Recommended in "A Basic List of Recommended Books and Journals for Support of Clinical Dentistry in a Nondental Library" in Bulletin Of the Medical Library Association, July 1997. However, the lack of a recnet edition is dissapointing.

I bought this book for my three and a half year old daughter because it centers around a ballet loving girl (much like herself) and her cat (another great love of hers). The story is about Dolores who loves ballet so much that she tries to include her best friend Duncan the cat in her plans for attending tutu day at ballet school. Of course as anyone who knows anything about cats knows, cats do not like to be dressed up let alone in a ballet tutu. When Duncan decides to hide in order to avoid the dreaded tutu day it is up to Dolores the ballerina/dectective/pet psychotherapist to find him. Using all of her best locating skills she finally uncovers Duncan hiding under her bed just in time to accompany her to tutu day. Much to Duncans relief his attendance is that of a special guest rather than a participant. The underlying theme of this book is that is okay for best friends to not always like the same things. Dolores needed to respect the fact that cats do not like to perform ballet. I highly recommend this book. It is already a favorite in our house.

This is one of the most comprehensive books written onSub-Saharan Africa. It starts off with the spatial location of theregion and the physical aspects - Climate, Vegetation, Soils, and Drainage, that makes the region unique. The authors go on to discussing the human-environmental impacts, one of the most problematic of environmental activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. They discuss reasons for deforestation in Africa South of the Sahara, effects of forest degradation, and desertification a very real problem of desert encroachment that has turned productive lands in Sub-Saharan Africa into desert environments. One of the topics covered in this text that is absent in many textbooks is the Historical Background of Sub-Saharan Africa, especially when most of the old historical records are said to be "non-existent" because of the lack of a written language in the region. The authors have done a good job incorporating culture, conflict of culture and change in the face of cultural multiplicity of that exists in this region. Another important aspect of this book is the comprehensive coverage of gender and the roles of men and women in this part of the world. This book is interesting to read, it is informative and best of all, it is current.

This book is the best for children and adults of all ages. It catches the real story of children and how they are at birthday parties. It is funny. My child says, "Read it again, Mom!" What more could you ask for?

This book is an excellent choice for middle school teachers. It has practical information on how to motivate and teach all middle school readers. The practical ideas can be implemented into your classroom immediately. I highly recommend this book to every teacher who has struggled with how to motivate their students to become lifelong readers!

This book contains an outstanding pictorial history of Novi. From it's origins as a farming community to the present day, it covers it all. Factual, enjoyable and entertaining. The authors obviously spent a great deal of time searching out just the right photos, and did their homework to describe each.

Well done.

Spirit & Reason is a collection of 29 essays, some old, some new, covering subjects related to religion, education, social science, philosophy, and other Native American issues. Vine Deloria Jr. is an accomplished, prolific,respected Native American author whose elegant writing style, flawless presentation, and use of irony, humour and intellectual analysis are effective and unmistakable. his is a formidable voice. Describing the complexities of Indian issues and related histories of oppressive government policies, Deloria never loses his concern to build a better vision. This is exemplified in "Alcatraz, Activism & Accommodation" when he suggests: "I favored announcing that not only did Indians want the island, we wanted a federal policy of land restoration that would provide a decent land base for small reservations, return submarginal lands to tribes that had them and in some cases, restore original reservation boundaries (p. 244)." After the occupation (of Alcatraz) ended, he concludes: "The policy posture of Indians at Alcatraz was part of a historical process begun during the War on Poverty when people demanded action from the government but failed to articulate the changes they wanted (p. 247)." He comments further:"Today the government, under Ada Deer, is at work trying to create a new set of categories -'historic' and 'nonhistoric' tribes - so that benefits and services can be radically reduced. When Indians do not articulate clearly what they want, the government feels free to improvise, even if it means creating new policies that have no roots in anything except the fantasies of the creator...Lkie the activists at Alcatraz, we often mill around, keenly aware that we have the ears of the public but uncertain what to do next. Until we can sketch out realistic scenarios of human and resource goals, we continue to resemble those occupants of the Rock a quarter of a century ago: We want change, but we do not know what change.(p. 248)" Thus the wisdom of Deloria informs us today of many issues and wrongs and sufferings of Native Americans while challenging both the dominant culture and Native Americans to find new ways to create better balanced full lives for Native Americans. Challenging, subtle, sophisticated, stimulating reading is here for all modern audiences whether activist or traditional, minority or majority. Clearly, Deloria should be required reading.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

First of all, "Chip" Delaney was not the author of this book, although he did write a nifty introduction relating science fiction to performance art. Barbara London's essay and chapters on the eight artists in the NYMOMA show are outstanding! Anyone curious about performance art AND any serious student of this vital topic would do well to consult this book. Each chapter focuses on an artist in this field, showing beautiful color and black & white photos of performance pieces; also included are extensive chronologies of their past shows and selective bibliographies about their work. This book is a "must" for any serious artist and art library.

Fashion Careers has been an extremely useful tool for graduating seniors and an excellent reference for those seeking new opportunities in fashion and related industries. In these ever changing times within fashion retailing, product development and manufacturing , this book allows individuals the ability to analyze their strengths and weaknesses and ultimately develop a resumé that will help land them an appropriate position in their field of interest. The workbook is particulrly helpful, in that it allows the opportunity to xerox and reuse worksheets as one evolves through their chosen career path.
I recommend this book to all individuals thinking about or actively involved in a job search.

I purchased this book after being downsized as a retail buyer. I used the book to help me focus on what my skills were, and to give me tips for writing a punchier resume. The book was easy to use and yielded great results. I am working again, this time in sales and earning a higher salary. This is a book that will stay on my bookshelf!

What a joy to find an industry specific text for use in "Career Planning" courses for college students majoring in Fashion Merchandising and/or Fashion Design. While there is no shortage of "Career Planning" texts or workbooks per se, this is the only one we have seen that so perfectly fits the requirements of students seeking appropriate Fashion Industry related examples of everything from writing an effective resume, to cover letters, to interview techniques, to thank you letters following an interview.
The workbook exercises have proven especially useful in helping students identify and focus on specific areas of career opportunities within the Fashion Industry, as well as where and how they might begin their job search/careers. The text also includes useful reference lists of Fashion Industry websites and professional organizations.
As a Fashion Merchandising and Career Planning instructor, I would highly recommend this book for consideration as a required text for Fashion Merchandising and Fashion Design students.

After reading the very first chapter, i knew i was going to love this book. I was mesmersised by the first chapter, and already felt so involved in the story that it was unbelieveable. I've long been aware of Rendell's genius, but this was a shock even for me.

The story actually moves pretty slowly, but the suspense and tension is just unbearable. You know very well that cataclysmic events are going to occur, but of how and when you know nothing. The sense of wonderment you feel at Rendell (in any of her incarnations) is simply awe-inspiring. You read and read and read, completely unable to tear your eyes from the story, even though its moving with a slow pace. Its thrilling, suspenseful and tense. And i loved it.

Barbara Vine is slightly more literary than her Rendell books, i have found. (Just an observation)

The plot is simple, but very strong. There are good, strong, simple, sensible, realistic twists. They turn the story once or twice, adding just the right amoung of freshness and surprise.

The characters are superbly well drawn and believeable. and quite likeable, despite their flaws. The completely unsettling thing about Rendell's books are the fact that all the people are quite, quite normal. Tim is just a normal, young man, struggling with his identity and sexuality, experiencing the world for what it really is. He's nothing special. Has no psychological abnormalities, is not in any damaged And yet he is driven to murder. This novel is a bravura display of how circumstances can drive people to commit horrible deeds. Quite sane, normal people, slowly taken hold of.

THis is a wonderful book. A masterpiece. The writing is just first class, and the descriptions of the places in which this novel are set are simply stunning. I have never been to Alaska (in particular) but through her descriptions i found myself transported there. And now, my window to it is closed, i want to visit it. It's a desire that should pass in a few days, but its a powerful thing to feel simply after reading a book. (I felt the same after reading "The Empty Chair" by Jeff Deaver, wanting to visit North Carolina. Guatemala after reading about it in Kathy Reichs' "Grave Secrets", and the middle east after reading Jack Higgins' "Edge of Danger" and "Midnight Runner")

I would reccomend this to everyone. I have in the past held of reading Barbara Vine, because i assumed that they would be something very different. SO different as to need publishing under a different name. My, though, was i wrong. After all, a Rendell by any other name is still a Rendell. These books still contain the intensity of subtle plot, great characters, good twists, and all the things i expect from Rendell. It has been months since i've read anything new by Rendell, and now i have discovered this new rich casket of wonders, my future in reading looks very bright indeed.

There is probably no other writer with as cold and bleak a vision as Ruth Rendell. Even in her slightly warmer incarnation as Barbara Vine, her take on human foibles and on matters of love tends to be chilly and steely-eyed. (Some people dislike her for this reason -- not me, I think she's amazing.)

Rendell has said that she created the new "Vine" line to be able to take a more human, personal viewpoint than she did in the Rendell books -- well, perhaps so, although the main character Tim Cornish, from whose viewpoint this is told, is vintage Rendell, i.e., hard to like. Tim is not evil but confused, self-absorbed, befuddled by emotions, weak and fumbling.

That said, this haunting novel stands out among Rendell's/Vine's other superb works -- and that's saying something, as she is probably the finest writer in the mystery/thriller, bar none.

Like her other books, this one features a sinuous plot that keeps springing subtle and believable changes on you, and characters that are just odd enough to be interesting yet still realistic, and throughout, her elegant and poetic writing.

It's also her only real love story. Yes, many of her novels feature the theme of obsessive love -- that's one of her recurring favorites -- but rarely does love do anyone any good in a Rendell or Vine novel. But, without spoiling the ending, let me note that when I finished this novel I was shocked to discover that for the first time, she'd actually written a book where she gave love a chance to succeed. That in itself is remarkable, and the way she pulls it off, even more so.

If you've never read Rendell or Vine, this is a terrific one to start with (personally I don't think the Vines, other than this and "The Brimstone Wedding" ever came up to the Rendell quality). If you're already a fan, well, there's nothing I need to add.

I love Ruth Rendell, I think she is the best current day mystery/thriller writer. I've read most of her books, including the "psychological thrillers", but I've only recently started reading the Barbara Vine books. I literally could not put this book down, and I finished it in one day. I can't remember the last time that was the case. I think it's one of her best books, it just hooks you. It's not fast-paced, but it keeps you guessing, she unfolds the story at just such a pace that you can't stop, you have to know more. I absolutely recommend this book, especially if you're already a Ruth Rendell fan.