Education Books

We are using this book to discuss character and how to develop it in our Bible class. While the book is not written from a religious point of view, the principles in this book are congruent with Biblical principles. This is a truly wonderful book that I encourage others to read.

This book can probably be read in just a day, but the truths it emphasizes will be valuable for life.

Ethics means you should start with an open mind and listen to those you trust. Then, you make your own decisions. What is right for one may not be the situation for you. You must be able to dream and to hold to your dreams. That is most important, as the dreams tell us what is happening in our subconscious mind. It's hard, but you have to be able to accept criticism and grow from the hurtful comments of others. A great rule of thumb when someone does something intentionally to harm you or your psyche is to "consider the source," and go from there. If you value that person and his opinion, it might be choice to try his advice; if not, smile and say "thank you."

Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," was a failure to himself and his family because he embraced "a corrupt vrsion of the American dream which defines success as money, status and celebrity. Like that conman in "Born Yesterday," written by Garson Kanin. Both plays were written in the 1940s and showed capitalism at its worst.

A good moral code is basically a set of values and principles which guide one's behavior. To be perfect, it should be based on religious training of a lifetime starting with the Ten Commandments of the Bible. Jesus led an exemplary life for his time and place. Today's world is filled with evil. New Orleans, deemed the most sinful city (along with Las Vegas), felt God's wrath with Katrina. The Bible promised we would not be destroyed by floods in the story of Noah and the Ark. Knoxville is teetering on the brink of being almost as sinful with so much emphasis on liquor. It, too, is in store for some form of God's wrath -- in what form, I'm not sure. But I predict that the walls will come crumbling down on Gay Street someday. A moral compass is useful for questions of right and wrong.

The hardest choices rise to the top because the questions which could have been solved with simple rules are delegated to others. Such is our city government, as the mayor isn't facile enough to follow through on his promises to the common folk. This is a town of "studies and plans" going on for years, with no follow through. It takes outsiders to come in and corrupt the whole town. Drinking, drugging, carousing on the downtown streets openly by people who were not born here will be the downfall of a town, not the city it could have been. I have never been good at judging character; thus, I have been let down by some I trusted. But then, I am not a leader; nor a follower be -- I tend to take the road least taken. I believe in causes and was told recently that I came home for a reason. Whether I succeed or fail is still up in the air, and I have made an impact -- something I could never have achieved had I stayed here all of my life. We see in the photographs of the Civil War how Abraham Lincoln changed from the confident President to one of toil and pain etched "ever deeper" in his face. He cared deeply and the price he paid was his life.

+++++

This slim book by professor of ethics and philosophy Russell Gough is like a self-help guide for the soul, showing how we can lead better lives simply by being better people. Gough elaborates:

"This book offers what I call mirroring, rather than a finger-pointing, approach. In one-to-one, conversational fashion, its primary goal is to encourage each of us to think about improving our personal lives...in terms of our own personal character...Each chapter of this book is designed to emphasize a given aspect of the all-important nature of personal character [and are] designed to encourage practical self-reflection and enduring personal growth."

What is character? Character, as used in this book, is "what you are in your essence, the sum total of your habits, your personal assortment of virtues [or goods] and vices [or bads]." The title of this book, "Character is Destiny," is an actual quotation uttered by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus.

In fact, each chapter of this book is titled by an actual quotation from a person of great character. These quotes "capture the force and point of each chapter." You'll find that these quotations or chapter titles "are definitely well-worth committing to memory and...living by."

Each of these quotations or chapter titles comes from the following people:

(1) Heraclitus (Greek philosopher)
(2) Socrates (Greek philosopher)
(3) Dwight Moody (American evangelist)
(4) Anne Frank (German-Jewish teen who was forced to go into hiding during the Holocaust and subsequently died at age fifteen in a concentration camp)
(5) Ralph Waldo Emerson (American poet and essayist)
(6) Aristotle (Greek philosopher)
(7) Paul (the Apostle)
(8) Albert Schweitzer (German theologian, musician, and missionary)
(9) Jean Paul Richter (German humorist)
(10) The author (ethics & philosophy professor and author)
(11) An anonymous person (thought to be Charles Reade, English novelist)

You'll find that each chapter is easy-to-read and written with great conviction and eloquence. There is not reams and reams of theory to sort through. This book is written in real English for real people on perhaps the most important subject of all--character.

There is an appendix (not labeled as such) to this book that, in my opinion, is very important. Here, Gough states the following:

"In this book, I have focused on the vast majority of times in our daily lives when we have a pretty clear idea of the ethical line separating the right thing to do from the wrong thing to do. Thus, our discussion has been one not of knowing the right thing to do but of having the character to do the right thing."

But what of those rare situations where there is NOT a clear ethical line where we "truly [don't] know what is most ethically appropriate to do." These are called ethical dilemmas. I was glad to see that the author gives us insight into handling these difficult situations.

Who is this book written for? I would say for high school students, college and university students, and adults: in other words, for everyone. (I disagree with the second part of the last sentence of the Amazon editorial review above.)

Finally, I liked the idea that the author stated that he was not perfect ethically. Thus, this is not a book written by a preachy person who thinks he's a saint or thinks that he lives on Mount Olympus.

In conclusion, this is a well-written, easy-to-read book that speaks directly to the moral crisis of our time!!

(first published 1998; forward; preface; introduction; 14 chapters; appendix; main narrative 160 pages; notes)

+++++

The author did a great job all around. He at least nibbles around the edges of trying to put a philosophical foundation under this, still largely, "how to" book. If, like me, you would like to go further and understand the solid foundation that supports all of the author's fine work, I'll give you a tip that can save you a lot of prolix philosophical reading. I found a book called "WEST POINT", by Norman Thomas Remick that explains all the philosophy in easy to read, understandable language behind the 200 years of character building at West Point, the world's premier school for that purpose. It will advance your understanding of the principles presented so expertly by Mr. Gough in his 5 star effort. Regardless of whether you are serious about understanding what all this is REALLY all about, you'll find "CHARACTER IS DESTINY" readable and enjoyable.

I have had an overall Great experience with this product. It's easy to follow along, certification (one of many) here I come...Look out!

If you are looking to take the A+ 601 and 602 exams this is all you need. I took both exams today (29 May 08) and passed with plenty to spare on both exams. This kit gets it right on all fronts. The information is clearly presented, the flash cards, chapter tests and cumulative exams are all on the mark in the sense that the questions hit the right areas and are representative of the verbage/presentation you will see on the exams. Again, absolutely nothing else is needed. This one hits the nail on the head.

Good books, with all the information needed to get certified, for a good price. It met expectations, and I would buy others from this series.

I have nothing but great things to say about this set. Between the 3 books, and the discs, it's everything you need to know for the A+ and then some. Not to mention the flashcards and included .pdf files make this ridiculously convenient. An absolute must have for anyone seriously planning to take their test.

This three book set in the Complete Certification Kit may not be needed to pass the A+ exam. I have yet to take the exam, but I find that the infomation in the three books to be kind of redundant. They are also dry when you read them word-by-word. I wish someone came up with a fun way to study, like comedy within a book. Or maybe something to entertain the adult male.

Consider just picking CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide. And maybe A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (A+ Certification All in One Exam), so you could have another author and publishers perspective. I picked this Complete Certification Kit because it was a best seller with a high star rating. But so is A+ Certification All in One Exam and CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide. Good luck testing!

Dr. Kernan's four years overseas, which encompasses the full length of the War in the Pacific during 1941-45 is an autobiographical treasure that is as true a war story as any can be. This book takes us not on a pleasure cruise, but a voyage into a long-forgotten world of young, Depression-era ranchers and shoe clerks turned aviation ordinancemen and pilots. These we meet, however briefly, snaking up the stairs in a long line at the New Congress Hotel whorehouse in old Honolulu, in a below-decks poker game on a rusting, inflammable escort carrier, or seen for a fleeting moment, unconscious in the gaping seas as the result of a slight but deadly flight miscalculation, sinking beneath the waves, impossible to save, gone. Those voices of the past, their thoughts, fears and dreams, are recorded here with a painful honesty and without much sentiment for, as the author admits, he never really intended it for general publication at first. Those of us who appreciate history poured straight up will be forever in his debt that he changed his mind.

War, of course, is the antithesis of wonderful, and yet Alvin Kernan's memoir is so vividly and beautifully written that I wish to have been at his side during that time. The other reviews give a sense of Mr. Kernan's story, but I want to spend my praise on his writing: clear, direct, unadorned prose, which nevertheless conveys an absolute sense of place. If you want to learn to write well, you will read this book repeatedly. If you teach writing (not making up), consider Crossing The Line as a textbook.

Highest recommendation. You can order new copies online at Yalebooks.com.

. When you think of an east coast university professor who specializes in the humanities--Shakespearean literature, in this case--you probably won't be visualizing someone who started adulthood by engaging in vicious aerial gunnery duels with Japanese fighters and otherwise living the stressful, profane, hazardous life of an enlisted sailor on three World War II aircraft carriers, one of which was sunk while he was aboard. Such is the case, though, with retired Yale professor Alvin B. Kernan, author of "Crossing the Line," one of the most interesting and often gripping sagas of navy life that I've read.
. The book came as a surprise to me, on two counts. One, I knew that Kernan had been an aviation ordnanceman on the USS Enterprise during the Battle of Midway, and later an aerial gunner. But I had very little notion of the depth of his wartime experiences, not only as an aircrewman but also in escaping the sinking of the USS Hornet in the Guadalcanal battles and in a harrowing deployment aboard the escort carrier USS Suwanee (CVE-27). Suffice to say in this short review that Kernan earned a Navy Cross, a DFC, and five air medals from inside the turret of a TBF Avenger!
. And two, I had previously read Kernan's fictitious account of the Battle of Midway, "Love and Glory," which I thought was interesting but flawed in a number of regards (see my review on Amazon). For that reason, I was a little dubious about reading "Crossing the Line." Would this be another "interesting but flawed" piece of work that would cause me to keep my red pen handy while I read it? No. Crossing the Line is simply outstanding. Anyone with an interest in WWII naval air action will also want to read this book. I highly recommend it. Yes, there are a couple of minor nits that a very knowledgeable historian might want to pick, but they are so insignificant as to be unworthy of mentioning here. "Crossing the Line" will not disappoint you. In fact, you'll probably find it hard to put down.
. (Reviewed by R. W. Russell, Battle of Midway Roundtable, www.midway42.org)

Alvin Kernan has written one of the best books on WW2 I have ever read, and I've read a lot of them. His descriptions of his wartime experiences are crisp, vivid, and relevant.

If any of us are ever tempted to generalize in a negative way about sailors in the U.S. Navy, I suggest they read this book all the way to the end. What Kernan went on to do after the war is just as impressive as what he did while he served Uncle Sam.

Alvin Kernan was a 17-year-old from a poor family when he enlisted in the Navy in 1941. He was assigned to the carrier Enterprise and was aboard on Dec 7, 1941. He served aboard carriers most of the war, including a tour aboard the Hornet and he was aboard when she was sunk. He spent most of the time with the torpedo squadrons and gives a vivid account of the Battle of Midway. Most war histories are written by or about the leaders and it is unusual to find someone who was there for all the battles but who was seeing it all from the bottom up. After the war, he went to college on the GI Bill (as did I) and eventually ended his career as dean of the graduate school at Princeton. This is a vivid and knowledgeable account of the carrier war from one who was there and is a skilled writer. Anyone interested in the navy in World War II should read this book.

It is VERY nice book. Especially for medical students and residents.
You can understand from detail to basic of diseases. With this book, you know how to approach and make your list of differential diagnosis.
I worked for infectious disease patients for a while, and this book was very useful because you can get the general knowledge not only about infectious diseases but also general internal medicine, skin lesions, bone diseases, and so on. I especially recommend the chart of antibiotics(Chart 37). I like this book because we can also get the update etiology of diseases. So nice.

This book packs in all the important aspects of client treatment into each section. The headings are a little hard to see when skimming, but the information is excellent. A must have for Nurse Practitioner school!

Very concise, covering a large number of conditions with information about clinical features, diagnosis and treatment... just the best medical book for students, residents and general prationers.

Everyone has a few books they constantly refer to in their library. This is one of mine. The whole CURRENT series is excellent & I update every new issue as soon as it is available. Ideal reference with clear concise text & pictures throughout the book

It is a very good and useful book. It has everything you'd want in it plus more. It includes the signs and syptoms, what you can do to treat the problem, etc. I just wish that it had pictures in it so you could have more to go off of.

This book talks about friends putting on a magic show for Hank's cousins. Frankie, one of Hank's friends, is the magician. He remembers that he wants to see a monster movie so Hank says he's going to record it.But he presses the wrong button. Frankie gets mad when they get home. Hank is so sorry he takes the cable box apart. They buy a new one the guy for the cable company has a copy of the movie that Hank didn't record. Then Hank invites Frankie over to see the movie.I like this book because it has a good ending and it like he's talking to you.

This is a good book because it has a lot of action. The book has a lot of action because Hank thought his sister iguana laid eggs in a cable box. Read on to see what happens.

The Day of the Iguana tells the story of a fourth grader named Hank Zipzer and his sister's iguana. Science projects are coming due for Hank, so he has to find a project and fast. He gets the idea to take apart his cable box and see what's inside. Wha† he didn't count on is his sister Emily's iguaua laying 23 eggs.
This book gives you a look at a boy called Hank Zipzer and how he gets through a few months of fourth grade with his best friend Frankie and his sister Emily and her iguana Catharine. The story starts in the beautiful modern city of New York. Hank has to put on a magic show for his twin cousins and promises Frankie to tape a monster movie when there doing the show but he accidentally presses the wrong button and tapes something else. Hank feels so guilty that he decides to take apart a cable box and see if he can prevent that from happening in the future. My favorite part in the book is when the baby iguanas are born. They are so cute. I recommend this book to children and family because it is about honor and trust. It is a great book and teaches kids that iguana birth can make a big change to your life. It also teaches you how to be a great friend.
W.S.

A story about three friends Hank, Frankie, and Ashley. Hank and his friends are a magic act they call themselves The Magik 3. Hank's twin cousins are turning four years old. The twin's parents hire a clown but the clown gets sick. Hank's aunt needs to find an act for the birthday party. She askes Hank if he and his friends would perform. Hank and his friends agree to perform. Then Frankie remembers that there is a monster movie marthon that he can't miss. Read the book to see what happens.

The way I see it, any book that can keep a 10 year old boy away from his video games, gets 5 stars and then some. "Day of the Iguana" and the other eight books will do for boys what "The Babysitters Club" did for girls. I've been waiting a long time for something boys can relate to other than "Yu Gi Oh" comic books and "Captain Underpants." Henry Winkler has done that with Hank Zipzer and his friends, he's made reading fun for boys. You can count on Hank getting himself in a situation that would be best handled being straightforward and you can count on him going out of his way being anything but. The best part is watching you kid choose Hank over the TV. Parents all over will understand just what an accomplishment that is.

Deb is a teacher at my daughter's school. She has helped create an inspiring learning environment for all the children to learn in.
This book will help you allow new ways for your child's imagination to blossom.

This book is referenced daily for new ideas for my infant toddler classroom. It has ideas that are obviously inspired by children and enjoyed by children and adults alike. The text gives a wonderful insight into ECE environments that help teaching staff give quality care in all aspects of child development. It is one of the best books out there.

For those who work with children or want to some day- students, teachers, Child Care providers, etc.----- This book is wonderful!! It gives you full color photos of interesting and innovative designs for environments for children to live, learn and grow in! They also share basics about details and main elements of designing spaces for children! I LOVE this book!

great book for centers & pre-schools, but for my small family childcare (infant/nursery) I found it did not have NEAR enough focus or information directed towards newborns and crawlers, specifically nap, changing & eating areas or indoor floor play.
if you have an older crowd (30 months +) then yes, this would be a good idea resource for you, however I like my baby-babies...

I DID get a couple outside-play ideas for my 18-24 month olds, but for me personally--simply not enough to justify the cost.

Zillions of wonderful photos and great, easy-to-read text makes this book a must-have when setting up your classroom or playroom. Very child-centered, fun and inspiring. I couldn't recommend this book too strongly.

The author describes raising his autistic, mathematically gifted son for his son's first ten years of life. This book provides insights that would help all parents of young, high functioning, autistics. And indeed I would suggest this book as the first read of a parent who just found out that his/her child is autistic.

Despite being an economist, the author's writing style is clear, concise and interesting.

This book was loaned to me by my son's nurse practitioner. I hadn't heard of it, but now I'm encouraging everyone I know to read it. This is a great book that demonstrates the true "human" feelings of being a parent of a child with autism. I was deeply touched by the honesty displayed in this book, and found that my thoughts, experiences, and feelings are mirrored by the author's. I appreciate his willingness to expose his heart for the purpose of educating others about autism. This book is a must read for any family member or friend of someone who has autism.

While reading, A Different Kind of Boy: A Father's Memoir About Raising a Gifted Child with Autism, I found myself stopping early on to recall how my two children were as babies and toddlers before the diagnosis of autism arrived. The author, Daniel Mont, shares his frustrations along with observations as the primary caregiver to Alex, his first born son. While his wife Nannette was working outside the home the first few years, Daniel was spending hours reading books to Alex.

When Daniel got a teaching position at Cornell they moved to upstate New York with Nannette taking over the daily duties pertaining to Alex. They noticed that Alex did not take any interest in other children when at the playground and had difficulty at the store. Since this was their first child when Simon was born a few years later they realized with regret how much slower Alex was with milestones and the lack of social skills.

Daniel shares the relief once the diagnosis was made and the steps taken to get there, including the time a preschool teacher accused them of being abusive parents. There are a few choice words at this point in the book when Daniel incites the rage he was feeling from this attack and how he and Nannette focused on getting some assistance with Alex instead of getting on the defensive. For most families that have a child on the autism spectrum this is a predicament that happens often, and due to the lack of awareness for those who work with small children. Many of his colleagues and family members thought they were spoiling Alex, but later they learned how additional measures need to be put in place to help the autistic child fit in with society and how things work.

Daniel wrote about growing up with a sister who had a disability, but never received a formal diagnosis for her handicap. When Alex was diagnosed Daniel was able to reach out to his mother and learn from her experience. Alex received speech therapy early on with the therapist assisting him in social situations, guiding him in the art of the conversation and how to relate to others.

There is no mention about vaccinations or questioning why Alex is the way he is. Time is spent trying to get inside the world of Alex and how he thinks. The book is written in a style that is easy to comprehend for anyone who lacks information on autism. Daniel mentions a few books that helped him early on and how he joined some internet groups and the guidance he received from adults with autism. The family accepted autism and made adjustments to accommodate Alex so that he could thrive being himself. Daniel and his family grew up in New Jersey, which is where I was raised as well and have a sibling with a disability.

A Different Kind of Boy: A Father's Memoir About Raising a Gifted Child with Autism covers the time from when Alex was born to fifth grade. At this point in time Daniel is picturing life when his sons have moved on to college and their own lives. This was something he was not sure would happen, but now he believes that Alex will have success in life. Family relationships are mentioned and how they handled the loss of Daniel's mother.

I felt the second half flowed smoother than the first. The beginning chapters I had to go back and see what age Alex was at the time since I was confused with the timeframe, due to chapters being out of sequence. Every so often when reading a chapter the author would refer back to his childhood or a few years back with either Alex or Simon.

The author does not gloss over any issues and gives honest feedback on how he felt at pivotal times in his life and the anxiety about school, plus finding friends for Alex. He finished this book after his mother passed on and pursued his acting career further.

This book is perfectly suited for anyone who wants to know more about living with a child who is autistic and would be beneficial to family members who have someone on the spectrum and may live out of town or in another state. This will help parents know what struggles other families have gone through and give guidance on how to navigate the system to enable your child to thrive in their surroundings.

I second the emotions of other five-star-awarding readers. I've bought several copies of this book and shared it with journalists, editors, teachers, and family members who have recently had a loved one get the Asperger's diagnosis. Engaging, well-written, well-paced, funny--but to me the best thing about this book is the very modest Daniel Mont himself, and the attitude that he and his wife demonstrate to the rest of us: he accepts his son for who he is, he wants for him what every decent parent wants: happiness, the ability to connect, the ability to make a contribution. The Monts are wise enough to understand that this will only happen on Alex's own terms. The book also has many fascinating details that help a reader understand, in practical terms, what a person with Asperger's might see or understand differently from someone else, and why. And because Daniel accepts those differences, we do, too. I have a brother (one among 3 of them) with mental retardation and autism, so our families are alike in some ways, different in others, but I can testify that this wonderful, unassuming, entertaining memoir tells it like it is. Read it yourself or do someone the favor of giving it to them as a gift. This would be a great gift for a teenager, in my bookish opinion. It really opens your mind and airs it out.

This book is worthwhile reading for anyone who has ever been in contact with someone who seems intellectual but is unable to "connect" with people.

The journey of the book, as others have commented, is take the reader through the symptoms, diagnosis and coping with Alex's autism. There exists only a small subset of the population which is autistic and only a small subset of the population capable of digesting, providing insight and sharing live experience with first rate written communication. This book occupies a unique space in that the gifted author has the full life experience with the autistic child, which experience is shared with us all in this book.

Given the subject matter of the book, as others have commented, this book should be required reading for anyone who is in regular contact with a bright autistic person. Yet the insights in this book can go much further. More generally, this book will be helpful to the reader in relating to the bright, unapproachable segment of the population that almost everyone comes into contact with. Many people, of all ages, will gain insight into how to relate better to some of the people in their everyday lives.

Many books are read for their educational value, others for their entertainment. The book is so well-paced and engaging as to provide "edu-tainment" -- you can't put it down, and when you've finished you've learned a lot of new information. The same material could have been covered with a dry, academic style which would really only be read and digested by few. But Daniel Mont, as the modest but extremely bright father in his own right (Ph.Ds don't grow on trees, do they?), displays a gift for real communication. The author seems to understand very well what will motivate the reader to turn the next page.

I highly recommend this book, on so many levels.

THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS features what I've come to expect from E. Lockhart - comedy, characterization, and competent writing. However, THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY is no fluff book. Frankie struggles to be recognized as an equal by her male peers and her family. She does this by orchestrating grand pranks at the Alabaster Preparatory Academy using the manpower of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds. Frankie is clever, ambitious, strong, and feminine. But E. Lockhart does not paint her as perfect.

She pushes things to the limit. She enjoys power. Her plans, while well-executed, do not have the expected effect on the populace. She's high-minded, reckless, and many of her actions should not be emulated. For all that, she's a wonderful heroine. She doesn't play nice, but she plays for the right things. Girls should be frustrated with being condescended to, and they shouldn't be underestimated due to a lack of a Y chromosome. (Actually, one of the book's few flaws came after the climax, so I don't feel right discussing it in the review, but it has to do with this concept.)

I also like that the boys who make Frankie so frustrated in THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY aren't bad people. They're just average boys. They make mistakes, but they aren't simply evil male chauvinist pigs.

Lockhart also plays with the way she tells the story. She begins with a framing letter and anecdotes, building an excitement for what Frankie will become despite a rather innocuous beginning. The tone is playful, but ominous. Lockhart plays with language not only through the structure, but with the dialogue. Both Frankie and her boyfriend Matthew enjoy wordplay. Frankie's is inspired by P. G. Wodehouse; Matt's comes from his inner copyeditor. Lockhart's choices come together to create a unique voice that helps THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY rise above her other novels just as much as the unconventional Frankie.

I highly recommend this novel. It's not perfect, but it has a spark to it. It sticks out in my mind from the other novels I've read recently. There's hijinks, anger, love, and plenty of food for thought. Frankie has good ideas and bad ideas, but many are ideas that should be heard and then pondered further.

Excerpted from In Bed With Books

The story is set in a prestigious east coast boarding school that has yet to shake off its boys school roots and features a clever, thoughtful, ambitious heroine who refuses to accept the status quo. The first 50 pages didn't fully hook me, but Frankie's obsession with her boyfriend's all-male secret society eventually drew me in and forced me to stay up late to finish it.

I don't know what it's being marketed as, but it read like a YA novel aimed primarily at adults, not teens. The biggest problems for me were my inability to like most of the characters, the neglected positives (clever but grating after the first few), and the supposedly entertaining conversations between the group of guys Frankie admires. And while the novel and especially the ending are gutsy, I'm not entirely sure they make up for the first half's skimpy plot. I'm glad I read it, but I don't know that I'll want to reread it.

Definitely one of the best books I've had the fortune of reading. Very reminiscent of Jaclyn Moriarty's "The Spell Book of Listen Taylor" (also similar due to their sudden shift from girly books to girl-power mysteries). I love the funniness, the cliche and the totally NOT. The basset hounds and the guppy and the whole idea of a secret society. Love love love Frankie's whole thing with making up words (it totally makes sense!). Love the "black-tiles only" thing (saw that at the museum in Canada as an obedience experiment, it's really interesting!). Love the reference to GMail XD Love the fact that the characters...they're marauder-esque. I just wish we found out what happened after, what became of Frankie's brilliance. The only real big problem I have with this book is that Frankie doesn't end up with Alpha. I'm very glad she broke up with Matthew, but I think she and Alpha had real chemistry and meshing [mischievous] personalities. *sigh* Amazing book. I don't think I'll get to read one like it in a looong time. Congrats, E.Lockhart, on this latest success!

According to the back cover, Frankie Landau-Banks as a freshman in high school was a slightly geeky girl in the Debate Club. But when she comes back the next year, nobody recognizes her because now she fills out her shirt. And that grabs the attention of a certain senior boy named Matthew Livingston, who soon becomes Frankie's boyfriend.

But Frankie isn't content. Matthew often acts distant and doesn't treat her like an intelligent human being. So one day when he cancels their date, she follows him and discovers that he's a member of an all-male secret society. Frankie wants in, but there's no way she can without him Matthew out that she lied to him. Frankie knows she has the brains to get in, so she creates a false email account through which she directs the secret society into performing various pranks.

Although these pranks have the desired effect of reforming some of the school's practices, no one seems to understand the significance, and whenever Frankie tries to explain it, people write her off as thinking too hard. And of course, the pranks can't last forever. Someone has to step up and take the blame.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks was an incredible novel and one that I won't forget for a long time because it provided a lot of food for thought. It got me thinking about concepts I never would've thought of before. Frankie's character is a mad genius and a work of art by E. Lockhart. I don't think I've ever read a novel with such an amazing and unique character as Frankie is. It was kind of strange how fast Frankie thought, but that is just part of her character. The ending was only slightly surprising, but then it was foreshadowed.

I highly recommend this novel to everyone, and it has become one of my favorites. Those who like secret societies such as the one in Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund will enjoy reading about the Loyal Order of the Basset Hound. Readers who like the boarding school setting will also enjoy this novel. I definitely look forward to reading more novels by E. Lockhart.

[...]

Two of my favorite themes in literature are coincidence and the search for identity --And when you get a book about how coincidence can have a part in shaping identity, all the better.

"How does a person become the person she is?" the narrator of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks asks, adding, "This chronicle is an attempt to mark out the contributing elements in Frankie's character. What led her to do the things she did: things she would later view with a curious mixture of hubris and regret."

We know from the outset of the story that Frankie has somehow infiltrated a secret all male society, the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, on the campus of her exclusive prep school and masterminded some borderline criminal pranks. The story explores the how and the why.

The how is where coincidence comes in. Her father was a basset hound and she's heard his stories. Her new boyfriend, Matthew, is a basset hound and when he blows off a date, she follows him to a secret meeting. It just happens that her roommate's boyfriend has the keys to all the off limit places on campus. She met the basset hound "king", Alpha, on the boardwalk the previous summer and when he summoned away for a few days over Halloween, it gives Frankie the opening she needs.

The why is more complicated. Frankie is certainly tired of being treated like an innocuous "bunny rabbit" (her nickname) in need of protection. She's recently blossomed into a knock-out young woman, but she's not content to be anyone's arm candy. She's a firm believer in the equality of the sexes and it irks her to be shut out of "the old boy's club".

Frankie is a strategist, a debater, and someone who wants to be a real "off-roader". She asserts her unique identity by using "neglected positives" (i.e. ept to mean skilled - from inept) in everyday speech, by challenging the unwritten rules of who sits where in the caf, and of course by covertly taking over the basset hounds.

Frankie is a great character - one that I immensely enjoyed spending time with. And this is an excellent book - one that begs for a sequel!

Run and pick this one up ASAP. You will not be disappointed.

This book is everything everyone says it is when it comes to a warm, feel-good read. More than half the book is dedicated to the situation of the school in rural North Carolina and the experiences of a teacher who went there from California to get a different experience. The main characters in the book are a couple of teachers and community leaders, and not necessarily the kids who built the car. The real story of the electric car doesn't get started until about halfway through the book. While I would have been interested in a few more details about the project, the book is still a good read. It skips large sections of the actual project. You seem to go from the initial planning stages to the competition without knowing if the kids painted the car, but that's a minor drawback. By the time the competition starts, it seems like there are only a few pages left, but that's probably the most powerful part of the book. The "disadvantaged" kids manage to win the competition in an emotional and unexpected surprise performance by their car. It appears as though the victory was partially due to painstaking planning and the good luck of having chosen better drivers who knew how to get the most out of the car. Finally, I would have liked a little more closure. There is a section at the end that quickly wraps up what happened later, and while it gives the basic details, it leaves you wanting to know just a little more. Still, in spite of all the drawbacks, this is a very good book, and if you are interested in electric vehicles, it's a different take on the topic.

This was a wonderful book. She portrayed Miller & Ryan perfectly. I had the wonderful opportunity of being a member of the NEAT the year after the events in her book took place. She captured every detail perfectly and I was able to relive a wonderful part of my life. Once you pick up this book you will not be able to put it down until you have read the last page!!

As a member of the EV team at Northamton-East, Caroline Kettlewell made me feel the whole adventure all over again. It was like she took what I saw and felt and put words to it. I am so glad someone told this story, that other people get to read our stugale to the top. If you like to cheer for the underdog you need to read this book. Bryan T Ferguson "the man who drove to the record"

I was sent the book by family - maybe because of the NASCAR connection. I started it on a plane trip to the east coast and finished it, with tears in my eyes, on the way home 2 days later. You start pulling for the kids in the story from the start and share all the ups and downs as they meet each challenge that faces them. What we need is more teachers like Eric Ryan! I highly recommend the book for anyone who likes pulling for the underdog.

How can a story about electric cars bring tears to your eyes, even when you're reading it for the sixth time? Not only is the story riveting, but the writing is a pleasure. As in the works of Tracy Kidder and John McPhee, some authors and stories are made for each other. But neither of those Pulitzer Prize winners ever made me cry. This is a book to be read multiple times - for the inspiration, for the use of words, for the drama, for the joy.

I bought the 2200 series first with the answer book with test and I passed them all with flying colors. So I decided to go for the 2600 and passed that as well with flying colors. After that I decided to buy this book and continue, however, I did not do so well with the test as I would've liked. This is still a great book and I only wish that I could write the author a positive review on it; but I think he might be deceased by now. I truly recommend this book, but you must buy the tests with answer key. Don't cheat!!!

I used an earlier edition of this classic textbook in Junior High 28 years ago, and it is EXCELLENT. What makes it unique is the layout which actually resembles a computer based training format with instant feedback. I only wish more instructional books utilized this format. You WILL master english grammer with this book.

You can start anywhere, literally anywhere. Just open the book at any page and go; truly, it is that easy. I came across this book when taking an English Upgrade course in writing at the University of Toronto back in the 1970's - subjunctives, subordinate clauses, adverb clauses, appositives, punctuation, and on, and on, and on ... . My marks went from C's to A's.
The book eventually fell apart in my hands from the constant use and reuse as I referred to it when I needed it. I referred back to it all the time, simply because some of the topics are, to some extent, obscure and not easy to remember without constantly using them. Is your boss picking on you because you can't write? Are feeling out of the game because you can't get a handle on English grammar? - get the book (and use the book) and get your boss of your back and maybe impress your boss's boss as well.
I just ordered a new one, because my wife speaks English as a second language, and she will have no trouble using it what so ever.
It is a gem, a prize, and a wonder.
sincerely

The book enphasis a lot in writing and correct sentence construction. At the begining it may look foolish, but as you use it, you start noticing and fixing mistakes in your writing style.
It has few theory about grammar, but practise a lot the setence contruction.
If you want improve your writing, this is the MUST HAVE book.

This is the best book on sentence structure ever. I wish I had this book when I was in school. I read alot of books on grammar and they never work for me. I usually forgot what I read after a day or two. I am an electrical engineer. Math and science are always my best subject while english is my worse.

This book show me how to combine simple sentences into compound and complex sentence. How to add adverb and adjective clause into the sentence to make it more meaningful. It show you the same example in many different ways. It is like doing algebra.

This book use a scientific approach. You will learn sentence structure and remember it for the rest of your life.