This book tells of the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and about attempts to break the code of the hieroglyphs and demotic script. We learn of the various men who tried to break the code and about the successful young man who finally did break the code. The book also tells about who currently owns the Rosetta Stone and the journey and literal fighting that took place over its ownership.

Through this story the reader is introduced to what hieroglyphs are and what demotic script is. Battles are very lightly touched upon, enough to explain why the Egyptians began writing in Greek as well. (The Rosetta stone tells the same story in Hieroglyphs, Demotic script, and Greek and was the key to breaking the hieroglyphic code.) The reader is kept in suspense about the meaning and the decoding of the hieroglyphs...as the discoveries are made the code is revealed to us in bits and pieces. For example we start off not knowing if the symbols stand for sounds of a spoken word or for literal translations to objects/animals, etc. In the end the hieroglyphs are spelled out and the reader is given several examples to try to interpret their meaning. Some of the basic writing rules are clearly discussed such as that the writing can go left to right or right to left, and we are to follow the face of the animal shapes to tell us which way to go. Writing can be vertical and the symbols can be backwards or forwards! There are no punctuation marks, sentences or paragraphs, it all runs together.

There are photographs, illustrations, timelines, and maps throughout this book, which add to the experience. This is loaded with text, it is not as skimpy in text or detail as some books that publishers group into this same age category. Yet it is not as loaded or illustration-driven as the DK/Eyewitness books (as a comparison comment, not a complaint).

I especially enjoyed the details about the life of Jean Francios Champollion, the man who broke the code of the hieroglyphs. Taught to read at a young age and homeschooled by his older brother for most of his life, he was devoted to reading and learning foreign languages from an early age. He disliked math and science and chose instead to study languages. His devotion to his passion lead to his decoding the Rosetta Stone and later to fundraising to pay for an expedition to Egypt. He was so passionate about the bringing history of Egypt to others that he persuaded the King of France to acquire many Egyptian artifacts and he became the curator of the Egyptian museum of the Louvre, which still is on display today. This is all told in an interesting way in this book. We can all learn something from Champollion, to follow our interests, teach our children what they are most interested in, and to excel in one area (of study) can lead to great things if the passion is allowed to flourish. This is a great contrast to our American public educational system today, which wants excellence in many areas of study (and covers each lightly) and doesn't allow time or energy to be spend one or two areas of specialized interest.

My only complaint is that I found the questions posed to the children annoying ("what do you think this means..." and such). I don't think children need to be directed to think about something, it happens to each of us as we read. Perhaps we don't all wonder about the same thing at the same paragraph in a book but that is OK. Sometimes the questions asked the child to interpret something but then the true answer is never revealed which is annoying and I feel leaves the reader feeling incompetent and possibly frustrated to have a curiosity sparked but left without the correct answer, wondering if they are correct or not.

This is a great book to tell the story of unlocking the mystery of the Rosetta Stone and an easily understood introduction to hieroglyphics (and the two other languages) used by the Egyptians. This book really brings history to life.

This short (48 pages) book simply and intelligently tells the story of the decipherment of the Egyptian hieroglyphs for children. It is illustrated with beautiful artwork and is a worthy gift for an artistic, curious middle-school child.

Here is a great book for people just beginning to delve into the realms of God's nature and character and work. This book deals with some of the main names/titles of God as found in the Old Testament. God's names and titles are each a sermon in themselves. So often, people define God by first defining who they think, or want, man to be. Nathan Stone turns that around very simply by showing that God is the "mold" into which all other views must fit. God is who He is. We cannot change who God is just to make room for what we want man to be or to make the Bible say what we want it to say. The foundation of Bible interpretation is revelation of the Person of God. That must be determined first before any other doctrinal study can be studied Biblically and accurately. Get a copy of this book and start learning who God is; and accept what God reveals Himself to be, whether you like it or not, because God isn't going to change for us. Then rethink all your doctrinal beliefs in light of your new Biblical understanding of God. Nathan Stone, with this book, will get you well on your way.

This book presents a concise and detailed explanantion of the many names of God as they are used in the Bible. Readers will find it to be spiritually and academically satisfying. There are excellent references to Bible scriptures. This book would be a welcome edition to your Bible reference library.

This is an excellent book. I found it at the library to use for my senior thesis, and liked it so much that I wanted to buy it. :o) It contains a wide array of information from different fields of scholars in anthropology and Native peoples.

This book provides an excellent resource for students of Archaeology as well as professonals in the field. This book allows archaeologists and others to see issues surrounding their profession and more importantly what to do when those issues arise.An excellent read and a must for any budding archaeologists!

This book should be at the elbow of every New Home Sales and Marketing professional. Written by the master of generation. Dave has been the mentor of thousands of new home sales professionals.

After 24 years in the business, I still find myself using this book on a regular basis.

With hundreds of galleries in New York, this is one guide that narrows down the best of the best, the newest of the newest. Extremely accessible and written in a sprightly, knowing style. If you care about art, or are simply curious about the New York art world, this is a terrific introduction, with valuable advice even for old hands.

I bought this book in a museum gift shop in New York City. It told me about all sorts of great art galleries all over town. It was great to be able to see interesting art no matter where I went. Barbara's gallery reviews are entertaining and helpful. I hope she keeps them coming, so I always have something to see when I go to the "Big Apple."

Stone does not make the assumption, as so many writers about Oriental rugs do, that he knows what the reader wants. Instead, he provides an exhaustive, impartial spectrum of places, conditions, qualities, methods, and types affiliated with Oriental rugs, from earliest known times to the present. Stone manages to keep his work from being dull by interlarding it with astringent observations and keeping his entries brutally essential. Whoever did the layout of this work deserves kudos, too-- it is easy to access, each entry is set off from the others so as to be memorable to those of us who are visual, and there is generous, attractive use of clearly-labeled graphics. I genuinely appreciate this matrix-like, non-linear expert treatment of Oriental rugs, and find myself reading it up like a novel. The only thing I have found lacking so far is an entry on arbash.

In the rug world there is almost a constant competition of scholarship. Very rarely does one person so dominate his field as to be the indisputable authority. One of those rare exceptions is Peter Stone. One rug restoration expert told me that there will never be another major book on rug repair in my life time because "Oriental Carpet Repair" by Peter Stone says it all. Stone's new book the "Oriental Rug Lexicon" may well exceed "Oriental Carpet Repair" as a scholarly triumph. If you are at all serious about collecting or if your rugs are anything more than floor coverings to you, you need this book.

The Definative Guide To Rugs, Carpets, and Trappings What Stone has done is to make one large dictionary of rug terms. He has identified and defined them in an interesting and informative manner. As soon as I received the Lexicon I decided to put it to use. The first job was to decipher a page of notes I had made on dyes and dye sources used in oriental carpets that someone had given me. To have a source where I can double check the difference between a flavenol and a luteolin is invaluable. Other questions are solved just as easily such as what is a Medici Mamaluk versus a regular Mamaluk. Rug books have so many alternate spellings that it is nice to have a source that confirms that a Khorjin, Kharjin, Khordjin, and a Khurdzhin, are all the same thing. The book is designed like a dictionary and it is easy to look up individual words. It is not designed to be read cover to cover but as I spot-checked the definitions I found some thing interesting and fun on virtually every page. As long as I am mentioning spot-checking let me say that I spotted no errors. If, indeed, there are no errors, inaccuracies or mistakes, I will be astounded. There is to be found a wealth of rug terms with all the common alternative spellings including some that I have not encountered until now. All in all, it is an amazing resource.

The layout of the book is superb. It is packed with informati! on without being crowded. There are many more color pictures than I would have expected with a book of this type and there is an abundance of helpful sketches and line art to illustrate and illuminate Stone's points. Just this week a good friend who has a world class rug collection told me I "have" to buy three books if I want to keep up with things. The total for all three is over $1000 US. I mention this only to make the point that at a list price of $29.95 (US currency for softcover edition, $60 for hardcover edition) Stone's book is about as close to free we are likely to see for a serious rug book. Let me sum up my opinion in just three words: BUY THIS BOOK!

I found this book very inspiring. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Very detailed and informative. Leaves lots of room for growth of your own ideas. I would recommend this book to any level of artist from beginner to advanced. Just let your imagination take over.

I have never had so much fun with a book before! Being anewcomer to painting I thought I would try my hand at"rocks"--why not? The author, Lin Wellford, has made her instructions to simple to understand. She goes step, by step taking you through the whole process of painting a house or cottage on an ordinary rock. You begin following her instructions, but you suddenly find yourself using your own imagination and making your own little piece of real estate "just a little different" and totally unique! I find this painting on rocks to be a totally relaxing and enjoyable pasttime. I am absolutely amazed at what I have accomplished! So much so, that people I have shown my "rocky real estate" to have asked if I'm willing to sell them! I absolutely recommend this book for many hours of fun and creativity.

As a mother and an educator, I feel that this book is a wonderful resource to use with children. It provides an opportunity to discuss the many positive characteristics and values we wish to instill in all young people. The young man's art is impressive and inspiring! The inclusion of both Spanish and English text heightens the uniqueness of this project. Knowing that this book was a collaboration between mother and son causes one to envy the memories and closeness that the two obviously share.

This is a beautifully illustrated book for teaching children the values which make for a loving, kind, and very decent personality. Absolutely loved it. And a real bargain. Our grandchildren are entranced with it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.Wisconsin

Pebbles on the Stone

In his autobiography The Unabashed Accompanist, Gerald Moore, one the century's greatest pianist accompanists, details an episode where his performance was reviewed by an unappreciative, musical ignoramus. No doubt Mr. Moore's reviewer had been tossed off the sports column for some infraction and perhaps given a choice between an assignment at the County Fair and Symphony Hall. Wishing to spare himself a long walk around the fair and the stench of swine, he opted for the concert. Was he listening to the music, or secretly tuning in the baseball game on his earphone? We will never know, but his review could have been written at the hotdog-eating contest, for all the relevance it had to that night's chamber music.

With that incident in mind, it is with some trepidation that this reviewer sets forth his opinion about Pebbles on the Stone. After all, Dr. Kaufman's literary abilities have earned him no less than the BBC prize for Best European Radio Play. Nevertheless, in the spirit of Amazon's literary democracy, this writer permits himself the liberty of adding his two cents.

It is fascinating how some individuals such as Goethe, da Vinci, Churchill, and Tarkenton for example, were able to develop and achieve success in a variety of disparate fields. (OK, one has to admit that Tarkenton is not in the same league.) The author of Pebbles on the Stone, too, although obviously not at the same level of notoriety, excelled as a teacher of German literature, as a violinist, and as a writer of novels, plays and libretti. In Pebbles on the Stone, one can see the writer's immense knowledge of music and literature working both behind the scenes in subtle nuances of characterization and in the great number of fascinating quotations Dr. Kaufman carefully disperses throughout the novel. Readers with firsthand experience of the orchestral or opera world will recognize some of its more notable types, such as the avant garde stage director: "Mitchell was an intense man in his early forties, thin, already quite bald with long strands of hair reaching down to his shoulders. His appearance was that of an aging 1960's hippie. His standard attire was the combination of a bulky old sweater and a pair of faded, thin jeans.... He was highly intelligent and verbal, with a keen eye for the dramatic picture on stage. He was certainly one of the most gifted contemporary directors. From New York to San Francisco, opera fans were still talking about his shocker of last season, a wild 'reinterpretation' of one of the most sacred operas in the reparatory.... [Mitchell] insisted, as he was explaining to his new cast in Antwerp this morning, on the right - no, the duty - of every artist to inject his personal vision, that is, interpretation, into the work of art.... We are not here to shock the public, to create a scandal, even though this may be a by-product of a reinterpretation, but rather to make the audience see the traditional work as a having 'multi-level possibilities.'"

Indeed, one of the strongest aspects of Pebbles is Dr. Kaufman's ability to give the reader a strong image of each character within a few paragraphs. Whether it is a Russian agent, an American cop, or a German mother, the individual is so well described that the reader has the feeling if that character from the book would walk into the house now, he would recognize him.

(Although I highly doubt that anyone reading this review would care or take offense, as a religiously conservative person this reviewer must, as a matter of principle, make a formal protest against the inclusion of "romantic" sections in Pebbles on the Stone.)

Another aspect of the book that was very strong was the original and unexpected twists and turns of the plot. Spy stories can be all too similar in plot, but Dr. Kaufman avoids this trap. Neverthless, this writer's favorite sections were those which dealt exclusively with the world of opera and music. Those parts were really readable, real and fun! (This is an Amazon review, not the Times, so one is permitted to use the word "fun.") For anyone with an appreciation of music, opera and spy plots, this reviewer highly recommends Pebbles on the Stone.

The only suggestion this reviewer has is that Dr. Kaufman should add yet another contribution to the world of music - that of a music critic!

This is an exciting and unusual spy story with lots of human interest, and an authentic background in the world of music.The passages about the opera and the different conductors' styles are fascinating. Definitely a good read!

For the broadest overview of healing methods throughout the world and history, this book is well footnoted, and more entertaining than books this educational usually are.

The broadest and deepest revealing I've seen of what medicine is and how we as a species have come to practice healing arts and sciences, taking into consideration the entire repertoire of knowing we currently employ and do not (universally) employ - the rational and the pre or post or non-rational modes of knowing, at times called empiricism. This book has engaged me in not just its subject matter, but has invoked in me a reassessment of what I am doing with my life, and what I should be doing with my life. An ever present undertow of the text is the sustained consideration of what it means to be conscious and to participate in the various modes of either being the recipient of or initiator of (or both) an attempt to mitigate and come to terms with not just experiencing and trying to 'get rid of' disease but trying to know what this is, what it portends, what it does not portend, and what this means and may have meant for various cultures present and past. It, immersing itself in & examining the broadest range of ideologies of healing, embraces no single one nor abandons any of them. Essential reading for an assessment of not just what medicine or healing is (& what we might agree are the differences between our current commodizized notion of what medicine is as against what healing might be given our notion of what medicine is) but also a detailed examination of how we come to consider what medicine is (& is not). At times poetic, the prose never succumbs to a pre-packaged conceptual terminology, oftentimes riddled with assumptions and steeped in an end-product paradigm, which itself is in need of genealogical elucidation. With the widest casting of critically perspicacious (meta) scholarship, this volume serves to conceptualize in the widest breadth of taxonomic epistemologies how we have come to practice a multitude of medicinal strategies and what these strategies are within and without these same systems of taxonomic modes of knowing; firmly establishing, at least for me, that rational, linguistic frameworks of knowledge, do not preclude, and are not precluded by, empirical 'alternate' experiential constellations of knowing and engaging health and illness. A consistently compassionate but nevertheless unrelenting examination of Planetary Medicine, this volume gives us a rather high bird's eye view of the at least 5 million year old human practice of coming to know & practice medicine, and how we can perhaps come to be (like?) birds too in our quest for knowing.