Society Books


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Society Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Society
Rattlesnakes,: Their habits, life histories, and influence on mankind
Published in Unknown Binding by Published for the Zoological Society of San Diego by the University of California Press (1956)
Author: Laurence Monroe Klauber
List price:
Used price: $123.84

Average review score:

Excellent Book
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-13
This is the Rattle Snake Bible. Klauber was not only the head of the San Diego Zoos reptile house for many years, he still is referenced in association with rattlesnakes as the formost expert years after his death and it is well deserved. His research was ground breaking (although now it seems elementary in some ways I.E. his heat pit research.) and interesting to read. Its no wonder they chose to name the banded rock rattle snake in his honor (crotalus viridis klauberii).

decades after it's publication, still the best!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-22
This book is still the best book on rattlesnakes, decades after it was published. That alone ought to stand as a testament to the value this book has. The author brought an incredibly analytical mind to this book, and it shows. Some of the medical information is out of date, as is some of the taxonomy, but much on the habitats, morphology, ecology, interaction with man, etc. still holds true.

His work on the rattlesnakes strike, on comparitive morphology of the two genera, etc. still stand. This book covers rattlesnakes in incredible depth, going over every detail of these serpents. It's a godsend for those of us interested in rattlers. This book leaves no stone unturned (herping joke, sorry). It covers it's subject matter completly and professionally, and is well worth having on the bookshelf as a reference. If you like rattlers, or for that matter find zoology interesting, this book is a worthwhile read. If only more herpetological text were near as thorough as this one...

A truly interesting book
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-12
I read this book in the mid 90's just for the heck of it, and found it to be wonderful. The style is neither dryly academic nor breathlessly tabloid, but just right. The text answers almost all possible questions about rattlesnake life, legends, myths, and taxonomy that one could think of. It is one of the few books I have read that could be used as either a reference or vacation book.

rattelsnakes the rattelsnake that rattels""'
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 36 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-28
rattelsnakes are dangerus and they well strick' and rattel wheen they are in a bad place were auther pray come by. you will allso want to watch were you are wakeing on the ground. thank you evere much for your time. chris j coombes.

Klauber rules!
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-19
Anything and everything you need to know about these great reptiles! Status, morphology, the rattle, bodily functions, behavior, population and ecology, food, reproduction, venom apparatus, envenomation and its effects, treatment and prevention of envenomation, control an utilization, enemies of rattlesnakes, Indians and rattlesnakes, post-Columbian knowledge of rattlesnakes, myths, folklore and tall stories.

Society
Reclaiming Childhood: Letting Children Be Children in Our Achievement-Oriented Society
Published in Paperback by Holt Paperbacks (2004-02-01)
Author: William Crain
List price: $16.00
New price: $4.25
Used price: $4.70
Collectible price: $16.00

Average review score:

Good but goes too far
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 35 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-12
I agree with the author's complaints that early childhood is not sufficiently appreciated or recognized by educators as something to be nurtured, explored, and extended but I disagree with her continuation of this complaint into later childhood. It's sad that kindergartners are now expected to read, add and subtract, and do homework. But, at some point, children must realize that all learning is predicated upon knowing certain basic facts intuitively such as multiplication tables, some historical dates, historical events and people, grammar basics, and other things that can only be memorized. Learning those is not always fun or creative but it is necessary for a literate population. The author believes otherwise -- she believes that all education must first and foremost begin at each individual child's level and that educators must follow the child, not the child the curriculum. I thought that kind of individualized, do your own thing, education ended after the educational farces of the 60's and 70's when children could be enormously creative but could not read or write.

Children today are not as well educated or informed as children were in our parent's generation. Few, if any, fads du jour have lasted more than a few years. Parents, instead of demanding serious work from their children, belittle homework, tests, and hard work that interferes with their children's extracurricular activities, and TV and computer time. Teachers give in to the parents because, to do otherwise, is to risk losing their jobs because they're "too tough". Spare me! Most educated parents can remember that they learned the most from their toughest, most demanding, teachers, not the ones who gave everyone A's for effort. Parents who enforce appreciation for learning through perspiration tend to have the best educated and most successful children.

Reclaiming Childhood
Helpful Votes: 12 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-01
As a family practice resident I am trained to focus on acute physical ailments. Yet so often parents approach me with concerns about their children's behavior and emotional state. Reclaiming Childhood offers a much needed reminder that scholastic achievement is not the sole indicator of healthy development.

Everyone Should Read This Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-10
I loved this book, and recommended it to everyone I know. I am a teacher and I wanted every parent I work with to read it. Many people took me up on it, and every person who has read it, also loves it. I agree with everything that is said in here and I wish more people would follow the philosophy that this books suggests. As a teacher of outdoor education, it taught me to just let nature teach more often, and not to interfere so much with information. A walk in the woods is an educational experience all by itself.

Returning childhood to the kids
Helpful Votes: 22 out of 23 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-18
One of the great strengths of this book is that it reminds the reader of what it really was like to be a child: how imaginative, artistic, and connected to nature kids are naturally. It's hard for me to remember now, but there was a time when my favorite activity was hanging out in the backyard and just looking at leaves and under rocks, sitting quietly, and thinking things over. I could do this for hours.

It also made me recall the year I spent conducting research in preschool classrooms. I visited many wonderful preschools, but I remember being particularly struck by the atmosphere in the Montessori classroom I visited. There was a sense of calm there that I have never seen anywhere else. At first it seemed eerie; surely these kids were being coerced into behaving so quietly and going about their business in such an orderly graceful way. I remember in particular the child who was bringing around a tray of nuts that he had shelled and offering them graciously to the other children. But the longer I stayed, the more I realized that this deep sense of peacefulness originated from the kids' satisfaction in being allowed to choose their own tasks at their own pace.

William Crain reminds us of some of the charateristics of children's development that have fallen by the wayside as the push for academic achievement (as measured by standardized tests) has become stronger and stronger. The child's desire to be connected with nature, to use her imagination, and to produce art and poetry is valued so much less in our schools than the three R's. As a result they are in danger of disappearing from the curriculum completely, especially in schools with limited resources. Yet these activities are precisely what researchers in the last two centuries have observed to be at the very heart of childhood.

The assumption that our children's future is more important than childhood itself has become so commonplace that it is difficult to shake it even for parents who are committed to a parenting style that is child-centered. This book challenges the assumption that academic achievement is a goal unto itself, rather than a by-product of kids who are happy, well-loved, and allowed to grow at their own pace. It will remain a powerful reminder for parents committed to a child-centered parenting style of what childhood is for in the first place.

Yes! Let the child be a child or you'll pay later!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-12
Excellent book that might slow down the American way of trying to get children ahead of the game. Pressure may work for adults but cheats children of the time they need as children. If they're to become the adults we're pushing them to be, give them the gift of time as a child.

Society
Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness: Julian Jaynes's Bicameral Mind Theory Revisited
Published in Hardcover by Julian Jaynes Society (2007-01-15)
Author:
List price: $35.00
New price: $28.00

Average review score:

Insightful, well documented anthology
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-19
An indispensible resource for ideas on consciousness, religion, and theory of ancient civilizations. Includes various authors including some important but lesser known articles by Julian Jaynes himself. Interdiscliplinary, insightful, provocative, in the original spirit of Jaynes' seminal work, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, but goes well beyond mere support and evidence of that work. Contains profuse notes and bibliographies for each article.

Worth the wait.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-15
Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness explains, extends, and expands many of Julian Jaynes's most provocative ideas. For readers who finished The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind and wondered 'What comes next?', this collection provides answers. Gathering together both additional writings by Jaynes himself, along with thoughtful essays by scholars from a wide range of disciplines, the book both explores ways in which Jaynes's thought can be applied in specific fields of study and serves as a testimony to the centrality of the issue of consciousness to all fields of intellectual endeavor. This worthy sequel to Jaynes's original book has been a long time coming, but the wait has been worth it

Iteresantes reflexiones sobre un clásico psico-antropológico
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-21
La teoría de Julian Jaynes ha sido revisitada, en un momento en el que los descubrimientos neurológicos y genómicos confirman que el mundo se ha basado en su desarrollo en alucinaciones

A commendable follow-up to "Origin of Consciousness"
Helpful Votes: 21 out of 21 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-13
I particularly enjoyed the fairly detailed biographical information about J. Jaynes which was included in several of the essays. The technical essays aren't all necessarily accessible to everyone who's read and understood "Origin", though many are. Anyone fascinated and moved by "Origin" will find much of interest in this collection, though not everyone will find appeal in exactly the same things. I'd buy it again.

Long Awaited and Worth the Wait
Helpful Votes: 26 out of 26 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-30
For three decades I have been enthralled by the ideas put forth in Julian Jaynes's "The Origin of Consciousness In the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind" and have been waiting in vain (until now) for a follow-up volume. "Reflections On the Dawn of Consciousness" is a collection of incisive essays by Julian Jaynes himself and by others, commenting on and extending his previously published work.

Even after thirty years I cannot say that I feel that I have fully accepted (or, perhaps, fully understood) all aspects of Jaynes's theories about the eruption of consciousness just a few millennia ago, but I do believe he provided a very strong case for the reality of the bicameral mind and its role in providing the auditory hallucinations which were interpreted as the voices of gods in ancient times. Kuijsten's book reinforces these points. Although "Reflections On the Dawn of Consciousness" could be read independently (and as an introduction to Jaynes's work), it will probably be most appreciated by those familiar with Jaynes's book. Neither volume provides what might be called "light reading," but both are intensely thought-provoking.

Society
Religion and Science
Published in Audio Cassette by Audio Scholar (1994-06)
Author: Bertrand Russell
List price: $17.95
Used price: $4.91

Average review score:

Comments on 2 CD Audio...
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 19 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-24
Hard to believe that this Book (here in CD Audio Format) was written was back in 1932! Most of it is as current and relevent now as then. The CD is broken down in to several parts, including RELIGION AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD,RELIGION AND DISEASE,RELIGION AND EVOLUTION, RELIGION AND MYSTICISM. Always very polite and a bit understated, the CD begins commenting on Copernicus and Galileo, scientists contradicting the dogma of their times. Then onto Church responses to disease including 1600's Plagues, and Smallpox. The blame was put on demons and devils, not germs aor viruses. His comments on the Smallpox outbreak in 1880's Montreal are worth the price of the CD. Evolution and biology are discussed, and Russll has some interesting thoughts on mysticism. Very worthwhile in this CD format!

A must read for the religious and nonreligious alike
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 21 total.
Review Date: 1998-07-28
Russell's "Religion and Science" explores, in a thoughtful and intelligent fashion, essentially the dark side of religion and its historical resistance (to say the least) to scientific discovery. This is clearly a must read for any rational thinking human.

Religion and Science
Helpful Votes: 15 out of 21 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-06
I really enjoyed this book. Basically this is a history book of science and religion and how they have interacted over the history of mankind. Bertrand explains how almost every great scientific finding or revolution is oppressed ...by religion in some way or another. Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Darwin, Vesalius, Harvey, Simpson, and many other distinguished scholars have all been at least fearful of the reactions of the churches, but also of the general population. Bertrand also goes into detail how the idea of ?soul? has changed through time: ?We not only react to external objects, but we know that we react. The stone, we think, does not know it reacts, but if it does it has ?consciousness.? Here also, on analysis, the difference will be found to be one of degree.? I rate this book with five out of five stars; I enjoyed it and still do enjoy it thoroughly.

"Religion and Science" as opposed to "Religion vs. Science"
Helpful Votes: 22 out of 25 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-01
This book is the culmination of lengthy and grueling contemplations. It really reveals the author's depth of knowledge.

Religion and science are two major aspects of life. Religion (or to worship something more superior and powerful) has been around since the day humankind was created. In every epoch, in every land, human beings felt a need to believe in something which they can seek refuge when they are in need of protection, relief, solace and peace of mind. Whether you believe in a religion or not, it plays, perhaps, the biggest role in our lives everyday. Science, on the other hand, is the grand sum of all the endeavors that mankind expended in search of unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

In my opinion, the author could have named the book "Christianity and Science" as well, because he refers to other religions very briefly. I am sure he was not unaware of them, but to name a book with such a generic name, it entails a comprehensive treatise of all major religions. Although there are many common denominators among them, there are as well many stark contrasts. Furthermore, the historical development of major religions exhibit different features, distinct approaches and methodologies.

Having been raised in a Christian environment, it is not unusual for the author to bring forth such a book. At that time, the Islamic civilization was (and still is) in a state of decline and inertia. The concept of "religion and science" should be discussed in a forum with participants from all major religions. Hence, one will be able to produce a comprehensive treatise.

As for this book specifically, the chapter "Demonology and Medicine" is especially striking and includes very powerful stories. The outstanding difference between today's Western civilization and the Medieval Europe is characterized very successfully. In the latter chapters, the evolution of scientific thought in West is discussed with very illustrative examples. The notion of "relativity" in the sense that every human being perceives the Universe from a different angle with different assumptions and premises is argued and scrutinized very logically, effectively. This book really makes you ponder over the Universe in which you live, from many perspectives, with the ideas that shape it.

Personally, science and religions are not archnemeses. They are very powerful tools, which go parallel to each other, to perceive and comprehend the secrets of life.

Overall, a very powerful book for those who are not afraid of thinking!

Two Titans' Battle is Reviewed by Capable Hands
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-27
Quick overview of the centuries long conflict between religion and science. Russell firmly believes that religion has stood in the natural path of science on multiple fronts. Every time religion has been "pushed aside" by science (sometimes violently), man has made tremendous progressive strides. This includes discovering that blood flows through the body and the failure to find the soul within the body, amongst dozens of other examples.

The book's age takes very little away from the book. Russell even acknowledges that the fields of science he speaks about are still progressing and his words about them will one day be less poignant.

Fascinating and quick, I read "S&R" after "The Problems of Philosophy" and "The Conquest of Happiness," but before "Why I Am Not a Christian."

Society
SABER - Mad Society
Published in Paperback by Gingko Press (2007-07-21)
Author:
List price: $29.95
New price: $19.52
Used price: $21.22

Average review score:

Excellent book, worth reading and seeing!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-20
I thought this book was an excellent read, although I wish there was more to read, but the visuals in the book make up for it, because Saber is totally awesome. You get a great insight of what goes on inside this mighty artist's mind, and you get to realize what kind of a good person Saber is. Then the amazing stories, including the one how he was able to do the Los Angeles river piece is great. Nothing else to say but that it's a good book, and I guarantee to read it.

Thumbs Up
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-11
The book was overall good and exciting with lots of laughs. Its kind of a kids book sort of speak... for graff writers. Mostly short storys and tons of pics. It can also be finished in one day, although i took two.

It starts out by going into sab's upbringing, which was acually interesting, kind of all makes sense. youll know what i mean when u read it.

Than it quickly dives into some of sab's legendary illegals and stomping grounds for AWR and MSK. It also grazes into a few other peoples lifes and tells some things that most people dont know.

I only wish he told more. I guess i feel that i got the short story of it all and i was in for the long. Im also very dissapointed that he never really got into king AYERS story, kinda just skipped over him.

all in all, its a book worth picking up for the price.

to sum it all up:
amazing artwork. deep, funny look into the life. in kind of a short story form.

Great
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-24
It a great book filled in with great artwork. It shows why SABER is a KING.

Great bio book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-06
Nice book, great stories and smart texts. Lot of pics and all you can ask to a book about an artist.

Good book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-08
This was a pretty good graff book. I have others where the text part of the book was pretty aweful, where the writer(s) just basically say how great they were and how much better they were, or they were the first to do everything, etc. This was more humble and it complemented the pictures, instead of coming across as ingnorant/ selfish. I'm from NY and had little exposure to the LA scene, and this was a really good book, even though it is basically on Saber, not all LA writers. I recommend it.

Society
Searching for Yellowstone: Ecology and Wonder in the Last Wilderness
Published in Paperback by Montana Historical Society Press (2004-04-01)
Author: Paul Schullery
List price: $19.95
New price: $11.05
Used price: $11.04

Average review score:

A balanced history and a wonderful read
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-03
This book presents itself as a history of Yellowstone. However, it's also an extended reflection on the park by someone who loves it dearly, someone who has worked for the National Park Service in Yellowstone for years and is very knowledgeable about the park. Schullery writes very well, and the book is a pleasure to read.

The most striking characteristic of this book, in comparison with others, is how remarkably even-handed it is. Schullery takes controversial issues such as fire management, elk shooting, wolf reintroduction, and brucellosis-infected bison and presents them in an even-handed way, sympathetic to both sides. He recognizes that most people go to Yellowstone to see Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon, eat, and go shopping; that's not what he likes to do, but he isn't critical. Yet, somehow, he manages to cock an eyebrow here and there and make you rethink a position that you had previously held quite firmly.

This would be a great book to read before a visit to Yellowstone, or as something to put in your pack while you're there. Highly recommended.

Readers with affection for Yellowstone will find these early encounters riveting.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-07
Combine history, scholarship, and a survey of nature and ecological issues and you have an uncommon history of Yellowstone that examines the political and cultural influences on the park's development and management over the decades. SEARCHING FOR YELLOWSTONE: ECOLOGY AND WONDER IN THE LAST WILDERNESS offers up chapters packed with true stories of environmental encounters and wonders. Readers with affection for Yellowstone will find these early encounters riveting.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Searching for Yellowstone
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-10
This is a review of Yellowstone history from a system-wide and ecological perspective. It is well written and provides a great deal of factual information. It presents well thought out conclusions. It is balanced; not overly slanted toward the National Park Service, but not overly critical. The book is extremely well researched. The stories of historical characters and events add much to the book. The universe of Yellowstone experts hold several differing views on the proper wildlife numbers that should be allowed in Yellowstone. Schullery fits into the group that favors using historical stocking as a baseline. Those inclined to an agronomy baseline will question some of the conclusions drawn. One of the other reviewers called this book an "easy pre-read." I disagree; it is not difficult to read, but it does deserve study.

Best book about Yellowstone NP so far
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-03-22
I read this book in a week and was quite impressed with the breadth of history covered in 260 something pages, not counting notes. I was glad to see that this historical account began with an "anthropological" perspective by recounting the known presence of Native American tribes prior to the EuroAmerican "discovery" of the place and the manner in which they were extricated from the ecosystem. I was also impressed with the historical information relating the misuse, management practices and policies that affected the life of the park once it was established and what changes have been implemented in recent years. The notes following the text were very helpful in leading me to other books and records that I would like to examine. A fine book that I purchased after reading the library copy!

Yellowstone 101
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-01
`Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in knowing the "Yellowstone story" at a deeper level than the interpretive signs or tourist pamphlets. This would be excellent (and easy) "pre-reading" for anyone contemplating a first trip to Yellowstone....but it is also a fascinating and sometimes surprising eye-opener for someone (like me) who was somewhat familiar with Yellowstone already. From the perspective only a former Yellowstone employee and prolific writer/researcher could bring, Schullery persuasively argues-not unlike the "new western historians" in their iconoclastic reassessment of the American west and its history)-that Yellowstone is not so much a place as a process...a process of how we as Americans define a national park. Schullery's measured tour through this process provides a sobering reminder to inveterate tree-huggers like me that a national park is not a wilderness area, as much as I might like it to be in terms of "hands off" preservation. Schullery's approach is matter-of-fact, methodically researched (I actually enjoyed reading the copious "notes" section separately after having finished the book) and myth-busting at times (e.g. that surprisingly, the total number of developed acres in Yellowstone has actually decreased during the last 40 years rather than increased). He doesn't even spare himself, needling enthusiastic fly-fishers like himself with the sad-but-true fact that if we treated the ungulates of Yellowstone the same way fishermen do a Yellowstone trout (which was probably introduced in the first place rather than native), we would be cited for abusing the wildlife. A very readable and important book.

Society
Shadowed Ground: America's Landscapes of Violence and Tragedy
Published in Paperback by University of Texas Press (1997)
Author: Kenneth E. Foote
List price: $19.95
New price: $25.00
Used price: $6.59

Average review score:

An Astonishing Book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-06
This is an astonishing book, one that defies easy categorization or even any categorization at all. It is by turns
thought-provoking, horrifying, and inspiring, and the buyer will never regret the money spent on it. This book will stay with the reader for a long time to come.

I haven't read the book yet, but the cover image is amazing!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2003-04-30
I haven't read the book yet, but the cover image is amazing!

An Incredible Book!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-17
I read this book a couple of years and found it amazing!
It's heartbreaking, bloodchilling, and inspiring, all in one
book. These are stories that often remain untold and hidden in our culture, yet they are a distinct and vital part of
our national experience. I read the first edition, by the way,
and I now plan to buy the second, updated edition, which I
anticipate will deal with the World Trade Center attacks, the
Pentagon attack, and the Shencksville, PA, air crash. If you
buy one book this year, buy this one!

Phenomenal look at marking pain
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-22
Excellent overview of why we choose to designate tragic events in some cases, and hush-up others shamefully. Poignant, original...no other book so comprehensively covers the geography of painful memorials. An interesting sequel could be written regarding domestic terrorism, not just in America, but regarding other countries' place-memorials of such events.

Shadowed Ground : America's Places of Tragedy and Violence
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-30
If you arrange your library by category you may have trouble with this book. History? True Crime? Cultural Geography? Anthropology? Sociology? American Studies?

The book covers the sites of disaster, assassination, murder and accident all across America, including nearly every site and shrine in Texas. We review it not just for it's interesting content, but its coverage of a most unusual type of geography. It's a thought-provoking book at how, why and in what manner we deal with the sites of violence (and tragedy).

The individual stories of the incidents are told completely, but without distracting from the book's theme.

It's a unique book and should remain so for some time. Foote's thoroughness guarantees that.

Society
Sri Aurobindo: Or, The adventure of consciousness
Published in Unknown Binding by India Library Society (1964)
Author: Satprem
List price:
Used price: $12.00

Average review score:

Avatar of the Supramental
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-13
This book is very important in my life. I first read it in 1970 when I was on a furious hunt for 'Truth', the meaning of life, etc. At that time I owned several books by Sri Aurobindo, including the "Life Divine". But they were all heavy, erudite tomes. Then I read Satprem's poetic, inspiring treatment of Aurobindo's life. I cannot describe here the ecstatic opening of consciousness that reading this book gave. It was as though every word was on fire. And the same with Aurobindo's book on "The Mother".
Sri Aurobindo (and the Mother), are Co-Avatars of the Supramental. But that's another story.

the core teachings of Aurobindo
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-22
The author is a student of Aurobindo's and 'The Mother'. Aurobindo's experience and description have an uncommon breadth and depth to them. Where most disciplines stop (Nirvana) Aurobindo is just getting started. This book is well written in readable english. Satprem does a fine job of presenting some history of Sri Aurobindo as well as the core teachings of this rare individual.

Perfect introduction to Sri Aurobindo
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-27
Sri Aurobindo was, in the opinion of many yogis, the greatest saint who was generally available to the public in modern times. (The caveat is because there are great souls who prefer to remain hidden.) Though his wisdom was vast and his discoveries in deep meditation greatly advanced our understanding of humanity's capabilities, his writings are so huge and dense, that comparitively few have understood the majesty of the man's philosophy. That is why Sat Prem's book is so valuable. You will never find a more succinct or readable tome on Aurobindo. It is the perfect introduction to the work of this great master, who deserves to be much better known in the West.

Perfect introduction to Sri Aurobindo
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-27
Sri Aurobindo was, in the opinion of many yogis, the greatest saint who was generally available to the public in modern times. (The caveat is because there are great souls who prefer to remain hidden.) Though his wisdom was vast and his discoveries in deep meditation greatly advanced our understanding of humanity's capabilities, his writings are so huge and dense, that comparitively few have understood the majesty of the man's philosophy. That is why Sat Prem's book is so valuable. You will never find a more succinct or readable tome on Aurobindo. It is the perfect introduction to the work of this great master, who deserves to be much better known in the West.

Synthesis
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2001-05-08
The writings of Aurobindo are enormous. As much as one might wish to bathe in the wisdom of this extraordinary man, the task is too much for most of due to the massive tomes we would confront. However, Satprem has magnificently synthesised the life work of Aurobindo. Not only has he accomplished this task well, but the subtelty, the depth of vision that Satprem manages to convey, says to me that he is himself someone who has great insight, has great life experience and spiritual maturity.

Society
Storyteller
Published in Paperback by Lulu.com (2008-01-16)
Author: G. R. Grove
List price: $16.95
New price: $15.95
Used price: $17.21

Average review score:

Storyteller
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-25
The travels of Gwernin Storyteller, bring you into the myths and history of 6th Century Britain in a way that captivates the reader. It is a fascinating read, with each chapter being able to stand on it own as a story. I highly recommend this book and it's sequal, "Flight of the Hawk".

Historical Wales Comes Alive
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-10
The thing that will most stick with the reader is the Welsh Flourish with which Grove writes. In fact, to add to that flourish, a pronuciation key is provided at the end (and is in fact integral to enjoying the book).

Storyteller follows the travels of a young 6th century Welsh bard named Gwernin. Gwernin starts from his home with a companion and proceeds to wander the country getting room and board where possible in exchange for his storytelling prowess. Along the way he encounters a variety of noble people, renowned bards, and charlatans.

Although one may wonder about the integrity of the interactions between Gwernin and the people he encounters, the integrity of the setting is not impeached. In fact, it is clear that Grove has spent many loving hours investigating 6th century Wales and wishes to convey that to her readers. Additionally, it is clear that Grove has a penchant for the bardic arts and likewise wishes to bestow that upon her readers.

Storyteller will give readers an excellent insight into Wales of the sixth century. Furthermore, they can garnish some fun and easy to re-tell stories by reading this work.

An engaging and pleasant read
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-31
G.R. Grove's book "Storyteller" is sort of difficult to categorize. It's historical fiction, but a sort of whimsical fiction which is told in the tradition of the Canterbury tales. The book is a collection of individual tales, wound by the bard Gwernin. As he travels about telling his stories chapter by chapter, the wider story is revealed of his travels around Wales during the middle ages. You are introduced to an evolving, colourful cast of characters that Gwernin meets along the way, as well as those who accompany him on various adventures. As they travel, the reader hears stories of legendary England, including tales of King Arthur. You follow Gwernin through various life-experiences, and even as he falls in love.

I sort of expected this book to be much like the required reading of my High School AP English class; a chore to read and hard to retain. However it was not. It was a pleasure to read this book. Storyteller is an extremely friendly read, with a well-researched foundation, and a light-hearted tone. There is no doubt of the author's knowledge and expertise on the historical material in this book; however it is not presented in a burdensome or pretentious manner.

I confess that this style of book would not normally attract me as a reader. I tend to shy away from historical fiction. I find that more often than not, this genre is simply written as a means for an erudite author to show off his/her knowledge of historical subject matter, and the story, no matter how good, can be completely obliterated by the profusion of archaic terms and facts. Storyteller has shown me that this isn't always the case, and that sometimes a good book is just a good book. G. R. Grove is clearly an excellent writer. I can't find anything to criticize about the author's style or voice. The first paragraph will snag you and you will be engaged throughout. Then you will be dropped off at the last paragraph wanting more. Luckily, she has provided us with a sequel, which I will be reviewing soon.

I have been given no choice but to give "Storyteller" a full five medallions (stars). It is not run-of-the-mill work by any means. It isn't what I normally read, but it has me looking forward to the next installment. I recommend this book to anyone who just loves a good story; for there are plenty of those to be had in "Storyteller."

rich imagry from another time and place
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-05
Storyteller is a series of tales chronicalling the adventures of Gwernin in his journy to become a bard in 6th century Wales. The reader will get a sense of both Gwernin the young man experiencing these wonders and dangers for the first time, and also of Gwernin the old man, looking back on his life, telling us of his triumphs, and of his youthful stubornness and folly. One delights in Gwernin's successes, but also can enjoy cringing with his embarassment. With true understanding of human nature, Ms.Grove has created a character anyone who has been through adolescence can relate to, yet firmly rooted in his own time. Throughout one gets lost in the mindset of that early century. The country itself becomes a character as it comes to life through Ms. Groves lyric prose, rich in well-researched detail. Each chapter gives a tasty mouthful, the perfect treat to devour before bed-time. I eagerly await the next instalment.

Welsh History Tales
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-13
I immensely enjoyed this book because of its excellent historical content and the blend of tale and fantasy which makes it so much fun to read. The life of the bard portrayed in the stories is well based on historical research and the tales he tells and experiences have the right blend of myth and life that I think a person living in that time period would have believed. I am looking forward eagerly to the next instalment. Gwernin is a very realistic character and I believed in him absolutely. As for the brushed with faery he experiences, he would have believed their reality even if they were dreams for the early Welsh lived much closer to the land of myth than we do today. I think fans of both fantasy and historical novels will find this book to be a wonderful read.

Society
Three-Dimensional Applique and Embroidery Embellishment: Techniques for Today's Album Quilt
Published in Paperback by American Quilter's Society (2003-08)
Author: Anita Shackelford
List price: $24.95
New price: $16.47
Used price: $12.49

Average review score:

Fabulous book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-14
This is the best book. The instructions are clear and easily understood. The photos are excellent. I love this book!

Lots to learn after 20 years of applique.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-19
A must have for anyone wanting to add another dimension to their applique.
The illustrations and the instructions are very clear. Each flower has a color picture of the results. Great book for beginners and advanced.

Great Applique Book
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-22
This is one of the nicest applique books I have found on 3 dimensional applique. Beautiful work, clear instructions and great ideas. I highly recommend it.

Three-Dimensional Applique and Embroidery Embellishment: Techniques for Today's Album Quilt
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-26
A ture number one book on 3D applique'. Highly recommend for all who love this style of quilting.

great book
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-18
This book has alot of how to for learning. The picture are easy to see and understand. A great book for someone just starting. I have quilted for years and still learn new ideas.


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