I can't stress enough how much I love this book. It would be almost impossible to pick favorite stories, as I truly loved them all.

In trying to at least pick a few that especially touched me, I think Sam Rodgers' Bees truly was one that brought about very deep emotional feelings to me.

Also, A Message from the Monarchs was a beautiful, tender, moving story.

The facts about insects were astounding!!! The more I read in the book, the more I found out how LITTLE I knew about these other nations!!!! (One such point: Ants being harvesters of turquoise!)

Even though I have grown over the years to respect and admire insects, this book enlightened me and educated me tremendously, and it has made my appreciation and reverence for them grow to even greater lengths!!!

And, in reading this book, I learned an awful lot about myself.

I just cannot praise Joanne Lauck enough for writing this remarkable, insightful, irresistible book about our fellow earth passengers!!

I wish so much that this book would be required reading in the school system!!!

The Voice of the Infinite in the Small has opened up vast new understandings in my mind and psyche, about the beauty, dignity and yes, the sacred nature of the Insect Kingdom. Joanne Lauck holds a mirror up to the unnatural aversion, the hatred, and the venomous attacks by human culture on that which it cannot manipulate and control. She reveals how afraid we have become of a genuine give and take with our fellow species and with natural systems in general. This is the life threatening Crisis of our time.

Lauck also points out with tremendous richness of reference, from Aboriginal myth to current expressions of the New Sciences, how the insect kingdom can reflect and communicate the Natural Intelligence that pervades all- if encountered with CLEAR, RESPECTFUL INTENT. This book is amazingly detailed and thorough. It is an example of a powerful intellect placed in the service of wholeness and the original, natural self we are longing to recover for our human survival and ultimate success. I could feel the peace surround me and the love rush in when absorbing these ideas. May this book be circulated, appreciated, amplified throughout the world! It is powerful medicine in a dark and dangerous time.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time--and as a professional book editor, I read a lot of books. It is enlightening, entertaining, and very progressive.

Alles, das ich über das Buch sagen kann, ist, daß ich es liebte, und ich glaube, daß es sehr wert Leseversuch es ist.

Chances are if your thinking on buying this book in German, you've probably already read the Englsih version, so I won't bog you down with any lengthy opinion on the story itself except to say it is a modern classic, full of mystery and suspense that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

Foreign language versions of English novels are notoriously difficult to translate, largely due to the high number of English words which have no exact translation in say, German or French. But on the whole, this was an exceptionally translated peice, with no major blunders sticking out (the Spanish version is full of them) The most obvious chnage is of "Hermione" to "Hermine" Perhaps Hermione would feel strange to pronounce to a native German speaker, not sure on that one.

A lot of people will tell you Spanish and French are far easier to learn than German. I found German more fun to learn, most people who say it is a difficult, technical language do not know that English and German belong in the same group of languages (Germanic) French, Spanish and Italian are in a completely different group (Romantic) So to brush up on language skills, or just to have fun reading a novel in another language, HP is probably the most fun and easy to understand novel on the market.

This translation of Harry Potter pulled even this native speaker of English along almost as well as the original book, and I would recommend it for anyone who's had a couple of years of German as a skill and vocabulary builder. If you're struggling with Goethe or Thomas Mann, you need something that will show you that German can be fun to read, and this book will do the trick nicely. I suppose once could carp at a few things here and there, but this translation is so superior to the French translation that I wouldn't waste my time doing that, except to mention that Hermione's name has for some reason been changed to Hermine. If you get stuck, at least the trot's readily available!

Great book for those of us who didn't pay attention in school!

This book is easy to read and find quick answers. Ask a question and an answer is there in everyday language. What could be better than that!

This excellent little book promises instant answers to grammar questions and delivers! Its chapters are all separated into "parts" with headings that include: Grammar Gripes, Then and Now (includes a chapter entitled fives lies your english teacher told you), Punctuation Points, Mechanics(includes how to handle numbers, capitalization and many other chapters), Grammar, Mastering Business Writing, and an Appendix (it includes troublesome words and phrases, words that are easy to misspell, business words & formatting for letters and memos). By the way, even your kids will find this an easy reference to their grammar questions -- it's a good book for all ages.

The day I got this book I actually was able to put it to use immediately -- I was writing something and had a question about the word "that" (as in "she told her that...). I was able to open the book and get the answer immediately! On closer inspection I found that it deals with just about any grammar question you might have. This is a truly powerful little book! I'm glad I bought it, you will be too!

Lots and lots of great recipes in here - in most cases two per page so it's really packed. One thing I really like about this cookbook is that with each sause there are suggestions for what to try it on which is great for me since sometimes I page through and think yum what a great sounding sauce now what can I build around it for dinner 9'cause you can't just each a bowl of sauce :) The vinegrette dressings are excellent (e.g. tamari ginger dipping sauce, different balsamic vinegar dressings, sesame oragne dressing) but even more I love the nut and seed based dressings like the herberd tahini sauce, different types of pestos. The herb dressings and bean sauces are great too. Nothing to complain about - a great way to add new zest to some old favorites. Sometimes when I get home from work I just stream up some rice and vegetables and drizzle a little sauce that I may have made the day before on there - voila a great quick yummy dinner

This book is great! Lots of sauces and dressings that you can whip up in minutes in your blender. I just made the Thousand Island dressing and it tastes better than the bottled stuff I used to consume as a child. And it is dairy-free! The No-Cook BBQ Sauce is fantastic and yummy. Joanne always includes the nutritional info for each recipe too. Everything is vegan, too! :0)

I have a friend who swears that the sauce makes the meal. It used to be that the mere word "sauce" gave me pause, conjuring up images of corn starch, heavy, rich ingredients, and standing in front of a hot stove stirring. Erase those images from your mind and imagine a whole book of entirely vegan sauce and dressing recipes that you can make in a blender. That means no cooking and literally seconds to a better meal. A few recipes do call for toasted nuts or roasted garlic, but those can easily be done ahead of time, and believe me, that simple extra step is well worth it. The vast majority of recipes simply call for dumping everything into the blender and flipping the switch. With the help of this book I turned out a dinner of pasta with Walnut Pesto and green salad with Sweet Basil Vinaigrette in under 30 minutes. Even my omnivorous guests wholeheartedly approved. Included are sections on planning vegetarian meals and combining and correcting flavors. Recipe chapters are: Vinaigrette Sauces & Dressings; Nut & seed Based Sauces & Dressings; Tomato, Bean & Vegetable Based Sauces & Dressings; and Creamy Tofu Sauces & Dressings. A bonus with each recipe is a list of suggestions for each using each sauce; for example, you can use the Green Ecstasy Dressing on pasta with asparagus and carrots, on shredded daikon radish with Bibb lettuce or on sliced, ripe tomatoes. This cookbook is my current favorite!

A book that was enjoyed by the whole family. Easy read, GREAT pictures,a staple for my reception room. My patients loved it.

What a wonderful and imaginative story! A must have for anyone with the imagination and creativity to wonder what happens after the magic of Christmas-This is a story of hope and renewal-something our children can benefit from in this day and age-My kids loved it.

I loved this story and the illustrations are beautiful. I am a teacher and I plan to read this book to my first grade class. It is warm and delightful. It keeps the magic of Christmas alive!

I hate cooking...I find it stressful and confusing.

Joanne Stepaniak made this book for people like me. I've owned this book since 1999, and it is the one I always turn to. This book has cooking terms and herb substitutions. There is also a guide to cooking various grains and vegetables, so if you are starting out and wondering what to do with millet, this book will help you.

New vegans, long time ones, and omnivores will like the recipes. My favorites are Muffin Magic (makes different types of muffins), Aunt Shayna's Potato Cakes, and the unbelievable four ingredients peanut butter cookies. Although this book is geared towards smaller households, the recipes are easily doubled.

This cookbook is fantastic. it's portions are sized just right for my Fiance and Myself. We don't have to scale back the recipe's to avoid leftovers. It also included a guide to setting up your pantry and your kitchen, as well as a two week meal schedule that is especially good for those who are new to being vegetarian or Vegan. I like it because though I am not Vegan the recipes are easily adaptible to include real cheese, and as a vegetarian they meat my needs as well.

This book is an all in one schmorgasboard of info.
I especialy like that it has a section on spices
and herbs, explaining the best substitutes. The book
also tells you how to best prepare basic ingredients
for two, as well as measuring basic's for two. (Veggies,
pastas, grains...) The recipies are great, too. :)
Everyone loved the Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins, and
try the Baked Macaroni and Vegetable Casseroles. Yum!

I don't know any parent who would not get something of enormous value from this book. The techniques are practical and effective, and ever mindful of building and respecting the child's self-esteem. This book is particularly necessary for new parents who were themselves raised in more dysfunctional families, and who don't want to unconsciously pass on that dysfunction to the next generation. Nordling never frames the discussion in these terms, but she clearly illustrates how to 'take charge' in a way that is not shaming, but builds your child's self-esteem. It is also brilliant on pitfalls to avoid (Nordling calls them self-sabotage) and how to identify and deal with specific types of misbehavior. These are lessons that adults raised in dysfunctional families may not have learned instinctively. The book is great beyond words, because if you practice what is in its pages, it will transform your life and your household. Both parents should really be on board with this program. (I am a dad. My wife and I have both benefitted from reading this book.) I do not think it is exaggeration to say that our world would be completely transformed if Taking Charge were required reading for all parents.

When my husband and I agreed to take on our troubled 14-year-old granddaughter for the three months of her summer vacation, we were worried about our ability to handle her, because she was known for being hyperactive, undisciplined and uncooperative. A friend recommended the book Taking Charge, by JoAnne Nordling. We both read it and agreed that we'd follow the book's advice on handling children. The summer was a greater success than either of us had dared to hope for. After several weeks of enforcing consistent rules, using small rewards and punishments, having family meetings, providing plenty of attention and a balance of work and play, our granddaughter settled into a comfortable routine. She obeyed with few complaints and became a secure, happy, cooperative person. She even gained pride and self-esteem in her accomplishments. I would recommend the book to any parent or guardian.

Now in a throughly updated and expanded third edition, JoAnne Nordling's Taking Charge: Caring Discipline That Works At Home And At School continues to provide a model for classroom educators of a step-by-step process for successfully managing the misbehavior of children and teens, whether in the home setting or at school. Taking Charge is a practical "how to" guide for parents and teachers meeting together in groups to resolve discipline problems and develop child management skills based on JoAnne Nordling's more than forty years experience parenting, teaching, and counseling. Each chapter has a "Review" and a "Discussion" section, plus exercises to reinforce the concepts and raise issues for group discussion. Charts and worksheets are also provided. There is a complete curriculum kit based on Taking Charge available from the Parent Support Center in Portland, Oregon (JoAnne Nordling is its co-founder) which includes six videos, a wall chart, a syllabus, and guidelines.

"Where the Road Goes" renders an up close and personal examination of the Warriner family via an epistolary novel. I have always enjoyed this method (see "A Woman of Independent Means" by Elizabeth Forsythe) of letters or diaries being the narrative device. When well done, the reader has a unique intimacy with the narrator. When not so well done, the reader gets a galloping case of claustrophobia. Ms. Greenberg does well with her material and produces a highly readable book.

Antigone ("Tig"), the head of the clan, is a former activist who is taking a year off to walk across America from California to Cape Cod with an environmentalist group, maybe to get in touch with her past. Her correspondents are husband Marz, daughters Justice and Solidarity (right there, I had doubts about heroine Tig, who would burden her children with such names!), and grandchildren Ben and Hope. Tig and Marz, highly intelligent, have had marital problems in the past mostly because of Tig's high-minded activism. The daughters are polar opposites, Justice is a rigid conformist; Solidarity has drifted through life with few goals. The grandchildren, both teenagers are well drawn; Ben comes off as a wise child; Hope is achingly innocent, stubborn and idealistic. When Hope falls in love with a Native American boy who is about as stable as an earthquake, a tragedy is in the making.

While the story was interesting, I was continually irritated by the passivity of the characters. I became more and more sympathetic with Justice, mother of Hope and Ben, who was frantically trying to head off a maelstrom while the rest of the family counseled patience and love. Why on earth Tig did not abandon her march to help put out fires on the home front makes her seem grotesquely selfish. Marz's platitudes and reasoning are at best ineffectual, at worst down right stupid. The Warriner's solution to an 800-lb. gorilla in the living room was to pretend he wasn't there.

The story is strong enough to make the reader care, but not necessarily like the main characters. This would be a good book club selection because everyone will have strong opinions that should make for a good rousing discussion.
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

This novel kept me up until the wee hours. It was wonderful..... Written as a series of diary entries and letters to and from Tig (Antigone) as she walks cross-country taking an environmental survey. Her letters are to and from her husband, Marz; her two daughters, Justice and Solidarity; her grandson, and her granddaughter.

I really enjoy epistolary novels, and was in awe of the way Joanne Greenberg was able to find such an authentic and distinctive *voice* and writing style for each character. Tig's wisdom and her ability to smooth things over/negotiate/arbitrate/give advice was apparent in her letters, although she was not a totally sympathetic character. She has always been an activist and sometimes, as a younger woman, put her causes before her commitment to her daughters and her marriage.

Through these letters, we see family interaction in a unique way. It is not always a good picture, but I think it is honest and explores many issues faced (or not faced) by families today.

Tough going in places, this book is not one I will forget.

Though I haven't read any of Greenberg's other books, you can be sure I will look them up after finishing _Where the Road Goes_. This is the most powerful epistolary novel I've read in a long time, and the suspense was breath-taking (don't peek--this is one book that will consistently surprise you if you let it). Greenberg tackles a number of hot-button issues in a thoughtful, heartfelt, and complicated novel that keeps ratcheting up the stakes.

Excellent presentation on chintz pottery and ceramics without making it look like a manual. The type of book you'd want in your collection as a show piece.

This book clearly shows the author's enthusiasm and knowledge of chintz ceramics. Beautifully illustrated and packed with information for both the novice and experienced collector of chintz china. Highly recommended!

For any serious collector of Chintz this book is a must. It is clearlly set out and easy to understand. The passion and love the writer has for Chintz is apparent.

Have you read Peyton Place? If so, you will particularly enjoy
Dobson's take on the (by today's standards) mild expose of
small-town sex and scandal and Professor Karen Pelletier's involvement
in the book's resurrection (and its author's incarceration).

If the
series were only concerned with Pelletier's sleuthing skills, I never
would have made it through the first (let alone the fourth)
book. Dobson's real talent is in presenting a genuinely likeable
character who has a great job, fun friends, and intriguing
possibilities for her personal life. Karen Pelletier is such a
compelling character that the reader forgives the occasional bit of
sloppy writing and the contrived plot devices that pepper the
series.

The Karen Pelletier mysteries are as addictive as
movie-theater popcorn. If you like them, try the Kate Fansler
mysteries by Amanda Cross (which set the standard for this genre),
Veronica Stallwood's Kate Ivory novels, and Edith Skom's Beth Austin
novels. I've recently discovered but not yet had the time to read two
other authors in this genre: Carole Bugge and J.S. Borthwick.

College Professor Karen Pelletier sets off a whirlwind when she nominates Obsession Falls, a 1950s sex novel, as book of the century. Before the excitement dies, a reporter tracking down the author is killed and the author accused. Karen doesn't believe the evidence and investigates. Could the mostly forgotten (until Karen reminds the world of its existance) semi-autobiographical novel bare secrets someone didn't want exposed?

Author Joanne Dobson does an excellent job describing Karen's working environment: the strange relationship between faculty and departmental secretary, and the infighting and semi-friendships amongst professors jealous of one another's success. More importantly, she gives Karen a history--broken loves, a family to whom she cannot go back, a daughter now grown and moving out on her own, and all of the little fears that make a person fully human. Once she makes us love Karen, Dobson throws her into danger. How can we help our response? (Answer, we can't--just sit back and enjoy it).

You may guess the killer fairly early but you'll want to stay with the novel to make sure Karen survives and to see how she uncovers the truth.

Highly recommended.

The mix of academic world and mystery--with high-brow elements and down-to-earth humor--in her Karen Pelletier stories should be compelling more readers toward Joanne Dobson. I discovered these mysteries after searching for something with a central female character and experiencing great disappointment from some other, better-selling authors. This is one of Dobson's best!