This book was designed as a textbook companion to a continuing education class for massage therapists. Without attending the class, it's not an interesting read. It is written with an unnecessary level of medical terminology, when layman's terms would suffice. I am a massage therapist, and didn't find this book to be very helpful at all. I found a few tips, but in general, bodywork techniques are labeled & then glossed over. "Massage During Pregnancy" by Bette Waters is a better educational resource on pregnancy & comfort tips for the pregnant woman. However, I'm still looking for an effective resource manual of massage therapy techniques for the pregnant client.

Without any previous education in massage therapy I was completely lost.

All I can say is this is a WONDERFUL book of information for any Mother-to-be and especially for Massage Therapists/Bodyworkers. It takes you from conception to infant massage. I am glad it is now a part of my Library.

....and don't judge the author by this book. Maggie Osborne is one of the best writers I've ever read, but this is definitely not her best. It's pretty slow and had such potential for a great story, but she never hit her mark. Ms. Osborne just went off in too many directions and never really hit home with a story line. I gave it 2 stars because I was able to finish the book, but I really regretted the purchase. I know I won't pick it up a second time. Try her early stuff, like The Best Man, The Bride of Willow Creek and The Stranger's Wife. Her newer work just isn't cutting it for me.

I'm new to Maggie Osborne, having read (and loved!) two other novels of hers last week, but I expected "Prairie Moon" to get better, and it never did. After reading about 1/3 of it, I remembered my tried and true rule: give the book a good chance and if it doesn't get better, don't assume it will. I just read the end to satisfy my curiosity (Yes, I know this is forbidden by the "rules," but get real! Reading is supposed to be fun and there are too many great books to wade through a dud). Bottom line: if you MUST read it, get it from the library!

This book lost me right at the beginning on page 31 when she put a roast in the oven for dinner with plans to make a pecan cake with vanilla frosting for desert. When it was time for dinner, what she pulled out of the oven (page 35) was a sheperd's pie and baked apples, with turtle soup for starters. Where she came up with a turtle for soup out there in the middle of the prairie is anybody's guess.

And, as the other reviewer pointed out, the trip to Atlanta via Santa Fee kind of left me shaking my head too. I have read Maggie Osborn before. She is not usually this bad. What a shame.

for the promising title, I bought the book immediately after the release. I hoped to find much about the web technologies, esp. JSP applications, but found only 50 pages telling the same thing with the help files. Again waiting for another release of JDeveloper for a new book.. I think the book is specially written for the Developer users for the migration, it has far missing topics..

The flow of topics is not so good. Chapter 2 was out of place. Choice of examples was also not good. It does not Cover EJB or CORBA objects only covers BC4J. Hands on trials will allow you to deploy and test specific examples, but you dont gain enough knowledge from the experiment to be comfortable with JDeveloper.

The book provides a good overview of the JDeveloper product including some of the future direction. It is primarilly made up of exercises which walk you through using the most important feature of JDeveloper, the BC4J wizards. The main reason for using JDeveloper is as an Oracle database web application tool and this introduces the overall concepts. While the book is pretty basic on coverage of web techniques (book on JDeveloper not web), it still covers many concepts through the exercises.

It is SIGNIFICANTLY better than last JDeveloper book which was useless.

This book would be a nightmare for a beginner because it jumps into Portuguese in such a confusing way. It just throws lists of words for you to memorize, and introduces grammar that is hardly even practiced in the exercises.

This book is also very aloof, and hardly forms a "relationship" with the reader. All the explanations are not in-depth. New grammar and vocabulary is just explained with a sentence, and then the reader is left on his/her own.

Here's an example of an exercise:

Exercise 2

Can you remember what the following are in Portuguese?

duty-free, boarding card, departure board, non-smoking, passport control, departure lounge, departure gate

No, I can't remember what they are-all I was given was a list of words!

Compared to Colloquial Icelandic(which is an EXCELLENT Colloquial course), this book is severely lacking, and that is quite surprising. A language spoken by around 200,000 people is taught so much more in depth than one spoken by almost 200,000,000!

I think this is a poor choice for the total beginner. The audio starts with fairly advanced dialogue, spoken very quickly. While that may well be the way the Brazilians speak, it is useless to the beginning student. The book is comprehensive, but poor for self study - picture your high school Spanish text, without the teacher. I gave up on this one after two fruitless hours, and bought Pimsleur's Audio course. I may go back to Portuguese of Brazil - The Complete Course for Beginners, but only AFTER I finish Pimsleurs.

Although this book was a disappointment when I was first learning Portuguese six months ago, now that I am an intermediate plus Portuguese speaker/writer I find this book an invaluable reference. It is well indexed, making it easy to find the topic I need to review. It includes enough examples to make the point clear (but not enough when I was first learning).

Compared to other Java books I have used, I find this one rather poor in comparison. The program examples are not helpful at all unless you are trying to create an exact copy of their program. The diagrams are not helpful, there is a lack of color. Also, the binding on this book is not secure. I purchased this book new and just about everyone in my class complains that theirs is falling apart as well. For the price, this book is not worth it.

I'm teaching from this book for the second time this semester, and
I'm mostly happy with it. I have a few comments, though, that
don't really come out in the other descriptions and review here:

1) The book has a very good set of exercises, though some have
typographical errors.

2) The number of typos is high for an intro text (not surprising
for Thomson/ITP, though), so make sure students are aware of the
on-line errata.

3) The authors make a few unfortunate, incorrect remarks which,
fortunately, aren't critical to learning Java. A particularly
egregious example is their claim that "a thread is a process."

4) The index is very poor, making me disagree with the reviewer
who said the book is a good reference. For example, buttons are
introduced on p. 17 and used extensively throughout, but the only
mention in the index is of p. 368. In general, classes and
methods are given very short shrift in the text.

5) The text uses its own GUI API, which is ok, but not very well
documented. The on-line documentation is vague on a lot of
points, which is unfortunate since the index is so bad.

There are probably better texts for complete beginners, though
this isn't really bad. The layout and typography remind me of a
high school text, which is really not a problem. Anyone with
prior programming experience, though, will want to go elsewhere,
e.g., Arnold, Gosling, and Holmes.

This book provides the new-novice Java programmer with some practical examples for using Java for the study of Computer Science. Unlike many of the Java books out there this one does not skimp on the instruction of Computer Science principals in parrellel with the instruction of the Java language. As a plus it has some pretty useful breakdowns of classes that will be useful to a new Java programmer(such as String, Math, etc.) If those reasons were not enough, it also makes an excellent reference because of the way the book is written. The logical progression between chapters allows you to remeber almost without looking at the index exactly where that one snipit of code to do something was. I think that this is a must for any programmer who is teaching themself to program, because one cannot learn just to program without the theory behind how it should be done.

First they plagerize the "101" theme of my bestselling series (LIFE 101, LOVE 101, WEALTH 101), then they call "reality" the fantasy of the Bible. The poor, misled teens who are unfortunate enough to read this book looking for what's real will learn nothing about reality and a great deal about the anti-life, anti-nature, anti-pleasure, anti-love, pro-hate, pro-repression, pro-judgemental dictates of modern "Christianity." I put "Christianity" in quotes because modern "Christianity" has nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus. With "The kingdom of heaven is within you" and "Our Father, who art in heaven," Jesus gives the precise location of God--within each one of us, not, as the "Christians" teach, some external being keeping track of every maturbatory act that will send the "sinner" to hell for all eternity. If titles could be copyrighted, I would sue. As they cannot, I can only say here that, to whatever degree these people plan to trade on the success of the LIFE 101 Series, I denounce this books utterly. That it is called "Reality 101" is false advertising. That this book is aimed at children is child abuse. The authors have no qualm about either stealing titles or misleading the young. For shame.

Peter McWilliams (www.mcwilliams.com)

First of all, I was incredibly disappointed with the other review that I read about this book. Whoever wrote that obviously knows nothing about Truth and what the Christian life is. Before he slams a book like this, he better understand what he is saying and reading first. (Secondly, the title is not in anyway illegal or plagerized--these are publishers, I think that they have a little more knowledge about publishing than that reviewer does). As for the book, I think it was terrific. So many youth grow up in this "Hollywood" world, knowing little about real life and what their faith is all about. In a fun and easy way that teenagers can understand and relate to, these authors have managed to give some helpful insight and guidance to these kids. It is a very enjoyable book and I recommend it for any teenager and as a terrific gift that parents can give to their children as well.

Unfortunately, this book is not usable because it teaches heresy. Fr. Osborne, who I believe one could safely term a modernist, says in this book that baptism does not take away original sin or actual sins for adults (p. 64). He also glorifies the common modernists like Karl Rahner and Edward Schillebeeckx. So, in short, hands off that book. There are GOOD sacramental theology books out there; don't waste your money on this one.

An excellent book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Catholic Sacramental Theology as influenced by the Second Vatican Council.

Allow your children to read these stories with parental discretion. Current day authors like the ones mentioned in the review are liberals with an agenda that is both immoral and anti-traditional family. I can't vouch for all the stories listed because I have not read them. However, I have read works by quite of few of the authors listed and they do not support conservative ideology. "Scout's Honor" by Avi is in my child's 6th grade "literature" textbook. The so-called comedy is about three arrogant Boy Scouts that earn a badge by lying, cheating and stealing. This story not only depicts the Boy Scouts in a bad light - has anyone heard about their pro-traditional family stand which they took recently - but it promotes the path of the ends justifying the means.

The original tales presented in this book are actual memories of childhood penned by notable children's book authors. Although most of the stories have 8-10 year-olds as their protagnonists, they deal with emotions and predicaments more easily understood, I think, by slightly older children.

Pre-teenage can be such an awkward time; these tales can be healing/instructive to those in this time of life. The authors all have written beautiful stories which really should not be missed. And, as an extra special "gift" to the reader, each story is followed by a one-page explanation/note written by the tale's author. It's a relief to realize that each author not only survived growing up, but also flourished. And I loved being allowed to share private memories of these marvelous authors.

As a great fan of Katherine Paterson, I was especially touched by her story, which involved her older, prettier sister. Perhaps even more revealing, however, is the note she wrote to accompany this story. I am sure that the feelings here expressed were the souce of her poignantly beautiful novel "Jacob Have I Loved." (Great for girls age 12 and up.)

This book also provided an introduction (at least for me) to several authors with whom I was not familiar; I look forward to reading more by them.

I am a 40-something, well-educated mom. I bought this book for my own family, but I will be purchasing more copies to give as gifts. And I look forward to the sequel to this book, already in print!

I am a professional psychologist and also the mother of a 19-year-old son with Asperger's Syndrome. I found the interviews in this book with individuals diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome interesting, which is why I gave it two stars. However, the book is ultimately infuriating because I can't figure out what the author's ultimate point about Asperger's is. He seems to say: (1) this is a real disorder; (2) it is a neurological disorder; (3) these people are really just harmless eccentrics; (3) the disorder exists partly, and maybe primarily, because of American notions of what is and isn't normal. Interestingly, those he interviews or discusses who fit closest to his view of harmless eccentrics who should be left alone, such as pianist Glenn Gould, are those with either remarkable and marketable talents or independent incomes. Those who would have to cope with life unbuffered by either talent or income fare much less well.

This is a look at Asperger's from a different angle. If you know someone with the syndrome you'll find it helpful for understanding them. As the parent of a child with Asperger's I found it insightful, enjoyable, even amusing. It was interesting to see how others cope with this, and gave me lots to think about. We've chosen a different route for our child than the intensive therapy and medication regimes that are popular today. This book addressed the issue in a unique way that I found very helpful.

There are plenty of books available that give advice on treating Asperger's. Osborne writes about what it's like to actually live with it in a society that isn't always kind to those who are different.

One of the syndromes medical students learn about is Medical Student's Disease: one thinks one has the particular malady being taught about. Symptoms are diverse, as all of us have some sort of ache or pain now and then; and certainly all of us have mental symptoms, too, whether these be just ups and downs, occasionally hearing ourselves being called when no one is calling, obsessive interest in an oddity that turns into a hobby, bursts of energy or self-esteem, and so on. Lawrence Osborne has taken on the task of reporting about Asperger Syndrome in _American Normal: The Hidden World of Asperger Syndrome_ (Copernicus Books) and has filled it with his own symptoms tending toward the condition: he is fixated on the television program _Iron Chef_, for instance, and he is fond of lingering in airports, and as a child he was nuts about playing the lute. He is willing to call these "Aspergerish" (and he has met people with the diagnosis that share this sort of trait), but he wisely withholds the diagnosis from himself. He gets along far too well; like so many other diagnoses, Asperger's can't apply if one is unimpaired socially or occupationally, and Osborne shows he can get along socially even with some very peculiar people, and he can write with wonderful clarity and vigor. His book goes a long way to illustrating the condition, even if the illness, and the philosophy behind diagnosing it, remain largely unexplained.

The illness is specific, with a definition of check-off symptoms in psychiatry's standard diagnostic manual. It is probably a high-functioning form of autism, but not as crippling. People with Asperger's are often highly intelligent, and although they are frequently preoccupied with one area of restricted interest in which they have sometimes astounding intellectual capacity, they can blend into society with bumbling facility. However, they can't do things that the rest of us take for granted, like looking at a human face and knowing what emotions are being shown. Osborne gets to interview or research patients who have, for instance, memorized all of _Babylon 5_, or every fact about hotels in their state, or about vacuum cleaners. It might be that Thomas Jefferson had the illness, and maybe Albert Einstein and Béla Bartók. The main Asperger poster boy is the famous pianist Glenn Gould, who gets a chapter here. Gould certainly had the concentration on a limited sphere of interest; his recordings, especially of Bach, are among the most famous of any classical records. Gould displayed (or perhaps harnessed) the social inability of Asperger patients in an unusual way; retiring from the concert hall, he tirelessly argued for the virtues of electronically recorded performances.

This is not a book of firsthand experience with the illness, although Osborne wisely lets us in on enough of his own idiosyncrasies to show how close to normal Asperger people are. And it is not a book by a medical expert or specialist. Osborne is simply a curious person and a gifted writer who had an opportunity to investigate something that took his fancy, an interesting illness, and was able to interview some interesting people who suffer, or who thrive, from it. (One of them told him, "Normalcy is highly overrated, you know.") _American Normal_ is mostly his personal observations, and it is very entertaining, as well as sympathetic and informative.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, US Defense Contractors were also on the verge of collapse, that is until someone had the bright idea of privatizing the government. Current government privatization efforts have resulted in huge contracts costing the American taxpayer double and triple the cost of the original government employees. This book is a Conservative Pipe Dream, a guide to a fantasy bureaucracy that never existed, and a bomb that has totally disrupted the efficient operation and security of the Federal Government.

This is a must read for any citizen who is tired of business as usual bureaucracy. However, published in 1992 and not updated, it merely gives us a snapshot of discontent and a few forward thinkers at the beginning of the last decade of the last century. You can not effectively chart the concepts in their book to the trends of today without indepth analysis. Are the politicians really taking notice and "reinventing government" or is it just the usual bait and switch shell game where Washington professes to be turning 180 degrees when in actuality their compass is stuck. With 27 years in the military I still see us doing the same old stupid stuff, with some inovation around the edges. What seems to drive government these days is lack of revenues which forces changes to lesser programs so they can retain the funding for the core "stupid" projects. I also think they underestimate the absolute apathy of a significant majority of Americans. Why change when nobody cares. I am not as optomistic as the authors.

Firstly, let me say that I agree with most of the other readers when they write that this book was neither academic nor "reinventive". I will say that this was strictly an idea book, a motivator to the masses. So long as one doesn't expect emperical research, evenhanded arguements, or even updated conclusions, they are fine. When reading this book, don't expect, nor should you expect, to be handed ideas on a platter to run with. Rather, they present the optimum view of their vision. Whether it is right, wrong or impossible, they put forth thoughts that could spark change. The change that I am speaking of is not a grand sweeping motion that will forever alter the government, but rather pieces of an idea. Even if these particular ideas are not implemented, the chances of them sparking new ways of approach or implementation are greater.

In reading this book, I didn't take what the writers wrote verbatum, but I did begin to think about what I, as an individual, could do in my organization to make a difference. That is the target audience. These authors didn't write this book for the scholars or for the world of academia, but rather for the practical administrator in the field. Read this recomended book with above information in mind. If anything, it will be an interesting one.