Guides Books

I bought this book in 1996 and used one of the recipes for the curried fruit. Time went by and I got fatter and sicker. Now my doc has told me that she has given me all the meds I can take. It's up to me to change my body. I opened up this book again and decided to try the recipes for a month with weekends 'off'. I've managed to lose more than 12 pounds and drop my cholesterol by more than 50 points. What a difference! I'm never hungry and the recipes are easily prepared.

This book has practical advice. And the recipes are pretty darn good, and amazingly inexpensive. He relies heavily on beans and canned tomatoes and lots of spices, so the food is interesting in flavor, color, and texture. Most recipes also make a LOT, so that you can have extras to freeze for later dinners or take some to work in your lunch. This not only saves your eating plan, but softens the blow to your pocketbook that eating out entails. We have not found too many recipes yet, that we dislike. Most are very delicious and filling and are even better the next day. This book was indeed worth the purchase price; equal amounts of advice and recipes. Well done!

I started researching this topic about 2 years ago when my 35 year old husband became violently sick one night, he went the next morning for a blood test and his triglycerides were over 1800. They should be around 150 for a normal person. My husband has what Dr. Murkin calls Diabetic genes (all of his siblings and father suffer from high tri's & cholesterol). His HDL was 20 and his cholesterol was 400. After 2 weeks on Murkin, tricor and niacin he's bloods were in a good range. Since my husband & I prefer not to take medicine, he dropped the niacin and tricor after about a month. His bloods remained low with just the Murkin Diet. He began cheating about 6 months ago and spiraled out of control, a recent blood test showed tri's up above 2000. We are back on the diet in a big way and we will never go off of it again. I highly recommend this book!!

I think any one concerned about their health should take a look at this book. The recipes are great too.

I edit cookbooks for a living, and this is one of my favorites from which to cook. If a strict fat-free diet isn't necessary for you, modify as I do by saut?eing veggies in a little olive oil, and feel free to improvise with substitutes. But this book is solid and full of creative, colorful food and wonderful flavor combinations.

I've been admiring photos of Lisa Lichtenfels' work for a good few years. Now and then a photo will turn up in this or that doll magazine, of a human or demihuman figure so realistic, so luminous, so detailed, it is hard to believe that it's a "cloth doll" over an "armature."

Ms. Lichtenfels' art falls into the category of "if you have to ask how much, you can't afford it." So for most of us, the occasional glimpse of a photo would be all we could afford. When Reverie came out with this book, I knew I would one day have to get a copy -- and it does not disappoint.

The photos are many and beautiful. The showcased characters are shown in several views, with engaging background text by Lisa. The preface, by the late John Darcy Noble, is both enjoyable to read and, as it should be, illustrative of the artist.

This is probably a good time to point out that most of the figures are nudes. They are appropriate nudes, and they come in an astonishing diversity, and Ms. Lichtenfels' power to create beautiful and interesting nude figures is probably a large part of her appeal. But if you do not like nudes in general, be forewarned.

If you have not seen Lisa Lichtenfels' work before, and you are reading online with a few minutes to spare, Google her name and see what you think.

The latter parts of the book include "The Progress of a Work," a detailed segment showing exactly what's under the skin of these fascinating figures. She truly constructs a realistic skeleton and sketches out her plans for the body with surgical precision.

I found the last main section, "Evolution in Fabric," to be a bit spooky. Many of her earlier figures had that combination of whimsy and surreality that can unsettle the sensitive soul. Nothing nasty, you understand -- just art on the border of faerie, perhaps, reality on the edge of dream. The many characters and their settings and stories are certainly a significant part of the story, though, and I am so glad that this section is here.

Finally, the book closes with an Afterword by publisher Krystyna Poray Goddu.

This book is a keeper.

Anyone who sees Ms. Lisa's sculptures will be amazed, but people who sew will be astonished. Her stitches are microscopic and her attention to detail is unmatched. Add to this her vivid imagination and you have the most riveting figures I have ever seen. All artists should see this book. All fiber and thread lovers should see it. Everyone should see it!

Beautiful! It's hard to believe these are all fabric, truly. Very inspirational! I doubt I'd ever be able to make one of my own but it's wonderful to have on my coffee table and druel over from time to time. Wonderful book!

How does she do it??? It is hard to believe the dolls won't get up from the page and talk to you. They are alive. Kudos to Lisa. This book does not disappoint.

Figures in Fabric is inspirational! The creations of Lisa Litchtenfels are truely exceptional works of art which are beautifully presented in this book, a definite "onshow" publication that will never go on a bookishelf or in a closet. A book to drool over again and again for inspiration and creativity, though I doubt anyone can measure up to her realism and vision. A must for any dollmaker to have in their library.

I had open heart surgery at 47 years of age and never had a heart attack. With my head spinning I entered cardiac rehab where I was introduced to "From the Heart." Kathy shares her personal journey with heart disease and snippets of the journeys traveled by other women of all ages, races and cultures. The reader can truly relate to the triumphs and challenges women with heart disease face each and every day. Filled with emotion, truth, struggles, options and resources this is a must read for all women living with heart disease, as well as those around them. The psychological benefits are truly therapeutic for the reader and the educational information is empowering. Written in understandable language this book will help you to live a healthy, happy and productive life with heart disease. Heart disease is a women's disease and you are not alone.

This book is a must read for those travelling the heart journey - meaning both the survivor and the caregiver. Heart disease never goes into remission and the roller coaster ride this #1 killer of women in this country plays, needs to be understood. This book brings knowledge, understanding and compassion to the reader. Although this book is great to keep for reference and re-read, DON'T pass it along to everyone you know and make this a chain-book - a must read!

Kathy Kastan's, From the Heart: A Guide to Living Well with Heart Disease,
brings awareness and understanding to women who are facing emotional challenges AND living well while in the process.

I wish this book had been available to me after my heart attack. I also live with the aftermath of 16 coronary artery stents and a quadruple bypass surgery. This book gives women with heart disease "peace of mind" and validates that you are not alone. While reading this book, you will catch yourself nodding and thinking, "This happened to me. That is where that feeling came from! Now I understand."

One of many messages emanating from this book is to take care of the mind-body-spirit connection: that it will promote healing and assist in living a healthy life. Every woman should be given this book before any heart procedure or surgery, to better understand what to expect emotionally and how to deal with their challenges.

Thank you, Kathy Kastan, for this wonderful book!

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. If you are a "survivor" like me or someone wanting/needing to provide compassionate support to a family member or friend, you want this book. Ms. Kastan provides facts, practical advice and emotional support. I constantly recommend this book to other survivors and health care professionals.

This book what not what I felt was a guide to living with heart disease. It gave me much more to worry about which I didn't need. And alot of the helpful information that is in this book you can get on the American Heart Association website. If you really want a great guide, read "TAKE A LOAD OFF YOUR HEART: 109 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT, HALT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE by Joseph C. Piscatella. This books is Great! and has just about everything you need to know to help empower you and take control of your health and life.

This book is all you really need to go to Alaska. If you are a fan of Frommers products you will not be dissapointed. It's a thorough and accurate overview of all the basics needed when planning an Alaskan getaway.

I received the 2008 edition for Christmas...
true to Frommer's form. Great "Best of Alaska"
and "Planning your Trip" chapters...good inter-
net links and current contact phone numbers.
Nice section of "Alaska in Depth."

What more can one say about Frommer? You can't, or shouldn't, take any trip without taking along Frommer's reviews/commentary, and what to see and do books. Our trip to Alaska was just fantastic, and the information provided in it on everything from travel by cruise ship, history and what land tours to take was outstanding. I purchased the book (and others like it) from Amazon, and they all arrived in a timely manner, and the "price was right".

This book has been very informative in helping us to select which cruise line, tours and offshore excursions we plan to take advantage of while in Alaska. I highly recommend reading this BEFORE BOOKING and taking it along as a guide on your trip. It gives insider tips you may not have thought about when planning a trip. JPB

Doing a road trip via Motor Home...great explanations of camp sites, fishing, etc. Very helpful for a first time visitor for sure!

This book is a must have for all women who aspire to succeed in any business. It contains numerous uplifting career advice from women in management - a definite guide in dealing with various issues in the work place. Very informative and inspiring; I could not put it down. Highly recommended!

Girls' Guide To Power & Success invites a contemplation and discussion of girls' roles in a male-dominated world, examining the characteristics of men and women and those which could help females become stronger in the business world. Tips are wide-ranging and include a variety of powerful insights.

Interesting and concise read. I enjoyed it but my only qualm is that there are various typos and grammatical errors in the book. Maybe I'm picky because I've done a lot of proofing in my profession but it was very annoying when I came across an error...

Author and consultant Susan Wilson Solovic tells how working women can be more effective in top positions and move up the career ladder. She highlights the differences between male and female styles and cites ways that women often sabotage themselves by showing weakness and a lack of confidence in how they speak and act. Using examples and diverse quotes, she illustrates what women should do to express the power they have, which is the key to being taken seriously as a leader. Solovic challenges many overly optimistic beliefs about how things have changed for women in the U.S. workforce and backs up her assertions with recent statistics and research. We [...] highly recommend this book, which provides a welcome strategic reminder that is clearly directed toward businesswomen - though why call them girls? Oh, that's a little irony from the author or, at least we hope so.

Susan Solovic's "The Girls' Guide to Power and Success" puts it right back in our laps. We have to make the changes in our expectations and behavior. She provides the motivation and the tools.

Little has changed in the last 50 years except that there are more women in titled positions. With these titles came no change in the lack of independence from male persuasion in decision making. We're still doing it their way.

Time for women to step up to the plate, read Solovic's book and march to our own drummers.

I recently purchased this book because I was going on vacation to Breckenridge, Colorado and could not find any decent trail maps on the web. The maps,mileage, and trail difficulty descriptions were accurate. I am looking forward to more excursions using this book as a guide.

A must have book if you are planning to 4-wheel or jeep these trails. Very helpful GPS waypoints included that can be used with your GPS to mark & find highlights along the trails.

My wife and I went on vacation in Colorado and rented a Hummer to drive around in. I took this guide with us and we went on several adventures with it! It is pretty good, though some details were lacking and some trails hard to find. Overall, a great guide to seeing some back country in CO!

This book is the best trail guide that I have been able to find. I use an ATV as most of the trails are open for ATV's. The descriptions of the trails and directions to navigate the trail have been excellent. The distances to the turn points have been accurate. Mr. Wells is now writing books especially for ATVs and I can't wait.

I've lived in Colorado since 1989 and have spent an unbelievable amount of time in the mountains here. I purchased the first edition of this book at a little gift shop at the top of Monarch Pass, gave it a permanent home in my Jeep, and I haven't looked back since. It's a fairly pricey book, but given the accuracy of the information contained within, not to mention the time and effort it takes to amass that information, it's worth every penny and then some. Mr. Wells has driven every trail personally, and the maps, presumably created from a fusion of USGS maps and personal observation are very clear and useful.

Apart from the individual trail guides, which are laid out cleverly using Colorado's ski slope difficulty symbols (green circle for easy, blue square for moderate, black diamond for difficult), there is a lucid and very in-depth introduction as well. This isn't a couple of hastily written paragraphs admonishing you to use caution and get out there and have fun, but rather a nearly 20-page essay on how to be a safe, conscientious, and well-informed backroad and trail driver. It's very useful and relevant information, thoughtfully and intelligently presented.

Bottom line: If you plan to explore Colorado's wonderful backroads and trails, buy this book, period. Give me this book, my GPS, camping supplies, food and drink, and my camera, and I could happily wander the Colorado Rockies in my Jeep for weeks!

A book every woman needs, especially if your journey is personal power development. It's not just the interviews that empower and connect us it's the authors thoughts which make this SUCH A GREAT BOOK.

I have found this book to be GREAT!, just what I need to tell my students. Very good bits of info that almost everyone can use. If you are a fighter even better, you don't have to get into scrape to learn this. I will recomond this title for all of my teachers and students.
toma the old one 4th Level Aikido Teacher and USAF-WR teacher and Canemaster teacher.

If there was ever a book that says "you can do it" this is it. The women were real and Fawn seemed to be able to bring out what is real in their lives. Women are women the world over and she shows that success doesn't always come easy but it can come to any and all with determination. Amazing stories and amazing women, the most exciting thing to me was the women are like almost every woman I know. Hope she writes something again soon. This book gave me a lot to think about and compass for my own path.

When Oprah told how inspiring this book was, I ordered it immediately. Thanks, Oprah. This is the most uplifting, powerful book you've turned me on to.

The author's human touch makes you a part of the experience of learning from such great women leaders. I truly felt like I could do ANYTHING after I read Hard Won Wisdom, and that's a good thing because my company is on the verge of layoffs. Fawn Germer's book reminds you that smart women survive and prevail in the toughest moments. This book changed so much about how I view myself and the possibilities that exist for me. You'll see.

I was given this book as a gift and wasn't intentionally reading it as a Self Help book. I found that I couldn't put it down, pulled out my high-lighter as I was reading it and started highlighting and starring as I read. Fawn didn't simply interview and tell a story. She wove the lives of these exceptional ecletic women telling of their trials and tribulations, their perserverence, and the outcome of their lives because of the choices they made during adversity as well as good times. The reader could easily identify with each concurring that we are the ones that are responsible for
following our own dreams. The dream may not become a reality but we are stronger and have grown from our efforts. This is a
great gift for friends of all ages as well as a perfect
graduation gift.

The young Hal and his instructor in the art of living the good life , Falstaff cavort through the first half of Henry IV as if life were going to be one long , irresponsible entertainment. The dramatic transformation of all of this , and Hal's casting off of Falstaff, and moving to kingly responsibility will come in the Henry IV Part II.
What is present here throughout is the tremendous richness of Shakespeare's imagination in his creation of character, and inventiveness in language , in his ability to create so many different moods and feelings.
'Falstaff' is one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, and one of the great figures in the Comedy of world literature.
Enjoy.

In Part One of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," the titular king tries to defend his throne from a rebel army led by the hotheaded Hotspur, who has a long list of grievances about the king's treatment of his family, the Percys. Hotspur has allied himself with several principal figures including his uncle the Earl of Worcester, his brother-in-law Mortimer the Earl of March, Lord Douglas the Scot, and Owen Glendower, a Welsh chieftain with a vivid mystical imagination -- he is so egotistical that he insists an earthquake that occurred the day of his birth was a divine proclamation of his importance -- and a desire to usurp all of Wales from the king.

While he is preparing for war against the rebels, Henry IV laments that his own son Henry (Hal), the Prince of Wales, is a shameful libertine living the high life in London and consorting with a gang of scurrilous miscreants. Indeed, Prince Hal's idea of fun is robbing people, and his best friend and accomplice in this activity is Sir John Falstaff, who turns out to be not Hal's peer but a middle-aged man. In a character transformation of an abruptness that can only be described as magical, Hal becomes a serious young man determined loyally to defend his father's kingship from Hotspur's assault after he receives an earnest lecture from his father about the dangers of acting irresponsibly as a public figure.

Not enough can be said about Falstaff, who is undoubtedly one of the most richly realized characters in literature. He is fat, lazy, cowardly, yet boastful, but not in the same way Owen Glendower is -- Owen really believes what he says; Falstaff is just trying to make himself look better than he actually is, but fools nobody because he prevaricates and embellishes without bothering to remember his previous lies for the sake of consistency. You probably know somebody like this in real life -- especially if you're ten years old. Falstaff's piquancy, in fact, so outweighs the stature of the other characters that his absence is sorely felt in the scenes in which he does not appear.

Most of all, Part One of "Henry IV" is a play of contrasts personified by Prince Hal and Hotspur, who incidentally is also named Henry. In their confrontation on the battlefield, it seems unlikely that Hal, who wasted many of his best days living as a rake, could conquer a seasoned warrior like Hotspur in a swordfight. But there wouldn't be much of a tale to tell if not to show Hal triumphing after his resolution to change his weak habits, and the play ends with the conviction that, despite his past mistakes, he would make a noble king himself.

This is the play where the Percy rebellion begins and centers around the Achilles-like Hotspur. Eventually, Hotspur (Henry Percy) and Prince Hal (Henry Monmouth - later Henry V) battle in single combat.

We also get to see the contrast between these young men in temperament and character. King Henry wishes his son were more like Hotspur. Prince Hal realizes his own weaknesses and seems to try to assure himself (and us) that when the time comes he will change and all his youthful foolishness will be forgotten. Wouldn't that be a luxury we wish we could all have afforded when we were young?

Of course, Prince Hal's guide through the world of the cutpurse and highwayman is the Lord of Misrule, the incomparable Falstaff. His wit and gut are featured in full. When Prince Hal and Poins double-cross Falstaff & company, the follow on scenes are funny, but full of consequence even into the next play.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

I am actually reviewing both Parts One and Two with this since they should be read together.The reason why I enjoyed these plays so much is because we see Falstaff in both of them. He is my favourite Shakespearean character - big, bawdy, rough, a liar and a cheat, but again we know what he is right from the beginning, and Shakespeare keeps him so true to character. These plays are a bit different from some of the other histories. There are more comedic parts in them for one thing. The plays are certainly used as a medium for introducing young Hal (who will become King Henry V). We see him as a young man, and watch him grow and see the influences that his society and the people in it have on his development. He doesn't appear to be growing up well according to his father because he is so irresponsible. King Henry IV was not England's strongest ruler. He was haunted by his guilt over the death of his predecessor, King Richard II. In Part Two, comedy still plays a big role, and we still see Falstaff's influence on young Hal until the shocking moment of Falstaff's death. The best part about Part Two though is the deathbed scene between old King Henry IV and his son Prince Henry. The play leads us to "King Henry V". Prince Hal does finally grow up and he becomes a very strong leader. Actually King Henry Iv, Parts one and two should be read before King Henry V. It is the correct sequence and we see Prince Hal grow and mature.

Henry IV remains one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, even though the tragedies and comedies get far more attention and seeming appreciation than do the histories. As an English major, I examined Henry's (Hal's) character, and I focused on his development from a somewhat foolhardy young man into a self-assured, even manipulative prince. It is hard to say which of these Hal truly is, or if he is a little bit of both.

At the beginning of the play, Hal spends his free time cavorting around with his friend Falstaff (who provides all of the laughs in the play and is cited as one of the best comic characters in all literature). In the first act we already see hints in Hal's sololiquy that he may not be as carefree as we are led to believe, and that he might betray friends like Falstaff to be the prince that he is expected to be. Read on in "Henry V" to see just how much of a polished politician Hal becomes--his battle cries and his "once more unto the breech, dear friends" is masterful in its persuasiveness and ability to induce his countrymen to fight.

Hotspur serves as a nice counterpoint to Hal in "Henry IV." Hotspur is the hothead and Hal makes his decisions calmly and rationally. This almost inhuman rationality comes into play again in "Henry V" and makes you long for the seemingly carefree Hal.

All in all, "Henry IV" is a great read and quite an interesting character study--I highly recommend it!

This book and the references it makes, particularly to websites, will give you accurate and fun information about getting to the highest point in each of the fifty states. There is useful general information about hking, and each of fifty descriptions is excellent. If you buy the book and join the club, you will have something to do on vacations for years to come.

This is the second copy I have purchased as a gift. Also I have one that was a gift to me. The book is outstanding for the hiker/traveler. My copy is dog-eared from all the attention it gets. It is well organized and accurate in its descriptions and directions.

After thru-hiking the AT, my wife decided she wanted to go to the highest point in at least the continimerous 48 states (plus Hawaii as a reward). I bought a membership to the Highpointers Club and a copy of this book. We've used it to summit 13 states so far including easy drive-ups like Florida and Arkansas as well as challenges like Colorado (second highest point in the lower-48) and New Mexico.

While the book isn't a detailed hiking guide, it does contain information that is absolutely necessary to reach certain highpoints, especially those on private property. Additionally, the book contains a list of local highlights and interesting sites to see.

P.S. Our favorite highpoint, so far, is Kansas' Mount Sunflower!

Highpointing is a great way to see all 50 states and get a little exercise (or a LOT of exercise in some cases), and this book is the perfect guide. I have climbed 22 Highpoints and own 4 Highpointing books. I would definitely consider this my favorite of the 4. I would still recommend owning more than one Highpointing book, but like I said, this is definitely my favorite. This one also seems to be the quickest revised and the best kept up to date. Though I suppose you can always get updates on highpointing very easily off of www.highpointers.org.

Excellent guidebook. Provides everything you need in a few concise pages for each "mountain": Location, directions, summary statistics and comparisons, maps, alternate routes, nearby attractions, and human interest. The hiking distance and vertical elevation charts for each route are instantly helpful. The absence of errors is truly amazing for a book category that is continuously travel directions, distances, and routing. This book is so reliable that I have occasionally gone into the backcountry without procuring the mandatory real map. I own many dozens of mountain guidebooks--this may be the best for quick lookup of needed information! It is even a very convenient page size for fitting into a day pack. The authors have made these journeys a much simpler task compared to the days of the Frank Ashley book.

like title states this book covers it all. whether your a student doing research or a concerned parent this book will make things much clearer. from how addictive drugs are to street names to statistics this book has it all.

I can't praise the author of this book highly enough. He has created a comprehensive, readable and thoroughly engaging reference including almost every drug found in society today. The bulleted notes found at the beginning of every chapter were some of the most helpful I have found; indicating risk factors, addiction potential, chemical makeup and street names. Antic dotes keep the subject matter fun and well-cited scientific facts lend credibility to the oft surprising statements. I wish the author had included a more extensive section on legal substances like alcohol, but it's a small issue in the face of all the other information included. A must read for anyone interested in drug culture or for parents seeking an informed point of view on the subject.

This is an excellent, informative book. The reviewer who said this book lacks cites is correct. Otherwise, it is money well spent.

Paul Gahlinger does an excellent job of finding "all" of the 178 or whatever number he says is the number of illegal drugs in (I guess) America. He readily admits that the war on drugs is not working, but then compliments the DEA on its extreme efforts to curve the war on them. This is a rather old subject of thought that has been updated time and time again. He is an MD from Utah, so remember that as you read. On many of the issues he raises he is correct, but on several he not. For example, he states that caffeine (on page 180) is "highly addictive, creating both physical and phychological dependence after as little as 100mg a day." Now, if that were true, most of my friends and I would be in the ER every other day!! Goodness. This is totally false and he knows it. Also in the book he includes the deaths of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe to get his point across that almost everything except water is not good for you-- or can be addicting. His data at times is two sentences, and his sources are questionable, because they are not listed. I must admit he covers just about any, and I do mean any substance that could used to make something illegal. But Dr. Gahlinger is missing the point. We also have outlawed murder, but it still happens. There are laws against theft, but people steal. I had a student tell me he gets stoned sniffing gasoline, so does the author want to outlaw gasoline also? The US laws are full of these draconian statutes which give the government unlimited power of seizure already. One legislator in congress said recently the US cannot afford to win the war on drugs because it has become too lucrative for the DEA and other governmental agencies. The author says knowledge is the only way to win the war on drugs..haven't we done DARE for 15 years now? It does NOT work. This is a very good text on the history of illegal drug use, but is a little weak on the pharmaceutical aspects or dynamics of how medications become addictive to human beings. Can anyone say the drug problems of the 70s are any better now, almost 40 years later? I do question some of his numbers and science, but as far as covering a subject matter, this is a fine addition to anyone's library. Just double check the numbers before using it as a reference. guyairey

Doesn't seem like a fact is missed inside this cherished masterpiece. If your a cop, corrections officer, medic, lawyer, everyone can stand to learn something from this book.