This book contains a warm and inviting look into the home of a Maryland man who creates wonderful decorations for the home from practically nothing. Your eye constantly scans the photographs for all the amazing details, a small tree decorated from simple garden finds to an angel with wings of cast off architectural finials. I would never have thought of some of the ideas this book gave me.It was motivational for me...I love the simple country look and this book has it.It was a joy reading through this book and marveling at what one person can do with "old stuff". Kathleen Wahl skip@visi.net

This book is enchanting. I'm amazed at how the two artists/gardeners have fused together their art and lives. The many photos are lovely and full of wonderful, earthy ideas. I only wish I could step through the pages and experience Seven Gates Farm first hand! Instead, I will be content to allow the book to be a life-long inspiration for me. Thank you, James and Dean.

A beautiful fact filled book - decorate your home, inside and out, cost effectively­wonderfully written, excuisite photos, creatively designed.

This book follows the format of the rest of the Barron's seriesby showing 1-2 sentences per page in both English and Spanish. Fornon-Spanish speakers there is a nice pronunciation guide for each word at the back of the book. Children as young as two will enjoy the universal appeal of a birthday party with balloons, cake and presents.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to teach French to a young child. The storyline could easily hold up as a regular storybook and the illustrations are great.

I do find that the pronunciation guide would be a bit difficult for a non-French speaker to use and recommend this only if you have a bit of French yourself or access to someone who can help with pronunciation.

My toddler loves this book and so do I. The illustrations are beautiful and the general quality of this hardbound book is very high. The story is appealing to my daughter and the ability to read it both in French and in English has really helped her pick up some words in a non-formal way. This book makes a great bedtime story.

An easy to understand, very knowledgeable book focusing on the uses of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in the medical field. The book includes an overview of HBO, the theory behind it, what kinds of problems can be treated, and the outcomes of those treatments. The authors have included case studies and many references to back up their findings. It is refreshing to find a book that has been written for the layperson. It is filled with facts and explanations. A person who reads it will grasp a good knowledge of HBO and will be able to decide whether to persue the therapy. The book includes chapters on Strokes, brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, Aids, treating difficult wounds, burns, bone disorders, Lyme disease, circulatory problems, and problems associated with radiation treatments. Overall the book is a good first look at HBO therapy as well as a good quick reference book for those of us in the field!

Nothing is more traumatic and challenging than brain injury: for the brain is our master conductor, the place where self resides. For those who suffer any kind of deficit in brain function - whether from autism, stroke, learning disorders, sports-injuries, spinal cord injuries, near-drowning or traumatic brain injury - it often seems there is no answer, and no hope.

But there is hope. New findings in neuroscience prove that the brain continues to develop new neurons throughout life, that the brain can grow new connections, and that with proper treatment the seemingly intractable cases of brain injury can improve remarkably. One treatment that has proven quite effective is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - a treatment in which patients breathe pure oxygen inside a special chamber with a slightly increased amout of atmospheric pressure (less pressure than an airplane). In many cases those who suffer from these conditions show great improvement in speech, memory, social and cognitive abilities after undergoing a series of hyperbaric oxygen treatments.

In head injuries if cerebral blood flow is interrupted a negative chain reaction is started. The lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, disturbs, neuron metabolism within the alarmingly short time of just 6 seconds. neurons begin to die without blood flow. In serious injury or heart attack or significant stroke, for instance, measurable activity in the cerebral cortex - our thinking brain - can cease within 2 minutes and brain damage begins within 5 minutes. Within 10 minutes, the brain stem, responsable for our basic motor functions stops. Brain and heart tissue deprived of its oxygen supply may undergo necrosis or infarction. However, hyperbaric oxygen treatment has proven itself to help awaken the sleeping neurons in the ischemic penumbral areas of the injured brain, allowing new growth of neurons, and healing of the brain and body. Overall, there is a decrease of cerebral edema, an increase in cerebral blood flow and an increase in oxygen to the neurons which help to maintain proper cellular function. This accounts for the "miracles" that we often see with hyperbaric treatment.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also used for respiratory conditions, carbon monoxide poisoning, wound healing and for divers with decompression sickness.

"Oxygen is to the brain what rain is to the desert ~ it creates an oasis in life".

Lane scott, PhD is a neuroscience medical researcher in Campbell, California and is the administrative director at StanfordHyperbarics.com

Summary:

A must read book if you know someone with a stroke, Cerebral Palsy, or other brain injury. HBOT has many well-established clinical applications on a widely diverse number of conditions and diseases. The most interesting is the application for restoring cognitive abilities in brain injured children and adults. After all, the brain remains the final frontier of medicine!

Send me an e-mail for any questions (parent to parent)and I can send websites for further info.

TEXAS NOW REQUIRES THIRD PARTY PAYMENTS FOR HBOT FOR COGNITIVE INJURIES!! BUY THIS BOOK TODAY, AND GET THOSE THERAPIES IMMEDIATELY!

Review:

The book is well written, and makes heavy medical science easy to read. It explains the medical and physiological science of hyperbaric oxygen treatments ("HBOT") in some detail, but was written for you and me to read and understand. It reviews HBOT for many different diseases and conditions, including MS, stroke, arthritis etc. The commonality for these diseases and their response to HBOT is they each have systemic circulatory problems and an immune response, with disruption of cellular metabolism as root problems in their etiology.

It is very helpful for parents and patients to understand whether or not HBOT would be a viable treatment alternative. It also discusses how HBOT affects the condition, or disease, and whether the treatments are curative (carbon dioxide poisoning), or simply maintain the current state (multiple sclerosis).

If you have a child, or relative who has had a stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis (yes- MS), order this book NOW! Learn all you can about HBOT, its applications to your loved one's condition. When you consider all the pain, agony, lost income and costs associated with currently insurance approved therapies, and the dismal results achieved, spend a few dollars and an hour to read the relevant parts of the book and think outside the box, a little. HBOT is not laetrile. HBOT is a well established (everywhere else in the world) and basic technology that enables your body to get a boost to naturally repair itself through its own natural physiological response to oxygen under pressure. HBOT is used every day in the US for wound care - which has much of the same basis as neurological wound care (stroke, asphyxia, or brain injury).

The Author

Dr. Neubauer is one of the world's top experts on HBOT and his work, efforts and patient care are well-respected by other top HBOT experts. He is known and respected as the "Grandfather of HBOT for neurological conditions". While at his center for my daughter's treatments I met a number of HBOT experts who visit him to confer and continue research and had the privilege of reading letters from many more HBOT physician- scientists from UK, Canada, Italy, China, Russia, the US, etc.

HBOT Summaries

HBOT is used worldwide for various injuries including various poisonings, and crushed wound injuries (sic - car accidents, etc.). HBOT is used in many advanced countries including UK, Italy, Russia, Japan and China (and many poorer countries) for treating closed wound brain injuries from birth, accidents, or strokes. HBOT is not accepted by the US medical community, yet, due to the lack of double-blinded studies as well as due to the lack of understanding of the underlying physiology. Note: the underlying physiology of approximately 50% of the drugs listed in the Physician's Desk Reference are poorly understood.

HBOT has been clinically demonstrated to be effective in treating a variety of closed wound brain damage injuries by enabling the body to re-establish damaged blood vessels, and by "waking up" neurons made dormant from injuries. Recent Russian studies show some of the underlying physiological mechanisms (for neurological injuries) appear to be the elimination of the deficit and restoration of CO2 formation and consequently the autoregulation of the O2 transport to the neuron (using minimized hyperbaric treatments - 1.1 - 1.2 ATA). Essentially, correcting the effects of oxygen deprivation from the injury by re-establishing micro-circulatory and intra-cellular O2 / CO2 metabolisms. The disrupted neuronal metabolisms appear throughout the "penumbra" of the brain injury. This helps explain Dr. Neubauer's theory "waking up" of sleeping/dormant neurons.

Personal Experience

My daughter (Rebecca, five yo) has extremely severe cerebral palsy (died at birth for 35 minutes, life support for 6 days; no viable EEG, etc.). Going into the HBOT therapies, I was excited and hopeful. But, not prepared for how I was amazed at her response, as well as the improvement in her brain (SPECT) scans. I had several leading doctors (cardiologists and pediatric neurologists) read her SPECT scan results and each expert was astounded at the changes. Rebecca gained metabolic activity in 80%+ of the areas that were previously inactive/dormant prior to HBOT treatments. Rebecca clearly demonstrated the physical ability improvements corresponding with SPECT scan improvements. Her improved physical control, coordination and motor learning were easily measured and noted by every therapist and doctor who regularly works with her.

HBOT for CP children

For children, HBOT is not a miracle cure. Children must grow, develop and mature through stages. Each stage provides a neurological basis for developing into the following stage. HBOT enables the patient to revitalize damaged, but living but otherwise non-functional neurons. However, once those neurons are revitalized, they need input on how to develop, where to establish connections, and how to be integrated into the brain and body's general system. Thus, HBOT must be co-treated with physical therapies.

Recent HBOT Clinical Findings Dr. Neubauer's recent International Symposium on HBOT for CP and the Brain Injured Child (July 25-28, 2001) presented numerous positive clinical research findings on HBOT for brain injuries. While there is substantial work to be done to better understand the underlying metabolic and physiological principles of what happens on the cellular and systemic levels, there is very little doubt about the efficacy of HBOT for treating neurologic injuries and conditions.

Many HBOT Center Medical Directors can name cortically blind CP patients who have gained sight after 40-150 HBOT treatments. This is exceptionally objective clinical information that should be pursued.

BUY THIS BOOK!!!!

Jerusalem is Blake's monumental final work, 100 densely filled large plates/pages. It also seems the most Blakean (it begins with a friendly address to the reader that has had all the friendly words gouged out); not surprisingly, Blake produced only one color copy (reproduced here), which he never sold. The book overwehlms, presenting essentially all of Blake's very complicated questions about authenticity and creation through particularly abstract mythology. It is therefore a good idea to have some experience with Blake's earlier books before attempting J. The text does not exist without Blake's awesome illustrations/illuminations. While this edition is excellent, I give it only four stars because 1. the transcription of the plates does not occur on opposite pages, but rather in a separate section, and 2. the editorial assistence is scarce, and when present, oblique. These faults are noticable mainly in relation to other outstanding titles in the Blake Trust series (published later), and are hardly fatal. You're unlikely to find a better edition.

I recommend that any fan of William Blake buy this volume and the other 5 in the series. The books are beautiful, large, and handsomely bound. Each book is reproduced in full color, using a six-color printing process rather than the standard four. The pages are heavy, opaque and have a gorgous lustre indicating very high quality paper. The text of each book accompanies the color reproductions in standard typeface with very competent commentary to boot.

Why is it that on every bargain table in America you can find countless decent reproductions of The Impressionists and Picasso and Dali etc etc, but Blake's vast body of work is only available in esoteric and expensive editions? Princeton University Press has filled this void more or less affordably with a beautifully recreated series of the Prophetic Books. Now if we can just get someone to do The Illustrations to Gray and Edward Young and The Bible and Milton and Dante and and and!!!

I have read Not as a Stranger perhaps four times, and every time come away with something new. The older I become, the more I realize the story is not so much about Medicine, and the passion/obsession required to complete medical training, but about a man who matures and realizes that he is not an island. Compassionate telling of a situations that are still relevant today. The examination of small town life, politics, and the medical industry in the early twentieth century is very well done. What is amazing is the examination of one man's marriage, but I leave that to the reader.

Every now and then you read a book that lasts through life...I read this book at age 15 or so and my sister then about 17 read it also...over the years we have found ourselves referring to this book for some or other reason. I think of it often and spent years looking for a copy of it, eventually finding one on a trash and treasure book stall. The way the author described both the main character and the lifestyle have remained etched permanently in my mind. The part where Lucas gets lost on a camping trip was for me a particularly special part of the book, describing the intrinsic human need for company, care and support....excellent book, a must for the book shelf...i haven't read it recently and do not know it it would have the same effect on me as it did in my developing years...

From the time he is a small child Lucas Marsh cannot think of anything except becoming a doctor. He has a very naive and glorified view of medicine and doctors. This book tells the story of how he has to fight his way past that glorified view and come to grips with the fact that doctors are human, and as such are subject to the same human shortcomings as everyone else.

As a devoted Elmore Leonard fan, I jump at any opportunity to read anything of his. When I saw this collection of mostly 50's western short stories, I did not quite know what to expect. But, I should have know that Elmore Leonard's work would contain the same interesting characters that I have grown to expect.

It was interesting to read some of his early work.

"Three-Ten To Yuma" was an interesting story... I remember the movie that was made from the idea of this story. "Only Good Ones" is a great story that Leonard later wrote into a full blown novel "Valdez Is Coming".... and made into a top notch movie with Burt Lancaster in the title roll.

I particularly liked "Trouble At Rindo's Station".

I highly reccomend this collection to any Elmore Leonard fan and hope that others not familiar with his work will check it out and perhaps read other things he has written.... "Hombre" is one of the best westerns ever written. And please try his later works when he switched from writing westerns to crime stories. He still has the same rich characters and great dialogue.

Reading Elmore Leonard is like eating candy. The main difference between these stories of the 1950's and his later work is that the heroes of these stories are not cynical.

Elmore Leonard's short stories convey more plot, action, and true adventure than most action writer's best books. Here you don't get stock characters, lackluster descriptions or stilted dialogue instead you get a convincing look into a time long gone but hardly forgotten. The 'Old West' breaths again thanks to Leonard and for those who are just expecting to find just 'cowboy' stories you'll be pleased to find a craftsman storyteller carving out his best. So sit back and have an adventure or two courtesy of one damn good writer.

I have not taken any piano lessens before. Now I can play two tunes," The Entertainer" and " Que Sera Sera" in one month by just following the instruction in the book. I am really happy with this book. When my friend listened to my play through the telephone, she said she wanted to buy the book.

I've gained a farely good skill at piano in just a few months with this book. I would recomend it to any beginner. Good luck!

I am using this book for piano lessons I started taking in early January. I've wanted to learn how to play the piano my whole life and now at 40 I decided to do it. This book makes it very easy, so far anyway! The pace is steady, I look back now at the songs in the beginning that I struggled with and they are so easy! The combination of warm-ups and songs are just right. I highly recommend this book!

I am a huge "Everybody Loves Raymond" fan and was excited to read star Doris Roberts's autobiography, "Are You Hungry, Dear?" However, the book did not live up to my expectations and left me hungry for something else.

Instead of taking the reader on a chronological journey through her life, Roberts shares various bits and pieces that are linked by a common thread -- loss of people close to her, lessons learned in life, etc. While this approach is novel and somewhat interesting, it does make things immensely confusing. The book seems to be put together in no real apparent order and jumps around so much that it is difficult to follow.

Another irritating factor of the book was its preachiness. While Doris Roberts is definitely a very talented and respected actress, I felt like I was being lectured instead of being introduced into her life's journey. Instead of talking about lessons that she's learned throughout her struggle to become an actress, Roberts shares advice, more advice, and still more advice. There is so much advice in this book that it should be categorized under self-help, not biography.

"Are You Hungry, Dear?" is not a complete loss, however. There are several funny passages and stories throughout, and Roberts offers insights into her dealings with famous actors like Ray Romano, Pierce Brosnan, Cary Grant, Laurence Olivier, and many others. There is great information on the workings of both New York theater and the Hollywood film scene. Unfortunately, the jumpiness and onslaught of advice ruines what could have been a very interesting story to hear. Sorry, Doris. I'm hungry for something else.

Why do we read celebrity bios, anyway, if not to search for connections between the actor and his/her character? That's easy enough to do with Doris Roberts' life story, where shades of Marie Barone surface from time to time. By the end of the book, the reader has learned about Roberts' unusual Bronx childhood, her two marriages, her relationship with her son, her career move from New York to California, and some of the offscreen antics of the cast and crew of _Everybody Loves Raymond_ . There are enough facts to chew on without getting into too many intrusive personal details. Her extensive stage background is reflected in the structure of the book itself, for each chapter feels as though we're viewing a scene from her life. The presentation makes perfect sense even though the overall progression isn't chronological. The curtain call of each chapter is a recipe from Roberts' own files, a technique which has the effect of not only sharing a part of herself but also tying her even closer to her onscreen character. And who knows? Maybe she'll start a fad of throwing holiday Greed Parties! A natural sequel to Patricia Heaton's _Motherhood and Hollywood_. _Raymond_ fans will not be disappointed.

I don't watch "Raymond" regularly. I'm not fond of celebrity bios. But this book caught my eye and then I couldn't put it down.

Doris Roberts's journey from sad "Little Doris" to a full-blown diva in her 70s made me laugh: she had a varied career, and learned a lot about life as she learned about acting. Roberts even has her very own actress climbing-out-the-boardinghouse-window story! There's some pathos - handled graciously -- but most of the book reflects a courage and humor I admire. Even some of the recipes are funny!

After reading the other readers' reviews of this book I was expecting great things. However, I was dissappointed with the story line, which was merely a listing of a little girl's favorite stuffed toys, but even more dissapointed with the illustrations, which were simple at best. We will read it- but only because of the lack of truly great French materials for young children.

I have been introducing French to my son since before he was born. He is now 18 months old and this story is one of his favorites (the other is 'I Want My Banana'). The artwork is simple and colorful and the rhythm of the English and French rolls easily off the tongue. I would also like to add that my son's English has not been hampered by a little foreign language here and there.

My 6 year old was accepted into a French immersion kindergarten class, and these books have been extremely helpful. They reinforce the words he is learning in class and are easy for him to read in French or English, which allows him to boost his reading skills at the same time. The fact that it is in both languages helps me understand what he is reading, too.

Owning a ferret is a little like owning a child - they require your full attention and a great deal of time, especially when they're young. When we bought our first ferret, Tycho, my wife and I had already done a little research and so we had some idea of what to expect. We should have done more, however. They're a handful, but ultimately worth it, because most ferrets are not only cute and cuddly, but smarter than most dogs and like cats, genuinely curious in most things in their environment. Before bringing your little carpet shark home it is important to know what you're getting into. Prospective ferret owners should do plenty of research before taking the plunge and buying one or more of the little cuties.

E. Lynn Morton's book presents an easy to read yet detailed fact book about fuzzies, basics like nutrition- ferrets are carnivores and cannot handle a vegetarian diet, and even explains proteins and how they can differ depending on the source. Discipline and how it should be done- and I have found that most books recommend the same basic techniques, none of which require hitting your ferret or even flicking its nose. And it was thanks to this book it explained seasonal weight loss and gains, something that had us very worried when Tycho shed a half pound in just a short while. It also talks about diseases common to ferrets and detail about their biology.

It has plenty of pictures of fuzzies, cages, toys, bedding, and what is and is not acceptable for ferrets to live in, sleep in and play with. More importantly it asks the reader to think about the time they will have to spend after getting their carpet shark- they require more care than either kittens or puppies at first and when they're out of their cages, require constant supervision. Tycho is joy to own, but it hasn't been all roses. He bit a lot and got into things he shouldn't have, but at six months of age we own a very loving and happy ferret who plays with us and new kitten pal, Fenix. Thanks to books like this and the others my wife and I have read, we're a little smarter for the experience and have a great new pet.

I recently became co-owner of a baby ferret, Tycho--after the astronomer. Just lately Tycho has exhibited a rather alarming weight drop. Morton's book suggested itself as a useful resource for the nervous ferret "parent," and indeed it has been. In reading the section on weight cycles, we learned that the ferret tends to gain and loose weight according to the seasons and light intensity. What a relief! The little guy has been a dear and amusing pet, full of bouncing, peppy mischief, and we'd hate to loose him. It's nice to know we'll be better able to care for the newest member of our household with this new book.

I read this book and I thought it was great. This book was so good I bought all of my relitives that have Ferrets this book. So I highly recomed this book to any ferret lovers.