This book is truly a comprehensive collection of recipes. I work as a home economist, and this book contains most of the recipes that the public requests. It sits on my desk with my "easy-to-reach" references. As is typical of Southern Living cookbooks, recipes are presented in an easy-to-read, organized format that makes cooking a pleasure, even for the novice. I give this cookbook as a gift for weddings, graduations, and housewarmings. One of the best I've ever run across in my work. I have my own copy as well.

I have several Southern Living cookbooks including several years of the annual editions and the 20th anniversary edition. This is by far my favorite. The recipes are grouped by category rather than month as in the annual editions which I hate, it makes it hard to browse for a dinner recipe. One of the best things about this book is it has recipes for everyone from the beginner to the advanced chef. I can't name the number of times I have used the reference sections also. The substitution list is the best and I love the introductions and tips listed all over the book. Where the annual editions are really geared towards an experienced chef this book has so many basic tips that I would strongly recommend it for a beginning chef as well.

This is a no fail cookbook. It's the book I turn to when it "HAS" to be right. I have never been disappointed with the results of a recipe. Bon appetit!

This book is designed to educate and easily provide specific facts and information to the health professional and lay person who is interested in breastfeeding and finding their way through the process. The Breastfeeding Answer Book really answers all the questions and directs you to the appropriate resources for back up and more information. This is a permanent fixture in my library. The pages are already dog eared.

La Leche League can sometimes have a reputation of harboring zealots, and "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" doesn't do much to dispel that reputation. This book, OTOH, is great: accurate, and very approachable. Most breastfeeding mothers won't need this book, and it is quite pricy, but if you work with mothers and babies in any capacity, it's a great book to have. (most mothers could use "So That's What they're For! Breastfeeding Basics" or "The Nursing Mother's Companion", or "The Womanly Art...") Information in this book is very straight-forward, easy to understand, very thorough and very easy to find. I like that. Most pediatricians and family practitioners could benefit from consulting this book on growth, milk supply, the hazards of giving a "relief bottle", and general ability to communicate with mothers.

This book has so much information, yet it's not overwhelming nor is it written in a way that a typical mom couldn't read it and understand it. My copy has been well-used! And since my dream is of becoming a Lactation Consultant, you can bet that it'll be used much more in the future.

Every medical professional involved with childbirth and babies would have a copy of this book in order to help expectant and new mothers with questions. There is too much misinformation and too many wrong answers to our needs. It's because of those wrong answers that so many moms give up on breastfeeding and fall into the "I couldn't do it" trap. That's totally unfair to them and to their babies.

And to expectant parents, yes, it's an expensive book but if you are going to be a nursing family, I would highly recommend this book to you. This book is DEFINITELY the answer book!

Finally . . . a practical and fun way to deal with change. Change can cause stress - and stress kills. We can't escape it . . . but, as Mignon McLaughlin said, "What you cannot get out of, get into wholeheartedly." That really captures it for me. This book is a tremendous resource "how to do it" - handle change better. If the whole "cheese" phenomenon raised your awareness of what a mess you are when it comes to handling change, this is your book.

With relentless and sudden "change" now being a way of life, this book is for everyone...for what we confront both in our jobs and in our lives outside of work (for those who have life outside of work). I'm not keen on cute stories as a way to learn, especially in the work world, but this "cute story" hits the mark. Not only are the characters engaging and an entertaining means of learning how to be change-resilient,but the author periodically includes good assessments and tools/processes for learning how to be change resiient (including an interesting three dimensional puzzle to pull it all together!). And, for those of us who don't want to be caught reading a story about two squirrels, a bear and two humans (all playing important roles in the learning process) the author conveniently revisits and consolidates all the change tools in the final third of the book. An easy but very productive read that I accomplished while flying from the East coast to the Midwest.

At first glance, this book seemed almost too simple to take seriously - - but then I began using its concepts and they were so effective that I decided to read the book again. The message in this book is profound, and I believe that Dr. Smith's concepts for handling change are the most effective concepts I've ever used. If you're struggling with how to truly handle change -- try the concepts in this book! They really do work.

For some odd reason, children's books based on the Bible often bring out the worst in illustrators. I've seen more bad drawing, syrupy expressions and cloying colors in illustrated Bible stories than in any other kind of children's book. That's why this book is literally a God send. The lovely King James text might normally be a little over the heads of the 4 to 8 year olds this book is aimed at, but Julie Vivas' illustrations bring it to life and make it something any child will want to hear again and again and again. I've read it for years to both of my children, as well as in classrooms, and it is always a huge hit. From angels with rainbow colored wings and army boots (a few of them riding the shepherds' sheep) to the crowds in Bethlehem literally dripping from the trees, this book is a delight. It's hilarious, but also very moving. One of my favorite pictures in the book is of the enormously pregnant Mary gazing at her belly in delight. And my six-year-old daughter adores the wide-eyed baby Jesus. If you only buy one Christmas picture book, this is the one to get.

This is my all time favorite nativity book. I have purchased additional copies for each of my three children and at least one classroom. Julie Vivas's illustrations are wonderfully fanciful and humorous. I love having a view of Mary being hoisted up onto the donkey and later, the naked baby Jesus. The story is a KJV and formal, which is in beautiful contrast to the illustrations. I highly recommend this book!

Julie Vivas has created a version of King James' story of the Nativity that includes a holy family that fits today's concept of family-- there are scenes where an astonished Mary converses over coffee with the Angel of the Lord, and where Joseph snuggles a wiggling Christ Child following the birth. This illustrator has shown a thoughtful consideration of a timeless and special moment in Christian tradition/doctrine. I love this book and bought it, even though I don't have children (yet) because I love the way Vivas includes everyone in this story.

I love this book! My family is planning a second visit to Sanibel this summer, and we have gotten so much helpful information from this guide. The information and reviews are quite thorough...the pictures are awesome! We can't wait to go back to the Islands and try out some new sights, restaurants, and much more...Thank you, Neal Family!

This is a GREAT book! It's a real help not just to the visitors, but to the residents (like myself). I actually discovered a couple of trails on Sanibel that I hadn't heard of. The photos are great, I really enjoyed the poems by local writers, and the shopping & resource list was helpful as a resident. The reviews of the restaurants were on the mark. The book is a true flavor of Sanibel & Captiva without the PR that comes with each place marketing itself. It's so refreshing to have this kind of guide.

This is by far the best book for anyone who wants to or has visited Sanibel and Captiva. I've been going to the islands for years and thought I knew a lot but after reading this book I can't wait to go back again for all the great things I've been missing. The most amazing thing about this book is the pictures and identifiers for all the wildlife and shells you can find on the islands. This is the most complete book and the only one you'll ever need to enjoy Sanibel and Captiva to the fullest.

I am an 11th grade history student who is very intellectual but has one problem- I cannot read nonfiction. However, when I read this book by Woodward for a class assignment, I found the book so readable that I was enthralled and even enjoyed reading through the engrossing decision-making and conversations. What's more, a reader feels like they get the real facts from the book and see the real reasons that decision makers act in certain ways; it is hardly a random action- these men take their jobs seriously and do it well. Cynicism I may have felt towards government has become more controlled and more muted after reading this book. I recommend it.

I found this book well worth the read. I quite honestly had forgotten many of the events surrounding the invasion of Panama and the Gulf War. This book brought it all back into perspective. Woodward's research and ability to tell the whole story gives you a "fly on the wall" status. He tries not to make any judgements either on the events themselves or the players involved. Woodward succeeds in laying it all out there for you.

I will admit Woodward does seem to have a bias toward Powell, but not enough so that you think he is forcing him on you. He doesn't paint an overly rosy picture of Bush, often leaving you wondering about Bush's decision-making skills or intentions. This may only be because he was not able to personally use Bush as a source.

I am a big fair of Woodward, so much so that I would even consider reading his shopping list. Overall this book gives the reader some very interesting stories about the military preparation and political decision making that led up to the Attack on Panama and the Gulf War. The book also gives you the details of the inner workings of the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I do not think there is a current writer / investigative reporter that has the ability to get the inside information Woodward always does, at time I wonder if he does not pay people to take tape recorders with them to meetings. He provides so much detail and very useful explanations of the process that you really feel that you are there. He always puts together a great book and he has done it here again. I also have the book by the 1st Bush "A World Transformed", and in the book he states that for the most part everything in this Woodward book is correct, I do not think you can get a better recommendation then that. You will defiantly enjoy this book.

My husband and I purchased this little book for ourselves and for both sets of grandparents. The writing style is adorable. Each day gives us a glimpse at where our baby is in her development. The grandparents are ticled and feel like a part of the whole experience. We've also bought this as a gift for newly pregnant friends. It is also educational.

Countdown to a miracle is a spiral bound book that counts down the days to the birth of your baby. Each day tells a little something about the growth of the baby. You can track the baby's developement with ease, as this book sits up. I had mine on my desk and each morning I'd flip the page to read about the baby growing inside my belly. It's a book I'll cherish, and my baby will cherish, as I was able to write down the date. It's like having a little history book once the baby is born!

This book is great for any new mom. I have purchased it for both of my girlfriends the minute the found out they were pregnant. It is a great starter book, and it lets you check your babies development day by day. FANTASTIC!

This book was reviewed in a graduate course in reading that I was taking. "I Went Walking" is a predictable print book. Such books are excellent in the very early stages of reading. Children memorize the book as you read it over and over and over again. Repetition the very thing our adult mind questions, children ask for repetition that they need. They learn to "read" you the book even when the book is not there. This stage of memorization is the first stage of reading. The child then moves to recognizing the words. For example, "Is this word 'cow'?" So both kindergarten teachers and parents can use this book. It is good to have a half dozen of these predictable print books at home. (Look up: Dorothy Butler's "My Brown Bear Barney".)

My 18month boy old loves this book and I don't mind reading it over and over. The words are rhythmic the illustrations artistic. This is a book that no adult or child will tire of.

This book is so sweet. The watercolor paintings are colorful without being brash, and the child and animals are all realistic and yet stylized at the same time. I love how the child is not defined by the story as being a boy or a girl, and that it looks ambiguous enough to be either.

The repetition of the story makes it easy to read and easy for an older child to learn, and yet isn't the kind of repetition that drives parents wild. As the child gets older, you can drop words and let them "fill in the blank" as they look at the pictures to identify both the animals and the animals' colors.

When I was a Nanny my charge and I adored this book and read it at least a hundred times. Now that I am home with my own son, I bought the book for him and he loves it too!

i found the book very interesting and definitly a book any horse lover would love to read. the author knows her subject and her materiel. i would recomend the red colt to any one who needs a lift or enjoys a good story.

THE RED COLT is a very exciting chapter book for horse lovers; esp. Thoroughbred race fans. It has interesting characters, and is great for ages 8 up... adults too. Your kids and you will love it. My 10 yr. old actually sleeps with the darn book! Well worth the low price... Quite a memorable story. A must read....

Primarily written for children of all ages, but as a grandmother
of eight, I've read it myself more than once and love the bonding
between the teenage girl and the colt. Obviously the author knows horses and loves them very much. She includes a lot of exciting racing action and keeps you in suspense until the very end to find out if you will have a smile on your face or tears in your eyes. Hopefully there will be a sequel!

If this is your first Chinese book, it's kind of fun, but it doesn't take you very far. If you really want to learn Chinese, there are a lot better books than this. This is more of a stocking stuffer/[bathroom] book.

Not exactly a text on Chinese characters, this pocketbook is a great starter for those who have a curiosity of how Chinese writing works and don't want to be burdened with the extraneous info found in a serious textbook. Seventy-one characters frequently encountered by tourists are introduced but you'll wind up learning much more than that because many of these characters are also used in combination to form new compound words. The format is well-designed and makes the book fun and easy to use without being too simplistic. You'll learn the traditional and simplified form of the character, how these characters are rendered in the Western alphabet (i.e. the pinyin), and, thankfully towards the back of the book, how to write the character. Throughout the book are cultural tidbits and photographs of signs, ticket stubs, stamps, and advertisements which contains the characters introduced. This little book will take the intimidation out of trying to learn what far too many Westerners find as beyond their capacity to understand.

For the most part, Chinese is really two languages - a written one and a spoken one. One really cannot "sound out" written Chinese Characters, like they can with English. Most books for travelers to China dwell on the spoken language. This is actually a very good idea, because it helps you communicate and get around. But this book is different and fun, because it concentrates on Chinese characters which are beautiful and interesting.

I lived in the city of Shenyang, China for almost a year and a half. I dealt with a lot of Chinese people and Westerners that had been there for varying lengths of time. The Westerners had varying levels of oral Chinese language skills, but it was very rare for me to find a Westerner who knew how to read Chinese. The Westerners that I knew who could read Chinese were for the most part long time scholors on the topic or they learned it from their Chinese relatives.

I read this book, and learned most of the characters in it. I could not even come close to reading a magazine or newspaper, even those for children. But, I knew more Chinese characters than 95% of the Westerners that I knew in China. Most of these foreigners would be impressed when I could read the little I did. For most of the Chinese people I met, I was the only Westerner that they ever met who could read even a few characters. I'd figure a sign out, and they could not believe it. This skill was a great conversation topic, and I soon learned several other characters in the conversations that I had with the locals.

For the most part, this book is not required reading for someone who travels to China. In places where a lot of Westerners travel, many signs are in English, or pin-yin, or "Chinglish" (poor translations from Chinese to English.) But when I went to places less traveled, I can tell you that it was nice to be able to read the sign on the restroom door so I did not get into an embarrassing situation. (I had plenty of other embarrassing experiences without going into the wrong public toilet.)

I highly recommend the book. Have fun!