Elizabeth Zimmerman was not only a knitting teacher, but also a designer and artist. She wrote pretty well, too! She was quite a personality and when she passed away in 1999, she merited a long obit in the New York Times. Subsequently, a knitting craze hit the world. Is it a coincidence, or did she impart her spirit to all of us when she left after a long and fruitful life.

This book is utterly delightful. It is my favorite knitting book and if I could only have one, this would be my choice. I have knitted my way through most of the patterns and they are varied, interesting and good for designing your own things.

Included in the book is the percentage system, same as in Knitting without Tears, her classic for beginning knitters. This is applied to a beautiful Shetland sweater with a yoke fair-isle design. This classic design looks wonderful on children and adults. You can make it in any size.

There is also the wildly clever Moccasin sock, that can be re-soled. The construction is unlike any other kind of sock and shows the brilliant engineering mind of EZ.

There is a shawl (PI r squared) which is a varation of the PI shawl found in the Knitting Almanac. This has a straight front, like a stole, and rounds off in the back.

The Moebius scarf is also in this book (a ring with a twist that goes around your neck and drapes attractively.) These are just some of the knitting patterns; there is a lot more. Elizabeth knew how to pack a book with plenty of information and this is no exception.

There's not only knitting here, there are lovely color photographs of Elizabeth's watercolors (she was trained in Munich at a famous art school.) There is a gallery in the book of some of her wonderful designs in the most attractive colors. And best of all, an autobiographical "digression" that tells Elizabeth's story, funny, interesting and always unique.

If you don't own all of EZ's books (Knitting Without Tears, Knitting Almanac, Knitting Workshop and this one, Knitting Around) I think this is the best one to start with if you more or less know how to knit. It improved my knitting 1000 percent and I recommend this book to everyone who likes to knit.

It's not often that a knitter merits an obituary in the New York Times or NPR, but when Elizabeth died in November 1999, she received both tributes. She left knitters a huge legacy including four wonderful books. I own all four, and this is my favorite.

First, I really enjoy the autobiography woven through the book. From a childhood in England to marriage and children in the USA, it's a very interesting story. For the career minded, it's a wonderful tale of a cottage industry grown on talent, charm and hard work.

This book also includes several of my favorite "patterns". For those unfamiliar with EZ, a word of caution. The greatest of Elizabeth's accomplishments (IMHO), was her rebellion against blind following of patterns. Sure, you could make exact duplicates of her sweaters, but where's the fun in that? Elizabeth teaches (and writes patterns) in terms of concepts and thinking. The result -- patterns that can be adapted for different weights of yarn and different bodies. So, in this book are "instructions" for a beautiful Norwegian sweater; the classic shetland wool, fair isle neck sweater so popular in the 70's; the mocassin sock (easy to reknit when heels and toes wear out); the "Pi-R" shawl; and the great mobieus scarf (think the infinity circle).

If you have the chance, the video series that accompanies this book (for a series of PBS shows as I recall) is also a treat. Schoolhouse Press produces them (don't know if Amazon carries them).

Bottom line: Not a book for the novice knitter but a wonderful addition to the library of any person who can no longer remember how many times they've said "just let me finish this row."

This book is part autobiography-part knitting patterns. It is fun to read, and has ideas and patterns for knitting along the same lines as her other books. I would recommend buying Knitting W/O Tears first, as it teaches more techniques, but this book is great if you want to sit down with an 'old friend'.

Anne Frank Remembered's greatest strength is in it's interviews. From Otto Frank (a interview conducted in 1976) to Miep Gies this documentary really brings Anne Frank from a name, face and diary to an actual person. The video also shows some great history and background, and many more interviews; her cousin Bernd, people who knew both her and Otto in various concentration camps. And also her friend Hanneli Goslar (nicknamed Lies at school) and a brief meeting (the one and only I think) between Fritz Pfeffer's (Albert Dussel in the diary) son and Miep Gies. This video does feature the only know moving footage of Anne herself, I learned about that by reading the other reviews here. An excellent documentary, but it is best to have at least read her diary first, and also good to have a bit of general knowledge about everyone involved(helpers and resident's of the Secret Annex), and maybe what they looked like in the '40's because some of them are featured in this documentary.

Let me start out by saying that this is the best documentary I've ever seen. I now know why it won an Academy award. This movie shows you everything you'd ever need to know about Anne Frank. It tells the story the occupants of the annex from when they all met and from the day they died. Glen Close reads excerpts for the diary, and there are many interviews of people who knew Anne, her sister Margot, and her parents. I think the best part was the last part. It starts out by saying there was a wedding on the Merwiederplein (Anne's apartment building before she went into hiding). The person who is filming it first shows the wedding on the ground then the overlookers looking at the wedding from their windows. He scrolls up and there is Anne Frank, herself. It is a brief moment but it is breathtaking. This is the only moving footage of her that they know of. I would also recommend viewing this tape with the Anne Frank House CD-rom... I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I do!

Ever since I read The Diary of Anne Frank as a child I have always wanted to know about the girl behind the book, and Anne Frank Remembered is perfect for that purpose. Narrated by Kenneth Branagh, with selected readings from Anne's diary by Glenn Close, this video paints a haunting, heartbreaking portrait of one of Hitler's most famous victims through the personal reminiscences of her surviving friends as well as others who survived the Nazi death camps. There are excerpts from interviews with the late Otto Frank, Anne's father, as well as interviews with Miep Gies (the woman who supplied the Secret Annex as well as keeping it and its occupants hidden from the SS), Hanneli Goslar (Anne's friend), and Peter Pfeffer (son of dentist Fritz Pfeffer, who was also in the Secret Annex), among many others. They all paint a picture of a young girl who was just on the brink of womanhood when she died, and who had a lot of hope for the future. Anne was the typical obnoxious youngster, and yet when one listens to the words of Miep Gies and others who knew her well, their words combine with the images on the video to show that Anne was so much more than what she seemed to be on the surface--forced by circumstance to grow up before her time, but at the same time able to retain that youthful hope.

Watch the video by itself, or read The Diary of Anne Frank and then watch the video--Anne Frank Remembered will stick in your mind for a long time.

A wild fast paced comedy by Neil Simon, shows him to be in top form! One of the few movies one can watch and just never get sick of. I've seen this movie dozens of times, and still think it's Simon's second best( I love "Lost In Yonkers")! Unforgettable acting by Lemmon and Dennis as George and Gwen Kellerman, who plan on suing the entire city of New York. At one point in the film Lemmon scream in the streets..."I have all our names and adresses! " One mishap after another, first their plane can't land, then their luggage is missing, next, their hotel doen't hold their room! And believe it or not, but this all actually happened to Simon in real life on a trip to Boston. If you like Neil Simon, or like fast paced comedy this Simon movie is perfect for you. Oscar caliber acting by Lemmon and Dennis, who only managed to get "Golden Globe" nominations. And unrightly over look Simon for an Oscar nomination. One of Simon's funniest!

Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis are just brilliant as a Midwestern couple for whom everything (and I do mean everything) goes wrong on their brief trip to New York. What makes this film utterly hysterical are their reactions to the numerous misfortunes that befall them.
It doesn't matter how many times I watch it, (and swear I won't laugh), I can't help myself.

What appears to be the plot for a lengthy kids cartoon comes to live action with all the desired results and then some. Lemmon and Dennis, both of whom are Oscar-winners, are genuinely perfect in the leads of the All-American family trying to make it in a big city, with one disastrous mishap topping another, from missing trains to losing luggage to broken teeth and even to broken high heels. It's a wonder Lemmon's character kept from spewing off an endless barrage of foul dirty cussing, something typical of the trashy comedy we see in the movies today. Dennis's portrayal of the ever-so supportive wife is outstanding, as she just takes what comes despite her own misery just to keep her husband happy. Nearly everything one can imagine to make a business trip turn to a total nightmarish cataclysim happens here, and shows just what can happen in the Big Apple, but with a hilarious rather than serious approach to it. "Never give up" seems to be Neil Simon's message here when trying to make it in the business world. Nevertheless this film is brilliantly produced, directed, superbly scripted, and giftedly edited. The two leads are irreplaceable, and stands alone as one of the best comedies of life as we know it.

deida's stuff is pretty much just adi da's stuff with a slight twist. deida was a one-time devotee of da's organisation, adidam, and if you check through da's books (especially early ones like 'the enlightenment of the whole body', 'the garbage and the goddess', 'love of the two-armed form' and 'the dreaded gom-goo') you have more or less already seen the scope of deida's teaching. also it might help to know that da is considered to be a dangerous, misleading failure by the majority of spiritual teachers world-wide, as well as many noted ex-students, and as deida's work is such a close match to da's then maybe it is better left alone.

This book gives us so much to think about, but there is still something missing. After each chapter I closed my eyes and thought through the lessons and how I could apply them to my own relationships. It really is insightful

It is rather interesting to compare this work written in 1995 to David Deida's work which appeared in 2002. This earlier work is rather revealing. Not only does Deida open up and share some secrets about his own relationship, he shows tremendous and at times breathtaking insight in regards to the female psyche. If anyone understands women, it is David Deida!

What this book ultimately reveals is a growing awareness of how men and women have both a male and female essence. The arc of polarity between the two is what counts in the realm of sexual satisfaction. If you have more masculine energy then you will attract a more feminine partner.

"For magnetic energy to flow, you need a north pole and a south pole. For sexual energy to flow, you need two poles too." ~David Deida

"Intimate Communion" not only explains why our relationships go through periods of dissatisfaction, but it reveals why we also go through intense moments of sheer ecstasy.

What makes a woman invite a man deeper into her world? Could it be as easy as the man listening to her and being fully present, strong and passionate? What are the qualities of an ideal woman? Yes, beauty does seem to be first, but intelligence is fifth on the list. It seems men want beauty and sex and women want presence and intelligence. Makes sense. What is a woman's deepest desire? It seems we women know what we want, but at times need to know why we are not attracting what we desire most.

Once you realize what attracts you to your opposite, you can start to work on areas to increase desire in your relationship. To find out which sexual essence you possess, there is a sexual essence quiz. This book also emphasizes the three main stages of Intimacy. Intimate Communion is the goal. This place where you are spontaneously loving or at least open as the sky. Where you see arguments as a place for self-improvement and welcome anger, extreme lust, the feminine sea of emotions and masculine possession.

Do women really want to be selfishly possessed? Or is it that the man realizes that when we say we want to be alone, we actually want the man to stay?

I still think there is time to just be by yourself or literally withdraw a bit from your partner and David seems to promote an absolute openness that might be exhausting for some individuals who enjoy their quiet space or a pout now and then. I see room for a woman being allowed to retreat, renew herself and then open again when she is ready. If a man is not sensitive to a woman's needs, then she should not be expected to remain so open that she continues to be wounded. I think when a woman is finally ready to return to the relationship, the most important thing a man can do is listen. I think we all just want to be understood.

David Deida seems mostly interested in helping his readers find their deepest gifts and literally become a magnet for their partner to be attracted to. The process to get to this point does contain risks.

After reading this book you will know:

Why men hate women giving them directions.
Why surrender can be erotic.
Why men have trouble committing to a relationship even when they are "in love."
Why the essential form of the feminine bad mood is the hurt of being unloved and the anger that results from feeling abandoned or rejected.
Why you can attract the wrong partner if you are giving off the wrong energy.
Why is confidence, vision and guidance so sexy?

What is amazing is how aware you become of everything around you. After reading this book, even songs on the radio will have a completely new twist.You start realizing that what men are singing about is at times directly related to the top 6 things men want in a woman and what women are singing about is the top 6 things women want in a man. There are also men who sing what women want to hear and seem to have that deeper awareness of what women really want.

While I normally like to read all David Deida's books while I'm snuggled up in my comfy bed, this might be a book you want to read twice. Once just to read the book and then once to study and make notes!

The more books you read by this author, the better your relationship becomes. Even if only one partner is reading the books, it can make a big difference in your relationship.

It is as if these principles seep into your very soul. Suddenly you realize all the things you could be doing to encourage a more fulfilling relationships and all the things you are doing that are destroying what you want the most.

I can also highly recommend:

The Way of the Superior Man
Dear Lover: A Woman's Guide to Enjoying Love's Deepest Bliss
Living Sacred Intimacy
Naked Buddhism
Finding God through Sex

David Deida's books are for men and women who are turned on by spiritual ecstasy and want to break free from sexual neutrality. Reading any book by David Deida is a comforting embrace for the heart, a slow dance with your soul and enlightenment for the mind.

Drs Maki, Kiano, and Berthold have done a tremendous service to U.S. historians and future generations of Americans with their well-documented account of the redress movement for Americans of Japanese ancestry who were incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II. Besides offering a theoretical policy model to explain the successful passage of the redress initiative, the authors provide a dramatic retelling of how thousands of American citizens, groups, and ultimately, U.S. congressmen from different racial and political backgrounds joined together in their attempt to acknowledge one of the most terrible miscarriages of justice in U.S. history. Especially, the passages describing the former internee testimonies and final fight for the bill in the Congress is the stuff of high drama and speaks to the nobility and courage of our country's citizens and leaders. An exceptional book, which I hope, will finally refute any real objections to the redress bill and make clear in some increasingly isolated critics' minds, the distinction between the the WWII Japanese Military -- and loyal Americans of Japanese ancestry who fought hard for the survival and principals of this country.

This is a great book detailing how the case for redress was formed. It contains great info for those studying the great tragedy that hit the Japanese American community during WWII --their internment in American Concentration Camps. And it serves as a reminder for us all that we need to live in harmony in order for our great country the United States to continue to succeed both socially and economically in the future.

This is "the" book on the behind the scenes action of how redress was finally achieved for all Japanese Americans, who were illegally incarcerated in concentration camps for crimes they did not commit. The fact that these camps were unconstitional has been proven countless times (refer: President Reagan's apology in 1988). The credibility of the book is proven by the academic careers of the university professors who wrote this tell-tale book (as opposed to the national enquirer level writing of the person who wrote the book mentioned in the below review) and its use as a textbook in the finest universities in America (Harvard, UCLA, UCBerkeley, to name a few). A must reading for those with an interest in ethnic studies and American history/policy.

When I first received this book, I thought that it would be one of those tedious books that you have to write reviews on while in school. While reading the first chapter, I confirmed that thought for myself, and left the book for a week or so. The first chapter, to me, was this quite confusing chapter which had no real beginning or end, and no real meaning. When I finally had to read the book to start writing my review, I struggled through the first chapter again. And then I came to the second. What a breath of fresh air it was, and from then onwards, the book flowed as the rivers and streams that it describes.

The story is one that is very true to the world today - it talks about a culture that is slowly being lost to technology. It is a very touching story, about love, loss, friendship, trust....in fact it is about every conceivable human emotion. It is told in a beautiful way, that iss incredibly realistic, and transports you to its setting. The myths and stories that are described are very insightful of the tribal culture. The stories were believed whole-heartedly, even though they may seem childish and unbelievable. But it is that childish innocence that allowed these tribes to thrive and live in a peaceful way. The dimension that the vicar from the outside world brings is interesting in the sense that although he symbolises the technology that is overshadowing the tribal culture, he is the one who is trying his best to maintain it. It shows how a simple life can silence the want for a more luxurious one.

All in all, this book is extremely good, and I recommend it as a very interesting read. The author has managed to show a culture that is dying out, without distorting it or adding overly-fictitious elements. Simply beautiful.

Hi, everybody. Out of the twenty four books from the school's summer reading list that I have read during the holiday, I chose I Heard the Owl Call My Name, written by Margaret Craven, for my oral report. The book, which can be found under the Canadian Nature section, was Craven's first work and was first published in 1967. With stunning narrative, the plot revolves around a young dying vicar, Mark Brian, who went to an Indian village called Kingcome in the Pacific Northwest completing his last mission (though he did not know he only had three years to live). He had to overcome many great difficulties in order to help and convert these proud, Kwakiutl native people, for the old ones were unreligious while the young ones had little respects toward the old people and the old way of life. His first problem was trying to be accepted into this struggling primitive community, which was starting to be swallowed into white man's world. Then he had to help preserve the old culture of totems and salmons from being replaced by a new culture of alcoholism and residential schools. In the end he did succeed in earning respect and trust, maybe even love, of the people, but, most of all, he learnt a most valuable lesson - the acceptence of death, life and submission, as quoted by the author:

Often in the avalanche of letters I received after I Heard the Owl Call My Name was published, people asked me what disease killed Mark Brian. I don't know. What matters is that he learned more of love and life in his three years with the Indians than most men learn in a long lifetime, and that it was he who thanked them. - from Again Calls the Owl, Craven's autobiography

Margaret Craven, the author, actually went to an Indian village to do her research and learn the culture, the tales as well as the language. Some of the characters and events in the story are based on people she met at the village, and that makes her work much more realistic and believable. Some of the themes discussed in this book are cycles or changes of life, vanishing way of life of the natives, and, most of all, acceptence of death. The only main character is the vicar himself and the conflict of the novel of his being accepted.

The book is fairly simple and straight forward, but the author describes the setting with vivid imagery, which makes me really understand and learn a lot about the Kwakiutl culture and customs, for example, in one of the chapters, she talks about the cannibal dance. The mood remains quite consistent throughout the whole book. It is not really the sadness that urges me to read on - it is the calmness and the selflessness of the native people that are so enchanting, and the closeness with nature as well. I have to agree that the beginning of the book was quite dull to begin with, and the climax did not come until the second last chapter. However, if I really read the book carefully, I can also see that every few chapters is a short, descriptive story by itself, for example, there is one about a few Indian kids going to residential school in Vancouver, and how the elders disapprove the idea. There is also another one which tells about druken Indians being cheated by a white man.

The vocabulary is fairly simple, and the novel can easily be understood by grade nines, but the meaning, or the lessons of this memorable novel really takes someone much older and much more mature to understand and appreciate. Therefore, I would only recommand this book to those of you who enjoy books about nature. All in all, this is a marvelously compelling work of Canadian literature. To conclude my presentation, I am going to read you a short quote that will give you some idea about the author's style:

Under a green spruce Marta stood by herself, her eyes on the young vicar. How thin and white he was! How long had it been there - that look on his face she had seen many times in her long life and knew well? It was not the hard winter that had placed it there. It was death gently reaching out his hand, touching the face gently, even before the owl had called the name.

Thank you!

Normally I don't like books about people who invade other people's lives and cultures and proceed to preach christianity to them. However when I read this book I found myself sympathising with the dying priest and admiring his relationship with the Alaskan Indians.

I was surprised at how easily Margaret Craven made it all so believeable. Kingcome became real and the slowly disintegrating tribe of the Kwakiutl Indians touched my heart as I thought of the many indiginous tribes of people all over the world forced to integrate in a world that is not their own. Margaret Craven showed how humanity's progress and ignorance can be the footsteps of doom to others. Even the "Christian" theme did not offend, in fact it softened my usually hard heart toward people who interfere in others lives.

This is a wonderful book and it is one I will always treasure.

I might also point out that the video with Tom Courtney playing the part of the doomed Priest is not bad either, though like most films it does not alway follow the plot of the book but then you can't have everything in life, can you ?