Wonderful book focussing on responsibility and friendship. An important story for children of all ages. Well deserving of it's Christopher Medal.

I liked this book because I learned a lesson. The lesson I learned was that I should always think about the things that could happen if I did it. If the father didn't apoligze he could of never seen a garden. On the other hand he wouldn't of told his daughter the story so she didn't do it to if he didn't have a tomato fight.

A young boy recounts the story his father tells him every year about the time, when he was ten years old, the father succumbed to the irresistible temptation of ripe tomatoes growing in his neighbor's garden, and in the process of having a vegetable war with his friends,demolished the garden. The father goes on to relate how he finally made amends with the elderly neighbor, and forever after planted a garden each year. The illustrations combine with the text to provide a moving example of how children can learn from their errors, and see the value of control over their behavior, and respect for others as well as themselves. The story is well told without a hint of sermonizing.

In this final life's work of Proust on the theme of the passage of Time it's clear that the author is riper, near to death and concerned about the lasting impact of his writing. "Eternal duration is promised no more to men's works than to men." Yet there is so much beauty and substance and lyricism in his 4,300 pages clearly his volumes are, both individually and collectively, a masterwork for the ages. The novel seems more like an autobiography in which the names of persons and places have been changed to protect the innocent (and the gulity). Because of his theme, Marcel constantly returns to the events of his life to gain some semblance of understanding of them. In this volume he is concerned with the effect of the world war upon Paris. The familiar characters of Gilberte and Bloch happily emerge again to center stage and, as always, Charlus and Morel. Because of his failing health and self-exile from society, he must have known that he had little Time to tie up all the loose ends and that another volume would not be in the offing after this one. Indeed, he never lived to see this volume in print. By virtue of his failing health the pressing nature of his last years lend a poignancy to the themes of this volume so that it stands out among the other works when Time was full of budding possibilities and had not ultimately become a dreaded adversary. In this volume Proust picks up the leitmotifs that thread their way through this remarkable tapestry in his walks down various ways and he brings them all to a meaningful end. The story lines are surprisingly simple and easy to follow and there is so much enduring value in his masterfully articulated "impressions." I decided to commit Time a few months ago to read all of Proust's work --it was Time well spent. I can't encourage you enough to make a similar investment. The work is truly a Timeless masterpiece from one of the real geniuses of his day and through it Proust has justly earned his immortality, his worthy prominence among the best literary minds of all Time.

I attach this review of Proust's cycle of novels to the last novel in the cycle because things are calmer here than over at Swann's Way. The crowd here seems to have thinned out a little. Contrary to what some reveiwers claim, plenty happens in the seven novels comprising In Search of Lost Time. Plenty happens, but it happens "over time" - as in real life. In "Marcel's" case, it's a life during which the exalted are brought low and the base are exalted. Proust's novelistic enterprise, which early-on might be dismissed as nothing more than the effete self-absorption of a Parisian dilettante who's "not worth the rope to hang him" (as one character maintains in Vol. III), turns out, by the final volume, to be a good deal grittier than first appeared.

The choice of translation matters. The older, Moncrieff translation comes across as precious and sentimental, while the newer Mayor/Enright/Kilmartin edition seems less so. Compare the title Moncrieff chose, Remembrance of Things Past, (a phrase lifted out of Shakespeare's Sonnet 30) to the literally-translated title used in the newer edition: In Search of Lost Time. Also compare, "I would ask myself what o'clock it could be" (Moncrieff) with "I would ask myself what time it could be" (Enright). Though the differences may be minor, I had a much better experience with the newer translation.

The cycle of seven novels in six volumes takes considerable TIME to read. I spent the slack year between early retirement and late graduate school reading it. Thus, I modestly propose that every American who has not already done so should quit his or her job immediately and carefully read all seven novels before proceeding any further with thier lives. Not that I'm an enthusiast. My proposal follows from an opinion that we Americans need to spend more time thinking and less time doing. That way we'd do less harm. Even so, readers should be prepared for a certain Proustian indifference to minor matters of proportion. They may find a single sentence that occupies an entire page, or a single paragraph that goes on for eight pages. A chapter of 300 or more pages may be follwed by a chapter of 25 pages. "Marcel" may go on for fifteen pages about what he experiences while trying to remember a name that's on "the tip of his tongue." But if you don't enjoy lengthy examinations of inner experiencings, you probably shouldn't be reading Proust. There were also occasional long stretches of such drek that I wanted to gag. "Marcel's" sojourn with soldiers in Doncieres in Vol. III was one such. Readers must be prepared to simply forge ahead when encountering these. It gets better.

Which leads me to Vol. VI, Time Regained, a tour de force, without a doubt. If the "tea and madeleine" segment in Swann's Way forms the left bookend for In Search of Lost Time, Time Regained forms the right one. I wouldn't want to give too much away about Proust's final volume. William Empson claimed to have expected an apocalypse and accordingly lamented (or pretended to lament) the apparent insignificance of what Proust actually provided. I'd hate to give away more than Empson did, but I think that by the final volume "Marcel's" fruitless pursuit of Madame Putbus' maid has been abandoned at last. Even the face of Mme de Guermantes, admired by "Marcel" through seven novels, has begun to resemble "nougat" with traces of verdigris and fragmentary shell-work on which grew "a little growth of an indefinable character, smaller than a mistletoe berry and less transparent than a glass bead." Volume VI shows "Marcel" at his funniest, and most misanthropic, as attached as ever to his own follies, yet as quick as ever to dissect those of his friends - a decidedly tragic vision. It made the long read worthwhile. After I finished Time Regained I went back to Vol. I and began all over again.

Alright, so I'm a cheat. I never thought I'd get beyond admiring the bright spanking six volumes of A la recherche (3700 pages! Phew!) on my bookshelves, but when it was announced that Raul Ruiz had made a film of the last book, I seized my chance. Thanks to this brilliant edition you can, because at the end is an exhaustive guide to Proust, listing every character, historical person, place and theme of the whole work, so that just by referring regularly to this you quickly catch up with what's going on. Of course this isn't the same as living with characters and events through literature, but this volume is so amazing you can't fail to want to begin the whole thing and experience them from the start.

This is, as I expected, one of the most beautiful and exciting books I have ever read, as well as one of the most frustrating and irritating. What is most surprising, for a book claimed as one of the two greatest of the century, is how old-fashioned it is (compared to the still startlingly modern and socially relevant ULYSSES).

It has two types of narrative. One, about a young middle class boy who penetrates society, is a mixture of social comedy and tortured romance familiar to anyone who has read a great Victorian novel - there is the same social analysis of an outmoded caste, wide range of characters, poetic evocation of place.

The language, once you get used to the involved, elaborate sentences, is very accessible in a Jamesian kind of way, intricately psychological and analytical, yet supremely elegant and radiant, with a verve and lightness remarkable for such a heavy book.

The translation is, for once, remarkable - it can never be the original, I guess, but you rarely feel that you are getting only half the work like you usually do.

The second half is less satisfactory. As is appropriate to a book concerned with time, the book's forward progress is constantly impeded, by degressions, flashbacks, fastforwards, explanations. The book, like those of Anthony Powell (if you loved THE DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME, you'll adore this) is less straight plotting, than a series of monumental set-pieces.

This novel is 450 pages long, but has only about three events - the narrator going back to the country to stay with friends; the first world war; a huge party. These are mini-novels in themselves and are extraordinary as social observation, character comedy and amusing incident, as well as profoundly moving meditations on the inexorable power of history and old age.

Imagine the narrator has a remote control as he is walking through the film of his life. He freezes the screen every three seconds and discusses in detail the tableaux vivants before him, bending time and experience back and forwards with ease as he does so.

In between these are ruminations on the art of writing. This is a remarkably self-reflexive book, the narrator suddenly starts talking about how he came to write it, what he intended to achieve and what tools he was going to use. The volume becomes less the conclusion of a vast work than the record of its inception; you have to go back then and read it again (believe me, 3700 pages won't seem enough).

This section, a book-length manifesto, is fascinating and thrilling, but also repetitive, difficult, frustrating, and sometimes obscure - it gets in the way of the brilliant descriptive passages - the meeting with Baron de Charlus is possibly the most extraordinary thing I have read, until the remarkable coup of the closing party, where people the narrator hasn't seen for years have grown horribly old and form a grotesque, funereal fancy dress party - you want him to shut up talking about Time and impressionism and get back to the fun.

Two other things: Evelyn Waugh was wrong - Proust is hilarious, both with subtle ironies and more obvious satiric abuse; with risible character traits and wider social events.

Secondly, the narrator is not some unbearable omnisicient know-all as those of Victorian novels - he is deeply unreliable - a prig, hypocrite, voyeur, homophobic, intolerant, puritan, snob, deeply contradictory and cripplingly ill; in earlier volumes he is apparently obsessional, jealous and brutal to the point of insanity. No wonder Nabokov adored him - he is, in his ravishingly aesthetic unreliability, the first Humbert.

This book makes working out easy-- even for a beginner like me. The exercises are well illustrated and easy to understand. I also like how it is divided into sub-groups based on what you have to work out with. Since I don't have a gym membership it's a really helpful guide to use at home, and small enough to travel with too!

I absolutely love this product! I read about it in a health related magazine and bought it specifically for a friend who is a fitness trainer. Unfortunately, she may not get it because I plan to keep it in my gym bag for reference.

The price is right for what it contains. I'm a competitive racewalker although I'm currently training for a half marathon. Definitely try to market this product to health clubs--it's terrific!

The Training Fan is helping me make my new year's fitness resolutions easy. I take the fan to the gym to customize my gym workouts; I use the fan in my home when I am stretching in front of the TV; I take the fan with me when I travel to keep my workouts consistent.

I have found the pictures and descriptions of each exercise extremely easy to follow. I also enjoy how the fan is broken out by body part to help me focus on specific body areas.

Both women and men in my gym have noticed me using this new tool and I recommend they, and you, purchase The Training Fan.

I bought this book randomly hoping that after finding really poorly put together books on Adoption both domestic and international this one would be the key. I am currently writing a research paper contrasting and comparing international and domestic adoption for school. Trust me this book is excellent and outlining the process in detail for someone looking deeply into the multi faceted world of adoption.

I would also recommend books by Lois Gilman, Lee Varon and Myra Alperson- the multicultural resource book

The author is my mother. I feel she did a great job of listing the highs and lows of adopting a child, like me. I hope that for those who put a thought into adopting a child that they read this book and understand where she is coming from. Adopting a child could be difficult but most of the time it is worth it. Good job Mom!

The Unofficial Guide to Adopting a child is a extremely helpful resource. I appreciated the fact the author is the coordinator of the Vermont Adoptive Parent Support Network and is involved in adoptive training and workshops for parents and professionals. She is experienced in the challenging needs of adoptive children and has inside information. I like the way the book was formatted.

The book gives you comprehensive coverage of the necessary and vital information you'll need in order to decide if foreign or domestic adoption is right for you and if so how to go about it step by step. The information is up to date and presented in a sensible, concise, readable and applicable fashion.

I also felt the special features like: what to watch out for, moneysavers, timesavers and bright ideas were extemely pertinent and helpful. There is a very complete appendix in the back of the book with many valuable resources for both domestic and foreign adoption included.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone considering or in the process of adopting a child.

I seldom write reveiws, but this is a great book that brings forth both knowledge and feeling that will help many practitioners get a better sense of the tantric path.

been patiently waiting for them to release the newest addition, since I enjoyed this one quite a lot. but its open to debate if this is really a dzog chen lineage. its worth reading as a westernisation.

a very interesting book, although wether they are really a dzog chen lineage has been open to debate. nevertheless you can get a lot out of this book.

So Welcoming Ways quotes Thomas Moore, in introducing one of its beautiful rituals to introduce children into the world.

This book is a fantastic collection of traditions and ideas for welcoming our newborns into our lives and homes. While I plan to have a traditional Catholic baptism when my baby is born, this book gave me several additional ideas to help honor my child before this date. All family members are incorporated into the ceremonies, to give the child a sense of becoming part of a whole, who is eager to have them join into the family.

World customs are mentioned, and it was a treat to read what other countries do to celebrate their babies. We have become disconnected with the rituals that make up life, and this book is a wonderful way to help new parents develop a way to mark the huge step of welcoming a new child into the home.

This is an amazing book that is beautifully written and packed with ideas. It has several sample welcoming ceremonies that you can do, but it also provides enough information for you to make up your own using different elements of each. I loved the cultural information and the suggestions for creating altars. I think this would make a great baby shower gift and is a must read for all pregnant women.

This is a book that needs to be on the shelf of every parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, god-parent, parent educator, OB-GYN, Midwife, NICU nurse,adoption agency, and anyone else who has contact with infants & families.

I am a parent of two daughters, ages 4 & 6, and I am saddened that I did not have this book when they were born. Yet, I am also a parent educator, and hope to provide many pre-natal families information about this book and the value of traditions. I also plan to give this book as a gift to all of my friends & family who are or will be expecting a child---I feel that it is as important to them as the prenatal information they receive.

The illustrations are beautiful, the text and content inspiring, and the cost exceptional for a book that will/should be passed down generationally.

Andrea Dawn Lopez's book explains in easy-to-understand text why human/animal conflicts or situations occur, and what to do to remedy them. Anyone who's ever had an animal visitor in their home will find this book useful. As the title suggests, Andrea explains how to coexist with wildlife in a non-lethal manner. The author's affection for wildlife is evident in her warm, tender writing.

I Loved this book it's finaly nice to have writen material on how to deal and live with our wildlife. I live in the country and some people just dont understand that the animals were here first and it is our job to learn animal safty and respect and also safe ways to deal with the animals. Andrea covers all this in her book and I would like to prsonally Thank her.

Sincerly,
Julie Hanenberg

How true this writing is. The animals are being forced out of their natural habitat to make room for humans.
I have no doubt that Andrea's experiences go well beyond what she has written about, even as a child. She has made it clear that co-existing is possible without much effort on our part.
BE PREPARED! Where have we all seen those words written before?
Although "common sense" is not all that "common", I think this book makes clear to all of us what we can do to make our lives and the lives of the animals a much safer place.

This book is absolutely one of the most beautifully illustrated children's books I have seen in a long time. The pictures capture the attention of both young children and adults alike. The clever story is also easy for kids to understand, while at the same time, educational. My kids love this book, and it would be a wonderful addition to your collection!

I just purchased this book after hearing the illustrator speak. The pictures are bright and soft, the text musical and sweet. It just won the 2002 Pacific Northwest Book Award. A beautiful addition to any picture book library.

I appreciate a change from the usual cast of children's books characters (cat, dog, cow, horse): this book features otters, bats, foxes, anemones, eagles, and so on. The poems are great: the author rounds out the lines without useless filler words such as "very," "really," and "quite." Soothing verses and gentle pictures make this an excellent children's book. If you're from the Pacific Northwest, you must add this to your collection; if you're from anywhere else, you'll want to.

This little book is the icing on the cake for anyone doing a dollhouse or just wanting minis to display with a doll collection. So many nifty tips and tricks to create very real looking items from household junk and odds'n'ends, and do a little recycling at the same time. The crafting tips are all neatly catagorized ,so finding specific things is easy. Most of the tips are very cost effective ,and are a treasure trove for anyone with a mini mansion to furnish and a tight budget. It is worth every bit of its' cost; as someone who has been crafting with junk since childhood, I highly recommend it.

the nutshell news is now dollhouse miniatures, they have a website if you search for nutshell news or new name you can find their website and then email them thats how i get a hold of them.

I realize this is what you are looking for, but speaking of looking for; I've been trying to get Nutshell News phone number or address. I paid for my subscription in December (check has been cashed) but never received my subscription. Can you help? Please and Thank you!

The Music book has what is supposed to have all the songs with lyrics and Notes and chords, (It does not have separate lyrics though). Its wonderful to be able to sing along to these beautiful and scared songs, song as fantastically by Andrea. It also has a great cover photo, two great full page photos and a great 2 page photo in a scared setting.

Ce receuil est merveilleusement bien présenté. L'accompagnement, et parfois l'écriture en 4 voies, permé d'executer les pièces avec plaisir. Il est cependant domage que l'éditeur est refusé de présenter le 'Gloria a te'.