If you enjoy tree guides, you'll find this satisfying. While not the most complete guide available, the illustration are great, as is usually the case in Eyewitness guides. If you are interested in trees as a beginner or hobbyist this book is great for helping to actually recognize the trees included and getting a little interesting information on each one. I also own the Eyewitness guide to herbs and have used both these books a lot, mostly for browsing through in my spare time.

This book is great now you can take a leaf and with this book get family,botanical and common names. My landscaping class used it more than anything else. Best money I ever spent.The Identification key in the front of the book is a great time saver when trying to find what tree you are looking at.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! I am a horticulture student and I got this book to help me with tree ID. If I wasn't a student, this book would still be WONDERFUL. It is easy to follow- any one who wants to identify trees could use this book. It has become my favorite book! I was able to identify every tree I came across on mt vacation in the San Juans.

Here is an average American couple that does something we all dream about - but most never do - sail away to the South Pacific. In addition, the author takes us through their boating and non-boating lives in an interesting way.

Probably the most compelling theme is choosing to run your own life - i.e. they had to decide to quit working, deal with home ownership, grown kids and so on, to realize their dream.

So in that sense it is resource for anyone thinking about realizing some dream, it doesn't have to be about boating. But for those of us that like boating, well it is that much better.

She's a good writer and I'd sure like to see another book on what they did after they returned from the South Pacific. Highly recommended!

An extremely captivating, well written book! It was a relaxing read that allowed me to see what life would be like living on a boat. There is so much more to cruising than I ever imagined - although it would be amazing to see the world aboard a boat, you learn what hard work it is and how dangerous it can be. Not only is this a book about cruising, but also about real people and their emotions and their relationships. The author and her husband's relationship is strong, but its strength is tested by this trip. I absolutely loved this book and hope you'll get a chance to read it sometime!

What a wonderful book. You tell such a descriptive story. It is just fantastic. I have been reading numberous books on sailing addventures and yours deserves to be on the book shelf of every boating store.

I really liked this book because it was about a kid named Gregory who moves to a new town with his mother and father. It is bad enough moving without having any friends, but not making any new ones is pretty bad too. Everyone was given some seeds to plant a garden. But at his new house he doesn't have much of a yard so he can't make a garden. Behind his house is a burned down chalk factory, so he draws a garden. If you want to find out if he makes any friends read this book.

If you want a book where you can slip into the person's shoes,and feel like you know the character, then this is the book for you. Gregory was staying with his Aunt Grace for his birthday, because his mother and father were moving to a new house.They hade to move because got fired and found another job on the other side of town, so they hade to move.
Then when Gregory's mother and father got to Anut Grace's house they hade to get back home.When they got there Gregory asked do I have my own room? He did and he was so happy he said "This is better then a party and cake this is the best Birthday ever!" The next day he started the first day of school, in his new school. That day when he came home from school he was walking around and found a gate to a burnt down building. He cleaned it up a bit and found a box of chalk. That at school Mr. Hiller, a friend of Miss.Perry, came in and taught Gregory and the rest of the kids all about plants. When Gregory when home that night he said to his mother,"We don't have any grass around here". So he started to draw plants in the building. His mother and father did nit want to see.They were too busy.Don,t worry the end gets gets better.
I could not put the book down because the book never ended,and you would most likely would want to stay up and read it.You will like the book but you have to read it to find out!!!

This book about Gregory tells how a child learns to express himself and win the admiration of his family, teachers and classmates. We have a copy for each of our second graders and use it as a reader. ....

Great book for all levels.
Ina and Allan Marx run a great faux finishing school that has spawned this great book. Complete
and through it a bible for novice to expert painters. Not only do they teach you the technique, but alos
how to "look and see" the item you are painting from nature. They are true professionals and
above all both are excellent teachers. I have taken their classes, and as there is no substituion for
taking one of their classes, this book is a great how to guide if you can't take one.
Excellent. Their knowledge of teaching and superb knowledge of faux painting marry in this books.

I have a library full of books on painting techniques but this and the Finklestein book are the two that I consider "must haves." While most new books on decorative finishings repeat and repeat and repeat . . . the same pedestrian information on faux treatments, these give much more indept information on the techniques involved.

This is a wonderfully thorough book on creating the highest quality specialty painted finishes. It is advanced enough for the serious decorative painter while the instructions are detailed enough to allow the amateur or novice to try these techniques with outstanding results. The interior designer will also find it to be a valuable source book for fresh exciting design ideas.

Overall, the projects are more sophisticated and time-consuming than those in most books. A great deal attention is paid to tiniest details that make these finishes really stand out. The instructions are excellent, showing you how to create each finish step-by-step with a complete text description and demonstrative photos. Complete material and supply lists and recipes accompany each project.

The book starts out with the basics such as materials, safety, surface preparation and finishing coats. The glaze section is next with information on multi-layer glazing, novelty effects and techniques for glazing in small and large areas. There is great chart of problems and solutions and another on how tools affect glazing as well.

The simulation of marble and stone follows. Here the author talks about the formation and replication of stone before going on to the projects, which include fifteen marble and stone types such as malachite, granite, red levanto and French grand antique.

The section on graining is fantastic. It contains the most in-depth information on graining I have found anywhere. There is an analysis of patterns, a discussion of color, techniques for creating knots, troubleshooting section and color swatches of straight gained wood styles. There are over 20 wood types covered. Some include American oak, Brazilian rosewood, orientalwood, burl and birds-eye maple.

The final section of the book talks about setting up a professional practice. It contains financial planning, estimating, sample-making and much more. The appendix gives a great list of sources, lists English and metric equivalents and has a nice glossary of terms. If you want to create truly professional looking finishes, this is the book to get.

Have no illusions about this book -- Bill Barnett delivers on his promise! We tend to make life more complicated than necessary! Bill strips away all the fluff and gets to the point on what works in the real estate investing business. This book is
truly a manual to get you on the road to wealth.

Bill Barnett offers non-stop suggestions throughout the entire book on how to improve your ability to buy, rehab-if-necessary, and market real estate. I've been a real estate investor for over 40 years and I learned an amazing number of new techniques and ideas by simply reading this book. I've also had the pleasure of meeting Bill personally, and he's a great resource to have on your team.

Are You Dumb Enough To Be Rich is a clear, concise, funny, easy to follow road map to get a beginning real estate investor up and running.
Mr. Barnett takes the fear and uncertainty of the business away by giving the reader a great "pitfalls" and "summary" section at the end of each chapter. Without overwhelming the reader, Are You Dumb Enough To Be Rich gives you true "soup to nuts" techniques on how to get into real estate investing without trying to sell you another seminar or a sequel to the book. If after reading some of the other "How To" books you are still looking for a resource to get you going, read this book, It will put money in your pocket!

"Eight American Poets," edited by Joel Conarroe, is a fine anthology. The introduction notes that this book was "designed as a companion volume to 'Six American Poets,'" also edited by Conarroe. "Eight" follows the same plan as "Six": rather than anthologize a huge company of poets who are represented by only a few pieces each, each of Conarroe's books focuses on a relatively small group of poets, each of whom is represented by a substantial selection. Conarroe's approach allows the reader to get a fuller feel of each poet in the anthology format.

The poets of "Eight" are Theodore Roethke, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, John Berryman, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Allen Ginsburg, and James Merrill. Each poet's work is prefaced by a substantial individual introduction.

There are many masterpieces in this book. Curiously, I found the most compelling poems to be those that focus on nature: Roethke's "The Meadow Mouse," Bishop's "The Fish," Plath's "Mushrooms," and Merrill's "The Octopus." Poems like these combine skillfully used language with keen insight, and reveal these poets to be true heirs of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson (two of the featured artists in "Six American Poets").

Overall, I felt that "Eight" was not as strong as its sister volume, "Six." Although there are many poetic masterpieces in "Eight," there is also much material which, in my opinion, hasn't aged well. The so-called "confessional poetry" of some of these writers strikes me as overwrought. Some of the longer poems failed to resonate with me. I was particularly disappointed by Berryman's "Homage to Mistress Bradstreet," especially since I am an admirer of Anne Bradtreet's own work. Admittedly, this criticism may merely reflect my own personal tastes, but I submit it for the reader's consideration.

The fact that so many of these poets either wrote about each other, or pop up in the editor's introductions to each others' work, sometimes gives the book as a whole a creepy, incestuous feel. And the fact that so many of these poets committed suicide, had long-term mental health problems, and/or suffered from addictions further gives the book as a whole a rather morbid feel. On second thought, maybe this group of eight is a bit problematic!

Still, editor Conarroe has assembled an impressive anthology that I would recommend for students and teachers, as well as to a general readership. Although a mixed bag, "Eight American Poets" contains some truly enduring work by an octet whose legacy is secure.

.........the best known and loved poetry of eight well-known twentieth century American poets. Includes well known poems such as Bishop's "The Fish", Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz", Berryman's "Dream Songs", Merrill's "Lost in Translation", Sexton's "Ringing the Bells", and many others.

Like Conarroe's "Six American Poets", the anthology introduces us to each poet with a short biography that is presented before the poet's work. We learn about their lives and come to understand some of the primary forces that have shaped their poetry. I have found that this greatly enriches the experience of reading poetry because I better see the struggles that lead to each individual creation. After each collection, Conarroe offers a list of books and anthologies where each poet has been published so that we, should we wish, can come to know the work of a given poet much better.

This anthology is a wonderful starting place for someone who, like me, desires an introduction to some of the greatest American poetry ever produced. Personally, I feel, after reading this anthology that I have come to truly appreciate the work of Elizabeth Bishop and Theodore Roethke, in particular. I had never known their work well, but suddenly each jumped off the page at me, Bishop for her wonderfully vivid descriptions and Roethke for his intensely moving subjects. Plath and Sexton also really spoke to me, their work so reflecting their lives. Overall, this anthology is superbly worthwhile reading!

Ah, a fine comparison and contrast in studies on the eight best American confessional poets ever. Kudos to the editor on a fine choice of poems, and candid biographies on each poet. Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Allen Ginsberg, John Berryman, Theodore Roethke, Elizabeth Bishop and the other guy, here's to you.

This book was a tragic, candid look at the lives of everyday soldiers caught up in a hellish conflict. This reality is so unimaginable for my generation today, yet these men confronted it with honor and dignity. The author's affection and admiration for his companions makes his memoir both powerful and moving.

An incredibly detailed, truthful, moving, and painful personal account of war as experienced by a front line soldier in the Vietnam War.
This book was obviously written from extensive notes taken by the author when he had the time in the field to write down his feelings and experiences. For reasons of his own, the book was not published until after his death in April 1994.
This book will have immense meaning to anyone who has experienced the hell of war, as well as, anyone who wishes to understand the sacrifices our fighting men and women in battle must endure. President Bush and his top advisors should read this book before they send our treasured youth to fight another war. If those in positions of highest political authority, after reading Sgt. Peterson's war memoir, still decide we must go to war then they will understand we must fight the war to the finish with the best military tactics and strategies available not hindered and defined by vague political considerations.
I recommend this book to all. I sincerely thank Mr. and Mrs. Peterson for their service to our country.

one of the best memoirs i have read on the vietnam war.
maybe even one of the best books i have ever read.
peterson's daily account of his vietnam experience is meticulously described,providing a view of his metamorphosis from an average midwestern farm boy to combat-weary grunt that is brilliant. reads more like a novel in the sense that the character in the first few chapters could not even fathom the feelings,thoughts, and experiences of the character at the end.
also provides compelling illustrations of the frustrations and inner conflicts felt by an average american required to follow orders which he is morally opposed to and intuitively wary of.
the book grows darker by the page and the reader is drawn into his sense of impending doom and constant fear.
i highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the vietnam war.

Generally, I agree with the high ratings that other reviewers have given to this book. After I obtained my bachelor's degree in philosophy, I took the end-of-the-book test. My thinking style at that time was primarily an idealist. But after I earned my master's degree in American Studies and took the test again, I was primarily an analyst. Both these test results made sense to me given that my two degrees were separated by six years. This is one of the "hidden" values of the book: that one's "Styles of Thinking" (the original hardcover and, in my opinion, the better title for the book) may change over a period of years.

However, I do not agree that the social scientific basis for the book and the test is well-grounded. The authors give a quite vague description for the validity of their five styles of thinking. And the only basis for the validity of the test is that they have given it to thousands of people. Purportedly, because they intended to write a follow-up book, and they wanted to keep their testing criteria secret at least until the sequel. To the best of my knowledge, neither author has written a second book on the same subject. And keeping the criteria for a test secret is simply poor social science.

Nevertheless, I find the book subjectively useful and still refer to it from time to time. I have also given the test to college students, and most of them identify with the test results. So four stars for usefulness but not five stars because of the lack of documentation.

it's a very useful books and practical. i've started applying and feel pleasure getting to know my thinking style and others as well. you can improve the way you think. useful...

Thinking-- a process we normal people are constantly doing in most of our lifetime. However, have anyone of us thought how do we think? It's an interesting question. Indeed, only very few of us have come across this question. This book have classified most people's styles of thinking into 5 main categories. Nevertheless, the book includes a test to help you identify your preference of thinking. If you do it seriously, you'll eventually find the result very accurate in helping you know more about yourself. Meanwhile you will identify the which classes do the people surrounding you belong to, in order that you will know how to deal with them using the most suitable approach. More importantly, you'll realize your own strengths and liabilities by reading this book. In such a way, you can develop the strengths that you already have and improve your liabilities. Hopefully, life can be a lot better if you can take the suggestions mentioned in the book into practice. Even if you are not preparing to take what this book alleges solemnly, it's still a great fun letting your friends do the test. You'll discover a load of things that you've overlooked! Thinking is a child's play, as well as a Herculean study.

The southwest United States is a geomorphologist's dream... There's not a lot of green stuff covering up the beautiful geology! This book details the geologic features of Death and Owens Valley, CA. It gives the geologic history of features while succinctly describing the details of the processes that brought about these features. The Tufa Pinnacles in Searles Valley, the alluvial fans in Death Valley, the interesting history and development of Gower Gulch, the mysterious ascent of desert pavement, the glacial morraines and routes of the Tahoe and Tioga Stade glaciers at Convict Lake, the Mono Craters (Domes), Fossil Falls, the Alabama Hills and more. You'll even get the heebee jeebees when you read about the monstrous explosion of Ubehebe Crater! Certainly one of the most interesting and pleasurable books I've read in ages! Highly recommended for ANYONE who plans a trip to California's awe-inspiring Death Valley and environs! A must have!

Most years we vacation in Mammoth. This book describes a number of convenient and interesting side trips to take with the family. We wander around, sometimes visiting the same features, sometimes visiting a new site. Always appreciating more & more of the world around us. My children have a much better feel for geological processes and their impact on the landscape than do their peers.

The book starts with a five page description of Eastern California's geological history, then jumps into 30 sites of interest, nearly evenly distributed between Death Valley & vicinity and the Eastern Sierra & vicinity. A glossary, "Sources of Supplementary Information," and an index round out the book.

Each site receives its own chapter, replete with photographs, maps, geological diagrams, and even driving directions, as needed. I'm not a serious geologist, but landscape features fascinate me. The explanations that the authors give work well for me: I can understand them well enough to explain them to children.

If you're interested in how the land has been shaped, if you're willing to turn off the tube & make contact with the natural world, then this book is for you. One of the best "field guides" to geology I own. One of my favorites, too. (The companion volume, GEOLOGY UNDERFOOT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, is also an excellent book).

I've always had an interest in geology, but have had only a little formal education in the subject. I've also been to Death Valley and Owens Valley a few dozen times. The accuracy and attention to detail in this book along with the vivid descriptions often made me feel like I was back there as I read. On more than one occasion, I could replay what I had seen when I was out there as I read (in some cases picturing things that I had hardly taken notice of when physically there). The many photographs and diagrams also helped immensely. The occasional touchs of humor made reading fun, and it being a series of vignettes, it's easy to cover a chapter in a short time and not worry about setting it down until later. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in geology and how the area got to be what it is today, and you don't have to be an expert to enjoy the book.

It is nice to see new geological tour books come out. This is a good book for both the novice and the professional. It is very hard to present geology to a novice without losing them with the technical end of the profession, and yet the author's pull it off. The trips are great for weekend exploration in southern california.

This book has triggered day-trips & camping expeditions in our family. I've had the pleasure of leading my children and their friends to moments of discovery and learning & shared wonder and beauty with my father--all based on this book.

It starts with a six page description of SoCal's geological history, then jumps into 20 sites of interest. A glossary, "Sources of Supplementary Information," and an index round out the book.

Each site receives its own chapter, replete with photographs, maps, geological diagrams, and even driving directions, as needed. I'm not a serious geologist, but landscape features fascinate me. The explanations that the authors give work well for me: I can understand them well enough to explain them to children.

If you're interested in how the land has been shaped, if you're willing to turn off the tube & make contact with the natural world, then this book is for you. One of the best "field guides" to geology I own. One of my favorites, too. (The companion volume, GEOLOGY UNDERFOOT IN DEATH VALLEY AND OWENS VALLEY, is also an excellent book).

(If you'd like to dialog more about this book or review, click on the "about me" link above & drop me an email. Thanks!)

If you've used the "Roadside Geology of..." series, this is a bit different. It's more of a "sites of interest" type of book. It lists 20 sites in the southern California area, from Mammoth Lakes out to the coast, and south to Needles and San Diego. The sites are wonderfully explained, with aerial photos, illustrations, and maps. This is definitely aimed at the casual tourist, with very little knowledge of geology necessary. As a professional Geologist, it's one of those books I'd give a non-Geologist friend.