An enjoyable forthright book to help you make comfortable decisions facing difficult issues. The uncondescending tone of Dr. Balter's book makes one wish that folks who call themselves medical professionals were as decent as he. Know that "professional counsel" should make you feel better, and offer helpful solutions to medical and behavioral issues. You'll walk away with a sense of peace knowing that you can safely decide who to seek guidance from. Balter's friendly opinions are a barometer on what kind of professionals to steer towards, and away from. Fixing a problem shouldn't be a big deal. Know that professionals view a child's problem as a "family" problem; you can't fix a child without fixing the entire family organism as a whole. If you say "fix my child" but don't want to involve yourself, they'll view you as in denial. And maybe you are; just be aware of this, and look in the mirror. Most of us run from self-examination, as it can be quite painful to live consciously.

Now That You're 21 (Or Thereabouts): Notes On Making Life Work Better is a compendium of advice and counsel for readers preparing to cross maturational bridges toward new responsibilities and possibilities. Wether a young adult launching themselves into the wide world, a middle-ager preparing for later years, or an elder senior confronting changes in the quality and character of life, Now That You're 21 (Or Thereabouts) has words of wit and wisdom to assist in making a successful transition to different life stages. The categories of issues covered are broad and diverse, ranging from earning a living, to personal communication, to setting goals, to assessing the values we live by. This collection of short, pithy, self-help commentaries is ideal for browsing through, and the style of its format lends very well to repeated readings over time.

I combined a review of this book with the author's first book, "Behind Numerology". Both books are exceptional and for the serious student of numerology interested in advanced study. Please refer to the review for Behind Numerology for specific details and kudos on these two books. Highly recommended, with much gratitude to the author for taking me to a whole new level of study and insight. I believe these books are out of print, but worth the effort to track down through the online resources.

as a orthomolecular-nutritionist that send a hair sample to a laboratory for a check as part of the routine precidure to every patient of myn,i can tell you that this 8th book on the subject (in my private book shelf)it is simply the best!!!. it starts with a complex,yet essencive and understandable that go further to the interpration principles wich gives the reader/practitioner a further gradualy understanding. the endocrine system, the metabolism type (according to the hair analysis),the nervous system,/cardiovascular,/repiratory and many other aspects that can be detect,classified,and be treated with the wisdom of the great system of hair minerals analysis medicine.pschiciatry,mood balance,are also explored in this book.energy level as a specific section that is worth of mention it. the author is also represent many cases of patients(with hair minerals analysis graphs),and a balancing nutrition plans and resoults.finally a very interesting chapters on nutrition aspects that do concern and correlate with harmony in this field of natural-medicine,in this so organised book that explines it from the begining (to someone that don't have a clue about this healing art ,and up to the highest levels for the best expirienced practioners). with all my expirience in this branch of medicine,-it gave me a lot!!!,thank you dr.wilson. read this book today! i know what i am talking about,i am in this field.

Lawrence Graver's thorough investigation of the controversy surrounding Anne Frank and the play based on her diary is as intense as a page-turning mystery novel. Graver weaves the tale of bringing Anne Frank's world-famous diary to the stage, and casts an overlooked player in a major role. Meyer Levin, a Jewish writer relatively well-known in the 1950s, and one of the most successful Jewish writers to write about Jewish themes at that time, was the first to review Anne Frank's diary in the States. In fact, he was instrumental in getting the diary published, and he forged a friendship with Otto Frank. The friendship turned sour as Levin fought for rights to compose the stage script for 1955's "The Diary of Anne Frank." In a legal battle that lasted thirty years, Levin vs. Frank lost Levin his rights to the script he felt best represented Anne--and her Jewishness. Frank and Doubleday sided with the well-known Hacketts--who would win a Pulitzer for their then-loved, now-criticized Everyman version of Anne's diary--and staged the play to rave reviews around the world. Levin took his script to Israel, fighting legal battles in court even to stage it there. Graver does an excellent job of exposing the story and the personalities of all its characters, including Lillian Helman. But Graver rightly shies away from demonizing Levin and canonizing Frank, or vice versa. His loyalty is first to accuracy, and an account that could easily become polarized by a mission to perpetuate the saintliness of Anne Frank and her family comes off as more complex and, ultimately, more informative.

I come from a family of librarians and English teachers, and we do a lot of reading... It really means something to call a book your favorite. This one is definitely worth the time-- good plot, good characters, a good all-around, albeit slightly trashy in that popular-fiction way, read.

This short book remains the best introduction available to the economics of public pensions. Thompson explains major issues clearly, without sacrificing rigour.

this book is out standing work from a new writer,if there were a six star rateing this would be it.

this man has the ability to talk to you from the pages of his book about his wonderful life and the things he did this is a must buy book for any one no bad words and he can make you laugh

If you have seen the silent film, Nanook of the North, you might recall that moment when the protagonist arrives in his splendid kayak (also the name of George Hitchcock's near legendary literary journal from 1964-1984), he gets out of the boat and then, from within the boat emerge his wife, two or three children and possibly a husky or two -- on that my memory is not clear. And Story Line Press' masterful collection (edited by Robert McDowell, Joseph Bednarik, & Mark Jarmon, with introduction by Phil Levine, "One-Man Boat: The George Hitchcock Reader" accomplishes a similar effect -- out of this collection emerges George the poet, the playright, the actor, the editor, the novelist, the short story stylist, the witness before the HUAC, and on the cover, George, the painter. This selection from a significant body of work should serve as ample introduction to the work of a man, extraordinary by anyone's standards. This collection stands as testimony to a life lived in dedication to ideas about art and the full expression of art as a daily enterprise rather than some caged rarefied entity. I would hope this book becomes required reading for any serious student of late 20th century literature from the West Coast. I'll close with a paraphrase of one of my favorite poems, "Lying Now in the New Grass" -- the poem is an invocation of rest -- it is sensual and surreal. In its final image the "plow of night" passes over the world. I can think of no other way to spend a restful afternoon/early evening than to sit quietly with the magic of this book, a cup or glass of a favorite beverage, resting in the kayak of this book, with the capable hands of a master at the oars, be he Nanook, be he George -- don't let anyone fool you, it only looks like a one man boat -- it is filled with multitudes.

When you're sitting in the dentist's waiting room or passing 20 minutes while your car's oil is changed, a novel seems like a hassle. Just when you start getting into the story, it's time to put your book away. That's where a short story comes in handy. Your commitment is to a few thousand words that take you from beginning to end in less than 30 minutes.

Once upon a time, many magazines published at least one short story per issue. A few - Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine - were dedicated to short mystery fiction from cover to cover. Alas, advertising space took precedence and few magazines today even consider the lowly short story, let alone a devious one. Now they're generally found tucked away in the pages of anthologies such as Opening Shots.

The beauty of this particular book is that not only are these shorts by known mystery and crime authors, but they are their first published short stories. Some land at the beginning of the writer's careers, such as David Black's "Laud," which later became the opening chapter of his first novel, Like Father. Others, such as Susan Isaacs's "Compliments of a Friend" came after a series of novels.

Editor Lawrence Block gives an excellent brief history on short fiction followed by 18 pieces plus one of his own. The stories are fun, provocative, twisted. All of this in 385 pages.

I sat down with the book and couldn't stop reading (kind of defeats the purpose of a short story, huh?) until I'd finished them all. Not one of them stunk and none of them left me feeling like I'd wasted my reading time. Block knows how to pick 'em. (As well he should. He is a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master and has taken the Edgar Allan Poe and Shamus Awards four times.)

Original publication dates range from 1952 to 2000. Styles vary widely, as one would expect. There are a couple with a tricky Hitchcock twist, two or three with a Stephen King ending, and one that features a cat as the detective. Because I haven't read most of these authors yet, I can't say whether or not the short stories are a fair representation of the authors' styles in longer works. I suspect the novels are nothing like the shorts. But I look at this as a way to pick new names for my library and the opportunity to get a taste of a certain writer before making a commitment to a full-length book

Who are these authors, you ask? In addition to those mentioned above, the contributors are Donald E. Westlake, David Morrell, Sara Paretsky, James Sallis, Simon Brett, Max Allan Collins, Loren D. Estelman, Peter Lovesy, Peter Robinson, Margaret Maron, Joan Hess, Susan Moody, Justin Scott, Minette Walters, Dorothy Salisbury Davis, and John Harvey.

Would I recommend this book?

If you like crime fiction, definitely.

If you're a mystery writer, absolutely. Writers in this genre should take a look at how these stories are put together and what makes them work. Several of the authors admitted in their introductions that a short story is much harder to write than a novel.

And by the way, if you like what you see in Opening Shots, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine published quite a few of these short stories. Both still feature short mystery fiction.