The very best book on the subject by the highly regarded Dr. Harry Gottesfeld. This book is on our shelves and in constant use. Dr. Gottesfeld, a Professor Emeritus in Psychology also formerly Director of Mental Health for NYC's Health & Hospital Corporation is the most respected clinical psychologist in this area.

Anyone making a decision for a loved one, or a state or federal institution, would be well served in buying this book. It is insightful and informative. Dr. Gottesfeld ought to know what he is talking about. He is a Professor Emeritus and formerly the Director of Mental Health for NYC's 28 hospitals, and an expert in crisis intervention, abnormal psychology and human development. A wonderful resource. No serious library would be without it.

Dr. Harry Gottesfeld is famous for his insights, thoughtfulness and well reasoned presentations. This book reflects those wonderful qualities, and explains the subject in a straight forward way. He is one of the few really respected experts in the field, having served as Director of Mental Health for the NYC Health & Hospital Corporation, Principal Scientist for the City of New York, aProfessor Emeritus of Psychology at CUNY. He also is well known for his human development and crisis intervention practice in New York City. Buy this book, it is a classic and the best in the field.

The kids in sweet Miss Nelson's class are rude and obnoxious, until a mean substitute replaces her. By the time Miss Nelson returns, they have learned to show their appreciation by behaving well. A great moral, certainly, but hardly sugar-coated: the children's misbehavior and the substitute's grouchiness are outrageous and delightful. This book is one of the most engaging I've ever read to my kids(ages 4-7)and a great success with my ADD child who normally has a hard time sitting through a story. It provides a great platform for inferencing and theory of mind work.

This was my favorite book in first grade. In this story, Miss Nelson's students in Room 207 took advantage of their sweet teacher. They threw spitballs, passed notes, flew paper airplanes, misbehaved during story time, and would not do their assignments. Miss Nelson had had enough so for weeks she dressed as a witch and called herself Miss Viola Swamp and treated the class badly. When she finally came back as herself, she wouldn't tell her class what had happened. And she noticed that thanks to her disguise, her class went from Being the worst behaved class in the school to being the best behaved class she had ever taught. We still quote this book all the time and love it a lot.--Robert Metz

Remember when Joni Mitchell told us "You don't know what you've got 'till its gone"? Well, even if you have never heard about the "Big Yellow Taxi" you will realize that this is exactly what the kids in Room 207 learn when their teacher Miss Nelson goes missing. This was the worst behaved class in school and no matter what Miss Nelson tried the class would not settle down, made faces, giggled, squirmed and refused to do their homework. When Miss Nelson does not come to school the next day, the children are all excited because they think that now they can REALLY act up. But it is the children who are in for a rude awakening when they meet their new teacher, Miss Viola Swamp, a woman in an ugly black dress. After a few hours with Miss Swamp, the kids decide that they really miss their old teacher and wonder what could have happened to her?

No parent ever wants to hear that their kids do not like their teacher, but then what teacher wants students who are rude? "Miss Nelson Is Missing," written by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall, teaches children several valuable lessons about appropriate decorum in the classroom without the children recognizing that they are actually learning something reading this book. This book makes having a happy classroom with a pleasant teacher sound like a very good thing indeed. Which, of course, it is! However, I think you will discover that teachers will like this book every more so that children. There are at least two other adventures of Miss Nelson and Room 207 that I know about, plus you can also read this classic children's book in Spanish in "La Senorita Nelson Ha Desaparecido!"

Some of you may or may not have read William Prochnau's 'Trinity's Child' or seen the film adaptation called 'By Dawn's Early Light'. This story is very similar in its content of first nuclear strikes against military targets, with the cities under a constant threat from the Russians' fail-deadly submarines, as the narrative states. But there's a whole lot more - imagine the emotional content of the movie 'Deep Impact' in the very well done characterisations(even the jarhead Marines have to let go) and particularly with the portrayal of Melissa Chandler's fear of the final apocalypse. The part with CNN broadcasting images of the US before the war . . . if this book were made into a movie, then I'm sure even the most hardened action nuts would reach for the Kleenex. As far as the action element in 'Arc Light' goes, it's every bit as superb as anything by Larry Bond, Harold Coyle, Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, Stephen Coonts, all the rest, and simple to understand without too much technobabble in the prose. I would recommend this novel to anybody, you will not be disappointed. My only complaint is why has this not been made into a movie, to coin a phrase!

This is one of the most intense, entertaining books I have ever read. From the very start you are drawn into a maelstrom of violence and intrigue. "Arc Light" isn't non-stop combat though, it is also a very smart thriller. Harry does a superb job of painting the political side of war, and the effect it has a real people. By way of comparison, this book ranks beside "Red Storm Rising" as one of the great techno-thrillers of all time.

Unfortunately, it is no longer in print, but if you can get your hands on a copy, don't hesitate, BUY IT!

This excellent novel by Eric L. Harry is one of the finest and most exciting books I have ever read.

The book details the events of WW3 in minute detail. The author has obviously conducted meticulous research into both the circumstances of the novel and the large amount of military equipment and terms used throughout the book.

The author relates, with chilling realism, the events which caused the conflict, Russia being forced to deploy nuclear weapons against a surgeing Chinese army and by accidant, missiles raining down on the United States.

The book is also extremely well written, with a fast paced style which has the reader gripped to the page. Also, the characters Mr Harry creates are entirley realistic, people which the reader can relate to.

In conclusion, this book is an extremley well written, thrilling, realistic and successful Third World War novel which I would recommend to absolutley anyone, especially those interested in warfare and state of the art military equipment.

This book has all the memory techniques that are typically taught in memory courses and other memory books. Even if they are sometimes introduced by other names, all of the techniques are variants and combinations of word-substitution (mostly used for foreign words, but also people's names and words that can't easily be pictured), link, peg, loci (sometimes called Roman Room technique) and phonetic (letter for number substitution) systems. The book is mostly re-hashed information that has been presented earlier (even by Lorayne himself), but the writing style makes it a book worth keeping.

The real strength of this book over others of its kind is the dialog between Lucas and Lorayne. They are fun to read and almost never get boring. There are anecdotes to at the beginning of most chapters and spread throughout the book.

Personally, I found Kenneth Higbee's "Your Memory" a better book, it's more complete a reference and gives much more of the why of memory rather than just the how of remembering. Depending on your needs, you might like this book more, it's got more examples on how to use the systems it introduces and is much lighter and a little less dry, although Higbee's book is very readable.

As with every other memory book, the techniques take time to learn and take considerable effort, but work very well. For a book on memory techniques, this book doesn't dissapoint.

Well, it was a very OLD edition of the memory book, cira 1976. But back in 1976 I did memorize the ENTIRE BRI bar exam course book, a huge outline of the law. No kidding, I could recite the entire outline, using a slight modification of Harry Lorraine's techniques. As a fellow law student said while I was giving a demonstration, "it's a trick!" Exactly, it is a trick. Memorizing doesn't help you UNDERSTAND what you are reciting. But you won't forget it, short term. The other caveat is, having memorized it, you do have to PRACTICE recalling it. Lorraine's techniques, at least circa 1976, didn't result in immediate storage into long-term memory. That requires recalling the information repeatedly. Also, the techniques themselves require practice, just as developing any other skill does. The work is only justified if you have a need to memorize a little data often, or a lot of data at least occasionally.

It's a fantastic book that will help you instantly to memorize all 50 states in alphabetical order or any number of items on a shopping list (even two days later). But be prepared to spend some time and effort until you will be able to make the system work for you for some "real-life" challenges like giving a speech, improving reading abilities, or memorize difficult vocabularies of a foreign language. If you make the decision to do so, the techniques described will add a lot of value in all areas of your life, especially for those who suffer from a poor memory. The text and the dialogues are written nicely, so it is actually fun to read. Also, the chapters are categorized into specific abilities, like name remembering, again, speeches, etc., which makes it easy to pick your own selection without reading the entire book.

In preparing our list of Christmas books to share with others, we had to search far and wide on amazon to find this particular book, a paperback edition of the classic Night Before Christmas.

This is the book I've used for years when reading this story to my own children, passing on Tasha Tudor and other illustrators. Why?

Although we can find the same poem and pay a lot more, with award winning illustrators, the illustrations provided by Douglas Gorsline are surely the best. They are quite colorful, and offer details little children love looking into...cats lie sleepily on the window sill, we see an overview of the town, the presents spilling from the open sack are intriguing and plentiful, and Jolly St. Nick is -- well, quite Jolly (as you can see by looking at the cover!)

The story is an "abridged version" - I'm not sure about other parents, but we read this on Christmas Eve, and we only have so much time and energy. Everything we remember from the classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore is in this version.

(From "'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse" to "He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!" In between we have everything, from the names of the eight tiny reindeer, to a belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly, including dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky".

In other words, don't be scared off by 'abridged'!)

Perhaps a hardcover edition might be more appropriate if you're giving a gift (unless you're giving to more than one child), but this book is one of the best offers we've found!

A classic done simply and inexpensively!

I discovered this book 31 years ago, for my daughter and it is still loved by all the family. The illustrations are wonderful, warm, charming and delightful and bring a special meaning to the story. We still read it to all the young children on Christmas Eve and for adults we read the story and pass a grab bag gift every time the word THE is mentioned. It would not be Christmas without this book. It is magical.

We have an inexpensive paperback version (see our reviews) of this classic poem, and we said that's enough for us. That was before we looked through this beautifully illustrated (by Bruce Whatley) edition of The Night Before Christmas.

The lyrics are the same, from book to book, but the fanciful illustrations in this one are enough to engage adults and children as they read this book together.

The perfect gift for any family whose Christmas tradition includes reading this classic!

Browsing through the internet, I found Harry the Dirty Dog. Harry was my favorite book as a child. I am 35 years old now, and I have rarely read anything that makes you feel this good. Harry is a great Dog. He made me feel loved, and I still like the way he hid his scrub brush under his favorite pillow. I still remember in vivid detail, the pictures of when he slid down the cole shoot and changed from a white dog with black spots to a black dog with white spots. I still love Harry. In fact, I'll stop by the local book store on my way home and buy my niece a new copy. ( Believe it or not, I have Harry the Dirty Dog packed with the rest of my old College Text Books ). I still love you Harry.

I love the Harry the Dirty Dog series! A great story for kids and adults who like to read a good children's book.

Harry is an adorable white dog with black spots (as is repeated throughout all of the Harry books)... and he's always getting dirty. His entire family loves him and he loves them right back. Even when he's dirty, Harry is still family... which makes a great parable for parents explaining to their children that while they may not be happy when their kids mess up, they are still loved nonetheless.

The illustrations of this happy dog frolicking around are absolutely precious. The story is endearing and I have my copy sitting on my coffee table.

I remember reading this book when I was in school and I always enjoyed it.

Harry takes off from his family, and gets so dirty they don't recognize him. He has a fun time around town, but when he realizes his family does not know him, he needs to have a bath to prove that he is their dog.

This is a cute story, which my 7 year old loves to read over and over. A five star read for kids of any age.

Simon Wiesenthal authored a first rate book, one that should be read by everyone the world over, for it deals with problems that all societies struggle with in trying to achieve peace: forgiveness, justice, and grace. To what extent are we enabled to offer forgiveness on behalf of another, especially when the crimes committed are of almost unspeakable atrocity? Wiesenthal's story is gripping, moving, and haunting, a true encounter that provokes repeated pondering and contemplation. I don't have the 1997 revised version of the book containing the responses of 46 people in a symposium discussion, but I can say that in the original 32 responses, I read very few that contained a cogency and depth equal to that of Wiesenthal's story. While a handful were good, most were evasive. I therefore found the second half of the book to be a disappointment. THE SUNFLOWER, though, is worth getting just to read Wiesenthal's treatment, which is first rate. Philip Yancey also offers some thoughtful comments in a chapter from his book of essays entitled I WAS JUST WONDERING (beginning on page 70 under the title "A Haunting Deathbed Confession".)

Simon Wiesenthal's book, The Sunflower, is a true life story of a Jew called to the bedside of a dying Nazi to hear the Nazi's life story. The Nazi then asks the Jew, Wiesenthal, to forgive him. Wiesenthal leaves in silence, but poses to you the same question: In his position, would you have forgiven the Nazi? A very thought-provoking book, The Sunflower makes the reader ponder for hours over the meaning of right and wrong, as well as giving a vivid picture of a Jew's life during the Holocaust. An excellent read.

The Sunflower tells the story of a dying Nazi soldier who seeks out Simon Wiesenthal for forgiveness for his crimes against the Jews so he can die in peace. The story is based on fact from Wiesenthals life. Many famous people wrote essays, which are printed in the back of the book, arguing wether to forgive him or not. But the true value of the book lies in the question what you would do if you were in the same situation.

This is the second book by Dickens I have read so far, but it will not be the last. "Bleak House" is long, tightly plotted, wonderfully descriptive, and full of memorable characters. Dickens has written a vast story centered on the Jarndyce inheritance, and masterly manages the switches between third person omniscient narrator and first person limited narrator. His main character Esther never quite convinces me of her all-around goodness, but the novel is so well-written that I just took Esther as she was described and ran along with the story. In this book a poor boy (Jo) will be literally chased from places of refuge and thus provide Dickens with one of his most powerful ways to indict a system that was particularly cruel to children. Mr. Skimpole, pretending not to be interested in money; Mr. Jarndyce, generous and good; Richard, stupid and blind; the memorable Dedlocks, and My Lady Dedlock's secret being uncovered by the sinister Mr. Tulkinghorn; Mrs. Jellyby and her telescopic philanthropy; the Ironmaster described in Chapter 28, presenting quite a different view of industralization than that shown by Dickens in his next work, "Hard Times." Here is a veritable cosmos of people, neighbors, friends, enemies, lovers, rivals, sinners, and saints, and Dickens proves himself a true master at describing their lives and the environment they dwell in. There are landmark chapters: Chapter One must be the best description of a dismal city under attack by dismal weather and tightly tied by perfectly dismal laws, where the Lord Chancellor sits eternally in Lincoln's Inn Hall. Chapter 32 has one of the eeriest scenes ever written, with suspicious smoke, greasy and reeking, as a prelude to a grisly discovery. Chapter 47 is when Jo cannot "move along" anymore. This Norton Critical is perhaps the best edition of "Bleak House" so far: the footnotes help a lot, and the two Introductions are key to understanding the Law system at the time the action takes place, plus Dickens' interest in this particular topic. To round everything off, read also the criticism of our contemporaries, as well as that of Dickens' time. "Bleak House" is a long, complex novel that opens a window for us to another world. It is never boring and, appearances to the contrary, is not bleak. Enjoy.

After years without picking up a novel by Dickens (memories of starchy classes at school), I decided to plunge into "Bleak House", a novel that had been sitting on my bookshelf for about ten years, waiting to be read. Although I found it heavy going at first, mainly because the style is so unfamiliar to modern readers, after about ten pages I was swept up and carried off, unable to put the hefty tome down until I had finished it. This book is a definite classic. The sheer scope of the tale, the wit of the satire (which could still be applied to many legal proceedings today) and the believable characters gripped me up until the magnificent conclusion. One particularly striking thing is the "cinematic" aspect of certain chapters as they switch between different angles, building up to a pitch that leaves the reader breathless. I can't recommend "Bleak House" too highly. And I won't wait so long before reading more Dickens novels.

"There is little to be satisfied in reading this book"?? I couldn't disagree more. Bleak House left a profound impression on me, and was so utterly satisfying a reading experience that I wanted it never to end. I've read it twice over the years and look forward to reading it again. Definitely my favorite novel.

I don't know what the previous reviewer's demands are when reading a novel, but mine are these: the story must create its world - whatever and wherever that world might be - and make me BELIEVE it. If the novelist cannot create that world in my mind, and convince me of its truths, they've wasted my time (style doesn't matter - it can be clean and spare like Orwell or verbose like Dickens, because any style can work in the hands of someone who knows how to use it). Many novels fail this test, but Bleak House is not one of them.

Bleak House succeeds in creating a wonderfully dark and complex spider web of a world. On the surface it's unfamiliar: Victorian London and the court of Chancery - obviously no one alive today knows that world first hand. And yet as you read it you know it to be real: the deviousness, the longing, the secrets, the bureaucracy, the overblown egos, the unfairness of it all. Wait a minute... could that be because all those things still exist today?

But it's not all doom and gloom. It also has Dickens's many shades of humor: silliness, word play, comic dialogue, preposterous characters with mocking names, and of course a constant satirical edge. It also has anger and passion and tenderness.

I will grant one thing: if you don't love reading enough to get into the flow of Dickens's sentences, you'll probably feel like the previous reviewer that "...it goes on and on, in interminable detail and description...". It's a different dance rhythm folks, but well worth getting used to. If you have to, work your way up to it. Don't start with a biggie like Bleak House, start with one of his wonderful short pieces such as A Christmas Carol.

Dickens was a gifted storyteller and Bleak House is his masterpiece. If you love to dive into a book, read and enjoy this gem!

After sober reflection, I state my conviction that, if I lived the length of a dozen lives, I should never again be the spectator of such an amazing,
thrilling and magnificent finish to an Open championship.
-Bernard Darwin (1876-1961), The Times of London

Mark Frost has already proven himself a terrific writer, with such television series as the great Hill Street Blues and the innovative Twin Peaks to his credit,
and a few successful novels, including the excellent Sherlock Holmes homage, The List of Seven>, and a sequel, The Six Messiahs. But I don't know that
anything can have prepared even his fans for this book, which, though one must have some reservations about its form, is quite simply one of the best golf
books ever written.

To begin with, Mr. Frost has chosen his topic wisely. Harry Vardon (1870-1937) and Francis Ouimet (1893-1967)--both of whom came from working
class families, had difficult relationships with their fathers, and learned to golf as boys at the local courses where they caddied, Ouimet in Massachusetts, Vardon some twenty-plus years earlier on
the Isle of Jersey--are thoroughly compelling heroes. In 1913 their similar stories converged at The Country Club, in Brookline, MA--the very club at which Francis had caddied--in the United
States Open. Harry Vardon was at that time probably the best golfer in the world and in previous visits to America had been instrumental in marketing the game here. But it was to be the young
amateur Francis Ouimet's playoff victory over the professional Vardon and countryman Ted Ray that, or so Mr. Frost argues, gave birth to the modern golf era in America.

The book starts with extended biographical sketches of the two men and the events that brought them to the tee for their face-off. Numerous other characters are on hand to lend color--two of
whom stand out, and will be the star-making roles in the inevitable movie: the dashing young American professional Walter Hagen (golf's eventual answer to Babe Ruth) and Eddie Lowery,
Ouimet's preternaturally self-assured ten year old caddie. Digressions inform us about changes in rules and equipment, the professionalization of the sport, and its popularization. But it is the
tournament itself that forms the bulk of the book, particularly the final day, the Monday playoff, when the little known twenty year old, playing before large and enthusiastic hometown galleries, on a
course across the street from his own house, had to fend off two of the world's best.

Mr. Frost's prose gets a tad purplish at times, but personally I thought that gave it the feel, of old time sportswriting. Besides, the story is so improbable that the reality seems like a clich?, so why not
write it like a sports movie? More troubling is that Mr. Frost has chosen to provide dialogue and to ascribe thoughts and feelings to the various players even though he has had to create some of it
himself, without ever differentiating which is which. Although it serves his purposes as a storyteller well, fleshing out the characters and letting us see them interact "naturally" with one another, it
actually becomes distracting because you can't help but wondering which thoughts and words come from people's memoirs and contemporaneous accounts of the event (which are apparently
sufficiently extensive so that much of what's here is genuine) and which are purely made up. It also--though we've seen experiments of this kind in recent years, like Edmund Morris's
Dutch--seems more than a little unfair to attribute imagined words and emotions to real people who don't have an opportunity to dispute or confirm them. It would, I think, have been preferable to
simply call the book a novelization, in the tradition of Michael Sharaa's Pulitzer Prize-winning account of Gettysburg, The Killer Angels. At the very least, there should be footnotes to indicate where
truth ends and fiction begins. From an author or publisher's point of view there may be reasons not to do these things--just in terms of the sales and marketing of novels vs. nonfiction and reader
dislike of footnotes--but from a standpoint of intellectual rigor it's somewhat disconcerting.

Once you get past these considerations--and take my word for it, the writing and the story are so exciting that you will get past any questions--you're in for an unbelievably thrilling tale. It's
especially recommended for golf fans, who will find the tangential stuff about the clubs and balls they used just as interesting as the championship, but it should really appeal to everyone, in much the
same way that Seabiscuit reached past horse race fans to a wide audience. It's a marvelous read and seems certain to make for a great movie.

Grade: (A+)

I grew up caddying at Wollaston Golf Course. We often heard about the legend of Francis Ouimet and the 1913 US Open. This books bring to life the life & times of not only Francis but also Harry Vardon and the many other golfers who competed in that historic tournament. I saw and heard much about Francis while working at the US Open in 1963. I saw his house across the street from the 17th green and this book brings us back to those days growing up on Clyde Street. The book is truly inspiring in the same category as the movie, Chariots of Fire. I hope Mr. Frost goes on to write similar books. We owe much to Francis as he was a man for the ages, a gentleman, a decent & compassionate person who on one fateful week shook the sporting world.

Mark Frost’s first novel, The List Of Seven, was so meticulously researched, had you not known it was fiction you would believe it to be fact. His latest work, The Greatest Game Ever Played, is so well structured and vivid in its description of characters and events, had you not known it was fact, you would embrace it as a novel. It is a wonderful, captivating, heartwarming yarn. And every detail is true.

It took me nearly two weeks to read The Greatest Game Ever Played - not because I’m a slow reader nor because the book is that long - but, because I savored each chapter, internalized its characters, and then proceeded to go out and shoot a terrific game of golf. Frost’s historical novel actually taught me to play better by inviting me inside the hearts and minds of golfing greats Harry Vardon and Francis Ouimet. I simply didn’t want the experience to end.

Frost’s gift for storytelling is at its best as he tackles a subject he clearly loves. His fascination and enthusiasm are contagious. The Greatest Game Ever Played is a book you will read more than once and want to share with your friends: golfers, golf-widows, and all those who simply think golfers are crazy.

I'm sure by now that everyone has heard about the Harry Potter book series. I started reading them when a friend pointed them out in 1999. I began reading, a little skeptical about these children's books but kept reading them. I was absolutely hooked. Let me explain.

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, orphan Harry Potter lives with his evil aunt, uncle and cousin, Dudley, a real jerk. Harry lives in a tiny cupboard under the stairs. But all that changes when an owl delivers a letter inviting Harry to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When arriving, Harry finds out that he has a fascinating history and a great destiny waiting for him there, if he can survive the encounter.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry recives a warning from an elf not to go back to Hogwarts because of terrible events to happen. Harry manages to get back to Hogwarts. The events happen suddenly when Hogwarts students are turned to stone, with a message saying that the Chamber of Secrets is open again. Who could've opened it? Could it have been Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever, Hagrid, whose past is finally told or Harry Potter himself?

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry returns for his third year of Hogwarts School. But now, he must face Sirius Black, the person possibly responsible for his parents death and servant of the Dark Lord Voldemort. But there could be a traitor in the midst.

The Harry Potter series is definitely enjoyable. Go out and read them.

I bet you've heard this before but-If you haven't read this book, turn off the computer and go read it!...R>After his visit from Hagrid, finding out he's a wizard, Harry Potter goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he is known as the boy who lived because he survived the curse of the evilest wizard ever:Lord Voldemort.
Afetr many adventures--
OH! Wait-have YOU read the book??
I can't tell you what happens next!!Go read it!
But this is a VERY good book, one of the best books I've read.
You will be very pleased with all of them!...

Fantasy is not my favorite genre, so I took a long time before reading Harry Potter.It was a big mistake. These stories are great. The plot has friendship, sadness, happiness and more than a little bit of suspence in it. Plus, Hogwarts is like almost any muggle school - teacher's pets, nerds, trouble-makers, and a lot more. I started Year One and less than a week later I was reading the last page of Year Three. Great books. Oh, and Year One book was much better than the movie, which was great anyway.My favorite character is Hermione, because she comes from a muggle family, starts as a nerd, but ends as the best friend of all, and because she is a girl and she is smart.