Anyone who's ever had to name a pet will appreciate the predicament that this family is going through when they adopt a stray kitty. Everyone, from family members to classmates, offers suggestions: Kabuki, Nimbus and Fish Breath among them. But no one can agree on which name is just right for the black and white feline. As the family goes through name after name, the cat assimilates into the family's daily life. His curiosity gets him into some hot water, but his luck gets him out unscathed.

By the end of the story, when he falls out a window and luckily manages to land safely on his feet, a name chooses the cat. (And I bet you can guess what it is!) Pringle, a prolific writer of science and nature books for children, wrote this warm story after his family adopted a stray cat (whom they named Willow.) Potter's colorful pastel drawings are equally warm-hearted. Her playful illustrations of the cat "trying on" each of the names will please young readers.

What fun! Even if you aren't a cat lover, you'll enjoy the family's predicament as they try to find the perfect name for their newly adopted cat. Of course the cat's shenanigans and adventures result in a descriptive name that sticks.

This is a great story for families to read together. It's exciting for the young ones and engaging for their parents.

If a cat has ever adopted you, you'll identify with this story. Great job, Mr. Pringle and Ms. Potter!

I wish that I could start this discussion at the level of people who have already read this book, but the more likely possibility is that I'm about the only person trying to convince anyone that a certain discussion in this book might be considered important. As much as I like Nietzsche, I tend to think about his approach only regarding a few problems that interest me. I'm actually more interested in this book for its treatment of a problem in political philosophy that was considered important enough for Bacon's views to be included in this book, but, as hardly anyone can keep up with everything that is going on, my own curiosity about which views anyone might hold are rather mute in the ominous flow of events in our own time.

People who read Nietzsche might agree that he has arrived at a philosophy which attempts to describe the world as it strikes people in modern times. The introduction of this book talks of partisans, but also of an understanding of them which allows a Hegelian "act of magic which preserves what is good for us in each inheritance while letting the junk fall away. The recovery of Bacon and Descartes reestablishes a radical and sober perspective on our spiritual heritage; in their work our philosophic and religious inheritances come to light as spiritual opponents harboring starkly different dispositions to life, and their efforts, so far from harmonizing opposites, kindle spiritual warfare between them, the warfare Nietzsche advances and brings into the open." (pp. 4-5). This book makes each of the three philosophers seem worthy of their places in the history of philosophy, but in our thoroughly comic society, the only question that those who don't know anything about this are likely to ask, is: Who are these people trying to impress?

Chapter 4 of this book, "Why Incite a Holy War?" contains a discussion as six characters present views on a war like the clash of civilizations between the superpower military complex and the fanatics, except that Bacon was writing about a situation in the 1620s which also had a context of religious warfare between Christians within Europe. Bacon had given a speech in "the prosecution of a young Roman Catholic named Owen indicted on charges of high treason for speeches advocating the lawfulness of killing a king who has been excommunicated." (p. 93). That such an act might be blessed by a particular religion is noted by Lampert in his observation, "France, where Bacon's dialogue is now unfolding, had experienced the new doctrine still more directly in the blessed assassinations of its two previous kings." (p. 93).

An insult is as subversive of this kind of thing, as well as being great for avoiding any discussion today, for those who have been doing fine without an opinion so far. This book credits one such statement to "Baconian Christianity whose charity has turned practical and technological," though it is offer in the discussion as merely an opinion, "`That the Philosopher's Stone, and an Holy War, were but the rendez-vous of cracked brains, that wore their feather in their head instead of their hat.'" (p. 87). I don't have that kind of a hat, anymore, but it seems to me that modern education, which this book might represent, is teaching students to pay more attention to what hat they are wearing in a particular situation, as the discussion of a Holy War does, than to attend to anything which might be innate in their brains, which may be pretty unlikely in a society whose relentless messages are supposedly based on endless flexibility.

My big disagreement about these things goes back to the postmoral stance proclaimed on page 5, which is "heir to ten thousand years in the development of conscience." Dividing the 2,000,000 people in prison in the United States today by those 10,000 years might mean that, compared to what most of us have learned each year, there have always been another 200 people who didn't quite get it yet, and, if they were easy enough to catch, had to be added to the number of people in prison each year. As embarrassing as it is to think about anything, expecting such precision in our thinking about how things really go has now become as unlikely as expecting any results from philosophy. I shouldn't pick on a great book like this, but these are hard times.

Bacon and Descartes appear in this book not as mere proto-scientists but as the great philosophers and rhetoricians that they truly were. Lampert writes beautifully and brilliantly and his close reading of Nietzsche and his precursors makes for an exceptional book.

Laurence Pernoud is a reference, if not THE reference in France. I have been reading and consulting "Nine months to motherhood" while avaiting my baby, and used to find practical answers to all the questions I had : how does the baby grow, why do I feel sick, what if problems happen, what to bring to the maternity, etc. A much needed help, day after day and month after month !

I dare to qualify this book as excelent since have read a lot on the subject while I was pregnant and this one gave me the best guide-lines for what to expect during the pregnancy and in the delivery process. Any fear or uncertainty disappears when one goes though the comprehensive and informative text. And at the same time the pithy style keeps your attention without making you feel tired of the specific language. The terminology is very well explained so that a woman starts to feel like an active part of the medical team that assists the parturition not like some ignorant in front of them (if by chance this is your concern as it was for me). But what I liked the most about this book is the love to the Mom and her baby it is written with. It's amazing how Laurence Pernoud makes you feel like there is one more person out there who carres about you. With my respect to the very popular american author Dr. B.Spock, I sincerely recommend Laurence's books.

This book has a good bit of info for those who suffer from Peripheral Neuropathy. I am glad I bought the book and every new bit of information helps me cope and feel some mastery over PN. Still, it was not organized quite as accessibly as I would have liked, and it suffers from the inevitable publishing-lag when compared to information straight from the Internet on current studies and thinking on PN.

A great book. A must for all who have neuropathy. Very Glad I bought it. Thanks Linda

More a coffeetable book showcasing the diversity and beauty of Texas State Parks than a detailed guide to the same, the Official Guide... nevertheless makes a good addition to one's Texas travel library. Coupled with Parent's Hikers Guide to Texas and various online resources, outdoors enthusiasts' only problem will be in deciding which parks to visit first! :)

Includes addresses and contact information to the state parks for additional information.

Laurence Parent's "Official Guide to Texas State
Parks" is a practical and beautiful presentation
of the rich variety of public-accessible
lands of Texas. Divided into seven areas, it
gives succinct but helpful descriptions of parks
in "Big Bend Country", "Gulf Coast",
"Hill Country", "Panhandle Plains",
"Piney Woods", "Prairies and Lakes",
and "South Texas Plains". There are beautiful
color photographs of most of the parks
and just enough history and information to
whet your appetite to see it, (but not
enough to make you feel you've seen it,
so why bother?) I am ordering copies for my
Texas grandchildren to present, along with
a Texas roadmap and a promise of both
daytrips (from the Houston area) and
camping trips in the near future. This is
a great reference book as well as
just entertaining reading.

The efforts of Laurence Pringle and Norbert Wu combined effectively to unleash this fine book.
"Scholastic Encyclopedia of Animals" is one graphical zoo, which browsed through a wide variety of animals: fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Sound descriptions and illustrations were very common here. Ecology, as well as the physical and the behavioural characters of each animal was discussed.
Not only will school-children appreciate the contents of this book, it will serve as vital educational and leisure introduction (to life-science) for them. Whereas toddlers may use it to identify some domestic animals which they have seen before, older pupils will use it to sooth their curiosities: which may serve as an early precursor for interest in the fields of Biology, Agriculture, and General Science.

My kindergarten son just loves this book. He bought it at school and for the past few months has carried it around with him almost as much as his favorite stuffed animal. It's written for middle-elementary aged kids but he can read well and has increased his reading skills in the process. The animals are all presented in alphabetical order, which is another feature that he loves.

I don't have the inner or outer peace to meditate but I still found this book very helpful and inspiring as a daily devotional. It gives very valuable insights about coming to the presence of Jesus whether or not one is practicing the art of meditation.

Father John Main (1926-1982) was an Irish Benedictine monk raised in England who was instrumental in renewing interest in the living tradition of Christian Meditation. His work is being carried on by his friend and successor, Father Laurence Freeman (who provides the introduction to this book). It is edited by Paul Harris (also one of the founding members of the World Community for Christian Meditation, a non-profit organization based on the teachings of Father John). It consists of 365 readings--usually about 2-3 paragraphs in length--from the many books and lectures of Father John. These readings can be used devotionally or for basic instruction on the method recommended by Father John for Christian meditation, which is based on the repetition of the mantra [sacred word] "Maranatha"--which means, translated from the ancient Semitic language of Aramaic, "Come, Lord." The only reservation I would express is that, as rich and varied as these selections are, seekers would perhaps be more completely served in taking up his full published works, e.g. WORD INTO SILENCE. Fortunately for us, his writings are coming back into print (newly published by Continuum). This book is a fine introduction to the thought and teachings of Father John Main. It does come highly recommended.

I was recently diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, and I started following the nutritional suggestions in this book. I think it's already starting to help! Plus it tells you how to perform strengthening exercises for your aching joints. I am a big fan of Dr. Nelson's other works. I like how she explains the science and the applications. I plan to share this with my mom, who also has osteoarthritis.

...Extremely informative for all, regardless of your health. Miriam Nelson has done it again not only with her easy reading style, but with very educational and informative text. I'm going to send as a gift to a friend.

This book brings a good overview to the reader, how Supernovae brings their information to our planet and how they develop with all the basics of astrophysics an cosmology needed to understand. It was published first in 1988 but a 2. series came out in 1994. So you can't find the newest informations on Supernovae.

Found the book to be inspirational to my own writing. A good introduction to the lay person, and with healthy detail for the versed.

As a Workers' Compensation practitioner, this is the book that I recommend to all the aquaintances that ask for free advice. I also tend to recommend it to large companies that operate in CA and other states, because it gives the law and requirements in terms that a high school graduate can understand.

There is more emphasis in this book on answers and "by the number" processes than legal precedent or analysis, which I find easier to follow for the lay person. Chris Ball also has a number of forms included with simple completion directions.

If someone is looking for an overview with more legal justification or reference to statutes, the California Workers' Compensation Handbook is an excellent choice. This book by Stanford Herlick is updated every year, and has shorter sections with less hand-holding.

I think that the Herlick paperback is the reference source of choice for the attorney or paralegal to carry in the car or briefcase for quick review of issues and solutions.

This book has so much vitually important information for the employee going through a worker's comp situation. It covers all from the begining to the end. THIS BOOK WILL GIVE YOU THE KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO FIGHT FOR YOUR LAWFUL RIGHTS -- DO NOT GIVE IN OR GIVE UP -- WITH THIS BOOK YOU WILL UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE THAT THE FIGHTERS ARE THE ONES THAT RECEIVE WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY/LAWFULLY INTITLED TO THEN.

KEEP FIGHTING AND BELIEVING THAT 'JUSTIFICATION FOR EMPLOYEER'S WRONG DOING CAN BE ACHIEVED.

READ THIS BOOK AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND!!!