It's urgent that you and your children visit the redwoods! This book will inspire you to do so. Joan, the author, takes you on a journey through the redwood forest and through your conscience. Her artistic expression of her humanity in words and in nature drawings often made me laugh with the insights ("Humboldt County, Log it or Leave it - a bumper sticker she saw), yet also cry with the vulgarities. It's a wonderful read, but one should also be aware of the astounding photography in the middle section. I kept referring back to the photos the whole time while reading the book. I'll offer TWO of my FAVORITE QUOTES that epitomize the book's strenghts: "Like Kristi, and many other residents of various watersheds who have suffered loss of private property and peace of mind, Mike seemes strangely perfect to be one of the people who have no choice but to stand up to MAXXAM. He can't sell his house because he would have to disclose the danger it is in. He can't rent it out for the same reason. His insurance company has canceled his house insurance. He doesn't have the money to buy a new house and walk away from the situation. Right now his house stands abandoned, simply a liability, while Mike is forced to rent at his own expense in Rio Dell." (p.145) ALSO, Joan includes her 12-year-old son in her adventures. At the end of the book they have this conversation: "At one point he said, 'I forgot what I was going to say.' 'Well, it'll come back to you,' I reassured. 'Yes, but I was just making conversation before. This was something I really wanted to say.'" (p.259) I'm not ruining the end for you by saying that you'll really want to say something, do something, express something when you finish this book!

This journal is a tough analysis of an unscrupulous corporate raider's methods of mining the temperate old growth redwood rain forests of Humboldt County, California. Joan and Doug's curiosity and observations lead her and us through all the resent events and to many victims of such a mass liquidation of forest, soil, waterways and wildlife. As a resident of the area, I have read news accounts regarding the Headwaters Forest, but none have even come close to the articulate passion that Joan has focused on to repeatedly hit her mark. The natural descriptions of the remaining groves and wildlife are tender and capable of grinding the callousness from even the hardest of hearts. I find myself walking in circles of despair for all of the destruction that has already taken place. Doug's photo journal validates every accusation made against this corporations blatant grab for money at the expense our community, our children's future and everything sacred. Read this book, then make it required reading for all of your friends and family.

No book has ever moved me the way this one has, I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I've just read many of the other reviews, and I don't have the way with words that some do, but they tell it like it is. Joan tells it like it is. Books don't get any better, and this one will change your life, like someone said it isn't all about happiness, and I have become informed and aware of too much to not so something about what is being done to our Redwood Forests, and what is being allowed to be done to our envirnment and watersheds. It's a true story, happening right now, this book documents it succinctly with amazing one of a kind pictures. It will open your eyes. Something needs to be done about Charles Hurwitz from Houston, Texas and his company MAXXAM. He is savaging The last of the Virgin Redwood Rainforest in California. I cannot beleive the CDF and the department of Forestry are "letting him get away with it." Not to mention the way he "aquired" the land, which is explained in the book. Please read this book. This book will light a fire in you, and like me you will have to do something. There are several websites listed in the back to point you in the right direction. I beleive this book is THE BEST one on the subject and if you plan on reading only one this should definitely be it. It has the most facts, information, and insight and is so well written, I couldn't say enough. And 57 pages of priceless color pictures! I am buying used copies for people, I would give one to EVERYONE if I could, and I have only said that about 2 books, and I read alot. The book is priceless. Thank You Joan

McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras is the Bible for camera collectors. It is a must, since it contains almost all of the information needed to identify a camera, including, when it was made, any variations and a value of the camera. It will pay for it's self the within a very short time, maybe even the first time you use it to puchase and/or sell a camera.

Obviously, I haven't read this latest edition of the price guide since it won't be available until April. I have purchased two previous editions and they were worth the money. I look forward to the release of the latest edition. Every camera collector should have this price guide. Unlike Lind's List Camera Price Guide and Master Data Catalog, this book gives good information and pictures to help you identify cameras and grow in knowledge. I haven't utilized my Lind's book, but I take my McKeown's book on every collecting expedition.

Like previous editions, this exceptionally well organized, indexed and illustrated book is the leader in its field. It is a must for serious collectors of classic cameras and related items.

A highly interesting and surprising reimagining of the Arthurian legend, almost the exact opposite of Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon." In this version, there is no magic, and many of the characters are related to each other in unexpected ways (for example, Merlin is Igraine's father, while Morgan is Igraine's younger sister, instead of daughter. As a result, Morgan is Arthur's aunt, rather than half-sister.) The main focus here is on Morgan and Arthur's love for each other, which greatly alters the famous love triangle with Arthur, Gwenhyfar and Bedwyr (Lancelot.) Also, Mordred is no longer the evil usurper who plots to overthrow Arthur; here he is a basically goodhearted boy who lacks his father's kingly ambition and skills, and who is easily manipulated by his cruel brother Agravaine, with tragic consequences.

As a result of all this, "The Road to Avalon" always took me by surprise because so many aspects of the legend that I took for granted had been altered. I found it to be a refreshing and moving version, especially the love story between Morgan and Arthur, which is every bit as heartbreaking as the traditional Arthur-Gwenhyfar one is. While "The Mists of Avalon" remains the ultimate Arthurian novel for me, this one is not far behind it. As Publisher's Weekly says, "Joan Wolf is a master storyteller...portraying characters with crisp and memorable originality...capturing--and enriching--the tragic sweep of romance and idealism inherent in the Arthurian Tale." Read it

I have been reading Arthurian books for years, and when i found this book "years ago" i loved it above all others. Today, i finished it for the 3rd time, and after reading it i feel as close to the charaters as if i was there in real life. all i need to do is think about the last line in the book and i cry. Thank you Joan for making this wonderful book come to life in all the glory and pain of the dark ages. and for all those out there who fell in love with Arthur and Morgan, remember to smell the Lavander.......

I cannot say enough good things about this wonderful book. It is just too bad that it is out of print. I sincerely hope that some publisher would re-release this jewel of a book to the public again.

Out of all of the King Arthur stories that I have read, this is the one that really gets me emotionally involved with the characters. This is no usual Arthurian where there is magic and the battle between the good and evil. It is so much more realistic and the scenes are so vivid that you really feel that this could have happened in history.

Not only are the war scenes and the relationships between the characters memoreable- the love story between Morgan and Arthur is heart wrenching.

I really hope that somehow this story gets more attention. It truely deserves it.

I saw my first Kurosawa film when I was quite young. I was just a 13 year old kid in front of the TV and I was browsing through the channels when I came upon this black and white film. I still don't know why I kept on watching it, even though it was in Japanese and watching films with subtitles wasn't my favourite thing. I still remember the images. But, being a 13 year old kid after a while I changed the channel. A few days later I saw a bit of another similar film. Earlier this year a friend of mine informed me that this book had just arrived in a local bookstore. I learned its price and was off to sell a few of my sisters Mills & Boon or similar. I bought the book with the money and started reading as soon as I was home. It was so interesting for me since Donald Richie had divided every film's chapter into its various components like characterisation, story, etc. This along with being well formatted with pictures of the film's frames. It was while reading this book that I realised those bits of some black and white film I had scene at 13 was infact Kurosawas Throne of blood and The hidden fortress. I was overwhelmed with the information that was being carefully fed to me. I thank Donald Richie for writing such a good book and honouring the memory of a genious-Akira Kurosawa. This book is a must for all Kurosawa Film lovers. I know 'cause I'm one of them.

"The Films of Akira Kurosawa" is a great introduction to Kurosawa. In both physical size and length, it is an unintimidating invitation to those seeking to learn more about a director whose films they enjoy. It is the most visual of Kurosawa studies, which is nice considering that films are a visual medium. There are both candid on-set shots as well as film stills.

The book is designed for browsing, and does not need to be read front to back. A reader can easily skip around to the films that they are interested in. The writing is casual, and reads easy. Too many Kurosawa books read like college texts, and Donald Richie fills a niche by supplying a book for the casual reader.

The only drawback to "The Films of Akira Kurosawa" is that your interest will be sparked for many films that are not readily available. You will embark on a treasure hunt, seeking out rare gems such as "Drunken Angel," "The Bad Sleep Well" and "Throne of Blood."

To add to the author's credentials, Donald Richie supplies the commentary track on the Criterion Collection DVD of "Roshomon."

Richie shows a passion for one of the world's greatest filmmakers in the history of cinema. He focuses on the films themselves instead of relying to much on biographical information to show the real Kurosawa. He looks at all of his films regardless of their obscurity. I think the great thing about Richie is his particular attention to how moving and humanistic Kurosawa's movies were and still are. Richie argues that his humanism is what allows KUROSAWA to stand head and shoulders above most filmmakers. The film stills are the real treasure in this book. They give a unique look at the films as artistic masterpieces, and how Kurosawa made good use of his training as a painter in his early years. All in all this book is absolutely essential for people who love film in general and Kurosawa fans.

Funny, easy read - kept me laughing the entire time! Helped me realize that I should just give up trying to be perfect and think about what really makes me happy. My priorities have now changed and I feel so much better about myself and my own imperfections. Every time I start to revert back to my old self, I pick up the book again for a quick laugh and reality check. I recommend it to all women that are trying to be perfect or have already given up on it and need some reassurance that they are on the right track to happiness! Or for men that want their women to slow down and enjoy life a little more!

I'm giving this book to all my friends - it's fantastic! Lisa McLeod is the voice of her generation -- a voice that says, "For God's Sake, I'm Exhausted, The Laundry Can Wait!" Forget Perfect is a wonderful, laugh-out-loud mirror for women - wives, mothers, daughters and friends everywhere who have put themselves last on their own to-do list. It's one of those rare books that makes you reevaluate what's really important, and helps you to realize that being perfect doesn't make people like you more, it makes them like you less. A wonderful book!

I was the epitome of the woman who strives for perfect! Lisa McLeod's book got me thinking about what might happen if the socks in the sock drawer weren't organized by color and if I didn't vacumn at least twice a week. Imagine . . . more time doing things that I really want to be doing!! It's not rocket science, but Lisa makes this topic really funny and entertaining. I think thousands of women will identify with what she has to say. It was almost as if she was talking directly to me. I'm recommending this book to my book club. I can only imagine what a great post-holiday discussion this will make. FLASH: Who cares if every package doesn't have a unique bow? I'd rather spend time having a few friends over to enjoy the tree. (And, we'll just close the door on the messy rooms!)
A big thanks to Lisa for getting me off the perfect thing and focused on what's really important. (And, by the way, my husband thanks you, too!!)

This is a most excellent and comprehensive book that should be owned by all Mastiff enthusiasts! Don't miss it! The stories give you a glimpse into what Mastiffs are really like in a way that factual, descriptive books just don't do.

Please rerelease this book. It is a MUST have for ALL Mastiff lovers. Please Joan, Please.

In Mastiff circles, this book is the Bible of the breed. Those of us who have to beg and borrow a copy from friends find it hard to believe the book has not come back in print. This is an important book that preserves so much of the Mastiff type, temperment, and truly amazing attributes. If any reader of these reviews has any clout with the publishing company PLEASE convince them to do another printing as soon as possible. There are A LOT of Mastiff people who would love to own this Mastiff masterpiece.

Homeschool Your Child for Free

The subtitle of this book is: "More than 1,200 Smart, Effective, and Practical Resources for Home Education on the Internet and Beyond." Those three words: "smart, effective, and practical" describe the reasons you should own this book!

This is one homeschool investment that will pay off the first time you use it. Author LauraMaery Gold has provided a wealth of resources on such topics as language literacy, mathematics mastery, art appreciation, history highlights, music, social studies, humanities, science and health. In addition, she has crafted this book in such a way that there are multiple messages for both the novice and the veteran homeschooler. I just love the way she weaves storytelling of the very fabric of homeschooling life into her carefully selected resources. The hands-on, practical nature of her advice creates a complete homeschooling handbook, not just a reference book.

Included are quotes and recommendations from actual homeschooling families, screen shots of sample web sites, a section on "the socialization question", and hundreds of "the very best" internet links, legal guidelines, and complete curriculum plans.

From the back of the book: "For families who want to splurge on education but scrimp on spending ... The Internet is an open door to the biggest library/laboratory the world has ever seen--and it's all at your fingertips for free! This never-ending source of information, adventure, and educational experiences for the entire family is now compiled in a complete curriculum for any age in _Homeschool Your Child for Free_."

(Note from the author: By the way: You need never worry about the book going out of date. So long as this edition is in print, owners will have unlimited access to our companion Web site with a regularly updated database of reviews and links to thousands of homeschooling resources.)

Courage! Marji

Although many of the website links listed in this book were no longer in use, I still give this book 5 stars because the information provided inside led me to finding websites and ideas I might never have found otherwise. If you want to find "free" ways/methods of homeschooling, this book just may lead you down the right path. I first learned about the Charlotte Mason method of teaching in this book and am now following the principles of this method. If you are like my family and don't want to spend countless dollars on fancy curricula but want to give your family a solid education at home or supplement your child's formal education, this book just may lead you to some wonderful places.

I'm impressed with the scope of the research. This is worth 100 times the purchase price. Excellent division by learning level.

What's not mentioend enough is OpenOffice.org. OpenOffice.org is the best office suite for home schoolers. It's free but is comparable to MS Office and creates all the MS Office files you need. The drawing program it includes is magnificent.

I love suspenseful novels that keep you guessing, and this is one! I'm usually very good about picking the killer but EVERYBODY was suspect to me in this book. When an author can hide the killer the entire time, it's a real treat. I wasn't surprised at who it turned out to be because I knew it had to be one of the several people I suspected.

In addition to the suspence, this novel has a thread of romance. You easily fall in love with the characters and invest in their relationship. I cared what happened to these characters and cared about the survival of their relationship.

If I had to complain, I would say that I wished it was even more scary. I was expecting to be scared out of my wits but it was hard to relate to a woman who lived in the middle of nowhere with no electricity in the 90s. I think if the setting had been an apartment in the city, I would have been more likely to feel frightened because I would be thinking this could happen to me. Instead, I was distanced from the situation because I could not relate to the setting.

However, I think this is a wonderful novel and worth the read. I highly recommend!

Katie Summers jumps into her car to go home after waiting several hours for her date that never shows up. Katie's eyes are drawn to her rear view mirror. Her eyes are stuck there as she looks at a sightless glaring set of eyes looking at her. A scream bubbles up in her throat. She loses control of her car and hits a wall. Everything goes black. This is just the beginning of a mystery that will leave you breathless. Katie is being stalked, and she has no idea who it might be or who would want to hurt her.

From the moment that I started reading this book I was hooked. The author has a way of pulling you into this thriller very early on and keeping you there wondering just who the stalker is until the very end of the book. Along with an excellent mystery you get a very tender love story between Katie and Dr. Jonathan Shea.

This is a book that will stick with me for a long while. As I was reading, my heart would beat fast and the hair on the back of my neck stood straight, and to me that is the true sign of a good thriller. When you read this one make sure that the lights are on and that all your doors are locked.

Listen to the Shadows Joan Hall Hovey Zebra Books 1991 ISBn 08173606X P.B. Mystery/Thriller

Katie Summers jumps into her car to go home after waiting several hours for her date that never shows up. Katie's eyes are drawn to her rearview mirror, her eyes are stuck there as she looks at a sightless glaring set of eyes looking at her, a scream bubbles up in her throat, she loses control of her car and hits a wall,everything goes black. This is just the beginning of a mystery that will leave you breathless. Katie is being stalked and she has no idea who it might be or who would want to hurt her. >From the moment that I started reading this book I was hooked. The author has a way of pulling you into this thriller very early on and keeping you there until the very end of the book. Along with an excellent mystery you get a very tender love story between Katie and Dr. Jonathan Shea. Ms. Hovey keeps you wondering just who the stalker is up until the very end. This is a book that will stick with me for a long while, as I was reading it my heart would beat fast and the hair on the back of my neck stood straight, and to me that is the true sign of a good thriller. When you read this one make sure that the lights are on and that all your doors are locked.

I discovered this jewel of a book completely by accident one day in my univerity's library. It was shelved in the children's storybook section, oddly enough. An obvious, glaring mistake. I knew it had to be something more, not only by its thickness, but by it's title. Show me a five year old who would know how to pronounce the word 'psion.' I checked it out, and damn, am I glad I did. Vinge gives her stories a character, a mood, and a depth that is absent from many sci-fi novels, which love to focus on infathomable technology instead of a good story. You can't help but to like Cat, and to feel for him throughout the hell he's put through. 'Psion' is just the first in the Cat trilogy, followed by 'Catspaw' and 'Dreamfall.' If you like your sci-fi with just the right amount of character and the right amount tech, then get these three books if you can. And be sure you get them all at the same time, or you'll find yourself going nuts waiting to read the next part.

I haven't actually read this book. I checked out Catspaw from the library, started it, and realized I didn't have a clue about what was going on. So I had to place a hold on the two (?) other books that come before. Psion and Phoenix in the Ashes, right? But then I noticed that Psion and Catspaw are offered as a set along with another book, Alien Blood. Is that part of this series as well? I can't find any information on it...So that's just my kinda stupid question. I was just wondering if anyone knew the answer and would like to make a post. It would really be appreciated. I hate not starting at the beginning of a series...hehe. Thanks so much.

Psion is about a penniless orphan boy named Cat because of his strange appearance. For his entire solitary life Cat is discriminated against for reasons unknown to him. But one night he is caught by government officials, and instead of selling him into legal slave labor they send him to an institute for psychics. There he is told he is an exceptionally powerful telepath because rather than having a remnant of alien blood as do the other psychics he is half alien, which accounts for his catlike pupils, and the government wants his help in catching a renegade psychic who sells his power and wants to destroy those in power. This from the people who insult, abuse, mistreat, and cheat him and his kind whenever possible. When Cat is sold into the slavery by the people he had only just begun to trust and is then recruited by the feared Quicksilver he has to decide which side he's going to choose. Whether he is going to join Quicksilver and have riches rather than derision or whether he will risk his life and try to trick Quicksilver for the people who betrayed him and the empath who was the only one who ever cared. Only.... While he is there, he meets the other half of the family tree.

If you can get this book do it. You certainly won't regret it.

Joan Steiner's "Look-Alikes, Jr." is a wonderful follow-up to her 1998 "Look-Alikes." This self-taught artist employs everyday items from chess pieces to lasagna noodles, from nail polish bottles to keys, from crackers to ink pens, to construct the most completely realistic little scenes. There are spaceships blasting off towards outer space; middle-class living rooms; classrooms; general stores, and more, all of which are chock-full of items Steiner employs to look like something else. The aforementioned lasagna noodles? Yes, they're here--as curtains! And they look improbably wonderful as curtains!

This is certainly a treat for kids. But you may find that the adults end up buying their own copies of "Look-Alikes, Jr." just so they can sit in peace and be engrossed for hours on their own without having to share this wonderful book with the younger set! Highly recommended!

I haven't purchased this yet, just have the library copy here. I heard about the adult version when it first came out, but didn't know there was a Look-Alikes for kids. I don't know what the age recommendation on this it, but my 3 1/2-yr-old is absolutely fascinated by it! Guess what he's getting for Christmas! And since I love things like this, everytime he says, "Mommy, come look at my library picture book" I drop what I'm doing and sit down with him. To me, that is the ultimate compliment - this book has prompted me to sit and concentrate on spending time with my child more often, and that's priceless. And believe it or not, most of the objects in the pictures aren't that obvious to adults, so when I point them out to him (excited that I myself found them), he's absolutely delighted. We've tried to push toys on our son that are not passive, where he sits and watches a battery-operated thingy do whatever it does, toys that encourage active participation and imagination, and I can't imagine anything better than this book. Just my thought, but I think this book and the original Look-Alikes are invaluable tools for teaching people of all ages to thing outside the box, shift your perception, and that's something that's good for all of us! Guess you can tell that I can't say enough good things about this, Ms. Steiner is an absolute genius.

I bought a number of copies of this book, one for me and the rest for gifts. I also bought the original Look-Alikes book in multiple quantities. I hate to admit it, but I'm 44, an engineer, and keep both books in my office. I'm sure the kids love them, but hey aren't we all little kids at heart! Enjoy!