This is an extraordinary little book. Anyone with an interest in Anne Frank would be foolish not to read this. Written by a real friend of Anne's (who is referred to in the diary as "Jopie"), we are offered something in this book that cannot be underestimated--a different point of view on some of the experiences Anne describes by someone who really experienced them with her. Quotes from the diary are expanded upon and explained and some minor mysteries are resolved by the woman who, as a girl, was with Anne when these things happened.

Some readers might be disappointed that this book is so brief. I, on the other hand, was sympathetic to Van Maarsen's shyness, desire for privacy and reticence to speak so as not to appear as someone taking advantage of Anne's fame. In fact, I think this makes her book even more compelling. Van Maarsen speaks strictly to things she knows and experiences. She does not try to pad the book with her own personal details and agenda. She seems to have written this book for us--the people interested in knowing more about Anne--and not for herself.

As the years pass, there is the growing risk that Anne will become so sainted as to go beyond reality. Additionally, the readers of the diary often forget that we are hearing a story entirely from the perspective of a young girl. This does not diminish Anne's achievement but I think it is important to keep in mind that Anne was a real person with faults as well as great talent. Plaster saints do not inspire as well as true human beings in whom we can find a reflection of ourselves. Van Maarsen reminds us of Anne's humanity by giving us a different point of view of Anne's experiences. It is an invaluable resource.

May 26,2001:

If you love the Diary of Anne Frank, you will want to have this book. It raises intriguing questions such as if you had been Anne's friend, would you now want to stay out of the limelight? How would you like it if people only wanted to know you because you were her friend? That it took the author ("Jopie" in the Diary) so long to write this (published in Dutch, 1990), is an indication of the painful struggles she has had with these and related issues. The spirit of candor in the Diary is present in this book also. So much so that ironically, some readers will be disappointed in the ending. We want Anne's friend to carry the torch of her legacy. That our image of how she does this may differ from the author's--hopefully will not lessen our ability to appreciate the author for sharing her unique experiences.

Update of August 28, 2001:

After seeing this review, the author wrote to me that she continues public speaking. Examples of such speeches are described in fascinating detail in the book. As her note to me eloquently stated:

"Anne's diary conveys a very strong message, a message against discrimination and prejudice. By telling about my friendship with Anne and the circumstances during the war, I can give authenticity to her story. So, after having hesitated for years, I now 'carry the torch of Anne's legacy.' I speak for my friend, who cannot speak any more, and I feel quite satisfied to do so."

Some might wonder how or why the author could "give authenticity to Anne's story" which speaks so directly to their heart. It is apparent that this comment is meant for people who have denied Anne wrote the Diary. The book explains that the author provided samples of Anne's handwriting to the Dutch Institute For War Documentation after the war. This was used to confirm the Diary was written by Anne. Too, there are incidents described in the Diary that only Anne and the author witnessed. In Anne's 1942 poem to the author, which contained a personal twist to a common verse, she wrote:

"Dear Jackie,

Always show your sunny side

And be a nice girl at school

Remain my dearest little friend

And everyone will love you.

In remembrance of your friend,


Anne Frank

The last two lines of this verse have proven prophetic. It is clear that Anne would love her dear Jackie even more for having written this book and speaking where Anne's voice trails into silence. The world is indeed fortunate that Anne continues to have such a lovely friend.

this book is a beautiful report about a teener's friendship that became exceptional by the events that took place at the time, and about the influence these events had on "jopie's" life in the years that followed.

People who say that History of Science is boring haven't read this excellent book. This book is lively, entertaining and unbiased. While you can find dozens of accounts of the history of chemistry or physics, protein biochemistry has been overlooked for way too long. It was worth the wait though! As the proud owner of some of the material cited in this book (particularly on the history of enzymes), I had a blast reading "Nature's Robots". Read it and then go out and buy "Mendeleyeff's dream", they complement each other beautifully

This book represents the very best kind of science writing: tart, concise, erudite and eclectically well informed. Granted, this book is not aimed at the average reader, you must have a fairly good working knowledge of protein chemistry. Indeed, the authors explicitly state that this book is meant for young researchers in the field of proteins (me): it can get very technical in places. The authors hope to plug a lacuna in the knowledge of proteins that is not taught in universities for very good reasons. History often makes the learning of new concepts difficult (although there are equally good reasons for teaching it - re. the Mach-Maxwell debate in the teaching of physics in Germany in the nineteenth century).

The authors have found the most marvellous materials - obscure researchers, long-forgotten debates, the wonder of discoveries as it was felt at the time. Indeed, what makes the book come alive is that discoveries are described in the context that they were made - both in terms of alternatives and the fractious infighting they sometimes engendered. Here, an appreciation of the technical details is an absolute must to truly appreciate the writing.

Historical context is judiciously included. When it is necessary, for instance, to understand how certain labs came into prominence or how ideas criss-crossed the globe. However, historical context is not slavishly used to structure the book. Some discoveries logically engender other discoveries. Too much focus on the historical context would lose the thread of the ideas. There are some of the most delicately rendered biographies, although thankfully, these are only kept at a minimum, a couple of paragraphs or so - after all, most scientists are not that interesting as people.

Finally, the authors have held no punches. In one place, they dismiss the work of a Nobel prize winner after winning the prize as a waste of time.

However, one vital ommision must be said (as noted in the review of this book in Nature). The Nobel-prize winning work of Anfinsen in showing that denatured proteins can refold is reduced to a single footnote. Given the generosity they have shown in other places, this is suprising.

This volume concerns itself with the nature of proteins, from early crystallization and spectroscopy studies to the debate between whether proteins are colloids or macromolecules, and the discovery of the peptide bond. Methods of analysis are discussed in regards to their historical context, and many researchers are given due credit in their various efforts, some counter-productive. Much of the text is given to protein structure and folding and how research has illuminated these areas. There are also chapters on physiological functions and how proteins are synthesized and the discovery of DNA and it's significance, all in historical review.

Current protein research is briefly mentioned, and there are many references cited throughout the volume. This book is primarily targeted to chemists although anyone with an interest in protein science could read it. I personally thought this book was very informative.

it is difficult to remember that this book is a true story and not only is it true but it is written by the mother involved. it must have taken great strength and resolution to write of the happenings in Jaqueline Gillespies life. It is a life story of horror, abuse and insecurity which is fought to win the happiness of self-confidence, love and happiness only to have it all taken away again by one cruel and unfeeling person. to have survived the nightmare which surely still goes on for the author is a credit to the soul that she has. the ending leaves the reader unable to sleep and praying for the safe return of two loved children to their mother. The book also relays the true story to all the people who ever doubted Jaqueline Gillespie and to all who failed her in her fight for her family. I am sure that they are still squirming in their realisation that they were weak, ignorant and corrupt - and worst of all ... that they regard money and status in higher esteem than they do the lives of innocent children ... "the future of their country".

An exceptionally moving book about a woman trying to fit into a society that does not tolerate her (she is half Chinese, half Australian). She marries a Malaysian prince and moves to Malaysia where she has two children. She leaves her husband taking her children with her back to Australia and tries to begin afresh, but her children are kidnapped and taken back to Malaysia to live as strict Muslims with their father. This true story goes on to relate how she tries to get her children back and her journey to find happiness. This book made me cry at every chapter and it put my own problems into perspective.

A very sad book about the life of a woman who was so desperate to feel like she belonged to something that she ended up sacrificing her happiness. When she does eventually leave, her children are taken away from her... a very sad book but once I started to read I could not stop.

Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism by Jacqueline Ilyse Stone (Studies in East Asian Buddhism, No. 12: University of Hawaii Press) Being recognized as a major study in Buddhist studies and recognized as one of the best religious studies books of 2000, Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism represents some important historical and conceptual clarifications of perennial themes in Mahayana Buddhism.
From flyleaf: Original enlightenment thought (hongaku shiso) dominated Buddhist intellectual circles throughout Japan's medieval period. Enlightenment, this discourse claims, is neither a goal to be achieved nor a potential to be realized but the true status of all things. Every animate and inanimate object manifests the primordially enlightened Buddha just as it is. Seen in its true aspect, every activity of daily life?eating, sleeping, even one's deluded thinking?is the Buddha's conduct. Emerging from within the powerful Tendai school, ideas of original enlightenment were appropriated by a number of Buddhist traditions and influenced nascent theories about the kami (local deities) as well as medieval aesthetics and the literary and performing arts.
Scholars and commentators have long recognized the historical importance of original enlightenment thought but differ heatedly over how it is to be understood. Some tout it as the pinnacle of the Buddhist philosophy of absolute nondualism. Others claim to find in it the paradigmatic expression of a timeless Japanese spirituality. According to other readings, it represents a dangerous antinomianism that undermined observance of moral precepts, precipitated a decline in Buddhist scholarship, and denied the need for religious discipline. Still others denounce it as an authoritarian ideology that, by sacralizing the given order, has in effect legitimized hierarchy and discriminative social practices. Often the acceptance or rejection of original enlightenment thought is seen as the fault line along which traditional Buddhist institutions are to be differentiated from the new Buddhist movements (Zen, Pure Land, and Nichiren) that arose during Japan's medieval period.
Jacqueline Stone's groundbreaking study moves beyond the treatment of the original enlightenment doctrine as abstract philosophy to explore its historical dimension. Drawing on a wealth of medieval primary sources and modern Japanese scholarship, it places this discourse in its ritual, institutional, and social contexts, illuminating its importance to the maintenance of traditions of lineage and the secret transmission of knowledge that characterized medieval Japanese elite culture. It sheds new light on interpretive strategies employed in premodern Japanese Buddhist texts, an area that hitherto has received little attention. Through these and other lines of investigation, Stone problematizes entrenched notions of "corruption" in the medieval Buddhist establishment. Using the examples of Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism and their interactions throughout the medieval period, she calls into question both overly facile distinctions between "old" and "new" Buddhism and the long?standing scholarly assumptions that have perpetuated them. This study marks a significant contribution to ongoing debates over definitions of Buddhism in the Kamakura era (1185-1333) , long regarded as a formative period in Japanese religion and culture. Stone argues that "original enlightenment thought" represents a substantial rethinking of Buddhist enlightenment that cuts across the distinction between "old" and "new" institutions and was particularly characteristic of the medieval period.

Is Enlightenment something that we acquire? Or are we really Enlightened already and just have to realize that? Is Enlightenment something that will take us uncounted ages to achieve? Or can we achieve Enlightenment in this life and in this body? Such were some of the key issues of Medieval Japanese Buddhism. Some of the most popular conclusions, that we are Enlightened already, i.e. are Originally Enlightened, and that we can achieve Enlightenment in this life and in this body, remain both popular and controversial even today. Jacqueline Stone takes us into the little known world of the Tendai temples and hermitages on Mt. Hiei, the stately mountain above Kyoto, where much of the doctrine of Original Enlightenment thought was developed -- and whence it spread to the famous founders of Kamakura Buddhism, including Honen and Nichiren. Stone gives us a panorama of what was going on, what we known about it (not enough), and the long history of what happened and the debates that continue down to the present, debates that involve scholars, sectarian apologists, and the religious practice of many people, not just in Japan, but around the world. A fundamental book for one of the great, and still growing, religious traditions in the world.

Dr. Stone has provided an invaluable window into the current state of Japanese scholarship around the issues of orignal enlightenment teachings (hongaku shiso) and its role in the formation of Kamakuran Buddhism and Nichiren Buddhism in particular. I believe that she quite successfully brings out the complexities of this teaching and shows that it does not necessarily lead to antinomian conclusions and that it was not summarily rejected by the founders of Kamakuran Buddhism including Nichiren. The chapter on Nichiren in this book could also stand alone as an excellent guide to Nichiren's teachings and practice. She shows that there is much more to Nichiren Buddhism than vainly repeating the Sino-Japanese title of the Lotus Sutra in order to gain worldly benefits. She really brings out the depth and profundity of Nichiren Buddhism. This book, however, is not an apologetic for Nichiren Buddhism or even for original enlightenment teachings. Dr. Stone maintains a very objective and impartial stance throughout the book (which could be disturbing to those for whom this religion and these issues are literally a matter of life and death). She provides both the pros and the cons of the issues that she addresses. She is not so much providing a new theory about Nichiren Buddhism or original enlightenment so much as she is attempting to show that original enlightenment and its impact on Japanese Buddhism needs to be reevaluated and that the issues are far from black-and-white. I would highly recommend this book to serious scholars of Japanese Buddhism and to those who want to delve more deeply into the current state of scholarship in Japan surounding Nichiren Buddhism. This is not, however, a book for those who want simple answers to simple questions, or who want a primer on Nichiren Buddhism. For those hard core Nichiren Buddhists and scholars who want to find out the real truth about Nichiren Buddhism and the development of the Nichiren tradition, this book is worth every penny of its rather steep price tag.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, Ryuei Michael McCormick

Thank you Jacqueline Penney for making my introduction to watercolor painting fun, informative and very helpful.
The book, Painting Greeting Cards in Watercolor, was a step by step introduction to watercolor painting through the practice of greeting card design. The lessons were fun, quick and very easy to follow, making the student beg to beging the next lesson. After every lesson I felt like I really learned something and was proud of my accomplishment. I'll be honest, as a first time watercolorist I would have given up if this book wasn't easy, fun and easy to understand. Luckily it was a superb introduction and I am very happy.
Thank you again.

I really enjoy using this book for inspiration and practice. I don't use her ideas for greeting cards, but for small paintings. Most of the paintings can be finished rather quickly. The topics are appealing and I have sold a number of them. I like her 3-in-1 compositions, dividing the paper with masking tape and having related subjects treated differently within each block. It is a practical and user-friendly book, well worth the purchase.

I have painted all the pictures in Jacqueline's book. Her detailed instructions make copying her art miniatures easy. Her instructions apply not only to miniatures but also larger sized pictures. I have used several of her designs for greeting cards.

The title of this book is entirely misleading. There is nothing whatsoever in the book pertaining to the politics of the playground, but a great deal of very good sense pertaining to how parents can assist their children to surmount developmental challenges. Apart from the usual North American neurotic attitude towards sexuality (that surfaces in Chapter Seven) this book is sensible and instructive. It avoids useless platitudes and instead provides parents with hands-on guidance that is neither foolish nor redundant. Even those parents whose children are progressing satisfactorily will find much here to prompt their thinking in ways that will lead to even greater richness of parent-child interaction. Along with "Siblings Without Rivalry" this is one of the must-have books for a parent's library.

As children grow and mature, they go through many different stages in their lives, each requiring support and understanding. The book, "Playground Politics", by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, offers us a look into the behaviors of children ages 5-12, and the emotional and developmental phases that they experience.

There are no concrete answers to help children cross over successfully from one stage to the next. What we can do, is try to understand the reasoning behind their behavior and feelings, and learn how to be a more supportive caregiver.

My ParenTime highly recommends "Playground Politics" - it gives us that special insight to explore, understand, and nurture our children's stages for growth, development, and emotional well-being.

This book is one of the most straight-forward books I have read about the emotional stages of children from the time they enter kindergarten through their teen years. In easy to understand language, this book allows parents to enter into the minds and hearts of children and view the world from their perspective. I found it extremely useful for the insight it provides about the role that friends play in children's lives and how we, as parents, can provide support as they face the emotional challanges of human interaction.

I just finished this book today and I thought it was very well written. From the second I picked it up until the book ended I was interested in Claire Hanson and her life. Hope the author reads her reviews and knows I am waiting for her next book.

After browsing around..., I stumbled across this book and decided to purchase it. After the first chapter, I was hooked. The characters were real and the story line was fast paced and exciting. I throughly enjoyed Promises and recommend it highly to those that enjoy reading romantic fiction.

I found this novel entertaining, funny, romantic, and very true to many women's lives.

Author Jacqueline Druga-Marchetti has done it again with The Shroud! This book takes an intriguing idea and executes it into a scarily plausible scenario. With characters that sparkle and leap off the pages, the combination of wit, humor, science and horror will have you frantically turning pages till you reach the end. I can't wait for the next installment!

The Shroud is a wonderful read full of excitement and horror, and great characters. The plot is evident from the synopsis, a darn good one too, so, I'll get into the characters here. I fully enjoyed the relationship between Kyle (Reggie's father) & Reggie, Reggie & Marcus, but I truly enjoyed Reggie. She's my kind of gal, the kind that can take care of herself, verbally and physically. Devante (the Anti-Christ) is incredible, and most of all I enjoyed the reactions and conversations that took place with Devante and others in the novel. Although not an amusing story it did possess some humorous parts that I thought added much to the story. But there is also mystery in this story, the mystery of Michael. Great job, Ms. Drugo-Marchetti!

I've always enjoyed Jacquelines work, but The Shroud takes the cake. This ones a page-turner, and a very bizzarre, but believable story. Jackie has that gift down pat!

You need to keep writing. You have so much to offer. Everyone I have given your books to really talks about your talent all the time. You will never know how many lives you have changed here at St. Joseph's (John Knox Village) in Tampa, Florida.

I loved your raps, and do did my staff and my residents. I guarantee you there are over 50 people here who love your words!

I read your book and it took my breath away. I really like your style of writing. Are you planning to publish more of your work?

an inquiring mind wants to know...

Reading Ms Yohe's book was one of the most refreshing experiences I've had in a long time. As a young African-American woman, I was touched by her honest spirit and the depth of the message displayed in her work. I anticipate she will reach a sector of people with her diverse approach and her natural freeness of expression. I would love to hear and see more of her work exhibited. She is just what this generation of youth (and adults, as well) need to relay some of today's messages.

KUDOS to her!

This should be required reading for Everyone. Americans are ranked somewhere around 16 in terms of health. The 'modern', 'civilized' western diet obviously doesn't work, given the alarming increases in obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc. Traditional western medicine doesn't work because it focuses on illness and death, not prevention and cure. * Good nutrition is the cornerstone to well-being. * Unfortunately, determining what 'good nutrition' is in America is a daunting task. Worse, even if you do have good guidelines to help you, there are plenty of potential pitfalls out there. Who would think there would be sugar in lunchmeats, for example? Who would think that there may be sugar in canned fruits, even those labeled 'unsweetened' or 'no sugar added'? How do you eat well when the term 'carbohydrate' encompasses everything from wholesome complex carbohydrates to refined sugar?

Similar to the second reviewer, my acupuncturist also recommended I read this. It is concise, truthful, up-to-date and right on the money. It's horrifying, but it is just the ammunition we need to help balance out the lies perpetuated by the media, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, medical establishment, government, etc. in the US. While I wouldn't trade our capitalist processes for anything (I've lived abroad, and have learned the good outweighs the bad) nonetheless there are too many economic incentives for the above mentioned to keep us sick, instead of curing us.

Even if you're not as sensitive to sugar and refined carbohydrates as I am, you could still benefit from eating 'clean'. The human body is remarkably adaptable, the end result being we adapt to refined foods and may not become sick outright, but instead, begin the gentle but inexorable downward spiral from health to not feeling well, to disease finally. Traditional western medicine doesn't seem to care about this continuum from health to the start of disease; I can vouch for that. I spent many frustrated years taking all sorts of tests (blood tests, etc) and having doctors smile and tell me I was perfectly normal, when I certainly didn't feel that way at all. I attribute the high quality of life I have today to the following: my chiropractor, my acupuncturist, following the 'diet' in the Sugar Control Bible (if you could call it a diet), Ezekiel 4:9 live sprout bread (we LOVE the Cinnamon and Raisin) and 20 minutes of Pilates a day (I found the Pilates for Dummies DVD to be the best).

All diets are do-able. But sustainable? Ah, now that's the key. This is the first set of guidelines I've followed that is both do-able and sustainable.

A self admitted chocoholic, I was skeptical when my accupunturist recommended this food plan. Ahhh--I was proved wrong--lost 16 lbs in 5 weeks and ate quit a bit of yummy food. I am now a beleiver, and my stomach gets upset when I stray from this food plan.

If you buy the book, you must be committed to follow it exactly or it will not work.

My doctor introduced me to this way of eating by having me try the two week plan. I had my reservations and all the reasons why I could not follow it. but I said I'd try it for two weeks--but no more. I began eating the Sugar Control Program three months ago and will never go back to my old way of eating. I have so much more energy now and I like the food. I'm never hungry and grocery shopping is so very easy: I shop on the outside paramenters of the grocery store. In otherwords, I eat all fresh food now.

I bought the book to learn more about why this works and found it to be very helpful in learning how the body handles nutrients and what the body needs to function properly. Ms Paltis also gives some background on TBM (Total BOdy modification) and using functional physiology in learning how the body works. This book is a great guide and reference if you want to learn improved ways of functioning.