Mark Ellis' collection of short stories brings to life the worlds of people living in the South Bay area of California. Mark really understands how to explore the truth about his characters. Each of these stories builds to a powerful moment of realization. My favorites include a young boy learning about his sexuality while he discovers the secret behind his aunt's hidden boarder; a stoned goth dealing with seeing the face of Satan in the clouds; and a blue collar couple trying to have children by invoking the ghosts of the Dumbarton Bridge. I had the pleasure of reading many of these fine stories before they were collected into this work.

I purchased this book a few years ago. The variety and flexibility of floorplans is amazing. This is the greatest collection of duplex/alternative living plans that I have ever seen. I cherish my book and look at it frequently.

This is one of the most useful books I have ever bought. This graduate level text explains everything you could ever want to know about dust in space in language that is easy to follow and using simplified mathematic situations. From the archaic conventions of observational astronomy to understanding how solid particles interact with light waves, to how particles form, in what environments we can observe them and how, this book provides a great introduction to the subject as a whole and offers suggested further reading. I would recommend this book to any graduate level scientist who wants to learn about space dust

sory i don,t read this book but i love it

I recently moved into a house with a yard and a variety of trees, vines, and Roses. I have read large gardening references before in attempts to prune planter box trees and gardens, but never walked away with the sense that I could actually prune and train my plants successfully. This book began with definitions of terminology, tool selection, and provided clear text and multiple helpful drawings and pictures all geared towards the intelligent adult. It addreses the unique properties of the various fruit trees, rose bushes, vines, and shrubs, and gives advice as to when to hire and how to choose an arborist. It helped me understand the impact of pruning and has made me a more educated 'tree' observer.

I cannot see myself ever needing to buy another pruning book! I would highly recommend this for complete and straight forward pruning guide.

In a highly readable manner, Jeanne Ormrod introduces educational psychology for K-12 teachers. She incorporates many of the learning principles and teaching practices her text espouses by using colorfully illustrated and highlighted multiple formats throughout, such as summaries, case studies, classroom applications and examples, emphasis of major points, and learning exercises. The three major sections address learner diversity, how students learn, and becoming an effective teacher. She outlines seven themes for effective learning which she addresses in every section: interaction, information processing, relevance, classroom climate, challenge, expectations, and diversity. The text cites educational research throughout (there is an index with 44 pages of references) yet the paragraphs have a readibility and easy flow to them. Ormrod's chapters consistently address her goals as an author: focusing on cores principles, relating them to our own behavior, processing them effectively and applying them in the classroom. The phrase "interesting textbook," usually an oxymoron, in this case is well-deserved praise.

The Elixir Of Life Manuscripts include Septimius Felton; or The Elixir Of Life, The Dolliver Romance, Dr. Grimshawe's Secret, and The Ancestral Footstep. The first three very directly characterize an archetype for scientists that show up throughout other works by Hawthorne. The theme of the Ancestral Footstep, which is also interwoven as a plot in the other three works, surrounds a family secret which either leads the scientist figure to the discovery of the Elixir of Life, or entitles him to an inheritance. It is significant that none of these works were ever completed -- however, all are complete and distinct stories. Hawthorne usually planned out a plot so well that he did not need more than one draft to complete a romance. He clearly struggled with the themes of these works, since he never satisfied himself with either of his four drafts. I highly recommend these works as reading material for those who enjoy Hawthorne, or those who are interested in the study of the scientist or seeker in Hawthorne's works.

Using this kids'book as a reader for adult literacy classes is
great! It reveals many things that most have not heard nor realized. I found it shocking the way that illnesses were tracked. A huge H written on ones' coat meant they were a heart patient, Sc meant scalp problems, etc. The most dreaded was a large X which indicated a mental patient. They were asked personal questions such as how much money they had and if they could read or had ever been in prison. Sometimes all but one member would be accepted and the family had to decide what to do.

Obviously, most came looking for a better life but the trip over the ocean was dangerous, long and uncomfortable, since there were three classes on the voyage and most immigrants could only afford the cheap, bottom of the boat cramped quarters. Many got ill and died. Varied languages caused further loneliness.

Families were often split up forever, it was not an easy thing to decide to come to America. Most would never be able to visit their motherland again..ever. Around 2% of the total were sent back home and this fear was with each immigrant that made it alive to Ellis Island.

They were told NOT to tell anyone they had a job waiting, for this was against the international laws and they would be punished. If all went well, their stay on Ellis Island was about 5 hours.

Since most immigrants were poor and had no money to get further than New York City, it quickly became a melting pot for Italians, Germans, Irish, Jewish and Polish. It was said one could tell where you were in the city just by opening your window at mealtime and smelling the spices and dishes from each country.

Learning English and integrating into American life came easier for children than adults. Most adults clumped together in small areas according to language and heritage, shopping at familiar stores and cooking and eating familiar foods.

Ellis Island was eventually shut down, then reopened and restored and is now a museum. For many, the most important letters they saw were those on the door that said "PUSH TO NEW YORK CITY" and they did.

At four pages, eleven paragraphs (not incuding the introductory quote), thirty five sentences, and (sorry Georges) more words than I really wanted to count despite how cool it would have looked here, Ellis Island is a tome. It made me more intensely examine my own identity than all three hundred pages of What Color is Your Parachute even came close to doing. (Actually, I only read about four pages of that one too, but I could tell where it was going.) Ellis Island, however, was a complete surprise. The bit about what it means to be a Jew and the fact that that aspect of his identity is more concretely definied by its abscence than its presence, is profound. I mean, other people have said it, certainly, but this is, without a doubt, the clearest presentation I have encountered. I think it's particularly telling that he should set these musings in America, at Ellis Island. We, as Americans, particularly as white Americans, have a watered down and dissapated culture defined not by who we are, what we love, how we live etc., but what, ultimately, we are not. This small work was a four-page invitation to examine my relation to my roots, my country, and my culture. Ugh. I loved it.

Written from the perspective of a little girl, this story gives an excellent idea of what it was like for the immigrants who came to America during the years, 1892 to 1924. This is the story of six-year old Krysia Petrowski's voyage to America.

Krysia's father was already in America to make a new life for his family. When he had a job and a home, he sent for his wife, daughter and two sons. The decision to leave Poland, their homeland was difficult; leaving behind family and friends was not an easy thing to do. The children could only take necessary items and each child was allowed to bring just one toy. Their clothes, blankets, shoes and toys were knotted up in a sheet to be carried over the shoulder. Krysia had a problem choosing between her two beloved dolls. She took Basha because she was the smaller of the two dolls and would take up less space.

After leaving their village, it took the family four days of walking to arrive at the port where a large steamship was there to take them across the ocean. The difficult sea voyage involved poor sanitation, sickness and lack of decent food. After about fourteen days, the passengers finally view the Statue of Liberty and depart at Ellis Island on Christmas Eve.

On Ellis Island, the immigrants went through many inspections, which included medical examinations for each family member. The paperwork and examination usually took three to five hours to complete. Passing the examinations meant that the immigrants were allowed into the country. Those who did not have the proper papers or failed their medicals, were delayed for days or even months and could be sent back to their original countries.

This well written and carefully illustrated little book is ideal for children who are studying the history of America or the story of their own family.