This book is a great guide to planting wildflowers. It is full of the information you need to ensure a successful planting. It has a full encyclopedia of wildflowers, but it also has wonderful color photos, making it different from your average planting guide book. It is specific to West Coast climate, great for California gardeners.

Ah ha! I knew it! I CAN train my Poochie! Thank goodness there's a book that can show me how!

This is the most comprehensive book I've found yet about flower gardening in the desert. Color pictures accompany each entry. Both the botanical and the common names of flowers are listed as well as other pertinent information. I am constantly referring to it. This and Sunset's WESTERN GARDEN BOOK are my bibles for gardening in the desert.

A wonderful resource describing the apnea experience from both the doctor's and patient's viewpoint. A must for anyone who snores!

The Sociology Student Writer's Manual is an excellent resource. Every student, major and minor, in the discipline will benefit from a close study of each chapter. Following the instructions will make citations and referencing a cinch! All the tips and clues necessary to provide your instructor with perfect copy, both in content and in form, are included. There is even a chapter on the www. This offering is both a writer's manual and a model for doing research, with examples in all areas of the sociological endeavor. IT IS WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT!

The title of the book sums it up; it's a coloring book with various pics of Jedi missions and other Episode 1 scenes. Think your too old for a coloring book? Well, not this one! Great piece to add to your colection.

This simple yet clear book was fascinating to read. It breaks down brilliantly the boundary issues we all face on a daily basis. His explanations and situations bring to life the differences between emotional, physical and verbal abuse. I didn't think it applied to me because of the subtitle yet I found it went way beyond that giving clarity about the subtle simple ways we over step our boundaries daily. Read it...

I really like this book and recommend it to any person with an aching back. The best thing I liked about it though, is that it is very well supported by research. I doubt many other books on back pain offer a treatment for your pain that is this well supported by "randomized controlled trials." The way I see it, the average person just doesn't have the time to look through a billion back pain articles to find answers for their aching back. This is really the strong point of this book and what you are really paying for. The author has done all the work for you and has put it all together in this short guide, which is easy to read.

Actually the book goes into depth about why you shouldn't make decisions based on testimonials. Nevertheless, after two months of doing the exercises described in this book my back has been feeling really good. It no longer hurts after prolonged periods of standing in stores, or walking around, or sitting at the computer. I feel generally much stronger.

The book is written in a very down to earth style that should be accessible to anyone, and could be irritating to those who prefer more concise and sophisticated treatments. My personal view is that in self-help books like this the content is more important than the style. I'm more than willing to put up with a simple treatment to get the nuggets inside, especially since the authors are always looking for the logic behind the clinical findings and are never afraid to admit when something isn't understood.

The practical recommendations only cover a few pages, and the remainder of the book is devoted to building a case for why a strong multifidus alleviates back pain. The authors place an extreme emphasis throughout on good scientific method and the importance of controlled randomized clinical trials in deciding what treatments work.

I have not checked the twenty or so references at the back of the book, so I can't vouch for the authors' accurate presentation of the field.

Overall, if you suffer from back pain, get it!

This book came out earlier this year and is written by a physical therapist. Although he apparently hasn't published a lot else, it is obvious by the cited references discussed in the book that he has read much back research and puts it all in your grasp with this short, handy little book.

The book details in layman's terms what the multifidus is, what it does, and the myriad of back problems that have been associated with multifidus abnormailities. Finally, the book finishes by showing you a very simple exercise to help correct the problem, so simple in fact that my ten year-old does it with me from time to time. When you finish, it makes you think that there is some sort of cover-up going on. Just how could such a well documented back pain problem (extremely well-referenced in the book) have escaped the public's attention for so long?

Herein we follow a young man, Tim Hunter, destined to be one of the greatest mages in history, as he introducted to magicks past, magic in present day world, the lands just beyond commonplace reality and magicks future by four DC Comics magicians: the Phantom Stranger (condemned to walk for eternity); Dr. Occult (who switches gender and personae as the occasion demands); John Constantine, Hellblazer (a con man and rogue, few powers but he has taken on the Devil himself and survived); and Mister E (a dangerous fanatic on the side of order). Gaimen's story makes for an excellent read, and three of the four illustrators involved: John Bolton, Scott Hampton and Charles Vess create beautiful illustrations throughout. (Sadly I didnt really like the artist's interpretation in the fourth chapter, it's the only reason I rate this book 4 out 5 stars instead of 5 out of 5.) These books were the basis of the ongoing DC/Vertigo comic book series by the same name (of which graphic novel collections are available). One drawback, common to many graphic novel collections (like Warren Ellis' "Planetary" books or Mark Waid and Alex Ross' "Kingdom Come" (both series also collected): to get the most of the story, it helps to have some familiarity with DC Comic book characters and history.

The Books of Magic establishes a history of Magic and Magic use in the DC comic Universe as seen through the eyes of Tim Hunter, the potentially most powerful mage to ever come in the modern age, and of established characters, The Stranger, Constantine, Dr. Occult & newly-introduced Mister E. As an adventure in the normal comic sense, it is not anything of the sort. Although there are some exciting scenes, but for comic fans who enjoy reading a new definition of established characters (hero & villian), it's well-worth the money. The art (painted by 4 of comicdom's best artists) is outstanding, and easily among the best anyone has seen in years. Neil Gaiman's writing is concise, brilliant, and gives more than a few twists that no one could predict. Best of all, it brought forth possibilities that are still being defined in DC's various occult titles. As such, the Books of Magic is a must buy, especially for Gaiman and occult fans. But best of all, for the story and the art

The Books Of Magic, Like Any Other Gaiman Story,is Breathtakingly Amaazing in its Telling,and the art compliments the story wonderfully. This is arare and unique instance where an established artist such as Charles Vess works on a Comic book.There are cameo sequences in this book that include scenes with Dream,Death,Destiny,Etrigan the Demon,Deadman,Zatanna,and the Spectre, just to name a few characters. Timothy Hunter is one of Gaiman's finest creations,and he is an actually believable and interesting one,as well. The Premise of the story is: Timothy Hunter, a very Young man,Pre-teen in fact,has the potential to become the greatest sorcerer of this age. The Trenchcoat Brigade,whose Ranks include The Mysterious Phantom Stranger,The incorrigble Hellblazer,John Constantine,The Enigmatic Dr. Occult, and Mr.E. His name says it all. The four decide to show Tim the magical history of Earth,and the universe,and some of the major magical players that exist in the DC universe.The Stranger shows Tim the past,Hinting at his origins all the while,and making the reader rather curious about him.The Second Tour guide on the Magical Mystery Tour is John Constantine, and this is a very True-to-form Constantine story,in that most of the people whom they visit have some sort of grudge against everyone's favourite Constantine,and Tim is introduced to many of the prominent contemporary characters Like the Spectre,Jason Blood,and Zatanna.The Third story is about Dr.Occult taking Tim on a guided tour of the lands of Faerie,The Dreaming(Neil Gaiman's writing, did you honestly think that Morpheus WOULDN'T show up?)Charles Vess did the artwork for issue 3, and that contributes to the magnitude of superb story this story inside of a story has.Also, if you read SANDMAN, you see Titania,and find out what Happened to Shakespeare's son, Hamnet.It also hints at the shadowy background of Doctor Occult.Issue Nimber Four is also very amazing,in that Gaiman tells us what's going to happen in the future.Or it might.Tim sees just what he might be,witnesses the final battle of the age, and into the mind of Mr.E.and makes his decision about Magic. I would Recommend this book to anyone wanting an introduction to the Vertigo Universe,anyone who wants a fantastic story,and if you have any sort of literary appreciation, you should go and buy this book as soon as you get a chance to. The ongoing BOOKS OF MAGIC books dont have the wonderful feel that this book gives off, and you wont feel nearly as satisfied about them. I recommend any Neil Gaiman,Garth Ennis,and Alan Moore stories(especially their DC work).

We all know where we were on September 11th, 2001. Some of us were headed to work, others to school, some were with families and some were alone. We all know the thoughts that struck our minds as those airplanes struck those towers. Many of us would like to express the pain and emotion that we felt but are unable to find the words. That is why this book comes in handy.

At about 435 pages, September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond is an anthology featuring 120 writers. Loaded with first hand impressions penned only months within the attack on America, the book is a balanced mix of political response, personal reflection and artistic vision of the day that changed the world forever.

The anthology is Editor, William Heyen's effort to reflect the opinions and experiences of the world's people. It is a balanced representation of ideas, but hardly covers a fraction of the opinions and questions of all affected by the attack. And although it will never answer "why?" What it will do is let us express, empathize and identify with one another, not only as writers, not only as Americans, but as human beings.

September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond is a collection of voices of well-known authors along with lesser-known authors who are just as effective. The authors, including award-winning poets, teachers, professors, war veterans, and Pulitzer Prize winners, try to express themselves to help readers deal with the events of September 11th. It is an assortment of powerful poetry and prose mixed with gripping letters and short essays.
The book, arranged in alphabetical order by author, is a candid set of thoughts and feelings that the authors experienced during the days following September 11th. The various backgrounds of the one hundred plus authors are evident by their written thoughts and expressions about the September 11th tragedy.
The best pieces in the book are the one's where the authors decided to express themselves through poetry. There are two poems that stand out to me. The first poem is "Monday Sundown" and is part of a collection by Lucille Clifton titled "9/11/01 - 9/17/01.
"i bear witness no thing
is more human than hate

i bear witness no thing
is more human than love"
It deals with the two major emotions felt during the tragedy-love and hate. Those emotions are exactly what every American was dealing with after September 11th. We hated the people responsible for the attacks, but loved everyone who passed away or was lending a helping hand. The second poem in the collection that moves me is Lucien Stryk's "Quiet, Please!" It contained a verse that September 11th survivors could understand and quite possibly, help put their thoughts into words.
"down the stairs. Survival
heaps dead flowers into sleep.
Keep still. I think I'm dreaming."
The piece in the book that is both my favorite and most personal is coincidentally is not a poem. It is Karl Elder's short essay titled "The Silence." I must make a note that Karl Elder is a professor of mine at Lakeland College, but I have no bias as Elder's piece deals with the exact same experience I had. He writes about a Green Bay Packer's football game played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin just 13 days after September 11th. He describes how his Iranian friend, now a United States citizen and also a professor at Lakeland, is treated as he enters the famed stadium. He illustrated his feelings as the game wore on. The funny thing about the piece is that I enjoyed it without having to completely read it. I attempted to read it five times before I could make it through without daydreaming of that night. Elder's piece took me back to that game on September 24th.
The piece transported me to when I was standing in the long lines before the game and how I actually asked God to protect us that night. I thought of how I took my Green Bay Packer hat off during the Star Spangled Banner because I wanted to show respect for the nation and not just because it was routine. It recaptured the eerie feeling I had about halfway through the second quarter when I realized that an important football game was nothing more than a distraction for the events in New York. It brought the chill back to my neck as I remembered when Chris Gizzi, a reserve linebacker for the Packers and an Air Force reservist, led the green and gold from the locker room under a banner of red, white, and blue. It reminded me of the time when the crowd chanted "USA, USA!" and I finally realized what patriotism felt like. And lastly, "The Silence" took me back to the drive home when my brother-in-law (a volunteer firefighter) and I had an hour-long talk and not once brought up the Packers.
The book is being used in my class at Lakeland College, but it is unlike any textbook I have ever read. September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond is not facts and figures, but a book that brings back many of the same feelings that were felt on September 11th-fear, sadness, confusion, and disillusionment. The stories of September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond, told through the words of the book's brilliant contributors, are not meant to inform or entertain, but as Elder's "The Silence" took me back, the pieces evoke one's own remembrance of September 11th. Through the works in this book, I began to understand the feelings I felt after September 11th.
Every reader that reads this book will be transported back to September 11th. Whether the reader was watching the events unfold on television or from a New York rooftop, September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond will cause the reader to remember how they felt. That is why Americans should buy the book and the personal remembrance of September 11th is the only reason necessary to buy it. After reading September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond readers will place it on a shelf or a coffee table, but they should never leave the stories far from their conscience.

September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond is a carefully put together anthology dealing with the attacks on the World Trade Center. This compilation contains pieces written by over 100 different authors and its diverse contents allow it to appeal to a variety of people.
Stylistically it is difficult to describe September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond because the genre is so widespread. The anthology includes poems, essays, short stories, fictional stories, non-fictional stories, letters, and poems-the list could continue. Each author has their own style yet the pieces have a way of fitting together and creating an amazing collection of artist's reactions to the events on September 11th. Authors like Daniela Gioseffi makes the reader laugh because she writes about an entertaining (and touching) conversation she has with a nine year old girl while authors like Fred Moramarco makes the reader cry because the contents of his poem include the final conversations of September 11th victim's lives. The different authors attempt to affect the reader in different ways creating an extremely effective anthology.
The pieces in the compilation of writings are arranged in alphabetical order by the author's last name. This unoriginal organization is actually a very effective technique used by the editor, William Heyen, because it leaves the reader in anticipation of what is left to come. Heyen could have organized the anthology by grouping similar pieces together but this option is undoubtedly inferior to his choice of arrangement. Because every author has a different point of view and style, the reader has no idea what to expect when they begin the next piece in the anthology. The reader may find two poems similar in content back to back, or an essay followed by a memoir with contents differing from one extreme to the next. The anticipation that builds within the reader regarding the content of the upcoming pieces makes September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond a book that people do not want to set down.
It is impossible to read September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond without questioning your own view on the attacks. The anthology represents an abundance of different points of view. From Muslims to Christians, Middle Eastern people to American people, presidential supporters to presidential protestors; every view is represented. One of the most amazing things about this collection of writings is the wide range of feelings it produces. There are pieces like "the window, at the moment of flame", by Alicia Ostriker, that produce feelings of anger and disbelief in many readers because it blames the Americans for the tragedy. There are also pieces like Richard Wilbur's "Letter" that produce nationalistic feelings and recreate a true sense of love and pride for America. A person's opinion of the nation and the attacks prior to reading September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond will definitely be challenged because of this book. Pieces such as "America United", by Ishmael Reed, force even the strongest supporter of the government to reevaluate the strength of our leaders and, consequently, take a second look at their own view on the matter. Initially some of the pieces included in the anthology may produce feelings of rage because the point of view of the reader and the author differ greatly. One of the things that make this anthology as effective as it is, however, is that the differing opinions (regardless of who the reader is) will be retaliated by another piece somewhere in the book. The anthology contains such a large variety of pieces that it is impossible for a person to not be able to identify and agree with at least one of the pieces.
It is inevitable that the attacks on September 11th had an affect on every American, but what is not as certain is the effects that it had on people other than Americans. September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond helps prove that the attacks were not simply an American tragedy, but rather a world tragedy. The anthology contains non-fictional stories such as "Sisters", by Karen Blomain, in which two American sisters are spending an ordinary day shopping in a flea market when the attacks occur. In this story the tragedy brings the American sisters together to mourn with Russians, Koreans, Latinos, and Indians. Many of the authors that are included in the anthology come from different cultures. The ability of this one book to cross cultures and force any reader to see the impact the tragedy had on people other than Americans is simply amazing. After reading this book it is impossible for a person to see the attacks as affecting only Americans, but instead the book forces readers to have feelings of empathy and respect for other cultures.
September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond is one of the most moving and motivational anthologies of today. Although the attacks on the World Trade Center occurred almost two years ago, it is still hard for people to cope with the tragedy. Books like this one help people (both Americans and non-Americans) deal with the truths of the attacks and come to the realization that they are not alone in whatever they are feeling. The amazing thing about September 11, 2001: American Writer's Respond is that it has the capabilities of touching every single person's life because of its diverse content. In a time period as dangerous emotional as this, people need to find a place to turn when they feel that there is nowhere left to go. Thankfully this book can be that place for anyone.