The Lomeo's photo book follows the usual format for this kind of publication, thematic chapters titled From sea to shining sea, Rural life, The open road, Vanishing America etc, etc and I have recently reviewed a similarly predictable book, 'USA' by Jordi Miralles, this had nine hundred plus photos, which turned out to be just too much, though it was a very reasonably priced paperback. Fortunately 'America America' has fewer and much better images.

This is not a photo book with a point of view about America like Robert Frank's 'The Americans' or Joel Sternfield's 'American Prospects' rather it captures the surface look of the Nation in stunning, technically correct, well composed images and this is the reason I like it. I wanted a well printed and designed book showing a visual America in dazzling color.

Bullaty and Lomeo began photographing as a team over 50 years ago when they first met in a dark room in New York City. Sonja Bullaty had come to America, a refugee from the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. Angelo Lomeo grew up as a first generation American in Hell's Kitchen. It was love at first sight and their mutual love of photography is chronicled in this book. America, America speaks to their love of the country while at the same time stands as a statement of over 50 years of working as a team in a very competitive business. Their selective collection of photographs welcome the eye of the observer to join in a journey across this beautiful country and captures the essence of the place as few photography books have ever done. It is more than pretty pictures. This book is a story of love: love of country, love of work, and the enduring love of two people who continue to capture images on film and turn them into works of art. In this new age of digitial imagery manipulation, it is nice to know that we can still step softly into the new millennium knowing that there are still purists out there who photograph for the simple joy of capturing a beautiful moment in perfect light. America,America makes a perfect gift for anyone you love!

Each day at work I have to read the new picturebooks that have been proccessed. I dislike few of them. I enjoy most of them. I love very few of them...especially on first perusal. "Angelo" is one of the very few.

It's the story of the unlikely friendship between a master plasterer (Angelo) and a pigeon he dubs Sylvia. He finds her wounded on the ledge of a building he is restoring & takes her in despite his negative opinions of birds. (The pigeon hospital bed he rigs up for her is wonderful). She flies off after convalescing...only to return when he needs companionship to see him to the end of his last great job. In thanks, he creates a tribute to her...a tribute only he could create & one only a pigeon could appreciate.

The story is heartwarming, but the pictures are silly, cinematic, and inspired. This is a treat to read (for young and old) and it is my pick (so far) for Caldecott 2002...

This restoration was to be Angelo's crowning glory, his masterpiece, and as he begins his work on the old church, brushing away years of debris left by birds, and searching the nooks and crannies for cracks that would need repair, he comes across a sick and injured pigeon. Angelo was not a fan of pigeons, after all they made a mess of his buildings, but he couldn't bear to leave this helpless, "barely breathing" creature to die, So he scoops her up in his hat and takes her home. There he names her Sylvia, nurses her back to health, and they become devoted to each other. As time goes by, Angelo grows older and tires easily, and he worries that he won't be able to finish his "crowning achievement". Sylvia works by his side every day, cooing her encouragement, fanning him with her wings in the hot weather, and entertaining him when he rests. And on a warm November day "Angelo finally applied the last coat of stucco to the cherubs in the high pediment." But he still has one more task to finish before his work is complete..... David Macaulay has authored a captivating and poignant picture book about an unusual and enduring friendship. His gentle text is beautifully enhanced by his evocative and expressive illustrations, full of charm, humor, and marvelous architectural detail. Together word and art tell a heartwarming and endearing story of a life fulfilled by dedication to work and special companionship. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Angelo is told with great insight and wisdom, and makes a terrific read aloud story the entire family can share.

Do you love to teach but hate the grading process? That's where I was when I picked up this book. Very practically written, "Effective Grading" shows you how to choose the proper grading model for a class, how to motivate students through properly communicating your grading system, and how to structure your assignments to increase student learning. All this while drastically reducing the amount of time you need to spend on grading papers. Within a week of reading this book, I've made some drastic changes in my courses which will benefit both my students and myself.

I admit I was skeptical when I started this book--so many pedagogically oriented texts seem to sacrifice content and standards for "feel-good" solutions to education. However, I have found this book to offer excellent suggestions for every aspect of structuring classes to teach and evaluate what you most want your students to learn. In my college English classes, I've used variations of Primary Trait Analyses and Gateway Criteria and they have made a big difference in the levels of thinking and writing in my own students. Giving students specific guidelines allows them to focus on what's important about the assignment, set their priorities appropriately, and makes things much easier for me when the time comes for grading. I highly recommend this book.

If you are interested in spiritual or energetic healing, this is a must-have reference. Well-written, clear, brings the subject into finite, manageable terms accessible to all. I have bought many books on energy healing and spiritual healing methods, and this is the best I've found so far.

Jack Angelo explains the principal and technique behind hands on healing using a series of exercises. This book is very well illustrated and a must for anyone interested in healing of any type.

This is one of the funniest things I've ever read! I couldn't put it down. Politically incorrect and hilarious!

This book is the best. It'll have you in stitches while it takes you through the paces of becoming a real-life "authentic" Italian - no matter what nationality/race/creed you started out as. Pick a name, learn the gestures, pick a real Italian birthplace, etc., IT'S ALL HERE IN THIS BOOK

About eight months ago, I found this book and I have read it each day since then. I have found in this book, in the brief selections chosen for each day of the year, the heart of the gospel message - love, obedience, surrender. What Mother Teresa has written was for the Sisters of Charity who worked with her, but it is a message for everyone. I have read other books with selections from Mother Teresa, but this book, with its daily meditation format and its focus, has been the one that has most spoken to me. I think that I will be reading it for the rest of my life.

To read this meditation book at one sitting would be a grave injustice to the author, and probably give anyone who wasn't already a saint some kind of spiritual indigestion. Just a few lines, to read in the morning and consider the rest of the day, is the way to proceed here. Unlike the children's Christmas calendars, which run out of days, and surprises hidden behind paper windows, this book will give you a new treasure every day of the year. Don't wait until January first to start to read it. Start on any day, and don't peek at the next day. Then every day can be full of the delight and anticipation of Advent, all year long. Jesus, the Word to Be Spoken, is compiled by a Brother of the Word, which is the contemplative branch of the Missionaries of Charity for men, founded in 1977. The bonus is a copy of their Rule (Constitution), at the back of the book. These meditations follow the liturgical calendar, so the days of Lent, Easter, Advent and Christmas have appropriate thoughts and prayers. One more caution: Mother Teresa had several ambitions, and one of them was to help people become saints. So you've been warned. Don't be too surprised if you read this and start doing things you never expected to be doing.

This was a wonderful book and even though it was translated it read smoothly and I woud recomend it to anyone

Condivi's account of the life of Michelangelo Buonarroti is a wonderful resource for fascinating stories on the artist as well as an incite into the artist himself. It is repetitious of Vasari's account of Michelangelo in the Lives of the Artists; consequently both sources complement each other well. It is important to realise that Condivi was an apprentice to Michelangelo and that he wrote this biography while Michelangelo was still alive. While the artist may have been looking over Condivi's shoulder while he wrote the text, it is still very useful - especially in placing the artist in the context of the time. The book shows the interaction between Michelangelo and his patrons - Lorenzo d' Medici, Pope Julius II, Soderini - and countless other fascinating people. After reading Michelangelo's letters, this should be one of the first sources cited to get a feel for the artist as, not only an artist, but a person.

A great deal for a unique little book. A must-have for PNG if you can find it. Recommended for both the traveler and the curious.

Lonely Planet's "Pidgin Phrasebook" may be the only show in town when it comes to a traveler's language tool for Oceania. In Spring 2000 my wife and I traveled to Papua New Guinea for a highland teachers conference. This book was our companion along with Lonely Planet's Papua New Guinea travel guide (highly recommended!)

This compact book (3.5 x 5.5 x 3/8's inches) is small enough for a shirt pocket, but packed with the language basics-- grammar etc. for 5 or 6 of the island creoles, and much more. Each section contains a mini-travel guide for culture, history, business, travel. It also include a few basic maps. The only drawback is the lack of any kind of dictionary.

Pidgin is the people's language of PNG. You will actually be able to get along fine without a phrase book since English is the language of tourism, education and business. However, if you want to get off into the highlands or another local area, this is a great resource to talk to the everyday folks. As with most countries, a little effort goes a long way in good will.

This book offers excellent photographs and very extensive information on trees. I use it often and have had great success identifying trees that otherwise I wouldn't know what they were. nicely organized and easy to use. The compact size is awesome for travelling and taking it hiking. Another great Audobon guide.

This field guide is an excellent field to the trees typically found west of the continental divide of the United States and as far east as the Mississippi River. This guide includes photos and descriptions of the native trees of western North America, as well as common naturalized trees and a number of introduced species. Several rare subtropical species of the Mexican border region have been omitted. The front 1/2 of the book includes 537 photos of leaves and bark, flowers, and cones and fruit. The second 1/2 contains detailed descriptions of the 314 species presented in the front portion of the book. A detailed index including both common and scientific names is found in the rear of the book