Williams Books

I found these books a year into my nurse-practitioner program, and really wish I would have known about them from the beginning. This would have saved SO MUCH TIME while preparing for seminar assignments and clinical sites! I have three of these in-a-page books, and use at least one of them every day I'm seeing patients.

Very helpful book, useful for my examination as well as my practice

I was lucky enough to find a copy of this book in my hospital. It is excellent. I strongly recommend it to any healthcare professional, doctor, or student who needs a quick, accurate reference to medical diseases and syndromes.

Excellent quick-reference book. I keep a copy in my coat pocket. Hardly a day goes by without perusing through this book for a quick refresher. Every healthcare provider should have one in their posession.

As a practicing podiatrist for 25 years I finally found a book that quickly and thoroughly gives me the current medical information that I require in evaluating my patients co-morbidities. I refer to "In a Page Medicine" all the time. I have a copy in both my offices!

I have been investing using Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) for over 20 years and have read many books on this subject. This book has reemphasized some of those not so obvious concepts that I have learned through the years. For some one with very basic investment knowledge, specially in MPT, this may not be the first book that I would recommend. However, at some point in the investor's life, this book is a must!
In addition to the above comments, it would say that to effectively implement the book's recommendations, Financial Engines (a paid Monte Carlo software) is most likely needed.

These are the unconventional investment ideas that I found this book very unique:

1. Portfolio rebalancing means unintended bet against the market.

2. Presented the portfolio risk not as standard deviation of return, but versus that of market portfolio.

3. Hierarchical approach of investment (asset allocation first then investment selection) is not a good idea. Reason being: 1. Asset allocation likely assuming zero cost index fund as a guide. 2. Assuming each fund can fit into single asset class. 3. Asset allocation is paramount to investment selection regardless of the quality of investment selection. 4. Approach frequently ends up with actively managed and high fee fund.

4. Alternative investment not necessarily a good diversification due to risk and cost.

5. Financial Engines does not put funds into rigid asset class categories but rather use techniques to create a weighted peer group of funds based on how close the investment style (risk relative to market portfolio) is to the fund in question, and then rank funds on various measures (expenses, fund-specific risk, performance, turnover).

Overall, the book is very enlightening to both novice and professional investors without digging into complicated mathematics!

Chris Jones covers all the bases related to investment choices based upon what's best for the personal investor rather than the financial advisor. Great examples, clear concise terminology, a perfect book for anyone interested in well grounded wealth accummulation over glitz!

This book does a number of things well.

1) it offers a great overview of the basics of personal investing (historical and future market performance factors, the roles of risk attitudes and time horizon when determining one's asset allocation, the value of diversification, tax issues, etc.)

2) it shows, mathematically, the perils of individual stock picking, and the negative impact this will likely have on your portfolio

3) most importantly, in my view, is the detailed examination of how and why a passive indexed approach will likely beat an active managed approach, unless the managers get lucky. No wonder John Bogle likes this book!

The book is heavy on concepts and examples, light on tough math. Not a super-light read, but far from a technical manual. Good for most readers, I would think.

In conclusion, if you implement what this author suggests, you can't go wrong.

This book was well written and easy to read.

The author makes the case that we would need about 1500 years of stock market return data to be able to predict stock market returns within +/- 1% with high confidence. Since we only have about 100 years of reliable data, we can predict within +/- 4% of the long term historical average. Over long 25 year time periods, stock market returns can vary by a factor of 6X or 6 times.

The author discusses the current world asset allocation of about 63:37 stocks:bonds. Interestingly enough, this is not far from the age old pension plan asset allocation of 60:40. The ratio of U.S. to foreign stocks is also about 60:40.

This author has a different opinion about periodically rebalancing a portfolio. He says rebalancing is really a market timing bet.........because you are betting against the consensus of market participants when the market asset allocation changes. He recommends rebalancing to changes in the over-all market allocation versus to a fixed stock:bond asset allocation ratio.

While conducting research for Financial Engines, they found that investors preferred having risk expressed in dollars versus percentages or sigma.

The author correctly focuses on using funds with low expenses, and he says most mutual funds have total expenses over 2% per year. He recommends adjusting your asset allocation around low expense funds...........if you are in a 401K with very limited choices. His work suggests that not investing in an asset class only costs you about 0.5% in return. If it costs you more than 1% in additional fees to get into a new asset class, then skip this asset class.

The author suggests having a maximum of 10% invested in REITs. He argues that if you own your home, you probably have no need for REITs as a separate investment.

The author also argues that commodities have a 0% expected return, so skip this asset class.

Over-all, this book is easy to read with very sound advice for investors.


Index Mutual Funds: How to Simplify Your Financial Life and Beat the Pro's
The Richest Man in Babylon
Bogle on Mutual Funds: New Perspectives for the Intelligent Investor
The Millionaire Next Door
The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio
A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing, Ninth Edition
The Coffeehouse Investor: How to Build Wealth, Ignore Wall Street, and Get On With Your Life
The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing

I own a copy of the original edition of _J_, and I have re-read it with pleasure several times since it first came out. The author, William Sanders, has indicated that the text of the Norilana edition has been changed to omit some material inserted by the original publisher, and I look forward to the new edition - and not only because, as an inveterate book-tweak, I love to compare textual differences between editions, but because this time I'll be reading the author's preferred text.

Well, that, and it's a handsome looking book that will fit nicely with the other Sanders titles on my shelf.

That being said for the physical book, I will hasten to add that _J_ is a terrific story of alternate realities and the meeting of an Unholy Three: Dr. Ann Lucas, Mad Jack, and Jay Younger, three of the most interesting characters in Sanders' works, three utterly different people. And they're all the same woman. It's well-constructed, well-written, and is an excellent example of the kind of intricate characterization that Sanders is best at.

This is not a review. I am the author of this book. Be informed that THIS IS THE ONLY AUTHORIZED EDITION. (Along with the companion hardback.) Only Norilana has the legal right to publish and market this book in any format whatever. Please ignore any other listings.

This book is out of print and has been for quite a long time now. That includes electronic editions. I know because I am the author and I have it in writing from the publisher that all rights have reverted to me. I have not licensed any further editions of the book and will not be doing so. If anyone is selling this book, other than secondhand copies of the paperback edition, they have no right to do so.

Sanders, best known for his short stories, proves just as adept with longer tales; the story moves briskly, but not breathlessly, with just enough breaks in the action for the characters to get to know each other, and for you to get to know them. The multiple viewpoints are blended smoothly, and the characters react like real people to the unusual situations they find themselves in. The technical details are all rock solid, right down to the end, when the reason for the strange connection between their worlds is explained.

J. is the work of a master storyteller at the top of his form; just like life it's serious in some places and funny in others, but there's never a dull moment. What more can you ask for?

J. by William Sanders had me laughing, crying, biting my knuckles and cheering all at the same time, while I watched the coming together of the fates of these broken, tortured, brave and intense three women (or should I say three aspects from 3 different possible realities).

What an amazing book, and an amazing premise! Not only does William Sanders show a deep understanding of humanity and of femaleness, but he shows that one person holds the complexity of a whole universe, and we all can be fragmented into familiar yet oh-so-alien aspects of our own selves. We all have dark sides, clear sides, innocent and bitter sides, fathomless and murk-filled aspects.

The three "J" are all yearning for the other aspect of themselves, and when they do meet, the world can never again be the same. Or should I say, the three alternate aspects of the world are all suddenly changed; the range of experience is preternaturally widened.

This is a book that makes you think, and think again. And for that alone, I'd give it 6 stars, if I could. And I'd give it a seventh star because William Sanders is a master of subtle precision and biting wit.

Now, go get your own copy and see what it's like to meet yourself in three different ways all at the same time. It'll blow your mind.

A comprehensive walk through scripture, not opinion, of why Christians should never be sick. It will change your life from that of affliction to that of abundance.

For myself and one other, so far, this book has produced healing in our souls, mind, and bodies because of the concentrated word focused on the fullness of our salvation and the healing and deliverence that is included from the beginning not later on down the line.

I enjoyed reading the book, and really felt that the author's commentary on how to recieve and keep your healing needs to be read by many more people. I am sharing this book with many people.

As Christians, we need to know who we are in Christ and what the blood covenant entailed in our redemption. It was much more than a 'wonderful plan for our life". I purchased four copies after reading this book, to give to people who may not understand healing.

Really take a look at the scripture texts and the solid biblical thesis for his case. Do not allow those who have distorted his teachings after affect your view of what he taught. I would suggest this as a basic primer on healing to all who believe in Sola Scriptura.

When we all stand before that Great Throne, I believe we will weep, as we remember the lost opportunities we did not pursue by failing to act on the Word of God. When I first began to read these wonderful books, my own heart leaped for joy. I may not get all that God intended me to have, but at last now I know. These books should get into the hands of every serious Christians who claims to know and love God. Thank You. CMH

I bought this book for my 8 year old daughter, who loves to be with me in the kitchen. What a pleasure it has been to see her so excited about meal planning and preparation. On her very first meal, she prepared pasta in a broccoli cream sauce with orange-lemon slush for dessert. Her 4 year old brother (who rarely finishes his first helping) went back for seconds. She invited her best friend to share her meal, and she received rave reviews. She already wants to know when she can cook again. The beautiful pictures are a real plus, so kids can see what it should look like when it's finished, as well as enticing them to try new dishes. Kids Cooking covers a wide range of basic techniques and ingredients, and it is, I believe, and excellent book.

this book claims to teach kids about healthy eating but most of the recipes it contains are of either high fat eg macaroni with LOTS and LOTS of CHEESE!!or full of SUGAR eg the chocolate desserts.
kids LOVE some of these recipes basically because theyre full of fat,one recipe we did enjoy however was the apple and cinnamon muffins,they did taste real good and one of the salads was also good(not the ceasar salad though,yuck!!)
my son(whos eight) did make the pasta and cheese dish and wouldnt eat it because he said it tasted too cheesy.he did like the slush dessert though
call me strange but i believe that a cookbook which it amined at children shoul have low fat and healthy recipes.most of the recipes here are either high in fat or high in sugar.this is a disappointment for me and my family

I've never come across a better book to get kids going on learning to cook... My son made us a scrumptious meal the first night he had the book! I recommend highly.

I bought this for my young nephew for his birthday and it made him feel so grown up!! With my sister's help all three of her kids were able to easily have lots of fun making these recipes that are especially designed with kids in mind - things kids love to eat, lots of pictures, easy to follow. The kids were so eager to make dinner for the whole family!

This is one of the better Children's Cookbooks out there. This one reminds me of the old Betty Crocker style children's cookbooks that I grew up with. This book has a nice section on tools of the kitchen, preperation methods all fully loaded with pictures. The recipes can be prepared easily, and best of all they taste really great. The book has a wide variety of recipes too, some easy things, and some more advanced recipes so that children of all ages will be able to enjoy this one.

Such extremes of emotional manipulation as are encountered in King Lear would antagonize me if I encountered them in an ordinary work of fiction or a film. There is such a degree of unreasonable pettiness in King Lear's attitude; there is so much gratuitous malice in the evil designs of the older daughters and the Duke of Cornwall;such despicable treachery on the part of Edmund,etc.,etc,. Obviously the play transcends melodrama through Shakespeare's marvelous use of language. Instead of seeming two-dimensional, the characters take on a larger-than-life aspect through their undiluted manifestation of such strong emotions. The dramatic devices might seem a little contrived but the dialogue and those periodic observations made about life,it seems to me, are what this play is really about. The ironic penetrating mockeries of the Fool and the tragic blend of madness and wisdom in the later Lear were, I thought very important elements which contributed in making the play a masterpiece. I don't pretend to be an authority on Shakespeare; these are just the opinions of an admirer. The Folger edition was very helpful to me in getting the meaning from old words and words whose meanings have changed.

I have reviewed several current editions of King Lear and other Shakespearean plays, and was somewhat disappointed in the Folger edition of King Richard III. Nevertheless, the Folger Shakespeare Library edition of King Lear appears to be both accessible and scholarly, with solid reasoning behind its balance of the First Quarto with the First Folio versions of this intense and telling tragedy which we do well to revisit now.

My first love will always be Prof. Tucker Brook's redaction in the The Tragedy Of King Lear (The Yale Shakespeare) which against the academic preferences of the time chose the First Quarto over the First Folio. The reasons given by the Late Prof. are compelling, and brought about a generation of conflated editions which combined the two versions. The Quarto came first in publication, of course, and is longer; the Folio is later and does not contain several lines present in the Quarto (I believe about three hundred) yet introduces several (perhaps one hundred) of its own.

And so we have a generation of productions which sought to combine the two. For instance we have an early recording of Paul Scofield as the King using a conflated edition and a later recording from his eighties in which only the Folio is used: King Lear (Naxos AudioBooks), following as it states the The Tragedy of King Lear (The New Cambridge Shakespeare), a strictly First Folio presentation. The greatest available recording is of course the Branagh - Gielgud production King Lear (BBC Radio Presents) which must be purchased and repeatedly heard, as it is real. Be certain to get the accompanying brochure.

Be that as it may, with this brief description of the history of this tortured text, let me state this present edition from Folger presents solid reasons for its always arbitrary choices. While stating their preference for the First Folio edition, they actually publish here a conflated version, with variant readings in a variety of brackets and poiinted parentheses, with explanations. They have produced therefore something here of great value, yet at a small price and therefore accessible to any classroom, production company or reader.

As usual the Folger diverges from the usual Critical Edition format of a third of a page of text, a strip of variorum and a third of a page of notes to the text above. Folger correctly fids more readable a diptych approach. In opening the book to the play, the reader discovers on the right hand page the text and on the left hand page notes. Further specific notes are discovered in the back.

In short (if it is not too late to write that) this book may approach any other critical edition, and passes many (let us not mention the unfortunate Joe Pearce's attempt). It presents a thorough examination of Shakespeare's life and theatre, suggestions on reading "his" language, and on reading Lear, this great tragedy for our times. A critical essay by Susan Snyder is included in the back, as well as suggestions for further readings. I find this edition in brief very useful for any new scholar of Lear, and I only wish I could now afford the new King Lear: New Critical Essays (Shakespeare Criticism), or even Critical Essays on Shakespeare's King Lear (Critical Essays on British Literature), and the rest.

King Lear`s fatality cannot be invocated as a divine curse. When Lear renounces to be at charge of his kingdom wrought with the ferocity of his soldiers and irrigated with the blood of his troops, begins his own fall, because you cannot be king without a kingdom.

The nature denied Lear the possibility of a male inheritor, so under the perspective of his imminent death, decides to bet in the unpredictable roulette of the emotions a test of love to find out which one of his daughters loves him more.

Betrayal and deception because his favourite daughter replies him with flippancy and without any signal of sincere gratitude. This fact will untie his repressed anger, proceeding to disinherit her. This is the decisive spark that will ignite the stage in the primary plot.

In the secondary but no least important dramatic tie, Gloucester will believe in Edmund's eloquence and juridical device supported by a false letter in which Edgar claims unsaid ambitions. Gloucester will lose himself at the moment he has preferred to believe his illegitimate son instead his legitimate Edgar.

Betrayal and distrust; jealous and rivalries; perversion and immorality will convey to all these personages into a fatidic whirlwind of predictable consequences.

All tragedy traduces and reaffirms the aspiration of the human being to enhance himself through an act of unexpected valour, to acquire a new level of his grandness in front of the obstacles, the unknown that finds in the world as well as the society of his time. Andre Bonnard

One of the most important works of this colossus of the dramaturgy. A must - read.

Lear starts his tragedy with a lie. He has divided his kingdom into one larger and two smaller equal parts and promises to give the larger part to that of his daughters who vows the strongest love for him. Yet after Goneril speaks he immediately awards her one of the smaller parts, instead of listening to her sisters and then deciding the fate of the largest bounty. He thus negates his word and turns the auction into a formality for his pre-arranged plan of giving Cordelia the largest part and her sisters the two smaller parts. The whole scene is crass and the king is doubly crass (once for the auction, once more for the lie). He gives his word on the auction on line 52, breaks it on line 69 and forgets about his lie on line 193 where he rages at Kent for urging him to renege on his allegedly never broken word.

Lear starts his tragedy a crazy man. Cordelia's attempt at expressing that she "obeys, loves and most honors" the king only earns her being disowned half a page later. This precipitous fall from being the favorite daughter slated to receive the largest part of the kingdom to the one who "better ... hadst not been born" is incredible.

Most of all, this is a tragedy of detachment. Lear and Cornwall obviously do not have a relationship with their children and know nothing about their children's true feelings for them. Lear does not hear Cordelia and Gloucester does not try to hear Edgar out. Both have to face devastating atrocities before they see their children for who they are. "To willful men the injuries that they themselves procure must be their schoolmasters". They both suffer when they feel unloved by their offspring, they both die before they can enjoy their children's love. The suffering of the two old men is unrelenting, and in this sense "Lear" is as heartbreaking as "Macbeth" is macabre and "Othello" is insidious.

The balance of power, 4:4 (Cordelia, Fool, Kent and Edgar against Gonereil, Reagan, Edgar and Cornwall, with Lear and Glocester in the middle and Albany largely on the fence), is tilted towards the higher ranked evil four. In a game of chess, the former four would have been pawns, knights and bishops and the latter queens and rooks. In the end, Kent and Edgar, a knight and a pawn, save the day.

And yet, the end of the play offers no redemption. The two old men are dead. All those devoted to them are either dead or despondent. The Fool, his spirit giving out as he urged Lear to go back to the two evil daughters and ask their blessing, disappears from the play without a grace. Kent is preparing to follow Lear into the world of shadows. Cordelia is murdered and Edgar predicts an uninspiring future for himself and the young that remain. There is no consolation for dead or living.

I recently re-read KING LEAR prior to attending The Denver Theatre Company's performance of this play. Shakespeare (1564-1616) wrote this emotionally-moving tragedy between 1603 and 1606, and it was performed for the first time in 1606. With its insights into the nature of human suffering and kinship, and its theme of human blindness, it is regarded as one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies.

KING LEAR is based on the legend of King Leir, a king of pre-Roman Britain. It tells the story of King Lear's decision to abdicate the throne and divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. In a moment of vanity, Lear decides to divide his lands according to how much each daughter demonstrates her love for him. Because Cordelia refuses to engage such a contest of flattery with her elder sisters, Lear divides his kingdom between Goneril and Regan, banishing Cordelia. Despite her disinheritance, the King of France marries her. Soonafter abdicating his throne, Lear discovers that Goneril and Regan's feelings for him have grown cold. Meanwhile, Goneril and Regan also have a falling out with one another while defending Cordelia's army from France, sent to restore Lear to his throne. Goneril poisons Regan, then stabs herself.

In a subplot, involving the Earl of Gloucester two sons, Edmund concocts false stories about his legitimate half-brother, Edgar, who is forced into exile. Edmund then aligns himself with Goneril and Regan, and his father is blinded by Regan's husband. Edgar, disguised as a lunatic, finds his blinded father out wandering in a storm, trying to find his the way to Dover.

In Dover, Lear, who has gone raving mad, is reunited with Gloucester, Edgar, and Cordelia before the battle between Britain and France. When the French lose, Edmund orders the execution of Lear and Cordelia. Edgar, still in disguise, reveals himself to Edmund before killing his evil half brother. Although Edmund stays the execution of Lear and Cordelia, unfortunately, the reprieve comes too late as Lear enters the scene carrying Cordelia's dead body in his arms. Then he dies.

As a tragedy, KING LEAR is appealing for its nihilistic conclusion that human existence is essentially meaningless, and that life is devoid of a true morality.

G. Merritt

As a former nursing home chaplain, I am familiar with the Eden Alternative and the tremendous benefits to nursing home residents and to staff and family members. The book reinforces the lessons (and the guidelines)for the Eden model in a way which leaves no doubt or lack of clarity about the benefits to the elderly and to the community as a whole when we focus on meeting the needs of the elderly. These needs are, in the words of the author,loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. We should all be so fortunate as to have some-one or -ones who see the wisdom in this model!

This book was incredible. I knew Dr. Thomas before he wrote this book and I can honestly say the story and wisdom come from his soul. I was so inspired by the books teachings of caring for our elderly, but also felt a tug on plain old every day living with people of all ages. I felt the authors conviction for respecting and honoring the elders of life who have so much to give to our society if we are willing to slow down and listen. I am reminded of every older person I have ever worked with and what they gave me to apply to my own life. With these lessons I realize how much we have to start with our young so that hopefully they can shape a society similar to the book. I suggest this book to anyone just looking for a warm story to stir your soul and to get you thinking about life in general, and how you will be cared for as you age. Thank you Dr. Thomas for once again inspiring me to see beyond the idea and making it a reality. This is a book that clings to your soul and stays there. I love it!

This book is meant for every man,woman and child regardless of age. In a society where we have grown to see aging as repulsive rather than merely a part of living, this message is invaluable. Dr. Thomas tells a beautiful story of his own growth and journey toward understanding the value of our elders. It is an issue that can no longer be avoided. Change is inevitable. This book offers us a guide to help facilitate that change.

Learning from Hannah is a vehicle by which the author attempts to change our societal view that once you reach a certain age, you no longer have anything to offer, and the author achieves that goal. It tells the story of two people who learn that the elderly have much to teach us all, if only we will listen. The main characters also learn that life itself has much more to offer, beyond the next deadline for some distant project. I applaud Thomas' effort and cause, which is why I give the book 4 stars.

From a story standpoint, it felt a bit preachy after a while, and sometimes repetitive; I found myself saying "I've got the point already." In short, I became a little annoyed with the overall story. The writing seemed a little flat, but it was a good effort.

This book uses Dr. Thomas's talent for storytelling to advance his ideas. The Eden Alternative is a way for Long Term Care facilities to be a real home to the people that live there, a place families will enjoy visiting. The changes are very low tech and save money in the long run. The environment these changes create is not only wonderful for the people who LIVE there, but for the staff as well. I encourage anyone with family in a facility to read this book.

"That night, as we dined outside on the porch, we could glimpse the top of Mont Blanc above the distant mountains. For a few moments during dessert, the sunset turned the peak a vibrant shade of fuchsia. It reminded Sheila and me of the view of Mount Rainier from the house where we grew up in Seattle." ~ Pg. 121

Sharon Boorstin has a way with words and her humor, love of cooking and memories of her childhood make this a fascinating read. To be honest, I connected with this book on so many levels I started to wonder why we had lived such similar lives. Page after page revealed details and similarities that I could not imagine could all be in one book.

Then, the day after James Brown died, I was reading a book and his name appeared. So I decided to listen to an album of his Ballads while reading this book and I noticed a similarity in the nostalgia of his songs and the memories in this book.

The stories and recipes in this book evolved from a notebook of collected recipes. The recipes all have a story to tell and this is as much about cooking as it is about a life that inspires adventures in the kitchen. Memories of Sharon Boorstin's mother making jam reminded me of my mother teaching me to make strawberry jam in Africa. Her memories of Seattle, Chicago, boats on Lake Washington, teaching, raising chickens, fondues, beef stroganoff, salmon, tuna fish sandwiches, angel food cake, tarte tatin, cherry-red punch and trips to Burgermaster all sounded so familiar.

Everyone has a story and Sharon Boorstin is especially good at recounting her life as it relates to recipes. This book is filled with serious life choices, spontaneous moments, warm cozy memories and the inevitable heartbreaks and challenges of existence. She tells the story of her childhood, how she met her husband and writes beautifully about trips overseas and her exotic culinary discoveries.

This woman has lived a full life with writing adventures in India, Belize, New Zealand and France. She writes beautifully about delicious French pastries! Her descriptions capture memories so vividly, when she is talking about making a salad with tarragon, the scent of tarragon seems to rise from the page. This book is the story of her friendships and as she says: "...a woman really is the sum of all the friends she has had in her life." Some of the recipes include:

Mirelle's Halibut in Champagne
Ina's Brownies
Luz and Susan's Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Judy's "Moonshadow" Chicken
Mary Ann's Fresh Fruit Brûlée
Ruth's Chocolate Fudge
Robin and Maggie's Frozen Mocha Mousse
The Husband-Catcher Cake

"Above the pastures, the trails climbed through thick woods. We scavenged in the underbrush for frais du bois, intending to take the tiny wild strawberries home for dinner; instead, we ate most on the spot. Above the tree line we discovered Sound of Music territory--grassy fields polka-dotted with wildflowers and sweeping vistas of the surrounding mountains. Our favorite trail ended at an Alpine lake." ~ pg. 119

If you laugh while reading the first sentence of a book, that is usually a good sign. There are many humorous moments throughout to inspire laughing out loud. This book made me laugh and cry and it reminded me of all those long summers I spent at my grandmother's home in Seattle, learning to cook.

If you enjoy cooking and love reading about a cook's journey through the world, this presents an especially intriguing set of memories along with the delicious recipes that inspired a life of cooking. She tells the story of how she talked to Julia Child at a party and later interviewed her on the phone. Sharon Boorstin's writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Bon Appetit and Food Arts. She was the restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner and lives in Beverly Hills, California.

I love that Sharon Boorstin has snorkled with sharks and experienced horseback riding among a herd of elk in New Zealand. But what I love most about Sharon Boorstin's writing is her amazing ability to repaint pictures from the past with delicious details and a sense of nostalgia. Reading her books gives me hope! Her writing is a true inspiration and if you have ever thought of writing a cooking memoir, this is an excellent example of what can be achieved when you consider how every recipe has a story to tell. I can also highly recommend her novel: "Cookin' for Love." I hope she is working on another book because I love her writing style.

~The Rebecca Review

I loved the way Boorstin weaves stories of her life and her friends with food memories and really good recipes. It's all about friendship. Will make you want to find a lost friend.

Food lovers will find this a page turner, as I did. Boorstin writes charmingly about her family and friends and how they bond over food. The heart of the book is not just the food memories, but the memories of female friendships. Will make you want to contact that dear friend you had when you were young, but haven't seen in ages.

This book is delish! I am a 26 year old woman who loved reading this book about Sharon's life; and how food, entertaining and friendships were for women when she grew up and until present date. I think Sharon Boorstin kept it all very real and by the end of the book, you felt like you were on a first name basis with her and many of the important people in her life. The recipes were such an added treat as well. I would be very excited if there ended up being another volume of this book as I am eager to see what is next in her interesting life. A very good book to read and to also give to friends and family, whom enjoy food and friendship!

I am a very discerning reader, and this book is a masterpiece.
If any woman reads this review who has no idea what the book is about, it doesn't matter. This book will speak to all women.
I guarantee whomever is reading this that they will love this book!
If you enjoy cooking and reading very entertaining stories about food related experiences, you simply must read this book. Boorsting is a fabulous writer, and everyone will feel like she is writing directly for them. I felt like I was reading a book written by one of my best friends! Give this book 5 pages, and you will fall in love with it.

Journal Of Financial Service Professionals May 2000 Issue

Bookshelf

Selected Summaries

Life Insurance Boot Camp Buyer's Guide - Second Edition 2000

Designed as a buyer's guide, this volume provides basic financial information to combat the uncertainties of dying too soon, living too long, and becoming sick or injured. The volume is divided into eight parts: life insurance basics, life insurance considerations, life insurance term types, life insurance non-term types, life insurance accessories, life insurance ledger statement terminology, and the need for present-value living money.

Topics discussed include life, disability, and long-term care health insurance; income and estate taxes; retirement planning; investment principles; and the time value of money basics.

This volume should be of interest to anyone interested in making reasonable, comprehensive financial planning decisions for all the stages of life.

Your Money - A Consumer Digest Inc. Publication April/May 2000 Issue

Who Really Needs Life Insurance?

"It's a very emotional issue and a very subjective one," says William Brownlie, a retired chartered life-insurance underwriter who now advises consumers and author of Life Insurance Boot Camp Buyer's Guide.

Life Insurance Boot Camp is basic training for the life insurance industry. Aimed at consumers of life insurance, this 330 page paperback (also in a diskette Word 97 version) will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about life insurance, and then some. From what to look for in a company or agent to the calculations for the internal rate of return of a whole life policy, this manual covers all.

William Brownlie is a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War and a career life insurance agent now retired from actively selling life insurance. He holds the CLU, ChFC, CIP, LIA designations. His other works include "Life Insurance: Its Rate of Return", and "The Life Insurance Buyer's Guide". He is also a former member of the Million Dollar Round Table, a group of life insurance sales achievers.

The book is divided into nine parts: Life Insurance Basics, Life Insurance Considerations, Term, Non-Term, Riders, Who Should Pay the Premium, Ledger Statements, Claim Procedure, and a Life Insurance IQ Test.

The material in the book is suitable for beginners to life insurance experts, although the internal rate of return discussion do get a bit complicated. The author is obviously an expert in this area.

Each chapter ends with the author's subjective opinion on the topic at hand, and leaves the reader with the impression of being gently guided along the education process.

If you could purchase one book on the topic of life insurance, this one should be near the top of your list.

An excellent primer for the middle income market long forgotten by the life insurance industry - because they have taken Plato's advice by developing "philosopher kings" as agents to serve those earning high six figure incomes.

This guidebook excels in describing the "return" of a whole life policy. The author is an expert in evaluating the internal rates of return (what buyers are getting for their money measured in terms of compound interest) for term and non-term life insurance.

The concepts in this book work. The long-term care center where my mother spent her final nine months actually introduced me to the concepts of the Eden alternative, and indicated that many residents were feeling more content and "stable" with the presence of animals and plants in the individuals' rooms and throughout the facility. An indoor fountain was donated to the lobby. My mom was delighted when a parakeet magically appeared one day to become her roommate for many months. There were small birds in various rooms and lobbies, often donated by families or staff. Bunnies and dogs made weekly visits to residents, and each floor had a free-roaming cat. I especially loved one who occasionally cruised into Mom's room to check up on its feathered friend in the cage.

Long-term care MUST change to meet the needs of aging boomers, though they may be aging well for their years; bodies eventually fail as life closes. Mr. Thomas has the ideas and vision to change the course of eldercare so that the wisdom and dignity of the elderly can be recognized in society, enabling them to remain assets rather than burdens.

E.A. Davis, author, Waiting for Wings: Accomanying a Parent to the Edge of Life

As a Regional Ombudsman, responsible for a large county in N. CA, I used this book to inspire people to form a "Family Council" in a sample nursing home and to lobby for the changes that Thomas recommends. The home adopted several of the changes and they transformed the home, once known as the worst in the county into the best. Several people emerged from years of depression, others simply took a whole new interest in life, others simply had whole-hearted laughter reenter their lives for the fist time in years. The Eden alternative is indeed the "recipe" for making one's years in long term care "worth living."

Anyone planning to place their family member in a nursing home should read this innovative book first. They author's insightful, yet relatively simple ideas show how a well designed nursing home can be a welcoming, life affirming place for your loved one to live. I am a legal aid hotline attorney and own an medical supply business and often discuss nursing home related issues with my clients and customers. I found this book eyeopening and educational. If your relative is already in a nursing home, give the director a copy of this book.

The activities director at my mother's nursing home(Tn.) brought this author and his book's to my attention. The nursing home administrator is currently having the entire staff read this line of book's(The Eden Project). I ordered "Life Worth Living" and "Learning From Hannah", because I want to be a part of what will make mom's life and other's a better place to be. I started reading "Life Worth Living" and was honestly amazed about how educational this paperback really was. Not only is this book easy to understand, it's extremely interesting! I can only pray that some day all nursing home facilities realize how beneficial the "Eden Project" really is.

This book will show how to turn a cold clinical facility into a warm, caring home. A place families want to visit, not make exuses to avoid. This truly can be revolutional. Anyone placing a person into a nursing facility should make sure they have Edenized.