There is lots to love about this book: its tiny size, the quality printing and illustrations, and the first-rate outdoor living information throughout. It uses color especially well in the plant and insect identification section. It's loaded with improvisational survival tips. For example, I palm sap from young stalks is an easy source of essential water and sugar; a baited cloth bag can catch eels unattended overnight. One nit: the tome lacks an index, and given it's 380 pages, one is definitely needed. Still, I give it five stars and consider this book essential for any outdoors person.

Such a little book and so much information! No matter how sedate a life you lead you will find some knowledge in this book that will come in handy. Everyone should have a copy.

The book is thin but does not lack in content. It has a comprehensive coverage on almost everything and could guide you to survival in the wild. The book is a pocket guide and it's good buy. Get it today

Sara, teaches how to turn your life from a Stone to a Gem. She motivates you to get rid of the debris in your life by coming out of the the Rock Pile and surrounding yourself with other Gems.

She tells about how she sat back and let God control her life. Sara Freeman Smith, is truly a GEM. A must read book!!!

After reading this powerful book,I was inspired, motivated and empowered, to seek my true God given purpose. This book offers practical and simple tools to aid in finding direction in every area of one's life.

Great job!!

As a writer and inspirational speaker, I can honestly say that this book inspired and motivated me! Sarah Freeman Smith does what few writers have the courage to do....she lets us see her as a person, not as a critical expert sitting up on a throne. After only a few pages, I found myself in awe of Sarah's life story. If anyone can tell us how to turn dull lives of stone into shimmering gems, it's Sarah. I put her in the league with Iyanla Van Zandt and Jewel Diamond Taylor!

The important texts from the Equinox, Assembled in one book, by Israel Regardie, for a price that makes it accessible. I think that sums it up and justifies the Five Stars!

"He who knoweth little, thinketh he knoweth much; but he who knoweth much hath learned his own ignorance."

And so it is, those that don't understand him, fear him, and the very few of those that do understand him, also understand themselves, and thus ... they, the few, realize the GENIUS within the man, which is the soul of the many. Behold the master therin!

I bought this book a couple of months ago, and everytime I pick it up and begin to read it, another 'door' opens! This book is like a treasure chest, and until you advance enough to understand it, then much of it is enigmatic, BUT - Crowley doesn't leave us in the ocean without some driftwood - he gives the reader a list of suggested reading that one must utilize in order to understand him and likewise the deeper secrets of the "Magnum Opus" - thus one must follow that "golden thread" which runs through many celebrated works, where Crowley himself gained his intellect, and that make up the corner stone of all great wisdom 'available' for investigation. Therefore, it is not neccessary to read Crowleys other works before this one, in fact I for one believe It would be a waste of precious time, for this is, in my opinion, THE book on Crowley! Why buy second best? contemplate it and buy the books he reccomends (some of them are available free on i-net) and put the pieces together. Challenge those barriers that constrict you, strive for only the best, and the master will surely open the doors of the hidden sanctuary!

Concerning the contents of the book: Crowley's commentary on Blavatsky's "Voice of the Silence," is alone, worth what you pay for it, and with it you get his most famed instructions on Yoga, Magick, Sex Magick, not to mention a first hand story of one mans attainment of the 'Gem" and the difficulties he encountered, which is very revealing in itself. You also get the Enochian rituals, and the Book of the Law and the list just keeps going & going & going & going.

So, Go ahead! buy one of those watered down wanna be magick books if you must, but realize the guide to the real magick is within and Crowley points the way for all those that have what it takes to carry the torch of Thelema and awaken the sleepers from there agwanti.

"That shall end never that began. All things endure because they are. Do what thou wilt, for every man and every woman is a star."

This book contains a lot of information and is IMHO not the first book of Crowley one should purchase. Book 4 of Crowley (the latest version which in fact contains book 1 - 4) contains maybe even more info but makes it for the not-so-advanced-practizioner with its invaluable explanatory notes a better start. If you are willing to pay (price) and have to choose between Book 4 and Gems of the Equinox, Book 4 is a better start.

I have used feng shui on and off for over a year, but I didn't always stick with it. When I saw this book I knew this was what would help me understand what I needed to do, and it has. This helped me see and understand feng shui from a perspective that made sense for me.

I like the detail and background information on gemstones and crystals.

Attract fortune to your home through Gemstone Feng Shui, a title that links gemstones with feng shui. Jade aids in problem-solving, amber in attracting luck: each stone is covered along with tips on balancing it to blend into a home or office environment. The details include plenty of description of all qualities and interactions.

I only recently got into Feng Shui, but I have always collected various gemstones. It seems obvious that the two go together and this book demonstrates just so.
I highly recommend Gemstone Feng Shui, for anyone interested in creating a more harmonious environment.

First published over twenty-five years ago and recently reissued by The Feminist Press of the City Univesity of New York, Edith Konecky's "Allegra Maud Goldman" soars with life, tingles with humanity and snaps with feminist tang. Its theme of self-discovery, a staple of coming-of-age novels, however has a distinct slant; "Allegra" insists that its protagonist, a precocious girl growing up in late Depression Brooklyn, hurl herself against familial and societal restraints imposed on her due to the simple reason of her sex. Konecky has created a masterwork; her novel is neither strident or didactic. Instead, her protagonist, Allegra Maud Goldman tells her own story -- directly, ironically and courageously. It is this unadorned, unaffected point of view and voice which enriches the novel and elevates it to mythical proportions.

Cursed with a memory which forbids her forgetting any sexist reduction of her self, Allegra's childhood unfolds as an unending conspiracy to eviscerate her unbridled enthusiasm for life and undermine her incredible intellectual talents. Unsaddled from the urban poverty afflicting most Americans during the 1930s, Allegra lacks little material comfort but suffers, at an early age, from existential oblivion. Her distant and chronically-absent mother, a social butterfly who has made peace with her marriage to a quietly tyrannical dress manufacturer, provides little to copy as a role model. Allegra must set out to develop, define and fortify her own sense of self in a world seemingly set to reduce her to docile femininity.

In a revealing conversation with her mother, Allegra expresses discontent that her family focuses attention on her older brother David, who suffers from his own lack of confidence. When she asks, "How come nobody around here is at all interested in whether I am finding myself?", her mother dismisses her by telling her that she will "grow up and marry some nice man and have children." Against this biology is destiny environment, Allegra launches her battle. As her childhood evolves, Allegra challenges the different ways boys and girls are indoctrinated to handle their emotions, does battle with a public school system that diligently attempts to socialize girls into subordinate domestic. Her sardonic friend Melanie has one of the best lines of the novel: "If they're prepring us to be housewives...why don't they teach us something useful like sexual intercourse?"

By the time Allegra has come to grips with her evolving body, she has developed a passion for writing and a talent for poetry. Her epiphany is hard-earned and promises a life of rebellion. After having one of her poems purchased for publication in a daily newspaper, her father chooses to take her letter of acceptance instead of her creation to work as a means of validation. Stunned and bewildered by how her family "managed, with nothing but good intentions, to make me feel so dismal," Allegra repeats her own mantra of self-validation, her own declaration of independence: "You're a person. You're a person."

We tend to forget how hard girls have had to work to obtain what boys perceive is their birthright: the need for self-definition, praise for ambition and affirmation for struggle. Strong women come from strong girls. Strong girls come from the crucible of their own experiences and the will to face the hurricane. Edith Konecky's "Allegra Maud Goldman" will be a treasured companion for girls and women who savor the creation of an independent, autonomus self and will be valued by the boys and men who cherish girls and women who are strong, vibrant and proud.

I loved this book with all my heart- it told the story of how Allegra travels from childhood to young adulthood, dealing with ideas we all must cope ith- death, sex, love, and friendship. And, as a plus, her name is Allegra, a rarely seen name in the modern world, considering most people think its a drug. This book is one I recomend to all, even the most cynical of people.

This is a wonderful coming-of-age novel. Allegra Maud Goldman sees past the limitations of her conventional family, her teachers and peers. Her father is only interested in his fashion business, her mother mostly too busy meeting friends. She notices, and usually points out, what they can't see, especially when they treat her differently from her brother because she's a girl. For the most part she remains bright and clever, and her frustration rarely turns inwards or outwards - she rises above everyone and everything with the help of a friend.

It's very funny, very easy to read and stands up to being re-read.

This book is worth the price for the beauty and quality of the pictures alone, but the fact that it includes maps and histories of the sites depicted makes it even more of a treasure. While it will have special local appeal to those living in the Cleveland area, the landscape photos (in an unusual square format)are stunning and beautiful enough to stand on their own for lovers of nature photography. Highly recommended!

For any Cleveland native or visitor, this book depicts the Metroparks as it is, in its natural beauty. I ride through the "Emerald Necklace", as it's known, on my motorcycle at least twice annually with my father. The book reminds me of those experiences.

Of particular interest, beyond the great photography, are the histories and information about each of the park reservations. I highly recommend this book.

Gary has managed to capture the essence of the natural beauty of Cleveland's Metropolitan park System. The title reflects the dubbing of the parks as the "Emerald Necklace" of Cleveland. If you truly want to feel that you are communing with nature and want to see the "softer side" of Cleveland, this book is a must.

This is one of the best documents on gemstones availabletoday. Itcovers virtually every major gemstone as well as a great number of the "new" gemstones just coming into popularity. The descriptions and photographs are excellent. The locals where found and the appearance and availability of the rough material make this a genuine gem of its own. Anyone interested in lapidary, jewelry, or gemstones in general will find this book to be an outstanding value. This is enhanced by its relatively low price.

This book is a wonderful reference for anyone that has in interest in gemstones or geology. The book has three main parts. The first is an introduction into the terminology that is used in the gemology industry. I found this section to be very inclusive and easy to understand. This section covers everything from the types of crystal structures to cutting techniques and density. This is a great section for those that are new in the world of gemology and would like a more in depth explanation of gemstones.
The next major section deals with well known gemstones. Every stone you can think of from diamond to emerald is covered in this section. The section is reserved for stones that most everyone has heard of and are readily available at any store. This section is layed out in a field guide type format as opposed to an in depth paragraph discussion. Each stone has a description of its characteristics and colored photos of multiple examples. The photos are beautifully done with several different examples of each stone shown.
The final section is reserverd form more uncommon gemstones. This section will be sure to surprise you. For example petrified wood is shown as a more uncommon gemstone. Even the most experienced gemologist will learn something new in this section..The pictures and layout of this section are the same as in the previous section.
I highly recommend this book to people with an interest in geology or gemology. This book is not a book that is best read cover to cover. It is better used as a reference because of its layout and abundance of information. No matter what you use it for you will be fascinated with the information and captivated by the photography. A wonderful book that will keep you entertained for hours.

This is probably the best gemstone reference book that I've seen. If you are someone interested in gems, looking to buy gems online, or even a jeweler you'll find this book indispensable.

The book teaches you the basic properties of gemstones, hardness, cleavage/fracture, color, refraction, dispersion, etc.

It gives you an overview of cutting and polishing gemstones with a chart of the different types of cuts available.

But the best part of the book is the description of gemstones. This book covers virtually all known gemstones! Not just the big 4(diamond, emerald, ruby, sapphire) but over 100 different gems, many that you've probably never even heard of!

The gems are broken down into groups, the beryl group, corundum group, etc. Each group then gives the different gems from that group and gives the physical characteristics of that gem. It lists the different sources and colors of each gem and tells you which gems you might confuse the stone with.

And finally each gemstone comes with a full page picture of different cuts, colors and rough of that gem.

All in all this is a MUST HAVE BOOK for anyone interested in gems.

This book is a great miniature lexicon for those who need a quick and physically handy reference for Latin. It goes beyond the "basics" and is adequate for more advanced perusal. However, the book _is_ printed on a type of "pulp paper" and its pages are merely "glued in" (so-call "perfect binding").

All things considered, for the money, it is a bargain and you can't go wrong.

My husband laughed at me when I said I wanted to learn Latin, then he grabbed this dictionary and didnt' put it down for hours. It's nice, compact and readable.

Collins Gem Latin Dictionary is an excellent choice for anyone interested in Latin. Wether you're a Latin I or a Latin III student it does not matter. This small book measuring 3in by 4 1/2in can fit into almost any pocket & can be carried almost anywhere. These small books were common currency in my Latin class & were highly recommended by the teacher. This Latin Dictionary also proves to be very durable. I once spilled water on the cover & to my surprise it did not leak through. Not only does this dictionary translate Latin-English & English-Latin but in the back of the book is a list of key Roman dates, 7 kings of Rome, cardinal/ordinal/distributive/adverb forms of the numbers, measuring units, money (Greek & Roman), & geographic names. In conclusion this is probably the best Latin dictionary ever published. Again it is very portable, durable, & factual.

Javed Mohammed is a friend whom I have grown to respect and trust in our sporadic time together. He is a thoughtful man, one who is dedicated to his profession and his religion. In this book he shares some of the inspirational thoughts, readings, and speeches that he has come across in his life experience. He shares them with us, providing insights and introspection that is well worth our time.

We can, after reading this wonderful volume, be ready to gather our own gems throughout the day. Tom Campbell (US Congressman - R/CA) put it well: "A must read for all American youth and adults. This book informs and illuminates the way through inspirational Muslim literature."

Gems of Wisdom, Hearts of Gold" is equal to its title and bursting with of good things. Taking its inspiration from wisdom in a family's lineage, it broadens out to embrace the wisdom of the world. Everyone should own this book: first to read, and then to keep at hand for necessary moments. Even the cover design is smart.

Michael Wolfe, Author The Hadj and One Thousand Roads to Mecca

I found this book amazing, once I started reading it I couldn't put it down and I read it from start to end in one sitting. There are so many sayings from it that touched my heart that I cannot choose any particular one as a favourite. It is a book that both children and adults will find enlightening. The author has put together a wonderful collection of 'gems' which everyone will find interesting in some way.

Fantastic!