Jonathan Coles is perhaps the first writer to set into words many of the thoughts that I, and others affected with Moebius syndrome have considered for an eternity - how do we describe a purely physical condition that has intensely emotional consequences?

I found myself underlining and starring a variety of points from his book that simply rang true with my own thoughts and experiences. Having grown up during a time when people felt things were best handled when "ignored" (and thus, NOT 'handled' - only "stuffed") I appreciated reading of Coles' observations - they made my own memories and perceptions have a slight more ring of authenticity to them.

I would hope that, at some later date, those of us affected with Moebius ("Moebians" as we call ourselves!) would collaborate jointly on an additional literary project - that of sharing our own thoughts as we experience life without a smile. Anyone who thinks we all lead lives of reclusive solitude would be in for a huge surprise. Our greatest challenge seems to not be that which society percieves, the sad state of not having a smile, but rather the limitations others impose upon us by virtue of what they see and perceive. ('he's not smiling - he must be (1) disinterested, (2) dull, (3) stupid (4) uncaring ..., etc.)' Believe me, THAT kind of assumption is as example of the true burdens we must face on a regular basis - the mistaken notions that strangers have when ignorance and prejudice governs how they interact with people they don't know.

You'll never find another book "out there" that deals with facial expression like this one does - I've looked!

After saying this all, I can also say that I DON'T HAVE A BIG MOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! And... I can say THAT with a straight face! :):)

What a ride! Handbook of Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology by Paul F. Kemp, et al is the only book on Acuatic Microbial Ecology you will ever need. Folks: case closed. From the introduction on topiary dislocution to the guts of the nanophylum discussion-- Paul F. Kemp grabs your attention and holds it like a boa constrictor, or like a sentient glue creature, or like a bear trap.

*A bear trap.*

The book puts to rest the myth that an expert textbook cannot be as compelling as a clandestine extra-marital affair, or a Hollywood action movie.

Folks: a Hollywood. Action. Movie.

Handbook of Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology: Superb!

This book is definately focused on beads and NOT so much on projects. Full of beautiful pictures and brilliantly done. A wonderful coffee table book!

If you love ethnic jewelry and want to recreate its look, this is the book for you. The breathtaking photos by Jonathan Lovekin place this in the coffee table book category. Coles and Budwig take you on a trip around the world, stopping in Europe and the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. They scoop up jewelry examples, show the technique, and give you a project to mimic the jewelry using materials that are not too difficult to obtain.

This book spends comparatively more time discussing types of beads, their history, where they are from, how they are made than it does on jewelry projects. Included are maps showing where many kinds of beads originate.

Whether or not the information is inaccurate, as one reviewer states it is, doesn't matter to me; I'm more interested in the projects, which are mostly necklaces. The jewelry pieces are designed to represent all the parts of the world the beads come from, so there are very authentic looking designs representing Venice, Africa, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, Morocco, Ethiopia, India, and other cultures. The beautiful, large photos show a great assortment of designs to choose from with different looks, though many of them have a look that is natural and earthy, yet sophisticated and stylish. To me they are attractive and serve for great inspiration.

Already having jewelry skills, I can look at the pictures and make them without reading the instructions, but for those who need them, the instructions and diagrams are generally good. The main problem with the instructions is that they are printed in a small font in gray instead of black, so they are difficult to see.

If you are a coach of a youth soccer team, I am sure you've heard this plea before. Yet, you are obligated as a coach to discover which one of them possesses that unique set of characteristics to become the 'last defender'.

This book can certainly help. It helped me to discover at least two potential goalkeepers on our team by eliminating the fear factor. The fear of the unknown was probably greater than the fear of being hit (by the ball, legs, etc.). The illustrations in this book helped to reduce the 'fear factor' and made it possible for the youngsters to actually try and learn the daunting task. Everything from basic ball handling and positioning to penalty and corner kicks is covered in a simple and informative way.

With abundance of photos and pictures that illustrate each technique, this inexpensive book could easily substitute a video; it will particularly appeal to kids. It's a short read (only 32 pages), but it will have a great impact on your coaching ability.

Great manual but there are not that many options to choose from in this field if you want a book small enough to carry in your lab coat. In every way this book is top notch and has practical application for daily practice. It includes plenty of "cut to the chase" advice on how to manage these medicines. My only complaint is that the book is from 1997 and plenty has changed since then in the field.

I can't wait to read this out loud to my library students. How can you not love the rhyming words and the illustrations of this book? With the language by itself, you could talk about the feel and the slang of the words. The art work of this book is done with different colored backgrounds that bring out wonderful moods. As an educator, I could use this story to tie in music, history, sound, and art. The kids are going to love it!