When I first recieved a box of watercolor pencils as a gift, I had no idea what to make of them... I do passing fair work with colored pencils, but watercolors have always been beyond me. I muddled along, experimenting and tossing the miserable results, until I found this book. Oh, the joy! Finally, information on how to get the most out of my creations! How to balance the use of dry and wet, how to work the pencils to their best use, how to work in multimedia (which I do). This is most certainly a bible of sorts for the watercolor pencil artist!

William Morris' Artifacts/Glass is inspiring, impressive, and visionary whether you are interested in glass or just interested in fine art. The photographs of Morris' work are beautiful, and the photographs of Morris' working on glass are just as beautiful! He's as nice a man as he is talented and creative, an inspired artist and thoughtful person. You won't regret having this glass art book in your collection of fine art books.

Using a unique approach by connecting children's writing with real authors' experiences, this book has an attractive layout and provides interesting information about 20 notable children's authors. Children have stories to tell and they can easily become successful writers when motivated. The lessons suggested by these authors will steer children in the direction of imaginative and thoughtful writing.

SCRIPT PARTNERS can easily be expanded to a larger audience. In gathering information from other outstanding writing teams and their own experiences in working together, Claudia & Matt have captured the essence of the creative/collaborative relationship. Within the first few pages of the book, I was transported to an earlier experience in my career with another type of "work marriage"- co-therapy. The parallel between writing teams and co-therapy is quickly apparent. Both assist in the development of their characters/clients; both find themselves caught up in their own issues; both misread their character/client and discover that they are going down the wrong path; both experience the sadness and joy of discovery and human emotion. And (SCRIPT PARTNERS p.1) "we both know on some level that we could do this by ourselves...we both could, but we're better together and prefer it that way."
As a therapist, if you've never experienced the joys of co-therapy or found solutions for the struggles, read this book. Claudia & Matt have given us a map that guides our partnerships through the ups and downs of a "work marriage". Don't miss it, it's an insightful, humorous, and refreshing book.

SCRIPT PARTNERS is aptly written by writing partners who've taken the time to collect the information, advice and anecdotes from writers who've experienced the ups and downs of working with partners. It's a book whose time is long overdue, but will be welcomed with open arms by all writers who've either worked as part of a team or are considering the collaborative process of scribing. Insightful and seasoned with humor for good measure!

This book is orginal, timely, and indispensible. So many great insights into the collaborative process, including the "third voice," which is what filmmaking is all about, but seldom spoken of. The notes on accepting differences and working together toward making the script better are encouraging and inspiring. As someone who collaborates regularly, I'm finding the book more of a resource than a one-time-read. For anyone who is writing, or is thinking about writing with another person, this book is it!

I had the opportunity to see Bruce Lee in action at an East Coast karate tournament in 1969. He wasn't competing but was there as a celebrity guest.

I stood with others at the back of the tournament hall and listened in awe as he talked about having just finished filming Marlow and his plans to leave soon for Hong Kong to begin filming a movie.

Later, I watched him warm-up a great tournament fighter named Luis Delgado. Lee's speed was absolutely incredible. His backfist was nearly imperceptible and his footwork for closing the gap was a blur.

What a loss to the martial arts world that he left us so soon. But we still have this book of his notes. It a wonderful bible, if you will, that will make any martial artist look at his own training to see how some of Lee's ideas can fit.

There will always be the Jackie Chans and Jet Lis who will come along and dazzle us with their screen antics. But Bruce Lee was a seeker of knowledge, a true master of the fighting arts and philosophy. Some of it is in this wonderful book.

As an author of 13 books on the martial arts, I highly recommend this book for every MA library.

I had the opportunity to see Bruce Lee in action at an East Coast karate tournament in 1969. He wasn't competing but was there as a celebrity guest.

I stood with others at the back of the tournament hall and listened in awe as he talked about having just finished filming Marlow and his plans to leave soon for Hong Kong to begin filming a movie.

Later, I watched him warm-up a great tournament fighter named Luis Delgado. Lee's speed was absolutely incredible. His backfist was nearly imperceptible and his footwork for closing the gap was a blur.

What a loss to the martial arts world that he left us so soon. But we still have this book of his notes. It a wonderful bible, if you will, that will make any martial artist look at his own training to see how some of Lee's ideas can fit.

There will always be the Jackie Chans and Jet Lis who will come along and dazzle us with their screen antics. But Bruce Lee was a seeker of knowledge, a true master of the fighting arts and philosophy. Some of it is in this wonderful book.

As an author of 13 books on the martial arts, I highly recommend this book for every MA library.

I had the opportunity to see Bruce Lee in action at an East Coast karate tournament in 1969. He wasn't competing but was there as a celebrity guest.

I stood with others at the back of the tournament hall and listened in awe as he talked about having just finished filming Marlow and his plans to leave soon for Hong Kong to begin filming a movie.

Later, I watched him warm-up a great tournament fighter named Luis Delgado. Lee's speed was absolutely incredible. His backfist was nearly imperceptible and his footwork for closing the gap was a blur.

What a loss to the martial arts world that he left us so soon. But we still have this book of his notes. It a wonderful bible, if you will, that will make any martial artist look at his own training to see how some of Lee's ideas can fit.

There will always be the Jackie Chans and Jet Lis who will come along and dazzle us with their screen antics. But Bruce Lee was a seeker of knowledge, a true master of the fighting arts and philosophy. Some of it is in this wonderful book.

As an author of 13 books on the martial arts, I highly recommend this book for every MA library.

There are a lot of books out there on keeping journals, and all of them contain very similar, and sound, basic advice: use whatever format helps, just ignore the censorious voice, there are no rules, etc. This book covers those points adequately, to be sure.

Where this book excels, however, is in guiding the reader who is beyond the basics--the reader who has accumulated a pile of journals and is ready to take them as raw material and do something more with them, be it more journaling at a deeper level or extracting and preparing a work for publication. Professor Johnson presents a number of ideas along this line that I have not seen elsewhere.

This book lost a star in my view because, in addition to the lack of bibliography noted by other reviewers, the material about mining the journals is not presented in a well-organized fashion. For example: Johnson identifies ten categories of life patterns that one can perceive in journals past: longing; fear; mastery;(intentional) silences; key influences; hidden lessons; secret gifts; challenges; unfinished business; untapped potential. I found this to be a very helpful analysis, yet it is casually mentioned in the text in a way that is easy to miss and hard to locate again for reference.

This book must be mined for insights in just the same way that one mines a journal. It's not a fatal flaw, but I think I expected more in a published work. Nonetheless, it is worth the effort for long-time journal-keepers.

I am an avid journaler, and this book was a delight to read. It wouldn't be a book for a beginner, however. Only the first few chapters really talk about how to journal. The rest of the book is more about how to "harvest" your journals and what to do with them to turn them into other creative writing, seeing patterns and writing about those, etc.

The book has some excellent quotes. Here's a good one: "To keep a journal is to know the present is still under consideration, merely a first draft of your experience." So there's some food for thought - and pen!

My favorite books on journaling are "Journal Keeping" by Luann Budd and "How to Keep a Spiritual Journal" by Ron Klug.

"Leaving a Trace"
Alexandra Johnson
ISBN 0-316-12156-8

For those of us who have used our journal entries as the basis for writing, this book is apropos. Alexandra Johnson and others teach courses about journal and diary writing as the basis of creative activity. It was news to me that there are such courses. One of the keys to productive journal writing, according to the author, is to realize that journal entries need not only be about interesting places or unusual events. The everyday can be the source of material as well. As the author writes, "Life is in the details." It is interesting that many older people wish to achieve an understanding of their lives by writing about them in journals or diaries.

I suppose the most helpful thing that one learns from this book is to approach journal writing less formally. One does not have to be constrained to write everything in a commercially produced diary or to try to write only profound things. It took Frank McCourt, the author of "Angela's Ashes", years to realize that writing about the poverty of his early life could be literature.

Unconsciously, I had made some of the observations Alexandra Johnson makes, but I had not come to understand them as she does. For example, my father had written a diary when he was about twenty-one years old. Even though, he lived to be fifty-six, I had always regarded this diary as his best legacy. When an uncle of mine died, I asked for any journal that he might have kept. Eventually I came into possession of a number of letters that he had written to his parents when he was a soldier in WWII from Germany, France, Panama, and the Philippine Islands. So in a way, these letters formed the basis of a non-traditional kind of journal.

All in all, "Leaving a Trace" is interesting reading. I looked forward to picking it up each evening before falling asleep, my favorite reading. I was even inspired to write in the journal that I had not touched in over a year.

Johnson's primary message would seem to be that recording our lives does matter. Doing so is a way of coming to terms with them and a leaving of something of oneself behind. The key is to simply write about one's life, interests, and observations. Recently, I have had the opportunity to help my mother-in-law record the details of her terrible ordeal of being a refugee in World War II. It has been surprising to me how excited this project has made her. After almost sixty years, she had perhaps never entirely comprehended or understood these events. Somehow having someone help her write about them seemed to help facilitate this.

For those who have thought about getting started with a journal or writing one better, this book would be a good place to begin.

This SO lived up to my expectations, and more!

This has to be the most comprehensive book of any TV series out there. The questions are tough, but organized by season which helps you along. I'm glad most of the questions are not lay ups -- not only is it fun to wrack your brain for the answer (better yet, watching someone else wrack their brain), but it makes you laugh when you think back on the episode and all the silly, little details you probably forgot about!

The author has also scrounged up some great trivia bits about the show, the actors, etc. which are really interesting. I also like the episode guide, although would love to have had more detail written on each episode.

All in all a great gift idea or pick-up book for yourself. Anyone who enjoys the show will LOVE IT!

Great book for true Friends fans. Trivia for everyone in this one. It's loads of fun and great to share with your friends. Any fan of Friends NEEDS to own a copy of this!!!!

Great book for a Friends fan!! Lots of fun Trivia for everyone. Anyone who is a fan of Friends NEEDS to own a copy of this book!!!

This book is very different from other Dr. Seuss books. First, the whimsical rhymes and made-up words which characterize Seuss in such classics as One Fish, Two Fish..., and The Lorax are absent here. Instead there is a simple elegance in couplets which brings colors and images together with emotions and moods. Second, the playful cartoon-style illustrations of more light-hearted classics are replaced by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher's more abstract paintings. These paintings cover the whole page with deep colors, drenched in emotion. Between the wonderful images suggested by the couplets and the engaging art (not illustration!) this book brings home a message to kids of all ages about the acceptability of their moods and emotions.

My daughters' reaction to this book has been tremendous. My older daughter (4 y.o.) wants to linger on each page to examine the art while my younger daughter (10 mos.) tries to feel the texture of the paint. I can see their faces reacting to the feelings suggested by each color and rhyme. We don't have many children's books that are 'illustrated' in a manner as poignant as this book (but we have an extensive library which most of the classics). Yet despite the 'message' it is never preachy - just a matter-of-fact statement that we all have emotions and they are all OK. Seuss provides the images as a frame of reference to help kids understand and explain them, which is especially helpful for little ones who haven't yet developed the vocabulary and reasoning to figure it out for themselves.

The best benefit is not necessarily even for kids to understand themselves, but to help kids understand grow-ups' moods - why mommy is tired after a long day at work, or why daddy is frustrated when he burns dinner, etc. I can just tell my daughters that I am in a 'grey' mood for a while, and all becomes crystal clear!

Early in his career, Dr. Seuss wrote many books as Theo. LeSieg (the last name being his own name of Geisel in reverse) that were illustrated by others. In 1973, he wrote the rhymes for this book, but wanted someone else to illustrate it. After his death, his wife brought the book to his publisher's attention. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher have created a book filled with stunning paintings and fascinating typography to bring Dr. Seuss's range of daily moods and emotions alive. Using this story, people can communicate these feelings more vividly and accurately to one another.

The book is obviously inspired by the common sentence you've heard many times, "I'm feeling blue today."

"Some days are yellow.

Some are blue.

On different days

I'm different too."

"You'd be

surprised

how many ways

I change on Different

Colored

Days."

Most colors are also associated with an animal. Red is a horse kicking up its heels. Brown is a bear, "slow and low." On a yellow day, "I am a busy, buzzy bee." On a green day, he's a "cool and quiet fish." On a happy pink day, he's a flamingo! On black days, he becomes a howling wolf. He even has mixed-up days, when he is several colors at once (disguised as a cut-out cookie of a person).

He's reassuring, as always, in the end.

"But it all turns out all right,

you see.

And I go back to being me."

The paintings in the book are remarkable for the simple, fundamental images they represent . . . both building on and adding to our mental archetypes. They also use color and shape well to create a mood over two colorful pages. Further, the texture of painting is almost palpable to the touch, adding an appreciation for depth and context for the viewer or reader.

One way you can use this book is to ask your child what color he or she is today. You can also communicate your color, as well. You can each learn more about how to change one another's not-so-attractive colors in this way, or to help sustain desirable ones. I know of no other book that is so effective at creating concepts and vocabulary for conveying emotions and moods.

I suggest that you extend this book by adding other colors and images that capture moods and emotions that are not represented here. And don't feel like you have to limit this to your child. Adults can benefit from this perspective and way of communicating as well.

Live vividly and colorfully in ways that please you!

My in-laws got me this book shortly after I married my husband. They knew that I collect children's books and thought that I would like to have this one for my collection. They were right! I love it and it quickly grew to one of my all time favorites. The pictures are so wonderful and bright. I love the meaning behind the text that all days are different and some days are good and some days are lousy. On those lousy days, it is a great pick-me-up even for adults. Children love this book and will read it over and over again. Please get this book for anyone you know.

Note to teachers: This is a fantastic book to discuss emotions and feelings. I teach kindergarten and we do a lot of discussion about emotions and feelings and how to handle them. This book is a great way to begin that type of discussion. Also, it is great when working with color words because a different color day is on each page. I usually incorporate both into the same week.

An overview/summary of many basic concepts but with little theoretical development based on physical models. For example, the authors discuss transmission lines but don't trouble themselves to show the incremental circuit model of a transmission line or the differential circuit equations, they simply state the solution of the differential equations. Likewise the authors inadequately discuss how terminations affect transmission lines and fail to show how the reflection coefficient follow from the physical model. The point of showing the theoretical underpinnings is to make clear when the stated solutions are valid and more importantly, not valid. In ignoring the physical models, the authors do a disservice to their readers. An altogether disappointing book.

First, I'll critique the sub-title: a handbook of Black Magic. High-speed digital design is not black magic. It is the application of science. The sub-title does the book a disservice.

Second, I should caution young engineers that the authors of this book enumerate several stratagems in high-speed design; some good, some bad. That is, not all of the tricks in later sections are sound engineering practices. Experienced engineers will be able to differentiate between sound engineering practices and hacks, and when compromises should be made. Young engineers may be lead astray too easily.

Lastly, this book is a good book if you already know something of the subject. If you had only to buy one book, I'd recommend "High-Speed Digital System Design: A Handbook of Interconnect Theory and Design Practices" ISBN: 0471360902.

After reading that book, I'd purchase this book, as this book has some practical information, for example, on choosing capacitor dielectrics, oscillators, etc., not contained in the first.

I would give this a 4.5 star but had to round down. This book is very easy to read cover to cover. It gives practicle useful information and tricks to achieve excellent digital design. For example, measuring the area of a voltage signal to measure high speed inductance provides better noise immunity.

PS Another good book for high speed is RF Circuit Design by Chis Bowick.

Thats the question you might very well ask! I enjoyed the first version of this book. Mr.Johnson does indeed include some great photos and some great information. (I have read his stuff since his days way back when in STARLOG Magazine.). The only complaints I can say I have,are: #1 The over use of the words "he laughed"(Nearly ever quote by a person,is followed by that phrase. Makes them all sound like giggling ninnies).AND #2 The fact that Python,by Mr.Johnson's reckoning,can do no wrong. We surely all enjoy their work,but lets be frank,Python like the Beatles,are capable of producing rubbish,its not all solid gold. The writing at times feels very "fannish" but that is okay,the information is very valid. My only question is,why not just release the NEW Information as a NEW BOOK?? So what if its a small book! The original book "First 200 Years" is still out and about.(Even if this one is on glossier paper.) If you do not have the original book,get this version,NOW!! If you have the original,wait 5 more years for, "First 310 Years" and get twice the book at half the price!

This is a fantastic guide to Monty Python. Pre-Python, The TV Show, the films, the records: it's all there. It is full of facts & photos. I often refer to it while I'm watching a Python TV show or film on DVD. There are other books about Python, but none that cover the history so thouroughly. It's a very enjoyable, funny read. I particularly like the Pre-Python photo comic from Harvey Kurtzman's Help Magazine, which is reprinted in the book. It features John Cleese as a man who falls in love with his daughter's Barbie doll. This book, combined with David Morgan's book Monty Python Speaks, will tell you everything you want to know about Monty Python.

Of all my years(1, in fact!)of reading about the British Bad Boys, this is definitely the silver tuna. It has mini biographies of each of the members,the history,listings of all movies,albums and books,and,which is very helpful to me,a guide to every single Flying Circus episode!If you at least have any sense of off-beat humor,you will buy this book! Actual title:The First 20 Years of Monty Python(there is an "X" through the last "0")