One of those books I would want to have with me on a desert island.

The Astronomical Companion covers basic questions of time, space,and even history, in an easy-to-understand format.

On its own, this book is wonderful. Combined with the author's Astronomical Calendar (which is published anually), I can spend the evening under the stars, and know what I'll find there for every month of the year.

Suitable for "naked eye" stargazing as well as for those using binoculars, small or large telescopes, the knowledge contained in these oversize volumes is amazing and easily understood. A real "find"!

....This is the most highly condensed, concise, complete, professionally illustrated text you will find on astronomy for the lay person. After studying this priceless volume, you will no longer be a lay person. The publishers of this item also publish other similarly priceless astronomical publications, "The Astronomical Calendar 2001", and for children, "To Know the Stars", among others. The Astronomical Companion and the other two mentioned are the best buys on the market, bar none, if you have any interest in astronomy or a child to whom you wish to impart such an interest. The Companion starts at your front yard and carries you through to the edge of the universe, explaining in text and graphically, everything in between, so simply and obviously you will find yourself thinking you should have bought this book years ago and saved all the money you spent on any others.

This is a great resource for either the beginning hobbyist, or the well-experienced professional.

Ottewell is a master geometer, and the crown jewel of the book is his series of drawings, showing, in great detail, the structure of the Universe, from a larger and larger perspective. Each sphere has a small sphere drawn in the center, which represents the previous sphere. Each drawing also labels the well-known objects which we can see from Earth.

Some unusal features include a distance-scale chart, a treatment of the difference between the actual and the apparent, a discussion of the various planes used to chart the sky, and he also does a wonderful job covering comets, asteroids, and other 'transitory' phenomena.

An exemplary book; if you like astronomy, this one is essential, as it offers a wonderfully accurate perspective.

If you are an outdoors-person, then this is a must read. Anyone involved in any outdoor groups should read this and have members read this! Newcomers and old pros alike may love this literature, for its leasons are timeless! Thank you, Laura and Guy Waterman!

This title and "Wilderness Ethics" are pioneering works forming 'a code that we can live by'. Guy chose to climg the high ridge one last time, on a trail, 'beyond the ranges'. His true farewell will be publication of his collected works forthcoming.See also books by the late Scott Nearing & his wife.

This book was one of the originals in this subject, not to mention one of the best. What is great about this book is that not only is it a how-to manual for leave no trace camping, but it also explores the multi-faceted issue of "what are we trying to preserve" with our remaining wild lands. As someone who works in the field of backcountry land management, I couldn't recommend this book more highly to both hikers and land managers alike. Check out the companion book, Wilderness Ethics as well. Pete Ketcham, Green Mountain Club, Vermont.

Holiday books come and go, but Clear Moon, Snow Soon should become part of your Christmas reading shelf, especially if you have young children. The winter blue cover with the hologram title is lovely and an invitation of beautiful illustrations inside. The reader is not disappointed. Illustrator, Guy Porfirio, has captured the wonderlust that a young boy has while waiting for Santa. Rich, golden-hued colors reflect an evenings glow throughout. A simple read, this is the definitive bed-time story book for December. Rising Moon has always been know for publishing "beautiful" children's books and Clear Moon, Snow Soon is another visual winner.

In a crowded, Christmas-shopper filled bookstore, loaded with brimming displays of colorful books, this one just grabbed me as I walked past and turned me around and called on me to pick it up. It implored me with its dazzling clear blue dust jacket festooned with large sparkly letters in the title and a huge white full moon with Santa's sleigh just disappearing off the cover. The illustrations in this book are lavish and colorful and filled with heart-warming sentimental details and the innocent joys of childhood wonder and expectation on the most magical night of Christmas Eve. In a way this book is "A Visit from St. Nicholas" but in a different family's home in a different era. Like its predecessor it captures the excitement and the hustle-bustle of that "jolly old elf" busy at work bringing Christmas fun to children. The text is simple and little ones will love it and so will the people who love them. Merry Christmas!

Tony Johnston's Clear Moon, Snow Soon is a wondrous Christmas picturebook that captures the spirit and mystery of a visit from Santa Claus on a starry winter night. Soft, breathtaking, full-color splash-page illustrations by Guy Porfirio highlight the very simple text, making Clear Moon, Snow Soon perfect for the youngest beginning readers. The deep blue-white of the wraparound cover painting is particularly striking.

Mr. Seaton brings us the bad news that America's nursing homes are dismal places in which to live and to work. He does so by revealing just enough of his own story, by using the device of the case study to make various points, and by structuring both the case studies and the chapters themselves so that the reader is never overwhelmed and always intrigued. His chapter "The Healthcare Army" describes the various players in the average nursing home, and gives the audience a slight taste of their daily misery. For the social scientist and the concerned relative alike, this chapter could serve as an organizational guide to direct patient advocacy.
Like its close relative, the personal trauma memoir, institutional critiques such as this one are about as exciting as a case of mild indigestion. That may be because the big subjects are inherently difficult to capture in prose. The existence of an outrage does not a call to action make. There are, for example, many Holocaust narratives, but there is only one Night. In this terrifying little book, Elie Wiesel merely tells the story of his own experience, without many generalizations. The result is economical, moving, and unadorned- and this book remains unsurpassed as a tale of horror, not because the experience is unique, but because the telling of the experience is so well crafted. Mr. Seaton's book, while describing a very different situation in another genre, owes its force to the craft and skill of the author. As much as he has to say, the ultimate grace of this book is that readers will have their own comments on fate of our elders in nursing homes.
I have only one quibble with Mr. Seaton. Our elders and their caregivers are not in the midst of a "crisis". A stronger word- "atrocity" for instance- seems appropriate here. Our hyperbole driven society seems to have a crisis a minute. From the celebrity escapade to the latest international massacre, everything clamors for attention. Many years from now, our children will question us about our integrity with the benefit of hindsight. History will call us to task for one or two "crises", and my bets are on the question of our response to the AIDS pandemic, and our ... treatment of the elderly. Read this book- so that when your grandchildren ask what you did and why, you will not be caught with the ... excuse of "We did not know.".
M. Riggs MD, eBook Reviews Weekly

Guy Seaton's book is a compassionate, complete review of the situation in America's nursing homes.
Replete with case histories and with analyses of "what we are doing wrong", the book casts a worrying light on the general landscape, yet offers valid solutions for people with aging parents on how to choose a humane nursing home.

The Crisis In America's Nursing Homes: What Are We Doing Wrong? by health care professional and nursing home owner Guy Seaton is a sober, serious, informed and informative look at a severe health care crisis facing our aging nation. Written by an experienced and thoughtful author who first started working in nursing homes more than three decades ago, The Crisis In America's Nursing Homes expertly surveys the manifold shortfalls of Medicare and Medicaid, and addresses the urgent social policy question as to why things in nursing homes are in such bad shape and what can be done about it. The Crisis In America's Nursing Homes is very highly recommended reading for health care activists, nursing home reform advocates, governmental policy makers, and anyone concerned about the quality of care they or their loved ones can expect for a nursing home environment.

The authors deal with complex issues and are able to shed light on the many subtleties of the related negotiation processes. There is a most useful state of the art followed by a very good analysis of real world cases including one on China. There is a lot to learn from it even by people who are new comers in the domain. The book is going to be published in Chinese before the end of this year.

It is unique to study the details of the negotiation process on such a complicated subject with scientific approaches. The study stimulates further thinking for both researchers and practitioners to be more productive to deal with the cultural aspects and complexity in international negotiation.

Excellent book, well documented, full of insights on negotiation over water conflicts.

Everyone I want you to know this book changed my whole life! It helped me look through my problems and to change how I saw things so that I could be more aware and take my inner strength not make the same old mistakes I have been making time and time again! It showed me the inner personal power I had and I turned my whole life around! I live in a nice house now with a pool. I am involved and married to a great person. And I finally have a stock market account with a great job nice house good relationships with family and friends. I am honestly finally happy.

Finally,skillfully woven information clearly stating the "how to" steps required to reach understanding and freedom from negativity. It works. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever suffered.

This short and simple book provides eleven exercises which will direct you to the "Royal Road" - the life you are meant to lead. The steps are obvious after you read them, and the exercises help you achieve in real life where other books don't. I highly recommend this book

When I picked up the book, I had no idea of the content. A friend had recommended this book, so I gave it a try. I could not put it down, once I started. The characters and related stories seemed so real to me, that I felt I knew both Sean and his friends by the time I had finished the book. I was not prepared for the ending, which made the book even better. I have shared this book with friends of all ages, and everyone gave it a 5 star rating. If you are looking for a unique story, this is it!

where to begin...for the lucky readers, Sean Carswell weaves an intricate, interesting, and humourus tale of small-town, working class America. Not only is the book great, but Sean is great too. I had the priviledge of being one of the first people to read and review his book and since page one i have loved it. i immeadiately reccommended it to my friends and they enjoyed it as well. Reading this book will make your day!

If you're wondering who to compare Sean Carswell to, forget it. I've owned this novel for six months and read it three times already. He has his own voice, and it's a strong, authentic one that anybody who works for a living, who gets dirt under his nails, will recognize. There is mystery to this story, but it isn't a mystery novel. It's a novel that finds a new way to explore the problem of the gap between the have and the have-nots. If you're part of the latter, this novel is your patron saint. If you're part of the former, stop burying your head in the sand, read this book, and see how the other half live. It's a serious novel that doesn't take itself too seriously, and you never go more than a few pages without a good laugh. I can't recommend it highly enough. It has a spot on my shelf between Kerouac and Solzhenitsyn. I can't wait for his second novel!

I know this is the review page but there was nowhere to ask a question so I've come to you. When my first son was born in 1983 I bought a book that looks very similar to this. I liked it so well that for 18 years I bought one and each year recorded my 3 kids growing up. They're beautiful. Now I can't find them. It is titled, "Our Country Diary for 2001". That's the last one I have. Inside it says Michel Publishing Ltd. New Canaan, Connecticut 06840. 2001 Editors were Marcia Leonard & Dinah Stevenson. A few years ago the publisher had a different address and it was called the Old Fashioned Country Diary. They used to just send me one every year but they stopped and I had to find the 2001 edition on the internet. Do you know if they went out of business? Do you know if this French book is a continuation of the country diaries? Most importantly, do you know where I can find them? Thank You, Joy

I could not get it last year and have been lost without it! It's a perfect day planner and has a great area for addresses. A beautifully designed hard back makes it sturdy and lays open nicely. Once you own it you will have to have one every year. It's fun to keep so you can look back your life - works as a diary too. Buy it!

This is a must-have calendar for any francophile. It's beautifully put together, easy to write in, stays open nicely.

Great gift!

Wow, I bought this book at a library booksale, and read it probably 1 year later. I was very interested in meditation, peaceful resolution and such. This book is amazing, so full of absoloute wisdom and radically true assesments. I'm a college student and I have been copying this book and giving it away at school functions. Everyone who has children should read this book to find out how the world will end up without a positive personality to lead us through.

This little book is a gem! It explains in concise, understandable language the seven key steps to making a positive contribution to the world. The beauty of the book, besides its simplicity and readability, is its practical suggestions for steps that we, as individuals, can take starting today! Focussing on: 1) selfless service; 2) right and fair labor; 3) nonviolence; 4) conciliation; 5) sharing in government; 6) re-education and 7) the sharing of resources, De Mallac skillfully maps out Gandhi's steps to global change. The book also contains a very practical action guide on what we can do immediately to make a difference in these seven areas, including suggestions such as volunteering for groups like the American Friends Service Committe (selfless service) and "not letting a single day go by without practicing some form of giving" (sharing of resources). The Book is filled with pearls of wisdom and resources. It also contains Suggested Readings, a Gandhi Chronology, Goals for Contemporary American Personal and Political Action, and a Declaration of Interdependence - a statement reflecting Gandian values. I'm surprised that this book is not more widely circulated or used as a college text on Gandhian values and nonviolent activism. It should be required reading for anyone seeking to make the world a better, more peaceful place to live.

It is a small book but easily the single most important text I have ever read. A concise, clear depiction of the principles which motivated to Gandhi, and Dr. King like him, to commit their lives to peace. Unlike most books, De Mallac's appendix offers concrete ways in which to apply these principles and lists organziation devoted to non-violence. Every human should read it and integrate into their world view. NOW.

This book was realy eye opening to me and gave me a lot to think about, it really changed the way I think about a lot of things. Every gay man should read this book, and then maybe they wouldn't be so judjmental to one another! Highly Reccomended. I hope the publisher makes another run SOON

I got this book as part of a birthday present, and it hasn't left my nightstand since. The book has a lot of good advice as well as suggestions, but it is never "preachy" in its tone. I'd definitely recommend it.

I really loved the humor, wit and charm of this book