This book may be of use to a high school or college student but was of no use to me, living in Japan and looking for some tips to improve my fluency.

I recommend to read this book before even starting your foreign language class. Some of the tips are about things obvious that you do not notice. Most of the advice is very useful and comes from someone which a vast experience in the area. I will use all his experience and wisdom when I take Italian and Russian next semester. It has helped me so far with my English. Thanks to the author for such a great tool for the student

This book is great for taking advantage of any language course. The vast experience of the author helps you to recognize the most common difficulties you will face when learning a foreign language. I have used many of his tips for my English and I will use them also when I take Italian and Russian next semester. A MUST HAVE !

The question that this book asks it whether or not American appears in Bible prophecy. It does not, the author concludes after giving an exgesis and refutation of Bible passages that some claim that the Bible predicts America in the future. Why is that? The author says that America isn't mentioned in the Bible because the prophecies that describe the Earth's "latter days" and "tribulation" take place after the Rapture. Most Americans will be taken up in the Rapture (the most escapist notion ever concieved short of suicide) and then since America looses so much of its population, it is absorbed by the European Union, which isn't weakened by the rapture because fewer Europeans are as ignorant and Biblically illiterate. After the rapture a supposed conversion will take place amoung 144,000 thousand Jews in Isreal who will witness for Christ because of the absence of the evangelical Christians. This book perpetuates the myth that Jews are God's "chosen people," which is a universal belief among 'fundamentalist' Christians today. The author says we are supposed to support Israel through its struggles, despite the fact that our policy of supporting Israel is what causes so much hatred of the United States around the world. The Bible says that the only name under heaven by which we are saved is "Jesus Christ", and not "Jew" or "Israel."

Mark really opens your eyes to interpretations not many theologins tackle. My Latter-day perception was greatly affected by this 100 pg booklet. Buy this book and see where America may or may not b headed in Bible prophecy.

I could hardly lay this book down. The author goes over several popular theories as to the mentioning of America in the Holy Bible. A case is thoughtfully made for each theory, then he points out his opinion on each one without cramming it down your throat. I am not sure I agree with his final conclusions, but I am convinced that this book is a must read if you are studying bible prophecy. I strongly recommend this book!

Rather coplete book but-alas-full of mistakes in entries concerning German and Austrian porcelain.Take for example the Meissen porcelain:the authors put together in one large pile Meissen proper,Thieme factory,Fr.Hirsch,Helena Wolfsohn and other factories,though these are absolutely different things.The authors should make a bit of research before starting the project:What amazes me is that this is the 46th edition of the book and nobody ever corrected those mistakes.

As with the Kovels other books, this reference is very exhaustive and complete. There are, perhaps, some mistakes, but given the volume of information here that is to be expected. I find I reach for this book first when I'm trying to identify a piece of this age group, and usually find what I'm looking for here. Easy to travel with, from antique shop to auction. A good buy.

Good research, accurate information, and voluminous (if not exhaustive) representation of marks. Brief yet succinct information identifying maker, circa date and geographical location are offered with marks. Don't expect a good read or scholarly discourse. Small and light; easy to take on the road.

This a a great book for beginners - Absolute Beginners who know nothing about saving, investing or finance. I found the book very shallow; they touch on everything but just skim the surface and say very little of substance. I'm by no means an expert, but this book bored me and was a waste of my time (but not money - I checked it out of the library)

The Skousens have drawn from some age old wisdom regarding thrift and lifestyle and have spun an interesting fabric of how that wisdom, if applied today, can still affect our lives dramatically. As the Skousens powerfully point out, a carefully planned expenditure and investment of even meager means can have an unbelieveable impact on our financial well being, both early on and later in life. This book is delightful reading and will not disappoint

The one star reviewer must have been expecting something else.

I bought this book in college when it was only available in hardcover, and I have dog-eared the pages three times over.

With so many copycat financial books flooding the market, this little book stands as an original. Much of the information is elementary, but the book's value is its breadth and its practical "how to" bent. This book doesn't stop at "consider investing in mutual funds". It gives you funds the Skousens love and the funds phone numbers so you can start today.

This book also lets the beginner or the small fry dream. It also covers exotic investing in art, metals, foreign bank accounts, currency, options, and tells you how to get a taste of any of these, complete with contact phone numbers. Try getting that from the Wall Street Journal or Barron's.

It has great, simple chapters on credit management, cutting down expenses, real estate, and most of all, personal responsibility. If you are not a jaded person who has given up on personal finance or a wiseacre who thinks you can't learn anything new, you will like this book. If even one of its dozens of interesting financial ideas or contacts pans out for you or makes you feel better, more like a Rockefeller, then it has earned its keep.

This book will be a personal favorite of yours. Look for it in hard cover so you won't wear it out.

I was looking for a guide to master psychometric tests. All this book described however were a number of tests used for job positions and what they were generally aiming at. How to beat psychometric tests? Hardly worth a comment here. You could read it in about 10 minutes. If your job entails these tests and you are worried about taking them - you might bother to read this book - otherwise for an insight into psychometric tests in a serious fashion - leave it. I wish I could return this book for a full refund AND the postage - but the returns policy will make me lose the postage - which to the UK was 3 times the price of the book If you want a copy in the UK you can buy it from me - at cost of book only !!

If you want a good introduction to the sort of tests used for selecting people for jobs this may be the book for you ! It describes all the main sorts of tests and how they are put together; in addition guidance is given on preparation and the sorts of strategies you can use when taking tests. Sure it does not contain thousands of examples but given that there are many, many different sorts of tests this is perhaps no bad thing. Infact you can then move onto other Kogan Page books on testing and be in a much better position to do the practice questions they contain. I would certainly recommend this book to all those who think that testing will be part of their next interview.

I would recommend this book to anyone who will be doing tests as part of their interview. It gives a host of tips on how to prepare and what to look out for. It helped me, made me more confident, and played a big part in getting me a new job.

Preposterous. In a world where kitch and pre-fab outsells artistic expression ten million to one, here comes a guy to champion mindless nostalgia. According to Mr. Judge, artists like Monk and Bird did jazz a disservice because - get this - they spent too much energy creating unique personal expression and not enough making music to which one could dance! In his view of the utopian world, there would be a lot more Brittany Spears, N'Sync, and swing "let's play dress-up" nostalgia; and a lot less dedication to the communication of feelings, thoughts, and emotions that are not quite so simplistic. Most of all, he conveniently dismisses the fact that swing (in its first incarnation) was itself a form of rebellion: The modern-day equivalent of the swing dance halls of yore is the current rave scene. Swing was not about mindless dancing and youthful optimism, that's why it was so heavily targeted by the establishment of the time. A boring, self-righteous rant against human expression and substance in art.

I don't see how one could read Mark Judge's book with any care and then write that in his ideal world "there would be a lot more Brittany Spears and N-Sync." He makes a solid argument that the kind of popular music people listen to has an effect on the tone of society. He goes on to argue that the popular music of 50 years ago was associated with a healthier social life than we have now. That is not "mindless nostalgia". Judge may or may not be right in his interpretation of the evidence (and I have my own doubts about swing music), but his book cannot be dismissed as a "boring, self-righteous rant against human expression and substance in art". Indeed, the thrust of his argument is precisely that the "substance" of art matters.

How refreshing to find someone, in a world that tells us over and over that good's bad and bad's good, who can see and is willing to declare the emperor's nakedness. Mark Judge describes himself as a former left-wing radical who, through tough personal experiences, came to reject his own leftism. (Why is it almost always thus, and not the other way around?) By thoroughly and convincingly tweaking the precepts and icons of the left on the subject of our current American culture, he's undoubtedly invoked the ire and disdain of the literary establishment. So be it - the changes that he chronicles, centering around the Swing Revival in Washington DC in recent months, would never have occurred anyway had not that establishment's campaign of suppression and misdirection against our cultural life already begun to collapse into its own vacuum. At 118 pages it's a quick and easy, yet provocative, read; its rich set of references invites further study. If I were to pick a bone with Mr. Judge, though, it wouldn't be at all about his analysis and conclusions - for me they hit the nail right on the head! It would be about his somewhat pessimistic view that those of us with the common sense to be able to distinguish beauty from trash should be prepared to settle for a secret cultural life under the vast ocean of putrescence that styles itself as today's American culture. Remember the little boy who told the crowd what the emperor was really wearing? Take heart - we only need one plain voice being heard by most Americans to break this vast and entrenched spell against our better nature. After reading "If It Ain't Got That Swing," I'm persuaded that Mark Gauvreau Judge is now, and will continue to wax heavy as a key chord in that Voice. Thanks for a great book and keep swingin', Mr. Judge - they've wishfully pronounced Swing dead, but they ain't seen nothin' yet!

This book is nothing at all like I was expecting. I read one review and thought it would be great but it is a typical "see Jane run" book. About three sentences on a page with very BIG letters. I thought it would be a great stocking stuffer for my 9 year old dancer who is competing but she would be very bored with it. It will , more likely, be given to my 5 year old as she is just learning to read. It does state ages 4-8 but be aware it is for VERY early readers.

When i bought this book at the book store, i really didn't think it was going to be that great, because i am an Irish Step dancer, and i can tell if what he was writing about was real or fake. But i understood every thing he was writing about. and i love this book, if your an irish step dancer..... get this book!!!

This is a small staple-bound but full-color booklet with attractive pictures and simple text. Perfect for my preschooler beginning Irish dance!

While the pictures might interest older readers, the text is very simple: "Irish step dancing is danced to Irish music. I move my feet to the music. I keep my arms at my sides."

Half the pictures show girls in street/exercise clothes, the other half in dance costume. There are no boys pictured, unfortunately. There are two pictures of hardshoe, the rest is softshoe dancing.

Recommended for ages four to six or so.

The will be differents of opinions, but this commentary points the scriptures toward Pagan doctorine. There is more pointing toward the pagan background than Christianity.

The IVP Bible Background Commentary is an excellent resource for understanding the Bible in its historical context. Sure, that means it sometimes reads counter to tradition, but if tradition is being refuted by physical evidence, I'd rather know that than be left in my blind tradition.

The book does lean toward a more Earth-bound discussion of the Bible. It shows how political, economic, and societal influences helped shape the way the books of the Bible were written (or spoken) and passed down through history. It shows how the writers, even though they were inspired by God, were still influenced by the times in which they lived.

This is not a book for the strict Fundamentalist Christian unless you want your beliefs challenged. But it's a wonderful book for the literary Christian who likes to engage in some healthy Biblical discussion.

The only thing that really disappointed me (and kept it out of the 5-star category) was that a few of the historical discussions are sometimes cut short. But I'm sure that was a balance between depth of research and final page count. Overall, this is definitely worth the money, and it will keep many people thinking critically about the Bible for quite some time.

I love ya,daddy!

Way to go Mark Chavalas!

Elizabeth C. age 12

Unless already know the name of the maker, it's fairly difficult to look up a unknown, cryptic mark. I have to thumb through the whole book to find the mark I'm searching for. There is no cross reference section.
The book is organized and alphabetized by maker.
Unfortunately, there's very little information about the maker him/herself. Just circa and location. That's it. If I wanted to know more about a specific maker, I would have to refer to the bibliography section and buy another book.
I expected much more from Kovels.

While not the definitive reference that Jackson's book is on English silver, the Kovels do provide an extensive listing of American silversmiths and manufacturers. A person cannot be a serious collector of American antique silver without this book.

This book is a must-have if you collect American silver. It's an exhaustive reference of marks and makers, with over 400 pages of information. Silver makers are listed both alphabetically as well as cross-referenced by monograms or marks. More than 10,000 silversmiths, from 1650 to the present are included, and the book makes it easy to identify a piece or its maker. There are shape guides (for things like spoons and coffeepots), as well as hand-drawn images of marks (no photos in this book). All in all this book is an extremely useful reference for the collector or dealing of American silver. Don't hesitate, buy it!

I found the information on behaviour and animal welfare to be limited and, in places, questionable. For example the use of single animal hanging cages is treated as standard husbandry -- despite the strong recommendation in most national laws and guidleines that social contact and environmental enrichment be provided to rats in the laboratory.

This book is a welcome addition for the in vivo investigator; we know so much about the theoretical bases of our experiments, but how many of us really have any formal knowledge of our most important research tools, the animals themselves? For this reason, and in the interest of the general welfare of my experimental rats, I bought the book. There is much interesting and useful information presented by veterinarians who specialize in lab animal medicine.

But considering the plain xerox paper stock upon which this small pocket reference is printed, the price is outrageous. In addition to the paper stock, the copy-machine quality of printing helps make a muddled mockery of the alleged cytological preparations and micrographs that are attemptedly presented as figures. The condensed nature of the book was probably unnecessary considering the lack of this genre in the current literature. Furthermore, glaringly absent (in the midst of anatomical description) are any anatomical figures whatsoever, depicting any functional anatomy useful to the investigator.

I suggest this book if your institution pays for it.

This book has a lot to say....excellent reference book. If you do anything with the rat, then you need this book inspite of the price. The authors did a thorough job.