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Book reviews for "Belehradek,_Jan" sorted by average review score:

The Care and Feeding of Indigo Children
Published in Paperback by Hay House (August, 2001)
Authors: Doreen, Phd Virtue and Jan Tober
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Heavy on the Spiritual
Indigo children, a recognized group among today's young people, have been diagnosed, studied, and supported by psychologists, educators, and lay people. Born after 1978, they are described as bright, intuitive, strong-willed, and sometimes self-destructive individuals. I learned about them from some educators I served in a consulting capacity and read "The Indigo Children: The New Kids Have Arrived" by Lee Carroll and Jan Tober. I learned a lot from that book and found myself wanting more. That drive led me to this book.

Compared to "The Indigo Children", this book fell short of my expectations. Because of the author's strong spiritual leaning, the topics, content, and treatment went much further into angels and prayers than it did into how to work practically with these special young people. Perhaps I should have expected this when I saw the author's photo on the back cover. It's a rather unusual shot of a woman in a forest with a Koala bear and she does not appear to have clothes on. Different kind of author photo than I'm accustomed to.

Virtue is described as a PhD "spiritual doctor of psychology." She's heavily invested in angels (author of "Healing with Angels"), which is quite obvious in the book. There is significant text devoted to angels, prayers, and the evils of pharmaceuticals like Ritalin. Some readers may find the pre-written prayers helpful for them. My Indigo step-daughter was less than enthusiastic about prescriptions for communicating with spirits, though the book suggests that some Indigos are really into that sort of experience.

The book includes a number of valuable tips about diet, concentration, and overcoming insomnia. I would have personally preferred more emphasis on these practical techniques than the heavy spiritual component and astrological comments. If you are into the spiritual, you'll enjoy this book, becoming immersed in all of its aspects. If you are not so spiritual, you'll still find some worthwhile concrete ideas and techniques interwoven in the text.

the care and feeding of Indigo Children
I thought I was the only parent with a child like this. This book has a lot of insight and practical ways to help your child and to my surprise myself. It confirmed many things that I knew already, but having some assurance in realizing that " you are not alone" helped tremendously.

The spiritual aspect depends on your personal beliefs, but it does help to know that it can be effective in your life. I've tried a lot of the exercises with success, but I still have some work to do.

Thank you for your insight and deciding to write it in a book!

Breakthrough book for parents and educators
In this book, Doreen Virtue describes clearly the ways in which we are evolving as a species. Children born since about 1975 kids are demonstrating specific traits, which are different than those of previous generations. Along with these different traits come different needs. They carry more energy. They have more finely developed intuitive abilities. They need a reason to do things; rote learning and rigid authority are intolerable to them. They need activities to be life-purposeful. They have a sense of life purpose that is strong and must be respected. And they have great gifts to share as light-workers, innovators, healers and problem-solvers.

Dr. Virtue gives parents the information they need to support the unfoldment and development of their kids in every aspect of life from "care and feeding" their kids physically to nurturing their spiritual development, talents and abilities. She draws upon her experience as a psychologist and a parent, on spiritual guidance and on good, solid research. She writing "voice" is clear, accessible, authoritative and loving.

This is a breakthrough book for parents, teachers and educators at every level, social workers, therapists and pediatricians. It will help them understand why medicating higher energy levels is counterproductive and will give them practical tips on alternative solutions, so that they can assist not only their own kids, but our culture itself to flourish.


The Craft of Sail/a Primer of Sailing: A Primer of Sailing
Published in Paperback by Walker & Co (June, 1994)
Author: Jan Adkins
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A Lovely and Informative Book
This is a wonderful book for both children and adults who would like to learn the "nuts and bolts" of sailing. Adkins explains why sails work the way they do, with an understandable discussion of the Bernoulli effect, vectors, and the airfoil. He also explains various sailing techniques, such as docking, anchoring, tacking and gybing. Various knots are demonstrated as well. There are very attractive and useful illustrations throughout, which make the book very entertaining and accessable. My favorite part of the book is the 2 page spread showing various rigs. When I first started learning about boats, this helped me figure out the difference between a ketch and a yawl, and taught me the names for the various parts of a sail. This book contains lots of useful, digestible information at a reasonable price.

Superb
Thoughtful, thorough, and visually beautiful, especially if you like old boats. Those who believe thay must wear lycra suit rather than old t shirt and shorts to go, say, biking or to go sailing might not find it glitzy enough. I have bought four of them. One to replace our tattered copy at home, one for public library and two for favorite young relatives

a lovely, lovely book
Jan Adkin's book shows a gift for teaching as well as illustration, and his style is literate, rather pedagogical. Because I am new to sailing, I brougt home many books from the library that I hoped would be helpful. The Craft of Sail was better than any of the others.


Eighty-Eight Steps to September
Published in Paperback by Avon (August, 1991)
Author: Jan Marino
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Touching book
I read this book when I was 14 years old. I am 20 years old now but I still read the book over again for the memories. Amy's struggle growing up in the midst of her brother's leukemia and coping with the fact that children do die other than in accidents. Robbie had his place in the book as the older brother who teased Amy but still loved her. It was unclear in the longevity Robbie had his illness, though. Read this book, I strongly recommend it. Share the sisterly pains with Amy and Sue, share the sadness with Robbie, and share the ups and downs of childhood with Amy. This book is a true winner.

So touching, so true, so profound, so sad...*sniff*
I've been reading this book since I was seven (I'm 15 now), and I bought it just because I thought the front cover picture was nice. The buying was worth it: 5 *****'s and more! I miss Robbie as much as Amy does, believe me, the story makes you feel so. The story has so much content, so much meaning, so much honesty, so much...feeling. I can't believe it's out of print; I believe every kid should get to read it. As in EVERY kid. At least once. Please, please, put it back on the shelves for the kids! AND READ IT!

I think the book is sad. Amy is probably lonely.
I think this book is very sad. If you get very emotional over sad books I would not reccomend it to you. Alot of the books I've read have been sad, but this book is one of the saddest. This is a beautiful book and reccomend it to all the kids I know!!!!


Fritz and the Beautiful Horses
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (October, 1999)
Author: Jan Brett
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Fritz and the Beautiful Illustrations!
Not only a wonderful, heartwarming story for any age of horse and childhood lover, but the illustrations stand completely on their own. We have two others books by the same illustrator / author and are actively seeking more. A must have for all children's and pen and ink art libraries!

Charming story by a well-loved children's author
This is a wonderful story about Fritz, a short, shaggy pony who lives his life in the shadow of the tall, sleek horses of the kingdom. His life changes, however, when this little "nobody" prances forward to rescue the children when the "beautiful" horses cannot.

An endearing story which teaches children that true beauty is found inside. As with all Jan Brett books, the charming illustrations will captivate even the smallest of children.

Add this one to your child's library ... it's sure to quickly become a favorite!

Wonderfully magical and engaging.
I had read this book as a child, then recently came across it again as an adult. Although the story itself is simple, the moral is timeless and holds the characteristics of a downplayed fairytale. As a horse lover, I feel that there are not enough books out there which center around the majestic beast. Fritz is akin to Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. A not so beautiful, diamond in the rough, heart of gold pony who will fill readers' hearts. This book has incidentally inspired me to try my hand at writing children's horse stories as well. I recommend it to anyone who wants to teach children the importance of all too rare goodness which needs to be duplicated time and again.


Gussie's Christmas Story
Published in Paperback by Ivy House Publishing Group (June, 1997)
Authors: Robert Jackson and Jan Strock
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A BEAUTIFUL SHORT STORY OF UNSELFISH LOVE
I found this children's book to be a beautiful short story of unselfish love of a child for his parents. It is also a great adventure, with a big reward at the end. something very appealing to anyone who remembers their vivid imagination as a child.

The illustrations in this book have a feeling of warmth and home. It takes me back to the comfort of my own childhood.

If you want your child to remember a good Christmas Story I recommend," GUSSIE'S CHRISTMAS STORY", by Robert L. Jackson

Sincerely,

E. Thompson NYC.NY

A LESSON IN LOVE
Endearing Gussie gives us all- children and adults alike- a lesson in Love--- A love that fuels our determination to fulfill a dream in spite of adversities.

Mrs. P.Scott Orangeburg.NY

Thought the book was great!!
This is a excellent book for teaching children about the gift of giving. Would recommend all parents to buy for their children or to give as a gift.


The Harry's Bar Cookbook
Published in Paperback by Blake Publishing Ltd (April, 1993)
Authors: Arrigo Cipriani and Jan Morris
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The next best thing to being at Harry's Bar.
As a cook and literary buff, I always thought of Harry's Bar in Venice as a monument that has provided me with great inspiration.

Tucked away on a corner not far from St Mark's Square, it is quite small with low ceilings but with an incredible view of the Grand Canal from its first floor. The decor is very relaxing with small comfortable chairs and tables in pleasant shades of apricot and cream. Upon opening the doors, you immediately drink in the atmosphere that is intimate, worldly, historically rich and alive.

I remember the first time I visited Harry's bar twenty-five years ago. I went to this legendary bar, made famous by Ernest Hemingway, after having promised myself that I would only have a drink. I knew the prices would be outrageous for someone on a student budget since Harry's Bar had enjoyed an international reputation since 1931. But the moment that last sip of wine was out of my glass, I had to ask for a table. I do not remember what I had for lunch that day at Harry's Bar. I do remember though, how impressed I was by the quality of the house wine, the simple presentation of the food that tasted wonderful and the professional and friendly service with which the Harry's Bar staff made sure that this was going to be a memorable experience for me. So, Harry's Bar became part of my growing up and thus gained a significant importance in my life.

Ernest Hemingway used to have his own table in one corner of Harry's Bar. At the end of World War II, Hemingway dedicated to the bar a page of his famous novel "Across the River and into the Trees." The list of famous people who frequented Harry's Bar is long and impressive. Arturo Toscanini, Guglielmo Marconi, Charlie Chaplin, Truman Capote, Orson Welles, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Princess Aspasia of Greece, Aristotle Onassis, Barbara Hutton, Peggy Guggenheim and Woody Allen, just to mention a few.

Harry's Bar opened in 1931 when Giuseppe Cipriani, an enterprising bartender at the Hotel Europa in Venice, was rewarded for his earlier generosity to a rich, young American from Boston named Harry Pickering. Pickering had been a customer at the Hotel Europa for some time, then suddenly stopped frequenting the hotel bar. One day, the elder Cipriani asked Pickering why he no longer patronized the bar. Pickering was broke, he explained to the bartender -- his family cut him off when it was discovered he had not curtailed his recklessness and fondness for drinking. So, Cipriani loaned his patron $5,000 U.S. so that Mr. Pickering could pay his hotel and bar bill as well as his cost of transportation home and ... have one last martini. Two years later, Pickering walked back into the Hotel Europa, ordered a drink at the bar, thanked Cipriani for the loan and handed him enough money to repay the loan and enable Cipriani to open his own bar.

In 1991, Giuseppe's son, Arrigo Cipriani, assembled a book of recipes: "The Harry's Bar Cookbook" (Bantam Books). The book contains more than 200 original recipes, more than 125 lavish full color photographs, wonderful anecdotes and insight into the nuances of classic Italian cuisine and their philosophy of entertaining.

During the 1930s and 1940s, founder Giuseppe Cipriani created many of the dishes still served today. Giuseppe invented the Bellini and the Montgomery cocktails. The Bellini, contains white peach pulp, juice and Prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine). Giuseppe is said to have invented it in 1948, and named the drink for the Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini whose works were exhibited in Venice that year. The Montgomery, as Hemingway called it, is a very dry martini with a proportion of gin to vermouth of fifteen to one - the same proportion that the famed British General Bernard Montgomery was said to have endured when he lead his soldiers to fight against the enemy during World War II.

Other classics include: hot sandwiches; shrimp sandwiches (favorites of Orson Welles and Truman Capote); egg pasta with ham au gratin; risotto; and Carpaccio which is the most popular dish served at Harry's Bar. Consisting of paper-thin sheets of raw filet mignon, seasoned with a light white sauce, the Carpaccio, according to the bar's legend, was inspired by one of Cipriani's regular customers, the Countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo, whose doctor prohibited her from eating cooked meat. The dish was named after the celebrated Renaissance Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio, famous for his use of bright red-and-white colors.

The "Harry's Bar Cookbook" is a beautiful book to own and a great inspiration for the creation of meals tantalizing to the palate. The recipes are innovative, well written and they work! This cookbook is the second best thing to having lunch at Harry's Bar, but with the stories in the book and your dreamy imagination, it's almost like being there!

The beauty of the recipes lies in their simplicity, their adaptability to a range of dining styles from elegant to informal and their memorable flavor. I hope you enjoy this cookbook as much as we do in our home.

Ciao, Bella!
My parents loved Harry's in the 1950s. I never knew why until I visited the bar in Venice myself in the 1980s. I cook a fair amount, so I often use someone's recipe just as a taking off point. I frequently think I can outcook most authors. Not so with Harry. Like Paul Bocuse, this is one of a few cookbooks where you should try to follow the recipe precisely. The world's best osso bucco, the best scampi fritto which anyone can cook and stun your friends, tuna fish mousse to startle you, the best sauteed mushrooms, and the world's best club sandwich. What else can you ask? If he says cut the tomato sideways in three even slices, try it. He does not waste words, and he does know how to cook.

March 23 I try to go there and celebrate my father's birthday. Mr. Cipriani celebrates his fatther too. I've never met him, but maybe that's another thing we have in common.

The best Italian Cookbook ever
This book provides the best recipes for regional Italian cooking I have ever used. They are simple to follow, reasonable in the produce suggested, and they invariably taste fantastic.

My wife and I went to Harry's in New York, we can't wait to get back to Venice to try out the original.


Buddhist Astrology: Chart Interpretation from a Buddhist Perspective
Published in Paperback by Llewellyn Publications (February, 2003)
Authors: Jhampa Shaneman, Jan V. Angel, Dalai Lama, and Steven Forrest
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Buddhist Astrology
I have so enjoyed this book! The author gives a clear description of basic Buddhist philosophy in the first 5 chapters, including an inspired interpretation of a natal chart for the Buddha. Then he describes each of the 12 Houses and gives lively descriptions of the meaning associated with the moon, sun and planets. I took out my own chart to learn more about my own natal chart. The only negative criticism I have is that the book nowhere gives the symbols for the planets so I had difficulty reading my chart.
The book ends with a delightful biography of the author who, though born a Canadian, became a Buddhist monk , lived in Dharmsala,was taught by the Dalai Lama,did a 3 year retreat in a mountian cave and after 13 years was given permission by the Dalai Lama to give up his ordination and teach Buddhism in the West. His description of this life is fascinating.
There is a glossary of Buddhist terms,a bibliography.and an index - all things a good book needs!

BUDDHIST ASTROLOGY PIERCES THE VEIL OF MORTALITY
The introduction to Buddhist thought and philosophy is worth the price of this book. The astrological interpretations, given from this Buddhist perspective, offer peace and tranquility in the face of stormy life-situations and inner turmoil. The message which permeates these pages is: you are not mortal; your true being is one with life, not at odds with life. Buddhist Astrology--the book and the approach--pierces through the veil of an illusional mortality. Astrological consultations, whether through a personal astrologer or through a well-written book, ought to bring hope, peace, comfort to the seeker. These things are to be found here.

Buddhist Astrology: Chart Interpretation from a Buddhist
This interpretation of astrology chart readings from a Buddhist point of view is very interesting and insightful. Buddhist philosophy and application to daily living and understanding how the underlying influences of astrology affect us was most thought provoking. I really enjoyed this book and felt that I learned practical applications from it to use in my own attitude towards self, others and understanding samsara.


Classic Garden Structures : 18 Elegant Projects to Enhance Your Garden
Published in Paperback by Taunton Pr (November, 1998)
Authors: Jan Gertley and Michael Gertley
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Great Book for the Gardening Woodworker
The projects are not so challenging as to be overwhelming; they are fairly simple and can be completed in an evening or over the weekend. The exception is the greenhouse, which has a block waist wall and wood framing for the glass top. I am building the tomato towers and will start the strawberry tower to use next year. There are several smaller projects - a sting-line row marker, caddies and dibble that can be made with scraps you may already have.

I am blessed with a shop full of power tools and shop-made jigs, which makes ripping and cutting complicated angles easier, faster and more accurate, but many of these can be built with simple hand tools and attention to detail.

The book is well laid out, profusely illustrated with color photographs of the completed projects and clear construction drawings and plans. They even recommend specific woods for each project - mainly cedar - but I had a bunch of pressure treated yellow pine left over from other projects which I am using. They also recommend finishes for each project.

If you are looking for something to do when it is too hot, cold or wet to work outside; here's your book. Your garden will be more beautiful and efficient. Your plants will thank you.

power tools not necessary
I agree that the projects are very nice, but disagree that power tools are needed. Some experience is definitely useful, but I have been happily building these projects with only hand tools -- save the occasional drill for driving lots of screws!

Exquisitely presented, distinctive designs
We've just finished building our strawberry tower, an obelisk to grow 90 strawberry plants in a couple of square feet of space. We're beaming from the rave reviews of friends who find our project attractive and functional. The Gertley's do a superb job of presenting their unique projects with gorgeous pictures in attractive settings. I have a whole list of projects I intend to create--and I know that each one will be classy and distinctive. This is a book for people who like to build garden projects that they know they won't see any where else around the neighborhood.


Fisher's Face: Or, Getting to Know the Admiral
Published in Hardcover by Random House (May, 1995)
Author: Jan Morris
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An unclassifiable book on a unique genius!
This book is a delight. It does not fit easily into the categories of history, biography or psychology, and yet it has elements of all of them. The author has obviously written it for sheer personal pleasure and this sense of fun - of which the splendid Jacky Fisher himself would have thoroughly approved - is communicated to the reader. It is no fault of the writer that Fisher remains an enigma at the end of it, a man of vast contradictions, enthusiasms, energy, genius and simplicity, but the journey is enjoyable on every page. Fisher was a force of nature who tackled every challenge, regardless of size, with zest, verve and originality and the story of his whirlwind career, and his transformation of the Royal Navy has much of the epic about it. Few men can have had greater vision, or a greater gift for grasping the potential of technology for transforming organisations and national destinies. Much of what he did and said could serve as a textbook for today's business schools - while the rest might have marked him for a straitjacket. For all his greatness however, he was diminished by his last years and by Churchill's disastrous decision to recall him to the Admiralty soon after the outbreak of the First World War. Old, and by now unstable, his tenure was marked by huge miscalculations and personal behaviour that swung erratically between the inspired and the lunatic. Those who enjoy this unique book will be no less delighted by Fisher's idiosyncratic memoirs - entitled "Memories" - which are an eccentric and haphazard collection of ideas, reminiscences and dictums (slogans might be a better word). This is long out of print, but well worth the seeking.

Fun and Fascinating - Truly a Great Read!
I'm reading this book for the second time now and its every bit as fresh as during the first go round. Morris brings history alive as few others and has chosen a wonderfully exciting subject to biography. God, how we need more leaders like Jacky Fisher these days! And more writers like Morris. Well done, I'm searching the back list for your other titles.

An amazing book , a fascinating face
I read this book in Cyprus, and there, Fisher's adventures whilst Admiral of the Mediterranean fleet seemed strangely poignant. The book is so unusually written that I actually thought that I was about to meet him at any point. I wish that I had, because as a life long lover of the navy, I find Fisher to be a most compelling character. There can be few people in this century that would be a more interesting correspondent. I wish that I could write to him now on the Web instead of writing this. If there is a more revealing (and one always feels, only slightly speculative), colourful and fun biography about anyone at all, pray tell me about it because this book was truly superb!


Helrunar: A Manual of Rune Magick
Published in Paperback by Mandrake of Oxford (December, 1997)
Author: Jan Fries
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Terrific!
This is a wonderful book for modern mages and witches. The book appealed to me because I was searching for a more indeep, no -new-age crap type of book about runes. This is a very refreshing take on the subjects of runes and magic indeed.

It's chaos magic in the sense of ecclectic modern magic, not in the sense of mind-game egotistical magic.

I'd like to read more books like this one, never mind the label.

An excellent post-modern handbook on Runic Magick
Jan Fries has done a brilliant job in creating an effective and pactical system based on the Runes.

However, I should point out one thing for those serious runesters out there. His system of rune magick is a complete system and well researched--though, for rune purists, be warned, his system is presented with a Thelemic bent with frequent references to Liber AL. My point here is that if you are looking for a system that is more authentically Germanic, then check out the work of Edred Thorsson or Freya Aswynn.

For me this integration works, in part because his context is very contemporary (so for you Thelemites who are looking to explore the runes, here's the book for you).

And, for anyone just looking for a great book on magick, this is definately one to check out.

Fun and serious
Jan Fries has obviously done all the research for this book, which contains a wealth of information and practical advice. It is very approachable, and offers instruction for beginners and more advanced students. Fries has a good sense of humor and it comes through in this book. Also, he tries hard not to offer undue influence or overbearing directions. My only quibble would be with the fact that Mandrake of Oxford forgot to send this book to proofreading--it has many tiny errors that could not be caught by spellcheck but would have been caught by a good proofreader. Further evidence of their cost-cutting may be observed in their use of a TrueType font on the cover (rather than a Postscript font), so that the title has little jagged edges all over the letters. It would be nice to have the subject matter taken as seriously by the publishers as it is by the author.


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