This whimsical book is a serious tool for executives. If you've ever complained that you're stressed out, rushed for time or generally just feel like (...), we challenge you to read this book. There's no rocket science here, but the simple wisdom that Lois Levy doles out might just spark an epiphany. This is common-sense stuff (sleep, play, laugh, quit worrying) that you'd think it would be impossible to forget, even though we all do. We [...] are not joking when we recommend this little book to all executives. You'll feel a little better after you read it, and much better once you follow some of Levy's advice.

Not only does this book remind you how to enjoy life's simple pleasures, it also introduces some carefree ideas and exercises to help relieve common everyday stress factors.......and with a humorous twist! Easy reading and light enough to carry along with you! It has been a perfectly enjoyable gift!

It worked for me. I like easy. I like quick. This book has bothquick and easy ways to make life less stressful. It's definitely thebest christmas gift I can think of. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.

I was astonished at the vast amount of invaluable information I found in the pages of COMMONS HERBS FOR NATURAL HEALTH (Herbals of Our Foremothers) by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. Readers will be rewarded by a detailed listing of 200 worldwide herbs. You will learn how to find them, store them, and prepare them to help treat many common ailments. Don't be surprised if the recipes contained in the back of the book will have you searching your yard late at night for the intriguing ingredients.

This book is a must-read for any herbalist enthusiast, or anyone who has a slight interest in alternative medicine. I can easily see this book being passed on from generation to generation; the information is priceless. After reading this treasure, it fully convinced me to change the topic of my college thesis. I'm happy to say I couldn't have read any better book to start me on the path of learning this ancient tradition.

Common Herbs for Natural Health is an essential herbal for the newcomer to the expert. Juliette de Bairacli utilizes her Gypsy wisdom, and decades of studying herbs and healing, to create a book filled with natural remedies and recipes. What a treasure! Her respect and love for the plants, the earth, and the medicinal knowledge garnered from people of all ethnic origins is powerful, practical, and sensible.
My gardens and personal health are already benefiting from this intelligent and tender book.

Julliette's book was the guide I turned to again and again as I raised my daughters, now 16 and 18. Her grounded knowledge of naturual childrearing was the missing link I needed. My mother, a product of the public health indoctrination of the 50's and 60's, knew little about caring for children without a doctor. As a young breastfeeding mother, refusing vaccinations, raising my daughters as vegetarians, using natural health care, home-educating . . . I liked her calm, balanced approach. She opened me to a world of life and healing that I had not encountered as a child and young woman.

As a midwife, this text was one I referred to frequently as I learned my art. Her belief that "the births of her children, are surely the greatest event in a woman's life" continues to influence me greatly. The many natural remedies found within her text still form the basis of my practise many years later.
I am happy to see that this book long-out-of-print has been re-released.

Some time ago I was fortunate enough to bump into the books by Jan Karon's Mitford series. I never ever, in my wildest dreams, imagined that I would or could find another author to compare in almost every way to Ms.Karon. Until JoAnn Levy and her "For California's Gold! Her Sarah Daniels completelly captivated me. She is real, and so very human!She became someone who I knew, not one I simply read about. The events, the happenings, the turmoil, the tragedies, all were not simply constructed descriptions. They catapulted me right into those times, those places, and I shared Sarah's sorrow, her utter despair, kl and her unheralded courage and feelings of fear, guilt and despair. The members of her family became as close to me as they were to her! And when she finally cried, I also cried. And yet, I was so very glad that ultimately she found a measure of peace and acceptance so that she could go on with her life. And so did I. Her most appealing quality was that she definitelyl was NOT a heroine, and the ones she met along the way were definitely not heroes. Thank God for that, and thank you, JoAnn Levy for allowing me to find true and honest ability and talent in a journalistic world filled and overflowing today with incompetence and unmitigated commercialized trash! So JoAnn, I also am pleased to utter what Mr. J.S.Holliday scrawled on your manuscript, "This is good! Ed Stember Sr.

"For California's Gold" filled in a lot of blanks for me, and it should do the same for most readers. We all know the rush west was an extreme ordeal. We all know settling California was an ordeal of another kind. We all know tragedy dogged the steps of the men and women who took on the challenge. But therein lies the unsuspected void in our knowledge, certainly in my knowledge.

Before reading this book I gave no particular thought to the nature of my understanding of these historical events. Now I've learned a new perspective is as beneficial in literature as it is in trying to find the car keys. In one 280-page book, JoAnn Levy has given the whole thing life.

Ms. Levy is a unique writing talent - she has done what few authors have the nerve to try; she has written a historical novel in the first person, and she has done it so beautifully it seems as if the book was indeed written in 1856 by a tempered-by-tragedy woman named Sarah Daniels.

Ms. Levy is remarkably clever in her use of storytelling techniques which successfully weave multiple threads of interest from the first page to the last. The attentive reader will pick up on this finely developed skill in the second sentence of the first chapter. Ms. Levy employs similar techniques throughout, and it is a delight.

This book is such a good read that it is recommended on that basis alone. But if a fascinating and unique look at one of the watershed eras in world history also interests you, then you will be doubly rewarded.

Thank you, Joann, for sharing Sarah Daniels with the rest of the world. I realize that she is a compilation of many of the ladies you found in your research for your earlier books on the Gold Rush, but her character is so real you can just picture her walking through her life with all its joys and sorrows. The numbness she felt at the death of each of her children especially rings true, as I watched my mother do the same thing.

This is Joann's best work yet. I look forward to the next.

This book is easy to understand and easily explains the basics in symptoms, attachment theory and practice. Solid information for all levels of interst.

This book is a must have for anyone dealing with RAD. The book is easy to read for parents, adults and therapists alike. It's comprehensive explanations of symptoms, treatment and necessary parenting style are a must read. It is eyeopening and gives one hope that there is help and understanding for families dealing with RAD. Evergreen here we come...

This book is well organised and a very easy read. Moreover, it contains assessment tools and resources to actually help these children. It is helpful to have an overview of this controversial therapy before the family and child takes part.

This is the second book by Bob Levy. I took the book with me on a business trip and was unable to finish it on the outbound flights so I set in the airport to get to the end.
Rite-on Bob.

Bob Levy has done it again--written a book I couldn't put down until I finished it, even if I had to hold a flashlight in one hand to do it (Read during a recent power outage due to a hurricane) Past Tense was original, fascinating, entertaining and intriguing. Thanks, Bob! I'm looking forward to reading more.

Bob Levy has done it again in spades. 'Past Tense' is a thrilling follow-up to his first novel 'Broken Hearts' featuring the same kindly old ex-policeman Joey O'Riley. This time O'Riley is swept fifty years into the past to solve the unsolvable and keep evil from entering the White House. The trail Levy weaves makes an intensely intriguing read so do yourself a favor - don't nibble on this one unless you have time to eat it in one meal. Rus Morgan, Host Interviewer of PBS "Book Talk". (Mr. Morgan has read the book and interviewed ninety eight authors in the series since its inception in 1993.

I loved this book when I was a child. The pictures are great, with close-ups, arrows pointing things out and detailed diagrams of various things. It's fun to look at all the details. I also had Something Queer at the Library and thought it was just as good.

Recently, on a trip to my parents house, I found this book and brought it home to read to my almost two-year-old daughter. She loves it! She keeps making me read it over and over again. She likes to imitate Gwen tapping her braces and Jill poking Gwen. (She even says "poke poke poke" to me as she pokes me.) She won't let me read her the Something Queer at the Library book because she is so intrigued by this one.

It's really a timeless book. Though it was published in 1973, it still feels very up-to-date, especially since Jill has a working mother. I love that my daughter loves it as much as me.

This book was one of my favorites as a child, and I just re-read it tonight at age 26. It's a great story about two kids dedicated to finding their adorable lost (stolen)dog. The illustrations are fun and recall the fabulous adventures of childhood.

As a child, I loved all of the Something Queer books. When I found copies at a used book sale, I bought them for my classroom. Several of my students also enjoyed these books. In particular, the students who had difficulty with reading enjoyed these excellent stories which have relatively easy text. They often read them again and again.

This book is a must for anyone who is entering college, currently in college or just starting life in the "Real World". Michael Levy takes us on a journey that we can easily relate to. The story really flows and gives you a great insight into the mind and life of your typical twentysomething guy. Do yourself a favor and read this book, you will not be disappointed.

Levy brings it. That is really all that needs to be said. To borrow an twenties-talk-esque analogy some people like to pick up bands before they make it big, others see a talented football player who is underrated and champion them throughout their impressive career...Levy is an author that will make it. The book is a fun read, what it may lack in length it makes up for in entertainment. A bit disjointed at times (and I defy most first efforts not to be), the book maintains a witty and fresh perspective on life in the twenties. I would argue that while the experiences may not be yours...most of it just about anyone will be able to relate to, or at best be able to relate someone they know to it. Buy it! Enjoy it!

Michael Levy's book hits home in a comical but penetrating manner. It brings forth the confusion of the 20's personality who have benefited from so much that they have a hard time finding the true direction in their lives. At the same time in a unique perspective of male-female relationships, the author, in a tongue in cheek manner, equates dating to football(and much more) and further ampifies the social scene that I am sure many of the young people feel today. The final portion of the book brings home the reality of life, family, and the values that are passed on in life. Mr. Levy has a fresh feel to his work and his usage of metaphors and symbolism is quite interesting. I hope to see a sequel to this book and topic soon.

This book is just briming with the joy of discovery. David Levy, one of the discoverers of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which crashed into Jupiter, details the exuberant joy of finding a comet. In this mostly chronological look at comet discovery and other similarly relationed astromonical discoveries Levy leads one on an engrossing journey through space. Starting with Galileo, but focusing mostly on modern discoveries and discoverers one comes to understand the motivation of these amateur and professional astronomers. Pleasantly accessible for those who can only recognize the moon, but also a wonderful trip for the expert. Beautifully written! A must read...it will make you want to discover a comet too.

These 23 chapters discuss astronomical discoveries beginning with Tycho Brahe's supernova in 1572 and concluding with the discoveries of extrasolar planets in the late 1990s. David Levy, science editor for Parade magazine and author of several popular-level astronomy books, is best known as the co-discoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which collided with Jupiter in July of 1994. Not surprisingly, the book is at its best when discussing this discovery and others made by people whom the authors know well; the personalities of these scientists (both amateur and professional) come across vividly, as does the amount of effort and luck involved in making the discoveries. The discussions of the historical discoveries are less original and engaging, and the attempts to connect them to the author (e.g., by stating that Jupiter was in the same position when first observed by the 100-inch telescope as when the book was written) are strained. The photographic reproductions--mostly in black and white--are somewhat muddy. There are a few minor errors, and the discussions are disjointed in places, but a reader with some previous knowledge of astronomy will find this book engaging. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates.

This book is filled with lots of interesting asides on the fascinating men and women who have contributed to our knowledge of the heavens. Mr. Levy's books never fail to satisfy.

by the circumstances of his birth.

This book isn't so much about how a family in Japan survived through WW2 as it is the story of a young man (Ken), half Japanese/half American during WW2. Ken fights battles throughout the novel--with himself, with fellow officers in the Japanese Army Air Corps, with ordinary citizens as a victim of mistaken identity. Ken, although he has been raised in Japan for the majority of his life has Caucasian facial features.

The book is extremely well written. I found the relationships within the family to be extremely diverse. There was a focus on the father and mother, but not so much on the children (except for Ken). The diferent personalities of Ken's friends were each part of a larger picture--there were the fanatics, the artists and the ones who just wanted to survive. It was a good presentation of what makes up a nation during war.

The first part of the book is about Saburo (the father) and his diplomatic efforts in the United States right before Pearl Harbor. I found this part to be particualary interesting, as it has been a matter of debate for the last several years. The issue of how much Roosevelt knew before December 7 rings especially true now.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It will hold your attention for days...

“Riding The East Wind”, is not only a great story, it is also great History. From the photographs of Mother and Son on the cover, to the notes at the book’s end recording what happened to the Family and their friends after the War, this work is excellent. The translator is the award winning Mr. Ian Hideo Levy, and he has created a wonderfully readable version of Mr. Otohiko Kaga’s first book presented in English. This is a fascinating story of the days leading to the bombing of Pearl Harbor through the end of World War II. The only aspect I found very puzzling was the total lack of comment on either Hiroshima or Nagasaki. The fire bombing of the B-29 Bombers was discussed at length, and perhaps the Author felt this was enough, for the firestorms these raids often brought about literally erased cities. ....

The book is a sweeping view of Japanese Culture, how they viewed themselves, their allies, and their enemies. While never mentioning the actions of the US, great irony is demonstrated as the woman on the cover was American, and while despised was not interred in a camp as Japanese were in this Country. The book speaks in depth of the actions of the Kamikaze Pilots and Submariners that many found impossible to understand. ....

The Author explores citizenship based on blood, birth, and personal beliefs, together with the complexities they give rise to. Relations between Family, and romance between others is never maudlin, rather they illustrate the ability of the individual to stand alone with his or her own morality, when humanity at large has forgotten what the word means.

This is a great reading experience, and I recommend it without qualification.

When I visited the Yasukuni Jinja, the shrine for Japan's fallen war heroes, in Tokyo, I was immediately drawn to the picture of the pilot with the Caucasian face among the hundreds of Japanese faces. I was saddened to read his story at the shrine of how he came to be in the Japanese army, despite his mixed blood, and how he died in service of one country that represented only half of himself while fighting against the country of his other half. I could not imagine how he must have been torn apart each day.

Then I saw the same haunting picture on the cover of Riding the East Wind by Otohiko Kaga and I immediately grabbed it up. I enjoyed this book thoroughly as I was transported into the world of the man in the picture. This is an excellent book that describes the desperate situation in Japan during the war that the Japanese military caused to be inflicted on the Japanese people and the individual story of the Japanese diplomat married to an American woman and the fate of their mixed-race children.

Even though I knew the eventual outcome of the war and the fate of the man in the picture, I was totally absorbed into this book.

Such is our morbid fascination that this book is inevitably more attractive than one called "Why Buildings Stay Up". That said, I think I have not only learned more about structural engineering than I would have done from a positive counterpart, but I have also learned vastly more about the other factors, human and natural, that influence the ultimate success or failure of structures.

The book is based on the same material as the late 1990s TV series of the same name, and having watched that series many of the incidents and issues were familiar to me. The advantage of the book is the ability to digest information at your own speed and refer back to earlier pages, but it has to be said that the TV series communicated some of the issues better, helped by animated graphics and by the better mutual support of both pictures and narrative.

Each chapter takes a topic, whether a human factor like the law, a type of construction such as the dome, or a cause of failure such as metal fatigue, and then illustrates the issues by consideration of a number of case studies, frequently including some notable successes as well as dramatic failures. In the case of failures the book always attempts to assess both the practical cause, and also any human cause, impact and implications.

The book is very well written, in an accessible style supported by some useful appendixes on structural engineering principles. However, sometimes the simple line drawings and verbal descriptions of a structure don't manage to communicate a full understanding, and more sophisticated illustrations might have helped.

Mario Salvadori died in 1997 (at the good age of 90), and the surviving author, Matthys Levy updated the book in 2002. My feelings on the update are mixed: the chapter on terrorism, culminating with the collapse of the New York Trade Centre towers on September 11th 2001 is excellent; but why did the author not acknowledge the brilliant success of efforts to stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the late 1990s?

Overall I heartily recommend this book to anyone with a serious or lay interest in structural engineering, and the many complex human and natural issues which influence it.

An entertaining book for readers who know about structures, and an educational book for lay readers, WHY BUILDINGS FALL DOWN is an interesting collection of case studies concerning building failures. Never condescending, but never too technical, it's a fun way to learn about architecture or structural engineering.

a good book explaining the details og building and bridge failures. im wondering why the author didnt include the word 'bridge' in the title since this book covers a lot of them. illustrations are very helpful as well