Ward Books

Very nice collection of curry recipes although it is easy to tell from some of the spelling and instructions that the book is a bit dated. Nonetheless, it would make an excellent gift for the cook who wants to learn more about making curries.

Clarke and Toogood's, 'The Complete Book of Plant Propagation is one among many in this field. Plant propagation is perhaps the most relevant issue for gardening/horticulture aficionados. The information is clear, with relevant illustrations, without embellishments of any kind. Is the most informative book on this subject I have seen anywhere. If you need a book covering all the aspects of plant propagation with a reasonable price, get it. If will provide years of pleasure.

Written in layman's terms, Art Margolis exposes the complex world of computers in a friendly, easy to read format. The text is accompanied by numerous illustrations and charts. This is an excellent beginner's book.

CTH is also an enjoyable and informative "read" for the programmer. A significant portion of the book explains the interactions of discreet components on a logical or bitwise level, using numerous block diagrams for additional clarity. This book provides an introduction to instruction sets, assemblers, and architecture of 8-32 bit processors.

The text is somewhat dated because of its publication date. As a beginner's book however, much of its contents are applicable to the budding computer technician.

Dear Colleague: I thought you might like to know about my book, "Computers and Classroom Culture," that was published recently by Cambridge University Press. Thus, I am sending along excerpts from the book's dust jacket and the publisher's flyer about it. These materials both describe the book's content and provide excerpts from pre- and post-publication reviews. Given your work, I thought you might find this information useful. I have also supplied ordering information in case you feel the book would be of interest to you. Janet W. Schofield Professor of Psychology BOOK DESCRIPTION: CONTENT AND APPROACH In order to realize the potential of computer technology to improve education, we must understand how the social organization of school and classroom influences the use of computers, and how computer use in turn affects the functioning of classrooms. In an intensive, qualitative study of an urban high school, Janet Schofield investigated these issues. More than 30 different classrooms, including geometry classes in which students used artificially intelligent tutors, business classes in which they learned word processing, and computer science classes in which they learned programming, were observed over a 2-year period. In addition, two dozen teachers and 250 students were interviewed. "Computers and Classroom Culture" explores the meaning of computer technology for our schools. In clear and direct prose, Janet Schofield examines ways that computer use is shaped by the social context in which it occurs and how attitudinal and organizational barriers obstruct it. She brings to light issues of gender differences and equity, and she provides sound and thoughtful ideas for improving educational use of computers. This book is for all those concerned with the changing shape of the classroom and the future of our schools as well as for sociologists and psychologists interested in educational computing. REACTIONS TO THE BOOK "(This is) a stunning book examining the way computers affect the American classroom and how the structure of the American classroom affects the use of computers. Using a blend of rigorous interview techniques and observations, Schofield paints a unique picture of technology in the urban classroom. She has always been regarded as a first-rate social scientist with strong empirical and methodological skills. Although her work is an intensive study of one school in one American city, it is going to be an essential reference for anyone conducting research on technology in modern society." ---Joel Cooper, Princeton University " (This is) a beautifully detailed and carefully reasoned account of what happens when technologies are incorporated into complex school settings. Their social effects are often the critical, but hidden, characters in the story of the impact of technologies. Janet has illuminated this territory." ---Jan Hawkins, Education Development Center "[Schofield's] fascinating conclusions on how computers affected the classroom environment have implications for education reform that go beyond the introduction of new technology...Although 'Computers and Classroom Culture' is a scholarly work, the relative absence of specialized educational terminology makes it accessible to a broad range of readers. The excerpts from the field notes, allowing us glimpses into the classroom, are always riveting." ---Faith Schantz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Any school hoping to effect fundamental change through the introduction of technology would find valuable insights in this book. By examining the experiences of different kinds of students in a diverse set of classes in an urban high school, Schofield highlights the social and cultural issues that shape both how technology gets used in classrooms and whether it gets used at all. Her work underscores the need for educators to take positive steps to counteract the pressures that can easily curtail girls' interactions with computers." ---Barbara Means, SRI International

I find that this book is an absolutely essential part of my kitchen. Not for specific recipes but for general information and advice on cullinary technique.

If you want a book in which every page has a glossy photo of an end result and a simple to follow recipe in big type and breathless prose then you should look elsewhere.

I like this book because, whatever I go out and buy, I can look here and find half a dozen ways to cook it and a number of specific recipe suggestions. I then use this as a starting point to my own ideas.

Of course, there are individual recipes in here which you can follow, as written, with great success but to give you a flavour of the book I'll describe a few chapters.

The chapter on savoury rice and other grains is thirteen pages long. It includes sixteen recipies and more variations on each. In addition there are four pages that describe all of the types of rice that are available together with cooking notes and techniques.

The chapter on meat covers not just recipes but advice on buying, selecting good meat and carving it.

Everthing is covered in the same way in simple, consise but comprehensive form. In addition, there are extensive chapters on general kitchen technique and the use of individual ingredients.

Having this book in the kitchen is a bit like having your favourite aunt, the one who knows everything, available, on call ready to help all the time.

My wife tells me that I am a wonderful cook. I'm not, I'm just a man who owns a copy of this book and who reads the relevant pages every time that I prepare to be Mr Chef.

There is also a non-culinary section at the end which includes chapters on diet, first aid, health care and (oh yes indeed) what to do if introduced to the Queen of England! With the exception of things like that last item, the advice is good and of interest to most people.

It's a great book and every household should have a copy.

I recently checked this out from the library and need to have my own copy! The book is laid out in an appealing way with loads of great advice on how to plan and implement various interpretive programs.

I am working with state park naturalist interns this summer and as I read, I kept thinking, "They need to read this book". It helped to understand the population one is dealing with, things like only 20% of the park visitors will attend a program and how to reach those that don't attend. It listed different natural history and cultural history topics to help one choose what kind of programs they might like to do. It helped the reader learn how to narrow down a theme to a topic so the program isn't too broad. It talked about roving interpretation where you might walk around the campground visiting with people or set up an area people commonly visit in order to connect with them and share information and so much more.

I greatly preferred this book over the Sam H.Ham Environmental Interpretation book I read.

Augustine's 'Confessions' is among the most important books ever written. One of the first autobiographical works in the modern sense, it also represents the first time a psychological and theological enterprise were combined. It also helps to bridge the gap between the Classical world and the Medieval world, exhibiting strong elements identifying with each of those major historical periods.

Most undergraduates in the liberal arts encounter the book at some point; all seminarians do (or should!). Many adults find (or rediscover) the book later, after school. For many in these categories, there are concepts, narrative strands and historical data new and unusual for them. However, Augustine's 'Confessions' is still generally more accessible in many ways that truly classical pieces; it has interior description as well as external reporting that we are familiar with in modern writing.

The 'Confessions' shows Augustine's personality well - he was a passionate person, but his focus wavered for much of his life until finally settling upon Christianity and the Neoplatonic synthesis with this faith. Even while remaining a passionate Christian and rejecting the sort of dualism present in the Manichee teachings, he varied between various positions within these systems. Augustine's varied thought reaches through many denominational and scholarly paradigms.

The 'Confessions' are divided into thirteen chapters, termed 'Books' - the first ten of the books are autobiographical, with Augustine describing both events in his life as well as his philosophical and religious wanderings during the course of his life. The text is somewhat difficult to take at times, as this is writing with a purpose, as indeed most autobiographies are. The purpose here at times seems to be to paint Augustine in the worst possible light (the worse his condition, the better his conversion/salvation ends up being); at other times, one gets a sense (as one might get when reading the Pauline epistles) that there is some significant degree of ego at work here (Paul boasts of being among the better students, and so does Augustine, etc.).

Augustine also uses his Confessions as a tract against the Manichean system - once a faithful adherent, Augustine later rejects the Manichean beliefs as heretical; however, one cannot get past the idea that Augustine retained certain of their intellectual aspects in his own constructions even while denouncing them in his official life story.

The whole of the conversion turns on two primary books - Book Seven, his conversion to the Neoplatonic view of the world, including the metaphysics and the ethics that come along with this system; and Book 8, which describes his conversion to Christianity proper. This is where perhaps the most famous directive, 'Tolle! Lege!' ('Take and read!') comes from - Augustine heard a voice, and he picked up the nearest book, which happened to be a portion of the Pauline epistles, arguing against the undisciplined lifestyle Augustine lived. Scholars continue to debate whether Augustine's conversion to Christianity was more profound or more important than his conversion to Neoplatonism; in any event, Christianity interpreted through a Platonic framework became the norm for centuries, and remains a strong current within the Christian world view; Protestant reformers as they went back to the 'original bible' in distinction from the Catholic interpretations of the day also went back to the 'original Augustine' for much of their theology.

The final three books are Augustine's dealing with the creation of the world via narrative stories in Genesis 1 exegetically and hermeneutically. This is very different from what is done in modern biblical scholarship, but is significant in many respects, not the least of which as it gives a model of the way Augustine dealt with biblical texts; given Augustine's towering presence over the development of Western Christianity in both Catholic and Protestant strands, understanding his methods and interpretative framework can lead to significant insights into the ideas of medieval and later church figures.

This translation by F.J. Sheed is one of the newer editions of the book available. Peter Brown, a noted scholar of early Christianity (particularly in the field of study of Augustine), provides a good introduction as well as background and contextual information. This is a book that will be of interest to novice readers of Augustine as well as scholars, to students, clergy and laypersons, and anyone else who might have an historical, literary, philosophical, theological or other interest in Augustine - something for everyone, perhaps?

I have never met Arnold Ward, and my knowledge of him is based on the biographical details provided in this fine book.

He is clearly a restless soul and lifelong spiritual seeker who currently runs a residential healing center in Adelaide, South Australia. The book is nothing less than an attempt to find the meaning and purpose of life on earth. It is ambitious, particularly given that some of the greatest thinkers in history have worked on the same question for millenia.

This book is firmly rooted in the Theosophy and the work of Alice Bailey and the school that she founded. Chapters cover such topics as energy fields; the environment; evolving consciousness; reincarnation and karma; hierarchy and time. The book covers a lot more, including morphogenesis, health and healing, growth and relationships.

Though there are many books dealing with similar topics, this one is somewhat different in that it includes many scientific discoveries and some contemporary theories to illustrate and support many of the centuries-old spiritual insights.

Though I felt that parts could have been shortened, this reamins a very readable and informative book that I recommend highly to anyone interested in the interface between science, consciousness and spirituality.

Each worksheet ins based on one of the book's two targeted themes: a context clue or figurative language. This book also encourages a balance between standardized test practice and written interpretation.

35 sheets in this book to help keep repeating topics. Excellent for students who are struggling with idioms.

The book `Conversation: Meeting our Forebears in Faith' compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild is a perfect companion for spiritual reading or lectio divina. It consists of 100 excerpts from writers, mystics, spiritual masters, poets and prophetic voices from the history of Christendom, from the early Church Fathers and Mothers down to the present day. Each has a one-page entry, perfect for short reading and reflection; however, the brevity of the selections does not minimise the power of the words - each selection is a powerful representative section not only of the author's words and spirit, but also of the general condition of humanity in search of enlightenment.

Among the early church voices are Gregory of Nyssa, Jerome, Clare of Assisi, Hildegard and Benedict. Some later voices include Martin Luther King, Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Rahner, Oscar Romero and Paul Tillich. Poetic and literary voices include excerpts from William Blake, C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers G.M. Hopkins. There are prophetic voices such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Florence Nightingale, voices from outside of Christendom such as Martin Buber, and academic voices such as John A.T. Robinson.

Each entry follows a standard format - a brief biographical introduction (the biography of a person essentially while standing on one foot), the excerpt from their writing, a scripture passage that relates to the subject of the reflection piece, and a brief prayer composed by the editors.

Ward and Wild were ecumenical in their inclusion, not only in terms of religious background, but also in terms of fame and `vogue'; there are swings in the intellectual and faith life of the churches that put people from the past variously in and out of favour - in the current situation, Augustine, Tertullian and the traditional `church fathers' seem to be less favoured, as other voices from the periphery of the past such as Aelred, Hildegard and Meister Eckhart seem to be enjoying a resurgence. Ward and Wild included people from all sides of the `popularity contest', including many people who are little known, and even some positively disliked by church hierarchies, to let the fullness of the voices of the Christian past and present come together in this text.

As the editors say, it is not easy to genuinely listen to voices of the past generation, much less voices from the past centuries or millennia. These require an intentionality about the listening, the kind of reflective reading that lectio divina gives. While each of these passages could be easily read in the span of a few minutes, that would be to deny the true power of the words; to make the words incarnate as the Incarnate Word who inspired most of these offerings requires patience, diligence, and an open and honest listening ability not easily come by without cultivation.

This is an excellent resource for private devotion, or as the starting point for group reflection and meditation.