We (my 3-year old son and 2-year old daughter and I) loved Hughes' "All About Alfie," and her story "Dogger," and this book is a wonderful next step for us, especially my son. There's a bit more text per page, and more mature subject matter (the death of a neighbor's pet) which helps ensure it will grow with him. (I was worried that he'd lose the wonderful role model he has in Alfie!) The only negative is that since the stories so completely capture Alfie's point of view, Annie Rose is a little flat, and my daughter is not as engaged by her. Alfie stories are a great example of how to be caring toward your siblings. The illustrations showing a happy family without a spotless house (it looks comfy and lived in!) make me want to give Hughes a hug!

Shirley Hughes is a wonderful author who uses beautiful illustrations and a quiet writing style in her children's books. My toddler loves her book, Chatting, as well as other Hughes titles. I highly recommend sharing Alfie with your children.

_All Shook Up_ will surprise you. The sheer number of serious poets who have written seriously about Elvis-from Bukowski to Ai-was a revelation to me. You won't find any puff homages (except maybe Richard Blessing's "Elegy") or cheesy verse love-letters here. On the other hand, if you've always thought of poetry as dry and elevated stuff, _All Shook Up_ will change your thinking on that count too. There's no shortage of humor and poetic play in the collection (Fleda Brown Jackson's "Elvis Reads" imagines Elvis doing a reading of Yeats), and many of the authors seem to acknowledge a soft spot in their heart for Elvis-or in the heart of America, at least. The intriguing and sometimes confessional contributor's notes in the back make that evident. Thanks to a smart introduction by the editor, Will Clemens, and original photographs by Jon Hughes which punctuate the text, _All Shook Up_ adds up to more than the sum of its parts. In the words of the editor, the collection is about the "connection between the historical and mythical status of Elvis and ... poetic imagery." In bringing together the high and the low of American cultural production, the collection makes a valid case for the continued relevance of poetic vision in a country that often seems to be (or wants to be) post-literary. You will discover from this collection that poetry, like Elvis, lives on in America.

Illustrated with the photography of Jon Hughes, All Shook Up is an amazing compendium of poetry about Elvis Presley. Will Clemens provides an informative introduction to poetry about a now legendary American music icon by a number of poets whose work ranges from 1957 to 1999 and is a "must" for all Elvis fans everywhere. Elvis Presley: Two minutes long it pitches through some bar:/Unreeling from a corner box, the sigh/Of this one, in his gangling finery/And crawling sideburns, wielding a guitar.//The Limitations where he found success/Are ground on which he, panting, stretches out/In turn, promiscuously, by every note./Our idiosyncrasy and our likeness.//We keep ourselves in touch with a mere dime:/Distorting hackneyed words in hackneyed songs/He turns revolt into a style, prolongs/The impulse to a habit of the time.//Whether he poses or is real, not cat/Bothers to say: the pose held is a stance,/Which, generation of the very chance/It was on, may be posture for combat. Thom Gunn

a book with a text written by one of the most important art critics. Finally quilts seen as art pieces. An incredibly beautiful collection of amish quilts to show you the world of this religious group artistic crafts. If you look for new ideas for your quilting palette, don't miss this book.

Amish: The Art of the Quilt by Robert Hughes chronicles the quilt collection at Esprit corporate headquarters in San Francisco. Begun haphazardly by Doug Tompkins in 1971 as a way to cover bare office walls, it has evolved into a showcase of exquisite examples of Amish artistry.

Robert Hughes writes a concise history of the Amish people and their distinctive quilts. But best of all are the 9" by 9" full-color plates of 82 representative quilts. Julie Silber, who became the collection's curator in 1983, shares her comments on each quilt, pointing out its adherence to or deviation from Amish tradition.

This book represents an excellent investment for all lovers of the vibrant colors and intricate stitching so characteristic of Amish quiltmaking.

reviewed by Andrea R. Huelsenbeck

I had to give this book five stars because it is the only comprehensive work devoted to Arthur Hughes. I have been attracted to Hughes' paintings for some time, but he has recently become a part of my graduate research. To my surprise, there is little research out there. Even though he did not achieve the critical acclaim of other Pre-Raphaelite artists, he is considered a major artist in the Movement. Granted this book is mainly in catalogue form, but this section contains hard-to-find information. It's also great for listing past exhibitions of individual paintings and newspaper/journal/book leads for more information. Lots of black/white reproductions and some nice colors ones. The analytical introduction is shorter than I would have liked, but the comprehensive catalogue is a great asset.

As a serious student of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and their associates, I have noticed a curious lack of materials regarding Arthur Hughes and his work. This is perhaps due to the unfortunate destruction (evidently) of much of the papers and materials that would give better light to his biography, as well as his partial detraction from oil painting to produce much illustration work. No less important, in truth, is likely the fact that he was not one of the most successful of Victorian age painters. However, the charm of coloring and subjects in his unique style certainly warrants a serious treatment and _Arthur Hughes: His Life and Works_ is an admirable and well-produced effort. Not only that, but it is the only one that I have yet to discover. With this fact in mind, I can only give it the highest of recommendations to anyone fortunate enough to have a similar taste for his work. The reproductions are excellent, the biography informative, and the content far more complete than the fragmented references to him to be found elsewhere.

As librarian for a Patients' Library in a hospital, I watch for books that may help patients and their family and/or friends cope with debilitating illnesses. I was impressed by the thoughtful variety of activities proposed in this book--especially by the emphasis on maintaining dignity and independence for the patient. The projects described are creative and practical, the approach is empathic, and the love is inspiring. Peope looking for ways to help a seriously ill, confined, person will find gems here.

Anyone who has ever been involved with a chronically ill child needs this book, or if you know someone who has a chronically ill child, please get one for them. It is beautiful, sensitive and full of love!

Outstanding reference text for those interested in the REAL evidence for/against herbal medicine and botanical remedies. The authors provide detailed information on the history, traditional usage, laboratory evidence and clinical findings associated with dozens of herbals. The result is quite an exhaustive body of information that should serve as an authoritative reference text for any health practitioner or scientist with interest in this area. if you want to know more about botanical medicines, this is the book to get.

A modified version of one of the herbs discussed in this book, Astragalus, was featured as a CME (Continuing Medical Education) course for physicians in the International Journal of Integrative Medicine, which is nothing short of a stellar endorsement for the material found in this book. If you want the best in scientific and evidence-based information on herbal medicines, this authorative and well-researched text is the best choice for both doctors and the educated lay person. As a practicing doctor with over twenty years of clinical experience, multiple credentials in herbal medicine, the author of the book "Viral Immunity," and numerous academic papers on herbs, I highly recommend this book.

Mr. Hughes presents the reader with an insightful analysis of Chinese economics and its foreign relations. A very worthwhile read!

"China's Economic Challenge : Smashing the Iron Rice Bowl" takes a modern look at China, its economy, and the effects of the outside world on China. The author, Neil Hughes, obviously is an expert. He worked at the World Bank for over 20 years and has a Masters degree from Tuft University's prestigious Fletcher School.
As a non-academic, I thought this book would go way over my head. I picked it up because I am so interested in China that I read anything I can find on the subject. "China's Economic Challenge : Smashing the Iron Rice Bowl" is by far the best book that I've read on the state of modern China. The book is smart enough for academics and banking/ economics professionals, but interesting and well written enough for a lay person to understand and enjoy.
I highly recommend this book. Actually, I don't know how any person working in the international business world can get away with not reading this great book.

Essential book to understanding Hughes, his empire, his paranoia and his bizarre final years in isolation. Also a must-read for info on Robert Maheu and Richard Nixon.

Michael Drosnin did an excellent job of deciphering all the memos that Howard Hughes exchanged with Robert Maheu (his chief of Las Vegas operations) and writing a cohesive story. He also interviewed many associates to obtain a true picture of what went on with Howard Hughes during his many years of self-imposed exile. I found it to be the most interesting and revealing book about Hughes that I have ever read. I worked for one of his companies for 30 years and I would highly recommend this book.

This book was my daughter's favourite from the age of about 15 months until she was two. Unlike many books that drive a parent batty after several readings, I never got tired of reading "Color Babies" (as it is called in our house). Shirley Hughes really understands toddlers, preschoolers, and their parents. Her writing flows, and her pictures beautifully capture the interests of toddlers.

Hughes uses items not usually found in ordinary color books to describe not only the color, but each color's many shades. The rhythm of the text is light and flowing and the illustrations are heart-warming.