Many thanks to Dr. Downham for sharing so purely the experience and hope of her deep personal loss. How supportive to learn that someone else has felt and behaved similarly in response to grief. How refreshing not to spotlight the stages of grief and the self-imposed timeline this often begets, but rather to focus on the ongoing, self-renewing process of healing. How grateful I am for "rooms in the heart" - something I have felt but couldn't put into words. Thank you, Sally Downham Miller, for putting words to my feelings.

This book opened old wounds that I didn't even know had not been healed. It was a profoundly difficult yet validating read. The tears came freely and were actually welcome. I immediately felt a kinship to the author, as if I could see into her heart as she surely could see into mine. After all, she was relaying my very feelings. I wish this book had been available to read years ago. The self help books that I read after my husband died only gave me a time frame to go through "the stages" of grief. Needless to say, I failed miserably to live up to the "normal" standards.

I would like to thank Sally Downham-Miller for sharing her brave journey. She can only imagine how very much this book has touched me. I am truly indebted to her.

Upon the death of my father Clyde Lonsbury on September 27th, 1999, the following Saturday, I took my mother Sharron to the Covered Bridge Retreat Mercantile in North Webster, Indiana where we were privileged to be in the company of Dr. Sally Downham Miller for a book signing of her memoir, "Mourning and Dancing". The mercantile, as I understand, is another work of Dr. Miller's and you can see her heart as you walk in the door. Mom bought a copy of the book and Sally signed it "In Memory of Clyde" and a personal addition for her to cherish as well. Sally and the two other figures in her book, Jack and Suzy Scott, have been a vital part of my mother's life in many different ways throughout the years. They are truly dear, dear people. Before signing the book, Sally gave a preface and reasoning for writing this book and the story that was shared was an endearing one that filled my heart with a light of hope and encouragement as we begin our journey to gain strength back from our loss. In her book Sally paints vivid pictures with words and experiences that helped me to see how Mourning could be changed into Dancing! The similarities with my father's cancer and that of Mr. Downham were indeed what I needed to hear, even down to those noisy hiccups! Now those hiccups no longer echo in the house and it is quiet, I feel a sense of guilt, as did Sally, for even wishing they would stop. The journey that she and her family take in this book is so amazing and so well developed for the grieving soul. I thank you Sally for sharing from your heart the pain and recovery that you experienced, and I thank you for giving us your deepest emotions that were kept in your private journal. Your story has changed my Mourning into Dancing Again, You've Lifted My Sorrows! I highly recommend this book to those who need, once again to Dance!

If you are dating and looking for an honest relationship...read this book. Caldwell writes in the first person and gets real close and personal. You feel as thought she is sitting in a room talking to you about recognizing the signs that tell you he is not being truthful. While the book focuses on men only...you have to ask yourself ....why? Surely women lie too. However, we are quickly made to understand why it is that men do most of the "stretching of the truth" to get what they want, "adding to and taking from" to cover their conduct. If you have been in one of these relationships, the author does not leave you with wondering - "so I've been in a deceptive relationship, now what?" She takes you through recovery and shows you ways to avoid falling into the same pattern of behavior. Caldwell also tells us how to discover whether or not our current relationships are honest ones. It is a subject that the author takes very seriously and a subject that needs to be addressed as a phenomenon that has been ignored and taken for granted. Excellent read.

Another dirty little secret is out in the open. Dr. Caldwell tells stories of women we all know and explains what happens.This is a must read for every woman of dating age. Whether 16 or 60, women need to understand what Dr. Caldwell writes about. Those that do not believe this is real just have not had it happen to them. If you have experienced it, you will find that this book helps deal with the anger and humiliation and then shows you ways to make sure it never happens again.

Upon reading this book, I was immediately comforted by the words of Dr. Caldwell. With her many examples and compassionate prose, she helps readers to understand how they can play a part in the lies when they dismiss the signs and ignore their instincts. Dr. Caldwell illustrates the importance of trusting yourself. She shows how to listen to your inner voice and sustain yourself through the realities. This book will help you to open your eyes and it does so with empathy and comfort.

Thank you, Dr. Caldwell, for warmly reminding your readers that it isn't their fault entirely, that these men are Master Manipulators - and for showing readers just how to spot the behaviors they exhibit. This is necessary reading for ANY woman who is dating or involved in a relationship. It is (and I HATE this word, but it fits) empowering to USE the investigating information that Dr. Caldwell provides at the end of the book. Thank you, Doctor.

Sally Maraventano drew from her own Italian family history to showcase 125 delicious and healthy recipes for Festa del Giardino: A Harvest Of Recipes And Family Memories. All of these recipes are prepared without animal fats and are arranged in a classic Italian menu format, including antipasti, first course, main course, side dishes, and desserts. From Insalata Mista (Mixed Green Salad with Oil and Vinegar Dressing); to Pappardelle con Salsa alle Verdure (Wide Ribbon Pasta with Hearty Vegetable Sauce); to Pizza alle Melanzane (Spicy Eggplant Pizza); to Polenta alla Pizzaiola (Cornmeal Squares with Spicy Tomato Sauce), these are truly wonderful, "kitchen friendly" dishes that would grace any table and satisfy any appetite.

The artwork and the recipes take me to Italy! I keep this cookbook displayed on a shelf above my baking center to remind me of my own fever for Italy. It's a perfect selection for an "Italian" gift basket.

I love this book - it has wonderful personal appeal and great recipes. I was forever looking for good Italian vegetable recipes and this is the best book of them I have found.

As a great lover of medieval art this calendar is just beautiful. Every month a new work of art to gaze at. Highly recommended.

I was a Medieval History major in college. This calendar is full of interesting and insightful information. The colors are wonderful, and a joy to purchase year after year.

I have bought this calendar for the last several years and it has become the standard by which I rate all other calendars. They all fall short, because this one is illuminated (gold and other colors used shine in the light) and is illustrated thoughout, not just in the top reproductions, but also in the bottom grid area, where the actual squares for the days are. It will please the artistic in you!

This book is one no dollmaker should be without, whether you make dolls for your own pleasure, as gifts, or as a professional. The inspiration from the photos alone is amazing, but the book is also filled with wisdom on dollmaking that comes from one of the most talented dollmakers in the country.

This is a great book, it gives lots of information covering many aspects of creating a doll. I recommened all of Susan Oroyan's books for anyone interested in being creatively stimulated to explore the world of doll making. This book will get your creative juices flowing.

Susanna is always overflowing with great ideas, pictures, and tips. I enjoy her books emensly. She has a great style and encourages your creativity without stifling it.

I live in the forgotten land of North Florida (more like South Georgia - but more humid and rainy!) This book has become one of my favorite books because it clearly indicates just how far south native plants will thrive. So many books only indicate the upper limit on climate zones. The pictures are wonderful and the organization makes it an especially useful and handy reference.

If you live in the Southeast and want to know more about gardening with native plants, this is THE place to start. I've poured over this book time after time, and now I have to buy a second copy because a friend kept my first copy after borrowing it! This book has great info and pictures, AND it's fun to read. What more could you ask for? (Well, how about Volume 2? ;-) )

Tired of nursing exotic plants and bushes? This is a wonderful book for those who love a lush look without the extravagant care. You don't need to be aiming for a woodsy look, as many of the choices presented by the Wasowskis look beautiful in formal or semi-formal settings. Our plantings are now in and we are very pleased by the array of fragrance and texture, and look forward to the spring blooming azaleas and rhododendrons.

Enjoyed this very much. A non-nasty Dilbert. Plus a domestic strip as well.

It's really Funny, & A good read, my only complain is that the sunday strips are in Black & white , What? No color? that aside, I recommend it , By God!

This was an excellent collection! Only complaint is that it's not (and never is) long enough.

"Monster Lies: A Woman's Guide to Controlling Her Destiny" is an excellent guide to finding the "Lies" that control our destiny as well as uncovering ways to regain control. It begins by identifying the twelve most common "lies" that people often come to accept as truth. Each chapter then takes one of those lies and examines it in detail from how to identify it to determining how it affects your life to a pathway to freedom and choice.

Have you come to accept any of the following lies as truth? The Doomesday Lie says that if nothing ever changes then what is the point of trying? The Stressor Lie says that you have no control over what happens to you. The Perfecto Lie says that you have to do things perfectly the first time so don't try anything new. The Scarcity Lie says that you should hoard what you have and never enjoy them because they may not be there tomorrow. The Satisfaction Lie says that you shouldn't ask others for anything but settle for what you can do yourself. The Experteaser Lie says that you should not trust yourself or your opinion but rely on other experts. The Yardstick Lie says that you have to measure up to how other people measure you. The Stuck-in-the-mud Lie says that you should be so busy helping others that you are unable to live your own life. The Clairvoyant Lie says that people should know how you feel and respond appropriately without your telling them. The Assumption Lie says that you can make assumptions about other people even if you don't know them. The Sandman Lie says that you should just relax and accept everything and give up trying to change anything. The Worrywart Lie says that you should worry about every little detail of what might possibly happen no matter how remote the possibility.

If any of those descriptions sound familiar to you, if any of them describe you, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. The authors provide a clear, workable path to free yourself from the power of these lies and put yourself back in control of your life. The format is not only designed for the individual reader but is also excellent for small discussion groups. It is a highly recommended read.

Collaboratively Franz and Jennifer Webb, Monster Lies: A Woman's Guide To Controlling Her Destiny is a "reader friendly" self-help book that teaches the women to identify the deceptions that society and their own minds tend to play on them. From the "doomsday" lie that nothing will ever change or get better, to the "sandman" lie that it's better to just pretend everything is OK and sleepwalk through life rather than wake up, pay attention, or take action, Monster Lies is a guide to psychologically energizing women and pushing them to live their lives to the fullest. Highly recommended for both individual study and women's group discussions, sample fill-in-the-blank exercises throughout help prepare the reader to face new challenges with a clear head and an open heart.

This book is simply amazing and a "must read" for anyone who has ever been crippled by the fear of failure. I had the privilege of personally meeting Jennifer Webb while attending a business management seminar, which she instructed. She is real; having personally walked the walk, her triumph and success are among her credentials, and the reason I read her book.

I asked her what clicked in her life to propel her from where she was to where she is now (which I am sure is only somewhere on the way to where she plans on ending up)? Jennifer mentioned that she had read some enlightened books. I was hoping she'd say something like that so that I could go out and buy it! But, recently it came to me that she already had it! And, as soon as she stopped believing what other people said she couldn't do, she did it!

Now I have an enlightened book, yours! This a great book, great story. The techniques can be used by both women and men; personally or professionally. It's like magic, the moment the light comes on. Thanks for the inspiration.

An entire book about beetles, houseflies, worms, moths, and leeches? With an entire chapter on slime eels--aka hagfish--which burrow into dead fish and consume them from the inside out? You bet. As the author points out, the above-named creatures are but a few of the species that belong to the group of animals known as invertebrates, which not only lack a backbone, but also, pound for pound, far outweigh any other form of life on earth. "There are only 4,500 or so mammal species on the planet. There are, however, between ten million and thirty million invertebrate species. They represent more than 99.5 percent of all animal species. A spaceship visiting the blue planet would take them, not us, as the typical earthlings."

And invertebrates are often far more interesting than us boring old mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Take a fire ant queen, for example, who reproduces so wholeheartedly that her human equivalent would be a 120-pound woman giving birth to 500,000 babies each year. Or how about the mysterious giant squid--at sixty feet long and with eyes the size of headlights, the largest invertebrate alive--who lives five hundred fathoms beneath the ocean waves. (Nobody has ever seen one in its natural habitat.)

So who's the audience? Any adult with a taste for the more slithery residents of earth--or any parents who want to wow their own offspring with bizarre true-life tales of the scaly and slimy. (Twelve-year-olds on up, or ten-year-olds with a deep curiosity for all things gross, should have no trouble with it, either.

If Steven King can become so popular writing books that totally freak people out by being gross, weird and scary, then Richard Conniff should be a household name by now. Of course, the big difference is that King makes up his super-natural characters! Conniff has discovered the freakiness of the "ultra-natural" world in Spineless Wonders. You don't have to be a true bug-lover or bug-hater to enjoy this book. From mosquitoes to fleas to giant squid, this book visits some of the incredible invertebrates on Earth. This easy and fun to read set of essays might leave you unsure if you still want to interact with the world around you, but will not fail to intrigue you, amaze you, and sometimes maybe gross you out. On the good side, you will have more knowledge, appreciation and respect for the lives of our neighbors, the invertebrates. BUGMAN loves this book!

Forget Jack Hannah and his media sound bites which teach you absolutely nothing about other species. This book is a must read for anyone who really wants to learn more about some of the most misunderstood and hated creatures on our planet. Easy to read, entertaining and educational, Richard Conniff spins tales guaranteed to shed new light on the invertebrate world and can be read and appreciated by young and old alike.

Recently I was fortunate enough to spend some time interviewing this talented author and was fascinated with his insight and true depth of feeling for the planet. It is a shame that the media suffers from tunnel vision when it comes to teaching the public about animals. Over and over we are presented with the same information about the same animals which limits our understanding of the importance of bio-diversity. Richard Conniff has worked for both the Discovery Channel and National Geographic and has travelled extensively, and with "Spineless Wonders" and his latest work "Every Creeping Thing" he has achieved what many strive for but very few accomplish.

Hats off to Mr. Conniff and if those talk shows had any sense they would book you immediately and discover what I already have, that you are an incredible resource for information about the relationships between humans and other species

I've bought this and other books regarding knee rehab etc. and found this one is great if you want to find out how to maximise the use of critches after your surgery. There is very little information on what you need to do for rehab.

If your looking for a book to help you get about on crutches after surgery, it covers every thing from climbing stairs to driving!, try this one.

I agree, every orthopaedic patient should leave the hospital with this book! My only wish is that I'd had it sooner after discharge. Helps with topics other titles just don't cover, like flying while disabled, etc.

One year ago I snapped my patella tendon playing basketball. It sounded like a broomstick breaking, and my kneecap went up my thigh. I never thought I'd walk again. Not being able to walk made me realize how many things we take for granted: kicking my dog in the ribs, dressing up re-enacting Nadia Commenici's 1980 olympic balance beam performance, or dancing around my living room to the new brand new Huey Lewis and the news CD. Thank you Sally!