This lovely little volume is a gift that keeps on giving. Its essays are simple, elegant, soulful, inspiring. And thought-provoking. You may well find yourself searching your own Christmas memories, and finding gems you had long forgotten. Which is what this book is all about -- seeing, hearing, remembering those things we take for granted, and cherishing them anew. This is a book to feed the heart, and the soul. And it's just the right size for stocking stuffing!

The kind of collection that is a great gift during the holidays for anyone - it reminds us of the spirit of the season and connects us to our past, our hopes, and the more important meaning of our lives! Great gift for family members, co-workers, neighbors and for anyone on your list!!

Alice Morse Earle has written several books on life in Colonial America. This is the first one of her books I've read, and I am eager to move on to another volume, perhaps Child Life in Colonial Days. Mrs. Earle's "Home Life" is a fascinating description of everyday life --- the chores, the tools, the dwelling places, the foods, the sights and sounds --- that Colonial Americans knew. Have you ever seen a strange tool or implement in a museum, an antique shop, or hanging on the wall at a country restaurant, and no one seems to know exactly what it is or what it was used for? Read this book: its many illustrations will more than likely include that mysterious object; and Mrs. Earle will describe clearly what it was and how it was used. This book should be in the library of every enthusiast of American antiques. Without a doubt, this book contains information found nowhere else in a book now in print. This is not a history of Colonial America --- although it contains many interesting tidbits about our country's earliest days. It is, however, an excellent description of everyday life in America, 1600 - 1800, with special emphasis on New England and Virginia. As such, this book would be useful not just to historians and antique collectors, but to writers, museum curators, and anyone who wants to understand Colonial America.

This hundred-year-old work retains its vitality and usefulness.
In her wonderfully readable narrative, Earle conveys life in the colonies with vividness missing from most conventional texts. Starting with basic shelter, which were sometimes actually caves in the earliest days, she goes on to describe in detail the critical element of food supply, with careful explanations of culinary practices and useful drawings to illustrate the often-obscure utensils. (This latter feature will fascinate antique buffs.) Also covered are the home production of textiles, the dress of the colonists, travel, religious and social practices, flower gardens, and other matters, providing modern readers an insight into everyday colonial life hard to find elsewhere.
Earle's work is a feast of enjoyable information for history readers, collectors, and anyone else who wants to know how the early settlers lived. (The "score" rating is an unfortunately ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

Audubon kept a journal for his wife, who stayed behind in Louisiana, and it is filled with the observations of an unworldly American in England. He is excruciatingly shy, and very apprehensive about how his drawings and paintings will be received.A heartwarming, funny, very human look at America's great naturalist/artist.

This book is full of surprises. It's zany, quirky, and very wise -- all at once. At first the flavor of it -- so different from anything else I'd read -- made me question whether or not I liked it. As I continued reading I acquired a taste for it -- an experience similar to developing a taste for olives.

Placing a saint among secular eccentrics in 1950's Chelsea leads to all sorts of irritations for the ordinary mortals. I found myself loving Valentine, the mystical postulant, whose spiritual wholeness embarrasses her convent, bewilders her pursuers, and creates quiet comedy wherever she goes.

Here are four little quotes from a scene in which Valentine, on her first morning at Mrs. Mason's, rises early and goes to the kitchen. The author tells us, "Kitchens, being necessary, were as holy as bread and water, and were at their best, in peaceful readiness, at this innocent time of day..." and, "Valentine moved like a fish through water, accomplishedly, barely stirring the silence. It was a trick nuns learned: to be very quiet in case of still small voices."

How could such innocent sweetness offend anyone? We find out when Mrs. Mason and her adult son, Kyril, enter the room.

"'Do you habitually rise before God?' enquired Kyril of Valentine, in the light clear tone that was one of the characteristics that made people want to beat him up."

"'Have a croissant, dear,' (Kyril's mother) said to Valentine, momentarily disliking her for causing Kyril to be unkind."

If any of this strikes you funny, too, you just might relish this book.

I enjoyed this book very much. It is about a young female duck, that is a telephone operator. A lot of people know her and she is almost famous. One day while manning the phones, and stating the time, she heard a cry of help. She went everywhere trying to figure out who it was because she really wanted to help. When it all came down to it all it was, was a little kid playing with her doll on the phone. Her doll was saying, "Help, help."
I would recommend this to people because it shows how much people care for little things like someone saying help. Mary Alice was a very good duck and more people should be like her. This would be a very good book for little kids that like to read funny stories.

As an early elementary school teacher, I read a lot of children's books. Mary Alice is one of my all-time favorites. She is a very efficient telephone operator who tells people the time. "At the tone, the time will be 1 o'clock exactly. Quack". (Did I mention, she's a duck?) Mary Alice catches a cold so Boss Chicken insists that she go home to take care of herself. Her boss tries to assure her the position could easily be filled by someone, but Mary Alice is hurt by the remarks and frets over someone permanently replacing her. Boss Chicken interviews and hires a series of different operators, who, for various reasons, don't fit the bill (no pun intended). The snake hisses and scares the customers, the dog can't tell time, an armandillo has trouble seeing the clock, and the beaver is so eager that she can't wait for people to call her so SHE calls them. In the end, Boss Chicken fully understands the difficulty of the job and appreciates Mary Alice.
The story and the pictures are wonderfully funny. I especially love the picture of Mary Alice wearing her pink bunny slippers.
What makes this story even better is that it lends itself to dramatic storytelling. I use different voices for the various characters in the story.
My kids and I thoroughly enjoy Mary Alice Operator Number 9 and I know you will, too.

This book tells the fascinating story of Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Darling children and their adventures in Never-Never-Never Land. They fight with pirates and enjoy their freedom. Some of the original illustrations by Alice B. Woodward are included here as well as modern plates. A nice book especially for young readers

The book is an excellent reference guide for those who believe in the power of herbs and healing. In alphabetical order, the book clearly presents a variety of medical conditions and the possible herb(s) to take for each. The book would have been deserving of a five-star rating had it provided the daily dosages in tablet form, but the dosages were given using the raw herb only, which, without question, is the best form if it is available. The problem is, at least in my little corner of the world, the chance of finding a raw herb or a supplier would be next to finding a needle in a haystack and extremely expensive if they could be found! Fortunately, most herbal tablets have the recommended dosage on the bottle but even that can vary from as little as one tablet a day to as many as twelve tablets. I think I would be very hesitant about taking twelve tablets a day of anything, especially on a long-term basis. It would have been helpful if the book had recommended accurate dosages for the tablet form, as well as the raw form.

The book is well-written and most informative. I would caution readers about making their own herbal combinations though, unless they are knowledgeable on the subject. Just as some medicines should not be combined, the same applies to some herbs.

This book is VERY useful for looking up which herbs to use for a given health condition (it's organized alphabetically by condition). If you have a cold, for example, and you want to know what to use to treat it, you can just look it up under "Colds and Flu", and bingo, there's all the info you need. (Many of the other herb books I have, while lovely to look at, require you to use the index and then peruse each individual plant listing that mentions a condition. This can be a pain!) Dr. Duke's folksy style of writing and his anecdotes interspersed in the text make it a pleasure to read.

This is the book I recommend to friends who want to know which herbs to use-- it's a great read & a great reference!

I never knew how many over the counter medicines could be replaced by safer, herbal alternatives. This book is easy to read and has a great index where you can look up various ailments. The index takes you right to the page where it lists the herbs that can help you. The book also provides many different herbs that can be used for one ailment so you can have more options available to you. It also says how the herb is used and prepared. Excellent book for someone that wants to have well-rounded health-care. I can attest to some of those remedies in the book, they do work!

Wonderland is a truly fascinating place to read about.
I love the illustrations in the original versions---and HATE the later illustrations that were done as the book was published over and over. In fact, I once tried to read a copy from the 1980's but I couldn't go on with it because the pictures were bothering me. Luckily, there's really only one freaky illustration in the original version, and that's the picture where Alice's neck is very long. It's a bit disturbing.
But the book is well written and a good adventure story, too.
I love the characters. They're very interesting.

"'Well, then,' the Cat went on, 'you see a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.'"
- "The Chesire Cat", Alice In Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

Come to think of it, the Chesire cat illustration is actually quite creepy as well. But it's not a big deal or anything.
The whole book's just weird fun. Where in the world did Mr. Carroll think of all this? The Mad Hatter? The Queen of Hearts? The Duchess and her pig baby?
Alice herself is a considerably strange character.
All in all, aside from a couple of creepy illustrations, the book is wonderful. Everyone should read it once in their lifetime---it's worth it.

If you long to be carried away to a world of nonsense and magic, talking beasts and flowers then Alice is the best tour guide you can employ. This is a book that will find a place close to the heart of a reader of any age that has a place inside reserved for whimsy and childlike wonder. As Alice travels through Wonderland and meets many unexpected characters your imagination will soar. Run a race with a dodo bird. Have tea with the doremouse and his friends the mad hatter and the march hare. Thrill at the "Jabberwocky". Alice proves to be a very level headed young lady indeed as she encounters things that become "curiouser and curiouser!" The story meanders through forests and chessboards that are life size never ceasing to amaze the reader with charm and wit. Lewis Carroll completed a masterpiece of fantasy and social comentary in this classic tale. The book is truly a gift to any one who hopes to hold onto childhoods magic.

I, like almost every other kid I know, grew up with the Disney movie. Although a rather accurate depiction of Wonderland, it cannot compare to the book (plus it muddled things together, mixing Alice in Wonderland with things originally in Through the Looking Glass). I never really took much attention to this very strange movie, but one day decided to read the book.

Enter Wonderland.

Absolutely no plot, no direction, no point. Lot's of silly nonsense but in spite of, or maybe because of this, it is very enjoyable. You literally never know what's going to happen next. After reading this book, I realized just how much my own dreams... Unforgettable characters, who can ever forget the cheshire cat or the caterpillar, jokes, interesting supplementary drawings, and puns keep you on your toes.

This is really not for kiddies. Sure they can read it and maybe even enjoy it, but cannot fully appreciate it. A masterpiece, a classic, but more importantly, an enjoyable experience.

Don't forget to read Through the Looking Glass! Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, the Walrus and the Carpenter, and "Jabberwocky" don't pop up in Alice in Wonderland but Through the Looking Glass. Although "Jabberwocky" didn't appear in the movie, it's still a classic. Finally, an explanation of this ever-puzzling poem! And of course, "I am the Walrus" is one of my favorite all-time songs...

One of those books that you can read over and over again and find something new each time. Definitely an essential. The most fun I have ever had with a book. If you've ever been cursed enough to watch the movie but never read the book, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! (and for those of you who have read it, READ IT AGAIN! )

This book is horrible. It's not written by a real teenager and neither are any of the other journals in this series. It's an obviously fake cautionary tale written by someone who doesn't seem to know a lot about drugs or drug use, as none of the situations described seem believable in the least. This book is an overly formulaic look at the worst-case scenario of drug use, much like one would see in a bad TV movie. Even when I first read it at 15, I didn't believe a word of it. If the publishers would lie to you about the author, how could you believe anything else in the book?

When a friend of mine gave me "Go Ask Alice" as a book that I would relate to, I expected a quick read on hard-core druggy, start to finish. What I found instead was an incredibly relatable individual who's normal insecurities led her to a life of substance abuse. Here was a young girl who, feeling alone and insecure, turned to the first offer of friendship during a particularly alone period in her life, and and discovered something that would make everything better........for a while. As you read about her decline into addiction, you never condemn or question why she's doing this. It just is. Just as many teenagers do stupid things to gain love or asuge pain, this girl falls victim to a very common but generally misunderstood trap. Misunderstood in the sense that many kids (Anonymous included) begin using drugs not to be cool, but to make their life happier and feel confident about themselves for as long as the high lasts. This book is a very good example of what a destructive path drugs will lead you down, now we just need to find positive oulets to raise our self-esteem. For that is the core problem. Many people are unsure as to whether or not "Anonymous" was a real person, but I don't think it really matters. She represents generations of misunderstood and mislabeled teens, and gives insight into what drives them too far. A must read for anyone, regardless of their view on drugs.

Alice is a young teen who goes from dating her crush Roger to the seductive world of drugs. At 12, while attending junior high , Alice finds out she will be moving to a town where she knows no one and will have to start all over. She moves into her new town thinking that she can start her life fresh and have a good beginning. Alice ends up meeting the wrong crowd. On September 26 Alice smokes pot for the first time, and the following weekend at a party her drink is spiked with LSD. After this Alice goes through many hard times dealing wiht her drug addictions. Her life is a full blown-out journey now that at the young age of 13 she is addicted to many various drugs and has no way to control it. The book Go Ask Alice is a great book for young readers. I really enjoyed reading it. When I read through each day of her life, I thought about my life, and how grateful I am not to be in her situation. I can relate to Alice because I know of some teens my age who are going through the same things she was. It is good to know that you aren't alone.