Geoffrey Norman, This heartwarming book is about the author's experience mountain climbing with his daughter, Brooke. First, they climb the Grand Teton in Wyoming, which Geoffrey gives himself as a present for his 50th birthday. Climbing together becomes an activity that bonds them together as Brooke goes through adolescence and Geoffrey goes through the midlife passage. Norman, a writer for Outside Magazine, shares both his physical and psychological feelings with the reader. He also describes the climbing culture and gives us armchair adventurers a better idea of why people risk their lives for recreation. The book makes you feel like he is sitting down and telling you a story.

This is a very good book by an editor approaching 50 who decides a mountain climb is just what he needs to prove he's not over the hill. This gets more complicated when his 15 year old daughter decides she'd like to give it a try. Now in addition to his own insecurities, he must confront his relationship with his daughter as she moves to the age where she starts to separate from her parents but also must address the many insecurities that come with growing up. If you are buying this book for a climbing adventure only, this is the wrong book. But if you want detailed climbing info from beginner to the ascent of a continental summit, maybe this will satisfy you.

This book really shines describing his family relationships and watching his young daughter grow into an independent woman. Read this book if you climb or like climbing stories. But more importantly read this book to explore interpersonal relationships with your kids.

Certainly not just another climbing book. Geoffrey Norman paints the human faces with the fine touch of an artist. "Two for the Summit" was one of the most delightful books I've read in a long time. It gently probes the relationship between parent and child as each grows wiser and richer through their shared experiences on the mountain. An interesting and gripping book about real people striving for the highest points in life.

The question "Why do we climb?" has been answered with as many different twists as it has been asked. However, I suspect most of us that climb do it to look inward as much as we do to see the beauty from the summit. Norman shares his personal glimpses of life with family and mountain in a wonderfully refreshing way.

This is the best book I have read in a very long time. I couldn't put down these books if I tried. The adventurous tale of the 4 youngest Everst climbers ever to attempt the peak is filled with truimph, tragety, and humor. The author does a great job of drawing you into the adventure of the story.Meet Dominic Alexis, 13 and small but a tough climber, Tilt Crowly, a heavy 14 year old, ... talking kid, Perry Noonan, a terrified 15 year old redhead, and Sammi Moon, a slightly crazy 15 year old girl. Add that together with Cap Cicero, the legendary climber who will lead this expedion, and throw the world's highest mountain into it all, then you have an absoulty fantastic story!I can't tell you enough how adventurous this story is. I mean, each kid almost dies about four times each! I read and reread this story over and over, and after it's done you're disappointed that it had to end.

This book is a great book for anybody who loves adventure, because these books (the Everest books) are very extreme. They have very intense parts. I liked that these books are not all action, there are good conversation parts, too. The characters are like real kids and they do what real kids would do. I would highly recommend these books to anybody nine and over.

Personally I loved this book and I think that anybody who loves adventure books would too.
One interesting thing in this book is that you never know whot's going to hapen next. Ther's also lots of mystory in this book.
EVEREST is worlds diferent from Island or any other of Gordon Korman's other books. This 3 part series is a book to be read over and over again. It's not like any other book I'v ever read. In my opinionit's #1.

This book inspired me so much. It touched me because I am a child of divorce just as Sarah was. The book made me feel like I was on Denali- talking to Gabe and listening to Sam sing his joyful tunes. Now I know what I'm going to do with my life. I'm going to climb. Thank you, Mrs.Murphy. It was a wonderful book that touched my greatly.

I thought that To The Summit was an excilent book. It really opens your eyes to what you can acomplish if you have the determination and mentalability to put you mind to it. Sarah is a 17 year old girl that has the dream of reaching the summit of Denail and beening the youngest person to clime North Americas highest mountain. I thought that the book was great and would highly recamend it.

It is an excellent book that I enjoyed reading, I am even reading it again. It shows that with determination and a positive attiude, even a 17-year old girl can over come the challenge, both metally and physically of climbing North America's largest mountain. Not only getting stronger phyiscally , Sarah was brought closer to her father, and her life. Once again I have to say 'WOW! '.

If you are planning a winter/spring backcountry trip and want accurate, detailed information on routes, terrain, and level of difficulty for some of the best skiing/snowboarding terrain in California than this is the perfect book. The book is well organized, clearly written and beautifully illustrated. Everytime I pick up the book I find myself mentally planning new trips and plotting descent routes on the photographs. An added plus to the book is the wealth of information that it contains on preparing for a backcountry experience. The author covers everything from avalanche danger to equipment to bring on an extended trip. He even includes an excellent website for those who want more information. There always is a question in my mind when I read any backcountry guide about the accuracy of the information. Who wants to set out on a trip only to find out that the route maps or the descriptions don't match the terrain? The author is someone with extensive backcountry experience who has done each of the 50 trips described in the book at least once. We all sould be so lucky! Having taken two trips with the author that are detailed in the book, I can say that he did an excellent job of describing the routes and the terrain. If you are someone who is looking for backcountry ski/snowbaording adventure, this book will make your trip planning a whole lot easier. Enjoy

Having recently purchased Paul Richins book, ³50 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Summits in California,² I was very impressed. Like all books published by ³The Mountaineers,² it is nothing but First Class in every way. Mr. Richins has gone out of his way to provide the rest of us with a gem which will lead one to enjoy the fantastic world of the winter Sierra.

Even if one is nothing more than an arm chair cross country skier they would find this book highly enjoyable and enlightening reading. For the more adventuresome person, Mr. Richins book would be their ultimate guide to a world of adventure. The pictures, the writing, the maps are all five star. The little extras that Mr. Richins has added throughout the book, such as writings of John Muir, and others, adds the spice to this delightful book.

Mr. Richins, since he has obviously researched, personally , all 50 of the peaks listed in his guide, has been able to make a very reliable summary of each peak, from Intermediate, Advance, to Expert. This would easily allow me to select a challenge within my ability and, along with the excellent guide of the book, make winter trips I would have never thought possible.

Mr. Richins book is a veritable treasure-trove of information. From well researched check-lists to clear descriptions of everything from how to get to the trailhead to routes on the peaks; this book covers it all! Mr. Richins love of the Sierra Nevada shines through these pages. He invites his readers to share his love of the winter Sierra and imparts knowledge that makes it possible for expert and novice alike to enjoy these mountains. History of the Sierra Nevada is woven in throughout the book, creating an interestng counterpoint to the climbing routes. A must for the backpack on winter trips in the Sierras! Something to read by headlamp on those long nights in the tent!

If I never touch a gourd - this book is lovely to read. I do however plan to try my hand at this craft and feel I have the best instructions available. The supply section lists where the gourds, toold, dyes, etc. can be obtained. I have a huge craft book collection - and this is a superior one!

This book is illustrated with great pictures, easy-to-follow instructions, and great ideas all in a slim volume whose size belies the enormous amount of information. A delight and a must have for anyone contemplating being a gourd artist or those who just love gourds

This book is full of great gourding information. Some of the most creative and beautifully decorated gourds are featured in here. If you are looking for a book on gourding - this is it!

"Principles are anchors; without them you will drift." This concept proves to be the underlying theme in Pat Summitt's Reach for the Summit. Summitt, along with Sally Jenkins, describes her numerous experiences as a basketball coach and truly connects both emotionally and mentally with the readers. The various influences Summitt has been affected by, the assorted methods described, and the simple style allows this motivational book to be both effective and inspirational.

In Reach for the Summit, Pat Summitt, head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols, draws upon twenty-four years of experience as a triumphant coach to provide motivational advice for those that want to find success in all areas of life. Structured around her "Definite Dozen" system, each of the twelve chapters covers one rule of achievement. Personal anecdotes, basic ethics, and numerous strategies are used throughout the book to provide a solid foundation for her system. One of the most apparent themes that is stressed throughout the book is the fact that very few people know how to achieve success repeatedly. Many people can win once by getting lucky, following their intuition, or practicing a semi-effective short-term formula. Because people have a tendency to lose sight of their priorities, grow content, and abandon their principles, Summitt's book accurately describes how to build a system of effective methods and stick to them. This book will have a lasting value because of its applicability to almost any situation.

Through her amusing stories and few painful memories, Summitt reveals her failures and truimphs as an amateur basketball player, as an Olympic athlete, as a Division I coach, and as a mother. She has become one of the most successful and highest-paid coaches in the country, despite her birth into a hard-working farm family fromn the backwoods of Tennessee. Candidly describing how she personally turned defeat into victory, Summitt then shows the reader how to do the same. However, the content of the book is primarily composed of basketball related incidents and may prove to be tiresome to those who do not share her same admiration for the sport. One of the most sufficient methods of motivation Pat Summitt uses in this book seems to be her thought-provoking rhetorical questions. "What will you do today to better yourself?" "How will you become a more successful person?" The questions enable the reader to analyze the numerous aspects of his or her life.

The diction of this novel proves to be rather simple and understandable, and this characteristic may further add to the content's effectiveness. Descriptive stories support all of her keys to success, and in addition to being useful illustrative tools, the stories are also entertaining and humorous. For example, Coach Summitt tells the story of a freshman post player's tendency of allowing the ball to get knocked out of her hands. Abby Conklin scores and rebounds well but always let some smaller guard slap the ball away from her. During halftime of one of the midseason games in 1997, Coach Summitt shoves a basketball into Abby's stomach and tells her to hold onto the ball for the remainder of the game, take it home, and then carry is around to all her classes on campus the next day. This particular story illustrates the "Discipline yourself so no one else has to" step. Conclusively, this book's strategies prove to be relevant for anyone who wants to establish higher principles.

Personally, I have found Coach Summitt's inspirational methods to be rather practical. I believe that the information she offers, being based on viable experiences, proves to be quite relevant in my life. After reflecting on her tactics, I have gained a much greater respect for athletes and coaches who work at the collegiate level. Additionally, the motivation I obtained form this book will hopefully elevate my level of achievement in school, sports, and the most important game of all-life.

A lot of celebrity sports figure books are full of ghost writer prose and tired cliche's. Many are entertaining, but like a fluffy dessert. Sweet but only empty calories. Not this one. This is meat and potatoes earned the best way--by hard work. Pat Summitt lets you into her head and heart--the head and heart that has achieved unprecendented success not only with women's basketball teams, but as a person, a leader, and an inspiring figure to these young women--and now to millions of fans. I find my self measuring her with a much larger yardstick than "just" one of the best coaches that ever coached basketball. This lady is a champion and would be at whatever she decided to do. This book is worth reading by anyone from the CEO to the janitor--and they will all enjoy it and be better for it. Review by: John L. Mariotti, former President of Huffy Bicycles and Rubbermaid Office Products, now CEO of The Enterprise Group, and author of "The Power of Partnerships" and "The Shape Shifters" --and a Lady Vol fan!

Having long been a fan of Pat Summitt & the Tennessee Lady Vols, I finally got around to reading this book and I must say it was a real eye-opener. You've seen pictures of Pat on tv & in the newspapers, usually in some player's face during a crucial moment of a game & you might think, "this woman is really tough on her players." Well, guess what? She IS tough, and many of the players that she's been toughest on went on to be championship players in the WNBA after getting their degrees at the University Of Tennessee. Other than building championship teams, Pat's main goal is seeing that her players get their education & graduate. Everyone on the team must sit in the 1st 3 rows in their classes and pay attention. After reading this book, I came away with the realization that she really does care about these young women and always made it a point to assure them of this. At times when she knew she'd really have to lean on a player, Pat would contact their parents to give them a heads up so that there would be no misunderstanding. Pat Summitt grew up tough but fair, not afraid of hard work and expecting alot from others. Her Definite Dozen System is easy to apply in any job, in all walks of life. You just have to be determined to overcome adversity and to face every challenge that comes your way. Highly recommended reading for everyone, not just fans of women's basketball.

You should buy it if you are into mountaineering at all. This should be on the shelf of every would-be, aspiring or armchair mountaineer.
It's long, but worth it.

This book delivers one of the most comprehensive perspective on climbing in the Himalayas. With vivid descriptions of successful (and unsuccessful) climbs of a variety of peaks in the Himalayas plus descriptions of the North Face of the Eiger and the Snow Mountains of New Guinea, this book demonstrates the versatility of these two gentlemen.

The drama and imagery shines through the writing of both Tasker and Boardman. With details on the first ascents of the West Face of Changabang, the Southeast ridge of Dunagiri, the Northwest ridge of Kangchenjunga and more, this book is a treasure trove of great climbing. There are occasional technical terms but they demonstrate the effort and intensity of these two climbers. A great choice.

Having read inumerable books on mountaineering, I wasn't prepared for the impact of this one. I've read "Fragile Edge" by Maria Coffey, (it is excellent, she was Tasker's girlfriend)about her and Hillary Boardman's experiences following the deaths of Boardman and Tasker, and wasn't prepared for the emotional impact of this book. It is probably one of the best I've read. Boardman's style gripped me, and brought home what a terrible tragedy his death was for the literary community. I believe there are "writing climbers" and "climbing writers"; Boardman was definitely a gifted climber who wrote beautifully. This book should be in anyone's library who loves mountains and adventure travel.

In this classic work, John Bunyan paints a detailed picture of the Christian life/walk, giving true-to-life insights and experiences. The despair, sorrows, trials and temptations that a believer may face are depicted in an allegorical manner, as well as the hope, joy, and salvation found in Jesus Christ. The main character Christian (once named Graceless) sets out on a lifelong journey from the City of Destruction, where his family disowned him, and encounters many persons and difficulties along the way to the Celestial City (heaven). The characters he meets are given names that reflect their mindset or what temptation they bring. At times he stumbles and at times he perseveres, but all by the grace of God. The second portion of the book tells of the conversion and subsequent sojourn of the wife (Christiana) and children of Christian. The discussions of Christian in the first part and Christiana and her companions in the second part are very interesting, as they defend their faith and explain their purpose to those they meet along the way. The book is quite different from your ordinary novel, and has many interesting words of wisdom for the Christian life. Readers should be aware that some of the language is antiquated and has unfamiliar usages, so its a little bit of an adjustment to read.

"The Pilgrim's Progress" is a classic Christian text written by John Bunyan. Written in an allegorical format, the two-part story focuses first on "Christian", then on his wife "Christiana" and sons. Convicted of their own sinfulness, the characters set out on the journey to salvation at the Heavenly Gate. Characters such as "Honesty", "Great-Heart", and "Faithful" aid the pilgrims on their journey, whereas they face trials from the Slough of Despond, Vanity Fair, and the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Getting through the book takes some work, less because of the story and more because of the depth of the allegory. Also, the dialogues between characters regarding salvation and righteousness often require a careful read. However, the story is exceptionally creative and thought-provoking, and the lessons that can be gleaned from it are timeless and worth the effort that needs to be expended. I recommend reading this one at least twice.

Pilgrim's Progress is without a doubt one of the true classics of time--an allegory that has remained a best seller years after its introduction.

My first introduction to Pilgrim's Progress was as a child in parochial school. I had to do a book report on it in 5th grade and ended up reading numerous times for various projects throughout grade school.

The reader follows the main character--aptly named "Christian"--on his journey to the Celestial City.

Along the way, Christian passes through the many trials of life, symbolized by intruiging characters and places along the way. An early temptation is the "City of Destruction", which Christian narrowly escapes with his life. The various characters are perhaps the most fascinating portion of the book--Pliable, Giant Despair, Talkative, Faithful, Evangelist, and numerous others provide the reader with a continual picture of the various forces at work to distract (or perhaps, encourage)Christian on his ultimate mission.

Of course, the theology (for those of the Christian faith) of Pilgrim's Progress is a constant source of debate, the book is nonetheless a classic of great English writing.

It's not a quick read--that's for sure--however, I certainly would recommend that one read it in its original form. Don't distort the beauty of the old English language with a modern translation.

Not intended as a reference or a tutorial for the C language, this book fills one niche well - the gory, often forgotten or differently understood, fine details. When writing code, and noticing some behaviour which doesn't look completely natural, this FAQ can often help clear some things out.
In my opinion it is also good to read it at least once from the beginning - this gives some good insight on the language that might not always be immediately visible to beginners, or intermediate programmers who do not have years of experience behind them.
Most every C compiler these days supports some extensions and non-standard features, and some of those might be difficult to notice as non-standard. This book will also help you program in a more portable manner, and think in more standardized C.

This is an essential book for any programmer. I remember buying it when it first came out in Fall 1995. I was an undergraduate senior at the time and thought I was a hotshot C programmer. How mistaken I was! Reading through this book was a humbling experience, as each page showed me fine details of C that I did not already know.

This is an excellent book. It is organised into chapters on different aspects of C, and in each chapter are dozens of FAQs that range from rather common to extremely fine-detailed. Three chapters which I particularly liked were Chapter 1 (declarations and initalisations), 3 (expressions and evaluation order), and 6 (arrays and pointers). Later chapters introduced new (at the time) concepts to me, including getopt, variable-length argument lists, and preprocessor tricks. The level of detail provided in each answer is extraordinary.

Other things I liked about the book: The index is excellent. There is a lot of discussion (spread across the FAQs) on the differences between K&R and ANSI C. (This was relevant to me because at the time, I was splitting my work between gcc and the proprietary cc compilers on DEC Ultrix and SunOS.) The style of writing is friendly and does not talk down to you. This is not a beginners' book!

Note that there is an online version, but it does not have nearly as many questions as in this book.

This book would be a chapter shorter if C didn't have "++", "--", "**", etc. operators, but that's C's fault.

C Programming FAQs explains so many things I've scratched my head at, and shows how to do them properly, and most importantly, portably. Anyone interested in programming C NEEDS this book!

I was thrilled to read Richard Sobel's powerful story of the Abayudaya. I had the opportunity to visit this community in May of 2002 on behalf of Heifer International. At the time I did not know of Sobel's book. It has made my visit all the more meaningful. Now I want to return.

The Abayudaya Women's Heifer Project is located in the Mbale district of Eastern Uganda and Heifer work with them was started in 1997. A group of seven women became the governing council. Twenty heifers were originally distributed and to date there have been 5 pass-ons. There are now 22 persons ready to receive Heifers.

This group is one of the poorest groups that Heifer works with in Uganda. However, it should be noted that the assistance of the Abayudaya Women's Heifer Project extends to those who are Christian and Muslim as well as Jewish.

We visited many of the farms and then visited the people gathered at the synagogue. They shared their story and we felt the power of their faith. The cows are helping the move toward self-reliance, but it is their own strength that is so empowering.

Richard Sobol has just come out with Abayudaya: The Jews of Uganda, an exquisite volume of photographs with text about this remarkable group, and a CD of Abayudaya music is included in a pocket attached to the back cover. The music was recorded and annotated by Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, an ethnomusicologist at Tufts University.
Those of us who have lived and traveled in sub-Saharan Africa universally bemoan the fact that our pictures cannot capture the color and contrast, the rhythm, the unique beauty that is Africa. Richard Sobol, a seasoned pro, has captured the essence of these African scenes as few others can (Carol Beckwith comes to mind). Views of the Ugandan countryside and towns, of Abayudaya prayer and study and feasting, of women washing dishes and carrying water and preparing food, of elders in contemplation, of adults and children at play, of vendors of colorful housewares, of stunning posed portraits - it's all there, and each photo is a masterpiece.
And Sobol's 18-page essay about Abayudaya history and life and Jewish practice is a fine summary for those who have not been introduced to this unique community before.
Summit has written a five-page text to introduce the CD, which is entitled Abayudaya Music of Worship and Celebration. This essay is both informative and poignant. It reviews the various influences on Abayudaya music - Zulu music, church and Salvation Army music, Bantu folk music, Western visitors, and Nairobi (Kenya) synagogue melodies - often learned from recordings or the radio.
Summit recorded this wonderful sampling of Abayudaya music in informal sessions in Uganda in 2000 and 2002. The first half of the CD includes unaccompanied traditional hymns and psalms, some dating back 20 or 30 years, one composed by the community's founder, Semei Kakungulu, in the 1920s. The annotations themselves make fascinating reading. One note explains that Psalm 136, heard on the recording as a responsive "reading" with soloist and chorus, reminds the community of the downfall of Idi Amin since it recounts God's deliverance with the splitting of the Red Sea. A particularly precious rendition is Rena bat Esther's solo in Psalm 121, used by the Abayudaya to provide strength and comfort when a person is ill. This is one of the few compositions on the CD by a female composer. Another woman's composition is the melody to Psalm 130, which is sung repeatedly during a burial while shoveling earth and filling up the grave. Women seem to specialize in consolation.
Twagala Torah ("We Love the Torah") is a charming children's song composed by one of the youth leaders of the community, Moses Sebagabo. The text, in Luganda, English and Hebrew, is sung by Abayudaya children who attend public school.
The more upbeat second half of the CD features guitar accompaniment by Gershom Sizomu and electric keyboard by John Mark Nkoola, musical director of the Abayudaya high school. In an interesting contrast, Summit placed the a capella rendition of Psalm 136 in the first half and the electric version of the same psalm in the latter half.J.J. Keki's song "Ali Omu Yekka" ("My Only One") sounds like a standard love song: "I have one chosen one. I only have one love. I'm warning those others, don't come near me, she's enough...." But Summit points out that the Torah is the object of the songwriter's love, and the song is a veiled warning to Christian and Muslim proselytes in Uganda!
John Mark Nkoola wrote a modern song about the feeling he has when somebody has died. The words are particularly poignant in this place where deaths from AIDS and malaria are not uncommon: "The time has come. We must be going back where we have come from, to dust... When I think about death, I become afraid. I wish I had somebody to explain why this happens. Perhaps I may settle my mind. Let us enjoy life... Enjoy life in the right time, place and with the right people before you disappear like a shadow."
A few of the selections were heard on the community's first recording, "Shalom Everybody Everywhere!" produced by Kulanu with the Abayudaya in 1997. It is particularly satisfying to hear the beautiful, mature voice of Rachel Namudosi, in "Adonai Mukulu" ("God Is Great"). We heard her lovely child's voice on earlier recording. Happily, more recordings are in the works.

This book is the fascinating and bizarre true story of a small group of rural Ugandans who got the idea to convert to Judaism about 75 years ago. The prose part of the book is actually quite brief, but the pictures are beautiful, and the CD that accompanies the book (their prayer music) is a musical treat.