If you find solving intricate 3D puzzles to be its own reward then the Jewels of the Oracle series is for you. Games such as Myst require the player to learn a bunch of extraneous storyline material just to explore and solve its overly interdependent 3D puzzles. Jewels skips the fluff and offers 24 elegant puzzles that will give your cerebral cortex a distracting workout. Three levels of eight puzzles each with a minor fiction story woven around it. Solve them in any order you like. Awesome graphics, simple controls and no time limit.

a wonderful book - a must for those on their "journey" to higher dimensions.

Any objecive, unbiased and well argued book on African civilizations or history deserves a 5 star for me: the reason being simple, there are not many of such books in the world! Ms Monges has presented both sides of the argument (an art of arguing) and has logically and objectively rejoindered some of the eurocentric views and arguments very well. I have read 3 other books on Africa and Kemet (Egypt) and all share to a great extent the same well argued, objective and afrocentric view as potrayed by Ms Monges. I have always asked myself what do european anthropologists or so-called egyptologists mean by: 'negroid', but not 'negro'; to rephrase, black but not black enough? Indeed I have found several of the their arguments very irrational, absurd and illogical. Indeed Ms Monges does well to deal with most of the misconceptions surrounding Kemet, Kush and Africa. She seeks partly to adduce evidence for the Blackness of Egypt by comparing it to other cultural practices in modern Africa. Something which she does very well! Jesus said: there is nothing that is hidden that will not be revealed. Thank You Ms Monges for you objective Afrocentricity!

This book combines Mr. Abbey's "insider" photography with fascinating text. (Mr. Abbey was an employee of both the "old" and "new" Soo.) My favorite chapter details the development of the fantastic Red-and-White Soo paint scheme by the author.

A "must have" for any Soo Line enthusiast and my favorite Soo book.

From the back cover: "This book is a fascinating account of the belief in the magical powers of gems and jewels in Great Britain up to the end of the 18th century. The author has examined nearly every lapidary of importance from the ancient world through the renaissance and beyond..."

These 365 jewels, one for each day of the year, are classic Ramesh--fresh, stimulating, profound, and just plain fun. I laughed out loud several times while reading the book. The path to enlightenment, of course, is not a path. It is a progressive letting go of ideas until nothing obscures the truth. The truth confronts us every moment, but we are attached to so many silly ideas. In this book, Ramesh shows us his realization. Of all the spiritual masters alive today no one is deeper than this. If someone has not already encountered Ramesh, he or she should read "Consciousness Speaks" or one of Ramesh's other books first. Many people are shocked when they first read his writings (What? It doesn't matter what I do? I can't do anything to get enlightened? My spiritual practice won't get me there?) After having these last spiritual props knocked out from under oneself, then there is nothing left to do but relax and enjoy the show. Those who reach this stage of understanding will know that the one who is writing this review, the one who is reading this review, and Ramesh himself are all One. This is the way We entertain Ourself. For those who haven't yet given up the tiresome burden of reflective thought, or those who still think that they are entities, this book will be a wake up call. Ramesh is saying, "This is a play, and we're so lucky that it's not the kind of play most of us imagine." Today Ramesh is 81 years old and lives in Bombay, India. Fortunately, we don't have to travel to Bombay to play with him. To slightly alter the last line of one of Ryokan's poems, "Look around. This is what IS!" Indeed..

As an expectant mother, I am already thinking about how I will teach wisdom to my son. The Birbal Tales are not only chock full of wise and clever pearls, but are totally charming at the same time! I have ordered ten copies to give to other expectant couples and my friends who already have children! When will we see Birbal cartoons on TV or video???!!! Soon, I hope!

This is one of the most complete sources of information on Noritake I've come across, featuring full-color photos (with enlargements of pattern details) of many, many Noritake patterns as well as an up-to-date price list. Potential buyers should be aware that the focus is on patterns made before 1960. There are specific chapters on the Azalea Pattern, scalloped and multisided patterns, backstamps and a detailed bibliography (for those who want to do more research), glossary, an explanation of how to find specific patterns, etc. The historical info, while not lengthy, is clear and sufficient to satisfy all but the most obsessive collector. I learned quite a bit that I didn't know before and found many, many patterns which I'd seen online and at auctions but hadn't been able to locate elsewhere. It was an extra pleasure looking at the photos of actual ads, including those from Morimura Brothers (a company whose success at matching Japanese production with American designs led directly to the birth of Noritake). This book was an absolute delight to read and one I plan to use again and again.

My sister collects Miss Piggy stuff and I was so amazed to find this. They are some of the best, framable quality pictures of her that I've ever gotten. A must for the collector.

Some of my favorite books of all time. I can't recommend them highly enough. This series follows a number of indian and english characters living in India in the years leading up to India's independence. Scott uses a mix of third-person narrative, journalistic descriptions and first-person accounts to create a story that is both broadly historical and intensely personal. His writing style is direct, precise and graceful. His characters are extraordinarily memorable and lifelike. He captures the evils of colonialism without moralizing or generalizing about people. Engaging on every level.