this book gives an overview on how to understand mandalas. I was looking for a book on creating them and teach students how to create them. This book is all words no pictures so if you are a teacher and want to teach students how to develop them this is not the book. If you want to understand mandalas and how they are used, this is the right book.

I met Suzanne Fincher at a conference sponsored by Journey into Wholeness some fifteen years ago. I did not know it but I was in the first round of a fight for life: midlife crisis. My old life was crumbling before my eyes, and I went to Suzanne's workshop on making mandalas. We drew a circle and used crayons to just let things happen. Somehow, again without my knowing it until later, all the floating pieces of my life found a place within this circle called a mandala. It gave me a profound sense of peace, AND as I learned from Suzanne's teaching and this book, about how to work with my mandalas, they have provided me - throughout the years - a powerful vision for what is happening within me. I have shared this book with small groups and classes and people seeking wholeness and healing for many years with great blessing to each person who worked with it, and I continue to recommend it as the best single resource for mandalas, and a pivotal resource for sensing the moves of the Spirit within us. Suzanne's other book, Coloring Mandalas, is a delightful coloring book that offers many diverse models of mandalas representing places on the great round of the mandala.

One of the encouraging dimensions of regular creation of mandalas is the opportunity to see "progress" or movement within our lives when we are going through changes. I remember encouraging a friend to draw mandalas one time when they felt very alone and lost. After a couple of weeks when she thought she was going nowhere and learning nothing we sat down and compared her creations with the great round of the mandala and she and I could see her movement around the cycle, charting in a most beautiful way the progress/growth/movement within her life that she could not otherwise see, It provided a deep sense of peace and encouragement on her path.

Through the years innumerable folks have found a similar vision of their inner life through mandalas. May Suzanne's book help you start on that path! A small candle, some peaceful music, some crayons or colored pencils, and a piece or paper are all you need to begin.

I bought this book AFTER I had done several mandalas in an art therapy class. I was amazed by the insight of the author into art (and mandalas) as a healing & exploratory tool, and by the extra dimensions Fincher's writing helped me to find in my art work. Using her book as a guide, I'm continuing to create mandalas... and am using her research to augment the interpretation of my OTHER artworks as well. I highly reccommend this book -- especially to folks who want to access and improve upon the instinctive, artistic side of their nature but fear that they "don't know how to draw". You'll find, using Fincher's book, that sometimes simply WHERE you put a blob of color on a piece of paper, and WHAT color you're using is far more important than whether or not you've drawn something that looks "perfect" or "realistic". If you want to learn more about YOURSELF, buy this book. It's a fabulous and fun tool!

I bought this after reading the glowing reviews - I'm afraid I was disappointed. I'm sure it is through and would teach me German - if it didn't send me to sleep first! I'm not sure driving and listening to this at the same time should be allowed. All you hear is very dry and emotionless voices repeating words - a man says the English, then a woman repeats the German word twice. No hints on pronunciation, no cultural advice, no music, no enthusiasm, *nothing* except these two voices. You also need to listen to the tapes over and over again before you start to learn the words. However, I'm sure this would appeal to some people, and it is very through. Personally, I need a little more enthusiasm and joy in my life!

An excellent concept, inadquately realized. The method of speaking first at a normal pace--often difficult to understand on first hearing--and then more slowly and carefully enunciated, is of great value, and justifies the reasonable price. However the tapes have a serious shortcoming in the area of vocabulary building, which is, of course, fundamental to learning a language. The problem, the serious problem, with these tapes is the colloquial English translations. These translations, while essentially accurate, frequently give the student little or no idea of the specific meaning of the German phrase, of the individual German words. English words are used as translations which, if then looked up in the dictionary, give words in German different from the original German word. Also, instead of using an English cognate, which would aid the student in fixing the meaning of the German word, in a translation that, at worst, would be slightly awkward, a colloquial English translation is used that, although it accurately expresses the meaning of the sentence, uses words that do not accurately express the meaning of the words used to make up the sentence. Vocabulary building is sacrificed for English style, where style is at best, of secondary importance. For instance:

"Wahrend wir uns das uberlegen, giesse ich mir einen Drink ein un schaue mir die Sportnachrichtin im Fernsehen an."

"Uberlagen" is translated as, "thinking about it", and "giesse" as "make". However "uberlegen" is more generally translated "considering", and "giesse" as "pour"--both perfectly reasonable translations in this context. And going the other way, "thinking" is of course more usually translated "denken", and "make" as "machen". "Considering" and "pour" are two useful words, but one would not learn them from this dialogue.

And then:

"Kann ich Dir auch einen Drink mixen?"

which could be quite adequately translated:

"Can I also mix you a drink?"

but which is translated:

"Can I fix you one?"

The English translations are all chatty exchanges that might well be used as movie subtitles that have as an objective the transmission of general meaning. Unfortunately they are of limited, and in fact in many cases, of negative use for learning vocabulary.

What is needed here are obviously not word-for-word literal translations such as, "Can I you also a drink mix?", but rather translations that stick as close as possible to the German words used, where possible to the German word order (although German makes that difficult), make maximum use of cognates, and that do not combine or separate sentences to satisfy English diction, even at the expense of some awkwardness of expression. The closer to a literal translation, without sacrificing coherence, the better. The objective is not to learn how to translate fluently into English, but rather to understand and speak acceptable German.

For someone at an intermediate to advanced level, this is the best method for maintaining or improving listening comprehension that I have yet found. The format has been described in previous reviews so I won't repeat that here. I have both the German and French versions of the tape so I can comment on them from the prospective of someone with widely differing language abilities. Since I spent two years in Germany and studied German at the university level, I could understand the German tape the first time I listened to it. It is an excellent example of normal conversation - something all too often lacking from your typical language course, which seems to either present tourist phrases or delves into classical literature. This is normal spoken German such as you might hear regular folks speaking in Germany today. There were few words that were not familiar to me and those that were are probably regional variations or colloquialisms not common in central Germany where I lived. As a previous reviewer pointed out, the tape is not primarily intended as a means of vocabulary acquisition and the English translations are quite free. Better to simply look up the German word directly if you are unfamiliar with it. For comparison, the French version (which contains the exact same stories) was much more difficult for me. I have studied only a couple of semesters of college French and have never lived in a French speaking country so, as others have pointed out, I have had to listen to the tape many times to even begin to gain a good comprehension of the spoken French. It certainly helps that I already know the stories from the German version.

Too often language courses present individual sentences for listening comprehension. This gives you time to listen carefully and then think about what has been said. In real life (and in this tape) the conversation doesn't stop for you to think about what was said and you can quickly find yourself lost. You could listen to a radio broadcast or movie but then you would have no transcription to let you review what you heard and it can't be slowed down to help you catch what you're missing. This tape allows you to do just that and I highly recommend it.

(Interestingly, with the advent of DVDs, I've noticed that you can pick the spoken language and subtitles independently allowing you, for instance, to choose to view a film in French along with the French subtitles. Unfortunately most movies seem to come in English, Spanish, and French so it doesn't help my German. I haven't tried it in French yet to see if the subtitles are an actual transcript of the spoken language but that would be another effective method for improving listen comprehension.)

This book and the lies it inherits is just another example of those books which are actually a big help for holocaust deniers because it's so stacked with obvious lies and historic inaccuracies that only the historically illiterate can take this fairy tale serious and the revisionist historians again have another example of a wanna-be eyewitness who actually is a professional liar and supports their absurd thesis that there were no gas chambers at all.

I wish that every Holocaust denier and revisionist could be made to read this book.

Many books about Auschwitz are filled with dry narrations. It seems like people are afraid to talk about the subject, like they have the need to be politically correct or not to hurt anyone. I understand why but if you decide to write a book about subject do a good job regardless of the circumstances. This book relates the facts and everyday life in the camp the way it was. An author shares his feelings and thoughts. He describes behaviors (sometimes worse than barbaric) and survival instinct in the purest basic form. I liked this book. It is written well and it keeps reader at full attention. Chapters and story line flows smoothly. It's a book that describes harsh reality of the concentration camp that I wish no one every would have to go through again. If you liked this book there is also a similar one written by Dr. Perl called "I was a doctor in Auschwitz". Dr. Perl was a woman that went through the same thing as Muller but in the female part of the camp.

I thought this book degrades the status of women. I hated seeing them revealing all their feminine assests. uh!

Color me jaded but I was not blown away with these photos. The idea is a lot of fun (getting women to flash the camera) and we should all be so lucky. Most of his subjest looks like they have done this sort of thing before. Most of the photos look too posed and wooden. Also, they go topless in France at the beach. Heck, look at the French franc note. There's a nice pair and it's legal tender. In short, Franch women don't have the same hang up about boobies that we do. This isn't a huge strech for them.

This is a charming little book.Unpretentious and earthy. Hats off to Riviere for his ability to make this look so easy. As to the reviewer below, does this person have some sexual "issues" or what. This book is not degrading to women but rather a tribute to their aasets. Women are such amazing animals. so beautiful, how anyone could see women showing off a little as degrading is beyond me.

A great introduction to cockatoos and how to care for them, and it's honest about the challenges as well as the benefits of sharing your life with one of these guys. It has up-to-date information on how to house them, feed them, and keep them busy, and a very helpful section of brief descriptions of each spieces, which lets you compare the sizes, care, and temperaments--read before you choose a 'too! There's lots more to know, but this is a good place to start.

This book although fairly short is very informative. Weither your a first time cockatoo owner or have owned them for years this book is for everyone. It goes into detail of complete care for these birds, and mainly anything you need to know about them is there. I enjoyed it, and think any bird lover and cockatoo owner would as well.

A mission study resource with a globalized view of how to empower and liberate our ageing populations, not just occupy their time with harmless pastimes and "numbing down."

This mission study resource is aimed at helping churches work with the expanding issues of ageing and problems of the elderly. The approach is globalized which tends to water down specifics; however, a universal theme is the women's problems of worklessness and unproductinve ageing. The authors give a clear-cut description of how ageing has been viewed throughout the ages, the increasing problems of women in today's society, and last of all, how churches can aid the elderly in achieving empowerment and liberation, not just harmless pastimes and "numbing down." Interestingly, the authors repeatedly chastise the World Bank for increasing difficulties by insisting that impoverished governments eliminate programs which assist our ageing population. Marcia Maguire St Simons United Methodist Church, GA --church librarian

excellent reference even if old it has a realistic and complete approach to human computer design, including activity. Much better than superficial analysis like heuristic evaluation.

i think this is best book onthat subject ion the 1991.....although some places the explations are not much clear but as the whole concepts/theory given in this book good for students.i

I am not involved in the scientific disciplines and so parts of this good were neither useful nor particularly comprehensible to me. Nevertheless I understood enough to be fascinated. I strongly recommend that you avoid this book if you are looking for an engrossing read aimed at the layperson.

For anyone who found the plot and ambiance of A Tale of Two Cities exhilarating but was somewhat disappointed by Dickens' lack of depth in characters and blatant misportrayal of historical fact, Susanne Alleyn's vivid reimagining of Dickens' classic does much to enhance the believability of the original work. While maintaining Dickens' air of tense and high drama, as well as (quite incredibly) Dickens' language, Alleyn adds depth and background to Sydney Carton's ultimate self-sacrifice and does pays much attention to the historical details of the French Revolution, something Dickens himself scrupulously neglected. By weaving compelling strands of Dickens' original plot together with some brilliant ones of her own (including Eleanore d'Ambert, Carton's brilliant and brave lover who I like a lot more than Lucie :)) , Alleyn makes Carton's final decision more understandable, and yet, far more laudable. A Far Better Rest is an exquisitely crafted page-turner that will have surprises even for the most avid reader of Dickens.

A Far Better Rest is a wonderful retelling of A Tale of Two Cities from Sydney Carton's point of view. It tells the story of Carton's entire life, filling in the gaps in A Tale of Two Cities, where Carton disappears for several years. But not only does Susanne Alleyn do a great job at filling in Carton's "missing years", but she also writes an excellent novel of the French Revolution that stands completely on its own. Yes, it does help if you've read A Tale of Two Cities first, but it is not absolutely necessary. I have not read it for several years, and it's amazing how much I had forgotten. (For example, I had forgotten that Sydney Carton had gone to school in France.) Alleyn's description of the events of the Revolution is far more accurate than Dickens', as she explains in the afterword. Also, I love the way Alleyn introduces historical figures into her narrative; it was a clever touch, to have Carton and Darnay go to school with Robespierre and Desmoulins, for example. And Alleyn's original characters, especially Eleonore, are great additions to the story. I have read many historical novels about the French Revolution; this is one of the best.

One of the most chilling portrayals of the French Revolution is Dicken's extra-ordinary and unusual love story, A Tale of Two Cities. In a Far Better Rest, author and rare book dealer Susanne Alleyn retells Dicken's heartrending classic. In Alleyn's version, the story centers around late-protagonist Sydney Carton and sheds light on the shadows of his existence. Susanne Alleyn's first novel presents her as an accomplished writer with a knack for detail. She skillfully conjures not only the historical settings of 18th century London and Paris, but aptly overlays the culture, language and politics as well. However, although Alleyn's style captures the essence of the period and keeps most of the story's skeleton intact, Alleyn strives to contribute sub-plots of her own. Unfortunately, the newly-devised events, backstory and supporting characters seem to be unnecessary baubles and pockets on the cloaks of our beloved Dickens' creations. A Far Better Rest imagines anti-hero Sydney Carton as a player in politics and journalism. In comparison to my recollection of the original tale, these achievements go across the grain of the effective characterization of Carton. For was it not his reluctance to take life by its horns that portrayed him as such a pitiful character and led to the thrilling climax when he makes the ultimate sacrifice at the end? Dickens may very well have given as much thought to the background of his characters as does Alleyn, however, it may be supposed that he left these details out because they were not completely essential to the movement of plot in the story he wished to tell. As his characters were extremely well-crafted and effective, their motivations can be found in their demeanor and actions, and would not necessarily have to be substantiated with a history of events. Of course, any author who re-tells a beloved classic must realize that he/she has to contend with those who revere the original version. Due to the merits of Susanne Alleyn's talent, I would definitely pick up anything penned by this author in the future, however, in the case of A Tale Of Two Cities, I do believe that Dickens said it best and that no one need mince his words.

Lynne Remick, Reviewer

Seems many hate this lady for her opinionated writing and overflowing ego. I can't stand her view on astrology for another reason. What's with the whole cat thing? Anyone who's a rabbit, like me, knows we're rabbits and not cats. The story of how the rat caused the cat to be left out of the 12 animals (which it WAS)is widely known in China. Don't be led astray by White. Too bad if she wants cats to be in the Chinese Zodiac so badly she's going to try and rewrite it; one egotistical jerk alone cannot change the ancient truth.

Suzanne White is really the high priestess of Chinese Astrology. Some people might not like her breezy style and those personal anecdotes she throws around, but I LOVE her writing and her simple way of presenting complex information. For once, I understood what my Dragon sign means in real life. I am a better person for owning all of Suzanne White's books - especially Plain and Simple. It's a classic!

This one's a classic! I cannot tell you how old my first copy is, but this book has been a permanent resident on my bedside table for at least 20 years. It used to be called CHINESE CHANCE. But apparently Suzanne White changed publishers midstream and re-published it as CHINESE ASTROLOGY PLAIN AND SIMPLE. Whatever happened,it's a fantastically funny and easy-to-read book, full of pungent stories and anecdotes about people of each Animal sign. Bt the time you finish reading it, you will not only know the basics of Chinese Astrology, but you'll know lots more about yourself and those around you. I never let my copy out of the house. It's my second Bible.