Pamela Berkman's Her Infinite Variety is a clever/humorous/insightful blend of a few facts and a lot of fiction. It is a fictional treatment of the lives of the women of Shakespeare. Six of the stories are about the women in his life, and four the women of his plays. Or we might say that three about women of his plays and one about a fairy -- Titania.

Ms Berkman has done all of the work required for historic fiction: she writes of everything from the laws of the time to the family linen. To this she has added an inspired imagination and outstanding writing.

The result is an excellent collection of linked stories -- it almost adds up to a novel about Shakespear. She has taken what little we know of these figures and constructed plausible, fascinating, three-dimensional women.

I would have entitled this review "Her Infinite Imagination," but someone has already used it.

Berkman's stories give us a multifaceted prism--"the women he loved"--through which to view Shakespeare's works and days. In Duty, we get a glimpse of the secrets Juliet's mother must hide, giving broader dimensions to the classic love story. No Cause reminds us that the people in the Bard's sublunary life were real, with needs more immediate than the call of mere literature. My favorite story (Magic Wand) has Titania bridging these worlds with an Orlando-esque sweep through time and levels of reality (which is more real--the midsummer fairy world Shakespeare created or the world that buys Globe Theatre keychains?), portraying a muse who must be written in order to live and who must live to enable a writer to create lives. These little gems are witty and thoughtful; I look forward to a deeper novel from this young author.

To read *Her Infinite Variety* is to be dazzled by Pamela Berkman's imaginative capacity. From story to story, she displays a rare ability to intuit the gaps in our knowledge of Shakespeare's women--the ones in his life as well as the ones in his art--and then to fill in those gaps with the delicate filigree of her fiction. Yet while these stories display a delicately rigorous structure, the language holding them together is as vibrant and sexy as the women they depict. If you have never enjoyed Shakespeare, buy this book. Berkman's tart-tongued Titania, her haunted Ophelia, and her utterly down-to-earth Bard (rescued, finally, from both scholars and souvenir-sellers) will make you reconsider.

In Leadership and Golf, Tom and Bill Wentz have provided an entertaining experience in business, life, and golf. We all have a limited amount of time and money - invest both wisely and spend a couple of hours experiencing the meaning of Swing To Balance. Its not what you'll learn that will make the difference, though most will learn something, its what you'll feel that will change the way you think and act.

Mr. Wentz gets it right when he writes, "You not only have knowledge about Swing to Balance, you have feelings about it. It is not until a concept becomes a vision in terms of emotions that a person or organization can choose to behave as that concept implies."

Leaders act on information, but emotions are often the catalyst that gets the action started . . . or stopped. Learn to Swing To Balance, and learn how to make meaningful, positive change in life and business.

Tom Wentz has done it again. His book, "Transformational Change," is the best book I've read on that subject; and I've read many.

This time around Tom combines forces with his son, Bill, (who is a teaching and playing golf professional) to create a fascinating and very instructive treatise on leadership. The book narrates - from multiple perspectives - human actions and reactions to a business simulation that the authors conduct through nine holes of "team golf." The lessons are profound and the narrative style is compelling (I read it through on the first reading). More importantly, you don't have to be a golfer to get the messages. If you know who Tiger Woods is, you'll get the message.

The core lesson - that you must start with the end in mind and SWING TO BALANCE, rather than "hit the ball" - is simple to understand and very hard to execute. Of course that's the way leadership is in real life.

I've got a dozen I'm giving to my clients.

"Swing to Balance" is an excellent book that uses the golf swing as an analogy for business. You don't need to have any golf knowledge to understand how businesses suffer if they cannot utilize everyone in the organization and coach them to understand the company goal. Thomas Wentz does a wonderful job helping these actual real characters understand how working together for a common goal will result in success. It will transform your business.

"George Shrinks" is one of my favorite children's books of all time. It is the first book that William Joyce both wrote and illustrated--and what a grand debut!

A boy named George wakes up one morning to find that he is only three inches tall. He also finds a note from his parents with a list of chores he must do (which becomes Joyce's unique way of telling the story--the parent's note is the actual text of the book). The story follows George as he heroically navigates through the now gigantic house, evades the hungry house cat, and completes all his chores in very creative ways.

The illustrations, done in watercolors (though not pale and washy), are a mixture of highly realistic details (the house and surroundings), and a comic style (the characters). Included are several wordless full-page spreads of George flying a toy airplane which on their own are worth the price of the book.

If you can, buy the new large format of the book (November 2000 edition). The illustrations are much larger and the colors are more brilliant. The illustrations were probably rephotographed since the original edition is back from 1987 or so. (...) The newest version has a brand new cover illustration recently done by William Joyce.

Well, enjoy this book and happy shrinking!

"George Shrinks" is one of my favorite children's books of all time. It is the first book that William Joyce both wrote and illustrated--and what a grand debut!

A boy named George wakes up one morning to find that he is only three inches tall. He also finds a note from his parents with a list of chores he must do (which becomes Joyce's unique way of telling the story--the parent's note is the actual text of the book). The story follows George as he heroically navigates through the now gigantic house, evades the hungry house cat, and completes all his chores in very creative ways.

The illustrations, done in watercolors (though not pale and washy), are a mixture of highly realistic details (the house and surroundings), and a comic style (the characters). Included are several wordless full-page spreads of George flying a toy airplane which on their own are worth the price of the book.

If you can, buy the new large format of the book (November 2000 edition). The illustrations are much larger and the colors are more brilliant. The illustrations were probably rephotographed since the original edition is back from 1987 or so.
Well, enjoy this book and happy shrinking!

"One day, while his mother and father were out, George dreamt he was small, and when he woke up he found it was true." So begins this delightful picture book by
William Joyce, who will be most familiar to folks as the creator of Disney Channel's Rolie Polie Olie. George too has his own series now, on PBS, and a spanking new
reprint of his original adventure.

The story here is fairly basic : George, suddenly three inches small, follows the instructions his parents left behind in a note, to clean up the house and watch his little
brother (now a BIG little brother). Along the way he avoids an ornery house cat and rides in a toy plane. Our kids favorite page features George scrubbing dirty
dishes by skiing down them on a sponge.

As with Rolie Polie Olie though, the story is secondary to Mr. Joyce's remarkable artwork. In Olie he manages to combine Art Deco with Futurism; here it's all
throwback. George Shrinks looks like a really hip version of the Dick and Jane books. A story with a miniature hero kids can relate to and illustration interesting
enough to hold adult attention--what more can you ask?

GRADE : A

With the exception of the short dictionary at the back of my Greek New Testament, no tool has been of more use in my study of Biblical Greek than this lexicon.

More than just a dictionary, the strength of this lexicon is that it gives both specific meanings of words in context as well as a knowledge of the shadings of meaning that a word carries throughout the Bible. This moves the student from a general grasp of a thing to an attentiveness to the precise way God has made himself known--there is nothing quite like it.

As other reviewers have noted, this is probably not a good place for beginners hoping to do a word study to jump in. I'd recommend Vine's for that. I also recommend that those serious in the study of Biblical Greek use this book in conjunction with a Greek New Testament, Mr. Mounce's Grammar (his lexicon is handy too), and Zerwick's Grammatical Analysis. This broad group of tools should help keep you from falling pray to a single interpretive spin.

Don't let its size and price scare you off--this book is essential for the student of Biblical Greek.

This book makes you work for each little bit of understanding. The method of giving many, many different examples of usage for each Greek word really broadens your understanding of each word, but is time-consuming.

This lexicon is excellent for word studies beyond the Strong's level and will drive you nuts if you don't know your case forms yet (I know from experience).

But all in all, this is a resource no Biblical scholar or wannabe scholar should be without. I'd recommend getting Strong's Concordance, Vine's Expository Dictionary, a Greek New Testament and this book to go along with a New American Standard Bible for the novice in Greek.

Your understanding of the New Testament and of Greek will grow by leaps and bounds with diligent study of these very basic resources - even if you don't intend to study Koine Greek professionally.

If it were not for this lexicon the serious, but "linguistically challenged" scholar, would have a hard time understanding the correct usage of just about any Koine Greek word. By comparring the usage in the NT and the writings of Josephus and early Christian writers, we can discern how the early church used a certain Greek word, in fact, what the Apostle's intended to convey in their writings. No other lexicon in existance does this. If there is such a thing a "truth" this lexicon shows what the early church taught that it was. Throw out all of your other lexicons and buy this one.

I first read this book about 10 years ago. I was in 8th grade. I still love this book. The Green Futures of Tycho was the first William Sleater book I ever read. I have read every one I can get my hands on. This book is a classic for me.

This book touched my inner sanctums of imagination and dreaming-- a must-read!

I first read this book when I was in forth grade. It made a great impression on me. During a move a year later the book was lost. I recently found it on auction and read it again. I am amazed at how wonderfully complex the story is for both young and old readers. Certainly a story for all. Happy reading

Dance of Death splits it's story 2 ways - there is the one set later in the century of the 1700's, and one set back a wee while when the characters first come about. This is an excellent idea and is used very well. We get to know the true nature of the characters, their motives and their ideas better. And it is all encapturing in its story, usually with these sorts of books, it's just like there is one great story you wanna keep reading, and the other one is really dragging on and you don't want to read it but you have to so you understand the ending. All the stories in this book are interesting, fun and really intelligent, so you are never bored. R.L. Stine uses descriptive language and good puncuation. If there was one flaw in this book, its that it may kind of leer itself off into the land of the ridiculous occassionally, but not very often. A great Fear Street read!

this was one of the best books i have. this is about a girl name madeline which this story goes during the 1700s fallin in love with a young doctor name justin fier who lives next door to her cousins house which she was sent to live there. but later she is warned by an old woman and a ghost to stay away from him becuase he hides a terrible secret. later in the end she discovers his terrible dark secret. this is really a good book i recommend it 2 any1 who loves these kinds of books.

This book is totally superb! It keeps you on your toes, and saying "don't go to him, he's EVIL" and "run far away, don't let your aunt and uncle talk you into marrying him"!!! Stine produced the perfect amount of detail and suspense. I really think that anyone who likes mystery and horror books should definatly read this book.

I found this book browsing in a bookstore. At first glance it looked like a cheap knock-off under the guise of mythology. However, I was captivated by the authors introduction, in which he explains how as a child the myths were read to him in Greek, and much was lost in the English translations he later heard- so this book is his way to communicate the myths as comprehensive and story-like as possible. He succeed on all levels.

I have read many English versions ancient Greek texts, and this one has an excellent flow that is not acheived by mere translation. This book helped me to learn about the characters in the Greek myths and legends better than any other, in the sense that the stories are presented in a MEMORABLE way. Now I can read other texts with a real sense of knowing who everyone is.

The book is a quick and captivating read, could be done in one day. I thank the author for his outstanding job. He has acheived a book which compliments the myths of the Greeks, and other translations can compliment this book.

It was soincredibly interesting and fun. not only did I enjoy reading the hella cool stories, i learned that Greek mythology does affect our language today. i learned how alot of things now, came from what we learn in mythology. the stories are so entertaining and fun toread, Sime are sad, some are happy but all of them kept me flipin' pages. I'm happy I read this book because it gave me knowledge about history and it made me know cool stories and I liked Disneys Hercules alot more. I felt smarter watching it. it a great book, props to the auther who wrote it in a non boring way. Thanks!

Evslin does an oustanding job telling the most famous of the greek myths and does it with his hands tied or does he? Evslin wrote this book, I think, intending it for a young audience, and so does not delve into the prose that others have when attacking these greek myths. Yet with simple language and direct verse, he quite excellently brings out a depth in the characters and a second meaning in stories which have rung hollow or been lost by other, supposedly great poets. Even if you don't fancy yourself a myth lover, this is an excellent read and easy, yet thoroughly satisfying.

Rita Williams-Garcia's Like Sisters on the Homefront is the tale of a fourteen-year-old girl who is sent by her mother to live with her Aunt and Uncle in the south after getting pregnant for the second time. Gayle Whitaker, the protagonist in the story, compares her stay at the relatives as 'being sold into slavery'.(Williams-Garcia. 23)
This link is constantly being made throughout the story by Gayle, a girl who seems to lack any kind of regard towards anyone or anything except herself and three friends. The reader has a hard time connecting to her because she appears so self-centered which although common among young teenagers is hard to accept from a girl who seems older than her years as a result of her experiences. It is only through Gayle's interpretation of the world that one can see how vulnerable she is and realize that her lack in concern is directly related towards her age and development.
Gayle's lack of any type of emotion is clear from the beginning of the book when the reader discovers she is pregnant. To the reader it seems as though her regard to her situation is without concern. Her response to the abortion was more a sense of annoyance than any type of loss or even understanding about consequences. When the Doctor tries to offer some sympathy and encouragement during the procedure Gayle responded with, "Oh, Doc, it ain?t nothing to cry about."(Williams-Garcia. 8)
The inconsistency Gayle expresses shows how she can still easily be taken advantage. Throughout most of the book she tries contacting her boyfriend Troy with no success. Instead of realizing he has moved on she places the blame of his lack of response on everybody else but him. Yet the flight attendant on the plane causes Gayle to feel suspicious. "Gayle didn?t trust her. She was to nice." (Williams-Garcia. 21)
Although she seems experienced and often the reader forgets her age, comments Gayle makes throughout the book often expose how young and unexposed to the world she really is. While flying over New York, Gayle notices the landmarks like a wide-eyed child. "Jose! Look. There go that Freedom Lady and her torch. See! And those two giant buildings be on postcards. Look!"(Williams-Garcia. 22)
Upon meeting her relatives at the airport, Gayle refuses to show any emotion towards her cousin Constance. Although she is aware the 'insolent' response to her cousins 'sympatric look' causes Constance to feel rejected and reveals this by justifying her unfriendly behavior to herself. "How can I smile at you? Smiling means we know the same thing, and you don't even know what I'm feeling. Cootie still sore fore the abortion. Ears still ringing from the plane ride. Back fit to split wide open from playing the mule, but I?m s?posed to be grinning at you?"(Williams-Garcia. 27)
Many readers may have a hard time relating to this book. The main character seems shallow. Taking a closer look though shows depth to Gayle and allows a great deal of maturity and growth throughout the book.

Like Sisters on the Homefront is one of the best books that I read. This book is about a girl named Gayle who is pregnant by a boy named Troy.After her mother found out she went and got her an abortion because she already has a child. After getting her an abortion, Gayle's mother sent her down South to live with her uncle and aunt. These are the issues that Gayle was dealing with: family problems, stress, dropping out of school, getting along with people, looking for a job, and pregnancy.

I think teenage girls will read this book, because they would think it's interesting because having a baby at a young age is not the way to be cool. It takes away a lot of your time and freedom. Gayle learns how to take responsibilities for her and her child.

Down South, Gayle learns that being on her own is hard. Being a full time mother is a hard job. She has to work to get her and Jose things that they need. Doing all this while taking care of Jose is hard because her mother is not there to help her, and she is learning her responsibilities quickly because her mother is not there to do everything any more.

I encourage you to read this book because you can learn a lot from this book.

My eighth graders loved this book! They were so excited after I read the first page to them as a preview of what's to come, that they went to the library to check out the book because they weren't scheduled to read it for another week. They really connected with the author's use of language and her up-front, in your face style of writing.
The author deals with teen pregnancy, abortion, and religion in a well-written, well- balanced way. She makes sure that the "real deal" of these teen issues are portrayed, as well as offering a "there's still hope" message for the readers.
As a reading teacher, part of my job is to expose my students to well-written, exciting books they might not ordinarily find on their own, and I'm surely glad that this wonderful treasure has been found!

I've been a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan for practically my whole life and am now delighted to be reading the whole series aloud to my young daughter who loves the books as much as I. My friend told me about this cookbook and we purchased it - it is WONDERFUL!

I read the whole thing cover to cover - it is just fascinating. The author writes in a very readable, extremely interesting style. I love having all the recipes for the meals mentioned throughout the Little House books and I *love* reading the history included in this cookbook. It adds such depth and perspective to our readings of the LIW books. [This book is as much a history text as it is a cookbook - and it does great justice to both genres!]

My daughter and I have made several of the recipes from the book so far and they have all been delicious, if not exactly health conscious. :) I haven't been able to bring myself to buy Lard, but we have delighted in making some of the same foods Laura ate. My daughter is learning a HUGE amount about history through these experiences.

Buying this book is the best money I've spent in years!

I hope that you will be as impressed with this book as I was. I was taken away with all of the background information on the preparing, cooking, and serving of food in this book. It has some very good recipes in this, as well as great documentation on the life during the time where Laura grew up. The book is also well illustrated. This has been the most impressive cookbook for children that I have seen to date in terms of extra information that goes with the cookbook. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book for their favorite Little House on the Prarie fan. This book would also be excellent for a scout troup wanting to do something a little historical. A definate must!

Excellent book for any fan of the Little House on the Prairie series, or of pioneer history. Capture a taste of the old days making frontier foods that have been adapted for modern kitchens. Very interesting historical information regarding the recipes, cooking techniques, etc. Educational and fun!

I started the process of researching German-American internment for a English-101 assignment. I found the author's web site and various other materials on internment. My schooling consisted of learning about Japanese relocation, and as 40-year-old adult, I never knew of the internment of others, called enemy aliens of the United States.

Locating Mr. Jacobs' book in my library, I read a fascinating account of what the author and his family endured during World War II, and after the war with the expatriation and repatriation to Germany.

Interviewing Mr. Jacobs for my research paper, culminated in a better understanding of what our government did, and may do once again with Arab-Americans in the attempt to prevent future terrorism. It is tragic when a government does what it thinks right at the time, but then refuses to apologize for the injustices committed against its own citizens.

I recommend this book to every German-American, as well as all Americans who never learned the whole story during their formative education.

Mr. Art Jacobs, the author of "The Prison Called Hohenasperg" writes his story out of love. Love of life, country, friends, and family. Unfortunately, Art, at the age of 12 was separated from these very basic essentials of life.

He narrarates this true story detailing his youth in school, boy scouts, and support for his ball club, the Brooklyn Dodgers. However, life will soon change for young Art and his family as his father is illegally taken from them and interned at Ellis Island as a "Nazi criminal". This is just the beginning of the Jacob's family internment journey that takes them from Ellis Island, to the Crystal City Texas Internment Camp, then to Germany where Art spends his 13th birthday in the Hohenasperg prison.

I believe that his intention and motive for writing his story is NOT for compensation, revenge, or to denounce the United States. As I read his story, I felt his sincerity, compassion, and most importantly his intention to MAKE THE TRUTH KNOWN. Because of Art's story, The United States Government has an opportunity to acknowlege Art and other internees that wrongdoings to Americans of German decent did occur.

I recommend this hard to put down, well documented book to those who are interested in WWII history, post WWII Germany, internment life, as well as those interested in reading a boy's burning desire to overcome and succeed under any circumstance to come back to his "Country 'tis of thee".

... A young boy marched back and forth before the hangman's tree with his hands above his head, ordered not the speak, turn his head the wrong way, or even sit to eat - unless he wanted to be hanged - treated like the worst criminals the world has known - and called a little Nazi - He was an American Boy Scout! One day of such treatment, even if corrected immediately, is inexcuseable. We must stop thinking that the United States make mistakes, but the rest of the world makes criminal acts.

I believe this book should be an eye-opener. We need to be concerned that our government can give such power to one man such as Edward J. Ennis, that our military could treat even criminals the way this child was treated, and that most Americans still know nothing about the treatment of German Americans during World War II.