Jean Toomer was one of the great literary figures from the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's. His signature work, Cane, is known by most people who have studied African-American literatureo. Lesser known to readers is this brilliant work, Essentials, published in 1931.

After his success with Cane, Toomer disappeared from the literary scene to pursue his own philosophical and psychological inquiries. He went against the grain of his time which believed African-Americans were not capable of exploring the world of metaphysics, let alone psychology. Toomer, way ahead of his time proved them wrong as he sought enlightenment in the teachings of George Gurdjieff. During this time (1924-1935), Toomer published this slim volume offering his attempts to grapple with the experience of what it means to be human.

Essentials is a collection of Toomer's ponderings in his search for wholeness in a fragmented world. Drawing on modern psychology and eastern religious belief Toomer falls into the comapny of Emerson, Thoreau and Gibran as he deals with that which is transcendent. He revives the use of aphorisms to convey timeless truths in a world which is incable of moving beyond its limited definitions of life.

Long ignored, this work gives us a glimpse of Toomer's metaphysical side. Through it we capture another alternative view of dealing with reality. It is essential reading for anyone interested in metaphysics, African-American literature, Toomer and as an example of a Black writer who refused to be limited by definitions of race for his life. Think on his words. Grow in the wisdom shared by a great literary giant of the 20th century.

This book is absolutely essential in answering questions about administration and scoring. It also does a fantastic job of explaining the theory behind the C-H-C theory and how it is used in the WJ-III. Finally, it gives great pointers in interpretation. It does a thorough job of explaining GAF, clusters, and subtests.

Walters and Palmer present here a solid argument regarding the impending technology of human gene therapy. They walk through the science carefully, but the core of the book is on the development of criteria for when trials in gene therapy would be acceptable. While this reviewer does not agree with every stand they take, the book will be a classic in the ethics of gene therapy because of its careful argument and thorough analysis.

This is an great introduction for those of us who are familiar with only one skin type. The photographs and text are excellent, and they cover many of the normal variations and pathological conditions involving nails, hair, and skin. The book also explains many of the skin/hair care practices which are unique to non-white ethnic groups. The book mostly covers black skin, but there are a few sections on hispanic and asian skin. It also has a section on plastic surgery. I pretty much read the book cover-to-cover.

I used this book during my second pregnancy when things were not quite settled. It helped me focus on the wonder and awe of the little one growing inside of me and store those special feelings for her. Every pregnant woman should have this book...and pass it on to the child it is written as a tribute to. They are never as safe as they are when they are in the womb.

The real life stories in this book all deal with the adversities of everyday life, growing up, going to school, being a parent etc. It also shows how everyday people have jumped the high burdles in life that cripple many of us. For that reason these people are heroes. They are not celebrities or anyone you will read about in magazines or newspapers. They are just "normal people." But they've done extraordinary things.

An added bonus with this book is that it is real easy reading. The stories are at most 5 pages long per person. The writing style is simple, to the point but never losing it's spirituality. The editorial doesn't even try to glamourize the people mentioned. It simply shows that life is hard - but the will of the human spirit is even harder.

This book is an excellent motivator! As corny as this may sound, it makes you say to yourself the words, "I can." It makes you realize that we all have the potential to be heroes to ourselves and to people around us.

This book helped me though the toughest parts of the game. Without it I would be toast!

I've taught experimental psychology many times with many different books. This book, however, is my favorite because it focuses on work as done by practicing researchers. The content is well-thought out and is short enough to not overwhelm the students. The two chapters of design critiques are excellent assignments in critical thinking. Most of all, the reproduced and annotated research articles are a gift. APA style is hard for students to understand, so the expository style helps tremendously. I hope this book never goes out of print.

I am one of those people who grew up in the city and until about seven years ago, hardly ever placed my feet on unpaved ground. I recieved a copy of Jenkins' book as a gift and began taking some of the easier trips in this beautiful country. The book is full of descriptive detail, well thought out hikes,and enjoyable car tours. The original author, J.C. Jenkins, actually travelled every inch of the territory described in the book with a mileage wheel.After his untimely death, his mother,Ruby Johnson Jenkins,set about the task of rewalking every trip in order to keep the book up to date. There is no second-hand information in either of the books(the companion book is called "Exploring the Southern Sierra,East Side"). I have been of many of the longer trips now and find the books to be reliable, interesting, and informative.

Our copy of this book is being used constantly by our consulting staff. It covers the complicated process of shipping products to foreign markets. We recommend it to our clients, especially those who handle their own international shipping, insurance and payment processing. John R. Jagoe, Director, Export Institute.