I taught myself to cook with this cookbook. The fact that it is organized by the seasons, removed the stress of an inexperienced cook looking for something seasonal, like asparagus, at the wrong time of year. The fact that it was in menu format taught me how to put a nice meal together. The recipes use basic ingredients and not prepackaged mixes which helped me understand what tastes go with other taste, and that also keeps the cost down. Simple secrets, like using lime juice to flavor the chicken in fajitas, came to me as I methodically went through cooking nearly every recipe. This cookbook changed the way I keep my pantry stocked and how I feed myself. I had Amazon find me a copy for a friend who is struggling to learn how to cook. It should be reprinted.

I love this book because the recipes are mostly quick, easy to make, and delicious. I bought a copy for $3.00 in the Chicago Borders bookstore while on a visit. Now, back in Boston, I find I want 3 more copies for my kids, all of whom now cook and are on budgets. I'm very annoyed that it's out of print! Now my kids will all want mine and I'll have to hide it. My mind being what it is, I will not be able to remember where I hid it which puts us back to square one and NOONE gets to use the book. I am truly upset. Can't you find this book?

This book was purchased after deciding to cut back to one income and stay home with my new daughter. I have made about 1/2 of the recipes and have been pleasantly surprised with most of them. In fact, I have tried several times to order copies to give to my friends as gifts. I highly recommend it if you can get a copy

This quirky story about three disabled people who decide to live together in a nice bungalow in the suburbs offers beautiful insight on the quest to be "normal." I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore what it means to be vastly different.
Great for a Disability Literature class or for any literature class.

The emotional and sexual intricacies explored in this story would make this a difficult book for young readers to appreciate and I was somewhat shocked to find it listed in the "Children's" (young adult) category. But for those who are mature enough it is a rewarding, if heartbreaking, read.

I first read this book when I was in 7th grade. That was 34 years ago and I still have it - yellowed with age and every other page held together with tape and clear packaging tape all over the cover. That must give you some idea how much I cherish this book. I have read it several times over the years, reliving the warmth I felt from the first time I read it. The story is so quirky that the reader will enjoy it simply as a narrative adventure full of unexpected twists and turns. Woven into the story is a lesson about embracing our own uniqueness, loving others for their unigueness, and appreciating each person's difference. It is a story of loving in the absence of love, learning tolerance in the absence of tolerance, and overcoming obstacles even when overwhelmed by obstacles. This story was a beacon during the my difficult teenage years and has been a guding light for the 34 years since I first read it.

This book is terrible. If you are looking for a book to teach you how to draw better more realistic and dynamic drawings then definitely do not buy this. Half of the book is on gesture drawing (the annoying five-minute drawings which are usually printed on your homework paper). The other half is full of other people talking about their lives in art. This book is more for people who don't know how they want to draw and is to help you explore very boring sides of art. If you are interested in drawing more active drawings ( possibly comic, realistic, lively, anime/manga, or anything interesting) then look for books by Burne Hogarth. He has done some great books on the human anatomy, hands, head, facial exxpressions, etc. Unless you really want to draw potted plants and scribbling exercises, DONT BUY THIS BOOK.

If I had to pick only 5 books from my art instruction shelf to keep and had to sell all the rest this would head the list as Keeper Book 1. Many people are familiar with Betty Edward's Drawing on the Right-Side of the Brain and I agree it is a good book. But Mona Brooke's book is every bit as good and I really feel it is unknown and under-appreciated compared to Ms. Edwards book - especially considering the excellent instruction and lessons each chapter gives. These 2 books are excellent complements to each other. And don't let the title throw you. This book is worthy of every adult wanna-be-artist's bookshelf. There are just as many examples of adult beginner artwork as there are examples from children and teenagers. Like the Betty Edwards book it teaches beginners progressively how to see and draw things and people. But this book puts a much larger focus on creativity - take what you learn and unleash it creatively as well as realistically (or even un-realistically if that's what you prefer as the author says).

Everything is here - proportion, perspective, contrast, shading, scale, etc. and the tons of "projects" help reinforce the lessons. But a big chunk of the book give projects stressing creativity as well. That is what I love about this book so much. Not only do these people go from childlike drawings and progress to increasingly amazing results -they throw in big doses of creative inspiration as well. So, for example, some of the students (after learning and proving to themselves they can finally draw realistic portraits) forsake strict realism for more creative interpretive portraits. In short, the author never loses sight of the fact that drawing, any artistic endeavor in fact, should be fun. All kinds of materials are suggested for the various projects. And the student artwork in this book is very inspiring. Everything from strict realism to whimsical to experimental is shown. Once you learn how to draw realistically you can then break those rules if it suits your creativity better. This book is just plain FUN. FUN! FUN! FUN! Get it along with the Betty Edwards book. They really make a great art-instruction duo.

It's a excellent book that assists the art educator in understanding how to excel their students further. I use the pictures and exercises in the books to show the students how children (their age or younger) have improved in their drawings by using some of their methods. This gives them the hope and confidence that they can reach a level that they can only imagine. It's a must have book for any art educator.

This is the very interesting history of the research of genetics, evolution, and biology using the very versatile tool Drosophilia melanogaster. However, it is written for a non-scientific audience. There are numerous puns and jokes about the humble fruit fly and the explanation of genes and alleles is reduced to an analogy of shoes on people's feet. This may help people who have absolutly no science background understand the subject, but I found the poor analogies to be distracting.

On the other hand, the history was absorbing. How were maps of genes created before fancy sequencing machines? The answer lies in the close study of thousands of generations of fruit flys and studying their mutations. Many discoveries of basic genes that are present in all life forms are first found in the fruit fly. Many more discoveries are yet to be made.

The book's an excellent read for both the layman and the science student. It successfully combines historical detail with contemporary implications of Drosophila research. Written in a breezy colloquial manner, it never gets boring while sacrificing only little of the scientific content. The author does abuse the fly sex theme, often resorting to it with specious warrant. The other shortcoming of the book has to do with its physical quality, which is horrible. Seedy five-buck pocket-size thrillers are printed on paper of incomparably higher quality. Judged on the content, though - a well-written, informative, and entertaining book.

In biology labs across the world, fruit flies are turning up answers to some of the basic questions of life. From genetics to development, behavior to aging, and evolution to the origin of species, the fruit fly has been has played the dimunitive guinea pig for some of the 20th century's greatest biological discoveries. Techniques to pinpoint genes that play a role in human disease depend on genetic mapmaking principles first established with the fly. It was experiments on fruit flies that opened our eyes to the dangers of radiation to human health. In fact, everything from gene therapy to cloning to the Human Genome Project is built on the foundation of fruit fly research. In highly original, witty, and irreverent style, Brookes takes readers through the successive stages in the life cycle of the fly, each illustrating an important concept in biology. Some, such as the fundamentals of heredity, are well established; others, such as sexual warfare, learning, and memory, are still in their infancy. But whether flies are getting high on crack cocaine, enjoying the pleasures and pains of a boozy night out, being trained by punishment and reward, or struggling with insomnia, this book provides a glimpse of how one short life has informed almost every aspect of human existence. Much more intriguing, edifying, and entertaining than you'd imagine.

Here's the story.Tara get a audition and her boyfriend is not happy for her.I never know why she stay with him.He's a total loser.Anyway,she has to move away from his boyfriend and well,they start being apart.And he kiss her best friend!! The boring part is it's about two people that already fall in love when most teenageers wants to know is HOW two people fall in love.

I really loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Part of me wanted Tara to dump Lance and date Marcus De La Nova, but part of me wanted her to stay with Lance. I've had the book 5 months and I've already read it 8 times. It's a definite must read book.

TGILB is so funny and true! I had a band and I can tell you that there's nothing like a girl to break a band apart. Reading this book gave me a cool new perspective to look at- the girlfriend's. But who cares what a drummer says, right? Seriously, anybody that plays music or dates musicians (which is any cool girl) needs this book! It cracked me up too.

I keep this book right next to my watering can and refer to it for helpful hints every time one of my plant leaves turn yellow, or brown or another problem turns up.

It covers lots of information in few words. The illustrations are quite helpful. Love it, and wouldn't do without it

This is an great book for beginners plus it's cute and small and easy to read (this book would be especially appropriate for teenagers and older children). Chapters include: "Choosing Houseplants" including how to match plants to the growing conditions in your home and how to grow bulbs indoors; "Light and Humidity;" "Watering Know-How;" "Feeding Your Plants;" "Pots and Potting On;' "Pruning and Training;" "Propagating Houseplants;" "Tackling Pests and Diseases;" "Favorite Houseplants;" and "Display & Arrangement." The "Favorite Houseplants" chapter includes descriptions and growing requirements for 20 easy-to-grow plants including English Ivy, Philodendrons, Rubber Plants, Boston Ferns, African Violets, Cyclamens, Hyacinths, Poinsettias and Geraniums, etc. "Display & Arrangement" has instructions for container plants, hanging baskets and terrariums. The only reservation I have about this book is that some of the symbols used to designate humidity and amount to water are a bit confusing; in particular, I had a little trouble telling the difference between the medium drop ("water moderately") and the small drop ("water sparingly").

This book is an essential guide, just as the title says, for anyone interested in caring for house plants. Good photographs along with excellent tips make this a good starter before buying a plant. I found it particularly useful that it recommended plants according to my own lifestyle, location, as well as advice on what to look for when buying a houseplant.

Brooke's experience with Sai Baba, as related in "Lord of the Air" certainly make for interesting reading yet lacks an "Occam's Razor" approach when describing the alleged miracles of the Indian Super guru. All of the "miracles" of Sai Baba are uncritically described as the result of demonic power. Yet each and every one of Sai Baba's miracles are reproducable by any number of professional stage magicians. While I am pleased Mr. Brooke left the cult, I fear he exhibits an entirely too naive view of alleged occult power. Baba is nothing more than a con artist, plain and simple. That alone should warn people off.

This book is an excellent read. It is well written and fascinating, especially considering the fact that is non-fiction. I was particularly impressed with the author's honesty in relating the events surrounding his search for Truth.

His journey to India and his determination to find this Truth led him to Sai Baba, whom he considered to literally be god on the earth.

What is really soul piercing is that there was only one thing that caused him to re-examine his beliefs concerning the three major questions in life: (1)Who am I? (2)Where did I come from? (3)Where am I going? His encounter with two people who knew the Bible and attempted to live their lives by it and take its contents literally where context demanded it, and symbolically when obvious, was the milestone in his quest for truth. The Christians he met, though simple folk, let the Bible make the case for determining what was truth and by doing so, they made an anassailable case for Jesus Christ and against Baba as God.

I highly recommend the book. It encourages one to think.

Wow! What a shocker! This book details how Tal Brooke, a seeker of truth travels to India to find peace and happiness. What he finds instead is temporary gratification and a strange sense of religion. But at what cost? Read this account of how Tal discovers who Sai Baba (probably the LAST of the great Gurus of India) really is and why he still today has a following of 20 million or more. Explore how Tal finds the real God, Jesus Christ. An explosive non-fiction account of the world of the occult. A must read!

It's worth getting. The clarity and quality of each photo is excellent. The photo for the month of February is very good. Each month is displayed across two pages and is 2 feet tall by 1 foot wide except for June's which is turned sideways so If you plan to hang it up it will be somewhat difficult to use as a reference for that month. A cuter picture of Brooke will be hard to come by than the one for March. There are eight candid shots taken from the shoot on the inside front cover along with a larger one of Brooke looking very cute. An introduction by Brooke is on the adjacent page. All-in-all I'd give it 4 stars out of five. I haven't come across many women as pretty as Brooke. If you're buying it as a gift, you can't go wrong.

It's worth getting. I'm a big fan of Brooke's but I almost didn't buy it, having seen the back cover in the store. If you've seen the back cover in person, what you do not see on it is the photos for the months of February and October. For February, Brooke has each hand strategically placed, with fingers spread apart, instead of sporting a bikini top; it's the most revealing it can be without displaying any surprises. In October she has her arms across her chest in lieu of a top as well. Each picture for each month is 2 feet tall by 1 foot wide except for June's which is the exact opposite; If you plan to hang it up: the month of June's photo is displayed horizontally not vertically as well as the days; so it will be somewhat annoying to use as a reference for June. A cuter picture of Brooke will be hard to come across than the one for March. My copy has some dark ink spots on the month of February near her belly button, but it is probably a printing error limited to only a few copies. There are eight candid shots taken from the shoot on the inside front cover along with a larger one of her holding up her untied bikini top. An introduction by Brooke is on the adjacent page. The see-through bathing suit photo was taken from the side and doesn't reveal as much as most guys would hope to see. All-in-all I'd give it 4 and 1/2 stars out of five. The clarity and quality of each photo is excellent. I haven't come across many women as pretty as Brooke. If you're buying it as a gift, you can't go wrong.

When Brooke finds out that the new pop singer that is taking the world by storm,Coco,is actually her MOTHER whom she hasn't seen for donkey ages,she's naturally excited.But her life becomes very horrible when she is forced to keep the truth from her peers as Coco's [...] agent believes motherhood will tarnish Coco's image.

Brooke Dennis finds out that her mother, whom she hasn't seen in years is the pop sensation, Cocoa. However,she can't tell anyone b/c being a mother would ruin Cocoa's image. This is especially hard b/c everyone is always talking about how great Cocoa is. Read this book to find out if Brooke reveals her mother's secret identity

Imagine this..you discover that your mother is becoming a way famous popstar,but you ARE NOT ALLOWED to tell that she is your mum..wouldn't you just DIE!!If she was cool anyway,which Brookes mum is!Her stage-name is Coco,like Coco Lee!It is a pretty fun book in the series and turns out nicely like they all do.

I have an abiding interest in homes on the sea. I've ordered a batch of them. When I saw this book, I assumed that it was a book about a variety of seaside homes of varying architectural styles. I was disappointed to find that it was a book about a single community in Florida, most of the homes being done in an architecturally consistent style. If you're looking for a book of relatively contemporary homes in Florida, this might be of interest to you, as it's well done from that perspective. Otherwise, I'd look at the other available titles, many of which are quite beautifully done.

This book is mostly a historical account as Seaside, the development in the panhandle of Florida, is being developed. It mostly shows photographs of the different houses built so both architects and designers can get an intimate view. It is a great book as a reference for building in the Florida vernacular...

This exquisitely-photographed book about the 80-acre northern Florida community is the perfect antidote to the winter blues or for anyone wishing to take an armchair trip to this breathtaking beach area. Located approximately 70 miles east of Pensacola in the Florida panhandle, Seaside was featured as the perfect city in the movie "The Truman Show" starring Jim Carrey. The movie itself was dreadful, and the real star was Seaside. ( )