This book is indispensible for any historian or anyone intrested in understanding historical events. It is ambitious in scope and very successful. It is packed full of valuable political, economic, and religious maps revealing countries at key historical time periods. Diagrams of major political structures are included. The accompanying time table is intricate and detailed. It is unsurpassed going beyond the mere rise and fall of nations and rulers but of cultures, science, and trends. You have the important names, places, and dates at your fingertips. I can't understand why this valuable book is out of print. If you can find this book, keep it. Do not lose it. Pass it on. It's pocket size makes it easy to carry around anywhere. I still have my first copy I purchased in 1977 and brought it with me all around the world.

The amount of information in this small book is mind-boggling. The maps are numerous and detailed, and each one is accompanied by a few paragraphs describing what was going on in the world at the time, so in addition to the maps (if you don't mind small print with some abbreviations) you get an outline history of the world. This book makes all of the huge and expensive coffee-table-sized atlases of world history, with such inferior maps and so much less information, look stupid and wasteful.

Its the best study partner I've ever had. I used vol I during High school and College and was always disappointed that I couldn't find vol II. Now my son is in High School and found vol I indespensable for History, as well as English Literature and wanted vol II for his AP History courses. After spending much time looking for it I was told by Barnes and Noble that there is a vol II, by Gary Kinder (must be Herman's brother or son), ISBN # 0385133553 - published in 1978. Its on order and I can't wait to get it. I remember how many hours I spent just perusing it for history that I didn't know. The maps and illustrations were better than most giant hardbound history reference books. The neat thing about this book is the way that it puts history in perspective with a geographical location or a specific series of events without confusing the reader with too much irrelevant information (and its small enough to carry to class). Would somebody please put this on a CD!

After reading so many reviews, I am excited to see that the book that has forever touched my heart, has had as much meaning to others as it did for me. Everytime I mention to someone the title of this book, I get a quizzical look, but now I know there were others who found this book too. I first read it in 6th grade- the only book by this author- and I was intrigued and summoned to read it many times in just that one school year. I felt so lucky last year to find it in an obscure library at my University, and I loved reading it even as an adult. I truly believe that this book helped to mold my desire to work in the social work field and especially with youth who are going through such critical issues like the ones Claire experienced.

I was going through my closet the other night looking for a book for my 16 year old niece to read. Along with the book I was trying to find for her, I rediscovered CAGES OF GLASS, FLOWERS OF TIME. After work today I reread this book (not that I have only read it once to begin with) Even after 18 years, I still get pulled into Claire's story. When I read this the first time at about 14 I cried at certain parts, realized I was very lucky to have the family I do and was inspired by the strength of Claire and the goodness of other people. The author did a fantastic job with this, a first novel. To still be pulled into a story, 18 years after I first read it, to be able to enjoy it after reading it numerous times is the mark of a truly well written novel. If you find this book, it is definatly worth a read. If you are a girl anywhere between 12 and 15, I guarentee you will enjoy it.

This book is the most memorable book I have ever read. I first read this 16 years ago. I just happen to come across it in my school library. I have never forgotten it. This book let me know that I wasn't the only one who knew what some children like my self were going through. Claire took the abuse but never completely gave up. People really did care about her and she finally came to realize that in the end. As I also came to realize that people cared about me too. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to know that too.

This is a wonderful book which has helped me interpret my dreams. I particularly like Bethards emphasis on the spiritual--developing your higher consciousness. Using principles of eastern religion/philosophy, such as karma and reincarnation, she sees dreams, along with prayer and meditation, as a tool to help you achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
Emphasizing the need to work to achieve your goals, to focus and direct your energy towards them, to take responsibility for your own actions, she believes you can create your own destiny.
Her dream interpretations are always guiding, teaching, gentle and caring, never threatening or frightening.
I find this book an insightful, uplifting, spiritual guide, which also helps you in a practical way, as you work to attain your ambitions here on earth.

The Dream Book by Betty Bethards is the most empowering and uplifting dream interpretation book I have ever read. It has inspired me to be more faithful to my dream journal because I am encouraged by the symbols in my dreams. Dream symbol meanings in other books I have read have left me feeling discouraged and not wanting to face the "me" in my dreams. Bethard's book helps me to desire knowing more of "me." I gave my last copy to a good friend and am reordering another for myself and for another good friend.

Most dream books it seems are often very negative. This book, in my humble opinion, is truly positive and offers a great amount of insight into ones self, providing you are willing to look in. Ms. Bethards has taught me that all my dreams are about me and there are no scarry dreams only some messages from the other side need to be louder than others because we often refuse to look in the mirror and face life from the inside out. This book has truly been a tool for me.

Forget fuzzy theories! This author gets right to the point with helpful, specific little ideas to make your home feel better and to make you feel better in your home. I have had this book for two years and continue to pick it up regularly and get ideas I can use. Some of the ideas fall within the realm of decorating while others get at changing the energy of a space with everything from chimes to water or candles. The book is very readable and easy to actually USE (unlike most of those feng shui books that go so deeply into theory that I never know what I am supposed to DO about it all!). For more specific decorating ideas in this same vein, I also highly recommend EVERYDAY COMFORTS, which is filled with practical ideas and beautiful color photos. I put those two books, Sacred Space and Everyday Comforts, plus a candle, in a birthday gift basket for my sister, and she loved it. Since buying Everyday Comforts, I find I am using that book all the time, too. It is relaxing just to flip through that book, but i love all the specific ideas that I can quickly accomplish to make my home more comforting.

I was skeptical about reading this book but a good friend of mine recommended it. This friend has a photo of my daughter, her god-daughter, in a section of her house with a lot of other similar photos of friends and family, and one day she explained to me why my daughter's photo was in that particular spot in her house. Its placement was very intentional; it had something to do with affecting the "energy" of her home...then she told me about Denise Linn's book. This book is not a joke written by some far-out flake in California. This book is seriously written and researched by a highly educated and skilled woman. It is applicable not only to houses, but to any place of residence or even an office space. You are a part of your environment. The space in which you live affects your mood and psyche, and there are ways to improve your well-being by improving your environment. That is what this book is about. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It made a lot of intuitive sense, even if I didn't understand the "science" of it all

SACRED SPACE is one of those books that certainly gives you food for thought. Denise Linn discusses energy in and around the home and work place. There is a small section on Feng Shui, but Denise's book is not at all about Feng Shui. SACRED SPACE shows you how to prepare yourself and your home for cleansing and clearing. How to clear the energy in such a way that you open your life to all the good stuff. :) What to look for when moving into a new home, and how to fix the energetic debris that is usually left behind long after the previous inhabitants have moved out.

From bells and gongs, salt and water, color, crystals, chanting and even introducing yourself to the space you occupy , Denise shows ways you can really make home "where the heart is". It's a book that's easy to read, with loads of information (even numerology for your house address!) and a light, good feeling, this book is an asset to any bookshelf. You don't have to be an energy worker or a spiritualist a healer or "New Ager" to appreciate Denise's offerings. You just have to have a home, and the will to make it "an oasis of peace amidst the turmoil".

The price is right, and Denise Linn's writing style, as always is concise and a pleasure to read. Take the leap! It's a lot of fun.

You'll find yourself chanting aloud in no time! :)

Great fun! Paranoia! Humor! Factoids! This book is one of the best comic format books I've ever read. The conspiracy theories ring true. How much is really fact, no one will ever know. But you have fun wondering, and maybe you will do further research based upon this book. The art is inspired. Each artist puts their own stamp on the theme. All black and white. If you ever had a hankering to learn more about the various conspiracy theories, especially those surrounding JFK-get this book. You will be informed and entertained at the same time. Just remember, "Trust no one"!

This book is an absolute must for anyone even mildly interested in conspiracy theory. You could read a stack of library books and still not get what you'd get out of this. Each "theory" (JFK, RFK, Area 51, Odessa Files, UFO's, etc.) is a legitimate theory which has been proposed elsewhere. The magic here is that the author has prepared, in comic book format, a synopsis of each theory. In ten minutes, you can get a very complete overview of any conspiracy theory out there. If you want more, there's a conveniant bibliography at the end, which I myself have consulted numerous times. I cannot begin to tell you how useful this book is, nor how quickly you can get a clear understanding of what's being said today on almost any conspiracy subject. The comic format is entertaining and very readable.....which is understandable, since the author has also been a top comic book writer for over twenty years now, I think, having authored Batman and some of the other better titles out there. Once again: easy to read, and a fantastic overview of various subjects which you can then find more information on in the bibliography. I STRONGLY recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in conspiracy theory.

Man! Paranoid fantasies don't come any weirder than this book. I've never seen a collection of conspiracy theories and revelations anywhere near this in scope and presentation. Presented in traditional comics format by a variety of artists, we're on a guided tour with a mysterious man in black specs who walks us through the Kennedy and King assasinations, UFOS, the founding of America by the Freemasons and any number of mysterious deaths of witnesses for any of the above. Fascinatng! This is enough conspiracy theory for another 20 years of X-files. Great job to Doug Moench and his art team!

This is a book is a book I will never forget. In fact, it is still something I think about everynight. How Marsden puts this young girls feelings and thoughts and all that good stuff into a book I would never be able to do. I have read it at least 3 times and I still can't put it down, even though I know every little thing that happens. The haunting ending to the story broke my heart. So anyone interested in this book, get it. I highly suggest it.

Chekers tells the story of a wealthy Australian teenage girl. Although her personality and story and well-defined, her name is never given. Told through memories and flashbacks, the story illustrates the girl's plummet from the utmost joy, like getting a puppy checkers and living in a lush home, to her arrival in the phsyc ward that she is currently living in. Told as any true aussie teen would, the story is in fact realistic and chilling. John Marsden carefully reveals that even a wealthy business family can be torn apart by corruption.

Told in first-person flashbacks and set in the mental hospital where the nameless protagonist recovers from a nervous breakdown, this story's message is: "The higher you climb, the harder you fall." Wealth and privilege cannot save your family from scandal, our protagonist learns, especially when your father is involved in dishonest business practices a la Enron.

The only honest relationship the girl has is with her mongrel dog, Checkers. She seeks comfort in his company as the media circles like vultures around her house, looking for a way to connect the girl's father to the stock market scandal that's brewing. She would never have thought that the connection they were looking for was sleeping on the rug in front of her fire.

I really liked this novel, and would have loved it if it wasn't about the fortieth book I've read that's set in a mental hospital. Mental hospitals have become way too clichéd in young adult literature. Other than that, though, it was a terrific story.

A fascinating book.. I couldn't put it down! Williams' command of words and poetic imagery is truly incredible. He draws readers into a dramatic story well woven with depth, romance and true honor. Combine all this with the book's strongly conveyed sense of Divine will and purpose and you have one fantastic work of literature! I hope for more books of the same genre from this author.

I got this book yesterday and I just got finished reading it! It is one of the greatest books I have ever read. Not only does it tell of virtues and morals, right and wrong, good and evil; but it also has a compellign story line that intrigues you from the first paragraph until the last word. How the author uses words to captivate the senses and paint visual pictures are astounding! It amazes me how I just couldn't seem to stop reading. This book rivals J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and definately one that I'll read again. Bravo Thomas Williams! And thank you for writing one of the greatest literary masterpieces ever. I truly love this book.

Aradon and Volanna are the perfect fantasy hero and heroine. They are called on again and again to make difficult decisions in the midst of the intrigue and hardships that surround them. This book really has something to offer everyone -- romance, suspense, danger, humor. The hardest thing about reading this book is that it ends -- far sooner than you are willing to stop reading. I hope that Mr. Williams will continue this story of Aradon and Volanna, along with the other wonderful characters of the Seven Kingdoms. Read this -- I am sure you will feel the same!

I had read Pierce's Darkangel Trilogy, and enjoyed it very much, but I didn't check this book out of the library the first time I saw it because I wasn't interested in a book titled "The Woman Who Loved Reindeer." I mean, come on - a woman who loved animals? However, I finally decided to give it a try (I was desparate for reading material). Boy, was I glad I read it. I liked it so much I bought not one, but two copies of the book (because I didn't like the condition of the first one).

This novel is by far my absolute favorite book. It appealed to me because of Pierce's writing style. Without you knowing it, she brings you into the story and into the character's minds and hearts (mostly the main character's, Caribou). I loved the romance - described not graphically, but brough out just as powerfully as if it was. Pierce's use of imagery, and her knack for describing feelings and actions incredibly well using few words, really empowers the storyline. A few small words, in this novel, can reveal to the reader the character's soul. There is really no good way to convey my feelings toward the way this book was written. The plot was engaging, but it was really the author's distinct writing style that made me enjoy this book so much. After all, it is my favorite book (and I've read many books of all different genres, by many excellent authors). I especially recommend this book to people who enjoy reading light romances - not as in comical, but as in more based on emotions than physical actions, if you know what I mean. You'll be able to feel and know the sorrow and love Caribou has for her daimon - a guy named Reindeer (the book wasn't exactly about animals after all ;). In any case, if you read the book - AND YOU WILL - everything will become clear. *A suggestion to the publisher: If you want people to buy your books, give them titles that aren't so misleading, please.* I can't imagine not having read this wonderful, romantic, and adventerous story. Goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover (even though people, including me, does it anyway). This book received my highest recommendation!

Now, I must admit I was a little hesitant to read this book just from reading the title. However, I'd read quite a few of Pierce's other novels and loved almost all of them, so I thought reading this one couldn't hurt. I was glad I'd done so. It's an amazing story with some wonderfully different ideas in it. A great deviation from the every-day fantasy you read all the time and I would highly recommend this tale to anyone who likes fantasy and/or a good love story.

Can a being without a human heart learn to truly love someone. Can a woman who is an outcast lead her people to a new land. In this book you learn how these two things can happen. It all starts with a baby with golden hair and eyes, and a young woman who is forced to take care of him. As he grows up, the woman realizes that this is no ordinary human being. As he grows older, the woman truly falls in love with him, but does the young man know what love really is, can he love someone. As he is called to his own people, her people need her as well, the place that they are living is falling apart and don't know what to do. They seek out the wise woman to help them. Will she be able to help them this time. Read this wonderful book to find out the rest. When you pick up this book, make sure you have enough time to read it, I couldn't put it down after I brought it home. Like some of Pierce's other books, this one truly makes you believe in the people and the world she creates. I have read other fantasies, but none seem as real as the ones that she writes. Even though this book is out of print, I strongly suggest finding it somewhere, it was just by luck that my library had it. Read this book and find out what happens to the woman who loved Reindeer.

The German philosopher Martin Heidegger once described the "big" question of why there is something rather than nothing as "the darkest subject of all." In this book, Prabhu endeavors to shed some light on the dark topic. The matter used to (and perhaps still does) exist within the domain of Aristotle's "First Cause" argument for the existence of God. In recent times, the concept's most popular vehicle has been the scientific theory of the Big Bang, based on Einstein's theory of relativity and Hubble's discovery of the redshift of (apparently) receding galaxies. This equal-opportunity theory has been utilized by both atheists and theologians alike to justify their own views.

Enter Prabhu. This is the story of a young girl who has quite a precocious array of talents and interests in physics, astronomy and cosmology. Through her, Prabhu voices some fascinating ideas on how some of the basic precepts of 20th century cosmology might be interepreted differently than they normally are. The book attempts to discern a nexus between implications of science and traditional religions (certainly Prahbu is not the first person to attempt thus). Whether Prabhu is right or wrong, I do not know. All I can say that his notions are worth pondering.

On the downside, Prabhu is not the most elegant writer in the world. He uses myriad short, choppy sentences and invokes cliches a bit often. His diction also gets a bit "preachy" at times in which a more subtle approach would have been more effective.

However, while nobody will mistake Prabhu for Hemingway, this book is still well worth the read; I do not want to under-emphasize that point. A modest familiarity with Hinduism and 20th century science is recommended, but not essential. Some companion books which might be prudent to read alongside the present text are: "The Structure Of Scientific Revolutions" by Thomas Kuhn, "Atheism, Theism And Big Bang Cosmology" by William Craig Lane and Quentin Smith and "Times Arrow And Archimedes Point" by Huw Price (although I would advocate the latter only to those who possess more than a passing interest in the subject matter of Prabhu's novel).

This is one of the best reads of mine in recent times.Is it fiction or non-fiction?Difficult to classify --but it blends both very well using a fictional stream of characters and events to attempt an answer to the fundamental theories of creation and First Cause . Prabhu though a science person himself ,feels the answer lies in both science and religion and attempts to remove from our minds the dichotomy between religion and science. He also brings to light the buried philosophy of Sankhya from Hindu religion and draws very good parallels between the philosophies of the Christian Gospel, as well as Taoism .More importantly the fictional stream and format usd to attempt these answers is engrossing .Major Kay(Norm) and Anita are the main characters here and easily among the better "human" characters I have seen in recent times in any fiction. A moving piece all in all with som original thoughts and conclusions --it does not matter whether you agree or not --but the reasoning and logic and breadth of material used is certainly compelling .The book will make you reexamine your conventional beliefs in both science and religion and make you ponder for a long time One expects more from Prabhu in days to come

This book not only provoked deep questions about science, religion, and God, but also touched upon the lighter side of human life. I found the dialogues between the children and adults fascinating. The author's portrayal of characters is superb. Scenes from the life of graduate students and professors are so real that one feels to be a part of this book.

Virginia Dickenson is sent to America from England as a 7 year-old to be sheltered from World War II. She spends five years with a family there, and gains the name Rusty. When she gets home, life changes dramatically. She feels unloved and her mother expects better behavior, and enforces rules strictly. When Rusty's father comes home from war, he cannot believe that she answers him back, and doesn't take "because I said so and I am the man of the house" as a suitable answer. He sends her to an even stricter all-girl boarding school, where she is an outcast. She doesn't know latin, french, or algebra and is made fun of because of her accent. Then she meets a boy who hates his all-boy school, too, and was sent near where she was in America for the war. They discover (on a prohibited secret night visit to the woods) a cabin. Can Rusty survive boarding school?

Back Home is about a girl called Virginia Dickinson (Rusty) and she was evacuated to America when she was 5 and so she adapted to the American way of life as she stayed there until she was 12. She came home to a war torn country and a totally new way of life. She has to blend in with her family and make new friends but she finds this very difficult. She cannot stop thinking about her American family and thinks of them closer than her real family. Her Grandmother and Father then come into the picture and want her sent off to boarding school and to lose that 'awful' accent and become the sophisticated child she used to be before her vacation. (Rusty is her nickname because of her hair) Rusty does not fit in and so she has no friends only enemys and everyone in the school is against her. Her only friend is Lance a 'Boy' from another school. Her life goes on like this and it really gets her down but she cannot tell anyone this except Lance........ To find out what happens read this 'superb book' I am sure you will love it Miss it Miss out!

This book was fabulous! It's about a girl who returns to England after the war. She doesn't fit in with the other girls at the boarding school, everything she does annoys her mother at first, and when her father comes home it's even worse! I can't go on, or I'll give away the ending, but READ THIS BOOK! 1