Truly the best book on self development I have ever read.
Though a short book, (you can read it in one sitting) the stories it contains, and the truths it expounds, are life changing. In remarkably simple fashion, the author explains that every thing we do or do not do in life, including how we feel, how much effort we put into a particular task,etc... is not by fate but by choice! Like a ray of light through a dismal mist, this masterpiece by J. Martin Kohe will make one realize how and why they're where they are and life, and, more importantly, how they can get to where they want to be!

When I finished reading this book, I felt very good and calm. It has confirmed something I always know. It has made it easier and easier for me to choose the good things in life, which will bring me closer and closer to the goals I have set for myself.

I have read and reread this book hundreds of times. I've used it while teaching children, adults and raising my own family. It is perhaps the most basic book on life ever written. Simply, it makes you think and not merely react to life's situations. This is a must read for all ages, again and again.

This book is fabulous. I am a beginner and it covers each rose in depth. At the front of the book is fascinating history on roses. Especially how roses were such a commodity in the 1600-1700 & 1800's. They even stopped a ship blockade to let the roses in.

Although this book isn't all-inclusive (after all, the title is 100 old roses), this is the book I reach for first. It's great when I'm trying to find out more information on a rose in a catalog, or looking for an old rose for a specific spot. First of all, I can't resist the pictures (but they may be slightly misleading as in the case of Blanc Double de Coubert which I've never seen growing with the great cutting stem as shown). Second, the text makes for amusing reading. It's oppinionated, and I like that. Third, there's the handy Index of Old Garden Roses by Color in the back. It's actually a little summary: flower style, plant type, and class e.g. Madame Isaac Pereire: cupped, tall, Bourbon. Very handy. The only thing that would make this better is if it had scratch and sniff (unfortunately not realistic)...since scent is such a subjective thing (I was so hot for Louise Odier until I smelled her and was surprised to find that I didn't like the fragrance).

If you are interested in growing roses and want to try some that are not just your basic Hybrid Teas, this is a wonderful book to get. You will drool over the pictures and the text is excellent. The pictures take one page and are a gorgeous shots of the bloom with a long stem and leaves. On the opposite page is text which goes into great detail about the rose characteristics, growth patterns, habits, vigor, etc. It is an invaluable book when trying to decide what old garden roses to introduce to your garden.

This format is so beautful and so useful, that I have purchased all of the gardening books in this "series" by this publisher. It is rare to get such excellent photos in combination with such useful text.

I started growing roses about five years ago and became frustrated with Hybrid Teas because of blackspot and their generally fussy behavior and stiff, formal flowers. This book and Liz Druitt's book were instrumental in getting me to try old garden roses, and am I glad I did! I would highly recommend this to both beginning gardeners and experienced, alike.

I have twin boys that are nine and a six year old little girl. All of my children have loved this book and so have I. It will be one that I pull out in 30 years and have such great memories of!

I cannot think of a more beautifully illustrated book than this one. The dreamy pictures of a mother-and-daughter escapade on the beach, followed by a sleepy night's end, move me every time I read it. With simple, slow-paced text, it makes for a very nice bedtime story.

This book was read to us at a local story-time. My 3 year old daughter's eyes were wide with wonderment. At the end, she yelled out "Again, please, again." Sadly, there was no time for the teacher to read it again, but I copied down the name of this wonderful book and am about to buy it. The story is perfect for mothers to read to their daughters (and sons as well) and the illustrations are beautiful. What child does not long for the sea and for the moon? The words and pictures make them come alive.

Cell phones have become an integral part of American (and increasingly the world) society. They are ubiquitous in the business world and day-to-day life activities. The authors discuss in detail the risks associated with cell phones, particularly those of the digital variety. They tell the all to common tale of industry PR "spin" vs. public safety and common sense. While it may not be correct to state that cell phones cause brain cancer, the preliminary indications and not heart warming.

Thus far clinical studies have shown:

1) Cell phone radiation penetrates deep into the developing brains of children.

2) Cell phone radiation results in chromosomal damage to blood exposed to wireless phone radio waves. There is a link between chromosome damage and brain cancer.

3) Cell phone radiation breaks down the blood brain barrier. Think of the blood brain barrier as an immune system for the brain. As it breaks down, other environmental toxins more easily enter the brain and cause damage.

4) A number of studies showed a statistically significant correlation between brain cancer deaths and cell phone use.

5) Cell phone radiation can cause pacemakers to malfunction is they (pacemakers) are not properly insulated from cell phones that are within 6 inches of the pacemaker.

The above are based on elaborate human, animal, and laboratory experiments that examine the effects of cell phone radiation. The experiments in the book focus primarily on cell phone use - when the phone is near the head. If cell phone radiation is able to penetrate the human skull, the effects may be even more dramatic on soft tissue such as reproductive organs that may be continuously exposed to radiation by a phone carried in a pants pocket.

Based on the scientific evidence in the book you should avoid using a cell phone or being around one to be perfectly safe. Since that is not likely, the following precautions can be taken:

1) Despite the aggressive marketing practices of the industry towards children, keep cell phones out of the hands of your kids, they are particularly susceptible to the radiation generated by cell phones.

2) Use a hands free model and keep the phone away from your body.

3) If you put the phone up to your ear, point the antenna away from you.

4) If you have one of those cool little phones with a built in antenna, the whole phone is an antenna and you are getting a heavier dose of radiation. GET A HEADSET OR A DIFFERENT PHONE.

5) A cell phone has to pump out more radiation when the signal strength is low, try not to use the phone unless the signal strength is near 100%.

Initial studies show a clear link between cell phone radiation (especially associated with digital phones) and adverse health effects. In the next 10 to 20 years the effects will become apparent with the general public serving as the test subjects. Tread carefully on those wireless stocks over the long term, and take precautions today so you don't become a statistic. Many thanks to Dr. Carlo and Martin Schram for timely well written book packed with critical info for all wireless customers.

Having worked with wireless technologies for over 30 years, I am an expert in the subject and can verify that the contents of this book are true and undisputable. If you use any form of wireless technology, especially cell phones, you must take the necessary precautions! One thing that the vast majority of people don't understand is that, when cell phones were analog, there was a greatly reduced risk of radiation danger. The reason - analog radio waves are found in nature, i.e. they are natural. The real risk and danger is that today, all cell phones being manufactured are digital and transmit digital signals which are never found in nature because they are man-made. This type of unnatural radiation going through the body is flat-out dangerous and a very high risk to your health. Want to know what's even more scary? There is really no way to protect yourself from the millions of digital wireless cell phone signals passing through your body every day. You are not protected in your home, your office, or even in a bunker. The only type of building that may be able to ward off these digital demons are totally metallic buildings because they tend to relect radio signals. Beware!

I would have to say this book gets all the facts about radiation. I reccommend anyone who has a cell phone or knows somebody that you love that uses a cell phone get this book. It is very useful and mind blowing. Cell phones can give you cancer and cause brain damage. Im not saying to throw away your cell phone now, because I still use mine with cell phone accessory that blocks 96% of radiation. I reccommed everybody get this accessory (...) and BUY THIS BOOK!!!

My 8 year old reads these non-stop. She loves the fact that she can read endlessly about the same characters with different adventures.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Baby-Sitters Club is in this book. It is very detailed.For example:One of the facts is that Kristy's little sister's worst enemy in her class, Bobby Gianalli, his father's occupation is working for an insurance company.

The COMPLETE guide to the Baby-Sitters Club. It's an excellent book, it tells you all the baby-sitters clients, about their family, friends out of the club. There's a lot more to it. But I won't llist all of them, if you want to know, than read the book and find out! GET IT OR GET OUT!!!!!!

I found this book when I was desperate to help my dog who was recently diagnosed with a heart murmur. This book has been an incredible resource for me. I love how all the information on recommended herbs, diets, etc. are backed up with a professional's name and phone number (many times). I understand that there is a time for conventional medicine but I have always been inclined to go the "alternative or natural" way. After reading this book, I am extremely happy to say that my dog is doing incredible and has barely a trace of a heart murmur left. My vet even asked me what I had done between 6 month doctor visits for such drastic results. If anyone cares about their pet/best friend as I do, this book will hold the supreme honor on your bookshelf. Please share this information with others.

This book is a must for anyone who is serious about giving their dogs health and longevity. This book takes you from A to Z on nutrition, diseases, vaccinations and anything else you can think of. This is written by a group of holistic vets each contributing their opinion on the different subjects covered in the book. This vast range of opinions allows the reader a multitude of choices on how to care for their dog. Happy reading!

A must have reference for every dog owner. Zucker compiles recommendations from over 30 of the top holistic veterinarians from across the country in this two part book. Part I covers the foundation of good health, diet and nutrition. In addition the basics on alternative modalities, supplements and remedies are discussed.

Part II is organized in an A to Z list of common problems -- from arthritis to yeast infections. Each section contains recommendations and information from a number of holistic vets. This format gives you the opportunity to learn about several different treatment options and decide what's best for your dog's individual situation.

A beautifully produced book. If you are a beginner or if you are intimidated by other yoga books, this is a wonderful place to start.

There are eight programs that get progressively more challenging but, not never to the point where you can't do them. I love doing these exercises and even on those exhausting days I can still do program one. Highly recommended.

I wanted a book that would show me how to do the yoga postures. One that would focus mainly on the postures and less on the meditative aspects of yoga. I found both in this book. It has easy to follow step-by-step instructions which give you alternate forms of the posture if you are unable to achieve the posture at your range or level. The book gives you weekly workouts to let you know how long to try things before moving on to the more difficult postures. I have recommended this book to friends and family alike. A Great Book.

"Yoga is the most powerful system of stress management, but it is also more than that: it is a system for transforming our awareness and quieting down our mind and body to experience inner sources of peace, joy, and well-being. I highly recommend YOGA FOR YOUR LIFE as a practical and clear guide to getting started in yoga."

(...)I just want to urge you to find "A Dangerous Road" and read it. You'll be convinced that Kris Nelscott has debuted with a winner. More than "just" a detective/mystery novel, Nelscott has given us real literature about a tragic and heroic figure. If you are tired of waiting for the next, long-overdue installment in Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins series, this is the book that will distract you from your misery.

I'm lucky. I learned of Kris Nelscott and this book only recently, so when I finished I was ecstatic to learn that the second installment, "Smoke Filled Rooms" was out in hardback.

Let me give you a clue as to how much I enjoyed this book: After reading "A Dangerous Road" in paperback, I immediately ordered the hardback edition for my library and then ordered "Smoke Filled Rooms" in hardback, too. Most of you devoted readers will understand that such a gesture is high praise indeed. Now I have Smoky Dalton's continuing adventures in my bag, just waiting for the moment I open it and read that first sentence.

All I need now is a visit by Nelscott to a local book store so that I can have my already treasured copies of the product of her art autographed and given a place of honor next to Mr. Mosley's novels (in hardback).

This book is one of the best novels I have read this year and has the well-deserved distinction of having been nominated for the Edgar Award for best mystery. The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale is good but I consider Ms. Nelscott's novel to be better.

Her main character is Smokey Dalton, a jack-of-all-trades who also finds work as a private investigator in Memphis, Tennessee. We learn that he was a former school classmate with Martin Luther King, Jr. and he is as happy as he can be living his life. Unfortunately, his world is about to be turned upside-down when he meets Laura Hathaway, who flew all the way from Chicago to look for him. It seems her mother left Smokey an inheritance for $10,000 and she wants to know why her mother willed him that money. He later discovers that Laura has a lot of questions regarding her mother and she hires Dalton to investigate. What Dalton discovers is a sinister connection with Ms. Hathaway that will change their lives forever.

The story takes place during the late sixties when Martin Luther King was active with the sanitation strikes occurring in the South. Dalton experiences prejudice, hatred, violence and turmoil throughout the entire book which in the end will only make him stronger.

Ms. Nelscott does an excellent job in developing this character that keeps the reader entranced to the plot. There is also a story of a little boy whose mother abandoned him and his brother is contributing to his possible delinquency by involving him as a drug courier and making him cut school. Dalton does his best to try to save this boy.

There is so much I would like to say about this book, but it is better if you read it and make up your own minds. You will be glad you did. I am also looking forward to reading Smokey Dalton's next book SMOKE-FILLED ROOMS which is now available.

This mystery introduces us to Smokey Dalton, a black private investigator living in troubled Memphis in 1968. Due to the colour of Smokey's skin and the period this is set, the racial issues dealt with are bordering on explosive. This is a remarkable work of fiction that integrates a factual event, that being the days leading up to the assassination of Martin Luther King, jr. It captures the tensions of the day with remarkable clarity and gives us an insight into how the black community of Memphis may have been affected.

The actual mystery part of the story involves a white woman, Laura Hathaway, who walks into Smokey's office one day, demanding to know why her mother would leave Smokey a bequest of $10,000 in her will. Although Smokey doesn't know her or her mother, he has always wondered about a mysterious benefactor who anonymously donated the same amount of money to him ten years ago. Laura decides to hire Smokey to find out about her family background, what secrets they were hiding and how he is involved in it. The results are shocking for the two of them.

This is a private investigator story with a difference; thanks to the time it is set and the fact that the protagonist is black. These two unique factors presents hurdles not faced by the majority of private investigators we read about these days. It's a powerful debut novel that has introduced us to a particularly likable, ethical character. Nelscott told us a great deal about the background of Smokey Dalton, making us sympathetic to his feelings and reactions, yet when I finished the book, I felt as though I wanted to learn more.

The Brazilian Sound is good as far as it goes - a who's who list and discography of 20th century Brazilian music. Although, the book has the feel of a junior college textbook, it's written in plain language. It would be a relatively easy read if it were not that a parenthetical list of Brazilian names breaks up every third or fourth paragraph. There are some very informative passages - notably the chapter on Bossa Nova and the "Escolas de Samba" section of Chapter 2. At their best, the authors provide clear and comphrensive explanations of the geneology and sociological context of the music.

Unfortunately, unless a person is willing to spend countless shopping hours and a couple of thousand dollars building up collection of Brazilian records, he or she will gain almost no insight from this book into what the music feels like. The authors describe individual works and artists in only vague terms - terms often identical to those previously used to describe others. They beat the term "syncopation" into irrelevance - it's clear only that all Brazilian music is syncopated. The authors habitually refer to folk music genres and song forms ala "Composer X's work is all based on the Y song form..." But they provide no practical examples or definitions of those genres or forms.

The authors stridently dumb-down their text, accepting as axiom that one has to "hear it to believe it" and that it is meaningless to describe Brazilian music in technical terms. They generally refrain from even using common musical terms - bar, measure, pulse, key, etc. - to give the reader a clearer understanding of Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic structures. They use few effective musical comparisons or verbal metaphors. It is understandably difficult to describe music in writing. But it is possible. Judicious use of metaphor, comparisions, and technical descriptions would have greatly fleshed out what in the end comes off as a skeletal text.

This 1998 edition serves as the update to the first, apparently published in 1990 or 1991. However, the amendments appear to have been quite minor - embodied by an isolated paragraph here and there, and four meager pages in the final "More Brazilian Sounds" chapter. It's as if nothing has really happened in the evolution of Brazilian music since 1990 - an impression that must be wrong.

The Brazilian Sound catalogs decent research, but is neither good writing nor effective music history.

The best book ever written about Brazilian music in English, "The Brazilian Sound" is a beautifully written, in-depth guide to samba, bossa and other Brazilian genres. Many of the reviews below are on the mark, but BGB from WA seems not to have read the book (or to have read a different book!). The 1998 edition substantially upgrades the original 1991 version. There is much added in terms of early history, capoeira, racial issues, choro, and the blocos and afoxes in Bahia. There is more on important artists from the 1990s, like Marisa Monte, Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, Chico Cesar, Chico Science and Karnak, though these additions are in various chapters, not just the final one ("More Brazilian Sounds"). One needs to have actually read the book to know that, of course...The music is nicely described, in both musical and cultural terms. One gets a strong sense of how it sounds, and a clear understanding of its rhythmic, harmonic and melodic ingredients. Some of the writing is rather encyclopedic, dispensing a rather staggering amount of information, while many sections vividly convey a sense of the music. I often felt I was at a bossa nova club in '59, at an escola de samba rehearsal, watching one of the 1960s song festivals, or attending a forro party. "The Brazilian Life" brings to life both the current and past greats of Brazilian music. As a result, I added quite a few CDs to my collection, especially of artists like Milton Nascimento, Pixinguinha, Jobim and Marisa Monte. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

You could fill a book with all the information I _don't_ know about Brazilian music... In fact, these guys already have! Concise, conversational, informative and very well laid out, this is an exceptionally readable book. Chapters on samba, bossa nova, tropicalia, forro and jazz include focused biographical sketches of dozens of key artists, as well as succinct historical information about the progress of Brazilian music from its European and African folk roots into its bewildering and often beautiful modern offshoots. The book's focus is nonpartisan: although there is plenty of room for aesthetic criticism within the various styles, the authors generally hold their preferences and dislikes to themselves. They do, however, give readers a good sense of which recordings might be best to check out -- an invaluable service considering how little of Brazil's vast musical output makes it to the United States. Highly recommended! Certainly the best English-language guide to Brazilian pop that you will find in print (online is a different matter), this is great for casual listeners and hardcore fans alike.

This book is not much larger than a paperback. I am 25 with perfect vision and I still feel I should use a magnifying lense with this book.

The Complete Works of Irish poet Oscar Wilde, which is published by Collins, is a must for a private library. It is an excellent book even if you only want to check one of Wilde's witty quotes - and there are plenty. The book includes Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which caused a fin-de-siecle scandal about a century ago because of its underlying homoeroticism. There are also all his famous plays which he wrote and was loved for by English society such as The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband as well as Lady Windermere's Fan. In addition, there are stories, poems (such as The Ballad of Reading Gaol - the jail he had to go to for his affair with Bosie Douglas), essays, and letters such as De Profundis. This newly illustrated centenary edition also incorporates recent revisions to the text, which probably only experts will spot.

Oscar Wilde was a self-described man of paradox. He was, simultaneously, a man very much of his time, and also very ahead of his time. He was a highly moral man who wrote clever epigrams about how good it is to be wicked ("Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of others.") He was a happily married man who happily loved his two children but also led a gay life on the side and wrote hilarous satires of love and marriage ("Men marry because they are tired; women, because they are curious: both are disappointed.") This huge book, which contains practically everything that Wilde ever wrote, shows the man in all his glory. After the introduction by his son, we are first launched into Oscar's stories. His one novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is a classic and a masterpiece. A devastating moral tale, this one deserves to be in everyone's library. His shorter pieces, however, are of a more questionable quality. Consisting mostly of moral ancedotes dressed up in the thinly-veiled guise of fairy tales for children, these works are the least exciting part of Wilde's oeuvre and of this book, and seem to lean heavily on his oft-spouted crutch of "Art for Art's sake." After the stories, we meet Wilde in the guise he was destined for: that of a dramatist. His play were an integral and ackwnoledged part of his genius, and their influence upon modern drama was enormous. His type of high, farcial "drawing room" comedy has left a permanent mark on the stage. It is easy to see how even the modern Hollywood sitcom sprung from these plays of Wilde's. However funny and biting the satire may be, though, the high point of Oscar Wilde's plays was always his epigram-laced dialogue - whatever the plot may be. Probably the finest - and most biting - aphorist the English language has ever produced, Wilde is probably quoted - whether people realize it or not - more often than any other source in the language, aside from The Bible and Shakespeare. The Importance of Being Earnest and Salome are his ackwnoledged masterpieces, but other plays - such as A Woman of No Importance and An Ideal Husband - are very good plays as well. He also has some very fine and underrated less original works, such as The Duchess of Padua that are quite well worth reading. From here, we move into Wilde's poems. Although, as he himself admits, they sometimes contain "more rhyme than reason", there is no doubting that Wilde was a master of language, and a fine poet. He won the Newdigate Prize for Poetry while at Oxford, and his "Ballad of Reading Gaol" is one of the finest poems in existence. What's left are his essays and letters. The most famous of them - indeed, one of the most famous letters ever written - is De Profundis, his strangely moving and tragic love/hate letter to Lord Alfred Douglas from prison. This is a shocking and immensely moving piece of work, and deserves to be read by one and all for its unique look into the human psyche - particuarly that of a man under intense suffering, and possibly on the brink. The letter is fascinating, and should put a different spin on Wilde than many people inaccurately have of the man - he was obviously of a very high moral character. Several interesting essays are also included - among them are The Critic As Artist and The Decay of Lying, two masterful pieces of Plato-istic dialogue, putting Wilde's severe wit and intimidating intellectualism on full display for all to see. One may wonder how much he actually believes of what he writes, but what he writes is brilliant. Another interesting essay is The Portrait of Mr. W.H., in which Wilde puts forth an interesting and unique theory about Shakespeare's sonnets. Also, while Wilde was not generally known for his political opinions, it is quite interesting to read his essay on political and social reform, The Soul of Man Under Socialism, as well as two letters he wrote about proposed reformations of the prison system.

All in all, this is a collection of masterful writings from one of the most tragically overlooked and underrated writers in the whole of literature. As another reviewer has pointed out, while Wilde rarely gets the credit he deserves for his work - and is often ignored, overlooked, or simply dismissed - his works are also widely and frequently plagarised - not to mention quoted legitimately - and were obviously extremely influential. You owe it to yourself to read the man's writings if you are not familar with his works; I guarantee you you won't regret it.