit of suppressing or 'playing down' unpalatable news." Witness how they hid the truth about Mrs Simpson's relationship with their king. "It helped to justify the newspapers' deceit about appeasement and the imminence of war," the author concludes. Meanwhile, the French were afflicted with a "Maginot mentality;" wallowing passively behind their wall, praying that it would protect them from Hitler; an affliction not at all helped by Neville Chamberlain's pacifism. (Neville was, after all, but one fine example of Theophile Gautier's maxim that one can pass through one's own age without seeing it.) And "America further destabilized the situation by refusing to pull its weight internationally." But it was Italy that takes center stage in this book. Or, rather, it was the West's failure to confront Italy that emboldened the forces rising round the world to push their luck. In particular, "The most fateful turning point in the period between the wars," (in historian B Liddell Hart's view, the author offers) was Britain (through the League of Nations) not calling Mussolini's bluff in 1935. "Damaged by its impotence over Manchuria, the League of Nations, as many had anticipated, was destroyed by its failure over Ethiopia." To boot, in 1937, not taking a stand against Mussolini because such could be "dangerous" (as Chamberlain argued) was akin to telling Hitler to sabre rattle to his evil heart's content. In Hitler's own view: "The brown shirt would probably not have existed without the black shirt" (Mussolini's original fascistic stormtroopers). PS: This book has 76 pages of notes which is indicative of the thoroughness of Piers Brendon in this weighty tome. (06Jul) Cheers!

After learning the basics of circle casting and herbal correspondence, many Witches seek a deeper understanding of magick and inner working. Enter "Evolutionary Witchcraft", a revolutionary guide to expanded humanity and divinity. As stated in the introduction, the goal of "Evolutionary Witchcraft" is to "reach for the stars, dance with the Gods, and make love to the beauty of the earth...[to] expand our capacity to be human and learn what it means to be fey workers-bringing the edges into center and opening up new worlds in the process."

"Evolutionary Witchcraft" is composed of 10 chapters that teach the basics of Feri Witchcraft. The first two chapters introduce basic Feri techniques such as casting a Feri circle and aligning one's triple soul. The proceeding chapters, each focusing on a ceremonial direction, address empowerment, magick, and personal healing. Included are unique Feri practices and concepts such as the Iron Pentacle, the Warrior Ethic, and the Black Heart of Innocence. It is designed to be read once, then studied over a ten month period.

Poetic, powerful, and wise, "Evolutionary Witchcraft" is a book for anyone truly devoted to spiritual progression. Practical exercises, meditations, and rituals allow the reader to tap into innate divinity and manifest magick in everyday life. It is an invitation to experience the beauty and dangers of Feri magick, for as Thorn teaches, anything truly worthwhile is dangerous.

"Evolutionary Witchcraft" is a work of mystery and power. It will push your boundaries and expand your knowledge and perception of the Universe. It is slated to be a classic. Thorn's compassion, experience, and deep commitment as a Priestess can be seen on every page. Read it and be inspired!

*courtesy of Copper-Moon.com*

Awesome book, alot of useful info, twobears books was also a outstanding

source in their timely shipping and keeping me updated on my book!

...Let this be the one you buy.

You may have heard the joke, "What do you call a fourth-degree witch?" The answer: "A Buddhist."

Well, those of us who read and PRACTICE this book can grow for a lifetime in this deeply spiritual tradition of the Craft.

As someone who is lucky enough to be taking classes with the author, I can honestly say that Thorn is the real deal. She practices what she writes; she Knows whereof she speaks; and she has the intelligence, experience, and power I believe we all seek in teachers. (She also doesn't take herself too seriously -- another hallmark of a truly great teacher.)

With this book and personal commitment, anyone can tap into the endlessly meaningful practice Thorn lays out in rich and clearly-explained detail.

Also, there's a DVD that Thorn created that I find very helpful. Unfortunately, (at least at the time of this writing) they don't offer it on Amazon, but if you Google Devotional Dance and Thorn's name, you'll find it....

Evolutionary Witchcraft
T. Thorn Coyle
Penguin books
302 pages

I found this book to be very intriguing because it provides a mystical perspective to magic and this perspective is based off a western system of magic as opposed to an Eastern system. It does have some parallels with Eastern mysticism, but is also more practical oriented. While I didn't agree with all of Coyle's points, I did find that I enjoyed her perspectives and approaches and felt like I received a good understanding of what informs her approach to Feri.

I liked her focus on the on the directions and elements associated with each direction as well as the different types of pentalces such as the iron and pearl pentacles. I also found that the exercises were valuable for creating a shift in thinking on how magic could be approached.

I think, in the end, what I most liked is the overall spirituality of behind the concepts. Here is a person who has explored her spirituality and then shared it with others and it really shows in this book. A refreshing change from a lot of the other books out there.

If you take all the popular "advanced" and not so advanced books on wicca/witchcraft that are the current fad, you get yet another "tradition". This is one of those blender "traditions" - a mix of some of this and some of that. The photos of the tatooed dancer is something you don't see in any other "advanced" books (you do see it on all high school campuses, reality TV, etc. - so much for originality). Almost everything that is presented in this "tome" has been around for many years. Read Starhawk's "Spiral Dance" for a start. The writing is repetitive to the point of being annoying. I was very disappointed because I ordered this based on all the rave reviews. I'd suggest you check this out at a library to see if it's for you, before you order it.The one I ordered is on it's way back to Amazon.

Series book. The large, readable print makes this good for children to read.

Summary
Frog and Toad are friends who share life together. I love the "To Do List," which includes "Wake up." Lobel wrote and illustrated more than 70 books. This book received a Newberry Honor Award.

Illustrations
I love the fresh and pleasant green and brown pictures, as did my children.

When Frog and Toad saw a snake, the snake said, "Hi,lunch!" Frog and Toad ran away.
Toad made cookies and Frog said, "They got will power." Toad made a list then when he got to Frog's house, Toad said, "We have to take a walk." They went on a walk. Suddenly, Toad's list blew away.

My daughter's nursery is decked out in Frogs, so the discovery of these books made them books we had to consider. They are fun and the illustrations are grest. At eleven months she is too young to read them herself, but we read them to her - and she enjoys them. The stories are simple with a central theme - do good for others, treat your friends with respect, help your firends when they need help, laugh, and aporach life with adventure. These are great virtues to instill in young minds. If the books were made in cardboard stock, Teah would be even more happy with them - as it is she frequently grabs one of them when it's time for her bedtime story - and great bedtime stories they are. By the time she starts to read she will know the stories by heart, but that's ok - fond memeories of bedtime stories like these should help her build a lifelong interest in reading on her own.

The Frog and Toad books were favorites of my daughters when they were young. I often give them to young friends, and was very happy to share them most recently with my two year old grandson

Learn the value of friendship with one of the most delightful duos in all of children's storytelling! Perfect bedtime stories or beginner's reading books, kids love the animorphed amphibians and funny adventures. Buy one and you'll have to get them all!

J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

I bought this book because of its great ratings. After reading it now I actually can't believe that all those reviews are actually from real customers.

The book is written in a very bloated style. It is a good thing when an author makes a dry subject interesting. But Peter Bielagus overdid it in my opinion. While there are some very good and original ideas in the book, they are spread far too thin: My textmarker came to use only every five pages or so - and even then mostly only for one sentence.

The 400 pages of Bielagus' book could easily be condensed down to 80. Even with entertaining examples and stories added the book could at least be half its size.

To be fair I have to say that Bielagus obviously had teenager readers in mind when he wrote the book. I am 25 and I've already read a lot of other books on the subject, so I might just not be the perfect fit. However, neither title nor cover text say anything about this being a book for teenagers. That's why my expectations were quite high - and now I'm quite disappointed with the purchase.

Getting Loaded is packed with practical advice that everyone with an interest in financial stability and independence should be accustomed to. The information is not complicated and represents only a beginner's guide to the financial world, but lack of the the knowledge in this book would leave one with a rather shaky financial foundation.

The chapters include the fundaments of money management, credit, insurance, investing, and the essentials of personal money matters. The content is geared towards a beginner, thus those with general knowledge in these areas will find little new on these topics; however, as an introductory book on personal finance, I would happily recommend this book to anyone including my own child.

This book has been a real eye opener. I should have bought this book years ago! It made me realize that there are other avenues for my money to grow. Very informative and a great resource. I definitely recommend this book!

This is an excellent book. This book is a perfect gift for a recent college graduate. The author explains the basics of personal finance and provides solid advice to someone just starting out. The material is presented in a way that makes it engaging for someone who is not all that interested in finance, saving money, etc.

I've read several books on personal finances that were supposedly for 20 year olds and they were all a bore. Those books either were for 40 year olds or never progressed beyond "How to write a check". But, Peter Bielagus' book is just right.

He addresses all the concerns of a twenty year old and beyond with great advice and humor. Peter shows you how to budget without feeling restricted and frustrated. Getting Loaded explains the stock market in laymen's terms which makes you feel comfortable investing your money. All in all, Getting Loaded is a great book to help you set up your financial future and learn how to get your money to work for you.

College graduates should definitely pick up this book and it's also a great graduation gift. I highly recommend this book, it's a great read!

If you are looking for hope and love in a world filled with chaos and fear this book is a must read. The author weaves his story and friendship with Fred Rogers into a very entertaining and heart wrenching treasure.

Tim thank you for sharing with the world your precious moments with Mr. Rogers. You have given hope, love, and IPOY to more people than you will ever know!!! I am one of the many who very much needed the words and affirmations written in this lovely book!!

God Bless you all of your days.

This is a touching story about how great Mr. Rogers was. I loved it & so has everyone I know that has read it. It is a must read!!!!!!!!

This is a sweet remembrance of the author's friendship with Fred Rogers. But it also gives an interesting insight into the spiritual side of the "Mr. Rogers" so many of us grew up with. Most of us know that Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister, but this book shares correspondences and conversations that reveal just how deeply spiritual Fred Rogers was.

This book is about a relationship between two friends. I often give this book to friends who have lost a parent. In this world where so few people encourage and lift each other up, are able to have a heart-to-heart talk with a friend, this book is an excellent example of how to do just that! "I'm Proud of You" is one of my favorite books. I would highly recommend it and preferred it so much more than "Tuesdays with Morie"(spelling?)since the story seemed so much more heartfelt.

This book made both my wife and I cry at times as it covered the sensitive topic of a son's relationship with his father and a man's relationship with a mentor. This is a must read for all father's, son's, and mentors.