I like this book because it is a catching book and I learnt alot from it.

I recently read this book for a graduate-level Group Work course. It's one of the few texts I could not put down while reading! The authors' passion for groupwork and their dedication to those helped by such therapy shine through on every single page. Besides sharing general considerations for those initiating groups, they also offer ideas for specific activities and action techniques. Their "Kaleidoscope" categorization activity has been immensely helpful as I brainstorm for new group activities. This is a *fabulous* text.

Family Fortunes focuses on the rise and influence of the middle class in late eighteenth and early ninteenth century England. The book is divided into three distinct parts. The first section centers on "Religion and Ideology"; here, authors look at fractions among Protestant sects during their time period, and the mututally reinforcing ideas of domesticity and religion. The second section is called "Economic Structure and Opportunity." It begins with a discussion of middle class attitudes towards property, especially as it effects providing income for a family. The other discussion in this section looks at men and women's respective roles in the economy, focusing on men's action and women as the "hidden investment." The final section, "Everday Life: Gender in Action," looks at marriage, the respective roles of motherhood and fatherhood, defintion and importance of the home, how gender was registered and finally, middle class influcen in the reform-minded public sphere. Family Fortunes is a big, thick, informative book which is well worth reading for people interested in the rise of the middle class, and social or religious history. Though clearly scholarly in focus it is relatively accessible, and the use many different textual sources helps to illustrate some of the more dense parts of Davidoff and Hall's arguments.

Having just seen the show that this text accompanies, I can highly recommend this catalog to those painters and viewers who enjoy Auerbach's work. As with all reproductions of wonderfull paintings these ones are not able to convey the physical/visual illusion contained in the work. They are very good however and the accompaning text informative. Auerbach has already created a great body of work and seeing it across the hall from an amazing Rembrandt exhibit, also at the Royal Academy, gives hope to the future of painting when it's obituary is beeing written tacitly by so many.

The best part of this book is its documented proof of Captain John Smith's Christianity and love for the Indians. It seems to be a countering view to Peter Marshall's criticism of the action of the JamesTown Settlers.

Also, its Chapter on Christopher Columbus is excellent. It is a perfect countering view to Peter Marshall's description of Columbus being money grabbing.

I just ordered this BOOK, but I've seen this episode on TV. I am an adult who is just enthralled with this television series. I love the character development, the interaction, the principles and values of all who are portrayed in this animated series. These kids are really great. They are loyal and caring with each other as well as tenacious. They never give up on their friends and usually figure out what needs to be done to help and they do it. Oftentimes, they are put into uncomfortable and difficult situations, but they always seem to muster the courage to do what needs to be done. I truly enjoy this show, as I know I will enjoy this book. This episode is about the OLD JUNGLE GYM which is so much a part of their lives. This shows their determination to save what they feel is very important to them, their childhood and wellbeing. It is truly a well-written show and each character is so great. Mikey Blumberg, Gretchen Grundler, T.J. Detweiler, Vince Lasalle, Gus, "Ashley Spinelli", Ms. Grotke, Principal Prickly and Muriel Finster as well as others (the diggers, upside down girl, King Bob etc., ) all show us the true nature of people and how they behave (especially the snitch Randall). I am sure we all know kids and people at school or somewhere in our lives who are exactly like these characters and they never seem to disappoint. We also learn a great deal about them. We know Gretchen is a great "brain" (wins science fairs), but then she feels she is lacking in her physical prowess so she wants to be great at something, like an athlete and she becomes a pro with the YO-Yo. Mikey loves to write poetry, but when he sings it is Robert Goulet's voice that we hear. We also see Mikey team up with the tough Spinelli when they dance so beautifully together in another episode. Vince is the athlete of the group and Gus the weak guy who needs help, which always seem to come from this cohesive group who cares about their friends. T.J. Detweiler is savvy and usually the one who gets everyone out of trouble, but when he is in trouble, the group finds a way to rescue him. This is really a great show and I hope that they publish some more books of theirs soon. Thanks for listening, K from Astoria (a parent of a teen, and a Mom who really likes this "kids?" show!) thanks Disney

I thought Catherine Cella's book was great, and really appreciate the insights and suggestions. I also heard that the author is writing for a great new website specializing in family video called KidFlix.com.

Very fine treatment of a fascinating subject. These jewelry designs continue to be popular even today, which shows the relevance of this topic. This thorough treatment is a fine addition to anyone's library who is serious about the orgins and meaning of jewelry design ...

This book provided me with the motivation and enthusiasm to get started..and keep going. It gives the complete format and process (and the reasons why to do these things) to make weightloss easy..I am already getting results.. This lady has a wonderful sense of humor and the book is fast and easy reading. There are complete processes to use self hypnosis and meditation and a large amount of affirmations..and affirmation how to's..I recommend this book to all who want to feel better, and lose excess pounds..

The Memoirs of Princess Dashkova are unique in that they are a first hand account of eighteenth century Russia from the point of view of a noblewoman close to the centers of power at the court of Catherine the Great. As all memoirs do, Dashkova's words present a particular bias-that of an intelligent and privileged upper-class woman in a deferential society who has an agenda she wishes to impress upon the reader. Yet within this memoir are glimpses of Russia in a time of radical and fast-paced changes, in some of which Dashkova herself has a hand.

It is difficult to credit Dashkova's convictions that she was the first to even conceive of the possibility of Catherine's overthrow of Peter III since Dashkova was eighteen and one of the younger members of Catherine's circle. Although Dashkova was a supporter of Catherine and did have a hand in the plot to over throw the czar, Catherine's memoirs imply that such a coup was envisioned long before the death of the Empress Elizabeth and that Catherine herself was merely waiting for the right moment to act. More plausible is the idea that Catherine had cultivated the young Princess purposely to have a ear in the Vorontsov camp. Dashkova's rendition of events would have her personally picking the conspirators, sending for Catherine's carriage, ordering the Orlovs to bring Catherine to speak to the regiments and almost single-handedly arranging the entire series of events. The most noteworthy point in this account of the coup of 1762 is the fact that it could take place at all in a monarchial state. That the Emperor with the appropriate Russian bloodline could be overthrown by his wife, a Princess of Germany, is remarkable in itself and speaks more of Catherine's perspicacity than of Dashkova or any other supporter.

Dashkova paints a picture of the Russian court under Catherine as both a place of sycophants and personal favor seekers and of great new ideas and plans for the state as a whole; of wealth and luxury taken for granted by the aristocracy while at the same time there are ongoing economic problems of national significance. Dashkova's Russia has two faces-that of an elegantly coifed and gowned Europeanized noblewoman and that of the peasant-serfs, themselves living in hovels, who out of gratitude for being allowed to work volunteer their labor so that she could build a fine house. The clearest impression of Dashkova and her contemporaries is that typical of the majority of eighteenth century aristocracy-of the disparity between the classes and of the general obliviousness of the upper-class to the misfortunes of the lower.

Dashkova's lesson to Diderot of the importance of serfdom-as a method by which the enlightened aristocracy protects the hapless peasants for their own good-gives a clear perspective of the hierarchy between the social classes in eighteenth century Russia. Whether the conversation actually took place is less believable than the fact that she, like the vast majority of Russian aristocracy, wholeheartedly subscribed to the theories of absolute sovereignty and enlightened despotism. Even less believable are Diderot's thanks to Dashkova for educating him on the advantages of serfdom. When she meets Voltaire she describes him as being infatuated with her and begging her not to leave. A possible explanation of Dashkova's need to portray herself as such a close confidante and friend to Diderot and Voltaire may lie in a desire to be seen in some respects as Catherine's equal.

The Princess portrays herself as a highly-educated liberal thinker about ideas she is not willing to put into practice; while at the same time her intention is obviously self-serving propaganda and a desire to share with her audience the esteem she feels she is held in by nearly everyone she meets. In one aside she states: "I would remind my readers that this will only appear after my death, so they cannot tax me with vanity because I repeat things as they were said." This intent to impress is typical of the Russian Court as a whole, especially in their pursuit of Western European approval.

To give Dashkova some benefit of the doubt it must be pointed out that much of the style of her writing, particularly the overt humility that comes across as insincere, is actually an affectation typical of women writers of the eighteenth century. For women to be accepted as authors or thinkers of any note was rare indeed, and most women of that period, whether writing on political issues like Mary Wollstonecraft or on women's lives like Frances Burney, found it necessary to preface much of what they had to say with some apologizing for simply being female. In that respect Dashkova's memoirs are fairly similar to some of her contemporaries. Where Dashkova must be taken with some skepticism is in those areas where her own accounts differ with the historical record and fortunately Jehanne Geith, Kyril Fitzlyon, and A. Woronzov-Dashkoff have done an admirable job of reporting such issues in the introduction, afterword, footnotes and index of the text. To them belongs the real praise for this fascinating glimpse into eighteenth century aristocratic Russia.