I love gorillas and all things related to them. I bought this book even though I don't have kids! I liked that it discusses Dian Fossey and the mountain gorillas, as well as world-famous Koko. I was just so pleased to see gorillas described as they truly are. A book like this could inspire children to want to help save these gentle giants. I sure hope so, anyway.

Although I have never met Bob Crisp, I consider him a friend and mentor. This book along with his tapes, will have great impact on anyone interested in network marketing. This book shows you how to effectively lead an organization. Our industry needs leaders, and here he teaches real leadership thinking and practice.

What I noticed, as I read this book, is that even though there is reference to "God" throughout, its inspiration can be universal if one simply substitutes the name of their "Source". The common threads that run through most religions are 'love one another' and 'do unto others'. Graceful Giant is a 'How to' book that guided me to the recognition of the qualities in me that would allow me to live the kind of life I had only been SAYING I wanted to live. It gave me the courage to use those characteristics to overcome even the most complex obstacles that have been blocking me in my life. As a result of reading the book and putting Mr. Litchfield's suggestions into practice, I feel a greater connectedness to ALL others, no matter what religion. I feel peace and love in my heart and notice that intimacy, in the purest form, abounds in my life.

Graceful Giant is an easy book to read, and, although I myself don't have young children at home anymore, WOULD be great to read and discuss as a family - any family of any religion - keeping in mind appropriate 'translations'.

I liked the way Mr. Litchfield first presented the most common characteristics of a Graceful Giant and then gave me exercises to help me develop them. Now, more than ever, we need all the help we can get to bolster our courage to step up to the plate, and live our lives with joy and peace and love...and passion!

In my opinion, the contents of this book represent the pebbles that, when thrown into the river of humanity, could ripple out and make a huge difference in our world. If you're looking for 'A way', this COULD be it!

What a life saver! I am so glad I found this book!!!
Graceful Giant IS an inspiring book that evoked in me, as I read it, a
sense of peace and calm. I found myself smiling as I recognized
people I know and as I recognized characteristics of myself that I
hadn't given much recognition. This is a book that will be a great
directive for how we can live from this moment on so the world can be
a better place. This is a book that gives me HOPE! Thank you Mr. Litchfield!

In this day and age it is hard to find people that are generally kind. I believe To be a Graceful Giant by Robert Litchfield is exacly the type of book Americans need to read after the Sept 11 attacks.
This book can help start the healing proccess that so many Americans need right now. Furthur, more I believe the steps in this book can provide a since of inner peace that the common working man is searching for.

The pictures are great and some of the info on wild lizards is good, but dont try to use the info in this book to raise a monitor, it is outdated 20+ year old recycled info. For a good book on natural history get King a Greens book or Harold DeIsle book. Get Daniel Bennets new book for captive husbandry on grassland monitors.
I dont think many of the authors monitors lived very long on some of his books advice and I know they didnt reproduce using that info. Dont get me wrong he has good intentions but some bad advice. Research many other books to reference any captive husbandry info contained. There are some good drawings,and some other good advice contained in it.

This book is an excellent overview of the "giant" lizards and touches on their biology and husbandry. It is packed full of beautiful photographs, and all the main families are covered: the Varanidae, Helodermatidae, Teiidae, Agamidae, Scincidae, and Iguanidae. I am always amazed by the variability in skin patterns exhibited by lizards, espeically in the Varanus tristis orientalis. You can feel the author's fascination with these marvels of the animal kingdom and he also gives a brief discussion on their vetinary care. I would have hoped he would have had more to say on the "black spot" problem in green iguanas but does not mention it.

Lizard lovers and all those interested in the keeping them as pets will enjoy the book, as well as those who intend to make herpetology their chosen profession.

Giant Lizards provides excellent, easy to understand information for those interested in Monitors, Agamids, Iguinids etc. It's a must have for any serious collector or researcher.

Yike! Sure hope I'm the only one at the Old Fogies Senior Center with this book.I'll be the champ in no time.

The 370 puzzles in this book will keep you occupied for some time and will greatly improve your play. Do yourself a favor and work through each one carefully, resorting to the solutions only if you are absolutely desperate. Most of these can be solved mentally, but in some cases the use of board and pieces will make the concepts more clear. The small pocket size format of the book makes it very good to take along and use during down-time such as waiting for doctors appointments and the like. The serious student of checkers really ought to have this book.

this book is cool, i also know the guy, he works at the high schoo

Hollywood has not been kind to the long constrictor. In its view, they drop out of trees or rise up out of rivers, big as buses and determined to squeeze the guts out of that hapless human being who has wandered within reach of their treacherous or lecherous (depending upon the sex of the victim) coils. Though big snakes have, in fact, never been much interested in people, people have always been fascinated by them. Sensational stories of villagers squashed and gobbled up by monstrous serpents fill the accounts of explorers and early "naturalists." For all the satisfying fear they engender in far removed readers, such stories do the snakes injustice and divert attention from their remarkable morphology and living habits. These authors are scientists, but they are also literate and obviously snake enthusiasts. So while they stick to the facts, they write clearly and engagingly in defense of remarkable animals who, when it comes to encounters with humans, are much more sinned against than sinning. There are chapters about feeding and breeding of course. But there is also a serious review of the extraordinary stories that impute lengths of sixty or more feet to anacondas and pythons. By the time the myths have been detonated, the terrified lay reader is ready for an honest answer to the question, "How long can a snake grow?" Read the book to find out. But I will say it is longer than some buses.

I purchased this book on a whim, knowing of the authors' credibility. When I got in to it, I realized it was going to be more than I expected. This work discredits one by one all the ridiculous length claims on snakes from around the world. Instead of these (sometimes outrageous) claims, the authors provide you with THE FACTS AND NOTHING BUT THE FACTS!

It is about time herpers spread the honest truth about these species to the general public, rather than the typical "My python should hit thirty-five feet because that's the maximum size!".

This book is an educational experience for ANYONE with an interest in these species or herps in general. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

The human attack accounts are pretty eye-opening, too!

This has always been one of my son's favorite bedtime stories. It doesn't hurt that his name is also David. Like the David in the story, he doesn't look exactly like his parents. Like the David in the story, that doesn't bother him. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that this book will comfort all children struggling with identity issues related to adoption, I would say that it delivers an important message.

Children are often afraid of people who are different when they first meet. You can use this book to help your child understand that we are all unique, and that there are benefits to be found in our differences.

Julie is freaked out on her way home from school to see movers taking a spoon as big as a shovel, a fork as large as a pitchfork, and a knife as long as a flagpole into a neighboring house. "'Yikes,' said Julie, 'I don't want to get to know those people at all.'" The next day, and on the same spot, she sees a new boy who invites her to play. Although it is near where those enormous implements went, the boy looks normal to her and she plays with him. At five o'clock comes the sound of an enormous call for "DAVID!!" that sends her scampering home to hide in her room until breakfast. The next day, she plays with David again and learns that his father is a giant. Gradually overcoming her shyness, she has dinner with David and his father. She gets over her fears when she sees that David's father is gentle and caring.

"David, you don't look very much like your father." "Well, I'm adopted." These days many families make no special effort to adopt children who look just like the parents. This book also gives you the chance to explain how love and caring are more important than similarities of appearance.

They then go out together. The children are ignored by the adults they meet, whether in crossing the street or buying things. Kids also try to pick on them. In each case, people become more considerate when David's Father says something in his loud voice like "STOP" or "THOSE KIDS ARE MY FRIENDS" or "BEAT IT." Some may interpret these incidents as bullying. I didn't see it that way. David's Father only steps in after wrongs are occurring, and he does the least he could do to remedy the situation. The overreactions by those who hear him are just there for fun. David's Father didn't demand those overreactions. People are just responding with trepedition to his size, as Julie originally had done.

Since all children are smaller than almost all adults, taking some of the fear out of size is a good subject for a book like this one. So I commend Mr. Munsch for his selection of story subject, theme, and plot.

To me, though, the best part of the book is to be found in the humorous illustrations that give the story a light, friendly tone. For example, Mr. Munsch's punchline ("Wait until you meet my grandmother.") is solid, but when combined with the view of a large gorilla leg in a red pump towering over the two children it becomes hilarious.

You should anticipate questions from your child about what the advantages are of various kinds of differences, such as people of other religions, with appearances dissimilar to yours, having disabilities, and experiencing mental problems. Your child will be quick to spot the issues for these differences, but much slower to see the advantages. If your family is religious, I suggest that you make your explanations in terms of the values that your family believes in and upholds in your worship. For example, Job's trials may be appropriate as one source of ideas for those who study the Old Testament.

Vive les differences!

Robert Munsch is one of the all time best children's authors. I enjoy reading his books to my kindergarten class. They love to hear how silly his books are!

I read The Giant as a child and I loved it again when I reread it 20 years later. The main character is an author of travel books for children. The story builds up a good suspense as he gradually discovers that an enormous boy has secretly moved into a mysterious building next to his hotel in France. The boy is about 8 stories tall and about 9 years old, and he befriends the main character. They must decide whether to reveal the giant boy's existence to the world. There are humorous touches, for example when the boy combs his hair and static electricity attracts wigs and cats as if they were lint. The occasional black and white illustrations are charming...such as baby pictures showing weight lifters struggling to teach the giant to walk when he was an 8 foot tall toddler. If you enjoyed Otto in Africa, or James and the Giant Peach, or other books by William Pene Du Bois or Roald Dahl, you will enjoy this book. Everyone will smile when reading this upbeat book for young readers.

I have read and applied a lot of sales and marketing books in the past few years. The book starts off with Ralph proclaiming his greatness and unfortunately that is how it continues right through. Some good images and on the whole worth the purchase as the basis for explaining the basics of a sales career or a new business plan, but if you are just after a shot in the arm or even something life changing, you are better off reading the following authors if you haven't already; Harvey McKay, Anthony Robbins, Jack Welch Speaks (by Janet Lowe), Jonah C. Nader and Michael Gerber. Ralph Roberts is a real patriotic American character and he talks to much about himself, in his gung ho American style, but he doesn't mention any more than a rough concept of his business, or lecture enough about what he actually does to succeed at his level. I would call the book a great sales promotion tool for Ralph personally, but it is not big on intelligence nor is it a REAL guidebook, such as Jonah Nader's 'How to Lose Friends and Infuriate People', or Michael Gerber's 'E-Myth'. Still, he seems to be a bit of a dude to get this far and with such a friendly disposition you can't help liking him!

I think one of the keys to liking or disliking a book on sales is whether or not it fits your personality. I don't think you can stray too far from your core.
That said, Ralph R. Roberts and I appear to be kindred spirits and I laughed, loved and learned while reading his book. If you want to be bold, innovative and fun, and have that help you in your sales career, this book is great. If you're looking for something regimented (especially for real estate) read Danielle Kennedy, who also has some great books that I've learned from. But she doesn't fit my style.
Bottom line, after reading Ralph's book and implementing some of the lessons my RE career has started quickly and I've become known as the "go to" man in my farm.
Thanks Ralph!

I truly enjoyed this book! As a Vice President for a small firm in the Detroit area, this book has enlighted me to tell everyone one I know about this book. In fact, I have refered all of my college professors about it and suggested that they use it in their class rooms. Its REAL and it WORKS!!

Dalleck is a third rate historian who has produced a poorly-written, pro-LBJ screed that provides almost new information. Read Robert Caro and learn the truth.

Unlike some other reviewers, I was not disappointed by this sequel to Lone Star Rising. LBJ was so complex, and so was his Presidency. I've read many books on him and often get the impression given by the parable of the elephant and the three blind men: each writer gives a part of the description of the 'elephant' that was Johnson, but no real complete picture. Mr. Dallek comes closer, in my opinion, to representing the complete picture of Johnson and his Presidency, than others. I've always viewed Johnson in the same mold as FDR, in terms of scope of personality and ability to place a personal stamp on his Presidency. Both mean had such great assets and achievements, and both had great shortcomings. The difference that comes to mind immediately is Johnson's lack of confidence in many judgments and life-long lack of self-confidence; this is well-illustrated in this book. Unlike Roosevelt, Johnson lacked the ability to disguise his motives and emotions in an ongoing manner.

Like other reviewers, I only wish there had been greater coverage of Johnson's Vice-Presidential years. I've never read any detailed history of this period in Johnson's life, other than the feuding with the Kennedy clan. There's probably a book here for someone willing to spend the time and effort.

Dallek's writing is much more balanced than the books by Caro, and I think history will prove them of greater value.

Robert Dallek's concluding volume on Lyndon Johnson completes what is to date the definitive biographical account of Johnson's life. Flawed Giant primarily deals with Johnson's Presidential years and is a bit more sober in tone than the lyrical Lone Stare Rising. But Dallek provides a fresh look at the difficult decisions facing a conflicted man with absorbing detail. This is no small feat, as the events of Johnson's life from 1961 to 1973 have been picked apart by biographers, historians and journalist again and again. It is unfortunate that the middlebrow, popular accounts of Johnson's life by Robert Caro have received so much attention. The result has been that serious biography on this subject has not been given it's day in the sun. I should note that Robert Dallek's comments about Mr. Caro have been much kinder to the popular writer than mine. Flawed Giant is a must read for those interested in American history and politics.