why didn't the author wait to write it AFTER THE TRIAL. I just bought this book (year 2000) and apparently this apparently evil man almost got away with murder of his wife, 2 kids and mother. He vehemently denies committing these unthinkable horrific crimes but one is left with no other suspects; I was extremely disappointed that at the time this book came out the suspect was awaiting trial sometime in 1998. I want to know the outcome of the trial-can anyone give me more information about the trial or where I can find the information myself?

I find the content of this book to be reasonably accurate with minor discrepancies. Although I never met the author, I did provide him with an audio tape describing some errors. It may be of interest to readers that the trial is still pending and presently scheduled for a date sometime late this month, August, or early September 1998. There has been several post-ponements since September 1995. Also of interest to readers may be the fact that neither my wife or myself have ever been contacted by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department regarding these deaths, although we are the principal surviving victims. We are convinced, along with all our relatives and many friends that this department was sorely amiss in their investigations from the very beginning. Hopefully now, Jack Barron will in the near future be brought to trial and convicted so that we may finally put to rest this terrible action perpertrated by him.

This book was very good, it was a very easy read (I read it in a day and a half), and the author did a good job of making me feel like I knew the characters. The story is about a man, Jack Barron, who smothered his wife, then the following year smothered his 4-year-old son, and then the following year smothered his 4-year-old daughter. After all of that, he even smothered his own mother. It is incredible that nothing was done before all these murders, but the author does a good job of explaining the problems facing law enforcement. The only true disappointment is that the book was written after the preliminary exam and before the trial. I did some research and learned that Jack Barron was tried by a judge, not a jury, and was convicted of murdering his mother, wife, and son. He was acquitted of murdering his daughter. He was sentenced to life in prison w/o parole. The full text of Irene's letter is included in the court opinion. She complained that Jack never talked to her about anything anymore. The letter was ruled inadmissible after the preliminary hearing, but during the trial Jack testified that he and Irene had only gotten into 2 minor disagreements during their marriage because they always talked things out. He also testified that they never discussed divorce. The judge let the letter into evidence for impeachment. Jack challenged that ruling on appeal but he lost. The most recent information I can find is that the California Court of Appeals affirmed his convictions and a rehearing was denied in May 2002. In sum, I recommend this book to true-crime readers.

After reviewing several books about speed reading --some of them very expensive--, I found it. And I strongly recommend it. The book allows you to understand and to train separately three different dimensions of reading:

- Speed, understanding and recalling.

Contrasting with another "speed reading in 5 minutes" offers, this book does not sell you miracles: you need to practice and practice to speed up your reading skills.

as a minus, I personally found the chapter about Internet useless. Do we need to read a complete chapter to learn that "Much of Internet reading is prereading or scanning"?
I don't think so.

If I would recommend a book to start with speed reading, this will be the first one.

Among all the speed reading books, I think this book is one of the best. It's definitely works for me because it's simple and concise. All you need to do is follow the steps that the book said and practice as often as you can. I was a 212 word per minute reader with 60% comprehension skill, after I followed the 3-2-1 practice as stated in the book, I've litereally increasing my speed reading to 1200 wpm with 56% comprehension skill. My husband read this book a year earlier, and now his speed reading is 3000wpm with 80% comprehension skill. So I am stilling working on it. It's a great book though. You shouldn't miss this one if you want to improve your speed reading.

This is an insightful and practical book about reading books. Though several books on the market employ skimming or sighting topic sentences, Steve Moidel stays on target by teaching a method which includes reading every word of the text. From your first reading, you can measure vast improvements in both reading speed and comprehension. The learning process includes a study on how the eye operates, reading mechanics, and retaining comprehension. The price of this book is deceptively small, but it promotes a full, faster, and stronger comprehension of your entire library

Get this book! I have a companion Grey parrot that was a rescue bird who had started some wicked screaming for attention that I was sure would get me evicted! I bought the book as well as her Guide to the Well Behaved Parrot and Guide to Companion Parrot Behavior. They changed everything! I now live harmoniously with 6 well behaved parrots--the Grey no longer screams and we are VERY HAPPY. I owe this in large part to these excellent books. The author has years of experience and knowledge about African Greys. Anyone who wants a grey should read it BEFORE they bring the bird home. Anyone who has a grey should read it because greys live a long time and are highly intelligent--this book will help solve everything from screaming behaviors to health issues. I strongly recommend this book as well as her others. this is essential reading.

Mattie Sue Athan has done it again! And this time--co-authoring with Dianalee Deter, has given us an excellent guide to owning the complex African grey parrot. These authors have written comprehensive, thorough and easy to read advice to anyone thinking of living with one of these intelligent parrots. Novices, as well as experts, can glean new knowledge herein, and can totally put their trust in the hands of these two. Mattie Sue Athan, as always, is a parrot's best friend. This book is a wonderful addition to MSA's Guide to Companion Parrot Behavior and Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot, which no parrot owner should be without. I reference mine time and time again. Now, if only my African grey could type, I know she would give it 5 stars herself!

Finally a book that addresses the specific and unique needs of the African Grey Parrot!

After working with a non-profit parrot rescue organization for several years, I came to realize that behavioral techniques that work with other types of birds are not always successful with African Greys. I looked everywhere for information that would help me understand how to approach and direct the sensitive nature of these birds. All of the books on African Greys I could find really only addressed basics bird care and breeding issues.

The African Grey Parrot Handbook by Mattie Sue Athan and Dianalee Deter is the book that addresses all of my questions about African Greys. Not only does it contain useful information about the general characteristics and nutritional needs of African Greys, it gives advice about proper socialization techniques, special housing requirements and suggestions for dealing with behavioral problems.

I would recommend that anyone who has a African Grey Parrot, or is thinking of owning one purchase this book and keep it handy! The African Grey Handbook is full of useful information presented in a format that is easy to read and use for reference. There are also entertaining stories which serve as examples to illustrate the topic being discussed.

After working to rehabilitate numerous African Grey parrots who have developed behavior problems such as biting and feather pulling, I wish that every African Grey would come with a copy of this book!

Heartlight is a science fantasy book by T.A. Barron. The book is about a 7th grade girl named Kate who has moved into a new town. She has trouble making friends, so she spends most of her time with her unusually preoccupied astrophyisist grandfather. When he suffers a heart attack and mysteriously disappears, Kate is forced to embark on a quest to save the sun and another star. I disliked the book because it did not seem very scientific. Also, I would have liked a greater variety of conflicts for Kate. The most well written characters in the book were the giant butterflies, Morpheus and Orpheus. A better science fantasy read with a similar theme would be "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle.

T. A. Barron's Heartlight is a great science-fiction book. As you read this book, it is easy to sense that you are in the book with the characters. The book tells of a young girl who travels in outer space through her heartlight. Kate's mission is to find her grandfather in outer space in another galaxy and bring him home to safety. Heartlight is full of excitement and adventure as Kate searches for her lost grandfather who is trying to save the sun. The sun is running out of PCL (pure condensed light) and it is up to her grandfather to save the sun.
I really enjoyed Heartlight, and I am not a person who likes science-fiction books. This book is not one of those completely unbelievable books where you know that nothing in the book could ever happen. T.A. Barron writes outstanding details and descriptions in the book, and one starts to believe that the sun just might really run on PCL. The characters live within you throughout the tosses and turns of the book. T.A. Barron makes it possible to ride on the wings of a Morpho nestra, a beautiful butterfly, soar through outer space into other galaxies, get stuck in a black hole, and live to tell the story.

Heartlight is one of those rare books which absolutely captivated me. It is a moral tale woven from dreams. In our technological, death-denying culture, it is refreshing to read a story which goes beyond technology and does not deny death. Its battle between good and evil is very convincing. It was lovely to meet characters who pray. And the way it ends, well, like the Retriever, it is pure gold. Read it and find the heartlight within your own heart.

Basically, there are three ap psychology review books. There are slight problems with all of them. REA is completely off topic. While REA is usually one of the best for test prep, it just doesn't cut the cake in this one. Princeton Review is usually one of the worst. It over simplifies things, give sample questions that are way too easy (which means you're screwed for the real test)and doesn't include all the info. In this case, Barrons is the best. It's concise, covered almost all the information on the test, and gives accurate sample questions. it includes a handy summary of the famous people you have to know and what they did. It's only flawed is that it failed to cover a few facts, but then again, no book can guarantee a complete coverage of everything that can possibly be covered. I strongly recommend the Barrons for anyone who intend on getting a 4 or 5 on the psych test.

Barron's AP Psychology is all you will need for preparation for the AP test or simply to review for tests in your AP class. The book is divided into sections with review questions after each section to make sure each concept is thoroughly understood. Careful reading and review through this short book helped me score a 5 on my AP Psychology test this past year, even though our teacher did not prepare us at all for the test. This book covers every topic for the AP test and unlike the Princeton Review or REA books, Barron's does it in a detailed enough manner without overwhelming you. I highly recommend this book for AP class tests and/or for the AP test.

I never took (in fact, my high school didn't even offer) AP psych. I had only a little background in psych when I bought this book and read it cover-to-cover. I requested a special testing session at my school and I got a 5 on the test, getting me out if intro psych at the U of M. So, if you're willing to put in some serious and concentrated study with this book, I think it will be a great help. I owe a lot to it.

I got this book when my Cavalier puppy first came home. I needed a good book on basics - nothing too complex and nothing designed specifically for breeders or showing. I only wanted bird's eye views of history and genetics, etc. and this was perfect. Once I get over puppyhood and can get more involved with the breed, I will need something more involved than this, but this is an excellent place to start.

This book answered all my initial questions about the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with honesty and candor about the ups and downs of Cavalier ownership. I especially liked the sections about genetic predispositions and temperament. The only thing not covered in depth was how expensive these dogs are! However, I still recommend it highly as a first step in information-gathering about the breed.

This book has the best information about caring for your Cavalier of any of the books. It even has a special section on understanding mitral valve (heart)disease, which is a too-common problem in the breed.

This is the first novel in the series that I have read and I must admit that I was not disappointed. Barron accomplishes the difficult task of depicting the period in a tone very similar to that used by Austen as novelist. Austen enthusiasts will be pleased with this accomplished tribute to the novelist. In the "Stillroom Maid" (as in the other four novels in the series) Jane has become a sleuth, using the eloquent language and mental acuity that harkens back to many of Jane Austen's most beloved literary heroines. While I am a great admirer of Austen, I have never been partial to the mystery genre. I found the mystery intriguing and the list of characters beguiling (especially Jane's love interest, Lord Harold). Even so, I found the identity of the killer a bit obvious even though the actual motive was a bit surprising. All in all, I would recommend this novel to both Austen fans and mystery buffs. I would imagine both parties will be pleased with this literary escapade and I certainly intend to read the other four novels that precede this one.

This is the darkest and best of Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries. I think Ms Barron has finally pinned down Jane Austen's voice. I was not too impressed with the first two books in the series ("Jane And The Unpleasantness At Scargrave Manor" & "Jane And The Man Of The Cloth"), thinking that the Jane Austen in those two books bore very little resemblence to the Jane Austen we all know and love; but with this last novel, Stephanie Barron has the Austen voice nailed! And what a dark mystery!! Even though you'll be able to guess who the real culprit is rather early on, there is still a few twists to the plot to make the book very enjoyable. The glimpses of history, politics and the goings-on of the Devonshire House in early 1800 England only add to the novel. (And there are several descriptions of the Derbyshire countryside and certain characters that Jane Austen fans will not fail to recognise). I particularly enjoyed Jane's reflections on the many differences between the Tories and the Whigs. This book is a winner and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment in the Jane Austen mysteries.

I eagerly anticipated this latest volume from Stephanie Barron and I was not disappointed. Barron has created a very believable Jane - and in this case her mother and sister as well. The premise of the story is not strained and set in context of what is known of Jane Austen's life by the 'Editor's Note' at the beginning of the story. Derbyshire, the setting of the story, is described by Elizabeth Bennet in 'Pride and Prejudice'. I love the way Barron has included charaters that could easily be part of an Austen novel, for example, Jane's singing clergyman cousin, Mr. Cooper, who continually talks of his patron. We meet Lord Harold Towbridge again, as well as the Duke of Devonshire and his family, in mourning over the death of the famous Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. The local characters Jane meets while trying to solve the murder of the stillroom maid, Tess Arnold, are described well and fit the town of Bakewell very well. All in all, an excellent book for both mystery lovers and Jane Austen fans. In some ways it is better than any of the 'sequels' that have been written to Austen's novels, I guess because it fits with my ideas about what Jane Austen must have been like. One further point, I would suggest these books to teenagers who might be reluctant to read Jane Austen. The mystery will draw them in and they will quickly learn to enjoy the characters and wit of the story, which as I said, are very much like an Austen novel.

I just wanted to let everyone know that this CHILDREN'S book just won a Caldecott honor. As I scrolled down to read the reviews, I was shocked to hear of romance, mystery, etc. Then I realized that the reviews were intended for a different book entitled "The Ugly Duckling." I don't know why it happened, but don't let the reviews fool you! The new version of Hans Christian Anderson's The Ugly Duckling, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney is excellent and worthy of being a new Caldecott honor book!

Like most parents, you want your child's home library to include standard fairy tales. Jerry Pinkney's "The Ugly Duckling" combines incredibly detailed ilustrations with a nice balance of both strong and muted colors AND a wonderful re-telling of the generations-old standard tale. In this verson, however, people are woven into the story in a way that I haven't seen before, and I like that very much. It's easy to see why this book was selected as a 1999 Caldecott Honor Book. Pinkney's a very gifted illustrator, and he really has to be given credit for his well-constructed text as well as the gorgeous pictures. Authors who write and then illustrate their own stories are somewhat rare, and as an adult, I appreciate the incredible mix of talent and hard work this represents. My children, of course, just love the pictures; they'll grow to appreciate good writing as they get older.

Our class liked it when the ugly duckling turned into a swan. Everyone learned that it doesn't matter if you don't look like everyone else. You should like who you are. We learned about the differences between swans and ducks. Our class learned that when you are young you have to learn about a lot of different things. We think that kids could learn about different things from reading this story such as animals, other stories to read, and feelings.

I found the Barren's Mastering German a good first level course in German. The compact disc's ability to pause, repeat, loop through a series of tracks and jump straight to a given track/lesson makes it far superior to the cassette. Barron's did an excellent job of breaking the course up into lots of small tracks on the CDs. This allows you to set-up the CD player to constantly repeat a track until you successfully complete the unit. My only two complaints are 1. The CD's do not include the words/phrase in both English and German. This requires you to read the book while listening to the CD. 2. The drills are spoken very fast. While this may be normal speed for a conversation, it makes it difficult to understand for the beginner.

This 15 CD program provides all the necessities for becoming competent in the german language.Native speakers provide the opportunity for pronunciation and listening comprehension practice.Grammar essentials are also present. However,I do have two criticisms,one major,one minor. First,the accompanying book is RIFE with spelling and typeset errors,which can be confusing. Secondly,some of the phrases in the drills are rather silly. Would one ever REALLY say"I have many pretty french newspapers"?

Of course, everyone learns a bit differently, but I, for one, like the fact that all the dialogue is spoken quickly from the get go. Having lived abroad (France & Russia) I can attest that hearing the language spoken slowly during your studies only handicaps you severely later on. Much better to dive in and get used to it. The object is to communicate with Germans, regardless of their accents, speed of talking or diction.

Also, there is plenty of English during the oral translation drills. It is just that the tape does not waste your time doing a spoken English translation of the initial dialgue. Again, it is better to just listen in German and not let English become a crutch.

My only complaint is that the book is rife with typograpical errors. Intitiallly, when you do not know the language, you can get a bit confused. Later on, it is just annoying.

However, this program is so good, that I still feel it warrants five stars. Alright, maybe four and one half.

I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that as a junior literature major, this is the first time I have ever read The Iliad all the way through. Though I can't compare the Rouse translation to others, I can say a few words based on my perception of it. First, you'll notice that it is a prose, not poetry. This did not hinder the experience for me, but individual readers may wish to experience this classic the other way. I found it to be much easier reading than I expected, with the central characters easy to remember and follow. The story clips along rapidly and is rarely boring. The introduction states that much of the repetition that would be necessary for oral storytelling has been removed for the benefit of the reader, which I found to be a positive. However, there is still plenty of repetition of certain phrases ("and darkness covered his eyes" or "rattling armor" come to mind) and there is no shortage long lineages or lists of previously anonymous characters killed in battle. Still, it is worthwhile to get to know Homer and this seems like a reasonable translation to begin with.

I am a retired high school and college instructor who taught the Iliad many times at both levels. The Rouse version was always my translation of choice, and it was enormously successful. The complaints (or halfhearted commendations here) miss the point. Most seem to think that Rouse's "plain English" version is a diminution of the original. All translations are! Rouse merely eliminated many epithets and repetitions (necessary in the meter of the poem and unnecessary in prose). But Rouse is extremely accurate within his chosen limits and the result is a brilliant achievement: a fast-moving text (as is the original) that is colloquial where appropriate, noble sithout being stuffy when nobility is called for; the result is an always ongoing, rapidly moving narrative told in vivid, sinewy prose that simply hurtles you along. It does not attempt to give the more complex reading experience that Fitzgerald and Lattimore and Fagles achieve in their superb verse translations; but these are best reserved for second . . .or 17th readings, once the complex story and relations between characters are mastered. And indeed, none of the more famous verse translations (Pope's is to be avoided: it's a beautiful Augustan poem, not Homer)--none come close to Rouse's focused and frightening rendering of Achilles' on the battlefield, once he goes into action. In short, Rouse is in spirit thoroughly "Homeric"--by turns racy and funny, savage, noble, ultimately tragic as, e.g., the dreadful Victorian versions of Butler and Lang, Leaf, & Myers are not and should be avoided). Even with the small point-size in which the text was set, Rouse's Homer is not just a bargain: it's a treasure bought at a small price.

I have been reading two translations of Homer's Iliad over the past several weeks: Robert Fagles' 1990 translation and Alexander Pope's 1743 translation. I have read the two translations in tandem, one "book" at a time. I first read Mr Fagle's translation, then the notes of Mr Pope, and finally his translation. I would call this one of the finest reading experiences of my life. I read both translations out-loud, or at least in a whisper. This winter-time reading experience has been, for me, a labor of love, a stimulating intellectual experience, a study in contrasts, and a return to the sources of Western Literature. I find Homer as fascinating as Alexander Pope claims him to be. Although his long narrative describes only a few days of the ten years war between Greece and Troy, he makes it interesting by his variety of metaphors, his close description of characters, and his attention to detail. Every man who dies is a person, with family, friends, history, and personality. Some are likeable, others are not; but in any case there are no ciphers in Homer's war. I am fascinated too by the developing theological issues of this six century BCE civilization. We might have to worship these meddlesome gods and their All-powerful Zeus, but do we always have to respect them? They seem to be all too human. In fact, the gods themselves seem to be trapped in an eternally frustrating struggle. Zeus is condemned to defend his sovereignty against a panoply of gods who must always resent his authority. Meanwhile, he is lonely, and he cannot stop himself from occasionally confiding in "that bitch" his sister and wife, Hera. She reminds me of a woman in a recent movie who said "Sometimes being a bitch is the only way a woman can save her self-respect." (Or something to that effect.) "Hera" represents that eternally angry woman who will not and cannot buckle under male domination. I find myself being grateful to this western tradition which has honored and preserved the memory of Homer and kept these ancient books in tact. I grieve at the thought of ancient celtic, african, and native american epics that have been lost or so badly mangled that they cannot be restored. I understand that there has been an enormous flurry of excitement over Mr Fagles' translation and I am certainly caught up in it as well. He tells these stories with excitement and conviction; they are as plausible and coherent today as they must have been to the privileged listeners who sat at the feet of Homer. But I am also grateful to Penguin Press who last year celebrated their 50th anniversary by republishing this magnificent translation by Alexander Pope. I only wish more of the reading public had heard about the celebration. I hate to admit that I was an indifferent student in college. I had other things on my mind. But now, in my middle years, I am glad to have the time and opportunity, to curl up with two great translations of Homer's Iliad on a winter's evening, to discover again the joy of reading superb English.