This book is one of the 2 most desirable and collectible books on classical guitars (the other one is: Collection of Fine Spanish Guitars from Torres to the Present by Urlik, Sheldon). The figures are superb and the text informative. The hard cover edition is better in the following senses:

1. The hard cover edition is a limited edition (6000 copies only).
2. It is like a textbook which can be opened fully on its back. Easy for reading and scanning.
3. It's got a hard protective slipcase

However, getting the softcover edition might be your choice for its price and availability.

If you are a lover of guitars, specifically classical guitars, you owe it to yourself to purchase this book. There is nothing else like it. Great photography, details on some of the best guitars from some of the best makers...Romanillos, Smallman, Bernabe...They are all here. Inclusively, the book covers players (Williams, Bream, Segovia) as well as an in depth look at wood and the guitar market today. Great stuff and at ..., an incredible bargain.

Any lover of the classical guitar cannot help but appreciate this gorgeous collection of instruments, as well as the way in which they are displayed on the pages. Filled with information about the guitars and their construction, the luthiers, and which players'CDs you can hear them on, I highly recommend this fine edition. I take issue only with the subtitle "A Complete History", as the guitars are based on a single collection of instruments, owned by Russell Cleveland, and not necessarily what any other person would consider "Complete". That fact does not diminish my enjoyment of this exquisite book one bit.

The "Heroes Start As Kids" series staring Dewey Does promises to be a favorite among kids aged 6-10.

The first book in the series, First Day, follows Dewey, a nine-year-old sports enthusiast, through his first day of fourth grade. Written from Dewey's point of view, the book is charming and authentic. The book has no wizards or dragons, no talking animals or bumbling bad guys. Dewey's thoughts, hopes and fears are presented in a moment by moment format, with such appealing honesty that kids will surely identify with this hero in the making.

I loved this book and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

HEROES START AS KIDS, they all had stars in their eyes & dreams. 9 year old Dewey, entering 4th Grade, certainly has.

Dewey Does is young, unafraid, believing he can do anything, be all things, he is full of awe & wonder, & his energy & love of life are as contagious as chicken pox & not nearly as nasty!

There are so many things I'd like to tell you about after reading FIRST DAY, about his room, his family, his friends, his life, that you simply must buy a copy for yourselves.

If the next books in this Heroes Start As Kids Series is as good a FIRST DAY, then our youngsters have a new author to mentor them through their busy lives.

Highly recommended reading - Dewey's voice is authentic & easily understood - FIRST DAY is a perfect gift for all kids in third grade as well as fourth, any time of the year!

The first of a planned "Heroes Star As Kids" series, First Day is written by John Cooper for young readers ages 8 to 12 and follows the adventures of nine-year-old sports enthusiast Dewey Does as be experiences his first day of Fourth Grade. As Dewey meets old friends and makes new ones, kids are readily able to identify with his thoughts, dreams, and hopes. Enhanced with occasional black-and-white drawings by Jon Roscetti, First Day will prove to be a popular addition to any school or community library collection, and will leave young readers looking eagerly toward the next Dewey Does adventure!

This book provides the best text-book style introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis there is. The writing is straight-forward and well-organized. The only thing one could wish for is a second edition, but in the foreword it states they promised their families that there woulnd't be one :) That's ok, it provides all the groundwork one needs to read and understand the literature since then.

I work as a behavioral consultant for children with autism and have read hundreds of ABA-related books -- good, bad, and ugly. I first came into contact with this one while getting my Masters in ABA from Columbia U. It was the foundation of several of my courses and definitely the source I return to most often in my consulting work. The book is expensive but well, well worth it. I highly recommend it. Here's a chapter list so that you can judge for yourself:

1. Definition & Characteristics of ABA... 2. Basic Concepts (behavior, respondent/operant conditioning, reinforcers, and three-term contingencies)... 3. Selecting & Defining Target Behavior... 4. Measuring & Recording Behavior... 5. Planning & Directing Observational Procedures... 6. Production & Interpretation of Graphic Data Displays... 7. Introduction to Analysis... 8. Reversal & Alternating Treatment Designs... 9. Multiple Baseline & Changing Criterion Designs... 10. Planning, Replicating & Evaluating Research in ABA... 11. Operant Reinforcement... 12. Schedules of Reinforcement... 13. Stimulus Control... 14. Behavioral Shaping... 15. Behavior Chains... 16. Imitation... 17. Extinction... 18. Decreasing Behavior with Differential Reinforcement... 19. Punishment by Contingent Presentation of a Stimulus... 20. Overcorrection... 21. Time Out from Positive Reinforcement... 22. Response Cost... 23. Contingency Contracting... 24. Token Economy... 25. Group-Oriented Contingencies... 26. Self-Management... 27. Promoting the Generality of Behavior Change... 28. Communicating the Results of Behavior Change Efforts...

-- (also includes references, glossary, and name and subject indices)

This book is definitely a great reference book as well as an excellent text book. It is very specific and truly informational. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of going into ABA

Until you've read "Jakie's Mother", a short story in the pages of The Big Hunger, you haven't experienced truth in our artform.

The stories of The Big Hunger are many and varied and show a number of different writing styles. This is a great book and one worth keeping.

Thank you Mrs. Fante for saving this piece and countless others of John Fante's work. It is so great to read Bandini after not having anything "new" for years. I have read the book twice in the 45 days I've had it. Bandini lives on! Bukowski said it best, "You should all read John Fante. That was one tough son-of-a-bitch!"

"being a writer I only live in the past and in thefuture"....arturo bandini says from THE BIG HUNGER....john fanteis alive again in my back room...he's been dead for years I know...but he is in my house now standing up shouting at me....he made me laugh and snicker first...then we got more drunk and he started in on a few stories that made me cry...john fante my old pal of stories is back...and we aren't finished yet reading them all...about half way...but I wanted somebody to know that he is with me now...THE BIG HUNGER a collection of short stories collected by Stephen Cooper...from the goldmine...

Breaking the Heart of the World is the most complete study of Woodrow Wilson and the "League Fight" since Thomas Bailey's Woodrow Wilson and the Great Betrayal and WW and the Lost Peace. Professor Cooper eloquently retells the events from Wilson's return from Paris to his infamous stroke, and finally toward his fall from grace. Cooper has read everything and includes everything that is important to the fight. No one knows Woodrow Wilson better. And what you take away from Breaking the Heart of the World is a better knowledge for why the United States did not join the League of Nations in addition to an understanding of Wilson's personality and immense intelligence and foresight. Indeed Wilson saw that need for a League of Nations. America was just not ready for an international league to enforce peace. World War Two would make this clear. Professor Cooper also presents an unbiased account of Wilson. Wilson has been lauded and excoriated by historians. Cooper avoids both and instead presents the matter critically.
Also recommended: The Warrior and the Priest (John Cooper's dual biography of Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt), Woodrow Wilson and the Politics of Progressivism (Arthur Link's important volume in the New American Nation Series), Woodrow Wilson: Revolution War and Peace, by Arthur Link. These are all important books about Wilson and the Progressive era.

Professor Cooper's book is an essential volume in the study of an exceedingly important historical event: the failure of the United States to join the League of Nations. Cooper is incredibly unbiased in his approach neither totally defending Wilson nor constantly excoriating him. Breaking the Heart of the World extends deeply into the League debate and is a masterful example of historical research. There are so many players and therefore numerous sources to analyze in addition to the prodigious volumes of Wilson's own papers. Cooper has synthesized these and provided his audience with a rare and exceptional analysis of the events leading to the failure to join in an international League of Nations, followed by Wilson's repudiation, and more than a decade of international isolation.

I work as a DJ at a country radio station and I produce and host a weekly classic country program. I needed a book that provided a good bit of general information about a wide variety of singers and groups without a lot of useless information and what not -- this book has exceeded my expectations! As an "encyclopedia," this isn't something that you read cover-to-cover, but anyone who has ever belted-out a note of country music can be found with just the right amount of information. If you are looking for a country music reference book, this is it!

After hearing about this book, I was anxious to find it. I am pleased to report that it is indeed "the real deal" and not only met but exceeded my expectations. Well organized and easy to read, this encyclopedia provides just enough information in each entry to fill your plate. It is not too sketchy, nor too long in any areas (but I would have liked to read a bit more about Hank Williams and George Jones!) As an encyclopedia, it is not something you "read" per se, but rather "explore"...over and over. The names of familiar artists jump off the page and every scan can lead you to learn either something more about someone you know, or perhaps introduce you to someone or something totally new. Numerous illustrations (and it could use a few more)break up the mountain of text; the pictures provide enough rest for your eyes before scouring the pages for more well-researched documentation. This compilation is just awesome; the years of research have paid off in my humble opinion. What makes the book so wonderful is its scope -- suitable for a newcomer and also detailed and informative enough for the country music veteran. I highly recommend you buy at least two. One to enjoy as often as you want to and the other to offer as a special gift. Whoever you give this book to will NOT have another like it on the shelf. My "gift volume" will be going to my Dad as a tribute and thank-you for being weaned on the music that is country. If you love country music or think you want to, add this book to your library. There is enough interesting history and data collected here to satisfy even the largest musical appetite for the better part of year. ENJOY !!!

This is a good beginning book on employee ownership that is written in a down-to-earth style that makes it easy to understand the technical financial and legal jargon. I highly recommend it !

This book is a wonderful step by step how-to book on employee ownership. The best part of it is that it is written in down-to-earth english that makes it very easy to understand the sometimes complex financial and legal jargon.I highly recommend it!

Ms Cooper has a great writing style which lends itself perfectly to the understanding of the uninitiated and untechnical layman of this topic. The unexpectedly fresh view into how to see the spaces in which we live made this book a special page-turner which can amuse and delight almost anybody. I highly recommend this book to those who onlt see the spaces we live and work in as shells and the unseen workings of the air-conditioning systems as only on or off.

Plato, Complete Works is a must for the bookshelf of anyone interested in philosophy. Cooper's and Hutchinson's edition contains all Plato's known works and even some that might not be his, but are associated with him in some way. The translations are generally well-written and their style more up-to-date and readable than some older translations. As reviewers said before, this book is necessary if you want to understand philosophy and its history.

Except for some of the shorter works, (Euthyphro, Apology, Symposium), Plato's works are not easy to read. Some works are so dense and difficult that you can't see the point of his argument (e.g., Parmenides). If you need some help interpreting Plato, a good introduction to his work is G.M. Grube's Plato's Thought. It provides clear exposition on a number of subjects, including the theory of ideas, the nature of the soul, education, and statecraft.

One needs to decide whether Plato's thought is vital today or just historically important. Those who treat Plato as important today fall into one of two groups. There are those who think he is the source of that evil called Western Civilization. Post-modernists see modern philosophy as a series of rhetorical tropes started by Plato. They hold him responsible for the metaphysical nonsense espoused in philosophy today about reality, objectivity, and knowledge. If you think Plato is total nonsense and think his characters Protagoras (man is the measure of things) and Thrasymachus (might makes right) are largely correct, you might want to compare his work to Derrida or Nietzsche.

Then there are the Hellenists. They think that Plato said it all and nothing (or not much) more needs to be said. You usually get Alfred North Whitehead's quote here about philosophy being a series of footnotes to Plato. If you are so enthralled, you might want to try Allen Bloom, Stanley Rosen, or Leo Strauss.

Personally, I think both readings are wrongheaded for the same reason. In the 19th and 20th centuries especially, philosophy has made conceptual advances on Plato. Frege's logic, Kuhn's history of science, Peirce's communitarian pragmatism, and Wittgenstein's later language theory step beyond Plato.

If Plato is important today, it is for what he started, not what he says. He began the philosophical fields that are still popular areas today, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics. And he invented the character of Socrates, through which he developed the notions of dialectic and definition. For these reasons alone, Plato's works should be read carefully and often. The fact that you get all of them here in one relatively inexpensive book (at least in terms of price per work) should be incentive enough to buy it.

In ancient times, Plato was regarded as one who writes most beautifully, and even in translation his mastery comes forward.

Reading this book, you are at the beginning of philosophy. There are beautiful dialogs concerning the most profound questions anyone can ask.

An advantage of this particular book is that for a reasonable price you can own Plato's complete works in modern scholarly translations. The volume is skillfully edited and there are handy notes.

Plato is one of the few philosophers who can be read for pleasure. His influence on Western thought is immense. As Whitehead says, subsequent Western philosophy is just footnotes to Plato.

Here are some of the works collected in this volume -

Apology - Socrates defense of his life

Phaedo - a defense of the immortality of the soul

Euthyrpo - a criticism of the Divine Command theory of ethics

Republic - the ideal commonwealth, what is justice, theory of ideas

Meno - the recollection theory of knowledge

Timaeus - Plato's story of the creation of the universe, his cosmology

I have not read every narration and account in this huge book yet but so far I am extremely happy with it. First, Plato's works are wonderful and somehow maintain a freshness even after reading through several in a row. The threads of logic woven through these works are a delight and I have found myself laughing aloud occasionally at the near sarcasm I feel I'm reading - Socrates often comes across as a quick-tongued smart-A**.

The translation is free-flowing and up-to-date. If you can read English, buy this book. If not, learn to and then buy this or have someone read it to you. It is that good and that important.

I recently stumbled across The Sleep of Stone in my local library and thought it looked interesting. My read of it turned out to be a predictable, but pleasant experience.

It is a very short novel about the origens of a local legend. The shortness makes it an enjoyable quick read and the legend, although influenced by various fairy tales, is fresh and captivating. The story is presented in a simple storytelling frame structure. An old man encounters a young couple in a local romantic grotto and ends up telling them the sadly romantic legend associated with it of a young couple from years before and of the creature whose consuming love of the young man tried to destroy them. It is a story sweetly told, but with a close eye to the deep emotions of the characters.

I found the actual tale of the Sleep of Stone to be the best part of the book. The frame story was cute, but it was distracting. It actually took me a few tries in starting the book because I couldn't get past that part. While the end part is good, the beginning part (which sets up the real story) is not very captivating.

The real strength of the book was the way as a reader I was able to empathize with the characters' emotions. The young love of the couple was evident, but most vivid were the feelings of the creature that tried to destroy that love. The creature's obsessive love of the young man completely consumed her. This burning desire pushes her to trick, murder, and unleash utter chaos at the young couple's wedding. The passion is so real, it is disturbing.

The book follows a typical plotline for a fairytale type story, but it still is a touching and enjoyable read. Pick it up for a short cozy evening and have fun.

The Sleep of Stone is marvelous. It's a simple story, but told with stunning beauty and depth. The atmosphere is dreamy and slightly surrealistic. This wonderful little treasure can be read on so many different levels-- The Sleep of Stone just goes to show that fantasy doesn't have to be of epic proportions to be excellent. This slim little volume touched me more than six or seven hundred pages of complex plots and myriad characters could have.

You have to read this book it was the best book ever to be written and one you simply just can't pass up. I rated it a ten only because there were no higher choices!!! There is just not enough words in the english dictionary to describe how wonderful a book this really was!!!