It's hard to imagine a better or more balanced collection of essays on the topic of intelligence testing and _The Bell Curve_. The essays present various sides of the debate, featuring perspectives from psychologists, biologists, historians, and theorists. Especially illuminating were sections dealing with _TBC_'s authors' funding source, a clandestine eugenics think-tank in New York. Also, you can find some good pro-Bell Curve articles here, although the bias certainly seems to be in favour of con- (a relection, I believe, of the academic consensus_.

It is regrettable to see that this valuable work is now out of print. This book is mandatory reading for anyone desiring to delve deeper into this controversial subject matter. Russell Jacoby and Naomi Glauberman do a splendid job of bringing together authors with widely differing views on the "The Bell Curve." Irving Louis Horowitz, Stephen Jay Gould, and Christopher Hitchens are only among a few of the highly regarding thinkers contributing to this collection. The editors even included a couple of insightful pieces by Walter Lippmann written in 1922 taking to task scientists similar to Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray. I particularly recommend the article by Hugh Pearson entitled "Breaking Ranks." Pearson, aptly argues that the anti-intellectualism embraced by many Afro-American males afraid of being perceived as race traitors, does much to explain the low I.Q. scores of this group.

There is, though, one major complaint I have with each and every writer that has tackled "The Bell Curve." Not one that I'm aware of has made reference to the great philosopher, Karl Popper. This fact flabbergasts me to no end. Karl Popper warned that scholars, at best, present tentative indications for their theories which may eventually be proven false. How can we forget that fully credentialled scientists, not perceived crack pots, encouraged the bleeding of patients only a few hundred years ago? Another area of study now discredited is phrenology. All students in their formative years must read the serious scholarship of those bygone days when such views were highly respected. It is, I dare say, a humbling experience. Scientists may earn our respect, but we should never consider them infallible.

The measuring of intelligence is hindered by its intrinsic nebulousness. Thus, the study of this phenomenon is not restricted to members of the hard sciences. The arrogant premise of Logical Positivism is found wanting. Poets, artists, philosophers, and other denizens of the often derided Liberal Arts will forevermore continue to have a seat at the table. Debates over the nature vs. nurture aspects of intelligence are doomed to take place until the end of time. Nobody will ever be able to claim they have exhausted this ultimate conundrum of human existence.

... .

While the Bell Curve has stirred up a whirlwind of controversy, the Bell Curve Debate is actually the better of the two books. This book has great rebuttals by the likes Stephen Jay Gould, Howard Gardner, Carl Rowan and many more. It even includes some of the classic papers on these matters such "On Breeding Good Stock" by Karl Pearson. Given a choice between reading the Bell Curve or the Bell Curve Debate, the Bell Curve Debate is the clear choice.

I had the pleasure of reading/using this extraordinary book while in Louisiana, but I can not find it anywhere now. The publisher is not reprinting it, and none of the libraries or book stores seem to have it. Please Help! I would really be greatful if I could get a copy of this book. If you have any information on how I could obtain it quikly, please email me at amorrisn@yahoo.com. I really appreciate it! This is a great book!

When I purchase a cookbook I am looking for more than recipes. You can get recipes from anywhere. A cookbook should tell a story, share a part of the author and that's what this book does. I purchased it about five or six years ago and it was one of my first exposures to the Creole culture. The tales of her childhood in Louisiana and Texas are priceless and the food is divine!

This is a great book filled with family stories, history, love, zydeco, and good food. I first read it about five years ago and learned so much about the culture of the creoles of African descent. Love it!

I bought this book for my granddaughters and immediately began looking for other books illustrated by Lynch, because it is so beautiful. The story is well-told and nicely paced---altogether pleasing.

My name is Elizabeth, and i think that this book is the BEST book I ever read. This book is about a young maden who is so beautiful. One day ever father becomes ill and she needs to fetch him a cup of spring water from the fountain far away. When the maden gets there she drops the cup into the spring. Then a frog gets the cup. he said that in order to do this she must let him have one wish. Then the madens fther becomes better. The maden lives a happy life once again. The frog comes to her house and asks her to kiss him. The maden refuses. Find out what happens to the maden..... she searches far and wide for the one she loves.... I recomend this book because it was so good I remember when my grandfather read it to me and i absolutl loved it! This IS my favoite book!

This book was amazing, captivating and entertaining. The first time I read it was when I was 7 years old and I still enjoy it today.

Pamela Bauer Mueller has a special gift in communicating the feelings and emotions of both humans and animals through the written word in a very unique and loving way. Together with the accompanying illustrations, which at times are humorous, the author guides her readers through the many adventures and challenges that Kiska and Jasper face as they move from the rainy and cool Pacific Northwest to the warmth and humidity of the "deep South", adjusting to new adventures and surroundings. Her insight in expressing the personal loss of a loving family pet through the words of her own beloved Kiska, make this little book a fitting tribute to the final saga of the Kiska Trilogy. It will be great reading for both children and adults

While recently vacationing on St. Simons Island, Georgia, I purchased Eight Paws to Georgia as a gift for a young child. I started reading a few pages and was totally captivated by Kiska and her story. Although I am a "dog person", Kiska's disarming personality and dignity pulled me into her life and that of her mistress until I had finished the book in one sitting. I laughed and cried during Kiska's story, finding that it has immense therapeutic value for those of us young and old who have lost a loved one. Also as an artist I was intrigued by Kiska's description of the beauty and individuality of the Georgia coast. Now I must buy Kiska's first two books and read about her perspective on life in Mexico and Canada!

This is a wonderfully warm story for young and old. Take one ordinary "runt of the litter" tabby cat, give her one extraordinary amount of love, and see what transforms. Kiska teaches us what that kind of love can do, if we give the animals that touch our lives the respect and adoration they deserve, right to the end. I can't wait to read this story to my grandchild and know that we have shared something very special.

I enjoyed reading ANDERSON'S FAIRY TALES by Hans Christian Andersen. My favorite stories in this book were The Mermaid, and the story about the Dustman. I loved the vivid language and the way the stories came alive, seeming to burst like balloons from the pages of the book. I also enjoyed the way common household objects and animals were personified. I found fault with the story that had the better part of its setting in the Garden of Eden. The winds from the ends of the earth were personified well, but one of the winds dispargingly referred to Africa.

'The Snow Queen' is possibly the greatest short story I've ever read. Although its message is essentially Christian, its means of getting there is staggering, Surrealist and far from dogmatic. There is an Alice quality to the heroine's narrative as she seeks her abducted playmate, full of singing flowers, helpful crows and robber barons - the songs of the flowers are full of sexually loaded and enigmatic imagery. But the word-pictures as a whole are haunting, the blazing sheen of the snow, with the suggestive reds dotting it throughout. The final puzzle is worthy of Borges. Wow.

I believe that the path to a well-rounded child is the truth. Too often we sensationalize and sugar-coat the truth when it comes to our kids. This book is a good example of the way things are. My favorite tale from this book would have to be "The Little Mermaid", and it will be the first tale I read my children when they are born. Mr. Anderson was a firm believer in drama mixed with the hard knocks of real life.Here he has just transformed them into a fantastical story that every child needs to be told. The elements of the story are very powerful, from the loss of innocence to the loss of love,and sometimes we need a good dose of something that isn't wholesome. I recommend this book to everyone, children and adults alike.

I picked up this book, interested in some of the photographs on the front cover. Immediatley, when I opened it, I was drawn into the book. It had fabulous graphics and layout. I paged through first, reading little bits of information that interested me. That was really the extent of my experience with the book, until I recently sat down with it and decided the read through it all. I found it absoulutely intriguing. I read every "mini-biography" and after I was done, I went to find out more information about the amazing women I had just been introduced to. My curiousity lead me to fantatic discoveries, but what displeased me was the short extent of people that this book covered. Only briefly did it cover the suffragist movement, and other important events in AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY. Although I know that Americans are not everything, we were pioneers in freeing women from cultural and social restrictions.
This was a great introduction to a broad topic. I reccommend it to young girls that do not realize the extent of what their great sex can do, but also to boys. I believe that they,too, should be introduced to the fact that men and women are equal. It doesn't cover everything, but it may lead you to great things.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for the youngest daughter of a friend of the family. I was looking for something I knew her mother would never buy her, something that would make her learn about women as unique and wonderful human creatures.

I stumbled across this book and was attracted to its magazine-style layout, with photos and blurbs in sidebars as well as a main, brief narrative on each of the diverse women profiled. It drew me in immediately - in fact before I wrapped it, I had read it myself! It also offers, in the sidebars, ways for girls to start imagining themselves in roles like those of the women written about, but without that cheesy condescending tone of voice that so many educational books written by adults for kids take.

The book offers women throughout history, many of whom may not be known to adults (!), who achieved much on their own. Artists, politicians, soldiers, writers, inventors and businesswomen all are represented. The text avoids serious revolutionaries, which is, I think, age-appropriate. The book is targeted for girls and boys ages 12-14, and it fits well within those age groups, using colorful layout and a conversational tone to talk about these "cool women."

This isn't the text to choose for your burdgeoning Socialist, as many of the women celebrated within its pages are female entrepreneurs and monarchs (all, arguably, quite rightly chosen by the editors). However, many of the stories also chronicle women who rise from adversity, giving it a real sense of balance. One might also argue that there is a smattering of racial and ethnic tokenism at work, but I choose to view it as merely an attempt to speak of at least one woman from each group as promotion of multiculturalism (of depth) rather than tokenism (for appearances only).

All in all, this book is an excellent tool for teaching young women about the valuable contributions their sisters before them made, and what they too can hope to accomplish. Highly recommended.

This book bridges the gap in educational books for young readers. It helps young girls specifically to understand that women have been achievers throughout history and in doing so can serve as inspiration for modern young women who may be short on confidence or direction. This book is a "must" for the 12-18 year age group, and adults like myself will also find it interesting and educational.

When i was a baby my mom use to read this to me its about a elephant who trys to get rid of his bags and sags

This is a cute and fun story about a little elephant that doesn't quite fit in with his environment and tries to follow the not so sure advice of a parrot. It's fun to read with some good alliteration and rhyme. I have read it many times to my little daughter (currently 6 ½ months) and while it isn't quite as engaging as the Tawny Scrawny Lion, it's still a strong recommendation. Don't even give the age categories a second thought, this book should be read to and in the hands of babies and toddlers too.

When I first met my wife she had this book (Saggy Baggy Elephant) and what made it unusual was the books actual size was about an inch and a half to two inches square. Just as a joke one night I asked her to read me the story of Sookie the Saggy Baggy Elephant in which she did. I fell in love with that book for sentimental reasons but the more it was read to me I realized its message is so good for children. I highly recommend this for anybody with small children. We lost that little book and this was back before computers were so popular that when I went looking to replace it I had a very hard time finding it in print. After a long exhaustive search I found a printing company that had a couple of copies and I think after paying about 40 to 50 bucks to get that book I wrapped it up and gave it to my wife for Christmas. The tears in her eyes when she saw that book again told me that she loved the story of Sookie the Saggy Baggy Elephant as much as I did. A gift I know she will never ever forget getting. A great book.

I was totally intrigued by this book and couldn't wait to find her others. The story carries you through the cultures and traditions of the people of the Olympic Peninsula and teaches a reverence for our natural rescources. I loved the relationships within the family. I would love to have a reader's guide for discussion with my book club.

When brutal murders plague the placid Olympic Peninsula rainforest after a sacred cedar is cut down, Tribal Sheriff Tidewater must pit her own shamanic training against a mysterious killer. At about the time Columbus' ships were being built in the Old World, along the Pacific coast, lived an already ancient society, with perceptions, emotions & rituals so complex European languages could only hint. In this society, however, the same struggles between evil & good, shadow & light, revenge & courage raged on with the added dimensions of shape-shifting & time walking. An impressive first novel, fascinating, scary & delightful. A must read! Living by a rainforest I thoroughly enjoyed this author's skill at describing the land & the energy here.

The story made me realize that Lake Quinault and the rain forest are beautiful place the spend time. The Indian culuture is also interesting. A must read!

In the story of Puss In Boots, a miller dies and leaves one of his sons nothing but the cat. This cat turns out to be quite clever and earns the favor of the King for his master. The cat also obtains land and a castle for his master and gives him the title of the Marquis of Carabas. The King becomes so impressed by the Marquis that he offers his daughter's hand in marriage, and the simple miller's son becomes a prince. The use of clever illustration makes this book an effective piece of folk lore. "Narrative Expectations: The Folklore Connection" discusses the basic pattern of a folktale. The article states that every folktale begins with the main character of the story being no different from or more special than any other character. Then, out of nowhere, the character is boosted into a "supernatural world" and all of a sudden he is moved up to higher society and viewed as a hero (67). This resembles the plot pattern of Puss In Boots, with the Marquis being the average character who becomes a hero. This jump to a higher level of society out of luck is strangely enough realistic in the twenty-first century. With things like inheritance, lotteries, and the stock market, a person of today could easily go from the poor miller's son to a "prince." However, this is not a common occurrence. The article also states that folklore "functions in part as an informal system for learning the daily logic and worldview of the people around us (71)." The author chooses not to use human characters to represent Master Slyboots and the rich ogre. He could have done this easily with illustration by making Master Slyboots a servant boy and the ogre a Marquis. Instead, he uses an informal style, placing animal characters in the book. This represents a higher level: Using animals in contrast to humans in order to show the differences in people as a whole.

This new translation of the "fairy" story first presented by Charles Perrault (1628-1703) in his Tales of Mother Goose in 1697 was illustrated by Fred Marcellino and translated by Malcolm Arthur. It was a 1991 Caldecott Honor book (that is, a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. The youngest son of a recently deceased miller receives a cat as his inheritance. He feels that he will soon die of starvation (after he has eaten the cat) since he has no other possessions. But, the cat convinces him to get him boots. The cat proceeds to find a fortune and a position for his young master.

I regularly visit school classrooms and read aloud to children from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Finding books that appeal to more than one grade level is a challenge.

I have found that the pictures in this version of 'Puss' appeal immensely to kindergartners through third graders. (Fourth and Fifth grade children also like it, but are often embarassed to say so in a classroom setting!). Children who often have a hard time sitting still for a story have sat transfixed as I read this book, holding the pictures in front of them all the time and giving them lots of opportunities to check out the wonderful use of light and color. The illustrator uses a lot of wonderful yellow that is very appealing to young children and seems to draw them into the book. I love reading this book out loud both to see children's reaction and also because I love the detail and color in the pictures.

Reading this book aloud has also sparked some beautiful art work from young children.

This book is totally focussed on troubleshooting serger problems. It has good pictures and great solutions to correct all types of problems. It is a wonderful resource to have on hand because it addresses many situations that other books might not. I am glad I bought it and highly recommend this book. Also keep in mind that this book is a great supplement for your other serger books.

Let me first start by saying I think this is a good book to have, but I don't think it should be your first or only book to have. It is an excellent reference....especially for the beginner or less experienced serger. (but would also be a worthwhile investment for someone more advanced)

The book is easily read and has excellent pictures and diagrams. It is soley a problem solver and not a technique teacher (which is why I don't think it should be your only reference book if you are new to serging).

This book has an awesome reference sheet on page 79 if you are looking to buy a serger (upgrading or buying for the first time).

I agree with the Sew News editor, who states on the cover: "This book should come with every serger purchased." Close-up photography and to-the-point tips show you how to solve just about any problem, no matter what your serger brand, model or vintage. If you own a serger, or are thinking of buying one (shopping guidelines are also included), buy this book. (By the way, I own several other serging books by Naomi Baker and Gail Brown, and this is new information not repeated in those other books.)