The long-rumored book by the rather legendary authority on Indian blankets is finally a reality and the result is one of the great surprises of my reading life.I was expecting superb photos of spectacular blankets.I was expecting the hard data collectors love - label information and the like.These things the author serves up in spectacular helpings and blows the previous books on the subject completely out of the water.
What I was NOT expecting was masterful storytelling and towering wit. A relatively dry subject in ordinary hands becomes a riveting and often hilarious joyride here.Friedman's take on the antiques business and wickedly clever asides are worthy of Dave Barry on DB's very best day.Moreover, his grasp of history is sure and thought-provoking.It isn't necessary to be a blanket collector to love this book.It's the author you'll come to love and he will make you love and understand these beautiful blankets.THIS is the book I'll be buying for friends this year!!

A quick read of the reviews for this book reveal a Barry Friedman cult is already in full bloom. Tally yet another convert in me. I am delighted this singular volume found a home at the very prestigious Bulfinch Press. Bulfinch is the exclusive home of Ansel Adams and boasts multiple titles by the likes of Herb Ritts, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Robert Mappelthorpe. What's a collector/dealer of commercially manufactured Indian blankets doing in exalted company like this? Bulfinch decided he belongs and indeed he does. Friedman's artistry is in his words. He has an absolute mastery of his subject and a sense of humor that is quirky and completely audacious. One senses he KNOWS text like his is never found in books like this and somehow induced an editor to became a co-conspirator. A magnificently illustrated collecting book written with spirit and wit is just not done and certainly not by the likes of a high-toned publishing house like Bulfinch Press. Until now, that is. This is more than a book - it's a gorgeous act of rebellion!

I have never read a "coffee table book" cover to cover until I found Chasing Rainbows by Barry Friedman. This delightful, informative book pulls you in from the very beginning with humor and knowledge that prevents you from putting it down. I read it cover to cover in one sitting, an afternoon of sheer pleasure and factual understanding of the history and beauty of American Indian trade and camp blankets. I highly recommend this book for the pure joy of reading and understanding the history of a little known subject.

There is lots to love about this book: its tiny size, the quality printing and illustrations, and the first-rate outdoor living information throughout. It uses color especially well in the plant and insect identification section. It's loaded with improvisational survival tips. For example, I palm sap from young stalks is an easy source of essential water and sugar; a baited cloth bag can catch eels unattended overnight. One nit: the tome lacks an index, and given it's 380 pages, one is definitely needed. Still, I give it five stars and consider this book essential for any outdoors person.

Such a little book and so much information! No matter how sedate a life you lead you will find some knowledge in this book that will come in handy. Everyone should have a copy.

The book is thin but does not lack in content. It has a comprehensive coverage on almost everything and could guide you to survival in the wild. The book is a pocket guide and it's good buy. Get it today

I am a Preschool Director and I wish all of our parents would read Susan Collins' book. It's in sync with what we are trying to do in the classroom, letting children be creative thinkers and explorers.

Susan Collins has become a bedtime friend. This doesn't just feel like I'm reading a book, it feels like I know her. I look forward to spending time with her each night. She makes me feel her successes can also be mine.

Dear Susan, my husband is a busy physician who never has time to read anything but medical journals. Every night he brings home a briefcase full of paperwork. Typically when I read aloud to him from an interesting book, he listens politely for two mintues and then goes back to his work. I began reading aloud to him about your dream house. After a page or two, I asked, "Isn't this interesting?" He siad, "Yes, please keep reading." And he listened while I read twenty more pages. This is a first in our relationship!"

Is Paris Burning? is one of the best books that Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins have wrote together. A huge job, a piece of history novel, good as only a few can be, with a great work of investigation; interviews with people like General Dietrich von Choltitz, (who recieved the order from Adolf Hitler, to burn Paris, in case that the defense couldn't be accomplish) or for example the Chief of Operations in Europe, the General Dwight Eisenhower. As usual in their books, Lapierre and Collins, put the reader inside of one of the most importants chapters in the history of the XX century, the liberation of Paris, with precisions of days, hours, and places. The order of Hitler, the beginning of the resistance, the slow arrival of the allied, the clear disobedience of General Von Choltitz.... in fact, a crucial moment in the history of one of the most beautiful citys in the world, a turning point in the development of the Second World War. A different way to learn history.

Puts flesh on the bones of a remarkable group, including Generals Patton, Bradley, Eisenhower and Von Coltitz, writers Hemingway and Sartre, and political figures Roosevelt, Hitler and DeGaulle. Numerous anecdotes from the occupation and liberation brings history to life. Tales of moonlit parachute drops, secret codes and Molotov cocktails remain with the reader, long after the book is completed. Like the last Metro train before curfew for Parisians under Nazi rule, this book is not be missed.

The book is very well written, as have been their previous books, like Freedom at midnight. It covers fairly objectively aspects of the city's liberation very well. It makes you fall in love with Paris, if not anything else. Any student of military history and french history must not miss it. Well done lads

The Collins German Dictionary, with 800,000 entries, has more words and definitions than other comparable dictionaries such as the Oxford Duden, the Langenscheidts and the Cassells (which should be avoided because it is so outdated). It also gives complete grammar explanations in the preface, and it includes a list of regular German noun endings, their genders, genitives, and plurals. There is also a handy reference of all the abbreviations, field labels, and style labels on the inside cover. It also includes the past and participial forms for all strong verbs, and it gives past subjunctives within the text. The Collins also gives declensions for pronouns such as "wer" and "jemand," and it lists proper nouns within the text. Verbs that differ from the stem of the infinitive are listed in their imperative singular form ("hilf," "sprich," etc.). The traditional orthography is given in the body of the dictionary, with a symbol indicating words that have changed on account of the spelling reform of 1996.

Its main drawback is that the binding tends to collapse with frequent use, even though it is a hardback.

While abbreviations are listed in alphabetical order in the text, their definitions are not given to you immediately. For example, if you look up "usf.," you are told that it is an abbreviation of "und so fort;" then you must look up fort to discover that "usf." means "and so forth." The Collins listing of German verbs is at the very end of the dictionary, which makes it hard to find.

Note that there are a variety of Collins dictionaries. The unabridged version has 800,000 entries, while the College Edition has 380,000 entries, and the Concise edition has 195,000 entries. Some of the smaller dictionaries have entries listed in red or in blue, which is helpful for finding words more quickly. If you are beginning to learn German, it is useful
to have a smaller dictionary to save time while looking up the
same word over and over again.

This could well be the best two-way dictionary of any language pair anywhere. As an avid student of several foreign languages (incl. English and German) for 20 years, I have come to know what constitutes a first-rate dictionary. It is nothing short of a masterpiece.

I had been using a predecessor edition (2nd ed., 1991) for some 10 years, and even when it was published it was the best of its kind and constantly on my desk. This 4th edition raises the bar by featuring improvements across the board. The benefits derived from the increased computerised analysis of the huge word corpora Bank of English and Deutsche Textbörse are increasingly visible. Vorsprung durch Technik, indeed.

1. This exhaustive dictionary embraces, on 1000 pages in either section, every register from formal officialese via the standard language right down to vulgar slang. But it is in the real-life language where Collins has the finger right on the pulse. Many word entries are awash with examples of usage/idioms/set phrases/proverbs as actually used by natives as well as their natural translations. (I wish there were a way to download all this information into my brain because I would be able to handle any situation in flying colours.)

2. Inclusion of German words like Kardanwelle, Rochade, das Pull-Down-Menü, Überlaufanzeige etc. indicate extensive coverage of specialist terms in many fields as well as loan-words from the 90s.

3. The English section is equally impressive, listing e.g. cyberpet, establishing shot, trick or treat, decontextualize, nuclear reprocessing plant, memory expansion card, look-in, supergrass, wicked (UK slang). The word "go" and its associated phrasal verbs have an astounding range of translations.

4. Idiomatic phrases such as "to get away with sth" and "jdm etwas zumuten" which are contextually dependent are given several alternative and appropriate translations.

5. Certain bon mots and expressions which are used mostly in situations on one side of the Channel (or those whose counterpart is much less colourful!) are well translated.
Examples: set piece, pub crawl, single-track mind, car-boot sale, off-the-record, stomping groud, pipe dream; Stammtisch, Führungszeugnis, Geheimtipp, Kuschelrock, Dreitagebart, Wohngemeinschaft, Dunkelziffer, nicht mehr der jüngste sein etc. In fact, even "Ich schau dir in die Augen, Kleines", the classic line from the dubbed version of Casablanca, is listed. Hut ab!

6. This edition includes an audio CD with pronunciation (because they understand that there is a practical limit to phonetic script). The layout has been given a face-lift with 3 columns per page instead of 2 resulting in improved readability.

7. The dictionary's vast scope, depth and usability for both English and German learners and speakers (in equal measure) leave virtually no room for valid criticism. Yet some words and expressions seem to have escaped the researchers' keen eye for detail (so far); missing English words are e.g. polenta, present/current value (Fin), brown-noser, case-sensitive. Im deutschen Teil sind die folgenden durchaus geläufigen Wörter nicht aufgeführt: Quereinsteiger, Marktabschottung, Kasslerbraten, Regelwerk, verhandlungssicher, Töff (CH). But this is nit-picking.

Summa summarum: Kudos to the team of meticulous professionals behind this work for having brought out the Mercedes S-Klasse - with all the optional extras - of dictionaries. It's also an exemplary cross-border collaboration optimally blending British practicality and German precision.

Buy this dictionary - you may still be using it in 2012.

I bought this book because of all the wonderful reviews on Amazon. I had a smaller German dictationary but as I am reaching the advanced stage of German, I want an unabridged dictationary. This one is great because it has a large reference in the back of all the changes of the Rechtschreibreform. So many words are now spelled differently, and one can simply look in the back to see if a particular word is different. There's just so much information in this dictationary that it's well worth the money, and the price on Amazon.com can't be beat. This dictionary is completely bilingual and can be purchased by a German speaker wishing to use it for English as well.

For any serious German/English language learner. It's the best.

This book is a great miniature lexicon for those who need a quick and physically handy reference for Latin. It goes beyond the "basics" and is adequate for more advanced perusal. However, the book _is_ printed on a type of "pulp paper" and its pages are merely "glued in" (so-call "perfect binding").

All things considered, for the money, it is a bargain and you can't go wrong.

My husband laughed at me when I said I wanted to learn Latin, then he grabbed this dictionary and didnt' put it down for hours. It's nice, compact and readable.

Collins Gem Latin Dictionary is an excellent choice for anyone interested in Latin. Wether you're a Latin I or a Latin III student it does not matter. This small book measuring 3in by 4 1/2in can fit into almost any pocket & can be carried almost anywhere. These small books were common currency in my Latin class & were highly recommended by the teacher. This Latin Dictionary also proves to be very durable. I once spilled water on the cover & to my surprise it did not leak through. Not only does this dictionary translate Latin-English & English-Latin but in the back of the book is a list of key Roman dates, 7 kings of Rome, cardinal/ordinal/distributive/adverb forms of the numbers, measuring units, money (Greek & Roman), & geographic names. In conclusion this is probably the best Latin dictionary ever published. Again it is very portable, durable, & factual.

Seasons of Her deals with topics ranging from AIDS in the African-American community to love relationships (good and bad) in an intelligent, and most importantly, "real" and heartfelt manner. Any woman who reads Ms. Evans' poetry will know exactly what the author was feeling at the moment she birthed these exquisite lines of verse. And to think....this only the beginning.... =0)

In reading Seasons of Her (as well as seeing the Diva perform LIVE in Atlanta), Tonya Marie Evans' ability to touch my inner spirit through her God given GIFT eased many of my fears and doubts about my own gifts as a WOMAN and as a writer. Tonya relates to the woman, striver, achiever, nurturer and lover in all of us.

Although a complex species... (WOMAN) Tonya simplifies it all by proving through emotional and reverrant poety, that love of self, finding that place within YOU and creating that 'space' of love, peace and creativity in this world is what we are meant and were created to do.

Whether I wanted to Find My Own Shine or not, the fire that her poetry starts within, and her ability to paint pictures of her soul as well as the readers, will illuminate a light so brightly that even YOU won't be able to stop or stand it!!!

BUY this book, read it... and FIND YOUR OWN SHINE!

The poetry of Tonya Marie Evans, collected in Seasons of Her, reflects the complexities of a woman who came of age in the 1990's. Sensual, spiritual, thoughtful, the work explores many of the "selves" that a woman encompasses. Tonya Marie is ferociously honest and fearlessly frank in her discussions -- the reader feels as though they have looked at the author's soul -- and found it is not so different from her own.

I used this book while enriching reading skills with spanish speaking first graders. When they listened to the cd they were immediately attracted to the book. We sung the song together and they pointed to the words in the book. I play the cd all the time at home. My Cocker Spaniel and two Jack Russell Terriers also enjoy listening to the cd during the Christmas holiday season. The pictures are very realistic.

I bought this book yesterday, thinking my daughters would like the doggie pictures. My 2-year old concentrated very hard while I was reading/singing, and after the second time through, grabbed the book and began trying to sing it to her little sister! The pictures and illustrations are funny and the song is fun to sing. I highly recommend it for this holiday season!

"The Twelve Dogs of Christmas" is a charming book for all seasons. The tune is a familiar one which you and your children will love singing with the CD and book featuring Pentastar's Sarah as "A Poodle in a Dog House". Along with Cocker Spaniels, Labs, Chihuahuas, and many more, all ages will get a kick out of the fun "The Twelve Dogs of Christmas" will bring. I promise. P.S. There's a surprise ending.

Cemetery Dance magazine has a long history of being one of, if not THE, best small press magazine publishing horror today. These stories are a good sampling of some of the best work from the magazine. The quality of the stories is uniformly high. Even the almost-always-revolting Edward Lee managed to dig his mind out of the midden heap long enough to write "Almost Never." I even enjoyed the interview with Dean Koontz, and I DO NOT like his work. My favorites were "Eater" by Peter Crowther, which is about exactly what the title says, "Mr. God" by the impressive Thomas Tessier, an insight into the life of an obsessed body builder, and "Shattered Silver" by James Kisner, about a guy who really, REALLY likes old Hollywood actresses. All in all, I have to say that you can't go wrong with this collection. My only complaint is that it is a bit expensive for its slim size, and it was originally published in one volume with the stories in "Best of Cemetery Dance, Volume 1." I would try to find that edition, if you can.

Cemetery Dance has become THE leading publisher of horror fiction. They put out great books by famed horror authors, but also a great magazine of short stories and articles from the leaders of the horror field. This collection of short stories reunites some of the best stories to have been featured in the Cemetery Dance magazine. And although the second tome is a little less interesting than the first one (which held 2 AMAZING Jack Ketchum stories, a good Stephen King yarn and one of the most amazing stories I've read in years by author Gary Raiser), The Best Of Cemetery Dance Volume 2 still offers some great, chilling and, at times, disturbing stories.

This tome is more concerned with detective stories/ serial killer stories. Plainclothes and The Pattern are two of the best. One of the most interesting stories in this volume is Barry Hoffman's Trial By Fire, a twisted tale of revenge. Matthew Costello's Vacation is one of the most terrifying and twisted tale I've read in a long time. And Dick Laymon's Desert Pickup is a good little story with a neat twist.

But I was disappointed that the story by Poppy Z. Brite is only the prologue to her novel Lost Souls. And Melanie Tem's contribution is very disappointing - she is able to do much better than this.

Overall, this is a great book that any horror fan should get. I am a devoted fan of Cemetery Dance and this book only reminds me of why.

Reviewer: ripperboy from San Francisco, CA USA This is it, gang. BEST OF CEMETERY DANCE, when printed in hardcover, was the best anthology ever of short horror fiction, even outdoing DARK FORCES, DARK DESCENT, and even BEST OF WHISPERS and BEST OF SHADOWS. It's got everyone under the sun in horror. Unfortunately, it was such a big book that they had to split it into two volumes in paperback, of which this is the first. No matter -- both halves are absolutely essential, and nearly every story here is a winner. Reading this anthology is the best way to introduce yourself to the dozens of horror authors out there whom you're not currently reading.

Its nice to finally read something about Atlantis which doesn't rely on ancient astronauts or mystical crystals! Andrew Collins believes that Atlantis was located in the West Indies and related islands, basing his theory not on shadowy ideas about ruins under the ocean but on realistic measurements of travel times, directions, and other clues found in Plato and other ancients who mentioned a lost civilization to the west. While this book won't do much for the von Daniken crowd, it will certainly please those who can distinguish fact from mysticism!

There's no doubt to me that this is THE book about the many theories and explorations concerning Atlantis. If Atlantis did exist, the author's conclusion about its location sounds more reasonable than the other theories. If Atlantis did not exist, this book is more than worthwhile as a look into ancient history, a study about ancient trade routes, the fascinating premise that ancient Europe and Africa knew about the American continents, and the most complete coverage of the main Atlantis theories of any book I've seen. This book is extremely well researched and written. It should be part of the library of anyone interested in ancient history as well as anyone interested in Atlantis. It's a Landmark book on its subject.

The ever elusive Atlantis has never failed to arrest the imagination of many throughout the ages. In this latest and impressively researched work, Andrew Collins traverses the evidence available in order to unravel the 3 prime mysteries - whether Atlantis indeed once existed, its probable location in the modern world, and how it all came to an end.

Starting with Plato's Timaeus and Critias, Collins ploughs through a formidable mass of ancient and not-too-ancient literature to garner evidence about the lost land and its probable topography. He then applies the result with meticulous care (and with much erudite discussion in the process) to all the prime contenders for the location of Atlantis to determine which in fact is the most likely candidate for the legendary realm. He then seeks to corroborate the findings with legends from both sides of the Atlantic (in particular those from central America) as well as other more scientifically verifiable facts, such as information gleaned from ancient relics, the presence of tabacco in Egyptian mummies and some distinctive method for dyeing cotton. Having established the location of the lost Atlantis, the author completes his theory by examining the sort of catastrophe that brought about the end of the advanced civilisation there as well as the possible fate of those who managed to escape from it.

What makes this highly readable book doubly commendable is that the author has at all times followed the available evidence instead of making wild guesses and unsubstantiated propositions in order to advance his theories. Such a scholarly approach has made the discourse much more convincing than many other books written about lost civilisations. And if Collins's conclusions are not absolutely compelling, they nevertheless are very well argued and presented and warrant serious consideration by ancient historians. Besides, all those materials amassed by Collins for the book are already by themselves of great value to those interested in the subject. David Rohl's Introduction is also very illuminating and provides enlightening remarks about the methodology used by many alternative historians. A most enjoyable work on a fascinating subject. Highly recommended!