As a new mom, trying to sort out my childcare options before returning to work, I was terrified. None of the books that I had read were very helpful. Then, my sister gave me this book at my shower and it was a godsend. I felt like the author was my big sister who had gone through the process of finding suitable childcare and knew that is was hard and emotional -- so she wanted to help me out. The resources in the back of the book were so comprehensive that I didn't have to search anywhere other than right in this book! If I seem thrilled with this book, it's because I am. The Unofficial Guide to Childcare is just the sort of no-nonsense guide that mothers need.

There is not a whole lot of helpful information out there when evaluating childcare choices. I found this book to be a wonderful source of information about all daycare options. It really tells the pros and cons and was very comprehensive. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for childcare!

The Unofficial Guide to Childcare is unquestionably the most comprehensive guide to childcare on the market today. Whether your situation is best served by an out-of-home daycare provider, an in-home care provider, or care given by a friend or relative, this book provides the family with solutions and advice that really work--for everybody involved. You'll discover time- and money-saving tips offered by a dynamic mother of four who's tried it all and who dispenses her wisdom in a clear, concise, easy-to-follow format-thoughfully composed to make this aspect of your life easier to manage.

And if you know of someone who's expecting, remember that this book is the perfect shower gift for a mom who will be returning to work after her baby is born. She'll feel confident in her childcare decision when armed with Ann Douglas and The Unofficial Guide to Childcare.

This book is great for the average 5 to 7 year old. The problem I had is I bought it for my nine year old, and it was too babyish for him. I was desperate to find a book that explained childbirth and the emotional changes of becoming a big sibling for an older child, but never did find one. My son did read this several times, but he enjoyed Baby Science by Ann Douglas better. This book very explainatory, so if you do not want your child knowing about pregnancy I wouldn't get this one.

What a beautiful book about pregnancy! The illustrations are absolutely delightful, and add to the warm, soothing yet factual tone that Ann brings to the writing. Just like with "Baby Science", Ann shows a unique ability to write the information in an intelligent manner that respects the child, while not being too medical. This would make a wonderful gift for a new baby, who is sure to enjoy having this book read to him or her over and over again. I can see this will be one of those books that become a family favourite, right up there with "I'll love you forever" and "The runaway bunny". I like to have a few extra copies on hand to give away.

Children have a lot of questions about what life is like before birth and this book has the answers. Your child will discover what babies spend their time doing (taking catnaps), what they can see (on bright, sunny days, they can see a reddish glow inside the womb), and what they can hear (the sounds an unborn baby hears inside his mother's body are a lot like the sounds a dishwasher makes.) There are all kinds of great science activities for kids to try, like covering their hands in zinc oxide cream to experience what it was like to be covered in vernix before birth. This book makes the ideal companion to Ann Douglas' other excellent book, Baby Science: How Babies Really Work. A fun read for both parents and kids. Highly recommended.

When I started to read this book the only thing I knew about slavery was that it was appalling to the society, but towards the middle of this book I began to realize the hardships that the slaves had to go through back then. I couldn't imagine if I was split apart from my family in a slave trade. Harriet Beecher Stowe helps everyone reading this book understand what life would be like if we were slaves. During the time that I was reading this novel I couldn't believe all the hardships that Tom had to go through, going from master to master and having to leave all of his friends. Stowe does a superb job describing the charters and their personalities in this book. At the end of this read it helped me think of what life was like then, and to be glad that we live in the time period that we do. In conclusion, if you want a book that makes a difference in peoples' lives then Uncle Tom's Cabin is the right book for you.

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a powerful antislavery novel written in the late 1800's. The novel helps the reader understand what it was like being a typical slave in the pre-Civil War south. Slaves were treated like they were less than human; had cruel "masters;" and were often beaten and whipped, sometimes to death, for the slightest mistake. They had absolutely no rights, and many slaves wished that they were dead, rather than be the "property" of a cruel monster who called himself better than them. It also conveys how unconstitutional the slave system was, since the Constitution clearly states that "All men are created equal." Family members were often split up and never saw each other again. The main character in Uncle Tom's Cabin, a slave named Tom, is separated from his family and friends but he is able to somehow maintain his religious faith even after witnessing and experiencing the brutalities of slavery. The novel had a huge impact on many people's lives when it was first published, and it stills does today. I believe the book is well-written and has great character descriptions. It is very thought-provoking and I enjoyed reading it.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly was a profound fictional, yet real account of slavery in the deep South. I thought I knew the horrors of slavery, but I was sorely mistaken in that regard. After reading Uncle Tom's Cabin, I felt I had a new knowledge of the Pre-Civil War South.
Not only was the story both uplifting and heart-wrenching all at once, it was extremely well-written. I thought I would have an immensely hard time reading and comprehending this nineteenth-century best-seller. Much to my surprise, however, I got into the writing without much difficulty. Because of this, I was able to fully understand (without totally believing) what pains were inflicted upon those of African American blood in the days of slavery.
Stowe's characters are almost implausibly good or evil. This extremity helps to make her point more clear to the reader, and helps them to relate to Tom, Eliza, Harry, George, and all the others all the more. I also thought interesting the way that Stowe speaks to the reader directly, asking them what they would do in such a situation. The fact that the author would express her passions in such a time of national turmoil makes me respet her tremendously. It is one thing for one to write a book on the tragedy of slavery today, when all is said and done, but quite another for one to tell such a tale when friends are fighting friends, families even dividing over the very same issue.
Uncle Tom's Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly is a novel that is most definitely not novel. I would highly reccomend it to anyone with the capacity to feel for the poor people, who, had their lives not been chronicled, may still be enslaved and part of such a terrible system. I don't think anyone's collection of knowledge of slavery or that era in general would be complete without knowing of the triumph of Eliza, George, and Harry and the story of Tom's physical defeat, and spiritual prevail.

From one of the guys at the FBI Behavioral Science Unit comes the results of a massive study the FBI did on sexual offenders. It does offer a lot of research data which can always be dry, but it also offers myriad of examples to personalize the data and make it more informative for everyone. I found it very enlightening since there are very few studies that have been able to do this kind of comparative research on a problem that is so prevalent.

This book is a well-organized collection of information. I have no background in law enforcement, criminal justice or even psychology. Yet, I understood it well. Anyone interested in taking the time to understand in some depth how these criminals think and act would learn a great deal. It really illustrates the development of criminal profiling techniques. The book is broken into sections, each of which is broken into chapters. It is written by a group of people, including: Robert Ressler (FBI), John Douglas (FBI), Anne Burgess (nurse/researcher), a medical examiner.

As a crime writer (First Kill, The Girl By The Lake), I collect hundreds of books on crime. This one ranks amongts the best in my collection. Although a little dated (1988), it's a classic and provides a very solid foundation into profiling and deviant sexual behaviour and murder. There is a incredibly useful chapter (if you're a crime writer or a detective)that takes you right into the mind of a crime-scene analyst and what steps are covered to figure out who the pedetrator is. A must for any student of abnormal psychology, people involved with violent crimes and crime writers alike. Highly commended.

I bought this book based on the reviews here, but I was fairly disappointed. The pictures and the layout leave much to be desired, and the text is not bad, but not great either. I could not hold my two-year-old's attention with this one, although he will sit still for most books. Frankly, I had purchased this book partially because of the photographs, but I think I would rather just show my son "A Child is Born" or "Your Amazing Newborn" and explain the text to him. There just wasn't as much information here as I had hoped for. This is certainly not a bad book, especially for slightly older children, but it is not a great book either.

My nine year old son liked this book very much, even though this is geared for a slightly younger set. He did some of the experiments and read this numerous times (by choice). The short articles, fun facts and cute illustrations hold kid's attention well. It explains baby's behavior well and give them some idea of what to expect.

This is the book that I purchase for little people who are soon to become big brothers and sisters. They often get left out of the excitement, and this book is perfect for them... and their parents too! It is clear, with beautiful illustrations and just the right blend of factual information and kid-friendly language. It explains the important biological processes without insulting children's intelligence, as some children's books tend to do. Great representation of various racial groups also, and delightful illustrations. Don't miss this one!

very good book !! i like books that have food in them like freddy and flossy flutterby!! I like how betta place is with peace and junkfood junktion is with bad kids!! i'm glad freddy used his loving heart to find his way back to betta place!! outstanding superb aewsome great good book !! every word fits it!! when i put in 4 stars, i meant four and a half!! better price than any other bookstore in newport news!! best book in the world!!

Freddy & Flossy Flutterby is a masterpiece!! The illustrations are very bright and colorful, which is wonderful for children. The story is very warming and heartfelt. The kindergarten class that I read the story to loved it. They looked through pictures over and over again. This is definitely a book that should be in every child's home and every teacher's classroom.

The Mother of All Baby Books is well-named, because the scope of the topics covered in this book on your baby's first year is huge. Ann Douglas provides extensive information on breastfeeding, introducing solid foods to your baby, baby's first teeth, handling problems with diapers, and so much more! She never talks down to you, like some other authors do, and instead, speaks clearly about common issues and problems that many moms face in Baby's first year of life. Every new mom needs this book.

I am frequently asked to review parenting and pediatric health books as part of my job as a parent educator. This is one of the best baby books that has crossed my desk in years. It provides an incredibly comprehensive -- and honest -- look at the first year of parenthood from both the parent and child's perspective. I was particularly impressed by the section on planning your "babymoon" (the first week or two of parenthood). This is material that every new parent should have. And the section on not overshopping for baby is equally invaluable. Other highlights of the book include the head-to-toe "tour" of a newborn baby (the material on birthmarks and other newborn features is more comprehensive than anything I've ever seen in a book targeted at consumers rather than health care providers); the no-holds-barred description of what your postpartum body will really feel like (again, the author provides an unprecedented amount of detail); the chapter on breastfeeding (a massive chapter that addresses all of the most common concerns about breastfeeding and a useful explanation of "the science of lactation"); the chapter on common illnesses which includes a very useful section on when to call the doctor); and the highly detailed infant development chart (the chart provides a useful overview of the key social, emotional, cognitive, and communicative milestones you can expect your baby to achieve during that all-important first year -- and guidelines on what to look for if you're worried that your baby may be experiencing a delay in one area). The book is medically accurate and yet still highly readable -- a rare combination in parenting and pediatric health book circles. It's definitely a 5+ star book.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the prequel to this book, The Mother of All Pregnancy Books, so we have been eagerly awaiting the publication of The Mother of All Baby Books. We finally got our hands on a copy last week and are really impressed with the new book. It's written in the same friendly tone as The Mother of All Pregnancy Books and, like the earlier book, is jam-packed with information on almost every baby topic imaginable: planning a "babymoon," shopping for baby, how you're likely to feel when you first lay eyes on your newborn, what the postpartum period is likely to be like for both parents, coping with crying/colic, coping with sleep deprivation, the top ten reasons why the early weeks of parenthood are such a challenge, how having a baby may change your relationship with your partner, how to avoid the most common breastfeeding problems, starting your baby on solids, dealing with common health concerns/problems like rashes/fevers/bumps/bruises/illnesses, the facts on immunization/circumcision, and much more. The book is full of stories from parents with young children and their stories really help to bring the book to life. The directory of organizations and the Internet directory are also very helpful. All in all an excellent book.

Studs Lonigan was written in realistic style, simillar to that of Theodore Dreiseer. Yet where Dreisser wrote stylishly, Farrells's prose seems simplistic and crude and his dialogue filled with cliches. The Suds Lonigan story would fit in well with Dos Passo's USA trilogy.

From a social prespective is where Studs Lonigan gets its fame. Its indictment of working class Irish immigrants and the Catholic church must have been, at the time, very controversial. One can draw parralels of the life of Studs Lonigan and his ultimate fate to black youths in today's inner cities.

The first book starts with the graduation of Studs from middle school. During the summer after his graduation the two most important acheivements in Studs'life occur- (1) he defeats a local tough in a fist fight and (2) he kisses the girl he idolizes. For the rest of his life Studs, tries to replicate those two events.

In Book 2 Studs effectively seals his fate by boozing and carousing, to the detriment of both his psyche and his health. By the end of Book 2, Studs' future prospects have all but been eliminated and his reputation in his own mind as a tough guy is ruined when he is beaten up at a party by the very youth that Studs had beaten up as a youngster. His attempts at finding a good woman are crude and ineffective.

By Book 3 Studs is demoralized and physically ill. His tough guy image is further depleted when his younger brother beats Studs up. Also in Book 3, the Depression has all but ruined Stud's chance to reach any kind of financial security. Even though Studs finds a nice girl who he plans to wed, he is too far gone in both spirit and body to recover.

The "Studs Lonigan" trilogy, James T. Farrell's forgotten masterwork, deserves a new generation of readers desiring assurance that ours is not the first generation to experience the hopelessness of youth without direction and life without purpose. The three self-standing novels follow the youth, adolescence, and manhood of a Chicago Irish-Catholic named William "Studs" Lonigan. What shocked readers when the novels were first published in the early 1930s--a brutal street life characterized by cigarettes and alcohol, senseless violence and casual sex--strikes the reader today for the directness and honesty with which Farrell treats the lives of lower-middle-class youth caught up in the whirlwind of social and economic transformations that followed the First World War.

Despite his self-destruction, Studs remains a sympathetic character. Unlike some of his friends, he does, at least occasionally, have a clue as to what is bringing him to his "Judgment Day" (the title of the last novel). Even so, conquering the limitations of his upbringing, which are only compounded by the miseries of the Depression, remains an overwhelming challenge.

Farrell's Chicago is as important a character as Studs. The city is a living organism that grows, changes, shows its beauties (in some of the author's most lyrical moments), threatens, and, ultimately, continues to exist oblivious of its inhabitants.

Perhaps Farrell overdoes the slang, and occasionally a scene is all too predictable. But not always, especially as Studs comes to adulthood and is increasingly torn by conflicting temptations and an ingrained desire for respectability.

Together with John Dos Passos, his better- remembered contemporary, James Farrell has captured a memorable segment of American life with techniques that include variations on Dos Passos' newreels. Unlike the author of "U.S.A.", however, Farrell leaves us with a memorable character who demands our attention just as forcibly as when he was a cake-eater walking Chicago's Fifty-eighth Street.

Not since Dreiser's, "An American Tragedy", have I read a book that described the spiritual depravity of teen age youth and the ignorance that accompanies it. Farrell's masterpiece made the top 100 for this century at #29 and certainly deserves its place there.

The book is actually three shorter books combined into one massive saga about a young man named Bill "Studs" Lonigan. Studs is a Catholic, Irish-American who lives in the rough and tumble neighborhood of Chicago during the early portion of this century. The story starts off with Studs being 15 and thinking he knows everything and willing to prove it with his fists. Dropping out of high school to hang around a pool room, he and his friends primarily engage in fights, drinking and picking up women.

Studs is the leader of the gang is always feels the need to prove himself by fighting and out drinking his friends. Despite hearing lectures from his priest about the dangers of drink and sex, he continues to engage in these activities. However, time takes it toll on Studs's health. By 1930 the Depression and his failing health (from his activities in his 20's) force him to realize that he isn't the man who used to be.

Farrell depicts the turbulent times perfectly. The reader is draw into the descriptions and accounts of Chicago at the end of the first World War, the socialist movement, the rise in popularity of Sinclair Lewis, and many other events. The roaring 20's are also written about and the reader is taken through gambling halls, speakeasies, and whore houses. Farrell paints a very bleak picture of the Depression as well.

While there doesn't seem to be many answers in the book, it does depict that ignorance and a lack of spirituality wreaks havoc upon lives. While it is one thing to have religious rules and regulations, it is another to live them. The reader can be intimidated by the page count on the book, but it is well worth reading. It easily made my list for one of the 10 best books I've read in my lifetime.

I cannot believe that John Douglas was head of the FBI's BSU until I remember that those FBI folks have absolutely no experience or knowledge of homicide or criminal investigation. The sections on crime scene staging appear to have been written by children. Try throwing in a corrupt exchange between organized crime and a district judge that involves a convenient murder in exchange for the judge's "insider" tips. The FBI has jurisdiction over judicial corruption. However, to create a mole the crime scene staging must be successful. Bet they would blow it! Probably, a rank amature could solve the case though.

I am studying forensic psychology and this book has been insightful and helpful. I have read everything john douglas has written and this is just perfect, precise, and organized in every way. Bravo!

I think this book is such a wonderful resource. As someone who is in school studying to work in Forensics this was a great book to read. It was not too technical and I would recommend this to anyone in law enforment, anyone who wants to some day work in law enforcement or anyone interested in learning from the masters.

I bought this book strictly for the chapter on college savings advice. Admittedly, I have only read one chapter, but found the information pretty general and presented in a way that often left my questions unanswered.

Even worse, the authors don't have all their facts right. For example, they say that the earnings on college 529 plans are subject to taxation once you start withdrawing from the account. I did a little more research--this is just plain wrong. Until the year 2010, all gains are, in fact, completely sheltered. This is a pretty serious error for a personal finance book to make, especially when your children's education is at stake.

I wish I could comment about the rest of the book, but I don't trust it.

Family Finance was published in 2001. The provisions of The Tax Relief Act of 2001 did not become effective until 2002. Starting in 2002, qualified tuition programs were made federal tax-free through 2010. The book has a lot of excellent advice that is not affected by changes in tax law. The book is meant to be a guide.

It is important to note when books were published. There are still many excellent financial books sold that predate changes in tax law. Internet users should also be aware of articles they read on many web sites. Many have been written years ago and never updated. Beware of those that have no date at all.

Elizabeth Lewin, Co-author of Family Finance

Unlike most personal finance books, this book is written for families with young children. It doesn't assume you have thousands of dollars to set aside each year for your retirement and that your biggest problem is where to put your six-figure nest egg of savings. Instead, it offers lots of practical tips and advice on all the topics that are likely to be of concern to parents: how to decide between the various college education savings programs that are available these days, where you should (and shouldn't) cut corners when you're shopping for baby gear, what kind of kid-friendly features to look for when you're shopping for a new home, and so on. The book contains quotes from numerous parents, including some who've encountered some serious financial difficulties along the way.

This book has already paid for itself many times over in terms of the money I've been able to save as a result of reading it.