News and Media Books

We purchased this for my 11 month old son for Christmas and he loved it! The colors are extremely vivid with shiny foil on different objects. It is a cute story about buying and wrapping chrsitmas presents, decorating the tree, etc. It names each item under the flap. It is very sturdy and my son is 18 months and still constantly asks for this book. Worth the price.

Clifford is one of our toddler's favorites, and this holiday book is packed with all the surprises that Christmas brings. Clifford and Emily Elizabeth go shopping for gifts for the entire family and your little one can peek under each flap to discover the presents one by one. The pages are large and sturdy, and the colors are brilliant and eye catching. This is a definite holiday keeper!

There is no better source than the CLMP for publishing literary work. I have used it since 2001. The information is accurate and up to date, and every serious writer should own a copy, a new copy, each year.

I highly recommend this book.

---Reviewed by Dayne Sherman,
Author of a novel, Welcome to the Fallen Paradise

This Directory is a great resource for any serious creative writer - certainly it's a great addition to this poet's reference shelf. It presents listings for LITERARY publications, weeding out commercial places that prefer rhyming jingles to sestinas so my time isn't wasted pawing through pages of inappropriate nonsense. Good information including how each publication is distributed and when the reading periods are is very helpful. I also find the various indices useful for finding information quickly. The online journals also listed in the Directory are another great resource... highly recommended!

McChesney is one of America's top proponents of media reform and one of our most accomplished communications researchers. This book is a crucial consolidation for those familiar with his previous works, but is only about half-relevant for the informed layperson or active citizen concerned about media reform issues. As a budding academic in the same field as McChesney, I award this book a perfect rating because it speaks directly to my personal interests and I am familiar with the subject matter. But there is an issue with this book's introduction, in which McChesney states that his intention is to speak to both academics and concerned citizens, calling for the elimination of barriers between the two groups.

Only about the second half of the book performs this task, while the first half is all academia and will likely be a turn-off to much of the intended readership. In the first half, McChesney provides a critical review of the field of communications research, interspersed with his own academic biography, and this is probably only of interest to those working in the field and familiar with McChesney's previous works. With that being said, I fully agree with McChesney's call for communications researchers to move away from esoteric quantitative experimentation and obtuse postmodern theorizing, and to focus on applied policy research that can have a real impact on the masses outside of academia. This is the primary benefit of the first half of the book.

McChesney then finally explores how academics can support the rising media reform movement amongst the public, in which informed citizens have the greatest chance of fighting off entrenched power players, questioning the establishment's dogmatic faith in "free" markets, and calling for a media system that benefits the public before making immense profits for plutocrats and their pocketed politicians. The first half of this book will surely resonate with McChesney's fellow academics who yearn to make an impact in the real world. The more expansive second half contains his best-ever call for a coalition of thinkers and activists who understand communications issues well enough to bring reform to our currently inequitable media system. [~doomsdayer520~]

This book provides strong evidence of how and why the American media system is failing to fulfill its role as an institution of American constitutional democracy, but it goes further to argue that we are living in a uniquely opportune moment - a "critical juncture" - during which we have the chance to make changes to the system.

Robert W. McChesney is one of America's most important media scholars and thinkers, and this latest work gives a coherent picture of the present crisis as well as a vision for change and the ways to support it. I think he makes a strong case for the urgency of Americans to face up to what the corporate conglomeration of media spells for the future. I'd feel better if this book found its way onto the best-seller lists.

A companion book to the award-winning PBS series "Cruising American Waterways," The Erie Canal by Debbie Daino Stack (PBS Project Coordinator for the "Cruising American Waterways" television series) and Captain Ronald S. Marquisee (Producer of "Cruising America's Waterways"), is a quality travelogue showcasing the history and beauty of the famous Erie Canal, a still active waterway used for recreation, flood control, irrigation, and power generation. Lavish color photographs of this historic canal fill The Erie Canal from cover to cover, and the insightful text offers a wealth of cultural lore. A superbly gorgeous coffee-table book and enhanced with a foreword by Andrew Cuomo, The Erie Canal is a true pleasure to read and enjoy and highly recommended for armchair travelers and community library American History collections.

This book is filled with color photographs that capture the beauty and historic charm of this waterway. The text is comprehensive -- touching on everything from history to Canal utilization. It let's you see what all of New York's canals have to offer - as a boater, cruise ship tourist, or automotive traveller. The Canals are fully functional and waiting for tourists. This book let's you understand the "New York State Canal System" and all that it has to offer. As the text points out... (rough quote)...if we had not inherited this legacy resource; costs, environmental concerns, and political considerations would not allow its construction today. This is a superior book on the world's most famous canal.

On a recent trip to Mexico City, I saw an old, previous edition of this work. I was delighted by its stimulating contents. Returning to Tulsa, Oklahoma, I was even more delighted to find the latest edition in one of our very excellent Public Library branches. I am eager to buy this latest edition for myself, and as gifts for some of my friends, for a life-time of enjoyable reading.

FPK

I love to read in Spanish and I was raised in South America, where Spanish books are very easy to come by, but when I moved to the US I found it difficult to find books that could interest me. Cronica del Siglo XX not only enlightens me but it's a great guide book for me and my children, it shows them with great illustrations and simple words the history of a great century, it's a must have for all of those who appreciate a well written and fantastic book, don't miss the opportunity to own it.

I really enjoyed this book. I am an adult beginning/intermediate Spanish student and am always looking for opportunities to practice my limited skills. This books is filled with wonderful folk tales which are a joy to read, and the English translations provide me with immediate assistance.

This is a very entertaining collection of folk tales in bilingual Spanish/English format. The stories range from funny anecdotes of life, to tales that teach the wisdom of the people of the Southwest, to tales of witchcraft.

The translations are sometimes even better than the originals. No wonder because one of the translators, Rudolfo Anaya, is a best selling author and superb writer.

This book offers an opportunity for people who want to improve their Spanish. Read the original Spanish first and refer to the English translation when you get to the parts you don't understand.

The book is great campfire or bedtime reading for kids. Both you and your kids will come out wiser for it.

This was my first CUP OF COMFORT experience. I bought it because my friend Dera Williams has a story in it, and I wanted to read her story about quilting as a legacy. Well, I thoroughly enjoyed Dera's story, and then I started reading the book from the beginning and was quickly pulled in by the beautifully told stories by women who, although just like me, each had her own story to tell. Stories that uplifted me, and made me think of life's possibilities. I highly recommend this book to any woman who needs a little inspiration to kick-start her day, or week, or year!

I love the Chicken Soup books, so I thought I would try this one out. It is very similar and I absolutely loved it. I cried and I laughed throughout the book. These stories really touch your heart.

I gave this book to my 8 yr old as a B-day gift and although she has not read it yet (She got about 20 other books and it'll take a while to get to all of them.) I have to admit that I did read it and I loved it. I liked Curious George as a child and I was so excited to see that he was making a come back. I could hardly wait to introduce my curious little lady to him. She has enjoyed the other Curious George books and I know she will like this one too. We can't wait till the movie comes out on DVD.

The publisher's description of the level this book is deceiving; it is described as a baby-preschool level book. Perhaps the story would appeal to that level (would have to read short passages to hold their attention), but the literacy level to read this book is around 7-11 years I would say. My son who is 10 and has always adored Curious George, read this book and considered it a little below his grade level of reading. It made the book a quick but enjoyable read for him. The title given as well as the spine of the book even indicates that it is a 'Junior Novel'. There is a small section of colorful photos from the movie but the pages of the book are primarily text with a few black and white sketches. My son thoroughly enjoyed this new 'George' adventure and hopes for more (can't wait to see the movie!). It was a real page turner for him.

I enjoyed Daddy by Design very much it only took me a few hours to read that one I thought that it was funny and very fast paced and I loved all the characters especially Trey's mother she was funny and I found myself laughing out loud I have had this book since Feb. and I recently got the chance to read it great read.

Her Perfect wife was also very good I loved the realtionship they had he was the wife/she was the husband I found it to be very interseting to read about a man doing a woman's duties I loved it. I recommand this book to every one.

"Daddy By Design" was a fine story, but I particularly enjoyed "Her Perfect Wife." This laugh-out-loud story was a delight! It was a howl to watch Jack's over-confidence about the 'simple' duties of a housewife run into the brick wall of reality, and I was cheering when Mel finally responded to the needs of her love-starved heart instead of dedicating herself 24/7 to the demands of her medical career. This story will put a smile on your face, beginning to end!

I loved the movie, and I loved the book. The book built on the movie, adding parts and info on scenes and the characters, explaining technical info, and more. It went more into the movie, adding on what happened at Mount Baker in the 1970's (Mentioned in movie, but not explained), and going into other Cascade Volcanoes (Rainier, St. Helens, Baker, Crater Lake). Anyone who loves disaster stories, volcanoes, or Washington State should read this book.

I loved this book. The Movie was Great but the book was even better. Get this book.