This is a beautifully done "comic book" version of the Twitchell novel, "Talons of Time". Definitely a collector's item if you love the novel, but *not* the novel if that's what you're looking for (like *I* was...).

I have had two copies of this book at two different times. With each book ending up in the hands of friends. The book is very thought provoking. For anyone willing to step outside the norm of thinking, this is a good place to start. Very fast paced and engaging - even for a slower reader such as myself.

I've found that Paul Twithell's book The Talons of Time is a novel that invokes the imagination. A book that takes you there! You are Peddar Zaskq, the main character of this novel! This one's sure to be a classic. I'd like to see it as a movie, but then movies aren't as good as one's imagination.

I bought this book based on the five-star reader review from December 2000 and I was sorely disappointed and wishing I'd saved my $10 plus shipping! This book is outdated, sketchy (barely touches on YA novels) and very British. Her writing examples rely heavily on Dickens and the like, which didn't exactly bring me up to speed on the last 20 years of children's literature. I'm still searching for a good guide to writing children's fiction that is in print!

gee, I bought this book to help me learn to write for children, not to be talked down to by the author...which is what happened. A shoddy, simplistic, overly "this is how I believe it to be" approach that lacks the the clarity and educational value I was looking for when I purchased it. Dated examples and poor type face and formatting doesn't help. I'd avoid this one.

A friendly warning to readers: Even though "The Way to Write for Children" is very precise about what SHOULD NOT be in children's books, it is quite the opposite about what SHOULD be in them.

On the very first page of the text, Joan Aiken bluntly informs readers that "there is no _one_ way in which to write for children." In another chapter, she explains the futility of dividing child readers into age groups and trying to target a single age. Throughout the book, she gives examples of what she considers poor children's literature--and not without good reason.

Aiken is not a writing teacher who says, "Do this and this and this, but not that." She is more like a mentor whose gut instinct about these matters is so finely developed that she can tell what will work and what will not, even though she may not be able to explain why. Yet she does try! Those who like their writing manuals well organized into clean-cut sections and subsections will not appreciate her attempts, but those who understand that she is truly sincere may dig deeper and find unexpected treasure.

You'll enjoy this book more if you have read as much children's literature as Aiken has and are familiar with the authors and titles that she liberally "name drops" throughout the text. I bought my copy three years ago and understood about 10% of it. Then I started studying some of the books she used as examples: "Daddy-Long-Legs", "Poems of Childhood", "The Chronicles of Narnia", "The Hobbit", "I Am the Cheese", etc. With that, her words took on new life for me.

I can compare reading "The Way to Write for Children" to listening to a wise and remarkable friend speak--but not lecture--about children's literature. It is definitely not writing school, but the education I receive is superior.

This book is a sorry disappointment coming from a talented authoress like Miss Aiken. The lpot is not true to Miss Austen at all, and not a whit of it leads to the plot, structure, theme, language or depth of "Mansfiedl Park". And like all Janeites out ther, let me point out that the youngest Miss Ward's first name is not Harriet (Hatty); it's actually Frances (Fanny). Our Heroine in "Mansfield Park" is Fanny Price, and she is the eldest daughter, and in true Jane Austen fashion, the eldest daughters and sons are usually named for the parents. A disappointemnt indeed, a far cry from what Miss Austen conceptualised.

I started out thinking I was in for yet another jewel along the lines of "Jane Fairfax" and "Mansfield Revisited." Aiken certainly starts off in that vein, but halfway thru, the plot turns ridiculous. Hatty became so 'Dickens-like' in her cheerful suffering that I wanted to gag, and the antagonists were also crosses between those found in Bronte and Dickens and not Austen-like at all. Aiken seemed to abandon wit and good humor for pathos and melo-drama. I hope she will not continue on this vein in her future Austen ventures. Aiken is VERY gifted and readable, so it is easy to forgive her for "The Youngest Miss Ward."

I found this latest book of Joan Aiken's to be a very enjoyable one, with many references to characters and events in Mansfield Park, and an excellent portrayal of the early nineteenth century. For the entire first half or more I was quite caught up in the heroine's life and that of the whole cast of unusual characters, many of which seem to be right out of an Austin novel. It was with some chagrin when I realized, toward the end, that Hattie (the youngest Miss Ward of the title), had slipped into the "Goody Goody" mode, and was becoming somewhat insipid. I mean, really, she goes around solving everyone's problems, and taking all kinds of abuse with never a frown, but is always cheerful and helpful to a fault. The other characters have also fallen into rather neat groups of villians and good guys. However, this would not really have bother me, had the ending not been as it was. I don't wish to give anything away, so I won't comment on the obvious flaws and lack of continuity in many of the storylines and characters. However, some may not be as troubled by the ending or the character of the heroine , and, if interested in this period of history, will certainly enjoy reading The Youngest Miss Ward.

When I started Civil War Reenactment I wanted to know how the whole thing functionates. I hoped to find some questions to my answers. This book showed me how Civil War Reenactors look like, but not what Reenatment means.

I would only recromend this book to fellow reenactors who like looking for comrades in the photos, or for people who enjoy real pictures of men in action. Though it could have gone into more detail. The only text in the book is captions for the pictures. I've tried to figure out which events are which, but have come up blank. The main reason that I purchased this book was because it had a picture of my 1st Sgt and Captain. This book is recromended for reenactors and fans of good photography.

"Civil War Re-Enactment" is hardly informative about the Civil War or Re-enactments, nonetheless, it is a good book with excellent photographs. I purchased this book in hope of discovering the mechanics of certain uniforms or the workings of re-enactments, this book did not help me at all. But, I do not regret buying. If you want a book just for the pictures, this book is for you. If you want a book with any information whatsoever, look somewhere else.

I tested in Aug 99 using Petersons, Princeton, and Amazon clep Books to study for the General Natural Sciences Test. None of these books came remotely close to helping me get 1% of the information presented as questions on the real test. Who ever made that test must have taken their information from the smallest corners of the earth they could find to make the questions. I still can't believe the vast difference between what seemed normal study material and what material was tested. Your company should go and take one of those tests and see how far out that test is compared to what you offer and get it in- line or you won't make much money or help people like myself to acheive a passing score using your books. Additionally, the study guide of which the college board offers is very vague. You could help all by re-doing your study material. By the way, I used the same books as mentioned above and tested high on the General Social Sciences Test.

I used the average of the first two reviews so my review will not alter how my predecessors rated the book. I have not seen this particular book, but I have seen (and used) many others and believe there is a complete misunderstanding on the part of the general public as to the benefit of the books.

These books will NOT give you all the information you ever needed to know. It will give you a guide to the type of questions you will encounter, but you must know your subject. I am a librarian and highly recommend my patrons check out a textbook on the subject or buy textbooks that are used in local or national colleges. One on-line source of these titles is from World Lecture Hall at the University of Texas.

Use the textbooks and supplemental information recommended on the individual subject websites in addition to these test books and you'll do well!

This book really made the difference. I am so glad I bought it and used it. Clear information and easy to use. Recommend it to all my classmates.

on page 79, (English test) beginning with #22, the answer key is off. It gives the answer to 21 as D. and 22 is also D. How is this possible when the choices for 22 are F,G,H,J?

This was an o.k. book. It didn't help me very much, but it had good tests. They made a lot of mistakes, which could have been avoided. The writers probably didn't put their best into it.

This is the best book I've ever used to get higher scores on the ACT. It tells exactly what you need to know and study -- and nothing more. I was studying a lot more formula's then I needed to and I didn't realize it untill I got this book. I also wasn't taught a couple of formulas, needed for the math part of the ACT, untill I used this book. I highly suggest this book to anyone who wants to raise their scores.

As jazz band musician interested in playing ragtime and early jazz I awaited with eager anticipation the arrival of this fake book from Hal Leonard. I could not wait to open the wrapper and feast my eyes on the works of my favourite ragtime composers, legends like ScottJoplin, Joe Lamb, James Scott, Jelly Roll Morton et al. This would be a book to treasure. Classic Jazz composers such as Clarence Williams, Joe Oliver and the rest of the early jazz pioneers would shout their syncopated melodies from the pages. 200 of those marvellous tunes would be waiting to be played. This would be a jazzmans heaven. I opened the wrapper and a beautifully designed cover was revealed. 'Ragtime' the headline said in a 72 point nineteenth century' typeface. With heightened anticipation and trembling fingers, I turned to the contents page. What's this? 'The Blue Room', 'Cocktails for Two', 'Loch Lomond' Ole Man River' 'Noel Coward' Is this some sort of joke? John Coltrane, Stan Kenton. It must be. Where was the Ragtime in 72 pts, where was any Ragtime? Nowhere. Thats where. Early Jazz? OK, a couple by Armstrong and a couple by Ellington. Thats it. Thats all. I am asked to rate this book between 1 star and 5 stars. This book is a minus 5 stars, and I'm feeling generous. It is a travesty.It is a fake fake book. It has no connection at all with Ragtime or Early Jazz. So why is it called that? How can a publisher put out a book so titled. You may have observed by this time that I was not best pleased with the contents. I shall avoid, like the plague, anything else published by Mr Leonard, for you can be sure of one thing, whatever it says on the front cover it's bound to have no relevence to the contents

This book has many of the tunes from the early 1900s that are either hard or impossible to find elsewhere. Mr. DuBoff did an excellent job of translating these classics into leadsheets that sound up to date while at the same time honor the original character of the song. The layout makes learning from this book simple. In addition, this is the first book of its kind to present the chord changes that jazz musicians actually play! A must for musicians.

This should be entiled "Best Resumes for Attorneys at the Top of your Class, (As for the rest of you, we're not concerned)." Hey, everyone knows law is extremely competitive, but shouldn't there be something in this book for someone not in top 20% or above. Every sample resume involves being at the top of your class. Obviously, I didn't graduate in the stratosphere but I am far from being alone, 80+%. Also, I've been able to eke out a decent practice despite this. I've used this book for the past few years and it is helpful because there is a large selection of sample resumes and cover letters to choose from, but I've often chuckled to myself when doing so, because for having such a large selection of examples for so many areas of the law, it just deals with the "elite." It never addresses anyone who might be below this standard. That is why I think that its use is somewhat limited and not realistic.

This book provides good resume templates. I then used the "Vault Reports Guide to America's Top 50 Law Firms" to send resumes to law firm hiring managers and to prepare for my interviews.

Keneally is, no doubt, a skilled and knowlegabel writer, and this novel based on the story of Joan of Arc is very well researched, but as the story of a brave and mystical hero, it's a dry and inhumane read which lacks passion, courage and inspiration. It's all too rational, too predictable, too over-explained.

The well-documented outline of Joan of Arc's story allows a skilled novelist plenty of creative space. Keneally's Joan, although resolute, is a human, vulnerable figure, unlike Mark Twain's saintly heroine.
This retelling emphasizes the very real sacrificial aspect of
her life. I thought the dialogue wonderful - plausible, informed, witty. To this former soldier, the ways Joan's fellow
military commanders skillfully translate her special charisma into battlefield advantage is imaginative. Joan's career after
Rheims is not covered. I greatly enjoyed this book, and its very different perspective.

If you are looking for a book to care for Chows- this is certainly not the one. Only two pages are devoted to any kind of care at all- that being only to show one how to properly brush a Chow for a show. The rest of this huge book is black and white photos of "Best of Breed". Who cares? I have been looking for a chow book for a long time- this book was recommended by more than one person as the "best". I assume the rest of the Chow books out there are First Grade line drawings of Chows. Very diappointing. NOT RECOMMENDED.

I've owned this book for 15 years and refer to it often. This is a wonderful book for the person who wants to understand where our breed came from. It's great for the person who is interested in breeding and showing Chows. It helps us to understand the history of todays champions.It clearly explains what the standard for our breed is.This is a must have book for the serious Chow Chow fancier !!