I loved this book... it allows for the possibility that there is an explanation for all that happens negatively in this world. Being a story allows you to become involved and gives hope.

I couldn't put this book down. I've never known a woman who'd been abused, and I hope I never do, for their sake, but it helped give me indelible insight into why such violence might occur. Challenging the Bible in this way seems to me to be a positive approach towards addressing this horrible problem. Today, women and children, as they are continually beaten and abused to death as the headlines reflect day in and day out, need all the help they can get. This book provides some of that help. I absolutely recommend it for anyone, male or female, who believes the problem of violence against women and children must be stopped immediately.

I enjoyed reading this story very much. It was interesting to read the personal story of Sincerly Young and her search for meaning in a life that was full of questions, and conflicts. I especially enjoyed her talk with Yahwah and the chance hopefully to get answers to life's more difficult questions. I would recommend this at many levels: the individual reading for pleasure, as a good story. The person who is involved in an abusive relationship, looking for ideas to help them and others. It would also be good for a general research discussion, used in half-way houses or counseling situations. Enjoy the read!

a bible for international working and living
good stuff

Compiled and written by Daniel Lauber with the assistance of Kraig Rice, International Job Finder: Where The Jobs Are Worldwide is a straightforward presentation with all the facts and all the dirt on jobs that involving living and working abroad. Of special merit is the advice for avoiding international job scams, adapting to the host nation's culture, and safeguarding against anti-American threats. 1,200 of the most effective online and offline resources for finding international jobs on all seven continents make International Job Finder an essential and invaluable resource and reference for anyone serious about job-hunting abroad.

Like that review from Joyce Lain Kennedy suggests, they don't get any better than this. If you want an international job, this is THE book that will help you find the one you crave. The table of contents and indices will get you to the online and print resources that are targeted to your line of work, whether it be teaching English abroad, working in business, high tech, education, nonprofits, or government work. Instead of just listing online job and resume databases, etc. this book tells you everything you need to know about them, including guiding you to where the good stuff is on each website, so you don't waste time looking for websites that are useless for your job search.

More than pays for itself in saved time -- and it includes a free offer for a ... directory called "American Jobs Abroad."

Impressive, beautiful, moving, and complete. This book speaks for itself.

Growing up asian and female, everything was made to seem taboo, that sex and eroticism were dirty things. But this anthology is proof that they need not be. There is something about the state of nakedness that makes you feel both liberated and vulnerable. And when these qualities are infused and woven into words and images, everything together is just that much more powerful. The stories ranged from haunting to humourous to just plain honest. I come back to the book again and again as some stories really hit home and others take on new meaning when read again with new eyes. There is something here for everyone with an open mind regardless of race.

On a Bed of Rice is an excellent anthology. The subtlety of the sexuality left the reader with images that remain for a long time. Read the poem "Handbook of Sex of a Plain Girl" it is beautiful. My copy was lost and I miss it terribly. If this book pleases you, read "Pleasure in the Word" Erotic Writings from Latin American Women similiar to this but the imagery is different based on the difference in culture. I plan on buying a new copy of On a Bed of Rice because I feel lost without it.

Ah, sake. This rice wine has been around for thousands of years, and is part of many traditions in Japan. As Japanese food styles have become popular across the globe, so has this fine drink, which can be served both warm and cold. To learn more about the history of sake, and to learn how to choose a good brand, this book is invaluable.

To start with, The Sake Handbook goes over each step involved in making sake. Reading through the intricate processes involved helps you understand why there are so many varieties of sake, and why each one has a different flavor. One key step, for example, is the polishing step. The inner part of the rice generally is of higher quality than the outer portion, so the more 'extra' that is polished away, the finer the sake.

Next, Gauntner goes over the various types of sake, and how each is unique. Some of these terms are:

* Junmai-shu is pure rice sake. Only rice, water, and the koji mold are used to produce this top level sake. It ends up tasting heavier and fuller than other types of sake. It uses less than 70% polished rice - this means they have 'ground away' the other 30% of impurities.

* Honjozo-shu has a small amount of distilled ethyl alcohol added during the final stages. They then add water later so the alcohol content stays the same. This sake is lighter and dryer than other types. It can be served warm.

* Ginjo-shu uses 60% polished rice. It is also fermented for longer periods of time, giving a complex and delicate flavor.

* Daiginjo-shu is just like Ginjo-shu, but polished to 50% of the original size. It takes even longer to brew and complete. Futsuu-shu - any sake which does not fall into one of the above four categories.

Gauntner describes how sake is tasted, and how an individual can learn to distinguish between various sakes, and figure out the 'type' best suited for his or her palate. To help with this, the entire second half of the book is dedicated to a brand-by-brand evaluation of the best sakes on the market. This is invaluable! No matter if you're in Tokyo or Chicago, you can bring this book in with you to a store or restaurant and compare with ease the various sakes available.

There even is a section towards the back listing the best sake restaurants in Japan. If you're going on a trip to Japan, bring this book along, and know what to order and any special rules about each location.

Having lived in Japan for 7 years and spent many a Saturday night at local pubs, John's book is the best guide you will find bar none on how to find, decide and thoroughly enjoy Japanese sake'.

John really knows his stuff. I live in Tokyo and I run a Liquor shop here. I have studied for years about sake and I go once a year to make sake at a friends family brewery. I got so much insight and new information from John's wonderful book that I only wish he'd written it five years ago! If you already have several books on sake, this is a must to add to your collection, if this is the first book on sake that your going to buy, consider your self lucky that such an informitive and well written book is around to buy. Thanks to John Gauntner for sharing this informaion with all of us.

I love this book, it is a great inspiration! Each time I pick it up, I see something new and artistic in the techniques. The illustrations, photos, examples, and steps are wonderfully laid out. It is well worth the cost, as one can tell there was much passion put into completing the book. It is a favorite!

If you have one book on Shibori, this should be the one (reviewers opinion)! Yoshiko Wada covers the scope of Shibori, its history, artists and techniques with expertise and beautiful photos. There are only a handful of books on traditional shibori in English. Here you will find an easy to read, well laid out format. Techniques are covered with clear, detailed instructions and diagrams. This is most helpful for beginners yet allows the advanced to become more proficient and precise. Complimenting the above are excellent color photos; close-ups of patterns (a vast selection), garments, ancient, traditional and contemporary artists and their works. Yoshiko's book takes the reader from the historical through creating a completed piece of art. Fact: This reviewer was introduced to this book in an art class. Five years later, now a shibori artist, I still use Yoshiko's book on an almost daily basis. The wealth of information she provides is invaluable as both guide and reference. Thank you Yoshiko and Amazon for offering this book.

This book must be The Definitive volume on Shibori. It contains a wealth of information on the creation and development of the art, background information on the culture which nourished it, and biographical information on some of the principle artists responsible for its evolution. The illustrations are at least as impressive as the text. The book contains hundreds of photographs, both of completed garments and of swatches created through the use of the various techniques detailed in the book. The instructions for re-creating those patterns are clearly explained and easy to follow. Most remarkably, this book would serve equally well as a reference work or even a "coffee-table" book for those with an interest in textile art or art history, or as a manual for the textile artist. Although it is costly, the book represents an excellent value since it would take a lifetime (literally) to begin to exhaust the creative possiblities presented in it. It is a most worthwhile investment.

These are two of the best Tarzan novels, filled with everything that Burroughs does best: action, mystery, romance, lost cities... TARZAN THE TERRIBLE is the direct sequel to TARZAN THE UNTAMED, and anyone who has read these books will want to get a copy of Philip Jose Farmer's THE DARK HEART OF TIME: A TARZAN NOVEL, which takes place chronologically in between these two amazing books.

These are two of the best books ERB wrote in the series. Although "Tarzan of the Apes" is the undisputed best novel of the series, quite possibly a literary masterpiece, these two have even more adventure, action, and clever plot twists than the original. I think "Tarzan the Terrible" is an overall better read, but the final few chapters of "Tarzan the Untamed", in Xuja, city of the mad, is my favorite part of the entire series. I enjoyed it better than Opar, Ashair, or any of the other lost cities ERB created. I wish he had set the entire novel there. If you're an adventure or Tarzan fan you can't miss these two stories. They're the 7th and 8th books in the series and still have aspects of Tarzan being fresh in his creator's mind. The latter books are all good, but they remind me alot of another series, my favorite, the Gor series by John Norman. The first books are outstanding, but the series begin to get repetitive as though the authors used up all their good ideas and are recycling them with different but similiar settings and characters and the storylines follow much of the same course as the previous ones. The only negative thing I can say about the Tarzan series, if indeed you even consider this negative, is that coincidence seems to play much too big of a role. Everyone in the story will somehow end up in the same place at the same time no matter what they've been through and where they've been. But I guess that's what helps make them enjoyable. It all works out. If you like the Tarzan series I recommend two other books by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "The Outlaw of Torn", a medieval tale and "I Am a Barbarian", a tale of the mad Roman emperor Caligula. I also recommend the Gor series by John Norman(the ones with Tarl Cabot in them anyway) and anything by Robert E. Howard.

These two novels in my opinion were the best in all of the 22 book series. Tarzan goes from fighting germans to fighting prehistoric people and animals in a lost land. How does it get any better than that? And the Jane thing is cool! A must read for ultimate action/adventure readers.

I am a third-grade teacher, and I loved this story. The chaos that is portrayed on the pages of this delightful picture book is so true regarding what it is like the last few days before Christmas vacation. I especially loved reading about the room mom commandos and the yearly Christmas pageant. I have bought this book as a gift for several of my colleagues who have also thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had the pleasure of receiving this book as a gift from not one but two different students ... I read it aloud and fell in love with it. The author is a teacher (no surprise), and I ... met him at a conference! He couldn't have been nicer. I have every intention of giving this book as a gift to my own children's teachers ... If you work in an elementary school or know someone who does, this book is a find. Best of all, the kids think it's hysterical!

Clever illustrations and a humorous storyline make this a must- read Christmas picture book for both children and adults. I am a first-grade teacher, and this book is the story of my life. I read this book to my students, and they could not wait to see what funny incident happened next. They have also asked me to read it to them over and over again. I highly recommend this title.

This book is great for kids and the uninitiated adult alike. I got it for my two sons, and was surprised to find that I learned a few things from it as well. Interesting, fun and informative.
The CD that came with it was great as well.

Highly informative book about all the internet nuaissances you have ever pondered. Great for kids as well. Out of the ordinary plotline keeps the story flowing, and this is a must read for the information age.

I just bought a new computer for my kids you use at home, and I was looking for a book to help them with using e-mail, the Web etc. I bough this one because it looked unique and the CD looked like it could be fun for the kids. I'm really glad I did. The story is really interesting, and the information it provides on the Internet is very good. I found myself learning a lof from it as well. The CD does have some great stuff on it. The animations are are very fun and informative.

In my opinion, Patricia Rice's "Must Be Magic" is a must read. The story is a charming one and whimsical one that is bound to engage. However, it is, I must own, not a perfect book, and has it's share of what I call 'plot niggles.'

For example, it takes forever for Dunstan to acknowledge that he needs help in trying to discover who actually murdered his faithless wife and to establish his innocence. His pigheadedness on this issue was a little trying. And I also found it very hard to believe that it took him so long to figure out that Leila and Lily were one and the same woman -- this was one plot gambit that did not really work for me. I think it would have made for far more interesting reading if both Dunstan and the reader got to see the 'two' different Leilas from the very beginning, so that we could all enjoy the contrast between the intelligent and vibrant Leila who was willing to work in the fields in order to realise her dreams, and the sultry drawing room Leila, who used her feminine charms to manipulate people and keep them at a distance.

I was also curious about certain circumstances surrounding the Malcolm family. The Malcolms are an old Scottish family, renowned for producing female children who happen to be gifted with certain magical abilities. The Malcolms are also renowned for making advantageous marriages that further the family's fortunes. And yet, while the inference is that nearly every single marriage seems to have been a happy one, none of the Malcolm women seem to have married for love -- save the heroine of "Merely Magic," Nininan. I really wished that Patricia Rice had gone into (a little) what these other Malcolm women must have felt or thought about the whole concept of love, and marriage without love. She does do this with the heroine of "Must Be Magic," Leila. But even then what we know is that Leila married in order to promote her family's interests, that her mother has some feeling of love and affection for her father, and that even she (Leila) feels leery about counseling her younger sisters to seek only love matches. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I was curious as to why a family women with magical gifts would place advantageous marriages over love matches, and would have liked the authour to have delved into this matter a little more.

On the other hand, however, "Must Be Magic" does indeed boast of possessing two very strong, memorable and engaging characters: Leila and Dunstan. When Leila's character was first introduced, I will admit that while I did feel for her because she felt so alienated and had such a low self esteem problem, I did not really take to her -- she was a little too manipulative for my taste. And while I understood why she used her beauty and her feminine allure to get things, I did not admire this trait in her at all. But as the novel progressed, so too did my sympathies for her grow. And in no time at all, I found myself rooting for her to find her hidden talents/magical gift, and to nab the man she believed was her soul mate. Leila, is the kind of full bodied multifaceted heroines that one wishes were more the norm rather than the exception. As for Dunstan, once I got past his foolish stubbornness and his tendency to glower all the time, there was much to admire and feel empathetic for. It's not every romance hero who as to deal with an alienated son, a murder rap and a strong-minded woman who's out to help you whether you want it or not!

Story-wise, things moved along smoothly enough while Leila and Dunstan were in the country, busy with their planting schemes and trying to thwart the machinations of Leila's nephew-in-law and his cohorts. Once the story moved to London, however, the book did loose its focus. There was a sudden addition in the cast as all sorts of Ives and Malcolm relatives came out of the woodwork in order to help Dunstan clear his name, and there even was a small subplot involving a certain Malcolm-Ives potential pairing -- probably the hinting of future Magic book at a later date. I, however, just wanted the mystery of who killed Duncan's wife to be cleared up --I already had my suspicions and wanted to know if I was right!

On the whole, "Must be Magic" was a truly fun read. It's not a book without flaws, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless. and if you're looking for something little different, this should definitely satisfy.

Though her gifts are not magical, and in a family of witches that makes her ever so slightly the outcast all her life, Leila Staines makes her own magic with the perfumes she derives from flowers. To help her get her business going, she hires rouge and accused murderer Dunstan Ives, a member of a family that has long feuded with hers, to help her grow the best flowers. Though Dunstan is a farmer at heart, he desperately needs the money, so he agrees to grow useless flowers and work for a woman with three strikes against her already in his book, a lady, a beauty, and a Staines.

Enemies or not, they find themselves attracted beyond what they should be. Dunstan helps her in more ways than with her flowers, and eventually, using a ruse, Leila is able to make him see the true woman she is, and they succomb to their true feelings. Now, they have two quests, to make Leila a success, and to clear Dunstan of murdering his wife, if not for his own sake, for the sake of his son and the child Leila may carry. Pride will have to be put aside as he must use the powers of Leila's family to prevent his hanging and learn the truth.

***** If you shy from paranormals, do not be concerned that this is not a book for you. Witchery is only a minor aspect of this unusual novel. Leila is a refreshing heroine, as Ms. Rice's usually are, and Dunstan fits the gothic, brooding hero model. However, their unique role reversal is one that may appeal to the modern woman, with Leila being the one in power. It is also unusual to see a farmer as a hero of an English set story. The Staines family is delightful, and the scenes with Dunstan's son touching. Not the same old thing, this book will not in any way disappoint old or new fans of Ms. Rice. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

All her life Lady Leila Staines has felt like an adopted outsider as the only member of the Malcolm women without any magical abilities. Even her hair is not the dark color that every other Malcolm female has. Still, she has done her part by marrying to improve the family fortune.

With her husband dead, she controls the Staines estate as long she lives and never remarries. Leila wants to grow flowers that she can convert into perfumes as she feels she has a nose for this business. However, she needs a land usage expert and turns to agronomist Dunstan Ives, though he is considered a wife killer and her own mother warned her that Ives males are bad news for Malcolm females. Reluctantly, the landless Dunstan accepts her offer though he wants nothing to do with any woman, but especially those bewitching Malcolms. However, he berates himself for desiring Leila and another lass who looks like her (because of his stereotyping he refuses to realize that his two dreams are one in the same) even as he struggles to learn whom killed his wife.

MUST BE MAGIC is an engaging historical romance that uses a pinch of witchcraft to spice up a tale with a rarely seen uniqueness. The story line mesmerizes the audience as Leila struggles with her "handicap" and her desire to belong while Malcolm battles between desire and not wanting to be burned again. Fans will believe that Patricia Rice must be magical as she spellbinds her audience with a one sitting fun novel.

Harriet Klausner

This is a great Auto-Biography of Jerry Rice. The pictures are excellent, and the writing is also great.

I read the book and now i know more about how he plays the game of football.

This is a great book about one of the greatest athletes to ever play in the NFL. You really get to know Jerry and how he approaches the game that he loves. A must read for any die-hard Jerry Rice fans. I recently met Jerry in person and had him autograph his book for me. He's a great person and a tremendous athlete.