the best book that every concerned parent and teacher should read to combat gangs in there communities. as a Correctional Officer in a large jail this book has been very handy in identifying the different types of gang tatoos and signs that gang members use to salute each other this book is also a must for all Law Enforcement Personnel to read to gain that knowledge which can be helpful on the streets.

Did you know that Julius Caesar brought the bedbug to Britain? And that the pilgrims in turn brought it to the Native Americans? Were you aware that permanent boarders called mitochondria - which you couldn't lift a hand without- are half your dry weight? Or that the French poet Rimbaud used to smoke his pipe upside down? And would you expect to learn any of this in a book about a garden?

If not, you haven't encountered Hortense Miller. With artist-botanist Miller, always expect the unexpected. Possessing an intelligence as broad in scope as her garden, she has turned an aware eye and an open mind on the life around her. The resulting A Garden in Laguna, like her 2.5 acre garden at the top of Boat Canyon, has a viewpoint all its own.

If you want a book on what to plant, when to plant it and how to make it survive in an alien environment, this book isn't it. Hortense thinks plants know best. Not only that, but that they will do as they please when they please no matter what you may have had in mind. There are no "high maintenance" citizens in her garden. The more than 1,200 species of plants are almost exclusively native to Mediterranean climates and grouped by shade needs and watering schedule: once a week, once a month and by nature only.

Exceptions have been made for two Northern California natives, one now well-established and entwined with Hortnse's beloved vines, and a relative less than 3 feet tall sitting by her porch. "Do you know what this is?" asks 93-year-old Hortense? "A Sequoia." With a quick sidelong glance to see if the botanical name has been recognized, she adds," I'm taking my time planting it since it has some growth left in it." The tree is a California Redwood and could well grow for the next 3,000 years, reaching a diameter large enough to drive a car through. It's a big decision.

Learn how plants sulk and how the Laguna Beach fires both destroyed and rebirthed the garden. Meet the survivor plants and discover what is happening to our native animals and insects. Learn how age helps a garden. (Hortense asserts it hasn't done much for her, so next time she wants to come back as a daisy.)

After experiencing 40 years of this internationally famous garden through the book, you will be delighted to know that you can also visit in person. To arrange a tour, call the offices of the City of Laguna Beach, CA. And be sure not to miss either the gardener or her exquisite artwork.

Miller confronts an important issue that puts focus on the important skills that women bring to the law enforcement arena. Recruitment policies that favor men, and biased entry tests that perpetuate disriminatory requirements must be replaced by an honest assessment of an individual's ability to sucessfully manage dangerous situations. Only then may we move towards a society that recognizes and appreciates the great strengths that women bring to law enforcement.

The biblical term "stewardship" has been used so often to mean "fund-raising" that in my church we've had to stop using it in order to focus attention back onto its message that "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it," while "He has given us dominion over all the works of his hands." So it was with absolute glee that I discovered this unique book on true Christian stewardship. Eugene Grimm asserts, "Fund-raising is a financial matter. Stewardship is primarily a spiritual matter. Fund-raising is concerned with raising money for the budget. Stewardship relates to how we live out our commitment to Jesus Christ.... Stewardship is more than financial giving.... Stewardship is what we do after we say we believe." This book gives detailed, practical counsel on how to go about supporting the Lord's work in a local congregation, and it refreshingly insists that "When we look at principles for vital stewardship, we are looking at principles that can help people grow spiritually." Randy Alcorn writes more profoundly on the biblical principles underlying stewardship, and Larry Burkett provides more detailed advice for submitting our personal finances to the lordship of Christ. But after spending twelve years reviewing all kinds of literature on the topic of stewardship education, I know of no book that I can recommend more highly for pastors and church leaders who want to conduct an ongoing "stewardship campaign" that is intended not to raise money but to raise Christians.

We recently re-visited Death Valley after a period of 30 years. This time, we had the help of the wonderful guide, "Geology of Death Valley" by Martin and Wright. The wonderful pictures really match the splendor of the Valley. The text offers a bit more insight into the world of geology than the usual "been there, done that" kind of guide book one usually finds on display for our national parks. The book forms a bridge between the world of every day living and the wonders of geologic time -- a guide to appreciating the stratigraphy of the valley.

When Thomas Jefferson, no less, describes someone as 'a man of the first order of wisdom ... of expansive mind, profound judgment, [and] cogent in argument,' you know you have someone worth paying attention to. And when that man's influence is still being felt today -- not just in his native country but around the world -- it makes the neglect into which he has fallen all the more shameful.

The man Jefferson described so admiringly was George Mason of Virginia (1725-1792). Almost without exception, his contemporaries in America's real 'greatest generation' considered Mason one of their leading lights. Helen Hill Miller's excellent biography -- first published in the 1930s, reissued in 1966, and reprinted again in 2001 -- makes it clear why their assessment is correct.

One reason he is so little remembered today is that he consistently shunned the limelight, and usually refused public office. He wasn't a spellbinding orator like Henry, a natural leader like Washington, a 'character' like Franklin, or a renaissance man like Jefferson. What he was, was a man with a keen insight and penetrating mind, who had thought deeply about government, society, and how the two interact. This leads Miller to give Mason the apt label, 'constitutionalist.'

Mason was the author of the Fairfax Resolves and the Virginia Declaration of Rights -- a document that not only anticipated and inspired the Declaration of Independence, but also the Bill of Rights and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen -- and he was central to the crafting of the post-Revolutionary constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 'the first American constitution to be prepared with a view to the establishment of a permanently independent state' [p. viii]. Later, his writings framed the Northwest Ordinance, possibly the most significant act taken under the Articles of Confederation. He was a key participant in the Mount Vernon Convention, which led directly to the Annapolis Convention of 1786 and, in turn, to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

One of Virginia's delegates to the Constitutional Convention, Mason was a key participant in debates. Ultimately, however, he could not sign the document he helped create. In the Virginia Ratification Convention (one of the most fascinating moments in American history, in my opinion), he led the fight against the Old Dominion's adoption of the Constitution.

Mason's key reasons for opposing the Constitution included its lack of a bill of rights and its continuance of the slave trade. Miller does an excellent job showing us the workings of Mason's mind on these questions.

Mason's passion for anonymity -- which led him to refuse the offer of one of Virginia's two seats in the U.S. Senate -- was one of the defining characteristics of his life. In his will, he advised his sons 'to prefer the happiness and independence [of] a private station to the troubles and vexations of Public Business.' Two centuries after his death, however, Mason deserves not anonymity but celebration. He is one of the truly great figures in American history ... not just for his passionate love of liberty, but also for the concrete ways he worked to make sure that liberty would be enjoyed by later generations. Helen Hill Miller's excellent biography is a centerpiece in the effort to win Mason the thanks he deserves.

Our 9 month old daughter really responds to the life size faces in this fun book! It's great for pointing out things like eyes, noses, mouths, and hats! Definitely a fun and funny book.

Brand new, year 2001 book contains a wealth of information in its 128 pages. There are more than 100 great full color, sharp photos. It covers all the important information about buying, setting up, maintaining, and running your railroad. In includes a very useful glossary of terms. Major sections include: Lionel Legacy, Today's Lionel, tracks, layouts, maintenance, and much more. Handy Appendix covers references, on-line, clubs, and suppliers. Train enthusiasts will find it a very useful and enjoyable publication.

This would be a great addition to any home or library. It is in full-color on glossy stock. Fascinating facts, conservation information, a glossary, & websites of interest are all included here.

The pandas' features are described in detail including information on size, shape, fur, & their special adaptations. Photos of these adorable animals show them eating, resting & playing. There is even one of a tiny newborn.

Classification, social activities, mating, communication, habitat, & eating habits are also explained. The birth & care of panda cubs is documented as well. There are even folklore stories about these remarkable animals.

There are facts about the pandas' status & a map showing their locations. Since the pandas are vanishing, a discussion of what is being done to save them & what you can do to help is noted as well.

Sure to be a holiday favorite along with the author's previous book, Christmas Miracles (published 1997.) The Gift of Miracles will warm the hearts of readers and inspire them this holiday season and throughout the year. A wonderful Christmas gift for year-round pleasure.