Marion Patterson is to be commended for her excellent photographic work. A journey of spirit, a delight for the senses, tactile photography at its best....words can't quite capture the essence of these marvelous images, frozen with the click of the shudder for all to see.

This album of delights will be treasured in any collection.

In this stunning collection, photographer Marion Patterson shares her mystical vision of the western landscape. She focuses on the intimate details of the environment-a hidden waterfall cascading down a rocky stair, the twisted roots of a fallen redwood, patterns of foam bubbles and pebbles left by the receding tide. She guides us in savoring the small delights of nature.

Marion Patterson's book of B&W photographs on the California landscape is visual poetry. These are not the big scenes of an Ansel Adams (who was a dear friend and mentor to Marion), but an intimate vision of nature through a lifetime focused on seeing and expressing her relationship with the living landscape. The print quality is superb, so one can really appreciate the subtleties of these beautiful images.

This book should appeal to many age levels. My 18 month old begs for it over and over again. The illustrations are beautiful- soft and detailed with the animals filling up the whole page. The text is one or two sentences per page and he knows the names of the animals. For the older child the facts about each animal provide an introduction to the fascinating diversity of the natural world and a reference point leading to a discussion of his or her own birth.

I read this beautifully illustrated book to my four-year-old son many times throughout my pregancy. The fact that he was born himself, just like the animals, pleased him immensely. I enjoyed reading it over and over because of the simple, charming words the author uses to describe birth. The whale mother nudges the baby whale up for its "first sip of air." The baby elephant wears "a halo of long, brown hair." And the human baby "rode curled beneath (its) mother's heart." What a wonderful, sweet way to explain the miracle of life to young children. It is also a great way to explain the different ways some animals are born. Daddy Seahorses give birth? Frogs have babies that don't look like them? It could lead to yet another trip to the library!

My son's baby sister is more than six months old, yet he still counts this book as one of his favorites. I highly recommend it!

With brief, but magical descriptions of the moments of birth for several animals, the author carries you into the special realization of the unique and magical love in human birth. The artist's fantastic pictures bring you into the world of each animal. A beautiful, and gentle introduction into the world of reproduction, without fear or discomfort. Complete innocence left unmarked, but with inspired appreciation for a true miracle.

With Katish's recipes, you will eat the most sublime and comforting food. It was easy to see from this book how the famously sensitive Russian soul was nourished by such a cuisine." - From the Introduction by Marion Cunningham. Katish, round as a plum and neat as a pin, arrived in Los Angeles as a Russian emigre in the 1920s. Wanda Frolov's stories about this humble genius of the kitchen first appeared in Gourmet magazine, and were gathered together in book form in 1947. Here again, at last, are the stories of a woman who nourished the bellies and the souls of a happy throng with her blini and pilaf, her shashlik and borscht, and who brokered marriages and started bank accounts for new emigres, presiding over all from her spotless pastry table. KATISH offers deliciously simple Russian country cooking enveloped in a warm and cheering narrative, tender as the crust of Katish's own piroshky. It includes Katish's cheesecake, one of the most beloved recipes ever published in Gourmet.

Katish is the nickname of the young Russian widow who is taken in by Wanda Frolov's mother as a cook in 1920's Los Angeles. Wanda, the author, and her brother lived with their widowed mom. As a middle-class California family, hiring a cook was an extravagance for them, but Wanda's aunt talked them into doing it. In the 1940s, when she was grown, Wanda wrote the chapters of this book as a series of articles in _Gourmet_ magazine. They were later gathered together as a book in 1947. Now the Modern Library Food Series has reprinted this delightful literary cookbook for a new generation of reader-cooks. Like many things culinary, these memoirs have improved with age.

The story of the book revolves around the cultural differences created as Katish and her Russian immigrant friends interact with an American middle class family of the 1920s. It is a heart-warming story in which both sides profit from the relationship. _Katish_ is a delightfully amusing glimpse into the culture of the time and is populated with warmly portrayed friends, relatives and situations.

As each food is discussed in the narrative, the recipe is listed. They are easy to follow and delicious. The recipes are a wonderful introduction to Russian family cooking. Breads and rolls, soups, desserts, side dishes, and main dishes are all well represented. Sadly, there is only one salad and one beverage (a delightfully rich hot chocolate). Thirty of the recipes contain meat or meat products. Thirty five are ovo-lacto vegetarian (many with butter and sour cream). Only nine are animal-free vegan recipes and six of these contain alcoholic beverages. An interesting aside is that, for a Prohibition-era story, there are surprisingly many recipes with alcoholic beverages. Dieters should be warned that most of these recipes are rich in flavor, but also in calories. However, there is a delightful fruit juice pudding called Kissel that can be made fat-free.

Read it for the story or read it for the recipes. Either way you are in for a treat.

This is a lovely slice of Americana, in addition to a quirky story of a Russian immigrant and a collection of divine recipes. The flow is perfect, with the recipes jumping in right when a dish is described. It took me back to my summer in Russia and I can't wait to try more of the dishes.

In middle age,life can seem to drag to a halt. Marion Woodman and her coauthors demonstrate that the richest part of inner work is possible when we no longer are focusing most of our energy on the outer world of our families,or our careers. the stories these women tell of their own dream journeys are almost beyond belief, and inspired me to resume dream work i abandoned years ago. the journey never ends, and Leaving My Father's House begins a whole new ring on the spiral to wholeness. my only complaint is that at times the book felt too wordy.

If life had a reading list, this book would certainly be on it. Woodman does a supreme job of linking the women's narratives -- clarifying and filling in their experiences in archtypical and Jungian terms -- without dimming the spotlight on their individual experiences.

How long will we live our lives unwhole and blaming others (or even ourselves!) for our unhappiness? Until we all read this book and others like it, I'd guess.

With this book, Marion Woodman guides us through a complex and difficult journey. Her work with women through the often painful and lonely process of coming into their own life is shared with wisdom, compassion and deep love. I have found this book to be fundamental to my growth and my process. The women who shared their stories have enriched my life and have helped guide me on my way. I've given this book as a gift to many women friends, and I feel it can be a helpful and useful tool for anyone embarking on the inner journey.

Dear Sirs,

This book is excellent sourse for those who never visited the countries where nomads of Niger are living. Of course, if it is interesting for you. Splendid photos of different tribes and people. Very good and understandable texts. I enjoyed the jorney when I have read the book. When you read it and look on the photos you feel like you are there, among nomads.
It is also very good for people who are going to visit the countries where the Niger nomads live. You have to read this book before you trip.

Sincerely yours,

Vladyslav.

Nomads of Niger is an excellently written and colorful depiction of the life of the ancient nomadic Fulani or "Peul" people. Belonging to the group known as the Wodabe or Bororo, these nomadic herders of Niger (actually in this case moving into Chad, Cameroon and Central African Rupublic as well) have roamed for centuries across the sub-Saharan bushland, surviving where few others could. Living very simply, yet loving beauty and esthetics, their intricate culture and open hospitality is fascinating -- especially as it is is found in one of the harshest living environments on earth.

The authors have done a marvelous job of looking inside this virtually unknown culture, and with admiration and respect depicting it in print and photographs. It should be also noted that the Nomads of Niger was also developed as a National Geographic documentary, and brings some of the unforgettable sounds and action of this culture to life. Don't miss the Geerewol!

This is truly a wonderful book. The photos are beautiful and depicts the Wodaabe just as they are. The text is very accurate. Although published in 1983 these people are still very much the same today.

Carol Beckwith, who also wrote an article on the Wodaabe for the National Geographic in 1983, follows a family of the Wodaabe for a period of a year as they move from place to place in search of water for their cattle and themselves. The harshness and beauty of their lives is both portrayed in this book.

Many aspects of their complex culture is described. It is worth reading particularly if you ever intend to visit the area and the Wodaabe themselves.

Excellent value for money.

This excellent book is called "The Only Way to Learn Astrology: Horoscope Analysis," but the bulk of it focuses on one facet of horoscope analysis, house rulers. If you're looking for a either a beginners guide on how to interpret a chart, or an all-around horoscope analysis guide that blending many elements of chart interpretation such as planetary patterns and aspects, you'll probably be disappointed. However, if you have a basic understanding of the planets and houses, and you're looking for one of the best guides around on house rulerships, this is the book for you! The first half of the book (Part I) is devoted to house rulerships.

What is a house rulership? Example: Marilyn Monroe had Leo (ruled by the sun) on the ascendant. Marilyn's sun was in her 10th house. The reader can go to lesson 1, First House Rulers," look up "Ruler of the 1st in the 10th" and find out what this means. Marilyn Monroe had Virgo (ruled by Mercury) on her 2nd house cusp, and Mercury in her 10th house. The explanation is in lesson 2, "Second House rulers" under "Ruler of the 2nd in the 10th." Volume 3 of "The Only Way..." series helps one go around the wheel, house by house, figuring out what it means to have that house's ruler in each of the houses. The best way to learn from this book is to begin with one's own chart (and then loved ones) and read the introduction to that house, determine where the ruler is, and then try to figure out what the house rulership means before reading the description. Each of the 144 rulership patterns is well explained and uses an example of a famous (or infamous) person-everyone from Mohandas Gandhi to Charles Manson, that really helps emphasize the point.

Part II, "The Art of Chart Interpretation" provides detailed chart interpretations of four famous people (charts provided in this volume): General George Patton, Ernest Hemingway, Princess Diana of Wales, and Barbra Streisand. In this section, March and McEvers throw all their fancy stuff at you yods, dwads, decantes, part of increase, and the like. While there's benefit in reading how two skilled astrologers interpret a chart start to finish, this section is of limited "teach you how to do it for yourself" value, for which I recommend the first volume of the series. Rulerships are discussed quite a bit in this section, so it provides a review.

Part III, "Delineating for a Purpose" is an interesting discussion of astrological associations with health/illness, physical appearance, relationships of many sorts (preview of coming attractions for volume 5), and vocational aptitudes. Each of these chapters is a well-explained, good introduction to the topic, but not a complete treatment. Unlike the house rulership information, I've seen much of this information elsewhere.

I primarily use and recommend this book as a guide to house rulerships-the best I've seen. However, as this book, written in 1982, and the series age, chances are that younger astrologers will not identify with the famous people given as examples, as much as the babyboomers of my generation. I like the fact that when they refer to a chart in this volume, they provide the page number. However, some of the chart discussions will refer you to charts in other volumes in the series. Despite a detailed table of contents, the book lacks an index. I'm giving the book 5 stars, primarily based on the strengths of sections 1 and 3.

(continuing from first review...)
I appologize but I forgot the add the point that this book is compltely useless unless you have a previous knowlege of astrology. This book is the third in a teaching series so if you have little of no background in astrology, read a beginner level book first. You could read the first two in the series if you want the max benefit of this book.

A well written book about the interpretation of natal astrology. The first part talks about the houses and their rulers which in my opinion is the most important step in analyzing a natal chart. Then the next part is several charts of famous people and celebrities including Marilyn Monroe and Ernest Hemmingway. Each chart in this part is analyzed with a different method. The third part is how to look for specific things in a chart. Included are such features as: Relationships, Physical Appearance, Health, and Career. Make sure you have a good undrstanding of the basics of Astrology before this book. Blessed be

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. When I first read the book I was dubious of the 'heartwarming full blooded romance' tagline, but this book truly does have something for everyone. I found myself turning pages with increasing speed; laughing at the descriptions of the nosy Behag Beag and her insatiable lust for gossip, despite her protestations that she is a "body pure o' sin", crying when Shona's dog dies and feeling ridiculously thrilled when, like all good stories, everything 'came right' in the end. This is the first book in the Rhanna series and I promise that each book will continue to exert a fascination over the reader until they feel that they themselves are almost a part of the island community where the series is set.

After reading Rhanna and every other Christine Marion Fraser book published in Australia over and over again, I feel I know the author and all her characters personally. I wait impatiently for each new book to hit the bookshops and am then of no use to anyone until I have finished reading it. I then settle down to read it again and enjoy the second reading as much, if not more because of familiarity with the characters. Is there to be a sequel to Green are my Mountains? I hope so.

I regret only that I did not read these sooner. This is the first book in a wonderful series. They are so real, when you have finished, you have been to this island and you know the people. This also gets a hanky award.. be prepared to laugh and to cry.

This beautifully illustrated and beautifully written children's book is an absolute delight ! Each time I snuggle up with a little one and read this story I am again entranced by the pictures and the gentle imagery of the words. The qualities of sleep are depicted by various animals,some are babies with loving animal parents nearby to keep them safe and some are grown. In this story, sleep slowly, gently, and quietly, approaches and enfolds a little one and transports them to the wonders of dreamland. As the book is read the pictures become more and more restful in color and the words create a dreamy image. I always feel myself being lulled into relaxation right along with my little listener. I frequently give this oversized book with double full-page lush illustrations as a gift. It gets rave reviews and often becomes a favorite. It is appropriate for ages 1 - 7.
It gets and deserves an unreserved 5 stars.

I don't own this book - yet. I borrowed it from the library and love it! I've read this to my 21 month old son a couple times and I know that with a quiet voice this book will certainly settle him down. He enjoys looking at the pictures an giving the sound each animal makes. I plan to own this book very soon.

Another great collaboration between author Marion Dane Bauer and illustrator JoEllen McAllister Stammen, this wonderful bedtime story reminds me of Time for Bed by Mem Fox.

The use of a repititious sentence at the end of each page, helps to bring young listeners and beginning readers into the story. This is a great bedtime story to read to small children. Animals preparing for a restful night are depicted throughout this beautiful book. At the end, if a young reader looks very carefully, they will notice the father was reading this particular book to his young child before he falls asleep. The child, however is still awake and looking at a stuffed polar bear. She drifts off to sleep, dreaming about riding off on the back of the polar bear.

The beautiful illustrations reflect the authors words perfectly. The animals throughout the book are illustrated with great detail. An excellent book. A must buy for anyone with young children. This would also be a great baby shower gift!

Book gives exact method for doing presentations and dealing with nerves. Can do presentations better now than ever before. Used it for university and in business. Found it invaluable

Clear, well-organized, strong advice for the weak-at-knees over public speaking. I am suddenly finding myself called upon to "go public," and I was not very good. Ms. Witz's book has made all the difference. I am confident I shall succeed now.

I found the techniques very helpful. The breathing techniques improved my voice. The book gave me the confidence and sureness I needed. This book gave me a better feeling of what I can do when delivering speeches. I now understand the rules of giving a presentation; now it is more fun!

This is a book for any one who enjoys a good time or a punny ending. The bios that Marion writes are witty and charming. The series is for both men and women and can be enjoyed by all.

I've got every single Sword and Sorceress anthology printed. I never have to think about IF I'm going to buy one because it's a given.

These anthologies are so much fun because it's possible to read an entire story in one sitting. It's great if you're short on time. Some of the stories I particularly enjoyed in S&S XIV are: The Hand of A Lady, The Stone-Weaver's Tale, White Elephants, and Traveler's Aide. The last few stories in these anthologies are always interesting. MZB likes to end things well.

The other great part of this series is the chance to read the introductions by Marion Zimmer Bradley. She's so entertaining and (sometimes) crotchety. She shares a lot about what it's like to try to make a living as a writer.

And the last thing I like about the series is that it has introduced me to most of the authors I read: Mercedes Lackey, Jennifer Roberson, Charles De Lint, Diana Paxson, Lisa Waters - and of course MZB's other books.

So buy any of the S&S books you see! You'll find a lot of them in second hand bookstores (or maybe Amazon?

I'm not quite done reading this book, but I can tell you now that it is very good. It's well worth the money. It is about brave women who are either sorceress or sword-weilder. You really should read this book! I know you will like it