I had a telescope sitting in a corner looking pretty but gathering dust for three years, until I found this book. "Turn Left at Orion" has turned me on to amateur astronomy because of its straightforward, assume-nothing presentations. Using this book at my own pace, I've begun to learn the night sky and get excited about using my scope. Even though I live in the city, I find myself gazing skyward every clear night, browsing a now-familiar sky. There are other aids you'll need as an amateur astronomer, but nothing I've seen is more perfect for a beginner.

Just starting to look at the night sky with a small telescope or binoculars? Buy this book. I spent many a frustrated night with my new scope, trying in vain to find galaxies and other interesting objects in the heavens. Half a dozen other sky guides were no help -- and the astrophotographs they offered gave me no clue to what I might actually see with my own eyes. "Turn Left at Orion" transformed me from a galaxy hunter to a galaxy finder even while stargazing under light-polluted suburban skies. Clearly and entertainingly written, TLAO never leaves the reader lost and offers interesting background on what you are viewing as well as other essential information such as "How to run a telescope." My copy is now a year old and is the most-used volume in my stargazing library. It's one of those rare books that can be used by a "square one" beginner or a clueless parent trying to show a youngster how to use a telescope yet still will a delight to an amateur astronomer with more experience. Here's a recipe for years of awe-inspiring after-dark entertainment: a small telescope or 7X50 binoculars, a copy of Turn Left at Orion, a red-lens flashlight (so you can refer to the TLAO in the dark without losing your night vision), and clear skies.

I had a telescope sitting in a corner looking pretty but gathering dust for three years, until I found this book. "Turn Left at Orion" has turned me on to amateur astronomy because of its straightforward, assume-nothing presentations. Using this book at my own pace, I've begun to learn the night sky and get excited about using my scope. Even though I live in the city, I find myself gazing skyward every clear night, browsing a now-familiar sky. There are other aids you'll need as an amateur astronomer, but nothing I've seen is more perfect for a beginner.

We all loved both the book and the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter." And now Loretta Lynn is back with "Still Woman Enough" to not only finish the story since the original book, but to complete and more accurately detail events from the earlier book. As expected, the vivid stories are told in Loretta's appealing brutal honesty, wit, detail, and charm. The biggest change between the two books is that as time and people have passed, Loretta can provide a different perspective on her life. You will openingly laugh at some of the tales. And you will be greatly sadden by the stories of abuse. We have all seen stories of Loretta in the tabloids for years, but nothing I've read in the tabloids is as shocking as what I found in the book. Several parts of this book must have been very difficult for Loretta to write, and I give her a lot of credit for having the guts to do so. Loretta also writes about several country music legends, personally I enjoyed reading about Conway Twitty and Tammy Wynette. All in all this book is fascinating and very satisfying. And, yes, she is still woman enough.

This is the most enigmatic book I've ever read. On one hand I found Loretta's trademark honesty and naivete to be refreshing. On the other I wondered how, even after she had become wealthy, she could stay with such an abusive man. Doolittle Lynn seemed to thrive on torturing Loretta with his hard drinking, pathological womanizing, and physical and mental abuse. Understandably his actions also damaged their kids and both of her sons replicated their father's destructive behavior into adulthood. Even so, this book doesn't delve much into the psychology of their problems and the reader is left wondering what complicated demons drove Doolittle to such bizarre behavior. Loretta simply says she loved her husband despite his faults, that she herself was not perfect, and that they had "history" which kept them together. Of course she knew little else since she had been married to him since the age of thirteen. Loretta touches briefly on her wonderful friendships with country music luminaries including Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette. And she reminisces about her close relationship with her parents and siblings and growing up in Butcher Holler. Despite her many setbacks, this book is almost devoid of bitterness and Loretta comes off as valuing all of life's experiences, both good and bad. All in all a very good read.

Any admirer of Loretta Lynn, whether as a woman or as an entertain or as both, will find much to like about this book. Ms. Lynn is open, honest, and frank----as always!! She lets the reader inside her life, inside her pain, and inside her very unusual relationship with Doolittle Lynn. I could never have endured a tenth of what she has endured in life and I thoroughly admire her courage, strength, determination, talent, and FAITH.
An unforgettable book.

I enjoyed learning about Scottish traditions and the countryside north of Britain.

However, plot is nonexistant, and there's really no story to speak of other than the upper-class, clannish Scots going about their daily lives and traditions during the early autumn.

Still, I love learning about distant peoples and foreign lands and sort of travelling without having to leave my living room couch. This is a better way to learn about a foreign land and its people than, say, reading a guidebook.

But for the lack of any action, Rosamunde Pilcher's writing is highly literate and very reader-friendly. She has a very detailed way of describing the scenery and atmosphere which strangely does not bore.

If you enjoy modern English authors like Ian McEwan (Atonement) and like a British-sort of banter without suspense, peril, or action, then you'd like this.

Although there was nothing much going on plot-wise, and none of the characters were ever in any jeopardy or peril....I still loved Pilcher's intimate descriptions of the daily minutae of Scottish life.

This is my first Rosamunde Pilcher. Because of her writing style, and even with only 3 stars, I am still planning to read more by her.

Between love and passion, feuding families, mother and son, and all other possible relationships involved in a small village ~~ Pilcher covers the range of human lives. This book is so wonderfully refreshing compared to a lot of novels today. It's a sequel of a sorts to "The Shell Seekers," but the characters are different people than the ones that occupys "The Shell Seekers." Only Noel is presented in this book and it's such a nice change to see him growing up into a real man throughout this book. If anyone can prove that they can redeem themselves, Noel is the best example of that!

Be sure to read this book right after you've finished "The Shell Seekers." That way, Noel and his tendencies are still fresh in your mind and you can see Pilcher at work intertwining lives of people in both books.

Pilcher is an author I highly recommend to everyone to read. She's a clean writer, refreshingly so! Her descriptions of every day life in Scotland and England are vivid ~~ where you can see the loch in its glory on a fall day, smell the tea, see the rainy mists just outside the windows. She takes you with her on her journeys. And it lingers long after the last page.

September is the first book I have read by Rosamunde Pilcher, but I have to say, it will not be last! The families in this book are so mysterious and with such rich histories. Reading this book almost reminded me of watching an episode of Dynasty! I was not aware that "The Shell Seekers" was a prequel to this novel, and I have no problem following the story line.

Pilcher'd descriptions of Scotland were breathtaking. You feel as if you are there with the characters, in the Highlands. She is fantastic author and I can't wait to get a hold of her other novels!

The Death of Ivan Ilyich was a wonderful book that dove deep in to the realities of the death of Ivan. The character in the book named Ivan faces the fact that his life is going to be cut short, and he realizes that he never had the good life he wanted. I thought that this book gave a good realization on what death could be like, and what a person could truly go through. This book had a wonderful plot hat really left a person thinking, and wondering what would be in store for them. The book gave the reader a good sense of what Ivan was going through. Through out the book Ivan was denying the fact that he was going to die, and was in a sense going insane form all of his thoughts. In the end of the book, the author showed us how Ivan got over that insanity and how he accepted his fate.

...so I could read this story in the original. This novella is an absolute masterpiece. It made me think about things my jaded self had long since given up on, like God, purpose of life, death, fear. Tolstoy has an absolute deadpan sense of humor, which was so subtle it took me a while to catch on (for example, Ivan's fatal injury occurs while he is hanging expensive drapery out to impress his friends--what a beautifully ironic, even funny way to point out the meaninglessness of his life?).

If you're like me, and don't have the time to slog through "War and Peace" but are interested in Tolstoy, try this book. It's outstanding.

Tolstoy's novella makes rewarding and unsettling reading. Surely, I can think of no novel that treats dying as boldly. Death is a fact. In this story Ivan Ilyich's life and death are plainly represented in a fashion that remarkably resembles the times I have been aware of other, near people dying. What the novel puts on display in so satisfying and disconcerting a fashion is the remarkable inability or reluctance of most people (I ashamedly include myself in this group) to take part in the life of a person who is inevitably and rather immediately dying. Only one character in the novel has the goodness, humility and patience to care for a dying man, the rest scurry about and take care of their anticipated needs in the face of losing a loved one.

I find that I read this book again every year and that it remains such a fine portrait of a bureaucrat whose family life does not entirely satisfy him and whose pursuit of a more meaningful life fails to cease even in sickness, when he understands that his mortality is soon to be demonstrated. There are few works of this nature that I can set in the company of this short novel. Despite many readings, I feel I still don't entirely understand it, but later in life I imagine I will do better. This book is so excellent and the edition here lends itself to portable and pleasant reading.

I did a search on amotivational syndrome because I am experiencing it and found this book. I know many people who can't quit. Or quit and resume - from personal experience I have to inform you that marijuana can be highly addictive, distorts reality, and at least for a few days after stopping using it (I stopped eight days ago)I have felt great difficulty in getting motivated. Marijuana creates a feeling of well being, safety and intellectual stimulation, but also creates a delusional system (everything seems possible and amazing). Be careful ! I don't need to do scientific studies. I am unfortunately living proof. And I am outwardly a highly succesful person.

This book is a timely antidote to all of the B.S. that is propagated by those like the last revewer.

Drug addiction "counselors" are the absolute worst, most biased source of information about marijuana you can find. These people deal with drug addicts and other mentally disturbed individuals on a day in - day out basis and have usually lost all contact with reality in regards to the "drug use" of the vast majority of the population in the real world. There is absolutely no harm in smoking a joint now and then (the actual pattern of use by just about everyone who smokes pot in the real world.) Personally, I find the experience quite valuable in finding new ways to appreciate music, art, food, and sex. "Psychologically addictive?" Not NEARLY as much as television. "Physical withdrawal syndrome?" Nope. (The REAL get-your-kids-hooked drug pushers are the [legal and government-subsidized] tobacco companies.) "The 'astronomical' human toll of traffic and industrial accidents?" NOTHING when compared to alcohol. "The economic costs of marijuana's (so-called) amotivational syndrome?" Believe me, television is WAY, WAY, WAY more "amotivating".

Marijuana is the only illicit drug that is used across all social, economic, ethnic, age, occupational, and regional boundaries. It was originally made illegal for racist and political reasons and it is ridiculous that it remains illegal. Get this book, read it, then loan it out to everyone you know.

Whether you smoke pot or not, read this book! Anyone who wants to hold their own in a conversation about marijuana (be it legalization, medical uses, or whatever) will value from it.

I'm still in high school so I'm all too aware of how biased and slanted the war against drugs is. Since 2nd grade, I was told the dangers of smoking marijuana: amotivational syndrome, loss of intelligence, increased agression, etc. Sure, we've come along way since "one toke and you're a slave," but they still use a lot of scare progaganda. Instead of letting us make our own decision, they divide us: the potheads and those against it. Those students who begin to oppose marijuana, do so without knowing its medical benifits or its contributions to civil society.

Lynn Zimmer's book is a great antidote to this. Pure scientific data conserning marijuana use. The myths of physical addiction, amotivational syndrome, memory loss, and crime are clearly and scientifically debunked. This book is by no way preaching marijuana use either. Zimmer delivers the good along with the bad.

I recommend this book to people of all ages who have heard all the government/educational propaganda and are ready to see marijuana for what it really is. Believe me, I went through the D.A.R.E. program with did nothing but increase my curiousity in drugs. Marijuana has many medical, social, and healing values, but many are turned off by what they hear from those all too common sources. This book is a quick read and a great start to an objective look at the value of marijuana.

I would not characterize myself as a fan of sentimental novels and I have never had a cat. Political biographies, social and military history and travel books are my idea of a good read and of course, I love dogs. I actually bought this book for a friend, a cat owner nontheless, who had once suggested that I take a break from non-fiction and read a "trashy novel" from time to time. I thought the Bachelor's Cat might be trashy enough and decided to read it before mailing it to her (still looked unused). The book failed to meet my expectation by its lack of "trashworthiness", I read it in one session and enjoyed it quite a bit. The book flows very nicely and has given me a new perspective on cats. I continue to be a catless bachelor and that might very well change, the cat part anyway.

Fortunately or unfortunately this story mirrored my own all too well. The love that develops with trust, the clarity that is found in honesty with and to oneself. The simple beauty and kindnesses found between the covers of this book have in a single day worked to scrape away layers of doubt and to shed rays of light where there was a darkness. I told you, this was too close to home for comfort. Like so many things that I've discovered or uncovered recently, I found The Bachelor's Cat to be "exactly what I needed, when I needed it". "The shared experiance heals both." For this I thank Mr. Hoffman as well as for the warm story itself. I'm sure Mr. Hoffman will be glad to hear that I too, can no longer cast pearls before swine. And yes, my cat received some extra food and strokes tonight. Guess he approves as well.

I was given a copy of this book by my mother, who termed it 'delightful'. It was much more than that. I too am a feline-file... As I read, I remembered the adage that a cat is never owned, but choses whom 'it' will own. Yes, the ending is sentimental and predictable, but that doesn't make the story any less readable. I cried at the ending, and made sure my kitty got a little extra love. I think even non cat owners will fall in love with the story.

"Puddles" by new comer Lynn Barry is a wonderful story that I enjoyed very much.

The storyline is engaging and the characters fun and humorous. Ms. Barry has created a story that I will remember for a long time to come.

A story that is so true to life it reads like a non-fiction. One that is a quick read and easy on the eyes. I look forward to reading more books from this new author in the near future.

I wasn't sure if Puddles would be "my kind of book," but I'd read so many good things about author Lynn Barry that I was willing to give it a try. The book grabbed me and pulled me in with its seemingly-ordinary characters who keep extraordinary secrets. Yes, it's a soap opera-- a genre many people, especially men, may not profess to like. But the truth is, you can stumble across one while channel-surfing, get caught up in the story and end up sticking with it until the final credits, waiting for the next episode. That's Puddles in a nutshell. It's a page-turner that is at times racy without being vulgar, funny without being ridiculous, and sweet without being sickening. This would be a great book to take to the beach, a mountain cabin or any other vacation getaway. As an escapist novel, Puddles is a splash.

Reviewer: Evelyn Horan (see more about me) from California (author of Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Book One)
Talented Lynn Barry, presents a novel with sub-plots and fast-changing scenes that follow important characters as they interact with one another. Puddles is indeed a modern-day "soap opera." The reader should have nothing more on his mind than enjoying a delightful read in a fast moving, realistic novel of surprising and ever-changing events.

I agree completely with Jane Riley's excellent review. Her analysis is totally correct. Talented writer, Lynn Barry is one to keep an eye on. Her style is different and powerful! A must read for all

I wasn't originally sure if I was going to read this book, since I don't usually like books based on tv shows. However, I really like Alias, so I thought I'd try this out. It was an incredibly quick read for me and, for the most part, enjoyable, even if nothing much happened. The first half of the book consisted of Sydney being shy, wanting a job, and wanting a boyfriend. It isn't until the second half of the book that she actually becomes part of what she thinks is the CIA, and only in the last quarter of the book is there any action. It was interesting to see the shyer and more insecure side of Sydney, but I got a little tired of it after a while. There's only so much "I'm not really all that special" and "That guy is cute but I'm too shy to talk to him" that I can stand. I found myself wishing that this book had either been written as something meant for adults, or even that it had been written under the assumption that the intended audience (young adults, which seems, to me, to cover a huge range of ages) is capable ofcontinuing to read a book with a more complex plot and less heavy-handed characterization.

Alias Recruited is an excellent beginning for the Alias series. This book gives insight into the life of Sydney Bristow before she finds out the truth about SD-6 and joins the CIA as a double agent. In the book, Sydney is a college student studying to be a teacher like her late mother. She is smart and studious, but is shy and doesn't have any luck on the dating scene. Her only close friend is her outgoing roommate Francie. Her father has always been distant. She feels like she doesn't belong and she can't do anything right. That soon changes when she is recruited by an organization that says they are the CIA. She finally excels at something and finds a place where she belongs. This book focuses on her life in college, her recruitment into SD-6, and her first 6 months in SD-6. It also introduces the characters of Francie, Noah Hicks, Sloane, and Jack Bristow. It is a must read for any fan of Alias.

The book Alias: Recruited is just as enjoyable as watching the TV series that the book is based on. The book is about a college student named Sydney Bristow, a freshman at UCLA. College was suppose to be a new beginning for Sydney, a chance to begin a new life of her own. Sydney finds that college life is not at all what she thought it would be its even BETTER......

I found the book was better than expected because it had small changes from that of the TV series. By making these changes the fans of the show will be turning the pages to find out what happens next. This is a must read for those who enjoy reading books with action, drama and spies. And for those who never seen the TV series will start to watch after reading this book!

That amazing guru Kenn Kaufman has finally finished his all new birding field guide "Birds of North America" using touched up photographs and "pointers"(similar to Peterson) I think this guide will catch on and be loved by amature and beginner birders.

I think the maps are very good and the many colors used really help the maps.Kenn uses two colors for the each of the seasonal ranges. A darker color indicates the area where the species is common during that season, while a paler color indicates areas where the species while present is less common or rare.

The pictures for me at times can become a little crowded and some of the photos are a little pale, but most of them are much better than any other "photo guide". Some of my Photos and ink smeared in my book, so you may want to double check before purchasing your book. This field guide makes it very simple to look up a bird on the field. The Color Tabs are simple as well as the index in the back. I enjoyed the vocal I.D. for each bird but that is a very personal taste.

Each I.D. also adds a little something I miss in a lot of field guides, for example: "A hyperactive midget, common in winter in woods and thickets of south. Harder in summer, when often high in tall conifers. Flicks wings open and shut especially when excited." Golden-Crowned Kinglet

In closing I must say this is one of the easier field guide to birds to use and is a warm welcome to the birding community.

Martin Phillips

I started birdwatching in the mid-seventies and used as my first field guide the Golden book. It is the perfect size to go anywhere and it includes the range maps of the species on the same page as the painting of the bird. (My major complaint of the Peterson guide is the maps are at the back of the book.) The Golden was my favorite until I purchased the National Geographic 3rd edition. The NG contains more variations of each species with great detail. However, this turned out to be a double-edged sword. Too much detail to look through on an unfamiliar bird, and the book is cumbersome in the field. Checking out Ken Kaufman's new field guide from my local library and using it during the waterfowl migration this spring, convinced me it is my must have book in the field. I was never a fan of the photographic guides, but with today's technology, Kaufman and his crew hit a home run. Clear digitally- enhanced photos. It IS field guide size with range maps next to the bird's picture. The one-page, short index inside the back cover is very helpful in looking up a bird quickly. I own eight field guides including the Sibley guide, but this is the one I take in the field. If you're looking for a single book to get started in birdwatching, this is my pick. Happy birding!

Attention, all North American birders. The ultimate field guide has arrived--Ken Kaufman's new Focus Guide to the Birds of North America! Not since Roger Tory Peterson's landmark guides has one book combined all the essential elements a birder needs to quickly and accurately make field identifications.

Previous guides have used either artists' color plates or photographs; each has its pros and cons. But the Kaufman Guide's use of computer-enhanced and edited photographs gives us the best of both worlds and works marvelously, now that the technology makes it possible.

The ranges maps, in addition to providing the usual winter and breeding distribution, distinguish between areas where species are common and rare. They also include migration ranges, which are rarely pictured in other field guides.

Best of all, Mr. Kaufman has put all the essential facts and photos into a compact 384-page paperback that will easily fit in a coat or pants pocket. While no one book can possibly provide everything a birder might want, this one, for its size, gives one the most important info. For birds that are usually seen in flight, like pelagics, raptors and waterfowl, there are additional poses. And for those especially nasty challenges, such as juvenile gulls, fall warblers, and immature sparrows, there are also extra photos.

If you can only afford one bird book or don't care to carry a liibrary everytime you go out in the field, this is the book for you! I've been birding for nearly half a century, and this is now the one I'll take everytime!

Mommy-CEO (Constantly Evaluating Others) 5 Golden Rules is written by nationally syndicated parenting columnist, Jodie Lynn. The book is promoted as the first self-proclaimed preventive maintenance manual for kids. Lynn stresses to take care of family and friends, but not to forget "mommy," and offers solutions to an age-old problem: mommy time. The book has down to earth doable tips from baby to teen years, and offers advice from seven doctors as well.

The 'Little Evaluations' sprinkled throughout the chapters offers readers a personal but playful insight into the life of Mrs. Lynn, and her own family challenges. This helps all moms to feel connected and not so 'out of it' after all. After each chapter, there are motivational techniques listed with kid friendly tips to get all family members going in the right direction for a successful home life.

The 5 golden rules are suggested as guidelines to be implemented by parents, care givers, and children. Lynn stresses "everyone" is an important part of the family team.

There is a handy space for adding or taking notes in Mommy-CEO, allowing readers to jot down thoughts or ideas that come about in a "light bulb" moment. Lynn invites all moms to look at their home life similar to the business life and run it as the CEO of the household with love, consistency and humor. She is a big fan of slowing down in toady's frantic society and advocates parents to squash the overscheduled dilemma and to focus on the little things that count.

All in all - the entire book is one of the very best parenting 'manuals' on the market today. It not only tells us what to do to enrich our lives, but also how to do it. Topics range from a colicky baby to how to keep a lid on a teen breaking curfew. In the words of the author, 'Moms are the real CEOs, and have earned that title way before anyone else has.'

I can only relay positive feedback on Mommy-CEO...the NEW Revised Version. This is a great book that covers so many aspects from teaching responsibility and accountability to your children to the "little things" such as hugs and an appreciative comment to your children. More than that, I find this book to be an enhancement to the entire family and not just to your relationship with your children. The q&a format makes it easy to read and refer to and the pages reserved for "notes" is another unique feature which will make for an interesting read as your family grows. Mommy-CEO offers much wisdom and practical advice as well as a very important message to all famililies...respect and appreciate difference. Whether it be your children's tastes in food, the difference in their school performance, their active or passive personalities or having a child with special needs and disabilities. Take every difference and unique experience with your children as a gift, and it will give for the rest of your life. Jodie...great book thank you.

For moms and dads or anyone who cares for children, Mommy-CEO will not only help you to find balance but will make you finally feel important in your endeavor. The author will show you how to squash the over-scheduled and frantic lifestyle many of us have created and FEEL GOOD ABOUT DOING IT! It's no secret to simply say no and stick by your words. It's the sticking by my words that I chickened out on. After reading this book, I no longer feel guilty about a little time for myself and know firsthand how to set strategic guidelines for my family. It doesn't teach or even pretend to be a self-help book on being a successful individual in the corporate ladder, yet I now understand my real career is my family and everything else will fall into place. If you only buy one book for someone you care about, this is a must have. It's excellent on motivating kids to do homework, chores and other parenting challenges that leave us frustrated and wondering how or what to do next. Lynn calls it a manual, I call it a life builder.