It amazes me that otherwise educated and articulate scholars and professors, like Rosemary Sullivan, are woefully ignorant of research in sociobiology into the nature of gender. Not only is Sullivan unaware of these studies, but she also seems to either dismiss, or lack knowledge of, the folk wisdom of centuries. She writes well of what she calls the "obsessive" romantic love that women seek, and of their anguish, grief and loss when this love ends. She writes of gifted, strong women who subjugate their own talents and careers to those of men.

She does not factor into her analysis the fact that women, as mammalian creatures, are hardwired physiologically and hormonally for connectedness. Yes, we are more than mere animals, but a good starting point in searching for reasons for women's behavior is to look at our physical makeup. Without women's need to be connected to a man, to bear and to nurture children, to cherish family and community ties, our species would soon become extinct.
At the emotional core of a woman is not just "obsessive" love for a man, not just romantic passion for physical lovemaking, but also the fierce, unending, protecting and nurturing love of a mother for her children.

Women soon learn that they need the structures of society, especially those pertaining to marriage and the family, to sustain their search for personal fulfillment. Wise women (including those who have had to learn the hard way) know that they trespass outside these structures at their own peril.

Yes, romantic love is wonderful, and falling in love is an unforgettable, defining experience; but especially for women, that experience is only the prelude to a rich and satisfying life.

Wonderful, thoughtful book that I wish someone had given me long ago. Why do we fall in love? What does it mean to fall in love? What are we searching for? Intoxicating.

sexy. compelling. engrossing. insightful. and empowering.
we do lose ourselves when we fall in love and I now know what it was. I feel woken up and shaken. I can logically analyze what had happened. I also have to read Wethering Heights again with more clarity.

WHERE HEAVENS MEET is clearly the most interesting and emotionally moving book I have read in years, surely worthy of being on the Best Seller List. As if surviving Polio as a child wasn't enough, k.t.'s life on the streets of Miami along with her young son after surviving the full brunt of Hurricane Andrew brings tears to the eyes in how it describes the degree of inhumanity that human beings are actually capable of. But k.t.'s encounter with a being in a lime grove in South Florida is also a very interesting element of this book. Her story is very compelling and enlightening regarding extraterrestrial visitors and government secrecy. K.t. is a very gifted person...in more ways than one can imagine. Those who read this book are sure to be not only inspired by her courage, but truly enlightened by her words.

Every so often there comes along a book that changes the way we think. One that starts a new trend. I firmly believe that this book will be one of those. If you have read and enjoyed Beatty J. Eadies "Embraced By The Light," Danion Brinkely's "Saved By The Light, " Whitley Striebers "Communion," along with "The Celestine Prophecy" by James Redfield, and "Conversations With God" by Neale Donald Walsh, then strap in your seats because here is a book that has all of their elements and more! Sometimes we don't think before we act or say things. In this book you will shutter at the mere fact of how we as human beings treat each other and other forms of life on this planet. We are allowing ourselves to live a lie and ignore what we have to offer. I don't think I have ever met someone who has suffered more, and maintained their dignity, pride, and intelligence as much as k.t. Frankovich. If you have had the pleasure to meet her, like I have, you would know the minute you speak with her that she has experienced what would take many lifetimes for any one of us to experience and witness. She is someone we all need to stop, listen, and learn from. Mark my words. They say that as we pass through lives our soul advances to the next level in spirituality. In this life k.t. has taken a leap forward that many of us can hopefully learn from in her book and leap forward right behind her. This book makes me want to give her a great big hug!

Ever so often there comes along a book that changes the way we think. One that starts a new trend. I firmly believe that this book will be one of those. If you have read and enjoyed Beatty J. Eadies "Embraced By The Light," Danion Brinkely's "Saved By The Light, " Whitley Striebers "Communion," along with "The Celestine Prophecy" by James Redfield, and "Conversations With God" by Neale Donald Walsh, then strap in your seats because here is a book that all of their elements and more! Sometimes we don't think before we act or say things. In this book you will shutter at the mere fact of how we as human beings treat each other and other forms of life on this planet. We are allowing ourselves to live a lie and ignore what we have to offer. I don't think I have ever met someone who has suffered more, and maintained their dignity, pride, and intelligence as much as k.t. Frankovich. If you have had the pleasure to meet her, like I have, you would know the minute you speak with her that she has experienced what would take many lifetimes for any one of us to experience and witness. She is someone we all need to stop, listen, and learn from. Mark my words. They say that as we pass through lives our soul advances to the next level in spirituality. In this life k.t. has taken a leap forward that many of us can hopefully learn from in her book and leap forward right behind her. This book makes me want to give her a great big hug!

FUDGE Expanded edition is an excellent introduction to the Fudge roleplaying game. The book provides the the tools to design a wide variety of games and gives a number of examples of how the system could be used in different genres. A couple of things to bear in mind for anyone thinking of buying this book. First, the book is primarily a game design engine, that is a tool to help design a roleplaying game, rather than a game itself. The expanded edition does include an introductory fantasy game. Second, the FUDGE system is abstract and descriptive by nature. That is to say, abilities are generally described in abstract terms, by the seven level FUDGE scale (Terrible to Superb) not by specific measures (i.e., how many pounds can you lift, how far can you jump in feet, etc.)Likewise, skills and attributes are unconnected. The system simply describes the character, it does not attempt to model how (for example) fast reflexes might improve sword skill. This does have the advantage that there is far less temptation to model a character to a system, unlike GURPS (again for example) where anyone wanting a character with a high weapon skill has to have a high DX.
I haven't had the chance to try the sample game (Fantasy FUDGE) but it looks like a good introduction. It has a couple of flaws for an introductory game. It does not explain what options are in use for the combat system, and the magic system could use more detailed explanations and examples. Given that this is supposed to be an introductory game, it's a concern. But overall, a very good product.

Fudge is a system for roleplaying games that focuses more on roles than rules or rolls. One of the author's goals was to produce a system where neither player or Game Master would have to refer to a rulebook during play. Another goal was to produce a system that encouraged people to "just fudge it" in a freeform manner. A third goal was to produce a system that could be used in any sort of setting from fantasy, to science-fiction, to supers. In all three cases I think Mr. O'Sullivan has succeeded!

The original edition was occasionally critizied because it did not include a specific setting or sample game. It didn't really need one, because it could quickly be adapted to work in the setting of your choice, but that was an oft heard objection. Fudge Expanded Edition answers that objection by adding a pretty complete fantasy setting with a short introductory game that allows players to jump right in and start playing with no customization needed.

All in all, I think Fudge Expanded Edition is an excellent buy for experienced roleplayers that want to move to a simpler, more rules-light, system. Highly recommended!

Fudge is for people who want to build their own game worlds. The rules are simple, elegant and amazingly flexible. You could run a campaign based on any movie you have ever seen or book you have read. If you are the type of game master that changes/makes rules no matter what system you are in, here is a system that encourages you.

Note that you can look up the reviews on amazon.com for the non-expanded version and they apply to this book also. The main criticism you see for the non-expanded book is that it is best for experienced GMs only. The expanded version trys to make the game more friendly by adding a pre-customized fantasy setting with an adventure. I think this goes a long way toward making the game better for those new to RPGs.

A great system.

Marvin Redpost gets to feed and take care of his teacher's dog while she is on vacation. Nick and Stuart, Marvin's best friends, thinks he is the luckiest kid in the world. Suddenly Marvin's teacher's dog dies. Now Marvin is the unluckiest kid in the world. Will Marvin's teacher be mad at him and give him bad grades?

I picked up this book after reading Sachar's "Holes" to my elementary aged kids, and I was very pleased with the content. In this book, Sachar allows his readers to see life from the perspective of a regular, everyday kid -- and reading it inspired a "what-would-you-do-in-that-situation" dialogue with my own regular, everyday kids. I truly appreciated seeing a young person in this age range (the 3rd grade-ish Marvin Redpost) portrayed as having a conscious, a sense of responsibility, and the awareness to have compassion for others. Marvin is faced with a pretty grown-up sized situation concerning a beloved pet, and I think it's handled with grace and tenderness. I was pleased to see my children feeling compassion for this character, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Marvin's adventures to my own kids.

Find out what it is like to go in your teacher's house in this Marvin Red Post book. Marvin Red Post is a little boy. He was alone in his teacher's house. Marvin was babysitting his teacher's dog. The author sends a message about being nice by helping others. The pictures are good but the words help you see the book in your mind. Read Marvin Redpost: Alone in His Teacher's House By: Luis Sachar to find out what happens to Marvin as he watches the dog.

If you are an experienced coach or player, pass on this one. It will give you close to nothing. If you are a beginner, there is some value but still there are better options out there. Can't recommend.

Weatherspoon is one of the most admirable players to come down the pike since the days of Bill Bradley. The book -- with lots of illustrative pictures -- is aimed at teaching younger players, but has good fundamental advice for players of any age (or gender, for that matter). What makes it fascinating are the set-off pieces by Weatherspoon that give an insight into her character. If you like her now, you'll come away liking her even more.

Teresa's Book is good for giving instructions for those who dont know that much about basketball and she gives you stories to relate to.

Selling Made Simple is a MUST read (and re-read) for all serious sales people (new and old). As a salesman of 18 years I can say with confidence that Steven Sullivan's book hits on all 8 cylinders. Like the great teacher Steven Sullivan is, he breaks down each of the steps of selling into its simplest form allowing the reader to quickly digest the neccessary skills (which we all can learn) and build upon. The other key he stresses which seems obvious (but most salespeople don't do)is to actively listen to our prospects and customers. WOW!! Seems simple enough right? But how many times have we all come across salespeople who only focus on what they want to sell us vs. what we want and need? Many a salesperson could use a copy of this book. Great Salespeople never stop trying to learn how to improve and if thier is one thing that this book will do for you (if you take the time) is allow you to analyze your strengths and weakness' and develop an systematic approach to continual improvement. Finally, he stresses the importance of under promising and over performing for our customers. That does not mean we should all underachieve. All the GREAT ones learn this and outsell thier competitors by never promising something that can't deliver and furthermore something which is in excess of what the customer expected. The fundamentals Steve talks about in his book really are simple. It's having the discipline to do them everday that seperates Outstanding Sales people from Average salespeople. So take the first step and buy the book. Then read it again at least once a month for a year. Practice makes PERFECT! Repetition is a salespersons best friend....... See you at the TOP!!!

I am a business consultant who has spent many years in the selling process. I have read tons of books on the subject and most of them say the same things. None of them taught me anything about motivational acceleration. I've been employing Mr. Sullivan teachings since then and our clients appreciate our thoughtfulness. More importantly, they reward us for it. Everyone of the Arromand, Inc family will be recieve a copy of this book and you should to.

This book is truly revolutionary. It's different than all those other "how to" selling books. Sullivan doesn't mess around. His concepts are so simple, yet they were useful enough that I credit his concepts with the motivation of my entire sales team!! Read It. Sullivan is right, basic principles of human relations must not be forgotten when dealing with customers.

With _To Laney, With Love_, Joyce Sullivan returns to Intrigue with an ambitious and compelling premise. The card in Laney Dobson's mailbox was addressed "To Laney With Love"--a message that seemed to be from Laney's dead husband. Bewildered by the discovery, Laney turned to fellow single parent Ben Forbes, who had been there for her ever since her husband was killed. Ben and Laney were both attracted to each other, but what kind of a future could they have if her husband was, in fact, alive? Unfortunately, the card is just the first development as Laney begins to learn things she never knew about the man she married--things that will put all of her inner strength to the test when murder enters the picture.

The book begins pleasantly enough. The characters are sympathetic and the story interesting, and as the twists begin to pile up, it certainly keeps your interest. As with her last two books, Sullivan does a good job leading the reader-and her characters-down the wrong path time and again before revealing what's really going on. Unfortunately, it begins to completely unravel toward the end, both in terms of the mystery and the romance. It's never a good sign when a villain actually utters the words, "You will bow to my wishes." (I thought this was modern-day Canada, not some ancient kingdom.) And without giving anything away, let me just say that the ending goes over the top, with the kind of development that happens more because the writer wants to provide a dramatic finale than because the timing makes any sense.

The weakest part, by far, was the romance, which was both shallow and unconvincing. I had a hard time believing Laney would be so willing to move on after what she was finding out about her husband. What Laney and Ben decide to do at the very end isn't something any sane person would do after all they'd experienced, but for these two, it made a kind of sad sense. I enjoyed Joyce's first two books-"The Night Before Christmas (Intrigue #352) and "This Little Baby" (Intrigue #436)-but in this case, the third time definitely wasn't the charm.

This is the most amazing book, it is suspenseful, romantic, and is hard to put down. To Laney With love was an absolutely amazing book, it had a great plot with many twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The book is about a lady named Laney that supposedly lost her husband in an avalanche. A little over a year later she starts to receive love letters from her late husband, Reese. Her and her closest friend Ben travel to the mountains to find out what this scheme is all about and are truly horrified at what they discover.

"To Laney With Love" was yet another masterpiece of intrigue pulled together by Joyce Sullivan. It's one of those books you just can't put down.... even though the laundry is piling up, the dog is barking, the house is messy, you haven't eaten all day, and your hubby thinks you're a little too involved in 'a book'! Well this isn't just 'a book'. It's a fun look at romance and adventure and actually proves that in real life, you never REALLY know what is going to happen. There are no guarantees in life, but this book sure guarantees a good read. I love the ending too, but suggest to future readers that you don't read the backcover first....you'll be all the more surprised when you reach the end. Thanks to the author.... I can't wait for her next masterpiece!

This book provides an excellent presentation of the basics of nutrition as well as practical tips to improve health. With all the nutritional quackery floating around, this should be the first source you check to answer your concerns.

That said, the author has a tendency to minimize evidence that contradicts the standard "FDA wisdom". For example, creatine is the only muscle-building supplement (other than illegal steroids) that has proved effective as a performance enhancer for weight lifters in independent studies. Ten years of studies show no serious side effects to taking creatine. The author argues that nobody should take creatine because there is a possibility adverse side effects will be discovered. That is true, but the same argument is used by irrational pureness religionists who condemn genetically modified foods because they might prove unsafe in the future. The same argument is used to justify all sorts of paranoia and pseudoscience. Rather than labeling creatine good or bad, the author should identify the proven benefits and potential risks and let the reader make a decision based on individual risk tolerance.

Despite the occasional condemnation of things that are probably good, the author never recommends things that are probably bad (like Atkins and all the other quacks out there).

This book is an excellent basic source for nutritional information. For those who don't know all about the various nutrients and what their sources are and how your body uses them, this book is highly recommended. It probably gives as many details as a layperson needs or can handle without going further into the study of chemistry.
Having said that, though, I must add that the book reads like government propoganda. The author seems to be a shill for U.S. government food policy. No doubts or concerns are ever expressed concerning the food supply system in the US, as you might find in the books "Fast Food Nation" or "Diet for a New America," etc. "Everything is OK" seems to be her attitude. Though every possible topic that I can think of is covered, some issues are dismissed with a happy, smiley, brushoff, making me long for an alternate viewpoint. Those who support organic farming would certainly have something to say about her summary dismissal of organic practices. There is no mention of how the food pyramid is created as much by lobbyists for the food industry as by nutritionists. Oft-repeated phrases such as "Enjoy plenty of (insert food item here)" read more like advertising copy than like a valuable reference book.
If you can hold your nose and tolerate the government party line that is being shoved down your throat, then this book is an excellent reference, but keep an open mind and look for alternative viewpoints on things as well.

Bottom line, this is the best consumer nutrition book out, and it will be for some time to come. The information is sound and reliable. It's user-friendly, and it's complete. Any consumer can open it up to any page and get useful information. From a tidbit to a chapter, if it matters in nutrition, Roberta Duyff has included it, and presented it in such a clear manner.

In a reference book of this type, a clear presentation of information is everything. This book's layout is logical and the topics are indexed with common sense.

As a consumer but also a nutrition professional, I need reference information that I know is based on sound science. I appreciate the practical, friendly, and common sense manner in which Roberta Duyff delivers nutrition information to the reader. For that reason alone, this book is worth its weight in gold.

In my office, this book stays easily reachable on my book shelf. My elderly parents also keep a copy and they use it. Brava to Roberta Duyff for this latest editiion of the ADA Complete Food and Nutrition Guide.

Herman Melville's style of detailed descriptions certainly comes though in this slim 210-page volume written in 1846. He describes life aboard ship, the geography of the island and the technical aspects of making clothing, tattooing and preparing food as well as many native ritual customs. This is all seen through the eyes of his lead character, Tom, called Tommo by the natives. The book put me right there with him, when, exhausted and starved, he and Toby, the other seaman he jumped ship with, find their way into the world of the Typees. The two sailors are treated well, but are kept virtual prisoners and there is apprehension throughout about the Typees' cannibal tendencies. In spite of that, there is also joy as Tommo views the simple and carefree life of the people he considers savages and contrasts it to life in the so-called "civilized world".

The Typees seem perennially happy and content. They spend a lot of time amusing themselves as food is plentiful and there is not much work to do. Their lives are idealized so much that I found myself raising a quizzical eyebrow at times. But the story was so good and so well written that I didn't let it get in my way of enjoying the book, which must have been received with similar delight when it was published as it not only painted a picture of a better world, it appealed to everyone's sense of adventure.

I loved the book, especially the social commentary. I found myself reading it quickly and at odd times during to day just to see what would happen on the next page. It sure was a good story and seems as fresh and meaningful today it when was published more than a century and a half ago.

Herman Melville's "Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life" tells the story of a white sailor who lives for a time among the Typees, a native people of a Pacific island. According to a "Note on the Text" in the Penguin Classics edition, this book first appeared in 1846 in no less than four different editions.

"Typee" is a marvelous story of cross-cultural contact. It is also a fascinating glimpse at a pre-industrial culture; Tom (known as "Tommo" to the Typees) describes in detail the food, dress, tattooing, physiology, musical instruments, architecture, warfare, religious practices, and social customs of the Typees. The book is full of vividly portrayed characters: the gentle beauty Fayaway, the "eccentric old warrior" Marheyo, the talkative "serving-man" Kory-Kory, and more.

Melville's prose style in "Typee" is irresistible: the writing is fresh, lively, and richly descriptive. There is a satirical thrust to much of the book. And there is a lot of humor; at many points I literally laughed out loud. Such scenes as the description of a wild pig's frustrated efforts to break open a coconut really showcase Melville's comic flair.

A major theme of "Typee" is that of the "noble savage" (Melville actually uses the term). The narrator often wonders whether Typee life is in some ways better than Western life, and is quite critical of the work of Christian missionaries among Pacific Island peoples. The book is richly ironic, as Melville's narrator reflects on the problematic nature of cross-cultural observation: "I saw everything, but could comprehend nothing" (from Chapter 24).

"Typee" is more than just a colorful travelogue or a philosophical reflection; it is also a genuinely exciting and suspenseful adventure story. Melville's story of a visitor to a strange alien world curiously anticipates a major theme of 20th century science fiction; thus a novel like Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" would make a fascinating companion text. Also recommended as a companion text: "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," another 19th century American classic which casts a critical light on Eurocentric Christianity.

In Chapter 17 of this book, the narrator conveys his feelings about the differences between Western civilization and other cultures: "The term 'savage' is, I conceive, often misapplied, and indeed when I consider the vices, cruelties, and enormities of every kind that spring up in the tainted atmosphere of a feverish civilization, I am inclined to think that so far as the relative wickedness of the parties is concerned, four or five Marquesan islanders sent to the United States as missionaries might be quite as useful as an equal number of Americans dispatched to the islands in a similar capacity." This portrayal of primitive cultures as being more civilized than Western society is part of a long tradition, beginning at least with Montaigne's essay "Of Cannibals." This and other similar statements by Melville in this work caused quite a tempest in Europe and the United States, but one which was a gentle breeze, compared to the current storm raging in academia regarding the origins and validity of the terms "civilized" and "primitive."

I am myself interested in the statement above for another reason. Some fifty years ago, a small group of inhabitants of the Marquesas Islands, in which this book is set, came across this romance. They had long before adopted Western ways, but these individuals decided to use Melville's work as a means to recreate the pastoral moment which the author had captured in this book. Such an effort was as feasible as would be an attempt to recreate the America portrayed in Norman Rockwell's paintings, but these islanders were convinced of the necessity and possibility of this act, and they reconstructed, with admirable accuracy, a past that had never existed. They gave up their new houses, their churches, their Western foods, for a lifestyle closer to that portrayed in this work, a large part of which consists of quasi-anthropological description of rituals, feasts, customs and dress. Naming children after characters in the book became common, though only in those regions in which the Melvilles, as they were called, were predominant, just as there are still a few adults named Rainbow and Sunflower in the U.S., a legacy of the hippie movement. And in keeping with the full spirit of Melville's portrait of the Marquesans, and inspired by the passage I cited above, several families did indeed move to the United States in order to proselytize their lifestyle to the Westerners whose ways these Marquesans had rejected.

It is well known that their efforts failed, for the most part, both here and in their home country, but it was a happy accident that my interest in Melville led me to meet Fayaway, one of the descendants of that tribe of emigrants to the United States, and that she and I would soon after wed. As a result, I have become indoctrinated into the remnants of this culture; without either of us being true adherents to the religion, we observe its customs, much as agnostics celebrate Christmas. Our favorite part of the entire set of customs is to replay the Ritual of the Canoe from Chapter 18, as gently erotic now as when it was written, first in Hobomok Lake in Phoenicia, New York, and more recently in Malibu Lake, California. The puritanical fussbudgets in both neighborhoods were appropriately scandalized.

As a result of my marriage to the living incarnation of the female protagonist of the romance, I am well familiar with this work, and must say that it is more nearly perfect, in its own way, than is Melville's masterpiece _Moby Dick_. It embodies many of the same themes as that larger work, and reveals, because of its imperfections, a deep glimpse into the author's mind and his longing for that tropical paradise where he sought Arcadia and found a nymph fit to his fancy. Rarely have adolescent male fantasies been given such a beautifully complex form, and if, as many have noted, the anthropological tangents detract from the narrative, it is helpful to recall that Melville was attempting create a fiction that looked like an authentic travel narrative, and that in any case those tangents can become of themselves interesting diversions, and commentary on the greater narrative. They even inspired a small group of South Pacific Islanders to fly from their homes and settle in the wilderness of the United States, in an effort to save us from our wicked ways.

there is a chair, and it will be passed on. but to who? things are not as they appear. the owner's brother wants it, his wife's son wants it. unfortunately, his own son does not want it. it is in fact his greatest fear. can the chair act on its own? there is great writing here. a great deal of psychology and "hidden" elements, some i did not see. good descriptions. but in the end, we are not given enough about the chair. i expected the story about the chair to really develop into something, or at least a very good psychological finesse. but no. therefore: 3.

I really enjoyed the novel, "Born Burning", for its mysterious and at some points, unbelievable plot. The young protaganist, Joey, has a very strong part in the book and I also enjoyed reading along with his mother's part. I liked the family tradition added to the concept of the chair, it made the idea more realistic and believable.
Throughout the book Joey's uncle tests him and tests him in life or death situations. The family chair, handed down from family heir to their sons, soon to be the heir themselves, has an ancient legend behind it. Though for no other man in the family has this chair bothered or even dissatisfied them, but for Joey it is worse than death itself.
As the book moves along, as does Joey and his journey towards his encounter with the chair that he is destined for. The reader doesn't know if the chair will possibly devour him, curse him, control him, or do absolutely nothing at all. With all of the testing and preparing for what will happen to him when he finally sits in the chair finished, he is finally ready when the time comes. To me, the ending was surprising, but still exellent and brought a wonderful close to an outstanding book.

Thomas Sullivan is a master of horor writing, so, while I am not a big fan of this genre, I have long admired Sullivan's writing skill -- his rich word choices and deft turns of phrase make him, in my opinion, one of the most brilliant authors I've ever encountered. So it was with much joy that I discovered that Sullivan's new paperback, Born Burning, is more of a psychological book -- my favorite kind! With three sons, and a full-time job, my big reward after a busy day is to read before bed. Sometimes a few minutes turn into a few hours...I hold Thomas Sullivan personally responsible for some sleep-deprived nights. And I'm definitely going to keep my youngest son, who will turn seven in July, away from heirloom chairs! I hope that more people will discover Sullivan, because he truly deserves mainstream fame!