Not only did I purchase this book, I purchased one for a friend of mine who is a quilter. The quilts and the incredible stories behind them are powerful motivators for those who wish to accomplish anything, not just quilting. It is the triumph of the human spirit and proves that deep down, each of us has an indominable core. I am envious of the skill that these women posessed and of the oral history and cultural traditions which have been created and passed down. It's a reminder of the scope of human potential.

I am an Alabama native. I have visited Gee's Bend, Alabama many times, but mainly to EAT!! They have more than pretty quilts in Gee's Bend. I have seen the quilts but because I love quilts and even tried unsuccessully to make one but, not being an expert, I guess I did not appreciate how popular the Gee's Bend quilts would become until I saw the story on CBS's Sunday Morning about the quilts being on display at the Whitney Museum in New York. The current quilters visited the opening at the museum and song those old gospel songs to their many fans.

The book itself is filled with stories and lovely photographs of the quilts. All the quilts are hand-stitched, of course. I couldn't imagine anyone creating such beauty with a needle and thread.

I am so happy I pre-ordered the book from Amazon. It will be a prized part of my collection.

Congratulations!!!! A few of these women are my aunts and they have been working so hard at this all their lives, I am so happy that they are finally getting the recognition that they deserve. They used to make so many quilts when we were younger and just give them away to family members as Xmas gifts, now they are being hung in museums around the US and I have proudly displayed my childhood quilts so everyone will know just how proud I am of them!!! Now I know the Pettway woman will always be remembered for the proud and strong women they are.

The second edition (2001) of this work is indeed an outstanding resource. My daily work includes imaging of sports and musculoskeletal injuries. I find this book frequently useful to supplement deficiencies in my knowledge and experience, and a most useful companion to the second edition (2001) of "Musculoskeletal Ultrasound" by Marnix van Holsbeeck and Joseph Introcaso.

Highly recommended as a workbench resource to those interested in imaging of sports injuries.

This is an astounding book. When was the last time you saw a 900+ page hard cover book packed with useful photographs and excellent line drawings...The practical advice in this book is unparalleled. No wonder it is an international best-seller. It arrived quickly and well packed from Amazon. Keep up the good work and thanks!

The Second edition of Clinical Sports Medicine is the best reference book I have come across as an athletic therapist and professional fitness and lifestyle consultant. I find it very easy to navigate with great illustrations and information. The references are all very recent and evidence-based so you feel confident in following the authors' recommendations. It is particularly good value at 67 US dollars - most hardcover books of this size are about twice that price. The corresponding website has updated information, including relevant published papers, which I find quite helpful also. These authors have really done a fabulous job of classifying sports medicine information in a logical and easy-to-use format. I highly recommend it to anyone in the sports, fitness, and/or health fields!

This is a massive reference work and an obvious labor of love. It covers almost every conceivable aspect of science fiction, from movies to history to criticism. This is the second edition of this work, with large updates to bring the work up to the time of publication (1992), especially new authors and newer works by old hands, and there has also been a good deal of new material added to the thematic sections.

For anyone wanting to develop a good course on science fiction , or anyone interested in how SF came to be what it is today, a perusal of these thematic entries on everything from ANTIGRAVITY to MUTANTS to UTOPIAS will yield a wealth of material concisely presented, profusely cross-referenced, and source material properly indicated. Often within these sections even an experienced long-time fan of the field will find works referenced that he hasn't heard of before but deserve a look.

Within the author entries you will find one of the works most useful features: a listing of all of that author's works that belong within a given series or author created world/universe, often with a good description of the salient features of these author worlds. Also very useful is a listing of all known pseudonyms for each author. Still another useful feature is the indication of every variant title a work has appeared under, which can end up saving the reader money by knowing that he already really has that title under a different name. But these entries are also the most problematic of the information presented in this volume, as the opinion of the writer of the piece (almost all of the author entries were done by John Clute) about the quality of each of the author's works clearly shows. While it is probably impossible to avoid having this type of opinion appear, what I found disappointing was the lack of indication that there are other opinions about some well known works (in some cases these other opinions run to millions of words and many a flame war on the internet), such as Heinlein's Starship Troopers. At the same time, these entries provide a wealth of biographical information and very complete bibliographies for every major and almost every minor writer who has ever written within the field, and this information seems to have been very solidly researched (at least I haven't been able to find any obvious errors, and I've been reading in the field for 40 years).

This is an expensive volume, but it is probably worth every penny of its price when you consider that it collects in one volume such a wealth of diverse information that prior to this work was scattered across hundreds of articles, essays, books, and research papers or had never been written about in any cohesive manner. Highly recommended for any serious student/fan of the field, and highly entertaining and informative reading for just about anyone.

Along with its companion volume, "The Encyclopedia of Fantasy," the editors offer the most comprehensive references currently available on speculative fiction, covering authors both minor and major, discussion of the impact of writers and their works upon the genre, influences both obvious and obscure, as well as erudite observations upon the history and development of imaginative fiction. And this is but a fraction of all this marvelous reference has to offer! Indispensable to either the devotee of the genre or the casual reader, this text, along with its companion, should grace the shelves of anyone seriously interested in science fiction or literature. As with most references of this scope, already it is beginning to become out of date, lacking entries for newer and already significant authors, such as China Mieville, but one can hope a new edition will soon be in the offing. I know I will rush out to buy it, and in the meantime there is more than enough information here to occupy and entrance me for many months to come. If you read science fiction regularly, shame on you if you don't own this book.

This book may not include everything you ever wanted to know about science fiction, but it definitely comes closer than any other work in existence. Long-time fans will enjoy the extensive analytical and bibliographical material. Beginners looking for a useful introduction to the genre are sure to find it here.

It's impossible to completely describe the contents within the space of a short review. However, a summary should be enough to give a general impression. There are (alphabetically-sorted) articles on all different aspects of the genre, from the cinema to the written word.

To start off, there are biographies on every major science fiction writer from the 19th century-1993, and almost all of the minor ones. These biographies, although of varying quality, are almost all of considerable interest. As well as listing all of the writer's major contributions to the genre, they often include analyses of the author's writing styles, including discussions of specific works. Although readers may find themselves disagreeing with some of the contributors, it is nonetheless fascinating to read the opinions of other devotees.

Perhaps just as important, there are many articles on the various science fiction magazines and their editors. Such articles are vital to any comprehensive discussion of the genre; after all science fiction started out in the magazines, and many fine stories are still published there. These articles include detailed and interesting descriptions of the magazines' histories, including editors, major contributors, and high and low points of success.

In addition to written fiction, considerable attention is paid to science fiction movies. There is little information on actors, directors, or screenwriters, but plenty about the movies themselves. Most major science fiction films have their own individual entries, including information on plot, acting, production quality. The authors always make clear whether or not they like each movie; their recommendations have led me to many good rentals!

Finally, there are many articles on the genre itself. Much attention is given to the history of the genre, from it's embryonic period in the 19th century, to it's consolidation in the 1920s, to it's maturation in the '40s, right on up to the '90s. There is also a great deal of information on specific subjects and items of terminology, from "Aliens" to "Cyberpunk" to "Spindizzies".

I can pick this Encyclopedia up any time, and be sure of finding something interesting. It's a surefire winner for anyone interested in random fact-finding. All SF fans, even if they're not "browsing" types, should still keep this tome on hand. Any question concerning the genre is likely to have an answer somewhere between the front and back covers.

Gorgeous coffee table book, which is actually great reading, too! Sumptuous photographs will inspire you to add a touch of Safari Chic to your own home! Exquisitely well done book...I hope there will be sequels!....

Libraries with strong sections on ethnic or modern architecture will want to include Bibi Jordan's Safari Chic as a unique presentation of over a hundred photos of exotic exteriors and interiors. African bush style goes modern in homes which profile decorating choices achieved through ethnic crafts and fabrics. The color photos are lavish and display many options and styles.

Bibi Jordan has managed to capture the true spirit of adventure in her new book Safari Chic. Not only do the wild exteriors and the mannered interiors inspire one to redecorate their physical surroundings but they resonate with the kindling spirit of rejuvenation and imagination. This is a traveler's delight as well. More books Bibi, more!

I own the hardback copy of this book...actually I have owned it for a few years now. It is one of those books that become a literary treasure in your bookcase. I was so hooked on this book when I first got it, I read it from cover to cover in one day...I just couldn't put it down!

Dr. McCormack in the US can be likened to James Herriott of England. His stories of animals that he treated and the start of his career in the 1960's makes the reader feel they are right along side him assisting in whatever procedure needs to be done to his animal patient.

I am a person of great compassion for animals and as a reader, I was truly appreciative that the love and compassion that Dr. McCormack has for his animal patients shines through to the reader's soul. I laughed with this book..I have cried with this book...I have pulled for the sick animal in this book...I have rooted Dr. McCormack through as he treated tough cases in this book.

There are books about animals and then there are the special books about animals because the respect, compassion from the writer is there and the animal patients become real as one reads along the journey in the book.

If you are a James Herriott fan or an animal lover who is a reader, I highly, and I stress highly, suggest getting this book and reading it!

My people are not from Choctaw County, but we're from "around there." This is not only a sympathetic and heartfelt account of a rural vet practice in the sixties; it's a very accurate look at the folks you were likely to meet then and there, both the good and the bad. I have met most of the folks he talks about, or at least their near relations. Dr. McCormack's extended meditation on the verbal mangling of his job description by his neighbors is alone worth the price of admission, although the account of his visit to the Governor's Mansion driving the "rounds vehicle" and a too-long-delayed boar cutting run it very close. Excellent book.

I really enjoyed this book. It had good detail, and you really felt like you were going on the rounds with Dr. McCormack. I have read it several times since I bought it, and it is hard to put down each time, even though I know the outcome!

I enjoyed reading how tough it was to convert some of the farmers to the methods of modern veterinary medicine, and it was interesting to read the different methods the farmers had preferred to treat the illnesses in their livestock and pets until their was more modern help available.

I was fortunate to have read "In the Lord's Library" quite some time ago and thoroughly enjoyed the entire book. I feel that MARSDEN did a superb job in creating this storyline and was able to put into writing a very believable tale. It is evident that MARSDEN spent a portion of his career as a police officer and he has been able to bring to life some of the situations which he faced while in service.
If you are looking for a great story to read during these rainy winter months, look no further than "In the Lord's Library"

Enjoy!

We were so caught up in this book, that we read it in a day!
We read it aloud. Reading, as if it were a script.
Each character was brought to life, as P.J. Marsden described them in detail.
"In the Lord's Library" was the book we chose to end the year with.
It was the perfect selection, for best friends to read together.

I look forward to reading more books, by P.J. Marsden.

You can certainly tell the author of this book is a veteran police officer. The places he takes you, and skillfully I might add, could only be achieved by a cop who has been there, done that, and yes, even took the pictures for his file. While there was certainly a lot in this book for me, I can easily say there lays within these pages a little something for everyone, as well as the lesson that we can all be as strong as the main character Judith. We just have to allow our free will and inner strength to take us there. The author skillfully weaves this believable story by leaving you hanging at the end of each chapter, challenging the reader to abandon the pages but I would have none of that. I kept right on reading!

I picked this up out of curiosity, without reading the "Books of Magic" first (I am doing so now) as I don't normally read comic books. I found the initial first pages confusing, but the pages following that caught me up.

The story begins amid the ending panels of "Summonings", then proceeds back in time several centuries to a tiny girl named Rose, who stumbles into the Queen of the Faerie. Rosebud quickly becomes a favorite of the Queen - and as she grows into adulthood, is also a "favorite" of the King (if you take my meaning). When Queen Dymphna mysteriously vanishes, the King marries Rosebud - who takes on the name of Titania. (Starting to sound familiar?) The new queen also sort of morphs into a fairy.

More familiar characters resurface as the king dies, and his nephew Auberon takes over the throne and marries the queen. But during a venture to Earth, Titania meets and falls in love with a man named Tam Lin. Her love affair with him is cut short when she becomes pregnant and gives birth to an apparently-human baby, who vanishes along with a nursemaid. Thus starts the life of Timothy Hunter...

Even if you're not familiar with the Books of Magic, this is diverting and entertaining, especially if you know about the legend of Tam Lin. The artwork is so so--often it looks like the artist put a sketch instead of a finished panel (like when Dymphna cries out "My torque!") and Titania's facial shape sometimes looks plain silly.

Overall, a very enjoyable comic. I also recommend the sequel, "Auberon's Tale" (tell me, am I alone in finding him VERY sexy?)

I've been reading through the Books of Magic series of graphic-novel compilations, and getting them in an odd order occasionally (based on what I can find when). Reading this volume made much of one particular volume of the Books of Magic make incredible amounts of sense - it's the backstory, the story that happens between the volumes. It also, however, stands on its own quite well. If you like Neil Gaiman, Emma Bull, or modern fantasy and fairy tales at all, I highly recommend this. A lovely fey tale, full of magic, betrayal, and secrets.

I've read these books slightly out of order, so getting to know the woman whom Molly O'Reilly referred to as "the green bitch" was a rare treat. This lovely, touching collection shows the origins of the girl who would become Titania, as well as introducing Tamlin the falconer at his first appearance in Faerie. Titania and Auberon meet for the first time, and we gain an understanding of their complex and difficult relationship. This book also sheds some light on the birth of Timothy Hunter. Really, I can't recommend this series highly enough.

wow, never thought of reading children books, but this one has me giving a second thought. The radio station playing, trucks zipping by, the diner open all night, and the faded gray illustrations, all make this illustrated book great for adults alike.

This book is one of the few truley magical books. There is nothing better than to lie in bed reading this book to my 7-year old son. The book could almost be thought of as two books - the text and the pictures. You can imagine everything by the very descriptive text - it takes you on the journey of father and son as they travel "to the mountains". The text is even paced and allows you (and your son) to travel along with them. The pencil drawings are of a quality not usually found in children's books. Just take a look at the pictures without the words and the same magical feeling comes to you. This is probably a book for fathers and sons but anyone who is interested in quality children's books will love this one. Highest recomendation.

"Are we almost there?" asks the child-narrator on the first page. "Oh no, it's a long way. We'll do some night driving," says Dad. In John Coy's first picture book, we journey along with a father and son as they make their way to the mountains for the boy's first camping trip. As the hours pass, they find plenty to do together: listen to baseball games on the radio, sing cowboy songs ,watch for deer munching grass at the side of the road. When the car gets a flat tire, there is time to see, away from the lights of the city, a sky thick with stars. Although Peter McCarty has previously illustrated children's books (Mary on Horseback, most recently), this is his first picture book. His soft charcoal portraits of father and son work well with Coy's spare text. He magically transforms white space into cool moonlight-reflecting off Dad's baseball cap as he leans against the car watching his son, pooling in the prairie grass, and cocooning the car as it glides through the darkness. "Making good time" was a phrase my father liked to use when we took road trips-he meant we were getting there as fast as humanly possible with emergency stops only and no dawdling. But as Night Driving gently reminds us, good time is always passing. We can either kill it, or spend it like a jar of saved-up pennies.

Zen has a built in feature that makes it a little difficult to fathom at first. Those who have been practicing a while have developed enough insight that they see things a different way and therefore communicate in a different way. This communication is defined by a lilting, flowery and (in my view) often opaque use of language. The rest of us have a hard time figuring out just what the heck they're talking about. Unfortunately, in order for we "have-nots" to get it, we need some useful instruction from the "haves". This communication gap, if you will, can interfere with the learning process.

The title of this book implies an effort to bridge the gap and Buksbazen does a laudable job of delivering the goods. Don't expect an intellectual tour de force. That's not what it's about. Rather, this book is merely a short, simple, plainly-stated guide to getting started with "just sitting". The book is divided into three sections. The first provides a brief history of the Zen movement in Buddhism. The second, the heart of the book, provides some practical advice for the most basic form of Zen meditation, breath counting. The final section gives you some practical advice on continuing your practice within the "meditative community", an essential facet of meditative practice.

I especially appreciated the author's assurance that Zen is not as inaccessible as it might seem to us beginners. Don't worry, he says in effect, just start practicing and as you get better at settling your mind, you will begin to understand more and more. It will take some time and effort, but it will come. If you're looking for a book on different forms of meditation or a discourse on Zen practice, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for an easy "Getting Started:" manual, you might want to give this book a try.

I was encouraged to "just sit" when I started practicing Zen meditation, but John Daishun Buksbazen's meditation manual offers much easier intructions to Zen practice. In his Foreward to Buksbazen's how-to guide, Peter Matthiessen notes that "this gentle book . . . is a wonderful introduction to Zen Buddhism, and also an invitation to a new life" (p. 13). Buksbazen is a Zen Buddhist priest and a psychoanalyst. Meditation offers us "a way of getting deeply in touch with the true Self," he observes; "not just the narrow self; that much can be accomplished through psychotherapy or a number of other disciplines. But sitting deals with the 'big-S'-Self, that most basic level of reality that has nothing to do with culture, social status, intellect, or even personality. It deals with who you really are beyond all specifics of time and place. And who you really are, ultimately, is the universe itself" (p. 35).

Organized into three parts, "Buddhas," "Sitting," and "Community," and then followed by a section of "Frequently Asked Questions," Buksbazen's 123-page book offers its reader an excellent introduction to taming our minds and discovering who we are through the practice of Zen meditation.

G. Merritt

This book does an admirable job of explaining the fundamentals of Zen meditation. There are many, many good books out now that include some discussion of meditation technique, but usually that's as a part of a larger discussion of Buddhism and Buddhist thought, and the mechanics of meditation often get inadequate attention. With this book, the reader will get a solid introduction to meditation, sufficient to get actual practice off to a good start. I would not be surprised if it becomes a classic in the field. Very well done.