The readership of fantasy has been said to be predominantly feminine (as opposed to the predominantly masculine readership of science fiction), so it is perhaps not much of a surprise that one of the best collections of fantasy writing would be one dedicated solely to the work of women authors. If one were looking for non-patriachal, original, stimulating fantasy generally uncluttered by the cliches of the genre one could do worse than one of the most important collections to come out of the field in the last few decades. The range of the book, which also traverses science-fictionesque territory, is impressive, from straightforward space opera (The Ship Who Sang, by Anne McCaffrey; the short story that birthed the famous novel of the same name), to revisionist visions of classic fairy tales (Red as Blood; a revisionist Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story with a distinctly Stokerian--re: Vampiric--twist). Classy packaging and a beautiful cover illustation (Baby Giant) complete a pleasant reading experience. The Penguin Book of Modern Fantasy by Women is a welcome mainstay on the bookshelf of essential science-fiction and fantasy writing.

I AM INTERESTED THE BOOKS

This is an excellent book reviewing the battles that took place from Chattanooga to Atlanta in the summer of 1864 in the Western armies. The authors, working independently, have chronicled much of the strategy and and battlefield drama that characterized such engagements as Dallas, New Hope Church, Pickett's Mill, Kennesaw Mountain, Ezra Church, Resaca etc.
As a layman, I was not bogged down with too much military lingo, and was able to get a good grasp of the strategy used on both sides. Maps and pictures add to the clarity. The authors seemed to start out being favorably disposed to Joseph E. Johnston's command, then, as they analyze all the historical and geographical factors from hindsight, they bring the reader to wonder at his failure to maneuver into a decisive victory over Sherman's advancing army. With the ensuing command of Gen. Hood one senses the nearly frantic contrast to throw men into battle as Atlanta becomes ever-more threatened, at great sacrifice of Confederate lives.
If you had ancestors that fought in the Atlanta Campaign, this is a very good book, with details drawn from numerous sources. The writers have added soldiers' and officers' comments from diaries and letters that detail the morale, the terrain, the weather, and attitude towards the events of the day. These add more interest to the sometimes dry, official commentaries so often quoted in other works.
Good history for layman or scholar; Union or Confederate.

I read this book a few years ago, so I might have a few things wrong, but it was a fairly good book. The characters were well developed(as always), and there was some mistery and suspence, but it dosen't have 'edge off your seat excitment' as the book promises, unless your an eight year old. If your a true Indy fan, you should buy this, but otherwise I would just read it at the library.

Morgan Turner

The best book!!!!

The best book that I have read is Junie B. Jones Big Fat Mouth by Barabara Park. Junie B. Jones has many fantastic books, but I like this one the best. I like this book because if you are down about something you can pick up a Junie book and you will be laughing your head off. For example at the first of the year, I was nervous and down because I was afraid that I would not get to class on time .So when I got to class I picked up this book and started to laugh. It made the rest of my day so much better. Another reason is that it is career day at Junie's school. Well Junie wants to be something and she yells it on the bus but then she wants to be another thing but then another, finally a boy on the bus says "be all three," but he says it in a mean way.On career day Junie shows up at school as a .............sorry you have to read it to find out. The last reason is that I don't like to read much, but since I have read this book I enjoy the series.
Have fun reading Junie B. Jones Big Fat Mouth!!!!

It is a very funny book about a girl named Junie Beatrice Jones except she just likes B. and that's all. She has trouble controlling her temper and excitement. Sometimes she yells out "YOU'RE A DUMB BUNNY!" and she calls her teacher "Mrs."...she has another name too but Junie B. just likes Mrs. and that's all. One day Mrs. said, "Boys and girls, please take your seats. I've got a wonderful surprise!" "IS IT JELLY DOUGHNUTS?" Mrs. put her finger to her lips and that means be quiet. "YEAH ONLY GUESS WHAT? JELLY DOUGHNUTS ARE MY MOST FAVORITE EXCEPT I ALSO LIKE OTHER KINDS!" After that, my mouth got very drooly and some drool fell on the table. I wiped it up with my sweater sleeve. Just then there was a knock at the door. Mrs. hurried to open it. "HEY, IT'S A..." to find out who it was...read the book! You didn't expect ME to tell you!

Like the other Junie B. Jones books, this one was easy to read and funny. However, I really didn't like the extended discussion about whether Mickey Mouse (etc.) is real -- my 6-year-old reader didn't need to find that out from a book!

Though there are several good letters contained in this book, most are average at best. Trimble does not do a very good job as editor. The introduction and conclusion are poor--they contain very little information on the authors of the letters, and what information is provided is not presented well. Would also like to have seen the editor do a better job placing the letters in the greater context of the war.

William and Thomas Jones were Irish brothers who, with their sister Maggie, immigrated to the United States. Maggie was a schoolteacher in West Farms, New Jersey. William and Thomas served in the 48th New York Volunteer Regiment and saw front-line combat during the American Civil War. Brothers 'til Death is a collection of their letters, memoirs, and diary entries that provide today's reader with first-hand information on what they say and did, from the home front to the front lines. Their letters also present an immigrant's perspective on the conflict. Also included are letters from friends of the Jones siblings, thereby adding additional voices and views to the Irish-accented conversation about the war. Of special interest to Civil War historians are detailed aspects of the coastal campaign of the Carolinas and Georgia, including the assaults on Forts Pulaski, Fisher, and Wagner. Brothers 'til Death is enthusiastically recommended reading for all Civil War buffs and an outstanding contribution to academic and public library Civil War collections.

I closed the final chapter longing for more and feeling as though my friendships had been severed without saying good-bye... What a fine collection of letters to impose such feelings... Not only do we have the opportunity to learn more about this complicated era through their personal accounts, but we get the added dimension of their emotions through the beautifully expressive writing. John Fogarty's soulful poem written during the summer of 1864 underscores the tremendous eloquence of these "ordinary" people... Having had the privilege of reading some of Ellis Spear's journal entries as he set off with the 20th Maine, I can affirm the dedication of this teacher to his students and the labor of love the coordination of this project was. We are fortunate to reap what Richard Trimble has sown...

The first volume in a series of group training development games. Although very basic in instruction and content, this book does provide a number of very good activities designed for team building and team learning experiences. If you are familiar with other works by J. William Pfeiffer, this book is a must for your training and development library.

Quality group exercises that apply to a variety of group sizes, needs and learning experiences. Exercises easily adaptable to various learning outcomes.

The authors do an excellent job of connecting "performing" to the teaching philosophy of active learning. If you are already sold on active learning, you will find some of their material a bit repetitive. However, the authors' target seems to be people who use a one-way talk or "sage on the stage" style of teaching. For them, this book could be eye-opening, with its call for abandoning the "content provider role" and moving toward more interaction-oriented teaching.

Every chapter contains suggestions for exercises, many requiring physical movement and the cooperation of others. Many chapters also offer checklists for self-assessment, although I question whether untutored instructors will have the self-awareness to make good use of them.

Two things could be improved in the next edition of the book. First, the authors should eliminate the many very positive references & short vignettes concerning their colleagues' teaching. I'm sure most of the people named are exemplary teachers, but the snippets of material are much too short to serve a pedagogical function. Second, for a book by people apparently heavily involved in dramatic arts, there are surprisingly few in-depth lessons on how to take specific learning objectives & apply tips from the stage to achieve them. Many short references are made to popular plays and films, but they don't really add value to the book.

I would certainly recommend that instructors interested in active learning read this book. I'm not sure I would recommend its purchase. I should note, however, that with my purchase I received a bonus: pages 117-148 appeared twice in the book!

Teachers are performers, by default. Their choice is not whether to perform, but whether to make a conscious choice to do it effectively. "Unfortunately," the authors write (p. 18), "We who teach in higher education rarely receive formal training in the performance aspects of our teaching." Borrowing techniques and insights from the performing arts, the authors provide a variety of tools for correcting that problem. Their book is aimed at college instructors, but much is also appropriate for middle and high school instruction.

Facilitating discussion, engaging students, and creating a dynamic classroom are some of the key goals which the book covers. I found especially helpful the specific examples given, examples reaching far across the disciplines. The many examples of dynamic teaching in nursing, chemistry, biology, and so on, demonstrate that these techniques can and should be used in the sciences and other fields as well.

Among much else, the authors discuss nonverbal cues, audience awareness techniques, roles the instructor can play, and suggestions for breaking through normal routines. Still, the book as a whole is not as much method as it is theory. For example, I came away with a better understanding of why and when I should consider using role plays than how to actually do it. I would have liked to see some discussion of the actual dynamics, such as Bill Bigelow outlines in the book "Rethinking Our Classrooms: Teaching for Equity and Justice."

Along the same lines, the specific examples given are usually summarized in a sentence or two. I wanted more: more details, more discussion of how those examples worked and why. The authors suggest, for instance, using role plays to talk through tough situations like a student dominating discussion (p. 145). But I'd think most instructors wouldn't have the time or the self-confidence to actually carry that out. A short case study taking me through an implementation of that strategy might have changed my mind.

Nonetheless, the book's suggestions are quite helpful (though at times repetitive) and turn the reader's attention to critical aspects of the teaching process most teachers rarely consider. Though it's uneven, I recommend the book to all instructors; you will find something in here which will improve your teaching.

I found this book to contain many recipes that contain ingredients that I can't have (I'm in the early stages of treatment so fruits, nuts, some grains, etc. are out for now) and many ingredients that Dr Crook suggests avoiding for a while in newer books. I'm sure the recipes will be more usefull after I've completed treatment and I'm working on maintenance, but that's not what I needed right now. Some tips on how to cook beans and veggies were somewhat helpfull but I think there are better books out there for the early staged of treatment. Consider getting it from your library before buying it.

At the onset, the book looks chock-full of great, easy recipes for those working on yeast problems. But to actually make the recipes...I wonder if the authors actually tried them out. Ugh! Maybe their tastebuds are messed up. There are comments such as "Delicious! Satisfying!" Don't think so. Some tasteless things, and one of the breads didn't turn out like it was supposed to...what a mess...and the ingredients were expensive! Even though the directions were followed to a "t", it didn't work. But our dogs enjoyed it. The section about veggies and how to select the right ones was nice. If you are just starting a yeast-free program, be careful...some of these foods you can't have early in the yeast-free eating process. Some what worthwhile as a reference guide. Just keep an open mind that some dishes won't taste the way you would expect them to.

I have really enjoyed this book. I understand why the other reviewers rated it as they did though. I also have to stick to a much more restricted diet than the average person on a yeast-free & food allergy plan, however I found it easy to substitute items I could not have with those that I could. My favorite parts of this book are the section on selecting and preparing vegetables and the baked recipes (for which I do a great deal of substitutions). It may be a book for more advanced cooks and bakers, which I am, but it's been a great asset to me and I appreciate having it as a resource.

I could never belive that Wonder-Woman and Batman would come to blows like they do in this story. In the monthly JLA stories, they always had a certain respect for the other;s abilities, in fact, sometimes it appeared Wonder-Woman agreed more with Batman then Superman. Thus their behavoir in this story is just unacceptable.

This "deluxe" hardbound book has some obvious similarities to Christopher Moeller's "A League Of One," also offered from DC Comics a year or so back. Lavishly illustrated and thoughtfully written, they both follow Wonder Woman in 'extra-curricular' (that is, outside the continuity of her monthly comic) adventures, and feature supporting heroes from DC's pantheon. Both books are fairly quick reads, and both deserve the occasional re-read. Unfortunately, both books have a somewhat hefty list price...one good reason to buy them at Amazon's discount.

"The Hiketeia," though it shares some of "League"'s artfully dark style of illustration, isn't written in the same epic manner. At times gloomy and drear, "Hiketeia" is more of a modern Greek tragedy, and has a predictably sad ending. In brief, this story follows a young woman named Danielle, whose sister has come to an untimely end at the hands of drug dealing lowlifes. Though Danielle has always emulated Wonder Woman's heroic ideals, to the point of teaching herself ancient Greek and studying Greek history, her life is changed by a visit from the Furies, a trio of Greek goddesses who thrive on vengeance. Also known as the Erinyes, these hellish goddesses convince Danielle it is her blood obligation to exact revenge upon her sister's tormentors and killers.

Danielle runs afoul of Batman, but escapes him to seek sanctuary with Wonder Woman. She is 'bound' to Diana by performing the ancient ritual of "hiketeia," and Wonder Woman agrees to protect Danielle and provide for her. Eventually Batman tracks the girl to her hideout (the Themysciran embassy), but WW prevents him from taking Danielle into custody. In doing so, Diana honors the sanctity of hiketeia, but defies the laws of modern society. There's much more to this story, but I don't want to spoil it for fellow readers.

Greg Rucka's story is at times riveting, and his characterization of Batman and The Furies is commendable. Longtime Wonder Woman readers may object to the way Diana subverts her sense of reason, in order to honor a ritual that puts her at odds with modern/cultural justice. But there's no questioning her resolve, or her faith. The Furies, despite their blood-thirsty nature, are portrayed as slightly whimsical deities, a nice touch. Batman's importance in this story is belied by his prominence on the book's cover. Though he is a potent reminder of the magnitude of Danielle's crimes, there isn't a single page in this book devoted to his search for the girl, or his reaction to Diana's "interference."

Drawn by J.G. Jones and inked (somewhat heavily) by Wade Von Grawbadger, "Hiketeia"'s visuals are an excellent complement to
Rucka's tale. The style is clean and reasonably realistic in comic book terms, and all the main players are depicted in fine form. Story colors are generally good, though emphasis is given to moody blue-greys and amber lights. The cumulative effect is modern enough to please the average comics fan, and also respectful of classical illustration...a nod to "serious" readers. My only quibble with artwork is the cover, which takes WW and Bat's battle way out of context. It's a powerful image that could easily be misinterpreted as political commentary or a gender statement.

I'd call this a "five star" book if characterization for Wonder Woman was more consistant with her comics "norms". But that's a highly subjective view, so I can still recommend this book to fellow WW fans with few reservations. Fans of the Big Bat may be disappointed to see just how small his part is, but I don't think anyone will find him out of character here. Given the shortage of hardbound WW books, I'd say this one is a must for collectors.

Well ... I just had to write a review and give it five stars, despite being tired and sleepy (almost midnight as I write this). Only two persons had reviewed this book, and one of them gave it only one star, grossly skewing the average rating and possibly affecting what unsuspecting potential buyers might think of this GREAT book. The Hiketeia is a dark and depressing story, very much in the vein of classic Greek tragedies. Wonder Woman grants sanctuary to a young woman, Danielle Wellys, and becomes bound to give Danielle protection without realising that Batman is after Danielle for having murdered several people who caused her younger sister's death. The story resonates with Aeschylus's Oresteia, with its theme of duty and vengeance and their consequences - Orestes was commanded by the Gods, through Apollo's oracle at Delphi, to avenge the murder of his father, Agamemnon, by killing the murderer, his mother Clytemnestra. He duly performed this horrendous duty, bringing the wrath of the Furies, ancient goddesses who hound murderers of blood kinsmen, upon his head in the bargain. Orestes was in a no-win situation - had he failed to kill his mother, the Furies' wrath would have also descended upon his head for failing to avenge the murder of his father. While the Oresteia ended on a happy note - Athena absolved Orestes of any misdeeds and placated the Furies by appealing to their egos - Greg Rucka goes one step further by giving The Hiketeia a bleak ending without any deus ex machina plot devices often used by the ancient Greeks. While the characterisation of the Furies as scheming witches plotting Wonder Woman's downfall is contrary to what the ancient Greeks themselves would have thought of them, I greatly enjoyed this story for being true to Wonder Woman's roots in Greek mythology. The colours used are muted to reflect the darkness of the story, but the art-work is gorgeous. Go beyond the S&M cover of Wonder Woman's heel on Batman's face and you will discover a modern Greek tragedy well worth reading and re-reading several times.