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Book reviews for "Perel,_William_M." sorted by average review score:
The World's Writing Systems
Published in Hardcover by Oxford University Press (1996)
Authors: Peter T. Daniels and William Bright
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Beautiful and useful
This book belongs to a rare category: Reference Works of Art. This massive volume not only brings together an amazing mass of information, but does so in a fantastically attractive manner. The coverage is comprehensive: general articles on the relationship of writing to language, linguistics, decipherment, etc. accompany page after page devoted to every script extant from Egyptian and Chinese scripts to Ogham, Cree, and Mandain. If that were not enough, the book goes on to explore other systems for conveying information in written, symbolic form, such as mathematical and musical notations. But enough with the table of contents. I've only used the book for browsing thus far, but this even is a rewarding experience. The price on this book is quite high, but is in proportion to the quantity and quality of the material it contains. If all books were so well done, there would be very little to debate in terms of the effort put forth by writers and the taste exercised by editors. It doesn't get any better than this.

How to give a book a 6-star rating?
A comprehensive and very reliable reference work on grammatology. It is organized into separate easy-to-find sections, each devoted to a single writing system or a family of related scripts, and written by a specialist in the field. The book covers practically every known writing system, listing the established facts about its origins, variations, and development. Sign tables are presented (in full for alphabets, representative samples for syllabaries and logographic systems), and each section is provided with a priceless bibliography. Good editing work, the sections follow a similar pattern, which makes the book easy to use. The scripts are presented meticulously and are a pleasure to behold (it must have been a staggering job from the publisher's point of view). High scholarly standards are maintained throughout, and the precise technical language is balanced with an unobtrusive sprinkling of interesting anecdotes. This book is as beautiful as the Italian Carolingian Minuscule.

. . .an essential addition to (your) library
The World's Writing Systems is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in or involved in any of the myriad aspects of language, both as a fascinating browsing book and as an important reference work.

As reviewed by Laurence Urdang, in the Summer 1996 issue (Vol. XXIII, No. 1) of VERBATIM, The Language Quarterly.

The Annotated Charlotte's Web
Published in Paperback by HarperTrophy (1997)
Authors: Peter F. Neumeyer, Garth Williams, and E. B. White
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An excellent companion to the original book.
I purchased this book several years ago to give me more insight into E.B. White's classic novel. Every time I read and re-read the notes, rewrites and history of this touching story for children, I find myself learning so much more about the writing style of this fabulous author. The photographs of White's farmhouse add texture and depth to the story and my first grade students appreciated that he, too, had to make revisions on his work! A wonderful resource for anyone interested in children's literature.

"Quite a Good Story"
This story is suitable for all ages. It is for the old and the young ones.I like this book mainly because the characters are humorous and interesting, the setting of the story are not too much and last of all it is full of emotions. Happiness, sorrow, excitement and it is also a matter of life and death.

This book is great, it tells the classic story of friendship
I enjoyed reading Charlotte's Web as a child and now I enjoy reading the book to my children and students. I think part of the reason this book has remained one of my favorites is because of the classic friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte. Both characters demonstrate an unselfish kind of love that is demonstrated from the time they meet. As a mother I want to teach my children the valuable life lesson of being a good friend and I think this story teaches that lesson in a non-didactic fashion. Charlotte's Web will forever be a classic in my heart.

Blake
Published in Hardcover by Knopf (1996)
Author: Peter Ackroyd
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Blake, London, and Beauty - What Better Combination?
In 1995 & '96 I was traveling to London regularly on business trips. During one of my site seeing ventures the name of William Blake finally penetrated my consciousness. I became fascinated with the gallery the Tate museum (now Tate Britain) had of his work. I saw this book at the airport and picked it up and it became a London obsession for me. When I would get back to London I would look up streets and sites that I had read about in this WONDERFUL book.

This was the first book of Ackroyd's I read and became a fan immediately. Since he is also a writer of fiction and is a profound scholar of London he offers great insight into Blake and his art. I have since added many other volumes of Blake's works and other books on Blake to my library but I still have deep affection for this book. When someone asks me what book they should read about Blake I always point them to this great book.

You will get to know Blake's life and work, but you will also get to know Blake's relationship to London (where he spent almost all of his life) and to the other artists of his time such as Flaxman, Reynolds, and others. It is even worth re-reading. That is high praise!

Double vision
This is a great biography. Blake is a complex character. A visionary, an artist whose writing and paintings created a total vision. Ackroyd doesn't belittle the aspirations or eccentricities of Blake, and fleshes out his portrait with interesting details and contextualizes Blake's life within the world events through which he lived.

Of course the reproductions of Blake's work don't do justice to them. Particularly the watercolors in which the luminous white comes from the color of the unpainted paper. These works come off looking clumsy in reproductions. If you have the chance to see these works in person, the effect is altogether different. Blake created a worldview, and he inhabited that (largely interior) mythos.

Find this book. Buy it, and then do anything you can to see Blake's works themselves.

Perceiving William Blake
Reading William Blake's enigmatic painted poems on the Web, standing before his paintings in the Tate Gallery, I wished to find a good book which could help in understanding this great artist. My dream came true when I opened Peter Ackroyd's book 'Blake'. I recommend this book to everyone who is interested (as am I) in life and oeuvre of William Blake, the beautiful mysterious English poet, painter and visionary. Mr Ackroyd does not try to decipher and explain the inner meaning of all Blake's poems, paintings and prophesies (nobody can do this!), but in the description of the great mystic's life, time and milieu he gives us important clues. In several chapters he also confides us personal insights of some Blake's masterpieces. Turning the last page of the book you will wish to reread Blake's poems and prophesies and review his paintings: this is the best an author can attain in writing an artist's biography.

Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History
Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt & Company, Inc. (1997)
Authors: William Woys Weaver and Peter J. Hatch
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beyond the usual seed catalog business
as an organic farmer of 8 years i strongly recommend this reading to all professionals whose selection is bound to a few seed sources. the book will infuse new knowledge in plant varieties and allow to improve your farming altogether. 2 examples are the mention of a vining watermelon which will allow treillising for better yield and the use of malabar spinach as superior in taste and ease of cultivation to all true spinaches..

Very informational and enjoyable reading
This book will inspire the successful return
of heirloom cultivars to many home gardens. A very good resource book for garden club
or school science projects.

Outstanding book helps gardeners choose heirloom varieties
Heirloom Vegetable Gardening by W.W.Weaver provides detailed descriptions of cultivation and cooking of hundreds of varieties of old and ancient food plants. His narratives are wonderful, and make very interesting reading. His tips on cultivation, though primarily focused on his region of the country, are complete and helpful. Altogether a throroughly enjoyable book, that provides insight and tremendous expertise in an area that is vitally important.

Peter Graves
Published in Paperback by Dell Pub Co (1900)
Author: William Pene Dubois
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An excellent book!
I read this book about 25 years ago, more or less, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. A marvelous mix of adventure, fantasy, and suspense, with a light touch of science fiction. One of the many reasons I loved this story was because the plot, while wonderfully zany, just never stopped moving forward. The story follows the exploits of Peter Graves, a rather swashbuckling youngster, as he meets the inventor Houghton Furlong and becomes embroiled in a scheme to raise a huge amount of money in very little time. Peter is the kind of kid we all would like to have been (and some of us may have come close), but what's magical about this book is the way in which DuBois (the author) takes a fantastic plot point - Furlong's inventions - and presents them as feasible and believable concepts. This story works with a minimal suspension of disbelief, and it's a pity that it's out of print. By all means, look for this title. You'll thank yourself for the effort expended to obtain this book. A truly worthwhile read - funny, exciting, memorable characters and scenes, and an otherworldly "feel" that is reminiscent of the Narnia books or the world of Willy Wonka. Fabulous storytelling - quirky sensibility - great fun!

A science fiction story about _marketing?_

The central story revolves around the eccentric, yet kindly inventor Furlong, and the mischievous yet responsible Peter Graves, who must somehow find a way to _make money_ out of Furlong's amazing invention.

Suppose that all _you_ had to work with was six golf-ball sized lumps of an amazing antigravity alloy, with an upward pull of fifty pounds each... And no time to make more or interest a big company in the invention. How could _you_ use them somehow to earn $40,000 in one summer?

The incredible combination of whimsical fantasy and prosaic down-to-earth realism... the incredible story that sort of rambles in a picaresque way... wonderful for reading aloud because every chapter stands on its own, but a page-turner all the same... and an almost unique blending of illustration and story. It is NOT an illustrated story; it is NOT a series of captioned pictures; the two work together.

And I didn't even tell you about the game of follow-the-leader, with Peter trying to shake off his followers by taking them to various risky places (with dramatic point-of-view perspective illustrations from the top of a suspension bridge...) Or the mysterious, menacing, Llewellyn Pierpont Boopfaddle. Or the professional wrestler Lord Ivan Big Bulk and the lightweight luggage competition, with a prize to be awarded for the piece of luggage that can stand Lord Ivan jumping on it three times...

If you love Harry Potter, you'll adore Peter Graves!
When I read Harry Potter I couldn't stop thinking about Peter Graves. This book is adventure,science fiction, coming-of-age. A beautifully written and illustrated story of a boy and a misunderstood inventor who defy gravity. Hugely clever and funny.

Anne Willan's Cook It Right: Achieve Perfection With Every Dish You Cook
Published in Hardcover by Reader's Digest Adult (1998)
Authors: Anne Willan and Peter Williams
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Good gift for a new cook...or old cook..
I used to cook a lot, but got away from it for many years -- eating out in restaurants while I pursued a career. I read an article about Anne Willan in our local paper, and had to try one of her books. I'm not ready to make the fancy French dishes (although I would like to eat them) so I decided to buy a simple book and practice the basics again.

Ms. Willan explains many basic recipes in this volume. This is a nice cook book to give a new cook, or it might be a housewarming or bridal gift. I gave it to myself. I especially like the photos that show how things should look. There are photos of how things shouldn't look too, with explanations about why you got the results you did. I recommend this book if you're beginning for the first time, or beginning again.

cooking school in a book
This book is unique in that the pictures show different states of properly cooked, under or over cooked foods. Also gives tips how to salvage any mistakes that have been made. I have been cooking for years, and learned alot just from flipping through the pages.

Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (1999)
Authors: Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema
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Diane Stanley Is The Queen Of Longer Picturebook Biographies
Stanley is a masterful writer/illustrator when it comes to creating longer picturebook biographies (with heavier text). Her bios on da Vinci, Cleopatra and Shakespeare are fabulous. It amazes me that she has not won a Caldecott Honor yet! I can't wait to see her bio about Michelangelo!

Excellent children's biography
Our family has recently discovered the wonderful Peter Vennema/Diane Stanley biographies. They are vivid, engaging, and thorough, yet short enough for younger readers to sit through (my daughters are 4 and 6). Bard of Avon and Good Queen Bess are our favorites so far, and they go very well together since neither Shakespeare nor Queen Elizabeth would have been the same without the other. Unlike other histories or biographies for children, this book makes a destinction between what we know about Shakespeare's life and times and what are only guesses. It is nice for children to see that the study of history is not just memorizing facts and dates, but piecing together clues in the context of what is known about a time period. As a former high school English teacher, I wish that I had had this book when I was teaching Shakespeare plays because it would have been a wonderful introduction.

Dassonville: William E. Dassonville, California Photographer
Published in Hardcover by Carl Mautz Pub (1999)
Authors: Paul Hertzmann, Susan Herzig, and Peter Palmquist
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Maine Antique Digest -Beautifully Produced!
Review in the Maine Antique Digest, January, 2000:

"...an interesting and in depth look at Dassonville's life and work in a well-researched essay."

"...beautifully produced book...." 48 color duotone plates printed at 200 line screen on coated paper.

Exquisite Photography
Review in the newsletter of The Friends of Photography:

"This important new monograph reveals the life and work of 20th century pictorialist William Dassonville. The artist's exquisite style is only now beginning to be understood and appreciated, nearly fifty years after his death."

A Dinosaur Named Sue: The Find of a Century
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (2000)
Authors: Fay Robinson, Christopher A. Brochu, John J. Flynn, Peter Laraba, Olivier C. Rieppel, William F. Simpson, Portia Sloan, and Portia Rollins
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A review from Shannon!
I saw SUE in Chicago last week. In this book I learned that SUE was named after Susan who found the fossils. Susan had a dog named Gypsy. They kept on digging up duck-billed dinosaurs. Sue's boned weighed 4 tons!! The Field Museum bought it for over eight million dollars! SUE is a T.rex. I think that SUE did fight with other dinosaurs. SUE is 67 million years old! I was happy to see SUE in Chicago and to read this book!

Sue
Dinosaurs are a hot topic right now...and A Dinosaur Named Sue: The Find of the Century really teaches young kids about the job of a paleontologist--in a positive light. SUE, the most complete T. rex fossil ever found, is an amazing discovery, both educationally AND on basis of interest, and children should definitely read all they can about this dinosaur. This book approaches SUE on the level of a 3rd grader, yet the language and subject matter are intelligient enough for a parent to find interesting--maybe even to learn from! I definitely did!

Exploration and Mining Geology, 2nd Edition
Published in Hardcover by John Wiley & Sons (25 March, 1987)
Author: William C. Peters
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Exploration and Mining Geology 2nd Edition by William C. Exp
An excellent all round book. I deal for those students in their final year of Bachelor's degree or studying for thier Masters in Economic/ Engineering or Mining Geology. Good Diagrams, easy to understand on the whole and and excellent reference book.

Excellent sourcebook
This book has been very useful to me. I have a small mine of my own and have used it extensively. I had a hard time locating a good book on the subject...I went through the University of Arizona library. It's a bit expensive, but if you use it, it's worth it.

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