Origami Insects and Their Kin is absolutely my favorite origami book. All but the first model are extremely challenging, and the first one would be given a "complex" rating in any book. I can't stress this enough: if you are bored with the origami books you have because they are too easy, THIS is the book you are looking for. The only downside is that everything else pales in comparison afterwards! The insect models in this book are what one expects of Robert Lang, and then some. They are all beautifully rendered, and amazingly, they're simple enough in design that it's hard to imagine taking any of the details away. The models are so difficult because Lang chooses great subjects, from the exotic-looking Black Pine Sawyer, Samurai Helmet Beetle, and Long-Necked Seed Bug, to the common (but still beautiful) Pill Bug, Dragonfly, and Ant. It's difficult to continue elaborating on Origami Insects and Their Kin, because after several years it still makes my jaw drop, leaving me speechless. This book stands head and shoulders above any other origami book I have seen, for complexity and model quality. If you can't stand insects, perhaps this isn't the book for you. If that's not a problem, then why haven't you already put a good fifty hours into this book?

In my opinion, the books to date containing the most complicated and outrageous origami models are the following: Kawahata's Dinosaur, Issei's Supercomplex , and this CHAMPION , Lang's Insects. Every model here needs a lot (really a lot) patience and many-year folding experience. Or you MUST fail in folding over half of them. There are lots of unexpected and new technics, every model is in a neatly calculated mathematical proportion and with the exactly right number in every part (eyes, legs, antennas, etc.) In Facing such a book, I completely, deeply, adore the art of origami.

An awesome book! Contains some of the most beautiful folds I know, as well as some of the hardest. Here's what you get:

1. Treehopper: A rather simple bug, good introduction to the book.

2. Spotted Ladybug: An AWESOME exploration of color-contrast! Looks great when folded from the right paper even though it is not 3D.

3. Orb Weaver: What should I say, well it's a spider...

4. Tarantula: Another spider but with ten legs. If you do it right it looks much like the real thing.

5. Tick: This comes as a hungry and a sated tick. Easy to fold and looks good.

6. Ant: This is absolutely my favourite origami model! The ant is so awesome, I can't find words for it. You just have to fold it to believe it plus it's pretty easy to fold too.

7. Butterfly: Well folks that's a real butterfly with legs and it's really hard to fold.

8. Scarab Beetle: Egyptian bug.

9. Cicada: Looks GREAT when folded well but is probably the hardest model in the book.

10. Grasshopper: Green, long legs.

11. Black Pine Sawyer: Has really long antennae and looks really cool.

12. Dragonfly: Not very realistic, has a "cartoon" style look.

13. Hercules Beetle: A fat bug that looks good when folded well.

14. Long-Necked Seed Bug: I had never heard of this bug before. Doesn't look bad though.

15. Pill Bug: Not easy to fold but a great-looking and unique model.

16. Praying Mantis: Very hard.

17. Stag Beetle: Good looking and fairy easy.

18. Paper Wasp: Requires you to do something I would have thought impossible before reading this book. Extremely hard.

19. Samurai Helmet Beetle: Beautiful model but hard to fold.

20. Scorpion: Comes out pretty thick but can look nice too.

After all, a great book, if you are an advanced folder buy it!

Once again Robert Vavra presents us with a look at one of man's oldest friends - the horse. His books give readers an in-depth look at the horse in a natural setting, providing photographs taken by someone who has a deep understanding of the species. Many of the photos seem as though the horse was alone, the photographer invisible. Vavra has captured the spirit and natural freedom that wild horses enjoy. Some of the photos are so realistic that they seem to place the reader right there with the horses. Whether you are a long time horse-lover, or someone who appreciates nature portrayed naturally, this book is enjoyable.
The book contains selected poetry, and details of six breeds with special detail to the Andalusian horse.

I recieved this book as a Christmas gift and I fall in love with it every time I open it! I own several American Saddlebreds and I almost never see any pictures of them. Vavra has takes the most beautiful photos. The background colors always look great with the horses. I would frame each one if I could. If you love horses and art, this book is a must for you!

I once looked at this book and fell in love with the pictures. Robert Vavra can really capture the true energy of the horse. I love horses and I have never seen such such beautiful pictures in my life.

This is an amazing pop-up! It isn't for little fingers though. Lots of tantalizing papers to pull! However, seated on your lap, your child will adore the book. Mr. Sabuda has fabulous books, they are fantastic to look at. I have his butterly book also, and it is just as engaging.
You will love to count cookies with your little one!

This is a wonderful book for children of all ages. The pop-ups are fun and fanciful and will make you ooh and aah. I dare any adult to look at it and not be thrilled. The paper engineering is remarkable and you will stay awake at nights wondering how the artist could make such wonders. This is in full color as opposed to Sabuda's other works mainly done in white. I would make sure small hands are not allowed to get too friendly with this book so as to keep it functional.

Absolutely a stunning feat of paper engineering!

You almost wish you could eat the cookies as they pop off the page into your eyes. A clever little story without words occurs behind the simple rhyme that counts out all the cookies. For those watching the waistline, be glad you can only look at the pictures, and this book will stuff only stockings this holiday season and not tummies!

This story is a really good story. It's where Mr.Willowby gets a tree for a surprise. I really like this story because it's a Christmas story and because it really is cheerful. I recommend it for all ages because it is a really good book.

A copy of this book has been part of my Christmas since I was a baby. Every year the book gets pride of place, and the pages are well worn from reading. Fun illustrations and entertaining rhyme make this book a joy to read for children from age 2 to 102! Christmas just wouldn't be the same without Mr. Willowby and his amazing tree.

As a child of about 6 or 7, my parents got me Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. I would make my mom read it to me over and over as well as hearing "Captain Kangaroo" read it every year on his show. Now, I am a 41 year old mother of three, and I still have my original copy, as well as copies for my three children and am ordering a copy for my brand new nephew. Reading Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree has become a family tradition at my house. Of course, I don't have to read it - I have been able to recit it word for word for years!! This is a wonderful "snuggle up with a child in your arms" book that you will enjoy reading for years. Maybe it will become a family tradition at your house too!

A diagnosis of Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) seems a pretty frightening thing and one that most of us would choose to run away from (as if we might have a choice!). Some- where along my own path for answers concerning my child's regression I can remember a well meaning speech therapist sharing with me the short criteria list for CDD from DMS-IV. I xeroxed it and carried it around for a couple of years glancing at the paper from time to time in order to reassure myself against that diagnosis. I've got to tell you that this book is a must read for many of us who are still searching for the true diagnosis for our kids. Yes, it's scary but it's also VERY enlightening. The preface by Dr. Catalano begins, "This book is not for the weak of heart." He's right and should you read it, you can expect to shed some tears... for the families profiled and for all families in search for answers when their children regress.

The DMS-IV criteria for CDD specifies that the child develops typically to the age of 3; the condition's onset may be abrubt or more gradual; "sometimes there is a period of non-specific agitation as the child begins the dramatic regression that is the hallmark of this condition." Dr. Robert Catalano is an opthalmologist and a parent of a CDD child, while Dr. Volkmar of the forward is an authority in the autism/ CDD field. Dr. Volkmar explains that "for many years the presumption was that CDD was the overt manifestation of some identifiable neurological or other medical condition and, therefore, did not deserve official recognition." He adds, that "this has not been the case. Although such cases have been observed, it usually is the case that exhaustive medical evaluations do not reveal a specific medical 'cause' although non- specific abnormalities consistent with some as yet undiscovered neurobiological process or processes of seizures or abnormal brain wave activity are sometimes observed."

I have been reading the book at every available moment including in the middle of the night (hard to put down)... it haunts me, but still I must read further. I am the parent of two severely language-disordered, autistic spectrum children. A little over a year ago, my girls were given a tentative diagnosis of Landau Kleffner Syndrome (LKS). Even prior to this diagnosis I had begun an on-line support group for LKS families. Notably, several of the families profiled in the Catalano book have been down the LKS pathway. We (those who stories are in print and countless others) hope for the potentially curable diagnosis of LKS over the seemingly hopeless one of CDD (formerly referred to as Heller's Syndrome or Disintegrative Psychosis). Catalano writes of the parents, "They press for one more test, one more chance to expose the cause. They also try one more procedure, one more drug, and one more placement in this quest." He/ they are writing our individual and collective stories.

The book consists of eight chapters, each written by the parent of an autistic/ CDD child. Reading these chapters is like peering into the hearts of those parents. Except for the child in the final chapter, the children profiled are in the 5 - 10 age range, and given that this book is newly issued, these children's stories truly do parallel the stories of the 70 or so families in my on-line group. One wonders how many other such families exist... how many children's lives are marked by the fact of regression and a kind of slipping into autism? These kids were born in the late 80's and early 90's, and many of the doctors and other professionals are recognizable names to many of our families. These families have followed many of the same paths as we have... it truly is eerie to read.

Each story has tough moments, and yet, somehow the book remains hopeful. I suppose that there is some comfort for me in knowing that other parents who have tried with great diligence to find answers and the elusive path to recovery, have met similarly with frustration, incomprehention from professionals and the greater community, incomplete and inadequate answers, and instead of recovery have found a kind of resting place. Another reason that I can recommend this book to fellow parents of children "in the grey zone of an LKS diagnosis" like my own, is that they have put together in print a compilation of almost every conceivable path that parents might follow. It becomes a compendium of our search.

The book profiles the families' pursuit of various medications including anticonvulsants, antipyschotic drugs, steroids and IVIG. These families have spent countless hours in sensory integration therapy, speech therapy and Lovaas. One family combined Lovaas methods with Greenspan's naturalistic approach to communication. Alternative approaches are enumerated along with elimination diets and vitamin therapy. Virtually every method (sorry, no magnetic therapy!) is touched upon. For the most part, medical interventions did not lead to a lasting normalization for these kids. An aside, many of the stories include very convincing evidence of a connection between vaccination and subsequent regression.

A hopeful note for me was reading multiple accounts of a kind of stabilization in these children. One child undoubtedly benefited from taking the anti-psychotic, Largactil. Risperidol, by contrast, resulted in a loss of skills and increased agitation. His mother writes, "It was a blessing that the first anti-psychotic that Aaron was placed on had a positive effect. If he was tried on 3 or 4 different drugs with the same result as he had with Risperidol, I would have given up." Surprisingly, this same mother didn't benefit from her own wisdom when she tried an anticonvulsant. Aaron was started on a trial of Tegretol which made him quite ill within the first few days of treatment. His mother writes, "Aaron's allergic reaction to Tegretol finally made me (confront) my constant search for another (other than CDD) diagnosis. For whose benefit was I putting him through extra tests and sickness?" Her own response; "I am confident that I did it for Aaron.... (but I realized), it was time to stop." Each of us are confronted by this dilemna... when do we push for another path, another diagnosis, another cure and when do we accept and move towards a kind of stopping place?

Ultimately I'm recommending this book for the familiarity it brings... a kind of validation for all of our efforts no matter the outcome. The consolation for me was two fold. Firstly, CDD doesn't mean an endless collapse.... the disintegration appears to end for most of the kids profiled. In fact, most seemed to have some nominal recovery to a place where they were able to function within their environment. Parent, Craig Schultze, summarizes the second reason for my consolation. He writes, "The diagnosis of CDD is just the beginning of a process that will subdivide the fundtionally useless label of autism into subgroups that can be better studied to find causes, preventive strategies, and cures."

This book was fantastic. I stayed up all night to finish it, because I got so involved. I am giving this a 5-star review because I absolutely believe it deserves one. I think these families have been through a lot with their children that have CDD/autism. It was well-written, and interesting to read.

As far as I know, this is the only book specifically about the rare and mysterious pervasive developmental disorder known as Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (or Heller's Syndrome), in which children lose previously acquired skills and develop the symptoms of autism after several years of apparently normal development.

With an introduction by autism expert Fred Volkmar, the book presents the stories of eight families of children with CDD, including the editor's own son Thomas, and Jordan Schulze (the subject of his father Craig's book "When Snow Turns to Rain"), as they struggle to cope with and find an explanation for their children's devastating regression.

Hopefully, this book will increase awareness of the under-diagnosed condition and let other families know that they are not alone.

This is the most beautiful, brilliant Christmas book I have ever seen. It is for all ages, not just 4-8. Sabuda pays attention not just to how the pop-up image looks when the page is open, but also to the way in which the image emerges. The simplicity of images, use of color, and imagination all combine to make this a perfect book.

The classic Christmas song is illustrated in all of its verses in this charming book. The pop-up pictures are delightful, and some of the depictions actually are exquisite, halfway between oragami and sculpture. The art is the work of a visionary. This is a lovely book for children, but adults really may appreciate it more than little ones do.

Even though I am a teenager, I love Sabudas' The Twelve Days of Christmas. This book is magical because when you turn to each page you see a magnificent array of creativity. Each time I read it (many times!) I study how all those paper designs work so perfectly. I especially love the jewelry box, swans, and reindeer. It is a real treat for your eyes as well as your imagination. I recommend it for all ages, and would be a perfect gift for the holiday season.

From the moment that Darcy set her eyes on the three foster kids, she knew that baby-sitting would not be a "fun" job. Even though the pay was twice her rate, was only for a few hours a day, and Darcy was an experienced baby-sitter, she didn't count on the mysterious things that started happening at the children's house after she took the job. She did everything a good baby-sitter was supposed to do. She didn't let the stranger saying he was from the gas company into the house, and she called the police when the house alarm went off in the middle of the afternoon. All of a sudden, a strange thing happens, and now it is up to Darcy to rescue the foster kids and herself from three dangerous kidnappers.

This book is full of suspense. That's why it's interesting to read. Once you start reading you can't stop. You just keep on turning the pages. Will Darcy be able to save herself and the kids? If you want to find out, read the book and get caught up in the great adventure with Darcy and the three kids.

I liked this book because everytime you turn around something exciting happens! The characters are fit for the book.I liked the main character, Darcy, because in the end she is very brave. This book has exciting, mischievious characters. The baby-sitter,Darcy Stevens, gets interviewed at this "high-quality" house. She gets the job and finds out that the children are pests! The second day as she was finishing making lunch ,when all of the sudden the burgular alarm went off!The police come and search, but there's no one around. The police leave and a few minutes later... If you want to know what happens you'll have to read on!So hurry up! It's to exciting to wait!

This is one of my favorite books. I don't usually enjoy this type of book but there is something about the style of writing that that just made me love it!

Although Mr. Reiss has lots of experience (which he reminds us of quite a bit throughout the book) most of it is in inventing / product development / manufacturing / wholesaling. If your interests lie in this area, the book will most likely be of benefit to you.

For me, as a burgeoning retailer, I found I skimmed more than half the book, because the content was of no immediate value or interest to me. Also, the service sector is barely touched on.

I realize that 3 stars may not be fair, given the limitations of my own area of interest, but 1) the book description should give some indication of its limitations, 2) the book cries out for less philosophy and more concrete examples of the points being made, 3)the writing itself is average at best...the book wants to be somewhat inspirational as well as practical, but Mr. Reiss' writing is not up to the level of inspirational.

I see from the other reviews here that lots of people love this book. That's why I ordered it. But I have to admit I was disappointed. But I also can see how for the right entrepreneur, it could be of some value.

In today's world with women fleeing corporations to start their own businesses coupled with mature executives forced out of corporations due to mergers or downsizing, Bob Reiss' book is a life raft. Frankly, I think risk management is the least important lesson Reiss offers. His real gifts are how to get started, how to build the company, and how to create, build, and sell products not only to the buyer but to the consumer. For those with a great idea who may be financially challenged, he also offers info on how to create a cash flow, a product cost analysis, a break-even analysis, and a business plan that will help get money. If ever a book were written for the fledgling entrepreneur or entrepreneur wanna-be, this is it.

Reiss' book gives ideas you can use obviously gleaned from his personal experiences "where the rubber meets the road."My sons are buying my business and I've given them the book as assigned reading; particularly the chapter"Numeracy".I personally used his ideas from the chapter "Building the Company" about how to get free publicity instead of paying for advertising. I'm building a condo project and received 8 newspaper articles, with photos- some front page- in three different newspapers! The articles generated 16 inquiries and 1 sale so far.Bob's 16 common attributes of entrepreneurs in Chapter 1 are fascinating. I teach literacy to a foreigner who is keenly interested in business and I used this chapter with him.If you own a business, want to or deal with entrepreneurs, get this book and study it!

"Golf is a Game of Confidence" has helped both my wife and I lower our handicaps and play the game with much more enjoyment. Each chapter of the book is dedicated to stories from different golfers of all abilities - male, female, professional or amateur - whose game of golf has been helped through consultations with or reading the advice of Robert J. Roteela. Basic training tips, such as "Staying in the Present" "Be confident with your club selection and swing" "Dedication to the short game" and "Not keeping track of your score" really do work. You'll find a lot of great advice in this book.

Golf is a Game of Confidence is another great success from Bob Rotella. He has again written a book to help people play better golf by changing their mental game./This is a book of insights that he has told to PGA tour professionals such as Brad Faxon. It is a wonderful book with many great tips for average, great, and even beggining golfers./ I would suggest this book to anyone who plays golf or wants to learn how to. Rotella has put another book of helpful information into the hands of the public. I recommend that if you want to improve your golf game you go out and buy this book.

"Golf is a Game of Confidence" is another great book from Bob Rotella. He has again written a book that will help people improve their golf game and in turn have more fun./ This is a book of insights that he has given to top PGA tour professionals like Brad Faxon. It is a wonderful book with many great tips for beginner, average, and great golfers. He writes these books to help all golfers and share the insight he has learned./ I would suggest this book to anyone who plays golf or has the desire to play. I also recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the book "Golf is not a game of perfect" also written by Bob Rotella. This is a great book that will help anyone who is willing to read.

...everything I make from this book is truly delicious and , may I add, nutritious. Parisian Home Cooking teaches us that the value of fresh and diverse ingredients, simply prepared is the core of true health; dishes that yearn to be enjoyed amoung friends and actually leave you energy to enjoy their company! I just love the woman who refuses to spend more than fifteen minutes at her stove yet serves up divine dinners; the butcher's timeless admonition that for the body to work it must have some fat - how avant; the tips that coax real flavor from simple foods - to "sweeten" the vinegar for the perfect vinaigrette by adding a splash of wine (just one tip of many). As the diet gurus duke it out for your dollars, look at the slim, healthy Parisians in the photographs, read what they eat at home, and you will toss out the crazed American diet fads with relief. This book will feed you. It's also a good read. Move over Dr. Ornish and Monsieur Pepin - the secret is out!

I love this book! I especially enjoyed all of the "philosophy" on cooking, eating and enjoying life.

The world needs more cookbooks like this: ones that emphasize quality and simplicity. Thank you Michael Roberts for suggesting that we all try to cook only simple meals during the week!

NEW YOUR TIMES SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW JUNE 6, 1999

The new rush-to-the-stoves book is Parisian Home Cooking: Conversations, Recipes and Tips From the Cooks and Food Merchants of Paris......a collection of recipes lovingly and cannily collected from Parisians young and old-- a concierge, a hip friend and his mother, a fellow American in Paris, the butcher at the street market and many other garrulous vendors. Roberts, a longtime Los Angeles restaurant chef and (with Barbara Kafka) one of the country's few truly original thinkers about cooking, returned to Paris 20 years after receiving his culinary schooling there, armed with a student's enthusiasm, an anthropologist's curiosity, a born schmoozer's way of eliciting cooking secrets and a sensational sense of taste. He rediscovers techniques born of Parisian practicality in the face of minimal burners and unreliable ovens: duck cooked and defatted in a pressure cooker before being finished in the oven, chicken roasted in a closely covered casserole, steak seared in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Techniques and recipes like this will make cooks who cut their teeth on Julia Child and then moved on to Italy fall in love with French cooking all over again.