My grandmother was so very important to me. I gave her this book and she filled it out without me knowing. I found it the day she died. She wrote about her life, my grandfather, her parents, brothers, sisters and most importantly my dad who passed away four months before she did. I found out things I had not known and would never have known because of my daddy's early death and my grandmother's untimely death. I treasure this book and read it often. I feel as though Ma and Daddy are still with me. If you have a grandmother who is very important to you or you have a special grandchild this is the gift to give. It is wonderful! I am filling out "Mom Remembers" for my 11 week old daughter.

What a charming "do it yourself" story about my family, my thoughts and my memories. Judith Levy helped me to tell my story to my grandchildren in a pleasant and easy "complete this sentence" format.

Now, whenever a friend of mine becomes a first time grandma, I gift them with a copy of Grandmother Remembers.

this book is a winner!

A perfect gift. I had so much fun writing for my first grandchild, and I relived so many memories, that I am now am working on "Grandmother Remembers" for my other three grandchildren. There is plenty of space (and prompting) for your own inspiration, yet lots of easy-to-fill blanks. I find these books especially interesting for children from multinational backgrounds, as they can learn about their ancestors' customs and how they grew up. The book covers everything! I recommend it highly to any grandparent who wants to be remembered as "special". But, I would also advise - take your time and let your inspiration and memories make this book a really meaningful gift. I used a pad to write things out first, and kept going back to edit and add before actually writing in the book. I hunted through old photo albums and boxes for just the right pictures. I found one picture of my oldest son's first Christmas, standing next to a toy that was almost identical to one we had given his son - our first grandson - on his first Christmas. I had not remembered that toy. But imagine my joy, and my grandson's surprise, when I closed the album with this particular snapshot!

Thank you for finally writing a reference book on elder care that is easy to read and extremly informative! This book makes a difficult situation much easier on the care giver with insightful guidance for virtually any topic relating to elder care. You will find yourself referring to this book often, both for instruction as well as comfort.

This highly detailed and easily read volume seems to cover every consideration and situation that could arise in caring for an elderly person. The emphasis is on in-home maintenance of the elderly, specifically parents, although one chapter is devoted to selecting and monitoring a nursing home. The book gives the impression of being able to prepare the reader for any situation and to help him cope with whatever comes up.

The point is made throughout that caregivers need to avail themselves of the many resources that exist to help them with information and hands-on help. The idea that taking on the responsibility for an ailing or aging parent means that the caregiving offspring do everything by themselves, while simultaneously continuing to meet the demands of their own lives and families, is shown to be destructive to the caregiver as well as in many instances impractical.

One element in successful eldercare is keeping up with exactly what is happening with the elderly person and how to cope with the problems it may present. Thorough documentation of everything is stressed, such as physical conditions and medications, prescriptions, diet, etc. Forms are presented to simplify this, along with checklists of things to do in various situations.

A liberal inclusion of anecdotes from caregivers around the U.S. reveals the many difficulties and rewards experienced by those engaged in looking after their elders. Web sites and addresses are given for various agencies, as well as the authors of the book.

If you are giving care to an elder or you are contemplating taking on this task, you must read this book. If you know anyone caring for an elder, do them a BIG favor and tell them about this book, or better yet, give them a copy. Even in the best of times, caregiving can be overwhelming. This book is full of information vital for improving quality of life for both the elder and her/his caregiver. Another great contribution is the COMFORT the book offers caregivers -- reading it is as good as getting a hug from the authors, who are obviously experts who care.

As a child therapist I found this book to be very helpful. I recommend it to all my parents who are divorcing. It is in plain, straightforward language. This book can help the millions of parents who need some insight into what the reactions of children are when their parents divorce. The book discusses developmental, co-parenting, and a plethora of related issues. His style is compassionate, lighthearted, and genuine. A must read for parents who are divorcing and professionals who work with these parents.

I have read a number of books for divorcing parents, and this is by far the best. The range of information given is enormous (460 pages!) and covers almost any situation you can imagine. This is the ONLY book I have seen that discusses how to help infants cope with divorce. Neuman's discussion of the needs of children has given me the motivation to avoid fighting with my ex, even when he makes extremely aggravating remarks. His suggestions have also helped me keep my son's father involved; in fact, he spends much more time with our son than he ever did when we were married. The example dialogues are very helpful, and reflect the diversity of real families. Neuman is careful to avoid stereotypes, for example he gives anecdotes about deadbeat moms as well as deadbeat dads.

M. Gary Neuman is a truely gifted author. His insights and information found in the Sandcastles book helped my family through an extremely difficult time in our lives. The understanding that my ex-wife and I walked away with helped us set the pace and tone for a more healthy future for my family. Although we won't be a couple anymore, Gary helped me see that we will be a family on many levels. It was a gift in a time when life seems vcry difficult for all of us. I can't thank him enough and I even have bought copies for my parents, ex-inlaws and my siblings. It has certainly become one of the most important books I have ever read. I would love to hear him speak if he is ever in California. Please inform me. Thank you to M. Gary Neuman for his reserach and depth of understanding the ever changing families in our country. A book LONG OVERDUE!!!!!!

I am a mother of two boys, ages 8 and 9. Though I had never heard of Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles I bought it anyway. What a smart move on my part! It was a fantastic book! We laughed most of the way through it. What adventurous characters she created. I have since purchased the book for my two nieces. Everyone, kids and grown-ups alike, should read this book at least once.

Five stars for Love, Ruby Lavender!! Ruby and her grandmother, Miss Eula are best friends, especially since Ruby's grandfather is no longer with them. Together they save three chickens from going to market and paint Miss Eula's house pink. Everything in Ruby's life is perfect until her grandmother goes to Hawaii to visit her new grandbaby. Ruby must stay at home in Mississippi. What will she do all summer? Ruby must put up with Melba Jane, who is like a thorn in Ruby's side. She also meets Dove, the new teacher's niece. Dove helps Ruby settle some very important issues between Ruby and Melba Jane.

Love, Ruby Lavender is a very fast-pace read. Children of all ages will laugh at Ruby's adventures and cry with her heartaches. I highly recommend this book for all classroom libraries.

Love, Ruby Lavender is a great book! Ruby Lavender is a country girl who has three chickens. There is another girl, Melba Jane, that Ruby hates. They have many conflicts. Ruby's grandmother, Miss Eula, loves Ruby very much, and Ruby loves Miss Eula. But when her grandmother goes to Hawaii, what new friends will she meet, and what exiting and sad things will happen? If you like suspenceful, funny, and friendship stories I would highly recomend Love, Ruby Lavender.

An excellent book on magnetics, easy to read and understand. I was introduced to magnetic health products by a friend and have never felt better in my life. Sleeping on a magnetic mattress has convinced me of the power of magnets in health and wellness. I have a 10 year old springer spaniel with hip displaysia who also sleeps on magnets, she is an entirely new dog, more energetic and with less discomfort. After reading this book I can now comfortably talk magnets with my friends and family and highly recommend their use for a better quality of life.

I have started my own home based medical magnet distribution business and read this book whick offers a clear and comprehensive understanding about magnets and their medical properties that really work. Both for my own information, and as an invaluable sales tool, this book is a must have and had benefited me and my business enormously.

I WAS EXCITED TO SEE DR.LAWRENCE WRITE A COMPREHENSIVE BOOK ABOUT MAGNETIC THERAPY THAT COULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH THE LAY PUBLIC AS WELL AS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. AS A PODIATRIC SURGEON AND PHYSICIAN, I INCORPORATED MAGNETIC THERAPY INTO MY PRACTICE 8 MONTHS AGO, UTILIZING THEM IN SPORTS INJURIES AND POST-OP BANDAGING AND GETTING TERRIFIC RESULTS. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS I HAVE FOUND THAT USING THESE MAGNETS TO HELP MY PATIENTS, THAT I DEVELOPED A COMPATIBLE BUSINESS WITH MY MEDICAL PRACTICE THAT HAS HELPED WITH OUR BOTTOM LINE IN THIS ERA OF MANAGED CARE AND HMO'S.

This is a lively, engaging text with great ideas and wonderful stories. It's a MUST READ for all professional women. Reading this made it crystal clear how so much of what goes on during negotiation is below the surface. It's here, not in the give and take of formal bargaining, that women lose out. This book not only illuminated how the subtle "Shadow Negotiation" plays out, it gave me tools to engage in this aspect of the negotiation more effectively. I was pleasantly suprised at the range of situations covered by this book. It not only covers situations that I traditionally think of as "negotations." It made clear how everyday interactions, over who should attend a meeting or when to take vacations, for example, are also negotiations that have shadow processes. I have no doubt that reading this book will enable me to be more effective at work in more ways than I had ever imagined.

As I flipped through the Harvard Business Review's Top Ten Business Books Of 2000 , I was intrigued by the review of "The Shadow Negotiation". Having a background in sociology, my curiosity was piqued by the book's focus on gender issues and interpersonal communication.

It turned out to be a riveting read and I lost count of the number of times I thought "Hey, that's happened to me!"

The Shadow Negotiation teaches by example, and delves into the psychological and social intracacies of negotiation. This book has enriched my understanding of the layers of negotiations that occur long before arriving at the table.

This book is for both sexes, and applies to all sorts of negotiations that pop up in everyday life. As a consultant, I have applied it to my salary negotiations, and find that I can manage my business relationships with much greater confidence. A wonderful gift to all of your working friends and family!

I recently completed a three month negotiation process at my job and came out from being the lowest paid executive to one of the top three with the help of Shadow Negotiation. What came as the biggest surprise was, after getting out of my own way and following the structured steps suggested by the authors, each phase of the negotiations left me stronger and more focused rather than at a loss as to what the next step could be. Through the guidelines set forth in this book, I feel I can shift a negotiation process intuitively rather than strong arming it as we as women have always been led to believe was the only option. Not only do I now realize I am smarter than I thought, I can more likely conclude a negotiation process with all parties feeling the winner. Thank you again for your book.

The monk Alfred has lived his entire life hidden away in the st.Ruans abbey. But even though the years go by brother Alf still looks no older than a boy. Wise though he may be, Alf is unable to face the truth about himself. He is one of the fair folk, an elf, kin to the elven-king. But when trouble comes to st. Ruans, elf-blood can be hidden no more. . .

The great thing about these books is the easy flow of the story. You open them, and before you know it youre battling alongside King Arthur, running through the burning streets of Constantinople or fleeing the Hounds of God. And all the time there are the marvelous details, the dialog, the people. These characters are so easy to fall in love with. Alfred is so scared, so confused you just wish you could reach out a hand and tell him everything will be alright. Beacuse you feel so close to these people, al the way through the books.

These are definately worth the read.

I first read this collection of three of Judith Tarr's best books back in the late 1980's. They are a little melodramatic at times, but I really enjoyed them.

The main characters are all incredibly well drawn, especially Alfred, the pious monk turned into a reluctant elven warrior & mage. He wrestles with his own self doubt and the state of his soul throughout the books, even as he changes lives for the better all around him. Sometimes, like his female foil, Thea, you just want to shake him and wake him up to the fact that someone soulless would never do so much good in the world--no matter what the church believes!

Alfred is a foundling who is raised by monks, and becomes a very learned and pious monk himself. His writings are praised by the Pope himself. Alfred eventually realizes that he is not aging and is, in fact, an immortal elf. If he believes his church teachings, then he is a soulless being. He grapples with this throughout the book. He has an encounter with others of his kind, nursing a prince of his kind back to health and meeting a fiery tempered elf woman, Thea. He is mortified that he is attracted to her--he had thought the vow of chastity to be the easiest of his vows, because he was never drawn to mortal women. He turns down the position as abbot, believing himself to be unworthy. (Those who raised him and grew up with him accept and love him as he is without a qualm--they know in their hearts that he is a power for good.) He then sets off to figure his life out. He is swept into the train of Richard the Lion-hearted later into the Crusades and to Rome. He is nearly burned by the church, becomes a great warrior, discovers his magical abilities, and finally learns to accept himself and the love of the elf woman who has been following him since their first encounter back at the abbey.

Don't miss this chance to read this book in this bargain omnibus form. You won't regret it!

I love this trilogy. I read it close to 10 years ago. I have just finished it the second time. I am just as enthralled as ever with this historical fantasy filled with enchantments and interlaced with tender romantic moments. I will always love Alfred, the innocent and beautiful elf monk, turned powerful elf lord after much struggles with his real true self. I will always appreciate Thea who loves him from the very beginning. Finally who could ever forget Alfred's encounter with Richard, the Lion Heart, Alfred's sorrows during the disastrous invasion of Constantinople and finally Alfred's torment in the last of the trilogy when he thought he has lost all those he loves. My only complaint is the seemingly rush writing towards the end. On the other end, it maybe I did not wish the tale of Alfred, Thea, their children and their elf kin to end. The Hound and the Falcon is definitely one of my favorites to be treasured always.

This book is so little and cute and darling, it will happily go with you wherever you go with your beading projects, tucked in a bag if you take your beads to the beach or the park for an afternoon picnic or if you're traveling and want to work on a project enroute or even if all you plan to do is sit on the couch and do beading while you watch TV. It is aimed at both novice and experienced beaders and, for the most part, includes precise, detailed instructions and clear drawings for easy stitches that new beaders will find easy to follow as well as complex weavings that will definitely challenge those with more experience.

The book begins with descriptions of the various kinds of beads, threads, cords, bead wax and needles that are currently available. Especially helpful are the sections on "Matching Thread to Bead," "Choosing the Right Needle" as well as the information on seed bead sizes and types. Two chapters on bead weaving come next -- the first covers off-loom beading and includes various peyote stiches (even and odd flat stitches, circular and tubular stitches and the Native American or "gourd" stitch); the square, ladder, brick and netting stitches; several variations on the right-angle weave stitch; the herringbone and the daisy chain. The next chapter covers loom beading with lessons on how to set up a loom (including instructions on how to make your own loom) and how to do basic weaving, adding weft thread, increasing and decreasing beads, etc.

The next section is called "Stringing Beads" and begins with a brief description of how to make a simple beaded necklace; the instructions that follow on how to make a knotted bead necklace (with knots between the beads like a pearl necklace) are much more thorough.

The next four chapters deal with embroidering, knitting, crocheting and doing macrame with beads. The embroidery section shows how to incorporate beads into basic crewel embroidery stitches (back, buttonhole, chain, feather and herringbone) followed with instructions for the tent stitch used in embroidery work on canvas (ie, needlepoint and cross-stitch). Also included are instructions on how to use a tambour (a hook similar to that used for crocheting that is used to pull chain stitches and beads through cloth). Next are sections on knitting with beads, crocheting with beads and using beads in macrame.

The next chapter is on findings (clasps, crimp beads, knot cups, connectors, earwires, jump and split rings, end cones and coils, pinbacks, head and eye pins), which, while thorough insofar that it covers most findings, does not have the same excellent, detailed instructions and drawings that characterize the rest of the book. Using head pins to make earrings or attaching a crimp bead might seem obvious but someone who has never done these things may need more than just a brief written description on how they are accomplished. This section would have been so much better had the authors provided clearer explanations as well as illustrations. Also helpful would have been instructions on how to make secure bead loops using head/eye pins.

This chapter is followed by a section on wirework that has information about types of wire as well as tools (pliers, jigs, mandrells, mallets, hammers, etc) and basic techniques for making coils, figure eights, spirals and loops. The final chapters deal with making simple beaded cords and ropes, how to add fringe (including adding Victorian chain edging) and making netted fringe.

One of the best things about this book are the instructions on what to do if you make mistakes. I also liked the various "hints" that are scattered through out it as well.

Should you buy it? Well, if what you are looking for is a book that will teach you how to do basic bead stringing for a necklace or a bracelet or if you need instructions on how to make earrings, then you would be better off skipping this and getting a book like "Exotic Beads" instead. But if you're looking for the basics in bead weaving, etc, then this is definitely a good sourcebook for you. Be warned, however, it does not contain patterns or instructions for projects.

The Beader's Companion is everything it's title suggests.

The Beader's Companion covers beading terminology, how-to bead, what materials are needed for beading. Clear concise directions are included for just about every method of beading, with each method listed on small, sturdy pages. Included with the directions are easy to understand diagrams. And for each method of beading covered, there is a blank beading pattern template.

Frankly, it doesn't get any better than this. Not only is this book a perfect gift for yourself and/or anyone with even the slightest interest in beading, it is also a great travel companion. I take the book with me whenever I know I will have time to bead, while on the road. It is the perfect size, construction, and help to finish any beading project I might be working on.

I recommend this book to anyone who beads, and anyone who would like to learn how to bead. This book is THE Beader's Companion.

lunartic.cindy@gte.net

If you're just getting started in beading, and have been browsing stores, feeling overwhelmed not knowing what you need to get started, or how to get started, you definitely can use this book! The Companion covers an introduction to EVERYTHING from types of beads and the differences between their finishes, sizing, threads and other equipment, both looming and off loom stitching, stringing, even working with embroidery, wire....and some blank graphs to plan projects drawn according to the stitch (Peyote, brick, square, etc). The book teaches the basic stitches close up and step by step, and each one I have tried has worked out! It comes in a cute size also, and spiral bound so it won't slam shut on you when you're stitching. Keep in mind it does not have any patterns for any projects, but gets you the skills to be able to work with project books, and to go to the bead store and know what to ask for.

This book brought tears my eyes and also made me smile. It is for anyone who has loved an elderly cat and appreciated the joys of a frisky new kitten. Children will enjoy the idea of a cat taking care of a kitten and all readers will admire the watercolor illustrations. Through text and pictures the spirit of both cats is nicely captured!

This is a charming, loving story about an aging cat and the family who loves him. The text is enhanced by beautiful,flowing watercolor illustrations that are full of humor and capture a cat's spirit. It will warm your heart!

This book honestly and beautifully portrays the lifespan of an aging cat. It teaches children the value and joy of older animals while talking about some of their "health" problems. The illustrations are utterly charming. I am so grateful someone has written such a lovely book about our elderly cats!!

This book was very helpful in illuminating new ways for me to approach NCLEX questions. The book offers various "paths" or "strategies" to help break down NCLEX questions. With these approaches it is much easier to eliminate answer choices in order to get to the correct answer. The only thing I do not particularly like is the CD-rom that accompanies the book. You are only allowed 2 chances to test because you have to use authorization numbers. I have children and have to tend to them as well as preparing myself for this test. I need more time to practice with the CD-rom and this book/CD-rom kit did not provide me with that extra time or with a CD-rom that I could use more than just one time.

I found this book to be very helpful, especially using their critical thinking strategies. The strategies help you maintain focus and not get distracted by obviously erroneous answers. This book aso includes a nice chapter on Maslow, and how, by using the Maslow method to eliminate answers, test taking is much less difficult. The cd rom that is included with the text is also very good, especially when reviewing. It catagorizes your weak areas and also gives you the correct answer, with rationalization. I took the cd rom test before reading the book, and then again, when I had finished the book. I found my score improved using the Kaplan strategies about 33%. I highly recommend this book and cd rom.

This is the ONLY review book that you will need to prepare for the NCLEX-RN. Forget those huge comprehensive review books, they don't work. This book is very fast and very easy reading. The book outlines 10 different stratigies to answering ANY and ALL types of NCLEX questions. Very, very informative, the chapters are well written and very easy to understand. The CD-ROM has 180 questions that are similar to what you will see on the NCLEX, and it gives you a detailed analysis of your performance to determine your weaknesess. The book also contains a practice test of 265 questions. Answers and rationales are in the back of the book also. I did not pass the NCLEX the first time around. I read one of those 1400 page comprehensive review books, answered 1000's of practice questions, and took a three day review course, it didn't work. The Kaplan NCLEX-RN 2000-2001 book is the ONLY book I used to prepair for the second go around, and I passed thanks to the strategies outlined in this book. I read this book over and over--it worked great!!! I can't say enough great things about it!!! BUY THIS BOOK!!!!