Sabrina recieves an secret gift. A picnic basket full of cheese, chocolate and good food! Whenever she touches the basket in the boat the monster bumps her boat. She is afraid of the monster. But is the monster good and trying to tell her something?

Sabrina is inviting her sisters to a picnic. To eat they are going to have a beautiful picnic basket with chocolate, pears, cheese, and other great food. Then a monster appears. Is the monster trying to tell her something?

This is a great book that tells that not everything that is beautiful is on the outside.

Treasures of the Sea was another Pleasant surprise from Author Leonard hill, with some assistance by Pete Carmicheal the "World Famous" Shell photographer. Again, these two mens talents bring together this Leonard Hill book that is a must have for any shell collector or enthusiast alike.The book has amazing photography that is interesting to Malacologists and Conchologists everywhere. This book is a class piece of work and is an awesome follow-up to another fabulous book "The World's Most Beautiful Shells- co-authored by Hill and Carmicheal. Mr Hill should be commended for another solid project on shells.

This is a spectacular coffee table book for anyone who' s the least bit interested in shells. It is enormous and packed with breathtaking photos in rich color on glossy stock. The text is as fascinating as the pictures.

The book features a wide variety of shells, many I have never seen before. It has full-page close-ups of individual shells and several shell collages. It also shows the shells as living creatures in their natural habitat.

Another section has many examples of shells in art including jewelry and postage stamps. There is a detailed caption for each photo. Many of these describe the life of the creature as well as the characteristics of the shell.

If you can tear yourself away from the pictures, the text is equally impressive. It covers evolution, the animals inside, shell structure and classification. It also includes chapters on shell collecting and shells in human culture.

I can not say enough about this book. Open to any page and you will see something new or never noticed before. The pictures are amazing and the variety outstanding. This book is a wealth of knowledge about shells on land and in the sea.

Book is very informative, great photos, loaded with lots of useful information!

It has all the info you will ever need on chameleons! this has helped me raise several generations of Jackson's! It has deitailed reports on A LOTof chameleon species! this is a MUST Own! oh, and did i mention the THOUSANDS of color photos?

This photo-packed book covers everything you need to know about keeping chameleons; from species and climate to how to keep them in captivity. Each chapter includes details on chameleon diet, habitats, and zoogeography and classifications, making for an excellent technical coverage.

I normally don't write reviews on books. But this on is worth the exception. I first read this book back in the mid to late 80's., when I first started to become interested in caving. I found this book to be both informative as well as entertaining. I've done cave exploration in Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa and South Dakota. In 1988 I attended the annual convention of the National Speleological Society. It took place that Black Hills of South Dakota that year. I then had a chance to do some spelunking in Jewel Cave. This is by far on of the most exciting caves I have ever explored. While in the cave our group crossed paths with Dwight Deal. He caved with the Conn's during the time period written about in this book. He regaled us with some amusing stories about Jewel Cave.(Quite a interesting person.) As one of the evenings line up for the convention we had a presentation from Herb and Jan. They talk about there adventures in Jewel Cave. And pulled out there personal map from their exploration over the years. Then Jan gave a demonstration on filling and lighting a carbide lamp blindfolded. Herb and Jan are truly amazing. If your interested in caves, this is one you'll not want to put down. This one lives up to its name. It's quite an adventure.

Herb and Jan Conn were amateur climbers in the 1930s who fell in love with the Black Hills of South Dakota. At a friend's suggestion, the Conns began moonlighting as spelunkers in winter. When they first visited Jewel Cave, it was a tiny cavern with an intriguing unexplored passage. Luckily for the Conns, that passage led to a mile of unexplored cave passages, then two miles... and exploring Jewel Cave became the Conns' life's work. They describe the exciting exploration (which is still ongoing, with more than 100 miles of passages mapped) with just the right balance of action/adventure, science, and humor. This book is a pioneer of the outdoor/geography genre and is readable, fun and fascinating.

-Review by David Bezanson

Almost fifty years ago, two rock climbers entered a 'nice little cave' to survey it. They had never gone caving before, and wanted to try it out. Because of their efforts, that cave, Jewel Cave, is today the second longest cave in the US. This book tells the tale in a fluent, easy style that is sure to delight and enjoy. Next to 'The Longest Cave' it is possibly the most enjoyable exploration story about caving around. you will be amazed at the amount of work a small group of people was able to do, from the sometimes tortuous mapping of the cave, to the hard backbreaking labor involved in making a portion of their discovery open for public viewing, as part of Jewel Cave Natl. Monument. A large map comes with the book so you can follow them as they explore the ever expanding labyrynth. The 'Jewel Cave Adventure' is a great book for everyone, whether you are seriously interested in the undergorund or just looking for a darn good read.

This is amazing- a really comprehensive history of western jewelry from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. The photography is just primo, and any jeweler or gem mad type needs this book. The text is clear and super informative. As a part time jewelry maker I find this an amazingly inspirational reference work, the pictures are so good you can see tool marks and technique. Period portraits illustrate fashion and the use of jewelry in different forms at different times.
Highly reccomended- and just plain pretty to boot. Even you all who just like to look at beautiful things will thoroughly enjoy this book.

I must have a dozen books on jewelery and the history of jewelery. This is the best yet. First off the book very clearly organized. On any page that you might flip to there is a short chapter with a title, photos and supporting text. For instance, the section called "Jewelled Bouquets" shows five full color photos of flower themed broaches, descriptions of each an a well written history of the beautiful little things. Much of the jewelery is supported with photos of period portraits, to further illustrate how the pieces were worn. It's a wonderful, wonderful book and I'm not surprized to find it's from the fabulous Victoria and Albert Museum.

In Jewels And Jewelry, Clare Phillips surveys 500 years of western jewelry drawn from the internationally famous Victoria and Albert Museum collection. Phillips covers the materials used, presents a chronology of style, and provides information on manufacturing and distribution including hallmarking and design registration, shops, the tracing of a jewel's history, jewellery boxes, and more. All manner of jewelry is examined, including famous pieces of royalty, and anonymous representatives of unusual design. From rings, brooches, necklaces and pendants to earrings, tiaras, hair combs and buckles, each piece showcased illuminates and documents this collection as one of the finest and most comprehensive in the world today. Jewels And Jewelry is a highly recommended acquisition for personal, professional, academic, and community library collections.

What an extraordinarily beautiful and moving book this is. The text is simple and moving, as it limns the story of a 19th century Lakota Sioux boy through "his own" words and sketches. Although fictionalized, the book has the power of truth, and the "Ledgerbook" style illustrations are filled with vivid and unsentimental-though completely captivating-life and power. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, for children or adults.

Of the many excellent reviews of this book - starred in PW, for example - why did you choose the Kirkus Review's? The Ledgerbook was supervised, vetted and blessed by Arthur Amiotte, a Sioux Elder, with more credentials than you can count. A leading advocate of the power of education, Mr. Amiotte 's approval of and great delight in the authenticity of this book has obviously been overlooked in the KR reviewer's research. Throughout the entire country, this book has been cited again and again by educators and parents alike as being the most powerful, interactive teaching tool they've come across in years, not to mention being an extraordinry feast for the eyes. Please research your reviews before choosing the one that will (incorrectly in this case) represent the book to your many readers. Subjecting an extraordinary book to bad PR out of ignorance should be beneath you

Won the Christopher and International Readers Awards in 1995 because it is an authentic history, fictionalized, with stunning illustrations in the style of Plains Indians. We found it in the museum stores of the Southwest, where it was a favorite of the librarians. There is also a cd-rom called Journey of Thomas Blue Eagle, done by the illustrator.It is a favorite gift book of ours and hugely appreciated by the recipients

Although I figured out why the murder was committed and by whom, I didn't work out how until the end of the book. As usual Morse was knocking back the beer, flirting in his subtle way and actually got a "little"!!! bit friendly with a suspect. A good read.

The only thing really wrong with Morse is that he smokes too much. If you want a really good read in your mysteries, here it is.

If you like to be kept guessing this is the novel for you. It is also fun to read about the interaction between Morse and Lewis. These two deserve each other.

The youngest Fisk sister finds happiness in Once an Angel. Grace Fisk wants two things: to be a lady, and to escape the scandal of her piratical past. To this end, she goes to a ladies' finishing school and becomes engaged to a viscount who lives in the colony of Massachusetts. Along with a classmate, she travels by ship to the colonies. Unfortunately, she has the bad luck to be on a ship carrying weapons to aid the British in the war against the Colonies. The ship is captured by a ship working for the Colonies. To Grace's horror, the captain is none other than Jackson Brodie! Grace has loved Jackson since she was a child but gave up on him when she realized he would always court danger on the high seas. Her attraction never died, though. He finally agrees to take her to her fiancé in Medford, Massachusetts. They arrive there to find a colony torn apart by the high passions of war, and her fiancé is in the thick of it. Jackson realizes quickly that her fiancé is big trouble. Grace fights that realization herself, for she doesn't want to let go of her dream of aristocratic life. It soon becomes clear that to keep Grace out of danger, Jackson is going to have to remove her from the scene himself. The "Jewels of the Sea" trilogy comes to a satisfying conclusion in this Revolutionary War adventure.

After their parents and younger brother were killed in the Seven Years War, and their English village attacked, Grace Fisk and her older sisters, Morgan and Joanna, turned to pirating. But things have since quieted down. Morgan and Jo have both married noblemen. Grace, who longs for security, is sailing to the Massachusetts Colony to be married. Although she does not love her fiance, Grace knows he can give her the life she has always longed for. But the ship she sails on is attacked by pirates, led by Jackson Brodie, the only man Grace has ever loved. But she knows they can never be together -- he can never give her a peaceful, safe life. But her heart tells her otherwise: that he is the only man she can ever be happy with. When she arrives in American, Grace finds her fiance is not what he seemed. This was an action-packed historical romance that I truly enjoyed. I can't wait to read the other two books in the Jewels of the Sea trilogy.

Grace Fisk, youngest of the pirate sisters, has always wanted peace and a place in society. Her engagement to Lord William Mason provides this, and she's sure that she can put her love for Jackson out of her mind. When Jackson's pirate crew captures her ship, all the bets are off and the action goes non-stop.

Between storm, pirate attacks, the outbreak of the American revolution, treachery, and midnight raids, author Tammy Hilz turns up the pressure and never lets it up. Hilz does an excellent job integrating romantic tension with adventure, allowing Grace to grow as she confronts life-threatening obstacles.

In some ways, writing peaceful and needy Grace must have been hard, but Hilz delivers. ONCE AN ANGEL may be the best in this fine series.

Prabhavananda used to be an indian monk of the Ramakrishna order directing the hollywood branch of that organisation in the first half of the last century. Isherwood was a famous writer who worked together with Prabhavananda. They translated indian scriptures and wrote several books, either together or independently. This particular book is a translation of the Vivekachudamani, a compact presentation of advaita vedanta, attributed to Shankara. It's pleasant to read and contains deep wisdom. The Ramakrishna Vivekananda Organisation has also another version of the Vivekachudamani on sale, which contains the Sanskrit text as well.

Shankara was a 7th century hindu mystic/saint. he founded a number of monastic orders in his short life,[32 yrs], and showed remarkable spiritual talents and insights from a very early age. this book is a true classic in the field of the jnani yoga tradition. his directives are clear, succint, and leave no doubt in the readers mind he knew where of he spoke. i wouldn't say this should be your entry level book into the advaita philosophy but if the idea of your oneness with brahman, the impersonal ground of being, appeals to you and you're ready for the genuine article, then this little book is for you and will reward your careful study. i'll be quiet now and let the master have the last word with a few quotes from the book: "when the vision of Reality comes, the veil of ignorance is completely removed. when our false perception is corrected, misery ends." and "the self controlled man is illumined when he enjoys eternal bliss. he is entirely merged in Brahman. he knows himself to be the unchangeable reality". and, "teachers and scriptures can stimulate spiritual awareness. but the wise disciple overcomes ignorance by direct illumination, through the grace of God". and, "the treasure i have found cannot be described in words, i am one with Brahman".

Traditional Hindu philsophy asserts that the true nature of ourselves, other people, and everything around us is Brahman. But that truth is often covered in superficial illusion, or maya (in pop culture terms, 'the Matrix'). Shankara expounds upon the traditional Hindu philosophy and posits that the key to enlightenment is the ability to discriminate between what is True (i.e. Brahman) and what is merely illusion (maya), to look past the appearance of things and seek the Truth that lies beneath the surface. We do not have to go far to apply this centuries old insight to our own lives. With the light of Shankara's simple philosophy to cut through the swirling mists of illusion that surround us, it is soon apparent that very few of the things we have taken seriously matter at all. They are mostly superficial maya and we must not allow ourselves to lose sight of the core Truths that they would obscure. It may sound abstract, but once you start recognizing that very few of the things people say, do, or believe have any foundation in Truth (in the Brahman sense), you will adjust your perspective accordingly and will be surprised to find how unperturbed you are by the concerns that stir others into an emotional frenzy. If you understand what does and doesn't matter, you can devote your energies to the former and shield yourself from concern for the latter.

For an explanation of these principles in prose by my favorite author, I strongly recommend "Maya", a short story that appears in the back of Hermann Hesse's Nobel prize winning novel, "The Glass Bead Game."