McDonald's Books

In 1974, after her parents' divorce, Julie moves to another part of San Francisco with her older sister Tracy and her artsy mom, who runs a shop called Gladrags. Though she's close to her sister and to her mother, Julie misses her father, her bunny, and her best friend, Ivy.

Shortly after Julie starts fourth grade at Jack London Elementary School, she learns that they don't have a basketball team for girls so she asks if she can join the boys' team. The coach initially refuses her request, but Julie sticks to her guns. She learns about Title IX and turns in a petition with 150 signatures on it. The coach still refuses to hear her out, so she works up the nerve to talk to her principal about the situation and earns a spot on the team. Later books in the series, such as Julie Tells Her Story, include basketball practice and games.

The Julie books are part of the American Girls line of books, which offer realistic glimpses into America's past through the eyes of young girls and furthermore encourage the girls of today to reach for the stars. With beautiful illustrations by Robert Hunt and a solid story by Megan McDonald, Meet Julie is a welcome addition to the American Girls library.

The woman who wrote these books, I have a sneaky suspision she's a liberal. She mentions in these books saving the earth, Bille Jean King, things that I don't think truly matter as historical value. I, as a person who loves history, was so disappointed by this series. I undersand the 70's was a dark period in our history, but I think this series could've been better or been about a different time.
Personally, I think it should've been done about Ivy Ling, Julie Albright's best friend. They've never done a collection about a Chinese American, it should've been about her. That would've been truly exciting. Overall, I disliked this series.

Ivy does count as an Asian character. She is just as important as Julie. They are best friends, and they mean the world to each other. Ivy is more than a best friend. She's like a sister. :)

In a world of broken-down, drug-addicted teen stars and pop princesses with tarnished crowns, it is refreshing to read a book about a young girl with strong moral fortitude and solid goals.

Julie Albright, the latest American Girl, is a ten year old girl living in 1970s San Francisco. In the first book, Meet Julie, we learn that her parents have recently divorced, forcing Julie and her sister to move away from their friends, father, and family home. We also learn that Julie is a quietly determined girl who cares deeply about those near to her and the issues that are dear to her.

Why I love Meet Julie:
This book tells the story of a compassionate, intelligent young girl living in a time of great change, yet it never preaches or attempts to make the reader feel guilty. I love that American Girl seems to be committed to addressing the concerns of young women living in the world today by giving them identifiable characters who are faced with similar challenges. It's not enough to tell a young girl that she should have goals and stay out of trouble. I love that American Girl, with these Julie books, actually shows girls how they can stay out of trouble by caring about something greater than themselves. In a world of sad, broken-down Britney's and troubled, unlovely Lyndsey's, it's nice to have a Julie to introduce my daughter to!

All of Julie Albirhgt's stories were a good addition to the AG's collection. They really keep your attention the whole way. However, I do feel that the 70s is to recent to be called Historical. I also feel irritated that it is yet another blonde in the AG. There still isn't an Asian historical, and Ivy dosen't count considering she's just a BF doll. The MAIN girls get more attention. This girl reminds me too much of other American Girls. We need more diversity besides the series of blondes they decided to release this year.

Great book for anyone even remotely considering getting an RV. Tells all the ins and outs of living and traveling in an RV.

As new owners of an RV, I ordered this book to perhaps give us a few hints. Well it surpassed all my expectations and both my husband and I devoured the book. It offers practical and insighful help into Life on the Road for all Rvers.
Wonderful book.

RV LIVING IN THE 21ST CENTURY by Peggi and John McDonald is an excellent publication and a MUST for ALL RVers - from those new to the RV lifestyle to seasoned RVers. The book is organized by chapters which guide you through buying an RV or camper to where to stay, how to pack, what to purchase for multiple uses, how to add storage and organize, and many many more tips. The authors are well qualified for writing this and their other books listed below. They have spent years living in their RV six months in Canada and six months in the United States each year. They are also authors of 'SPIRIT OF THE OPEN ROAD and RV PACKING TIPS and RV LIFE LESSONS and EASY LIVING HINGS and RV TRAVEL TO CANADA E-BOOK.
Although we have been RV-ers for 30 years, we learned a lot from these EXCELLENT books. A very good investment for life on the road...whether for short or long stints. Highly recommended!

The author sounds like a nice enough person, but I did not buy the book to learn about her personal life. I was looking for something of a more technical nature to help me decide on what sort of RV I wanted. This book was not it. This is more of a Travels With Charlie type of book. The author is Canadian and a lot of the information has to do with Canadian laws. The photos are amateur photography in black and white and they are fuzzy and indistinct. At times I could not make out what the photos were attempting to show me. She'd be writing about how cute they had fixed up the interior of the RV and there would be this picture of fuzzy something-or-other.

For anyone considering or experiencing the RV lifestyle, this book is a wide-ranging tour of things you need to know. Peggi McDonald, a Canadian with extensive (20 years on the road) RV knowledge; been there, done that. She shares the kind of information and advice that enable people to build their competence and confidence as pat-time or full-time RVers.

The book is written in a conversational style, rather than technical. It's easy to understand, appreciate, and absorb. The pages are filled with tips that will reduce ignorance and risk for experienced people, as well as for the newbie. Everyone can learn from the depth and breadth of the insight shared by the author.

This book was written by a Canadian who travels in the United States and Canada. Readers will benefit from the multi-national perspective she brings to the subject. Her writing is seasoned with personal stories that illuminate her points and express the human side of this lifestyle. It's a welcome counterbalance to all the do-this-and-do-that advice that is essential in this kind of a guide.

Readers will gain valuable knowledge about the RV world, life on the road, protection of life and property, full-timing, and communication. If you make a list of all the questions you might have-before you read the book, you'll discover that most of your concerns will be addressed as you work your way through this resource.

Great learning opportunity...and gift for people considering this increasingly popular lifestyle.

The Battle of the Somme is one of the most famous battles in history, and one that changed nothing. July 1, 1916 was the day that 20,000 British soldiers went over the top and were killed or simply ceased to exist. That was only the first day. The battle went on periodically for several more months with thousands more sentenced to death by their superiors and the terrain. This is another excellent history of WWI but much of what is shared comes from those who were there. Knowing how fruitless this battle was makes for heartbreaking reading, but it is important that the sacrifice of the British forces be honored.

Havin read "The Somme: Heroism and Horror in the First World War" by Martin Gilbert, "The Somme" by Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson, and "The Somme" by Lyn MacDonald, I found MacDonald's book to be the best of the three.

While Gilbert's book is a general history which provides a broad overview of the battle, it is not able to convey the movement of the battle. MacDonald's use of maps, as well as her step by step approach in describing battle is much easier to follow.

In addition, MacDonald lavishes the book with detailed accounts by survivors. It is not a rarity to find entire paragraphs, rather than sentence long quotes, taken directly from the individual soldier's words. This is incredibly welcome as it gives the reader a better understanding of what actually happened on the ground.

Prior and Wilson's book is great if one is interested in tactics. In addition, their book debunks several Somme myths which I will not go into here. Yet their work does not bring the reader into the lives of the troops or their experience outside of citing casualties.

MacDonald's book describes the establishment of the "Pals" battalions, their training and their general experience prior to the battle. In addition, she also discusses the role of the ANZAC on the Somme and gives an excellent account of their history from Galipoli to their attack on Pozieres.

While Wilson and Prior focus on tactics, Gilbert vacillates between tactics, general history and the soldier's own experiences. Wilson and Prior succeed in showing the immense planning, terrible cost and miscalculations of the battle, but fail to craft an comprehensive narrative.

While touching with its poetry and its frequent, tragic recitation of "he is listed on the Thiepval memorial," or "he is listed on the Gommecourt memorial," Gilbert's book does not make the battle more comprehensible.

MacDonald on the other hand gives a wonderful start to finish narrative of the battle in which she uses the survivor's own words to draw the reader in. In addition, MacDonald also discusses a variety of different roles from the soldiers to the Pioneer battalions to wireless operators.

Overall, while each book is worthwhile in its own right, MacDonald's is the best read for both the amateur and the historian alike.

I found this book very impressive. It is not so much about strategy, but it is about how the soldiers fought and endured these masacres. This is one of the very few books on the first world war,where one can really get to know how this was for the men who fought it. How they suffered, and felt afraid. How they tried to stay alive and coped with these terrible terrible experiences. It is a very sad and intense book, but an important rememberance of all those young men dying in the dirt.

Few battles are as seared into the British historical consciousness as the battle of the Somme, the months-long offensive against the German trenches during the First World War. There the newly-trained divisions of "Kitchener's Army" suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties, all for advances that were often measured in yards. It was a baptism of blood, one that often depopulated villages back home of an entire generation of young men and left an indelible impression on the minds of its survivors.

Lyn Macdonald's book is a chronicle of the battle from the viewpoint of the British soldier. She begins by describing how so many of the soldiers came to be on the Somme battlefield, through their recruitment into the ranks in the weeks and months that followed the outbreak of the war. Many of them joined in groups, retaining a collective identity from their civilian life even after they put on the uniform. From there she details the meticulous preparations for the offensive, the training and planning that went into preparing these soldiers for a battle that its planners believed would break through the German lines and pave the way for victory.

The confident expectations were little match for the horrors of trench warfare, however. Instead of a dramatic breakthrough the British "Tommys" faced unrelenting slaughter, struggling to even make modest gains on the battlefield. In the weeks that followed the initial assault, the British high command threw division after division into the battle, hoping to achieve progress. Throughout each of these efforts, Macdonald captures the experience of combat - the dusty marches, the gory advances, and the reaction of the survivors to their experience. Such struggles continue, over and over, until the offensive petered out in mid-November, with Kitchener's Army all but spent as a fighting force.

Throughout the book Macdonald writes of the battle in gripping prose, supplemented throughout by a generous use of quotes from interviews with veterans who survived the battle. Together it combines to recount the experience in a manner that grabs the reader's attention, focusing it on the experience of the ordinary soldier and never letting go. Oftentimes the engagements can blur together; while this can make it difficult to distinguish one battle form another, it conveys something of the grinding nature of warfare on the Western Front. The broader strategy is also subordinated, something that further reflects the perspective of the average Tommy, who was unable to look past the enemy trenches. A more glaring absence, however, is the German side. While largely excluding the views and experiences of German soldiers helps to define them as the nameless, faceless "Jerries" that many British soldiers viewed them to be, it deprives readers of a valuable perspective of the battle, with the ability to establish just how unique the British experience was.

These criticisms should not deter readers seeking to understand the battle of the Somme. Macdonald's book is an engaging account of this seminal battle, one that engages its reader throughout the months of struggle and slaughter chronicled within its pages. It is unlikely to be bettered for the drama of its narrative, or for its ability to relate the battle as how the thousands of Tommys fought it - a valuable perspective that gives identity to the soldiers who are often reduced to mere numbers in all too many accounts.

Ian McDonald apparently developed a passion for WWI somewhere along the way. Her other works - 1914, THEY CALLED IT PASSCHENDAELE, THE ROSES OF NO MAN'S LAND - along with this one form a tetralogy of points of view. WWI has long interested scholars in its possiblities and implications. By any measure, Germany, the strongest power, should have won. This would have taken care of Hitler, finessed Marxism and maintained the status quo of related royal rulers. Instead it was a prelude to a conflict that dwarfed the first war in every way imaginable.

The author provides us with testimony from witnesses and participants. Therefore we visit battlefields, nursing homes and churches. We hear the ribald military humor and experience the hell of war. The social context - politics, manners, the mood and demeanor of the people - all of this is presented with humor, clarity and verve. This is a testament to a time that ended a civilization that was the freest in the history of the world. The liberal (classical, not modern) idea of education, civility, honor, duty and country would soon give way to darker and more "modern" themes. These are hinted at throughout as even the common soldier realizes that the world is changed forever. Photographs, maps and drawings are included.

Great way to record what's happening in your book world.
Recommend to all serious readers.

I like the book and the layout. It's simple and has space for store numbers, addresses, book club stuff if you're into that and lots of space, alphabetically, for books. Really my only complaint is that there isn't more room for notes for each book. You can fit lots of titles but are better off keeping only brief notes or questions in the journal and longer notes perhaps tucked inside on a separate sheet of paper... of course that means you're taking notes and if not then it's a great solution! Again, good format, clean, simple appearance. I like it much better than most I've seen because it is more than just a lined journal. It's nicely organized and intuitive.

I had been searching for a book organizer for some time, withoug much success.

I am quite happy with my find on Amazon. This BookNotes is practical, efficient and lightweight. I mention the weight issue because I intended to carry this book with me everywhere and did not, therefore, want it to be a burden.

The sections are: Tracking system for books loaned (could have done without this), Book Notes (to me the most valuable part of this book - they could have added a few more pages to this section), Notes to Myself (always helpful)and numbers of note.

Nice clear printing (large letters) and wonderful quotations on books can be found throughout.

Excellent purchase.

What I like about this book (the best, in my view of the three titles I bought recently) is that it allows me both to keep a list of books I want to read by author (I love particular authors) and by subject. What is more is that the books can be entered alphabetically by author - a book to those of thus who remember the author better than the title.

On the minus side, there is that pesky section on reading groups that I really don't need. And I could wish that this title came in a spiral version which would make it easier to lay flat, or that there was a way to index all the titles I read at the back of the book (at present I would be limited to indexing the books by author) either by title or by the order in which I read them. I am rating this a 4.5 simply because of some minor inconveniences.

On the other hand, it is nicely presented (even if a paperback) and it is the most suitable for a young reader. A children's version of this would be great (with illustrations picked from children's classics, or more color to the illustration, and slightly larger print).

To be honest, my ideal reader's diary would be a bit more like a Day-Planner, which would allow me to stuff up the diary in the two or three sections that I use most. But for my purposes, this BookNotes is the best value and the most satisfactory.

I've only had a chanced to browse this "book" and it seems to be one that can be very valuable over the years as another reviewer notes. I'm ordering mine today! Go to your local bookstore and check it out. It will make a lot more sense then. But...buy it here otherwise these folks will not post this review.

I'm not a great chess player, but I'm a pretty good one and own about 50 books on the game. I have reveiwed a number of chess books on Amazon and I still enjoy playing the game very much.

Although I am not a beginner, I think this is a useful book for beginners and intermediates because it will provide you with the framework you need to build on as you learn. How high you can build a building depends upon the strength of the foundation. What this book provides is a broad intellectual framework to build your openings strategies on. It will help you learn about traps, different lines of development and tactics more quickly by providing a strong foundation in the most common openings.

While there are some people that can digest a lot of this material quickly, I am not one of them. Although I've been playing chess for years having an easily digestible collection of openings and an understanding of the logic behind them makes learning more advanced aspects of play easier. It can be very overwhelming to a beginner or anyone to navigate this territory without a good high level map. This is the way I think of this book and I wouldn't think of NOT owning it although I have many other books on this topic.

Este libro a pesar de su tamaño, contiene valiosa información para quien desee saber mas acerca de aperturas de ajedrez. Por supuesto, deja muchas líneas sin cubrir, pero ello debido a su objetivo de ser una guía rápida, fantástica para el principiante. Sugiero que si quedan dudas acerca de alguna línea, se consulten otras fuentes (libros, programas de ajedrez, bases de datos), y se pregunte a personas con mayor conociemiento de estas líneas. Es interesante que este libro sea valioso por ello, pues provoca curiosidad por saber más de cierta línea y motiva la investigación.

This is an interesting book. It gives you the ideas of the openings, much more so than theory-laden books, and it is also quite small. The detail here is not great, but it's certainly an interesting book.

My problem is what is it useful for. I can only guess based on its physical size that you are intended to take it with you to tournaments to help review your games when they are over, but yet the detail of the game is not really sufficient, and nco or mco seem like they would be better suited for this task.

This is almost a cheat sheet more than a book. Truly a "pocket guide"...you can actually fit this easily in your pocket, this book has all the biggie openings, clearly explained, with lots of diagrams. Obviously it's for beginner-intermediate players and doesn't go into great depth, but like Fine's Ideas Behind The Chess Openings, it tells you why each side is making the moves they are and how the attacks will proceed after the opening is played. Great to have at your elbow if you're playing a computer with its preprgrammed book and you need a hint. Or, if you're trying to learn the nuts and bolts of basic openings, the author has a helpful technique: after giving the basic moves, he asks "What is White trying to accomplish?" and "What is Black trying to accomplish?" Before getting into long variations, he gives you *verbal* discussions of what you can expect, i.e.: "White will attack the kingside with his king's bishop, king's knight and queen; on the queenside he'll advance his pawns and try to prevent Black's knight from establishing a post on c5." That sort of verbal overview makes the ensuing moves a lot clearer, and certainly make more sense than the typical "d4, Nc6, Bd3, a6, o-o, o-o, Bb5, Pxe5, Pxe5, and White is superior," that you see in so many books that profess to "teach" chess.

My only slight complaint is the book could be even a little longer. Some more modern openings could have been dealt with a little more thoroughly and the English--not a "modern" opening, is rather slighted. Another 30-40 pages wouldn't have made the book much less manageable and would have been very useful. My other reservation is the price: a bit high. Look for it used or overstock; by now there should be plenty of copies floating around.

This is a book well suited for a beginner who just wants a general idea of what the major chess openings are. It is certainly not "concise". If you are a beginner and want to look into the various openings and want some very general ideas and not a lot of tedious variations, then this is a good book. Though I like the more detailed book of this same nature, "Understanding The Chess Openings" by Collins, and would recommend to gain a grasp of opening tactcis getting a book on opening traps - a book on opening traps will give you a good idea of the strong points and pitfalls within the openings.

A sure road to success involves two things: find out, once and for all, just what you are really good at, then find the right fit between you and your job. That's what this book is all about.

Few people think like this because of what the authors call The Lemming Conspiracy. People are supposed to work 60 or 70 hour weeks in some office building, because their worth as a human being is defined by their job title, and the number of zero's in their bank account. Anyone who is not on the "fast track," thinking of little beyond that next promotion, must be morally deficient. Liking your job, or feeling fulfilled, or having time for your family, is irrelevant; work is supposed to come first. Sound familiar?

Most books of this type look at just one or two areas, like interests, or goals, or hardwired abilities, to decide what is the "right" sort of job for an individual. This book explores eight different areas, with thought exercises throughout, so the reader can be pointed in the right direction.

Does the answer to a problem suddenly pop into your head, or are you more of a methodical, step-by-step type? Can you handle people coming to you with problems or questions on a non-stop basis, all day? Introvert or extrovert? Specialist or generalist? What is most important to you; family, health, excitement, spiritual fulfillment, etc? How much time per day do you spend doing what's most important to you? What sort of family did you grow up in? What sort of personal boundaries would you like to set up regarding your job (no more late nights, no more weekends, etc.)? What is your boss likely to accept?

Many books are available attempting to help the reader find the sort of occupation that is best for them. This one belongs at, or near, the top of the list. It will get the reader looking at themselves in a whole new way.

Great book. Didnt want to put it down!! These two quys figured my out, read me like a book! Im ready for success

This book is for people serious about gaining more self-awareness of their own abilities. I say that because there are lots of principles and ideas shared in this book, but one of the most valuable parts of it are the thought experiments in every chapter which guide you toward personal application of the principles. When you buy this book, get a notebook or journal to go along with it. That will greatly increase the value of the concepts.

The authors have crafted what they call the Personal Vision Process, made up of eight components: your natural talents and abilities, skills and life experience, interests, personality, values, goals, family history, and your stage of life development. It is a very comprehensive model and draws on solid work in developmental psychology.

I think the previous review was off-base that called into question the authors' work. It's clear they have done their homework, and if you're looking for career direction, don't you want a guide that is fairly optimistic and supportive?

The authors have developed a CD called the Highlands Ability Battery that profiles your own ability pattern. I purchased this separately and completed the process. It was very helpful to do this with a trained consultant. The book has a self-assessment in it that you can complete, but I found the personal feedback from the consultant much more nuanced and customized to me.

Back to my first statement: this book is for those serious about gaining self-awareness of their abilities and setting their life/career direction. Except for the few rugged individualists, you will benefit most from working through the book with a friend, career counselor, coach, or a group that is providing support. For those seeking life direction, this is one of the best processes I've seen.

This book falls squarely in the self-help book genre and has all of the usual oversimplifications. One is urged to shed the various nefarious social systems which have operated on one since birth causing untold Stress, to find one's True Self, and to return to those very systems, mostly family and work, a new recharged and in-charge person. According to the authors, most simply need to go through a self-assessment process and thought experiments to reveal Personal Visions for the future.

Nowhere in the book do the authors discuss the power dynamics of the broader economy, society, and the polity and the impacts on persons. Managers are depicted not as powerful players in organizations who demand adherence to rules but as employee allies who want you to achieve your self-defined goals. Perhaps the authors could have reflected on the reason that labor unions formed. Or perhaps they could have pondered as to why social-democratic political parties exist in most democratic societies. The answer is most certainly not that corporations are interested in your True Self. Try the fact that workers and citizens need help against powerful players.

The authors operate a company that sells Whole Person Technology out of which comes a Personal Vision. Their customers are mostly large corporations which only adds suspicion about whom is to benefit. In fact, most of their individual customers seem to find happiness where they were previously unhappy. How convenient. For the readers of this book a battery of tests is available on CD for the tidy sum. The book has an unmistakable feel of being a promo for their self-help products.

In addition, the book is clearly intended for professionals, executives, managers, knowledge workers, etc. The book is loaded with snippets of case studies of such workers. Of course, they all found their Personal Vision. Apparently blue-collar workers don't have near the need to find a True Self.

Is the book completely bogus. No. It is Briggs-Myers on the cheap. Yes, distinctions between introversion and extroversion, specialization and generalization, logical and spontaneous, etc are minimally presented. If someone was hopelessly in the wrong job, perhaps that would be seen by reading this book ignoring the question of how he or she got there in the first place. But the book greatly oversimplifies the ability of individuals to make major transformations in their lives. I suspect that for most the costs and risks, resources and information available, and the power to affect change make real changes nearly impossible. And books that oversimplify the problems do not help.

Genre: Self Help/business
Title: Don't Waste your Talent - The 8 Critical Steps to Discovering What You Do Best
AUTHOR: Bob McDonald, PH.D. and Don E. Hutcheson
This book is about identifying and using your talents. It is about The Highlands Program and The Highlands Personal Vision Factors-the structure and process we developed because we believe that people deserve to be on higher ground in their lives and careers.
From Introduction.
Do you want to use all of your potential in your career and your life? Do you feel that you are in a dead end job with nowhere to go? Does your work make you happy or unfulfilled? If you have asked yourself any of these questions, this is the book for you.
The first three chapters deal with The Lemming Conspiracy, the Stress Cycle/Balance Cycle and career/life expanding development over your entire lifespan from age 17-85+. The book discusses natural "Turning Points" that all of us experience. It teaches that with the use of the Personal Vision Factors to compose and begin your own Personal Vision or holistic map, you too can live life to the fullest.
Filled with actual true-life examples, readers move from chapter to chapter in a concise and methodical way, which enriches the experience. Turning points are discussed in depth, next we learn to identify our "hard wired" talents and assets, chapter 5 brings skills, personality and interests into the equation and finally values and goals. From here we learn about systems that have affected our lives such as the "Family of Origin" system, and the "Office System", etc and then how to create personal boundaries. After each chapter there is a Thought Experiment, which helps the reader move through the various stages. All that is required is a 50- page notebook and a lot of honesty and soul searching.
Well presented, easy to follow and comprehensive this reviewer was fascinated with the entire process of preparing the Personal Vision. An excellent tool for employees, corporations, students and even retirees, this book offers us a chance to change our world and how we live our lives for the better. Parents would be advised to give a copy to their children in order to help them make future choices.
Readers can order the Highlands Ability Battery from the author's website which works hand in hand with the book. Authors Bob McDonald, Don Hutcheson and second edition contributions by Lazar Emanuel and Thomas Tavantzis have produced an insightful and valuable tool for everyone regardless of age or career status.
Highly Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.

Ibsen's observation fits the too short Ufological career of this exemplary and brilliant American scientist perfectly.

Beset on all sides by the petty trolls of indifference, ineptitude, distortion, mendacity, intellectual sloth, opportunism - and even his own stubbornness - Dr. McDonald still managed to make an impressive contribution to science.

Absolutely essential reading is his 60-odd page presentation to the House of Representatives during the July 1968 Symposium on UFOs, fascinatingly concise, vigorous and thorough summaries of
numerous sightings. If only he had written the book that he had been planning to during the last years of his life.
Before the deceitful, conspiring trolls brought him down.

Which leads me to Ann Druffel's effort. As long overdue and greatly anticipated as this book was, I regret that I cannot be more appreciative of the end result.

Major observations:
Granted this is not strictly a biography of a singular person but rather a study of the life and times, focusing on "the McDonald years" of 1965 to 1971, and its related events. Nonetheless, even the most devoted reader's attention is soon dulled by what is decidely too much of a good thing. The density of peripheral persons, committees, case studies, bureaucratic furbelows, trips here, memos there, on and on...
Well, you get the picture. Unfortunately, you begin to lose sight of the man amongst so many less than relevant explanations and elaborations. I think Ann Druffel suffered from the same obsessive overload that helped contribute to Dr. McDonald's downfall. If her book was half as long I am certain it would read twice as well. An editorial job definitely lacking here.

Some minor observations:
I find the metaphor of Firestorm less than appropriate as a title for this book. Likewise, the background photo of a forest fire in the cover design will likely lend itself only to confusion for the casually interested potential reader. Again, not the wisest editorial choice.
Likewise, I must object to the selection of Dr. Vallee in providing a foreword. Considering the overuse of his opinions -
particularly in constantly defensive last word of Dr. Hynek's trollishness - his presence at the outset seems inapt, to say the least.

In any case, I do recommend your reading this book. But I would strongly suggest that you skim through much of its heavily larded chapters in order to discover the exceptional man and brilliant scientist that has for far too long been overlooked.

First and foremost- at the risk of being accused of narrow mindness and most assuredly,politically incorrect(of which I am somewhat proud), I give this book top rating. If it appears dull or repetitous, that is what true science appears to the layman-however, in the end, it will all come together with a drum roll and clash of cymbals. In what is trully a sad ending to a great scientist's life-Dr.McDonald-(due to his trusting nature)-never lived to hear that drum roll or cymball crash. His belief that true science should trump all detractors-and his realization,finally, that it wouldn't, was more than he could bear. A great loss for the field of atmospheric research.

After thirty some years as an occasional UFO investigator I had essentially set the subject aside and even stopped buying books on the subject. When Druffel's exhaustive analysis of Dr. McDonalds private papers came to light I knew I had to buy this one last book on UFO's. It is a fascinating read for anyone who followed alongside at a great distance the events chronicled here. At last an inside look at what happened during an all too brief episode in UFO investigation history. What troubles me is the sense that McDonalds great scientific knowledge, insight, and judgement makes no difference in the world at large. His ongoing disagreements with Dr. Hynek spotlight the political reality that you just are better off keeping unpopular opinions to yourself. McDonald believed in the power of science as a rational technique for prying the truth out of nature; that even the force of "political correctness" would fall under the persistent weight of a scientific approach. As druffel's book documents, Hynek disagreed and maintained his scientific standing by not rocking the boat. There is a dark, ominous cloud hanging over 'Firestorm', the knowledge that McDonald eventually killed himself. I deliberately read slowly, savoring each sentence, almost trying to avoid getting to the end. This is not just another UFO book, it's about a lot more than that and I wish there were a way to gain it a wider audience. Don't read it looking for some cheap new UFO thrill, instead read it to stand witness to a remarkable mind and his incredible fight with the intellectual community at large.

This is a detailed review of one scientist's fight to try to impart objectivity into the UFO question. This book is quite objectively written without either a pro or negative UFO viewpoint. It is a long read but well worth the effort.

Firestorm: Dr. James E. McDonald's Fight For UFO Science is the amazing biography by Ann Druffel of a man who crusaded and nearly accomplished the critical scrutiny of UFOs through the eyes of mainstream scientific inquiry. Delving into the world of political manipulations and trade-off deals, as well as outlining the immense effort involved in getting people merely to take notice, Firestorm is a fascinating life study which is most especially recommended reading for any UFO Studies enthusiast.

While the story is atypical and refreshing in portraying a young female character who appreciates rather than fears insects, the artist's interpretation is trite and unimaginative. Amanda Frankenstein, decidedly plain and bespeckled, reinforces the stereotypical image of the "nerdy" scientist (entomologist).

My little girl is afraid of bugs. She loved this book--it introduced her to the idea that insects are interesting, and that it is okay to be really really excited about the world. A positive, funny and informative book.

I guess I am partial about liking this book. The reason is that I am the mother of the Amanda Frankenstein, whose name was used in this book. When the "real" Amanda was young, she too liked bugs. I thoroughly enjoy sharing this book with the students at my school where I teach. The students love the story and that my daughter's name is in the book. It is a special book to my family and I as well. Mrs. McDonald wrote a cute story showing how girls can like bugs and things of nature. She also showed how students can meet others who share similar likes.

My mom asked me to read it since she thought it was a great book. I did. And I like it. Amanda looks like any nerd in school, but she is actually really smart and cool.
She is smart because she knows everything about bugs, most of them in the story that I have never heard of. I would say she is an Einstein in the field of insects! I bet it takes a lot of hard work and a strong passion to be able to learn so much.
Amanda is cool too. Nobody tries to understand her. However, she never gives up her passion even though she often gets herself into troubles for it. That's what a real hero is about.
Well, I am glad that hero is not always lonely. At the end of the story, Amanda finally finds a bosom friend that shares the same passion with her. I like the happy ending!

My grandaughter (age 4 and a half) loves this story. All of us have felt a little at-odds with the world at times and Amanda Frankenstein is no exception. She is a strong heroine with a passion for insects. She is a "toughie" - she can jump from 3 stairs while wearing her butterfly wings and stand up to teasing in school. She is a resiliant and likeable little girl who eventually meets up with another whose passion is reptiles. I would definately check-out any offerings by this author.

This is a wonderful little book that will help you memorize verbs fast and relatively painlessly. The words are printed in a large font and arranged 3 to a page. My only gripe is that I wish it would include the kanji --- but since the layout is so spacious, Ive pencilled in kanji and "te" conjugations myself. Give yourself an edge and buy now!

I never write reviews, but i think i should on this one. i love this book! i was looking for a way to learn a lot of verbs and adjectives quickly and this book is perfect for that. you still need to learn the conjugations on your own, but this will save you a lot of time because you will recall them easily and they will stick with you because of the odd memory mnemonics given. it's a thousand times better than rote memorization alone. definately a book to have in your japanese learning collection. I am recommending it to all my friends who want to learn japanese. I have been studying japanese for 3 yrs and will be moving there this year and it has helped me a great deal, so i recommend it highly in helping intermediate, advanced and it will give the beginning student a running start. Ganbatte!

i recommend to buy this wonderful book. It helped me learn all the verbs in a few weeks.. I like the image and sentences to remember. He is a great instructor in constructivism.. As a foreign languages teacher, I recommend to buy this book.

This book really helped me to learn japanese verbs. They can be very tricky to understand, and keep them all straight. Using simple memory techniques, through some memorable, (and sometimes funny) sentences, this book helped to trigger the verbs. When I lived in Japan, I found myself constantly using these triggers to engage in simple conversation. (I am still at a beginner's level, but now I can talk about more than train schedules and washroom locations.)

A previous reviewer commented on just a few examples. It's true, not all examples are great, some are vague or really reaching. But overall the memory tricks are good. Some of my favorites are #213 Manzoku suru - to be satisfied (trigger: any Manz Ok). #101 Suu - to suck in, inhale (trigger: suuuck in the smoke). #64 Miru - to see (trigger: see yourself in the Mirror). My favorite is #159 Handan suru - to judge (trigger: the judge will hand down a verdict).

Yea they are a stretch, but the key is to really imagine it as you say it over and over. I can't forget Suu, Manzoku, and Handan because they are so simple and creative. I can see a judge handing down a verdict and I think of Han dan.

Some people don't think like this and those types of people probably won't enjoy the book. I like art and creative things and these tricks are, for the most part, really easy to remember.

Loved the book - cover to cover. The pictures are great too. Anyone interested in the Indianapolis area, especially it's beginnings, would do well to buy this book. I have actually purchased 5 additional books to give as Christmas gifts!

Lost Indianapolis contains a history of eleven aspects of the city. Loaded with photos mostly from the Indiana Historical Society, it really brings home the feel of life in Indianapolis way back when. Unfortunately, as one other reviewer noticed, the book is chock full of grammatical and typographical errors, which make it somewhat painful to read. Hoosiers are already known for having an exceptionally poor education system, and this book will not lead anyone to believe differently. Definitely worth reading, but not worth the price, as it leaves much of the city's history unexplored and unaccounted for.

I truly enjoyed the concept of this book. I agree with the previous reviewer that the photographs are exceptional in that they often depict the history of a subject as well as the present.

I am quite disappointed, however, in the editing (or lack thereof) of the book. It appears that the manuscript was put together in haste. The editor and/or the publisher really fell short of their job.

Because I was born, and still live in Indianapolis - and my family history began in this city around 1850 - I looked forward to reading each of the chapters. Unfortunately, the frequent grammatical and typographical errors really distracted from the content. If the work had been edited, it would have a home among other treasures on my bookshelf. It is sad, however, that I would be expected to pay even Amazon's discounted price for a piece that could have truly been a treasure - if someone had just taken the time to edit it.

I grew up in Indianapolis and really enjoyed reading about all of the things that have gone away since I was a little kid. I used to love Burger Chef, and the downtown Ayres store. I remember the Riverside Amusement Park sitting closed there for years when we would pass it going out to the Speedway.

The author also has a webpage called "Lost Indiana" which talks about some of the Lost Indy topics, but also some other neat sites in the rest of the state. You could google this to find it.

Thanks to all who have made this book one of the best selling titles on Indianapolis. I had a great time writing it, and am working on a couple of follow-on projects, including one specifically about Burger Chef - so send me mail at webmaster@lostindiana.net if you have stories about Burger Chef to share.

About the editing - there is a major typographical error in the book, in that "Ayres" is spelled incorrectly several times. There are also a couple of other editing errors.

What happened? Very simply the final edited version was not the one printed! Though a mixup with the publisher, one of the pre-edited versions was actually printed.

The good news: the next printing of the book has the errors corrected. This is especially good news for those who buy the book now, because you'll have the "first edition", a real collector's item. :)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.