This book is a heart-warming account of life and times at a wildlife rehabilitation center. Cindi 's stories are touching and bring us closer to the animals she cares for each day. Interlaced with great humor and facts, I reccommend this book for everyone.

Cindy has done a marvelous job of bringing her
love of wildlife to all of us who share
that love. Told in her own unique, personal
and touching style; this is a book
to be enjoyed simply "Because They
Matter". It's about wildlife rehabilitation at
the personal level. Read it!!

If you feel stumped for ideas on how to design a bedroom, and you have a limited budget, Bedrooms will help release you from that in-the-box mentality that you get from strolling through one too many furniture showrooms that encourage you to buy a complete bedroom set. Do not be fooled by the "(California Design)" in the title, this is not a book of California-esque bedroom design, rather, it's a book of interior design for the bedroom by a collection of California designers. The designs covered range from minimalist, to grand, to traditional, to just plain homey. Certainly, the numerous color photographs throughout represent people who, in most cases, probably spent a lot of money to have their bedrooms designed as shown, but it is not at all hard to imagine how to apply the same methods to your create own dream bedroom even with things you buy at a flea market.

From this book I learned that I could mix and match furniture, not just in the bedroom, but elsewhere, and utilize the eclectic "stuff" I already own to create a comfortable atmosphere. You will not find a step-by-step guide in these pages, rather you will find lovely photos and frequently asked questions covered such as: Should a TV be in a bedroom and how? What can one do with a small room? How can I create a romantic bedroom? How can one design a room that will not look dated too soon? What paint colors are best for a bedroom?

Aside from the design-ideas aspect of Bedrooms, I just enjoy looking at the photos for relaxation.

I am in the final stages of building my dream home and just purchased this book. I only wish I had bought it sooner! This book gives me the confidence to blend my antiques with new surroundings. Diane displays a variety of styles that will withstand the test of time.

"Los Angeles is now the apparel manufacturing center of the United States" (page 16). 2,900 sewing companies work in LA for the 185 firms. Sadly, the apparel manufactureres use sweatshops.

According to Dr. Bonacich and Dr. Appelbaum, a "sweatshop" is a factory that fails to pay a living wage and does nto allow a worker to purchase a house and health care(page 11). Sadly, workers make less than the poverty line of $7,200 a year. Hence, concerned citizens like us wonder how sweatshops come to be and exist?

Again, according to Dr. Bonacich and Dr. Appelbaum, sweatshops are caused by 1) a high turnover in styles (14), 2) low tech tools, such as sewing machines, 3) the neglect of union representation, 4) cheap start-ups in other countries, 5) cheap labor, and 6) bossy retailers. The authors write, "Thousands of contractors can produce small lots rapidly. The city's industry is primed for the production of fashion at cheap prices" (p. 18). Thus, Los Angeles is the "sweatshop capital of the U.S" (p. 19).

A city of sweatshops is not a healthy city. ""Polarization is destructive to society." A Chinese person making $25.00 a month cannot afford $100 pair of shoes" (p. 24). Furthermore, immigrants do not have access to politicians, since wealthy people can buy lobbyists and call the govenor and threaten to move the industry. 2.9 million Angelinos make less than $20,000 yr.

The solution to sweatshops is to spread the cost-cutting activities in every area of apparel manufacturing. "Yet cost cutting is never aimed at the executives professionals or profits." As a result, "the garment industry is a throwback to the earliest phases of the industrial revolution" (p. 14).

I hope the supervisors in the valuable garment industry read this fine book.

This is an outstanding book that should be read by policy makers, academics, activists and elected leaders. Great effort and job. This is the best book on the subject.

. . . but somehow, Judith Pella manages to create fresh, new characters with every book she writes--characters that aren't quite like any of the others she's introduced us to. Shelby and Frank are no exception! Shelby is at once endearing as the book opens with her father's funeral and the reader naturally sympathizes with her. Because of her impulsive nature, I found myself thinking so many times, "I would NEVER do that! " but it didn't make her any less appealing as the misguided heroine of the story. Frank, too, is a well-written character. He has the dark good looks, mysterious past, and serious passion that make him the ideal hero; but at the same time, there are his fun, flippant moods and his vulnerability which make him more than a cardboard stereotype. For a romance especially, the plot moves at near-hyperlight speed (once you get past the first chapter or so), with lots of twists and turns and interesting secondary characters. And as always, with Pella at the pen, the happily-ever-after ending isn't insultingly happy, but bittersweet. Wonderful job all around creating relationships between characters and intertwining lives in the most unlikely ways. Can't wait for her next book!

This was an incredible book. Judith Pella kept you in suspense until the very last pages as she unfolded the story of Shelby and Frank. I encourage you to READ THIS BOOK!

BESIDE THE SLEEPING MAIDEN was given to me as a gift. It's a beautiful book with poems by many of the talented poets who live in Marin County, California. The anthologist, C.B. Follett, is a poet and an artist; and she has applied both those qualities to the production of this volume. The book has a luminous jacket and various drawings among its poems. The wonderful, thought-provoking but eminently readable poems float in a sea of white, so one can see and think about each one separately. This makes it an excellent book for people like me who always try to read and do too much. I can open it up anywhere at random and spend either a little or a lot of time with it. In fact I like BESIDE THE SLEEPING MAIDEN so much that I've bought several copies and given them away as gifts. ...Susan Terris

C.B.Follett's "Beside The Sleeping Maiden" is cause for rejoicing. She has gathered poetry and art work reflecting the creative spirit alive in Marin County. It is a coming together of the varied elements making up the rich, spiritual/aesthetic soup that nourishes so many Marinites.This is a feast that will satisfy the appetites of sophisticated as well as general readers, and it is served up in a handsome, imaginative and generous volume that will grace any bookshelf. ................Ruth Daigon, editor of "Poets On:

I have taken many of the trails listed in this book and was impressed with the accurate trail maps which include mileage markers, geologic features, and elevations of mountain peaks. Trail descriptions include the distance, estimated time required, start and end elevations, and technical ratings. The book is useful for both mountain bikers and hikers. About fifty pages are devoted solely to trails in the Santa Ana Mountains. Unfortunately, recent development has eliminated some of the trailheads, especially in Aliso & Wood Canyons Park.

I love the book, and refer to it every weekend

I have reviewed the 5th Edition of "Bicycle Rides in Orange County," published January 2001, by Don and Sharron Brundidge. I can't think of a better guide for all types of riders. There is a complete description of each ride along with maps and contour plots. Rides are rated by many criteria: difficulty, scenery, distance workout, elevation workout, bike route quality (exclusive bike trail, separated striped bike lane, signed non-separated bike lane, and none of the above), sight-seeing attractions, and nature trails. This guide added 16 rides to the 1988 edition, making a total of 58. The guides also indicate parks, restrooms, water, special points of interest, and occasional eateries. I did all but the Orange County Century in the 1988 edition and so far have done 10 of the 16 new rides in the 2001 edition. Also I noticed that some of the original 42 rides have had revisions that I want to try also.

I have checked the distances and elevation gains with my own GPS and Avocet vertical gain watch and found the guides to be quite accurate. Options are described for shortening certain rides. Another feature I liked was the description of the connectivity between near-by rides for those riders who want to do multiple rides in a day's outing. I can't think of a more complete guide. When I finish the 16 added rides in Orange County, I want to start on the additional rides in the latest revision to "Bicycle Rides in Los Angeles County."

The book provides 51 on-road trip descriptions (58 total rides) in Orange County. Rides vary from those for short-length family trips on separated bike paths, many longer exploratory and workout trips for more experienced riders on various quality bike routes, and a few "gut-buster" tours for the most physically fit and motivated bikers. There are over 800 one-way miles of biking described. Included are the Orange County "Grandaddy" and a county century ride. Trip domains include cities, beaches, parks, canyons, valleys, mountains, rivers, harbors and lakes.
Included is a master map to show ride locations within the county and a master matrix that identifies ride location, level of difficulty, route composition (percentage of route on bike trail, signed bike lanes or open roadway) and a general trip characterization (i.e., Is the trip scenic? Is it in a natural setting? Are there landmarks and/or sightseeing attractions along the way? Is this a mileage and/or elevation workout?).
Each trip description contains a detailed trip map and elevation-distance profile and scenic or character-interest photographs are scattered throughout the book. The route maps note the location of water sources, landmarks, sightseeing attractions and campsites among other points of interest.
Condensed Table of Contents:
Introduction
How to Use This Book
Trip Organization
Trip Description/Terminology
General Biking Considerations
Orange County Trips
-- The Coast (16 trips)

-- River Trails (Rivers/Creeks) (4 trips)
-- Inland (12 trips)
-- The "Big Guys" (Long-distance Rides) (3 trips)
-- New Trips (16 Trips)
Index

Even though I thought I knew everything about Disneyland and the rest of the Resort, I found new and interesting things in this book. And now I know so much more, then I did, before I read this book.
Also I think this book is very helpful to a person who has never visited Disneyland, and to the person who visited the park 20 times or more. (Like I have) I do have to say I did find some mistakes in the book, but they were minor. Overall this book is very helpful and is very informitive.

Birnbaum's Disneyland is the ultimate guide book full of all the information you must know, more than any other guide book. Inside the book, you have your own "Disney Trip Planner" where you can write down and take it with you, your vacation information and notes. Already printd for you are the Disney phone numbers you need. This book starts you with "When To Go": The Most Crowded days, Average Attendance, and when the Least Crowded days are to go to Walt Disney's Disneyland Park. They tell you the truth. Also the times for everyday of the year when Disneyland and California Adventure opens for the day and closes to go to sleep. Also the average temperature, high and low and average rainfall for each month is given. Holidays and special events at the Disneyland Resort all year long, Magical Milestones, Weddings & Honeymoons information, Disney Reservations & Travel Packages are also in this book. What to Pack?, making a budget, cost-cutting tips, variety of theme park tickets available, how to get there by car, on freeways, California driving laws, auto clubs, how to get the best airfare, airport transportation and shuttle buses, car rental, traveling in by bus or train. Detailed information on all the Disney Resort Hotels and Hotels/Motels across the street from the Disneyland Park is here too. Every amusement ride or event (included the Disney version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? game show is in California Adventure), store and restaurant in the Disneyland Park and California Adventure and Downtown Disney are precisely detailed so you can make a choice of what you would like to do next. In regards to the rides and attractions, the book will also let you know which rides you should not go on if you have back problems, heart problems, pregnant, respiratory problems, etc, so you can make a wise decision for yourself which rides you should not go on before you go to the park. Also some rides are just for children only. And some adult rides do have height restrictions for children. Basically, the Disney Resorts would like you to be safe and the information in this book is valuable to you. Whether you are with family, someone special, a stranger, someone new, or just want to experience Disneyland with yourself (alot of people do!), you're going to love Walt Disney's Disneyland and Birnbaum's Disney Resort Guide Book. It will be a big help to you. The book even has discount coupons for you to use. Birnbaum's Disneyland Resort Guide Book is updated and published every year. So every October, be sure to purchase this book on Amazon.com for the new year.

I grew up in L.A. near Central Avenue. While I knew much of the music scene from the late 50's to 70's, this book blew me away and showed me how much I didn't know. The history lessons, photographs, posters and ads make this truely a collectors treasure. Tom Reed has done an outstanding job, but the passion shown throughout this book you would not know he wasn't born and raised there.

This book is not easy to rate because there is so little to compare to it. The writer not only covers the music history of Los Angeles, but also gives a peak into the community itself; which supports the music scene. This book is a must have for any entertainment historian.

There's a great deal to enjoy and think about in this richly detailed novel of a young man's emergence into manhood, discovering himself as a father-to-be, and wanting more than anything to become a responsible parent and family man like his own father. These are working class people, living in what I take to be Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, scraping lives together and not giving up on each other.

Darnell, the hero, rides close to the edge of failure as his fortunes rise and fall and rise again, first as a temporary firefighter battling brush fires in the mountains and later running a small gardening business keeping yards in a middle class housing development. Straight paces her narrative slowly and builds plenty of tension as we watch Darnell come into his own, often through trial and error, with so many of the odds stacked against him.

Straight is a fine Southern California writer, and her book was for me a very readable and engaging introduction to a world that is seldom written about so warmly and eloquently.

This exquisite book details the flora and fauna of firebreaks in California. One has to think of Thomas Hardy's descriptions of the moors in _Return of the Native_ and Willa Cather's _My Antonia_ for historical "paintings" of flora.

Here we find the flora and fauna, the patois of an African-American community, the spinning wheels and danger of a ride for a drug connection which the protagonist is not a part of, and the protagonist making a "nest" for his wife and child to come, and thereafter.

Appearance and police stereotyping, the diverse communities and relations, vis a vis Mexican American and African American workers.

This is an astounding major landmark on the landscape of American fiction.