Written for children who are independent readers, Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt was, nevertheless, a fascinating introduction to Ancient Egypt for all my children. My younger daughter was in first grade at the time and needed some help with the reading, but the stories themselves were of great interest to her. It was fun for me to see all three of them learn about the Rosetta Stone and other archaeological discoveries, most of which I hadn't learned about until I was well past childhood. It's amazing what the children will find interesting when it comes wrapped in a story. Although some may regard the story-telling as somewhat fanciful (obviously we don't really know what most of these people really thought or felt), the author has succeeded in her quest to bring the attention of the reader into the context of the history she describes.
We bought this book along with the Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Eqypt, which listed it as one of its primary text for children's history. I recommend that book, along Tony Allan's Time Traveller Book of Pharaohs and Pyramids, if you are going to teach your children the history of ancient Egypt. The Greenleaf book helps you organize your children's study with questions and projects (along with recommended resources), while the well-illustrated Time Traveller book helps the children visualize what they're reading about.

In this book, the author examines the important discoveries and the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. She gives a description of the infamous Rosetta Stone, then continues with a brief history of the Ancient Egyptian civilization and religious beliefs. She also reports on the pharaohs and their accomplishments, including those of Akhenaton, Ramesses II, Cheops, Hatshepsut and Thutmose III. An interesting book for children ages 9 to 12.

This is a wonderful general introduction tot he study of ancient Egypt. Caution: This is really meant for grades 7 and up. The langauge is difficult for younger ones,even as a read-aloud. Also, the first chapter is mostly conjecture about the beginning of civilization in the Nile River Valley. You can skip it. Overall, it is fascinating reading.

Ive had this book ever since I was a child and its missing the first 6 pages and the letters S-Z in the index. This is such a simple practicle guide to cooking and has so much basics in it. Wont they reprint it?

I made my very first confection (chocolate fudge) from this book at the age of ten. It has everything in it from desserts to Thanksgiving Dinner. My mother cherished this little book (with its simple to follow instructions) and used it very often, though, she owned other cookbooks (Betty Crocker, Better Homes and Gardens, etc). In the 1970s I bought my own copy and once again enjoyed all the wonderful recipes that Mom used to prepare. Both copies are long gone now and I've searched my local "used book stores" forever. I'm so happy to have found even a used copy at Amazon. I can't wait to receive it and prepare my Mom's favorite recipe for lamb shanks.

My Mom gave this book to me as a pre-wedding gift in 1964. It has been my little cooking bible ever since. Unfortunately my dog got a hold of it many years ago and I am missing all pages through page 38. This book has recipes in it that I have used consistently for the past 37 years.

There comes once in a great while an actor or writer that grabs you from the first time you see their work. From that moment on, you know you will see quality work from them. Julie Elizabeth Leto is such a writer. She is a charming, fresh voice in the romance field, and I love how her characters are very down to earth people; they are your friends or someone you know. She is able to imbue them with a vitality that lets them leap off the pages and into your heart.
Private Lessons is quirky, typical Leto, with sexy, intriguing characters that is written with incisive sharp wit. Grant Riordan is a stuffed shirt. He is an investment broker with a firm that deals with elderly clients who abhor scandal. The firm already has weathered one such front page sex to-do and definitely does not want another. Grant has been pegged to live in the firm's property for a year, and is under the constant spot checks of his boss. Worse, is the old bat across the street is a local reporter for a gossip columnist and she is watching Riordan like a hawk hoping to find more dirt on the firm.

Grant's brother Gus springs a small bachelor party at the house - with Grant sweating bullets, and the nosey neighbour already calling Grant's boss reporting there are too many cars outside. Just as the boss calls to inform him he is coming over to check on Riordan, in walks Harley: the hired stripper. In the fuss that follows Harley informing she refuses to perform, she is knocked on the head and when awakens cannot recall who she is.

Grant is stuck with Harley, since he cannot call the police knowing the questions about a missing person would attact notice of the press and his boss. He has to maintain this stuff shirt life because his ex-wife took him to the cleaners. He needs the job, despite all the extra hassles, because he is fixing up his grandmother's home so she will be able to stay in it until she dies.

In spite of the problems presented by Harley, Grant is immediately attracted to her. He knows she came supposedly to be a stripper for the party, but she seems just the opposite. She is intelligent, well-educated and presents a caring, upright mind.

Harley and Grant are delightfully charming people that will have you smiling and laughing at their predicament.

Leto pulls the hat trick again!!

I recently discovered the author Julie Elizabeth Leto. I was so impressed with her style of writing that I am now searching for her earlier titles.

In Private Lessons, Hailey (aka Harley)was desperate for some quick cash and decided to accept an offer to substitute as a stripper for her cousin. The gig was a bachelor party at the company owned home of banker Grant Riordan. Upon entering his home and after a slight accident Harley developes amnesia. (Now we all know that the amnesia bit has been played to death but Ms. Leto's writing style prevents the story from becoming just another amnesia story.)

Grant allows Harley to stay at his home to rest and recover her memory. What follows is a well written story of two very likeable characters as they fall in love.

This story was published as a Harlequin Temptation Blaze. The series is known for very sensual, sexy stories and Private Lessons surely delivered on that account. If you like quick, fun, sexy reads with love scenes that are steamy, don't pass this one up.

For the life of her, Harley couldn't remember if 'professional stripper' was part of her résumé. Not after an accident at the client's house left her without her memory. She figured she had to be, given the state of her dress and the bachelor party she'd been hired for. But something about her struck host, Grant Riordan, as being totally out of synch with the picture she presented. He offers to let her stay at his house, a quiet place where she can rest and regain her memory. But resting is not quite the way things work out.

In a sizzling story of true first-love, the author makes us privy to the characters' sensual awakening. Grant, divorced from a cold, corporate wife, had decided that the loner, stuffed shirt life suited him just fine, until 'Harley' showed up at his door the night of a bachelor party for his co-worker. From the moment Harley entered his life, Grant felt his heart begin to melt. First with concern, then with something much stronger, for there was no denying the strong sexual tension simmering between him and his houseguest.

Harley's heart began to pound each time they came close, until the their attraction could no longer be denied. Grateful for his generosity and caring while she attempted to patch the holes in her memory, Harley made sure nothing she did threatened Grant's position in the community or his job. Little did she know that for Grant, none of it mattered. She had come to be the overriding reason for his living. But what would happen when she did recover her lost past? How could they reconcile the two opposed worlds from which they came?

Private Lessons is one red-hot love story. Be prepared to turn up the air conditioning. I may never look at hot tubs or swimming pools quite the same way ever again. And I won't reveal anything further, except to say: The ending will leave you breathless.

The title says it. The projects are fairly simple and the authors have some pretty clever ideas. Tools, thread, wire, findings needed are a standard beginning for a how-to book like this. Usually relegated to an appendix are jewelry standards, such as beads per inch, but here they precede bead stringing, knotting and weaving. How to make and use jump rings rates a special mention. Most jewelry-making books neglect the handy jump ring. Pressed for time to make a quick jewelry gift? Yes, check out this book.

I have bought many beading books and have been disappointed in many, but this book in no way disappoints. It offers the same information for beginners on findings and needed supplies that the other books do but has an easier to follow format. All (yes, all ..no duds in this book)of the projects are actually jewelry pieces that I would like to make and own or that can be easly altered to better suit the jewelry maker.

The cover of this book shows a good sampling of the pretty projects you'll find inside. The book starts with a short section showing photos of tools, threads, and findings typically used in jewelry-making. It's followed by a very good section showing basic jewelry-making techniques, including one of the best diagrams I've ever seen for making wire-wrapped loops, a simple but basic requirement for general jewelry work. Other techniques include using different stitches to join seed beads for the projects in the book.

The projects give the beginning jewelry maker a good introduction to many different techniques and styles of jewelry, some very simple with basic stringing of beads to more time-consuming, though not too difficult, sewing and netting of seed bead necklaces. A cute, simple new style includes beads knotted onto ribbon, and there's an attractive wire-worked necklace.

Though I think the instructions are good for beginners, this is great for experienced beaders also, because there are ideas I haven't seen in other beading books for design, bead combinations, and even techniques. Something new for me was a necklace of wire-wrapped bead sections linked together with lots of jump rings to form a netted design. I am also inspired by her grapevine necklace, the lemon bead necklace, and a beautiful blue right-angle weave choker. The only necklace that makes me say, "hmm", is a necklace incorporating a child's baby teeth; I need to think about that one.

Reading this book will make you feel happy, energized, and calm. It is easy to read and it clears your head. Never have I had this much peace of mind. If you are looking to help others or yourself, read this book and you'll feel wonderful.

This book reminded me that life isn't about the rat race. It is good to stop and take the time to appreciate those around you, to take in the energy that helps you through each day and to share the positive attitude you generate from a peaceful state of mind with others. I highly recommend this book for anyone in search of a little rest for the soul. It's an easy read with great suggestions about how to go within yourself to find peace rather than searching for it from others.

Pat Upczak takes us through the steps of the Reiki process, but in so doing, she has also opened the doors and windows to her own life. Pat practices and shares with her readers the lifestyle she ahderes to and the spirituality she espouses. This book is not only a guideline, but also an insight into a master Reiki practitioner. It is an inspiration and a beacon for all.

After the sudden death of my mother and oldest son in an automobile accident, I could not concentrate enough to even read. As time went by, I was eventually able to read short things that did not require deep concentration. This book was wonderful for me because I could handle reading the short messages of hope. It helped me so much. This book is unique in that it reaches out to losses of all types in a very effective way. At the beginning of each message, the author begins by quoting someone who has lost a loved one. She then uses that thought to give hope to those who are grieving. I plan to purchase additional copies of this book to give to others who lose loved ones.

This book helped me with my own grieving, and I have also given it to several friends who recently lost loved ones. The short 1-2 page essays and thoughts, intended to be a "thought for today" format, are especially helpful for people who, because they are grieving, may not be able to focus on longer books, for longer periods of time. It's a real gem!

The short essays written by people who have experienced what you are going through, and the suggestions for meditations make it a great resource for the varied emotions of grief. It makes a good book for browsing when you need some uplifting words, or when you need to know that what you are feeling is normal. I think it is especially helpful for those who have suffered the loss of a child. I have given it many times to friends who have lost someone they love.

What a great book! I didn't want to stop reading so I stayed up too long at night and lost sleep. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and also the element of business mixed in with romance. It keeps you guessing up to the end. This book would make a great movie!

For those of us who often enjoy escaping into a really good
mystery/romance this book is a must!

Silent Partners is an outstanding novel! The characters and plot make it a must read. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end. It starts with a bang and keeps the reader guessing all the way to the end. Anyone that likes a great suspense thriller and a good love story will love Silent Partners. I can't wait for the next novel by E. Jeffett

I almost gave this book 5-stars, but hesitated because the locale is in my home town of Rochester, Minnesota--so I may be upwardly biased in my ratings. To be honest, it was hard NOT to enjoy references to local culture and hot-spots, including the wonderful pie and ice cream store in Whalan, Minnesota on the Root River Bike Trail. But all that aside, Gunn has written a very good detective novel. She is especially adept at police procedures and forensic reconstruction. There is some romantic interlude to spark interest, but she doesn't have enough time to really flesh out her characters in a complete manner. In my mind, this is fine. I don't read mysteries for a "Great Literature" experience. Her plot is complex enough to keep the reader guessing almost to the end, and there is a real surprise regarding the puppet-master of crime which is flooding fair Rutherford. It was a quick read that kept my interest from the start, and left me satisfied enough to be looking forward to the next Jake Hines mystery. I highly recommend the book.

Elizabeth Gunn knows how to tell a story and she creates believable, interesting characters. Her books are truly page turners. I highly recommend Par Four and the first book in the series as well, Triple Play. I am looking forward to the next in the series.

Elizabeth Gunn has the touch of Elmore Leonard's earlier books -- great characters, great progression of the story line, and so natural that you feel you are Jake Hines. A wonderful balance of reality and make-believe.

For years I heard how this was _the_ book to buy if you were into Elizabethan costuming and wanted authentic items that could be documented. The book is good for that, and I enjoyed the style that Ms.Arnold wrote it in.

But I have two major gripes with the book-both regarding the quality of graphics and images in it.

First off-in the whole book there are only about 5 pages in color. The rest of it-including hundreds of portraits, examples of extant clothing pieces and pieces of embroidery were all in black and white. I complain about that because, with so many of the portraits quoted as examples it would help if they could be seen clearly. (Many of them are too dark to have reproduced well, and a few are quite horrible.) And the photographs....

If they could reprint this book and possibly include more color plates it would be a much much more valuable resource. As it stands now, it is a good source, but not all that I could have hoped for. Instead I have begun a search for color reproductions of the portraits cited in the book. A long tedious job but one that I think over all will make it a much more solid resource for my needs.

This is one of the best books ever written on the subject of Elizabethan Costuming. It mainly contains all of the details of Queen Elizabeth I wardrobe but it has unique points in the society that surrounded the dresses. This book helps to explain the Gloriana image that became so popular and it helps us to understand all the little details that went into the dress of the period. Detailing costumes using portraits and explaining how the fashion progressed makes this book a must for anyone interested in Renaissance Faires and the nobility. The only drawback is that very very few of the portraits and pictures are in color. I think a total of about 7 are in color the rest is in black and white. The only way to make this book more appealing and usable would be to put all of the portraits and pictures in color, but that would make the book even more expensive. After this must have book the 2nd on the shelf should be a J. Hunniset book (the lady who did all the costuming for Elizabeth R and The Six Wives of Henry the VIII produced by BBC). Next, any Janet Arnold book. Last, would be the Norris book: Tudor Costuming and Fashion (although most of this book is very outdated it is nice to look at). All of these are must haves and will make a well rounded library. Dispite the high price of the book it is worth posessing. Enjoy.

For the historical costumer focused on 16th century clothing, this is the "bible" hands down. Big, expensive, and filled with the usual detail that is the hallmark of Janet Arnold, this is one very worthwhile investment for the serious costumer. This book has one tiny drawback, in that it focuses entirely on women's fashion in the 16th century as viewed through the wardrobe accounts of Queen Elizabeth I and some of her contemporaries. Therefore, it has nothing to say on the topic of men's clothing, which is an unfortunately neglected aspect of 16th century research.

Much of Janet Arnold's most important contributions to the costuming community are addressed in this book, making it extremely valuable. She presents each section with satisfying detail, raising very few questions that remain unanswered. The photographs accompanying the text are also invaluable, as many of them are not available in other books or to the general public for viewing. If only there were more color images...

If you can afford the book, you won't regret buying it.

This book, illustrated brilliantly in an amazing form, follows the Greek Myth of the snaked-haired Gorgon, 'Medusa'. But the story doesn't start there. You see, Medusa was once a beautiful young girl...she upset the goddess, Athene, who punished her in return. The young man Perseus then sets out to find the Gorgon and kill her, this is their story - in a form that young children can follow. A great book.

The cut paper illustrations by Susan Swan are the chief charm of this All Aboard Reading Level 2 (Grades 1-3) book written by Stephanie Spinner. "Snake Hair" is, as the sub-title indicates, "The Story of Medusa," who in this version is a vain young girl who makes the terrible mistake of saying that her hair is more beautiful than that of Athena. The angry goddess change's Medusa's hair to snakes and makes her so ugly her look will turn any living thing that looks at her to stone. What follows is the story of the hero Perseus, who is aided by the gods to fulfill his destiny. The illustrations here by Swan are absolutely exquisite and I find it incredible that these were actually cut by hand and are not computer generated (look at the chains on Andromeda, for example). Teachers who use this book in class should be prepared for young students wanting to try their hand at this particular art form (I could never, ever do this).

One of the interesting things about classical mythology are the different variations that exist on the story of Medusa, Perseus and many others...Other myths tell of Medusa as being one of the three Gorgons, who were dragonlike creatures with wings whose look turned men to stone. In some myths it is said that Pegasus, the winged stallion, was born of the Gorgon's blood after Perseus slew Medusa (the one Gorgon who was not immortal apparently). As for Medusa's head, it supposedly becomes part of the aegis, the shield of Zeus carried by Athena. Consequently, having been introduced to the wonderful world of mythology, young readers will have many more fascinating tales to read and learn about in the years to come.

Medusa is one of the most memorable characters from all of Greek mythology. "Snake Hair: The Story of Medusa" is an effective retelling of her story. Stephanie Spinner's simple text (geared towards 1st to 3rd grade readers) is well complemented by Susan Swan's fine illustrations. Author Spinner thoughtfully provides pronunciation guides for the mythological names.

"Snake Hair" tells how the beautiful Medusa is punished for her boastful pride by being transformed into a monster with snakes for hair and a face so ugly that anyone who looks at it is turned into stone. As the story progresses, the monstrous Medusa is confronted by the hero Perseus (who will face yet another monster before the story ends).

What makes this version of the ancient story really special is the marvelous artwork. Swan's illustrations appear to be cut-paper collages, and they are alive with color and energy. Particularly impressive are her renderings of the multicolored tangle of serpents that make up Medusa's hair. Overall, a well-done book.