I ordered this book for my 6 year old grand daughter. Though it is a wonderful story, I personally felt that the discussion of hanging the blacks was too dark for the child's book and I returned it. I read the book and felt unfortable giving it, so I had my husband read it, he agreed. Though the truth of the history of the blacks cannot be hid, it really was not needed in this story of friendship.

This is a wonderful story that I read aloud to my children every year on Chanukkah. They love it and so do I.

I am such a huge Aminah Robinson (the illustrator) fan! Be sure to check out all of the books she has illustrated. And don't even think about buying any of them in paperback. The heart and soul that she obviously puts in to her drawings will move you to tears. This is one of my favorites. The Amazon review does a good job explaining the story to you. It really resonates with all ages. One bit of trivia I can give you is that Aminah herself was a personal friend of Elijah Pierce.

Alexander Pope once wrote, "Wit is that which has oft been thought, but never so well expressed." The present volume, 101 DAMNATIONS, well illustrates Pope's observation.

The "damnations" in this quirky compendikum refer to pet peeves, people, and things that irritate and annoy. Although we could make our own list of such vexations, chances are we would not have the wit to express them so humorously.

For example, Louise Rafkin writes: "Women's handshakes . . . Some are limp as old celery, others flaccid as dead fish." And Merrill Markoe says about cell-phone etiquette: "These people seem to think they cannot really go anywhere unaccompanied by a phone. And along with this obsessive-compulsive need for continuous phoning, any respect for the privacy of others has melted away like the snows of yesteryear."

Tailgaters. Telemarketers. Operating manuals written in arcane, esoteric language. People who play rap music at jet-plane decibel lebels. "Reality TV" programs. The list goes on and on.

Here are excerpts from three of the best:

David Ives: "last year a record 16,238 people had near-death experiences in this country--some 200 of them without financial gain and some 50 without appearing on afternoon talk shows. . . . Many people know Kubler-Ross's five steps to death: anger, denial, blame, grief, and acceptance. Thanatologists now recognize the five steps of near-death: surprise, delight, shlock, mild boredom, and a book contract."

David Martin: "For years, I assumed that the frustration visited on me by bureaucrats was just the inevitable result of dealing with large, inefficient organizations. But now I suspect that there's a secret school somewhere that rains these cruel creatures. A school with a catalog like this: Welcome to the Bureaucrats' Institute, and congratulations on choosing a career as an obfuscation and complication specialist. Start out learning the basics, from paper shuffling to the telephone runaround. Then move on to the specialty skills you'll need to add red tape to any organization."

Michael Gerber and Jonathan Schwarz, from Thirty Things I HATE about Hell: "1. It's really cliquey. 2. You get this weird vibe from Satan if you joke about him being in that SOUTH PARK movie. 3. The biting black flies out by the Lake of Everlasting Fire. 5. No ESPN. C'mon! That's part of basic cable! 6. The snotty e-mails you get from your friends in heaven. . . . 25. Hitler. You're not funny, so stop trying."

There are at least a dozen selections that will have you laughing out loud. As you read this book, keep in mind the wisdom of George Bernard Shaw: "When anything is funny, search it for a hidden truth."

And, as the writer of the Book of Proverbs puts it, "A cheerful heart is like a good medicine." Tickle your funny bone, wipe that frown off your face, and indulge yourself with laughter with 101 DAMANATIONS.

Michael J. Fosen is the author, illustrator, or editor of some fifty books for both adults and children, including the biennial humor series, MIRTH OF A NATION.

With an all-star lineup of funny folk, you'd expect something hilarious, and that's often what you get with 101 Damnations. Grouped into 9 circles of hell, everyone from Calvin Trillin to writers for the Letterman Show take off on golf, Tuscany, customer service, going bald -- you hate it, they cover it.
The essays are all very short - some hardly worthy of "essay" status - and most are thought provoking, and will definitely get a rise out of you. Some of the pieces, however, are truly hilarious, such as Kevin Shay's take on people who mime being on the phone by using their thumb and pinky, Camuso and Seely's movie trailers, and Andrew Marlatt's "My Left Hair," which describes the true feelings of the haired vs. the un-haired.

Overall, you will absolutely not be dissapointed with this book, and at times you will laugh out loud. Ideal for any bathroom reading library.

In the hands of humorists, all those things that really get under your skin suddenly take on a new life--an amusing one, that doesn't sound like whining! I found most of my personal pet peeves: the cashier that puts the receipt in your palm, then the bills, and then the change, so that there's no way you can put any of that in your pocket or purse before the groceries or the change spills. The dreary terror of little league baseball. Children's choirs. Leaf blowers. You name it, it's here. ... Is this an important book? Well, it's important to laugh at these little things so the really big things you can't do anything about don't get the best of you! It's 101 examples of smart thinking about our dumbest things.

The book HOME was a fabulous collaboration. It gave a great sence of the home from "Stoops", to "Under the Back Porch", to "Under the Bed, and even "A House of Flowers". My favorite poem was "The Refrigerator". It gave a very amusing veiw of what might go on in the refrigerator after we have all gone to bed. It has a nice Jazzy rhythm to it and is fun for kids of all ages. My favorite illustrations is that of Lane Smith that accompany the poem "Under the Bed". The pictures are slightly abstract. It makes you feel like you are really looking into the imagination of a child and see what is really going on. The dark background sets the feeling that you are floating through space, going into another world. I feel this book is not only for children for children to enjoy but also for us big kids out there.

One night while searching Amazon for a scrumptious new political book to decorate my room with, I came across this one and it immediately caught my attention. While I tend to be drawn to the more arcane and iconoclastic regions of political philosophy, this book seemed to possess an alluring simplicity. I guess it reminded me of the kind of book I read in college -- a touch of nostalgia -- and always so much enjoyed. I imagine it is now safe to disclose that my economic and political science classes were the only ones I did not skip on a regular basis. Anything political or philosophical fascinates me -- spinning out philosophical ideas in my head and turning them over and over again is endless, bountiful pleasure.

Political philosophy is a large hunting ground, but the editors do a commendable job of breaking it down into its constituent elements. Since the subject matter is so broad the authors must apply a rather strict criterion of which thinkers and material to present. First, they aim to present ideas that have a certain continuity, ones that are perennial in nature and that all societies must confront. Second, they tend to select works that are rigorously logical and factual, so nothing in the way of mysticism or superstition. And finally, they seek to present ideas with a modern resonance, issues that have not been resolved over the ages. (So no commentary on slavery or how many Angels can dance on the head of a pin).

The editors think -- and I agree with them -- that it is best not to think of political philosophy as a single entity, but rather as a multi-layered synthesis comprising many building blocks that can be arranged in a variety of ways. To develop a thorough and systematic understanding of political philosophy it is important to scrutinize each building block in turn before placing them in any arrangement. The building blocks include human nature, the justification for the state, liberty and rights, economic justice, alternatives to liberalism, and progress and civilization. Introducing politico neophytes to political philosophy with a section on human nature is I think most fruitful since all the larger questions in political philosophy are at root questions about human nature. Are we greedy of altruistic? Are we cooperative or competitive? Does society shape our nature (as Owen thought) or does our nature shape and give rise to society (as Aristotle thought)? How fluid is gender? Is it rigid, a la Aristotle and Darwin or malleable, a la Alison Jaggar? Human nature is the real source of contention in political philosophy, while the other issues are derivative. While the editors do not emphasize the point to any large extent, I think it would not be uncharacteristically bold to suggest that most of the shifts in the political winds come on the heels of radically new ideas about human nature. The ideas that electrified Europe in the French Revolution and later in the Bolshevik Revolution had their origin in a radically new set of ideas about human nature that were essentially egalitarian, which is in sharp contrast to the aristocratic view of human nature of Aristotle and our Founding Fathers. Also, one point that the editors never make and one that might generate some confusion is that while most of political philosophy is normative i.e. it deals with value judgments, the subject of human nature is empirical. So while no amount of scientific tinkering and fact finding can tell you that majority rule is better than the rule of law or that Locke's labor justification for property-rights is absolute, it should be possible to frame a predictable and identifiable picture of human nature. This would go along way to resolving a great many political disputes.

For his second self-published effort, Rosen photographed a series of more traditional portraits, shot in a studio setting, but kept the subject matter the SM players from his first book. Again we have a series of men and women, posed sololy and in pairs of every conceivable combination, presenting their sexual selves. These people own their sexual identities and are openly expressing them for the camera. A great collection of portraits, with a unique kinky twist.

In "Sexual Portraits, Photographs of Radical Sexuality,"
Michael Rosen gives the reader a glimpse into the culture of radical
sex. The portraits show a remarkable, pansexual diversity, with
subjects drawn from the straight, gay, bisexual and transgender
communities. These images could potentially repel the uninitiated
observer. However, Rosen doesn't just provide a window into another
world. He allows his subjects to speak. The book contains interviews
that take the rough edge off of these photos. Paradoxically, even
though the photos may be dramatic or shocking, the subjects seem
perfectly comfortable, smiling for the camera, at peace with
themselves and their partners ... Rosen's purpose is not to shock, but
to celebrate sexuality in all its forms and to provide a
carefully-guided tour into another culture. His stated purpose has
been achieved: "a continuing commitment to a sex-positive
view."

This book is not pornography. It is art. The art of being whoever it is that you are. You will find nothing less, nothing more

This otherwise acceptable book is ruined by the referral to two people kissing as, "Two people were trying to eat each other." That may be a dog's-eye-view, but it's a disgusting image to convey to a young child. Children as young as four years old are in the stated age range for this book. Why would any parent or teacher want a child to think that people kissing are eating each other? (We will not even touch the sexual innuendo.) To make matters worse, the phrase is repeated a second time. Suffice it to say, the concept has no place in a picture book aimed at small children. Where on earth was the editor on this one?

First of the, the person who was upset about the kissing people who were "trying to eat each other" needs to loosen up. I'm a first grade teacher, and when I read this book to my kids they LOVE it. They think that's one of the funniest parts of the book, and they understand why it might seem to a dog that kissing people look like they're eating each other. If you don't think children can grasp that simple concept, you are underestimating them. And if you are worried about the "sexual innuendo" (that could only be created by the mind of an adult), well, maybe you need to find a new way to explain things to your children. We've never had a single complaint from anyone (child or parent), and many children choose this book to take home as reading material.
This is a great book, and is wonderful to use for writer's workshop, as it gives children ideas about how to write from a point of view that is not their own. After reading this book, we've had many wonderful stories - written from the point of view of a toaster, a dandelion, an insect, etc.
Creative, thoughtful, and wonderfully illustrated - this is one of my all-time favorites.

This is one of the cutest books I've ever read. I haven't had this much fun since I read "The Stinky Cheese Man." I read this one out to my family and we all laughed hysterically. My boyfriend's 9 year old son, 9 year old nephew, and 14 year old niece loved this book, too.

Human behavior from the point of view of the family dog is original and refreshing. The honesty of this clever point of view is also delightful especially if you're willing to have a sense of humor. Don't expect the observant dog's point of view to be stifled with boring editing...trying to be politically correct wipes out the sense of humor and the ability for humans to laugh at themselves.

Animal lovers (like myself) will enjoy and appreciate this book. However, my older sister who isn't an animal lover enjoyed this book as much as I did.

The only thing I liked about this book was the pictures of Wegmans beautiful Wiems and the cartoons. There were a couple of nice stories but as a whole the book was unmoving. These are not touching stories of lifelong companionship.... This book was quite a disappointment. At least some of my money spent helped needy animals.

When most writing about dogs is of the sappy "Chicken Soup" variety, this collection provides a welcome alternative. It manages to move the reader without resorting to cheap sentimentalism. I read it 9 years ago an still remember several stories that touched me--beautiful pieces of fiction that showed the writers' knowledge of their craft, of humanity and of life in the company of dogs . I don't know if it's still the case, but when the book was first published, a portion of profits went to dog rescue programs. That's real dog care.

This work does test the limits. For me personally, it was too strong. There are about 55 images of men and women (not necessarily together by gender). The images have two general themes. The first is putting large objects like hands in various orifices of the human body. The second is body piercing (penises, etc) and apparently painful body adornment. This book might be of interest to the S-M enthusiast, but would probably repel most readers.

The subtitle of this book is "photographs that test the limits." Compared to the mainstream, these frank images will be shocking. However, take a moment and allow yourself to acknowledge that this is a bit different and carefully look again. Notice that all the participants are smiling, or have looks of ecstacy on their faces, or they are boldly gazing right at the camera. If everyone is proudly experiencing pleasure, is what they are doing truly "shocking?"

What a collosal waste of time this book is.
The authors obviously don't have much of a grasp on e-business. The book is poorly organized and written in such poor style that it was a torture to finish.

Poor writing, poor execution from infantile minds.

Wow, what a stinker this book turned out to be.
I've always been impressed with this publishers technical and computer books but this book was pretty dreadful. A mishmash of material cobbled together with gum and tape - there are other books that deal with this subject -pick one of those.

I found the material valuable in helping me convey technical concepts to non-technical personnel. Part of my responsibility is to ensure all parties correctly understand the "why" as much as the "what" and "how" of an e-business project. The primary benefit I got was being able to see what the strategists are looking for in an e-business solution and how to present it in their terms. This book has also helped me address those who would chase "technology du jour" solutions that may be flashy but offer little or no real value other than to pad a resume.

Some of the ideas presented have provided a good starting point for team discussions and follow-on research projects. Also, the material has helped me develop an informal education program to help some mainframe structure programming folks make the transition to an e-business development environment.

At times, some of the material seemed a little jolty but overall I would recommend this to anyone with the desire to get a high-level overview without marketing hype. One reviewer pointed out that you cannot develop a complete solution, or even a detailed project plan, with this book alone. I would agree. However, used as an introduction and an accompanying text for more detailed technical books, "Developing E-Business Systems and Architectures" definitely adds value to my library.

Rated with one star only, since there is no way to give it a lower rating. I ordered this book recently but got rid of it practically immediately. It's not even worth a tenth of its price. There is no lust and there is no romance in this book, so its not only the sub-title that's misleading. I'm interested in erotica, in fine art and in photography. But in none of these fields this book is of any interest at all. Actually I don't think it's even worth the paper its been printed and published on.

This lovely hardcover from Michael Rosen is his fourth book, documenting sexuality. To be "radical" he choose to move to the world of "vanilla" sex, capturing the foreplay, climax and afterglow of plain ol' regular sex this time. As always, his models cover a broad range of ages, sizes and shapes, unlike most contemporary adult material. Much more accessible to most than his previous titles, this is a great couples book. Try snuggling down and reading it with your significant other!

In Lust and Romance, Michael Rosen has managed to combine unapologetic sexuality with an accomplished photographic eye. Here is a book, finally, that deals with sex honestly, respectfully, and artfully.