V Books

Joe Quirk dances away from all the problems with self-help books, embraces the good parts of science books, and blends in his own character. The result is a hilarious ride through science with lots of "give me pause" and "change my perspective" that self-help books try to deliver and science books never seem to bother with.
My favorite part was the "aquatic ape" theory.
The best line in the book, Pg 138 "...in order to orgasm, some women need to concentrate, and some men, to put off orgasm, need to think about something else. My method is to list each Yankee baseball player's batting average. The second a man thinks about what he's actually doing, it's over. So the only way a man can enjoy sex is to not think about what he's doing. Can you blame us if we extend this strategy to relationships?"

A fun and funny spin on evolutionary biology. Sex: a serious topic at its silliest. Good reading, full of clever lines and information perfect for sharing at cocktail parties.

It is not often that you find a book that informs as well as amuses. This is for everything they left out of sex-ed when you were a kid.

I teach a college-level seminar for science-phobes using popular science literature. Of all the books I have ever used, on any topic, this was the hands-down favorite. The seminar was titled Sex, Gender and Love: A Biological View, and this book covered the love part -- haha. I read it alternately being annoyed at the corny (but devilishly clever) jokes and laughing out loud in spite of myself. Most of all, though, I was impressed by the research that went into each of the chapters and the way Quirk made all our human sexual foibles explicable and hilarious -- nothing better than laughing at ourselves since we're stuck with us! Thanks!

The best book on sexual evolutionary biology. Why both men and women seem to be on different planets. Hm... is there a catchier title?
Perhaps, but not a better book.

Unfortunately, despite his extensive bibliography, Joe Quirk (What the blazes kind of name is that for a scientific researcher? ) does not have a Phd. Neither is he buddies with Oprah, so I doubt this will top the besteller list.

Never mind. I've suffered through many academese imbued evolutionary snoozefests texts. This one will keep you wide awake, I promise.

What Quirk has is brilliance, and (gasp!) an ability to write. He must have had some alpha ancestors during the pleistocene era that could spin some awesome tales by the campfire.

Among The Table of Contents we find such gems as:

Chapter 9: The Jerk Gene
Chapter 12: Why Women are Coy, Men Clueless
Chapter 26: Free Love Causes War

And, for a smaple paragraph:

" Men are attracted to nubility and health. Women are attracted to nobility and wealth. Both want intelligence, kindness, and opulence.
Both want a good sense of humor. They'll need it. "


As will the reader.
An easy 5 stars.

I am not much into modern romances, but this one takes the cake! Every character is wonderfully built and by the end, you will know them all!

This is the story of a family of five. The father, Derek Holloway, is a famous golf pro, the mother, Crystal, a past beauty queen are divorced. The three children, Cameron, Charlie, & Ashley, spend every week with the other parent.

Brought together over the concern for their middle daughter's troubles at school, they meet with her teacher, Lily Robinson, also Crystals life long best friend and godmother to the kids, to discuss her needs. After the meeting, Crystals car won't start and Derek gives her a ride. An unfortunate accident takes the life of both parents. The kids are now at the mercy of Derek's younger brother, the rakish & wild Sean.

Lily's loyalty to the kids and to her best friend, as well as her genuine love for them, throw her and Sean together into a oneness of mind, to bring a normal life to these hurting kids. The result is a journey of discovery and passion. (No explicit sex scenes, as is true with most of her novels, which I appreciate.)

This is an awesome account of how love can heal and how it's OK to move on after losing a loved one. It is refreshing to see how life can change for the better in the aftermath of such devestation. It is so beautiful to watch how love heals and changes EVERY character in this book! Wow! What a great story!

The only problem you will have here is some of the repetition that Susan is known for. Read through! It is a great story! Full of passion, pain, victory, and more!!

I HIGHLY recommend this book!

The only thing that disappointed me about this book was that it ended. I wanted it to go on, I didn't want to leave these characters. You want to know what else the future has in store for them.

I've recently started reading her books, and playing catch up, I can't believe I've missed her. Her characters are memorable and she makes you feel them and you actually believe that you know them.

Give the book a try, you won't be disappointed.

I loved this book. It is a quick read and you don't want it to be over! I became very attached to the characters and could not put the book down!

This unpretentious book is simply lovely. The plot sounds hackneyed, it's been done a million time, but it works on every single level because the people--including the children--are so real, and so likeable.

A freak fatal car accident kills a famous golf pro and his ex-wife, who are driving away from the elementary school, where they had met with the wife's best friend and third-grade teacher of their daughter. The teacher, Lily, had given them bad news that their middle child, Charlie, could not read at grade level. Now, Charlie, her older brother Cameron and baby sister Ashley are tragically orphaned.

In a surprise development, custody of all three children is given to the golf pro's surviving brother, "bad boy" bachelor brother Sean Maguire, a golfer in his own right, but one who has no discipline. Lily, who loves the children dearly, is appalled and determined to make sure the children are given everything they need.

The rest, as they say, is history...very predictable, but so sweet, so unassuming, and as mentioned above, SO REAL, that the story just makes the reader melt. Highly recommended.

The only reason why I picked this book up at my hairdresser's is because I wanted to see why readers love Susan Wiggs' books so much. Well, after finishing this book in five hours, I can see why. It's such a wonderful book .... it made me laugh and cry. It made me sigh and it was just wonderful. I couldn't put it down for one minute.

This book focuses on Lily, a school teacher who is content with the way her life is. She is planning to go to Italy for the summer after school's out. Suddenly, her best friend and ex-husband is killed in a car accident, and she finds herself taking care of Crystal's three kids along with Crystal's former brother-in-law, Sean. Sean is a former pro golfer who was kicked out of golf for cheating. Now teaching other people how to golf and bartender at the local golf course, Sean all of a sudden finds himself guardian with three kids, Cameron, a teenager, Charlie, a third-grader and Ashley, the two-year-old. Both Lily and Sean's lives were disrupted by the tragedy and together, they pull the kids through the darkest moments of grief.

It is a wonderful humane story about loss and love, friendship, dreams and hopes. It is a story that takes you to another world where things are still possible ~~ and yes, it is very predictable, but Wiggs make the trip fun anyways. This is a perfect reading for those times when you have a few hours to yourself ~~ and want to relax. She's a good storyteller and one that I plan to keep an eye out for.

9-3-06

I was diagnosed with type one this year and in order to help me, my doctor gave me some of his medical book's to read however, this was quite challenging for me putting all the medical terminology together in order to understand my diabetes. This book takes the medical language and translates it into everyday practical advice. I am on my second reading of this book and every time I read it I learn something new. This is a good book to mark up or highlight because of the information that is present. I would recommend this book for any body with type 1 who wants to improve there control or who have just been diagnosed.

This book is a very practical guide to insulin use that is a must-read for anybody trying to maximize their blood sugar control. We got it from the library first, but then realized we'd be coming back to it repeatedly and needed to have our own copy. Highly recommended!

I was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I thought I understood all there was to know about it. After reading this book, I truly understood not only HOW to improve my glucose readings, but why it worked. This book is just as helpful as an physician.

This book was recommended by my diabetes doctor. It has given me insights into my diabetes and is well worth the read.

I ordered this book after reading the good reviews on it and I found it to be an excellent read. My 5 year old daughter is Type 1 diagnosed a year ago. I read as much as I can on diabetes and found this book answered those little nagging questions I have always had. We have a great endo but they can only give you so much information at each appointment. I think alot of learning about handling ones diabetes is trial and error and Gary Scheiner brought that up in the book along with ways to try to figure out what works for you. I highly recommend this book!

Herman Wouk examines Judaism in a modest manner that informs without preaching. Wouk looks at his religion from his Orthodox practice, but with easy-reading prose made for all audiences (Jews, Christians, etc.). Readers learn about the Sabbath, Torah, holidays, rituals, feasts, and other vital traditions in this, the world's oldest monotheistic religion. We also learn about Judaism's three main branches (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform), plus pious and non-practicing Jews. Additionally, Wouk examines his own perspective. The result is an informative and personal look at Judaism, particularly in the USA.

Some note that Judaism has changed somewhat since this book arrived in the late 1950's; today there's more ultra-Orthodox, non-practicing, even messianic Jews. Still, this is an informative, valuable book. Readers might also enjoy Wouk's popular novels, including THE CAINE MUTINY and WINDS OF WAR.

This is my God has become a classic on Jewish Thought and Culture. If you are just beginning or are a seasoned scholar, This is my God has something for you.

I totally recommend this book. You will enjoy immensely. Read it with a highlighter, you are going to want to quote it later.

Wouk, Herman. "This is My G-d: The Jewish Way of Life", Little Brown and Company, 1959. 1988.

How I Live

Amos Lassen

Here in Arkansas, especially from my gay friends, I contstantly get questions about my being Jewish. After a few moments of discussion, I usually refer people to Herman Wouk's "This is My G-d" which, even though is not new, explains basically everything Jewish in the easiest way. The book goes with me wherever I go. I keep a copy in my office at the university, a copy in my study and one in my suitcase. Anyone who wants to know what Orthodox Judaism means to a well informed and intelligent Jew but who is an American (by birth) as well, can find out what he wants to know in this book. Written in terms that are easy to understand, the book stands alone in being a guide to the Jewish religion. Herman Wouk is a wonderful person to consult on matters Jewish. He writes with humility and wisdom and his explanations are clear and concise.
There is a lot of literature on the Jewish religion available and new books on seem to be published almost daily. Wouk gives us a brief history of the Jewish people and an excellent discussion on the meaning of G-d. He explains who we are and how we have survived and carefully looks at the importance of symbols in the religion.
In part two of the book, Wouk approaches issues of faith and sows how it is impossible to study all of it. Looking at the holiday calendar, he is able to equate the observance with the nature of the Jewish mind and explains in detail what the synagogue is and what purpose it has. Looking at the dietary laws and explaining how orthodox Jews observe them is an experience that I have not found in other books. Wouk manages to bring the laws to a level of understanding that explains and codifies them. He also speaks of clothing and shelter which I found especially interesting as most do not realize that there is a certain way that Jews look at them.
Wouk takes us through the life cycle--from circumcision to Bar Mitzvah to death and explains issues of love and marriage. Looking at law, Wouk explains the differences between Torah, Talmud, common law and modern theory. Finally he looks at the state of Judaism in the present and evaluates the various schisms in modern Judaism.
The newer edition contains an epilogue which deals with Israel and the question of Jewish survival. For a novice this is a place to begin and for others it is a book to consult. Surely a religion that has lasted thousands of years cannot be written about in just 300 something pages but I tell you, it has been a great help to me in both understanding myself and explaining Judaism to others.

This work is a wonderful introduction to and survey of Orthodox Judaism. This book stands out from the pack of other works on the same topic in that This Is My God was written by a master novelist (Wouk gave us Winds of War, War and Remembrance, The Caine Mutiny, et al). Herman Wouk is passionate and candid in what he writes here.

The tone is conversational, unconfrontational and uncondescending. Although packed with factual information, Wouk keeps it personal and interesting by moving back and forth between the mechanics of Orthodox Judaism, and his own personal experience - especially his formative years under the hand of his beloved, learned and pious grandfather. Considering the scope, it is brief, by the author's own admission.

Wouk explains the basic approaches marking Orthodox, and to a lesser extent Conservative and Reform, Judaism. He discusses the practice . . . dietary laws, tallit, the Sabbath, the Feasts, etc. He sketches history and historical figures (I especially appreciated his sorting out of the great sages and each of their places in Judaical history). He describes the source texts - Torah and Talmud. Also, Wouk easily could have - but did not - bury the reader with Hebrew phraseology.

This book is unique and well worth the time for an interested truth seeker of ANY faith to invest. I could continue with the praises of this work, but I would just be repeating what other reviewers have already written.

I will add a couple of critical comments. This book, published in 1959 (written while the State of Israel was only 10 years old, how remarkable!), has become a bit dated. (Obviously no fault of Wouk's here). Orthodox Judaism has evolved increasingly into what people call "Ultra-Orthodox" and has become largely identified with Hasidic dress and practices. In today's world an observant Orthodox author, out of reverence, may well have refrained from penning the title "God", preferring rather "G_d" (interesting since the diety's personal Name is not actually God . . . a gentile word having rather pagan roots). Orthodox vs Conservative vs Reform have all changed a bit over the years. I was disappointed that Wouk did not even mention the phenomenon of Messianic Judaism, which has grown greatly since the book was authored. Wouk also more or less wrote off the Karaites as an extinct sect . . . but that movement has also grown greatly since the book was authored. But of course Wouk's passion is Orthodoxy, and my point is that there has been much change even in the brief historical period since 1959. This is a minor criticism and hardly detracts from the value of the book.


Secondly, although I was drawn to this book by its enticing title, it would have been more accurately titled, "This Is My Religion". Orthodox Judaism wholly embraces the the Talmud. Unlike the Torah, the Talmud is arguably the work of great men, but not necessarily of God. There is wide and heated disagreement on this point. But in Wouk's book, any insight as to the nature of God will have to be inferred from the general discussion.

But again, any truth-seeker, and especially followers of the God of Israel, should have this information. An observant and learned Orthodox Jew will likely find no new information here, but may enjoy Wouk's personal perspectives.

A heartfelt and personal discussion of Judaism. Herman Wouk is the master of the historical novel. His guidebook to Judaism is written with love and respect.

FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN GENEALOGY, THE BOOK BY MEGAN SMOLENYAK TITLED TRACE YOUR ROOTS WITH DNA IS MOST INFORMATIVE. IT IS WELL WRITTEN AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR EITHER THE BEGINNING OR PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST.

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak - her real name - provides an excellent introduction of what DNA can and can not do in Genetic Genealogy.

Anyone starting their "Roots" research effort is advised to buy this book. It will help you save money by allowing DNA to focus on your line and not someone elses. Read the book for more details!

Excellent book for the beginner who wants to understand DNA Testing and how to use it for Genealogy.

As a DNA-surname research group administrator, I tend to buy every book, VHS, or DVD I can find regarding the use of DNA research in support of traditional genealogy.

Of the 12-15 books I have purchased so far, Megan Smolenyak's touchstone reference work continues to be the one I reach for when I have a question myself.

Easily read and understood, this book makes complex concepts readily accessible with clear illustrations, definitions, real-world examples, and authoritative references when needed. I am not naturally science-minded, but as a good researcher, I want to be able to use every tool in the box. This is my go-to book for that purpose.

Buy as many DNA books and tapes as you want, but your DNA library will not be complete without this classic introduction to the concepts involved in genetic genealogy.

I highly recommend it!

CHT in Virginia

Even a decade ago, "genetic genealogy" barely existed as an almost science-fictional idea. Now, it's one of the most debated topics in our field and thousands of family researchers are involved in projects to identify ancestors through DNA analysis. (I'm in two projects now, myself.) It's a rather complicated subject, though, and for those (like me) who barely scraped through high school biology, the more books for beginners, the better. Smolenyak is a well-known genealogist and lead researcher for the PBS Ancestors series and Turner has become one of the principal popularizers of genetic genealogy on the Internet. The important point is that both have been pursuing family research since the days of manual typewriters and paper library catalogs, and that's the perspective from which they approach the discussion. They explain very clearly why DNA analysis can tell you only who your ancestors *aren't*, not necessarily who they *are*, and the strategic differences between researching your father's and your mother's lineage. They lay out the options and limitations among uncovering ethnic origins (what about that Indian great-grandmother?), global origins (Eastern European? or Scandinavian?), "deep maternal" ancestry (the "daughters of Eve" thing), and even African tribal origins. How do you set up a family or surname research project, attract participants, ensure their trust, and analyze and publish the results? And what do all those numbers in the lab report mean? This is very much a practical book and I strongly recommend it, perhaps in conjunction with Thomas H. Shawker's _Unlocking Your Genetic Heritage_ (2004).

I have had tons of pets. But none as demanding as cats. Now that I think about it cats are good training for dating, but I'm getting off track. Sumire Iwaya finds Momo, a homeless guy in a box, and takes him in. But in order for him to stay with her and eat her food he has to be her pet. Which is why he has a female dog's name. Now that seems simple, till her old flame shows up and wants to link up with her again. What if he wants to come over? What if he wants to have dinner with her? What if he wants to have sex with her? Things may get complex. I plan to keep an eye on this manga series.

I really can't add much to the detailed reviews already listed, so I'm just here to add more stars to this under publicized manga. I own volumes 1-13, and am eagerly awaiting the final volume- too bad they take four months in between each volume. This manga is intelligent and funny, with great romantic moments. And it is refreshing that all the main characters have well developed personalities, and are talented (as opposed to the stupid-but-sweet girl with smart guy dynamic you sometimes see playing out in shoujo manga.. eh..). This is definitely manga for an older teen or adults. Don't be turned off by the questionable title- you'll be missing out on a great story (in Japanese (Kimi wa Petto), the title literally means "You're My Pet" but I guess Tokyopop didn't find that catchy enough). Highly recommended.

Sumire Iwaya is a tall, workaholic, head-strong woman with a commanding personality. She has a smoking problem, tends to get drunk on wine, and dates men who are at her height or taller. In the first two pages of the manga, her personality and several of her habits are revealed, as well as her punching her now ex-boyfriend for cheating on her in the office. As she frustratingly tries to deal with her loss, she kicks a box lying at her doorstep and looks down in horror when she sees a body inside.

Enter Momo...or that's what Sumire decided to call her 'pet'. With a bouncy, energetic attitude, Momo, named after a real dog Sumire had a long time ago, allows Sumire's comfort as she washes him, feeds him, pets him and talks to him about her deepest feelings. Momo, in return, opens up to Sumire that he takes ballet classes and hopes to make a career in what he does. Like Sumire, he also has a tragic past, but he's a lot more quiet about it. Sumire aso has to hide Momo as her human pet from everyone in her office (they all think he's a cat!), especially her new love interest, a sexy man named Senpai Hasumi. While she struggles to let go of her feelings for Hasumi, she also can't seem to let go of Momo as well, being the one major conflict in the volumes to come.

The good thing about the first volume is that although it tends to rush into things quite too fast (Kissing Momo already?), it keeps you reading to find out if Sumire will have one of her bitchy moments, seeing more of Momo's hilarious antics, and to see the slowly developing relationship between Sumire and Hasumi. The humor is spot-on, with Momo taking the role of a dog a bit too seriously as he shakes himself dry after a bath, or curling up on the couch the same way a dog would do.

It's a romantic comedy that can be pretty humorous and some parts had me laughing outright. You can feel for Sumire and her struggles between a man she loves, and the 'pet' she took in. And her love for Momo shows, especially when Momo takes off for ballet 'unannounced', leaving Sumire in a nervous breakdown of guilt and indepression. To anyone who likes romance that isn't afraid to take itself to some funny levels, this manga is for you. Good stuff.

I've read a lot of manga in my time, and this is, by far, one of the best. Tramps Like Us is an off-beat romantic story about a young(ish) professional woman who takes in a 17-year-old boy as a pet. What I really like about this manga is that it doesn't fit into the classic romantic comedy manga format. Speaking about the series in general (not just Volume 1), Sumire does have a boyfriend, an ex that she arguably hasn't gotten over, and issues with her family. But what makes the story (in Volume 1) is when she takes in an injured boy as a pet, naming him "Momo" after her dog that died when she was a child. This causes trouble as Momo seems to have some deeper feelings for Sumire, and suspicion arises when Sumire won't bring her boyfriend over to her house because of her "dog". She eventually has to learn to divide her time between the two, all while keeping her boyfriend from knowing that she's keeping a boy as a pet.

The manga is also very well written and well drawn. I saw the TV series, "Kimi Wa Pet" that was based on the manga, and it was good but it didn't seem to measure up to this manga. I like Yayoi Ogawa's style and use of facial expressions. Also the end and beginning of chapter artwork is always really cute. :) If you love manga, are just getting into it, or want to try it, I highly recommend this series. Even reading through just the first novel gets you hooked. It's sweet, addictive and original...you'll love it!

The title Tramps Like Us could refer to the fact that the main character, Sumire - a girl in her late twenties, offers to take in a homeless young man for a night as a gesture of goodwill ... but I prefer to think it refers to the characters's quest to find their place in the world. All the characters in this series are "homeless" as they are looking for their place to belong, whether it be at work or in a relationship.

Normally in stories featuring a twenty-something girl, like Bridget Jones, the main character deals with problems such as looking slim and trying to cope with work. However Yayoi bravely gives us a main character who is so attractive she resembles a model, is highly educated, and, apart from a few hiccups, has a successful career. Yayoi shows us the inner thoughts of this "perfect" woman, who is actually very insecure and lonely. She has to cope with her workmates misinterpreting her shyness with being an a cold hearted [...]. Women dislike her because she is so goodlooking, while men feel threatened by her high education, tallness, and career success. After being dumped by her boyfriend, when he makes his secret girl-friend pregnant, she makes a vow never to date anyone who is shorter than her, makes less money, or is not as qualified as she is.

One night she finds a young man living homeless outside her house. After letting him stay one night and, in a bid to make him leave and as a joke, she offers him the chance to live in her flat as long as he agrees to be her "pet." And to her surprise, he agrees! Sumire names him Momo, the same name as her childhood dog, and treats him exactly as she would a dog. She gives him a home, feeds him, and tells him her problems. As she does not think of him as a "man" she is completely at ease to be herself and does not feel the need to pretend to be "perfect" as she does with the men she dates. However, because she thinks of him as a pet, she does not think of the possibility of a relationship with him. Before she realises it, he becomes her confident and her emotional support. Problems arise when she meets up with her first boyfriend/crush, the goodlooking, successful, and really nice guy Hasumi. Her relationship with him in college ended prematurely in college and they both see this as a second chance. However she cannot admit to Hasumi that she keeps a young man as a pet.

Yayoi gives us three dimensional, very human characters. Both Hasumi and Momo, while being completely different in looks and personality, are both sweet, attractive and considerate. Sumire is also very likeable. She is only truly comfortable in jogging bottoms, smoking, playing playstation games, or watching trashy tv. These are her secret vices that only her best-friend and Momo can see. It is a welcome change to read a romance with older characters, from the normal high school stories, and Yayoi delivers honest believable three dimensional characters, attractive art, and a very addictive romantic (and often funny) storyline.

The story is about finding companionship, about how the prospect of love can be so close to you that you miss it, about the difficulties a successful career woman has in a male dominated work environment, about how women are faced with the prospect of choosing between marriage and work, and about finding your place in the world. A place where you can be truly free to be yourself, comfortable in the knowledge that you are loved for your faults as well as your successes.

Great illustrations, characters and an amazing setting make Tut, Tut (Time Warp Trio) a fabulous find for young readers. There's plenty of laughs here for parents as well in this very well written novel.

Join Joe, Fred, Sam and Anna (Joe's sister) as they travel back to ancient Egypt through a book that lands them in quite a situation. The problem is that they need that same book to get back home, and they lost it!

There's non-stop adventure and some wonderful history that may well encourage young readers to seek out more information about this period of Egyptian history.

Recommended!

Time-traveling is not as cool as you think. Being mummified, being trapped in a secret room and having your friend almost eaten by a crocodile is not cool. But what is cool is being treated as a royal guest in Thutmose III's palace, sailing in his boat and teaching him basketball. So, if you like things that are cool and not, you should read this hilariously funny book.

The book was about three boys and a girl who go to Egypt through a book that one of the boys uncles gave him. They have to travel through Egypt and find the book to get back home and meet a little challenge along the way named Hatsnat. I liked this book because we had just learned about Egypt so that made it better to understand.

This book is exciting. You always want to turn the page. It is funny and interesting.It takes place in ancient Egypt.In Tut Tut there is a girl named Annie. She is 6 and two brothers. I would tell you to read it.The name is Tut Tut.

I give this book five stars because it is very funny. It is also adveturous. The characters in this story (Joe, Fred, Sam) get in a lot of trouble and Sam almost gets eaten by a crocodile. I don't want to say more because I want you to read it for your self. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Un frase diaria para cada día del año.. QUE INTERESANTE !

You have to read the signaled marvelous phrase for the day... that`s all in order to live better and happier

encontré el mejor instrumento para estar contenta y de buen animo todo el dia..
Leo una frase, entra a mi cabeza y no sale hasta por la noche...

NO SIRVE SOLAMENTE PARA PASAR BIEN UN RATO... SE TE METE A LA MENTE Y PASAS EL DIA CON TODA FELICIDAD Y SIN PENSAMIENTOS NEGATIVOS,...

¿Vieran como han diminuido las fricciones entre mi esposo y yo?

so that I can read a phrase each morning...
IT MAKES YOU FEEL SOOO GOOD !
Now, I don`t fight anymore at school... Because I keep a nice modd all day long !
IT`S GOOD FOR BAD TEMPERED KIDS LIKE ME

My daughter at age 6 received this book as a gift from her uncle. She wasn't interested in it at all. Surprisingly, my son (age 3 at the time) grabbed it and has been coveting it for a year now.

A year has gone by and the book (minus a few pieces) is still in good shape, and best of all. At age 4, my son knows the name of every organ and it's location.

The only issue for younger kids is that the small organs can break off so I wouldn't recommend it for kids younger then 3.

I thought this would be neat because of the rave reviews. I see where the concept is nice, but it is inaccurate. For my kindergartener, I think a transparency would be more ideal. I wish someone would recommend something.

I gave this book to my nephew for his 5th birthday. My nephew is obsessed with learning and his topic of choice at that time was the human body. He literally stared at this book for an entire week. After a month or so, he could name every single bone in the body, point to all the major organs, and tell you how your digestive system works. This book is full of learning and is so interesting for kids because of the 3D body parts. Yes, you may lose a part or two, or need to glue the skull back in, but all in all, it's fascination and wonder for curious little kids!

I bought this for my 5 year old for her birthday. She wanted a stand up skelleton with organs that she could take out and look at. As she is only 5 and she has a 2 year old brother I opted for this book instead. She loves it! Not only can she look at the organs but she can also see the nerves, blood vessels and the brain. The book also contains projects you can do with your child that are pretty neat. Believe it or not this has become a bed time book.
Very cool. And no small pieces to lose.

This is one of my 8 year-old's favorite books: she asked for it when she was 6 and is constantly rereading it. Now that she is a very scientific 8 year old, and has other books in the Uncover series, she has raised questions as to why the reproductive system is included in the tarantula book but not in the human body book. She would also like to know whether the body is a boy's or a girl's, because she cannot tell and thinks that's strange. I think these are good questions in a book designed for ages 8 and up. But I couldn't give it less than five stars because she loves it so and has learned so much from it.

In the case of Jane Anne Staw's Unstuck, what matters most, is that the author has written the bible for writers who are blocked. I appreciate her lack of usage of the "B" word, but at the end of the day--Blocked is blocked and sometimes we all need a bit of fiber to get things moving! Make this gem a part of your writing resource library. You simply can't go wrong.

I've had a serious three year block and have tried desperately to get out of it. I had looked at several books about writer's block and all of them were feel-good garbage or throwaway 101 Tips to...

Staw's book is the best I found dealing with the subject. As one reviewer noted, it's difficult to even take time to read a self-help book, because you tend to feel that it's one more case of avoidance or procrastination and the hour it took to read could have been spent writing. But Staw has some salient, psychotherapy-based points about those feelings--guilt and avoidance. She emphasizes kindness to oneself instead of listening to the inner hypercritic, and while this might sound like feel-good nonsense, the way she writes about it makes sense and this technique pretty common in counseling. Her examples of patients experiencing writer's block range from mild to extreme--which made me feel better. This guide by no means got rid of my block, but in some ways it gave me (or allowed me to give myself) permission to write sloppily. There's no way I can write as well as I'd like to, certainly not while experiencing a block, and I feel that Staw really nails it when she points out how counterproductive this drive for perfection can be. I've since loosened up enough to start writing small things without caring so much about the outcome (these reviews for instance)--and it's been a pleasurable step in the right direction.

I'm using this book right now and it's a healing and compassionate book for writers. I was already writing again, but the book is helping me to go back and heal the gaps from decades ago when I quit writing. I hadn't realized that I needed to be healed as a writer. The need to write never went away even though I tried not to write. This book is helping me to understand many things. I can't say enough. It's a valuable book if you have ever felt hurt or discouraged as a writer. The author is perceptive and knows of what she speaks.

I am posting this review for a long-time friend and exceptional writer: "UNSTUCK offers us a mother lode of authorial insight, inspiration, and encouragement. Dr. Staw, the ultimate writer's empathist, speaks with the authority of an unblocked writer herself, making this handbook of discovery and recovery both an indispensable road map for overcoming writer's block and a trusty guide for avoiding its recurrence."

As a near-life-long collector of books on the art/craft of writing, I treasure them not just because of their professional wisdom but also because, well: they're so well written. I've placed UNSTUCK within the top part of that latter characteristic. Thank you for writing it. -- Larry W. Bryant

Unlike most books for writers, this one assumes that you are already a writer of some kind, and treats you intelligently and sympathetically, exploring the various fears that are common among writers and are at the root of writer's block, and ways to work through them. The book assumes that all writers have their own backgrounds, their own way of working, and their own individual quirks, so it does not prescribe a set program that everybody should follow. Instead, it talks about how to use your own personality and techniques to get you past the block and put your butt back in the chair.

Some of the examples seem pretty extreme. There are successful writers out there, apparently, who develop such a strong block that they have panic attacks when they sit down to write, or even just look at their computers. I figure if Dr. Staw's approach can help them, it can help me. I don't really fear writing (or do I? the book made me think about that), I just have trouble getting to it. Several times I read what she writes and thought, that's not me, then realized hours or even days later that the writers she describes aren't as different from me as I wanted to think they were. It gave me a lot of insight into the way I approach my writing, how I think about it, how I think of myself as a writer (a not-quite-real writer--there's a whole chapter about that).

The funny thing is, I realized early in the book that I was actually using the book as an avoidance technique to help justify not writing. After all, if I was reading about writer's block, then obviously I was doing something about it, so that's almost as good as writing. Of course, the best thing I could have done was put my butt in my chair and my fingers on the keyboard, even if only for a few minutes, rather than keeping my nose in a book. But I'm glad I read it anyway.

If you want to understand your writing mind, your fears about writing, how to get past that inner critic, and so on, the book is worth the time it takes to read it, and the time it takes to digest what you've read.