a must for every movement teacher--gymnastics or other. His use of imagery through movement cannot be beat. A must have guide.

In The Threefold Garland, Hans Urs von Balthasar unveils the Rosary as a form of meditation on the central mysteries of the Christian faith through the mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ from the perspective of Mary, His mother. The great theme of this compact (146 page) volume is the salvation of the world: God the Father plans our salvation from all eternity; Jesus, God the Son, becomes flesh to accomplish the Father's will; God, the Holy Spirit, is the Spirit of mission who guarantees the conformity of the Son's response to the Father's will.

God did not will that humanity be saved without our consent, so He proposed the divine plan of salvation to Mary, as representative of the human race. In response, Mary speaks a pure, human, creaturely "fiat" or "yes" to God's will. In Mary, the Church is the pure and immaculate bride who always says yes to God's will. Mary carries the body of the Lord within her, a body that will later incorporate her. Similarly, the Church contains Jesus and is contained by Him.

These rather broad strokes hardly do justice to the richness of von Balthasar's reflections. Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis (translator) describes in his preface what he calls von Balthasar's "concentric vision": ". . . he never treats a subject in isolation from all those other subjects which are naturally bound to it, but sees them as interacting concentric circles, distinct yet inseparable and springing from a common center"-- the Paschal Mystery ( p. 9). For all this richness, this book should be quite accessible to college educated, non-specialists. One should, however, be prepared to alternate periods of reading with periods of prayer.

With Leiva-Merikakis, I agree that "this book, without diluting it, contains the essence of von Balthasar's weightier tomes," as he says because, "the style is so non-technical, at times poetic and always full of prayer" (9). I recommend this book as an excellent introduction to Hans Urs von Balthasar and even to the thought of the mystic, Adrienne von Speyr. I also recommend it for spiritual reading to deepen one's prayer life.

note: contains reflections on the Joyous, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary.

A well-written and exhaustively researched biography of a man whose rise and fall made great impacts on two distant communities: Moltonborough, NH and Jamaica Plain, MA. Jamaica Plain was the location of the immense shoe factory Plant built in 1896 (burned in 1976), and Moltonborough remains the location of his 6,000 acre estate "Lucknow" (more commonly known as "the Castle in the Clouds").

This is one of the best detective fiction reference works I have ever come across. It covers authors and their creations in literature, radio, TV and film. Sadly, it's ten years out of date now, but still essential.

This is a new interpretation of Elvis'career, based on the fact that he was from the South, and that makes this book different from others. Also, it is a serious look at Elvis from this angle, but it does not trash him. It offers a kinder interpretation of his film career than most authors offer. I highly recommend this book to any Elvis enthusiast. Even if you are not an Elvis fan you will enjoy this book.

This book really made the mid-Atlantic region come to life for me! I wanted to grab a day pack and head out for a day hike. I'm sure that any serious nature lover would really enjoy this book.

The scholarly but extremely readable articles in this book provide an excellent introduction to the field of medieval women. The novice can find areas in which to start research, and the more experienced reader will find much new and useful information. Articles are written by recognized experts in their fields, and cover both well-studied topics (although always with fresh information) and areas less often covered. Highly recommended.

I was elated to peruse this user-friendly guide to making the most imaginative and beautiful creations I've ever seen in print. Each project includes a detailed list of materials and equipment needed and step by step instructions.

The author includes full page color photographs of garlands, wreaths, table centerpieces, citrus fruit rings and other splendid creations, too numerous to mention.

I highly recommend this to anyone interested in creating high-end wreaths for that special occasion.

I first read this book 15 years ago as a teenager. Just reread it a few days ago. Demolished Man is cited as a masterpiece in various sources like D.Pringle's 100 best SF novels, B.Aldis's Trillion Year Spree and even the Reader's guide to SF.

It is defintely a classic (although it pales next to Bester's "Stars My Destination"). The writing, pacing and plotting of the book still shine. However, the characterization and especically the psychology of the book are increasingly dated(and flawed). Bester was obviously a believer in Freudian psychology(as evidenced in some of his short stories like Oddy and Id)-nothing wrong with that-but to hang the crux of the story around it-is a fatal mistake. IMHO, the (unbelievable to me) motivation of Ben Reich, and all of the trappings of a society built around telepaty are just, well, quaint. Kinda reminds me of Dianetics-also, a 1950s SF product.

The Demolished Man was the first novel to win the Hugo award. The book has everything: plot, strong characters. In the future, to committ a crime is an impossible task, due to all those telepaths running around. In case somebody do committ a crime, there is no prison ,what they do is just swipe your mind clean. However, Ben Reich decided that he will committ a crime anyway, He is even hired a telepath to help him to block his thougths. This is actually more the detective novel developing in Futuristic scenario. The Demolished Man is a novel of the future, where along with all new ways of life and powerful technology, only one thing remains unsolved: the mystery of human soul.

P.S. Also if you like this novel read The Stars, My Destination. I think, this is the best novel Alfred Bester written.

Even 49 years after its initial publication, The Demolished Man still stands as a true science fiction novel. The story of Ben Reich living in a future world where mind reading is a commonality amongst a group known as 'Espers.' In a world without crime, for one can know when you will commit one, how is one to go about plotting a murder? Ben Reich has the perfect plan. This book captivated me from beginning to end when I read it 10 years ago and I continually reccomend it to those that enjoy science fiction. Author, Alfred Bester, won the first Hugo Award for Science Fiction for The Demolished Man. In my opinion this book is still the hallmark of science fiction novels, unfortunately, however, Bester himself is so unheard of in many literary circles and more so in the general public. I highly reccomnend this book for anyone who has a flare for science fiction.

First off, this review is of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle" published by Dover Children's Thrift Classics, $.... While most reviews might concentrate on the merits of the stories themselves, this review is meant to support the benefits of purchasing this particular edition over others.

That said, the first thing I would like to comment on is the price. You can't ask for more of a bargain that to pay less than a ... of America's most popular and well known Revolutionary War era stories. Great for anyone on a budget, or parents who want to expand their child's library but don't want to break the bank on something they may only read once. ....

Secondly, I would like to mention that this book contains BOTH "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" AND "Rip Van Winkle" in their respective unabridged entirety. Both are relatively short, entertaining, and easy-to-read stories that supply a great introduction to period literature, beliefs, and storytelling for children and adults alike. While these are not Washington Irving's only writings, they are perhaps the most well-known.

As a former teacher, I have the following suggestion: If you live in the New York metro area, this book would be an excellent jumping off point for a trip to Washington Irving's homestead, "Sunnyside", in Tarrytown, NY, for which you can find plenty of information online. There are several other "living history" sites in the area as well.

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle" brings together these two classic stories by Washington Irving. The text of this Dover Children's Thrift Classic is accompanied by the whimsical illustrations of Thea Kliros. Both tales are set in the Dutch-American communities of rural New York State.

"Legend" tells the story of Ichabod Crane, a schoolteacher who lives in an area purportedly haunted by a terrifying spectre: a headless horseman. "Rip" tells the story of a farmer who has a remarkable paranormal experience while wandering in the mountains.

Each story explores the intersection of the supernatural with everyday life. The stories are full of vividly drawn characters and are rich with the local color of rural Dutch American communities. Issues such as folk beliefs, geography, history and oral tradition are well handled by Irving.

Irving's playful, earthy prose style is a delight to read. Passages such as a description of a Dutch-American feast are memorable. Funny, ironic, and poignant, these tales are true classics by one of the most enduring figures in American literature.

Will Moses' illustrated retelling of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow rivals Arthur Rackham's near century-old version as the best edition of the book ever published. The Rackham version, with its moody, archetypal illustrations, has the slight edge, as it contains Irving's full original text in addition to Rackham's spectacular artwork.

However, Moses's simplification of the narrative is masterfully executed, and the colorful, playful, and numerous paintings which adorn the book have a warm period charm of genuine Americana. Moses portrays the Hudson River Valley as a lush expansive valley not unlike the Garden of Eden on the first day of creation. Happy farmers, their wives and children, cows, geese, ducks and pigs frolic together amid fields of wheat and corn; galleons approach dramatically from the river; and the Catskill Mountains, sun, and sky suggested an infinite panorama and endless horizon full of promise.

The story tells us that the Dutch colonists were a superstitious lot, and that the Sleepy Hollow region itself was or seemed to be under a spell of some kind. The farmers and their wives suspected witchcraft; strange music was heard in the air; visions were seen; and the inhabitants themselves lived their lives in a kind of continuous dreamy revery. These tales and superstitions give rise to the legend of the headless horseman, said to be the ghost of a Hessian soldier who lost his head to a canon ball in the war, and now nightly prowling the region in search of it. Moses' nocturnal landscapes of the swamps, hills and the Old Dutch Cemetery under a bright harvest moon are particularly effective. Significantly, these stark, haunted landscapes do not violate the spirit of the book, but enrich its sense of wonder.

Moses' Ichabod is a cheerful but somewhat hapless fellow, confident and foolish in equal parts. His Katrina is a strong but innocent blond beauty, and a friend to children. Brom Bones is an appropriately square-shouldered, square-jawed hooligan, rowdy and full of mischief, if not absolute spite.

Anyone familiar with the tale knows that it is not a horror story but a folktale, a fireside spook story, and a 'legend' as Irving, writing here as Diedrich Knickerbocker, himself called it. This edition of the book is appropriate for children but is equally suitable for adults. Highly recommended.