Thompson's "History" is very comprehensive for a book that is relatively short in length. His account of African and settler life before white hegemony gives readers fresh perspectives on 20th century issues. However, once Thompson finally addresses apartheid he totally neglects to address intraracial issues that make black South Africa the volitile place it is. Instead, Thompson oversimplifies all of the issues facing South Africa by making them 'white vs. black.' Regardless, Thompson's book is a good reference for early South African history.

"I did not think it was possible for a white person to write a history of South Africa which a black South African would find to be a fair and accurate account of a beautiful land and its people. Leonard Thompson has disabused me of that notion. His is a history that is both accurate and authentic, written in a delightful literary style." -- Archbishop Desmond Tutu

This truly is an incredible historical masterpiece. The account begins with two chapters dedicated to the early Africans before European intervention, and ends with the fall of apartheid and a new beginning for South Africa. It is a easy to read, and is a real page-turner.

The reason I picked this book up was I wanted to dig beneath the surface of the country's history. I learned about the two Afrikaner Republics - The Orange Free State, and the Transvaal Republic - and how they were incorporated, reluctantly, into the Union of South Africa at the beginning of the 20th century. The detail is incredible, and not boring in the least.

I highly recommend this book - especially for those who need to do research reports on apartheid, or South African history in general. Overall - and excellent, excellent history book!

This is a moving and thrilling text about the history of South Africa. The author focuses on a combination of forces and historical realities that helped to shape modern South Africa.

Of course this was written before the Knorosov and Prouskouriakoff decipherments but it's very nicely illustrated and has clear explanations of the numbers and calendar, which are as far as most of us are likely to get. The first chapter is way out of date. It's based on Diego de Landa and Chilem Balaaam and they've found out a lot more stuff since then. (It seems strange to talk of history going out of date.) The price is right.

If you're interested in the fascinating and complex world of Maya hieroglyphs and calendrics, and searching for a book that provides an easily understandable introduction into this rather complicated realm, then look no further. Despite being over 80 years old, Morley's book is still the perfect beginner's playfield, combining logical structure, extremely detailed explanations and lots of examples to create a highly readable volume that's both scientifically brilliant and understandable for everyone at the same time. It is of course not a complete reference guide, having been written long before the recent decipherments of Maya writing and before all the calendric glyphs were known, with the short historical section being badly dated - but that's secondary. It wants to help readers with their first steps into its subject matter, the Maya calendar glyphs, and that it does with commendable ease and clarity. This book was the principal starting point of many a major player in the field of epigraphy, and this it could well remain for the next generation of researchers and armchair-archaeologists alike. To buy or not to buy? No question here.

This book is a very detailed explanation of the mayan calender and associated hieroglyphic symbols. I liked this book but was writted before the deciferment of the mayan written language.

For anyone wanting to personally explore a relationship with Jesus, or who feels drawn to the teachings of Jesus, "The Jesus Path" is an excellent resource. Throughout the book, simple yet pertinent stories are told about unknown aspects of Jesus' life. These are true stories, not the metaphors that most Bible stories have become; as such, these stories are more easily applied to our modern lives.

Through these parables, Vicky illustrates the seven main points of the book - the seven steps to cosmic awakening. This is a unique look at spiritual development from a Christian point of view. The ideas are not 'new' nor do they contradict the spiritual systems from which they emanate; they are a fresh look at an old issue.

Especially for people raised Catholic or Christian who feel perhaps a bit betrayed by some of the contradictions and excessive dogma of the church, these stories will be a breath of fresh air in your personal connection with Jesus. It would be very exciting if modern preachers would incorporate these new stories into their sermons. Unlike the Bible stories - that were second or third hand to begin with then manipulated to suit the needs of the church - these are stories directly told by Jesus and relayed with high fidelity. I feel they speak the highest truth for everyone - of course, you will have to personally check in with the material.

The meditations are practical and effective - especially good if you are new to the idea of energy bodies, the chakras and meditation. The heart of Jesus opens again!

Having read many many books on spirituality, religion, and metaphysics over the years, I can honestly say the Vicky Thompson's "The Jesus Path, 7 Steps to a Cosmic Awakening" is one of the best. Never has a spiritual book been so accessable and well-organized. Vicky Thompson guides the reader through the events of the life of Jesus, using his learnings and teachings as tools for dealing with the separating desires that are brought about by our modern culture. The teachings and writing style in and of themselves offer proof that this book was divinely inspired. Vicky Thompson provides an easy-to-comprehend approach to spiritual awakening with meditations that are simple, yet extremely powerful. In my personal experience, practicing the meditations daily provides an immediate feeling of inner peace, connection to a creative force, and a greater sense of love and purpose.

Although this book may mainly appeal to Christians looking for a more meaningful connection to Christ and his teachings, it is appropriate for anyone searching for a deeper sense of serenity and meaning in their lives. For those of us who are wanting to reconnect with our God and awaken to a deeper form of consciousness and sense of purpose in life, this book is a must!

Vicky Thompson's writing is so pure and inspirational, so untouched by human ego, that it speaks to my soul and clearly comes from the Highest Source. I highly recommend it.

An extraordinarily moving story with the biblical Job at its heart - a man driven 'to curse God' and ready to die, including his friends who come as comforters - but written in such a way as to capture the heart of the story and the imagination of the reader and, by concluding at the very point where you want it to go on, leaving you to complete the experience for yourself.

Mendel Singer parallels the biblical Job. Roth's characters are warm and human. The best of all the fictional treatments of the Job story. I particularly appreciated his treatment of the most difficult part of the Book of Job, his final restoration.

It is so good to see that people haven't changed in almost 100 years. What moved people then, still moves us today. Life has come full circle. It is among the wisest books about human nature and life's bare essentials.

The mysterious Fredrick Thompson left little biographical information in his wake, but Woody Register has taken the scant evidence and woven it into a revealing narritive of the man who made Coney Island famous. This book cchronicles an even more important story as well, the concepts of leisure and amusements in the 20th century. The theme park, theatrical spectacular, Vegas showroom and Broadway all own a debt to Fred Thompson's inner child. This book is a must for anyone serious about the business of fun.

As a lifelong resident of Coney Island,and the author of a recently published memoir entitled Remembrance of a Restaurant,or a Decameron of Dining,I share the deserved enthusiasm of all reviews for this life of remarkable showman,Fred Thompson. Unlike other reviews, mine is more intimate. Fred Thompson was an habitue of the finest restaurants of the period like Ravenhall's,Villepique's,Beau Rivage,and my parents notable landmark restaurant called Villa Joe's.A Little Bit of Naples in Coney Island.It was razed by urban renewal(1915-1975)As a boy, I recall his frequent patronage ,especially when he gave me season passes to Luna Park ,and a pat on the head.He was as modest as his imagination was flamboyant. He often had dinner talking to my father about my father's Boston Terrier championsI remember him as being always abstracted,away in thought. Mr. Register has reminded us in this biography of the great originals of that period of singular will and imagination. If I still had the restaurant I would invite Mr. Register to a drink on the house to celebrate this triumphant book suitable for a great showman.

Fred Thompson was the "kid" (he was in his early twenties when he built Luna Park in Coney Island) who first recognized that the American middle class in the early 20th century was ripe for amusement and fun, ready to embrace consumption, fun and leisure as a moral system. Here he is given his due as a great innovator (inventor of the theme park), and a great showman (Broadway producer of mega-extravaganzas). Woody Register's highly readable and extremely insightful book is not just about Fred Thompson (of which there is very little historical information other than press releases, scattered interviews and new stories about Thompson's endeavors and stunts), but is all about the break between the early industrial age (all about saving and putting aside wages for a rainy day, Victorian respectability, the patriarchal society and responsibility) and the dawning of the modern age of consumption (spending for the fun of it, disrepectable activities, the newly feminized office-based white collar man and irresponsiblity). Thompson was the first entreprenuer to sell the idea of childhood as a lifelong event sustained through the agency of the carnival, the theme park, the toy. His genius lay in combining the new conception of childhood as a time of "innocent joy" with the new era of comsumption for consumption's sake. A wild spender, he died penniless, still enthusiastic, still working on his next big project, a perfect exemplar of the new boy/man Peter Pan personality he was instrumental in creating. According to Mr. Register's Introduction, this work took him much longer to write than he expected it would. We are the beneficiaries of his extended and meticulous labors -- this book is sure to beome a classic cultural studies text.

I liked this book a lot. Like all Oz books, it gets to be ridiculous at times, but still a lot of fun to read. I think this book was written better than many others that Ruth had done earlier. It tended to be less absurdity, and more geared to the telling of a good Oz story. It didn't have an ending where something really weird occurred to make everything all right. I enjoyed it a lot. It is a childs book, and that fact should not be forgotten, but it is a book to make everyone feel good when they are done reading it. I personally loved it.

There are two aspects to this book that often cause consternation and debate in the Oz community. The first is that a talking goose is about to be cooked and eaten (although he is saved from this fate). The other occurs at the end, so I don't want to give it away, but let's just say it involves a punishment that many people consider unduly harsh and unnecessary. Aside from these things, though, it's hard to say anything against this book (although there is a character with the unfortunate name of "Humpy"). It is a well-written quest story, with the object of the quest being Ozma's long-lost father. The book includes visits to many exotic Ozian locales, and involves several interesting characters. Kabumpo makes an appearance, and Mombi reappears as a villain. Although she no longer has any real magical power, she still has plenty of tricks up her sleeve, mostly involving enhanced cooking ingredients. This is one of Thompson's best books, and makes for a very enjoyable read.

This book is very, VERY, good. I am a big fan of all Oz books, and this is definitely better than some. Only drawback is that the original Jno. R. Neill cover completely gives the ending away.

If you are looking for a quick yet thorough coverage of this topic then this is the book for you. It is a relatively short book, coming in at 167 pages (not including bibliography but including notes section), yet it covers the whole spectrum of the national music of the Dominican Republic.

Mr Austerlitz covers the beginnings of this music all the way through to its current state. It also spends time on Merengue's development during the Trujillo era (a particularly interesting topic to anyone who studies the Dominican Republic).

Mr Austerlitz also does a good job of addressing the sociological issues that arise from music and manages to blend well the merengue of the campo with that of the salon.

A good read and it even comes with a CD with some very good campo (country) merengue. If you are looking for merengue at its roots then this CD should please you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1.Introduction

PART 1: THE HISTORY OF MERENGUE 1854-1961. 2. Nineteenth-Century Caribbean Merengue. 3. Merengue Cibaeno, Cultural Nationalism, and Resistance. 4. Music and the State: Merengue during the Era of Trujillo, 1930-1961.

PART 2: The Contemporary Era, 1961-1995. 5. Merengue in the Transnational Community. 6. Innovation and Social Issues in Pop Merengue. 7. Merengue on the Global Stage. 8. Enduring Localism. 9. Conclusion

Let me know if you found this useful.

Up in Manhattan's Morningside Heights and its Dominican analogs all over the US, salsa is edged out by the magnificently manic beat of the merengue, whether stirred into Dominican rap and house (the most original as well as the least known versions of the genre) or in the tear-em-down accordion of Fefita La Grande. Austerlitz has all this and a lot more, all the way from the luckless Toma' back in the 1840s (read the book!)Austerlitz covers merengue from rural to hi-society in all its fierce joviality. Read this book and you'll know there's one good thing Trujillo did for the Dominican Republic!

John Storm Roberts

Enjoyed the insight into the history of Merengue and its cultural context. This book has a place on my bookshelf along with "The Latin Tinge" and "The Brazilian Sound."

I read this book at Christmastime to my " kindermusik class."They were throughly charmed by little mouse's explorations.The illustrations were very sweet and the children could identify with the plate of cookies,the cup of hot chocolate,the velvet stocking.etc.The simplicity in words was also appropriate.

My six year old just pulled this book out (in March) and asked me to read it because "it makes me feel Christmassy! " Our whole family enjoyed this sweet rhyming tale. We especially had fun guessing what Mouse would find next on his Christmas Eve adventure through the house. We received this book as a gift, now I plan to buy more to give as gifts next Christmas!

I just purchased three copies of this book for Christmas gifts-- and had the store order two more for me! The story and pictures are charming-- the little mouse dicovering candy canes, cocoa and all the magic of Christmas Eve- Christmas morning! The words are simple enough for a very young child to understand and enjoy; the illustrations are nice enough that you'll keep the book out for the older ones to thumb through!

This book was a very good book about a child dealing with a brother with special needs. I read this to my 5 year old son and it helped him understand why mom and dad spent so much time trying to teach his brother things. It explains things like why they should feel special to have a brother/sister with special needs. I thought this was a very good book and would recomend it to anyone who wants to read it to a young brother/sister.

When David first sees his newborn brother Matthew attached to a support system, he is initially shocked. Matthew's slow development requires him to remain in the hospital for an extended period of time.

David gives clarity, voice and reason for siblings of people with special needs. One can feel his sadness and resentment when his party is pre-empted because of his brother's vast needs; one cringes with him when Matthew unwittingly embarrasses him. David does not pretend all is sunshine and roses; despite his concern and resentment, there is the underlying brotherly love. He naturally feels protective of Matthew and in so doing, forms a bond with his brother that is truly heartwarming indeed.

This is an excellent book for families and educators. In fact, this book is really for everbody and is a good bonding as well as teaching tool. Readers of all ages will be able to relate to David's feelings and see how he and his brother flourish.

This is a wonderful story! Told from the point of view of an older sibling, it portrays realistically the vast array of feelings and emotions that are part and parcel of having a special sibling. Sometimes the older child(ren) inadvertently get lost in the shuffle. Yet the bond between David and Matthew is there and it is strong. Matthew responds to David in a manner that astounds even their parents. I especially found this to be relatable because since my youngest child Matthew has begun speech therapy, his therapist has designated his brother Jordan as his "coach." And that's been a big deal. Jordan isn't as apt to feel pushed aside this way. And he's learning just how much Matthew looks up to him, not just as his "coach" but as his big brother. I highly recommend this book to families everywhere!

This book goes into a lot of details,and therefore not easy to cut to the meat of the subject. Needs a lot of re-reading to absorb the material.

This book is good if you want to know exactly what action each muscle performs in the human body. It is listed as a reference for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. It is quite good for the kinesiology portion of the NCETMB. However, if you really want a great book that is filled with on target questions for the NCETMB get the following which is on amazon.com:
The Ultimate Study Guide for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Key Review Questions and Answers (Topics: Human Anatomy, Physiology and Kinesiology) Volume 1 by Patrick Leonardi
(ISBN: 0971999643)
The Ultimate Study Guide for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Key Review Questions and Answers(Topics: Clinical Pathology and Recognition of Various Conditions) Volume 2 by Patrick Leonardi
(ISBN: 0971999651)
The Ultimate Stude Guide for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Key Review Questions and Answers (Topics: Massage Therapy and Bodywork: Theory, Assessment and Application. Professional Standards, Ethics and Business Practices) by Patrick Leonardi
(ISBN; 097199966X)
These last 3 study guides are great sources for knowing the types of questions asked on the NCETMB.

This is concise and visually appealing book for students of anatomy. It highlights the major muscle groups and illustrates them with pictures that are easy to understand. This text is well organized and easy to follow. It is great for an introductory anatomy/kinesology course or as a supplement for other anatomy courses.