Customer Reviews (1)

A favorite of my two year old daughter
What a pleasure to have well written poetry that appeals to my 2 year old daughter! This book is a current favorite of hers, and we read it to her every night. The classic poems by AA Milne are as appealing to me as they are to her, and the illustrations by Ernest H Shepard make me look forward to my daughter growing up with all of AA Milne's books.

One disappointment - nowhere in the book does it point out (for the parent reading them over and over) that the poems contained in the book are often parts of larger poems written by A.A. Milne. You'll need to find a different book if you want the full poems of "Us Two", "Vespers", and "Nursery Chairs" for example.

Otherwise, a great book to add to your child's collection! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Boardbooks   2. Children: Preschool   3. Concepts - General   4. General   5. Juvenile Fiction   6. Readers - Beginner   

This is not a joke book or a parody. This is a warmly written, humorous, and quite serious cookbook filled with delightful traditional and unusual recipes. It includes wonderful photographs by the author of people and places and food all connected to his fondness and memory of growing up in rural and small town Mississippi. You may not be tempted to try every single recipe in this book, but you won't be able to resist trying many of them! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Good eatin', good food,and white trash cookin'
I bought this book years ago when it first came out, and absolute
ly LOVE it: great recipes, great pictures, down-home real food.
Best recipe for biscuits I have ever seen-my book's permanently
stained from use! Even tried the potato chip sandwich, a little
salty, but delish.

You don't have to pay an arm and a leg for pretentious, overpric-
ed "country peasant cuisine," you have it right here: polenta's
grits, baby! A lot of these recipes are solid, delicious food,
stuff we grew up on in the Midwest, stuff our granmas used to
make. And if you have ever attended a church social, you'll re-
cognize many of the dishes in this awesome cookbook.

It's worth it for the center photograph section, for a nostalgic
touch, for in the rush to urbanize here in Florida, many roadside
fruit and vegetable stands have been zoned out of existence. Up
in the Panhandle you might still find roadside boiled peanut sta-
nds(now THAT'S some great eatin'!), and some produce stands-but
if you can't go there-try this book-you won't regret it.

You might approach this book thinking of it as a joke, or in a
condescending approach to white trash(read American Peasants),
but once you start to read the anecdotes and recipes, you gain an
understanding and respect for these tenacious souls.

P.S. Try the cheese grits-with Velveeta and Tabasco sauce-that
will wake you up some!

White Trash Cookin's the best-ever
I first bought this book years ago, when it first came out-and it
shows: the biscuit page has tea stains all over it-so does the
potato-chip sandwich! The latter is worth a try, albeit a tad
salty, but it IS delish. You absolutely cannot fail to make good
biscuits with their recipe, it is simple, basic, and wonderful.
What they do with food is real simple, and the low-priced version
of "peasant food." It is worth it for the pictures in the center
alone, it doesn't put down white trash, it celebrates 'em! Darn
fine cooks, too. Really delicious summer produce recipes, and
the tomato sandwich idea is one anyone can relish.

This book occupies a proud, and well-used, pride of place in my
cookbook collection. Unlike snotty cookbooks where they look
down on the reader, presupposing a well-laden pantry groaning
with esoterica-this is REAL FOOD, REAL SIMPLE. A tribute to all
the white trash who built this country, and really tasty, too.

Y'all try it some, hear?

Writin' and eatin'...Mickler's a pro
If you like community cookbooks, you'll love the White Trash Cookbooks. These are not only collections of yummies but also loving tributes to generations of cooks who worked with what they had. Don't bother with these books if "Cheez Whiz" makes you wince. Keep an open mind and an open heart and you'll be richly rewarded. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery, American   2. Cooking   3. Cooking / Wine   4. Regional & Ethnic - American - General   5. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States   6. Southern style   

Customer Reviews (19)

Adventure, Survival, & Leadership
This outstanding book is a collection and analysis of leadership lessons from Ernest Shackleton's heroic 1914-1916 Antarctic expedition at the edge of survival. Shackleton's amazing adventure saga alone is a great read, but it is the leadership insights that make this book a "must-read."

Perkins carefully organized the book into four inter-related parts. After briefly summarizing the Shackleton expedition, in Part One Perkins presents his 10 strategies for leading at the edge:

1-Vision and Quick Victories: Never lose sight of the ultimate goal, and focus energy on short-term objectives.

2-Symbolism and Personal Example: Set a personal example with visible, memorable symbols and behaviors.

3-Optimism and Reality: Instill optimism and self-confidence, but stay grounded in reality.

4-Stamina: Take care of yourself: Maintain your stamina and let go of guilt.

5-The Team Message: Reinforce the team message constantly: "We are one - we live or die together."

6-Core Team Values: Minimize status differences and insist on courtesy and mutual respect.

7-Conflict: Master conflict - deal with anger in small doses, engage dissidents, and avoid needless power struggles.

8-Lighten Up!: Find something to celebrate and something to laugh about.

9-Risk: Be willing to take the Big Risk.

10-Tenacious Creativity: Never give up - there's always another move.

Interwoven with these strategies are detailed accounts from Shackleton's expedition and real world business examples to fully illustrate the strategies' applicability to today's leadership environments.

Part Two is case studies of four organizations that successfully applied the strategies and achieved remarkable success. In Part Three, Perkins "outlines a number of qualities and actions that...contribute to living, learning, and thriving at "The Edge."" Part Four provides the reader with some tools to further develop individual leadership skills.

Written by a former combat Lieutenant of Marines in Vietnam and current "President of The Syncretics Group, a consultancy that focuses on effective leadership in demanding environments," this book was a very enjoyable and informative study of leadership. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about, and seeing if they have what it takes for, leading at the edge.

Captivating Read of Leadership Lessons from Explorer
Dennis was interviewed about this book on FoxNews, and he was captivating with his story of Shackleton and what he learned of leadership.

Perkins has applicable background, in Vietnam and management consulting and teaching which make this book doubly fascinating.

I found his style and wit so easy to read and yet remember the points being made. There are many one can take away from this and use, however two that stand out in my mind are: great leaders don't enter knowing everything, e.g. Shackleton had never even slept in a sleeping bag before, much is learned; second, in At Edge experiences, overcome uncertainly with structure and distractions.

So much more could be said about this excellent contribution to leadership. It is well structured with Shackleton's lessons first, then biz cases which are each unique and contribute to illustrations of these leadership lessons. After each section there is reflection, while at the book's end, more intense follow-up excercies and resources to be pursued.

One great leadership adventure!

Leadership & Action
The author, Dennis N. T. Perkins, shows extraordinary insight in leadership with 10 clearly stated principles. Based in strong part on Shackelton's expedition, these 10 principles are not only clearly stated, but truly make a difference. It is obvious that Perkins understands leadership. The book is easy to read, but takes plenty of mental energy. This book should be read by any manager, and should be considered a classic. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1922   2. Antarctica   3. Business & Economics   4. Business / Economics / Finance   5. Business/Economics   6. Entrepreneurship   7. Leadership   8. Leadership In Business   9. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,   10. Sir,   11. Strategic planning   12. Survival skills   

Subjects:  1. 1899-1961   2. 20th century   3. American - General   4. Americans   5. Authors, American   6. Biography   7. Biography & Autobiography   8. Biography / Autobiography   9. Biography/Autobiography   10. Family relationships   11. Hemingway, Ernest,   12. History   13. Homes and haunts   14. Literary   15. Personal Memoirs   16. Spain   17. Women   18. Biography & Autobiography / Literary   

Customer Reviews (69)

The most exciting and inspiring book I have ever read.
I have read and re-read "Fate is the Hunter" so many times that the pages are loose and falling out. You are not just reading the best aviation book of all time, you are in the cockpit behind the master himself, as he savors the illicit thrill of a zero-zero takeoff from a fog bound Presque Isle airport in a C-47 during the war, taking a load of steel girders to Goose Bay. Just after takeoff, the girders break loose and slide to the rear of the aircraft, which starts a climb so steep that the plane is shuddering in a stall. As Gann and his co-pilot are pushing the control column forward as hard as they can with their feet a crewmember is trying to move the girders back up the near vertical floor.

Gann's writing so inspired me that I wanted to become an airline pilot, but my flying ability was just slightly better than Bixby, his inept co-pilot that almost collided with the Taj Mahal, another fascinating story later on in the book. I became a dispatcher instead, an occupation I truly loved, which was also inspired by Gann's interaction with the dispatchers of his line.

I wrote Ernest Gann at his home in Friday Harbor, Washington and tried to convey just how much I enjoyed "Fate is the Hunter" and what an impact it made on my life. I received short note from him. It was very gracious and humble, and is one of my greatest treasures.

I also highly recommend "Hostage to Fortune", a chronology of Gann's incredible life from a rebellious young man that could never follow his father into business and be chained to an office, through a lifetime of adventure, to his retirement on Red Mill Farm, on an island in the Pacific northwest.

Easily the best book I've ever read!
First off, I am an aviation nut. I am a student pilot and aspiring ATP. For me, finding a good book let alone a good aviation book is nearly impossible. So many books are chocked full of technicalities that I either already know or don't care about. Finding a truly interesting aviation book is a rare treat. After about 2 pages of 'Fate is the Hunter' I was truly hooked. This book puts you right in the cockpit with Mr. Gann as you venture the world from the start of his flying career on the DC-2 to flying across the endless Pacific during WWII when airlines were called to help the war effort. Mr. Gann is truly a talented writer and in my opinion one of the best in Aviation right up with St Ex. If you are as engrossed in aviation as I am, this is one book you wont want to put down and will wish would never end.

My Great-Grandfather Knew Him
I am finally reading this book, after so many people in my family, both flying and non-flying, have. This book is almost a mecca for us, because it mentions my great-grandfather, Thomas J. Reid, who died in 1952 when the instrument approach to Newark went down, and he ended up in an Elizabeth, NJ, apartment complex. I now appreciate the kind of conditions my grandfather must have flown in, and can only hope that he is looking down on my own beloved brother, who has himself chosen a career as an airline pilot. But as a reminder, almost all of us have the same picture, framed somewhere in our houses: a picture of T.J. Reid in his uniform. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1910-   2. 20th Century American Novel And Short Story   3. 20th century   4. Air pilots   5. Biography   6. Biography & Autobiography   7. Biography / Autobiography   8. Biography/Autobiography   9. Gann, Ernest Kellogg,   10. General   11. Literary   12. Military   13. Military - World War II   14. Novelists, American   15. Personal narratives, American   16. United States   17. World War, 1939-1945   18. Gann, Ernest Kellogg   19. History / General   

In the preface to A Moveable Feast, Hemingway remarks casually that "if the reader prefers, this book may be regarded as fiction"--and, indeed, fact or fiction, it doesn't matter, for his slim memoir of Paris in the 1920s is as enchanting as anything made up and has become the stuff of legend. Paris in the '20s! Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, lived happily on $5 a day and still had money for drinks at the Closerie des Lilas, skiing in the Alps, and fishing trips to Spain. On every corner and at every café table, there were the most extraordinary people living wonderful lives and telling fantastic stories.Gertrude Stein invited Hemingway to come every afternoon and sip "fragrant, colorless alcohols" and chat admid her great pictures. He taughtEzra Pound how to box, gossiped withJames Joyce, caroused with the fatally insecureScott Fitzgerald (the acid portraits of him and his wife,Zelda, are notorious). Meanwhile, Hemingway invented a new way of writing based on this simple premise: "All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know."

Hemingway beautifully captures the fragile magic of a special time and place, and he manages to be nostalgic without hitting any false notes of sentimentality. "This is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy," he concludes. Originally published in 1964, three years after his suicide, A Moveable Feast was the first of his posthumous books and remains the best. --David Laskin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (93)

"A Moveable Feast" is a feast for the soul
"A Moveable Feast" is a wonderous quick read that manages to transport the reader back to the bohemian Paris of the 1920s like a magical time machine. Hemingway's personal, casual and intimate accounts of such figures as Ford Maddox Ford, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Alistair Crowley and Gertrude Stein make the reader feel as though the reader has become great old friends with each of these romantic figures as well as with dear old grumpy Ernest himself. I read this book in preparation for a trip to Paris and when I got there, I almost expected to see Mssr. Hemingway at his favorite table at the Closerie de Lilas with a drink, his notebook and two blue pencils still writing observations about passers-by. Reading this marvelous little book is like taking a vacation back in time and as such brings renewal to a modern world weary soul.

(As a footnote, the Closerie de Lilas is still there but it is now one of the nicest restaurants in Paris and the sort of place Mssr. Hemingway would not have dreamed about stepping into; no matter how much money he had won on the horses. Read the book, you'll know what I mean)

A guide to Paris and its writers
I read this book while living in Paris. From reading other works by Hemingway, I realized that A Moveable Feast isn't as sophisticated as his novels. He writes as if in a stream of thought rather than being descriptive and evoking, so it was disappointing in that respect. Also, the novel, somewhat, lacks flow, but this could be so because of its posthumous publication. This doesn't hamper the ability to understand the novel in anyway, so it's a take it or leave it situation.

The two things that I enjoyed most about A Moveable Feast was its adherence to places and people found in Paris during the twenties and, if you are fascinated by such writers as Gertrude Stein or F. Scott Fitzgerald or just writers in general, this is definitely a key text to learning more about the personalities of these writers...through Hemingway's eyes, of course, but always interested, insightful, and sometimes hilarious in a quirky way. What also impressed me about this book is the personal insight into Hemingway's own life--how he lived, how he felt, what kind of person he was. He describes several scenarios involving his wife and other writers that portray who Hemingway was as a person. Also, since this was written shortly before his suicide, it is possible to see a sort of descent in Hemingway's mood as he closes the novel, which adds a moving and sorrowful end to the novel. Considering these elements, I think A Moveable Feast is definitely worth reading, particularly if one is staying in Paris. (Hemingway mentions the adresses--most of which are still intact in Paris--of other famous writers as well as places, such as the Closerie de Lilas, where he ate, drank, and "shopped.") It can serve as a mini-guidebook for those interested in expatriate writers.

Can never decide with Hemingway
I'm not sure if I'm the only one that feels this way - but its just that Hemmingway is so hyped and supposedly amongst the best authors of the century. But I just dont see it -for the life of me I cannot get over his 3 word sentences. " she was pretty." " we drank some more". " I went to bed". Its like reading a seven year old's story book. For me to enjoy a book, it has to engage me in more ways than one - the language has to be beautiful. The story has to captivate me completely. As much as I try to like him, Hemmingway just doesnt seem to prove his worth - I've read The Sun Also Rises and now A Moveable Feast. I dont think I'm going to pick up another Hemmingway. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century   2. Authors, American   3. Biography   4. Biography/Autobiography   5. Classics   6. General   7. Hemingway, Ernest, 1899-1961   8. Literature - Classics / Criticism   9. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Customer Reviews (25)

A deep and brutally honest treatment
All lovers of existentialism will enjoy Becker's treatment of life and death. Becker won the Pulitzer Prize for this work when it was first published in 1974. Ironically and tragically, Becker himself died of cancer that very same year. He was 50 years old. I have been unsuccessful in my efforts to find out whether or not Becker knew of his sickness when he wrote the work. He certainly writes as one who understands the darkness of human life. Becker's thesis is that human personality and behavior has its deepest roots in our denying our death (thus the title). By this he means not only our death itself, but all of the horrors associated with our mortality as human beings. Becker makes frequent reference to Otto Rank, and reiterates Rank's point that all human cultural creation is inevitably religious in nature. There is also a wonderful treatment of Freud which will be especially refreshing to all those nauseauted by modern attempts to dress up Freud's theories and make them appear more optomistic than they are, as well as a discussion of Freud's breaks with Jung and others. There is even a chapter on Kierkegaard. Becker also attempts to show that neurosis is at least in part a result of not being able to erect the 'denial of death' defense mechanisms so many do, and that those who traverse the depths of human existence cannot but go mad to some degree. He says at one point, "No wonder the road of the artist so often detous through the madhouse." Finally, Becker bashes modern psychology, which makes this book an absolute must for any deep thinker who is considering entering this field. The Denial of Death is brutally honest, scholastic, and beautiful. Best of all, Becker doesn't make the all too common mistake of attempting to provide a solution (something all lovers of Camus will appreciate). The last 10 pages alone make this book worth reading. Read it thoughtfully and you will never be quite the same

Helps you be human
Book Review / The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker

Nearly 60 reviews have already been posted on this book, many delving into the ins and outs of the psychological theories Becker proposes. So, I simply want to report the impact this book had on me.

Over decades of reading, I have sought authors who will admit the truth. Becker does.

To find a book that insightfully examines -- with a clear, steady gaze -- the profoundest fundamentals of human existence is quite rare. I have read thousands of books in my life, and Becker's is one of the few that genuinely qualifies. He dares go where many fear to tread. But, death and our denial of it, he establishes, is at the core of human existence and a root force shaping both human personality and human society. I imagine it is impossible to understand life without grasping this. Becker brilliantly analyzes why and how we avoid acknowledging this fact at all costs.

If you have the courage to look at the core of things; to examine your own denial of death and how it has -- and currently is -- shaping your life; then this book is for you. It is for readers who find the truth fundamentally more liberating, than intimidating.

Becker helped me become more honestly human. He also helped me feel less weird, ( i.e. neurotic) by acknowledging that much neurosis stems from being constantly and painfully aware of the actual facts of existence.

Despite the "heavy" topic, Becker's overall writing style is lucid, accessible, even engaging, and without posturing. Only occasional sections lapse into rather turgid debate of psychological theory.

If you want a book that calmly stares you straight in the face, while dissecting what really matters; if you are looking for a book that can help ground you in the center of reality, here it is.

The appetizer is quite the pleaser. (Worm Food)
This book was highley recommended by a professor of mine and I first read it a good eight years ago, only to pick it up again recently. After graduating college and being stuck with a few existential dilemas, this book at least adds to them once again. I picked it up again for nice airplane reading, being this activity acurately reflects utterly you situation during air travel as well any other time in life- death is everpresent and immenint. Your only rubber crutch is faith. Faith that I do not have and perhaps Becker did not have as well. He was terminally ill with cancer during its writing. (Whether he was aware of this or not we will never know; Perhaps it was unconcsious.) I think this is the whole point of the book. Scientifically one will never know before it is too late. However, modern physics parallels the existential dilemma very well. Even if energy is neither created nor destroyed and is changed, the change in our bioelectrical energy upon death may not embody what we consciously perceive as our ego identity. So in effect, our identity may still be lost at death. What we consider ourselves to be will be no more. Here lies the heart of the book. Psychologically, we must experience this phenomena during life if we are to gain pure freedom, and live our lives on our own individual terms-not society's, not culture's, not even our biological oragnism's, even though this is inescapable. Paradoxes abound in this book, which may not be a bad thing. Paradox may be the only truly liberating thing in existence. And this just might be Creative design. Bon appetite. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Death   2. Death / Grief / Consolation   3. Death, Grief, Bereavement   4. General   5. Heroes   6. Movements - Humanism   7. Psychological aspects   8. Psychology   9. Thanatology   10. Philosophy / General   

When the taciturn hero of Hemingway's "Big Two-Hearted River" returns from the Great War, he heads straight to the northern Michigan woods to begin the process of healing. Camping along the river and fishing for trout, Nick Adams slowly retrieves the elements of a life interrupted, allowing familiar sensations to wash over him:

He stepped into the stream. It was a shock. His trousers clung tightly to his legs. His shoes felt the gravel.... There was a tug on the line. It was his first strike. Holding the now living rod across the current, he brought in the line with his left hand. The rod bent in jerks, the trout pumping against the current.

By 1933, Hemingway was writing about his true angling passion--deep-sea big-game fishing--for the likes of Esquire and other large-circulation glossies. In "Marlin of the Morro: A Cuban Letter," he notes that when the northeast trade winds blow, the "marlin come to the top and cruise the wind." To catch a fish, the saying goes, you must think like one--and Papa's perceptive descriptions of piscine behavior show why he was considered one of the premiere anglers of his day. It's true that Hemingway indulged his passions in life and on the page, and that sometimes the former got him into trouble. As for the latter, those of us who enjoy a good fish story are the luckier for it. --Langdon Cook ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent collection of Hemingway's best at fishing...
Ernest Hemingway, beside being the premier American author of the twentieth century, also fished quite avidly. The assorted writings in "Hemingway on Fishing" range from articles written for magazines, to portions of books such as "The Sun Also Rises" and "Old Man and the Sea." One of the stories rivals the Old Man and the Sea when it comes to futility and heartbreak in fishing for marlin. Excellent book: if you enjoy Hemingway and the fish of the sea, get your hands on a copy.

Please -- no more literature critics....
This book is a "matter of fact" gathered from the thoughts of a fellow who enjoyed the outdoors more than his own life. Within the pages of this 'compilation' a person can understand a little more about a poet that was not revealed through many of the original passages. As I have personally read, many of Hemingway's articles, short stories and novels are written from hindsight and many personal experiences, albiet great compositions; there was a literate outcome and method.
Nick Lyons is a great writer on his own and he has had much of a collection to work with in preparing this book. His [Lyons] piecing of this puzzle has made good sense and his additions have overwhelmed the possibilities.

Hemingway on Fishing
This is an excellent collection of Hemingway's writings about fishing, each taken from a larger work. It is a great introduction to Hemingway if your new to him, and a great refresher to him if you've been away for awhile. Read this book and you won't be disappointed, but please do each work the respect of reading the book it came from, and experience each work in it's original context. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General   2. Fishing   3. Fishing - General   4. Fishing stories, American   5. Literary collections   6. Literature - Classics / Criticism   7. Literature: Classics   8. Sports & Recreation   9. Sports & Recreation / Fishing   

Subjects:  1. Golf - General   2. Sports & Recreation   

Subjects:  1. Emergency Medicine   2. First aid in illness and injur   3. First aid in illness and injury   4. Handbooks, manuals, etc   5. Medical   6. Medical / Nursing   7. Surgery - General   8. Traumatology   9. Treatment Of Wounds And Injuries   10. Wounds and Injuries   11. Medical / Surgery / General   

Customer Reviews (4)

Kids Loved It!
Bought this book as a Christmas gift for my nieces and nephews (ages 2 - 8). Both art and story were loved by all. Looking forward to the rest of the Ernest books, and I know the kids are too.

Teaching kids values from real world animal stories
I hope there will be more books from Laura Barnes because this is so wonderful. I have given this book to numerous kids who just absolutely fall in love with the characters and story. The smile that this book brings is priceless.

Twist & Ernest will bring a smile to your face!
Twist & Ernest is a book that will bring a smile to your face whether you are a child or adult. I could not wait to share it with my girls. We each have our favorite part, but we all agree Ernest is adorable. The story reminds us that everyone has something special to bring to a friendship, a friend can be found in anyone and true friendship is a wonderful thing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Farm Animals   2. Animals - Horses   3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   4. Children: Grades 4-6   5. Donkeys   6. Fiction   7. Friendship   8. Horses   9. Juvenile Fiction   10. Children's Picture Book   11. Picture books for children   12. Children's 4-8   

Customer Reviews (2)

Practical Guide to Mr. Holmes' Ideas
Ernest Holmes' message differed somewhat from other founders of new churches. He did not claim to have the "sole and exclusive" revelation of the One Truth about matters spiritual. He did not assert that he had a "new" revelation, or that he had founded a movement freed from the influences of others. Instead, he asserted that his movement was a synthesis of ideas from a variety of faiths and traditions, and that his ideas would be improved over time.

Living the Science of Mind sets out Mr. Holmes' new-thought-derived ideas in a very readable, straightforward book. This book is not laden with endless jargon, nor does it have that "self help book for the soul" feel that some popular religion books can have. Instead, it tries in intelligent but accessible language to explain Science of Mind beliefs, and to illustrate how those beliefs might be applied in everyday thought.

New thought is built in large measure on positive thinking and the belief, to a great or lesser extent, that spiritual practice can lead to changes in the physicial universe. Mr. Holmes explains in some detail how he conceives this works in everyday life. This is not intended as a complex defense of his faith, and the reader from a different tradition will see many questions in the explanations which have not been fully resolved. Still, this is that rare work of religious material which is both practical and filled with ideas. Some other new thought works seem more like sales pieces than books of faith. Living the Science of Mind is instead a useful guide to a faith, which does not require the suspension of disbelief to enjoy. I don't find myself a "new thought" practitioner, but I think the book is both interesting and useful. Ernest Holmes' thinking has had a bigger influence in our vision of what is the "American Dream" than his Church of Religious Science's impact has been. This is a good guide to understand where he came from and what it means in everyday terms.

Practioner in training
This is an excellent book for anyone wanting to learn about Science of Mind. Dr. Holmes essays are a concise, easily read, coverage of Religious Science. The essays cover all aspects of Dr. Holmes philosophy, from what is Science of mind to the history and development of SOM. He explains clearly what he means by "change your mind, change your life" and how to accomplish this. He covers almost any question that might arise: Religion, Spirituality, New Thought, Religious Science p(28-106); God p(107-150); Man p(151-167); Law p(196-223); Your Word p(266-276); Happiness & Fulfillment p(393-434). This is a book that you can read in selected topics and discover who you are, how powerful you are, and can go back to reread time and again while getting new insights each time. The use of the Law to manifest your highest and best good is spelled out - and it works. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General   2. New Thought   3. Psychology   4. Religion & Science   

Customer Reviews (8)

Describes more than Explains
This book is enjoyable for enyone interested in computer game design. However, enjoyable and illuminating are two different things. Beginning with the obviously miguided analisys that computer games are not an art form because the process of designing them is not all a matter of creativity, but that of skill and calculation as well (which is the way it is for any art form), the authors begin a journey of, well, describing what computer games are like.

Overall, the book seems more to describe than explain, more to report than intrepert. There arises no general, well defined thesis from its 500+ page volume. At best, this book can be said to raise a lot of issues which a designer ought to have in mind when desining a game.

However, the vast majority of the issues raised are either of secondary importance or generally irrelevant. It breaks down the process of game design into topics in a way which is neither natural nor logical, and proceeds to pursue a rather sizyphian discussion of each of these topics in turn. These are: What is Game Design?, Game Concepts, Game Settings and Worlds, Storytelling and Narrative, Character Development, Creating the User Experience, Gameplay, and The Internal Economy of games and Game Balancing.

This division makes very little sense. These topics are all so closely realted, some to the point of overlapping, that attempting to develop a theorem which deals with each of them separately would result in exactly the kind of negligable book we have before us.

Actually, it would be impossible for the authors to develop any meaningful discussion of their subject, because they fail to define a) what we are trying to create and b) how do we measure our success. Nor can such a definition be induced from this overflous and superficial book. Without this definition, there is nothing that binds the book's pieces together (and, actually, had the authors bothered to provide a rigorous definition, they would have relized that no reasonable definition could be found for the garbled mess they've created), and it remains a pile of expressions in the spirit of "some people did this in some games, and some people did that in some other games". In short, the book does an admirable job in showing how NOT to perform a critical analisys of a subject, not to mention attempt to construct a wholesome theory.

While the book can be interesting at times, mainly because it makes one think on how such a book SHOULD be written, it is chuck full of assertions obviously made on the basis of misunderstandings, like the authors' curious misuse of the term Suspension of Disbelief, or their suggestion of the Hero's Journey narrative template as an object of imitation rather than a tool for analisys.

The authors' goal with this book also seems qustionable. At one point, they assert that, even were it possible, we wouldn't like our player to be tormented by remorse after taking an immoral action in the game. Why? isn't moral education one of the most important and unique roles of art? If it were indeed possible, and I'm sure it is, it would've been a glorious achievement for this medium, one which would put all its previous achievements far behind.

Or are the authors only interested in computer games as a source of pure fun? If so, I suggest they invest their impressive talent and enthusiasm in cooking or adult toy design - a medium's greatness lies not in the fun it offers, and these repectable fields are all about fun.

An interesting book for raising a large scale discussion, but one which falls short of grasping the deeper principles of its subject, and is, therefore, unimportant.

Advances the field of game design knowledge
The first half of this book is great, and the chapter on *What Gameplay Is* alone makes this book more than worth it. Rollings and Adams propose a new definition of game - to replace Sid Meier's off-the-cuff definition "A series of meaningful choices" - that is more general, more liberating, and more true. So anyone who is annoyed by the fact that their favorite linear platformer supposedly isn't a game by the Meier definition can turn to this. It sounds like a small thing, but so many designers quote the Meier definition so often I expect that this small pebble will create ripples that will effect the kinds of games we see in the future. By focusing on challenges rather than choices, Rollings and Adams have changed the way I think about game design.

Also, while Rollings' other book is most suited for people making strategy games, this book really is general enough to be a worthy read for anybody working on any kind of game.

I only gave it four stars because, for me, the last half of the book--summary chapters of different game genres--was mostly throwaway, rarely going into very much depth or telling me information I didn't know already.

Review: Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams On Game Design
In writing a book review, it's important to realize the importance of "cover previews." In essance, the cover previews provide a contract for either what a book is about or what information the book will provide.

For instance, the back cover of the book On Game Design posits: "How do you turn a great idea into a game design? What makes one design better than another? Why does a good design document matter, and how do you write one? This book answers these questions and stimulates your creativity?"

It is important to note that the book does not limit itself to console video games or computer games. The essence of the rules discussed in this book are those of creating any type of game. Right away that should tell you whether or not you're going to find the book useful. Are you looking for a book that tells you, in general and abstract terms, what concepts are involved with creating a game, or are you looking for a book that actually works examples of concepts?

While this book does a good job of providing many checklists for consideration, advice for certain conditions, and a dictionary of possible ways to view game design, the writers do not follow through. There are few solid examples of checklist scenarios or of worked-through versions of a game scenario which a game designer would find helpful. Without a practical means to an end, there is little purpose in reading these examples except for reassurance that you're facing the same problem that other people have faced. There are many psychology texts available for that situation already.

If you're used to reading programming books, like I am, you're probably aware that they follow a standard format: Propose a problem, choose a method of solution, work through several to many versions of the solution, solve the problem. With only a proposal, it is rather unhelpful to not see why one solution is better than another when it comes to game design. For that matter, as you might have guessed, the level of abstraction to design presented in this book leaves no space for any code examples.

While the advice given in certain situations might be helpful to someone who knows nothing about game design, it is highly likely that whoever reads this book will have little need of it since the advice is so much common sense that a gamer of several years would already be aware of much of this. It's like a senior in college having to take freshman seminar.

But, aside from this little discussion of fault, there is much to be savored in this book. Don't let this review scare you off! Get a copy of the book. Read it. Keep it as a reference for when you might need a more formalized way of presenting a problem you face in game design.

And as I'm sure you know, once you've found a way to state a problem, you're almost ready to find a way to solve it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Computer Books: General   3. Computer Graphics - Design   4. Computer Graphics - Game Programming   5. Computer games   6. Computers   7. Design   8. Industries - Media & Communications Industries   9. Marketing - General   10. Microcomputer Programming   11. Programming   12. Video & Electronic - General   13. Internet - Web Site Design   14. Programming - Software Development   

The harrowing survival story of English explorer Sir Ernest Shackletonand the ill-fated Endurance has intrigued people since the 1914 expedition--spurring astounding books such as Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage and The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition. As Shackleton and 27 sailors attempted to cross the frozen Antarctic continent from one side to the other, they were trapped in an ice pack, lost their ship to the icy depths, survived an Antarctic winter, escaped attacks from sea lions, and traversed 600 treacherous miles to the uninhabited Elephant Island. Leaving 22 men behind, Shackleton and five others sailed 800 miles across the southern Atlantic Ocean in a 20-foot open boat to tiny South George Island, where they hiked across unmapped mountains to a whaling station. In 1916, 19 months after the Endurance became icebound, Shackleton led a rescue party back to retrieve his men. Remarkably, every crew member survived.

Jennifer Armstrong, the award-winning author of Black-Eyed Susan and The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan, brings the unbelievable journey to life with delicious details: how a handsome young stowaway was discovered too late to cast him off; how the ship itself would become frost-white, looking like "another species of sparkling white iceberg as it nosed its way through the pack;" and how the ice-pack-dwelling Emperor penguins seemed to enjoy the banjo music of crew member Leonard Hussey. The true-to-life story is as thrilling as they come, and Armstrong's lively, crystal-clear writing style is just as compelling. More than 40 photographs of the expedition populate this inspiring nonfiction adventure story that young readers will devour from cover to cover. (Ages 10 to 14) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

An amazing story! I couldn't stop reading it!
I began reading this book while quite tired one evening, but found I couldn't put it down! Shackleton and his crew find themselves in one horrible predicament after another, yet all 28 men manage to miraculously survive! The photographs from the original voyage are incredible! A definite must read!

Great true story!
The expedition of 1914, just as The War to End All Wars broke out, of Sir Ernest Shackleton & his crew who sailed from England intending to cross Antarctica from one side to the other.

What they in fact did after the Endurance froze over & sank, has gone into the annals of epic human effort. In the face of crushing odds they all survived 19 months without contact with the outside world.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD for everyone, not just 10 year olds!

An incredible, horrifying, and amazing trip
This 1999 winner of the Orbis Pictus Award (given for outstanding nonfiction for children) is a detailed and well-researched account of Sir Ernest Shackleton's incredible 1914-1916 voyage to Antarctica. Jennifer Armstrong does an excellent job of creating interest all through the book, sharing interesting details about what the men ate, and the games and activities they use to passed the time. The book includes many photographs taken by the photographer on the expedition, giving a sense of realism and immediacy.

The author follows Shackleton's trip from England to South Georgia Island, then the failed attempt to get to the Antarctic continent. The ship becomes stuck in ice, but the ice migrates, moving the Endurance further north, toward the open ocean. Before they reach the sea the ice crushes the ship, forcing the men to abandon it. It is after the sinking of the Endurance that the narrative gets so exciting that the book is impossible to put down. The reader reads with growing horror of the crew's travail across the ice and out to tiny, barren Elephant Island.

When it seems that the men can't possibly have anything worse ahead of them, Shackleton and five men sail a small lifeboat eight hundred miles back to South Georgia Island. Armstrong's description of the harrowing fifteen days spent in the lifeboat holds the reader in a vise-like grip. She winds down the tension with a very satisfying epilogue relating what the crewmembers did with the rest of their lives. The captioned photograph at the end of the book showing the entire crew shortly after their return to civilization is a perfect touch. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1922   2. Antarctica   3. Children's 9-12 - History - General   4. Children: Grades 4-6   5. History - Exploration & Discovery   6. History - General   7. Juvenile Nonfiction   8. Juvenile literature   9. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,   10. Sir,   11. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Exploration & Discovery   12. Shackleton, Ernest Henry   

Subjects:  1. Children's Baby - Picturebooks   2. Children: Grades 2-3   3. Classics   4. Concepts - Senses & Sensation   5. Fiction   6. Juvenile Fiction   7. Specimens   8. Textured books   9. Toys   10. Toys, Dolls, & Puppets   

Customer Reviews (2)

Must have for college administrators
If there is a college administration/student personnel services program that DOES NOT have this as required reading, it should. This is the most comprehensive (and heaviest!) book in the field---summarizing research and theory that is most relevant to today's college administrators and educators. Not only should it be on their shelves---but should be taken down and referred to often!

One of a handful of books every educator should own.
How College Affects Students : Findings and Insights from Twenty Years of Research (The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series) by Ernest T. Pascarella, Patrick T. Terenzini is one of the most valuable reference resources an educator can own. Should be mandatory reading for anyone in coporporate univesities, higher education, or in the policy or management arenas revolving around learning. It was one of the essential references I used while writing Transforming Higher Education, Strategic Change and Strategic Choices. A must buy and well worth every penny. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administration - General   2. College graduates   3. College students   4. Education   5. General   6. Higher   7. Longitudinal studies   8. Reference   9. United States   10. Education / Administration   11. Educational psychology   12. Higher & further education   

The Science of the Mind was originally published in 1926 by the founder of the worldwide Religious Science movement. It was completely revised in 1938 by Ernest Holmes and Maude Allison Latham; this 1997 edition is the 1938 version with an added introduction by Jean Houston and a one-year study program that breaks the weighty tome into digestible bits. Using creative techniques, Holmes guides the student in easy-to-follow steps toward mastering the powers of the mind to find purpose in life. His explanations of how to pray and meditate, heal oneself spiritually, find self confidence, and express love have helped millions change their lives for the better. The Science of Mind is one of those spiritual classics that belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who wishes a life for themselves free of compulsion and negativity. --P. Randall Cohan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

The Science of Mind Is The Religion of Jesus
In this amazing book originally written in 1926, Dr. Ernest Holmes, like Jesus, transcends the current culture and speaks a higher Truth. Jesus taught consciousness but most people do not understand consciousness since of the 26 versions of the Bible, all of them are interpreted rather than translated. Dr. Ernest Holmes gained the awareness to understand the work of Jesus and in the Science of Mind, provides the reader with Spiritual Mind Treatment patterned after the manner in which Jesus prayed, which always demonstrated affirmative results! This philosophy is "change your thinking and change your life," which is a restatement of Jesus' "it is done unto you as you believe." Our beliefs create our experiences and the Science of Mind provides a teaching that creates positive changes by teaching the reader how to change their beliefs.

A great book
Ernest Holmes must be among the most respected authors in this field. In fact his wisdom and vision is so deep and profound that I would dare to say he is the best. Many authors like Stuard Wilde, Harold Sherman, and others have read his book.

Have you ever wondered, how can this man cure illness and psychosis in people by just concentrating on them (without laying hands)? Even cancers dissapear! I read in another book that Ernest Holmes used to wear thick glasses in the early years, but then as he slowly understood more about the Mind, he healed himself completely by recognizing the Truth by affirming daily that "There is One Spirit which is One Perfect Vision, and this Perfect Vision sees through me".

He is the founder of the Science Of Mind movement that utilizes the wisdom of philosophers and religious texts such as Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism. Indeed, Ernest understands the deep meaning and messages in these text, and he loves all religion, yet he understood that all religion is only a vehicle towards the Truth. Most of all he loves the Truth of Spirit. He believes in no rituals, except the 'ritual' of knowing the power of Spifit. His understanding goes beyond the opposites(yin and yang) of life, and he sees into the Divine Perfection which is within everyone of us. He believes that we are all gods (rememeber Jesus said "do you not know that you are all gods?" and "this thing I do you can do also and greater things"). Truly, in everyone of us, the Christ, the Krisna, the Buddha and God resides, which is the Perfect Spirit.

This book contains the teachings and applicable theories and principles taught by Ernest Holmes.It contains many chapters (this is really a thick volume!) on spiritual ideas of health, abundance, perfection etc. Also contains many affirmations.
His affirmations remain one of the best, innovative and most effective.
Use it to tear down all false beliefs and illusions.

Readers love him for his faith, love him for his wisdom. If you are interested in this topic, also read books by Florence Shinn.

Anyone who is interested to discuss this topic is welcome to discuss with me at ackoh2000@yahoo.com as i am always open to learn more.

Gold Standard
I accidentally (that's what I thought at that time but after reading this book I realized it was not a coincidence, it was never an accident and I was actually subconsciously looking for it, more like "Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find") bumped into this book while browsing through a book store while waiting for my flight in an airport and until then I had never heard of Ernest Holmes and it was really a big book and when I briefly turned some pages around I saw few things about mental spiritual healing and being a practitioner and all that i.e. not something that I thought would be of any interest to me, but nevertheless the title of science and mind i.e. Science of Mind appealed to me.

I am happy to say that buying this book was one of the most rewarding decisions I have ever made, you may not be interested in becoming a spiritual mind healing practitioner (neither am I at this point) but if you have been noticing that events in your life somehow seem to follow your thoughts then this book explains it all, you would understand this much better if you have read books about philosophy, metaphysics, spirituality, mindfulness, manifestation...etc. But, regardless this book is for everyone. It's incredible that Holmes explained all this way back in 1926, the language is razor sharp, absolutely clear, unambiguous and very precise and the content by its very nature is universal and always relevant. You will learn that it's possible to unthink i.e. it's possible to steer your life in the direction you choose to. I promise you that you will go back to this book from time to time; it's kind of a companion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General   2. New Age / Parapsychology   3. New Thought   4. Psychology   5. Spirituality - General   

Customer Reviews (2)

Well done but a little short on text
This book is pictorially a success. I loved it and I'm too old to be a kid any more. I would like the editor to focus on better syntax in the English though; I really had to augment the text with more of my own comments for my daughter because what text is there is quite terse (short). I wonder if Warren Harding wrote the text???

A Honey of a Book
This is a wonderful book! My 19 month old son loves hearing this book over and over again. He can point to the pictures and name the characters. He is familiar with this story because is is part of one of Pooh's adventure videos. This pictures are wonderful to look at and remind me of the 'old fashioned Pooh'. The words are very large and make it easy for a child to follow and point to while 'reading' the story. Definitely a family favorite. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Bears   2. Children's Baby - Boardbooks   3. Children: Preschool   4. Fiction   5. Juvenile Fiction   6. Teddy bears   7. Toys   8. Toys, Dolls, & Puppets   

Customer Reviews (3)

Inciteful history that provides a good read.
Not God provides an inciteful and thoughtful study of the history of AA. It will provide the experienced 12 stepper further understanding of their program. Additionally, readers not already conversant with the subject will learn and grow from this introduction.

Excellent History and a Great Read
Kurtz masterfully captures the early days of AA. This book is a must read for students of the 12 Steps and anyone interested in this spiritual program of recovery that has improved the lives of millions. -- Frank D., Author of The Annotated AA Handbook

Solid study by a Harvard US History scholar
Good book without the mumbo jumbo that one usually finds on the subject. He tackles the question: "Is AA a cult" by describing the common characteristics of cults. A book for the thinking AA member and those interested in the background of a very influential movement that started in the USA and has spread over a large part of the developed world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Recovery   2. Self-Help   3. Substance Abuse & Addictions - Alcoholism   4. Twelve-Step Programs   

Customer Reviews (1)

Very well written book on participatory action research
I read the first edition of this book and found it to be a wealth of good information laid out in a clear, straightforward manner that can be used successfully by students. I teach an advanced undergraduate methods course in anthropology and have used this book as one of the texts. Although it does not say everything about the topic, it covers all the basics very well so that it can be either used as a textbook or used by an action research practitioner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action research   2. Human services   3. Research   4. Social Science   5. Sociology   6. Social Science / Research