Service Animals Books

I am a student at OSU and I recently read the book for an English class. This book, as referred to in the title, was a real eye opener. Bernstein touches on an array of subjects including factory farming, the value of humans and animals, and animal experimentation. I had no idea that animals were treated so badly in our society. However, the author does a good job in conveying these horrific facts in the book. He also does a good job in his research. From the very beginning, it is obvious that the author did a thorough job in researching and supporting his arguments. The book is very persuasive because the author presents his argument, and immediately addresses the possible counter arguments. With this structure, it is difficult to disagree with his opinions. Overall, the book kept my interest throughout and I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about our relationship with animals.

The summer the swans come to the pond by the Godfreys' house, teenage Sara is feeling neverendingly cranky. It seems like her pretty older sister Wanda is always poking fun of her, her Aunt Willie who's raising them is always on her case, and nothing about her looks or personality seems right.

Worst of all, there's Charlie, Sara's mentally challenged younger brother. It seems like she can never get a moment away from him, not even to see the swans.

One night, Charlie slips out of the house, determined to see his beloved swans again. In the darkness he becomes disoriented and lost, prompting a townwide search. It is then that Sara begins to understand what her family truly means to her, which in turn helps her to grow more self-confident in her own abilities.

Despite the description's potential for triteness, Byars does an excellent job, weaving the story of a complicated, often troubled family around the one pivotal event that threatens to change their family forever. Readers will find the story worth reading, and eagerly seek out the sequel.

An authentic and pleasant story of a girl with a handicapped brother. She feels tied down until her brother becomes lost. Then she learns to see her rivals, her brother, and her absent father in new ways. A book to recommend to students 11-15 as it authentically describes adolescent issues vis a vis family and peers. Insightful.

Personally I love this book. It is about a 14-year-old girl named Sara Godfrey who is going through a confusing summer. She is hitting puberty and feels depressed a lot of the time. Sara lives with her Aunt Willie, college-aged sister Wanda, a aging dog named Boysie, and her mentally handicapped 10-year-old brother, Charlie. Charlie also shows signs of autism (For instance his infatuation with his watch,) but this book was originally published in 1970 when imformation about autism was less widespread so it's not mentioned. One night Sara takes Charlie to the lake to see the swans, and something about them fascinates him. He wants to stay, but she takes him home with her. That night, Charlie wakes up and wanders out of the house trying to find them again and gets lost in the woods. That morning Sara and her family embark on a desperate search to find him. This book is a quick read but it's so good, with it's detailed descriptions and memorable charactors, that you won't feel cheated.

There are four main characters in this short story based in the beauty of West Virginia: 14 year-old Sarah, her older sister, Wendy, her younger brother, Charlie, and the relative who is raising all three children, Aunt Willie. While the story certainly centers on finding Charlie, a child who is mentally disabled, the reader also sees Sarah finding truth about her own self. The reader will survey many things: that all relationships in life are not perfect, that sometimes we make mistakes by assuming things, that beauty is indeed more than superficialities, that our desires can sometimes appear from places we never expect. The story has very short chapters and a very happy ending. There are some good layers of the story to unravel such as the significance of the swans to Sarah and the meaning of their return to the lake at the university. Overall, young people should find this a very entertaining story.

ISBN 0140314202 - Put Betsy Byars and the Newbery Award on the cover of a book and you've already reeled me in - so to be disappointed is a bigger letdown than you'd think! Not a bad book, just not a great book.

Sara is the middle child, between mute Charlie and pretty Wanda. Their parents, one dead and one very absent, have tasked Aunt Willie with the care of the children and all seems fairly standard - a little bickering, a "you can't tell me what to do" argument, etc - until the day Sara takes Charlie to see the swans. Charlie finds the swans fascinating and soothing and doesn't want to leave, so when he looks out his window that night and sees something white moving, he is sure they have come to find him. Leaving the house in the darkness, Charlie becomes lost and Sara discovers things about herself, her brother and others in the hours after he is discovered missing.

For the first time, I find Byars' character's speech a bit off for their age. Sara's use of the word "bloomers" and the sentence "I just acted too hastily." don't seem to fit a girl in her early teens in the 1970s, although the reference to TV game shows of the time was amusing. Sara may be just "coming of age" but she ends up seeming, at times, like a much older adult - and not in the "mature for her age" sense. If you're looking to read all the Newbery winners, then you'll want to read this one. For a really good book, or even for the best Byars offers, this isn't it.

Had some interesting anecdotes and information regarding the effect of blunt force trauma on certain parts of the human anatomy, but for the most part this book was slightly less informative than hanging out with a juvenile corrections officer. This book is a poor substitute for training (or at the very least some live demonstrations), and too little information to be of use to anyone who has experience in this area.

As with most books on this subject, you're much better off putting the money toward some Krav Maga lessons.

Well, I have to admit that I liked this book, even though I still think the author plays "tough guy" too often. This book was valuable because, largely, of two things: it's breakdown of psychology of troublemakers; it's explaination of the principles behind trips and sweeps. The basis of this book was how to handle a violent situation without resorting to extreme force, and in that regard I think it succeeded. MacYoung explains the different kinds of social violence a person may have to deal with, going into stuff like ego games and how to handle different kinds of attitudes before they turn violent. He also goes into an admitedly lazy way of taking a guy down, invovling shoulder and hip bumps, with lots of trips thrown in too. He actually has some very valuable information on avoiding blows, redirecting energy, and the propper way to kick someone's feet out from under them. I also found the appendix on "Murphy's Laws" pretty amusing. Downsides to the book are crude drawings, and the ultra-macho attitude the author exudes in all of his books. Still, the info in this book is eye-opening, so I'd recomend it for the takedown and/or psych text.

Marc MacYoung is a bad man (and I mean that in the best sort of way). He's been there, done that, and broken a lot of people along the way. That's why he is called "Animal." I have read and re-read this excellent book several times since I first picked it up in 10 years ago. More importantly, I have successfully applied many of his techniques to escort drunken football fans out of a stadium without being hurt, sued, fired, or otherwise getting into trouble!

For those with reasonably advanced martial arts training you are probably better off following whatever system you study while keeping MacYoung's ideas in mind (so that they can't be pulled on you). If you are not a black belt or don't care to be, what he writes about is quite effective with a bit of practice. More than just the techniques, however, his insight into violence, escalato, and mind games is well worth the price of admission. The writing style is cynical, in your face, and very entertaining.

Great book!

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it's definitely worth owning. One such book is Marc "Animal" MacYoung's, "Ending Violence Quickly."

As I have said before, one of the great things that I absolutely love about Marc's books is his no-holds barred direct approach to getting his point across. There is never any sugarcoating or politically correct terminology is his books. He simply tells it like it is, whether you like it or not.

Once again, Marc gives you a no-holds barred look at the reality of fighting and surviving on the street. This book is simply loaded with sound principles and easy to learn techniques for making the most of a bad situation. I find the information on the principles behind the techniques very useful, and it is usually a very good indicator of a high quality self-defense and/or martial arts book.

Marc starts off this book with a chapter devoted to the escalation of violence, and why it is generally not a good idea to do so. Although it tends to be a common occurrence in today's society, the more preferred method should almost always be de-escalating the situation into a non-violent resolution, rather than escalating it.

Chapter two delves into the subject of awareness and triggers. A trigger being the point at which you have previously decided is the time when a specific course of action is to be taken. Similar to what some call a point of no return. This section also goes into the different types of attackers and some of the cues to look for that usually take place immediately prior to an attack. Marc brings up a very good point in this section where he tells you that you should never wait for the actual physical attack to strike, but for the intent of your attacker to strike.

The next chapter takes a look at the physiology and psychology of violence and also a very good technique which Marc calls an attitude interrupter. This is something that a psychiatrist would call, patter interruption. This is a technique which is used to momentarily take an individuals focus away from what they are doing and put it on something else. Marc gives a real good example of this using a naked lady.

Chapter four deals with an often neglected and misunderstood technique called footwork. Footwork is something that any good boxing instructor will tell you is the foundation of a good boxer. Applying proper footwork can get you out of the line of fire quickly, or it can also be used to put your entire body behind a blow. This is an outstanding section in an otherwise very good book.

"Counters and Blocks" is the next chapter and just like the title alludes to, deals with blocking and countering your opponents attack. However, Marc points out a very important strategic maneuver that is often overlooked by many martial artists and self-defense instructors alike. If you aren't in your attackers' line of attack, how can he hit you? In other words, avoiding the attack in the first place is preferable to blocking it.

Chapters six, seven, and eight deal with various techniques you can utilize in order to take your opponent to the ground while maintaining your standing position. They also discuss at length various sneaky tricks that you can use to take your opponents base of support out from underneath him. With the intended effect of having him lose his balance and eventually fall to the ground.

Chapter nine talks about what Marc refers to as slaving, which is when you use your opponents on weight and momentum against them. Exactly like what you would see in Judo and Aikido.

What follows next is a brief chapter on how to deal with various weapons that you are likely to encounter in a self-defense situation. Just like the rest of this book, the principles behind dealing with weapons are by far more important than the actual techniques themselves. I especially liked the last page in this section that showed what a potential attacker may look like as he is reaching for a weapon.

The last chapter deals with the basic instinct for survival of the species and dealing with situations in a professional manner. Both of these section in this last chapter are very educational and should be taken to heart, although the section on professionalism tends to be geared more for the bouncer than the average person, it is still very good knowledge to have and to apply.

Marc finishes this book with a great section on the effects of alcohol on a person as related to violence, and the four types of violence that you may encounter. This section is very well done (as is the rest of the book) and could actually be devoted to an entire volume, which in my opinion it should be. Of course my favorite section is the one devoted to "Murphy's Law."

I bought this book after reading the other reviews and checking out the author's website. I figured I could overlook his macho posturing, rambling style of writing (it takes him absolutely forever to make a point) and just take on board the suggestions he has. The guy seemed to have some real idea about sticky situations and I thought that this book would have good advice for getting out of trouble. Unfortunately this book does not deliver what it promises. For one thing, it is full of contradictions. For example:

1. Marc says that streetfighting is not like in the movies and he's not afraid to run to save his butt. That's fair enough. However, half of this book is made up of macho tales of Marc kicking butt on the streets (or in bars) and coming out without a scratch. It's kind of "Do what I say, not what I do."

2. He puts down traditional martial arts for having no practical use on the streets. Okay, that's a fair point in a lot of situations, but the techniques that he shows in this book aren't practical either. Most of what he shows is only good for taking down drunks. He talks about tripping your opponent over and not much more. In fact, for quite a few techniques suggested in this book you have to creep up behind your opponent. Heck, that's handy when defending yourself on the street. I can just imagine it - "Look behind you!" Oh no! He won't turn around. Now what?

3. One of the things that he critisises some martial art forms for is that they are reactionary - that is, you wait till your opponent has thrown a punch and then you deal with him (judo flips and so on). Then he starts the techniques in the book by pages of techniques that are totally based on avoiding a punch thrown at you before hitting the other guy. In other words, he does exactly what he says not to use martial arts to do.

4. He talks about doing everything simply, but the moves he teaches are really uneconomical in movement. They're big moves that take your whole body to do. So if you're looking for something that's easy for the other guy to spot, use the moves in this book.

5. He refers to other books he has put out for further explanations of techniques and other information. That would be okay if he said something like: "Here's move A. Here's move B. For moves C and D see my other books." But he doesn't. He says more like: "Here's half of move A. For the other half buy my other book." What good is that?

Now on to the good bits.

His basic observations about people's attitudes are accurate. In fact, most of what he says is spot-on. The only real problem I have is with the techniques. They are really just for bouncers, with a partner, who have to take down drunks. Actually, the title kind of says that, so it's my bad for thinking that there would be something that I could use to protect myself on the streets in here. There ain't.

Oh yeah, and his rambling tough-guy barroom boasting gets to me a bit. It wouldn't bother me so much, except that on the one hand he says that people who talk like that have no clue, and then he goes on to talk exactly like that.

Thanks To Nicki
By Ann Howard Creel
Illustrated by Doren Ben-Ami

Nicki is doing such a good job training Sprocket, the service dog, that her worst fears may be coming true. Nicki may soon loose the dog she has come to love.

It doesn't seem to matter that Sprocket will go to help another child who needs him. Nicki's broken heart can't handle that thought.

Nicki's mother is expecting twins and Nicki needs to help more around the house. Meanwhile, her two best friends are competing for her attention.

Will her two friends ever get along? Will Nicki's dog Sprocket fail his advanced training and return to her? Will the twins be boys or girls? Or will they have one of each?

The last part of the book gives real life stories of children with their assistance dogs. You will also learn about raising canines and CCI Basic Commands.

Thanks to Nicki is a beautifully illustrated, heart warming story of a young girl's gift.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood, Author
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

I read American Girl Books growing up and I recently introduced my 5 year old to them. We started out with the Nikki books and doll (and have managed to collect everything associated with the doll). I have to say that she is one of my absolute favorite characters. Her story is not all happily ever after which makes it realistic. I cannot believe people are giving this book less than stellar reviews because it is sad in the end. My daughter and I both were sad when Nikki had to give Sproket up, but training the dog and giving him up to help disabled people is the whole point of the story. I really feel that it showed my daughter that sometimes we have to do things that are hard because it is the right thing to do.

I am 17 years old, and I loved the first "Nicki" book, and moast other American Girl stories, but this one was a dissapitment. It is so sad, with all the talk of Nicki losing and Missing sproket that it made me cry! Its way too sad with Nicki being stuck in the middle of her 2 best friends and having to let her beloved dog go at the same time. I do like how Nicki names her newborn twin sisters "Rebeca and Kristine" and finnally get Kriss and Becca to like eachother, but if Nicki had gotten to keep sproket, it would be much, much better!

This author is horrble. She needs to find a new line of work. Don't waste your money purchasing anything from this author.

I grew up reading almost every American Girl book that I could get my hands on, but the ones I most enjoyed were those with the least sugar-coating. They were the ones that taught you that life wasn't going to be perfect, yet still re-assured you that it wouldn't end every time something bad happened, the ones that showed you how doing the right thing wasn't always easy. Basically, they were the books that tried not to insult your intelligence, just because you weren't an adult yet, but tried to introduce you to the nature of life and responsibility. "Thanks to Nicki" was just one of those books.

It wrapped up the conflicts from the previous book well, and even though the way Ms. Creel tied up the issue with Becca and Kris was a touch silly, it still worked well enough. Most of the characters were interesting, flawed but likable--much more like regular people than the cardboard characters you find in many books written for the same age-group. Nicki herself was a gem; while a very good kid, she wasn't impossibly perfect. For Nicki to hope that Sprocket would fail advanced training, even when it would mean he wouldn't be able to help someone who'd really need him, was a selfish and rather ugly desire, yet one that's certainly understandable and something most people could identify with. Also, it was able to show how being selfless can be tough, but in the end, helps a person to grow and become more compassionate towards others (without being too preachy, which is always a plus).

In the end, this is one book I'd hold onto and share with any future kids.

That being said, the story could be quite slow in parts, with the main conflicts focusing on common, everyday stresses and griefs. Not that this is a bad thing, but if you or your kids are looking for daring escapes or a dire struggle for survival, this might not be the book to read. A touch more humor to lighten the story wouldn't have hurt, either.

Readers, take note of a few things -
Though the author comes up eventually in favor of cutting back on meat products for ecological reasons, it is my impression is not generally sympathetic to vegetarians. The book largely focuses on the hacks and crazies that adopted vegetarianism between 1600-1800. Gandhi gets a scarce few pages.
Second, this is A cultural history of vegetarianism, specifically the relationship between western europe and India. His thesis is that India was largely responsible for transplanting many strands of vegetarianism into Europe, specifically England and a few French philosophers. This very well may be true, but a more expansive survey would have made for a more interesting book. I got very bogged down in the first few chapters.
All these negatives included, it is a well researched, reasonably well written book on a narrow topic.

There is no doubt that Tristram Stuart has conducted a great deal of research in order to write The Bloodless Revolution. He has a astute eye for minute details unique personalities. Doctors, cranks, religious fanatics, scientists, and others, some famous and some obscure, are rendered with thorough and loving detail. If nothing else, the sheer scope of Stuart's work is illustrative of how broad and diverse a movement vegetarianism is.

Yet sometimes I feel that Stuart was in some ways blinded by his own hypotheses and unwilling to look at alternative views. Stuart believes that European vegetarianism is rooted in Indian culture. This is not an indefensible view, but his case for it would have been stronger if he had answered some potential objections to such assertions, rather than ignoring them. Furthermore, literally all of European history between Pythagoras and English Revolution is simply missing. It is perfectly reasonable for Mr. Stuart to focus on a particular era, but readers with some preestablished famniliarity with vegetarian history -- a group likely to comprise a significant portion of The Bloodless Revolution's readers -- are likely to ask questions. For instance, why does St. Francis of Assisi not appear once in the entire book? Why is Leonardo da Vinci only mentioned in a quote comparing him to the Indians? Should the Cathars be ignored? It is one thing to focus on a specific era of history -- the English Revolution to the Second World War -- but it is another to leap straight from Pythagoras to Francis Bacon while ignoring virtually all of the intervening millenia. In short, if Stuart wants to emphasis the critical role of Indian influence on European vegetarianism, he should have investigated earlier indigenous European vegetarian movements or ideas and, if the evidence showed them not to be influential, shown us such evidence, rather than ignoring the whole question.

Second, Stuart often magnifies a dichotomy between animal welfare activists who called for less brutal treatment of domesticated animals and vegetarians who opposed meat consumption. While it is certainly true that there were and are numerous animal welfare activists who sought the reform, rather than abolition, of meat consumption (and vegetarians indifferent to animal welfare), Stuart seems to imply that these were each others' chief opponents. There is little mention of the arguments of those who opposed both animal welfarists and vegetarians. From my impression, it seems that Stuart himself happens to be an animal welfarist who has no problems with meat consumption so long as the animals involved are treated humanely. There is nothing wrong with this viewpoint, but sometimes I wonder whether Stuart's emphasis on welfarists as opponents, rather than allies, of vegetarians, is an attempt to defend his own position against worries about the persuasiveness of ethical vegetarian arguments, and whether Stuart ignores most views less sympathetic to animals than welfarism or vegetarianism because he personally finds them so unpersuasive that he feels they needn't be covered.

Lastly, while Stuart has a brilliant eye for detail and color, he has little time for facts or demographics. Such information may be hard to come by, but could there have been more information? For example, could there be some way of estimating the fraction of vegetarians in the British population from 1600 to modern times? Could we find out the average meat consumption per capita over time? I did not pick this up expecting a book heavy on statistics or demographics, but I nonetheless found the absence of even minimal attention to such matters disappointing.

Nonetheless, The Bloodless Revolution is a thoroughly researched, well-written, and original work. It provides a valuable resource to anyone interested in the history of vegetarianism in the modern era. I found it quite an enjoyable read, and the detailed portraits of the individuals, from meticulous scientists to enthusiastic religious cranks, were all a pleasure to read. I took great pleasure in reading it over several weeks.

C.S. Lewis once delightedly insisted that he couldn't be offered "a mug of tea that was too big or a book that was too long." Being less stalwart than he, my heart sank when I saw the size of the wonderfully named Tristram Stuart's The Bloodless Revolution. But I was quickly captivated by Stuart's enjoyable style, his astounding erudition, the sheer interest of his subject matter, and the exquisite illustrations, in both color and black-and-white.

Stuart writes intellectual history in the old-fashioned graceful way of a Basil Wiley, Keith Thomas, or Carolyn Merchant. He excels at showing the cultural, economic, moral, and religious influences from Francis Bacon through the nineteenth century romantic period on attitudes towards a meatless diet. I was especially intrigued to discover that some of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century utilitarians and economists regarded vegetarianism as a means of overcoming the Malthusian disparity between population and resources--a very forward-looking strategy indeed. Stuart's epilogue, in which he discusses the early twentieth-century's "post-Rousseauist" back-to-nature movement that inspired folks as diverse as Gandhi and Hitler, is fascinating. I hope that it serves as the seed for Stuart's next book.

All in all, highly recommended for those interested in the history and culture of vegetarianism as well as those interested in modern British intellectual history. For collections of some of the primary sources referred to by Stuart, the reader may wish to consult Ethical Vegetarianism from Pythagoras to Peter Singer and Religious Vegetarianism from Hesiod to the Dalai Lama.

I've been a vegetarian for 25 years and was excited to get this book, which would give me insight into the history of 'my people'. Unfortunately, it's a snooze - dry, with references to all kinds of historical figures that I know nothing about, jumping from here to there, with nothing compelling to keep me adrift on a sea of historical mumbo-jumbo. I gave up after less than 100 pages. Sorry - it's obviously well-intentioned, but just not compelling or gripping reading - even for someone who is the core target audience!

This is one of the most informative and important books that I have ever read. I have worked for a half century in the diet and health research and policy arena and have reluctantly but most assuredly because convinced of the health superiority of a diet comprised of plant-based foods. Along the way I also have become very much aware of the difficulty of communicating this message to the professional and public communities. Although serious interest in this topic is emerging in the last few years, even last few months, I am also aware of a visceral sometimes very hostile reaction against this view from a relatively small but sometimes influential group of people. The gap between the believers and non-believers in this way of eating could hardly be more contentious. Thus I have frequently wondered about the question of whatever happened to rational, civil discourse on a topic such as this, especially at a time when we are getting so much empirical data to support the use of a plant-based diet and so much demand for health care solutions.

This book comes as close as any to providing the explanation that I have sought. Although I am not a professional historian or philosopher, I have long had an avid interest in these disciplines. I strongly believe in that age-old adage that those who ignore history are bound to repeat it. However limited my perspective may be, I nonetheless find this book by Tristram Stuart to be an incredible presentation of some events and ideas that really go a long way to help provide an answer to my question.

I am still awed by the depth and sophistication of knowledge that existed among leading scholars and medical people in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries concerning the use of a plant-based diet. I am sure that it is possible to quibble about Stuart's selection and interpretation of references, as is true of almost any historical account. Nonetheless, I am impressed with these references, not only because of their number, but also because of Stuart's liberal use of direct quotations--these can be easily confirmed, if necessary. But, more to the point, I found that so many of the views of these early writers, who had limited access to empirical data, to be remarkably well confirmed with the highly technical findings gathered in recent years. With my son, Tom, we write about these findings in our own book, "The China Study. Startling Implications of Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health".

There are many other impressive and largely unknown findings told in this book. I especially enjoyed the views on diet and health of these writers that were at the core of philosophical discussions that were to shape Renaissance thinking, especially on matters that led to political reform.

I highly recommend this book--it is full of enormously impressive content that says so much about what we are now experiencing in this field. Tristram Stuart is a remarkably capable young writer and I very much hope that he will continue writing more such material!

In the meanwhile, we now desperately need some of the courage and creativity of these early writers--a revolution in health could hardly be more needed. Thank you, Tristram Stuart, for sharing your thoughts.

too small to fully enjoy the pix, poor quality prints.

This wee little book (4 inch by 4 inch format) dispels the notion that the work of Ansel Adams can only be appreciated in a coffee table book. Organized into 10 sections by location (Zion National Park, Yellowstone, etc.) and peoples (Native Americans and Their Lands), it shows Adams's work out west in our great national places like Grand Canyon and the Boulder Dam. The great appeal of this little book is that these fabulous black and white images retain their beauty and mystery even though reduced in size. I can, and I have, carried it with me throughout the house, or on a walk with the dog, or have thumbed through it while sipping a cup of coffee. It is well worn and well loved. And now I am going to order one for my cousin who will move out to Montana with her new husband.

Anyone who doesn't know a lot about Ansel Adams but is interested in learning more about his work will appreciate and enjoy this cleverly organized pictorial. Structured by national parks, the reader will see many wonderful pictures, some classics, that will surely create a better impression as to what type of pictures Adams takes. A great gift book as well.

Took one month to receive the wrong edition of this book.
Seller helpful and presumably not at fault.
Be sure to view edition status before ordering.Especially when product is not pictured.

This is not a very expensive text book for it's category. All the same it is a well written book by a reputable author and staff. The book demands that you pay full attention to every word in it's text. I mean that the text is written in a concise manner by a professional for the novice. Attention to detail is of utmost importance when you are studying. A solid basic knowledge of first year anatomy and physiology is essential. It wouldn't hurt to have your A&P text beside you. The author assumes that the student knows the basics and does not go into basic discussions but builds on each topic. Understand that this is a challenging text book pulling together all facets of A&P with full emphasis on Respiratory Care.
I personally find this text book a pleasant challenge. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal here is to be capable of keeping someone breathing. After all if you can't breath nothing else matters!

This book is really helpful if you're just starting out in Respiratory Therapy, the illusrations are great. The book is easy to read and understand. Great reference book. There are charts and quick references you can either cut out of the book or photo copy and have as a handy pocket guide.

As a veterinarian, amateur historian and life long boviphile i am always interested in literature about cattle. This book is a nice addition to my short shelf of books on the subject. It is part science, part history and part philosophy, in the style of Michael Pollans books The Botany of Desire or The Omnivores Dilemma. The author seems not to be a farmer or zoologist but she has done a lot of research I think and she offers some interesting philosophical insights.

For a sociology/history book, this book is amazingly readable. Although it does not hold itself out to be a treatise, it is filled with well-documented facts, and the book's endnotes and references provide a wealth of material for those seeking further academic materials. It was published before the case of Mad Cow disease was found in the United States in December 2003, but it contains a very informative discussion of BSE and discusses the outbreaks in Great Britain and Europe. It presents a balanced view of the commercial cattle industry in the U.S., addressing both its problems and benefits, without advocating positions or taking sides. I bought extra copies to give to my cattle grower friends, including those who are trying to raise grass-fed cattle to supply the growing demand for grass-fed beef and dairy products raised without growth hormones, antibiotics, or stimulants.

The history of cattle was an attractive subject for a lifelong city dweller interested in learning new things. Unfortunately, much if not most of the book is neither a history nor about cattle. Carlson takes a quirky, scattershot approach to her subject and is never able to focus her thoughts. Unfortunately, there apparently was no editor to bring some order to the book, or even to correct the numerous factual errors. The author is something of a mystic, and as such uncritically collects myths and regurgitates them. Cattle have a mystical significance for her, and this somehow seems to give her license to include her ill-informed musings on many unrelated subjects within the pages of the book. However, there was some useful information about cattle and the products made from them scattered through the book; hence the two star rating. If you have a high tolerance for irrelevance and are not a stickler for accuracy, the book may be worth reading.

I have had to read this book for the English class and I must say that it is not bad. For me it was not easy to understand and so I was tired to read it. But I think that it was a good choice to read this book in class because you can learn much about the Revolution in Russia but also a lot about tyranny.

For all people who want to inform themselves about socialism and communism in very abstract way. Personally I prefer to treat an issue in a realistic way, and I think the oppinions and feelings of the situations that Orwell describes would better be understood if he had used human characters.

FINE

I expected a more "animal rights" version of why we should all be vegetarians. In fact, this is a very balanced explanation of how we *used to* take better care of our farm animals == they were practically under the same roof as us; there was an unwritten contract between us and the animals, that if we took care of them, they would "take care of us." but now that "animal husbandry" has become "animal science" -- and animals are no longer under our roof, this "contract" is no longer a fair contract: there is benefit for only the human and not the animal.

Bernard Rollin gives both the meat eater and the vegetarian a lot to think about with this book. I highly recommend it for all.

I am afraid that I found this book utterly disappointing. Expecting people to have realised that old-fashioned fox-hunting is as much a tradition as gladiator fighting or slavery used to be, I was shocked to see that someone still seems to find it enjoyable. The fact is that countless scientific studies show that fox-hunting is not necessary, and as to all other arguments, what is wrong with drag-hunting? The only answer is that blood-thirsty hunters would not find it as much fun.

Robards is God , mind you some lesser mortals may call him the anti-Christ ! .My hunting career began as a child ,around the age of seven , with the Stonhall Harriers hunted by Miachel O' Shaughnessy M.H. & George Kennedy M.H. and with The County Limerick Foxhounds hunted by Lord Daresbury M.F.H. & Hugh Robards. I have early memories of Mr. Robards and all of them still send chills down my spine.At the sight of him arriving at the meet with those Old English Hounds, man and beast knew something special was going to happen today.With this book Mr. Robards instills that same thrill of the chase into words. The thrill and excitement he generated in those early days sealed my faith , I entered Hunt Service. For those interested in the art of venery all I can say is that I have insisted on my whips reading it before the opening of cubbing.(Diana rather than Venus!)The highest compliment I can pay this book is that it was easy to read , I finished it in two evenings!

This is a book full of character and characters of an age that will not be seen again. The relationships between employer and employee of an era where etiquette and manners were all too important. It provides the reader with a real feeling of how the hunting circle worked and how a man devoted to his job through his love for the hounds and the countryside dealt with the changing landscape and attitudes over the decades. Well worth every penny, and a must have for anyone intested in foxhunting and country pursuits.