I have been working in the geriatric field for four years, and am currently studying it in college. I bought this book to read for pleasure, and to reaffirm why I chose to work with the older generation. This is a wonderful book that honors the elderly with heartwarming stories of family, friends, love and the effect of one life on another. Many of the stories reminded me of my own life and relationships with my grandparents. I would recommend this book as a gift for people who work with the elderly, such as a favorite nurse or caregiver. They will truly appreciate it, as will anyone who has been touched by the life of an elderly person. I would recommend this book as a fun book to read and bring back memories of your past.

I really liked this book. Many of the stories and poems were about people with very different experiences but they all shared common themes of love, passing of wisdom, and honoring elders.

It made me think back to times I spent with my grandparents; the fun and frustrations, the quiet moments and the joyous hours.

Now the time I share with my parents, siblings, and other relatives is all the more precious.

...but kind of dull for ours. This book, dealing with an unmarried young pregnant woman who has an abortion must have been quite racy back in 1961 when it was first published. By today's standards though, its quite weak. There are too many things in the story that are implied or glossed over. Additionally, the heroine seemed quite detached from the goings on around her. There was nothing about this character that made you care what happened to her one way or another. Set in New Orleans and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast I did like reading about the places she went since they were so close to home. It was a quick read, but not one I am likely to recommend to others.

If you like New Orleans and would have liked to be a fly on the wall of one of those decadent mansions in the 1960's, this is the book for you. The book takes you to a different era and may seem dated to some, but one must remember that this book deals with abortion before Roe Vs. Wade and causal sex before the sexual revolution. It is beautifully done and well thought out.

As much as I like Chaosium, I'd say this 'world' for RPG play comes in at the bottom of what I consider the "Big 3" of Immortal roleplaying (Being Immortal, Unknown Armies, and Nephilim).

Plusses - the occult and magic systems are incredibly well thought out, and you can tell hours upon hours of effort was made in making the supernatural beings and powers as based in actual legend / myth / occult 'truth' as possible. This book really does a good job of making the world 'real', and the way the occult and magic fit into the world feels natural in a way that many RPG world-systems dont. Another nice thing about the system is that it's very temporally flexible. It's incredibly easy to adapt this to a medieval setting, or even something along the lines of ancient egypt / assyria / crete, the system can accomodate different times with few problems.

Minuses - this is a personal opinion, but the character archtypes and races just did not strike me as very interesting. This might be a consequence of the more 'natural' setting, but it seems to lack the "oooh! I want to play that!" factor that alot of supernatural systems can bring. Character creation, and the systems in general, is also somewhat dry and complex. While Unknown Armies has a very easy system to learn, and Immortal's system is very complex at first but becomes a great asset to play once mastered, the systems in Nephilim seem somewhat dated and 'by-the-book'. Of course, this may not be a downside to you,

I actually ended up using this book (and the supplements) more as "idea-boosters" for other campaigns I run in Unknown Armies and Immortal. The world-views are similar enough that ideas from one sourcebook translate quite easily to another series. And while i'm not a big fan of the characters or system, the sourcebooks do contain alot of material to jog the creative mind, which makes them worth a purchase if you are an ST who runs occult / supernatural / immortal themed games.

... and the most realistic, too. I recognize so many things from real occult teachings, it makes the game very fun and engrosing to play. I highly recommend it to those RPGers interested in metaphysical/occult.

I found this title far more than the everage arts and crafts book--it's colorful, meaty, literate (how many craft books quote Edith Wharton?)and best of all inspiring. The author admits her purchase of a huge Victorian mansion (now a B&B) plunged her into many decorating projects and she often felt, "I'm not in charge anymore, the house wants this..." From bandboxes to quilts, a teddy bear or a tea cosy, this is more than a craft book--it's a good read!

Unlike many craft books that focus on one project, Shirley provides details (and patterns in the back of the book!) to make a variety of items for the home. Inspired by her 1889 Queen Anne Victorian home, Shirley shares how the house led her to create a stenciled satin quilt, teapot cozy, bordered napkins, a muffin warmer, silk embroidered bell pull, appliqued table runner, quilted place mats, appliqued panel screen, and more. My favorites are the teddy bear made of ribbons (I love beautiful ribbons but don't know what to do with them sometimes) and a velvet covered memory album.
This is a great book for someone who wants to buy only one book, but learn how to do lots of things. Instructions seemed clear and easy to me, but I do have some experience in many areas. Still, I think most beginners will find these projects quite manageable. More experienced crafters will find inspiration in the way Shirley approached her house's decorating needs and how she used the motifs already in her home to design complimentary items.

I was impressed by the power and depth of some of the reflections and poems listed in this work. Suitable for young adults/teenagers, especially as a resource for anyone who is involved in youth ministry.

This small book is a large treasure. This book is very helpful to teenagers who are undergoing the transition of high school to college. The short reflections are comforting and give these young adults a sense that they are not alone in this transition. I also think it helps adults get a spiritual sense of what young adults face when they move through the various stages of life.

Teaching in a high school with a large number of minority children can be challenging. After reading this book, recommended by the debate teacher, I feel that I am better prepared. This book is an excellent resource for those wanting to understand the student from a background different form their own. If you plan to work in public school, this book is a must-read. I borrowed a friend's book, and then decided I had to have a copy of my own.

Language is power. Heath, a reflective practitioner of both human nature and schooling, provides an in-depth view of communities which epitomize the struggle for such power. In her ethnographic study of Trackton and Roadville, Heath lays bare the socializing process of children through words. The discontinuity between home and school is disturbing; a realization that students who do not fit the traditional way of schooling are left behind. Clearly illustrated is the need for teachers and students to bridge the gap which exists in relation to both language and culture, for without this effort some students will never acquire the power needed to take control of their education or pursue opportunities from which they have previously been excluded. This is must reading for student ethnographers, doctoral students, and those dedicated to school reform, particularly those in the areas of diversity in public schools, and language. This extraordinary book compares favorably to "Growing Up Literate: Learning From Inner-City Families" by Denny Taylor & Catherine Dorsey-Gaines.

With many specific examples, primarily from California Indian languages, this helps counter misconceptions about "primitive" peoples. Their languages are complex and reflective of deep connections with the Earth. Informative also about creoles and pidgins. Very technical and exhaustive for North America, and fascinating.

The same guys who were afraid of Virginia Woolf, that's who. Shirley Leckie has written a fine biography in the conservative biography tradition. It is published by the same press that gave Angie Debo the runaround back when she was doubting her own significance as a writer in mid-career. When she was in despair. Published by the same university, who, in the heyday of history department chauvinism, chose to groom and tenure by far less accomplished male scholars rather than to throw a crumb to Miss Debo, the one whose work would be of supreme importance. Leckie's version of the story is balanced in tone, raking no muck and slinging no mud, but the truth comes glimmering through, even so. Handled especially well is the relationship Debo shared with her mentor, Dale. He might have actually been a two-faced jerk who wouldn't have rescued her or her manuscripts from a criminal Faulkner fire. Leckie veers away from harsh judgement and leaves it to the reader to decide how much he really cared. Many things come to mind from reading this insightful book, especially the fact that men who ran history departments could get by with a lot of crap, like promoting their publish-nothing buddies while placing one of the century's outstanding and memorable historians such as Debo on the back burner. Is there any doubt that she may have scorched back there? Angie Debo was the last of the old maids in many respects. Never married, never encouraged flirtation. Lived with and lived for her mother in the little town of Marshall. Pretty much given the cold shoulder by the universities during her 30s and 40s. Finally, in her fifties, the Old Boys loosened up a little. Leckie does make it clear that Debo was more of a lone wolf than a team player, especially when the team-players were a little thick. And yeah, I guess I wanted more from a bio, wanted Debo to be more than an old maid, jilted by the academic system, as far as personal relationships go. Perhaps if the biographer had focused upon the truly intense relationship Angie Debo had for her own writing and research of the Creeks and Choctaw tribes, the drama of the bio would have been heightened. When the life and the work is one and the same, as it was with Debo, the life had to have higher highs and lower lows. I think her early childhood illnesses which nearly killed her probably altered her ways that the biographer did not explore. Maybe the Debo soup was actually a little thicker than that which has been served here. The biographer chose to be choosy, to write a tasteful and conservative assessment of a life. Maybe Miss Debo wouldn't want anymore said than that. Could it be I suffer from some kind of popular misconception about the life of such a significant writer, believing like Dolly Pardon, who said: "Some people think less is more, but I say more is more"?

Using historic events and fictional characters, Shirley Riell Brown weaves a tale using excellent characterizations and book organization. The mostly believable story spans most of the lifetime of the main character, Anna, and takes place on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Many people left Eastern Europe during the early part of the twentieth century because of the events taking place during that time. This can easily be the story of many people who immigrated to France, the United States and England and took advantage of the many opportunities that were available to them.

Although a long book, the print is large and easy to read. I highly recommend it for recreational reading.

Arielle has high hopes for this Hanukkah because she is old enough to light the candles. She soon becomes disappointed when family member after family member is invited to light all of the candles until the last day. She believes someone else will have the honor until she is presented with her own menorah, because the last day is also her birthday. As a December baby, I was thrilled to see this topic finally addressed. Holiday anticipation can be disappointing for all children, not just those with December birthdays. A great discussion books for parents and children.