This book has little to do with sailing and even less to do with selling anything. The author is highly opinionated and some times condescending toward people with different ideas, which is very distracting. The book is slanted towards the Mediterranean and Europe and is more an account on their experience from their travels. Which I might add is on a 60' steel barge, which was converted to a motor sailor. Some useful knowledge was gained by reading this book but there are far better books out there.

My husband and I've had a yacht for a few years now, but so far have only cruised up and down the Arabian Gulf. We intend to sell up and sail ourselves, and this book is a superb brief and humorous guide to doing it, with lots of hints; from how to persuade your partner to join you, what to store in your fridge, and how to deal with people, pets and pests. Also, the more serious elements such as dealing with entering strange lands. Plus it's an enjoyable read. We both laughed and enjoyed the discreet cynicism and escapism. Soul Mates?

We liked that both husband and wife contributed chapters about various subjects relevant to each's role. (You get to choose yours - do you want the engine room or the galley?) Lots of references were included, as well as useful agencies for the long-distance cruiser. We'll be making the space to squeeze this book aboard when we go.

I don't know what the reviewer from Dover, NH read, but it wasn't this book. The Coopers go into great detail about what is involved in becoming a yachtie. They did it in 1976 on a 55' steel ketch, which was probably an easier time to do it, with much less regulation. Yes, it does have a UK bias (they are English after all). However, the latest edition (4th edition, 2000) is full of up-to-date, sensible and well thought out ideas and what a person needs to think about if planning this type of alternative lifestyle. Definitely a must read for the wanna-be yachtie!

Whilst this book contained some good points, I felt that it left me alone too much especially in the first weeks. For me this disease is not as simple as just stopping from one day to another. I was hoping that it would give me some guidance as what to do when I was feeling like binging

Peter Cooper's book _Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating_ is a no-nonsense guide to self-help for binge eaters and those suffering from bulimia.

First, Cooper defines bulimia nervosa and binge-eating. Then he goes into causes and effects. He explains the dangers and drawbacks of vomiting repeatedly and using laxatives. But that's just the first 1/3 of the book.

The rest of the book is a plan for recovering from bulimia and/or binge-eating. It's a step by step procedure... everything in it makes good sense and has been tested and tried by others before, with success. The plan is the best part of the book... the author sets forth a plan for recovery, including a plan for what to do if you feel like going on a binge.

Besides the plan, the author makes helpful points throughout the book, like:

about alcohol-- "if you drink excessively you will not be able to make full use of this program"

about overeating just once-- "no one meal can have a significant effect on your weight"

about how you're not alone-- "enlist the assistance (with the meal plan) of a close friend or relative"

about laxatives-- "laxatives are wholly ineffective as a method for losing weight or compensating for overeating"

about binging and its effect on weight -- "the number of calories absorbed from binges, even after vomiting, is greater than what would have been absorbed in a binge-free day during which normal meals and snacks would have been eaten"

about eating normal meals-- "it is usual that people who replace a pattern of dieting and binge-eating with regular meals do not gain weight."

The bottom line: this book by Peter Cooper is easy to use, and the points in it are sound, for those suffering from bulimia, binge-eating, even others who have unsound eating habits.

If I could, I would thank everyone that is a part of writing this book. I have recommended it to many people, hoping it will help them in their recovery. Thank You.

I was really disappointed with this book. If you are a Carl fan, you will not like this book. The illustrations do not bring the family or their plight to life. Some of their belongings, i.e. a commercial popcorn machine, didn't quite fit in the scheme. It would make a nice Christmas gift book for a child. Perhaps the story would have been better suited to the late 1800's or early 1900's.

I don't have any children nor grandchildren in this age group. I have not read any of the "Carl" books for which Alexandra Day is evidently noted. I saw the cover drawing with a goat toting a Christmas tree & was intrigued. Looking through the book brought smiles & a desire to own this book. At home I found the pictures drew me back again & again. The wild collection of possessions & the large number of pets made me feel right at home. I enjoyed this book so much I went back to get more copies for friends but the book store was sold out. Thus, here I am at amazon.com finding the book I was seeking all over the state. As you can tell, this book is one of my favorites & if I were still a preschool teacher my students would be enjoying it right along with me.

Delightful tale of twelve animals and three humans moving house on Christmas Eve. A warm-hearted fantasy world where all the animals do their share. It gives a hopeful message that even in hard circumstances, working together to a good plan the family can survive. The enchanting pictures remind me of The Tompten and other Scandinavian picture books. The magic things (such as Pinnochio) move with the creatures as well as the practical (the dryer!) A real Christmas classic, about hope and sharing, reminding us that the first Christmas was spent in the barn.

This had many solid points and I like the fact that it has many example of the constructivist theory in use which makes this book more practical for some one who doesn't want to worry about getting to deep into the theory. The only problem with this book is that the theory that is presented is flawed. They completely down play the role of traditional education and present their theory as the opposite to traditional education. This goes against John Dewey's basic theory and makes the fallacy of selective emphasis. This is a great book if you want to practical experience from schools that this method has been used at but if you want theory, you are better off going to the source, John Dewey.

Constructivism has a myriad of definitions, or so it seems in education today. In this book, the general principals of constructivist leadership are defined and "fleshed out" through the contributing authors. Excellent book for administrators that are trying to find theory based rationale for site based management in school. A book that should be kept on your office bookshelf because you will refer to it often. The listing and comparisons of past educational methods is nicely done and easy to reference.

This book essentially examines the dynamics of a learning community within the theoretical framework of constructivism. While the book is dense in theory, it's clear prose and liberal inclusion of examples and stories make it an accessible and meaningful read. The book's title may be misleading in that an educational leader, in the constructivist sense, is any educator who seeks school improvement through open, democratic processes. In this sense, the book would seem useful to any organizational development specialist who craves a broader theoretical understanding of the nature of OD, and insight into how groups of educators can build learning communities committed to improving the lives of their stakeholders. The book is complex in its scope and depth, but nonetheless answers a fairly simple question: How does constructivism help us see what humane and effective schools should look like? Lambert and her colleagues weave a fairly cohesive and inspiring narrative of social change within the educational context.

According to the writers, constructivism is a theory of learning derived from the fields of philosophy, psychology, and science. Constructivism in simplest terms posits that learning is the process of reforming what we know, believe and value based on the connections between new and already held knowledge, values and beliefs. In other words, people are in a constant state of learning in order to secure or enhance their existence. In the school context, Lambert defines 'Constructivist Leadership' as 'the reciprocal processes that enable participants in an educational community to construct meanings that lead toward a common purpose about schooling.' (p.29) These reciprocal processes entail building trust through social and professional relationships, identifying and reconstructing commonly held assumptions and beliefs, building new shared knowledge, and altering individual and group behaviors to create new ways of doing school. In this way, Lambert and her colleagues argue, we begin to see leadership, community, and schools themselves not as roles or physical entities, but as social processes, which require constant tending and development. In a biological sense, individuals are in a constant state of constructing their understanding of the world. In an ecological sense, interdependent groups of individuals must co-construct their understandings in order to create a desired reality. In this way, Lambert's constructivist view of learning and leadership is in close company with Senge's view of the learning organization, which strives to move from status quo to a shared ideal of something better.

Theoretically, constructivism owes much Lee Vygotsky's work on the relationship between language and learning. Not surprisingly then, this book's core chapters all deal with the role of communication in constructivist leadership. In 'Leading the Conversations', Lambert argues that conversations 'are the visible manifestation of constructivist leadership' (p.83). On page 86, she provides a useful 'Typology of Conversations' model, which shows that four conversation types (dialogic, inquiring, sustaining, and partnering) contribute to, among other things, collaborative sense-making, remembrance and reflection, sharing and building ideas, and respectful listening. In 'The Linguistics of Leadership', Diane Zimmerman deconstructs the processes of paraphrasing, inquiring, and articulating ideas, and argues that when used in balance they help groups uncover 'the unspeakable', make sense of assumptions and beliefs, and find new patterns and paths to improvement. In 'The Role of Narrative and Dialogue in Constructivist Leadership', Joanne Cooper argues that 'stories provide a vision and a desired direction for adults working in schools'' (p.122) Narratives bring to life 'tacit knowledge' and in so doing imbue groups with connectivity, and common purpose and vision. In these chapters, we see strong practical and theoretical themes that are consistent with the change work of Fullan, Senge's work on learning, and the organization work of Schmuck and others.

Constructivism, as an epistemological theory, has a long and broad history in this century. I found this book refreshing for making clear connections between a theory of knowledge and the practices and perspectives relevant to organization development and learning communities.

If you're new to a methodical approach to planning a marketing program, this book probably will help you sort through the issues. For anyone experienced in strategy planning, the book comes across as a bit reductive and pedantic.

To be fair, the book does provide a workable structure that allows novice marketers to focus on the situational issues rather than scrambling just to identify the the required components of a plan. It also may serve as a journeyman-like reference for experienced marketers.

One more note: the book clearly predates the Internet and is very much oriented at the mass marketing of good, old-fashioned consumer products. Don't expect to shift your paradigm here!

This is a good reference marketing plan book for novice people who are serious about learning the right process and fundational technique. Even it was printed in 10 years ago, I was surprised about it is very useful and not out of date at all. It is good to apply to enterprise software business as well, especially in the current market, solid marketing plan is one of key to evulate the product and company success. I have this book as a reference book if you have some budget to keep a few handy marketing books near you.

If there is a more methodical and detailed approach to marketing planning, I haven't seen it in 20 years in the ad business. The workbook format and the authors' real world experience make this a practical and useful tool for developing a marketing communications plan. The benefit of this approach is that your plan has been viewed from every angle, built methodically and logically, tested against reality, and executed down to the most minute detail. These guys have definitely been around the block. This book is useful in the real world.

This book just tells what Kwanzaa is really about andremarkablefriendship of two friends who used to hate each other.

This book is a good introduction to Kwanza for children and yes adults too. It explains the meaning of Kwanza, The symbols, and the terminolgy associated with this cultural festival.

This is a great way to introduce children to other cultures, and specifically to Kwanzaa. One child, excited about celebrating Kwanzaa, learns that it is not about just her, but about Umoja or unity with others.

For those looking for vintage Cooper, you should be warned that nothing in this book is indicitive of Cooper's usual writing style, or any of the writerly idiosynchrasies that have given him cult celebrity. But that's only because it's a compilation of articles that Cooper did over the years for Rolling Stone, Interview, and other magazines. At best, this book is a cultural pastiche of a time that's slowly fading from the tips of our memories; the period of the late 80s/early 90's in which ennui, AIDS, and a new sort of decadance were laying the groundwork for the rest of the decade. Articles about the death of River Pheonix and Kurt Kobain, interviews with Courtney Love and Keanu Reaves,a rather scathing article about the death of William Burroughs,(the opinions in which I politely disagree)and Cooper's opiniated voice color this compilation with a sort of bleak, but humanistic worldview. Anyway, it's all worth it for an interview with Keanu Reaves (Pre-Speed) in which Cooper gets the then cult figure to talk about drugs he'd like to use...

I've had the honor to meet a wonderful author by the name of Dennis Cooper. This summer I purchased this book, 'All Ears' in a small bookstore in San Francisco. Intrigued by the thought of reading cultural criticisms, I grabbed the book and proceeded to checkout.
That night I opened the book up and began to read. The first story, a story of Cooper and a man who was infected with AIDS, kept me going, and before the night was over I found myself with little more to read.
Cooper is fantastic. Honestly, thats the only world I can think of at the moment.
I plan on buying many more books by Cooper in the near future. It can hook anyone, and if you are into modern-esque essays purchase this book.

Adorable pictures,and the text was visually whimsical and informative. A fun read.

Cooper, seemingly a friendly figure, is in touch with the darker forces, the sexual urges, the needs, the coming and goings of desire and anger and the fury that makes people hurl bats at each other.

A must for every fan of ball games, games, watercolor, and hot dogs.

As my family read this book and later listened to it on audiocassette, my wife and I both thought that this would make an excellent text for a quality kids movie that would also appeal to adults. This fun-loving story of kids helping a "mythical" creature while adults either belittle their efforts or try to take advantage of them contains the features that made many of the original Disney stories so much fun. The antics of the lovable boggart and his human allies Emily and Jesup as they try to save "Nessie" are easy to visualize.

Our son was 7 when we first introduced him to the story; he was bored and disinterested by it. However, when we reintroduced it a year later he loved it and promptly began making plans to visit Scotland to find a boggart of his own. That extra maturity was needed to appreciate the joys of the book and thoughtful humor that is presented.

This is a great story for older children developing an understanding of the subtleties of human nature. Particularly how "villains" are not always as dastardly as they may initially appear and how even heros have struggles and challenges to overcome. It also does a good job of illustrating how a brother and sister can work together to solve a problem.

The Boggart and the Monster is as exciting as Susan Cooper's first Boggart book (The Boggart). This is a fast paced, entertaining and witty book. I couldn't put it down!

This book is an exciting read not only because the Boggart is up to his old tricks, but also because the favorite characters of the first book (Jessup, Emily & Tommy) appear again and the character of the Boggart is developed and begins to take shape a definitive shape of his own.

Susan Cooper draws you into the story in a way that makes you believe in magic.

Reading this book you feel like a kindred spirit with the Boggart (not to mention the Monster, the children and Mr. Mac).

While this was a very good book, I was quite disappointed by the ending. It wasn't fulfilling enough. After reading it all day and breathlessly waiting for the climax to a kidnapping story, I felt let down. I'm not sure if I'll read any of Natasha Cooper's other books.

In a London park, four-year old Charlotte Weblock mysteriously vanishes when her nanny becomes distracted for a moment. The media blasts Charlotte's mother renowned banker Antonia for leaving much of the care of her child with a nanny. Though the child may have wandered off by herself, law enforcement officials believe someone abducted the little girl.

The police find several suspects close to the victim's family who have the motive and the means to carry out a kidnapping. They investigate the nanny and Charlotte's stepfather, both of who had ample opportunity. They look into the background of Charlotte's biological father too. Finally, the police make inquiries into Trish Maguire, Antonia's cousin. Trish, a crusading barrister, specializes in child abuses cases. Trish, a former victim of abuse, begins her own inquiry into what happened to Charlotte.

Natasha Cooper, author of the Willow King mysteries, shows the width and depth of her talent by taking a turn into an entirely different type of story line. CREEPING IVY is an intelligently written psychological thriller that puts its' focus on a parent's worst nightmare. However, the well-designed plot actually centers on the investigation by Trish, which leads her to never accept the external mask of anyone ever again. Readers will want more stories starring Trish, a wonderful protagonist.

Harriet Klausner