My copy of this book is underlined, notated and thumbed. Mary Richards writes in the voice of a poet, often dreamily, of the gentle art of education Rudolf Steiner style. I've put Steiner theories to work successfully--but not in a dogmatic way--in a home-school setting, with small mixed-age groups of home schoolers. If we could summarize the book in a few words, we might say this: children learn through their bodies and minds and hearts what they cannot conceive of through their brains. Clearly, the brilliant M.C. Richards is an intellectual, yet Steiner education is distinctly down to earth (one could call it biodynamics of the mind) and concrete. Highly recommend for anyone interested in the way children learn. Also the reader benefits from Richards' vast experience living in Steiner communities. Includes history of this astonishing movement. Amazing that such a way of life exists in the nineties in America!

This informational book has lots of great photographs of giraffes - eating, running, drinking, and more. The text is easy to read, yet comprehensive. You'll enjoy the baby giraffes and the friendly herds. A giraffe lover's delight!

"By the time a baby giraffe reaches maturity, he stands over fifteen feet tall and has a neck more than six feet long. That's big. Here's your chance to learn about these gentle giants of the African plains and to get to know a particular giraffe - named Easter. With forty full-color photographs."

If you have a child who loves cars but is not, shall we say, an avid reader, buy this book! Our son guessed this was a book through the birthday wrapping but his deflated expression turned to ecstasy when he opened it. The bright color photographs are very appealing and he ate up the text. A quality purchase.

As the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song instructs: "Teach your children well!" With pictures of classic Porsches to Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Mustangs, your child will be prepared for the next Concours d'Elegance. Fun for the car fanatic mom or dad to share with their little boy or girl. Will strike fear at the thought of them asking for the keys to the car.

For historians, casual readers and researchers, teachers and students, this work provides an excellent opportunity to explore the past through the eyes of a young girl, age 10 in 1852 - growing up in a small town in the years prior to, during and after the Civil War. The soft cover edition published by Corner House, ISBN 0-87928-115-4, includes several images circa 1860 of the community she writes about and a new image of her circa 1859 when she was 17 years old. Recognized as a classic, highly readable and informative.

This book's misleading title conceals a real gem: the authentic diary of a young girl growing up in Canandaigua, NY in the 1850s. Caroline Richards is a devout but irreverently humorous little girl whose innocent observations reveal the wonderful texture of nineteenth-century village life. The flavor of the book can best be conveyed by letting Caroline speak for herself. Of her school days: "Today, a nice old gentleman...visited our school... He had a beautiful pear in his hand and said he would give it to the boy or girl who could spell "Virgaloo," for that was the name of the pear. I spelt it that way, but it was not right. A little boy, named Wiliam Schley, spelt it right and he got the pear. I wish I had, but I can't even remember now how he spelt it. If the pear was hard as the name I don't believe any one would want it." Caroline met life and death more frequently than many children today, as when she went with her younger sister Anna to comfort a neighbor. "Mrs. McCarty told us Monday that Mrs. Brockle's niece was dead, who lives next door to her. Grandmother sent us over with some things for their comfort and told us to say that we were sorry they were in trouble. We went and when we came back, Anna told Grandmother that I said, 'Never mind, Mrs. Brockle, some day we will all be dead.' I am sure that I said something better than that." Caroline's own mother died, leaving her to live with her grandparents (her father was halfway across the globe, a missionary in China). A fever almost took her grandmother too, as Caroline records, and it was a wonderful moment when the fever passed--even for their taciturn grandfather. "When Grandmother came downstairs the first time she was too weak to walk, so she sat on each step till she got down. When Grandfather saw her, he smiled and said to us: 'When she will, she will, you may depend on't; and when she won't she won't, and that's the end on't.' But we knew all the time that he was very glad to see her." The diary touches on everything from the movement for woman suffrage and the treatment of African Americans living in the community to teen-age picnics and traveling shows, such as Eng and Chang, two Siamese twins who come to town. A wonderful find!

Caroline Cowles Richards, born in 1842, penned her diary before, during, and after one of the most tragic times in US history, the Civil War. Her writing has captured the realities of daily life and her personal views while living in the small village of Canandaigua, NY. The time frame was 1852-1872. It is a richly layered interpretation of her young life during a very turbulent period of growth, complicated by 4 years of war. She reveals much abour her acquaintenances and touches upon a diverse array of subjects including social customs, food, dress, education, community events and religion. Her descriptions capture views of a vibrant community experiencing an economic renaissance, abolition, women's rights movements and religious revitalism. This new edition is illustrated with 25 photos, including two new images, one of which is a full length view of Caroline ca. 1859 in period clothing, typical of her age, social status and area where she lived. There is also a new introduction which reveals significant information about Caroline's life not revealed in her diary. The cover of the book is a picture of the community taken in 1859, a perfect match to her newly discovered image which appears in the book. Great, easily read book which is a classic.

This book IS available. Try Amazon (uk). While some have accused Vulliamy of being too syrupy, I find her charming watercolors of nice babies closer to our family's experience than most other attempts at representing babyhood. This book follows a chubby little cutie taking off his/her? clothes while the teddy bear simultaneously adds a new layer. A great book on colors and articles of clothing. But be prepared for the English versions of our words: "nappy" for diaper, trousers, etc.

Berry may be the only "geologian" - Earth scholar. As an 11 year old he had an epiphanal experience in a meadow that gave him a new sense of reality. Later as a priest of the Passionist order, he took the name Thomas after Thomas Aquinas, and is influenced by Aquinas' rediscovery of the universe and quotes from Summa Theologica. The first two essays introduce his cosmology under the broad topics "Economics" and "The earth: a new context for religious unity".

The remaining seven essays present a critique of Berry. Almost all are appreciative of Berry's view point even if differing. There are different perspectives offered on how strongly the Bible and the Redemption story should fit in to this evolving earth story. Physicist Brian Swimme offers a scientific perspective, of "science as a partner", on both the role of science in providing the story but also on the role of Berry in teaching to science. Additionally Berry is critiqued from a feminist standpoint. The book concludes with Berry's 12 principles for understanding the universe.

This book offers an introduction to Berry, and through the critiques and "Questions for discussion" after each chapter provides a useful whetstone for thinking about his new cosmology.

I came deceptively close to purchasing 'Caroline Masters' before I noticed at the very bottom of the front cover these words: 'Formerly Titled Final Judgement'...I carefully put it back on the shelf and figured if I wanted to re-read the book I had originally read 4 years ago, I'd go back and open up my 1st edition hardback copy of 'The Final Judgement'. My question isn't why they re-released the book, but why totally changed the title? It seems like a plot to milk money from a book that had already stopped making money a couple years ago...now maybe that is a bit too harsh and it may not be true, but if not, why so soon? I know authors, or more accurately the publishers--do this actually quite often, but it usually happens after decades, not just 4 years after it originally was published...

All that aside, this really IS a pretty good example of the legal/thriller genre. Mr. Patterson has written a good number of superior murder/mysteries, and 'Caroline Masters/Final Judgement' I am happy to say is another literary home run. If you are a fan of RNP you know he has a predictable pattern to his novels...which is to say he'll start off a story, set the stage, and then before long we are going back in time re-visiting one (or more) characters' earlier lives to find out more of why they are who they are and usually this is staged to plant the seed of doubt as to their possible guilt or innocence. In this novel, Mr. Patterson again takes us back into the earlier lives of our main character and on this journey through time we also run across moments where we can see how and why the accused just MAY be a murderer. It kept me guessing all the way through, and made me feel that my $25.00 was well spent.

WARNING: IF you have already read Mr. Pattersons 'The Final Judgement' this isn't just the same story re-written, its the EXACT same story totally un-touched--all they did was change the title. If you HAVEN'T read it before, by all means, pick it up and enjoy a great court-room thriller.

I recently read and finished Patterson's last novel, Protect And Defend. My wife had bought me another Patterson novel entitled Caroline Masters thinking that I would probably enjoy reading about the woman who is one of the central figures in Protect And Defend. In perusing the book I realized that I had read this book before but under the title of The Final Judgement. Nevertheless I read it again before returning it to the bookstore. I enjoyed it every bit as much as I did the first time I read it. If you are a Patterson fan, you know that you

meet Caroline Masters in a couple of Patterson's other novels: in the novel Eyes of A Child she is a criminal defense lawyer representing another lawyer who has been accused of killing his girlfriend's husband. Masters appears again as a strong willed judge in Degree of Guilt. Caroline Masters is a good read from the standpoint that it gives you a complete view of Masters, her motivations, her ambition and most of all her devotion to her niece Brett. This book is an excellent refresher course for those who may have read Patterson for the first time in Protect And Defend...and even if you have read this book before it deserves another read.

Final Judgement was great. Vintage Patterson. It mixed mystery, suspense, and wonderful courtroom drama with family dynamics. Patterson has a way of making his characters real. He did so with Carolyn. Why re-issue a great book under a different title? It borders on devious. Makes it seem like something it's not. Same thing was done with a William Patterson book, Black Market. It was re-issued as Black Friday. Same book. Unless you read the small printing, you think you have bought a new novel. Final Judgement was a great book. Don't detract from it by giving it a different title. Don't detract from Richard North Patterson's greatness by misleading his readers with below the board tactics and misrepresenting books as new works when they are not.

This was not a wonderful story, but it was good enough that a kid who already knows he/she has AD/HD would probably enjoy it. It's about a boy who has problems with impulsivity, forgetfulness, and distracability, but manages to make progress and become a better friend.

"Zipper the kid with ADHD is a great book"! I can relate to it alot,I am not telling why.I would like for everyone to read this book, "cause it is the best"!

This story is very fast paced, just like the narrator's life. In the beginning, Zipper doesn't have a clue he has ADHD, and so gets in trouble for behavior such as forgetting to show up at a baseball game and impulsively saying mean things to his best friend at school. Later on, he starts to channel his energies more constructively, such as by helping out at a nursing home and learning to play the drums. Once he gets treated, you see him progress from being kind of a jerk to being a more likeable kid. Everybody who knows a kid with ADHD should read this, especially teachers!

This book is a quick, interesting read for a grade-school kid, but it's coverage of both the history of Mesa Verde and the Anasazi people who lived there is shallow and sheds little light on the subject. Few of the assertations in the book (for example, that the male members of the community built the cliff dwellings and that the kivas were used for ceremonial purposes) are backed up with any documentation or reasoning. The photos are just average in quality, and the reader finishes the book not knowing much more about the cliff dwellers than when she started. Even kids want more info than this!