As a Rookie Biography, Carol Greene's look at "Thomas Jefferson: Author, Inventor, President" is aimed at younger students. This is essentially an anecdotal biography of Jefferson, which depends as much on little stories young readers can identify with (such as Jefferson as a child studying a bug in the forest) as it does on covering key details in his life. Greene does give a scene of the scope of Jefferson's life and interest, from writing the Declaration of Independence to being one of the first farmers to grow tomatoes in the United States. This book is richly illustrated and the last chapter is especially interesting with photographs of several of Jefferson's inventions along with his instructions for his tombstone. In fact, at some points in this book Greene's text can barely find room among all the illustrations. After reading this book young readers might be fuzzy on all the details that were thrown at them in these pages (I do not think they will recognize the image of Jefferson taken from the $2 bill), but they should have a sense for how important Thomas Jefferson is in the history of the United States.

Gregory Greene's Walkabout could be everybody's talkabout!

The book contains so much important facts on the present and near future of the world politics, economics and natural calamities, that it should be a school book around the world. Gregory Greene is hiding his visions in the fictious Odyssey through the world from Australia via Asia and Europe to the United States of America.

The leading motive in the author's story is one man's voyage in different countries and his discussions with individuals whom he is meeting and making friends with. Gregory Greene uses an old Socratic method of discussion to serve his vision and opinions to the reader. And what a vision! Greene has written his book before the 9/11. However he states many phenomena and democatic changes, which has been realized only after the fall of the Twin Towers.

Clearly the author is the specialist in the economics and the politics inside the European Union. He uses his expertness to paint a very dark view of the future of the world and of the natural world, too. As a matter of fact he describes a horrifying Armageddon of the World.

If the reader has the strength and intellectual curiosity to make the walkabout together with Gregory Greene, he ort she will have a gratifying sense of relief at the end of the book: the final truth is that only the unconditional love makes the world go around.

This is an anthology which investigates the psychological needs of women of color in the US in detail. Most of the contributors are women of color themselves, but there is one contribution by a man. The chapters are divided into regional groups (Latinas, Native Americans, Jamaican women), psychological strategies (feminism, psychopharmacology, and integrationist theory), and special populations (professional women, lesbians, mixed-race women). The articles are long and detailed. The non-psychologist may be scared off, but should try to forge ahead in completing the book. The authors sometimes quote old sources; I'm not sure if this is their being thorough or signifying that little source work exists. The authors often quote other contributors to the volume; I'm not sure if this is the decision of the editors or if this signifies that the authors are the best experts in these areas. I found the theory portion of the book to be the most tiresome. However, the whole book is a good review of the literature and does a good job in pointing to the further scholarship that needs to be done. The book carefully states that women of color would be better off having women of color as their therapists, yet it also faces that reality that most of its readers will be white female therapists who "want to be helpful." I would recommend this anthology seriously to all psychotherapists and any readers interested in womanist/mujerista research.

This is the first Tarot deck and "manual" I've purchased. I would not recommend it as a good single source for beginners. The enclosed "instruction" book is far too small to read easily (it's about the size of a deck of cards) and the interpretations/descriptions are a bit short on many of the cards. If you choose this as your first deck, buy a comprehensive book on Tarot reading as well.

The cards are very slick, and of heavy stock, making them a little difficult to handle for a beginner like me; though in their defense they are probably more durable because of this, and will last longer.

In comparison, I just bought the Celtic Dragon Tarot deck, and find the effort put into describing each card and its meaning much more comprehensive...still I'm sure that a comprehensive book on Tarot by one of the respected authors is the best step in learning to read any of the various decks.

My advice, for what it's worth is to remember that with any spiritual enlightment journey, each one's journey may take a different path, and be wary of criticizing how others go or of putting too much faith in the criticisms of others on any product in terms of its suitablity to meeting your spiritual needs.

I have had several different versions of the Rider-Waite tarot deck. I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed with the "original" deck. The colors of the cards are dull, and the cards themselves are large and awkward to handle. The accompanying book is smaller than a man's wallet, with small print. The author tends to rattle on about "secret doctrines" and really offers very little information for beginners. I wouldn't recommend this set for anyone serious about learning the Tarot. The other resources available today are much more easy to learn. I'm purchasing the CD-Rom set "Tarot Magic", and maybe with both I can refresh my skills as a reader.

This Set gets one more * than the Rider Deck, because this one comes with a book. A. E. Waite is well-respected in the study of The Mysteries!

This is a truly Wonderful Deck for the Beginner. The Pictures are full of colorful Symbolism (I have taken Tarot classes based-upon studying the Symbolism of these "simple"-looking cards). The images are perfectly acceptable for teaching Children the use of/or stories of The Tarot. In fact, they almost seem to be created with a child-like Happy view of the world, set in fairy-tale history. The Advanced Tarot Reader will not be so impressed with this deck, yet each person must begin somewhere on the Royal Path. Personally, I believe this is a great first stepping-stone on the path of enlightenment. Even thoroughly Indoctrinated Christians will not find too much to worry about in these beautiful cards. This is a great way to start your Mystical Journey!

This was my second 3D Studio max book. Buying it then was a mistake. There are many introductory books out there and this is one of the best but the problem is that the followup to this book; Inside 3DSMax vol 2, has everything vol 1 does and more. Get it if you are just starting out, and then I hope you are not scared of big books because this is where you start off, and start off well. If you already know your way around Max and just want to know advanced stuff like material manipulation and smoother models, get volume 2.

Many books on the market will give you step by step instructions how how to create a scene, or create certain effects. Although this is sometimes handy, it doesn't easially allow the user to incorperate the skills they learned into their own work.

Inside 3D Studio Max shows you the concepts behind how the program works, and allows you to apply these concepts, and skills to your own work, rather than a preformatted tutorial. It is this fact, however, that makes the book not extremely useful for modelers who are new to the program. This book often speaks of the manual which ships with 3DS Max, and the writer made it clear that this was not yet ANOTHER MANUAL. Inside 3D Studio Max explores how to expand your ability.

If you have no prior modeling practice, read the manual which ships with Max, then buy this book. If you do that, you will appreciate what is taught in this massive book.

This is an overall GREAT book, and it has really helped me to become a much better 3D artist.

Inside 3DStudio MAX At last!The book we all waited for.Inside 3DStudio MAX,writtten by Steven Elliot & Phillip Miller;authors of Inside 3DStudio Release 3 & 4.Some said that Inside series is better than the manuals.Well,to tell you the truth,they are quite right. The book is very well structured.It has 29 chapters,starting from explaining the core concepts of MAX,and ending in Network Rendering.Every chapter has its introduction and summary,that's very good 'cause you know what's the chapter about and the summary reminds you the most importants parts. It is not a book that throws you some tutorials only.On the contrary,the writers pay attention to general knowledge an animator must have.Mixing colors and light,story boarding,etc.. Every button is explained thouroughly in the book.It teaches you the best way to model and animate efficiently every model you can think of. Of course,it has some drawbacks.Material editor,Video Post,Space Warps & Particles are not explained in depth.Although there is a solution to that(in February 2 more Volumes will be published:Inside3DStudio MAX Volume II:Advanced Modelling & Material Editor,Volume III:Animation & Character Studio),who wants to buy 2 more books that costs 110$ additionally?(Answear:Me..:P).Another drawback is that the book has color photos only in the chapters that refer to Material Editor(although some will say that's no big deal).And the CD that is included with the book has 200mb of textures.O.k ,where's the drawback?:) Only a few of them are useful.90% of them are very artistic and extend beyond the needs of traditional animators.I think that whoever makes the textures(by the way Tim Forcade,who included textures in 3DStudio 4 Hollywood & Gaming Effects & Indide 3DStudio 4),should have in mind that animators need practical textures like wood,metals and stuff and not abstract paintings.... Inside is for the novice and for the experienced animator,and it is by far the No.1 if you want to master MAX. "Inside 3D Studio MAX should be a part of every serious animator's library"(Larry Crume,Vice President,Autodesk and General MAnager,Kinetix)

As I began this book, I was drawn in by the powerful imagery that Green created. This didn't continue throughout the book. It became more of a "he said, then he said, then he said" narrative. The beautiful language that Greene uses vanishes as she gets more deeply into the story. I was intrigued by the politics involved. Not being very politically astute, I was amazed at how the sheriff controlled everything in that county. I was also captivated by the tale of civil rights struggles in backwoods Georgia. This was such an interesting book, but Greene's talent at using language seemed to be subverted by her need to tell the story. This was our book group's topic of discussion for this evening; it made for a lively talk. Next time I'm on my way thru Georgia, I DO intend to drive down 17 thru McIntosh County. I may not stop, though.

I grew up in Mcintosh County and was a teen during the years of Uncle Tom, he and his right hand man (deputy) may have done somethings above the law, but he watched out for us kids. We respected them and there is alot more to this story. I have good and bad memories of that time and would love to tell it to Melissa. Melissa there is alot more to tell, your book is great and there should be a movie made, but there also needs to be more of the story told.

Once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. The way Greene chose to set up this book and play out the story is excellent. She laid out the characters and the scene in such a way to allow the reader to draw their own conclusions to the facts, giving equal voice to all parties. Though the heroes and villians are obvious, she doesn't portray them in a straight forward way. It opens with a complete and thorough description of everything surrounding the actual story, which gives the reader the feeling that they are there - a part of it - before all is said and done. The research she did on the subject to offer a tale told with all sides is commendable. Equally Fascinating and Intriguing!!

Rosalyn Greene makes no bones about it--in her experience, werecreatures (werewolves, werecats, werebears, weredolphins) exist and in fact she claims to be one. "The Magic of Shapeshifting" is enlightening. Greene asserts that people are actually capable of full transformations from human to animal and back again. The author doesn't care about winning over her readers who might also be shifters, she dispenses warnings and critiques the shifter community at large. Whether you believe the author can do full transformations or not, her writing is that of real lone wolf. She doesn't seem to have her community behind her, she is sketchy in her case studies, she wants to have no contact with her readers. Rosalyn Greene has thrown out into the wind, some very powerful ideas and tools and then left us as readers to do with them what we will. I applaud her approach that demonstrates elder wisdom and restraint.
My major criticisms of the book are that the title suggests that the book will be a broad overview of shifting but the contents are almost completely devoted to werewolves. She would help readers truly interested in the topic if she discussed the various types of shifters in-depth. It would also have been helpful if she could have stepped outside of the White European and North American experience more often, to speak more in depth about weres in Asia (she suggests many types of shifters are of Asian descent)Indigenous Americans and African society as well. Still, I recommend the book and advise readers to keep in mind that "The Magic of Shapeshifting" is an introduction with a memoirist rather than a researcher's approach.

I've always had an interest in animal totemism, the idea that people can share a bond with animals on a mystical, spiritual level. Like many others, it's pained me that part of this practice (namely, shapeshifting) has been ignored or misrepresented in so many New Age books. In contrast with what has been written on this subject before, "The Magic of Shapeshifting" is a breath of fresh air. It is totally fascinating and draws you into the world of "shifters" so that you can almost feel and see what it is like to actually be a shapeshifter. The main problem is that the author seems to cover only half of this topic. It is packed with information about how to practice this lifestyle, but the book seems to assume that most readers are already practicing the magic of shapeshifting. If you are starting from square one, it gives you only the roughest sketch of how to proceed. Everything in the middle is covered in great detail, and then the same problem is reached at the highest levels of shapeshifting skill: the author just offers us alot of hints and rumors about true physical transforming, but nothing solid. It just seems like it was written by someone who knew an awful lot about the magic of shapeshifting, yet was in the middle of her education when she wrote this book. What she does know is VERY fascinating, but the reader is simply left with the feeling that half of the book is missing.

Well this book has some great info on shifters, and true it's does critize alittle. You can get past opinions in. It does have some good techs and ideas. Also if a author choose not to respond that is their choice. On male bashing issue,I hate to drop this, but I can name 8 books out there that are bias against women in pagan community that do the same. Bias is bad either way for either sex, and I am female surprise ,and For some this a good place for them to start and some people also forget not everyone has a pc most do but not all, and online people can say anything just as books do.I have read twice and the book had some of stuff that made sense to me thou more details would have been nice and helful for those who are beginng to understand.
My point is book has good ideas and flaws as with any book ever written. Overall I do say the book is worth it for references. I would have added alittle more on other shifters and as for bias issue i just ingore it. Still a good book and first of it's kind. The key to ingore a bias in a book and read it for yourself. Decide what to use what out of the book seems right and if ya want more infomation on a topic then look for other sources. I am wolf shifter myself and i wish more people would at least try to write more about it. She seems to have some firm knowledge on shiftering and at least someone wrote about it. I would buy this book for many reasons but big one is to understand ones self which does point people in right direction.Enjoy it and to understand one self is not a easy task and this book give a start on a long journey...

The coverage of this book is vast and comprehensive. It includes almost all of the important topics that practitioners and graduate students need to know.

Because of the scope of this books, I think it is better used as a reference book rather than a text. To save space, many major and crucial results are only stated without proofs (This drives serious econometrics students crazy). Also, equations pop-out from nowhere sometimes and I have to scratch my head like crazy to figure them out. For instance, the material in Chapter 14 Random Effect section is poorly explained.

In addition, real-data examples are of no help. The author just throws in a lot of numbers to make you wondering around how he got those numbers.

I believe there is a better text out there. Consult your professors before you buy this book. It is not cheap at all. But if you need a good reference on your book shelves, this is the right one.

I bought this book in order to understand better my PhD courses. I must admit that after a few tries, I went back to Davidson and Mackinnon manual and to Hamilton's Time Series Bible. It could be seen as an intermediate level book, which is a main problem: undergraduates (except for the advanced ones) won't feel comfortable with the level of the book; applied econometrists will think perhaps that greene's book covers all the main topics but not profoundly enough (In the unit root chapter for example, the demonstration of the unit root test -Dickey-Fuller- is not present). As some of the other reviewers, I agree with the fact that, covering so many topics, the organization of the book could be improved. The mathematical tools explanation is a very clever idea; everybody lacking mathematical knowledge should read the first chapters. Some of my teachers appreciate (and I agree with them, without being an expert of that topic) particularly the panel regression chapter. I think this book fits better the graduate needs, especially those being, or wanting to be applied econometricians. If you are looking for an advanced theoretical manual, Greene's is not the best choice; if you are interested in having a -slightly more than- fairly good understanding of what is done currently in the field, then grab this book. But be aware, if you want to feel comfortably when reading it, you should be familiarized with the field. I recommend Johnston and Dinardo's Manual and Walter Ender's Manual (for time series only). Finally, it must be said that the fourth edition doesn't differ too much from the third one.

Econometrics is a must for advanced undergraduates and graduate students wanting to have a basic understanding of classic econometrics and special topics. It covers well time series econometrics (unit roots, cointegration, vector autoregressions). Panel regression techniques too are quite well explained. This book is a must for reference in econometrics whether one is a student or a professional economist.

In Welcome To Methadonia, Rachel Baldino draws upon her experience as a social worker to write a candid, informative account of a her life and role in a methadone clinic during one eventful year. Enhanced with a glossary defining key terms associated with heroin addiction and methadone treatment, Welcome To Methadonia is a candid, insightful, honest, highly descriptive, personal account of what goes on in a methadone clinic, and is especially recommended for professional and students in the field of substance abuse, men and women addicted to heroin and other drugs, families and friends of methadone clients, as well as governmental and agency policy makers for drug abuse recovery programs.

Rachel Green Baldino has written an honest, objective, and often stunningly written account of a harrowing year as social worker in a methadone clinic. This very personal and compassionate book illustrates the tremendous difficulties faced by professionals who must, every day, handle the incredible array of problems faced by individuals addicted to heroin. And yet the real subject of this important book is how best to help people who live with addiction, how best to move beyond the current situation. Green Baldino does not look for easy answers. Her final chapter "A New Vision of Treatment" should be read by anyone interested in options beyond the current status quo in the U.S. concerning the use of Methadone. A brave book, and one that should be read and studied by teachers, students, and anyone interested in drug abuse in the United States.

Ms. Baldino chronicles a year in the life of a rookie methadone counselor with utmost courage and unrelenting, brutal honesty. Her short vignettes should be required reading for anyone preparing for a career in social work, because Ms. Baldino doesn't ignore the white elephants in the middle of the dosing room; she takes them by the leash and parades them into our consciousness.

She addresses the obvious pitfalls of turning drug counselors into virtual police officers; she probes directly into the criminal culture surrounding heroin abuse and how this interferes with the functioning of methadone clinics; she explains why transference is an improbable tool for eliciting change in heroin addicts, and how harm-reduction is not a good enough standard for treatment; she shows how addiction and sometimes its treatment irreparably damages the lives of clients' children; and she reveals the too often repressed emotions that lead counselors to compassion fatigue and eventual burn-out.

Ms. Baldino does not discount the positive effects of Methadone Treatment for those clients who are highly motivated. She celebrates recovery and appreciates the incredible strength it takes to battle addiction. Ms. Baldino simply sees a need for change -- a treatment modality that treats those suffering from opiate addiction with compassion and respect.

This is the compelling sequel to Summer of My German Soldier. Since the second I started reading Morning Is A Long Time Coming I was intrigued. Morning Is A Long Time Coming is about a girl named Patty, who wants to fufill her dream. Her dream is to go to Germany to meet the love of her life's mother. On the way she meets a frenchman named Roger, who tries to make her realize it's not right for her to go to Germany to meet this stranger. Does she go to Germany? You'll have to read this book to find out.

I thought Morning Is A Long Time Coming was a very good book but it did have a few slow moments. I liked how the book had vivid description however it wasn't too abstract. I would suggest you read this book after you read the prequel, Summer Of My German Soldier, so you understand Patty's intense emotions. I hope you enjoy reading this powerful book as much as I did!

Morning is a Long Time Coming was an ok book, but as the sequel to Summer of My German Soldier, I expected much better. This tells the continuing story of Patty, who helped an escaped POW, Anton, when she was 12, during WW2. Now 18, she leaves her abusive family to go to Europe, in hopes of finding her German soldier's family; she wants a better family relationship then she had at home. However, she gets sidetracked in France over a love affair. She and Roger keep having silly arguements, problems spring up, and it gets old after a while. I think that this book should have focused more on her finding Anton's family, rather than a love affair in Paris. The humor was good though, and I liked the French thrown in. This book was all right if you want to know what became of Patty, but it was rather disappointing. If you want a really good read, read Summer of My German Soldier.

Patty Bergen is off on an adventure to find Anton's mother. Anton is a Germany POW killed by Americans. Patty has to travel to Germany to find Anton's family. She does this by using the money her grandparents gave her for college.

On her way to Germany Patty is sidetracked by Roger. Patty and Roger ended up falling in love. A few more things sidetrack Patty before she has a chance to go to Germany. Then Patty decides to go to Germany. To see what happens read Morning is a Long Time Coming By Bette Greene. * I think you should read the book Summer of My German Solider before you read this book. It may help you understand the book better.*