I don't know why this book didn't get more attention. If I had to choose one children's book as my favorite, this may well be it. And it's never failed me when I've read it for children either - each time, a hush comes over the room.

What's interesting to me about this book, it's one of the few children's books that don't have any 'children' characters. Basically, it's the story about a lonely woman finding a dog, but, like all great books, there's all kinds of other things put in on top of that - old age, death, the memory of good friends and the lesson that you have to be willing to risk and lose in order to love and be happy.

Cynthia Rylant has written a very special book here and I urge you to get this book. You will not be disappointed.

This is simply a beautiful book. The illustrations are marvelous - real works of art!!! Sometimes illustrations don't do justice to a storyline - but in this case it really works. The book is very emotional. I actually got choked up reading the story a couple of times to my young daughter. It's a book I never tire of reading. It's deep, philosophical and contains meaningful life lessons (ie. how to come to terms with one's death, the choices we make, whether we choose to embrace life or reject/fear it, the value we place in material things). In other words, it's a book that makes you think. Young and old would appreciate this book as a gift. It's written in a sweet, gentle voice and how Cynthia Rylant has a way with words!!! I love this book so much, I bought it for my child's teacher. Please check out this book - you won't be disappointed.

I have a passion for children's books - my 3 year old daughter is so indulged. I found The Old Woman who Named Things whilst browsing this Sunday afternoon and had tears well up in my eyes whilst reading it in the shop! What a perfect and so real evocation of an elderly person's fears, lonliness and subsequent eccentricities. I rushed it home to my daughter and have read it 3 times this evening. She loves it - was amused by the naming of objects - wants to do the same around our house - fell in love with the dog and was so sad for the lady when the dog became lost. She felt the old woman couldn't truly be friends with him until she "named" him. It was so nice too to have a book with an elderly "heroine". My only quibble would be that the term "outlived" is probably beyond most young children - I would have used "died" somewhere to make it clearer. I know its subtlety is lovely but I have had to stop and explain outlived each time anyway.

I am not a fan of bull riders in the least. But when given this book, I couldn't put it down! This is a must read for anyone and everyone. Not only is it a great depiction of the life of Chis LeDoux, but shows all readers what a passion for something can help you accomplish. Every moment in this book, made me want to get off my butt and do something with my life too. I credit Chris LeDoux for all his efforts and the author for a wonderful book put into print. There is no way my words can come close to letting you know the emotion and triumph involved in this book. All I can really say is READ IT!

EVERYONE MUST READ THIS BOOK!!! THERE IS NO OTHER BOOK LIKE GOLD BUCKLE DREAMS!!! YOU MUST ALSO GET ALL OF HIS CD'S BECAUSE HIS MUSIC IS LIKE NO OTHER SINGER'S. I LOVE LEDOUX!!!!!!!!

This book is by David Brown as told to him by Chris LeDoux. It starts when Chris was a child learning to ride horses and living in Texas, later moving to Cheyenne as a teenager, and follows his life through attainment of his dream of becoming a World Champion bareback bronc rider. It was written before he became world famous for his musical talent but describes the beginnings of his musical career as well. Chris describes one special memory of standing in the empty, quiet arena at Cheyenne Frontier Park as a teenager dreaming of being able to ride in the Frontier Days Rodeo. I can just feel the emptiness of the big arena and hear the Wyoming wind whistling through it. When Chris performs in Cheyenne, it is always very special to him. With all that Chris has attained since this book was written, there is definitely a need for a sequel. I don't think Chris ever even dreamed he would be a World Champion western singer too

If you like classic Science Fiction this volume should be in your collection. If you think you don't like SF, but enjoy well written fiction full of ideas, surprises, and humor you should try this.
Fredric Brown was deservedly famous, his short story "Arena" was voted into the SFWA Hall of Fame. His name may not be mentioned frequently anymore, but those that had the fortune of reading some of his stories never forgot him.
This is an excellent collection that brings back to print his unique and thoughtful stories. Many of the stories collected here are classics, many are less than one page long, but in that short space they pack their concept (and a punch) so effectively, and are so well crafted, that more words would only dilute the effect. Some of the stories may be a little outdated in the science part of the fiction, but even those stand the test of time as speculative fiction.

This volume collects all Fredric Brown's short science fiction, and an entertaining collection it is. Surprise endings abound as Brown spins short sagas of science and the supernatural. A few of my favorites:

"Armageddon" begins with the end of the world.

"Arena" served as the inspiration for the Star Trek episode of the same name, but the savior of humanity confronts a much more formidable task than Captain Kirk did.

"Etaion Shrdlu," a sentient linotype printing press, eagerly absorbs knowledge from its jobs until....

"Knock" sports the shortest title in all science fiction literature and the creepiest beginning: "The last man on Earth sat in a room. He heard a knock on the door."

The stories run the gamut from knee-slappingly funny to disturbingly somber. If you like short science fiction, you'll love Fredric Brown.

Like his contemporaries, Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury, Fredric Brown gained fame both as a science fiction writer (the novels What Mad Universe, The Lights in the Sky are Stars) AND as a murder mystery writer (the novels The Fabulous Clipjoint, The Screaming Mimi).
This book collects all his SF short stories, (as well as some non-SF material like "Nightmare in Blue" and Yellow") into one hefty volume. More than 100 of his works are in here, some hilarious, some horrifying; some optimistic, some dark. Many stories are already familiar to Fredric Brown fans ("Pi in the Sky," "Puppet Show") while others have been out of print so long that they'll seem new even to fans. (I was happily surprised to see that Mitkey, the rodent hero of "Star Mouse," got a second outing in "Mitkey Rides Again.")
The book is especially remarkable for presenting his work in CHRONOLOGICAL order, so fans can trace his development over the quarter century Fredric Brown was active. Fans can also follow real-world developments through his tales, from the World War II-era patriotism of "The New One" to the warnings of nuclear disaster in "The Weapon" and "Letter to a Phoenix."
Those unfamiliar with his work are welcome to jump around. I recommend the nine titles mentioned above, plus "Nothing Sirius," "Honeymoon in Hell," "Something Green" and "Knock." Also, make sure you read the three "Eustace Weaver" stories back to back, to fully appreciate the lunacy.
Also of special note are "Daymare," which is simultaneously a science fiction story AND a murder mystery, as is "Crisis, 1999." Meanwhile, "Arena" inspired the classic Star Trek episode of the same name.
Brown also pioneered the "short short," and some of the stories are less than a page in length. "The Answer," Voodoo," Pattern," "Solipsist" and "Blood" are classic examples.
As often happens with old science fiction, some of the technology is dated. (Vacuum tubes? Linotype machines?) However, although vacuum tubes may have gone out of style, great writing does not. This book would make a great gift for any science fiction fan, especially an old-school fan.

This book is for anybody who's seen A Charlie Brown Christmas virtually every year it's been on TV or via VHS or DVD.

It includes storyboards of the Ford commercials which featured Linus and Lucy back in 1962 (3 years before this classic TV special debuted). Not only that, it features advertisements in TV guide, an interview with Bill Melendez, who animated all the Peanuts specials and films up to Charles Schulz's untimely death in 2000), and a few essays from Lee Mendelson, who worked side by side with Melendez on each of the specials. It also features a few words from Peter Robins (the 1st voice of Charlie Brown) and Chris Shea (who played Linus). You also get a tribute to Vince Guaraldi who composed the music (not to mention that it includes the sheet music for "Linus and Lucy" and "Christmastime Is Here"). This book mentions how they came up with the adult "voices" in the specials and Schulz's conditions on working on Charlie Brown Christmas (one was that real children would do the kids' voices, and another was that the Gospel of Luke was present in the script in order to remind the audience the true meaning of Christmas).

Most importantly, this book includes the entire script of Charlie Brown Christmas with stills from the special. In essence, there is enough information for you to cast your own stage production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. There is one slight error in the script, however- the Peanuts gang is not humming "O Little Town of Bethelehem" at the finale but "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" (unless this was written in the original script and changed at the last minute). Finally, turn the pages and you'll see Snoopy cause Charlie Brown to crash into the tree in the one scene that begins the special!

Recommended to all Peanuts collectors and all who love the classic special that started it all for Peanuts animation. I got this from a good friend as a Christmas present!

My earliest memories of watching the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, was when I was in kindergarten. I taped the show that year, and prefer my 1985 viewing over any video for sale. Even so, this book by Lee Mendelson tells us the great back story about making the story. Charles Schulz was instrumental in plenty of great decisions: such as the inclusion of Linus's reciting the "true meaning of Christmas," the use of actual children for the voices of Charlie Brown and the rest of the cast, and the absence of an annoying laugh track. There is even commentary by Bill MElendez, a former Disney animator, who was tasked with prepping and getting the Christmas special ready in 6 months. Even in the beginning, the network executives did not love it, but it ranked #2 in the top 5 of shows after premiering December 9, 1965. We even get insight into Jazz musician Vince Guaraldi, who made the catchy tune "Linus and Lucy," which all of us associate with the Peanuts gang. The book even includes piano music to play, and an illustrated screenplay of the TV show. I'd recommend buying this book along with the Peanuts 50th anniversay book that was written by Schulz, as well as Peanuts 2000, which chronicles the last year of the comic strip.

Reading "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on a dark Sunday afternoon in November is a bit like owning a DVD crammed with special features. This gorgeously-designed hardcover, with glossy pages and a heavy silver dustjacket, is a terrific companion to the TV special, and an almost essential shelf companion to "Peanuts: A Golden Celebration".

Anything you'd want to know about the "Christmas" TV special is in this book -- lengthy interviews with producer Lee Mendelson (a veteran of Peanuts anniversary books) and animator Bill Melendez. Charles M Schulz passed away before the book was written, but there are plenty of rarely-seen photos of him taken in the 1960s. There's a chapter on Vince Guaraldi, whose jazz soundtrack defines the lives of many "Peanuts" fans; interviews with some of the children who voiced the characters; and, O happy day, sheet music! The second half of the book contains the complete script for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" itself, along with dozens of photos and animated sequences, taken from the original cels.

"Christmas" is not for small children (unless they're reading it with you), and there are a couple of misprints (including, in my first edition, a caption for a photo that's not in the book!). But it's lovely to look at, and when I put it down finally, reluctantly, I was whistling the soundtrack and hearing Linus's nativity speech (and I'm Jewish!). These days you can buy it for about as much as the DVD costs, and it's a wonderful Christmas gift. Unless, of course, the person you're buying it for already owns it.

Required to read Henry for my AP English Language class, I came into the play with a bias. I honestly felt that it would be a boring political play. I was utterly wrong! A huge fan of Shakespeare, I found Henry V to be a formidable match for the Bard's more critically acclaimed plays, such as Hamlet and Macbeth. Henry has it all! Shakespeare's attitude toward Henry the King is certainly one of admiration. By communicating the fact that an effective monarch must have a complete understanding of the common subjects (Pistol and Bardolph and Quickly), Shakespeare sets up Henry to be the ideal Christian king. The controlled language of Henry's speeches, particularly his response to the Dauphin's idiotic insult, also glorifies Henry. I certainly recommend this play to anyone, fan of Shakespeare or not.

I looked long and hard (and asked many a scholar) for the "perfect" Shakespeare publication that I might purchase to study "King Henry V" (for a experiential education requirement, I had undertaken the translation of Henry V into American Sign Language). The Arden Shakespeare came highly recommended by everyone, and has lived up entirely to all its rave reviews.

I will never buy Shakespeare from another publisher. While these books may be slightly more expensive than a "mass market" edition, I believe that if you are going to take the time to read and understand Shakespeare, it is well worth the extra dollar or two. The Introduction, the images, and plethora of footnotes are irreplaceable and nearly neccessary for a full understanding of the play (for those of us who are not scholars already). The photocopy of the original Quatro text in the appendix is also very interesting.

All in all, well worth it! I recommend that you buy ALL of Shakespeare's work from Arden's critical editions.

Written by Shakespeare for Queen Elizabeth I amidst a time of Irish rebellion, Henry V more than adequately serves its intended purpose of galvanizing nationalistic fervor. It proved itself to be an unwavering and unfaltering impetus of patriotism in Shakespeare's day, during WWII, and still today it continues to resonate and reverberate this provocatively telling tale of the most gloriously revered monarch in English history.

Henry V's stirring orations prior to the victorious battles of Harfleur("Once more unto the breach") and Agincourt("We few, we happy few, we band of brothers") astonish and inspire me every time I read them. Simply amazing. Having read Henry IV Parts I&II beforehand, I was surprised Shakespeare failed to live up to his word in the Epilogue of Part II in which he promised to "continue the story, with Sir John in it." The continuing follies of the conniving Bardolph, Nym, & Pistol and their ignominious thieving prove to be somewhat of a depricating underplot which nevertheless proves to act as a succinct metaphor for King Harry's "taking" of France.

Powerful and vibrant, the character of Henry V evokes passion and unadulterated admiration through his incredible valor & strength of conviction in a time of utter despondency. It is this conviction and passion which transcends time, and moreover, the very pages that Shakespeare's words are written upon. I find it impossible to overstate the absolute and impregnable puissance of Henry V, a play which I undoubtedly rate as the obligatory cream of the crop of Shakespeare's Histories. I recommend reading Henry IV I&II prior to Henry V as well as viewing Kenneth Branagh's masterpiece film subsequent to reading the equally moving work.

I have read all three of Sandra Brown's Texas series. Sage is the third in the trilogy and kept me up all night reading. I couldn't and didn't want to put this book down until I finished Sage and Harlan's exciting love story. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a "feel good" romance that will make you smile.

This was my first Sandra Brown book and I just loved it! I'm sorry that I didn't realize that this book was the third in a trilogy about the Tyler family but and thrilled that my introduction to her works was this one. Now I can't wait to go back and read the first two books of the series.

Sage Tyler is the youngest of the three Tyler children; she was two older brothers, Lucky and Chase. This story starts out with her fiancee breaking up with her which is overheard by Harlan Boyd the newest employee of the Tyler Drilling Company. Since Sage had been busy finishing up school she was unaware her brothers had hired a new employee who is annoyingly self-assured and very good looking. Sage and Harlan of course start out on the wrong foot and there's lots of tension between the two of them. There is also a fair amount of attraction and sexual tension between them. There ensues quite a relationship between them and a new relationship between Sage and her brothers.

All in all an enthralling story. I didn't want to put it down and I wasn't ready to leave the Tyler family; in fact I want to join the Tyler family!

There was a time when I sneered at Romance novels, although I had never read one. Then one dark and stormy night, alone in an Outer Banks beach house, I picked up a well-tattered paperback of Sandra Brown's "Sage," and I simply devoured it.

Although I didn't know it at the time, "Sage" is Book Three of Brown's Texas! trilogy, but I'm glad I read it first. The story opens as spoiled, beautiful and headstrong Sage Tyler is dumped by her mama's-boy fiance. Pouting out on the porch of the fiance's mansion, she looks up to find tall, gorgeous, cowboy Harlan Boyd, who has been sent by the Tylers to fetch her home. The sparks fly, and the action begins.

The sexual tension between Harlan and Sage expresses itself in outward animosity, and the sparring between the two forms a humerous backdrop to the rest of the story, which involves Sage's two protective brothers, Lucky and Chase, their wives, Mama Tyler and her Sheriff boyfriend, and a threat to the family business. Like all Brown stories, this one is well plotted, believable, and very, very sexy.

The inevitable and explosive meeting of Sage and Harlan, which begins with a furious and physical fight, and ends with the steamiest love scene I've read in quite a while, will have you fanning yourself. But naturally, the course of true love is never smooth, and with two strong-minded, stubborn, ornery Texans like Sage and Harlan, it gets so bumpy that the reader wonders if this is one romance that will not have a happy ending. I won't give it away. But I will say that for pure, luscious escapism and a really good story, this book remains in my top ten of all time.

Designed to help women with the issues of depressed mood, anxiety, sleep disruption, fatigue, and wieght management, this book offers clinically proven interventions which can truly make a difference in the lives of thouseands if not millions of women. The authors have taken sound clinical research results and translated them into practical guidelines. By providing simple self assessments and step by step solutions, Body Blues empowers women to take control of their health. The challenges of changing behavior are significant. Brown and Robinson have distilled the process of how to follow the LEVITY program with detailed instructions and helpful hints. In addition, the quotes from study participants and the questions and answers at the end of the chapters make the book come alive. Reading it is like talking with a wise and good friend. As a nurse practitioner and an educator, I am recommending this book to women of all ages.

I was very pleased to find out that someone has looked at women's health in a holistic fashion. The authors have done their homework and integrated information about exercise, light therapy and vitamin therapy so solve a problem that is pervasive and brings together a whole constellation of symptoms of malaise.

The Body Blues book not only is easy to read, but it is based on real verified science-- something one rarely sees in the self-help category. As a scientist myself I especially appreciate this.

With the exception of vitamins (which can be bought at any drugstore), all the authors' recommendations can be followed at no cost to the individual. This makes it even more surprizing that the authors have refused to sell or be involved in the sale of the vitamins they recommend.

Not only holistic thinkers, but public-minded too. A breath of fresh air.

I had the privilege of attending a Body Blues workshop given by Brown and Robinson, the authors of this book. When I left the workshop, I felt better already. Having read "When Your Body Gets the Blues," several things stand out about this program:

1) It makes sense.
2) It's "do-able." (I haven't found anyone yet--no matter how busy they are--who can tell me with a straight face that they can't fit this program into their lives.)
3) It works. It's a joy to banish those bouts of "fuzzy thinking" that leave you wondering if you're losing it.

I'm fifty, and many of my friends and coworkers (some of them much younger!) have the symptoms of "the body blues." In fact, it seems that maybe 25% of my female friends DON'T have the body blues. I sent a copy of this book to one of them. She read the first chapter and said "I see why you thought I needed this. This is me!" This book is now #1 on my list of birthday presents for female friends (and the men who love them?)

I wanted to add a word about the previous reviewer's concern that the authors were hyping "their" miracle vitamin pill. One of the things that impressed me about the authors at their workshop was their integrity, and I feel obligated to set the record straight.

I think the confusion comes from the fact that Brown and Robinson's study was called the LEVITY (Light, Exercise and Vitamin Intervention TherapY) program. For their study they asked a company to produce a supplement that contained six specific vitamins and minerals in an easily swallowed tablet; these same tablets can now be purchased in stores and is called the LEVITY(TM) Mood-Elevating Formula. The authors, who understand how important it is that the program be easy to follow, recommend this product for its convenience. However, as they point out clearly to their readers, neither author benefits from the sale of these supplements. In fact, the six vitamins and minerals are all common substances and readily available, and Brown & Robinson provide readers with all the information they need to put this formula together on their own.

This is THE resource you need to plan your gay wedding ceremony. My partner and I are planning a ceremony in Maui this winter, and this book was incredibly helpful. The book "thinks" of all the details you would have forgotten until it was too late! And it helps you stay organized and relaxed about the whole thing. A sense of humor can be so important sometimes. Ann Landers sensibility and Martha Stewart style.
Well, it's time for us to buy rings soon. Let's see what The Guide has to say . . .

My partner and I are planning a commitment ceremony -- (Why didn't somebody warn me about how much work this would be?!)-- and being two guys, albeit gay ones, we really didn't have any idea about what we were doing. We looked at several straight wedding guides and planners, but they weren't very helpful for planning an alternative wedding. We could have made it up from whole cloth, but we needed some idea of the basic do's and don'ts of a wedding. Finally, we found and purchased THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LESBIAN AND GAY WEDDINGS. What a godsend! It takes you through the whole process from engagement to honeymoon and beyond, step by step with in depth descriptions, explanations, and alternatives to tradition. The authors present what might have been rather dry material in an engaging, entertaining manner that keeps it interesting and fun. I found myself reading sections that didn't really apply to us just for the heck of it. They liberally sprinkle personal anecdotes and first-hand experiences from gay and lesbian couples who have tied the knot throughout the book. An invaluable resource for anyone planning or even dreaming about a same-sex ceremony.

I really did not know what to expect when I bought this from Amazon, but I knew that my partner and I needed some help in planning our commitment ceremony and I didn't want to read the standard bridal magazines or wedding planners (they didn't exactly look like a great resource for two guys). This book was the perfect solution -- it covers all the issues and questions that a gay couple faces when planning a wedding from making the announcement to taking the honeymoon. Want to know what stores are gay-friendly with their registry services? Or where to go for a same-sex couple cake topper? Or suggestions for your vows? This book has it all. Beyond exceptional content, it is also well-written, well-designed, and is full of interesting and entertaining bits of trivia about gay marriage. The back of the book includes a thorough index of other off-line and on-line resources to help as well. A great resource.

Great overview of the field. Very strong usage of diagrams and illustrations. Logical and clear progress from chapter to chapter. I had no prior knowledge in the field and after reading this book I feel I can understand most concepts challenges and research efforts on the field. A great book for anyone who wants to get up to speed on this fascinating field.

"This is a superb textbook for modern molecular biology. The set-up of the book is very reader-friendly. Everything is cross-referenced, which is enormously helpful. Another nice aspect of the book is the small, digestible sections separate from the main body of text. Overall Brown's book is an excellent textbook that provides a thorough account of what is known about Genomes today."

I found that "Genomes" provides the reader with a thorough yet gentle introduction to the field -- ample illustrations, well-written text, frequent sidebars describing relevant techniques or developments. I've found the book to be a good reference to have on the shelf, and have purchased copies for people when they join my lab group in order to introduce them to or refamiliarize themselves with the technologies underlying the generation of sequence data. I can very easily see this book being used to supplement lectures in an introductory course on genomics and biotechnology.

"The Measly Middle Ages" is a really funny book! I can hardly believe it's true, after reading all those "boring history books!" Anywayz, I'll have to try and read the rest of the "Horrible Histories" series. Just can't wait!

I am really in the debt of Terry Deary. If it weren't for him and his wonderful "Horrible History" series, I would never have been introduced to history. I first read his work when I was only ten. Seven years later, I'm still enjoying his work. Yes, childish, but it is so much fun. I now want to teach, to make history fun to others. I wouldn't have known it possible if it weren't for Deary. Right next to my "Measly Middle Ages" and my "Woeful Second World War" is my John Keegen and William Manchester.

Onto "Measly Middle Ages". I really enjoy this book. Both irreverent and insightful at the same time, this book really shows the reader how horrible the middle ages actually were. I've read several works on the era, and this book nicely fills in the basic details, with out bogging it down with the details that us history dorks love. A great book for kids, a great book for people who both enjoy history and enjoy having fun.

This great, enchanting, and captivating series attracted me since i was a child. Not only is this an educating experience, this also provides information in a very enjoyable way. Attractive to the most intelligent minds, and interesting to every child, this makes a great gift and also a great reader.
It will make you smile and even laugh out loud as you read book after book. My only question is, why would they ever stop priting? I ask Scholastic to continue print so all who desire a book can recieve one. Thank you.