Ordinarily, winter spells doom for the baseball fan. Waiting for pitchers and catchers to report at the end of February can be an excruciating exercise. The tiny scraps of baseball information scattered in the back pages of newspapers are never enough.

If you see yourself in the previous paragraph, I prescribe Mr. Martinez's "The Book of Baseball Literacy." It might save your life this January. The work is packed with anecdotes, biographies, definitions, and descriptions essential for a comprehensive mastery of baseball. The writing style is clear and entertaining, and, by organizing the book into a series of short entries (each typically spanning one-half to two pages), Martinez makes it easy for readers to pick the book up for five minutes or five hours at a time.

Martinez doesn't ignore the novice fan, either. His explanations and descriptions avoid jargon typical of other baseball reference books, while also managing to tackle the material in a manner that also satisfies the experienced fan of the game.

Highly recommended reading!

I've seen mountains. I've seen sunsets. I've seen babies being born. None of those were as beautiful as this book!

I thought I was a baseball fan with a deep and broad base of knowledge. That was, until I read this book. This book taught this old dog a new trick or two about baseball.

Not only is the content interesting - and from what I can tell, extremely unique - but the author crafts the content as if you were sitting at the park and enjoying a game while reminiscing with an old friend. It's hard to put this baby down!

I read the first edition of this book, and found that it answered a ton of questions I'd long had about baseball, like how the AL came about and why the Astros had to play 28 straight road games in 1992. It's a great gift for baseball fans.

"The Deadwood Beetle" by Mylene Dressler, G. K. Hall & Co., 2001, Large Type Book.

At first, this book appears to be about a little Dutch boy who survived the Holocaust, and, years later spies his mother's sewing table in an antiques store. The store owner, Cora Lowenstein, translates the child's inscription, on the bottom of the table, without knowing that it was Tristan Martens, himself, who carved it there years ago. Her version in English is "When the Jews are gone, we will be the next ones", which she interprets as in the same fashion as the famous quote from Pastor Niemoeller, (1892-1984).

It seems, however, that was not the meaning of the carved words: Tristan Martens (who now had to be in his late sixties or early seventies) knew it was from his Dutch father, who was a Nazi. Tristan was not a victim of the holocaust; instead, his family was waiting for their turn in power, after the Jews were gone. Angry Dutch citizens had looted his mother's table from their Dutch home when The Netherlands was liberated. He feels guilty for most of his life. This central theme of guilt is always a background plot as Tristan begins to see Cora Lowenstein in a romantic light. The guilt theme is intertwined, somewhat, with entomology, as he deals with his last graduate student, who, in turn, is dealing with a unique form of insect out in Arizona. Tristan Martens tells the student's parents how he happened to be an immigrant (as they were) and some of the story of his life directly after the World War.

Except for flashbacks to his life in The Netherlands, the book is set mainly in winter-time New York City, with some trips to a nursing home in nearby Connecticut. I think that the author, Dressler, has done a good job in capturing the flavor of subways and travel in New York. She has written an intriguing book.

This book was recommended to me by a friend -- an author and bookseller -- and I feel it is one of the best gifts he's ever given me.

Told with grace, wit and intelligence, the plot of the book -- the skeleton on which the events are hung -- is not as important as the way in which the author tells it. There is a grandeur, a measured unfolding which wraps you in the characters' lives. There is real sympathy for the different human viewpoints which come from our varied experiences, and the reader is gradually allowed to share in the breadth of the characters.

It's a lovely, loving and very artfully told journey.

deadwood beetle: a well written book. i really enjoyed reading the story. even though i know the ending would be realistic, i still guess i have a preconceived idea about how the story should have ended, meaning the story ended differently than i expected, which is a good thing. read the book, its worth it.

I have to admit that this book came along at the right time for me--in the middle of a bad run of rejection slips and self-esteem to match. With this book Taylor managed to get me jacked up to send out stuff again with chapters like "How to Make Editors Beg For It"--the first time I had read about what really goes on in editorial offices where we freelancers send out stuff. I feel like Taylor's insider stuff gives me an edge I didn't have before.

The chapter on queries and titles taught me how I have to pay more attention to actually selling my writing with right-between-the-eyes headlines. Taylor talks a lot about getting inside the editor's head and discovering the "reader benefits" that editor is trying to deliver. As he says, freelancers have to play that radio station: WRIT-FM or "What's Really In It-For Me," because without good reader benefits the piece is dead before it ever hits the editor's desk.

I guess all in all, reading books like this is necessary to learn new tips and keep motivated and fresh. This book did all that and more so that's why I rated it high.

This is a great book to read even if you are NOT a writer trying to sell articles. There is plenty of good advice for college students trying to get through their core English courses as well as for students of technical writing. Every college library should have a copy. Ms. Smith, the mean English teacher, gives this book five stars.

I've been out of the writing scene for too long now, and after some soul searching and internet searching I found the book to lead me back to a life of writing.
The first chapter deals with the "writing itch" and what to do about it. So many times I have tried to get back into writing but without proper discipline and resources I ran out of motivation. This book explains how to organize and approach this whole thing realistically and professionally.
And that's just the beginning. I see myself returning to the book again and again like a dictionary. Let's face it. The writing game is multi-faceted and David Taylor's book delves deep into the business and creative realm of writing.
I've read a lot of books on writing. What's different about this book is David Taylor clearly explains how to go from just a glimmer of desire to a paycheck. I encourage anyone with a passion for writing to grab a copy of "The Freelance Success Book." Not only will it be your personal writing coach, the book will inspire you.

I found my first Dot to Dot in the GAMES magazine. Boy, was I hooked!!! As a kid I loved doing Dot to Dot books. I'm so happy that I came across that puzzle. I went to his web address and downloaded the samples there, I made several copies to do until my three Dot to Dot books that I ordered come in the mail. I highly recommend these books to everyone. I can't wait until Book 4 comes out. Mr. Kalvitis, keep up the good work.

I heartily recommend THE GREATEST DOT TO DOT BOOK IN THE WORLD series! The puzzles are challenging and very enjoyable. I'm a 66 year old grandmother and my husband and I enjoy doing the puzzles together and we recommend these well-produced books to people of all ages and abilities. Thanks for the fun, Mr. Kalvitis!
Sincerely,
Patsy Koehn

This is a surprisingly fun book. I was curious but mildly skeptical after reading the description and reviews here, but find that the puzzles are rewarding. In addition to challenging examples of the conventional connect-the-dot method, author David Kalvitis introduces creative variations called Sets, Stars, Field of Dots, Odd/Even and No Dots! Sound intriguing? That essentially captures the spirit of this tantalizing set of pictures waiting to be liberated from obscurity by your erstwhile efforts on their behalf! It really is fun to see what's hidden there among those dots. Kalvitis also gives some information about the origins of the form and getting the best results. If you're at all interested in this puzzle form, and want to exercise your left and right brain simultaneously, you will enjoy this fun book.

Note that even the simplest puzzle contains 49 dots and most contain many more, so this is too difficult for little kids but a very nice choice for those who are beginning to outgrow their lower-level puzzles or the child who enjoys/needs practice with fine motor skills or has some interest in art. Also for puzzle-loving adults. Nicely done.

Dr. Simon's book addresses many of the issues that are so often not dealt with by modern conventional cancer treatment centers. Too often cancer patient feel as if their real needs are not being met by doctors and hospitals. Dr. Simon focuses on treating the person, not just the diseasse. His books creates an entirely new perspective for the cancer patient by simply remembering that they are a person. He addresses the emotional issues cancer patients face as well as treatments for common side effects caused by conventional treatment. His advice on nutrition, sensory tools for healing, and assessing alternative treatment modalities is easily succint, but very insightful. Futthermore, his five day seminar lets you explore these issues much deeper. Realizing that I am much more than the sum of my phsyical parts is an important gift that Dr. Simon has helped to give me.

This phenomenal book is a must have in a library of self-care literature. It reads easily and resonates with truth, leaving a profound impact. I recently returned from a week seminar with Dr. David Simon at the Deepak Chopra Wellness Institute in La Jolla,CA. My personal experience was transformational. I not only walked away with concrete, tangible tools to work with my cancer, I also deepened my relationship with myself and was taught many loving ways to embrace and empower myself through this difficult time in my life.

The nurturing environment was so safe and invitational to self-discovery of each individuals particular experience with cancer. I strongly recommend anyone facing cancer to invest in themselves with this wonderful program.

Dr. Simon has shared insights into healing that take into account the coventional and integrative approaches to healthcare. He reminds us that we have entered into a phase of medicine that needs to consider a person's conscious awareness of health, so the appropriate modalities of care can be administered. David Simon utilizes eastern and western knowledge to make his work thorough and comprehensive. He takes into account the need for practicioners to be sensetive to the direction(s) a patient finds meaningful in their movement toward wholeness. This emphasis on consciousness incorporated in healthcare is a movement toward modern medicine paralleling the evolution of our time. I also recommend: What the Dying Teach Us: Lessons on Living by Samuel Oliver

My 22 month old daughter wants me to read this book to her every night! If your child is a Sesame Street fan then this little book will be a big hit.

My 17 month old usually has a hard time settling down at bedtime. She adores the Sesame Street characters, especially Elmo, and we read this book just before tucking her in and turning out the light. Elmo and Big Bird and their friends are getting ready for bed, and showing them all sleeping helps my little girl to accept bedtime a little more readily, since anything Elmo does is automatically cool!

My daughter and I have read this book over 100 times, at naptime and bedtime. She seems to never get tired of it, and is now reading it to me! It's a great book that seems to be perfect for a 2 to 2-1/2 year old attention span.

I liked this book enough. I was disappointed that it focused so much on identical twins and same-sex twins. (My twins are boy/girl...there is only one vignette in the book.) I haven't found myself reading it over and over. The pictures are lovely and the stories are fine. I give it a B or maybe B+.

This book truly touched my heart. I am a twin and felt that it honestly portrayed the many complex and deep emotions and issues that twins experience. I can't wait to share this book with my twin and family! And there are so many amazing people in the book. I didn't realize Muhammad Ali and Jane Seymour had twins. And how different each relationship can be, yet also have such commonalities. I absolutely love this book and find myself opening it up often to read an essay and look at the beautiful photos.

Not only do the "twin authors" provide a first-hand glimpse into the world of "being a twin"...but through the plethora of inspiring interviews with "real-life" twins, they gave me the "real-life" gift of stopping to think of "being human!"

My 3 1/2yr old bug lover is enamored with this book (and Jingle Bugs too). He LOVES to sing the 12-bugs-of Christmas and it is good for his memory skills to try to remember them all. When he hears the 12-Days-of-Christmas on the radio, he always points out how it is so similar to HIS song! Ha!

My 6 and 2 year old kids love this book and wanted to read it over and over during Christmas. The bugs are really cute and Christmas themed. There are tinsel bugs, gingerbread bugs, fruitcake bugs, yodeling Christmas tree bugs. The pop ups work smoothly.

You can even sing the book to the tune of 12 days of Christmas - if you can stand it.

I am a big fan of David Carter's bug pop up books. At first the concept seems a bit odd and off setting, but they really are cute bugs, and the interactive elements are quite thoughtful and inventive.

This book goes through the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but makes up new words that are related to his buggy creations. Throughout the book, you open each present (lift the flap), to see the bugs inside. Inside each package is some type of pop up element (my favorite is the one that comes complete with tinsel). Each is creative, delicate (as one reader mentioned), and attention getting.

My only reservation about this book is that the interactive elements are not as diverse as in his other Christmas book, Jingle Bugs. With this book, it is basically entirely lift the flap, whereas the other one has different types of activities throughout. However, I do like the fact that you can sing to this one (a great plus in keeping little ones interested).

Yes, it's a classic. Yes, every computer scientist MUST own it. But enormous significant progress has been made in the field of NP-completeness (and computational complexity more generally) in the two decades since this book was published. An up-to-date edition -- which would probably be well over a thousand pages long -- has been badly needed for years.

I first read this book while researching heuristic techniques for reaching "good enough" solutions to the Travelling Salesman problem. "Computers and Intractability" was a breath of fresh air. It was as rigorous as any mathematical treatise, but written in a way that even a non-math major could understand. If you ever want to know why computers are so buggy, you'll know the mathematical reason for this within the first few pages of this book. By the time you reach the end, you'll never trust cryptography to absolutely, without a doubt, keep data secure for long, if at all.

I think every computer science student should read some of this book to learn about complexity theory and the notions reducibilty and completeness. Moreover, you may come across a problem that you have to show is NP or P complete, and the examples in the book provide a good model for doing so. Papadimitriou's book on complexity is also a great place to learn more about the subject.

It may seem an immediate departure to discuss Blake's biography, but it must be considered. Leaving formal school at ten, Blake first entered a drawing school, very early evincing great artistic talent. An eight year apprenticeship with engraver James Basire was a milestone of Blake's rather low key life. Blake's talents in the art of engraving were immeasurably important to both the full expression of his poetry and visual art.

As a poet, Blake opted for an almost facile, rhythmic, lyrical approach. His metre was superbly tight, his vocabulary surprisingly controlled for an 18th century writer. Of the two parts, Songs of Experience is the better of the two; not only did five years give Blake's poetry just one more dash of prowess, but his topics are dealt with in a more effective and interesting manner. His subject matter also becomes more bleak, more wearily phrased. A perfect example: Here is a stanza from ...Innocence's The Divine Image

For mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human dress
And love, the human form divine
And peace the human dress

Compare this with the poem of the same name in experience:

Cruelty has a human heart,
And jealousy a human face
Terror, the human form divine
And secrecy, the human dress

Whyfore this turnabout, from an almost sanguine mentality to one so dour and unmitigatedly bleak that Blake excluded this poem and attendant engraving in most editions of his Songs...

First, the death of Robert, Blake's beloved younger brother and apprentice. It is said that Blake stayed up a fortnight nursing his ill brother; a four day sopor followed. Later, Blake was to report that he was visited by Robert's spirit, laden with ideas as to the format of the Songs. ...Such poems as the Chimney Sweeper and the Little Boy Lost are frightful, cynical visions of the fractured side of London life. Take this stanza from Little Boy Lost, a story of a child martyed for speaking his mind:

The weeping child could not be heard
The weeping parents wept in vain
They strip'd him to his little shirt
And bound him with an iron chain

And burned him in a holy place
Where many had been burned before
The weeping parents wept in vain
Are such things done on Albions shore?

This darker judgement of life does not preclude the two motifs most sacred to Blake: Religion and love. Poems such as the Clod and the Pebble, The Pretty Rose Tree, both Holy Thursdays, the Laughing Song, and the Lamb all explore some aspect of divine justice or the perverse or beautiful aspects of love.

Something fascinating: In that very racist, colony-crazy, native torching time, Blake iconoclastically treats the subject of race in the Little Black Boy, which describes a black child of such spiritual perception that he is able to guide his paler brethren on the path to God. This intimation of an oppressed race's closeness to an arcane but majestic God is a keynote in the study of the fiercely individualistic Blake. Buy this book when you see it.

I bought this book for a friend's birthday. At home, I read it through, soon experiencing the shameful thought that I wanted to keep it for myself. I didn't keep it, but I quickly found my own copy.

Fool that I am, I have never appreciated poetry much. This book opened my eyes. I write this review in the hope that someone may be encouraged to read it, and experience the wonder that it brought to me.

No words can do justice to these poems. I just marvel at how such seemingly simple compositions could contain so much meaning. Blake cuts straight to the spiritual essence of human existence. There are very few books that I could say have deepened my faith in God. This is one.

I was recently lucky to see the Gutenburg to Gone With the Wind Exhibit in Austin, Texas recently. At that marvelous exhibit I got to see one of Blake's original editions of Songs of Innocence. After that, I (of course) had to find a copy with the amazing poems and the amazing artwork by Blake. This edition satisfied both criteria well. First of all, the poems are brilliant. Everybody has read such works as "Little Boy Lost," "Little Boy Found," "The Shepherd," "The Lamb," and "The Tyger." These poems are just as good as they are made out to be. Each poem is excrutiatingly simple (in the style of children's verse), and each has such depth. The artwork is all in this edition, too, and it is fabulous. The colors are exactly like those of Blake's. I really think that the poems should never be read without Blake's engravings. This is a marvelous book for poetry lovers to own. It is high quality and affordable. Any fan of Blake's should own this book.