Finally I've found Flat Stanley!! I read this wonderful book when I was a small child and was thrilled by Stanley's situation. In fact, it is one of the only stories I can still vividly recall from my TV-infested childhood. (And it still affects me-- to this day I have NEVER put a bulletin board above my bed or anything big for that matter!!!). As I grew older, I lost track of my copy of the book-- but would always ask friends if they remembered it when the converstation turned to children's literature. Surprisingly, not many people had heard of the story-- which, of course, inspired me to find the book and bring back a classic to my friends, nieces and nephews. So, I scoured bookstores old and new to find it. And I was without luck-- until now. With the help of my computer and Amazon.com I have, again, found Flat Stanley. So, I'm ordering a bunch of copies-- for myself and my family-- and I'm thrilled that Stanley will find a place once again on my bookshelf -- and will hopefully remain there for years to come. I can't wait for him to get here!!!

This imaginative story by Jeff Brown tells about the adventures of a young boy, Stanley, who is mashed flat by an enormous bulletin board that falls on him in the night. As being flat has its advantages, Stanley has quite a few exciting adventures, one of which includes being placed in an envelope and mailed to friends in California for a vacation trip. The story is filled with mystery, adventure, sibling rivalry, and family fun. Children will love reading about the antics of Flat Stanley!

Note to teachers: This book is great when used as a part of a social studies unit on America. Have children create a U.S. map. Find California. Practice letter writing. Send Flat Stanley to friends and relatives in other states. Locate those states on the class map. Gather information about those states through return letters and let children learn from each other.

Flat Stanley By Jeff Brown. Who is 4 feet tall, 1 inch thick, and 1 inch wide? Stanley Lambchop is. I thought this book was so good I could already visualize the pictures before I even saw them. Stanley's worst fear is, is he ever going back to his normal life again? Read this book and find out. If I were to grade this I would give it ten stars. This book is so good. I think you should read Flat Stanley. How does Stanley become flat? Read this book and find out. Stanley has many great adventures.

As an author with my debut novel in its initial release, I know a great story when I read one. G. Bruce Knecht's THE PROVING GROUND tells one of the most exciting sea stories of recent years. Knecht's book, nonfiction, provides an up close and personal report of the disastrous Sidney to Hobart Yacht Race in 1998. Knecht examines the obsession of many of the competitors and tells of one the most tragic competitions in modern sporting history. Over one hundred yachts sailed from Sidney, yet less than half that number reached Hobart. Six sailors lost their lives, and dozens of others needed rescued from the sea. Adverse weather caused the disaster, and Knecht tells this whale of a tale of eighty-foot waves wiping out numerous competitive crafts. Knecht also presents the pressures of competition, the drive of several crews, and the reactions of many individuals to various forms of stress. This book is an excellent one. Just don't read it while riding out a storm at sea.

I read The Proving Ground in one night ... I just couldn't put it down. And I didn't mind that I was exhausted from lack of sleep the next day because I so enjoyed the read. Bruce Knecht not only has written a detailed account of the horrific experiences of the yachtsmen on three boats in the Sydney-Hobart race, but he has captured what it was like for the sailors to endure the ordeal ... the fear, the heroic sacrifices, the physical endurance, and the struggle over having to make decisions that could result in fatal errors (which some did).

As an experienced ocean sailor, I can say that Mr. Knecht has done an excellent job of portraying life at sea on a racing boat, without getting overly technical. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a gripping adventure story with characters who are both heroic and flawed, and for the men who died, are also all too real.

As an experienced offshore sailor, I found Knecht's book absolutely riveting. He sets out to examine why it is that already highly-successful people (who don't necessarily have anything to prove) are tempted to put their lives at stake competing in a yacht race. He then goes on to describe and examine what went wrong, and why. He deals with the meteorology, the nature of the yachts, the personalities of the crews, and their reactions to severe stress and, in some cases, disaster.

Offshore sailors know why we do it anyway: racing yachts is exciting and challenging. Knecht reports impartially on the attitudes and judgement capacities of those he interviewed. He asks all the right questions, and passes no judgement on the answers. He does not attempt to draw conclusions, and makes no recommendations. He reports, and well.

Non-sailors will enjoy this book because it is so damn exciting. They will be amazed - maybe horrified as well as stirred - at some of the characters and events described.

Sailors will enjoy it too, recognising events and personalities that we have all seen before, but maybe on a less extreme scale and under less extreme circumstances. Sailors SHOULD read this book because it will give them a better understanding of the well-worn maxim that "what CAN go wrong sooner or later WILL go wrong". Then they may be better prepared for that awful event, but it still won't stop them going to sea!

"Inside Photoshop 7" is one of the most complete and still approachable books on Photoshop available. It is well organized with the core topics at the beginning of the book followed by specific areas of interest. For example, you might want to move from the core concepts to the section for photographers, or to the section for artists, or the section for the web. The choice of how to proceed is up to you and your interests.

This is Gary Bouton's 13th book on Photoshop. To say that he has learned not only the details of the program but also how to impart that knowledge to a reader is an understatement. Throughout the book he explains what he is trying to accomplish with a project, how he is going to accomplish it and then walks you through the process. The end effect is that you actually learn how to use Photoshop 7 to create the effects that you want.

Feature rich and full of examples, it covers the basic and advances features of Photoshop 7 in detail. Complex concepts are explained in detail in a very easy to understand writing style. If you want to become a Photoshop expert this is the place to start. A highly recommended read.

Gary Burton and 5 contributors have put together a comprehensive step by step reference guide to Photoshop 7.0. The book is well thought out with practical tutorials in a user friendly format and in such a way that anyone can follow along.

My reference to this being a "reference guide" is demonstrated in part one, for instance, the author gives you a detailed list of definitions of Photoshop's Blending Modes and throughout the book this same practice is applied. In part two you're guided through Photoshop's Core Concepts such as, Preferences, understanding Photoshop's Color System Management and the importance of Scratch Disks and so much more. I could simply go on and on, as there is so much valuable information in this book. To top it off, on the accompanying CD ROM are, resource files for the chapters examples, a inside Photoshop e-glossary, fonts, textures, tiles and 6 software demos.

All in all, the author makes sure you walk away with a deeper understanding of how the application works, along with being able to create, touch up, restore and materialize digital imagery like never before.

This is a must have!

The authors managed to make Photoshop 7 a delight to learn, and the book, an entertaining reading. It has two important qualities that became obvious as I read on: (1) it can sustain my interest to learn more and work the exercises, and; (2) the authors tried their best to help the reader really understand Photoshop principles. The style's upbeat, and the book's organization, clever. Photoshop core principles were presented first then it's practical use as applied to photography, the Web, art, and just plain goofing around. Makes a lot of sense. Although the images were in black and white in the book, they have proven to be good guides. There were plenty of screen shots of dialog boxes, which tool to use and what the images should look like. They help to ensure that you don't get lost. The actual tutorial images were in full color in the CD-ROM, many of them nicely rendered in 3D.

The observations in the previous review, "Several Areas of Ommission" are valid ones, though. I did find one exercise (Inverting and Refining A Shape Layer, page 185) that seem to have missed a step. Figure 5.29 on page 228 didn't quite look like what it was supposed to. But except for a few minor typo errors all the projects thus far were clearly explained and finished as written. I repeated some of them just for the fun of it. Odds are, any book this size (1000+ pages) would likely take its own share of minor errors. Overall, it was very well written.

I am on the last 3 chapters of the book (no skipping) and I can say for certain that the authors were careful to give the reader consistent quality instruction right from the beginning. All the toturials were very interesting. There was not a dull moment! The other advantage of this book was that it was written by several people, who apllied their expertise on specialized chapters. My only complaint is that the they couldn't be reached for clarification on the item on page 185. It has been a wonderful experience learning Photoshop 7 and I am glad I had this book as my main guide.

Being vegan in a very unvegan world can be extremely difficult. Fortunately Joanne Stepaniak has provided us all with a guidebook to staying sane as a vegan in our current world. Being a beginning vegan I found this book to be very reassuring that veganism is a realistic possibility for people of all ages. Furthermore, this book prepares you for virtually every scenario that you can encounter as a vegan. Prior to reading this book I had no idea how linked the meat, diary, egg, and leather industries all were. Upon reading this I realized that a vegan lifestyle was perfectly logical and compassionate for me. I would recommend this book to any vegan because it provides a strong base for handling social situations, dining at restaurants, and how to deal with vegan dilemmas. Above all, Stepaniak encourages her readers to seek compassion as much as current societal limits will allow.

If you are a vegan who has ever wished there was a Veganism FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), this book is it.

Being Vegan consists of the most commonly-asked questions and answers about all aspects of vegan living. The areas covered include Vegan Philosophy, Relationships, Ethical Practice, and Food. Within each area, questions are grouped by subject. The helpful table of contents lists each question, making the book useful as a reference manual as well as for general reading.

All the common questions are addressed here, from the "what if" objections of the unconverted to the "how to deal with parents" issue. Recognizing that veganism is more than a diet, it also addresses the other day-to-day issues of vegan living, such as pest control, employment, companion animals, etc..

Joanne Stepaniak has once again performed an invaluable service to vegans everywhere, in providing this vital manual. She addresses each issue with her customary compassionate wisdom. Being Vegan is a must for anyone considering or currently transitioning to veganism, as well as for experienced vegans.

I'm a big fan of Joanne Stepaniak and have followed her writings for years. I'm amazed at her remarkable ability to consistently produce groundbreaking work. Just when you think Joanne couldn't possibly come up with new ways of addressing conventional perspectives, she does it again. She possesses clarity of purpose and is a heartfelt advocate of compassionate living. I own a copy of each of her titles including Being Vegan, one of her latest offerings. I must admit that initially I was a bit skeptical about purchasing Being Vegan, considering that I've lived as a vegan for nearly twenty years and thought I'd seen and heard it all. The skepticism was short lived. As I started reading, I realized that as with her previous titles, Joanne had written another tour de force. The book's format is ingenious and engaging. It's a question and answer format based on the thousands of questions she has received from around the world via her popular Web site Grassroots Veganism and her award winning on-line advice column. I was thrilled and encouraged by the notion that veganism literally crosses cultural and geographical boundaries and exists in parts of the world that one would least expect. In addition, it's rather obvious that Joanne spent countless hours on research and tailoring her thoughtful answers to suit the individual. Her thouroughness and sensitivity are inspiring. I was also very impressed with the ambitious scope of Being Vegan. The entire vegan lifecycle is addressed including philosophy, relationships, ethical practice, and vegan practice and food. Finally, this book is not only for "new" vegans and their non-vegan relatives and friends. I'm sure that other "old-timers" like me will find Being Vegan as thought-provoking and sensible as I did. Highly recommended.

I don't think this book is junk at all! This program can be done at home by parents as well as by professionals. I don't need to fork out lots of money to therapists to do the program. I use his toys and natural activities that occur through out the day to apply the Floor time model. The activities in the book are wonderful for my PDD/language delayed son. He is too high functioning for ABA and I wanted to find ways I could help him. Before I read the book, I felt so helpless. Dr. Greenspan empowered me to help my child and look for hope in our situation!

This hefty resource is informative, insightful and, most of all, inspirational--giving parents a way to reach children who often seem so unreachable. In addition to the very concrete instructions on how to do Floor Time, it provides a wealth of information on the emotional development and behavioral challenges of neurologically impaired children. Dr. Greenspan is well-known and well-respected in special-education circles, so if you, like me, are the kind of parent who is constantly copying passages of favorite books to give to teachers and Child Study Team members, know that the material here will get their attention. Only one quibble: How are parents with challenging children supposed to find the time to read a book as big and information-packed as this one? All the same, it's well worth the effort. Who needs sleep, anyway?

As parents of a child w/special needs we stumbled across this right after the initial diagnosis. It provided us with the direction we needed to work with our son at home. The early intervention program our school (in Iowa) used was based on this floor time approach and was incredibly effective. Now in the DC area our son is one of his patients. The book and Dr Greenspan's approaches literally turned our son's life around. An excellent follow up as your child enters elementary school--Playground Politics.

In contrast to some of the other editions of the complete works of Shakespeare, this book really is value for money. All plays (and poems, etcetera) are printed in a lavishly, pleasing way, very easy to the eye (one of the biggest drawbacks of some editions is that they use a very small font to keep the number of pages to a minimum). As others have commented, not much can and should be commented on the works themselves, they have stood the test of time, and the (normal) spelling that is used in this edition makes each reading an enjoyable experience. All the plays are given a brief (and somewhat succinct) introduction, which is, at best, okay. The strange things, in this book, are, for example, the order of the plays, the way King Lear is printed in two versions (that differ only in small details), and the inclusion of fragments that are attributed to Shakespeare (a bit controversial to say the least). Still, if you want to buy a good, thorough, and well-researched edition of the complete works of Shakespeare, you will not go far wrong with this book.

Pretty much any edition of Shakespeare deserves 5 stars for content. I think the question most people must have is "Which edition?"

I purchased "The Complete Pelican Shakespeare" because I wanted a relatively portable, high-quality book featuring text that benefits from modern scholarship (including brief notes and glossary). I wanted an edition to read and to treasure.

I should say that I didn't need extensive commentary with the text (as in the Arden paperbacks). That bulks it up considerably, can be had in other places, and can be left behind once one has read a play once or twice.

While I'm no Shakespearean scholar myself, this edition seems to meet the editorial criteria quite well. The text appears to benefit from modern, authoritative editorship, the introductions are brief but useful, and archaic terms and phrases are defined on the page where they occur.

The binding is high quality, as is the paper.

This is the most portable of the modern hard-cover editions I've found, with the possible exception of the Oxford edition, which is thicker, but smaller in the other two dimensions. I decided against the Oxford because the binding is of lesser quality and Oxford has a relatively idiosyncratic editorial policy with which I don't entirely agree.

Sadly, this is still a pretty big book, just small enough for a good-sized person to hold up and read in bed, and too much for an airplane or trip to the park. I wish someone would make a truly portable version! There is no reason that the entire thing couldn't be compressed into the space of a smallish bible (for those with the eyes for it!).

This weighty tome brings together authoritative versions of the complete works of Shakespeare. The excellent and informative introduction provides the historical context for the plays, the author and the folios. It also explains well how the plays tended to evolve with re-writes and performances. I have not read all of the plays and sonnets, but of the Shakespeare works Henry V and Hamlet, for example, provide high drama with stories that are compelling and language that is unique, beautiful and powerful. While the Taming of the Shrew and a Midsummers Night Dream provide humor, and other plays provide tragedy and pathos. A thousand phrases from these great plays and sonnets have probably carried into modern usuage. Shakespeare is best enjoyed first as a play by fine actors, such as those of the Royal Shakespeare company, that can give life to the often archaic and unfamiliar words, phrases and language constructs that come late 1500s. Once you have been captivated by a good live performance, reading the text becomes a joy and the strange language an exquisit pleasure. Some movies based on Shakespeare are more interesting than others (Kenneth Branagh has been quite successful, while Mel Gibson and Sir Lawrence Olivier were less so to my mind) but a live theater performance is far better and the written word is probably a close second. If you are interested in Shakespeare then this is a wonderful book - the only one you need really. If you have children then you really should get this and encourage them to read it. I have started reading selected passages with my 5 year old son and he loves it, he is absolutely enthralled with the language -- be bold, try it.

This book does give some insight into temperment. I don't think it truly provides solutions to parents that will help them deal with difficult children. The author's approach is very behaviouristic and authoritarian. Most parents would find it hard to do some of the things Turecki suggests. He uses alot of negative labels for children's behaviour; he seems to be stigmatizing these children. It's a very simplistic approach. There are better methods available for helping parents cope with high energy children. I'd read Mary Sheedy Kurchinka's Raising Your Spirited Child and the follow-up to it, Kids, Parents and Power Struggles.

This book should provide some relief for parents struggling with a challengeng child. The temperamental traits which make a child difficult are well explained with advice on how to cope. Some might be put off because it seems to be directed mainly stay at home moms and the way that a typical family is presented. What I liked is that it teaches parents to become assertive and authorative resisting the temptation to reason or over explain family rules and requests. What helped us with our child was to establish firm consistant limits and boundaries which enabled him to develop and grow. On the other hand I disagreed with the use of rewards or punishment to change behaviour. Also I had doubts about the notion of always trying to separate temeramental behaviour from normal misbehaviour as the critical factor in how you deal with it. Overall the book is very authorative and insightful covering many areas of interrest to parents including medications. I still would recommend reading the book "The Manipulative Child: How to Regain Control and Raise Resilient, Resourceful and Independant Kids" for further understanding of difficult behaviour.

The biggest thing this book did for me was to make me realize that I wasn't going crazy. I went into counseling thinking I couldn't cope as a wife/mother. I was blaming it all on my husband. Meanwhile my 3 yr old son was constantly hitting, kicking and throwing and not responding to any form of discipline. The pediatrician's office recommended this book. I saw my child in the pages...sensory sensitivity, moodiness, etc. And I saw myself...an overwhelmed, depressed Mom. This book gave me HOPE. We are finding out that there are "un-obvious" developmental reasons behind my son's behavior so the book is not totally applicable. However, the HOPE that this book gave me, made it a very worthwhile investment.

This crash course in C++ covers all of the important aspects of the language in around 250 pages. The book touches on most of the standard language and even some STL. Also, it uses the standard C++ library which a lot of older books on C++ fail to use. Without the standard library, C++ is just another C. However, when you use the standard library, the distinctions between the two languages is clear.

This book is very good when used in conjunction with Lippman's other book, "The C++ Primer," which is hands-down the best and most readable book about C++. However, "The C++ Primer" is more in-depth and almost 1300 pages, so this book is much more attractive for those who don't have a lot of time to dedicate to learning C++ the old fashion way. One warning about this book, however, is that if you don't know how to program in at least one other programming language besides C++, then this may not be the book for you. This book is very fast paced and spends all of it's time going over syntax rather then sematics. But for the experienced programmer, there is no faster way to learn the essentials of C++.

This book takes you from C++ ground zero up to writing some fairly complicated and interesting programs in a short time. Mr. Lippman provides progressively harder problems that need to be solved, and at each stage teaches you exactly those new language elements that are needed to solve each problem, so you can understand from the beginning the usefulness (and necessity) of the language features. The example programs are interesting, and best of all, he provides answers to the programming exercises (I always love it when an author does that!), so you can practice what you're learning and get feedback on how you're doing!

"Essential C++" conveys the essence of C++ in a very readable 200 pages. I was already familiar with much of the basic material but the review/reinforcement was helpful and I learned many new things about some relatively recent C++ features such as the standard template library, generic programming, function objects, templates and exceptions.

This book takes a hands on approach, developing code fragments to illustrate the topics by example. It's very well organized with each chapter building on material from previous chapters. Lippman's writing is simple and straightforward with a touch of good humor.

All in all a rarity - a technical book about computer programming that is well organized, full of useful information and fun to read.

I have read the Lombardo translation of the Iliad and its very well done, except he is in a league of giants; I think for the lyical aspect of Homer Pope is the best, and for the symplicity of the Epic, Lattimore and Fagels do a great job. I think if somebody want to enjoy the Iliad, Lombardo is a terrific starting point, but the others should not be forgoten. (Esp Pope: he is my favorite, I am VERY partial).

This isn't the same Iliad you read in high school! Lombardo's translation literally comes alive for the reader. By updating the archaic language Lombardo allows the reader easier access to Homer's ideals and a better understanding of the events leading up to and after Achilles period of Rage.

The books biggest strength is the language used to describe battle. The horrors of war become much more real with these graphic descriptions of blood and gore.

This may not be the best translation for the serious scholar, as much of the poetry from the oringial is lost, but for students this translation is a life saver.

Stanley Lombardo has produced a lively and readable translation of Homer's work that's not afraid to use modern idiom and military jargon. I've read several translations (but not the original Greek unfortunately) and I'd recommend this to anybody interested in it whether it's his first experience of Homer or not. Setting the extended similes in italics and in their own stanzas adds to the vividness of the translation. I've liked Lombardo's Iliad enough to buy several of his other translations including the Odyssey. The hardback is full cloth and has a sewn binding; I only wish it came with a dust jacket.

Very nice book, by Coren of course,who dedicated a whole life studying our Friends. Interesting and humorous, gives all information you need whether you know the most or the least about your dog. Once again though, I will make a comment about the stories of people and their dogs, and say that so many details and explanations are not so necessary. I skipped most of them!

I have loved and grown up with dogs all my life. I came to understand much of what they try to say, but this book shed light upon the many shadows of misunderstanding we all have about dogs. Coren does an excellent job of helping dog lovers see what it's like from a dog's perspective and giving them a compassionate voice to us all. This book will give you an understanding that will make training, playing, interacting with your dog much easier and much more fun for you and doggie.

I've been reading everything I can get my hands on lately in order to better my relationship with my dog Annie. We both have a lot of work to do (me definitely more than her). We've been through obedience training (beginner's and advanced classes), and are now working on the problem areas and reinforcing what we've learned. There are a lot of books out there with really great information. This one resonated the most. I've recommended it to several dog owners and lovers I know. Although my problems with Annie might not be the same as yours and your dog(s), you will still benefit from Stanley Coren's insight and experience handling these wonderful creatures. I've read some of his other books, and this is my favorite. His solutions are humane, intelligent and they work. There are books out there that are still encouraging choke collars and "jerk corrections" - they are SO out of date. There is no need for ANY kind of rough or aggressive handling with a dog. Annie has responded incredibly well to the lessons I learned through "How to Speak Dog," I am a much more confident owner and trainer, and we are both happier. The other day I was walking Annie and a woman pulled over, got out of her car and asked if I was a dog trainer. Imagine that!!