We absolutely love this book! I use it all the time. If you have a pediatrician like most of us, it's very frustrating to go all the way to the doctor's just to be told there's really not much they can do, and then you have to pay them! This book has saved us many unnecessary visits and worry on behalf of our two daughters. It's so easy to use and tells you exactly what you can do on your own. In our case it has always worked. I have several friends who will call me with questions "for the book." My pediatrician was impressed by it and said he wished all his new mothers had a copy. I highly recommend it as a gift to new and/or "nervous" mothers.

I have had this book and used it for the past 18 years of childrearing. I am now embarking on a new wave of parenting, with a 16 month old I recently adopted from China, and am looking forward to the new edition. Very practical, step-by-step advice for everything from development, to health maintenance and home remedies for common ailments. I have given this book as a baby gift to a lot of new parents.

I purchased this book in 1975 when our first child was an infant. I used it for advice while raising our three children (now 19, 21 and 23) and found it to be the most helpful source I could find for parents in dealing with medical problems large and small. My book is now faded and worn but I know I will use it when we become grandparents. I recommend this book to new parents and purchase it frequently for baby shower gifts.

Yes, it's a great novel. Yes the language is rich, the story is subtle, and the psychology is complex. And yet, I didn't like it.

Of course, who am I to review Henry James? Granted, I read more books and watch less television than most of my peers, but still I think I might be too "late Twentieth Century" for this book. Maybe despite my strict avoidance of video games I just can't help detesting the millipede pace of this book. I've never had much affinity for drawing room conversations to begin with, and unlike my father I don't believe that wit must be meted out in tortuous sentences.

But it isn't my background or personal prejudices that make me recoil from "Wings of the Dove". There is something about the deliberate quality of Henry James that bothers me. He knows perfectly well what he's doing with his fat succulent sentences. He won't feed you a meal of lean pork and vegetables. He'll serve you tons of tiny truffles and oil-oozing, crispy skinned duck.

To read "Wings of the Dove" is like encountering a cookbook that decided to include as much of the delicious fatty foods as possible. Of course its a rare meal and quite wonderful in its way. But some how, it made me a little nauseous at the end.

First things first, it is a very nice novel, but very hard to follow. Personally speaking, sometimes I couldn't get very exactly what Henry James was trying to say, but I could understand the situation as a whole and be able to move on.

As everybody knows, Hery James is not an easy writer. His appeal is very difficult and complex although it doesn't read very old-fashioned. The story is very interesting and timeless, because it deals with passion, money and betrayal. The books follows Kate Croy and her beloved Merton Densher when then both get involved - in different degrees and with different interests- with the beautiful rich and sick American heiress Milly Theale.

Most of the time, the book kept me wondering what would come next and its result and the grand finale. But, that doesn't mean I was fully understand its words. As I said, I was just feeling what was going on. As a result, i don't think I was able to get all the complexity of Henry James. Maybe, if I read this book again in the futures, it will be clearer.

There is a film version of this novel made in 1997, and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Allison Elliot and Linus Roach, directed by Iain Softley. Carter is amazing as always! Kate is a bit different from the book, she is not only a manipulative soul, but, actually, she is a woman trying to find happiness. One character says of Kate, "There's something going on behind those beautiful lashes", and that's true for most female leads created by James. Watching this movie helped me a lot, after finishing reading the novel.

I've carried on a love-hate affair with The Wings of the Dove for more than 20 years. In that period of time, I started the novel (the same beautiful little Signet paperback edition) at LEAST 15 times and could never get past page 30 or so. But it kept nagging at me to read it. Last summer, I plowed through its dense prose thicket, and I felt as though I were peering through a glass darkly. Several times I felt like tossing it aside. I've studied Enlish and literature all my life and yet I had one heckuva time with those daunting banks of prose. But I'm glad I read it. It's masterful. Worth all the effort. Those scintillating scenes in Venice. Nothing like them! I just read The Golden Bowl, another difficult but rewarding book. There are astonishing scenes in it, like when the husband of the busy-body watches her in a pensive mood as if she were in the middle of a lake, coming closer. It's just an extraordinary scene! I love early James too, like that perfect jewel of a book, Washington Square. Sometimes, great as the late books are, I really do think they lose something of the wonderful clarity James achieved earlier. There are still a few scenes in Wings and Bowl, for instance, in which I have NO IDEA what James was trying to express. Talk about super subtle! But do make the effort, folks, they're incredible books.

This book is worth the purchase price simply for the fascinating biography of Jefferson Davis. This gentleman stood head and shoulders above the sectionalist, despotic, backwoods bozo who won the election of 1860 and forced the Southern states to secede in order to preserve the Constitutional ideals handed on to them by the Founding Fathers. If Jefferson Davis, a man who proved time and again during his national career that he was concerned with the general welfare and interests of *all* the states, had run in the election of 1860 and won I believe he would have been hailed as the greatest American president since George Washington.

He was a hero of the Mexican-American War; he treated captured American Indians with honor and dignity; he was a Congressman and Senator of note who was scrupulously honest in the performance of his duties -- even to the point of not availing himself of the perks of his office; and he was probably the best Secretary of War our nation had (which to its eternal shame did not officially acknowledge his death in 1889 as all other Secretaries were acknowledged and officially mourned).

And that's only the first half of the book!

The second half is an impassioned defense of Jefferson Davis' honor and proof that he was not a traitor based on the writings of the Founding Fathers (including such centralists -- even monarchists -- as Alexander Hamilton). Based on the ideals of the Founding Fathers, as the Kennedys prove beyond doubt, Jefferson Davis was not a traitor. Abraham Lincoln and his Yankee cohorts who raped and ravaged the South in the name of "preserving the Union!" were the true traitors, indeed war criminals.

This juror's verdict? Jefferson Davis was right!

In a day in which the Federal government of the United States is virtually all-powerful, nothing is needed so much as a diligent study of the United States constitution, its limitations, and the original intentions and perspectives of America's founders. "Was Jefferson Davis Right?" serves this capacity not only by employing a rigorous examination of the US constitution and early American politics and perspectives, but by challenging the modern politically-correct dogma concerning Jefferson Davis, the Southern Confederacy and the War of 1861-1865. The Kennedy brothers demonstrate key principles that impacted the events of the conflict between North and South and created the America that we live in today. Among those are: 1) The historically provable fact that the Founding Fathers did not intend that Washington's government be all-powerful but rather limited to a small range of specifically delegated powers: a conditional, not supreme union. 2) That prior to 1865, the states of the union did not hesitate to defend their reserved rights and that such actions were in fact mainstream practices. 3) That the consolidated view of the United States government was a view that evolved after the formation of the Republic. 4) That the usurpation of power by the Federal govt. began very shortly after the formation of the union and was reasonably contained until 1861. 5) That Jefferson Davis and those who advocated southern independence were in fact following the pattern originated by our Founding Fathers in their separation from England. 6) That the issue of slavery (although a heinous practice) was beyond the power of the Federal govt. and was instead a matter for the states to decide for themselves just as the Northern states (and European nations) had done during the time in which they embraced the practice. In summary, "Was Jefferson Davis Right?" is an excellent book in terms of providing evidence for its assertions and eliciting thoughtful response. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the great issues that so consumed our nation in the mid-19th century, and (in many ways) have dictated the society in which we live today. On the nitpick scale, I'd have to say that I had only two problems with this book. To start with, it was a bit too redundant in some places. I know that repitition is the key to learning and such but I think that this statement applies more to facts and less to logical thoughtlines. I have more trouble with remembering dates and names than I do with following ideas though, and your mileage may vary of course. The only other detractor is a Kennedy brothers predilection that is actually much reduced from "The South Was Right," and that is the use of rather harsh language directed at certain historical figures and regions. I can understand very well the frustration that these issues raise (particuarly when considering your stolen heritage...I am a Virginian, after all....), but I think that your case is weakened and sometimes lost on those who might be persuaded (or at least become sympathetic) to your point of view, if your word usage is designed to be offensive to the "facts" and perspectives with which some individuals are familiar. They take it personally. For that reason, I believe that some things could have been phrased more effectively for the undecided or skeptical reader. Overall...an excellent work. Powerfully persuasive. Highly recommended.

This book is: 1. A book that opens up bringing Jeff Davis to life telling us of his lifes joys and sorrows. His adventures and his sufferings. His victories and his defeats. 2. It vindicates Davis's character and faith shrugging off the lies told about him as well as John Edsmoe vindicates the Founding Fathers in "Christianity and the Constitution: The Faith of our Founding Fathers" 3. It provides some solid Constitutional points Davis and his countrymen made about states rights and secession. Davis was definatly NOT a traitor. 4. It shows the reader that the issue of slavery was not as cut and dry as television and movies would have us believe. Not everyone who owned slaves was a cruel barbaric beast. And just because the Abolitionists were called abolitionists does not mean they were interested in the well being of black people. In fact they, like the Environmentalists and Anti-Smoking crowd today, were just using the issue as a vehicle to gain control wealth and power. A great book

I recieved this book and was very disappointed. I have a 2 year old who is becoming very curios about his body and I wanted to purchase a book that would help my husband and I to teach him about healthy sexuality. Since it shows a toddler on the cover and when we purchased the book there wasn't any customer reviews at the time, I purchased the book. However, when I received the book, I was very disappointed. Not only does it not give any truly helpful information, but I found it almost pornographic. It is not a book that I would want to share with my 2 year old child and probably wouldn't want to until my child is a teenager. Bodies are a beautiful creation, and this book should have a description stating what this book actually entails....pictures and very little information. It is not a book that will help people who are wanting to read plenty of information on helping to mold their children's ideas on healthy sexuality.

Some people think this is a "sex education" book for kids. I don't, necessarily -- although it certainly is a great item in the toolbox parents can have for this topic.

"The Curiosity Book" starts with a nice introduction by the author, which is helpful, but he then does something wonderful: he stops the wordy text, and lets beautiful photos and carefully-selected captions and quotations carry the message. [In fact, this could almost stand alone as a photobook.]

Old and young; white, black, yellow, brown, and all shades in between; male and female; clothed and nude. The beautiful black-and-white photos present a wide array of people from all over the world. They are presented as they are, with no explanations or apologies for how they look, what they wear, who they are. The accompanying captions reinforce the message that we are all wonderfully-created, we all share similar bodies, and we all deserve respect. This is not so much "sex education" as "self education."

If only we could all receive this message every day!

Enlightening...Insightful...Compassionate...Courageous. These are some of the attributes which, in my judgment, describe The Curiosity Book. Calling upon his diverse and rich professional experience with children and adolescents, the author, James Hunter, has developed a unique and extremely practical guide which should be of invaluable help to both parents and a wide range of professionals within the mental health and education fields. The Curiosity Book is written with a great deal of sensitivity and respect for the human body itself and, more importantly, the need to promote positive attitudes involving the human body. It is ironic that while most of us in today's society who consider ourselves to be caring adults frequently encourage children to be curious about their learning, their environment, and their friends, we, at the same time, typically discourage, ignore, or even punish children when they express curiosity about the human body -- their own or others. Thus, many children learn to view this type of curiosity as bad or as shameful. The Curiosity Book provides specific, sensitive suggestions whereby parents and child care professionals can engage in effective, healthy communication with children about the human body - developmentally, attitudinally, and spiritually. The photos contained in this book have been carefully selected to convey tolerant, respectful, and meaningful messages. They are inspiring and beautiful both in their simplicity and in their poignancy. As is the case with the narrative material contained in this work, the photos reflect a very well-balanced perspective relative to attitudes involving the human body - age, gender, and cultural diversity. I enthusiastically recommend The Curiosity Book to all parents and to all professionals in their efforts to help children develop more positive attitudes toward, and a more respectful appreciation of, the human body. William E. Davis, PhD Director of the Institute for the Study of Children At Risk University of Maine Orono, Maine

A star-studded cast, but not a lot of topical or scholarly innovation in this collection of essays. Many of the essays seem to be simple narratives of battles that whole books have been published about elsewhere. There are some interesting bits -- Griffith's article on tactics is a bright spot, as is Trudeau on entrenchment. In this sort of work, though, I'm really looking for more innovative, new scholarship, and that's not what I see here.

I'm unable to refrain from mentioning that I feel the concept of Jackson having a "learning disability" is poppycock. I recommend Robertson's biography of the general.

I am greatly torn over whether to give With My Face to the Enemy three or four stars. Four stars ultimately prevails because it seems to me that just about any book about the Civil War is almost by definition worth reading, and there is much in With My Face to the Enemy that will please both Civil War aficionados and those with but a passing interest. Of particular moment are two articles about the Confederate pirate ships (and let's be honest, they *were* pirate ships sans the physical violence) Alabama and Shenandoah, which reveal the genuinely global reach of the conflict. Every article has something to recommend it, even if, like Stephen Sears' essay on Chancellorsville, you've read it all before.

But there are some flaws, too. Most glaring and annoying is the lack of an index. Is there any Civil War student who does not rush to the index first to find references to his (or her) favorite general or battle? No such luck here; you'll have to read the entire book for those brief references to Howard, Hancock, McPherson, et al. Second, the articles lack two of the major selling points of military history magazines - color maps and illustrations. Now, I'm a big boy and I don't *need* pictures with my text, but often the art that accompanies an MHQ article is more powerful than the text. Third, there is a fault that lies with far too many Civil War pieces: biographies of important figures devolving into hagiographies. For too many Civil War biographers their subject can do, and did no, wrong. Crowley himself uses the word "hagiography" in one of his introductions. Whether it's Stonewall or Lee, or Admiral Porter or Sheridan, the lavish praise becomes tiring. And the final gripe to be made is toward Crowley's introductions, which borrow too liberally from the essays, adding nothing yet stealing the thunder of the contributors. (The same complaint can be made of Crowley's introductions to the What If? series.)

These are not much more than petty gripes, however. The Civil War remains a fascinating topic, and With My Face to the Enemy provides a wide range of essays covering many areas of the war. The collection deserves a spot on the bookshelf.

This collection of essays, compiled by Donald and Cowley, is a real treat. It offers a nice mix of storylines from both Union and Confederate perspectives. Maps abound to assist the text pertaining to various battles/troop movements. A word of caution, however - these essays have been collected from past issues of Military History Quarterly. This may explain why no notes or bibliographies are offered. Many of these offerings present novel twists on Civil War subjects - Lincoln's genius with the English language, Charles Stone's ordeal with the Federal legislature and Nathan Bedford Forrest's role at Ft. Pillow are just three of 30+ topics brought to bear. Finally, on a structural note, this book is 500+ pages of somewhat small print.

I agree with the previous review. This book offered provocative conclusions about the origins of World War I: first, that precipitating the war and bringing in the reluctant British was the aim of French and Russian diplomacy, and second, that Serbia was a "rougue terrorist nation"--my words, not Goodspeed's--wholly undeserving of the support provided by Russia in the weeks after Franz Ferdinand's assassination. The history of the Balkans from about 1871 to 1914 provided by the first two chapters is very valuable and relevant given today's headlines.

This book is a sort of old-fashioned diplomatic and military history which seems to be out of fashion today. It focuses on an overall strategic view of the two wars. Such a view contrasts sharply with, say, the focus on soldiers' experiences which the PBS documentary "The Great War" presented.

I actually had the good fortune to have this man as my history professor at Brock University for a semester (he was a retired Colonel in the Canadian armed forces). We were studying military tactics in the 19th and 20th century and naturally it was recommended that we buy and read his book.

The book focus's on the idea that the first and second world war were not seperate events but rather one long war with a period of peace between the 2 conflicts. To support this idea, the book delves into the political/social and economic factors that lead to the first world war. Following the first world war, the book presents more political, social and economic factors that inevitibly lead to the second world war.

The 2 wars themselves are not covered in much detail except for the major strategies of each country involved. The strategies are criticized/applauded as being great/bad and are reviewed in great detail.

The book itself is a little dry at times especially in the events leading up to WWI, but it's a fascinating idea that the 2 wars are so closely tied especially in light of all the political events that are revealed.
Discussions on strategy are also very indepth and interesting.

I recommend it to anyone who is interested in political/social/economic background of the 2 wars and the major countries strategies in each war.

Constantin, our hero, is a very likeable man: still loves his ex-wife, can't get over the death of his only child and makes nearly every woman in the book crave for him! But poor Constantin can't really enjoy all this affection, as he has to find out who kills all the girls, how to survive his friendship with Roy Rolkin, how to drink about 3 litres of vodka per page (more than 400 totally), how to overcome his allergy to V.I. Lenin (the office-cat who loves fishburgers for breakfast) and who his beloved Julia really is. I liked the book for it's surprising twists, the multitude of characters and the setting in post-war Russia of 2015. Downsides are some implausible story- and character developments, and sometimes the language: It's in 1st person and like: "Believe me, brothers, I didn't always look like this" (p1). The 'brothers' bit is repeated on nearly every page!

Being a Russian living in Moscow I have a certain advantage over the readers who were not brought up in Russia and have no knowledge of the Russian literary tradition.

You can believe me - this book is superb if you see it in a way that makes the enjoyment unhindered. Please do not compare it to Gorky Park and the schlock of this kind. Also it's unwise to test the novel's characters and events against the patterns of the real life. Just see it as a modern Russian fairy tale.

I am sure the author is familiar with the Russian fantastic tradition of Bulgakov, Odoevsky, etc.- the authors inspired by E.T.A.Hoffman.

If you'll read these tales you will see that usually they start with quite veritable everyday happenings and the characters occupation and rank is stated. But a few pages later the fabric of reality is torn and the world of supernatural is shining through the gaps.

The mood of the novel is dark - it's definitely Russian. Cowards turn into heroes and the heroes are traitors, former classmates are united by vodka but one of them is the chief of the secret police and another - the prime suspect.

I was amused that one of the reviewers could not buy the fact that the rebellious general's husband was recruited as the dictators body double. What would you say about Stalin's comrade Molotov, who had his wife rotting in a death camp and still stood at the Mausoleum near his boss, flinching at his jovial inquiries about the woman's health?

So see this novel as a perfect opportunity to experience the life very different from your own and even if you do not care for the Russian literary tradition the novel's beautiful(and mostly evil) heroines, courageous underdogs and exotic settings will make a couple of your evening very enjoyable.

This book was such a pleasant surprise that I couldn't let go of it for weeks after I read it - and ended up going back to it at least twice since then. Donald James creates an entirely believable landscape in 2015 Moscow, and tells the possible story of the country through the eyes of his characters. I think one of the main reasons why I fell in love with Monstrum was the protagonist character, Vadim, a would-be passive police inspector who just wants to have a quiet job and a quiet apartment where he can miss his dead son and a wife who left him. Instead, through little fault of his own, he gets involved in events seemingly beyond his control. And as he stumbles through life, increasingly becoming more and more involved, making choices and searching for the truth, one can't help but ache for his fate and for the fate of those around him.

Female characters here are also especially interesting - I haven't seen such strong, complex women in many other novels.

Donald James is a historian and that is a great plus for Monstrum: he knows the shifts and spirals of history. The future he imagines for Russia (hopefully it can be avoided) is in tune at once with this country's turbulent past and its ambivalent present. I don't think even after 2015, this novel will possibly be outdated: instead it could be thought of as an alternate reality. A serial killer mystery is overshadowed here by its political connections, and that gives the writer room to go in many surprising directions.

While dark in content, it's ultimately uplifting, and wonderfully so, since after as much as the characters go through in this story, they deserve some hope at the end. This is a mystery with a heart of a romantic quest and a historic novel - and it does honor to all these genres.

I so wish he would write a sequel. There is room enough for it. I probably will be waiting hopelessly for it, but my point is...this book is too good to pass up.

This book explains all the ultimate questions like, "Why are we here?", "Why God created us?", "What is the purpose of our lives?"..It answers all these questions in such simplicity that everyone can understand.. It "reminds" you how to "hear" God; in what ways he/she can reach you.. Personally, my religion is Muslim, I beleive that the world is going to a direction that people are understanding that "religion" does NOT MATTER anymore! We all beleive in the same supreme power, isn't "that" the being that created all religions? So, how can there be any difference between a Muslim or a Christian??? I honestly beleive deep inside that religion is not important, the important thing is to beleive that a supreme being exists (whatever the name may be, God, Allah etc..)and moreover, all people MUST understand the reason of their existance in this world, to achieve this goal, EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!

Conversations With God, Book One is the personal expose of the author, Neale Donald Walsch, who after having suffered disappointment upon disappointment in all areas of his life writes an angry letter to God composed of questions, and to his surprise receives an answer. In the course of the conversation Neale poses probing questions dealing with the issues of money, personal relationships, religion, guilt, fear - life as we know it. Some, if not all of the questions asked have troubled each one of us at one point or another. The answers are simple, eye-opening, and replete with humor and honesty. Most importantly the answers are not just relevant to the author, but to every member of the human race. Following the guidelines given in this book can cause a global shift, creating a world devoid of fear, and resplendent in peace, love, and sheer joy - the world and type of existence that God has intended for us all along. Reading Conversations With God, Book One is an, inspiring, moving, life changing experience.

Just imagine... if you could talk to God personally, and ask him all the questions that have puzzled (or haunted you) all of you life! This book is just that! In it, Neale asks God all sorts of perplexing questions which God actually answers! What is even more amazing is that the same thing happened to me (My Conversations with Jesus) many years ago, and I wrote them down just like Neale did. BUT, way back in 1985 no one would take a book like that seriously! Thank GOD that Neale opened the door for books like this and showed that a book with a person just casually speaking with God could become a bestseller (and Neale's book was a bestseller for over two years straight!) I have to admit my personal opinions and belief run contrary to what Neale proposes in this book, BUT, I must thank him from the bottom of my heart for providing the precedence that this type of book can sell, and sell well! My book is very similar to Neale's except that mine is Christian in origin and thought, whereas Neale's is New Age. All in all, I enjoyed reading Neale's best-selling book. It provided many though provoking questions and ideas, and I recommend it to others (along with the Christian version of mine titled: 'Oh My God! Are You Talking to Me?' and subtitled 'My Conversations with Jesus'.) This has turned out to be one of the most striking and interesting books I have ever read. -- Peniel G.G.G.

Yeah... I got this book as kind of a last resort, because the actual book about Dean that I wanted, wasn't available. Near the beginning of the book, when they are talking about his childhood, there are at least 5 pages about the times in which Dean grew up. I didn't buy this book to read about the History of Indiana.

Supports info on why James Dean did the things he did. And what his emotions were like, and why he was bisexual. I don't want to spoil it though. I'll just say that of the four bio's I read on James Dean (the others being "Boulivard of Broken Dreams," "The Death of James Dean," & "James Dean: a biography by Val Holly") this is the best one so far.

This is the best book out there on the life of James Byron Dean. It is not only concerned with the things that he did, but whom he affected personally, and the psychological reasoning behind the actions of this tortured genious. This book leaves no loose-ends untied in it's deconstruction of an icon, so that we can better understand Jimmy the man. This wonderfull book makes you feel as though you know James Dean for who he really was, and not for "whatever people wanted him to be". James B. Dean was complicated, tortured, conflicted and was a bottomless well for everyone's love. This James Dean is both more heroic and tragic than the Studios made him out to be, he is a confused, self-conscious boy. This is the real James Dean. Other attempts at recollecting his life are either glorified, or romanticized. Read this book, if you are a real fan of James Dean the person, not James Dean the legend.

I have used this text in multiple sections of introductory statistics for MBA students, and I have found that it is difficult for the students to follow. Other business statistics texts provide far more easy to follow instruction (e.g., see Mason and Lind's book). This book is a bit too oriented toward the use of statistics in finance (especially for the student who may not have yet had his or her first finance or economics course). I originally adopted it for its integration of Excel as an analysis tool, but its use did not make up for the poor organization and presentation of topics. From the students' perspective -- hands down, they hate it.

This is an aoutstanding book for the MBA Student. The applications are 'real' world and very informative. A 'must have' for anyone who needs to take their quantitative skills to the next level.

The book is well written and is easy to read. The chapters that talked about forecasting and statistical significance have allowed me to forecast my products accurately and have give me the opportunity to build a statistical model for my company. My colleagues and my director are very pleased with the results.