With all that's negative in the world today, it's a pleasure to read something that will positively affect children.

The book, "Marion the Magnet's First Mission," by Sharon Hackleman, is a cute story about a happy little magnet who is sent to earth to teach children about their "magnetic powers." Marion teaches children to think positive thoughts instead of negative ones, to keep an open mind, and helps children to realize that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. Brightly colored illustrations are scattered throughout the book, and help to explain the important moral of the story.

One thing I would have preferred, is fewer "image-less" spreads - three just seemed a bit much, even though they were scattered throughout the book. This was something that bothered my seven year old. Images play a huge part in keeping a child's interest - I could feel my daughter's eyes wander a bit while I was reading those pages.

...-- my daughter and I both enjoyed it and she learned a valuable lesson. She learned that she held the key to a wonderful power inside herself.

Marion The Magnet's First Mission is a lively, energetic color picturebook for kids, written by Sharon Hackleman and illustrated by John Blair Moore, starring a charming hero -- who also happens to be a magnet. The message of this story of Marion's adventures is the importance of creative thinking and harnessing the wonderful font of ideas within. An excellent storytime or bedtime read to encourage self-expression in young people, Marion The Magnet's First Mission is recommended for family, school, and community library picturebook collections for young readers.

"Marion the Magnet's First Mission" is easy to read and sends a powerful message to young and old about how we all have "special gifts". An excellent book for families with children.

this book is the best!! I love how the author makes it feel like your there, with nikkie. she saves a horse saves proporty shes amazing ihave read this book at least 9 times i own it and highly recomend it

I checked out this book at our local library every other time I went as a little girl. Nickie was my hero and I wanted to save a horse, too. When I grew up I worked with horses and got to live my dream as I helped rescue several horses. I cried when I found a tattered paperback version and now still search for the hardback. Great reading!

This was my favorite book as a child. I will never forget how it helped me to dream!!!

This book helped me a lot to sum up all the different technologies that are today available in the telecom industry. Of course I heard of lots of them during my studies but we can't see all of them and in a such exhaustive manner as the author did. I especially learned a lot with the first part as deregulation is a very new issue in France.

A very informative reference. I have found myself sharing this with those outside and inside the industry who have been able to read this and better understand the technology and its very profound evolution and impact to our society. I was fortunate enough to have had the author as an instructor. We were the first class to have the published version taught to us and those who had already had the course rushed to purchase it when it was released due to the very nature of both the teacher and the content of the book. Thank you Professor Cole and I am very much looking forward to your next publication.

Hi. I am active duty in the USAF, and work in communications and I can confidently say that telecommunications, by Marion Cole, is by far the best book on the subject that I've come accross. The book is very well organized and the content covers everything that one who deals with telecommunications would need. From the history of telecommunications to late breaking technologies. This book covers every aspect of analog and digital technology, from the simple telphone, to multiplexing phone and data lines over fiber using Wave Division Multiplexing. I personally recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn the technology or just to brush up on their skills. This book is a number one choice!

I am only a college student whose cooking skills are almost nonexistent, yet this particular book made me the chef of the day. The first thing I cooked out of this book was the cheese stuffed eggplant - at first I was terrified how it was going to come out, but the recipe was delicious, meat free (meat's expensive, so meat free is a great plus for a poor college kid), and with pictures to compare whether what I have made is actually what was supposed to be made. My roommates liked it very much, nobody complained, and I didn't blow up the kitchen or anything :).

I highly recommend it to anyone whose major concern is the ability to cook cheaply and effectively. Most of the recipes include things which can be stored for a couple of days prior to final preparation. It also includes a basic overview of dietary needs of a meat eater and vegetarians, explaining the alternatives for both. But the best thing about it, that since it is so beautiful and classy looking, it gives you confidence to cook and doesn't make you feel like a total moron in the kitchen.

Most households including mine had a copy of Joy of Cooking. It was quite a tome, but this selection of vegetarian recipes in Joy of Cooking: All About Vegetarian Cooking is contained in a slim volume, easy to handle in the kitchen, and with great color pictures. I think these recipes are all in the latest Joy of Cooking, but to have them all in one place, with pictures and tips for beginning chefs, is very useful. The book is priced to fit a student budget, but contains recipes which range from casual dining to fancy enough for entertaining friends. The recipes also include a variety of courses. A good summary of the variety of vegetarian diets is included in the beginning, as well as an alternate food pyramid for vegetarians. A section of Egg recipes is included, for those who eat eggs along with their vegetables. This is one of those cookbooks which you can just pick up and read, and it really lives up to its name, and should be a useful holiday present for anybody.

The first cookbook I ever used was a 1954 edition of Irma Rombauer's "The Joy of Cooking." The updated version of this classic is still one of my primary sources.

This new edition repackages the vegetarian recipes already contained in "The Joy of Cooking" into a useful smaller volume. The extras include shopping and cooking techniques and full color photos of many of the dishes. The photography is excellent, and will tempt you to drop everything and head for the kitchen.

The same "never-fail" standard of the original is preserved here. The recipes are well written, and include easy-to-locate ingredients. If you're a vegetarian and have been avoiding getting the original all-inclusive "Joy of Cooking" because you'll never use most of the recipes, then this is definitely the book for you. While a large number of the recipes are for ovo-lactos, there are a substantial number that are suitable for vegans as well.

And even if you're not vegetarian, you'll still find tempting treats in this volume.

The original Beethoven study in this series dates back to 1899. However in 1934, Dent Music Masters replaced that early volume with an entirely new study by Marion M. Scott. This particular edition enjoyed great popularity and was reprinted nine times between 1934 and 1974. Scott (1877-1953), an English music critic, musicologist, violinist and composer, untook a completely new study of Beethoven's life and work. Her insightful comments on his music are based on her own interpretations and careful study of each score. She visited Beethoven's birthplace and immersed herself in his world. The result is an extraordinary classic study of the man and his music. Scott was a metaphysician who probed deeply into the spirital aspects of Beethoven's music and created a text that is both stimulating and profound. "Beethoven's last quartets are not the justification of modern music," Scott observes, "but modern music has reached the point at which it justifies the quartets and proves Beethoven's genius to have been transcendental." Highly recommended.

This text refers to the 1899 ORIGINAL edition. A superb book on Beethoven and a neglected classic. Small in scope and a "brisk" read, it nonetheless delves into his life and work with hardly a wasted word. Short but very insightful discussions of the character and occasional shortcomings in his compositions, with very level-headed and perceptive opinions (and a more positive reception of the composer's Late Period than I would have thought from a work of that time). The discussion is not watered down, but never gets over the head of the average listener. It was clearly meant for the educated non-specialist of the time, though how such a person could have been familiar with the wide range of music discussed before the advent of the phonograph and radio is an interesting question.

Excellent appendices on his works and milestones in his life. In short, one of the better books on the master....but beware, if you're looking for juicy digressions on the identity of the "Immortal Beloved" or the psychological reasons behind Beethoven's relationship with the aristocracy, the author doesn't indulge a great deal in such speculation. This is a biography that just sticks to the facts. As such it's one of the very best "overview" books I've ever seen on the subject.

This text refers to the 1899 ORIGINAL edition. A superb book on Beethoven and a neglected classic. Small in scope and a "brisk" read, it nonetheless penetrates into his life and work with hardly a wasted word. Short but very insightful discussions of the character and occasional shortcomings in his compositions, with opinions that I feel were advanced for their time. Some examples in musical notation, but the non-scholar or non-musician need not fear--it never gets too complex. Excellent appendices on his works and milestones in his life. In short, one of the better books on the master....but beware, if you're looking for juicy digressions on the identity of the "Immortal Beloved" or the psychological reasons behind Beethoven's relationship with the aristocracy, the author doesn't indulge a great deal in such speculation. This is a biography that just sticks to the facts. Thank goodness!

I've opened this book from my desk at work, at a stoplight in the car, by candle light in the bathtub, walking in the rain for coffee on a Saturday morning. Each time a passage speaks to me and soothes my soul. I've read passages over several times, sometimes getting a bit of a different meaning as I personalize it. The pages are dogeared, tagged with post-it notes, and many of the passages have been shared with friends and family to engage introspective discussions.

marion woodman and jill mellick have brought so many of marion's finest writings into one place, so that we can benefit from the imagery and wisdom of this wonderful woman....i highly recommend this to anyone interested in bringing images, dreams and spirit into daily life

This book makes more accessible many of Marion Woodman's ideas, observations and stories found in her previous books and audiocassettes. Jill Mellick has sensitively gathered Marion's words, organized them by topic, and formatted them in a pleasing visual style, adding her own watercolor illustrations. This is not a book to sit down and read from cover to cover; rather it is best used for dipping into, perhaps at random, perhaps as a starting point for daily meditation. Readers do not need to be familiar with Marion's other books to enjoy these extracts, but may find they wish to look further at her work after this taste.

I can't really add too much to the previous review. Just suffice it to say that this is a treasure of a book for those who want to know the history of, and the whys and wherefores of the BCP of the Episcopal Church USA. Without reservation this is a 5-star book!

Have you ever wondered who wrote a particular collect in the Book of Common Prayer? Are you curious about the origins of the different Eucharistic Prayers? Do you ever question why our liturgy is similar to those of other denominations? If you are an inquiring Episcopalian, then this is the book for you! Marion Hatchett has produced a wonderful resource for those wanting to know more about our Book of Common Prayer. He gives historical background, theological information, and loads of other facts concerning the various rites, collects, feast days, prefaces, etc. Hatchett comments on everything in the Prayer Book; not even a single collect is ignored. The notes range in length from a couple of sentences (usually the newer collects) to several pages (such as the Eucharist and Baptism rites). Practically everything you ever wanted to know (and more) about the Prayer Book is covered in the book's nearly 700 pages. I should add that although this is a commentary on the 1979 Prayer Book, the 1928 BCP is frequently mentioned. In fact, Hatchett often points out the historical/theological differences between the 1928 and 1979 books in his notes. Also, this book does not contain the actual Prayer Book text, but gives page number references. Overall, I highly recommend The Commentary on the American Prayer Book. By learning the history and theology behind our liturgy we gain a greater appreciation, not only for the Anglican Church, but also for our shared history and kinship with the catholic Church from the days of the apostles until the present.

For American Episcopalians and others seriously interested in the 1976 Book of Common Prayer this work serves excellently as a reference handbook for looking up any part of the liturgy and its history. In addition the book reads eminently well. Any dedicated student of the Episcopal liturgy should find the book both a delight and indispensible.

This is one of the best of the six sisters series. Believable characters, charming escapades and deft storytelling make this and Frederica in Fashion(the two youngest sisters) the two best in the six sisters series. Diana only lives for the hunt and may do so provided she dresses as a man. But what she hadn't counted on was when she meets the tall fair Lord Dantry in her man's disguise, she never in her entire life wanted to be a woman more than at that moment. Don't waste your money on the other sisters stories.

Diana, hands down, has got to be the best of the Six Sisters - and the Six Sisters the best of all Chesney's series. This sister is like a stormy "breath of fresh air" unwilling to give up the freedoms of a tomboy until she learns a lesson to break her heart, though not her spirit.

The predicaments she lands herself in with much alacrity from Lord Mark Dantry, are extremely amusing and highly original. And the chemistry between the two is better than Minerva and Sylvester. Dantry is a rake on the verge of reform when he meets his match in Diana, a veritable goddess, warring for his heart.

This installment presents a full tapestry of life in the Regency period as it shifts back and forth from the country to London and back again. All the familiar characters and married sisters are back to contribute to an overall delightful experience. Though Minerva is hailed as the favorite of the six by many, read Annabelle, Deirdre, and Daphne simply to appreciate getting to Diana.

Marion Chesney has a marvelous sense of humor; her storytelling is amazing. She combines a lot of mystery with a smidgen of romance. This is about the 25th of her novels (also writes as M.C.Beaton) I've read and one of my favorites! Our heroine, Diana, hates the idea of being a lady preferring the hunt, with her father's blessing...at first. He now feels she MUST become a lady and this is the beginning of the headstrong Diana's escapades! Can she disguise herself as a boy a get away with it?

Now in a newly revised and updated edition, The Fetish Carvers Of Zuni is collaboratively written by Marian Rodee (Curator of Southwestern Ethnology, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico) and James Ostler (Pueblo of Zuni Arts and Crafts) and offers a thoughtful, fascinating, and informative look at the Zuni Native American tradition and art form of carving fetishes. 103 halftones and 94 color photographs profusely illustrate the history of fetish carving, works of art, and its practice today. Personal testimonies of modern Zuni fetish carvers as well as scholarly appraisals of this art form round out this book about a unique and fascinating Native American art form. The Fetish Carvers Of Zuni is a welcome and much appreciated contribution to Native American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

I don't usually review books, but I have to say: This book is worth the effort it usually takes to track down. It is well written, easy to read (lots of white space and illustrations). Now we just need for them to write another volume, it's been a while since this was written, and the Zuni fetish world is always evolving.

When collecting Native American fetish carvings, one important factor in determining a piece's value is the availability of the artist's name. This book provides the only source I've ever seen into the lives and work of modern Zuni carvers. It includes several family trees which show how the particular styles of carving were passed down through families. I have found this book to be a great resource and a fascinating view of these peoples lives

The world of Darkover is a richly imagined place, with a long not-completely-remembered history, a society rich in intrigue and appropriate niches for many kinds of people, a technology solidly grounded in its people's unique laran abilities - in short, this is a complete world. A world that you can easily get lost in for many hours of enjoyment, a world so complete that at times you find yourself feeling that it is more real than the one we inhabit.

This book, the second entry in the Clingfire trilogy, is very much a book in the mold of previous books in the set, even though written by Ross instead of Bradley. Ross shows in this book that she has mastered not only Bradley's styles and methods of telling a story, but has found the 'feel' of this world, where she can make additions to it that fit. This book is set during the Hundred Kingdoms era, and deals specifically with how the Compact forbidding use of laran weapons that act at a distance was first formed. Varzil the Good is one of three main characters here, a man gifted with a very strong laran ability and a healthy dollop of common sense entwined with an idealistic dream. His friend and compatriot is Carolin Hastur, heir to the throne, who, while not as well gifted as Varzil, has the character traits needed to be a competent ruler. In opposition is Eduin, son of Rumail Deslucido, who was instrumental in destruction of two towers in the prior book, The Fall of Neskaya. Eduin has been inculcated from birth with his father's obsession with wiping out the Hastur line. The last major player is Rakhal, Carolin's brother, who is never really developed as a character, but is rather the mover of major events as seen from a distance, as he usurps Carolin's right to the throne and institutes some draconian measures in an attempt to stamp out all resistance to his rule.

The stories of each of the three major characters are well developed. Varzil grows from laran neophyte to Keeper and his burgeoning love interest with a lady, who is one of Eduin's targets for elimination, is both believable and provides an emotional charge to the final tally of events. Carolin grows from boy to a sturdy man, one who knows and values friendships and finds himself bound by duty to those who swear allegiance to him. Eduin may be the most interesting character, a man conflicted between the desires of his father that are so strongly engrained that they may be impossible to eliminate, and his basic good nature, that yearns for the friendship that Varzil and Carolin so freely offer to him.

Some of the underlying methods and processes of matrix technology are shown within this book, but more to the point, the true horror of some of the laran weapons is shown, the driving impetus behind Varzil's and Carolin's idea to ban such weapons and have the towers answer only to themselves, not subject to the commands and whims of the local ruling lord. This thematic point is one with high relevance in today's world with its talk of 'dirty bombs', biological weapons, and chemical pollution of essential drinking supplies. Unfortunately, I don't think the purveyors of such ideas and weapons are reading this book, or if they do, will not take its message to heart.

A fine addition to the Darkover universe, a good adventure, another time spent within the spell of this incredibly imagined world.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

MZB chose well in making Deborah Ross heir to her rich Darkover literary legacy and DJR does her predecessor proud in this rich and engaging novel. How uncanny it seems when Ross develops her plots and characters using techniques of which MZB was unequivably the mistress! This and it's sister and prequel THE FALL OF NESKAYA add much to the vivid and always enchanting world. Reviewers elsewhere stated that while this would be eagerly embraced by Darkover fans, it would fail to attract new readers. Not so! Indeed, the quick-moving plot and lush details would serve well as an introduction to one of the most long-lived fantasy series. However, the proofreading and editing here lack miserably. Frankly, I expect better from DAW Books and, as a college English professor, was appalled at the mistakes even my weakest Freshman Comp students would catch in a moment.

A wonderful book to "fill in the gaps" that leaves the fan of Darkover wanting more. This latest installment truly helps those who love Darkover with their un-answered questions related to the period known as "the hundred kingdoms." I can't wait until the next book. For those who are new to Darkover, I would imagine that this book would make you want to read all the other Darkover novels in order to understand the concepts of "matrix science" and culture. I would especially encourage you to read the books related to the "Ages of Chaos" and "Two to Conquer"