WOW! When I first read "Spelling Through Phonics," my whole attitude towards teaching spelling was radically changed. The McCrackens clearly and concisely lay out a spelling program that can work for anyone in any school-- no matter what! I have used it from the inner city school, to the county school, to the private "college prep" type school. It works. Rather than teach a child to "hear" the sounds for spelling, the McCrackens advocate using how a sound "feels" to write. We can actually feel more sounds than we hear. But not only does the book lay our a plan, but it also gives you everything you need to run the plan-- including word lists, sample lessons, and hand outs to go with the lessons! What an incredible program!

I'm a retired first grade teacher (27 years in K-1) and was always heavy with phonics when teaching reading. I didn't discover this book until close to my retirement and so much wish I'd found it sooner. It is pure phonics, but done is such a way that my children had a lot of fun with the program. With a half an hour a day of Spelling Through Phonics, by the end of the year they were spelling beautifully and more importantly, mostly reading on level. An example: My last year, out of 21 students, 7 did not speak English. But I made sure we did the spelling lesson before any of them left for their ESL classes. They worked every day with the McCracken spelling program along with all the other students. By the time they'd finished first grade all had some reading skills and were conversing in English with great understanding. ... By using the phonics attack skills they'd learned, they'd tell me how a word should be spelled as I wrote it on a transparency. Confidence in their own reading skills grew by leaps and bounds because I'd remind them every day that if they could spell a word, they could certainly read it..... and most other words by attacking them in the same way. I highly recommend this book for any teacher!

I have used this book in the classroom, tutoring, and homeschool settings for more than 10 years. There have been no children left behind. This is truely the best way to teach both reading and spelling! It is simple, fun and quick!

Any one interested in Stone Circles should read this book! It is just not another coffee table edition. This is an excellent study in circles, their meaning and how they were constructed.

There are detailed accounts of travelling to many stone circles around the world - new and old, with even chapters on how to build a stone circle and the alignments.

An excellent new, fresh look at the stone giants that haunts us today and their relationship with our lives.

I can hardly wait to start laying out my own little "stone henge" and with this book I now know how! I always wondered how they did it, now thanks to Rob Roy, not only do I know how they did it, but now I know how I can do it too! Rob provides history, lore, safety tips, labor saving "secrets" of the ancients, great anecdotes and practical and technical instruction on site selection and preparation, stone selection and preparation, constuction of safe and durable megalithic structures, and even a human and spiritual side of the subject that can be quite energizing. With this book anyone can find their own connection to our ancient ancestors! In addition to all the information provided, this book also harbors some very phenominal photographs of both ancient and modern megalithic structures around the world. If you buy only one book this year, buy this one...if your disapointed then you have no soul!

Rob Roy's book, Stone Circles, is perhaps the most comprehensive and masterful work on the topic of stone circles by a living author today. There is much more to megalithic stone circles than just the movement and placement of massive dormant objects. When properly placed, they become permanent monuments to a timeless spiritual perspective. Considering our fragile and tenuous hold on life, we humans, especially in modern times, would do well to learn about and understand these marvels of engineering, determination, and dedication. Rob Roy's book gives us all a good place to start.

I had never even heard of Robert McGinnis until I was linked to this page by the editors' names (the Fenners) who I know from their affiliation with science fiction art. The reviews were so favorable that I decided to gamble on this book without any other familiarity with McGinnis. I usually lose on these impulsive gambles. Not this time. Suffice it to say this book is a total prize, it's just filled cover to cover with extreme beauty.

I am particularly impressed with this man's diversity of talent...he does great "pin up" type art of beautiful women, and then he does these embracing outdoor scenes which are almost within the genre of "Marlboro" commercials and then there are other pieces which are evocative of Norman Rockwell and Maxfield Parrish. Each painting is fantastic and to me represents a dinstinct aspect of the best phenomena in Earthly life. However, there is even a little sci-fi art in here, so not all his fantastic visions are necessarily Earth-bound!

I love unexpected treasure!

Is there anything Robert McGinnis CAN'T paint? His movie posters are instantly recognizable to millions who've never heard of him, but his landscapes and magazine illustrations -- his western art in particular -- are his real masterpieces. The reproductions are sumptuous and the editors have given us a wide-ranging sampling of the artist's prodigious output. The price is so good it looks like a misprint, but it's not. Kudos to Underwood Books for making material like this available in such a beautiful volume at what is truly a bargain price!

I've been familiar with Robert F. McGinnis's work since the mid-1960s, when the covers he painted for "kiss-kiss bang-bang" paperback mystery novels by Carter Brown, Richard S. Prather, and Brett Halliday got my attention sitting on the bookstands. I was a teenager and I thought they were HOT, and collected them.

However, I had no idea who he was until a few years ago, and was astounded to find out that nearly ALL these covers were by the same guy! And that this same guy did the famous movie posters for the James Bond series and BARBARELLA, not to mention illustrations for westerns and romance novels.

The cover of TAPESTRY features a western painting, which hinted that McGinnis's notorious "dangerous dames" would get short shrift, but the back cover, from John D. MacDonald's CANCEL ALL OUR VOWS, suggested otherwise, and in fact there's plenty to go around for everyone. The book is cleanly laid out and the plates are gorgeous. Cover paintings from Prather's STRIP FOR MURDER and THE SCRAMBLED YEGGS are a punch in the eye. At $24, TAPESTRY's a steal. I would have paid $50 and not thought myself ripped off.

McGinnis has been called the "last great pinup artist", and I hope this gives him the recognition in that field that he deserves. Whether he is in a league with the great Alberto Vargas may be debated, but there is no doubt that he at least matches other leaders in the field, such as George Petty or Gil Elvgren, and few other pinup artists could match his diversity.

This is an outstanding book for all those frustrated in their search for creative fulfillment.

In it, the author puts forward some very interesting hypotheses. For example, he argues that it is creative frustration that is basically the root of all that ails society. To someone who suffers from it primarily, I guess it can look that way, and may even in fact be that way.

I'm not certain everything in the book is correct or the best approach to looking at the problem. But I think people struggling with these issues should read it thoroughly and decide for themselves.

In some ways a more masculine approach that Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones or Cameron's The Artist's Way, Pressfield anthrpomorphises artist's block as "Resistance", an enemy to be fought and defeated daily. Seems exhausting, and it probably is.

I'm currently looking around for really effective solutions to this issue. Most advice comes down to "just do it" but this book provides an interesting framework to think about the problem.

I would very much enjoy living in a world where the problem of creative block was solved comprehensively.

This book provides tremendous insite and guidance into increasing your awareness and changing your perspective as a blocked writer. You'll be doing yourself a great favor by reading this book which uses practical, common sense ideas bypassing the huggy feely pandering that other books on this topic subscribe to.

I've recommended this book to every writer I know, plus bought copies for my closest friends. Be prepared to look yourself squarely in the eyes and kiss your excuses goodbye. It's a book you'll read more than once...and be better for it.

Given that you understand differential calculus (not just Calculus 1), this is an excellent book for the professional and the serious amateur aircraft maker. This is a far better book than Perkin's second book on Stability and Control. That tome is both pompous and difficult to understand. Unlike his second book this book is written in a straightforward and very easy to understand manner. Therein lies the reason that this book has been a standard reference for 50 years.

This classic text was used in my undergraduate aeronautical engineering classes 30 years after its publication (It's a classic ;). It covers in considerable detail airplane performance (climb, dive, turning, etc., and reciprocating engine (non-jet) and propeller performance), and aircraft stability and control (how does an airplane control its attitude and how to analyze the attitude dynamics).

i will buy i

As someone who works in the field of executive Protection, for the past 7 years in Algeria, I found this book both educational and entertaining.
A lot of the books published about this field of work appear to be targeted at people who have watched the film bodyguard and are attracted to the profession for the glamour in my opinion.
For this reason it is rare I purchase a book on the subject. I made an exception in this case as it was recommended by another professional in the field, and was more than pleasantly surprised by the quality of the contents.
My father once said if you only learn one thing from a book, it has been worth buying, I learned a lot from this book, and in my opinion it is worth its weight in gold...

My reluctance to purchase a book on executive protection was finally overcome when hearing of Mr. Oatmans work. As a Director and operator of South Africa's premier executive protection company I am happy to say the the man has hit the nail on the head. I highly recommend this work to both newcommers and seasoned operators in this amazing industry. It should also be compulsory reading for the security managers of every large corporate in the world - well done for putting a lot of professionals thoughts into writing -Sir!

As a guidebook for protection specialists or a primer for developing your own corporate protection program, Mr. Oatman has supplied the foundation necessary to make the right decisions. Everything from planning proper "advance" work to putting the principle to bed at the end of the day, Oatman leaves nothing to chance. All the myths of the professional bodyguard are destroyed, paving the way for the new mindset of executive protector. No longer the gorilla in an ill fitting suit, the modern protector could very well be the executive assistant, and often is.

Robert Plamondon has packed more great information about chick brooding into this book than can be found in any other current "how to" poultry book. The author combines his own chick brooding experiences with still valuable material from out-of-print poultry books, and shows the reader how to apply it using new technology. It is well illustrated with both old and new photos. This book is a must have if you want to raise chicks. I wish it had been available when I first started, but I have it now!

It's about time someone compiled a book on how to brood chickens properly. Robert took his many years of experience and knowledge, and also his old library of out of print books and compiled a very detailed yet concise book that will help you have the greatest success or improve your past success to a higher level. I would recommend this book to anyone who is brooding chicks in numbers from 10 to 100,000. Thanks Robert for putting together this information.

Plamondon raises chickens and eggs at his successful Oregon pastured poultry operation. He is also a respected member of the internet poultry mail groups.

He has gleaned the best of the past--tried and true information--the almost lost "Secrets of the Past Poultry Masters".The Ohio Brooder plans alone are worth the price of the volume. The guidelines are suitable for all climates and breeds.

The book is strong on up-to-date nutritional and disease control information, and explainations of what does and does not work.

Easy to understand charts and illustrations help the novice and experienced poultry person to grasp the concepts. Plamondon writes in an easy to read, engaging style.

Highly recommended!

As a beginning Taiji student, I've found this book to be a great tool for further developing/practicing at home. It is a great guide to those studying the short Yang 37 form style. I've found it supplements training by helping you remember the essential footwork, handposition, and weight transfers from class. The pictures can be a little challenging as they are 'mirror' images of what you are actually doing. However, they are all there in a complete pull-out form as well, including footwork. The writing is to the point and descriptive. The book does NOT provide the transitions between each form very well though and thus I recommend it a supplemental tool to going to your taiji class. It will be a well-worn book though!

This book is really comprehensive. It has many pictures and descriptions of them to help you along with the forms. I'm taking a Tai Chi class at my college, and this book is the perfect companion. It is very well layed out and can be easily followed. Of course it is always necessary to have an actual master, but this book is probably the best on the market. Many Tai Chi books are confusing and poorly made, but this is one of the few that is not. Learning Tai Chi straight from a book is a little silly, at least look for classes or a video. But this is the perfect companion piece to perfecting your Tai Chi. If you want to buy the best, this is the one - no question about it.

The photos on the cover have varied over the thirty years this book has been printed. My preference is the original one with Chen Man Ching vice the leotard clad dancers, old people, etc. that had evolved from marketing. This book is a classic. The highest point are the photographs of Chen Man Ching. What an example of elegant and correct Tai-chi.

If you love wildlife art that shows every hair, whisker or feather of a wild creature and every blade of grass, leaf or branch in the "background", Carl Brenders is your man. His work is technically brilliant and acutely observed, resulting in paintings that are more real than reality.

This man can draw! There are a few pencil sketches included in the book. They are a little looser than his impeccable paintings and they appeal to me more than the paintings.

So much art is a matter of taste - I am awe struck by the patience Brenders must possess in order to produce these images, but I personally prefer a more spontaneous approach. I subscribe to James McNeill Whistler's view: "To say of a picture, as is often said in its praise, that it shows great and earnest labour, is to say that it is incomplete and unfit for view." Brenders manages to achieve a fusion of "great and earnest labour" (he must take months to do each painting!) and creative excellence. That's the only reason why I give a four- and not five-star rating! It's just a little TOO slick for my taste.

The layout of this book is clean and fresh, allowing his detailed paintings lots of white space. Accompanying the paintings is a brief commentary from the artist. This text reinforces the artist's absolute love of his subject.

If you are not a collector of wildlife paintings or limited edition fine art work yet, you definitely will be after you see these images. Many people belive these are only photos. Carl Brenders captures so much detail in his paintings, most are fooled who do not know of his works. From the finest feathers of a golden eagle's head to the glass-like eyes of a Canadian Lynx to lichen and moss on rocks and trees.
I have been an art dealer for many years and still am in awe at his paintings and prints. It is truly amazing that someone has the ability to represent wildlife in such a way.

Carl Brenders is a fantastic artist. I had his calendar hanging in my office and people thought his drawings were photographs. This is an excellent book of his works.

The Nasa Mission Report series are FANTASTIC products. I cannot more highly recommend them. BUT: they only have one flaw. Getting the CD-Rom out of their tight package on the rear page runs the risk of badly damaging the back cover if you're not careful. And that's what I unfortunately did to my copy of Apollo 15. I suggest using a sharp letter-opener very carefully to pierce and open the seal at the top of the CD-Rom's plastic sleeve. What's this book/CD-Rom like? The range of documents and video clips is excellent and the photos are not too bad, but I've seen clearer versions of some of these pictures elsewhere. The video of "In The Mountains Of The Moon" is disappointingly fuzzy and pixelated, unlike the rest of the clips which are very good. Roll on Volume Two!!

From the press kit to the technical crew debriefing and everything in between, this book thoroughly describes the Apollo 15 mission. This mission was the first to use the Lunar Rover, the first to venture into a lunar mountain range, and the first to do major geologic work. This book uses the archives of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to document all aspects of the mission. The accompanying CD-ROM contains hundreds of images of the moon, hours of video of the moon walkers, and other interesting information about the mission. The press kit contains all the information given to reporters, including a step-by-step breakdown of the mission; this offers readers a complete, highly detailed study of the Apollo mission. Almost a third of the book is a transcript of the technical debriefing, interesting both because of the personal details of the mission rarely seen by the public and the interactions between the men who were on the mission. This book, along with the others in the series, forms an excellent technical history of the manned space program. General readers; lower-division undergraduates.

This book appears to have been released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 15 mission and contains a great deal of information about this extremely important lunar exploration mission. This mission was the first extended duration lunar exploration mission (3 days on the Moon's surface) and featured the lunar rover, which greatly extended the area that the two astronauts could explore. This Apollo mission is considered to be one of humanity's greatest voyages of exploration. David Scott commanded the Apollo 15 mission and contributes a few introductory pages.

The book opens with the usual NASA mission press kit. Unlike the earlier Apollo 14 press kit, this press kit is significantly larger, due to the increased emphasis on the scientific exploration of the Moon. The next portion of the book contains an excellent section titled "On the Moon With Apollo 15." This section focuses on the geology of the Hadley Rille/Apennine Mountains landing site, the science experiments that will be conducted on the surface and the equipment and tools that will be used to accomplish these tasks. This portion of the book was published separately by NASA in 1971 and a used copy now sells for around 25$. The next section of the book, the Pre-flight Mission Operations Report, presents an overview of planned timelines (work plan), while the next section, the Post-flight Mission Operations Report, presents the actual timelines, points out the discrepancies between the two timelines and describes any problems with the hardware

The crew debrief section, which is about 100 pages long, contains the crew comments and feelings about various parts of the mission and for the most part avoids the technical language that many of the NASA documents include; however there are several sections where the crew practically talks in acronyms. The crew debrief contains crew comments from the suiting up phase to the landing, plus comments about the training (did it or did not help the crew). Dave Scott and Jim Irwin dominate most of the crew debrief, since most of the questioning and mission focused on the lunar surface operations; however, Al Worden has a lot to say about his photographic survey of the moon and his deep space EVA (the first one ever conducted). I always find the crew debriefing quite enjoyable, because it is the closest thing to being there and you get two or three first had view points of various aspects of the mission.

The enclosed CD (be careful it is hard to get out) contains a lot of color and black and white photographs, several NASA films and an extremely interesting feature on the development of the Lunar Rover.

Some general information that might be useful.

1) These reports are just scanned-in documents from previously released NASA press kits, etc., In order to preserve the spirit of the original reports, all typographical and grammatical errors have NOT been fixed.

2) Proceeds from the book goes to "The Watch" an asteroid impact research project of the Space Frontier Foundation. In other words, Apogee Books is making very little off the sale of US government produced books.

3) Many people have asked why the post mission reports are not included. Since NASA has published many books with hundred of pages (The NASA SP series), and the data from these missions is still being analyzed, it would be impossible to do.