I chose The Threee Billy Goats Gruff by Stephen Carpenter because it was my Mom's favorite story book growing up. The day I brought it home she sat down and read it to me and my sister. My favorite characters are the three billy goats because there funny and can play tricks on the troll. The troll was foolish to let the small and middle size billy goats go across the bridge, and then have to fight with the big billy goat. He ended up falling off the bridge and all three billy goats enjoyed the grass on the other side of the bridge. Now they will be able to come and go whenever they want. There is a lesson to be learned in this book. Don't let someone influence you by saying that something is bigger and better if you wait for awhile. Overall the book is alot of fun to read. I would definitely share this story with my children.

Many of the reviews listed here are for other versions of this story. I have checked out all seven versions of Three Billy Goats Grufff available from our library just to see which was best for a three year old. This one by Stephen Carpenter has large, clever, uncluttered pictures and tells the story in simple language. The troll is not too scary and, all in all, this one seems just right for little ones. Another version, the elaborately illustrated one by Janet Stevens, uses a colorful, imaginative vocabulary and would have more appeal to adults and older children (5 or 6 and up?).

This book has brought great joy to my daughters life. She is 2 1/2 years old and she just loves this story. I highly recomend this book to any parent who enjoys seeing their children envolved with a book.

The authors' second collaboration of historical photos of Boston (the first was Boston Then and Now from 1982) came out ten years after the original, and shows a Boston I'm more familiar with. Much of the blight that Boston seemed to have been drowning in as late as the late 80s is gone in the new pictures in this book, and more of it is shown. The architectural finesses -- buildings with added floors, the defacement of buildings such as the former Fiske building on State St, before-and-afters of Quincy Market -- are given great attention in this book, and Campbell, the author of the text, is not happy with much of it. Especially poignant, towards the end, is a huge bit of graffiti along Columbus Ave from the 60s protesting the impending construction of I-95 through Boston; in 1992, however, the highway never having been built, it is now a park serving people from the South End all the way down to Jamaica Plain.

This book is actually a readable book, more so than the first which was all about the pictures, and much of Campbell's ideas on urban planning are on display here. Campbell, one gathers, would not be happy with the current plans to build open space over the Big Dig, yet he applauds the demolition of an old parking garage that converted Post Office Square from a desolate, confusing high-rise commercial ghetto into at least a more presentable area where the architecture of the surrounding buildings can be enjoyed from street level. Campbell's obsession with urban density comes off as being a bit agoraphobic, but it's easy to see what he means when he describes useless open space as being as much a blight as overhead highways or slums.

To those of you who might live in or regularly visit Boston, but have never seen, can't remember, or simply can't imagine downtown without the dust and construction that the Big Dig and its related projects have brought on, this book is a record of Boston just before they started tearing everything apart. It's also a valuable historical record of the evolution of a city.

With text by Robert Campbell and photographs (primarily) by Peter Vanderwarker, this book is not only a wonderful volume documenting the history of Boston, but a general and gentle instruction in the rise and fall and rise and fall cycles of many cities, focusing in particular on the "built environment". All photographs are in black-and-white, but this makes the comparison between old and new cityscapes easier. Within each of seven chapters there are a series of two-page pieces featuring photographs and an essay on such topics as: Murdering Another Street, A Waterfront Workplace Becomes a Playpen, A Landmark on Top of a Landmark, A Building That Floats, etc. The text is informative and interesting. Maps are used to supplement the material, and a good index follows. If only all history and architecture books could be this well done!

Exceptional work, highly recommended.

My sister in law gave us this book a couple years ago when we moved to Boston. I grew up in the burbs and my wife in the Midwest so we had plenty to explore. The book sat idle for over a year, but when I pulled it down, I was amazed that I hadn't opened it sooner. This book is wonderful.

This is a city that revels in its history, and, to an outsider, Boston sometimes seems a bit mired in its parochial and seemingly unchanging ways. You can end up assuming, "Gosh, it must always have been this way with it's cobblestones and colonial landmarks." This book shattered my assumptions about the static nature of this city.

The authors peel off layer after layer from the city and as the landmarks come and go the authors reflect, educate and entertain as to how these physical changes are linked to history of the city. Some changes are success stories of planning, others fortunate twists of fate, and yet others, unmitigated urban planning disasters. All fascinating illustrations that help the reader understand the city on a more meaningful level.

I must admit that I love cities and am enthralled by the idea of so many people sharing a limited space comfortably and enjoyably. Cities, to me, have an energy that speaks to the miracle of civilization where people can grow personally by sharing in the diversity of those around them. It nevers goes perfectly, because after all we are human, but it is nonetheless comforting to frame your current surroundings in the context of those who have come before you.

Here is a great little book worth reading. Start with a terrific title and follow with a witty, intelligent book in which there are no wasted words and which does not ever seem "interminable" and you've got a great combination. Highly recommended for the fisherman and anyone else in your family.

As an artist, I've found inspiration time and again in Robert Hughes'books and the American Visions series. As a third-generation Floridian growing up on the Hillsborough River, I instinctively came by an appreciation of both the mystique of the water and the way fishing linked me to it. As a mostly-vegetarian who still succumbs to seafood, I feel some sense of guilt and sadness for the realities of the commercial fishing industry. This is a poignant and amusing little book, and a clarion call to those who don't give much thought to where their salmon filet came from. Robert Hughes is an inspired writer; this book demonstrates how his holistic take on cultural history translates into wonderful insights in seemingly disparate fields. This is a book I'll re-read every summer!

I bought this for my 19 year old son who has a passion for fishing. I'll admit it, I just don't understand the allure. I picked it up one night and was caught up in the storytelling. there is a bit of fishing history and plenty of fish stories. I still don't understand fishing, but found this brief book a good read.

This map and guide covers lights in both MA and NH. In June of 2000 I used this map to visit Lighthouses in MA & NH. This map was very useful. On one side is a map pointing out the locations. On the other side there are details for each individual light such as: directions, hours, and phone numbers. I am from Michigan so I was not familiar with New England at all. Some of these lights were hard to find even with the map because some roads are not clearly marked. But I did find everything I was looking for. The price of these maps is an incredible bargain. Some people buy two of them so they can hang one on the wall to display the watercolor images and get another to use.

It made it very easy to find where the lighthouses are located and a nice article on each one.

This was a great resource in locating lighthouses - compact, yet gives specific directions on which lighthouses could be visited and how to get there. Very nice layout, design, pictures, etc.

This is an evidence-based pocket wonder. Mark Graber, M.D., et. al. do an amazing job of packing the relevant practical facts needed in a daily practice or ER in a small space. The emergency care chapters particularly provide the kind of memory jogging details of care that one needs while on the job.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one family practice book, this should be it. (But wouldn't you take a good novel instead?) It covers the waterfront with details of diagnosis and treatment of all of the common and most of the uncommon disorders without the clutter of the rare. Good for students and residents in my estimation.

Excellent pocket reference. I'm a 3rd year FP resident and have found it helpful in the office and in the hospital. Just wish there was a new version -last one was in 1997.

'The Wine Dark Sea' is a fabulous collection by an unjustly neglected author. Robert Aickman writes stories unparalleled by any other writer. It's not hyperbole to call him the finest spooky story writer of the 20th century.

This particular collection, published several years after Aickman's death, gathers together several of his later stories. My favorite story is the eerie 'The Wine-Dark Sea' which tells the tale of a vacationer in Greece who, against the admonishments of his Greek hosts, takes a boat out to a deserted island. Once there he finds three exotic women who claim to be sorceresses. What follows is a magnificent story of magic, love, and betrayal. Quite simply one of the finest novellas I've ever read.

The rest of the stories in the collection are all fine reading, but none approaches the level of the title story. Of particular note is 'The Trains', the creepy story of two girls bumming through Europe who stumble across a mansion with a mysterious past.

As a previous reviewer noted, Aickman's stories aren't easy to read. You get the most out of an Aickman story if you go slowly, read every word, and occasionally re-read paragraphs. This method, combined with his lengthy stories, means that one story can take you up to an hour to read. It's a lengthy process, but the stories are worth it.

I'm only exaggerating a little when I say that it's a tragedy Aickman's stories are out-of-print. There was a very ..., complete collection released in the UK in 2000, but that doesn't help us Americans!

This is the only book entirely by Aikman I have, and it has given me enormous pleasure. The title story is my favourite, though "The Trains" (I think that's the title - book is not to hand)was delightfully unsettling. Aikman, similar to Blackwood, weaves an atmosphere that surrounds the reader all too snugly, making the impact of each occurrence in a tale similar to having the wind knocked gently out of oneself. I first met RA in an anthology of 'ghost' stories, his selection being "The Hospice". Not a true horror story per se, but discomfitting, with a lasting, lingering impression which is still with me. Based on that reading, I've been collecting what I can find of his since. Nothing personal, but with Stephan King hardcovers on the remainder tables (and everywhere else!), it is a shame that this master of the "strange story" should be allowed to go out of print! Find him if you can, and settle in for a memorable and probably disquieting reading experience.

Enjoy!

Robert Aickman's "strange stories" are far from the usual horror fare, and readers who prefer straightforward, no-nonsense spectres are well-advised to steer clear of Aickman's work. But if you are a fan of the beautifully-crafted supernatural stories of Henry James and/or Walter de la Mare, Aickman will be *essential* reading for you. At his best, his stories are small masterpieces of the uncanny that are all the more disturbing because it's often not entirely clear what has happened. *The Wine Dark Sea* is an excellent collection, which brings together a number of Aickman's most evocative tales. Try "The Inner Room" if you're skeptical--if it doesn't work for you, then Aickman may not be your cup of tea. Some of the stories in this volume are a bit uncharacteristically direct--"The Fetch and "Never Visit Venice" for example--but even they have layers of multiple meaning that make them very rich and rewarding reading. ...................... so don't give up on finding some of the stories of this great and sadly under-appreciated master of the supernatural story.

This books introduces the more advanced Java topics, wich are mentioned in other books but never explained. This book explains these topics in clear and easy to understand way. If i see a Sybex book i mostly leave it in the bookstore, but this book is ok to pick up!

This is definitely one of the better (a lot better!) books on Java I've bought so far(I've got about 10 others). Explains difficult topics well. I use a more general book on Java for a general view of the language/classes and I use this one for more difficult topics which a lot of books only mention but do not explain. The use of diagrams and figures together with easy to follow explanations gives a better understanding of Java topics like streams, threads and networking.

After taking a class from Phil, I went ahead and bought his book. I have found it to be one of the best resources for general Java matter, as well as in depth discussions on advanced technologies. A+ Phil.

Though I read this book several years ago, I still remember it vividly and hope this review inspires someone to buy it. I don't normally buy books like this; in fact, I picked this one up from a freebie table at work because I needed to read something on the train home, and boy, was I in for a surprise! The author leaves you hanging at the end of each chapter, luring you into the next until you're done before you know it. My heart pounded from the suspense and ached for the victims. This will be well worth your money.

Excellent writing. The author keeps you interested. By the end of the book I absolutely despised Charles Yukl. This is good reading for those who love true crime.

I really enjoyed this book. It was intense, and very explainitory. It started with the terrible murder that happened in 1966 and the murder that happened after his parol in 1974. Then it went into Yukle's up bringing. It explained the lifestyles of his parents. They were both very good musicains. They taught Yukle music from a very young age and they were very strict with him. His mother was a perfectionist, and expected him to play every thing perfect. She would make him sit at the piano until he did. When his brother was born they weren't as strict with him. They let him do and be who he wanted. Soon his parents were divorced. He and his brother lived with their father and his new wife. He didn't see his mother for years after that. Yukle and his father weren't very close at all. His father was very cruel to him. He always made Charles feel unworthy. Yukle was a loner and kept to his music, the one thing he was very good at. His grades in school weren't that great except for music. He quit school to go into the army. He was still a loner there to. He was court marshalled and sent back home. He went back to school and met a young girl in band that he really liked. He moved to Chicago to go to school for photography. He felt like a different person behind the camera. Things didn't work out with the girl back home and soon he met his wife; she was one of two women that he was able to talk to, but he was never able to completly open up to her. It talks about the police reports and the events leading to his conviction. It was all very intresting. I like reading true stories rather than fictional, and this one kept me reading until the end.

Pirate's Promise is one of the best books I have ever read and if you like adventures you'll like it a lot. Tom Pippin, the main character, has a hard life. He thinks he is his own master. He may be bonded for seven years. He meets some nice captains and some mean ones. He meets some bad guys and some new friends and goes to a lot of new lands.

Also, other books by Cldye Robert Bulla are really good.

Pirate's Promise is an adventure book. Tom is sold for seven years of work in Anerica. He learns it is not good to be a pirate, but some are nice.

12 year old TOM Pipin was taken on broad Lady Pig as the pirates called it.To sail for America but in surpirse the pirates took over the ship.Bravely Tom asked the cap tin if he could take him with them.So the cap tin did but captin land could not finish his promise.So he asked his partner Ben to finish it for him and thats what Ben did.Eascaping from a group of other pirates Ben took Tom on a raft and sailed to anisland. [read the book to find out what happens]

Peter Markus has written a powerful collection of poems that trace the impact of work on his family. The poems tell a story -- a story students could easily follow and write papers in response to. Students really connect with writing about work! Give this chapbook a chance as a text. You won't be disappointed.

Pete Markus is a literary magic. His stories come from some place that is often unseen, from inside the chest where there is only stars, or substance that looks like stars. These songs are for all the in-betweeners who never had it really hard, or really good. The stories are suitable, whole, candid, but contained. " Still Lives with Whiskey Bottle " is one of the more complete, satisfying collections of fictions that I have read. When finished, the reader can say for himself. Peter Markus is a talent to contend with. ( but man, I saw a picture of him and he looked like a baker, or a buthcer. )

------T.Laverty

What a fish! What a catch! Don't let the skinny appearance fool you, this is a live one. Come see the fish that skinned itself and hung its scales on the moon. This work is homeostatic, it feeds itself on itself. I would say the work is about a boy and his father, but that would be lying. I bought this book from Amazon.com and took a risk. Let me tell you. This is a good fish at an excellent price.