A wonderful book about teaching young children the basics; reading, writing and math. Where "How Children Learn" and "How Children Fail" developed a philosophy of education, this volumn details how Mr. Holt put his philosophy to work in the classroom. Full of descriptions of actual exercises you can try with kids, either in school or at home, that encourage learning without sacrificing creativity or future problem solving abilities. If you're looking for more theory on education, pass this one up for now. But if you're ready to apply some of the insights of a brilliant thinker and observer of children, read this book, and be prepared to take notes.

Boy, I wish my own mother had read this book when I was growing up! Dr. James Dobson recommended it on a Christian radio station where I live and thank God he did. It can really make a difference if you are feeling out of control at home with your family and need some sense of perspective. The book is well written and is not offensive in any way. It is based on Christian beliefs and the authors offer some well educated tips and suggestions that actually do work. It's very down to earth and has nothing off the wall written in it. Anyone can read it and become a better parent. It's nice because it's not too long either. I recommend it and am buying it for my sister.

Holt gives the reader a very interesting and rational look at eating insects and the precedents for doing so in Western culture. He takes us from Greece up to what was his modern day England with examples of Heroditus' Aristotle's and Darwin's eating insects and how they prepared them. Excellent read that would solve the world's hunger problems in a single afternoon if our creepy crawly little friends were just included in our diets!

"Will you love me in September' was an awsome book. Victoria Holt truly put her all into this one. Clarissa and Lance were unforgetable lovers. This book made me feel as if I were the leading lady and I fell in love with the leading guy. When Clarissa is kidnapped by a band of men, she finds out that they are Jacobites. The leader's nephew finds out that his uncle is going to kill Clarissa, so he helps her escape. Over that period, they fall in love, and Clarissa is devastated when he leaves, after she is safely in Lance Clavering's hands. Soon afterward, she marries Lance, only to discover that he has gambling problems. But, she always forgives him. I loved this book and I have read it over and over again.Victoria Holt is a truly magnificent writer and I have all of her books ("Will you love me in September' is written under Philipa Carr). This book is part of the Cornwall saga, which starts with "A miricle at St. Bruno's", and ends with "We'll meet again". It is the 8th book in the series of 19 books, ranging from the reign of King Henry the 8th, to WWII. You won't be able to put it down. (It is not a satisfying ending though.)

The author, Jean Plaidy, who is also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt, is a masterful writer of historical fiction. This book, the ninth volume in her "Queens of England" series, is an engrossing portrait of Lady Mary of York, daughter of King James II of England, who would be a future Queen of England. The story is expertly woven with sufficient historical detail so as to satisfy the most discerning readers.

Growing up the beloved daughter of the Duke of York, an ardent Catholic who would one day be crowned King James II of England, Mary was reared as a Protestant to conform to the will of the people. At fifteen years of age, she was forced into a political and loveless marriage with her Protestant first cousin, the dour and reserved Prince of Orange, William. She then left her beloved England to live in Holland with William.

Mary was to spend a number of lonely and desolate years in Holland with William, during which her uncle, King Charles II of England, died. Her father, the Duke of York, was then crowned James II. In turmoil over his avowed Catholicism, England was ripe for change. Mary's husband, William of Orange, being an ambitious man who coveted the English crown, lost no time in making sure that England stayed Protestant and took on his royal father-in-law. His victory over James II paved the way for the reign of William and Mary.

The author paints a portrait of a woman in conflict, torn between her love for her father and her loyalty to her husband. It details the political intrigues of the day that were to have such impact on Mary's life and shape her destiny. It is a wonderful and engrossing blend of fact and fiction. This richly textured novel is sure to delight those who enjoy historical fiction.

James Trager has written a book chock full of what is normally left out of history classes--the facinating tidbits of real life. Best of all, this book shows that women weren't just staying at home and raising children, but were active participants in life. Well researched, thoroughly cross references, this is a book that can provide hours of browsing pleasure. For any writer, this is a must-have on the reference shelf. For any feminist, this is also a great way to realize that women haven't been invisible people in history.

In this witty and informative volume, the former executive editor of the American Heritage Dictionary and writer of the "Word Watch" column in The Atlantic Monthly since 1986 generously shares her erudition with those of us who have not devoted our lives to the study of word origins. Soukhanov looks at 365 words, divided into 13 subject areas (including politics, law, science and technology, sports, advertising media, and food), that have entered our language since the 1980s. Each section is preceded by an essay exploring how that aspect of the culture has influenced our language. Entries provide detailed descriptions of when and how each word or phrase was first used and discuss its meanings and implications. The book ends with fascinating analyses of the many ways in which new words come into being, including the formation of compounds, borrowing from other languages, acronyms, euphemisms, and the creative use of prefixes and suffixes. Word-lovers of all ages will find this book a delight for both reference and casual browsing.

I first read Walter Lord's "A Night to Remember" in the summer of 1968 as part of my required reading list for freshman year of high school. I was so fascinated by the account that I read it at least three times that summer and early fall. It brought to chilling life one of the greatest maritime disasters in history. As I read the dog-eared, yellowing, crinkled-paper copy of the paperback (its purchase price was sixty-cents back then) once again last year as a "mature" 42 year old, Mr. Lord's brilliant account of the tragedy still held my attention. His vivid, detailed, yet smooth flowing narrative brought back the excitement as felt as a young teenager, in a way that few books have. I recently viewed the movie "Titanic" with my fourteen year old daughter. The movie was thoroughly enjoyable, but there were some aspects of the book (such as the spectre of a rescue ship only a few precious miles away)that could have added to the drama. The book is worth reading both as literature as well as history.

Walter Lord did an excellent job of writing this book. As you read the book, you felt as if you were there. You had a sense of what it was like to be on the Titanic the night that it sank. You could vision the first class passengers in their elegant gowns and suits sitting in the dining room eating expensive food and talking about the days activities, the second class passengers standing on the deck looking at the vast ocean, and the third class passengers in the steerage part of the ship being overlooked by the crew and other passengers, but with high hopes that they would soon be starting new lives in America. As the book went into more detail about when the ship collided with the iceberg and began to plunge beneath the waves, you felt as if you were on the ship as it was going down. You could picture in your mind the bustling people and the crew lowering the lifeboats and trying to keep the passengers under control. You could feel the movement of the boat and held your breath as the ship sank, and almost heard the screams and cries of the people in the lifeboats as they realized that everything they had was gone. You could feel the emotions of the people who had survived. This book gives us a look into what really happened on that fateful night.

Dear Amazon.com Readers,

With a passenger list in the back, detailing those who survived and those who didn't, "A Night to Remember," is a harrowing account of the Titanic's ill-fated journey from Europe to the United States.

The book really tells of the people who spent fortunes to get aboard the Titanic, the most luxurious cruiseliner of the time. I really don't think that this book can be compared to the movie "Titanic." They are both such different stories, that saying one is like the other is missing the point.

"A Night to Remember is much more than Hollywook hype. It is really more of a personal account of what happened aboard the ship, and the horrors of the sinking and of the rescues (most people died, only a few survived). I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the saga of the Titanic. This book is based solidly on fact, which is one reason I like it so much. I remember reading this several years ago, and being kept up at night as a result.

Like most young ones my age, I read and studied "To Kill A Mockingbird" in junior high school. But this story has stuck with me through the years, and every time I flip through it's pages, I look back on it with affection. This classic tale of courage and altruism is timeless.

It is the early 1950's in the southern states. A highly respected small-town lawyer decides to take on a case defending a framed African American man, although he knows he will not win the trial. The lawyer must face the ridicule of the town's folk, and racists in his community who seek to have the framed man killed.

In the meantime, the lawyer's two children (Scout and Jem) get entangled in the age-long mystery of Boo Radley, their mysterious next door neighbor who no one has seen for years...and who no one seems to understand.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" is a touching story full of life-lessons, one of which proves that fighting a losing battle may be difficult, but "good" will ultimately triumph if you stand up for what you know to be right and true.

The award winning nove, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a piece of literature I believe is appropriate for all people older than 13. This book is the story of a little girl named Scout growing up in a small, racial biased town called Maycomb County, Alabama in the 1930's. It includes her childhood adventure with her brother Jem and their best friend Dill. It includes the wisdom of her father, Attikus and her maid Calpernia. Even thought Attikus was quiet, mild mannered he was a very strong man. Also, the story came in contact with many peopel such as Miss Maudie, Miss Rachel Harris, , Miss Stephanie Crawford, Mrs. Dubose, Mr. Radley, Boo Radley, Reverend Stykes, and Mr. Ewell. This book illustrates racism of the deep south. Also, points out how children have to learn to deal with bigotry at a young age, and that predjudice can play more of a role than the obvious truth. Two examples of predjudice are against a misunderstood neighbor, named Arthur "Boo" Radleyand a black man that the falsely accused of a crime because of his race, Tom Robinson. The kids had specific experiences that taught them not to be prejudiced toward a person, despite what they may have heard about them. This book includes many charactors, but they all fit together very tightly in the end. I learned a lot from this book and found it hard to put down while reading it. To Kill a Mockingbird is an extremely well written piece of literature and I suggest everybody read this at least as once in there lifetime.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless classic by Harper Lee. The book narrates the story of a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, also called ¡°Scout¡±. Lee presented this book through the eyes of Jean Louise.
The story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930¡¯s or so. The plot is about Scout¡¯s father, Atticus Finch (a lawyer), trying to defend Black suspect Tom Robinson for accused of raping a White girl in the Maycomb County of Alabama. The plot incorporates several issues that people were struggling during the time of the story, including racism, injustice, and prejudice. The entire novel circulates around Scout and her family. Many situational conflicts arise, from trying to make Boo Radley come out of seclusion to dealing with family and community difficulties.
Lee did a miraculous job of telling the story through the view of Scout. The characters were depicted hardly by their appearances, but by their personality traits, which showed advanced style in writing. The setting and the time periods had a great impact on the story, as people those days lived quite close to each other and knew their neighbors well. I was amazed how natural and realistic the characters were made. Scout and her older brother, Jeremy (also called Jem), reacted to situations exactly as many of the children now days would act. Almost every character in the story had a crucial role at some point of the story. The character development was beyond imagination. From Dill (Jem and Scout¡¯s best friend) coming to visit the Finch family in the summer, to Jem trying to make it past the Radley¡¯s gate, to Calpurnia (the house cook) scolding the children for not coming home, this piece of literature truly elaborated on pivotal character details. After reading this book, one would think he knows the characters quite well.
Overall, this was a fantastic novel to read and I was truly impressed with the quality of writing and development presented in this story by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird will truly be an American Literature classic for as long as it will be remembered.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is by far one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. Vonnegut brings this fictional story to life with great detail at every turn. From the creation of ice nine to Bokonism, Vonnegut weaves a complex but entirely believable story. The novel begins with the main character John who is writing a book on the day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima called The Day the World Ended. His writing this book leads him to his destiny as he travels to the laboratory where the bomb was created and then to San Lorenzo where he becomes president. San Lorenzo's founder, Bokonon, created a religion for the people. This is an average idea except for the fact that Bokonism seems uncannily real, with it's own terms and practices all created by Vonnegut. This novel is a masterpiece.

Cat's Cradle is fast passed, deeply detailed, and very interesting. The novel is very ironic and a must read for everyone. Kurt Vonnegut weaves a great story that never lets you down. Through its outlandish turns and twists Vonnegut makes it seem so very real. This novel is definitely a 5 out of 5.

Cat's Cradle is by far the best Vonnegut novel that I have yet read. Blending his patented wry humor with acute social insight presented in an absurd fantasy world, Vonnegut has written an exceptional novel of love, lies, and the self destruction of mankind. The story centers around the narrator, Jonah, who is called by name once in the entire book. We are told in the beginning that he is writing a book on the events of the day the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. His research leads him to a correspondence with Newt Hoenikker, the midget son of Doctor Felix Hoenikker, father of the atomic bomb. After meeting with Newt, destiny leads our protagonist to the impoverished island republic of San Lorenzo, where among other adventures, he finds religion, falls in love, and becomes president. All of this by itself would make for a very entertaining book, but it is not in the story line that Vonnegut's genius lies. Cat's Cradle is rife with painfully accurate insights into the institutions that our society holds so dear, such as, religion, politics, and science. Vonnegut invents for the inhabitants of San Lorenzo a brand new religion based completely and admittedly on "foma", or lies. This wouldn't be so shocking, except for the fact that this "bokonism" seems to make perfect sense. Other Vonnegut ironies pervade the book and are too elaborate to go into. Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite author of all time. Cat's Cradle is one of his funniest, most absurd, and frightening novels. This book truly causes one to stop and think about the things that one holds as unquestionably true. All of the incredible people, places, things, and ideas in Cat's Cradle are intricately woven into a perfect tapestry that sums up and spells out many of mankind's self-created problems in 191 pages.

Cat's Cradle is by far the best Vonnegut novel that I have yet read. Blending his patented wry humor with acute social insight presented in an absurd fantasy world, Vonnegut has written an exceptional novel of love, lies, and the self destruction of mankind. The story centers around the narrator, Jonah, who is called by name once in the entire book. We are told in the beginning that he is writing a book on the events of the day the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. His research leads him to a correspondence with Newt Hoenikker, the midget son of Doctor Felix Hoenikker, father of the atomic bomb. After meeting with Newt, destiny leads our protagonist to the impoverished island republic of San Lorenzo, where among other adventures, he finds religion, falls in love, and becomes president. All of this by itself would make for a very entertaining book, but it is not in the story line that Vonnegut's genius lies. Cat's Cradle is rife with painfully accurate insights into the institutions that our society holds so dear, such as, religion, politics, and science. Vonnegut invents for the inhabitants of San Lorenzo a brand new religion based completely and admittedly on "foma", or lies. This wouldn't be so shocking, except for the fact that this "bokonism" seems to make perfect sense. Other Vonnegut ironies pervade the book and are too elaborate to go into. Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite author of all time. Cat's Cradle is one of his funniest, most absurd, and frightening novels. This book truly causes one to stop and think about the things that one holds as unquestionably true. All of the incredible people, places, things, and ideas in Cat's Cradle are intricately woven into a perfect tapestry that sums up and spells out many of mankind's self-created problems in 191 pages. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.