Bryan Merton was given the opportunity, however unfortunate, to formulate this useful tool to be used in time of need. I have not had to use mine yet, thank God, but I bought it because "you never know." Also, friends and family have found it to be a lifesaver, so to speak, when they have borrowed it from me. Everyone should have one!

The flipchart works very, very well for communicating with someone who cannot talk. It's full of common and useful phrases which facilitate dialog between you and someone who is ill. I found it to be very useful to "talk" with a friend who was hospitalized and because of repiration apparatus, could not use their voice. The flipchart is worth it's weight in gold if you are visiting with someone you care about who is ill or hospitalized.

A great, easy read, filled with practical advice. This book takes the "who me??" out of cool entertaining. Highly recommended by the editors of SharpMan.com.

"A Gentleman Entertains" takes a surprisingly unpretentious look at men entertaining, though the book is by no means without merit for women readers. The practical advice and simple, elegant recipes cover a broad range of entertaining scenarios, from casual cocktail parties at home to dining out, to family reunions. The South is perhaps the only place left where it is still fashionable to be genteel, and Bridges lives up to his Southern upbringing without coming across stuffy. Leaving no stone unturned, the book touches on everything from tipping to starting a charcoal grill to choosing the wine. Though the title suggests a certain level of sophistication, the author is just as quick to advise readers to use paper plates when the situation dictates as he is to recommend the proper way to garnish a cocktail. Bridges writing style is crisp and on the wry side, though he had more room to shine in "Keeping Up," a delightful series of essays on his upbringing in Slapout, Al., as well as witty observations on life and martinis. I would have liked to have seen him cut loose in this book a little more stylistically, but being the proper gentleman that he is, he wrote a respectable book suitable for any coffee table. It is a fine follow up to his previous outing, "How to be a Gentleman." I recommend it to anyone who is looking for the kind of practical advice on entertaining that bears repeating and never goes out of style.

I have used the Harbrace College Handbook for 31 years. My first was the 5th Edition, which I keep on the top in one of my desk drawers. I used it throughout college. I bought this edition for my father, who gave me the first one, and seems to have lost his own copy (he's 86!). This edition is much thicker than the 5th one -- these books are not exactly "reading material," but a reference guide; so I haven't read it from cover to cover. This book comes with a computer CD to install the entire book on your computer.

Excellent reference if it is necessary to constantly bibliograph infomation off the internet and other electronic sources

Liang's book is the first comprehensive AND comprehensible book on the health care system out there! As a physician who went to medical school decades ago, i never realized how much would change in the practice environment. No one has been able to give a thorough review of all the topics that we need to know now; not my specialty society, certainly not the AMA, and not my state med society. But this book does; it has everything from a great overview of the law, the standard stuff (e.g., med mal, informed consent) AND gives clear and complete explanations of the huge and legalese laden areas of fraud and abuse, antitrust, etc. I found the material on physician contracting really helpful in understanding what I should look for in my contracts. And the stuff on death and dying (e.g., advanced directives) was very helpful for my patients (I copied it for them). I heard of this book from the general counsel's office at our hospital and she uses it a lot too. I tell all the med students and residents who rotate with me about this book. And the web page addresses are really great!

This is the best book out there for both medical and legal professionals. It is easy to read and and a great resource for all law and medical issues.

What a fun and creative look at our former White House incumbants, ie. Buddy and Socks. Their view of life on Pennsylvania Ave. is not only enlightening, but highly entertaining! This book would make a great gift for anyone, no matter what political viewpoint or persuation they might be. It is a fun read--a great party or get-together icebreaker.

Wonderful! I couldn't stop laughing

Observing the closed book,one is captured by the clean and clear-cut designs in shades of black, white and gray on the cover. Upon opening it one sees a repetition of color in the illustrations that are depicted in black and white block prints.

The way in which the story poems are displayed invites one to read because the lines are usually short and a certain rhythm can be felt. The messages are very clear if you understand the dialect and if you have read the explanations be the author. This is very important. To neglect these interpretations will defeat much of the joy to be obtained from the reading. I enjoyed the special language immensly.

It is wise to follow the designated age/grade levels for the best use of the material. Here is an example: I gave copies of 'How God Fix Jonah" to two families that include grandnieces and nephews. One little five-year-old, who is an accomplished reader for her age, opened the book immediately and tried it out. In a little while she came over to me with the book in her hands. I asked her what she thought about it. She answered, "It sounds a little strange." I tried to explain that this is the way some foreign people talk before they know how to speak English very well. I suggested that she have her parents read it to her. On the other hand, an eleven-year-old has kept it on her nightstand ever since she received it eight months ago.

There is a great advantage in having this group of stories compiled and kudos are in order for the author's daughter and the publisher for their collaboration in bringing this work to fruition.

If you love words, their meanings, their sounds, and unexpected usage this book calls out to you. It is filled with Bible stories that are written according to the way that a young African lad would sound telling the stories in a mixture of his own language combined with the new language he is just learning, English. Read silently, you will discover immediately that it is pleading to be read aloud. Read it to children or adults, or a mixture thereof. When I discovered this unique book I had great success reading it to a large group of men, women, and children. They were entranced, mesmerized as they listened attentively. The applause at the end of my sharing was tremendous! Discover, too, individual stories in this book which were originally published as picture books. You will find so many uses for all of these books if only you will read one aloud -- just once!

"Jump Back, Honey: The Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar" combines several poems from this beloved African-American poet with illustrations from several different artists: Ashley Bryan, Faith Ringgold, and more. Dunbar (1872-1906) was an expert at writing poems in both a formal "literary" English and in a style that evoked African-American vernacular speech (this second type of poem was known as a "dialect" poem). This book includes excellent examples of both modes. A sample from a "dialect" poem: "Fiddlin' man jes' stop his fiddlin', / Lay his fiddle on de she'f."

I liked how several different visual artists contributed to this book; this gives the book a nice sense of variety. My favorite illustrations include Jerry Pinkney's pictures, which are vibrant with color and energy, and Carole Byard's delicate picture that accompanies "The Sparrow."

These are poems about nature, African-American culture, and the joys of love and family life. This book is an excellent choice for a multicultural children's book collection.

A versatile group of illustrators add flair to Paul Laurence Dunbar's poetry. Faith Ringgold's portrait of Frederick Douglass gives additional power to "Douglass". Jerry Pinkney's illustrations capture the playfulness and sass of "A Negro Love Song"; and "The Colored Band". Both Carole Byard's and Jan Spivey Gilchrist's illustrations add contemporary color and meaning to this anthology. The notes list brief biographical information on Dunbar and some background data on the title of this book. Some facts about the illustrators are also included in this collection of poems. This book can be used for school and church performances and plays.

I used to hunt a long time ago, but have since grown distant from any need to kill for sport ... so, I was initially rather hesitant about this purchase ... I've had the book for about a week now, gone through it from cover to cover, and must say the hunting element still disturbs me somewhat ... but the subject has been treated in the best possible manner ...

The book is well laid out, with quality paper and colour separation ... the photography is very good, the backdrops & landscapes breath taking ... the dogs themselves are shown at their best ... sharing quiet moments with their human partners ... running, playing and working in water ... and doing that which they excel ... retrieving. A wonderful book for all who love Labradors ... and can keep an open mind about hunting ...

There are alot of labrador picture books, but this is one of the best I've seen. Not only is the photography technically suburb, but the unique ways in which these dogs are portrayed shows you how much Byran loves labs and how much time he spends around them. Mr. Bryan postulates in the intro that people who don't hunt can't really appreciate their lab's full potential. I don't hunt, so our lab is a family dog. But this book allowed me to understand what she's capable of and to appreciate her already fine qualities even more.

This is a great biography of one of the South's best fighting generals. Bryan Grimes was the last person Lee recommended for appointment to the rank of Major General and thus the title of the book.
Bryan Grimes was born into a wealthy plantation family in North Carolina in 1828. He was educated at the University of North Carolina and had little military experience before the war. But he rose from lower officer ranks to general's rank during the course of the war. He had six horses shot out from under him as he led his men across the fields of battle; yet he was never seriously hurt during the war. He participated in many of the major battles in Virginia.
The author was assisted in writing this book by what he describes as a "treasure trove" of letters written by Grimes and written to him during the war, which are located at various archives in North Carolina. This primary source material gives the book a sense of immediatecy when describing Grimes's life during this period.
The book has many interesting anecdotes such as the time Grimes's soldiers recovered some bags of Yankee mail. Included were some letters written by Gen. George A. Custer to his wife and from his wife to him. Gen. Grimes in a letter to his wife, described Gen. Custer's letters as being "vulgar beyond all conversation" and those from Gen. Custer's wife as letters that "would make any honest woman blush".
Another interesting anecdote describes Gen Grimes's return to North Carolina after Lee's surrender. Passing through scenes of destruction of civilian property, Gen Grimes and his companions came across an old man who was by the ruins of his home. The Yankees had destroyed his home, scattered and destroyed its contents, shot his yearling, his mule colt and even his dog! Is it any wonder that people in the South hated people from the North for generations?
Strangely, after surviving the war, Gen. Grimes was murdered in 1880. The author describes his murder, the surrounding circumstances and its aftermath in great detail, including the trials of the accused. This book will be the best source for information on Gen. Grimes's murder for years to come.
The author obviously liked and understood his subject. This is one of the best biographies of a Confederate general that I have ever read. This book is well worth the full five stars and I recommend it highly.

I had heard about this new biography and picked it up at a local book store. The author did a great job with this book, and finally someone has taken the time to present an excellent and fresh new history of General Grimes. So many books today say the same thing about the same officers. This book is based on hundreds of family letters, and so is very personal and exciting reading. It also has some great photos and detailed maps that are really good. There are a few typos in the book, but so what. I would rather read something new and original than the same old Pickett's Charge re-hash. Thanks to both the author and publisher for making this book available! I highly recommend it.

I recently bought my own Airstream, and a friend bought this box set for me. I now have several of my favorites up by my desk at work, so that I can daydream traveling the world in it.

The box contains classic photographs from primarily the 1950's and 1960's. Several black and white photos, as well as color ones. The variety of photos and locations on the postcards are very conducive to travel daydreams!

If you have ever owned an Airstream, or have just admired them from afar, this little box of postcards is really a great buy. I plan on keeping the whole box for myself, but maybe I'll buy another box to send to friends while travelling in mine.

Forget e-mail! Get a pen and buy some stamps! This beautifully designed postcard box is an object to treasure in itself and the amazing cards inside will inspire you to take pen in hand and rediscover the art of correspondence. Perfect to send to your friends while you're jetsetting around the globe. On the other hand, the cards are so cool you may want to keep them all to yourself so buy two!